the mysterious stranger-第4节

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〃But　they　are　gone　to　hell！〃

〃Oh；　it　is　no　matter；　we　can　make　plenty　more。〃

It　was　of　no　use　to　try　to　move　him；　evidently　he　was　wholly　without
feeling；　and　could　not　understand。　　He　was　full　of　bubbling　spirits；　and
as　gay　as　if　this　were　a　wedding　instead　of　a　fiendish　massacre。　　And　he
was　bent　on　making　us　feel　as　he　did；　and　of　course　his　magic
accomplished　his　desire。　　It　was　no　trouble　to　him；　he　did　whatever　he
pleased　with　us。　　In　a　little　while　we　were　dancing　on　that　grave；　and　he
was　playing　to　us　on　a　strange；　sweet　instrument　which　he　took　out　of　his
pocket；　and　the　musicbut　there　is　no　music　like　that；　unless　perhaps　in
heaven；　and　that　was　where　he　brought　it　from；　he　said。　　It　made　one　mad；
for　pleasure；　and　we　could　not　take　our　eyes　from　him；　and　the　looks　that
went　out　of　our　eyes　came　from　our　hearts；　and　their　dumb　speech　was
worship。　　He　brought　the　dance　from　heaven；　too；　and　the　bliss　of
paradise　was　in　it。

Presently　he　said　he　must　go　away　on　an　errand。　　But　we　could　not　bear
the　thought　of　it；　and　clung　to　him；　and　pleaded　with　him　to　stay；　and
that　pleased　him；　and　he　said　so；　and　said　he　would　not　go　yet；　but　would
wait　a　little　while　and　we　would　sit　down　and　talk　a　few　minutes　longer；
and　he　told　us　Satan　was　only　his　real　name；　and　he　was　to　be　known　by　it
to　us　alone；　but　he　had　chosen　another　one　to　be　called　by　in　the
presence　of　others；　just　a　common　one；　such　as　people　havePhilip　Traum。

It　sounded　so　odd　and　mean　for　such　a　being！　　But　it　was　his　decision；
and　we　said　nothing；　his　decision　was　sufficient。

We　had　seen　wonders　this　day；　and　my　thoughts　began　to　run　on　the
pleasure　it　would　be　to　tell　them　when　I　got　home；　but　he　noticed　those
thoughts；　and　said：

〃No；　all　these　matters　are　a　secret　among　us　four。　　I　do　not　mind　your
trying　to　tell　them；　if　you　like；　but　I　will　protect　your　tongues；　and
nothing　of　the　secret　will　escape　from　them。〃

It　was　a　disappointment；　but　it　couldn't　be　helped；　and　it　cost　us　a　sigh
or　two。　　We　talked　pleasantly　along；　and　he　was　always　reading　our
thoughts　and　responding　to　them；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　this　was　the
most　wonderful　of　all　the　things　he　did；　but　he　interrupted　my　musings
and　said：

〃No；　it　would　be　wonderful　for　you；　but　it　is　not　wonderful　for　me。　　I　am
not　limited　like　you。　　I　am　not　subject　to　human　conditions。　　I　can
measure　and　understand　your　human　weaknesses；　for　I　have　studied　them；
but　I　have　none　of　them。　　My　flesh　is　not　real；　although　it　would　seem
firm　to　your　touch；　my　clothes　are　not　real；　I　am　a　spirit。　　Father　Peter
is　coming。〃　　We　looked　around；　but　did　not　see　any　one。　　〃He　is　not　in
sight　yet；　but　you　will　see　him　presently。〃

〃Do　you　know　him；　Satan？〃

〃No。〃

〃Won't　you　talk　with　him　when　he　comes？　　He　is　not　ignorant　and　dull；
like　us；　and　he　would　so　like　to　talk　with　you。　　Will　you？〃

〃Another　time；　yes；　but　not　now。　　I　must　go　on　my　errand　after　a　little。
There　he　is　now；　you　can　see　him。　　Sit　still；　and　don't　say　anything。〃

