the mysterious stranger-第19节

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〃That's　so！〃　shouted　the　crowd；　and　surged　up　as　closely　as　they　could　to
the　center　of　interest。

〃And　first　you　will　answer　that　other　question；〃　cried　the　blacksmith；
pleased　with　himself　for　being　mouthpiece　to　the　public　and　hero　of　the
occasion。　　〃What　are　you　laughing　at？〃

Satan　smiled　and　answered；　pleasantly：　〃To　see　three　cowards　stoning　a
dying　lady　when　they　were　so　near　death　themselves。〃

You　could　see　the　superstitious　crowd　shrink　and　catch　their　breath；
under　the　sudden　shock。　　The　blacksmith；　with　a　show　of　bravado；　said：

〃Pooh！　　What　do　you　know　about　it？〃

〃I？　　Everything。　　By　profession　I　am　a　fortune…teller；　and　I　read　the
hands　of　you　threeand　some　otherswhen　you　lifted　them　to　stone　the
woman。　　One　of　you　will　die　to…morrow　week；　another　of　you　will　die　to…
night；　the　third　has　but　five　minutes　to　liveand　yonder　is　the　clock！〃

It　made　a　sensation。　　The　faces　of　the　crowd　blanched；　and　turned
mechanically　toward　the　clock。　　The　butcher　and　the　weaver　seemed　smitten
with　an　illness；　but　the　blacksmith　braced　up　and　said；　with　spirit：

〃It　is　not　long　to　wait　for　prediction　number　one。　　If　it　fails；　young
master；　you　will　not　live　a　whole　minute　after；　I　promise　you　that。〃

No　one　said　anything；　all　watched　the　clock　in　a　deep　stillness　which　was
impressive。　　When　four　and　a　half　minutes　were　gone　the　blacksmith　gave　a
sudden　gasp　and　clapped　his　hands　upon　his　heart；　saying；　〃Give　me
breath！　　Give　me　room！〃　and　began　to　sink　down。　　The　crowd　surged　back；
no　one　offering　to　support　him；　and　he　fell　lumbering　to　the　ground　and
was　dead。　　The　people　stared　at　him；　then　at　Satan；　then　at　one　another；
and　their　lips　moved；　but　no　words　came。　　Then　Satan　said：

〃Three　saw　that　I　threw　no　stone。　　Perhaps　there　are　others；　let　them
speak。〃

It　struck　a　kind　of　panic　into　them；　and；　although　no　one　answered　him；
many　began　to　violently　accuse　one　another；　saying；　〃You　said　he　didn't
throw；〃　and　getting　for　reply；　〃It　is　a　lie；　and　I　will　make　you　eat　it！〃
And　so　in　a　moment　they　were　in　a　raging　and　noisy　turmoil；　and　beating
and　banging　one　another；　and　in　the　midst　was　the　only　indifferent　one
the　dead　lady　hanging　from　her　rope；　her　troubles　forgotten；　her　spirit
at　peace。

So　we　walked　away；　and　I　was　not　at　ease；　but　was　saying　to　myself；　〃He
told　them　he　was　laughing　at　them；　but　it　was　a　liehe　was　laughing　at
me。〃

That　made　him　laugh　again；　and　he　said；　〃Yes；　I　was　laughing　at　you；
because；　in　fear　of　what　others　might　report　about　you；　you　stoned　the
woman　when　your　heart　revolted　at　the　actbut　I　was　laughing　at　the
others；　too。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　their　case　was　yours。〃

〃How　is　that？〃

〃Well；　there　were　sixty…eight　people　there；　and　sixty…two　of　them　had　no
more　desire　to　throw　a　stone　than　you　had。〃

〃Satan！〃

〃Oh；　it's　true。　　I　know　your　race。　　It　is　made　up　of　sheep。　　It　is
governed　by　minorities；　seldom　or　never　by　majorities。　　It　suppresses　its
feelings　and　its　beliefs　and　follows　the　handful　that　makes　the　most
noise。　　Sometimes　the　noisy　handful　is　right；　sometimes　wrong；　but　no
matter；　the　crowd　follows　it。　　The　vast　majority　of　the　race；　whether
savage　or　civilized；　are　secretly　kind…hearted　and　shrink　from　inflicting
pain；　but　in　the　presence　of　the　aggressive　and　pitiless　minority　they
don't　dare　to　assert　themselves。　　Think　of　it！　　One　kind…hearted　creature
spies　upon　another；　and　sees　to　it　that　he　loyally　helps　in　iniquities
which　revolt　both　of　them。　　Speaking　as　an　expert；　I　know　that　ninety…
nine　out　of　a　hundred　of　your　race　were　strongly　against　the　killing　of
witches　when　that　foolishness　was　first　agitated　by　a　handful　of　pious
lunatics　in　the　long　ago。　　And　I　know　that　even　to…day；　after　ages　of
transmitted　prejudice　and　silly　teaching；　only　one　person　in　twenty　puts
any　real　heart　into　the　harrying　of　a　witch。　　And　yet　apparently
everybody　hates　witches　and　wants　them　killed。　　Some　day　a　handful　will
rise　up　on　the　other　side　and　make　the　most　noiseperhaps　even　a　single
daring　man　with　a　big　voice　and　a　determined　front　will　do　itand　in　a
week　all　the　sheep　will　wheel　and　follow　him；　and　witch…hunting　will　come
to　a　sudden　end。

〃Monarchies；　aristocracies；　and　religions　are　all　based　upon　that　large
defect　in　your　racethe　individual's　distrust　of　his　neighbor；　and　his
desire；　for　safety's　or　comfort's　sake；　to　stand　well　in　his　neighbor's
eye。　　These　institutions　will　always　remain；　and　always　flourish；　and
always　oppress　you；　affront　you；　and　degrade　you；　because　you　will　always
be　and　remain　slaves　of　minorities。　　There　was　never　a　country　where　the
majority　of　the　people　were　in　their　secret　hearts　loyal　to　any　of　these
institutions。〃

