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Title: The Necromancer: or The Tale of the Black Forest.
   Founded on Facts.
Original title: Der Geisterbanner.
   Eine Wundergeschichte aus mndlichen und schriftlichen Traditionen.
Author: Flammenberg, Lorenz [Kahlert, Karl Friedrich] (1765-1813)
Translator: Teuthold, Peter (active around 1794)
Author [preface]: Summers, Augustus Montague (1880-1948)
Date of first publication: 1792 [German original];
   1794 [translation]; 1927 [preface]
Edition used as base for this ebook:
   London: Robert Holden, 1927
Date first posted: 1 November 2012
Date last updated: 1 November 2012
Project Gutenberg Canada ebook #1005

This ebook was produced by
Barbara Watson, woodie4, Mark Akrigg
& the Online Distributed Proofreading Canada Team
at http://www.pgdpcanada.net





    THE NECROMANCER:

    OR

    THE TALE OF THE BLACK FOREST


    FOUNDED ON FACTS


    Translated from the German of

    LAWRENCE FLAMMENBERG

    By PETER TEUTHOLD


    LONDON
    ROBERT HOLDEN & CO. LTD.
    31, GOWER STREET, W.C.1
    1927



    _Printed in Great Britain by
    John Wright and Sons Ltd., Stonebridge, Bristol_





                             INTRODUCTION


As in England, so in Germany, the Romantic Movement, which among us may
conveniently (if not quite exactly) be said to have commenced with the
publication of _The Castle of Otranto_ in 1765, had its first and
perhaps most enthusiastic stirrings in the late decades of the
eighteenth century, the middle years of which era were, in Germany,
dominated by two great figures; Lessing, who was, in some sense, the
flower and most brilliant exponent of the past, and Klopstock, who
foreshadowed the years that were to come. It may truly be said that
until 1750 England was not in touch with German thought and German
literature. Translations there had been, but these were almost entirely
of scientific and theological works, and, when one considers how jejune
was the preceding period, the number of versions made from the German,
the wide study of contemporary German literature, the influence of
German dramatists and novelists upon the stage and in the library, from
roughly 1790 to 1820, cannot but be regarded as a most extraordinary
literary phenomenon. The ground had long lain fallow, and the harvest
was bounteous to superfluity.

It has been said, and the observation is indeed acute, that one of the
predisposing causes of this sudden concentration upon German literature
was the employment by England of German troops in the American War of
Independence. This has been particularly pointed out by F. Jeffrey who,
in his notice of Lichtenberg's _Vermischte Schriften_ in the _Edinburgh
Review_, January, 1804, definitely gives as his considered opinion that
"During the American War, the intercourse with Britain was strengthened
by many well-known causes. The German officers in our service
communicated the knowledge of their books and language. Pamphlets,
plays, novels, and other light pieces, were circulated in America, and
found their way, after the peace, into England." There were, of course,
other causes at work: Prussia was consolidating her power, and assuming
no small international importance; friendlier and closer, until they
reached the ties of stanchest (if interested) kinship and bonds of
blood, grew the relations between the English court and Germany, and
these cordialities were more zealously fostered and encouraged by none
than by Queen Charlotte, who had brought the painful and drudging
etiquette of the little court of Mecklenberg-Strelitz to St. James's,
and whose wishes and whose patronage, both of which carried no small
weight, were invariably and obstinately exercised in the direction of
things German.

A little later the declaration of war against France in 1793 would,
however absurdly and illogically, divert popular favour from French
thought and literature to other sources of intellectual activity, and
these fertile Germany was eager and ready to supply.

Nor must it be forgotten that there was in England a devoted and
enthusiastic group of German scholars and students, for the most part
exiles from their native land, and with the burning patriotism that
distinguishes every Teuton, these ardent spirits proceeded to exhaust
every energy in the tireless pursuit of literary propaganda on behalf of
their Fatherland.

This small but eager fraternity translated into English German works of
every kind, both for the entertainment of leisure moments, and for the
study of more serious hours; and sometimes, in reading these, we
recognize the alien hand, since the phrasing is not infrequently far
from impeccable, and the idiosyncrasies of the grammar betray their
remoter origin. Conversely, many English books were translated into
German, and here, it is to be hoped, a greater standard of correctness
was obtained. Moreover, as is the bounden duty of every German
professor, each of these sojourners on English soil composed a German
grammar, and we cannot doubt that every one of these primers has a full,
final, and comprehensive list of all the irregular verbs. Many of these
enthusiasts were the Lutheran pastors of German congregations in London.
Such, for example, was the Reverend Doctor G. F. Wendeborn, who came to
England about 1767, and ministered in a small church at Ludgate Hill. In
1774 he published his _Elements of German Grammar_; a second edition of
which appeared in 1790, and a third in 1797. There had already been
three grammars, one by Martin Aedler, _High Dutch Minerva  la Mode_,
1680; one by Offelen in 1687; and one by John King in 1706. But when
Wendeborn published his accidence, the only German grammar in use was
that by James John Bachmaier, first issued in 1751, which in twenty
years had reached its third edition. In 1799 two German grammars were
published, the most correct that by the Reverend Doctor Wilhelm Render,
who designated himself "teacher of the German language in the University
of Cambridge"; the other by George Crabb; but this latter is
unfortunately full of errors, so that our English philologist was
obliged to submit it to a somewhat drastic revision, and reprint it in
the following year as a second edition. In 1800 also yet another grammar
appeared, by Georg Heinrich Noehden, who had settled in England in
1793, and is notable as being one of the earliest translators of
Schiller.

