The herald., 1893-09-09
AN INSANE TROOPER.

Recently, while wandering through an old
Aztec mountain village in which disabled SOL
diers were quartered Immediately after the
overthrow OF tho heathen empire, l found
among some buried camp accouterments an
old manuscript crumpled up with other papers
in n battered leather knapsack. My knowl-
edge of Spanish soon revealed for me the fol-
lowing curious and weird story, also short
explanation of it, probably written by the
owner of the knapsack. As 1t may be Of inter-
est to some, though perhaps for DO value more
than that of idle curiosity, will submit the
result of my discovery to public perusal.-THE
TRANSLATOR.
Yes, upon that was resolute-he must
die, but how.
Why did 1 crave his death? you ask.
Was he rich, and poor? Was he noted
for bravery and valor, and not? Was
there back in Spain tender hearted, soft
eyed senorita? No, no, man. ! tell you
there was no object In truth. loved
him. Together we. commanded COM
pany of Cortes' band Side by side we
fought the Mexicans, and in dividing the
spoils and honor gained we quarreled
only lest the other should receive too lit
tie. No, my hate was hardly earthly.
1t is true the Spaniard fights for little
cause, but not even he murders for so
little as did I. He would. though-yes,
and you, too, could you either feel the
motives that impelled me. /? Yes,
Spaniard, but an exception, not only to
all Spaniards, but to all mankind.
You may call me mad. Perhaps was
according to your conception of insap-
ity. For it's true that no one, unless
moved by an urging no less than super
natural, unless impe1led by craving
more than human, O craving in human
ignorance termed insanity, could be So
sensitive, so finely and delicately strung
in all the fbers of the soul, as to COM
init the foulest of deeds for what, to the
sane, seems so small cause. But in my
nature, wonderfully webbed as it was
by an abnormal mind, the motive to take
the life of friend--he was a friend
was more irresistible to me than the
most urgent desire for revenge is to my
countryinen. Any court would convict
me-judges seldom see motives, never
motives supernatural-so that in telling
my story do not, cannot, expect my
reader to acquit me, because to all the
act will outweigh the motive. But,
though eliminating myself, l must leave
this record. 1t is as necessary to my
happiness now as his life was then.
And why was his life necessary? Why
do you ask? Your mind is normal; you
cannot understand. Yet for the sake of
the record l must continue, though sure
to be misunderstood. His life, then,
was necessary to my happiness because
of look upon his face-an expression,
nothing more. When blood flowed,
as was frequent where we were, or when
vivid image of battle was recalled to
his mind, whether in stories about the
campfire or in dreams that look like a
specters shroud, it would settle over his
face. A condition of the countenance,
phenomena of the facial muscles and
nerves, q mere look-that was all, but
twas that which brought his death. It
was centered in the eye, more especially
in the left one.
Perhaps pity for the slain and living
wounded caused that pallor, but that
was not all; no. l loved him for that.
There was also dark and foreboding mel
ancholy, chaos of haunting sorrows.
No; not that either. Must l give over
my attempt at justifying myself? Oh,
that / could describe that look, or that
your mind were as mine. But enough;
it is impossible. l must remain con-
demned in the eyes of my fellow men.
To you l can only say that saw there
L.. e.
picture Of the grave, which in nature
such as mine reused ghastly sensation
Of horror. Every cord radiating from
the eye-the left one--contracted and
tightened in agony. A film such as one
sometimes sees enveloping thesve of
cat, of slight steel blue, would w. 81 rtial-
ly unfold itself, as the skin of toad,
over the hideous organ. 1t drove me to
frenzy-this look. Life in the tomb is
! preferable to the simple recollection.
could bear it no longer; to me this
was decided. Then with calm delib-
erateness that would do credit to the
sluggish ease of Hollander, but with
scheming determination equaled by no
man, decided he must die--this friend
of mine. But must suffer for his MUIR
der, annihilation of that expression
would bring no happiness, and in this
schemed. Retribution | knew would
fall upon me if killed him in battle, for
then there were witnesses-and in camp
when we were alone together the Look
was not there-then | loved him. You
can perceive the opportunity l needed.
That expression must be upon his face
and no one near. And the opportunity
by my ingenuity must soon possess, for
felt within me that / could not lock
upon his face III tnuC conaltiol again
unless it be to incite mo to his destruc-
ton.
An acute sensibility verges upon in
sanity. To save my mind must take
his life. That was decided. He must
diei But how?
You would not have thought me mad
had you known the oily designing with
u. 7 II