the mysterious stranger-第15节

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first　fish　he　caught　broke　the　hook；　but　he　did　not　know　I　was　blamable；
and　he　refused　to　take　back　one　of　the　small　hooks　which　my　conscience
forced　me　to　offer　him；　but　said；　〃A　trade　is　a　trade；　the　hook　was　bad；
but　that　was　not　your　fault。〃

No；　I　could　not　sleep。　　These　little；　shabby　wrongs　upbraided　me　and
tortured　me；　and　with　a　pain　much　sharper　than　one　feels　when　the　wrongs
have　been　done　to　the　living。　　Nikolaus　was　living；　but　no　matter；　he　was
to　me　as　one　already　dead。　　The　wind　was　still　moaning　about　the　eaves；
the　rain　still　pattering　upon　the　panes。

In　the　morning　I　sought　out　Seppi　and　told　him。　　It　was　down　by　the
river。　　His　lips　moved；　but　he　did　not　say　anything；　he　only　looked　dazed
and　stunned；　and　his　face　turned　very　white。　　He　stood　like　that　a　few
moments；　the　tears　welling　into　his　eyes；　then　he　turned　away　and　I
locked　my　arm　in　his　and　we　walked　along　thinking；　but　not　speaking。　　We
crossed　the　bridge　and　wandered　through　the　meadows　and　up　among　the
hills　and　the　woods；　and　at　last　the　talk　came　and　flowed　freely；　and　it
was　all　about　Nikolaus　and　was　a　recalling　of　the　life　we　had　lived　with
him。　　And　every　now　and　then　Seppi　said；　as　if　to　himself：

〃Twelve　days！less　than　twelve　days。〃

We　said　we　must　be　with　him　all　the　time；　we　must　have　all　of　him　we
could；　the　days　were　precious　now。　　Yet　we　did　not　go　to　seek　him。　　It
would　be　like　meeting　the　dead；　and　we　were　afraid。　　We　did　not　say　it；
but　that　was　what　we　were　feeling。　　And　so　it　gave　us　a　shock　when　we
turned　a　curve　and　came　upon　Nikolaus　face　to　face。　　He　shouted；　gaily：

〃Hi…hi！　　What　is　the　matter？　　Have　you　seen　a　ghost？〃

We　couldn't　speak；　but　there　was　no　occasion；　he　was　willing　to　talk　for
us　all；　for　he　had　just　seen　Satan　and　was　in　high　spirits　about　it。
Satan　had　told　him　about　our　trip　to　China；　and　he　had　begged　Satan　to
take　him　a　journey；　and　Satan　had　promised。　　It　was　to　be　a　far　journey；
and　wonderful　and　beautiful；　and　Nikolaus　had　begged　him　to　take　us；　too；
but　he　said　no；　he　would　take　us　some　day；　maybe；　but　not　now。　　Satan
would　come　for　him　on　the　13th；　and　Nikolaus　was　already　counting　the
hours；　he　was　so　impatient。

That　was　the　fatal　day。　　We　were　already　counting　the　hours；　too。

We　wandered　many　a　mile；　always　following　paths　which　had　been　our
favorites　from　the　days　when　we　were　little；　and　always　we　talked　about
the　old　times。　　All　the　blitheness　was　with　Nikolaus；　we　others　could　not
shake　off　our　depression。　　Our　tone　toward　Nikolaus　was　so　strangely
gentle　and　tender　and　yearning　that　he　noticed　it；　and　was　pleased；　and
we　were　constantly　doing　him　deferential　little　offices　of　courtesy；　and
saying；　〃Wait；　let　me　do　that　for　you；〃　and　that　pleased　him；　too。　　I
gave　him　seven　fish…hooksall　I　hadand　made　him　take　them；　and　Seppi
gave　him　his　new　knife　and　a　humming…top　painted　red　and　yellow
atonements　for　swindles　practised　upon　him　formerly；　as　I　learned　later；
and　probably　no　longer　remembered　by　Nikolaus　now。　　These　things　touched
him；　and　he　could　not　have　believed　that　we　loved　him　so；　and　his　pride
in　it　and　gratefulness　for　it　cut　us　to　the　heart；　we　were　so　undeserving
of　them。　　When　we　parted　at　last；　he　was　radiant；　and　said　he　had　never
had　such　a　happy　day。

