the notch on the ax and on being found out-第48章

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risk　of　being　observed　in　her　rapid　transit　from　her　father's　to
her　lover's　house。　　Nor；　indeed；　had　she　ever　met　anyone　in　the
course　of　these　visits。

On　the　fatal　night　Lieschen　was　expected　at　the　cottage。　　Mother
and　son　waited　at　first　hopefully；　then　anxiously；　at　last　with
some　vague　uneasiness　at　her　non…appearance。　　It　was　now　a　quarter
past　elevennearly　an　hour　later　than　her　usual　time。　　They
occasionally　went　to　the　door　to　look　for　her；　then　they　walked　a
few　yards　down　the　road；　as　if　to　catch　an　earlier　glimpse　of　her
advancing　steps。　　But　in　vain。　　The　half…hour　struck。　　They　came
back　into　the　cottage；　discussing　the　various　probabilities　of
delay。　　Three…quarters　struck。　　Perhaps　she　had　been　detected；
perhaps　she　was　ill；　perhapsbut　this　was　his　mother's　suggestion；
and　took　little　hold　of　himthere　had　been　visitors　who　had　stayed
later　than　usual；　and　Lieschen；　finding　the　night　so　advanced；　had
postponed　her　visit　to　the　morrow。　　Franz；　who　interpreted
Lieschen's　feelings　by　his　own；　was　assured　that　no　postponement　of
a　voluntary　kind　was　credible　of　her。　　Twelve　o'clock　struck。
Again　Franz　went　out　into　the　road；　and　walked　nearly　up　to　the
archway；　he　returned　with　heavy　sadness　and　foreboding　at　his
heart；　reluctantly　admitting　that　now　all　hope　of　seeing　her　that
night　was　over。　　That　night？　　Poor　sorrowing　heart；　the　night　was
to　be　eternal！　　The　anguish　of　the　desolate　〃never　more〃　was
awaiting　him。

There　is　something　intensely　pathetic　in　being　thus；　as　it　were；
spectators　of　a　tragic　drama　which　is　being　acted　on　two　separate
stages　at　oncethe　dreadful　link　of　connection；　which　is　unseen　to
the　separate　actors；　being　only　too　vividly　seen　by　the　spectators。
It　was　with　some　interest　that　I；　who　believed　in　Kerkel's
innocence；　heard　this　story；　and　in　imagination　followed　its
unfolding　stage。　　He　went　to　bed；　not；　as　may　be　expected；　to
sleep；　tossing　restlessly　in　feverish　agitation；　conjuring　up　many
imaginary　terrorsbut　all　of　them　trifles　compared　with　the　dread
reality　which　he　was　so　soon　to　face。　　He　pictured　her　weepingand
she　was　lying　dead　on　the　cold　pavement　of　the　dark　archway。　　He
saw　her　in　agitated　eloquence　pleading　with　offended　parentsand
she　was　removed　for　ever　from　all　agitations；　with　the　peace　of
death　upon　her　young　face。

At　an　early　hour　he　started；　that　he　might　put　an　end　to　his
suspense。　　He　had　not　yet　reached　the　archway　before　the　shattering
news　burst　upon　him。　　From　that　moment　he　remembered　nothing。　　But
his　mother　described　his　ghastly　agitation；　as；　throwing　himself
upon　her　neck；　he　told　her；　through　dreadful　sobs；　the　calamity
which　had　fallen。　　She　did　her　best　to　comfort　him；　but　he　grew
wilder　and　wilder；　and　rolled　upon　the　ground　in　the　agony　of　an
immeasurable　despair。　　She　trembled　for　his　reason　and　his　life。
And　when　the　messengers　came　to　seek　him；　she　spoke　but　the　simple
truth　in　saying　that　he　was　like　one　distracted。　　Yet　no　sooner　had
a　glimpse　of　light　dawned　on　him　that　some　vague　suspicion　rested
on　him　in　reference　to　the　murder；　than　he　started　up；　flung　away
his　agitation；　and；　with　a　calmness　which　was　awful；　answered　every
question；　and　seemed　nerved　for　every　trial。　　From　that　moment　not
a　sob　escaped　him　until；　in　the　narrative　of　the　night's　events；　he
came　to　that　part　which　told　of　the　sudden　disclosure　of　his
bereavement。　　And　the　simple；　straightforward　manner　in　which　he
told　this　tale；　with　a　face　entirely　bloodless；　and　eyes　that
seemed　to　have　withdrawn　all　their　light　inwards；　made　a　great
impression　on　the　audience；　which　was　heightened　into　sympathy　when
the　final　sob；　breaking　through　the　forced　calmness；　told　of　the
agony　which　was　eating　its　fiery　way　through　the　heart。

