classic mystery and detective stories-第24节

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misery　of　fear　fell　upon　the　population；　so　much　the　worse　than　any

anguish　of　a　beleaguered　city　that　is　awaiting　the　storming　fury　of

a　victorious　enemy；　by　how　much　the　shadowy；　the　uncertain；　the

infinite；　is　at　all　times　more　potent　in　mastering　the　mind　than　a

danger　that　is　known；　measurable；　palpable；　and　human。　　The　very

police；　instead　of　offering　protection　or　encouragement；　were

seized　with　terror　for　themselves。　　And　the　general　feeling；　as　it

was　described　to　me　by　a　grave　citizen　whom　I　met　in　a　morning　walk

（for　the　overmastering　sense　of　a　public　calamity　broke　down　every

barrier　of　reserve；　and　all　men　talked　freely　to　all　men　in　the

streets；　as　they　would　have　done　during　the　rockings　of　an

earthquake）；　was；　even　among　the　boldest；　like　that　which　sometimes

takes　possession　of　the　mind　in　dreamswhen　one　feels　oneself

sleeping　alone；　utterly　divided　from　all　call　or　hearing　of

friends；　doors　open　that　should　be　shut；　or　unlocked　that　should　be

triply　secured；　the　very　walls　gone；　barriers　swallowed　up　by

unknown　abysses；　nothing　around　one　but　frail　curtains；　and　a　world

of　illimitable　night；　whisperings　at　a　distance；　correspondence

going　on　between　darkness　and　darkness；　like　one　deep　calling　to

another；　and　the　dreamer's　own　heart　the　center　from　which　the

whole　network　of　this　unimaginable　chaos　radiates；　by　means　of

which　the　blank　PRIVATIONS　of　silence　and　darkness　become　powers

the　most　POSITIVE　and　awful。



Agencies　of　fear；　as　of　any　other　passion；　and；　above　all；　of

passion　felt　in　communion　with　thousands；　and　in　which　the　heart

beats　in　conscious　sympathy　with　an　entire　city；　through　all　its

regions　of　high　and　low；　young　and　old；　strong　and　weak；　such

agencies　avail　to　raise　and　transfigure　the　natures　of　men；　mean

minds　become　elevated；　dull　men　become　eloquent；　and　when　matters

came　to　this　crisis；　the　public　feeling；　as　made　known　by　voice；

gesture；　manner；　or　words；　was　such　that　no　stranger　could

represent　it　to　his　fancy。　　In　that　respect；　therefore；　I　had　an

advantage；　being　upon　the　spot　through　the　whole　course　of　the

affair；　for　giving　a　faithful　narrative；　as　I　had　still　more

eminently；　from　the　sort　of　central　station　which　I　occupied；　with

respect　to　all　the　movements　of　the　case。　　I　may　add　that　I　had

another　advantage；　not　possessed；　or　not　in　the　same　degree；　by　any

other　inhabitant　of　the　town。　　I　was　personally　acquainted　with

every　family　of　the　slightest　account　belonging　to　the　resident

population；　whether　among　the　old　local　gentry；　or　the　new　settlers

whom　the　late　wars　had　driven　to　take　refuge　within　our　walls。



It　was　in　September；　1815；　that　I　received　a　letter　from　the　chief

secretary　to　the　Prince　of　M；　a　nobleman　connected　with　the

diplomacy　of　Russia；　from　which　I　quote　an　extract：　〃I　wish；　in

short；　to　recommend　to　your　attentions；　and　in　terms　stronger　than

I　know　how　to　devise；　a　young　man　on　whose　behalf　the　czar　himself

is　privately　known　to　have　expressed　the　very　strongest　interest。

He　was　at　the　battle　of　Waterloo　as　an　aide…de…camp　to　a　Dutch

general　officer；　and　is　decorated　with　distinctions　won　upon　that

awful　day。　　However；　though　serving　in　that　instance　under　English

orders；　and　although　an　Englishman　of　rank；　he　does　not　belong　to

the　English　military　service。　　He　has　served；　young　as　he　is；　under

VARIOUS　banners；　and　under　ours；　in　particular；　in　the　cavalry　of

our　imperial　guard。　　He　is　English　by　birth；　nephew　to　the　Earl　of

E。；　and　heir　presumptive　to　his　immense　estates。　　There　is　a　wild

story　current；　that　his　mother　was　a　gypsy　of　transcendent　beauty；

which　may　account　for　his　somewhat　Moorish　complexion；　though；

after　all；　THAT　is　not　of　a　deeper　tinge　than　I　have　seen　among

many　an　Englishman。　　He　is　himself　one　of　the　noblest　looking　of

God's　creatures。　　Both　father　and　mother；　however；　are　now　dead。

Since　then　he　has　become　the　favorite　of　his　uncle；　who　detained

