the notch on the ax and on being found out-第29节

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street。　　In　this　they　would　have　gained　an　asylum；　for　the　door　had
a　strong　bolt。　　But；　as　they　were　on　the　last　steps　of　the　landing；
they　could　hear　the　hard　breathing　and　long　strides　of　the　murderer
ascending　behind　them。　　He　had　watched　them　through　a　crevice；　and
had　been　satisfied　by　the　hysterical　laugh　of　Louisa　that　she　had
seen　him。　　In　the　darkness　he　could　not　follow　fast；　from　ignorance
of　the　localities；　until　he　found　himself　upon　the　stairs。　　Louisa；
dragging　her　sister　along；　felt　strong　as　with　the　strength　of
lunacy；　but　Lottchen　hung　like　a　weight　of　lead　upon　her。　　She
rushed　into　the　room；　but　at　the　very　entrance　Lottchen　fell。　　At
that　moment　the　assassin　exchanged　his　stealthy　pace　for　a　loud
clattering　ascent。　　Already　he　was　on　the　topmost　stair；　already　he
was　throwing　himself　at　a　bound　against　the　door；　when　Louisa；
having　dragged　her　sister　into　the　room；　closed　the　door　and　sent
the　bolt　home　in　the　very　instant　that　the　murderer's　hand　came
into　contact　with　the　handle。　　Then；　from　the　violence　of　her
emotions；　she　fell　down　in　a　fit；　with　her　arm　around　the　sister
whom　she　had　saved。

How　long　they　lay　in　this　state　neither　ever　knew。　　The　two　old
ladies　had　rushed　upstairs　on　hearing　the　tumult。　　Other　persons
had　been　concealed　in　other　parts　of　the　house。　　The　servants　found
themselves　suddenly　locked　in；　and　were　not　sorry　to　be　saved　from
a　collision　which　involved　so　awful　a　danger。　　The　old　ladies　had
rushed；　side　by　side；　into　the　very　center　of　those　who　were
seeking　them。　　Retreat　was　impossible；　two　persons　at　least　were
heard　following　them　upstairs。　　Something　like　a　shrieking
expostulation　and　counter…expostulation　went　on　between　the　ladies
and　the　murderers；　then　came　louder　voicesthen　one　heart…piercing
shriek；　and　then　anotherand　then　a　slow　moaning　and　a　dead
silence。　　Shortly　afterwards　was　heard　the　first　crashing　of　the
door　inward　by　the　mob；　but　the　murderers　had　fled　upon　the　first
alarm；　and；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　servants；　had　fled　upward。
Examination；　however；　explained　this：　from　a　window　in　the　roof
they　had　passed　to　an　adjoining　house　recently　left　empty；　and
here；　as　in　other　cases；　we　had　proof　how　apt　people　are；　in　the
midst　of　elaborate　provisions　against　remote　dangers；　to　neglect
those　which　are　obvious。

The　reign　of　terror；　it　may　be　supposed；　had　now　reached　its　acme。
The　two　old　ladies　were　both　lying　dead　at　different　points　on　the
staircase；　and；　as　usual；　no　conjecture　could　be　made　as　to　the
nature　of　the　offense　which　they　had　given；　but　that　the　murder　WAS
a　vindictive　one；　the　usual　evidence　remained　behind；　in　the　proofs
that　no　robbery　had　been　attempted。　　Two　new　features；　however；
were　now　brought　forward　in　this　system　of　horrors；　one　of　which
riveted　the　sense　of　their　insecurity　to　all　families　occupying
extensive　houses；　and　the　other　raised　ill　blood　between　the　city
and　the　university；　such　as　required　years　to　allay。　　The　first
arose　out　of　the　experience；　now　first　obtained；　that　these
assassins　pursued　the　plan　of　secreting　themselves　within　the　house
where　they　meditated　a　murder。　　All　the　care；　therefore；　previously
directed　to　the　securing　of　doors　and　windows　after　nightfall
appeared　nugatory。　　The　other　feature　brought　to　light　on　this
occasion　was　vouched　for　by　one　of　the　servants；　who　declared　that；
the　moment　before　the　door　of　the　kitchen　was　fastened　upon　herself
and　fellow　servant；　she　saw　two　men　in　the　hall；　one　on　the　point
of　ascending　the　stairs；　the　other　making　toward　the　kitchen；　that
she　could　not　distinguish　the　faces　of　either；　but　that　both　were
dressed　in　the　academic　costume　belonging　to　the　students　of　the
university。　　The　consequences　of　such　a　declaration　need　scarcely
be　mentioned。　　Suspicion　settled　upon　the　students；　who　were　more
numerous　since　the　general　peace；　in　a　much　larger　proportion
military；　and　less　select　or　respectable　than　heretofore。　　Still；
no　part　of　the　mystery　was　cleared　up　by　this　discovery。　　Many　of
the　students　were　poor　enough　to　feel　the　temptation　that　might　be
offered　by　any　LUCRATIVE　system　of　outrage。　　Jealous　and　painful
collusions　were；　in　the　meantime；　produced；　and；　during　the　latter
two　months　of　this　winter；　it　may　be　said　that　our　city　exhibited
the　very　anarchy　of　evil　passions。　　This　condition　of　things　lasted
until　the　dawning　of　another　spring。

