exquisite　terror。
  An　examination　went　on　that　night　before　the　magistrates；　but　all
  was　dark；　although　suspicion　attached　to　a　negro　named　Aaron；　who
  had　occasionally　been　employed　in　menial　services　by　the　family；
  and　had　been　in　the　house　immediately　before　the　murder。　　The
  circumstances　were　such　as　to　leave　every　man　in　utter　perplexity
  as　to　the　presumption　for　and　against　him。　　His　mode　of　defending
  himself；　and　his　general　deportment；　were　marked　by　the　coolest；
  nay；　the　most　sneering　indifference。　　The　first　thing　he　did；　on
  being　acquainted　with　the　suspicions　against　himself；　was　to　laugh
  ferociously；　and　to　all　appearance　most　cordially　and　unaffectedly。
  He　demanded　whether　a　poor　man　like　himself　would　have　left　so　much
  wealth　as　lay　scattered　abroad　in　that　housegold　repeaters；　massy
  plate；　gold　snuff　boxesuntouched？　　That　argument　certainly
  weighed　much　in　his　favor。　　And　yet　again　it　was　turned　against
  him；　for　a　magistrate　asked　him　how　HE　happened　to　know　already
  that　nothing　had　been　touched。　　True　it　was；　and　a　fact　which　had
  puzzled　no　less　than　it　had　awed　the　magistrates；　that；　upon　their
  examination　of　the　premises；　many　rich　articles　of　bijouterie；
  jewelry；　and　personal　ornaments；　had　been　found　lying　underanged；
  and　apparently　in　their　usual　situations；　articles　so　portable　that
  in　the　very　hastiest　flight　some　might　have　been　carried　off。　　In
  particular；　there　was　a　crucifix　of　gold；　enriched　with　jewels　so
  large　and　rare；　that　of　itself　it　would　have　constituted　a　prize　of
  great　magnitude。　　Yet　this　was　left　untouched；　though　suspended　in
  a　little　oratory　that　had　been　magnificently　adorned　by　the　elder
  of　the　maiden　sisters。　　There　was　an　altar；　in　itself　a　splendid
  object；　furnished　with　every　article　of　the　most　costly　material
  and　workmanship；　for　the　private　celebration　of　mass。　　This
  crucifix；　as　well　as　everything　else　in　the　little　closet；　must
  have　been　seen　by　one　at　least　of　the　murderous　party；　for　hither
  had　one　of　the　ladies　fled；　hither　had　one　of　the　murderers
  pursued。　　She　had　clasped　the　golden　pillars　which　supported　the
  altarhad　turned　perhaps　her　dying　looks　upon　the　crucifix；　for
  there；　with　one　arm　still　wreathed　about　the　altar　foot；　though　in
  her　agony　she　had　turned　round　upon　her　face；　did　the　elder　sister
  lie　when　the　magistrates　first　broke　open　the　street　door。　　And
  upon　the　beautiful　parquet；　or　inlaid　floor　which　ran　round　the
  room；　were　still　impressed　the　footsteps　of　the　murderer。　　These；
  it　was　hoped；　might　furnish　a　clew　to　the　discovery　of　one　at　least
  among　the　murderous　band。　　They　were　rather　difficult　to　trace
  accurately；　those　parts　of　the　traces　which　lay　upon　the　black
  tessellae　being　less　distinct　in　the　outline　than　the　others　upon
  the　white　or　colored。　　Most　unquestionably；　so　far　as　this　went；　it
  furnished　a　negative　circumstance　in　favor　of　the　negro；　for　the
  footsteps　were　very　different　in　outline　from　his；　and　smaller；　for
  Aaron　was　a　man　of　colossal　build。　　And　as　to　his　knowledge　of　the
  state　in　which　the　premises　had　been　found；　and　his　having　so
  familiarly　relied　upon　the　fact　of　no　robbery　having　taken　place　as
  an　argument　on　his　own　behalf；　he　contended　that　he　had　himself
  been　among　the　crowd　that　pushed　into　the　house　along　with　the
  magistrates；　that；　from　his　previous　acquaintance　with　the　rooms
  and　their　ordinary　condition；　a　glance　of　the　eye　had　been
  sufficient　for　him　to　ascertain　the　undisturbed　condition　of　all
  the　valuable　property　most　obvious　to　the　grasp　of　a　robber　that；
  in　fact；　he　had　seen　enough　for　his　argument　before　he　and　the　rest
  of　the　mob　had　been　ejected　by　the　magistrates；　but；　finally；　that
  independently　of　all　this；　he　had　heard　both　the　officers；　as　they
  conducted　him；　and　all　the　tumultuous　gatherings　of　people　in　the
  street；　arguing　for　the　mysteriousness　of　the　bloody　transaction
  upon　that　very　circumstance　of　so　much　gold；　silver；　and　jewels；
  being　left　behind　untouched。
  In　six　weeks　or　less　from　the　date　of　this　terrific　event；　the
  negro　was　set　at　liberty　by　a　majority　of　voices　among　the
  magistrates。　　In　that　short　interval　other　events　had　occurred　no
  less　terrific　and　mysterious。　　In　this　first　murder；　though　the
  motive　was　dark　and　unintelligible；　yet　the　agency　was　not　so；
  ordinary　assassins　apparently；　and　with　ordinary　means；　had
  assailed　a　helpless　and　unprepared　family；　had　separated　them；
  attacked　them　singly　in　flight　（for　in　this　first　case　all　but　one
