the mysterious stranger-第24章

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have　a　mongrel　perception　of　humor；　nothing　more；　a　multitude　of　you
possess　that。　　This　multitude　see　the　comic　side　of　a　thousand　low…grade
and　trivial　thingsbroad　incongruities；　mainly；　grotesqueries；
absurdities；　evokers　of　the　horse…laugh。　　The　ten　thousand　high…grade
comicalities　which　exist　in　the　world　are　sealed　from　their　dull　vision。
Will　a　day　come　when　the　race　will　detect　the　funniness　of　these
juvenilities　and　laugh　at　themand　by　laughing　at　them　destroy　them？
For　your　race；　in　its　poverty；　has　unquestionably　one　really　effective
weaponlaughter。　　Power；　money；　persuasion；　supplication；　persecution
these　can　lift　at　a　colossal　humbugpush　it　a　littleweaken　it　a
little；　century　by　century；　but　only　laughter　can　blow　it　to　rags　and
atoms　at　a　blast。　　Against　the　assault　of　laughter　nothing　can　stand。
You　are　always　fussing　and　fighting　with　your　other　weapons。　　Do　you　ever
use　that　one？　　No；　you　leave　it　lying　rusting。　　As　a　race；　do　you　ever
use　it　at　all？　　No；　you　lack　sense　and　the　courage。〃

We　were　traveling　at　the　time　and　stopped　at　a　little　city　in　India　and
looked　on　while　a　juggler　did　his　tricks　before　a　group　of　natives。　　They
were　wonderful；　but　I　knew　Satan　could　beat　that　game；　and　I　begged　him
to　show　off　a　little；　and　he　said　he　would。　　He　changed　himself　into　a
native　in　turban　and　breech…cloth；　and　very　considerately　conferred　on　me
a　temporary　knowledge　of　the　language。

The　juggler　exhibited　a　seed；　covered　it　with　earth　in　a　small　flower…
pot；　then　put　a　rag　over　the　pot；　after　a　minute　the　rag　began　to　rise；
in　ten　minutes　it　had　risen　a　foot；　then　the　rag　was　removed　and　a　little
tree　was　exposed；　with　leaves　upon　it　and　ripe　fruit。　　We　ate　the　fruit；
and　it　was　good。　　But　Satan　said：

〃Why　do　you　cover　the　pot？　　Can't　you　grow　the　tree　in　the　sunlight？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　juggler；　〃no　one　can　do　that。〃

〃You　are　only　an　apprentice；　you　don't　know　your　trade。　　Give　me　the
seed。　　I　will　show　you。〃　　He　took　the　seed　and　said；　〃What　shall　I　raise
from　it？〃

〃It　is　a　cherry　seed；　of　course　you　will　raise　a　cherry。〃

〃Oh　no；　that　is　a　trifle；　any　novice　can　do　that。　　Shall　I　raise　an
orange…tree　from　it？〃

〃Oh　yes！〃　and　the　juggler　laughed。

〃And　shall　I　make　it　bear　other　fruits　as　well　as　oranges？〃

〃If　God　wills！〃　and　they　all　laughed。

Satan　put　the　seed　in　the　ground；　put　a　handful　of　dust　on　it；　and　said；
〃Rise！〃

A　tiny　stem　shot　up　and　began　to　grow；　and　grew　so　fast　that　in　five
minutes　it　was　a　great　tree；　and　we　were　sitting　in　the　shade　of　it。
There　was　a　murmur　of　wonder；　then　all　looked　up　and　saw　a　strange　and
pretty　sight；　for　the　branches　were　heavy　with　fruits　of　many　kinds　and
colorsoranges；　grapes；　bananas；　peaches；　cherries；　apricots；　and　so　on。
Baskets　were　brought；　and　the　unlading　of　the　tree　began；　and　the　people
crowded　around　Satan　and　kissed　his　hand；　and　praised　him；　calling　him
the　prince　of　jugglers。　　The　news　went　about　the　town；　and　everybody　came
running　to　see　the　wonderand　they　remembered　to　bring　baskets；　too。
But　the　tree　was　equal　to　the　occasion；　it　put　out　new　fruits　as　fast　as
any　were　removed；　baskets　were　filled　by　the　score　and　by　the　hundred；
but　always　the　supply　remained　undiminished。　　At　last　a　foreigner　in
white　linen　and　sun…helmet　arrived；　and　exclaimed；　angrily：

〃Away　from　here！　　Clear　out；　you　dogs；　the　tree　is　on　my　lands　and　is　my
property。〃

The　natives　put　down　their　baskets　and　made　humble　obeisance。　　Satan　made
humble　obeisance；　too；　with　his　fingers　to　his　forehead；　in　the　native
way；　and　said：

〃Please　let　them　have　their　pleasure　for　an　hour；　sironly　that；　and　no
longer。　　Afterward　you　may　forbid　them；　and　you　will　still　have　more
fruit　than　you　and　the　state　together　can　consume　in　a　year。〃

This　made　the　foreigner　very　angry；　and　he　cried　out；　〃Who　are　you；　you
vagabond；　to　tell　your　betters　what　they　may　do　and　what　they　mayn't！〃
and　he　struck　Satan　with　his　cane　and　followed　this　error　with　a　kick。