As　we　walked　along　homeward；　Seppi　said；　〃We　always　prized　him；　but　never
so　much　as　now；　when　we　are　going　to　lose　him。〃

Next　day　and　every　day　we　spent　all　of　our　spare　time　with　Nikolaus；　and
also　added　to　it　time　which　we　（and　he）　stole　from　work　and　other　duties；
and　this　cost　the　three　of　us　some　sharp　scoldings；　and　some　threats　of
punishment。　　Every　morning　two　of　us　woke　with　a　start　and　a　shudder；
saying；　as　the　days　flew　along；　〃Only　ten　days　left；〃　〃only　nine　days
left；〃　〃only　eight；〃　〃only　seven。〃　　Always　it　was　narrowing。　　Always
Nikolaus　was　gay　and　happy；　and　always　puzzled　because　we　were　not。　　He
wore　his　invention　to　the　bone　trying　to　invent　ways　to　cheer　us　up；　but
it　was　only　a　hollow　success；　he　could　see　that　our　jollity　had　no　heart
in　it；　and　that　the　laughs　we　broke　into　came　up　against　some　obstruction
or　other　and　suffered　damage　and　decayed　into　a　sigh。　　He　tried　to　find
out　what　the　matter　was；　so　that　he　could　help　us　out　of　our　trouble　or
make　it　lighter　by　sharing　it　with　us；　so　we　had　to　tell　many　lies　to
deceive　him　and　appease　him。

But　the　most　distressing　thing　of　all　was　that　he　was　always　making
plans；　and　often　they　went　beyond　the　13th！　　Whenever　that　happened　it
made　us　groan　in　spirit。　　All　his　mind　was　fixed　upon　finding　some　way　to
conquer　our　depression　and　cheer　us　up；　and　at　last；　when　he　had　but
three　days　to　live；　he　fell　upon　the　right　idea　and　was　jubilant　over　it…
…a　boys…and…girls'　frolic　and　dance　in　the　woods；　up　there　where　we　first
met　Satan；　and　this　was　to　occur　on　the　14th。　　It　was　ghastly；　for　that
was　his　funeral　day。　　We　couldn't　venture　to　protest；　it　would　only　have
brought　a　〃Why？〃　which　we　could　not　answer。　　He　wanted　us　to　help　him
invite　his　guests；　and　we　did　itone　can　refuse　nothing　to　a　dying
friend。　　But　it　was　dreadful；　for　really　we　were　inviting　them　to　his
funeral。

It　was　an　awful　eleven　days；　and　yet；　with　a　lifetime　stretching　back
between　to…day　and　then；　they　are　still　a　grateful　memory　to　me；　and
beautiful。　　In　effect　they　were　days　of　companionship　with　one's　sacred
dead；　and　I　have　known　no　comradeship　that　was　so　close　or　so　precious。
We　clung　to　the　hours　and　the　minutes；　counting　them　as　they　wasted　away；
and　parting　with　them　with　that　pain　and　bereavement　which　a　miser　feels
who　sees　his　hoard　filched　from　him　coin　by　coin　by　robbers　and　is
helpless　to　prevent　it。

When　the　evening　of　the　last　day　came　we　stayed　out　too　long；　Seppi　and　I
were　in　fault　for　that；　we　could　not　bear　to　part　with　Nikolaus；　so　it
was　very　late　when　we　left　him　at　his　door。　　We　lingered　near　awhile；
listening；　and　that　happened　which　we　were　fearing。　　His　father　gave　him
the　promised　punishment；　and　we　heard　his　shrieks。　　But　we　listened　only
a　moment；　then　hurried　away；　remorseful　for　this　thing　which　we　had
caused。　　And　sorry　for　the　father；　too；　our　thought　being；　〃If　he　only
knewif　he　only　knew！〃

