the mysterious stranger-第11节

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usual　time　to　do　it。

Father　Adolf　was　not　merely　puzzled；　he　was　also　exasperated；　for　these
evidences　very　nearly　convinced　himprivatelythat　there　was　no
witchcraft　in　the　matter。　　It　did　not　wholly　convince　him；　for　this　could
be　a　new　kind　of　witchcraft。　　There　was　a　way　to　find　out　as　to　this：　if
this　prodigal　abundance　of　provender　was　not　brought　in　from　the　outside；
but　produced　on　the　premises；　there　was　witchcraft；　sure。




Chapter　7

Marget　announced　a　party；　and　invited　forty　people；　the　date　for　it　was
seven　days　away。　　This　was　a　fine　opportunity。　　Marget's　house　stood　by
itself；　and　it　could　be　easily　watched。　　All　the　week　it　was　watched
night　and　day。　　Marget's　household　went　out　and　in　as　usual；　but　they
carried　nothing　in　their　hands；　and　neither　they　nor　others　brought
anything　to　the　house。　　This　was　ascertained。　　Evidently　rations　for
forty　people　were　not　being　fetched。　　If　they　were　furnished　any
sustenance　it　would　have　to　be　made　on　the　premises。　　It　was　true　that
Marget　went　out　with　a　basket　every　evening；　but　the　spies　ascertained
that　she　always　brought　it　back　empty。

The　guests　arrived　at　noon　and　filled　the　place。　　Father　Adolf　followed；
also；　after　a　little；　the　astrologer；　without　invitation。　　The　spies　had
informed　him　that　neither　at　the　back　nor　the　front　had　any　parcels　been
brought　in。　　He　entered；　and　found　the　eating　and　drinking　going　on
finely；　and　everything　progressing　in　a　lively　and　festive　way。　　He
glanced　around　and　perceived　that　many　of　the　cooked　delicacies　and　all
of　the　native　and　foreign　fruits　were　of　a　perishable　character；　and　he
also　recognized　that　these　were　fresh　and　perfect。　　No　apparitions；　no
incantations；　no　thunder。　　That　settled　it。　　This　was　witchcraft。　　And
not　only　that；　but　of　a　new　kinda　kind　never　dreamed　of　before。　　It　was
a　prodigious　power；　an　illustrious　power；　he　resolved　to　discover　its
secret。　　The　announcement　of　it　would　resound　throughout　the　world；
penetrate　to　the　remotest　lands；　paralyze　all　the　nations　with　amazement…
…and　carry　his　name　with　it；　and　make　him　renowned　forever。　　It　was　a
wonderful　piece　of　luck；　a　splendid　piece　of　luck；　the　glory　of　it　made
him　dizzy。

All　the　house　made　room　for　him；　Marget　politely　seated　him；　Ursula
ordered　Gottfried　to　bring　a　special　table　for　him。　　Then　she　decked　it
and　furnished　it；　and　asked　for　his　orders。

〃Bring　me　what　you　will；〃　he　said。

The　two　servants　brought　supplies　from　the　pantry；　together　with　white
wine　and　reda　bottle　of　each。　　The　astrologer；　who　very　likely　had
never　seen　such　delicacies　before；　poured　out　a　beaker　of　red　wine；　drank
it　off；　poured　another；　then　began　to　eat　with　a　grand　appetite。

