the mysterious stranger-第12节

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people　and　called　them　cowards　and　old　women。　　Then　he　turned　and　saw　the
tight…rope；　and　said　foolish　people　were　daily　wasting　their　money　to　see
a　clumsy　and　ignorant　varlet　degrade　that　beautiful　art；　now　they　should
see　the　work　of　a　master。　　With　that　he　made　a　spring　into　the　air　and
lit　firm　on　his　feet　on　the　rope。　　Then　he　hopped　the　whole　length　of　it
back　and　forth　on　one　foot；　with　his　hands　clasped　over　his　eyes；　and
next　he　began　to　throw　somersaults；　both　backward　and　forward；　and　threw
twenty…seven。

The　people　murmured；　for　the　astrologer　was　old；　and　always　before　had
been　halting　of　movement　and　at　times　even　lame；　but　he　was　nimble　enough
now　and　went　on　with　his　antics　in　the　liveliest　manner。　　Finally　he
sprang　lightly　down　and　walked　away；　and　passed　up　the　road　and　around
the　corner　and　disappeared。　　Then　that　great；　pale；　silent；　solid　crowd
drew　a　deep　breath　and　looked　into　one　another's　faces　as　if　they　said：
〃Was　it　real？　　Did　you　see　it；　or　was　it　only　Iand　was　I　dreaming？〃
Then　they　broke　into　a　low　murmur　of　talking；　and　fell　apart　in　couples；
and　moved　toward　their　homes；　still　talking　in　that　awed　way；　with　faces
close　together　and　laying　a　hand　on　an　arm　and　making　other　such　gestures
as　people　make　when　they　have　been　deeply　impressed　by　something。

We　boys　followed　behind　our　fathers；　and　listened；　catching　all　we　could
of　what　they　said；　and　when　they　sat　down　in　our　house　and　continued
their　talk　they　still　had　us　for　company。　　They　were　in　a　sad　mood；　for
it　was　certain；　they　said；　that　disaster　for　the　village　must　follow　this
awful　visitation　of　witches　and　devils。　　Then　my　father　remembered　that
Father　Adolf　had　been　struck　dumb　at　the　moment　of　his　denunciation。

〃They　have　not　ventured　to　lay　their　hands　upon　an　anointed　servant　of
God　before；〃　he　said；　〃and　how　they　could　have　dared　it　this　time　I
cannot　make　out；　for　he　wore　his　crucifix。　　Isn't　it　so？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　others；　〃we　saw　it。〃

〃It　is　serious；　friends；　it　is　very　serious。　　Always　before；　we　had　a
protection。　　It　has　failed。〃

The　others　shook；　as　with　a　sort　of　chill；　and　muttered　those　words　over…
…〃It　has　failed。〃　　〃God　has　forsaken　us。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Seppi　Wohlmeyer's　father；　〃there　is　nowhere　to　look
for　help。〃

〃The　people　will　realize　this；〃　said　Nikolaus's　father；　the　judge；　〃and
despair　will　take　away　their　courage　and　their　energies。　　We　have　indeed
fallen　upon　evil　times。〃

He　sighed；　and　Wohlmeyer　said；　in　a　troubled　voice：　〃The　report　of　it　all
will　go　about　the　country；　and　our　village　will　be　shunned　as　being　under
the　displeasure　of　God。　　The　Golden　Stag　will　know　hard　times。〃

〃True；　neighbor；〃　said　my　father；　〃all　of　us　will　sufferall　in　repute；
many　in　estate。　　And；　good　God！〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃That　can　cometo　finish　us！〃

〃Name　itum　Gottes　Willen！〃

〃The　Interdict！〃

It　smote　like　a　thunderclap；　and　they　were　like　to　swoon　with　the　terror
of　it。　　Then　the　dread　of　this　calamity　roused　their　energies；　and　they
stopped　brooding　and　began　to　consider　ways　to　avert　it。　　They　discussed
this；　that；　and　the　other　way；　and　talked　till　the　afternoon　was　far
spent；　then　confessed　that　at　present　they　could　arrive　at　no　decision。
So　they　parted　sorrowfully；　with　oppressed　hearts　which　were　filled　with
bodings。

While　they　were　saying　their　parting　words　I　slipped　out　and　set　my
course　for　Marget's　house　to　see　what　was　happening　there。　　I　met　many
people；　but　none　of　them　greeted　me。　　It　ought　to　have　been　surprising；
but　it　was　not；　for　they　were　so　distraught　with　fear　and　dread　that　they
were　not　in　their　right　minds；　I　think；　they　were　white　and　haggard；　and
walked　like　persons　in　a　dream；　their　eyes　open　but　seeing　nothing；　their
lips　moving　but　uttering　nothing；　and　worriedly　clasping　and　unclasping
their　hands　without　knowing　it。

At　Marget's　it　was　like　a　funeral。　　She　and　Wilhelm　sat　together　on　the
sofa；　but　said　nothing；　and　not　even　holding　hands。　　Both　were　steeped　in
gloom；　and　Marget's　eyes　were　red　from　the　crying　she　had　been　doing。
She　said：

〃I　have　been　begging　him　to　go；　and　come　no　more；　and　so　save　himself
alive。　　I　cannot　bear　to　be　his　murderer。　　This　house　is　bewitched；　and
no　inmate　will　escape　the　fire。　　But　he　will　not　go；　and　he　will　be　lost
with　the　rest。〃

