the mysterious stranger-第3部分

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！


hand　and　crushed　the　life　out　of　them　with　his　fingers；　threw　them　away；
wiped　the　red　from　his　fingers　on　his　handkerchief；　and　went　on　talking
where　he　had　left　off：　〃We　cannot　do　wrong；　neither　have　we　any
disposition　to　do　it；　for　we　do　not　know　what　it　is。〃

It　seemed　a　strange　speech；　in　the　circumstances；　but　we　barely　noticed
that；　we　were　so　shocked　and　grieved　at　the　wanton　murder　he　had
committedfor　murder　it　was；　that　was　its　true　name；　and　it　was　without
palliation　or　excuse；　for　the　men　had　not　wronged　him　in　any　way。　　It
made　us　miserable；　for　we　loved　him；　and　had　thought　him　so　noble　and　so
beautiful　and　gracious；　and　had　honestly　believed　he　was　an　angel；　and　to
have　him　do　this　cruel　thingah；　it　lowered　him　so；　and　we　had　had　such
pride　in　him。　　He　went　right　on　talking；　just　as　if　nothing　had　happened；
telling　about　his　travels；　and　the　interesting　things　he　had　seen　in　the
big　worlds　of　our　solar　systems　and　of　other　solar　systems　far　away　in
the　remotenesses　of　space；　and　about　the　customs　of　the　immortals　that
inhabit　them；　somehow　fascinating　us；　enchanting　us；　charming　us　in　spite
of　the　pitiful　scene　that　was　now　under　our　eyes；　for　the　wives　of　the
little　dead　men　had　found　the　crushed　and　shapeless　bodies　and　were
crying　over　them；　and　sobbing　and　lamenting；　and　a　priest　was　kneeling
there　with　his　hands　crossed　upon　his　breast；　praying；　and　crowds　and
crowds　of　pitying　friends　were　massed　about　them；　reverently　uncovered；
with　their　bare　heads　bowed；　and　many　with　the　tears　running　downa
scene　which　Satan　paid　no　attention　to　until　the　small　noise　of　the
weeping　and　praying　began　to　annoy　him；　then　he　reached　out　and　took　the
heavy　board　seat　out　of　our　swing　and　brought　it　down　and　mashed　all
those　people　into　the　earth　just　as　if　they　had　been　flies；　and　went　on
talking　just　the　same。

An　angel；　and　kill　a　priest！　　An　angel　who　did　not　know　how　to　do　wrong；
and　yet　destroys　in　cold　blood　hundreds　of　helpless　poor　men　and　women
who　had　never　done　him　any　harm！　　It　made　us　sick　to　see　that　awful　deed；
and　to　think　that　none　of　those　poor　creatures　was　prepared　except　the
priest；　for　none　of　them　had　ever　heard　a　mass　or　seen　a　church。　　And　we
were　witnesses；　we　had　seen　these　murders　done　and　it　was　our　duty　to
tell；　and　let　the　law　take　its　course。

But　he　went　on　talking　right　along；　and　worked　his　enchantments　upon　us
again　with　that　fatal　music　of　his　voice。　　He　made　us　forget　everything；
we　could　only　listen　to　him；　and　love　him；　and　be　his　slaves；　to　do　with
us　as　he　would。　　He　made　us　drunk　with　the　joy　of　being　with　him；　and　of
looking　into　the　heaven　of　his　eyes；　and　of　feeling　the　ecstasy　that
thrilled　along　our　veins　from　the　touch　of　his　hand。




Chapter　3

The　Stranger　had　seen　everything；　he　had　been　everywhere；　he　knew
everything；　and　he　forgot　nothing。　　What　another　must　study；　he　learned
at　a　glance；　there　were　no　difficulties　for　him。　　And　he　made　things　live
before　you　when　he　told　about　them。　　He　saw　the　world　made；　he　saw　Adam
created；　he　saw　Samson　surge　against　the　pillars　and　bring　the　temple
down　in　ruins　about　him；　he　saw　Caesar's　death；　he　told　of　the　daily　life
in　heaven；　he　had　seen　the　damned　writhing　in　the　red　waves　of　hell；　and
he　made　us　see　all　these　things；　and　it　was　as　if　we　were　on　the　spot　and
looking　at　them　with　our　own　eyes。　　And　we　felt　them；　too；　but　there　was
no　sign　that　they　were　anything　to　him　beyond　mere　entertainments。　　Those
visions　of　hell；　those　poor　babes　and　women　and　girls　and　lads　and　men
shrieking　and　supplicating　in　anguishwhy；　we　could　hardly　bear　it；　but
he　was　as　bland　about　it　as　if　it　had　been　so　many　imitation　rats　in　an
artificial　fire。