I　was　not　expecting　Satan；　for　it　was　more　than　a　week　since　I　had　seen
or　heard　of　him；　but　now　he　came　inI　knew　it　by　the　feel；　though　people
were　in　the　way　and　I　could　not　see　him。　　I　heard　him　apologizing　for
intruding；　and　he　was　going　away；　but　Marget　urged　him　to　stay；　and　he
thanked　her　and　stayed。　　She　brought　him　along；　introducing　him　to　the
girls；　and　to　Meidling；　and　to　some　of　the　elders；　and　there　was　quite　a
rustle　of　whispers：　〃It's　the　young　stranger　we　hear　so　much　about　and
can't　get　sight　of；　he　is　away　so　much。〃　　〃Dear；　dear；　but　he　is
beautifulwhat　is　his　name？〃　〃Philip　Traum。〃　　〃Ah；　it　fits　him！〃　（You
see；　〃Traum〃　is　German　for　〃Dream。〃）　〃What　does　he　do？〃　〃Studying　for　the
ministry；　they　say。〃　　〃His　face　is　his　fortunehe'll　be　a　cardinal　some
day。〃　　〃Where　is　his　home？〃　　〃Away　down　somewhere　in　the　tropics；　they
sayhas　a　rich　uncle　down　there。〃　　And　so　on。　　He　made　his　way　at　once；
everybody　was　anxious　to　know　him　and　talk　with　him。　　Everybody　noticed
how　cool　and　fresh　it　was；　all　of　a　sudden；　and　wondered　at　it；　for　they
could　see　that　the　sun　was　beating　down　the　same　as　before；　outside；　and
the　sky　was　clear　of　clouds；　but　no　one　guessed　the　reason；　of　course。

The　astrologer　had　drunk　his　second　beaker；　he　poured　out　a　third。　　He
set　the　bottle　down；　and　by　accident　overturned　it。　　He　seized　it　before
much　was　spilled；　and　held　it　up　to　the　light；　saying；　〃What　a　pityit
is　royal　wine。〃　　Then　his　face　lighted　with　joy　or　triumph；　or　something；
and　he　said；　〃Quick！　　Bring　a　bowl。〃

It　was　broughta　four…quart　one。　　He　took　up　that　two…pint　bottle　and
began　to　pour；　went　on　pouring；　the　red　liquor　gurgling　and　gushing　into
the　white　bowl　and　rising　higher　and　higher　up　its　sides；　everybody
staring　and　holding　their　breathand　presently　the　bowl　was　full　to　the
brim。

〃Look　at　the　bottle；〃　he　said；　holding　it　up；　〃it　is　full　yet！〃　I　glanced
at　Satan；　and　in　that　moment　he　vanished。　　Then　Father　Adolf　rose　up；
flushed　and　excited；　crossed　himself；　and　began　to　thunder　in　his　great
voice；　〃This　house　is　bewitched　and　accursed！〃　People　began　to　cry　and
shriek　and　crowd　toward　the　door。　　〃I　summon　this　detected　household
to〃

His　words　were　cut　off　short。　　His　face　became　red；　then　purple；　but　he
could　not　utter　another　sound。　　Then　I　saw　Satan；　a　transparent　film；
melt　into　the　astrologer's　body；　then　the　astrologer　put　up　his　hand；　and
apparently　in　his　own　voice　said；　〃Waitremain　where　you　are。〃　　All
stopped　where　they　stood。　　〃Bring　a　funnel！〃　　Ursula　brought　it；
trembling　and　scared；　and　he　stuck　it　in　the　bottle　and　took　up　the　great
bowl　and　began　to　pour　the　wine　back；　the　people　gazing　and　dazed　with
astonishment；　for　they　knew　the　bottle　was　already　full　before　he　began。
He　emptied　the　whole　of　the　bowl　into　the　bottle；　then　smiled　out　over
the　room；　chuckled；　and　said；　indifferently：　〃It　is　nothinganybody　can
do　it！　　With　my　powers　I　can　even　do　much　more。〃

A　frightened　cry　burst　out　everywhere。　　〃Oh；　my　God；　he　is　possessed！〃
and　there　was　a　tumultuous　rush　for　the　door　which　swiftly　emptied　the
house　of　all　who　did　not　belong　in　it　except　us　boys　and　Meidling。
We　boys　knew　the　secret；　and　would　have　told　it　if　we　could；　but　we
couldn't。　　We　were　very　thankful　to　Satan　for　furnishing　that　good　help
at　the　needful　time。