Many other names, and these not wholly undistinguished, nor entirely
forgotten, might be cited to show how industrious and intent was this
colony of German literary men, and it must be borne in mind also, that
at social gatherings, lectures, and other meetings, they pressed the
claims of their country's literature with an ardour and a zest that by
no means fell on sterile ground. In proportion, the readers of novels
were as many then as they are to-day. Especially favoured were the
sentimental and sensational romances. It so happened that Germany could
offer almost inexhaustible draughts of these vintages, and our fair
readers were only too anxious to drain these cups of fancy to the dregs.
Even the lees of literary wine were not rejected, nay, rather they were
quaffed in bumpers and bellarmines, and later critics have not unjustly
complained that much which in its own native land was regarded as of
trifling account, here was welcomed, discussed, and bepraised.

It is, indeed, extraordinary to remark that Johann Gottfried Herder and
Schiller were not translated into English before 1790. Goethe's
_Werther_ at first appeared in a version which followed a French
adaptation, and new editions of this were issued until 1795. The first
translation from the original was published in 1786, and no fewer than
eighteen editions of new translations--there were perhaps more--have
been listed between 1790 and 1830. Lessing was hardly known, but Weiland
was more popular; no fewer than seven of his works appeared in various
versions between 1764 and 1790. Klopstock's _Messias_, when translated,
cannot be said to have become widely popular, although there are
imitations by minor writers, and Henry Mackenzie in 1788 spoke of this
author as being "but little known in this country, though his genius is
revered, even to idolatry, in his own." On the other hand, Conrad
Gessner was immensely admired among us, and Mrs. Collyer's translation
of _Der Tod Abels_ had run into eighteen editions by 1782.

It has been said that probably the first occasion upon which Schiller's
name was publicly pronounced in the British Isles was when the
celebrated author of _The Man of Feeling_, Henry Mackenzie, on April 21,
1788, read a paper dealing with the German drama before the Royal
Society of Edinburgh. It is noticeable that Mackenzie's knowledge of the
German theatre was derived from French sources, and French translations
of the plays. The lecturer found little to commend in such dramas as
_Minna von Barnhelm_, or _Gtz Berlichingen_. But when he approached
_Die Ruber_, his admiration, nay his enthusiasm, overwhelms him in a
flood of perfervid eloquence. He at once declares: "the most remarkable
and the most strongly impressive of all the pieces contained in these
volumes is..._Les Voleurs_, a tragedy by Mr. Schiller, a young man
who, at the time of writing it, was only twenty-three." _Die Ruber_ is
a "wonderful drama...most interesting and impressive," whilst its
language is praised as being "in the highest degree eloquent,
impassioned, and sublime." He is bound, of course, to warn his hearers
that a serpent lurks beneath the flowers, that the criminal actions of
thieves are covered with a veil of tender sentiment expressed in poetic
phrase, that the pure is impure, but, in spite of such subversive
tendencies, the cool and cautious Mackenzie was constrained to
acknowledge that Schiller's great drama appeared to him "one of the most
uncommon productions of untutored genius that modern times can boast."

This paper, Sir Walter Scott tells us, "made much noise and produced a
powerful effect." _Die Ruber_ was translated in 1792 by Lord
Woodhouselee (Alexander Fraser Tytler), and soon ran into several
editions, for such was its popularity, that the fourth issue was pirated
at Paris in 1800. Other versions were made by Doctor Wilhelm Render, of
whom we have already spoken; and by Mr. Thompson in the _German
Theatre_, 1804. In this last considerable freedoms have been taken, but
perhaps this is not a matter for criticism, since it is frankly stated
to be arranged with a view to representation on the English stage. Dr.
Render's version, which pretends to be faithful, is, in fact, very
garbled and faulty; it has even been described as "a mere schoolboy
performance," although this failure is no doubt due to the worthy
pastor's ignorance of the English idiom.

Schiller's _Die Ruber_ was published in 1781, and this dramatic
narrative, which traces out the innermost workings of the soul,
immediately set the imagination of all the young men in Germany aglow
and aflame. Even in our own country Coleridge, who at Cambridge found
_Die Ruber_ in a friend's rooms and sat down to read it one wild
November midnight of 1794, when at last he threw aside the book, it was
but to snatch his pen and, in a state of mind bordering upon panic, to
write to Southey: "My God, Southey, who is this Schiller, this convulser
of the heart?...upon my soul I write to you because I am frightened....
Why have we ever called Milton sublime?" Hazlitt too declares that when
he first read Schiller's drama, it "stunned him, like a blow."

In Germany, Charles von Moor, the gallant, nobly-intellectual, generous
thief, became the object of such literary idolatry that a number of
green young undergraduates incontinently forsook their homes and their
college halls, and went forth into the byways and forests to levy
contributions from the rich, to relieve the poor, to address distant
castles and fair landscapes in eloquent soliloquy, to apostrophize the
silent rising of the silver moon, to drink goodly flasks of Rhenish in
shadowy cavern or in the crumbling cloisters of some ancient hermitage,
to lead a band of loyal lion-hearted comrades, to be acclaimed as heroes
in drama and in song. Actual experience, however, wonderfully cooled
their courage; they found that the rough robbers of everyday life must
be very different fellows from the conventional bandits of the novel or
the stage, and that the grim inside of a prison, although very well to
read about in poetry and in play, was a vastly different matter when
they came sadly to investigate it in their own proper persons.