In　the　morning　Nikolaus　did　not　meet　us　at　the　appointed　place；　so　we
went　to　his　home　to　see　what　the　matter　was。　　His　mother　said：

〃His　father　is　out　of　all　patience　with　these　goings…on；　and　will　not
have　any　more　of　it。　　Half　the　time　when　Nick　is　needed　he　is　not　to　be
found；　then　it　turns　out　that　he　has　been　gadding　around　with　you　two。
His　father　gave　him　a　flogging　last　night。　　It　always　grieved　me　before；
and　many's　the　time　I　have　begged　him　off　and　saved　him；　but　this　time　he
appealed　to　me　in　vain；　for　I　was　out　of　patience　myself。〃

〃I　wish　you　had　saved　him　just　this　one　time；〃　I　said；　my　voice　trembling
a　little；　〃it　would　ease　a　pain　in　your　heart　to　remember　it　some　day。〃

She　was　ironing　at　the　time；　and　her　back　was　partly　toward　me。　　She
turned　about　with　a　startled　or　wondering　look　in　her　face　and　said；
〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

I　was　not　prepared；　and　didn't　know　anything　to　say；　so　it　was　awkward；
for　she　kept　looking　at　me；　but　Seppi　was　alert　and　spoke　up：

〃Why；　of　course　it　would　be　pleasant　to　remember；　for　the　very　reason　we
were　out　so　late　was　that　Nikolaus　got　to　telling　how　good　you　are　to
him；　and　how　he　never　got　whipped　when　you　were　by　to　save　him；　and　he
was　so　full　of　it；　and　we　were　so　full　of　the　interest　of　it；　that　none
of　us　noticed　how　late　it　was　getting。〃

〃Did　he　say　that？　　Did　he？〃　and　she　put　her　apron　to　her　eyes。

〃You　can　ask　Theodorhe　will　tell　you　the　same。〃

〃It　is　a　dear；　good　lad；　my　Nick；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　sorry　I　let　him　get
whipped；　I　will　never　do　it　again。　　To　thinkall　the　time　I　was　sitting
here　last　night；　fretting　and　angry　at　him；　he　was　loving　me　and　praising
me！　　Dear；　dear；　if　we　could　only　know！　　Then　we　shouldn't　ever　go　wrong；
but　we　are　only　poor；　dumb　beasts　groping　around　and　making　mistakes。　　I
shan't　ever　think　of　last　night　without　a　pang。〃

She　was　like　all　the　rest；　it　seemed　as　if　nobody　could　open　a　mouth；　in
these　wretched　days；　without　saying　something　that　made　us　shiver。　　They
were　〃groping　around；〃　and　did　not　know　what　true；　sorrowfully　true
things　they　were　saying　by　accident。

Seppi　asked　if　Nikolaus　might　go　out　with　us。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　she　answered；　〃but　he　can't。　　To　punish　him　further；　his
father　doesn't　allow　him　to　go　out　of　the　house　to…day。〃

We　had　a　great　hope！　　I　saw　it　in　Seppi's　eyes。　　We　thought；　〃If　he
cannot　leave　the　house；　he　cannot　be　drowned。〃　　Seppi　asked；　to　make
sure：

〃Must　he　stay　in　all　day；　or　only　the　morning？〃

〃All　day。　　It's　such　a　pity；　too；　it's　a　beautiful　day；　and　he　is　so
unused　to　being　shut　up。　　But　he　is　busy　planning　his　party；　and　maybe
that　is　company　for　him。　　I　do　hope　he　isn't　too　lonesome。〃

Seppi　saw　that　in　her　eye　which　emboldened　him　to　ask　if　we　might　go　up
and　help　him　pass　his　time。

〃And　welcome！〃　she　said；　right　heartily。　　〃Now　I　call　that　real
friendship；　when　you　might　be　abroad　in　the　fields　and　the　woods；　having
a　happy　time。　　You　are　good　boys；　I'll　a