Pray see that it is delivered.'
So he left the little imps at work, and fed them from above with all
manner of evil-doing things, which they as promptly drew into the
cellar, and at intervals flew away with, to put them into circulation
again.
That evening, at about half-past eleven, the Devil came to fetch the
Learned Man, and found him seated at his fine great desk, writing. The
Learned Man got up very affably to receive the Devil, and offered him
a chair by the fire, just near the little round hole.
'Pray don't move,' said the Devil; 'I came early on purpose not to
disturb you.'
'You are very good,' replied the Learned Man. 'The fact is, I have to
finish my report on Lady Grope's Settlement among our Poor in the Bull
Ring - it is making some progress. But their condition is
heart-breaking, my dear sir; heart-breaking!'
'I can well believe it,' said the Devil sadly and solemnly, leaning
back in his chair, and pressing his hands together like a roof. 'The
poor in our great towns, Sir Charles' (for the Learned Man had been
made a Baronet), 'the condition, I say, of the - Don't I feel a
draught?' he added abruptly.
