the notch on the ax and on being found out-第24节

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！


every　female　fancy　was　busy　in　depicting　the　personal　appearance　of
this　gay　apparition。

On　his　arrival　at　my　house；　I　became　sensible　of　a　truth　which　I
had　observed　some　years　before。　　The　commonplace　maxim　is；　that　it
is　dangerous　to　raise　expectations　too　high。　　This；　which　is　thus
generally　expressed；　and　without　limitation；　is　true　only
conditionally；　it　is　true　then　and　there　only　where　there　is　but
little　merit　to　sustain　and　justify　the　expectation。　　But　in　any
case　where　the　merit　is　transcendent　of　its　kind；　it　is　always
useful　to　rack　the　expectation　up　to　the　highest　point。　　In
anything　which　partakes　of　the　infinite；　the　most　unlimited
expectations　will　find　ample　room　for　gratification；　while　it　is
certain　that　ordinary　observers；　possessing　little　sensibility；
unless　where　they　have　been　warned　to　expect；　will　often　fail　to
see　what　exists　in　the　most　conspicuous　splendor。　　In　this　instance
it　certainly　did　no　harm　to　the　subject　of　expectation　that　I　had
been　warned　to　look　for　so　much。　　The　warning；　at　any　rate；　put　me
on　the　lookout　for　whatever　eminence　there　might　be　of　grandeur　in
his　personal　appearance；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　this　existed　in
such　excess；　so　far　transcending　anything　I　had　ever　met　with　in　my
experience；　that　no　expectation　which　it　is　in　words　to　raise　could
have　been　disappointed。

These　thoughts　traveled　with　the　rapidity　of　light　through　my
brain；　as　at　one　glance　my　eye　took　in　the　supremacy　of　beauty　and
power　which　seemed　to　have　alighted　from　the　clouds　before　me。
Power；　and　the　contemplation　of　power；　in　any　absolute　incarnation
of　grandeur　or　excess；　necessarily　have　the　instantaneous　effect　of
quelling　all　perturbation。　　My　composure　was　restored　in　a　moment。
I　looked　steadily　at　him。　　We　both　bowed。　　And；　at　the　moment　when
he　raised　his　head　from　that　inclination；　I　caught　the　glance　of
his　eye；　an　eye　such　as　might　have　been　looked　for　in　a　face　of
such　noble　lineaments


　　　　　〃Blending　the　nature　of　the　star
　　　　　　With　that　of　summer　skies；〃


and；　therefore；　meant　by　nature　for　the　residence　and　organ　of
serene　and　gentle　emotions；　but　it　surprised；　and　at　the　same　time
filled　me　more　almost　with　consternation　than　with　pity；　to　observe
that　in　those　eyes　a　light　of　sadness　had　settled　more　profound
than　seemed　possible　for　youth；　or　almost　commensurate　to　a　human
sorrow；　a　sadness　that　might　have　become　a　Jewish　prophet；　when
laden　with　inspirations　of　woe。

Two　months　had　now　passed　away　since　the　arrival　of　Mr。　Wyndham。
He　had　been　universally　introduced　to　the　superior　society　of　the
place；　and；　as　I　need　hardly　say；　universally　received　with　favor
and　distinction。　　In　reality；　his　wealth　and　importance；　his
military　honors；　and　the　dignity　of　his　character；　as　expressed　in
his　manners　and　deportment；　were　too　eminent　to　allow　of　his　being
treated　with　less　than　the　highest　attention　in　any　society
whatever。　　But　the　effect　of　these　various　advantages；　enforced　and
recommended　as　they　were　by　a　personal　beauty　so　rare；　was　somewhat
too　potent　for　the　comfort　and　self…possession　of　ordinary　people；
and　really　exceeded　in　a　painful　degree　the　standard　of　pretensions
under　which　such　people　could　feel　themselves　at　their　ease。　　He
was　not　naturally　of　a　reserved　turn；　far　from　it。　　His　disposition
had　been　open；　frank；　and　confiding；　originally；　and　his　roving；
adventurous　life；　of　which　considerably　more　than　one　half　had　been
passed　in　camps；　had　communicated　to　his　manners　a　more　than
military　frankness。　　But　the　profound　melancholy　which　possessed
him；　from　whatever　cause　it　arose；　necessarily　chilled　the　native
freedom　of　his　demeanor；　unless　when　it　was　revived　by　strength　of
friendship　or　of　love。　　The　effect　was　awkward　and　embarrassing　to
all　parties。　　Every　voice　paused　or　faltered　when　he　entered　a
roomdead　silence　ensuednot　an　eye　but　was　directed　upon　him；　or
else；　sunk　in　timidity；　settled　upon　the　floor；　and　young　ladies
seriously　lost　the　power；　for　a　time；　of　doing　more　than　murmuring
a　few　confused；　half…inarticulate　syllables；　or　half…inarticulate
sounds。　　The　solemnity；　in　fact；　of　a　first　presentation；　and　the
utter　impossibility　of　soon　recovering　a　free；　unembarrassed
movement　of　conversation；　made　such　scenes　really　distressing　to
all　who　participated　in　them；　either　as　actors　or　spectators。
Certainly　this　result　was　not　a　pure　effect　of　manly　beauty；
however　heroic；　and　in　whatever　excess；　it　arose　in　part　from　the
many　and　extraordinary　endowments　which　had　centered　in　his　person；
not　less　from　fortune　than　from　nature；　in　part　also；　as　I　have
said；　from　the　profound　sadness　and　freezing　gravity　of　Mr。
Wyndham's　manner；　but　still　more　from　the　perplexing　mystery　which
surrounded　that　sadness。

