have　been　the　case　had　the　story　been　an　invention。　　As　to　the
  waistcoat　which　had　figured　so　conspicuously　in　all　the　rumors；　it
  appeared　that　suspicion　had　monstrously　exaggerated　the　facts。
  Instead　of　a　waistcoat　plashed　with　bloodas　popular　imagination
  pictured　itit　was　a　gray　waistcoat；　with　one　spot　and　a　slight
  smear　of　blood；　which　admitted　of　a　very　simple　explanation。　　Three
  days　before；　Franz　had　cut　his　left　hand　in　cutting　some　bread；　and
  to　this　the　maid　testified；　because　she　was　present　when　the
  accident　occurred。　　He　had　not　noticed　that　his　waistcoat　was
  marked　by　it　until　the　next　day；　and　had　forgotten　to　wash　out　the
  stains。
  People　outside　shook　skeptical　heads　at　this　story　of　the　cut　hand。
  The　bloody　waistcoat　was　not　to　be　disposed　of　in　that　easy　way。
  It　had　fixed　itself　too　strongly　in　their　imagination。　　Indeed；　my
  belief　is　that　even　could　they　have　seen　the　waistcoat；　its
  insignificant　marks　would　have　appeared　murderous　patches　to　their
  eyes。　　I　had　seen　it；　and　my　report　was　listened　to　with　ill…
  concealed　disbelief；　when　not　with　open　protestation。　　And　when
  Kerkel　was　discharged　as　free　from　all　suspicion；　there　was　a　low
  growl　of　disappointed　wrath　heard　from　numerous　groups。
  This　may　sympathetically　be　understood　by　whomsoever　remembers　the
  painful　uneasiness　of　the　mind　under　a　great　stress　of　excitement
  with　no　definite　issue。　　The　lust　for　a　vengeance；　demanded　by　the
  aroused　sensibilities　of　compassion；　makes　men　credulous　in　their
  impatience；　they　easily　believe　anyone　is　guilty；　because　they　feel
  an　imperious　need　for　fastening　the　guilt　upon　some　definite　head。
  Few　verdicts　of　〃Not　Guilty〃　are　well　received；　unless　another
  victim　is　at　hand　upon　whom　the　verdict　of　guilty　is　likely　to
  fall。　　It　was　demonstrable　to　all　judicial　minds　that　Kerkel　was
  wholly；　pathetically　innocent。　　In　a　few　days　this　gradually　became
  clear　to　the　majority；　but　at　first　it　was　resisted　as　an　attempt
  to　balk　justice；　and　to　the　last　there　were　some　obstinate
  doubters；　who　shook　their　heads　mysteriously；　and　said；　with　a
  certain　incisiveness；　〃Somebody　must　have　done　it；　I　should　very
  much　like　to　know　who。〃
  Suspicion　once　more　was　drifting　aimlessly。　　None　had　pointed　in
  any　new　direction。　　No　mention　of　anyone　whom　I　could　identify　with
  the　stranger　had　yet　been　made；　but；　although　silent　on　the
  subject；　I　kept　firm　in　my　conviction；　and　I　sometimes　laughed　at
  the　pertinacity　with　which　I　scrutinized　the　face　of　every　man　I
  met；　if　he　happened　to　have　a　black　beard；　and　as　black　beards　are
  excessively　common；　my　curiosity；　though　never　gratified；　was　never
  allowed　repose。
  Meanwhile　Lieschen's　funeral　had　been　emphatically　a　public
  mourning。　　Nay；　so　great　was　the　emotion；　that　it　almost　deadened
  the　interest　which　otherwise　would　have　been　so　powerful；　in　the
  news　now　daily　reaching　us　from　Paris。　　Blood　had　flowed　upon　her
  streetsin　consequence　of　that　pistol…shot；　which；　either　by
  accident　or　criminal　intent；　had　converted　the　demonstration　before
  the　hotel　of　the　Minister　of　Foreign　Affairs　into　an　insurrection。
  Paris　had　risen；　barricades　were　erected。　　The　troops　were　under
  arms。　　This　was　agitating　news。
  Such　is　the　solidarity　of　all　European　nations；　and　so　quick　are
  all　to　vibrate　in　unison　with　the　vibrations　of　each；　that　events
  like　those　transacted　in　Paris　necessarily　stirred　every　city；　no
  matter　how　remote；　nor　politically　how　secure。　　And　it　says　much
  for　the　intense　interest　excited　by　the　Lehfeldt　tragedy　that
  Nuremberg　was　capable　of　sustaining　that　interest　even　amid　the
  tremendous　pressure　of　the　February　Revolution。　　It　is　true　that
  Nuremberg　is　at　all　times　somewhat　sequestered　from　the　great
  movements　of　the　day；　following　slowly　in　the　rear　of　great　waves；
  it　is　true；　moreover；　that　some　politicians　showed　remarkable
  eagerness　in　canvassing　the　characters　and　hopes　of　Louis　Philippe
  and　Guizot；　but　although　such　events　would　at　another　period　have
  formed　the　universal　interest；　the　impenetrable　mystery　hanging
  over　Lieschen's　death　threw　the　Revolution　into　the　background　of
  their　thoughts。　　If　when　a　storm　is　raging　over　the　dreary
  moorland；　a　human　cry　of　suffering　is　heard　at　the　door；　at　once
  the　thunders　and　the　tumult　sink　into　insignificance；　and　are　not
  even　heard　by　the　ear　which　is　pierced　with　the　feeble　human　voice：
  the　grandeurs　of　storm　and　tempest；　the　uproar　of　surging　seas；　the
