‘Have no fear,’ it said. ‘For when the vastness of creation is mine, and they gather about my throne to sing hosannas to my name, I shall reward the worthy and cast down those who are hateful in my sight.’ And then it muttered something else, under its breath. Richard was never certain exactly what it had said, although, he later maintained, it had sounded a great deal like, ‘Bloody Gabriel, for a start.’
