the mysterious stranger-第7章

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hurried　away　to　the　jail；　and　Satan　and　I　walked　toward　my　home。　　I　was
thinking　to　myself　that　I　should　like　to　see　what　the　inside　of　the　jail
was　like；　Satan　overheard　the　thought；　and　the　next　moment　we　were　in　the
jail。　　We　were　in　the　torture…chamber；　Satan　said。　　The　rack　was　there；
and　the　other　instruments；　and　there　was　a　smoky　lantern　or　two　hanging
on　the　walls　and　helping　to　make　the　place　look　dim　and　dreadful。　　There
were　people　thereand　executionersbut　as　they　took　no　notice　of　us；　it
meant　that　we　were　invisible。　　A　young　man　lay　bound；　and　Satan　said　he
was　suspected　of　being　a　heretic；　and　the　executioners　were　about　to
inquire　into　it。　　They　asked　the　man　to　confess　to　the　charge；　and　he
said　he　could　not；　for　it　was　not　true。　　Then　they　drove　splinter　after
splinter　under　his　nails；　and　he　shrieked　with　the　pain。　　Satan　was　not
disturbed；　but　I　could　not　endure　it；　and　had　to　be　whisked　out　of　there。
I　was　faint　and　sick；　but　the　fresh　air　revived　me；　and　we　walked　toward
my　home。　　I　said　it　was　a　brutal　thing。

〃No；　it　was　a　human　thing。　　You　should　not　insult　the　brutes　by　such　a
misuse　of　that　word；　they　have　not　deserved　it；〃　and　he　went　on　talking
like　that。　　〃It　is　like　your　paltry　racealways　lying；　always　claiming
virtues　which　it　hasn't　got；　always　denying　them　to　the　higher　animals；
which　alone　possess　them。　　No　brute　ever　does　a　cruel　thingthat　is　the
monopoly　of　those　with　the　Moral　Sense。　　When　a　brute　inflicts　pain　he
does　it　innocently；　it　is　not　wrong；　for　him　there　is　no　such　thing　as
wrong。　　And　he　does　not　inflict　pain　for　the　pleasure　of　inflicting　it
only　man　does　that。　　Inspired　by　that　mongrel　Moral　Sense　of　his！　　A
sense　whose　function　is　to　distinguish　between　right　and　wrong；　with
liberty　to　choose　which　of　them　he　will　do。　　Now　what　advantage　can　he
get　out　of　that？　　He　is　always　choosing；　and　in　nine　cases　out　of　ten　he
prefers　the　wrong。　　There　shouldn't　be　any　wrong；　and　without　the　Moral
Sense　there　couldn't　be　any。　　And　yet　he　is　such　an　unreasoning　creature
that　he　is　not　able　to　perceive　that　the　Moral　Sense　degrades　him　to　the
bottom　layer　of　animated　beings　and　is　a　shameful　possession。　　Are　you
feeling　better？　　Let　me　show　you　something。〃




Chapter　6

In　a　moment　we　were　in　a　French　village。　　We　walked　through　a　great
factory　of　some　sort；　where　men　and　women　and　little　children　were
toiling　in　heat　and　dirt　and　a　fog　of　dust；　and　they　were　clothed　in
rags；　and　drooped　at　their　work；　for　they　were　worn　and　half　starved；　and
weak　and　drowsy。　　Satan　said：

〃It　is　some　more　Moral　Sense。　　The　proprietors　are　rich；　and　very　holy；
but　the　wage　they　pay　to　these　poor　brothers　and　sisters　of　theirs　is
only　enough　to　keep　them　from　dropping　dead　with　hunger。　　The　work…hours
are　fourteen　per　day；　winter　and　summerfrom　six　in　the　morning　till
eight　at　nightlittle　children　and　all。　　And　they　walk　to　and　from　the
pigsties　which　they　inhabitfour　miles　each　way；　through　mud　and　slush；
rain；　snow；　sleet；　and　storm；　daily；　year　in　and　year　out。　　They　get　four
hours　of　sleep。　　They　kennel　together；　three　families　in　a　room；　in
unimaginable　filth　and　stench；　and　disease　comes；　and　they　die　off　like
flies。　　Have　they　committed　a　crime；　these　mangy　things？　　No。　　What　have
they　done；　that　they　are　punished　so？　　Nothing　at　all；　except　getting
themselves　born　into　your　foolish　race。　　You　have　seen　how　they　treat　a
misdoer　there　in　the　jail；　now　you　see　how　they　treat　the　innocent　and
the　worthy。　　Is　your　race　logical？　　Are　these　ill…smelling　innocents
better　off　than　that　heretic？　　Indeed；　no；　his　punishment　is　trivial
compared　with　theirs。　　They　broke　him　on　the　wheel　and　smashed　him　to
rags　and　pulp　after　we　left；　and　he　is　dead　now；　and　free　of　your
precious　race；　but　these　poor　slaves　herewhy；　they　have　been　dying　for
years；　and　some　of　them　will　not　escape　from　life　for　years　to　come。　　It
is　the　Moral　Sense　which　teaches　the　factory　proprietors　the　difference
between　right　and　wrongyou　perceive　the　result。　　They　think　themselves
better　than　dogs。　　Ah；　you　are　such　an　illogical；　unreasoning　race！　　And
paltryoh；　unspeakably！〃

