the mysterious stranger-第16章

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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　the　best　she　could。　　The　money　was　present；　too。　　It　was　emptied
on　the　table；　and　was　handled　and　caressed　and　examined　by　such　as　were
privileged。

The　astrologer　was　put　in　the　witness…box。　　He　had　on　his　best　hat　and
robe　for　the　occasion。

QUESTION。　　You　claim　that　this　money　is　yours？

ANSWER。　　I　do。

Q。　　How　did　you　come　by　it？

A。　　I　found　the　bag　in　the　road　when　I　was　returning　from　a　journey。

Q。　　When？

A。　　More　than　two　years　ago。

Q。　　What　did　you　do　with　it？

A。　　I　brought　it　home　and　hid　it　in　a　secret　place　in　my　observatory；
intending　to　find　the　owner　if　I　could。

Q。　　You　endeavored　to　find　him？

A。　　I　made　diligent　inquiry　during　several　months；　but　nothing　came　of
it。

Q。　　And　then？

A。　　I　thought　it　not　worth　while　to　look　further；　and　was　minded　to　use
the　money　in　finishing　the　wing　of　the　foundling…asylum　connected　with
the　priory　and　nunnery。　　So　I　took　it　out　of　its　hiding…place　and　counted
it　to　see　if　any　of　it　was　missing。　　And　then

Q。　　Why　do　you　stop？　　Proceed。

A。　　I　am　sorry　to　have　to　say　this；　but　just　as　I　had　finished　and　was
restoring　the　bag　to　its　place；　I　looked　up　and　there　stood　Father　Peter
behind　me。

Several　murmured；　〃That　looks　bad；〃　but　others　answered；　〃Ah；　but　he　is
such　a　liar！〃

Q。　　That　made　you　uneasy？

A。　　No；　I　thought　nothing　of　it　at　the　time；　for　Father　Peter　often　came
to　me　unannounced　to　ask　for　a　little　help　in　his　need。

Marget　blushed　crimson　at　hearing　her　uncle　falsely　and　impudently
charged　with　begging；　especially　from　one　he　had　always　denounced　as　a
fraud；　and　was　going　to　speak；　but　remembered　herself　in　time　and　held
her　peace。

Q。　　Proceed。

A。　　In　the　end　I　was　afraid　to　contribute　the　money　to　the　foundling…
asylum；　but　elected　to　wait　yet　another　year　and　continue　my　inquiries。
When　I　heard　of　Father　Peter's　find　I　was　glad；　and　no　suspicion　entered
my　mind；　when　I　came　home　a　day　or　two　later　and　discovered　that　my　own
money　was　gone　I　still　did　not　suspect　until　three　circumstances
connected　with　Father　Peter's　good　fortune　struck　me　as　being　singular
coincidences。

Q。　　Pray　name　them。

A。　　Father　Peter　had　found　his　money　in　a　pathI　had　found　mine　in　a
road。　　Father　Peter's　find　consisted　exclusively　of　gold　ducatsmine
also。　　Father　Peter　found　eleven　hundred　and　seven　ducatsI　exactly　the
same。

This　closed　his　evidence；　and　certainly　it　made　a　strong　impression　on
the　house；　one　could　see　that。

Wilhelm　Meidling　asked　him　some　questions；　then　called　us　boys；　and　we
told　our　tale。　　It　made　the　people　laugh；　and　we　were　ashamed。　　We　were
feeling　pretty　badly；　anyhow；　because　Wilhelm　was　hopeless；　and　showed
it。　　He　was　doing　as　well　as　he　could；　poor　young　fellow；　but　nothing　was
in　his　favor；　and　such　sympathy　as　there　was　was　now　plainly　not　with　his
client。　　It　might　be　difficult　for　court　and　people　to　believe　the
astrologer's　story；　considering　his　character；　but　it　was　almost
impossible　to　believe　Father　Peter's。　　We　were　already　feeling　badly
enough；　but　when　the　astrologer's　lawyer　said　he　believed　he　would　not
ask　us　any　questionsfor　our　story　was　a　little　delicate　and　it　would　be
cruel　for　him　to　put　any　strain　upon　iteverybody　tittered；　and　it　was
almost　more　than　we　could　bear。　　Then　he　made　a　sarcastic　little　speech；
and　got　so　much　fun　out　of　our　tale；　and　it　seemed　so　ridiculous　and
childish　and　every　way　impossible　and　foolish；　that　it　made　everybody
laugh　till　the　tears　came；　and　at　last　Marget　could　not　keep　up　her
courage　any　longer；　but　broke　down　and　cried；　and　I　was　so　sorry　for　her。

Now　I　noticed　something　that　braced　me　up。　　It　was　Satan　standing
alongside　of　Wilhelm！　　And　there　was　such　a　contrast！　Satan　looked　so
confident；　had　such　a　spirit　in　his　eyes　and　face；　and　Wilhelm　looked　so
depressed　and　despondent。　　We　two　were　comfortable　now；　and　judged　that
he　would　testify　and　persuade　the　bench　and　the　people　that　black　was
white　and　white　black；　or　any　other　color　he　wanted　it。　　We　glanced
around　to　see　what　the　strangers　in　the　house　thought　of　him；　for　he　was
beautiful；　you　knowstunning；　in　factbut　no　one　was　noticing　him；　so
we　knew　by　that　that　he　was　invisible。

The　lawyer　was　saying　his　last　words；　and　while　he　was　saying　them　Satan
began　to　melt　into　Wilhelm。　　He　melted　into　him　and　disappeared；　and　then
there　was　a　change；　when　his　spirit　began　to　look　out　of　Wilhelm's　eyes。

That　lawyer　finished　quite　seriously；　and　with　dignity。　　He　pointed　to
the　money；　and　said：

〃The　love　of　it　is　the　root　of　all　evil。　　There　it　lies；　the　ancient
tempter；　newly　red　with　the　shame　of　its　latest　victorythe　dishonor　of
a　priest　of　God　and　his　two　poor　juvenile　helpers　in　crime。　　If　it　could
but　speak；　let　us　hope　that　it　would　be　constrained　to　confess　that　of
all　its　conquests　this　was　the　basest　and　the　most　pathetic。〃

He　sat　down。　　Wilhelm　rose　and　said：

〃From　the　testimony　of　the　accuser　I　gather　that　he　found　this　money　in　a
road　more　than　two　years　ago。　　Correct　me；　sir；　if　I　misunderstood　you。〃

The　astrologer　said　his　understanding　of　it　was　correct。

〃And　the