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！
〃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。
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 ho