the notch on the ax and on being found out-第26章

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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　being　affected　by　a　human
opposition。　　Occupy　yourself　not　with　any　fruitless　attempts；　but
calmly　listen　to　me；　else　I　know　what　to　do。〃　　Seeing　a　suppressed
fury　in　his　eye；　notwithstanding　I　saw　also　some　change　stealing
over　his　features　as　if　from　some　subtle　poison　beginning　to　work
upon　his　frame；　awestruck　I　consented　to　listen；　and　sat　still。
〃It　is　well　that　you　do　so；　for　my　time　is　short。　　Here　is　my　will；
legally　drawn　up；　and　you　will　see　that　I　have　committed　an　immense
property　to　your　discretion。　　Here；　again；　is　a　paper　still　more
important　in　my　eyes；　it　is　also　testamentary；　and　binds　you　to
duties　which　may　not　be　so　easy　to　execute　as　the　disposal　of　my
property。　　But　now　listen　to　something　else；　which　concerns　neither
of　these　papers。　　Promise　me；　in　the　first　place；　solemnly；　that
whenever　I　die　you　will　see　me　buried　in　the　same　grave　as　my　wife；
from　whose　funeral　we　are　just　returned。　　Promise。〃I　promised。
〃Swear。〃I　swore。〃Finally；　promise　me　that；　when　you　read　this
second　paper　which　I　have　put　into　your　hands；　whatsoever　you　may
think　of　it；　you　will　say　nothingpublish　nothing　to　the　world
until　three　years　shall　have　passed。〃I　promised。〃And　now
farewell　for　three　hours。　　Come　to　me　again　about　ten　o'clock；　and
take　a　glass　of　wine　in　memory　of　old　times。〃　　This　he　said
laughingly；　but　even　then　a　dark　spasm　crossed　his　face。　　Yet；
thinking　that　this　might　be　the　mere　working　of　mental　anguish
within　him；　I　complied　with　his　desire；　and　retired。　　Feeling；
however；　but　little　at　ease；　I　devised　an　excuse　for　looking　in
upon　him　about　one　hour　and　a　half　after　I　had　left　him。　　I　knocked
gently　at　his　door；　there　was　no　answer。　　I　knocked　louder；　still
no　answer。　　I　went　in。　　The　light　of　day　was　gone；　and　I　could　see
nothing。　　But　I　was　alarmed　by　the　utter　stillness　of　the　room。　　I
listened　earnestly；　but　not　a　breath　could　be　heard。　　I　rushed　back
hastily　into　the　hall　for　a　lamp；　I　returned；　I　looked　in　upon　this
marvel　of　manly　beauty；　and　the　first　glance　informed　me　that　he
and　all　his　splendid　endowments　had　departed　forever。　　He　had　died；
probably；　soon　after　I　left　him；　and　had　dismissed　me　from　some
growing　instinct　which　informed　him　that　his　last　agonies　were　at
hand。

I　took　up　his　two　testamentary　documents；　both　were　addressed　in
the　shape　of　letters　to　myself。　　The　first　was　a　rapid　though
distinct　appropriation　of　his　enormous　property。　　General　rules
were　laid　down；　upon　which　the　property　was　to　be　distributed；　but
the　details　were　left　to　my　discretion；　and　to　the　guidance　of
circumstances　as　they　should　happen　to　emerge　from　the　various
inquiries　which　it　would　become　necessary　to　set　on　foot。　　This
first　document　I　soon　laid　aside；　both　because　I　found　that　its
provisions　were　dependent　for　their　meaning　upon　the　second；　and
because　to　this　second　document　I　looked　with　confidence　for　a
solution　of　many　mysteries；of　the　profound　sadness　which　had；
from　the　first　of　my　acquaintance　with　him；　possessed　a　man　so
gorgeously　endowed　as　the　favorite　of　nature　and　fortune；　of　his
motives　for　huddling　up；　in　a　clandestine　manner；　that　connection
which　formed　the　glory　of　his　life；　and　possibly　（but　then　I
hesitated）　of　the　late　unintelligible　murders；　which　still　lay
under　as　profound　a　cloud　as　ever。　　Much　of　this　WOULD　be　unveiled
all　might　be：　and　there　and　then；　with　the　corpse　lying　beside　me
of　the　gifted　and　mysterious　writer；　I　seated　myself；　and　read　the
following　statement：


〃MARCH　26；　1817。

〃My　trial　is　finished；　my　conscience；　my　duty；　my　honor；　are
liberated；　my　'warfare　is　accomplished。'　　Margaret；　my　innocent
young　wife；　I　have　seen　for　the　last　time。　　Her；　the　crown　that
might　have　been　of　my　earthly　felicityher；　the　one　temptation　to
put　aside　the　bitter　cup　which　awaited　meher；　sole　seductress　（O
innocent　seductress！）　from　the　stern　duties　which　my　fate　had
imposed　upon　meher；　even　her；　I　have　sacrificed。

