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！
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 maybe it was so； we didn't know anything about it；
but we judged it would please him； and it did； and didn't cost us
anything。
Chapter 5
On the fourth day comes the astrologer from his crumbling old tower up
the valley； where he had heard the news； I reckon。 He had a private talk
with us； and we told him what we could； for we were mightily in dread of
him。 He sat there studying and studying awhile to himself； then he
asked：
〃How many ducats did you say？〃
〃Eleven hundred and seven； sir。〃
Then he said； as if he were talking to himself： 〃It is ver…y singular。
Yes。。。 very strange。 A curious coincidence。〃 Then he began to ask
questions； and went over the whole ground from the beginning； we
answering。 By and by he said： 〃Eleven hundred and six ducats。 It is a
large sum。〃
〃Seven；〃 said Seppi； correcting him。
〃Oh； seven； was it？ Of course a ducat more or less isn't of consequence；
but you said eleven hundred and six before。〃
It would not have been safe for us to say he was mistaken； but we knew he
was。 Nikolaus said； 〃We ask pardon for the mistake； but we meant to say
seven。〃
〃Oh； it is no matter； lad； it was merely that I noticed the discrepancy。
It is several days； and you cannot be expected to remember precisely。
One is apt to be inexact when there is no particular circumstance to
impress the count upon the memory。〃
〃But there was one； sir；〃 said Seppi； eagerly。
〃What was it； my son？〃 asked the astrologer； indifferently。
〃First； we all counted the piles of coin； each in turn； and all made it
the sameeleven hundred and six。 But I had slipped one out； for fun；
when the count began； and now I slipped it back and said； 'I think there
is a mistakethere are eleven hundred and seven； let us count again。'
We did； and of course I was right。 They were astonished； then I told how
it came about。〃
The astrologer asked us if this was so； and we said it was。
〃That settles it；〃 he said。 〃I know the thief now。 Lads； the money was
stolen。〃
Then he went away； leaving us very much troubled； and wondering what he
could mean。 In about an hour we found out； for by that time it was all
over the village that Father Peter had been arrested for stealing a great
sum of money from the astrologer。 Everybody's tongue was loose and
going。 Many said it was not in Father Peter's character and must be a
mistake； but the others shook their heads and said misery and want could
drive a suffering man to almost anything。 About one detail there were no
differences； all agreed that Father Peter's account of how the money came
into his hands was just about unbelievableit had such an impossible
look。 They said it might have come into the astrologer's hands in some
such way； but into Father Peter's； never！ Our characters began to suffer
now。 We were Father Peter's only witnesses； how much did he probably pay
us to back up his fantastic tale？ People talked that kind of talk to us
pretty freely and frankly； and were full of scoffings when we begged them
to believe really we had told only the truth。 Our parents were harder on
us than any one else。 Our fathers said we were disgracing our families；
and they commanded us to purge ourselves of our lie； and there was no
limit to their anger when we continued to say we had spoken true。 Our
mothers cried over us and begged us to give back our bribe and get back
our honest names and save our families from shame； and come out and
honorably confess。 And at last we were so worried and harassed that we
tried to tell the whole thing； Satan and allbut no； it wouldn't come
out。 We were hoping and longing all the time that Satan would come and
help us out of our trouble； but there was no sign of him。
Within an hour after the astrologer's talk with us； Father Peter was in
prison and the money sealed up and in the hands of the officers of the
law。 The money was in a bag； and Solomon Isaacs said he had not touched
it since he had counted it； his oath was taken that it was the same
money； and that the amount