classic mystery and detective stories-第38章

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would　be　a　degradation　to　accept　even　of　a　sovereign　prince　on　the

terms　of　such　marriage。　　This　was　no　vain　pretension　of

ostentatious　vanity。　　It　was　one　which　had　been　admitted　as　valid

for　time　immemorial　in　Transylvania　and　adjacent　countries；　where

my　mother's　family　were　rich　and　honored；　and　took　their　seat　among

the　dignitaries　of　the　land。　　The　French　officers　I　have　alluded

to；　without　capacity　for　anything　so　dignified　as　a　deep　passion；

but　merely　in　pursuit　of　a　vagrant　fancy　that　would；　on　the　next

day；　have　given　place　to　another　equally　fleeting；　had　dared　to

insult　my　mother　with　proposals　the　most　licentiousproposals　as

much　below　her　rank　and　birth；　as；　at　any　rate；　they　would　have

been　below　her　dignity　of　mind　and　her　purity。　　These　she　had

communicated　to　my　father；　who　bitterly　resented　the　chains　of

subordination　which　tied　up　his　hands　from　avenging　his　injuries。

Still　his　eye　told　a　tale　which　his　superiors　could　brook　as　little

as　they　could　the　disdainful　neglect　of　his　wife。　　More　than　one

had　been　concerned　in　the　injuries　to　my　father　and　mother；　more

than　one　were　interested　in　obtaining　revenge。　　Things　could　be

done　in　German　towns；　and　by　favor　of　old　German　laws　or　usages；

which　even　in　France　could　not　have　been　tolerated。　　This　my

father's　enemies　well　knew；　but　this　my　father　also　knew；　and　he

endeavored　to　lay　down　his　office　of　commissary。　　That；　however；

was　a　favor　which　he　could　not　obtain。　　He　was　compelled　to　serve

on　the　German　campaign　then　commencing；　and　on　the　subsequent　one

of　Friedland　and　Eylau。　　Here　he　was　caught　in　some　one　of　the

snares　laid　for　him；　first　trepanned　into　an　act　which　violated

some　rule　of　the　service；　and　then　provoked　into　a　breach　of

discipline　against　the　general　officer　who　had　thus　trepanned　him。

Now　was　the　long…sought　opportunity　gained；　and　in　that　very

quarter　of　Germany　best　fitted　for　improving　it。　　My　father　was

thrown　into　prison　in　your　city；　subjected　to　the　atrocious

oppression　of　your　jailer；　and　the　more　detestable　oppression　of

your　local　laws。　　The　charges　against　him　were　thought　even　to

affect　his　life；　and　he　was　humbled　into　suing　for　permission　to

send　for　his　wife　and　children。　　Already；　to　his　proud　spirit；　it

was　punishment　enough　that　he　should　be　reduced　to　sue　for　favor　to

one　of　his　bitterest　foes。　　But　it　was　no　part　of　their　plan　to

refuse　THAT。　　By　way　of　expediting　my　mother's　arrival；　a　military

courier；　with　every　facility　for　the　journey；　was　forwarded　to　her

without　delay。　　My　mother；　her　two　daughters；　and　myself；　were　then

residing　in　Venice。　　I　had；　through　the　aid　of　my　father's

connections　in　Austria；　been　appointed　in　the　imperial　service；　and

held　a　high　commission　for　my　age。　　But；　on　my　father's　marching

northward　with　the　French　army；　I　had　been　recalled　as　an

indispensable　support　to　my　mother。　　Not　that　my　years　could　have

made　me　such；　for　I　had　barely　accomplished　my　twelfth　year；　but　my

premature　growth；　and　my　military　station；　had　given　me

considerable　knowledge　of　the　world　and　presence　of　mind。



〃Our　journey　I　pass　over；　but　as　I　approach　your　city；　that

sepulcher　of　honor　and　happiness　to　my　poor　family；　my　heart　beats

with　frantic　emotions。　　Never　do　I　see　that　venerable　dome　of　your

minster　from　the　forest；　but　I　curse　its　form；　which　reminds　me　of

what　we　then　surveyed　for　many　a　mile　as　we　traversed　the　forest。

For　leagues　before　we　approached　the　city；　this　object　lay　before

us　in　relief　upon　the　frosty　blue　sky；　and　still　it　seemed　never　to

increase。　　Such　was　the　complaint　of　my　little　sister　Mariamne。

Most　innocent　child！　would　that　it　never　had　increased　for　thy

eyes；　but　remained　forever　at　a　distance！　　That　same　hour　began　the

series　of　monstrous　indignities　which　terminated　the　career　of　my

ill…fated　family。　　As　we　drew　up　to　the　city　gates；　the　officer　who

inspected　the　passports；　finding　my　mother　and　sisters　described　as

