classic mystery and detective stories-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



until　the　motion　extinguished　it；　then；　eddying　round　her　sister　in

narrowing　circles；　she　seized　Lottchen's　candle　also；　blew　it　out；

and　then　interrupted　her　own　singing　to　attempt　a　laugh。　　But　the

laugh　was　hysterical。　　The　darkness；　however；　favored　her；　and；

seizing　her　sister's　arm；　she　forced　her　along；　whispering；　〃Come；

come；　come！〃　　Lottchen　could　not　be　so　dull　as　entirely　to

misunderstand　her。　　She　suffered　herself　to　be　led　up　the　first

flight　of　stairs；　at　the　head　of　which　was　a　room　looking　into　the

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　b