the red inn-第5章

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its　pale　pure　light　upon　the　scene；　and　he　was　thus　enabled　to　faintly

see　into　the　room　where　Wilhelm　and　Wahlenfer　were　sleeping。　There；　he

told　me；　he　stood　still　for　a　moment。　The　throbbing　of　his　heart　was

so　strong；　so　deep；　so　sonorous；　that　he　was　terrified；　he　feared　he

could　not　act　with　coolness；　his　hands　trembled；　the　soles　of　his　feet

seem　planted　on　red…hot　coal；　but　the　execution　of　his　plan　was

accompanied　by　such　apparent　good　luck　that　he　fancied　he　saw　a

species　of　predestination　in　this　favor　bestowed　upon　him　by　fate。　He

opened　the　window；　returned　to　the　bedroom；　took　his　case　of

instruments；　and　selected　the　one　most　suitable　to　accomplish　the

crime。



〃When　I　stood　by　the　bed；〃　he　said　to　me；　〃I　commended　myself

mechanically　to　God。〃



At　the　moment　when　he　raised　his　arm　collecting　all　his　strength；　he

heard　a　voice　as　it　were　within　him；　he　thought　he　saw　a　light。　He

flung　the　instrument　on　his　own　bed　and　fled　into　the　next　room；　and

stood　before　the　window。　There；　he　conceived　the　utmost　horror　of

himself。　Feeling　his　virtue　weak；　fearing　still　to　succumb　to　the

spell　that　was　upon　him　he　sprang　out　upon　the　road　and　walked　along

the　bank　of　the　Rhine；　pacing　up　and　down　like　a　sentinel　before　the

inn。　Sometimes　he　went　as　far　as　Andernach　in　his　hurried　tramp；　often

his　feet　led　him　up　the　slope　he　had　descended　on　his　way　to　the　inn；

and　sometimes　he　lost　sight　of　the　inn　and　the　window　he　had　left　open

behind　him。　His　object；　he　said；　was　to　weary　himself　and　so　find

sleep。



But；　as　he　walked　beneath　the　cloudless　skies；　beholding　the　stars；

affected　perhaps　by　the　purer　air　of　night　and　the　melancholy　lapping

of　the　water；　he　fell　into　a　reverie　which　brought　him　back　by　degrees

to　sane　moral　thoughts。　Reason　at　last　dispersed　completely　his

momentary　frenzy。　The　teachings　of　his　education；　its　religious

precepts；　but　above　all；　so　he　told　me；　the　remembrance　of　his　simple

life　beneath　the　parental　roof　drove　out　his　wicked　thoughts。　When　he

returned　to　the　inn　after　a　long　meditation　to　which　he　abandoned

himself　on　the　bank　of　the　Rhine；　resting　his　elbow　on　a　rock；　he

could；　he　said　to　me；　not　have　slept；　but　have　watched　untempted

beside　millions　of　gold。　At　the　moment　when　his　virtue　rose　proudly

and　vigorously　from　the　struggle；　he　knelt　down；　with　a　feeling　of

ecstasy　and　happiness；　and　thanked　God。　He　felt　happy；　light…hearted；

content；　as　on　the　day　of　his　first　communion；　when　he　thought　himself

worthy　of　the　angels　because　he　had　passed　one　day　without　sinning　in

thought；　or　word；　or　deed。



He　returned　to　the　inn　and　closed　the　window　without　fearing　to　make　a

noise；　and　went　to　bed　at　once。　His　moral　and　physical　lassitude　was

certain　to　bring　him　sleep。　In　a　very　short　time　after　laying　his　head

on　his　mattress；　he　fell　into　that　first　fantastic　somnolence　which

precedes　the　deepest　sleep。　The　senses　then　grew　numb；　and　life　is

abolished　by　degrees；　thoughts　are　incomplete；　and　the　last　quivering

of　our　consciousness　seems　like　a　sort　of　reverie。　〃How　heavy　the　air

is！〃　he　thought；　〃I　seem　to　be　breathing　a　moist　vapor。〃　He　explained

this　vaguely　to　himself　by　the　difference　which　must　exist　between　the

atmosphere　of　the　close　room　and　the　purer　air　by　the　river。　But

presently　he　heard　a　periodical　noise；　something　like　that　made　by

drops　of　water　falling　from　a　robinet　into　a　fountain。　Obeying　a

feeling　of　panic　terror　he　was　about　to　rise　and　call　the　innkeeper

and　waken　Wahlenfer　and　Wilhelm；　but　he　suddenly　remembered；　alas！　to

his　great　misfortune；　the　tall　wooden　clock；　he　fancied　the　sound　was

that　of　the　pendulum；　and　he　fell　asleep　with　that　confused　and

indistinct　perception。



＇〃Do　you　want　some　water；　Monsieur　Taillefer？〃　said　the　master　of　the

house；　observing　that　the　banker　was　mechanically　pouring　from　an

empty　decanter。



Monsieur　Hermann　continued　his　narrative　after　the　slight　pause

