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and said； mournfully sighing：
〃I suppose none of it has happened。〃
Nikolaus sighed and said about the same。
I was miserable to hear them say it； for it was the same cold fear that
was in my own mind。 Then we saw poor old Father Peter wandering along
back； with his head bent down； searching the ground。 When he was pretty
close to us he looked up and saw us； and said； 〃How long have you been
here； boys？〃
〃A little while； Father。〃
〃Then it is since I came by； and maybe you can help me。 Did you come up
by the path？〃
〃Yes； Father。〃
〃That is good。 I came the same way。 I have lost my wallet。 There
wasn't much in it； but a very little is much to me； for it was all I had。
I suppose you haven't seen anything of it？〃
〃No； Father； but we will help you hunt。〃
〃It is what I was going to ask you。 Why； here it is！〃
We hadn't noticed it； yet there it lay； right where Satan stood when he
began to meltif he did melt and it wasn't a delusion。 Father Peter
picked it up and looked very much surprised。
〃It is mine；〃 he said； 〃but not the contents。 This is fat； mine was
flat； mine was light； this is heavy。〃 He opened it； it was stuffed as
full as it could hold with gold coins。 He let us gaze our fill； and of
course we did gaze； for we had never seen so much money at one time
before。 All our mouths came open to say 〃Satan did it！〃 but nothing came
out。 There it was； you seewe couldn't tell what Satan didn't want
told； he had said so himself。
〃Boys； did you do this？〃
It made us laugh。 And it made him laugh； too； as soon as he thought what
a foolish question it was。
〃Who has been here？〃
Our mouths came open to answer； but stood so for a moment； because we
couldn't say 〃Nobody；〃 for it wouldn't be true； and the right word didn't
seem to come； then I thought of the right one； and said it：
〃Not a human being。〃
〃That is so；〃 said the others； and let their mouths go shut。
〃It is not so；〃 said Father Peter； and looked at us very severely。 〃I
came by here a while ago； and there was no one here； but that is nothing；
some one has been here since。 I don't mean to say that the person didn't
pass here before you came； and I don't mean to say you saw him； but some
one did pass； that I know。 On your honoryou saw no one？〃
〃Not a human being。〃
〃That is sufficient； I know you are telling me the truth。〃
He began to count the money on the path； we on our knees eagerly helping
to stack it in little piles。
〃It's eleven hundred ducats odd！〃 he said。 〃Oh dear！ if it were only
mineand I need it so！〃 and his voice broke and his lips quivered。
〃It is yours； sir！〃 we all cried out at once； 〃every heller！〃
〃Noit isn't mine。 Only four ducats are mine； the rest。。。！〃 He fell to
dreaming； poor old soul； and caressing some of the coins in his hands；
and forgot where he was； sitting there on his heels with his old gray
head bare； it was pitiful to see。 〃No；〃 he said； waking up； 〃it isn't
mine。 I can't account for it。 I think some enemy。。。 it must be a
trap。〃
Nikolaus said： 〃Father Peter； with the exception of the astrologer you
haven't a real enemy in the villagenor Marget； either。 And not even a
half…enemy that's rich enough to chance eleven hundred ducats to do you a
mean turn。 I'll ask you if that's so or not？〃
He couldn't get around that argument； and it cheered him up。 〃But it
isn't mine； you seeit isn't mine； in any case。〃
He said it in a wistful way； like a person that wouldn't be sorry； but
glad； if anybody would contradict him。
〃It is yours； Father Peter； and we are witness to it。 Aren't we； boys？〃
〃Yes； we areand we'll stand by it； too。〃
〃Bless your hearts； you do almost persuade me； you do； indeed。 If I had
only a hundred…odd ducats of it！ The house is mortgaged for it； and
we've no home for our heads if we don't pay to…morrow。 And that four
ducats is all we've got in the〃
〃It's yours； every bit of it； and you've got to take itwe are bail that
it's all right。 Aren't we； Theodor？ Aren't we； Seppi？〃
We two said yes； and Nikolaus stuffed the money back into the shabby old
wallet and made the owner take it。 So he said he would use two hundred
of it； for his house was good enough security for that； and would put the
rest at interest till the rightful owner came for it； and on our side we
must sign a paper showing how he got the moneya paper to show to the
villagers as proof that he had not got out of his troubles dishonestly。
Chapter 4
It made immense talk next day； when Father Peter paid Solomon Isaacs in
gold and left the rest of the money with him at interest。 Also； there
