the mysterious stranger-第1章

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The　Mysterious　Stranger

by　Mark　Twain




CONTENTS：

THE　MYSTERIOUS　STRANGER
A　FABLE
HUNTING　THE　DECEITFUL　TURKEY
THE　McWILLIAMSES　AND　THE　BURGLAR　ALARM




THE　MYSTERIOUS　STRANGER


Chapter　1

It　was　in　1590winter。　　Austria　was　far　away　from　the　world；　and　asleep；
it　was　still　the　Middle　Ages　in　Austria；　and　promised　to　remain　so
forever。　　Some　even　set　it　away　back　centuries　upon　centuries　and　said
that　by　the　mental　and　spiritual　clock　it　was　still　the　Age　of　Belief　in
Austria。　　But　they　meant　it　as　a　compliment；　not　a　slur；　and　it　was　so
taken；　and　we　were　all　proud　of　it。　　I　remember　it　well；　although　I　was
only　a　boy；　and　I　remember；　too；　the　pleasure　it　gave　me。

Yes；　Austria　was　far　from　the　world；　and　asleep；　and　our　village　was　in
the　middle　of　that　sleep；　being　in　the　middle　of　Austria。　　It　drowsed　in
peace　in　the　deep　privacy　of　a　hilly　and　woodsy　solitude　where　news　from
the　world　hardly　ever　came　to　disturb　its　dreams；　and　was　infinitely
content。　　At　its　front　flowed　the　tranquil　river；　its　surface　painted
with　cloud…forms　and　the　reflections　of　drifting　arks　and　stone…boats；
behind　it　rose　the　woody　steeps　to　the　base　of　the　lofty　precipice；　from
the　top　of　the　precipice　frowned　a　vast　castle；　its　long　stretch　of
towers　and　bastions　mailed　in　vines；　beyond　the　river；　a　league　to　the
left；　was　a　tumbled　expanse　of　forest…clothed　hills　cloven　by　winding
gorges　where　the　sun　never　penetrated；　and　to　the　right　a　precipice
overlooked　the　river；　and　between　it　and　the　hills　just　spoken　of　lay　a
far…reaching　plain　dotted　with　little　homesteads　nested　among　orchards
and　shade　trees。

The　whole　region　for　leagues　around　was　the　hereditary　property　of　a
prince；　whose　servants　kept　the　castle　always　in　perfect　condition　for
occupancy；　but　neither　he　nor　his　family　came　there　oftener　than　once　in
five　years。　　When　they　came　it　was　as　if　the　lord　of　the　world　had
arrived；　and　had　brought　all　the　glories　of　its　kingdoms　along；　and　when
they　went　they　left　a　calm　behind　which　was　like　the　deep　sleep　which
follows　an　orgy。

Eseldorf　was　a　paradise　for　us　boys。　　We　were　not　overmuch　pestered　with
schooling。　　Mainly　we　were　trained　to　be　good　Christians；　to　revere　the
Virgin；　the　Church；　and　the　saints　above　everything。　　Beyond　these
matters　we　were　not　required　to　know　much；　and；　in　fact；　not　allowed　to。
Knowledge　was　not　good　for　the　common　people；　and　could　make　them
discontented　with　the　lot　which　God　had　appointed　for　them；　and　God　would
not　endure　discontentment　with　His　plans。　　We　had　two　priests。　　One　of
them；　Father　Adolf；　was　a　very　zealous　and　strenuous　priest；　much
considered。

There　may　have　been　better　priests；　in　some　ways；　than　Father　Adolf；　but
there　was　never　one　in　our　commune　who　was　held　in　more　solemn　and　awful
respect。　　This　was　because　he　had　absolutely　no　fear　of　the　Devil。　　He
was　the　only　Christian　I　have　ever　known　of　whom　that　could　be　truly
said。　　People　stood　in　deep　dread　of　him　on　that　account；　for　they
thought　that　there　must　be　something　supernatural　about　him；　else　he
could　not　be　so　bold　and　so　confident。　　All　men　speak　in　bitter
disapproval　of　the　Devil；　but　they　do　it　reverently；　not　flippantly；　but
Father　Adolf's　way　was　very　different；　he　called　him　by　every　name　he
could　lay　his　tongue　to；　and　it　made　everyone　shudder　that　heard　him；　and
often　he　would　even　speak　of　him　scornfully　and　scoffingly；　then　the
people　crossed　themselves　and　went　quickly　out　of　his　presence；　fearing
that　something　fearful　might　happen。

Father　Adolf　had　actually　met　Satan　face　to　face　more　than　once；　and
defied　him。　　This　was　known　to　be　so。　　Father　Adolf　said　it　himself。　　He
never　made　any　secret　of　it；　but　spoke　it　right　out。　　And　that　he　was
speaking　true　there　was　proof　in　at　least　one　instance；　for　on　that
occasion　he　quarreled　with　the　enemy；　and　intrepidly　threw　his　bottle　at
him；　and　there；　upon　the　wall　of　his　study；　was　the　ruddy　splotch　where
it　struck　and　broke。

