classic mystery and detective stories-第29章

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must　be　his　good　or　his　evil　genius。



At　first；　and　perhaps　to　the　last；　I　pitied　him　exceedingly。　　But

my　pity　soon　ceased　to　be　mingled　with　respect。　　Before　the　arrival

of　Mr。　Wyndham　he　had　shown　himself　generous；　indeed　magnanimous。

But　never　was　there　so　painful　an　overthrow　of　a　noble　nature　as

manifested　itself　in　him。　　I　believe　that　he　had　not　himself

suspected　the　strength　of　his　passion；　and　the　sole　resource　for

him；　as　I　said　often；　was　to　quit　the　cityto　engage　in　active

pursuits　of　enterprise；　of　ambition；　or　of　science。　　But　he　heard

me　as　a　somnambulist　might　have　heard　medreaming　with　his　eyes

open。　　Sometimes　he　had　fits　of　reverie；　starting；　fearful；

agitated；　sometimes　he　broke　out　into　maniacal　movements　of　wrath；

invoking　some　absent　person；　praying；　beseeching；　menacing　some

air…wove　phantom；　sometimes　he　slunk　into　solitary　corners；

muttering　to　himself；　and　with　gestures　sorrowfully　significant；　or

with　tones　and　fragments　of　expostulation　that　moved　the　most

callous　to　compassion。　　Still　he　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　the　only

