to the bed; ordered me to do my work well and quickly, and walked out
of the door.

I took out my instruments, which as a physician I always carried with
me, and approached the bed. Only the head of the dead girl was visible,
but this was so beautiful that I was seized with the deepest pity. The
dark hair hung down in long braids; the face was pale; the eyes were
closed.

I first made a slight incision in the skin, as is the practice with
surgeons when they are about to remove a limb. Then I selected my
sharpest knife, and with one stroke cut through the windpipe. But what
a tragedy! The girl opened her eyes, closing them again instantly, and
with a deep sigh, now, for the first time, breathed out her life, while
at the same time a warm stream of blood gushed from the wound. I was
sure that I had taken the life of this poor creature; for that she was
now dead was beyond question, as there could be no recovery from this
wound.

[Illustration]

I stood some moments almost stupefied at what had taken place. Had the
man in the red mantle betrayed me, or had his sister been lying in a
trance? The latter conjecture seemed the most plausible. But I dared
not say this to the brother of the girl; therefore I resolved to take
the head completely off. But one more groan came from the dying girl, a
spasm shook her form, and all was over. Overcome with horror, I rushed
out of the room. But the lamp in the corridor had gone out, and there
was no trace of my companion. In the darkness, I was compelled to feel
my way along the wall to reach the stairway. I finally found it, and
descended, slipping and stumbling. Nor was there any one below. I found
the door unlocked, and breathed freer when I once more stood upon the
street. Urged on by terror, I ran to my rooms, and buried myself in the
cushions of my couch.

But sleep fled from me, and the approach of morning warned me to
compose myself. It seemed altogether likely to me that the man who had
betrayed me into doing this atrocious deed would not inform on me. I
resolved to go on as usual with my business, and if possible to assume
a cheerful manner. But a new circumstance, that I now noticed for the
first time, increased my terror. My cap and girdle, as well as my
instruments, were missing, and I was uncertain whether I had left them
in the chamber of the murdered girl, or had lost them in my flight.
Unfortunately the first supposition seemed the more probable, and thus
the murd