  clamorous　wail　of　sea…birds　amid　the　volleying　artillery　of　heaven；
  in　vain　assail　the　ear　that　has　once　caught　even　the　distant　cry　of
  a　human　agony；　or　serve　only　as　scenical　accompaniments　to　the
  tragedy　which　is　foreshadowed　by　that　cry。　　And　so　it　was　amid　the
  uproar　of　1848。　　A　kingdom　was　in　convulsions；　but　here；　at　our
  door；　a　young　girl　had　been　murdered；　and　two　hearths　made
  desolate。　　Rumors　continued　to　fly　about。　　The　assassin　was　always
  about　to　be　discovered；　but　he　remained　shrouded　in　impenetrable
  darkness。　　A　remark　made　by　Bourgonef　struck　me　much。　　Our　host；
  Zum　Bayerischen　Hof；　one　day　announced　with　great　satisfaction　that
  he　had　himself　heard　from　the　syndic　that　the　police　were　on　the
  traces　of　the　assassin。
  〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；〃　said　Bourgonef。
  The　guests　paused　from　eating；　and　looked　at　him　with　astonishment。
  〃It　is　a　proof；〃　he　added；　〃that　even　the　police　now　give　it　up　as
  hopeless。　　I　always　notice　that　whenever　the　police　are　said　to　be
  on　the　traces　the　malefactor　is　never　tracked。　　When　they　are　on
  his　traces　they　wisely　say　nothing　about　it；　they　allow　it　to　be
  believed　that　they　are　baffled；　in　order　to　lull　their　victim　into
  a　dangerous　security。　　When　they　know　themselves　to　be　baffled；
  there　is　no　danger　in　quieting　the　public　mind；　and　saving　their
  own　credit；　by　announcing　that　they　are　about　to　be　successful。〃
  IV
  A　DISCOVERY
  Bourgonef's　remark　had　been　but　too　sagacious。　　The　police　were
  hoplessly　baffled。　　In　all　such　cases　possible　success　depends　upon
  the　initial　suggestion　either　of　a　motive　which　leads　to　a
  suspicion　of　the　person；　or　of　some　person　which　leads　to　a
  suspicion　of　the　motive。　　Once　set　suspicion　on　the　right　track；
  and　evidence　is　suddenly　alight　in　all　quarters。　　But；　unhappily；
  in　the　present　case　there　was　no　assignable　motive；　no　shadow
  darkening　any　person。
  An　episode　now　came　to　our　knowledge　in　which　Bourgonef　manifested
  an　unusual　depth　of　interest。　　I　was　led　to　notice　this　interest；
  because　it　had　seemed　to　me　that　in　the　crime　itself；　and　the
  discussions　which　arose　out　of　it；　he　shared　but　little　of　the
  universal　excitement。　　I　do　not　mean　that　he　was　indifferentby　no
  means；　but　the　horror　of　the　crime　did　not　seem　to　fascinate　his
  imagination　as　it　fascinated　ours。　　He　could　talk　quite　as　readily
  of　other　things；　and　far　more　readily　of　the　French　affairs。　　But
  on　the　contrary；　in　this　new　episode　he　showed　peculiar　interest。
  It　appeared　that　Lehfeldt；　moved；　perhaps；　partly　by　a　sense　of　the
  injustice　which　had　been　done　to　Kerkel　in　even　suspecting　him　of
  the　crime；　and　in　submitting　him　to　an　examination　more　poignantly
  affecting　to　him　under　such　circumstances　than　a　public　trial　would
  have　been　under　others；　and　moved　partly　by　the　sense　that
  Lieschen's　love　had　practically　drawn　Kerkel　within　the　familyfor
  her　choice　of　him　as　a　husband　had　made　him　morally；　if　not
  legally；　a　son…in…law；　and　moved　partly　by　the　sense　of　loneliness
  which　had　now　settled　on　their　childless　home；Lehfeldt　had　in　the
  most　pathetic　and　considerate　terms　begged　Kerkel　to　take　the　place
  of　his　adopted　son；　and　become　joint　partner　with　him　in　the
  business。　　This；　however；　Kerkel　had　gently　yet　firmly　declined。
  He　averred　that　he　felt　no　injury；　though　great　pain　had　been
  inflicted　on　him　by　the　examination。　　He　himself　in　such　a　case
  would　not　have　shrunk　from　demanding　that　his　own　brother　should　be
  tried；　under　suspicions　of　similar　urgency。　　It　was　simple　justice
  that　all　who　were　suspected　should　be　examined；　justice　also　to
  them　that　they　might　for　ever　clear　themselves　of　doubtful
  appearances。　　But　for　the　rest；　while　he　felt　his　old　affectionate
  respect　for　his　master；　he　could　recognize　no　claim　to　be　removed
  from　his　present　position。　　Had　she　lived；　said　the　heartbroken
  youth；　he　would　gladly　have　consented　to　accept　any　fortune　which
  her　love　might　bestow；　because　he　felt　that　his　own　love　and　the
  devotion　of　a　life　might　repay　it。　　But　there　was　nothing　now　that
  he　could　give　in　exchange。　　For　his　services　he　was　amply　paid；　his
  feelings　towards　Lieschen's　parents　must　continue　what　they　had
  ever　been。　　In　vain　Lehfeldt　pleaded；　in　vain　many　friends　argued。
  Franz　remained　respectfully　firm　in　his　refusal。
  This；　as　I　said；　interested　Bourgonef　immensely。　　He　seemed　to
  enter　completely　into　the　minds　of　the　sorrowing；　pleading　parents；
  and　the　sorrowing；