The　fruits　rotted　on　the　branches；　and　the　leaves　withered　and　fell。　　The
foreigner　gazed　at　the　bare　limbs　with　the　look　of　one　who　is　surprised；
and　not　gratified。　　Satan　said：

〃Take　good　care　of　the　tree；　for　its　health　and　yours　are　bound　together。
It　will　never　bear　again；　but　if　you　tend　it　well　it　will　live　long。
Water　its　roots　once　in　each　hour　every　nightand　do　it　yourself；　it
must　not　be　done　by　proxy；　and　to　do　it　in　daylight　will　not　answer。　　If
you　fail　only　once　in　any　night；　the　tree　will　die；　and　you　likewise。　　Do
not　go　home　to　your　own　country　any　moreyou　would　not　reach　there；　make
no　business　or　pleasure　engagements　which　require　you　to　go　outside　your
gate　at　nightyou　cannot　afford　the　risk；　do　not　rent　or　sell　this
placeit　would　be　injudicious。〃

The　foreigner　was　proud　and　wouldn't　beg；　but　I　thought　he　looked　as　if
he　would　like　to。　　While　he　stood　gazing　at　Satan　we　vanished　away　and
landed　in　Ceylon。

I　was　sorry　for　that　man；　sorry　Satan　hadn't　been　his　customary　self　and
killed　him　or　made　him　a　lunatic。　　It　would　have　been　a　mercy。　　Satan
overheard　the　thought；　and　said：

〃I　would　have　done　it　but　for　his　wife；　who　has　not　offended　me。　　She　is
coming　to　him　presently　from　their　native　land；　Portugal。　　She　is　well；
but　has　not　long　to　live；　and　has　been　yearning　to　see　him　and　persuade
him　to　go　back　with　her　next　year。　　She　will　die　without　knowing　he　can't
leave　that　place。〃

〃He　won't　tell　her？〃

〃He？　　He　will　not　trust　that　secret　with　any　one；　he　will　reflect　that　it
could　be　revealed　in　sleep；　in　the　hearing　of　some　Portuguese　guest's
servant　some　time　or　other。〃

〃Did　none　of　those　natives　understand　what　you　said　to　him？〃

〃None　of　them　understood；　but　he　will　always　be　afraid　that　some　of　them
did。　　That　fear　will　be　torture　to　him；　for　he　has　been　a　harsh　master　to
them。　　In　his　dreams　he　will　imagine　them　chopping　his　tree　down。　　That
will　make　his　days　uncomfortableI　have　already　arranged　for　his
nights。〃

It　grieved　me；　though　not　sharply；　to　see　him　take　such　a　malicious
satisfaction　in　his　plans　for　this　foreigner。

〃Does　he　believe　what　you　told　him；　Satan？〃

〃He　thought　he　didn't；　but　our　vanishing　helped。　　The　tree；　where　there
had　been　no　tree　beforethat　helped。　　The　insane　and　uncanny　variety　of
fruitsthe　sudden　witheringall　these　things　are　helps。　　Let　him　think
as　he　may；　reason　as　he　may；　one　thing　is　certain；　he　will　water　the
tree。　　But　between　this　and　night　he　will　begin　his　changed　career　with　a
very　natural　precautionfor　him。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃He　will　fetch　a　priest　to　cast　out　the　tree's　devil。　　You　are　such　a
humorous　raceand　don't　suspect　it。〃

〃Will　he　tell　the　priest？〃

〃No。　　He　will　say　a　juggler　from　Bombay　created　it；　and　that　he　wants　the
juggler's　devil　driven　out　of　it；　so　that　it　will　thrive　and　be　fruitful
again。　　The　priest's　incantations　will　fail；　then　the　Portuguese　will
give　up　that　scheme　and　get　his　watering…pot　ready。〃

〃But　the　priest　will　burn　the　tree。　　I　know　it；　he　will　not　allow　it　to
remain。〃

〃Yes；　and　anywhere　in　Europe　he　would　burn　the　man；　too。　　But　in　India
the　people　are　civilized；　and　these　things　will　not　happen。　　The　man　will
drive　the　priest　away　and　take　care　of　the　tree。〃

I　reflected　a　little；　then　said；　〃Satan；　you　have　given　him　a　hard　life；
I　think。〃

〃Comparatively。　　It　must　not　be　mistaken　for　a　holiday。〃

We　flitted　from　place　to　place　around　the　world　as　we　had　done　before；
Satan　showing　me　a　hundred　wonders；　most　of　them　reflecting　in　some　way
the　weakness　and　triviality　of　our　race。　　He　did　this　now　every　few　days…
…not　out　of　maliceI　am　sure　of　thatit　only　seemed　to　amuse　and
interest　him；　just　as　a　naturalist　might　be　amused　and　interested　by　a
collection　of　ants。




Chapter　11

For　as　much　as　a　year　Satan　continued　these　visits；　but　at　last　he　came
less　often；　and　then　for　a　long　time　he　did　not　come　at　all。　　This　always
made　me　lonely　and　melancholy。　　I　felt　that　he　was　losing　interest　in　our
tiny　world　and　might　at　any　time　abandon　his　visits　entirely。　　When　one
day　he　finally　came　to　me　I　was　overjoyed；　but　only　for　a　little　while。
He　had　come　to　say　good…by