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trammels of modern civilization； that while the possibilities of
wrong are infinite； the openings for vengeance are few and
contemptible。 Only when a man is thrown upon the necessities of
this 'wild justice' does he discover how difficult vengeance really
is。 Had Agalma been my wife； I could have wreaked my wrath upon
her； with assurance that some of the torture she inflicted on me
was to fall on her。 Not having this power what was I to do？ Kill
her？ That would have afforded one moment of exquisite
satisfactionbut to her it would have been simply deathand I
wanted to kill the heart。〃
He seemed working with an insane passion； so that I regarded him
with disgust； mingled with some doubts as to what horrors he was
about to relate。
〃My plan was chosen。 The only way to reach her heart was to strike
through her husband。 For several hours daily I practised with the
pistol； untilin spite of only having a left handI acquired
fatal skill。 But this was not enough。 Firing at a mark is simple
work。 Firing at a manespecially one holding a pistol pointed at
youis altogether different。 I had too often heard of 'crack
shots' missing their men； to rely confidently on my skill in the
shooting gallery。 It was necessary that my eye and hand should be
educated to familiarity with the real object。 Part of the cause
why duelists miss their man is from the trepidation of fear。 I was
without fear。 At no moment in my life have I been afraid； and the
chance of being shot by Korinski I counted as nothing。 The other
cause is unfamiliarity with the mark。 This I secured myself
against by getting a lay figure of Korinski's height； dressing it
to resemble him； placing a pistol in its hand； and then practising
at this mark in the woods。 After a short time I could send a
bullet through the thorax without taking more than a hasty glance
at the figure。
〃Thus prepared； I started for Paris。 But you will feel for me when
you learn that my hungry heart was baffled of its vengeance； and
baffled for ever。 Agalma had been carried off by scarlet fever。
Korinski had left Paris； and I felt no strong promptings to follow
him； and wreak on him a futile vengeance。 It was on HER my wrath
had been concentrated； and I gnashed my teeth at the thought that
she had escaped me。
〃My story is ended。 The months of gloomy depression which
succeeded； now that I was no longer sustained by the hope of
vengeance； I need not speak of。 My existence was desolate； and
even now the desolation continues over the whole region of the
emotions。 I carry a dead heart within me。〃
VIII
A SECOND VICTIM
Bourgonef's story has been narrated with some fullness； though in
less detail than he told it； in order that the reader may
understand its real bearings on MY story。 Without it； the motives
which impelled the strange pertinacity of my pursuit would have
been unintelligible。 I have said that a very disagreeable
impression remained on my mind respecting certain aspects of his
character； and I felt somewhat ashamed of my imperfect sagacity in
having up to this period been entirely blind to those aspects。 The
truth is； every human being is a mystery； and remains so to the
last。 We fancy we know a character； we form a distinct conception
of it； for years that conception remains unmodified； and suddenly
the strain of some emergency； of the incidental stimulus of new
circumstances； reveals qualities not simply unexpected； but flatly
contradictory of our previous conception。 We judge of a man by the
angle he subtends to our eyeonly thus CAN we judge of him； and
this angle depends on the relation his qualities and circumstances
bear to our interests and sympathies。 Bourgonef had charmed me
intellectually； morally I had never come closer to him than in the
sympathies of public questions and abstract theories。 His story
had disclosed hidden depths。
My old suspicions reappeared； and a conversation we had two days
afterwards helped to strengthen them。
We had gone on a visit to Schwanthaler； the sculptor； at his tiny
little castle of Schwaneck； a few miles from Munich。 The artist
was out for a walk； but we were invited to come in and await his
return； which would be shortly； and meanwhile Bourgonef undertook
to show me over the castle； interesting as a bit of modern Gothic；
realizing on a diminutive scale a youthful dream of the sculptor's。
