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uttered those blasphemies。〃
〃What will he do？〃
〃He is doing it nowbetraying her。 In three days she will go to the
stake。〃
We could not speak； we were frozen with horror； for if we had not meddled
with her career she would have been spared this awful fate。 Satan
noticed these thoughts； and said：
〃What you are thinking is strictly human…likethat is to say； foolish。
The woman is advantaged。 Die when she might； she would go to heaven。 By
this prompt death she gets twenty…nine years more of heaven than she is
entitled to； and escapes twenty…nine years of misery here。〃
A moment before we were bitterly making up our minds that we would ask no
more favors of Satan for friends of ours； for he did not seem to know any
way to do a person a kindness but by killing him； but the whole aspect of
the case was changed now； and we were glad of what we had done and full
of happiness in the thought of it。
After a little I began to feel troubled about Fischer； and asked；
timidly； 〃Does this episode change Fischer's life…scheme； Satan？〃
〃Change it？ Why； certainly。 And radically。 If he had not met Frau
Brandt awhile ago he would die next year； thirty…four years of age。 Now
he will live to be ninety； and have a pretty prosperous and comfortable
life of it； as human lives go。〃
We felt a great joy and pride in what we had done for Fischer； and were
expecting Satan to sympathize with this feeling； but he showed no sign
and this made us uneasy。 We waited for him to speak； but he didn't； so；
to assuage our solicitude we had to ask him if there was any defect in
Fischer's good luck。 Satan considered the question a moment； then said；
with some hesitation：
〃Well； the fact is； it is a delicate point。 Under his several former
possible life…careers he was going to heaven。〃
We were aghast。 〃Oh； Satan！ and under this one〃
〃There； don't be so distressed。 You were sincerely trying to do him a
kindness； let that comfort you。〃
〃Oh； dear； dear； that cannot comfort us。 You ought to have told us what
we were doing； then we wouldn't have acted so。〃
But it made no impression on him。 He had never felt a pain or a sorrow；
and did not know what they were； in any really informing way。 He had no
knowledge of them except theoreticallythat is to say； intellectually。
And of course that is no good。 One can never get any but a loose and
ignorant notion of such things except by experience。 We tried our best
to make him comprehend the awful thing that had been done and how we were
compromised by it； but he couldn't seem to get hold of it。 He said he
did not think it important where Fischer went to； in heaven he would not
be missed； there were 〃plenty there。〃 We tried to make him see that he
was missing the point entirely； that Fischer； and not other people； was
the proper one to decide about the importance of it； but it all went for
nothing； he said he did not care for Fischerthere were plenty more
Fischers。
The next minute Fischer went by on the other side of the way； and it made
us sick and faint to see him； remembering the doom that was upon him； and
we the cause of it。 And how unconscious he was that anything had
happened to him！ You could see by his elastic step and his alert manner
that he was well satisfied with himself for doing that hard turn for poor
Frau Brandt。 He kept glancing back over his shoulder expectantly。 And；
sure enough； pretty soon Frau Brandt followed after； in charge of the
officers and wearing jingling chains。 A mob was in her wake； jeering and
shouting； 〃Blasphemer and heretic！〃 and some among them were neighbors
and friends of her happier days。 Some were trying to strike her； and the
officers were not taking as much trouble as they might to keep them from
it。
〃Oh； stop them； Satan！〃 It was out before we remembered that he could not
interrupt them for a moment without changing their whole after…lives。 He
puffed a little puff toward them with his lips and they began to reel and
stagger and grab at the empty air； then they broke apart and fled in
every direction； shrieking； as if in intolerable pain。 He had crushed a
rib of each of them with that little puff。 We could not help asking if
their life…chart was changed。
〃Yes； entirely。 Some have gained years； some have lost them。 Some few
will profit in various ways by the change； but only that few。〃
We did not ask if we had brought poor Fischer's luck to any of them。 We
did not wish to know。 We fully believed in Satan's desire to do us
kindnesses； but we were losing confidence in his judgment。 It was at
