the notch on the ax and on being found out-第53章

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exactions　and　reproaches。　　I　understood　this；　perhaps；　all　the
better；　because　in　the　course　of　his　narrative　Bourgonef　had
revealed　to　me　aspects　of　his　nature　which　were　somewhat　repulsive。
Especially　was　I　struck　with　his　morbid　vanity；　and　his　readiness
to　impute　low　motives　to　others。　　This　unpleasant　view　of　his
charactera　character　in　many　respects　so　admirable　for　its
generosity　and　refinementwas　deepened　as　he　went　on；　instead　of
awaiting　my　reply　to　his　question。

〃For　a　wrong　so　measureless；　you　will　naturally　ask　what
measureless　revenge　I　sought。〃

The　idea　had　not　occurred　to　me；　indeed　I　could　see　no　wrong；　and
this　notion　of　revenge　was　somewhat　startling　in　such　a　case。

〃I　debated　it　long；〃　he　continued。　　〃I　felt　that　since　I　was
prevented　from　arresting　any　of　the　evil　to　myself；　I　could　at
least　mature　my　plans　for　an　adequate　discharge　of　just
retributions　on　her。　　It　reveals　the　impotence　resulting　from　the
trammels　of　modern　civilization；　that　while　the　possibilities　of
wrong　are　infinite；　the　openings　for　vengeance　are　few　and
contemptible。　　Only　when　a　man　is　thrown　upon　the　necessities　of
this　'wild　justice'　does　he　discover　how　difficult　vengeance　really
is。　　Had　Agalma　been　my　wife；　I　could　have　wreaked　my　wrath　upon
her；　with　assurance　that　some　of　the　torture　she　inflicted　on　me
was　to　fall　on　her。　　Not　having　this　power　what　was　I　to　do？　　Kill
her？　　That　would　have　afforded　one　moment　of　exquisite
satisfactionbut　to　her　it　would　have　been　simply　deathand　I
wanted　to　kill　the　heart。〃

He　seemed　working　with　an　insane　passion；　so　that　I　regarded　him
with　disgust；　mingled　with　some　doubts　as　to　what　horrors　he　was
about　to　relate。

〃My　plan　was　chosen。　　The　only　way　to　reach　her　heart　was　to　strike
through　her　husband。　　For　several　hours　daily　I　practised　with　the
pistol；　untilin　spite　of　only　having　a　left　handI　acquired
fatal　skill。　　But　this　was　not　enough。　　Firing　at　a　mark　is　simple
work。　　Firing　at　a　manespecially　one　holding　a　pistol　pointed　at
youis　altogether　different。　　I　had　too　often　heard　of　'crack
shots'　missing　their　men；　to　rely　confidently　on　my　skill　in　the
shooting　gallery。　　It　was　necessary　that　my　eye　and　hand　should　be
educated　to　familiarity　with　the　real　object。　　Part　of　the　cause
why　duelists　miss　their　man　is　from　the　trepidation　of　fear。　　I　was
without　fear。　　At　no　moment　in　my　life　have　I　been　afraid；　and　the
chance　of　being　shot　by　Korinski　I　counted　as　nothing。　　The　other
cause　is　unfamiliarity　with　the　mark。　　This　I　secured　myself
against　by　getting　a　lay　figure　of　Korinski's　height；　dressing　it
to　resemble　him；　placing　a　pistol　in　its　hand；　and　then　practising
at　this　mark　in　the　woods。　　After　a　short　time　I　could　send　a
bullet　through　the　thorax　without　taking　more　than　a　hasty　glance
at　the　figure。

〃Thus　prepared；　I　started　for　Paris。　　But　you　will　feel　for　me　when
you　learn　that　my　hungry　heart　was　baffled　of　its　vengeance；　and
baffled　for　ever。　　Agalma　had　been　carried　off　by　scarlet　fever。
Korinski　had　left　Paris；　and　I　felt　no　strong　promptings　to　follow
him；　and　wreak　on　him　a　futile　vengeance。　　It　was　on　HER　my　wrath
had　been　concentrated；　and　I　gnashed　my　teeth　at　the　thought　that
she　had　escaped　me。

〃My　story　is　ended。　　The　months　of　gloomy　depression　which
succeeded；　now　that　I　was　no　longer　sustained　by　the　hope　of
vengeance；　I　need　not　speak　of。　　My　existence　was　desolate；　and
even　now　the　desolation　continues　over　the　whole　region　of　the
emotions。　　I　carry　a　dead　heart　within　me。〃


