the notch on the ax and on being found out-第73章

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having　up　to　this　period　been　entirely　blind　to　those　aspects。　　The
truth　is；　every　human　being　is　a　mystery；　and　remains　so　to　the
last。　　We　fancy　we　know　a　character；　we　form　a　distinct　conception
of　it；　for　years　that　conception　remains　unmodified；　and　suddenly
the　strain　of　some　emergency；　of　the　incidental　stimulus　of　new
circumstances；　reveals　qualities　not　simply　unexpected；　but　flatly
contradictory　of　our　previous　conception。　　We　judge　of　a　man　by　the
angle　he　subtends　to　our　eyeonly　thus　CAN　we　judge　of　him；　and
this　angle　depends　on　the　relation　his　qualities　and　circumstances
bear　to　our　interests　and　sympathies。　　Bourgonef　had　charmed　me
intellectually；　morally　I　had　never　come　closer　to　him　than　in　the
sympathies　of　public　questions　and　abstract　theories。　　His　story
had　disclosed　hidden　depths。

My　old　suspicions　reappeared；　and　a　conversation　we　had　two　days
afterwards　helped　to　strengthen　them。

We　had　gone　on　a　visit　to　Schwanthaler；　the　sculptor；　at　his　tiny
little　castle　of　Schwaneck；　a　few　miles　from　Munich。　　The　artist
was　out　for　a　walk；　but　we　were　invited　to　come　in　and　await　his
return；　which　would　be　shortly；　and　meanwhile　Bourgonef　undertook
to　show　me　over　the　castle；　interesting　as　a　bit　of　modern　Gothic；
realizing　on　a　diminutive　scale　a　youthful　dream　of　the　sculptor's。
When　our　survey　was　completedand　it　did　not　take　longwe　sat　at
one　of　the　windows　and　enjoyed　a　magnificent　prospect。　　〃It　is
curious；〃　said　Bourgonef；　〃to　be　shut　up　here　in　this　imitation　of
medieval　masonry；　where　every　detail　speaks　of　the　dead　past；　and
to　think　of　the　events　now　going　on　in　Paris　which　must　find
imitators　all　over　Europe；　and　which　open　to　the　mind　such　vistas
of　the　future。　　What　a　grotesque　anachronism　is　this　Gothic　castle；
built　in　the　same　age　as　that　which　sees　a　reforming　pope！〃

〃Yes；　but　is　not　the　reforming　pope　himself　an　anachronism？〃

〃As　a　Catholic；〃　here　he　smiled；　intimating　that　his　orthodoxy　was
not　very　stringent；　〃I　cannot　admit　that；　as　a　Protestant；　you　must
admit　that　if　there　must　be　a　pope；　he　must　in　these　days　be　a
reformer；　orgive　up　his　temporal　power。　　Not　that　I　look　on　Pio
Nono　as　more　than　a　precursor；　he　may　break　ground；　and　point　the
way；　but　he　is　not　the　man　to　lead　Europe　out　of　its　present　slough
of　despond；　and　under　the　headship　of　the　Church　found　a　new　and
lasting　republic。　　We　want　a　Hildebrand；　one　who　will　be　to　the
nineteenth　century　as　Gregory　was　to　the　eleventh。〃

〃Do　you　believe　in　such　a　possibility？　　Do　you　think　the　Roman
pontiff　can　ever　again　sway　the　destinies　of　Europe？〃

〃I　can　hardly　say　I　believe　it；　yet　I　see　the　possibility　of　such
an　opening　if　the　right　man　were　to　arise。　　But　I　fear　he　will　not
arise；　or　if　he　should；　the　Conclave　will　stifle　him。　　Yet　there　is
but　one　alternative：　either　Europe　must　once　more　join　in　a　crusade
with　a　pope　at　the　head；　or　it　must　hoist　the　red　flag。　　There　is
no　other　issue。〃

〃Heaven　preserve　us　from　both！　　And　I　think　we　shall　be　preserved
from　the　Pope　by　the　rottenness　of　the　Church；　from　the　drapeau
rouge　by　the　indignation　and　horror　of　all　honest　men。　　You　see　how
the　Provisional　Government　has　resisted　the　insane　attempt　of　the
fanatics　to　make　the　red　flag　accepted　as　the　national　banner？〃

〃Yes；　and　it　is　the　one　thing　which　dashes　my　pleasure　in　the　new
revolution。　　It　is　the　one　act　of　weakness　which　the　Government　has
exhibited；　a　concession　which　will　be　fatal　unless　it　be　happily
set　aside　by　the　energetic　party　of　action。〃

〃An　act　of　weakness？　say　rather　an　act　of　strength。　　A　concession？
say　rather　the　repudiation　of　anarchy；　the　assertion　of　law　and
justice。〃

〃Not　a　bit。　　It　was　concession　to　the　fears　of　the　timid；　and　to
the　vanity　of　the　French　people。　　The　tricolor　is　a　French　flag
not　the　banner　of　humanity。　　It　is　because　the　tricolor　has　been
identified　with　the　victories　of　France　that　it　appeals　to　the
vanity　of　the　vainest　of　people。　　They　forget　that　it　is　the　flag
of　a　revolution　which　failed；　and　of　an　empire　which　was　one
perpetual　outrage　to　humanity。　　Whereas　the　red　is　new；　it　is　the
symbol　of　an　energetic；　thorough…going　creed。　　If　it　carries　terror
with　it；　so　much　the　better。　　The　tyrants　and　the　timid　should　be
made　to　tremble。〃

