the mysterious stranger-第2章

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sexton；　and　in　other　ways　a　useful　citizen；　and　respected　by　all。　　We
knew　the　hills　and　the　woods　as　well　as　the　birds　knew　them；　for　we　were
always　roaming　them　when　we　had　leisureat　least；　when　we　were　not
swimming　or　boating　or　fishing；　or　playing　on　the　ice　or　sliding　down
hill。

And　we　had　the　run　of　the　castle　park；　and　very　few　had　that。　　It　was
because　we　were　pets　of　the　oldest　servingman　in　the　castleFelix
Brandt；　and　often　we　went　there；　nights；　to　hear　him　talk　about　old　times
and　strange　things；　and　to　smoke　with　him　（he　taught　us　that）　and　to
drink　coffee；　for　he　had　served　in　the　wars；　and　was　at　the　siege　of
Vienna；　and　there；　when　the　Turks　were　defeated　and　driven　away；　among
the　captured　things　were　bags　of　coffee；　and　the　Turkish　prisoners
explained　the　character　of　it　and　how　to　make　a　pleasant　drink　out　of　it；
and　now　he　always　kept　coffee　by　him；　to　drink　himself　and　also　to
astonish　the　ignorant　with。　　When　it　stormed　he　kept　us　all　night；　and
while　it　thundered　and　lightened　outside　he　told　us　about　ghosts　and
horrors　of　every　kind；　and　of　battles　and　murders　and　mutilations；　and
such　things；　and　made　it　pleasant　and　cozy　inside；　and　he　told　these
things　from　his　own　experience　largely。　　He　had　seen　many　ghosts　in　his
time；　and　witches　and　enchanters；　and　once　he　was　lost　in　a　fierce　storm
at　midnight　in　the　mountains；　and　by　the　glare　of　the　lightning　had　seen
the　Wild　Huntsman　rage　on　the　blast　with　his　specter　dogs　chasing　after
him　through　the　driving　cloud…rack。　　Also　he　had　seen　an　incubus　once；
and　several　times　he　had　seen　the　great　bat　that　sucks　the　blood　from　the
necks　of　people　while　they　are　asleep；　fanning　them　softly　with　its　wings
and　so　keeping　them　drowsy　till　they　die。

He　encouraged　us　not　to　fear　supernatural　things；　such　as　ghosts；　and
said　they　did　no　harm；　but　only　wandered　about　because　they　were　lonely
and　distressed　and　wanted　kindly　notice　and　compassion；　and　in　time　we
learned　not　to　be　afraid；　and　even　went　down　with　him　in　the　night　to　the
haunted　chamber　in　the　dungeons　of　the　castle。　　The　ghost　appeared　only
once；　and　it　went　by　very　dim　to　the　sight　and　floated　noiseless　through
the　air；　and　then　disappeared；　and　we　scarcely　trembled；　he　had　taught　us
so　well。　　He　said　it　came　up　sometimes　in　the　night　and　woke　him　by
passing　its　clammy　hand　over　his　face；　but　it　did　him　no　hurt；　it　only
wanted　sympathy　and　notice。　　But　the　strangest　thing　was　that　he　had　seen
angelsactual　angels　out　of　heavenand　had　talked　with　them。　　They　had
no　wings；　and　wore　clothes；　and　talked　and　looked　and　acted　just　like　any
natural　person；　and　you　would　never　know　them　for　angels　except　for　the
wonderful　things　they　did　which　a　mortal　could　not　do；　and　the　way　they
suddenly　disappeared　while　you　were　talking　with　them；　which　was　also　a
thing　which　no　mortal　could　do。　　And　he　said　they　were　pleasant　and
cheerful；　not　gloomy　and　melancholy；　like　ghosts。

It　was　after　that　kind　of　a　talk　one　May　night　that　we　got　up　next
morning　and　had　a　good　breakfast　with　him　and　then　went　down　and　crossed
the　bridge　and　went　away　up　into　the　hills　on　the　left　to　a　woody　hill…
top　which　was　a　favorite　place　of　ours；　and　there　we　stretched　out　on　the
grass　in　the　shade　to　rest　and　smoke　and　talk　over　these　strange　things；
for　they　were　in　our　minds　yet；　and　impressing　us。　　But　we　couldn't
smoke；　because　we　had　been　heedless　and　left　our　flint　and　steel　behind。

Soon　there　came　a　youth　strolling　toward　us　through　the　trees；　and　he　sat
down　and　began　to　talk　in　a　friendly　way；　just　as　if　he　knew　us。　　But　we
did　not　answer　him；　for　he　was　a　stranger　and　we　were　not　used　to
strangers　and　were　shy　of　them。　　He　had　new　and　good　clothes　on；　and　was
handsome　and　had　a　winning　face　and　a　pleasant　voice；　and　was　easy　and
graceful　and　unembarrassed；　not　slouchy　and　awkward　and　diffident；　like
other　boys。　　We　wanted　to　be　friendly　with　him；　but　didn't　know　how　to
begin。　　Then　I　thought　of　the　pipe；　and　wondered　if　it　would　be　taken　as
kindly　meant　if　I　offered　it　to　him。　　But　I　remembered　that　we　had　no
fire；　so　I　was　sorry　and　disappointed。　　But　he　looked　up　bright　and
pleased；　and　said：