Although it is to be hoped that few will go to these wild extremes, it
is not to be denied that we all of us indulge a sneaking sympathy with
the great and successful thieves of history and romance. It may be the
daring and ingenuity of their depredations, it may be the interest ever
awakened by the record of perilous adventure, it may be that we realize
that they are fighting gamely against tremendous odds, these fellows
interest us in spite of ourselves, and we can none of us but feel a
thrill of joy when they make good their escape. Almost every country in
Europe has its traditional thief. What English boy is there who is not
proud of his Robin Hood, Claude Duval, Dick Turpin, Jack Sheppard, and
the rest of those knights of the forest and the heath, the country road
and the town, who were both the dread and delight of England during the
good old eighteenth century? As a matter of sober fact John Sheppard and
Richard Turpin were vile ruffians, and Heaven forbid we should meet the
blackguards or their like outside the pages of romance. But in Harrison
Ainsworth's _Jack Sheppard_ and _Rookwood_, or in the _Newgate
Calendar_, or in _Half-Hours with the Highwaymen_, I, for my part, am
always ready to afford them hearty welcome. The immense popularity of
our detective stories, of _Raffles_ and _The Ringer_ upon the stage,
shows that we are, all of us, of one heart and mind.

Names and costumes change, but, just below the surface, taste does not.
A century ago there were no two more popular plays in the London theatre
than _The Miller and his Men_ and _The Brigand_. _The Miller and his
Men_, by Isaac Pocock, which was first produced at Covent Garden on
October 21, 1813, with Farley, Liston, Mrs. Egerton, and Miss Booth in
the cast, met with a brilliant reception. The scene is laid on "the
Banks of a River on the Borders of a Forest in Bohemia." It was
certainly written under German influence, and I suspect a direct German
origin. The plot is unusually combustible; Grindoff, the miller, is, in
fact, a robber chief, and the millers in their floury frocks are his
band. Their captain, when at home in his forest lair, dons your true
thief's unmistakable attire: "salmon-coloured pantaloons; dark tunic,
with large brass plates and studs down the front; short russet
ankle-boots, with small tops turned over; a long dark cloak; dark brown
cap, and small feather." If only it had been a large funereal plume!

_The Brigand_, by J. R. Planch, was produced at Drury Lane in November,
1829. James Wallack played the hero, Alessandro Mazzaroni, "with song
_Gentle Zitella_." At the Surrey, with T. P. Cooke as Mazzaroni; at
Sadler's Wells, with George Almer; at the Coburg, with Thomas Cobham,
"the Kemble of the minor theatres"; at the Garrick, with Charles
Freer--_The Brigand_ was performed to thronging houses. So popular,
indeed, has _The Brigand_ proved, that it was taken as the libretto of
an opera produced in Dublin in 1894, whilst the original _Miller and
his Men_ was still being acted at the Britannia Theatre, Hoxton, some
thirty years ago. Both _The Brigand_ and _The Miller and his Men_ I have
seen performed with great applause, in which I heartily joined, upon the
stages of my good friend Mr. Pollock.

An evergreen attraction in the theatre, in fiction the romantic robber
held even greater sway. The vagabond literature of England is famous.
The Elizabethans were never tired of describing contemporary rogues and
rascals; Francis Kirkham won an extraordinary success with his _English
Rogue_, wherein are comprehended "the most eminent Cheats of both
Sexes"; there is a _Scotch Rogue_, and an _Irish Rogue_ too, but these
are dull folk. The library of knaves and padders is enormous; with Defoe
and Fielding's immortal _Jonathan Wild_ we are upon the heights.
Banditti frequently make their appearance in the castles and forests of
Mrs. Radcliffe: perhaps the most interesting chapter in Lewis's _The
Monk_ is that which describes the adventures of Don Raymond with the
robbers in the wood near Strasbourg. Lewis also, it may be remembered,
adapted Zschokke's famous _Abllino, der grosse Bandit_, as _The Bravo
of Venice_. Robbers revel and carouse in Henry Guy's _Angelina, or,
Mystic Captives_; in Isaac Crookenden's _The Italian Banditti_; in
Vincent's _The Castle of the Apennines_; in _The Sicilian Pirate_; in
_The Black Monk_, and in scores of similar romances. And, as if England
had not sufficient store of thieves of her own, Germany supplied us with
amplest contributions, for the German robber romances are many as the
sands of the sea. Some half a dozen names will give the cue to many
hundreds. Sensation is at its reddest and most lurid in tales such as:
_Lorenzo, the Wild Man of the Forest, or, The Robber-Maid; Coronato the
Terrible, or,_ _Abllino among the Calabrians; Lutardo, or, the
Robber-Chief; Karl Strahlheim, or, the Grateful Robber; Angelica,
Daughter of the Great Robber Odoardo, Prince of Pechia; A Tale of
Murderer Martin, the Peasant._ It is even said that several chapters of
the most famous of them all, _Rinaldo Rinaldini_ by Vulpius, are from
the pen of Goethe.