VIII

A　SECOND　VICTIM


Bourgonef's　story　has　been　narrated　with　some　fullness；　though　in
less　detail　than　he　told　it；　in　order　that　the　reader　may
understand　its　real　bearings　on　MY　story。　　Without　it；　the　motives
which　impelled　the　strange　pertinacity　of　my　pursuit　would　have
been　unintelligible。　　I　have　said　that　a　very　disagreeable
impression　remained　on　my　mind　respecting　certain　aspects　of　his
character；　and　I　felt　somewhat　ashamed　of　my　imperfect　sagacity　in
having　up　to　this　period　been　entirely　blind　to　those　aspects。　　The
truth　is；　every　human　being　is　a　mystery；　and　remains　so　to　the
last。　　We　fancy　we　know　a　character；　we　form　a　distinct　conception
of　it；　for　years　that　conception　remains　unmodified；　and　suddenly
the　strain　of　some　emergency；　of　the　incidental　stimulus　of　new
circumstances；　reveals　qualities　not　simply　unexpected；　but　flatly
contradictory　of　our　previous　conception。　　We　judge　of　a　man　by　the
angle　he　subtends　to　our　eyeonly　thus　CAN　we　judge　of　him；　and
this　angle　depends　on　the　relation　his　qualities　and　circumstances
bear　to　our　interests　and　sympathies。　　Bourgonef　had　charmed　me
intellectually；　morally　I　had　never　come　closer　to　him　than　in　the
sympathies　of　public　questions　and　abstract　theories。　　His　story
had　disclosed　hidden　depths。

My　old　suspicions　reappeared；　and　a　conversation　we　had　two　days
afterwards　helped　to　strengthen　them。

We　had　gone　on　a　visit　to　Schwanthaler；　the　sculptor；　at　his　tiny
little　castle　of　Schwaneck；　a　few　miles　from　Munich。　　The　artist
was　out　for　a　walk；　but　we　were　invited　to　come　in　and　await　his
return；　which　would　be　shortly；　and　meanwhile　Bourgonef　undertook
to　show　me　over　the　castle；　interesting　as　a　bit　of　modern　Gothic；
realizing　on　a　diminutive　scale　a　youthful　dream　of　the　sculptor's。
When　our　survey　was　completedand　it　did　not　take　longwe　sat　at
one　of　the　windows　and　enjoyed　a　magnificent　prospect。　　〃It　is
curious；〃　said　Bourgonef；　〃to　be　shut　up　here　in　this　imitation　of
medieval　masonry；　where　every　detail　speaks　of　the　dead　past；　and
to　think　of　the　events　now　going　on　in　Paris　which　must　find
imitators　all　over　Europe；　and　which　open　to　the　mind　such　vistas
of　the　future。　　What　a　grotesque　anachronism　is　this　Gothic　castle；
built　in　the　same　age　as　that　which　sees　a　reforming　pope！〃

〃Yes；　but　is　not　the　reforming　pope　himself　an　anachronism？〃

〃As　a　Catholic；〃　here　he　smiled；　intimating　that　his　orthodoxy　was
not　very　stringent；　〃I　cannot　admit　that；　as　a　Protestant；　you　must
admit　that　if　there　must　be　a　pope；　he　must　in　these　days　be　a
reformer；　orgive　up　his　temporal　power。　　Not　that　I　look　on　Pio
Nono　as　more　than　a　precursor；　he　may　break　ground；　and　point　the
way；　but　he　is　not　the　man　to　lead　Europe　out　of　its　present　slough
of　despond；　and　under　the　headship　of　the　Church　found　a　new　and
lasting　republic。　　We　want　a　Hildebrand；　one　who　will　be　to　the
nineteenth　century　as　Gregory　was　to　the　eleventh。〃

〃Do　you　believe　in　such　a　possibility？　　Do　you　think　the　Roman
pontiff　can　ever　again　sway　the　destinies　of　Europe？〃

〃I　can　hardly　say　I　believe　it；　yet　I　see　the　possibility　of　such
an　opening　if　the　right　man　were　to　arise。　　But　I　fear　he　will　not
arise；　or　if　he　should；　the　Conclave　will　stifle　him。　　Yet　there　is
but　one　alternative：　either　Europe　must　once　more　join　in　a　crusade
with　a　pope　at　the　head；　or　it　must　hoist　the　red　flag。　　There　is
no　other　issue。〃

〃Heaven　preserve　us　from　both！　　And　I　think　we　shall　be　preserved
from　the　Pope　by　the　rottenness　of　the　Church；　from　the　drapeau
rouge　by　the　indignation　and　horror　of　all　honest　men。　　You　see　how
the　Provisional　Government　has　resisted　the　insane　attempt　of　the
fanatics　to　make　the　red　flag　accepted　as　the　national　banner？〃

〃Yes；　and　it　is　the　one　thing　which　dashes　my　pleasure　in　the　new
revolution。　　It　is　the　one　act　of　weakness　which　the　Government　has
exhibited；　a　concession　which　will　be　fatal　unless　it　be　happily
set　aside　by　the　energetic　party　of　action。〃