Then　he　dropped　all　seriousness　and　just　overstrained　himself　making　fun
of　us；　and　deriding　our　pride　in　our　warlike　deeds；　our　great　heroes；　our
imperishable　fames；　our　mighty　kings；　our　ancient　aristocracies；　our
venerable　historyand　laughed　and　laughed　till　it　was　enough　to　make　a
person　sick　to　hear　him；　and　finally　he　sobered　a　little　and　said；　〃But；
after　all；　it　is　not　all　ridiculous；　there　is　a　sort　of　pathos　about　it
when　one　remembers　how　few　are　your　days；　how　childish　your　pomps；　and
what　shadows　you　are！〃

Presently　all　things　vanished　suddenly　from　my　sight；　and　I　knew　what　it
meant。　　The　next　moment　we　were　walking　along　in　our　village；　and　down
toward　the　river　I　saw　the　twinkling　lights　of　the　Golden　Stag。　　Then　in
the　dark　I　heard　a　joyful　cry：

〃He's　come　again！〃

It　was　Seppi　Wohlmeyer。　　He　had　felt　his　blood　leap　and　his　spirits　rise
in　a　way　that　could　mean　only　one　thing；　and　he　knew　Satan　was　near；
although　it　was　too　dark　to　see　him。　　He　came　to　us；　and　we　walked　along
together；　and　Seppi　poured　out　his　gladness　like　water。　　It　was　as　if　he
were　a　lover　and　had　found　his　sweetheart　who　had　been　lost。　　Seppi　was　a
smart　and　animated　boy；　and　had　enthusiasm　and　expression；　and　was　a
contrast　to　Nikolaus　and　me。　　He　was　full　of　the　last　new　mystery；　now
the　disappearance　of　Hans　Oppert；　the　village　loafer。　　People　were
beginning　to　be　curious　about　it；　he　said。　　He　did　not　say　anxious
curious　was　the　right　word；　and　strong　enough。　　No　one　had　seen　Hans　for
a　couple　of　days。

〃Not　since　he　did　that　brutal　thing；　you　know；〃　he　said。

〃What　brutal　thing？〃　It　was　Satan　that　asked。

〃Well；　he　is　always　clubbing　his　dog；　which　is　a　good　dog；　and　his　only
friend；　and　is　faithful；　and　loves　him；　and　does　no　one　any　harm；　and　two
days　ago　he　was　at　it　again；　just　for　nothingjust　for　pleasureand　the
dog　was　howling　and　begging；　and　Theodor　and　I　begged；　too；　but　he
threatened　us；　and　struck　the　dog　again　with　all　his　might　and　knocked
one　of　his　eyes　out；　and　he　said　to　us；　'There；　I　hope　you　are　satisfied
now；　that's　what　you　have　got　for　him　by　your　damned　meddling'and　he
laughed；　the　heartless　brute。〃　　Seppi's　voice　trembled　with　pity　and
anger。　　I　guessed　what　Satan　would　say；　and　he　said　it。

〃There　is　that　misused　word　againthat　shabby　slander。　　Brutes　do　not
act　like　that；　but　only　men。〃

〃Well；　it　was　inhuman；　anyway。〃

〃No；　it　wasn't；　Seppi；　it　was　humanquite　distinctly　human。　　It　is　not
pleasant　to　hear　you　libel　the　higher　animals　by　attributing　to　them
dispositions　which　they　are　free　from；　and　which　are　found　nowhere　but　in
the　human　heart。　　None　of　the　higher　animals　is　tainted　with　the　disease
called　the　Moral　Sense。　　Purify　your　language；　Seppi；　drop　those　lying
phrases　out　of　it。〃

He　spoke　pretty　sternlyfor　himand　I　was　sorry　I　hadn't　warned　Seppi
to　be　more　particular　about　the　word　he　used。　　I　knew　how　he　was　feeling。
He　would　not　want　to　offend　Satan；　he　would　rather　offend　all　his　kin。
There　was　an　uncomfortable　silence；　but　relief　soon　came；　for　that　poor
dog　came　along　now；　with　his　eye　hanging　down；　and　went　straight　to
Satan；　and　began　to　moan　and　mutter　brokenly；　and　Satan　began　to　answer
in　the　same　way；　and　it　was　plain　that　they　were　talking　together　in　the
dog　language。　　We　all　sat　down　in　the　grass；　in　the　moonlight；　for　the
clouds　were　breaking　away　now；　and　Satan　took　the　dog's　head　in　his　lap
and　put　the　eye　back　in　its　place；　and　the　dog　was　comfortable；　and　he
wagged　his　tail　and　licked　Satan's　hand；　and　looked　thankful　and　said　the
same；　I　knew　he　was　saying　it；　though　I　did　not　understand　the　words。
Then　the　two　talked　together　a　bit；　and　Satan　said：

