s at his lodgings, and requested one of the
students to accompany him.
He knew the street, but not the house, in which the young man resided;
and as soon as they had entered the street, their attention was excited
by a tumultuous assemblage of people at no great distance. Hastening to
the spot, the Professor ascertained from a bystander that the crowd had
been collected by the loud report of a gun or pistol in the apartments
of a student. Struck with an appalling presentiment, the Professor and
his companion forced a passage to the house-door, and were admitted by
the landlord, to whom the former was well known. "Tell me!" exclaimed
the Professor, gasping with terror and suspense--"Is it Julius
Arenbourg?"
"Alas! it is indeed," replied the other. "Follow me up-stairs, and you
shall see him."
They found the body of the ill-fated youth extended on the bed, and a
pistol near him, the ball of which had gone through his heart. His fine
features, although somewhat contracted by the peculiar action of a
gunshot wound, still retained much of their bland and melancholy
character. The landlord and his family wept as they related that
Julius, who was their favourite lodger, had returned home after the
execution with hurried steps, and a countenance of death-like paleness.
Without speaking to the children, as was his wont, he had locked the
door of his apartment, where he remained several hours, and then
hastened with some letters to the post-office. In a few minutes after
his return, the fatal shot summoned them to his room, where they found
him dying and speechless. "But I had nearly forgotten," concluded the
landlord, "that he left upon his table a letter addressed to Professor
N."
The worthy man opened the letter with a trembling hand, and, in a voice
husky with emotion, read the contents to his companion.
"From you, my dear Professor, and from my younger friends,
although but friends of yesterday, I venture to solicit the
last kindness which human sympathy can offer. If, as I dare to
hope, I have some hold upon your good opinion, you will not
refuse to see my remains interred with as much decency as the
magistrates will permit. In my purse will be found enough to
meet the amount of this and every other claim upon me.
"I have yet another boon to ask, and one of vital moment to my
unhappy relatives. I have prepared them to expect intelligence
of my death by fever; a
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