〃An　act　of　weakness？　say　rather　an　act　of　strength。　　A　concession？
say　rather　the　repudiation　of　anarchy；　the　assertion　of　law　and
justice。〃

〃Not　a　bit。　　It　was　concession　to　the　fears　of　the　timid；　and　to
the　vanity　of　the　French　people。　　The　tricolor　is　a　French　flag
not　the　banner　of　humanity。　　It　is　because　the　tricolor　has　been
identified　with　the　victories　of　France　that　it　appeals　to　the
vanity　of　the　vainest　of　people。　　They　forget　that　it　is　the　flag
of　a　revolution　which　failed；　and　of　an　empire　which　was　one
perpetual　outrage　to　humanity。　　Whereas　the　red　is　new；　it　is　the
symbol　of　an　energetic；　thorough…going　creed。　　If　it　carries　terror
with　it；　so　much　the　better。　　The　tyrants　and　the　timid　should　be
made　to　tremble。〃

〃I　had　no　idea　you　were　so　bloodthirsty；〃　said　I；　laughing　at　his
vehemence。

〃I　am　not　bloodthirsty　at　all；　I　am　only　logical　and　consistent。
There　is　a　mass　of　sophistry　current　in　the　world　which　sickens　me。
People　talk　of　Robespierre　and　St。　Just；　two　of　the　most　virtuous
men　that　ever　livedand　of　Dominic　and　Torquemada；　two　of　the　most
single…mindedas　if　they　were　cruel　and　bloodthirsty；　whereas　they
were　only　convinced。〃

〃Is　it　from　love　of　paradox　that　you　defend　these　tigers？〃

〃Tigers；　againhow　those　beasts　are　calumniated！〃

He　said　this　with　a　seriousness　which　was　irresistibly　comic。　　I
shouted　with　laughter；　but　he　continued　gravely：

〃You　think　I　am　joking。　　But　let　me　ask　you　why　you　consider　the
tiger　more　bloodthirsty　than　yourself？　　He　springs　upon　his　food
you　buy　yours　from　the　butcher。　　He　cannot　live　without　animal
food：　it　is　a　primal　necessity；　and　he　obeys　the　ordained　instinct。
You　can　live　on　vegetables；　yet　you　slaughter　beasts　of　the　field
and　birds　of　the　air　（or　buy　them　when　slaughtered）；　and　consider
yourself　a　model　of　virtue。　　The　tiger　only　kills　his　food　or　his
enemies；　you　not　only　kill　both；　but　you　kill　one　animal　to　make
gravy　for　another！　　The　tiger　is　less　bloodthirsty　than　the
Christian！〃

〃I　don't　know　how　much　of　that　tirade　is　meant　to　be　serious；　but
to　waive　the　question　of　the　tiger's　morality；　do　you　reallyI
will　not　say　sympathize；but　justify　Robespierre；　Dominic；　St。
Just；　and　the　rest　of　the　fanatics　who　have　waded　to　their　ends
through　blood。〃

〃He　who　wills　the　END；　wills　the　MEANS。〃

〃A　devil's　maxim。〃

〃But　a　truth。　　What　the　foolish　world　shrinks　at　as
bloodthirstiness　and　cruelty　is　very　often　mere　force　and　constancy
of　intellect。　　It　is　not　that　fanatics　thirst　for　bloodfar　from
it；but　they　thirst　for　the　triumph　of　their　cause。　　Whatever
obstacle　lies　on　their　path　must　be　removed；　if　a　torrent　of　blood
is　the　only　thing　that　will　sweep　it　awaythe　torrent　must　sweep。〃

〃And　sweep　with　it　all　the　sentiments　of　pity；　mercy；　charity；
love？〃

〃No；　these　sentiments　may　give　a　sadness　to　the　necessity；　they
make　the　deed　a　sacrifice；　but　they　cannot　prevent　the　soul　from
seeing　the　aim　to　which　it　tends。〃

〃This　is　detestable　doctrine！　　It　is　the　sophism　which　has
destroyed　families；　devastated　cities；　and　retarded　the　moral
progress　of　the　world　more　than　anything　else。　　No　single　act　of
injustice　is　ever　done　on　this　earth　but　it　tends　to　perpetuate　the
reign　of　iniquity。　　By　the　feelings　it　calls　forth　it　keeps　up　the
native　savagery　of　the　heart。　　It　breeds　injustice；　partly　by
hardening　the　minds　of　those　who　assent；　and　partly　by　exciting　the
passion　of　revenge　in　those　who　resist。〃

〃You　are　wrong。　　The　great　drag…chain　on　the　car　of　progress　is　the
faltering　inconsistency　of　man。　　Weakness　is　more　cruel　than
sternness。　　Sentiment　is　more　destructive　than　logic。〃

T