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Hoffmann"> +<meta name="Publisher" content="George Bell & Sons"> +<meta name="Date" content="1892"> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +body {font-size: 14pt; margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; background-color:#FFFFFF;} + +p.normal {text-indent:.25in; text-align: justify;} +p.center {text-align:center; margin-top:9pt;} + + + +p.right {text-align:right; margin-right:5%;} + +p.continue {text-indent: 0in; margin-top:9pt;} + +.quote {font-size:90%} + + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5 {text-align: center;} + +span.sc {font-variant: small-caps;} +span.space {letter-spacing: 1em; } + + +hr.W10 {width:10%; margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; + color:black;} + +hr.W20 {width:20%; margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt; + color:black;} + + +p.hang1 {margin-left:3em; text-indent:-3em;} +p.hang2 {margin-left:3em; text-indent:0;} + +.poem { + margin-left : 10%; + margin-right : 5%; + text-align : left; + } + .poem .stanza { + margin : 1em 0; + margin-top:24pt; + } + .poem p { + margin : 0; + padding-left : 3em; + text-indent : -3em; + } + .poem p.i0 { + margin-left : 0em; + } + .poem p.i4 { + margin-left : 2em; + } + .poem p.i6 { + margin-left : 3em; + } + .poem p.i8 { + margin-left : 4em; + } + .poem p.i10 { + margin-left : 5em; +} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Serapion Brethren., by +Ernst Theordor Wilhelm Hoffmann + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Serapion Brethren. + Vol. II + +Author: Ernst Theordor Wilhelm Hoffmann + +Translator: Alex. Ewing + +Release Date: March 16, 2010 [EBook #31668] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SERAPION BRETHREN. *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from scans provided by Google Books + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p class="normal">Transcriber's Notes:</p> +<p class="hang1">Page scans are from Google Books: +"http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA2&dq=editions:UCALB4287293&id=ZYQFAQ +AAIAAJ&as_brr=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false"</p> + +<br> +<br> +<h1>THE SERAPION BRETHREN.</h1> + +<h2>VOLUME II.</h2> + +<br> + +<br> + +<br> +<h1>THE SERAPION BRETHREN.</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2>ERNST THEODOR WILHELM HOFFMANN</h2> + +<br> +<h2>Translated from the German</h2> +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2>LIEUT.-COLONEL ALEX. EWING,</h2> +<h3>A.P.D.,</h3> +<h3>TRANSLATOR OF J. P. RICHTER'S "FLOWER, FRUIT, AND THORN +PIECES,"<br> +ETC.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>VOLUME II.</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>LONDON:<br> +GEORGE BELL & SONS, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN,<br> +AND NEW YORK.</h3> +<h3>1892.</h3> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h4>LONDON:<br> +PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,<br> +STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.</h4> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<table cellpadding="10" style="width:80%; margin-left:10%; font-size:14pt"> +<colgroup><col style="width:90%; vertical-align:top;"><col style="width:10%; vertical-align:bottom; text-align:right"></colgroup> +<tr> +<td colspan="2"><h3><a name="div1Ref_section5" href="#div1_section5">SECTION V.</a></h3></td> +</tr><tr> +<td colspan="2" style="text-align:right; font-size:80%">PAGE</td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_character" href="#div2_character">THE LIFE OF A WELL-KNOWN CHARACTER</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_wooers" href="#div2_wooers">ALBERTINE'S WOOERS</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_guest" href="#div2_guest">THE UNCANNY GUEST</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr><tr> +<td colspan="2"><h3><a name="div1Ref_section6" href="#div1_section6">SECTION VI.</a></h3></td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_scuderi" href="#div2_scuderi">MADEMOISELLE SCUDERI</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_gambler" href="#div2_gambler">GAMBLERS' FORTUNE</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr><tr> +<td colspan="2"><h3><a name="div1Ref_section7" href="#div1_section7">SECTION VII.</a></h3></td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_formica" href="#div2_formica">SIGNOR FORMICA</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_phenomena" href="#div2_phenomena">PHENOMENA</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr><tr> +<td colspan="2"><h3><a name="div1Ref_section8" href="#div1_section8">SECTION VIII.</a></h3></td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_mutual" href="#div2_mutual">THE MUTUAL INTERDEPENDENCE OF THINGS</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr><tr> +<td><a name="div2Ref_betrothed" href="#div2_betrothed">THE KING'S BETROTHED</a></td> +<td></td> +</tr></table> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>THE SERAPION BRETHREN.</h1> + +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_section5" href="#div1Ref_section5">SECTION V</a>.</h2> + +<p class="normal">The ever-fluctuating vicissitudes of human life had once more +scattered our little group of friends asunder. Sylvester had gone back to his +country home; Ottmar had travelled away on business, and so had Cyprian; Vincent +was still in the town, but (after his accustomed fashion) he had disappeared in +the turmoil, and was nowhere to be seen; Lothair was nursing Theodore, who had +been laid on a bed of sickness by a malady long struggled against, which was +destined to keep him there for a considerable time.</p> + +<p class="normal">Indeed, several months had gone by, when Ottmar (whose sudden +and unlooked-for departure had been the chief cause of the breaking up of the +"Club") came back, to find, in place of the full-fledged "Serapion Brotherhood," +one friend, barely convalescent, and bearing the traces of a severe illness in +his pale face, abandoned by the Brethren, with the exception of one, who was +tasking him severely by constant outbreaks of a grim and capricious "humour."</p> + +<p class="normal">For Lothair was once more finding himself in one of those +strange and peculiar moods of mind in which all life seemed to him to have +become weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, by reason of the everlasting mockery +("chaff" might be the modern expression of this idea) of the inimical daemonic +power which, like a pedantic tutor, ignores and contemns the <i>nature</i> of men; +giving man (as a tutor of the sort would do) bitter drugs and nauseous +medicines, instead of sweet and delicious macaroons, to the end that his said +pupil, man, may take a distaste at his own nature, enjoy it no more, and thus +keep his digestion in good order.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What an unfortunate idea it was," Lothair cried out, in the +gloomiest ill-humour, when Ottmar came in and found him sitting with Theodore--"what an unfortunate idea it was of ours to insist +on binding ourselves together again so closely, jumping over all the clefts +which time had split between us! It is Cyprian whom we have to thank for laying +the foundation-stone of Saint Serapion, on which we built an edifice which +seemed destined to last a lifetime, and tumbled down into ruin in a few moons. +One ought not to hang one's heart on to anything, or give one's mind over to the +impressions of excitements from without; and I was a fool to do so, for I must +confess to you that the way in which we came together on those Serapion evenings +took such a hold on my whole being that, when the brethren so suddenly dispersed +themselves over the world, my life felt to me as weary, stale, flat and +unprofitable as the melancholy Prince Hamlet's did to him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Forasmuch as no spirit has arisen from the grave, revisiting +the glimpses of the moon, to incite you to revenge," said Ottmar, with a laugh, +"and as you are not called upon to send your sweetheart to a nunnery, or to thrust a poisoned rapier into the heart of +a murderer-king, I think you ought not to give way to Prince Hamlet's +melancholy, and should consider that it would be the grossest selfishness to +renounce every league of alliance into which congenially-minded people enter +because the storms of life possess the power of interfering with it. Human +beings ought not to draw in their antennas at every ungentle touch, like +supersensitive insects. Is the remembrance of hours passed in gladsome kindly +intercourse nothing to you? All through my journeyings I have thought of you +continually. On the evenings of the meetings of the Serapion Club (which, of +course, I supposed to be still in full swing) I always took my place amongst +you, in spirit; assimilated all the delightful and entertaining things going on +amongst you (entertaining you, at the same time, with whatever the spirit moved +me to contribute to you). But it is absurd to continue in this vein. Is there, +in Lothair's mind, really the slightest trace of that which his momentary +'out-of-tuneness' has made him say? Does he not himself admit that the cause of +his being out of tune is merely the fact of our having been dispersed?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Theodore's illness," said Lothair, "which nearly sent him to +his grave, was not a matter, either, calculated to put me into a happy state of +mind."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," said Ottmar, "but Theodore is well again; and as to the +Serapion Club, I cannot see why it should not be considered to be in full +working order, now that three of the Brethren are met together."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ottmar is perfectly right," said Theodore; "it is a matter of +indisputable necessity that we should have a meeting, in true Serapiontic +fashion, as early as possible. The germ which we form will sprout into a tree +full of fresh life and vigour, bearing flowers and fruit--I mean that that bird +of passage, Cyprian, will come back: Sylvester will soon be unhappy, there where +he is, away; and when the nightingales cease singing, he will long for music of +another kind; and Vincent will emerge from the billows again, no doubt, and +chirp his little song."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Have it your own way," said Lothair, rather more gently than +before; "only don't expect <i>me</i> to have anything to do with it. However, I +promise that I will be present when you assemble Serapiontically; and, as +Theodore ought to be in the open air as much as possible, I suggest that we hold +our meeting out of doors."</p> + +<p class="normal">So they fixed upon the last day of May--which was only a few +days off--for the time; and on a pretty public-garden in the +neighbourhood, not too much frequented, for the place, of their next Serapiontic +meeting.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">A thunderstorm, passing quickly over, and merely sprinkling +the trees and bushes with a few drops of Heaven's balsam, had relieved the +sultry oppressiveness of the day. The beautiful garden was lying all still, in +the most exquisite brightness. The delicious perfume of leaves and flowers +streamed through it, while the birds, twittering and trilling in happiness, went +rustling amongst the branches, and bathed themselves in the bedewed leafage.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How refreshed I feel, through and through!" Theodore cried, +when the friends had sate themselves down in the shade of some thickly-foliaged +lime-trees; "every trace of illness, down to the most infinitesimal, has left +me. I feel as if a redoubled life had dawned on me, in my active consciousness +of reciprocity of action between me and the external. A man must have been as +ill as I have been to be capable of this sensation, which, strengthening mind +and body, must surely be (as I feel it to be) the true life-elixir which the +Eternal Power, the ruling World-spirit, administers to us, directly and without +intermediation. The vivifying breath of Nature is breathing out of my own +breast. I seem to be floating in that glorious blue Heaven which is vaulted over +us, with every burden lifted away from me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"This," said Ottmar, "shows that you are quite well again, +beloved friend; and all glory to the Eternal Power which fitted you out with an +organisation strong enough to survive an illness like that which you have gone +through. It is a marvel that you recovered at all, and still a greater that you +recovered so quickly."</p> + +<p class="normal">"For my part," said Lothair, "I am not surprised that he got +well so soon, because I never had a moment's doubt that he would. You may +believe me, Ottmar, when I tell you that, wretched as the state in which his +physical condition appeared to be, he was never really ill, mentally; and so +long as the spirit keeps sound--well! it was really enough to vex one to death +that Theodore, ill as he was, was always in better spirits than I was, although +I was a perfectly well and sound man; and that, so soon as his bodily sufferings +gave him an interval of rest, he delighted in the wildest fun and jests. At the +same time, he has the rare power of remembering his feverish illusions. The +doctor had forbidden him to talk; but when <i>I</i> wished to tell him this, that and +the other in quiet moments, he would motion me to be silent and not disturb his +thoughts, which were busy over some important composition, or other matter of +the kind."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said Theodore, laughing, "I can assure you that +Lothair's communications were of a very peculiar kidney at that time. Directly +after the dispersion of the Serapion Brethren he became possessed by a foul +fiend of evil humours. This you probably have gathered; but you cannot, by any +possibility, divine the extraordinary ideas which he got into his head at this +period of gloom and dejection. One day he came to my bedside (for I had taken to my bed by that time) stating +that the old Chronicle Books were the grandest and richest +mines and treasure-houses of tales, legends, novels and dramas. Cyprian said the +same long ago, and it is true. Next day I noticed, although my malady was +besetting me sorely, that Lothair was sitting immersed in an old folio. +Moreover, he went every day to the public library and got together all the old +Chronicles he could lay his hands upon. <i>That</i> was all very well; but, besides, +he got his head filled with the strange old legends which are contained in those +venerable books; and when, in my hours of comparative quiet, he bestirred +himself to talk to me on 'entertaining' subjects, what I heard of was war and +pestilence, monstrous abortions, hurricanes, comets, fires and floods, witches, +auto-da-fé's, enchantments, miracles, and, above all other subjects, his talk +was of the manifold works and devices of the Devil--who, as we know, plays such +an important part in all those old stories that one can hardly imagine what has +become of him <i>now</i>, when he seems to keep so quietly in the background, unless +he may perhaps have put on some new dress which renders him unrecognizable. Now +tell me, Ottmar, don't you think such subjects of conversation well suited for a +man in my then state of health?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't condemn me unheard," cried Lothair. "It is true, and I +will maintain it fearlessly, that, for writers of tales, there is an immense +amount of splendid material in those ancient Chronicles. But you know that <i>I</i> +have never taken much interest in them, and least of all in their <i>diablerie</i>. +However, the evening before Cyprian went away I had a great argument with him as +to his having far too much to do with the Devil and his family; and I told him +candidly that my present opinion of his tale, 'The Singers' Contest,' is that it +is a thoroughly faulty and bungling piece of work, although when he read it to +us I approved of it, for many specious reasons. Upon this he attacked me in the +character of a real <i>advocatum diaboli</i>, and told me such a quantity of things, +out of old Chronicles and from other sources, that my head fairly reeled. And +then, when Theodore fell ill, I was seized upon and overmastered by real, +bitter gloom and misery. Somehow, I scarce know how or why, Cyprian's 'Singers' +Contest' came back to my mind again. Nay, the Devil himself appeared to me in +person one night when I couldn't sleep; and although I was a good deal +frightened by the evil fellow, still I could not help respecting him, and paying +him my duty as an ever helpful aide-de-camp of tale-writers in lack of help; +and, by way of spiting you all, I determined to set to work and surpass even +Cyprian himself in the line of the fearsome and the terrible."</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>You</i>, Lothair, undertake the fearful and terrible!" said +Ottmar, laughing--"you, whose bright and fanciful genius would seem expressly +adapted to wave the wand of comedy!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Even so," said Lothair; "such was my idea. And as a first +step towards carrying it out, I set to work to rummage in those old Chronicles +which Cyprian had told me were the very treasure-houses of the diabolical; but I +admit that it all turned out quite differently from what I had expected."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can fully confirm that," said Theodore. "I can assure you +it is astonishing, and most delicious, the way in which the Devil and the +gruesomest witch-trials adapt themselves to the mental bent and style of the +author of 'Nutcracker and the King of Mice.' Just let me tell you, dear Ottmar, +how I chanced to lay my hands upon an experimental essay on this subject of our +doughty Lothair's. He had just left me one day when I was getting to be strong +enough to creep about the room a little, and I found, upon the table where he +had been writing, the truly remarkable book entitled 'Haftitii Michrochronicon +Berlinense,' open at the page where, <i>inter alia</i>, occurs what follows:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Ye Divell, in this year of Grace, appeared bodily in ye +streets of Berlin, and attended funerals, conducting himself thereat +sorrowfullie,' &c., &c., &c.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will see, my dear Ottmar, that this entertaining piece of +intelligence was of a nature to delight me immensely; but some pages in +Lothair's handwriting delighted me still more. In those he had welded up the +accounts of this curious conduct of the Devil with a horrible case of misbirth, +and a gruesome trial for witchcraft, into an <i>ensemble</i> of the most delightful +and entertaining description. I have got those pages here; I brought them in my +pocket to amuse you with them."</p> + +<p class="normal">He took them out of his pocket and handed them to Ottmar.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" cried Lothair, "the affair which I styled 'Some +Account of the Life of a Well-known Character,' which I thought was torn up and +destroyed long ago--the abortive product of a fit of capricious fancy; can it be +that you have captured <i>that</i> from me and kept it, to bring me into discredit +with persons of taste and culture? Here with the wretched piece of scribbling, +that I may tear it up and scatter it to the winds of heaven."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no," cried Theodore; "you must read it to Ottmar, as a +penance for what you inflicted on me in my illness with your horrible weird +Chronicle matter."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Lothair, "I suppose I can't refuse, though I +shall cut a strange figure before this very grave and carefully-behaved +gentleman. However, here goes." So Lothair took the papers, and read as +follows:--</p> + +<br> +<h2><a name="div2_character" href="#div2Ref_character">THE LIFE OF A WELL-KNOWN CHARACTER</a>.</h2> + +<p class="normal">In the year one thousand five hundred and fifty-one there was +to be seen in the streets of Berlin, particularly in the evening twilight, a +gentleman of fine and distinguished appearance. He wore a rich and beautiful +doublet, trimmed with sable, white galligaskins, and slashed shoes; on his head +was a satin barret cap with a red feather. His manners were charming, and highly +polished. He bowed politely to everybody, particularly to ladies, both married +and single; and to <i>them</i> he was wont to address civil and complimentary +speeches. He would say: "Donna! if you have any wish or desire in the depths of +your heart, pray command your most humble servant, who will devote his humble +powers to the utmost to be entirely at your disposal and service." This was what +he said to married ladies of position. To the unmarried he said: "Heaven grant +you a nice husband, worthy of your loveliness and virtues." To the men he +behaved just as charmingly, and it was no wonder that everybody was fond of this +stranger, and came to his assistance when he would stand hesitating, in doubt +and difficulty, at some crossing, apparently not knowing how to get over it; for +though a well-grown and handsomely-proportioned person in most respects, he had +one lame foot, and was obliged to go about with a crutch. But as soon as anybody +gave him a hand to help him at a crossing, he would instantly jump up with him +some six ells or so into the air, and not come to the ground again within a +distance of some twelve paces on the other side of the crossing. This rather +astonished people, it need not be said, and one or two sprained their legs +slightly in the process. But the stranger excused himself by saying that, before +his leg was lame, he had been principal dancer at the Court of the King of +Hungary; so that, when he felt himself called upon to take a jump, the old habit +came back upon him, and, willy-nilly, he could not help springing up into the +air as he used to do in the exercise of his profession. The people were +satisfied with this explanation, and even took much delight in seeing some privy +councillor, clergyman, or other person of position and respectability, taking a +great jump of this sort hand-in-hand with the stranger.</p> + +<p class="normal">But, merry and cheerful as he seemed to be, his behaviour +changed at times in a most extraordinary manner; for he would often go about the +streets at night and knock at people's doors; and when they opened to him, he +would be standing there in white grave clothes, raising a terrible crying and +howling, at which they were fearfully frightened; but he would apologize the +following day, saying that he was compelled to do this to remind the citizens +and himself of the perishableness of the body, and the imperishableness of the +soul, to which their minds ought always to be carefully directed. He would weep +a little as he said this, which touched the folks very much. He went to all the +funerals, following the coffin with reverent step, and conducting himself like +one overwhelmed with sorrow, so that he could not join in the hymns for sobbing +and lamenting. But, overcome with grief as he was on those occasions, he was +just as delighted and happy at marriages, which in those days were celebrated in +a very splendid style at the town-hall. There he would sing all sorts of songs +in a loud and delightful voice, and dance for hours on end with the bride and +the young ladies (on his sound leg, adroitly drawing the lame one out of the +way), behaving and evincing himself on those occasions as a man of the most +delightful manners and bearing. But the best of it was that he always gave the +marrying couples delightful presents, so that of course he was always a most +welcome guest. He gave them gold chains, bracelets, and other valuable things; +so that the goodness, the liberality, and the superior morality of this stranger +became bruited abroad throughout the city of Berlin, and even reached the ears +of the Elector himself. The Elector thought that a person of this sort would be +a great ornament at his own Court, and caused him to be sounded as to his +willingness to accept an appointment there. The stranger, however, wrote back an +answer (in vermilion letters, on a piece of parchment a yard and a half in +length, and the same in breadth) to the effect that he was most submissively +grateful for the honour offered to him, but implored his Serene Highness to +permit him to remain in the enjoyment of the citizenesque life which was so +wholly conformed to all his sentiments, in peace; adding that he had selected +Berlin, in preference to many other cities, as his residence, because he had +nowhere else met with such charming people, persons of such truthfulness and +uprightness, of so much "feeling," of such a sense for fine and delightful +"manners" so exquisitely after his own heart in every respect. The Elector, and +his whole Court along with him, much admired and wondered at the beautiful style +in which this reply of the stranger was conceived, and the matter was allowed to +rest there.</p> + +<p class="normal">It happened that just then the lady of Councillor Walter +Lütkens was, for the first time, "as ladies wish to be who love their lords"; +and the old <i>accoucheuse</i>, Mistress Barbara Roloffin, predicted that this fine, +grand lady, overflowing with health and strength, would undoubtedly bring into +the world a grand and vigorous son, so that Herr Walter Lütkens was all hope and +gladness. Our "stranger," who had been a guest at Lütkens's wedding, was in the +habit of calling at his house now and then; and it chanced that he made one of +those calls of his on an evening when Barbara Roloffin was there.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as old Barbara set eyes on the stranger she gave a +marvellous loud ejaculation of delight, and it appeared as though all the deep +wrinkles of her face smoothed themselves out in an instant. Her pale lips and +cheeks grew red, and the youth and beauty to which she had long said "good-bye" +came back to her again. She cried out, "Ah, ah, Herr Junker! Is this you that I +see here really and truly? Is this you, yourself? Oh, I welcome you! I am so +delighted to see you!" and she was nearly falling down at his feet.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he answered this demonstration in words of anger, whilst +his eyes flashed fire. Nobody could understand what it was that he said to her. +But the old woman shrunk into a corner, as pale and wrinkled as she had been at +first, and whimpering faintly and unintelligibly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear Mr. Lütkens," the stranger said to the master of the +house, "I hope you will take great care lest something annoying may happen in +your house here. I really hope, with all my heart, that everything will go well +on this auspicious occasion. But this old creature, Barbara Roloffin, is by no +means so well up to her business as perhaps you suppose. She is an old +acquaintance of mine, and I am sorry to say that she has on many occasions not +paid proper attention to her patients."</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">Both Lütkens and his wife had been very anxious, and had felt +most eery and uncanny about this whole business, and full of suspicion as to old +Barbara Roloffin, particularly when they remembered the extraordinary +transfiguration which took place in her when she saw the stranger. They had very +great suspicions that she was in the practice of black and unholy arts, so that +they forbade her to cross the threshold of their house any more, and they made +arrangements with another <i>accoucheuse</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">On this, old Barbara was very angry, and said that Lütkens and +his wife would pay very dearly for what they had done to her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Lütkens's hope and gladness were turned into bitter +heart-sorrow and deep grief, when his wife brought into the world a horrible +changeling in place of the beautiful boy predicted by Barbara Roloffin. It was a +creature all chestnut brown, with two horns on its head, great fat eyes, no nose +whatever, a big wide mouth with a white tongue sticking out of it upside down, +and no neck. Its head was down between its shoulders; its body was wrinkled and +swollen; its arms came out just above its hips, and it had long, thin shanks.</p> + +<p class="normal">Mr. Lütkens wept and lamented terribly. "Oh, just heavens!" he +cried; "what in the name of goodness is going to be the outcome of this? Can +this little one ever be expected to tread in his father's steps? Was there ever +such a thing known as a Member of Council with a couple of horns on his head, +and chestnut brown all over?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The stranger consoled Lütkens as much as ever he could. He +pointed out to him that a good education does a great deal; that though, as +concerned form and appearance, the new-born thing was really to be characterized +as a most arrant schismatic, still he ventured to say that it looked about it +very understandingly with its fat eyes, and that there was room for a deal of +wisdom between the two horns on its forehead. Also that though it might, +perhaps, never be fit to be a Member of Council, it was perfectly capable of +becoming a distinguished <i>savant</i>, inasmuch as excessive ugliness is often a +characteristic of <i>savants</i>, and even causes them to be highly respected and +much looked up to.</p> + +<p class="normal">However, Lütkens could not but ascribe his misfortune in the +depths of his heart to old Barbara Roloffin, particularly when he learned that +she had been sitting at the door of the room during his wife's <i>accouchement</i>; +and Frau Lütkens had declared, with many tears, that the old woman's face had +been before her eyes all the time of it, and that she had not been able to get +rid of the sight of her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Now Mr. Lütkens's suspicions were not, it is true, enough to +base any legal proceedings upon in the matter; but Heaven so ordered things that +in a very short time all the infamous deeds which old Barbara had committed were +brought into the clear light of day.</p> + +<p class="normal">For it happened that shortly after those events there came on +one day, about twelve at noon, a terrible storm, and a most violent wind, and +the people in the streets saw Barbara Roloffin (who was on her way to attend a +lady in need of her professional services) borne, rushing away on the wings of a +blast, high up through the air, over the housetops and the church steeples, and +set down, none the worse for the trip, in a meadow close to Berlin.</p> + +<p class="normal">After this, of course, there could be no more doubt about the +"black art" of Barbara Roloffin. Lütkens lodged his plaint before the proper +tribunal, and the woman was taken into custody. She denied everything +obstinately, till she was put to the rack. Upon that, unable to endure the +agony, she confessed that she had been in league with the Devil, and had +practised magical arts for a very long time. She admitted that she had bewitched +poor Frau Lütkens, and foisted off the vile abortion upon her; and that, over +and above that, she had in company with two other witches belonging to Blumber +killed and boiled several children of Christian parents, with the object of +causing a famine in the land.</p> + +<p class="normal">Accordingly she was sentenced to be burnt alive in the +market-place. So when the appointed day arrived old Barbara was conducted there +in presence of a great concourse of people, and made to ascend the scaffold +which was there erected. When ordered to take off a fur cloak which she was +wearing, she would by no means obey, insisting that they should tie her to the +stake just as she was. This was done. The pile of wood was already alight, and +burning at all four corners, when suddenly the stranger appeared, seemingly +grown to gigantic dimensions, and glaring over the heads of the populace at +Barbara Roloffin with eyes of flame.</p> + +<p class="normal">The clouds of black smoke were rolling on high, the crackling +flames were catching the woman's dress, she cried out, in a terrible screaming +voice, "Satan! Satan! is this how thou holdest the pact thou hast made with me? +Help, Satan! Help! my time is not out yet!" and the stranger, it was found, had +suddenly vanished. But from the spot where he had been standing an enormous bat +went fluttering up, darted into the thick of the flames, and thence rose +screaming into the air with the old woman's fur cloak; and the burning pyre went +crashing down into extinction.</p> + +<p class="normal">Horror seized upon all the spectators; every one now saw +clearly that the distinguished stranger had been none other than the very Devil +in person. He must have had some special grudge against the folks of Berlin, to +whom he had so long behaved so smoothly and in such friendly fashion, and with +hellish deceit betrayed Councillor Lütkens and many other sapient men and women.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such is the power of the Evil One; from whom and from all his +snares may Heaven in its mercy defend us all.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">When Lothair had finished, he looked into Ottmar's face, in +utter self-irony, with the peculiar expression of bitter sweetness +which he had at his command on such occasions.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Theodore, "what think you of Lothair's pretty +little specimen of <i>diablerie</i>? One of the best points about it, I think, is +that there is not too much of it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Whilst Lothair had been reading, Ottmar had laughed a great +deal, but towards the close he had become grave and silent. "I must admit," he +said, "that in this little tale or 'prank'--for I don't know what else to call +it--of Lothair's there predominates an attempt, often more or less successful, +at a certain sort of amusing <i>naïveté</i>, very appropriate to the character of the +German Devil. Also, that when he talks about the Devil's jumping over the +streets hand in hand with respectable townfolk and of the 'chestnut brown +schismatic,' who might turn out a quaint and ugly <i>savant</i>, though never a nice, +natty, spick-and-span Member of Council, we see the curvets and the caprioles of +the same little Pegasus which was bestridden by the author of 'Nutcracker.' +Still, I think that he ought to have got on the back of a horse of a different +colour; and, indeed, I cannot say what the reason exactly is why the pleasantly +comic impression which the earlier part of the story produces vanishes away into +nothingness; whilst, out of this nothingness, there ultimately develops a +certain something which becomes most uncanny and unpleasant; and the concluding +words, which are intended to do away with this feeling, do not succeed in doing +away with it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, thou most sapient of all critics," Lothair cried, "who +dost such high honour to this most insignificant thing of all the insignificant +things which I have ever written down as to dissect it carefully with magnifying +glasses on nose, let me tell you that it served me as an anatomical study long +ago. Did I not style it a mere product of a mood of caprice? Have I not +anathematized it myself? However, I am glad that I read it to you, because it +gives me an opportunity of speaking my mind concerning tales of this kind. And I +am sure that my Serapion Brethren will agree with me. In the first place, +Ottmar, I should like to trace out for you the germ of that unpleasant--or, +better, 'uncanny'--feeling which you were conscious of when you were at first +beginning to see what you have called the 'amusing <i>naïveté</i>' of it. Whatever +grounds the good old Hafftitz may have had for telling us that the Devil passed +a certain time leading the life of a townsman of Berlin, this remains for us a +wholly 'fanciful' or 'fantastic' incident. And the quality of the +'supernatural'--the 'spookishness' (to use an expression now not +unfamiliar)--which is a leading characteristic of that tremendous 'principle of +negation'--that 'spirit which eternally denies and destroys'--is, by reason of +the (in a manner) comic contrastedness in which it is presented, calculated to +cause in us the strange sensation, compounded of terror and irony, which fetters +our attention in a manner the reverse of unpleasant. But the case is quite +different as to the terrible witch stories. In them actual life is brought on to +the stage with all its reality of horror. When I read about Barbara Roloffin's +execution, I felt as though I saw the funeral pyre smoking in the market-place. +All the horror of the terrible witchcraft-trials rose to my memory. A pair of +sparkling red eyes, and an attenuated weazened body, were enough to cause a poor +old creature to be assumed to be a witch, guilty of every description of wicked +and unholy arts and practices; to have legal process instituted against her, and +to be led to the scaffold. The application of the rack, or other form of +torture, confirmed the accusations against her, and decided the case."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Still," said Theodore, "it is very remarkable that so many of +those supposititious witches of their own accord confessed their pact, and other +relations, with the Evil One, without any coercion whatever. Two or three years +ago it happened that a number of legal documents fell into my hands relating to +trials for witchcraft; and I could scarce believe my eyes when I read in them +confessions of things which made my flesh creep. They told of ointments, the use +of which turned human beings into various animals; they spoke of riding on +broomsticks, and, in fact, of all the devilish practices which we read of in old +legends. Bat, first and foremost, and invariably, those supposititious witches +always openly and shamelessly avowed, and boasted--usually of their own +accord--as to their unchaste relations with the unclean and diabolical 'gallant' +(as their term for him was). Now, how could such things be possible?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Because," Lothair said, "belief in a diabolical compact +actually brought such a compact about."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How do you mean? What do you say?" the two others cried +together.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Understand me properly, that is all I ask," said Lothair, "It +is matter of certainty that, in the times when nobody doubted of the direct and +immediate influence of the Devil, or that he constantly appeared visibly, those +miserable creatures, who were hunted down and put so mercilessly to fire and +sword, actually and firmly believed in all that they were accused of; and that +many, in the wickedness of their hearts, tried their utmost, by means of every +description of supposed arts of witchcraft, to enter into compact with the +Devil, for the sake of gain, or for the doing of evil deeds; and <i>then</i>, in +conditions of brain-excitement, produced by beverages affecting their senses, +and by terrible oaths and ceremonies of conjuration, <i>saw</i> the Evil One, and +entered into those compacts which were to confer upon them supernatural powers. +The wildest of the fabrications of the brain which those confessions +contain--based upon inward conviction--do not seem too wild when one considers +what strange fancies--nay, what terrible infatuations--even hysteria itself is +capable of producing in women. Thus the wickedness of the hearts of those +putative witches was often paid for by a fearful death. We cannot reasonably +reject the testimony of those old witch-trials, for they are supported by the +evidence of witnesses, or other clearly recorded facts; and there are many +instances of people who have committed crimes deserving of death. Remember +Tieck's magnificent tale, 'The Love-Spell.' There is a deed mentioned in the +papers I have been speaking of very analogous to the crime of the horrible woman +in Tieck's tale. So that a death on the funeral pyre was often really the proper +punishment for those fearful misdoings."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There occurs to my remembrance," Theodore said, "an occasion +when an accursed crime of that description chanced to be brought vividly before +my own eyes, filling me with the profoundest pain and sorrow. When I was living +in W---- I went to see a certain charming country seat, +L----, which you know. It has been justly said of it that it +seems to float like some stately swan mirrored on the beautiful lake which lies +at its feet. I had heard, before, that there were dark rumours to the effect +that the unfortunate possessor of it, who had died but a short time before, had +carried on magical practices, with the help of an old woman; and that the aged +keeper of the chateau could tell a good deal about this business, could one gain +his confidence. As soon as I saw this man he struck me as a very remarkable +person. Imagine to yourselves a hoary-headed old man with imprints of the +profoundest terror in his face, dressed poorly, like a peasant, but indicating, +by his manner, unusual cultivation. Remark that this man, whom you would have +taken for an ordinary labourer at the first glance, would talk to you--if you +did not happen to understand the patois of the district--in the purest French, +or in equally good Italian, just as you chose. I managed to interest and to +animate him by touching, as we wandered through the great halls, on the troubles +which his late master had had to go through, and by showing that I was, to some +extent, acquainted with the subject, and with what had happened in those bygone +days. He explained the deeper meaning of many of the paintings and adornments +(which, to the uninitiated, seemed mere unmeaning prettinesses), and grew more +and more frank and confidential. At last he opened a small closet, floored with +slabs of white marble, in which the only piece of furniture was a cauldron of +brass. The walls seemed to have been stripped of their former adornments. I +knew, I felt, that I was in the place where the former master of the house, +blinded and befooled by his lust for sensuous enjoyment, had descended to +diabolical practices. When I dropped a word or two hinting at this subject, the +old man raised his eyes to heaven with an expression of the bitterest +melancholy, and said, with a deep sigh, 'Ah! Holy Virgin! hast thou forgiven +him?' He then silently pointed to a large marble slab embedded in the middle of +the flooring. I looked at this slab with much closeness of observation, and +became aware that there were reddish veins meandering about through the stone. +And, as I fixed my attention upon them more and more closely, heaven aid me! the +features of a human face grew more and more distinctly traceable and visible, +just as when, on looking at a distorted picture through a lens specially +constructed, all its lines and effects then, and not till then, grow clear and +sharp.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was the face of a child that was looking at me out of that +stone, marked with the heartrending anguish of the agony of death. I could see +drops of blood welling from the breast; but the rest of the form of the body +seemed to flow vaguely into indistinctness, as if a stream of water were +carrying it away. It was with a hard struggle that I overcame the horror which +well-nigh overmastered me. I could not bring myself to utter a word. We left +that terrible, mysterious place in silence. Not till I had walked about in the +park and the lawns for some time could I overcome the inexplicable feeling which +had so annulled my enjoyment of that little earthly paradise. From many things +which I gathered from the detached utterances of the old man, I was led to +conclude that the crazy being who had thrust herself into such intimate +relations with the last proprietor of the place (in other respects a +large-hearted and cultivated man) had worked upon him by promising him, through +the exercise of her accursed arts, the fulfilment of his dearest +wishes--unfailing and everlasting happiness in love--and so led him on to +unutterable crime."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is an affair for Cyprian," Ottmar said. "He would be as +delighted over the bleeding baby in the marble, and in the old Castellan, as +we." "Well," Theodore went on to say, "although all this affair may be traceable +to foolish fancies--although it may be nothing but a fable kept up by the +people--still, if that strangely-veined slab of marble is capable, even under +the influence of a lively imagination, of showing the lineaments of a bleeding +baby when looked at closely and carefully, something uncanny must have happened, +or the faithful old servant could not have felt his master's guilt so deeply in +his heart, nor would that strange stone give such a terrible evidence of it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Ottmar said, replying, "We will take an early opportunity of +laying this matter before Saint Serapion, that we may ascertain exactly how it +stands; but for the time, I think we ought to let witches alone, and go back to +our subject of the 'German Devil,' as to which I would fain say a word or two. +What I am driving at is--that the characteristic German manner of treating this +subject is seen in its truest colour when it is a question of the Devil's manner +of conducting himself in ordinary everyday life. Whenever he takes part in that, +he is thoroughly 'up' in every description of evil and mischief--in everything +that is terrible and alarming. He is always on the alert to set traps for the +good, so as to lead as many of them as possible over to his own kingdom; but yet +he is a thoroughly fair and honourably-dealing personage, abiding by his +compacts and contracts in the most accurate and punctilious manner. From this it +results that he is often outwitted, so that he appears in the character of a +'stupid' Devil (and this is not improbably the origin of the common expression +'stupid devil'); but, besides all this, the character of the German Satan has a +strong tincture of the burlesque mixed up with the more predominant quality of +mind-disturbing terror--that horror which oppresses the mind and disorganizes +it. Now, the art of portraying the Devil in this distinctively German fashion +seems to be very much lost. For this aforesaid amalgamation of his +characteristics does not seem to occur in any of the more recent attempts at +representing him. He is either shown as a mere buffoon, or as a being so +terrible that the mind is revolted by him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think," said Lothair, "you are forgetting one recent story +in which this said mingling of the brightly Intellectual (verging sometimes on +the comic) with the Terrific is very finely managed, and in which the full +effectiveness of the old-world sort of devil-spook-story is carried out in a +masterly manner. I mean Fouqué's splendid tale, the 'Galgenmännlein.'[1] The +terribly vivacious little creature in the phial--who comes out of it at night, +and lays himself down on the breast of that master of his, who has such awful +dreams--the fearsome man in the mountain glen, with his great coal-black steed +which crawls up the perpendicular cliffs like a fly on a wall--in short, all the +uncanny and supernatural elements which are present in the story in such +plentiful measure--together rivet and strain the attention to an extent +absolutely frightening; it affects one like some powerful drink, which immensely +excites the senses and at the same time sheds a beneficent warmth through the +heart. It is owing to the tone which pervades it all through, and to the +vividness of the separate pictures, that, although at the end one is thoroughly +delighted that the poor wretch does get out of the Devil's clutches, still, +the element of the Intellectuality of the evil beings, and the +scenes which touch upon the realm of comedy (such as the part about the 'Half +Heller') stand out with the principal high-lights upon them. I scarcely can +think of any tale of <i>diablerie</i> which has produced such an impression upon me."</p> +<br> +<p class="hang1">[Footnote 1: Known in English as "The Bottle Imp."]</p> + +<br> + +<p class="normal">"There can't be much doubt," said Theodore, "that Fouqué got +the materials for that story out of some old chronicle."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Even if he did," Lothair said, "I should hope you wouldn't +detract from the author's merit on that score, like the more common class of +critics, whose peculiar system obliges them always to try and find out the +fundamental materials from which a writer has 'taken' his work. They make +immense capital out of pointing out said source, and look down with great +contempt on the wretched author who merely kneads his characters together out of +a pre-existent dough. As if it mattered that the author absorbed into himself +germs from without him! The shaping of the material is the important part of the +business. We ought to think of our Patron Saint Serapion. His stories were told +out of his soul as he had seen them with his eyes, not as he had read about +them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You do me much injustice, Lothair," said Theodore, "if you +suppose I am of any other opinion. And there is nobody who has shown more +admirably how a subject may be vividly represented than Heinrich Kleist in his +tale of Kohlhaas, the horse dealer."</p> + +<p class="normal">"However," said Lothair, "as we have been talking of +Hafftitz's book, I should like to read to you a story of which I took most of +the leading ideas from the Michrochronicon. I wrote it during an attack of a +very queer mood of mind, which beset me for a very considerable time. And I +hope, Ottmar, my dear friend, it will lead you to admit that the 'spleen,' which +Theodore says I am suffering from, is not so very serious as he would make it +out to be."</p> + +<p class="normal">He took out a manuscript, and read:</p> + +<br> + +<h2><a name="div2_wooers" href="#div2Ref_wooers">ALBERTINE'S WOOERS</a>.</h2> +<p class="normal">(A story in which many utterly improbable adventures happen.)</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<p class="hang1" dir="ltr"><span class="sc">Which treats of Sweethearts, Weddings, Clerks +of the Privy +Chancery, +Perturbations, Witchcraft Trials, and other delectable matters</span>.</p> + +<p class="continue">On the night of the autumnal equinox, Mr. Tussmann, a clerk in +the Privy Chancery, was making his way from the café, where he was in the habit +of passing an hour or two regularly every evening, towards his lodgings in +Spandau Street. The Clerk of the Privy Chancery was excessively regular and +punctilious in every action of his life. He always had just done taking off his +coat and his boots at the exact moment when the clocks of St. Mary's and St. +Nicholas's churches struck eleven; so that, as the reverberating echo of the +last stroke died away, he always drew his nightcap over his ears, and placed his +feet in his roomy slippers.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the night we are speaking of he, in order not to be late in +going through those ceremonies (for the clocks were just going to strike +eleven), was just going to turn out of King Street, round the corner +of Spandau Street, with a rapid sweep--almost to be +denominated a +jump--when the sound of a strange sort of knocking somewhere +in his immediate proximity rivetted him to the spot.</p> + +<p class="normal">And he became aware that, down at the bottom of the Town-house +Tower--rendered visible by the light of the neighbouring +lamp--there was a tall, meagre figure standing, wrapped in a dark cloak, +knocking louder and louder on the closed shutters of Mr. Warnatz, the +ironmonger's shop (which, as everybody knows, is therein situated); knocking +louder and louder, and then going back a few paces and sighing profoundly, +gazing up as he did so at the windows of the Tower, which were shut.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear sir," said the Clerk of the Privy Chancery, +addressing this personage in a civil and courteous manner, "you are evidently +under some misapprehension. There is not a single human creature up in that +Tower; and indeed--if we except a certain number of rats and mice, and a few +little owls--not a living thing. If you wish to provide yourself with something +superior in the hardware line from Warnatz's celebrated emporium here, you will +have to take the trouble to come back in the forenoon."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Respected Herr Tussmann----" the stranger began.</p> + +<p class="normal">And Tussmann chimed in with "Clerk of the Privy Chancery, of +many years seniority." He was a little annoyed, too--astonished, at +all events--that the stranger seemed to know him. But the latter did not seem to +mind that in the least, but recommenced:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Respected Herr Tussmann, you are kind enough to be making a +complete mistake as to the nature of my proceedings here. I do not want +ironmongery or hardware of any description; neither have I anything to do with +Mr. Warnatz. This is the night of the autumnal equinox, and I want to see my +future wife! She has heard my ardent and longing summons, and my sighs of +affection, and she will come and show herself up at that window directly."</p> + +<p class="normal">The hollow tones in which the man spoke these words had about +them something so solemn--nay, so spectral and supernatural--that the Clerk of +the Privy Chancery felt an icy shudder run through his veins. The first stroke +of eleven rung down from the tower of St. Mary's, and as it did so, there came a +clattering and a clinking up at the broken old window of the Tower, and a female +form became visible at it. As the bright light of the street lamps fell upon the +face of this figure, Tussmann whimpered out in lamentable tones, "Oh, ye just +powers!--Oh, ye heavenly hosts!--what--<i>what</i> is this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">At the last stroke of eleven--that is, at the moment when +Tussmann generally put on his nightcap--the female figure vanished.</p> + +<p class="normal">This extraordinary apparition seemed to drive the Clerk of the +Privy Chancery completely out of his senses. He sighed, groaned, gazed up at the +window, and whispered "Tussmann! Tussmann! Clerk of the Privy Chancery--bethink +yourself, sir! Consider what you're about. Don't let your heart be troubled. Be +not deceived by Satan, good soul."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You seem to be put out by what you have seen, Mr. Tussmann," +the stranger said. "I only wanted to see my sweetheart--my wife, that is to be. +You must have seen something else, apparently."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Please, please," Tussmann said in a whimper, "I should be so +much obliged to you if you would be good enough to address me by my little +title. I am Clerk of the Privy Chancery, and truly, at this moment, a greatly +perturbed Clerk of the Privy Chancery--in fact, one almost out of his senses. I +beg you, with all due respect, my very dear sir (though I regret that I am +unable to style you by your proper title, as I have not the honour to be in the +least acquainted with you, having never met you before--however, I shall address +you as 'Herr Geheimer Rath'--'Mr. Privy Councillor'--there are such an +extraordinary number of gentlemen here in Berlin bearing that title that one can +scarcely be in error in applying it)--I beg you, therefore, Herr Geheimer Rath, +to be so very kind as not to keep me longer in ignorance as to whom the lady, +your future wife, may be, whom you expected to see here at this hour of the +night."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You're a curious fellow, you and your 'titles,'" the stranger +said, raising his voice. "If a man who knows a number of secrets and mysteries, +and can give good counsel too, is one of your 'privy' or 'secret' councillors, I +think <i>I</i> may so style myself. I am surprised that a gentleman who is so well +versed in ancient writings and curious manuscripts as you are, dear Mr. +Tussmann, Clerk of the Privy Chancery, should not know that when an expert--an +<i>expert</i>, observe!--knocks at the door of this Tower here--or even on the wall +of it, on the night of the autumnal equinox, there will appear to him, up at +yonder window, the girl who is to be the happiest and luckiest sweetheart in +Berlin till the spring equinox comes round."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mr. Privy Councillor," Tussmann cried, as if in a sudden +inspiration, and with joyful rapture--"Most respected Mr. Privy Councillor! is +that really the case?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is," said the stranger. "But what's the good of our +standing in the street here any longer? It is past your bed time. Let us go to +the new wine-shop in Alexander Street; just that you may hear a +little more about this young lady, and recover your peace of mind, +which something--I have no idea what--has disturbed so tremendously."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann was a most abstemious person. His sole recreation +(for "dissipation" we cannot term it) consisted in his spending an hour or two +every evening in a café; where, whilst he read assiduously political and other +articles in newspapers, as well as books which he brought with him, he sipped a +glass of good beer. Wine he seldom touched, except that after service on Sundays +he allowed himself a small glass of Malaga with a biscuit, in a certain +restaurant. To go about dissipating at nights was an abomination in his eyes. So +that it seemed incomprehensible how, on this particular occasion, he allowed the +stranger, who hurried away towards Alexander Street with long strides, +resounding in the darkness, to carry him away with him without a word of +objection.</p> + +<p class="normal">When they came into the wine-shop there was nobody there but +one single customer, sitting by himself at a table, with a big glass of Rhine +wine before him. The depth of the wrinkled lines on his face indicated extreme +age. His eyes were sharp and piercing, and his grand beard marked him as a +Hebrew, faithful to the ancient laws and customs of his people. Also his costume +was very much in the old Frankish style, as people dressed about the year 1720; +and perhaps that was why he had the effect of having come back to life out of a +period of remote antiquity.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the stranger whom Tussmann had come across was still more +remarkable of aspect.</p> + +<p class="normal">A tall, meagre man, powerfully formed as to his limbs and +muscles, seemingly about fifty years of age. His face might once have passed for +handsome, and the great eyes still flashed out from under the black bushy +eyebrows with youthful fire and vigour. The brow was broad and open; the nose +strongly aquiline. All this would not have distinguished him from a thousand +others. But, whilst his coat and trousers were of the fashion of the present +day, his collar, his cloak, and his barret cap belonged to the latter part of +the sixteenth century. But it was more especially the wonderful eyes of the man, +and the blaze of them (which seemed to come streaming out of deep mysterious +night), and the hollow tones of his voice, and his whole bearing--all in the +most absolute contrast with things of the present day--it was, we say, all these +things taken together which made everybody experience a strong sense of eeriness +in his proximity.</p> + +<p class="normal">He nodded to the man who was sitting at the table as if to an +old acquaintance.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha!" he cried, "here <i>you</i> are again, after all this time. +How do you feel? Are you all alive and kicking?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Just as you see," the old man growled. "Sound as a roach. All +ready on my legs at the proper time. All <i>there</i>--when there's anything up."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I'm not quite so sure about that," the stranger said, +laughing loudly; "we shall see!" And he ordered the waiter to bring a bottle of +the oldest claret in the cellar.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My good Mr. Privy Councillor," Tussmann began, deprecatingly. +But the stranger interrupted him hastily, saying:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us drop the 'titles,' Tussmann, for once and all! I am +neither a Privy Councillor nor a Clerk of the Privy Council. What I am is an +artist, a worker in the noble metals and the precious jewels; and my name is +Leonhard."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, indeed!" Tussmann murmured to himself--"a goldsmith! a +jeweller!" And he bethought himself that he might have seen at the first glance +that the stranger could not possibly be an ordinary Privy Councillor, seeing +that he had on an antique mantle, collar, and barret cap, such as Privy +Councillors never went about in nowadays. Leonhard and Tussmann sat down at the +same table with the old Jew, who received them with a grinning kind of smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">When Tussmann, at Leonhard's instigation, had taken two or +three glasses of the full-bodied wine, his pale cheeks began to glow, and as he +swallowed the liquor, he glanced about him with smirks and smiles, as if the +most delightful ideas were rising in his brain.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And now," Leonhard said, "tell me openly and candidly, Mr. +Tussmann, why you went on in such an extraordinary manner when the lady showed +herself at the Tower-window; and what it is that your head is so very full of at +the present moment. You and I are very old acquaintances, whether you believe it +or not; and as to this old gentleman here, you need be on no ceremony with him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, heavens!" answered the Privy Chancery Clerk--"Oh, good +heavens! most respected Herr Professor--(I do beg you to allow me to address you +by that title; I am sure you are a most celebrated artist, and quite in a +position to be a professor in the Academy of Arts)--and so, most respected Herr +Professor, how can I hide from you that I am, as the proverb puts it, 'walking +on wooer's feet.' I am expecting to bring the happiest of brides home about the +vernal equinox. Could it be otherwise than a rather startling thing, when you, +most respected Herr Professor, were so very kind as to let me see a fortunate +bride that is to be?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" the old Jew broke in, in a screaming voice--"What! are +you thinking of marrying? Why, you're as old as the hills, and as ugly as a +baboon into the bargain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never mind him," Leonbard said; for Tussmann was so startled +by what the old man said that he could not utter a syllable. "He means no harm, +dear Mr. Tussmann, though you may think he seems to do so. I must say, candidly, +that it seems to me, too, that it is a little too late in life for you to be +thinking about such a thing. You must be well on to your fiftieth birthday; +aren't you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I shall be forty-eight," said Tussman, with a certain amount +of irritability, "on the 9th of next October--St. Dionysius's day."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very well," said Leonhard. "But it isn't only your age that's +against you--you have always been leading a simple, solitary, virginal +existence. You have no knowledge or experience of women. I can't see what is to +become of you in their hands!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Knowledge of them--experience of them! Dear Herr Professor, +you must really take me for a most foolish and inconsiderate person if you think +I am going to plunge into matrimony without any counsel or reflection or advice. +I weigh, consider, and reflect upon every step most maturely; and, having +perceived myself to be pierced to the heart by the dart of the wanton deity +yclept 'Cupid' by the ancients, could I do otherwise than bend all my thoughts +upon the preparation of myself for the matrimonial life? Would any one who was +preparing for a difficult examination not be careful to study all the subjects +on which he is to be interrogated? Very well, most respected Herr Professor, my +marriage is an examination, for which I have prepared myself, and I feel pretty +certain that I shall pass it admirably--with honours! Look here, at this little +book, which I have always carried about in my pocket, studying it constantly, +since the time when I made up my mind to fall in love and get married. Look at +it, my dear sir; and you will be convinced that I am setting about this business +in the most thorough and fundamental manner possible, and that I shall certainly +not be found an ignoramus in it; although, as you say (and as I must admit), the +feminine sex is--so far, and up to the present date--to me a complete <i>terra +incognita</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">With these words Tussmann produced from his pocket a little +book in parchment binding, and turned up its title-page, which ran as follows:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Brief Tractate on Diplomatic Acumen. Embracing methods of +Self-Counsel for guidance in all Societies of our fellow-creatures, conducing to +the attainment of a proper system of Conduct. Of the utmost importance to all +Persons who deem themselves Wise, or wish to become Wiser. Translated from the +Latin of Herr Thomasius. With a complete Index. Frankfurt and Leipzig. Johann +Grossen's Successors. 1710."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now just let me show you," said Tussmann, with a sweet smile, +"what this worthy author (in his seventh chapter, which deals with the subjects +'Wedlock, and the Duties of the Father of a Family and Master of a Household') +says, in the seventh section of that chapter. You see, what he says is this:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Above all things, let there be no hurry about it. He who +does not marry till of mature age is so much the wiser, and the better able to +cope with the exigencies of the situation. Over-early marriages produce +shameless, subtle, and disingenuous people, and sacrifice the vigour of both +body and mind. Although the age of manhood is not the commencement of youth, the +one should not terminate before the other.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And then, with regard to the choice of the object of the +affections--her whom one is to love and to marry--this grand +Thomasius says, in his nineteenth section:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'The middle course is the safest. We should not select one +too beautiful or too ill-favoured, too rich nor too poor, too high-born or too +low-born, but of like social standing with one's self. And, similarly, as +regards the other qualities, the middle course will be found always the safest +to follow.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very well, you see, this is what I have always guided myself +by. And (as directed by Thomasius--section seventeen), not only have I had +occasional conversations with the lady of my choice, but (inasmuch as, in +occasional interviews, misapprehensions may arise with respect to peculiarities +of character and modes of looking at matters, &c.) I have taken opportunities to +have very <i>frequent</i> interviews and conversations with her; because those +frequent interviews necessarily make it very difficult for people to conceal +themselves from one another, don't you see?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear Mr. Tussmann," the goldsmith said, "it appears to me +that all this sort of intercourse, 'conversation,' or whatever you please to +call it, with women requires one to have a good deal of experience, extending +over a very considerable period of time, if one is to avoid being befooled and +made an ass of by it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Even in this," said Tussmann, "our grand Thomasius comes to +our aid, giving us completely adequate instruction as to how we are to +'converse' with ladies, in the most rational and delightful style; even telling +us exactly how and when to introduce the due amount of playfulness and wit, +suitable to the occasion. My author says, in his fifth chapter, that one ought +to be careful to introduce such jocular sayings sparingly--as a cook uses salt; +and that pointed speeches should never be employed as weapons against others, +but altogether in our own defence--just as a hedgehog uses his spines. And also, +that it is wise to rely more upon the actions than upon the words; because it is +often the case that what is hidden by words is made evident by actions, and that +words very often do not do so much to awaken liking or disliking as actions do."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I see," the goldsmith said, "there is no getting anything +like a rise out of you. You are closed up in armour of proof. So I am prepared +to bet, heavily, that you have gained the affections of the lady of your choice +by means of those wonderfully deep diplomatic dodges of yours."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann answered, "I study to direct all my endeavours +(following Thomasius's advice) to attain a deferential, though kindly, +agreeableness of demeanour, that being the most natural and usual indication of +affection, and what is most adapted to awaken liking in reciprocation: just as +if you yawn, you will set an entire company gaping too, from sympathy. But, +reverentially as I follow his instructions, I don't go too far; I always +recollect that (as Thomasius says) women are neither good angels nor bad angels, +but mere human beings; and, in fact, as regards strength of mind and body, +weaker than we are, which, of course, is fully accounted for by the diversity +which exists between the sexes."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A black year come over you!" the old Jew cried wrathfully, +"sitting there chattering your cursed stuff and nonsense without a stop; +spoiling for me the good hour in which I hoped to enjoy myself a little after +all the hard work I've been going through."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hold your tongue, old man," the goldsmith said. "You ought to +be very thankful that we put up with you here. I can tell you your company is +anything but pleasant; your manners are so abominable. You ought to be kicked +out of decent society, if you had your deserts. Don't let the old man disturb +you, dear Mr. Tussmann. You believe in the old times; you're fond of old +Thomasius. I go a good deal further back. What I care about is the time to +which, as you see, my dress partly belongs. Aye! my good friend, those were the +days! It is to them that that little spell belongs which you saw me putting into +practice to-night at the Town-house Tower."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I don't quite understand you, Herr Professor,'' Tussmann +said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said the goldsmith, "there used to be splendid +weddings in those old days in the Town-hall--very different affairs from the +weddings nowadays. Plenty of happy brides used to look out of those +Tower-windows in those days, so that it's a piece of pleasant glamour when an +aerial form comes and tells us what is going to happen now, from knowledge of +olden times. Let me tell you, this Berlin was a very different place in those +old days; nowadays everything is marked with the same stamp of tediousness and +<i>ennui</i>, and people <i>ennuyer</i> one another just because they are so <i>ennuyées</i> +and weary in themselves. In those days there were entertainments, feastings, +rejoicings worthy the name, very different from the affairs that are so called +now. I shall only speak of what was done at Oculi, in the year 1581, when the +Elector Augustus of Saxony, with his Consort, and Don Christian, his son, were +escorted to Cologne by all the nobles and gentry. There were over a hundred +horse, and the citizens of both the cities--Berlin and Cologne--and those of +Spandau lined both sides of the road from the gate to the palace in complete +armour. Next day there was a splendid running at the ring, at which the Elector +of Saxony and Count Jost of Barby appeared, with many nobles--in fine suits of +gold embroidery, and tall golden helms, golden lions' heads on their shoulders, +knees, and elbows, with flesh-coloured silk on the other parts of their arms and +legs, just as if they had been naked---exactly as you see the heathen warriors +painted in pictures. There were singers and musicians hidden inside a gilt +Noah's Ark, and on the top of it sat a little boy in flesh-coloured silk tights, +with his eyes bandaged, as Cupid is represented. Two other boys, dressed as +doves, with white ostrich feathers, golden eyes and beaks, drew ±he ark along; +and when the prince had run at the ring and been successful, the music in the +ark played, and a number of pigeons were let fly from it. One of them flapped +its wings and sang a most delightful Italian <i>aria</i>, and did it much better than +our Court singer Bernard Pasquino Grosso from Mantua did seventy years +afterwards (but not so charmingly as our <i>prime donne</i> sing nowadays). Then +there was a foot tournay, to which the Elector and the Count went in a ship, +which was all dressed over with black and yellow cloth, and had a sail of gold +taffeta; and behind His Highness sate the little boy who had been Cupid the day +before, in a long coat of many colours, a peaked black and yellow hat, and a long grey beard. The singers and musicians were dressed in the +same way; and nil round about the ship a number of gentlemen danced and +jumped--gentlemen of good family, mind you!--with heads and tails of salmon, +herrings, and fishes of other sorts: most delightful to behold. In the evening, +about ten, there was a grand display of fireworks, with thousands of +detonations; and the master-gunners played all sorts of pranks--had combats; and +there were explosions of fiery stars; and fiery men and horses, strange birds +and other creatures, went up into the air with a terrible rushing and banging. +They went on for more than two hours, those fireworks."</p> + +<p class="normal">Whilst the goldsmith was narrating all this, the Clerk of the +Privy Chancery gave every sign of the liveliest interest and +the +utmost enjoyment, crying, in a sympathizing and interested +manner, "Ey!--oh!--ah!"--smiling, rubbing his hands, moving backwards and +forwards on his chair, and gulping down glass after glass of the wine the while.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dearest Professor," he cried at last, in falsetto (always a +mark in him of intense enjoyment)--"My dearest, most respected Herr Professor! +what delightful things you have been having the kindness to tell me +about!--really <i>quite</i> as though you had been there and seen them yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well!" the goldsmith said, "and wasn't I there?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann, who didn't in the least understand this +extraordinary +query, was going to try to get some further light thrown upon +it, when the old Jew came in with a growl, to the following effect: "Don't +forget those delightful entertainments when the pyres burned in the +market-place--the Berlin folks were much delighted with them, you know; and the +streets ran red with the blood of the wretched victims, slain in the most +terrific manner, after confessing whatever was imputed to them by the wildest +infatuation and the most idiotic superstition. Don't, I merely say, forget to +tell your friend about them!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes," Tussmann said; "of course you mean those terrible +witchcraft trials which took place in those old days. Ah! they were atrocious +businesses; fortunately the enlightenment of the present age has altered all +those things."</p> + +<p class="normal">The goldsmith cast strange looks at the old Jew and at +Tussmann; and presently asked the latter, with a mysterious smile, if he had +ever heard about the Jew-coiner, Lippold, and what had happened to him in the +year 1512.</p> + +<p class="normal">Ere Tussmann could answer, the goldsmith went on to say: "This +Jew-coiner, Lippold, was accused of an important imposture, +and a serious roguery. He had at one time been much in the confidence of the +Elector, and was at the head of all the affairs of the mints and the coinage in +the country; always ready to produce large sums of money, no matter how large, +when required. Whether because he was clever at shifts, or that he had powers at +his command which enabled him to clear himself from all blame in the Elector's +eyes, or that he was able to 'shoot with a silver bullet' (to use an expression +of those times) those who had influence over the Elector's proceedings, he was +on the very point of getting off scot free from the accusations brought against +him. But he was still kept under guard, by the town-watch, in his little house +in Stralau Street. And it so chanced that he had a quarrel with his wife, in the +course of which she said to him, in the hearing of the guard, 'If our gracious +lord the Elector only knew what a villain you are, and what atrocities you +manage to commit by the help of that magic book of yours, you'd be in your +coffin long ago.' This was reported to the Elector, who had careful search made +in Lippold's house. The magic book was found, and, when it was examined by those +who understood it, Lippold's guilt was clearly established. He had practised +magical arts to give him power over the Elector, and to enable him to rule the +whole country; and it was only the piety and Godfearingness of the Elector which +had enabled him to withstand those spells. Lippold was burned in the +market-place. But when the fire was taking effect on his body and upon the magic +book, a great mouse came out from under the scaffold, and leaped into the fire. +Many supposed that this was Lippold's familiar demon."</p> + +<p class="normal">Whilst the goldsmith had been relating this, the old Jew had +sate leaning his arms on the table, with his hands before his eyes, groaning and +sighing like one suffering unendurable tortures. On the other hand, the Clerk of +the Privy Chancery did not seem to be paying much attention to what the +goldsmith was saying. He was in high good-humour, and his mind was full of quite +other ideas and images; and, when the goldsmith had ended, he asked, with many +smiles, and in a lisping manner: "Tell me, dear Herr Professor, if you will be +so kind, was it really Miss Albertine Bosswinkel who came and looked out of the +window of the Tower?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What?" cried the goldsmith, furiously--"what business have +<i>you</i> with Miss Albertine Bosswinkel?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear sir!" said Tussmann, timidly--"good gracious! My dear +friend, she is the very lady whom I have made up my mind to marry!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good God, sir!" the goldsmith cried, with a face as red as a +furnace, and eyes glaring with anger; "you must be out of your reason +altogether. <i>You</i>, an old, worn-out pedant, to think of marrying that beautiful +young creature! <i>You</i>, who, with all your erudition, and your 'diplomatic +acumen,' taken from the idiotic treatise of that old goose Thomasius, can't see +a quarter of an inch before that nose of yours! I advise you to drive every idea +of the kind out of your head as quickly as you can, or you will probably find +that you stand a good chance of having that weazened neck of yours drawn, on +this autumn equinoctial night!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Clerk of the Privy Chancery was a quiet, peaceable, nay, +timorous man, incapable of saying a hard word to anybody, even when attacked; +but what the goldsmith had said was just a trifle too infernally insulting; and +then, Tussmann had taken more strong wine than he was accustomed to. +Accordingly, there was no wonder that he did what he had never done before in +his life---that is, he burst into a fury, and yelled out, right into the +goldsmith's teeth: "Eh! What the devil business have you with me, Mr. Goldsmith +(whose acquaintance I haven't the honour of); and how dare you talk to me in +this sort of way? You seem to me to be trying to make an ass of me, by all sorts +of childish delusions. I presume you have the effrontery to be paying your +addresses to Miss Bosswinkel yourself; you've got hold of a portrait of her on +glass, and shown it at the Town-hall in a magic-lantern held under your cloak. +My good sir, <i>I</i> know something about these matters, as well as <i>you</i> do; you're +going the wrong way to work if you think you're going to frighten and bully <i>me</i> +in this sort of way."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be careful what you're about," the goldsmith said, very +quietly, and with a strange smile. "Be very careful what you're about; you've +got strange sort of people to do with here."</p> + +<p class="normal">And as he so spake, lo! instead of the goldsmith's face, there +was a horrid-looking fox's face snarling and showing its teeth at Tussmann from +under the goldsmith's bonnet.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Clerk of the Privy Chancery fell back in his chair in the +profoundest terror.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old Jew did not seem to be in the least degree surprised +by this transformation; rather, he had suddenly lost his mood of ill-temper +altogether. He laughed, and cried, "Aha! capital sport! But there's nothing to +be <i>made</i> by those arts. I know better ones. I can do things which were always +beyond <i>you</i>, Leonhard."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us see," said the goldsmith, who had assumed his human +countenance again--"let us see what you can do."</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man took from his pocket a large black radish, trimmed +it and scraped it with a little knife, which also came from his pocket, shredded +it into thin strips, and laid them in order on the table. Then he struck each of +them a blow with his clenched fist; when they sprung up, one by one, ringing, in +the shape of gold coins, which he took up and threw across to the goldsmith. But +as soon as the goldsmith took hold of one of those coins, it fell to dust, in a +little shower of crackling sparks of fire. This infuriated the old man. He went +on striking the radish-shavings into gold pieces faster and faster, hitting them +harder and harder, and they crackled away in the goldsmith's hand with fierier +and fierier sparks.</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann was nearly out of his senses with fear and agitation. +At last he pulled himself together out of the swoon into which he was nearly +falling, and said, in trembling accents: "Really, I must beg, with all due +courtesy and respect, to say that I feel that I should much prefer to bid +'Good-evening' on this occasion." And grasping his hat and stick, he bolted out +of the room as quickly as he could. When he reached the street, he heard those +two uncanny people setting up a shout of screaming laughter after him, which +made the blood run cold in his veins.</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">In which it is related how, by the +intervention of a cigar which would not draw, a love-affair was set agoing +between a lady and gentleman who had previously knocked their heads together.</span></p> + +<p class="continue">The manner in which young Edmund Lehsen, the painter, made +acquaintance with the mysterious goldsmith, Leonhard, was somewhat different to +that in which Tussmann had done so.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund was one day sketching a beautiful group of trees in a +lonely part of the Thiergarten, when Leonhard came up, and, without any +ceremony, looked over his shoulder at what he was doing. Edmund did not disturb +himself, but went on with his sketch, till the goldsmith +cried--</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is a most extraordinary picture, young gentleman. Those +will come to be something else than trees before you have done with them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you see anything out of the way, sir?" Edmund said, with +flashing eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I mean," said the goldsmith, "that there are all sorts of +forms +and shapes peeping out from amongst those high leaves there, +in +ever-changing variety: geniuses, strange animals, maidens, and +flowers. Yet the whole thing ought only to amount to that group of trees before +us there, through which the rays of the evening sun are streaming so +charmingly."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sir!" Edmund answered, "either you have a very profound +understanding, and a most penetrating eye for matters of this kind, or I have +been unusually successful in portraying my inmost feelings. Don't you perceive +when, in looking at Nature, you abandon yourself to all your feelings of +longing, all kinds of wonderful shapes and forms come looking at you through the +trees with beautiful eyes? That was what I was trying to represent to the senses +in this sketch, and I see I have succeeded."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I understand," Leonhard said, rather coldly and dryly. "You +wanted to drop study, and give yourself a rest, to refresh and strengthen your +fancy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not at all," Edmund answered. "I consider this way of working +from Nature is my best and most useful 'study.' Study of this sort enables me to +put the really poetic and imaginative element into my landscape. Unless the +landscape painter is every bit as much a poet as the portrait painter, he will +never be anything but a dauber."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heaven help us!" cried the goldsmith. "So you, dear Edmund +Lehsen, are going to----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know me, then, sir, do you?" the painter cried.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why shouldn't I?" said Leonhard. "I first made your +acquaintance on an occasion which you, probably, don't remember much about; that +is to say, when you were born. Considering the small experience which you had at +that time, you had behaved very well--had given your mamma little trouble--and +as soon as you came into the world, gave a very pretty cry of pleasure and +delight. Also, you showed a great love for the daylight, which, by my advice, +you were not kept away from. Because, according to the most recent medical +opinions, daylight is far from having a bad effect on babies, but rather is +beneficial to their bodies and their minds. Your papa was so pleased that he +hopped about the room on one leg, singing</p> + +<p class="center">'The manly heart with love o'erflowing,'</p> + +<p class="continue">from Mozart's 'Flauto Magico.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Presently he handed your little person over to me, and asked +me to draw your horoscope, which I did. Afterwards I often came to your father's +house, and you didn't disdain to suck at the little bags of almonds and raisins +which I used to bring you. Then, when you were about six or eight, I went away +on my peregrinations. When I got back to Berlin I saw with satisfaction that +your father had sent you here from Münchberg to study the noble art of painting; +because there is not a very large collection in Münchberg of works adapted for +fundamental study, either in the shape of pictures, statues, bronzes, gems, or +other art-treasures of value. That good native town of yours can scarcely vie +with Rome, Florence, or Dresden in that respect; or perhaps even with what +Berlin will one day become, when bran-new antiques, fished out of the Tiber, +have been brought to it in some considerable quantity."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heavens!" Edmund cried, "the most vivid remembrances out of +my childhood are awaking themselves in my mind. You are Herr Leonhard, are you +not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Certainly!" Leonhard answered. "Leonhard is my name. Yet I am +a little astonished that you should remember me all this long time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do, though," Edmund answered. "I know that I was always +glad when you came to my father's, because you always brought me such delicious +things to eat, and petted me. But I always felt a sort of reverential awe for +you; in fact, more than that--a kind of oppressive anxiousness, which often +lasted after you were gone. But what makes the remembrance of you remain so +vividly in my mind is what my father used to say about you. He set great store +by your friendship, because you had got him out of a number of troubles in the +most wonderful way--out of some of those difficulties which come upon people in +this world so often. And he used to speak in the most enthusiastic way about the +extent to which you had penetrated into deep and mysterious branches of science; +how you controlled many of the secret powers of Nature at your will. Not only +that, but (begging your pardon for saying so) he often went so far as to give us +to understand that you were really nobody other than Ahasuerus, the Wandering +Jew."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why not the Pied Piper of Hamelin? or the King of the +Kobolds?" +cried the goldsmith. "All the same, there is some foundation +for the idea that there is something a little out of the everyday line about +me--something which I don't care to talk about, for fear of giving rise to +'unpleasantness.' I certainly did some good turns to your papa, by means of my +secret knowledge, or 'art.' He was particularly pleased with the horoscope which +I cast for you at your birth."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It wasn't so very clear, though," Edmund said. "My father +often told me you said I should be a great something--either a great Artist, or +a great Ass. At all events, I have to thank this utterance for my father's +having given consent to my wish to be a painter; and don't you think your +horoscope is going to turn out true?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, most certainly," the goldsmith answered, very dryly; +"there can be no doubt about that. At this moment you are in the fairest +possible way to turn out a very remarkable Ass."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" cried Edmund--"you tell me so to my face!--you----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It rests altogether with yourself," the goldsmith said, "to +avoid the bad alternative of my horoscope, and turn out a very remarkable +Painter. Your drawings and sketches show that you have a rich and lively +imagination, much power of expression, and a great deal of cleverness in +execution. You may raise a grand edifice on those foundations. Carefully keep +away from all 'modish' exaggerations and eccentricities, and apply yourself to +serious study. I congratulate you upon your efforts to imitate the grave, +earnest simpleness of the old German masters. But, even in that direction, you +must carefully shun the precipice which so many fall over. It needs a profound +intelligence, and a mind strong enough to resist the enervating influence of the +Modern School, to grasp, wholly, the true spirit of the old German masters, and +to penetrate completely into the significance of their pictures. Without those +qualifications, the true spark will never kindle in an artist's heart, nor the +genuine inspiration produce works which, without being imitations, shall be +worthy of a better age. Nowadays young fellows think that when they patch +together something on a Biblical subject, with figures all skin and bone, faces +a yard long, stiff angular draperies, a perspective all askew, they have painted +a work in the style of the great old German masters. Dead-minded imitators of +that description are like the country lad who holds his bonnet before his face +while the Paternoster is being sung in church, and says if he doesn't remember +the words, he knows the tune."</p> + +<p class="normal">The goldsmith said much more that was true and beautiful on +the subject of the noble art of painting, and gave Edmund a great many valuable +hints and lessons; so that the latter, much impressed, asked how it had been +possible for him to acquire so much knowledge on the subject without being a +painter himself; and why he went on living in such seclusion, and never brought +his influence to bear on artistic effort of all descriptions.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have told you already," the goldsmith said, in a gentle and +serious tone, "that my ways of looking at life, and at things in general, have +been rendered exceptionally acute by a long--aye, a marvellously +long--course of experience. As regards my living in seclusion, +I know that wherever I should appear, I should produce a rather extraordinary +effect, as a result, not only of my nature in general, but more especially of a +certain power which I possess; so that my living quietly in Berlin here might +not be a very easy matter. I keep thinking of a certain person who, in many +respects, might have been an ancestor of mine: so marvellously like me in every +respect, in body and mind too, that there are times not a few when I almost +believe (perhaps it may be fancy) that I am that person. I mean a Swiss of the +name of Leonhard Turnhäuser zum Thurm, who lived at the court of the Elector +Johann Georg, about the year 1582. In those days, as you know, every chemist was +supposed to be an alchemist, and every astronomer was called an astrologer; so +Turnhäuser was very probably both. It is certain, at all events, that he did +most wonderful things, and, <i>inter alia</i>, was a very marvellous doctor. +Unfortunately, he had a trick of putting his finger in every pie, and getting +conspicuously mixed up in all that was going on. This made him envied and hated; +just as people who have money and make a display with it, though it may be never +so well earned, bring enemies about their throats. Thus it came about that +people made the Elector believe that Turnhäuser could make gold, and that, if he +did not do so, he had his reasons for so abstaining. Then his enemies came to +the Elector and said--'See what a cunning, shameless rascal this is. He boasts +of powers which he does not possess, and carries on sorceries and Jewish +deceptions, for which he ought to be burned at the stake like Lippolt the Jew.' +Turnhäuser had been a goldsmith by trade, and this came out. Then everybody said +he had none of the knowledge imputed to him, though he had given the most +incontrovertible proofs of it in open day. They even said that he had never, +himself, written any of the sage and clever books and important prognostications +which he published, but had paid others to do them. In short, envy, hatred, and +calumny brought matters so far that he was obliged to leave Berlin in the most +secret manner, to escape the fate of the Jew Lippolt; then his enemies said he +had gone to the Catholics for protection. But »that is not true. He went to +Saxony, and worked at his trade there, though he did not give up the study and +practice of his science."</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund was wonderfully attracted to this old goldsmith, who +inspired in him a reverential trustfulness and confidence. Not only was he a +critic of the most instructive quality, though severe; but he told Edmund +secrets concerning the preparation of colours and the combining of them known to +the old masters, and of the most precious importance when he put them to the +test of practice. Thus there was formed, between these two, one of those +alliances which come about when there is on the one hand hopeful confidence, in +a young disciple, and, on the other, affectionate paternal friendship on the +part of a teacher.</p> + +<p class="normal">About this time it happened, one fine summer evening, that +Herr Melchior Bosswinkel, Commissionsrath, who was taking his pleasure in the +Thiergarten, could not manage to get a single one of his cigars to draw. He +tried one after another, but every one of them was stopped up. He threw them +away, one after another, getting more and more vexed and annoyed as he did so; +at last he cried out: "Oh, God! and those are supposed to be the very finest +brands to be got in Hamburg. Damme! I've spared neither trouble nor money, and +here they play the very deuce with every idea of enjoyment--not one of the +infernal things will draw. Can a man enjoy the beauties of nature, or take part +in any sort of rational conversation, when these damnable things won't burn? Oh, +God! it's terrible!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He had involuntarily addressed these remarks to Edmund Lehsen, +who happened to be close beside him with a cigar which was drawing splendidly.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund, who had not the slightest idea who the Commissionsrath +was, took out his cigar-case and offered it politely to this desperate person, +saying that he could vouch for both the quality and the drawing powers of his +cigars, although he had not got them from Hamburg, but out of a shop in +Frederick Street.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath accepted, full of gratitude and pleasure, +with a "Much obliged, I'm sure." And as, the moment he touched the end of the +cigar which Edmund was smoking with the one just obtained from him, this latter +drew delightfully, and sent out the loveliest and most delicious clouds of blue +odoriferous smoke, he cried, enraptured:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, my dear sir! you have really rescued me from the +profoundest depths of misery. Do please to accept a thousand thanks. In fact, I +would almost venture to ask you to let me have one more of those magnificent +cigars of yours, to be going on with when this one is finished."</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund said the contents of his cigar-case were quite at the +gentleman's disposal; and then they went on their several ways.</p> + +<p class="normal">Presently, when the twilight had fallen a little, and Edmund, +with the idea for a picture in his head, was making his way, rather absently, +not paying much attention to those about him, pushing through amongst the chairs +and tables so as to get out of the crowd, the Commissionsrath suddenly appeared +in front of him, asking him if he would not come and sit down at his table. Just +as he was going to decline--because he was longing to get away into the open +country--he suddenly caught sight of a young lady, the very incarnation of +youth, beauty, and delightsomeness, who was seated at the Commissionsrath's +table.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My daughter, Albertine," the Commissionsrath said to Edmund, +who was gazing motionless at the lady, almost forgetting that it was incumbent +on him to bow to her. He recognised, at the first glance, in Albertine, the +beautiful creature whom he had come across at the last exhibition as she was +admiring one of his own pictures. She was describing and pointing out the +meaning of this fanciful picture to an old lady and two girls who were with her; +explaining the peculiarities of the drawing and the grouping; applauding the +painter, and saying that he was quite a young artist, though so full of promise, +and that she wished she knew him. Edmund was standing close behind her, drinking +in the praise which flowed from her beautiful lips. His heart was so full that +he could not bring himself to go forward and say he was the painter. And at this +juncture Albertine happened to drop one of her gloves, which she had taken off. +Edmund stooped to pick it up, and as Albertine did the same thing at the same +instant, their heads banged together with such a crash that it rang through the +place.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, good gracious!" Albertine cried, holding her hands to her +head.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund started back in consternation and alarm. At his first +step he stamped on the old lady's pug, which yelled aloud; at his second he +trampled the gouty toe of a professor, who gave a tremendous shout, and devoted +poor Edmund to all the infernal deities. Then the people came hurrying from the +neighbouring rooms, and all the lorgnettes were fixed upon Edmund, who made the +best of his way out of the place, amid the whimperings of the dog, the curses of +the professor, the objurgations of the old lady, and the tittering and laughter +of the girls. He made, we say, his escape in those circumstances, blushing over +and over with shame and discomfiture, in complete despair, whilst a number of +young ladies got out their essence-bottles and rubbed Albertine's forehead, on +which a great lump was rapidly rising.</p> + +<p class="normal">Even then, in the crisis of this ridiculous occurrence, Edmund +had fallen deeply in love, though he was scarcely aware of it himself. And it +was only a painful sense of his own stupidity that prevented him from going to +search for her all over the town. He could not think of her otherwise than with +a great red lump on her forehead, and the bitterest reproach, the most distinct +expression of anger, in her face and in her whole being.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was not the faintest trace of this, however, about her +as he saw her now. She blushed indeed over and over again when she saw him, and +seemed unable to control herself. But when her father asked him his name, &c., +she said with a delightful smile, and in gentle accents, +"that she must be much mistaken if he were not Mr. Lehsen, the +celebrated painter, whose works she so immensely admired."</p> + +<p class="normal">Those words, we need not say, ran through Edmund's nerves like +an electric shock. In his emotion he was about to burst into flowers of +rhetoric, but the Commissionsrath would not let him get to that, clasping him to +his breast with fervour, and saying, "My dear sir, what about the cigar you +promised me?" And whilst he was lighting said cigar at the ashes of the former +one, he said, "So you are a painter? and a great one, from what my daughter +Albertine tells me--and she knows what she is talking about in such matters, I +can assure you. I'm very glad you are. I love pictures, and, as my daughter +Albertine says, 'Art' altogether, most tremendously. I simply dote upon it. And +I know something about it, too. I'm a first-rate judge of a picture. My daughter +Albertine and I know what we're about there. We've got eyes in our heads. Tell +me, my dear painter, tell me without hesitation, wasn't it you who painted those +pictures which I stop and look at every day as I pass them, because I cannot +help standing to admire the colouring of them? Oh, it is beautiful!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund did not quite understand how the Commissionsrath +managed to see any pictures of his daily in passing them, seeing that he had +never painted any signboards, that he could remember. But after a good deal of +questioning, it turned out that Melchior Bosswinkel meant certain lacquered +tea-trays, stove-shades, and things of that sort, which he saw and much admired +in a shop-window as he went to business of a morning, after two or three +sardines and a glass of Dantziger at the Sala Tarone. These productions +constituted his highest ideal of the pictorial art. This disgusted the painter +not a little; and he cursed, internally, Bosswinkel and his wretched chatter, +which was preventing him from making any approach to the young lady. At last +there came up an acquaintance, who engaged him in conversation, and Edmund took +advantage of this to go and sit down beside Albertine, who seemed to be very +much pleased at his doing so.</p> + +<p class="normal">Every one who knows Miss Albertine Bosswinkel is aware that, +as has been said, she is the very personification of youth, beauty, and +delightsomeness; that, like all other Berlin young ladies, she dresses in the +best possible taste in the latest fashions, sings in Zelter's choir, has lessons +on the piano from Herr Lauska, dances most beautifully, sent a tulip charmingly +embroidered and surrounded by violets to the last exhibition, and though by +nature of a bright, lively temperament, is quite capable of displaying the +proper amount of sentimentality required at tea-parties, at all events. Also, +that she copies poetical extracts and sentences which have pleased her in the +writings of Goethe, Jean Paul, and other talented men and women, in the +loveliest little tiny handwriting into a nice little book with a gilt morocco +cover.</p> + +<p class="normal">Of course it was natural that, sitting beside the young +painter, whose heart was beaming with the bliss of a timid affection, she should +be several degrees more sentimental than was usual on the tea +and reading-aloud occasions; and she lisped in the prettiest manner about such +subjects as poetic feeling, depth of idea, childlike simplicity, and so forth.</p> + +<p class="normal">The evening breeze had begun to sigh, breathing perfume from +the flowers and wafting their scents on its wings; and two nightingales were +singing a lovely duetto in among the thick darkling leafage, in the tenderest +accents of love-complaining.</p> + +<p class="normal">Albertine began, quoting from Fouqué--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i4">"A rustling, whisper'd singing</p> +<p class="i6">Breaks thro' the leaves of spring,</p> +<p class="i4">And over heart, and sense, and soul</p> +<p class="i6">A web of love doth fling."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">And Edmund, grown less timid now that the twilight was falling +more deeply, took her hand and laid it on his heart, whilst he went on, +continuing the quotation--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i4">"Did I, in whispered music, sing</p> +<p class="i6">What my heart hears--aright--</p> +<p class="i4">From that sweet lay would burst, in fire,</p> +<p class="i6">Love's own Eternal Light."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">Albertine withdrew her hand, but only to take off her glove, +and then give the hand back to this lucky youngster. He was just going to kiss +it fervently, when the Commissionsrath broke in with a</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! I say! How chilly it's getting! I wish I had brought my +great coat! Put on your shawl, Tiny! It's a fine Turkish shawl, my dear +painter--cost fifty ducats. Wrap yourself up in it, Tiny; we must be getting +home. Good-bye, my <i>dear</i> sir."</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund was here inspired by a happy thought. He took out his +cigar case and offered the Commissionsrath a third Havannah.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I really am excessively obliged to you," the Commissionsrath +said, delighted; "you really are most kind. The police don't let one smoke +walking about in the Thiergarten, for fear of the grass getting burnt; one +enjoys a pipe or a cigar more for that very reason."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bosswinkel went up to the lamp to light the cigar, and Edmund +took advantage of his doing so to whisper to Albertine, very shyly, that he +hoped she would let him walk home with her. She put her arm in his, they went on +together, and Bosswinkel, when he joined them, seemed to consider it a matter of +course that Edmund was going to walk with them all the way to town.</p> + +<p class="normal">Anybody who has once been young, and in love--or who is both +now at this present time (there are many who have never been either the one or +the other)--will understand how Edmund, at Albertine's side, thought he was +hovering over the tops of the trees, rather than walking through amongst them; +up among the gleaming clouds, rather than down upon the earth.</p> + +<p class="normal">Rosalind, in Shakespeare's 'As You Like It,' says that the +"marks" +of a man in love are "a lean cheek, a blear eye and sunken, an +unquestionable spirit, a beard neglected, hose ungartered, bonnet unhanded, +sleeve unbuttoned, shoe untied, and everything demonstrating a careless +desolation." But those marks were as little seen in Edmund as in Orlando. Like +the latter, however, who marred all the trees of the forest with carving his +mistress's name on them, hung odes on the whitethorns, and elegies on the +bramble-bushes, Edmund spoilt quantities of paper, parchment, canvas and +colours, in besinging his beloved in verses which were wretched enough, and in +drawing her, and painting her, without ever succeeding in making her in the +least +like--so far did his fancy soar above his capability. When to +this was added the peculiar, unmistakable somnambulistic look of the love-sick, +and a fitting amount of sighing at all times and seasons, it was not to be +wondered at that the old goldsmith saw into his young friend's condition.</p> + +<p class="normal">"H'm," he said; "you don't seem to think what an undesirable +thing it is to fall in love with a girl who is engaged. For Albertine Bosswinkel +is as good as engaged already to Tussmann, the Clerk of the Privy Chancery."</p> + +<p class="normal">This terrible piece of news sent Edmund into the wildest +despair. Leonhard waited patiently till the first paroxysm was past, and then +asked if he really wanted to marry Albertine. Edmund declared that was the +dearest wish of his heart, and implored the goldsmith to help him as much as +ever he could to beat Tussmann out of the field, and win the lovely lady +himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">What the goldsmith thought and said was that a young artist +might fall in love as much as ever he liked, but to marry straight away was a +very different affair; and that was just why young Sternbald never cared to +marry, and, for all he knew, was still unmarried up to that hour.</p> + +<p class="normal">This thrust took effect, because Tieck's 'Sternbald' was +Edmund's favourite book, and he would have been only too glad to have been the +hero of that tale himself. So he then and there put on a very pitiful face, and +was very near bursting into tears.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said the goldsmith, "whatever happens, I am going to +take Tussmann off your hands. What you have got to do is to get into +Bosswinkel's house, by hook or by crook, as often as you can, and attract +Albertine to you as much as you can manage to do. As for my operations against +the Clerk of the Privy Chancery, they can't be begun till the night of the +Autumnal Equinox."</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">Contains a detailed description of Mr. Tussmann, Clerk +of the Privy Chancery; with the reason why he had to dismount the Elector's +Horse; and other matters worthy to be read</span>.</p> + +<p class="continue">Dear reader! From what you have already learnt concerning Mr. +Tussmann, you can see the man before you, in all his works and ways. But, as +regards his outward man, I ought to add that he was short of stature, very bald, +a little bow-legged, and very grotesque in his dress. He wore a coat of the most +old-world cut, with endlessly long tails; a waistcoat, also of enormous length; +and long white trousers, with shoes which, as he walked, made as loud a clatter +as the boots of a courier. Here it should be observed that he never walked in +the streets with regular steps, like most people, but jumped, so to speak, with +great irregular strides, and incredible rapidity, so that the aforesaid long +tails of his coat spread themselves out like wings, in the breeze which he thus +created around him. Although there was something excessively comic about his +face, yet there was a most kindly smile playing about his mouth which impressed +you in his favour; and everybody liked him, though they laughed at the pedantry +and awkwardness of his behaviour, which estranged him from the world. His +passion was reading. He never went out but he had both his coat-pockets crammed +full of books. He read wherever he was, and in all circumstances; walking or +standing, as he took his exercise, in church and in the café. He read +indiscriminately everything that came to his hand: but only out of old times, +the present being hateful to him. Thus, to-day he would be studying, in the +café, a work on algebra; to-morrow, 'Frederick the Great's Cavalry Regulations,' +and next the remarkable book, 'Cicero proved to be a Pettifogger and a Windbag: +in Ten Discourses. Anno 1720.' Moreover, he had a most extraordinary memory; he +marked all the passages which particularly struck him in a book, then read all +those marked passages over again, after which he never forgot them any more. +Hence he was a polyhistor, and a walking encyclopædia, and people turned over +the leaves of him when they wanted information on any point. It was only on the +rarest occasions that he was unable to supply the information required on the +spot, but, if he couldn't, he would go rummaging in various libraries till he +could get at it, and then emerge with it, greatly delighted. It was remarkable +that when (as usual) he was reading in society, to all appearance completely +absorbed in his book, he heard, and took in, everything that was being said +around him, and would often strike in with some most apposite observation, or +laugh at anything witty in a high tenor laugh, without looking up from his book.</p> + +<p class="normal">Commissionsrath Bosswinkel had been at school with Tussmann at +the Grey Friars, and from that period dated the intimate friendship which there +had always been between them. Tussmann saw Albertine grow up from childhood; +and, on her twelfth birthday, after presenting her with a bouquet, the finest +that money could procure from the first florist in Berlin, kissed her hand for +the first time with an amount of courtesy and ceremonious deference which no one +would have supposed him to be capable of. Dating from that day there dawned in +the breast of the Commissionsrath an idea that it would be a very good thing if +his old schoolfellow were to marry Albertine. He wanted to get Albertine +married, and he thought this would be about the least troublesome way of getting +it done. Tussmann would be content with very little in the shape of portion, and +Bosswinkel hated bother of every kind, disliked making new acquaintances, and, +in his capacity of a Commissionsrath, thought a great deal more of money than he +ought to have done. On Albertine's eighteenth birthday he propounded this scheme +(which he had previously kept to himself) to Tussmann.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Clerk of the Privy Chancery was at first alarmed at the +suggestion. The idea of entering the matrimonial estate, particularly with so +youthful a lady, was more than he could quite see his way to. But he got +accustomed to it by degrees, and one day, when Albertine, at her father's +instigation, gave him a little purse, worked by her own hands in the prettiest +of colours (addressing him by his much-prized "title" as she did so), his heart +blazed up in a sudden flame of affection. He told the Commissionsrath at once +that he had made up his mind to marry Albertine, and as Bosswinkel immediately +embraced him in the character of his son-in-law, he, very naturally, considered +himself engaged to her. There was still one little point in the matter of some +importance, namely, that the young lady herself had not heard a syllable about +the affair, and could not possibly have the very faintest inkling what was going +forward.</p> + +<p class="normal">At an excessively early hour of the morning, after the strange +adventures which we have, in our first chapter, described as having been met +with by Tussmann at the foot of the Townhouse Tower, and in the wineshop in +Alexander Street, the said Clerk of the Privy Chancery came bursting, pale and +wild, with distorted features, into his friend Bosswinkel's bedroom. The +Commissionsrath was much alarmed and exercised in his mind, for Tussmann had +never come in upon him at such an hour, and his manner and appearance clearly +indicated that something most remarkable had been happening.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What, in the name of Heaven, is the matter with you?" +Bosswinkel cried. "Where have you been? What have you been up to? You look like +I don't know what!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann threw himself feebly into an arm-chair, and it was +not till he had gasped for breath during several minutes that he was able to +begin to speak--which he did in a whimpering voice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bosswinkel! here, as you see me, in these self-same clothes, +with 'Thomasius on Diplomatic Acumen' in my pocket, I come straight here from +Spandau Street, where I have been running up and down, and backwards and +forwards, ever since the clock struck twelve last night. I have not set a foot +across my own doorstep, or seen the sight of a bed, nor have I closed an eye the +whole livelong night!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And he told the Commissionsrath all that had happened to him +from the time when he first came across the mysterious and fabulous sort of +Goldsmith, till he had made his escape from the winehouse as fast as he could, +in his terror at the sorcery which was going on there.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Tussmann, old fellow," said Bosswinkel, "I see what it is, +you're not accustomed to liquoring up. You go to your bed every night at eleven +o'clock, after a couple of glasses of beer, and last night you went and took +more liquor than was good for you, long after you ought to have been asleep; no +wonder you had a lot of funny dreams."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" Tussmann cried; "you think I was asleep, do you, and +dreaming? Don't you know I'm pretty well up in the subject of sleep and dreams. +I'll prove to you out of Rudow's 'Theory of Sleep,' and explain to you, what +sleep really is, and that people can sleep without dreaming at all; and as for +what dreaming is, you will know as well as I do, if you will read the 'Somnium +Scipionis,' and Artimidorus's great work on Dreams, and the Frankfort Dreambook; +but, you see, you never read <i>anything</i> and that's why you are always making +such a hash of everything you have to do with."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, my dear old man," the Commissionsrath replied, "don't +you go and get yourself into a state of excitement. I can see, easily enough, +how you may have allowed yourself to break out of bounds a bit last night, and +then have got somehow into company with a set of mountebanks, who got the better +of you when you had more liquor than you could carry; but what I cannot make out +is, why, in all the earth, when you had once got out of the place, you didn't go +straight home to your bed, like a reasonable man? Whatever for did you go +wandering about the streets?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Bosswinkel!" lamented Tussman, "my old friend! my chum at +the Grey Friars!--don't you go and insult me by base insinuations of that sort. +Let me tell you that the infernal, diabolical enchantment which was practised +upon me did not fairly commence till I got <i>into</i> the street. For, when I came +to the Town-hall, every one of its windows was blazing with light, and there was +music playing inside--a brass band, playing waltzes and so forth. How it came +about I can't tell you; but, though I'm not a particularly tall man, I found +that I was able to reach up on my tiptoes so that I could see in at the windows. +And <i>what</i> did I see?--Oh, gracious powers of Heaven! <i>whom</i> did I see? <i>Your +daughter</i>, Miss Albertine Bosswinkel, dressed as a bride, and waltzing like the +very deuce (if I may permit myself such an expression) with a young gentleman! I +thumped on the window; I cried out, 'Dearest Miss Bosswinkel, what are you +doing? What sort of goings-on are those, here, at this time of the night?' But +just as I was saying so, there came some horrible beast of a fellow down King +Street, pulled my legs away from under me as he passed, and ran away from me, +with them, in +peals of laughter. As for me, wretched Clerk of the Privy +Chancery +that I am, I plumped down flat into the filthy mud of the +gutter. 'Watchman!' I shouted, 'Police! patrol; guard, turn out! Come +here!--look sharp!--Stop the thief!--stop him!--he's got both +my legs!' But upstairs in the Town-hall everything had suddenly grown +pitch-dark, and my voice died away in the air. I was getting desperate, when the +man came back, and, as he flew by me like a mad creature, chucked my legs back +to me, throwing them right into my face. I then picked myself up, as speedily +as, in my state of discomfiture, I could, and ran to Spandau Street. But when I +got to my own door (with my latchkey in my hand), there was <i>I</i>--<i>I</i>, myself, +standing there already, staring at <i>me</i>, with the same big black eyes which you +see in my head at this moment. Starting back in terror, I fell against a man, +who seized me with a strong grip of his arms. By the halbert he was carrying, I +thought he was the watchman; so I said, 'Dearest watchman!--worthy man!--please +to drive away that wraith of Clerk of the Privy Chancery Tussmann from that door +there, so that <i>I</i>, the <i>real</i> Tussmann, may get into my lodgings.' But the man +growled out, 'Why, Tussmann! you're surely out of your senses!' in a hollow +voice; and I saw it wasn't the watchman at all, but that terrible Goldsmith who +had got me in his arms. Drops of cold perspiration stood on my forehead. I said: +'Most respected Herr Professor, pray do not take it ill that I should have +thought you were the watchman, in the dark. Oh, Heavens! call me whatever you +choose; call me in the most uncourteous manner 'Tussmann,' without the faintest +adumbration of a title at all; or even 'My dear fellow!' I will overlook +anything. Only rid me of this terrible enchantment--as you can, if you choose. +'Tussmann!' he said, in that awful hollow voice of his, 'nothing shall annoy you +more, if you will take your solemn oath, here where we stand, to give up all +idea of marrying Miss Albertine Bosswinkel.' Commissionsrath! you may fancy what +I felt when this atrocious proposition was made to me. I said: 'Dearest Herr +Professor! you make my very heart bleed. Waltzing is a horrible and improper +thing; and Miss Albertine Bosswinkel was waltzing upstairs there--in her +wedding-dress as my bride into the bargain--with some young gentleman or other +(I don't know who he was), in a manner that made my sight and my hearing abandon +me, out and out. But still, for all that, I cannot let that exquisite creature +go. I must cleave to her, whatever happens, come what will.' The words were +scarcely out of my mouth, when that awful, abominable Goldsmith gave me a sort +of shove which made me begin immediately to spin round and round, and, as if +impelled by some irresistible power, I went waltzing up and down Spandau Street, +with my arms clasped about a broom-handle--not a lady, but a besom, which +scratched my face. And all the time there were invisible hands beating my back +black and blue. More than that; all round me, wherever I turned, the place was +swarming with Tussmanns waltzing with their arms round besoms. At last I fell +down exhausted, and lost my consciousness. When the light shone into my eyes in +the morning--oh, Bosswinkel, share my terror!--I found myself sitting up on the +horse of the Elector's statue, in front of him, with my head on his cold, iron +breast. Luckily the sentry must have been asleep, for I managed to get down +without being seen, at the risk of my life, and got away. I ran to Spandau +Street; but I got so terribly frightened again that I was obliged to come on +here to you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, now, old fellow!" Bosswinkel said, "do you think I'm +going to believe all this rubbish? Did ever anybody hear of magical phenomena of +this sort happening in our enlightened city of Berlin?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," said Tussmann, "don't you see what a quagmire of +ignorance and error the fact that you never <i>read</i> anything plunges you into? If +you had read Hafftitz's Chronicon, you would have seen that much more +extraordinary things of the kind have happened here. Commissionsrath, I go so +far as to assert, and to feel quite convinced, that this Goldsmith is the very +Devil, in <i>propria persona</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pooh, pooh!" said Bosswinkel, "I wish you wouldn't talk such +nonsense. Think a little. Of course, what happened was that you got screwed, and +then went and climbed up on to the Elector's statue."</p> + +<p class="normal">The tears came to Tussmann's eyes as he strove to disabuse +Bosswinkel's mind of this idea; but Bosswinkel grew graver and graver, and at +last said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"The more I think of it, the more I feel convinced that those +people you met with were old Manasseh, the Jew, and Leonhard, the goldsmith, a +very clever hand at juggling tricks, who comes every now and then to Berlin. I +haven't read as many books as you have, I know; but, for all that, I know well +enough that they are good honest fellows, and have no more to do with black art +than you or I have. I'm astonished that you, with your knowledge of law, +shouldn't be aware that superstition is illegal, and forbidden under severe +penalties; no practitioner of the black art could get a licence from the +Government to carry it on, under any circumstances. Look here, Tussmann. I hope +there is no foundation for the idea which has come into my head. No! I can't +believe that you've changed your mind about marrying my daughter; that you are +screening yourself behind all sorts of incredible nonsense and stuff which +nobody can believe a word of; that you are going to say to me, 'Commissionsrath: +You and I are men of the world, and I can't marry your daughter, because, if I +do, the Devil will bolt away with my legs and beat me black and blue!' It would +be too bad, Tussmann, if you were to try on a trick of that sort upon me."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann could not find words to express his indignation at +this notion on the part of his old friend. He vowed, over and over again, that +he was most devotedly in love with Miss Albertine; that he would die for her +without the least hesitation, like a Leander or a Troilus, and that the Devil +might beat him black and blue, in his innocence, as a martyr, rather than he +should give Albertine up.</p> + +<p class="normal">As he was making these asseverations, there was heard a loud +knocking at the door, and in came that old Manasseh of whom Bosswinkel had been +speaking.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as Tussmann saw him he cried out: "Oh, gracious powers +of Heaven! That's the old Jew who made the gold pieces out of the radish, and +threw them in the Goldsmith's face! The dreadful Goldsmith will be coming next, +I suppose."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he was making for the door. But Bosswinkel held him fast, +saying: "Wait till we see what happens." And, turning to the old Jew, he told +him what Tussmann had said about him and the events of the previous night in the +wineshop and in Alexander Place.</p> + +<p class="normal">Manasseh looked at Tussmann with a malignant grin, and said: +"I don't know what the gentleman means. He came into the wineshop last night +with Leonhard, the goldsmith (where I happened to be taking a glass of wine to +refresh me after a quantity of hard work which had occupied me till nearly +midnight). The gentleman drank rather more than was good for him: he couldn't +keep on his legs, and went out to the street staggering."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't you see," Bosswinkel said, "this is what comes of that +terrible habit of liquoring up? You'll have to leave it off, I can assure you, +if you're going to be my son-in-law."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann, overwhelmed by this unmerited reproof, sank down +into a chair breathless, closed his eyes, and murmured something completely +unintelligible in whimpering accents.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course," said Bosswinkel, "dissipating all night, and now +done up and wretched."</p> + +<p class="normal">And, in spite of all his protestations, Tussmann had to submit +to Bosswinkel's wrapping a white handkerchief about his head, and sending him +home in a cab to Spandau Street.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And what's <i>your</i> news, Manasseh?" the Commissionsrath +inquired. Manasseh simpered most deferentially, and with much amiability, and +said Mr. Bosswinkel would scarcely be prepared for the news he had to tell him, +which was that that splendid young fellow, his nephew Benjamin Dümmerl, worth +close upon a million of money, had just been created a baron on account of his +remarkable merits, was recently come back from Italy, and had fallen desperately +in love with Miss Albertine, to whom he intended to offer his hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">We see this young. Baron Dümmerl continually in the theatres, +where he swaggers in a box of the first tier, and oftener still at concerts of +every description. So that we well know him to be tall, and as thin as a +broom-handle; that in his dusky yellow face, overshadowed by jetty locks and +whiskers, in his whole being, he is stamped with the most distinctive and +unmistakeable characteristics of the Oriental race to which he belongs; that he +dresses in the most extravagant style of +the very latest English fashion, speaks several languages, all +in the self-same twang (that of "our people"); scrapes on a violin, hammers on +the piano; is an art connoisseur without acknowledge of art, and would fain play +the part of a literary Mecænas; tries to be witty without wit, and <i>spirituel</i> +without <i>esprit</i>; is stupidly forward, noisy, and pushing. In short, to use the +concise and descriptive expression of that numerous class of individuals amongst +whom his desire is to shove himself, an insufferable snob and boor. When we add +to all this that he is avaricious and dirtily mean in everything that he does, +it cannot be otherwise than that even those less elevated souls that fall down +and worship wealth very soon leave him to himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">When Manasseh mentioned this nephew, the thought of that +approximation to a million which "Benjie" possessed passed through the +Commissionsrath's mind; but along with that thought came the objection which, in +his opinion, made the idea of him as a son-in-law impossible.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My good Manasseh, you are forgetting that your nephew belongs +to the old religion, and that----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ho!" cried Manasseh, "what does <i>that</i> matter? My nephew is +in love with your daughter, and wants to make her happy. A drop or two of water +more or less won't make much difference to him. He'll be the same man still. You +just think the matter over, Herr Commissionsrath; I shall come back in a day or +two with my little baron, and get your answer." With which Manasseh took his +departure.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bosswinkel began to think over the affair at once, but, spite +of his boundless avarice and his utter absence of conscience or character, he +could not endure the idea of Albertine's marrying that disgusting Benjamin, and +in a sudden attack of rectitude he determined that he would keep his word to +Tussmann.</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">TREATS OF PORTRAITS, A GREEN FACE, JUMPING MICE, +AND ISRAELITISH CURSES.</span></p> + +<p class="continue">Albertine, soon after she made Edmund's acquaintance, came to +the conclusion that the big oil portrait of her father which hung in her room +was a horribly bad likeness of him, and dreadfully scratched into the bargain. +She pointed out to her father that though it was so many years since the +portrait was painted, he was really looking much younger, and better in every +way, than the painter had represented him. Also, she particularly disliked the +gloomy, sulky expression of the face, the old-fashioned clothes, and a +preposterous bunch of flowers which he was holding between his fingers in a +delicate manner, displaying in so doing certain handsome diamond rings.</p> + +<p class="normal">She talked so much, and so long, on this subject, that at last +her father himself saw that the portrait was horrible, and couldn't understand +how the painter had managed to turn out such a caricature of his well-looking +person. And the more he thought the matter over and looked at the picture, the +more he was convinced that it was an execrable daub. He determined to take it +down, and stow it away in the lumber room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Albertine said that was the best thing that could be done, but +that, all the same, she was accustomed to see dear papa's picture in her room, +that the bare space on the wall would be such a blank to her that she should +never feel comfortable; so that the only course was for dear papa to have +<i>another</i> portrait painted, by some painter who knew what he was about, and that +<i>she</i> could think of nobody but Edmund Lehsen, so celebrated for his admirable +portraits.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear," the Commissionsrath said, "you don't know what +you're talking about. Those young painters are so full of conceit, they don't +know where to turn themselves, don't care how much they ask for those bits of +scumblings of theirs, won't think of anything under gold Fredericks."</p> + +<p class="normal">But Albertine declared that Edmund Lehsen painted for the love +of the thing much more than for money, and would be sure to charge very little. +And she kept on at her father so assiduously, that at last he agreed to go to +Edmund Lehsen, and see what he would say about a portrait.</p> + +<p class="normal">We can imagine the delight with which Edmund expressed his +readiness to undertake the Commissionsrath's portrait; and his delight became +rapture when he heard that it was Albertine who put the idea in her father's +head. He saw, of course, that her notion was that this would give him +opportunities of seeing her. So that it was a matter of course that when the +Commissionsrath asked, rather anxiously, about the price, Edmund said that the +honour of being admitted, for the sake of Art, to the house and society of a +gentleman such as he, was more than sufficient remuneration for any little +effort of his.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good Heavens! Can I believe my ears?" the Commissionsrath +cried. "No money, dearest Mr. Lehsen? No gold Fredericks for your trouble? Not +even the expense of your paints and canvas?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund laughingly said all that was too insignificant to be +taken into account.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," Bosswinkel said, "I'm afraid you don't know that I'm +thinking of having a three-quarters length life-size."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It doesn't matter in the slightest," the painter answered.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath pressed him warmly to his heart, and +cried, while tears of joy rose to his eyes, "Oh, heavenly powers! Are there +human souls of this degree of disinterestedness in this world which lieth in +wickedness? First his cigars, and now this picture. Marvellous man!--or 'youth' +I ought to say. Dear Mr. Lehsen, within your soul dwell those virtues, and that +true German singleness of heart, which one reads of more than enough, but which +are rare in these times of ours. But let me tell you, though I am a +Commissionsrath, and dress in French fashions, I am quite of the same way of +thinking as yourself. I can appreciate your large-mindedness, and am as +unselfish, and as free with my money, as anybody in the land."</p> + +<p class="normal">Crafty Miss Albertine had, of course, known exactly how Edmund +would proceed with her father's commission, and her object was attained. +Bosswinkel overflowed with laudation of this grand young fellow, so entirely +free from the least trace of that greediness which is such a hateful quality in +a man. And he ended by saying that young people, especially the artistic, always +have a turn for the romantic, and set great store by withered flowers and the +ribbons which some beloved girl has worn, and go out of themselves altogether +over any piece of work done by the hands of those divinities; so that Albertine +had better knit a little purse for Edmund, and, if she saw no particular +objection, even put into it a little lock of her bonny nut-brown hair, and thus +get out of any little obligation they might be thought to be under to him. To do +this she had his full permission, and he undertook to answer to Tussmann on the +subject. Albertine, who was not yet taken into her father's confidence as to his +projects, had not the remotest notion what Tussmann might have to say to the +matter, and did not take the trouble to inquire.</p> + +<p class="normal">That very evening Edmund had his painting gear taken to +Bosswinkel's house, and the next morning he made his appearance there for the +first sitting.</p> + +<p class="normal">He begged the Commissionsrath to think of the very happiest +moment of his life. For instance, when his dead wife first said she loved him, +or when Albertine was born, or when he unexpectedly saw some dear friend whom he +had thought to be lost to him; and to try and look as he had done <i>then</i>.</p> +<p class="normal">"Wait a moment, Mr. Lehsen," said Bosswinkel; "I know what to +do. One day, about three months ago, I got a letter from Hamburg telling me I +had drawn a big prize in the lottery. I ran to my daughter with the letter open +in my hand. That was the happiest moment I ever had in all my life. Let's choose +<i>that</i> one; and, just to place the whole thing more vividly before your +eyes--and mine--I'll go and get the letter, and be taken with it in my +hand--just as I was when it came."</p> + +<p class="normal">So Edmund had no help but to paint Bosswinkel accordingly; and +he wouldn't be content, either, unless the writing on the letter was rendered +legibly and distinctly, word for word, as follows:--</p> + +<p class="continue">"Honoured Sir,</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have the honour to inform you----"</p> + +<p class="continue">and so forth; moreover, the envelope had to be portrayed lying +on a little table, so that the address on it, displaying all the +Commissionsrath's official titles written out at full length, could be clearly +read. The very postmark Edmund had to copy with the utmost minuteness.</p> + +<p class="normal">For the rest, he made a portrait of a well-looking, +good-tempered, handsomely-dressed man, who <i>did</i> display, in some of the features +of his face, a more or less distant resemblance to the Commissionsrath; so that +nobody who read what was on the envelope could make any mistake as to whom the +portrait was intended for.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath was delighted with it. "There," he said; +"there you see what a painter who knows his business can make of a more or less +well-looking fellow, though he <i>may</i> be getting a little on in years! I begin to +understand now (I didn't before), a thing that the Professor in the Humanity +Class used to say, that a proper portrait ought to be a regular historical +picture. Whenever I look at that one, I remember that delicious and happy moment +when the news came of my prize in the lottery, and I understand the meaning of +that smile on my face--that reflection of the happiness I felt within me then."</p> + +<p class="normal">Before Albertine could carry out the plans which she had +formed in her mind, her father took the initiative by begging Edmund to paint +<i>her</i>, as well. Edmund begun this work at once; but he did not find it so easy to +satisfy himself with her portrait as with her father's. He put in a most careful +outline, and then rubbed it out again; outlined once +more--carefully--begun to lay on some colour, and then threw +the whole thing aside; commenced again; altered the pose. There was always +either too much light in the room, or not enough. The Commissionsrath, who had +always been present at those sittings at first, got tired presently, and betook +himself elsewhere.</p> + +<p class="normal">Upon this, Edmund came forenoon and afternoon, and if the +picture did not make much progress, the love-affair made a great deal, and +entwined itself more and more firmly. I have no doubt, dear reader, that your +own experience has shown you that when one is in love, and wants to give to all +the fond, longing words and wishes, which one has got to express, their due and +proper effect, so that they may go to the listener's very heart, it is a matter +of absolute necessity that one should take hold of the hand of the beloved +object, press it, and kiss it; upon which, as by the operation of some sudden +development of electrical force, lip goes into contact with lip; and the +electricity (if that is what we are to call it), arrives at a condition of +equilibrium by means of a fire-stream of sweetest kisses. Thus Edmund was very +often obliged to stop painting, and not only that, but he had very frequently to +get down from the scaffold upon which he and his easel were placed.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus it came about that, one forenoon, he was standing with +Albertine at the window, where the white curtains were drawn, and (on the +principle we have been explaining), in order to give more force to what he was +saying to her, was holding her in his arms, and kissing her hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">At this particular hour and moment, Mr. Tussmann, Clerk of the +Privy Chancery, happened to be passing Bosswinkel's house, with the 'Treatise on +Diplomatic Acumen,' and sundry tractates and pamphlets (in which +the useful and the entertaining were combined in due measure) +in his pockets. And although he was bounding along as fast as ever he +could--according to his manner--because the clock was just on +the very stroke of the hour at which he used always to enter his office, still +he drew up for a moment, in order to cast a sentimental glance up at the window +of his love.</p> + +<p class="normal">There he saw, as in a cloud, Albertine with Edmund; and, +although he could not make out anything at all distinctly, his heart throbbed, +he knew not why. Some strange sense of anxious alarm impelled him to undertake +things previously unattempted, undreamt of, namely, to go upstairs to +Albertine's rooms, at this totally unprecedented hour of the day.</p> + +<p class="normal">As he entered, Albertine was saying, quite distinctly:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, yes, Edmund! I must always--always love you!" And she +pressed Edmund to her heart, whilst a whole battery of "restoration of +electrical equilibrium" began to go off, rushing and sparkling.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Clerk of the Privy Chancery walked mechanically forward +into the room, and then stood, dumb and speechless, like a man in a cataleptic +fit. In the height of their blissfulness the two lovers had not heard the +elephantine tread of Tussmann's peculiar boot-like shoes, nor his opening of the +door, nor his coming in, and striding into the middle of the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">He now squeaked out, in his high falsetto:</p> + +<p class="normal">"But--Miss Albertine Bosswinkel!----"</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund and Albertine fled apart like lightning--he to his +easel, she to the chair where she was supposed to be sitting for her portrait. +Tussmann, after a short pause, during which he tried to get back his breath, +resumed, saying--</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, Miss Albertine Bosswinkel, what are you doing? What are +you after? First of all, you go and waltz with this young gentleman (I haven't +the honour of his acquaintance), in the Town-hall at twelve o'clock at night, in +a way that made me, your husband that is to be, almost lose the faculties of +seeing and hearing; and now--here--in broad daylight, behind those curtains--Oh! +Good gracious!--is this a way for an engaged young lady to go on?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who's an engaged young lady?" Albertine cried out, in immense +indignation. "Whom are you talking about, Mr. Tussmann? Tell me, if you will be +so kind."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, thou, my Creator," cried Tussmann, in the fulness of his +heart. "You ask, dearest Miss Albertine, who is an engaged young lady, +and of whom I am talking? To whom else can I be alluding but to yourself? Are +you not my future bride, whom I have so long adored in secret? Did not your dear +papa ever so long ago promise me your beautiful, white, <i>so</i> kissable little +hand?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mr. Tussmann," said Albertine; "either you have been to a +wineshop, early as it is in the day--(my father says you go to them a great deal +more than you ought),--or you've gone out of your mind in some extraordinary +way. My father can never have had the slightest idea of <i>your</i> marrying <i>me</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dearest Miss Albertine," cried Tussmann; "consider for a +moment. You have known me for many long years. Have I not always been a man of +the strictest moderation and temperance? Have I ever been given to dissipation? +Can you suppose that I have taken to drinking and improper conduct all at once? +Dearest Miss Albertine, I shall be only too happy to close my eyes to what I +have seen going on here; not a syllable concerning it shall ever pass my +lips--we'll forget and forgive. But remember, adored one, that you promised to +marry me out of the tower window of the Town-hall at twelve o'clock at night; +and, although you were waltzing in such a style with this young gentleman (whose +acquaintance, as I said, I have not the honour of), still I----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't you see?" interrupted Albertine; "don't you know, that +you're talking all sorts of incoherent nonsense, like some lunatic out of the +asylum? Please go away. I feel quite unwell; do go away, for goodness' sake."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tears started in Tussmann's eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, heavens!" he cried. "Treatment like this from the beloved +Miss Albertine! No; I shall not go. I shall remain here till you have arrived at +a truer opinion concerning my unworthy person, dearest Miss Albertine."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Go; go!" reiterated Albertine, running into a corner of the +room, and covering her face with her handkerchief.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, dearest Miss Albertine," answered Tussmann; "I shall not +go +until, in compliance with the sapient advice of Thomasius, I +endeavour to----" and he made as if he would follow her into the corner.</p> + +<p class="normal">While this was going on, Edmund had been scumbling angrily at +the background of his picture. But at this point he could contain himself no +longer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Damned, infernal scoundrel!" he cried, and flew at Tussmann, +making four dashes over his face with the brush, full of a greyish green tint, +which he had been working at his background with. Then he grasped him, opened +the door, and sent him out of it with a kick so forcible that he went flying +down stairs like an arrow out of a bow.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bosswinkel, who was just coming up, started back in much alarm +as this school-chum of his came bumping into his arms.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What in the name of all that's----" he cried; "what's going +on? what ails your face?" Tussmann, almost out of his mind, related all that had +happened, in broken phrases; how Albertine had behaved to him--how Edmund had +treated him. The Commissionsrath, brimful of rage and fury, took Tussmann by the +hand and led him back to the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What's all this?" he cried to Albertine. "This is very pretty +behaviour; is this the way you treat your husband that is to be?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My husband that is to be?" echoed Albertine, in wild +amazement.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Most undoubtedly!" the Commissionsrath answered. "I don't +know why you should pretend to be in a state of mind about a matter which has +been understood and arranged for such a long time. My dear old friend Tussmann +is your affianced husband, and the wedding will come off in a week or two."</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>Never!</i>" said Albertine. "Never will I marry him. Good +heavens! how could anybody have <i>that</i> old creature; nobody could ever bear +him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I don't know about 'bearing' him, or whether he's an 'old +creature' or not," said her father. "What you have got to do is to marry him. +Certainly my friend Tussmann is not one of your giddy young fools. Like myself, +he has reached those years of discretion when a man is, very properly, +considered to be at his best; and into the bargain, he is a fine, upright, +straightforward, honourable fellow, most profoundly learned, perfectly eligible, +in every way, and my old schoolfellow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No!" cried Albertine, in the utmost agitation, with the tears +starting to her eyes. "I can't endure him. He's insupportable to me. I hate him! +I abhor him! Oh, Edmund!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She sank, almost fainting, into Edmund's arms; and he pressed +her to his heart with the warmest affection.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath, utterly amazed, opened his eyes as wide +as if he were seeing spectres, and then cried--"What's all this? what do I see?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, yes! yes, indeed!" Tussmann said, in a lamentable tone. +"It appears, unfortunately, to be the fact that Miss Albertine doesn't care to +have anything to do with me, and seems to cherish a remarkable partiality for +this young gentleman--this painter (whose acquaintance I have not the honour of, +by the way)--inasmuch as she kisses him without the slightest hesitation or +shyness, though she will scarcely give wretched <i>me</i> her hand. And yet I hope to +place the ring on her lovely finger very shortly indeed."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come away from one another, you two," the Commissionsrath +cried out, and forced Albertine out of Edmund's arms. But Edmund shouted that he +would never give her up, if it cost him his life.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed, sir!" said the Commissionsrath, with scathing irony. +"Nice business, upon my word! A fine little love-affair going on behind my back +here! Excessively pretty! Very nice indeed, my young Mr. Lehsen! This is the +meaning of your liberality--your cigars and your pictures. He comes sliding into +my house--leads my daughter into all this sort of thing. A charming idea, that I +should go and hang her round the neck of a miserable beggar of a dauber, without +a rap to bless himself with!