〃Before　I　go；　partly　lest　the　innocent　should　be　brought　into
question　for　acts　almost　exclusively　mine；　but　still　more　lest　the
lesson　and　the　warning　which　God；　by　my　hand；　has　written　in　blood
upon　your　guilty　walls；　should　perish　for　want　of　its　authentic
exposition；　hear　my　last　dying　avowal；　that　the　murders　which　have
desolated　so　many　families　within　your　walls；　and　made　the
household　hearth　no　sanctuary；　age　no　charter　of　protection；　are
all　due　originally　to　my　head；　if　not　always　to　my　hand；　as　the
minister　of　a　dreadful　retribution。

〃That　account　of　my　history；　and　my　prospects；　which　you　received
from　the　Russian　diplomatist；　among　some　errors　of　little
importance；　is　essentially　correct。　　My　father　was　not　so
immediately　connected　with　English　blood　as　is　there　represented。
However；　it　is　true　that　he　claimed　descent　from　an　English　family
of　even　higher　distinction　than　that　which　is　assigned　in　the
Russian　statement。　　He　was　proud　of　this　English　descent；　and　the
more　so　as　the　war　with　revolutionary　France　brought　out　more
prominently　than　ever　the　moral　and　civil　grandeur　of　England。
This　pride　was　generous；　but　it　was　imprudent　in　his　situation。
His　immediate　progenitors　had　been　settled　in　Italyat　Rome　first；
but　latterly　at　Milan；　and　his　whole　property；　large　and　scattered；
came；　by　the　progress　of　the　revolution；　to　stand　under　French
domination。　　Many　spoliations　he　suffered；　but　still　he　was　too
rich　to　be　seriously　injured。　　But　he　foresaw；　in　the　progress　of
events；　still　greater　perils　menacing　his　most　capital　resources。
Many　of　the　states　or　princes　in　Italy　were　deeply　in　his　debt；
and；　in　the　great　convulsions　which　threatened　his　country；　he　saw
that　both　the　contending　parties　would　find　a　colorable　excuse　for
absolving　themselves　from　engagements　which　pressed　unpleasantly
upon　their　finances。　　In　this　embarrassment　he　formed　an　intimacy
with　a　French　officer　of　high　rank　and　high　principle。　　My　father's
friend　saw　his　danger；　and　advised　him　to　enter　the　French　service。
In　his　younger　days；　my　father　had　served　extensively　under　many
princes；　and　had　found　in　every　other　military　service　a　spirit　of
honor　governing　the　conduct　of　the　officers。　　Here　only；　and　for
the　first　time；　he　found　ruffian　manners　and　universal　rapacity。
He　could　not　draw　his　sword　in　company　with　such　men；　nor　in　such　a
cause。　　But　at　length；　under　the　pressure　of　necessity；　he　accepted
（or　rather　bought　with　an　immense　bribe）　the　place　of　a　commissary
to　the　French　forces　in　Italy。　　With　this　one　resource；　eventually
he　succeeded　in　making　good　the　whole　of　his　public　claims　upon　the
Italian　states。　　These　vast　sums　he　remitted；　through　various
channels；　to　England；　where　he　became　proprietor　in　the　funds　to　an
immense　amount。　　Incautiously；　however；　something　of　this
transpired；　and　the　result　was　doubly　unfortunate；　for；　while　his
intentions　were　thus　made　known　as　finally　pointing　to　England；
which　of　itself　made　him　an　object　of　hatred　and　suspicion；　it　also
diminished　his　means　of　bribery。　　These　considerations；　along　with
another；　made　some　French　officers　of　high　rank　and　influence　the
bitter　enemies　of　my　father。　　My　mother；　whom　he　had　married　when
holding　a　brigadier…general's　commission　in　the　Austrian　service；
was；　by　birth　and　by　religion；　a　Jewess。　　She　was　of　exquisite
beauty；　and　had　been　sought　in　Morganatic　marriage　by　an　archduke
of　the　Austrian　family；　but　she　had　relied　upon　this　plea；　that
hers　was　the　purest　and　noblest　blood　among　all　Jewish　families
that　her　family　traced　themselves；　by　tradition　and　a　vast　series
of　attestations　under　the　hands　of　the　Jewish　high　priests；　to　the
Maccabees；　and　to　the　royal　houses　of　Judea；　and　that　for　her　it
would　be　a　degradation　to　accept　even　of　a　sovereign　prince　on　the
terms　of　such　marriage。　　This　was　no　vain　pretension　of
ostentatious　vanity。　　It　was　one　which　had　been　admitted　as　valid
for　time　immemorial　in　Transylvania　and　adjacent　countries；　where
my　mother's　family　were　rich　and　honored；　and　took　their　seat　among
the　dignitaries　of　the　land。　　The　French　officers　I　have　alluded
to；　without　capacity　for　anything　so　dignified　as　a　deep　passion；
but　merely　in　pursuit　of　a　vagrant　fancy　that　would；　on　the　next
day；　have　given　place　to　another　equally　fleeting；　had　dared　to
insult　my　mother　with　proposals　the　most　licentiousproposals　as
much　below　her　rank　and　birth；　as；　at　any　r