the notch on the ax and on being found out-第47章

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appalling　news　of　the　calamity　which　had　fallen　on　them。
Incredulous　at　first；　as　well　they　might　be；　and　incapable　of
believing　in　a　ruin　so　unexpected　and　so　overwhelming；　they
imagined　some　mistake；　asserting　that　Lieschen　was　in　her　own　room。
Into　that　room　they　rushed；　and　there　the　undisturbed　bed；　and　the
open　window；　but　a　few　feet　from　the　garden；　silently　and
pathetically　disclosed　the　fatal　truth。　　The　bereaved　parents
turned　a　revealing　look　upon　each　other's　whitened　faces；　and　then
slowly　retired　from　the　room；　followed　in　affecting　silence　by　the
others。　　Back　into　their　own　room　they　went。　　The　father　knelt
beside　the　bed；　and；　sobbing；　prayed。　　The　mother　sat　staring　with
a　stupefied　stare；　her　lips　faintly　moving。　　In　a　short　while　the
flood　of　grief；　awakened　to　a　thorough　consciousness；　burst　from
their　laboring　hearts。　　When　the　first　paroxysms　were　over　they
questioned　others；　and　gave　incoherent　replies　to　the　questions
addressed　to　them。　　From　all　which　it　resulted　that　Lieschen's
absence；　though　obviously　voluntary；　was　wholly　inexplicable　to
them；　and　no　clew　whatever　could　be　given　as　to　the　motives　of　the
crime。　　When　these　details　became　known；　conjecture　naturally
interpreted　Lieschen's　absence　at　night　as　an　assignation。　　But
with　whom？　　She　was　not　known　to　have　a　lover。　　Her　father；　on
being　questioned；　passionately　affirmed　that　she　had　none；　she
loved　no　one　but　her　parents；　poor　child！　　Her　mother；　on　being
questioned；　told　the　same　storyadding；　however；　that　about
seventeen　months　before；　she　had　fancied　that　Lieschen　was　a　little
disposed　to　favor　Franz　Kerkel；　their　shopman；　but　on　being　spoken
to　on　the　subject　with　some　seriousness；　and　warned　of　the　distance
between　them；　she　had　laughed　heartily　at　the　idea；　and　since　then
had　treated　Franz　with　so　much　indifference　that　only　a　week　ago
she　had　drawn　from　her　mother　a　reproof　on　the　subject。

〃I　told　her　Franz　was　a　good　lad；　though　not　good　enough　for　her；
and　that　she　ought　to　treat　him　kindly。　　But　she　said　my　lecture
had　given　her　an　alarm；　lest　Franz　should　have　got　the　same　maggot
into　his　head。〃

This　was　the　story　now　passing　through　the　curious　crowds　in　every
street。　　After　hearing　it　I　had　turned　into　a　tobacconist's　in　the
Adlergrasse；　to　restock　my　cigar…case；　and　found　there；　as
everywhere；　a　group　discussing　the　one　topic　of　the　hour。　　Herr
Fischer；　the　tobacconist；　with　a　long　porcelain　pipe　pendent　from
his　screwed…up　lips；　was　solemnly　listening　to　the　particulars
volubly　communicated　by　a　stout　Bavarian　priest；　while　behind　the
counter；　in　a　corner；　swiftly　knitting；　sat　his　wife；　her　black
bead…like　eyes　also　fixed　on　the　orator。　　Of　course　I　was　dragged
into　the　conversation。　　Instead　of　attending　to　commercial
interests；　they　looked　upon　me　as　the　possible　bearer　of　fresh
news。　　Nor　was　it　without　a　secret　satisfaction　that　I　found　I
could　gratify　them　in　that　respect。　　They　had　not　heard　of　Franz
Kerkel　in　the　matter。　　No　sooner　had　I　told　what　I　had　heard　than
the　knitting…needles　of　the　vivacious　little　woman　were　at　once
suspended。

〃Ach　Je！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　see　it　all。　　He's　the　wretch！〃

〃Who？〃　we　all　simultaneously　inquired。

〃Who？　　Why；　Kerkel；　of　course。　　If　she　changed；　and　treated　him
with　indifference；　it　was　because　she　loved　him；　and　he　has
murdered　the　poor　thing。〃

〃How　you　run　on；　wife！〃　remonstrated　Fischer；　while　the　priest
shook　a　dubious　head。

〃I　tell　you　it　is　so。　　I'm　positive。〃

〃If　she　loved　him。〃

〃She　did；　I　tell　you。　　Trust　a　woman　for　seeing　through　such
things。〃

〃Well；　say　she　did；〃　continued　Fischer；　〃and　I　won't　deny　that　it
may　be　so；　but　then　that　makes　against　the　idea　of　his　having　done
her　any　harm。〃

