Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/122

 ject servility, court their approbation for each moment's pleasure I wished to enjoy.—Life was now a matter of indifference to me, and while my thoughts were directed to some immediate plan of revenge, two of my servants on horseback pursued the murderer, who had fled with incredible swiftness. They got up within fifty yards of the wretch, but despairing of taking him alive, one of my faithful domestics fired a carabine at the fugitive, a slug entered his brains, and he tumbled instantly from his horse which ran off without its rider, and when the pursuers came up with their victim they found him quite dead.

Hearing the report of the carabine, I left the remains of Elmira for a moment, and hastened to recognize the assassin. He had a mask on his face, we removed it, but none of us had the slightest knowledge of his person. Having fstriclly searched him from head to foot, nothing was found, that could lead to a discovery. I ordered the carriage to drive back to the villa, and deposited the sad relics of Elmira in her apartment. After having