_The Necromancer of the Black Forest_ may, I think, be taken as a
romance of this type which is far above the average. Peter Teuthold, the
translator of the novel, was probably one of the Germans living in
England, whose literary activity has already been commented upon and
described. He himself apologizes for the defects of his rendering, and
indeed in the edition of 1794 there are some few awkwardnesses of
phrase, not to say grammatical errors and mistakes, which a re-issue
very justly emended. Since these solecisms could only jar on the English
reader and interfere with the interest of the narrative, the corrections
have been duly accepted in the present reprint. Lawrence Flammenberg is
the pseudonym of K. F. Kahlert. It seems probable that various local
legends of the Black Forest have been woven together to form a single
narrative. This might perhaps have been managed more skilfully, but
seemingly the author was too much absorbed in his several episodes to
trouble overmuch about the unity of the whole. The incidents are often
violent and even extravagant, but so desperate, wild, and lawless were
the times, that it is not impossible they may have had some foundation
in fact. A bare fifteen years before the publication of this novel by
the Minerva Press an end had been put to a vast secret society known as
the "Buxen," who from 1736 to 1779 ravaged the whole district of
Limburg, parts of Lorraine and the province of Treves. Their wonted
proceeding was to assemble after nightfall in some remote and haunted
spot, when a Satanic Mass was celebrated, during which horrid
ceremonies young recruits were initiated into the gang. It is said that
no less than three ruined sanctuaries were thus desecrated--S. Rose near
Sittardt, S. Leonard near Roldyck, and a lone chapel at Oermond on the
Maas. They then sallied forth plundering manors and farms, and even
burning down the smaller villages. Terror reigned throughout the whole
countryside. They could not be exterminated until the sternest measures
were taken. Permanent gallows were set up in large numbers and the beam
was seldom empty. But that was not enough. Between 1772 and 1774 over a
hundred Buxen were burned alive or broken on the wheel, since hanging
was considered too easy a fate. At length, Leopold Leeuwerk, their
chaplain, as he was dubbed, a Satanist who laid claim to occult powers,
and Abraham Nathan, one of the chief leaders, an atrocious villain, were
captured, and put to death at Haeck on the moor of Graed, on September
24, 1772. Their organization was singularly complete, and perhaps
Kahlert had Leeuwerk in view when he described Volkert. However that may
be, and in spite of a certain looseness of construction, the episodes in
the romance are related with a sombre forcefulness and power, which even
now is able to command our interest and compel our attention. It would
hardly be possible to select a more typical specimen of its kind, and,
as such, which no doubt Jane Austen intended, it is now once again set
forth, tendered, and presented.

                                                      MONTAGUE SUMMERS.




                        PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR


The wonderful Incidents related in the following Sheets, not being made
up of tiresome Love Intrigues, repeated again and again in almost every
new Book of Amusement, will, as I flatter myself, not be quite
displeasing to the reader, on account of the Novelty of the Subject. The
strange mysterious Events which occur in this little Performance are
founded on Facts, the authenticity of which can be warranted by the
Translator, who has lived many Years not far from the principal Place of
Action.

If the Subject of the following Tale should be thought interesting and
amusing, the Public may expect a speedy Publication of a still more
intricated and wonderful one, exhibiting a long Series of similar
Frauds, perpetrated under the mysterious Veil of pretended supernatural
Aid.

The Publisher being sensible of the manifold Defects of his Translation,
will acknowledge with Gratitude the gentle Corrections of the dread
Arbiters of Literary Death and Life, and Promises carefully to avoid, in
a future Publication, the repetition of any slips the Critick's Eagle
Eye shall discover in the following Sheets.




THE NECROMANCER:

OR

THE TALE OF THE BLACK FOREST


PART I

The hurricane was howling, the hailstones beating against the windows,
the hoarse croaking of the raven bidding adieu to autumn, and the
weather-cock's dismal creaking joined with the mournful dirge of the
solitary owl;--such was the evening when Herman and Elfrid, who had been
united by the strongest bonds of friendship from their youthful days,
were seated by the cheering fireside. Thirty long years had elapsed
since they were separated by different employments; Herman having been
called to distant countries, whilst Elfrid (leaving the University where
their mutual friendship had begun) hastened home to his parents, to ease
the burden of their old age, and to cheer the tempestuous evening of his
dear progenitor's life.

On his journey homewards, he rambled over some of the most charming
parts of Germany; yet he sought in vain after pleasure, separated as he
was from the dear companion of his youthful days. At length he found in
the circle of his family, what he had been seeking in vain abroad. The
pleasure which his venerable parents felt, in again beholding the
offspring of their mutual love, soothed the disquiet of his mind; the
joy sparkling in their eyes at the sight of the supporter of their
declining years, tinged his cheeks with the rosy hue of contentment, and
filled his soul with inward bliss. After ten years of congenial
happiness, his aged father died, closing a well spent life in his
seventy-second year. The guardian angel of virtue carried his unspotted
soul to the cheerful mansion of everlasting peace; the gentle smile of a
good conscience sat still on his wan lips, when his sainted spirit
arrived in heaven, hailed by millions of holy angels.

Twelve years longer Elfrid soothed the sorrows of his mother, and
supported her under the heavy load of ever-increasing infirmities, until
she was re-united to the dear companion of all her earthly joys and
cares. He dropped a tear of filial affection on her tomb, and now
directed all his care and tenderness towards the promoting his only
sister's happiness; who as well as himself remained unmarried; and some
years after, in order to disperse the clouds of gloomy fancies, the
usual companions of bachelors, he determined on taking a journey, and
left the care of his house to his maiden sister.

He was so fortunate as to meet on his journey with many friends of his
earlier days, companions of his academical studies; at length he also
traced out his dear Herman, the most beloved among his youthful friends.

He found his worthy friend a favourite of fortune, blest in the lap of
sweet contentment and unmixed happiness.--A loving wife crowned the
favours which fortune had so abundantly blessed him with; providence had
also surrounded him with a circle of promising children, two of whom
were happily married, and had blessed him with two granddaughters and
three grandsons--Heaven's greatest blessings smiled upon him wherever he
went, contentment and joy sat upon his reverend brow, and peace of mind
had taken her abode within his heart.

