the fifth string-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


‘‘But　not　from　you；''　replied　Diotti。



‘‘That　statement　is　discredited　also

by　your　outburst　of　a　few　moments　ago

when　you　called　upon　me。''



‘‘I　do　not　need　you；''　reiterated　the

musician。　‘‘I　will　have　none　of　you！''

and　he　waved　his　arm　toward　the　door；

as　if　he　desired　the　interview　to　end。



‘‘I　came　at　your　behest；　actuated

entirely　by　kindness　of　heart；''　said　Satan。



Diotti　laughed　derisively；　and　Satan；

showing　just　the　slightest　feeling　at

Diotti's　behavior；　said　reprovingly：　‘‘If

you　will　listen　a　moment；　and　not　be　so

rude　to　an　utter　stranger；　we　may　reach

some　conclusion　to　your　benefit。''



‘‘Get　thee　behind''



‘‘I　know　exactly　what　you　were　about

to　say。　Have　no　fears　on　that　score。

I　have　no　demands　to　make　and　no

impossible　compacts　to　insist　upon。''



‘‘I　have　heard　of　you　before；''　know…

ingly　spoke　the　violinist　nodding　his

head　sadly。



‘‘No　doubt　you　have；''　smilingly。

‘‘My　reputation；　which　has　suffered　at

the　hands　of　irresponsible　people；　is　not

of　the　best；　and　places　me　at　times　in

awkward　positions。　But　I　am　beginning

to　live　it　down。''　The　stranger

looked　contrition　itself。　‘‘To　prove　my

sincerity　I　desire　to　help　you　win　her

love；''　emphasizing　her。



‘‘How　can　you　help　me？''



‘‘Very　easily。　You　have　been　wasting

time；　energy　and　health　in　a　wild

desire　to　play　better。　The　trouble　lies

not　with　you。''



‘‘Not　with　me？''　interrupted　the

violinist；　now　thoroughly　interested。



‘‘The　trouble　lies　not　with　you；''

repeated　the　visitor；　‘‘but　with　the　miserable

violin　you　have　been　using　and　have

just　destroyed；''　and　he　pointed　to　the

shattered　instrument。



Tears　welled　from　the　poor　violinist's

eyes　as　he　gazed　on　the　fragments　of　his

beloved　violin；　the　pieces　lying　scattered

about　as　the　result　of　his　unfortunate

anger。



‘‘It　was　a　Stradivarius；''　said　Diotti；

sadly。



‘‘Had　it　been　a　Stradivarius；　an　Amati

or　a　Guarnerius；　or　a　host　of　others　rolled

into　one；　you　would　not　have　found　in

it　the　melody　to　win　the　heart　of　the

woman　you　love。　Get　a　better　and

more　suitable　instrument。''



‘‘Where　is　one？''　earnestly　interrogated

Diotti；　vaguely　realizing　that

Satan　knew。



‘‘In　my　possession；''　Satan　replied。



‘‘She　would　hate　me　if　she　knew　I

had　recourse　to　the　powers　of　darkness

to　gain　her　love；''　bitterly　interposed

Diotti。



Satan；　wincing　at　this　uncomplimentary

allusion　to　himself；　replied　rather

warmly：　‘‘My　dear　sir；　were　it　not　for

the　fact　that　I　feel　in　particularly　good

spirits　this　morning；　I　should　resent　your

ill…timed　remarks　and　leave　you　to　end

your　miserable　existence　with　rope　or

pistol；''　and　Satan　pantomimed　both

suicidal　contingencies。



‘‘Do　you　want　the　violin　or　not？''



‘‘I　might　look　at　it；''　said　Diotti；

resolving　mentally　that　he　could　go　so

far　without　harm。



‘‘Very　well；''　said　Satan。　He　gave

a　long　whistle。



An　old　man；　bearing　a　violin　case；

came　within　the　room。　He　bowed　to

the　wondering　Diotti；　and　proceeded　to

open　the　case。　Taking　the　instrument

out　the　old　man　fondled　it　with　loving

and　tender　solicitude；　pointing　out　its

many　beautiesthe　exquisite　blending

of　the　curves；　the　evenness　of　the　grain；

the　peculiar　coloring；　the　lovely　contour

of　the　neck；　the　graceful　outlines　of　the

body；　the　scroll；　rivaling　the　creations

of　the　ancient　sculptors；　the　solidity　of

the　bridge　and　its　elegantly　carved　heart；

and；　waxing　exceedingly　enthusiastic；

holding　up　the　instrument　and　looking

at　it　as　one　does　at　a　cluster　of　gems；　he

added；　‘‘the　adjustment　of　the　strings。''



‘‘That　will　do；''　interrupted　Satan；

taking　the　violin　from　the　little　man；

who　bowed　low　and　ceremoniously

took　his　departure。　Then　the　devil；

pointing　to　the　instrument；　asked：　‘‘Isn't

it　a　beauty？''



The　musician；　eying　it　keenly；

replied：　‘‘Yes；　it　is；　but　not　the　kind　of

violin　I　play　on。''



‘‘Oh；　I　see；''　carelessly　observed　the

other；　‘‘you　refer　to　that　extra　string。''



‘‘Yes；''　answered　the　puzzled　violinist；

examining　it　closely。



‘‘Allow　me　to　explain　the　peculiar

characteristics　of　this　magnificent　instrument；''

said　his　satanic　majesty。　‘‘This

string；''　pointing　to　the　G；　‘‘is　the

string　of　pity；　this　one；''　referring　to　the

third；　‘‘is　the　string　of　hope；　this；''

plunking　the　A；　‘‘is　attuned　to　love；

while　this　one；　the　E　string；　gives　forth

sounds　of　joy。



‘‘You　will　observe；''　went　on　the

visitor；　noting　the　intense　interest　displayed

by　the　violinist；　‘‘that　the　position

of　the　strings　is　the　same　as　on　any

other　violin；　and　therefore　will　require

no　additional　study　on　your　part。''



