20-the ratcatcher-第1节

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！






THE　RATCATCHER



A　VERY　long　time　ago　the　town　of　Hamel　in　Germany　was

invaded　by　bands　of　rats；　the　like　of　which　had　never　been　seen

before　nor　will　ever　be　again。



They　were　great　black　creatures　that　ran　boldly　in　broad

daylight　through　the　streets；　and　swarmed　so；　all　over　the　houses；　that

people　at　last　could　not　put　their　hand　or　foot　down　anywhere　without

touching　one。　When　dressing　in　the　morning　they　found　them

in　their　breeches　and　petticoats；　in　their　pockets　and　in　their　boots；

and　when　they　wanted　a　morsel　to　eat；　the　voracious　horde　had

swept　away　everything　from　cellar　to　garret。　The　night　was　even

worse。　As　soon　as　the　lights　were　out；　these　untiring　nibblers　set

to　work。　And　everywhere；　in　the　ceilings；　in　the　floors；　in　the

cupboards；　at　the　doors；　there　was　a　chase　and　a　rummage；　and　so　furious

a　noise　of　gimlets；　pincers；　and　saws；　that　a　deaf　man　could　not　have

rested　for　one　hour　together。



Neither　cats　nor　dogs；　nor　poison　nor　traps；　nor　prayers　nor

candles　burnt　to　all　the　saintsnothing　would　do　anything。　The

more　they　killed　the　more　came。　And　the　inhabitants　of　Hamel

began　to　go　to　the　dogs　（not　that　THEY　were　of　much　use）；　when　one

Friday　there　arrived　in　the　town　a　man　with　a　queer　face；　who

played　the　bagpipes　and　sang　this　refrain：



‘Qui　vivra　verra：

Le　voila；

Le　preneur　des　rats。'





He　was　a　great　gawky　fellow；　dry　and　bronzed；　with　a　crooked

nose；　a　long　rat…tail　moustache；　two　great　yellow　piercing　and

mocking　eyes；　under　a　large　felt　hat　set　off　by　a　scarlet　cock's　feather。

He　was　dressed　in　a　green　jacket　with　a　leather　belt　and　red　breeches；

and　on　his　feet　were　sandals　fastened　by　thongs　passed　round　his

legs　in　the　gipsy　fashion。



That　is　how　he　may　be　seen　to　this　day；　painted　on　a　window　of

the　cathedral　of　Hamel。



He　stopped　on　the　great　market…place　before　the　town　hall；

turned　his　back　on　the　church　and　went　on　with　his　music；　singing：





‘Who　lives　shall　see：

This　is　he；

The　ratcatcher。'





The　town　council　had　just　assembled　to　consider　once　more　this

plague　of　Egypt；　from　which　no　one　could　save　the　town。



The　stranger　sent　word　to　the　counsellors　that；　if　they　would

make　it　worth　his　while；　he　would　rid　them　of　all　their　rats　before

night；　down　to　the　very　last。



‘Then　he　is　a　sorcerer！'　cried　the　citizens　with　one　voice；　‘we

must　beware　of　him。'



The　Town　Counsellor；　who　was　considered　clever；　reassured

them。



He　said：　‘Sorcerer　or　no；　if　this　bagpiper　speaks　the　truth；　it

was　he　who　sent　us　this　horrible　vermin　that　he　wants　to　rid　us　of

to…day　for　money。　Well；　we　must　learn　to　catch　the　devil　in　his

own　snares。　You　leave　it　to　me。'



‘Leave　it　to　the　Town　Counsellor；'　said　the　citizens　one　to　another。



And　the　stranger　was　brought　before　them。



‘Before　night；'　said　he；　‘I　shall　have　despatched　all　the　rats　in

Hamel　if　you　will　but　pay　me　a　gros　a　head。'



‘A　gros　a　head！'　cried　the　citizens；　‘but　that　will　come　to　millions

of　florins！'



The　Town　Counsellor　simply　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said　to

the　stranger：



‘A　bargain！　To　work；　the　rats　will　be　paid　one　gros　a　head　as

you　ask。'



The　bagpiper　announced　that　he　would　operate　that　very　evening

when　the　moon　rose。　He　added　that　the　inhabitants　should　at　that

hour　leave　the　streets　free；　and　content　themselves　with　looking　out

of　their　windows　at　what　was　passing；　and　that　it　would　be　a　pleasant

spectacle。　When　the　people　of　Hamel　heard　of　the　bargain；　they

too　exclaimed：　‘A　gros　a　head！　but　this　will　cost　us　a　deal　of

money！'



‘Leave　it　to　the　Town　Counsellor；'　said　the　town　council　with　a

malicious　air。　And　the　good　people　of　Hamel　repeated　with　their

counsellors；　‘Leave　it　to　the　Town　Counsellor。'



