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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…arrangement I do
not yet understand。 Let me add； that the sole purpose of my
clandestine marriage was to sting her grandfather's mind with the
belief that HIS family had been dishonored； even as he had
dishonored mine。 He learned； as I took care that he should； that
his granddaughter carried about with her the promises of a mother；
and did not know that she had the sanction of a wife。 This
discovery made him； in one day； become eager for the marriage he
had previously opposed； and this discovery also embittered the
misery of his death。 At that moment I attempted to think only of
my mother's wrongs； but； in spite of all I could do； this old man
appeared to me in the light of Margaret's grandfatherand； had I
been left to myself； he would have been saved。 As it was； never
was horror equal to mine when I met her flying to his succor。 I
had relied upon her absence； and the misery of that moment； when
her eye fell upon me in the very act of seizing her grandfather；
far transcended all else that I have suffered in these terrific
scenes。 She fainted in my arms； and I and another carried her
upstairs and procured water。 Meantime her grandfather had been
murdered； even while Margaret fainted。 I had； however； under the
fear of discovery； though never anticipating a reencounter with
herself； forestalled the explanation requisite in such a case to
make my conduct intelligible。 I had told her； under feigned names；
the story of my mother and my sisters。 She knew their wrongs： she
had heard me contend for the right of vengeance。 Consequently； in
our parting interview； one word only was required to place myself
in a new position to her thoughts。 I needed only to say I was that
son； that unhappy mother； so miserably degraded and outraged； was
mine。
〃As to the jailer； he was met by a party of us。 Not suspecting
that any of us could be connected with the family； he was led to
talk of the most hideous details with regard to my poor Berenice。
The child had not； as had been insinuated； aided her own
degradation； but had nobly sustained the dignity of her sex and her
family。 Such advantages as the monster pretended to have gained
over hersick； desolate； and latterly deliriouswere； by his own
confession； not obtained without violence。 This was too much。
Forty thousand lives； had he possessed them； could not have
gratified my thirst for revenge。 Yet； had he but showed courage；
he should have died the death of a soldier。 But the wretch showed
cowardice the most abject； and；but you know his fate。
〃Now； then； all is finished； and human nature is avenged。 Yet； if
you complain of the bloodshed and the terror； think of the wrongs
which created my rights； think of the sacrifice by which I gave a
tenfold strength to those rights； think of the necessity for a
dreadful concussion and shock to society； in order to carry my
lesson into the councils of princes。
〃This will now have been effected。 And ye； victims of dishonor；
will be glorified in your deaths； ye will not have suffered in
vain； nor died without a monument。 Sleep； therefore； sister
Berenicesleep； gentle Mariamne； in peace。 And thou； noble
mother； let the outrages sown in thy dishonor； rise again and
blossom in wide harvests of honor for the women of thy afflicted
race。 Sleep； daughters of Jerusalem； in the sanctity of your
sufferings。 And thou； if it be possible； even more beloved
daughter of a Christian fold； whose company was too soon denied to
him in life； open thy grave to receive HIM； who； in the hour of
death； wishes to remember no title which he wore on earth but that
of thy chosen and adoring lover；
〃MAXIMILIAN。〃
Introduction to Melmoth the Wanderer
Balzac likens the hero of one of his short stories to 〃Moliere's
Don Juan； Goethe's Faust； Byron's Manfred； Maturin's Melmothgreat
allegorical figures drawn by the greatest men of genius in Europe。〃
〃But what is 'Melmoth'？ Why is HE classed as 'a great allegorical
figure'？〃 exclaimed many a surprised reader。 Few had perusedfew
know at this daythe terrible story of Melmoth the Wanderer； half
man； half devil； who has bartered away his soul for the glory of
power and knowledge； and； repenting of his bargain； tries again and
again to persuade some desperate human to change places with him
penetrates to the refuge of misery； the death chamber； even the
madhouse； seeking one in such utter agony as to accept his help；
and take his cursebut ever fails。
Why this extraordinary tale； told with wild and compelling sweep；
has remained so deep in oblivion； appears immediately on a glance