classic mystery and detective stories-第22章

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the　point　where　she　stood。　　In　the　center　stood　a　rustic　girl；

whose　features　had　been　familiar　to　her　for　some　months。　　She　had

recently　come　into　the　city；　and　had　lived　with　her　uncle；　a

tradesman；　not　ten　doors　from　Margaret's　own　residence；　partly　on

the　terms　of　a　kinswoman；　partly　as　a　servant　on　trial。　　At　this

moment　she　was　exhausted　with　excitement；　and　the　nature　of　the

shock　she　had　sustained。　　Mere　panic　seemed　to　have　mastered　her；

and　she　was　leaning；　unconscious　and　weeping；　upon　the　shoulder　of

some　gentleman；　who　was　endeavoring　to　soothe　her。　　A　silence　of

horror　seemed　to　possess　the　company；　most　of　whom　were　still

unacquainted　with　the　cause　of　the　alarming　interruption。　　A　few；

however；　who　had　heard　her　first　agitated　words；　finding　that　they

waited　in　vain　for　a　fuller　explanation；　now　rushed　tumultuously

out　of　the　ballroom　to　satisfy　themselves　on　the　spot。　　The

distance　was　not　great；　and　within　five　minutes　several　persons

returned　hastily；　and　cried　out　to　the　crowd　of　ladies　that　all　was

true　which　the　young　girl　had　said。　　〃What　was　true？〃　　That　her

uncle　Mr。　Weishaupt's　family　had　been　murdered；　that　not　one　member

of　the　family　had　been　sparednamely；　Mr。　Weishaupt　himself　and

his　wife；　neither　of　them　much　above　sixty；　but　both　infirm　beyond

their　years；　two　maiden　sisters　of　Mr。　Weishaupt；　from　forty　to

forty…six　years　of　age；　and　an　elderly　female　domestic。



An　incident　happened　during　the　recital　of　these　horrors；　and　of

the　details　which　followed；　that　furnished　matter　for　conversation

even　in　these　hours　when　so　thrilling　an　interest　had　possession　of

all　minds。　　Many　ladies　fainted；　among　them　Miss　Liebenheimand

she　would　have　fallen　to　the　ground　but　for　Maximilian；　who　sprang

forward　and　caught　her　in　his　arms。　　She　was　long　of　returning　to

herself；　and；　during　the　agony　of　his　suspense；　he　stooped　and

kissed　her　pallid　lips。　　That　sight　was　more　than　could　be　borne　by

one　who　stood　a　little　behind　the　group。　　He　rushed　forward；　with

eyes　glaring　like　a　tiger's；　and　leveled　a　blow　at　Maximilian。　　It

was　poor；　maniacal　Von　Harrelstein；　who　had　been　absent　in　the

forest　for　a　week。　　Many　people　stepped　forward　and　checked　his

arm；　uplifted　for　a　repetition　of　this　outrage。　　One　or　two　had

some　influence　with　him；　and　led　him　away　from　the　spot；　while　as

to　Maximilian；　so　absorbed　was　he　that　he　had　not　so　much　as

perceived　the　affront　offered　to　himself。　　Margaret；　on　reviving；

was　confounded　at　finding　herself　so　situated　amid　a　great　crowd；

and　yet　the　prudes　complained　that　there　was　a　look　of　love

exchanged　between　herself　and　Maximilian；　that　ought　not　to　have

escaped　her　in　such　a　situation。　　If　they　meant　by　such　a

situation；　one　so　public；　it　must　be　also　recollected　that　it　was　a

situation　of　excessive　agitation；　but；　if　they　alluded　to　the

horrors　of　the　moment；　no　situation　more　naturally　opens　the　heart

to　affection　and　confiding　love　than　the　recoil　from　scenes　of

exquisite　terror。



An　examination　went　on　that　night　before　the　magistrates；　but　all

was　dark；　although　suspicion　attached　to　a　negro　named　Aaron；　who

had　occasionally　been　employed　in　menial　services　by　the　family；

and　had　been　in　the　house　immediately　before　the　murder。　　The

circumstances　were　such　as　to　leave　every　man　in　utter　perplexity

as　to　the　presumption　for　and　against　him。　　His　mode　of　defending

himself；　and　his　general　deportment；　were　marked　by　the　coolest；

nay；　the　most　sneering　indifference。　　The　first　thing　he　did；　on

being　acquainted　with　the　suspicions　against　himself；　was　to　laugh

