the mysterious stranger-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


pretty　freely　and　frankly；　and　were　full　of　scoffings　when　we　begged　them
to　believe　really　we　had　told　only　the　truth。　　Our　parents　were　harder　on
us　than　any　one　else。　　Our　fathers　said　we　were　disgracing　our　families；
and　they　commanded　us　to　purge　ourselves　of　our　lie；　and　there　was　no
limit　to　their　anger　when　we　continued　to　say　we　had　spoken　true。　　Our
mothers　cried　over　us　and　begged　us　to　give　back　our　bribe　and　get　back
our　honest　names　and　save　our　families　from　shame；　and　come　out　and
honorably　confess。　　And　at　last　we　were　so　worried　and　harassed　that　we
tried　to　tell　the　whole　thing；　Satan　and　allbut　no；　it　wouldn't　come
out。　　We　were　hoping　and　longing　all　the　time　that　Satan　would　come　and
help　us　out　of　our　trouble；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　him。

Within　an　hour　after　the　astrologer's　talk　with　us；　Father　Peter　was　in
prison　and　the　money　sealed　up　and　in　the　hands　of　the　officers　of　the
law。　　The　money　was　in　a　bag；　and　Solomon　Isaacs　said　he　had　not　touched
it　since　he　had　counted　it；　his　oath　was　taken　that　it　was　the　same
money；　and　that　the　amount　was　eleven　hundred　and　seven　ducats。　　Father
Peter　claimed　trial　by　the　ecclesiastical　court；　but　our　other　priest；
Father　Adolf；　said　an　ecclesiastical　court　hadn't　jurisdiction　over　a
suspended　priest。　　The　bishop　upheld　him。　　That　settled　it；　the　case
would　go　to　trial　in　the　civil　court。　　The　court　would　not　sit　for　some
time　to　come。　　Wilhelm　Meidling　would　be　Father　Peter's　lawyer　and　do　the
best　he　could；　of　course；　but　he　told　us　privately　that　a　weak　case　on
his　side　and　all　the　power　and　prejudice　on　the　other　made　the　outlook
bad。

So　Marget's　new　happiness　died　a　quick　death。　　No　friends　came　to　condole
with　her；　and　none　were　expected；　an　unsigned　note　withdrew　her
invitation　to　the　party。　　There　would　be　no　scholars　to　take　lessons。
How　could　she　support　herself？　　She　could　remain　in　the　house；　for　the
mortgage　was　paid　off；　though　the　government　and　not　poor　Solomon　Isaacs
had　the　mortgage…money　in　its　grip　for　the　present。　　Old　Ursula；　who　was
cook；　chambermaid；　housekeeper；　laundress；　and　everything　else　for　Father
Peter；　and　had　been　Marget's　nurse　in　earlier　years；　said　God　would
provide。　　But　she　said　that　from　habit；　for　she　was　a　good　Christian。
She　meant　to　help　in　the　providing；　to　make　sure；　if　she　could　find　a
way。

We　boys　wanted　to　go　and　see　Marget　and　show　friendliness　for　her；　but
our　parents　were　afraid　of　offending　the　community　and　wouldn't　let　us。
The　astrologer　was　going　around　inflaming　everybody　against　Father　Peter；
and　saying　he　was　an　abandoned　thief　and　had　stolen　eleven　hundred　and
seven　gold　ducats　from　him。　　He　said　he　knew　he　was　a　thief　from　that
fact；　for　it　was　exactly　the　sum　he　had　lost　and　which　Father　Peter
pretended　he　had　〃found。〃

In　the　afternoon　of　the　fourth　day　after　the　catastrophe　old　Ursula
appeared　at　our　house　and　asked　for　some　washing　to　do；　and　begged　my
mother　to　keep　this　secret；　to　save　Marget's　pride；　who　would　stop　this
project　if　she　found　it　out；　yet　Marget　had　not　enough　to　eat　and　was
growing　weak。　　Ursula　was　growing　weak　herself；　and　showed　it；　and　she
ate　of　the　food　that　was　offered　her　like　a　starving　person；　but　could
not　be　persuaded　to　carry　any　home；　for　Marget　would　not　eat　charity
food。　　She　took　some　clothes　down　to　the　stream　to　wash　them；　but　we　saw
from　the　window　that　handling　the　bat　was　too　much　for　her　strength；　so
she　was　called　back　and　a　trifle　of　money　offered　her；　which　she　was
afraid　to　take　lest　Marget　should　suspect；　then　she　took　it；　saying　she
would　explain　that　she　found　it　in　the　road。　　To　keep　it　from　being　a　lie
and　damning　her　soul；　she　got　me　to　drop　it　while　she　watched；　then　she
went　along　by　there　and　found　it；　and　exclaimed　with　surprise　and　joy；
and　picked　it　up　and　went　her　way。　　Like　the　rest　of　the　village；　she
could　tell　every…day　lies　fast　enough　and　without　taking　any　precautions
against　fire　and　brimstone　on　their　account；　but　this　was　a　new　kind　of
lie；　and　it　had　a　dangerous　look　because　she　hadn't　had　any　practice　in
it。　　After　a　week's　practice　it　wouldn't　have　given　her　any　trouble。　　It
is　the　way　we　are　made。