was a pleasant change； many people called at the house to congratulate
him； and a number of cool old friends became kind and friendly again；
and； to top all； Marget was invited to a party。
And there was no mystery； Father Peter told the whole circumstance just
as it happened； and said he could not account for it； only it was the
plain hand of Providence； so far as he could see。
One or two shook their heads and said privately it looked more like the
hand of Satan； and really that seemed a surprisingly good guess for
ignorant people like that。 Some came slyly buzzing around and tried to
coax us boys to come out and 〃tell the truth；〃 and promised they wouldn't
ever tell； but only wanted to know for their own satisfaction； because
the whole thing was so curious。 They even wanted to buy the secret； and
pay money for it； and if we could have invented something that would
answerbut we couldn't； we hadn't the ingenuity； so we had to let the
chance go by； and it was a pity。
We carried that secret around without any trouble； but the other one； the
big one； the splendid one； burned the very vitals of us； it was so hot to
get out and we so hot to let it out and astonish people with it。 But we
had to keep it in； in fact； it kept itself in。 Satan said it would； and
it did。 We went off every day and got to ourselves in the woods so that
we could talk about Satan； and really that was the only subject we
thought of or cared anything about； and day and night we watched for him
and hoped he would come； and we got more and more impatient all the time。
We hadn't any interest in the other boys any more； and wouldn't take part
in their games and enterprises。 They seemed so tame； after Satan； and
their doings so trifling and commonplace after his adventures in
antiquity and the constellations； and his miracles and meltings and
explosions； and all that。
During the first day we were in a state of anxiety on account of one
thing； and we kept going to Father Peter's house on one pretext or
another to keep track of it。 That was the gold coin； we were afraid it
would crumble and turn to dust； like fairy money。 If it didBut it
didn't。 At the end of the day no complaint had been made about it； so
after that we were satisfied that it was real gold； and dropped the
anxiety out of our minds。
There was a question which we wanted to ask Father Peter； and finally we
went there the second evening； a little diffidently； after drawing
straws； and I asked it as casually as I could； though it did not sound as
casual as I wanted； because I didn't know how：
〃What is the Moral Sense； sir？〃
He looked down； surprised； over his great spectacles； and said； 〃Why； it
is the faculty which enables us to distinguish good from evil。〃
It threw some light； but not a glare； and I was a little disappointed；
also to some degree embarrassed。 He was waiting for me to go on； so； in
default of anything else to say； I asked； 〃Is it valuable？〃
〃Valuable？ Heavens！ lad； it is the one thing that lifts man above the
beasts that perish and makes him heir to immortality！〃
This did not remind me of anything further to say； so I got out； with the
other boys； and we went away with that indefinite sense you have often
had of being filled but not fatted。 They wanted me to explain； but I was
tired。
We passed out through the parlor； and there was Marget at the spinnet
teaching Marie Lueger。 So one of the deserting pupils was back； and an
influential one； too； the others would follow。 Marget jumped up and ran
and thanked us again； with tears in her eyesthis was the third time
for saving her and her uncle from being turned into the street； and we
told her again we hadn't done it； but that was her way； she never could
be grateful enough for anything a person did for her； so we let her have
her say。 And as we passed through the garden； there was Wilhelm Meidling
sitting there waiting； for it was getting toward the edge of the evening；
and he would be asking Marget to take a walk along the river with him
when she was done with the lesson。 He was a young lawyer； and succeeding
fairly well and working his way along； little by little。 He was very
fond of Marget； and she of him。 He had not deserted along with the
others； but had stood his ground all through。 His faithfulness was not
lost on Marget and her uncle。 He hadn't so very much talent； but he was
handsome and good； and these are a kind of talents themselves and help
along。 He asked us how the lesson was getting along； and we told him it
was about done。 And m