CAUSE AND EFFECT.
One September evening we rode into Carlsruhe. We made our entry in a
crazy hackney cab behind a lazy horse that had been dragging us for a
long time with cheerless industry between a double file of trees, along a
road without a bend in it; a long, lanky, Quaker road, heavily
drab-coated with dust; a tight-rope of a road that comes from Manheim,
and is hooked on to the capital of Baden. Out of that _allee_ we were
dragged into the square-cut capital itself, which had evidently been
planned by the genius of a ruler--not a prince, but the wooden measure.
The horse stopped at the City of Pfortzheim, and as his decision on the
subject of our halting-place appeared to be irrevocable, we got out.
At the capital of a grand dukedom, except Weimar, it is better to sleep
(it is the only thing to be done there) and pass on; but it so happened
that on that particular evening Carlsruhe was in a ferment: there was
something brewing. I heard talk of a procession and of certain names,
particularly the names Kugelblitz and Thalermacher. Never having heard
those names before, and caring therefore nothing in the world about them,
I tumbled into bed. To my delight, when I got up in the morning, I found
the little town turned upside down. Landlord, boots, and chambermaid,
overwhelmed me with exclamations, surmises, and incoherent summaries of
the night's news. There had been an outbreak. _Lieber Herr_, a
revolution! One entire house razed to the ground. "Hep! hep!" that is
the old cry, "Down with the Jews!" All their bones would be made powder
of. Tremendous funeral of Kugelblitz. Students on their way in a body
from Heidelberg. Thalermacher the rich Jew, soldiers, the entire court,
Meinheer, all in despair; a regular sack. Not only Kugelblitz, but
Demboffsky, the Russian officer, killed. O hep! hep! a lamentable
tragedy. "For they were two such fine-looking young men," mourned the
chambermaid, "especially Demboffsky." "You had better," said the
landlord, "stay in Carlsruhe till to-morrow."
Roused by the incoherent tidings, I hurried to the centre of the tumult.
The house of the firm of Thalermacher and Company was situated in the
High Street; and though, certainly, it had a doleful look, it was there
situated still: it held its ground. Not a brick was displaced;
but--gaunt and windowless, disfigured with great blotches of ink and
dirt, its little shop rent from the wall and split up into faggots--it
looked like a house out of which all life had been knocked; but there was
the carcase. In the street before the house, there were by that time a
few splinters of furniture remaining; the rest had been broken up or
hidden by kind and cunning neighbours. The shop had been cobbled
together with the broken shutters; and half-a-dozen soldiers, quite at
their ease, were lounging pleasantly about the broken door.
The outbreak, I was told by the bystanders, was quite unpremeditated. A
few stragglers had halted before the house at about eight o'clock on the
preceding evening, and had been discussing there the dreadful tale
connected with its owner. One gossip, in a sudden burst of anger, hurled
a bottle of ink--then by chance in his hand--at the Jew's house. The
idea was taken up with such good will that a hard rain of stones,
bottles, and other missiles was soon pelting against Thalermacher's
walls. Where all are unanimous it is not difficult to come to a
conclusion. An hour's labour, lightened by yells and shouts of "Hep,
hep!" was enough; and, the zeal of the people burning like a fire, soon
left of the house nothing but its shell.
The authorities in Germany, usually so watchful and so prompt to
interfere, were either taken completely off their guard, or tacitly
permitted the rude work of vengeance; for, although there was a
guard-post in the immediate vicinity, the whole efforts of the military
were confined to conducting Thalermacher and his family into a place of
safety. The protection Thalermacher received was of a peculiar kind.
Under the plea of insuring him against public attack, he was conducted
under escort, to the fortress of Rastadt, and there held a close
prisoner, until the whole affair could be investigated.
The funeral procession of Lieutenant Kugelblitz was not a thing to be
missed. I went, therefore, to the other end of the city, whence the
procession was to start. The scene was impressive. Not merely his
brothers-in-arms of the artillery, but the general-staff--all the
officers of distinction in the Baden army, whose duties allowed them to
be present--and even the Russian companions of his antagonist Demboffsky,
acted as mourners.
As the procession came before the house of Thalermacher, I observed that
a strong guard had been posted there for its protection. The funeral
passed by without any demonstration whatever. Presently we turned up a
narrow passage, leading from the high street towards the cemetery, and
our progress became tediously slow as we moved with the close mass of
people. At the burial-place every mound and stone was occupied. Flowers
were trampled under foot, shrubs broken or uprooted, and the grass all
stamped into the mould. The whole crowd listened to the impressive
tone--only a few could hear the words--of the funeral harangue, and to
the solemn hymn which followed. The service closed with the military
honour of musketry fired over the soldier's grave. That over, I was
sucked back by the retreating tide of citizens into the main street of
Carlsruhe.
