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！
to an Austrian officer of rank； my father's friend； who obtained
from the emperor an order； claiming me as a page of his own； and an
officer in the household service。 O heavens！ what a neglect that
it did not include my sisters！ However； the next best thing was
that I should use my influence at the imperial court to get them
passed to Vienna。 This I did； to the utmost of my power。 But
seven months elapsed before I saw the emperor。 If my applications
ever met his eye he might readily suppose that your city； my
friend； was as safe a place as another for my sisters。 Nor did I
myself know all its dangers。 At length； with the emperor's leave
of absence； I returned。 And what did I find？ Eight months had
passed； and the faithful Rachael had died。 The poor sisters；
clinging together； but now utterly bereft of friends； knew not
which way to turn。 In this abandonment they fell into the
insidious hands of the ruffian jailer。 My eldest sister； Berenice；
the stateliest and noblest of beauties； had attracted this
ruffian's admiration while she was in the prison with her mother。
And when I returned to your city； armed with the imperial passports
for all； I found that Berenice had died in the villain's custody；
nor could I obtain anything beyond a legal certificate of her
death。 And； finally； the blooming； laughing Mariamne； she also had
diedand of affliction for the loss of her sister。 You； my
friend； had been absent upon your travels during the calamitous
history I have recited。 You had seen neither my father nor my
mother。 But you came in time to take under your protection； from
the abhorred wretch the jailer； my little broken…hearted Mariamne。
And when sometimes you fancied that you had seen me under other
circumstances； in her it was； my dear friend； and in her features
that you saw mine。
〃Now was the world a desert to me。 I cared little； in the way of
love； which way I turned。 But in the way of hatred I cared
everything。 I transferred myself to the Russian service； with the
view of gaining some appointment on the Polish frontier； which
might put it in my power to execute my vow of destroying all the
magistrates of your city。 War； however； raged； and carried me into
far other regions。 It ceased； and there was little prospect that
another generation would see it relighted； for the disturber of
peace was a prisoner forever； and all nations were exhausted。 Now；
then； it became necessary that I should adopt some new mode for
executing my vengeance； and the more so； because annually some were
dying of those whom it was my mission to punish。 A voice ascended
to me； day and night； from the graves of my father and mother；
calling for vengeance before it should be too late。
I took my measures thus： Many Jews were present at Waterloo。 From
among these； all irritated against Napoleon for the expectations he
had raised； only to disappoint； by his great assembly of Jews at
Paris； I selected eight； whom I knew familiarly as men hardened by
military experience against the movements of pity。 With these as
my beagles； I hunted for some time in your forest before opening my
regular campaign； and I am surprised that you did not hear of the
death which met the executionerhim I mean who dared to lift his
hand against my mother。 This man I met by accident in the forest；
and I slew him。 I talked with the wretch； as a stranger at first；
upon the memorable case of the Jewish lady。 Had he relented； had
he expressed compunction； I might have relented。 But far
otherwise： the dog； not dreaming to whom he spoke； exulted； he
But why repeat the villain's words？ I cut him to pieces。 Next I
did this： My agents I caused to matriculate separately at the
college。 They assumed the college dress。 And now mark the
solution of that mystery which caused such perplexity。 Simply as
students we all had an unsuspected admission at any house。 Just
then there was a common practice； as you will remember； among the
younger students； of going out a maskingthat is； of entering
houses in the academic dress； and with the face masked。 This
practice subsisted even during the most intense alarm from the
murderers； for the dress of the students was supposed to bring
protection along with it。 But； even after suspicion had connected
itself with this dress； it was sufficient that I should appear
unmasked at the head of the maskers； to insure them a friendly
reception。 Hence the facility with which death was inflicted； and
that unaccountable absence of any motion toward an alarm。 I took
hold of my victim； and he looked at me with smiling security。 Our
weapons were hid under our academic robes； and even when we drew
them out； and at the moment of applying them to the threat； they
still supposed our gestures to be part of the pantomime we were
performing。 Did I relish this abuse of personal confidence in
myself？ NoI loathed it； and I grieved for its necessity； but my
mother； a phantom not seen with bodily eyes； but ever present to my
mind； continually ascended before me； and still I shouted aloud to
my astounded victim； 'This comes from the Jewess！ Hound of hounds！
Do you remember the Jewess whom you dishonored； and the oaths which
you broke in order that you might dishonor her； and the righteous
law which you violated； and the cry of anguish from her son which
you scoffed at？' Who I was； what I avenged； and whom； I made every
man aware； and every woman； before I punished them。 The details of
the cases I need not repeat。 One or two I was obliged； at the
beginning； to commit to my Jews。 The suspicion was thus； from the
first； turned aside by the notoriety of my presence elsewhere； but
I took care that none suffered who had not either been upon the
guilty list of magistrates who condemned the mother； or of those
who turned away with mockery from the supplication of the son。
〃It pleased God； however； to place a mighty temptation in my path；
which might have persuaded me to forego all thoughts of vengeance；
to forget my vow； to forget the voices which invoked me from the
grave。 This was Margaret Liebenheim。 Ah！ how terrific appeared my
duty of bloody retribution； after her angel's face and angel's
voice had calmed me。 With respect to her grandfather； strange it
is to mention； that never did my innocent wife appear so lovely as
precisely in the relation of granddaughter。 So beautiful was her
goodness to the old man； and so divine was the childlike innocence
on her part； contrasted with the guilty recollections associated
with himfor he was among the guiltiest toward my motherstill I
delayed HIS punishment to the last； and； for his child's sake； I
would have pardoned himnay； I had resolved to do so； when a
fierce Jew； who had a deep malignity toward this man； swore that he
would accomplish HIS vengeance at all events； and perhaps might be
obliged to include Margaret in the ruin； unless I adhered to the
original scheme。 Then I yielded； for circumstances armed this man
with momentary power。 But the night fixed on was one in which I
had reason to know that my wife would be absent； for so I had
myself arranged with her； and the unhappy counter…arra