〃Fire？　　Oh；　that　is　easy；　I　will　furnish　it。〃

I　was　so　astonished　I　couldn't　speak；　for　I　had　not　said　anything。　　He
took　the　pipe　and　blew　his　breath　on　it；　and　the　tobacco　glowed　red；　and
spirals　of　blue　smoke　rose　up。　　We　jumped　up　and　were　going　to　run；　for
that　was　natural；　and　we　did　run　a　few　steps；　although　he　was　yearningly
pleading　for　us　to　stay；　and　giving　us　his　word　that　he　would　not　do　us
any　harm；　but　only　wanted　to　be　friends　with　us　and　have　company。　　So　we
stopped　and　stood；　and　wanted　to　go　back；　being　full　of　curiosity　and
wonder；　but　afraid　to　venture。　　He　went　on　coaxing；　in　his　soft；
persuasive　way；　and　when　we　saw　that　the　pipe　did　not　blow　up　and　nothing
happened；　our　confidence　returned　by　little　and　little；　and　presently　our
curiosity　got　to　be　stronger　than　our　fear；　and　we　ventured　backbut
slowly；　and　ready　to　fly　at　any　alarm。

He　was　bent　on　putting　us　at　ease；　and　he　had　the　right　art；　one　could
not　remain　doubtful　and　timorous　where　a　person　was　so　earnest　and　simple
and　gentle；　and　talked　so　alluringly　as　he　did；　no；　he　won　us　over；　and
it　was　not　long　before　we　were　content　and　comfortable　and　chatty；　and
glad　we　had　found　this　new　friend。　　When　the　feeling　of　constraint　was
all　gone　we　asked　him　how　he　had　learned　to　do　that　strange　thing；　and　he
said　he　hadn't　learned　it　at　all；　it　came　natural　to　himlike　other
thingsother　curious　things。

〃What　ones？〃

〃Oh；　a　number；　I　don't　know　how　many。〃

〃Will　you　let　us　see　you　do　them？〃

〃Doplease！〃　the　others　said。

〃You　won't　run　away　again？〃

〃Noindeed　we　won't。　　Please　do。　　Won't　you？〃

〃Yes；　with　pleasure；　but　you　mustn't　forget　your　promise；　you　know。〃

We　said　we　wouldn't；　and　he　went　to　a　puddle　and　came　back　with　water　in
a　cup　which　he　had　made　out　of　a　leaf；　and　blew　upon　it　and　threw　it　out；
and　it　was　a　lump　of　ice　the　shape　of　the　cup。　　We　were　astonished　and
charmed；　but　not　afraid　any　more；　we　were　very　glad　to　be　there；　and
asked　him　to　go　on　and　do　some　more　things。　　And　he　did。　　He　said　he
would　give　us　any　kind　of　fruit　we　liked；　whether　it　was　in　season　or
not。　　We　all　spoke　at　once；

〃Orange！〃

〃Apple！〃

〃Grapes！〃

〃They　are　in　your　pockets；〃　he　said；　and　it　was　true。　　And　they　were　of
the　best；　too；　and　we　ate　them　and　wished　we　had　more；　though　none　of　us
said　so。

〃You　will　find　them　where　those　came　from；〃　he　said；　〃and　everything　else
your　appetites　call　for；　and　you　need　not　name　the　thing　you　wish；　as
long　as　I　am　with　you；　you　have　only　to　wish　and　find。〃

And　he　said　true。　　There　was　never　anything　so　wonderful　and　so
interesting。　　Bread；　cakes；　sweets；　nutswhatever　one　wanted；　it　was
there。　　He　ate　nothing　himself；　but　sat　and　chatted；　and　did　one　curious
thing　after　another　to　amuse　us。　　He　made　a　tiny　toy　squirrel　out　of
clay；　and　it　ran　up　a　tree　and　sat　on　a　limb　overhead　and　barked　down　at
us。　　Then　he　made　a　dog　that　was　not　much　larger　than　a　mouse；　and　it
treed　the　squirrel　and　danced　about　the　tree；　excited　and　barking；　and
was　as　alive　as　any　dog　could　be。　　It　frightened　the　squirrel　from　tree
to　tree　and　followed　it　up　until　both　were　out　of　sight　in　the　forest。
He　made　birds　out　of　clay　and　set　them　free；　and　they　flew　away；　singing。

At　last　I　made　bold　to　ask　him　to　tell　us　who　he　was。

〃An　angel；〃　he　said；　quite　simply；　and　set　another　bird　free　and　clapped
his　hands　and　made　it　fly　away。

A　kind　of　awe　fell　upon　us　when　we　heard　him　say　that；　and　we　were　afraid
again；　but　he　said　we　need　not　be　troubled；　there　was　no　occasion　for　us
to　be　afraid　of　an　angel；　and　he　liked　us；　anyway。　　He　went　on　chatting
as　simply　and　unaffectedly　as　ever；　and　while　he　talked　he　made　a　crowd
of　little　men　and　women　the　size　of　your　finger；　and　they　went　diligently
to　work　and　cleared　and　leveled　off　a　space　a　couple　of　yards　square　in
the　grass　and　began　to　build　a　cunning　little　castle　in　it；　the　women
mixing　the　mortar　and　carrying　it　up　the　scaffoldings　in　pails　on　their
heads；　just　as