the mysterious stranger-第7部分

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none　of　any　earthly　valuebut　he　had　an　uncle　in　business　down　in　the
tropics；　and　he　was　very　well　off　and　had　a　monopoly；　and　it　was　from
this　uncle　that　he　drew　his　support。　　The　very　mention　of　a　kind　uncle
was　enough　to　remind　Marget　of　her　own；　and　her　eyes　filled　again。　　She
said　she　hoped　their　two　uncles　would　meet；　some　day。　　It　made　me
shudder。　　Philip　said　he　hoped　so；　too；　and　that　made　me　shudder　again。

〃Maybe　they　will；〃　said　Marget。　　〃Does　your　uncle　travel　much？〃

〃Oh　yes；　he　goes　all　about；　he　has　business　everywhere。〃

And　so　they　went　on　chatting；　and　poor　Marget　forgot　her　sorrow　for　one
little　while；　anyway。　　It　was　probably　the　only　really　bright　and　cheery
hour　she　had　known　lately。　　I　saw　she　liked　Philip；　and　I　knew　she　would。
And　when　he　told　her　he　was　studying　for　the　ministry　I　could　see　that
she　liked　him　better　than　ever。　　And　then；　when　he　promised　to　get　her
admitted　to　the　jail　so　that　she　could　see　her　uncle；　that　was　the
capstone。　　He　said　he　would　give　the　guards　a　little　present；　and　she
must　always　go　in　the　evening　after　dark；　and　say　nothing；　〃but　just　show
this　paper　and　pass　in；　and　show　it　again　when　you　come　out〃and　he
scribbled　some　queer　marks　on　the　paper　and　gave　it　to　her；　and　she　was
ever　so　thankful；　and　right　away　was　in　a　fever　for　the　sun　to　go　down；
for　in　that　old；　cruel　time　prisoners　were　not　allowed　to　see　their
friends；　and　sometimes　they　spent　years　in　the　jails　without　ever　seeing
a　friendly　face。　　I　judged　that　the　marks　on　the　paper　were　an
enchantment；　and　that　the　guards　would　not　know　what　they　were　doing；　nor
have　any　memory　of　it　afterward；　and　that　was　indeed　the　way　of　it。
Ursula　put　her　head　in　at　the　door　now　and　said：

〃Supper's　ready；　miss。〃　　Then　she　saw　us　and　looked　frightened；　and
motioned　me　to　come　to　her；　which　I　did；　and　she　asked　if　we　had　told
about　the　cat。　　I　said　no；　and　she　was　relieved；　and　said　please　don't；
for　if　Miss　Marget　knew；　she　would　think　it　was　an　unholy　cat　and　would
send　for　a　priest　and　have　its　gifts　all　purified　out　of　it；　and　then
there　wouldn't　be　any　more　dividends。　　So　I　said　we　wouldn't　tell；　and
she　was　satisfied。　　Then　I　was　beginning　to　say　good…by　to　Marget；　but
Satan　interrupted　and　said；　ever　so　politelywell；　I　don't　remember　just
the　words；　but　anyway　he　as　good　as　invited　himself　to　supper；　and　me；
too。　　Of　course　Marget　was　miserably　embarrassed；　for　she　had　no　reason
to　suppose　there　would　be　half　enough　for　a　sick　bird。　　Ursula　heard　him；
and　she　came　straight　into　the　room；　not　a　bit　pleased。　　At　first　she　was
astonished　to　see　Marget　looking　so　fresh　and　rosy；　and　said　so；　then　she
spoke　up　in　her　native　tongue；　which　was　Bohemian；　and　saidas　I　learned
afterward〃Send　him　away；　Miss　Marget；　there's　not　victuals　enough。〃

