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第32节

classic mystery and detective stories-第32节

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

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necessity to secure the hand of Margaret Liebenheim by a private

marriage; against the final opposition of her grandfather; nobody

who knew the parties; who knew the perfect love which possessed

Miss Liebenbeim; the growing imbecility of her grandfather; or the

utter contempt with which Maximilian regarded him; could for a

moment believe。  Altogether; the matter was one of profound

mystery。



Meantime; it rejoiced me that poor Margaret's name had been thus

rescued from the fangs of the scandalmongers。  These harpies had

their prey torn from them at the very moment when they were sitting

down to the unhallowed banquet。  For this I rejoiced; but else

there was little subject for rejoicing in anything which concerned

poor Margaret。  Long she lay in deep insensibility; taking no

notice of anything; rarely opening her eyes; and apparently

unconscious of the revolutions; as they succeeded; of morning or

evening; light or darkness; yesterday or to…day。  Great was the

agitation which convulsed the heart of Maximilian during this

period; he walked up and down in the cathedral nearly all day long;

and the ravages which anxiety was working in his physical system

might be read in his face。  People felt it an intrusion upon the

sanctity of his grief to look at him too narrowly; and the whole

town sympathized with his situation。



At length a change took place in Margaret; but one which the

medical men announced to Maximilian as boding ill for her recovery。

The wanderings of her mind did not depart; but they altered their

character。  She became more agitated; she would start up suddenly;

and strain her eye…sight after some figure which she seemed to see;

then she would apostrophize some person in the most piteous terms;

beseeching him; with streaming eyes; to spare her old grandfather。

〃Look; look;〃 she would cry out; 〃look at his gray hairs!  O; sir!

he is but a child; he does not know what he says; and he will soon

be out of the way and in his grave; and very soon; sir; he will

give you no more trouble。〃  Then; again; she would mutter

indistinctly for hours together; sometimes she would cry out

frantically; and say things which terrified the bystanders; and

which the physicians would solemnly caution them how they repeated;

then she would weep; and invoke Maximilian to come and aid her。

But seldom; indeed; did that name pass her lips that she did not

again begin to strain her eyeballs; and start up in bed to watch

some phantom of her poor; fevered heart; as if it seemed vanishing

into some mighty distance。



After nearly seven weeks passed in this agitating state; suddenly;

on one morning; the earliest and the loveliest of dawning spring; a

change was announced to us all as having taken place in Margaret;

but it was a change; alas! that ushered in the last great change of

all。  The conflict; which had for so long a period raged within

her; and overthrown her reason; was at an end; the strife was over;

and nature was settling into an everlasting rest。  In the course of

the night she had recovered her senses。  When the morning light

penetrated through her curtain; she recognized her attendants; made

inquiries as to the month and the day of the month; and then;

sensible that she could not outlive the day; she requested that her

confessor might be summoned。



About an hour and a half the confessor remained alone with her。  At

the end of that time he came out; and hastily summoned the

attendants; for Margaret; he said; was sinking into a fainting fit。

The confessor himself might have passed through many a fit; so much

was he changed by the results of this interview。  I crossed him

coming out of the house。  I spoke to himI called to him; but he

heard me nothe saw me not。  He saw nobody。  Onward he strode to

the cathedral; where Maximilian was sure to be found; pacing about

upon the graves。  Him he seized by the arm; whispered something

into his ear; and then both retired into one of the many

sequestered chapels in which lights are continually burning。  There

they had some conversation; but not very long; for within five

minutes Maximilian strode away to the house in which his young wife

was dying。  One step seemed to carry him upstairs。  The attendants;

according to the directions they had received from the physicians;

mustered at the head of the stairs to oppose him。  But that was

idle: before the rights which he held as a lover and a husband

before the still more sacred rights of grief; which he carried in

his countenance; all opposition fled like a dream。  There was;

besides; a fury in his eye。  A motion of his hand waved them off

like summer flies; he entered the room; and once again; for the

last time; he was in company with his beloved。



What passed who could pretend to guess?  Something more than two

hours had elapsed; during which Margaret had been able to talk

occasionally; which was known; because at times the attendants

heard the sound of Maximilian's voice evidently in tones of reply

to something which she had said。  At the end of that time; a little

bell; placed near the bedside; was rung hastily。  A fainting fit

had seized Margaret; but she recovered almost before her women

applied the usual remedies。  They lingered; however; a little;

looking at the youthful couple with an interest which no restraints

availed to check。  Their hands were locked together; and in

Margaret's eyes there gleamed a farewell light of love; which

settled upon Maximilian; and seemed to indicate that she was

becoming speechless。  Just at this moment she made a feeble effort

to draw Maximilian toward her; he bent forward and kissed her with

an anguish that made the most callous weep; and then he whispered

something into her ear; upon which the attendants retired; taking

this as a proof that their presence was a hindrance to a free

communication。  But they heard no more talking; and in less than

ten minutes they returned。  Maximilian and Margaret still retained

their former position。  Their hands were fast locked together; the

same parting ray of affection; the same farewell light of love; was

in the eye of Margaret; and still it settled upon Maximilian。  But

her eyes were beginning to grow dim; mists were rapidly stealing

over them。  Maximilian; who sat stupefied and like one not in his

right mind; now; at the gentle request of the women; resigned his

seat; for the hand which had clasped his had already relaxed its

hold; the farewell gleam of love had departed。  One of the women

closed her eyelids; and there fell asleep forever the loveliest

flower that our city had reared for generations。



The funeral took place on the fourth day after her death。  In the

morning of that day; from strong affectionhaving known her from

an infantI begged permission to see the corpse。  She was in her

coffin; snowdrops and crocuses were laid upon her innocent bosom;

and roses; of that sort which the season allowed; over her person。

These and other lovely symbols of youth; of springtime; and of

resurrection; caught my eye for the first moment; but in the next

it fell upon her face。  Mighty God! what a change! what a

transfiguration!  Still; indeed; there was the same innocent

sweetness; still there was something of the same loveliness; the

expression still remained; but for the featuresall trace of flesh

seemed to have vanished; mere outline of bony structure remained;

mere pencilings and shadowings of what she once had been。  This is;

indeed; I exclaimed; 〃dust to dustashes to ashes!〃



Maximilian; to the astonishment of everybody; attended the funeral。

It was celebrated in the cathedral。  All made way for him; and at

times he seemed collected; at times he reeled like one who was

drunk。  He heard as one who hears not; he saw as one in a dream。

The whole ceremony went on by torchlight; and toward the close he

stood like a pillar; motionless; torpid; frozen。  But the great

burst of the choir; and the mighty blare ascending from our vast

organ at the closing of the grave; recalled him to himself; and he

strode rapidly homeward。  Half an hour after I returned; I was

summoned to his bedroom。  He was in bed; calm and collected。  What

he said to me I remember as if it had been yesterday; and the very

tone with which he said it; although more than twenty years have

passed since then。  He began thus: 〃I have not long to live〃; and

when he saw me start; suddenly awakened into a consciousness that

perhaps he had taken poison; and meant to intimate as much; he

continued: 〃You fancy I have taken poison;no matter whether I

have or not; if I have; the poison is such that no antidote will

now avail; or; if they would; you well know that some griefs are of

a kind which leave no opening to any hope。  What difference;

therefore; can it make whether I leave this earth to…day; to…

morrow; or the next day?  Be assured of thisthat whatever I have

determined to do is past all power of be

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