Jewesses；　which　in　my　mother's　ears　（reared　in　a　region　where　Jews

are　not　dishonored）　always　sounded　a　title　of　distinction；　summoned

a　subordinate　agent；　who　in　coarse　terms　demanded　his　toll。　　We

presumed　this　to　be　a　road　tax　for　the　carriage　and　horses；　but　we

were　quickly　undeceived；　a　small　sum　was　demanded　for　each　of　my

sisters　and　my　mother；　as　for　so　many　head　of　cattle。　　I；　fancying

some　mistake；　spoke　to　the　man　temperately；　and；　to　do　him　justice；

he　did　not　seem　desirous　of　insulting　us；　but　he　produced　a　printed

board；　on　which；　along　with　the　vilest　animals；　Jews　and　Jewesses

were　rated　at　so　much　a　head。　　While　we　were　debating　the　point；

the　officers　of　the　gate　wore　a　sneering　smile　upon　their　faces

the　postilions　were　laughing　together；　and　this；　too；　in　the

presence　of　three　creatures　whose　exquisite　beauty；　in　different

styles；　agreeably　to　their　different　ages；　would　have　caused

noblemen　to　have　fallen　down　and　worshiped。　　My　mother；　who　had

never　yet　met　with　any　flagrant　insult　on　account　of　her　national

distinctions；　was　too　much　shocked　to　be　capable　of　speaking。　　I

whispered　to　her　a　few　words；　recalling　her　to　her　native　dignity

of　mind；　paid　the　money；　and　we　drove　to　the　prison。　　But　the　hour

was　past　at　which　we　could　be　admitted；　and；　as　Jewesses；　my　mother

and　sisters　could　not　be　allowed　to　stay　in　the　city；　they　were　to

go　into　the　Jewish　quarter；　a　part　of　the　suburb　set　apart　for

Jews；　in　which　it　was　scarcely　possible　to　obtain　a　lodging

tolerably　clean。　　My　father；　on　the　next　day；　we　found；　to　our

horror；　at　the　point　of　death。　　To　my　mother　he　did　not　tell　the

worst　of　what　he　had　endured。　　To　me　he　told　that；　driven　to

madness　by　the　insults　offered　to　him；　he　had　upbraided　the　court…

martial　with　their　corrupt　propensities；　and　had　even　mentioned

that　overtures　had　been　made　to　him　for　quashing　the　proceedings　in

return　for　a　sum　of　two　millions　of　francs；　and　that　his　sole

reason　for　not　entertaining　the　proposal　was　his　distrust　of　those

who　made　it。　　'They　would　have　taken　my　money；'　said　he；　'and　then

found　a　pretext　for　putting　me　to　death；　that　I　might　tell　no

secrets。'　　This　was　too　near　the　truth　to　be　tolerated；　in　concert

with　the　local　authorities；　the　military　enemies　of　my　father

conspired　against　himwitnesses　were　suborned；　and；　finally；　under

some　antiquated　law　of　the　place；　he　was　subjected；　in　secret；　to　a

mode　of　torture　which　still　lingers　in　the　east　of　Europe。



〃He　sank　under　the　torture　and　the　degradation。　　I；　too；

thoughtlessly；　but　by　a　natural　movement　of　filial　indignation；

suffered　the　truth　to　escape　me　in　conversing　with　my　mother。　　And

she；but　I　will　preserve　the　regular　succession　of　things。　　My

father　died；　but　he　had　taken　such　measures；　in　concert　with　me；

that　his　enemies　should　never　benefit　by　his　property。　　Meantime　my

mother　and　sisters　had　closed　my　father's　eyes；　had　attended　his

remains　to　the　grave；　and　in　every　act　connected　with　this　last　sad

rite　had　met　with　insults　and　degradations　too　mighty　for　human

patience。　　My　mother；　now　become　incapable　of　self…command；　in　the

fury　of　her　righteous　grief；　publicly　and　in　court　denounced　the

conduct　of　the　magistracytaxed　some　of　them　with　the　vilest

proposals　to　herselftaxed　them　as　a　body　with　having　used

instruments　of　torture　upon　my　father；　and；　finally；　accused　them

of　collusion　with　the　French　military　oppressors　of　the　district。

This　last　was　a　charge　under　which　they　quailed；　for　by　that　time

the　French　had　made　themselves　odious　to　all　who　retained　a　spark

of　patriotic　feeling。　　My　heart　sank　within　me　when　I　looked　up　at

the　bench；　this　tribunal　of　tyrants；　all　purple　or　livid　with　rage；

when　I　looked　at　them　alternately　and　at　my　noble　mother　with　her

weeping　daughtersthese　so　powerless；　those　so　basely　vindictive；

and　locally　so　omnipotent。　　Willingly　I　would　have　sacrificed　all

my　wealth　for　a　simple　permission　to　quit　this　infernal　city　with

my　poor　femal