“Ludwig held back Rasinski’s arm. ‘Sully not your good blade with the
monster’s blood,’ he said, earnestly and solemnly. ‘Leave him to the
justice of an omnipotent Avenger.’
“‘You are right,’ replied Rasinski, quickly resuming his habitual
composure. ‘Think you I have forgotten?’ said he, with an expression of
the deepest loathing, to the Jew, who still clasped his feet in agony of
fear. ‘I know you well for the base and double traitor who once already
escaped well-merited death. Nothing could save you now, were it not that
even a villain like yourself may be made useful. Begone, and warn your
fellow-assassins, that if to-morrow I find a single dead body, a single
mark of violence in one of their houses, I lay the whole quarter in
ashes,—men, women, and habitations; and I myself will be the first to
hurl the sucking-babe into the devouring flames! Away, dog! Yet will I
mark thee, that thou mayest not escape.’
“And raising his foot, he stamped thrice upon the face of the prostrate
Jew, who bellowed like a wild beast, whilst his blood reddened the snow.
Nevertheless, the murderer managed to scramble to his feet, and reach an
adjacent house door, where he stood knocking and calling upon his fellow
Israelites for help and compassion.”
Count Ségur tells us, that the Jews enticed the unfortunate wounded into
their houses to despoil them, and afterwards, in sight of the Russians,
threw them, naked and dying, out of the doors and windows, leaving them
to perish of cold.
We approach the final chapters of Mr Rellstab’s romance. Bianca, whose
quality of a Russian noble suffices to protect her and her attendants,
remains with Ludwig, Marie, and her brother at Wilna, after the French
leave it. They then post to Germany without further adventure. Their
last sight of Rasinski is when, mounted on a Cossack horse, by the side
of Marshal Ney, he heads a scanty but determined band, covering the
retreat of the French. He subsequently falls at Leipzig, fighting with
his wonted gallantry under the orders of his countryman Poniatowski.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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