Before　Marget　could　speak；　Satan　had　the　word；　and　was　talking　back　to
Ursula　in　her　own　languagewhich　was　a　surprise　to　her；　and　for　her
mistress；　too。　　He　said；　〃Didn't　I　see　you　down　the　road　awhile　ago？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Ah；　that　pleases　me；　I　see　you　remember　me。〃　　He　stepped　to　her　and
whispered：　〃I　told　you　it　is　a　Lucky　Cat。　　Don't　be　troubled；　it　will
provide。〃

That　sponged　the　slate　of　Ursula's　feelings　clean　of　its　anxieties；　and　a
deep；　financial　joy　shone　in　her　eyes。　　The　cat's　value　was　augmenting。
It　was　getting　full　time　for　Marget　to　take　some　sort　of　notice　of
Satan's　invitation；　and　she　did　it　in　the　best　way；　the　honest　way　that
was　natural　to　her。　　She　said　she　had　little　to　offer；　but　that　we　were
welcome　if　we　would　share　it　with　her。

We　had　supper　in　the　kitchen；　and　Ursula　waited　at　table。　　A　small　fish
was　in　the　frying…pan；　crisp　and　brown　and　tempting；　and　one　could　see
that　Marget　was　not　expecting　such　respectable　food　as　this。　　Ursula
brought　it；　and　Marget　divided　it　between　Satan　and　me；　declining　to　take
any　of　it　herself；　and　was　beginning　to　say　she　did　not　care　for　fish　to…
day；　but　she　did　not　finish　the　remark。　　It　was　because　she　noticed　that
another　fish　had　appeared　in　the　pan。　　She　looked　surprised；　but　did　not
say　anything。　　She　probably　meant　to　inquire　of　Ursula　about　this　later。
There　were　other　surprises：　flesh　and　game　and　wines　and　fruitsthings
which　had　been　strangers　in　that　house　lately；　but　Marget　made　no
exclamations；　and　now　even　looked　unsurprised；　which　was　Satan's
influence；　of　course。　　Satan　talked　right　along；　and　was　entertaining；
and　made　the　time　pass　pleasantly　and　cheerfully；　and　although　he　told　a
good　many　lies；　it　was　no　harm　in　him；　for　he　was　only　an　angel　and　did
not　know　any　better。　　They　do　not　know　right　from　wrong；　I　knew　this；
because　I　remembered　what　he　had　said　about　it。　　He　got　on　the　good　side
of　Ursula。　　He　praised　her　to　Marget；　confidentially；　but　speaking　just
loud　enough　for　Ursula　to　hear。　　He　said　she　was　a　fine　woman；　and　he
hoped　some　day　to　bring　her　and　his　uncle　together。　　Very　soon　Ursula　was
mincing　and　simpering　around　in　a　ridiculous　girly　way；　and　smoothing　out
her　gown　and　prinking　at　herself　like　a　foolish　old　hen；　and　all　the　time
pretending　she　was　not　hearing　what　Satan　was　saying。　　I　was　ashamed；　for
it　showed　us　to　be　what　Satan　considered　us；　a　silly　race　and　trivial。
Satan　said　his　uncle　entertained　a　great　deal；　and　to　have　a　clever　woman
presiding　over　the　festivities　would　double　the　attractions　of　the　place。

〃But　your　uncle　is　a　gentleman；　isn't　he？〃　asked　Marget。

〃Yes；〃　said　Satan　indifferently；　〃some　even　call　him　a　Prince；　out　of
compliment；　but　he　is　not　bigoted；　to　him　personal　merit　is　everything；
rank　nothing。〃

My　hand　was　hanging　down　by　my　chair；　Agnes　came　along　and　licked　it；　by
this　act　a　secret　was　revealed。　　I　started　to　say；　〃It　is　all　a　mistake；
this　is　just　a　common；　ordinary　cat；　the　hair…needles　on　her　tongue　point
inward；　not　outward。〃　　But　the　words　did　not　come；　because　they　couldn't。
Satan　smiled　upon　me；　and　I　understood。

When　it　was　dark　Marget　took　food　and　wine　and　fruit；　in　a　basket；　and
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　overs