〃I　had　no　idea　you　were　so　bloodthirsty；〃　said　I；　laughing　at　his
vehemence。

〃I　am　not　bloodthirsty　at　all；　I　am　only　logical　and　consistent。
There　is　a　mass　of　sophistry　current　in　the　world　which　sickens　me。
People　talk　of　Robespierre　and　St。　Just；　two　of　the　most　virtuous
men　that　ever　livedand　of　Dominic　and　Torquemada；　two　of　the　most
single…mindedas　if　they　were　cruel　and　bloodthirsty；　whereas　they
were　only　convinced。〃

〃Is　it　from　love　of　paradox　that　you　defend　these　tigers？〃

〃Tigers；　againhow　those　beasts　are　calumniated！〃

He　said　this　with　a　seriousness　which　was　irresistibly　comic。　　I
shouted　with　laughter；　but　he　continued　gravely：

〃You　think　I　am　joking。　　But　let　me　ask　you　why　you　consider　the
tiger　more　bloodthirsty　than　yourself？　　He　springs　upon　his　food
you　buy　yours　from　the　butcher。　　He　cannot　live　without　animal
food：　it　is　a　primal　necessity；　and　he　obeys　the　ordained　instinct。
You　can　live　on　vegetables；　yet　you　slaughter　beasts　of　the　field
and　birds　of　the　air　（or　buy　them　when　slaughtered）；　and　consider
yourself　a　model　of　virtue。　　The　tiger　only　kills　his　food　or　his
enemies；　you　not　only　kill　both；　but　you　kill　one　animal　to　make
gravy　for　another！　　The　tiger　is　less　bloodthirsty　than　the
Christian！〃

〃I　don't　know　how　much　of　that　tirade　is　meant　to　be　serious；　but
to　waive　the　question　of　the　tiger's　morality；　do　you　reallyI
will　not　say　sympathize；but　justify　Robespierre；　Dominic；　St。
Just；　and　the　rest　of　the　fanatics　who　have　waded　to　their　ends
through　blood。〃

〃He　who　wills　the　END；　wills　the　MEANS。〃

〃A　devil's　maxim。〃

〃But　a　truth。　　What　the　foolish　world　shrinks　at　as
bloodthirstiness　and　cruelty　is　very　often　mere　force　and　constancy
of　intellect。　　It　is　not　that　fanatics　thirst　for　bloodfar　from
it；but　they　thirst　for　the　triumph　of　their　cause。　　Whatever
obstacle　lies　on　their　path　must　be　removed；　if　a　torrent　of　blood
is　the　only　thing　that　will　sweep　it　awaythe　torrent　must　sweep。〃

〃And　sweep　with　it　all　the　sentiments　of　pity；　mercy；　charity；
love？〃

〃No；　these　sentiments　may　give　a　sadness　to　the　necessity；　they
make　the　deed　a　sacrifice；　but　they　cannot　prevent　the　soul　from
seeing　the　aim　to　which　it　tends。〃

〃This　is　detestable　doctrine！　　It　is　the　sophism　which　has
destroyed　families；　devastated　cities；　and　retarded　the　moral
progress　of　the　world　more　than　anything　else。　　No　single　act　of
injustice　is　ever　done　on　this　earth　but　it　tends　to　perpetuate　the
reign　of　iniquity。　　By　the　feelings　it　calls　forth　it　keeps　up　the
native　savagery　of　the　heart。　　It　breeds　injustice；　partly　by
hardening　the　minds　of　those　who　assent；　and　partly　by　exciting　the
passion　of　revenge　in　those　who　resist。〃

〃You　are　wrong。　　The　great　drag…chain　on　the　car　of　progress　is　the
faltering　inconsistency　of　man。　　Weakness　is　more　cruel　than
sternness。　　Sentiment　is　more　destructive　than　logic。〃

The　arrival　of　Schwanthaler　was　timely；　for　my　indignation　was
rising。　　The　sculptor　received　us　with　great　cordiality；　and　in　the
pleasure　of　the　subsequent　hour　I　got　over　to　some　extent　the
irritation　Bourgonef's　talk　had　excited。

The　next　day　I　left　Munich　for　the　Tyrol。　　My　parting　with
Bourgonef　was　many　degrees　less　friendly　than　it　would　have　been　a
week　before。　　I　had　no　wish　to　see　him　again；　and　therefore　gave
him　no　address　or　invitation　in　case　he　should　come　to　England。　　As
I　rolled　away　in　the　Malleposte；　my　busy　thoughts　reviewed　all　the
details　of　our　acquaintance；　and　the　farther　I　was　carried　from　his
presence；　the　more　obtrusive　became　the　suspicions　which　connected
him　with　the　murder　of　Lieschen　Lehfeldt。　　How；　or　upon　what
motive；　was　indeed　an　utter　mystery。　　He　had　not　mentioned　the　name
of　Lehfeldt。　　He　had　not　mentioned　having　before　been　at　Nuremberg。
At　Heidelberg　the　tragedy　occurredor　was　Heidelberg　only　a　mask？
It　occurred　to　me　that　he　h