the mysterious stranger-第4章

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people　down　here　were　quite　interesting　to　him；　notwithstanding　they　were
so　dull　and　ignorant　and　trivial　and　conceited；　and　so　diseased　and
rickety；　and　such　a　shabby；　poor；　worthless　lot　all　around。　　He　said　it
in　a　quite　matter…of…course　way　and　without　bitterness；　just　as　a　person
might　talk　about　bricks　or　manure　or　any　other　thing　that　was　of　no
consequence　and　hadn't　feelings。　　I　could　see　he　meant　no　offense；　but　in
my　thoughts　I　set　it　down　as　not　very　good　manners。

〃Manners！〃　he　said。　　〃Why；　it　is　merely　the　truth；　and　truth　is　good
manners；　manners　are　a　fiction。　　The　castle　is　done。　　Do　you　like　it？〃

Any　one　would　have　been　obliged　to　like　it。　　It　was　lovely　to　look　at；　it
was　so　shapely　and　fine；　and　so　cunningly　perfect　in　all　its　particulars；
even　to　the　little　flags　waving　from　the　turrets。　　Satan　said　we　must　put
the　artillery　in　place　now；　and　station　the　halberdiers　and　display　the
cavalry。　　Our　men　and　horses　were　a　spectacle　to　see；　they　were　so　little
like　what　they　were　intended　for；　for；　of　course；　we　had　no　art　in　making
such　things。　　Satan　said　they　were　the　worst　he　had　seen；　and　when　he
touched　them　and　made　them　alive；　it　was　just　ridiculous　the　way　they
acted；　on　account　of　their　legs　not　being　of　uniform　lengths。　　They
reeled　and　sprawled　around　as　if　they　were　drunk；　and　endangered
everybody's　lives　around　them；　and　finally　fell　over　and　lay　helpless　and
kicking。　　It　made　us　all　laugh；　though　it　was　a　shameful　thing　to　see。
The　guns　were　charged　with　dirt；　to　fire　a　salute；　but　they　were　so
crooked　and　so　badly　made　that　they　all　burst　when　they　went　off；　and
killed　some　of　the　gunners　and　crippled　the　others。　　Satan　said　we　would
have　a　storm　now；　and　an　earthquake；　if　we　liked；　but　we　must　stand　off　a
piece；　out　of　danger。　　We　wanted　to　call　the　people　away；　too；　but　he
said　never　mind　them；　they　were　of　no　consequence；　and　we　could　make
more；　some　time　or　other；　if　we　needed　them。

A　small　storm…cloud　began　to　settle　down　black　over　the　castle；　and　the
miniature　lightning　and　thunder　began　to　play；　and　the　ground　to　quiver；
and　the　wind　to　pipe　and　wheeze；　and　the　rain　to　fall；　and　all　the　people
flocked　into　the　castle　for　shelter。　　The　cloud　settled　down　blacker　and
blacker；　and　one　could　see　the　castle　only　dimly　through　it；　the
lightning　blazed　out　flash　upon　flash　and　pierced　the　castle　and　set　it
on　fire；　and　the　flames　shone　out　red　and　fierce　through　the　cloud；　and
the　people　came　flying　out；　shrieking；　but　Satan　brushed　them　back；
paying　no　attention　to　our　begging　and　crying　and　imploring；　and　in　the
midst　of　the　howling　of　the　wind　and　volleying　of　the　thunder　the
magazine　blew　up；　the　earthquake　rent　the　ground　wide；　and　the　castle's
wreck　and　ruin　tumbled　into　the　chasm；　which　swallowed　it　from　sight；　and
closed　upon　it；　with　all　that　innocent　life；　not　one　of　the　five　hundred
poor　creatures　escaping。　　Our　hearts　were　broken；　we　could　not　keep　from
crying。

〃Don't　cry；〃　Satan　said；　〃they　were　of　no　value。〃

〃But　they　are　gone　to　hell！〃

〃Oh；　it　is　no　matter；　we　can　make　plenty　more。〃

It　was　of　no　use　to　try　to　move　him；　evidently　he　was　wholly　without
feeling；　and　could　not　understand。　　He　was　full　of　bubbling　spirits；　and
as　gay　as　if　this　were　a　wedding　instead　of　a　fiendish　massacre。　　And　he
was　bent　on　making　us　feel　as　he　did；　and　of　course　his　magic
accomplished　his　desire。　　It　was　no　trouble　to　him；　he　did　whatever　he
pleased　with　us。　　In　a　little　while　we　were　dancing　on　that　grave；　and　he
was　playing　to　us　on　a　strange；　sweet　instrument　which　he　took　out　of　his
pocket；　and　the　musicbut　there　is　no　music　like　that；　unless　perhaps　in
heaven；　and　that　was　where　he　brought　it　from；　he　said。　　It　made　one　mad；
for　pleasure；　and　we　could　not　take　our　eyes　from　him；　and　the　looks　that
went　out　of　our　eyes　came　from　our　hearts；　and　their　dumb　speech　was
worship。　　He　brought　the　dance　from　heaven；　too；　and　the　bliss　of
paradise　was　in　it。

