336 Adventures of a German Student. [April when he saw that I was awake, he drew his pistols nearer, to intimate, probably, that he was observing me, I resolved to question him. "What is the nour?" I asked. "About noon," replied the fellow sulkily. "Where am I?" I continued. "You are here, I suppose," was the not very friendly response. "Why am I here?" "Because you were brought here." "For what was I brought here?" You were wanted." "Wanted for what?" "That you shall know." "When?" "Sooner than you wish to." "I do not fear to know the worst. Cowardice was never reckoned among my sins." "Save all your courage, Frey Herr; you will need it. A heart of iron would not be any too strong." "Ha! say you so. Go on, I am prepared to hear. I have faced death in my time." "I dare say you have, and will again. You have had a pleasant sleep. I hope you may sleep as well to-morrow." "A clear conscience is the best anodyne in the world. He who has it needs no sleeping draught." "I never tried it, Frey Herr, but I dare say it is very good. It will be a comfort to you, no doubt. If it makes you rest to-morrow night it will be a great medicine. Are you hungry?" "I think I could eat with a tolerable good relish," I replied. "Open that little cupboard there, and you will find something eatable. Improve the time while your appetite is good." I did as directed. Within were various articles of food; but there was something else there that I valued more. In one corner of the cupboard was a pair of duelling pistols. They were there probably without the knowledge of my jailor. My back was towards the latter-I examined my prize. The pistols were charged with ball. My heart beat with hope-I conveyed them stealthily to my pocket, resolving to watch the auspicious moment and make my escape. At the very instant when I was preparing to rush upon the fellow, aud blow his brains out, the door opened and several of the wild beings whom I had seen in the morning, entered. One of them relieved my jailor, who immediately proceeded to bring forth the contents of the cupboard, and arrange it upon a rude side-board. With great anxiety I waited for them to terminate their meal. I feared they would never gorge themselves, but continue the operation all day. They conversed but little, and spake in low voices. Their talk related (as far as I was able to judge) mostly to the nines. At length the terrible ordeal of eating was got through with; but there was something more to come. Smoking was something not to be dispensed with. A German in any condition, however humble, cannot forego this luxury. The pipe is always at hand. Another half hour was spent in this manner, which appeared to me an age. I heartily wished them strangled with the smoke they were exhaling. At this juncture my gigantic captor entered, and glancing fiercely around, in a voice of thunder bade them "begone." In a space of time incredibly short the hut was vacated by all but he and myself. He looked at me in a way which said "You are here," and took no further notice of me. "What is the meaning of all this?" I asked, walking boldly up to him and looking steadily into his face. 65 "Wait!" was the laconic reply given in a deep bass voice. I am tired of this mockery and child's play," I shouted. or by Heavens I will-" Speak, I was interrupted by the sudden opening of the door. A man entered and closed the door carefully after him. A mask concealed his face. Slowly he removed his cloak and mask. Heart of the Madonna! Hertzberg stood before me. I will not affirm that for an instant my limbs were not palsied, and my blood chilled; but these sensations soon passed. I cannot say that I was altogether taken by surprise, for I had supposed that he, very possibly, had had some agency in my capture. Now there was no longer doubt upon the subject.I knew the worst had befallen me. The man to whom I had dealt a blow was before me, and I was in his power. What had I to hope from him? I braced up my nerves to sustain with firmness what was to ensue. He looked at me with a leer of devilish triumph. I met his gaze unmoved, and standing proudly erect, my spirit defied him. His brutal features relaxed into a laugh, but it was startling in its malignity. "Now is my hour, Gensenius Reidstadt," he said in a voice deep with passion. "I know it, Hertzberg. Improve it, but know that I do not fear you. You cannot fling back upon me the weight of scorn which I feel for you." "Can I not though, thou serpent? We shall see. I will work you such a punishment that you shall bless the hand that ends your existence. The blow you dealt me burns like a hot iron upon my face." "And will forever," I added. "It will burn there till you are cold-cold as the mound beneath my feet. You have thwarted me many times, you have escaped my vengeance always; but now that is past, the possibility of escape has fled. There is not the shadow of a remote hope to which you can clingthere is not a single bright spot between you and the grave." "You speak falsely, Hertzberg. There is that in my bosom shall shed a noonday light upon the last hours of life, and scatter the darkness of the grave. It is that which you have never known-may never know-a conscience unsullied by crime. For a kingdom I would not witness a death-scene like that in reserve for you." 66 Hush, liar! Why talk of dying? I shall live many years. I will die calmly in bed, with a smile upon my lips. But you, you shall die like a felon. Gensenius Reidstadt let me read your doom." "Read on, I will hear you." "To-morrow you go to the Arsenical Mines!" "What?" I shrieked. "Gensenius Reidstadt, look at me-bear me-mark me well-to-mor- · row ere this hour, you shall languish in the Arsenical mines, or there is no God, or I am a liar." I was stunned. "Then you are a liar," I cried, recovering myself. "For I swear to you I will never go there alive." "Ha! ha! your cheek pales at last. I thought it would. Do you know the horrors of a death by the fumes of Arsenic? know you how long the victin lingers upon the confines of the grave? know you the agonies of its lengthened pangs?" "I know all, monster; but I tell you I will never go there. Do you hear me?" "And I tell you you shall—that there is no power divine or human, can wrest you from my grasp." "Beware Hertzberg! Yon blaspheme. God is not defied with impunity." $38 