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"Don't you realize," he answered, "that if you coht and day?"

"Oh, that's very te," I said "But that's what Devils do so well Tempt I need to think about this, and consult others for advice "

"Consult others?" He seeenuinely surprised

"I' anyone," I said"You're the Devil! Goddamn it, why should I trust the Devil? That's absurd! You're playing by rules, somebody's rules Everybody always is And I don't know the rules Well You gave hts, and not before then Leave me alone all that time! Give me your oath "

"Why?" he asked politely, as if dealing with an ornery child "So you won't have to fear the sound of my footsteps?"

"Possibly "

"What

good is an oath on this if you don't accept the truth of all the rest that I've said?" He shook his head as if I were being foolishly human

"Can you swear an oath or not?"

"You havehis hand on his heart, or where his heart should have been "With complete sincerity, of course "

"Thank you, I feel much better," I said

"David won't believe you," he said gently

"I know," I said

"On the third night," he said with an emphatic nod, "I shall come back for you here Or wherever you happen to be at the time "

And with a final sht as the earlier one, he disappeared