the notch on the ax and on being found out-第31章

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terms。　　It　was　thought　singular　that　from　each　of　these　domestic
tragedies　a　benefit　of　the　same　sort　should　result　to　young　persons
standing　in　nearly　the　same　relation。　　The　girl　who　gave　the　alarm
at　the　ball；　with　two　little　sisters；　and　a　little　orphan　nephew；
their　cousin；　divided　the　very　large　inheritance　of　the　Weishaupts；
and　in　this　latter　case　the　accumulated　savings　of　two　long　lives
all　vested　in　the　person　of　the　amiable　grandniece。

But　now；　as　if　in　mockery　of　all　our　anxious　consultations　and
elaborate　devices；　three　fresh　murders　took　place　on　the　two
consecutive　nights　succeeding　these　new　arrangements。　　And　in　one
case；　as　nearly　as　time　could　be　noted；　the　mounted　patrol　must
have　been　within　call　at　the　very　moment　when　the　awful　work　was
going　on。　　I　shall　not　dwell　much　upon　them；　but　a　few
circumstances　are　too　interesting　to　be　passed　over。　　The　earliest
case　on　the　first　of　the　two　nights　was　that　of　a　currier。　　He　was
fifty　years　old；　not　rich；　but　well　off。　　His　first　wife　was　dead；
and　his　daughters　by　her　were　married　away　from　their　father's
house。　　He　had　married　a　second　wife；　but；　having　no　children　by
her；　and　keeping　no　servants；　it　is　probable　that；　but　for　an
accident；　no　third　person　would　have　been　in　the　house　at　the　time
when　the　murderers　got　admittance。　　About　seven　o'clock；　a
wayfaring　man；　a　journeyman　currier；　who；　according　to　our　German
system；　was　now　in　his　wanderjahre；　entered　the　city　from　the
forest。　　At　the　gate　he　made　some　inquiries　about　the　curriers　and
tanners　of　our　town；　and；　agreeably　to　the　information　he　received；
made　his　way　to　this　Mr。　Heinberg。　　Mr。　Heinberg　refused　to　admit
him；　until　he　mentioned　his　errand；　and　pushed　below　the　door　a
letter　of　recommendation　from　a　Silesian　correspondent；　describing
him　as　an　excellent　and　steady　workman。　　Wanting　such　a　man；　and
satisfied　by　the　answers　returned　that　he　was　what　he　represented
himself；　Mr。　Heinberg　unbolted　his　door　and　admitted　him。　　Then；
after　slipping　the　bolt　into　its　place；　he　bade　him　sit　to　the
fire；　brought　him　a　glass　of　beer；　conversed　with　him　for　ten
minutes；　and　said：　〃You　had　better　stay　here　to…night；　I'll　tell
you　why　afterwards；　but　now　I'll　step　upstairs；　and　ask　my　wife
whether　she　can　make　up　a　bed　for　you；　and　do　you　mind　the　door
while　I'm　away。〃　　So　saying；　he　went　out　of　the　room。　　Not　one
minute　had　he　been　gone　when　there　came　a　gentle　knock　at　the　door。
It　was　raining　heavily；　and；　being　a　stranger　to　the　city；　not
dreaming　that　in　any　crowded　town　such　a　state　of　things　could
exist　as　really　did　in　this；　the　young　man；　without　hesitation；
admitted　the　person　knocking。　　He　has　declared　sincebut；　perhaps；
confounding　the　feelings　gained　from　better　knowledge　with　the
feelings　of　the　momentthat　from　the　moment　he　drew　the　bolt　he
had　a　misgiving　that　he　had　done　wrong。　　A　man　entered　in　a
horseman's　cloak；　and　so　muffled　up　that　the　journeyman　could
discover　none　of　his　features。　　In　a　low　tone　the　stranger　said；
〃Where's　Heinberg？〃〃Upstairs。〃〃Call　him　down；　then。〃　　The
journeyman　went　to　the　door　by　which　Mr。　Heinberg　had　left　him；　and
called；　〃Mr。　Heinberg；　here's　one　wanting　you！〃　　Mr。　Heinberg　heard
him；　for　the　man　could　distinctly　catch　these　words：　〃God　bless　me！
has　the　man　opened　the　door？　　O；　the　traitor！　　I　see　it。〃　　Upon
this　he　felt　more　and　more　consternation；　though　not　knowing　why。
Just　then　he　heard　a　sound　of　feet　behind　him。　　On　turning　round；
he　beheld　three　more　men　in　the　room；　one　was　fastening　the　outer
door；　one　was　drawing　some　arms　from　a　cupboard；　and　two　others
were　whispering　together。　　He　himself　was　disturbed　and　perplexed；
and　felt　that　all　was　not　right。　　Such　was　his　confusion；　that
either　all　the　men's　faces　must　have　been　muffled　up；　or　at　least
he　remembered　nothing　distinctly　but　one　fierce　pair　of　eyes
glaring　upon　him。　　Then；　before　he　could　look　round；　came　a　man
from　behind　and　threw　a　sack　over　his　head；　which　was　drawn　tight
about　his　waist；　so　as　to　confine　his　arms；　as　well　as　to　impede
his　hearing　in　part；　and　his　voice　altogether。　　He　was　then　pushed
into　a　room；　but　previously　he　had　heard　a　rush　upstairs；　and　words
like　those　of　a　person　exulting；　and　then　a　door　closed。　　Once　it
opened；　and　he　could　distinguish　the　words；　in　one　voice；　〃And　for
THAT！〃　to　which　another　voice　replied；　in　tones　that　made　his　heart
quake；　〃Aye；　for　THAT；　sir。〃　　And　then　the　same　voice　went　on
rapidly　to　say；　〃O　dog！　could　you　hope〃at　which　word　the　door
closed　again。　　Once　he　thought　that　he　heard　a　scuffle；　and　he　was
sure　that　he　heard　the　sound　of　feet；　as　if　rushing　from　one　corner
of　a　room　to　another。　　But　then　all　was　hushed　and　still　for　about
six　or　seven　minutes；　until　a　voice　close　to　his　ear　said；　〃Now；
wait　quietly　till　some　persons　come　in　to　release　you。　　This　will
happen　within　half　an　hour。〃　　Accordingly；　in　less　than　that　time；
he　again　heard　the　sound　of　feet　within　the　house；　his　own　bandages
were　liberated；　and　he　was　brought　to　tell　his　story　at　the　police
office。　　Mr。　Heinberg　was　found　in　his　bedroom。　　He　had　died　by
strangulation；　and　the　cord　was　still　tightened　about　his　neck。
During　the　whole　dreadful　scene　his　youthful　wife　had　been　locked
into　a　closet；　where　she　heard　or　saw　nothing。