Were　there；　then；　no　exceptions　to　this　condition　of　awestruck
admiration？　　Yes；　one　at　least　there　was　in　whose　bosom　the　spell
of　all…conquering　passion　soon　thawed　every　trace　of　icy　reserve。
While　the　rest　of　the　world　retained　a　dim　sentiment　of　awe　toward
Mr。　Wyndham；　Margaret　Liebenheim　only　heard　of　such　a　feeling　to
wonder　that　it　could　exist　toward　HIM。　　Never　was　there　so
victorious　a　conquest　interchanged　between　two　youthful　hearts
never　before　such　a　rapture　of　instantaneous　sympathy。　　I　did　not
witness　the　first　meeting　of　this　mysterious　Maximilian　and　this
magnificent　Margaret；　and　do　not　know　whether　Margaret　manifested
that　trepidation　and　embarrassment　which　distressed　so　many　of　her
youthful　co…rivals；　but；　if　she　did；　it　must　have　fled　before　the
first　glance　of　the　young　man's　eye；　which　would　interpret；　past
all　misunderstanding；　the　homage　of　his　soul　and　the　surrender　of
his　heart。　　Their　third　meeting　I　DID　see；　and　there　all　shadow　of
embarrassment　had　vanished；　except；　indeed；　of　that　delicate
embarrassment　which　clings　to　impassioned　admiration。　　On　the　part
of　Margaret；　it　seemed　as　if　a　new　world　had　dawned　upon　her　that
she　had　not　so　much　as　suspected　among　the　capacities　of　human
experience。　　Like　some　bird　she　seemed；　with　powers　unexercised　for
soaring　and　flying；　not　understood　even　as　yet；　and　that　never
until　now　had　found　an　element　of　air　capable　of　sustaining　her
wings；　or　tempting　her　to　put　forth　her　buoyant　instincts。　　He；　on
the　other　hand；　now　first　found　the　realization　of　his　dreams；　and
for　a　mere　possibility　which　he　had　long　too　deeply　contemplated；
fearing；　however；　that　in　his　own　case　it　might　prove　a　chimera；　or
that　he　might　never　meet　a　woman　answering　the　demands　of　his
heart；　he　now　found　a　corresponding　reality　that　left　nothing　to
seek。

Here；　then；　and　thus　far；　nothing　but　happiness　had　resulted　from
the　new　arrangement。　　But；　if　this　had　been　little　anticipated　by
many；　far　less　had　I；　for　my　part；　anticipated　the　unhappy
revolution　which　was　wrought　in　the　whole　nature　of　Ferdinand　von
Harrelstein。　　He　was　the　son　of　a　German　baron；　a　man　of　good
family；　but　of　small　estate　who　had　been　pretty　nearly　a　soldier　of
fortune　in　the　Prussian　service；　and　had；　late　in　life；　won
sufficient　favor　with　the　king　and　other　military　superiors；　to
have　an　early　prospect　of　obtaining　a　commission；　under　flattering
auspices；　for　this　only　sona　son　endeared　to　him　as　the　companion
of　unprosperous　years；　and　as　a　dutifully　affectionate　child。
Ferdinand　had　yet　another　hold　upon　his　father's　affections：　his
features　preserved　to　the　baron's　unclouded　remembrance　a　most
faithful　and　living　memorial　of　that　angelic　wife　who　had　died　in
giving　birth　to　this　third　childthe　only　one　who　had　long
survived　her。　　Anxious　that　his　son　should　go　through　a　regular
course　of　mathematical　instruction；　now　becoming　annually　more
important　in　all　the　artillery　services　throughout　Europe；　and　that
he　should　receive　a　tincture　of　other　liberal　studies　which　he　had
painfully　missed　in　his　own　military　career；　the　baron　chose　to
keep　his　son　for　the　last　seven　years　at　our　college；　until　he　was
now　entering　upon　his　twenty…third　year。　　For　the　four　last　he　had
lived　with　me　as　the　sole　pupil　whom　I　had；　or　meant　to　have；　had
not　the　brilliant　proposals　of　the　young　Russian　guardsman
persuaded　me　to　break　my　resolution。　　Ferdinand　von　Harrelstein　had
good　talents；　not　dazzling　but　respectable；　and　so　amiable　were　his
temper　and　manners　that　I　had　introduced　him　everywhere；　and
everywhere　he　was　a　favorite；　and　everywhere；　indeed；　except
exactly　there　where　only　in　this　world　he　cared　for　favor。
Margaret　Liebenheim；　she　it　was　whom　he　loved；　and　had　loved　for
years；　with　the　whole　ardor　of　his　ardent　soul；　she　it　was　for
whom；　or　at　whose　command；　he　would　willingly　have　died。　　Early　he
had　felt　that　in　her　hands　lay　his　destiny；　that　she　it　was　who
must　be　his　good　or　his　evil　genius。

At　first；　and　perhaps　to　the　last；　I　pitied　him　exceedingly。　　But
my　pity　soon　ceased　to　be　mingled　with　respect。　　Before　the　arrival
of　Mr。　Wyndham　he　had　shown　himself　generous；　indeed　magnanimous。
But　never　was　there　so　painful　an　overthrow　of　a　noble　nature　as
manifested　itself　in　him。　　I　believe　that　he　had　not　himself
suspected　the　strength　of　his　passion；　and　the　sole　resource　for
him；　as　I　sai