Marget　was　pale；　and　crying；　Meidling　looked　kind　of　petrified；　Ursula
the　same；　but　Gottfried　was　the　worsthe　couldn't　stand；　he　was　so　weak
and　scared。　　For　he　was　of　a　witch　family；　you　know；　and　it　would　be　bad
for　him　to　be　suspected。　　Agnes　came　loafing　in；　looking　pious　and
unaware；　and　wanted　to　rub　up　against　Ursula　and　be　petted；　but　Ursula
was　afraid　of　her　and　shrank　away　from　her；　but　pretending　she　was　not
meaning　any　incivility；　for　she　knew　very　well　it　wouldn't　answer　to　have
strained　relations　with　that　kind　of　a　cat。　　But　we　boys　took　Agnes　and
petted　her；　for　Satan　would　not　have　befriended　her　if　he　had　not　had　a
good　opinion　of　her；　and　that　was　indorsement　enough　for　us。　　He　seemed
to　trust　anything　that　hadn't　the　Moral　Sense。

Outside；　the　guests；　panic…stricken；　scattered　in　every　direction　and
fled　in　a　pitiable　state　of　terror；　and　such　a　tumult　as　they　made　with
their　running　and　sobbing　and　shrieking　and　shouting　that　soon　all　the
village　came　flocking　from　their　houses　to　see　what　had　happened；　and
they　thronged　the　street　and　shouldered　and　jostled　one　another　in
excitement　and　fright；　and　then　Father　Adolf　appeared；　and　they　fell
apart　in　two　walls　like　the　cloven　Red　Sea；　and　presently　down　this　lane
the　astrologer　came　striding　and　mumbling；　and　where　he　passed　the　lanes
surged　back　in　packed　masses；　and　fell　silent　with　awe；　and　their　eyes
stared　and　their　breasts　heaved；　and　several　women　fainted；　and　when　he
was　gone　by　the　crowd　swarmed　together　and　followed　him　at　a　distance；
talking　excitedly　and　asking　questions　and　finding　out　the　facts。
Finding　out　the　facts　and　passing　them　on　to　others；　with　improvements
improvements　which　soon　enlarged　the　bowl　of　wine　to　a　barrel；　and　made
the　one　bottle　hold　it　all　and　yet　remain　empty　to　the　last。

When　the　astrologer　reached　the　market…square　he　went　straight　to　a
juggler；　fantastically　dressed；　who　was　keeping　three　brass　balls　in　the
air；　and　took　them　from　him　and　faced　around　upon　the　approaching　crowd
and　said：　〃This　poor　clown　is　ignorant　of　his　art。　　Come　forward　and　see
an　expert　perform。〃

So　saying；　he　tossed　the　balls　up　one　after　another　and　set　them　whirling
in　a　slender　bright　oval　in　the　air；　and　added　another；　then　another　and
another；　and　soonno　one　seeing　whence　he　got　themadding；　adding；
adding；　the　oval　lengthening　all　the　time；　his　hands　moving　so　swiftly
that　they　were　just　a　web　or　a　blur　and　not　distinguishable　as　hands；　and
such　as　counted　said　there　were　now　a　hundred　balls　in　the　air。　　The
spinning　great　oval　reached　up　twenty　feet　in　the　air　and　was　a　shining
and　glinting　and　wonderful　sight。　　Then　he　folded　his　arms　and　told　the
balls　to　go　on　spinning　without　his　helpand　they　did　it。　　After　a
couple　of　minutes　he　said；　〃There；　that　will　do；〃　and　the　oval　broke　and
came　crashing　down；　and　the　balls　scattered　abroad　and　rolled　every
whither。　　And　wherever　one　of　them　came　the　people　fell　back　in　dread；
and　no　one　would　touch　it。　　It　made　him　laugh；　and　he　scoffed　at　the
people　and　called　them　cowards　and　old　women。　　Then　he　turned　and　saw　the
tight…rope；　and　said　foolish　people　wer