The　story　was　not　only　plausible　in　itself；　but　accurately　tallied
with　what　before　had　seemed　like　the　criminating　evidence　of　the
maid；　tallied；　moreover；　precisely　as　to　time；　which　would　hardly
have　been　the　case　had　the　story　been　an　invention。　　As　to　the
waistcoat　which　had　figured　so　conspicuously　in　all　the　rumors；　it
appeared　that　suspicion　had　monstrously　exaggerated　the　facts。
Instead　of　a　waistcoat　plashed　with　bloodas　popular　imagination
pictured　itit　was　a　gray　waistcoat；　with　one　spot　and　a　slight
smear　of　blood；　which　admitted　of　a　very　simple　explanation。　　Three
days　before；　Franz　had　cut　his　left　hand　in　cutting　some　bread；　and
to　this　the　maid　testified；　because　she　was　present　when　the
accident　occurred。　　He　had　not　noticed　that　his　waistcoat　was
marked　by　it　until　the　next　day；　and　had　forgotten　to　wash　out　the
stains。

People　outside　shook　skeptical　heads　at　this　story　of　the　cut　hand。
The　bloody　waistcoat　was　not　to　be　disposed　of　in　that　easy　way。
It　had　fixed　itself　too　strongly　in　their　imagination。　　Indeed；　my
belief　is　that　even　could　they　have　seen　the　waistcoat；　its
insignificant　marks　would　have　appeared　murderous　patches　to　their
eyes。　　I　had　seen　it；　and　my　report　was　listened　to　with　ill…
concealed　disbelief；　when　not　with　open　protestation。　　And　when
Kerkel　was　discharged　as　free　from　all　suspicion；　there　was　a　low
growl　of　disappointed　wrath　heard　from　numerous　groups。

This　may　sympathetically　be　understood　by　whomsoever　remembers　the
painful　uneasiness　of　the　mind　under　a　great　stress　of　excitement
with　no　definite　issue。　　The　lust　for　a　vengeance；　demanded　by　the
aroused　sensibilities　of　compassion；　makes　men　credulous　in　their
impatience；　they　easily　believe　anyone　is　guilty；　because　they　feel
an　imperious　need　for　fastening　the　guilt　upon　some　definite　head。
Few　verdicts　of　〃Not　Guilty〃　are　well　received；　unless　another
victim　is　at　hand　upon　whom　the　verdict　of　guilty　is　likely　to
fall。　　It　was　demonstrable　to　all　judicial　minds　that　Kerkel　was
wholly；　pathetically　innocent。　　In　a　few　days　this　gradually　became
clear　to　the　majority；　but　at　first　it　was　resisted　as　an　attempt
to　balk　justice；　and　to　the　last　there　were　some　obstinate
doubters；　who　shook　their　heads　mysteriously；　and　said；　with　a
certain　incisiveness；　〃Somebody　must　have　done　it；　I　should　very
much　like　to　know　who。〃

Suspicion　once　more　was　drifting　aimlessly。　　None　had　pointed　in
any　new　direction。　　No　mention　of　anyone　whom　I　could　identify　with
the　stranger　had　yet　been　made；　but；　although　silent　on　the
subject；　I　kept　firm　in　my　conviction；　and　I　sometimes　laughed　at
the　pertinacity　with　which　I　scrutinized　the　face　of　every　man　I
met；　if　he　happened　to　have　a　black　beard；　and　as　black　beards　are
excessively　common；　my　curiosity；　though　never　gratified；　was　never
allowed　repose。

Meanwhile　Lieschen's　funeral　had　been　emphatically　a　public
mourning。　　Nay；　so　great　was　the　emotion；　that　it　almost　deadened
the　interest　which　otherwise　would　have　been　so　powerful；　in　the
news　now　daily　reaching　us　from　Paris。　　Blood　had　flowed　upon　her
streetsin　consequence　of　that　pistol…shot；　which；　either　by
accident　or　criminal　intent；　had　converted　the　demonstration　before
the　hotel　of　the　Minister　of　Foreign　Affairs　into　an　insurrection。
Paris　had　risen；　barricades　were　erected。　　The　troops　were　under
arms。　　This　was　agitating　news。