ferociously；　and　to　all　appearance　most　cordially　and　unaffectedly。

He　demanded　whether　a　poor　man　like　himself　would　have　left　so　much

wealth　as　lay　scattered　abroad　in　that　housegold　repeaters；　massy

plate；　gold　snuff　boxesuntouched？　　That　argument　certainly

weighed　much　in　his　favor。　　And　yet　again　it　was　turned　against

him；　for　a　magistrate　asked　him　how　HE　happened　to　know　already

that　nothing　had　been　touched。　　True　it　was；　and　a　fact　which　had

puzzled　no　less　than　it　had　awed　the　magistrates；　that；　upon　their

examination　of　the　premises；　many　rich　articles　of　bijouterie；

jewelry；　and　personal　ornaments；　had　been　found　lying　underanged；

and　apparently　in　their　usual　situations；　articles　so　portable　that

in　the　very　hastiest　flight　some　might　have　been　carried　off。　　In

particular；　there　was　a　crucifix　of　gold；　enriched　with　jewels　so

large　and　rare；　that　of　itself　it　would　have　constituted　a　prize　of

great　magnitude。　　Yet　this　was　left　untouched；　though　suspended　in

a　little　oratory　that　had　been　magnificently　adorned　by　the　elder

of　the　maiden　sisters。　　There　was　an　altar；　in　itself　a　splendid

object；　furnished　with　every　article　of　the　most　costly　material

and　workmanship；　for　the　private　celebration　of　mass。　　This

crucifix；　as　well　as　everything　else　in　the　little　closet；　must

have　been　seen　by　one　at　least　of　the　murderous　party；　for　hither

had　one　of　the　ladies　fled；　hither　had　one　of　the　murderers

pursued。　　She　had　clasped　the　golden　pillars　which　supported　the

altarhad　turned　perhaps　her　dying　looks　upon　the　crucifix；　for

there；　with　one　arm　still　wreathed　about　the　altar　foot；　though　in

her　agony　she　had　turned　round　upon　her　face；　did　the　elder　sister

lie　when　the　magistrates　first　broke　open　the　street　door。　　And

upon　the　beautiful　parquet；　or　inlaid　floor　which　ran　round　the

room；　were　still　impressed　the　footsteps　of　the　murderer。　　These；

it　was　hoped；　might　furnish　a　clew　to　the　discovery　of　one　at　least

among　the　murderous　band。　　They　were　rather　difficult　to　trace

accurately；　those　parts　of　the　traces　which　lay　upon　the　black

tessellae　being　less　distinct　in　the　outline　than　the　others　upon

the　white　or　colored。　　Most　unquestionably；　so　far　as　this　went；　it

furnished　a　negative　circumstance　in　favor　of　the　negro；　for　the

footsteps　were　very　different　in　outline　from　his；　and　smaller；　for

Aaron　was　a　man　of　colossal　build。　　And　as　to　his　knowledge　of　the

state　in　which　the　premises　had　been　found；　and　his　having　so

familiarly　relied　upon　the　fact　of　no　robbery　having　taken　place　as

an　argument　on　his　own　behalf；　he　contended　that　he　had　himself

been　among　the　crowd　that　pushed　into　the　house　along　with　the

magistrates；　that；　from　his　previous　acquaintance　with　the　rooms

and　their　ordinary　condition；　a　glance　of　the　eye　had　been

sufficient　for　him　to　ascertain　the　undisturbed　condition　of　all

the　valuable　property　most　obvious　to　the　grasp　of　a　robber　that；

in　fact；　he　had　seen　enough　for　his　argument　before　he　and　the　rest

of　the　mob　had　been　ejected　by　the　magistrates；　but；　finally；　that

independently　of　all　this；　he　had　heard　both　the　officers；　as　they

conducted　him；　and　all　the　tumultuous　gatherings　of　people　in　the

street；　arguing　for　the　mysteriousness　of　the　bloody　transaction

upon　that　very　circumstance　of　so　much　gold；　silver；　and　jewels；

being　left　behind　untouched。



In　six　weeks　or　less　from　the　date　of　this　terrific　event；　the

negro　was　set　at　liberty　by　a　majority　of　voices　among　the

magistrates。　　In　that　short　interval　other　events　had　occurred　no

less　terrific　and　mysterious。　　In　this　first　murder；　though　the