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Beyond himself with anger, Edmund had his mahlstick raised in +the act to strike, when the voice of Leonhard was heard crying, in tones of +thunder, as he burst in at the door--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop, Edmund! don't be in a hurry. Bosswinkel is a terrible +ass; he'll think better of it presently."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath had run into a corner, frightened by the +unexpected arrival of Leonhard; and, from that corner, he cried--"I really do +not know, Mr. Leonhard, what business you have to----"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Tussmann had hidden himself behind the sofa as soon as he +saw Leonhard come in. He was crouching down there, and chirping out, in a voice +of terror--"Gracious powers! take care, Commissionsrath! Hold your tongue; don't +say a word, dearest schoolfellow. Good God! here's the Herr Professor come, the +Ball-Entrepreneur of Spandau Street."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come along out, Tussmann," said the Goldsmith, laughing; +"Don't be frightened, nothing's going to happen to you. You've been punished +enough already for that foolish idea you had of wanting to marry. That poor face +of yours is going to be green all the rest of the days of your life."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh Lord!" cried the Clerk of the Privy Chancery, almost out +of his mind, "my face green for ever and ever! What will people say? What will +His Excellency, the minister, say? His Excellency will think I have had my face +painted green from motives of mere worldly vanity! Ah! it's all over with me. I +shall be suspended from my official functions. The Government will never hear of +such a thing as a Clerk of the Privy Chancery with a green face. Wretched man +that I am; what's to become of me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come, come, Tussmann!" the Goldsmith said; "don't make such a +fuss. I have no doubt there's hope for you yet, if you pull yourself together, +and get rid of this idiotic notion of marrying Miss Bosswinkel."</p> + +<p class="normal">In answer to this, Tussmann and Bosswinkel cried out together, +in what is termed on the lyric stage "<i>ensemble</i>"--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can't."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He shan't."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goldsmith fixed his sparkling, penetrating eyes on the two +of them; but just as he was going to burst out at them, the door opened, and in +came Manasseh, with his nephew, Baron Benjamin Dümmerl, from Vienna. "Benjie" +went straight up to Albertine--who had never seen him in her life before--and +said, in a disagreeable, drawling tone, as he took her hand--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have come here in person, dear Miss Bosswinkel, to lay +myself at your feet. Of course you know that is a mere <i>façon de parler</i>. Baron +Dümmerl doesn't really lay himself at anybody's feet, not even at the Emperor's. +What I mean is--let me have a kiss."</p> + +<p class="normal">So saying, he went nearer to Albertine, and bent down towards +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">But, at that moment, a something happened which neither he nor +anybody else--except the Goldsmith--anticipated, and which caused them all much +alarm. Benjie's rather sizeable nose suddenly shot forward to such a length +that, passing beyond Albertine's face, it struck the opposite wall of the room +with a tremendous, resounding bang. He started back a step or two, and his nose +at once drew in to its ordinary dimensions. He approached Albertine again, with +exactly the same result. To make a long tale short, his nose kept on shooting in +and out like a trombone.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cursed necromancer!" Manasseh roared; and took a thin cord, +fastened in a sort of knot, out of his pocket, which he threw to the +Commissionsrath, crying--"Throw that about the brute's neck--the Goldsmith, I +mean--and then drag him out of the room. Never mind about ceremony. Do as I tell +you. All will be right then."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath took hold of the noose, but instead of +throwing it about the Goldsmith's neck, he threw it over the Jew's; and +immediately he and the Jew began flying up to the ceiling and then down again. +And so they went on, shooting up and down, while Benjie carried on his +nose-concerto, and Tussmann laughed like a mad creature, till the +Commissionsrath fell down nearly fainting in an arm-chair.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now's the time! now's the time!" Manasseh cried. He slapped +his pocket, and out sprung an enormous, horrible-looking mouse, which made a +spring right at the Goldsmith. But as it was jumping at him, the Goldsmith +transfixed it with a sharp needle of gold, upon which it gave a yell, and +disappeared, none knew whither.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then Manasseh clenched his fists at the fainting +Commissionsrath, and cried, with rage and hatred blazing in his face--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha! Melchior Bosswinkel! thou hast conspired against me. Thou +art in league with this accursed sorcerer, whom thou hast brought into thine +house. But cursed, cursed shalt thou be. Thou and all thy race shall be swept +away like the helpless brood of a bird. The grass shall grow on thy doorstep, +and all that thou settest thy hand to shall be as the dream of the famishing, +who sates himself, in dreams, with savoury food. And the Dā-lěs shall take +up his dwelling in thine house, and consume thy substance. And thou shalt beg +thy bread, in rags, before the doors of the despised people of God; and they +shall drive thee away like a mangy cur, and thou shalt be cast to the earth like +a rotten branch. And instead of the sound of the harp, moths shall be thy +fellows, and dogs shall make a divan of the tomb of thy mother! +Curses!--curses!--curses upon thee! Commissionsrath Melchior Bosswinkel!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And, having thus delivered himself, this raging Manasseh +seized hold of his nephew, and went storming out of the house with him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Albertine, in her terror and horror, had taken refuge with +Edmund, hiding her face on his breast; and he held her closely to him, though he +had difficulty in mastering his own emotion. But the Goldsmith went up to those +two, and said, with a smile, and in a gentle voice:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't you be put out in the slightest by all this business: +everything will come right. I give you my word for it. But, just now, you must +bid each other good-bye, before Tussmann and Bosswinkel come back to their +senses."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he and Edmund left Bosswinkel's house.</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">WHEREIN THE READER LEARNS WHAT THE DĀ-LĚS IS: ALSO HOW +THE GOLDSMITH SAVES THE CLERK OF THE PRIVY CHANCERY FROM A +MISERABLE DEATH, AND CONSOLES THE DESPAIRING COMMISSIONSRATH.</span></p> + +<p class="continue">Bosswinkel was utterly shaken; more by Manasseh's curse than +by the wild piece of spookery which, as he saw, the Goldsmith had been carrying +on. And indeed it was a terrible curse, for it set the Dā-lěs on to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dear reader, I don't know if you are aware what the +Dā-lěs of the Jews is.</p> + +<p class="normal">One of the Talmudists says that the wife of a certain poor +Jew, one day on coming into her house, found a weazened, emaciated, naked +stranger there, who begged her to give him the shelter of her roof, and food and +drink. Being afraid, she went to her husband, and told him, in tones of +complaint: "A naked, starving man has come in, asking for food and shelter. How +are we to help him, when it is all we can do to keep body and soul together +ourselves?" The husband said: "I will go to this stranger, and see how I can get +him out of the house."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why," he said to him, "hast thou come hither, I being so poor +and unable to help thee? Begone! Betake thee to the house of Riches, where the +cattle are fat, and the guests bidden to the feast!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"How," said the stranger, "canst thou drive me from this +shelter which I have found? Thou seest that I am bare and naked: how can I go to +the house of Riches? Have clothing made for me that shall be fitting, and I will +leave thee." "Better," thought the master of the house, "better were it for me +to spend all I possess in getting rid of him, than that he should stay, and +consume whatever I earn in the time to come, as well." So he killed his last +calf, on which he and his wife had thought to live for many days; sold the meat, +and with the price provided good clothing for the stranger. But when he took the +clothing to him, behold! the stranger, who had before been lean, and short of +stature, was become tall and stout, so that the clothing was everywhere too +short for him and too narrow. At this the poor Jew was much afraid. But the +stranger said: "Give up the foolish idea of getting me out of thy house. Know +that I am the Dā-lěs!" At this the poor Jew wrung his hands and lamented, +crying: "God of my fathers! I am scourged with the rod of Thine anger, and +poverty-smitten for ever and ever! For if thou art the Dā-lěs, thou wilt +never leave us, but consume all that we have, and always grow bigger and +stronger. For the Dā-lěs is Poverty; which, when once it takes up its +abode in a house, never departs from it, but ever increases more and more."</p> + +<p class="normal">If, then, the Commissionsrath was terrified that Manasseh, by +his curse, had brought poverty into his house, on the other hand, he stood in +the utmost dread of Leonhard, who, to say nothing of the extraordinary magical +powers at his command, had a certain something about him which created a decided +sense of awe. The Commissionsrath could not but feel that there was nothing +(with respect to the two of them) which one could "do;" and thus the full brunt +of his anger was discharged upon Edmund Lehsen, upon whom he laid all the blame +of all the "unpleasantness" which had come about. Over and above all this, +Albertine came to the front, and declared, of her own motion, having evidently +completely made up her mind on the subject--declared, we say, with the utmost +distinctness, that she loved Edmund more than words could express, and would +never marry either that insufferable and unendurable old pedant of a Tussmann, +or that equally not-to-be-heard-of beast of a Baron Benjamin. So that the +Commissionsrath got into the most tremendous rage imaginable, and wished Edmund +at (ahem!) Hong Kong, or Jericho, or, to speak idiomatically, "where the pepper +grows." But inasmuch as he could not carry this wish into effect, as the late +French Government did (which actually <i>did</i> send objectionable persons to the +place "where the pepper grows"), he had to be content with writing Edmund a nice +little note, into which he poured all the gall and venom which was in him at the +time (and that was not a little), and which ended by telling him that if ever he +crossed his, the Commissionsrath's, threshold again, he had better--look out for +squalls.</p> + +<p class="normal">Of course we all know the state of inconsolable despair in +which Leonhard found Edmund, when he went to see him, at the fall of the +twilight, according to his wont.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What have <i>I</i> to thank you for?" Edmund cried, indignantly. +"Of what service have your protection and all your efforts been to <i>me</i>? Your +attempts to send this cursed rival of mine out of my way--what has been the +result of them? Those damnable conjuring tricks of yours--all that <i>they</i> have +done has been to send everybody into a state of higgledy-piggledy, where nobody +knows what to think of anything! Even that darling girl of mine is in the same +boat with all the rest of them. It's just this stupid, nonsensical bosh of +yours--that, and nothing else,--which is blocking up <i>my</i> way, and so I tell +you. Oh Lord! the only thing which I can see that I can do is to be off to Rome +at once, and, I can assure you, I mean to do it, too."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Just so," the Goldsmith said: "that is exactly what I want +you to do. Be good enough to remember what I said to you when you first told me +you were in love with Albertine. I said my idea was that a young artist was +right to be in love, but that he should not go and marry, all at once, because +that was most inadvisable. When I said that to you, I brought to your mind, half +in jest, the case of Sternbald; but now I tell you, in the utmost seriousness, +that, if you really wish to become a great painter, you must put all ideas of +marrying out of your head. Go you away, free and glad, into the Father-land of +Art; study, in the most enthusiastic manner that ever you can, the inner-being +of that world of Art; and then, and only then, will the technical and practical +skill (which you might pick up here) be of the slightest real use to you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good gracious!" Edmund cried, "what an idiot I was to say +anything to you about my love affairs. I see, now, that it was you--you, on whom +I relied for advice and help in them--who have been purposely throwing +difficulties in the way, playing Old Harry with my most special heart's desires, +out of mere nastiness and unkindness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My good young sir!" the Goldsmith said, "just be good enough +to keep a rather quieter tongue in your head. Don't be quite so forcible in your +expressions. Please to remember that you have got one or two things to learn, +still, before you can quite see through <i>me</i>. <i>I</i> can excuse you, of course. I +know very well what has upset your temper. This insane spooniness of yours."</p> + +<p class="normal">"As regards Art," Edmund said, "I really can't see why I +should not go to Rome and study, though I do stand in this intimate relation +with Albertine. You say yourself that I have a certain amount of 'turn' for +painting, and some practical skill, already. What I was thinking of was, that, +as soon as I was quite sure that Albertine would be mine, one day, I should be +off to Italy; spend a year there, and then come back to my darling girl, having +some real knowledge of my work."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What, Edmund?" the Goldsmith cried; "was this really your +idea, arrived at after proper consideration?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," Edmund answered: "deeply as I love Albertine, my heart +burns for that grand country which is the home of my Art."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you give me your sacred word," the Goldsmith asked, +"that if you are sure that Albertine is yours you will be off at once to Italy?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why shouldn't I?" Edmund replied, "inasmuch as it is my firm +determination to do so? It always has been so, and would be so--if she were to +be mine (I have my doubts as to whether she over will or not").</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, Edmund," the Goldsmith said, "be of good courage. This +firm resolve of yours has gained you your sweetheart. I give you my word of +honour that in a very few days Albertine will be your affianced wife. And you +know well enough that you need have no doubt as to my having the power to keep +my word."</p> + +<p class="normal">Joy and rapture beamed from Edmund's eyes; and the mysterious +Goldsmith went quickly away, leaving him to all the sweet hopes and dreams which +had been awakened in his heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">In an out-of-the-way corner of the Thiergarten, under a shady +tree, the Clerk of the Privy Chancery, Mr. Tussmann, was lying "like a dropped +acorn," as Celia, in 'As You Like It,' expresses it, or like a wounded knight, +pouring forth his heart's complainings to the perfidious autumn breeze.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, God of justice!" he lamented. "Unhappy, pitiable Clerk of +the Privy Chancery that you are! how did you ever come to deserve all the misery +which has fallen to your share? Thomasius says that the estate of matrimony in +no wise hinders the acquisition of wisdom. And yet, though you have only been +<i>thinking</i> of entering into that estate, you have nearly lost that proportion of +understanding (and it was not so very small, neither,) which originally fell to +your share. Whence comes the aversion which dear Miss Bosswinkel displays +towards your--not particularly striking, but still, fairly well +endowed--personality? Are you a politician, who ought not to take a wife (as +some have laid down), or an expert in the laws, who (according to Cleobolus) +ought to give his wife a licking if she misbehaves herself? Am I either of +those, that this beautiful creature should be warranted in entertaining some +certain quantum of bashful repugnance to me? Why, oh, why, dearest Clerk of the +Privy Chancery, Tussmann, must you go and get mixed up with a lot of horrible +wizards, and raging painters, who took your face for a stretched canvas, and +painted a Salvator Rosa picture on it without saying with your leave or by your +leave? Aye! that's the worst of the business! I put all my trust in my friend, +Herr Seccius, whose knowledge of chemistry is so extensive and so profound, and +who can help people out of every difficulty. But all in vain! The more I rub my +face with the liquid he gave me, the greener I get! though the green does take +on the most extraordinary variety of different tints and shades that anybody +could imagine. My face has been a face of spring, of summer, and of autumn. Ah, +yes! it's this greenness which is driving me to my destruction. And if I don't +attain to the whiteness of winter (the proper colour for me), I shall run +desperate, pitch myself into this frog-pond here, and die a green death!"</p> + +<p class="normal">It was no wonder that Tussmann complained most bitterly, for +the colour of his countenance was a very great annoyance to him. It was not like +any ordinary oil-colour, but as if it were some cleverly compounded tincture or +dye, sunk into his skin, and not to be obliterated by any human means. In the +day-time the poor wretch dared not go about except with his hat down over his +eyes, and a pocket-handkerchief before his face. And even when night came on he +could only venture to go flitting through the more out-of-the-way streets at a +gallop. He dreaded the street-boys, and he also was afraid that he might come +across somebody belonging to his office, as he had reported himself sick.</p> + +<p class="normal">We often feel any trouble that has befallen us more keenly in +the silent hours of night than during the more stirring daylight. And +so--as the clouds rolled blacker and blacker over the sky, as +the shadows of the trees fell deeper, and the autumn wind soughed louder and +louder through the branches--Tussmann, as he pondered over all his wretchedness, +got into a state of the profoundest despair.</p> + +<p class="normal">The terrible idea of jumping into the green frog-pond, and so +terminating a baffled career, assailed his mind so irresistibly that he looked +on it as an unmistakable hint of destiny, which he was bound to obey.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes!" he cried, getting up from the grass, where he had been +lying; "yes!" he shouted; "it's all over with you, Clerk of the Privy Chancery! +Despair and die, good Tussmann; Thomasius can't help you! On, to a green death! +Farewell, terrible Miss Albertine Bosswinkel! Your husband, that was to have +been--whom you despised so cruelly--you will never see again! Here he goes, into +the frog-pond!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Like a mad creature he rushed to the edge of the basin (in the +darkness it looked like a fine, smooth, broad road, with trees on each side of +it), and there he remained standing for a time.</p> + +<p class="normal">Doubtless the notion of the nearness of death affected his +mind; for he sang, in a high-pitched, penetrating voice, that Scotch song, which +has the refrain--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Green grow the rashes, oh!</p> +<p class="i6">Green grow the rashes!"</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">And he shied the 'Diplomatic Acumen,' and the 'Handbook for +Court and City,' and also 'Hufeland, on the Art of Prolonging Life,' into the +water, and was in the very act of jumping after them, when he felt himself +seized from behind by a pair of powerful arms.</p> + +<p class="normal">He at once recognized the well-known voice of the necromantic +Goldsmith. It said--"Tussmann, what are you after? I beg you not to make an ass +of yourself; don't go playing idiotic tricks of this sort."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann strove with all his might to get out of the +Goldsmith's grasp, while, scarcely capable of utterance, he croaked out--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Herr Professor! I am in a state of desperation, and all +ordinary considerations are in abeyance. Herr Professor, I sincerely trust +you will not take it ill if a Clerk of the Privy Chancery, who +is +(as we have said) in a state of desperation, and who (in +ordinary circumstances) is well versed in the <i>convenances</i> of official +etiquette--I say, I hope you won't take it ill, Herr +Professor, if I assert, openly and unceremoniously, that (under all the +circumstances of the case) I wish to heaven that you and all your magic tricks +were at the devil! along with your unendurable familiarity, your 'Tussmann! +Tussmann!' never giving me my official title!----there!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goldsmith let him go, and he tumbled down, exhausted, in +the long, wet grass.</p> + +<p class="normal">Believing himself to be in the basin, he cried out, "Oh, cold +death! oh, green rashes! oh, meadows! I bid ye farewell. I leave you my kindest +wishes, dearest Miss Albertine Bosswinkel. Commissionsrath, good-bye! The +unfortunate 'intended' is lying amongst the frogs that praise God in the summer +time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Tussmann," cried the Goldsmith, in a powerful voice, "don't +you see that you're out of your senses, and worn out and wretched into the +bargain? You want to send me to the devil! What if I <i>were</i> the Devil, and +should set to and twist that neck of yours, here on this spot, where you think +you're lying in the water?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann sighed, groaned, and shuddered as if in the most +violent ague.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I mean you kindly, Tussmann," the Goldsmith said; "and +your desperate condition excuses everything. Get up, and come along with me." +And he helped him to get on his legs.</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann, completely exhausted, said, in a whisper--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am completely in your power, most honoured Herr Professor. +Do what you will with my miserable body; but I most humbly beg you to spare my +immortal soul."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not talk such absurd nonsense," the Goldsmith said, "but +come along with me as fast as you can." He took hold of Tussmann by the arm, and +led him away. But when they came to where the walk which leads to the Zelten +crosses at right angles, he pulled up, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wait a moment, Tussmann. You're wet through, and look like I +don't know what. Just let me wipe your face, at all events."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goldsmith took a handkerchief of dazzling whiteness out of +his pocket, and wiped Tussmann's face with it.</p> + +<p class="normal">The bright lights of the Weberschen Zelt were visible, shining +brightly through the trees. Tussmann cried out, in alarm--</p> + +<p class="normal">"For God's sake, Herr Professor, where are you taking me? Not +into town? not to my own lodgings? not (oh, heavens!) into society, amongst my +fellow-men? Good heavens! I can't be seen. Wherever I go I give rise to +unpleasantness--create a <i>scandalum</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Tussmann," said the Goldsmith, "I cannot understand that +ridiculous shyness of yours. What do you mean by it? Don't be an ass. What you +want is a drop of something pretty strong. I should say a tumbler of hot punch, +else we shall be having you laid up with a feverish cold. Come on!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann kept on lamenting as to his greenness, and his +Salvator Rosa face; but the Goldsmith paid not the slightest attention to him, +merely hurrying him along with him at a rapid rate.</p> + +<p class="normal">When they got into the brightly lighted coffee-room, Tussmann +hid his face in his handkerchief, as there were still some people there.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What's the matter with you, Tussmann?" the Goldsmith asked. +"Why do you keep hiding that good-looking face of yours, eh?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, dearest Herr Professor, you know all about this awful +face of mine," Tussmann answered. "You know how that terrible, passionate +painter young gentleman went and daubed it all over with green paint?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nonsense," said the Goldsmith, taking the Clerk of the Privy +Chancery by the shoulders and placing him right in front of the big mirror +at the top of the room, while he threw a strong light on to +him +from a branched candlestick which he had taken up. Tussmann +forced himself--much against the grain--to look. He could not restrain a loud +cry of "Gracious heavens!"</p> + +<p class="normal">For not only had the terrible green tint of his face +disappeared, but he had a much more beautiful complexion than he ever had had in +his life, and was looking several years younger. In the excess of his delight he +jumped up and down with both feet together, and cried, in a voice of sweet +emotion--"Oh, just Heaven! what do I see? what do I contemplate? Most honoured +Herr Professor, I have no doubt that it is to you that I am indebted for this +great happiness!--to you alone! Ah! now I feel little doubt that Miss Albertine +Bosswinkel--for whose dear sake I was so very nearly jumping into the +frog-pond--won't make much difficulty about accepting me. Really, dearest +Professor, you have rescued me from the very profoundest depths of misery. There +is no doubt that I did feel a certain sense of relief and well-being when you +were so kind as to pass that snow-white handkerchief of yours over my face. You +really were my benefactor, were you not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I won't deny, Tussmann," the Goldsmith answered, "that I +wiped the green colour away from your face; and, from that, you may gather that +I am not by any means so much your enemy as you have supposed me to be. What I +can't bear to think of is this ridiculous notion of yours (which you have +allowed the Commissionsrath to put in your head) that you are going to go and +marry a splendid young creature, bursting with life and love. It is this, I say, +which I can't bear to think about. And even now--though you have scarcely got +clear of the little trick which has been played on you--you see, you go and +begin at once to think about this marriage again. I feel inclined to take away +your appetite for it in a very effectual style; and I could do so if I chose, +without the slightest difficulty. However, I don't want to go so far as that. +But what my advice to you would be is--that you should keep as quiet, and as +much out of the way as ever you can till Sunday next, at twelve o'clock at noon, +and then you will see more into things. If you dare to go and see Albertine +before that time, I will make you go on dancing in her presence till your breath +and senses abandon you. Then I will transform you into the very greenest of +frogs, and chuck you into the basin of the Thiergarten, or into the River Spree +itself, where you'll go on croaking till the end of your days. Good-bye! I have +something to do in town which obliges me to get back there as quickly as +possible. You won't be able to follow me, or keep up with me. Good-bye!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goldsmith was right in saying that it would not be +possible for Tussmann, or anybody else, to keep up with him, for he was off +through the door and out of sight, as if he had Schlemihl's seven-leagued boots +on.</p> + +<p class="normal">Perhaps this was why, the next minute after he had disappeared +from Tussmann, he appeared suddenly, like a ghost, in the Commissionsrath's +room, and bade him good evening in a rough tone.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath was very frightened, but he pulled himself +together, and asked the Goldsmith, with some warmth, what he meant by coming in +at that time of the night, adding that he wished he would take himself off, and +not bother him any more with any of those conjuring tricks of his, as he +presumed he was about to do.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" said the Goldsmith very calmly, "that is how people are, +particularly Commissionsraths. Just the very people who come to them, wishing to +do them a service, into whose arms they ought to throw themselves with a +confident heart--just those are the people whom they want to kick out of the +door. My good Herr Commissionsrath, you are a poor unfortunate man, a real +object of pity and commiseration. I have come here--I have <i>hastened</i> here--at +this late hour of the night, to consult with you as to how this terrible blow +which is hanging over you may be averted--if averted it can be--and you----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, God," the Commissionsrath cried, "another bankruptcy in +Hamburg, I suppose, or in Bremen, or London, to ruin me out and out! That was +all that was wanted. Oh, I'm a ruined man!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," the Goldsmith said, "it's an affair of a different kind +altogether; you say that you won't allow young Edmund Lehsen to marry Albertine, +do you not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What's the good of talking about such a piece of absurdity?" +the Commissionsrath replied. "I to give my daughter to this beggar of a +penciller."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said the Goldsmith, "he has painted a couple of +magnificent portraits of you and her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, oh," cried Bosswinkel, "a fine piece of business it would +be to hand over my daughter for a couple of daubs on canvas; I've sent the trash +back to him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If you don't let Edmund have your daughter," the Goldsmith +continued, "he will have his revenge."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pretty story!" answered Bosswinkel. "What revenge is this +little bit of a beggar, who dribbles paints on to canvas, and hasn't a farthing +to bless himself with, going to take upon Commissionsrath Melchior Bosswinkel, I +should like to know?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I'll tell you that in a moment," said the Goldsmith. "Edmund +is going to alter your portrait in a way which you thoroughly deserve. The +kindly, smiling face he is going to turn into a sour, grumpy one, with lowering +brow, bleary eyes, and hanging lips. He will deepen the wrinkles on the brow and +cheeks, and he won't omit to indicate, in proper colour, those grey hairs which +the powder is intended to hide. Before you, instead of the pleasant news about +the lottery prize, he will write, very legibly, the most unpleasant purport of +the letter which came to you the day before yesterday, telling you that Campbell +and Co. of London had stopped payment, addressed on the envelope to the +'Bankrupt Commissionsrath,' &c., &c. From the torn pockets of your waistcoat he +will show ducats, thalers, and treasury bills falling, to indicate the losses +you have had, and this picture will be put in the window of the picture dealer +next door to the bank in Hunter Street."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The demon, the blackguard," the Commissionsrath cried; "he +shan't do that, I'll send for the police, I'll appeal to the courts for an +interim interdict!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Goldsmith said, with much tranquillity, "As soon as even +fifty people have seen this picture, that is to say, after it has been in the +window for a brief quarter of an hour, the tale will be all over the town, with +every description of addition and exaggeration. Every thing in the least degree +ridiculous which has ever been said about you, or is being said now, will be +brought up again, dressed in fresh and more brilliant colours. Every one you +meet will laugh in your face, and, what is the worst of all, everybody will talk +about your losses in the Campbell bankruptcy, so your credit will be gone."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Lord," said Bosswinkel, "but he must let me have the +picture back, the scoundrel? Ay; that he must, the first thing in the morning."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And if he were to agree to do so," the Goldsmith said, ("of +which I have great doubts) how much the better would you be? He's making a +copper etching of you, as I have just described you. He'll have several hundred +copies thrown off, touch them up himself <i>con amore</i>, and send them all over the +world--to Hamburg, Bremen, Lübeck, London even."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop, stop," Bosswinkel cried; "go, as fast as you can, to +this terrible fellow; offer him fifty, yes, offer him a hundred thalers if he +will let this business about my portrait remain in <i>statu quo</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the Goldsmith; "you forget that Lehsen +doesn't care a fiddlestick about money. His people are well off. His +grand-aunt, Miss Lehsen, who lives in Broad Street, is going +to leave him all her money, £12,000 at the very least."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What," the Commissionsrath cried, pale with the suddenness of +his amazement, "£12,000. I tell you what it is. I believe Albertine is crazy +about young Lehsen, and I'm not a bad-hearted fellow. I am an affectionate +father; can't bear crying, and all that sort of thing. When she sets her heart +on a thing, I can't refuse her. Besides, I like the fellow; he's a first-rate +painter, you know; and where Art is concerned I'm a perfect gaby. There are a +great many capital points about Lehsen. £12,000. I'll tell you what it is, +Leonhard, just out of mere goodheartedness, I shall let this nice young fellow +have my daughter."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hm!" said the Goldsmith, "there's something queer, too, which +I want to speak to you about. I was at the Thiergarten just before I came here, +and I found your old friend and schoolfellow, Tussmann, going to jump into the +water because Albertine wouldn't have anything to say to him. I had the greatest +difficulty in preventing him from doing it; and it was only by telling him that +you would be quite certain to keep your word, and make her marry him, that I did +succeed in preventing him. Now, if this is not so, if she doesn't marry him, and +if you give her to young Lehsen, there cannot be a doubt that the Clerk of the +Privy Chancery will carry out his idea of jumping into that basin. Think what a +sensation the suicide of a person of Tussmann's 'respectability' will create. +Everybody will consider that you, and no other, are responsible for his death. +You will be looked upon with horror and contempt. Nobody will ask you to dinner, +and if you go to a café to see what's in the papers, you will be shown to the +door, or kicked downstairs; and more than that, Tussmann bears the very highest +character in his profession. All his superiors have a very high opinion of him; +the Government departments think him a most valuable official. If you are +supposed to be answerable for his death, you know that you need never expect to +find a single member of the Privy Legation, or of the Upper Chamber of Finance, +in when you go to see them. None of the offices which your business affairs +require you to be <i>en rapport</i> with will have a word to say to you. Your title of +Commissionsrath will be taken from you, blow will follow upon blow, your credit +will be gone, your income will fall away, things will go from bad to worse, till +at last, in poverty, misery and contempt, you will--"</p> + +<p class="normal">"For God's sake stop!" cried the Commissionsrath, "you are +putting me to a regular martyrdom. Who would have thought that Tussmann would +have been such a goose at his time of life? But you are quite right; whatever +happens, I must keep my word to him, or I'm a ruined man. Yes, it is so +ordained, Tussmann must marry Albertine."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You're forgetting all about Baron Dümmerl," said the +Goldsmith, "and Manasseh's terrible curse. In him, if you reject Baron Benjie, +you have the most fearful enemy. He will oppose you in all your speculations; +will stick at no means of injuring your credit, take every possible opportunity +of doing you an ill turn, and never rest till he has brought you to shame and +disgrace; till the Dā-lěs, which he laid upon you along with his curse, has actually taken up its abode in +your house; so that, you see, whatever you do with Albertine, to whichsoever of +her wooers you give her, you get into trouble, and that is why I said at the +beginning, that you are a poor, unfortunate man, an object of pity and +commiseration."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bosswinkel ran up and down the room like a lunatic, crying +over and over again, "It's all over with me; I am a miserable man, a ruined +Commissionsrath. O Lord, if I only could get the girl off my shoulders; the +devil take the whole lot of them, Lehsen, and Benjie, and my old Tussmann into +the bargain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," said the Goldsmith, "there is one way of getting out of +all this mess."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is it?" said Bosswinkel; "I'll adopt it, whatever it +is."</p> + +<p class="normal">Leonhard said, "Did you ever see the play of 'The Merchant of +Venice'?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That's the piece," answered Bosswinkel, "where Devrient plays +a bloody-minded Jew of the name of Shylock, who wants a pound of a merchant's +flesh. Of course I've seen it, but what has that to do with the matter?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will remember," the Goldsmith said, "that there is a +certain wealthy young lady in it of the name of Portia, whose father so arranged +matters in his will that her hand is made a species of prize in a kind of +lottery. Three caskets are set out, of which her wooers have each to choose one, +and open it. The one who finds Portia's portrait in the casket which he chooses +obtains her hand. Now do you, Commissionsrath, as a living father, do what her +dead father did. Tell the three wooers that, inasmuch as one of them is exactly +the same to you as another, they must allow chance to decide between them. Set +up three caskets for them to choose amongst, and let the one who finds her +portrait in his casket be her husband."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What an extraordinary idea," said the Commissionsrath; "and +even if I were to go in for it, do you suppose, dear Mr. Leonhard, that I should +be one bit better off? When chance did decide the matter, I should still have to +deal with the rage and hatred of the unsuccessful two."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wait a moment," the Goldsmith said; "it is just there that +the important part of the business lies. I promise that I will order and arrange +the affair of the caskets so that it shall turn out happily and satisfactorily +for all parties. The two who make mistakes shall find in their caskets, not a +scornful dismissal, like the Princes of Morocco and Arragon, but something which +shall so greatly please and delight them that they will think no more of +marrying Albertine, but will look upon you as the author of unhoped, undreamt of +happiness to them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, can it be possible!" the Commissionsrath cried.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not only is it possible," the Goldsmith answered, "but it +will, it must happen, exactly as I have said it will; I give you my word for +it."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath made no further objection, and they +arranged that the Goldsmith's plan should be put in execution on the next +Sunday at noon. Leonhard undertook to provide the three caskets, all ready.</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<p class="center"><span class="sc">WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CHOOSING OF THE CASKETS, AND THE +<br>CONCLUSION OF THE TALE.</span></p> + +<p class="continue">As may be imagined, Albertine got into a condition of the most +utter despair when her father told her about the wretched lottery in which her +hand was to be the prize, and all her prayers and tears were powerless to turn +him from this idea, when he had once got it fairly into his head. Then, besides +this, Lehsen seemed indifferent and indolent, in a way that nobody who really +loved could be, not making any attempt to see her privately, or even to send her +a message.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the Saturday night before the fateful Sunday she was +sitting alone in her room, as the twilight was deepening into night, her mind +full of the misfortune which was threatening her. She was calculating whether or +not it would be better to come to a speedy determination to fly from her +father's roof, rather than wait till the most fearful destiny conceivable should +accomplish itself, that of marrying either the pedantic old Tussmann, or the +insufferable Baron Benjie, and then she remembered the mysterious Goldsmith, and +the strange, supernatural way in which he had prevented the Baron from touching +her. She felt quite sure that he had been on Edmund's side then; wherefore a +hope began to dawn in her heart that it must be on him that she should rely for +help at this crisis of her affairs. Above all things she wished that she only +could just have a little talk with him then and there; and was quite sure that +she shouldn't be at all frightened, really, if he were to appear to her +suddenly, in some strange, spectral sort of manner.</p> + +<p class="normal">So that she really was not in the least frightened when she +saw that what she had been thinking was the stove was really Leonhard the +Goldsmith, who came up to her and said, in a gentle, harmonious +voice:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear child, lay aside all grief and anxiety. Edmund +Lehsen, whom, at present at all events, you believe you love, is a special +<i>protégé</i> of mine; and I am helping him with all the power at my command. Let me +further tell you that it was I who put the lottery idea into your father's head; +that I am going to provide and prepare the caskets, and, of course, you see that +no one but Edmund will find your portrait."</p> + +<p class="normal">Albertine felt inclined to shout for joy. The Goldsmith +continued:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I could have brought about the giving of your hand to Edmund +in other ways; but I particularly wish to make the two rivals, Tussmann and the +Baron, completely contented at the same time. So that that is going to be done, +and you and your father will be quite sure to have no more trouble on their +part."</p> + +<p class="normal">Albertine poured forth the warmest expressions of gratitude. +She almost fell at his feet, she pressed his hand to her heart, she declared +that, notwithstanding all the magic tricks he had performed, nay, even after the +way he had come into her room, she wasn't in the least afraid of him; and she +concluded with the somewhat naive request that he would tell her all about +himself, and who he really was.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear child," he answered, "it would not be by any means an +easy matter for me to tell you exactly who I am. Like many others, I know much +better whom I take other people for than what I really and truly am myself. But +I may tell you, my dear, that many think I am none other than that Leonhard +Turnhäuser the Goldsmith, who was such a famous character at the court of the +Elector Johann Georg, in the year 1580, and who disappeared, none knew how or +where, when envy and calumny tried to ruin him; and if the members of the +imaginative or romantic school say that I am this Turnhäuser, a spectral being, +you may imagine what I have to suffer at the hands of the solid and enlightened +portion of the community, the respectable citizens, and the men of business, who +think they have something better to do than to bother their heads about poetry +and romance. Then, even the aesthetic people want to watch me and dog my steps, +just as the doctors and the divines did in Johann Georg's time, and try to +embitter and spoil whatever little modicum of an existence I am able to lay +claim to, as much as ever they can. My dear girl, I see well enough already, +that though I take all this tremendous interest in young Edmund Lehsen and you, +and turn up at every corner like a regular <i>deux ex machina</i>, there will be +plenty of people of the same way of thinking with those of the aesthetic school, +who will never be able to swallow me, historically speaking, who will never be +able to bring themselves to believe that I ever really existed at all. So that, +just that I might manage to get something like a more or less firm footing, I +have never ventured to say, in so many words, that I am Leonard Turnhäuser, the +Goldsmith of the sixteenth century. The folks in question are quite welcome to +say, if they please, that I am a clever conjurer, and find the explanations of +every one of my tricks (as they may style the phenomena and the results which I +produce) in Wieglieb's 'Natural Magic,' or some book of the kind. I have still +one more 'feat,' as they would call it, to perform, which neither Philidor, nor +Philadelphia, nor Cagliostro, nor any other conjurer would be able to do, and +which, being completely inexplicable, must always remain a stumbling-block to +the kind of people in question. But I cannot help performing it, because it is +indispensable to the <i>dénouement</i> of this Berlinese tale of the Choice of a +Bride by three personages, suitors for the hand of Miss Albertine Bosswinkel. So +keep up your heart, my dear child, rise to-morrow morning in good time, put on +the dress which you like the best, because it is the most becoming you happen to +have; do your hair in the way you think suits you best, and then await, as +quietly and patiently as you can, what will happen."</p> + +<p class="normal">He disappeared exactly as he had come.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the next day--the Sunday--at eleven o'clock--the appointed +time--there arrived at the place of rendezvous old Manasseh +with his hopeful nephew--Tussmann--and Edmund Lehsen with the Goldsmith. The +wooers, not excepting the Baron, were almost frightened when they saw Albertine, +who had never seemed so lovely and taking. I am in a position to assure every +lady, married or otherwise, who attaches the proper amount of importance to +dress, that the way in which Albertine's was trimmed, and the material of the +trimmings, were most elegant; that the frock itself was just the right length to +show her pretty little feet in their white satin shoes; that the arms of it +(short, of course), and the corsage were bordered with the richest Point; that +her white French gloves came up to just the least little bit above her elbows, +showing her beautiful arm; that the only thing she had on her head was a lovely +gold comb set with jewels; in short, that her dress was quite that of a bride, +except that she had no myrtle wreath in her bonny brown hair. But the reason why +she was so much more beautiful than she ever had been before was that love and +hope beamed in her eyes and bloomed on her cheeks.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bosswinkel, in a burst of hospitality, had provided a splendid +lunch. Old Manasseh glowered at the table laid out for this repast with +malignant glances askance, and when the Commissionsrath begged him to fall to, +on his countenance could be read the answer of Shylock:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your +prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into. I will buy with you, sell with +you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with +you, drink with you, nor pray with you."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron was less conscientious, for he ate more beefsteak +than was seemly, and talked a great deal of stupid nonsense, as was his wont.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Commissionsrath behaved wholly contrarily to his nature on +this important occasion. Not only did he pour out bumpers of Port and Madeira, +regardless of expense, and even told the company that he had some Madeira in his +cellar a hundred years old; but when the luncheon was over he explained to the +suitors the method in which his daughter's hand was to be disposed of in a +speech much better put together than anybody would ever have expected of him. +They were given to understand most clearly that the successful one must find her +portrait in the casket which he chose.</p> + +<p class="normal">When twelve o'clock struck the door of the hall opened, and +there was seen in the middle of it a table with a rich cover on it, bearing the +three caskets.</p> + +<p class="normal">One was of shining gold, with a circle of glittering ducats on +its lid, and the inscription inside them--</p> +<div class="quote"> +<p class="center">"Who chooseth me doth gain that which he much desires."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">The second was of silver, richly chased. On its lid were many +words and letters of foreign languages, encircling this inscription--</p> +<div class="quote"> +<p class="center">"Who chooseth me doth find more than he hopes."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">The third, plainly carved of ivory, was inscribed--</p> +<div class="quote"> +<p class="center">"Who chooseth me doth gain his dreamed-of bliss."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">Albertine took her place on a chair behind the table, her +father by her side. Manasseh and the Goldsmith drew away into the background.</p> + +<p class="normal">The lots were drawn, and, Tussmann having the first choice, +the Baron and Edmund had to go into the other room.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Clerk of the Privy Chancery went carefully and +considerately up to the table, looked at the caskets with much minuteness of +observation, read the inscriptions on them one after another. Soon he found +himself irresistibly attracted by the beautiful characters of foreign languages +so charmingly intertwined on the cover of the silver casket.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good heavens!" he cried, "what beautiful lettering, with what +skill those Arabic characters are brought in amongst the Roman letters, and 'Who +chooseth me doth gain more than he hopes.' Now have I gone on cherishing the +slightest hope that Miss Albertine would be so gracious as to honour me with her +hand? wasn't I going to throw myself into the basin? Evidently here is comfort, +here is good fortune. Commissionsrath! Miss Albertine! I choose the silver one."</p> + +<p class="normal">Albertine rose and handed him a little key, with which he +opened the casket. Great was his consternation to find, not Albertine's +portrait, but a little book bound in parchment, which, when he opened it, +appeared to consist of blank white pages. Beside it lay a little scrap of paper, +with the words--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Thy choice was, in a way, amiss,</p> +<p class="i6">But those few words do tell thee this--</p> +<p class="i6">What thou hast won will never alter,</p> +<p class="i6">To use it thou needs't never falter.</p> +<p class="i6">What 'tis as yet thou dost not see,</p> +<p class="i6">An endless source of joy 'twill be.</p> +<p class="i6"><i>Ignorantiam</i> 'twill enlighten,</p> +<p class="i6"><i>Sapientiam</i> further brighten."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">"Good heavens!" cried Tussmann, "it's a book. Yet, no, it's +not a book, and there's nothing in the shape of a portrait. It's merely a lot of +paper bound up together; my hopes are dashed to earth, all is over with me now. +All I have got to do is to be off to the frog-pond as quickly as I can."</p> + +<p class="normal">But as he was hurrying away the Goldsmith stopped him, and +said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Tussmann, you're very foolish; you've got hold of the most +priceless treasure you could possibly have come across. Those lines of verse +ought to have told you so at once. Do me the favour to put that book which you +found in the casket into your pocket."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann did so.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," said the Goldsmith, "think of some book or other which +you would wish that you had in your pocket at this moment."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, my goodness," said Tussmann, "I went and shied +Thomasius's little treatise on 'Diplomatic Acumen' into the frog-pond, like an +utter fool as I was."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Put your hand in your pocket," said the Goldsmith, "and take +out the book."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann did so, and lo, the book which he brought out was +none other than Thomasius's treatise!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha!" cried Tussmann, "what is this? Why it is Thomasius's +treatise, my beloved Thomasius, rescued from the congregation of frogs in the +pond, who would never have learned diplomatic acumen from him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Keep yourself calm," the Goldsmith said; "put the book into +your pocket again."</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann did so.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Think of some other rare work," the Goldsmith said: "one +which you have never been able to come across in any library."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, good gracious!" cried Tussmann in melancholy accents. "I +have been, you see, in the habit of sometimes going to the opera, so that I have +wanted, very much, to ground myself a little in the theory of music, and I have +been trying in vain hitherto to get hold of a copy of a certain little treatise +which explains the arts of the composer and the performer, in an allegorical +form. I mean Johann Beer's 'Musical War,' an account of the contest between +composition and harmony, which are represented under the guise of two heroines, +who do battle with each other, and end by being completely reconciled."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Feel in your pocket," said the Goldsmith; and the Clerk of +the Privy Chancery shouted with joy when he found that his paper book now +consisted of Johann Beer's 'Musical War.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"You see now, do you not," said the Goldsmith, "that in the +book which you found in the casket you possess the finest and most complete +library that anybody ever had? and more than that, you take it about with you in +your pocket. For, while you have this remarkable book in your pocket, it will +always be whatever book you happen to want to read, as soon as you take it out."</p> + +<p class="normal">Without wasting a thought on Albertine or the Commissionsrath, +Tussmann went and sat down in an armchair in a corner, stuck the book into his +pocket, pulled it out again, and it was easy to see, by the delight in his +countenance, how completely the Goldsmith's promise had been fulfilled.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was the Baron's turn next. He came strolling up to the +table in his foolish, loutish manner, looked at the caskets through his +eyeglass, and murmured out the inscriptions one after the other. But soon a +natural, inborn, irresistible instinct drew him to the gold casket, with the +shining ducats on its lid. "Who chooseth me doth gain that which he much +desires." "Certainly ducats are what I much desire, and Albertine is what I much +desire. I don't see much good in bothering over this."</p> + +<p class="normal">So he grasped the golden casket; took its key from Albertine, +opened it, and found a nice little English file! Beside it lay a piece of paper +with the words:--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Now thou hast the thing thy heart</p> +<p class="i6">Longed for, with the keenest smart.</p> +<p class="i6">All besides is mere parade.</p> +<p class="i6">Onward--never retrograde--</p> +<p class="i6">Moves a truly thriving Trade."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">"And what the Devil's the use of this thing?" Benjie cried, +surveying the file. "It isn't Albertine's picture, you know; however, I shall +hold on to the casket; it'll be a wedding-present to Albertine. Come to me, +dearest child!" With which he was making straight for Albertine; but the +Goldsmith held him back by the shoulders, saying--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop, my good sir; that's not in the bargain: you must +content yourself with the file. And you will be content with it, when you find +out what a treasure it is. In fact, the paper tells you, if you can understand +it. Have you got a worn ducat in your pocket?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Benjie, angrily, "and what then?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Out with it," the Goldsmith said, "and try the file on the +edge of it."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron did so, with an amount of skill which told of much +previous practice; and the more ducats he filed at--for he tried a good many, +one after another--the fresher the edges of them came out.</p> + +<p class="normal">Up to this point Manasseh had been looking on in silence at +what was transpiring; but here he jumped up, with eyes sparkling wildly, and +dashed at his nephew, crying, in a hollow, terrible voice--</p> + +<p class="normal">"God of my Fathers! what do I see? Give me that file!--here +with it instantly! It is the piece of magic-work for which I sold my soul more +than three hundred years ago. God of my Fathers!--hand it over to me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And he made at his nephew to take it from him; but Benjie +pushed him back, crying, "Go to the Deuce, you old idiot! It was I who found the +file, not you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">To which Manasseh responded, in fury: "Viper! Worm-eaten fruit +of my race!--Here with that file! All the Demons of Hell be upon you, accursed +thief!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Manasseh clutched hold of the Baron, with a torrent of Hebrew +curses, and foaming and gnashing his teeth, he exerted all the strength at his +command to wrest the file from him. But Benjie fought for it as a lioness does +for her cubs, till at length Manasseh was worn out; on which his nephew seized +him by the shoulders and threw him out of the door, with such force that all his +limbs cracked again. Then, coming back like a flash of lightning, he shoved a +small table into a corner, and sitting down there, opposite to the Clerk of the +Privy Chancery, took a handful of ducats from his pocket, and set to work to +file away at them as hard as he could.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," said the Goldsmith, "we have seen the last of that +terrible Manasseh. He is off our hands, for good and all. People say he is a +second Ahasuerus, and has been going spooking about since the year 1572. That +was the year in which he was put to death for diabolical practices and sorcery, +under the name of Lippolt, the Jew-coiner. But the Devil saved his body from +death at the price of his immortal soul. Many folk who understand those things +say they have seen him in Berlin in a good many forms; so that, if all tales are +true, there are a good number of Lippolts at the present time about. However, I, +who have a certain amount of experience in those mysterious matters, can assure +you that I have given him his quietus."</p> + +<p class="normal">It would weary you very needlessly, dear reader, were I to +waste words in telling you what you know quite well; namely, that Edmund Lehsen +chose the ivory casket, inscribed--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="center">"Who chooseth me doth gain his dreamed-of bliss,"</p> +</div> +<p class="continue">and found in it a beautiful portrait of Albertine, with the +lines--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i0">"Yes--thou hast it--read thy chance</p> +<p class="i0">In thy darling's loving glance.</p> +<p class="i4">What has past returns no more--</p> +<p class="i6">Earthly fate so willeth this.</p> +<p class="i4">All the joy which lies <i>before</i></p> +<p class="i6">Gather from thy sweetheart's kiss."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">And Edmund, like Bassanio, followed the counsel of the last +line, and pressed his blushing sweetheart to his breast, and kissed her glowing +lips; whilst the Commissionsrath greatly rejoiced, and was full of happiness over this happy <i>dénouement</i> of this most +involved love-affair.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile the Baron had been filing at ducats quite as eagerly +and absorbedly as the Clerk of the Privy Chancery had been reading, neither of +them taking the slightest notice of what had been going on, till the +Commissionsrath announced, in a loud voice, that Edmund Lehsen had chosen the +casket containing Albertine's portrait, and was, consequently, to be her +husband. Tussmann seemed to be quite delighted to hear it, and expressed his +satisfaction in his usual manner, by rubbing his hands, jumping a little way up +and down for a moment or two, and giving a delicate little laugh. The Baron +seemed to feel no further interest about the matter; but he embraced the +Commissionsrath; said he was a real "gentleman" and had made him most utterly +happy by his present of the file, and told him that he could always count upon +him, in all circumstances. With which he took his departure.</p> + +<p class="normal">Tussmann, too, thanked him, with tears of the most heartfelt +emotion, for making him the happiest of men by this most rare and wonderful of +all rare and wonderful books; and, after the most profuse expenditure of +politeness to Albertine, Edmund, and the old Goldsmith, he followed the Baron as +quickly as ever he could.</p> + +<p class="normal">Benjie ceased to torture the world of letters with literary +abortions, as he had formerly done, preferring to employ his time in filing +ducats; and Tussmann no longer made the booksellers' lives a burden to them by +pestering them to hunt out old forgotten books for him.</p> + +<p class="normal">But when a few weeks of rapture and happiness had passed, a +great and bitter sorrow took possession of the Commissionsrath's house. For the +Goldsmith urged, in the strongest terms, upon Edmund that for his own sake, and +for the sake of his art, he was bound to keep his solemn promise and go to +Italy.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund, notwithstanding the dreadful parting from Albertine, +felt the strongest possible impulse urging him towards the country of the arts; +and, although Albertine shed the bitterest tears, she could not help thinking +how very nice it would be to be able to take out letters from her lover at Rome, +and read them out--or extracts from them--at aesthetic teas of an afternoon.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edmund has been in Rome now more than a year, and people do +say that his correspondence with Albertine languishes, and that the letters are +becoming rarer and colder. Who knows whether or not anything will ever come, +ultimately, of the engagement between those two people? Certainly Albertine +won't be long "in the market" in any case; she is so pretty, and so well off. +Just at present, there is young Mr. Gloria (just going to be called to the bar), +a very nice young gentleman indeed, with a slim and tightly-girded waist, a +couple of waistcoats on at once, and a cravat tied in the English style; and he +danced all last season with Albertine, and is to be seen now going continually +with her to the Thiergarten, whilst the Commissionsrath trots very complacently +after them, looking like a satisfied father. Moreover, Mr. Gloria has passed his +second examination at the Supreme Court with flying colours.</p> + +<p class="normal">"So perhaps he and Albertine may make a match of it, should he +get a fairly good appointment. There's no telling. Let us see what happens."</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">"You have certainly written a wonderfully crack-brained thing +in that," Ottmar said, when Lothair had finished. "This 'Tale containing +improbable incidents,' as you have called it, appears to me to be a kind of +mosaic, composed of all kinds of stones put together at random, which dazzles +and confuses one's eyes so that they can't take firm hold of any definite +figure."</p> + +<p class="normal">"As far as I am concerned," Theodore said, "I must confess +that I think a great deal of it is exceedingly delightful, and that it might +very likely have been a very superior production, if Lothair hadn't, most +imprudently, gone and read Hafftitz. The consequence of this was that those two +practitioners of the black art, the Goldsmith and the +Jew-coiner, had to be brought into the story somehow, +willy-nilly; and thus those two unfortunate revenants make their appearance as +heterogeneous elements, working, with their sorceries, in an unnaturally +constrained manner among the incidents of the tale. It is well your story hasn't +been printed, or you would have been hauled over the coals by the critics."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wouldn't it do to light up the pages of a Berlin Almanack?" +the Author asked, with one of his ironical smiles. "Of course I should still +more localize the localities, and add a few names of celebrities, and so gain a +little applause from the literary-aesthetic, if from nobody else.[2]</p> + +<br> +<p class="hang1">[Footnote 2: "This speech of Lothair's shows what the Author +had in his mind at the time. The tale <i>did</i> appear in the Berlin Almanack of +1820, with additional localities, and names of celebrities in the Art-World, but +the publishers told him he ought to try to keep within the bounds of +'probability,' in future."--(Note of Editor of Collected Works.)]</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">"However, all the same, my dear friends, did you not laugh +heartily enough at times, as I was reading it? and ought that not to deprive +your criticism of some of its severity? If you, Ottmar, say my tale is a mosaic, +you might admit that it has something of a Kaleidoscope character, in spite of +its crackiness, and that its matters, though most adventitiously shaken +together, do ultimately form more or less interesting combinations. At all +events, you surely admit that there are one or two good characters in my story, +and at the head of them, the love-stricken Baron Benjie, that worthy scion of +the Jew-coiner race of Lippolts; however, we've had far too much of my piece of +patchwork, which was only intended to amuse you for a moment as a <i>bizarre</i> +jest. What I would have you notice is that I have been faithful to my principle +of welding on the Legendary to the every-day life of the present day."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And," said Theodore, "I am a great adherent of that +principle. It used to be supposed to be necessary to localize everything of the +legendary kind in the remote East, taking Scheherezade as the model in so doing; +and, as soon as we touched upon the manners, the customs, the ways of life of +the East, we got into a world which was apparently hovering, adrift, all in a +sort of unreality, anchorless, before our eyes, on the point of floating away +and disappearing. This is why those tales so often strike coldly on us, and have +no power to kindle the inner spirit--the fancy. What I think, and mean, is, that +the foot of the heavenly ladder, which we have got to mount in order to reach +the higher regions, has to be fixed firmly in every-day life, so that everybody +may be able to climb up it along with us. When people then find that they have +got climbed up higher and higher into a marvellous, magical world, they will +feel that that realm, too, belongs to their ordinary, every-day life, and is, +merely, the wonderful and most glorious part thereof. For them it is the +beautiful flower-garden beyond the city-wall into which they can go, and in +which they can wander and enjoy themselves, if they have but made up their minds +to quit the gloomy walls of the city, for a time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't forget, though, Theodore, my friend," said Ottmar, +"that there are quantities of people who won't go up the ladder at all, because +it isn't 'proper' or 'becoming.' And many turn giddy by the time they get to the +third rung of it. Many never see the ladder at all, though it is facing them in +the broad, daily path of their lives, and they pass by it every day. As regards +the tales of the 'Thousand and One Nights,' it is remarkable enough that most of +those who have tried to imitate them have overlooked that which is just what +gives them life and reality--exactly what Lothair's principle is. All the +cobblers, tailors, dervishes, merchants, and so forth, who appear as the +characters in those tales, are people who are to be met with every day in the +streets. And--inasmuch as life is independent of times and manners, but is +always the same affair--in its essential conditions (and always must be so), it +follows that we feel that all those folks--upon whom, in the middle of their +everyday lives, such extraordinary and magical adventures came, and such spells +wound themselves--are really the sort of people who are actually walking about +amongst us. Such is the marvellous, mighty power of description, +characterization, and representation in that immortal book."</p> + +<p class="normal">As the evening was fast growing colder, it was thought +advisable--on account of Theodore's having but half recovered from his late +illness--that the friends should go to the great summer-house, +and indulge in a cup of refreshing tea, in place of anything more exciting.</p> + +<p class="normal">And when the urn was on the table, singing its usual little +domestic tune, Ottmar said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I don't think I could have a better opportunity for reading +you a +tale which I wrote a long while ago, and which happens to +begin with tea-drinking. I mention, to begin with, that it is in Cyprian's +style."</p> + +<p class="normal">Ottmar read--</p> + +<br> + +<h2><a name="div2_guest" href="#div2Ref_guest">THE UNCANNY GUEST</a>.</h2> + +<p class="normal">A storm was raging through the heavens, announcing the coming +of winter, whirling black clouds on its wings, which dashed down hissing, +rattling squall-showers of rain and hail.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nobody will come to-night," said Madame von G. to her +daughter Angelica, as the clock struck seven. "They would never venture out in +such weather. If your father were but home!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Almost as she was speaking, in came Captain Moritz von E. (a +cavalry officer), followed by a young Barrister, whose brilliant and +inexhaustible fund of humour and wit was the life and soul of the circle which +was accustomed to assemble every Thursday evening in Colonel von G.'s house. So +that, as Angelica said, there was little cause to be sorry that the less +intimate members of the circle were away, seeing that the more welcome ones had +come.</p> + +<p class="normal">It felt very chilly in the drawing-room. The lady of the house +had had a fire lighted, and the tea-table brought.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am sure," she said, "that you two gentlemen, who have been +so courageous as to come to see us tonight through such a storm, can +never be content with our wretched tea. Mademoiselle +Marguerite shall make you a brew of that good, northern beverage which can keep +any +sort of weather out." Marguerite--a young French lady, who was +"companion" to Angelica, for the sake of her language, and other +lady-like accomplishments, but who was only about her own age, +or barely more--came, and performed the duty thus entrusted to her. So the punch +steamed, while the fire sparkled and blazed; and the company sate down round the +little tea-table.</p> + +<p class="normal">A shiver suddenly passed through them--through each and all of +them; and they felt chilled. Though they had been talking merrily before they +sat down, there fell now upon them a momentary silence, during which the strange +voices which the storm had called into life in the chimney whistled and howled +with marvellous distinctness.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There can be no doubt," said Dagobert (the young barrister), +"that the four ingredients, Autumn, a stormy Wind, a good fire, and a jorum of +punch, have, when taken together, a strange power of causing people to +experience a curious sense of awesomeness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A very pleasant one, though," said Angelica. "At all events, +I do not know a more delightful sensation than the sort of strange shiveriness +which goes through one when one feels--heaven knows how, or why--as if one were +suddenly casting a glance, with one's eyes open, into some strange, mystic +dream-world."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Exactly," said Dagobert; "that delicious shiveriness was +exactly what came over all of us just now; and the glance into the dream-world, +which we were involuntarily making at that moment, made us all silent. It is +well for us that we have got it over, and that we have come back so quickly from +the dream-world to this charming reality, which provides us with this grand +liquid." He rose, and, bowing politely to Madame von G., emptied the glass +before him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," Moritz said, "if you felt all the deliciousness of that +species of shudder, and of the dreamy condition accompanying it (as Miss +Angelica and I did), why shouldn't you be glad to prolong it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me say, my dear friend," Dagobert answered, "that the +kind of dreaminess which we have to do with in this instance is not that in +which the mind, or spirit, goes losing and sinking itself in all kinds of vague +labyrinths of complexity of wondrous, calm enjoyment. The storm-wind, the +blazing fire, and the punch are only the predisposing causes of the onsetting of +that incomprehensible, mysterious +condition--deeply grounded in our human organism--which our +minds strive, in vain, to fight against, and which we ought to take great care +not to allow ourselves to yield to over much. What I mean is, the fear of the +supernatural. We all know that the uncanny race of ghosts, the haunters, choose +the night (and particularly in stormy weather), to arise from their darksome +dwellings, and set forth upon their mysterious wanderings. So that we are right +in expecting some of those fearsome visitants just at a time like this."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You do not mean what you say, of course," Madame von G. +answered; "and I need not tell you that the sort of superstitious fear which we +so often, in a childish way, feel, is not in any degree inherent in our +organization as human beings. I am certain that it is chiefly traceable to the +foolish stories of ghosts, and so forth, which servants tell us while we are +children."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Madame," Dagobert answered; "those tales--which we +enjoyed more than any others which we heard as children--would never have raised +up such an enduring echo in us if the strings which re-echo them had not existed +within us to begin with. There is no denying the existence of the mysterious +spirit-world which lies all around us, and often gives us note of its Being in +wondrous, mystic sounds, and even in marvellous sights. Most probably the +shudder of awe with which we receive those intimations of that spirit-world, and +the involuntary fear which +they produce in us, are nothing but the result of our being +hemmed +in--imprisoned--by our human organization. The awe and the +fear are merely the modes in which the spirit imprisoned within our bodies +expresses its sorrow thereat."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a spirit-seer, a believer in all those things--like +all people who have lively imaginations," said Madame von G. "But if I were to +go the length of admitting, and believing, that it is permitted that an unknown +spirit-world should reveal its existence to us by means of sounds and sights, I +should still have to say that I am unable to comprehend why that mysterious +realm, and its denizens, should stand in such a relation to us that they bring +merely paralyzing fear and horror upon us."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps," Dagobert said, "it is the punishment inflicted on +us by that mother from whose care and discipline we have run away. I mean, that +in that golden age when our race was living in the most perfect union with all +nature, no dread or terror disturbed us, for the simple reason that in the +profound peace and perfect harmony of all created things, there was nothing +hostile that could cause us any such emotion. I was mentioning strange +spirit-sounds; but why is it that all the real <i>nature</i>-tones--of whose origin +and causes we can give the most complete account--sound to us like the most +piercing sorrow, and fill our hearts with the profoundest dread? The most +remarkable of those nature-tones is the air-music, or, as it is called, the +'devil-voice,' heard in Ceylon and the neighbouring countries, spoken of by +Schubert in his 'Glances at the Night-side of Natural Science.' This nature-tone +is heard on calm and bright nights, sounding like the wail of some human +creature lamenting in the deepest distress. It seems to come sometimes from the +most remote distance, and then again to be quite close at hand. It affects the +human intelligence so powerfully that the most self-controlled cannot help +feeling the deepest terror when they hear it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said Moritz, "it is so. I have never been in Ceylon, +certainly, or in any of the neighbouring countries; but I have heard that +terrible nature-sound; and not only I, but every one else who heard it, felt +just that precise effect which Dagobert alludes to."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should be extremely obliged to you," said Dagobert, "and +you would probably convince Madame von G. also, if you would not mind telling us +what happened."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know," Moritz said, "that I served the campaign in Spain +under Wellington, with a mixed force of English and Spanish cavalry against the +French. The night before the battle of Vittoria I was bivouacking in the open +country. Being wearied to death by the long march we had made during the day, I +had fallen into a deep sleep of exhaustion, when I was awakened by a piercing +cry of distress. I naturally thought--and it was the only idea that came into my +mind--that what I heard was the death-cry of some wounded soldier near me; but +the comrades who were lying round me were all snoring, and there was no other +sound to be heard. The first gleams of the dawn were breaking through the deep +darkness, and I got up and strode away over the bodies of the sleepers, thinking +that I might perhaps come across the wounded man, whoever he was, who had +uttered that cry. It was a singularly calm night, and +only most gradually and imperceptibly did the morning breeze +begin to move, and to cause the leaves to tremble. Then a second cry, like the +former--a long wail of woe--came ringing through the air, and +died away in the remotest distance. It was as though the spirits of the slain +were rising up from the battlefield, and wailing their boundless sorrow out into +the wide heaven. My breast throbbed, was overwhelmed by an inexpressible awe; +all the sorrow which I had ever heard exhaled from all human breasts was nothing +in comparison with that heart-piercing wail. Our comrades now awoke from their +sleep, and, for the third time, that terrible cry of sorrow arose, and filled +the whole air, more fearful and awful than before. We were all smitten with the +profoundest fear; even the horses were terrified; they snorted and stamped. Many +of the Spaniards fell on their knees and prayed aloud. One of the English +officers told us that he had several times met with this phenomenon in southern +countries; and that it was of electrical origin, and there would probably be a +change in the weather. The Spaniards, with their bent towards the supernatural, +heard in it the mighty voices of supernatural beings, announcing great events +about to happen. In this they were confirmed when, next day, the battle came +thundering in upon them, with all its horrors."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is there any occasion." Dagobert said, "to go to Ceylon, or +to Spain, to hear these marvellous Nature-tones of sorrow and complaining? +Surely the howling of the storm-wind, the rattling of the hail, the groanings +and creakings of the vanes are just as capable of filling us with profound +terror as are those other Nature-tones we have been speaking of. Listen to that +weird music which some hundreds of fearful voices are organing down this +chimney; or to the strange little spirit-like ditty which the tea-urn is just +beginning to sing."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! most ingenious indeed!" cried Madame von G. "Even into +the very tea-urn Dagobert conjures spirits which render themselves cognisable to +us by fearful cries of woe."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But he is not far wrong, dear mother!" Angelica said. "I +could very soon be seriously frightened at the extraordinary way in which that +whistling, and rattling, and hissing is going on in the chimney; and the little +tune which the tea-urn is singing, in such a tone of profound sorrow, is--to +me--so eery and uncomfortable, that I shall go and blow out the spirit lamp, +that there may be an end of it at once."</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica rose: her handkerchief fell. Moritz quickly picked it +up and handed it to her. She allowed a glance, full of soul, from her heavenly +eyes to rest upon him; he took her hand, and pressed it fervently to his lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">At that moment Marguerite shuddered convulsively, as if +touched by some electric current, and allowed the glass of punch, which she had +just poured out for Dagobert, to drop from her hand. It shattered to atoms on +the floor. She cast herself down at Madame von G.'s feet sobbing bitterly--said +she was a stupid creature, and implored that she might be allowed to go to her +room. She said that what they had been talking about had made her frightened and +nervous--although she had not understood it; that she felt frightened still--as +if she could not stay in the room--though she could not explain why; that she +was feeling unwell, and would like to get to bed. So saying, she kissed Madame +von G.'s hands, and bedewed them with the tears she was shedding.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dagobert felt the painfulness of the incident, and the +necessity of giving matters a different turn. He, too, fell at Madame von G.'s +feet, and in the most pathetic voice at his command, begged forgiveness for the +culprit. As regarded the stain of punch on the floor, he vowed that he would put +waxed brushes on his feet in the morning, and go figuring athwart the boards in +the most exquisite tours, and steps that ever inspired the brain of a court +dancing-master.</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame von G., who had at first been looking very grave over +Marguerite's mishap, strange as it seemed, and inexplicable, cleared up a little +at Dagobert's words. She gave each of them her hand with a smile and said, +"Rise, and wipe away your tears. You are forgiven, Marguerite; you have this +champion of yours to thank that I do not inflict a very severe punishment upon +you. But I can't let you go altogether scot free. If you <i>are</i> a little out of +sorts, you must try to forget it. I shall ordain you to stay here, be more +assiduous than before at filling the gentlemen's glasses with the punch, and, +above all things, you must reward your champion and defender with a kiss, in +token of your sincere gratitude."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So that Virtue is its own reward," Dagobert said, with a +comic pathos, as he took Marguerite's hand. "All I ask of you, beauteous lady," +he continued, "is to believe that the world contains (though you might be +sceptical on the subject) legal luminaries of such a heroic sort that they do +not hesitate a moment to offer themselves up a sacrifice at the shrine of +Innocence and Truth. But we must obey the commands of our fair judge, from whose +award there is no appeal." And he impressed a fugitive kiss upon Marguerite's +lips, and then led her back to her seat with much solemnity. Marguerite, +blushing like a rose, laughed very heartily; but the bright tears still stood in +her eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stupid fool that I am," she cried in French, "have I not got +to do whatever Madame von G. bids me? I will keep perfectly calm. I will go on +making their punch. I will listen to their ghost-stories without being in the +least afraid."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bravo, angelic child," cried Dagobert. "My heroism has +infected you, and the sweetness of your lips has inspired <i>me</i>. My imagination +has unfolded new wings, and I feel ready to serve up the most awful events and +mysteries from the 'Regno di Pianto.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought we had done with this unpleasant subject," said +Madame von G.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh no, mother dear," cried Angelica eagerly; "please to let +Dagobert go on! I am exactly like a child about those things. I don't know +anything I so delight in as a nice ghost story--something that makes all one's +flesh creep."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, how I <i>do</i> like that!" Dagobert cried. "Nothing is so +utterly delightful in young ladies as their being tremendously superstitious, +and easily frightened; and I should never dream of marrying a woman who was not +terribly afraid of ghosts."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You were saying a little while ago, dear Dagobert," said +Moritz, "that we ought to guard ourselves against--or take care how we +allow ourselves to get into--that dreamy state of awe which is the commencement +of spirit-fear--the dread of the superhuman, the ghostly world. You have still +got to explain to us the <i>why</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If there is, at the commencement of it, any real cause for +that sense of awesomeness--which is at first so thoroughly blended up with the +<i>dreamily</i> pleasurable--it by no means remains at that stage. Soon there +supervenes a deadly fear--a horror which makes the hair stand on end; so that +the said pleasurable feeling at the commencement would seem to be the +fascination of temptation with which the Spirit World lures us on and ensnares +us. We were talking of certain Nature-tones which are capable of explanation, +and of their fearsome effect upon our senses. But we at times hear sounds more +extraordinary, of which the origin and cause are indiscoverable by us, and which +produce in us the profoundest awe and terror. All reassuring ideas--such as that +they proceed from some animal in pain, or are produced by currents of air, or +other natural causes--are useless and of no avail. Every one, I presume, has +experienced that, in the night, the very faintest sound, if only it occurs at +regular intervals with pauses between, completely drives away sleep, and goes on +increasingly stirring up one's inward disquiet till it reaches the point of +complete disorganization of the faculties. Not very long ago I had to spend a +night, on a journey, at an inn, where the landlord put me in a nice, +comfortable, lofty, airy bedroom. In the middle of the night I started up from +my sleep, wide awake. The moon was shining brightly in at the window, which was +uncurtained, so that I could see every article of the furniture, and even the +minutest objects in the room. There was a sound as of water dropping into some +metallic dish. I lay and listened. The drops went on falling at regular, +measured intervals, drip, drip, drip. My dog, who was lying under the bed, crept +out, and went about the room whimpering and crying, scratching on the walls and +on the floor. I felt as if streams of icy water were running all through me, and +the cold perspiration dripped from my brow. However, I collected myself by a +great effort, and--after first of all giving a good loud shout--I got out of +bed, and went forward to the middle of the room. There the drops seemed to be +falling close in front of me, or rather I should say <i>right through</i> me into the +metal, of which I heard the reverberation ringing loud and clear as they fell. +Then, overcome by terror, I crept back, somehow, to the bed, and covered myself +up with the bedclothes. And then it seemed to me that the dropping--still going +on at the same regular intervals--grew gradually fainter and fainter, and died +away as if in the distance. I fell into a deep sleep, out of which I did not +wake till it was bright daylight in the morning. The dog had come and lain down +close beside me in bed, and did not move till I got up, when he jumped up too, +barking vigorously, as if he had got over his terror of the previous night. It +occurred to me that it might only be to me that the (doubtless) natural cause or +causes of this strange sound were a mystery, and I told the landlord of my +adventure--of which I still felt the terror in all my frame. I ended by saying +that he could, no doubt, explain the whole affair to me, but that he ought to +have told me of it beforehand. He turned as pale as a sheet, and begged me never +to tell any one what had happened to me, as he would risk the loss of his +customers. He said many travellers had complained about that sound, which they +had heard on bright moonlight nights--that he had examined everything with the +utmost care and attention, and even had the floor of that room and the adjoining +one taken up, as well as making inquisition into everything in the +neighbourhood, without coming upon the faintest trace of anything to account for +this awe-inspiring noise. It had not been heard for nearly a year before the +night I speak of, and he had been flattering himself that the +Principle--whatever it might be--which was haunting the room had ceased its +operation. But seeing, to his great alarm, that in this he was mistaken, he +determined that he would never, in any circumstances, allow anybody to pass the +night there again."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! how terrible!" cried Angelica, shuddering like one in the +cold stage of an ague. "That is really most terrible! Oh! I am sure I should +have died if anything like that had happened to me! But I have often woke up +from sleep, suddenly, feeling an indescribable, inexplicable alarm and anxiety, +as if I had been going through something terrible and alarming; and yet, I had +not the slightest idea what it was that I had been going through, nor the very +faintest recollection of any fearful dream, or anything of that kind. Rather I +seemed to be waking from some condition of complete unconsciousness, like +death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know that feeling perfectly well," Dagobert said. "Perhaps +it points straight to the effect upon us of psychical influences external to us, +to which we are compelled to yield ourselves up, whether we choose or not. Just +as the mesmeric subject has no remembrance of the mesmeric sleep, or of anything +which happens in it. Perhaps that sense of fear and anxiety which we feel on +awaking (as we have said), of which the cause is hidden from us, may be the +lingering echo of some mighty spell which has forced us out of ourselves."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I remember very distinctly," Angelica said, "some four years +ago, the night before my fourteenth birthday, awaking in a condition of that +kind. I could not shake off the terror of it for several days afterwards. But I +strove in vain to remember anything about my dream (if dream it was, that had so +terrified me). I knew, and I know quite well, that in the very dream itself I +had told several people--my own dear mother amongst them--what the dream was, +several times. But all I could remember when I woke was that I had told the +dream. I could not recall the slightest trace of what the dream had been."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This strange psychical phenomenon," Dagobert said, "is +closely connected with the magnetic principle."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Our conversation is getting more and more dreadful," said +Madame von G. "We are getting deep, and losing ourselves in matters I can't bear +even to think about. Moritz, I must beg you to tell us something +entertaining--outrageous even--that we may get away from this terrible region of +the supernatural."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I should be very happy to try," said Moritz, "if you will +just allow me to tell one gruesome tale, which has been hovering on my lips for +a long time. At this moment all my being is so filled with it that I feel that I +could not talk about anything else."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Discharge yourself, then," said Madame von G., "from the load +of awesomeness which so weighs upon you. My husband will be home immediately, +and then I should be so delighted to work through some battle or other with you +and him, or to hear you talk in your absorbed manner about horses, or anything, +to get me out of this overstrained condition into which all this supernatural +stuff, I must admit, puts me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In my last campaign," said Moritz, "I made the acquaintance +of a Russian Lieutenant-Colonel, a Livonian by birth, scarcely thirty, who, as +chance willed it that we should be serving together before the +enemy for a considerable time, soon became my very intimate +friend. Bogislav--that was his Christian name--possessed every quality fitted to +gain for him, everywhere, the highest consideration and the most sincere regard. +He was tall and fine-looking, with an intellectual face. He possessed masculine +beauty, much mental cultivation, and was kindliness itself, while brave as a +lion. He could be particularly cheerful and entertaining, especially over a +glass of wine; but there would often come over him, and overwhelm him, the +thought of something terrible which had happened to him, leaving traces of the +most intense horror and terror on his face. When this happened he would lapse +into silence, leave the company, and stroll about up and down, alone. In the +field, he used to ride all round the outposts at night, from one to another, +restlessly, only yielding to sleep when completely exhausted; and as, in +addition to this, he would often expose himself to the extremest danger, without +any special necessity, and seemed to seek, in battle, death, which fled from him +--for in the toughest hand-to-hand engagement never a bullet touched him; no +sword-cut came near him--it seemed evident that his life had been marred by some +irreparable bereavement, or perhaps some rash deed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We stormed, and captured, a fortified castle on the French +territory, and remained quartered there for a day or two, to give the men some +rest. The rooms where Bogislav was quartered were but a few steps from mine. In +the night I was awakened by a gentle knocking at my door. I asked who was there. +My name was called out: I recognised Bogislav's voice, and went to let him in. +There he stood in his night-dress, with a branched candlestick in his hand, pale +as death, with his face distorted, trembling in every limb, unable to utter a +word.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'For heaven's sake! what has happened?--what is the matter, +dearest Bogislav?' I cried. I took him to the arm-chair; made him swallow a +glass or two of the full-bodied wine which was on the table; held his hand fast +in mine, and spoke what comforting words I could, in my ignorance of the cause +of his strange condition.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He recovered himself by degrees, heaved a deep sigh, and then +began, in a hollow voice: 'No! no! I shall go mad, unless death takes me; God +knows I throw myself with eager longing into his arms. To you, my faithful +Moritz, I will confide my fearful secret. I told you once that I was in Naples a +good many years ago. There I met the daughter of one of the most distinguished +families, and fell deeply in love with her. She returned my affection, and, as +her parents gave their approval, I saw the fulfilment of my brightest hopes at +hand. The wedding-day was fixed, when there appeared on the scene a Sicilian +Count, who came between us with a most eager suit to my beloved and betrothed. I +took him to task; he insulted me; we met, and I sent my sword through his body. +I hastened to my love; I found her bathed in tears. She called me the accursed +murderer of the man she had adored, and repelled me with every mark of disgust; +screamed and wept in inconsolable sorrow; fell down fainting, as if stung by a +scorpion, when I touched her hand. Who can describe my amazement! Her parents +could not give the slightest explanation of the sudden change in her. She had +never given any favourable heed to the Count's attentions.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Her father concealed me in his palazzo, and, with the most +noble zeal, took care that I should be enabled to leave Naples undiscovered. +Driven by all the furies, I pushed on to St. Petersburg without a halt. It is +not the faithlessness of my love which plays havoc with my life. No! it is a +terrible mystery. Since that unhappy day in Naples I have been dogged and +pursued by the terrors of hell itself. Often by day, but still oftener by night, +I hear--sometimes as if a long distance away, sometimes as if quite close beside +me--a deep death-groan. It is the voice of the Count whom I killed! It makes my +inmost soul quiver with horror. I hear that horrible sound distinctly, close to +my ear, in the thick of the thunder of the heavy siege-guns, and the rattle of +musketry, and all the wild despair of madness awakes within me. This very +night----' Bogislav paused; and I, as well as he, was seized with the wildest +horror; for there came to our hearing a long-sustained, heart-breaking wail of +sorrow, as if proceeding from the stair outside. Then it was as if some one +raised himself, groaning and sighing, with difficulty from the ground, and was +coming towards us with heavy, uncertain steps.</p> + +<p class="normal">"At this Bogislav started up from his seat, and, with a wild +glow in his eyes, cried out, in a voice of thunder: 'Appear to me, abominable +one, if you only will! I am more than a match for you, and all the spirits of +hell that are at your disposal!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"On this there came a tremendous crash, and----"</p> + +<p class="normal">Just then the door of the drawing-room flew open with a +startling noise.</p> + +<p class="normal">And just as Ottmar read those words, the door of the +summer-house in which the friends were sitting flew open, also with a startling +noise, and they saw a dark form, wrapped in a mantle, approaching slowly, with +noiseless footfalls, as of a spirit. They all gazed at this form, a little +startled, holding their breaths.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is it right," said Lothair at length, when the full light of +the lamps, falling upon his face, displayed their friend Cyprian. "Is it right +to try to frighten good folks with foolish playing the ghost? However, I know, +Cyprian, that you don't content yourself with studying spirits and all sorts of +strange, visionary matters; you would often fain be a spook or ghost yourself. +But where have you appeared from so suddenly? How did you find out that we were +here?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I came back to-day from my journey," Cyprian said. "I went at +once to see Theodore, Lothair, and Ottmar, but found none of them at home. In +the fullness of my annoyance I ran out here into the open; and chance so willed +it that, as I was returning to the town, I struck into the walk which leads past +this summer-house. Then I seemed to hear a +well-known voice; I peeped in at the window, and saw my worthy +Serapion Brethren, and heard Ottmar reading 'The Uncanny Guest.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What," interrupted Ottmar, "you know my tale?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You forget," said Cyprian, "that it was from me that you got +the ingredients of the tale. It was I who told you of the 'Devil's Voice,' the +aerial music of Ceylon, who even gave you the idea of the sudden appearing of +the 'Uncanny Guest'; and I am curious to hear how you have worked out this +'Thema' of mine. You see that it was a matter of course that just when Ottmar +had made the drawing-room door fly open I had necessarily to do the like, and +appear to you myself."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not as an uncanny guest, though," said Theodore, "but as a +true and faithful Serapion Brother, who, although he frightened me not a little, +as I must perforce admit, is a thousand times welcome to me all the same."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And," said Lothair, "if he insists on being a spirit, he +must, at all events, not be an unquiet spirit, but sit down and drink tea, +without making too much clattering with his cup, and listen to Ottmar, as to +whose tale I am all the more curious, that this time it is a working up of a +thema given to him by another."</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodore, who was still easily excited after his recent +illness, had been affected by Cyprian's proceedings rather more than was +desirable. He was deadly pale, and it was evident that he had to put some +constraint on himself to appear at his ease.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cyprian saw this, and was not a little concerned at what he +had done. "The truth is," he said, "that I had not thought about our friend's +having only recently recovered, and hardly that, from a severe illness. I was +acting contrarily to my own fundamental principle, which totally prohibits the +perpetration of jokes of this description, because it has often happened that +the terrible serious reality of the spirit-world has come gripping in into jokes +of this kind, resulting in very terrific things. I remember, for instance----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop! stop!" cried Lothair. "I can't have any more +interruptions. Cyprian is on the point of carrying us away, after his manner, +into that dark world of spells where he is at home. Please to go on with your +story, Ottmar." Ottmar went on reading.</p> + +<p class="normal">And in came a man, dressed in black from top to toe, with a +pallid face, and a set, serious expression. He went up to Madame von G. +with the most courtly bearing of a man of the highest rank, +and in well-selected terms, begged her to pardon him for having been so long in +arriving, though his invitation was of such old standing--but that, to his +regret, he had been detained by having to pay an unavoidable visit first. Madame +von G., unable to recover all in a moment from the start which his entry had +caused her, murmured a few indistinguishable words, which seemed to amount to +saying, would the stranger be kind enough to take a seat. He drew a chair close +to her, and opposite to Angelica, sat down, and let his eyes pass over every +member of the company. Every one felt paralysed; none could utter a word. Then +the stranger began to speak, saying that he felt he stood doubly in need of +excuses; firstly, for arriving at such a time, and, secondly, for having made +his entrance in such a sudden manner, and so startlingly. The latter, however, +he was not to blame for, inasmuch as the door had been thrown open in that +violent manner by the servant whom he had found in the hall. Madame von G., +overcoming with difficulty the eery feeling with which she was seized, inquired +whom she had the honour of welcoming. The stranger seemed not to notice this +question, his attention being fixed on Marguerite, who had suddenly become +changed in all her ways and bearing, kept tripping and dancing close up to the +stranger, and telling him, with constant tittering and laughter, and with much +volubility, in French, that they had all been in the very thick of the most +delightful ghost-stories, and that Captain Moritz had just been saying that some +evil spectre ought to make its appearance at the very instant when he had come +in. Madame von G., feeling all the awkwardness of having to ask this stranger, +who had said he came by invitation, as to his name and so forth, but more +distressed and rendered uncomfortable by his presence, did not repeat her +question, but reprimanded Marguerite for her behaviour, which almost passed the +limits of the "<i>convenable</i>." The stranger put a stop to Marguerite's chatter, +turning to the others, and leading the conversation to some event of +indifference which had happened in the neighbourhood. Madame von G. answered +him. Dagobert tried to join in the conversation, which soon dragged painfully +along in detached, interrupted sentences; and during this, Marguerite kept +trilling couplets of French chansons, and seemed to be trying steps, as if +remembering the "tours" of the newest gavotte, while the others were scarcely +capable of moving. They all felt their breasts oppressed; the presence of the +stranger weighed upon them like the sultry oppressiveness which precedes a +thunderstorm. The words died on their lips when they looked at the deathly pale +face of this uncanny guest. The markedly foreign accent with which he spoke both +French and German indicated that he was neither a German nor a Frenchman.</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame von G. breathed freely, with an enormous sense of +relief, when at length horses were heard drawing up at the door, and the voice +of her husband, Colonel von G., was distinguishable.</p> + +<p class="normal">When the Colonel came in, and saw the stranger, he went up to +him quickly, saying, "Heartily welcome to my house, dear Count." Then turning to +his wife, he said, "This is Count S., a very dear friend of mine; I made his +acquaintance in the north, but met him afterwards in the south."</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame von G., whose anxiety began to be relieved, assured the +Count, with pleasant smiles, that it was only because her husband had omitted to +tell her of his visit that he had been received perhaps a little strangely, and +not as a welcome friend ought to have been. Then she told the Colonel how the +conversation had been running all the evening upon the supernatural; how Moritz +had been telling a dreadful story of events which had happened to him and a +friend of his, and that, at the very moment when he had been saying, "There came +a tremendous crash," the door had flown open, and the Count had come in.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Very good indeed," said the Colonel, laughing; "they thought +you were a ghost, dear Count! I fancy I see traces of alarm and nervousness +about Angelica's face still, and Moritz looks as though he had scarcely shaken +off the excitement of the story he was telling. Even Dagobert does not seem +quite in his ordinary spirits. Really, Count, it is a little too bad to take you +for a <i>revenant</i>; don't you think so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps," the Count replied; "I really may have something +more or less ghostly about me. A good deal is being said nowadays, about people +who, by virtue of some peculiar psychical quality, possess the power of +influencing others, so that they experience very remarkable effects. I may be +endowed with such a power."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are not serious, my dear Count," said Madame von G. "But +there is no doubt that people are discovering very wonderful mysteries +nowadays."</p> + +<p class="normal">"People are pampering their curiosity, and weakening their +minds over nursery tales and absurd fancies," was the Count's reply. "We ought +all to take care not to allow ourselves to be infected by this curious epidemic. +However, I interrupted this gentleman at the most interesting point of his +story, and as none of his hearers would like to lose the finale, the explanation +of the mystery, I would beg him to go on with it."</p> + +<p class="normal">To Captain Moritz this stranger Count was not only +uncomfortable and uncanny, but utterly repugnant, in all the depths of his +being. In his words he found--all the more that he gave them out with a most +irritating, self-satisfied smile--something indescribably contemptuous and +insulting; and he replied, in an irritated tone, and with flashing eyes, that he +feared his nursery tales might interfere with the pleasantness--the sense of +enjoyment--which the Count had introduced into the circle, so that he would +prefer to say no more.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Count seemed scarcely to notice what Moritz said. Playing +with the gold snuff-box which he had taken in his hand, he asked Madame von +G---- if the "lively" young lady was French. He meant +Marguerite, who kept dancing about the room, trilling. The Colonel went up to +her and asked her, half aloud, if she had gone out of her senses. Marguerite +slunk, abashed, to the tea-table, and sat down there quite quiet. The Count now +took up the conversation, and spoke, in an entertaining manner, of this and the +other events which had recently happened. Dagobert was scarcely able to put in a +word. Moritz stood, red as fire, with gleaming eyes, as if waiting eagerly for +the signal of attack. Angelica appeared to be completely immersed in the piece +of feminine "work" at which she had set herself to labour. She did not raise an +eyelid. The company separated in complete discomfort.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a fortunate man," Dagobert cried, when he and Moritz +were alone together. "Doubt no longer that Angelica is much attached to you. +Clearly did I read in her eyes to-day that she is devotedly in love with you. +But the devil is always busy, and sows his poisonous tares amongst the blooming +wheat. Marguerite is on fire with an insane passion. She loves you with all the +wild, passionate pain which only a fiery temperament is capable of feeling. The +senseless way in which she behaved tonight was the effect of an irresistible +outbreak of the wildest jealousy. When Angelica let fall the handkerchief--when +you took it up and gave it to her--when you kissed her hand--the furies of hell +possessed that poor Marguerite. And you are to blame for that. You used formerly +to take the greatest pains to pay every kind of attention to that very beautiful +French girl. I know well enough that it was only Angelica whom you had in your +mind. Still, those falsely directed lightnings struck, and set on fire. And now +the misfortune is there; and I do not know how the matter will end without +terrible tumult and trouble."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Marguerite be hanged (if I may use such an expression)," said +Moritz. "If Angelica loves me--and ah! I can't believe, quite, that she does--I +am the happiest and the most blest of men, and care nothing about all the +Marguerites in the world, nor their foolishnesses neither. But another fear has +come into my mind. This uncanny, stranger Count, who came in amongst us like +some dark, gloomy mystery--doesn't he seem to place himself, somehow, most +hostilely between her and me? I feel, I scarce know how, as if some reminiscence +came forward out of the dark background--I could almost describe it as a +dream--which reminiscence, or dream, whichever it may be, brings this Count to +my memory under terrible circumstances of some sort. I feel as though, wherever +he makes his appearance, some awful misfortune must come flashing out of the +depths of the darkness as a result of his conjurations. Did you notice how often +his eyes rested on Angelica, and how, when they did, a feeble flush tinted his +pallid cheeks, and disappeared again rapidly? The monster has designs upon my +darling; and that is why the words which he addressed to me sounded so +insulting. But I will oppose him and resist him to the very death!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Dagobert said the Count was a supernatural sort of fellow, no +doubt, with something very eery and spectral about him, and that it would be as +well to keep a sharp look-out on his proceedings, though, perhaps, he thought +there was less in, or behind, him than one would suppose; and that the uncanny +feelings which everybody had experienced with regard to him were chiefly +attributable to the excited state in which they had all been when he made his +appearance. "Let us face all this disquieting affair," said Dagobert, "with firm +courage and unshakable confidence. No dark power will bend the head which holds +itself up with true bravery and indomitable resolution."</p> + +<p class="normal">A considerable time had elapsed. The Count, whose visits to +the Colonel's house increased in frequency, had rendered himself almost +indispensable. It was universally agreed, now, that the accusation against him +of being uncanny recoiled on those who made it. "He might very well have styled +us uncanny people, with our white faces and odd behaviour," as said Madame von +G----. Everything he said evinced a store of the most valuable and various +information; and although, being an Italian, he spoke with a foreign accent, his +command of the German language was most perfect and fluent. His narratives had a +fire which bore the hearers irresistibly along, so that even Moritz and +Dagobert, hostile as were their feelings to this stranger, forgot their +repugnance to him when he talked, and when a pleasant smile broke out over his +pale, but handsome and expressive face, and they hung upon his lips, like +Angelica and the others.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel's friendship with him had arisen in a way which +proved him to be one of the noblest-minded of men. Chance had brought them +together in the far north, and there the Count, in the most unselfish and +disinterested manner, came to the Colonel's aid in a difficulty in which he +found himself involved, which might have had the most disastrous consequences to +his fortune, if not to his good name and honour. Deeply sensible of all that he +owed him, the Colonel hung on him with all his soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is time," the Colonel said to his wife one day when they +were alone together, "that I should tell you the principal reason why the Count +is here. You remember that he and I, when we were in P----, four years ago, grew +more and more intimate and inseparable, so that at last we occupied two rooms +which opened one into the other. He happened to come into my room one morning +early, and he saw the little miniature of Angelica, which I had with me, lying +on my writing-table. As he looked more and more closely at it, he lost his +self-command in a strange way. Not able to answer me, he kept gazing at it. He +could not take his eyes from it. He cried out excitedly that he had never seen a +more beautiful creature--had never before known what love was--it was now +blazing up in the depths of his heart. I jested about the extraordinary effect +of the picture on him--called him a second Kalaf, and congratulated him on the +fact that my good Angelica was not a Turandot. At last I told him pretty clearly +that at his time of life--for, though not exactly elderly, he could not be said +to be a very young man--this romantic way of falling in love with a portrait +rather astonished me. But he vowed most vehemently--nay, with every mark of that +passionate excitement, almost verging on insanity, which belongs to his +country--that he loved Angelica inexpressibly, and, if he were not to be dashed +into the profoundest depths of despair, I must allow him to gain her affection +and her hand. It is for this that the Count has come here to our house. He +fancies he is certain that she is not ill-disposed to him, and he yesterday laid +his formal proposal before me. What do you think of the affair?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame von G---- could not explain why his latter words shot +through her being like some sudden shock. "Good heavens," she cried, "<i>that</i> +Count for our Angelica! that utter stranger!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stranger!" echoed the Colonel with darkened brow; "the Count +a stranger! the man to whom I owe my honour, my freedom, nay, perhaps my life! I +know he is not quite so young as he has been, and perhaps is not altogether +suited to Angelica in point of age; but he is of high lineage, and rich, very +rich."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And without asking Angelica," said Madame von G----. "Very +likely she may not have any such liking for him as he, in his fondness, +imagines."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel started from his chair, and placed himself in +front of her with gleaming eyes. "Have I ever given you cause to imagine," he +said, "that I am one of those idiotic, tyrannical fathers who force their +daughters to marry against their inclinations, in a disgraceful way? Spare me +your absurd romanticisms and sentimentalities. Marriages may be made without any +such extraordinary, fanciful love at first sight, and so forth. Angelica is all +ears when he talks; she looks at him with most kindly favour; she blushes like a +rose when he kisses her hand, which she willingly leaves in his. And that is how +an innocent girl expresses that inclination which truly blesses a man. There is +no occasion for any of that romantic love which so often runs in your sex's +heads in such a disturbing fashion."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have an idea," said Madame von G----, "that Angelica's +heart is not so free as, perhaps, she herself imagines it is."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nonsense," cried the Colonel, and was on the point of +breaking out in a passion, when the door opened, and Angelica came in, with the +loveliest smile of the most ingenuous simplicity. The Colonel, at once losing +all his irritation, went to her, took her hand, kissed her on the brow, and sat +down close beside her. He spoke of the Count, praising his noble exterior, +intellectual superiority, character, and disposition; and then asked her if she +thought she could care for him. She answered that at first he had appeared very +strange and eery to her, but that now those feelings had quite disappeared, and +that she liked him very much.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heaven be thanked then!" cried the Colonel. "Thus it was +ordained to turn out, for my comfort, for my happiness. Count S--- loves you, my +darling child, with all his heart. He asks for your hand, and you won't refuse +him." But scarcely had he uttered those words when Angelica, with a deep sigh, +sank back as if insensible. Her mother caught her in her arms, casting a +significant glance at the Colonel, who gazed speechless at the poor child, who +was as pale as death. But she recovered herself; a burst of tears ran down her +cheeks, and she cried, in a heart-breaking voice, "The Count! the terrible +Count! oh, no, no; never, never!"</p> + +<p class="normal">As gently as possible the Colonel asked her why it was that +the Count was so terrible to her. Then Angelica told him that at the instant +when he had said that the Count loved her, that dream which she dreamt four +years before, on the night before her fourteenth birthday--from which she awoke +in such deadly terror without being able to remember the images or incidents of +it in the very slightest--had come back to her memory quite clearly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought," she said, "I was walking in a beautiful garden +where there were strange bushes and flowers which I had never seen the like of +before. Suddenly I found myself close before a wonderful tree with dark leaves, +large flowers, and a curious perfume something like that of the elder. Its +branches were swaying and making a delicious rustling, and it seemed to be +making signs inviting me to rest under its shade. Irresistibly impelled by some +invisible power, I sank down on the grass which was under the tree. Then strange +tones of complaint or lamenting seemed to come through the air, stirring the +tree like the touch of some breeze; and it began to utter sighs and moans. And I +was seized by an indescribable pain and sorrow; a deep compassion arose in my +heart, I could not tell why. Then, suddenly, a burning beam of light darted into +my breast, and seemed to break my heart in two. I tried to cry out, but the cry +could not make its way from my heart, oppressed with a nameless anguish--it +became a faint sigh. But the beam which had pierced my heart was the gleam of a +pair of eyes which were gazing on me from under the shade of the branches. Just +then the eyes were quite close to me; and a snow-white hand became visible, +describing circles all round me. And those circles kept getting narrower and +narrower, winding round me like threads of fire, so that, at last, the web of +them was so dense and so close that I could not move. At the same time I felt +that the frightful gaze of those terrible eyes was assuming the mastery over my +inmost being, and utterly possessing my whole existence and personality. The one +idea to which it now clung, as if to a feeble thread, was, to me, a martyrdom of +death-anguish. But the tree bent down its blossoms towards me, and out of them +spoke the beautiful +voice of a youth, which said, 'Angelica! I will save you--I +will save you--but----'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica was interrupted. Captain von P---- was announced. He +came to see the Colonel on some matter of duty. As soon as Angelica heard his +name she cried out with the bitterest sorrow, in such a voice as bursts only +from a breast wounded with the deepest love-anguish--while tears fell down her +cheeks--"Moritz! oh, Moritz!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Captain von P---- heard those words as he came in; he saw +Angelica, bathed in tears, stretch out her hands to him. Like a man beside +himself he dashed his forage cap to the ground, fell at Angelica's feet, caught +her in his arms, as she sank down overwhelmed with rapture and sorrow, and +pressed her fervently to his heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel contemplated this little scene in speechless +amazement. Madame von G---- said: "I thought this was how it was; but I was not +sure!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Captain von P----," said the Colonel angrily, "what is there +between you and my daughter?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Moritz, quickly recovering himself, placed Angelica--more dead +than alive--gently down on the couch, picked up his cap, advanced to the Colonel +with a face red as fire, and eyes fixed on the ground, and declared that he +loved Angelica unutterably; but that, upon his honour, until that moment, not a +word approaching to a declaration of his feelings had crossed his lips. He had +been but too seriously doubtful as to its being possible that Angelica could +return his love. He said it was only at this moment--which he could not possibly +have anticipated--that the bliss accorded to him by heaven had been fully +disclosed to him; and that he trusted he should not be repulsed by the noblest +hearted of mankind, the tenderest of fathers, when he implored him to bestow his +blessing on a union sealed by the purest and sincerest affection.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel gazed at Moritz, and then at Angelica, with looks +of gloom; then he paced up and down with folded arms like one who strives to +arrive at a resolution. He paused before his wife, who had taken Angelica in her +arms and was whispering to her words of consolation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What," he inquired, "has this silly dream of yours to do with +Count----?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica threw herself at his feet, kissed his hands, bathed +them in her tears, and said, half-audibly, "Oh, father! dearest father! those +terrible eyes which mastered my whole being were the Count's eyes. It was his +spectral hand which wove round me those meshes of fire. But the voice of comfort +which spoke to me out of the perfumed blossoms of the wondrous tree, was the +voice of Moritz--my Moritz!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your Moritz!" cried the Colonel, turning so quickly that he +nearly threw Angelica down. He continued, speaking to himself in a lower tone: +"Thus a father's wise resolve, and the offer of a grand and noble gentleman, are +to be cast to the winds, for the sake of childish imaginations, and a +clandestine love affair." And he walked up and down as before. At last, +addressing Moritz, he said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Captain von P----, you know very well what a high opinion of +you I have. I could not have wished for a better son-in-law. But I have promised +my daughter to Count S----, to whom I am bound by the deepest obligations by +which one man can be bound to another. At the same time, please do not suppose +that I am going to play the part of the obstinate and tyrannical father. I shall +hasten to the Count at once. I shall tell him everything. Your love will be the +cause of a cruel difference between me and this gentleman. It may cost me my +life. No matter; it can't be helped. Wait here till I come back."</p> + +<p class="normal">Moritz warmly declared that he would sooner face death a +hundred times than that the Colonel should run the very slightest risk; but the +Colonel hurried away without reply.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as he had gone, the lovers fell into each other's +arms, and vowed unalterable fidelity. Angelica said that it was not until her +father told her of the Count's views with regard to her, that she felt, in the +depths of her soul, how unspeakably precious and dear Moritz was to her, and +that she would rather die than marry any one else. Also that she had felt +certain for a long time, that he loved her just as deeply. Then they both +bethought themselves of all the occasions when they had given any betrayal of +their love for each other; and, in short, were in a condition of the highest +enjoyment and blissfulness, like two children, forgetting all about the Colonel +and his anger and opposition. Madame von G----, who had long watched the growth +of this affection, and approved of Angelica's choice with all her heart, +promised, with deep emotion, to leave no stone unturned to prevent the Colonel +from entering into an alliance which she abhorred, without precisely knowing +why.</p> + +<p class="normal">When an hour or so had passed, the door opened and, to the +surprise of all, Count S---- came in, followed by the Colonel, whose eyes were +gleaming. The Count went up to Angelica, took her hand, and looked at her with a +smile of bitter pain. Angelica shrank, and murmured almost inaudibly, "Oh! those +eyes!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You turn pale, Mademoiselle," said the Count, "just as you +did when first I came into this house. Do you truly look upon me as a terrible +spectre? No, no; do not be afraid of me, Angelica. I do but love you with all +the fervour and passion of a younger man. I had no knowledge that you had given +away your heart, when I was foolish enough to make an offer for your hand. Even +your father's promise does not give me the slightest claim to a happiness which +it is yours alone to bestow. You are free, Mademoiselle. Even the sight of me +shall no longer remind +you of the moments of sadness which I have caused you. Soon, +perhaps +to-morrow, I shall go back to my own country."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Moritz! My Moritz!" Angelica cried in the utmost joy and +delight, and threw herself on her lover's breast. The Count trembled in every +limb; his eyes gleamed with an unwonted fire, his lips twitched convulsively; he +uttered a low inarticulate sound. But turning quickly to Madame von G---- with +some indifferent question, he succeeded in mastering his emotion.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the Colonel cried, again and again, "What nobility of +mind! What loftiness of character! Who is there like this man of men--my heart's +own friend for ever!" Then he pressed Moritz, Angelica, and his own wife, to his +heart, and said laughingly, that he did not care to hear another syllable about +the wicked plot they had been laying against him, and hoped, too, that Angelica +would have no more trouble with spectral eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">It being now well on in the day, the Colonel begged Moritz and +the Count to remain and have dinner. Dagobert was sent for, and arrived in high +spirits.</p> + +<p class="normal">When they sat down to table, Marguerite was missing. It +appeared she had shut herself up in her room, saying she was unwell and unable +to join the company. "I do not know," said Madame von G----, "what has been the +matter with Marguerite for some time; she has been full of the strangest +fancies, laughing and crying without apparent reason. Really, she is at times +almost unendurable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your happiness is Marguerite's death," Dagobert whispered to +Moritz.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Spirit-seer!" answered Moritz in the same tone, "do not mar +my joy."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel had never been in better spirits or happier, and +Madame von G---- had never been so pleased in the depths of her heart, relieved +as she was from anxieties which had often been present with her before. When, in +addition to this, Dagobert was revelling in the most brilliant high-spirits, and +the Count, forgetting his pain, suffered the stores of his much experienced mind +to stream forth in rich abundance. It will be seen that our couple of lovers +were encircled by a rich garland of gladness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Evening was coming on, the noblest wines were pearling in the +glasses, toasts to the health of the betrothed pair were drunk enthusiastically; +when suddenly the door opened and Marguerite came tottering in, in white +night-gear, with her hair down, pale, and distorted, like death itself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Marguerite, what extraordinary conduct!" the Colonel cried.</p> + +<p class="normal">But, paying no heed to him, she dragged herself up to Moritz, +placed her ice-cold hand on his breast, laid a gentle kiss on his brow, murmured +in a faint, hollow voice, "The kiss of the dying brings luck to the happy +bridegroom," and sank on the floor.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This poor foolish girl is in love with Moritz," Dagobert +whispered to the Count, who answered--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know. I suppose she has carried her foolishness so far as +to take poison."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good heavens!" cried Dagobert, starting up and hurrying to +the +arm-chair where they had placed poor Marguerite. Angelica and +her mother were busy besprinkling her and rubbing her forehead with essences. +When Dagobert went up she opened her eyes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Keep yourself quiet, my dear child," said Madame von G----; +"you are not very well, but you will soon be better--you will soon be better!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Marguerite answered in a feeble, hollow voice, "Yes; it will +soon be over. I have taken poison."</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica and her mother screamed aloud.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thousand devils!" cried the Colonel. "The mad creature! Run +for the doctor! Quick! The first and best that's to be found; bring him here +instantly!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The servants, Dagobert himself, were setting off in all haste.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop!" cried the Count, who had been sitting very quietly +hitherto, calmly and leisurely emptying a beaker of his favourite wine--the +fiery Syracuse. "If Marguerite has taken poison, there is no need to send for a +doctor, for, in this case, I am the very best doctor that could possibly be +called in. Leave matters to me."</p> + +<p class="normal">He went to Marguerite, who was lying profoundly insensible, +only giving an occasional convulsive twitch. He bent over her, and was seen to +take a small box out of his pocket, from which he took something between his +fingers, and this he gently rubbed over Marguerite's neck and the region of her +heart. Then coming away from her, he said to the others, "She has taken opium; +but she can be saved by means which I can employ."</p> + +<p class="normal">By the Count's directions Marguerite was taken upstairs to her +room, where he remained with her alone. Meanwhile, Madame von G---- had found +the phial which had contained the opium-drops prescribed some time previously +for herself. The unfortunate girl had taken the whole of the contents of the +phial.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Count is really a wonderful man," Dagobert said, with a +slight touch of irony. "He divines everything. The moment he saw Marguerite he +knew she had taken poison, and next he knew exactly the name and colour of it."</p> + +<p class="normal">In half-an-hour the Count came and assured the company that +Marguerite was out of danger, as far as her life was concerned. With a +side-glance at Moritz, he added that he hoped to remove all cause of mischief +from her mind as well. He desired that a maid should sit up with the patient, +whilst he himself would spend the night in the next room, to be at hand in case +anything fresh should transpire; but he wished to prepare and strengthen himself +for this by a few more glasses of wine; for which end he sat down at table with +the other gentlemen, whilst Angelica and her mother, being upset by what had +happened, withdrew.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel was greatly annoyed at this silly trick, as he +called it, of Marguerite's, and Moritz and Dagobert felt very eery and uncanny +over the whole affair; but the more out of tune they were the more did the Count +give the rein to a joviality which had never been seen in him before, and which, +in sober truth, had a certain amount of gruesomeness about it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This Count," Dagobert said to Moritz, as they walked away, +"has a something most eerily repugnant to me about him, in some strange +inexplicable way. I cannot help a feeling that there must be something +exceedingly mysterious connected with him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" said Moritz, "there is a weight as of lead on my heart. +I am filled with a dim foreboding that some dark mischance threatens my love."</p> + +<p class="normal">That night the Colonel was aroused from sleep by a courier +from the Residenz. Next morning he came to his wife, looking rather pale, and +constraining himself to a calmness which he was far from feeling, said, "We have +to be parted again, dearest child. There's going to be another campaign, after +this little bit of a rest. I shall have to march off with the regiment as soon +as ever I can, perhaps this evening."</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame von G---- was greatly startled; she broke out into +bitter weeping. The Colonel said, by way of consolation, that he felt sure this +campaign would end as gloriously as the last--that he felt in such admirable +spirits about it that he was certain nothing could go amiss. "What you had +better do," he said, "is, take Angelica with you to the country-house, and stay +there till we send the enemy to the rightabout again. I am providing you with a +companion who will keep you amused, and prevent your feeling lonely. Count S---- +is going with you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" cried Madame von G----. "Good heavens! the Count to go +with us!--Angelica's rejected lover--that deceitful Italian, who is hiding his +annoyance in the bottom of his heart, only to bring it out in fullest force at +the first proper opportunity; this Count who--I cannot say why--seems more +intensely antipathetic to me since yesterday than ever?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good God!" the Colonel cried; "there really is no bearing +with the nonsensical ideas--the silly dreams--which your sex gets into its head. +The magnanimity of soul of a man of his firmness and fineness of character is +too much for you to comprehend. The Count passed the whole night in the room +next to Marguerite's, as he said he should do. He was the first person I told +the news of the fresh campaign to. It would scarcely be possible for him to go +home now. This was very annoying to him, and I gave him the option of going to +our country-place and staying there. He accepted my offer, after much +hesitation, and gave me his word of honour that he would do everything in his +power to take care of you, and make the time of our separation pass as quickly +as possible. You know what obligations I am under to him. My country-place is, +just now, a real asylum for him; could I refuse him that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame von G---- could say nothing further. The Colonel did as +he had said he would. In the course of the evening the trumpets sounded boot and +saddle, and every description of nameless pain and heart-breaking sorrow came +upon the loving ones.</p> + +<p class="normal">A few days after, when Marguerite had recovered, the three +ladies went off to the country-house. The Count followed, with a number of +servants.</p> + +<p class="normal">And at first, the Count, showing the utmost delicacy of +feeling, was careful never to enter the ladies' presence except when they sent +for him specially; at all other times he remained in his own rooms, or went for +solitary walks.</p> + +<p class="normal">At first the campaign seemed to go rather in favour of the +enemy, but important successes were soon scored against him, and the Count was +always the very first to hear the news of those operations, and particularly the +most accurate and minute intelligence of what was happening to the regiment +which the Colonel commanded. In the bloodiest engagements neither the Colonel +nor Moritz had met with so much as a scratch; and the despatches from +headquarters confirmed this.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus the Count always appeared to the ladies in the character +of a heavenly messenger of victory and good-fortune; besides this, all his +behaviour betokened the most deep and sincere attachment to Angelica, which he +exhibited to her as the tenderest of fathers might have done, occupied +constantly about her happiness. Both she and her mother were compelled to admit +to themselves that the Colonel's opinion of this tried friend of his was the +correct one, and that all their--and other people's--prejudices against him had +been the most preposterous fancies. At the same time Marguerite seemed to be +quite cured of her foolish passion, and to have become the same gay, talkative, +sprightly French lady whom we saw at an earlier period.</p> + +<p class="normal">A letter from the Colonel to his wife, enclosing one from +Moritz to Angelica, dispelled the last remnant of anxiety. The enemy's capital +city was captured, and an armistice established.</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica was floating in a sea of blissfulness; and always it +was the Count who spoke of the brave deeds of Moritz, and of the happiness which +was opening its blossoms for the lovely future bride. After such speeches he +would take Angelica's hand, press it to his heart, and ask if he were still as +hateful to her as ever. With blushes and tears she would assure him that she had +never hated him, but that she had loved Moritz too deeply and exclusively not to +dread the idea of any other suitor for her hand. And the Count would say, very +solemnly and seriously, "Look on me as your true, sincere, fatherly friend, +Angelica," breathing a gentle kiss upon her forehead, which she suffered without +ill-will; for it felt much like one of her father's kisses, which he used to +apply about the same place.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was almost expected that the Colonel would very soon be +home again, when a letter from him arrived containing the terrible news that +Moritz had been set upon by some armed peasants, as he was passing with his +orderly through a village. Those peasants shot him down at the side of the brave +trooper, who managed to fight his way through; but the peasants carried Moritz +away. Thus the joy with which the house was inspired was suddenly turned into +the deepest and most inconsolable sorrow.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">The Colonel's household was all in busy movement from roof to +ceiling. Servants in gay liveries were hurrying to and fro; carriages filled +with guests were rattling into the courtyard, the Colonel in person receiving +them with his new order on his breast.</p> + +<p class="normal">In her room upstairs sate Angelica in wedding-dress, beaming +in the full pride of her loveliness: her mother was with her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dearest child," said the latter, "you have of your own +free will accepted Count S---- as your husband. Much as jour father desired +this, he has never at all insisted on it since poor Moritz's death; indeed, it +seems to me as though he had had much of the feeling which (I cannot hide from +you) I have had myself; it is utterly incomprehensible to me how you can have +forgotten poor Moritz so soon. However, the time has come; you are giving your +hand to the Count. Examine your own heart. It is not yet too late. May the +remembrance of him whom you have forgotten never fall across your heart like +some black shadow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never," cried Angelica, while the tears ran down her cheeks, +"never can I forget Moritz. Never; oh! never can I love as I loved <i>him</i>! What I +feel for the Count is something totally different. I cannot explain how it is +that the Count has made me feel this irresistible attachment to him; but feel it +I do, in every fibre of my being. It is not that I love him: I do not; I cannot +love him in the way I loved Moritz; but +I feel as if I could not, and cannot live apart from +him--without +him--independently of him. That it is only through him that I +can think and feel. A spirit voice seems perpetually enjoining me to cleave to +him as a wife; telling me that I <i>must</i> do so, and that unless I do there is no +further, or other life possible for me here below. And I obey this voice, which +I believe to be the mysterious prompting of Providence."</p> + +<p class="normal">The maid here came in to say that Marguerite, who had been +missing since the early part of the morning, had not made her appearance yet, +but that the Gardener had just brought a little note which she had given him, +with instructions to deliver it when he had finished his work and taken the last +of the flowers to the Castle. It was as follows:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will never see me more; a dark mystery drives me from +your house. I implore you--you, who have been to me as a tender mother--not to +have me followed, or brought back by force. My second attempt to kill myself +will be more successful than the first. May Angelica enjoy to the full that +bliss, the idea of which pierces my heart. Farewell for ever! Forget the +unfortunate Marguerite."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is this?" cried Madame von G----; "the poor soul seems +to have set her whole mind upon destroying our happiness. Must she always come +in your way just as you are going to give your hand to the man of your choice? +Let her go; the foolish, ungrateful thing, whom I treated and cared for as if +she had been my own daughter. I shall certainly never trouble my head about her +any more."</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica cried bitterly at the loss of her whom she had looked +on as a sister; her mother implored her not to waste a thought on the foolish +creature at such an important time.</p> + +<p class="normal">The guests were assembled in the <i>salon</i>, ready, as soon as +the appointed hour should come, to go to the little chapel where a catholic +priest was to marry the couple. The Colonel led in the bride. Everyone marvelled +at her beauty, which was enhanced by the simple richness of her dress. The Count +had not arrived. One quarter of an hour succeeded another, and still he did not +make his appearance. The Colonel went to the Count's rooms. There he found his +valet, who said his master, just when he was fully dressed for the ceremony, had +suddenly felt unwell, and had gone out for a turn in the park, hoping the fresh +air would revive him, and forbidding him, the valet, to follow him.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel could not explain to himself why it was that this +proceeding of the Count's fell on him with such a weight--why it was that an +idea immediately came to him that something terrible had happened. He sent back +to the house to say that the Count would come very shortly, and that a +celebrated doctor, who was one of the guests, was to be privately told to come +out to him as quickly as possible. As soon as he came, he, the Colonel and the +valet, went to search for the Count in the park. Striking out of the main alley, +they went to an open space surrounded by thick shrubberies, which the Colonel +remembered to have been a favourite resort of the Count's; and there they saw +him sitting on a mossy bank, dressed all in black, with his star sparkling on +his breast, and his hands folded, leaning his back against an elder-tree in full +blossom, staring, motionless, before him. They shuddered at the sight, for his +hollow, darkly-gleaming eyes were evidently devoid of the faculty of vision.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Count S----! what has happened?" the Colonel cried; but there +was no answer, no movement, not the slightest appearance of respiration. The +doctor hurried forward; tore off the Count's coat, waistcoat, and neckcloth, and +rubbed his brow: turning then to the Colonel, he said in hollow tones, "Human +help is useless here. He is dead!--there has been an attack of apoplexy!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The valet broke out into loud lamentations. The Colonel, +mastering his inward horror with all his soldierly self-control, ordered him to +hold his peace, saying, "If we are not careful what we are about, we shall kill +Angelica on the spot." He caused the body to be taken up and carried by +unfrequented paths to a pavilion at some distance, of which he happened to have +the key in his pocket. There he left it under the valet's charge, and, with the +doctor, went back to the chateau again. Hovering between one resolve and +another, he could not make up his mind whether to conceal the whole matter from +Angelica, or tell her, calmly and quietly, the terrible truth.</p> + +<p class="normal">When he came into the house he found everything in the utmost +confusion and consternation. Angelica, in the middle of an animated +conversation, had suddenly closed her eyes, and fallen into a state of profound +insensibility. She was lying on a sofa in an adjoining room. Her face was not +pale, nor in the least distorted; the roses of her cheeks bloomed brighter and +fresher than ever, and her face shone with an indescribable expression of +happiness and delight. She was as one penetrated with the highest blissfulness. +The doctor, after observing her with the minutest carefulness of examination for +a long while, declared that there was not the least cause for anxiety in her +condition, nor the slightest danger. He said she was (although it was entirely +inexplicable <i>how</i> she was) in a magnetized condition, and that he would not +venture to awaken her from it: she would wake from it of her own accord +presently.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile mysterious whisperings arose amongst the guests. The +sudden death of the Count seemed to have somehow got wind, and they all +dispersed in gloomy silence. One could hear the carriages rolling away.</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame von G----, bending over Angelica, watched her every +respiration. She seemed to be whispering words, but none could hear or +understand them. The doctor would not allow her to be undressed; even her gloves +were not to be taken off; he said it would be hurtful even to touch her.</p> + +<p class="normal">All at once she opened her eyes, started up from the sofa, +and, with a resounding cry of "Here he is!" "Here he is!" went rushing out of +the room, through the ante-chamber and down the stairs.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She is out of her mind," cried Madame von G----. "Oh, God of +Heaven, she is mad!" "No, no," the Doctor said, "this is not madness; there is +something altogether unheard of taking place," with which he hastened after her +down the steps.</p> + +<p class="normal">He saw her speeding like an arrow, with her arms lifted up +above her head, out of the gate and away along the broad high road, her rich +lace-ornamented dress fluttering, and her hair, which had come down, streaming +in the wind.</p> + +<p class="normal">A man on horseback was coming tearing up towards her; when he +reached her, he sprang from his horse and clasped her in his arms. Two other +riders who were following him drew rein and dismounted.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel, who had followed the doctor in hot haste, stood +gazing on the group in speechless astonishment, rubbing his forehead, as if +striving to keep firm hold of his thoughts.