the mysterious stranger-第21章

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lady　who　was　known　to　have　the　habit　of　curing　people　by　devilish　arts；
such　as　bathing　them；　washing　them；　and　nourishing　them　instead　of
bleeding　them　and　purging　them　through　the　ministrations　of　a　barber…
surgeon　in　the　proper　way。　　She　came　flying　down；　with　the　howling　and
cursing　mob　after　her；　and　tried　to　take　refuge　in　houses；　but　the　doors
were　shut　in　her　face。　　They　chased　her　more　than　half　an　hour；　we
following　to　see　it；　and　at　last　she　was　exhausted　and　fell；　and　they
caught　her。　　They　dragged　her　to　a　tree　and　threw　a　rope　over　the　limb；
and　began　to　make　a　noose　in　it；　some　holding　her；　meantime；　and　she
crying　and　begging；　and　her　young　daughter　looking　on　and　weeping；　but
afraid　to　say　or　do　anything。

They　hanged　the　lady；　and　I　threw　a　stone　at　her；　although　in　my　heart　I
was　sorry　for　her；　but　all　were　throwing　stones　and　each　was　watching　his
neighbor；　and　if　I　had　not　done　as　the　others　did　it　would　have　been
noticed　and　spoken　of。　　Satan　burst　out　laughing。

All　that　were　near　by　turned　upon　him；　astonished　and　not　pleased。　　It
was　an　ill　time　to　laugh；　for　his　free　and　scoffing　ways　and　his
supernatural　music　had　brought　him　under　suspicion　all　over　the　town　and
turned　many　privately　against　him。　　The　big　blacksmith　called　attention
to　him　now；　raising　his　voice　so　that　all　should　hear；　and　said：

〃What　are　you　laughing　at？　　Answer！　　Moreover；　please　explain　to　the
company　why　you　threw　no　stone。〃

〃Are　you　sure　I　did　not　throw　a　stone？〃

〃Yes。　　You　needn't　try　to　get　out　of　it；　I　had　my　eye　on　you。〃

〃And　II　noticed　you！〃　shouted　two　others。

〃Three　witnesses；〃　said　Satan：　〃Mueller；　the　blacksmith；　Klein；　the
butcher's　man；　Pfeiffer；　the　weaver's　journeyman。　　Three　very　ordinary
liars。　　Are　there　any　more？〃

〃Never　mind　whether　there　are　others　or　not；　and　never　mind　about　what
you　consider　usthree's　enough　to　settle　your　matter　for　you。　　You'll
prove　that　you　threw　a　stone；　or　it　shall　go　hard　with　you。〃

〃That's　so！〃　shouted　the　crowd；　and　surged　up　as　closely　as　they　could　to
the　center　of　interest。

〃And　first　you　will　answer　that　other　question；〃　cried　the　blacksmith；
pleased　with　himself　for　being　mouthpiece　to　the　public　and　hero　of　the
occasion。　　〃What　are　you　laughing　at？〃

Satan　smiled　and　answered；　pleasantly：　〃To　see　three　cowards　stoning　a
dying　lady　when　they　were　so　near　death　themselves。〃

You　could　see　the　superstitious　crowd　shrink　and　catch　their　breath；
under　the　sudden　shock。　　The　blacksmith；　with　a　show　of　bravado；　said：

〃Pooh！　　What　do　you　know　about　it？〃

〃I？　　Everything。　　By　profession　I　am　a　fortune…teller；　and　I　read　the
hands　of　you　threeand　some　otherswhen　you　lifted　them　to　stone　the
woman。　　One　of　you　will　die　to…morrow　week；　another　of　you　will　die　to…
night；　the　third　has　but　five　minutes　to　liveand　yonder　is　the　clock！〃

It　made　a　sensation。　　The　faces　of　the　crowd　blanched；　and　turned
mechanically　toward　the　clock。　　The　butcher　and　the　weaver　seemed　smitten
with　an　illness；　but　the　blacksmith　braced　up　and　said；　with　spirit：

〃It　is　not　long　to　wait　for　prediction　number　one。　　If　it　fails；　young
master；　you　will　not　live　a　whole　minute　after；　I　promise　you　that。〃

No　one　said　anything；　all　watched　the　clock　in　a　deep　stillness　which　was
impressive。　　When　four　and　a　half　minutes　were　gone　the　blacksmith　gave　a
sudden　gasp　and　clapped　his　hands　upon　his　heart；　saying；　〃Give　me
breath！　　Give　me　room！〃　and　began　to　sink　down。　　The　crowd　surged　back；
no　one　offering　to　support　him；　and　he　fell　lumbering　to　the　ground　and
was　dead。　　The　people　stared　at　him；　then　at　Satan；　then　at　one　another；
and　their　lips　moved；　but　no　words　came。　　Then　Satan　said：

〃Three　saw　that　I　threw　no　stone。　　Perhaps　there　are　others；　let　them
speak。〃

It　struck　a　kind　of　panic　into　them；　and；　although　no　one　answered　him；
many　began　to　violently　accuse　one　another；　saying；　〃You　said　he　didn't
throw；〃　and　getting　for　reply；　〃It　is　a　lie；　and　I　will　make　you　eat　it！〃
And　so　in　a　moment　they　were　in　a　raging　and　noisy　turmoil；　and　beating
and　banging　one　another；　and　in　the　midst　was　the　only　indifferent　one
the　dead　lady　hanging　from　her　rope；　her　troubles　forgotten；　her　spirit
at　peace。

