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appalling　effect　of　IMITATION　acting　contagiously　upon　a　criminal
imagination；　of　which　contagion　there　have　been；　unfortunately；　too
many　exampleshorrible　crimes　prompting　certain　weak　and　feverish
imaginations；　by　the　very　horror　they　inspire；　first　to　dwell　on；
and　finally　to　realize　their　imitations。

It　was　this　latter　hypothesis　which　found　general　acceptance。
Indeed　it　was　the　only　one　which　rested　upon　any　ground　of
experience。　　The　disastrous　influence　of　imitation；　especially
under　the　fascination　of　horror；　was　well　known。　　The　idea　of　any
diabolical　malice　moving　one　man　to　pass　from　city　to　city；　and
there　quietly　single　out　his　victimsboth　of　them；　by　the　very
hypothesis；　unrelated　to　him；　both　of　them　at　the　epoch　of　their
lives；　when


　　　　　〃The　bosom's　lord　sits　lightly　on　its　throne；〃


when　the　peace　of　the　heart　is　assured；　and　the　future　is　radiantly
beckoning　to　them；that　any　man　should　choose　such　victims　for
such　crimes　was　too　preposterous　an　idea　long　to　be　entertained。
Unless　the　man　were　mad；　the　idea　was　inconceivable；　and　even　a
monomaniac　must　betray　himself　in　such　a　course；　because　he　would
necessarily　conceive　himself　to　be　accomplishing　some　supreme　act
of　justice。

It　was　thus　I　argued；　and　indeed　I　should　much　have　preferred　to
believe　that　one　maniac　were　involved；　rather　than　the　contagion　of
crime；since　one　maniac　must　inevitably　be　soon　detected；　whereas
there　were　no　assignable　limits　to　the　contagion　of　imitation。　　And
this　it　was　which　so　profoundly　agitated　German　society。　　In　every
family　in　which　there　happened　to　be　a　bride；　vague　tremors　could
not　be　allayed；　and　the　absolute　powerlessness　which　resulted　from
the　utter　uncertainty　as　to　the　quarter　in　which　this　dreaded
phantom　might　next　appear；　justified　and　intensified　those　tremors。
Against　such　an　apparition　there　was　no　conceivable　safeguard。
From　a　city　stricken　with　the　plague；　from　a　district　so　stricken；
flight　is　possible；　and　there　are　the　resources　of　medical　aid。
But　from　a　moral　plague　like　this；　what　escape　was　possible？

So　passionate　and　profound　became　the　terror；　that　I　began　to　share
the　opinion　which　I　heard　expressed；　regretting　the　widespread
publicity　of　the　modern　press；　since；　with　many　undeniable
benefits；　it　carried　also　the　fatal　curse　of　distributing　through
households；　and　keeping　constantly　under　the　excitement　of
discussion；　images　of　crime　and　horror　which　would　tend　to
perpetuate　and　extend　the　excesses　of　individual　passion。　　The　mere
dwelling　long　on　such　a　topic　as　this　was　fraught　with　evil。

This　and　more　I　heard　discussed　as　I　hurried　back　to　Munich。　　To
Munich？　　Yes；　thither　I　was　posting　with　all　speed。　　Not　a　shadow
of　doubt　now　remained　in　my　mind。　　I　knew　the　assassin；　and　was
resolved　to　track　and　convict　him。　　Do　not　suppose　that　THIS　time　I
was　led　away　by　the　vagrant　activity　of　my　constructive
imagination。　　I　had　something　like　positive　proof。　　No　sooner　had　I
learned　that　the　murder　had　been　committed　at　Grosshesslohe；　than
my　thoughts　at　once　carried　me　to　a　now　memorable　visit　I　had　made
there　in　company　with　Bourgonef　and　two　young　Bavarians。　　At　the
hotel　where　we　dined；　we　were　waited　on　by　the　niece　of　the
landlord；　a　girl　of　remarkable　beauty；　who　naturally　excited　the
attention　of　four　young　men；　and　furnished　them　with　a　topic　of
conversation。　　One　of　the　Bavarians　had　told　us　that　she　would　one
day　be　perhaps　one　of　the　wealthiest　women　in　the　country；　for　she
was　engaged　to　be　married　to　a　young　farmer　who　had　recently　found
himself；　by　a　rapid　succession　of　deaths；　sole　heir　to　a　great
brewer；　whose　wealth　was　known　to　be　enormous。

At　this　moment　Sophie　entered　bringing　wine；　and　I　saw　Bourgonef
slowly　turn　his　eyes　upon　her　with　a　look　which　then　was　mysterious
to　me；　but　which　now　spoke　too　plainly　its　dreadful　meaning。

What　is　there　in　a　look；　you　will　say？　　Perhaps　nothing；　or　it　may
be　everything。　　To　my　unsuspecting；　unenlightened　perception；
Bourgonef's　gaze　was　simply　the　melancholy　and　half…curious　gaze
which　such　a　man　might　be　supposed　to　cast　upon　a　young　woman　who
had　been　made　the　topic　of　an　interesting　discourse。　　But　to　my
mind；　enlightened　as　to　his　character；　and　instructed　as　to　his
peculiar　feelings　arising　from　his　own　story；　the　gaze　was　charged
with　horror。　　It　marked　a　victim。　　The　whole　succession　of　events
rose　before　me　in　vivid　distinctness；　the　separate　details　of
suspicion　gathered　into　unity。