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was Moritz who was holding Angelica fast pressed to his +heart; beside him stood Dagobert, and a fine-looking young man in the handsome +uniform of a Russian General.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," cried Angelica over and over again, as the lovers +embraced one another, "I was never untrue to you, my beloved Moritz." And Moritz +cried, "Oh, I know that; I know that quite well, my darling angel-child. He +enchanted you by his satanic arts."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he more carried than led her back to the chateau, while +the others followed in silence. Not till he came to the castle did the Colonel +give a profound sigh, as if it was only then that he came fully to his senses; +and, looking round him with questioning glances, said, "What miracles! what +extraordinary events!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Everything will be explained," said Moritz, presenting the +stranger to the Colonel as General Bogislav von Se----n, a Russian officer, his +most intimate friend.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as they came into the chateau, Moritz, with a wild +look, and unheeding the Colonel's alarmed amazement, cried out, "Where is Count +von S----i?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Among the dead!" said the Colonel, in a hollow voice, "he was +seized with apoplexy an hour ago."</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica shrank and shuddered. "Yes," she said, "that I know. +At the very instant when he died I felt as though some crystal thing within my +being shivered, and broke with a 'kling.' I fell into an extraordinary state. I +think I must have gone on carrying that frightful dream (which I told you of) +further, because, when I came to look at matters again, I found that those +terrible eyes had no more power over me; the web of fire loosened and broke +away. Heavenly blissfulness was all about me. I saw Moritz, my own Moritz; he +was coming to me. I flew to meet him," and she clasped her arms round him as if +she thought he was going to escape from her again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Praised be Heaven," said Madame von G----. "Now the weight +has gone from my heart which was stifling it. I am freed from that inexpressible +anxiety and alarm which came upon me at the instant when Angelica promised to +marry that terrible Count. I always felt as though she were betrothing herself +to mysterious, unholy powers with her betrothal ring."</p> + +<p class="normal">General von Se----n expressed a desire to see the Count's +remains, and when the body was uncovered and he saw the pale countenance now +fixed in death, he cried, "By Heaven, it is he! It is none other than himself."</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica had fallen into a gentle sleep in Moritz's arms, and +had been carried to her bed, the doctor thinking that nothing more beneficial +could have happened to her than this slumber, which would rest the life-spirits, +overstrained as they had been. He considered that in this manner a threatening +illness would be naturally dispelled.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," said the Colonel, "it is time to solve all those +riddles and explain all those miraculous events. Tell us, Moritz, what angel of +Heaven has called you back to life?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know," said Moritz, "all about the murderous and +treacherous attack which was made upon me near S----, though the armistice had +been proclaimed. I was struck by a bullet, and fell from my horse. How long I +lay in that deathlike state I cannot tell. When I first awoke to a dim +consciousness, I was being moved somewhere, travelling. It was dark night; +several voices were whispering near me. They were speaking French. Thus I knew +that I was badly wounded and in the hands of the enemy. This thought came upon +me with all its horror, and I sank again into a deep fainting fit. After that +came a condition which has only left me the recollection of a few hours of +violent headache; but at last, one morning, I awoke to complete consciousness. I +found myself in a comfortable, almost sumptuous bed, with silk curtains and +great +cords and tassels. The room was lofty, and had silken hangings +and richly-gilt tables and chairs, in the old French style. A strange man was +bending over me and looking closely into my face. He hurried to a bell-rope and +pulled at it hard. Presently the doors opened, and two men came in, the elder of +whom had on an old-fashioned embroidered coat, and the cross of Saint Louis. The +younger came to me, felt my pulse, and said to the elder, in French, 'All danger +is over; he is saved.' The elder gentleman now introduced himself to me as the +Chevalier de T----. The house was his in which I found myself. He said he had +chanced, on a journey, to be passing through the village at the very moment when +the treacherous attack was made upon me, and the peasants were going to plunder +me. He succeeded in rescuing me, had me put into a conveyance, and brought to +his chateau, which was quite +out of the way of the military routes of communication. Here +his own body-surgeon had applied himself to the arduous task of curing me of my +very serious wound in the head. He said, in conclusion, that he loved my nation, +which had shown him kindness in the stormy revolutionary times, and was +delighted to be able to be of service to me. Everything in his chateau which +could conduce to my comfort or amusement was freely at my disposal, and he would +not, on any pretence, allow me to leave him until all risk, whether from my +wound or the insecurity of the routes, should be over. All that he regretted was +the impossibility of communicating with my friends for the moment, so as to let +them know where I was.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier was a widower, and his sons were not with him, +so that there were no other occupants of the chateau but himself, the surgeon, +and a great retinue of servants. It would only weary you were I to tell you at +length how I grew better and better under the care of the exceedingly able +surgeon, and how the Chevalier did everything he possibly could to make my +hermit's life agreeable to me. His conversation was more intellectual, and his +views less shallow, than is usually the case with his countrymen. He talked on +arts and sciences, but avoided the more novel and recent developments of them as +much as possible. I need not tell you that my sole thought was Angelica, that it +burned my soul to know that she was plunged in sorrow for my death. I constantly +urged the Chevalier to get letters conveyed to our headquarters. He always +declined to do so, on account of the uncertainty of the attempt, as it seemed as +good as certain that fighting was going on again; but he consoled me by +promising that as soon as I was quite convalescent he would have me sent home +safe and sound, happen what might. From what he said I was led to suppose that +the campaign was going on again, and to the advantage of the allies, and that he +was avoiding telling me so in words from a wish to spare my feelings. But I need +only mention one or two little incidents to justify the strange conjectures +which Dagobert has formed in his mind. I was nearly free from fever, when one +night I suddenly fell into an incomprehensible condition of dreaminess, the +recollection of which makes me shudder, though that recollection is of the +dimmest and most shadowy kind. I saw Angelica, but her form seemed to be +dissolving away indistinctly in a trembling radiance, and I strove in vain to +hold it fast before me. Another being pressed in between us, laid herself on my +breast, and grasped my heart within me, in the depths of my entity; and while I +was perishing in the most glowing torment, I was at the same time penetrated +with a strange miraculous sense of bliss. Next morning my eyes fell on a picture +hanging near the bed, which I had never seen there before. I shuddered, for it +was Marguerite beaming on me with her black brilliant eyes. I asked the servant +whose picture it was, and where it came from. He said it was the Chevalier's +niece, the Marquise de T----, and had always been where it was now, only I had +not noticed it; it had been freshly dusted the day before. The Chevalier said +the same. So that, whilst--waking or dreaming--my sole desire was to see +Angelica, what was continually before me was Marguerite. It seemed to me that I +was alienated, estranged, from myself. Some exterior foreign power seemed to +have possession of me, ruling me, taking supreme command of me. I felt that I +could not get away from Marguerite. Never shall I forget the torture of that +condition.</p> + +<p class="normal">"One morning, as I was lying in a window seat, refreshing my +whole being by drinking in the perfume and the freshness which the morning +breeze was wafting to me, I heard trumpets in the distance, and recognized a +cheery march-tune of Russian cavalry. My heart throbbed with rapture and +delight. It was as if friendly spirits were coming to me, wafted on the wings of +the wind, speaking to me in lovely voices of comfort, as if a newly-won life was +stretching out hands to me to lift me from the coffin in which some hostile +power had nailed me up. One or two horsemen came up with lightning speed, right +into the castle enclosure. I looked down, and saw Bogislav. In the excess of my +joy I shouted out his name; the Chevalier came in, pale and annoyed, stammering +out something about an unexpected billeting, and all sorts of trouble and +annoyance. Without attending to him, I ran downstairs and threw myself into +Bogislav's embrace.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To my astonishment, I now learned that peace had been +proclaimed a long time before, and that the greater part of the troops were on +their homeward march. All this the Chevalier had concealed from me, keeping me +on in the chateau as his prisoner. Neither Bogislav nor I knew anything in the +shape of a motive for this conduct. But each of us dimly felt that there must be +something in the nature of foul play about it. The Chevalier was quite a +different man from that moment, sulky and peevish. Even to lack of good +breeding, he wearied us with continual exhibitions of self-will, and naggling +about trifles. Nay, when, in the purest gratitude, I spoke enthusiastically of +his having saved my life, he smiled malignantly; and, in fact, his whole conduct +was that of an incomprehensible eccentric.</p> + +<p class="normal">"After a halt of eight-and-forty hours for rest, Bogislav +marched off again, and I went with him. We were delighted when we turned our +backs on the strange old-world place, which now looked to me like some gloomy, +uncanny prison-house. But now, Dagobert, do you go on, for it is quite your turn +to continue the account of the rest of the strange adventures which we have met +with."</p> + +<p class="normal">"How," began Dagobert, "can we doubt, and hesitate to believe +in, the marvellous power of foreboding, and fore-knowing, events which lie so +deep in man's nature? I never believed that my friend was dead. That Spirit or +Intelligence (call it whatever you choose) which speaks to us, comprehensibly, +from out our own selves, in our dreams, told me that Moritz was alive, and that, +somehow and somewhere, he was being held fast in bonds of some most mysterious +nature. Angelica's relations with the Count cut me to the heart; and when, some +little time ago, I came here and found her in a peculiar condition, which, I am +obliged to say, caused me an inward horror (because I seemed to see, as in a +magic mirror, some terrible mysterious secret), there ripened in me a resolve +that I would go on a pilgrimage, by land and water, until I should find my +friend Moritz. I say not a word of my delight when I found him, on German +ground, at A----, and in the company of General von S----en.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All the furies of hell awoke in his breast when he heard of +Angelica's betrothal to the Count; but all his execrations and heart-breaking +lamentations at her unfaithfulness to him were silenced when I told +him of certain ideas which I had formed, and assured him that +it +was in his power to set the whole matter straight in a moment. +General von Se----en shuddered when I mentioned the Count's name to him, and +when, at his desire, I described his face, figure, and appearance, he cried, +'Yes, there can be no further doubt. He is the very man!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You will be surprised," here interrupted the General, "to +hear me say that this Count S----i, many years ago, in Naples, carried away from +me, by means of diabolical arts, a lady whom I deeply and fondly loved. At the +very instant when I ran my sword through his body, both she and I were seized +upon by a hellish illusion which parted us for ever. I have long known that the +wounds which I gave him were not dangerous in the slightest degree, that he +became a suitor for the lady's hand, and, alas! that on the very day when she +was to have been married to him, she fell down dead, stricken by what was said +to be an attack of apoplexy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good Heavens!" cried Madame von G----. "No doubt a similar +fate was hanging over my darling child! But how is it that I feel this is so?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The voice of the boding Spirit tells you so, Madame," said +Dagobert.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And then," said Madame von G----, "that terrible apparition +which Moritz was telling us of that evening when the Count came in in such a +mysterious way?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"As I was telling you then," said Moritz, "there fell a +crashing blow. An ice-cold deathly air blew upon me, and it seemed to me that a +pale indistinct form went hovering and rustling across the room, in wavering, +scarcely distinguishable outlines. I mastered my terror with all the might of my +reason. All I seemed to be conscious of was that Bogislav was lying stiff, cold, +and rigid, like a man dead. When he had been brought back to consciousness, with +great pains and trouble, by the doctor who was summoned, he feebly reached out +his hand to me, and said, 'Soon, to-morrow at latest, all my sorrows will be +over.' And it really happened as he said, though it was the will of Providence +that it should come about in quite a different way to that which we anticipated. +In the thick of the fighting, next morning, a spent ball struck him on the +breast and knocked him out of his saddle. This kindly ball shattered the +portrait of his false love, which he wore next to his heart, into a thousand +splinters. His contusion soon healed, and since that moment Bogislav has been +quite free from everything of an uncanny nature."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is as he says," said the General, "and the very memory of +her who is lost to me does no more than produce in me that gentle sadness which +is so soothing to the heart. But I hope our friend Dagobert will go on to tell +you what happened to us further."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We made all haste away from A----," Dagobert resumed, "and +this morning, just as day was breaking, we reached the little town of P---, +about six miles from this place, meaning to rest there for an hour or two, and +then come on here. Imagine the feelings of Moritz and me when, from one of the +rooms in the inn, we saw Marguerite come bursting out upon us, with insanity +clearly written on her pallid face. She fell at Moritz's feet and embraced his +knees, weeping bitterly, calling herself the blackest of criminals, worthy a +thousand deaths. She implored him to end her life on the spot. Moritz repulsed +her with the deepest abhorrence, and rushed away from the house."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said Moritz, "when I saw Marguerite at my feet, all the +torments of that terrible condition in which I had been at the Chevalier's came +back upon me, goading me into a state of fury such as I had never known before. +I could scarcely help running my sword through her heart; but I succeeded in +mastering myself, and I made my escape after a mighty effort."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I lifted Marguerite up from the floor," Dagobert continued, +"and helped her to her room. I succeeded in calming her, and heard her tell me, +in broken sentences, exactly what I had expected and anticipated. She gave me a +letter from the Count, which had reached her the previous midnight. I have it +here."</p> + +<p class="normal">He produced it, and read it as follows:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fly, Marguerite! All is lost! The detested one is coming +quickly. All my science, knowledge, and skill are of no avail to me as against +the dark fate and destiny about to overtake me at the very culminating point of +my career.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Marguerite, I have initiated you into mysteries which would +have annihilated any ordinary woman had she endeavoured to comprehend them. But +you, with your exceptional mental powers, and firm, strong will and resolution, +have been a worthy pupil to the deeply experienced master. Your help has been +most precious to me. It was through you that I controlled Angelica's mind, and +all her inner being. And, to reward you, it was my desire to prepare for you the +bliss of your life, according to the manner in which your heart conceived it; +and I dared to enter within circles the most mysterious, the most perilous. I +undertook operations which often terrified even myself. In vain. Fly, or your +destruction is certain. Until the supreme moment comes I shall battle bravely on +against the hostile powers. But I know well that that supreme moment brings to +me instant death. But I will die all alone. When the supreme moment comes I +shall go to that mysterious tree, under whose shadow I have so often spoken to +you of the wondrous secrets which were known to me, and at my command.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Marguerite, keep aloof from those secrets for evermore. +Nature, terrible mother, angry when her precocious children prematurely pry into +her secrets and pluck at the veil which covers her mysteries, throws to them +some glittering toy which lures them on until its destroying power is directed +against them. I myself once caused the death of a woman, who perished at the +very moment when I thought I was going to take her to my heart with the most +fervid affection; and this paralysed my powers. Yet, dolt that I was, I still +thought I should find bliss here on earth. Farewell, Marguerite, farewell. Go +back to your own country. Go to S----. The Chevalier de T---- will charge +himself with your welfare and happiness. Farewell."</p> + +<p class="normal">As Dagobert read this letter, all the auditors felt an inward +shudder, and Madame von G---- said, "I shall be compelled to believe in things +which my whole heart and soul refuse to credit. However, I certainly never could +understand now it was that Angelica forgot Moritz so quickly and devoted herself +to the Count. At the same time I cannot but remember that she was all the time +in an extraordinary, unnatural condition of excitement, and that was a +circumstance which filled me with the most torturing anxiety. I remember that +her inclination for the Count showed itself at first in a very strange way. She +told me she used to have the most vivid and delightful dreams of him nearly +every night."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Exactly," said Dagobert. "Marguerite told me that, by the +Count's directions, she used to sit whole nights by Angelica's bedside, +breathing the Count's name into her ear very, very softly. And the Count would +very often come into the room about midnight, fix a steadfast gaze on Angelica +for several minutes together, and then go away again. But now that I have read +you the Count's letter, is there any need of commentary? His aim was to operate +psychically upon the Inner Principle by various mysterious processes and arts, +and in this he succeeded, by virtue of special qualifications of his nature. +There were most intimate relations between him and the Chevalier de T----, both +of them being members of that secret society or 'school' which has a certain +number of representatives in France and Italy, and is supposed to be descended +from, or a continuation of, the celebrated +P---- school. It was at the Count's instigation that the +Chevalier kept Moritz so long shut up in his chateau, and practised all sorts of +love-spells on him. I myself could go deeper into this +subject, and say more about the mysterious means by which the Count could +influence the Psychic Principle of others, as Marguerite divulged some of them +to me. I could explain many matters by a science which is not altogether unknown +to me, though I prefer not to call it by its name, for fear of being +misunderstood. However, I had rather avoid all those subjects, to-day at all +events."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, pray avoid them for ever," cried Madame von G----. "No +more reference to the dark, unknown realm, the abode of fear and horror. I thank +the Eternal Power, which has rescued my beloved child, and freed us from the +uncanny guest who brought us such terrible trouble."</p> + +<p class="normal">It was arranged that they should go back to town the following +day, except the Colonel and Dagobert, who stayed behind to see to the burial of +the Count's remains.</p> + +<p class="normal">When Angelica had long been Moritz's happy wife, it chanced +that one stormy November evening the family, and Dagobert, were sitting round +the fire in the very room into which Count S---- had made his entry in such a +spectral fashion. Just as then, mysterious voices were piping, awakened by the +storm-wind in the chimney.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you remember?" said Madame von G----.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Come, come," cried the Colonel; "no ghost stories, I beg." +But Angelica and Moritz spoke of what their feelings had been on that evening +long ago; of their having been so devotedly in love with each other, and unable +to help attaching the most overweening importance to every little incident which +occurred: how the pure beam of that love of theirs had been reflected by +everything, and even the sweet bond of alarm wove itself out of loving, longing +hearts--and how the Uncanny Guest, heralded by all the spectral voices of +ill-omen, had brought terror upon them. "Does it not seem to you, dearest +Moritz," said Angelica, "that the strange tones of the storm-wind, as we hear +them now, are speaking to us, only of our love, in the kindliest possible +tones?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes! yes!" said Dagobert, "and the singing of the kettle +sounds +to-night to <i>me</i> much more like a little cradle song than +anything eerie."</p> + +<p class="normal">Angelica hid her blushing face on Moritz's breast. And +<i>he</i>--for his part--clasped his arm round his beautiful wife, and softly +whispered, "Is there, here below, a higher bliss than this?"</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">"I see very plainly," said Ottmar, when he had finished, and +the friends still sat in gloomy silence, "that my little story has not pleased +you particularly, so we had better not say much more about it, but consign it to +oblivion."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The very best thing we could do," said Lothair.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And yet," Cyprian said, "I must take up the cudgels for my +friend. +Of course you will say that I am to some extent mixed up in +the +matter--that Ottmar has taken a good many of the germs of the +story from me, and on this occasion has been cooking in my kitchen, so that you +won't be disposed to allow me to be a judge in the case. Yet, unless you mean to +condemn everything without the slightest remorse, like so many +Rhadamanthuses--you must admit, yourselves, that there is much in Ottmar's story +which must be allowed to pass as genuinely Serapiontic; the beginning, for +instance."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Quite right," said Theodore; "the party round the tea-table +may pass as from the life, as well as many other points during the course of the +tale. But, to speak candidly, we have had a very large assortment of spectral +characters such as the stranger Count, and it will soon be a difficult matter to +go on giving them novelty and originality. He is too much like Alban in 'The +Magnetizer.' You know the tale I mean, and indeed that story and Ottmar's have +both the same <i>motif</i>. Wherefore I wish I might beg our Ottmar and you, Cyprian, +to leave monsters of that sort out of the game in future. For Ottmar this will +be possible, but for you, Cyprian, I am not so sure that it will. So that we +shall have to allow <i>you</i> to serve us up a 'Spook' of the kind now and then, I +suppose, only stipulating that it shall be truly Serapiontic, <i>i.e.</i> come out of +the very inmost depths of your imagination. Moreover 'The Magnetizer' <i>seems</i> +rhapsodical, but the 'Uncanny Guest' is rhapsodical in very truth."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must take up the cudgels for my friend in this respect +too," said Cyprian, "and tell you that, in the very neighbourhood of this place +where we are at this moment, there actually happened an event, not very long +ago, by no means unlike the incidents of this story. Into a quiet happy group of +friends, just when supernatural matters were forming the subject of +conversation, there suddenly came a stranger, who struck every one as being +uncanny and terrifying, notwithstanding his apparent everydayness, and seeming +belonging to the common level. By his arrival this stranger not only spoiled the +enjoyment of the evening in question, but subsequently destroyed the peace and +happiness of the family for a long period. Even at this day deadly shudders +seize a happy wife when she thinks of the crafty wickedness with which this +person tried to entangle her in his nets. I told this at the time to Ottmar, and +nothing made a greater impression on him than the moment when the stranger made +his spectral entry, and the sense of the propinquity of the hostile Spiritual +Principle seized upon every one present with a sudden terror. This moment came +vividly to Ottmar's mind, and formed the groundwork of his tale."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," said Ottmar, "as a single incident is far from being a +complete story--which ought to spring perfect and complete from its author's +brain, like Minerva from the head of Jupiter--my tale is of course not worth +much as a whole, and it is little to my credit, I suppose, that I took advantage +of two or three incidents which really happened, weaving them--not without some +little success perhaps--into a network of the imaginary."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said Lothair, "you are right, my friend. A single +striking incident is far from being a tale, just as one well-imagined theatrical +situation is a long way from constituting a play. This reminds me of the way in +which a certain playwright (who no longer walks this world, and whose terrible +death certainly atoned for any shortcomings of his during his life, and +reconciled his worst enemies to him) used to construct his pieces. In a company +where I was present, he said, without any concealment, that he selected some +one's good dramatic situation which occurred to him, and then, solely for the +sake of that, hung a canvas round it and painted away upon it 'just whatever +came in his head,' or 'as best he could,' to use his own expressions. This +gave me a complete explanation of, and threw a dazzling flood +of light upon, the whole character and inner being of that writer's pieces, +particularly those of his later period. None of them is without some very +happily devised central situation, but all round this the scenes, which he made +up out of commonplace material, are woven like a loosely knitted web, although +the hand of that weaver, skilled as it is in <i>technique</i>, is never to be +mistaken."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never, say you?" remarked Theodore. "I have been always +waiting and looking out for the points where that writer would abandon his +commonplaces, and rise into the region of romance and true poetry. The most +striking and melancholy instance of what I mean is the so-called Romantic Drama, +'Deodata'; a strange nondescript production, on which a clever composer ought +not to have wasted capital music. There can be no more striking proof of the +utter want of infelt poetry, of any conception of the higher dramatic life, than +where the author of 'Deodata,' in his preface, finds fault with Opera because it +is unnatural that people should sing on the stage, and next goes on to explain +that he has been at pains to introduce the singing, which is incidental to it, +always in a natural manner."</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>De mortuis nil nisi bonum</i>," said Cyprian, "let the dead +repose in peace."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And all the more," said Lothair, "that I see midnight is +close at hand, and he might avail himself of that circumstance to give us a box +or two on the ear (as he is said to have done to his critics in life) with his +invisible fist."</p> + +<p class="normal">Just then the carriage which Lothair had sent for on account +of Theodore's still invalid condition, came rolling up, and the friends went +back in it to town.</p> + +<br> + +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_section6" href="#div1Ref_section6">SECTION SIXTH</a>.</h2> + +<br> +<p class="normal">It so happened that some irresistible psychic force had +impelled Sylvester back to town, although, as a rule, nothing in the world would +induce him to leave the country at the time of year when the weather was at its +pleasantest. A little theatrical piece which he had written was going to be +produced, and it seems an impossibility for an author to miss a first +performance of one of his pieces, even though he may have to contend with a +world of trouble and anxiety in connection with it. Moreover, Vincent, too, had +emerged from the crowd, so that, for the time at least, the Serapion Brotherhood +was fairly reestablished; they held their meeting in the same pleasant +public-garden where they had last assembled.</p> + +<p class="normal">Sylvester was not like the same man; he was in better spirits +and more talkative than when he was last seen, and taking him all over, like one +who had experienced some piece of great good fortune.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Was it not well," said Lothair, "that we put off our meeting +until our friend's piece had been produced? otherwise we should have found our +good brother preoccupied, uninterested in our conversation, oppressed as with a +heavy burden. His piece would have been haunting him like some distressful +spectre, but now that it has burst its chrysalis and fluttered away like a +beautiful butterfly into the empyrean, and has not sued for universal favour in +vain, everything is clear and bright within him. He stands glorified in the +radiance of deserved applause which has fallen so richly to his share, and we +won't, for a moment, take it ill of him that he looks down upon us with the +least bit of pardonable pride, seeing that not one of us can boast of having +done what he has; namely, electrified some six or eight hundred people with one +spark; but let everybody have his due. Your piece is good, Sylvester; but you +must admit that the admirable rendering was what gave it its wings. You must +really have been greatly satisfied with the actors, were you not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I certainly was," said Sylvester, "although at the same time +it is very difficult to please the author of a play with the performance of it. +You see, he is himself each of the characters of the piece; and all their most +intimate peculiarities, with all their necessary conditions, have taken their +origin in his own brain; and it seems impossible to him that any other person +shall so appropriate, and make his own, those intimate thoughts of his which are +peculiar to and innate in the character as to be able to bring them forth into +actual life. The author, however, insists in his own mind upon this being done; +and the more vividly he has conceived the character, the more is he discontented +with the very slightest shortcoming, or alteration in it, which he can discover +in the actor's rendering of it. Certain is it that the author suffers an anxiety +which destroys all his pleasure in the representation, and it is only when he +can manage to soar above this anxiousness, and see his character, the character +-which he has invented, portrayed before his eyes, just as he saw it rise before +his mental vision, that he is able to enjoy, to some extent, seeing his piece +represented."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Still," said Ottmar, "any annoyance which a playwright may +feel, when he sees other characters, quite dissimilar from his own, represented +instead of them, is richly compensated for by the applause of the public, to +which no author can, or should, be indifferent."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No doubt," said Sylvester; "and as it is to the actor who is +playing the part that the applause is, in the first instance, given, the author, +who from his distant seat is looking on with trembling and anxiety, yea, often +with anger and disgust, at last becomes convinced that the character (not at all +his character) which is speaking the speeches of his one on the stage, is, at +all events, not so very bad after all as might have been. Also it is quite true, +and no reasonable author, who is not entirely shut up in himself, will deny it, +that many a clever actor, who has formed a vivid conception of a character, +develops features in that character which he himself did not think of, at least +not distinctly, and which he must nevertheless admit to be good and appropriate. +The author sees a character which was born in his own most inmost elements, +appearing before him in a shape new and strange to him. Yet this shape is by no +means foreign to the elements of the genesis of the character, nay it does not +seem now possible that it could have assumed a different form; and he feels a +glad astonishment over this thing, which is really his own, although it seems so +different; just as if he had suddenly come upon a treasure in his garret, whose +existence he had not dreamt of."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There," said Ottmar, "spoke my dear kind-hearted Sylvester, +who does not know the meaning of the word 'vanity,' that vanity which has +stifled many a great and true talent. There is one writer for the stage who once +said, without the slightest hesitation, that there are no actors capable of +understanding the soul which dwells within him, or of representing the +characters which he creates. How wholly otherwise was it with our grand and +glorious Schiller, who once got into that state of delighted surprise of which +Sylvester speaks, when he saw his Wallenstein performed, and declared that it +was then, for the first time, that he had seen his hero visibly in flesh and +blood before his eyes. It was Fleck, the for ever unforgettable hero of our +stage, who played Wallenstein then."</p> + +<p class="normal">"On the whole," said Lothair, "I am convinced, and the +instance which Ottmar has given confirms me, that the writer on whom, in the +depths of his soul, the true recognition and comprehension of art, and with +them, that worship which they give to the creating formative spirit of the +universe, have arisen in light, cannot lower himself to the degraded idol-cult, +which worships only its own self as being the Fetish that created all things. It +is very easy for a great talent to be mistaken for real genius. But time dispels +every illusion: talent succumbs to the attacks of time, but they have no effect +on true genius, which lives on in invulnerable strength and beauty. But, to +return to our Sylvester, and his theatre-piece, I must declare to you that I +cannot understand how any one can come to the heroic decision to permit a work, +for which he is indebted to his imagination, and to fortunate creative impulses, +to be acted before him on the slippery, risky, uncertain boards of the stage."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends laughed, thinking that Lothair was, after his +wont, going to utter some quaint, out-of-the-way opinion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Am I," asked he, "really a strange being who often thinks +things which other people are not very apt to think? Well, be that as it may; I +say again that when a fairly good writer, who has genuine talent, such as our +Sylvester, puts a piece upon the stage, it feels to me very much as if he made +up his mind to jump out of a third-floor window, and take his chance of what +might happen to him. I am going to make a confession; when I told you I did not +go to the theatre on the first night of Sylvester's piece, I told you a lie. Of +course I went; and sat on a back seat, a second Sylvester, a second author of +the piece, for it is impossible that he can have felt the strain of anxiety, the +strange feeling compounded of pleasure and its opposite, the restlessness +amounting to real pain, in any greater degree than I did myself. Every word of +the players, every gesture of theirs, took my breath away, and I kept saying to +myself, 'Oh, gracious heavens, is it possible that that will do, that it will go +down with the audience? and is the author responsible whether it does or not?'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You make the thing worse than it is," said Sylvester. "I feel +a disagreeable oppression of the breath, particularly at the beginning; but if +matters are going on pretty well, and the public expresses itself favourably, +this gradually goes off, and makes room for a very pleasant sensation, in which +I think selfish satisfaction with one's own production occupies the principal +place."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! you theatre-writers," cried out Vincent, "you are the +most conceited of all. The applause of the multitude is, to you, the very honey +of Hybla, and you sip and swallow it with the daintiest of faces and the +sweetest of smiles. But I am going to take up the role of devil's advocate, and +add that you are as little to be found fault with, for your anxiousness and +eagerness (which many folks think are nothing but the pangs of your vanity), as +anybody else who is playing a great and risky game. You are staking yourselves; +winning means applause, but losing means not only deserved blame, but (if this +amounts to a distinct public expression of it) that besmirching of the ludicrous +which is the bitterest and (as the French think) the most fearful and damnable +condemnation which a man can' experience here below. A virtuous Frenchman would, +therefore, much rather be considered a vile reprobate than be laughed at, and it +is quite certain that a ban of being ludicrous always falls on any playwright +who has been (theatrically speaking) 'damned'; and he never shakes it off in all +his lifetime. Even future success is a most questionable affair, and many a man +who has had this misfortune happen to him, has fled in his despair to the +doleful wilderness of those productions which possess the outward appearance of +theatrical pieces, but, as their authors solemnly assure us, are not meant for +representation."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I," said Theodore, "can corroborate you both most thoroughly +from my own experience, that it is a most hazardous matter to put a work on to +the stage. What it really amounts to is, that you are committing a property of +yours to the mercy of the winds and the waves. When one remembers how many +thousand accidental contingencies the effect of a work depends upon, how very +often the deeply considered and carefully contrived effect of some passage is +shipwrecked by the blunder, the unskilfulness, or the mistake of a singer or +instrumentalist; how often--"</p> + +++++++line 5644--can corroborate you both most thoroughly from my + + +<p class="normal">Vincent here interrupted with a vigourous cry of "hear! hear!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cry 'hear! hear!'" he explained, "as the noble lords in the +English Parliament do when one of them is just going to let the cat out of the +bag. Theodore's head is full of nothing but the opera which he put upon the +stage a few years ago. At the time, he said, 'When I had attended a dozen +rehearsals which were more or less useless and pretty much burked, and when the +last one came, and the conductor evidently had very little real idea of my +score, or about the piece as a whole, I gave things up, and felt quite calm in +my mind as to the very dubious destiny which was hanging over my production like +a most threatening thunder-cloud.' I said, 'If it is failure, a failure let it +be; I am far away aloft above all an author's anxieties and uneasinesses.' With +other pretty speeches of a like nature. But when I saw my friend on the day of +the performance, and when it came to be time to go to the theatre, he suddenly +turned as white as a sheet (though he smiled and laughed a great deal, nobody +quite knew at what), and gave us the most eager assurances that he had almost +forgotten that that was the night when his opera was to be given--tried, when +putting on his greatcoat, to stick his right arm into the left sleeve, so that I +had to help him on with it--and then ran off across the street like one +possessed, without a word. And, as the first chords of his overture sounded just +as he was getting into his box, he tumbled into the arms of the terrified +boxkeeper. Then--"</p> + +<p class="normal">"There, there!" cried Theodore, "that's enough about my opera, +and the execution of it. I shall be very glad to tell you as much as you please +about them any time when we happen to be having a regular talk about music; but +not another word to-night."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We have said enough, and more than enough," said Lothair, "on +this particular subject, and by way of winding it up, I may just say that there +is a little anecdote of Voltaire which pleases me greatly. Once, when one of his +tragedies--I think it was Zaire--was going to be given for the first time, he +was in such a terror of anxiety about its fate, that he did not dare to be +present himself; but all the way between his house and the theatre he had people +posted to send him messages every two or three minutes, by a code of signals, +bow the piece was going; so that he was able to suffer all the torments of the +Author comfortably, <i>en robe de chambre</i>, in his own room."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," cried Sylvester, "wouldn't that make a capital scene on +the stage? and what a splendid part it would be for a character actor. Think of +Voltaire on the boards. News comes that 'The public is disturbed, uneasy.' 'Ha!' +he cries, 'frivolous race! can any one +awaken your sympathy?' Next comes a message that 'the public +is applauding--shouting in delight.' 'Oh! great, grand, noble Frenchmen,' he +cries, 'you comprehend your Voltaire--you are worthy of him.' 'The public is +hissing, and there are one or two catcalls audible.' 'Ah! traitors! this to +me--to me!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Enough, enough," said Ottmar. "Sylvester is so inspired by +his success that he is favouring us with a scene of a comedy instead of--like a +proper Serapion Brother--reading us a tale, the most interesting subject of +which he told me of, in writing, and which I know he has finished and brought +with him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Our having been talking of Voltaire," said Sylvester, "may +lead us to think of his 'Siècle de Louis XIV.,' and of that period itself, in +which I have laid the scenes of the story which I now venture, with all modesty, +to submit, hoping for your favourable opinion."</p> + +<p class="normal">He read:--</p> + +<br> + +<h2><a name="div2_scuderi" href="#div2Ref_scuderi">MADEMOISELLE SCUDERI</a>:</h2> +<p class="center"><span class="sc">A Tale Of The Times Of Louis The Fourteenth.</span></p> + +<p class="normal">Magdaleine Scuderi, so famous for her charming poetical and +other writings, lived in a small mansion in the Rue St. Honoré, by favour of +Louis the 14th and Madame Maintenon.</p> + +<p class="normal">Late one night--about midnight--in the autumn of the year +1680, there came a knocking at the door of this house, so loud and violent that +it shook the very ground. Baptiste, who filled the offices of cook, butler, and +doorkeeper in the lady's modest establishment, had gone, by her leave, to the +country to his sister's wedding, so that La Martinière, the <i>femme de chambre</i>, +was the only person still awake in the house. She heard this knocking, which +went on without ceasing almost, and she remembered that, as Baptiste was away, +she and her mistress were alone and unprotected. She thought of the +housebreakings, robberies, and murders which were so frequent in Paris at that +time, and felt convinced that some of the numerous bands of malefactors, knowing +the defenceless state of the house that night, were raising this alarum at the +door, and would commit some outrage if it was opened; so she remained in her +room, trembling and terrified, anathematizing Baptiste, and his sister's +marriage into the bargain.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meantime the thundering knocking went on at the door, and she +thought she heard a voice calling in the intervals, "Open, for the love of +Christ! Open!--open!" At last, her alarm increasing, she took her candle and ran +out on to the landing, where she distinctly heard the voice crying, "Open the +door, for the love of Christ!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"After all," she said to herself, "one knows that a robber +would not be crying out in that way. Perhaps it is somebody who is being pursued +and is come to my lady for refuge. She is known to be always ready to do a kind +action--but we must be very careful!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She opened a window, and called down into the street, asking +who it was who was making such a tremendous thundering at the door at that time +of the night, rousing everybody from their sleep. This she did in a voice which +she tried to make as like a man's as she could. By the glimmer of the moon, +which was beginning to break through dark clouds, she could make out a tall +figure, in a long grey cloak, with a broad hat drawn down over the forehead. +Then she cried, in a loud voice, so that this person in the street should hear, +"Baptiste! Claude! Pierre! Get up, and see who this rascal is who is trying to +get in at this time of night." But a gentle, entreating voice spake from +beneath, saying, "Ah, La Martinière, I know it is you, you kind soul, though you +are trying to alter your voice; and I know well enough that Baptiste is away in +the country, and that there is nobody in the house but your mistress and +yourself. Let me in. I <i>must</i> speak with your lady this instant."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you imagine," asked La Martinière, "that my lady is going +to speak to you in the middle of the night? Can't you understand that she has +been in bed ever so long, and that it is as much as my place is worth to awaken +her out of her first sweet sleep, which is so precious to a person at her time +of life?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know," answered the person beneath, "that she has just this +moment put away the manuscript of the novel 'Clelia,' at which she is working so +hard, and is writing some verses which she means to read to-morrow at Madame de +Maintenon's. I implore you, Madame La Martinière, be so compassionate as to open +the door. Upon your doing so depends the escape of an unfortunate creature from +destruction. Nay, honour, freedom, a human life, depend on this moment in which +I <i>must</i> speak with your lady. Remember, her anger will rest upon you for ever +when she comes to know that it was you who cruelly drove away from her door the +unfortunate wretch who came to beg for her help."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But why should you come for her help at such an extraordinary +time of the night?" asked La Martinière. "Come back in the morning at a +reasonable hour." But the reply came up, "Does destiny, when it strikes like the +destroying lightning, consider hours and times? When there is but one moment +when rescue is possible, is help to be put off? Open me the door. Have no fear +of a wretched being who is without defence, hunted, under the pressure of a +terrible fate, and flies to your lady for succour from the most imminent peril."</p> + +<p class="normal">La Martinière heard the stranger moaning and groaning as he +uttered those words in the deepest sorrow, and the tone of his voice was that of +a youth, soft and gentle, and going profoundly to the heart. She was deeply +touched, and without much more hesitation she went and fetched the key.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as she opened the door, the form shrouded in the +mantle burst violently in, and passing La Martinière, cried in a wild voice, +"Take me to your lady!" La Martinière held up the light which she was carrying, +and the glimmer fell on the face of a very young man, distorted and frightfully +drawn, and as pale as death. She almost fell down on the landing for terror when +he opened his cloak and showed the glittering hilt of a stiletto sticking in his +doublet. He flashed his gleaming eyes at her, and cried, more wildly than +before, "Take me to your lady, I tell you."</p> + +<p class="normal">La Martinière saw that her mistress was in the utmost danger. +All her affection for her, who was to her as the kindest of mothers, flamed up +and created a courage which she herself would scarcely have thought herself +capable of. She quickly closed the door of her room, moved rapidly in front of +it, and said, in a brave, firm voice, "Your furious behaviour, now that you have +got into the house, is very different to what might have been expected from the +way you spoke down in the street. I see now that I had pity on you a little too +easily. My lady you shall not see or speak with at this hour. If you have no bad +designs, and are not afraid to show yourself in daylight, come and tell her your +business to-morrow; but take yourself off out of this house now."</p> + +<p class="normal">He heaved a hollow sigh, glared at La Martinière with a +terrible expression, and grasped his dagger. She silently commended her soul to +God, but stood firm and looked him straight in the face, pressing herself more +firmly against the door through which he would have to pass in order to reach +her mistress.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let me get to your lady, I tell you!" he cried once more.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do what you will," said La Martinière, "I shall not move from +this spot. Finish the crime which you have begun to commit. A shameful death on +the Place de Grève will overtake you, as it has your accursed comrades in +wickedness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha! you are right, La Martinière," he cried. "I am armed, and +I look as if I were an accursed robber and murderer. But my comrades are not +executed--are not executed," and he drew his dagger, advancing with poisonous +looks towards the terrified woman. </p> + +<p class="normal">"Jesus!" she cried, expecting her death-wound; but at that +moment there came up from the street below the clatter and the ring of arms, and +the hoof-tread of horses.</p> + +<p class="normal">"La Marechaussée! La Marechaussée! Help! help!" she cried.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wretched woman, you will be my destruction," he cried. "All +is over now--all over! Here, take it; take it. Give this to your lady now, or +to-morrow if you like it better." As he said this in a whisper, he took the +candelabra from her, blew out the tapers, and placed a casket in her hands. "As +you prize your eternal salvation," he cried, "give this to your lady." He dashed +out of the door, and was gone.</p> + +<p class="normal">La Martinière had sunk to the floor. She raised herself with +difficulty, and groped her way back in the darkness to her room, +where, wholly overcome and unable to utter a sound, she fell +into an arm-chair. Presently she heard the bolts rattle, which she had left +unfastened when she closed the house door. The house was therefore now shut up, +and soft unsteady steps were approaching her room. Like one under a spell, +unable to move, she was preparing for the very worst, when, to her inexpressible +joy, the door opened, and by the pale light of the night-lamp she saw it was +Baptiste. He was deadly pale, and much upset. "For the love of all the saints," +he exclaimed, "tell me what has happened! Oh, what a state I am in! Something--I +don't know what it was--told me to come away from the wedding yesterday--forced +me to come away. So when I got to this street, I thought, Madame Martinière +isn't a heavy sleeper; she'll hear me if I knock quietly at the door, and let me +in. Then up came a strong patrol meeting me, horsemen and foot, armed to the +teeth. They stopped me, and wouldn't let me go. Luckily Desgrais was there, the +lieutenant of the Marechaussée. He knows me, and as they were holding their +lanterns under my nose, he said, 'Ho, Baptiste! How come you here in the streets +at this time of the night? You ought to be at home, taking care of the house. +This is not a very safe spot just at this moment. We're expecting to make a fine +haul, an important arrest, to-night.' You can't think, Madame La Martinière, how +I felt when he said that. And when I got to the door, lo! and behold! a man in a +cloak comes bursting out with a drawn dagger in his hand, runs round me, and +makes off. The door was open, the keys in the lock. What, in the name of all +that's holy, is the meaning of it all?"</p> + +<p class="normal">La Martinière, relieved from her alarm, told him all that had +happened, and both she and he went back to the hall, where they found the +candelabra on the floor, where the stranger had thrown it on taking his flight. +"There can't be the slightest doubt that our mistress was within an ace of being +robbed, and murdered too, very likely," Baptiste said. "According to what you +say, the scoundrel knew well enough that there was nobody in the house but her +and you, and even that she was still sitting up at her writing. Of course he was +one of those infernal blackguards who pry into folks' houses and spy out +everything that can be of use to them in their devilish designs. And the little +casket, Madame Martinière, that, I think, we'll throw into the Seine where it's +deepest. Who shall be our warrant that some monster or other isn't lying in wait +for our mistress's life? Very likely, if she opens the casket, she may tumble +down dead, as the old Marquis de Tournay did when he opened a letter which came +to him, he didn't know where from."</p> + +<p class="normal">After a long consultation, they came to the conclusion that +they would, next morning, tell their lady everything that had happened, and even +hand her the mysterious casket, which might, perhaps, be opened if proper +precautions were taken. On carefully weighing all the circumstances connected +with the apparition of the stranger, they thought that there must be some +special secret or mystery involved in the affair, which they were not in a +position to unravel, but must leave to be elucidated by their superiors.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">There were good grounds for Baptiste's fears. Paris, at the +time in question, was the scene of atrocious deeds of violence, and that just at +a period when the most diabolical inventions of hell provided the most facile +means for their execution.</p> + +<p class="normal">Glaser, a German apothecary, the most learned chemist of his +day, occupied himself--as people who cultivate his science often do--with +alchemical researches and experiments. He had set himself the task of +discovering the philosopher's stone. An Italian of the name of Exili associated +himself with him; but to him the art of goldmaking formed a mere pretext. What +he aimed at mastering was the blending, preparation, and sublimation of the +various poisonous substances which Glaser hoped would give him the results he +was in search of, and at length Exili discovered how to prepare that delicate +poison which has no odour nor taste, and which, killing either slowly or in a +moment, leaves not the slightest trace in the human organism, and baffles the +utmost skill of the physician, who, not suspecting poison as the means of death, +ascribes it to natural causes. But cautiously as Exili went about this, he fell +under suspicion of dealing with poisons, and was thrown into the Bastille. In +the same cell with him there was presently quartered an officer of the name of +Godwin de Sainte-Croix, who had long lived +in relations with the Marquise de Brinvilliers which brought +shame +upon all her family; and at length, as her husband cared +nothing +about her conduct, her father (Dreux d'Aubray, Civil +Lieutenant of Paris) had to part the guilty pair by means of a <i>lettre de +cachet</i> against Sainte-Croix. The latter, being a man of passionate nature, +characterless, affecting sanctity, but addicted from his youth to +every vice, jealous, envious even to fury, nothing could be +more welcome to him than Exili's devilish secret, which gave him the power of +destroying all his enemies. He became Exili's assiduous pupil, and soon equalled +his instructor, so that when he was released from prison he was in a position to +carry on operations by himself on his own account.</p> + +<p class="normal">La Brinvilliers was a depraved woman, and Sainte-Croix made +her a monster. She managed, by degrees, to poison, first, her own father (with +whom she was living, on the hypocritical pretence of taking care of him in his +declining years), next her two brothers, and then her sister; the father out of +revenge, and the others for their fortunes. The histories of more than one +poisoner bear terrible evidence that this description of crime assumes the form +of an irresistible passion. Just as a chemist makes experiments for the pleasure +and the interest of watching them, poisoners have often, without the smallest +ulterior object, killed persons whose living or dying was to them a matter of +complete indifference. The sudden deaths of a number of paupers, patients at the +Hôtel Dieu, a little time after the events just alluded to, led to suspicion +that the bread which La Brinvilliers was in the habit of giving them every week +(by way of an example of piety and benevolence) was poisoned. And it is certain +that she poisoned pigeon pasties which were served up to guests whom she had +invited. The Chevalier du Guet, and many more, were the victims of those +diabolical entertainments. Sainte-Croix, his accomplice La Chaussée, and La +Brinvilliers, managed to hide their crimes for a long while under a veil of +impenetrable secrecy. But, however the wicked may brazen matters out, there +comes a time when the Eternal Power of Heaven punishes the criminal, even here +on earth. The poisons which +Sainte-Croix prepared were so marvellously delicate that if +the powder (which the Parisians appositely named "<i>poudre de succession</i>") was +uncovered while being made, a single inhalation of it was sufficient to cause +immediate death. Therefore Sainte-Croix always wore a glass mask when at work. +This mask fell off one day just as he was shaking a finished powder into a +phial, and, having inhaled some of the powder, he fell dead in an instant. As he +had no heirs, the law courts at once placed his property under seal, when the +whole diabolical arsenal of poison-murder which had been at the villain's +disposal was discovered, and also the letters of Madame de Brinvilliers, which +left no doubt as to her crimes. She fled to a convent at Liège. Desgrais, an +officer of the Marechaussée, was sent after her. Disguised as a priest, he got +admitted into the convent, and succeeded in involving the terrible woman in a +love-affair, and in getting her to grant him a clandestine meeting in a +sequestered garden outside the town. When she arrived there she found herself +surrounded by Desgrais' myrmidons; and her ecclesiastical gallant speedily +transformed himself into the officer of the Marechaussée, and compelled her to +get into the carriage which was waiting outside the garden, and drove straight +away to Paris, surrounded by an ample guard. La Chaussée had been beheaded +previously to this, and La Brinvilliers suffered the same death. Her body was +burnt, and its ashes scattered to the winds.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Parisians breathed freely again when the world was freed +from the presence of this monster, who had so long wielded, with impunity, +unpunished, the weapon of secret murder against friend and foe. But it soon +became bruited abroad that the terrible art of the accursed La Croix had been, +somehow, handed down to a successor, who was carrying it on triumphantly. Murder +came gliding like an invisible, capricious spectre into the narrowest and most +intimate circles of relationship, love, and friendship, pouncing securely and +swiftly upon its unhappy victims. Men who, to-day, were seen in robust health, +were tottering about on the morrow feeble and sick; and no skill of physicians +could restore them. Wealth, a good appointment or office, a nice-looking wife, +perhaps a little too young for her husband, were ample reasons for a man's being +dogged to death. The most frightful mistrust snapped the most sacred ties. The +husband trembled before his wife; the father dreaded the son; the sister the +brother. When your friend asked you to dinner, you carefully avoided tasting the +dishes and wines which he set before you; and where joy and merriment used to +reign, there were now nothing but wild looks watching to detect the secret +murderer. Fathers of families were to be seen with anxious looks, buying +supplies of food in out-of-the-way places where they were not known, and cooking +them themselves in dirty cook-shops, for dread of treason in their own homes. +And yet often the most careful and ingenious precautions were unavailing.</p> + +<p class="normal">For the repression of this ever-increasing disorder the King +constituted a fresh tribunal, to which he entrusted the special investigation +and punishment of those secret crimes. This was the Chambre Ardente, which held +its sittings near the Bastille. La Regnie was its president. For a considerable +time La Regnie's efforts, assiduous as they were, were unsuccessful, and it was +the lot of the much overworked Desgrais to discover the most secret lurking-hole +of the crime. In the Faubourg Saint-Germain there lived an old woman, named La +Voisin, who followed the calling of a teller of fortunes and a summoner of +spirits, and, assisted by her accomplices Le Sage and Le Vigoureux, managed to +alarm and astonish people who were by no means to be considered weak or +superstitious. But she did more than this. She was a pupil of Exili's, like La +Croix, and, like him, prepared the delicate, traceless poison, which helped +wicked sons to speedy inheritance and unprincipled wives to other, younger +husbands. Desgrais fathomed her secrets; she made full confession; the Chambre +Ardente sentenced her to be burned, and the sentence was carried out on the +Place de Grève. Amongst her effects was found a list of those who had availed +themselves of her services; whence it followed, not only that execution +succeeded execution, but that strong suspicion fell on persons of high +consideration. Thus it was believed that Cardinal Bonzy had obtained from La +Voisin the means of disembarrassing himself of all the persons to whom, in his +capacity of Archbishop of Narbonne, he was bound to pay pensions. Similarly, the +Duchess de Bouillon and the Countess de Soissons (their names having been found +in La Voisin's list) were accused of having had relations with her; and even +Francis Henri de Montmorency, Boudebelle, Duke of Luxemburg, Peer and Marshal of +the realm, did not escape arraignment before the Chambre Ardente. He surrendered +himself to imprisonment in the Bastille, where the hatred of Louvois and La +Regnie immured him in a cell only six feet long. Months elapsed before it was +proved that his offences did not deserve so severe a punishment. He had once +gone to La Voisin to have his horoscope drawn.</p> + +<p class="normal">What is certain is that an excess of inconsiderate zeal led +President La Regnie into violently illegal and barbarous measures. His Court +assumed the character of the Inquisition. The very slightest suspicion rendered +any one liable to severe imprisonment, and the establishment of the innocence of +a person tried for his life was often only a matter of the merest chance. +Besides, Regnie was repulsive to behold, and of malicious disposition, so that +he excited the hatred of those whose avenger or protector he was called upon to +be. When he asked the Duchess de Bouillon if she had ever seen the devil, she +answered, "I think I see him at this moment."</p> + +<p class="normal">Whilst now, on the Place de Grève, the blood of the guilty and +of the merely suspected was flowing in streams, and secret deaths by poison +were, at last, becoming more and more rare, a trouble of another description +showed itself, spreading abroad fresh consternation. It seemed that a gang of +robbers had made up their minds to possess themselves of all the jewels in the +city. Whenever a valuable set of ornaments was bought, it disappeared in an +inexplicable manner, however carefully preserved and protected. And everybody +who dared to wear precious stones in the evening was certain to be robbed, +either in the public streets or in the dark passages of houses. Very often they +were not only robbed, but murdered. Such of them as escaped with their lives +said they had been felled by the blow of a clenched fist on the head, which came +on them like a thunderbolt. And when they recovered their senses they found that +they had been robbed, and were in a totally different place from that where they +had been knocked down. Those +who were murdered--and they were found nearly every morning +lying +in the streets or in houses--had all the selfsame mortal +wound--a dagger-thrust, right through the heart, which the surgeons said must +have been delivered with such swiftness and certainty that the victim must have +fallen dead without the power of uttering a sound. Now who, in all the luxurious +Court of Louis Quatorze, was there who was not implicated in some secret +love-affair, and, consequently, often gliding about the streets late at night +with valuable presents in his pockets? Just as if this robber-gang were in +intercourse with spirits, they always knew perfectly well when anything of this +kind was going on. Often the fortunate lover wouldn't reach the house where his +lady was expecting him; often he would fall at her threshold, at her very door, +where, to her horror, she would discover his bleeding body lying.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was in vain that Argenson, the Minister of Police, arrested +every individual, in all Paris, who seemed to be touched by the very faintest +suspicion; in vain La Regnie raged, striving to compel confession; in vain +guards and patrols were reinforced. Not a trace of the perpetrators of those +outrages was to be discovered. The only thing which was of a certain degree of +use was to go about armed to the teeth, and have a light carried before you; and +yet there were cases in which the servant who carried the light had his +attention occupied by having stones thrown at him, whilst at that very instant +his master was being robbed and murdered.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a remarkable feature of this business that, +notwithstanding all search and investigation in every quarter where there seemed +to be any chance of dealing in jewels going on, not a trace of even the smallest +of the plundered precious stones ever came to light. Desgrais foamed in fury +that even his acumen and skill were powerless to prevent the escape of those +scoundrels. Whatever part of the town he happened to be in for the time was let +alone, whilst in some other quarter, robbery and murder were lying in wait for +their rich prey.</p> + +<p class="normal">Desgrais hit upon the clever idea of setting several +facsimiles of himself on foot--various Desgrais, exactly alike in gait, speech, +figure, face, &c.; so that his own men could not tell the one of them from the +other, or say which was the real Desgrais. Meanwhile he, at the risk of his +life, watched alone in the most secret hiding-places, and followed, at a +distance, this or the other person who seemed, by the looks of him, to be likely +to have jewels about him. But those whom he was watching were unharmed, so that +this artifice of his was as well known, to the culprits as everything else +seemed to be. Desgrais was in utter despair.</p> + +<p class="normal">One morning he came to President La Regnie, pale, distorted, +almost out of his mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is it--what news? Have you come upon the clue?" the +President cried to him as he came in.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, Monsieur!" cried Desgrais, stammering in fury, "last +night, near the Louvre, the Marquis de la Fare was set upon under my very nose!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heaven and earth!" cried La Regnie, overjoyed, "we have got +them!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wait a moment, listen," said Desgrais, with a bitter smile. +"I was standing near the Louvre, watching and waiting, with hell itself in my +heart, for those devils who have been baffling me for such a length of time. +There came a figure close by me--not seeing me--with careful uncertain steps, +always looking behind it. By the moonlight I recognised the Marquis de la Fare. +I expected that he would be passing. I knew where he was gliding to. Scarcely +had he got ten or twelve paces beyond me, when, out of the ground apparently, +springs a figure, dashes the Marquis to the ground, falls down upon him. Losing +my self-command at this occurrence, which seemed to be likely to deliver the +murderer into my hands, I cried out aloud, and meant to spring from my +hiding-place with a great jump and seize hold of him. But I +tripped up in my cloak and fell down. I saw the fellow flee away as if on the +wings of the wind; I picked myself up, and made off after him as fast as I +could. As I ran, I sounded my horn. Out of the distance the whistles of my men +answered me. Things grew lively--clatter of arms, tramp of horses on all sides. +'Here!--come to me!--Desgrais!' I cried, till the streets re-echoed. All the +time I saw the man before me in the bright moonlight, turning off +right--left--to get away from me. We came to the Rue Nicaise. There his strength +seemed to begin to fail. I gathered mine up. He was not more than fifteen paces +ahead of me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You got hold of him!--your men came up!" cried La Regnie, +with flashing eyes, grasping Desgrais by the arm as if he were the fleeing +murderer himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fifteen paces ahead of me," said Desgrais, in a hollow voice, +and drawing his breath hard, "this fellow, before my eyes, dodged to one side, +and vanished through the wall."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Vanished!--through the wall! Are you out of your senses?" La +Regnie cried, stepping three steps backwards, and striking his hands together.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Call me as great a madman as you please, Monsieur," said +Desgrais, rubbing his forehead like one tortured by evil thoughts. "Call me a +madman, or a silly spirit-seer; but what I have told you is the literal truth. I +stood staring at the wall, while several of my men came up out of breath, and +with them the Marquis de la Fare (who had picked himself up), with his drawn +sword in his hand. We lighted torches, we examined the wall all over. There was +not the trace of a door, a window, any opening. It is a strong stone wall of a +courtyard, belonging to a house, in which people are living--against whom there +is not the slightest suspicion. I have looked into the whole thing again this +morning in broad daylight. It must be the very devil himself who is at work +befooling us in the matter."</p> + +<p class="normal">This story got bruited abroad through Paris, where all heads +were full of the witch-business, spirit conjuration, devil-covenants of La +Voisin, Vigoureux, and the wicked priest Le Sage; and as it does lie in our +eternal nature that the bent towards the supernatural and the marvellous +overpasses all reason, people soon believed nothing less than that which +Desgrais had only said in his impatience--namely, that the very devil himself +must protect those rascals, and that they had sold their souls to him. We can +readily understand that Desgrais's story soon received many absurd +embellishments. It was printed, and hawked about the town, with a woodcut at the +top representing a horrible devil-form sinking into the ground before the +terrified Desgrais. Quite enough to frighten the people, and so terrify +Desgrais's men that they lost all courage, and went about the streets behung +with amulets, and sprinkled with holy water.</p> + +<p class="normal">Argenson, seeing that the Chambre Ardente was unsuccessful, +applied to the King to constitute--with special reference to this novel +description of crime--a tribunal armed with greater powers for tracking and +punishing offenders. The King, thinking he had already given powers too ample to +the Chambre Ardente, and shocked at the horrors of the numberless executions, +carried out by the bloodthirsty La Regnie, refused.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then another method of influencing His Majesty was devised.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the apartments of Madame de Maintenon,--where the King was +in the habit of spending much of his time in the afternoons,--and also, very +often, would be at work with his Ministers till late at night--a poetical +petition was laid before him, on the part of the "Endangered Lovers," who +complained that when "galanterie" rendered it incumbent on them to be the +bearers of some valuable present to the ladies of their hearts, they had always +to do it at the risk of their lives. They said, that, of course, it was honour +and delight to pour out their blood for the lady of their heart, in knightly +encounter, but that the treacherous attack of the assassin, against which it was +impossible to guard, was quite a different matter. They expressed their hope +that Louis, the bright pole-star of love and gallantry, might deign--arising and +shining in fullest splendour--to dispel the darkness of night, and thus reveal +the black mysteries hidden thereby; that the God-like hero, who had hurled his +foes to the dust, would now once more wave his flashing faulchion, and, as did +Hercules in the case of the Lærnean Hydra, and Theseus in that of the Minotaur, +vanquish the threatening monster who was eating up all love-delight, and +darkening all joy into deep sorrow and inconsolable mourning.</p> + +<p class="normal">Serious as the subject was, this poem was not deficient in +most wittily-turned phrases, particularly where it described the state of +watchful anxiety in which lovers had to glide to their lady-loves, and how this +mental strain necessarily destroyed all love-happiness, and nipped all +adventures of "galanterie" in the very bud. And, as it +wound up with a high-flown panegyric of Louis XIV., the King +could not but read it with visible satisfaction. When he perused it, he turned +to Madame de Maintenon--without taking his eyes from it--read +it +again--aloud this time--and then asked, with a pleased smile, +what she thought of the petition of the 'Endangered Lovers.' Madame de +Maintenon, faithful to her serious turn, and ever wearing the garb of a certain +piousness, answered that hidden and forbidden ways did not deserve much in the +form of protection, but that the criminals probably did require special laws for +their punishment. The King, not satisfied with this answer, folded the paper up, +and was going back to the Secretary of State, who was at work in the ante-room, +when, happening to glance sideways, his eyes rested on Mademoiselle Scuderi, who +was present, seated in a little arm-chair. He went straight to her; and the +pleased smile which had at first been playing about his mouth and cheeks--but +had disappeared--resumed the ascendency again. Standing close before her, with +his face unwrinkling itself, he said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Marquise does not know, and has no desire to learn, +anything about the 'galanteries' of our enamoured gentlemen, and evades the +subject in ways which are nothing less than forbidden. But, Mademoiselle, what +do <i>you</i> think of this poetical petition?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi rose from her chair; a transient blush, +like the purple of the evening sky, passed across her pale cheeks, and, gently +bending forward, she answered, with downcast eyes--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Un amant qui craint les voleurs.</p> +<p class="i6">N'est point digne d'amour."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">The King, surprised, and struck by admiration at the +chivalrous spirit of those few words--which completely took the wind out of the +sails of the poem, with all its ell-long tirades--cried, with flashing eyes--</p> + +<p class="normal">"By Saint Denis, you are right, Mademoiselle! No blind laws, +touching the innocent and the guilty alike, shall shelter cowardice. Argenson +and La Regnie must do their best."</p> + +<p class="normal">Next morning La Martinière enlarged upon the terrors of the +time, painting them in glowing colours to her lady, when she told her all that +had happened the previous night, and handed her the mysterious casket, with much +fear and trembling. Both she and Baptiste (who stood in the corner as white as a +sheet, kneading his cap in his hand from agitation and anxiety) implored her, in +the name of all the saints, to take the greatest precautions in opening it. She, +weighing and examining the unopened mystery in her hand, said with a smile, "You +are a couple of bogies! The wicked scoundrels outside, who, as you say +yourselves, spy out all that goes on in every house, know, no doubt, quite as +well as you and I do, that I am not rich, and that there are no treasures in +this house worth committing a murder for. Is my life in danger, do you think? +Who could have any interest in the death of an old woman of seventy-three, who +never persecuted any evil-doers except those in her own novels; who writes +mediocre poetry, incapable of exciting any one's envy; who has nothing to leave +behind her but the belongings of an old maid, who sometimes goes to Court, and +two or three dozen handsomely-bound books with gilt edges. And, alarming as your +account is, La Martinière, of the apparition of this man, I cannot believe that +he meant me any harm, so----"</p> + +<p class="normal">La Martinière sprang three paces backwards, and Baptiste fell +on one knee with a hollow, "Ah!" as Mademoiselle Scuderi pressed a projecting +steel knob, and the lid of the casket flew open with a certain amount of noise.</p> + +<p class="normal">Great was her surprise to see that it contained a pair of +bracelets, and a necklace richly set in jewels. She took them out and as she +spoke in admiration of the marvellous workmanship of the necklace, La Martinière +cast glances of wonder at the bracelets, and cried, again and again, that Madame +Montespan herself did not possess such jewelry.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But why is it brought to me?" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi. +"What can this mean?" She saw, however, a little folded note at the bottom of +the casket, and in this she rightly thought she would find the key to the +mystery. When she had read what was written in the note, it fell from her +trembling hands; she raised an appealing look to heaven, and then sank down half +fainting in her chair. Baptiste and La Martinière hurried to her, in alarm. +"Oh!" she cried, in a voice stifled by tears, "the mortification! The deep +humiliation! Has it been reserved for me to undergo this in my old age? Have I +ever been frivolous, like some of the foolish young creatures? Are words, spoken +half in jest, to be found capable of such a terrible interpretation? Am I, who +have been faithful to all that is pure and good from my childhood, to be made +virtually an accomplice in the crimes of this terrible confederation?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She held her handkerchief to her eyes, so that Baptiste and La +Martinière, altogether at sea in their anxious conjectures, felt powerless to +set about helping her, who was so dear to them, as the best and kindest of +mistresses, in her bitter affliction.</p> + +<p class="normal">La Martinière picked up the paper from the floor. On it was +written--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Un amant qui craint les voleurs</p> +<p class="i6">N'est point digne d'amour."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">"Your brilliant intellect, most honoured lady, has delivered +us, who exercise, on weakness and cowardice, the rights of the stronger, and +possess ourselves of treasures which would otherwise be unworthily wasted, from +much bitter persecution. As a proof of our gratitude, be pleased to kindly +accept this set of ornaments. It is the most valuable that we have been enabled +to lay hands on for many a day. Although far more beautiful and precious jewels +ought to adorn you, yet we pray you not to deprive us of your future protection +and remembrance.--<span class="sc">The Invisibles</span>."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is it possible," cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, when she had +partially recovered herself, "that shameless wickedness and abandoned insult can +be carried further by human beings?" The sun was shining brightly through the +window curtains of crimson silk, and consequently the brilliants, which were +lying on the table beside the open casket, were flashing a rosy radiance. +Looking at them, Mademoiselle Scuderi covered her face in horror, and ordered La +Martinière instantly to take those terrible jewels away, steeped, as they seemed +to be, in the blood of the murdered. La Martinière, having at once put the +necklace and bracelets back into their case, thought the best thing to do would +be to give them to the Minister of Police, and tell him all that had happened.</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi rose, and walked up and down slowly and +in silence, as if considering what it was best to do. Then she told Baptiste to +bring a sedan chair, and La Martinière to dress her, as she was going straight +to the Marquise de Maintenon.</p> + +<p class="normal">She repaired thither at the hour when she knew Madame de +Maintenon would be alone, taking the casket and jewels with her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame de Maintenon might well wonder to see this dear old +lady (who was always kindness, sweetness and amiability personified), pale, +distressed, upset, coming in with uncertain steps. "In heaven's name, what has +happened to you?" she cried to her visitor, who was scarcely able to stand +upright, striving to reach the chair which the Marquise drew forward for her. At +last, when she could find words, she told her what a deep, irremediable insult +and outrage the thoughtless speech which she had made in reply to the King had +brought upon her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame de Maintenon, when she had heard the whole affair +properly related, thought Mademoiselle Scuderi was taking it far too much to +heart, strange as the occurrence was--that the insult of a pack of wretched +rabble could not hurt an upright, noble heart: and finally begged that she might +see the ornaments.</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi handed her the open casket, and when she +saw the splendid and valuable stones, and the workmanship of them, she could not +repress a loud expression of admiration. She took the bracelets and necklace to +the window, letting the sunlight play on the jewels, and holding the beautiful +goldsmith's work close to her eyes, so as to see with what wonderful skill each +little link of the chains was formed.</p> + +<p class="normal">She turned suddenly to Mademoiselle Scuderi, and cried, "Do +you know, there is only one man who can have done this work--and that is René +Cardillac."</p> + +<p class="normal">René Cardillac was then the cleverest worker in gold in all +Paris, one of the most artistic, and at the same time extraordinary men of his +day. Short, rather than tall, but broad-shouldered, and of strong and muscular +build, Cardillac, now over fifty, had still the strength and activity of a +youth. To this vigour, which was to be called unusual, testified also his thick, +curling, reddish hair, and his massive, shining face. Had he not been known to +be the most upright and honourable of men, unselfish, open, without reserve, +always ready to help, his altogether peculiar glance out of his grimly sparkling +eyes might have brought him under suspicion of being secretly ill-tempered and +wicked. In his art he was the most skilful worker, not only in Paris, but +probably in the world at that time. Intimately acquainted with every kind of +precious stones, versed in all their special peculiarities, he could so handle +and treat them that ornaments which at a first glance promised to be poor and +insignificant, came from his workshop brilliant and splendid. He accepted every +commission with burning eagerness, and charged prices so moderate as to seem out +of all proportion to the work. And the work left him no rest. Day and night he +was to be heard hammering in his shop; and often, when a job was nearly +finished, he would suddenly be dissatisfied with the form--would have doubts +whether some of the settings were tender enough; some little link would not be +quite to his mind--in fine, the whole affair would be thrown into the +melting-pot, and begun all over again. Thus every one of his works was a real, +unsurpassable <i>chef-d'œuvre</i>, which set the person who had ordered it into +amazement. But then, it was hardly possible to get the finished work out of his +hands. He would put the customer off from one week to another, by a thousand +excuses, ay, from month to month. He might be offered twice the price he had +agreed upon, but it was useless; he would take no more; and when, ultimately, he +was obliged to yield to the customer's remonstrances, and deliver the work, he +could not conceal the vexation--nay, the rage--which seethed within him. If he +had to deliver some specially valuable and unusually rich piece of workmanship, +worth perhaps several thousand francs, he would get into such a condition that +he ran up and down like one demented, cursing himself, his work, and every thing +and person about him; but should, then, some one come running up behind him, +crying, "René Cardillac, would you be so kind as to make me a beautiful necklace +for the lady I am going to marry?" or "a pair of bracelets for my girl?" or the +like, he would stop in a moment, flash his small eyes upon the speaker, and say, +"Let me see what you have got." The latter would take out a little case, and +say, "Here are jewels; they are not worth much; only every-day affairs; but in +your hands----." Cardillac would interrupt him, snatch the casket from his +hands, take out the stones (really not very valuable), hold them up to the +light, and cry, "Ho! ho! common stones you say! Nothing of the kind!--very fine, +splendid stones! Just see what I shall make of them; and if a handful of Louis +are no object to you, I will put two or three others along with them which will +shine in your eyes like the sun himself!" The customer would say: "I leave the +matter entirely in your hands, Master René; make what charge you please." +Whether the customer were a rich burgher or a gallant of quality, Cardillac +would then throw himself violently on his neck, embrace him and kiss him, and +say he was perfectly happy again, and that the work would be ready in eight +days' time. Then he would run home as fast as he could to his work-shop, where +he would set to work hammering away; and in eight days' time there would be a +masterpiece ready. But as soon as the customer would arrive, glad to pay the +moderate price demanded, and take away his prize, Cardillac would become morose, +ill-tempered, rude, and insolent. "But consider, Master Cardillac," the customer +would say, "to-morrow is my wedding-day." "What do I care?" Cardillac would +answer; "what is your wedding-day to me? Come back in a fortnight." "But it is +finished!--here is the money; I must have it." "And I tell you that there are +many alterations which I must make before I let it leave my hands, and I am not +going to let you have it to-day." "And I tell you, that if you don't give me my +jewels--which I am ready to pay you for--quietly, you will see me come back with +a file of D'Argenson's men." "Now, may the devil seize you with a hundred +red-hot pincers, and hang three hundredweight on to the necklace, that it may +throttle your bride!" With which he would cram the work into the customer's +breast-pocket, seize him by the arm, push him out of the door, so that he would +go stumbling all the way downstairs, and laugh like a fiend, out of window, when +he saw the +poor wretch go limping out, holding his handkerchief to his +bleeding nose. It was not easy of explanation neither that Cardillac, when he +had undertaken a commission with alacrity and enthusiasm, would sometimes +suddenly implore the customer, with every sign of the +deepest emotion--with the most moving adjurations, even with +sobs and tears--not to ask him to go on with it. Many persons, amongst those +most highly considered by the King and nation, had in vain offered large sums +for the smallest specimen of Cardillac's work. He threw himself at the King's +feet, and supplicated that, of his mercy, he would not command him to work for +him; and he declined all orders of Madame de Maintenon's: once, when she wished +him to make a little ring, with emblems of the arts on it, which she wanted to +give to Racine, he refused with expressions of abhorrence and terror.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I would wager," said Madame de Maintenon, "therefore, that +even if I were to send for Cardillac, to find out, at least, for whom he had +made those ornaments, he would somehow evade coming, for fear that I should give +him an order; nothing will induce him to work for me. Yet he does seem to have +been rather less obstinate of late, for I hear he is working more than ever, and +allows his customers to take away their jewelry at once, though he does so with +deep annoyance, and turns away his face when he hands them over."</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi, who was exceedingly anxious that the +jewels which came into her possession in such an extraordinary manner should be +restored to their owner as speedily as possible, thought that this wondrous René +Cardillac should be informed at once that no work was required of him, but +simply his opinion as to certain stones. The Marquise agreed to this; he was +sent for, and he came into the room in a very brief space, almost as if he had +been on the way when sent for.</p> + +<p class="normal">When he saw Mademoiselle Scuderi, he appeared perplexed, like +one confronted with the unexpected, who, for the time, loses sight of the calls +of courtesy; he first of all made a profound reverence to her, and then turned, +in the second place, to the Marquise. Madame de Maintenon impetuously asked him +if the jewelled ornaments--to which +she pointed as they lay sparkling on the dark-green cover of +the +table--were his workmanship. Cardillac scarcely glanced at +them, and, fixedly staring in her face, he hastily packed the necklace and +bracelets into their case, and shoved them away with some violence. Then he +said, with an evil smile gleaming on his red face, "The truth is, Madame la +Marquise, that one must know René Cardillac's handiwork very little to suppose, +even for a moment, that any other goldsmith in the world made those. Of course, +I made them." "Then," continued the Marquise, "say whom you made them for." "For +myself alone," he answered. "You may think this strange," he continued, as they +both gazed at him with amazement, Madame de Maintenon incredulous, and +Mademoiselle Scuderi all anxiety as to how the matter was going to turn out, +"but I tell you the truth, Madame la Marquise. Merely for the sake of the beauty +of the work, I collected some of my finest stones together, and worked for the +enjoyment of so doing, more carefully and diligently than usual. Those ornaments +disappeared from my workshop a short time since, in an incomprehensible manner." +"Heaven be thanked!" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, her eyes sparkling with joy. +With a smile she sprang up from her seat, and going up to Cardillac quickly and +actively as a young girl, she laid her hands on his shoulder, saying, "Take back +your treasure, Master René, which the villains have robbed you of!" And she +circumstantially related how the ornaments had come into her possession.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cardillac listened in silence, with downcast eyes, merely from +time to time uttering a scarcely audible "Hm! Indeed! Ah! Ho, ho!" sometimes +placing his hands behind his back, again stroking his chin and cheeks. When she +had ended, he appeared to be struggling with strange thoughts which had come to +him during her story, and seemed unable to come to any decision satisfactory to +himself. He rubbed his brow, sighed, passed his hand over his eyes--perhaps to +keep back tears. At last he seized the casket (which Mademoiselle Scuderi had +been holding out to him), sunk slowly on one knee, and said: "Esteemed lady! +Fate destined this casket for you; and I now feel, for the first time, that I +was thinking of you when I was at work upon it--nay, was making it expressly for +you. Do not disdain to accept this work, and to wear it; it is the best I have +done for a very long time." "Ah! Master René," said Mademoiselle Scuderi, +jesting pleasantly, "how think you it would become me at my age to bedeck myself +with those beautiful jewels?--and what should put it in your mind to make me +such a valuable present? Come, come! If I were as beautiful and as rich as the +Marquise de Fontange, I should certainly not let them out of my hands; but what +have my withered arms, and my wrinkled neck, to do with all that splendour?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Cardillac had risen, and said, with wild looks, like a man +beside himself, still holding the casket out towards her, "Do me the mercy to +take it, Mademoiselle! You have no notion how profound is the reverence which I +bear in my heart for your excellences, your high deserts. Do but accept my +little offering, as an attempt, on my part, to prove to you the warmth of my +regard."</p> + +<p class="normal">As Mademoiselle Scuderi was still hesitating, Madame de +Maintenon took the casket from Cardillac's hands, saying, "Now, by heaven, +Mademoiselle, you are always talking of your great age. What have you and I to +do with years and their burden? You are like some bashful young thing who would +fain long for forbidden fruit, if she could gather it without hands or fingers. +Do not hesitate to accept this good Master René's present, which thousands of +others could not obtain for money or entreaty."</p> + +<p class="normal">As she spoke she continued to press the casket on Mademoiselle +Scuderi; and now Cardillac sank again on his knees, kissed her dress, her hands, +sighed, wept, sobbed, sprang up, and ran off in frantic haste, upsetting chairs +and tables, so that the glass and porcelain crashed and clattered together.</p> + +<p class="normal">In much alarm, Mademoiselle Scuderi cried, "In the name of all +the saints, what is the matter with the man?" But the Marquise, in particularly +happy temper, laughed aloud, saying, "What it is, Mademoiselle; that Master René +is over head and ears in love with you, and, according to the laws of <i>la +galanterie</i>, begins to lay siege to your heart with a valuable present." She +carried this jest further, begging Mademoiselle Scuderi not to be too obdurate +towards this despairing lover of hers; and Mademoiselle Scuderi, in her turn, +borne away on a current of merry fancies, said, "If things were so, she would +not be able to refrain from delighting the world with the unprecedented +spectacle of a goldsmith's bride of three-and-seventy summers, and +unexceptionable descent." Madame de Maintenon offered to twine the bridal wreath +herself, and give her a few hints as to the duties of a housewife, a subject on +which such a poor inexperienced little chit could not be expected to know very +much.</p> + +<p class="normal">But, notwithstanding all the jesting and the laughter, when +Mademoiselle Scuderi rose to depart, she became very grave again when her hand +rested upon the jewel casket. "Whatever happens," she said, "I shall never be +able to bring myself to wear these ornaments. They have, at all events, been in +the hands of one of those diabolical men, who rob and slay with the audacity of +the evil one himself, and are very probably in league with him. I shudder at the +thought of the blood which seems to cling to those glittering stones--and even +Cardillac's behaviour had something about it which struck me as being singularly +wild and eery. I cannot drive away from me a gloomy foreboding that there is +some terrible and frightful mystery hidden behind all this; and yet, when I +bring the whole affair, with all the circumstances of it, as clearly as I can +before my mental vision, I cannot form the slightest idea what that mystery can +be--and, above all, how the good, honourable Master René--the very model of what +a good, well-behaved citizen ought to be--can have anything to do with what is +wicked or condemnable. But, at all events, I distinctly feel that I never can +wear those jewels."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Marquise considered that this was carrying scruples rather +too far; yet, when Mademoiselle Scuderi asked her to say, on her honour, what +she would do in her place, she replied, firmly and earnestly, "Far rather throw +them into the Seine than ever put them on."</p> + +<p class="normal">The scene with Master René inspired Mademoiselle Scuderi to +write some pleasant verses, which she read to the King the following evening, at +Madame de Maintenon's. Perhaps, for the sake of the picturing of Master René +carrying off a bride of seventy-three--of unimpeachable quarterings--it was that +she succeeded in conquering her feelings of the imminence of something +mysterious and uncanny; but at all events she did so, completely--and the King +laughed with all his heart, and vowed that Boileau Despreaux had met with his +master. So La Scuderi's poem was reckoned the very wittiest that ever was +written.</p> + +<p class="normal">Several months had elapsed, when chance so willed it that +Mlle. Scuderi was crossing the Pont Neuf in the glass coach of the Duchesse de +Montpensier. The invention of those delightful glass coaches was then so recent +that the people came together in crowds whenever one of them made its appearance +in the streets, consequently, a gaping crowd gathered about the Duchesse's +carriage on the Pont Neuf, so that the horses could hardly make their way along. +Suddenly Mlle. Scuderi heard a sound of quarrelling and curses, and saw a man +making a way for himself through the crowd, by means of fisticuffs and blows in +the ribs, and as he came near they were struck by the piercing eyes of a young +face, deadly pale, and drawn by sorrow. This young man, gazing fixedly upon +them, vigorously fought his way to them by help of fists and elbows, till he +reached the carriage-door, threw it open with much violence, and flung a note +into Mademoiselle Scuderi's lap; after which, he disappeared as he had come, +distributing and receiving blows and fisticuffs. La Martinière, who was with her +mistress, fell back fainting in the carriage with a shriek of terror as soon as +she saw the young man. In vain Mademoiselle Scuderi pulled the string, and +called out to the driver. He, as if urged by the foul fiend, kept lashing his +horses till, scattering the foam from their nostrils, they kicked, plunged, and +reared, finally thundering over the bridge at a rapid trot. Mademoiselle Scuderi +emptied the contents of her smelling-bottle out over the fainting La Martinière, +who at last opened her eyes, and, shuddering and quaking, clinging convulsively +to her mistress, with fear and horror in her pale face, groaned out with +difficulty, "For the love of the Virgin, what did that terrible man want? It was +he who brought you the jewels on that awful night." Mademoiselle Scuderi calmed +her, pointing out that nothing very dreadful had happened after all, and that +the immediate business in hand was to ascertain the contents of the letter. She +opened it, and read as follows:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"A dark and cruel fatality, which <i>you</i> could dispel, is +driving me into an abyss. I conjure you--as a son would a mother, in the glow of +filial affection--to send the necklace and bracelets to Master René Cardillac, +on some pretence or other--say, to have something altered, or improved. Your +welfare---your very life--depend on your doing this. If you do not comply before +the day after to-morrow, I will force my way into your house, and kill myself +before your eyes."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thus much is certain, at all events," said Mademoiselle +Scuderi, when she had read this letter, "that, whether this mysterious man +belongs to the band of robbers and murderers, or not, he has no very evil +designs against me. If he had been able to see me and speak to me on that night, +who knows what strange events, what dark concatenation of circumstances would +have been made known to me, of which, at present, I seek, in my soul, the very +faintest inkling in vain. But, be the matter as it may, that which I am enjoined +in this letter to do, I certainly <i>shall</i> do, were it for nothing else than to +be rid of those fatal jewels, which seem to me as if they must be some +diabolical talisman of the Prince of Darkness's very own. Cardillac is not very +likely to let them out of his hands again, if once he gets hold of them."</p> + +<p class="normal">She intended to take them to him next day; but it seemed as if +all the <i>beaux esprits</i> of Paris had entered into a league to assail and besiege +her with verses, dramas, and anecdotes. Scarce had La Chapelle finished reading +the scenes of a tragedy, and declared that he considered he had now vanquished +Racine, when the latter himself came in, and discomfited him with the pathetic +speech of one of his kings, until Boileau sent some of his fireballs soaring up +into the dark sky of the tragedies, by way of changing the subject from that +eternal one of the colonnade of the Louvre, to which the architectural Dr. +Perrault was shackling him.</p> + +<p class="normal">When high noon arrived, Mademoiselle Scuderi had to go to +Madame Montansier, so the visit to René Cardillac had to be put off till the +following day. But the young man was always present to her mind, and a species +of dim remembrance seemed to be trying to arise in the depths of her being that +she had, somehow and somewhen, seen that face and features before. Troubled +dreams disturbed her broken slumbers. It seemed to her that she had acted +thoughtlessly, and delayed culpably to take hold of the hands which the +unfortunate man was holding out to her for help--in fact, as if it had depended +on her to prevent some atrocious crime. As soon as it was fairly light, she had +herself dressed, and set off to the goldsmith's with the jewels in her hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">A crowd was streaming towards the Rue Nicaise (where Cardillac +lived), trooping together at the door, shouting, raging, surging, striving to +storm into the house, kept back with difficulty by the Marechaussée, who were +guarding the place. Amid the wild distracted uproar, voices were heard crying, +"Tear him in pieces! Drag him limb from limb, the accursed murderer!" At length +Desgrais came up with a number of his men, and formed a lane through the +thickest of the crowd. The door flew open, and a man, loaded with irons, was +brought out, and marched off amid the most frightful imprecations of the raging +populace. At the moment when Mademoiselle Scuderi, half dead with terror and +gloomy foreboding, caught sight of him, a piercing shriek of lamentation struck +upon her ears. "Go forward!" she cried to the coachman, and he, with a clever, +rapid turn of his horses, scattered the thick masses +of the crowd aside, and pulled up close to René Cardillac's +door. Desgrais was there, and at his feet a young girl, beautiful as the day, +half-dressed, with dishevelled hair, and wild grief, inconsolable despair in her +face, holding his knees embraced, and crying in tones of the bitterest and +profoundest anguish, "He is innocent! he is innocent!" Desgrais and his men +tried in vain to shake her off, and raise her from the ground, till at length a +rough, powerful fellow, gripping her arms with his strong hands, dragged her +away from Desgrais by sheer force. Stumbling awkwardly, he let the girl go, and +she went rolling down the stone steps, and lay like one dead on the pavement.</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi could contain herself no longer. "In +Christ's name!" she cried, "what has happened? What is going forward here?" She +hastily opened the carriage-door and stepped out. The crowd made way for her +deferentially; and when she saw that one or two compassionate women had lifted +up the girl, laid her on the steps, and were rubbing her brow with strong +waters, she went up to Desgrais, and with eagerness repeated her question.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A terrible thing has happened," said Desgrais. "René +Cardillac was found, this morning, killed by a dagger-thrust. His journeyman, +Olivier, is the murderer, and has just been taken to prison."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the girl----" "Is Madelon," interrupted Desgrais, +"Cardillac's daughter. The wretched culprit was her sweetheart, and now she is +crying and howling, and screaming over and over again that Olivier is +innocent--quite innocent; but she knows all about this crime, and I must have +her taken to prison too." As he spoke he cast one of his baleful, malignant +looks at the girl, which made Mademoiselle Scuderi shudder. The girl was now +beginning to revive, and breathe again faintly, though still incapable of speech +or motion. There she lay with closed eyes, and people did not know what to do, +whether to take her indoors, or leave her where she was a little longer till she +recovered. Mademoiselle Scuderi looked upon this innocent creature deeply moved, +with tears in her eyes. She felt a horror of Desgrais and his men. Presently +heavy footsteps came downstairs, those of the men bearing Cardillac's body. +Coming to a rapid decision, Mademoiselle Scuderi cried out, "I shall take this +girl home with me; the rest of the affair concerns you, Desgrais." A murmur of +approval ran through the crowd. The women raised the girl; every one crowded up; +a hundred hands were proffered to help, and she was borne to the carriage like +one hovering in air, whilst from every lip broke blessings on the kind lady who +had saved her from arrest and criminal trial.</p> + +<p class="normal">Madelon lay for many hours in deep unconsciousness, but at +length the efforts of Seron---then the most celebrated physician in Paris--were +successful in restoring her. Mademoiselle Scuderi completed what Seron had +commenced, by letting many a gentle ray of hope stream into the girl's heart, +till at length a violent flood of tears, which started to her eyes, brought her +relief, and she was able to tell what had befallen, with only occasional +interruptions, when the overmastering might of her sorrow turned her words into +sobbing.</p> + +<p class="normal">She had been awakened at midnight by a soft knocking at her +door, and had recognised the voice of Olivier, imploring her to get up at once, +as her father lay dying. She sprung up, terrified, and opened the door. Olivier, +pale and distorted, bathed in perspiration, led the way, with tottering steps, +to the workshop; she followed. There her father was lying with his eyes set, and +the deathrattle in his throat. She threw herself upon him, weeping wildly, and +then observed that his shirt was covered with blood. Olivier gently lifted her +away, and then busied himself in bathing a wound (which was on her father's left +breast) with wound-balsam, and in washing it. As he was so doing her father's +consciousness came back; the rattle in his throat ceased, and, looking first on +her, and then on Olivier with most expressive glances, he took her hand and +placed it in Olivier's, pressing them both together. She and Olivier then knelt +down beside her father's bed; he raised himself with a piercing cry, immediately +fell back again, and with a deep inspiration, departed this life. On this they +both wept and lamented. Olivier told her how her father had been murdered in his +presence during an expedition on which he had accompanied him that night by his +order, and how he had with the utmost difficulty carried him home, not supposing +him to be mortally wounded. As soon as it was day, the people of the house--who +had heard the sounds of the footsteps, and of the weeping and lamenting during +the night--came up, and found them still kneeling, inconsolable by the father's +body. Then an uproar commenced, the Marechaussée broke in and Olivier was taken +to prison as her father's murderer. Madelon added the most touching account of +Olivier's virtues, goodness, piety, and sincerity, telling how he had honoured +his master as if he had been his own father, and how the latter returned his +affection in the fullest measure, choosing him for his son-in-law in spite of +his poverty, because his skill and fidelity were equal to the nobleness of his +heart. All this Madelon spoke right out of the fullness of her heart, and added +that if Olivier had thrust a dagger into her father's heart before her very +eyes, she would rather have thought it a delusion of Satan's than have believed +that Olivier was capable of such a terrible and awful crime.</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi, most deeply touched by Madelon's +nameless sufferings, and quite disposed to believe in poor Olivier's innocence, +made inquiries, and found everything confirmed which Madelon had said as to the +domestic relations between the master and his workman. The people of the house +and the neighbours all gave Olivier the character of being the very model of +good, steady, exemplary behaviour. No one knew anything whatever against him, +and yet, when the crime was alluded to, every one shrugged his shoulders, and +thought there was something incomprehensible about that.</p> + +<p class="normal">Olivier, brought before the Chambre Ardente, denied--as +Mademoiselle Scuderi learned--with the utmost steadfastness the crime of which +he was accused, and maintained that his master had been attacked in the street +in his presence, and borne down, and that he had carried him home still alive, +although he did not long survive. This agreed with Madelon's statement.</p> + +<p class="normal">Over and over again Mademoiselle Scuderi had the very minutest +circumstances of the awful event related to her. She specially inquired if there +had ever been any quarrel between Olivier and the father, whether Olivier was +altogether exempt from that propensity to hastiness which often attacks the best +tempered people like a blind madness, and leads them to commit deeds which seem +to exclude all voluntariness of action; but the more enthusiastically Madelon +spoke of the peaceful home-life which the three had led together, united in the +most sincere affection, the more did every vestige of suspicion against Olivier +disappear from her mind. Closely examining and considering everything, starting +from the assumption that, notwithstanding all that spoke so loudly for his +innocence, Olivier yet <i>had</i> been Cardillac's murderer, Mademoiselle Scuderi +could find, in all the realm of possibility, no motive for the terrible deed, +which, in any case, was bound to destroy his happiness. Poor, though skilful, he +succeeds in gaining the good will of the most renowned of masters; he loves the +daughter--his master favours his love. Happiness, good fortune for the rest of +his life are laid open before him. Supposing, then, that--God knows on what +impulse--overpowered by anger, he should have made this murderous attack on his +master, what diabolical hyprocrisy it required to conduct himself after the deed +as he had done. With the firmest conviction of his innocence, Mademoiselle +Scuderi came to the resolution to save Olivier at whatever cost.</p> + +<p class="normal">It seemed to her most advisable, before perhaps appealing to +the King in person, to go to the President, La Regnie, point out for his +consideration all the circumstances which made for Olivier's innocence, and so, +perhaps, kindle in his mind a conviction favourable to the accused which might +communicate itself beneficially to the judges.</p> + +<p class="normal">La Regnie received her with all the consideration which was +the due of a lady of her worth, held in high esteem by His Majesty himself. He +listened in silence to all she had to say concerning Olivier's circumstances, +relationships, and character; and also concerning the crime itself. A delicate, +almost malignant, smile, however, was all the token which he gave that the +adjurations, the reminders (accompanied by plentiful tears) that every judge +ought to be, not the enemy of the accused, but ready to attend, too, to whatever +spoke in his favour were not gliding by ears which were perfectly deaf. When at +length Mademoiselle Scuderi, quite exhausted and wiping the tears from her +cheeks, was silent, La Regnie began, saying:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is quite characteristic of your excellent heart, +Mademoiselle, that, moved by the tears of a young girl who is in love, you +should credit all she says; nay, be incapable of grasping the idea of a fearful +crime such as this. But it is otherwise with the Judge, who is accustomed to +tear off the mask from vile and unblushing hyprocrisy +and deception. It is, of course, not incumbent on me to +disclose the course of a criminal process to every one who chooses to inquire. I +do my duty, Mademoiselle! The world's opinion troubles me not at all. Evil-doers +should tremble before the Chambre Ardente, which knows no punishments save blood +and fire. But by you, Mademoiselle, I would not be looked upon as a monster of +severity and barbarity; therefore, permit me to place before your eyes in few +words the bloodguilt of this young criminal, upon whom, Heaven be thanked, +vengeance has fallen. Your acute intelligence will then despise the generous +feeling and kindliness which do honour to you, but in me would be out of place. +Eh bien! this morning René +Cardillac is found murdered by a dagger-thrust, no one is by him except his +workman, Olivier Brusson and the daughter. In Olivier's room there is found, +amongst other things, a dagger covered with fresh blood which exactly fits into +the wound. Olivier says, 'Cardillac was attacked in the street before my eyes.' +'Was the intention to rob him?' 'I do not know.' 'You were walking with him and +you could not drive off the murderer or detain him?' 'My master was walking +fifteen or perhaps sixteen paces in front of me; I was following him.' 'Why, in +all the world, so far behind?' 'My master wished it so.' 'And what had Master +Cardillac to do in the streets so late?' 'That I cannot say.' 'But he was never +in the habit of being out after nine o'clock at other times, was he?' At this +Olivier hesitates, becomes confused, sighs, shed tears, vows by all that is +sacred that Cardillac <i>did</i> go out that night, and met with his death. Now +observe, Mademoiselle, it is proved to the most absolute certainty that +Cardillac did <i>not</i> leave the house that night, consequently Olivier's assertion +that he went with him is a barefaced falsehood. The street door of the house +fastens with a heavy lock, which makes a penetrating noise in opening and +closing, also the door itself creaks and groans on its hinges, so that, as +experiments have proved, the noise is heard quite distinctly in the upper +stories of the house. Now, there lives in the lower story, that is to say, close +to the street door, old Maitre Claude Patru with his housekeeper, a person of +nearly eighty years of age, but still hale and active. Both of them heard +Cardillac, according to his usual custom, come down stairs at nine o'clock +exactly, close and bolt the door with a great deal of noise, go upstairs again, +read evening prayer, and then (as was to be presumed by the shutting of the +door) go into his bedroom. Maitre Claude suffers from sleeplessness like many +other old people; and on the night in question he could not close an eye, +therefore, about half past nine the housekeeper struck a light in the kitchen, +which she reached by crossing the passage, and sat down at the table beside her +master with an old chronicle-book, from which she read aloud, whilst the old +man, fixing his thoughts on the reading, sometimes sat in his arm-chair, +sometimes walked slowly up and down the room to try and bring on sleepiness. All +was silence in the house till nearly midnight; but then they heard overhead +rapid footsteps, a heavy fall, as of something on to the floor, and immediately +after that a hollow groaning. They both were struck by a peculiar alarm and +anxiety, the horror of the terrible deed which had just been committed seemed to +sweep past them. When day came what had been done in the darkness was brought +clearly to light."<p class="normal">"But, in the name of all the Saints," cried Mademoiselle +Scuderi, "considering all the circumstances which I have told you at such +length, can you think of any <i>motive</i> for this diabolical deed?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hm!" answered La Regnie. "Cardillac was anything but a poor +man. He had valuable jewels in his possession." "But all he had would go to the +daughter! You forget that Olivier was to be Cardillac's son-in-law." "Perhaps he +was compelled to share with others," said La Regnie, "or to do the deed wholly +for them!" "Share!--murder for others!" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, in utter +amaze.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must learn, Mademoiselle," continued La Regnie, "that +Olivier's blood would have been flowing on the Place de Grève before this time, +but that his crime is connected with that deeply-hidden mystery which has so +long brooded over Paris. It is clear that Olivier belongs to that formidable +band which, setting at defiance every attempt at observation or discovery, +carries on its nefarious practices with perfect immunity. Through him everything +will, must be discovered. Cardillac's wound is precisely the same as all those +of the persons who have been robbed and murdered in the streets and houses; and +most conclusive of all, since Olivier's arrest, the robberies and murders have +ceased; the streets are as safe by night as by day. Proof enough that Olivier +was most probably the chief of the band. As yet he will not confess; but there +are means of making him speak against his will."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And Madelon!" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, "that truthful, +innocent creature."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" cried La Regnie, with one of his venomous smiles, "who +answers to me that <i>she</i> is not in the plot, too? She does not care so very much +about her father. Her tears are all for the murderer boy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What?" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, "not for her father?--that +girl--impossible!" "Oh!" continued La Regnie, "remember the +Brinvilliers! You must pardon me, if by-and-by I have to carry off +your <i>protégée</i>, and put her in the Conciergerie."</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi shuddered at this grizly notion. It +seemed to her that no truth or virtue could endure before this terrible man; as +if he spied out murder and bloodguilt in the deepest and most hidden thoughts of +people's hearts. She rose. "Be human!" was all that in her state of anxiety and +oppression she was able, with difficulty, to say. As she was just going to +descend the stairs, to which the President had attended her with ceremonious +courtesy, a strange idea came to her--she knew not how. "Might I be allowed to +see this unfortunate Olivier Brusson?" she inquired, turning round sharply. He +scrutinised her +face with thoughtful looks, and then his face distorted itself +into the repulsive smile which was characteristic of him. +"Doubtless, Mademoiselle," he said, "your idea is that, trusting your own +feelings--the inward voice--more than that which happened +before our eyes, you would like to examine into Olivier's guilt or innocence for +yourself. If you do not fear that gloomy abode of crime--if it +is not hateful to you to see those types of depravity in all +their gradations--the doors of the Conciergerie shall be opened to you in two +hours time. Olivier, whose fate excites your sympathy, shall be brought to you."</p> + +<p class="normal">In truth, Mademoiselle Scuderi could not bring herself to +believe in Olivier's guilt. Everything spoke against him. Indeed, no judge in +the world would have thought otherwise than La Regnie, in the face of what had +happened. But the picture of domestic happiness which Madelon had placed before +her eyes in such vivid colours, outweighed and outshone all suspicion, so that +she preferred to adopt the hypothesis of some inscrutable mystery rather than +believe what her whole nature revolted against.</p> + +<p class="normal">She thought she would hear Olivier's narrative of the events +of that night of mystery, and in this manner, possibly, penetrate further into a +secret which the judges, perhaps, did not see into, because they thought it +unworthy of investigation.</p> + +<p class="normal">Arrived at the Conciergerie, she was taken into a large, +well-lighted room. Presently she heard the ring of fetters. Olivier Brusson was +brought in; but as soon as she saw him she fell down fainting. When she +recovered, he was gone. She demanded with impetuosity to be taken to her +carriage; she would not remain another moment in that place of crime and +wickedness. Alas! at the first glance she recognised in Olivier Brusson the +young man who had thrown the letter into her carriage on the Pont Neuf, and who +had brought her the casket with the jewels. Now all doubt was gone, La Regnie's +terrible suspicions completely justified. Olivier belonged to the atrocious +band, and had, doubtless, murdered his master! And Madelon! Never before so +bitterly deceived by her kind feelings, Mademoiselle Scuderi, under this deadly +attack upon her by the power of the evil one here below--in whose very existence +she had not believed--doubted if there was such a thing as truth. She gave +admittance to the fearful suspicion that Madelon, too, was forsworn, and might +have a hand in the bloody deed. And as it is the nature of the human mind that, +when an idea has dawned upon it, it eagerly seeks, and finds, colours in which +to paint that idea more and more vividly, she, as she weighed and considered all +the circumstances of the crime along with Madelon's behaviour, found a very +great deal to nourish suspicion. Many things which had hitherto been considered +proofs of innocence and purity, now became evidences of studied hypocrisy and +deep, corrupt wickedness. Those heartrending cries of sorrow, and the bitter +tears, might well have been pressed from her by the deadly dread of her lover's +bleeding--nay, of her own falling into the executioner's hands. With a resolve +at once to cast away the serpent she had been cherishing, Mademoiselle Scuderi +alighted +from her carriage. Madelon threw herself at her feet. Her +heavenly eyes--(no Angel of God's has them more truthful)--raised to her, her +hands pressed to her heaving breast, she wept, imploring help and consolation. +Mademoiselle Scuderi, controlling herself with difficulty, giving to the tone of +her voice as much calmness and gravity as she could, said, "Go! go!--be thankful +that the murderer awaits the just punishment of his crime. May the Holy Virgin +grant that blood-guiltiness does not weigh heavily on your own head also." With +a bitter cry of "Alas! then all is over!" Madelon fell fainting to the ground. +Mademoiselle Scuderi left her to the care of La Martinière, and went to another +room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Much distressed, and at variance with all earthly things, she +longed to depart from a world filled with diabolical treachery and falsehood. +She complained of the destiny which had granted her so many years in which to +strengthen her belief in truth and virtue, only to shatter in her old days the +beautiful fancies which had illumined her path.</p> + +<p class="normal">She heard Madelon, as La Martinière was leading her away, +murmur in broken accents, "<i>Her</i>, too, have the terrible men deceived. Ah! +wretched me!--miserable Olivier!" The tones of the voice went to her heart, and +again there dawned within her the belief in the existence of some mystery, in +Olivier's innocence. Torn by the most contradictory feelings, she cried, "What +spirit of the pit has mixed <i>me</i> up in this terrible story, which will be my +very death!"</p> + +<p class="normal">At this moment Baptiste came in pale and terrified, to say +that Desgrais was at the door. Since the dreadful La Voisin trial the appearance +of Desgrais in a house was the sure precursor of some criminal accusation. Hence +Baptiste's terror, as to which his mistress asked him with a gentle smile, "What +is the matter, Baptiste? Has the name of Scuderi been found in La Voisin's +lists?" "Ah! For Christ's sake," cried Baptiste, trembling in every limb, "how +can you say such a thing; but Desgrais--the horrible Desgrais--is looking so +mysterious, and presses in so--he seems hardly able to wait till he can see +you." "Well, Baptiste," she said, "bring him in at once, this gentleman who is +so frightful to you, and who to <i>me</i>, at all events, can cause no anxiety."</p> + +<p class="normal">"President La Regnie sends me to you, Mademoiselle," said +Desgrais, when he entered, "with a request which he scarce would dare to make if +he did not know your goodness and bravery, and if the last hope of bringing to +light an atrocious deed of blood did not lie in your hands, had you not already +taken such interest (as well as bearing a part), in this case, which is keeping +the Chambre Ardente, and all of us, in a state of such breathless eagerness. +Olivier Brusson, since he saw you, has been almost out of his mind. He still +swears by all that is sacred, that he is completely innocent of René Cardillac's +death, though he is ready to suffer the punishment he has deserved. Observe, +Mademoiselle, that the latter admission clearly refers to other crimes of which +he has been guilty. But all attempts to get him to utter anything further have +been vain. He begs and implores to be allowed to have an interview with you. To +you alone will he divulge everything. Vouchsafe then, Mademoiselle, to listen to Brusson's confession."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What?" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, in indignation, "<i>I</i> +become an organ of the criminal court, and abuse the confidence of this +unfortunate fellow to bring him to the scaffold! No! Desgrais. Ruffian and +murderer though he may be, I could never deceive and betray him thus +villainously. I will have nothing to do with his avowal. If I did, it would be +locked up in my heart, as if made to a priest under the seal of the +confessional."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps, Mademoiselle," said Desgrais, with a subtle smile, +"you might alter your opinion after hearing Brusson. Did you not beg the +President to be human? This he is, in yielding to Brusson's foolish desire, and +thus trying one more expedient--the last--before resorting to the rack, for +which Brusson is long since ripe."</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi shuddered involuntarily.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Understand, Mademoiselle," he continued, "you would by no +means be expected to go again into those gloomy dungeons, which inspired you +with such horror and loathing. Olivier would be brought to your own house, in +the night, like a free man; what he should say would not be listened to, though, +of course, there would be a proper guard with him. He could thus tell you freely +and unconstrainedly all he had to say. As regards any risk which you might run +in seeing the wretched being, my life shall answer for that. He speaks of you +with the deepest veneration; he vows that it is the dark mystery which prevented +his seeing you earlier which has brought him to destruction. Moreover, it would +rest with you entirely to repeat as much or as little as you pleased of what +Brusson confessed to you. How could you be constrained to more?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi sat with eyes fixed on the ground, in +deep reflection. It seemed to her that she could not but obey that Higher Power +which demanded of her the clearing up of this mystery--as if there were no +escape for her from the wondrous meshes in which she had become inwound without +her will. Coming to a rapid decision, she said with solemnity, "God will give me +self-command and firm resolution. Bring Brusson here; I will see him."</p> + +<p class="normal">As on the night when the jewel-casket had been brought, so +now, at midnight, there came a knocking at the door. Baptiste, properly +instructed, opened. Mademoiselle Scuderi's blood ran cold when she heard the +heavy tread of the guard party which had brought Brusson stationing themselves +about the passages.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length the door opened, Desgrais came in, and after him, +Olivier Brusson, without irons, and respectably dressed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here is Brusson, Mademoiselle," said Desgrais, bowing +courteously; he then departed at once.</p> + +<p class="normal">Brusson sank down on both knees before Mademoiselle Scuderi. +The pure, clear expression of a most truthful soul beamed from his face, though +it was drawn and distorted by terror and bitter pain. The longer she looked at +him, the more vivid became a remembrance of some well-loved person--she could +not say whom. When the first feeling of shuddering left her, she forgot that +Cardillac's murderer was kneeling before her, and, speaking in the pleasant tone +of quiet goodwill which was natural to her, said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, Brusson, what have you to say to me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He--still on his knees--sighed deeply, from profound sorrow, +and then said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Mademoiselle, you whom I so honour and worship, is there +no trace of recollection of me left in your mind?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She, still looking at him attentively, answered that she had +certainly traced in his face a likeness to some one whom she had held in +affection, and it was to this that he owed it that she had overcome her profound +horror of a murderer so far as to be able to listen to him quietly. Brusson, +much pained by her words, rose quickly, and stepped backwards a pace, with his +gloomy glance fixed on the ground. Then, in a hollow voice, he said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Have you quite forgotten Anne Guiot? Her son, Olivier, the +boy whom you used to dandle on your knee, is he who is now before you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh! For the love of all the Saints!" she cried, as, covering +her face with both hands, she sank back in her chair. She had reason for being +thus horrified. Anne Guiot, the daughter of a citizen who had fallen into +poverty, had lived with Mademoiselle Scuderi from her childhood; she had brought +her up like a daughter, with all affection and care. When she grew up, a +handsome, well-conducted young man, named Claude Brusson, fell in love with her. +Being a first-rate workman at his trade of a watchmaker, sure to make a capital +living in Paris, and Anne being very fond of him, Mademoiselle Scuderi saw no +reason to object to their marrying. They set up house accordingly, lived a most +quiet and happy domestic life, and the bond between them was knitted more +closely still by the birth of a most beautiful boy, the image of his pretty +mother.</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi made an idol of little Olivier, whom she +would take away from his mother for hours and days, to pet him and kiss him. +Hence he attached himself to her, and was as pleased to be with her as with his +mother. When three years passed, the depressed state of Brusson's trade brought +it about that job-work was scarcer every day, so that at last it was all he +could do to get bread to eat. In addition to this came home-sickness for his +beautiful native Geneva; so the little household went there, spite of +Mademoiselle Scuderi's dissuasions and promises of all needful assistance. Anne +wrote once or twice to her foster-mother, and then ceased; so that Mademoiselle +Scuderi thought she was forgotten in the happiness of the Brusson's life.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was now just three and twenty years since the Brusson's had +left Paris for Geneva.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Horrible!" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, when she had to some +extent recovered herself. "You, Olivier! the son of my Anne! And now!----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Mademoiselle!" said Olivier, quietly and composedly, +"doubtless you never thought that the boy whom you cherished like the tenderest +of mothers, whom you dandled on your knee, and to whom you gave sweetmeats, +would, when grown to manhood, stand before you accused of a terrible murder. I +am completely innocent! The Chambre Ardente charges me with a crime; but, as I +hope to die a Christian's death, though it may be by the executioner's hand--I +am free from all blood-guiltiness. Not by my hand--not by any crime of my +committing, was it that the unfortunate Cardillac came to his end."</p> + +<p class="normal">As he said this, Olivier began to tremble and shake so, that +Mademoiselle Scuderi motioned him to a little seat which was near him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have had sufficient time," he went on, "to prepare myself +for this interview with you--which I look upon as the last favour of a +reconciled Heaven--and to acquire as much calmness and self-control as are +necessary to tell you the story of my terrible, unheard-of misfortunes. Be so +compassionate as to listen to me calmly, whatever may be your horror at the +disclosure of a mystery of which you certainly have not the smallest inkling. +Ah! would to Heaven my poor father had never left Paris! As far as my +recollections of Geneva carry me, I remember myself as being always bedewed with +tears by my inconsolable parents, and weeping, myself, at their lamentations, +which I did not understand. Later, there came to me a clear sense--a full +comprehension--of the bitterest and most grinding poverty, want, and privation +in which they were living. My father was deceived in all his expectations; bowed +down and broken with sorrow, he died, just when he had managed to place me as +apprentice with a goldsmith. My mother spoke much of you; she longed to tell you +all her misfortunes, but the despondency which springs from poverty prevented +her. That, and also, no doubt, false modesty, which often gnaws at a mortally +wounded heart, kept her from carrying out her idea. She followed my father to +the grave a few months after his death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Poor Anne! Poor Anne!" said Mademoiselle Scuderi, overwhelmed +by sorrow.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thank and praise the eternal power that she has gone where +she cannot see her beloved son fall, branded with disgrace, by the hand of the +executioner," cried Olivier, loudly, raising a wild and terrible glance to the +skies. Outside, things became unrestful; a sound of people moving about made +itself heard. "Ho, ho!" said he, with a bitter laugh, "Desgrais is waking up his +people, as if I could possibly escape. But, let me go on. I was harshly treated +by my master, though I was very soon one of the best of workmen, and, indeed, +much better than himself. Once a stranger came to our workshop to buy some of +our work. When he saw a necklace of my making, he patted my shoulder in a kind +way, and said, looking with admiration at the necklace, 'Ah, ha! my young +friend, this is really first-class work, I don't know anybody who could beat it +but René Cardillac, who, of course, is the greatest of all goldsmiths. You ought +to go to him; he would be delighted to get hold of you, for there's nobody but +yourself who would be of such use to him; and again, there's nobody but he who +can teach you anything.' The words of this stranger sunk deep into my heart. +There was no more peace for me in Geneva. I was powerfully impelled to leave it, +and at length I succeeded in getting free from my master. I came to Paris, where +René Cardillac received me coldly and harshly. But I stuck to my point. He was +obliged to give me something to try my hand at, however trifling. So I got a +ring to finish. When I took it back to him, finished, he gazed at me with those +sparkling eyes of his, as if he would look me through and through. Then he said: +'You are a first-rate man--a splendid fellow; you may come and work with me. +I'll pay you well; you'll be satisfied with me.' And he kept his word. I had +been several weeks with him before I saw Madelon, who, I think, had been +visiting an aunt of his in the country. At last she came home. O eternal power +of Heaven, how was it with me when I saw that angelic creature! Has ever a man +so loved as I! And now! Oh! Madelon!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Olivier could speak no more for sorrow. He held both hands +over his face, and sobbed violently. At last he conquered the wild pain with a +mighty effort, and went on--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Madelon looked on me with favour, and came oftener and +oftener into the workshop. Her father watched closely, but many a stolen +hand-clasp marked our covenant. Cardillac did not seem to notice. My idea was, +that if I could gain his good-will, and attain Master's rank, I should ask his +consent to our marriage. One morning, when I was going in to begin work, he came +to me with anger and contempt in his face. 'I don't want any more of your work,' +he said. 'Get out of this house, and don't let my eyes ever rest on you again. I +have no need to tell you the reason. The dainty fruit you are trying to gather +is beyond the reach of a beggar like you!' I tried to speak, but he seized me +and pitched me out of the door with such violence that I fell, and hurt my head +and my arm. Furious, and smarting with the pain, I went off, and at last found a +kind-hearted acquaintance in the Faubourg St. Germain, who gave me quarters in +his garret. I had no peace nor rest. At night I wandered round Cardillac's +house, hoping that Madelon would hear my sighs and lamentings, and perhaps +manage to speak to me at the window undiscovered. All sorts of desperate plans, +to which I thought I might persuade her, jostled each other in my brain. +Cardillac's house in the Rue Nicaise abuts on to a high wall with niches, +containing old, partly-broken statues. One night I was standing close to one of +those figures, looking up at the windows of the house which open on the +courtyard which the wall encloses. Suddenly I saw light in Cardillac's workshop. +It was midnight, and he never was awake at that time, as he always went to bed +exactly at nine. My heart beat anxiously: I thought something might be going on +which would let me get into the Louse. But the light disappeared again +immediately. I pressed myself closely into the niche, and against the statue; +but I started back in alarm, feeling a return of my pressure, as if the statue +had come to life. In the faint moonlight I saw that the stone was slowly +turning, and behind it appeared a dark form, which crept softly out, and went +down the street with stealthy tread. I sprang to the statue: it was standing +close to the wall again, as before. Involuntarily, as if impelled by some power +within me, I followed the receding dark figure. In passing an image of the +Virgin, this figure looked round, the light of the lamp before the image falling +upon his face. It was Cardillac! an indescribable alarm fell upon me; an eery +shudder came over me. As if driven by some spell, I felt I must follow this +spectre-like sleep-walker--for that was what I thought my master was, though it +was not full-moon, the time when that kind of impulse falls upon sleepers. At +length Cardillac disappeared in a deep shadow; but, by a certain easily +distinguishable sound, I knew that he had gone into the entry of a house. What +was the meaning of this? I asked myself in amazement; what was he going to be +about? I pressed myself close to the wall. Presently there came up a gentleman, +trilling and singing, with a white plume distinct in the darkness, and clanking +spurs. Cardillac darted out upon him from the darkness, like a tiger on his +prey; he fell to the ground gasping. I rushed up with a cry of terror. Cardillac +was leaning over him as he lay on the ground. 'Master Cardillac, what are you +about?' I cried aloud. 'Curses upon you!' he cried, and, running by me with +lightning speed, disappeared. Quite beyond myself--scarcely able to walk a +step--I went up to the gentleman on the ground, and knelt down +beside him, thinking it might still be possible to save him. But there was no +trace of life left in him. In my alarm I scarcely noticed that the Marechaussée +had come up and surrounded me. 'Another one laid low by the demons!' they cried, +all speaking at once. 'Ah, ha! youngster! what are you doing here?--are <i>you</i> +one of the band?' and they seized me. I stammered out in the best way I could +that I was incapable of such a terrible deed, and that they must let me go. Then +one of them held a lantern to my face, and said, with a laugh: 'This is Olivier +Brusson; the goldsmith who works with our worthy Master René Cardillac. <i>He</i> +murder folks in the street!--very likely story! Who ever heard of a murderer +lamenting over the body, and letting himself be nabbed? Tell us all about it, my +lad; out with it straight.' 'Right before my eyes,' I said, 'a man sprang out +upon this one; stabbed him, and ran off like lightning. I cried as loud as I +could. I wanted to see if he could be saved.' 'No, my son,' cried one of those +who had lifted up the body, 'he's done for!--the dagger-stab right through his +heart, as usual.' 'The deuce!' said another; 'just too late again, as we were +the day before yesterday.' And they went away with the body.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What <i>I</i> thought of all this I really cannot tell you. I +pinched myself, to see if I were not in some horrible dream. I felt as if I must +wake up directly, and marvel at the absurdity of what I had been dreaming. +Cardillac--my Madelon's father--an atrocious murderer! I had sunk down powerless +on the stone steps of a house; the daylight was growing brighter and brighter. +An officer's hat with a fine plume was lying before me on the pavement. +Cardillac's deed of blood, committed on the spot, came clearly back to my mental +vision. I ran away in horror.</p> + +<p class="normal">"With my mind in a whirl, almost unconscious, I was sitting in +my garret, when the door opened, and René Cardillac came in. 'For Christ's sake! +what do you want?' I cried. He, paying no heed to this, came up to me, smiling +at me with a calmness and urbanity which increased my inward horror. He drew +forward an old rickety stool, and sat down beside me; for I was unable to rise +from my straw bed, where I had thrown myself. 'Well, Olivier,' he began, 'how is +it with you, my poor boy? I really was too hasty in turning you out of doors. I +miss you at every turn. Just now I have a job in hand which I shall never be +able to finish without you; won't you come back and work with me? You don't +answer. Yes, I know very well I insulted you. I don't hide from you that I was +angry about your little bit of love-business with my Madelon; but I have been +thinking matters well over, and I see that I couldn't have a better son-in-law +than you, with your abilities, your skilfulness, diligence, trustworthiness. +Come back with me, and see how soon you and Madelon can make a match of it.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"His words pierced my heart; I shuddered at his wickedness; I +could not utter a syllable. 'You hesitate,' he said, in an acrid tone, while his +sparkling eyes transfixed me. 'Perhaps you can't come to-day. You have other +things to do. Perhaps you want to go and see Desgrais, or have an interview with +D'Argenson or La Regnie. Take care, my boy, that the talons which you are +thinking of drawing out to clutch others, don't mangle yourself.' At this my +deeply-tried spirit found vent. 'Those,' I said, 'who are conscious of horrible +crimes may dread those names which you have mentioned, but I do not. I have +nothing to do with them.' 'Remember, Olivier,' he resumed, 'that it is an honour +to you to work with me--the most renowned Master of his time, everywhere highly +esteemed for his truth and goodness; any foul calumny would fall back on the +head of its originator. As to Madelon, I must tell you that it is her alone whom +you have to thank for my yielding. She loves you with a devotion that I should +never have given her credit for being capable of. As soon as you were gone, she +fell at my feet, clasped my knees, and vowed, with a thousand tears, that she +could never live without you. I thought this was mere imagination, for those +young things always think they're going to die of love whenever a young wheyface +looks at them a little kindly. But my Madelon really did fall quite sick and +ill; and when I tried to talk her out of the silly nonsense, she called out your +name a thousand times. Last evening I told her I gave in and agreed to +everything, and would go to-day to fetch you; so this morning she is blooming +again like any rose, and waiting for you, quite beyond herself with +love-longing.' May the eternal power of Heaven forgive me, but--I don't know how +it came about--I suddenly found myself in Cardillac's house, where Madelon, with +loud cries of 'Olivier!--my Olivier!--my beloved! my husband!' clasped both her +arms about me, and pressed me to her heart; whilst I, in the plenitude of the +supremest bliss, swore by the Virgin and all the Saints never, never to leave +her."</p> + +<p class="normal">Overcome by the remembrance of this decisive moment, Olivier +was obliged to pause. Mademoiselle Scuderi, horrified at the crime of a man whom +she had looked on as the incarnation of probity and goodness, cried--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dreadful!--René Cardillac a member of that band of murderers +who have so long made Paris into a robber's den!" "A member of the band, do you +say, Mademoiselle?" said Olivier. "There never was any band; it was René +Cardillac alone, who sought and found his victims with such an amount of +diabolical ingenuity and activity. It was in the fact of his being alone that +his impunity lay--the practical impossibility of coming upon the murderer's +track. But let me go on. What is coming will clear up the mystery, and reveal +the secrets of the most wicked, and at the same time most wretched of all +mankind. You at once see the position in which I now stood towards my master. +The step was taken, and I could not go back. At times it seemed to me that I had +rendered myself Cardillac's accomplice in murder, and it was only in Madelon's +love that I forgot for a time the inward pain which tortured me; only in her +society could I drive away all outward traces of the nameless horror. When I was +at work with the old man in the workshop, I could not look him in the +face--could scarcely speak a word--for the horror which pervaded me in the +presence of this terrible being, who fulfilled all the duties of the tender +father and the good citizen, while the night shrouded his atrocities. Madelon, +pure and pious as an angel, hung upon him with the most idolatrous affection. It +pierced my heart when I thought that, if ever vengeance should overtake this +masked criminal, she would be the victim of the most terrible despair. That, of +itself, closed my lips, though the consequence of my silence should be a +criminal's death for myself. Although much was to be gathered from what the +Marechaussée had said, still Cardillac's crimes, their motive, and the manner in +which he carried them out, were a riddle to me. The solution of it soon came. +One day Cardillac--who usually excited my horror by laughing and jesting during +our work, in the highest of spirits--was very grave and thoughtful. Suddenly he +threw the piece of work he was engaged on aside, so that the pearls and other +stones rolled about the floor, started to his feet, and said: 'Olivier! things +cannot go on between us like this; the situation is unendurable. What the +ablest and most ingenious efforts of Desgrais and his myrmidons failed to find +out, chance has played into your hands. You saw me at my nocturnal work, to +which my Evil Star compels me, so that no resistance is possible for me; and it +was your own Evil Star, moreover, which led you to follow me; wrapped and hid +you in an impenetrable mantle; gave that lightness to your foot-fall which +enabled you to move along with the noiselessness of the smaller animals, so that +I--who see clear by night, as doth the tiger, and hear the smallest sound, the +humming of the gnat, streets away--did not observe you. Your Evil Star brought +you to me, my comrade--my accomplice! You see, now, that you can't betray me; +therefore you shall know all.