this time that our growing anxiety to have him look over our life…charts
and suggest improvements began to fade out and give place to other
interests。
For a day or two the whole village was a chattering turmoil over Frau
Brandt's case and over the mysterious calamity that had overtaken the
mob； and at her trial the place was crowded。 She was easily convicted of
her blasphemies； for she uttered those terrible words again and said she
would not take them back。 When warned that she was imperiling her life；
she said they could take it in welcome； she did not want it； she would
rather live with the professional devils in perdition than with these
imitators in the village。 They accused her of breaking all those ribs by
witchcraft； and asked her if she was not a witch？ She answered
scornfully：
〃No。 If I had that power would any of you holy hypocrites be alive five
minutes？ No； I would strike you all dead。 Pronounce your sentence and
let me go； I am tired of your society。〃
So they found her guilty； and she was excommunicated and cut off from the
joys of heaven and doomed to the fires of hell； then she was clothed in a
coarse robe and delivered to the secular arm； and conducted to the
market…place； the bell solemnly tolling the while。 We saw her chained to
the stake； and saw the first film of blue smoke rise on the still air。
Then her hard face softened； and she looked upon the packed crowd in
front of her and said； with gentleness：
〃We played together once； in long…agone days when we were innocent little
creatures。 For the sake of that； I forgive you。〃
We went away then； and did not see the fires consume her； but we heard
the shrieks； although we put our fingers in our ears。 When they ceased
we knew she was in heaven； notwithstanding the excommunication； and we
were glad of her death and not sorry that we had brought it about。
One day； a little while after this； Satan appeared again。 We were always
watching out for him； for life was never very stagnant when he was by。
He came upon us at that place in the woods where we had first met him。
Being boys； we wanted to be entertained； we asked him to do a show for
us。
〃Very well；〃 he said； 〃would you like to see a history of the progress of
the human race？ its development of that product which it calls
civilization？〃
We said we should。
So； with a thought； he turned the place into the Garden of Eden； and we
saw Abel praying by his altar； then Cain came walking toward him with his
club； and did not seem to see us； and would have stepped on my foot if I
had not drawn it in。 He spoke to his brother in a language which we did
not understand； then he grew violent and threatening； and we knew what
was going to happen； and turned away our heads for the moment； but we
heard the crash of the blows and heard the shrieks and the groans； then
there was silence； and we saw Abel lying in his blood and gasping out his
life； and Cain standing over him and looking down at him； vengeful and
unrepentant。
Then the vision vanished； and was followed by a long series of unknown
wars； murders； and massacres。 Next we had the Flood； and the Ark tossing
around in the stormy waters； with lofty mountains in the distance showing
veiled and dim through the rain。 Satan said：
〃The progress of your race was not satisfactory。 It is to have another
chance now。〃
The scene changed； and we saw Noah overcome with wine。
Next； we had Sodom and Gomorrah； and 〃the attempt to discover two or
three respectable persons there；〃 as Satan described it。 Next； Lot and
his daughters in the cave。
Next came the Hebraic wars； and we saw the victors massacre the survivors
and their cattle； and save the young girls alive and distribute them
around。
Next we had Jael； and saw her slip into the tent and drive the nail into
the temple of her sleeping guest； and we were so close that when the
blood gushed out it trickled in a little； red stream to our feet； and we
could have stained our hands in it if we had wanted to。
Next we had Egyptian wars； Greek wars； Roman wars； hideous drenchings of
the earth with blood； and we saw the treacheries of the Romans toward the
Carthaginians； and the sickening spectacle of the massacre of those brave
people。 Also we saw Caesar invade Britain〃not that those barbarians
had done him any harm； but because he wanted their land； and desired to
confer the blessings of civilization upon their widows and orphans；〃 as
Satan explained。
Next； Christianity was born。 Then ages of Europe passed in review before
us； and we saw Christianity and Civilization march hand in h