We　looked　up　and　saw　Father　Peter　approaching　through　the　chestnuts。　　We
three　were　sitting　together　in　the　grass；　and　Satan　sat　in　front　of　us　in
the　path。　　Father　Peter　came　slowly　along　with　his　head　down；　thinking；
and　stopped　within　a　couple　of　yards　of　us　and　took　off　his　hat　and　got
out　his　silk　handkerchief；　and　stood　there　mopping　his　face　and　looking
as　if　he　were　going　to　speak　to　us；　but　he　didn't。　　Presently　he
muttered；　〃I　can't　think　what　brought　me　here；　it　seems　as　if　I　were　in
my　study　a　minute　agobut　I　suppose　I　have　been　dreaming　along　for　an
hour　and　have　come　all　this　stretch　without　noticing；　for　I　am　not　myself
in　these　troubled　days。〃　　Then　he　went　mumbling　along　to　himself　and
walked　straight　through　Satan；　just　as　if　nothing　were　there。　　It　made　us
catch　our　breath　to　see　it。　　We　had　the　impulse　to　cry　out；　the　way　you
nearly　always　do　when　a　startling　thing　happens；　but　something
mysteriously　restrained　us　and　we　remained　quiet；　only　breathing　fast。
Then　the　trees　hid　Father　Peter　after　a　little；　and　Satan　said：

〃It　is　as　I　told　youI　am　only　a　spirit。〃

〃Yes；　one　perceives　it　now；〃　said　Nikolaus；　〃but　we　are　not　spirits。　　It
is　plain　he　did　not　see　you；　but　were　we　invisible；　too？　　He　looked　at
us；　but　he　didn't　seem　to　see　us。〃

〃No；　none　of　us　was　visible　to　him；　for　I　wished　it　so。〃

It　seemed　almost　too　good　to　be　true；　that　we　were　actually　seeing　these
romantic　and　wonderful　things；　and　that　it　was　not　a　dream。　　And　there　he
sat；　looking　just　like　anybodyso　natural　and　simple　and　charming；　and
chatting　along　again　the　same　as　ever；　andwell；　words　cannot　make　you
understand　what　we　felt。　　It　was　an　ecstasy；　and　an　ecstasy　is　a　thing
that　will　not　go　into　words；　it　feels　like　music；　and　one　cannot　tell
about　music　so　that　another　person　can　get　the　feeling　of　it。　　He　was
back　in　the　old　ages　once　more　now；　and　making　them　live　before　us。　　He
had　seen　so　much；　so　much！　　It　was　just　a　wonder　to　look　at　him　and　try
to　think　how　it　must　seem　to　have　such　experience　behind　one。

But　it　made　you　seem　sorrowfully　trivial；　and　the　creature　of　a　day；　and
such　a　short　and　paltry　day；　too。　　And　he　didn't　say　anything　to　raise　up
your　drooping　prideno；　not　a　word。　　He　always　spoke　of　men　in　the　same
old　indifferent　wayjust　as　one　speaks　of　bricks　and　manure…piles　and
such　things；　you　could　see　that　they　were　of　no　consequence　to　him；　one
way　or　the　other。　　He　didn't　mean　to　hurt　us；　you　could　see　that；　just　as
we　don't　mean　to　insult　a　brick　when　we　disparage　it；　a　brick's　emotions
are　nothing　to　us；　it　never　occurs　to　us　to　think　whether　it　has　any　or
not。

Once　when　he　was　bunching　the　most　illustrious　kings　and　conquerors　and
poets　and　prophets　and　pirates　and　beggars　togetherjust　a　brick…pileI
was　shamed　into　putting　in　a　word　for　man；　and　asked　him　why　he　made　so
much　difference　between　men　and　himself。　　He　had　to　struggle　with　that　a
moment；　he　didn't　seem　to　understand　how　I　could　ask　such　a　strange
question。　　Then　he　said：