The crowd instantly dispersed; and, as I wandered through the side
streets, I soon saw that the authorities had come to life. My attention
was first called to an official announcement freshly posted, which warned
all persons from assembling in the public street in knots or clusters,
even of three or four, on pain of being instantly dispersed by the
military. Another placard fulminated an injunction to parents, masters,
and burghers to restrain and confine all persons under their charge--such
as workmen, servants, and children--within their respective houses;
because, for any offence committed by them against the public peace, such
masters or parents would be held responsible. I began to fancy myself in
a state of siege. Wandering again into the main street I was met by a
strong division of dusty dragoons, in full equipment of war, which came
sweeping and clashing along from adjacent parts of the country, evidently
under urgent orders. Another and another followed. Troops of infantry
tramped hastily along the side streets. The very few civilians I met in
the streets seemed to be hurrying to shelter from a coming storm. Was
there really any social tempest in the wind? Or were all these
precautions but a locking of the stable door after the steed was stolen?
Having roamed by chance into a sequestered beer-house, I was surprised to
find myself in the midst of a large party of students; probably from
Heidelberg. They were well-grown youths, with silken blond beards; and
in their behaviour, half-swaggerers, half-gentlemen. These were,
perhaps, the enemies of order against whom the tremendous military
preparations had been made.
As the day wore on it became evident that the authorities were ready to
brave the most overwhelming revolution that ever burst forth. Troop
after troop of cavalry galloped in; every soldier, indeed, of whatever
arm stationed within an available distance of Carlsruhe, was brought
within its walls. By eight o'clock in the evening the military
preparations were completed: a picket of infantry was stationed at every
street corner; and, from that hour to the break of day, parties of
dragoons swept the main thoroughfares, clashing and clattering over the
paved road with a din that kept me awake all night. Intercourse between
one street and another, except on urgent business, was interdicted; and
the humblest pedestrian found abroad without an urgent errand was
conducted home with drums beating, colours flying, and all the honours of
war. The display of force answered its purpose in preventing a second
attack of Christians on Jews. The pale ghost of insubordination was laid
and dared not walk abroad--especially at night.
I must say I felt a little relieved when it was ascertained for certain
that the city was safe. I am no friend to despotism nor to political
thraldom of any kind; but really it is impossible not to feel for the
solemn aristocracies of German Grand-Duchies (who, if they be despots,
are extremely amiable) when, poor people, they are in the least put out
of their way: they are so dreadfully fussy, so fearfully piteous, so
distraught, so inconsolable. I was glad therefore that, the revolution
being put down, they could retire in peace to their coffee, their
picquet, and their metaphysics. Doubtless Thalermacher (some Hebrew
millionaire, perhaps) and Kugelblitz (a fire-eater, for certain) had
headed a frightful band of anarchists; who, but for the indomitable
energy of the authorities, would peradventure have changed the destiny of
the entire Duchy, of Germany, of Europe itself! Nothing but so
illimitable an apprehension could have been the cause of such a
siege-like effect. What else could have occasioned the entire blockade
of Carlsruhe?
I had, however, exaggerated the cause as well as the danger; and I will
now relate the real circumstances which had led to all these awful
results; for the facts were afterwards made known in the Carlsruhe and
Baden-Baden public journals of the day.
Early in the month of August, eighteen hundred and forty-three, the
inhabitants of Baden-Baden gave a ball in honour of the Grand-Princess
Helene of Baden, and the Duchess of Nassau. Among the names on the
subscription-list stood that of Herr Heller von Thalermacher. Some
unexplained animosity existed between this gentleman and Lieutenant
Kugelblitz, who was also one of the subscribers.
Baron Donner von Kugelblitz, chief lieutenant of the Baden artillery,
although only in his twenty-ninth year, had already spent fourteen years
in military service, and was highly esteemed for his soldierly qualities
and straightforward bearing. He was tall, remarkably handsome, of an
impetuous temperament, and his natural strength had been well developed
by constant practice in manly and athletic exercises. Herr Heller von
Thalermacher, or rather the firm of which he was the prominent member,
was distinguished for qualities far different, but equally deserving of
goodwill. The banking-house of Thalermacher was one of the most
responsible in South Germany; and, at great expense and sacrifice, had
introduced into the grand, but by no means affluent, duchy of Baden
several branches of industry, which had enriched the ducal treasury, and
furnished employment for thousands of industrious subjects. It had
revived the almost extinguished mining interest; had introduced extensive
spinning machinery; and had established a factory for the manufacture of
beetroot sugar.