But　it　was　Father　Peter；　the　other　priest；　that　we　all　loved　best　and
were　sorriest　for。　　Some　people　charged　him　with　talking　around　in
conversation　that　God　was　all　goodness　and　would　find　a　way　to　save　all
his　poor　human　children。　　It　was　a　horrible　thing　to　say；　but　there　was
never　any　absolute　proof　that　Father　Peter　said　it；　and　it　was　out　of
character　for　him　to　say　it；　too；　for　he　was　always　good　and　gentle　and
truthful。　　He　wasn't　charged　with　saying　it　in　the　pulpit；　where　all　the
congregation　could　hear　and　testify；　but　only　outside；　in　talk；　and　it　is
easy　for　enemies　to　manufacture　that。　　Father　Peter　had　an　enemy　and　a
very　powerful　one；　the　astrologer　who　lived　in　a　tumbled　old　tower　up　the
valley；　and　put　in　his　nights　studying　the　stars。　　Every　one　knew　he
could　foretell　wars　and　famines；　though　that　was　not　so　hard；　for　there
was　always　a　war；　and　generally　a　famine　somewhere。　　But　he　could　also
read　any　man's　life　through　the　stars　in　a　big　book　he　had；　and　find　lost
property；　and　every　one　in　the　village　except　Father　Peter　stood　in　awe
of　him。　　Even　Father　Adolf；　who　had　defied　the　Devil；　had　a　wholesome
respect　for　the　astrologer　when　he　came　through　our　village　wearing　his
tall；　pointed　hat　and　his　long；　flowing　robe　with　stars　on　it；　carrying
his　big　book；　and　a　staff　which　was　known　to　have　magic　power。　　The
bishop　himself　sometimes　listened　to　the　astrologer；　it　was　said；　for；
besides　studying　the　stars　and　prophesying；　the　astrologer　made　a　great
show　of　piety；　which　would　impress　the　bishop；　of　course。

But　Father　Peter　took　no　stock　in　the　astrologer。　　He　denounced　him
openly　as　a　charlatana　fraud　with　no　valuable　knowledge　of　any　kind；　or
powers　beyond　those　of　an　ordinary　and　rather　inferior　human　being；　which
naturally　made　the　astrologer　hate　Father　Peter　and　wish　to　ruin　him。　　It
was　the　astrologer；　as　we　all　believed；　who　originated　the　story　about
Father　Peter's　shocking　remark　and　carried　it　to　the　bishop。　　It　was　said
that　Father　Peter　had　made　the　remark　to　his　niece；　Marget；　though　Marget
denied　it　and　implored　the　bishop　to　believe　her　and　spare　her　old　uncle
from　poverty　and　disgrace。　　But　the　bishop　wouldn't　listen。　　He　suspended
Father　Peter　indefinitely；　though　he　wouldn't　go　so　far　as　to
excommunicate　him　on　the　evidence　of　only　one　witness；　and　now　Father
Peter　had　been　out　a　couple　of　years；　and　our　other　priest；　Father　Adolf；
had　his　flock。

Those　had　been　hard　years　for　the　old　priest　and　Marget。　　They　had　been
favorites；　but　of　course　that　changed　when　they　came　under　the　shadow　of
the　bishop's　frown。　　Many　of　their　friends　fell　away　entirely；　and　the
rest　became　cool　and　distant。　　Marget　was　a　lovely　girl　of　eighteen　when
the　trouble　came；　and　she　had　the　best　head　in　the　village；　and　the　most
in　it。　　She　taught　the　harp；　and　earned　all　her　clothes　and　pocket　money
by　her　own　industry。　　But　her　scholars　fell　off　one　by　one　now；　she　was
forgotten　when　there　were　dances　and　parties　among　the　youth　of　the
village；　the　young　fellows　stopped　coming　to　the　house；　all　except
Wilhelm　Meidlingand　he　could　have　been　spared；　she　and　her　uncle　were
sad　and　forlorn　in　their　neglect　and　disgrace；　and　the　sunshine　was　gone
out　of　their　lives。　　Matters　went　worse　and　worse；　all　through　the　two
years。　　Clothes　were　wearing　out；　bread　was　harder　and　harder　to　get。
And　now；　at　last；　the　very　end　was　come。　　Solomon　Isaacs　had　lent　all　the
money　he　was　willing　to　put　on　the　house；　and　gave　notice　that　to…morrow
he　would　foreclose。




Chapter　2

Three　of　us　boys　were　always　together；　and　had　been　so　from　the　cradle；
being　fond　of　one　another　from　the　beginning；　and　this　affection　deepened
as　the　years　went　onNikolaus　Bauman；　son　of　the　principal　judge　of　the
local　court；　Seppi　Wohlmeyer；　son　of　the　keeper　of　the　principal　inn；　the
〃Golden　Stag；〃　which　had　a　nice　garden；　with　shade　trees　reaching　down　to
the　riverside；　and　pleasure　boats　for　hire；　and　I　was　the　thirdTheodor
Fischer；　son　of　the　church　organist；　who　was　also　leader　of　the　village
musicians；　teacher　of　the　violin；　composer；　tax…collector　of　the　commune；
sexton；　and　in　other　ways　a　useful　citizen；　a