THE RED PEDESTAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 256, 28 October 1899, Page 15 (Supplement)

THE RED PEDESTAL.

A GRUESOME TALE OF SCIENCE

(By Neville Came, in the "New York | Herald.") j

In the "Augsburger Zeitung," which I re- '. celve at my Long Island home, where I have lived many years in seclusion, with broken health and spirit, I read a para- . graph which frees me from a spell from which I have believed only death would, i 'Twas as follows:— "Died, in'a private madhouse, in the city' of Munich, whither he was taken a year ago violently insane, Graf yon Eulenberg, ! of Euleuberg Castle. It will be remembered that the Count some years ago Inherited a large fortune from his aunt. His brilliant career at the University of L! will recall him more vividly yet to the public mind." While a student at the University of B—, having finished my course in physics, I devoted myself to pursuits which might be" termed ultra-scientific. Like many German dreamers, from whose discourses concerning the Philosophic dcs Unbewuszten, over foaming krugs, at knelpes, and many another symposium of more sedate character, I imbibed the poison. The flame upon the altar of liberty burned fiercest here, but no less deep was the homage paid to the discoverer in the realm of science. He who snatched from out the unknown a new fact became a demigod, or, occasionally, by a misuse of his talent, a d , but that is anticipating. In the course of my delviugs I was thrown into the society of a singular man. Fritz yon Eulenberg, a poor but well-born student, whose family inhabited a dilapidated castle near Staruberger See, in liayeru. Ho occupied chambers, as did 1 also, opposite him, in a great tumbledown pile in —— gasse, extending over the greater part of a square, one side rising sheer from the river. Our rooms constituted the choice part ot the building, and tin- only marks of human ity about were on the nagging in the court near our wing, the rest being quite moss grown. There were other occupants, however_a few. The ancient porter drank iirae continually, to light oft the rheumatism, he said. From a remote part on the other side of the court came on certain nights of the week snatches of becr-iuspircd song, as W nn ma' fro en will Frelt ma' in der still, Ist dcs mnill' relc'h, Gild's auch gelt zugloieh, Ist sic dennoch dumin, Bucklicli. schell und Kruuui. Blelbt sic doch die schoiiste Welt und brelt. Once towards daybreak Eulonberg and I were awakened by the clack of schlagors in the court, and, peering from the casement, saw shadowy forms with pallid, furtive faces, hurriedly extinguishing a huilem and carrying a limp form through an archway. "A brawl has bcu settled," dryly remarked Eulenberg, 'seriously 'X would seem. Stay, was then- not roystertng in Busch's apartments last uveiilug?" 1 said I believed there was a Boil tut of revelry in that quarter about bedtime.

We retired once more. On knocking at Eulenberg's door next morning to discuss

the event of the night, 1 found that he was not. in. although il was about the usual time for his kaffee and seumiel. On tho

ensuing morning my knock received no respouse, and inquiring of old XiiffoTl the reason, was told that Herr yon Eulenberg had been suddenly summoned to his home In Buycru to attend the deathbed of his aunt, whose heir he was.

The character of this miiu had impressed mi' very much. There was about him what might be termed the attraction of repulsion. I couldn't koey away from him, so to speak, though not often asked to his rooms. He spoke little and smiled never. His heal," reminded one of Schiller, only with a Mephistophelian cast. He had written things that had set all Germany talking for a time, but his "Ausser Nadir," subsequently published, had injured his reputation. Ho was evidently getting outside the periphery allowed to the human intelligence. In other words, to express it in our homely American phrase, "he was getting off his base."

Eulenberg had a strange way of disappearing. Twas said he had a laboratory somewhere about I hi? building. NolPody, so far as known to the rest of us. had ever been in it. A drunken student. sai» He saw a personage in red, wearing a caudal appendage, traversing the corridor in which Kulenberg's laboratory was supposed to lie. As the student in question was known to be frequently on the brink of "d. t.'s" his story was smiled at.

The same fellow told many marvellous talcs, and boasted much in his cups. At a kneipe, where Eulenberg happened to be present, he exhibited a small gold key. which he said could open the door to vast treasure. His deceased father was known to have been formerly a rich smuggler, but still no particular attention was paid to his boast, except to elicit demands for

more beer at his expense.

Eulenberg asked to be allowed to examine this key, the handle of which represented a miniature dolphin, and he said it was gold and the eyes rubies. During his katSienjammer the owner denied the whole thing. This man's name was Busch. It was in his apartments that the singing was heard on the night of the duel.

Old Xafferl was too full of arac brandy on that night to give a lucid explanation of the mystery, but said that Herr Hofbauer had thrown a masz of beer in Herr Busch's face, and they had fought, and that Herr Busch had been taken away hi a cab, badly wounded.

I missed Eulenberg soon after that, and one evening, rambling about the corridors, I found myself unexpectedly in that one the laboratory was said to be. 1 looked in vain for a door, but only after close inspection of the walls did I discover a keyhole in a narrow panel, ingeniously concealed. It was locked, aud contemplating it thoughtfully I became aware of an indistinct murmur as of a muffled voice.

