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Father O'Ryan arrived in Evillage on October 17. Despite that the place was situated on the North, this October kept the warmth and atmosphere of July. The father had always longed for a calm little village with a desperate congregation and for a cosy little vicarage with a bearably cold weather. This is exactly how Evillage looked like. The only blot the village had was a legend of Satan's appearance and of some local priest taken by him. But the people found no interest in the legend so it was long forgotten.

So, father O'Ryan felt very lucky to get to a place like that since he could've never proved in a confrontation with atheists. He never really had the ability of convincing. But this job really fitted him. He dealt with people who already believed in God and in addition were filled with patriotism. He must've believed in God because faith allowed no thinking, no reasoning and no revising. The father loved harmony so deeply that he - besides counting the donations - had never used his brain for issues other than believing in God and the Bible.

Days passed and the people of Evillage got used to the new priest, and the first teasing pieces of gossip died away. But one day - though didn't intend still - he had to realize that something strange had been going on in the church. He always heard a weird noise that sounded like someone's sigh.

On one of his average Tuesdays a stranger entered the church. The man had long hair, long nails, wore a furcoat and had that terribly foul smell coming out from his mouth. As it turned out he was Jean de Vil from a French university. He introduced himself as a historian and said that he was interested in that old legend concerning Satan. Actually he wanted to compile a book of opinions about why the people thought the priest was taken. He mainly wanted to know how O'Ryan felt about it. As he confessed that he'd never been thinking about it Mr de Vil asked him for conversations. The father agreed and the time was set. They met on every Tuesday and were talking about the legend.

If father O'Ryan had been careful he would've seen that the real issue was always mislead. Mr de Vil usually talked about controversies in the Bible. He apparently seemed to be puzzled about why God had such a lavish residing place while not allowing prosperity. Then he couldn't imagine why he had forbidden gaining knowledge from "those two trees". And anyway why doesn't he disapprove evil on Earth? Why can't a non-believer though honest and helpful man be equal to a believer? How come that the loving of God is the overall criterion? The father also would've attached importance to the fact that when Mr de Vil was with him in the church - this is where he wanted to meet O'Ryan - the sigh could not be heard.

But from time to time O'Ryan had to notice that his turning to the Bible got rational and doubtful. He would even criticize God when preaching. He had seen Mr de Vil no longer but could never get him out of his mind. The people of Evillage turned about face and avoided him. And one day leaving his properties behind father O'Ryan disappeared. The very next day the gossip was born about Satan taking him.

Father McCarthy arrived in Evillage on March 19. Despite that the place was situated on the North...