the mysterious stranger-第18部分

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the　chaff；　but　the　harvest　was　poor；　of　course。

If　Satan　would　only　come！　　That　was　my　constant　thought。　　He　could　invent
some　way　to　win　the　case；　for　he　had　said　it　would　be　won；　so　he
necessarily　knew　how　it　could　be　done。　　But　the　days　dragged　on；　and
still　he　did　not　come。　　Of　course　I　did　not　doubt　that　it　would　be　won；
and　that　Father　Peter　would　be　happy　for　the　rest　of　his　life；　since
Satan　had　said　so；　yet　I　knew　I　should　be　much　more　comfortable　if　he
would　come　and　tell　us　how　to　manage　it。　　It　was　getting　high　time　for
Father　Peter　to　have　a　saving　change　toward　happiness；　for　by　general
report　he　was　worn　out　with　his　imprisonment　and　the　ignominy　that　was
burdening　him；　and　was　like　to　die　of　his　miseries　unless　he　got　relief
soon。

At　last　the　trial　came　on；　and　the　people　gathered　from　all　around　to
witness　it；　among　them　many　strangers　from　considerable　distances。　　Yes；
everybody　was　there　except　the　accused。　　He　was　too　feeble　in　body　for
the　strain。　　But　Marget　was　present；　and　keeping　up　her　hope　and　her
spirit　the　best　she　could。　　The　money　was　present；　too。　　It　was　emptied
on　the　table；　and　was　handled　and　caressed　and　examined　by　such　as　were
privileged。

The　astrologer　was　put　in　the　witness…box。　　He　had　on　his　best　hat　and
robe　for　the　occasion。

QUESTION。　　You　claim　that　this　money　is　yours？

ANSWER。　　I　do。

Q。　　How　did　you　come　by　it？

A。　　I　found　the　bag　in　the　road　when　I　was　returning　from　a　journey。

Q。　　When？

A。　　More　than　two　years　ago。

Q。　　What　did　you　do　with　it？

A。　　I　brought　it　home　and　hid　it　in　a　secret　place　in　my　observatory；
intending　to　find　the　owner　if　I　could。

Q。　　You　endeavored　to　find　him？

A。　　I　made　diligent　inquiry　during　several　months；　but　nothing　came　of
it。

Q。　　And　then？

A。　　I　thought　it　not　worth　while　to　look　further；　and　was　minded　to　use
the　money　in　finishing　the　wing　of　the　foundling…asylum　connected　with
the　priory　and　nunnery。　　So　I　took　it　out　of　its　hiding…place　and　counted
it　to　see　if　any　of　it　was　missing。　　And　then

Q。　　Why　do　you　stop？　　Proceed。

A。　　I　am　sorry　to　have　to　say　this；　but　just　as　I　had　finished　and　was
restoring　the　bag　to　its　place；　I　looked　up　and　there　stood　Father　Peter
behind　me。

Several　murmured；　〃That　looks　bad；〃　but　others　answered；　〃Ah；　but　he　is
such　a　liar！〃

Q。　　That　made　you　uneasy？

A。　　No；　I　thought　nothing　of　it　at　the　time；　for　Father　Peter　often　came
to　me　unannounced　to　ask　for　a　little　help　in　his　need。

Marget　blushed　crimson　at　hearing　her　uncle　falsely　and　impudently
charged　with　begging；　especially　from　one　he　had　always　denounced　as　a
fraud；　and　was　going　to　speak；　but　remembered　herself　in　time　and　held
her　peace。

Q。　　Proceed。

A。　　In　the　end　I　was　afraid　to　contribute　the　money　to　the　foundling…
asylum；　but　elected　to　wait　yet　another　year　and　continue　my　inquiries。
When　I　heard　of　Father　Peter's　find　I　was　glad；　and　no　suspicion　entered
my　mind；　when　I　came　home　a　day　or　two　later　and　discovered　that　my　own
money　was　gone　I　still　did　not　suspect　until　three　circumstances
connected　with　Father　Peter's　good　fortune　struck　me　as　being　singular
coincidences。

Q。　　Pray　name　them。

A。　　Father　Peter　had　found　his　money　in　a　pathI　had　found　mine　in　a
road。　　Father　Peter's　find　consisted　exclusively　of　gold　ducatsmine
also。　　Father　Peter　found　eleven　hundred　and　seven　ducatsI　exactly　the
same。

