the mysterious stranger-第18章

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running　to　see　the　wonderand　they　remembered　to　bring　baskets；　too。
But　the　tree　was　equal　to　the　occasion；　it　put　out　new　fruits　as　fast　as
any　were　removed；　baskets　were　filled　by　the　score　and　by　the　hundred；
but　always　the　supply　remained　undiminished。　　At　last　a　foreigner　in
white　linen　and　sun…helmet　arrived；　and　exclaimed；　angrily：

〃Away　from　here！　　Clear　out；　you　dogs；　the　tree　is　on　my　lands　and　is　my
property。〃

The　natives　put　down　their　baskets　and　made　humble　obeisance。　　Satan　made
humble　obeisance；　too；　with　his　fingers　to　his　forehead；　in　the　native
way；　and　said：

〃Please　let　them　have　their　pleasure　for　an　hour；　sironly　that；　and　no
longer。　　Afterward　you　may　forbid　them；　and　you　will　still　have　more
fruit　than　you　and　the　state　together　can　consume　in　a　year。〃

This　made　the　foreigner　very　angry；　and　he　cried　out；　〃Who　are　you；　you
vagabond；　to　tell　your　betters　what　they　may　do　and　what　they　mayn't！〃
and　he　struck　Satan　with　his　cane　and　followed　this　error　with　a　kick。

The　fruits　rotted　on　the　branches；　and　the　leaves　withered　and　fell。　　The
foreigner　gazed　at　the　bare　limbs　with　the　look　of　one　who　is　surprised；
and　not　gratified。　　Satan　said：

〃Take　good　care　of　the　tree；　for　its　health　and　yours　are　bound　together。
It　will　never　bear　again；　but　if　you　tend　it　well　it　will　live　long。
Water　its　roots　once　in　each　hour　every　nightand　do　it　yourself；　it
must　not　be　done　by　proxy；　and　to　do　it　in　daylight　will　not　answer。　　If
you　fail　only　once　in　any　night；　the　tree　will　die；　and　you　likewise。　　Do
not　go　home　to　your　own　country　any　moreyou　would　not　reach　there；　make
no　business　or　pleasure　engagements　which　require　you　to　go　outside　your
gate　at　nightyou　cannot　afford　the　risk；　do　not　rent　or　sell　this
placeit　would　be　injudicious。〃

The　foreigner　was　proud　and　wouldn't　beg；　but　I　thought　he　looked　as　if
he　would　like　to。　　While　he　stood　gazing　at　Satan　we　vanished　away　and
landed　in　Ceylon。

I　was　sorry　for　that　man；　sorry　Satan　hadn't　been　his　customary　self　and
killed　him　or　made　him　a　lunatic。　　It　would　have　been　a　mercy。　　Satan
overheard　the　thought；　and　said：

〃I　would　have　done　it　but　for　his　wife；　who　has　not　offended　me。　　She　is
coming　to　him　presently　from　their　native　land；　Portugal。　　She　is　well；
but　has　not　long　to　live；　and　has　been　yearning　to　see　him　and　persuade
him　to　go　back　with　her　next　year。　　She　will　die　without　knowing　he　can't
leave　that　place。〃

〃He　won't　tell　her？〃

〃He？　　He　will　not　trust　that　secret　with　any　one；　he　will　reflect　that　it
could　be　revealed　in　sleep；　in　the　hearing　of　some　Portuguese　guest's
servant　some　time　or　other。〃

〃Did　none　of　those　natives　understand　what　you　said　to　him？〃

〃None　of　them　understood；　but　he　will　always　be　afraid　that　some　of　them
did。　　That　fear　will　be　torture　to　him；　for　he　has　been　a　harsh　master　to
them。　　In　his　dreams　he　will　imagine　them　chopping　his　tree　down。　　That
will　make　his　days　uncomfortableI　have　already　arranged　for　his
nights。〃

It　grieved　me；　though　not　sharply；　to　see　him　take　such　a　malicious
satisfaction　in　his　plans　for　this　foreigner。

〃Does　he　believe　what　you　told　him；　Satan？〃

〃He　thought　he　didn't；　but　our　vanishing　helped。　　The　tree；　where　there
had　been　no　tree　beforethat　helped。　　The　insane　and　uncanny　variety　of
fruitsthe　sudden　witheringall　these　things　are　helps。　　Let　him　think
as　he　may；　reason　as　he　may；　one　thing　is　certain；　he　will　water　the
tree。　　But　between　this　and　night　he　will　begin　his　changed　career　with　a
very　natural　precautionfor　him。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃He　will　fetch　a　priest　to　cast　out　the　tree's　devil。　　You　are　such　a
humorous　raceand　don't　suspect　it。〃