"Good God!" exclaimed he, as soon as he could find words to give vent to
the rapture of his soul, "do I then behold, once more before I die, the
dear companion of my youthful days? Heaven be praised for that
unexpected happiness! Now all my wishes are fulfilled--Oh, Elfrid! The
separation from thee, the apprehension of seeing thee no more, was the
only bitterness mixed in the cup of bliss which providence has kindly
administered to thy friend. Thou art alive--I have nothing else to wish
than that my end may be as happy as this hour."

After the first ecstasy of meeting was over, Elfrid related how
anxiously he had ever been inquiring after his dear friend; told him how
many letters he had written to get information of his abode, and was
going to chide him for his negligence, when Herman fetched a letter from
an old acquaintance of his, who had written to him, that "Elfrid had
left the service of the Muses, enlisted under the banners of Mars during
the Seven Years' War, and had fallen a victim to his martial spirit."

Elfrid was satisfied with this explanation.

"Brother," he exclaimed, "let us forget our age and live together, as
long as I can remain with thee, as if the thirty years since we have
seen each other had never passed, and be as merry as we have been in our
youthful days."

Herman's cheek glowed with pleasure, and he squeezed Elfrid's hand. Six
days passed in mutual joy. Herman resided at a country seat, situated on
the banks of the Elbe, and enclosed by an ancient forest, which made it
a pleasant abode to Elfrid, who was passionately fond of hunting. Every
morning they rambled through the woods, and the two friends pursued the
fleet game with almost juvenile ardour, till the dinner bell summoned
them to a substantial meal and a bottle of old Rhenish wine. When the
cloth was removed, the goblet went cheerfully round, and the two happy
friends drank and talked of the achievements of their younger days, and
what had happened during their separation. Thus days rolled on like
hours, and Elfrid did not yet think of departing.

The gloominess of the weather, on the day when this narrative opens,
gave their conversation a serious turn. They began to discourse on the
calamities of war; of the dangers they had formerly undergone, and of
the many distresses and sufferings they had experienced in the early
part of their lives. As night advanced, the tempest grew more furious,
the flame in the chimney was wafted to and fro, and began to die away by
degrees, when Herman fed it with dry wood, stirred the ashes, and it
began again to blaze.

"Brother," said Elfrid, "brother, dost thou believe in apparitions? Dost
thou believe in spirits?"

Herman, smiling, shook his head.

"I also," Elfrid went on, "do not believe in apparitions; yet, when
travelling through Germany, I have met with adventures which I still am
unable to unriddle."

Upon Herman's requesting an explanation, Elfrid began as follows:--

"The great fair was just beginning when I arrived at F----; the bustle
of the buyers and vendors, the meeting with a number of dear friends,
and the many different amusements, promised to afford me a great deal of
pleasure, and I resolved to stop a few weeks at that town.

"The inn where I had taken lodging was crowded with travellers: an aged
hoary man amongst them was particularly noticed by every one, on account
of his remarkable appearance. His looks were reverend; his dress, though
very plain, was costly; he appeared to be a rich nobleman, and occupied
the best apartments. A coach and six, with four servants richly dressed,
carried him frequently out; he was seen at all the public places, was
present at all amusements, yet, what raised my curiosity, he was
constantly alone and in profound meditation. I often remarked, that
wherever he was, he did not take the least notice of what was doing
around him, and, as if a prey to grief and inward sufferings, seemed to
be insensible of all the objects that surrounded him. He was also
continually alone when in his apartment, the door of which was always
bolted. He rode out as soon as dinner was over, and commonly returned
very late at night.

"I questioned the landlord about this strange man, but he shrugged up
his shoulders and could tell me nothing. 'But,' exclaimed I peevishly,
'you certainly know where he comes from, could not you ask his
servants?'--'The servants,' answered he, 'are as mute as their master.
He is supposed to be an English lord, that is all I know.'

"I was of the same opinion when I first saw him; having met, on my
travels, with many Englishmen who had behaved in the same sullen and
reserved manner. His melancholy mood I fancied to be the effect of the
spleen, and I did not trouble myself any more about him.

"I had not been above three days at F---- when I lost my purse. At first
I fancied I had dropped it somewhere in a shop, or my pocket had been
picked in the street, and determined to be more careful in future; but,
in spite of all my precaution and care, I suffered a second loss the
next day, missing a diamond ring, with a miniature picture of my
deceased mother; I was sure that the preceding night I had pulled that
ring from my finger and put it on the table when I went to bed; I
questioned the waiters, but they appeared to be offended at my
inquiries--in short, the ring was gone.

"A few days after, I went to the play; I had a snuff-box, of very little
value, in the right pocket of my coat; a gentleman who was sitting by
me, at the left, begged me to give him a pinch of snuff, but I could not
find my box. That insignificant theft made me smile. I was only glad
that I had left my purse at home.

"The play was over, and a boy with a lighted torch went before me to an
adjacent tavern; I wanted to see what hour it was, but my watch was also
gone. 'Cursed misfortune!' exclaimed I. The boy reminded me of his
money, I gave it him, and entered the supper room. An acquaintance of
mine took notice of the paleness of my countenance, inquiring whether I
was ill; I denied it, and took my seat at the table. I hurried down my
supper without noticing my neighbour, and determined to depart the next
morning, being persuaded that some cunning rogues had singled me out to
try their skill with me at the expense of my property. As I was pushing
back my chair, somebody close by me asked me what o'clock it was. I did
not answer, because that question, by reminding me of my loss, had vexed
me, and was going to leave the room.

