classic mystery and detective stories-第69章

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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　artfully；　introduced　these　topics；

making　them　seem　to　arise　naturally　out　of　the　suggestion　of　our

talk；　I　totally　failed　to　arrive　at　any　distinct　conclusion。　　I　was

afraid　to　put　the　direct　question：　　Do　you　not　share　the　common

feeling　of　interest　in　criminal　stories？　　This　question　would

doubtless　have　elicited　a　categorical　reply；　but　somehow；　the

consciousness　of　an　arriere…pensee　made　me　shrink　from　putting　such

a　question。



Reflecting　on　this　indifference　on　a　special　point；　and　on　the

numerous　manifestations　I　had　noticed　of　his　sensibility；　I　came　at

last　to　the　conclusion　that　he　must　be　a　man　of　tender　heart；　whose

delicate　sensibilities　easily　shrank　from　the　horrible　under　every

form；　and　no　more　permitted　him　to　dwell　unnecessarily　upon　painful

facts；　than　they　permit　imaginative　minds　to　dwell　on　the　details

of　an　operation。



I　had　not　long　settled　this　in　my　mind　before　an　accident　suddenly

threw　a　lurid　light　upon　many　details　noticed　previously；　and

painfully　revived　that　inexplicable　repulsion　with　which　I　had　at

first　regarded　him。　　A　new　suspicion　filled　my　mind；　or　rather；　let

me　say；　a　distinct　shape　was　impressed　upon　many　fluctuating

suspicions。　　It　scarcely　admitted　of　argument；　and　at　times　seemed

preposterous；　nevertheless　it　persisted。　　The　mind　which　in　broad

daylight　assents　to　all　that　can　be　alleged　against　the　absurdities

of　the　belief　in　apparitions；　will　often　acknowledge　the　dim

terrors　of　darkness　and　lonelinessterrors　at　possibilities　of

supernatural　visitations。　　In　like　manner；　in　the　clear　daylight　of

reason　I　could　see　the　absurdity　of　my　suspicion；　but　the　vague

stirrings　of　feeling　remained　unsilenced。　　I　was　haunted　by　the　dim

horrors　of　a　possibility。



Thus　it　arose。　　We　were　both　going　to　Munich；　and　Bourgonef　had

shortened　his　contemplated　stay　at　Nuremberg　that　he　might　have　the

pleasure　of　accompanying　me；　adding　also　that　he；　too；　should　be

glad　to　reach　Munich；　not　only