When our survey was completedand it did not take longwe sat at
one of the windows and enjoyed a magnificent prospect。 〃It is
curious；〃 said Bourgonef； 〃to be shut up here in this imitation of
medieval masonry； where every detail speaks of the dead past； and
to think of the events now going on in Paris which must find
imitators all over Europe； and which open to the mind such vistas
of the future。 What a grotesque anachronism is this Gothic castle；
built in the same age as that which sees a reforming pope！〃
〃Yes； but is not the reforming pope himself an anachronism？〃
〃As a Catholic；〃 here he smiled； intimating that his orthodoxy was
not very stringent； 〃I cannot admit that； as a Protestant； you must
admit that if there must be a pope； he must in these days be a
reformer； orgive up his temporal power。 Not that I look on Pio
Nono as more than a precursor； he may break ground； and point the
way； but he is not the man to lead Europe out of its present slough
of despond； and under the headship of the Church found a new and
lasting republic。 We want a Hildebrand； one who will be to the
nineteenth century as Gregory was to the eleventh。〃
〃Do you believe in such a possibility？ Do you think the Roman
pontiff can ever again sway the destinies of Europe？〃
〃I can hardly say I believe it； yet I see the possibility of such
an opening if the right man were to arise。 But I fear he will not
arise； or if he should； the Conclave will stifle him。 Yet there is
but one alternative： either Europe must once more join in a crusade
with a pope at the head； or it must hoist the red flag。 There is
no other issue。〃
〃Heaven preserve us from both！ And I think we shall be preserved
from the Pope by the rottenness of the Church； from the drapeau
rouge by the indignation and horror of all honest men。 You see how
the Provisional Government has resisted the insane attempt of the
fanatics to make the red flag accepted as the national banner？〃
〃Yes； and it is the one thing which dashes my pleasure in the new
revolution。 It is the one act of weakness which the Government has
exhibited； a concession which will be fatal unless it be happily
set aside by the energetic party of action。〃
〃An act of weakness？ say rather an act of strength。 A concession？
say rather the repudiation of anarchy； the assertion of law and
justice。〃
〃Not a bit。 It was concession to the fears of the timid； and to
the vanity of the French people。 The tricolor is a French flag
not the banner of humanity。 It is because the tricolor has been
identified with the victories of France that it appeals to the
vanity of the vainest of people。 They forget that it is the flag
of a revolution which failed； and of an empire which was one
perpetual outrage to humanity。 Whereas the red is new； it is the
symbol of an energetic； thorough…going creed。 If it carries terror
with it； so much the better。 The tyrants and the timid should be
made to tremble。〃
〃I had no idea you were so bloodthirsty；〃 said I； laughing at his
vehemence。
〃I am not bloodthirsty at all； I am only logical and consistent。
There is a mass of sophistry current in the world which sickens me。
People talk of Robespierre and St。 Just； two of the most virtuous
men that ever livedand of Dominic and Torquemada； two of the most
single…mindedas if they were cruel and bloodthirsty； whereas they
were only convinced。〃
〃Is it from love of paradox that you defend these tigers？〃
〃Tigers； againhow those beasts are calumniated！〃
He said this with a seriousness which was irresistibly comic。 I
shouted with laughter； but he continued gravely：
〃You think I am joking。 But let me ask you why you consider the
tiger more bloodthirsty than yourself？ He springs upon his food
you buy yours from the butcher。 He cannot live without animal
food： it is a primal necessity； and he obeys the ordained instinct。
You can live on vegetables； yet you slaughter beasts of the field
and birds of the air （or buy them when slaughtered）； and consider
yourself a model of virtue。 The tiger only kills his food or his
enemies； you not only kill both； but you kill one animal to make
gravy for another！ The tiger is less bloodthirsty than the
Christian！〃
〃I don't know how much of that tirade is meant to be serious； but
to waive the question of the tiger's morality； do you reallyI
will not say sympathize；but justify Robespierre； Dominic； St。
Just； and the rest of the fanatics who