It　will　be　supposed　that　communications　were　made　to　the　supreme
government　of　the　land　as　soon　as　the　murders　in　our　city　were
understood　to　be　no　casual　occurrences；　but　links　in　a　systematic
series。　　Perhaps　it　might　happen　from　some　other　business；　of　a
higher　kind；　just　then　engaging　the　attention　of　our　governors；
that　our　representations　did　not　make　the　impression　we　had
expected。　　We　could　not；　indeed；　complain　of　absolute　neglect　from
the　government。　　They　sent　down　one　or　two　of　their　most
accomplished　police　officers；　and　they　suggested　some　counsels；
especially　that　we　should　examine　more　strictly　into　the　quality　of
the　miscellaneous　population　who　occupied　our　large　suburb。　　But
they　more　than　hinted　that　no　necessity　was　seen　either　for
quartering　troops　upon　us；　or　for　arming　our　local　magistracy　with
ampler　powers。

This　correspondence　with　the　central　government　occupied　the　month
of　March；　and；　before　that　time；　the　bloody　system　had　ceased　as
abruptly　as　it　began。　　The　new　police　officer　flattered　himself
that　the　terror　of　his　name　had　wrought　this　effect；　but　judicious
people　thought　otherwise。　　All；　however；　was　quiet　until　the　depth
of　summer；　when；　by　way　of　hinting　to　us；　perhaps；　that　the
dreadful　power　which　clothed　itself　with　darkness　had　not　expired；
but　was　only　reposing　from　its　labors；　all　at　once　the　chief　jailer
of　the　city　was　missing。　　He　had　been　in　the　habit　of　taking　long
rides　in　the　forest；　his　present　situation　being　much　of　a
sinecure。　　It　was　on　the　first　of　July　that　he　was　missed。　　In
riding　through　the　city　gates　that　morning；　he　had　mentioned　the
direction　which　he　meant　to　pursue；　and　the　last　time　he　was　seen
alive　was　in　one　of　the　forest　avenues；　about　eight　miles　from　the
city；　leading　toward　the　point　he　had　indicated。　　This　jailer　was
not　a　man　to　be　regretted　on　his　own　account；　his　life　had　been　a
tissue　of　cruelty　and　brutal　abuse　of　his　powers；　in　which　he　had
been　too　much　supported　by　the　magistrates；　partly　on　the　plea　that
it　was　their　duty　to　back　their　own　officers　against　all
complainers；　partly　also　from　the　necessities　created　by　the
turbulent　times　for　a　more　summary　exercise　of　their　magisterial
authority。　　No　man；　therefore；　on　his　own　separate　account；　could
more　willingly　have　been　spared　than　this　brutal　jailer；　and　it　was
a　general　remark　that；　had　the　murderous　band　within　our　walls
swept　away　this　man　only；　they　would　have　merited　the　public
gratitude　as　purifiers　from　a　public　nuisance。　　But　was　it　certain
that　the　jailer　had　died　by　the　same　hands　as　had　so　deeply
afflicted　the　peace　of　our　city　during　the　winteror；　indeed；　that
he　had　been　murdered　at　all？　　The　forest　was　too　extensive　to　be
searched；　and　it　was　possible　that　he　might　have　met　with　some
fatal　accident。　　His　horse　had　returned　to　the　city　gates　in　the
night；　and　was　found　there　in　the　morning。　　Nobody；　however；　for
months　could　give　information　about　his　rider；　and　it　seemed
probable　that　he　would　not　be　discovered　until　the　autumn　and　the
winter　should　again　carry　the　sportsman　into　every　thicket　and
dingle　of　this　sylvan　tract。　　One　person　only　seemed　to　have　more
knowledge　on　this　subject　than　others；　and　that　was　poor　Ferdinand
von　Harrelstein。　　He　was　now　a　mere　ruin　of　what　he　had　once　been；
both　as　to　intellect　and　moral　feeling；　and　I　observed　him
frequently　smile　when　the　jailer　was　mentioned。　　〃Wait；〃　he　would
say；　〃till　the　leaves　begin　to　drop；　then　you　will　see　what　fine
fruit　our　forest　bears。〃　　I　did　not　repeat　these　expressions　to
anybody　except　one　friend；　who　agreed　with　me　that　the　jailer　had
probably　been　hanged　in　some　recess　of　the　forest；　which　summer
veiled　with　its　luxuriant　umbrage；　and　that　Ferdinand；　constantly
wandering　in　the　forest；　had　discovered　the　body；　but　we　both
acquitted　him　of　having　been　an　accomplice　in　the　murder。

Meantime　the　marriage　between　Margaret　Liebenheim　and　Maximilian
was　understood　to　be　drawing　near。　　Yet　one　thing　struck　everybody
with　astonishment。　　As　far　as　the　young　people　were　concerned；
nobody　could　doubt　that　all　was　arranged；　for　never　was　happiness
more　perfect　than　that　which　seemed　to　unite　them。　　Margaret　was
the　impersonation　of　May…time　and　youthful　rapture；　even　Maximilian
in　her　presence　seemed　to　forget　his　gloom；　and　the　worm　which
gnawed　at　his　heart　was　charmed　asleep　by　the　music　of　her　voice；
and　the　paradise　of　her　smiles。　　But；　until　the　autumn　came；
Margaret's　grandfather　had　never　ceased　to　frown　upon　this
connection；　and　to　support　the　pretensions　of　Ferdinand。　　The
dislike；　indeed；　seemed　reciprocal　between　him　and　Maximilian。
Each　avoided　the　other's　company　and　as　to　the　old　man；　he　went　so
far　as　to　speak　sneeringly　of　Maximilian。　　Maximilian　des