〃Don't　tell　me；〃　retorted　the　convinced　woman。　　〃She　loved　him。
She　went　out　to　meet　him　in　secret；　and　he　murdered　herthe
villain　did。　　I'm　as　sure　of　it　as　if　these　eyes　had　seen　him　do
it。〃

The　husband　winked　at　us；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃You　hear　these
women！〃　and　the　priest　and　I　endeavored　to　reason　her　out　of　her
illogical　position。　　But　she　was　immovable。　　Kerkel　had　murdered
her；　she　knew　it；　she　couldn't　tell　why；　but　she　knew　it。　　Perhaps
he　was　jealous；　who　knows？　　At　any　rate；　he　ought　to　be　arrested。

And　by　twelve　o'clock；　as　I　said；　a　new　rumor　ran　through　the
crowd；　which　seemed　to　confirm　the　little　woman　in　her　rash　logic。
Kerkel　had　been　arrested；　and　a　waistcoat　stained　with　blood　had
been　found　in　his　room！　　By　half…past　twelve　the　rumor　ran　that　he
had　confessed　the　crime。　　This；　however；　proved　on　inquiry　to　be
the　hasty　anticipation　of　public　indignation。　　He　had　been
arrested；　the　waistcoat　had　been　found：　so　much　was　authentic；　and
the　suspicions　gathered　ominously　over　him。

When　first　Frau　Fischer　had　started　the　suggestion　it　flew　like
wildfire。　　Then　people　suddenly　noticed；　as　very　surprising；　that
Kerkel　had　not　that　day　made　his　appearance　at　the　shop。　　His
absence　had　not　been　noticed　in　the　tumult　of　grief　and　inquiry；
but　it　became　suddenly　invested　with　a　dreadful　significance；　now
that　it　was　rumored　that　he　had　been　Lieschen's　lover。　　Of　all　men
he　would　be　the　most　affected　by　the　tragic　news；　of　all　men　he
would　have　been　the　first　to　tender　sympathy　and　aid　to　the
afflicted　parents；　and　the　most　clamorous　in　the　search　for　the
undiscovered　culprit。　　Yet；　while　all　Nuremberg　was　crowding　round
the　house　of　sorrow；　which　was　also　his　house　of　business；　he　alone
remained　away。　　This　naturally　pointed　suspicion　at　him。　　When　the
messengers　had　gone　to　seek　him；　his　mother　refused　them　admission；
declaring　in　incoherent　phrases；　betraying　great　agitation；　that
her　son　was　gone　distracted　with　grief　and　could　see　no　one。　　On
this　it　was　determined　to　order　his　arrest。　　The　police　went；　the
house　was　searched；　and　the　waistcoat　found。

The　testimony　of　the　girl　who　lived　as　servant　in　Kerkel's　house
was　also　criminatory。　　She　deposed　that　on　the　night　in　question
she　awoke　about　half…past　eleven　with　a　violent　toothache；　she　was
certain　as　to　the　hour；　because　she　heard　the　clock　afterwards
strike　twelve。　　She　felt　some　alarm　at　hearing　voices　in　the　rooms
at　an　hour　when　her　mistress　and　young　master　must　long　ago　have
gone　to　bed；　but　as　the　voices　were　seemingly　in　quiet
conversation；　her　alarm　subsided；　and　she　concluded　that　instead　of
having　gone　to　bed　her　mistress　was　still　up。　　In　her　pain　she
heard　the　door　gently　open；　and　then　she　heard　footsteps　in　the
garden。　　This　surprised　her　very　much。　　She　couldn't　think　what　the
young　master　could　want　going　out　at　that　hour。　　She　became
terrified　without　knowing　exactly　at　what。　　Fear　quite　drove　away
the　toothache；　which　had　not　since　returned。　　After　lying　there
quaking　for　some　time；　again　she　heard　footsteps　in　the　garden；　the
door　opened　and　closed　gently；　voices　were　heard；　and　she　at　last
distinctly　heard　her　mistress　say；　〃Be　a　man；　Franz。　　Good…night
sleep　well；〃　upon　which　Franz　replied　in　a　tone　of　great　agony；
〃There's　no　chance　of　sleep　for　me。〃　　Then　all　was　silent。　　Next
morning　her　mistress　seemed　〃very　queer。〃　　Her　young　master　went
out　very　early；　but　soon　came　back　again；　and　there　were　dreadful
scenes　going　on　in　his　room；　as　she　heard；　but　she　didn't　know　what
it　was　all　about。　　She　heard　of　the　murder　from　a　neighbor；　but
never　thought　of　its　having　any　particular　interest　for　Mr。　Franz；
though；　of　course；　he　would　be　very　sorry　for　the　Lehfeldts。