Towards　nine　at　night　the　bagpiper　re…appeared　on　the　market

place。　He　turned；　as　at　first；　his　back　to　the　church；　and　the　moment

the　moon　rose　on　the　horizon；　‘Trarira；　trari！'　the　bagpipes　resounded。



It　was　first　a　slow；　caressing　sound；　then　more　and　more　lively

and　urgent；　and　so　sonorous　and　piercing　that　it　penetrated　as　far

as　the　farthest　alleys　and　retreats　of　the　town。



Soon　from　the　bottom　of　the　cellars；　the　top　of　the　garrets；　from

under　all　the　furniture；　from　all　the　nooks　and　corners　of　the　houses；

out　come　the　rats；　search　for　the　door；　fling　themselves　into　the

street；　and　trip；　trip；　trip；　begin　to　run　in　file　towards　the　front　of

the　town　hall；　so　squeezed　together　that　they　covered　the　pavement

like　the　waves　of　flooded　torrent。



When　the　square　was　quite　full　the　bagpiper　faced　about；　and；

still　playing　briskly；　turned　towards　the　river　that　runs　at　the　foot

of　the　walls　of　Hamel。



Arrived　there　he　turned　round；　the　rats　were　following。



‘Hop！　hop！'　he　cried；　pointing　with　his　finger　to　the　middle　of

the　stream；　where　the　water　whirled　and　was　drawn　down　as　if

through　a　funnel。　And　hop！　hop！　without　hesitating；　the　rats

took　the　leap；　swam　straight　to　the　funnel；　plunged　in　head　foremost

and　disappeared。



The　plunging　continued　thus　without　ceasing　till　midnight。



At　last；　dragging　himself　with　difficulty；　came　a　big　rat；　white

with　age；　and　stopped　on　the　bank。



It　was　the　king　of　the　band。



‘Are　they　all　there；　friend　Blanchet？'　asked　the　bagpiper。



‘They　are　all　there；'　replied　friend　Blanchet。



‘And　how　many　were　they？'



‘Nine　hundred　and　ninety　thousand；　nine　hundred　and　ninety…

nine。'



‘Well　reckoned？'



‘Well　reckoned。'



‘Then　go　and　join　them；　old　sire；　and　au　revoir。'



Then　the　old　white　rat　sprang　in　his　turn　into　the　river；　swam

to　the　whirlpool　and　disappeared。



When　the　bagpiper　had　thus　concluded　his　business　he　went　to

bed　at　his　inn。　And　for　the　first　time　during　three　months　the

people　of　Hamel　slept　quietly　through　the　night。



The　next　morning；　at　nine　o'clock；　the　bagpiper　repaired　to　the

town　hall；　where　the　town　council　awaited　him。



‘All　your　rats　took　a　jump　into　the　river　yesterday；'　said　he　to

the　counsellors；　‘and　I　guarantee　that　not　one　of　them　comes　back。

They　were　nine　hundred　and　ninety　thousand；　nine　hundred　and

ninety…nine；　at　one　gros　a　head。　Reckon！'



‘Let　us　reckon　the　heads　first。　One　gros　a　head　is　one　head　the

gros。　Where　are　the　heads？'



The　ratcatcher　did　not　expect　this　treacherous　stroke。　He

paled　with　anger　and　his　eyes　flashed　fire。



‘The　heads！'　cried　he；　‘if　you　care　about　them；　go　and　find

them　in　the　river。'



‘So；'　replied　the　Town　Counsellor；　‘you　refuse　to　hold　to　the　terms

of　your　agreement？　We　ourselves　could　refuse　you　all　payment。

But　you　have　been　of　use　to　us；　and　we　will　not　let　you　go　without

a　recompense；'　and　he　offered　him　fifty　crowns。



‘Keep　your　recompense　for　yourself；'　replied　the　ratcatcher

proudly。　‘If　you　do　not　pay　me　I　will　be　paid　by　your　heirs。'



Thereupon　he　pulled　his　hat　down　over　his　eyes；　went　hastily

out　of　the　hall；　and　left　the　town　without　speaking　to　a　soul。



When　the　Hamel　people　heard　how　the　affair　had　ended　they

rubbed　their　hands；　and　with　no　more　scruple　than　their　Town

Counsellor；　they　laughed　over　the　ratcatcher；　who；　they　said；　was

caught　in　his　own　trap。　But　what　made　them　laugh　above　all

was　his　threat　of　getting　himself　paid　by　their　heirs。　Ha！　they

wished　that　they　only　had　such　creditors　for　the　rest　of　their　lives。



Next　day；　which　was　a　Sunday；　they　all　went　gaily　to　church；

thinking　that　after　Mass　they　would　at　last　be　able　to　eat　some　good

thing　that　the　rats　had　not　tasted　before　them。



They　never　suspected　the　terrible　surprise　that　awaited　them　on

their　return　home。　No　children　anywhere；　they　had　all　disappeared！



‘Our　children！　where　are　our　poor　children？'　was　the　cry　that

was　soon　heard　in　all　the　streets。



Then　through　the　east　door　of　the　town　came　three　little　boys；

who　cried　and　wept；　and　this　is　what　they　told：



While　the　parents　were　at　church　a　wonderful　music　had

resounded。　Soon　all　the　little　boys　and　all　the　little　girls　that　had

been　left　at　home　had　gone　out；　attracted　by　the　magic　sounds；　and

had　rushed　to　the　great　market…place。　There　they　found　the

ratcatcher　playing　his　bagpipes　at　the　same　spot　as　the　evening　before。

Then　the　stranger　had　begun　to　walk　quickly；　and　they　had　followed；

running；　singing　and　dancing　to　the　sound　of　the　music；　as　far　as

the　foot　of　the　mountain　which　one　sees　on　entering　Hamel。　At

their　approach　the　mountain　had　opened　a　little；　and　the　bagpiper

had　gone　in　with　them；　after　which　it　had　closed　again。　Only　the

three　little　ones　who　told　the　adventure　had　remained　outside；　as

if　by　a　miracle。　One　was　bandy…legged　and　could　not　run　fast

enough；　the　other；　who　had　left　the　house　in　haste；　one　foot　shod

the　other　bare；　had　hurt　himself　against　a　big　stone　and　could　not

walk　without　difficulty；　the　third　had　arrived　in　time；　but　in

harry