practical　counsel　that　had　a　chance　for　reaching　his　ears。　　Like　a

bird　under　the　fascination　of　a　rattlesnake；　he　would　not　summon　up

the　energies　of　his　nature　to　make　an　effort　at　flying　away。

〃Begone；　while　it　is　time！〃　said　others；　as　well　as　myself；　for

more　than　I　saw　enough　to　fear　some　fearful　catastrophe。　　〃Lead　us

not　into　temptation！〃　said　his　confessor　to　him　in　my　hearing　（for；

though　Prussians；　the　Von　Harrelsteins　were　Roman　Catholics）；　〃lead

us　not　into　temptation！that　is　our　daily　prayer　to　God。　　Then；　my

son；　being　led　into　temptation；　do　not　you　persist　in　courting；

nay；　almost　tempting　temptation。　　Try　the　effects　of　absence；

though　but　for　a　month。〃　　The　good　father　even　made　an　overture

toward　imposing　a　penance　upon　him；　that　would　have　involved　an

absence　of　some　duration。　　But　he　was　obliged　to　desist；　for　he　saw

that；　without　effecting　any　good；　he　would　merely　add　spiritual

disobedience　to　the　other　offenses　of　the　young　man。　　Ferdinand

himself　drew　his　attention　to　THIS；　for　he　said：　〃Reverend　father！

do　not　you；　with　the　purpose　of　removing　me　from　temptation；　be

yourself　the　instrument　for　tempting　me　into　a　rebellion　against

the　church。　　Do　not　you　weave　snares　about　my　steps；　snares　there

are　already；　and　but　too　many。〃　　The　old　man　sighed；　and　desisted。



Then　cameBut　enough！　　From　pity；　from　sympathy；　from　counsel；　and

from　consolation；　and　from　scornfrom　each　of　these　alike　the　poor

stricken　deer　〃recoiled　into　the　wilderness；〃　he　fled　for　days

together　into　solitary　parts　of　the　forest；　fled；　as　I　still　hoped

and　prayed；　in　good　earnest　and　for　a　long　farewell；　but；　alas！　no：

still　he　returned　to　the　haunts　of　his　ruined　happiness　and　his

buried　hopes；　at　each　return　looking　more　like　the　wreck　of　his

former　self；　and　once　I　heard　a　penetrating　monk　observe；　whose

convent　stood　near　the　city　gates：　〃There　goes　one　ready　equally

for　doing　or　suffering；　and　of　whom　we　shall　soon　hear　that　he　is

involved　in　some　great　catastropheit　may　be　of　deep　calamityit

may　be　of　memorable　guilt。〃



So　stood　matters　among　us。　　January　was　drawing　to　its　close；　the

weather　was　growing　more　and　more　winterly；　high　winds；　piercingly

cold；　were　raving　through　our　narrow　streets；　and　still　the　spirit

of　social　festivity　bade　defiance　to　the　storms　which　sang　through

our　ancient　forests。　　From　the　accident　of　our　magistracy　being

selected　from　the　tradesmen　of　the　city；　the　hospitalities　of　the

place　were　far　more　extensive　than　would　otherwise　have　happened；

for　every　member　of　the　corporation　gave　two　annual　entertainments

in　his　official　character。　　And　such　was　the　rivalship　which

prevailed；　that　often　one　quarter　of　the　year's　income　was　spent

upon　these　galas。　　Nor　was　any　ridicule　thus　incurred；　for　the

costliness　of　the　entertainment　was　understood　to　be　an　expression

of　OFFICIAL　pride；　done　in　honor　of　the　city；　not　as　an　effort　of

personal　display。　　It　followed；　from　the　spirit　in　which　these

half…yearly　dances　originated；　that；　being　given　on　the　part　of　the

city；　every　stranger　of　rank　was　marked　out　as　a　privileged　guest；

and　the　hospitality　of　the　community　would　have　been　equally

affronted　by　failing　to　offer　or　by　failing　to　accept　the

invitation。



Hence　it　had　happened　that　the　Russian　guardsman　had　been

introduced　into　many　a　family　which　otherwise　could　not　have　hoped

for　such　a　distinction。　　Upon　the　evening　at　which　I　am　now

arrived；　the　twenty…second　of　January；　1816；　the　whole　city；　in　its

wealthier　classes；　was　assembled　beneath　the　roof　of　a　tradesman

who　had　the　heart　of　a　prince。　　In　every　point　our　entertainment


was　superb；　and　I　remarked　that　the　music　was　the　finest　I　had

heard　for　years。　　Our　host　was　in　joyous　spirits；　proud　to　survey

the　splendid　company　he　had　gathered　under　his　roof；　happy　to

witness　their　happiness；　elated　in　their　elation。　　Joyous　was　the

dancejoyous　were　all　faces　that　I　sawup　to　midnight；　very　soon

after　which　time　supper　was　announced；　and　that　also；　I　think；　was

the　most　joyous　of　all　the　banquets　I　ever　witnessed。　　The

accomplished　guardsman　outshone　himself　in　brilliancy；　even　his

melancholy　relaxed。　　In　fact；　how　could　it　be　otherwise？　near　to

him　sat　Margaret　Liebenheimhanging　upon　his　wordsmore　lustrous

and　bewitching　than　ever　I　had　beheld　her。　　There　she　had　been

placed　by　the　host；　and　everybody　knew　why。　　That　is　one　of　the

luxuries　attached　to　love；　all　men　cede　their　places　with　pleasure；

women　make　way。　　Even　she　herself　knew；　though　not　obliged　to　know；

why　she　was　seated　in　that　neighborhood；　and　took　her　place；　if

with　a　rosy　suffusion　upon　her　cheeks；　yet　with　fullness　of

happiness　at　her　heart。



The　guardsman　pressed　forward　to　claim　Miss　Liebenheim's　hand　for

the　next　dance；　a　movement　which　she　was　quick　to　favor；　by

retreating　behind　one　or　two　parties　from　a　person　who　seemed

coming　toward　her。　　The　music　again　began　to　pour　its　voluptuous

tides　through　the　bounding　pulses　of　the　youthful　company；　again

the　flying　feet　of　the　dancers　began　to　respond　to　the　measures；

again　the　mounting　spirit　of　delight　began　to　fill　the　sails　of　the

hurrying　night　with　steady　inspiration。　　All　went　happily。　　Already

had　one　dance　finished；　some　were　pacing　up　and　down；　leaning　on

the　arms　of　their　partners；　some　were　reposing　from　their

exertions；　whenO　heavens！　what　a　shriek！　what　a　gathering　tumult！



Every　eye　was　bent　toward　the　doorsevery　eye　strained　forward　to

discover　what　was　passing。　　But　there；　every　moment；　less　and　less

could　be　seen；　for　the　gathering　crowd　more　and　more　intercepted

the　view；so　much　the　more　was　the　ear　at　leisure　for　the　shrieks

redoubled　upon　shrieks。　　Miss　Liebenheim　had　moved　downward　to　the

crowd。　　From　her　superior　height　she　overlooked　all　the　ladies　at

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