Strona 282 z 483

"You are in the wrong," replied the fiend; "and instead of

threatening, I am content to reason with you. I am malicious

because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all

mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph;

remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he

pities me? You would not call it murder if you could precipitate

me into one of those ice-rifts and destroy my frame, the work of

your own hands. Shall I respect man when he condemns me? Let him

live with me in the interchange of kindness, and instead of

injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of

gratitude at his acceptance. But that cannot be; the human senses

are insurmountable barriers to our union. Yet mine shall not be

the submission of abject slavery. I will revenge my injuries; if

I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you

my arch-enemy, because my creator, do I swear inextinguishable

hatred.