‘‘But　that　extra　string？''　interrupted

Diotti；　designating　the　middle　one　on

the　violin；　a　vague　foreboding　rising

within　him。



‘‘That；''　said　Mephistopheles；

solemnly；　and　with　no　pretense　of　sophistry；

‘‘is　the　string　of　death；　and　he　who

plays　upon　it　dies　at　once。''



‘‘Thestringofdeath！''　repeated

the　violinist　almost　inaudibly。



‘‘Yes；　the　string　of　death；''　Satan

repeated；　‘‘and　he　who　plays　upon　it　dies

at　once。　But；''　he　added　cheerfully；

‘‘that　need　not　worry　you。　I　noticed　a

marvelous　facility　in　your　arm　work。

Your　staccato　and　spiccato　are　wonderful。

Every　form　of　bowing　appears

child's　play　to　you。　It　will　be　easy　for

you　to　avoid　touching　the　string。''



‘‘Why　avoid　it？　Can　it　not　be　cut　off？''



‘‘Ah；　that's　the　rub。　If　you

examine　the　violin　closely　you　will　find

that　the　string　of　death　is　made　up　of

the　extra　lengths　of　the　other　four

strings。　To　cut　it　off　would　destroy　the

others；　and　then　pity；　hope；　love　and　joy

would　cease　to　exist　in　the　soul　of　the

violin。''



‘‘How　like　life　itself；''　Diotti

reflected；　‘‘pity；　hope；　love；　joy　end　in

death；　and　through　death　they　are　born

again。''



‘‘That's　the　idea；　precisely；''　said

Satan；　evidently　relieved　by　Diotti's

logic　and　quick　perception。



The　violinist　examined　the　instrument

with　the　practised　eye　of　an　expert；　and

turning　to　Satan　said：　‘‘The　four

strings　are　beautifully　white　and　transparent；

but　this　one　is　black　and　odd

looking。



‘‘What　is　it　wrapped　with？''　eagerly

inquired　Diotti；　examining　the　death

string　with　microscopic　care。



‘‘The　fifth　string　was　added　after　an

unfortunate　episode　in　the　Garden　of

Eden；　in　which　I　was　somewhat

concerned；''　said　Satan；　soberly。　‘‘It　is

wrapped　with　strands　of　hair　from　the

first　mother　of　man。''　Impressively　then

he　offered　the　violin　to　Diotti。



‘‘I　dare　not　take　it；''　said　the

perplexed　musician；　‘‘it's　from''



‘‘Yes；　it　is　directly　from　there；　but　I

brought　it　from　heaven　when　II　left；''

said　the　fallen　angel；　with　remorse　in

his　voice。　‘‘It　was　my　constant

companion　there。　But　no　one　in　my

domainnot　I；　myselfcan　play　upon　it

now；　for　it　will　respond　neither　to　our

longing　for　pity；　hope；　love；　joy；　nor

even　death；''　and　sadly　and　retrospectively

Satan　gazed　into　vacancy；　then；

after　a　long　pause：　‘‘Try　the　instrument！''



Diotti　placed　the　violin　in　position

and　drew　the　bow　across　the　string　of

joy；　improvising　on　it。　Almost　instantly

the　birds　of　the　forest　darted　hither　and

thither；　caroling　forth　in　gladsome

strains。　The　devil　alone　was　sad；　and

with　emotion　said：



‘‘It　is　many；　many　years　since　I

have　heard　that　string。''



Next　the　artist　changed　to　the　string

of　pity；　and　thoughts　of　the　world's

sorrows　came　over　him　like　a　pall。



‘‘Wonderful；　most　wonderful！''　said

the　mystified　violinist；　‘‘with　this

instrument　I　can　conquer　the　world！''



‘‘Aye；　more　to　you　than　the　world；''

said　the　tempter；　‘‘a　woman's　love。''



A　woman's　loveto　the　despairing

suitor　there　was　one　and　only　one　in　this

wide；　wide　world；　and　her　words；　burning

their　way　into　his　heart；　had　made

this　temptation　possible：　‘‘No　droop…

ing　Clytie　could　be　more　constant　than

I　to　him　who　strikes　the　chord　that　is

responsive　in　my　soul。''



Holding　the　violin　aloft；　he　cried

exultingly：　‘‘Henceforth　thou　art　mine；

though　death　and　oblivion　lurk　ever

near　thee！''







VII



Perkins；　seated　in　his　office；

threw　the　morning　paper　aside。

‘‘It's　no　use；''　he　said；　turning　to　the

office　boy；　‘‘I　don't　believe　they　ever

will　find　him；　dead　or　alive。　Whoever

put　up　the　job　on　Diotti　was　a　past

grand　master　at　that　sort　of　thing。　The

silent　assassin　that　lurks　in　the　shadow

of　the　midnight　moon　is　an　explosion　of

dynamite　compared　to　the　party　that

made　way　with　Diotti。　You　ask；　why

should　they　kill　him？　My　boy；　you

don't　know　the　world。　They　were

jealous　of　his　enormous　hit；　of　our

dazzling　success。　Jealousy　did　it。''



The　‘‘they''　of　Perkins　comprised

rival　managers；　rival　artists；　newspaper

critics　a