This　closed　his　evidence；　and　certainly　it　made　a　strong　impression　on
the　house；　one　could　see　that。

Wilhelm　Meidling　asked　him　some　questions；　then　called　us　boys；　and　we
told　our　tale。　　It　made　the　people　laugh；　and　we　were　ashamed。　　We　were
feeling　pretty　badly；　anyhow；　because　Wilhelm　was　hopeless；　and　showed
it。　　He　was　doing　as　well　as　he　could；　poor　young　fellow；　but　nothing　was
in　his　favor；　and　such　sympathy　as　there　was　was　now　plainly　not　with　his
client。　　It　might　be　difficult　for　court　and　people　to　believe　the
astrologer's　story；　considering　his　character；　but　it　was　almost
impossible　to　believe　Father　Peter's。　　We　were　already　feeling　badly
enough；　but　when　the　astrologer's　lawyer　said　he　believed　he　would　not
ask　us　any　questionsfor　our　story　was　a　little　delicate　and　it　would　be
cruel　for　him　to　put　any　strain　upon　iteverybody　tittered；　and　it　was
almost　more　than　we　could　bear。　　Then　he　made　a　sarcastic　little　speech；
and　got　so　much　fun　out　of　our　tale；　and　it　seemed　so　ridiculous　and
childish　and　every　way　impossible　and　foolish；　that　it　made　everybody
laugh　till　the　tears　came；　and　at　last　Marget　could　not　keep　up　her
courage　any　longer；　but　broke　down　and　cried；　and　I　was　so　sorry　for　her。

Now　I　noticed　something　that　braced　me　up。　　It　was　Satan　standing
alongside　of　Wilhelm！　　And　there　was　such　a　contrast！　Satan　looked　so
confident；　had　such　a　spirit　in　his　eyes　and　face；　and　Wilhelm　looked　so
depressed　and　despondent。　　We　two　were　comfortable　now；　and　judged　that
he　would　testify　and　persuade　the　bench　and　the　people　that　black　was
white　and　white　black；　or　any　other　color　he　wanted　it。　　We　glanced
around　to　see　what　the　strangers　in　the　house　thought　of　him；　for　he　was
beautiful；　you　knowstunning；　in　factbut　no　one　was　noticing　him；　so
we　knew　by　that　that　he　was　invisible。

The　lawyer　was　saying　his　last　words；　and　while　he　was　saying　them　Satan
began　to　melt　into　Wilhelm。　　He　melted　into　him　and　disappeared；　and　then
there　was　a　change；　when　his　spirit　began　to　look　out　of　Wilhelm's　eyes。

That　lawyer　finished　quite　seriously；　and　with　dignity。　　He　pointed　to
the　money；　and　said：

〃The　love　of　it　is　the　root　of　all　evil。　　There　it　lies；　the　ancient
tempter；　newly　red　with　the　shame　of　its　latest　victorythe　dishonor　of
a　priest　of　God　and　his　two　poor　juvenile　helpers　in　crime。　　If　it　could
but　speak；　let　us　hope　that　it　would　be　constrained　to　confess　that　of
all　its　conquests　this　was　the　basest　and　the　most　pathetic。〃

He　sat　down。　　Wilhelm　rose　and　said：

〃From　the　testimony　of　the　accuser　I　gather　that　he　found　this　money　in　a
road　more　than　two　years　ago。　　Correct　me；　sir；　if　I　misunderstood　you。〃

The　astrologer　said　his　understanding　of　it　was　correct。

〃And　the　money　so　found　was　never　out　of　his　hands　thenceforth　up　to　a
certain　definite　datethe　last　day　of　last　year。　　Correct　me；　sir；　if　I
am　wrong。〃

The　astrologer　nodded　his　head。　　Wilhelm　turned　to　the　bench　and　said：

〃If　I　prove　that　this　money　here　was　not　that　money；　then　it　is　not　his？〃

〃Certainly　not；　but　this　is　irregular。　　If　you　had　such　a　witness　it　was
your　duty　to　give　proper　notice　of　it　and　have　him　here　to〃　He　broke
off　and　began　to　consult　with　the　other　judges。　　Meantime　that　other
lawyer　got　up　excited　and　began　to　protest　against　allowing　new　witnesses
to　be　brought　into　the　case　at　this　late　stage。

