Thank you ever so much for this lovely feedback! I'm so pleased you liked the description of Sharpe. I'm really fond of him in all his incarnations, but I do have a particular soft spot for young and wild Sharpe. He's somewhat primitive, barely civilized, but likeable for all that, as you say.

Thanks for mentioning the monologue! I totally agree with you; they almost never work. Usually they're pretty contrived. But I hoped this would be okay because hey, it's the Devil, and he'd be pretty mesmerizing for any length of time, I'd bet, and slightly hypnotic, I'd hoped. So I'm thrilled it worked for you.

I'm absolutely delighted you enjoyed the piece. Thanks very much indeed for your thoughtful comments. :)