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will not say sympathize；but justify Robespierre； Dominic； St。
Just； and the rest of the fanatics who have waded to their ends
through blood。〃
〃He who wills the END； wills the MEANS。〃
〃A devil's maxim。〃
〃But a truth。 What the foolish world shrinks at as
bloodthirstiness and cruelty is very often mere force and constancy
of intellect。 It is not that fanatics thirst for bloodfar from
it；but they thirst for the triumph of their cause。 Whatever
obstacle lies on their path must be removed； if a torrent of blood
is the only thing that will sweep it awaythe torrent must sweep。〃
〃And sweep with it all the sentiments of pity； mercy； charity；
love？〃
〃No； these sentiments may give a sadness to the necessity； they
make the deed a sacrifice； but they cannot prevent the soul from
seeing the aim to which it tends。〃
〃This is detestable doctrine！ It is the sophism which has
destroyed families； devastated cities； and retarded the moral
progress of the world more than anything else。 No single act of
injustice is ever done on this earth but it tends to perpetuate the
reign of iniquity。 By the feelings it calls forth it keeps up the
native savagery of the heart。 It breeds injustice； partly by
hardening the minds of those who assent； and partly by exciting the
passion of revenge in those who resist。〃
〃You are wrong。 The great drag…chain on the car of progress is the
faltering inconsistency of man。 Weakness is more cruel than
sternness。 Sentiment is more destructive than logic。〃
The arrival of Schwanthaler was timely； for my indignation was
rising。 The sculptor received us with great cordiality； and in the
pleasure of the subsequent hour I got over to some extent the
irritation Bourgonef's talk had excited。
The next day I left Munich for the Tyrol。 My parting with
Bourgonef was many degrees less friendly than it would have been a
week before。 I had no wish to see him again； and therefore gave
him no address or invitation in case he should come to England。 As
I rolled away in the Malleposte； my busy thoughts reviewed all the
details of our acquaintance； and the farther I was carried from his
presence； the more obtrusive became the suspicions which connected
him with the murder of Lieschen Lehfeldt。 How； or upon what
motive； was indeed an utter mystery。 He had not mentioned the name
of Lehfeldt。 He had not mentioned having before been at Nuremberg。
At Heidelberg the tragedy occurredor was Heidelberg only a mask？
It occurred to me that he had first ascertained that I had never
been at Heidelberg before he placed the scene of his story there。
Thoughts such as these tormented me。 Imagine； then； the horror
with which I heard； soon after my arrival at Salzburg； that a
murder had been committed at Grosshessloheone of the pretty
environs of Munich much resorted to by holiday folkcorresponding
in all essential features with the murder at Nuremberg！ In both
cases the victim was young and pretty。 In both cases she was found
quietly lying on the ground； stabbed to the heart； without any
other traces of violence。 In both cases she was a betrothed bride；
and the motive of the unknown assassin a mystery。
Such a correspondence in the essential features inevitably
suggested an appalling mystery of unity in these crimes；either as
the crimes of one man； committed under some impulse of motiveless
malignity and thirst for innocent bloodor as the equally
appalling effect of IMITATION acting contagiously upon a criminal
imagination； of which contagion there have been； unfortunately； too
many exampleshorrible crimes prompting certain weak and feverish
imaginations； by the very horror they inspire； first to dwell on；
and finally to realize their imitations。
It was this latter hypothesis which found general acceptance。
Indeed it was the only one which rested upon any ground of
experience。 The disastrous influence of imitation； especially
under the fascination of horror； was well known。 The idea of any
diabolical malice moving one man to pass from city to city； and
there quietly single out his victimsboth of them； by the very
hypothesis； unrelated to him； both of them at the epoch of their
lives； when
〃The bosom's lord sits lightly on its throne；〃
when the peace of the heart is assured； and the future is radiantly
beckoning to them；that any man should choose such victims for
such crimes was too preposterous an idea long to be entertained。
Unless the man were mad； the idea was inconceivable； and even a
monomaniac must betray himself in such a course； because he would
necessarily conceive himself to be accomplishing some supreme act
of justice。
It was thus I argued； and indeed I should much have preferred to
believe that one maniac were involved； rather than the contagion of
crime；since one maniac must inevitably be soon detected； whereas
there were no assignable limits to the contagion of imitation。 And
this it was which so profoundly agitated German society。 In every
family in which there happened to be a bride； vague tremors could
not be allayed； and the absolute powerlessness which resulted from
the utter uncertainty as to the quarter in which this dreaded
phantom might next appear； justified and intensified those tremors。
Against such an apparition there was no conceivable safeguard。
From a city stricken with the plague； from a district so stricken；
flight is possible； and there are the resources of medical aid。
But from a moral plague like this； what escape was possible？
So passionate and profound became the terror； that I began to share
the opinion which I heard expressed； regretting the widespread
publicity of the modern press； since； with many undeniable
benefits； it carried also the fatal curse of distributing through
households； and keeping constantly under the excitement of
discussion； images of crime and horror which would tend to
perpetuate and extend the excesses of individual passion。 The mere
dwelling long on such a topic as this was fraught with evil。
This and more I heard discussed as I hurried back to Munich。 To
Munich？ Yes； thither I was posting with all speed。 Not a shadow
of doubt now remained in my mind。 I knew the assassin； and was
resolved to track and convict him。 Do not suppose that THIS time I
was led away by the vagrant activity of my constructive
imagination。 I had something like positive proof。 No sooner had I
learned that the murder had been committed at Grosshesslohe； than
my thoughts at once carried me to a now memorable visit I had made
there in company with Bourgonef and two young Bavarians。 At the
hotel where we dined； we were waited on by the niece of the
landlord； a girl of remarkable beauty； who naturally excited the
attention of four young men； and furnished them with a topic of
conversation。 One of the Bavarians had told us that she would one
day be perhaps one of the wealthiest women in the country； for she
was engaged to be married to a young farmer who had recently found
himself； by a rapid succession of deaths； sole heir to a great
brewer； whose wealth was known to be enormous。
At this moment Sophie entered bringing wine； and I saw Bourgonef
slowly turn his eyes upon her with a look which then was mysterious
to me； but which now spoke too plainly its dreadful meaning。
What is there in a look； you will say？ Perhaps nothing； or it may
be everything。 To my unsuspecting； unenlightened perception；
Bourgonef's gaze was simply the melancholy and half…curious gaze
which such a man might be supposed to cast upon a young woman who
had been made the topic of an interesting discourse。 But to my
mind； enlightened as to his character； and instructed as to his
peculiar feelings arising from his own story； the gaze was charged
with horror。 It marked a victim。 The whole succession of events
rose before me in vivid distinctness； the separate details of
suspicion gathered into unity。
Great as was Bourgonef's command over his features； he could not
conceal uneasiness as well as surprise at my appearance at the
table d'hote in Munich。 I shook hands with him； putting on as
friendly a mask as I could； and replied to his question about my
sudden return by attributing it to unexpected intelligence received
at Salzburg。
〃Nothing serious； I hope？〃
〃Well； I'm afraid it will prove very serious；〃 I said。 〃But we
shall see。 Meanwhile my visit to the Tyrol must be given up or
postponed。〃
〃Do you remain here； then？〃
〃I don't know what my movements will be。〃
Thus I had prepared him for any reserve or strangeness in my
manner； and I had concealed from him the course of my movements；
for at whatever cost； I was resolved to follow him and bring him to
justice。
But how？ Evidence I had none that could satisfy any one else；
however convincing it might be to my own mind。 Nor did there seem
an