classic mystery and detective stories-第33章

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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

youngest　of　these　who　gave　the　only　evidence　of　any　value；　and　one

which　added　a　new　feature　of　alarm　to　the　existing　panic。　　Thus　it

was　that　her　testimony　was　given：　On　the　day　before　the　murder；　she

and　her　sister　were　sitting　with　the　old　ladies　in　a　room　fronting

to　the　street；　the　elder　ladies　were　reading；　the　younger　ones

drawing。　　Louisa；　the　youngest；　never　had　her　ear　inattentive　to

the　slightest　sound；　and　once　it　struck　her　that　she　heard　the

creaking　of　a　foot　upon　the　stairs。　　She　said　nothing；　but；

slipping　out　of　the　room；　she　ascertained　that　the　two　female

servants　were　in　the　kitchen；　and　could　not　have　been　absent；　that

all　the　doors　and　windows；　by　which　ingress　was　possible；　were　not

only　locked；　but　bolted　and　barreda　fact　which　excluded　all

possibility　of　invasion　by　means　of　false　keys。　　Still　she　felt

persuaded　that　she　had　heard　the　sound　of　a　heavy　foot　upon　the

stairs。　　It　was；　however；　daylight；　and　this　gave　her　confidence；

so　that；　without　communicating　her　alarm　to　anybody；　she　found

courage　to　traverse　the　house　in　every　direction；　and；　as　nothing

was　either　seen　or　heard；　she　concluded　that　her　ears　had　been　too

sensitively　awake。　　Yet　that　night；　as　she　lay　in　bed；　dim　terrors

assailed　her；　especially　because　she　considered　that；　in　so　large　a

house；　some　closet　or　other　might　have　been　overlooked；　and；　in

particular；　she　did　not　remember　to　have　examined　one　or　two

chests；　in　which　a　man　could　have　lain　concealed。　　Through　the

greater　part　of　the　night　she　lay　awake；　but　as　one　of　the　town

clocks　struck　four；　she　dismissed　her　anxieties；　and　fell　asleep。

The　next　day；　wearied　with　this　unusual　watching；　she　proposed　to

her　sister　that　they　should　go　to　bed　earlier　than　usual。　　This

they　did；　and；　on　their　way　upstairs；　Louisa　happened　to　think

suddenly　of　a　heavy　cloak；　which　would　improve　the　coverings　of　her

bed　against　the　severity　of　the　night。　　The　cloak　was　hanging　up　in

a　closet　within　a　closet；　both　leading　off　from　a　large　room　used

as　the　young　ladies'　dancing　school。　　These　closets　she　had

examined　on　the　previous　day；　and　therefore　she　felt　no　particular

alarm　at　this　moment。　　The　cloak　was　the　first　article　which　met

her　sight；　it　was　suspended　from　a　hook　in　the　wall；　and　close　to

the　door。　　She　took　it　down；　but；　in　doing　so；　exposed　part　of　the

wall　and　of　the　floor；　which　its　folds　had　previously　concealed。

Turning　away　hastily；　the　chances　were　that　she　had　gone　without

making　any　discovery。　　In　the　act　of　turning；　however；　her　light

fell　brightly　on　a　man's　foot　and　leg。　　Matchless　was　her　presence

of　mind；　having　previously　been　humming　an　air；　she　continued　to　do

so。　　But　now　came　the　trial；　her　sister　was　bending　her　steps　to

the　same　closet。　　If　she　suffered　her　to　do　so；　Lottchen　would

stumble　on　the　same　discovery；　and　expire　of　fright。　　On　the　other

hand；　if　she　gave　her　a　hint；　Lottchen　would　either　fail　to

understand　her；　or；　gaining　but　a　glimpse　of　her　meaning；　would

shriek　aloud；　or　by　some　equally　decisive　expression　convey　the

fatal　news　to　the　assassin　that　he　had　been　discovered。　　In　this

torturing　dilemma　fear　prompted　an　expedient；　which　to　Lottchen