Adventures of a German Student. [April "What cares He for you or me? What matters it to Him whether a villian like you perishes in a mine of Arsenic or in a bed of eider down?" "Much, Hertzberg, MUCH. His hand resteth heavily upon those who defy Him. Again I say, BEWARE." "Look you, Gensenius, I have not told you all, yet. You struck me upon the face; and before you go to the mines, I will beat you with my clenched hand until you are a mass of gore." "That you shall never do, as God sees us both." " That I will do, as the bright sun is above us, and before the bright sun is ten minutes older." "Approach me on your peril. I will strike you down and trample upon you. I warn you again do not come nearer. رو Hertzberg motioned to the giant, who sat upon the hearthstone. I understood his meaning well. He was to hold me while his employer beat me with his fist. The overgrown ruffian advanced. "Your blood be upon your own head if you persist in this," I cried once more, retreating to the extreme part of the apartment, and placing my back to the wall. The ruffian approached. When within two paces of me I drew a pistol from my pocket, and fired it at his face. He fell like a Colossus of lead to the floor, while the red blood welled from the face, begrimmed with powder and smoke. For a moment the gigantic limbs were convulsed and the blackened features distorted with agony. The ball had glanced upward into his brain-the wretch was dead. Hertzberg looked aghast. He saw his schemes crumbling to dusthis fabric of villainly falling and involving him in its ruin. "Now is my time," I said, borrowing the words of Hertzberg, as I levelled the remaining pistol at his heart. "Your final hour has come. Go to the presence of Him you have blasphemously defiled. May he have mercy upon your soul." "In the short interval that followed I saw the hands of my persecutor raise themselves in supplication, and the cheeks that were flushed with triumph take on the pallor of the grave. I fired, and the man who had so recently defied his Maker, lay powerless and bleeding upon the floor. The shot took effect in his chest. Without stopping to learn if it was mortal, I passed out into the open air, and as I went, I trod upon his upturned face, and heard him knock his teeth in impotent rage. There was no time to lose. I was perhaps,. still surrounded by the creatures of Hertzberg. I looked around for the horses upon which we had journeyed thither. Fortune favored me; one was fastened by the bridle but a few paces from the hut. It had been ridden thither probably by Hertzberg. I leaped into the saddle-shook the reins, and galloped away. I was now clear of the valley. Here another difficulty presented itself; I knew not which way to go. I believed I could not be far from Hanover, but had no means of determing how near, or which way it lay. Taking the direction which I deemed most likely to favor my wishes, I went forward as fast as the roughness of the way would permit; but my progress was slow. The sun set, and night came down upon the mountains. I was completely bewildered. I seemed no nearer human habitations than two hours before. The darkness fell heavily. The wind sighed mournfully through the dark vales and the lonely passes. It spoke in boding voice to my spirit. I felt like one cut off from all human sympathy. I was an isolated being-isolated in every sense of the word. My mind was like the wilderness I was journeying through -wild, cold, forbiding—a thing to be shunned. I had never known the sweets of friendship - the free interchange of sentiments and of thoughts. An interminable barrier had cut me off from the society of wonian-a sea unnavigable had rolled between me and her love. I had been too well taught-learned too much of the world before entering upon it. But why should I regret this? had it not saved me much misery? It is true I might have fluttered for a moment about some beautiful syren, and deemed myself happy; but like the silly miller which seeks the candle's blaze, should soon have felt my folly, and suffered the penalty therefor. "Oh, woman, woman!" I cried, "why hadst thou not been what heaven designed thee? Why had not thy spirit like thy frame been finer strung than ours? Who or what has perverted thee, oh woman?" You may think that was a strange moment to reflect upon such a subject; but all circumstances considered, it was not an unfitting one. As you perceive, I ended my reflections by wishing heartily that woman was just what she ought to be. Edla Reinbeck was not wholly forgotten at that hour; but her idea was blended with many of my thoughts. I felt more grateful for her kindness than ever before, and even went so far as to determine to call at some convenient time and express my thanks. Thus occupied in mind I plodded on. The way was becoming every minute more intricate and dangerous, on account of the deep darkness I strained any eyes in every direction in the hope of seeing the friendly gleam of a light streaming from a habitation. The effort was fruitless. I could discern nothing to cheer me on. Giving the horse the reins, I suffered him to take his own way. With his head near the ground, he went slowly forward. All at once he made an abrupt turn, and I was fearful that I was being carried back to the cabin of the mines. The idea made me shudder, and I struggled to dismiss it. I felt quite certain that the instinct of the beast would ultimately guide him to the vicinity of human dwellings. A horse has great knowledge of localities, and is seldom bewildered. He understands the wishes of his master by intuition. In the course of an hour, to my great joy, I saw in the distance the glimmerings of a light. As I advanced, I found it proceeded from a cottage. Letter from Alexander Dutee. THE following letter was written in Boston jail while Dutee was under sentence of Death. He being unable to write, a fellow prisoner whose name we suppress, acted as his amanuensis. We have given the letter just as it came to our hand; verbatim et literatim. Dear Children & Friends ED. Boston Leverett St Jail. I will write you a few Farwall lines to let you know how I have Enjoyed my Self in this place since my Confinement I will give you a minut detal of my Cell I been treated with the utmost kindness by To my feinds that have been Visets me in CA DUTEE By J. H. H |