classic mystery and detective stories-第28节

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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

arrested　by　two　objects；　and　I　paused　to　survey　them。　　One　was

Maximilian　himself。　　A　person　so　mysterious　took　precedency　of

other　interests　even　at　a　time　like　this；　and　especially　by　his

features；　which；　composed　in　profound　sleep；　as　sometimes　happens；

assumed　a　new　expression；　which　arrested　me　chiefly　by　awaking　some

confused　remembrance　of　the　same　features　seen　under　other

circumstances　and　in　times　long　past；　but　where？　　This　was　what　I

could　not　recollect；　though　once　before　a　thought　of　the　same　sort

had　crossed　my　mind。　　The　other　object　of　my　interest　was　a

miniature；　which　Maximilian　was　holding　in　his　hand。　　He　had　gone

to　sleep　apparently　looking　at　this　picture；　and　the　hand　which

held　it　had　slipped　down　upon　the　sofa；　so　that　it　was　in　danger　of

falling。　　I　released　the　miniature　from　his　hand；　and　surveyed　it

attentively。　　It　represented　a　lady　of　sunny；　oriental　complexion；

and　features　the　most　noble　that　it　is　possible　to　conceive。　　One

might　have　imagined　such　a　lady；　with　her　raven　locks　and　imperial

eyes；　to　be　the　favorite　sultana　of　some　Amurath　or　Mohammed。　　What

was　she　to　Maximilian；　or　what　HAD　she　been？　　For；　by　the　tear

which　I　had　once　seen　him　drop　upon　this　miniature　when　he　believed

himself　unobserved；　I　conjectured　that　her　dark　tresses　were

already　laid　low；　and　her　name　among　the　list　of　vanished　things。

Probably　she　was　his　mother；　for　the　dress　was　rich　with　pearls；

and　evidently　that　of　a　person　in　the　highest　rank　of　court

beauties。　　I　sighed　as　I　thought　of　the　stern　melancholy　of　her

son；　if　Maximilian　were　he；　as　connected；　probably；　with　the　fate

and　fortunes　of　this　majestic　beauty；　somewhat　haughty；　perhaps；　in

the　expression　of　her　fine　features；　but　still　noblegenerous

confiding。　　Laying　the　picture　on　the　table；　I　awoke　Maximilian；

and　told　him　of　the　dreadful　news。　　He　listened　attentively；　made

no　remark；　but　proposed　that　we　should　go　together　to　the　meeting

of　our　quarter　at　the　Black　Friars。　　He　colored　upon　observing　the

miniature　on　the　table；　and；　therefore；　I　frankly　told　him　in　what

situation　I　had　found　it；　and　that　I　had　taken　the　liberty　of

admiring　it　for　a　few　moments。　　He　pressed　it　tenderly　to　his　lips；

sighed　heavily；　and　we　walked　away　together。



I　pass　over　the　frenzied　state　of　feeling　in　which　we　found　the

meeting。　　Fear；　or　rather　horror；　did　not　promote　harmony；　many

quarreled　with　each　other　in　discussing　the　suggestions　brought

forward；　and　Maximilian　was　the　only　person　attended　to。　　He

proposed　a　nightly　mounted　patrol　for　every　district。　　And　in

particular　he　offered；　as　being　himself　a　member　of　the　university；

that　the　students　should　form　themselves　into　a　guard；　and　go　out

by　rotation　to　keep　watch　and　ward　from　sunset　to　sunrise。

Arrangements　were　made　toward　that　object　by　the　few　people　who

retained　possession　of　their　senses；　and　for　the　present　we

separated。



Never；　in　fact；　did　any　events　so　keenly　try　the　difference　between

man　and　man。　　Some　started　up　into　heroes　under　the　excitement。

Some；　alas　for　the　dignity　of　man！　drooped　into　helpless

imbecility。　　Women；　in　some　cases；　rose　superior　to　men；　but　yet

not　so　often　as　might　have　happened　under　a　less　mysterious　danger。

A　woman　is　not　unwomanly　because　she　confronts　danger　boldly。　　But

I　have　remarked；　with　respect　to　female　courage；　that　it　requires；

more　than　that　of　men；　to　be　sustained　by　hope；　and　that　it　droops

more　certainly　in　the　presence　of　a　MYSTERIOUS　danger。　　The　fancy

of　women　is　more　active；　if　not　stronger；　and　it　influences　more

directly　the　physical　nature。　　In　this　case　few　were　the　women　who

made　even　a　show　of　defying　the　danger。　　On　the　contrary；　with　THEM

fear　took　the　form　of　sadness；　while　with　many　of　the　men　it　took

that　of　wrath。



And　how　did　the　Russian　guardsman　conduct　himself　amidst　this

panic？　　Many　were　surprised　at　his　behavior；　some　complained　of　it；

I　did　neither。　　He　took　a　reasonable　interest　in　each　separate

case；　listened　to　the　details　with　attention；　and；　in　the

examination　of　persons　able　to　furnish　evidence；　never　failed　to

suggest　judicious　questions。　　But　still　he　manifested　a　coolness

almost　amounting　to　carelessness；　which　to　many　appeared　revolting。

But　these　people　I　desired　to　notice　that　all　the　other　military