Lieutenant Kugelblitz, to whose opinion deference was due, expressed
himself in such offensive terms with respect to Herr von Thalermacher, in
relation to the ball, that the gentlemen who had prepared the
subscription-list at once erased the objectionable name: Herr von
Thalermacher at once demanded satisfaction from his accuser, but this
Lieutenant Kugelblitz refused, on the ground that the banker was not
respectable enough for powder and shot. Hereupon two courts of honour
were formed, one composed of gentlemen civilians in Baden-Baden, and the
other of the officers in Carlsruhe. Both appeared to have been called
together at the wish of Lieutenant Kugelblitz, to inquire into and
pronounce upon the point at issue. The civilians came to no decision.
The military court of honour put the result of its deliberations in the
_Carlsruhe Zeitung_, as a public advertisement, couched in these terms:
"The Herr von Kugelblitz may not fight with the Herr von Thalermacher."
Thus posted as a scamp, Thalermacher advertised back his own defence;
and, by public circulars and bills, declared the accusation of Kugelblitz
to be false and malicious, and his behaviour dishonourable and cowardly.
At the same time, a Russian officer of good family,--Demboffsky--who had
acted throughout as negotiator and friend on the part of Thalermacher,
and who felt himself deeply compromised by the imputations put forth
against his principal, declared publicly that the military court which
had condemned the Herr von Thalermacher, after hearing only his accuser,
was a one-sided and absurd tribunal, and that it was not competent to
give any decision.
The result of this declaration was a challenge from Lieutenant
Kugelblitz. Demboffsky said that he was quite willing to give his
challenger the satisfaction he demanded, on condition that he should
first arrange his quarrel with Herr Thalermacher, as became a gentleman.
On the night of the first of September (at the beginning of our English
shooting season), the Russian being on a visit to his friend
Thalermacher, in his apartments, assured him in the most positive terms
that he would keep promise, and would make no hostile arrangement with
Lieutenant Kugelblitz. Prince Trubetzkoi and other friends then present
completely coincided in this mode of action. At half-past eleven at
night, Demboffsky quitted his friend, and hastened homewards. Be had
advanced only a few steps on the road, when suddenly two figures strode
up to him, and stayed his progress. He at once recognised Kugelblitz,
and a Spaniard named Manillo, who had lived for many years in Germany.
"Will you fight with me?" shouted Kugelblitz in a passion.
The Russian, although taken completely by surprise, replied that he would
do as he had already said. He would fight with Senor Manillo at once if
it were thought desirable; but he would engage in no hostilities with
Kugelblitz, until the quarrel with Thalermacher was adjusted. Great was
the wrath of Kugelblitz. He clenched his fist, shook it in the face of
Demboffsky, and demanded furiously that he should give his word of honour
to fight him in the morning. The Russian, who expected bodily violence,
then said that since the insult had been pushed so far, there remained no
other course open to him, than to accept the challenge; which he
accordingly did, pledging himself to meet Kugelblitz on the morrow. He
then hastened back to his friend Thalermacher, and related the occurrence
to him.
On the following day the duel took place. It happened that Lieutenant
Kugelblitz was under orders to mark out the artillery practice-ground at
Hardwald, near Rastadt, and as he could not leave his post, the meeting
took place in its neighbourhood. The two officers stood forward in
deadly opposition with a measured distance of ten paces only.
Nevertheless, the first fire was without result; but, at the second fire,
Kugelblitz was struck in the breast; yet he still held his weapon
undischarged. He pressed his left hand on the wound as he pulled the
trigger with his right. The pistol missed fire. Another cap was placed
upon the nipple, but it also failed. The second of Demboffsky then
handed another weapon to the dying man; who, with quiet resolution, still
closing his wound with his fingers, drew for the third time upon his
opponent, and with such effect, that, uttering a wild cry, and the words
"_Je suis mort_!" "I am dead!" the Russian leapt up into the air, and
then rolled upon the ground a corpse. Kugelblitz, exhausted by the
efforts he had made to die like a gentleman, sank into the arms of his
second, Manillo, and was carried insensible to Carlsruhe. He died at
noon on the second day after the duel.
Thereupon the discerning and indignant public, a little biassed--as it
too often has been in Germany--against the Jews in general, gutted the
house of Herr von Thalermacher.
The state also fell in with the common notion; and, under the plea of
sheltering an injured man, lodged him in prison for eleven days. Seals
were also placed upon his papers and apartments. The State then set
about ascertaining privately in how far the victim of mob law had been
guilty of the mischief which by general acclamation was imputed to him.
After a hunt through the banker's desk, and an inspection of his drawers,
the decision of the court tribunal of Rastadt was delivered. It was
ordered that the Herr Heller von Thalermacher be forthwith liberated from
the fortress of Rastadt, free and untainted. Further: that the seals be
removed from his apartments and papers, seeing that nothing among them
had been found which could cast the faintest shadow upon his reputation.
We had all been yelling at the wrong man. Kugelblitz was, after all, the
author of the tragedy.