the notch on the ax and on being found out-第35章

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penetrated　through　her　curtain；　she　recognized　her　attendants；　made
inquiries　as　to　the　month　and　the　day　of　the　month；　and　then；
sensible　that　she　could　not　outlive　the　day；　she　requested　that　her
confessor　might　be　summoned。

About　an　hour　and　a　half　the　confessor　remained　alone　with　her。　　At
the　end　of　that　time　he　came　out；　and　hastily　summoned　the
attendants；　for　Margaret；　he　said；　was　sinking　into　a　fainting　fit。
The　confessor　himself　might　have　passed　through　many　a　fit；　so　much
was　he　changed　by　the　results　of　this　interview。　　I　crossed　him
coming　out　of　the　house。　　I　spoke　to　himI　called　to　him；　but　he
heard　me　nothe　saw　me　not。　　He　saw　nobody。　　Onward　he　strode　to
the　cathedral；　where　Maximilian　was　sure　to　be　found；　pacing　about
upon　the　graves。　　Him　he　seized　by　the　arm；　whispered　something
into　his　ear；　and　then　both　retired　into　one　of　the　many
sequestered　chapels　in　which　lights　are　continually　burning。　　There
they　had　some　conversation；　but　not　very　long；　for　within　five
minutes　Maximilian　strode　away　to　the　house　in　which　his　young　wife
was　dying。　　One　step　seemed　to　carry　him　upstairs。　　The　attendants；
according　to　the　directions　they　had　received　from　the　physicians；
mustered　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　to　oppose　him。　　But　that　was
idle：　before　the　rights　which　he　held　as　a　lover　and　a　husband
before　the　still　more　sacred　rights　of　grief；　which　he　carried　in
his　countenance；　all　opposition　fled　like　a　dream。　　There　was；
besides；　a　fury　in　his　eye。　　A　motion　of　his　hand　waved　them　off
like　summer　flies；　he　entered　the　room；　and　once　again；　for　the
last　time；　he　was　in　company　with　his　beloved。

What　passed　who　could　pretend　to　guess？　　Something　more　than　two
hours　had　elapsed；　during　which　Margaret　had　been　able　to　talk
occasionally；　which　was　known；　because　at　times　the　attendants
heard　the　sound　of　Maximilian's　voice　evidently　in　tones　of　reply
to　something　which　she　had　said。　　At　the　end　of　that　time；　a　little
bell；　placed　near　the　bedside；　was　rung　hastily。　　A　fainting　fit
had　seized　Margaret；　but　she　recovered　almost　before　her　women
applied　the　usual　remedies。　　They　lingered；　however；　a　little；
looking　at　the　youthful　couple　with　an　interest　which　no　restraints
availed　to　check。　　Their　hands　were　locked　together；　and　in
Margaret's　eyes　there　gleamed　a　farewell　light　of　love；　which
settled　upon　Maximilian；　and　seemed　to　indicate　that　she　was
becoming　speechless。　　Just　at　this　moment　she　made　a　feeble　effort
to　draw　Maximilian　toward　her；　he　bent　forward　and　kissed　her　with
an　anguish　that　made　the　most　callous　weep；　and　then　he　whispered
something　into　her　ear；　upon　which　the　attendants　retired；　taking
this　as　a　proof　that　their　presence　was　a　hindrance　to　a　free
communication。　　But　they　heard　no　more　talking；　and　in　less　than
ten　minutes　they　returned。　　Maximilian　and　Margaret　still　retained
their　former　position。　　Their　hands　were　fast　locked　together；　the
same　parting　ray　of　affection；　the　same　farewell　light　of　love；　was
in　the　eye　of　Margaret；　and　still　it　settled　upon　Maximilian。　　But
her　eyes　were　beginning　to　grow　dim；　mists　were　rapidly　stealing
over　them。　　Maximilian；　who　sat　stupefied　and　like　one　not　in　his
right　mind；　now；　at　the　gentle　request　of　the　women；　resigned　his
seat；　for　the　hand　which　had　clasped　his　had　already　relaxed　its
hold；　the　farewell　gleam　of　love　had　departed。　　One　of　the　women
closed　her　eyelids；　and　there　fell　asleep　forever　the　loveliest
flower　that　our　city　had　reared　for　generations。

The　funeral　took　place　on　the　fourth　day　after　her　death。　　In　the
morning　of　that　day；　from　strong　affectionhaving　known　her　from
an　infantI　begged　permission　to　see　the　corpse。　　She　was　in　her
coffin；　snowdrops　and　crocuses　were　laid　upon　her　innocent　bosom；
and　roses；　of　that　sort　which　the　season　allowed；　over　her　person。
These　and　other　lovely　symbols　of　youth；　of　springtime；　and　of
resurrection；　caught　my　eye　for　the　first　moment；　but　in　the　next
it　fell　upon　her　face。　　Mighty　God！　what　a　change！　what　a
transfiguration！　　Still；　indeed；　there　was　the　same　innocent
sweetness；　still　there　was　something　of　the　same　loveliness；　the
expression　still　remained；　but　for　the　featuresall　trace　of　flesh
seemed　to　have　vanished；　mere　outline　of　bony　structure　remained；
mere　pencilings　and　shadowings　of　what　she　once　had　been。　　This　is；
indeed；　I　exclaimed；　〃dust　to　dustashes　to　ashes！〃