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I would have cried out, 'Never, never shall I be your +comrade, your accomplice, you atrocious miscreant.' But the inward horror which +I felt at his words paralysed my tongue. Instead of words I could only utter an +unintelligible noise. Cardillac sat down in his working chair again, wiped the +perspiration from his brow, and seemed to find it difficult to pull himself +together, hard beset by the recollection of the past. At length he began: 'Wise +men have much to say of the strange impulses which come to women when they are +<i>enceinte</i>, and the strange influence which those vivid, involuntary impulses +exercise upon the child. A wonderful tale is told of <i>my</i> mother. When she was a +month gone with me she was looking on, with other women, at a court pageant at +the Trianon, and saw a certain cavalier in Spanish dress, with a glittering +chain of jewels about his neck, from which she could not remove her eyes. Her +whole being was longing for those sparkling stones, which seemed to her more +than earthly. This same cavalier had at a previous time, before my mother was +married, had designs on her virtue, which she rejected with indignation. She +recognized him, but now, irradiated by the light of the gems, he seemed to her a +creature of a higher sphere, the very incarnation of beauty. The cavalier +noticed the longing, fiery looks which she was bending on him, and thought he +was in better luck now than of old. He managed to get near her, and to separate +her from her companions, and entice her to a lonely place. There he clasped her +eagerly in his arms. My mother grasped at the beautiful chain; but at that +moment he fell down, dragging her with him. Whether it was apoplexy, or what, I +do not know; but he was dead. My mother struggled in vain to free herself from +the clasp of the arms, stiffened as they were in death. With the hollow eyes, +whence vision had departed, fixed on her, the corpse rolled with her to the +ground. Her shrieks at length reached people who were passing at some distance; +they hastened to her, and rescued her from the embrace of this gruesome lover. +Her fright laid her on a bed of dangerous sickness. Her life was despaired of as +well as mine; but she recovered, and her confinement was more prosperous than +had been thought possible. But the terrors of that awful moment had set their +mark on <i>me</i>. My Evil Star had risen, and darted into me those rays which +kindled in me one of the strangest and most fatal of passions. Even in my +earliest childhood I thought there was nothing to compare with glittering +diamonds with gold settings. This was looked upon as a childish fancy; but it +was otherwise, for as a boy I stole gold and jewels wherever I could lay hands +on them, and I knew the difference between good ones and bad, instinctively, +like the most accomplished connoisseur. Only the pure and valuable attracted me; +I would not touch alloyed or coined gold. Those inborn cravings were kept in +check by my father's severe chastisements; but, so that I might always have to +do with gold and precious stones, I took up the goldsmith's calling. I worked at +it with passion, and soon became the first living master of that art. Then began +a period when the natural bent within me, so long restrained, shot forth in +power, and waxed with might, bearing everything away before it. As soon as I +finished a piece of work and delivered it, I fell into a state of restlessness +and disconsolateness which prevented my sleeping, ruined my health, and left me +no enjoyment in my life. The person for whom I made the work haunted me day and +night like a spectre--I saw that person continually before my mental vision, +with my beautiful jewels on, and a voice kept whispering to me: 'They belong to +you! take them; what's the use of diamonds to the dead?' At last I betook myself +to thieving. I had access to the houses of the great; I took advantage quickly +of every opportunity. No locks withstood my skill, and I soon had my work back +in my hands again. But this was not enough to calm my unrest. That mysterious +voice made itself heard again, jeering at me, and saying, 'Ho, ho! one of the +dead is wearing your jewels.' I did not know whence it came, but I had an +indescribable hatred for all those for whom I made jewelry. More than that, in +the depths of my heart I began to long to kill them; this frightened me. Just +then I bought this house. I had concluded the bargain with the owner: here in +this very room we were sitting, drinking a bottle of wine in honour of the +transaction. Night had come on, he was going to leave when he said to me: 'Look +here, Maitre René, before I go I must let you into a secret about this house.' +He opened that cupboard, which is let into the wall there, and pushed the back +of it in; this let him into a little closet, where he bowed down and raised a +trap-door. This showed us a steep, narrow stair, which we went down, and at the +bottom of it was a little narrow door, which let us out into the open courtyard. +There he went up to the wall, pushed a piece of iron which projected a very +little, and immediately a piece of the wall turned round, so that a person could +get out through the opening into the street. You must see this contrivance +sometime, Olivier; the sly old monks of the convent, which this house once was, +must have had it made so as to be able to slip out and in secretly. It is wood +but covered with lime and mortar on the outside, and to the outer side of it is +fitted a statue, also of wood, though <i>looking</i> exactly like stone, which turns +on wooden hinges. When I saw this arrangement, dark ideas surged up in my mind; +it seemed to me that deeds, as yet mysterious to myself, were here pre-arranged +for. I had just finished a splendid set of ornaments for a gentleman of the +court who, I knew, was going to give them to an opera dancer. My death-torture +soon was on me; the spectre dogged my steps, the whispering devil was at my ear. +I went back into the house, bathed in a sweat of agony; I rolled about on my +bed, sleepless. In my mind's eye I saw the man gliding to his dancer with <i>my</i> +beautiful jewels. Full of fury I sprang up, threw my cloak round me, went down +the secret stair, out through the wall into the Rue Nicaise. He came, I fell +upon him, he cried out; but, seizing him from behind, I plunged my dagger into +his heart. The jewels were mine. When this was done, I felt a peace, a +contentment within me which I had never known before. The spectre had +vanished--the voice of the demon was still. <i>Now</i> I knew what was the behest of +my Evil Star, which I had to obey, or perish. You know all now, Olivier. Don't +think that, because I must do that which I cannot avoid, I have clean renounced +all sense of that mercy or kindly feeling which are the portion of all humanity, +and inherent in man's nature. You know how hard I find it to let any of my work +go out of my hands, that there are many whom I would not have to die for whom +nothing will induce me to work; indeed, that in cases when I feel that, next +day, my spectre will have to be exorcised with blood, that day I settle the +business by a swashing blow, which lays the holder of my jewels on the ground, +so that I get them back into my own hands.' Having said all this, Cardillac took +me into his secret strong-room and showed me his collection of jewels; the King +does not possess such an one. To each ornament was fastened a small label +stating for whom it had been made, and when taken back--by theft, robbery, or +murder.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'On your wedding day, Olivier,' he said, in a solemn tone, +'you will swear me a solemn oath, with your hand on the crucifix, that as soon +as I am dead you will at once convert all those treasures into dust, +by a process which I will tell you of. I will not have any +human +being, least of all Madelon and you, come into possession of +those blood-bought stones.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Shut up in this labyrinth of crime, torn in twain by love and +abhorrence, I was like one of the damned to whom a glorified angel points, with +gentle smile, the upward way, whilst Satan holds him down with red-hot talons, +and the angel's loving smile, reflecting all the bliss of paradise, becomes, to +him, the very keenest of his tortures. I thought of flight, even of suicide, but +Madelon! Blame me, blame me, Mademoiselle, for having been too weak to overcome +a passion which fettered me to my destruction. I am going to atone for my +weakness by a shameful death. One day Cardillac came in in unusually fine +spirits, he kissed and caressed Madelon, cast most affectionate looks at me, +drank, at table, a bottle of good wine, which he only did on high-days and +holidays, sang, and made merry. Madelon had left us, and I was going to the +workshop 'Sit still, lad,' cried Cardillac, 'no more work to-day; let's drink +the health of the most worthy and charming lady in all Paris.' When we had +clinked our glasses, and he had emptied a bumper, he said: 'Tell me, Olivier, +how do you like those lines?</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">'Un amant qui craint les voleurs</p> +<p class="i6">N'est point digne d'amour.'</p> +</div> +<p class="continue">And he told me what had happened between you and the King in +Madam de Maintenon's salon, adding that he had always worshipped you more than +any other human being, and that his reverence and esteem for your qualities was +such that his Evil Star paled before you, and he would have no fear that, were +you to wear the finest piece of his work that ever he made, the spectre would +ever prompt him to thoughts of murder. 'Listen, Olivier,' he said, 'to what I am +going to do. A considerable time ago I had to make a necklace and bracelets for +Henrietta of England, supplying the stones myself. I made of this the best piece +of work that ever I turned out, and it broke my heart to part with those +ornaments, which had become the very treasures of my soul. You know of her +unfortunate death by assassination. The things remained with me, and now I shall +send them to Mademoiselle Scuderi, in the name of the dreaded band, as a token +of respect and gratitude. Besides its being an unmistakable mark of her triumph, +it will be a richly deserved sign of my contempt for Desgrais and his men. You +shall take her the jewels.' When he mentioned your name, Mademoiselle, dark +veils seemed to be taken away, revealing the bright image of my happy early +childhood, rising again in glowing colours before me. A wonderful comfort came +into my soul, a ray of hope, driving the dark shadows away. Cardillac saw the +effect his words had produced upon me, and gave it his own interpretation. 'My +idea seems to please you,' he said. 'I must declare that a deep inward voice, +very unlike that which cries for blood like a raving wild beast, commanded me to +do this thing. Many times I feel the strangest ideas come into my mind--an +inward fear, the dread of something terrible, the awe whereof seems to come +breathing into this present time from some distant other world, seizes +powerfully upon me. I even feel, at such times, that the deeds which my Evil +Star has committed by means of me, may be charged to the account of my immortal +soul, though it has no part in them. In one of those moods I determined that I +would make a beautiful diamond crown for the Virgin in the Church of St. +Eustache. But the indescribable dread always came upon me, stronger than ever, +when I set to work at it, so that I left it off altogether. Now it seems to me +that, in presenting Mademoiselle Scuderi with the finest work I have ever turned +out, I am offering a humble sacrifice to goodness and virtue personified, and +imploring their powerful intercession.' Cardillac, well acquainted with all the +minutiæ of your manner of life, told me the how and the when to take the +ornaments to you. My whole Being rejoiced, for Heaven seemed to be showing me, +through the atrocious Cardillac, the way to escape from the hell in which I was +being tortured. Quite contrarily to Cardillac's wish, I resolved that I would +get access to you and speak with you. As Anne Brusson's son, and your former +pet, I thought I would throw myself at your feet and tell you everything. Out of +consideration for the nameless misery which a disclosure of the secret would +bring upon Madelon, I knew that you would keep it, but that your grand and +brilliant intellect would have been sure to find means to put an end to +Cardillac's wickedness without disclosing it. Do not ask me what those means +were to have been; I cannot tell. But that you would rescue Madelon and me I +believed as firmly as I do in the intercession of the Holy Virgin. You know, +Mademoiselle, that my intention was frustrated that night; but I did not lose +hope of being more fortunate another time. By-and-by Cardillac suddenly lost all +his good spirits; he crept moodily about, uttered unintelligible words, and +worked his arms as if warding off something hostile. His mind seemed full of +evil thoughts. For a whole morning he had been going on in this way. At last he +sat down at the work-table, sprang up again angrily, looked out of window, and +then said, gravely and gloomily, 'I wish Henrietta of England had had my +jewels.' Those words filled me with terror. I knew that his diseased mind was +possessed again by the terrible murder-spectre, that the voice of the demon was +loud again in his ears. I saw your life threatened by the horrible murder-demon. +If Cardillac could get his jewels back again into his hands, you were safe. The +danger grew greater every instant. I met you on the Pont Neuf, made my way to +your carriage, threw you the note which implored you to give the jewels back to +Cardillac immediately. You did not come. My fear became despair, when, next day, +Cardillac spoke of nothing but the priceless jewels he had seen before him in +his dreams. I could only suppose that this referred to <i>your</i> jewels, and I felt +sure he was brooding over some murderous attack, which he had determined to +carry out that night. Save you I must, should it cost Cardillac's life. When, +after the evening prayer, he had shut himself up in his room as usual, I got +into the courtyard through a window, slipped out through the opening of the +wall, and stationed myself close at hand, in the deepest shadow. Very soon +Cardillac came out, and went gliding softly down the street. I followed him. He +took the direction of the Rue St. Honoré. My heart beat fast. All at once he +disappeared from me. I determined to place myself at your door. Just as fate had +ordered matters on the first occasion of my witnessing one of his crimes, there +came along past me an officer, trilling and singing; he did not see me. +Instantly a dark form sprang out and attacked him. Cardillac! I determined to +prevent this murder. I gave a loud shout, and was on the spot in a couple of +paces. Not the officer, but Cardillac, fell gasping to the ground, mortally +wounded. The officer let his dagger fall, drew his sword, and stood on the +defensive, thinking I was the murderer's accomplice. But he hastened away when +he saw that, instead of concerning myself about <i>him</i>, I was examining the +fallen man. Cardillac was still alive. I took up the dagger dropped by the +officer, stuck it in my belt, and, lifting Cardillac on to my shoulders, carried +him, with difficulty, to the house, and up the secret stair to the workshop. The +rest you know. You perceive, Mademoiselle, that my only crime was that I +refrained from giving Madelon's father up to justice, thereby making an end of +his crimes. I am innocent of bloodguilt. No torture will draw from me the secret +of Cardillac's iniquities. Not through any action of mine shall that Eternal +Power, which hid from Madelon the gruesome bloodguilt of her father all this +time, break in upon her now, to her destruction, nor shall earthly vengeance +drag the corpse of Cardillac out of the soil which covers it, and brand the +mouldering bones with infamy. No; the beloved of my soul shall mourn me as an +innocent victim. Time will mitigate her sorrow for me, but her grief for her +father's terrible crimes nothing would ever assuage."</p> + +<p class="normal">Olivier ceased, and then a torrent of tears fell down his +cheeks. +He threw himself at Mademoiselle Scuderi's feet, saying +imploringly, +"You are convinced that I am innocent; I know you are. Be +merciful +to me. Tell me how Madelon is faring." Mademoiselle Scuderi +summoned +La Martinière, and in a few minutes Madelon was clinging to +Olivier's neck. "Now that you are here, all is well. I knew that this +noble-hearted lady would save you," Madelon cried over and +over; and Olivier forgot his fate, and all that threatened him. He was free and +happy. They bewailed, in the most touching manner, what each had suffered for +the other, and embraced afresh, and wept for joy at being together again.</p> + +<p class="normal">Had Mademoiselle Scuderi not been convinced of Olivier's +innocence before, she must have been so when she saw those two lovers +forgetting, in the rapture of the time, the world, their sufferings, and their +indescribable sorrows. "None but a guiltless heart," she cried, "would be +capable of such blissful forgetfulness."</p> + +<p class="normal">The morning light came breaking into the room, and Desgrais +knocked gently at the door, reminding them that it was time to take Olivier +away, as it could not be done later without attracting attention. The lovers had +to part.</p> + +<p class="normal">The dim anticipations which Mademoiselle Scuderi had felt when +Olivier first came in had now embodied themselves in actual life--in a +terrible fashion. The son of her much-loved Anne was, though +innocent, implicated in a manner which apparently made it impossible to save him +from a shameful death. She admired his heroism, which led him to prefer death +loaded with the imputation of guilt to the betrayal of a secret which would kill +Madelon. In the whole realm of possibility, she could see no mode of saving the +unfortunate lad from the gruesome prison and the dreadful trial. Yet it was +firmly impressed on her mind that she must not shrink from any sacrifice to +prevent this most crying injustice.</p> + +<p class="normal">She tortured herself with all kinds of plans and projects, +which were chiefly of the most impracticable and impossible kind--rejected as +soon as formed. Every glimmer of hope grew fainter and fainter, and she +well-nigh despaired. But Madelon's pious, absolute, childlike confidence, the +inspired manner in which she spoke of her lover, soon to be free, and to take +her to his heart as his wife, restored Mademoiselle Scuderi's hopes to some +extent.</p> + +<p class="normal">By way of beginning to do something, she wrote to La Regnie a +long letter, in which she said that Olivier Brusson had proved to her in the +most credible manner his entire innocence of Cardillac's murder, and that +nothing but a heroic resolution to carry to the grave with him a secret, the +disclosure of which would bring destruction upon an innocent and virtuous +person, withheld him from laying a statement before the Court which would +completely clear him from all guilt, and show that he never belonged to the band +at all. She said everything she could think of, with the best eloquence at her +command, which might be expected to soften La Regnie's hard heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">He replied to this in a few hours, saying he was very glad +that Olivier had so thoroughly justified himself in the eyes of his kind patron +and protector; but, as regarded his heroic resolution to carry to the grave with +him a secret relating to the crime with which he was charged, he regretted that +the Chambre Ardente could feel no admiration for heroism of that description, +but must endeavour to dispel it by powerful means. In three days time he had +little doubt he would be in possession of the wondrous secret, which would +probably bring many strange matters to light.</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi knew well what the terrible La Regnie +meant by the "powerful means," which were to break down Olivier's heroism. It +was but too clear that the unfortunate wretch was threatened with the torture. +In her mortal anxiety it at last occurred to her that, were it only to gain +time, the advice of a lawyer would be of some service. Pierre Arnaud d'Andilly +was at that time the most celebrated advocate in Paris. His goodness of heart, +and his highly honourable character were on a par with his professional skill +and his comprehensive mind. To him she repaired, and told him the whole tale, as +far as it was possible to do so without divulging Olivier's secret. She expected +that d'Andilly would warmly espouse the cause of this innocent man, but in this +she was wofully disappointed. He listened silently to what she had to say, and +then, with a quiet smile, answered in the words of Boileau, "Le vrai peut +quelquefois n'etre point vraisemblable." He showed her that there were the most +grave and marked suspicions against Olivier. That La Regnie's action was by no +means severe or premature, but wholly regular; indeed, that to do otherwise +would be to neglect his duty as a Judge. He did not believe that +he--d'Andilly--could save Brusson from the rack, by the very ablest of pleading. +Nobody could do that but Brusson himself, either by making the fullest +confession, or by accurately relating the circumstances of Cardillac's murder, +which might lead to further discoveries.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I will throw myself at the King's feet and sue for +mercy," cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, her voice choked by weeping.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For Heaven's sake, do not do that," cried d'Andilly. "Keep it +in reserve for the last extremity. If it fails you once, it is lost for ever. +The King will not pardon a criminal such as Brusson; the people would justly +complain of the danger to them. Possibly Brusson, by revealing his secret, or +otherwise, may manage to dispel the suspicion which is on him at present. Then +would be the time to resort to the King, who would not ask what was legally +proved, but be guided by his own conviction."</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi could not but agree with what d'Andilly's +great experience dictated. She was sitting in her room, pondering as to +what--in the name of the Virgin and all the saints--she should +try next to do, when La Martinière came to say that the Count de Miossens, +Colonel of the King's Body Guard, was most anxious to speak with her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pardon me, Mademoiselle," said the Colonel, bowing with a +soldier's courtesy, "for disturbing you, and breaking in upon you at such an +hour. Two words will be sufficient excuse for me. I come about Olivier Brusson."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Olivier Brusson," cried Mademoiselle Scuderi, all excitement +as to what she was going to hear, "that most unfortunate of men! What have you +to say of him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I knew," said Miossens, laughing again, "that your +<i>protégé's</i> name would ensure me a favourable hearing. Everybody is convinced of +Brusson's guilt. I know you think otherwise, and, it is said, your opinion rests +on what he himself has told you. With me the case is different. Nobody can be +more certain than I that Brusson is innocent of Cardillac's death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Speak! Oh, speak!" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was the man who stabbed the old goldsmith, in the Rue St. +Honoré, close to your door," said the Colonel.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>You</i>--<i>you!</i>" cried Mademoiselle Scuderi. "In the name of +all the Saints, how?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I vow to you, Mademoiselle, that I am very proud of my +achievement. Cardillac, I must tell you, was a most abandoned old hypocritical +ruffian, who went about at night robbing and murdering people, and was never +suspected of anything of the kind. I don't, myself, know from whence it came, +that I felt a suspicion of the old scoundrel when he seemed so distressed at +handing me over some work which I had got him to do for me, when he carefully +wormed out of me for whom I designed it, and cross-questioned my valet as to the +times when I was in the habit of going to see a certain lady. It struck me long +ago, that all the people who were murdered by the unknown hands, had the +self-same wound, and I saw quite clearly, that the murderer had practised to the +utmost perfection of certainty that particular thrust, which must kill +instantaneously--and that he reckoned upon it; so that, if it were to fail, the +fight would be fair. This led me to employ a precaution so very simple and +obvious, that I cannot imagine how somebody else did not think of it long ago. I +wore a light breastplate of steel under my dress. Cardillac set upon me from +behind. He grasped me with the strength of a giant, but his finely directed +thrust glided off the steel breast-plate. I then freed myself from his clutch, +and planted my dagger into his heart."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you have said nothing?" said Mademoiselle Scuderi. "You +have not told the authorities anything about this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Allow me to point out to you, Mademoiselle," said he, "that +to have done that would have involved me in a most terrible legal investigation, +probably ending in my ruin. La Regnie, who scents out crime everywhere, would +not have been at all likely to believe me at once, when I accused the good, +respectable, exemplary Cardillac of being an habitual murderer. The sword of +Justice would, most probably, have turned its point against me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Impossible," said Mademoiselle Scuderi. "Your rank--your +position----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh!" interrupted Miossens, "remember the Marechal de +Luxemburg; he took it into his head to have his horoscope cast by Le Sage, and +was suspected of poisoning, and put in the Bastille. No; by Saint Dyonys! not +one moment of freedom--not the tip of one of my ears, would I trust to that +raging La Regnie, who would be delighted to put his knife to all our throats."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But this brings an innocent man to the scaffold," said +Mademoiselle Scuderi.</p> + +<p class="normal">"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; <i>he</i> 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 <i>protégé</i>, without bringing me into the +clutches of the Chambre Ardente."</p> + +<p class="normal">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.</p> + +<p class="normal">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.</p> + +<p class="normal">"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."</p> + +<p class="normal">D'Andilly looked before him in meditation for a few moments, +and said: "There is no way of getting Brusson out of the hands of justice by any +ordinary means. On Madelon's account, nothing will induce him to admit that +Cardillac was a robber and a murderer. And even were he to do so, and succeed in +proving the truth of it by pointing out the secret entrance and the collection +of the stolen jewels, death would be his own lot, as an accomplice. The same +consequence would follow if Count Miossens related to the judges the adventure +with Cardillac. Delay is what we must aim at. Let Count Miossens go to the +Conciergerie, be confronted with Olivier, and recognise him as the person who +carried off Cardillac's body; let him then go to La Regnie, and say, 'I saw a +man stabbed in the Rue St. Honoré, and was close to the body when another man +darted up, bent down over it, and finding life still in it, took it on his +shoulders and carried it away. I recognise Olivier Brusson as that man.' This +will lead to a further examination of Brusson, to his being confronted with +Count Miossens; the torture will be postponed, and further investigations made. +Then will be the time to have recourse to the King. Your brilliant intellect, +Mademoiselle, will point out the most fitting way to do this. I think it would +be best to tell His Majesty the whole story. Count Miossen's statement will +support Olivier's. Perhaps, too, an examination of Cardillac's house would help +matters. The King might then follow the bent of his own judgment--of his kind +heart, which might pardon where justice could only punish." Count Miossens +closely followed D'Andilly's advice, and everything fell out just as he had said +it would.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was now time to repair to the King; and this was the chief +difficulty of all, as he had such an intense horror of Brusson--whom he believed +to be the man who had for so long kept Paris in a state of terror--that the +least allusion to him threw him at once into the most violent anger. Madame de +Maintenon, faithful to her system of never mentioning unpleasant subjects to +him, declined all intermediation; so that Brusson's fate was entirely in +Mademoiselle Scuderi's hands. After long reflection, she hit upon a scheme which +she put in execution at once. She put on a heavy black silk dress, with +Cardillac's jewels, and a long black veil, and appeared at Madame de Maintenon's +at the time when she knew the King would be there. Her noble figure in this +mourning garb excited the reverential respect even of those frivolous persons +who pass their days in Court antechambers. They all made way for her, and when +she came into the presence, the King himself rose, astonished, and came forward +to meet her. The splendid diamonds of the necklace and bracelets flashed in his +eyes, and he cried: "By Heavens! Cardillac's work!" Then, turning to Madame de +Maintenon, he said, with a pleasant smile, "See, Madame la Marquise, how our +fair lady mourns for her affianced husband." "Ah, Sire!" said Mademoiselle +Scuderi, as if keeping up the jest, "it would ill become a mourning bride to +wear such bravery. No; I have done with the goldsmith; nor would I remember him, +but that the gruesome spectacle of his corpse carried close by me before my eyes +keeps coming back to my memory." "What!" said the King, "did you actually see +him, poor fellow?" She then told him in few words (not introducing Brusson into +the business at all) how chance had brought her to Cardillac's door just when +the murder had been discovered. She described Madelon's wild terror and sorrow; +the impression made upon her by the beautiful girl; how she had taken her out of +Desgrais's hands, and away with her, amid the applause of the crowd. The scenes +with La Regnie, with Desgrais, with Olivier Brusson himself, now followed, the +interest constantly increasing. The King, carried away by the vividness with +which Mademoiselle Scuderi told the tale, did not notice that the Brusson case, +which he so abominated, was in question, listened breathlessly, occasionally +expressing his interest by an ejaculation. And ere he was well aware, still +amazed by the marvels which he was hearing, not yet able to arrange them all in +his mind, behold! Mademoiselle Scuderi was at his feet, imploring mercy for +Olivier Brusson.</p> + +<p class="normal" dir="ltr">"What are you doing?" broke out the King, taking both her +hands and making her sit down. "You take us by storm in a marvellous fashion. It +is a most terrible story! Who is to answer for the truth of Brusson's +extraordinary tale?" "Miossen's deposition proves it," she cried; "the searching +of Cardillac's house; my own firm conviction, and, ah! Madelon's pure heart, +which recognises equal purity in poor Brusson." The King, about to say +something, was interrupted by a noise in the direction of the door. Louvois, who +was at work in the next room, put his head in with an anxious expression. The +King rose, and followed him out. Both Madame de Maintenon and Mademoiselle +Scuderi thought this interruption of evil augury; for, though once surprised +into interest, the King might take care not to fall into the snare a second +time. But he came back in a few minutes, walked up and down the room two or +three times, quickly, and then, pausing with his hands behind his back before +Mademoiselle Scuderi, he said, in a half-whisper, without looking at her: "I +should like to see this Madelon of yours." On this Mademoiselle Scuderi said: +"Oh! gracious Sire! what a marvellous honour you vouchsafe to the poor +unfortunate child. She will be at your feet in an instant." She tripped to the +door as quickly as her heavy dress allowed, and called to those in the anteroom +that the King wished to see Madelon Cardillac. She came back weeping and sobbing +with delight and emotion. Having expected this, she had brought Madelon with +her, leaving her to wait with the Marquise's maid, with a short petition in her +hand drawn up by D'Andilly. In a few moments she had prostrated herself, +speechless, at the King's feet. Awe, confusion, shyness, love, and sorrow sent +the blood coursing faster and faster through her veins; her cheeks glowed, her +eyes sparkled with the bright tear-drops, which now and again fell from her +silken lashes down to her beautiful lily breast. The King was moved by the +wonderful beauty of the girl. He raised her gently, and stooped down as if about +to kiss her hand, which he had taken in his; but he let the hand go, and gazed +at her with tears in his eyes, evincing deep emotion. Madame de Maintenon +whispered to Mademoiselle Scuderi: "Is she not exactly like La Valliére, the +little thing? The King is sunk in the sweetest souvenirs: you have gained the +day." Though she spoke softly, the King seemed to hear. A blush came to his +cheek; he scanned Madame de Maintenon with a glance, and then said, gently and +kindly: "I am quite sure that you, my dear child, think your lover is innocent; +but we must hear what the Chambre Ardente has to say." A gentle wave of his hand +dismissed Madelon, bathed in tears. Mademoiselle Scuderi saw, to her alarm, that +the resemblance to La Valliére, advantageous as it had seemed to be at first, +had nevertheless changed the King's intention as soon as Madame de Maintenon had +spoken of it. Perhaps he felt himself somewhat ungently reminded that he was +going to sacrifice strict justice to beauty; or he may have been like a dreamer +who, when loudly addressed by his name, finds that the beautiful magic visions +by which he thought he was surrounded vanish away. Perhaps he no longer saw his +La Valliére before him, but thought only of Sœur Louise de la Misericorde--La +Valliére's cloister name among the Carmelite nuns--paining him with her piety +and repentance. There was nothing for it now but to patiently wait for the +King's decision.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile Count Miossen's statement before the Chambre Ardente +had become known; and, as often happens, popular opinion soon flew from one +extreme to the other, so that the person whom it had stigmatized as the most +atrocious of murderers, and would fain have torn in pieces before he reached the +scaffold, was now bewailed as the innocent victim of a barbarous sacrifice. His +old neighbours only now remembered his admirable character and behaviour, his +love for Madelon, and the faithfulness and devotion of soul and body with which +he had served his master. Crowds of people, in threatening temper, often +collected before La Regnie's Palais, crying, "Give us out Olivier Brusson!--he +is innocent!" even throwing stones at the windows, so that La Regnie had to seek +the protection of the Marechaussée.</p> + +<p class="normal">Many days elapsed without Mademoiselle Scuderi's hearing +anything on the subject of Olivier Brusson. In her disconsolateness she went to +Madame de Maintenon, who said the King was keeping silence on the subject, and +it was not advisable to remind him of it. When she then, with a peculiar smile, +asked after the "little La Valliére," Mademoiselle Scuderi saw that this proud +lady felt, in the depths of her heart, some slight annoyance at a matter which +had the power of drawing the mobile King into a province whose charm was beyond +her own sphere. Consequently nothing was to be hoped from Madame de Maintenon.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length Mademoiselle Scuderi managed to find out, with +D'Andilly's help, that the King had had a long interview with Count Miossens; +further, that Bontems, the King's confidential groom of the chamber and secret +agent, had been to the Conciergerie, and spoken with Brusson; that, finally, the +said Bontems, with several other persons, had paid a long visit to Cardillac's +house. Claude Patru, who lived in the lower story, said he had heard banging +noises above his head in the night, and that he had recognised Olivier's voice +amongst others. So far it was certain that the King was, himself, causing the +matter to be investigated; but what was puzzling was the long delay in coming to +a decision. La Regnie was most probably trying all in his power to prevent his +prey from slipping through his fingers; and this nipped all hope in the bud.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nearly a month had elapsed, when Madame de Maintenon sent to +tell Mademoiselle Scuderi that the King wished to see her that evening in her +salon.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her heart beat fast. She knew that Olivier's fate would be +decided that night. She told Madelon so, and the latter prayed to the Virgin and +all the Saints that Mademoiselle Scuderi might succeed in convincing the King of +her lover's innocence.</p> + +<p class="normal">And yet it appeared as if he had forgotten the whole affair, +for he passed the time in chatting pleasantly with Madame de Maintenon and +Mademoiselle Scuderi, without a single word of poor Olivier Brusson. At length +Bontems appeared, approached the King, and spoke a few words so softly that the +ladies could not hear them. Mademoiselle Scuderi trembled; but the King rose, +went up to her, and said, with beaming eyes, "I congratulate you, Mademoiselle. +Your protégé, Olivier Brusson, is free." Mademoiselle Scuderi, with tears +streaming down her cheeks, unable to utter a word, would have cast herself at +the King's feet; but he prevented her, saying, "Va! Va! Mademoiselle, you ought +to be my Attorney-General and plead my causes, for nobody on earth can resist +your eloquence and powers of persuasion." He added, more gravely, "He who is +shielded by virtue may snap his fingers at every accusation, by the Chambre +Ardente, or any other tribunal on earth."</p> + +<p class="normal">Mademoiselle Scuderi, now finding words, poured forth a most +glowing tribute of gratitude. But the King interrupted her, saying there were +warmer thanks awaiting her at home than any he could expect from her, as at that +moment doubtless Olivier was embracing his Madelon. "Bontems," added His +Majesty, "will hand you 1000 Louis, which you will give the little one from me +as a wedding portion. Let her marry her Brusson, who does not deserve such a +treasure, and then they must both leave Paris. This is my will."</p> + +<p class="normal">La Martinière came to meet her mistress with eager steps, +followed by Baptiste, their faces beaming with joy, and both crying out, "He is +here! he is free! Oh, the dear young couple!" The happy pair fell at +Mademoiselle Scuderi's feet, and Madelon cried, "Ah! I knew that you, and you +only, would save my husband." "Mother," cried Olivier, "my belief in you never +wavered." They kissed her hands, and shed many tears; and then they embraced +again, and vowed that the super-earthly bliss of the present time was worth all +the nameless sufferings of the days that were past.</p> + +<p class="normal">In a few days the priest pronounced his blessing upon them. +Even had it not been the King's command that they were to leave Paris, Brusson +could not have remained there, where everything reminded him of the dreadful +epoch of Cardillac's atrocities, and where any accident might have disclosed the +evil secret, already known to several persons, destroying the peace of his life +for ever. Immediately after the wedding he started with his young wife for +Geneva, sped on his way by Mademoiselle Scuderi's blessings. Handsomely provided +with Madelon's portion, his own skill at his calling, and every civic virtue, he +there led a happy life, without a care. The hopes, whose frustration had sent +the father to his grave, were fulfilled to the son.</p> + +<p class="normal">A year after Brusson left Paris, a public proclamation, signed +by Harloy de Chauvalon, Archbishop of Paris, and by Pierre Arnaud d'Andilly, +Advocate of the Parliament, appeared, stating that a repentant sinner had, under +seal of confession, made over to the Church a valuable stolen treasure of gold +and jewels. All those who, up to about the end of the year 1680, had been robbed +of property of this description, particularly if by murderous attack in the +street, were directed to apply to d'Andilly, when they would receive it back, +provided that anything in the said collection agreed with the description to be +by them given, and providing that there was no doubt of the genuineness of the +application. Many whose names occurred in Cardillac's list as having been merely +stunned, not murdered, came from time to time to d'Andilly to reclaim their +property, and received it back, to their no small surprise. The remainder became +the property of the Church of St. Eustache."</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">Sylvester's tale was received by the Brethren with their full +approval. It was held to be truly Serapiontic, because, whilst founded on +historical fact, it yet soared into the region of the imaginative.</p> + +<p class="normal">Lothair said: "Our Sylvester has got very well out of a +somewhat risky undertaking, for that, I consider, was the representing of a +literary old maid who kept a sort of <i>bureau d'esprit</i> in the Rue St. Honoré, +which he lets us have a peep into. Our own authoresses (and if they chance to be +advanced in years, I hope they may all be genial, kind, and dignified as the old +lady in the black dress) would be much delighted with you, my Sylvester, if they +heard your story, and forgive you your somewhat gruesome and terrible Cardillac, +whom, I suppose, you have altogether to thank your own imagination for."</p> + +<p class="normal">"At the same time," said Ottmar, "I remember having read, +somewhere or other, of an old shoemaker in Venice, whom the whole town looked +upon as a good, exemplary, industrious man, though he really was the most +atrocious robber and murderer. Just like Cardillac, he used to slip out in the +night-time and get into the palazzi of the great, where, in the depths of +darkness, his surely-dealt dagger-thrust pierced the hearts of those whom he +wanted to rob, so that they dropped down on the spot without a cry. Every effort +of the most clever and observant police to detect this murderer, who kept all +Venice in terror, was useless, until a circumstance led to the shoemaker's being +suspected. He fell sick, and, strange to say, as long as he was confined to his +bed there were no murders. They began again as soon as he was well. On some +pretext he was put in prison, and, just as was expected, so long as he was shut +up the palaces were in security; but the moment he got out (there being no proof +of anything against him) the victims fell just as before. Finally the rack +extracted his secret, and he was executed. A strange thing was that he had made +no use whatever of the stolen property; it was all found stowed away under the +flooring of his room. He said, in the naïvest manner, that he had made a vow to +St. Rochus, the patron of his craft, that he would get together a certain, +pretty considerable, sum by robbery, and then stop; and complained of the +hardship of having been apprehended before the said sum was arrived at."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I never heard of the Venetian shoemaker," said Sylvester; +"but if I am truly to tell you the source from whence I drew, I must inform you +that the words spoken by Mademoiselle Scuderi, 'Un amant qui craint les +voleurs,' &c., were really made use of by her, in almost similar circumstances +to those of my story. Also the affair of the offering from the band of robbers +is by no means a creature of the brain of the felicitously inspired writer. The +account of that you will find in a book where you certainly would not look for +it, Wagenseil's 'Nuernberg Chronicle.' The old gentleman speaks of a visit he +made to Mademoiselle Scuderi in Paris, and if I have succeeded in representing +her as charming and delightful, I am indebted solely to the distinguished +<i>courtoisie</i> with which Wagenseil mentions her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Verily," said Theodore, laughing, "to stumble upon +Mademoiselle Scuderi in the 'Nuernberg Chronicle' requires an author's lucky +hand, such as Sylvester is specially gifted with. In fact, he shines on us +to-night in his double capacity of playwright and story-teller, like the +constellation of the Dioscuri."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is just where he seems to me so vain," said Vincenz. "A +man who writes a good play ought not to set to work to tell a good tale as +well."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yet it is strange," said Cyprian, "that authors who can tell +a story well, who manage their characters and situations cleverly, often fail +altogether in drama for the stage."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," said Lothair, "are not the conditions of drama and of +narrative so essentially different in their fundamental elements, that the +attempt to turn a story into a play is very often a complete failure? You +understand that I am speaking of true narrative, not of the novel, so much, +because that has often in it germs from which the drama can grow up like a +glorious, beautiful tree."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you think," asked Vincenz, "of the admirable idea of +making a story out of a play? Some years ago I read Iffland's 'Jaeger' turned +into a story, and you can't believe how delightful and touching little Anton +with the couteau de chasse, and Riekchen with the lost shoe, were in this shape. +It was delightful, too, that the author, or adapter, preserved whole scenes +unchanged, merely putting in the 'said he,' and 'answered she,' between the +speeches. I assure you I did not wholly realise the truly poetic imagination, +and the deep sublimity which there is in Iffland's 'Jaeger,' until I read it in +this form. Moreover, the scientific side of it struck me then, and I saw how +properly it was classed in a certain library under the head 'Science of +Forestry.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cease your funning," said Lothair, "and lend, with us, an +attentive ear to the worthy Serapion Brother who, as I perceive, has just pulled +a manuscript out of his pocket."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This time," said Theodore, "I have trespassed upon another's +ground. However, there is a real incident at the basis of my story, not taken +from any book, but told to me by another."</p> + +<p class="normal">He read:--</p> + +<br> + +<h2><a name="div2_gambler" href="#div2Ref_gambler">GAMBLERS' FORTUNE</a>.</h2> + +<p class="normal">In the summer of 18-- Pyrmont was more than usually +frequented, and the influx of visitors, rich and great, increased from day to +day, exciting the eager emulation of the various speculators and purveyors of +their wants. Particularly did the faro-table keepers heap up piles of gold in +unusual quantity, for the attraction of the noble game, which, like experienced +sportsmen, they set themselves to decoy. As we all know, at watering-places +especially--where people resolve to give themselves up, at their own sweet will, +to whatever amusements may be most to their taste, to get through the time---the +attractions of the play-table are not easy to resist. We see people who never +touch a card at other times, absorbed at those tables; and, in fact, among the +upper classes, at all events, it is thought only a proper thing to stake +something every evening.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was but one exception to this otherwise universal rule, +in the person of a young German Baron, whom we shall call Siegfried. When +everybody else rushed to the tables, and there was no way left to him to amuse +himself in what he considered a rational manner, he preferred taking a lonely +walk, yielding to the play of his fancy, or would stay at home, amusing himself +with a book, or sometimes writing something himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was young, independent, good-looking, well off, pleasant in +manners, so of course he was very popular, and his success with the other sex +was distinguished. But besides all this, there appeared to be a special lucky +star watching over everything he undertook. People talked of many love-affairs, +comprising risky adventures of which he had been the hero, which, though certain +to have proved disastrous to most men, he had got out of with marvellous ease +and facility. Old gentlemen who knew him would speak, particularly, of the +affair of a certain watch, which had happened in his very early days. It +chanced, before he came to his majority, that, on a journey, he unexpectedly +found himself in such a strait for money that, to get on at all, he had to sell +his watch, a beautiful gold one set with brilliants. Seeing no alternative, he +had made up his mind to part with it much under its value; but +it so happened that, in the hotel where he was living, there +was a young prince who was on the look-out for just such a watch; so +that he got more for it than it was worth. Rather more than a +year afterwards--having come to his majority in the meantime--he read in the +newspaper, at another place where he was, that a watch was going to be raffled. +He took a ticket, costing only a trifle, and won the very watch set in +brilliants which he had sold. Soon afterwards, he swopped this watch away for a +valuable ring. Presently, having been for a time in the service of the Prince of +G----, as he was leaving, the Prince gave him, as a souvenir, the self-same +watch which he had twice got rid of--and a handsome chain into the bargain.</p> + +<p class="normal">Then, people went on to talk about Siegfried's fancy of never +touching a card--which, considering his extraordinary luck, he ought to be just +the man to do; and everybody came to the conclusion that, in spite of all his +delightful qualities, the Baron was a screw; far too canny to risk a little of +his cash. That his whole conduct completely excluded the idea of his being +avaricious, didn't matter. People are always anxious, and delighted to fasten an +objectionable "but" on to a man of gifts, and to find out this "but" wherever +they can, be it only in their own imaginations. So everybody was quite satisfied +with this explanation of Siegfried's hatred of the play-table.</p> + +<p class="normal">He very soon found out what he was accused of; and, being +large-minded and liberal--hating nothing so much as avarice--he determined to +show his calumniators how much they were mistaken, and--much as he detested +play--sacrifice a hundred Louis d'Ors or so--more if necessary--to prove to them +their error. He went to the faro-table with the firm resolution to lose the +rather considerable sum which he had in his pocket. But the luck which +accompanied him in everything he set about was true to him here too. Everything +he staked on won. His luck shipwrecked the cabalistic calculations of the old, +deeply experienced gamblers. It was all the same whether he exchanged his cards, +or stuck to them; he always won. He furnished a unique instance of a <i>ponteur</i> +wild with disgust because the cards favoured him. The by-standers, watching him, +shook their heads significantly at each other, implying that the Baron might +come to lose his head, carried along by this concatenation of the unusual. For +indeed, a man who was furious because he was lucky, must surely be a <i>little</i> +off his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">The very circumstance that he had won a considerable sum +necessitated him to go on playing; and as this gain must, in all probability, be +followed by a still greater loss, he felt bound to carry out his original plan. +However, he found it not so easy; his extraordinary luck continued to stick to +him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Without his exactly noticing it himself, a love for the game +of Faro arose within him, and grew. In its very simpleness, Faro is, in truth, +the most mysterious of all games.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was not annoyed at being lucky <i>now</i>. The game fettered his +attention, and kept him absorbed in it, night after night, till morning. As it +was not the winning which interested him, but the game itself, he was forced to +admit the existence of that extraordinary <i>spell</i> connected with it which his +friends had spoken of to him, but which he had refused to believe in.</p> + +<p class="normal">One night when the banker had just finished a "taille," on +looking up he saw an elderly man, who had placed himself opposite to him, and +was keeping a grave, melancholy gaze fixed upon him. And every time Siegfried +looked up from his game, he found this grave, melancholy gaze still fixed upon +him, so that he could not divest himself of a strong, rather eery sensation. The +Stranger did not go away till the playing was over for the night. Next evening +he was there again, in his old place opposite the Baron, gazing at him +continually, with his gloomy, spectral eves. The Baron restrained himself; but +when, on the third night, the Stranger was there again, gazing at him with eyes +of devouring fire, Siegfried broke out: "I must really beg you, sir, to select +some other place. You are interfering with my play."</p> + +<p class="normal">The stranger bowed, with a pained smile, and, without a word, +left the table, and the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">But the following night he was standing in his old place, +opposite to Siegfried, transfixing him with his gloomy, glowing eyes. The Baron +broke out more angrily than on the previous night. "If it is any entertainment +to you, sir, to glare at me in that sort of manner, I must beg you to select +another place and another time. But--for the present"--a motion of the hand in +the direction of the door took the place of the hard words which the Baron had +on the tip of his tongue.</p> + +<p class="normal">And, as on the previous night, the Stranger, bowing with the +same pained smile, left the room. Excited by the game, by the wine he had taken, +and by the encounter with the Stranger, Siegfried could not sleep. When morning +broke, the whole appearance of the Stranger rose to his memory. He saw the +expressive face, the well-cut features, marked with sorrow, the hollow gloomy +eyes which had gazed at him. He noticed that though he was poorly dressed, his +refined manners and bearing spoke of good birth and up-bringing. And then the +way in which he had received the hard words with quiet resignation, and gone +away, swallowing the bitterness of his feelings with a power over himself. "Oh!" +said Siegfried, "I was wrong--I did him great injustice. Is it like me to fly +into a passion, and insult people without rhyme or reason, like a foolish boy?" +He came to the conclusion that the man had been gazing at him with a bitter +sense of the tremendous contrast between them. At the moment when +he--perhaps--was in the depths of distress, the Baron was heaping gold on the +top of gold, and carrying all before him. He determined that the first thing in +the morning he would go and find out the Stranger, and do something to remedy +his condition.</p> + +<p class="normal">And, as fate would have it, the Stranger was the first person +he met, as he was taking a walk down the Alleé.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron addressed him, apologised for his behaviour on the +previous night, and formally asked him to forgive him. The Stranger said there +was nothing to forgive. People who were much interested in their game must have +every consideration, and he quite deserved to be reminded that he was +obstinately planting himself in a place where he could not but put the Baron out +in his play.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron went further. He spoke of the circumstance that in +life temporary difficulties often come upon people of education in the most +trying manner, and he gave him pretty clearly to understand that he was ready +to pay him back the money he had won from him, or more, if necessary, should +that be likely to be of any assistance to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear sir," said the Stranger, "you suppose that I am +pressed for money. Strictly speaking, I am not. Although I am rather a poor man +than a rich, I have enough for my little requirements. And you will see in a +moment, if you consider, that if you should suppose you could atone for an +insult to me by offering me a sum of money, I could not accept it, even as a +mere ordinary man of honour. And I am a Chevalier."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I think I understand you," said the Baron; "I am quite ready +to give you satisfaction in the way you mean."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, good heavens!" the Stranger said; "what a very unequal +affair a fight would be between us. I feel sure that, like myself, you do not +look upon the duel as a mere piece of childish fanfaronade, nor consider that a +drop or two of blood--perhaps from a scratched +finger--can wash a stained honour white again. No, no! there +are plenty of causes which render it impossible for two men to go on existing on +this earth at the same time. Although one of them may be on the Caucasus and the +other on the Tiber, there is no separation between them so long as the notion of +the existence of the hated one subsists. In a case like that the duel, which is +to decide the question which of those two is to make way on this earth for the +other, is a positive necessity. But between <i>us</i> a duel, as I said, would be +one-sided, since my life is nothing like as valuable as yours. If I killed you I +should destroy a whole world of the fairest hopes. But if I fell, you would end +a miserable existence, marred by the most bitter and painful memories. However, +the chief point is that I do not consider myself in the smallest degree +offended. You told me to go, and I went."</p> + +<p class="normal">He spoke the latter words in a tone which betrayed his inward +mortification, which was sufficient reason for the Baron to apologise to him +once more, laying special weight on the circumstance that the Stranger's gaze +seemed somehow (he could not tell why) to go penetrating into him to such an +extent that he could bear it no longer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If my gaze penetrated you, as you say it did," said the +Stranger, "would to God it had carried with it the conviction of the threatening +peril in which you stand. In your gladness of heart, with all your youthful +unknowingness, you are hovering on the very brink of a terrible abyss. One +single impulse, and into it you fall, without the possibility of rescue. In one +word, you are on the point of becoming a passionate gambler, and of going to +perdition."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron assured him that he was completely mistaken. He +explained to him how it was that he had been led at first to go to the tables, +and that the true love of play was completely absent from him--that all he +desired was to lose a few hundred louis, and, having accomplished that, he would +play no more; but that, up to this time, he had had the most extraordinary luck.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alas!" cried the Stranger, "it is just that very luck which +is the most terrible, mocking temptation of the Infernal Power. Just this very +luck of yours, Baron, the whole way in which you have been led on to play, the +whole style of your playing, and everything connected with the matter, show but +too plainly how your interest in it keeps on increasing and increasing. +Everything about it reminds me only too clearly of the fate of an unfortunate +fellow who begun exactly as you have done. This was why I could not take my eyes +from you, why I could scarce refrain from telling you in words what my eyes +intended to say to you, namely, 'For heaven's sake look at the fiends that are +stretching out their talons to drag you down to perdition;' that is what I +longed to cry out to you. I wished to make your acquaintance, and in that I have +succeeded. Let me tell you the story of the unfortunate man to whom I have +referred, and then perhaps you will see that it is no idle cobweb of my brain +which makes me see you to be in the most imminent peril, and that I give you +fair warning."</p> + +<p class="normal">They sate down on a seat which was in a lonely place, and the +Stranger commenced as follows. "The same brilliant gifts which distinguish you, +Baron, procured for the Chevalier Menars the respect and admiration of men, and +rendered him the beloved of women. Only as far as wealth was concerned fortune +had not been so kind to him as to you. He was on the confines of penury, and +nothing but the most scrupulous economy enabled him to keep up the decent +appearance which his position as the descendant of a family of condition +demanded of him. Since the very smallest loss of money would have been of much +consequence to him, upsetting all his course of life, he was precluded from +everything in the shape of play. But he had not the smallest inclination for it, +so that his avoidance of it involved not the slightest sacrifice on his part. He +was excessively lucky in whatever he undertook, so that his good fortune became +a species of proverb.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Contrarily to his habit he allowed himself to be persuaded +one night to go to a gambling-house, where the friends who were with him were +soon deep in the game.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Taking no interest in the game, with his mind fully occupied +about something else, he strolled up and down the room, just now and then +casting a glance at the table, where the gold was streaming in upon the banquier +from every side. All at once an elderly Colonel observed him, and cried out, +'Oh, the devil! here's the Chevalier Menars, with his luck, and none of us can +win because he hasn't taken a side. This won't do. He must stake for me +instantly.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier tried his utmost to excuse himself, saying he +knew nothing about the game. But nothing would serve the Colonel but that he +must to the table willy nilly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It happened to him exactly as it did to you, Baron. He won on +every card, so that he soon had hauled in a considerable sum for the Colonel, +who could not congratulate himself enough on the great idea he had been inspired +with of availing himself of the celebrated luck of the Chevalier Menars.</p> + +<p class="normal">"On the Chevalier himself his luck, which so astonished all +the others, made not the slightest impression. Nay, he did not himself quite +understand how it came about that his detestation of play, if possible, +increased, so that the next morning, when he felt the languor and listlessness +consequent on having sat up so late, and gone through the excitement, he made a +firm resolution that nothing would ever induce him to enter a gambling-house +again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This resolution was strengthened by the conduct of the old +Colonel, who had the most extraordinary ill-luck as soon as he took a card in +his hand, and attributed this, in the most absurd way, to the Chevalier. And he +insisted, in the most importunate manner, that Menars should either play his +cards for him, or at all events be at his side when he played himself, by way of +exorcising the demon who placed +in his hand the losing cards. We know that nowhere is there +such +absurd superstition as amongst gamblers. It was only with the +utmost difficulty that Menars managed to shake the Colonel off. He had even to +go the length of telling him he would rather fight him than stake for him; and +the Colonel was by no means fond of fighting. The Chevalier cursed himself for +ever having yielded to the old ass at all.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course the story of the Chevalier's luck could not but be +passed on from one to another, with all sorts of mysterious, inexplicable +additions added on to it, representing him as a man in league with supernatural +powers. But that one who had his luck should go on abstaining from touching +cards was a thing which could not but give the highest idea of the firmness of +his character, and much increase the consideration in which he was held.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A year after this the Chevalier found himself in the most +pressing and distressing embarrassment in consequence of the non-payment to him +of the trifling sum on which he managed by a struggle to live. He was obliged to +confide this to his most intimate friend, who, without a moment's hesitation, +helped him to what he required, at the same time telling him he was the most +extraordinary, eccentric individual the world had ever probably contained.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Destiny,' he said, 'gives us hints, indications of the +direction in which we have to seek and find our welfare, and it is only our +indolence which is to blame when we neglect those hints and fail to understand +them. The Power which rules over us has very distinctly whispered into your ear, +"If thou wouldest have money and possessions, go and play; otherwise thou wilt +for ever remain poor, needy, dependent."'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then, for the first time, the thought of the wonderful luck +he had +had at the faro table rose vividly before his mind's eye, and, +waking and dreaming, he saw cards before him, and heard the monotonous +<i>gagne-perd</i> of the banquier, and the clink of the gold +pieces.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'It is true,' he said to himself, 'a single night like that +one would raise me out of poverty, and free me from the terrible necessity of +being a burden on my friends. It is simply a duty to follow the promptings of +Destiny.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The same friend who advised him to take to playing went with +him to the table, and, to make him easy in his mind, presented him with twenty +louis d'or.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If his game had been an extraordinary one when he was staking +for the old Colonel, it was doubly so now. He drew out his cards by chance, by +accident, and staked on them, whatever they happened to be. And the unseen hand +of that higher Power, which is in league with that which we term 'Chance'--nay, +which <i>is</i> that Chance--directed his play. When the game was done he had won +1000 louis d'or.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Next morning he felt in a sort of stupor on awaking. The +money was lying on the table by his bed, just as he had shaken it out of his +pockets. At first he thought he was dreaming. He rubbed his eyes and drew the +table nearer to him. But as he gradually recollected what had happened--when he +sunk his hands well into the heap of gold money, and counted the coins +delightedly over and over again--suddenly there awoke in him, and passed through +his being like a poisoned breath, the love of the vile mammon. The pureness of +mind which had so long been his was gone.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He could scarcely wait till evening came to get back to the +play-table. His luck continued to attend him, so that in a few +weeks, during which he played every night, he had won a very large sum.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There are two sorts of gamblers. To many the game in itself +presents an indescribable, mysterious joy, quite without any reference to +winning. The wonderful enchainments of the chances alternate in the most +marvellous variety; the influence of the Powers which govern the issue displays +itself, so that, inspired by this, our spirits stretch their wings in an attempt +to reach that darksome realm, that mysterious laboratory, where the Power in +question works, and there see it working. I knew a man once who used to sit +alone in his room for days and nights keeping banque, and staking against +himself. That man, I consider, was a proper player. Others have only the gain in +view, and look upon the game as a means of winning money quickly. The Chevalier +belonged to the latter class, thereby proving the theory that the true passion +for play must exist in a person's nature, and be born with him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For this reason the circle within which the mere ponteur is +restricted soon became too narrow for him. With the very large sum he had now +won he started a banque of his own; and here, too, fortune favoured him, so that +in a very short time his was the richest banque in Paris. As lies in the nature +of things, to him, as the luckiest, richest banquier, resorted the greatest +number of players.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The wild rugged life of a gambler soon blotted out in him all +those mental and bodily superiorities which had formerly brought him love and +consideration. He ceased to be a faithful friend, an open-hearted pleasant +companion, a chivalric and gallant honourer of ladies. His love for art and +science was extinguished, as well as all his wish to make progress in knowledge +of the desirable sort. In his deathly pale countenance and gloomy eyes, +sparkling with darksome fire, was imprinted the plain expression of that +devouring passion which held him fast in its bands. It was not the love of play, +it was the most detestable avarice, the craving for money, which the Devil +himself had kindled within him. In one word, he was the most thorough specimen +of a banquier ever seen.</p> + +<p class="normal">"One night--though he had not, so to speak, lost very much--he +found that fortune had not been quite so favourable to him as usual. And just at +this juncture there came up to the table a little old weazened man, in +poverty-stricken clothes, and altogether of almost disgustingly repulsive +appearance. He drew a card, with shaking hand, and staked a piece of gold on it. +Several of those at the table looked at him with deep amazement, and immediately +behaved towards him with conspicuous despite; but he took not the slightest +notice, not even by a look, far less by a word.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He lost--lost one piece of gold after another, and the more +he lost the better the other players were pleased. And when the old man, who +kept on doubling his stakes, at last staked five hundred louis on a card, and +lost it in a moment, one of them cried out, laughing loud, 'Well done, Signor +Vertua; keep it up! Don't give in; keep up your game! You seem to me as if you +would certainly break the bank, your luck is so splendid!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The old man darted a basilisk look at him, and ran off out of +the room as quickly as he could; but only to come back in half an hour, with his +pockets crammed with gold. When the final <i>taille</i> came he could not go on, as +he had lost all the money he brought with him the second time.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier, who, notwithstanding all the atrocity of his +ongoings, still insisted on there being a certain observance of ordinary +<i>convenance</i> amongst the frequenters of his establishment, had been in the +highest degree displeased at the derision and contempt with which the old man +had been treated, which was sufficient reason for his talking very seriously, +when the evening's play was over, to the man who had jeered at him, and to one +or two others whose contemptuous behaviour to him had been the most striking, +and whom the Chevalier had begged to remain behind on purpose.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'That fellow,' one of them cried out. 'You don't know old +Francesco Vertua, Chevalier, or you wouldn't find fault with us for what we did. +You would rather thank us. This Vertua, by birth a Neapolitan, has been for +fifteen years here, in Paris, the most vile, foul, wicked miser and usurer that +could exist. He is lost to every feeling of humanity. If his own brother were to +drag himself to his door, writhing in the death agony, and curl round about his +feet, he wouldn't give a louis d'or to help him. The curses and execrations of +heaps of people, whole families, whom he has driven to ruin by his infernal +machinations, lie heavy on him. There is nobody who does not pray that vengeance +for what he has done, and is always doing, may overtake him and finish his +sin-spotted life. He has never played, at all events since he has been in Paris, +and you need not be astonished at our surprise when we saw the old skinflint +come to the table. Of course we were just as delighted at his losing, for it +would have been altogether too bad if fortune had favoured the scoundrel. The +wealth of your banque has dazzled the old noodle. He thought he was going to +pluck you, but he has lost his own feathers. But the thing I can't understand is +how he can have made up his miserly mind to play so high.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"This, however, did not prove well founded, for the next night +Vertua made his appearance, and staked and lost a great deal more than on the +night before. He was quite impassible all the time; in fact, he now and then +smiled with a bitter irony, as one who knew how utterly differently everything +would soon turn. But his losses swelled like a mountain avalanche on each of the +succeeding nights, so that at last it was calculated that he had lost to the +banque well on to thirty thousand louis d'or. After this, he came one night, +long after the play had begun, pale as death, with his face all drawn, and +stationed himself at some distance from the table, with his eyes fixed on the +cards which the Chevalier was dealing. At last, when the Chevalier had shuffled, +had the cards cut, and was going to begin the deal, the old man cried out, in a +screaming voice, 'Stop!' Every one looked round, almost terrified. The old man +elbowed his way through the crowd close up to the Chevalier, and whispered into +his ear, 'Chevalier, my house in the Rue St. Honoré, with all its contents, in +furniture, gold, silver, and jewels, is valued at eighty thousand francs. I +stake it! Do you accept?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Yes,' said the Chevalier calmly, without looking at him, and +began to deal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Queen!' said the old man, and the queen lost. The old man +fell back, and leaned against the wall, motionless as a stone image. Nobody +troubled himself further about him. When the game was over for the night, and +the Chevalier and his croupiers were packing away the won money in the strong +box, Vertua came wavering like a spectre forward out of his corner. In a hollow, +faint voice, he said, 'One word, Chevalier; one single word.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Well, what is it?' said the Chevalier, taking the key from +the box and putting it in his pocket, as he surveyed the old man contemptuously +from head to foot.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I have lost all I possessed in the world to your banque, +Chevalier. +I have nothing left--nothing. I don't know where I shall lay +my head to-morrow, or how I shall appease my hunger. I betake myself to you. +Lend me the tenth part of the sum you have won from me, that I may recommence my +business, and raise myself from the depths of poverty.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'How can you be so absurd, Signor Vertua,' said the +Chevalier. 'Don't you know that a banquier never lends his winnings? It would be +against all the rules, and I abide by them.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'You are right, Chevalier,' said Vertua. 'What I asked was +absurd, extravagant. Not a tenth part--lend me a twentieth part.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'What I tell you is,' said the Chevalier, 'that I never lend +any of my winnings.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Quite right,' said Vertua, his face growing paler and paler, +and his looks more fixed and staring. 'Of course you can't lend. I never used to +do it myself. But give an alms to a beggar. Let him have one hundred louis d'or +out of the fortune which blind Chance threw to you tonight.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Well, really, Signor Vertua, you understand how to bother,' +was the Chevalier's answer. 'I tell you that not one hundred, nor fifty, nor +twenty, nor one single louis d'or will you get out of me. I should be a lunatic +to give you any help towards recommencing your shameful trade. Fate has dashed +you down into the dust like a venomous reptile, and it would be a crime to lift +you up. Be off with you, and die, as you deserve to do.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Vertua sank down, with both his hands before his face. The +Chevalier ordered his servants to take the Strong box down to the carriage, and +then cried out, in a domineering way, 'When are you going to make over your +house and effects to me, Signor Vertua?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Vertua raised himself from the ground, saying, in a firm +voice, 'At once. This very moment, Chevalier. Come with me.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Good,' said the Chevalier, 'you may drive there with me. +To-morrow you must leave it for good and all.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"On the way neither of them spoke. When they came to the house +in the Rue St. Honoré Vertua rang at the door, and a little old woman opened, +and cried, when she saw him, 'Oh, saviour of the world, is it you at last, +signor? Angela has been nearly dead with anxiety about you.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Hush!' said Vertua. 'Heaven grant that Angela has not heard +the unlucky bell. I don't want her to know that I have come.' He took the +candle-holder from the amazed old woman's hand, and lighted the Chevalier up the +staircase to the salon.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I am ready for everything,' said Vertua. 'You detest me and +despise me. You ruin me for the gratification of yourself and others. But you do +not know me. I will tell you, then, that I was once a gambler like yourself; +that capricious fortune was as kind to me as to you; that I travelled over the +half of Europe, stopping wherever high play and the expectation of large +winnings attracted me to remain; that the gold in the banque which I kept was +heaped up as mountain high as in your own. I had a devoted and beautiful wife, +whom I neglected, who was miserable in the midst of the most marvellous wealth. +It happened once, in Genoa, when I had started my banque there, that a young +Roman lost all his great fortune to me. As I begged of you to-day, he begged of +me that I would lend him as much money as would, at all events, take him to +Rome. I refused, with scornful laughter, and in his despair he thrust his +stiletto deep into my breast. The surgeons managed to cure me with difficulty, +and my illness was long and painful. My wife nursed me, comforted me, supported +me when I would have given in with the pain. And with returning health there +dawned within me, and grew stronger and stronger, a feeling which I had never +known before. The gambler is a stranger to all the ordinary emotions of +humanity, so that till then I had no knowledge of love, and the faithful +devotion of a wife. The debt which my ungrateful heart owed to my wife burned in +the depths of my soul, as well as the sense of the wickedness of the occupation +to which I had sacrificed her. Like torturing spirits of vengeance appeared to +me all those whose happiness, whose very existence, I had ruined, reproaching +me, in hoarse and hollow voices, with the guilt and crime of which <i>I</i> had +planted the germs. None but my wife could dispel the nameless sorrow, the +terror, which then took possession of me. I made a solemn vow that I would never +touch a card again. I tore myself away. +I burst the bonds which had held me. I withstood the +enticements of +my croupiers, who could not get on when my luck was gone from +the enterprise. I had bought a small country house near Rome, and there I fled +with my wife as soon as I had recovered. Alas! for only one single year was it +that I was vouchsafed a peace, a happiness, a contentment, such as I had never +dreamt of. My wife bore me a daughter, and died a few weeks afterwards. I was in +despair. I accused heaven, and then turned round and cursed myself and my sinful +career, punished in this way by the eternal power, by taking my wife from me, +who saved me from destruction--the only creature on earth who gave me comfort +and hope. Like the criminal whom the dreadfulness of solitude terrifies, I fled +from my country place to Paris. Angela blossomed up, the lovely counterpart of +her mother. My whole heart hung upon her. For her sake I made it my business not +only to keep a considerable fortune together, but to increase it. It is true +that I lent money at high rates of interest. But it is a shameful calumny when I +am accused of being a fraudulent usurer. Who are my accusers? Light-minded +creatures, who torture and tease me till I lend them money, which they waste and +squander as if it were of no value, and then are furious when I get it back from +them with infallible strictness--the money which is not mine but my daughter's, +whose steward I consider myself to be. Not long ago I rescued a young man from +ruin and disgrace by lending him a considerable sum. I knew he was very poor, +and I said nothing about repayment till I knew he had succeeded to a fortune. +Then I asked him to pay me. Would you credit it, Chevalier, this light-minded +scoundrel, who was indebted to me for his very existence, wanted to deny his +liability, and, when the law obliged him to pay me, he called me a vile +skinflint. I could tell you of plenty similar cases, which have made me hard and +unfeeling when I have been met with ingratitude and baseness. More than that, I +could tell you of many bitter tears which I have wiped away, of many a prayer +which has gone up to heaven for me and my Angela; but you would look upon that +as boasting, and besides, as you are a gambler, you would care nothing about it. +I hoped and believed that the eternal power was appeased. All delusion, for +Satan was freely empowered to blind and deceive me in a more terrible manner +than ever. I heard of your luck, Chevalier. Every day I was told of this one and +the other having beggared himself at your banque. Then it came to me that I was +destined to pit my luck, which had never failed me, against yours--that I was +destined to put an end to your career. And this idea, which nothing but madness +of the most extraordinary kind could have suggested to me, left me no further +peace or rest. Thus I came to your banque. Thus my terrible folly did not leave +me until my fortune--no, my Angela's fortune--was all yours. But you will let my +daughter take her clothes away with her, will you not?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I have nothing to do with your daughter's clothes,' answered +the Chevalier; 'and you may take away the beds and the ordinary household things +for cooking and so forth. What do I care for rubbish of that sort? But take care +that nothing of any value of that which is now my property goes away amongst +them.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Old Vertua stared speechlessly at the Chevalier for a few +seconds, then a stream of tears burst from his eyes. Like a man annihilated, all +sorrow and despair, he sank down before the Chevalier with hands uplifted.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Have you any human feeling left in your heart?' he cried. +'Have some mercy! Remember it is not me whom you are dashing into ruin and +misery, but my unoffending angel child--my Angela! Oh, have mercy upon her! Lend +her the twentieth part of the fortune you have robbed her of. I know you will +allow yourself to be implored. Oh! Angela, my daughter!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the old man moaned, sobbed, and called out the name of +his child in heart-breaking tones.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I really don't think I can stand much more of this stage +business of yours,' the Chevalier said indifferently, and in a bored manner. But +the door opened, and a girl in a white night dress, with her hair undone, and +death in her face, rushed up to old Vertua, raised +him, took him in her arms, and cried, 'Oh, father, I have +heard it +all--I know it all! Have you lost everything?--everything? You +have still your Angela. What would be the use of money if you had not Angela to +take care of you. Oh, father! don't humiliate yourself more before this +despicable, inhuman creature. It is not we, it is he who is poor and miserable +in all his despicable riches, for he stands there in the most gruesome, +comfortless loneliness. There is not one loving heart in the wide world to cling +to his breast, to open to him when he is like to despair of life--of himself. +Come, father, away from this house with me; let us go as quickly as we can, that +the horrible creature may not gloat over our sorrow.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Vertua sank half senseless into a chair, whilst Angela knelt +down before him, took his hands, kissed them and stroked them, and told over, +with childlike prolixity, all the accomplishments and acquirements which she +possessed, with which she would be able to support him comfortably, imploring +him with the warmest tears to have no fear, inasmuch as life would, for the +first time in her experience, begin to possess a real value and delightsomeness +for her when--not for the enjoying of it, but for her father--she should stitch, +sew, sing, play the guitar.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What obdurate sinner could have remained indifferent at the +sight of Angela beaming in the fulness of her heavenly beauty, comforting her +old father with sweet, delicious words, the deepest affection, and the most +childlike purity and goodness streaming from the depths of her heart?</p> + +<p class="normal">"Things were very different with the Chevalier. An entire +pandemonium of torture and pangs of conscience awoke within him. Angela seemed +to him to be the punishing angel of God, before whose shining glory the +cloud-shroud of sinful deception which had surrounded him vanished away, so that +with terror he clearly saw himself in all his repulsive nakedness.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And through the midst of those hell-flames, which were +consuming and raging in his heart, there came piercing a heavenly, pure beam of +radiance, whose light was the sweetest bliss and the very joy of heaven, though +the brightness of this ray had the effect of rendering the inexpressible torture +more terrible.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier had never known love before; and the instant he +saw Angela he was seized by the most passionate affection for her, and, at the +same time, with the destroying pain of complete hopelessness, for surely there +could be no hope for one who had appeared to her in the light in which he had.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He longed to say something, but his tongue seemed to be +paralysed. At length he so far mastered himself as to say, stammering, and in a +trembling voice, 'Signor Vertua, listen. I have not won anything from +you--nothing of the kind. There is my strong box; take it, it is yours. Yes; and +I have to pay you more than that. I am in your debt. Take it, take it!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Oh, my girl!' cried Vertua. But Angela went up to the +Chevalier, beamed a proud look upon him, and said, gravely and calmly, +'Learn, Chevalier, that there are higher things than money and +possessions--things which you have no knowledge of--which, while filling our +souls with the happiness of heaven, make us spurn your gifts with compassion and +contempt. Keep the mammon upon which lies the curse which pursues you, +heartless, accursed gambler.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Yes!' cried the Chevalier wildly; 'cursed, cursed in verity +may I be, if ever this hand of mine touches a card again. And if you repel me, +Angela, it will be you who will bring inevitable destruction upon me. Oh, you +don't understand me. You must think me mad; but you will know it all when I lie +before you with my skull shivered into fragments. Angela, it is life or death +with me. Adieu!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"With this he dashed away in utter desperation. Vertua +thoroughly understood him; he saw what had been passing in his heart, and tried +to make the lovely Angela comprehend how certain eventualities might arise which +would render it necessary to accept the Chevalier's offers. Angela was afraid to +allow herself to understand her father; she did not think it would ever be +possible to regard the Chevalier otherwise than with contempt; but that +mysterious chain of events which often forms itself within the profundities of +the human heart, without our cognisance, brought to pass that which seemed +unimagined--undreamt of.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier felt as if suddenly awakened from a horrible +dream. He saw himself standing on the brink of the abyss of hell, stretching his +arms out in vain to the shining form of light which had appeared to him, not to +save him, but to tell him of his damnation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To the surprise of all Paris his banque opened no more, and +he himself was no more seen, so that the most marvellous tales concerning him +became current, each of them a greater falsehood than the others. He avoided all +society; his love took the form of the profoundest, most unconquerable +melancholy. One day he met old Vertua and his daughter in one of the lonely, +shady walks of the garden at Malmaison.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Angela, who had believed she would never be able to look upon +the Chevalier again but with horror and contempt, felt strangely moved when she +saw him so pale and distressed, scarce able to lift his eyes to her in the +excess of his reverence for her. She knew that, since that eventful night, he +had given play up entirely, and completely altered his mode of life, and that +she--she alone--was the cause of this. She had saved him from destruction; could +anything flatter a woman more?</p> + +<p class="normal">"When old Vertua had exchanged the ordinary civilities with +him, she spoke to him in a tone of gentle pity, saying, 'What is the matter, +Chevalier? You look ill and unhappy. You ought to go and consult a doctor.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"We can understand that her words filled him with comfort and +hope. He was a different man in a moment. He lifted his head, and managed to +talk once more in the manner which, when it welled from his very heart in former +days, used to attract and endear him to all who knew him. Vertua reminded him +that he had not come to take possession of the house he had won.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Very well, I will come,' he answered, with an inspiration +breaking upon him. 'I will come to-morrow; but we must discuss all the +conditions at proper length and leisure, even if it should take months.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'So be it, Chevalier,' said Vertua, with a smile. 'Perhaps we +may come to discuss matters which we do not quite see into at present.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier, inwardly comforted, resumed all the charm of +manner and all the delightful qualities which had distinguished him before he +was carried away by his devouring passion. His visits at Vertua's became more +and more frequent, and Angela grew more and more disposed towards the man whose +guardian angel she had been, till at last she believed she loved him with all +her heart, and promised him her hand, to the great joy of old Vertua, who saw in +this the settlement of his losses.</p> + +<p class="normal">"One day Angela, now the happy betrothed of the Chevalier +Menars, was sitting at a window, lost in all the sweet dreams and happy fancies +which young ladies in her position are believed to be wont to entertain, when a +regiment of Jaegers came marching along, with trumpets sounding bravely, on +their way to join in the Spanish campaign. She was looking with pitiful sympathy +at the men thus going to face death in this war, when a very young officer, who +was reining his horse quickly to one side, looked up at her, and she fell back +fainting in her seat.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alas! This young Jaeger, marching off to face death in the +field, was no other than young Duvernet, the son of a neighbour, with whom she +had grown up, who had been nearly daily in the house, and had only kept out of +the way since the Chevalier had made his appearance. In the look of bitter +reproach which the lad cast at her--and the bitterness of death itself was in +it--she now, for the first time, read not only how unspeakably he loved her, but +how boundlessly she loved him, without having been aware, whilst dazzled by the +Chevalier's brilliance. Now. for the first time, she understood Duvernet's +anxious sighs?--his silent, unassuming, unobtrusive attentions; now, and now +only, she read her own embarrassed heart--what moved her disquiet breast when +Duvernet came, when she heard his voice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Too late! he is lost to me!' cried the voice in her heart. +She had the resolution to beat down and conquer the hopeless pain which would +have torn her heart; and just because she had this resolution she was +successful.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier was too observant not to see that something had +been occurring to disturb her; but, tenderly enough, he refrained from trying to +unriddle a mystery which she thought herself bound to conceal from him. He +contented himself, by way of clearing anything hostile out of the path, with +hastening on the wedding. The arrangements connected with it he ordered with +such admirable consideration and such delicate tact, that from his very care in +this respect for her state of mind, she could not but form a higher opinion of +his amiability than even before.</p> + +<p class="normal">"His conduct to her was marked with such observance of the +most trifling of her wishes, with the sincere courtesy which springs from the +truest and purest affection, that the remembrance of Duvernet naturally faded +more and more from her memory. So that the first +cloud-shadow which fell upon the brightness of their life was +the illness and death of old Vertua.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Since the night when he had lost all he possessed to the +Chevalier, he had never touched a card. But in the closing moments of his life +all his faculties seemed to be engrossed with the game. Whilst the priest, who +had come to administer the consolations of the Church to him on his departure +from this life, spoke to him of spiritual things, he lay with closed eyes, +murmuring between his teeth, '<i>Perd!</i>--<i>Gagne</i>,' and making, with hands +quivering in the spasms of death, the motions of dealing and playing out cards. +Angela and the Chevalier, bending over him, called him by the tenderest names. +He did not seem to hear them, or to know they were there. With a faint sigh of +'<i>Gagne!</i>' he gave up the ghost.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In her deep sorrow, Angela could not help an eery shudder at +the manner of his departure. The remembrance of that night, when she had first +seen the Chevalier as the most hardened reprobate of a gambler, came vividly to +her mind, and the thought came into her soul that he might some day throw off +his angel's mask and, jeering at her in his pristine devilishness, begin his old +life again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This fearful presentiment was to come but too true.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Deeply shocked as the Chevalier was at the notion of old +Francesco Vertua's having gone into the next world heedless of the consolations +of the Church, and unable to leave off thinking of the former sinful life, +still, somehow--he could not tell why--it brought the memory of the game back to +his mind again, so that every night in his dreams he was presiding at the banque +once more, heaping up fresh treasures.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Since, Angela, impressed by the remembrance how her husband +had appeared to her at first, found it impossible to maintain the trustful +affection of her earlier wedded days, mistrust, at the same time, came into his +soul of her, and he attributed her embarrassment to that secret which at once +disturbed her peace, and remained unrevealed to him. This suspicion produced in +him misery and annoyance, which he expressed in utterances which pained Angela. +By a natural psychical reflex action, the remembrance of the unfortunate +Duvernet revived in her mind, and with it the miserable sense that the love +which had blossomed forth in her young heart was lost and bidden adieu to for +ever. The discord grew greater and greater, till it reached such a pitch that +the Chevalier came to the conclusion that the life of retirement which he was +leading was a complete mistake, and longed with all his heart to be out into the +world again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In fact, his evil star began to get into the ascendant. And +that which inward dissatisfaction commenced, was completed by a wicked fellow +who had formerly been a croupier at his banque, and who, by various crafty +speeches, brought matters to such a point that the Chevalier came to consider +his present mode of existence childish and ridiculous, and could not comprehend +how, for the sake of a woman, he should be abandoning a life which appeared to +him the only one worth living.</p> + +<p class="normal">"So very soon the Chevalier's banque, with its heaps of gold, +was going on again more brilliantly than ever. His luck had not forsaken him; +victim after victim fell a prey, and money was amassed. But Angela's happiness +was a thing of the past--destroyed, in a terrible fashion, like a brief, bright +dream. The Chevalier treated her with indifference--more than that, with +contempt. Often she did not see him for weeks and months. An old house-steward +looked after the household matters; the servants were changed according to the +Chevalier's caprice; so that Angela, a stranger in her own home, found no +comfort anywhere. Often, in sleepless nights, when she heard the Chevalier's +carriage draw up at the door, the heavy money-chest brought up the stairs, and +he himself come up, cursing and swearing in monosyllables, and shut the door of +his distant room with a bang, a torrent of tears would burst from her eyes, and +in the deepest, most heartbreaking tones of misery, she would call a hundred +times on the name Duvernet, and implore the Eternal Power to make an end of her +wretched existence.</p> + +<p class="normal">"One night a young gentleman of good family, after losing all +he possessed at the Chevalier's banque, sent a bullet through his head in the +gaming-house--and indeed in the very room where the banque was established--so +that the blood and brains besprinkled the players, who scattered out of the way +in alarm. The only person unaffected by this was the Chevalier, who, when every +one was about to leave the room, asked whether it was according to rule and +custom to leave the game because a young fool had chosen to commit an absurdity, +before the regular time for closing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This incident excited much comment. The most experienced, +most hardened gamblers were indignant at the Chevalier's unexampled behaviour. +Every one took part against him. The police ordered his banque to be closed. He +was accused of unfair play; and his extraordinary luck spoke for the truth of +this accusation. He was unable to clear himself, and the fine inflicted on him +ran away with a considerable slice of his fortune. Finding himself robbed of his +good name, and despised by all, he betook himself back to the arms of the wife +whom he had ill-treated, who gladly welcomed him in his repentance. The +recollection that her father, too, had renounced the miserable life of a +gambler, allowed a gleam of hope to dawn upon her mind that perhaps, as the +Chevalier was advancing somewhat in years, his alteration of life might be +lasting.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He left Paris with her, and they went to Genoa, her +birth-place. Here, at first, he lived a sedate life; but it was impossible to +re-establish the old, peaceful, domestic existence with Angola which his evil +angel had destroyed. Very soon his inward restlessness and disquiet awoke +and drove him out, away from his house, in unsettled +restlessness. His ill-repute had followed him from Paris. He dared not establish +a banque, though he felt impelled to do so with the most irresistible force.</p> + +<p class="normal">"About this time a French Colonel, obliged, by serious wounds, +to retire from active service, was keeping the most important banque in Genoa. +The Chevalier went to this banque, with envy and deep hatred in his heart, +expecting his usual luck to stand by him soon, so that he might be the ruin of +this rival. The Colonel hailed the Chevalier with a merry humour (not at other +times characteristic of him), saying that now, when the Chevalier de Menars had +appeared in the field, the game was worth winning at last, since there was +something in the nature of a real contest to give some interest to the issues.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And, in fact, during the first few deals, the cards fell to +the Chevalier with just his old luck. But when, trusting to his invincible +fortune, he at last called out: 'Va, Banque!' he lost a very considerable sum of +money at one stroke.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Colonel was, ordinarily, completely cool and impassive, +whether lucky or unlucky; but, this time, he drew in his winnings with the +liveliest marks of the utmost delight.</p> + +<p class="normal">"From that moment luck turned away from the Chevalier, utterly +and completely. He played every night, and lost every night, till he had nothing +left but two or three thousand ducats, in paper.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He had been on foot all day, converting this paper into cash, +and only went home to his house late in the evening. When night was coming on, +he was going out with his last gold coins in his pocket, when Angela came to him +(suspecting the truth, no doubt), threw herself at his feet with a stream of +tears, imploring him, by the Virgin and all the saints, to abandon his evil +courses, and not leave her in need and poverty.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier raised her, pressed her, with painful fervour, +to his heart, and said, in a hollow voice: 'Angela!--my sweet, beloved +Angela!--there is no help for it. I must do it. I cannot help it. But +to-morrow--to-morrow, all your cares will be over. For, by the Eternal Destiny +which is above us, I swear that I play this night for the very last time. Do not +distress yourself, my darling child. Go to sleep! Dream of happy days!--of a +better life which is coming speedily. That will bring me luck.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"He kissed her, and ran off, not to be stopped.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In two deals he had lost everything--all that he possessed. +He remained standing motionless near the Colonel, staring, in a dazed manner, at +the gaming table.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Won't you go on, Chevalier?' asked the Colonel, shuffling +the cards for the next deal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I have lost my all,' the Chevalier answered, powerfully +constraining himself to be calm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Do you mean to say you have nothing left?' the Colonel asked +at the next deal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I am a beggar,' the Chevalier cried, in a voice quivering +with fury and pain, as he continued to stare at the gaming table. He did not +notice that those who were staking were getting more and more the better of the +banquier.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Colonel calmly continued the game.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As he shuffled the cards for the third deal, he said to the +Chevalier (without looking on him), 'You have a beautiful wife, you know!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'What do you mean?' cried the Chevalier angrily. The Colonel +turned away a little without answering him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Ten thousand ducats--or Angela!' he said, half averting his +face, as the cards were being cut.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'You are out of your senses!' cried the Chevalier, who had, +however, now regained his composure a good deal, and began to observe that the +Colonel was losing at every deal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Twenty thousand ducats, or Angela!' the Colonel said almost +in a whisper, as he paused for a moment during the shuffling of the cards. The +Chevalier said not a word. The Colonel played again, and nearly all the cards +were in favour of the players--against him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Done!' the Chevalier whispered in the Colonel's ear when the +next deal began; and he threw the Queen on the table.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Queen lost.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier drew back, grinding his teeth, and leaned at +the window with despair and death in his white face.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The game ended, and, with a jeering 'Well! what next?' the +Colonel came up to the Chevalier.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Oh, God!' cried the Chevalier, quite beside himself. 'You +have made me a beggar, but you must be a madman if you think you have won my +wife! Are we in the West Indies? Is my wife a slave--a chattel in her husband's +power, so that he can sell her, or gamble her away at faro? It is true, of +course, that you would have had to pay me twenty thousand ducats if the Queen +had won, so that I have lost the right to make any objection if my wife chooses +to leave me and go away with you. Come home with me, and despair when my wife +repulses with horror the man whom she would have to follow as a dishonoured +mistress.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Despair yourself, Chevalier!' said the Colonel with a +scornful laugh, 'when Angela turns from you with horror---from you, the +miserable wretch who has brought her to beggary--and throws herself into my arms +with eager rapture; despair yourself, when you find that the Church's +benediction unites us--that fate crowns our most eager desires. You say I must +be mad!--Ha, ha! All I wanted was to gain power of veto. I knew of a certainty +that your wife belonged to me. Ho, ho, Chevalier! Let me tell you that your wife +loves me--me--unutterably, to my certain knowledge. Let me tell you that I am +that Duvernet, the neighbour's son, brought up with Angela, united to her in the +warmest affection, which you, with your devilish artifices, dispelled. Alas! it +was not till I had to depart on field service that Angela knew what I was to +her. I know the whole matter. It was too late then. But the dark +spirit told me that I should succeed in ruining you at +play--that was why I devoted myself to it and followed you to Genoa. And I have +done it!--come now to your wife!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier stood like one annihilated, stricken by a +thousand burning lightnings. The mystery so long sealed to him was explained. +Now, for the first time, he saw the full extent of the misfortunes which he had +brought upon poor Angela.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'My wife shall make her decision,' he said in a hollow tone, +and followed the Colonel, who stormed away.</p> + +<p class="normal">"When they came to the house, and the Colonel seized the +handle of Angela's door, the Chevalier thrust him back, saying, 'My wife is in a +sweet sleep; would you awaken her?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Ha!' said the Colonel. 'Has Angela ever been in a sweet +sleep since you brought nameless misery upon her?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"He was about to enter the room, but the Chevalier prostrated +himself at his feet, and cried, in utter despair, 'Have some mercy! You have +made me a beggar! Leave me my wife!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'So lay old Vertua at <i>your</i> feet, unfeeling monster that you +were, and could not move your stony heart. Therefore, may the vengeance of +Heaven be upon you!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"So saying, the Colonel again turned towards Angela's room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Chevalier sprang to the door, burst it open, dashed up to +the bed where his wife was lying, drew the curtains aside, cried 'Angela! +Angela!'--bent over her--took her hand--shuddered like one convulsed in the +death agony, and cried out in a terrible voice--</p> + +<p class="normal">"'See here! What you have won from me is my wife's corpse!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Colonel hurried to the bedside in terror. There was no +trace of life. Angela was dead.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Colonel raised his clenched hands to heaven, and rushed +away with a hollow cry. He was no more seen."</p> + +<p class="normal">It was thus that the stranger finished his narrative, and +having done so, he went quickly away, before the Baron, much moved by it, was +able to utter any word.</p> + +<p class="normal">A day or two afterwards the stranger was found insensible in +his room, stricken by apoplexy. He was speechless till his death, which happened +in a few hours. His papers showed that, though he was known by the name of +Baudasson, he really was none other than the unfortunate Chevalier Menars.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baron recognized the warning of Heaven which had brought +the Chevalier Menars to him just when he was nearing the abyss, and he took a +solemn vow that he would resist all the temptations of the deceptive Gambler's +Fortune. Hitherto he has kept his vow.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">"Would one not suppose," said Lothair, when Theodore had +ended, "that you were a man who knew all about gambling, and were great at all +those games yourself, though perhaps your conscience might now and then give you +a slap in the face? and yet I know very well that you never touch a card."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is quite the case," said Theodore. "And yet I derived +much assistance, in my story, from a strange experience which I had myself +once."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It would be the best <i>finale</i> to your tale," said Ottmar, "to +tell us this said experience of yours."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know," said Theodore, "that when I was finishing my +education I lived for some time with an old uncle of mine in G----. There was a +certain friend of this uncle's who, though our ages were very different, took a +great pleasure in my society, chiefly, perhaps, because at that time I was always +filled with a brilliant vein of humour, sometimes amounting to the mischievous. +This gentleman was, I can assure you, one of the most extraordinary characters I +ever came across. Mean in all the relationships of life, ill-tempered, +grumbling, sulky, with a great tendency to miserliness, he had the utmost +appreciation for everything in the shape of fun and amusement. To use a French +expression, he was in the highest degree <i>amusable</i>, but not in the least +<i>amusant</i>. At the same time he was excessively vain, and one form of his vanity +was that he was always dressed in the utmost extremity of the prevailing +fashion, almost to a ludicrous extent. +And there was a similar absurdity about his manner of hunting +after every species of enjoyment in the very sweat of his brow, so to +speak--striving, with a comic eagerness, to gulp down as much +of it as he possibly could grasp. I remember so well three particular instances +of this vanity and struggle for enjoyment of his that I must tell them to you. +Picture to yourselves this man, being at a place among the hills, and invited by +some people (ladies being among them), to go on a walking expedition to see some +waterfalls in the neighbourhood, dressing himself for the occasion in a bran new +silk coat, never worn before, with beautiful shining steel buttons, and white +silk stockings, shoes with steel buckles, and his finest rings on his fingers. +In the thickest part of the pine forest which had to be passed through, a +tremendous thunderstorm came on; the rain fell in torrents, the brooks, swollen +by the rain, came rushing over the paths. You can well imagine the state my poor +friend found himself in very soon.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It chanced that the tower of the Dominican Church at G---- +was one night struck by lightning. My friend was in raptures with the grand +fire-pillar which arose in the darkness, magically illuminating all the country +round; but he soon came to the conclusion that to get the real picturesque +effect of it in all its perfection, it would be the right thing to go and look +at it from a certain rising ground just outside the town. So he set off as +quickly as his carefulness in such matters would permit him, not forgetting to +put a packet of macaroons and a flask of wine into certain of his pockets, or to +carry a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hand, and a camp stool under his +arm. Thus equipped, he paced calmly out of the city gate and up on to the +eminence, where he sat himself down to enjoy the spectacle, smelling at his +bouquet, munching a macaroon, washing that down with a mouthful of wine, in the +most complete, beatific, quiescent state of enjoyment. Really this fellow +was--taking him all round----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop! stop!" cried Lothair, "you were going to tell us the +adventure of your own which helped you in writing your 'Gamester's Fortune,' and +you cannot get away from a fellow who seems to have been as ludicrous as +repulsive to every ordinarily constituted person's feelings."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must not blame me," said Theodore, "for lingering over +this personage who was so intimately brought into connection with my life. But, +to business!--this man whom I have been describing to you invited me to make a +trip with him to a certain watering place, and, although I saw quite clearly +that I was to play the <i>rôle</i> of soother, calmer, tranquilizer, and +<i>maítre-de-plaisírs</i> to him, I was quite satisfied to make this charming +excursion amongst the mountains at his expense. At the watering-place there was +some high play going on--a bank of several thousand thalers. My companion eyed +the heaps of gold with greedy simpers, paced up and down the room, circled +nearer and nearer to the play table, dived into his pockets, brought out a +Friedrich-d'or between his finger and thumb, dropped it back again--in a word, +lusted for money. Only too glad would he have been to pocket a little haul from +that heaped-up treasure, but he had no belief in his star. At last he put an end +to this droll contest between his longings and his fears, which brought the +perspiration in drops on to his forehead, by begging me to stake for him, to +which end he put five or six Friedrichs-d'or into my hand. However, I would have +nothing to do with the arrangement until he assured me that he had not the least +belief that he would have any luck whatever, but looked upon the sum which he +staked as so much lost cash. What happened was what I did not in the least +degree expect. To me, the unpractised, inexperienced player, fortune was +propitious. +I won for my friend in a very short time something like thirty +Friedrichs-d'or, which he put in his pocket with much glee. Next evening he +wanted me to play for him again, but to this hour I cannot explain how the idea +came into my head that I should then play on my own account. I had not had the +slightest intention of playing any more, nay, rather, I was on the very point of +going away, out of the room, to take a walk outside, when my friend came up to +me with his request. When I had plainly told him in set terms that I meant to +play on my own account (but not till then), I walked calmly up to the table and +pulled out of my little waistcoat pocket two Friedrichs-d'or, the only two which +I possessed. If fortune had been propitious to me the night before, this time it +seemed as if some Spirit of Might, at whose command luck stood, was in covenant +with me. Whatever I did, whatever I staked upon, everything turned up in my +favour---in fact, just as I said in my story, what happened at first to Baron +Siegfried happened to me. My brain reeled! When a fresh haul of money was handed +over to me I often felt as if I were in a dream, and should be sure to wake up +just as I was pocketing my winnings. When the clock struck two the game came to +an end as usual.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Just as I was leaving the room, an old officer took me by the +shoulder, and said, transfixing me with a grave, powerful eye:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Young man, if you had known what you were about, you would +have broken the banque. But if ever you do know about it, no doubt you will go +to the devil, like all the rest.' He left me, without waiting for my answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The day was breaking when I got to my room, and emptied the +money out of all my pockets on to the table. Picture to yourselves the feelings +of a mere boy, entirely dependent on his relatives, restricted to a miserable +mite of an allowance of weekly pocket-money, who suddenly, as if at the wave of +a magic wand, finds himself in possession of a sum which is, at all events, +considerable enough to appear, in his eyes, a fortune! But, as I gazed at the +heaps of coin, all my mind was suddenly filled with an anxiety, a strange, +alarmed uneasiness, which put me into a cold perspiration. The words of the old +officer came back to me, as they had not struck me before, in the most terrible +significance. I felt as though the coin which was blinking at me there on the +table was the earnest money of a bargain whereby I had sold my soul to the +powers of darkness, so that there was no escape more for it possible, and it was +destroyed for evermore. The blossoms of my life seemed to be gnawed upon by a +hidden worm, and I sank into inconsolable despair. The morning dawn was flaming +up behind the eastern hills. I lay down in the window-seat. I gazed, with the +most intense longing, for the rising of the sun which should drive away the +darksome spirits of night; and +when the woods and plains shone forth in his golden glory, it +was day in my soul once more, and there came to me the most inspiriting sense of +a power to resist all temptation, and shield my life from that demoniacal +impulse, which was full of the power of--somehow and somewhere--impelling it to +utter destruction. I made then a most sacred vow that I would never touch a card +again, and that vow I have kept most strictly. And the first use I made of my +money was to part from my friend, to his immense surprise, and set out on that +excursion to Dresden, Prague, and Vienna, of which I have told you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can well imagine," said Sylvester, "the impression which +your unexpected, equivocal, most questionable luck must have made upon you. It +was greatly to your credit that you resisted the temptation, and that you +recognized how it was that the threatening danger lay in the very luck itself. +But, allow me to say, your own tale, the manner in which you have, with such +accuracy, characterized the real gambler in it, must make it plain to yourself +that you never had within you the true love of gambling, and that, if you had, +the courage which you displayed would have been very difficult, perhaps +impossible. Vincent, who, I believe, knows a great deal more about such matters +than the rest of us, will agree with me here, I think."</p> + +<p class="normal">"As for me," said Vincent, "I was scarcely attending to +Theodore's account of his luck at the faro-table, because my mind was so full of +that delicious fellow who walked about the hills in silk stockings, and admired +burning buildings as if they were so many pictures, enjoying his wine, his +macaroons, and his bouquets all the time. In fact, it was a pleasure and +satisfaction to me to see one entertaining character at last emerging out of the +dark, dreadful background of the stories of this evening, and I should have +liked to have seen him as the hero of some comic drama."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ought not the mere suggestion of him to have been enough for +us?" +said Lothair. "We Serapion Brethren ought always to remember +that it is our duty to set up, for each other's entertainment and refreshment, +unique characters which we may have come across in life, as a means of +refreshing us after the tales which may have strained our attention."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A good idea," said Vincent, "and I thoroughly agree with it. +Rough sketches of that description ought to serve as studies for more finished +pictures, which whoever chooses may elaborate after his liking. Also, they may +be considered as being charitable contributions to the general fund of +Serapionish fantasy. And to show that I am in earnest, I shall at once proceed +to describe to you a very great 'Curio' of a man whom I came across in the south +of Germany. One day, in B----, I chanced to be walking in a wood near the town, +when I came upon a number of countrymen hard at work in cutting down a quantity +of thick underwood, and snipping off the branches from the trees on either side +of it. I do not know what made me inquire of them if they were making a new +road, or what. They laughed, and told me that, if I went on my way, I should +find, outside the trees, upon a little rising ground, a little gentleman who +would answer my questions, and, accordingly, I came there upon a little elderly +gentleman, of pale complexion, in a great-coat, and with a travelling-cap on his +head and a game-bag at his back, who was gazing fixedly through a telescope in +the direction of the men who were cutting down the trees. When he saw me he shut +up his telescope in a hurry, and said, eagerly, 'You have come through the wood, +sir? Have you observed how the work is getting on?' I told him what I had seen. +'That's right, that's right,' he said; 'I've been here ever since three in the +morning, and I was beginning to be afraid that those asses (and I pay them well, +too) were leaving me in the lurch. But I have some hopes, now, that the view +will come into sight at the expected time.' He drew out his telescope again, and +gazed through it towards the wood. After a few minutes, some large branches came +rustling down, and, as at the stroke of a magic wand, there opened up a prospect +of distant mountains, a beautiful prospect, with the ruins of an old castle +glowing in the beams of the setting sun. The gentleman gave expression to his +extreme delight and gratification in one or two detached broken phrases; but +when he had enjoyed the prospect for a good quarter of an hour, he put away his +telescope and set off as fast as he could, without bidding me goodbye or taking +the slightest notice of me. I afterwards heard that he was the Baron von +B----, one of the most extraordinary fellows in existence, +who, like the well-known Baron Grotthus, has been on a continual walking tour +for several years, and has a mania for hunting after beautiful views. When he +arrives at a place where, to get at a view, he thinks it is necessary to have +trees cut down, or openings made in woodlands, he spares no cost to arrange +matters with the proprietors, or to employ labourers. In fact, it is said that +he once tried his utmost to have a set of farm buildings burned down, because he +thought they interfered with the beauty of a prospect, and interrupted the view +of the distance. He did not succeed in this particular undertaking. But whenever +he did attain his object, he would gaze at his newly-arranged view for half an +hour or so, at the outside, and then set off at such a pace that nothing could +stop him, never coming back to the place again."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends were of one mind in the opinion that there is no +possibility of imagining anything more marvellous or out of the common than that +which comes before us in actual life, of its own accord.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am wonderfully delighted," said Cyprian, "that it chances +to be in my power to add to your two oddities a third character, of whom I was +told a short time ago by a well-known violinist, whom we all of us know very +well. This third character of mine is none other than the Baron von B----, a man +who lived in Berlin about the years 1789 and 1790, and was acknowledged to be +one of the most extraordinary phenomenons ever met with in the world of music. +For the sake of greater vividness, I will tell you the tale in the first person, +as if I were the violinist concerned in it, and I hope my worthy Serapion +brother Theodore won't take it amiss that I encroach, on this occasion, into his +peculiar province.</p> + +<p class="normal">"At the time when the Baron was living in Berlin," the +violinist said, "I was a very young fellow, scarcely sixteen, and absorbed in +the +most zealous study of my instrument, to which I was devoted +with all the powers and faculties of my body and soul. My worthy master, +Concert-Meister Haak, who was excessively strict with me, was much content with +my progress. He lauded the finish of my bowing, the correctness of my +intonation, and he allowed me to play in the orchestra of the opera, and even in +the King's chamber-concerts. On those occasions I often heard Haak talking with +young Duport, with Ritter, and other great artists belonging to the orchestra, +about the musical evenings which Baron von B---- was in the habit of having in +his house. Such was the research and the taste connected with those evenings +that the King himself often deigned to take part in them. Mention was made of +magnificent works of the old, nearly forgotten masters, which were nowhere else +to be heard than at the Baron's, who, as regarded music for stringed +instruments, possessed, probably, +the most complete collection from the most ancient times down +to +the present day, in existence. Then they spoke of the +marvellous hospitality which the Baron extended to artists, and they were all +unanimous in concluding that he was the most bright and shining star which had +ever risen in the musical horizon of Berlin.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All this excited my curiosity, and made my teeth water; and +all the more that, during these conversations, the artists drew their heads +nearer together, and I gathered, from mysterious whispers and detached words and +phrases, that there was talk of tuition in music, of giving of lessons. I +fancied that, on Duport's face especially, there appeared a sarcastic smile, and +that they all attacked Concert-Meister Haak with some piece of chaff, and that +he, for his part, only feebly defending himself, could scarcely suppress a +smile, until at last, turning quickly away, and taking up his violin to tune, he +cried out, 'All the same, he is a first-rate fellow!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"All this was more than I could withstand, and although I was +told, in a pretty decided manner, to mind my own business, I begged Haak to +allow me, if in any manner possible, to go with him to the Baron's and play in +his concerts.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Haak surveyed me with great eyes, and I feared that a little +thunderstorm was going to burst out upon me. But his seriousness melted into a +strange smile, and he said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Well, well; perhaps you're right. There's a great deal to be +picked up at the Baron's. I'll talk to him about you, and I think it very likely +that he will accord you <i>les entrées</i>. He is very much interested in young +musicians.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"A short time afterwards, I had been playing some very +difficult duetts with Haak. As he laid his fiddle down, he said, 'Now, Carl, put +your Sunday coat on to-night, and your silk stockings. We will go together to +the Baron's. There won't be many there, and it will be a good opportunity to +introduce you to him.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"My heart throbbed with delight, for I expected to meet with +things unheard-of and extraordinary, though I did not know why this was my +expectation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We arrived there. The Baron, a rather small gentleman, +advanced in age, wearing an old Frankish embroidered gala dress, came to meet us +as we entered the room, and shook my master cordially by the hand. Never had I +felt, at the sight of a man of rank, more sincere reverence, a more infelt, +sincere, pleasant attraction. His face expressed the most genuine kindliness, +whilst from his eyes flashed that darksome fire which so often indicates the +artist who is, in verity, penetrated by his art. All that diffidence with which +I, as an inexperienced neophyte, would otherwise have had to contend, fled from +me instantly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'How are you, my dear Haak?' the Baron said. 'How are you +getting on? Have you been having a right good study at my concerto? Good, good; +we shall hear tomorrow. Oh, I suppose this is the young virtuoso you were +telling me about?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cast my eyes down bashfully. I felt that I blushed over and +over again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Haak mentioned my name, praised my natural talent, and lauded +the rapid progress which I had made in a short time.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'And so you have chosen the violin as your instrument,' said +the Baron. 'Have you considered, my son, that the violin is the most difficult +of all instruments ever invented, and that it is one which, whilst it seems, in +its extreme simplicity, to comprehend in itself the most luxuriant richness of +music, is, in reality, an extraordinary mystery, which only discloses itself to +a rare few, specially organized by nature to comprehend it? Do you know of a +certainty, does your spirit tell you with distinctness, that you will be the +master of that marvellous mystery? Many a one has thought this, and has remained +a miserable bungler all his days. I should not wish, my son, that you should +swell the ranks of those wretched creatures. However, at all events, you can +play me something, and then I will tell you what you are like, what state you +are in as regards this matter, and you will follow my counsel. Perhaps it is +with you as it was with Carl Staunitz, who thought he was going to turn out a +marvellous virtuoso. When I opened his eyes, he threw his fiddle behind the +stove, and took to the Tenor and Viol d'Amour, and a very good job he made of +them. On them he could stamp about with those broad stretching fingers of his, +and play quite fairly well. But, however, just now I want to hear <i>you</i>, my +little son.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"This first somewhat extraordinary speech of the Baron's to me +was calculated to render me somewhat anxious and abashed. What he said went deep +into my soul, and I felt, not without inward sorrow, that in devoting my life to +the most difficult of all instruments I had, perhaps undertaken a task beyond my +powers.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Just then, four of the artists then present sat down to play +the last three quartettes of Haydn, which had just appeared in print. My master +took his violin out of its case; but scarcely had he passed his bow over the +strings, in tuning, when the Baron, stopping his ears with both hands, cried +out, like a man possessed, 'Haak, Haak, tell me, for God's sake! how can you +annihilate all your skill in playing by making use of a miserable screaking, +caterwauling fiddle like that?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now it happened that my master's violin was one of the most +splendid and glorious ever to be met with. It was a genuine Antonio Stradivari, +and nothing could enrage him more than when any one failed to render due homage +to this darling of his. However, knowing pretty well what was going to happen, +he put it back into its case with a smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Just as he was taking the key out of the lock of his +fiddle-case, the Baron, who had left the room for a moment, came in, bearing in +both arms (as if it had been a babe going to be baptized) a violin-case, covered +with scarlet velvet, and bound with gold cords.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I wish to do you an honour, Haak,' he said; 'tonight you +shall play on my oldest, most precious violin. This is a genuine Granuelo. Your +Stradivarius, his pupil, is only a bungler in comparison with him. Tartini would +never put his fingers on any violin but a Granuelo. So please to collect +yourself, and pull yourself together, so that the Granuelo may be pleased to +allow itself to unfold all the gloriousness which dwells within it.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Baron opened the violin-case, and I beheld an instrument +whose build bore witness to its immense antiquity. Beside it lay a most +marvellous-looking bow, whose exaggerated curvature seemed to indicate rather +that it was intended for shooting arrows from than for bringing tone out of +violin strings. With solemn carefulness the Baron took the instrument out of its +case and handed it to my master, who received it with equal solemnity.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I'm not going to give you the bow,' said the Baron, tapping +my master on the shoulder with a pleasant smile, 'you haven't the slightest idea +how to manage it; and that is why you will never, in all your life, attain to a +proper style of bowing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'This was the sort of bow,' continued the Baron, taking it +from the case, and contemplating it with a gleaming glance of inspiration, +'which the grand, immortal Tartini made use of; and now that he is +gone there are only two of his pupils left in the whole wide +world who were fortunate enough to possess themselves of the secret of his +magnificent, marrowy, toneful manner of bowing, which affects the whole being of +people, and can only be accomplished with a bow of this kind. One of those +pupils is Narbini, who is now an old man of seventy, capable only of inward +music; and the other, as I think, gentlemen, you are aware, is myself. +Consequently, I am now the sole individual in whom the true art of +violin-playing survives; and my zealous endeavours will, I trust and believe, +not fail to perpetuate that art which found its creator in Tartini. However, let +us set to work, gentlemen.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Haydn quartettes were then played through, and with a +degree of perfection which, it need not be said, left nothing to be desired. The +Baron sat with closed eyes, swaying backwards and forwards; occasionally he +would get up from his chair, go closer to the players, peer at the music with +wrinkled brow, and then go very gently back to his seat, lean his head on his +hand, sigh, groan--</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Stop, stop!' he cried suddenly at a melodious passage in one +of the adagios, 'by all the gods! that was Tartini-ish melody, or I know nothing +about it. Play it again, please.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"And the masters, smiling, repeated the passage, with a more +sostenuto and cantabile effect of bowing, while the Baron wept and sobbed like a +child.</p> + +<p class="normal">"When the quartettes were ended, the Baron said, 'A heavenly +fellow, this Haydn; he knows how to touch the heart; but he has not an idea of +writing for the violin. Perhaps he does not wish to do it; for if he did, and +wrote in the only true manner, as Tartini did, you would never be able to play +it.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was now my turn to play some variations which Haak had +written for me.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Baron stood close behind me, looking at the notes. You +may imagine the agitation with which I commenced, having this severe critic at +my elbow. Presently, however, a stirring allegro movement carried me away. I +forgot all about the Baron, and managed to move about with all freedom within +the sphere of skill and power which stood then at my command.</p> + +<p class="normal">"When I had finished, the Baron patted me on the shoulder, and +said, 'You may stick to the violin, my son; but as yet you have not an idea of +bowing or expression, probably because, up to this time, you haven't had a +proper master.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"We then sat down to table, in another room, where there was a +repast laid out and served, which, especially as regarded the rare and +marvellous wines, was to be characterized as very extravagant. The musicians +dipped deeply into everything set before them. The talk, which waxed more and +more animated, was almost entirely on the subject of music. The Baron emitted +complete treasures of the most marvellous information. His opinions and views, +most keen and penetrating, proved him to be not only the most instructed of +connoisseurs, but also the most accomplished, talented, and tasteful of artists. +What was specially striking to me was a sort of portrait gallery of violinists +which he went through to us in description. So much of it as I remember I will +tell you.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Corelli,' said the Baron, 'was the first to break out the +path. His compositions can only be played in the real Tartini manner, and that +is sufficient to prove how well he knew the true art of violin-playing. Pugnani +is a passable player. He has tone, and plenty of brains, but, although he has a +tolerable amount of appogiamento, his bowing is too feeble altogether. What have +not people told me of Geminiani! and yet, when I heard him last, some thirty +years ago in Paris, he played like a somnambulist striding about in a dream, and +one felt as if one were in a dream one's self. It was all mere tempo rubato; no +sort of style or delivery. That infernal tempo rubato is the ruin of the very +best players; they neglect their bowing over it. I played him my sonatas; he saw +his error, and asked me to give him some lessons, which I was very glad to do. +But he was too far sunk into his old method. He had grown too old in it--he was +ninety-one. May God forgive Giardini, and not punish him for it in eternity; but +he it was who first ate the apple of the tree of knowledge, and brought sin upon +all subsequent players. He was the first of your tremolandoists and flourishers. +All he thinks about is his left hand, and those fingers of his that have the +power of jumping hither and thither. He has no idea of the important fact that +it is in the <i>right</i> hand that the soul of melody lies--that from every throb of +its pulses stream forth the powers that awaken the feelings of the heart. Oh! +that every one of those "flourishers" had a stout old Jomelli at his elbow to +rouse him out of his craziness by a good sound box on the ear--as Jomelli +actually did--when Giardini, in his presence, spoilt a glorious passage of +melody by jumps, trills, and "mordenti." Lulli, too, conducts himself in a +preposterous way. He is one of your damnable perpetrators of jumps. An adagio he +can't play, and his sole quality is that for which ignoramuses, without sense or +understanding, admire him with their stupid mouths agape. I say it again: with +Narbini and me will die the true art of the violinist. Young Viotti is a fine +fellow, full of promise. He is indebted to me for what he knows, for he was a +most industrious pupil of mine. But what does it all amount to? No endurance! No +patience! He wouldn't go on studying with me. Now, Kreutzer I still hope to get +hold of and make something of. He has availed himself assiduously of my lessons, +and will again, when I get back to Paris. That concerto of mine which you are +studying, Haak, he played not at all badly a short time since. But he hasn't the +hand, yet, to wield my bow. Giarnovichi shall never cross my doorstep again. +There's a stupid coxcomb for you! A fellow who has the effrontery to turn up his +nose at the grand Tartini--master of all masters--and despises my lessons. What +I should like to know is, what that boy Rhode will turn out after he has had +lessons from me? He promises well, and I have an idea that he will master my +bow.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Baron turned to me, saying, 'He is about your age, little +son, but of a more serious, deep-thoughted nature. You appear to me--don't take +it ill if I say so--to be a little bit of a--well, I mean, you lack purpose. +However, no matter. Now you, dear Haak, I have great hopes of. Since I have been +teaching you you have become quite another man. Keep up your unresting zeal and +industry. Never waste a single hour. You know that is what distresses me.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was turned to stone with amazement and admiration at what I +heard. I could not wait the necessary time to ask the concert-meister if it was +all true---if the Baron was, really, the greatest violinist of the +day--if he, my master himself, did actually take lessons from +him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Undoubtedly,' Haak said, 'he had no hesitation in accepting +the profitable instruction which the Baron placed at his disposal; and he told +me that I should do well if I went, some morning, to him myself, and asked him +to let me have some lessons from him too.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"To all the questions which I then put to him concerning the +Baron and his artistic talent, Haak would give me no direct reply, but kept on +telling me that I ought to do as he advised me, and I should then find out all +about it myself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The peculiar smile which passed over Haak's face as he said +this did not escape me. I did not understand the meaning of it, and it excited +my curiosity to the highest point.</p> + +<p class="normal">"When I bashfully made my request to the Baron, assuring him +that the most unbounded zeal, the most glowing enthusiasm for my art inspired +me, he looked at me seriously and fixedly. But soon his face put on +an expression of the most benevolent kindliness. 'Little son! +little son!' he said, 'that you have betaken yourself to me--the only real +violin-player now living--proves that you possess the true artistic spirit, and +that the ideal of the genuine violin-player has come into existence within you. +I should be delighted to give you lessons; but the time--the time! where to find +it? Haak occupies me a great deal, and then I have got this young man Durand +here just now, he wants to be heard in public, and knows that he need not try +that till he has had a good course of lessons from me. However, wait a moment, +between breakfast and lunch, or at lunch time--yes. I have still an hour at +liberty then. Little son, come to me at twelve exactly every day, and I will +fiddle with you for an hour until one; then Durand comes.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"You can imagine how I hastened, with a throbbing heart, to +the Baron's the next forenoon at the appointed hour.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He would not let me play a single note on my own violin, +which I had brought with me, but placed in my hands a very old instrument by +Antonio Amati. Never had I had any experience of a violin like this. The +celestial tone which streamed from its strings altogether inspired me. I let +myself go, and abandoned myself to a stream of ingenious 'passages,' suffering +the river of music to surge and swell, higher and higher, in mighty waves and +billows of sound, and then die down and expire in murmuring whispers. My own +belief is that I was playing exceedingly well; much better than I often did +afterwards.</p> + +<p class="normal">"When I had done, the Baron shook his head impatiently, and +said: 'My little son! my little son! you must forget all that. In the first +place, you hold your bow most abominably,' and he showed to me, practically, how +the bow ought to be held, according to the manner of Tartini. I thought I should +never be able to bring out a single tone whilst so holding it; but great was my +astonishment when I found that, on repeating my 'passages' at the Baron's +desire, the amazing advantage of holding the bow as he told me to hold it was +strikingly manifest, after two or three seconds.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Good!' said the Baron. 'Little son, let us begin the lesson. +Commence upon the note G, above the line, and hold out that note as long as you +can possibly hold it. Economize your bow; make the very utmost of it that you +possibly can. What the breath is to the singer, the bow is to the violinist.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I did as I was directed, and was greatly delighted to find +that, in this manner of dealing with matters, I was enabled to bring out a tone +of exceptional powerfulness; to swell it out to a marvellous fortissimo, and +make it die down to a very soft pianissimo, with an excessively long stroke of +the bow.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'You see, do you not, little son?' cried the Baron. 'You can +play all kinds of "passages," jumps, and new-fangled nonsense of that sort, but +you can't properly sustain a note as it ought to be done.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"He took the instrument from my hands, and laid the bow across +the strings, near the bridge--and the simple truth is, that words completely +fail me to describe to you what then came to pass.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Laying that trembling bow of his close to the bridge, he went +sliding with it up and down on the strings, as it quivered in his hands, +jarringly, whistlingly, squeakingly, mewingly; the tone he produced was to be +likened to that of some old woman, with spectacles on nose, vainly attempting to +hit the tune of a hymn.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And all the time he raised enraptured eyes to heaven, like a +man +lost in the most celestial blissfulness; and when at length he +left +off scraping with his bow up and down between the bridge and +the finger-board, and laid the violin down, his eyes were shining, and he said, +in deep emotion: 'That is tone! that is tone!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I felt in a most extraordinary condition: although the inward +impulse to laugh was present with me, it was killed by the aspect of that +venerable man, glorified by his inspiration. At the same time the whole affair +had a most eery effect upon me, and I felt very much affected by it, and could +not utter a syllable.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Don't you find, little son,' asked the Baron, 'that that +goes to your heart? Had you ever any idea that such magic could be conjured out +of that little thing there, with its four simple strings? Well, well! take a +glass of wine, little son.' He poured me out a glass of Madeira. I had to drink +it, and also to take some of the pastry and cakes which were upon the table. +Just then the clock struck one.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'This will have to do for to-day,' said the Baron. 'Go, go, +little son! Here, here! put that in your pocket.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"And he placed in my hand a little paper packet, in which I +found a beautiful, shining ducat.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In my amazement I ran to the concert-meister and told him all +that had happened. He, however, laughed aloud, and said: 'Now you know all about +our Baron and his violin lessons. He looks upon you as a mere beginner, so that +you only get a ducat per lesson; but as the mastership, in his opinion, +increases, so does the pay. He gives me a Louis, and I think Durand gets a +couple of ducats.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I could not help expressing my opinion that it was anything +but an honourable style of going to work, to mystify this kind gentleman in such +a fashion, and pocket his money into the bargain.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'You ought to be told,' said Haak, 'that his whole enjoyment +consists in giving lessons--in the way which you now comprehend; and that if I +and the other artists were to show any symptoms of under-valuing him or his +lessons, he would proclaim to the whole artistic world, in which he is looked +upon as a most competent and valuable critic, that we were nothing but a set of +wretched scrapers; that, in fact, apart from his craze of being a marvellous +player, the Baron is a man whose vast knowledge of music, and most cultivated +judgment thereon, are matters from which even a master can derive great benefit. +So judge for yourself whether I am to be blamed if I hold on to him, and now and +then pocket a few of his Louis. I advise you to go to him as often as you can. +Don't listen to the cracky nonsense he talks about his own execution; but do +listen to, and profit by, what this man--who is most exceptionally versed in the +musical art, and has immense and valuable experience in it--has to say about it. +It will be greatly to your advantage to do so.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I took his advice; but it was often hard to repress laughter +when the Baron would tap about with his fingers upon the belly of the fiddle +instead of on the finger-board, stroking his bow diagonally over the strings the +while, and asseverating that he was playing the most beautiful of all Tartini's +solos, and that he was the only person in the world who could play it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But soon he would lay the violin down, and pour forth sayings +which enriched me with the profoundest knowledge, and enflamed my heart towards +the most glorious of all arts.</p> + +<p class="normal">"If I then played something from one of his concertos with my +utmost <i>verve</i>, and happened to interpret this or the other passage of it better +than usual, the Baron would look round with a smile of complacence, or of pride, +and say: 'The boy has to thank me for that; me, pupil of the great Tartini!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thus, you perceive, I derived both profit and pleasure from +the Baron's lessons; and from his ducats into the bargain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, really," said Theodore, laughing, "I should think that +the greater part of the virtuosos of the present day--although they do consider +themselves far beyond any description of instruction or advice--would be glad +enough to have a few lessons such as the Baron von S---- was in the habit of +giving."