the notch on the ax and on being found out-第21章

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！


introduced　into　many　a　family　which　otherwise　could　not　have　hoped
for　such　a　distinction。　　Upon　the　evening　at　which　I　am　now
arrived；　the　twenty…second　of　January；　1816；　the　whole　city；　in　its
wealthier　classes；　was　assembled　beneath　the　roof　of　a　tradesman
who　had　the　heart　of　a　prince。　　In　every　point　our　entertainment
was　superb；　and　I　remarked　that　the　music　was　the　finest　I　had
heard　for　years。　　Our　host　was　in　joyous　spirits；　proud　to　survey
the　splendid　company　he　had　gathered　under　his　roof；　happy　to
witness　their　happiness；　elated　in　their　elation。　　Joyous　was　the
dancejoyous　were　all　faces　that　I　sawup　to　midnight；　very　soon
after　which　time　supper　was　announced；　and　that　also；　I　think；　was
the　most　joyous　of　all　the　banquets　I　ever　witnessed。　　The
accomplished　guardsman　outshone　himself　in　brilliancy；　even　his
melancholy　relaxed。　　In　fact；　how　could　it　be　otherwise？　near　to
him　sat　Margaret　Liebenheimhanging　upon　his　wordsmore　lustrous
and　bewitching　than　ever　I　had　beheld　her。　　There　she　had　been
placed　by　the　host；　and　everybody　knew　why。　　That　is　one　of　the
luxuries　attached　to　love；　all　men　cede　their　places　with　pleasure；
women　make　way。　　Even　she　herself　knew；　though　not　obliged　to　know；
why　she　was　seated　in　that　neighborhood；　and　took　her　place；　if
with　a　rosy　suffusion　upon　her　cheeks；　yet　with　fullness　of
happiness　at　her　heart。

The　guardsman　pressed　forward　to　claim　Miss　Liebenheim's　hand　for
the　next　dance；　a　movement　which　she　was　quick　to　favor；　by
retreating　behind　one　or　two　parties　from　a　person　who　seemed
coming　toward　her。　　The　music　again　began　to　pour　its　voluptuous
tides　through　the　bounding　pulses　of　the　youthful　company；　again
the　flying　feet　of　the　dancers　began　to　respond　to　the　measures；
again　the　mounting　spirit　of　delight　began　to　fill　the　sails　of　the
hurrying　night　with　steady　inspiration。　　All　went　happily。　　Already
had　one　dance　finished；　some　were　pacing　up　and　down；　leaning　on
the　arms　of　their　partners；　some　were　reposing　from　their
exertions；　whenO　heavens！　what　a　shriek！　what　a　gathering　tumult！

Every　eye　was　bent　toward　the　doorsevery　eye　strained　forward　to
discover　what　was　passing。　　But　there；　every　moment；　less　and　less
could　be　seen；　for　the　gathering　crowd　more　and　more　intercepted
the　view；so　much　the　more　was　the　ear　at　leisure　for　the　shrieks
redoubled　upon　shrieks。　　Miss　Liebenheim　had　moved　downward　to　the
crowd。　　From　her　superior　height　she　overlooked　all　the　ladies　at
the　point　where　she　stood。　　In　the　center　stood　a　rustic　girl；
whose　features　had　been　familiar　to　her　for　some　months。　　She　had
recently　come　into　the　city；　and　had　lived　with　her　uncle；　a
tradesman；　not　ten　doors　from　Margaret's　own　residence；　partly　on
the　terms　of　a　kinswoman；　partly　as　a　servant　on　trial。　　At　this
moment　she　was　exhausted　with　excitement；　and　the　nature　of　the
shock　she　had　sustained。　　Mere　panic　seemed　to　have　mastered　her；
and　she　was　leaning；　unconscious　and　weeping；　upon　the　shoulder　of
some　gentleman；　who　was　endeavoring　to　soothe　her。　　A　silence　of
horror　seemed　to　possess　the　company；　most　of　whom　were　still
unacquainted　with　the　cause　of　the　alarming　interruption。　　A　few；
however；　who　had　heard　her　first　agitated　words；　finding　that　they
waited　in　vain　for　a　fuller　explanation；　now　rushed　tumultuously
out　of　the　ballroom　to　satisfy　themselves　on　the　spot。　　The
distance　was　not　great；　and　within　five　minutes　several　persons
returned　hastily；　and　cried　out　to　the　crowd　of　ladies　that　all　was
true　which　the　young　girl　had　said。　　〃What　was　true？〃　　That　her
uncle　Mr。　Weishaupt's　family　had　been　murdered；　that　not　one　member
of　the　family　had　been　sparednamely；　Mr。　Weishaupt　himself　and
his　wife；　neither　of　them　much　above　sixty；　but　both　infirm　beyond
their　years；　two　maiden　sisters　of　Mr。　Weishaupt；　from　forty　to
forty…six　years　of　age；　and　an　elderly　female　domestic。

