Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 69, No. 423, January 1851Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 69, No. 423, January 1851
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
The various memoirs of the Hungarian war record more than one instance
of self-destruction and insanity, amongst the enthusiastic defenders
of the Magyar cause, consequent upon Görgey's shameful surrender, and
the final downfall of their cherished hopes. As far as the suicide
goes, therefore, there is nothing improbable in the conduct of the
eccentric lieutenant. Passing over several shorter papers, for the
most part clever and spirited, we come to the striking tale, or rather
series of scenes, entitled _George of St Thomas_, which, besides being
the most carefully finished of these sketches, includes several of
the most terrible and romantic historical incidents of that war. Its
construction is favourable to extract, and we propose to translate such
portions of it as our limits will allow, and therewith close our notice
of the _Schlachtfelderblüthen aus Ungarn_. The first chapter is headed--
THE FIEND'S FESTIVAL.
It was dark night in the town of St Thomas. Not a star was visible.
Well was it that the heavens saw not what then occurred upon earth.
Men who had grown gray together in love and friendship, dwelling in the
same street, under the very same roof, who were bound to each other
by ties of blood and kindred, of gratitude and duty, who were wont to
share each other's joys and griefs, began, upon a sudden, as if frantic
with infernal inspirations, to plot each other's extermination, and to
fill their souls with bloody hatred against those who had never wronged
them.
It was St Eustace' day. The Raitzen[25] assembled in their church, to
worship God, as they said. But no words of God were there, nor solemn
organ-notes; wild voices announced approaching horrors, and the sainted
roof resounded with strains ominous of strife.
The town's-people were tranquil. Those amongst them who noticed that
their neighbours' windows were lighted up, and who saw gloomy faces
hurrying to the church, said to themselves, "To-day the Raitzen hold
high festival;" and thought no more of it, but went their ways to
bed. Towards midnight the alarm-bell sounded, the doors of the temple
opened, and the nocturnal revel began.
With wild howl the excited mob burst into the houses of their sleeping
neighbours. It was as though they had some ancient and inveterate
grudge to avenge, so fierce and bitter was the fury with which they
murdered all whose windows showed no lights--the token the Raitzen had
adopted, lest by error they should assail each other's dwellings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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