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第27节

classic mystery and detective stories-第27节

小说: classic mystery and detective stories 字数: 每页4000字

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exquisite terror。



An examination went on that night before the magistrates; but all

was dark; although suspicion attached to a negro named Aaron; who

had occasionally been employed in menial services by the family;

and had been in the house immediately before the murder。  The

circumstances were such as to leave every man in utter perplexity

as to the presumption for and against him。  His mode of defending

himself; and his general deportment; were marked by the coolest;

nay; the most sneering indifference。  The first thing he did; on

being acquainted with the suspicions against himself; was to laugh

ferociously; and to all appearance most cordially and unaffectedly。

He demanded whether a poor man like himself would have left so much

wealth as lay scattered abroad in that housegold repeaters; massy

plate; gold snuff boxesuntouched?  That argument certainly

weighed much in his favor。  And yet again it was turned against

him; for a magistrate asked him how HE happened to know already

that nothing had been touched。  True it was; and a fact which had

puzzled no less than it had awed the magistrates; that; upon their

examination of the premises; many rich articles of bijouterie;

jewelry; and personal ornaments; had been found lying underanged;

and apparently in their usual situations; articles so portable that

in the very hastiest flight some might have been carried off。  In

particular; there was a crucifix of gold; enriched with jewels so

large and rare; that of itself it would have constituted a prize of

great magnitude。  Yet this was left untouched; though suspended in

a little oratory that had been magnificently adorned by the elder

of the maiden sisters。  There was an altar; in itself a splendid

object; furnished with every article of the most costly material

and workmanship; for the private celebration of mass。  This

crucifix; as well as everything else in the little closet; must

have been seen by one at least of the murderous party; for hither

had one of the ladies fled; hither had one of the murderers

pursued。  She had clasped the golden pillars which supported the

altarhad turned perhaps her dying looks upon the crucifix; for

there; with one arm still wreathed about the altar foot; though in

her agony she had turned round upon her face; did the elder sister

lie when the magistrates first broke open the street door。  And

upon the beautiful parquet; or inlaid floor which ran round the

room; were still impressed the footsteps of the murderer。  These;

it was hoped; might furnish a clew to the discovery of one at least

among the murderous band。  They were rather difficult to trace

accurately; those parts of the traces which lay upon the black

tessellae being less distinct in the outline than the others upon

the white or colored。  Most unquestionably; so far as this went; it

furnished a negative circumstance in favor of the negro; for the

footsteps were very different in outline from his; and smaller; for

Aaron was a man of colossal build。  And as to his knowledge of the

state in which the premises had been found; and his having so

familiarly relied upon the fact of no robbery having taken place as

an argument on his own behalf; he contended that he had himself

been among the crowd that pushed into the house along with the

magistrates; that; from his previous acquaintance with the rooms

and their ordinary condition; a glance of the eye had been

sufficient for him to ascertain the undisturbed condition of all

the valuable property most obvious to the grasp of a robber that;

in fact; he had seen enough for his argument before he and the rest

of the mob had been ejected by the magistrates; but; finally; that

independently of all this; he had heard both the officers; as they

conducted him; and all the tumultuous gatherings of people in the

street; arguing for the mysteriousness of the bloody transaction

upon that very circumstance of so much gold; silver; and jewels;

being left behind untouched。



In six weeks or less from the date of this terrific event; the

negro was set at liberty by a majority of voices among the

magistrates。  In that short interval other events had occurred no

less terrific and mysterious。  In this first murder; though the

motive was dark and unintelligible; yet the agency was not so;

ordinary assassins apparently; and with ordinary means; had

assailed a helpless and unprepared family; had separated them;

attacked them singly in flight (for in this first case all but one

of the murdered persons appeared to have been making for the street

door); and in all this there was no subject for wonder; except the

original one as to the motive。  But now came a series of cases

destined to fling this earliest murder into the shade。  Nobody

could now be unprepared; and yet the tragedies; henceforward; which

passed before us; one by one; in sad; leisurely; or in terrific

groups; seemed to argue a lethargy like that of apoplexy in the

victims; one and all。  The very midnight of mysterious awe fell

upon all minds。



Three weeks had passed since the murder at Mr。 Weishaupt'sthree

weeks the most agitated that had been known in this sequestered

city。  We felt ourselves solitary; and thrown upon our own

resources; all combination with other towns being unavailing from

their great distance。  Our situation was no ordinary one。  Had

there been some mysterious robbers among us; the chances of a

visit; divided among so many; would have been too small to distress

the most timid; while to young and high…spirited people; with

courage to spare for ordinary trials; such a state of expectation

would have sent pulses of pleasurable anxiety among the nerves。

But murderers! exterminating murderers!clothed in mystery and

utter darknessthese were objects too terrific for any family to

contemplate with fortitude。  Had these very murderers added to

their functions those of robbery; they would have become less

terrific; nine out of every ten would have found themselves

discharged; as it were; from the roll of those who were liable to a

visit; while such as knew themselves liable would have had warning

of their danger in the fact of being rich; and would; from the very

riches which constituted that danger; have derived the means of

repelling it。  But; as things were; no man could guess what it was

that must make him obnoxious to the murderers。  Imagination

exhausted itself in vain guesses at the causes which could by

possibility have made the poor Weishaupts objects of such hatred to

any man。  True; they were bigoted in a degree which indicated

feebleness of intellect; but THAT wounded no man in particular;

while to many it recommended them。  True; their charity was narrow

and exclusive; but to those of their own religious body it expanded

munificently; and; being rich beyond their wants; or any means of

employing wealth which their gloomy asceticism allowed; they had

the power of doing a great deal of good among the indigent papists

of the suburbs。  As to the old gentleman and his wife; their

infirmities confined them to the house。  Nobody remembered to have

seen them abroad for years。  How; therefore; or when could they

have made an enemy?  And; with respect to the maiden sisters of Mr。

Weishaupt; they were simply weak…minded persons; now and then too

censorious; but not placed in a situation to incur serious anger

from any quarter; and too little heard of in society to occupy much

of anybody's attention。



Conceive; then; that three weeks have passed away; that the poor

Weishaupts have been laid in that narrow sanctuary which no

murderer's voice will ever violate。  Quiet has not returned to us;

but the first flutterings of panic have subsided。  People are

beginning to respire freely again; and such another space of time

would have cicatrized our woundswhen; hark! a church bell rings

out a loud alarm;the night is starlight and frostythe iron

notes are heard clear; solemn; but agitated。  What could this mean?

I hurried to a room over the porter's lodge; and; opening the

window; I cried out to a man passing hastily below; 〃What; in God's

name; is the meaning of this?〃  It was a watchman belonging to our

district。  I knew his voice; he knew mine; and he replied in great

agitation:



〃It is another murder; sir; at the old town councilor's; Albernass;

and this time they have made a clear house of it。〃



〃God preserve us!  Has a curse been pronounced upon this city?

What can be done?  What are the magistrates going to do?〃



〃I don't know; sir。  I have orders to run to the Black Friars;

where another meeting is gathering。  Shall I say you will attend;

sir?〃



〃Yesnostop a little。  No matter; you may go on; I'll follow

immediately。〃



I went instantly to Maximilian's room。  He was lying asleep on a

sofa; at which I was not surprised; for there had been a severe

stag chase in the morning。  Even at this moment I found myself

arreste

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