An　incident　happened　during　the　recital　of　these　horrors；　and　of
the　details　which　followed；　that　furnished　matter　for　conversation
even　in　these　hours　when　so　thrilling　an　interest　had　possession　of
all　minds。　　Many　ladies　fainted；　among　them　Miss　Liebenheimand
she　would　have　fallen　to　the　ground　but　for　Maximilian；　who　sprang
forward　and　caught　her　in　his　arms。　　She　was　long　of　returning　to
herself；　and；　during　the　agony　of　his　suspense；　he　stooped　and
kissed　her　pallid　lips。　　That　sight　was　more　than　could　be　borne　by
one　who　stood　a　little　behind　the　group。　　He　rushed　forward；　with
eyes　glaring　like　a　tiger's；　and　leveled　a　blow　at　Maximilian。　　It
was　poor；　maniacal　Von　Harrelstein；　who　had　been　absent　in　the
forest　for　a　week。　　Many　people　stepped　forward　and　checked　his
arm；　uplifted　for　a　repetition　of　this　outrage。　　One　or　two　had
some　influence　with　him；　and　led　him　away　from　the　spot；　while　as
to　Maximilian；　so　absorbed　was　he　that　he　had　not　so　much　as
perceived　the　affront　offered　to　himself。　　Margaret；　on　reviving；
was　confounded　at　finding　herself　so　situated　amid　a　great　crowd；
and　yet　the　prudes　complained　that　there　was　a　look　of　love
exchanged　between　herself　and　Maximilian；　that　ought　not　to　have
escaped　her　in　such　a　situation。　　If　they　meant　by　such　a
situation；　one　so　public；　it　must　be　also　recollected　that　it　was　a
situation　of　excessive　agitation；　but；　if　they　alluded　to　the
horrors　of　the　moment；　no　situation　more　naturally　opens　the　heart
to　affection　and　confiding　love　than　the　recoil　from　scenes　of
exquisite　terror。

