第14章

Thiswouldhappenatthetheatre，inthesamemanner。Oftenitwouldhappeninthestreet，whenIcertainlywasnotlookingforthelikeness，andwhenprobablytherewasnolikenessthere。ItwasnotbecausethecreaturewasdeadthatIwassohaunted，becauseIknowthatImighthavebeen(andIknowitbecauseIhavebeen)equallyattendedbytheimageofalivingaversion。Thislastedaboutaweek。Thepicturedidnotfadebydegrees，inthesensethatitbecameawhitlessforcibleanddistinct，butinthesensethatitobtrudeditselflessandlessfrequently。Theexperiencemaybeworthconsideringbysomewhohavethecareofchildren。Itwouldbedifficulttooverstatetheintensityandaccuracyofanintelligentchild’sobservation。Atthatimpressibletimeoflife，itmustsometimesproduceafixedimpression。Ifthefixedimpressionbeofanobjectterribletothechild，itwillbe(forwantofreasoningupon)inseparablefromgreatfear。Forcethechildatsuchatime，beSpartanwithit，senditintothedarkagainstitswill，leaveitinalonelybedroomagainstitswill，andyouhadbettermurderit。

OnabrightmorningIrattledawayfromParis，intheGermanchariot，andleftthelargedarkcreaturebehindmeforgood。I

oughttoconfess，though，thatIhadbeendrawnbacktotheMorgue，afterhewasputunderground，tolookathisclothes，andthatI

foundthemfrightfullylikehim-particularlyhisboots。However，IrattledawayforSwitzerland，lookingforwardandnotbackward，andsowepartedcompany。

Welcomeagain，thelong，longspellofFrance，withthequeercountryinns，fullofvasesofflowersandclocks，inthedulllittletown，andwiththelittlepopulationnotatalldullonthelittleBoulevardintheevening，underthelittletrees！WelcomeMonsieurtheCure，walkingaloneintheearlymorningashortwayoutofthetown，readingthateternalBreviaryofyours，whichsurelymightbealmostread，withoutbook，bythistime！WelcomeMonsieurtheCure，laterintheday，joltingthroughthehighwaydust(asifyouhadalreadyascendedtothecloudyregion)，inaverybig-headedcabriolet，withthedriedmudofadozenwintersonit。WelcomeagainMonsieurtheCure，asweexchangesalutations；

you，straighteningyourbacktolookattheGermanchariot，whilepickinginyourlittlevillagegardenavegetableortwofortheday’ssoup:I，lookingoutoftheGermanchariotwindowinthatdelicioustraveller’strancewhichknowsnocares，noyesterdays，noto-morrows，nothingbutthepassingobjectsandthepassingscentsandsounds！AndsoIcame，induecourseofdelight，toStrasbourg，whereIpassedawetSundayeveningatawindow，whileanidletrifleofavaudevillewasplayedformeattheoppositehouse。

Howsuchalargehousecametohaveonlythreepeoplelivinginit，wasitsownaffair。Therewereatleastascoreofwindowsinitshighroofalone；howmanyinitsgrotesquefront，Isoongaveupcounting。Theownerwasashopkeeper，bynameStraudenheim；bytrade-Icouldn’tmakeoutwhatbytrade，forhehadforbornetowritethatup，andhisshopwasshut。

Atfirst，asIlookedatStraudenheim’s，throughthesteadilyfallingrain，Isethimupinbusinessinthegoose-liverline。

But，inspectionofStraudenheim，whobecamevisibleatawindowonthesecondfloor，convincedmethattherewassomethingmorepreciousthanliverinthecase。Heworeablackvelvetskull-cap，andlookedusuriousandrich。Alarge-lipped，pear-nosedoldman，withwhitehair，andkeeneyes，thoughnear-sighted。Hewaswritingatadesk，wasStraudenheim，andeverandagainleftoffwriting，puthispeninhismouth，andwentthroughactionswithhisrighthand，likeamansteadyingpilesofcash。Five-francpieces，Straudenheim，orgoldenNapoleons？Ajeweller，Straudenheim，adealerinmoney，adiamondmerchant，orwhat？

BelowStraudenheim，atawindowonthefirstfloor，sathishousekeeper-farfromyoung，butofacomelypresence，suggestiveofawell-maturedfootandankle。Shewascheerilydressed，hadafaninherhand，andworelargegoldearringsandalargegoldcross。Shewouldhavebeenoutholiday-making(asIsettledit)

butforthepestilentrain。Strasbourghadgivenupholiday-makingforthatonce，asabadjob，becausetherainwasjerkingingushesoutoftheoldroof-spouts，andrunninginabrookdownthemiddleofthestreet。Thehousekeeper，herarmsfoldedonherbosomandherfantappingherchin，wasbrightandsmilingatheropenwindow，butotherwiseStraudenheim’shousefrontwasverydreary。