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I render thanks to Heaven," said Vincenz, "that this meeting +of our Club has ended so happily. I never dared to hope that it would; and I +would fain entreat my worthy Serapion Brethren to see that proper measures are +taken, in future, that there be a due alternation between the terrifying and the +entertaining, which on this occasion has by no means been the case."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This admonition of yours," Ottmar said, "is right and proper; +but it rested with yourself to rectify the error into which we have fallen +to-night by contributing something of your own, in your +special style of humour."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The truth is," said Lothair, "that you, my very fine +fellow--and at the same time my very lazy-as-to-writing fellow--have never yet +paid your entrance-money into the Serapion Guild, and the only mode of payment +is a Serapiontic story."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hush!" cried Vincenz. "You don't know what has come glowing +forth from my heart, and is nestling in this breast-pocket of mine here; a quite +remarkable little creature of a story, which I specially commend to the favour +of our Lothair. I should have read it to you to-night. But don't you see the +landlord's pale face peeping in at the window every now and then, just in the +style in which the uncle Kuehleborn, in Fouqué's 'Undine,' used to 'keek' in at +the window of the fisherman's hut. Haven't you noticed the irritated 'Oh, +Jemini!' countenance of the waiter? Was there not written on his forehead, +legibly and distinctly (when he snuffed the candles), 'Are you going to sit here +for ever? Are you never going to let an honest man get to his well-earned bed?' +Those people are right. It is past twelve: our parting hour has struck some time +ago."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends agreed to have another Serapiontic meeting at an +early date, and dispersed.</p> + +<br> + +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_section7" href="#div1Ref_section7">SECTION VII</a>.</h2> + +<p class="normal">The dreary late autumn had arrived, and Theodore was sitting +in his room beside the crackling fire, waiting for the worthy Serapion Brethren, +who came dropping in, one by one, at the appointed hour.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What diabolical weather!" cried Cyprian, entering the last. +"In spite of my cloak I am nearly wet through, and a gust of wind all but +carried away my hat."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And it won't be better very soon," said Ottmar; "for our +meteorologist, who lives in the same street with me, has prognosticated very +fine weather at the end of this autumn."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Right; you are perfectly right, my friend Ottmar," Vincenz +said. "Whenever our great prophet consoles his neighbours with the announcement +that the winter is not going to be at all severe, but principally of a southerly +character, everybody rushes away in alarm, and buys all the wood he can cram +into his cellar. The weather-prophet is a wise and highly-gifted man, whom we +can thoroughly trust, so long as we expect the exact reverse of what he +predicts."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Those autumnal storms always make me thoroughly wretched," +said Sylvester; "I always feel depressed and ill whilst they are going on; and I +think you feel the same, Theodore."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, indeed I do," answered Theodore; "this sort of weather +always makes----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Splendid!--delightful beginning of a meeting of the Serapion +Club!" intercalated Lothair. "We set to work to discuss the weather, like a +parcel of old women round the coffee-table."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I don't see," said Ottmar, "why we should not talk about the +weather; the only reason you can object to it is that talking about it seems to +be an observance of a kind of rather slovenly old custom, which has resulted +from a necessity to say something or other when there happens to be nothing else +in people's minds to talk about. What I think is that a few words about the +weather and the wind make a very good beginning of a conversation, whatsoever +its nature may turn out to be, and that the very universality of the +applicability of this as the beginning of a conversation prove how natural it +really is."</p> + +<p class="normal">"As far as I am concerned," said Theodore, "I don't think it +matters +a farthing how a conversation commences. But there is one +thing certain--that, if one wants to make some very striking and clever +beginning, that is enough to kill all the freedom and unconstraint which may be +termed the very soul of conversation. I know a young +man--I think he is known to you all, as well--who is by no +means deficient in that mobility of intellect which is absolutely necessary for +good conversation; but he is so tormented, particularly when ladies are present, +by that kind of eagerness to burst out with something brilliant and striking at +the very outset of a talk, that he walks restlessly about the room; makes the +most extraordinary faces in the keenness of his inward torment; opens his lips, +and--cannot manage to utter a syllable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cease, cease, base wretch!" Cyprian cried, with comic pathos, +"do not, with murderous hand, tear open wounds which are barely healed. He is +speaking of me," he continued, laughing, "and he doesn't know that, a few weeks +ago, when I insisted on restraining that tendency of mine, which I see the +absurdity of, and falling into a conversation in the ordinary style of other +people, I had to pay for it by complete annihilation. I prefer telling you all +about this myself to letting Ottmar do it, and add witty comments of his own. At +a tea-party where Ottmar and I were, there was present a certain pretty and +clever lady, as to whom you are in the habit of maintaining that she interests +me more than is right and proper. I went to talk to her, and I admit that I was +a little at a loss how exactly to begin, and she was wicked enough to gaze at me +with questioning eyes. I burst out with 'The new moon has brought a nice change +of weather.' She answered, very quietly: 'Oh, are you writing the Almanac this +season?'"</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends laughed heartily.</p> + +<p class="normal">"On the other hand," said Ottmar, "I know another young +man--and you all know him--who, particularly with ladies, is never at a loss for +the first word of a talk; in fact, my belief is that he has severely thought +out, in private, a regular system, of the most comprehensive kind, as to +conversation with ladies, which is by no means likely ever to find him left in +the lurch. For instance, one of his dodges is to go to the prettiest--one who +scarce ventures to dip a sweet biscuit in her tea; who, at the utmost, whispers +into the ear of her who is sitting next to her: 'It is very warm, dear;' to +which the latter answers with equal softness into her ear: 'Dreadfully, my +love;' whose communication goeth not beyond 'Yea, yea,' and 'Nay, nay,'--to go +up to such an one, I say, and, in an artful manner, startle her out of her wits, +and thereby so utterly revolutionize her very being, in such a sudden manner, +that she seems to herself to be no longer the same person: 'Good heavens! how +very pale you are looking!' he cried out, recently, to a pretty creature, as +silent as a church, just in the act of beginning a stitch of silver thread at a +purse which she was working. The young lady let her work fall on her lap in +terror, said she was feeling a little feverish that day. Feverish!--my friend +was thoroughly at home on that subject; could talk upon it in the most +interesting way, like a man who knows his ground; inquired minutely into all the +symptoms; gave advice, gave warnings,--and behold! there was a delightful, +interesting, confidential conversation spun out in a few minutes."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am much obliged to you," said Theodore, "for having so +carefully observed that talent of mine, and given it its due meed of approval."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends laughed again at this.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no doubt," said Sylvester, "that society talk is, +altogether, a rather curious thing. The French say that a certain heaviness in +our nature always prevents us from hitting the precise tact and tone necessary +for it; and they may be right, to a certain extent, but I must declare that the +much-belauded <i>légèreté</i> and lightsomeness of French Society puts me out of +temper, and makes me feel stupid and uncomfortable, and that I cannot look upon +those <i>bon mots</i> and <i>calembours</i> of theirs, which are continually being fired +off in all directions, as coming under the class of that 'Society wit' which +gives out constantly fresh sparks of new life of conversation. Moreover, that +peculiar style of wit to which the genuine French 'wit' belongs is, to me, in +the highest degree disagreeable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That opinion," said Cyprian, "comes from the very depths of +your quiet, friendly spirit, my dearest Sylvester: but you are forgetting that, +besides the (generally utterly empty and insipid) <i>bon mots</i>, the 'Society wit' +of the French is, in a great degree, founded on a mutual contempt of, and +jeering and scoffing at, each other (such as at the present time we call +'chaff,' although it is less good-humoured than that), which soon passes the +bounds of what we consider courtesy and consideration, and consequently would +speedily deprive our intercourse of all pleasure. Then the French have not the +very slightest comprehension of that wit whose basis is real humour, and it is +almost incomprehensible how often the point of some not very profound, but +superficially funny, little story escapes them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't forget," said Ottmar, "that the point of a story is +very often completely untranslatable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Or is badly translated," said Vincenz. "It so happens that I +just think of a very amusing thing which happened quite recently, and which I +will tell you, if you care to hear it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Tell us, tell us! delightful fabulist! valued anecdotist!" +cried the friends.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A young man," related Vincenz, "whom nature had endowed with +a splendid bass voice, and who had gone upon the operatic stage, was making his +first appearance as Sarastro, in the 'Magic Flute.' As he was mounting the car, +in which he first comes on, he was seized with such a terrible attack of +stage-fright that he trembled and shook--nay, when the car got into motion to +come forward, he shrunk into himself, and all the manager's efforts to induce +him to reassure himself, and, at all events, stand upright, were useless. Just +then it happened that one of the wheels got entangled in the long mantle which +Sarastro wears, so that the further he got on to the stage, the more this mantle +dragged him backwards; whilst he, struggling against this, and keeping his feet +firm, appeared in the centre of the stage with the nether portion of his body +projecting forwards, and his head and shoulders held tremendously far back. The +audience were immensely pleased at this most regal attitude and appearance of +the inexperienced neophyte, and the manager offered him, and concluded with him, +an engagement on very liberal terms. Now, this simple little story was being +told, lately, in a company where there was a French lady who did not understand +a word of German. When everybody laughed, at the end of the story, she wanted to +know what the laughter was about, and our worthy D. (who, when he speaks French, +gives a most admirable, and very close, imitation of the tones and actions of +French people, but is continually at a loss for the words) undertook to +translate the story to her. When he came to the wheel which had got entangled +with Sarastro's cloak, constraining him to his regal attitude, he called it 'Le +rat,' instead of 'La roue.' The French lady's brow clouded, her eyebrows drew +together, and in her face was plainly to be read the terror which the story had +produced in her, whereto conduced the circumstance that D. had 'let on' upon his +face the full power of tragi-comic muscular play which it was capable of. When, +at the end, we all laughed more than before at this amusing misunderstanding +(which we all took good care not to explain), she murmured to herself, 'Ah! les +barbares!' The good lady not unnaturally looked upon us as barbarians for +thinking it so amusing that an abominable rat should have frightened the poor +young man almost to death, at the very commencement of his stage-career, by +holding on to his cloak."</p> + +<p class="normal">When the friends had done laughing, Vincenz said: "Suppose we +now bid adieu to the subject of French conversation, with all its <i>bon mots</i>, +<i>calembours</i>, and other ingredients, and come to the conclusion that it really +is an immense pleasure when, amongst intellectual Germans, a conversation, +inspired by their humour, rushes up skyward like a coruscating firework, in a +thousand hissing light-balls, crackling serpents, and lightning-like rockets."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But it must be remembered," said Theodore, "that this +pleasure is possible only when the friends in question, besides being +intellectual and endowed with humour, possess the talent not only of talking, +but of listening, the principal ingredient of real conversation."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course," said Lothair; "those people who constitute +themselves 'spokesmen' destroy all conversation--and so, in a lesser degree, +do the 'witty' folk, who go from one company to another with +anecdotes, crammed full of all sorts of shallow sayings; a +kind of self-constituted 'Society clowns.' I knew a man who, being clever and +witty, and at the same time a terribly talkative fellow, was invited everywhere +to amuse the company; so that, the moment he came into a room, everybody looked +in his face, waiting till he came out with something witty. The wretch was +compelled to put himself to the torture, in order to fulfil the expectations +entertained of him as +well as he could, so that he could not avoid soon becoming +flat and commonplace; and then he was thrown aside by every one, like a used-up +utensil. He now creeps about, spiritless and sad, and seems to be like that +dandy in Abener's 'Dream of Departed Souls,' who, brilliant as he was in this +life, is sorrowful and valueless in the other, because, on his sudden and +unexpected departure, he left behind him his snuff-box of Spanish snuff, which +was an integral part of him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then, too," said Ottmar, "there are certain extraordinary +people +who, when entertaining company, keep up an unceasing stream of +talk; not from conceit in themselves, but from a strange, +mistaken well-meaningness, for fear that people shouldn't be enjoying +themselves; and keep asking if people are not 'finding it dull,' and so forth, +thereby nipping every description of enjoyment in the bud in a moment."'</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is the very surest way to weary people," said Theodore, +"and I once saw it employed with the most brilliant success by my old humourist +of an uncle, who, I think, from what I have told you of him, you know pretty +intimately by this time. An old schoolfellow of his had turned up--a man who was +utterly tedious and unendurably wearisome in all his works and ways--and he came +to my uncle's house every forenoon, disturbed him at his work, worried him to +death, and then sat down to dinner without being invited. My uncle was grumpy, +snappish, silent, giving his visitor most unmistakably to understand that his +calls were anything but a pleasure to him; but it was all of no use. Once, when +the old gentleman was complaining to me (in strong enough language, as his +manner was) on the subject of this schoolfellow, I said I thought he should +simply show him the door and have done with it. 'That wouldn't do, boy,' said my +uncle, puckering his face into a rather pleased smile. 'You see, he is an old +schoolfellow of mine, after all; but there is another way of getting rid of him +which I shall try; and that will do it.' I was not a little surprised when, the +next morning, my uncle received the schoolfellow with open arms and talked to +him unceasingly, saying how delighted he was to see him, and go back +over the old days with him. All the old school-day stories +which +the schoolfellow was incessantly in the habit of repeating, +and +re-repeating, till they became intolerable to listen to, now +poured from my uncle's lips in a resistless cataract, no that the visitor could +not escape them. And all the while my uncle kept asking him, 'What is the matter +with you to-day? You don't seem happy. You are so monosyllabic. Do be jolly! Let +us have a regular feast of old stories to-day.' But the moment the schoolfellow +opened his lips to speak my uncle would cut him short with some interminable +tale. At last the affair became so unendurable to him that he wanted to cut and +run. But my uncle so pressed him to stay to lunch and dinner, that, unable to +resist the temptation of the good dishes, and better wine, he did stay. But +scarce had he swallowed a mouthful of soup when my uncle, in extreme +indignation, cried, 'What in the devil's name is this infernal mess? Don't touch +any more of it, brother, I beg you; there's something better to come. Take those +plates away, John!' Like a flash of lightning the plate was swept away from +under the school-friend's nose. It was the same thing with all the dishes and +courses, though they were of a nature sufficiently to excite the appetite, till +the 'something better to come' resolved itself into Cheshire cheese, which of +all cheeses the school-friend hated the most, although he disliked all cheese. +From an apparently ardent endeavour to set before him an unusually good dinner +he had not been suffered to swallow two mouthfuls; and it was much the same with +the wine. Scarce had he put a glass to his lips when my uncle cried, 'Old +fellow, you're making a wry face. Quite right, that isn't wine, it's vinegar. +John, a better tap!' And one kind after another came, French wines, Rhine wines, +and still the cry was, 'You don't care about that wine,' &c., till, when the +Cheshire cheese put the finishing stroke on things, the school-friend jumped up +from his chair in a fury. 'Dear old friend!' said my uncle in the kindliest of +tones, 'you are not at all like your usual self. Come, as we are together here, +let us crack a bottle of the real old "care-killer."' The school-friend plumped +into his chair again. The hundred years' old Rhine wine pearled glorious and +clear in the two glasses which my uncle filled to the brim. 'The devil,' he +cried, holding his glass to the light, 'this wine has got muddy, on my hands. +Don't you see? No, no; I can't set that before anybody,' and he swallowed the +contents of both glasses himself, with evident delight. The school-friend popped +up again, and plumped into his chair once more on my uncle's crying, 'John, +Tokay!' The Tokay was brought, my uncle poured it out, and handed the +schoolfellow a glass, saying, 'There, my boy, you shall be satisfied at last, in +good earnest. That is nectar!' But scarce had the school-friend set the glass to +his lips when my uncle cried, 'Thunder! there's been a cockroach at this +bottle.' At this the school-friend, in utter fury, dashed the glass into a +thousand pieces against the wall, ran out of the house like one possessed, and +never showed his face across the threshold again."</p> + +<p class="normal">"With all respect for your uncle's grim humour," said +Sylvester, "I think there was rather a systematic perseverance in the course of +mystification involved in such a process of getting rid of a troublesome person. +I should have much preferred to show him the door and have done with it; though +I admit that it was quite according to your uncle's peculiar vein of humour to +prearrange a theatrical scene of this sort in place of the perhaps troublesome +and unpleasant consequences which might have arisen if he had kicked him out. I +can vividly picture to myself the old parasite as he suffered the torments of +Tantalus, as your uncle kept continually awakening fresh hopes in his mind and +instantly dashing them to the ground; and how, at last, utter desperation took +possession of him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You can introduce the scene into your next comedy," said +Theodore.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It reminds me," said Vincenz, "of that delightful meal in +Katzenberger's <i>Badereise</i>, and of the poor exciseman who has almost to choke +himself with the bites of food which are slid to him over the 'Trumpeter's +muscle,' the Buccinator, although that scene would not be of much service to +Sylvester for a new piece."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The great Kazenberger," said Theodore, "whom women do not +like on account of the robustness of his cynicism, I formerly knew very well. He +was intimate with my uncle, and I could, at some future time, tell you many +delightful things concerning him."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cyprian had been sitting in profound thought, and seemed to +have been scarcely attending to what the others had been saying. Theodore tried +to arouse his attention and direct it to the hot punch which he had brewed as +the best corrective of the evil influence of the weather.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Beyond a doubt," said Cyprian, "this is the germ of insanity, +if it is not actually insanity itself."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends looked questionably at each other.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha!" cried Cyprian, getting up from his chair and looking +round him with a smile, "I find I have spoken out, aloud, the conclusion of the +mental process which has been going on within me in silence. After I have +emptied this glass of punch and duly lauded Theodore's art of preparing that +liquid after its mystic proportions, and due relations of the hot, strong and +sweet, I will simply point out that there is a certain amount of insanity, a +certain dose of crackiness, so deeply rooted in human nature, that there is no +better mode of getting at the knowledge of it than by carefully studying it in +those madmen and eccentrics whom we by no means have to go to madhouses to come +across, but whom we may meet with every hour of the day in our daily course; +and, in fact, best of all in the study of our own selves, in each of whom these +is present a sufficient quantum of that 'precipitate resulting from the chemical +process of life.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What has brought you back to the subject of insanity and the +insane?" +asked Lothair, in a tone of vexation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not lose your temper, dear Lothair," said Cyprian, "we +were talking on the subject of society conversation; and then I thought of two +mutually antagonistic classes of characters which are often fatal to social +talking. There are people who find it impossible to get away from ideas which +have come to occupy their minds; who go on repeating the same things over and +over again, for hours, no matter what turn the conversation may have taken. All +efforts to carry them along with the stream of the conversation are vain; when +one at last flatters oneself that one has got them into the current of the talk, +lo and behold, they return <i>à leurs moutons</i> again, just as before, and +consequently dam up the beautiful, rushing stream of conversation. In +contradistinction to them are those who forget one second what they said in the +immediately preceding one; who ask a question, and, without waiting for an +answer, introduce something completely irrelevant and heterogeneous; to whom +everything suggests everything else, and consequently nothing which has any +connection with the subject of the talk--who, in a few words, throw together a +many-tinted lumber of ideas in which nothing that can be called distinct is +discoverable. Those latter destroy everything like agreeable conversation and +drive us to a state of despair, and the former produce intolerable tedium and +annoyance. But, don't you think there lies in those people the germ of real +insanity in the one +case, and in the other of <i>folie</i>, whose character is very +much, +if not exactly, what the psychological doctors term +'looseness' or 'incoherence' of ideas?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no doubt," said Theodore, "that I should like to say +a great deal concerning the art of <i>relating</i> in society, for there is much +which is mysterious about it, depending, as it does, on place, time, and +individual relationships, and difficult to be ranged under special heads. But it +seems to me that this matter might carry us too far, and be opposed to the real +tendency of the Serapion Club."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Most certainly," said Lothair. "We want to tranquillise +ourselves with the thought that we--neither madmen nor fools--are, on the +contrary, the most delightful companions to each other; who not only can talk, +but can listen; more than that, each of us can listen quite patiently when +another reads aloud, and that is saying a good deal. Friend Ottmar told me a day +or two ago that he had written a story in which the celebrated poet-painter +Salvator Rosa played a leading part. I hope he will read it to us now."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am a little afraid," said Ottmar, as he took the manuscript +from his pocket, "that you won't think my story Serapiontic. I had it in mind to +imitate that ease and genial liberty of breadth which predominates in the +'Novelli' of the old Italians, particularly of Boccaccio; and over this +endeavour I acknowledge that I have grown prolix. Also you will say, with +justice, that it is only here and there that I have hit upon the true 'Novella' +tone--perhaps only in the headings of the chapters. After this noble and candid +confession I am sure you will not deal too hardly with me, but think chiefly of +anything which you may find entertaining and lively."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What prefaces!" cried Lothair. "An unnecessary <i>Capitatio +Benevolentiae</i>; read us your Novella, my good friend Ottmar, and +if you succeed in vividly portraying to us your Salvator Rosa +in verisimilitude before our eyes, we will recognise you as a +true Serapion brother, and leave everything else to the +grumbling, fault-finding critics. Shall it not be so, my eminent Serapion +Brethren?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends acquiesced, and Ottmar began.</p> + +<br> + +<h2><a name="div2_formica" href="#div2Ref_formica">SIGNOR FORMICA</a>.</h2> +<h2><i>A NOVELLA.</i></h2> + +<p class="hang1">The renowned painter, Salvator Rosa, comes to Rome, and is +attacked by +a dangerous malady.--What happened to him during this malady.</p> + +<p class="continue">People of renown generally have much evil spoken of them, +whether truthfully or otherwise, and this was the case with the doughty painter +Salvator Rosa, whose vivid, living pictures you, dear reader, have certainly +never looked upon without a most special and heartfelt enjoyment.</p> + +<p class="normal">When his fame had pervaded and resounded through Rome, Naples, +Tuscany, nay, all Italy; when other painters, if they would please, were obliged +to imitate his peculiar style--just then, malignant men, envious of him, +invented all sorts of wicked reports concerning him, with +the view of casting foul spots of shadow upon the shining +auriole +of his artistic fame. Salvator, they said, had, at an earlier +time of his life, belonged to a band of robbers, and it was to +his experiences at that time that he was indebted for all the wild, gloomy, +strangely-attired figures which he introduced into his pictures, just as he +copied into his landscape those darksome deserts, compounded of lonesomeness, +mystery, and terror--the <i>Selve Selvagge</i> of Dante--where he had been driven to +lurk. The worst accusation brought against him was that he had been involved in +that terrible, bloody conspiracy which "Mas' Aniello" of evil fame had set afoot +in Naples. People told all about that, with the minutest details.</p> + +<p class="normal">Aniello Falcone, the battle-painter (as he was called), blazed +up in fury and bloodthirsty revenge when the Spanish soldiers killed one of his +relations in a skirmish. On the spot he collected together a crowd of desperate +and foolhardy young men, principally painters, provided them with arms, and +styled them "the death-company"; and, in verity, this band spread abroad a full +measure of the terror and alarm which its name indicated. Those young men +pervaded Naples, in troop form, all day long, killing every Spaniard they came +across. More than this, they stormed their way into all the sacred places of +sanctuary, and there, without compunction, murdered their wretched enemies who +had taken refuge there, driven by fear of death. At night they betook themselves +to their chief, the mad, bloodthirsty Mas' Aniello, and they painted pictures of +him by torchlight, so that in a short time hundreds of those pictures of him +were spread about Naples and the surrounding neighbourhood.</p> + +<p class="normal">Now it was said that Salvator Rosa had been a member of this +band, robbing and murdering all day, but painting with equal assiduity all +night. What a celebrated art-critic--Taillasson, I think--said of our master is +true: "His works bear the impress of a wild haughtiness and arrogance, of a +bizarre energy, of the ideas and of their execution. Nature displays herself to +him not in the lovely peacefulness of green meadows, flowery fields, perfumed +groves, murmuring streams, but in the awfulness of mighty up-towering cliffs, or +sea-coasts, and wild, inhospitable forests; the voice to which he listens is not +the whispering of the evening breeze, or the rustling of the leaves, but the +roar of the hurricane, the thunder of the cataract. When we look at his deserts +and the people of strange, wild appearance, who, sometimes singly, sometimes in +troops, prowl about them, the weirdest fancies come to us of their own accord. +Here there happened a terrible murder, there the bleeding corpse was thrown +hurriedly over the cliff, &c., &c."</p> + +<p class="normal">Now this may all be the case, and although Taillasson may not +be far wrong when he says that Salvator's "Plato," and even his "St. John in the +Wilderness announcing the Birth of the Saviour," look just the least little bit +like brigands, still it is unfair to base any conclusions drawn from the works +upon the painter himself, and to suppose that, though he represents the wild and +the terrible in such perfection, he must have been a wild and terrible person +himself. He who talks most of the sword often wields it the worst; he who so +feels in his heart the terror of bloody deeds that he is able to call them into +existence with palette, pencil or pen, may be the least capable of practising +them. Enough! of all the wicked calumnies which would represent the doughty +Salvator to have been a remorseless robber and murderer, I do not believe a +single word, and I hope you, dear reader, maybe of the same opinion, or I should +have to cherish a certain amount of doubt whether you would quite believe what I +am going to tell you about him.</p> + +<p class="normal">For--as I hope--my Salvator will appear to you as a man +burning and coruscating with life and fire, but also endowed with the most +charming and delightful nature, and often capable of controlling that bitter +irony which--in him, as in all men of depth of character--takes form of itself +from observation of life. Moreover, it is known that Salvator was as good a poet +and musician as a painter, his inward genius displaying itself in rays thrown in +various directions. I repeat that I have no belief in his having had anything to +do with the crimes of Mas' Aniello; I rather hold to the opinion that he was +driven from Naples to Rome by the terror of the time, and arrived there as a +fugitive at the very time of Mas' Aniello's fall.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was nothing very remarkable about his dress, and, with a +little purse containing a few zecchini in his pocket, he slipped in at the gate +just as night was falling. Without exactly knowing how, he came to the Piazza +Navoni, where, in happier days, he had formerly lived in a fine house close to +the Palazzo Pamphili. Looking up at the great shining windows, glittering and +sparkling in the moonbeams, he cried, with some humour, "Ha! it will cost many a +canvass ere I can establish my studio there again." Just as he said so he +suddenly felt as if paralysed in all his limbs, and, at the same time, feeble +and powerless in a manner which he had never before experienced in all his life. +As he sank down on the stone steps of the portico of the house he murmured +between his teeth, "Shall I ever want canvasses? It seems to me that <i>I</i> have +done with them."</p> + +<p class="normal">A cold, cutting night-wind was blowing through the streets; +Salvator felt he must try and get a shelter. He rose with difficulty, tottered +painfully forward, reached the Corso, and turned into Strada Vergognona. There +he stopped before a small house, only two windows wide, where lived a widow with +two daughters. They had taken him as a lodger for a small sum when first he came +to Rome, known and cared for by nobody, and he hoped he would find a lodging +with them now suited to his reduced circumstances.</p> + +<p class="normal">He knocked familiarly at the door, and called his name in at +it time after time. At last he heard the old woman rousing herself with +difficulty from sleep. She came, dragging along her slippers, to the window, +scolding violently at the scoundrel who was disturbing her in the middle of the +night--her house not being an inn, &c. Then it took a deal of up and down +talking ere she recognised her former lodger by his voice; and on Salvator's +complaining that he had been obliged to flee from Naples and could find no roof +to cover him in Rome, she cried out, "Ah! Christ and all the saints! Is it you, +Signor Salvator? Your room upstairs, looking upon the courtyard, is empty still, +and the old +fig-tree has stretched its leaves and branches right into the +window, so that you can sit and work as if you were in a beautiful cool arbour. +Ah! how delighted my girls will be that you are here again, Signor Salvator. But +I must tell you Margerita has grown a big girl, and a very <i>pretty</i> girl--it +won't do to take her on your knee now! Your cat, only fancy, died three months +ago--a fish bone stuck in its throat. Aye, aye, poor thing! the grave is the +common lot. And what do you think? Our fat neighbour woman--she whom you so +often laughed at and drew the funny caricatures of--she has gone and got married +to that young lad, Signor Luigi. Well, well! <i>Nozze e magistrati sono da dio +destinati!</i> Marriages are made in heaven, they say."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But, Signora Caterina," interrupted Salvator, "I implore you +by all the saints let me in to begin with, and then tell all about your +fig-tree, your daughters, the kitten, and the fat woman. I am +dying of cold and weariness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now, just see how impatient he is!" cried the old woman. +"<i>Chi va piano va sano; chi va presto muore lesto.</i> The more haste the less +speed, is what I always say. But you're tired, you're shivering; so quick with +the key, quick with the key."</p> + +<p class="normal">Before getting hold of the key, however, she had to awaken her +daughters, and then slowly, slowly strike a light. Ultimately she opened the +door to the exhausted Salvator; but as soon as he crossed the threshold he fell +down like a dead man, overcome by exhaustion and illness. Fortunately the +widow's son, who lived at Tivoli, happened to have just come home, and he was at +once turned out of his bed, which he willingly gave up to this sick family +friend.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old lady had a great fondness for Salvator, rated him, as +regarded his art, above all the painters in the world, and had the utmost +delight in everything he did. Therefore she was much distressed at his +deplorable condition, and wanted to run off at once to the neighbouring +monastery and bring her own Father Confessor, that he might do battle with the +powers of evil at once, with consecrated tapers, or some powerful amulet or +other. But the son thought it would be better almost to send for a good doctor, +and he set off on the instant to the Piazza di Spagna, where he knew the +celebrated doctor, Splendiano Accoramboni, lived. As soon as he heard that the +great painter Salvator Rosa was lying sick in Strada Vergognona, he prepared to +pay him a professional visit. Salvator was lying unconscious in the most violent +fever. The old woman had hung up one or two images of saints over his bed, and +was praying fervently. The daughters, bathed in tears, were trying to +get him now and then to swallow a few drops of the cooling +lemonade which they had made, whilst the son, who had taken his station at the +bed-head, wiped the cold perspiration from his brow. In these circumstances the +morning had come, when the door opened with much noise, and the celebrated +doctor, Signor Splendiano Accoramboni, entered.</p> + +<p class="normal">If it had not been for the great heart-sorrow over Salvator's +mortal sickness, the two girls, petulant and merry as they were, would have +laughed loud and long at the doctor's marvellous appearance. As it was, they +drew away into corners, frightened and shy. It is worth while to describe the +aspect of this extraordinary little fellow as he came into Dame Caterina's in +the grey of the morning. Although he had, apparently, given early promise of +reaching a most distinguished stature, Doctor Splendiano Accoramboni had not +managed to get beyond the altitude of four feet. At the same time he had, in his +early years, been of most delicate formation as regarded his members--and, +before the head (which had always been somewhat shapeless) had acquired too much +increment of matter in the shape of his fat cheeks and his +stately double chin--ere the nose had assumed too much of a +lateral development, in consequence of being stuffed with Spanish snuff--ere the +stomach had assumed too great a rotundity by dint of maccaroni fodder--the dress +of an Abbate, which he had worn in those early days, became him very well. He +had a right to be styled a nice little fellow, and the Roman ladies accordingly +did speak of him as their <i>caro puppazetto</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">But now those days were over, and a German painter, who saw +him crossing the Piazza di Spagna, said of him, not without reason, that he +looked as if some stalwart fellow of six feet high had run away from his own +head and it had fallen on to the shoulders of a little marionette Pulcinello, +who had now to go about with it as his own. This strange little figure had +thrust itself into a great mass of Venetian damask, all over great flowers, made +into a dressing-gown, and girt itself about, right under the breast, with a +broad leather girdle, in which was stuck a rapier three ells long; and above his +snow-white periwig there clung a high-peaked head-dress, not much unlike the +obelisk in the Piazza San Pietro. As the periwig went meandering like a tangled +web, thick and broad, over his back and shoulders, it might well have been taken +for the cocoon out of which the beautiful insect had issued.</p> + +<p class="normal">The worthy Splendiano Accoramboni glared through his +spectacles, first at the sick Salvator, and then on Dame Caterina, whom he drew +to one side. "There," he said, in a scarce audible whisper, "lies the great +painter Salvator Rosa sick unto death in your house, Dame Caterina, and nothing +but my skill can save him! Tell me, though, how long it is since he came to you? +Has he plenty of grand, beautiful pictures with him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah! dear Signor Dottore," answered the old woman, "this dear +boy of mine only came to-night, and, as concerns the pictures, I know nothing +about them as yet. But there's a large box downstairs, which he told me, before +he got to be unconscious as he is now, to take the greatest care of. I should +suppose there is a grand picture in it which he has painted in Naples."</p> + +<p class="normal">Now this was a fib which Dame Caterina told; but we shall soon +see what good reason she had for telling it to the doctor.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, ah! Yes, yes!" said the doctor, stroking his beard. Then +he solemnly strode up as close to the patient as his long rapier, which banged +against and entangled itself with the chairs and tables, admitted of his doing, +took his hand and felt his pulse, sighing and groaning as he did so in a manner +which sounded wonderful enough in the deep silence of reverential awe which +prevailed. He then named a hundred and twenty diseases, in Latin and Greek, +which Salvator +had not, then about the same number which he might possibly +have contracted, and ended by saying that although he could not just at that +moment exactly name the malady which Salvator was suffering from, he would hit +upon a name for it in a short time, and also the proper remedies and treatment +for its cure. He then took his departure with the same amount of solemnity with +which he had entered, leaving all hands in the due condition of anxiety and +alarm. He asked to see Salvator's box downstairs, and Dame Caterina showed him a +box, in which were some old clothes of her deceased husband's, and some old +boots and shoes. He tapped the box with his hand here and there, saying, with a +smile, "We shall see! We shall see!" In an hour or two he came back with a very +grand name for what was the matter with Salvator, and several large bottles of a +potion with an evil smell, which he directed that the patient should keep on +swallowing. That was not such an easy matter, for the patient resisted with +might and main, and expressed, as well as he could, his utter abhorrence of this +stuff, which seemed to be a brew from the very pit of Acheron. But whether it +was that the malady, now that it had got a name, exerted itself more powerfully, +or that Splendiano and medicine were working too energetically--enough, with +every day and nearly every hour, one might say, Salvator grew weaker and weaker, +so that, although Doctor Splendiano Accoramboni asseverated that, the processes +of life having come to a complete standstill, he had given the machine an +impetus towards renewed activity (as if it had been the pendulum of a clock), +all the +by-standers doubted of Salvator's recovery, and were disposed +to think that the Signor Dottore might, perhaps, have given the pendulum such a +rough impulse that it was put out of gear.</p> + +<p class="normal">But one day it happened that Salvator, who seemed scarcely +able to move a muscle, suddenly got into a paroxysm of tremendous fever, and, +regaining strength in an instant, jumped out of bed, seized all the bottles of +medicine, and in a fury sent the whole collection flying out of the window. +Doctor Splendiano Accoramboni was just in the act to come into the house to pay +a visit, and, as Fate would have it, two or three of the phials hit him on the +head, and breaking, sent the brown liquid within them flowing in dark streams +over his face, his periwig, and his neckerchief. The doctor sprang nimbly into +the house, and cried, like a man possessed, "Signor Salvator is off his head! +Delirium has evidently set in--nothing can save him. He'll be a dead man in ten +minutes. Here with the picture, Dame Caterina; it belongs to me--all I shall get +for my services! Here with the picture, I tell you."</p> + +<p class="normal">But when Dame Caterina opened the box, and Doctor Splendiano +Accoramboni saw the old cloaks and the burst and tattered boots and shoes which +it contained, his eyes rolled in his head like fire wheels, he gnashed his +teeth, stamped with his feet, devoted Salvator, the widow, and all the inmates +of the house, to the demons of hell, and bolted out of the door as if discharged +from a cannon.</p> + +<p class="normal">When the paroxysm of excitement was over, Salvator again fell +into a deathlike condition, and Dame Caterina thought his last hour was +certainly come. So she ran as quickly as she could to the convent, and brought +Father Bonifazio to administer the sacraments to the dying man. When Father +Bonifazio came, he looked at the patient, said he very well knew the peculiar +signs which death imprints upon the face of one whom he is going to carry off; +but there was nothing of the sort to be seen on the face of the unconscious +Salvator in his faint, and that help was still possible, and he himself would +procure or bestow; only Doctor Splendiano Accoramboni, with his Greek names and +diabolical phials, must never cross the doorstep again. The good father set to +work, and we shall find that he kept his word.</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator came to his senses, and it seemed to him that he was +lying in a delightful, sweet-smelling arbour, for green branches and leaves were +stretching over him. He felt a delightful salutary warmth of life permeating +him, only, apparently, his left arm was fettered.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where am I?" he cried, in a faint voice. Then a young man of +handsome appearance, whom he had not observed before, though he was standing by +his bed, fell down on his knees, seized Salvator's right hand, bathing it in +tears, and cried over and over again, "Oh, my beloved Signor, my grand master! +all is well now! You are saved; you will recover!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," began Salvator, "but tell me----"</p> + +<p class="normal">The young man interrupted him, begging him not to talk in his +weak condition, and promising to tell him all that had been happening. "You must +know, my dear and great master, that you must have been exceedingly ill when you +arrived in Naples here; but your condition was not probably very dangerous, and +moderate measures, considering the strength of your constitution, would +doubtless have set you on your legs again in a short time, if it had not +happened, through Carlo's well-meant mischance--as he ran for the nearest doctor +at once--that you fell into the clutches of the abominable Pyramid Doctor, who +did his very best to put you under the sod."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Pyramid Doctor?" said Salvator, laughing most heartily, +weak as he was. "Yes, yes; ill as I was, I saw him well enough, the little +damasky creature, who condemned me to swallow all that diabolical stuff--hell +broth as it was--and had the obelisk of the Piazza San Pietro on the top of his +head, which is the reason you call him the Pyramid Doctor."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, heavens!" cried the young man, laughing loudly too. "Yes, +it was Doctor Splendiano Accoramboni who appeared to you in that mysterious +high-pointed nightcap of his, in which he gleams out of his window in the Piazza +di Spagna every morning like some meteor of evil omen. But it is not on account +of the cap that he is called the Pyramid Doctor; there is a very different +reason for that. Doctor Splendiano is very fond of pictures, and has a very fine +collection, which he has got together through a peculiar piece of technical +practice. He keeps a close and watchful eye upon painters and their illnesses, +and particularly he manages to throw his nets over stranger masters. Suppose +they have swallowed a little too much macaroni, or taken a cup or two more +syracuse than is good for them, he succeeds in throwing his noose over them, and +labels them with this or that disease, which he christens by some monstrous +name, and then sets to work to cure. As fee he makes them promise him a picture, +which, as it is only the strongest constitutions which can resist the powerful +drugs he administers, he generally selects from the effects of the deceased, +deposited at the Pyramid of Cestius. He takes the best of them, and others into +the bargain. The refuse heap at the Pyramid of Cestius is the seedfield of +Doctor Splendiano Accoramboni, and he cultivates, dresses, and manures it most +assiduously. And that is why he is called the Pyramid Doctor. Now Dame Caterina, +with the best intentions, had given the doctor to understand that you had +brought a fine picture with you, and you can imagine the ardour with which he +set to work to brew potions for you. It was lucky for you that in your paroxysm +of fever you threw the stuff at his head, that he left you in a fury, that Dame +Caterina sent for Father Bonifazio to administer the sacraments, believing you +at death's door. Father Bonifazio knows a great deal about doctoring; he formed +a correct opinion as to your condition, sent for me, and----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then you are a doctor too," said Salvator, in a faint, +melancholy tone.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," answered the young gentleman, while a bright colour came +to his cheek, "my dear, renowned master, I am not a doctor like Signor +Splendiano Accoramboni; I am a surgeon. I thought I should have sunk into the +ground with terror--with joy--when Father Bonifazio told me Salvator Rosa was +lying sick to death in Strada Vergognona and requiring my assistance. I hastened +here, opened a vein in your left arm, and you were saved. We brought you here to +this cool, airy room, where you used to live before. Look around you; there is +the easel which you left behind you; there are one or two sketches still, +preserved, like holy relics, by Dame Caterina. Your illness has had its back +broken. Simple remedies, which Father Bonifazio will give you, and careful +nursing will set you on your legs again. And now, permit me once more to kiss +this creative hand, which calls forth, as by magic, the most hidden secrets of +nature. Permit the poor Antonio Scacciati to allow all his heart to stream forth +in delight and fervent gratitude that heaven vouchsafed to him the good fortune +to save the life of the glorious and renowned master, Salvator Rosa."</p> + +<p class="normal">He again knelt, seized Salvator's hand, kissed it, and bedewed +it with hot tears as before.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot tell, dear Antonio," said Salvator, raising himself +up a little, "what strange spirit inspires you to exhibit such a profound +veneration for me. You say you are a surgeon, and that is a calling which does +not usually pair itself readily with art."</p> + +<p class="normal">"When you have got some strength back, dear master," answered +Antonio, "there are many matters lying heavy at my heart which I will tell you +of."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do so," said Salvator; "place full confidence in me--you may, +for I do not know when a man's face went more truly to my very heart than does +yours. The more I look at you the more clear it becomes to me that there is a +great likeness in your face to that of the heavenly, godlike lad--I mean the +Sanzio." Antonio's eyes glowed with flashing fire; he seemed to strive in vain +to find words.</p> + +<p class="normal">Just then Dame Caterina came in with Father Bonifazio, +bringing a draught which he had skilfully compounded, and which the sick man +took, and relished better than the Acherontic liquids of the Pyramid Doctor, +Splendiano Accoramboni.</p> + +<hr class="W20"> + +<p class="hang1">Antonio Scacciati comes to high honour through the +intervention of +Salvator Rosa.--He confides to Salvator the causes of his +continual sorrowfulness, and Salvator comforts him, and +promises +him help.</p> + +<p class="continue">What Antonio promised came to pass. The simple, healing +medicines of Father Bonifazio, the careful nursing of Dame Caterina and her +daughters, the mild season of the year which just then came on, had such a +speedy effect on Salvator's strong constitution, that he soon felt well enough +to begin thinking of his art, and, as a beginning, made some magnificent +sketches for pictures which he intended to paint at a future time.</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonio scarcely left Salvator's room. He was all eye when the +master was sketching, and his opinions on many matters showed him to be +initiated in the mysteries of art himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Antonio," said Salvator, one day, "you know so much about art +that I believe you have not only looked on at a great deal with correct +understanding, but have even wielded the pencil yourself!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Remember, dear master," answered Antonio, "that when you were +recovering from unconsciousness, I told you there were many things lying heavy +on my heart. Perhaps it is time, now, for me to divulge my secrets to you fully. +Although I am the surgeon who opened a vein for you, I belong to Art with all my +heart and soul. I intend now to devote myself to it altogether, and throw the +hateful handicraft entirely to the winds."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ho, ho, Antonio!" said Salvator, "bethink you what you are +going to do. You are a clever surgeon, and perhaps will never be more than a +bungler at painting. Young as you are in years, you are too old to begin with +the crayon. A man's whole life is scarcely enough in which to attain to one +single perception of the True, still less to the power of representing it +poetically."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, my dear master," said Antonio, smiling gently, "how +should I entertain the mad idea of beginning now to turn myself to the difficult +art of painting, had I not worked at it as hard as I could ever since I was a +child, had not heaven so willed it that, though I was kept away from art, and +everything in the shape of it, by my father's obstinacy and folly, I made the +acquaintance, and enjoyed the society, of masters of renown. Even the great +Annibale interested himself in the neglected boy, and I have the happiness to be +able to say I am a pupil of Guido Reni."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, good Antonio," said Salvator, a little sharply, as his +manner sometimes was. "If that is so, you have had great teachers; so, no doubt, +in spite of your surgical skill, you may be a great pupil of theirs too. Only +what I do not understand is, how you, as a pupil of the gentle and tender Guido +(whom, perhaps, as pupils in their enthusiasm sometimes do--you even outdo in +tenderness, in your work), how you can hold me to be a master in my art at all."</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonio coloured at those words of Salvator's; in fact, they +had about them a ring of jeering irony.</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonio answered: "Let me lay aside all bashfulness, which +might close my lips. Let me speak freely out exactly what is in my mind. +Salvator, I have never revered a master so wholly from out the very depths of my +being as I do you. It is the often superhuman grandeur of the ideas which I +admire in your works. You see, and comprehend, and grasp the profoundest secrets +of Nature. You read, and understand, the marvellous hieroglyphs of her rocks, +her trees, her waterfalls; you hear her mighty voices; you interpret her +language, and can transcribe what she says to you. Yes, transcription is what I +would call your bold and vivid style of working. Man, with his doings, contents +you not; you look at him only as being in the lap of Nature, and in so far as +his inmost being is conditioned by her phenomena. Therefore, Salvator, it is in +marvellous combinations of landscape with figure that you are so wondrous great. +Historical painting places limits which hem your flight, to your disadvantage."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You tell me this, Antonio," said Salvator, "as the envious +historical painters do, who throw landscape to me by way of a <i>bonne-bouche</i>, +that I may occupy myself in chewing it, and abstain from tearing their flesh. Do +I not know the human figure, and everything appertaining to it? However, all +those silly slanders, echoed from others----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not be indignant, dear master," answered Antonio. "I do +not repeat things blindly after other folks, and least of all should I pay any +attention to the opinions of our masters here in Rome just now. Who could help +admiring the daring drawing, the marvellous expression, and particularly the +lively action, of your figures! One sees that you do not work from the stiff, +awkward model, or from the dead lay figure, but that you are, yourself, your own +living model, and that you draw and paint the figure which you place on the +canvas in front of a great mirror."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heyday, Antonio!" cried Salvator, laughing. "I believe you +must have been peeping into my studio without my knowledge, to know so well what +goes on there."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Might not that have been?" said Antonio. "But let me go on. +The pictures which your mighty genius inspires I should by no means narrow into +one class so strictly as the pedantic masters try to do. In fact, the term +'landscape,' as generally understood, applies badly to your paintings, which I +should prefer to call 'historical representations.' In a deeper sense, it often +seems that this or the other rock, that or the other tree, gazes on us with an +earnest look: and that this and the other group of strangely-attired people is +like some wonderful crag which has come to life. All Nature, moving in +marvellous unity, speaks out the sublime thought which glowed within you. This +is how I have looked at your pictures, and this is how I am indebted to you, my +great and glorious master, for a profound understanding of art. But do not +suppose that, on this account, I have fallen into a childishness of imitation. +Greatly as I wish I possessed your freedom and daring of brush, I must confess +that the colouring of Nature seems to me to be different from what I see +represented in your pictures. I hold that, even for the sake of practice, it is +helpful to a learner to imitate the style of this or that master: but still, +when once he stands on his own feet, to a certain extent, he should strive to +represent Nature as he sees it himself. This true seeing, this being at unity +with oneself, is the only thing which can produce character and truth. Guido was +of this opinion, and the unresting Preti, whom, as you know, they call the +Calabrese, a painter who certainly reflected on his art more than any other, +warned me in the same way against slavish imitation. And now you know, Salvator, +why I reverence you more than all the others, without being in the slightest +degree your imitator, in any way."</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator had been gazing fixedly into the young man's eyes as +he spoke, and he now clasped him stormily to his breast.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Antonio," he said, "you have spoken very wise words of deep +significance. Young as you are in years, you surpass, in knowledge of art, many +of our old, much belauded masters, who talk a great deal of nonsense about their +art, and never get to the bottom of the matter. Truly, when you spoke of my +pictures, it seemed that I was, for the first time, beginning to come to a clear +understanding of myself, and I prize you very highly just because you do not +imitate my style--that you don't, like so many others, take a pot of black +paint, lay on staring high lights, make a few crippled-looking figures, in +horrible costumes, peep out of the dirty-looking ground, and then think 'There's +a Salvator.' You have found in me the truest of friends, and I devote myself to +you with all my soul."</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonio was beyond himself with joy at the good will which the +master thus charmingly displayed to him. Salvator expressed a strong desire to +see Antonio's pictures, and Antonio took him at once to his studio.</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator had formed no small expectations of this youth who +spoke so understandingly about art, and in whom there seemed to be a peculiar +genius at work; and yet the master was most agreeably astonished by Antonio's +wealth of pictures. He found everywhere boldness of idea, correctness of +drawing; and the fresh colouring, the great tastefulness of the breadth of the +flow of folds, the unusual delicacy of the extremities, and the high beauty of +the heads evidenced the worthy pupil of the great Reni; although Antonio's +striving was not, like that of his master (who was overapt to do this), to +sacrifice expression to beauty, often too visibly. One saw that Antonio aimed at +Annibale's strength, without, as yet, being able to attain to it.</p> + +<p class="normal">In his first silence Salvator had examined each of Antonio's +pictures for a long time. At length he said: "Listen, Antonio, there is not the +slightest doubt about it, you are born for the noble painter's art. For not only +has Nature given you the creative spirit, from which the most glorious ideas +flame forth in inexhaustible wealth, but she has further endowed you with the +rare talent, which, in a brief time, overcomes the difficulties of technical +practice. I should be a lying flatterer if I said you had as yet equalled your +teachers, that you had attained to Guido's marvellous delightsomeness, or +Annibale's power; but it is certain that you far surpass our masters who give +themselves such airs here in the Academy of San Luca, your Tiarini, Gessi, +Sementa, and whatever they may call themselves, not excepting Lanfranco, who can +only draw in chalk; and yet, Antonio, were I in your place I should consider +long before I threw away the lancet altogether, and took up the brush. This +sounds strange; but hear me further. Just at present an evil time for art has +begun; or rather, the devil seems to be busy amongst our masters, stirring them +up pretty freely. If you have not made up your mind to meet with mortifications +and vexations of every kind, to suffer the more hatred and contempt the higher +you soar in art, as your fame increases everywhere to meet with villains, who +will press round you with friendly mien, to destroy you all +the more surely--if, I say, you have not made up your mind for all this, keep +aloof from painting! Think of the fate of your teacher, the great Annibale, +whom a knavish crew of fellow-painters in Naples persecuted so that he could not +get a single great work to undertake, but was everywhere shown the door with +despite, which brought him to his untimely grave. Think what happened to our +Domenichino, when he was painting the cupola of the chapel of St. Januarius. +Didn't the villains of painters there (I shall not mention any of their names, +not +even that scoundrel Belisario's or Ribera's), did not they +bribe Domenichino's servant to put ashes into the lime, so that the plastering +would not bind? The painting could thus have no permanence. Think on all those +things, and prove yourself well, whether your spirit is strong enough to +withstand the like; for otherwise your power will be broken, and when the firm +courage to make is gone, the power to do it is gone along with it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, Salvator," said Antonio, "it is scarcely possible that, +had I once devoted myself entirely to painting, I should have to undergo more +despite and contempt than I have had to suffer already, being still a surgeon. +You have found pleasure in my pictures, and you have said, doubtless from inner +conviction, that I have it in me to do better things than many of our San Luca +men. And yet it is just they who turn up their noses at all that I have, with +much industry, achieved, and say, contemptuously, 'Ho, ho, the surgeon thinks he +can paint a picture!' But, for that very reason my decision is firmly come to, +to get clear of a calling which is more and more hateful to me every day. It is +on you, master, that I pin all my hopes. Your word is worth much. If you chose +to speak for me you could at once dash my envious persecutors to the dust, and +put me in the place which is mine by right."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have great confidence in me," said Salvator; "but now +that we have so thoroughly understood each other as to our art, and now that I +have seen your works, I do not know any one for whom I should take up the +cudgels, and that with all my might, so readily as I should for you."</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator once more examined Antonio's pictures, and paused +before one representing a Magdalone at the Saviour's feet, which he specially +commended.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have departed," he said, "from the style in which people +generally represent this Magdalene. Your Magdalene is not an earnest woman, but +rather an ingenuous, charming child, and such a wondrous one as nobody else +(except Guido) could have painted. There is a peculiar charm about the beautiful +creature. You have painted her with enthusiasm, and, if I am not deceived, the +original of this Magdalene is in life, and here in Rome. Confess, Antonio, you +are in love."</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonio cast his eyes down and said, softly and bashfully: +"Nothing escapes those sharp eyes of yours, my dear master. It may be as you +say, but don't blame me. I prize this picture most of all, and I have kept it +concealed from every one's sight, like a holy mystery."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" cried Salvator, "have none of the painters seen this +picture?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is so," said Antonio.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then," said Salvator, his eyes shining with joy, "be assured, +Antonio, that I will overthrow your envious, puffed-up enemies, and bring you to +merited honour. Entrust your picture to me--send it secretly in the night to my +lodgings, and leave the rest to me. Will you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"A thousand times yes, with gladness," answered Antonio. "Ah! +I should like to tell you, at once, the troubles connected with my love-affair, +but somehow it seems to me that I do not dare, to-day, just when our hearts have +opened to one another in art; but some day I shall probably ask you to advise +and help me in that direction too."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Both my advice and my help shall be at your service wherever +and whenever they may be necessary," Salvator answered. As he was leaving he +turned round and said with a smile: "Antonio, when you told me you were a +painter, I was sorry I had mentioned your likeness to the Sanzio. I thought you +might be silly enough, as many of our young fellows are, if they chance to have +a passing likeness in the face to this or that great master, they take to +wearing their hair and beard as he does, and find it necessary to imitate his +style in art as well, though it may be quite contrary to their character. We +have neither of us named the name of Raphael; but, believe me, in your pictures +I find distinct traces of the extent to which the whole heaven of godlike ideas +in the works of the greatest master of our time has been revealed to you. You +understand Raphael. You will not reply to me as did Velasquez, whom I asked, the +other day, what he thought of the Sanzio. He said Titian was the greater master; +Raphael knew nothing about flesh colour. In that Spaniard is the Flesh, not the +Word; yet they laud him to the skies in San Luca, because he once painted +cherries which the birds came and tried to peck."</p> + +<p class="normal">A few days after the above conversation, it happened that the +Academists of San Luca assembled in their church to judge the pictures of the +painters who had applied for admission to the Academy. Salvator had sent +Scacciati's beautiful Magdalene picture. The painters were amazed by the charm +and the power of the work, and the most unstinted praise resounded from every +lip when Salvator explained that he had brought the picture with him from +Naples--the work of a young painter, prematurely snatched away by death.</p> + +<p class="normal">In a very short time all Rome streamed to see and admire this +work of the young, unknown, dead master. Every one was unanimously of opinion +that no such picture had been painted since Guido Reni's time, and, indeed, +people carried their enthusiasm so far as to declare that this work was even to +be ranked above Guido Reni's creations of the same kind. Among the crowd of +people who were always collected before Scacciati's picture, Salvator one day +observed a man, who, besides being of very remarkable exterior, was conducting +himself like a madman. He was advanced in years, tall, lean as a spindle, pale +of face, with a long, pointed nose, and an equally long chin, which increased +its pointedness by being tipped with a little beard, and green, flashing eyes. +Upon his thick, extremely fair peruke he had stuck a tall hat with a fine +feather. He had on a short, dark-red cloak with many shining buttons, a sky-blue +Spanish-slashed doublet, great gauntlets trimmed with silver fringe, a long +sword by his side, light grey hose drawn over his bony knees, and bound with +yellow ribbons, and bows of the same ribbon on his shoes. This strange figure +was standing, as if enraptured, before the picture. He would stand up on his +tiptoes, then bob himself quite low down; then hop up, with both legs at once, +sigh, groan, close his eyes so tightly that the tears streamed from them, and +then open them as wide as they would go; gaze incessantly at the beautiful +Magdalene, sigh afresh, and lisp out in his mournful, <i>castrato</i> voice, "Ah, +Carissima! Benedetissima! Ah, Marianna! Marianna! Belissima!" &c.</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator, always greedy after figures of this sort, got as +near to him as he could, and tried to enter into conversation with him about +Scacciati's picture, which seemed to delight him so much; but, without taking +much heed of Salvator, the old fellow cursed his poverty, which would not allow +him to buy this picture for a million, and so prevent any one else from fixing +his devilish glances upon it. And then he hopped up and down again, and thanked +the Virgin and all the saints that the infernal painter who had painted this +heavenly picture, which drove him to madness and despair, was dead and gone.</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator came to the conclusion that the man must be either a +maniac, or some Academician of San Luca whom he did not know.</p> + +<p class="normal">All Rome rang with the fame of Scacciati's wonderful picture. +Scarce anything else was talked of, and this ought to have been enough to show +its superiority. When the painters held their next meeting in San Luca to decide +as to the reception of sundry applicants for admission, Salvator Rosa made a +sudden inquiry whether the painter of the Magdalene at the Saviour's feet would +not have been worthy to be admitted. All the members of the Academy, not +excepting the excessively critical Cavaliere Josepin, declared, with one voice, +that such a great master would have been an ornament to the Academy, and, in the +most studied forms of speech, expressed their regret that he was dead (though in +their hearts they thanked heaven that he was). Not only this, but in their +enthusiasm for art, they decided to elect this marvellous young painter an +Academician, notwithstanding that he had been withdrawn from art by a premature +death; directing masses to be said for the repose of his soul in the church of +San Luca. Wherefore they requested Salvator to acquaint them with the full names +of the deceased, as well as the year and place of his birth, &c., &c.</p> + +<p class="normal">On this Salvator rose up and said: "Signori, the honours which +you fain would pay to a man in his grave are due to, and had better be bestowed +on, a living painter, who is walking to and fro in our midst. Know ye that the +Magdalene at the Saviour's feet--the picture which you have such a high opinion +of justly, and esteem so highly above anything which living painters have +produced--is not the work of a Neapolitan painter no longer in life, as I +pretended it was, that your verdict might be unbiassed. This picture, this +masterpiece, which all Rome admires at this moment, is by the hand of Antonio +Scacciati, the surgeon."</p> + +<p class="normal">The painters glared dumb and motionless at Salvator, like men +struck by lightning. Salvator enjoyed their consternation for a short time, and +then went on to say: "Well, gentlemen, you would not allow Antonio to come +amongst you because he is a surgeon; but I think the Academy of San Luca is in +very great need of a surgeon to mend and set the crippled arms and legs of the +figures which come from the studios of many of its members. However, I presume +you will not longer delay to do what you ought to have done long ago; that is, +to admit this admirable painter, Antonio Scacciati, a member of your Academy."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Academicians swallowed Salvator's bitter pill; they said +they were much overjoyed that Antonio had displayed his talent in such a +striking and decided manner, and they elected him a member of the Academy with +much ceremony. As soon as it was known in Rome that Antonio was the painter of +the wonderful picture, there streamed in upon him from all sides +congratulations, and commissions to undertake great and important works. Thus +was this young painter--thanks to Salvator's method of setting to work--brought, +in a moment, out of obscurity, and raised to high honour, at the very juncture +when he had made up his mind to start upon his career as an artist.</p> + +<p class="normal">Floating and hovering, as he was, in an atmosphere of +happiness and bliss, it all the more surprised Salvator one day when Antonio +came to him, pale and upset, full of anger and despair. "Ah, Salvator," he +cried, "what does it avail me that you have set me up on a pinnacle, where I +could never have dreamt of being, that I am overwhelmed with praise and honour, +that the prospect of the most delightful and glorious artistic career opens +before me, when I am inexpressibly unhappy, when the very picture, to which, +next to yourself, dear master, I am indebted for my victory, is the express +cause of irremediable misfortune to me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Silence!" cried Salvator. "Do not commit a sin against your +art and your picture. I don't believe a word as to your irremediable misfortune. +You are in love, and perhaps things are not going in all respects exactly as you +wish; but that is all, no doubt. Lovers are like children, they cry and yell the +moment anybody touches their toy. Leave off lamenting, I beg of you; it is a +thing which I cannot endure. Sit down there, and tell me quietly how matters +stand as regards your beautiful Magdalene and your love-affair altogether, and +where the stumbling-blocks are which we must get out of the way, for I promise +you, to commence with, that I will help you. The more difficult and arduous and +adventurous the things are that we have to set about, the better I shall be +pleased, for the blood is running quick in my veins again, and the state of my +health calls upon me to set to work and play a wild trick or two; so tell me all +about it, Antonio, and, as aforesaid, none of your 'Ohs' and your 'Ahs.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonio sat down in the chair which Salvator had placed for +him near the easel where he was at work, and commenced as follows:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"In Strada Ripetta, in the lofty house whose projecting +balcony you see as soon as you go through the Porta del Popolo, lives the +greatest ass and most idiotic donkey in all Rome. An old bachelor, with all the +faults of his class--vain, trying to be young, in love, and a coxcomb. He is +tall, thin as a whip-stalk, dresses in party-coloured Spanish costume, with a +blonde periwig, a steeple-crowned hat, gauntlets, and long sword at his +side----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop, stop! wait a moment, Antonio," cried Salvator, and, +turning round the picture he was working at, he took a crayon, and, on the +reverse side of it, drew, in a few bold touches, the curious old fellow who had +been going on so absurdly in front of Antonio's picture.</p> + +<p class="normal">"By all the saints!" cried Antonio, jumping up from his chair, +and laughing loud and clear in spite of his despair, "that is the very +man--that is Signor Pasquale Capuzzi, of whom I am speaking, +to the very life."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There, you see," said Salvator quietly, "I know the gentleman +who is probably your bitter rival. But go on with your story."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Signor Pasquale Capuzzi," continued Antonio, "is as rich as +Crœsus, but, as I think I was telling you, a terrible miser, as well as a +perfect ass. His best quality is that he is devoted to the arts, particularly to +music and painting. But there is so much idiotic absurdity mixed up with this, +that, even in those directions, it is impossible to put up with him. He believes +himself to be the greatest composer in the world, and a singer the like of whom +is not to be found in the Papal Chapel. Therefore he looks askance at our old +Frescobaldi, and when the Romans talk of the marvellous charm and spell which +Ceccarelli's voice possesses, he thinks Ceccarelli knows as much about singing +as an old slipper, and that he--Capuzzi--is the person to enchant the world. But +as the Pope's principal singer bears the proud name of Edoardo Ceccarelli di +Merania, our Capuzzi likes to be styled 'Signor Pasquale Capuzzi di Senegaglia,' +for his mother bore him in that place, and, in fact, people say, in a +fishing-boat, from sudden terror at the rising of a sea-calf, and there is, +consequently, a great deal of the sea-calf in his nature. In early life he put +an opera on the stage, and it was hissed off it in the completest manner +possible; but that did not cure him of his craze for writing diabolical music. +On the other hand, when he heard Francesco Cavalli's opera, 'Le Nozze di Teti e +di Peleo,' he said the Capellmeister had borrowed the most sublime ideas from +his own immortal works; for saying which he had a narrow escape of cudgellings, +or even of knife-thrusts. He is still possessed with the idea of singing arias, +accompanying himself by torturing a wretched guitar, which has to groan and sigh +in support of his mewing and caterwauling. His faithful Pylades is a +broken-down, dwarfish Castrato, whom the Romans call Pitichinaccio; and guess +who completes the trio. Well, none other than the Pyramid Doctor, who emits +sounds like a melancholy jackass, and is under the impression that he sings a +magnificent bass, as good as Martinelli's, of the Papal Chapel. Those three +worthies meet together of evenings, and sit on the balcony, singing motetts of +Carissimi's till all the dogs and cats in the neighbourhood yell and howl, and +the human beings within earshot devote the hellish trio to all the thousand +devils.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My father," Antonio continued, "was in the habit of going in +and out of the house of this incomparable idiot, Signor Pasquale Capuzzi (whom +you know sufficiently well from my description), because he used to dress his +wig and his beard. When he died, I undertook those offices, and Capuzzi was +greatly pleased with me, firstly, because he considered that I was able to give +his moustaches a bold upward twist in a manner which nobody else could, and +further, doubtless, because I was satisfied with the two or three quattrinos +which he gave me for my trouble. But he thought he was over-paying me, inasmuch +as, every +time I dressed his beard he would croak out to me, with closed +eyes, +an aria of his own composing, which flayed the skin off my +ears, although the remarkable antics of this creature afforded me much +entertainment--which was the reason I continued to go back to him. I on one +occasion walked gently up the stairs, knocked at the door, and opened it, when +there met me a girl--an angel of light! You know my Magdalene!--it was she. I +stood rooted to the spot. No, no, Salvator, I won't treat you to any 'Ohs' or +'Ahs.' I need but say that on the instant, when I saw the loveliest of all +ladies, I fell into the deepest, fondest affection for her. The old fellow said, +with simpers, that she was the daughter of his brother Pietro, who had died in +Senegaglia, that her name was Marianna, and that, as she had no mother, and +neither brothers nor sisters, he had taken her into his house. You may imagine +that from that time forth Capuzzi's dwelling was my paradise. But, scheme as I +might, I could never be alone with Marianna for a single instant; yet her eyes, +as well as many a stolen sigh, and even many a pressure of the hand, left me in +no doubt of my happiness. The old man found this out, and it was not a very +difficult matter. He told me that he was by no means pleased with my behaviour +to his niece, and asked me what I meant by it. I candidly confessed that I loved +her with all my soul, and could imagine no more perfect bliss on earth than to +make her my wife. On this, Capuzzi eyed me up and down, broke into sneering +laughter, and said that he could not have imagined that ideas of the kind could +have haunted the brain of a wretched hairdresser. My blood got up: I said he +knew very well that I was by no means a mere wretched hairdresser, but a skilled +surgeon, and, more than that, as concerned the glorious art of painting, a +faithful scholar and pupil of the grand Annibale Caracci, and the unsurpassed +Guido Reni. On this the despicable Capuzzi broke out into louder laughter, and +squeaked out, in his abominable falsetto: 'Very good, my sweet Signor +Beard-curler, my talented Signor Surgeon, my charming Annibale Caracci, my most +beloved Guido Reni, <i>go to all the devils</i>, and don't show that nose of yours +inside my door again, unless you want every bone in your body broken.' And the +demented old totterer actually took hold of me with no less +an idea in his head than that of chucking me out of the door +and downstairs. But this was rather more than could be endured. I was furious, +and I seized hold of the fellow, turned him topsy-turvy, with his toes pointing +to the ceiling (screaming at the top of his lungs), and ran downstairs and out +of the door, which was from thenceforth closed against me.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Matters were in this position when you came to Rome, and +Heaven inspired the good Father Bonifazio to conduct me to you; and then, when +that had happened, through your cleverness, which I had striven after in vain, +when the Academy of San Luca had admitted me, and all Rome +was praising and honouring me above my desert, I went straight +away to the old man, and appeared suddenly before him in his room like a +threatening spectre. That is what I must have seemed like to him, for he turned +as pale as death, and drew back behind a table, trembling in every limb. In a +grave, firm voice, I told him that I was not now the Beard-curler and Surgeon, +but the celebrated Painter, and Member of the Academy of San Luca, Antonio +Scacciati, to whom he could not refuse his niece's hand. You should have seen +the fury into which the old man fell. He yelled, he beat about him with his +arms, he cried out that I was a remorseless murderer, seeking to take his life, +that I had stolen his Marianna away from him, as I had counterfeited her in the +picture which drove him to madness and despair. That now all the world--all the +world--was looking at his Marianna, his life, his hope, his everything, with +longing, coveting eyes; but that I had better be careful, for he would burn the +house down about my ears, and make an end of me and my picture together. And on +this he began to vociferate, and scream out so loudly, +'Fire!--murder!--thieves!--help!' that I thought of nothing but getting out of +the house as speedily as possible.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You see that this old lunatic Capuzzi is over head and ears +in +love with his niece. He keeps her shut up, and, if he can get +a dispensation, he will force her to the most horrible marriage conceivable. All +hope is at an end."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why not, indeed?" said Salvator, laughing. "For my part, I +think, rather, that your affairs could not possibly be in a better position. +Marianna loves you--you know that well enough--and all that has to be done is to +get her out of the clutches of this old lunatic. Now I really do not see what +should prevent two adventurous, sturdy fellows, like you and me, from +accomplishing this. Keep up your heart, Antonio! Instead of lamenting, and +getting to be love-sick and powerless, the thing to do is to keep thinking on +Marianna's rescue. Just watch, Antonio, how we will lead the old donkey by the +nose. The very wildest undertakings are not wild enough for me, in circumstances +like those. This very moment I shall set to work to see what more I can find out +about the old fellow and all his ways of life. You must not let yourself be seen +in this, Antonio. Go you quietly home, and come to me to-morrow as early as you +can, that we may consider the plan for our first attack."</p> + +<p class="normal">With that Salvator washed his brushes, threw on his cloak, and +hastened to the Corso; whilst Antonio, comforted, and with fresh hope in his +heart, went home, as Salvator had enjoined him.</p> + +<hr class="W20"> + +<p class="hang1">Signor Pasquale Capuzzi makes his appearance in Salvator +Rosa's +abode.--What happened there.--Rosa and Scacciati's artful +stratagem, and its consequences.</p> + +<p class="continue">Antonio was not a little surprised, the next morning, when +Salvator gave him the most minute account of Capuzzi's whole manner of life, +which, in the interval, he had found out all about. Salvator said the miserable +Marianna was tortured by the crack-brained old scoundrel in the most fiendish +manner. That he sighed, and made love to her all day long; and, what was worse, +by way of touching her heart, sang to her all sorts of amorous ditties and arias +which he had composed, or attempted to compose. Moreover, he was so madly +jealous that he would not allow this much-to-be-compassionated girl even the +usual female attendance, for fear of love-intrigues to which the Abigail might +possibly be corrupted. "Instead of that," Salvator went on, "there comes, every +morning and evening, a little horrible, ghastly spectre of a creature, with +hollow eyes, and pale, flabby, hanging cheeks, to do what a maid-servant ought +to do for the beautiful Marianna. And this spectre is none other than that tiny +hop-o-my-thumb Pitichinaccio, dressed in woman's clothes. When Capuzzi is away, +he carefully locks and bars all the doors; and besides that, watch and ward is +kept by that infernal fellow who was once a Bravo, afterwards a Sbirro, who +lives downstairs in Capuzzi's house. Therefore it seems impossible to get inside +the door. But I promise you, Antonio, that to-morrow night you shall be in the +room with Capuzzi, and see your Marianna, though, this time, only in Capuzzi's +presence."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" cried Antonio, "is that which appears to me an +impossibility going to come to pass to-morrow night?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hush, Antonio!" said Salvator; "let us calmly reflect how the +plan which I have hit upon is to be carried out. To begin with, I must tell you +that I have a certain connection with Signor Capuzzi which I was not aware of. +That wretched spinett standing in the corner there is his property, and I am +supposed to be going to pay him the exorbitant price of ten ducats for it. When +I had got somewhat better after my illness, I had a longing for music, which is +consolation and recreation to me. I asked my landlady to get hold of an +instrument of that sort for me. Dame Caterina soon found out that a certain old +fellow in Strada Ripetta had an old spinett for sale. It was brought here, and I +troubled myself neither about the price nor about the owner. It was only last +night that I discovered that it was our honourable Signor Capuzzi who was going +to swindle me with his old, broken-down instrument. Dame Caterina had applied to +an acquaintance who lives in the house with Capuzzi, and, in fact, on the same +storey; so that now you see where I got all my information from."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha!" cried Antonio; "thus is the means of admission +discovered. Your landlady----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know what you are going to say," said Salvator. "You think +the way to your Marianna is through Dame Caterina. That would never do at all. +Dame Caterina is much too talkative; she can't keep the most trifling secret, +and is therefore by no means to be made use of in our undertaking. Listen to me, +quietly. Every evening, when the little Castrato has done the maid-servant work, +Signor Pasquale Capuzzi carries him home in his arms, difficult as that job is, +considering the shakiness of his own old knees. Not for all the world would the +timorous Pitichinaccio set foot on the pavement at that time of the night. Very +good; when----"</p> + +<p class="normal">At this moment a knock came to Salvator's door, and, to the no +small astonishment of both, in came Signor Pasquale Capuzzi in all his glory. As +soon as he saw Scacciati he stood still, as if paralysed in every limb, opened +his eyes wide, and panted for air as if his breath would fail him. But Salvator +hurried up to him, took him by both hands, and cried out: "My dear Signor +Pasquale! how highly honoured I am that you should visit me in my humble +lodging. Doubtless it is the love of art that brings you. You wish to look at +what I have been doing lately; perhaps you are even going to honour me with a +commission. Tell me, dear Signor Pasquale, wherein I can do you a pleasure."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have to speak with you," stammered Capuzzi, with +difficulty, "dear Signor Salvator; but, alone; when you are by yourself. Allow +me to take my departure for the present, and come back at a more convenient +time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"By no means, my dear Signor," said Salvator, holding the old +man fast. "You must not go. You could not possibly have come at a more +convenient time, for, as you are a great honourer of the noble art of painting, +it will give you no small joy when I present to you here Antonio Scacciati, the +greatest painter of our time, whose glorious picture, the marvellous 'Magdalene +at the Saviour's feet,' all Rome regards with the utmost enthusiasm. No doubt +you are full of the picture, like the rest, and have been anxious to make the +painter's acquaintance."</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man was seized by a violent trembling. He shook like +one in the cold stage of a fever, sending, the while, burning looks of rage at +Antonio; who, however, went up to him with easy courtesy, declaring that he +thought himself fortunate to meet Signor Pasquale Capuzzi, whose profound +knowledge of music, as well as of painting, not only Rome, but all Italy +admired, and he recommended himself to his protection.</p> + +<p class="normal">It restored the old fellow to his self-control that Antonio +treated him as if he met him for the first time, and addressed him in such +flattering terms. He forced himself to a sort of simpering smile, and (Salvator +having let go his hands) softly stroked the points of his moustaches +heavenwards, stammered a few unintelligible words, and then turned to Salvator, +whom he attacked on the subject of the payment of the ten ducats. "We will +settle that every-day little affair afterwards," said Salvator. "First let it +please you to look at the sketches which I have made for a picture, and, as you +do so, to drink a glass of good Syracuse." Salvator placed his sketches on the +easel, drew up a chair for the old gentleman, and, when he had seated himself, +handed him a large, beautiful goblet, in which the noble Syracuse was sparkling.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man was only too fond of a glass of good wine, when he +had not to pay for it; and, moreover, as he was expecting to receive ten ducats +for a worn-out, rickety spinett, and was seated before a boldly sketched-in +picture, whose wonderful beauty he was quite capable of appreciating, he could +not but feel exceedingly happy in his mind. This satisfaction he gave expression +to, smirking quite pleasantly, stroking his chin and moustaches assiduously, +half closing his eyes, and whispering, time after time, "Glorious! Precious!" +without its clearly appearing whether he referred to the picture or to the wine.</p> + +<p class="normal">As he had now become quite friendly, Salvator said, suddenly: +"Tell me, my dear sir, is it not the case that-you have a most beautiful niece, +of the name of Marianna? All our young fellows are continually rushing to the +Strada Ripetta, impelled by love-craziness. They give themselves cricks in the +neck with gazing up at your balcony in the hope of seeing her, and catching a +glance from her heavenly eyes."</p> + +<p class="normal">The complacent smirk disappeared instantly from the old man's +face, and all the good humour with which the wine had inspired him vanished. +Gazing before him gloomily, he said, in a harsh voice: "See there the profound +corruption of our sinful youth, who fasten their diabolical looks on children, +detestable seducers that they are!--for I assure you, my dear sir, my niece +Marianna is a mere child--a mere child scarce out of the nursery!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator changed the subject. The old man recovered his +composure; but when, with new sunshine in his face, he placed the full goblet to +his lips, Salvator set on him again, with: "Tell me, my dear Signor, has your +niece (that young lady of sixteen), the lovely Marianna, really that wonderful +chestnut-brown hair, and those eyes, full of the rapture and bliss of Heaven, +which we see in Antonio's Magdalene? That is what is everywhere said."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can't say," cried the old man, in an angrier tone than +before. "Don't let us refer to my niece; we can exchange words of more +importance on the subject of the noble art to which your beautiful picture +itself leads us."</p> + +<p class="normal">But as, whenever the old man took up the goblet and placed it +to his lips to take a good draught, Salvator again began to speak of the +beautiful Marianna, Pasquale at last sprung from his chair in fury, banged the +goblet down on the table with such violence that it was nearly being broken, and +cried in a screaming voice: "By the black, hellish Pluto, by all the Furies, you +make the wine poison--poison to me. But I see how it is. You, and your fine +Signor Antonio along with you, think you will make a fool of me; but you won't +find it quite so easy. Pay me this instant the ten ducats you owe me, and I will +leave you and your comrade, the beard-curler Antonio, to all the devils."</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator cried out as if overcome by the most furious anger, +"What! You dare to treat me in this manner in my own lodging? Pay you ten ducats +for that rotten old box, out of which the worms have long since gnawed all the +marrow, all the sound! Not ten, not five, not three, not a single ducat will I +pay you for that spinett, which is scarcely worth a quattrino. Away with the +crippled old thing," and therewith Salvator sent the little spinett spinning +round and round with his foot, its strings giving out a loud wail of sorrow.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha!" screamed Capuzzi, "there is still law in Rome. I will +have +you put in prison, into the deepest dungeon;" and, growling +like a thunder-cloud, he was making for the door. But Salvator put both his arms +about him, set him down in the chair again, and whispered in his ear in dulcet +tones, "My dear Signor Pasquale, do you not see that I am only joking? Not ten, +thirteen ducats you shall have for your spinett," and went on repeating into his +ear, "thirteen bright ducats," so long and so often that Capuzzi said, in a +faint, feeble voice, "What say you, dear sir? Thirteen ducats for the spinett, +and nothing for the repairs?" Then Salvator let him go, and assured him, on his +honour, that in an hour's time the spinett should be worth thirty--forty ducats, +and that he, Capuzzi, should get that sum for it.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man, drawing breath, murmured: with a deep sigh, +"Thirty--forty ducats!" Then he added, "But you have greatly enraged me, Signor +Salvator." "Thirty ducats," reiterated Salvator. The old man blinked his eyes. +But then again, "You have wounded me to the heart, Signor Salvator." "Thirty +ducats," said Salvator again and again, till at length the old man said, quite +appeased, "If I can get thirty or forty ducats for my spinett, all will be +forgotten and forgiven, dear Signor."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But before I fulfil my promise," said Salvator, "I have one +little stipulation to make which you, my worthy Signor Pasquale Capuzzi di +Senegaglia, can easily comply with. You are the first composer in all Italy, +and, into the bargain, the very finest singer that can possibly be found. I have +listened with rapture to the grand scena in the opera 'Le Nozze di Teti e di +Peleo,' which the villain Francesco Cavalli has cribbed from you and given out +as his own. If you would be good enough to sing me that aria during the time +that I am setting the spinett to rights, I cannot imagine anything more +delightful that could happen to me."</p> + +<p class="normal">The old fellow screwed his face up into the most sugary smile +imaginable, twitched his eyebrows, and said, "It is easy to see that you are a +fine musician yourself, Signor, for you have taste, and you can value people +better than the unthankful Romans. Listen, listen to the aria of all arias."</p> + +<p class="normal">He rose up, stood on the extreme points of his tiptoes, +stretched out his arms, and closed both his eyes (so that he was exactly like a +cock making ready for a crow), and immediately began to utter such a terrible +screeching that the walls resounded again, and Dame Caterina came rushing in +with her two daughters, having no other idea than that the terrible howling +indicated the happening of some signal disaster. They stood completely +bewildered in the doorway when they became aware of the old gentleman crooning +in this manner, thus constituting themselves the audience of this unheard-of +virtuoso, Capuzzi.</p> + +<p class="normal">But as this was going on, Salvator had set the spinett to +rights, shut down the top of it, taken his palette and set to work to paint, in +bold touches, upon the very cover of the spinett, the most wonderful subject +imaginable. The principal theme of it was a scene from Cavalli's opera, 'Le +Nozze di Teti;' but there was mingled with this, in utterly fantastic fashion, a +whole crowd of other characters, amongst whom were Capuzzi, Antonio, Marianna +(exactly as she appeared in Antonio's picture), Salvator himself, Dame Caterina +and her daughters, and even the Pyramid Doctor, and all so genially and +comprehendingly pourtrayed, that Antonio could not conceal his delight at the +Maestro's talent and technique.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old fellow by no means restricted himself to the scena +which Salvator had asked him for, but went on singing, or rather crowing, +without cessation, working his way through the most terrible recitatives from +one diabolical aria to another. This may have +gone on for some two hours or so, till he sank down into an +arm-chair, cherry-brown of countenance. By that time, however, Salvator had got +so far with his sketch that everything in it appeared to be alive, and the +effect of it, when seen a little way off, was that of a finished picture.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have kept my promise as regards the spinett, dear Signor +Capuzzi," Salvator whispered into the old man's ear, and Capuzzi sprang up like +one awaking from sleep. His eyes fell on the painted spinett; he opened them +wide, as if looking upon a miracle, crammed his peaked hat down on to his +periwig, took his crook-headed stick under his arm, made one jump to the +spinett, wrenched the cover of it out of the hinges, and ran, like one +possessed, out of the door, down the steps, and off and away out of the house, +whilst Dame Caterina and her daughters accompanied his exit with bursts of +laughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The old skinflint knows very well," said Salvator, "that he +has only to take the painted top of the spinett to Count Colonna, or to my +friend Rossi, to get forty ducats, or more, for it in a moment."</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator and Antonio now set about considering the plan of +attack which they were about to carry out on the following night. We shall +presently see what it was, and what was the success of their attempt.</p> + +<p class="normal">When night came, Pasquale, after carefully bolting and barring +up his house, carried the little monster of a Castrato home. The little creature +mewed and complained all the way, that not only was he compelled to sing his +lungs into a consumption over Capuzzi's arias, and burn his hands with cooking +of macaroons, but, into the bargain, was employed in a service which brought him +in nothing but cuffs on the ears and sound kicks, which Marianna dealt out to +him in ample measure whenever he came into her vicinity. The old gentleman +comforted him as well as he could, promising to supply him more plentifully with +sugar- +stuff than he had hitherto done, and even going so far as to +enter into a solemn undertaking (inasmuch as the little wretch would not cease +whining and lamenting) to have a little Abbate's coat made for him out of an old +black plush doublet, which he had often looked upon with envious glances. He +demanded, besides, a periwig and a sword. Discussing those matters, they reached +the Strada Vergognona, for that was where Pitichinaccio lived, and, indeed, only +four doors from Salvator.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man set the little creature carefully down, and opened +the door. Then they went up the narrow steps, more like a hen's ladder than +anything else; but scarcely had they got half-way up when they became aware of a +tremendous raging on the storey above, and a wild drunken fellow made his voice +heard, calling upon all the devils in hell to show him the way out of this +accursed, haunted house. Pitichinaccio, who was in front, pressed himself close +to the wall and implored Capuzzi to go on first, for the love of all the saints. +Scarcely, however, had Capuzzi gone a step or two up when the fellow from above +came stumbling down the stairs, came upon Capuzzi like a whirlwind, seized hold +of him, and went floundering down with him through the open door right into the +middle of the street. There they remained lying prostrate, Capuzzi nethermost, +and the drunken fellow on the top of him, like a heavy sack. Capuzzi screamed +pitifully for help, and immediately there appeared two men, who, with much +pains, eased Capuzzi of his burden, the drunken fellow, who went staggering away +as they did so.</p> + +<p class="normal">The two men were Salvator and Antonio, and they cried, "Jesus! +what has happened to you, Signor Capuzzi? What are you doing here at this time +of the night? You seem to have had some bad business going on in the house."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It's all over with me," groaned Capuzzi; "the hellhound has +broken every bone in my body. I can't move a muscle."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us see--let us see!" said Antonio; and he felt him all +over, giving him, in the course of his examination, a pinch in the right leg of +such shrewdness that Capuzzi uttered a yell.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Saints and angels!" ejaculated Antonio, "your right leg is +broken just at the most dangerous place. If it is not attended to immediately, +you are a dead man; or, at the very least, lamed for life."</p> + +<p class="normal">Capuzzi uttered a frightful howl. "Calm yourself, my dear +Signor," said Antonio. "Although I am a painter now, I have not forgotten my +surgery. We will carry you into Salvator's lodgings, and I will bandage you +properly at once."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dear Signor Antonio," whined Capuzzi, "you are inimically +minded towards me, I am aware."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" interposed Salvator, "there can be no question of enmity +in a case like this. You are in danger, and that is sufficient reason why the +honourable Antonio should devote all his skill to your service. Take hold of +him, friend Antonio."</p> + +<p class="normal">Together they lifted the old man up softly and carefully, and +carried him--crying out over the suffering which his broken leg caused him--to +Salvator's lodgings.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dame Caterina declared she had felt quite certain that +something was going to happen, and consequently hadn't been able to go to bed. +And when she saw the old gentleman and heard what had happened to him, she broke +out into reproaches as to his works and ways. "I know well enough, Signor +Pasquale, who it was that you were taking home, as usual. You think, as long as +you have your pretty niece Marianna at home with you, you don't require any +woman to do anything there, and you most shamefully and God-defiantly misuse +that poor creature of a Pitichinaccio, whom you dress up in woman's clothes. But +remember, <i>ogni carne ha il mio osso</i>--every flesh has its own bones. If you +have a girl in the house, you can't do without women. <i>Fate il passo secondo il +gamba</i>--don't stretch your legs farther than the bedcover goes, and don't do +more, nor less, than what is right for your Marianna. Don't shut her up like a +prisoner. Don't turn your house into a gaol. <i>Asino punto convien che +trotti</i>--one who has started on the road must go along. You have a pretty niece, +and you must arrange your life accordingly; that's to say, you mustn't do what +she doesn't wish. But you are an ungallant, hard-hearted man, and (I'm afraid I +must say, at your time of life), amorous and jealous into the bargain. You must +pardon me for saying all this straight out to your face, but you know <i>chi ha +nel petto fiele, non pu sputar miele</i>--what the heart is +full of comes out at the lips. If you don't die of this +accident of yours--as, at your time of life, it is to be feared you will--I hope +it will be a warning to you, and you'll leave your niece at liberty to do what +she wishes, and marry the charming young gentleman whom I think I know about."</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus did the stream of Dame Caterina's words flow on, whilst +Salvator and Antonio carefully undressed the old gentleman and laid him on the +bed. Dame Caterina's words were dagger-thrusts, which went deep into his heart; +but, whenever he tried to get in a word between them, Antonio impressed on him +that anything in the nature of talking was fraught with the utmost danger, so +that he was obliged to swallow the bitter pill of her utterances. Salvator at +length sent her away to get some iced water, which Antonio had ordered.</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator and Antonio convinced themselves that the fellow whom +they had employed had done his business most admirably. Beyond one or two blue +marks, Capuzzi had not suffered the slightest damage, frightful as his tumble +had the appearance of being. Antonio carefully put splints and bandages on his +right foot and leg, so that he could not move; and at the same time they wrapped +him in cloths soaked in iced water, on the pretext of keeping off fever, so that +he shivered as if he were in an ague.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My good Signor Antonio," he said, in faint accents, "tell me, +is it all over with me? Am I a dead man?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not excite yourself, Signor Pasquale," said Antonio.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As you bore the first application of the bandages so well, +and did not fall into a faint, I hope all danger is over; but the most careful +nursing is absolutely essential. The most important point is that the surgeon +must not let you be out of his sight for a moment."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, Antonio!" whined the old gentleman, "you know how fond I +am of you--what a high opinion I have of your talent! Don't leave me--give me +your dear hand! That is it! My dear, good son, you won't go away from me, will +you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Although I am no longer a surgeon," said Antonio, "although I +have cast away the abominable slavery of that calling to the four winds of +heaven, I do not mind making an exception in your case, Signor Pasquale, and I +undertake to cure you. The only thing which I ask of you in return is, that you +will give me back your friendship--your confidence; you have been a little hard +towards me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Say nothing about that," whispered the old fellow; "do not +let us allude to it, dear Antonio."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your niece," said Antonio, "will be half-dead with anxiety at +your not having come home. All things considered, you are wonderfully strong and +well, and we will move you to your own house as soon as it is daylight. When we +have got you there, I will have another look at your bandages, and see to the +bed upon which you are to be laid; and I will tell your niece all that will be +necessary to do in your case, so that you may very soon be quite better."</p> + +<p class="normal">The old gentleman heaved a very deep sigh, closed his eyes, +and remained silent for some moments. He then stretched his hand out toward +Antonio, drew him close to him, and said, in a whisper: "Tell me, dearest +Antonio, I am right, am I not, in supposing that all that about Marianna--my +niece--was merely your fun--the sort of jesting which gets into young fellows' +heads?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I beg you," said Antonio, "not to think about matters of that +sort at such a time as this. Put them out of your head altogether. It is +certainly true that your niece did attract my eyes a little; but I have very +different matters in my mind at present. And--I must tell you quite candidly--I +am very glad that you sent me and my foolish attempt to the right about so +speedily. I thought I was in love with Marianna, but it was merely that I saw in +her a splendid model for my Magdalene. I presume that is why I have become +completely indifferent to her since my picture was finished. I have no longer +the slightest interest in her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Antonio!" cried the old gentleman; "Antonio, blessed of +heaven! you are my comfort, my help, my consolation! If you are not in love with +Marianna, my troubles are at an end."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To tell you the truth, Signor Pasquale," said Salvator, "if +one did not know you to be a serious man, of great intelligence, very well aware +what is suitable to his advanced period of life, one would be disposed to fancy +that you were idiot enough to be in love with this niece of yours (a child of +sixteen) yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man closed his eyes again, and groaned and lamented +over the terrible sufferings he was enduring, which had returned with double +force.</p> + +<p class="normal">The morning-red came streaming through the window. Antonio +told the old gentleman it was time to take him to his own house in Strada +Ripetta. He answered with a deep, melancholy sigh. Salvator and Antonio lifted +him out of bed, and wrapped him in a large cloak of Dame Caterina's, which had +been her husband's. The old gentleman implored, for the love of all the saints, +that the shameful ice-cloths which were upon his bald head should be taken away, +and that he should wear his periwig and plumed hat; also that Antonio should, as +far as possible, arrange his moustaches, so that Marianna should not be too much +alarmed by his appearance. Two bearers, with a litter, were waiting at the door. +Dame Caterina, continually scolding at the old gentleman, and quoting proverbs +plentifully, brought down bedding, in which, carefully packed, and attended by +Salvator and Antonio, he was got home to his own house.</p> + +<p class="normal">When Marianna saw her uncle in this terrible condition, she +gave a loud cry, and a flood of tears burst from her eyes. Without paying any +attention to her lover, who was present, she took the old man's hands, pressed +them to her lips, and lamented over the sad misfortune which had befallen him. +Such was this good girl's compassion for the old fellow who tortured her with +his insane fondness for her. All the same the inborn nature of woman within her +displayed itself, for a few significant looks of Salvator's were amply +sufficient to let her understand the whole position of matters. It was only then +that she gave a stolen glance at the happy Antonio, blushing deeply as she did +so, and it was marvellous to see how a somewhat roguish smile victoriously +dispelled her tears. On the whole, Salvator had never thought that she was so +delightful, so wonderfully lovely (notwithstanding the Magdalene picture) as he +now found her actually to be. And whilst he almost envied Antonio his good +fortune, he felt doubly the necessity of getting the poor girl out of the +clutches of the accursed Capuzzi, at whatever cost.</p> + +<p class="normal">The latter, welcomed in this charming manner (which he by no +means deserved) by his delightful niece, forgot his troubles; he smiled, and +ogled, working his lips so that his moustaches went up and down; and he groaned +and whined, not so much from pain as from amorousness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonio skilfully prepared the bed for his patient, and when +he had been laid down upon it, tightened the bandages--and did so to such an +extent on the left leg, that the old gentleman had, perforce, to lie as +motionless as a wooden doll. Salvator went away, leaving the lovers to their +happiness.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old gentleman was lying buried in cushions, and Antonio +had, moreover, so bound a thick cloth soaked in ice-water about his head, that +he could not hear a trace of what the lovers were whispering; so they now, for +the first time, uttered all that was in their hearts, and vowed eternal +fidelity, with tears and the sweetest kisses. The old man could not possibly +have any suspicion, as Marianna, every now and then, kept asking him if there +was anything he wanted, and even permitted him to press her little white hand to +his lips. When it was high day, Antonio hastened away, according to his own +statement, to order what was further necessary for the patient, but, in reality, +to consider how he might possibly manage to keep him in a still more helpless +state, if he could, so that Salvator and he might reflect upon what steps were +to be taken in the next place.</p> + +<hr class="W20"> + +<p class="hang1">A fresh plot which Salvator and Antonio form, and carry out +upon Signor +Pasquale Capuzzi and his associates; and the results thereof.</p> + +<p class="continue">On the following morning Antonio came to Salvator, all +vexation and anger.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, how goes it?" Salvator cried to him. "What are you +hanging your head for, superlatively happy man, who can kiss and caress his +darling every day?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, Salvator!" answered Antonio; "it is all over with my +happiness. The devil delights in making me the sport of his tricks. Our plots +have all come to nothing, and we are at open war with the accursed Capuzzi."</p> + +<p class="normal">"So much the better! so much the better!" said Salvator. "But +tell me what has been happening."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Just imagine, Salvator," said Antonio. "When, yesterday, I +was going back to Strada Ripetta, after I had been gone about two hours, +bringing all sorts of essences, &c., there I saw the old gentleman standing at +his door, completely dressed. At his back were the Pyramid Doctor, and the +accursed Sbirro, whilst there was some little many-coloured object running in +and out amongst their legs; this, I believe, was that little abortion of a +Pitichinaccio. As soon as the old fellow saw me he menaced me with his fist, +uttered the most gruesome curses and maledictions, and swore he would have every +bone in my body broken if I dared to come to his door. 'Be off with you to all +the devils in Hell, cursed Beard-scratcher!' he croaked and screamed at me. 'You +thought to make a fool of me, with all sorts of infernal lies and deceptions; +you have striven like the very Satan himself to tempt and mislead my Marianna. +But wait a little. I will spend my last farthing, if necessary, in getting your +life-light snuffed out before you are aware of it. And as for your fine patron, +Signor Salvator--the murderer, the robber, the cheat-the-gallows!--he shall to +hell to join his leader, Mas' Aniello. Him I'll get kicked out of Rome; that +won't give me much trouble.' Thus did the old man rave; and as the cursed +Sbirro, egged on by the Pyramid Doctor, made as if he would set on me and attack +me, whilst the curious populace began to crowd round, what could I do but get +off as quickly as possible? In my despair I thought I should not come to you, +for I felt certain you would only laugh--and in fact you hardly can help doing +so at this moment."</p> + +<p class="normal">Indeed, when Antonio ceased speaking, Salvator did laugh +heartily.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," he cried, "now the affair is really beginning to become +most delightful. But I shall now tell you, circumstantially, +my +dear Antonio, what happened in Capuzzi's house when you had +gone +out. Scarcely had you got down-stairs, when Signor Splendiano +Accoramboni--who, heaven knows how, had found out that his +bosom +friend Capuzzi had broken his leg in the night--came, in the +most solemn state, to see him, bringing a surgeon with him. Your bandagings, and +your whole treatment of Capuzzi, could not but excite some suspicion; the +surgeon took the splints and bandages off, and of course found--what we know +very well--that there was nothing whatever the matter with Capuzzi's foot; not +so much as a sprained ankle. Very well; it did not require much acuteness to +find out the rest."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dearest Maestro," asked Antonio, full of amazement, "how +on earth did you manage to find out all this?--how could you get into Capuzzi's +house, and know all that went on?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I told you," said Salvator, "that in Capuzzi's house--and in +fact on the same storey with him--there lives an acquaintance of Dame +Caterina's. This acquaintance, the widow of a wine-merchant, has a daughter whom +my little Margerita often goes to see. Girls have a special faculty for finding +out others like themselves, and in this way Rosa (the wine-merchant's widow's +daughter) and Margerita soon discovered a little peep-hole in the dining-room, +which is the next room to a dark chamber which opens into Marianna's room. The +whisperings of the girls by no means escaped Marianna's notice, neither did the +peephole; so that the way to mutual communications was marked out, and taken +advantage of. When the old gentleman is having his afternoon nap, the girls have +a right good chatter to their heart's content. You have no doubt noticed that +little Margerita (her mother's favourite, and mine) is by no means so grave and +reserved as her elder sister Anna, but a droll, merry creature. Without having +exactly told her about your love affair, I have asked her to get Marianna to let +her know all that goes on in the house. In this she has proved very clever; and +if I, just now, laughed a little at your pain and despair, it was because I have +it in my power to prove to you that your affairs have just, for the first time, +got into an exceedingly favourable groove. I have a whole sackful of delightful +news for you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Salvator!" cried Antonio, his eyes bright with joy, "what +hopes dawn upon me! Blessings on the peephole in the dining-room. I can write to +Marianna--Margerita will take the note with her."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no, Antonio," said Salvator, "not quite that; Margerita +shall +do us good service without being exactly your go-between. +Besides, chance--which often plays strange tricks--might place your love-prattle +in the hands of old Capuzzi, and bring a thousand new troubles upon Marianna's +head, just at the moment when she is on the point of getting the amorous old +goose properly and completely under her little satin shoe. For just listen how +affairs are progressing. The style in which Marianna received him when he was +taken home has turned him round completely. He believes no less a thing than +that Marianna has ceased to care for you, but has given one half of her heart to +him, so that all he has to do is to get hold of the other half. Since she has +imbibed the poison of your kisses, she has all at once become some three years +cleverer and more experienced. She has not only convinced the old gentleman that +she had nothing to do with our escapade, but that she abhors the idea of it, and +would repel with the deepest scorn any plot which should have the object of +bringing you into her proximity. In the excess of his delight at this, he vowed +that if there should be anything he could do to please her, he would set about +it in a moment; she had but to give her wish a name. On this she very quietly +said what she would like would be that her <i>zio carissima</i> should take her to +the theatre outside the Porto del Popolo, to see Signor Formica. The old fellow +was somewhat startled by this, and consulted with the Pyramid Doctor and +Pitichinaccio; and the result is that Signor Pasquale and Signor Splendiano are +actually going to take Marianna to the said theatre to-morrow. Pitichinaccio is +to be dressed as a waiting-maid; but he only consented to this on condition that +Pasquale should give him a periwig, over and above the plush doublet, and that +he and the Pyramid Doctor should relieve each other, from time to time, of the +task of carrying him home at night. This has been all agreed upon; and this +remarkable three-bladed-clover will really go, to-morrow evening, with beautiful +Marianna, to see Signor Formica, at the theatre outside the Porto del Popolo."</p> + +<p class="normal">It is necessary now to say something as to this theatre, and +Signor Formica himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nothing can be sadder than when, at carnival time in Rome, the +<i>impressarii</i> have been unfortunate in their composers--when the +<i>primo tenore</i> of the Argentina has left his voice on the +road--when the <i>primo uomo da donna</i> in the Teatro Valle is down with the +influenza--in short, when the chief pleasures to which the Romans have been +looking forward have proved disappointments, and Giovedi Grasso has been shorn, +at one fell swoop, of all the hoped-for flowers which were expected to come at +that time into blossom. Immediately alter a melancholy carnival of this +description (in fact, the fasts were scarcely over) a certain Nicolo Musso +opened a theatre outside the Porto del Popolo, limiting himself to announcing +the performance of minor, improvised <i>buffonades</i>. His advertisement was couched +in a clever and witty style of wording, and from it the Romans formed in advance +a favourable opinion of Musso's undertaking, and would have done so even had +they not, in the unsatisfied state of their dramatic appetites, been eager to +snatch at anything of the kind that was offered to them. The arrangements of the +theatre--or rather of the little booth--could not be said to give evidence of +any very flourishing state of finances on the manager's part. There was no +orchestra; there were no boxes. There was a sort of gallery at the back of the +audience part of the house, adorned with the arms of the Colonnas--a mark that +the Conte Colonna had taken Murso and his theatre under his special protection. +The stage was a raised platform covered with carpets, and surrounded with +gay-coloured paper-hangings which had to serve for forests, interiors, or +streets, according to the requirements of the drama. As, moreover, the audience +had to be content with hard, uncomfortable wooden benches to sit upon, it is not +matter for wonder that the first set of spectators expressed themselves pretty +strongly on the subject of the audacity of Signor Musso in giving the name of a +theatre to this boarded booth. But scarcely had the two first actors who +appeared spoken a few words, when the audience became attentive. As the piece +went on, the attention became applause, the applause astonishment, and the +astonishment enthusiasm, which expressed itself in the most prolonged and stormy +laughter, hand-clapping, and cries of bravo!</p> + +<p class="normal">And, in truth, nothing more perfect could have been seen than +those improvised representations of Nicolo Musso's which sparkled with wit, fun, +and <i>esprit</i>, castigating the follies of the day with unsparing lash. The +performers all rendered their parts with incomparable distinctiveness of +character, but the "Pasquarello" more particularly carried the house away with +him bodily, by his inimitable play of gesture, and a talent for imitating +well-known personages, in voice, walk, and manner, by his inexhaustible +drollery, and the extraordinary originality of the ideas which struck him. This +actor, who called himself Signor Formica, seemed to be inspired by a very +remarkable and unusual spirit; often, in his tone and manner, there would be a +something so strange that the audience, while in the middle of a burst of the +heartiest laughter, would suddenly feel a species of cold shiver. Almost on a +par with him, and a worthy compeer, was the "Dr. Graziano" of the troupe, who +had a play of feature, a voice, a power of saying the most delightful things in, +apparently, the most foolish manner, to which nothing in the world could be +likened. This "Doctor Graziano" was an old Bolognese, of the name of Maria +Aglia. As a matter of course, all the fashionable world of Rome soon came +thronging to the little theatre outside the Porto del Popolo. The name of +Formica was on everybody's lips; and in the streets as in the theatre, all +voices were crying, with the utmost enthusiasm, "Oh, Formica! Formica benedetto! +Oh, Formicisimo!" He was looked upon as a supernatural being; and many an old +woman, ashake with laughter in the theatre, would (if anybody ventured to +criticise Formica's action in the slightest degree) turn grave, and say, with +the utmost seriousness and solemnity--</p> + +<p class="center">"Scherza coi fanti e lascia star santi."</p> + +<p class="continue">This was because, out of the theatre, Formica was an +unfathomable mystery. No one ever saw him anywhere, and every attempt to come +upon his traces was vain. Nothing as to where he lived could be got out of +Musso.</p> + +<p class="normal">Such was the theatre to which Marianna wished to go.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us fly straight at our enemies' throats," Salvator said; +"the walk home from the theatre to the town offers us a most admirable +opportunity."</p> + +<p class="normal">He then communicated a plan to Antonio, which seemed very +risky and daring, but which the latter adopted with delight, thinking it would +enable him to rescue his Marianna from the abominable Capuzzi; moreover, it +pleased him well that Salvator made one great feature of it the punishing of the +Pyramid Doctor.</p> + +<p class="normal">When evening came, Salvator and Antonio each took a guitar, +went to Strada Ripetta, and (by way of annoying old Capuzzi) treated the lovely +Marianna to the most exquisite <i>serenata</i> imaginable. For Salvator played and +sang like a master, and Antonio had a lovely tenor voice, and was almost an +Odoardo Ceccarelli. Signor Pasquale of course came out on to the balcony, and +scolded down at the singers, ordering them to hold their peace; but the +neighbours, whom the beautiful music had brought to their windows, cried out to +him, asking him whether, as he and his friends were in the habit of howling and +screaming like all the demons in hell, he wouldn't suffer such a thing as a +little <i>good</i> music in the street? Let him be off into the house, they said, and +stop his ears, if he didn't want to hear the beautiful singing. Thus Signor +Pasquale was obliged, to his torture, to endure Salvator and Antonio's singing, +all night long--songs which at times consisted of the sweetest words of love, +and at others ridiculed the folly of amorous old men. They distinctly saw +Marianna at the window, and heard Pasquale adjuring her, in the most honeyed +terms, not to expose herself to the night air.</p> + +<p class="normal">The next evening there passed along the street towards the +Porto del Popolo the strangest group of persons ever seen. They attracted all +eyes, and people asked each other if some strange survival of the Carnival had +preserved two or three mad maskers. Signor Pasquale Capuzzi, in his +many-coloured, well-brushed Spanish suit, a new yellow feather in his +steeple-crowned hat, tightly belted and buckled, all tenderness and grace, +tripping along on shoes too tight for him, as if treading on eggs, conducted on +his arm the lovely Marianna, whose pretty figure, and still more beautiful face, +could not be seen, in consequence of the extraordinary manner in which she was +wimpled and wrapped up in a cloak and hood. On her other side tripped along +Signor Splendiano Accoramboni in his enormous wig, which covered the whole of +his back, so that, when seen from behind, he looked like some enormous head +moving along on two diminutive legs. Close behind Marianna, almost clinging on +to her, came, in crab-like fashion, the little hideosity of a Pitichinaccio, in +flame-coloured female dress, with his hair bedecked, in the most repulsive +style, with flowers of all the colours of the rainbow.</p> + +<p class="normal">On this particular evening Signor Formica even surpassed +himself; +and--what he had never done before--he introduced little +snatches of songs, imitating various well-known singers. In old Capuzzi this +awoke all the old delight in theatrical matters which in former days had been a +regular mania with him. He kissed Marianna's hands over and over again, and +vowed that he certainly would bring her to Nicolo Musso's theatre every night +without fail. He extolled Signor Formica to the very skies, and joined most +heartily in the uproarious applause of the rest of the audience. Signor +Splendiano was less content, and repeatedly begged Signor Capuzzi and Marianna +not to laugh so very immoderately. He named, in one breadth, some twenty +maladies which were liable to be brought on by over-agitation of the diaphragm; +but neither the one nor the other gave themselves any trouble on the subject. +Pitichinaccio was thoroughly unhappy. He had been obliged to sit just behind the +Pyramid Doctor, who so overshadowed him with his enormous wig that he could not +see the smallest peep of the stage, nor of the characters upon it; moreover, he +was tortured by two facetious women who were sitting beside him, and who kept on +calling him "Charming, pretty signora," and asking him whether he was married, +for all he was so young, and had nice little children, who must be the dearest +little things imaginable, &c., &c. Drops of cold perspiration stood on the poor +little creature's brow; he whimpered and whined, and cursed the hour when he was +born.</p> + +<p class="normal">When the acting was over, Signor Pasquale waited till every +one had left the house; and as the last of the lamps was being put out, Signor +Splendiano lighted at it the stump of a wax candle, and they set forth on their +homeward way. Pitichinaccio whined and cried; Capuzzi, to his torment, had to +take him on his left arm, having Marianna on his right; before them went Doctor +Splendiano with his candle-stump, whose feeble rays made the darkness of the +night seem deeper.</p> + +<p class="normal">While they were still some distance from the Porto del Popolo, +they found themselves suddenly surrounded by several tall figures, thickly +wrapped in cloaks. The Doctor's candle was instantly snatched from +his hand, and went out on the ground. Capuzzi and the Doctor +stood speechless and amazed. Then there fell (it was not clear from whence) +a faint reddish glimmer upon the cloaked figures, and four +pale death's-heads were seen staring at the Pyramid Doctor, with hollow, fearful +eyes. "Woe! woe! woe unto thee, Splendiano Accoramboni!" howled the terrible +spectres, in deep, hollow tones. Then one of them wailed out, "Knowest thou me? +knowest thou me, Splendiano? I am Cordier, the French painter, buried last week; +sent under-ground by thee, with thy drugs!" Then the second: "Knowest thou <i>me</i>, +Splendiano? I am Kueffner, the German painter, whom thou didst poison with thy +hellish electuaries!" Then the third: "Knowest thou <i>me</i>, Splendiano? I am +Liers, the Fleming, whom thou didst murder with thy pills, cheating his brother +out of his pictures!" Then the fourth: "Knowest thou <i>me</i>, Splendiano? I am +Ghigi, the Neapolitan painter, whom thou didst slay with thy powders!" Finally, +all the four cried out in quartet, "Woe! woe to thee, Splendiano Accoramboni, +accursed Pyramid Doctor! Thou must away!--away with us!--down, down under the +earth! On!--on with thee! Halloh!--halloh!" Therewith they seized the luckless +Doctor, heaved him up, and disappeared with him like the storm-wind.</p> + +<p class="normal">Sorely as terror was like to overcome Pasquale, he collected +himself, and took heart of grace with wonderful courage, when he saw that this +affair only concerned his friend Accoramboni. Pitichinaccio had put his head, +flowers and all, under Pasquale's cloak, and was clinging so tightly about his +neck that it was impossible to shake him off.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Recover yourself," said Capuzzi to Marianna, when nothing +more was to be seen of the spectres or of the Pyramid Doctor. "Recover yourself! +Come to me, my sweet, darling little dove! My good friend Splendiano is gone. +May Saint Bernard, who was a doctor himself, stand by him and defend him, if +those revengeful painters, whom he sent to that Pyramid of his rather before +their time, are going to twist his windpipe. Ah! who will take the bass parts in +my canzonet now, I should like to know? And this creature here, Pitichinaccio, +is squeezing my throat to that extent that, what with that, and what with the +fright at seeing Splendiano spirited away, I dare say it'll be three months good +before I can get out a single note in tune! Don't you be frightened, my own +sweetest Marianna!--it is all over."</p> + +<p class="normal">Marianna declared that she had quite recovered from the +fright, and only begged him to let her walk by herself to enable him to get quit +of his troublesome lap-child; but he only held her the tighter, and vowed that +no consideration in the world would induce him to allow her to venture a single +step by herself in the terrible darkness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Just then, as Capuzzi was going to step courageously forward, +there suddenly rose before him, as if from the depths of the earth, four +terrible-looking figures of devils, in short cloaks of glittering +red, who glared at him with fearful eyes, and began making a +horrible croaking and squeaking. "Hup! hup!" they cried. +"Pasquale Capuzzi!--idiotic fool!--amorous old donkey! We are comrades of yours; +we are love-devils; and we have come to carry you down to the hottest hell, you +and your bosom-friend there, Pitichinaccio!" Thus screaming, the devils fell +upon Capuzzi, and he, with Pitichinaccio, went down, both of them raising +piercing yells of distress like those of a whole herd of beaten donkeys.</p> + +<p class="normal">Marianna had forcibly torn herself away from the old fellow, +and sprung to one side, where one of the devils folded her softly in his arms, +and said, in a sweet voice of affection: "Oh, Marianna! my own Marianna! it has +all come right at last. My friends are taking the old man a long distance off, +while we find some place of safety to fly to."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My own Antonio!" Marianna whispered softly.</p> + +<p class="normal">Suddenly a bright glare of torches lightened up the place, and +Antonio felt himself stabbed on the shoulder-blade. Quick as lightning he turned +round, drew his sword, and attacked the fellow, who was aiming a second stab +with his stiletto. He saw that his three friends were defending themselves +against a much stronger force of Sbirri. He managed to beat off the man who was +attacking him, and to join his friends; but, bravely as they fought, the +struggle was too unequal, and the Sbirri must unfailingly have had the best of +it, had not two men suddenly burst, with loud shouts, into the ranks of the +young fellows, one of whom immediately floored the Sbirro who was taxing Antonio +the hardest.</p> + +<p class="normal">The fight was now speedily decided to the disadvantage of the +Sbirri, and those of them who were not on the ground wounded, fled with loud +cries towards the Porto del Popolo.</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator Rosa--for it was no other who had hastened to +Antonio's help, and struck down the Sbirro--was for starting off without more +ado, with Antonio and the young painters who were in the devils' dresses, after +the Sbirri to town.</p> + +<p class="normal">Maria Agli, who had come with him, and, notwithstanding his +years, had set to with the Sbirri like the others, thought this was not +advisable, as the guard at the Porto del Popolo, informed of the affair, would +of course arrest them all. So they betook themselves to Nicolo Musso, who +received them gladly in his small abode not far from the theatre. The painters +took off their devils' masks and their cloaks rubbed with phosphorus; and +Antonio--who, save for the unimportant prick in his shoulder, was not at all +hurt--brought his surgical skill into play, all the others having wounds, though +none of any importance.</p> + +<p class="normal">The plot, so daringly and skilfully contrived, would have +succeeded had not Salvator and Antonio left one person out of account; and that +person ruined it all. Michele, the ex-Bravo and Sbirro, who lived downstairs in +Capuzzi's house, and was a kind of servant to him, had, by his wish, gone behind +him to the theatre, but at some distance, as the old man was ashamed of his +tattered and scoundrelly appearance. In the same way, Michele had followed on +the homeward way; so that, when the spectres appeared, Michele--who really did +not fear death or +devil--smelt a rat, ran, in the darkness, straight away to the +Porto del Popolo, gave the alarm, and came back with the Sbirri, who, as we +know, arrived just at the moment when the devils fell upon Signor Pasquale, and +were going to take him away, as the dead men had taken the Pyramid Doctor.</p> + +<p class="normal">Bat in the thick of the fight, one of the young painters had +distinctly seen a fellow hurrying away towards the gate with Marianna, in a +fainting state, in his arms, followed by Pasquale, who was rushing along at an +incredible rate, as if his veins were running quicksilver. There was, moreover, +some glimmering object visible by the torch-light hanging on to his cloak, and +whining, probably Pitichinaccio.</p> + +<p class="normal">Next morning Doctor Splendiano was discovered at the Pyramid +of Cestius, rolled up in a ball and immersed in his periwig, fast asleep, as +though in a warm, soft nest. When they woke him, he talked incoherently, and it +was hard to convince him that he was still in this visible life and, moreover, +in Rome. When, at length, he was taken to his house, he thanked the Virgin and +all the Saints for his rescue, threw all his tinctures, essences, electuaries, +and powders out of window, made a bonfire of his recipes, and for the future +healed his patients in no other manner than by laying his hands upon them and +stroking them, as a celebrated physician used to do before him (who was a Saint +into the bargain, but whose name I cannot think of at the moment), with much +success, for his patients died as well as the other's, and before their deaths +saw heaven open, and anything that the Saint pleased.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not know," said Antonio, next day, to Salvator, "what +fury has blazed up within me since some of my blood was spilt. Death and +destruction to the miserable, ignoble Capuzzi! Do you know, Salvator, that I +have made up my mind to get into his house by force; and if he makes any +resistance, I will run him through, and carry Marianna off."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Glorious idea!" exclaimed Salvator. "A truly happy +inspiration. I have no doubt you have also devised the means of carrying +Marianna through the air to the Piazza di Spagna, so that you may reach that +place of sanctuary before they have arrested you and hanged you! No, no, dear +Antonio, there is nothing to be done in this affair by violence, and you may be +quite certain that Signor Capuzzi will be too well prepared for anything in the +shape of an open attack. Besides this, our escapade has attracted a great deal +of attention; and more than that, the laughable style in which we set about our +little piece of entertainment with Splendiano and Capuzzi has had the effect of +waking the police up from their gentle slumbers, so that they will now be on the +watch for us, as far as their feeble powers enable them. No, Antonio, we must +resort to stratagem: '<i>Con arte e con inganno si vive mezzo l'anno; con inganno +e con arte si vive l'altro parte.</i>' That is what Dame Caterina says, and she is +quite right. I can't help laughing at our having set to work just as if we were +innocent boys; but it is my fault, chiefly, seeing that I have the advantage of +you in years. Tell me, Antonio, +if our plot had succeeded, and you had really carried Marianna +off, where should you have gone with her?--where could you have kept her +hidden?--how could you have got married by the priest so speedily that the old +man should not have managed to interfere? As it is, in a very few days you shall +actually carry her off. I have enlisted the aid of Nicolo Musso and Formica, +and in conjunction with them thought out a plan which scarcely can break down. +Comfort yourself, therefore, Signor Formica is going to help you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Signor Formica!" repeated Antonio, in an indifferent, almost +contemptuous tone; "and pray how can that 'funny-man' help me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ho, ho!" cried Salvator, "I must beg you to treat Signor +Formica with a proper amount of respect. Don't you know that he is a kind of +wizard, and has all sorts of wondrous secret arts at his command? I tell you, +Signor Formica is going to help you. And old Maria Agli, our great and grand +'Doctor Graziano,' of Bologna, has joined in our plot, and is going to play a +most important part in it. You shall carry your Marianna off from Musso's +theatre."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Salvator," said Antonio, "you are buoying me up with vain +hopes. You have said, yourself, that Capuzzi will be thoroughly on his guard +against any more open attacks; so, after what has happened to him already, how +can he possibly be induced to go to Musso's theatre another time?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not such a difficult matter as you suppose," answered +Salvator, "to get him to go back there again; the difficulty will be to induce +him to go without his companions, and to get him on to the stage. But however +that may be, you must now arrange matters with Marianna so as to be ready to fly +from Rome whenever the favourable moment arrives. You will have to go to +Florence. Your art will be an introduction to you there to begin with, and I +will take care that you shall not want for friends, or for valuable support and +assistance. We shall have to rest on our oars for a few days, and then we shall +see what more is to be done. Keep up your courage. Formica will help."</p> + +<br> +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">A Fresh Misfortune Comes Upon Signor Pasquale Capuzzi. Antonio +Scacciati Carries Out A Plot At Musso's Theatre, And Flies To +Florence.</span></p> + +<p class="normal">Signor Pasquale knew but too well who were the authors of the +trick played upon him and the poor Pyramid Doctor near the Porto del Popolo; and +we can imagine his rage with Antonio and with Salvator Rosa, whom he rightly +considered to be the prime mover in the matter. He did his utmost to console +Marianna, who was quite ill, from the fright--as she put it--but really from +disappointment and vexation at the accursed Michele's having carried her off, +with his Sbirri, from Antonio. Meanwhile, Margarita industriously brought her +tidings of her lover, and she based all her hopes and expectations upon the +enterprising Salvator. She waited most impatiently from day to day for anything +in the shape of fresh events, and vented her vexation upon the old gentleman by +a thousand teasings and naggings, which rendered him humble and submissive in +his foolish amourishness, but had not the effect of in any degree casting out +the love-devil by which he was possessed. When Marianna had poured out upon his +devoted head a full measure of all the evil caprices of a selfish girl, she had +only to suffer him to press his withered lips a single time upon her little +hand, and he would vow, in the excess of his delight, that he would never leave +off kissing the Pope's slipper till he had obtained his dispensation to marry +his niece, quintessence as she was of all beauty and loveliness. Marianna was +careful to do nothing to disturb this condition of delight, for those rays of +hope of her uncle's made her own to shine brighter--her hopes of being all the +nearer escaping him, the more firmly he believed himself to be united to her by +bonds which were indissoluble.</p> + +<p class="normal">Some time had elapsed when, one day, Michele came stumping +upstairs and announced to his master (who opened the door after a good deal of +knocking), with much prolixity, that there was a gentleman below who insisted, +most urgently, on speaking with Signor Pasquale Capuzzi, who, he was aware, +lived in that house.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, all ye heavenly hosts!" cried the old gentleman, in a +rage, "doesn't this lubber know as well as possible that I never speak with +strangers in the house!"</p> + +<p class="normal">But Michele said the gentleman was very well-looking, rather +elderly, and spoke exceedingly nicely, saying his name was Nicolo Musso.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nicolo Musso!" said Capuzzi, thoughtfully to himself; "Nicolo +Musso, who has the theatre outside the Porta del Popolo! What can he want with +me?" He carefully closed and bolted the door, and went down with Michele to talk +with Nicolo in the street.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear Signor Pasquale," said Nicolo, greeting him with an +easy courtesy, "how very much delighted I am that you honour me with +your acquaintance! How many thanks I owe you! Since the Romans +saw <i>you</i>--the man of the most acknowledged taste, of the most universal +knowledge, the virtuoso in art--in my theatre, my reputation, and my receipts, +have been doubled. All the more does it pain me that some wicked, malicious +fellows should have made a murderous attack upon you and your party as you were +going home from my theatre at night. For the love of all the Saints, Signor +Pasquale, do not form a prejudice against me and my theatre on account of an +affair of this sort, which could scarcely have been anticipated. Do not deprive +me of your patronage."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My good Signor Nicolo," said Capuzzi, flattered, "let me +assure you that I never, anywhere, found more pleasure than in your theatre. +Your Formica, your Agli, are actors, whose equals have still +to +be discovered; but the alarm which brought my friend +Splendiano Accoramboni--and indeed myself as well--nearly to death's door, was +too severe. It has closed to me for ever, not your theatre, but the road to it. +Open your theatre in the Piazza del Popolo, or in Strada Babuina, or Strada +Ripetta, and I shall never miss a single evening; but no power on earth would +induce me to set foot outside the Porto del Popolo at night."</p> + +<p class="normal">Nicolo sighed as if possessed by profound sorrow. "That hits +me hard," he said; "harder than you perhaps may suppose, Signor Pasquale. I had +based all my hopes upon you. In fact, I came to implore your assistance."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My assistance!" echoed the old gentleman; "my assistance! In +what way could that be of any use to you, Signor Nicolo?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear Signor Pasquale," answered Nicolo, passing his +handkerchief over his eyes as if wiping away a tear or two, "you will have +observed that my actors occasionally introduce a little aria or so here and +there; and my idea was to carry that further gradually; bring a small orchestra +together, and finally evade prohibitions so far as to start an opera. You, +Signor Capuzzi, are the first composer in all Italy, and it is only the +incredible frivolity of the Romans, and the envy of the <i>Maestri</i>, that are to +blame for the circumstance that anything except your compositions is to be heard +on the stage. Signor Pasquale, I came to beg you, on my knees, to allow me to +represent your immortal works in my theatre."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My good Signor Nicolo!" cried the old fellow, with bright +sunshine in his face, "why are we talking here in the public street? Will you be +kind enough to climb up a steep flight of stairs, and come with me into my +humble dwelling?"