the mysterious stranger-第12章

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that　was　gathering　about　them；　but　naturally　they　did　not　say　so；　it
would　not　have　been　safe。　　So　the　others　had　it　all　their　own　way；　and
there　was　none　to　advise　the　ignorant　girl　and　the　foolish　woman　and　warn
them　to　modify　their　doings。　　We　boys　wanted　to　warn　them；　but　we　backed
down　when　it　came　to　the　pinch；　being　afraid。　　We　found　that　we　were　not
manly　enough　nor　brave　enough　to　do　a　generous　action　when　there　was　a
chance　that　it　could　get　us　into　trouble。　　Neither　of　us　confessed　this
poor　spirit　to　the　others；　but　did　as　other　people　would　have　done
dropped　the　subject　and　talked　about　something　else。　　And　I　knew　we　all
felt　mean；　eating　and　drinking　Marget's　fine　things　along　with　those
companies　of　spies；　and　petting　her　and　complimenting　her　with　the　rest；
and　seeing　with　self…reproach　how　foolishly　happy　she　was；　and　never
saying　a　word　to　put　her　on　her　guard。　　And；　indeed；　she　was　happy；　and
as　proud　as　a　princess；　and　so　grateful　to　have　friends　again。　　And　all
the　time　these　people　were　watching　with　all　their　eyes　and　reporting　all
they　saw　to　Father　Adolf。

But　he　couldn't　make　head　or　tail　of　the　situation。　　There　must　be　an
enchanter　somewhere　on　the　premises；　but　who　was　it？　　Marget　was　not　seen
to　do　any　jugglery；　nor　was　Ursula；　nor　yet　Gottfried；　and　still　the
wines　and　dainties　never　ran　short；　and　a　guest　could　not　call　for　a
thing　and　not　get　it。　　To　produce　these　effects　was　usual　enough　with
witches　and　enchantersthat　part　of　it　was　not　new；　but　to　do　it　without
any　incantations；　or　even　any　rumblings　or　earthquakes　or　lightnings　or
apparitionsthat　was　new；　novel；　wholly　irregular。　　There　was　nothing　in
the　books　like　this。　　Enchanted　things　were　always　unreal。　　Gold　turned
to　dirt　in　an　unenchanted　atmosphere；　food　withered　away　and　vanished。
But　this　test　failed　in　the　present　case。　　The　spies　brought　samples：
Father　Adolf　prayed　over　them；　exorcised　them；　but　it　did　no　good；　they
remained　sound　and　real；　they　yielded　to　natural　decay　only；　and　took　the
usual　time　to　do　it。

Father　Adolf　was　not　merely　puzzled；　he　was　also　exasperated；　for　these
evidences　very　nearly　convinced　himprivatelythat　there　was　no
witchcraft　in　the　matter。　　It　did　not　wholly　convince　him；　for　this　could
be　a　new　kind　of　witchcraft。　　There　was　a　way　to　find　out　as　to　this：　if
this　prodigal　abundance　of　provender　was　not　brought　in　from　the　outside；
but　produced　on　the　premises；　there　was　witchcraft；　sure。




Chapter　7

Marget　announced　a　party；　and　invited　forty　people；　the　date　for　it　was
seven　days　away。　　This　was　a　fine　opportunity。　　Marget's　house　stood　by
itself；　and　it　could　be　easily　watched。　　All　the　week　it　was　watched
night　and　day。　　Marget's　household　went　out　and　in　as　usual；　but　they
carried　nothing　in　their　hands；　and　neither　they　nor　others　brought
anything　to　the　house。　　This　was　ascertained。　　Evidently　rations　for
forty　people　were　not　being　fetched。　　If　they　were　furnished　any
sustenance　it　would　have　to　be　made　on　the　premises。　　It　was　true　that
Marget　went　out　with　a　basket　every　evening；　but　the　spies　ascertained
that　she　always　brought　it　back　empty。

The　guests　arrived　at　noon　and　filled　the　place。　　Father　Adolf　followed；
also；　after　a　little；　the　astrologer；　without　invitation。　　The　spies　had
informed　him　that　neither　at　the　back　nor　the　front　had　any　parcels　been
brought　in。　　He　entered；　and　found　the　eating　and　drinking　going　on
finely；　and　everything　progressing　in　a　lively　and　festive　way。　　He
glanced　around　and　perceived　that　many　of　the　cooked　delicacies　and　all
of　the　native　and　foreign　fruits　were　of　a　perishable　character；　and　he
also　recognized　that　these　were　fresh　and　perfect。　　No　apparitions；　no
incantations；　no　thunder。　　That　settled　it。　　This　was　witchcraft。　　And
not　only　that；　but　of　a　new　kinda　kind　never　dreamed　of　before。　　It　was
a　prodigious　power；　an　illustrious　power；　he　resolved　to　discover　its
secret。　　The　announcement　of　it　would　resound　throughout　the　world；
penetrate　to　the　remotest　lands；　paralyze　all　the　nations　with　amazement…
…and　carry　his　name　with　it；　and　make　him　renowned　forever。　　It　was　a
wonderful　piece　of　luck；　a　splendid　piece　of　luck；　the　glory　of　it　made
him　dizzy。