Great　as　was　Bourgonef's　command　over　his　features；　he　could　not
conceal　uneasiness　as　well　as　surprise　at　my　appearance　at　the
table　d'hote　in　Munich。　　I　shook　hands　with　him；　putting　on　as
friendly　a　mask　as　I　could；　and　replied　to　his　question　about　my
sudden　return　by　attributing　it　to　unexpected　intelligence　received
at　Salzburg。

〃Nothing　serious；　I　hope？〃

〃Well；　I'm　afraid　it　will　prove　very　serious；〃　I　said。　　〃But　we
shall　see。　　Meanwhile　my　visit　to　the　Tyrol　must　be　given　up　or
postponed。〃

〃Do　you　remain　here；　then？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　my　movements　will　be。〃

Thus　I　had　prepared　him　for　any　reserve　or　strangeness　in　my
manner；　and　I　had　concealed　from　him　the　course　of　my　movements；
for　at　whatever　cost；　I　was　resolved　to　follow　him　and　bring　him　to
justice。

But　how？　　Evidence　I　had　none　that　could　satisfy　any　one　else；
however　convincing　it　might　be　to　my　own　mind。　　Nor　did　there　seem
any　evidence　forthcoming　from　Grosshesslohe。　　Sophie's　body　had
been　found　in　the　afternoon　lying　as　if　asleep　in　one　of　the　by…
paths　of　the　wood。　　No　marks　of　a　struggle；　no　traces　of　the
murderer。　　Her　affianced　lover；　who　was　at　Augsburg；　on　hearing　of
her　fate；　hurried　to　Grosshesslohe；　but　could　throw　no　light　on　the
murder；　could　give　no　hint　as　to　a　possible　motive　for　the　deed。
But　this　entire　absence　of　evidence；　or　even　ground　of　suspicion；
only　made　MY　case　the　stronger。　　It　was　the　motiveless　malignity　of
the　deed　which　fastened　it　on　Bourgonef；　or　rather；　it　was　the
absence　of　any　known　motive　elsewhere　which　assured　me　that　I　had
detected　the　motive　in　him。

Should　I　communicate　my　conviction　to　the　police？　　It　was　possible
that　I　might　impress　them　with　at　least　sufficient　suspicion　to
warrant　his　examinationand　in　that　case　the　truth　might　be
elicited；　for　among　the　many　barbarities　and　iniquities　of　the
criminal　procedure　in　Continental　States　which　often　press　heavily
on　the　innocent；　there　is　this　compensating　advantage；　that　the
pressure　on　the　guilty　is　tenfold　heavier。　　If　the　innocent　are
often　unjustly　punishedimprisoned　and　maltreated　before　their
innocence　can　be　establishedthe　guilty　seldom　escape。　　In　England
we　give　the　criminal　not　only　every　chance　of　escape；　but　many
advantages。　　The　love　of　fair…play　is　carried　to　excess。　　It　seems
at　times　as　if　the　whole　arrangements　of　our　procedure　were
established　with　a　view　to　giving　a　criminal　not　only　the　benefit
of　every　doubt；　but　of　every　loophole　through　which　he　can　slip。
Instead　of　this；　the　Continental　procedure　goes　on　the　principle　of
closing　up　every　loophole；　and　of　inventing　endless　traps　into
which　the　accused　may　fall。　　We　warn　the　accused　not　to　say
anything　that　may　be　prejudicial　to　him。　　They　entangle　him　in
contradictions　and　confessions　which　disclose　his　guilt。

Knowing　this；　I　thought　it　very　likely　that；　however　artful
Bourgonef　might　be；　a　severe　examination　might　extort　from　him
sufficient　confirmation　of　my　suspicion　to　warrant　further
procedure。　　But　knowing　also　that　THIS　resort　was　open　to　me　when
all　others　had　failed；　I　resolved　to　wait　and　watch。


IX

FINALE


Two　days　passed；　and　nothing　occurred。　　My　watching　seemed
hopeless；　and　I　resolved　to　try　the　effect　of　a　disguised
interrogatory。　　It　might　help　to　confirm　my　already　settled
conviction；　if　it　did　not　elicit　any　new　evidence。

Seated　in　Bourgonef's　room；　in　the　old　place；　each　with　a　cigar；
and　chatting　as　of　old　on　public　affairs；　I　gradually　approached
the　subject　of　the　recent　murder。

〃Is　it　not　strange；〃　I　said；　〃that　both　these　crimes　should　have
happened　while　we　were　casually　staying　in　both　places？〃

〃Perhaps　we　are　the　criminals；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　　I　shivered
slightly　at　this　audacity。　　He　laughed　as　he　spoke；　but　there　was　a
hard；　metallic；　and　almost　defiant　tone　in　his　voice　which
exasperated　me。

〃Perhaps　we　are；〃　I　answered；　quietly。　　He　looked　full　at　me；　but　I
was　prepared；　and　my　face　told　nothing。　　I　added；　as　in
explanation；　〃The　crime　being　apparently　contagious；　we　may　have
brought　the　infection　from　Nuremberg。〃

〃Do　you　believe　in　that　hypothesis　of　imitation？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　to　believe。　　Do　you　believe　in　there　being　only
one　murderer？　　It　seems　such　a　preposterous　idea。　　We　must　suppose
him；　at　any　rate；　to　be　a　maniac。〃

〃Not　necessarily。　　Indeed　there　seems　to　have　been　too　much　artful
contrivance　in　both　affairs；　not　only　in　the　selection　of　the
victims；　but　in　the　execution　of　the　schemes。　　Cunning　as　maniacs
often　are　they　are　still　maniacs；　and　betray　themselves。〃

〃If　not　a　maniac；〃　said　I；　hoping　to　pique　him；　〃he　must　be　a　man
of　stupendous　and　pitiable　vanity；perhaps