Thehousekeeper’swastheonlyopenwindowinit；Straudenheimkepthimselfclose，thoughitwasasultryeveningwhenairispleasant，andthoughtherainhadbroughtintothetownthatvaguerefreshingsmellofgrasswhichraindoesbringinthesummer-time。

ThedimappearanceofamanatStraudenheim’sshoulder，inspiredmewithamisgivingthatsomebodyhadcometomurderthatflourishingmerchantforthewealthwithwhichIhadhandsomelyendowedhim:

therather，asitwasanexcitedman，leanandlongoffigure，andevidentlystealthyoffoot。But，heconferredwithStraudenheiminsteadofdoinghimamortalinjury，andthentheybothsoftlyopenedtheotherwindowofthatroom-whichwasimmediatelyoverthehousekeeper’s-andtriedtoseeherbylookingdown。AndmyopinionofStraudenheimwasmuchloweredwhenIsawthateminentcitizenspitoutofwindow，clearlywiththehopeofspittingonthehousekeeper。

Theunconscioushousekeeperfannedherself，tossedherhead，andlaughed。ThoughunconsciousofStraudenheim，shewasconsciousofsomebodyelse-ofme？-therewasnobodyelse。

Afterleaningsofaroutofthewindow，thatIconfidentlyexpectedtoseetheirheelstiltup，Straudenheimandtheleanmandrewtheirheadsinandshutthewindow。Presently，thehousedoorsecretlyopened，andtheyslowlyandspitefullycreptforthintothepouringrain。Theywerecomingovertome(Ithought)todemandsatisfactionformylookingatthehousekeeper，whentheyplungedintoarecessinthearchitectureundermywindowanddraggedoutthepuniestoflittlesoldiers，begirtwiththemostinnocentoflittleswords。Thetallglazedhead-dressofthiswarrior，Straudenheiminstantlyknockedoff，andoutofitfelltwosugar-sticks，andthreeorfourlargelumpsofsugar。

Thewarriormadenoefforttorecoverhispropertyortopickuphisshako，butlookedwithanexpressionofattentionatStraudenheimwhenhekickedhimfivetimes，andalsoattheleanmanwhenHEkickedhimfivetimes，andagainatStraudenheimwhenhetorethebreastofhis(thewarrior’s)littlecoatopen，andshookallhistenfingersinhisface，asiftheyweretenthousand。Whentheseoutrageshadbeencommitted，Straudenheimandhismanwentintothehouseagainandbarredthedoor。Awonderfulcircumstancewas，thatthehousekeeperwhosawitall(andwhocouldhavetakensixsuchwarriorstoherbuxombosomatonce)，onlyfannedherselfandlaughedasshehadlaughedbefore，andseemedtohavenoopinionaboutit，onewayorother。

But，thechiefeffectofthedramawastheremarkablevengeancetakenbythelittlewarrior。Leftaloneintherain，hepickeduphisshako；putiton，allwetanddirtyasitwas；retiredintoacourt，ofwhichStraudenheim’shouseformedthecorner；wheeledabout；andbringinghistwoforefingersclosetothetopofhisnose，rubbedthemoveroneanother，cross-wise，inderision，defiance，andcontemptofStraudenheim。AlthoughStraudenheimcouldnotpossiblybesupposedtobeconsciousofthisstrangeproceeding，itsoinflatedandcomfortedthelittlewarrior’ssoul，thattwicehewentaway，andtwicecamebackintothecourttorepeatit，asthoughitmustgoadhisenemytomadness。Notonlythat，butheafterwardscamebackwithtwoothersmallwarriors，andtheyallthreedidittogether。Notonlythat-asIlivetotellthetale！-butjustasitwasfallingquitedark，thethreecameback，bringingwiththemahugebeardedSapper，whomtheymoved，byrecitaloftheoriginalwrong，togothroughthesameperformance，withthesamecompleteabsenceofallpossibleknowledgeofitonthepartofStraudenheim。Andthentheyallwentaway，arminarm，singing。