motive　was　dark　and　unintelligible；　yet　the　agency　was　not　so；

ordinary　assassins　apparently；　and　with　ordinary　means；　had

assailed　a　helpless　and　unprepared　family；　had　separated　them；

attacked　them　singly　in　flight　（for　in　this　first　case　all　but　one

of　the　murdered　persons　appeared　to　have　been　making　for　the　street

door）；　and　in　all　this　there　was　no　subject　for　wonder；　except　the

original　one　as　to　the　motive。　　But　now　came　a　series　of　cases

destined　to　fling　this　earliest　murder　into　the　shade。　　Nobody

could　now　be　unprepared；　and　yet　the　tragedies；　henceforward；　which

passed　before　us；　one　by　one；　in　sad；　leisurely；　or　in　terrific

groups；　seemed　to　argue　a　lethargy　like　that　of　apoplexy　in　the

victims；　one　and　all。　　The　very　midnight　of　mysterious　awe　fell

upon　all　minds。



Three　weeks　had　passed　since　the　murder　at　Mr。　Weishaupt'sthree

weeks　the　most　agitated　that　had　been　known　in　this　sequestered

city。　　We　felt　ourselves　solitary；　and　thrown　upon　our　own

resources；　all　combination　with　other　towns　being　unavailing　from

their　great　distance。　　Our　situation　was　no　ordinary　one。　　Had

there　been　some　mysterious　robbers　among　us；　the　chances　of　a

visit；　divided　among　so　many；　would　have　been　too　small　to　distress

the　most　timid；　while　to　young　and　high…spirited　people；　with

courage　to　spare　for　ordinary　trials；　such　a　state　of　expectation

would　have　sent　pulses　of　pleasurable　anxiety　among　the　nerves。

But　murderers！　exterminating　murderers！clothed　in　mystery　and

utter　darknessthese　were　objects　too　terrific　for　any　family　to

contemplate　with　fortitude。　　Had　these　very　murderers　added　to

their　functions　those　of　robbery；　they　would　have　become　less

terrific；　nine　out　of　every　ten　would　have　found　themselves

discharged；　as　it　were；　from　the　roll　of　those　who　were　liable　to　a

visit；　while　such　as　knew　themselves　liable　would　have　had　warning

of　their　danger　in　the　fact　of　being　rich；　and　would；　from　the　very

riches　which　constituted　that　danger；　have　derived　the　means　of

repelling　it。　　But；　as　things　were；　no　man　could　guess　what　it　was

that　must　make　him　obnoxious　to　the　murderers。　　Imagination

exhausted　itself　in　vain　guesses　at　the　causes　which　could　by

possibility　have　made　the　poor　Weishaupts　objects　of　such　hatred　to

any　man。　　True；　they　were　bigoted　in　a　degree　which　indicated

feebleness　of　intellect；　but　THAT　wounded　no　man　in　particular；

while　to　many　it　recommended　them。　　True；　their　charity　was　narrow

and　exclusive；　but　to　those　of　their　own　religious　body　it　expanded

munificently；　and；　being　rich　beyond　their　wants；　or　any　means　of

employing　wealth　which　their　gloomy　asceticism　allowed；　they　had

the　power　of　doing　a　great　deal　of　good　among　the　indigent　papists

of　the　suburbs。　　As　to　the　old　gentleman　and　his　wife；　their

infirmities　confined　them　to　the　house。　　Nobody　remembered　to　have

seen　them　abroad　for　years。　　How；　therefore；　or　when　could　they

have　made　an　enemy？　　And；　with　respect　to　the　maiden　sisters　of　Mr。

Weishaupt；　they　were　simply　weak…minded　persons；　now　and　then　too

censorious；　but　not　placed　in　a　situation　to　incur　serious　anger

from　any　quarter；　and　too　little　heard　of　in　society　to　occupy　much

of　anybody's　attention。



Conceive；　then；　that　three　weeks　have　passed　away；　that　the　poor

Weishaupts　have　been　laid　in　that　narrow　sanctuary　which　no

murderer's　voice　will　ever　violate。　　Quiet　has　not　returned　to　us；

but　the　first　flutterings　of　panic　have　subsided。　　People　are

beginning　to　respire　freely　again；　and　such　another　space　of　time

would　have　cicatrized　our　woundswhen；　hark！　a　church　bell　rings

out　a　loud　alarm；the　night　is　starlight　and　frostythe　iron

n