classic mystery and detective stories-第25章

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staircase；　and；　as　usual；　no　conjecture　could　be　made　as　to　the

nature　of　the　offense　which　they　had　given；　but　that　the　murder　WAS

a　vindictive　one；　the　usual　evidence　remained　behind；　in　the　proofs

that　no　robbery　had　been　attempted。　　Two　new　features；　however；

were　now　brought　forward　in　this　system　of　horrors；　one　of　which

riveted　the　sense　of　their　insecurity　to　all　families　occupying

extensive　houses；　and　the　other　raised　ill　blood　between　the　city

and　the　university；　such　as　required　years　to　allay。　　The　first

arose　out　of　the　experience；　now　first　obtained；　that　these

assassins　pursued　the　plan　of　secreting　themselves　within　the　house

where　they　meditated　a　murder。　　All　the　care；　therefore；　previously

directed　to　the　securing　of　doors　and　windows　after　nightfall

appeared　nugatory。　　The　other　feature　brought　to　light　on　this

occasion　was　vouched　for　by　one　of　the　servants；　who　declared　that；

the　moment　before　the　door　of　the　kitchen　was　fastened　upon　herself

and　fellow　servant；　she　saw　two　men　in　the　hall；　one　on　the　point

of　ascending　the　stairs；　the　other　making　toward　the　kitchen；　that

she　could　not　distinguish　the　faces　of　either；　but　that　both　were

dressed　in　the　academic　costume　belonging　to　the　students　of　the

university。　　The　consequences　of　such　a　declaration　need　scarcely

be　mentioned。　　Suspicion　settled　upon　the　students；　who　were　more

numerous　since　the　general　peace；　in　a　much　larger　proportion

military；　and　less　select　or　respectable　than　heretofore。　　Still；

no　part　of　the　mystery　was　cleared　up　by　this　discovery。　　Many　of

the　students　were　poor　enough　to　feel　the　temptation　that　might　be

offered　by　any　LUCRATIVE　system　of　outrage。　　Jealous　and　painful

collusions　were；　in　the　meantime；　produced；　and；　during　the　latter

two　months　of　this　winter；　it　may　be　said　that　our　city　exhibited

the　very　anarchy　of　evil　passions。　　This　condition　of　things　lasted

until　the　dawning　of　another　spring。



It　will　be　supposed　that　communications　were　made　to　the　supreme

government　of　the　land　as　soon　as　the　murders　in　our　city　were

understood　to　be　no　casual　occurrences；　but　links　in　a　systematic

series。　　Perhaps　it　might　happen　from　some　other　business；　of　a

higher　kind；　just　then　engaging　the　attention　of　our　governors；

that　our　representations　did　not　make　the　impression　we　had

expected。　　We　could　not；　indeed；　complain　of　absolute　neglect　from

the　government。　　They　sent　down　one　or　two　of　their　most

accomplished　police　officers；　and　they　suggested　some　counsels；

especially　that　we　should　examine　more　strictly　into　the　quality　of

the　miscellaneous　population　who　occupied　our　large　suburb。　　But

they　more　than　hinted　that　no　necessity　was　seen　either　for

quartering　troops　upon　us；　or　for　arming　our　local　magistracy　with

ampler　powers。



This　correspondence　with　the　central　government　occupied　the　month

of　March；　and；　before　that　time；　the　bloody　system　had　ceased　as

abruptly　as　it　began。　　The　new　police　officer　flattered　himself

that　the　terror　of　his　name　had　wrought　this　effect；　but　judicious

people　thought　otherwise。　　All；　however；　was　quiet　until　the　depth

of　summer；　when；　by　way　of　hinting　to　us；　perhaps；　that　the