The　facts　testified　to　by　the　servant；　especially　the　going　out　at
that　late　hour；　and　the　〃dreadful　scenes〃　of　the　morning；　seemed　to
bear　but　one　interpretation。　　Moreover；　she　identified　the
waistcoat　as　the　one　worn　by　Franz　on　the　day　preceding　the　fatal
night。


III

THE　ACCUSED


Now　at　last　the　pent…up　wrath　found　a　vent。　　From　the　distracting
condition　of　wandering　uncertain　suspicion；　it　had　been　recalled
into　the　glad　security　of　individual　hate。　　Although　up　to　this
time　Kerkel　had　borne　an　exemplary　reputation；　it　was　now
remembered　that　he　had　always　been　of　a　morose　and　violent　temper；
a　hypocrite　in　religion；　a　selfish　sensualist。　　Several　sagacious
critics　had　long　〃seen　through　him〃；　others　had　〃never　liked　him〃；
others　had　wondered　how　it　was　he　kept　his　place　so　long　in
Lehfeldt's　shop。　　Poor　fellow！　his　life　and　actions；　like　those　of
every　one　else　when　illuminated　by　a　light　thrown　back　upon　them；
seemed　so　conspicuously　despicable；　although　when　illuminated　in
their　own　light　they　had　seemed　innocent　enough。　　His　mother's
frantic　protestations　of　her　son's　innocenceher　assertions　that
Franz　loved　Lieschen　more　than　his　own　soulonly　served　to　envelop
her　in　the　silent　accusation　of　being　an　accomplice；　or　at　least　of
being　an　accessory　after　the　fact。

I　cannot　say　why　it　was；　but　I　did　not　share　the　universal　belief。
The　logic　seemed　to　me　forced；　the　evidence　trivial。　　On　first
hearing　of　Kerkel's　arrest；　I　eagerly　questioned　my　informant
respecting　his　personal　appearance；　and　on　hearing　that　he　was
fair；　with　blue　eyes　and　flaxen　hair；　my　conviction　of　his
innocence　was　fixed。　　Looking　back　on　these　days；　I　am　often　amused
at　this　characteristic　of　my　constructive　imagination。　　While
rejecting　the　disjointed　logic　of　the　mob；　which　interpreted　his
guilt；　I　was　myself　deluded　by　a　logic　infinitely　less　rational。
Had　Kerkel　been　dark；　with　dark　eyes　and　beard；　I　should　probably
have　sworn　to　his　guilt；　simply　because　the　idea　of　that　stranger
had　firmly　fixed　itself　in　my　mind。

All　that　afternoon；　and　all　the　next　day；　the　busy　hum　of　voices
was　raised　by　the　one　topic　of　commanding　interest。　　Kerkel　had
been　examined。　　He　at　once　admitted　that　a　secret　betrothal　had　for
some　time　existed　between　him　and　Lieschen。　　They　had　been　led　to
take　this　improper　step　by　fear　of　her　parents；　who；　had　the
attachment　been　discovered；　would；　it　was　thought；　have　separated
them　for　ever。　　Herr　Lehfeldt's　sternness；　no　less　than　his
superior　position；　seemed　an　invincible　obstacle；　and　the　good
mother；　although　doting　upon　her　only　daughter；　was　led　by　the　very
intensity　of　her　affection　to　form　ambitious　hopes　of　her
daughter's　future。　　It　was　barely　possible　that　some　turn　in　events
might　one　day　yield　an　opening　for　their　consent；　but　meanwhile
prudence　dictated　secrecy；　in　order　to　avert　the　most　pressing
danger；　that　of　separation。

And　so　the　pretty　Lieschen；　with　feminine　instinct　of　ruse；　had
affected　to　treat　her　lover　with　indifference；　and　to　compensate
him　and　herself　for　this　restraint；　she　had　been　in　the　habit　of
escaping　from　home　once　or　twice　a　week；　and　spending　a　delicious
hour　or　two　at　night　in　the　company　of　her　lover　and　his　mother。
Kerkel　and　his　mother　lived　in　a　cottage　a　little　way　outside　the
town。　　Lehfeldt's　shop　stood　not　many　yards　from　the　archway。　　Now；
as　in　Nuremberg　no　one　was　abroad　after　ten　o'clock；　except　a　few
loungers　at　the　cafes　and　beer…houses；　and　these　were　only　to　be
met　inside　the　town；　not　outside　it；　Lieschen　ran　extremely　little
risk　of　being　observed　in　her　rapid　transit　from　her　father's　to
her　lover's　house。　　Nor；　indeed；　had　she　ever　met　anyone　in　the
course　of　these　vi