</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as he got into the room with Nicolo, he hauled out a +great packet of dusty music-manuscript, opened it up, turned pages over, and +began that frightful yelling and screeching which he called "singing." Nicolo +demeaned himself like one enraptured. He sighed, he groaned; he cried "bravo!" +from time to time, and "Bravissimo! Benedetto Capuzzi!" At length, as if in an +excess of blissful enthusiasm, he fell at the old man's feet, and clasped his +knees, hugging them so very tightly, however, that Capuzzi gave a great bound to +try and shake him off, screamed with the pain, and cried out: "All the Saints! +let me go, Signor Nicolo! you'll be the death of me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No!" cried Nicolo. "No, Signor Pasquale! I will not rise from +this spot till you promise to let me have that heavenly aria which you have just +rendered so magnificently, so that Formica may sing it two nights hence on my +stage."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a person of some taste," sighed Pasquale; "a man of +insight; to whom, rather than to you, should I intrust my compositions? You +shall take all my arias with you (Oh! oh! do let me go!) but, oh heavens! I +shall not hear them--my heavenly masterpieces! (Oh, oh! let go my legs, Signor +Nicolo!)"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No!" cried Nicolo, still on his knees, and firmly grasping +the old man's spindle-shanks like a vice. "No, Signor Pasquale! I will not let +you go till you give me your word that you will come to my theatre the evening +after to-morrow. Have no fear of being attacked again. You may be certain that, +when the Romans have heard those arias of yours, they will carry you home +triumphantly in a torchlight procession. But even if they do not, I and my +trusty comrades will arm, and escort you safely home."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You and your comrades will escort me home, will you?" +Pasquale inquired; "how many of them might there be?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Eight or ten people will be at your disposal, Signor +Pasquale. Make up your mind; decide upon coming, and yield to my earnest +prayers."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Formica," lisped Pasquale, "has a capital voice; how he +<i>would</i> sing my arias!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Decide on it," cried Nicolo once more, grasping the old man's +legs tighter than ever.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You promise me," said Pasquale; "you undertake to be +responsible that I get safe home without being set upon?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Upon my life and honour," said Nicolo, giving the legs an +extra grip.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Done!" cried the old gentleman. "The evening after to-morrow +I shall be at your theatre."</p> + +<p class="normal">Nicolo jumped up, and pressed the old man to his heart with +such violence that he coughed and gasped for breath.</p> + +<p class="normal">At this juncture Marianna came in. Pasquale tried to restrain +her by casting a grim look at her, but in vain. She went straight to Musso, and +said angrily: "It is of no use your trying to entice my dear uncle to go to your +theatre again. Remember that the horrible trick played upon me by abandoned +villains who have a plot against me nearly cost my darling uncle and his worthy +friend Splendiano their lives, not to mention myself. Never will I allow him to +run such a risk again. Cease your attempts, Nicolo. Dearest uncle! you will stay +quietly at home, will you not, and never venture outside the Porto del Popolo +again in the treacherous night, which is no one's friend?"</p> + +<p class="normal">This came upon Signor Pasquale like a clap of thunder. He +gazed at his niece with eyes widely opened; and presently addressed her in the +sweetest language, explaining to her at much length that Signor Nicolo had taken +the responsibility of making such arrangements that there should be no possible +risk of danger on the homeward way.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For all that," answered Marianna, "my opinion remains the +same, and I implore you most earnestly, dearest uncle, not to go. Excuse me, +Signor Nicolo, for speaking clearly in your presence, and uttering the dark +presentiment which I so strongly feel. I know that Salvator Rosa is a friend of +yours, and I have no doubt so is Antonio Scacciati. How if you were in collusion +with my enemies? How if you are tempting my uncle (who, I know, will not go to +your theatre unless I am with him) only to have a surer opportunity of carrying +out some fresh plot against him?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What an idea!" cried Nicolo, as if horrified. "What a +terrible suspicion to entertain, Signora! Have you had such an evil experience +of me in the past? Is my reputation such that you believe me capable of such a +frightful piece of treachery? But if you <i>do</i> think so badly of me--if you have +no confidence in the help I have promised--you can bring Michele (who was so +useful in rescuing you on the former occasion), and let him bring a good force +of Sbirri, who could be waiting for you outside; as you could scarcely expect +<i>me</i> to fill my house with Sbirri."</p> + +<p class="normal">Marianna, looking him steadfastly in the eyes, said earnestly: +"Since you suggest that, I see that you mean honourably, Signor Nicolo, and that +my evil suspicions of you were unfounded. Pray forgive my thoughtless words. Yet +I cannot overcome my anxiety, and my fear for my dearest uncle, and I again beg +him not to venture upon this dangerous expedition."</p> + +<p class="normal">Signor Pasquale had listened to the conversation with strange +looks, which clearly testified to the contest within him. He could now restrain +himself no longer; he fell on his knees before Marianna, seized her hands, +kissed them, covered them with tears which streamed from his eyes, and cried, as +if beside himself: "Heavenly and adored Marianna! the fire in my heart breaks +forth into flame! Ah! this anxiety, this fear on my account; what are they but +the sweetest admissions of your love for me?" He entreated her not to allow +herself to be alarmed in the very slightest degree, but to hear, on the stage, +the most lovely of the arias which the divinest of composers ever had written.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nicolo, too, continued the most pathetic entreaties, until +Marianna declared she was persuaded, and promised to lay aside all fear, and go +with her dear uncle to the theatre outside the Porto del Popolo.</p> + +<p class="normal">Signor Pasquale was in the seventh heaven of bliss. He had the +full conviction that Marianna loved him, and he was going to hear his own music +on the stage, and gather the laurels which he had so long been striving for in +vain. He was on the very point of finding his fondest dreams realized, and he +wanted his light to shine in all its glory on his faithful friends. His idea, +therefore, was that Signor Splendiano and little Pitichinaccio should go with +him, just as they had done on the former occasion.</p> + +<p class="normal">But in addition to the spectres who had carried him off, all +manner of direful apparitions had haunted Signor Splendiano on the night when he +slept in his periwig near the Pyramid of Cestius. The whole +burying-ground seemed to have come to life, and hundreds of +the dead had stretched their bony arms out at him, complaining loudly concerning +his essences and electuaries, the tortures of which were not abated even in the +tomb. Hence the Pyramid Doctor, though he could not contradict Signor Pasquale +when he held that the whole thing was only a trick performed by a parcel of +wicked young men, continued to be in a melancholy mood; and though, formerly, he +was not greatly prone to anything in the nature of superstition, he now saw +spectres everywhere, and was sorely plagued with presentiments and evil dreams.</p> + +<p class="normal">As for Pitichinaccio, nothing would persuade him that those +devils who fell upon him and Signor Pasquale were not real and veritable demons +from the flames of hell, and he screamed aloud whenever any one so much as +alluded to that terrible night. All Pasquale's assurances that it was only +Antonio Scacciati and Salvator Rosa who were behind those devil's masks were +unavailing; for Pitichinaccio vowed, with many tears, that, notwithstanding his +terror, he distinctly recognized the fiend Fanfarell, by his voice and +appearance, and that said Fanfarell had beaten his stomach black and blue.</p> + +<p class="normal">It may be imagined what trouble Signor Pasquale had to +persuade the Pyramid Doctor and Pitichinaccio to go with him again to Musso's +theatre. Splendiano did not agree to do so until he had succeeded in getting +from a monk of the Order of St. Bernard a consecrated bag of musk (the smell +whereof neither dead men nor devils can abide), with which he was proof against +all attacks. Pitichinaccio could not resist the promise of a box of grapes in +sugar, but Signor Pasquale had to expressly agree that he was not to wear female +attire (which, he thought, was what had brought the devils upon him), but go in +his Abbate's costume.</p> + +<p class="normal">What Salvator had dreaded seemed thus to be about to insist on +happening, although, as he declared, his whole plot depended for success upon +Signor Pasquale and Marianna going by themselves, without the faithful +companions, to Musso's theatre.</p> + +<p class="normal">Both he and Antonio cudgelled their brains how to keep +Splendiano and Pitichinaccio away; but there was not time enough to carry out +any plan having that for its aim, as the great stroke itself had to be struck on +the evening of the next day. But heaven--which often employs the oddest tools in +the punishment of foolish folk--interposed, in this instance, in favour of the +lovers, and so guided Michele that he gave the rein to his natural +dunderheadedness, and by that means brought about what the skill of Salvator and +Antonio was powerless to accomplish.</p> + +<p class="normal">On that self-same night there suddenly arose, in Strada +Ripetta before Pasquale's house, such a terrible swearing, shouting, and +quarrelling that all the neighbours started from their sleep, and the Sbirri +(who had been after a murderer who took sanctuary in the Piazza di Spagna), +supposing there was another murder going on, came hurrying up with their +torches. When they, and a crowd of people attracted by the noise who came with +them, arrived on the scene of the supposed murder, what was seen was poor little +Pitichinaccio lying on the ground as if dead; Michele belabouring the Pyramid +Doctor with a frightful cudgel, and the said Doctor in the act of falling down; +whilst Signor Pasquale, picking himself up with difficulty, drew his sword, and +began furiously lunging at Michele. All round lay fragments of shattered +guitars. Several people stopped the old gentleman's arm, or he would infallibly +have run Michele through the body. The latter (who, now that the torches had +come, saw, for the first time, who it was that he had to do with), stood like a +statue, with eyes staring out of his head. Presently He emitted a terrific yell, +tore his hair, and implored forgiveness and mercy. Neither the Pyramid Doctor +nor Pitichinaccio were seriously hurt, but they were so stiff, and so black and +blue, that they could not move a muscle, and had to be carried home.</p> + +<p class="normal">Signor Pasquale had brought this trouble upon his own pate. We +are aware that Salvator and Antonio had favoured Marianna with the most +beautiful night-music imaginable, but I have forgotten to add that they went on +repeating it on succeeding nights, tremendously infuriating Signor Pasquale; his +anger was held in check by the neighbours, and he was silly enough to apply to +the authorities to prevent the two painters from singing in Strada Ripetta. The +authorities considered it an unheard of thing in Rome to forbid anybody singing +whenever he chose, and said it was absurd to demand it. On this Signor Pasquale +determined to put an end to the thing himself, and promised Michele a good sum +of money if he would fall upon the singers and give them a good cudgelling on +the first opportunity. Michele at once provided himself with a big stick, and +kept watch every night behind the door. However, it happened that Salvator and +Antonio thought it advisable to discontinue the night-music in Strada Ripetta on +the nights immediately preceding the execution of their plot, so that nothing +might suggest ideas of his enemies to the old man. And Marianna innocently +remarked that, much as she hated Salvator and Antonio, she would have been very +glad to hear their singing, for their music, soaring on the breeze in the night, +surpassed everything.</p> + +<p class="normal">Pasquale took mental note of this, and, as an exquisite piece +of gallantry, determined to delight and surprise his beloved with a serenata, +composed by himself, and carefully rehearsed with his companions. So the very +night before the projected visit to the theatre he slipped secretly out and +fetched his two associates, who were prepared beforehand. But no sooner had they +struck the first chords on their guitars than Michele (whom his master had +unfortunately forgotten to warn of what was going to happen), in high glee at +the near prospect of earning the promised reward, burst out at the door, and set +to work unmercifully becudgelling the musicians. What happened afterwards we +know. Of course it was out of the question that either Splendiano or +Pitichinaccio could go with Pasquale to the theatre, as they were lying in their +beds covered all over with sticking-plaster. But Signor Pasquale could not +refrain from going himself, although his shoulders and back smarted not a little +from the licking he had had; every note of his aria was a rope dragging him +there irresistibly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now that the obstacle which we thought insurmountable has +cleared itself out of the way of its own accord," said Salvator to Antonio, "everything depends upon your adroitness in not letting slip, +when it comes, the proper moment for carrying your Marianna off from Nicolo's +theatre. But you will not fail; and I greet you already as the bridegroom of +Capuzzi's beautiful niece, who will be your wife in a few days. I wish you every +happiness, Antonio, although it goes to my very marrow when I think of your +marriage."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you mean, Salvator?" asked Antonio.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Call it whim, or fanciful idea, Antonio," he answered; "the +long and the short of it is, I love women; but every one of them, even her whom +I am madly in love with, for whom I would gladly die, affects my mind with an +apprehension which raises in me the most inexplicable and mysterious shudder the +moment I think of a union with her such as marriage would be. The unfathomable +element in woman's nature mockingly sets all the weapons of our sex at complete +defiance. She whom we believe to have devoted herself to us with her whole +being--to have opened to us the innermost recesses of her nature--is the first +to deceive us, and with the sweetest kisses we imbibe the most destroying +poison."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And my Marianna?" asked Antonio, aghast.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pardon me, Antonio," answered Salvator; "even your Marianna, +who is sweetness and delightsomeness personified, has given me a fresh proof how +constantly we are menaced by the mysterious nature of woman. Remember how that +innocent, inexperienced child behaved when we took her uncle home to her; how, +at one glance of mine, she comprehended the whole situation, and played her +part, as you said yourself, with the most amazing ability. But that was not to +be named in the same day with what happened when Musso went to see the old man. +The most practised skill, the most impenetrable craftiness--in short, every art +of the woman most accomplished and experienced in the ways of the world--could +suggest nothing more than what little Marianna did, in order to throw dust in +the old man's eyes with the most absolute assurance of success. She could not +possibly have acted with greater talent to make the road clear for us, whatever +our undertakings were to be. The campaign against the insane old fool was +legitimate--every kind of trick and artifice seems justified; still, however, +dear Antonio, don't let my dreamer's fancies influence you too much, and be as +happy with your Marianna as ever you can."</p> + +<p class="normal">If only some monk had accompanied Signor Pasquale as he was on +his way to Musso's theatre with Marianna, everybody must have thought the +strange pair were being taken to the place of execution; for ahead of them +marched Michele, truculent in aspect, and armed to the teeth; and he was +followed by well on to twenty Sbirri, who were surrounding Signor Pasquale and +Marianna.</p> + +<p class="normal">Nicolo received the old gentleman and the lady with much +solemnity of ceremony, and conducted them to the places reserved for them close +in front of the stage. Much flattered at being thus honoured, Signor Pasquale +looked about him with proud, beaming glances; and his pleasure was increased by +the circumstance that there were none but women round and behind Marianna. +Behind the scenes, on the stage, one or two violins and a bass were being tuned, +and the old gentleman's heart beat high with anticipation, and a sort of +electric shock pierced through his joints and marrow when all at once the +ritornello of his aria sounded.</p> + +<p class="normal">Formica came on as Pasquarello, and sang, with the gestures +most peculiarly characteristic of Capuzzi, and in his very voice, that most +atrocious of all arias. The theatre resounded with the audience's most +uproarious laughter. People shouted out: "Ah! Pasquale Capuzzi! +Compositore--Virtuoso celeberrimo! Bravo, bravissimo!" The old man, not +observing the tone of the laughter, was all delight. When the aria ended, the +audience called for silence; Doctor Graziano (played on this occasion by Nicolo) +came on, holding his ears, and calling out to Pasquarello to cease his din, and +not make such an insane crowing. He proceeded to ask Pasquarello when he had +taken to singing, and where he had picked up that abominable tune. Pasquarello +said he did not know what the Doctor meant, and that he was just like the +Romans, who had no taste for real music, and left the finest talents in neglect. +The aria, he said, was by the greatest of living composers and virtuosi, whose +service it was his good fortune to be in, and who himself gave him lessons in +music and singing. Graziano went over the names of a number of well-known +composers and virtuosi, but at each renowned name Pasquarello disdainfully shook +his head.</p> + +<p class="normal">At length he said the Doctor showed gross ignorance in not +knowing the very greatest composer of the day--none other than Signor Pasquale +Capuzzi, who had done him the honour to take him into his service. Could he not +see that Pasquarello was the friend and servant of Signor Pasquale?</p> + +<p class="normal">The Doctor broke into an immoderate fit of laughter and cried: +"What! had Pasquarello, after serving <i>him</i>, where, besides wages and food, many +a good <i>quattrino</i> fell into his mouth, gone to the very greatest and most +accomplished skinflint and miser that ever swallowed macaroni?--to the motley +Carnival-fool, who strutted about like a turkey-cock after a shower?--to that +cur, that amorous old coxcomb, who poisons the air in Strada Ripetta with that +disgusting goat-bleating which he calls 'singing?'" &c., &c.</p> + +<p class="normal">To this Pasquarello answered quite angrily, that it was mere +envy on the Doctor's part. To speak with his heart in his hand (<i>parla col cuore +in mano</i>) the Doctor was by no means in a position to pass a judgment on Signor +Pasquale Capuzzi di Senegaglia. To speak heart in hand, the Doctor himself had a +pretty good dash of all which he was finding fault with in the admirable Signor +Pasquale. Speaking, as he was, heart in hand, he had often, himself, known some +six hundred people or so to laugh with all their throats at Doctor Graziano +himself. And then Pasquarello held forth at great length in praise of his new +master, Signor Pasquale, attributing to him all possible excellences, and +finishing with a description of his character, which he made out to be +absolutely perfect as regarded amiability and lovableness.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Blessed Formica!" whispered Signor Capuzzi aside to himself, +"I see that you have determined to render my triumph complete, by rubbing the +noses of the Romans in all the envy and ingratitude with which they have +persecuted me, and showing them clearly whom and what I am."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here comes my master himself," cried Pasquarello; and there +came on to the stage Signor Capuzzi, as he lived and moved, in dress, face, +walk, and manner--in all respects so exactly similar to the Capuzzi down in the +audience part of the house, that the latter, quite alarmed, let go his hold of +Marianna (whom he had been holding up to this time with one hand), and rubbed +his nose and periwig, as if to find out whether he was awake or dreaming of +seeing his own double, or really in Nicolo Musso's theatre, obliged to believe +his eyes, and infer that he did see this miraculous appearance.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Capuzzi on the stage embraced Doctor Graziano with much +amity, and inquired after his welfare. The Doctor said his appetite was good, at +his service (<i>per servir-lo</i>), and his sleep sound; but that his purse laboured +under a complete depletion. Yesterday, in honour of his lady love, he said, he +had spent his last ducat in buying a pair of rosemary stockings, and he was just +going to certain bankers to see if they would lend him thirty ducats.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How could you think of such a thing?" cried Capuzzi. "Why +pass the door of your best friend? Here, my dear sir, are fifty ducats; pray +accept them."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pasquale, what are you doing?" cried the Capuzzi down in the +audience, half aloud.</p> + +<p class="normal">Doctor Graziano talked of giving a bill and paying interest; +but the stage Capuzzi vowed he could not think of taking either from such a +friend as the Doctor. "Pasquale! are you crazy?" cried the Capuzzi below, +louder.</p> + +<p class="normal">Doctor Graziano made his exit here, after many grateful +embracings. Pasquarello then went forward, with lowly reverences; lauded Signor +Capuzzi to the skies; said <i>his</i> (Pasquarello's) purse was afflicted with the +same malady as the Doctor's, and begged for some of the same medicine. The +Capuzzi on the stage laughed, saying he was glad that Pasquarello knew how to +take advantage of his good dispositions, and threw him two or three shining +ducats.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pasquale, you're mad! the devil's in you!" the +audience-Capuzzi cried, very loudly. The audience called him to order. +Pasquarello waxed still louder in Capuzzi's praise, and came, at length, on the +subject of the arias which he (Capuzzi) had composed, with which he +(Pasquarello) was in hopes of charming the world. Capuzzi on the stage patted +Pasquarello on the shoulder, and said he could confide to a faithful servant +like <i>him</i>, that the truth was that he really knew nothing whatever about music, +and that the aria he had been mentioning, like all the arias he had ever +written, was cribbed from Frescobaldi's canzone, and Carissimi's motets.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You lie, you scoundrel, in your throat!" screamed the Capuzzi +below, rising from his seat. "Silence!--sit down!" cried the audience; the women +who were sitting near him dragged him down into his place.</p> + +<p class="normal">The stage-Capuzzi went on to say it was time, now, to come to +matters of more importance. He wanted to give a large dinner the next day, and +Pasquarello must set to work briskly to get together all the requirements. He +drew out of his pocket a list of the most expensive and recherché dishes, and +read it aloud; as each dish was mentioned, Pasquarello had to say how much it +would cost, and the money was handed to him on the spot.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pasquale!--idiotic fool!--madman!--spendthrift!--prodigal!" +cried the Capuzzi below, in crescendo, after the mention of the several dishes, +and grew more and more angry the higher the total bill for this most unheard-of +of all dinners became.</p> + +<p class="normal">When at length the list was gone through, Pasquarello asked +Signor Pasquale's reason for giving so grand a dinner; and Capuzzi (on the +stage) replied: "To-morrow will be the happiest day of all my life. Let me tell +you, my good Pasquarello, that to-morrow I celebrate the wedding-day, rich in +blessings, of my dear niece Marianna. I am giving her hand to that fine young +fellow, the greatest of all painters, Scacciati."</p> + +<p class="normal">Scarce had the Capuzzi on the stage uttered those words, than +he of the audience, quite beside himself, and incapable of further self-control, +sprang up, with all the fury of a demon in his face of fire, clenched both his +fists at his counterfeit, and screamed out at him, in a yelling voice: "That you +shall not!--that you shall never! you +infernal scoundrel of a Pasquale! Will you defraud yourself of +your own Marianna, you dog? Are you going to throw her at that +diabolical rascal's head? The sweet Marianna--your life, your hope, your +all-in-all? Ah, beware! Have a care, deluded blockhead! These fists shall beat +you black and blue, and give you something else to think about than dinners and +marriages."</p> + +<p class="normal">But the Capuzzi on the stage clenched <i>his</i> fists too, and cried +out in a similar fury, with the same yelling voice: "May all the devils enter +your body! you cursed, senseless Pasquale! Abominable skinflint!--old amorous +goose!--motley fool, with the cap and bells over your ears! Have a care of +yourself, or I will blow the breath of life out of you! that the mean actions +you want to father upon the shoulders of the good, honourable, upright Pasquale +may be put an end to at last."</p> + +<p class="normal">To an accompaniment of the most furious curses and +maledictions of the Capuzzi beneath, he on the stage proceeded to narrate one +scurrilous story of him after another, finishing off by crying out: "Try if you +dare, Pasquale--amorous old ape!--to interfere with the happiness of those two +young people, destined for each other by heaven."</p> + +<p class="normal">As he spoke, there appeared at the back of the stage Antonio +Scacciati and Marianna, with their arms about each other. Shaky as the old +gentleman was on his legs, fury gave him strength and agility. At a bound he was +on to the stage, where he drew his sword, and ran at Antonio. But he felt +himself seized from behind; an officer of the Papal Guard was holding him, and +said, in a serious tone: "Consider a little, Signor Pasquale Capuzzi; you are on +Nicolo Musso's stage. Without being aware of it, you have been playing a most +entertaining part this evening. You will not find Antonio or Marianna here." The +two performers whom Capuzzi had taken to be them had come closer, with the rest +of the actors, and he did not know their faces at all. The sword fell from his +trembling hand; he drew a deep breath, like one waking from a fearful dream, +clasped his forehead, forced his eyes wide open. The dreadful sense of what had +really happened flashed upon him, and he cried: "Marianna!" in a terrible voice, +till the walls re-echoed.</p> + +<p class="normal">But his calling could no longer reach her ears; for Antonio +had carefully watched for the moment when Capuzzi, oblivious of everything, even +himself, was contending with his counterfeit on the stage, had then cautiously +made his way to Marianna, and taken her through the audience to a side door, +where the Vetturino was waiting with the carriage; and away they were driven +towards Florence as fast as they could go.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Marianna!" the old man continued crying. "She has gone!--she +has flown!--the villain Antonio has robbed me of her! Away!--after her! Good +people, have pity! Get torches; search for my dove! Ha, the serpent!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And the old man was making off; but the officer held him fast, +saying: "If you mean the pretty young girl who was sitting by you, I rather +fancy I saw her slip out with a young fellow--Antonio Scacciati, I +believe,--some considerable time ago, just as you were beginning that useless, +silly quarrel with the actor who had on a mask something like you. Signor +Pasquale, it is my duty to arrest you, on account of your behaviour, and the +murderous attack upon the actor."</p> + +<p class="normal">Signor Pasquale, with pale death in his face, incapable of +uttering a word or a sound, was marched off by the very Sbirri who had come +there to protect him from masquerading demons and spectres. Thus there fell upon +him deep distress and sorrow, and all the wild despair of a foolish and deceived +old amorous fool, on the very night when he looked to celebrate his greatest +triumph.</p> + +<br> +<p class="center">Salvator Rosa Quits Rome For Florence. <br>The End Of This Story.</p> + +<p class="normal">All things here below under the sun are subject to constant +change and fluctuation, but there is nothing that more deserves to be called +fickle and fleeting than mankind's opinions, which keep rotating in an eternal +circle, like Fortune's wheel. Bitter censure falls to-day upon him who yesterday +gathered a grand harvest of praise; he who walks +to-day a-foot may to-morrow ride in a gilded chariot.</p> + +<p class="normal">Who was there in all Rome who did not scorn and mock at old +Capuzzi, with his mean avarice, his silly amorousness, his crazy jealousy?--or +who did not wish the poor tormented Marianna her freedom? Yet now that Antonio +had succeeded in carrying her off, all the scorn and mockery suddenly turned to +pity for the poor old fellow who was seen creeping about the streets of Rome, +with bowed head, inconsolable.</p> + +<p class="normal">Misfortunes rarely come singly. Soon after Marianna had been +carried off, Pasquale lost his dearest bosom friends. Little Pitichinaccio +choked himself with an almond, which he incautiously tried to swallow as he was +in the middle of a <i>cadenza</i>; and a slip of the pen (of +his own making) put a sudden period to the life of the +renowned Pyramid-Doctor, Signor Splendiano Accoramboni. Michele's cudgelling had +such an effect on him that he fell into a fever. He determined to cure himself +by a remedy which he believed he had discovered. He demanded pen and ink, and +wrote a recipe, in which, by putting down a wrong fever, he enormously increased +the quantity of a very powerful ingredient; so that as soon as he swallowed the +medicine he fell back upon his pillow and was gone; proving, by his own death, +the effect of this final tincture of his prescribing in the most striking and +heroic manner.</p> + +<p class="normal">As we have said, all who had previously laughed the most +heartily at Capuzzi, and the most sincerely wished success to the brave Antonio +in his undertaking, were now all compassion for the old man; and the bitterest +blame was laid, not upon Antonio so much as upon Salvator Rosa, whom they all, +with very good reason, held to have been at the bottom of the whole affair.</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator's enemies (of whom there were a goodly band) were not +slow to stir up the fire to the best of their ability. "See!" they said; "this +is Masaniello's worthy comrade, always ready to lay his hand to any evil trick, +any robberish undertaking; if his dangerous stay in Rome is prolonged, we shall +soon feel the effects of it heavily."</p> + +<p class="normal">And, in fact, the ignoble herd of those who conspired against +Salvator succeeded in stemming the bold flight which his fame would otherwise +have taken. One picture after another came from his hand, bold of conception, +magnificent of execution, but the so-called "connoisseurs" always shrugged the +shoulder; said, now that the mountains were too blue; now, that the trees were +too green, the figures too tall, or too stumpy; found fault with everything +where there was no fault to be found, and made it their business to detract from +Salvator's well-merited renown in every possible way. His chief persecutors +were the members of the Academia di San Luca, who could never get over the +affair of the surgeon, and went out of their own province to depreciate the +pretty verses which Salvator wrote about that time, even trying to make out that +he did not live upon the fruit of his own land, but pilfered the property of +other people. And this, too, led to Salvator's being by no means in a position +to surround himself with the splendour and luxury which he had formerly +displayed in Rome. Instead of the grand, spacious studio, where all the +celebrities of Rome used to visit him, he went on living at Dame Caterina's, +beside his green figtree. And in this very restrictedness he, doubtless, soon +found comfort and ease of heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">But he laid the malignant conduct of his enemies more to heart +than there was any occasion for; nay, he felt as though some creeping malady, +engendered by annoyance and vexation, was gnawing at his inmost marrow. In this +evil mood, he conceived and executed the great pictures which set all Rome in +uproar. One of them represented the transitoriness of all earthly things; and in +the principal female figure (which bore all the marks of a disreputable calling) +it was easy to recognize the lady-love of one of the Cardinals. In the other was +shown the Goddess of Fortune distributing her precious gifts. But Cardinal's +hats, Bishop's mitres, and decorations were falling down upon bleating sheep, +braying asses, and other despised creatures; whilst well-favoured men, in +tattered garments, looked up in vain +for the slightest favour. Salvator had given the rein to his +bitter mood, and those beasts' heads had very striking resemblances to sundry +well-known characters. It may be imagined how the hatred of him increased, and +how much more bitterly he was persecuted than before.</p> + +<p class="normal">Dame Caterina cautioned him with tears in her eyes. She had +noticed that as soon as it was dark, birds of evil omen--suspicious-looking +characters--came slinking about the house, watching Salvator's every step. He +saw that it was time to be gone; and Dame Caterina and her dear daughters were +the only people he felt any pain in parting from. Remembering the Duke of +Tuscany's repeated invitations, he went to Florence; and there his mortification +was richly compensated for, and the annoyances of tome lost sight of in the +honour and fame--so richly merited--which were bestowed upon him in fullest +measure. The Duke's presents, and the large prices which he got for his +pictures, soon enabled him to occupy a large mansion, and furnish it in the most +magnificent style. There he collected round him all the most famous poets and +literati of the day; it is sufficient to mention amongst them Evangelista +Torricelli, Valerio Chimentelli, Battista Ricciardi, Andrea Cavalcanti, Pietro +Salviati, Filippo Apolloni, Volumnio Bandelli, Francesco Rovai. Art and science +were joined together in a charming fusion, and Salvator Rosa had a manner of +endowing the meetings with an element of the fanciful, which in a peculiar +manner gave a stimulus to the thoughts and ideas of the company. Thus, the +dining-hall had the appearance of a beautiful shrubbery, containing +sweet-smelling bushes and flowers and gurgling springs; and the very dishes, +served by singularly-attired pages, had a wonderful appearance, as if they came +from some far-off enchanted land. These assemblages of poets and <i>savants</i> in +Salvator Rosa's house were at the time known as the Academia de' Percossi.</p> + +<p class="normal">But although Salvator occupied his mind in this manner with +art and science, his inmost heart was cheered by his friend Antonio Scacciati, +who was living a happy artistic life, free from care, with the beautiful +Marianna. They used to think, sometimes, of the old deceived Signor Pasquale, +and all that took place in Nicolo Musso's theatre. And Antonio asked Salvator +how he had managed to interest not only Musso, but the wonderful Formica and +Agli, in his affairs, to employ their talents on his behalf as they had done. +Salvator said it had been an easy matter, inasmuch as Formica had been his most +intimate friend in Rome, and always delighted to carry out upon the stage +anything that he had suggested to him. Antonio declared that, much as he was +unable still to help laughing when he thought of the occurrence which had made +no happiness, he wished, from his heart, for a reconciliation with the old man, +even although he should never touch a farthing of Marianna's fortune (which the +old man had taken possession of), seeing that his art brought him money enough. +Marianna, too, could often not restrain her tears at the thought that her +father's brother would never till his dying day forgive the trick that had been +played upon him; and thus Pasquale's hatred cast a sorrowful shadow upon her +happy life. Salvator comforted them both with the thought that time cures much +harder matters, and that chance might perhaps bring the old man to them in a +much less dangerous manner than if they had remained in Rome, or were to go back +there now.</p> + +<p class="normal">We shall find that a spirit of prophecy dwelt in Salvator. A +considerable time had elapsed, when one day Antonio burst into Salvator's +studio, breathless, and pale as death. "Salvator!" he cried; "my friend! my +protector!--I am lost unless you help me! Pasquale Capuzzi is here, and has got +a warrant to arrest me for carrying off his niece."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But what can Pasquale do to you now?" asked Salvator. Has not +the Church united Marianna and you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alas!" answered Antonio, in despair, "even the Church cannot +save me here. Heaven knows how he has accomplished it, but the old man has +managed to get the ear of the Pope's nephew; and it is this nephew who has taken +him under his protection, and given him hope that the Holy Father will declare +our marriage void; and not only that, but give him a dispensation to enable +<i>him</i> to marry his niece."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop!" cried Salvator. "Now--<i>now</i> I understand the whole +matter. It is that nephew's hatred for <i>me</i>, Antonio, which threatens to ruin +everything. This nephew--this conceited, raw, boorish fellow--is one of those +beasts which the Goddess of Fortune is overwhelming with her gifts in that +picture of mine. That it was I who helped you to your Marianna--more or less +indirectly, of course--is known not only to this nephew, but to every one in +Rome. Season enough to persecute you, since they cannot specify anything against +<i>me</i>. Even were it not for my affection for you, Antonio, as my best and dearest +friend, I could not but stand by you if it were for nothing else than that it is +I who have brought this mischance upon you. But, by all the saints, I do not see +how I am to set about spoiling the game of your enemies."</p> + +<p class="normal">As he said this Salvator, who up to this point had been +working away at a picture without interrupting himself, laid his brushes, +palette and mahlstick down, got up from his easel, and, folding his arms across +his breast, strode 'several times up and down, whilst Antonio, in deepest +thought, contemplated the floor with fixed glance.</p> + +<p class="normal">Presently Salvator halted before him, and cried, laughing: +"Antonio, there is nothing that <i>I</i> can accomplish as against your powerful +enemies; but there is <i>one</i> who can, and will, help you; and that is Signor +Formica."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Alas!" cried Antonio; "do not jest with an unfortunate, for +whom there is no further salvation."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Still determined to despair?" cried Salvator, who had +suddenly risen into the highest spirits. He laughed aloud: "I tell you, Antonio, +friend Formica will help in Florence quite as well as he did in Rome. Go quietly +home. Comfort your Marianna, and await the course of events quite tranquilly. +All I expect of you is that you will be ready and prepared to do whatever Signor +Formica--who happens to be here at this moment--may require of you." Antonio +promised obedience with all his heart, hope and confidence at once beginning to +glimmer up within him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Signor Pasquale was not a little astonished to receive a +formal invitation from the Academia de' Percossi. "Ha!--indeed!" he cried. "One +sees that Florence is the place where they know how to esteem merit; where a man +endowed with such gifts as Signor Pasquale Capuzzi di Senegalia chances to +possess, is properly appreciated."</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus the thought of the amount of artistic knowledge which he +possessed, and of the honours which were being paid to him in consequence, +overcame the repugnance which he would otherwise have entertained to an +assemblage which had Salvator Rosa, at its head. The Spanish state costume was +brushed more carefully than usual; the steeple-crowned hat adorned with a new +feather; the shoes set off with fresh bows of ribbon; and Signor Pasquale made +his appearance in Salvator's house glittering like a golden beetle, with a +countenance of radiant sunshine. The splendour around him--Salvator himself (who +was much more finely dressed than he had been wont to be)--inspired him with +reverence; and--as is usually the case with shallow souls, which are puffed-up +at first, but at once fall down into the dust when they perceive any distinct +superiority over them--Pasquale was all deference and humility towards that +Salvator whom he was for ever lording over in Rome.</p> + +<p class="normal">So much attention was paid to Signor Pasquale on all hands; +his opinions were so unconditionally appealed to; so much was said as to his +artistic merits, that he felt himself a new man; nay, it seemed to him that a +special spirit came to life within him, so that he really spoke much more +sensibly on many subjects than might have been expected. As, in addition to all +this, he had never in all his life partaken of such a splendid dinner, or tasted +such inspiring wine, his enjoyment necessarily mounted higher and higher, and he +forgot all about the wrongs done him in Rome, and the unpleasant business which +had brought him to Florence.</p> + +<p class="normal">In a short time the bushes at the bottom of the hall began to +get in motion, the leafy branches opened out apart, and a little theatre came +into view, with its stage, and some seats for an audience.</p> + +<p class="normal">"All ye saints!" cried Pasquale Capuzzi, in much alarm. "Where +am I? That is Nicolo Mussos's theatre!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Without paying attention to his outcry, two gentlemen of +dignified appearance--Evangelista Torricelli and Andrea Cavalcanti--took him by +the arms, one on each side, and conducted him to a seat in front of the stage, +taking their places on either side of him.</p> + +<p class="normal">No sooner were they seated than there entered on to the stage, +Formica, as Pasquarello!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Accursed Formica!" cried Pasquale, springing up and shaking +his clenched fist towards the stage. Torricelli's and Cavalcanti's grave looks +of disapproval, however, constrained him to silence and quietness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Pasquarello sobbed, wept, and cursed his fate which +brought him nothing but grief and misery; declared he did not know how he should +manage to laugh, were it but ever so little, and concluded by saying that, in +the excess of his despair, he would most certainly cut his throat, were it not +that the sight of blood always made him faint; or throw himself into the river, +if he only could help swimming when in the water.</p> + +<p class="normal">Here Doctor Graziano entered and inquired the cause of his +grief.</p> + +<p class="normal">Pasquarello asked him if he did not know what had been +happening in his master's, Signor Pasquale Capuzzi di Senegaglia's, +house?--whether he had heard that an abandoned ruffian had run off with his +master's niece, Marianna?</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha!" murmured Capuzzi, "I see what it is, Signor Formica. You +think you will exculpate and excuse yourself; you desire my forgiveness. Well, +we shall see."</p> + +<p class="normal">Doctor Graziano expressed his sympathy, and thought the +ruffian must have been very clever to have evaded Capuzzi's search after him. +Pasquarello told the Doctor not to allow himself to imagine that the rascal +Antonio Scacciati succeeded in getting the better of the deep and clever Signor +Pasquale Capuzzi, supported as he was, moreover, by influential friends. +Antonio was in prison, his marriage declared void, and Marianna again in her +uncle's hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Has he got her?" cried Capuzzi, beyond himself; "has he got +her again, the good Capuzzi? Has he got his little dove again; his Marianna? Is +the scoundrel Antonio in prison? O most blessed Formica!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You take too lively an interest in the piece, Signor +Pasquale," said Cavalcanti very seriously. "Pray allow the actors to speak, and +do not interrupt them."</p> + +<p class="normal">Signor Pasquale, abashed, sat down in his place again.</p> + +<p class="normal">Pasquarello went on to say that there had been a wedding. +Marianna had repented of what she had done; Signor Pasquale had obtained the +necessary dispensation from the Holy Father, and had married his niece.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes," murmured Pasquale, aside, whilst his eyes shone +with delight; "yes, yes, my dearest Formica! He marries the sweet Marianna, the +lucky Pasquale! He always knew the little dove loved him; it was but the devil +that led her astray."</p> + +<p class="normal">In that case, Doctor Graziano said, everything was well, and +there was no cause for lamentation.</p> + +<p class="normal">But Pasquarello began to sob and cry more violently than +before, and at last fell down in a faint, as if overcome by his terrible sorrow.</p> + +<p class="normal">Doctor Graziano ran about anxiously; regretted that he had not +a smelling-bottle about him; searched in all his pockets, and at length pulled +out a roasted chestnut, which he held under the nose of the insensible +Pasquarello. The latter recovered at once, sneezing violently, begged him to +excuse the weak state of his nerves, and went on to say that after the marriage +Marianna had fallen into the deepest melancholy, calling continually on +Antonio's name, and regarding the old man with loathing and contempt. But the +latter, blinded by his love and jealousy, had never ceased torturing her in the +most terrible manner with his foolishness. Then Pasquarello related a number of +mad tricks which Pasquale had been guilty of, and which were actually told of +him in Rome. Signor Pasquale jigged uneasily on his seat here and there, +murmuring, "Accursed Formica, you lie!--what devil inspires you?" It was only +the fact that Torricelli and Cavalcanti kept their grave eyes fixed upon him +that restrained a wild outburst of his anger. Pasquarello ended by saying that +the luckless Marianna had at last fallen a victim to her unstilled love-longing, +her bitter sorrow, and the thousand-fold tortures which the accursed old man had +inflicted upon her, and had passed away from this world, in the flower of her +age.</p> + +<p class="normal">At this moment there was heard an awe-inspiring <i>De +profundis</i>, chanted by hoarse and hollow voices; and men in long white mantles +appeared upon the stage bearing a bier, on which lay the body of the beautiful +Marianna, shrouded in white grave-clothes. Signor Pasquale Capuzzi, in the +deepest mourning, tottered along behind it, moaning aloud, beating his breast, +and crying, in his despair, "Oh, Marianna! Marianna!"</p> + +<p class="normal">When the Capuzzi in the audience saw the body of his niece, +both the Capuzzis (him on the stage and he of the audience) howled, and cried in +the most heart-breaking tones: "Oh, Marianna! Oh, Marianna! Miserable man that I +am! Ah me! Ah me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Imagine the corpse of the beautiful girl on the open tier, +Surrounded by the mourners, their solemn <i>De profundis</i>, and along with all +this, the comic masks, Doctor Graziano and Pasquarello, +expressing their grief in the most absurd gesticulations; and then the two +Capuzzis, howling and crying in despair. And in truth, all they who were +spectators of this strangest of dramatic representations, notwithstanding the +irrepressible laughter into which they could not help breaking over the +extraordinary old man, were penetrated by a deep and eerie shudder of awe.</p> + +<p class="normal">The stage now suddenly grew dark. There was thunder and +lightning; and out of the depths arose a pale and spectral form, exactly alike +in every feature to Capuzzi's brother, Pietro, father of Marianna, who died in +Senegaglia.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wicked Pasquale!" cried the spectre-form, in hollow, terrible +tones; "what have you done with my daughter? Despair and die, accursed murderer +of my child! Your reward awaits you in hell!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Capuzzi on the stage fell down as if struck by lightning, +and at the same instant the Capuzzi down beneath fell senseless from his seat. +The branches rustling, closed into their former places; and the stage, with +Marianna and Capuzzi, and Pietro's grizzly ghost, disappeared from view. Signor +Pasquale was in such a deep faint that it cost some trouble to bring him to +himself again.</p> + +<p class="normal">At last he revived, with a deep sigh, stretched his hands out +before him as if to keep off the terror which seized upon him, and cried in +hollow tones: "Let me go, Pietro!" A stream of tears burst from his eyes, and he +cried, with sobs: "Ah, Marianna!--my darling beautiful girl!--my own Marianna!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bethink you!" said Cavalcanti at last. "Consider Signor +Pasquale! It was only on the stage that you saw your niece dead. She is alive. +She is here, to implore your forgiveness for the thoughtless stratagem to which +love--and, perhaps, your own inconsiderate conduct--impelled her."</p> + +<p class="normal">Here Marianna, with Antonio Scacciati behind her, rushed +forward from the back of the hall, and fell at the feet of the old gentleman, +who had been placed in an easy chair. Marianna, in the fullest lustre of her +beauty, kissed his hands, bedewed them with hot tears, and begged forgiveness +for herself and Antonio, united to her by the Church's benediction. From the old +man's deathly pale face flames suddenly broke, fury flashed from his eyes, and +he cried in a half-articulate voice: "Ha! abandoned wretch!--venomous serpent! +whom I nourished in my bosom, for my destruction!" But the grave old Torricelli +came up to him, in all his dignity, and said that he (Capuzzi) had seen in a +figure the fate which would inevitably overtake him if he dared to prosecute his +evil design against the peace and happiness of Antonio and Marianna. He painted, +in the most brilliant colours, the folly--the madness--of amorous old age +yielding to love, which has the power of bringing down upon its head the most +destroying evil with which Heaven can threaten man, since it annihilates all the +affection which might still be his portion, whilst hatred and contempt aim their +death-dealing arrows at him from every side.</p> + +<p class="normal">And Marianna cried out, in a tone which penetrated the heart: +"Oh, my uncle! I want to love and honour you as a father! You will bring me to +the bitter death if you take Antonio from me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And all the poets who were surrounding the old man cried, with +one voice, that it was impossible that such an one as Signor Pasquale Capuzzi di +Senegaglia--a lover and patron of the arts, himself an admirable and +accomplished artist--should not forgive; that he, who occupied the position of a +father to the loveliest of women, should not welcome with joy, as a son-in-law, +a painter such as Antonio Scacciati, prized by the whole of Italy, overwhelmed +with honour and fame.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was easy to see that a mental process of some kind was +going on within the old man. He sighed; he groaned; he hid his face in his +hands, whilst Torricelli plied him with the most convincing arguments; whilst +Marianna implored him, in the most moving accents; whilst the others extolled +and belauded Antonio Scacciati to the utmost of their skill. The old man looked, +now at his niece, now at Antonio, whose fine dress and rich chain of honour +proved the truth of what was urged as to his artistic position and success.</p> + +<p class="normal">All anger had disappeared from Capuzzi's countenance. He +sprung up with beaming glances, pressed Marianna to his heart, and cried: "Yes, +I forgive you, my beloved child! I forgive you, Antonio! Far be it from mo to +destroy your happiness. You are right, my worthy Signor Torricelli. Signor +Formica has shown me, in a figure, on the stage, all the misery and destruction +which would have come upon me if I had carried out my insane idea. I am +cured--completely cured--of my folly. But where is Signor Formica?--where is my +worthy physician, that I may thank him a thousand times for my recovery, which +he has brought about. The terror which he knew how to cause me has transformed +my whole being."</p> + +<p class="normal">Pasquarello came forward. Antonio threw himself upon his +breast, crying:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, Signor Formica! to whom I owe my life, my all! cast aside +the mask which disguises you, that I may see your face--that Formica may cease +to be a mystery to me."</p> + +<p class="normal">Pasquarello took off the cap, and the skilfully-constructed +mask, which seemed to be an actual, natural face, placing no obstacle in the way +of facial expression. And this Formica--this Pasquarello--was transformed +into--Salvator Rosa!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Salvator!" cried Marianna, Antonio, and Capuzzi, <i>ensemble</i>, +all amazement.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said that wondrous man. "Salvator Rosa; whom the Romans +would have none of, as painter, as poet; and who, as Formica, for more than a +year, on Nicolo Musso's poor little stage, moved them almost nightly to the +loudest and most immoderate applause; from whom they gladly accepted all +ridicule and mockery of what was bad, though they would not swallow it in +Salvator's poems and pictures. Salvator Formica it is who has aided you, dear +Antonio."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Salvator!" old Capuzzi began; "Salvator Rosa! I have looked +upon you as my worst enemy, but I have always held your art in highest honour; +and now I love you as the most valued of my friends, and I venture to beg you to +accept me as such."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Say, my worthy Signor Pasquale," answered Salvator, "in what +I can be of service to you, and be assured beforehand that I will employ all my +powers to fulfil your desires."</p> + +<p class="normal">There dawned in Capuzzi's face once more that sugary smile +which had vanished since Marianna's departure. He took Salvator's hand, and +whispered gently: "My dear Signor Salvator, you can do anything with the good +Antonio. Beg him, in my name, to allow me to spend the brief remainder of my +days with him and my dear daughter Marianna, and to accept from me the fortune +which she inherits from her mother, to which I mean to add a liberal +marriage-portion. And then, too, he mustn't look askew if I now and then kiss +the lovely child's little white hand; and--at all events on Sundays when I go to +mass--he must dress my moustache for me; a thing which nobody in all the world +can do as he can."</p> + +<p class="normal">Salvator had difficulty in restraining his laughter; but +before he could make answer, Antonio and Marianna, embracing the old man, +assured him that they would not consider the reconciliation complete, or feel +thoroughly happy, until he took his place by their hearth as a beloved father, +never to leave them more. Antonio added that he would dress Capuzzi's +moustachios not only on Sundays, but every day of the week, in the daintiest +manner. And now the old man was all joy and happiness. Meanwhile a splendid +supper had been served, and to this they all sate down, in the happiest mood of +mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">In taking my leave of you, dear reader, I wish with all my +heart that the happiness which has now fallen to the lot of Salvator and all his +friends, may have glowed very brightly in your own breast, whilst you have been +reading the story of the marvellous Signor Formica.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">"Now," began Lothair, when Ottmar had ended, "since our friend +has +been fair and honourable enough to admit from the outset the +lack of vigour--the weakness of knee, so to speak, of his production, which it +has pleased him to call a 'Novella,' this appeal to our considerateness does, +certainly, draw the sting out of our criticisms, which were formed up, in +complete steel, to attack him. He bares his bosom to the partizan-pike, and +therefore, as magnanimous adversaries, we withhold our thrust, and are bound to +have mercy."</p> + +<p class="normal">"More than that," said Cyprian, "to console his pain, we feel +ourselves permitted to bestow a certain limited amount of praise. For my part, I +see a good deal in this work that is pleasant and Serapiontic. Capuzzi's broken +leg, for instance, and its consequences, his mysterious serenade----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Which," interrupted Vincenz, "has all the more of the real +Spanish, or the true Italian smack about it, just because it ends with a +tremendous cudgelling. No proper Novella of the kind would be complete without +the due amount of licking, and I prize it highly as, medically speaking, a +specially powerful stimulant, always employed by the best writers. In Boccacio +things hardly ever wind up without cudgelling; and where does it rain more blows +or thrusts than in the Romance of all Romances, 'Don Quixote?' Cervantes himself +considered it necessary to apologise to his readers about it. Now-a-days +intellectual ladies will have none of such matters in connection with the mental +'teas' (which they enjoy along with tea for the body); the honoured hide of a +favourite poet--if he would retain his footing at 'teas,' and in +pocket-books--must, at highest, be blackened by a tap or so on the nose, or the +least little box on an ear. But what of tea? What of cultivated ladies? Behold +in me, oh, Ottmar, your champion in complete armour, and cudgel soundly in all +the novels you may be thinking of writing. I praise you for the cudgelling's +sake."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And I," said Theodore, "for the delightful trio which +Capuzzi, the Pyramid-doctor, and the somewhat shudder-creating little abortion, +Pitichinaccio, form; and, moreover, for the wonderful way in which Salvator +Rosa--who never appears as the hero of the tale, but always as an +auxiliary--conforms to his character as it is described, and also as it appears +in his own works."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ottmar," said Sylvester, "has held chiefly to the adventurous +and enterprising side of his character, and given us less of what was grave and +gloomy in him. <i>A propos</i> of this, I think of the famous sonnet in which, +allegorising on his own name--Salvator--he utters his deep indignation at his +enemies and persecutors who accused him of plundering from older writers in his +poetry, which, indeed, is all ruggedness, and deficient in interior +connectedness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," said Lothair, "to return to Ottmar's Novella. The +principal fault which I have to find with it is that, instead of a story +rounding itself into a whole in all its parts, he has merely given us a series +of pictures, although they are often delightful enough."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can I do otherwise than fully agree with you?" said Ottmar. +"Still, you will all admit that it requires very skilful navigation to keep +clear of the rocks upon which I have run."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Perhaps," said Sylvester, "the rocks in question are more +dangerous to dramatic writers. Nothing--at least in my opinion--is more annoying +than, instead of a Comedy, in which all that happens is necessarily and closely +attached to the thread which runs through the piece, and should appear to be +indispensably necessary to the picture represented, to see merely a series of +arbitrary incidents, or even unconnected, detached situations; and indeed, the +ablest dramatic author of recent times has set the example of this thoughtless +(or 'frivolous') treatment of Comedy. Does the 'Pagen-streiche,' for example, +consist of anything but a series of ludicrous situations strung together +apparently by chance, and at random? In former days, when, on the whole (at all +events as regards the drama), one cannot complain of the want of due +seriousness, every writer of a Comedy took much pains to construct a regular +plot, and out of that plot all the comic element, the drollery, nay, the very +absurdity, duly evolved itself, of itself; because it seemed the natural thing +for it to do. Jünger (although he but too often seems very 'flat') always did +this, and even Brenner--utterly prosaic as he was on the whole--was by no means +deficient in the power of making the comic element flow out from his plots, and +his characters have often real force and vividness of life, derived from +actuality; as, for instance, in his 'Eheprokurator.' Only those ladies of his, +with their grand phrases, are completely unenjoyablo by us nowadays. +Notwithstanding this, I have a very high opinion of him, for the reasons I have +given."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In my mind," said Theodore, "his Operas put him out of court +altogether. They may serve as examples how an opera ought not to be written."</p> + +<p class="normal">"For the simple reason," said Vincenz, "that the departed +(peace to his ashes, as Sylvester very properly said) did not show many signs of +having much poetry in his constitution; so that in the romantic realm of opera +he could not find the slightest indication of a track to go upon. However, as +you are talking in this strain on the subject of Comedy, I might do worse than +point out that you are wasting your time in discussing a nonentity--a thing +which does not exist; and cry out to you, as Romeo did to Mercutio--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i4">'Peace, peace, good people, peace,</p> +<p class="i4">Ye talk of nothing.'</p> +</div> +<p class="continue">What I mean is that, taking them altogether, we never see a +single German Comedy presented on the stage, for the simple reason that the old +ones cannot be swallowed or digested (by reason of the weakness +of our stomachs), and new ones are no longer written. The +reason +of the latter I might establish, very briefly, in a treatise +of +some forty sheets or so; but, for the moment, I let you off +with a +play-upon-words. What I say is, that we have no comic plays, +because we have none of the comic which plays with itself; nor the sense for +it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dixi," cried Sylvester, laughing. "Dixi, and the name +'Vincenz' thereunder, with due stamp and seal. I happened, at the moment, to be +thinking that in the lowest class of dramatic performances, or rather of +productions destined to be represented on the stage, perhaps those should be +included in which some clever <i>farceur</i> mystifies and befools some good uncle--a +theatre director, or some such person. And yet it is not so very long ago that +shallow, stupid stuff of this description constituted almost the daily bread of +every stage. Just at present there seems to be more or less an intermission in +this."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It will never come to an end," said Theodore, "as long as +there are actors to whom nothing in the world can be more delightful than to let +themselves be wondered at and admired as chameleontic marvels, in +that they change their costume and appearance in the most +varied +manner in the course of the same evening. Right out of the +very +depths of my being have I been compelled to roar with laughter +over +the self-apotheosis of self-sufficiency with which, after +passing +through a marvellous series of soul-transmigrations, the true +<i>ego</i> of the performer takes its enfranchised flight, like a beautiful insect. +Generally speaking, this is done in the shape of a pretty, elegant night-moth, +dressed in black, with silk stockings, and a three-cornered hat under one arm, +having, from the moment of its appearance as such, only to deal with the +admiring public, not troubling itself about that which previously had been doing +it soccage-service. As (<i>vide</i> Wilhelm Meister's 'Lehr-jahren') a special line +of parts may so bind and enslave to it some given actor, who, for instance, +plays all the characters who have to be cudgelled, or otherwise maltreated, +every stage must possess a <i>sujet</i> who undertakes all the parts of the character +of <i>souffre douleur</i>, and consequently plays those indispensable theatre +managers, &c.; at all events, every starring actor has a part of the kind in his +pocket, by way of entrance-pass, or letter of credit."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What you say," answered Lothair, "reminds me of a most +extraordinary fellow whom I met with in a theatrical troupe in a small town in +the south of Germany, who was the exact image of that 'pedant' (to speak +technically) in Wilhelm Meister. Insupportable as he now was on the stage in his +little minor parts, <i>praying</i> them out in the most direful monotony, it was said +that formerly, in his younger days, he had been +a capital actor, and used to play, for instance, those sly, +scampish inn-keepers which, in older times, used to occur in almost every +comedy, and over whose total disappearance from the stage the host in Tieck's +'Verkehrter Welt' complains. When I knew this man he seemed to have completely +accepted his fate, which truely had been a pretty hard one, and, in complete +apathy, to place no value on anything in the world, least of all on himself. +Nothing penetrated the crust which the heaping up of the most complete +wretchedness had formed over the surface of his better self, and he was +perfectly satisfied with himself under it; and yet there often beamed out of his +deep-set, clever eyes the gleam of a higher intelligence, and there would +rapidly jerk over his face the expression of a bitter irony, so that the +exaggerated submissiveness with which he bore himself towards every one--and +more particularly towards his manager (a silly young man, full +of vanity)--took, in him, the form of an ironical contempt. On Sundays he used +to take his seat at the lower end of the <i>table d'hôte</i> of the best hotel in the +place, dressed in a good well-brushed suit of clothes, whose cut and +extraordinary pattern indicated the actor of a long by-gone period; and there he +enjoyed a hearty meal, never saying a word to a soul, although he was +exceptionally temperate, particularly as regarded the wine, for he scarcely +half-emptied the bottle which was placed before him. At each filling of his +glass he made a courteous bow to the landlord, who gave him his Sunday dinner in +return for his teaching his children reading and writing. It happened that I was +dining one Sunday at this <i>table d'hôte</i>, and found only one vacant seat, which +was at this old fellow's side. I hastened to occupy this place, hoping that I +might have the good fortune to bring to the surface that better spirit which +must be shut up within the man. It was difficult, almost impossible, to get hold +of that spirit. Just when one thought one had him, he suddenly dived down, and +slunk away in utter humility of submissiveness. At length, after I had with +difficulty induced him to swallow a glass or two of good wine, he seemed to +begin to thaw a little, and spake with visible emotion of the fine old +theatrical times, now past and gone, apparently never to return. The tables were +being cleared; one or two of my friends joined themselves to me; the player +wanted to take his leave. I held him fast, though he made the most touching +protests. A poor superannuated actor, he said, was no fit company for gentlemen +such as we; it would be better that he should not stay, it was not his place, +and so forth. It was not so much to my powers of persuasion as to the +irresistible attractions of a cup of coffee, and a pipe of the best Knaster, +which I had in my pocket, that I could attribute his remaining. He spoke with +vividness and <i>esprit</i> of the old theatrical days. He had seen Eckhoff, and +acted with Schroeder. It came out that the untuned state in which he was now so +marred proceeded from the circumstance that those by-gone days had been, for +him, the world wherein he had breathed freely, and moved unconstrainedly, and +that, now that he was thrown forth out of that period, he had no firm +standing-point that he could get hold of. But how marvellously did this man +astonish us when, having become thoroughly at his ease, and free from constraint +with us, he spoke the speech of the Ghost in Hamlet, as given in Schroeder's +version (Schlegel's translation he knew nothing about), with a power of +expression which touched our hearts; and we were all moved to admiration at the +manner in which he delivered several passages from the part of Oldenhelm (for he +would have nothing to say to the name 'Polonius'), rendering them in such a way +that we distinctly saw before our eyes the courtier, in his second childhood +now, but who had clearly not lacked worldly wisdom in former times, and still +showed distinct traces of it. This he brought before us in a manner very seldom +seen on the boards. All this, however, was but the prelude to a scene which I +never saw the parallel of, and which I can never forget. It is +here that I really, for the first time, come to what, during +this conversation of ours, brought to my remembrance the old actor in question, +and my worthy Serapion Brethren must pardon me if I have made my introduction to +this somewhat too long. This man was compelled to undertake those wretched +subordinate parts which we were talking of, and thus it chanced that, some days +after the occasion I have been speaking of, he had to play the part of the +'Manager' in the piece 'The Rehearsal,' which the <i>Impresario</i> had altered to +suit himself, thinking he particularly excelled in it. Whether it was that the +conversation with us has stirred up his inner, better self, or that, perhaps (as +it was rumoured afterwards), on that day he had reinforced his natural power +with wine--contrary as that was to his usual custom--he had no sooner come upon +the stage than he appeared to be a totally different man from what he had been +at other times. His eyes sparkled, and the hollow wavering voice of the worn-out +hypochondriac was transformed into a clear, resonant bass, such as is employed +by jovial characters of the old style; for instance, the rich uncles who, in the +exercise of poetical justice, punish folly and reward virtue. The beginning of +the piece gave no indication of what was to come; but how amazed was the +audience when, after the first changes of dress had been made, the strange +creature turned upon the manager with sarcastic smiles, and addressed him +somewhat as follows: 'Would not the respected audience have recognised our good +So-and-so' (he mentioned the manager's name here), 'just as readily as I did +myself at the first glance? Is it possible to base the power of deception on a +coat cut in a particular fashion, or on a more or less frizzled wig? and in this +way to stuff out a meagre talent, unsupported by any vigour of intelligence, +like a child deserted by its nurse? The young man who is trying to pass himself +off upon me, in this unskilled manner, as a many-sided artist, a chameleontic +genius, need not gesticulate so immoderately with his hands, nor fold himself up +like a pocketknife after each of his speeches, nor roll his r's so fearfully; +and if he had not done so, I believe that a highly-prized audience (any more +than I myself) would not have recognised our little manager in one instant, as +has been the case now, to such an extent that it is pitiable. But, inasmuch as +the piece has got to go on for another half-hour, I shall conduct myself, this +once more, as if I didn't see it; although the affair is terribly tedious and +uncongenial to me.' Be it enough to say that upon each fresh entrance of the +manager, the old fellow ridiculed his acting in the most delicious manner; and +it may be fancied that this was accompanied by the most ringing laughter of the +audience; whilst the best part of it all was that the manager, completely +absorbed in his numerous changes of costume, was absolutely unconscious of what +was going forward till the very last scene. Perhaps the old fellow may have made +a wicked compact with the theatre tailor; but it is a fact that the wretched +manager's wardrobe had got into the most complete confusion, so that the +intermediate scenes which the old man had to fill out lasted much longer than +usual, giving him time enough to let the fulness of his bitter mockery of the +poor manager stream forth in all its glory, and even to imitate his manner of +speaking, saying many things with a wicked verity which sent the audience out of +itself. The whole piece was turned topsy-turvy, so that the stop-gap +intermediate scenes became the principal and important part of the business. It +was delightful, too, how the old fellow sometimes told the audience beforehand +how the manager was going to appear, mimicking his gestures and attitudes; and +that he attributed the ringing laughter, which really belonged to the old +fellow's admirable imitation of him, to his own success in making up. At last, +however, the manager could not possibly help finding out what the old fellow was +doing, and you may suppose he flew at him like a raging wild boar, so that it +was all that he could do to escape mishandling. He did not dare to appear on the +stage again; but the audience and the public had got so fond of the old actor, +and took his side with so much zeal, that the manager (burdened, moreover, since +that celebrated evening, with the curse of ludicrosity), found himself compelled +to close his theatre, and betake himself elsewhere. Several respectable +townsmen, with the innkeeper at their head, met, and collected a considerable +sum of money for the old actor, enough to enable him to have done for ever with +the worries of the stage, and end his days in comfort in the place. But +marvellous, nay, unfathomable, is the mind of an actor! Before a year was over +he suddenly disappeared, nobody knew whither, and presently he was discovered +travelling with a strolling company, quite in the same subordinate position from +which he had so recently shaken himself clear."</p> + +<p class="normal">"With a very slight 'moral application,'" said Ottmar, "this +tale of the old actor belongs to the moral codex of all stage-players, and of +those who desire to become players."</p> + +<p class="normal">During this, Cyprian had risen silently, and, after walking +once or twice up and down the room, taken his position behind the window +curtain. Just when Ottmar ceased speaking, a blast of wind came suddenly howling +and raging in. The lights threatened to go out; Theodore's writing-table seemed +to become alive; hundreds of papers flew up, and were wafted about the room; the +strings of the old piano groaned aloud.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hey, hey!" cried Theodore, as he saw his literary notices, +and who knows what other written matter, at the mercy of the raging autumn +storm. "Hey, hey, Cyprianus, what are you about?" And they all set to work to +keep the lights in, and shield themselves from the thick snowflakes which came +swirling in.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is true," said Cyprian, shutting the window, "the weather +won't let one look to see what it is."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Tell me," said Sylvester, taking the wholly absentminded and +deeply preoccupied Cyprian by both hands, and forcing him to sit down again in +the seat he had left, "only tell me--that is all I ask--where have you been? In +what distant region have you been wandering? for far, far away from us has that +restless spirit of yours been bearing you again."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not so very far away from you as you may suppose," answered +Cyprian. "And, at all events, it was your own conversation which opened the door +for my departure. You had been saying so much about Comedy, and Vincenz was +stating his conclusion (justly resulting from experience), that amongst us the +fun which plays with itself is lost. It occurred to me that, on the other hand, +many real talents have displayed themselves in tragedy, in more and most recent +times, and along with this thought I was struck by the remembrance of a writer +who began, with genuine, high-aspiring genius, but suddenly, as if carried away +by some fatal eddy, went under, so that his name is scarcely ever heard of."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There," said Ottmar, "you were going in exact opposition to +Lothair's principle--that true genius never goes under."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And Lothair is right," answered Cyprian, "if he holds that +the fiercest storms of life cannot blow out the flame which blazes forth from +the inner spirit,--that the bitterest adversities, the keenest misfortunes fight +in vain against the inner heavenly might of the soul, which only bends the bow +to deliver the arrow with the greater power. But how were it if in the first +inner germ of the embryo there lurked the poisonous parasite larva, the worm, +which, developing along with the beautiful blossom, gnaws at its life, so that +it bears its death within itself? No storm is then needed for its destruction."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In that case," said Lothair, "your genius would be wanting in +the first condition indispensible to the tragic-poet who would enter upon life +free, and in possession of his powers. I mean that such a poet's genius must be +absolutely healthy--sound--free from the slightest ailment, such as psychic +weakness, or, to use your language, anything such as congenital poison. Who +could, and can, congratulate himself more on such a soundness of mental +constitution than our grand Gœthe, mighty father of us all? It is with such +an unweakened strength as his, with such an inward purity, that heroes are +begotten, such as Goetz von Berlichingen and Egmont! And if we cannot, perhaps, +admit such a heroic power (in quite the same degree) in our Schiller, there is, +on the other hand, that pure sun-glance of the inner soul beaming round his +heroes in which we, beneficently warmed, feel as powerful and strong as their +creator. And we must not forget the Robber Moor, whom Ludwig Tieck, with perfect +justice, calls the Titanic creation of a young and daring imagination. But we +are getting far from the tragic poet whom you were speaking of, Cyprian, and I +hope you will tell us at once to whom you allude, although I fancy I have a +strong idea?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was very nearly breaking in upon your conversation, as I +did once before, with strange words and sayings," answered Cyprian, "which you +would not have understood, inasmuch as you were not seeing the images of my +waking-dream. Nevertheless, I cry out 'No! Since the days of Shakespeare there +never stalked such a Being across the stage as this superhumanly terrible, +gruesome old man!' And that you may not remain a moment longer in doubt on the +subject, I add at once that no modern poet can congratulate himself on such a +loftily tragic and powerful creation as the author of the Söhne des Thales."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends looked at each other in amazement. They made a +rapid +pass-muster of the principal characters in Zacharias Werner's +pieces, and then came to the same conclusion--that in every case there was a +certain element of the strange and singular, and often of the commonplace, +mingled with the truly great, the grandly tragic which seemed to indicate that +the author had never come to any really clear seeing of his heroes, and that he +was doubtless deficient in that absolute health and soundness of the inner mind +which Lothair considered indispensible to every writer of tragedy.</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodore alone had been laughing within himself, as if he were +of another opinion, and now began:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Halt! Halt! ye worthy Serapion Brethren. Don't be in too +great a hurry. I know very well, in fact, I am the only one of you who can know, +that Cyprian is speaking of a work which the writer never finished, which is +consequently unknown to the world, although friends in the writer's +neighbourhood, to whom he communicated sketches of scenes from it, had ample +reason to be convinced that it would rise to the position of being amongst the +grandest and most powerful, not only that he ever produced, but which have been +seen in modern days."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course," said Cyprian, "I was talking of the second part +of the 'Kreuz an der Ostsee,' in which it is that the terrible, gruesome, +gigantic character to whom I was alluding occurs, the old King of Prussia, +Waidewuthis. It may be impossible for me to give you a distinct idea of this +character, which the poet, by virtue of some mighty spell at his command, seems +to have conjured up from the mysterious depths of the subterranean kingdoms. It +must suffice if I enable you to look into the interior mechanism of the springs +which the poet has placed within it to set this production of his into due +activity of movement. According to historical tradition, the earliest 'culture' +of the ancient Prussians was originated by their king, Waidewuthis. He +introduced the rights of property. The fields were divided, and agriculture +carried on. He also gave the nation a form of religious worship, inasmuch as he +himself carved three graven images, to which sacrifices were offered beneath an +ancient oak-tree, where they were set up; but a terrible power grasped hold of +him (though himself all-powerful, the god of the nation which he ruled), those +rude graven images, carved by his own hands, that the people's force and will +might bow down before them as embodiments of a higher energy, suddenly awoke +into life. And what inflamed those senseless images thus into life was the fire +which the Satanic Prometheus stole from Hell. Rebellious thralls of their Lord +and Maker, those idols began to wield against himself the weapons with which he +had armed them. And thus commences the monstrous conflict of the Superhuman +principle with the Human. I do not know if I have been intelligible to you--if I +have quite succeeded in representing to you the poet's colossal idea; but, as +Serapion Brethren, I would charge you to look deep down, as I have done, into +the terrible abyss which the poet has opened and disclosed, and feel the terror +and awe which overwhelms me even now as I think of that Waidewuthis."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And in truth," said Theodore, "our Cyprian has turned quite +white; which of course proves how the whole grand sketch of the extraordinary +picture which the poet displayed before him--but from which he has shown us only +one of the principal groups--has stirred his inner soul. But, as regards +Waidewuthis, I think it would have been sufficient to say that the poet, with +astonishing power and originality, conceived this Daemon with so much grandeur, +power, and might, so gigantic a figure, that he appears quite worthy of the +contest, and that the triumph, the glory of Christianity must beam forth all the +brighter in consequence. It is true that in many of his characteristics, the old +monarch appears to me as if he were--to speak with Dante--the Imperador del +Doloroso Regno in person, walking on earth. The catastrophe of his overthrow, +that triumph of Christianity, which is the final chord towards which everything +strives, in the whole work (which to me, at all events, according to the design +of the second part, seems to belong to another world), I have never been able to +form a conception of to myself in dramatic form; although in quite other sounds, +and in those only, I did conceive the possibility of a conclusion which, in +terrific sublimity, would surpass everything else which could be conceived of. +But this only became apparent to me when I had read Calderon's great 'Magus.' +Moreover, the poet has not uttered himself as to the mode in which he would +finish the work; at least nothing of the sort has reached my ears."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It seems to me," said Vincent, "on the whole very much as +though it had gone with the poet, as to his work, as it did with old King +Waidewuthis and his graven images. It grew over his head; and that he could not +get control of his own power is proved by the very failure of his inward energy, +which, at length, does not allow anything sound, healthy, vigorous, to come to +the light of day. On the whole, even if Cyprian is right in thinking that the +old king had the best possible dispositions for turning out a splendid and +powerful Satan, I do not see how he could have got into due relation with +humanity again. The Satan would have had to be, at the same time, a grand, +powerful kingly hero."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And that is exactly what he was," answered Cyprian. "But to +prove this to you, I should require to know whole scenes by heart, which the +author communicated to us. I remember one in particular, very vividly, which +seemed to me magnificent. King Waidewuthis knew that none of his sons would +succeed him in the crown, so he selected a boy--I think he appeared about twelve +years old--as his successor. In the night they two--Waidewuthis and the boy--are +lying by the fire, and Waidewuthis. occupies himself in kindling the boy's +courage towards the idea of the godly-might of the Euler of a People. This +address of Waidewuthis seemed to me quite masterly, quite perfect. The boy, who +has a young tame wolf, his faithful playmate, in his arms, listens attentively +to the old man's words; and when the latter at last asks him if, for the sake of +power he would be capable of sacrificing even his wolf, the boy looks him +gravely in the face, and without a word, throws the wolf into the flames."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know," cried Theodore, as Vincent smiled strangely, and +Lothair seemed on the point of breaking out from inward impatience, "I know what +you are going to say--I hear the severe sentence of condemnation with which you +dismiss the author; and I will admit that I should have perfectly agreed with +you only a day or two ago, and been of the same opinion, not so much from +conviction, as from anger that the author should have entered upon paths which +must for ever carry him away from me, Bo that a re-encounter between us must +have appeared scarcely conceivable, and moreover, almost not to be desired. It +would have been quite justifiable for the world, considering the manner in which +the author had commenced his career, to think that there was evidence of an +untruthful inconstancy--a weathercockiness--of mind, disposed to cast over +others the veil which self-deception had woven around him; although, all this +time, the truth had torn this veil asunder, with rude vigour, so that the world +could discern, in his heart, a wicked spirit of self-seeking, endeavouring to +gain the glitter of false fame for purposes of self-beatification. But I am +obliged to confess that his preface to his sacred drama, 'The Mother of the +Macabees,' has completely disarmed me. And this preface can only be perfectly +understood by the few friends of his who were closely associated with him in his +most beautiful blossoming-time. It contains the most affecting admissions of +culpable weaknesses; the most pathetic lamentations over powers for ever lost. +Those things may have escaped the writer involuntarily, and it is very likely +that he did not, himself, perceive that deeper significance which the friends +whom he had abandoned must have seen in those words. As I read this preface, I +seemed to see, through a dim, colourless ocean of cloud, rays feebly piercing of +a lofty, noble spirit, rising beyond the crack-brained follies of immature +perversity, and, if not fully conscious of its own value, yet possessing a +considerable inkling of its worth. The writer seemed to me much like one of +those who are victims of that form of insanity of which the predominant symptom +is 'fixed idea.' Those unhappy people are, in their lucid intervals, aware of +their delusions; but, to soothe the comfortless horror of that consciousness, +they strive to convince themselves that in those very delusions their highest +and truest existence lives and moves. And this they do by the most ingenious +sophisms; striving also to induce themselves to believe that their consciousness +of their delusion is nothing but the sick doubting of Humanity immeshed and +enslaved in the Earthly. And in the preface which I am speaking of, the writer +touches upon the second part of the 'Kreuz an der Ostsee,' admitting this."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Please don't make such horrible faces, Lothair! Sit still on +your chair, Ottmar; don't drum the Russian Grenadiers' March on the elbow of +your seat, Vincenz. I really think that the author of the 'Soehne des Thales' +deserves to be discussed rationally and quietly by us, and I must confess that +my heart is very full of this subject, and I cannot help letting the froth which +is seething there boil thoroughly over."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ha!" cried Vincenz, very loudly and pathetically, "how the +froth seethes!--now that is a quotation from the 'Kreuz an der Ostsee,' where +the heathen priests sing it in fearful and horrible strains. My dear +Serapion-Brother Theodore, you may rage, revile, curse and blaspheme +as much as you please, but I must just introduce into this +many-sided discussion one little anecdote, which will throw, at all events, +a momentary glimpse of sunshine over all those +corpse-watchers' countenances. The author of whom we are speaking had got +together a few friends that he might read to them the 'Kreuz an der Ostsee' from +the manuscript. They had heard some passages from it before, which had raised +their expectations to the highest pitch. The author had, as usual, seated +himself in the centre of the circle, at a small table where two candles were +burning in tall candlesticks. He had taken his manuscript out of his +breast-pocket, and laid down before him his big snuff-box, and his +blue-and-white checked pocket-handkerchief. Profound silence reigned. Not a +breath was audible. The author, making one of his extraordinary faces, which +defy all description, began as +follows:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Bankputtis!--Bankputtis!--Bankputtis!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course you remember that, in the opening scene, at the +rising of the curtain, the Prussians are discovered, assembled by the seashore, +collecting amber; and they invoke the deities who preside over this. Very well. +The author, as I have said, began with the words--</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Bankputtis! Bankputtis!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then there was a short pause; after which there came forth +out of a corner the soft voice of a member of the audience, saying: 'My dearest +and most beloved friend! Most glorious of all authors; if you have written the +whole of this most admirable poem of yours in that infernal language, not one +soul of us understands a single syllable of it. For God's sake, be so kind as to +start with a translation of it.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends laughed; but Cyprian and Theodore remained silent +and grave. Before the latter could begin to speak, Ottmar said: "It is +impossible, in this connection, that I should forget the extraordinary, nay, +almost preposterously absurd, meeting of two men who were--at all events as +concerned their opinions upon Art and their views about +it--absolutely heterogeneous in their natures. Indisputable as +it may be that Werner carried the idea of the 'Kreuz an der Ostsee' about with +him for a long time, to the best of my knowledge the first impulse to his +writing it came to him from Iffland, who was anxious that he should write a +tragedy for the Berlin stage. The 'Soehne des Thales' was then attracting much +attention, and perhaps that dramatic writer may have been interested in this +newly-developed talent, or he may have thought he saw that this young <i>débutant</i> +was capable of being trained to the performance of the systematic round of +theatre tricks, and would acquire a skilled 'stage-hand.' However this may be, +think of Iffland with the manuscript of the 'Kreuz an der Ostsee' in his hands. +Iffland--to whom the tragedies of Schiller (which then, in +spite of all opposition, had made their way, chiefly through the great Fleck) +were really disgustful, in the depths of his soul; Iffland, who although he did +not dare, for dread of that sharp lash which he had felt already, to speak out +his real opinion, had put <i>this</i> in print: 'Tragedies which contain grand +historical incidents, and a crowd of characters, are the ruin of the stage;' +adding, 'on account of the tremendous expenses,' but thinking, in his heart, +'<i>dixi et salvavi</i>.'--Iffland, who would have been too pleased to put upon his +privy-councillors, secretaries, and so forth, tragic <i>cothurni</i> made after his +own pattern--read the 'Kreuz an der Ostsee' in the light of its being a tragedy +expressly written for the Berlin stage, which he himself should set out into +scenes, and in which he should play nothing less than the Ghost of Bishop +Adalbert, murdered by the Pagan Prussians, very frequently appearing on the +stage as a terror-inspiring character not sparing of partly edifying, partly +mystic speeches, while at every mention of the name of Christ a flame breaks out +of his forehead, to instantaneously disappear again. It was impossible to throw +this piece overboard (as would have been done in a moment in the case of the +<i>dii minores</i>), notwithstanding that it was one which was full of +improbabilities, and bristling with difficulties (much more real difficulties +from the stage-manager's point of view, than many Shakesperian plays, in which +those difficulties are more apparent than real). What had to be done was to +express great admiration of it; to laud it up to the skies, and then to declare, +with deep regret, that the capabilities of the stage were not practically +sufficient for the production of a thing so great. It was this which had to be +done; and the letter in which Iffland stated all this to the author (the +construction of which was on the lines of the well-known form of refusal of the +Italians, '<i>ben +parlato-ma</i>'), was, of course, a classical master-piece of +theatrical diplomacy. It was not from the nature of the piece itself that the +manager deduced the impossibility of representing it on the stage; he merely, in +a courteous manner, complained of the stage-manager, the property-men, and the +carpenters, to whose magic there were such narrow limits that they were not even +capable of making a Saint's glory shine in the air. But, no more on the subject. +It is for Theodore to make such excuses as he can for the errors of his friend."</p> + +<p class="normal">"To defend and excuse this friend of mine," said Theodore, "I +fear would be a very unsatisfactory thing to try to do. I should much prefer to +set you a psychical problem to solve, which ought, really, to lead you to +consider how peculiar influences may work upon the psychical organism; or, +indeed (to return to Cyprian's simile, the worm engendered along with the most +beautiful flower), on the worm which is to poison and kill. We are told +Hysterism in the mother is not transmitted, by heredity, to the son, but that it +does produce in him a peculiarly lively imagination, even to the extent of +eccentricity; and I believe that there is one of ourselves in whose case the +correctness of this theory is confirmed. Now, how might it be with the effect of +actual <i>insanity</i> of the mother upon the son, although he does not, as a rule, +inherit that either? I am not speaking of that weak, childish sort of mental +aberration in women, which is often the result of an enfeebled nervous system; +what I have in view is that abnormal mental state in which the psychic +principle, volatilized into a sublimate by the operation of the furnace of +imagination, has been converted into a poison, which has attacked the vital +spirits, so that they have become sick unto death, and the human creature, in +the delirium of this malady, believes the dream of another life-condition to be +actual waking reality. Now, a woman highly gifted mentally, and largely endowed +with imagination and fancy, may in those circumstances be much more like to a +heavenly prophet than to an insane creature, and in the excitement of her +paroxysms may say things, which to many persons would appear much more like the +direct inspiration of higher intelligences than the mere utterances of insanity. +Suppose that the fixed idea of such a woman consisted in her believing herself +to be the Virgin Mary, and her son Christ, and let this be repeated daily to the +boy, who is not taken away from her, whilst his powers of comprehension +gradually develop themselves. He is over-bountifully endowed with talent and +intelligence, and specially with a glowing imagination. Friends and teachers +whom he respects and believes all tell him that his poor mother is out of her +mind, and he himself sees the craziness of the idea, which is not so much as new +to him, since it exists in nearly every lunatic asylum. But his mother's words +sink deeply into his heart; he thinks he is hearing announcements from another +world, and feels vividly the belief taking root within him upon which he bases +his system of thinking. Above all, he is very much struck and imbued with what +the maternal prophetess tells him regarding the trials of this world; the +scoffing and despite which the consecrated one must endure. He finds this all +realized, and in his boyish melancholy looks upon himself as a Divine victim, +when his schoolfellows make fun of him for his quaint-looking clothes and his +timid awkward manners. What follows? Must there not arise in the breast of such +a youth the belief that the so-called insanity of his mother, which seems to <i>him</i> +lofty and sublime beyond the comprehension of the common herd, is really neither +more nor less than a prophetic announcement, in metaphorical language, of the +high destiny in store for him, chosen by the powers of heaven! +Saint--prophet!--could there be stronger impulses to mysticism for a youth fired +with a glowing power of imagination? Let it be further supposed that he is +physically and psychically excitable to the most destructive extent, and apt to +fall a prey to and be carried away by the most irresistible tendency to vice, +and the wicked lusts of the world.... I desire to pass in haste, and with +averted face, by the fearful abysses of human nature whence the germs of those +tendencies spring, which might take root and flourish in the heart of the +unfortunate youth without his being further to blame than in that he had a hot +blood, only too congenial a soil for the luxuriant poison-plant.... I dare not +go further; you feel the terrible nature of the strife which tears the heart of +the unhappy youth. Heaven and hell are drawn up in battle array; and it is this +mortal combat imprisoned within him which gives rise to phenomena on the surface +in utter discord with everything else conditioned by mortal nature, and capable +of no interpretation whatever. How, then, if the glowing power of imagination of +this man (who in youth imbibed the germ of those eccentricities from his +mother's mental state) should subsequently, at a time when Sin, bereft of all +her adornments, accuses herself, in all her repulsive nakedness, for the hellish +deceptions of the past, lead him, driven by the pain and remorse of his +repentance, to take refuge in the mysticism of some religious <i>cultus</i>, coming +to meet him with hymns of victory and perfume of incense? How when then, out of +the most hidden depths, the voice of some dark spirit within should become +audible, saying: 'It was but mortal blindness which led you to believe that +there was dissension in your heart. The veil has fallen, and you perceive that +sin is the stigma of your heavenly nature, of your supernatural calling, +wherewith the Eternal has marked the chosen one. It was only when you set +yourself to offer resistance to sinful impulse, to contend with the Eternal +Power, that you were abandoned in your blindness and degeneracy. The purified +fires of hell shine in the glories of the Saints.' And thus does this terrible +hypermysticism impart to the lost one a consolation which completes the ruin of +the rotten walls of the edifice of his existence; just as it is when the madman +derives comfort and enjoyment from his madness, that his recovery is known to be +hopeless."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, please go no further," cried Sylvester. "You hurried, +with averted face, past an abyss which you avoided looking into; but to me it +seems as if you were leading us along upon narrow, slippery paths, where +terrible and threatening gulfs yawn at us on either side. What you last said +reminded me of the horrible mysticism of Pater Molinos, the dreadful doctrine of +Quietism. I shuddered when I read the leading theorem of that doctrine. 'Il ne +faut avoir nul égard aux tentations, ni leur opposer aucune résistance. Si la +nature se meut, il faut la laisser agir; ce n'est que la nature!'[1] This, of +course, would +carry----"</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">[Footnote 1: "Toute opération active est absolument interdite +par Molinos. C'est même offenser Dieu, que de ne pas tellement s'abandonner à +lui, que l'on soit comme un corps inanimé. De-là vient, suivant cette +hérésiarque, que le vœu de faire quelque bonne œuvre est un obstacle à la +perfection, parce que l'activité naturelle est ennemie de la grâce; c'est un +obstacle aux opérations de Dieu et à la vraie perfection, parce que Dieu veut +agir en nous sans nous. Il ne faut connoître ni lumière, ni amour, ni +résignation. Pour être parfait, il ne faut pas même connoître Dieu; il ne faut +penser, ni au paradis, ni à l'enfer, ni à la mort, ni à l'éternité. On ne doit +point désirer de sçavoir si on marche dans la volonté de Dieu, si on est assez +résigné ou non. En un mot, il ne faut point que l'âme connoisse ni son état ni +son néant; il faut qu'elle soit comme un corps inanimé. Toute réflexion est +nuisible, même celles qu'on fait sur ses propres actions, et sur ses défauts. +Ainsi on ne doit point s'embarrasser du scandale que l'on peut causer, pourvu +que l'on n'ait pas intention de scandaliser. Quand une fois on a donné son libre +arbitre à Dieu, on ne doit plus avoir aucun désir de sa propre perfection, ni +des vertus, ni de sa sanctification, ni de son salut; il faut même se défaire de +l'espérance, parce qu'il faut abandonner à Dieu tout le soin de ce que nous +regarde, même celui de faire en nous et sans nous sa divine volonté. Ainsi c'est +une imperfection que de demander; c'est avoir une volonté et vouloir que celle +de Dieu s'y conforme. Par la même raison il ne faut lui rendre grâce d'aucune +chose; c'est le remercier d'avoir fait notre volonté; et nous n'en devons point +avoir." ('Causes célèbres,' par Richer. Tom. ii.: 'Histoire du Procès de la +Cadière.')]</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">"It would carry us a good deal too far," interrupted Lothair, +"into the realm of the most horrible dreams, and--to speak generally--of that +amount of crack-brainedness of which there can never be any question amongst us +Serapion Brethren. So let us abandon the subject of all that sublimity of mental +unhingedness which is the foster-mother of religious mania."</p> + +<p class="normal">Ottmar and Vincenz agreed in this, and added that Theodore had +committed a breach of Serapiontic rule by speaking so fully on a subject to some +extent strange to the other brethren, in this manner giving himself up to +impulses of the moment, and damming up the flow of other communications.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cyprian, however, look Theodore's part, maintaining that the +subject on which, for the most part, he had been speaking, might be thought to +possess such an amount of interest (though, as far as he himself was concerned, +he must say it was of an uncanny character) that even those to whom the person +to whom it had referred had never been known, could not but feel themselves very +much attracted and affected by it.</p> + +<p class="normal">Ottmar thought that he could have felt a certain amount of +interest about it if it had been written in a book. Cyprian said that the +<i>sapienti sat</i>, was enough as regarded it.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the meantime, Theodore had gone into the next room, and now +came back with a veiled picture, which he placed on a table against the wall, +setting two candles in front of it. All eyes were bent upon it, and when +Theodore quickly removed the cloth from before it an "Ah!" came from all their +lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was the author of the 'Soehne des Thales,' a life-size +half-length, a most speaking likeness, as if it had been stolen out of a +looking-glass.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is it possible!" cried Ottmar, enthusiastically. "Yes, from +under those bushy eyebrows there gleams from the dark eyes the strange fire of +that unlucky mysticism which dragged the poet to his destruction. But the +goodness, the kindliness, the lovableness and the talents which beam out of the +rest of his features, and this charmingly 'roguish' smile of real humour which +plays about the lips, and seems to try unsuccessfully to hide itself in the +long, projecting chin, which the hand is stroking so quietly. Of a truth I feel +myself more and more drawn to this mystic, who grows the more human the longer +one looks at him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We all feel the same," cried Lothair and Vincenz.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes," cried the latter, "those sorrowful, gloomy eyes +get brighter. You are right, Ottmar, he grows human--<i>homo factus est</i>. See, he +looks with his eyes--he smiles; presently he will say something that will +delight us; some heavenly jest; some fulminating sally of wit is playing about +his lips. Out with it, out with it, good Zacharias! Stand on no ceremony! We are +your friends, master of reserved irony! Ha! Serapion Brethren! let us elect him, +glasses in hand, an honorary member of our Society; we will drink to our +brotherhood, and I will pour a libation before his picture, and bedew with a few +glittering drops my own varnished Parisian boots into the bargain."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends took their filled glasses in hand to carry out +Vincenz's suggestion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stop!" cried Theodore. "Let me say a word or two first. To +begin with, I hope you will by no means apply that psychical problem of mine +(which I perhaps stated somewhat too forcibly) directly to our author here. +Rather take it that my object was to show you very vividly and convincingly how +dangerous it is to form conclusions about phenomena in a man of which we know +nothing as to their deep psychic origin; nay, how heartless, as well as +senseless, it is to persecute, with silly scorn and childish derision, one who +has been the victim of a depressing influence, such as we ourselves would +probably have resisted less successfully. Who shall cast the first stone at one +who has grown defenceless because his strength has ebbed away with the +heart's-blood flowing from wounds inflicted by his own self-deception? My end is +gained now. Even you--Lothair, Ottmar, Vincenz, severe inflexible critics and +judges, have quite altered your opinions now that you have seen my poet face to +face. His face speaks truth. I must testify that, in the happy days when he and +I were friends, he was the most delightful and charming of men in every relation +of life. All the oddities, and strange eccentricities of his exterior, and of +his whole being (which he himself, with delicate irony, tried to bring to light, +rather than to conceal) only produced the effect of rendering him, in the most +various surroundings and most diverse circumstances, always in the most +attractive manner, utterly delightful. Moreover, he was full of a subtle humour +which rendered him the worthy <i>confrère</i> of Hamann, Heppel, and Scheffner. It is +impossible that all that blossom of promise can be withered and dead, blighted +by the poison breath of a miserable infatuation. No! If that picture could come +to life--if the poet were to walk in and sit down actually amongst us here, life +and genius would coruscate out of his discourse as of yore. I fain would hope +that I see the dawn of a new and brilliant day! May the rays of true wisdom +break out more and more brightly; may recovered strength and renewed power of +labour produce work which shall show us the poet in the pure glory of the verily +inspired singer, even if it does not happen before the late autumn of his days! +And to this, ye Serapion Brethren, let us drink in happy expectation."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends, forming a semicircle round the picture, clinked +their glasses together. "And then," said Vincenz, "it won't matter whether he is +Private Secretary, Abbé, or Privy Councillor, Cardinal, or the very Pope; or +even a Bishop <i>in partibus infidelium</i>, that's to say, of Paphos!"</p> + +<p class="normal">As was usually the case with Vincenz, he had without intending +it, or even being aware of it, stuck a comic tail on to a serious subject. But +the friends felt too strangely moved to pay particular attention to this. They +sat down again in silence at the table, while Theodore carried the poet's +picture back into the next room.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had meant," said Sylvester, "to read you this evening a +story, for the idea of which I am indebted to a strange chance, or rather, to a +strange remembrance. But it is so late that Serapiontic hours would be long over +before I had finished it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is very much my case too," said Vincenz, "with my +long-promised tale, which I have got pressed against my heart here in the +breast-pocket of my coat (that usual <i>boudoir</i> of literary +productions) like a pet child. It has sucked itself fat and lusty at the +mother's milk of my imagination, and has thereby got so forward and so talkative +that if I were to let it begin, it would go on till daybreak. So that it must +wait till the next meeting. To talk, I mean to converse, appears dangerous +to-night; for, before one knows where one is, some heathen king, or Pater +Molinos (or some <i>mauvais sujet</i> or another of the sort), suddenly sits in the +midst of us, talking all kinds of unintelligible nonsense. So that if either of +us can out with a manuscript with something amusing in it, I hope he will let us +hear it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If anything which any one of us may be able to produce +to-night," said Cyprian, "must seem to be nothing more than a stop-gap, or an +intermezzo between other melodies, I may pluck up courage to read +to you a trifle which I wrote down many years ago, when I had +been passing through a period of much mystery and some danger. I had completely +forgotten the existence of the pages in question, until they accidentally came +into my hands a short time ago, vividly recalling +the times to which they relate. My belief is that what led to +the production of this rather chimerical story is much more interesting than the +thing itself; and I shall have more to say on that subject when I have finished +it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Cyprian read:</p> + +<br> + +<h2><a name="div2_phenomena" href="#div2Ref_phenomena">PHENOMENA</a>.</h2> + +<p class="continue">When any allusion was made to the last siege of Dresden, +Anselmus turned even paler than he ordinarily was. He would fold his hands in +his lap--he would gaze before him, lost in melancholy memories--he would murmur +to himself,</p> + +<p class="normal">"God of Heaven, were I to put my legs into my new riding-boots +at the proper time, and run across the bridge towards Neustadt, paying no +attention to burning straw, and the bursting shells, I have no doubt that this +great personage and the other would, put his head out of his carriage window and +say, with a polite bow, 'Come along, my good sir, without any ceremony. I have +room for you.' But there was I shut up and hemmed in in the middle of the +accursed Marmot's-burrow, all ramparts, embankments, trenches, star-batteries, +covered ways, &c., suffering hunger and misery as much as the best of them. +Didn't it come to this, that if one happened to turn over the pages of a Roux's +dictionary by way of passing the time, and came upon the word 'Eat,' one's +exhausted stomach cried out in utter amazement, 'Eat? Now what does that mean?' +People who had once on a time been fat buttoned their skin over them, like a +double-breasted coat, a natural Spencer! Oh, heavens, if only that Master of the +Rolls--that Lindhorst--hadn't been there! Popowicz of course wanted to kill me, +but the Dolphin sprinkled marvellous life-balsam out of its silver-blue +nostrils. And Agafia!" When he spoke this name, Anselmus was wont to get up from +his seat, jump just a little, once, twice, three times; and then sit down again. +It was always quite useless to ask him what he really meant, on the whole, by +those extraordinary sayings and grimaces. He merely answered, "Can I possibly +describe what happened with Popowicz and Agafia without being supposed to be out +of my mind?" And every one would laugh gently, as much as to say, "Well, my good +fellow, we suppose that whether or not."</p> + +<p class="normal">One drear, cloudy October evening, Anselmus, who was +understood to be somewhere a long way off--came in at the door of a friend of +his. He seemed to be moved to the depths of his being, he was kindlier and +tenderer than at other times--almost pathetic. His humour (often perhaps too +wildly discursive, too universally antagonistic) was bowing itself, tamed and +bridled, before the mighty Spirit which had possession of his inner soul. It had +grown quite dark, the friend wanted to send for lights. But Anselmus, taking +hold of both his arms, said: "If you would, for once, do me a real favour, don't +have lights brought. Let's be content with the dim shining of that Astral lamp +which is sending its glimmer from the closet there. You can do what you +please--drink tea, smoke tobacco, but don't smash any cups, or throw lighted +matches on to my new trousers. Either of those things would not only pain me, +but would make an unnecessary noise and disturbance in the enchanted garden into +which I have at last managed to get to-day, and in which I am enjoying myself to +my soul's content. I shall go and lie on that sofa."</p> + +<p class="normal">He did so. After a considerable pause, he began:</p> + +<p class="normal">"To-morrow morning at eight o'clock it will be exactly two +years since Count von der Lobau marched out from Dresden with twelve thousand +men and four-and-twenty guns, to fight his way to the Meissner Hills."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said his friend, "I have been sitting here on the +stretch of an expectation, almost of a devout description, thinking I was going +to hear of some celestial manifestation, coming hovering out of your enchanted +garden--and this is all? What interest do I take in Count von der Lobau and his +expedition? And fancy you remembering that there were just twelve thousand men +and four-and-twenty guns. When did military details of the sort begin to effect +a lodgment in that head of yours?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Are those days of mystery and fatality," said Anselmus, +"which we passed through so short a time ago so completely forgotten by you that +you no longer recollect the manner in which the armed monster grasped us and +drove us? The <i>noli turbare</i> no longer held in check our own exertions of force, +and we would not <i>be</i> held in check or protected, for in every heart the demon +made deep wounds, and, driven by wild torture, every hand grasped the unfamiliar +sword, not for defence, +no--for attack, that the hateful ignominy might be atoned for, +and revenged, by Death! Even at this hour there comes upon me, in bodily form of +flesh and blood, that power which was active in those days +of darkness, and drove me forth from art and science into that +blood-stained tumult. Was it possible, do you think, for me to +go on sitting at my desk? I hurried up and down the streets, I followed the +troops when they marched out, as far as I dared, merely to see with my own eyes +as much as I could, and from what I Baw to gather some hope, paying no heed to +the miserable, deceptive, proclamations and news 'from the seat of war.' Very +good. When at length that battle of all battles was fought, when all round us +every voice was shouting for joy at new-won freedom, whilst we were still lying +in chains of slavery, I felt as if my heart would break. I felt as though I must +gain air and freedom, for myself and all who were chained to the stake along +with me, by means of some terrible deed. It may seem to you now, and with the +knowledge of me which you think you possess, incredible and ludicrous; but I can +assure you that I went about with the idea in my mind, the insane idea, that I +would set a match to some fort which I knew the enemy had got well-stocked with +powder, and blow it into the air."</p> + +<p class="normal">The friend could not help smiling a little at the wild heroism +of the unwarlike Anselmus. The latter, however, could not see this, as it was +dark; and after a few moments' silence he proceeded as follows. "You have all of +you often said that a peculiar planet which presides over me has a manner of +bringing marvellous matters about my path on occasions of importance, matters in +which people do not believe and which often seem to myself as if they proceeded +out of my own inner being, although there they are, outside of me also, taking +form as mystic symbols of that element of the marvellous which we find all about +us everywhere in life. It was so with me this day two years ago in Dresden. That +long day had dragged itself out in dull, mysterious silence; everything was +quiet outside the gate--not a shot to be heard. Late in the evening--it might +have been about ten o'clock, I slunk into a coffee house in the old market, +where, in an out-of-the-way back room into which none of the hated foreigners +were allowed to penetrate, friends of like minds and opinions gave each other +reassurance of comfort and hope. It was there where, notwithstanding all the +lies which were current, the true news of the engagements at the Katzbach, Culm, +&c., were first received, where our R. told us of the victory at Leipzig two +days after it happened, though God knows how he obtained his knowledge of it. My +way had led me past the Brühl Palace, where the Field Marshal was quartered, and +I had been struck by the unusual lighting-up of the salons, as well as the stir +going on all over the house. I was just mentioning this to my friends, with the +remark that the enemy must have something in hand, when R. came hurrying in, +breathless, and in great excitement. 'Hear the latest thing,' he began at once. +'There has been a Council of War at the Field Marshal's. General Mouton (Count +von der Lobau) is going to fight his way to Meissen with twelve thousand men and +four-and-twenty guns. He marches out this morning.' After a good deal of +discussion we at last adopted R.'s opinion that this attack, which, from the +unceasing watchfulness of our friends outside, might very probably be disastrous +to the enemy, would very likely force the Field Marshal to capitulate, and so +put a period to our miseries. "How," thought I, as I was going home about +midnight, "can R. have found out what the decision come to was almost at the +very moment it was arrived at?" However, I was presently aware of a hollow, +rumbling sound making itself audible through the deathly stillness of the night. +Guns and ammunition waggons, well loaded up with forage, began passing slowly by +me in the direction of the Elbe bridge. "R. was right then," I had to say to +myself. I followed the line of their march and got as far as the centre of the +bridge, where there was at that time a broken arch, temporarily repaired with +wooden beams and scaffolding. At each side of this construction was a species of +fortification, constructed of high palisading and earth-works. Here, close to +this fortification, I took up my position, pressing myself close to the +balustrade of the bridge so as not to be seen. It now seemed to me that the tall +palisades began moving backwards and forwards, and bending over towards me, +murmuring hollow, unintelligible words. The deep darkness of the cloudy night +prevented my seeing anything clearly; but when the troops had crossed, and all +was as still as death on the bridge, I could make out that there was a deep, +oppressed breathing near me, and a faint, mysterious whimpering or whining--one +of the dark, scarcely distinguishable baulks of the timber was rising into a +higher position. An icy horror fell upon me, and, like a man tortured in a +nightmare dream, firmly fettered by leaded clamps, I could not move a muscle. +The night-breeze rose, wafting mists about the hills: the moon sent feeble rays +through rents in the clouds. And I saw, not far from me, the figure of a tall +old man with silvery hair and a long beard. The mantle which fell over his +haunches he had cast across his breast in numerous heavy folds. With his long, +white naked arm he was stretching a staff far out over the river. It was from +him that the murmuring and whimpering proceeded. At that moment I heard the +sound of marching coming from the town, and I saw the sheen of arms. The old man +cowered down, and began to whimper and lament, in a pitiful voice, holding out a +cap to those who were coming over the bridge, as if asking for alms. An officer, +laughing, cried, "<i>Voilà +St. Pierre, qui veut pêcher!</i>" The one who came next stopped, +and said very gravely, "<i>Eh bien! Moi, pêcheur, je lui aiderai à pêcher.</i>" +Several officers and soldiers, quitting the ranks, threw the old man money, +sometimes silently, sometimes with gentle sighs, like men in expectation of +death; and he, then, always nodded from side to side with his head in a curious +way, uttering a sort of hollow cry of a singular description. At length an +officer (in whom I recognized General Mouton) came so very close to the old man +that I thought his foaming charger would tramp upon him; and, turning quickly to +his +aide-de-camp, as he thrust his hat more firmly down on to his +head, he asked him, in a loud excited voice, "<i>Qui est cet homme?</i>" "The escort +which was in attendance on him stood motionless; but an old, bearded sapper, who +was passing with his axe on his shoulder, said, calmly and gravely, "<i>C'est un +pauvre maniaque bien connû ici. On l'appelle St. Pierre Pêcheur.</i>" On that the +force passed on across the bridge, not as at other times, full of foolish +jesting, but in dispirited ill-temper and gloom. As the last sound of them died +away, and the last gleam of their arms disappeared, the old man slowly reared +himself up, and stood with uplifted head and staff outstretched, like some +miraculous saint ruling the stormy water. The waves of the river rose into +mightier and mightier billows, as if stirred from their depths. And I seemed to +hear a hollow voice, coming up from amidst those rushing waters, and saying in +the Russian language.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Michael Popowicz! Michael Popowicz! Do you not see the +fireman?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man murmured to himself. He seemed to be praying. But +suddenly he cried out, "Agafia!" And at that moment his face glowed in blood-red +fire which seemed to be shooting up at him out of the Elbe. On the Meissner +Hills great fluttering flames blazed up into the sky; their reflection shone +into the river, and upon the old man's face. And now, close beside me upon the +bridge, there began to be audible a sort of plashing and splashing, and I saw a +dim form climbing up arduously, and presently swing itself over the balustrade +with marvellous dexterity.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Agafia?" the old man cried.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Girl! Dorothea! In the name of heaven," I was beginning, but +in an instant I felt myself clasped hold of, and forcibly drawn away. "Oh, for +Christ's sake keep silence, dearest Anselmus, or you are a dead man," whispered +the creature who was standing close to me, trembling and shivering with cold. +Her long black hair hung down dripping, her sodden garments were clinging to her +slender body. She sank down exhausted, saying, in tones of gentle complaining, +"Oh, it is so cold down there! Do not say another word, Anselmus dearest, or we +must certainly die."</p> + +<p class="normal">The light of the flames was glowing upon her face, and I saw +that she was Dorothea, the pretty country girl who had taken asylum with my +landlord when her native village was plundered, and her father killed. He +employed her as a servant, and used to say that her troubles had quite stupefied +her, or otherwise she would have been a nice enough little thing. And he was +right there. She scarcely spoke, except to utter a few words which sounded like +incoherent nonsense, whilst her face, which would otherwise have been beautiful, +was marred by a strange unmeaning smile. She used to bring my coffee into my +room every morning, and I remarked that her figure, complexion, &c., were not at +all those of a peasant girl. "Ah," my landlord used to say, "you see she's a +farmer's daughter, and a Saxon."</p> + +<p class="normal">As this girl was thus lying, rather than kneeling before me, +half dead, dripping, I quickly pulled off my cloak and wrapped her in it, +whispering to her, "Warm yourself, dear, oh, warm yourself, darling Dorothea, or +you will die! What were you doing in the cold river?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, keep silent!" she said, throwing back the hood of her +mantle, and combing her dripping hair back with her fingers. "What I implore you +to do is to keep silent. Come to that stone seat yonder. Father is speaking with +Saint Andrew, and can't hear us."</p> + +<p class="normal">We crept cautiously to the stone seat. Utterly carried away by +the most extraordinary sensations, overmastered by fear and rapture, I clasped +the creature in my arms. She sat down in my lap without hesitation, and threw +her arms about my neck. I felt the icy water from her hair running down my neck; +but as drops sprinkled on fire only increase its flaming, love and longing only +seethed up within me the more vehemently.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Anselmus," she whispered, "I believe you are good and true. +When you sing it goes right through my heart, and you have charming ways. You +won't betray me. Who would get you your coffee if you did? And, listen, when you +are all starving (and you soon will be), I'll come to you at night, all alone, +when nobody can know, and bake you nice cakes. I have flour, fine flour, hidden +away in my little room. And we'll have bridecake, white and lovely!" At this she +began to laugh, but immediately sobbed and wept. "Ah me! like those in Moskow. +Oh! my Alexei! my Alexei! Beautiful dolphin, swim! Swim through the waves! Am I +not waiting for you, your faithful love?" She drooped her little head, her sobs +grew fainter, and she seemed to sink into a slumber, her bosom heaving and +falling in sighs of longing. I looked at the old man. He was standing with +outstretched arms, and saying, in hollow tones, "He gives the signal! See how he +shakes his fiery locks of flame; how eagerly he treads into the ground those +fiery pillars on which he traverses the land! Hear ye not his step of thunder? +Feel ye not the vivifying breath which wreathes before him like a gleaming +incense cloud? Hither! hither! mighty brethren!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The sound of the old man's words was like the hollow roar of +the approaching whirlwind, and while he spoke, the fire upon the Meissner Hills +blazed brighter and brighter. "Help, Saint Andrew!" the girl cried in her sleep. +And suddenly she sprung up as if possessed by some terrible idea, and throwing +her left arm more closely round me, whispered into my ear, "Anselmus! it would +be better that I killed you," and I saw a knife gleaming in her right hand. I +repulsed her in terror, with a loud cry of, "Mad creature! What would you do?" +Then she screamed out, "Ah, I cannot do it! But all is over with you now!" At +that moment the old man cried, "Agafia, with whom are you speaking?" And ere I +could bethink me, he was close to me, aiming a stroke with his swung staff at me +which would have cleft my skull in two had not Agafia seized me from behind and +drawn me quickly away. The staff splintered into a thousand pieces on the stone +bench. The old man fell on his knees. "Allons! allons!" resounded from all +sides. I had to collect my thoughts, and spring quickly to one side to avoid +being crushed by the guns and ammunition waggons which were again coming across.</p> + +<p class="normal">Next morning the Russians drove this expeditionary force down +from the hills, and back into the fortifications, notwithstanding the +superiority of its numbers. "'Tis a strange thing," people said, "that our +friends outside were informed of the enemy's plans, for that signal fire on the +Meissner Hills had the effect of assembling the troops, so that they might make +a resistance in force, just at the very time and place where he intended to +concentrate his attacking bodies."</p> + +<p class="normal">For several days Dorothea did not come in the morning with my +coffee; and my landlord, pale with terror, told me had seen her, along with the +mad beggar of the Elbe bridge, marched off from the marshal's quarters to +Neustadt under a strong escort.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, good heavens!" said Anselmus's friend, "they were +discovered and executed."</p> + +<p class="normal">But Anselmus gave a strange smile and said, "Agafia got away; +and, alter the Peace was signed, I received, from her own hands, a beautiful +white wedding-cake of her own making."</p> + +<p class="normal">The reticence of Anselmus was proof against every effort to +induce him to say anything more concerning this astonishing affair.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">When Cyprian had finished, Lothair said, "You told us that the +events which suggested this sketch would be more interesting than it is itself; +so that I consider those suggesting circumstances are an essential part of it, +without which it is not complete. Therefore, I think you ought at once to give +us your why and wherefore, as a sort of explanatory note."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Does it not seem to you to be as unusual as remarkable," said +Cyprian, "that all that I have read to you is literally true, and that even the +little 'wind up,' has its kernel of actuality?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Let us hear!" the friends cried.</p> + +<p class="normal">"To begin with," said Cyprian, "I must tell you that the fate +which befell Anselmus in my sketch was actually my own, as well. My being ten +minutes late decided my destiny, so that I was shut up in Dresden just as it was +surrounded on all sides. It is a fact that after the battle of Leipzig, when our +condition became more painful and trying day by day, certain friends, or mere +acquaintances, whom a similar lot and a like way of thinking had drawn together, +used to assemble in the back room of a coffee-house, much as the disciples did +at Emmaus. The landlord, one Eichelkraut, was a reliable, trustworthy man, who +made no secret of his hostility to the French, and always obliged them to treat +him with proper respect and keep their due distance from him when they came in +as customers. No Frenchman was allowed to make his way into that backroom on any +pretext, and if one did succeed in showing his nose there, he could never get a +morsel to eat, or a drop to drink, let him implore, or swear, as much as he +liked. Moreover, the room was always as silent as the grave, and we all blew +such stifling clouds out of our pipes that the place soon became so full of the +exhalation that a Frenchman would be very soon smoked out, like a wasp, and +usually went growling and swearing out of the door like one. As soon as he did, +the window would be opened to let the reek out, and we would be restored to our +peace and comfort again. The life and soul of those meetings was a well-known +talented and charming writer: and I remember with great pleasure how he and I +used to get upstairs to the upper story of the house, look out of the little +garret window into the night, and see the enemy's bivouac fires shining in the +sky. We used to say to each other all sorts of wonderful things which the +shimmer of those fires, combined with the moonlight, used to put into our heads, +and then go down and tell our friends what we imagined we had seen. It is a fact +that one night one of our number (an advocate) who was always the first to hear +any news, and whose reports were always reliable (heaven knows whence he derived +his information), came in and told us the decision which had just been come to +by the council of war concerning the expedition of Count von der Lobau, exactly +as I have repeated it to you. It is likewise true that as I was going home about +midnight, while the French battalions were falling-in in profound silence (no +<i>generale</i> being beaten) and beginning their march over the bridge, I met +ammunition waggons, so that I could have no doubt of the accuracy of his +information. And lastly, it is the fact that, on the bridge, there was a grey +old beggar lying, begging from the French troops as they crossed, whom I could +not remember having seen in Dresden before. Last of all it is the fact, and the +most wonderful of all, that when, much interested and excited, I reached my own +quarters, on climbing up to the top story I <i>did</i> see a fire on the Meissner +Hills, which was neither a watch fire nor a burning building. The sequel showed +that the Russians must have known that night all about the attack intended to be +made on the following morning, inasmuch as they concentrated troops which had +been at a considerable distance upon the Meissner Hills, and it was principally +Russian Landwehr which drove the French back as a storm sweeps a field of +stubble. When the remnant of them fell back into the fortifications, the +Russians quietly marched off to their previous positions. So that at the very +time when the council of war was held at Gouvion de St. Cyr's, the decision +which it arrived at was communicated to, or, more probably, overheard by persons +who were not supposed to have this in their power. Strangely enough, the +advocate knew every detail of the deliberation; for instance, that Gouvion was +opposed to the expedition, and only yielded lest he might be thought wanting in +courage, in a case where rapidity of decision was a desideratum. Count von der +Lobau was determined to march out and endeavour to cut his way to the emperor's +army. But how did the surrounding force know so soon of what was projected? For +they knew of it in the course of an hour. Not only was it apparently impossible +to get across the strongly fortified bridge; and if not, the river would have +had to be swum, and the various trenches and walls got over. Moreover, the whole +of Dresden was palisaded, and carefully guarded by sentries, to a considerable +distance round. Where was the possibility of any human being surmounting all +those obstacles in such a short space of time! One might think of telegraphic +signals, made by means of lights from some tall tower or loftily situated house. +But consider the difficulty of carrying that out, and the risk of detection, for +such signals would have been easily seen. At all events it remains an +incomprehensible thing how what actually happened came to pass; and that is +enough to suggest to a lively imagination all sorts of mysterious and +sufficiently extraordinary hypotheses to account for it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I bow my knee in deep reverence before Saint Serapion," said +Lothair; "and before the most worthy of his disciples, and I am quite sure that +a Serapiontic account of the important incidents of the war, as seen by him, if +given in his characteristic style, would be exceedingly interesting, as well as +very instructive, to imaginative members of the profession of arms. At the same +time I have little doubt that the incidents in question came about quite +naturally, and in the ordinary course of events. But you had to get your +landlord's servant-girl, the pleasing Dorothea, into the water, as a sort of +deluding Nixie; and she----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't jest about that," Cyprian said, very solemnly. "Don't +make jokes on that subject, Lothair. At this moment I see that beautiful +creature before my eyes, that lovely terrible mystery (I do not know what other +name to call her by). It was I who had that bridecake sent to me; glittering in +diamonds, flashing like lightning, wrapped in priceless sables----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Listen," cried Vincenz. "We are getting at it now. The Saxon +maid-servant--the Russian Princess--Moskow--Dresden-- Has not +Cyprian always spoken in the most mysterious language, and with the most +recondite allusions, of a certain period of his life just after the first French +war? It is coming out now! Speak! Let all your heart stream forth, my Cyprianic +Serapion and Serpiontic Cyprian."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And how if I keep silence?" answered Cyprian, suddenly +drawing in his horns, and growing grave and gloomy. "And how if I am obliged to +keep silence? And I <i>shall</i> keep silence!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He spoke those words in a strangely solemn and exalted tone, +leaning back in his chair, and fixing his eyes on the ceiling, as was his wont +when deeply moved.</p> + +<p class="normal">The friends looked at one another with questioning glances.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Lothair at last, "it seems that somehow our +meeting of to-night has fallen into a strange groove of ill-fortune, and it +appears to be hopeless to expect any comfort or enjoyment out of it. Suppose we +have a little music, and sing some absurd stuff or other as vilely as we can."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said Theodore, "that is the thing." And he opened the +piano. "If we don't manage a canon--which, according to Junker Tobias is a thing +which can reel three souls out of a weaver's body--we will make it awful enough +to be worthy of Signor Capuzzi and his friends. Suppose we sing an Italian +<i>Terzetto buffo</i> out of our own heads. I'll be the prima donna, and begin. +Ottmar will be the lover, and Lothair had better be the comic old man, and come +in, raging and swearing in rapid notes."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But the words, the words," said Ottmar.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sing whatever you please," said Theodore; "Oh Dio! Addio! +Lasciami mia Vita."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no," cried Vincenz. "If you won't let me take part in +your singing--although I feel that I possess a wonderful talent for it, which +only wants the voice of a Catalani to produce itself in the +work-a-day world with drastic effect, allow me at least to be +your librettist--your poet-laureate. And here I hand you your libretto at once."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had found on Theodore's writing-table the 'Indice de +Teatrali Spettacoli' for 1791, and this he handed to Theodore. This indice, like +all which appear yearly in Italy, merely contained a list of the titles of the +operas performed, with the names of their composers, and of the singers, +scene-painters, &c., concerned in their production. They opened the page which +related to the opera in Milan, and it was decided that the prima donna should +sing the names of the lover-tenors (with a due interspersing of Ah Dio's and Oh +Cielo's), that the lover-tenor should sing the names of the prima donnas in like +manner, and that the comic old man should come in, in his furious wrath, with +the titles of the operas which had been given and an occasional burst of +invective, appropriate to his character.</p> + +<p class="normal">Theodore played a <i>ritornello</i> of the cut and pattern which +occurs by the hundred in the opera buffas of the Italians, and then began to +sing in sweet, tender strains "Lorenzo Coleoni! Gaspare Rossari! Oh Dio! +Giuseppo Marelli! Francesco Sedini!" &c. Ottmar followed with "Giuditta Paracca! +Teresa Ravini! Giovanna Velata--Oh Dio!" &c. And Lothair burst duly in with +rapid, angry quavers: "Le Gare Generose, del Maestro Paesiello--Che vedo? La +Donna di Spirito, del Maestro Mariella. Briconaccio! Piro, Re di Epiro! +Maledetti!--del Maestro Zingarelli," &c.</p> + +<p class="normal">This singing, which Lothair and Ottmar accompanied with +appropriate gesticulations (Vincenz illustrating Theodore's impersonations with +the most preposterous grimaces imaginable), warmed up the friends more and more. +In a comic description of enthusiastic inspiration each seized the drift of the +other's ideas. All the passages, imitations, &c. (to use musical expressions), +usually employed in compositions of this description, were reproduced with the +utmost accuracy--so that any one who had come in by accident would never have +dreamt that this performance was improvised on the spur of the moment, even if +the strange hotch-potch of names had struck him as curious.</p> + +<p class="normal">Louder and more unrestrainedly raged this outbreak of Italian +<i>rabbia</i>, until (as may be supposed), it culminated in a wild, universal burst +of laughter, in which even Cyprian joined.</p> + +<p class="normal">At their parting, on this evening, the friends were in a +condition of wild enjoyment, rather than (as was the case on other occasions), +lull of rational delight.</p> + +<br> + +<br> +<h2><a name="div1_section8" href="#div1Ref_section8">SECTION EIGHT</a>.</h2> + +<p class="normal">The Serapion Brethren had assembled for another meeting.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must be greatly mistaken," said Lothair, "and be anything +but the possessor of a native genius (supplemented by assiduous practice) for +physiognomy--such as I believe that I do possess, if I do not read very +distinctly in the face of every one of us (not excepting my own, which I see +magically gleaming at me in yonder mirror), that our minds are all fully charged +with matter of importance, and only waiting for the word of command to fire it +off. I am rather afraid that more than one of us may have got shut up in one or +other of his productions one of those eccentric little firework devils which may +come fizzling out, dart backwards and forwards about the room, banging and +jumping, and not manage to pop out of the window until it has managed to give us +all a good singeing. I even dread a continuation of our last conversation, and +may Saint Serapion avert that from us! But lest we should fall immediately into +those wild, seething waters, and that we may commence our meeting in a duly calm +and rational frame of mind, I move that Sylvester begins by reading to us that +story which we could not hear on the last occasion because there was no time +left."</p> + +<p class="normal">This proposal was unanimously agreed to.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The woof which I have spun," said Sylvester, producing a +manuscript, "is composed of many threads, of the most various shades, and the +question in my mind is whether--on the whole--you will think it has proper +colour and keeping. It was my idea that I should, perhaps, put some flesh and +blood into what I must admit, is a rather feeble body, by contributing to it +something out of a great, mysterious period--to which it really does but serve +as a sort of framework."</p> + +<p class="normal">Sylvester read:--</p> + +<br> + +<h2><a name="div2_mutual" href="#div2Ref_mutual">THE MUTUAL INTERDEPENDENCE OF THINGS</a>.</h2> + +<p class="hang1">A tumble over a root as a portion of the system of the +universe--Mignon +and the gypsy from Lorca, in connection with General +Palafox--A +Paradise opened at Countess Walther Puck's.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No!" said Ludwig to his friend Euchar, "no! There is no such +lubberly, uncouth attendant on the goddess of Fortune as Herr Tieck has been +pleased to introduce in the prologue to his second part of 'Fortunat,' who, in +the course of his gyrations, upsets tables, smashes ink-bottles, and goes +blundering into the President's carriage, hurting his head and his arm. No! For +there is no such thing as chance. I hold to the opinion that the entire +universe, and all that it contains, and all that comes to pass in it--the +complete macrocosm--is like some large, very ingeniously constructed piece of +clockwork-mechanism, which would necessarily come to a stop in a moment if any +hostile principle, operating wholly involuntarily, were permitted to come in +contact--in an opposing sense--with the very smallest of its wheels."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I don't know, friend Ludwig," said Euchar, laughing, "how it +is that you have come, all of a sudden, to adopt this +wretched, +mechanical theory--which is as old as the hills, and out of +date long ago--disfiguring and distorting Goethe's beautiful notion of the red +thread which runs all through our lives--in which, when we think about it in our +more lucid moments, we recognize that higher Power which works above, and in +us."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have the greatest objection to that simile," said Ludwig. +"It is taken from the British navy. All through the smallest rope in their ships +(I know this, of course, from the Wahlverwandschaften), runs a small red thread, +which shows that the rope is Government property. No, my dear friend! Whatever +happens is pre-ordained, from the beginning, as an essential necessity, just +because it does happen. And this is the Mutual Interdependence of Things, upon +which rests the principle of all being, of all existence. Because, as soon as +you----"</p> + +<p class="normal">However, it is necessary, at this point, to explain to the +courteous reader that as Ludwig and Euchar were thus talking together, they were +walking in an alley of the beautiful park at W----. It was a Sunday. Twilight +was beginning to fall, the evening breeze was whispering in the branches which, +reviving after the heat of the day, were exhaling gentle sighs. Among the woods +were sounding the happy voices of townsfolk in their Sunday clothes, out for the +afternoon, some of them lying in the sweet grass enjoying their simple supper, +and others refreshing themselves in the various restaurants, in accordance with +the winnings of their week.</p> + +<p class="normal">Just as Ludwig was going on to explain more fully the profound +theory of the mutual interdependence of things, he stumbled over the thick root +of a tree, which (as he always wore spectacles) he had not seen; and he measured +his length on the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>That</i> was comprehended in the mutual interdependence of +things," said Euchar gravely and quietly, lifting up his friend's hat and stick, +and giving him his hand to help him on to his legs again. "If you had not +pitched over in that absurd manner the world would have come to a stop at once."</p> + +<p class="normal">But Ludwig felt his right knee so stiff that he was obliged to +limp, and his nose was bleeding freely. This induced him to take his +friend's advice and go into the nearest restaurant, though he +generally avoided these places, particularly on Sundays. For +the jubilations of the Sunday townsfolk were exceptionally displeasing to him, +giving him a sensation of being in places which were not by any means +<i>convenable</i>--at all events for people of his position.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the front of this restaurant the people had formed a deep, +many-tinted ring, from the interior of which there Bounded the tones of a guitar +and a tambourine. Ludwig, assisted by his friend, went limping into the house, +holding his handkerchief to his face. And he begged so pitifully for water, and +a little drop of wine-vinegar, that the landlady, much alarmed, thought he must +be at the point of death. Whilst he was being served with what he required, +Euchar (on whom the sounds of the guitar and tambourine exercised an +irresistible fascination) crept forth, and endeavoured to penetrate into the +closed circle. He belonged to that restricted class of Nature's favourites whose +exterior and whole being ensure a kindly reception everywhere, and in all +circumstances. So that on this occasion some journeymen mechanics (people who +are not usually much given to politeness of a Sunday) at once made room for him +when he asked what was going forward, so that he as well as themselves might +have a look at the strange little creature who was dancing and playing so +prettily and cleverly. And a curious and delightful scene displayed itself to +Euchar, which fettered all his mind and attention.