him　in　England　after　the　emperor　had　departedand；　as　this　uncle

is　now　in　the　last　stage　of　infirmity；　Mr。　Wyndham's　succession　to

the　vast　family　estates　is　inevitable；　and　probably　near　at　hand。

Meantime；　he　is　anxious　for　some　assistance　in　his　studies。

Intellectually　he　stands　in　the　very　first　rank　of　men；　as　I　am

sure　you　will　not　be　slow　to　discover；　but　his　long　military

service；　and　the　unparalleled　tumult　of　our　European　history　since

1805；　have　interfered　（as　you　may　suppose）　with　the　cultivation　of

his　mind；　for　he　entered　the　cavalry　service　of　a　German　power　when

a　mere　boy；　and　shifted　about　from　service　to　service　as　the

hurricane　of　war　blew　from　this　point　or　from　that。　　During　the

French　anabasis　to　Moscow　he　entered　our　service；　made　himself　a

prodigious　favorite　with　the　whole　imperial　family；　and　even　now　is

only　in　his　twenty…second　year。　　As　to　his　accomplishments；　they

will　speak　for　themselves；　they　are　infinite；　and　applicable　to

every　situation　of　life。　　Greek　is　what　he　wants　from　you；never

ask　about　terms。　　He　will　acknowledge　any　trouble　he　may　give　you；

as　he　acknowledges　all　trouble；　en　prince。　　And　ten　years　hence　you

will　look　back　with　pride　upon　having　contributed　your　part　to　the

formation　of　one　whom　all　here　at　St。　Petersburg；　not　soldiers

only；　but　we　diplomates；　look　upon　as　certain　to　prove　a　great　man；

and　a　leader　among　the　intellects　of　Christendom。〃



Two　or　three　other　letters　followed；　and　at　length　it　was　arranged

that　Mr。　Maximilian　Wyndham　should　take　up　his　residence　at　my

monastic　abode　for　one　year。　　He　was　to　keep　a　table；　and　an

establishment　of　servants；　at　his　own　cost；　was　to　have　an

apartment　of　some　dozen　or　so　of　rooms；　the　unrestricted　use　of　the

library；　with　some　other　public　privileges　willingly　conceded　by

the　magistracy　of　the　town；　in　return　for　all　which　he　was　to　pay

me　a　thousand　guineas；　and　already　beforehand；　by　way　of

acknowledgment　for　the　public　civilities　of　the　town；　he　sent；

through　my　hands；　a　contribution　of　three　hundred　guineas　to　the

various　local　institutions　for　education　of　the　poor；　or　for

charity。



The　Russian　secretary　had　latterly　corresponded　with　me　from　a

little　German　town；　not　more　than　ninety　miles　distant；　and；　as　he

had　special　couriers　at　his　service；　the　negotiations　advanced　so

rapidly　that　all　was　closed　before　the　end　of　September。　　And；　when

once　that　consummation　was　attained；　I；　that　previously　had

breathed　no　syllable　of　what　was　stirring；　now　gave　loose　to　the

interesting　tidings；　and　suffered　them　to　spread　through　the　whole

compass　of　the　town。　　It　will　be　easily　imagined　that　such　a　story；

already　romantic　enough　in　its　first　outline；　would　lose　nothing　in

the　telling。　　An　Englishman　to　begin　with；　which　name　of　itself；

and　at　all　times；　is　a　passport　into　German　favor；　but　much　more

since　the　late　memorable　wars　that　but　for　Englishmen　would　have

drooped　into　disconnected　effortsnext；　an　Englishman　of　rank　and

of　the　haute　noblessethen　a　soldier　covered　with　brilliant

distinctions；　and　in　the　most　brilliant　arm　of　the　service；　young；

moreover；　and　yet　a　veteran　by　his　experiencefresh　from　the　most

awful　battle　of　this　planet　since　the　day　of　Pharsalia；radiant

with　the　favor　of　courts　and　of　imperial　ladies；　finally　（which

alone　would　have　given　him　an　interest　in　all　female　hearts）；　an

Antinous　of　faultless　beauty；　a　Grecian　statue；　as　it　were；　into

which　the　breath　of　life　had　been　breathed　by　some　modern

Pygmalion；such　a　pomp　of　gifts　and　endowments　settling　upon　one

man's　head；　should　not　have　required　for　its　effect　the　vulgar

consummation　（and　yet　to　many　it　WAS　the　consummation　and　crest　of

the　whole）　that　he　was　reputed　to　be　rich　beyond　the　dreams　of

romance　or　the　necessities　of　a　fairy　tale。　　Unparalleled　was　the

impression　made　upon　our　stagnant　society；　every　tongue　was　busy　in

discussing　the　marvelous　young　Englishman　from　morning　to　night；

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。