dreadful　power　which　clothed　itself　with　darkness　had　not　expired；

but　was　only　reposing　from　its　labors；　all　at　once　the　chief　jailer

of　the　city　was　missing。　　He　had　been　in　the　habit　of　taking　long

rides　in　the　forest；　his　present　situation　being　much　of　a

sinecure。　　It　was　on　the　first　of　July　that　he　was　missed。　　In

riding　through　the　city　gates　that　morning；　he　had　mentioned　the

direction　which　he　meant　to　pursue；　and　the　last　time　he　was　seen

alive　was　in　one　of　the　forest　avenues；　about　eight　miles　from　the

city；　leading　toward　the　point　he　had　indicated。　　This　jailer　was

not　a　man　to　be　regretted　on　his　own　account；　his　life　had　been　a

tissue　of　cruelty　and　brutal　abuse　of　his　powers；　in　which　he　had

been　too　much　supported　by　the　magistrates；　partly　on　the　plea　that

it　was　their　duty　to　back　their　own　officers　against　all

complainers；　partly　also　from　the　necessities　created　by　the

turbulent　times　for　a　more　summary　exercise　of　their　magisterial

authority。　　No　man；　therefore；　on　his　own　separate　account；　could

more　willingly　have　been　spared　than　this　brutal　jailer；　and　it　was

a　general　remark　that；　had　the　murderous　band　within　our　walls

swept　away　this　man　only；　they　would　have　merited　the　public

gratitude　as　purifiers　from　a　public　nuisance。　　But　was　it　certain

that　the　jailer　had　died　by　the　same　hands　as　had　so　deeply

afflicted　the　peace　of　our　city　during　the　winteror；　indeed；　that

he　had　been　murdered　at　all？　　The　forest　was　too　extensive　to　be

searched；　and　it　was　possible　that　he　might　have　met　with　some

fatal　accident。　　His　horse　had　returned　to　the　city　gates　in　the

night；　and　was　found　there　in　the　morning。　　Nobody；　however；　for

months　could　give　information　about　his　rider；　and　it　seemed

probable　that　he　would　not　be　discovered　until　the　autumn　and　the

winter　should　again　carry　the　sportsman　into　every　thicket　and

dingle　of　this　sylvan　tract。　　One　person　only　seemed　to　have　more

knowledge　on　this　subject　than　others；　and　that　was　poor　Ferdinand

von　Harrelstein。　　He　was　now　a　mere　ruin　of　what　he　had　once　been；

both　as　to　intellect　and　moral　feeling；　and　I　observed　him

frequently　smile　when　the　jailer　was　mentioned。　　〃Wait；〃　he　would

say；　〃till　the　leaves　begin　to　drop；　then　you　will　see　what　fine

fruit　our　forest　bears。〃　　I　did　not　repeat　these　expressions　to

anybody　except　one　friend；　who　agreed　with　me　that　the　jailer　had

probably　been　hanged　in　some　recess　of　the　forest；　which　summer

veiled　with　its　luxuriant　umbrage；　and　that　Ferdinand；　constantly

wandering　in　the　forest；　had　discovered　the　body；　but　we　both

acquitted　him　of　having　been　an　accomplice　in　the　murder。



Meantime　the　marriage　between　Margaret　Liebenheim　and　Maximilian

was　understood　to　be　drawing　near。　　Yet　one　thing　struck　everybody

with　astonishment。　　As　far　as　the　young　people　were　concerned；

nobody　could　doubt　that　all　was　arranged；　for　never　was　happiness

more　perfect　than　that　which　seemed　to　unite　them。　　Margaret　was

the　impersonation　of　May…time　and　youthful　rapture；　even　Maximilian

in　her　presence　seemed　to　forget　his　gloom；　and　the　worm　which

gnawed　at　his　heart　was　charmed　asleep　by　the　music　of　her　voice；

and　the　paradise　of　her　smiles。　　But；　until　the　autumn　came；

