the mysterious stranger-第5章

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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　paltry　day；　too。　　And　he　didn't　say　anything　to　raise　up
your　drooping　prideno；　not　a　word。　　He　always　spoke　of　men　in　the　same
old　indifferent　wayjust　as　one　speaks　of　bricks　and　manure…piles　and
such　things；　you　could　see　that　they　were　of　no　consequence　to　him；　one
way　or　the　other。　　He　didn't　mean　to　hurt　us；　you　could　see　that；　just　as
we　don't　mean　to　insult　a　brick　when　we　disparage　it；　a　brick's　emotions
are　nothing　to　us；　it　never　occurs　to　us　to　think　whether　it　has　any　or
not。

Once　when　he　was　bunching　the　most　illustrious　kings　and　conquerors　and
poets　and　prophets　and　pirates　and　beggars　togetherjust　a　brick…pileI
was　shamed　into　putting　in　a　word　for　man；　and　asked　him　why　he　made　so
much　difference　between　men　and　himself。　　He　had　to　struggle　with　that　a
moment；　he　didn't　seem　to　understand　how　I　could　ask　such　a　strange
question。　　Then　he　said：

〃The　difference　between　man　and　me？　　The　difference　between　a　mortal　and
an　immortal？　　between　a　cloud　and　a　spirit？〃　He　picked　up　a　wood…louse
that　was　creeping　along　a　piece　of　bark：　〃What　is　the　difference　between
Caesar　and　this？〃

I　said；　〃One　cannot　compare　things　which　by　their　nature　and　by　the
interval　between　them　are　not　comparable。〃

〃You　have　answered　your　own　question；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　expand　it。　　Man
is　made　of　dirtI　saw　him　made。　　I　am　not　made　of　dirt。　　Man　is　a　museum
of　diseases；　a　home　of　impurities；　he　comes　to…day　and　is　gone　to…morrow；
he　begins　as　dirt　and　departs　as　stench；　I　am　of　the　aristocracy　of　the
Imperishables。　　And　man　has　the　Moral　Sense。　　You　understand？　　He　has　the
Moral　Sense。　　That　would　seem　to　be　difference　enough　between　us；　all　by
itself。〃

He　stopped　there；　as　if　that　settled　the　matter。　　I　was　sorry；　for　at
that　time　I　had　but　a　dim　idea　of　what　the　Moral　Sense　was。　　I　merely
knew　that　we　were　proud　of　having　it；　and　when　he　talked　like　that　about
it；　it　wounded　me；　and　I　felt　as　a　girl　feels　who　thinks　her　dearest
finery　is　being　admired　and　then　overhears　strangers　making　fun　of　it。
For　a　while　we　were　all　silent；　and　I；　for　one；　was　depressed。　　Then
Satan　began　to　chat　again；　and　soon　he　was　sparkling　along　in　such　a
cheerful　and　vivacious　vein　that　my　spirits　rose　once　more。　　He　told　some
very　cunning　things　that　put　us　in　a　gale　of　laughter；　and　when　he　was
telling　about　the　time　that　Samson　tied　the　torches　to　the　foxes'　tails
and　set　them　loose　in　the　Philistines'　corn；　and　Samson　sitting　on　the
fence　slapping　his　thighs　and　laughing；　with　the　tears　running　down　his
cheeks；　and　lost　his　balance　and　fell　off　the　fence；　the　memory　of　that
picture　got　him　to　laughing；　too；　and　we　did　have　a　most　lovely　and　jolly
time。　　By　and　by　he　said：

〃I　am　going　on　my　errand　now。〃

〃Don't！〃　we　all　said。　　〃Don't　go；　stay　with　us。　　You　won't　come　back。〃

〃Yes；　I　will；　I　give　you　my　word。〃

〃When？　　To…night？　　Say　when。〃

〃It　won't　be　long。　　You　will　see。〃

〃We　like　you。〃

〃And　I　you。　　And　as　a　proof　of　it　I　will　show　you　something　fine　to　see。
Usually　when　I　go　I　merely　vanish；　but　now　I　will　dissolve　myself　and　let
you　see　me　do　it。〃

He　stood　up；　and　it　was　quickly　finished。　　He　thinned　away　and　thinned
away　until　he　was　a　soap…bubble；　except　that　he　kept　his　shape。　　You
could　see　the　bushes　through　him　as　clearly　as　you　see　things　through　a
soap…bubble；　and　all　over　him　played　and　flashed　the　delicate　iridescent
colors　of　the　bubble；　and　along　with　them　was　that　thing　shaped　like　a
window…sash　which　you　always　see　on　the　globe　of　the　bubble。　　You　have
seen　a　bubble　strike　the　carpet　and　lightly　bound　along　two　or　three
times　before　it　bursts。　　He　did　that。　　He　sprangtouched　the　grass
boundedfloated　alongtouched　againand　so　on；　and　presently　exploded
puff！　and　in　his　place　was　vacancy。

It　was　a　strange　and　beautiful　thing　to　see。　　We　did　not　say　anything；
but　sat　wondering　and　dreaming　and　blinking；　and　finally　Seppi　roused　up
and　said；　mournfully　sighing：

〃I　suppose　none　of　it　has　happened。〃

Nikolaus　sighed　and　said　about　the　same。

I　was　miserable　to　hear　them　say　it；　for　it　was　the　same　cold　fear　that
was　in　my　own　mind。　　Then　we　saw　poor　old　Father　Peter　wandering　along
back；　with　his　head　bent　down；　searching　the　ground。　　When　he　was　pretty
close　to　us　he　looked　up　and　saw　us；　and　said；　〃How　long　have　you　been
here；　boys？〃

