按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he had been murdered at all？ The forest was too extensive to be
searched； and it was possible that he might have met with some
fatal accident。 His horse had returned to the city gates in the
night； and was found there in the morning。 Nobody； however； for
months could give information about his rider； and it seemed
probable that he would not be discovered until the autumn and the
winter should again carry the sportsman into every thicket and
dingle of this sylvan tract。 One person only seemed to have more
knowledge on this subject than others； and that was poor Ferdinand
von Harrelstein。 He was now a mere ruin of what he had once been；
both as to intellect and moral feeling； and I observed him
frequently smile when the jailer was mentioned。 〃Wait；〃 he would
say； 〃till the leaves begin to drop； then you will see what fine
fruit our forest bears。〃 I did not repeat these expressions to
anybody except one friend； who agreed with me that the jailer had
probably been hanged in some recess of the forest； which summer
veiled with its luxuriant umbrage； and that Ferdinand； constantly
wandering in the forest； had discovered the body； but we both
acquitted him of having been an accomplice in the murder。
Meantime the marriage between Margaret Liebenheim and Maximilian
was understood to be drawing near。 Yet one thing struck everybody
with astonishment。 As far as the young people were concerned；
nobody could doubt that all was arranged； for never was happiness
more perfect than that which seemed to unite them。 Margaret was
the impersonation of May…time and youthful rapture； even Maximilian
in her presence seemed to forget his gloom； and the worm which
gnawed at his heart was charmed asleep by the music of her voice；
and the paradise of her smiles。 But； until the autumn came；
Margaret's grandfather had never ceased to frown upon this
connection； and to support the pretensions of Ferdinand。 The
dislike； indeed； seemed reciprocal between him and Maximilian。
Each avoided the other's company and as to the old man； he went so
far as to speak sneeringly of Maximilian。 Maximilian despised him
too heartily to speak of him at all。 When he could not avoid
meeting him； he treated him with a stern courtesy； which distressed
Margaret as often as she witnessed it。 She felt that her
grandfather had been the aggressor； and she felt also that he did
injustice to the merits of her lover。 But she had a filial
tenderness for the old man； as the father of her sainted mother；
and on his own account； continually making more claims on her pity；
as the decay of his memory； and a childish fretfulness growing upon
him from day to day； marked his increasing imbecility。
Equally mysterious it seemed； that about this time Miss Liebenheim
began to receive anonymous letters； written in the darkest and most
menacing terms。 Some of them she showed to me。 I could not guess
at their drift。 Evidently they glanced at Maximilian； and bade her
beware of connection with him； and dreadful things were insinuated
about him。 Could these letters be written by Ferdinand？ Written
they were not； but could they be dictated by him？ Much I feared
that they were； and the more so for one reason。
All at once； and most inexplicably； Margaret's grandfather showed a
total change of opinion in his views as to her marriage。 Instead
of favoring Harrelstein's pretensions； as he had hitherto done； he
now threw the feeble weight of his encouragement into Maximilian's
scale； though； from the situation of all the parties； nobody
attached any PRACTICAL importance to the change in Mr。 Liebenheim's
way of thinking。 Nobody？ Is that true？ No； one person DID attach
the greatest weight to the changepoor； ruined Ferdinand。 He； so
long as there was one person to take his part； so long as the
grandfather of Margaret showed countenance to himself； had still
felt his situation not utterly desperate。
Thus were things situated； when in November； all the leaves daily
blowing off from the woods； and leaving bare the most secret haunts
of the thickets； the body of the jailer was left exposed in the
forest； but not； as I and my friend had conjectured； hanged。 No；
he had died apparently by a more horrid deathby that of
crucifixion。 The tree； a remarkable one； bore upon a part of its
trunk this brief but savage inscription：〃T。 H。； jailer at …；
Crucified July 1； 1816。〃
A great deal of talk went on throughout the city upon this
discovery； nobody uttered one word of regret on account of the
wretched jailer； on the contrary； the voice of vengeance； rising up
in many a cottage； reached my ears in every direction as I walked
abroad。 The hatred in itself seemed horrid and unchristian； and
still more so after the man's death； but； though horrid and
fiendish for itself； it was much more impressive； considered as the
measure and exponent of the damnable oppression which must have
existed to produce it。
At first； when the absence of the jailer was a recent occurrence；
and the presence of the murderers among us was； in consequence；
revived to our anxious thoughts； it was an event which few alluded
to without fear。 But matters were changed now； the jailer had been
dead for months； and this interval； during which the murderer's
hand had slept； encouraged everybody to hope that the storm had
passed over our city； that peace had returned to our hearths； and
that henceforth weakness might sleep in safety； and innocence
without anxiety。 Once more we had peace within our walls； and
tranquillity by our firesides。 Again the child went to bed in
cheerfulness； and the old man said his prayers in serenity。
Confidence was restored； peace was re…established； and once again
the sanctity of human life became the rule and the principle for
all human hands among us。 Great was the joy； the happiness was
universal。
O heavens！ by what a thunderbolt were we awakened from our
security！ On the night of the twenty…seventh of December； half an
hour； it might be； after twelve o'clock； an alarm was given that
all was not right in the house of Mr。 Liebenheim。 Vast was the
crowd which soon collected in breathless agitation。 In two minutes
a man who had gone round by the back of the house was heard
unbarring Mr。 Liebenheim's door： he was incapable of uttering a
word； but his gestures； as he threw the door open and beckoned to
the crowd； were quite enough。 In the hall； at the further
extremity； and as if arrested in the act of making for the back
door； lay the bodies of old Mr。 Liebenheim and one of his sisters；
an aged widow； on the stair lay another sister； younger and
unmarried； but upward of sixty。 The hall and lower flight of
stairs were floating with blood。 Where； then； was Miss Liebenheim；
the granddaughter？ That was the universal cry； for she was beloved
as generally as she was admired。 Had the infernal murderers been
devilish enough to break into that temple of innocent and happy
life？ Everyone asked the question； and everyone held his breath to
listen； but for a few moments no one dared to advance； for the
silence of the house was ominous。 At length some one cried out
that Miss Liebenheim had that