classic mystery and detective stories-第32章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



and　one　grandniece。　　The　niece　was　absent　on　a　visit；　and　the　two

old　men　were　cynical　misers；　to　whom　little　personal　interest

attached。　　Still；　in　this　case　as　in　that　of　the　Weishaupts；　the

same　twofold　mystery　confounded　the　public　mindthe　mystery　of　the

HOW；　and　the　profounder　mystery　of　the　WHY。　　Here；　again；　no　atom

of　property　was　taken；　though　both　the　misers　had　hordes　of　ducats

and　English　guineas　in　the　very　room　where　they　died。　　Their　bias；

again；　though　of　an　unpopular　character；　had　rather　availed　to　make

them　unknown　than　to　make　them　hateful。　　In　one　point　this　case

differed　memorably　from　the　otherthat；　instead　of　falling

helpless；　or　flying　victims　（as　the　Weishaupts　had　done）；　these　old

men；　strong；　resolute；　and　not　so　much　taken　by　surprise；　left

proofs　that　they　had　made　a　desperate　defense。　　The　furniture　was

partly　smashed　to　pieces；　and　the　other　details　furnished　evidence

still　more　revolting　of　the　acharnement　with　which　the　struggle　had

been　maintained。　　In　fact；　with　THEM　a　surprise　must　have　been

impracticable；　as　they　admitted　nobody　into　their　house　on　visiting

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　travers