I looked into the court. Xo one was there. Again the murmuring, I looked in vain through the keyhole. All was black. I applied my ear. A voice within umnlstnk-

ably! What could it be? Euleuberg was away. This must be the laboratory. 1 thought of the drunkard's story, and glanced with a shiver over my shoulder.

The sound ceased. I paced the corridor, consumed with curiosity. In one of my trips I observed at the further end of the corridor a narrow stone staircase. Being in an investigating frame of mind, I groped my way up it, through a network of dusty spiders' webs, the denizens of which ran over my face and hands.

At length I perceived a feeble light,which, growing brighter as I advanced, guided me into the moonlight, out upon a narrow ledge of the roof, overlooking the river. Up at my side rose a great skylight, dim and weather-stained. Through the halfobscured panes I became aware of a dull red glow, iii striking contrast with the bluish moonlight.

Bending over and rubbing away the dirt, I saw what was indeed lamplight, and my eyes became glued to the pane,vas I sank

I upon one knee and grasped the stonework ' to steady my shaking nerves. God spare my reason! Was I awake? At the end of a long vaulted chamber filled with all the complicated appliances of the chemist's art, lighted by rows of tall students' lamps, stood a pedestal of what seemed red glistening stone, from either ■ side of which ran lubes, communicating ' with great stills of glass and copper. On the top of this pedestal, the eyes open, living, was a human head! Seated in front of this ghastly object at ' some distance, in an open armchair, speaking in measured tones to it, was Euleuberg. ' His eyes were directed to the lips, wliich. • though uttering no sound, were framing ! words, which Eulenberg.with bated breath, was studying out and repeating aloud. There was something strangely familiar in the features of the head. Yes. it wasIt was Busch! God of heaven! How came it there? A temporary blindness came upou me. 1 felt I was fainting. 1 mastered myself by a great effort, and, looking down, saw—oU. horror!—that the eyes of the head were directed at me. and Eulenberg.with a levelled revolver, was beckoning me to come down. Mechanically I obeyed, as under a spell, j Euleuberg was waiting for me at the foot j of the staircase, and, still covering me with the revolver, bade me walk through the open panel, which closed with a click be hind us. "You have by accident and meddling," said lie, sternly, "been made a party to what was not intended for you, and I am strongly tempted to put it. out of your power to meddle further. Do you see yonder retort? In it is an acid strong enough to destroy you, your linger rings and even tlic» diamond in your scarf pin. I'll consider the matter. In the meantime you are my prisoner." A faint smile of recognition lighted up the features of the head. 1 started petrified. "What you sec is the culmination of a ; scries of experiments begun years ago," continued Eulenberg. "1 have long known that-a human head recently detached from I the body, if taken before the cells were emptied of the life principle, could be restored to intelligence and nourished indefinitely by a tluld which I have, discovered, closely resembling human blood, but tat more vivifying. 1 experimented, with the consent of the authorities, upon the head ', of a criminal who perished under the blade of the scharfrichter. The results I kept to myself. That is the head of Busch, which was severed from his body in I he duel of that night, in .Hie court below, by the unlawfully sharpened whinger of my accomplice, Hofbauer. The sehlnger is only supposed to disfigure, not to kill. It Is only sharp at the point, as fl rub. In this ir,stance it was sharpened on the side. 1 appeared In the niidsl of the affrighted students aud demanded the bead for sclcntiuo purposes, threatening them with the poliCP unless they compiled. Hol'bauer disappeared, you remember. That's his skull up there. That pedestal Is a glass tank cmUlulng the vitalising Uuld I spoke of. "Restored to intelligence, the lips have sought to speak, but necessarily can only shape words. I'loill closely Studying the'v motions for weeks I have gathered the knowledge of the whereabouts of" the treasure boasted of during lift. Ho offers this upon condition that 1 will release him and return him to death when 1 have found mid secured the treasure, for every moment of this restored life is ugOU.V to him. It IS unfortunate thai you are mixed in the matter, as 1 have cherished :\ feeling of amity for you which 1 have for no other. I shall be absent for a day, during which I shall bind you to this chair and gag you." Having suited the action to the word, he left me and did not return until the following evening. He bore in his hand a portmanteau, and loosing me and giving > me food, bade m ' follow him, still gagged. Through a door in I he wall we descended, It seemed, to the very foundation of the building, aud emerged upon the river,where . a small skill' lay moored to a post. \\> rvwed silently down the river until we came upon a sloop yacht riding at anchor. We wen- no sooner aboard than sail was hoist- ' ed aud we bore away down stream through ' the long night, running out at daybreak into a spacious bay, where an American ' merchantman was already gelling up sail. Unloosing the skiff, he bade me enter ir, saying:— "Your passage is secured in that ship lo America. Go. and never return to Germany. Fair Science lias smiled upon me. her lifelong servant, and I mean to enjoy undisturbed Hie fruits of my labours. 1 shall live as a prince, and my emissaries 1 shall keep, track of you. for gold will purhase loyalty. Remember the retort. Fare-

well for ever!"