’
‘But why should I be a demon — ?’ she asked.
‘“WOMAN WAILING FOR HER DEMON LOVER” — ’ he quoted — ’why, I don’t know.’
Hermione roused herself as from a death — annihilation.
‘He is such a DREADFUL satanist, isn’t he?’ she drawled to Ursula, in a queer resonant voice, that ended on a shrill little laugh of pure ridicule. The two women were jeering at him, jeering him into nothingness. The laugh of the shrill, triumphant female sounded from Hermione, jeering him as if he were a neuter.
‘No,’ he said. ‘You are the real devil who won’t let life exist.’