〃Will　he　tell　the　priest？〃

〃No。　　He　will　say　a　juggler　from　Bombay　created　it；　and　that　he　wants　the
juggler's　devil　driven　out　of　it；　so　that　it　will　thrive　and　be　fruitful
again。　　The　priest's　incantations　will　fail；　then　the　Portuguese　will
give　up　that　scheme　and　get　his　watering…pot　ready。〃

〃But　the　priest　will　burn　the　tree。　　I　know　it；　he　will　not　allow　it　to
remain。〃

〃Yes；　and　anywhere　in　Europe　he　would　burn　the　man；　too。　　But　in　India
the　people　are　civilized；　and　these　things　will　not　happen。　　The　man　will
drive　the　priest　away　and　take　care　of　the　tree。〃

I　reflected　a　little；　then　said；　〃Satan；　you　have　given　him　a　hard　life；
I　think。〃

〃Comparatively。　　It　must　not　be　mistaken　for　a　holiday。〃

We　flitted　from　place　to　place　around　the　world　as　we　had　done　before；
Satan　showing　me　a　hundred　wonders；　most　of　them　reflecting　in　some　way
the　weakness　and　triviality　of　our　race。　　He　did　this　now　every　few　days…
…not　out　of　maliceI　am　sure　of　thatit　only　seemed　to　amuse　and
interest　him；　just　as　a　naturalist　might　be　amused　and　interested　by　a
collection　of　ants。




Chapter　11

For　as　much　as　a　year　Satan　continued　these　visits；　but　at　last　he　came
less　often；　and　then　for　a　long　time　he　did　not　come　at　all。　　This　always
made　me　lonely　and　melancholy。　　I　felt　that　he　was　losing　interest　in　our
tiny　world　and　might　at　any　time　abandon　his　visits　entirely。　　When　one
day　he　finally　came　to　me　I　was　overjoyed；　but　only　for　a　little　while。
He　had　come　to　say　good…by；　he　told　me；　and　for　the　last　time。　　He　had
investigations　and　undertakings　in　other　corners　of　the　universe；　he
said；　that　would　keep　him　busy　for　a　longer　period　than　I　could　wait　for
his　return。

〃And　you　are　going　away；　and　will　not　come　back　any　more？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃We　have　comraded　long　together；　and　it　has　been
pleasantpleasant　for　both；　but　I　must　go　now；　and　we　shall　not　see　each
other　any　more。〃

〃In　this　life；　Satan；　but　in　another？　　We　shall　meet　in　another；　surely？〃

Then；　all　tranquilly　and　soberly；　he　made　the　strange　answer；　〃There　is
no　other。〃

A　subtle　influence　blew　upon　my　spirit　from　his；　bringing　with　it　a
vague；　dim；　but　blessed　and　hopeful　feeling　that　the　incredible　words
might　be　trueeven　must　be　true。

〃Have　you　never　suspected　this；　Theodor？〃

〃No。　　How　could　I？　　But　if　it　can　only　be　true〃

〃It　is　true。〃

A　gust　of　thankfulness　rose　in　my　breast；　but　a　doubt　checked　it　before
it　could　issue　in　words；　and　I　said；　〃Butbutwe　have　seen　that　future
lifeseen　it　in　its　actuality；　and　so〃

〃It　was　a　visionit　had　no　existence。〃

I　could　hardly　breathe　for　the　great　hope　that　was　struggling　in　me。
〃A　vision？　a　vi〃

〃Life　itself　is　only　a　vision；　a　dream。〃

It　was　electrical。　　By　God！　　I　had　had　that　very　thought　a　thousand　times
in　my　musings！

〃Nothing　exists；　all　is　a　dream。　　Godmanthe　worldthe　sun；　the　moon；
the　wilderness　of　starsa　dream；　all　a　dream；　they　have　no　existence。
Nothing　exists　save　empty　spaceand　you！〃

〃I！〃

〃And　you　are　not　youyou　have　no　body；　no　blood；　no　bones；　you　are　but　a
thought。　　I　myself　have　no　existence；　I　am　but　a　dreamyour　dream；
creature　of　your　imagination。　　In　a　moment　you　will　have　realized　this；
then　you　will　banish　me　from　your　visions　and　I　shall　dissolve　into　the
nothingness　out　of　which　you　made　me。。。。

〃I　am　perishing　alreadyI　am　failingI　am　passing　away。　　In　a　little
while　you　will　be　alone　in　shoreless　space；　to　wander　its　limitless
solitudes　without　friend　or　comrade　foreverfor　you　will　remain　a
thought；　the　only　existent　thought；　and　by　your　nature　inextinguishable；
indestructible。　　But　I；　your　poor　servant；　have　revealed　you　to　yourself
and　set　you　free。　　Dream　other　dreams；　and　better！

