"Then what?" continued the Devil.
"Hell--and you!" I retorted, in desperation.
Then the Devil edged closer to me along the plank; he seemed to writhe
across it like something with a hurt back. It made my flesh creep to see
him. He leaned toward me through the intervening space, and stretching
out his ugly, snake-like neck, hissed:
"Honor and virtue are lies! Pleasure is truth. Take her--"
Up I sprang, fist at shoulder, and lunged at that fiendish visage with
all the power of my body. I hit nothing, the impetus of the stroke
wheeled me entirely around, and there stood mine Enemy, hands on hips,
shaking with silent laughter.