Wilhelm　said　he　would　not　go；　if　there　was　danger　for　her；　his　place　was
by　her；　and　there　he　would　remain。　　Then　she　began　to　cry　again；　and　it
was　all　so　mournful　that　I　wished　I　had　stayed　away。　　There　was　a　knock；
now；　and　Satan　came　in；　fresh　and　cheery　and　beautiful；　and　brought　that
winy　atmosphere　of　his　and　changed　the　whole　thing。　　He　never　said　a　word
about　what　had　been　happening；　nor　about　the　awful　fears　which　were
freezing　the　blood　in　the　hearts　of　the　community；　but　began　to　talk　and
rattle　on　about　all　manner　of　gay　and　pleasant　things；　and　next　about
musican　artful　stroke　which　cleared　away　the　remnant　of　Marget's
depression　and　brought　her　spirits　and　her　interests　broad　awake。　　She
had　not　heard　any　one　talk　so　well　and　so　knowingly　on　that　subject
before；　and　she　was　so　uplifted　by　it　and　so　charmed　that　what　she　was
feeling　lit　up　her　face　and　came　out　in　her　words；　and　Wilhelm　noticed　it
and　did　not　look　as　pleased　as　he　ought　to　have　done。　　And　next　Satan
branched　off　into　poetry；　and　recited　some；　and　did　it　well；　and　Marget
was　charmed　again；　and　again　Wilhelm　was　not　as　pleased　as　he　ought　to
have　been；　and　this　time　Marget　noticed　it　and　was　remorseful。

I　fell　asleep　to　pleasant　music　that　nightthe　patter　of　rain　upon　the
panes　and　the　dull　growling　of　distant　thunder。　　Away　in　the　night　Satan
came　and　roused　me　and　said：　〃Come　with　me。　　Where　shall　we　go？〃

〃Anywhereso　it　is　with　you。〃

Then　there　was　a　fierce　glare　of　sunlight；　and　he　said；　〃This　is　China。〃

That　was　a　grand　surprise；　and　made　me　sort　of　drunk　with　vanity　and
gladness　to　think　I　had　come　so　farso　much；　much　farther　than　anybody
else　in　our　village；　including　Bartel　Sperling；　who　had　such　a　great
opinion　of　his　travels。　　We　buzzed　around　over　that　empire　for　more　than
half　an　hour；　and　saw　the　whole　of　it。　　It　was　wonderful；　the　spectacles
we　saw；　and　some　were　beautiful；　others　too　horrible　to　think。　　For
instanceHowever；　I　may　go　into　that　by　and　by；　and　also　why　Satan　chose
China　for　this　excursion　instead　of　another　place；　it　would　interrupt　my
tale　to　do　it　now。　　Finally　we　stopped　flitting　and　lit。

We　sat　upon　a　mountain　commanding　a　vast　landscape　of　mountain…range　and
gorge　and　valley　and　plain　and　river；　with　cities　and　villages　slumbering
in　the　sunlight；　and　a　glimpse　of　blue　sea　on　the　farther　verge。　　It　was
a　tranquil　and　dreamy　picture；　beautiful　to　the　eye　and　restful　to　the
spirit。　　If　we　could　only　make　a　change　like　that　whenever　we　wanted　to；
the　world　would　be　easier　to　live　in　than　it　is；　for　change　of　scene
shifts　the　mind's　burdens　to　the　other　shoulder　and　banishes　old；　shop…
worn　wearinesses　from　mind　and　body　both。

We　talked　together；　and　I　had　the　idea　of　trying　to　reform　Satan　and
persuade　him　to　lead　a　better　life。　　I　told　him　about　all　those　things　he
had　been　doing；　and　begged　him　to　be　more　considerate　and　stop　making
people　unhappy。　　I　said　I　knew　he　did　not　mean　any　harm；　but　that　he
ought　to　stop　and　consider　the　possible　consequences　of　a　thing　before
launching　it　in　that　impulsive　and　random　way　of　his；　then　he　would　not
make　so　much　trouble。　　He　was　not　hurt　by　this　plain　speech；　he　only
looked　amused　and　surprised；　and　said：

〃What？　　I　do　random　things？　　Indeed；　I　never　do。　　I　stop　and　consider
possible　consequences？　　Where　is　the　need？　　I　know　what　the　consequences
are　going　to　bealways。〃

〃Oh；　Satan；　then　how　could　you　do　these　things？〃

〃Well；　I　will　tell　you；　and　you　must　understand　if　you　can。　　You　belong
to　a　singular　race。　　Every　man　is　a　suffering…machine　and　a　happiness…
machine　combined。　　The　two　functions　work　together　harmoniously；　with　a
fine　and　delicate　precision；　on　the　give…and…take　principle。　　For　every
happiness　turned　out　in　the　one　department　the　other　stands　ready　to
modify　it　with　a　sorrow　or　a　painmaybe　a　dozen。　　In　most　cases　the
man's　life　is　about　equally　divided　between　happiness　and　unhappiness。
When　this　is　not　the　case　the　unhappiness　predominatesalways；　never　the
other。　　Sometimes　a　man's　make　and　disposition　are　such　that　his　misery…
machine　is　able　to　do　nearly　all　the　business。　　Such　a　man　goes　through
life　almost　ignorant　of　what　happiness　is。　　Everything　he　touches；
everything　he　does；　brings　a　misfortune　upon　him。　　You　have　seen　such
people？　　To　that　kind　of　a　person　life　is　not　an　advantage；　is　it？　　It　is
only　a　disaster。　　Sometimes　for　an　hour's　happiness　a　man's　machinery
makes　him　pay　years　of　misery。　　Don't　you　know　that？　　It　happens　every
now　and　then。　　I　will　give　you　a　case　or　two　presently。　　Now　the　people
of　your　village　are　nothing　to　meyou　know　that；　don't　you？〃

I　did　not　like　to　speak　out　too　flatly；　so　I　said　I　had　suspected　it。

〃Well；　it　is　true　that　they　are　nothing　to　me。　　It　is　not　possible　that
they　should　be。　　The　difference　between　them　and　me　is　abysmal；
immeasurabl