〃Strange！　　that　you　should　not　have　suspected　years　agocenturies；　ages；
eons；　ago！　for　you　have　existed；　companionless；　through　all　the
eternities。　　Strange；　indeed；　that　you　should　not　have　suspected　that
your　universe　and　its　contents　were　only　dreams；　visions；　fiction！
Strange；　because　they　are　so　frankly　and　hysterically　insanelike　all
dreams：　a　God　who　could　make　good　children　as　easily　as　bad；　yet
preferred　to　make　bad　ones；　who　could　have　made　every　one　of　them　happy；
yet　never　made　a　single　happy　one；　who　made　them　prize　their　bitter　life；
yet　stingily　cut　it　short；　who　gave　his　angels　eternal　happiness
unearned；　yet　required　his　other　children　to　earn　it；　who　gave　his　angels
painless　lives；　yet　cursed　his　other　children　with　biting　miseries　and
maladies　of　mind　and　body；　who　mouths　justice　and　invented　hellmouths
mercy　and　invented　hellmouths　Golden　Rules；　and　forgiveness　multiplied
by　seventy　times　seven；　and　invented　hell；　who　mouths　morals　to　other
people　and　has　none　himself；　who　frowns　upon　crimes；　yet　commits　them
all；　who　created　man　without　invitation；　then　tries　to　shuffle　the
responsibility　for　man's　acts　upon　man；　instead　of　honorably　placing　it
where　it　belongs；　upon　himself；　and　finally；　with　altogether　divine
obtuseness；　invites　this　poor；　abused　slave　to　worship　him！。。。

〃You　perceive；　now；　that　these　things　are　all　impossible　except　in　a
dream。　　You　perceive　that　they　are　pure　and　puerile　insanities；　the　silly
creations　of　an　imagination　that　is　not　conscious　of　its　freaksin　a
word；　that　they　are　a　dream；　and　you　the　maker　of　it。　　The　dream…marks
are　all　present；　you　should　have　recognized　them　earlier。

〃It　is　true；　that　which　I　have　revealed　to　you；　there　is　no　God；　no
universe；　no　human　race；　no　earthly　life；　no　heaven；　no　hell。　　It　is　all
a　dreama　grotesque　and　foolish　dream。　　Nothing　exists　but　you。　　And　you
are　but　a　thoughta　vagrant　thought；　a　useless　thought；　a　homeless
thought；　wandering　forlorn　among　the　empty　eternities！〃

He　vanished；　and　left　me　appalled；　for　I　knew；　and　realized；　that　all　he
had　said　was　true。






A　FABLE

Once　upon　a　time　an　artist　who　had　painted　a　small　and　very　beautiful
picture　placed　it　so　that　he　could　see　it　in　the　mirror。　　He　said；　〃This
doubles　the　distance　and　softens　it；　and　it　is　twice　as　lovely　as　it　was
before。〃

The　animals　out　in　the　woods　heard　of　this　through　the　housecat；　who　was
greatly　admired　by　them　because　he　was　so　learned；　and　so　refined　and
civilized；　and　so　polite　and　high…bred；　and　could　tell　them　so　much　which
they　didn't　know　before；　and　were　not　certain　about　afterward。　　They　were
much　excited　about　this　new　piece　of　gossip；　and　they　asked　questions；　so
as　to　get　at　a　full　understanding　of　it。　　They　asked　what　a　picture　was；
and　the　cat　explained。

〃It　is　a　flat　thing；〃　he　said；　〃wonderfully　flat；　marvelously　flat；
enchantingly　flat　and　elegant。　　And；　oh；　so　beautiful！〃

That　excited　them　almost　to　a　frenzy；　and　they　said　they　would　give　the
world　to　see　it。　　Then　the　bear　asked：

〃What　is　it　that　makes　it　so　beautiful？〃

〃It　is　the　looks　of　it；〃　said　the　cat。

This　filled　them　with　admiration　and　uncertainty；　and　they　were　more
excited　than　ever。　　Then　the　cow　asked：

〃What　is　a　mirror？〃

〃It　is　a　hole　in　the　wall；〃　said　the　cat。　　〃You　look　in　it；　and　there　you
see　the　picture；　and　it　is　so　dainty　and　charming　and　ethereal　and
inspiring　in　its　unimaginable　beauty　that　your　head　turns　round　and
round；　and　you　almost　swoon　with　ecstasy。〃

The　ass　had　not　said　anything　as　yet；　he　now　began　to　throw　doubts。
He　said　there　had　never　been　anything　as　beautiful　as　this　before；　and
probably　wasn't　now。　　He　said　that　when　it　took　a　whole　basketful　of
sesquipedalian　adjectives　to　whoop　up　a　thing　of　beauty；