I suspect Griswell's words are Howard twitting his old friend H.P. Lovecraft, cause that's just the sort of thing Lovecraft liked to say.

Not thinking seems endemic to revenge curses . . . Angel, for one, and Imhotep in the mummy: "Yes, he's buried and being chewed on by carnivore beetles, but if he ever gets out he'll be immortal, superpowerful, and able to destroy the world! What a punishment!"