Presently　he　said　he　must　go　away　on　an　errand。　　But　we　could　not　bear
the　thought　of　it；　and　clung　to　him；　and　pleaded　with　him　to　stay；　and
that　pleased　him；　and　he　said　so；　and　said　he　would　not　go　yet；　but　would
wait　a　little　while　and　we　would　sit　down　and　talk　a　few　minutes　longer；
and　he　told　us　Satan　was　only　his　real　name；　and　he　was　to　be　known　by　it
to　us　alone；　but　he　had　chosen　another　one　to　be　called　by　in　the
presence　of　others；　just　a　common　one；　such　as　people　havePhilip　Traum。

It　sounded　so　odd　and　mean　for　such　a　being！　　But　it　was　his　decision；
and　we　said　nothing；　his　decision　was　sufficient。

We　had　seen　wonders　this　day；　and　my　thoughts　began　to　run　on　the
pleasure　it　would　be　to　tell　them　when　I　got　home；　but　he　noticed　those
thoughts；　and　said：

〃No；　all　these　matters　are　a　secret　among　us　four。　　I　do　not　mind　your
trying　to　tell　them；　if　you　like；　but　I　will　protect　your　tongues；　and
nothing　of　the　secret　will　escape　from　them。〃

It　was　a　disappointment；　but　it　couldn't　be　helped；　and　it　cost　us　a　sigh
or　two。　　We　talked　pleasantly　along；　and　he　was　always　reading　our
thoughts　and　responding　to　them；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　was　the
most　wonderful　of　all　the　things　he　did；　but　he　interrupted　my　musings
and　said：

〃No；　it　would　be　wonderful　for　you；　but　it　is　not　wonderful　for　me。　　I　am
not　limited　like　you。　　I　am　not　subject　to　human　conditions。　　I　can
measure　and　understand　your　human　weaknesses；　for　I　have　studied　them；
but　I　have　none　of　them。　　My　flesh　is　not　real；　although　it　would　seem
firm　to　your　touch；　my　clothes　are　not　real；　I　am　a　spirit。　　Father　Peter
is　coming。〃　　We　looked　around；　but　did　not　see　any　one。　　〃He　is　not　in
sight　yet；　but　you　will　see　him　presently。〃

〃Do　you　know　him；　Satan？〃

〃No。〃

〃Won't　you　talk　with　him　when　he　comes？　　He　is　not　ignorant　and　dull；
like　us；　and　he　would　so　like　to　talk　with　you。　　Will　you？〃

〃Another　time；　yes；　but　not　now。　　I　must　go　on　my　errand　after　a　little。
There　he　is　now；　you　can　see　him。　　Sit　still；　and　don't　say　anything。〃

We　looked　up　and　saw　Father　Peter　approaching　through　the　chestnuts。　　We
three　were　sitting　together　in　the　grass；　and　Satan　sat　in　front　of　us　in
the　path。　　Father　Peter　came　slowly　along　with　his　head　down；　thinking；
and　stopped　within　a　couple　of　yards　of　us　and　took　off　his　hat　and　got
out　his　silk　handkerchief；　and　stood　there　mopping　his　face　and　looking
as　if　he　were　going　to　speak　to　us；　but　he　didn't。　　Presently　he
muttered；　〃I　can't　think　what　brought　me　here；　it　seems　as　if　I　were　in
my　study　a　minute　agobut　I　suppose　I　have　been　dreaming　along　for　an
hour　and　have　come　all　this　stretch　without　noticing；　for　I　am　not　myself
in　these　troubled　days。〃　　Then　he　went　mumbling　along　to　himself　and
walked　straight　through　Satan；　just　as　if　nothing　were　there。　　It　made　us
catch　our　breath　to　see　it。　　We　had　the　impulse　to　cry　out；　the　way　you
nearly　always　do　when　a　startling　thing　happens；　but　something
mysteriously　restrained　us　and　we　remained　quiet；　only　breathing　fast。
Then　the　trees　hid　Father　Peter　after　a　little；　and　Satan　said：

〃It　is　as　I　told　youI　am　only　a　spirit。〃

〃Yes；　one　perceives　it　now；〃　said　Nikolaus；　〃but　we　are　not　spirits。　　It
is　plain　he　did　not　see　you；　but　were　we　invisible；　too？　　He　looked　at
us；　but　he　didn't　seem　to　see　us。〃

〃No；　none　of　us　was　visible　to　him；　for　I　wished　it　so。〃

It　seemed　almost　too　good　to　be　true；　that　we　were　actually　seeing　these
romantic　and　wonderful　things；　and　that　it　was　not　a　dream。　　And　there　he
sat；　looking　just　like　anybodyso　natural　and　simple　and　charming；　and
chatting　along　again　the　same　as　ever；　andwell；　words　cannot　make　you
understand　what　we　felt。　　It　was　an　ecstasy；　and　an　ecstasy　is　a　thing
that　will　not　go　into　words；　it　feels　like　music；　and　one　cannot　tell
about　music　so　that　another　person　can　get　the　feeling　of　it。　　He　was
back　in　the　old　ages　once　more　now；　and　making　them　live　before　us。　　He
had　seen　so　much；　so　much！　　It　was　just　a　wonder　to　look　at　him　and　try
to　think　how　it　must　seem　to　have　such　experience　behind　one。

But　it　made　you　seem　sorrowfully　trivial；　and　the　creature　of　a　day；　and
such　a　short　and　p