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and it was a lump of ice the shape of the cup。 We were astonished and
charmed； but not afraid any more； we were very glad to be there； and
asked him to go on and do some more things。 And he did。 He said he
would give us any kind of fruit we liked； whether it was in season or
not。 We all spoke at once；
〃Orange！〃
〃Apple！〃
〃Grapes！〃
〃They are in your pockets；〃 he said； and it was true。 And they were of
the best； too； and we ate them and wished we had more； though none of us
said so。
〃You will find them where those came from；〃 he said； 〃and everything else
your appetites call for； and you need not name the thing you wish； as
long as I am with you； you have only to wish and find。〃
And he said true。 There was never anything so wonderful and so
interesting。 Bread； cakes； sweets； nutswhatever one wanted； it was
there。 He ate nothing himself； but sat and chatted； and did one curious
thing after another to amuse us。 He made a tiny toy squirrel out of
clay； and it ran up a tree and sat on a limb overhead and barked down at
us。 Then he made a dog that was not much larger than a mouse； and it
treed the squirrel and danced about the tree； excited and barking； and
was as alive as any dog could be。 It frightened the squirrel from tree
to tree and followed it up until both were out of sight in the forest。
He made birds out of clay and set them free； and they flew away； singing。
At last I made bold to ask him to tell us who he was。
〃An angel；〃 he said； quite simply； and set another bird free and clapped
his hands and made it fly away。
A kind of awe fell upon us when we heard him say that； and we were afraid
again； but he said we need not be troubled； there was no occasion for us
to be afraid of an angel； and he liked us； anyway。 He went on chatting
as simply and unaffectedly as ever； and while he talked he made a crowd
of little men and women the size of your finger； and they went diligently
to work and cleared and leveled off a space a couple of yards square in
the grass and began to build a cunning little castle in it； the women
mixing the mortar and carrying it up the scaffoldings in pails on their
heads； just as our work…women have always done； and the men laying the
courses of masonryfive hundred of these toy people swarming briskly
about and working diligently and wiping the sweat off their faces as
natural as life。 In the absorbing interest of watching those five
hundred little people make the castle grow step by step and course by
course； and take shape and symmetry； that feeling and awe soon passed
away and we were quite comfortable and at home again。 We asked if we
might make some people； and he said yes； and told Seppi to make some
cannon for the walls； and told Nikolaus to make some halberdiers； with
breastplates and greaves and helmets； and I was to make some cavalry；
with horses； and in allotting these tasks he called us by our names； but
did not say how he knew them。 Then Seppi asked him what his own name
was； and he said； tranquilly； 〃Satan；〃 and held out a chip and caught a
little woman on it who was falling from the scaffolding and put her back
where she belonged； and said； 〃She is an idiot to step backward like that
and not notice what she is about。〃
It caught us suddenly； that name did； and our work dropped out of our
hands and broke to piecesa cannon； a halberdier； and a horse。 Satan
laughed； and asked what was the matter。 I said； 〃Nothing； only it seemed
a strange name for an angel。〃 He asked why。
〃Because it'sit'swell； it's his name； you know。〃
〃Yeshe is my uncle。〃
He said it placidly； but it took our breath for a moment and made our
hearts beat。 He did not seem to notice that； but mended our halberdiers
and things with a touch； handing them to us finished； and said； 〃Don't
you remember？ he was an angel himself； once。〃
〃Yesit's true；〃 said Seppi； 〃I didn't think of that。〃
〃Before the Fall he was blameless。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Nikolaus； 〃he was without sin。〃
〃It is a good familyours；〃 said Satan； 〃there is not a better。 He is
the only member of it that has ever sinned。〃
I should not be able to make any one understand how exciting it all was。
You know that kind of quiver that trembles around through you when you
are seeing something so strange and enchanting and wonderful that it is
just a fearful joy to be alive and look at it； and you know how you gaze；
and your lips turn dry and your breath comes short； but you wouldn't be
anywhere but there； not for the world。 I was bursting to ask one
questionI had it on my tongue's end and could hardly hold it backbut
I was ashamed to ask it； it might be a rudeness。 Satan set an ox down
that he had been making； and smiled up at me and said：
〃It wouldn't be a rudeness； and I should forgive it if it was。 Have I
seen him？ Millions of times。 From the time that I was a little child a
thousand years old I was his second favorite among the nursery angels of
our blood and lineageto use a human phraseyes； from that time until
the Fall； eight thousand years； measured as you count time。〃
〃Eightthousand！〃
〃Yes。〃 He turned to Seppi； and went on as if answering something that was
in Seppi's mind： 〃Why； naturally I look like a boy； for that is what I
am。 With us what you call time is a spacious thing； it takes a long
stretch of it to grow an angel to full age。〃 There was a question in my
mind； and he turned to me and answered it； 〃I am sixteen thousand years
oldcounting as you count。〃 Then he turned to Nikolaus and said： 〃No；
the Fall did not affect me nor the rest of the relationship。 It was only
he that I was named for who ate of the fruit of the tree and then
beguiled the man and the woman with it。 We others are still ignorant of
sin； we are not able to commit it； we are without blemish； and shall
abide in that estate always。 We〃 Two of the little workmen were
quarreling； and in buzzing little bumblebee voices they were cursing and
swearing at each other； now came blows and blood； then they locked
themselves together in a life…and…death struggle。 Satan reached out his
hand and crushed the life out of them with his fingers； threw them away；
wiped the red from his fingers on his handkerchief； and went on talking
where he had left off： 〃We cannot do wrong； neither have we any
disposition to do it； for we do not know what it is。〃
It seemed a strange speech； in the circumstances； but we barely noticed
that； we were so shocked and grieved at the wanton murder he had
committedfor murder it was； that was its true name； and it was without
palliation or excuse； for the men had not wronged him in any way。 It
made us miserable； for we loved him； and had thought him so noble and so
beautiful and gracious； and had honestly believed he was an angel； and to
have him do this cruel thingah； it lowered him so； and we had had such
pride in him。 He went right on talking； just as if nothing had happened；
telling about his travels； and the interesting things he had seen in the
big worlds of our solar systems and of other solar systems far away in
the remotenesses of space； and about the customs of the immortals that
inhabit them； somehow fascinat