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the middle of the ring a girl with her eyes blindfolded was +dancing the fandango amongst nine eggs, arranged three by three behind each +other on the ground, and playing a tambourine as she danced. At one side stood a +little deformed man, with an ill-looking gypsy face, playing the guitar. The +girl who was dancing seemed to be about fifteen. She was oddly dressed in a red +bodice, gold-embroidered, and a short white skirt trimmed with ribbons of +various colours. Her figure and all her motions were the very ideal of elegance +and grace. She brought the most marvellous variety of sounds out of her +tambourine. Sometimes she would raise it above her head, and then hold it out in +front of her or behind her, with her arms stretched out, in the most picturesque +attitudes. Now it would sound like a far-off drum; now like the melancholy +cooing of the turtle-dove, and presently like the distant roar of the +approaching storm. All this was accompanied in the most delightful manner by the +tinkling of the clear, harmonious bells. And the little guitar-player by no +means fell short of her in virtuosity; for he, too, had quite a style of his own +of treating his instrument--making the dance melody (which was a most +characteristic one, wholly out of the common run of such things) predominate at +times, loud and clear, and hushing it down at other times into a mysterious +piano, striking the strings with the palms of his hand (as the Spaniards do in +producing that peculiar effect), and presently dashing out bright-sounding, full +harmonies. The tambourine went on <i>crescendo</i>, as the guitar-strings clanged +louder and louder, and the girl's boundings increased in their scope in a +similar ratio. She would set down her foot within a hair's-breadth of the eggs +with the most complete certainty and confidence, so that the spectators could +not help crying out, thinking that one of those fragile things must infallibly +be broken. Her black hair had fallen down, and it flew about her head, giving +her much the effect of a Mænad. The little fellow cried out to her in Spanish, +"Stop!" And on this, while still going on with her dance, she lightly touched +each of the eggs, so that they rolled together into a heap; upon which, with a +loud beat on her tambourine and a forcible chord on the guitar, she came to a +sudden standstill, as if banned there by some spell. The dance was done.</p> + +<p class="normal">The little fellow went up to her and undid the cloth which +bound her eyes. She rolled up her hair, took the tambourine, and went round +amongst the spectators, with downcast looks, to collect their contributions. Not +one had slunk off out of the way. Every one, with a face of pleasure, put a +piece of money into that tambourine. When she came to Euchar, and as he was +going to put something into it, she made a sign of refusal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"May not I give you anything?" he said.</p> + +<p class="normal">She looked up at him, and the glowing fire of her loveliest of +eyes flashed through the night of her black silken lashes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The old man," she said gravely--almost solemnly--in her deep +voice, and with her foreign accent, "told me that you, sir, did not come till +the best part of my dance was done; and so I ought not to take anything from +you." Thus speaking she made Euchar a pretty courtesy, and went to the little +man, taking the guitar from his hands, and going with him to a table at some +distance.</p> + +<p class="normal">When Euchar looked round him, he perceived Ludwig sitting not +far off, between two respectable townsfolk, with a great glass of beer before +him, making the most earnest signs. Euchar went to him, saying, with a laugh, +"Why, Ludwig, when did you take to drinking beer?" Ludwig, however, made signals +to him, and said, in meaning accents, "What do you say? Beer is one of the most +delicious of drinks, and I delight in it above all things--when it is so +magnificent as it is here."</p> + +<p class="normal">The citizens rose, and Ludwig shook hands with them most +politely, putting on a look which was half-pleased, half-annoyed, when they +expressed at parting their regret for his mishap.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are always getting me into hot water with your want of +tact," he said. "If I hadn't allowed myself to be treated to a glass of beer, if +I hadn't managed to gulp the abominable trash down--those sturdy counter-jumpers +would probably have been offended, and would have looked upon me as one of the +profane. Then you must needs come and bring me into discredit, when I had been +playing my part so very nicely."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Euchar, "if you had been bowed out of their +company, or even come in for a little touch of cudgelling, wouldn't it all have +been a part of the mutual interdependence of things? But just listen as I tell +you what a charming little drama your trip over the tree-root (predestined, +according to the conditions of the Macrocosmus, to occur) gave me an opportunity +of seeing."</p> + +<p class="normal">And he told him about the charming egg dance by the Spanish +girl. "Mignon!" cried Ludwig enthusiastically. "Heavenly, divine Mignon!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The guitarist was sitting not far off, at a table, counting +the receipts, and the girl was standing beside him, squeezing an orange into a +glass of water. Presently the old man put the money together, and nodded to the +girl with eyes sparkling with gladness, whilst she handed him the orange-water, +and stroked his wrinkled cheeks. He gave a disagreeable, cackling laugh, and +gulped down the liquid with every indication of thirst. The girl sat down and +began tinkling on the guitar. "Oh Mignon!" cried Ludwig again. "Heavenly, divine +Mignon! Ah, I shall rescue her, like another Wilhelm Meister, from the thraldom +of this accursed miscreant who holds her in bondage!" "How do you know," asked +Euchar, "that this little hunchback is an accursed miscreant?" "Cold creature!" +answered Ludwig. "Cold, passionless creature, you understand nothing, you have +no sympathy with anything, no sense of the genial, the imaginative. Don't you +see--don't you comprehend how every description of the most insulting contempt, +envious feeling, wickedness, ill-temper, and avarice of the vilest kind gleam +out of the green, cat's-eyes of that little gypsy abortion--are legible in every +wrinkle of his diabolical-looking face? Yes! I am going to rescue that beautiful +child out of the clutches--the Satanic clutches--of that brown monster! If I +could only have a talk with her, the little charmer!" "Nothing is easier than +that," said Euchar, and he signed to her to come near.</p> + +<p class="normal">The girl put the instrument down, came near, and made a +reverence, casting her eyes modestly on the ground. "Mignon!" cried Ludwig. +"Mignon! Sweet, beautiful creature!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am called Emanuela," she said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And that horrible ruffian there," Ludwig went on, "where did +he steal you from? How did you get into his clutches, poor thing?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The girl lifted her eyes, and sending a beaming, serious +glance through and through Ludwig, replied. "I don't understand you, sir. I +don't know what you mean--why you ask me this?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a Spaniard, my child," Euchar began.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am," she answered, her voice trembling. "I am, indeed. You +see +me--you hear me. Why should I deny it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then, of course, you can play the guitar and sing a song?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She covered her eyes with her hand, and said, in a scarce +audible whisper, "Ah! I should like to play and sing <i>you</i> one. But my songs are +burning hot; and here it is so cold--so cold!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you know," said Euchar, speaking in Spanish, and in a +heightened tone, "the song <i>Laurel immortal</i>?"</p> + +<p class="normal">She clapped her hands, raised her glance to Heaven, tears +filled her eyes; she flew to the table, seized the guitar, sprang, rather than +walked back to the two friends, placed herself before Euchar, and began</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i4">"Laurel immortal al gran Palafox,</p> +<p class="i4">Gloria da España, de Francia terror!"</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">The expression which she put into this song was indescribable. +From the deepest pain of death there flamed forth the most +fiery enthusiasm--each note seemed to be a lightning flash which must shiver +every ice-covering of the chilled breast. As for Ludwig he was--to use a +familiar expression--ready to jump out of his skin with sheer rapture. He +interrupted her singing with boisterous "Bravas!" "Bravissimas!" and a hundred +other such expressions of approbation.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do be so kind, my dear fellow, as to make a little less +noise!" Euchar said. "Oh, of course," he answered, "you unimpressionable people +are never in the least affected by music!" However he did what Euchar had asked +him to do.</p> + +<p class="normal">When she had finished, she went and leant on a tree, as if +wearied. And as she let the chords go on sounding more and more softly till they +died away in a <i>pianissimo</i>, great tears were falling upon the instrument.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are in some need, my poor, pretty child," said Euchar, in +the tone which comes only from a deeply moved heart. "Although I did not see the +beginning of your dance, you have more than made up for that by your song, and +you must not refuse to accept something from me."</p> + +<p class="normal">He had taken out a little purse in which bright ducats were +shining, and was handing it to her as she came closer to him. She fixed her gaze +upon his hand, seized it in both her own, and falling on her knees with a loud +cry of "<i>Oh, Dios!</i>" covered it with the warmest kisses. "Ah!" cried Ludwig, +"nothing but gold is worthy to touch that beautiful little hand." And he asked +Euchar if he could give him change for a thaler, as he had no smaller money +about him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile the hunchback had come limping up, and he lifted the +guitar, which Emanuela had dropped on the ground, making many smiling reverences +to Euchar, supposing that he had been exceedingly generous to the girl, from the +motion with which she had thanked him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Scoundrel--miscreant!" growled Ludwig.</p> + +<p class="normal">The man started in alarm, and said, in a lamentable tone, "Ah, +sir, why are you so angry? Don't condemn poor Biagio Cubas--a good, respectable, +honest man. Don't judge me by the colour of my skin, or by the ugliness of my +face. I know I <i>have</i> an ugly face. I was born in Lorca, and am every bit as +good a Christian as you are yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">The girl jumped up hastily, crying out to the old man in +Spanish, "Come away, little father, as quickly as you can." And they both +hurried off, Cubas continuing to make various odd reverences, and Emanuela +fixing upon Euchar the most soul-full gaze of which her beautiful eyes were +capable.</p> + +<p class="normal">When the strange couple were lost among the trees, Euchar +said, "You must see, do you not, that you were in much too great a hurry to +condemn that little cobold in your own mind? He <i>has</i> a touch or so of the gypsy +about him. As he says himself, he comes from Lorca. And Lorca is an old Moorish +town, and the Lorcanese (good enough folks, all the same) bear undeniable traces +of their ancestry. So there is nothing which they take in worse part than to +have this imputed to them, which is why they keep perpetually declaring that +they are Christians of ever so old standing. This was the case with this little +fellow, in whose face his Moorish origin is certainly reflected to the extent of +positive caricature."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No matter!" cried Ludwig. "I stick to my opinion; the man is +a tremendous scoundrel, and I will leave no stone unturned till I deliver my +charming, beautiful Mignon from his clutches."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If you insist on thinking the little fellow a scoundrel," +said Euchar, "I can't say that I have very much confidence, for my part, in the +charming beautiful Mignon."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What!" cried Ludwig. "Not have confidence in that divine +little creature, whose eyes beam with the purest, most innocent truth and +tenderness? However, there we see the icy, prosaic nature wholly devoid of +feeling for all such matters, distrustful of everything which doesn't fit all in +a moment into the compartments, the grooves of his everyday business."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, don't get so excited about it, my dear, enthusiastic +friend," said Euchar quietly. "You will probably say that I have no tangible +reason for distrusting the beautiful Mignon. But my reason is that I have this +instant discovered that as she was kissing my hand she took away that little +ring with the curious stone (which you know I always wear) from my finger. And I +am greatly distressed to lose it, because it is a souvenir of a period of my +life which was full of intense interest and importance."</p> + +<p class="normal">"In heaven's name," said Ludwig, in an awestruck whisper, "it +is not possible, surely! No, no!" he cried, loudly and excitedly, "it cannot be +possible! That lovely face could not deceive: that eye--that +glance--You must have dropped the ring--let it fall."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well--" said Euchar, "we shall see. But it is getting dark: +let us get back to the town."</p> + +<p class="normal">All the way home, Ludwig did not cease talking of Emanuela, +calling her by the sweetest names, and declaring that he was quite certain--from +a peculiar glance which she had cast on him at parting--that he had made a deep +impression on her--a sort of event which generally happened to him in similar +cases--<i>i.e.</i> when the romantic element entered amongst the circumstances of +everyday life. Euchar did not interrupt him by so much as a syllable; but he +worked himself up more and more--till, just at the town gate (where the drummer +of the guard was beginning to beat the tattoo), he screamed into his friend's +ear (a process necessitated by the row made by the military virtuoso on his +instrument), as he cast himself upon his bosom, that he was most deeply in love +with the sweet Mignon, and that the sole object of his life from thenceforth was +to find her again, and free her from the bondage of the atrocious old monster.</p> + +<p class="normal">There was a servant in a handsome livery standing at Ludwig's +door, +who handed him a card of invitation. As soon as he had read +it, and sent the servant away, he embraced his friend as frantically as he +had done at the town gate, and cried, "Oh, Euchar! call me the +most +fortunate--the most enviable--of mortals. Open your heart! +Form some slight idea of my happiness! Mingle your tears of joy with mine!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What can there be of such a marvellously fortunate +description announced to you on a card?" inquired Euchar.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't be startled," murmured Ludwig, "when I open to you the +gates of the magically brilliant Paradise of a thousand delights, which will +unfold itself to me by the virtue of this card here."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well," said Euchar, "I am sure I shall be very glad indeed, +to hear what the piece of good fortune is which is coming to you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hear it," cried Ludwig; "learn it--understand it! Be amazed +at +it--doubt of it--cry out--shriek--shout! I have got an +invitation to the supper and ball to-morrow evening at Countess Walther Puck's! +Victorine! Victorine! Sweet, lovely Victorine!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And how about sweet, lovely Mignon?" asked Euchar. But Ludwig +groaned forth, in the most pathetic tones, "Victorine! My life!" and bolted into +his quarters.</p> + +<br> +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">The Friends, Ludwig and Euchar. Evil Dream of the Loss, at +Piquet, of a Pair of Handsome Legs. Woes of an Enthusiastic Dancer. +Comfort, Hope, and Monsieur Cochenille.</span></p> + +<p class="normal">It may be expedient to tell the courteous reader a little more +concerning this pair of friends, so that he may form, at all events, to some +extent, a well-grounded opinion as to each of them.</p> + +<p class="normal">Both had the title of Baron. Educated together, and having +grown up in the most intimate friendship, they could not part even when the +lapse of years brought to light most striking dissimilarities in their mental +characteristics, which became more and more developed as time went on. In his +childhood, Euchar belonged to the class of "good, well-behaved children," +so-called, because in "society" they will sit for hours in the same spot, ask no +questions, never want anything, and so forth, and then in due course, develop +into wooden blockheads. With Euchar the case was different. If when, in his +capacity of a "good, well-behaved" boy he chanced to be sitting with bent head +and downcast eyes, some one spoke to him, he would start in alarm, stammer, and +falter in his speech, often even shed tears, and seem to have been awakened from +a deep dream. When alone, he appeared to be a totally different being. If +watched without his being aware of it, he would be talking loudly and eagerly, +as if with several people about him, and he would "act" whole stories--which he +had heard or read--as if they were dramas, so that tables, cupboards, chairs, +whatever happened to be in the room with him, had to represent towns, forests, +villages, and dramatis personæ. But when he had an opportunity of being alone in +the open air, a special ecstasy seemed to inspire him. Then he would jump, +dance, and shout through the woods, putting his arms about the trees, throwing +himself down into the grass--and so forth. In any sort of game played by boys of +his own standing, he was most unwilling to take part, and was consequently +looked upon as being "funky," and a creature who had no "pluck," for he would +never take his share in anything where there was any chance of risk--such as a +big jump, or a difficult piece of climbing. But here, also, it was curious that, +when at the end nobody had had the pluck to do the thing, Euchar would wait till +they were all gone, and then, when he was by himself, would do with the utmost +ease, what they had all only <i>wanted</i> to do. For instance, if the idea was to get +up a high, slender tree, and nobody had managed to do it, as soon as all their +backs were turned, and Euchar was alone, he would be at the top of it in a few +seconds. Seeming outwardly to be cold and apathetic, he really threw himself +into everything with all his soul, and a persevering steadfastness such as only +belongs to strong characters. And when--as was often the case--that which he +felt keenly came to the surface, it did so with such irresistible force, that +everyone who had any knowledge of such matters was amazed at the depth of +feeling which lay hidden in the boy's nature. Many schoolmasters, and tutors, +who had to do with him, could make neither head nor tail of him as a pupil, and +there was only one of them--the last--who said the boy was a poet: at which his +papa was very much distressed, thinking that the boy had inherited his mother's +temperament, and she had always had the most terrible headaches whenever she +went to a party or any social function. However, the papa's most intimate +friend, a smooth-spoken young chamberlain, assured him that the schoolmaster in +question was an ass to say what he did, and utterly mistaken, seeing that the +blood in the veins of young Euchar was noble, so that, being by birth an +aristocrat, he never could be in any danger of being capable of poetry. And this +was very consoling to the old gentleman. How the lad developed with those +dispositions may be readily inferred. Nature had imprinted on his face the +unmistakable signet with which she stamps her prime favourites. But Mother +Nature's favourites are those who have the power of completely realising the +illimitable love of their kind mother, and of understanding the depths of her +being: and they are +only understood by those who are favourites themselves. +Consequently Euchar was not understood by the general crowd--was considered +unimpressionable, cold, incapable of the due degree of ecstasy on the subject of +the newest tragedy at the theatre--and was stigmatized as a prosaic creature. +Above all, a whole coterie of ladies of the most refined intellectual +development and culture, who might well be credited with the power of insight on +this particular subject, could by no means understand how it was possible that +that Apollo's brow, those sharply curving, masterful eyebrows, those eyes which +darted such a darksome fire, those softly pouting lips, should belong to a mere +lifeless image. And yet all this seemed to be the case. For Euchar did not know +in the least degree how to say nothing, about nothing, in words which meant +nothing, to pretty ladies, and look, whilst so-doing, like a Rinaldo in bonds.</p> + +<p class="normal">Matters were quite different with Ludwig. He belonged to the +race of those wild, uncontrollable boys of whom people are in the habit of +predicting that the world will not be wide enough for them. It was he who always +invented the maddest and most adventurous features of all games. It was +naturally to be expected that he would be the one of all others to "come to +grief" on those occasions: but he was always the one who came out of them safe +and sound, because he had the knack of keeping himself in a safe spot during the +carrying out of the adventure--if he did not manage to slip out of it +altogether. He took up every subject rapidly, with the utmost enthusiasm--and +dropped it again as quickly. So that he learned a great many things, but did not +learn much. When he came to young man's estate, he wrote very pretty verses, +played passably on several instruments, drew very nice pictures, spoke with a +certain degree of correctness and fluency several languages, and was, +consequently, a paragon of up-bringing. He could get into the most surprising +ecstasies about everything, and give utterance to the same in the most +magniloquent words. But it was with him as with the drum--which gives forth a +sound which is loud in proportion to its emptiness. The impression made upon him +by everything grand, beautiful, sublime, resembled the outside tickling which +excites the skin without affecting the inner fibres. Ludwig belonged to that +class of people who say, "I want to do" so-and-so; but who never get beyond this +principle of "wanting to do" into action. But, as in this world, those who +announce, with the proper amount of loudness and emphasis, what they "intend," +or are "going" to do, are held in far greater consideration than those who +quietly go and "do" the things in question, it of course happened that Ludwig +was considered "capable" of performing the grandest deeds, and was admired +accordingly, people not troubling themselves to ascertain whether he had "done" +the deeds which he had talked about so loudly. There were, it must be said, +people who "saw through" Ludwig, and, starting from what he said, took some +pains to find out what he had done, or if he had done anything at all. And this +grieved him all the more that, in solitary hours, he was sometimes obliged to +admit to himself that this everlasting "meaning" and "intending" to do things, +without ever doing them, was, in reality, a miserable sort of business. Then he +came upon a book--forgotten and out of date--in which was set forth that +mechanical theory of the mutual interdependence of things. He eagerly adopted +this theory, which justified and accounted for his doings, or rather his +"intentions" of doing, in his own eyes, and in those of others. According +with this theory, if he did not carry out anything which he had +intended to do--what he had said he was going to do--it was not he who +was to blame: its not happening was simply a part of the +mutual interdependence of things.</p> + +<p class="normal">The courteous reader will, at all events, see the great +convenience of this theory.</p> + +<p class="normal">Moreover, as Ludwig was a very good-looking young fellow, with +blooming red cheeks, he would, by virtue of his qualities, have been the idol of +all elegant circles, had not his short-sight led to his committing numerous +"quid-pro-quos," which had often most annoying consequences. However, he +consoled himself with the thought of the "impression," which was indescribable, +which he believed himself to make upon all female hearts: and, besides, there +was a good deal in the habit he had, just because he was so short-sighted, of +placing himself in a closer proximity to ladies with whom he was conversing, +than might have been considered altogether <i>convenable</i>, a species of innocent +pushingness, belonging to the "genial" character, so as to be sure not to make +any mistakes with reference to the person he was addressing; a matter which had +more than once been productive of annoyance.</p> + +<p class="normal">The morning after the ball at Count Walther Puck's, Euchar +received a note from Ludwig, running as follows:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dearest and most beloved friend,--I am utterly miserable. I +am stricken by destiny. It is all over with me! I am dashed down from +the flowery summit of the fairest hope into the blackest and +most fathomless abyss of the deepest despair. That which was to have been the +source of my indescribable bliss constitutes my misery. Come to me as speedily +as you can, and give me some comfort, if such a thing be possible."</p> + +<p class="normal">Euchar found him stretched on his sofa, with his head bound +up, pale and worn from sleeplessness.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is it you?" he cried, in a feeble voice, stretching an arm +towards him: "is it you, my noble friend? Ah! <i>you</i> have some sympathy for my +sufferings. At all events, let me tell you what I have gone through, and then +say whether you think all is over with me, or not."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Things did not turn out quite as you expected at the ball, I +suppose," said Euchar.</p> + +<p class="normal">Ludwig heaved a deep sigh.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Was the lovely Victorine a little unkind?" inquired Euchar. +"Didn't she behave to you quite as you expected?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I offended her," answered Ludwig, in the most funereal tones, +"to an extent, and in a manner, which she can never forgive."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good heavens!" cried Euchar; "this is very distressing. How +did it happen? Please to let me hear."</p> + +<p class="normal">Ludwig, after heaving a profound sigh, and quoting some verses +of appropriate poetry, went on, in a voice of profound melancholy:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Euchar. As the mysterious whirring of the wheels of a +clock tells me that it is going to strike the hour, warnings go before coming +misfortunes. On the very night before the ball I had an awful, a horrible dream. +I thought I was at the ball, and when I was going to begin dancing, I suddenly +found that I could not move my feet from the floor. And I saw in the mirror, to +my horror, that instead of the +well-looking nether extremities which nature has provided me +with, +I was dragging about under my body, the gouty old legs of the +Consistorial President, with all their wrappings and bandages. And while I had +to stick to the floor in this terrible manner, lo and behold! the Consistorial +President, with Victorine in his arms, whirling along in a Laendler, lightly and +gracefully as any bird. But the point of the thing was, that he sniggered at me, +with the most insulting style of sneering laughter, and said he had won my legs +from me at picquet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I awoke, as you may imagine, bathed in a perspiration of +anguish. Still sunk in thought over this horrible vision of the night, I must +needs set the cup of almost boiling chocolate to my lips, and burn them to that +extent, that you may see the mark still, although I have rubbed on as much +pomade as I could. Now I know that you don't take much interest in other +people's troubles, so I shall say nothing about the numerous fateful events +which destiny dogged my steps with all day yesterday, and merely tell you that +when it came to be time to dress in the evening, two stitches burst out of one +of my silk stockings--two of my waistcoat buttons came off--as I was getting +into the carriage to go to the ball, I let my Wellington get into the mud, and +at last, in the carriage itself, when I wanted to tighten the patent buckles of +my pumps, I found, to my intense annoyance, that my idiot of a servant had put +on two which we're not a pair! I was obliged to go home again, and lost a good +half hour. However, Victorine came to me in all the glory of her beauty and +delightsomeness. I asked her for the next dance. It was a Laendler, we started +off together. I was in heaven. But in a moment I felt the spite of adverse +fortune."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The mutual interdependence of things," said Euchar, +interrupting.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Call it whatever you please," said Ludwig, "it doesn't matter +to me to-day. All I know is, that it was fate which made me fall over that +tree-stump yesterday. As I was dancing I felt the pain come on again in my knee, +and it grew more and more unendurable. Just at that moment Victorine said, loud +enough to be heard by the other people who were dancing, "We seem all to be +going to sleep." Signs were made to the band, people clapped their hands to +them, and the pace grew faster +and faster. With all my might I struggled with the diabolical +pain, +and conquered it. I danced along daintily, and put on a +delighted expression of countenance; but for all I could do, Victorine kept +saying: 'What is the matter, Herr Baron? You are not one bit the partner that +you generally are.' Burning dagger thrusts into my heart!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Poor, dear friend," said Euchar, laughing; "I see the full +extent of your sufferings!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And yet," continued Ludwig, "all this was only the prelude to +the most terrible of all events. You know that I have been for a long time +applying my mind to arranging the figures of a '<i>seize</i>:' and you know of your +own experience, how little I have made of the very considerable amount of china, +glass, and stoneware that I have knocked off the tables in my lodgings here, in +my practice of the intricacies of those 'tours, or figures,' that I might attain +to the perfection of performance which was my dream. One of them is the most +utterly glorious that the mind of man has ever hit upon, of its kind. Four +couples stand, picturesquely grouped, the gentleman, balancing on his right +tip-toe, places his right-arm about his partner, raising, at the same time, his +left-arm in a graceful curve above his head--whilst the other couples make the +'ronde.' Such an idea never entered the heads of Vestris or Gardel. Very well. I +had based my hopes of highest happiness upon this particular '<i>seize</i>.' I had +been destining it for Count Walther Puck's birthday: I intended to whisper into +Victorine's ear during this more than earthly 'tour'--'Most divine countess, I +love you unutterably--I adore you! Be mine, angel of light!' that was the +reason, dear Euchar, why I was so overwhelmed with joy when I got the invitation +to the ball there, for I had had great doubts about it. Count Walther Puck had +appeared to be a good deal annoyed with me a little while ago, one day when I +was explaining to him the theory +of the mutual interdependence of things--the mechanism of the +macrocosm--when he took it into his head that I was making out +that he was a pendulum. He said it was a piece of chaff in very bad taste; but +that he would take no notice of it in consideration of my youth, and he turned +his back. Very well! The unfortunate Laendler came to an end. I did not dance +any more, I went into the ante-room, and who should follow me but the good +Cochenille, who at once opened a bottle of champagne for me. The wine sent fresh +life into my veins. I didn't feel the pain any longer. The '<i>seize</i>' was just +going to begin--I flew back to the dancing-room, darted up to Victorine, kissed +her hand fiercely, and took my position in the 'ronde.' The 'tour,' which I have +told you of, came on; I outdid myself! I hovered--I balanced--the God of the +dance in person; I threw my arm round my partner. I whispered, 'Divine, heavenly +Countess,' just as I had arranged with myself that I should do. My declaration +of love went forth from my lips, I gazed ardently into my partner's eyes. Ruler +of heaven! It was not Victorine I had been dancing with! It was somebody else +altogether, some lady whom I didn't know in the least, though she was the same +sort of person as Victorine in style and feature, and dressed exactly as she +was. You may imagine that I felt as if smitten by a flash of lightning. +Everything about me was swimming in a chaos. I didn't hear the music any longer; +I dashed wildly through amongst the rows of people, hearing cries of pain here +and there, till I found myself arrested and held tight by a pair of powerful +arms, whilst a voice of fury droned into my ear, 'Death and damnation, Herr +Baron, are you out of your senses? Have you nine devils in you, or what?' 'Twas +the very Consistorial President whom I had seen in my dream. He was holding me +tight in a remote corner of the room, and he went on as follows: 'I was just +getting up from the card-table, when you came bursting like a hurricane out of +the middle of the dancing room, and jumped about like a creature possessed upon +my unfortunate feet, till I could have roared like a bull with the pain of it, +if I hadn't been a person of proper conduct. Don't you see what a disturbance +you've been making here?' And, in fact, the whole of the '<i>seize</i>' was in +confusion, the music had stopped, and I saw that some of the dancers were going +about limping, ladies were being led to their seats, and people were holding +smelling-bottles to their noses. I had been dancing the 'tour' of despair upon +the poor people's feet, till the President, strong as a tree, had put a period +to my fell career. Victorine approached me with eyes sparkling with scorn: +'Verily, Herr Baron, a charming performance!' she said. 'You ask me to dance +with you--you dance with another lady, and throw the whole room into confusion.' +You may picture to yourself my apologies and excuses. 'These practical jokes are +a speciality of yours, Herr Baron,' Victorine went on, scarcely containing her +anger. 'I know you--but I beg that you will not select <i>me</i> as the object of +that cutting irony of yours in the future.' With that she left me standing. The +lady I had been dancing with then came up amiability--nay, I may say, even +affectionateness--personified. The poor child had taken fire. I cannot wonder at +it; but is it any fault of mine? Oh, Victorine! Victorine! Oh, ill-starred +'<i>seize</i>'--dance of the furies, which has consigned me to the depths of Orcus!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Ludwig closed his eyes, groaned and sighed. His friend had the +grace not to break out into irrepressible laughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">When Ludwig had taken a cup or two of chocolate--without this +time burning his lips--he seemed to recover himself to some extent, and bear his +terrible fate with somewhat greater equanimity. Presently he said to Euchar, who +had been interesting himself in a book which he had taken up. "You had an +invitation to that accursed ball yourself, had you not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had," said Euchar, scarcely looking up from the page.</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you never came--and you never told me that you had one, +at all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had another engagement," said Euchar, "as it happened, +which prevented me from going to the ball--an engagement of far greater +importance to me than any ball in the world, even had the Emperor of Japan +himself been the giver of it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Countess Victorine," Ludwig continued, "made the most +particular inquiries as to why you didn't come. She was all anxiety, and kept +looking towards the door. I should have been really very jealous. I should quite +have thought that, for the first time in your career, you had touched a lady's +heart, if the matter had not been explained. The fact is, I scarcely dare to +tell you in what an unsparing manner the lovely Victorine spoke of you. She even +went the length of saying that you were a cold-hearted piece of eccentricity, +whose presence often marred all enjoyment: so that she had been dreading that +you would act as her kill-joy on that evening as you so often had done before, +and was quite delighted when she found that you were not coming. To speak +candidly, my dear Euchar, I can't make out how it is that you, gifted by the +heavens with so many bodily and mental excellences, should always be so unlucky +with the other sex--why I should always cut the ground from under your feet. +Cold creature! I feel certain that you have no conception of the heavenly bliss +of love, and that is why you are not beloved. Whereas I, on the other +hand----Believe me when I tell you that Victorine's fiery indignation itself was +engendered by the flames of love which blazed in her heart for me--the +fortunate, the blessed one."</p> + +<p class="normal">The door opened, and there came into the room a quaint little +fellow, in a red coat with big steel buttons, black silk breeches, heavily +powdered <i>frisure</i>, and a little round pigtail.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good Cochenille!" Ludwig called out to him. "Dearest Monsieur +Cochenille, to what do I owe this pleasure?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Euchar, declaring that important engagements called him away, +left his friend alone with the confidential servant of Count Walther Puck.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cochenille, sweetly smiling, with downcast eyes, stated that +their Countly Excellencies were quite convinced that the most honoured Herr +Baron had been attacked, during the '<i>seize</i>,' by a malady which bore a Latin +name something like Raptus, and that he, Monsieur Cochenille, was come to make +inquiries as to his present state of welfare.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Raptus! Raptus! Nothing of the kind." And he related, and +detailed at length, how the whole matter had come about, ending by begging the +talented Kammerdiener to put affairs in order as far as he possibly could.</p> + +<p class="normal">Ludwig learned that his partner was a cousin of Countess +Victorine, just arrived from the country for the occasion of the Count's +birthday--that she and the Countess Victorine were one heart +and one soul, and--inasmuch as the sympathies of young ladies often display +themselves in the form of silks and crapes--were often in the habit of dressing +exactly alike. Cochenille was further of opinion that the vexation of Countess +Victorine was not very genuine. He had handed her an ice at the end of the ball, +when she was standing talking to her cousin, and had noticed that they were +laughing tremendously, and had heard them several times mention the honoured +Baron's name. The truth was, according to what he had been able to observe, that +this cousin was of a temperament exceedingly disposed to the tender passion, and +would only be too delighted if the Baron would carry further what he had begun, +namely, at once set to work to pay assiduous attentions to her, and in due +course put on <i>glacé</i> gloves, and lead her to the altar: but that he, for his +part, would do everything he could to prevent such a course of events. The first +thing in the morning, as he would be having the honour to <i>friser</i> his Countly +Highness, he would take an opportunity of laying the whole matter before him, +and would also take the liberty of begging him, as an uncle regardful of his +niece's best interests, to represent to her that the Herr Baron's declaration of +love was merely a species of "flourish" belonging to the "tour" which he +happened to be executing at the time--just as declarations of the kind generally +were. That, he thought, would be of some service. Cochenille finally advised the +Baron to go and see Countess Victorine as soon as possible, and told him there +would be an opportunity of doing so that very day. Madame Bechs, the +Consistorial President's lady, was giving an aesthetic tea that afternoon, with +tea which (he had been told by the Russian Ambassador's valet) had come direct +overland from China through the Russian Embassy, and had an extraordinarily +delicious flavour and scent. There he would find Victorine, and be enabled to +put everything straight again.</p> + +<p class="normal">Ludwig saw that it was nothing but unworthy doubt which had +had the power of disturbing his love-happiness: and he resolved to make himself +so marvellously charming at the "thé" of Madame Bech, the Consistorial +President's lady, that Victorine should never so much as dream of being at all +"grumpy."</p> + +<br> +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">The Æstetic Tea. Choking Cough of a Tragic Poet. The Story +Takes a Serious Turn, and Tells of Bloody Battle, Suicide, and Similar Matters.</span></p> + +<p class="normal">The courteous reader must be good enough to accompany Ludwig +and +Euchar to this æsthetic tea, which is now going forward at +Madame Bech's, the Consistorial President's lady. About a dozen of the fair sex, +appropriately attired, are seated in a semi-circle. One is thoughtlessly +laughing; another is immersed in a contemplation of the tips of her shoes, with +which she is managing to practise the "pas" of a "Française," silently and +unobserved; a third appears to be sweetly sleeping (and dreaming more sweetly +still); a fourth darts the fiery beams from her eyes athwart the room in all +directions, with the intention that they shall impinge upon not one but all the +men who are present. A fifth lisps forth "Heavenly! Glorious! Sublime!" and +those utterances are for the behoof of a young poet, who is reading out with all +possible pathos a new tragedy of destiny, tedious and silly enough even to be +read aloud on such an occasion. A delightful feature of the affair was, that one +heard a species of <i>obbligato</i> accompaniment going on in the next room, a +species of growling, like the rumble of distant thunder. This was the voice of +the Consistorial President, who was playing piquet with Count Walther Puck, and +making himself audible in this manner.</p> + +<p class="normal">The poet read out, in the most dulcet accents at his command--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Ah! but once more! once more only</p> +<p class="i6">Let me hear thee, voice of beauty,</p> +<p class="i6">Voice of rapture, voice of sweetness,</p> +<p class="i6">Voice from out the deep abysses,</p> +<p class="i6">Voice from out the heights of Heaven!</p> +<p class="i6">Hark! oh, listen----"</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">Here the thunder which had been rumbling so long broke out +into a peal: "Hell and damnation!" roared the Consistorial President's voice, +re-echoing through the room, so that the people jumped up from +their chairs, alarmed. But it was pretty that the poet, not suffering himself to +be disturbed in the slightest, went on reading--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Yea! it is the breath beloved,</p> +<p class="i6">Music of those lips of nectar."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">But a destiny higher than that which ruled in the poet's +tragedy did not permit him to finish his reading. Just as he was going to raise +his voice to the highest pitch of tragic power, to enunciate a terrible +execration which his hero was going to utter, something, heaven knows what, got +into his throat, so that he broke out into a frightful fit of coughing, by no +means to be assuaged, and had to be assisted out of the room, more dead than +alive.</p> + +<p class="normal">This sudden interruption appeared to be the reverse of +disagreeable to the lady of the house, who had for some time been giving +indications of weariness and annoyance. As soon as the tranquillity of the +company was restored, she pointed out that it was time that a vivid narrative of +something should take the place of reading, and thought Euchar ought really to +make it his duty to undertake this, seeing that, in general, he was so +obstinately silent, as to contribute little to the entertainment of the company.</p> + +<p class="normal">Euchar said, modestly, that he was anything but a good +story-teller, and that the tale which he thought of telling was of a very +serious, perhaps even terrible description, and might be anything but enjoyable +by the company. But four very young ladies immediately cried out, with one voice +"Oh! something terrible, please! I do so love to be terrified!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Euchar took his place in the chair of the narrator, and began +as follows:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"We have been passing through a period in which events have +swept athwart the stage of the world like a series of raging hurricanes. +Humanity, shaken to its depths, has given birth to things portentous, even as +the storm-tossed ocean casts up to the surface of its seething surges the +terrible marvels of its abysses. Whatever could be accomplished by lion-like +courage, unconquerable valour, hatred, revenge, fury, and despair, was achieved +during the Spanish war of independence. I should like to tell you of the +adventures of a friend of mine, whom I shall call Edgar, who served in that war, +under the banners of Wellington. He had left his native place in deep, bitter +irritation, at the shame of his Fatherland, and gone to Hamburg, where he lived +in a little room which he had taken, in a retired quarter. He had a neighbour, +who lived in the next room to him, with only a wall between them, but he knew +nothing more of him than that he was an old man, in infirm health, who never +went out. He often heard him groan, and break out into gentle pathetic +lamentations; but he did not understand the words he spoke. After a time, this +neighbour begun to walk assiduously up and down in his room, and it appeared to +indicate returning health when he tuned a guitar one day, and began to sing in a +soft voice, songs which Edgar recognized to be Spanish romances.</p> + +<p class="normal">On being closely questioned, the landlady confided to Edgar, +that his neighbour was a French officer who had been invalided from the Romana +corps, that he was under secret espionage, and very seldom ventured to go out.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the middle of the night Edgar heard this Spaniard play on +his guitar more loudly than before, and begin, in powerful strangely changing +melody, the 'Profecia del Pirineo of Don Juan Baptista de Arriaja.' There came +the stanzas commencing--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Y oye que el gran rugido,</p> +<p class="i6">En ya trueno en los campos de Castilla," &c.</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">The glowing enthusiasm with which the old gentleman's singing +was instinct, set Edgar's blood ablaze. A new world dawned on him. He knew, now, +how to arouse himself from out his sickly mood, and under an impulse to deeds of +valour, fight out the contest which was eating up his heart. He could not resist +an eager desire to make the acquaintance of the man who had thus inspired him +with new life. The door gave way at the pressure of his hand, but the moment he +entered the room, the old man sprung from his bed with a cry of "Träidor" +(traitor), and made straight at Edgar with a drawn dagger. Edgar succeeded in +evading the well-aimed thrust by a skilful movement, and in grasping the old +man, and holding him down on his bed.</p> + +<p class="normal">While he thus held him, for he had but little strength at the +time, he implored him in the most touching language, to forgive the stormy +fashion of his entrance: he assured him that he was no traitor; but that on the +contrary, what he had heard him sing had lighted up all the rage, the +inconsolable pain, which had been tearing his breast asunder into an unslakeable +desire for combat. He longed to hurry to Spain, there to fight for the freedom +of the country. The old man gazed fixedly at him, and said, "Can it be +possible?" and embraced Edgar, who, naturally, continued his assurances that +nothing could induce him to forego his resolve, at the same time throwing his +dagger down on the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar now learned that the old gentleman's name was Baldassare +de Luna, and that he belonged to one of the most noble families of Spain. He was +helpless and friendless, and had the prospect, unalleviated, of dragging out a +miserable existence, far from home, without a friend or pecuniary resource. It +was some time ere Edgar could succeed in infusing any hope or comfort into his +heart: but when, at length, he most solemnly undertook to arrange for their +escape to England together, new life appeared to circulate in the Spaniard's +veins. He was no longer the old invalid, but an enthusiastic youth, breathing +out defiance to his oppressors. Edgar kept his word. He succeeded in evading the +vigilance of the spies, and in escaping with Baldassare de Luna to England. But +it was not the will of fate that this brave and luckless man should see his +native land again. He was prostrated by another attack of illness, and died in +London, in Edgar's arms. A spirit of prophecy gave him to see the coming glory +of his rescued country. Amid the latest prayerful whisperings which issued with +difficulty from his lips stiffening in death, Edgar distinguished the word +"Vittoria," and an expression of heavenly beatitude glowed on de Luna's +countenance.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the time when Souchet's victorious force was threatening to +bear down all opposition and rivet the shameful foreign yoke more firmly than +ever, to all eternity, Edgar arrived before Tarragona with Colonel Sterret's +English brigade. It is matter of history that Colonel Sterret considered the +position so insecure, that he would not disembark his troops. This our eager +young soldier could not endure. He left the English force, and betook himself to +the Spanish general Contreras, who was occupying the fortress with 8,000 Spanish +soldiers. We are aware that Souchet's force took Tarragona by storm, +notwithstanding the most heroic defence, and that Contreras himself, with a +bayonet wound, fell into the hands of the enemy.</p> + +<p class="normal">The scenes which passed before Edgar's eyes, displayed all the +terribleness of hell itself. Whether it was on account of shameful treachery, or +from incomprehensible carelessness on the part of those whose duty it was to +attend to the matter, the troops who had to defend the principal <i>enceinte</i> of +the fort, soon ran short of ammunition. They for a long time resisted with the +bayonet the incoming of the enemy through the gateway which had been forced: but +when, ultimately, they had to retire before the urgency of his fire, they rushed +across to the further gateway in wild disarray, and in confused masses: +and as this gate was too narrow to admit of their passage, +they +had, therefore, to submit to a terrific massacre. Yet some +4,000 Spaniards--Almeira's regiment, with which Edgar happened to be at the +time--managed to force their way through. With the courage of despair they broke +their passage through the enemy's battalions which were there posted, and +continued their flight towards Barcelona. They were fancying that they were in +safety, when they were assailed by a terrible fire from some field-pieces, which +the enemy had placed in position behind a trench cut across the road, bringing +inevitable destruction into their ranks. Edgar was hit, and fell to the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">A violent pain in the head was what he felt when he recovered +consciousness. It was dark night, and all the terrors of death permeated him as +he heard the hollow groans and the heart-piercing cries which surrounded him. He +managed to get upon his legs and creep along. When at length the morning began +to break he found himself close to a deep ravine; but as he was about to go down +into it a troop of the enemy's cavalry came slowly up. It seemed an +impossibility to avoid being taken prisoner; but suddenly shots came dropping +out of the thickest part of the wood, emptying several saddles, and presently a +party of Guerillas made an attack on the remainder of the troop. He shouted out +to his deliverers in Spanish, and they welcomed him gladly. He had only been +struck by a spent ball, and soon recovered, so as to be able to join Don Joachim +Blake's force, and enter Valenzia with it, after several engagements.</p> + +<p class="normal">Who does not know that the plain watered by the Guadalquivir, +where stands the beautiful Valenzia with her stately towers, is an earthly +paradise? All the heavenly delightsomeness of a sky for ever fair penetrates and +pervades the hearts and souls of the dwellers there, for whom life is an +unbroken festa. And this Valenzia was now the theatre of a most bitter and +bloody war. Instead of the dulcet tones of the lute, stealing like the cooing of +doves up in the nights to the trellised windows, the place resounded with the +hollow rolling of guns and ammunition waggons, the wild challenge of sentries, +and the weird, mysterious murmur of soldiery marching through the streets. All +joy was driven into dumbness. All the white faces, drawn by grief and horror, +had written upon them the dread anticipation of terrible things imminent. The +most furious execrations, offspring of inward fury, were showered upon the +enemy. The Alameda--at other times the haunt of the gay world--was now a parade +ground for the troops. Here Edgar one day, as he was standing alone, leaning +against a tree, reflecting on the dark, adverse destiny which seemed to weigh +upon Spain, observed that a man, far advanced in years, tall, and of haughty +demeanour, who was walking up and down near him with long steps, stopped and +scrutinized him keenly each time that he passed him. At last Edgar accosted him, +enquiring courteously what in him had attracted such a share of his attention. +"I see that I was not mistaken," he answered, whilst a gloomy fire flashed from +beneath his black, bushy eyebrows. "You are not a Spaniard--and yet, if your +coat does not belie you, I am bound to look upon you as one who fights on our +side. And that strikes me as rather remarkable." Edgar, though nettled at the +brusquerie of this gentleman's address, told him, temperately enough, what had +brought him to Spain.</p> + +<p class="normal">But scarcely had he mentioned the name of Baldassare di Luna +than the old man cried out in much excitement, "Baldassare di Luna do you say? +My beloved cousin! the dearest and most intimate friend I have left in the +world." Edgar repeated all that had happened, not failing to mention the +heavenly hopes with which Baldassare had taken leave of life.</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man clasped his hands, raised his eyes to heaven--his +lips moved--he seemed to be communing with his departed friend. "Forgive me," he +said, "if a gloomy mistrust, which is foreign to my character, influenced me +against you. Some time ago it was believed that the accursed knavery of the +enemy had gone so far as to introduce foreign officers amongst our forces to act +as spies. The incidents at Tarragona but too much encouraged suspicions of this +kind, and the Junta has now determined to expel all foreigners. Don Joachim +Blake, however, has insisted that foreign engineers, at all events, are +indispensable to him, solemnly engaging, at the same time, to shoot down every +foreigner at once who is subject to the slightest ground of suspicion. If you +are a friend of my Baldassare you are undoubtedly a man of valour and honour. At +all events, I have told you everything, and you can act accordingly." With this +he took his departure.</p> + +<p class="normal">The fortune of arms appeared to have completely abandoned the +Spaniards, and the very courage of despair itself could avail nothing against +the rapidly-advancing foe. Valenzia was hemmed in more and more closely on all +sides, so that Blake, pushed to extremity, determined to force his way out with +twelve thousand chosen troops. It is known that few succeeded in getting +through, that the remainder were in part killed, in part driven back into the +town. It was here that Edgar, at the head of the brave Ovihuela Rifle Regiment, +managed to give a momentary check to the enemy, thus rendering the wild +confusion +of the flight less disastrous. But, as at Tarragona, a musket +bullet struck him down at the crisis of the engagement. He described his +condition from that moment till he regained clear consciousness as one +inexplicably strange. It often seemed to him that he was in the thick of +fighting. He would seem to hear the thunder of the cannon, the wild cries of the +combatants--the Spaniards would seem to be advancing victorious, but as he was +seized on by the joy of battle and starting off to lead his battalion under +fire, he would seem to become suddenly paralysed, and sink down in unconscious +insensibility. Then he would become clearly aware that he was lying on some soft +bed, that people were giving him cool drink--he heard gentle voices speaking +softly, and yet could not arouse himself from his dreams. Once, when he thought +he was back in the thick of the battle, it seemed to him that he was grasped +firmly by the shoulder, whilst a rifleman of the enemy's +fired at him, striking him on the breast, where the bullet in +an incomprehensible manner went slowly boring its way into the flesh with the +most unspeakable torments till all sense of feeling sunk away into a deep, +deathlike sleep.</p> + +<p class="normal">Out of this death sleep Edgar awoke suddenly into full and +clear consciousness, but in such strange surroundings that he could not form an +idea as to where he might be. The soft luxurious bed with its silken curtains, +was quite out of keeping with the small, low-roofed, +dungeon-like vault of undressed stones in which it stood. A +dim lamp shed a feeble light around--neither door nor window was discernible. +Edgar raised himself with difficulty, and saw that there was a Franciscan friar +sitting in a corner, seemingly asleep. "Where am I?" Edgar cried, with all the +energy which he could concentrate.</p> + +<p class="normal">The monk started from his sleep, trimmed the lamp, took it up, +looked at Edgar's face by the light, felt his pulse, and murmured something +which Edgar could not understand. He was going to interrogate the monk as to +what had happened to him, when the wall opened noislessly, and a man came in +whom Edgar immediately recognized as the person who had spoken to him on the +Alameda. The monk called out to this person that the crisis was over and all +would now go well. "Praise be to God," said the old gentleman, and approached +nearer to Edgar's bed.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar wished to speak, but the old gentleman prevented him, +assuring him that the slightest exertion would be dangerous to him still. It was +natural that he should be surprised at finding himself in such surroundings, but +a few words would be sufficient, not only to put him at his ease, but to explain +why it had been necessary to place him in this dreary prison.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar now learnt all. When he fell wounded in the breast the +intrepid "battle-brethren," in spite of the hotness of the fire, had taken him +up and transported him into the town. It happened that in the thick of the +confusion Don Rafaele Marchez (this was the old man's name) saw the wounded +Edgar, and instead of his being sent to the hospital he was carried to Don +Rafaele's own house at once, so that the friend of his Baldassare might have +every possible care. His wound was serious enough in itself, but the peculiar +danger of his condition was the violent nervous fever, traces of which had +previously displayed themselves, which now broke out in all its fury. It is +matter of notoriety that a tremendous fire had been kept up on Valenzia for +three days and nights with the most terrible effect, that all the terror and +horror of this bombardment spread abroad in this city thronged to excess with +people--that the self-same populace, excited to fury by the +Junta, after insisting that Blake should keep up the defence to the very utmost, +turned round and demanded an immediate surrender under the most violent +threats--that Blake, with heroic self-command, drove the crowds asunder by +Walloon Guards, and then made an honourable capitulation to Souchet. Don Rafaele +Marchez would not allow Edgar, sick unto death, to fall into the enemy's hands. +As soon as the capitulation was arranged and the enemy within the walls of +Valenzia, Edgar was removed to the vault, where he was safe against discovery. +"Friend of my sainted Baldassare," (thus he finished his narrative) "be <i>my</i> +friend too. Your blood has flowed for my country--every drop of it has fallen +seething into my breast, and washed away every vestige of the mistrust which +cannot but arise in this fateful time. The same fire which enflames the Spaniard +to the most bitter hatred flashes up in his friendship too, making him capable +of every deed, every sacrifice, for his ally. My house is occupied by the enemy, +but you are in safety, for I swear to you that whatever happens I will rather +let myself be buried under the ruins of Valenzia than betray you. Believe me in +this."</p> + +<p class="normal">In the daytime a profound stillness as of the grave reigned +around Edgar's room, but in the night he often thought he heard in the distance +the echo of soft footfalls, the hollow murmur of many voices together, the +opening and shutting of doors, the clatter of weapons. Some subterranean action +seemed to be going on during the hours +of sleep. Edgar questioned the Franciscan, who only--and that +rarely--quitted him for an instant or two, tending him with +the most unwearied care. But the Franciscan was of opinion that as soon as Edgar +was well he would hear from Don Rafaele what it was that was going on. And this +was so. For when Edgar was well enough to leave his bed, Don Rafaele came one +night with a lighted torch and begged Edgar to dress and follow him with Father +Eusebio, which was the name of the Franciscan, his doctor and nurse.</p> + +<p class="normal">Don Rafaele led him through a long and rather narrow passage +till they came to a closed door, which was opened on Don Rafaele's knocking.</p> + +<p class="normal">How amazed was Edgar to find himself in a spacious vaulted +chamber brilliantly lighted, in which there was a numerous assemblage of persons +for the most part of wild, dirty, sullen appearance. In the middle stood a man +who, though dressed like the commonest peasant, with wild hair and all the marks +of a homeless, nomadic life, had in all his bearing something of the dauntless +and the awe-aspiring. The features of his face were noble, and from his eyes +flashed a warlike fire which bespoke the hero. To him Don Rafaele conducted his +friend, announcing him as the brave young German whom he had rescued from the +enemy, and who was prepared to take part in the grand contest for the freedom of +Spain. Then Don Rafaele, turning to Edgar, said, "You are here in the heart of +Valenzia, which is besieged by our enemies--the hearth on which burns for ever +that fire whose unquenchable flame, ever blazing up with renewed vigour, is +destined to destroy our accursed foe when the moment comes when, misled by his +fallacious successes, he shall surpass himself in defiant arrogance. You are +here in the subterranean vaults of the Franciscan Monastery. Along a hundred +bye-paths unknown to betrayers the chiefs of the brave make their way to this +spot, and hence, as from a focus, they dart in all directions rays which carry +death and destruction to foreigners. Don Edgar, we look upon you as one of +ourselves. Take your part in the glory of our undertakings."</p> + +<p class="normal">Empecinado (for the man dressed as a peasant was none other +than the renowned Guerilla chieftain)--Empecinado, whose fearless daring formed +the theme of many a popular tale amounting to the miraculous--who set at +defiance all the efforts of the enemy, like some incarnation of the spirit of +vengeance, who when he had vanished without a trace would suddenly burst forth +with redoubled force--who at the very moment when the enemy announced the utter +annihilation of his bands would suddenly appear at the very gates of Madrid, +placing the Pretender's life in danger--this Empecinado took Edgar by the hand, +addressing him in enthusiastic words.</p> + +<p class="normal">At this point in the proceedings a young man was brought in +bound. His face, of deathly pallor, wore all the signs of hopeless despair; he +was trembling, and appeared to find it difficult to stand upright when placed in +the presence of Empecinado. The latter pierced him through and through with his +glance of fire, and at length spoke to him, in a tone of the most appalling +calmness. "Antonio," he said, "you are in league with the enemy. You have +several times had interviews with Souchet, at unusual hours. You endeavoured to +hand over, by treachery, our Place d'Armes at Cuença."--"It is so," answered +Antonio, with a terrible sigh, not raising his bowed-down head. "Is it +possible," cried Empecinado, breaking out into the wildest anger, "is it +possible that you are a Spaniard--that the blood of your ancestors runs in your +veins? Was not your mother Virtue personified? Would not the slightest suspicion +that she was capable of betraying the honour of her house be an atrocious +outrage? But for this I should believe you to be a bastard sprung from the most +despicable race on earth. You have merited death. Prepare yourself to die."</p> + +<p class="normal">Antonio threw himself at Empecinado's feet in anguish and +despair, crying, "Uncle! uncle! do you not know that all the furies of hell are +rending my breast. There are times--often--when the subtlety of Satan can bring +anything to pass. Yes, uncle, I am a Spaniard. Let me prove it. Be merciful. +Grant that I may blot out the disgrace which the most abominable arts of hell +have brought upon me--that I may appear to you and to the Brethren purified from +my offence. You understand me, uncle? You know the reason of my so imploring +you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Empecinado seemed somewhat moved by the young man's +entreaties. He raised him, and said gently, "Your repentance is sincere. You are +right in saying that the cunning of Satan is able to accomplish much. I know the +reason of your entreaty. I pardon you. Son of my dear sister, come to my heart!" +Empecinado with his own hands untied his bonds, embraced him, and at once handed +to him the dagger from his own girdle. "My thanks," the young man cried. He +kissed Empecinado's hands, bedewing them with his tears, then he raised his eyes +to heaven in prayer, and drove the dagger deep into his heart, falling dead +without a sound.</p> + +<p class="normal">This occurrence so shook the invalid Edgar that he nearly +fainted. Father Eusebio took him back to his chamber.</p> + +<p class="normal">Some weeks afterwards Don Rafaele Marchez considered that it +was safe for him to liberate his friend from the prison in which he could not +recover his health. He took him, in the night, up to a room which had windows +looking out upon an unfrequented street, and warned him not to cross the +threshold--at all events in the daytime, by reason that the French were +quartered in the house.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar could not explain to himself the irresistible desire +which one day seized him to go out into the corridor. At the very instant that +he did so the door of the room opposite opened, and a French officer came out +meeting him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why how came <i>you</i> here, friend Edgar!" cried the Frenchman. +"Welcome a thousand times!" Edgar had at once recognized him as Colonel la Combe +of the Imperial Guard. Chance had brought this Colonel, just at the time of +Germany's terrible degradation, to his uncle's house, where he himself was +living, having had to abandon his military career. La Combe came from the south +of France. Through the tenderness (by no means a common characteristic of his +nation) with which he dealt with those +who were so bitterly tried, he succeeded in overcoming the +deep dislike--nay, the irreconcilable hatred, which was so firmly rooted in +Edgar's soul against the arrogant foe, and finally, by virtue of certain traits +of character, which placed beyond all doubt the true nobility of la Combe's +nature, in gaming his friendship.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Edgar," cried the Colonel, "what has brought <i>you</i> to +Valenzia?"</p> + +<p class="normal">It may be imagined how sorely the question embarrassed Edgar. +He could make no reply. The Colonel gazed at him gravely, and said in a serious +tone. "Ah, I understand. You have given the rein to your animosity--you have +drawn your sword for the imagined freedom of a nation of madmen, and I cannot +blame you for it. I should be forming a very poor opinion of your friendship if +I could suppose you capable of imagining that I could betray you. No, my friend; +now that I have found you, you are in absolute safety for the first time. From +this moment you shall be nobody but the commercial traveller of a German house +of business in Marseilles, an old acquaintance of mine. So no more about that." +Much as it distressed Edgar, la Combe did not rest until he quitted his +hermitage, and shared with him the better quarters provided for him by Don +Rafaele.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar hastened to acquaint the suspicious Spaniard with all +the circumstances of the case, and his previous relations with la Combe. Don +Rafaele restricted himself to the answer, delivered in a grave and dry manner--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Really; that is a very curious chance indeed!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Colonel sympathized keenly with Edgar's position. At the +same time he could not divest himself of the characteristic temper of his +nation, which sees in liveliness of movement, and the eager pursuit of pleasure, +the best means of healing a wounded heart. Thus it happened that the Colonel +walked arm in arm with the Marseilles commercial traveller in the Alameda, and +drew him into the wild amusements of his light-hearted comrades.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar noticed, clearly enough, that many strange forms dogged +him about, watching him with suspicious looks; and it went deeply to his heart +when, one day on entering a Posada with the Colonel, he heard distinctly behind +him a whisper of "Acqui esta el traïdor!" ("That is the traitor.")</p> + +<p class="normal">Don Rafaele grew daily more cold and monosyllabic towards +Edgar, and at last he saw him no more, and was given to understand by him that, +instead of taking his meals with him, he should take them with Colonel la Combe.</p> + +<p class="normal">One day, when duty had called the Colonel elsewhere, and Edgar +was alone, there came a gentle knock at his door, and Father Eusebio entered. He +made enquiry after Edgar's welfare, and talked on all kinds of indifferent +subjects, but presently came to a pause, and after looking fixedly into Edgar's +eyes, cried with much emotion--</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Don Edgar, <i>you</i> are not a traitor. It is in human nature +that, in that waking dream which constitutes the delirium of fever--when the +forces of life are in bitter combat with man's earthly envelope, and the strong +tension of the fibres cannot hem in the thoughts and fancies which strive for +utterance--it is, I say, in human nature that a man can then no longer help +revealing phases of his being which are secret at other times. How often have I, +Don Edgar, watched by your pillow during long nights? How often have you, all +unknowing, allowed me to read the very depths of your soul? No, Don Edgar, it is +impossible that you can be a traitor. But have a care of yourself--have a care +of yourself!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar implored Eusebio to tell him clearly what he was +suspected of, and what danger was threatening him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will not conceal from you," said Eusebio, "that your +intimacy with Colonel la Combe and his companions has caused suspicion to rest +upon you--that fears are entertained that you might, from no evil intention, but +out of mere lightheartedness, on some occasion when you may have taken more of +our strong Spanish wines than was advisable, perhaps divulge some of the secrets +of this house, into which Don Rafaele has initiated you. There is no doubt that +you are in a certain amount of danger."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But," continued Eusebio, after having maintained a thoughtful +silence, with downcast eyes, for a time, "there <i>is</i> one way of escaping all +risk. You have only to throw yourself into the arms of the Frenchmen. They will +get you out of Valenzia."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What are you talking about?" Edgar burst out. "Sooner death +without reproach, than escape coupled with miserable disgrace."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don Edgar," cried the monk with enthusiasm, "you <i>are</i> no +traitor!" He strained Edgar to his heart, and left the chamber with his eyes +full of tears.</p> + +<p class="normal">That night Edgar, happening to be alone (the Colonel chancing +to be from home), heard steps approaching, and Don Rafaele's voice calling, +"Open your door, Don Edgar." On opening it he saw Don Rafaele with a torch in +his hand, and Father Eusebio behind him. Don Rafaele begged Edgar to accompany +him, he having to attend an important meeting in the vault of the Franciscan +monastery.</p> + +<p class="normal">As they were passing along the subterranean passage, Don +Rafaele being in advance with the lighted torch, Eusebio whispered softly in his +ear,</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, God, Don Edgar! you are going to your death! There is no +escape possible for you now."</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar had ventured his life in many a fight with brave +lightheartedness; but here all the anxiousness, the uncertainty of the manner of +his assassination, could not but weigh heavily upon him, so that Eusebio had +some difficulty in supporting him. And yet, as the way was still long, he +managed to acquire a measure of self-control which enabled him not only to +command himself, but to resolve upon the line of conduct which he should adopt +in these circumstances. "When the door of the vault opened, Edgar saw the +terrible Empecinado, with rage and fury flashing from his eyes. Behind him were +standing several Guerillas and one or two Franciscan friars. Having now quite +recovered his calm courage, Edgar walked firmly and fearlessly up to the +Guerilla chief, and, addressing him gravely and quietly, said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"It happens very fortunately that I am brought face to face +with you to-day, Don Empecinado. I have been anxious to make a request to Don +Rafaele, and now I have the opportunity of laying it before yourself. As Father +Eusebio, my doctor and faithful guardian, will testify, I have now quite +recovered. I am well and strong, and find it impossible to bear the tedious +idleness of life among enemies whom I detest. I therefore beseech you, Don +Empecinado, let me be taken and placed upon those secret paths known to you, +that I may join your bands, and be engaged in enterprises for which my soul +yearns."</p> + +<p class="normal">"H'm!" said Empecinado, in a tone approaching mockery. "Do +<i>you</i> then hold with the crack-brained populace, who prefer death to doing +homage to the Grand Nation? Have not your friends taught you better?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don Empecinado," said Edgar, "you do not understand the +German mode of looking at matters. It is not known to you that German courage, +which burns on for ever inextinguishably, like a pure naphtha flame, and German +faithfulness, firm as the primeval rock, form the most impenetrable coat of +mail, from which all the poisoned darts of treachery and wickedness fall back +harmlessly. I beg you once more, Don Empecinado, to let me go out into the open +country, that I may prove myself deserving of the good opinion which I believe +myself to have already earned."</p> + +<p class="normal">Empecinado looked at Edgar in amazement, whilst a low murmur +circulated amongst the assemblage. Don Rafaele moved forward to speak to +Empecinado, but he motioned him back, and going to Edgar, took his hand and said +with emotion--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Another fate was in store for you. You had another destiny +reserved for you to-day. However, Don Edgar, think of your own country. The +enemies who have covered it with shame are here to-day before you. Remember that +your German peoples, too, will raise their eyes to the Phoenix which will soar, +with shining plumage, from the flames which are kindling here, and their despair +give place to warm longing, the parent of dauntless courage, of battle to the +very death!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought of all this," said Edgar, "before I left my own +country, to shed my blood for your freedom. All my being dissolved itself into +lust for vengeance, when Don Baldassare di Luna lay dying in my arms."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If you are serious in this," cried Empecinado, as one +suddenly breaking into fury, "you must set forth this very night, this very +moment. You must not enter Don Rafaele's house again." Edgar declared that this +was precisely what he desired, and was immediately conducted away by a man named +Isidor Mirr (who afterwards became a guerilla chief), and Father Eusebio.</p> + +<p class="normal">As they went the good Eusebio could not sufficiently express +his delight at Edgar's escape.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Heaven!" he said, "seeing your goodness put courage into your +heart--a divine miracle, in my belief."</p> + +<p class="normal">It was much closer to Valenzia than he expected, or than the +enemy probably were aware, that Edgar met the first troop of Guerillas, and to +it he attached himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">I pass over in silence Edgar's warlike adventures, which often +might sound as if taken from some book of knightly fables, and I come to the +time when he unexpectedly encountered Don Rafaele Marchez among the Guerillas.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You really had great injustice done to you, Don Edgar," said +Don Rafaele. Edgar turned his back upon him.</p> + +<p class="normal">When morning broke, Don Rafaele got into a state of anxiety +which grew every instant till it attained a pitch of the most intense anguish. +He ran up and down, sighed, clasped his hands, raised them to heaven, and +prayed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is the matter with the old fellow?" Edgar enquired.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He has managed," said Isidor Mirr, "to get safe out of +Valenzia himself, and to save the best of his belongings, and get them loaded up +upon mules. He has been expecting them all night, and has every reason to +anticipate evil."</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar marvelled at Don Rafaele's avarice, which seemed to +render him oblivious of everything besides. It was midnight; the moon was +shining brightly among the hills; when musketry fire was heard from the ravine +beneath, and presently some rather seriously wounded Guerillas came limping up, +reporting that the troop which was escorting Don Rafaele's mules had been +unexpectedly attacked by some French Chasseurs, that nearly all their comrades +had fallen, and the mules been captured by the enemy.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Great heavens, my child--my poor, unfortunate child," Don +Rafaele cried, and sank to the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is the matter here?" cried Edgar loudly. "Come on, come +on, brethren, down into the glen, to avenge our comrades, and snatch the booty +from the teeth of these pigs."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The good German is right," cried Isidor Mirr. "The good +German is right," re-echoed all around, and away they rushed down into the +ravine like a bursting thunderstorm.</p> + +<p class="normal">There were only a few Guerillas left, and they were fighting +with the courage of despair. With a cry of "Valenzia," Edgar rushed into the +thickest mass of the enemy, and with the death-announcing roar of thirsting +tigers the Guerillas dashed after him, planted their daggers in the breasts of +the foemen, and felled them with the butts of their muskets. Well-directed +bullets hit them in their headlong flight. These were the Valenzia men who had +overtaken General Moncey's Cuirassiers in their march, dashed upon their flank, +cut them down before they gathered how they were situated, and retired into +their lurking-places masters of the arms and horses.</p> + +<p class="normal">All this was over and done when Edgar heard a piercing scream +from the densest part of the thicket. He made haste to the spot, and found a +little man struggling with a Frenchman, and holding the bridle of the mule he +was in charge of in his teeth. Just as Edgar came on the scene the Frenchman +struck down the little man with a dagger, which he seemed to have taken from +him, and was trying to drive the mule further into the thicket. Edgar gave a +loud shout; the Frenchman fired at him, missed him, and Edgar ran him through +with his bayonet. The little fellow was whimpering. Edgar raised him up, undid +with some difficulty the bridle, which he had been convulsively biting, and +noticed for the first time as he was helping him on to the mule that there was a +shrouded form upon it already clinging to the creature's neck with its arms, and +softly lamenting. Behind this girl, for such, judging by her voice, was the +shrouded form, Edgar deposited the little wounded man, took the mule by the +bridle, and thus made his way back to the little Place d'Armes, where, as no +more of the enemy was visible, Isidor Mirr and his men had again taken up their +positions.</p> + +<p class="normal">The little man, who had fainted from loss of blood, though his +wounds did not seem to be dangerous, and the girl, were lifted from the mule. At +this moment Don Rafaele in a state of the most wild excitement darted forward +with cries of "My child, my sweet child!" and was in the act to clasp the young +creature, who did not seem to be more than about eight or ten in years, in his +arms, when, suddenly seeing the bright torchlight shining on Edgar's face, he +threw himself at his feet, crying, "Oh Don Edgar, Don Edgar! this knee has never +bent to mortal man till now; but you are no mortal--you are an angel of light +sent to save me from deadly anxiety and inconsolable despair! Oh, Don Edgar, +fiendish mistrust was deeply rooted in my bosom, ever brooding upon evil. It was +an undertaking deserving the bitterest execration to plan the destruction of one +such as you with your true heart all honour +and valour---to devote you to a shameful death. Strike me +down, Don Edgar--execute a bloody vengeance upon me, vile wretch that I am! +Never can you forgive what I have done."</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar, fully conscious that he had done nothing more than his +duty and honour demanded of him, was pained by Don Rafaele's behaviour, and +tried by all means to calm and silence him, at length with difficulty +succeeding.</p> + +<p class="normal">Don Rafaele said Colonel la Combe had been greatly distressed +at Edgar's disappearance, and suspecting foul play, he had been on the point of +ransacking the house and having him, Don Rafaele, arrested. This was why it had +been necessary for him to escape, and it had been entirely owing to the +Franciscan's help that he had been able to bring away his daughter, his servant, +and many things which he required. Meanwhile the wounded servant and Don +Rafaele's daughter had been taken on some distance in advance, whilst Don +Rafaele, too old to share in the exploits of the Guerillas, was to follow them. +At his sorrowful parting with Edgar he gave him a certain talisman, which +brought him deliverance in many a serious danger.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">Here Euchar ended his story, which had been listened to by the +company with the keenest interest.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Poet, who had got over his coughing fit and returned to +the room, expressed the opinion that in Edgar's Spanish adventures there was +fine material for a tragedy, all that he thought wanting being a due spice of +love-making and an effective <i>finale</i>, such as a striking case of insanity, a +good apoplexy, or something of the kind.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, yes, love," said a young lady blushing at her own +temerity. "The only thing your delightful story wanted was some charmingly +interesting love affair!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dear Lady," said Euchar laughing, "I was not telling you the +story of a novel, but the adventures of my friend Edgar. His life amongst the +wild Spanish mountains was unfortunately poor in experiences of that kind."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have a strong belief," said Victorine in a low tone, "that +I know this same Edgar, who has remained in poverty, because he has despised the +most precious of gifts."</p> + +<p class="normal">But no one's enthusiasm equalled that of Ludwig, who cried out +most excitedly, "I know that mysterious Profecia del Pirineo by the glorious Don +Juan Baptista de Arriaza. Oh, it fired my very veins! I wanted to be off to +Spain to fight for that glorious cause--had it only been comprehended in the +system of the mutual interdependence of things. I can quite put myself in +Edgar's place. How I should have spoken to that terrible Empecinado in that +awful situation in the Franciscan monastery!" And he began a harangue, which was +so pathetic that everybody was astonished, and could not sufficiently marvel at +his brave and heroic resolution.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But it was not a part of the mutual interdependence of +things," said the lady of the house, "although, perhaps, it does form a part of +that interdependence--or, at all events, fits into it--that, as it happens, I +have provided an entertainment for my visitors which forms a suitable pendant to +Euchar's story."</p> + +<p class="normal">The doors opened, and Emanuela came in followed by the stunted +little Biagio Cubas with his guitar in his hands, making all manner of quaint +obeisances and salutations. But Emanuela, with that indescribable charm of +manner which had so fascinated Euchar and Ludwig in the Park, came into the +circle curtseying, and said in a gentle voice that she was going to exhibit a +little piece of skilfulness, which would not have much to recommend it except +its being a little out of the common.</p> + +<p class="normal">During the short time which had elapsed since our two friends +had seen the girl she seemed to have grown taller, more beautiful, and more +developed in figure--moreover, she was admirably, almost expensively dressed. +"Now," Ludwig whispered into his friend's ear, as Cubas +with quaint and comical features was getting things ready for +the +egg-fandago, "now is your chance to get back your ring."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear goose," said Euchar, "don't you see it is on my +finger? I found I had taken it off along with my glove; I discovered that on the +same evening when I thought I had lost it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Emanuela's dancing took everybody by storm, no one having ever +seen such a thing before. Euchar kept his gaze fixed upon her earnestly. Ludwig +broke out into exclamations of the utmost rapture. Victorine, close to whom he +was sitting, whispered to him, "Hypocrite! You dare to pretend to speak of love +to me while you are devoted to this brazen little wretch of a Spanish +egg-dancer! Don't dare to look at her again, sir!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Ludwig was considerably discomposed on the whole by +Victorine's passion for him, with its tendency to flame out into jealousy +without any rational cause. He said to himself, "I really am one of the luckiest +fellows in the world; but all the same, this sort of thing rather bores a man."</p> + +<p class="normal">When she had ended her dance Emanuela took the guitar and +began singing Spanish ballads of cheerful, happy character. Ludwig begged her to +sing that splendid thing which had so greatly delighted Euchar. She at once +began--</p> + +<p class="center">"Laurel immortal al gran Palafox," etc.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her enthusiastic delivery of these lines waxed in fervour as +she went on, her voice swelled into greater power, the chords of the instrument +clanged louder and louder. When she came to the Strophe, which speaks of the +liberation of the Fatherland, she fixed her beaming eyes on Euchar, a river of +tears rushed down her cheeks, and she fell on her knees. The hostess hurried to +her, raised her up, and said, "No more, no more, sweet darling child," and, +taking her to a sofa, kissed her on the brow and stroked her cheeks.</p> + +<p class="normal">"She's out of her mind," Victorine whispered excitedly to +Ludwig. "You can't be in love with a mad creature! No, no. Tell me at once--on +the spot--that you can't possibly be in love with a maniac!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good gracious, no! Of course not," Ludwig cried, considerably +alarmed. He found the greatest possible difficulty in properly adapting himself +to the excessively passionate manifestation which Victorine's affection had +taken to displaying.</p> + +<p class="normal">While the hostess was refreshing Emanuela with sweet wine and +biscuits the valiant little guitarist, Biagio Cubas, who had sunk down in a +corner and was sobbing profusely, was served with a glass of genuine Xeres, +which he drained to the last drop with a gladsome "Donna, viva hasta mil annos."</p> + +<p class="normal">It may readily be supposed that the ladies attacked Emanuela +with a string of enquiries as to her country, circumstances, and so forth. The +hostess felt the painfulness of her position too keenly not to so contrive that +the firmly-closed circle should disperse itself into several subsidiary eddies, +in which every one, the piquet players included, soon began to revolve. The +consistorial president considered the little Spanish girl a delightful, natty +little creature; the only thing was that somehow her dancing got into his own +legs and made his head feel as giddy as if he were waltzing with the devil in +person. The singing struck him as something quite out of the common; it +delighted him immensely.</p> + +<p class="normal">Count Walther Puck was of quite a different opinion. Of her +singing he thought nothing at all; there was no such thing as a trillo in it +all. But he praised her dancing most warmly, and thought it quite delicious. He +said that his opinion on the subject was of some value, seeing that at one time +he had been as good a performer as the most celebrated Maîtres de ballet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Will you believe me, brother Consistorial-President," he +said, "when I tell you that in my youthful days, when I was a perfect model +specimen of nimbleness and vigour, I used to be able to spring the fiocco and +knock down a tambourine hung up nine feet above the tip of my nose with my toe! +And as for this egg-fandago, why I have often smashed more eggs in performing +that dance than seven hens would lay in four-and-twenty hours."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bless my soul," said the Consistorial-President, "that was +doing the thing in a most stupendous style!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said the Count. "And then I must tell you my good old +Cochenille plays the flageolet really very nicely indeed. And now and then I get +him to play for me in the dressing-room; and then I really give myself full +swing in the dancing line--of course, only there quite in private. You see what +I mean?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course, of course," answered the Consistorial-President, +"I quite understand."</p> + +<p class="normal">Meanwhile Emanuela and her companion had disappeared.</p> + +<p class="normal">As the company were about dispersing the hostess said, "Friend +Euchar, I feel certain that you know a great deal more than you have told us +about your friend Edgar, We should be deeply interested to hear a great deal +more. "What you have told us was only a fragment of it, though it has so excited +and interested us that none of us will sleep a wink to night. I can't accord you +longer time than till to-morrow evening for satisfying our curiosity. "We must +hear more of Don Rafaele, and Empecinado, and the Guerillas. And if it is +possible that Edgar can get into a love affair, please don't deprive us of the +satisfaction of that."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That would be delightful!" sounded from all sides; and Euchar +had to promise that he would be present with the matter necessary for the +completing of his story.</p> + +<p class="normal">As they were going home Ludwig could not say enough on the +subject of Victorine's passion for him, bordering, as it seemed to do, on +insanity. "All the same," he said, "that jealousy of hers has had the effect of +enabling me to read my own heart clearly. And I have read there that my love for +Emanuela is a thing unutterable. I am going to find her out, declare my +passionate adoration for her--and clasp her to my heart."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Exactly, my dear child," said Euchar imperturbably. "That is, +of course, the proper thing for you to do."</p> + +<p class="normal">On the next evening when the company were assembled again +<i>chez Madame la Présidente</i>, she told them with much regret that Baron Euchar +had written to say that he was unexpectedly obliged to start immediately on a +journey, and must postpone the continuation of his story till he came back.</p> + +<br> +<p class="center"><span class="sc">Euchar's Return. Scenes in a truly happy Ménage.<br>Conclusion +of the Story</span>.</p> + +<p class="normal">Two years had past away when one morning a handsome carriage +well loaded with baggage drew up at the door of the Golden Angel (principal +hotel in W----), and out of it got a young gentleman, a lady very closely +shrouded in wraps, and an old man. Ludwig happened to be passing at the time, +and naturally he had a look at the arrivals through his eye-glass. The young +gentleman happened to turn round, and he immediately embraced Ludwig, crying +out, "My dear old fellow!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The latter was not a little astonished to see his old friend +Euchar, for it was he who had got out of the carriage. "My dear fellow," he +said, "who is that terribly muffled-up lady?--and the old gentleman? And, bless +my soul, here comes a fourgon with baggage, and sitting on the back of it--good +gracious, do my eyes deceive me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Euchar took Ludwig by the arm, led him a step or two across +the street, and said, "You shall hear all about everything in good time, dear +friend; but, to begin with, how have things been going with you? You are +terribly pale--the fire of your eyes has gone out. To tell you the honest truth, +you look about ten years older than when I saw you last. Have you been having a +bad illness or some serious trouble?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, dear no!" answered Ludwig. "Quite the contrary. I believe +I am the very happiest fellow under the sun, for I am living a life of utterly +ideal, Utopian love and bliss. The heavenly Victorine gave me that exquisite, +tender hand of hers--bestowed it, my dear fellow, upon unworthy me rather more +than a year ago! That pretty house which you see there with its windows shining +in the sun is my home, and you must come there with me this moment and see that +earthly paradise of mine. How delighted my dear wife will be to see you again! +Let us give her a surprise."</p> + +<p class="normal">Euchar begged for a few minutes time just to change his dress, +and promised to come then at once and see with his own eyes how all things had +worked together for Ludwig's happiness.</p> + +<p class="normal">Ludwig came to meet his friend at the bottom of the stair, and +begged him to make as little noise as possible in coming up, explaining that +Victorine often suffered terribly from nervous headaches, and had a bad one just +then, which rendered her nervous system so sensitive that she could hear the +very softest footfall in any part of the house, although her own rooms were in +the most distant part of it. Consequently they two now crept as softly as they +could up the stairs, which were thickly carpeted, into Ludwig's own room. After +the heartiest outpourings of gladness at seeing his old companion again, Ludwig +rang the bell, but immediately cried out, "Oh, Lord, what have I done, wretch +that I am!" putting both his hands before his face. And it was not long before a +snappish creature of a lady's maid came in screeching out to Ludwig in a +horrible, vulgar tone of voice, "Herr Baron, for heaven's sake what are you +doing? You'll kill my lady. She's in spasms now."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good gracious! my good Nettie," said Ludwig in a lamentable +voice, "I really forgot all about it. I was so happy. Here is the greatest +friend I have in the world come to see me. We haven't met for years. He's an old +intimate friend of your mistress, too. Go and beg her--implore +her--to let me bring him to her." Ludwig put money into her +hand, and she made her exit with a vixenish "I'll see what I can do."</p> + +<p class="normal">Euchar, finding himself in presence of a situation which is +but too common in life, and is consequently served up to us <i>ad nauseam</i> in +comedies and novels, had his own particular ideas as to his friend's domestic +happiness. He felt with Ludwig all the painfulness of the position, and began to +talk about indifferent subjects. But Ludwig would not give in to this, saying +that what had been happening to him since they had been apart had been too +remarkable and interesting that he should delay for a moment to communicate it +to Euchar.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course," he began, "you remember that evening when we were +all at Madame Veh's and you told the Story of your friend Edgar's adventures. +And, of course, you remember how Victorine flamed up into jealousy and showed +her heart, which was blazing with passion, without disguise. Idiot that I was--I +fully admit to you that I was an idiot--I fell desperately in love with that +little Spanish dancing girl, and thought that I could read in her eyes that my +love was not without some hope. Perhaps you noticed that at the finish of her +fandango, whim she made the eggs into a pyramid the apex of that pyramid was +directed towards me. I was sitting just in the centre of the circle behind +Madame Veh's chair. Now could she have expressed more clearly how deep her +interest in me was? I wanted to find the dear little creature out the next +morning, but it was not a part of the mutual interdependence of things that I +should succeed in that. I had almost forgotten all about her when chance----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The mutual interdependence of things, you mean," interrupted +Euchar.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well, well," went on Ludwig. "But, at all events, a few days +afterwards I was going through the Park, and in front of that Café where you and +I saw that little Spanish girl for the first time, out came the landlady +rushing--oh, you have no idea what an interest that good woman, who got the +vinegar and water that day when I hurt my knee, takes in me still--but that is +not to the present purpose--to ask if I knew what had become of the little +Spanish girl and her companion, who used to come there so often, and of whom +nothing had been seen for several weeks. Next day I took a great deal of trouble +to find out whether she was in the town or not, but it did not lie in the mutual +interdependence of things that I should succeed in this. And my heart repented +of the foolishness it had been so near committing, and turned back again to the +heavenly Victorine. But my crime of infidelity to her had made such a profound +impression upon that super-sensitive organization of hers that she refused to +see me or even to hear my name mentioned. Good old Cochenille assured me that +she had fallen into a state of absolute melancholia; that she would often cry +till the was almost breathless, and wail in the most pathetic manner, saying 'He +is lost to me. I have lost him for ever.' You may imagine the effect which all +this produced upon me--how I was dissolved in sorrow over this unfortunate +misunderstanding. Cochenille proffered me his aid. He said he would +diplomatically convince the Countess that I was quite an altered man, never +dancing more than four times at the most at balls, sitting at the theatre +staring at the stage in an oblivious manner, and paying not the smallest +attention to my clothes. I sent a flowing stream of gold pieces into his hands, +and in return he gave me fresh hopes every morning. At last Victorine allowed me +to see her again. How lovely she was! Oh, Victorine, my darling--beautiful, +sweetest of wives--amiability and kindness personified!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Here Nettchen came in and said that the Baroness was +astonished at the Baron's extraordinary conduct. First he rang the bell as if +the house were on fire, and then he asked her to receive a visitor in the +exceedingly critical state of her health. She most certainly could not see +anybody that day whoever it might be, and begged the strange gentleman to excuse +her. Nettchen looked Euchar straight in the eyes, scanned him over carefully +from head to foot, and left the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Ludwig stared before him in silence, and then continued his +tale in a low voice and with bated breath, saying, "You can't imagine the degree +of almost contemptuous coldness with which Victorine received me. If it hadn't +been that her previous outbursts of burning affection had convinced me that this +coldness was merely put on to punish me, I should really have had my doubts, and +should have hesitated. But at last this counterfeiting got too difficult for +her, her behaviour grew kindlier and kindlier, till all in a moment she gave me +her shawl to carry. And then my triumph was utterly brilliant. I rearranged that +'<i>seize</i>' of mine, which had played such an important part in my destiny, danced +it with her in the most heavenly manner, whispered in her ear--at the proper +moment, whilst balancing myself on tiptoe and placing my arm about +her--'Heavenly Countess, I love you unspeakably! Angel of light, I implore you +to be mine.' Victorine smiled into my eyes; but that did not prevent me from +paying the proper visit the next morning, with the good help of my friend +Cochenille, at the fitting hour, about one o'clock, and making my formal +proposal for her hand. She gazed at me in silence. I threw myself at her feet, +seized that hand which was to be mine, and covered it with glowing kisses. She +allowed me to do this; but I really felt it a good deal, and thought it was +extremely queer, that all the time her eyes were fixed steadfastly upon nothing +that I could discover, staring before her as if she had been a lifeless image. +But at last a great tear or two came to her eyes. She pressed my hand so +vehemently that, as I happened to have a sore finger, I could scarcely help +crying out with the pain of it, rose from her chair, and left the room with her +handkerchief over her face. I had no doubts as to my good fortune. I hastened to +the Count and made my formal proposal for his daughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Good. Very good, indeed, my dear Baron,' said the Count, +smiling +in the most affable manner. 'But have you given the Countess +any intimation of this? Have you given her any opportunity of inferring it at +all? Are you beloved? I admit that I am foolish enough to take the greatest +possible interest in love matters.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I told him what had happened during the 'seize.' His eyes +sparkled with delight. 'That was delicious!' he cried over and over again. 'That +was most delicious, indeed, Herr Baron! Tell me what your "tour" +consisted of, dear Baronetto.' I danced this 'tour' for him, +and remained pausing in the position which I described to you long since. +'Charming; charming, indeed, my angelic friend!' he cried, and ringing the bell, +he shouted, 'Cochenille, Cochenille!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"When Cochenille came in I had to sing him the music of my +'seize,' which was composed by myself. 'Get your flageolet, Cochenille,' said +the Count, 'and play what the Baron has been singing.' Cochenille did so +tolerably correctly. I had to dance with the Count, taking the lady's part, and +I should not have believed it of the old gentleman, while poising himself on his +right tiptoe he whispered into my ear, 'Most incomparable of barons, my daughter +Victorine is yours.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The lovely Victorine behaved rather coyly, as young ladies +are apt to do under such circumstances. She was reserved and silent, formal and +stiff, said neither 'Yes' nor 'No,' and on the whole behaved to me in such a way +that my hopes began to sink again. Besides, it so happened that I just then, for +the first time, found out that on the celebrated occasion, when I put my arm +round the cousin instead of Victorine in the 'seize,' those two girls had +planned this practical joke on purpose just to make me the victim of a +contemptible mystification. I really was terribly distressed and annoyed, and +could almost have cried, to think that it had formed a part of the mutual +interdependence of things that I should be led about by the nose in this sort of +way. But those doubts were vain. Ere I knew where I was, wholly unexpectedly the +heavenly 'Yes' came trembling from her beautiful lips just when I had fallen +into the deepest dejection. It was only then that I found out what a constraint +Victorine had been putting upon herself before, for she was now so wildly happy +and in such amazing spirits that anything like this condition had never been +seen in her before. No doubt it was only maidenly coyness that made her refuse +to allow me to take her hand or to kiss it, or to indulge in any kind of +innocent little endearment. Many of my friends did try to put a quantity of +absurd nonsense into my head. But the day before our wedding was destined to +drive the last shadow of doubt from my mind. Early on that morning I hastened to +her. Some papers were lying on her work-table. I glanced at them; they were in +her own handwriting. I began reading. It was a diary. Oh, heavens! Oh, all ye +Gods! Each day's entries gave me fresh proof how dearly, with what unspeakable +fondness Victorine had loved me all along. The most trifling incidents were +recorded, and always there came, 'You do not comprehend this heart of mine. Cold +and unfeeling, must I cast aside all maidenly reserve in the wildness of my +despair, throw myself at your feet, and tell you that without your love life is +only death to me?' And it went on in this strain. On the night when I fancied +myself so wildly in love with the little Spanish girl she had written, 'All is +lost and done. He loves her; nothing can be, more certain. Mad creature, don't +you know that the eye of the woman who loves is +all-seeing?' Just as I was reading this aloud in came +Victorine. I threw myself at her feet with the diary in my hand, crying, 'No, +no; I never was in love with that strange child. You, you alone, were always my +idol!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Victorine fixed a gaze on me, cried out in a screaming sort +of tone, which rings in my ears still, 'Unfortunate fellow, it was not you I +meant,' and rushed from the room. Now could you have imagined that maidenly +coyness would have been capable of being carried so far?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Here Nettchen came in to enquire on the Baroness's part why +the +Baron did not bring the visitor to see her, inasmuch as she +had been expecting him for the last half hour. "A splendid model wife," cried +the Baron with much emotion, "always sacrificing herself to my wishes." It +astonished Euchar not a little to find the Baroness very much dressed as if for +company.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Here is our dear old Euchar!" the Baron cried. "We have got +him back again." But when Euchar approached and took her hand she was seized +with a violent trembling, and, with a faint cry of "Oh, God," fell back on her +couch fainting.</p> + +<p class="normal">Euchar could not bear the pain of the situation, and he left +the room as quickly as possible. "Unfortunate fellow," he cried, "it was, +indeed, not you she meant." He understood now the fathomless depth of misery +into which his friend's incredible vanity had plunged him--he knew now upon whom +Victorine's love had been bestowed, and felt himself strangely moved and +touched. He comprehended now, and only now, the significance of many things +which his own simple straightforwardness had prevented him from seeing before. +Now, and only now, he saw through and through the impassioned Victorine, and +could scarcely explain to himself how he had failed to discover that it was with +him she was in love. The occasions on which her fondness for him had led her to +give expression to it, almost in defiance of all considerations, rose more +clearly before his mental sight, and he distinctly remembered that just on those +very occasions some strange unaccountable antipathy to her had caused a curious, +inexplicable irritation of feeling towards her. This feeling of angry irritation +he now brought to bear upon himself, filled as he was by the profoundest pity +for the poor girl, whose destiny seemed to have been ruled by such an evil star.</p> + +<p class="normal">It so happened that on this very evening the self-same party +to which Euchar had told the story of Edgar's adventures in Spain, two years +previously, were assembled at Madame Veh's. He was greeted with the greatest +warmth, but an electric thrill went through him when he saw Victorine, as he had +not thought he would meet her there. There was no trace of illness about her. +Her eyes shone as brilliantly as of old, and a carefully-chosen costume of great +tastefulness enhanced her loveliness and charm. Euchar, distressed by her +presence, was depressed and put out, contrary to his usual wont. Victorine so +managed matters as to be able to approach him, and suddenly seizing his hand, +drew him aside, saying gravely and calmly--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know my husband's pet theory of the mutual +interdependence of things? I believe what constitutes the real 'mutual +interdependence of things' in our lives to be the follies which we commit, +repent of, and commit again and again. So that our lives appear to consist of a +process of being wildly hunted hither and thither by a species of enchantment +beyond our control, which drives us on before it till it mocks and dashes us +into death. I know all, Euchar; I know whom I am going to see this evening. It +was not you who brought those bitter, hopeless sorrows upon me; not you, but an +evil fate. The demon was laid and vanished at the moment when I saw you again. +May peace and rest be upon us, Euchar."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Victorine," Euchar answered, "may rest and peace be upon +us. However miscomprehended a life may be, the Eternal Power does not leave it +without hope."</p> + +<p class="normal">"All is ended--and well," said Victorine; and, wiping a tear +away, she turned to the company.</p> + +<p class="normal">Madame Veh had been observant of this pair, and now whispered +to Euchar--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I told her everything. Was I right?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I must go through with the whole business," Euchar answered.</p> + +<p class="normal">The company--as often happens in such circumstances--felt a +fresh impulse to festivity and enjoyment in Euchar's unexpected return, and +besieged him with enquiries as to where he had been and what had happened to him +during his absence.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What has really brought me here," said Euchar, "is the +obligation which I am under to keep my promise of two years ago that I would +tell you a good deal more of my friend Edgar's history, and put a copestone upon +it such as our friend the Poet thought it wanted. As I can now assure you that +no dark clouds have come over his path, that there have been no deeds of +violence, but that, on the contrary, as the ladies wished, my story will be +concerned with a rather romantic love-affair, I feel sure that I may reckon upon +a fair measure of approval."</p> + +<p class="normal">All applauded, and speedily formed into a narrower ring. +Euchar at once commenced as follows--</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">I pass over in silence the warlike adventures which Edgar met +with while fighting in company with the Guerillas--although <i>they</i> were +sufficiently romantic--contenting myself with explaining that the talisman which +Don Rafaele Marchez gave him when parting with him, was a little ring inscribed +with mystic characters, which showed that he was an initiate in the most secret +of the confederacies or societies; thus assuring him, wherever he might be, of +the most absolute and unlimited confidence of those acquainted with those signs, +and rendering all danger such as he had been exposed to in Valenzia impossible.</p> + +<p class="normal">Soon afterwards he joined the English forces, and served under +Wellington. He was never touched by a hostile bullet again, and when the +campaign was over he returned to his own country safe and sound. Don Rafaele +Marchez he had never seen again, nor had he heard anything of his further +fortunes.</p> + +<p class="normal">Edgar had been a long while back in his native town, when, one +day, Don Rafaele's little ring (which he always wore on his finger) disappeared +under peculiar circumstances. Early on the morning of the day following this, a +queer little fellow came into his room, held the missing ring up to him, and +asked him if it was his. When Edgar replied that it was, the little man cried +out excitedly in Spanish--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, <i>you are</i> Don Edgar; there can be no doubt about it." And +then Edgar clearly remembered the face and figure of the little fellow, who was +Don Rafaele's faithful servant, the same who had displayed the lion courage of +despair in trying to save his master's daughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the name of all the saints!" Edgar cried, "you must be Don +Rafaele's faithful servant! I recognise you. Where is <i>he</i>? My strange +presentiment is going to come true."</p> + +<p class="normal">The little man implored Edgar to go with him at once.</p> + +<p class="normal">He took him to one of the most distant suburbs, climbed with +him to the garret of a miserable house, and--what a spectacle! Sick, worn to a +shadow, with all the traces of the most mortal suffering upon his deathlike +face, Don Rafaele Marchez was lying upon a bed of straw, with a girl praying by +his side. When Edgar came in, the girl rushed up to him, and drew him to the +side of the old man, crying in a tone of the warmest delight--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Father, father! this is he, is it not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said the old man, his dim eyes brightening as he raised +his folded hands to heaven, "it is he--our preserver. Ah, Don Edgar, who would +have believed that the fire which burned within me for my country and freedom +would have turned upon me for my destruction."</p> + +<p class="normal">After the first outpourings of mingled delight and regret, +Edgar learned that Don Rafaele's enemies had managed, after the establishment of +peace, to bring charges against him causing him to be regarded with suspicion by +the government. He was sentenced to be banished, and his property was +confiscated. He fell into the deepest poverty. His devoted daughter and his +faithful servant supported him by dancing and playing.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Emanuela and Biagio Cubas, of course!" Ludwig cried out. And +all the others repeated after him, "Of course, of course--Emanuela and Biagio +Cubas!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The hostess enjoined silence on the ground that, although +there might be many things which could be gradually explained, the narrator +ought not to be interrupted until he had come to the end of his story. Moreover +she felt no doubt that as soon as Edgar saw the lovely Emanuela he must, of +course, have fallen desperately in love with her.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That, of course, is exactly what he did do," said Euchar, a +slight redness overspreading his cheeks. Even before this particular meeting +with her, on other occasions of his seeing that marvellously beautifully child, +he had felt the most distinct presentiments of what would follow, and a sense of +the deepest affection, like nothing which he had ever experienced before. He +immediately set to remedy the condition of affairs. He took away Don Rafaele, +Emanuela, and the trusty Cubas, to a country estate belonging to his uncle. And +in arranging this I was of some assistance to him. It seemed as if Don Rafaele's +lucky star was going to rise again; for soon after this there came a letter from +good Father Eusebio to say that the brethren, well acquainted with the secret +corners of his house, had hidden away the very considerable property (in the +shape of gold and jewels) which he possessed (and which he had walled up before +his flight) in their own convent; so that all that was necessary was to send +some trustworthy person to fetch them. Edgar set out at once for Valenzia with +the faithful Cubas. He saw his kind old nurse, Father Eusebio, again, and Don +Rafaele's treasure was handed over to him. But he knew that Don Rafaele prized +honour above everything, and he succeeded in Madrid in completely +re-establishing his innocence. The decree of banishment was cancelled.</p> + +<p class="normal">The doors opened and there entered a beautifully dressed lady, +followed by an old gentleman of lofty bearing and aristocratic looks. The +hostess rose to receive them, and led the lady within the circle. The other +guests had all risen, and the host presented "Donna Emanuela Marchez, our friend +Euchar's bride. Ron Rafaele Marchez."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," said Euchar, with the bliss of the happiness which he +had achieved radiating from his eyes, and glowing in brilliant roses on his +cheeks, "I have only now to tell you that he whom I spoke of to you as Edgar was +none other than myself."</p> + +<p class="normal">Victorine clasped the beautiful Emanuela in her arms, and +pressed her warmly to her heart. They seemed to know each other already. But +Ludwig, casting a glance of sorrow upon the group, said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"All this was a part of the mutual interdependence of things."</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">The friends were pleased with Sylvester's tale, and were +unanimous in thinking that Edgar's adventures in Spain during the War of +Independence, although they might perhaps be considered to be interwoven in +merely an episodical form, really constituted the kernel of the story, and that +their happy effect was accounted for by their being founded upon actual +historical facts.</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no doubt," said Lothair, "that matter which is +absolutely historical possesses a certain peculiar quality which the inventive +faculty, when it merely hovers about in empty space, with nothing to anchor +upon, cannot attain to. In the same way the skilful introduction of truly +historical customs, manners, habitudes and so forth, belonging to any race, or +people, or to any particular class of people, gives to a work of fiction a +life-like colouring which it is difficult otherwise to attain. But I insist upon +their being introduced <i>skilfully</i>. For there is no doubt that it is not so easy +to introduce historical +facts--things which have actually happened--into a work of +which the incidents belong to the domain of pure imagination, as many people +think it is. And it requires a peculiar skilfulness, which everybody is not +fortunate enough to possess. In the absence of it there appears merely a pale, +distorted simulacrum of life, instead of the freshness of reality. I know +works--particularly some by literary ladies--in which one feels, at every +instant, how the writer has gone dipping the brush into the colour-box, bringing +nothing out of it, after all, but a sort of jumble of strokes of different +colours, just where what was wanted was a thoroughly life-like picture."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I quite agree with you," said Lothair. "And, having just +chanced to remember a particular novel, written by an otherwise fairly clever +woman (which, notwithstanding all the dippings of her brush into the aforesaid +paint-box, does not possess a single atom of real semblance of life, or of +poetic truth, from one end of it to the other, so that one cannot remember it +for a single moment), I merely wish to say that this particular skill in +producing an effect of reality and historical truth, brilliantly distinguishes +the works of a writer who has only rather recently become known to us. I mean +Walter Scott. I have only read his 'Guy Mannering.' But <i>ex ungue leonem</i>. The +'exposition' of this tale is based upon Scotch manners and customs, and matters +belonging peculiarly to the place in which the scene of it is laid. But, without +any acquaintance with them, one is carried away by the vivid reality of the +characters and incidents in an extraordinary degree, and the 'exposition' is to +be termed so utterly masterly just because we are landed <i>in medias res</i> in a +moment, as if by the wave of an enchanter's wand. Moreover, Scott has the power +of drawing the figures of his pictures with a few touches, in such a way that +they seem to come out of their frames, and move about before us in the most +living fashion imaginable. Scott is a splendid phenomenon appearing in the +literature of Great Britain. He is as vivid as Smollett, though far more classic +and noble. But I think he is wanting in that brilliant lire of profound humour +which coruscates in the writings of Sterne and Swift."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am just in your position, Ottmar," said Vincenz. "'Guy +Mannering' is the only work of Scott's which I have read. But I was much struck +by the originality of it, and the manner in which, in its methodical progress, +it gradually unwinds itself like a clue of thread, gently and quietly, never +breaking its firm-spun strands. My chief objection to it is, that (no doubt in +faithfulness to British manners) the female characters are so tame and +colourless, except that grand gipsy +woman--although she is scarcely so much to be called a woman +as a kind of spectral apparition. Both of the young ladies in 'Guy Mannering' +remind me of the English coloured engravings, which are all exactly alike--<i>id +est</i>, as pretty as they are meaningless and expressionless, and as to which one +sees distinctly that the originals of them would never allow anything further +than 'Yea, yea; nay, nay!' to cross those pretty little delicate lips of theirs, as anything more might +lead unto evil. Hogarth's milkmaid is a prototype of all these creatures. Both +of the girls in 'Guy Mannering' lack reality--the god-like vivifying breath of +life."</p> +<p class="normal">"Might not one wish," said Theodore, "in the case of some of +the female characters of one of our most talented writers (particularly in some +of his earlier works) that they had a little more flesh and blood, since they +are really all so very apt to melt into wreaths of mist when one looks at them +closely? Nevertheless, let us love and honour both of those writers--the +foreigner and our countryman, because of the true and glorious things which they +have bestowed upon us."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is remarkable," said Sylvester, "that--unless I +mistake--another great writer appeared on the other side of the channel, about +the same time as Walter Scott, and has produced works of equal greatness and +splendour, but in a different direction. I mean Lord Byron, who appears to me to +be much more solid and powerful than Thomas Moore. His 'Siege of Corinth' is a +masterpiece, fall of genius. His predominant tendency seems to be towards the +gloomy, the mysterious and the terrible; and his 'Vampire' I have avoided +reading, for the bare idea of a vampire makes my blood run cold. So far as I +understand the matter, a vampire is an animated corpse which sucks the blood of +the living."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ho! ho!" cried Lothair, laughing, "a writer such as you, my +dear friend, Sylvester, must of course have found it necessary to dip more or +less deeply into all kinds of accounts concerning magic, witches, sorcery, +enchantment, and other such works of the devil, because they are necessary for +your work, and part of your stock in trade. And I +should suppose you have gone into those subjects yourself with +the view of getting some personal experience of them as well. As regards +vampirism--that you may see how well read I am in these matters--I will tell you +the name of a delightful treatise in which you may study this dark subject. The +complete title of this little book is 'M. Michael Ranft (Deacon of Nebra). +Treatise on the Mastication and Sucking of the Dead in their Graves; wherein the +true nature and description of the Hungarian vampires and bloodsuckers is +clearly set forth, and all previous writings on this subject are passed in +review and subjected to criticism.' This title in itself will convince you of +the thoroughness of this treatise, and you will learn from it that a vampire is +nothing other but an accursed creature who lets himself be buried as being dead, +and then rises out of the grave and sucks people's blood in their sleep. And +those people become vampires in their turn. So that, according to the accounts +received from Hungary and quoted by this magister, the inhabitants of whole +villages become vampires of the most abominable description. To render those +vampires harmless they must be dug out of their graves, a stake driven through +their hearts, and their bodies burnt to ashes. Those horrible beings very often +do not appear in their own proper forms, but <i>en masque</i>. A certain officer, I +happen to remember, writing from Belgrade to a celebrated doctor in Leipzig for +information as to the true nature of vampires, expresses himself thus: 'In a +village called Kinklina it chanced that two brothers were troubled by a vampire, +so that one of them used to sit up by the other at night whilst he slept. The +one who was watching used to see something like a dog opening the door, but this +dog used to make off when he cried out at it. At last one night they both were +asleep at the same time, and the vampire bit and sucked a place under the right +ear of one of them, leaving a red mark. The man died of this in three days' +time. In conclusion,' said the officer, 'as the people of this place make all +this out to be miraculous, I venture to take the liberty of requesting you to +tell me your private opinion as to whether it is caused by the intervention of +sympathetic, diabolical, or astral spirits. And I remain, with much respect, +&c.' Take example by this officer of enquiring mind. As it happens his name +occurs to me at this moment. He was an ensign in the Prince Alexander regiment, +Sigismund Alexander Friedrich von Kottwitz. The military mind seems to have been +considerably exercised on the subject of vampirism about that time. Magister +Ranft quotes in his book an official declaration made by an army surgeon before +two of his brother officers concerning the detection and destruction of a +vampire. This declaration contains, <i>inter alia</i>, the following passage: 'Inasmuch as they perceived, from the aforesaid circumstances, that this was +unmistakably a vampire, they drove a stake through its heart, upon which it gave +vent to a distinct gasp, emitting a considerable quantity of blood.' Is that not +both interesting and instructive?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"All this of Magister Ranft's," said Sylvester, "may, no +doubt, be sufficiently absurd and even rather crack-brained; but, at the same +time, if we keep to the subject of vampirism itself, never minding in what +particular fashion it may be treated, it certainly is one of the most horrible +and terrible notions imaginable. I can conceive nothing more ghastlily repulsive +to the mind."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Still," said Cyprian, "it is capable of providing a material, +when dealt with by a writer of imagination possessed of some poetical tact, +which has the power of stirring within us that profound sense of awe which is +innate in our hearts, and when touched by the electric impulse from an unseen +spirit world causes our soul to thrill, not altogether unpleasantly after a +fashion. A due amount of poetic tact on the author's part will prevent the +horror of the subject from going so far as to be loathsome; for it generally has +such an element of the absurd about it that it does not impress us so deeply as +if that were not the case. Why should not a writer be permitted to make use of +the levers of fear, terror, and horror because some feeble soul here and there +finds it more than it can bear? Shall there be no strong meat at table because +there happen to be some guests there whose stomachs are weak, or who have +spoiled their own digestions?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear, fanciful Cyprian," Theodore said, "there was no +occasion for your vindication of the horrible. We all know how wonderfully great +writers have moved men's hearts to their very depths by means of that lever. We +have only to think of Shakespeare. Moreover, who knew better how to use it than +our own glorious Tieck in many of his tales? I need only instance the +'Love-Spell.' The leading idea of that story cannot but make everybody's blood +run cold, and the end of it is full of the utmost fear and horror; but still the +colours are blended so admirably that, in spite of all the terror and dismay, +the mysterious magic charm so seizes upon us that we yield ourselves up to it +without an effort to resist. How true is what Tieck puts in the mouth of his +Manfred in answer to women's objections to the element of the awe-inspiring in +fiction. Of course, what is the fact is that whatsoever of the terrible +encounters us in our daily life is just what tortures and tears our hearts with +irresistible pain. And, indeed, the cruelty of mankind, as exercised by tyrants, +great and small, without pity or mercy, and with the diabolical malignity of +hell itself, produces misery on a par with anything told of in fiction. And how +finely the author says: 'In those imaginary legends the misery cannot reach the +world with its rays until they have been broken up into prismatic colours,' and +I should have supposed that in that condition they would have been endurable by +eyes even not very strong."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We have often spoken already," said Lothair, "of this most +genial writer; the full recognition of whom, in all his grand super-excellence +and variety, is reserved for posterity, whilst Wills o' the Wisp rapidly +scintillating into our ken and blinding the eye for a moment with borrowed +light, go out into darkness just as speedily. On the whole, I believe that the +imagination can be moved by very simple means, and that it is often more the +<i>idea</i> of the thing than the thing itself which causes our fear. Kleist's tale of +the 'Beggar Woman of Lucarno' has in it, at least to me, the most frightening +idea that I can think of, and yet how simple it is. A beggar woman is sent +contemptuously, as if she were a dog, to lie behind the stove, and dies there. +She is heard every night hobbling across the floor towards the stove, but +nothing is seen. It is, no doubt, the wonderful colouring of the whole affair +Which produces the effect. Not only could Kleist 'dip' into the aforesaid +colour-box, but he could lay the colours on, with the power and the genius of +the most finished master. He did not need to raise a vampire out of the grave, +all he needed was an old woman."</p> + +<p class="normal">"This discussion about vampirism," said Cyprian, "reminds me +of a ghastly story which I either heard or read a very long time +ago. But I think I heard it, because I seem to remember that the person who told +it said that the circumstances had actually happened, and mentioned the name of +the family and of their country seat where it took place. But if this story is +known to you as being in print, please to stop me and prevent my going on with +it, because there's nothing more wearisome than to tell people things which they +have known for ever so long."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I foresee," said Ottmar, "that you are going to give us +something unusually awful and terrible. But remember Saint Serapion and be as +concise as you can, so that Vincenz may have his turn; for I see that he is +waiting impatiently to read us that long-promised story of his."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hush! hush!" said Vincenz. "I could not wish anything better +than that Cyprian should hang up a fine dark canvas by way of a background so as +to throw out the figures of my tale, which I think are brightly and variedly +coloured, and certainly excessively active. So begin, my Cyprianus, and be as +gloomy, as frightful, as terrible as the vampirish Lord Byron himself, though I +know nothing about him, as I have never read a word of his writings."</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">Count Hyppolitus (began Cyprian) had just returned from a long +time spent in travelling to take possession of the rich inheritance which his +father, recently dead, had left to him. The ancestral home was situated in the +most beautiful and charming country imaginable, +and the income from the property was amply sufficient to +defray +the cost of most extensive improvements. Whatever in the way +of architecture and landscape gardening had struck the Count during his +travels--particularly in England--as specially delightful and apposite, he was +going to reproduce in his own demesne. Architects, landscape gardeners, and +labourers of all sorts arrived on the scene as they were wanted, and there +commenced at once a complete reconstruction of the place, whilst an extensive +park was laid out on the grandest scale, which involved the including within its +boundaries of the church, the parsonage, and the burial ground. All those +improvements the Count, who possessed the necessary knowledge, superintended +himself, devoting himself to this occupation body and soul; so that a year +slipped away without its ever having occurred to him to take an old uncle's +advice and let the light of his countenance shine in the Residenz before the +eyes of the young ladies, so that the most beautiful, the best, +and the most nobly born amongst them might fall to his share +as wife. One morning, as he was sitting at his drawing table sketching the +ground-plan of a new building, a certain elderly Baroness--distantly related to +his father--was announced as having come to call. When Hyppolitus heard her name +he remembered that his father had always spoken of her with the greatest +indignation--nay, with absolute abhorrence, and had often warned people who were +going to approach her to keep aloof, without explaining what the danger +connected with her was. If he was questioned more closely, he said there were +certain matters as to which it was better to keep silence. Thus much was +certain, that there were rumours current in the Residenz of some most remarkable +and unprecedented criminal trial in which the Baroness had been involved, which +had led to her separation from her husband, driven her from her home--which was +at some considerable distance--and for the suppression of the consequences of +which she was indebted to the prince's forbearance. Hyppolitus felt a very +painful and disagreeable impression at the coming of a person whom his father +had so detested, although the reasons for this detestation were not known to +him. But the laws of hospitality, more binding in the country than in town, +obliged him to receive this visit.</p> + +<p class="normal">Never had any one, without being at all ill-favoured in the +usual acceptation of that term, made by her exterior such a disagreeable +impression upon the Count as did this Baroness. When she came in she looked him +through and through with a glance of fire, and then she cast her eyes down and +apologized for her coming in terms which were almost over humble. She expressed +her sorrow that his father, influenced by prejudices against her with which her +enemies had impregnated his mind, had formed a mortal hatred to her, and though +she was almost starving, in the depths of her poverty he had never given her the +smallest help or support. As she had now, unexpectedly as she said, come into +possession of a small sum of money she had found it possible to leave the +Residenz and go to a small country town a short distance off. However, as she +was engaged in this journey she had not found it possible to resist the desire +to see the son of the man whom, notwithstanding his irreconcilable hatred, she +had never ceased to regard with feelings of the highest esteem. The tone in +which all this was spoken had the moving accents of sincerity, and the Count was +all the more affected by it that, having turned his eyes away from her repulsive +face, he had fixed them upon a marvellously charming and beautiful creature who +was with her. The Baroness finished her speech. The Count did not seem to be +aware that she had done so. He remained silent. She begged him to pardon--and +attribute to her embarrassment at being where she was--her having neglected to +explain that her companion was her daughter Aurelia. On this the Count found +words, and blushing up to the eyes implored the Baroness, with the agitation of +a young man overpowered by love, to let him atone in some degree for his +lather's shortcomings--the result of misunderstandings--and to favour him by +paying him a long visit. In warmly enforcing this request he took her hand. But +the words and the breath died away on his lips and his blood ran cold. For he +felt his hand grasped as if in a vice by fingers cold and stiff as death, and +the tall bony form of the Baroness, who was staring at him with eyes evidently +deprived of the faculty of sight, seemed to him in its gay many tinted attire +like some bedizened corpse.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, good heavens! how unfortunate just at this moment," +Aurelia cried out, and went on to lament in a gentle heart-penetrating voice +that her mother was now and then suddenly seized by a tetanic spasm, but that it +generally passed off very quickly without its being necessary to take any +measures with regard to it.</p> + +<p class="normal">Hyppolitus disengaged himself with some difficulty from the +Baroness, and all the glowing life of sweetest love delight came back to him as +he took Aurelia's hand and pressed it warmly to his lips. Although he had almost +come to man's estate it was the first time that he felt the full force of +passion, so that it was impossible for him to hide what he felt, and the manner +in which Aurelia received his avowal in a noble, simple, child-like delight, +kindled the fairest of hopes within him. The Baroness recovered in a few +minutes, and, seemingly quite unaware of what had been happening, expressed her +gratitude to the Count for his invitation to pay a visit of some duration at the +Castle, saying she would be but too happy to forget the injustice with which his +father had treated her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus the Count's household arrangements and domestic position +were completely changed, and he could not but believe that some special favour +of fortune had brought to him the only woman in all the world who, as a warmly +beloved and deeply adored wife, was capable of bestowing upon him the highest +conceivable happiness.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Baroness's manner of conduct underwent little alteration. +She continued to be silent, grave, much wrapped up in herself, and when +opportunity offered, evinced a gentle disposition, and a heart disposed towards +any innocent enjoyment. The Count had become accustomed to the death-like +whiteness of her face, to the very remarkable network of wrinkles which covered +it, and to the generally spectral appearance which she displayed; but all this +he set down to the invalid condition of her health, and also, in some measure, +to a disposition which she evinced to gloomy romanticism. The servants told him +that she often went out for walks in the night-time, through the park to the +churchyard. He was much annoyed that his father's prejudices had influenced him +to the extent that they had; and the most earnest recommendations of his uncle +that he should conquer the feeling which had taken possession of him, and give +up a relationship which must sooner or later drive him to his ruin, had no +effect upon him.</p> + +<p class="normal">In complete certainty of Aurelia's sincere affection, he asked +for her hand; and it may be imagined with what joy the Baroness received this +proposal, which transferred her into the lap of luxury from a position of the +deepest poverty. The pallor and the strange expression, which spoke of some +invincible inward pain or trouble, had disappeared from Aurelia's face. The +blissfulness of love beamed in her eyes, and shimmered in roses on her cheeks.</p> + +<p class="normal">On the morning of the wedding-day a terrible event shattered +the Count's hopes. The Baroness was found lying on her face dead, not far from +the churchyard: and when the Count was looking out of his window on getting up, +full of the bliss of the happiness which he had attained, her body was being +brought back to the Castle. He supposed she was only in one of her usual +attacks; but all efforts to bring her back to life were ineffectual. She was +dead. Aurelia, instead of giving way to violent grief, seemed rather to be +struck dumb and tearless by this blow, which appeared to have a paralyzing +effect on her.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Count was much distressed for her, and only ventured--most +cautiously and most gently--to remind her that her orphaned condition rendered +it necessary that conventionalities should be disregarded, and that the most +essential matter in the circumstances was to hasten on the marriage as much as +possible, notwithstanding the loss of her mother. At this Aurelia fell into the +Count's arms, and, whilst a flood of tears ran down her cheeks, cried in a most +eager manner, and in a voice which was shrill with urgency:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes! For the love of all the saints. For the sake of my +soul's salvation--yes!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The Count ascribed this burst of emotion to the bitter sense +that, in her orphaned condition, she did not know whither to betake herself, +seeing that she could not go on staying in the Castle. He took pains to procure +a worthy matron as a companion for her, till in a few weeks, the wedding-day +again came round. And this time no mischance interfered with it, and it crowned +the bliss of Aurelia and Hyppolitus. But Aurelia had all this while been in a +curiously strained and excited condition. It was not grief for her mother, but +she seemed to be unceasingly, and without cessation, tortured by some inward +anxiety. In the midst of the most delicious love-passage she would suddenly +clasp the Count in her arms, pale as death, and like a person suddenly seized by +some terror--just as if she were trying her very utmost to resist some +extraneous power which was threatening to force her to destruction--and would +cry, "Oh, no--no! Never, never!" Now that she was married, however, it seemed +that this strange, overstrained, excited condition in which she had been, abated +and left her, and the terrible inward anxiety and disturbance under which she +had been labouring seemed to disappear.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Count could not but suspect the existence of some secret +evil mystery by which Aurelia's inner being was tormented, but he very properly +thought it would be unkind and unfeeling to ask her about it whilst her +excitement lasted, and she herself avoided any explanation on the subject. +However, a time came when he thought he might venture to hint gently, that +perhaps it would lie well if she indicated to him the cause of the strange +condition of her mind. She herself at once said it would be a satisfaction to +her to open her mind to him, her beloved husband. And great was his amazement to +learn that what was at the bottom of the mystery, was the atrociously wicked +life which her mother had led, that was so perturbing her mind.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can there be anything more terrible," she said, "than to have +to hate, detest, and abhor one's own mother?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus the prejudices (as they were called) of his father and +uncle had not been unfounded, and the Baroness had deceived him in the most +deliberate manner. He was obliged to confess to himself--and he made no secret +of it--that it was a fortunate circumstance that the Baroness had died on the +morning of his wedding-day. But Aurelia declared that as soon as her mother was +dead she had been seized by dark and terrible terrors, and could not help +thinking that her mother would rise from her grave, and drag her from her +husband's arms into perdition.</p> + +<p class="normal">She said she dimly remembered, one morning when she was a mere +child, being awakened by a frightful commotion in the house. Doors opened and +shut; strangers' voices cried out in confusion. At last, things becoming +quieter, her nurse took her in her arms, and carried her into a large room where +there were many people, and the man who had often played with her, and given her +sweetmeats, lying stretched on a long table. This man she had always called +"Papa," and she stretched her hands out to him, and wanted to kiss him. But his +lips, always warm before, were cold as ice, and Aurelia broke into violent +weeping, without knowing why. The nurse took her to a strange house, where she +remained a long while, till at last a lady came and took her away in a carriage. +This was her mother, who soon after took her to the Residenz.</p> + +<p class="normal">When Aurelia got to be about sixteen, a man came to the house +whom her mother welcomed joyfully, and treated with much confidentiality, +receiving him with much intimacy of friendship, as being a dear old friend. He +came more and more frequently, and the Baroness's style of existence was soon +greatly altered for the better. Instead of living in an attic, and subsisting on +the poorest of fare, and wearing the most wretched old clothes, she took a fine +lodging in the most fashionable quarter, wore fine dresses, ate and drank with +this stranger of the best and most expensive food and drink daily (he was her +daily guest), and took her part in all the public pleasurings which the Residenz +had to offer.</p> + +<p class="normal">Aurelia was the person upon whom this bettering of her +mother's circumstances (evidently attributable solely to the stranger) exercised +no influence whatever. She remained shut up in her room when her mother went out +to enjoy herself in the stranger's company, and was obliged to live just as +miserably as before. This man, though about forty, had a very fresh and youthful +appearance, a tall, handsome person, and a face by no means devoid of a certain +amount of manly good looks. Notwithstanding this, he was repugnant to Aurelia on +account of his style of behaviour. He seemed to try to constrain himself, to +conduct himself like a gentleman and person of some cultivation, but there was +constantly, and most evidently, piercing through this exterior veneer the +unmistakable evidence of his really being a totally uncultured person, whose +manners and habits were those of the very lowest ranks of the people. And the +way in which he began to look at Aurelia filled her with terror--nay, with an +abhorrence of which she could not explain the reason to herself.</p> + +<p class="normal">Up to this point the Baroness had never taken the trouble to +say a single word to Aurelia about this stranger. But now she told her his name, +adding that this Baron was a man of great wealth, and a distant relation. She +lauded his good looks, and his various delightful qualities, and ended by asking +Aurelia if she thought she could bring herself to take a liking to him. Aurelia +made no secret of the inward detestation which she felt for him. The Baroness +darted a glance of lightning at her, which terrified her excessively, and told +her she was a foolish, ignorant creature. After this she was kinder to her than +she had ever been before. She was provided with grand dresses in the height of +the fashion, and taken to share in all the public pleasures. The man now strove +to gain her favour in a manner which rendered him more and more abhorrent to +her. But her delicate, maidenly instincts were wounded in the most mortal +manner, when an unfortunate accident rendered her an unwilling, secret witness +of an abominable atrocity between her abandoned and depraved mother and him. +When, a few days after this, this man, after having taken a good deal of wine, +clasped Aurelia in his arms in a way which left no doubt as to his intention, +her desperation gave her strength, and she pushed him from her so that he fell +down on his back. She rushed away and bolted herself in her own room. The +Baroness told her, very calmly and deliberately, that, inasmuch as the Baron +paid all the household expenses, and she had not the slightest intention of +going back to the old poverty of their previous life, this was a case in which +any absurd coyness would be both ludicrous and inconvenient, and that she would +really have to make up her mind to comply with the Baron's wishes, because, if +not, he had threatened to part company at once. Instead of being affected by +Aurelia's bitter tears and agonized intreaties, the old woman, breaking into the +most brazen and shameless laughter, talked in the most depraved manner of a +state of matters which would cause Aurelia to bid, for ever, farewell to every +feeling of enjoyment of life in such unrestrained and detestable depravity, +defying and insulting all sense of ordinary propriety, so that her shame and +terror were undescribable at what she was obliged to hear. In fact she gave +herself up for lost, and her only means of salvation appeared to her to be +immediate flight.