And　always　when　he　was　talking　about　men　and　women　here　on　the　earth　and
their　doingseven　their　grandest　and　sublimestwe　were　secretly
ashamed；　for　his　manner　showed　that　to　him　they　and　their　doings　were　of
paltry　poor　consequence；　often　you　would　think　he　was　talking　about
flies；　if　you　didn't　know。　　Once　he　even　said；　in　so　many　words；　that　our
people　down　here　were　quite　interesting　to　him；　notwithstanding　they　were
so　dull　and　ignorant　and　trivial　and　conceited；　and　so　diseased　and
rickety；　and　such　a　shabby；　poor；　worthless　lot　all　around。　　He　said　it
in　a　quite　matter…of…course　way　and　without　bitterness；　just　as　a　person
might　talk　about　bricks　or　manure　or　any　other　thing　that　was　of　no
consequence　and　hadn't　feelings。　　I　could　see　he　meant　no　offense；　but　in
my　thoughts　I　set　it　down　as　not　very　good　manners。

〃Manners！〃　he　said。　　〃Why；　it　is　merely　the　truth；　and　truth　is　good
manners；　manners　are　a　fiction。　　The　castle　is　done。　　Do　you　like　it？〃

Any　one　would　have　been　obliged　to　like　it。　　It　was　lovely　to　look　at；　it
was　so　shapely　and　fine；　and　so　cunningly　perfect　in　all　its　particulars；
even　to　the　little　flags　waving　from　the　turrets。　　Satan　said　we　must　put
the　artillery　in　place　now；　and　station　the　halberdiers　and　display　the
cavalry。　　Our　men　and　horses　were　a　spectacle　to　see；　they　were　so　little
like　what　they　were　intended　for；　for；　of　course；　we　had　no　art　in　making
such　things。　　Satan　said　they　were　the　worst　he　had　seen；　and　when　he
touched　them　and　made　them　alive；　it　was　just　ridiculous　the　way　they
acted；　on　account　of　their　legs　not　being　of　uniform　lengths。　　They
reeled　and　sprawled　around　as　if　they　were　drunk；　and　endangered
everybody's　lives　around　them；　and　finally　fell　over　and　lay　helpless　and
kicking。　　It　made　us　all　laugh；　though　it　was　a　shameful　thing　to　see。
The　guns　were　charged　with　dirt；　to　fire　a　salute；　but　they　were　so
crooked　and　so　badly　made　that　they　all　burst　when　they　went　off；　and
killed　some　of　the　gunners　and　crippled　the　others。　　Satan　said　we　would
have　a　storm　now；　and　an　earthquake；　if　we　liked；　but　we　must　stand　off　a
piece；　out　of　danger。　　We　wanted　to　call　the　people　away；　too；　but　he
said　never　mind　them；　they　were　of　no　consequence；　and　we　could　make
more；　some　time　or　other；　if　we　needed　them。

A　small　storm…cloud　began　to　settle　down　black　over　the　castle；　and　the
miniature　lightning　and　thunder　began　to　play；　and　the　ground　to　quiver；
and　the　wind　to　pipe　and　wheeze；　and　the　rain　to　fall；　and　all　the　people
flocked　into　the　castle　for　shelter。　　The　cloud　settled　down　blacker　and
blacker；　and　one　could　see　the　castle　only　dimly　through　it；　the
lightning　blazed　out　flash　upon　flash　and　pierced　the　castle　and　set　it
on　fire；　and　the　flames　shone　out　red　and　fierce　through　the　cloud；　and
the　people　came　flying　out；　shrieking；　but　Satan　brushed　them　back；
paying　no　attention　to　our　begging　and　crying　and　imploring；　and　in　the
midst　of　the　howling　of　the　wind　and　volleying　of　the　thunder　the
magazine　blew　up；　the　earthquake　rent　the　ground　wide；　and　the　castle's
wreck　and　ruin　tumbled　into　the　chasm；　which　swallowed　it　from　sight；　and
closed　upon　it；　with　all　that　innocent　life；　not　one　of　the　five　hundred
poor　creatures　escaping。　　Our　hearts　were　broken；　we　could　not　keep　from
crying。

〃Don't　cry；〃　Satan　said；　〃they　were　of　no　value。〃

〃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　tog