〃The　difference　between　man　and　me？　　The　difference　between　a　mortal　and
an　immortal？　　between　a　cloud　and　a　spirit？〃　He　picked　up　a　wood…louse
that　was　creeping　along　a　piece　of　bark：　〃What　is　the　difference　between
Caesar　and　this？〃

I　said；　〃One　cannot　compare　things　which　by　their　nature　and　by　the
interval　between　them　are　not　comparable。〃

〃You　have　answered　your　own　question；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　expand　it。　　Man
is　made　of　dirtI　saw　him　made。　　I　am　not　made　of　dirt。　　Man　is　a　museum
of　diseases；　a　home　of　impurities；　he　comes　to…day　and　is　gone　to…morrow；
he　begins　as　dirt　and　departs　as　stench；　I　am　of　the　aristocracy　of　the
Imperishables。　　And　man　has　the　Moral　Sense。　　You　understand？　　He　has　the
Moral　Sense。　　That　would　seem　to　be　difference　enough　between　us；　all　by
itself。〃

He　stopped　there；　as　if　that　settled　the　matter。　　I　was　sorry；　for　at
that　time　I　had　but　a　dim　idea　of　what　the　Moral　Sense　was。　　I　merely
knew　that　we　were　proud　of　having　it；　and　when　he　talked　like　that　about
it；　it　wounded　me；　and　I　felt　as　a　girl　feels　who　thinks　her　dearest
finery　is　being　admired　and　then　overhears　strangers　making　fun　of　it。
For　a　while　we　were　all　silent；　and　I；　for　one；　was　depressed。　　Then
Satan　began　to　chat　again；　and　soon　he　was　sparkling　along　in　such　a
cheerful　and　vivacious　vein　that　my　spirits　rose　once　more。　　He　told　some
very　cunning　things　that　put　us　in　a　gale　of　laughter；　and　when　he　was
telling　about　the　time　that　Samson　tied　the　torches　to　the　foxes'　tails
and　set　them　loose　in　the　Philistines'　corn；　and　Samson　sitting　on　the
fence　slapping　his　thighs　and　laughing；　with　the　tears　running　down　his
cheeks；　and　lost　his　balance　and　fell　off　the　fence；　the　memory　of　that
picture　got　him　to　laughing；　too；　and　we　did　have　a　most　lovely　and　jolly
time。　　By　and　by　he　said：

〃I　am　going　on　my　errand　now。〃

〃Don't！〃　we　all　said。　　〃Don't　go；　stay　with　us。　　You　won't　come　back。〃

〃Yes；　I　will；　I　give　you　my　word。〃

〃When？　　To…night？　　Say　when。〃

〃It　won't　be　long。　　You　will　see。〃

〃We　like　you。〃

〃And　I　you。　　And　as　a　proof　of　it　I　will　show　you　something　fine　to　see。
Usually　when　I　go　I　merely　vanish；　but　now　I　will　dissolve　myself　and　let
you　see　me　do　it。〃

He　stood　up；　and　it　was　quickly　finished。　　He　thinned　away　and　thinned
away　until　he　was　a　soap…bubble；　except　that　he　kept　his　shape。　　You
could　see　the　bushes　through　him　as　clearly　as　you　see　things　through　a
soap…bubble；　and　all　over　him　played　and　flashed　the　delicate　iridescent
colors　of　the　bubble；　and　along　with　them　was　that　thing　shaped　like　a
window…sash　which　you　always　see　on　the　globe　of　the　bubble。　　You　have
seen　a　bubble　strike　the　carpet　and　lightly　bound　along　two　or　three
times　before　it　bursts。　　He　did　that。　　He　sprangtouched　the　grass
boundedfloated　alongtouched　againand　so　on；　and　presently　exploded
puff！　and　in　his　place　was　vacancy。

It　was　a　strange　and　beautiful　thing　to　see。　　We　did　not　say　anything；
but　sat　wondering　and　dreaming　and　blinking；　and　finally　Seppi　roused　up
and　said；　mournfully　sighing：

〃I　suppose　none　of　it　has　happened。〃

Nikolaus　sighed　and　said　about　the　same