No cpu ever made has fewer than stages, but advancements in caching have increased the number of stages over the years.

The three parts that best support the view that the narrator equates the salesman with an evil entity  are:

"Impious wretch!" foamed the stranger, blackening in the face as the rainbow beamed

The scowl grew blacker on his face; the indigo-circles enlarged round his eyes as the storm-rings round the midnight moon. He sprang upon me.

I trod it; and dragging the dark lightning-king out of my door, flung his elbowed, copper scepter after him.

took the test and got it right :)