Published: Civil and Military Gazette, 25 December 1885.

Attribution: In Scrapbook 1 (28/1, p. 41).

Text: Civil and Military Gazette.

Notes: Asmodeus, or the Limping Devil, comes from Le Diable Boiteux (1707) by Alain René Lesage. In Lesage's book Asmodeus provides the same sort of service that he does in Kipling's story. ‘The Land of Regrets’ is the title and refrain of a poem by Sir Alfred Lyall, prominent Indian civil servant; at the time of this story he was Lieutenant Governor of the North-West Provinces and Oudh. RK alludes to the poem in a letter of 10 June1884 (Letters, i, 68).

The narrator's name in full – Hastings Macaulay Elphinstone Smallbones – alludes to three important figures in British Indian history. For Hastings and Macaulay, see the headnote to ‘Dis Aliter Visum’. Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779–1859) was Governor of Bombay, 1819–27, and the author of a History of India.

‘My Christmas Caller’ has been reprinted in Kipling's India; Uncollected Sketches, and in the Kipling Journal, December 2015.

“I am strictly proper now” said a voice from behind the big almirah which forms the principal ornament of my bachelor dining-room.

Now it couldn't have been the Bearer, because in the first place he doesn't speak English and in the second, if he did, even he dare not utter so huge a fib. This was on Christmas Eve, yesterday – a day of all days in the year I detest because it makes me homesick, and morose and irritable. That's why I always keep within doors and reflect on all the unpleasant things I know – the disgusting ingratitude of the Punjab Government to an able and efficient officer among others.

“Strictly proper, and immensely improved since Le Sage's time” repeated the voice from behind the almirah. “May I come in?”

“Come in” said I shortly, for my thoughts were not pleasant ones. As a rule, I dislike men dropping in uncalled for.

“Thanks many. Will you make room for me at the fire? – your almirah's rather drafty.”

It was the Le Diable Boiteux. I recognised him even before I read the card which he presented. As he said, he was wonderfully improved frm Le Sage's inimitable but somewhat coarse original.