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！
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 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