the mysterious stranger-第12章

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feeling　against　him　and　am　quite　willing　to　do　him　a　kindness。　　I　think　I
shall　get　him　burned。〃

He　had　such　strange　notions　of　kindness！　　But　angels　are　made　so；　and　do
not　know　any　better。　　Their　ways　are　not　like　our　ways；　and；　besides；
human　beings　are　nothing　to　them；　they　think　they　are　only　freaks。　　It
seems　to　me　odd　that　he　should　put　the　astrologer　so　far　away；　he　could
have　dumped　him　in　Germany　just　as　well；　where　he　would　be　handy。

〃Far　away？〃　said　Satan。　　〃To　me　no　place　is　far　away；　distance　does　not
exist　for　me。　　The　sun　is　less　than　a　hundred　million　miles　from　here；
and　the　light　that　is　falling　upon　us　has　taken　eight　minutes　to　come；
but　I　can　make　that　flight；　or　any　other；　in　a　fraction　of　time　so　minute
that　it　cannot　be　measured　by　a　watch。　　I　have　but　to　think　the　journey；
and　it　is　accomplished。〃

I　held　out　my　hand　and　said；　〃The　light　lies　upon　it；　think　it　into　a
glass　of　wine；　Satan。〃

He　did　it。　　I　drank　the　wine。

〃Break　the　glass；〃　he　said。

I　broke　it。

〃Thereyou　see　it　is　real。　　The　villagers　thought　the　brass　balls　were
magic　stuff　and　as　perishable　as　smoke。　　They　were　afraid　to　touch　them。
You　are　a　curious　lotyour　race。　　But　come　along；　I　have　business。　　I
will　put　you　to　bed。〃　　Said　and　done。　　Then　he　was　gone；　but　his　voice
came　back　to　me　through　the　rain　and　darkness　saying；　〃Yes；　tell　Seppi；
but　no　other。〃

It　was　the　answer　to　my　thought。




Chapter　8

Sleep　would　not　come。　　It　was　not　because　I　was　proud　of　my　travels　and
excited　about　having　been　around　the　big　world　to　China；　and　feeling
contemptuous　of　Bartel　Sperling；　〃the　traveler；〃　as　he　called　himself；
and　looked　down　upon　us　others　because　he　had　been　to　Vienna　once　and　was
the　only　Eseldorf　boy　who　had　made　such　a　journey　and　seen　the　world's
wonders。　　At　another　time　that　would　have　kept　me　awake；　but　it　did　not
affect　me　now。　　No；　my　mind　was　filled　with　Nikolaus；　my　thoughts　ran
upon　him　only；　and　the　good　days　we　had　seen　together　at　romps　and
frolics　in　the　woods　and　the　fields　and　the　river　in　the　long　summer
days；　and　skating　and　sliding　in　the　winter　when　our　parents　thought　we
were　in　school。　　And　now　he　was　going　out　of　this　young　life；　and　the
summers　and　winters　would　come　and　go；　and　we　others　would　rove　and　play
as　before；　but　his　place　would　be　vacant；　we　should　see　him　no　more。　　To…
morrow　he　would　not　suspect；　but　would　be　as　he　had　always　been；　and　it
would　shock　me　to　hear　him　laugh；　and　see　him　do　lightsome　and　frivolous
things；　for　to　me　he　would　be　a　corpse；　with　waxen　hands　and　dull　eyes；
and　I　should　see　the　shroud　around　his　face；　and　next　day　he　would　not
suspect；　nor　the　next；　and　all　the　time　his　handful　of　days　would　be
wasting　swiftly　away　and　that　awful　thing　coming　nearer　and　nearer；　his
fate　closing　steadily　around　him　and　no　one　knowing　it　but　Seppi　and　me。
Twelve　daysonly　twelve　days。　　It　was　awful　to　think　of。　　I　noticed　that
in　my　thoughts　I　was　not　calling　him　by　his　familiar　names；　Nick　and
Nicky；　but　was　speaking　of　him　by　his　full　name；　and　reverently；　as　one
speaks　of　the　dead。　　Also；　as　incident　after　incident　of　our　comradeship
came　thronging　into　my　mind　out　of　the　past；　I　noticed　that　they　were
mainly　cases　where　I　had　wronged　him　or　hurt　him；　and　they　rebuked　me　and
reproached　me；　and　my　heart　was　wrung　with　remorse；　just　as　it　is　when　we
remember　our　unkindnesses　to　friends　who　have　passed　beyond　the　veil；　and
we　wish　we　could　have　them　back　again；　if　only　for　a　moment；　so　that　we
could　go　on　our　knees　to　them　and　say；　〃Have　pity；　and　forgive。〃

Once　when　we　were　nine　years　old　he　went　a　long　errand　of　nearly　two
miles　for　the　fruiterer；　who　gave　him　a　splendid　big　apple　for　reward；
and　he　was　flying　home　with　it；　almost　beside　himself　with　astonishment
and　delight；　and　I　met　him；　and　he　let　me　look　at　the　apple；　not　thinking
of　treachery；　and　I　ran　off　with　it；　eating　it　as　I　ran；　he　following　me
and　begging；　and　when　he　overtook　me　I　offered　him　the　core；　which　was
all　that　was　left；　and　I　laughed。　　Then　he　turned　away；　crying；　and　said
he　had　meant　to　give　it　to　his　little　sister。　　That　smote　me；　for　she　was
slowly　getting　well　of　a　sickness；　and　it　would　have　been　a　proud　moment
for　him；　to　see　her　joy　and　surprise　and　have　her　caresses。　　But　I　was
ashamed　to　say　I　was　ashamed；　and　only　said　something　rude　and　mean；　to
pretend　I　did　not　care；　and　he　made　no　reply　in　words；　but　there　was　a
wounded　look　in　his　face　as　he　turned　away　toward　his　home　which　rose
before　me　many　times　in　after　years；　in　the　night；　and　reproached　me　and
made　me　ashamed　again。　　It　had　grown　dim　in　my　mind；　by　and　by；　then　it
disappeared；　but　it　was　back　now；　and　not　dim。

Once　at　school；　when　we　were　eleven；　I　upset　my　ink　and　spoiled　four
copy…books；　and　was　in　danger　of　severe　punishment；　but　I　put　it　upon
him；　and　he　got　the　whipping。

And　only　last　year　I　had　cheated　him　in　a　trade；　giving　him　a　large　fish…
hook　which　was　partly　broken　through　for　three　small　sound　ones。　　The
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　h