rimbaud, part 3

mungo answers with grimacing rage "death is the murderer's only wage it is time to turn the final page on this beastly and unrepentant mage this little monster thinks he can sell the human race to the circus of hell but i will not fall under his spell his demonic designs i vow to quell the criminal who gets away weaves threads of darkness in the fabric of day and angels look down from above and say 'over such a world why should we stay?' so cast him into the waterless well and all his sneering triumph dispel so that legions of demons may sadly tell his tale to the tolling of a burning bell this is no wayward youth beguiled on whom temptation has merely smiled this is the evil one's favorite child how can we let such a one run wild?" the denouncer pauses- his words are spent the sheriff answers "i know what you meant but your words aren't worth a half a cent because through the swamp his steps are bent he may be running with the speed of ten or safe in a wolf-woman's murky den the dogs are lost - and we're only men when the sun comes up, we'll try again" "go back then - i'll go on alone and leave unturned no slimy stone what's that? i heard a zombie groan" the swamp erupts in a single moan mungo's face grows white as chalk his eyeballs bulge and his tongue can't talk the sheriff shrugs - "it's four o'clock a right enough time for zombies to walk" "see, see how satan protects his own his imps guard the road where his favorite has flown the fire-tongued boy and the shapeless crone play on drums of snake and trumpets of dragon bone let's go then,' mungo's lips are pursed his eyes are darker than a thunder-filled hearse "defeat is terrible but this is worse ah - let me turn back, for one last curse!" his foot, when he turns, doesn't ht the firm sand out of the ooze twists a long-taloned hand and seizes his ankle like an iron band he struggles and screams but firm he must stand "oh demon, release me." cries the piteous wight raising hands to heaven in terrible fright "release me, release me, i will never more fight against your glorious master, the emperor of night oh, release me, release me and all of my days i'll devote to chanting the horned one's praise to serve him forever i'll search out new ways- let me look just once more on the sun's rising rays!" suddenly, softly, the hand lets him go trembling and gasping he staggers back slow and shaking his head exclaims, "what do you know these demons are fools - i always said so" "yes," says the sheriff, "no doubt that is true tomorrow the skies will be sunny and blue the night be forgotten, the world bright and new but night's waiting children may not forget you"