The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-01-05
THE AVENGER.
A THRILLING TALE.
BY THOMAS DE QUINCEY.


were there, then, no exceptions to
this condition Of awe-stTuck admiration?
Yes; one at least there was in whose
bosom the spell of all-cOuqueTing pas
sion soon thawed every trace of icy re-
serve. Whilst the rest of the world re-
tanned dim sentiment of awe towards
Mr.. Wyndham, Margaret Liebenheim
only heard of such feeling to wonder
that 1t could exist towards HIM. Never
was there so victorious a conquest in
terchanged between two Youthful
hearts-never before such a rapture of
instantaneous sympathy. | did not
witness the first meeting of this mys-
teriOus Macmillan and this magnifi-
cent Margaret, and do not know
whether Margaret manifested that
trepidatiOn and embarrassment which
distressed so many of her Youthful CO.
rivals; but if she did, it must have fled
before the first glance of the young
mans eye, which would interpret, past
all misunderstanding, the homage of
his soul and the surrender of his heart.
Their third meeting | DID see; and
there all shadow of embarrassment had
vanished, except, indeed, of that deli
cate embarrassment which clings to
impassiOned admiration. On the part
of Margaret it seemed as if a new
world had dawned upon her that she
the capacities of human experience.
Like some bird she seemed, with pow
ers uneXercised for soaring and flying.
not understood even AS yet, and that
never until now had found an element
of air capable of su, tanning her wings,
or tempting her to put forth her buoy
ant Instincts. He, on the other hand,
now first found the realization of his
dreams, and for a mere possibility
which he had long too deeply cOntem-
plated, fearing, however, that in his
| own case it might prove a chimera, or
| that he might never meet a woman an
swering the demands of his heart, he
now found corresponding reality that
left nothing to seek.
Here, then, and thus far, nothing but
happiness had resulted from the new
arrangement. But, if this had been lit
| tie anticipated by many, far less had l,
| for my part, anticipated the unhappy
revolution which was wrought in the
whole nature of Ferdinand Won Harrel-
| stein. He was the son of a German
baron; a man of good family, but of
small estate, who had been pretty
| nearly soldier of fortune in the Prus-
sian service, and had, late in life, won
military superiOrs, to have an early
prospect of obtaining commission,
under tlattering auspices, for this only
soma son endeaTed to him as the com
paniOn of unprOsperOus years, and as a
dutiful affectiOnate child. Ferdinand
had yet another hold upon his fathers
affections; his features preserved DO the
BarOn's unclOuded remembrance a most
faithful and living memorial of that an
gelic wife who had died in giving birth
to this third child-the only one who
l.. 4
his son should go through a regular
course of mathematical instruction,
now becoming annually more import
ant In all the artillery services through
out Europe, and that he should receive
tlncture of other liberal studies
which he had painfully missed in his
own military career, the Baron chose
to keep his son for the last seven years
at our college, until he was now enter
ing upon his twenty-third year. For
the four last he had lived with me as
the sole pupil whom | had, or meant to
have, had not the brilliant proposals of
the young Russian guardsman per-
suaded me to break my resolution.
Ferdinand Won HaTTelstein had good
talents, not dazzling but respectable;
and so amiable were his temper and
manners, that had introduced him ey-
erywhere; and everywhere he was a fa-
vOrite; everywhere, indeed, except ex-
actly there where only in this world he
cared for favor. Margaret Liebenheim,
she it was whom he loved, and had loved
for years with the whole ardOur of his
ardent soul; she it was for whom, OF at
whose command, he would willingly
have died. Early he had felt that in
her hands lay his destiny; that she it
was who must be his good or his evil
genius.
At first, and perhaps to the last, |
pitied him exceedingly. But my pity
soon ceased O'be mingled with respect.
Before the arrival of Mr.. Wyndham he
had shown himself generous, indeed
magnanimOus. But never was there so
painful an overthrow of a noble nature
as manifested itself in him. l believe
that he had not himself suspected the
strength of his passion; and the sole re-
source for him, as l said often, was-fO
quit the city; to engage in active pUr-
suits of enterprise, of ambition or of
science. But he heard me as a SOmnam-
bulist might have heard maredreaming
with his eyes open. Sometimes he had
fits of reverie, starting, fearful, agi-
| tated; sometimes he broke out into ma
niacal movements of wrath, invoking
some absent person, praying, beseech-
ing, menacing some air-wOve phantom
| SOME UlllleS he Sunk lnJO solitary
cOrners-muttering to himself, and
with gestures sOrrOwfully significant,
or with tones and fragments of expos
tulatiOn that moved the most callOus to
compassion. Still he turned deaf ear
to the only practical counsel that had a
chance for reaching his ears. Like a
bird under the fascination of a rattle
snake, he would not summon up the en-
eTgies of his nature to make an effort at
flying away. "BegOne whilst it is
timeI" said others, as we'll as myself;
for more than | saw enough to fear
some fearful catastrophe. 'Lead us not
into temptatiOnP' said his cOnfessOr to
him in my hearing fOT, though Prus-
SLAMS, the Won HarFelsteins were RO-
man CathOlics), "Iead us not into
temptatiOn!-thatis is our daily prayer to
God. Then, my son, heing led into
temptation, do not you persist in court
ing, nay, almost tempting temptation
Try the effects Of absence, though but
for a month" The good father even
made an overture towards imposing a
penance upon him, that would have in.
vOlved an absence of some duration
But he was obliged to desist; for he
saw that, without effecting any good
he would merely add spiritual disObe-
dience to the other Offenses of the
young man. Ferdinand himself drew
his attention to THIS; for, he said, "Rev.
Grand fathnrl do not Won with tho nur.