〃He　says　his　master　was　drunk。〃

〃Yes；　he　was；〃　said　we。

〃And　an　hour　later　he　fell　over　the　precipice　there　beyond　the　Cliff
Pasture。〃

〃We　know　the　place；　it　is　three　miles　from　here。〃

〃And　the　dog　has　been　often　to　the　village；　begging　people　to　go　there；
but　he　was　only　driven　away　and　not　listened　to。〃

We　remembered　it；　but　hadn't　understood　what　he　wanted。

〃He　only　wanted　help　for　the　man　who　had　misused　him；　and　he　thought　only
of　that；　and　has　had　no　food　nor　sought　any。　　He　has　watched　by　his
master　two　nights。　　What　do　you　think　of　your　race？　　Is　heaven　reserved
for　it；　and　this　dog　ruled　out；　as　your　teachers　tell　you？　　Can　your　race
add　anything　to　this　dog's　stock　of　morals　and　magnanimities？〃　He　spoke
to　the　creature；　who　jumped　up；　eager　and　happy；　and　apparently　ready　for
orders　and　impatient　to　execute　them。　　〃Get　some　men；　go　with　the　doghe
will　show　you　that　carrion；　and　take　a　priest　along　to　arrange　about
insurance；　for　death　is　near。〃

With　the　last　word　he　vanished；　to　our　sorrow　and　disappointment。　　We　got
the　men　and　Father　Adolf；　and　we　saw　the　man　die。　　Nobody　cared　but　the
dog；　he　mourned　and　grieved；　and　licked　the　dead　face；　and　could　not　be
comforted。　　We　buried　him　where　he　was；　and　without　a　coffin；　for　he　had
no　money；　and　no　friend　but　the　dog。　　If　we　had　been　an　hour　earlier　the
priest　would　have　been　in　time　to　send　that　poor　creature　to　heaven；　but
now　he　was　gone　down　into　the　awful　fires；　to　burn　forever。　　It　seemed
such　a　pity　that　in　a　world　where　so　many　people　have　difficulty　to　put
in　their　time；　one　little　hour　could　not　have　been　spared　for　this　poor
creature　who　needed　it　so　much；　and　to　whom　it　would　have　made　the
difference　between　eternal　joy　and　eternal　pain。　　It　gave　an　appalling
idea　of　the　value　of　an　hour；　and　I　thought　I　could　never　waste　one　again
without　remorse　and　terror。　　Seppi　was　depressed　and　grieved；　and　said　it
must　be　so　much　better　to　be　a　dog　and　not　run　such　awful　risks。　　We　took
this　one　home　with　us　and　kept　him　for　our　own。　　Seppi　had　a　very　good
thought　as　we　were　walking　along；　and　it　cheered　us　up　and　made　us　feel
much　better。　　He　said　the　dog　had　forgiven　the　man　that　had　wronged　him
so；　and　maybe　God　would　accept　that　absolution。

There　was　a　very　dull　week；　now；　for　Satan　did　not　come；　nothing　much　was
going　on；　and　we　boys　could　not　venture　to　go　and　see　Marget；　because　the
nights　were　moonlit　and　our　parents　might　find　us　out　if　we　tried。　　But
we　came　across　Ursula　a　couple　of　times　taking　a　walk　in　the　meadows
beyond　the　river　to　air　the　cat；　and　we　learned　from　her　that　things　were
going　well。　　She　had　natty　new　clothes　on　and　bore　a　prosperous　look。
The　four　groschen　a　day　were　arriving　without　a　break；　but　were　not　being
spent　for　food　and　wine　and　such　thingsthe　cat　attended　to　all　that。

Marget　was　enduring　her　forsakenness　and　isolation　fairly　well；　all
things　considered；　and　was　cheerful；　by　help　of　Wilhelm　Meidling。　　She
spent　an　hour　or　two　every　night　in　the　jail　with　her　uncle；　and　had
fattened　him　up　with　the　cat's　contributions。　　But　she　was　curious　to
know　more　about　Philip　Traum；　and　hoped　I　would　bring　him　again。　　Ursula
was　curious　about　him　herself；　and　asked　a　good　many　questions　about　his
uncle。　　It　made　the　boys　laugh；　for　I　had　told　them　the　nonsense　Satan
had　been　stuffing　her　with。　　She