the notch on the ax and on being found out-第25章

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and　the　presence　of　the　murderers　among　us　was；　in　consequence；
revived　to　our　anxious　thoughts；　it　was　an　event　which　few　alluded
to　without　fear。　　But　matters　were　changed　now；　the　jailer　had　been
dead　for　months；　and　this　interval；　during　which　the　murderer's
hand　had　slept；　encouraged　everybody　to　hope　that　the　storm　had
passed　over　our　city；　that　peace　had　returned　to　our　hearths；　and
that　henceforth　weakness　might　sleep　in　safety；　and　innocence
without　anxiety。　　Once　more　we　had　peace　within　our　walls；　and
tranquillity　by　our　firesides。　　Again　the　child　went　to　bed　in
cheerfulness；　and　the　old　man　said　his　prayers　in　serenity。
Confidence　was　restored；　peace　was　re…established；　and　once　again
the　sanctity　of　human　life　became　the　rule　and　the　principle　for
all　human　hands　among　us。　　Great　was　the　joy；　the　happiness　was
universal。

O　heavens！　by　what　a　thunderbolt　were　we　awakened　from　our
security！　　On　the　night　of　the　twenty…seventh　of　December；　half　an
hour；　it　might　be；　after　twelve　o'clock；　an　alarm　was　given　that
all　was　not　right　in　the　house　of　Mr。　Liebenheim。　　Vast　was　the
crowd　which　soon　collected　in　breathless　agitation。　　In　two　minutes
a　man　who　had　gone　round　by　the　back　of　the　house　was　heard
unbarring　Mr。　Liebenheim's　door：　he　was　incapable　of　uttering　a
word；　but　his　gestures；　as　he　threw　the　door　open　and　beckoned　to
the　crowd；　were　quite　enough。　　In　the　hall；　at　the　further
extremity；　and　as　if　arrested　in　the　act　of　making　for　the　back
door；　lay　the　bodies　of　old　Mr。　Liebenheim　and　one　of　his　sisters；
an　aged　widow；　on　the　stair　lay　another　sister；　younger　and
unmarried；　but　upward　of　sixty。　　The　hall　and　lower　flight　of
stairs　were　floating　with　blood。　　Where；　then；　was　Miss　Liebenheim；
the　granddaughter？　　That　was　the　universal　cry；　for　she　was　beloved
as　generally　as　she　was　admired。　　Had　the　infernal　murderers　been
devilish　enough　to　break　into　that　temple　of　innocent　and　happy
life？　　Everyone　asked　the　question；　and　everyone　held　his　breath　to
listen；　but　for　a　few　moments　no　one　dared　to　advance；　for　the
silence　of　the　house　was　ominous。　　At　length　some　one　cried　out
that　Miss　Liebenheim　had　that　day　gone　upon　a　visit　to　a　friend；
whose　house　was　forty　miles　distant　in　the　forest。　　〃Aye；〃　replied
another；〃　she　had　settled　to　go；　but　I　heard　that　something　had
stopped　her。〃　　The　suspense　was　now　at　its　height；　and　the　crowd
passed　from　room　to　room；　but　found　no　traces　of　Miss　Liebenheim。
At　length　they　ascended　the　stair；　and　in　the　very　first　room；　a
small　closet；　or　boudoir；　lay　Margaret；　with　her　dress　soiled
hideously　with　blood。　　The　first　impression　was　that　she　also　had
been　murdered；　but；　on　a　nearer　approach；　she　appeared　to　be
unwounded；　and　was　manifestly　alive。　　Life　had　not　departed；　for
her　breath　sent　a　haze　over　a　mirror；　but　it　was　suspended；　and　she
was　laboring　in　some　kind　of　fit。　　The　first　act　of　the　crowd　was
to　carry　her　into　the　house　of　a　friend　on　the　opposite　side　of　the
street；　by　which　time　medical　assistance　had　crowded　to　the　spot。
Their　attentions　to　Miss　Liebenheim　had　naturally　deranged　the
condition　of　things　in　the　little　room；　but　not　before　many　people
found　time　to　remark　that　one　of　the　murderers　must　have　carried
her　with　his　bloody　hands　to　the　sofa　on　which　she　lay；　for　water
had　been　sprinkled　profusely　over　her　face　and　throat；　and　water
was　even　placed　ready　to　her　hand；　when　she　might　happen　to
recover；　upon　a　low　foot…stool　by　the　side　of　the　sofa。

On　the　following　morning；　Maximilian；　who　had　been　upon　a　hunting
party　in　the　forest；　returned　to　the　city；　and　immediately　learned
the　news。　　I　did　not　see　him　for　some　hours　after；　but　he　then
appeared　to　me　thoroughly　agitated；　for　the　first　time　I　had　known
him　to　be　so。　　In　the　evening　another　perplexing　piece　of
intelligence　transpired　with　regard　to　Miss　Liebenheim；　which　at
first　afflicted　every　friend　of　that　young　lady。　　It　was　that　she
had　been　seized　with　the　pains　of　childbirth；　and　delivered　of　a
son；　who；　however；　being　born　prematurely；　did　not　live　many　hours。
Scandal；　however；　was　not　allowed　long　to　batten　upon　this
imaginary　triumph；　for　within　two　hours　after　the　circulation　of
this　first　rumor；　followed　a　second；　authenticated；　announcing　that
Maximilian　had　appeared　with　the　confessor　of　the　Liebenheim
family；　at　the　residence　of　the　chief　magistrate；　and　there
produced　satisfactory　proofs　of　his　marriage　with　Miss　Liebenheim；
which　had　been　duly　celebrated；　though　with　great　secrecy；　nearly
eight　months　before。　　In　our　city；　as　in　all　the　cities　of　our
country；　clandestine　marriages；　witnessed；　perhaps；　by　two　friends
only　of　the　parties；　besides　the　officiating　priest；　are
exceedingly　common。　　In　the　mere　fact；　therefore；　taken　separately；
there　was　nothing　to　surprise　us；　but；　taken　in　connection　with　the
general　position　of　the　parties；　it　DID　surprise　us　all；　nor　could
we　conjecture　the　reason　for　a　step　apparently　so　needless。　　For；
that　Maximilian　could　have　thought　it　any　point　of　prudence　or
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
h