I　was　in　trouble；　for　how　would　Marget　live？　　Ursula　could　not　find　a
coin　in　the　road　every　dayperhaps　not　even　a　second　one。　　And　I　was
ashamed；　too；　for　not　having　been　near　Marget；　and　she　so　in　need　of
friends；　but　that　was　my　parents'　fault；　not　mine；　and　I　couldn't　help
it。

I　was　walking　along　the　path；　feeling　very　down…hearted；　when　a　most
cheery　and　tingling　freshening…up　sensation　went　rippling　through　me；　and
I　was　too　glad　for　any　words；　for　I　knew　by　that　sign　that　Satan　was　by。
I　had　noticed　it　before。　　Next　moment　he　was　alongside　of　me　and　I　was
telling　him　all　my　trouble　and　what　had　been　happening　to　Marget　and　her
uncle。　　While　we　were　talking　we　turned　a　curve　and　saw　old　Ursula
resting　in　the　shade　of　a　tree；　and　she　had　a　lean　stray　kitten　in　her
lap　and　was　petting　it。　　I　asked　her　where　she　got　it；　and　she　said　it
came　out　of　the　woods　and　followed　her；　and　she　said　it　probably　hadn't
any　mother　or　any　friends　and　she　was　going　to　take　it　home　and　take　care
of　it。　　Satan　said：

〃I　understand　you　are　very　poor。　　Why　do　you　want　to　add　another　mouth　to
feed？　　Why　don't　you　give　it　to　some　rich　person？〃

Ursula　bridled　at　this　and　said：　〃Perhaps　you　would　like　to　have　it。　　You
must　be　rich；　with　your　fine　clothes　and　quality　airs。〃　　Then　she　sniffed
and　said：　〃Give　it　to　the　richthe　idea！　　The　rich　don't　care　for
anybody　but　themselves；　it's　only　the　poor　that　have　feeling　for　the
poor；　and　help　them。　　The　poor　and　God。　　God　will　provide　for　this
kitten。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃

Ursula's　eyes　snapped　with　anger。　　〃Because　I　know　it！〃　she　said。　　〃Not　a
sparrow　falls　to　the　ground　without　His　seeing　it。〃

〃But　it　falls；　just　the　same。　　What　good　is　seeing　it　fall？〃

Old　Ursula's　jaws　worked；　but　she　could　not　get　any　word　out　for　the
moment；　she　was　so　horrified。　　When　she　got　her　tongue；　she　stormed　out；
〃Go　about　your　business；　you　puppy；　or　I　will　take　a　stick　to　you！〃

I　could　not　speak；　I　was　so　scared。　　I　knew　that　with　his　notions　about
the　human　race　Satan　would　consider　it　a　matter　of　no　consequence　to
strike　her　dead；　there　being　〃plenty　more〃；　but　my　tongue　stood　still；　I
could　give　her　no　warning。　　But　nothing　happened；　Satan　remained
tranquiltranquil　and　indifferent。　　I　suppose　he　could　not　be　insulted
by　Ursula　any　more　than　the　king　could　be　insulted　by　a　tumble…bug。　　The
old　woman　jumped　to　her　feet　when　she　made　her　remark；　and　did　it　as
briskly　as　a　young　girl。　　It　had　been　many　years　since　she　had　done　the
like　of　that。　　That　was　Satan's　influence；　he　was　a　fresh　breeze　to　the
weak　and　the　sick；　wherever　he　came。　　His　presence　affected　even　the　lean
kitten；　and　it　skipped　to　the　ground　and　began　to　chase　a　leaf。　　This
surprised　Ursula；　and　she　stood　looking　at　the　creature　and　nodding　her
head　wonderingly；　her　anger　quite　forgotten。

〃What's　come　over　it？〃　she　said。　　〃Awhile　ago　it　could　hardly　walk。〃

〃You　have　not　seen　a　kitten　of　that　breed　before；〃　said　Satan。

Ursula　was　not　proposing　to　be　friendly　with　the　mocking　stranger；　and
she　gave　him　an　ungentle　look　and　retorted：　〃Who　asked　you　to　come　here
and　pester　me；　I'd　like　to　know？　　And　what　do　you　know　about　what　I've
seen　and　what　I　haven't　seen？〃

〃You　haven't　seen　a　kitten　with　the　hair…spines　on　its　tongue　pointing　to
the　front；　have　you？〃

〃Nonor　you；　either。〃

〃Well；　examine　this　one　and　see。〃

Ursula　was　become　pretty　spry；　but　the　kitten　was　spryer；　and　she　could
not　catch　it；　and　had　to　give　it　up。　　Then　Satan　said：

〃Give　it　a　name；　and　maybe　it　will　come。〃

Ursula　tried　several　names；　but　the　kitten　was　not　interested。

〃Call　it　Agnes。　　Try　that。〃

The　creature　answered　to　the　name　and　came。　　Ursula　examined　its　tongue。
〃Upon　my　word；　it's　true！〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　not　seen　this　kind　of　a　cat
before。　　Is　it　yours？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then　how　did　you　know　its　name　so　pat？〃

〃Because　all　cats　of　that　breed　are　named　Agnes；　they　will　not　answer　to
any　other。〃

Ursula　was　impressed。　　〃