No one of you must dare enter the lists against me in feats serviceable
to the realm of darkness. For what is tobacco, but one of my meanest
weapons to stupefy the brain? What is Mammon's kingdom but a part of my
great dominion? Yea, were I to loosen the bonds I have upon the subjects
of Mammon and Pride, and even of Asmodai, Belphegor and Hypocrisy, no man
would for an instant abide their domination. Wherefore I will do the
work and let no one of you ever utter a word."
Then great Lucifer himself arose from his burning seat, and having turned
his hideous face to both sides, thus began: "Ye chief spirits of the
Eternal Night, princes of hopeless guile, although the vasty gloom and
the wilds of Destruction are more bounden to none for their inhabitants
than to mine own supreme majesty--for it was I who erewhile wishing to
usurp the Almighty's throne, drew myriads of you, my swarthy angels, at
my tail into these deadly horrors, and afterwards drew unto you myriads
of men to share this region--yet there is no gainsay that ye all have
done your share in maintaining and extending this great infernal empire.
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