按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃But they are gone to hell！〃
〃Oh； it is no matter； we can make plenty more。〃
It was of no use to try to move him； evidently he was wholly without
feeling； and could not understand。 He was full of bubbling spirits； and
as gay as if this were a wedding instead of a fiendish massacre。 And he
was bent on making us feel as he did； and of course his magic
accomplished his desire。 It was no trouble to him； he did whatever he
pleased with us。 In a little while we were dancing on that grave； and he
was playing to us on a strange； sweet instrument which he took out of his
pocket； and the musicbut there is no music like that； unless perhaps in
heaven； and that was where he brought it from； he said。 It made one mad；
for pleasure； and we could not take our eyes from him； and the looks that
went out of our eyes came from our hearts； and their dumb speech was
worship。 He brought the dance from heaven； too； and the bliss of
paradise was in it。
Presently he said he must go away on an errand。 But we could not bear
the thought of it； and clung to him； and pleaded with him to stay； and
that pleased him； and he said so； and said he would not go yet； but would
wait a little while and we would sit down and talk a few minutes longer；
and he told us Satan was only his real name； and he was to be known by it
to us alone； but he had chosen another one to be called by in the
presence of others； just a common one； such as people havePhilip Traum。
It sounded so odd and mean for such a being！ But it was his decision；
and we said nothing； his decision was sufficient。
We had seen wonders this day； and my thoughts began to run on the
pleasure it would be to tell them when I got home； but he noticed those
thoughts； and said：
〃No； all these matters are a secret among us four。 I do not mind your
trying to tell them； if you like； but I will protect your tongues； and
nothing of the secret will escape from them。〃
It was a disappointment； but it couldn't be helped； and it cost us a sigh
or two。 We talked pleasantly along； and he was always reading our
thoughts and responding to them； and it seemed to me that this was the
most wonderful of all the things he did； but he interrupted my musings
and said：
〃No； it would be wonderful for you； but it is not wonderful for me。 I am
not limited like you。 I am not subject to human conditions。 I can
measure and understand your human weaknesses； for I have studied them；
but I have none of them。 My flesh is not real； although it would seem
firm to your touch； my clothes are not real； I am a spirit。 Father Peter
is coming。〃 We looked around； but did not see any one。 〃He is not in
sight yet； but you will see him presently。〃
〃Do you know him； Satan？〃
〃No。〃
〃Won't you talk with him when he comes？ He is not ignorant and dull；
like us； and he would so like to talk with you。 Will you？〃
〃Another time； yes； but not now。 I must go on my errand after a little。
There he is now； you can see him。 Sit still； and don't say anything。〃
We looked up and saw Father Peter approaching through the chestnuts。 We
three were sitting together in the grass； and Satan sat in front of us in
the path。 Father Peter came slowly along with his head down； thinking；
and stopped within a couple of yards of us and took off his hat and got
out his silk handkerchief； and stood there mopping his face and looking
as if he were going to speak to us； but he didn't。 Presently he
muttered； 〃I can't think what brought me here； it seems as if I were in
my study a minute agobut I suppose I have been dreaming along for an
hour and have come all this stretch without noticing； for I am not myself
in these troubled days。〃 Then he went mumbling along to himself and
walked straight through Satan； just as if nothing were there。 It made us
catch our breath to see it。 We had the impulse to cry out； the way you
nearly always do when a startling thing happens； but something
mysteriously restrained us and we remained quiet； only breathing fast。
Then the trees hid Father Peter after a little； and Satan said：
〃It is as I told youI am only a spirit。〃
〃Yes； one perceives it now；〃 said Nikolaus； 〃but we are not spirits。 It
is plain he did not see you； but were we invisible； too？ He looked at
us； but he didn't seem to see us。〃
〃No； none of us was visible to him； for I wished it so。〃
It seemed almost too good to be true； that we were actually seeing these
romantic and wonderful things； and that it was not a dream。 And there he
sat； looking just like anybodyso natural and simple and charming； and