  of　the　murdered　persons　appeared　to　have　been　making　for　the　street
  door）；　and　in　all　this　there　was　no　subject　for　wonder；　except　the
  original　one　as　to　the　motive。　　But　now　came　a　series　of　cases
  destined　to　fling　this　earliest　murder　into　the　shade。　　Nobody
  could　now　be　unprepared；　and　yet　the　tragedies；　henceforward；　which
  passed　before　us；　one　by　one；　in　sad；　leisurely；　or　in　terrific
  groups；　seemed　to　argue　a　lethargy　like　that　of　apoplexy　in　the
  victims；　one　and　all。　　The　very　midnight　of　mysterious　awe　fell
  upon　all　minds。
  Three　weeks　had　passed　since　the　murder　at　Mr。　Weishaupt'sthree
  weeks　the　most　agitated　that　had　been　known　in　this　sequestered
  city。　　We　felt　ourselves　solitary；　and　thrown　upon　our　own
  resources；　all　combination　with　other　towns　being　unavailing　from
  their　great　distance。　　Our　situation　was　no　ordinary　one。　　Had
  there　been　some　mysterious　robbers　among　us；　the　chances　of　a
  visit；　divided　among　so　many；　would　have　been　too　small　to　distress
  the　most　timid；　while　to　young　and　high…spirited　people；　with
  courage　to　spare　for　ordinary　trials；　such　a　state　of　expectation
  would　have　sent　pulses　of　pleasurable　anxiety　among　the　nerves。
  But　murderers！　exterminating　murderers！clothed　in　mystery　and
  utter　darknessthese　were　objects　too　terrific　for　any　family　to
  contemplate　with　fortitude。　　Had　these　very　murderers　added　to
  their　functions　those　of　robbery；　they　would　have　become　less
  terrific；　nine　out　of　every　ten　would　have　found　themselves
  discharged；　as　it　were；　from　the　roll　of　those　who　were　liable　to　a
  visit；　while　such　as　knew　themselves　liable　would　have　had　warning
  of　their　danger　in　the　fact　of　being　rich；　and　would；　from　the　very
  riches　which　constituted　that　danger；　have　derived　the　means　of
  repelling　it。　　But；　as　things　were；　no　man　could　guess　what　it　was
  that　must　make　him　obnoxious　to　the　murderers。　　Imagination
  exhausted　itself　in　vain　guesses　at　the　causes　which　could　by
  possibility　have　made　the　poor　Weishaupts　objects　of　such　hatred　to
  any　man。　　True；　they　were　bigoted　in　a　degree　which　indicated
  feebleness　of　intellect；　but　THAT　wounded　no　man　in　particular；
  while　to　many　it　recommended　them。　　True；　their　charity　was　narrow
  and　exclusive；　but　to　those　of　their　own　religious　body　it　expanded
  munificently；　and；　being　rich　beyond　their　wants；　or　any　means　of
  employing　wealth　which　their　gloomy　asceticism　allowed；　they　had
  the　power　of　doing　a　great　deal　of　good　among　the　indigent　papists
  of　the　suburbs。　　As　to　the　old　gentleman　and　his　wife；　their
  infirmities　confined　them　to　the　house。　　Nobody　remembered　to　have
  seen　them　abroad　for　years。　　How；　therefore；　or　when　could　they
  have　made　an　enemy？　　And；　with　respect　to　the　maiden　sisters　of　Mr。
  Weishaupt；　they　were　simply　weak…minded　persons；　now　and　then　too
  censorious；　but　not　placed　in　a　situation　to　incur　serious　anger
  from　any　quarter；　and　too　little　heard　of　in　society　to　occupy　much
  of　anybody's　attention。
  Conceive；　then；　that　three　weeks　have　passed　away；　that　the　poor
  Weishaupts　have　been　laid　in　that　narrow　sanctuary　which　no
  murderer's　voice　will　ever　violate。　　Quiet　has　not　returned　to　us；
  but　the　first　flutterings　of　panic　have　subsided。　　People　are
  beginning　to　respire　freely　again；　and　such　another　space　of　time
  would　have　cicatrized　our　woundswhen；　hark！　a　church　bell　rings
  out　a　loud　alarm；the　night　is　starlight　and　frostythe　iron
  notes　are　heard　clear；　solemn；　but　agitated。　　What　could　this　mean？
  I　hurried　to　a　room　over　the　porter's　lodge；　and；　opening　the
  window；　I　cried　out　to　a　man　passing　hastily　below；　〃What；　in　God's
  name；　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　　It　was　a　watchman　belonging　to　our
  district。　　I　knew　his　voice；　he　knew　mine；　and　he　replied　in　great
  agitation：
  〃It　is　another　murder；　sir；　at　the　old　town　councilor's；　Albernass；
  and　this　time　they　have　made　a　clear　house　of　it。〃
  〃God　preserve　us！　　Has　a　curse　been　pronounced　upon　this　city？
  What　can　be　done？　　What　are　the　magistrates　going　to　do？〃
  〃I　don't　know；　sir。　　I　have　orders　to　run　to　the　Black　Friars；
  where　another　meeting　is　gathering。　　Shall　I　say　you　will　attend；
  sir？〃
  〃Yesnostop　a　little。　　No　matter；　you　may　go　on；　I'll　follow
  immediately。〃
  I　went　instantly　to　Maximilian's　room。　　He　was　lying　asleep　on　a
  sofa；　at　which　I　was　not　surprised；　for　there　had　been　a　severe
  stag　chase　in　the　morning。　　Even　at　this　moment　I　found　myself
  arreste