Maximilian；　to　the　astonishment　of　everybody；　attended　the　funeral。
It　was　celebrated　in　the　cathedral。　　All　made　way　for　him；　and　at
times　he　seemed　collected；　at　times　he　reeled　like　one　who　was
drunk。　　He　heard　as　one　who　hears　not；　he　saw　as　one　in　a　dream。
The　whole　ceremony　went　on　by　torchlight；　and　toward　the　close　he
stood　like　a　pillar；　motionless；　torpid；　frozen。　　But　the　great
burst　of　the　choir；　and　the　mighty　blare　ascending　from　our　vast
organ　at　the　closing　of　the　grave；　recalled　him　to　himself；　and　he
strode　rapidly　homeward。　　Half　an　hour　after　I　returned；　I　was
summoned　to　his　bedroom。　　He　was　in　bed；　calm　and　collected。　　What
he　said　to　me　I　remember　as　if　it　had　been　yesterday；　and　the　very
tone　with　which　he　said　it；　although　more　than　twenty　years　have
passed　since　then。　　He　began　thus：　〃I　have　not　long　to　live〃；　and
when　he　saw　me　start；　suddenly　awakened　into　a　consciousness　that
perhaps　he　had　taken　poison；　and　meant　to　intimate　as　much；　he
continued：　〃You　fancy　I　have　taken　poison；no　matter　whether　I
have　or　not；　if　I　have；　the　poison　is　such　that　no　antidote　will
now　avail；　or；　if　they　would；　you　well　know　that　some　griefs　are　of
a　kind　which　leave　no　opening　to　any　hope。　　What　difference；
therefore；　can　it　make　whether　I　leave　this　earth　to…day；　to…
morrow；　or　the　next　day？　　Be　assured　of　thisthat　whatever　I　have
determined　to　do　is　past　all　power　of　being　affected　by　a　human
opposition。　　Occupy　yourself　not　with　any　fruitless　attempts；　but
calmly　listen　to　me；　else　I　know　what　to　do。〃　　Seeing　a　suppressed
fury　in　his　eye；　notwithstanding　I　saw　also　some　change　stealing
over　his　features　as　if　from　some　subtle　poison　beginning　to　work
upon　his　frame；　awestruck　I　consented　to　listen；　and　sat　still。
〃It　is　well　that　you　do　so；　for　my　time　is　short。　　Here　is　my　will；
legally　drawn　up；　and　you　will　see　that　I　have　committed　an　immense
property　to　your　discretion。　　Here；　again；　is　a　paper　still　more
important　in　my　eyes；　it　is　also　testamentary；　and　binds　you　to
duties　which　may　not　be　so　easy　to　execute　as　the　disposal　of　my
property。　　But　now　listen　to　something　else；　which　concerns　neither
of　these　papers。　　Promise　me；　in　the　first　place；　solemnly；　that
whenever　I　die　you　will　see　me　buried　in　the　same　grave　as　my　wife；
from　whose　funeral　we　are　just　returned。　　Promise。〃I　promised。
〃Swear。〃I　swore。〃Finally；　promise　me　that；　when　you　read　this
second　paper　which　I　have　put　into　your　hands；　whatsoever　you　may
think　of　it；　you　will　say　nothingpublish　nothing　to　the　world
until　three　years　shall　have　passed。〃I　promised。〃And　now
farewell　for　three　hours。　　Come　to　me　again　about　ten　o'clock；　and
take　a　glass　of　wine　in　memory　of　old　times。〃　　This　he　said
laughingly；　but　even　then　a　dark　spasm　crossed　his　face。　　Yet；
thinking　that　this　might　be　the　mere　working　of　mental　anguish
within　him；　I　complied　with　his　desire；　and　retired。　　Feeling；
however；　but　little　at　ease；　I　devised　an　excuse　for　looking　in
upon　him　about　one　hour　and　a　half　after　I　had　left　him。　　I　knocked
gently　at　his　door；　there　was　no　answer。　　I　knocked　louder；　still
no　answer。　　I　went　in。　　The　light　of　day　was　gone；　and　I　could　see
nothing。　　But　I　was　alarmed　by　the　utter　stillness　of　the　room。　　I
listened　earnestly；　but　not　a　breath　could　be　heard。　　I　rushed　back
hastily　into　the　hall　for　a　lamp；　I　returned；　I　looked　in　upon　this
marvel　of　manly　beauty；　and　the　first　glance　informed　me　that　he
and　all　his　splendid　endowments　had　departed　forever。　　He　had　died；
probably；　soon　after　I　left　him；　and　had　dismissed　me　from　some
growing　instinct　which　informed　him　that　his　last　agonies　were　at
hand。

I　took　up　his　two　testamentary　documents；　both　were　addressed　in
the　shape　of　letters　to　myself。　　The　first　w