"'Sir, what o'clock is it?' exclaimed somebody once more, tapping me on
the shoulder. 'I do not know,' I replied, without looking back, and paid
my bill.--'Have you no watch with you?' exclaimed the same person again.
Now I turned round in great vexation, and, guess my surprise, the
troublesome inquirer was my neighbour at the inn, the very same
gentleman who had excited my curiosity so much some days ago.

"He stared me in the face, as if expecting an answer.

"'Sir,' said I now, 'my watch--'

"'Has been stolen,' interrupted he quickly, 'I have caught the thief,
there it is.' So saying, he put my watch into my hand. I was stunned
with amazement, and could not help wishing to know the thief, that I
might recover the other things I had lost, for I was sure that the same
person who had robbed me of my watch, had also pilfered what I had lost
before; but, ere I could signify my wish, the mysterious gentleman had
vanished.

"I went home, struck with astonishment, but the stranger was not yet
arrived. At length he came, as usual, at midnight; I rushed out of the
door when I heard him coming up stairs, made a respectful bow, and
begged him to give me leave to ask a question; but he passed me hastily,
without taking notice of me, absorbed in melancholy thoughts, took the
candle from the servant, and bolted his door.

"All my attempts of speaking with him were fruitless. When at home, his
door was bolted, in the hall he took no notice of me, and in public
places he shunned me. Vexed at this rude behaviour, I would not make
another attempt to get acquainted with that queer fellow.

"Meanwhile three days more elapsed, and that strange accident had made
me forget my departure; but now I renewed my resolution of setting off
as soon as possible, and determined to leave F---- the next day. I put
everything in order, had my trunks packed, and was obliged to find out a
banker who would take a bill on a person at Leipzig, which I had brought
with me.

"Towards evening I met with a reasonable man; joyfully now did I put my
hand into my pocket to take the pocket-book out of it, but I could not
find it. 'For God's sake,' exclaimed the merchant, when he saw me pale
and trembling, 'what is the matter with you?'--'Nothing, nothing at
all,' stammered I, rushing out of the house.

"A faint ray of hope was still glimmering within my soul; I fancied I
had left all the remainder of my little fortune at the inn, though I was
certain that I had taken the pocket-book with me. I arrived, trembling,
at my lodging, and was hardly able to unlock my door; I entered slowly,
as if I wanted to avoid the terrible blow that threatened me; I minutely
searched the room, but alas! all my property was gone.

"I could not believe the reality of my misfortune; I emptied my trunk
more than ten times, and more than a hundred times did I search every
corner of the room, thinking it impossible that the bill and the
pocket-book should not be there, however I could find neither of them.

"It grew late, and I was still sitting on my trunk, half-distracted; at
length I resolved to go next morning to some of my acquaintance, and
endeavour to get some money advanced. That terrible evening was followed
by a more terrible night; morning dawned and I still could not sleep--my
pride revolted against the thought of borrowing money, but the idea of
want staring me in the face, got the better of it, and I went. Every one
whom I applied to was sorry for what had happened to me, railed against
the villain who had robbed me; but nobody would lend me money--the
scarcity of cash, the backwardness of debtors; these and a thousand
other obstacles prevented my friends from assisting me. I went home in a
melancholy mood, and did not know what to do. It struck one, the dinner
was on table, but I could not eat. I was standing in my room with a
downcast look, and musing on my distress, and I cannot tell how long I
had been in that desponding situation, when a gentle knock at my door
roused me suddenly from my reverie: I exclaimed in an agony, Come in!
The door opened, and I was thunderstruck when I beheld the unknown
gentleman before me. I ran almost frantic with joy towards the stranger,
clasped him in my arms, and exclaimed, 'Have you, have you found it?'

"'I have not!' answered he.

"'No!' groaned I. 'Gracious heaven! how unhappy am I.'

"'Patience, young man,' he replied, 'although the thief may have made
his escape, yet I am here.'

"I gazed at him with astonishment. He took his pocket-book, opened it,
and gave me two papers. 'There, take them,' said he, 'there is as much
as you may want at present, the mail will set off to-morrow, for your
native country, I wish you a happy journey.'

"Then he laid the papers on my table, and hastened out of the room; a
strange sensation fixed me to the floor, and fettered my tongue, I
neither could thank my benefactor, nor inquire how I was to repay him. I
felt veneration for this singular man, admired his humanity, and yet I
could not help feeling some inward sensations of horror; I was for a
considerable time as motionless as a statue. Having recovered from my
amazement, I went to the table, took up the papers, and saw, with
astonishment, that each of them was a draft for a hundred dollars
payable at F----. It grieved me to be obliged to accept a present from a
stranger. But what could I do? How could I get access to him? Perhaps
(thought I) he will send his direction, but I waited in vain for it. He
got into his carriage and drove away.

"I also left the house and returned late, the stranger was not yet come
home; however, I determined to await his return, and as soon as he
should enter the house, hasten to his apartment, and insist upon his
taking a bond for his money, and if he refused, force him to resume his
present. This resolution, however, I could not execute, for he did not
return.

"Night being far advanced, I laid myself down upon a couch and began to
doze. Nodding, I heard a noise at my door; I got up, and all was
silent. I fancied the noise I had heard was the effect of those early
dreams which sometimes amuse our fancy when sleep is coming on, but soon
after I heard the same noise again. I once more got up from my couch,
and all was silent again. Listening attentively, I heard the same noise
repeated; it grew now louder and louder, and resembled the tapping of
somebody who could not find the latch. I was going to open the door, but
before I got to the middle of the room saw it move on its hinges. I
stopped, the door opened slowly, and now I could distinguish my visitor.
It was a strange figure, tall and emaciated, clad in a white garment. As
it entered the room, it advanced towards me with slow and solemn steps;
I staggered back, and a chilly terror trembled through my frame. The
apparition moved towards the table in awful silence. It took up my
watch, looked at it, gave a hollow groan, and laid it down again. I was
thunderstruck. The phantom now moved slowly back, and I looked at its
face as it was passing the table where the candle stood. Merciful
heaven! how was I chilled with horror when I beheld the features of my
deceased mother! My knees shook, a cold sweat bedewed my face, and my
strength forsook me.