〃A　little　while；　Father。〃

〃Then　it　is　since　I　came　by；　and　maybe　you　can　help　me。　　Did　you　come　up
by　the　path？〃

〃Yes；　Father。〃

〃That　is　good。　　I　came　the　same　way。　　I　have　lost　my　wallet。　　There
wasn't　much　in　it；　but　a　very　little　is　much　to　me；　for　it　was　all　I　had。
I　suppose　you　haven't　seen　anything　of　it？〃

〃No；　Father；　but　we　will　help　you　hunt。〃

〃It　is　what　I　was　going　to　ask　you。　　Why；　here　it　is！〃

We　hadn't　noticed　it；　yet　there　it　lay；　right　where　Satan　stood　when　he
began　to　meltif　he　did　melt　and　it　wasn't　a　delusion。　　Father　Peter
picked　it　up　and　looked　very　much　surprised。

〃It　is　mine；〃　he　said；　〃but　not　the　contents。　　This　is　fat；　mine　was
flat；　mine　was　light；　this　is　heavy。〃　　He　opened　it；　it　was　stuffed　as
full　as　it　could　hold　with　gold　coins。　　He　let　us　gaze　our　fill；　and　of
course　we　did　gaze；　for　we　had　never　seen　so　much　money　at　one　time
before。　　All　our　mouths　came　open　to　say　〃Satan　did　it！〃　but　nothing　came
out。　　There　it　was；　you　seewe　couldn't　tell　what　Satan　didn't　want
told；　he　had　said　so　himself。

〃Boys；　did　you　do　this？〃

It　made　us　laugh。　　And　it　made　him　laugh；　too；　as　soon　as　he　thought　what
a　foolish　question　it　was。

〃Who　has　been　here？〃

Our　mouths　came　open　to　answer；　but　stood　so　for　a　moment；　because　we
couldn't　say　〃Nobody；〃　for　it　wouldn't　be　true；　and　the　right　word　didn't
seem　to　come；　then　I　thought　of　the　right　one；　and　said　it：

〃Not　a　human　being。〃

〃That　is　so；〃　said　the　others；　and　let　their　mouths　go　shut。

〃It　is　not　so；〃　said　Father　Peter；　and　looked　at　us　very　severely。　　〃I
came　by　here　a　while　ago；　and　there　was　no　one　here；　but　that　is　nothing；
some　one　has　been　here　since。　　I　don't　mean　to　say　that　the　person　didn't
pass　here　before　you　came；　and　I　don't　mean　to　say　you　saw　him；　but　some
one　did　pass；　that　I　know。　　On　your　honoryou　saw　no　one？〃

〃Not　a　human　being。〃

〃That　is　sufficient；　I　know　you　are　telling　me　the　truth。〃

He　began　to　count　the　money　on　the　path；　we　on　our　knees　eagerly　helping
to　stack　it　in　little　piles。

〃It's　eleven　hundred　ducats　odd！〃　he　said。　　〃Oh　dear！　　if　it　were　only
mineand　I　need　it　so！〃　and　his　voice　broke　and　his　lips　quivered。

〃It　is　yours；　sir！〃　we　all　cried　out　at　once；　〃every　heller！〃

〃Noit　isn't　mine。　　Only　four　ducats　are　mine；　the　rest。。。！〃　He　fell　to
dreaming；　poor　old　soul；　and　caressing　some　of　the　coins　in　his　hands；
and　forgot　where　he　was；　sitting　there　on　his　heels　with　his　old　gray
head　bare；　it　was　pitiful　to　see。　　〃No；〃　he　said；　waking　up；　〃it　isn't
mine。　　I　can't　account　for　it。　　I　think　some　enemy。。。　　it　must　be　a
trap。〃

Nikolaus　said：　〃Father　Peter；　with　the　exception　of　the　astrologer　you
haven't　a　real　enemy　in　the　villagenor　Marget；　either。　　And　not　even　a
half…enemy　that's　rich　enough　to　chance　eleven　hundred　ducats　to　do　you　a
mean　turn。　　I'll　ask　you　if　that's　so　or　not？〃

He　couldn't　get　around　that　argument；　and　it　cheered　him　up。　　〃But　it
isn't　mine；　you　seeit　isn't　mine；　in　any　case。〃

He　said　it　in　a　wistful　way；　like　a　person　that　wouldn't　be　sorry；　but
glad；　if　anybody　would　contradict　him。

〃It　is　yours；　Father　Peter；　and　we　are　witness　to　it。　　Aren't　we；　boys？〃

〃Yes；　we　areand　we'll　stand　by　it；　too。〃

〃Bless　your　hearts；　you　do　almost　persuade　me；　you　do；　indeed。　　If　I　had
only　a　hundred…odd　ducats　of　it！　　The　house　is　mortgaged　for　it；　and
we've　no　home　for　our　heads　if　we　don't　pay　to…morrow。　　And　that　four
ducats　is　all　we've　got　in　the〃

〃It's　yours；　every　bit　of　it；　and　you've　got　to　take　itwe　are　bail　that
it's　all　right。　　Aren't　we；　Theodor？　　Aren't　we；　Seppi？〃

We　two　said　yes；　and　Nikolaus　stuffed　the　money　back　into　the　shabby　old
wa