Margaret's　grandfather　had　never　ceased　to　frown　upon　this

connection；　and　to　support　the　pretensions　of　Ferdinand。　　The

dislike；　indeed；　seemed　reciprocal　between　him　and　Maximilian。

Each　avoided　the　other's　company　and　as　to　the　old　man；　he　went　so

far　as　to　speak　sneeringly　of　Maximilian。　　Maximilian　despised　him

too　heartily　to　speak　of　him　at　all。　　When　he　could　not　avoid

meeting　him；　he　treated　him　with　a　stern　courtesy；　which　distressed

Margaret　as　often　as　she　witnessed　it。　　She　felt　that　her

grandfather　had　been　the　aggressor；　and　she　felt　also　that　he　did

injustice　to　the　merits　of　her　lover。　　But　she　had　a　filial

tenderness　for　the　old　man；　as　the　father　of　her　sainted　mother；

and　on　his　own　account；　continually　making　more　claims　on　her　pity；

as　the　decay　of　his　memory；　and　a　childish　fretfulness　growing　upon

him　from　day　to　day；　marked　his　increasing　imbecility。



Equally　mysterious　it　seemed；　that　about　this　time　Miss　Liebenheim

began　to　receive　anonymous　letters；　written　in　the　darkest　and　most

menacing　terms。　　Some　of　them　she　showed　to　me。　　I　could　not　guess

at　their　drift。　　Evidently　they　glanced　at　Maximilian；　and　bade　her

beware　of　connection　with　him；　and　dreadful　things　were　insinuated

about　him。　　Could　these　letters　be　written　by　Ferdinand？　　Written

they　were　not；　but　could　they　be　dictated　by　him？　　Much　I　feared

that　they　were；　and　the　more　so　for　one　reason。



All　at　once；　and　most　inexplicably；　Margaret's　grandfather　showed　a

total　change　of　opinion　in　his　views　as　to　her　marriage。　　Instead

of　favoring　Harrelstein's　pretensions；　as　he　had　hitherto　done；　he

now　threw　the　feeble　weight　of　his　encouragement　into　Maximilian's

scale；　though；　from　the　situation　of　all　the　parties；　nobody

attached　any　PRACTICAL　importance　to　the　change　in　Mr。　Liebenheim's

way　of　thinking。　　Nobody？　　Is　that　true？　　No；　one　person　DID　attach

the　greatest　weight　to　the　changepoor；　ruined　Ferdinand。　　He；　so

long　as　there　was　one　person　to　take　his　part；　so　long　as　the

grandfather　of　Margaret　showed　countenance　to　himself；　had　still

felt　his　situation　not　utterly　desperate。



Thus　were　things　situated；　when　in　November；　all　the　leaves　daily

blowing　off　from　the　woods；　and　leaving　bare　the　most　secret　haunts

of　the　thickets；　the　body　of　the　jailer　was　left　exposed　in　the

forest；　but　not；　as　I　and　my　friend　had　conjectured；　hanged。　　No；

he　had　died　apparently　by　a　more　horrid　deathby　that　of

crucifixion。　　The　tree；　a　remarkable　one；　bore　upon　a　part　of　its

trunk　this　brief　but　savage　inscription：〃T。　H。；　jailer　at　…；

Crucified　July　1；　1816。〃



A　great　deal　of　talk　went　on　throughout　the　city　upon　this

discovery；　nobody　uttered　one　word　of　regret　on　account　of　the

wretched　jailer；　on　the　contrary；　the　voice　of　vengeance；　rising　up

in　many　a　cottage；　reached　my　ears　in　every　direction　as　I　walked

abroad。　　The　hatred　in　itself　seemed　horrid　and　unchristian；　and

still　more　so　after　the　man's　death；　but；　though　horrid　and

fiendish　for　itself；　it　was　much　more　impressive；　considered　as　the

measure　and　exponent　of　the　damnable　oppression　which　must　have

existed　to　produce　it。



At　first；　when　the　absence　of　the　jailer　was　a　recent　occurrence；

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

unbarrin