Such　is　the　solidarity　of　all　European　nations；　and　so　quick　are
all　to　vibrate　in　unison　with　the　vibrations　of　each；　that　events
like　those　transacted　in　Paris　necessarily　stirred　every　city；　no
matter　how　remote；　nor　politically　how　secure。　　And　it　says　much
for　the　intense　interest　excited　by　the　Lehfeldt　tragedy　that
Nuremberg　was　capable　of　sustaining　that　interest　even　amid　the
tremendous　pressure　of　the　February　Revolution。　　It　is　true　that
Nuremberg　is　at　all　times　somewhat　sequestered　from　the　great
movements　of　the　day；　following　slowly　in　the　rear　of　great　waves；
it　is　true；　moreover；　that　some　politicians　showed　remarkable
eagerness　in　canvassing　the　characters　and　hopes　of　Louis　Philippe
and　Guizot；　but　although　such　events　would　at　another　period　have
formed　the　universal　interest；　the　impenetrable　mystery　hanging
over　Lieschen's　death　threw　the　Revolution　into　the　background　of
their　thoughts。　　If　when　a　storm　is　raging　over　the　dreary
moorland；　a　human　cry　of　suffering　is　heard　at　the　door；　at　once
the　thunders　and　the　tumult　sink　into　insignificance；　and　are　not
even　heard　by　the　ear　which　is　pierced　with　the　feeble　human　voice：
the　grandeurs　of　storm　and　tempest；　the　uproar　of　surging　seas；　the
clamorous　wail　of　sea…birds　amid　the　volleying　artillery　of　heaven；
in　vain　assail　the　ear　that　has　once　caught　even　the　distant　cry　of
a　human　agony；　or　serve　only　as　scenical　accompaniments　to　the
tragedy　which　is　foreshadowed　by　that　cry。　　And　so　it　was　amid　the
uproar　of　1848。　　A　kingdom　was　in　convulsions；　but　here；　at　our
door；　a　young　girl　had　been　murdered；　and　two　hearths　made
desolate。　　Rumors　continued　to　fly　about。　　The　assassin　was　always
about　to　be　discovered；　but　he　remained　shrouded　in　impenetrable
darkness。　　A　remark　made　by　Bourgonef　struck　me　much。　　Our　host；
Zum　Bayerischen　Hof；　one　day　announced　with　great　satisfaction　that
he　had　himself　heard　from　the　syndic　that　the　police　were　on　the
traces　of　the　assassin。

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；〃　said　Bourgonef。

The　guests　paused　from　eating；　and　looked　at　him　with　astonishment。

〃It　is　a　proof；〃　he　added；　〃that　even　the　police　now　give　it　up　as
hopeless。　　I　always　notice　that　whenever　the　police　are　said　to　be
on　the　traces　the　malefactor　is　never　tracked。　　When　they　are　on
his　traces　they　wisely　say　nothing　about　it；　they　allow　it　to　be
believed　that　they　are　baffled；　in　order　to　lull　their　victim　into
a　dangerous　security。　　When　they　know　themselves　to　be　baffled；
there　is　no　danger　in　quieting　the　public　mind；　and　saving　their
own　credit；　by　announcing　that　they　are　about　to　be　successful。〃


IV

A　DISCOVERY


Bourgonef's　remark　had　been　but　too　sagacious。　　The　police　were
hoplessly　baffled。　　In　all　such　cases　possible　success　depends　upon
the　initial　suggestion　either　of　a　motive　which　leads　to　a
suspicion　of　the　person；　or　of　some　person　which　leads　to　a
suspicion　of　the　motive。　　Once　set　suspicion　on　the　right　track；
and　evidence　is　suddenly　alight　in　all　quarters。　　But；　unhappily；
in　the　present　case　there　was　no　assignable　motive；　no　shadow
darkening　any　person。

An　episode　now　came　to　our　knowledge　in　which　Bourgonef　manifested
an　unusual　depth　of　interest。　　I　was　led　to　notice　this　interest；
because　it　had　seemed　to　me　that　in　the　crime　itself；　and　the
discussions　which　arose　out　of　it；　he　shared　but　little　of　the
universal　excitement。　　I　do　not　mean　that　he　was　indifferentby　no
means；　but　the　horror　of　the　crime　did　not　seem　to　fascinate　his
imagination　as　it　fascinated　ours。　　He　could　talk　quite　as　readily
of　other　things；　and　far　more　readily　of　the　French　affairs。　　But
on　the　contrary；　in　this　new　episode　he　showed　peculiar　interest。
It　appeared　that　Lehfeldt；　moved；　perhaps；　partly　by　a　sense　of　the
injustice　which　had　been　done　to　Kerkel　in　even　suspecting　him　of
the　crime；　and　in　submitting　him　to　an　examination　more　poignantly
affecting　to　him　under　such　circumstances　than　a　public　trial　would
have　been　under　others；　and　moved　partly　by　the　sense　that
Liesche