Iwentawaytoo，intheGermanchariotatsunrise，andrattledon，dayafterday，likeoneinasweetdream；withsomanyclearlittlebellsontheharnessofthehorses，thatthenurseryrhymeaboutBanburyCrossandthevenerableladywhorodeinstatethere，wasalwaysinmyears。AndnowIcametothelandofwoodenhouses，innocentcakes，thinbuttersoup，andspotlesslittleinnbedroomswithafamilylikenesstoDairies。AndnowtheSwissmarksmenwereforeverrifle-shootingatmarksacrossgorges，soexceedinglynearmyear，thatIfeltlikeanewGeslerinaCantonofTells，andwentinhighly-deserveddangerofmytyrannicallife。Theprizesattheseshootings，werewatches，smarthandkerchiefs，hats，spoons，and(aboveall)tea-trays；andatthesecontestsIcameuponamorethanusuallyaccomplishedandamiablecountrymanofmyown，whohadshothimselfdeafinwholeyearsofcompetition，andhadwonsomanytea-traysthathewentaboutthecountrywithhiscarriagefullofthem，likeaglorifiedCheap-Jack。

Inthemountain-countryintowhichIhadnowtravelled，ayokeofoxenweresometimeshookedonbeforethepost-horses，andIwentlumberingup，up，up，throughmistandrain，withtheroaroffallingwaterforchangeofmusic。Ofasudden，mistandrainwouldclearaway，andIwouldcomedownintopicturesquelittletownswithgleamingspiresandoddtowers；andwouldstrollafootintomarket-placesinsteepwindingstreets，whereahundredwomeninbodices，soldeggsandhoney，butterandfruit，andsuckledtheirchildrenastheysatbytheircleanbaskets，andhadsuchenormousgoitres(orglandularswellingsinthethroat)thatitbecameasciencetoknowwherethenurseendedandthechildbegan。

Aboutthistime，IdesertedmyGermanchariotforthebackofamule(incolourandconsistencysoverylikeadustyoldhairtrunkIoncehadatschool，thatIhalfexpectedtoseemyinitialsinbrass-headednailsonhisbackbone)，andwentupathousandruggedways，andlookeddownatathousandwoodsoffirandpine，andwouldonthewholehavepreferredmymule’skeepingalittlenearertotheinside，andnotusuallytravellingwithahoofortwoovertheprecipice-thoughmuchconsoledbyexplanationthatthiswastobeattributedtohisgreatsagacity，byreasonofhiscarryingbroadloadsofwoodatothertimes，andnotbeingclearbutthatI

myselfbelongedtothatstationoflife，andrequiredasmuchroomasthey。Hebroughtmesafely，inhisownwiseway，amongthepassesoftheAlps，andhereIenjoyedadozenclimatesaday；

beingnow(likeDonQuixoteonthebackofthewoodenhorse)intheregionofwind，nowintheregionoffire，nowintheregionofunmeltingiceandsnow。Here，Ipassedovertremblingdomesofice，beneathwhichthecataractwasroaring；andherewasreceivedunderarchesoficicles，ofunspeakablebeauty；andherethesweetairwassobracingandsolight，thatathalting-timesIrolledinthesnowwhenIsawmymuledoit，thinkingthathemustknowbest。

Atthispartofthejourneywewouldcome，atmid-day，intohalfanhour’sthaw:whentheroughmountaininnwouldbefoundonanislandofdeepmudinaseaofsnow，whilethebaitingstringsofmules，andthecartsfullofcasksandbales，whichhadbeeninanArcticconditionamileoff，wouldsteamagain。Bysuchwaysandmeans，IwouldcometotheclusterofchaletswhereIhadtoturnoutofthetracktoseethewaterfall；andthen，utteringahowllikeayounggiant，onespyingatraveller-inotherwords，somethingtoeat-comingupthesteep，theidiotlyingonthewood-pilewhosunnedhimselfandnursedhisgoitre，wouldrousethewoman-guidewithinthehut，whowouldstreamouthastily，throwingherchildoveroneofhershouldersandhergoitreovertheother，asshecamealong。Isleptatreligioushouses，andbleakrefugesofmanykinds，onthisjourney，andbythestoveatnightheardstoriesoftravellerswhohadperishedwithincall，inwreathsanddriftsofsnow。Onenightthestovewithin，andthecoldoutside，awakenedchildishassociationslongforgotten，andIdreamedIwasinRussia-theidenticalserfoutofapicture-bookIhad，beforeIcouldreaditformyself-andthatIwasgoingtobeknoutedbyanoblepersonageinafurcap，boots，andearrings，who，Ithink，musthavecomeoutofsomemelodrama。