occasioned　by　this　interruption。＇



The　next　morning　Prosper　Magnan　was　awakened　by　a　great　noise。　He

seemed　to　hear　piercing　cries；　and　he　felt　that　violent　shuddering　of

the　nerves　which　we　suffer　when　on　awaking　we　continue　to　feel　a

painful　impression　begun　in　sleep。　A　physiological　fact　then　takes

place　within　us；　a　start；　to　use　the　common　expression；　which　has

never　been　sufficiently　observed；　though　it　contains　very　curious

phenomena　for　science。　This　terrible　agony；　produced；　possibly；　by　the

too　sudden　reunion　of　our　two　natures　separated　during　sleep；　is

usually　transient；　but　in　the　poor　young　surgeon's　case　it　lasted；　and

even　increased；　causing　him　suddenly　the　most　awful　horror　as　he

beheld　a　pool　of　blood　between　Wahlenfer's　bed　and　his　own　mattress。

The　head　of　the　unfortunate　German　lay　on　the　ground；　his　body　was

still　on　the　bed；　all　its　blood　had　flowed　out　by　the　neck。



Seeing　the　eyes　still　open　but　fixed；　seeing　the　blood　which　had

stained　his　sheets　and　even　his　hands；　recognizing　his　own　surgical

instrument　beside　him；　Prosper　Magnan　fainted　and　fell　into　the　pool

of　Wahlenfer's　blood。　〃It　was；〃　he　said　to　me；　〃the　punishment　of　my

thoughts。〃　When　he　recovered　consciousness　he　was　in　the　public　room；

seated　on　a　chair；　surrounded　by　French　soldiers；　and　in　presence　of　a

curious　and　observing　crowd。　He　gazed　stupidly　at　a　Republican　officer

engaged　in　taking　the　testimony　of　several　witnesses；　and　in　writing

down；　no　doubt；　the　〃proces…verbal。〃　He　recognized　the　landlord；　his

wife；　the　two　boatmen；　and　the　servant　of　the　Red　Inn。　The　surgical

instrument　which　the　murderer　had　used



＇Here　Monsieur　Taillefer　coughed；　drew　out　his　handkerchief　to　blow

his　nose；　and　wiped　his　forehead。　These　perfectly　natural　motions　were

noticed　by　me　only；　the　other　guests　sat　with　their　eyes　fixed　on

Monsieur　Hermann；　to　whom　they　were　listening　with　a　sort　of　avidity。

The　purveyor　leaned　his　elbow　on　the　table；　put　his　head　into　his

right　hand　and　gazed　fixedly　at　Hermann。　From　that　moment　he　showed　no

other　sign　of　emotion　or　interest；　but　his　face　remained　passive　and

ghastly；　as　it　was　when　I　first　saw　him　playing　with　the　stopper　of

the　decanter。＇



The　surgical　instrument　which　the　murderer　had　used　was　on　the　table

with　the　case　containing　the　rest　of　the　instruments；　together　with

Prosper's　purse　and　papers。　The　gaze　of　the　assembled　crowd　turned

alternately　from　these　convicting　articles　to　the　young　man；　who

seemed　to　be　dying　and　whose　half…extinguished　eyes　apparently　saw

nothing。　A　confused　murmur　which　was　heard　without　proved　the　presence

of　a　crowd；　drawn　to　the　neighborhood　of　the　inn　by　the　news　of　the

crime；　and　also　perhaps　by　a　desire　to　see　the　murderer。　The　step　of

the　sentries　placed　beneath　the　windows　of　the　public　room　and　the

rattle　of　their　accoutrements　could　be　heard　above　the　talk　of　the

populace；　but　the　inn　was　closed　and　the　courtyard　was　empty　and

silent。



Incapable　of　sustaining　the　glance　of　the　officer　who　was　gathering

his　testimony；　Prosper　Magnan　suddenly　felt　his　hand　pressed　by　a　man；

and　he　raised　his　eyes　to　see　who　his　protector　could　be　in　that　crowd

of　enemies。　He　recognized　by　his　uniform　the　surgeon…major　of　the

demi…brigade　then　stationed　at　Andernach。　The　glance　of　that　man　was

so　piercing；　so　stern；　that　the　poor　young　fellow　shuddered；　and

suffered　his　head　to　fall　on　the　back　of　his　chair。　A　soldier　put

vinegar　to　his　nostrils　and　he　recovered　consciousness。　Nevertheless

his　haggard　eyes　were　so　devoid　of　life　and　intelligence　that　the

surgeon　said　to　the　officer　after　feeling　Prosper's　pulse；



〃Captain；　it　is　impossible　to　question　the　man　at　this　moment。〃



〃Very　well！　Take　him　away；〃　replied　the　captain；　interrupting　the

surgeon；　and　addressing　a　corporal　who　stood　behind　the　prisoner。　〃You

cursed　coward！〃　he　went　on；　speaking　to　Prosper　in　a　low　voice；　〃try

at　least　to　walk　firmly　before　these　German　curs；　and　save　the　honor

of　the