"Meanwhile the apparition had come to the door without having turned its
face; it opened the latch gently, and, when on the threshold turned
round, staring me in the face with a ghastly look, and lifting up its
emaciated hand, thrice made a threatening gesture and disappeared.

"I fell senseless back upon my couch, and when I could recollect myself
again, I fancied I had been haunted by a bad dream. The clock struck one
as I was going to look at my watch.

"Vexed that the stranger did not come home, I went to bed and slept till
it was broad day. When the waiter brought my breakfast, I asked whether
my neighbour was come home. He said no. Then I asked if he had left
F----? The waiter answered, 'It may be, he always pays his bill after
dinner, he carries no trunks with him, and none of his servants lodge in
our house.'

"I went with the waiter to the apartment which the stranger had
occupied. The key was in the lock, we walked in, all was empty.

"I returned to my room, took up the drafts he had given me, and would
have destroyed them, if I thus could have disencumbered myself of the
obligation which I owed him. It suddenly came in my mind that they
perhaps might be fictitious, or the name of the merchant who was to pay
the money not known. This thought afforded me pleasure, though I could
expect nothing but misery if it should prove true.

"I hastened to the host and shewed him my drafts, under the pretext of
wanting to know the direction of the merchant. He described the house
and the street where he lived. I was frightened and went that same
morning to the merchant. He looked slightly at the paper but very
seriously at me, and his eyes seemed to denote astonishment and pity. I
expected joyfully that the bills would be protested; however, I was
mistaken. He opened, sighing, his drawers, and counted down two hundred
dollars, still looking at me with astonishment. I put the money in my
pocket, and being convinced that he pitied me for being obliged to that
stranger, I took the liberty of asking him by whom he was to be repaid;
upon which he appeared disconcerted, shrugged his shoulders, muttered
some unintelligible words, and left me suddenly. I went away under the
greatest apprehensions, and the weather being fine, was tempted to walk
to a public garden. The beautiful morning had assembled there a great
number of foreigners, and of the inhabitants of F----; I went into a
remote bower, and ordered some chocolate. Retired from the noisy bustle
of company, I could now muse on the strange accidents which I had
experienced during my short stay at F----. I also recollected my dream,
and reflected on it more seriously than before. Though I was very much
tempted to deem it something more than a delusion of fancy, yet I was
still disinclined to ascribe that strange incident to a supernatural
cause, being strongly prepossessed against the belief in apparitions,
and found myself bewildered in a maze of irksome fancies. I struggled
hard with my imagination, striving to forget what had made me so uneasy;
but all was in vain; the dream, or rather the apparition, continually
returned to my remembrance, in defiance of my reasoning, and the horrid
spectre hovered still before my eyes.

"Tired and wearied with the struggle between reason and fancy, I
endeavoured to ease my soul of her heavy load, by a loud exclamation,
and, without recollecting where I was, I suddenly broke out in the
words, 'No, it was a deluding dream?'

"'It was no dream!' exclaimed a well-known voice on a sudden. I looked
up. Imagine my surprise at beholding the mysterious stranger standing
before me!

"'Young man,' said he, without giving me time to utter a single word,
'young man, do you wish for an explanation of the apparition of last
night?' I gazed at him in dumb silence. 'If you wish to have unfolded
that incident,' he resumed, after a short pause, 'then await me this
evening by ten o'clock, at the town gate, next to the inn.' The stranger
pronounced these words with a friendly, courteous mien, made me a bow,
and disappeared amid the crowd.

"The waiter brought the chocolate, but I could not swallow a single
drop. In vain did I now roam all over the garden in hopes of meeting the
stranger; in vain ask all my acquaintance and the waiters, describing
minutely the stranger to every one; nobody had seen him.

"I hastened home, awed and terror-struck. I entered my apartment; the
door of my chamber seemed to be in constant motion, and the figure of my
mother haunted me without intermission. I could not get rid of the
gloomy reflection on her threatening looks, and left the house. I now
rambled about in great uneasiness from the coffee-house to the
promenade, from thence to the museum, from the museum to the tavern,
from the tavern to the exhibition of wild beasts, and at last to the
playhouse, but I could nowhere find tranquillity.

"It was growing dark when I left the playhouse, my soul was disturbed by
strange sensations, and I was consulting with myself whether I should go
or not. Doubt and apprehension suspended my resolution for a
considerable time, and overwhelmed me with agony.

"Shall I go or not? Prudence asked, 'What hast thou to apprehend?' I
could give no answer, and fears and doubts still continued keeping up a
most distressing conflict. Curiosity on a sudden raised her bewitching
voice, driving away every doubt, and bidding defiance to the wise
counsels of prudence. 'Thy departure is fixed, to-morrow thou art going
to leave this town;' thus the charming seducer whispered in my ear; 'and
to-day thou canst get rid of every teasing doubt. Thou wilt repent it if
thou refusest to go. Courage, man, courage, don't be such a coward as to
fear an old man;' and thus my pride added, 'thou canst inform thyself
how to pay the notes.'

