The Serapion Brethren, Vol. IIHoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus)
Science
The Serapion Brethren, Vol. II
Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus)
Fiction
"But this brings an innocent man to the scaffold," said Mademoiselle
Scuderi.
"Innocent, Mademoiselle!" cried Miossens. "Do you call Cardillac's
accomplice an innocent man? He who assisted him in his crimes, and has
deserved death a hundred times? No, in verity; _he_ suffers justly;
although I told you the true state of the case in the hope that you
might somehow make use of it in the interests of your _protégé_,
without bringing me into the clutches of the Chambre Ardente."
Mademoiselle Scuderi, delighted at having her conviction of Olivier's
innocence confirmed in such a decided manner, had no hesitation in
telling the Count the whole affair, since he already knew all about
Cardillac's crimes, and in begging him to go with her to d'Andilly, to
whom everything should be communicated under the seal of secrecy, and
who should advise what was next to be done.
D'Andilly, when Mademoiselle Scuderi had told him at full length all
the circumstances, inquired again into the very minutest particulars.
He asked Count Miossens if he was quite positive as to its having been
Cardillac who attacked him, and if he would recognise Olivier as the
person who carried away the body.
"Not only," said Miossens, "was the moon shining brightly, so that I
recognised the old goldsmith perfectly well, but this morning, at La
Regnie's, I saw the dagger with which he was stabbed. It is mine; I
know it by the ornamentation of the handle. And as I was within a pace
of the young man, I saw his face quite distinctly, all the more because
his hat had fallen off. As a matter of course I should know him in a
moment."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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