classic mystery and detective stories-第50章

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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seemed　to　have　withdrawn　all　their　light　inwards；　made　a　great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

Lieschen's　love　had　practically　drawn　Kerkel　within　the　familyfor

her　choice　of　him　as　a　husband　had　made　him　morally；　if　not

legally；　a　son…in…law；　and　moved　partly　by　the　sense　of　loneliness

which　had　now　settled　on　their　childless　home；Lehfeldt　had　in　the

most　pathetic　and　considerate　terms　begged　Kerkel　to　take　the　place

of　his　adopted　son；　and　become　joint　partner　with　him　in　the

business。　　This；　however；　Kerkel　had　gently　yet　firmly　declined。

He　averred　that　he　felt　no　injury；　though　great　pain　had　been

inflicted　on　him　by　the　examination。　　He　himself　in　such　a　case

would　not　have　shrunk　from　demanding　that　his　own　brother　should　be

tried；　under　suspicions　of　similar　urgency。　　It　was　simple　justice

that　all　who　were　suspected　should　be　examined；　justice　also　to

them　that　they　might　for　ever　clear　themselves　of　doubtful

appearances。　　But　for　the　rest；　while　he　felt　his　old　affectionate

respect　for　his　master；　he　could　recognize　no　claim　to　be　removed

from　his　present　position。　　Had　she　lived；　said　the　heartbroken

youth；　he　would　gladly　have　consented　to　accept　any　fortune　which

her　love　might　bestow；　because　he　felt　that　his　own　love　and　the

devotion　of　a　life　might　repay　it。　　But　there　was　nothing　now　that

he　could　give　in　exchange。　　For　his　services　he　was　amply　paid；　his

feelings　towards　Lieschen's　parents　must　continue　what　they　had

ever　been。　　In　vain　Lehfeldt　pleaded；　in　vain　many　friends　argued。

Franz　remained　respectfully　firm　in　his　refusal。



This；　as　I　said；　interested　Bourgonef　immensely。　　He　seemed　to

enter　completely　into　the　minds　of　the　sorrowing；　pleading　parents；

and　the　sorrowing；　denying　lover。　　He　appreciated　and　expounded

their　motives　with　a　subtlety　and　delicacy　of　perception　which

surprised　and　delighted　me。　　It　showed　the　refinement　of　his　moral

nature。　　But；　at　the　same　time；　it　rendered　his　minor　degree　of

interest　in　the　other　episodes　of　the　story；　those　which　had　a　more

direct　and　overpowering　appeal　to　the　heart；　a　greater　paradox。



Human　nature　is　troubled　in　the　presence　of　all　mystery　which　has

not　by　long　familiarity　lost　its　power　of　soliciting　attention；　and

for　my　own　part；　I　have　always　been　uneasy　in　the　presence　of　moral

problems。　　Puzzled　by　the　contradictions　which　I　noticed　in

Bourgonef；　I　tried　to　discover　whether　he　had　any　general

repugnance　to　stories　of　crimes；　or　any　special　repugnance　to

murders；　or；　finally；　any　strange　repugnance　to　this　particular

case　now　everywhere　discussed。　　And　it　is　not　a　little　remarkable

that　during　three　separate　interviews；　in　the　course　of　which　I

severally；　and　as　I　thought　a