I　did　not　like　to　hear　our　race　called　sheep；　and　said　I　did　not　think
they　were。

〃Still；　it　is　true；　lamb；〃　said　Satan。　　〃Look　at　you　in　warwhat　mutton
you　are；　and　how　ridiculous！〃

〃In　war？　　How？〃

〃There　has　never　been　a　just　one；　never　an　honorable　oneon　the　part　of
the　instigator　of　the　war。　　I　can　see　a　million　years　ahead；　and　this
rule　will　never　change　in　so　many　as　half　a　dozen　instances。　　The　loud
little　handfulas　usualwill　shout　for　the　war。　　The　pulpit　will
warily　and　cautiouslyobjectat　first；　the　great；　big；　dull　bulk　of　the
nation　will　rub　its　sleepy　eyes　and　try　to　make　out　why　there　should　be　a
war；　and　will　say；　earnestly　and　indignantly；　〃It　is　unjust　and
dishonorable；　and　there　is　no　necessity　for　it。〃　　Then　the　handful　will
shout　louder。　　A　few　fair　men　on　the　other　side　will　argue　and　reason
against　the　war　with　speech　and　pen；　and　at　first　will　have　a　hearing　and
be　applauded；　but　it　will　not　last　long；　those　others　will　outshout　them；
and　presently　the　anti…war　audiences　will　thin　out　and　lose　popularity。
Before　long　you　will　see　this　curious　thing：　the　speakers　stoned　from　the
platform；　and　free　speech　strangled　by　hordes　of　furious　men　who　in　their
secret　hearts　are　still　at　one　with　those　stoned　speakersas　earlier
but　do　not　dare　to　say　so。　　And　now　the　whole　nationpulpit　and　all
will　take　up　the　war…cry；　and　shout　itself　hoarse；　and　mob　any　honest　man
who　ventures　to　open　his　mouth；　and　presently　such　mouths　will　cease　to
open。　　Next　the　statesmen　will　invent　cheap　lies；　putting　the　blame　upon
the　nation　that　is　attacked；　and　every　man　will　be　glad　of　those
conscience…soothing　falsities；　and　will　diligently　study　them；　and　refuse
to　examine　any　refutations　of　them；　and　thus　he　will　by　and　by　convince
himself　that　the　war　is　just；　and　will　thank　God　for　the　better　sleep　he
enjoys　after　this　process　of　grotesque　self…deception。〃




Chapter　10

Days　and　days　went　by　now；　and　no　Satan。　　It　was　dull　without　him。　　But
the　astrologer；　who　had　returned　from　his　excursion　to　the　moon；　went
about　the　village；　braving　public　opinion；　and　getting　a　stone　in　the
middle　of　his　back　now　and　then　when　some　witch…hater　got　a　safe　chance
to　throw　it　and　dodge　out　of　sight。　　Meantime　two　influences　had　been
working　well　for　Marget。　　That　Satan；　who　was　quite　indifferent　to　her；
had　stopped　going　to　her　house　after　a　visit　or　two　had　hurt　her　pride；
and　she　had　set　herself　the　task　of　banishing　him　from　her　heart。
Reports　of　Wilhelm　Meidling's　dissipation　brought　to　her　from　time　to
time　by　old　Ursula　had　touched　her　with　remorse；　jealousy　of　Satan　being
the　cause　of　it；　and　so　now；　these　two　matters　working　upon　her　together；
she　was　getting　a　good　profit　out　of　the　combinationher　interest　in
Satan　was　steadily　cooling；　her　interest　in　Wilhelm　as　steadily　warming。
All　that　was　needed　to　complete　her　conversion　was　that　Wilhelm　should
brace　up　and　do　something　that　should　cause　favorable　talk　and　incline
the　public　toward　him　again。

The　opportunity　came　now。　　Marget　sent　and　asked　him　to　defend　her　uncle
in　the　approaching　trial；　and　he　was　greatly　pleased；　and　stopped
drinking　and　began　his　preparations　with　diligence。　　With　more　diligence
than　hope；　in　fact；　for　it　was　not　a　promising　case。　　He　had　many
interviews　in　his　office　with　Seppi　and　me；　and　threshed　out　our
testimony　pretty　thoroughly；　thinking　to　find　some　valuable　grains　among
the　chaff；　but　the　harvest　was　poor；　of　course。

If　Satan　would　only　come！　　That　was　my　constant　thought。　　He　could　invent
some　way　to　win　the　case；　for　he　had　said　it　would　be　won；　so　he
necessarily　knew　how　it　could　be　done。　　But　the　days　dragged　on；　and
still　he　did　not　come。　　Of　course　I　did　not　doubt　that　it　would　be　won；
and　that　Father　Peter　would　be　happy　for　the　rest　of　his　life；　since
Satan　had　said　so；　yet　I　knew　I　should　be　much　more　comfortable　if　he
would　come　and　tell　us　how　to　manage　it。　　It　was　getting　high　time　for
Father　Peter　to　have　a　saving　change　toward　happiness；　for　by　general
report　he　was　worn　out　with　his　imprisonment　and　the　ignominy　that　was
burdening　him；　and　was　like　to　die　of　his　miseries　unless　he　got　relief
soon。

At　last　the　trial　came　on；　and　the　people　gathered　from　all　around　to
witness　it；　among　them　many　strangers　from　considerable　distances。　　Yes；
everybody　was　there　except　the　accused。　　He　was　too　feeble　in　body　for
the　strain。　　But　Marget　was　present；　and　keeping　up　her　hope　and　her
spirit　t