Keywords: deal with the devil, satan character, reference to leander and hero, based on a stage play, devil character, reference to faust, hell, birthday, marriage, dream
Plot:
When he dies, Henry Van Cleeve is convinced that he will never gain admission to heaven, so he immediately goes in the other direction. The man in charge, referred to as His Excellency, asks Henry to tell him his life story, not convinced he qualifies for eternity down below. Henry was born into a well-to-do family and never had to worry about money. As with many a young man of means, he liked to party and have a good time. On his 26th birthday, he meets his cousin Albert's beautiful fiancee Martha and they elope that very evening. They are happy for many years but Henry never really changes his bad habits and as a man about town, has many lady friends. Martha leaves him, but when she realizes that he will never change his womanizing ways, she returns. Now at the gates of hell, his eternal life is in the hands of His Excellency.
