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！
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 hand through
those ages； 〃leaving famine and death and desolation in their wake； and
other signs of the progress of the human race；〃 as Satan observed。
And always we had wars； and more wars； and still other warsall over
Europe； all over the world。 〃Sometimes in the private interest of royal
families；〃 Satan said； 〃sometimes to crush a weak nation； but never a war
started by the aggressor for any clean purposethere is no such war in
the history of the race。〃
〃Now；〃 said Satan； 〃you have seen your progress down to the present； and
you must confess that it is wonderfulin its way。 We must now exhibit
the future。〃
He showed us slaughters more terrible in their destruction of life； more
devastating in their engines of war； than any we had seen。
〃You perceive；〃 he said； 〃that you have made continual progress。 Cain
did his murder with a club； the Hebrews did their murders with javelins
and swords； the Greeks and Romans added protective armor and the fine
arts of military organization and general