students；　who　had　been　long　in　the　army；　felt　exactly　in　the　same

way。　　In　fact；　the　military　service　of　Christendom；　for　the　last

ten　years；　had　been　anything　but　a　parade　service；　and　to　those；

therefore；　who　were　familiar　with　every　form　of　horrid　butchery；

the　mere　outside　horrors　of　death　had　lost　much　of　their　terror。

In　the　recent　murder　there　had　not　been　much　to　call　forth

sympathy。　　The　family　consisted　of　two　old　bachelors；　two　sisters；

and　one　grandniece。　　The　niece　was　absent　on　a　visit；　and　the　two

old　men　were　cynical　misers；　to　whom　little　personal　interest

attached。　　Still；　in　this　case　as　in　that　of　the　Weishaupts；　the

same　twofold　mystery　confounded　the　public　mindthe　mystery　of　the

HOW；　and　the　profounder　mystery　of　the　WHY。　　Here；　again；　no　atom

of　property　was　taken；　though　both　the　misers　had　hordes　of　ducats

and　English　guineas　in　the　very　room　where　they　died。　　Their　bias；

again；　though　of　an　unpopular　character；　had　rather　availed　to　make

them　unknown　than　to　make　them　hateful。　　In　one　point　this　case

differed　memorably　from　the　otherthat；　instead　of　falling

helpless；　or　flying　victims　（as　the　Weishaupts　had　done）；　these　old

men；　strong；　resolute；　and　not　so　much　taken　by　surprise；　left

proofs　that　they　had　made　a　desperate　defense。　　The　furniture　was

partly　smashed　to　pieces；　and　the　other　details　furnished　evidence

still　more　revolting　of　the　acharnement　with　which　the　struggle　had

been　maintained。　　In　fact；　with　THEM　a　surprise　must　have　been

impracticable；　as　they　admitted　nobody　into　their　house　on　visiting

terms。　　It　was　thought　singular　that　from　each　of　these　domestic

tragedies　a　benefit　of　the　same　sort　should　result　to　young　persons

standing　in　nearly　the　same　relation。　　The　girl　who　gave　the　alarm

at　the　ball；　with　two　little　sisters；　and　a　little　orphan　nephew；

their　cousin；　divided　the　very　large　inheritance　of　the　Weishaupts；

and　in　this　latter　case　the　accumulated　savings　of　two　long　lives

all　vested　in　the　person　of　the　amiable　grandniece。



But　now；　as　if　in　mockery　of　all　our　anxious　consultations　and

elaborate　devices；　three　fresh　murders　took　place　on　the　two

consecutive　nights　succeeding　these　new　arrangements。　　And　in　one

case；　as　nearly　as　time　could　be　noted；　the　mounted　patrol　must

have　been　within　call　at　the　very　moment　when　the　awful　work　was

going　on。　　I　shall　not　dwell　much　upon　them；　but　a　few

circumstances　are　too　interesting　to　be　passed　over。　　The　earliest

case　on　the　first　of　the　two　nights　was　that　of　a　currier。　　He　was

fifty　years　old；　not　rich；　but　well　off。　　His　first　wife　was　dead；

and　his　daughters　by　her　were　married　away　from　their　father's

house。　　He　had　married　a　second　wife；　but；　having　no　children　by

her；　and　keeping　no　servants；　it　is　probable　that；　but　for　an

accident；　no　third　person　would　have　been　in　the　house　at　the　time

when　the　murderers　got　admittance。　　About　seven　o'clock；　a

wayfaring　man；　a　journeyman　currier；　who；　according　to　our　German

system；　was　now　in　his　wanderjahre；　entered　the　city　from　the

forest。　　At　the　gate　he　made　some　inquiries　about　the　curriers　and

tanners　of　our　town；　and；　agreeably　to　the　information　he　received；

made　his　way　to　this　Mr。　Heinberg。　　Mr。　Heinberg　refused　to　admit

him；　until　he　mentioned　his　errand；　and　pushed　below　the　door　a

letter　of　recommendation　from　a　Silesian　correspondent；　describing

him　as　an　excellent　and　steady　workman。　　Wanting　such　a　man；　and

satisfied　by　the　answers　returned　that　he　was　what　he　represented

himself；　Mr。　Heinberg　unbolted　his　door　and　admitted　him。　　Then；

after　slipping　the　bolt　into　its　place；　he　bade　him　sit　to　the

fire；　brought　him　a　glass　of　beer；　conversed　with　him　for　ten

minutes；　and　said：　〃You　had　better　stay　here　to…night；　I'll　tell

you　why　afterwards；　but　now　I'll　step　upstairs；　and　ask　my　wife

whether　she　can　make　up　a　bed　for　you；　and　do　you　mind　the　door

while　I'm　away。〃　　So　saying；　he　went　out　of　the　room。　　Not　one

minute　had　he　been　gone　when　there　came　a　gentle　knock　at　the　door。

It　was　raining　heavily；　and；　being　a　stranger　to　the　city；　not

dreaming　that　in　any　crowded　town　such　a　state　of　things　could

exist　as　really　did　in　this；　the　young　man；　without　hesitation；

admitted　the　person　knocking。　　He　has　declared　sincebut；　perhaps；

confounding　the　feelings　gained　from　better　knowledge　with　the

feelings　of　the　momentthat　from　the　moment　he　drew　the　bolt　he

had　a　misgiving　that　he　had　done　wrong。　　A　man　entered　in　a

horseman's　cloak