chatting along again the same as ever； andwell； words cannot make you
understand what we felt。 It was an ecstasy； and an ecstasy is a thing
that will not go into words； it feels like music； and one cannot tell
about music so that another person can get the feeling of it。 He was
back in the old ages once more now； and making them live before us。 He
had seen so much； so much！ It was just a wonder to look at him and try
to think how it must seem to have such experience behind one。
But it made you seem sorrowfully trivial； and the creature of a day； and
such a short and paltry day； too。 And he didn't say anything to raise up
your drooping prideno； not a word。 He always spoke of men in the same
old indifferent wayjust as one speaks of bricks and manure…piles and
such things； you could see that they were of no consequence to him； one
way or the other。 He didn't mean to hurt us； you could see that； just as
we don't mean to insult a brick when we disparage it； a brick's emotions
are nothing to us； it never occurs to us to think whether it has any or
not。
Once when he was bunching the most illustrious kings and conquerors and
poets and prophets and pirates and beggars togetherjust a brick…pileI
was shamed into putting in a word for man； and asked him why he made so
much difference between men and himself。 He had to struggle with that a
moment； he didn't seem to understand how I could ask such a strange
question。 Then he said：
〃The difference between man and me？ The difference between a mortal and
an immortal？ between a cloud and a spirit？〃 He picked up a wood…louse
that was creeping along a piece of bark： 〃What is the difference between
Caesar and this？〃
I said； 〃One cannot compare things which by their nature and by the
interval between them are not comparable。〃
〃You have answered your own question；〃 he said。 〃I will expand it。 Man
is made of dirtI saw him made。 I am not made of dirt。 Man is a museum
of diseases； a home of impurities； he comes to…day and is gone to…morrow；
he begins as dirt and departs as stench； I am of the aristocracy of the
Imperishables。 And man has the Moral Sense。 You understand？ He has the
Moral Sense。 That would seem to be difference enough between us； all by
itself。〃
He stopped there； as if that settled the matter。 I was sorry； for at
that time I had but a dim idea of what the Moral Sense was。 I merely
knew that we were proud of having it； and when he talked like that about
it； it wounded me； and I felt as a girl feels who thinks her dearest
finery is being admired and then overhears strangers making fun of it。
For a while we were all silent； and I； for one； was depressed。 Then
Satan began to chat again； and soon he was sparkling along in such a
cheerful and vivacious vein that my spirits rose once more。 He told some
very cunning things that put us in a gale of laughter； and when he was
telling about the time that Samson tied the torches to the foxes' tails
and set them loose in the Philistines' corn； and Samson sitting on the
fence slapping his thighs and laughing； with the tears running down his
cheeks； and lost his balance and fell off the fence； the memory of that
picture got him to laughing； too； and we did have a most lovely and jolly
time。 By and by he said：
〃I am going on my errand now。〃
〃Don't！〃 we all said。 〃Don't go； stay with us。 You won't come back。〃
〃Yes； I will； I give you my word。〃
〃When？ To…night？ Say when。〃
〃It won't be long。 You will see。〃
〃We like you。〃
〃And I you。 And as a proof of it I will show you something fine to see。
Usually when I go I merely vanish； but now I will dissolve myself and let
you see me do it。〃
He stood up； and it was quickly finished。 He thinned away and thinned
away until he was a soap…bubble； except that he kept his shape。 You
could see the bushes through him as clearly as you see things through a
soap…bubble； and all over him played and flashed the delicate iridescent
colors of the bubble； and along with them was that thing shaped like a
window…sash which you always see on the globe of the bubble。 You have
seen a bubble strike the carpet and lightly bound along two or three
times before it bursts。 He did that。 He sprangtouched the grass
boundedfloated alongtouched againand so on； and presently exploded
puff！ and in his place was vacancy。
It was a strange and beautiful thing to see。 We did not say anything；
but sat wondering and dreaming and blinking； and finally Seppi roused up
and said； mournfully sighing：
〃I suppose none of it has happened。〃
Nikolaus sighed and said about the same