appeared　madness；　and　to　Louisa　herself　the　act　of　a　sibyl　instinct

with　blind　inspiration。　　〃Here；〃　said　she；　〃is　our　dancing　room。

When　shall　we　all　meet　and　dance　again　together？〃　　Saying　which；

she　commenced　a　wild　dance；　whirling　her　candle　round　her　head

until　the　motion　extinguished　it；　then；　eddying　round　her　sister　in

narrowing　circles；　she　seized　Lottchen's　candle　also；　blew　it　out；

and　then　interrupted　her　own　singing　to　attempt　a　laugh。　　But　the

laugh　was　hysterical。　　The　darkness；　however；　favored　her；　and；

seizing　her　sister's　arm；　she　forced　her　along；　whispering；　〃Come；

come；　come！〃　　Lottchen　could　not　be　so　dull　as　entirely　to

misunderstand　her。　　She　suffered　herself　to　be　led　up　the　first

flight　of　stairs；　at　the　head　of　which　was　a　room　looking　into　the

street。　　In　this　they　would　have　gained　an　asylum；　for　the　door　had

a　strong　bolt。　　But；　as　they　were　on　the　last　steps　of　the　landing；

they　could　hear　the　hard　breathing　and　long　strides　of　the　murderer

ascending　behind　them。　　He　had　watched　them　through　a　crevice；　and

had　been　satisfied　by　the　hysterical　laugh　of　Louisa　that　she　had

seen　him。　　In　the　darkness　he　could　not　follow　fast；　from　ignorance

of　the　localities；　until　he　found　himself　upon　the　stairs。　　Louisa；

dragging　her　sister　along；　felt　strong　as　with　the　strength　of

lunacy；　but　Lottchen　hung　like　a　weight　of　lead　upon　her。　　She

rushed　into　the　room；　but　at　the　very　entrance　Lottchen　fell。　　At

that　moment　the　assassin　exchanged　his　stealthy　pace　for　a　loud

clattering　ascent。　　Already　he　was　on　the　topmost　stair；　already　he

was　throwing　himself　at　a　bound　against　the　door；　when　Louisa；

having　dragged　her　sister　into　the　room；　closed　the　door　and　sent

the　bolt　home　in　the　very　instant　that　the　murderer's　hand　came

into　contact　with　the　handle。　　Then；　from　the　violence　of　her

emotions；　she　fell　down　in　a　fit；　with　her　arm　around　the　sister

whom　she　had　saved。



How　long　they　lay　in　this　state　neither　ever　knew。　　The　two　old

ladies　had　rushed　upstairs　on　hearing　the　tumult。　　Other　persons

had　been　concealed　in　other　parts　of　the　house。　　The　servants　found

themselves　suddenly　locked　in；　and　were　not　sorry　to　be　saved　from

a　collision　which　involved　so　awful　a　danger。　　The　old　ladies　had

rushed；　side　by　side；　into　the　very　center　of　those　who　were

seeking　them。　　Retreat　was　impossible；　two　persons　at　least　were

heard　following　them　upstairs。　　Something　like　a　shrieking

expostulation　and　counter…expostulation　went　on　between　the　ladies

and　the　murderers；　then　came　louder　voicesthen　one　heart…piercing

shriek；　and　then　anotherand　then　a　slow　moaning　and　a　dead

silence。　　Shortly　afterwards　was　heard　the　first　crashing　of　the

door　inward　by　the　mob；　but　the　murderers　had　fled　upon　the　first

alarm；　and；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　servants；　had　fled　upward。

Examination；　however；　explained　this：　from　a　window　in　the　roof

they　had　passed　to　an　adjoining　house　recently　left　empty；　and

here；　as　in　other　cases；　we　had　proof　how　apt　people　are；　in　the

midst　of　elaborate　provisions　against　remote　dangers；　to　neglect

those　which　are　obvious。



The　reign　of　terror；　it　may　be　supposed；　had　now　reached　its　acme。

The　two　old　ladies　were　both　lying　dead　at　different　points　on　the

staircase；　and；　as　usual；　no　conjecture　c