The　judges　decided　that　his　contention　was　just　and　must　be　allowed。

〃But　this　is　not　a　new　witness；〃　said　Wilhelm。　　〃It　has　already　been
partly　examined。　　I　speak　of　the　coin。〃

〃The　coin？　　What　can　the　coin　say？〃

〃It　can　say　it　is　not　the　coin　that　the　astrologer　once　possessed。　　It
can　say　it　was　not　in　existence　last　December。　　By　its　date　it　can　say
this。〃

And　it　was　so！　　There　was　the　greatest　excitement　in　the　court　while　that
lawyer　and　the　judges　were　reaching　for　coins　and　examining　them　and
exclaiming。　　And　everybody　was　full　of　admiration　of　Wilhelm's　brightness
in　happening　to　think　of　that　neat　idea。　　At　last　order　was　called　and
the　court　said：

〃All　of　the　coins　but　four　are　of　the　date　of　the　present　year。　　The
court　tenders　its　sincere　sympathy　to　the　accused；　and　its　deep　regret
that　he；　an　innocent　man；　through　an　unfortunate　mistake；　has　suffered
the　undeserved　humiliation　of　imprisonment　and　trial。　　The　case　is
dismissed。〃

So　the　money　could　speak；　after　all；　though　that　lawyer　thought　it
couldn't。　　The　court　rose；　and　almost　everybody　came　forward　to　shake
hands　with　Marget　and　congratulate　her；　and　then　to　shake　with　Wilhelm
and　praise　him；　and　Satan　had　stepped　out　of　Wilhelm　and　was　standing
around　looking　on　full　of　interest；　and　people　walking　through　him　every
which　way；　not　knowing　he　was　there。　　And　Wilhelm　could　not　explain　why
he　only　thought　of　the　date　on　the　coins　at　the　last　moment；　instead　of
earlier；　he　said　it　just　occurred　to　him；　all　of　a　sudden；　like　an
inspiration；　and　he　brought　it　right　out　without　any　hesitation；　for；
although　he　didn't　examine　the　coins；　he　seemed；　somehow；　to　know　it　was
true。　　That　was　honest　of　him；　and　like　him；　another　would　have　pretended
he　had　thought　of　it　earlier；　and　was　keeping　it　back　for　a　surprise。

He　had　dulled　down　a　little　now；　not　much；　but　still　you　could　notice
that　he　hadn't　that　luminous　look　in　his　eyes　that　he　had　while　Satan　was
in　him。　　He　nearly　got　it　back；　though；　for　a　moment　when　Marget　came　and
praised　him　and　thanked　him　and　couldn't　keep　him　from　seeing　how　proud
she　was　of　him。　　The　astrologer　went　off　dissatisfied　and　cursing；　and
Solomon　Isaacs　gathered　up　the　money　and　carried　it　away。　　It　was　Father
Peter's　for　good　and　all；　now。

Satan　was　gone。　　I　judged　that　he　had　spirited　himself　away　to　the　jail
to　tell　the　prisoner　the　news；　and　in　this　I　was　right。　　Marget　and　the
rest　of　us　hurried　thither　at　our　best　speed；　in　a　great　state　of
rejoicing。

Well；　what　Satan　had　done　was　this：　he　had　appeared　before　that　poor
prisoner；　exclaiming；　〃The　trial　is　over；　and　you　stand　forever　disgraced
as　a　thiefby　verdict　of　the　court！〃

The　shock　unseated　the　old　man's　reason。　　When　we　arrived；　ten　minutes
later；　he　was　parading　pompously　up　and　down　and　delivering　commands　to
this　and　that　and　the　other　constable　or　jailer；　and　calling　them　Grand
Chamberlain；　and　Prince　This　and　Prince　That；　and　Admiral　of　the　Fleet；
Field　Marshal　in　Command；　and　all　such　fustian；　and　was　as　happy　as　a
bird。　　He　thought　he　was　Emperor！

Marget　flung　herself　on　his　breast　and　cried；　and　indeed　everybody　was
moved　almost　to　heartbreak。　　He　recognized　Marget；　but　could　not
understand　why　she　should　cry。　　He　patted　her　on　the　shoulder　and　said：

〃Don't　do　it；　dear；　remember；　there　are　witnesses；　and　it　is　not　becoming
in　the　Crown　Princess。