An　examination　went　on　that　night　before　the　magistrates；　but　all
was　dark；　although　suspicion　attached　to　a　negro　named　Aaron；　who
had　occasionally　been　employed　in　menial　services　by　the　family；
and　had　been　in　the　house　immediately　before　the　murder。　　The
circumstances　were　such　as　to　leave　every　man　in　utter　perplexity
as　to　the　presumption　for　and　against　him。　　His　mode　of　defending
himself；　and　his　general　deportment；　were　marked　by　the　coolest；
nay；　the　most　sneering　indifference。　　The　first　thing　he　did；　on
being　acquainted　with　the　suspicions　against　himself；　was　to　laugh
ferociously；　and　to　all　appearance　most　cordially　and　unaffectedly。
He　demanded　whether　a　poor　man　like　himself　would　have　left　so　much
wealth　as　lay　scattered　abroad　in　that　housegold　repeaters；　massy
plate；　gold　snuff　boxesuntouched？　　That　argument　certainly
weighed　much　in　his　favor。　　And　yet　again　it　was　turned　against
him；　for　a　magistrate　asked　him　how　HE　happened　to　know　already
that　nothing　had　been　touched。　　True　it　was；　and　a　fact　which　had
puzzled　no　less　than　it　had　awed　the　magistrates；　that；　upon　their
examination　of　the　premises；　many　rich　articles　of　bijouterie；
jewelry；　and　personal　ornaments；　had　been　found　lying　underanged；
and　apparently　in　their　usual　situations；　articles　so　portable　that
in　the　very　hastiest　flight　some　might　have　been　carried　off。　　In
particular；　there　was　a　crucifix　of　gold；　enriched　with　jewels　so
large　and　rare；　that　of　itself　it　would　have　constituted　a　prize　of
great　magnitude。　　Yet　this　was　left　untouched；　though　suspended　in
a　little　oratory　that　had　been　magnificently　adorned　by　the　elder
of　the　maiden　sisters。　　There　was　an　altar；　in　itself　a　splendid
object；　furnished　with　every　article　of　the　most　costly　material
and　workmanship；　for　the　private　celebration　of　mass。　　This
crucifix；　as　well　as　everything　else　in　the　little　closet；　must
have　been　seen　by　one　at　least　of　the　murderous　party；　for　hither
had　one　of　the　ladies　fled；　hither　had　one　of　the　murderers
pursued。　　She　had　clasped　the　golden　pillars　which　supported　the
altarhad　turned　perhaps　her　dying　looks　upon　the　crucifix；　for
there；　with　one　arm　still　wreathed　about　the　altar　foot；　though　in
her　agony　she　had　turned　round　upon　her　face；　did　the　elder　sister
lie　when　the　magistrates　first　broke　open　the　street　door。　　And
upon　the　beautiful　parquet；　or　inlaid　floor　which　ran　round　the
room；　were　still　impressed　the　footsteps　of　the　murderer。　　These；
it　was　hoped；　might　furnish　a　clew　to　the　discovery　of　one　at　least
among　the　murderous　band。　　They　were　rather　difficult　to　trace
accurately；　those　parts　of　the　traces　which　lay　upon　the　black
tessellae　being　less　distinct　in　the　outline　than　the　others　upon
the　white　or　colored。　　Most　unquestionably；　so　far　as　this　went；　it
furnished　a　negative　circumstance　in　favor　of　the　negro；　for　the
footsteps　were　very　different　in　outline　from　his；　and　smaller；　for
Aaron　was　a　man　of　colossal　build。　　And　as　to　his　knowledge　of　the
state　in　which　the　premises　had　been　found；　and　his　having　so
familiarly　relied　upon　the　fact　of　no　robbery　having　taken　place　as
an　argument　on　his　own　behalf；　he　contended　that　he　had　himself
been　among　the　crowd　that　pushed　into　the　house　along　with　the
magistrates；　that；　from　his　previous　acquaintance　with　the　rooms
and　their　ordinary　condition；　a　glance　of　the　eye　had　been
sufficient　for　him　to　ascertain　the　undisturbed　condition　of　all
the　valuable　property　most　obvious　to　the　grasp　of　a　robber　that；
in　fact；　he　had　seen　enough　for　his　argument　before　he　and　the　rest
of　the　mob　had　been　ejected　by　the　magistrates；　but；　finally；　that
independently　of　all　this；　he　had　heard　both　the　officers；　as　they
conducted　him；　and　all　the　tumultuous　gatherings　of　people　in　the
street；　arguing　for　the　mysteriousness　of　the　bloody　transaction
upon　that　very　circumstance　of　so　much　gold；　silver；　and　jewels；
being　left　behind　untouched。

In　six　weeks　or　less　from　the　date　of　this　terrific　event；　the
negro　was　set　at　liberty　by　a　majority　of　voices　among　the
magistrates。　　In　that　short　interval　other　events　had　occurred　no
less　terrific　and　mysterious。　　In　this　first　murder；　though　the
motive　was　dark　and　unintelligible；　yet　the　agency　was　not　so；
ordinary　assassins　apparently；　and　with　ordinary　means；　had
assailed　a　helpless　and　unprepared　family；　had　separated　them；
attacked　them　singly　in　flight　（for　in　this　first　case　all　but　one
of　the　murdered　persons　appeared　to　have　been　making　for　the　street
door）；　and　in　all　this　there　was　no　subject　for　wonder；　except　the
original　one　as　to　the　motive。　　But　now　came　a　series　of　cases
destined　to　fling　this　earliest　murder　into　the　shade。　　Nobody
could　now　be　unprepared；　and　yet　the　tragedies；　henceforward；　which
passed　before　us；　one　by　one；　in　sad；　leisurely；　or　in　terrific
groups；　seemed　to　argue　a　lethargy　like　that　of　apoplexy　in　the
victims；　one　and　all。　　The　very　midnight　of　mysterious　awe　fell
upon　all　minds。

Three　weeks　had　passed　since　the　murder　at　Mr。　Weishaupt'sthree
weeks　the　most　agitated　that　had　been　known　in　this　sequestered
city。　　We　felt　ourselves　solitary；　and　thrown　upon　our　own
resources；　all　combination　with　other　towns　being　unavailing　from
their　great　distance。　　Our　situation　was　no　ordinary　one。　　Had
there　been　some　mysterious　robbers　among　us；　the　chances　of　a
visit；　divided　among　so　many；　would　have　been　too　small　to　distress
the　most　timid；　while　to　young　and　high…spirited　people；　with
courage　to　spare　for　ordinary　trials；　such　a　state　of　expectation
would　have　sent　pulses　of　pleasurable　anxiety　among　the　nerves。
But　murderers！　exterminating　murderers！clothed　in　mystery　and
utter　darknessthese　were　ob