a17-第3章

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and　that　will　always　tell　me　something。〃

〃Why；　this　is　a　complete　story；〃　exclaimed　the　man。

〃Yes；　but　it　is　only　the　beginning；〃　replied　the　woman。　〃Can　you
tell　me　how　the　Will…o'…the…Wisps　deport　themselves；　and　how　they
behave？　and　in　what　shapes　they　have　aforetime　appeared　and　led　people　into　crooked　paths？〃

〃I　believe；〃　replied　the　man；　〃that　one　could　tell　quite　a　romance
about　the　Will…o'…the…Wisps；　in　twelve　parts；　or；　better　still；　one
might　make　quite　a　popular　play　of　them。〃

〃You　might　write　that；〃　said　the　woman；　〃but　it's　best　let　alone。〃

〃Yes；　that's　better　and　more　agreeable；〃　the　man　replied；　〃for
then　we　shall　escape　from　the　newspapers；　and　not　be　tied　up　by
them；　which　is　just　as　uncomfortable　as　for　a　Will…o'…the…Wisp　to
lie　in　decaying　wood；　to　have　to　gleam；　and　not　to　be　able　to　stir。〃

〃I　don't　care　about　it　either　way；〃　cried　the　woman。　〃Let　the　rest
write；　those　who　can；　and　those　who　cannot　likewise。　I'll　grant　you　an
old　bung　from　my　cask　that　will　open　the　cupboard　where　poetry's
kept　in　bottles；　and　you　may　take　from　that　whatever　may　be　wanting。
But　you；　my　good　man；　seem　to　have　blotted　your　hands　sufficiently
with　ink；　and　to　have　come　to　that　age　of　satiety　that　you　need　not　be
running　about　every　year　for　stories；　especially　as　there　are　much
more　important　things　to　be　done。　You　must　have　understood　what　is
going　on？〃

〃The　Will…o'…the…Wisp　is　in　town；〃　said　the　man。　〃I've　heard　it；
and　I　have　understood　it。　But　what　do　you　think　I　ought　to　do？　I
should　be　thrashed　if　I　were　to　go　to　the　people　and　say；　'Look；
yonder　goes　a　Will…o'…the…Wisp　in　his　best　clothes！'

〃They　also　go　in　undress；〃　replied　the　woman。　〃The
Will…o'…the…Wisp　can　assume　all　kinds　of　forms；　and　appear　in　every
place。　He　goes　into　the　church；　but　not　for　the　sake　of　the　service；
and　perhaps　he　may　enter　into　one　or　other　of　the　priests。　He　speaks
in　the　Parliament；　not　for　the　benefit　of　the　country；　but　only　for
himself。　He's　an　artist　with　the　color…pot　as　well　as　in　the
theatre；　but　when　he　gets　all　the　power　into　his　own　hands；　then　the
pot's　empty！　I　chatter　and　chatter；　but　it　must　come　out；　what's
sticking　in　my　throat；　to　the　disadvantage　of　my　own　family。　But　I
must　now　be　the　woman　that　will　save　a　good　many　people。　It　is　not
done　with　my　good　will；　or　for　the　sake　of　a　medal。　I　do　the　most
insane　things　I　possibly　can；　and　then　I　tell　a　poet　about　it；　and
thus　the　whole　town　gets　to　know　of　it　directly。〃

〃The　town　will　not　take　that　to　heart；〃　observed　the　man；　〃that
will　not　disturb　a　single　person；　for　they　will　all　think　I'm　only
telling　them　a　story　if　I　say；　'The　Will…o'…the…Wisp　is　in　the　town；
says　the　Moor…woman。　Take　care　of　yourselves！'〃

THE　END

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Written　By　Anderson