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would settle on the Yattering if the postman had nothing to deliver and passed by to the next house。
When Jack returned the games would begin in earnest。 The usual warm…up routine： it would meet Jack at the door and prevent his key from turning in the lock。 The contest would go on for a minute or two until Jack accidentally found the measure of the Yattering's resistance； and won the day。 Once inside； it would start all the lampshades swinging。 The man would usually ignore this performance； however violent the motion。 Perhaps he might shrug and murmur： 〃Subsidence；〃 under his breath； then； inevitably； 〃Che sera； sera。〃 In the bathroom； the Yattering would have squeezed toothpaste around the toilet…seat and have plugged up the shower…head with soggy toilet…paper。 It would even share the shower with Jack； hanging unseen from the rail that held up the shower curtain and murmuring obscene suggestions in his ear。 That was always successful； the demons were taught at the Academy。 The obscenities in the ear routine never failed to distress clients； making them think they were conceiving of these pernicious acts themselves； and driving them to self…disgust； then to self…rejection and finally to madness。 Of course； in a few cases the victims would be so inflamed by these whispered suggestions they'd go out on the streets and act upon them。 Under such circumstances the victim would often be arrested and incarcerated。 Prison would lead to further crimes； and a slow dwindling of moral reserves…and the victory was won by that route。 One way or another insanity would out。
Except that for some reason this rule did not apply to Polo； he was imperturbable： a tower of propriety。
Indeed； the way things were going the Yattering would be the one to break。 It was tired； so very tired。 Endless days of tormenting the cat； reading the funnies in yesterday's newspaper； watching the game shows： they drained the fury。 Lately； it had developed a passion for the woman who lived across the street from Polo。 She was a young widow； and seemed to spend most of her life parading around the house stark naked。 It was almost unbearable sometimes； in the middle of a day when the postman failed to call； watching the woman and knowing it could never cross the threshold of Polo's house。
This was the Law。 The Yattering was a minor demon； and his soul…catching was strictly confined to the perimeters of his victim's house。 To step outside was to relinquish all powers over the victim： to put itself at the mercy of humanity。
All June； all July and most of August it sweated in its prison； and all through those bright； hot months Jack Polo maintained plete indifference to the Yattering's attacks。
It was deeply embarrassing； and it was gradually destroying the demon's self…confidence； seeing this bland victim survive every trial and trick attempted upon him。
The Yattering wept。
The Yattering screamed。
In a fit of uncontrollable anguish； it boiled the water in the aquarium； poaching the guppies。
Polo heard nothing。 Saw nothing。
At last； in late September； the Yattering broke one of the first rules of its condition； and appealed directly to its masters。
Autumn is Hell's season； and the demons of the higher dominations were feeling benign。 They condescended to speak to their creature。
〃What do you want？〃 asked Beelzebub； his voice blackening the air in the lounge。
〃This man。 。 。〃 the Yattering began nervously。
〃Yes？〃
〃This Polo。 。 。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃I am without issue upon him。 I can't get panic upon him； I can't breed fear or even mild concern upon him。 I am sterile； Lord of the Flies； and I wish to be put out of my misery。〃 For a moment Beelzebub's face formed in the mirror over the mantelpiece。
〃You want what？〃 Beelzebub was part elephant； part wasp。 The Yattering was terrified。
〃I…want to die。〃
〃You cannot die。〃
〃From this world。 Just die from this world。 Fade away。
Be replaced。〃
〃You will not die。〃
〃But I can't break him！〃 the Yattering shrieked； tearful。
〃You must。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because we tell you to。〃 Beelzebub always used the Royal 〃we〃； though unqualified to do so。
〃Let me at least know why I'm in this house；〃 the Yattering appealed。 〃What is he？ Nothing！ He's nothing！〃 Beelzebub found this rich。 He laughed； buzzed； trumpeted。
〃Jack Johnson Polo is the child of a worshipper at the Church of Lost Salvation。 He belongs to us。〃
〃But why should you want him？ He's so dull。〃
〃We want him because his soul was promised to us； and his mother did not deliver it。 Or herself e to that。 She cheated us。 She died in the arms of a priest； and was safely escorted to…〃 The word that followed was anathema。 The Lord of the Flies could barely bring himself to pronounce it。
〃…Heaven；〃 said Beelzebub； with infinite loss in his voice。
〃Heaven；〃 said the Yattering； not knowing quite what was meant by the word。
〃Polo is to be hounded in the name of the Old One； and punished for his mother's crimes。 No torment is too profound for a family that has cheated us。〃
〃I'm tired；〃 the Yattering pleaded； daring to approach the mirror。
〃Please。 I beg you。〃
〃Claim this man；〃 said Beelzebub； 〃or you will suffer in his place。〃 The figure in the mirror waved its black and yellow trunk and faded。
〃Where is your pride？〃 said the master's voice as it shrivelled into distance。 〃Pride； Yattering； pride。〃 Then he was gone。
In its frustration the Yattering picked up the cat and threw it into the fire； where it was rapidly cremated。 If only the law allowed such easy cruelty to be visited upon human flesh； it thought。 If only。 If only。 Then it'd make Polo suffer such torments。 But no。 The Yattering knew the laws as well as the back of its hand； they had been flayed on to its exposed cortex as a fledgling demon by its teachers。 And Law One stated： 〃Thou shalt not lay palm upon thy victims。〃 It had never been told why this law pertained； but it did。
〃Thou shalt not 。 。 。〃 So the whole painful process continued。 Day in； day out； and still the man showed no sign of yielding。 Over the next few weeks the Yattering killed two more cats that Polo brought home to replace his treasured Freddy （now ash）。
The first of these poor victims was drowned in the toilet bowl one idle Friday afternoon。 It was a pretty satisfaction to see the look of distaste register on Polo's face as he unzipped his fly and glanced down。 But any pleasure the Yattering took in Jack's disfiture was cancelled out by the blithely efficient way in which the man dealt with the dead cat； hoisting the bundle of soaking fur out of the pan； wrapping it in a towel and burying it in the back garden with scarcely a murmur。
The third cat that Polo brought home was wise to the invisible presence of the demon from the start。 There was indeed an entertaining week in mid…November when life for the Yattering became almost interesting while it played cat and mouse with Freddy the Third。 Freddy played the mouse。 Cats not being especially bright animals the game was scarcely a great intellectual challenge； but it made a change from the endless days of waiting； haunting and f