So　we　walked　away；　and　I　was　not　at　ease；　but　was　saying　to　myself；　〃He
told　them　he　was　laughing　at　them；　but　it　was　a　liehe　was　laughing　at
me。〃

That　made　him　laugh　again；　and　he　said；　〃Yes；　I　was　laughing　at　you；
because；　in　fear　of　what　others　might　report　about　you；　you　stoned　the
woman　when　your　heart　revolted　at　the　actbut　I　was　laughing　at　the
others；　too。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　their　case　was　yours。〃

〃How　is　that？〃

〃Well；　there　were　sixty…eight　people　there；　and　sixty…two　of　them　had　no
more　desire　to　throw　a　stone　than　you　had。〃

〃Satan！〃

〃Oh；　it's　true。　　I　know　your　race。　　It　is　made　up　of　sheep。　　It　is
governed　by　minorities；　seldom　or　never　by　majorities。　　It　suppresses　its
feelings　and　its　beliefs　and　follows　the　handful　that　makes　the　most
noise。　　Sometimes　the　noisy　handful　is　right；　sometimes　wrong；　but　no
matter；　the　crowd　follows　it。　　The　vast　majority　of　the　race；　whether
savage　or　civilized；　are　secretly　kind…hearted　and　shrink　from　inflicting
pain；　but　in　the　presence　of　the　aggressive　and　pitiless　minority　they
don't　dare　to　assert　themselves。　　Think　of　it！　　One　kind…hearted　creature
spies　upon　another；　and　sees　to　it　that　he　loyally　helps　in　iniquities
which　revolt　both　of　them。　　Speaking　as　an　expert；　I　know　that　ninety…
nine　out　of　a　hundred　of　your　race　were　strongly　against　the　killing　of
witches　when　that　foolishness　was　first　agitated　by　a　handful　of　pious
lunatics　in　the　long　ago。　　And　I　know　that　even　to…day；　after　ages　of
transmitted　prejudice　and　silly　teaching；　only　one　person　in　twenty　puts
any　real　heart　into　the　harrying　of　a　witch。　　And　yet　apparently
everybody　hates　witches　and　wants　them　killed。　　Some　day　a　handful　will
rise　up　on　the　other　side　and　make　the　most　noiseperhaps　even　a　single
daring　man　with　a　big　voice　and　a　determined　front　will　do　itand　in　a
week　all　the　sheep　will　wheel　and　follow　him；　and　witch…hunting　will　come
to　a　sudden　end。

〃Monarchies；　aristocracies；　and　religions　are　all　based　upon　that　large
defect　in　your　racethe　individual's　distrust　of　his　neighbor；　and　his
desire；　for　safety's　or　comfort's　sake；　to　stand　well　in　his　neighbor's
eye。　　These　institutions　will　always　remain；　and　always　flourish；　and
always　oppress　you；　affront　you；　and　degrade　you；　because　you　will　always
be　and　remain　slaves　of　minorities。　　There　was　never　a　country　where　the
majority　of　the　people　were　in　their　secret　hearts　loyal　to　any　of　these
institutions。〃

I　did　not　like　to　hear　our　race　called　sheep；　and　said　I　did　not　think
they　were。

〃Still；　it　is　true；　lamb；〃　said　Satan。　　〃Look　at　you　in　warwhat　mutton
you　are；　and　how　ridiculous！〃

〃In　war？　　How？〃

〃There　has　never　been　a　just　one；　never　an　honorable　oneon　the　part　of
the　instigator　of　the　war。　　I　can　see　a　million　years　ahead；　and　this
rule　will　never　change　in　so　many　as　half　a　dozen　instances。　　The　loud
little　handfulas　usualwill　shout　for　the　war。　　The　pulpit　will
warily　and　cautiouslyobjectat　first；　the　great；　big；　dull　bulk　of　the
nation　will　rub　its　sleepy　eyes　and　try　to　make　out　why　there　should　be　a
war；　and　will　say；　earnestly　and　indignantly；　〃It　is　unjust　and
dishonorable；　and　there　is　no　necessity　for　it。〃　　Then　the　handful　will
shout　louder。　　A　few　fair　men　on　the　other　side　will　argue　and　reason
against　the　war　with　speech　and　pen；　and　at　first　will　have　a　hearing　and
be　applauded；　but　it　will　not　last　long；　those　others　will　outshout　them；
and　presently　the　anti…war　audiences　will　thin　out　and　lose　popularity。
Before　long　you　will　see　this　curious　thing：　the　speakers　stoned　from　the
platform；　and　free　speech　strangled　by　hordes　of　furious　men　who　in　their
secret　hearts　are　still　at　one　with　those　stoned　speakersas　earlier
but　do　not　dare　to　say　so。　　And　now　the　whole　nationpulpit　and　all
will　take　up　the　war…cry；　and　shout　itself　hoarse；　and　mob　any　honest　man
who　ventures　to　open　his　mouth；　and　presently　such　mouths　will　cease　to
open。　　Next