</p> + +<p class="normal">She had managed to possess herself of the key of the hall +door, had got together the few little necessaries which she absolutely required, +and, just after midnight, was moving softly through the dimly-lighted front +hall, at a time when she thought her mother was sure to be last asleep. She was +on the point of stepping quietly out into the street, when the door opened with +a clang, and heavy footsteps came noisily up the steps. The Baroness came +staggering and stumbling into the hall, right up to Aurelia's feet, nothing upon +her but a kind of miserable wrapper all covered with dirt, her breast and her +arms naked, her grey hair all hanging down and dishevelled. And close after her +came the stranger, who seized her by the hair, and dragged her into the middle +of the hall, crying out in a yelling voice--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Wait, you old devil, you witch of hell! I'll serve you up a +wedding breakfast!" And with a good thick cudgel which he had in his hand he set +to and belaboured and maltreated her in the most shameful manner. She made a +terrible screaming and outcry, whilst Aurelia, scarcely knowing what she was +about, screamed aloud out of the window for help.</p> + +<p class="normal">It chanced that there was a patrol of armed police just +passing. The men came at once into the house.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Seize him!" cried the Baroness, writhing in convulsions of +rage and pain. "Seize him--hold him fast! Look at his bare back. He's----"</p> + +<p class="normal">When the police sergeant heard the Baroness speak the name he +shouted out in the greatest delight--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hoho! We've got you at last, Devil Alias, have we?" And in +spite of his violent resistance, they marched him off.</p> + +<p class="normal">But notwithstanding all this which had been happening, the +Baroness had understood well enough what Aurelia's idea had been. She contented +herself with taking her somewhat roughly by the arm, pushing her into her room, +and locking her up in it, without saying a word. She went out early the next +morning, and did not come back till late in the evening. And during this time +Aurelia remained a prisoner in her room, never seeing nor hearing a creature, +and having nothing to eat or drink. This went on for several days. The Baroness +often glared at her with eyes flashing with anger, and seemed to be wrestling +with some decision, until, one evening, letters came which seemed to cause her +satisfaction.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Silly creature! all this is your fault. However, it seems to +be all coming right now, and all I hope is that the terrible punishment which +the Evil Spirit was threatening you with may not come upon you." This was what +the Baroness said to Aurelia, and then she became more kind and friendly, and +Aurelia, no longer distressed by the presence of the horrible man, and having +given up the idea of escaping, was allowed a little more freedom.</p> + +<p class="normal">Some time had elapsed, when one day, as Aurelia was sitting +alone in her room, she heard a great clamour approaching in the street. The maid +came running in, and said that they were taking the hangman's son +of ---- to prison, that he had been branded on the back there +for robbery and murder, and had escaped, and was now retaken.</p> + +<p class="normal">Aurelia, full of anxious presentiment, tottered to the window. +Her presentiment was not fallacious. It <i>was</i> the stranger (as we have styled +him), and he was being brought along, firmly bound upon a tumbril, surrounded by +a strong guard. He was being taken back to undergo his sentence. Aurelia, nearly +fainting, sank back into her chair, as his frightfully wild look fell upon her, +while he shook his clenched fist up at the window with the most threatening +gestures.</p> + +<p class="normal">After this the Baroness was still a great deal away from the +house; but she never took Aurelia with her, so that the latter led a sorrowful, +miserable existence--occupied in thinking many thoughts as to destiny, and the +threatening future which might unexpectedly come upon her.</p> + +<p class="normal">From the maidservant (who had only come into the house +subsequently to the nocturnal adventure which has been described, and who had +probably only quite recently heard about the intimacy of the terms in which the +Baroness had been living with this criminal), Aurelia learned that the folks in +the Residenz were very much grieved at the Baroness's having been so deceived +and imposed upon by a scoundrel of this description. But Aurelia knew only too +well how differently the matter had really stood; and it seemed to her +impossible that, at all events, the men of the police, who had apprehended the +fellow in the Baroness's very house, should not have known all about the +intimacy of the relations between them, inasmuch as she herself had told them +his name, and directed their attention to the brand-marks on his back, as proofs +of his identity. Moreover, this loquacious maid sometimes talked in a very +ambiguous way about that which people were, here and there, thinking and saying; +and, for that matter, would like very much to know better about--as to the +courts having been making careful investigations, and having gone so far as to +threaten the Baroness with arrest, on account of strange disclosures which the +hangman's son had made concerning her.</p> + +<p class="normal">Aurelia was obliged to admit, in her own mind, that it was +another proof of her mother's depraved way of looking at things that, even after +this terrible affair, she should have found it possible to +go on living in the Residenz. But at last she felt herself +constrained to leave the place where she knew she was the object of but too +well-founded, shameful suspicion, and fly to a more distant +spot. On this journey she came to the Count's Castle, and there ensued what has +been related.</p> + +<p class="normal">Aurelia could not but consider herself marvellously fortunate +to have got clear of all these troubles. But how profound was her horror when, +speaking to her mother in this blessed sense of the merciful intervention of +Heaven in her regard, the latter, with fires of hell in her eyes, cried out in a +yelling voice--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are my misfortune, horrible creature that you are! But in +the midst of your imagined happiness vengeance will overtake you, if I should be +carried away by a sudden death. In those tetanic spasms, which your birth cost +me, the subtle craft of the devil----"</p> + +<p class="normal">Here Aurelia suddenly stopped. She threw herself upon her +husband's breast, and implored him to spare her the complete recital of what the +Baroness had said to her in the delirium of her insanity. She said she felt her +inmost heart and soul crushed to pieces at the bare idea of the frightful +threatenings--far beyond the wildest imagination's conception of the +terrible--uttered to her by her mother, possessed, as she was at the time, by +the most diabolical powers.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Count comforted his bride to the best of his ability, +although he felt himself permeated by the coldest and most deathly shuddering +horror. Even when he had regained some calmness, he could not but confess to +himself that the profound horribleness of the Baroness, even now that she was +dead, cast a deep shadow over his life, sun-bright as it otherwise seemed to be.</p> + +<p class="normal">In a very short time Aurelia began to alter very perceptibly. +Whilst the deathly paleness of her face, and the fatigued appearance of +her eyes, seemed to point to sortie bodily ailment, her mental +state--confused, variable, restless, as if she were constantly +frightened at something--led to the conclusion that there was some fresh mystery +perturbing her system. She shunned her husband. She shut herself up in her +rooms, sought the most solitary walks in the park. And when she then allowed +herself to be seen, her eyes, red with weeping, her contorted features, gave +unmistakable evidence of some terrible suffering which she had been undergoing. +It was in vain that the Count took every possible pains to discover the cause of +this condition of hers, and the only thing which had any effect in bringing him +out of the hopeless state into which those remarkable symptoms of his wife's had +plunged him, was the deliberate opinion of a celebrated doctor, that this +strangely excited condition of the Countess was nothing other than the natural +result of a bodily state which indicated the happy result of a fortunate +marriage. This doctor, on one occasion when he was at table with the Count and +Countess, permitted himself sundry allusions to this presumed state of what the +German nation +calls "good hope." The Countess seemed to listen to all this +with indifference for some time. But suddenly her attention became vividly +awakened when the doctor spoke of the wonderful longings which women in that +condition become possessed by, and which they cannot resist without the most +injurious effects supervening upon their own health, and even upon that of the +child. The Countess overwhelmed the doctor with questions, and the latter did +not weary of quoting the strangest and most entertaining cases of this +description from his own practice and experience.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Moreover," he said, "there are cases on record in which women +have been led, by these strange, abnormal longings, to commit most terrible +crimes. There was a certain blacksmith's wife, who had such an irresistible +longing for her husband's flesh that, one night, when he came home the worse for +liquor, she set upon him with a large knife, and cut him about so frightfully +that he died in a few hours' time."</p> + +<p class="normal">Scarcely had the doctor said these words, when the Countess +fell back in her chair fainting, and was with much difficulty recovered from the +succession of hysterical attacks which supervened. The doctor then saw that he +had acted very thoughtlessly in alluding to such a frightful occurrence in the +presence of a lady whose nervous system was in such a delicate condition.</p> + +<p class="normal">However, this crisis seemed to have a beneficial effect upon +her, for she became calmer; although, soon afterwards there came upon her a very +remarkable condition of rigidity, as of benumbedness. There was a darksome fire +in her eyes, and her deathlike pallor increased to such an extent, that the +Count was driven into new and most tormenting doubts as to her condition. The +most inexplicable thing was that she never took the smallest morsel of anything +to eat, evincing the utmost repugnance at the sight of all food, particularly +meat. This repugnance was so invincible that she was constantly obliged to get +up and leave the table, with the most marked indications of loathing. The +doctor's skill was in vain, and the Count's most urgent and affectionate +entreaties were powerless to induce her to take even a single drop of medicine +of any kind. And, inasmuch as weeks, nay, months, had passed without her having +taken so much as a morsel of food, and it had become an unfathomable mystery how +she managed to keep alive, the doctor came to the conclusion that there was +something in the case which lay beyond the domain of ordinary human science. He +made some pretext for leaving the Castle, but the Count saw clearly enough that +this doctor, whose skilfulness was well approved, and who had a high reputation +to maintain, felt that the Countess's condition was too unintelligible, and, in +fact, too strangely mysterious, for him to stay on there, witness of an illness +impossible to be understood--as to which he felt he had no power to render +assistance.</p> + +<p class="normal">It may be readily imagined into what a state of mind all this +put the Count. But there was more to come. Just at this juncture an old, +privileged servant took an opportunity, when he found the Count alone, of +telling him that the Countess went out every night, and did not come home till +daybreak.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Count's blood ran cold. It struck him, as a matter which +he had not quite realized before, that, for a short time back, there had fallen +upon him, regularly about midnight, a curiously unnatural sleepiness, which he +now believed to be caused by some narcotic administered to him by the Countess, +to enable her to get away unobserved. The darkest suspicions and forebodings +came into his mind. He thought of the diabolical mother, and that, perhaps, her +instincts had begun to awake in her daughter. He thought of some possibility of +a conjugal infidelity. He remembered the terrible hangman's son.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was so ordained that the very next night was to explain +this terrible mystery to him--that which alone could be the key to the +Countess's strange condition.</p> + +<p class="normal">She herself used, every evening, to make the tea which the +Count always took before going to bed. This evening he did not take a drop of +it, and when he went to bed he had not the slightest symptom of the sleepiness +which generally came upon him as it got towards midnight. However, he lay back +on his pillows, and had all the appearance of being fast asleep as usual.</p> + +<p class="normal">And then the Countess rose up very quietly, with the utmost +precautions, came up to his bedside, held a lamp to his eyes, and then, +convinced that he was sound asleep, went softly out of the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">His heart throbbed fast. He got up, put on a cloak, and went +after the Countess. It was a fine moonlight night, so that, though Aurelia had +got a considerable start of him, he could see her distinctly going along in the +distance in her white dress. She went through the park, right on to the +burying-ground, and there she disappeared at the +wall. The Count ran quickly after her in through the gate of +the burying-ground, which he found open. There, in the bright moonlight, he saw +a circle of frightful, spectral-looking creatures. Old women, half naked, were +cowering down upon the ground, and in the midst of them lay the corpse of a man, +which they were tearing at with wolfish appetite.</p> + +<p class="normal">Aurelia was amongst them.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Count took flight in the wildest horror, and ran, without +any idea where he was going or what he was doing, impelled by the deadliest +terror, all about the walks in the park, till he found himself at the door of +his own Castle as the day was breaking, bathed in cold perspiration. +Involuntarily, without the capability of taking hold of a thought, he dashed up +the steps, and went bursting through the passages and into his own bedroom. +There lay the Countess, to all appearance in the deepest and sweetest of sleeps. +And the Count would fain have persuaded himself that some deceptive dream-image, +or (inasmuch as his cloak, wet with dew, was a proof, if any had been needed, +that he had really been to the burying-ground in the night) some soul-deceiving +phantom had been the cause of his deathly horror. He did not wait for Aurelia's +waking, but left the room, dressed, and got on to a horse. His ride, in the +exquisite morning, amid sweet-scented trees and shrubs, whence the happy songs +of the newly-awakened birds greeted him, drove from his memory for a time the +terrible images of the night. He went back to the Castle comforted and gladdened +in heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">But when he and the Countess sate down alone together at +table, and, the dishes being brought and handed, she rose to hurry away, with +loathing, at the sight of the food as usual, the terrible conviction that what +he had seen was true, was reality, impressed itself irresistibly on his mind. In +the wildest fury he rose from his seat, crying--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Accursed misbirth of hell! I understand your hatred of the +food of mankind. You get your sustenance out of the burying-ground, damnable +creature that you are!"</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as those words had passed his lips, the Countess flew +at him, uttering a sound between a snarl and a howl, and bit him on the breast +with the fury of a hyena. He dashed her from him on to the ground, raving +fiercely as she was, and she gave up the ghost in the most terrible convulsions.</p> + +<p class="normal">The Count became a maniac.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">"Well," said Lothair, after there had been a few minutes of +silence amongst the friends, "you have certainly kept your word, my incomparable +Cyprianus, most thoroughly and magnificently. In comparison with this story of +yours, vampirism is the merest children's tale--a funny Christmas story, to be +laughed at. Oh, truly, everything in it is fearfully interesting, and so highly +seasoned with asafœtida that an unnaturally excited palate, which has lost +its relish for healthy, natural food, might immensely enjoy it."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And yet," said Theodore, "our friend has discreetly thrown a +veil +over a great many things, and has passed so rapidly over +others, +that his story has merely caused us a passing feeling of the +eery and shuddery--for which we are duly grateful to him. I remember very well +having read this story in an old book, where everything was told with the most +prolix enumeration of all the details; and the old woman's atrocities in +particular were set forth in all their minutiæ, truly <i>con amore</i>, so that the +whole affair produced, and left behind it, a most repulsive impression, which it +took a long while to get over. I was delighted when I had forgotten the horrible +thing, and Cyprian ought not to have recalled it to my memory; although I must +admit that he has acted in accordance with the principles of our patron saint +Serapion, and caused us a sufficient thrill of horror, particularly towards the +end. It made us all turn pale, particularly the narrator himself!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"We cannot hurry away too quickly from this gruesome picture," +Ottmar said. "And it will not serve as a dark background (as Vincenz expected it +would), because the figures of it are in too glaring colours. Allow me, by way +of a grand change of subject--a sort of sideways spring away from the hell-broth +which Cyprian has served up to us--to say a word or two (merely to give Vincenz +time to clear his throat, as I hear him doing) concerning a certain aesthetic +tea society, which was brought +to my memory by a little paper which accidentally came into my +hand +to-day. Have I your permission, Vincenz?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Strictly speaking," said Vincenz, "it is a breach of all +Serapiontic rule to keep chattering in this sort of style; and not only that, +but, moreover, without any especial motive or inducement, the most unseemly +things about gruesome vampires, and other such matters, are brought forward, so +that I am obliged to shut my mouth just as I have got it opened. But go on, my +Ottmar. The hours are flying, and I shall have the last word, like a quarrelsome +woman, in spite of you. So go on, my Ottmar, go on."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Chance," began Ottmar, "or rather, a kindly-intentioned +introduction, brought me into the aesthetic tea society which I mentioned; and +there were circumstances which induced me, or rendered it incumbent on me, to +attend its meetings regularly for a time, although heaven knows they were +tedious and wearisome enough. It greatly vexed me that, on an occasion when a +really talented man read something which was full of true wit, and admirably +appropriate to the occasion, all the people yawned, and grew impatient of it; +whilst they were charmed and delighted by the marrowless, spiritless trash of a +conceited young poetaster. This latter was all in the line of the gushing and +the exuberant, but he also thought very highly of his epigrams. As what they +were chiefly remarkable for was the absence of the sting in their tails, he +always gave the signal for the laugh himself by beginning it at the proper time; +and everybody then joined in it. One evening I asked, modestly, if I might be +allowed to read out a few little verses which had occurred to me in moments of a +certain amount of inspiration. And as people were good enough to credit me with +the possession of a certain amount of brains, my request was received with a +good deal of applause. I took out my manuscript and read, with great solemnity--</p> + +<p class="center">"'ITALY'S MARVELS. </p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i0">'When tow'rds the orient heav'n my gaze I bend,</p> +<p class="i0">The western sun shines warm upon my back;</p> +<p class="i0">Whilst, when I turn me to the beauteous west,</p> +<p class="i0">The golden glory strikes upon mine eyeballs.</p> +<p class="i0">Oh, sacred land! where nature thus displays</p> +<p class="i0">Such mighty marvels to the sight of men,</p> +<p class="i0">All adoration, quite compact of love.'</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">"'Ah! glorious! heavenly! dear Ottmar, and so deeply felt, Bo +sensitively expressed, right out of the fulness of your heart, so rich in +emotions!' cried the lady of the house, whilst several white ladies and black +gentlemen (I only mean black-dressed ones, with great hearts under their jabots) +followed her by crying, 'Glorious! heavenly!' and one young lady sighed +profoundly, weeping away a scalding tear. Being asked to read something more, I +gave to my voice the expression of a deeply moved heart, and read--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="center">"'LIFE DEPTHS.</p> +<p class="i6">'A little lad at Yarrow</p> +<p class="i6">Had a pretty little sparrow.</p> +<p class="i6">The other day he let it fly,</p> +<p class="i6">And now 'tis gone, alas! we sigh,</p> +<p class="i6">Heigho! the little lad at Yarrow</p> +<p class="i6">He hath no more the pretty sparrow.'</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">"There was a fresh tumult of applause. They begged for more; +but I said, modestly, that I could not but feel that stanzas of this kind, +grasping as they did comprehensively at the bases of all life, have, in the long +run, a tendency to impress the hearts of delicate, impassioned women too +strongly, so that I should prefer to quote a pair of epigrams, in which the +distinctive feature of the epigram--the sudden flashing out of the species of +squib which constitutes the tail--would not fail to be duly appreciated. I +read--</p> + +<p class="center">"'WIT.</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i4">'The pudgy Master Schrein</p> +<p class="i4">Drank many a glass of wine,</p> +<p class="i6">But death cut short his thread.</p> +<p class="i4">Then quoth his neighbour Spry</p> +<p class="i4">(A gossip, deep and sly),</p> +<p class="i4">"Our pudgy Master Schrein</p> +<p class="i4">No longer drinks his wine,</p> +<p class="i6">And, why?--because he's dead."'</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">"When the sparkling wit of this roguish epigram had been +sufficiently admired, I treated them to the following one in addition--</p> + +<p class="center">"'STINGING REPLY.</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i0">'Of Hans's book the folks make much ado;</p> +<p class="i4">"Say, neighbour Hamm, hast read the wonder yet?"</p> +<p class="i0">Thus Humm to Hamm: and Hamm (a joker he)</p> +<p class="i4">Said, "Faith, good Humm, I have not read it yet."'</p> +</div> + +<p class="normal">"Everybody laughed heartily, but the lady of the house shook a +minatory forefinger at me, saying, 'Ah, wicked scoffer! Is nothing to escape +that scathing wit of yours?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The clever man shook hands with me as he passed me, saying--</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Admirably done. Much obliged to you.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"The young poet turned his back upon me with much contempt. +But the young lady who had shed a few tears over 'Italia's Marvels,' came to me, +and blushing, as she cast down her eyes, said the maidenly, virginal heart was +more disposed to open to the sense of sweet sadness than to the comic; and she +begged me to give her a copy of the first poem I had read. She said she had felt +so curiously happy and creepy when she heard it. I promised to give it to her, +and I kissed the charming young lady's sufficiently pretty hand with all the +appropriate rapture of a bard duly appreciated by beauty, with the sole +intention of angering the poet, who cast upon me glances as of an infuriated +basilisk."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is strange enough," said Vincenz, "that, without being in +the smallest degree aware of it, you have spoken what may be called a +Goldsmith's prologue to my story. Of course you notice my pretty allusion to +Shakespeare's Hamlet, and his question, 'Is this a prologue, or the posy of a +ring?' What I mean is, that your prologue consists of what you have said about +the irritated poet; for I am greatly mistaken if a poet of that kind is not one +of the principal characters in my story; which story I am now going to begin, +and I don't intend to stop it until the last word of it is out. And that last +word is just as hard to speak as the first."</p> + +<p class="normal">Vincenz read--</p> + +<br> + +<h2><a name="div2_betrothed" href="#div2Ref_betrothed">THE KING'S BETROTHED</a>.</h2> +<p class="center">(A Story Sketched from Life.)</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">WHICH GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF THE VARIOUS CHARACTERS, AND THEIR +MUTUAL +RELATIONS TO EACH OTHER, AND PREPARES THE WAY, PLEASANTLY, FOR +THE MANY MARVELLOUS AND MOST ENTERTAINING MATTERS OF WHICH THE +SUCCEEDING CHAPTERS TREAT.</span></p> + +<p class="continue">It was a blessed year. In the fields the corn, the wheat, and +the barley grew most gloriously. The boys waded in the grass, and the cattle in +the clover. The trees hung so full of cherries that, with +the best will in the world, the great army of the sparrows, +though determined to peck everything bare, were forced to leave half the fruit +for a future feast. Every creature filled itself full every day at the great +guest-table of nature. Above all, however, the vegetables in Herr Dapsul von +Zabelthau's kitchen-garden had turned out such a splendid and beautiful crop +that it was no wonder Fräulein Aennchen was unable to contain herself with joy +on the subject.</p> + +<p class="normal">We may here explain who Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau and Aennchen +were.</p> + +<p class="normal">Perhaps, dear reader, you may have at some time found yourself +in that beautiful country which is watered by the pleasant, kindly river Main. +Soft morning breezes, breathing their perfumed breath over the plain as it +shimmered in the golden splendour of the new-risen sun, you found it impossible +to sit cooped up in your stuffy carriage, and you alighted and wandered into the +little grove, through the trees of which, as you descended towards the valley, +you came in sight of a little village. And as you were gazing, there would +suddenly come towards you, through the trees, a tall, lanky man, whose strange +dress and appearance riveted your attention. He had on a small grey felt hat on +the top of a black periwig: all his clothes were grey--coat, vest, and breeches, +grey stockings--even his walking-stick coloured grey. He would come up to you +with long strides, and staring at you with great sunken eyes, seemingly not +aware of your existence, would cry out, almost running you down, "Good morning, +sir!" And then, like one awaking from a dream, he would add in a hollow, +mournful voice, "Good morning! Oh, sir, how thankful we ought to be that we have +a good, fine morning. The poor people at Santa Cruz just had two earthquakes, +and now--at this moment--rain falling in torrents." While you have been thinking +what to say to this strange creature, he, with an "Allow me, sir," has gently +passed his hand across your brow, and inspected the palm of your hand. And +saying, in the same hollow, melancholy accents as before, "God bless you, sir! +You have a good constellation," has gone striding on his way.</p> + +<p class="normal">This odd personage was none other than Herr Dapsul Von +Zabelthau, whose sole--rather miserable--possession is the village, or hamlet, +of Dapsulheim, which lies before you in this most pleasant and smiling country +into which you now enter. You are looking forward to something in the shape of +breakfast, but in the little inn things have rather a gloomy aspect. Its small +store of provisions was cleared out at the fair, and as you can't be expected to +be content with nothing besides milk, they tell you to go to the Manor House, +where the gracious Fräulein Anna will entertain you hospitably with whatever may +be forthcoming there. Accordingly, thither you betake yourself without further +ceremony.</p> + +<p class="normal">Concerning this Manor House, there is nothing further to say +than that it has doors and windows, as of yore had that of Baron Tondertontonk +in Westphalia. But above the hall-door the family coat-of-arms makes a fine +show, carved there in wood with New Zealand skilfulness. And this Manor House +derives a peculiar character of its own from the circumstance that its north +side leans upon the enceinte, or outer line of defence belonging to an old +ruined castle, so that the back entrance is what was formerly the castle gate, +and through it one passes at once into the courtyard of that castle, in the +middle of which the tall watch-tower still stands undamaged. From the hall door, +which is surmounted by the coat-of-arms, there comes meeting you a red-cheeked +young lady, who, with her clear blue eyes and fair hair, is to be called very +pretty indeed, although her figure may be considered just the least bit too +roundly substantial. A personification of friendly kindness, she begs you to go +in, and as soon as she ascertains your wants, serves you up the most delicious +milk, a liberal allowance of first-rate bread and butter, uncooked ham--as good +as you would find in Bayonne--and a small glass of beetroot brandy. Meanwhile, +this young lady (who is none other than Fräulein Anna von Zabelthau) talks to +you gaily and pleasantly of rural matters, displaying anything but a limited +knowledge of such subjects. Suddenly, however, there resounds a loud and +terrible voice, as if from the skies, crying "Anna, Anna, Anna!" This rather +startles you; but Fräulein Anna says, pleasantly, "There's papa back from his +walk, calling for his breakfast from his study." "Calling from his study," you +repeat, or enquire, astonished. "Yes," says Fräulein Anna, or Fräulein Aennchen, +as the people call her. "Yes; papa's study is up in the tower there, and he +calls down through the speaking trumpet." And you see Aennchen open the narrow +door of the old lower, with a similar <i>déjeuner à la fourchette</i> to that which +you have had yourself, namely, a liberal helping of bread and ham, not +forgetting the beetroot brandy, and go briskly in at it. But she is back +directly, and taking you all over the charming +kitchen-garden, has so much to say about feather-sage, +rapuntika, English turnips, little greenheads, montrue, great yellow, and so +forth, that you have no idea that all these fine names merely mean various +descriptions of cabbages and salads.</p> + +<p class="normal">I think, dear reader, that this little glimpse which you have +had of Dapsulheim is sufficient to enable you to understand all the outs and ins +of the establishment, concerning which I have to narrate to you all manner of +extraordinary, barely comprehensible, matters and occurrences. Herr Dapsul von +Zabelthau had, during his youth, very rarely left his parents' country place. +They had been people of considerable means. His tutor, after teaching him +foreign languages, particularly those of the East, fostered a natural +inclination which he possessed towards mysticism, or rather, occupying himself +with the mysterious. This tutor died, leaving as a legacy to young Dapsul a +whole library of occult science, into the very depths of which he proceeded to +plunge. His parents dying, he betook himself to long journeyings, and (as his +tutor had impressed him with the necessity of doing) to Egypt and India. When he +got home again, after many years, a cousin had looked after his affairs with +such zeal that there was nothing left to him but the little hamlet of +Dapsulheim. Herr Dapsul was too eagerly occupied in the pursuit of the sun-born +gold of a higher sphere to trouble himself about that which was earthly. He +rather felt obliged to his cousin for preserving to him the pleasant, friendly +Dapsulheim, with the fine, tall tower, which might have been built expressly on +purpose for astrological operations, and in the upper storey and topmost height +of which he at once established his study. And indeed he thanked his said cousin +from the bottom of his heart.</p> + +<p class="normal">This careful cousin now pointed out that Herr Dapsul von +Zabelthau was bound to marry. Dapsul immediately admitted the necessity, and, +without more ado, married at once the lady whom his cousin had selected for him. +This lady disappeared almost as quickly as she had appeared on the scene. She +died, after bearing him a daughter. The cousin attended to the marriage, the +baptism, and the funeral; so that Dapsul, up in his tower, paid very little +attention to either. For there was a very remarkable comet visible during most +of the time, and Dapsul, ever melancholy and anticipative of evil, considered +that he was involved in its influence.</p> + +<p class="normal">The little daughter, under the careful up-bringing of an old +grand-aunt, developed a remarkable aptitude for rural affairs. +She had to begin at the very beginning, and, so to speak, rise from the ranks, +serving successively as goose-girl, maid-of-all-work, upper farm-maid, +housekeeper, and, finally, as mistress, so that Theory was all along illustrated +and impressed upon her mind by a salutary share of Practice. She was exceedingly +fond of ducks and geese, hens and pigeons, and even the tender broods of +well-shaped piglings she was by no means indifferent to, though she did not put +a ribbon and a bell round a little white sucking-pig's neck and make it into a +sort of +lap-dog, as a certain young lady, in another place, was once +known to do. But more than anything--more than even to the fruit trees--she was +devoted to the kitchen-garden. From her grand-aunt's attainments in this line +she had derived very remarkable theoretical knowledge of vegetable culture +(which the reader has seen for himself), as regarded digging of the ground, +sowing the seed, and setting the plants. Fräulein Aennchen not only +superintended all these operations, but lent most valuable manual aid. She +wielded a most vigorous spade--her bitterest enemy would have admitted this. So +that while Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau was immersed in astrological observations +and other important matters, Fräulein Aennchen carried on the management of the +place in the ablest possible manner, Dapsul looking after the celestial part of +the business, and Aennchen managing the terrestrial side of things with +unceasing vigilance and care.</p> + +<p class="normal">As above said, it was small wonder that Aennchen was almost +beside herself with delight at the magnificence of the yield which this season +had produced in the kitchen-garden. But the carrot-bed was what surpassed +everything else in the garden in its promise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, my dear, beautiful carrots!" cried Anna over and over +again, and she clapped her hands, danced, and jumped about, and conducted +herself like a child who has been given a grand Christmas present.</p> + +<p class="normal">And indeed it seemed as though the carrot-children underground +were taking part in Aennchen's gladness, for some extremely delicate laughter, +which just made itself heard, was undoubtedly proceeding from the carrot-bed. +Aennchen didn't, however, pay much heed to it, but ran to meet one of the +farm-men who was coming, holding up a letter, and calling out to her, "For you, +Fräulein Aennchen. Gottlieb brought it from the town."</p> + +<p class="normal">Aennchen saw immediately, from the hand writing, that it was +from none other than young Herr Amandus von Nebelstern, the son of a +neighbouring proprietor, now at the university. During the time when he was +living at home, and in the habit of running over to Dapsulheim every day, +Amandus had arrived at the conviction that in all his life he never could love +anybody except Aennchen. Similarly, Aennchen was perfectly certain that she +could never really care the least bit about anybody else but this brown-locked +Amandus. Thus both Aennchen and Amandus had come to the conclusion and +arrangement that they were to be married as soon as ever they could--the sooner +the better--and be the very happiest married couple in the wide world.</p> + +<p class="normal">Amandus had at one time been a bright, natural sort of lad +enough, but at the university he had got into the hands of God knows who, and +had been induced to fancy himself a marvellous poetical genius, as also to +betake himself to an extreme amount of absurd extravagance in expression of +ideas. He carried this so far that he soon soared far away beyond everything +which prosaic idiots term Sense and Reason (maintaining at the same time, as +they do, that both are perfectly co-existent with the utmost liveliness of imagination).</p> + +<p class="normal">It was from this young Amandus that the letter came which +Aennchen opened and read, as follows:--</p> + +<div class="quote"> +<p class="normal">"HEAVENLY MAIDEN,--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dost thou see, dost thou feel, dost thou not image and figure +to thyself, thy Amandus, how, circumambiated by the orange-flower-laden breath +of the dewy evening, he is lying on his back in the grass, gazing heavenward +with eyes filled with the holiest love and the most longing adoration? The thyme and the lavender, the rose and the gilliflower, as also the yellow-eyed narcissus and the +shamefaced violet--he weaveth into garlands. And the flowers are love-thoughts--thoughts of thee, oh, Anna! But doth feeble +prose beseem inspired lips? Listen! oh, listen how I can only love, and speak of +my love, sonnetically!</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i0">"Love flames aloft in thousand eager sunspheres,</p> +<p class="i4">Joy wooeth joy within the heart so warmly:</p> +<p class="i4">Down from the darkling sky soft stars are shining.</p> +<p class="i0">Back-mirrored from the deep, still wells of love-tears.</p> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<p class="i0">"Delight, alas! doth die of joy too burning--</p> +<p class="i4">The sweetest fruit hath aye the bitt'rest kernel--</p> +<p class="i4">While longing beckons from the violet distance,</p> +<p class="i0">In pain of love my heart to dust is turning.</p> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<p class="i0">"In fiery billows rage the ocean surges,</p> +<p class="i4">Yet the bold swimmer dares the plunge full arduous,</p> +<p class="i0">And soon amid the waves his strong course urges.</p> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<p class="i0">"And on the shore, now near, the jacinth shoots:</p> +<p class="i4">The faithful heart holds firm: 'twill bleed to death;</p> +<p class="i0">But heart's blood is the sweetest of all roots.[1]</p> +</div></div> +<p class="normal">"Oh, Anna! when thou readest this sonnet of all sonnets, may +all the heavenly rapture permeate thee in which all my being was dissolved when +I wrote it down, and then read it out, to kindred minds, conscious, like myself, +of life's highest. Think, oh, think I sweet maiden of</p> + +<p class="right" style="margin-right:15%">"Thy faithful, enraptured,</p> +<p class="right">"AMANDUS VON NEBELSTERN.</p> + +<p class="normal">"P.S.--Don't forget, oh, sublime virgin! when answering this, +to send a pound or two of that Virginia tobacco which you grow yourself. It +burns splendidly, and has a far better flavour than the Porto Rico which the +Bürschen smoke when they go to the Kneipe."</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">[Footnote 1: The translator may point out that the original of +this nonsense is, itself, intentionally nonsense, and that he has done his best +to render it into English--not an easy task.--A. E.]</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen pressed the letter to her lips, and said, +"Oh, how dear, how beautiful! And the darling verses, rhyming so beautifully. +Oh, if I were only clever enough to understand it all; but I suppose nobody can +do that but a student. I wonder what that about the 'roots' means? I suppose it +must be the long red English carrots, or, who knows, it may be the rapuntica. +Dear fellow!"</p> + +<p class="normal">That very day Fräulein Aennchen made it her business to pack +up the tobacco, and she took a dozen of her finest goose-quills to the +schoolmaster, to get him to make them into pens. Her intention was to sit down +at once and begin her answer to the precious letter. As she was going out of the +kitchen-garden, she was again followed by a very faint, almost imperceptible, +sound of delicate laughter; and if she had paid a little attention to what was +going on, she would have been sure to hear a little delicate voice saying, "Pull +me, pull me! I am +ripe--ripe--ripe!" However, as we have said, she paid no +attention, and did not hear this.</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">WHICH CONTAINS AN ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST WONDERFUL EVENT, AND +OTHER +MATTERS DESERVING OF PERUSAL, WITHOUT WHICH THIS TALE COULD +HAVE +HAD NO EXISTENCE.</span></p> + +<p class="continue">Herr Dapsul Von Zabelthau generally came down from his +astronomical tower about noon, to partake of a frugal repast with his daughter, +which usually lasted a very short time, and during which there was generally a +great predominance of silence, for Dapsul did not like to talk. And Aennchen did +not trouble him by speaking much, and this all the more for the reason that if +her papa did actually begin to talk, he would come out with all sorts of curious +unintelligible nonsense, which made a body's head giddy. This day, however, her +head was so full, and her mind so excited and taken up with the flourishing +state of the kitchen-garden, and the letter from her beloved Amandus, that she +talked of both subjects incessantly, mixed up, without leaving off. +At last Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau laid down his knife and +fork, +stopped his ears with his hands, and cried out, "Oh, the +dreary higgledy-piggledy of chatter and gabble!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Aennchen stopped, alarmed, and he went on to say, in the +melancholy sustained tones which were characteristic of him, "With regard to the +vegetables, my dear daughter, I have long been cognizant that the manner in +which the stars have worked together this season has been eminently favourable +to those growths, and the earthly man will be amply supplied with cabbage, +radishes, and lettuce, so that the earthly matter may duly increase and +withstand the fire of the world-spirit, like a properly kneaded pot. The gnomic +principle will resist the attacks of the salamander, and I shall have the +enjoyment of eating the parsnips which you cook so well. With regard to young +Amandus von Nebelstern, I have not the slightest objection to your marrying him +as soon as he comes back from the university. Simply send Gottlieb up to tell me +when your marriage is going to take place, so that I may go with you to the +church."</p> + +<p class="normal">Herr Dapsul kept silence for a few seconds, and then, without +looking at Aennchen, whose face was glowing with delight, he went on, smiling +and striking his glass with his fork (two things which he seldom did at all, +though he always did them together) to say, "Your Amandus has got to be, and +cannot help being, where and what he is. He is, in fact, a gerund; and I shall +merely tell you, my dear Aennchen, that I drew up his horoscope a long while +ago. His constellation is favourable enough on the whole, for the matter of +that. He has Jupiter in the ascending node, Venus regarding in the sextile. The +trouble is, that the path of Sirius cuts across, and, just at the point of +intersection, there is a great danger from which Amandus delivers his betrothed. +The danger--what it is--is indiscoverable, because some strange being, which +appears to set at defiance all astrological science, seems to be concerned in +it. At the same time, it is evident and certain that it is only the strange +psychical condition which mankind terms craziness, or mental derangement, which +will enable Amandus to accomplish this deliverance. Oh, my daughter!" (here Herr +Dapsul fell again into his usual pathetic tone), "may no mysterious power, which +keeps itself hidden from my seer-eyes, come suddenly across your path, so +that young Amandus von Nebelstern may not have to rescue you from any other +danger but that of being an old maid." He sighed several times consecutively, +and then continued, "But the path of Sirius breaks off abruptly after this +danger, and Venus and Jupiter, divided before, come together again, reconciled."</p> + +<p class="normal">Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau had not spoken so much for years as +on this occasion. He arose exhausted, and went back up into his tower.</p> + +<p class="normal">Aennchen had her answer to Herr von Nebelstern ready in good +time next morning. It was as follows:--</p> + +<div class="quote"> +<p class="normal">"<span class="sc">My own dearest Amandus</span>--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You cannot believe what joy your letter has given me. I have +told papa about it, and he has promised to go to church with us when we're +married. Be sure to come back from the university as soon as ever you can. Oh! +if I only could <i>quite</i> understand your darling verses, which rhyme so +beautifully. When I read them to myself aloud they sound wonderful, and <i>then</i> I +think I <i>do</i> understand them quite well. But soon everything grows confused, and +seems to get away from me, and I feel as if I had been reading a lot of mere +words that somehow don't belong to each other at all. The schoolmaster says this +must be so, and that it's the new fashionable way of speaking. But, you see, +I'm--oh, well!--I'm only a stupid, foolish creature. Please to write and tell me +if I couldn't be a student for a little time, without neglecting my housework. I +suppose that couldn't be, though, could it? Well, well: when once we're husband +and wife, perhaps I may pick up a little of your learning, and learn a little of +this new, fashionable way of speaking.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I send you the Virginian tobacco, my dearest Amandus. I've +packed my bonnet-box full of it, as much as ever I could get into it; and, in +the meantime, I've put my new straw hat on to Charles the Great's head--you know +he stands in the spare bedroom, although he has no feet, being only a bust, as +you remember.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Please don't laugh, Amandus dear; but I have made some poetry +myself, and it rhymes quite nicely, some of it. Write and tell me how a person, +without learning, can know so well what rhymes to what? Just listen, now--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i4">"I love you, dearest, as my life.</p> +<p class="i4">And long at once to be your wife.</p> +<p class="i4">The bright blue sky is full of light,</p> +<p class="i4">When evening comes the stars shine bright.</p> +<p class="i4">So you must love me always truly,</p> +<p class="i4">And never cause me pain unduly,</p> +<p class="i4">I pack up the 'baccy you asked me to send,</p> +<p class="i4">And I hope it will yield you enjoyment no end.</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">"There! you must take the will for the deed, and when I learn +the fashionable way of speaking, I'll do some better poetry. The yellow lettuces +are promising splendidly this year--never was such a crop; so are the French +beans; but my little dachshund, Feldmann, gave the big gander a terrible bite in +the leg yesterday. However, we can't have everything perfect in this world. A +hundred kisses in imagination, my dearest Amandus, from</p> + +<p class="right" style="margin-right:15%">"Your most faithful fiancée,</p> +<p class="right">"<span class="sc">Anna von Zabelthau</span>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"P.S.--I've been writing in an awful hurry, and that's the +reason the letters are rather crooked here and there.</p> + +<p class="normal">"P.S.--But you mustn't mind about that. Though I may write a +little crookedly, my heart is all straight, and I am</p> + +<p class="right" style="margin-right:15%">"Always your faithful</p> +<p class="right">"<span class="sc">Anna</span>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"P.S.--Oh, good gracious! I had almost forgot--thoughtless +thing that I am. Papa sends you his kind regards, and says you have got to be, +and cannot help being, where and what you are; and that you are to rescue me +from a terrible danger some day. Now, I'm very glad of this, and remain, once +more,</p> + +<p class="right" style="margin-right:15%">"Your most true and loving</p> +<p class="right">"<span class="sc">Anna von Zabelthau</span>."</p> +</div> + +<p class="normal">It was a good weight off Fräulein Aennchen's mind when she had +written this letter; it had cost her a considerable effort. So she felt +light-hearted and happy when she had put it in its envelope, +sealed it up without burning the paper or her own fingers, and given +it, together with the bonnet-boxful of tobacco, to Gottlieb to take to the +post-office in the town. When she had seen properly to the poultry in the yard, +she ran as fast as she could to the place she loved best--the kitchen-garden. +When she got to the carrot-bed she thought it was about time to be thinking of +the sweet-toothed people in the town, and be palling the earliest of the +carrots. The servant-girl was called in to help in this process. Fräulein +Aennchen walked, gravely and seriously, into the middle of the bed, and grasped +a stately carrot-plant. But on her pulling at it a strange sound made itself +heard. Do not, reader, think of the witches' mandrake-root, and the horrible +whining and howling which pierces the heart of man when it is drawn from the +earth. No; the tone which was heard on this occasion was like very delicate, +joyous laughter. But Fräulein Aennchen let the carrot-plant go, and cried out, +rather frightened, "Eh! Who's that laughing at me?" But there being nothing more +to be heard she took hold of the carrot-plant again--which seemed to be finer +and better grown than any of the rest--and, notwithstanding the laughing, which began again, +pulled up the very finest and most splendid carrot ever beheld by mortal eye. +When she looked at it more closely she gave a cry of joyful surprise, so that +the maid-servant came running up; and she also exclaimed aloud at the beautiful +miracle which disclosed itself to her eyes. For there was a beautiful ring +firmly attached to the carrot, with a shining topaz mounted in it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh," cried the maid, "that's for you! It's your wedding-ring. +Put it on directly."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stupid nonsense!" said Fräulein Aennchen. "I must get my +wedding-ring from Herr Amandus von Nebelstern, not from a +carrot."</p> + +<p class="normal">However, the longer she looked at the ring the better she was +pleased with it; and, indeed, it was of such wonderfully fine workmanship that +it seemed to surpass anything ever produced by human skill. On the ring part of +it there were hundreds and hundreds of tiny little figures twined together in +the most manifold groupings, hardly to be made out with the naked eye at first, +so microscopically minute were they. But when one looked at them closely for a +little while they appeared to grow bigger and more distinct, and to come to +life, and dance in pretty combinations. And the fire of the gem was of such a +remarkable water that the like of it could not have been found in the celebrated +Dresden collection.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Who knows," said the maid, "how long this beautiful ring may +have been underground? And it must have got shoved up somehow, and then the +carrot has grown right through it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen took the ring off the carrot, and it was +strange how the latter suddenly slipped through her fingers and disappeared in +the ground. But neither she nor the maid paid much heed to this circumstance, +being lost in admiration of the beautiful ring, which the young lady immediately +put on the little finger of the right hand without more ado. As she did so, she +felt a stinging pain all up her finger, from the root of it to the point; but +this pain went away again as quickly as it had come.</p> + +<p class="normal">Of course she told her father, at mid-day, all about this +strange adventure at the carrot-bed, and showed him the beautiful ring which had +been sticking upon the carrot. She was going to take it off that he might +examine it the better, but felt the same stinging kind of pain as when she put +it on. And this pain lasted all the time she was trying to get it off, so that +she had to give up trying. Herr Dapsul scanned the ring upon her finger with the +most careful attention. He made her stretch her finger out, and describe with it +all sorts of circles in all directions. After which he fell into a profound +meditation, and went up into his tower without uttering a syllable. Aennchen +heard him giving vent to a very considerable amount of groaning and sighing as +he went.</p> + +<p class="normal">Next morning, when she was chasing the big cock about the yard +(he was bent on all manner of mischief, and was skirmishing particularly with +the pigeons), Herr Dapsul began lamenting so fearfully down from the tower +through the speaking trumpet that she cried up to him through her closed hand, +"Oh papa dear, what are you making such a terrible howling for? The fowls are +all going out of their wits."</p> + +<p class="normal">Heir Dapsul hailed down to her through the speaking trumpet, +saying, "Anna, my daughter Anna, come up here to me immediately."</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen was much astonished at this command, for her +papa had never in all his life asked her to go into the tower, but rather had +kept the door of it carefully shut. So that she was conscious of a certain sense +of anxiety as she climbed the narrow winding stair, and opened the heavy door +which led into its one room. Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau was seated upon a large +armchair of singular form, surrounded by curious instruments and dusty books. +Before him was a kind of stand, upon which there was a paper stretched in a +frame, with a number of lines drawn upon it. He had on a tall pointed cap, a +wide mantle of grey calimanco, and on his chin a long white beard, so that he +had quite the appearance of a magician. On account of his false beard, Aennchen +didn't know him a bit just at first, and looked curiously about to see if her +father were hidden away in some corner; but when she saw that the man with the +beard on was really papa, she laughed most heartily, and asked if it was +Yule-time, and he was going to act Father Christmas.</p> + +<p class="normal">Paying no heed to this enquiry, Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau took +a small tool of iron in his hand, touched Aennchen's forehead with it, and then +stroked it along her right arm several times, from the armpit to the tip of the +little finger. While this was going on she had to sit in the armchair, which he +had quitted, and to lay the finger which had the ring upon it on the paper which +was in the frame, in such a position that the topaz touched the central point +where all the lines came together. Yellow rays immediately shot out from the +topaz all round, colouring the paper all over with deep yellow light. Then the +lines went flickering and crackling up and down, and the little figures which +were on the ring seemed to be jumping merrily about all over the paper. Herr +Dapsul, without taking his eyes from the paper, had taken hold of a thin plate +of some metal, which he held up high over his head with both arms, and was +proceeding to press it down upon the paper; but ere he could do so he slipped +his foot on the smooth stone floor, and fell, anything but softly, upon the +sitting portion of his body; whilst the metal plate, which he had dropped in an +instinctive attempt to break his fall, and save damage to his <i>Os Coccygis</i>, +went clattering down upon the stones. Fräulein Aennchen awoke, with a gentle +"Ah!" from a strange dreamy condition in which she had been. Herr Dapsul with +some difficulty raised himself, put the grey sugar-loaf cap, which had fallen +off, on again, arranged the false beard, and sate himself down opposite to +Aennchen upon a pile of folio volumes.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My daughter," he said, "my daughter Anna; what were your +sensations? Describe your thoughts, your feelings? What were the forms seen by +the eye of the spirit within your inner being?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" answered Anna, "I was so happy; I never was so happy in +all my life. And I thought of Amandus von Nebelstern. And I saw him quite +plainly before my eyes, but he was much better looking than he used to be, and +he was smoking a pipe of the Virginian tobacco that I sent him, and seemed to be +enjoying it tremendously. Then all at once I felt a great appetite for young +carrots with sausages; and lo and behold! there the dishes were before me, and I +was just going to help myself to some when I woke up from the dream in a moment, +with a sort of painful start."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Amandus von Nebelstern, Virginia canaster, carrots, +sausages," quoth Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau to his daughter very reflectively. +And he signed to her to stay where she was, for she was preparing to go away.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Happy is it for you, innocent child," he began, in a tone +much more lamentable than even his usual one, "that you are as yet not initiated +into the profounder mysteries of the universe, and are unaware of the +threatening perils which surround you. You know nothing of the supernatural +science of the sacred cabbala. True, you will never partake the celestial joy of +those wise ones who, having attained the highest step, need never eat or drink +except for their pleasure, and are exempt from human necessities. But then, you +have not to endure and suffer the pain of attainment to that step, like your +unhappy father, who is still far more liable to attacks of mere human giddiness, +to whom that which he laboriously discovers only causes terror and awe, and who +is still, from purely earthly necessities, obliged to eat and drink and, in +fact, submit to human requirements. Learn, my charming child, blessed as you are +with absence of knowledge, that the depths of the earth, and the air, water, and +fire, are filled with spiritual beings of higher and yet of more restricted +nature than mankind. It seems unnecessary, my little unwise one, to explain to +you the peculiar nature and characteristics of the gnomes, the salamanders, +sylphides, and undines; you would not be able to understand them. To give you +some slight idea of the danger which you may be undergoing, it is sufficient +that I should tell you that these spirits are always striving eagerly to enter +into unions with human beings; and as they are well aware that human beings are +strongly adverse to those unions, they employ all manner of subtle and crafty +artifices to delude such of the latter as they have fixed their affections upon. +Often it is a twig, a flower, a glass of water, a fire-steel, or something else, +in appearance of no importance, which they employ as a means of compassing their +intent. It is true that unions of this sort often turn out exceedingly happily, +as in the case of two priests, mentioned by Prince della Mirandola, who spent +forty years of the happiest possible wedlock with a spirit of this description. +It is true, moreover, that the most renowned sages have been the offspring of +such unions between human beings and elementary spirits. Thus, the great +Zoroaster was a son of the salamander Oromasis; the great Apollonius, the sage +Merlin, the valiant Count of Cleve, and the great cabbalist, Ben-Syra, were the +glorious fruits of marriages of this description, and according to Paracelsus +the beautiful Melusina was no other than a sylphide. But yet, notwithstanding, +the peril of such a union is much too great, for not only do the elementary +spirits require of those on whom they confer their favours that the clearest +light of the profoundest wisdom shall have arisen and shall shine upon them, but +besides this they are extraordinarily touchy and sensitive, and revenge offences +with extreme severity. Thus, it once happened that a sylphide, who was in union +with a philosopher, on an occasion when he was talking with friends about a +pretty woman--and perhaps rather too warmly--suddenly allowed her white +beautifully-formed limb to become visible in the air, as if to convince the +friends of her beauty, and then killed the poor philosopher +on the spot. But ah! why should I refer to others? Why don't I +speak of myself? I am aware that for the last twelve years I +have +been beloved by a sylphide, but she is timorous and coy, and I +am tortured by the thought of the danger of fettering her to me more closely by +cabbalistic processes, inasmuch as I am still much too dependent on earthly +necessities, and consequently lack the necessary degree of wisdom. Every morning +I make up my mind to fast, and I succeed in letting breakfast pass without +touching any; but when +mid-day comes, oh! Anna, my daughter Anna, you know well that +I eat tremendously."</p> + +<p class="normal">These latter words Herr Dapsul uttered almost in a howl, while +bitter tears rolled down his lean chop-fallen cheeks. He then went on more +calmly--</p> + +<p class="normal">"But I take the greatest of pains to behave towards the +elementary spirit who is thus favourably disposed towards me with the utmost +refinement of manners, the most exquisite <i>galanterie</i>. I never venture to smoke a +pipe of tobacco without employing the proper preliminary cabbalistic +precautions, for I cannot tell whether or not my tender air-spirit may like the +brand of the tobacco, and so be annoyed at the defilement of her element. And I +take the same precautions when I cut a hazel twig, pluck a flower, eat a fruit, +or strike fire, all my efforts being directed to avoid giving offence to any +elementary spirit. And yet--there, you see that nutshell, which I slid upon, +and, falling over backwards, completely nullified the whole important +experiment, which would have revealed to me the whole mystery of the ring? I do +not remember that I have ever eaten a nut in this chamber, completely devoted as +it is to science (you know now why I have my breakfast on the stairs), and it is +all the clearer that some little gnome must have been hidden away in that shell, +very likely having come here to prosecute his studies, and watch some of my +experiments. For the elementary spirits are fond of human science, particularly +such kinds of it as the uninitiated vulgar consider to be, if not foolish and +superstitious, at all events beyond the powers of the human mind to comprehend, +and for that reason style 'dangerous.' Thus, when I accidentally trod upon this +little student's head, I suppose he got in a rage, and threw me down. But it is +probable that he had a deeper reason for preventing me from finding out the +secret of the ring. Anna, my dear Anna, listen to this. I had ascertained that +there is a gnome bestowing his favour upon you, and to judge by the ring he must +be a gnome of rank and distinction, as well as of superior cultivation. But, my +dear Anna, my most beloved little stupid girl, how do you suppose you are going +to enter into any kind of union with an elementary spirit without running the +most terrible risk? If you had read Cassiodorus Remus you might, of course, +reply that, according to his veracious chronicle, the celebrated Magdalena de la +Croix, abbess of a convent at Cordova, in Spain, lived for thirty years in the +happiest wedlock imaginable with a little gnome, whilst a similar result +followed in +the case of a sylph and the young Gertrude, a nun in Kloster +Nazareth, near Cologne. But, then, think of the learned pursuits of those +ecclesiastical ladies and of your own; what a mighty difference. Instead of +reading in learned books you are often employing your time in feeding hens, +geese, ducks, and other creatures, which simply molest and annoy all cabbalists; +instead of watching the course of the stars, the heavens, you dig in the earth; +instead of deciphering the traces of the future in skilfully-constructed +horoscopes you are churning milk into butter, and putting sauerkraut up to +pickle for mean everyday winter use; although, really, I must say that for my +own part I should be very sorry to be without such articles of food. Say, is all +this likely, in the long run, to content a refined philosophic elementary +spirit? And then, oh Anna! it must be through you that the Dapsulheim line must +continue, which earthly demand upon your being you cannot refuse to obey in any +possible case. Yet, in connection with this ring, you in your instinctive way +felt a strange irreflective sense of physical enjoyment. By means of the +operation in which I was engaged, I desired and intended to break the power of +the ring, and free you entirely from the gnome which is pursuing you. That +operation failed, in consequence of the trick played me by the little student in +the nut-shell. And yet, notwithstanding, I feel inspired by a +courage such as I never felt before to do battle with this elementary spirit. +You are my child, whom I begot, not indeed with a sylphide, salamandress, or +other elementary spirit, but of that poor country lady of a fine old family, to +whom the God-forgotten neighbours gave the nickname of the 'goat-girl' on +account of her idyllic nature. For she used to go out with a flock of pretty +little white goats, and pasture them on the green hillocks, I meanwhile blowing +a reed-pipe on my tower, a love-stricken young fool, by way of accompaniment. Yes, you +are my own child, my flesh and blood, and I mean to rescue you. Here, this +mystic file shall befree you from the pernicious ring."</p> + +<p class="normal">With this, Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau took up a small file and +began filing away with it at the ring. But scarcely had he passed it once or +twice backwards and forwards when Fräulein Aennchen cried aloud in pain, "Papa, +papa, you're filing my finger off!" And actually there was dark thick blood +coming oozing from under the ring. Seeing this, Herr Dapsul let the file fall +upon the floor, sank half fainting into the armchair, and cried, in utter +despair, "Oh--oh--oh--oh! It is all over with me! Perhaps the infuriated gnome +may come this very hour and bite my head off unless the sylphide saves me. Oh, +Anna, Anna, +go--fly!"</p> + +<p class="normal">As her father's extraordinary talk had long made her wish +herself far enough away, she ran downstairs like the wind.</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">SOME ACCOUNT IS GIVEN OF THE ARRIVAL OF A REMARKABLE PERSONAGE +IN +DAPSULHEIM, AND OF WHAT FOLLOWED FURTHER.</span></p> + +<p class="continue">Herr Dapsul Von Zabelthau had just embraced his daughter with +many tears, and was moving off to ascend his tower, where he dreaded every +moment the alarming visit of the incensed gnome, when the sound of a horn, loud +and clear, made itself heard, and into the courtyard came bounding and +curvetting a little cavalier of sufficiently strange and amusing appearance. His +yellow horse was not at all large, and was of delicate build, so that the little +rider, in spite of his large shapeless head, did not look so dwarfish as might +otherwise have been the case, as he sate a considerable height above the horse's +head. But this was attributable to the length of his body, for what of him hung +over the saddle in the nature of legs and feet was hardly worth mentioning. For +the rest, the little fellow had on a very rich habit of gold-yellow atlas, a +fine high cap with a splendid grass-green plume, and riding-boots of beautifully +polished mahogany. With a resounding "P-r-r-r-r-r-r!" he reined up before Herr +von Zabelthau, and seemed to be going to dismount. But he suddenly slipped under +the horse's belly as quick as lightning, and having got to the other side of +him, threw himself three times in succession some twelve ells up in the air, +turning six somersaults in every ell, and then alighted on his head in the +saddle. Standing on his head there, he galloped backwards, forwards, and +sideways in all sorts of extraordinary curves and ups and downs, his feet +meanwhile playing trochees, dactyls, pyrrhics, &c., in the air. When this +accomplished gymnast and trick-act rider at length stood still, and politely +saluted, there were to be seen on the ground of the courtyard the words, "My +most courteous greeting to you and your lady daughter, most highly respected +Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau." These words he had ridden into the ground in +handsome Roman uncial letters. Thereupon, he sprang from his horse, turned three +Catherine wheels, and said that he was charged by his gracious master, the Herr +Baron Porphyrio von Ockerodastes, called "Cordovanspitz," to present his +compliments to Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau, and to say, that if the latter had no +objection, the Herr Baron proposed to pay him a friendly visit of a day or two, +as he was expecting presently to be his nearest neighbour.</p> + +<p class="normal">Herr Dapsul looked more dead than alive, so pale and +motionless did he stand, leaning un his daughter. Scarcely had a half +involuntary, +"It--will--give--me--much--pleasure," escaped his trembling +lips, when the little horseman departed with lightning speed, and similar +ceremonies to those with which he had arrived.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, my daughter!" cried Herr Dapsul, weeping and lamenting, +"alas! it is but too certain that this is the gnome come to carry you off, and +twist my unfortunate neck. But we will pluck up the very last scrap of courage +which we can scrape together. Perhaps it may be still possible to pacify this +irritated elementary spirit. We must be as careful in our conduct towards him as +ever we can. I will at once read to you, my dear child, a chapter or two of +Lactantius or Thomas Aquinas concerning the mode of dealing with elementary +spirits, so that you mayn't make some tremendous mistake or other."</p> + +<p class="normal">But before he could go and get hold of Lactantius or Thomas +Aquinas, a band was heard in the immediate proximity, sounding very much like +the kind of performance which children who are musical enough get up about +Christmas-time. And a fine long procession was coming up the street. +At the head of it rode some sixty or seventy little cavaliers +on +little yellow horses, all dressed like the one who had arrived +as avant-courier at first, in yellow habits, pointed caps, and boots of polished +mahogany. They were followed by a couch of purest crystal, drawn by eight yellow +horses, and behind this came well on to forty other less magnificent coaches, +some with six horses, some with only four. And there were swarms of pages, +running footmen, and other attendants, moving up and down amongst and around +those coaches in brilliant costumes, so that the whole thing formed a sight as +charming as uncommon. Herr Dapsul stood sunk in gloomy amazement. Aennchen, who +had never dreamt that the world could contain such lovely delightful creatures +as these little horses and people, was quite out of her senses with delight, and +forgot everything, even to shut her mouth, which she had opened to emit a cry of +joy.</p> + +<p class="normal">The coach and eight drew up before Herr Dapsul. Riders jumped +from their horses, pages and attendants came hurrying forward, and the personage +who was now lifted down the steps of the coach on their arms was none other than +the Herr Baron Porphyrio von Ockerodastes, otherwise known as Cordovanspitz. +Inasmuch as regarded his figure, the Herr Baron was far from comparable to the +Apollo of Belvedere, or even the Dying Gladiator. For, besides the circumstances +that he was scarcely three feet high, one-third of his small body consisted of +his evidently too large and broad head, which was, moreover, adorned by a +tremendously long Roman nose and a pair of great round projecting +eyes. And as his body was disproportionately long for his +height, +there was nothing left for his legs and feet to occupy but +some four inches or so. This small space was made the most of, however, +for the little Baron's feet were the neatest and prettiest +little things ever beheld. No doubt they seemed to be scarcely strong enough to +support the large, important head. For the Baron's gait was somewhat tottery and +uncertain, and he even toppled over altogether pretty frequently, but got up +upon his feet immediately, after the manner of a jack-in-the-box. So that this +toppling over had a considerable resemblance to some rather eccentric dancing +step more than to anything else one could compare it to. He had on a +close-fitting suit of some shining gold fabric, and a headdress, which was +almost like a crown, with an enormous plume of green feathers in it.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as the Baron had alighted on the ground, he hastened +up to Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau, took hold of both his hands, swung himself up +to his neck, and cried out, in a voice wonderfully more powerful than his +shortness of stature would have led one to expect, "Oh, my Dapsul von Zabelthau, +my most beloved father!" He then lowered himself down from Herr Dapsul's neck +with the same deftness of skill with which he +had climbed up to it, sprang, or rather slung himself, to +Fräulein Aennchen, took that hand of hers which had the ring on it, covered +it with loud resounding kisses, and cried out in the same +almost thundering voice as before, "Oh, my loveliest Fräulein Anna von +Zabelthau, my most beloved bride-elect!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He then clapped his hands, and immediately that noisy +clattering +child-like band struck up, and over a hundred little fellows, +who +had got off their horses and out of the carriages, danced as +the +avant-courier had done, sometimes on their heads, sometimes on +their feet, in the prettiest possible trochees, spondees, iambics, pyrrhics, +anapaests, tribrachs, bacchi, antibacchi, choriambs, and dactyls, so that it was +a joy to behold them. But as this was going on, Fräulein Aennchen recovered from +the terrible fright which the little Baron's speech to her had put her in, and +entered into several important and necessary economic questions and +considerations. "How is it possible," she asked herself, "that these little +beings can find room in this place of ours? Would it hold even their servants if +they were to be put to sleep in the big barn? Then what could I do with the +swell folk who came in the coaches, and of course expect to be put into fine +bedrooms, with soft beds, as they're accustomed to be? And even if the two +plough horses were to go out of the stable, and I were to be so hard hearted as +to turn the old lame chestnut out into the grass field, would there be anything +like room enough for all those little beasts of horses that this nasty ugly +Baron has brought? And just the same with the one and forty coaches. But the +worst of all comes after that. Oh, my gracious! is the whole year's provender +anything like enough to keep all these little creatures going for even so much +as a couple of days?" This last was the climax of all. She saw in her mind's eye +everything eaten +up--all the new vegetables, the sheep, the poultry, the salt +meat--nay, the very beetroot brandy gone. And this brought the salt tears to her +eyes. She thought she caught the Baron making a sort of wicked impudent face at +her, and that gave her courage to say to him (while his people were keeping up +their dancing with might and main), in the plainest language possible, that +however flattering his visit might be to her father, it was impossible to think +of such a thing as its lasting more than a couple of hours or so, as there was +neither room nor anything else for the proper reception and entertainment of +such a grand gentleman and such a numerous retinue. But little Cordovanspitz +immediately looked as marvellously sweet and tender as any marsipan tart, +pressing with closed eyes Fräulein Aennchen's hand (which was rather rough, and +not particularly white) to his lips, as he assured her that the last thing he +should think of was causing the dear papa and his lovely daughter the slightest +inconvenience. He said he had brought everything in the kitchen and cellar +department with him, and as for the lodging, he needed nothing but a little bit +of ground with the open air above it, where his people could put up his ordinary +travelling palace, which would accommodate him, his whole retinue, and the +animals pertaining to them.</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen was so delighted with these words of the +Baron Porphyrio von Ockerodastes that, to show that she wasn't grudging a little +bit of hospitality, she was going to offer him the little fritter cakes she had +made for the last consecration day, and a small glass of the beetroot brandy, +unless he would have preferred double bitters, which the maid had brought from +the town and recommended as strengthening to the stomach. But at this moment +Cordovanspitz announced that he had chosen the kitchen garden as the site of his +palace, and Aennchen's happiness was gone. But whilst the Baron's retainers, in +celebration of their lord's arrival at Dapsulheim, continued their Olympian +games, sometimes butting with their big heads at each other's stomachs, knocking +each other over backwards, sometimes springing up in the air again, playing at +skittles, being themselves in turn skittles, balls, and players, and so forth, +Baron Porphyrio von Ockerodastes got into a very deep and interesting +conversation with Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau, which seemed to go on increasing in +importance till they went away together hand in hand, and up into the +astronomical tower.</p> + +<p class="normal">Full of alarm and anxiety, Fräulein Aennchen now made haste to +her kitchen garden, with the view of trying to save whatever it might still be +possible to save. The maid-servant was there already, standing staring before +her with open mouth, motionless as a person turned like Lot's wife into a pillar +of salt. Aennchen at once fell into the same condition beside her. At last they +both cried out, making the welkin ring, "Oh, Herr Gemini! What a terrible sort +of thing!" For the whole beautiful vegetable garden was turned into a +wilderness. Not the trace of a plant in it, it looked like a devastated country.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No," cried the maid, "there's no other way of accounting for +it, these cursed little creatures have done it. Coming here in their coaches, +forsooth! coaches, quotha! as if they were people of quality! Ha! ha! A lot of +kobolds, that's what <i>they</i> are, trust <i>me</i> for that, Miss. And if I had a drop +of holy water here I'd soon show you what all those fine things of theirs would +turn to. But if they come here, the little brutes, I'll bash the heads of them +with this spade here." And she flourished this threatening spade over her head, +whilst Anna wept aloud.</p> + +<p class="normal">But at this point, four members of Cordovanspitz's suite came +up with such very pleasant ingratiating speeches and such courteous reverences, +being such wonderful creatures to behold, at the same time that the maid, +instead of attacking them with the spade, let it slowly sink, and Fräulein +Aennchen ceased weeping.</p> + +<p class="normal">They announced themselves as being the four friends who were +the most immediately attached to their lord's person, saying that they belonged +to four different nationalities (as their dress indicated, symbolically, at all +events), and that their names were, respectively, Pan Kapustowicz, from Poland; +Herr von Schwartzrettig, from Pomerania; Signor di Broccoli, from Italy; and +Monsieur de Rocambolle, from France. They said, moreover, that the builders +would come directly, and afford the beautiful lady the gratification of seeing +them erect a lovely palace, all of silk, in the shortest possible space of time.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What good will the silken palace be to me?" cried Fräulein +Aennchen, weeping aloud in her bitter sorrow. "And what do I care about your +Baron Cordovanspitz, now that you have gone and destroyed my beautiful +vegetables, wretched creatures that you are. All my happy days are over."</p> + +<p class="normal">But the polite interlocutors comforted her, and assured her +that they had not by any means had the blame of desolating the kitchen-garden, +and that, moreover, it would very soon be growing green and flourishing in such +luxuriance as she had never seen, or anybody else in the world for that matter.</p> + +<p class="normal">The little building-people arrived, and then there began such +a confused-looking, higgledy-piggledy, and helter-skeltering on the plot of +ground that Fräulein Anna and the maid ran away quite frightened, and took +shelter behind some thickets, whence they could see what would be the end of it +all.</p> + +<p class="normal">But though they couldn't explain to themselves how things +perfectly canny <i>could</i> come about as they did, there certainly arose and formed +itself before their eyes, and in a few minutes' time, a lofty and magnificent +marquee, made of a golden-yellow material and ornamented with many-coloured +garlands and plumes, occupying the whole extent of the vegetable garden, so that +the cords of it went right away over the village and into the wood beyond, where +they were made fast to sturdy trees.</p> + +<p class="normal">As soon as this marquee was ready, Baron Porphyrio came down +with Herr Dapsul from the astronomical tower, after profuse embraces resumed his +seat in the coach and eight, and in the same order in which they had made their +entry into Dapsulheim, he and his following went into the silken palace, which, +when the last of the procession was within it, instantly closed itself up.</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen had never seen her papa as he was then. The +very faintest trace of the melancholy which had hitherto always so distressed +him had completely disappeared from his countenance. One would really almost +have said he smiled. There was a sublimity about his facial expression such as +sometimes indicates that some great and unexpected happiness has come upon a +person. He led his daughter by the hand in silence into the house, embraced her +three times consecutively, and then broke out--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fortunate Anna! Thrice happy girl! Fortunate father! Oh, +daughter, all sorrow and melancholy, all solicitude and misgiving are over for +ever! Yours is a fate such as falls to the lot of few mortals. This Baron +Porphyrio von Ockerodastes, otherwise known as Cordovanspitz, is by no means a +hostile gnome, although he is descended from one of those elementary spirits +who, however, was so fortunate as to purify his nature by the teaching of +Oromasis the Salamander. The love of this being was bestowed upon a daughter of +the human race, with whom he formed a union, and became founder of the most +illustrious family whose name ever adorned a parchment. I have an impression +that I told you before, beloved daughter Anna, that the pupil of the great +Salamander Oromasis, the noble gnome Tsilmenech (a Chaldean name, which +interpreted into our language has a somewhat similar significance to our word +'Thickhead'), bestowed his affection on the celebrated Magdalena de la Croix, +abbess of a convent at Cordova in Spain, and lived in happy wedlock with her for +nearly thirty years. And a descendant of the sublime family of higher +intelligences which sprung from this union is our dear Baron Porphyrio von +Ockerodastes, who has adopted the sobriquet of Cordovanspitz to indicate his +ancestral connection with Cordova in Spain, and to distinguish himself by it +from a more haughty but less worthy collateral line of the family, which bears +the title of 'Saffian.' That a 'spitz' has been added to the 'Cordovan' +doubtless possesses its own elementary astrological causes; I have not as yet +gone into that subject. Following the example of his illustrious ancestor the +gnome Tsilmenech, this splendid Ockerodastes of ours fell in love with you when +you were only twelve years of age (Tsilmenech had done precisely the same thing +in the case of Magdalena de la Croix). He was fortunate enough at that time to +get a small gold ring from you, and now you wear his, so that your betrothal is +indissoluble."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What?" cried Fräulein Aennchen, in fear and amazement. "What? +I betrothed to <i>him</i>--I to marry that horrible little kobold? Haven't I been +engaged for ever so long to Herr Amandus von Nebelstern? No, never will I have +that hideous monster of a wizard for a husband. I don't care whether he comes +from Cordova or from Saffian."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There," said Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau more gravely, "there I +perceive, to my sorrow and distress, how impossible it is for celestial wisdom +to penetrate into your hardened, obdurate, earthly sense. You stigmatize this +noble, elementary, Porphyrio von Ockerodastes as 'horrible' and 'ugly,' +probably, I presume, because he is only three feet high, and, with the exception +of his head, has very little worth speaking of on his body in the shape of arms, +legs, and other appurtenances; and a foolish, earthly goose, such as you +probably think of as to be admired, can't have legs long enough, on account of +coat tails. Oh, my daughter, in what a terrible misapprehension you are +involved! All beauty lies in wisdom, in the thought; and the physical symbol of +thought is the head. The more head, the more beauty and wisdom. And if mankind +could but cast away all the other members of the body as pernicious articles of +luxury tending to evil, they would +reach the condition of a perfect ideal of the highest type. +Whence +come all trouble and difficulty, vexation and annoyance, +strife and contention--in short, all the depravities and miseries of humanity, +but from the accursed luxury and voluptuousness of the members? Oh, what joy, +what peace, what blessedness there would be on earth if the +human race could exist without arms or legs, or the nether +parts of +the body--in short, if we were nothing but busts! Therefore it +is a happy idea of the sculptors when they represent great statesmen, +or celebrated men of science and learning as busts, +symbolically indicating the higher nature within them. Wherefore, my daughter +Anna, no more of such words as 'ugly and abominable' applied to the noblest of +spirits, the grand Porphyrio von Ockerodastes, whose bride elect you most +indubitably are. I must just tell you, at the same time, that by his important +aid your father will soon attain that highest step of bliss towards which he has +so long been striving. Porphyrio von Ockerodastes is in possession of authentic +information that I am beloved by the sylphide Nehabilah (which in Syriac has +very much the signification of our expression 'Peaky nose'), and he has promised +to assist me to the utmost of his power to render myself worthy of a union with +this higher spiritual nature. I have no doubt whatever, my dear child, that you +will be well satisfied with your future stepmother. All I hope is, that a +favourable destiny may so order matters that our marriages may both take place +at one and the same fortunate hour."</p> + +<p class="normal">Having thus spoken, Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau, casting a +significant glance at his daughter, very pathetically left the room.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a great weight on Aennchen's heart that she remembered +having, a great while ago, really in some unaccountable way lost a little gold +ring, such as a child might wear, from her finger. So that it really seemed too +certain that this abominable little wizard of a creature had indeed got her +immeshed in his net, so that she couldn't see how she was ever to get out of it. +And over this she fell into the utmost grief and bewilderment. She felt that her +oppressed heart must obtain relief; and this took place through the medium of a +goose-quill, which she seized, and at once wrote off to Herr Amandus von +Nebelstern as follows:</p> +<div class="quote"> +<p class="normal">"<span class="sc">My dearest Amandus</span>--</p> + +<p class="normal">"All is over with me completely. I am the most unfortunate +creature in the whole world, and I'm sobbing and crying for sheer misery so +terribly that the dear dumb animals themselves are sorry for me. And <i>you'll</i> be +still sorrier than they are, because it's just as great a misfortune for you as +it is for me, and you can't help being quite as much distressed about it as I am +myself. You know that we love one another as fondly as any two lovers possibly +can, and that I am betrothed to you, and that papa was going with us to the +church. Very well. All of a sudden a nasty little creature comes here in a coach +and eight, with a lot of people and servants, and says I have changed rings +with him, and that he and I are engaged. And--just fancy how +awful! papa says as well, that I must marry this little wretch, because he +belongs to a very grand family. I suppose be very likely does, judging by his +following and the splendid dresses they have on. But the creature has such a +horrible name that, for that alone if it were for nothing else, I never would +marry him. I can't even pronounce the heathenish words of the name; but one of +them is Cordovanspitz, and it seems that is the family name. Write and tell me if +these Cordovanspitzes really <i>are</i> so very great and aristocratic a +family--people in the town will be sure to know if they are. +And the things papa takes in his head at his time of life I really can't +understand; but he wants to marry again, and this nasty Cordovanspitz is going +to get him a wife that flies in the air. God protect us! Our servant girl is +looking over my shoulder, and says she hasn't much of an opinion of ladies who +can fly in the air and swim in the water, and that she'll have to be looking out +for another situation, and hopes, for my sake, that my stepmother may break her +neck the first time she goes riding through the air to St. Walpurgis. Nice state +of things, isn't it? But all my hope is in <i>you</i>. For I know you are the person +who ought to be, and has got to be, just where and what you are, and has to +deliver me from a great danger. The danger has come, so be quick, and rescue</p> + +<p class="right" style="margin-right:5%">"Your grieved to death, but most true and loving <i>fiancée</i>,</p> +<p class="right">"<span class="sc">Anna von Zabelthau</span>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"P.S.--Couldn't you call this yellow little Cordovanspitz out? +I'm sure you could settle his hash. He's feeble on his legs.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What I implore you to do is to put on your things as fast as +you can and hasten to</p> + +<p class="right" style="margin-right:15%">"Your most unfortunate and miserable,</p> +<p class="right" style="margin-right:5%">"But always most faithful <i>fiancée</i>.</p> +<p class="right">"<span class="sc">Anna von Zabelthau</span>."</p> +</div> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">IN WHICH THE HOUSEHOLD STATE OF A GREAT KING IS DESCRIBED; AND +AFTERWARDS A BLOODY DUEL AND OTHER REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES ARE +TREATED OF</span>.</p> + +<p class="continue">Fräulein Aennchen was so miserable and distressed that she +felt paralyzed in all her members. She was sitting at the window with folded +arms gazing straight before her, heedless of the cackling, crowing, and queaking +of the fowls, which couldn't understand why on earth she didn't come and drive +them into their roosts as usual, seeing that +the twilight was coming on fast. Nay, she sat there with +perfect indifference and allowed the maid to carry out this duty, and to hit the +big cock (who opposed himself to the state of things and evinced decided +resistance to her authority) a good sharp whang with her whip. For the love-pain +which was rending her own heart was making her indifferent to the troubles of +the dear pupils of her happier +hours--those which she devoted to their up-bringing, although +she had never studied Chesterfield or Knigge, or consulted Madame de Genlis, or +any of those other authorities on the mental culture of the young, who know to a +hair's-breadth exactly how they ought to be moulded. In this respect she really +had laid herself open to censure on the score of lack of due seriousness.</p> + +<p class="normal">All that day Cordovanspitz had not shown himself, but had been +shut up in the tower with Herr Dapsul, no doubt assisting in the carrying on of +important operations. But now Fräulein Aennchen caught sight of the little +creature coming tottering across the courtyard in the glowing light of the +setting sun. And it struck her that he looked more hideous in that yellow habit +of his than he had ever done before. The ridiculous manner in which he went +wavering about, jumping here and there, seeming to topple over every minute and +then pick himself up again (at which anybody else would have died of laughing), +only caused her the bitterer distress. Indeed, she at last held her hands in +front of her eyes, that she mightn't so much as see the little horrid creature +at all. Suddenly she felt something tugging at her dress, and cried "Down, +Feldmann!" thinking it was the Dachshund. But it was not the dog; and what +Fräulein Aennchen saw when she took her hands from her eyes was the Herr Baron +Porphyrio von Ockerodastes, who hoisted himself into her lap with extraordinary +deftness, and clasped both his arms about her. She screamed aloud with fear and +disgust, and started up from her chair. But Cordovanspitz kept clinging on to +her neck, and instantly became so wonderfully heavy that he seemed to weigh a +ton at least, and he dragged the unfortunate Aennchen back again into her chair. +Having got her there, however, he slid down out of her lap, sank on one knee as +gracefully as possible, and as prettily as his weakness in the direction of +equilibrium permitted, and said, in a clear +voice--rather peculiar, but by no means unpleasing: "Adored +Anna von Zabelthau, most glorious of ladies, most choice of brides-elect; no +anger, I implore, no anger, no anger. I know you think my people laid waste your +beautiful vegetable garden to put up my palace. Oh, powers of the universe, if +you could but look into this little body of mine which throbs with magnanimity +and love; if you could but detect all the cardinal virtues which are collected +in my breast, under this yellow Atlas habit. Oh, how guiltless am I of the +shameful cruelty which you attribute to me! How could a beneficent prince treat +in such a way his very own subjects. But hold--hold! What are words, phrases? +You must see with your own eyes, my betrothed, the splendours which attend you. +You must come with me at once. I will lead you to my palace, where a joyful +people await the arrival of her who is beloved by their lord."</p> + +<p class="normal">It may be imagined how terrified Fräulein Aennchen was at this +proposition of Cordovanspitz's, and how hard she tried to avoid going so much as +a single step with the little monster. But he continued to describe the +extraordinary beauty and the marvellous richness of the vegetable garden which +was his palace, in such eloquent and persuasive language, that at last she +thought she would just have a peep into the marquee, as that couldn't do her +much harm. The little creature, in his joy and delight, turned at least twelve +Catherine wheels in succession, and then took her hand with much courtesy, and +led her through the garden to the silken palace.</p> + +<p class="normal">With a loud "Ah!" Fräulein Aennchen stood riveted to the +ground with delight when the curtains of the entrance drew apart, displaying a +vegetable garden stretching away further than the eye could reach, of such +marvellous beauty and luxuriance as was never seen in the loveliest dreams. Here +there was growing and flourishing every thing in the nature of colewort, rape, +lettuce, pease and beans, in such a shimmer of light, and in such luxuriance +that it is impossible to describe it. A band of pipes, drums and cymbals sounded +louder, and the four gentlemen whose acquaintance she had previously made, viz. +Herr von Schwartzrettig, Monsieur de Rocambolle, Signor di Broccoli and Pan +Kapustowicz, approached with many ceremonious reverences.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My chamberlains," said Porphyrio von Ockerodastes, smiling; +and, preceded by them, he conducted Fräulein Aennchen through between the double +ranks of the bodyguard of Red English Carrots to the centre of the plain, where +stood a splendid throne. And around this throne were assembled the grandees of +the realm; the Lettuce Princes with the Bean Princesses, the Dukes of Cucumber +with the Prince of Melon at their head, the Cabbage Minister, the General +Officer of Onions and Carrots, the Colewort ladies, etc., etc., all in the gala +dresses of their rank and station. And amidst them moved up and down well on to a +hundred of the prettiest and most delightful Lavender and Fennel pages, +diffusing sweet perfume. When Ockerodastes had ascended the throne with Fräulein +Aennchen, Chief Court-Marshal Turnip waved his long wand of office, and +immediately the band stopped playing, and the multitude listened in reverential +silence as Ockerodastes raised his voice and said, in solemn accents, "My +faithful and beloved subjects, you see by my side the noble Fräulein Anna von +Zabelthau, whom I have chosen to be my consort. Rich in beauty and virtues, she +has long watched over you with the eye of maternal affection, preparing soft and +succulent beds for you, caring for you and tending you with ceaseless ardour. +She will ever be a true and befitting mother of this realm. Wherefore I call +upon you to evince and give expression to the dutiful approval, and the duly +regulated rejoicing at the favour and benefit which I am about to graciously +confer upon you."</p> + +<p class="normal">At a signal given by Chief Court-Marshal Turnip there arose +the shout of a thousand voices, the Bulb Artillery fired their pieces, and the +band of the Carrot Guard played the celebrated National Anthem--</p> + +<p class="center" style="font-size:90%">"Salad and lettuce, and parsley so green."</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a grand, a sublime moment, which drew tears from the +eyes of the grandees, particularly from those of the Colewort ladies. Fräulein +Aennchen, too, nearly lost all her self-control when she noticed that little +Ockerodastes had a crown on his head all sparkling with diamonds, and a golden +sceptre in his hand.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah!" she cried clapping her hands. "Oh, Gemini! You seem to +be something much grander than we thought, my dear Herr von Cordovanspitz."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My adored Anna," he replied, "the stars compelled me to +appear before your father under an assumed name. You must be told, dearest girl, +that I am one of the mightiest of kings, and rule over a realm whose boundaries +are not discoverable, as it has been omitted to lay them down in the maps. Oh, +sweetest Anna, he who offers you his hand and crown is Daucus Carota the First, +King of the Vegetables. All the vegetable princes are my vassals, save that the +King of the Beans reigns for one single day in every year, in conformity to an +ancient usage."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I am to be a queen, am I?" cried Fräulein Aennchen, +overjoyed. "And all this great splendid vegetable garden is to be mine?"</p> + +<p class="normal">King Daucus assured her that of course it was to be so, and +added that he and she would jointly rule over all the vegetables in the world. +She had never dreamt of anything of the kind, and thought little Cordovanspitz +wasn't anything like so nasty-looking as he used to be now that he was +transformed into King Daucus Carota the First, and that the crown and sceptre +were very becoming to him, and the kingly mantle as well. When she reckoned into +the bargain his delightful manners, and the property this marriage would bring +her, she felt certain that there wasn't a country lady in all the world who +could have made a better match than she, who found herself betrothed to a king +before she knew where she was. So she was delighted beyond measure, and asked +her royal <i>fiancé</i> whether she could not take up her abode in the palace then +and there, and be married next day. But King Daucus answered that eagerly as he +longed for the time when he might call her his own, certain constellations +compelled him to postpone that happiness a little longer. And that Herr Dapsul +von Zabelthau, moreover, must be kept in ignorance of his son-in-law's royal +station, because otherwise the operations necessary for bringing about the +desired union with the sylphide Nehabilah might be unsuccessful. Besides, he +said, he had promised that both the weddings should take place on the same day. +So Fräulein Aennchen had to take a solemn vow not to mention one syllable to +Herr Dapsul of what had been happening to her. She therefore left the silken +palace amid long and loud rejoicings of the people, who were in raptures with +her beauty as well as with her affability and gracious condescension of manners +and behaviour.</p> + +<p class="normal">In her dreams she once more beheld the realms of the charming +King Daucus, and was lapped in Elysium.</p> + +<p class="normal">The letter which she had sent to Herr Amandus von Nebelstern +made a frightful impression on him. Ere long, Fräulein Aennchen received the +following answer--</p> +<div class="quote"> +<p class="continue">'<span class="sc">Idol of my Heart, Heavenly Anna</span>,--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Daggers--sharp, glowing, poisoned, death-dealing daggers were +to me the words of your letter, which pierced my breast through and through. Oh, +Anna! <i>you</i> to be torn from me. What a thought! I cannot, even now, understand +how it was that I did not go mad on the spot and commit some terrible deed. But +I fled the face of man, overpowered with rage at my deadly destiny, after +dinner--without the game of billiards which I generally play--out into the +woods, where I wrung my hands, and called on your name a thousand times. It came +on a tremendously heavy rain, and I had on a new cap, red velvet, with a +splendid gold tassel (everybody says I never had anything so becoming). The rain +was spoiling it, and it was brand-new. But what are caps, what are velvet and +gold, to a despairing lover? I strode up and down till I was wet to the skin and +chilled to the bone, and had a terrible pain in my stomach. This drove me into a +restaurant near, where I got them to make me some excellent mulled wine, and had +a pipe of your heavenly Virginia tobacco. I soon felt myself elevated on the +wings of a celestial inspiration, took out my pocket-book, and, oh!--wondrous +gift of poetry--the love-despair and the stomach-ache both disappeared at once. +I shall content myself with writing out for you only the last of these poems; it +will inspire you with heavenly hope, as it did myself.</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i6">"Wrapped in darkest sorrow--</p> +<p class="i6">In my heart, extinguished,</p> +<p class="i6">No love-tapers burning--</p> +<p class="i6">Joy hath no to-morrow.</p> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<p class="i6">"Ha! the Muse approaches,</p> +<p class="i6">Words and rhymes inspiring,</p> +<p class="i6">Little verse inscribing,</p> +<p class="i6">Joy returns apace.</p> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<p class="i6">"New love-tapers blazing,</p> +<p class="i6">All the heart inspiring,</p> +<p class="i6">Fare thee well, my sorrow,</p> +<p class="i6">Joy thy place doth borrow.</p> +</div></div> +<p class="normal">"Ay, my sweet Anna, soon shall I, thy champion, hasten to +rescue you from the miscreant who would carry you off from me. So, once more +take comfort, sweetest maid. Bear me ever in thy heart. He comes; he rescues +you; he clasps you to his bosom, which heaves in tumultuous emotion.</p> + +<p class="right" style="margin-right:20%">"Your ever faithful</p> +<p class="right">"<span class="sc">Amandus von Nebelstern</span>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"P.S.--It would be quite impossible for me to call Herr von +Cordovanspitz out. For, oh Anna! every drop of blood drawn from your Amandus by +the weapon of a presumptuous adversary were glorious poet's blood--ichor of the +gods--which never ought to be shed. The world very properly claims that such a +spirit as mine has it imposed upon it as public duty to take care of itself for +the world's benefit, and preserve itself by every possible means. The sword of +the poet is the word--the song. I will attack my rival with Tyrtæan +battle-songs; strike him to earth with sharp-pointed epigrams; hew him down with +dithyrambics full of lover's fury. Such are the weapons of a true, genuine poet, +powerful to shield him from every danger. And it is so accoutred that I shall +appear, and do battle--victorious battle--for your hand, oh, Anna!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Farewell. I press you once more to my heart. Hope all things +from my love, and, especially, from my heroic courage, which will shun no danger +to set you free from the shameful nets of captivity in which, to all appearance, +you are entangled by a demoniacal monster."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen received this letter at a time when she was +playing a game at "Catch-me-if-you-can" with her royal bridegroom elect, King +Daucus Carota the First, in the meadow at the back of the garden, and immensely +enjoying it when, as was often the case, she suddenly ducked down in full +career, and the little king would go shooting right away over her head. Instead +of reading the letter immediately (which she had always done before), she put it +in her pocket unopened, and we shall presently see that it came too late.</p> + +<p class="normal">Herr Dapsul could not make out at all how Fräulein Aennchen +had changed her mind so suddenly, and grown quite fond of Herr Porphyrio von +Ockerodastes, whom she had so cordially detested before. He consulted the stars +on the subject, but as they gave him no satisfactory information, he was obliged +to come to the conclusion that human hearts are more mysterious and inscrutable +than all the secrets of the universe, and not to be thrown light upon by any +constellation. He could not think that what had produced love for the little +creature in Anna's heart was merely the highness of his nature; and personal +beauty he had none. If (as the reader knows) the canon of beauty, as laid down +by Herr Dapsul, is very unlike the ideas which young ladies form upon that +subject, he did, after all, possess sufficient knowledge of the world to know +that, although the said young women hold that good sense, wit, cleverness and +pleasant manners are very agreeable fellow-lodgers in a comfortable house, +still, a man who can't call himself the possessor of a properly-made, +fashionable coat--were he a Shakespeare, a Goethe, a Tieck, or a Jean Paul +Richter--would run a decided risk of being beaten out of the field by any +sufficiently well put-together lieutenant of hussars in uniform, if he took it +in his head to pay his addresses to one of them. Now in Fräulein Aennchen's case +it was a different matter altogether. It was neither good looks nor cleverness +that were in question; but it is not exactly every day that a poor country lady +becomes a queen all in a moment, and accordingly it was not very likely that +Herr Dapsul should hit upon the cause which had been operating, particularly as +the very stars had left him in the lurch.</p> + +<p class="normal">As may be supposed, those three, Herr Porphyrio, Herr Dapsul +and Fräulein Aennchen, were one heart and one soul. This went so far that Herr +Dapsul left his tower oftener than he had ever been known to do before, to chat +with his much-prized son-in-law on all sorts of agreeable subjects; and not only +this, but he now regularly took his breakfast in the house. About this hour, +too, Herr Porphyrio was wont to come forth from his silken palace, and eat a +good share of Fräulein Aennchen's bread and butter.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, ah!" she would often whisper softly in his ear, "if papa +only knew that you are a real king, dearest Cordovanspitz!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be still, oh heart! Melt not away in rapture," Daucus Carota +the First would say. "Near, near is the joyful day!"</p> + +<p class="normal">It chanced that the schoolmaster had sent Fräulein Aennchen a +present of some of the finest radishes from his garden. She was particularly +pleased at this, as Herr Dapsul was very fond of radishes, and she could not get +anything from the vegetable garden because it was covered by the silk marquee. +Besides this, it now occurred to her for the first time that, among all the +roots and vegetables she had seen in the palace, radishes were conspicuous by +their absence.</p> + +<p class="normal">So she speedily cleaned them and served them up for her +father's breakfast. He had ruthlessly shorn several of them of their leafy +crowns, dipped them in salt, and eaten them with much relish, when Cordovanspitz +came in.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, my Ockerodastes," Herr Dapsul called to him, "are you +fond of radishes?"</p> + +<p class="normal">There was still a particularly fine and beautiful radish on +the dish. But the moment Cordovanspitz saw it his eves gleamed with fury, and he +cried in a resonant voice--</p> + +<p class="normal">"What, unworthy duke, do you dare to appear in my presence +again, and to force your way, with the coolest of audacity, into a house which +is under my protection? Have I not pronounced sentence of perpetual banishment +upon you as a pretender to the imperial throne? Away, treasonous vassal; begone +from my sight for ever!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Two little legs had suddenly shot out beneath the radish's +large head, and with them he made a spring out of the plate, placed himself +close in front of Cordovanspitz, and addressed him as follows--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Fierce and tyrannical Daucus Carota the First, you have +striven in vain to exterminate my race. Had ever any of your family a head as +large as mine, or that of my king? We are all gifted with talent, common-sense, +wisdom, sharpness, cultivated manners: and whilst <i>you</i> loaf about in kitchens +and stables, and are of no use as soon as your early youth is gone (so that in +very truth it is nothing but the <i>diable de la jeunesse</i> that bestows upon you +your brief, transitory, little bit of good fortune), <i>we</i> enjoy the friendship +of, and the intercourse with, people of position, and are greeted with +acclamation as soon as ever we lift up our green heads. But I despise you, +Daucus Carota. You're nothing but a low, uncultivated, ignorant Boor, like all +the lot of you. Let's see which of us two is the better man."</p> + +<p class="normal">With this the Duke of Radish, flourishing a long whip about +his head, proceeded, without more ado, to attack the person of King Daucus +Carota the First. The latter quickly drew his little sword, and defended himself +in the bravest manner. The two little creatures darted about in the room, +fighting fiercely, and executing the most wonderful leaps and bounds, till +Daucus Carota pressed the Duke of Radish so hard that the latter found himself +obliged to make a tremendous jump out of the window and take to the open. But +Daucus Carota--with whose remarkable agility and dexterity the reader is already +acquainted--bounded out after him, and followed the Duke of Radish across +country.</p> + +<p class="normal">Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau had looked on at this terrible +encounter rigid and speechless, but he now broke forth into loud and bitter +lamentation, crying, "Oh, daughter Anna! oh, my poor unfortunate daughter Anna! +Lost--I--you--both of us. All is over with us." With which he left the room, and +ascended the astronomical tower as fast as his legs would carry him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen couldn't understand a bit, or form the very +slightest idea what in all the world had set her father into all this boundless +misery all of a sudden. The whole thing had caused her the greatest pleasure; +moreover, her heart was rejoiced that she had had an opportunity of seeing that +her future husband was brave, as well as rich and great; for it would be +difficult to find any woman in all the world capable of loving a poltroon. And +now that she had proof of the bravery of King Daucus Carota the First, it struck +her painfully, for the first time, that Herr Amandus von Nebelstern had cried +off from fighting him. If she had for a moment hesitated about sacrificing Herr +Amandus to King Daucus, she was quite decided on the point now that she had an +opportunity of assuring herself of all the excellencies of her future lord. She +sat down and wrote the following letter:--</p> + +<div class="quote"> +<p class="normal">"<span class="sc">My dear Amandus</span>,</p> + +<p class="normal">"Everything in this world is liable to change. Everything +passes away, as the schoolmaster says, and he's quite right. I'm sure <i>you</i>, my +dear Amandus, are such a learned and wise student that you will agree with the +schoolmaster, and not be in the very least surprised that my heart and mind have +undergone the least little bit of a change. You may quite believe me when I say +that I still like you very well, and I can quite imagine how nice you look in +your red velvet cap with the gold tassel. But, with regard to marriage, you know +very well, Amandus dear, that, clever as you are, and beautiful as are your +verses, you will never, in all your days, be a king, and (don't be frightened, +dear) little Herr von Cordovanspitz isn't Herr von Cordovanspitz at all, but a +great king, Daucus Carota the First, who reigns over the great vegetable +kingdom, and has chosen me to be his queen. Since my dear king has thrown aside +his incognito he has grown much nicer-looking, and I see now that papa was quite +right when he said that the head was the beauty of the man, and therefore +couldn't possibly be big enough. And then, Daucus Carota the First (you see how +well I remember the beautiful name and how nicely I write it now that has got so +familiar to me), I was going to say that my little royal husband, that is to be, +has such charming and delightful manners that there's no describing them. And +what courage, what bravery there is in him! Before my eyes he put to flight the +Duke of Radish, (and a very disagreeable, unfriendly creature <i>he</i> appears to be) +and hey, how he did jump after him out of the window! You should just have seen +him: I only wish you had! And I don't really think that my Daucus Carota would +care about those weapons of yours that you speak about one bit. He seems pretty +tough, and I don't believe verses would do him any harm at all, however fine and +pointed they might be. So now, dear Amandus, you must just make up your mind to +be contented with your lot, like a good fellow, and not be vexed with me that I +am going to be a Queen instead of marrying you. Never mind, I shall always be +your affectionate friend, and if ever you would like an appointment in the +Carrot bodyguard, or (as you don't care so much about fighting as about +learning) in the Parsley Academy or the Pumpkin Office, you have but to say the +word and your fortune is made. Farewell, and don't be vexed with</p> + +<p class="hang1" style="margin-left:25%">"Your former <i>fiancée</i>, but now friend and well-wisher, as +well +as future Queen,</p> +<p class="right" style="margin-right:15%">"<span class="sc">Anna von Zabelthau</span>.</p> +<p class="normal" style="margin-left:15%">"(but soon to be no more Von Zabelthau, but simply</p> +<p class="center">ANNA.)</p> + +<p class="normal">"P.S.--You shall always be kept well supplied with the very +finest Virginia tobacco, of that you need have no fear. As far as I can see +there won't be any smoking at my court, but I shall take care to have a bed or +two of Virginia tobacco planted not far from the throne, under my own special +care. This will further culture and morality, and my little Daucus will no doubt +have a statute specially enacted on the subject."</p> +</div> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<p class="hang1"><span class="sc">IN WHICH AN ACCOUNT IS GIVEN OF A FRIGHTFUL CATASTROPHE, AND +WE PROCEED +WITH THE FUTURE COURSE OF EVENTS.</span></p> + +<p class="continue">Fräulein Aennchen had just finished her letter to Herr Amandus +von Nebelstern, when in came Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau and began, in the +bitterest grief and sorrow to say, "O, my daughter Anna, how shamefully we are +both deceived and betrayed! This miscreant who made me believe he was Baron +Porphyrio von Ockerodastes, known as Cordovanspitz, member of a most illustrious +family descended from the mighty gnome Tsilmenech and the noble Abbess of +Cordova--this miscreant, I say--learn it and fall down insensible--<i>is</i> indeed a +gnome, but of that lowest of all gnomish castes which has charge of the +vegetables. The gnome Tsilmenech was of the highest caste of all, that, namely, +to which the care +of the diamonds is committed. Next comes the caste which has +care +of the metals in the realms of the metal-king, and then follow +the flower-gnomes, who are lower in position, as depending on the sylphs. But +the lowest and most ignoble are the vegetable gnomes, and not only is this +deceiver Cordovanspitz a gnome of this caste, but he is actual king of it, and +his name is Daucus Carota."</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen was far from fainting away, neither was she +in the smallest degree frightened, but she smiled in the kindliest way at her +lamenting papa, and the Courteous reader is aware of the reason. But as Herr +Dapsul was very much surprised at this, and kept imploring her for Heaven's sake +to realize the terrible position in which she was, and to feel the full horror +of it, she thought herself at liberty to divulge the secret entrusted to her. +She told Herr Dapsul how the so-called Baron von Cordovanspitz had told her his +real position long ago, and that since then she had found him altogether so +pleasant and delightful that she couldn't wish for a better husband. Moreover +she described all the marvellous beauties of the vegetable kingdom into which +King Daucus Carota the First had taken her, not forgetting to duly extol the +remarkably delightful manners of the inhabitants of that realm.</p> + +<p class="normal">Herr Dapsul struck his hands together several times, and wept +bitterly over the deceiving wickedness of the Gnome-king, who had been, and +still was, employing means the most artful--most dangerous for himself as +well--to lure the unfortunate Anna down into his dark, demoniac kingdom. +"Glorious," he explained, "glorious and advantageous as may be the union of an +elementary spirit with a human being, grand as is the example of this given by +the wedlock of the gnome Tsilmenech with Magdalena de la Croix (which is of +course the reason why this deceiver Daucus Carota has given himself out as being +a descendant of that union), yet the kings and princes of those races are very +different. If the Salamander kings are only irascible, the sylph kings proud and +haughty, the Undine queens affectionate and jealous, the gnome kings are fierce, +cruel, and deceitful. Merely to revenge themselves on the children of earth, who +deprive them of their vassals, they are constantly trying their utmost to lure +one of them away, who then wholly lays aside her human nature, and, becoming as +shapeless as the gnomes themselves, has to go down into the earth, and is never +more seen."</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen didn't seem disposed to believe what her +father was telling her to her dear Daucus's discredit, but began talking again +about the marvels of the beautiful vegetable country over which she was +expecting so soon to reign as queen.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Foolish, blinded child," cried Herr Dapsul, "do you not give +your father credit for possessing sufficient cabalistic science to be well aware +that what the abominable Daucus Carota made you suppose you saw was all +deception and falsehood? No, you don't believe me, and to save you, my only +child, I must convince you, and this conviction must be arrived at by most +desperate methods. Come with me."</p> + +<p class="normal">For the second time she had to go up into the astronomical +tower with her papa. From a big band-box Herr Dapsul took a quantity of yellow, +red, white, and green ribbon, and, with strange ceremonies, he wrapped Fräulein +Aennchen up in it from head to foot. He did the same to himself, and then they +both went very carefully to the silken palace of Daucus Carota the First. It was +close shut, and by her papa's directions, she had to rip a small opening in one +of the seams of it with a large pair of scissors, and then peep in at the +opening.</p> + +<p class="normal">Heaven be about us! what did she see? Instead of the beautiful +vegetable garden, the carrot guards, the plumed ladies, lavender pages, lettuce +princes, and so forth, she found herself looking down into a deep pool which +seemed to be full of a colourless, disgusting-looking slime, in which all kinds +of horrible creatures from the bowels of the earth were creeping and twining +about. There were fat worms slowly writhing about amongst each other, and +beetle-like creatures stretching out their short legs and creeping heavily out. +On their backs they bore big onions; but these onions had ugly human faces, and +kept fleering and leering at each other with bleared yellow eyes, and trying, +with their little claws (which were close behind their ears), to catch hold of +one another by their long roman noses, and drag each other down into the slime, +while long, naked slugs were rolling about in crowds, with repulsive torpidity, +stretching their long horns out of their depths. Fräulein Aennchen was nearly +fainting away at this horrid sight. She held both hands to her face, and ran +away as hard as she could.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You see now, do you not," said Herr Dapsul, "how this +atrocious Daucus Carota has been deceiving you in showing you splendours of +brief duration? He dressed his vassals up in gala dresses to delude you with +dazzling displays. But now you have seen the kingdom which you want to reign +over in undress uniform; and when you become the consort of +the frightful Daucus Carota you will have to live for ever in +the subterranean realms, and never appear on the surface any more. And +if--Oh, oh, what must I see, wretched, most miserable of +fathers that I am?"</p> + +<p class="normal">He got into such a state all in a moment that she felt certain +some fresh misfortune had just come to light, and asked him anxiously +what he was lamenting about now. However, he could do nothing +for +sheer sobbing, but stammer out, "Oh--oh--dau-gh-ter. Wha-t +ar--e +y-ou--l--l--like?" She ran to her room, looked into the +looking-glass, and started back, terrified almost to death.</p> + +<p class="normal">And she had reason; for the matter stood thus. As Herr Dapsul +was trying to open the eyes of Daucus Carota's intended queen to the danger she +was in of gradually losing her pretty figure and good looks, and growing more +and more into the semblance of a gnome queen, he suddenly became aware of how +far the process had proceeded already. Aennchen's head had got much broader and +bigger, and her skin had turned yellow, so that she was quite ugly enough +already. And though vanity was not one of her failings, she was woman enough to +know that to grow ugly is the greatest and most frightful misfortune which can +happen here below. How often had she thought how delightful it would be when she +would drive, as queen, to church in the coach and eight, with the crown on her +head, in satins and velvets, with diamonds, and gold chains, and rings, seated +beside her royal husband, setting all the women, the schoolmaster's wife +included, into amazement of admiration, and most likely, in fact, no doubt, +instilling a proper sense of respect even into the minds of the pompous lord and +lady of the manor themselves. Ay, indeed, how often had she been lapt in these +and other such eccentric dreams, and visions of the future!--Fräulein Aennchen +burst into long and bitter weeping.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Anna, my daughter Anna," cried Herr Dapsul down through the +speaking trumpet; "come up here to me immediately!"</p> + +<p class="normal">She found him dressed very much like a miner. He spoke in a +tone of decision and resolution, saying, "When need is the sorest, help is often +nearest. I have ascertained that Daucus Carota will not leave his palace to-day, +and most probably not till noon of to-morrow. He has assembled the princes of +his house, the ministers, and other people +of consequence to hold a council on the subject of the next +crop of winter cabbage. The sitting is important, and it may be prolonged so +much that we may not have any cabbage at all next winter. I mean to take +advantage of this opportunity, while he is so occupied with his official affairs +that he won't be able to attend to my proceedings, to prepare a weapon with +which I may perhaps attack this shameful gnome, and prevail over him, so that he +will be compelled to withdraw, and set you at liberty. While I am at work, do +you look uninterruptedly at the palace through this glass, and tell me instantly +if anybody comes out, or even looks out of it." She did as she was directed, but +the marquee remained closed, although she often heard (notwithstanding that Herr +Dapsul was making a tremendous hammering on plates of metal a few paces behind +her), a wild, confused crying and screaming, apparently coming from the marquee, +and also distinct sounds of slapping, as if people's ears were being well boxed. +She told Herr Dapsul this, and he was delighted, saying that the more they +quarrelled in there the less they were likely to know what was being prepared +for their destruction.</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen was much surprised when she found that Herr +Dapsul had hammered out and made several most lovely kitchen-pots and +stew-pans of copper. As an expert in such matters, she +observed that the tinning of them was done in a most superior style, so that her +papa must have paid careful heed to the duties legally enjoined on coppersmiths. +She begged to be allowed to take these nice pots and pans down to the kitchen, +and use them there. But Herr Dapsul smiled a mysterious smile, and merely said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"All in good time, my daughter Anna. Just you go downstairs, +my beloved child, and wait quietly till you see what happens to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">He gave a melancholy smile, and that infused a little hope and +confidence into his luckless daughter.</p> + +<p class="normal">Next day, as dinner-time came on, Herr Dapsul brought down his +pots and pans, and betook himself to the kitchen, telling his daughter and the +maid to go away and leave him by himself, as he was going to cook the dinner. He +particularly enjoined Fräulein Aennchen to be as kind and pleasant with +Cordovanspitz as ever she could, when he came in--as he was pretty sure to do.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cordovanspitz--or rather, King Daucus Carota the First--did +come in very soon, and if he had borne himself like an ardent lover on previous +occasions, he far outdid himself on this. Aennchen noticed, to her terror, that +she had grown so small by this time, that Daucus had no difficulty in getting up +into her lap to caress and kiss her; and the wretched girl had to submit to +this, notwithstanding her disgust with the horrid little monster. Presently Herr +Dapsul came in, and said--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, my most egregious Porphyrio von Ockerodastes, won't you +come into the kitchen with my daughter and me, and see what beautiful order your +future bride has got everything in there?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Aennchen had never seen the wicked, malicious look upon her +father's face before, which it wore when he took little Daucus by the arm, and +almost forced him from the sitting-room to the kitchen. At a sign of her +father's she went there after them.</p> + +<p class="normal">Her heart swelled within her when she saw the fire burning so +merrily, the glowing coals, the beautiful copper pots and pans. As Herr Dapsul +drew Cordovanspitz closer to the fire-place, the hissing and bubbling in the +pots grew louder and louder, and at last changed into whimpering and groaning. +And out of one of the pots came voices, crying, "Oh Daucus Carota! Oh King, +rescue your faithful vassals! Rescue us poor carrots! Cut up, thrown into +despicable water; rubbed over with salt and butter to our torture, we suffer +indescribable woe, whereof a number of noble young parsleys are partakers with +us!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And out of the pans came the plaint: "Oh Daucus Carota! Oh +King! Rescue your faithful vassals--rescue us poor carrots. We are roasting in +hell--and they put so little water with us, that our direful +thirst forces us to drink our own heart's blood!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And from another of the pots came: "Oh Daucus Carota! Oh King! +Rescue your faithful vassals--rescue us poor carrots. A horrible cook +eviscerated us, and stuffed our insides full of egg, cream, and butter, so that +all our ideas and other mental qualities are in utter confusion, and we don't +know ourselves what we are thinking about!"</p> + +<p class="normal">And out of all the pots and pans came howling at once a +general +chorus of "Oh Daucus Carota! Mighty King! Rescue us, thy +faithful vassals--rescue us poor carrots!"</p> + +<p class="normal">On this, Cordovanspitz gave a loud, croaking cry of--"Cursed, +infernal, stupid humbug and nonsense!" sprang with his usual agility on to the +kitchen range, looked into one of the pots, and suddenly popped down into it +bodily. Herr Dapsul sprang in the act of putting on the cover, with a triumphant +cry of "a Prisoner!" But with the speed of a spiral spring Cordovanspitz came +bounding up out of the pot, and gave Herr Dapsul two or three ringing slaps on +the face, crying "Meddling goose of an old Cabalist, you shall pay for this! +Come out, my lads, one and all!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Then there came swarming out of all the pots and pans hundreds +and hundreds of little creatures about the length of one's finger, and they +attached themselves firmly all over Herr Dapsul's body, threw him down backwards +into an enormous dish, and there dished him up, pouring the hot juice out of the +pots and pans over him, and bestrewing him with chopped egg, mace, and grated +breadcrumbs. Having done this, Daucus Carota darted out of the window, and his +people after him.</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen sank down in terror beside the dish whereon +her poor papa lay, served up in this manner as if for table. She supposed he was +dead, as he gave not the faintest sign of life.</p> + +<p class="normal">She began to lament: "Ah, poor papa--you're dead now, and +there's nobody to save me from this diabolical Daucus!" But Herr Dapsul opened +his eyes, sprang up from the dish with renewed energy, and cried in a terrible +voice, such as she had never heard him make use of before, "Ah accursed Daucus +Carota, I am not at the end of my resources yet. You shall soon see what the +meddling old goose of a Cabalist can do."</p> + +<p class="normal">Aennchen had to set to work and clean him with the kitchen +besom from all the chopped egg, the mace, and the grated breadcrumbs; and then +he seized a copper pot, crammed it on his head by way of a helmet, took a +frying-pan in his left hand, and a long iron kitchen ladle in his right, and +thus armed and accoutred, he darted out into the open. Fräulein Aennchen saw him +running as hard as he could towards Cordovanspitz's marquee, and yet never +moving from the same spot. At this her senses left her.</p> + +<p class="normal">When she came to herself, Herr Dapsul had disappeared, and she +got terribly anxious when evening came, and night, and even the next morning, +without his making his appearance. She could not but dread the very worst.</p> + +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<p class="normal"><span class="sc">WHICH IS THE LAST--AND, AT THE SAME TIME, THE MOST EDIFYING OF +ALL</span>.</p> + +<p class="continue">Fräulein Aennchen was sitting in her room in the deepest +sorrow, +when the door opened, and who should come in but Herr Amandus +von Nebelstern. All shame and contrition, she shed a flood of tears, and in the +most weeping accents addressed him as follows: "Oh, my darling Amandus, pray +forgive what I wrote to you in my blinded state! I was bewitched, and I am so +still, no doubt. I am yellow, and I'm hideous, may God pity me! But my heart is +true to you, and I am not going to marry any king at all."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear girl," said Amandus, "I really don't see what you +have to complain of. I consider you one of the luckiest women in the world."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, don't mock at me," she cried. "I am punished severely +enough for my absurd vanity in wishing to be a Queen."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Really and truly, my dear girl," said Amandus, "I can't make +you +out one bit. To tell you the real truth, your last letter +drove me stark, staring mad. I first thrashed my servant-boy, then my poodle, +smashed several glasses--and you know a student who's breathing out threatenings +and slaughter in that sort of way isn't to be trifled with. But when I got a +little calmer I made up my mind to come on here as quickly as I could, and see +with my own eyes how, why, and to whom I had lost my intended bride. Love makes +no distinction of class or station, and I made up my mind that I would make this +King Daucus Carota give a proper account of himself, and ask him if this tale +about his marrying you was mere brag, or if he really meant it--but everything +here is different to what I expected. As I was passing near the grand marquee +that is put up yonder, King Daucus Carota came out of it, and I soon found that +I had before me the most charming prince I ever saw--at the same time he happens +to be the first I ever did see; but that's nothing. For, just fancy, my dear +girl, he immediately detected the sublime poet in me, praised my poems (which he +has never read) above measure, and offered to appoint me Poet Laureate in his +service. Now a position of that sort has long been the fairest goal of my +warmest wishes, so that I accepted his offer with a thousandfold delight. Oh, my +dear girl, with what an enthusiasm of inspiration will I chant your praises! A +poet can love queens and princesses: or rather, it is really a part of his +simple duty to choose a person of that exalted station to be the lady of his +heart. And if he <i>does</i> get rather cracky in the head on the subject, that +circumstance of itself gives rise to that celestial delirium without which no +poetry is possible, and no one ought to feel any surprise at a poet's perhaps +somewhat extravagant proceedings. Remember the great Tasso, who must have had a +considerable bee in his bonnet when in love with the Princess Leonore d'Este. +Yes, my dear girl, as you are going to be a queen so soon, you will always be +the lady of my heart, and I will extol you to the stars in the sublimest and +most celestial verses."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What, you have seen him, the wicked Cobold?" Fräulein +Aennchen broke out in the deepest amazement. "And he has----"</p> + +<p class="normal">But at that moment in came the little gnomish King himself, +and said, in the tenderest accents, "Oh, my sweet, darling <i>fiancée</i>! Idol of my +heart! Do not suppose for a moment that I am in the least degree annoyed with +the little piece of rather unseemly conduct which Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau was +guilty of. Oh, no--and indeed it has led to the more rapid fulfilment of my +hopes; so that the solemn ceremony of our marriage will actually be celebrated +to-morrow. You will be pleased to find that I have appointed Herr Amandus von +Nebelstern our Poet Laureate, and I should wish him at once to favour us with a +specimen of his talents, and recite one of his poems. But let us go out under +the trees, for I love the open air: and I will lie in your lap, while you, my +most beloved bride elect, may scratch my head a little while he is singing--for +I am fond of having my head scratched in such circumstances."</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennschen, turned to stone with horror and alarm, +made no resistance to this proposal. Daucus Carota, out under the trees, +laid himself in her lap, she scratched his head, and Herr +Amandus, accompanying himself on the guitar, began the first of twelve dozen +songs which he had composed and written out in a thick book.</p> + +<p class="normal">It is matter of regret that in the Chronicle of Dapsulheim +(from which all this history is taken), these songs have not been inserted, it +being merely stated that the country folk who were passing, stopped on their +way, and anxiously inquired who could be in such terrible pain in Herr Dapsul's +wood, that he was crying and screaming out in such a style.</p> + +<p class="normal">Daucus Carota, in Aennschen's lap, twisted and writhed, and +groaned and whined more and more lamentably, as if he had a violent pain in his +stomach. Moreover, Fräulein Aennchen fancied she observed, to her great +amazement, that Cordovanspitz was growing smaller and smaller as the song went +on. At last Herr Amandus sung the following sublime effusion (which is preserved +in the Chronicle):--</p> +<div class="poem"> +<p class="i6">"Gladly sings the Bard, enraptured,</p> +<p class="i6">Breath of blossoms, bright dream-visions,</p> +<p class="i4">Moving thro' roseate spaces in Heaven,</p> +<p class="i4">Blessed and beautiful, whither away?</p> +<p class="i6">'Whither away?' oh, question of questions--</p> +<p class="i6">Towards that 'Whither,' the Bard is borne onward,</p> +<p class="i6">Caring for nought but to love, to believe.</p> +<p class="i4">Moving through roseate heavenly spaces,</p> +<p class="i4">Towards this 'Whither,' where'er it may be,</p> +<p class="i4">Singeth the bard, in a tumult of rapture,</p> +<p class="i4">Ever becoming a radiant em----"</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">At this point, Daucus Carota uttered a loud croaking cry, and, +now dwindled into a little, little carrot, slipped down from Aennchen's lap, and +into the ground, leaving no trace behind. Upon which, the great grey fungus +which had grown in the night time beside the grassy bank, shot up and up; but +this fungus was nothing less than Herr Dapsul von Zabelthau's grey felt hat, and +he himself was under it, and fell stormily on Amandus's breast, crying out in +the utmost ecstasy, "Oh, my dearest, best, most beloved Herr Amandus von +Nebelstern, with that mighty song of conjuration you have beaten all my +cabalistic science out of the held? What the profoundest magical art, the utmost +daring of the philosopher fighting for his very existence, could not accomplish, +your verses achieved, passing into the frame of the deceitful Daucus Carota like +the deadliest poison, so that he must have perished of stomach-ache, in spite of +his gnomish nature, if he had not made off into his kingdom. My daughter Anna is +delivered--I am delivered from the horrible charm which held me spellbound here +in the shape of a nasty fungus, at the risk of being hewn to pieces by my own +daughter's hands; for the good soul hacks them all down with her spade, unless +their edible character is unmistakable, as in the case of the mushrooms. Thanks, +my most heartfelt thanks, and I have no doubt your intentions as regards my +daughter have undergone no change. I am sorry to say she has lost her good +looks, through the machinations of that inimical gnome; but you are too much of +a philosopher to----"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, dearest papa," cried Aennchen, overjoyed; "just look +there! The silken palace is gone! The abominable monster is off and away with +all his tribe of salad-princes, cucumber-ministers, and Lord knows what all!" +And she ran away to the vegetable garden, delighted, Herr Dapsul following as +fast as he could. Herr Amandus went behind them, muttering to himself, "I'm sure +I don't know quite what to make of all this. But this I maintain, that that ugly +little carrot creature is a vile, prosaic lubber, and none of your poetical +kings, or my sublime lay wouldn't have given him the stomach-ache, and sent him +scuttling into the ground."</p> + +<p class="normal">As Fräulein Aennchen was standing in the vegetable garden, +where there wasn't the trace of a green blade to be seen, she suddenly felt a +sharp pain in the finger which had on the fateful ring. At the same time a cry +of piercing sorrow sounded from the ground, and the tip of a carrot peeped out. +Guided by her inspiration she quickly took the ring off (it came quite easily +this time), stuck it on to the carrot, and the latter disappeared, while the cry +of sorrow ceased. But, oh, wonder of wonders! all at once Fräulein Aennchen was +as pretty as ever, +well-proportioned, and as fair and white as a country lady can +be expected to be. She and her father rejoiced greatly, while Amandus stood +puzzled, and not knowing what to make of it all.</p> + +<p class="normal">Fräulein Aennchen took the spade from the maid, who had come +running up, and flourished it in the air with a joyful shout of "Now let's set +to work," in doing which she was unfortunate enough to deal Herr Amandus such a +thwack on the head with it (just at the place where the Sensorium Commune is +supposed to be situated) that he fell down as one dead.</p> + +<p class="normal">Aennchen threw the murderous weapon far from her, cast herself +down beside her beloved, and broke out into the most +despairing lamentations, whilst the maid poured the contents of a watering pot +over him, and Herr Dapsul quickly ascended the astronomic tower to consult the +stars with as little delay as possible as to whether Herr Amandus was dead or +not. But it was not long before the latter opened his eyes again, jumped to his +legs, clasped Fräulein Aennchen in his arms, and cried, with all the rapture of +affection, "Now, my best and dearest Anna, we are one another again."</p> + +<p class="normal">The very remarkable, scarcely credible effect of this +occurrence on the two lovers very soon made itself perceptible. Fräulein +Aennchen took a dislike to touching a spade, and she did really reign like a +queen over the vegetable world, inasmuch as, though taking care that her vassals +were properly supervised and attended to, she set no hand to the work herself, +but entrusted it to maids in whom she had confidence.</p> + +<p class="normal">Herr Amandus, for his part, saw now that everything he had +ever written in the shape of verses was wretched, miserable trash, and, burying +himself in the works of the real poets, both of ancient and modern times, his +being was soon so filled with a beneficent enthusiasm that no room was left for +any consideration of himself. He arrived at the conviction that a real poem has +got to be something other than a confused jumble of words shaken together under +the influence of a crude, jejeune delirium, and threw all his own (so-called) +poetry, of which he had had such a tremendous opinion, into the fire, becoming +once more quite the sensible young gentleman, clear and open in heart and mind, +which he had been originally.</p> + +<p class="normal">And one morning Herr Dapsul did actually come down from his +astronomical tower to go to church with Fräulein Aennchen and Herr Amandus von +Nebelstern on the occasion of their marriage.</p> + +<p class="normal">They led an exceedingly happy wedded life. But as to whether +Herr Dapsul's union with the Sylphide Nehabilah ever actually came to anything +the Chronicle of Dapsulheim is silent.</p> + +<br> +<p class="normal">During the reading of this the Friends had laughed a good +deal, and they were unanimously of opinion that, though there was not a great +deal in the plot, yet that the details were so humorous and droll that, as a +whole, the tale was a success.</p> + +<p class="normal">"As to the plot," Vincenz said, "there is rather a curious +circumstance connected with that. Not long since, happening to be dining at the +table of a certain lady of princely rank, there was a lady present who had on a +gold ring with a beautiful topaz, of which the remarkably antique-looking form +and workmanship attracted universal attention. We thought it had been some +precious heirloom, and were astonished to hear that it had been found sticking +on a carrot dug up on her property a few years previously. Probably it had been +lying pretty deep in the ground, and had been brought towards the surface when +the land was trenched, so that the carrot had grown through it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The Princess pointed out what a good idea for a story this +suggested, and wished that I should set to work to write one at once on the +subject. So, you see, I hadn't far to go for the idea of the 'Vegetable King and +his People,' and I claim the invention of them for myself, for there isn't a +trace of him to be found in Gabalis or any other book of the kind."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," said Lothair, "I think we may say that on none of our +former Serapion evenings has our fare been of a more various character than +to-night. And it is good that we have managed to emerge from that gruesome +darkness into which we had wandered somehow--I am sure it is hard to tell +why--into the clear, brightsome light of day, although, no doubt, a serious, +careful person might, with some reason, say that all the fantastic matter which +we have so long been going on spinning and accumulating might have a +considerable tendency to induce confusion of head, if not headache and +feverishness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We should all do the best we can," said Theodore. "But let no +one deem that his own particular qualities and powers constitute the norm of +what the human understanding is to have laid before it. For there are +people--good sensible folks enough in other respects--who are so easily made +giddy in their heads that they think the rapid flight of an awakened imagination +is the result of an unsound condition of mind. So that such people say, of this +or the other writer, that he only writes when he is under the influence of +intoxicating drinks, and attribute his imaginative writings to over-excited +nerves, and a certain amount of deliriousness thence arising. But everybody +knows that although a condition of mind raising from either of those causes can +give rise to a happy thought, or fortunate idea, it is impossible that it can +yield perfect and finished work, because that demands the very quietest study +and consideration."</p> + +<p class="normal">On this evening Theodore had set before his friends some +remarkably superior wine sent to him by a friend on the Rhine. He poured what +remained of it into the glasses, and said:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot explain why it should be so; but a melancholy +foreboding comes upon me that we are going to part for a long time, and may, +perhaps, never meet again. But surely the remembrance of those Serapion evenings +will long live in our minds. We have given free play to the capricious +promptings of our fancy. Each of us has spoken out what he saw in his mind's +eye, without supposing his ideas to be anything extraordinary, or giving them +forth as being so, knowing well that the first essential of all effective +composition is that kindly unpretendingness which is the thing that has the +power to warm the heart and please the mind. If Fate is about to part us, then +let us always faithfully follow the rule of Saint Serapion, and vowing this to +each other, drink this last glass of our wine."</p> + +<p class="normal">What Theodore suggested was accordingly done.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + +<hr class="W100"> +<h3>LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, +LIMITED, STANFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.</h3> + +<br> + +<br> +<p class="normal"><br> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Serapion Brethren., by +Ernst Theordor Wilhelm Hoffmann + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SERAPION BRETHREN. *** + +***** This file should be named 31668-h.htm or 31668-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/6/6/31668/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from scans provided by Google Books + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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