All　the　house　made　room　for　him；　Marget　politely　seated　him；　Ursula
ordered　Gottfried　to　bring　a　special　table　for　him。　　Then　she　decked　it
and　furnished　it；　and　asked　for　his　orders。

〃Bring　me　what　you　will；〃　he　said。

The　two　servants　brought　supplies　from　the　pantry；　together　with　white
wine　and　reda　bottle　of　each。　　The　astrologer；　who　very　likely　had
never　seen　such　delicacies　before；　poured　out　a　beaker　of　red　wine；　drank
it　off；　poured　another；　then　began　to　eat　with　a　grand　appetite。

I　was　not　expecting　Satan；　for　it　was　more　than　a　week　since　I　had　seen
or　heard　of　him；　but　now　he　came　inI　knew　it　by　the　feel；　though　people
were　in　the　way　and　I　could　not　see　him。　　I　heard　him　apologizing　for
intruding；　and　he　was　going　away；　but　Marget　urged　him　to　stay；　and　he
thanked　her　and　stayed。　　She　brought　him　along；　introducing　him　to　the
girls；　and　to　Meidling；　and　to　some　of　the　elders；　and　there　was　quite　a
rustle　of　whispers：　〃It's　the　young　stranger　we　hear　so　much　about　and
can't　get　sight　of；　he　is　away　so　much。〃　　〃Dear；　dear；　but　he　is
beautifulwhat　is　his　name？〃　〃Philip　Traum。〃　　〃Ah；　it　fits　him！〃　（You
see；　〃Traum〃　is　German　for　〃Dream。〃）　〃What　does　he　do？〃　〃Studying　for　the
ministry；　they　say。〃　　〃His　face　is　his　fortunehe'll　be　a　cardinal　some
day。〃　　〃Where　is　his　home？〃　　〃Away　down　somewhere　in　the　tropics；　they
sayhas　a　rich　uncle　down　there。〃　　And　so　on。　　He　made　his　way　at　once；
everybody　was　anxious　to　know　him　and　talk　with　him。　　Everybody　noticed
how　cool　and　fresh　it　was；　all　of　a　sudden；　and　wondered　at　it；　for　they
could　see　that　the　sun　was　beating　down　the　same　as　before；　outside；　and
the　sky　was　clear　of　clouds；　but　no　one　guessed　the　reason；　of　course。

The　astrologer　had　drunk　his　second　beaker；　he　poured　out　a　third。　　He
set　the　bottle　down；　and　by　accident　overturned　it。　　He　seized　it　before
much　was　spilled；　and　held　it　up　to　the　light；　saying；　〃What　a　pityit
is　royal　wine。〃　　Then　his　face　lighted　with　joy　or　triumph；　or　something；
and　he　said；　〃Quick！　　Bring　a　bowl。〃

It　was　broughta　four…quart　one。　　He　took　up　that　two…pint　bottle　and
began　to　pour；　went　on　pouring；　the　red　liquor　gurgling　and　gushing　into
the　white　bowl　and　rising　higher　and　higher　up　its　sides；　everybody
staring　and　holding　their　breathand　presently　the　bowl　was　full　to　the
brim。

〃Look　at　the　bottle；〃　he　said；　holding　it　up；　〃it　is　full　yet！〃　I　glanced
at　Satan；　and　in　that　moment　he　vanished。　　Then　Father　Adolf　rose　up；
flushed　and　excited；　crossed　himself；　and　began　to　thunder　in　his　great
voice；　〃This　house　is　bewitched　and　accursed！〃　People　began　to　cry　and
shriek　and　crowd　toward　the　door。　　〃I　summon　this　detected　household
to〃

His　words　were　cut　off　short。　　His　face　became　red；　then　purple；　but　he
could　not　utter　another　sound。　　Then　I　saw　Satan；　a　transparent　film；
melt　into　the　astrologer's　body；　then　the　astrologer　put　up　his　hand；　and
apparently　in　his　own　voice　said；　〃Waitremain　where　you　are。〃　　All
stopped　where　they　stood。　　〃Bring　a　funnel！〃　　Ursula　brought　it；
trembling　and　scared；　and　he　stuck　it　in　the　bottle　and　took　up　the　great
bowl　and　began　to　pour　the　wine　back；　the　people　gazing　and　dazed　with
astonishment；　for　they　knew　the　bottle　was　already　full　before　he　began。
He　emptied　the　whole　of　the　bowl　into　the　bottle；　then　smiled　out　over
the　room；　chuckled；　and　said；　indifferently：　〃It　is　nothinganybody　can
do　it！　　With　my　powers　I　can　even　do　much　more。〃

A　frightened　cry　burst　out　everywhere。　　〃Oh；　my　God；　he　is　possessed！〃
and　there　was　a　tumultuous　rush　for　the　door　which　swiftly　emptied　the
house　of　all　who　did　not　belong　in　it　except　us　boys　and　Meidling。
We　boys　knew　the　secret；　and　would　have　told　it　if　we　could；　but　we
couldn't。　　We　were　very　thankful　to　Satan　for　furnishing　that　good　help
at　the　needful　time。

Marget　was　pale；　and　crying；　Meidling　looked　kind　of　petrified；　Ursula
the　same；　but　Gottfried　was　the　worsthe　couldn