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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
at the original。 The author； Charles Robert Maturin； a needy；
eccentric Irish clergyman of 1780…1824； could cause intense
suspense and horrorcould read keenly into human motivescould
teach an awful moral lesson in the guise of fascinating fiction；
but he could not stick to a long story with simplicity。 His dozens
of shifting scenes； his fantastic coils of 〃tales within tales〃
sadly perplex the reader of 〃Melmoth〃 in the first version。 It is
hoped； however； that the present selection； by its directness and
the clearness of the story thread； may please the modern reader
better than the involved original； and bring before a wider public
some of the most gripping descriptions ever penned in English。
In Volume IV of these stories comes a tale； 〃Melmoth Reconciled；〃
which Balzac himself wrote； while under the spell of Maturin's
〃great allegorical figure。〃 Here the unhappy being succeeds in his
purpose。 The story takes place in mocking； careless Paris； 〃that
branch establishment of hell〃； a cashier； on the eve of
embezzlement and detection； cynically accedes to Melmoth's terms；
and accepts his helpwith what unlooked…for results； the reader
may see。
Charles Robert Maturin
Melmoth the Wanderer
John Melmoth； student at Trinity College； Dublin； having journeyed
to County Wicklow for attendance at the deathbed of his miserly
uncle； finds the old man； even in his last moments； tortured by
avarice； and by suspicion of all around him。 He whispers to John：
〃I want a glass of wine； it would keep me alive for some hours； but
there is not one I can trust to get it for me；they'd steal a
bottle； and ruin me。〃 John was greatly shocked。 〃Sir； for God's
sake； let ME get a glass of wine for you。〃 〃Do you know where？〃
said the old man； with an expression in his face John could not
understand。 〃No； Sir； you know I have been rather a stranger here；
Sir。〃 〃Take this key；〃 said old Melmoth； after a violent spasm；
〃take this key； there is wine in that closet；Madeira。 I always
told them there was nothing there； but they did not believe me； or
I should not have been robbed as I have been。 At one time I said
it was whisky； and then I fared worse than ever； for they drank
twice as much of it。〃
John took the key from his uncle's hand； the dying man pressed it
as he did so； and John； interpreting this as a mark of kindness；
returned the pressure。 He was undeceived by the whisper that
followed；〃John； my lad； don't drink any of that wine while you
are ther