'But how knewest thou them to be women, when thou hast never yet, unless thou liest--which I believe not of thee--seen the face of a daughter of Eve ?' 'Perhaps--perhaps,' said Philammon, as if suddenly relieved by a new suggestion--'perhaps they were only devils.

They must have been, I think, for they were so very beautiful.' 'Ah! how knowest thou that devils are beautiful ?' 'I was launching the boat, a week ago, with Father Aufugus; and on the bank,....not very near,....there were two creatures....with long hair, and striped all over the lower half of their bodies with black, and red, and yellow....and they were gathering flowers on the shore.

Father Aufugus turned away; but I....

I could not help thinking them the most beautiful things that I had ever seen....so I asked him why he turned away; and he said that those were the same sort of devils which tempted the blessed St.Anthony.Then I recollected having heard it read aloud, how Satan tempted Anthony in the shape of a beautiful woman....

And so....