Chapter 29

They Still Remain Upon The Rock

"Gogle-goggle, fugle-fi, fugle-fogle-orum," so hummed to himself
Babbalanja, slowly pacing over the fossils. "Is he crazy again?"
whispered Yoomy.

"Are you crazy, Babbalanja?" asked Media.

"From my very birth have I been so, my lord; am I not possessed by a
devil?"

"Then I'll e'en interrogate him," cried Media. "--Hark ye, sirrah;--
why rave you thus in this poor mortal?"

"'Tis he, not I. I am the mildest devil that ever entered man; in
propria persona, no antlers do I wear; my tail has lost its barb, as
at last your Mardian lions lose their caudal horns."

"A very sing-song devil this. But, prithee, who are you, sirrah?"

"The mildest devil that ever entered man; in propria persona, no
antlers do I wear; my tail has lost its barb, as at last your Mardian
lions lose their caudal horns."

"A very iterating devil this. Sirrah! mock me not. Know you aught yet
unrevealed by Babbalanja?"

"Many things I know, not good to tell; whence they call me Azzageddi."

"A very confidential devil, this; that tells no secrets. Azzageddi,
can I drive thee out?"

"Only with this mortal's ghost:--together we came in, together we
depart."

"A very terse, and ready devil, this. Whence come you, Azzageddi?"

"Whither my catechist must go--a torrid clime, cut by a hot equator."

"A very keen, and witty devil, this. Azzageddi, whom have you there?"

"A right down merry, jolly set, that at a roaring furnace sit and
toast their hoofs for aye; so used to flames, they poke the fire with
their horns, and light their tails for torches."

"A very funny devil, this. Azzageddi, is not Mardi a place far
pleasanter, than that from whence you came?"

"Ah, home! sweet, sweet, home! would, would that I were home again!"

"A very sentimental devil, this. Azzageddi, would you had a hand, I'd
shake it."

"Not so with us; who, rear to rear, shake each other's tails, and
courteously inquire, 'Pray, worthy sir, how now stands the great
thermometer?'"

"The very prince of devils, this."

"How mad our Babbalanja is," cried Mohi. My lord, take heed; he'll
bite."

"Alas! alas!" sighed Yoomy.

"Hark ye, Babbalanja," cried Media, "enough of this: doff your devil,
and be a man."

"My lord, I can not doff him; but I'll down him for a time: Azzageddi!
down, imp; down, down, down! so: now, my lord, I'm only Babbalanja."