the notch on the ax and on being found out-第28章

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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　had　said。　　〃What　was　true？〃　　That　her
uncle　Mr。　Weishaupt's　family　had　been　murdered；　that　not　one　member
of　the　family　had　been　sparednamely；　Mr。　Weishaupt　himself　and
his　wife；　neither　of　them　much　above　sixty；　but　both　infirm　beyond
their　years；　two　maiden　sisters　of　Mr。　Weishaupt；　from　forty　to
forty…six　years　of　age；　and　an　elderly　female　domestic。

An　incident　happened　during　the　recital　of　these　horrors；　and　of
the　details　which　followed；　that　furnished　matter　for　conversation
even　in　these　hours　when　so　thrilling　an　interest　had　possession　of
all　minds。　　Many　ladies　fainted；　among　them　Miss　Liebenheimand
she