In　the　second　case；　the　object　of　vengeance　was　again　an　elderly
man。　　Of　the　ordinary　family；　all　were　absent　at　a　country　house；
except　the　master　and　a　female　servant。　　She　was　a　woman　of
courage；　and　blessed　with　the　firmest　nerves；　so　that　she　might
have　been　relied　on　for　reporting　accurately　everything　seen　or
heard。　　But　things　took　another　course。　　The　first　warning　that　she
had　of　the　murderers'　presence　was　from　their　steps　and　voices
already　in　the　hall。　　She　heard　her　master　run　hastily　into　the
hall；　crying　out；　〃Lord　Jesus！Mary；　Mary；　save　me！〃　　The　servant
resolved　to　give　what　aid　she　could；　seized　a　large　poker；　and　was
hurrying　to　his　assistance；　when　she　found　that　they　had　nailed　up
the　door　of　communication　at　the　head　of　the　stairs。　　What　passed
after　this　she　could　not　tell；　for；　when　the　impulse　of　intrepid
fidelity　had　been　balked；　and　she　found　that　her　own　safety　was
provided　for　by　means　which　made　it　impossible　to　aid　a　poor　fellow
creature　who　had　just　invoked　her　name；　the　generous…hearted
creature　was　overcome　by　anguish　of　mind；　and　sank　down　on　the
stair；　where　she　lay；　unconscious　of　all　that　succeeded；　until　she
found　herself　raised　in　the　arms　of　a　mob　who　had　entered　the
house。　　And　how　came　they　to　have　entered？　　In　a　way
characteristically　dreadful。　　The　night　was　starlit；　the　patrols
had　perambulated　the　street　without　noticing　anything　suspicious；
when　two　foot　passengers；　who　were　following　in　their　rear；
observed　a　dark…colored　stream　traversing　the　causeway。　　One　of
them；　at　the　same　instant　tracing　the　stream　backward　with　his
eyes；　observed　that　it　flowed　from　under　the　door　of　Mr。　Munzer；
and；　dipping　his　finger　in　the　trickling　fluid；　he　held　it　up　to
the　lamplight；　yelling　out　at　the　moment；　〃Why；　this　is　blood！〃　　It
was　so；　indeed；　and　it　was　yet　warm。　　The　other　saw；　heard；　and
like　an　arrow　flew　after　the　horse　patrol；　then　in　the　act　of
turning　the　corner。　　One　cry；　full　of　meaning；　was　sufficient　for
ears　full　of　expectation。　　The　horsemen　pulled　up；　wheeled；　and　in
another　moment　reined　up　at　Mr。　Munzer's　door。　　The　crowd；
gathering　like　the　drifting　of　snow；　supplied　implements　which　soon
forced　the　chains　of　the　door　and　all　other　obstacles。　　But　the
murderous　party　had　escaped；　and　all　traces　of　their　persons　had
vanished；　as　usual。

Rarely　did　any　case　occur　without　some　peculiarity　more　or　less
interesting。　　In　that　which　happened　on　the　following　night；　making
the　fifth　in　the　series；　an　impressive　incident　varied　the　monotony
of　horrors。　　In　this　case　the　parties　aimed　at　were　two　elderly
ladies；　who　conducted　a　female　boarding　school。　　None　of　the　pupils
had　as　yet　returned　to　school　from　their　vacation；　but　two　sisters；
young　girls　of　thirteen　and　sixteen；　coming　from　a　distance；　had
stayed　at　school　throughout　the　Christmas　holidays。　　It　was　the
youn