"I was determined to go. 'I will repair to the place of rendezvous,'
said I, and was instantly disencumbered of a load of uneasiness. I
returned to my apartment with composure, called for a light, and began
to write some letters. Having continued that occupation till eight
o'clock, I went down stairs to amuse myself a little, and spent two
hours at the table d'hte. When supper was over, the landlord desired to
speak to me in private. As soon as we were retired to another room, he
said, 'I bring you happy tidings.' I listened attentively. 'You have
lost several things during your residence in our town?'--'I have,'
replied I, with surprise. 'Your loss has given me great uneasiness, on
account of the reputation of my house.'--'To the point,' exclaimed I,
with impatience. 'You have lost a purse, a snuff-box, a ring, and a
pocket-book.'--'You know exactly what I have lost,' answered I with
amazement.

"'You will find every article in your room.' I staggered back. 'An
unknown person brought all your things an hour ago.'--'An unknown
person! Was it that strange gentleman? But it cannot be him, you
know.'--'Whom do you mean?'--'My neighbour.'

"The landlord shook his head smiling, he was called away, and hastening
to my room, I found everything as the landlord had told me. The bill of
exchange was in the pocket book, and I was lost in dumb amazement, not
doubting that this was a new trick of my unknown benefactor. 'But why
did he not wait till ten o'clock?' said I to myself, 'why not return my
things at our appointed meeting? Has he doubted my coming, or been
obliged to depart suddenly?' The last was the most likely proposition,
but at the same time the most disagreeable to me, as it would deprive me
of the means of returning him his money, and paying my debt now I had
recovered my property. But how could I be certain that he really was
departed, since all his proceedings had been so strange and eccentric?
How could a gentleman like him, a pattern of honesty, a friend to human
nature, how could he be guilty of transgressing the first duty of an
honest man? How could it be possible that he would break his word? He
had appointed me to meet him at ten o'clock, and the landlord had not
said anything to the contrary.

"I went down to the supper room, requesting a few minutes' hearing of
the landlord, and asked him if the unknown person, who had brought my
lost property, had left no message for me. He replied in the negative,
adding, that the messenger merely said, 'there are the things Mr. Elfrid
has lost,' and without giving him time to question him any farther as to
by whom he had been sent, he went away.

"I looked at my watch, it wanted fifteen minutes to ten, I fetched my
hat and great coat and walked slowly towards the town gate. The night
was exceedingly fine, the moon shone bright, and was surrounded with
millions of sparkling stars. It struck ten when I stood on the appointed
spot, I took every passenger for the stranger, ran towards several of
them, and began to speak, but I was always disappointed. It was now
forty-five minutes past ten, and I began to get tired, and to conclude
that my apprehension that the stranger had been obliged to depart
suddenly was correct.

"'I will wait till it strikes eleven!' said I to myself, 'and then
return home, if he should not be here.' The bell of the adjacent steeple
tolled eleven, and the stranger was not yet come.

"'I will stay fifteen minutes longer, and then return to the inn.' These
fifteen minutes likewise expired without his making his appearance. The
stillness of midnight surrounded me. I proceeded on my return.

"I had not gone ten steps, when the stranger came walking towards me
with hasty paces; nobody could be more rejoiced than I was, and,
forgetting entirely that I had waited so long, I ran towards him. He
shook me heartily by the hand, and said, 'I am sorry that I have kept
you waiting so long.'

"'I would readily have waited still longer,' replied I, 'if I had been
sure of seeing you at last, for I was anxious to obey your commands, and
to get rid of my doubts.'

"'That you shall,' said he; 'follow me.'

"He began to walk so fast that I hardly could keep up with him; he
uttered not a word; we arrived at the gate and it was opened at his
command; our way led straight through the suburbs, at the bottom of
which a solitary house was standing; my conductor knocked at the door;
we were let in: the house appeared to be empty and deserted, and we saw
no living soul except an old decrepid man, who had opened the door. The
stranger ordered a light; a lamp was brought, and he walked without
stopping, through a dark passage till we came to a door, leading into a
garden, in the back of which was a small pleasure-house; my conductor
opened the door, and we entered a small damp room.

"'Now we are on the spot,' said he, after having carefully secured the
door, 'tell me what you want to know.'

"First of all, I wanted to give him a brief account of the recovery of
my effects, and then began to ask him, if he had been my benefactor.
However, he prevented me from doing it, exclaiming, 'I know it all, I
beg you will concentrate all you want to know into one question.'

"I mused awhile, but I was not able to bring all my wishes to one point,
and it is very likely that the presence of that extraordinary man, had
greatly contributed to my perplexity. I found it impossible to make the
question he had ordered me to do.

"Seeing my distress, he said, 'Well, then, inquire after the name of the
friend who has taken so much care of you.'

"That was the very question which I was most eager to ask. I had wished
to propose, but I would not venture to do it for fear of offending the
stranger; with great joy I replied that is what I wish to know.

"'Well then,' replied he, 'you shall get personally acquainted with that
friend of yours.'--'Then I do not know him yet personally?' resumed I,
'I thought it was you, sir.' The stranger shook his head. 'I am only his
deputy,' was his answer, 'and,' added he, after a short pause, 'only
through the third hand.'

"I gazed at him with amazement, but he seemed to take no notice of it,
and began to make preparations for introducing my friend in a most
mysterious manner. He strewed sand on the floor, and drew two circles
with an ebony wand, placing me in one and himself in the other.

"How will this end? thought I.

"The stranger was now standing opposite to me, in a solemn posture; he
folded his hand upon his breast, his looks being lifted up to heaven.
Silent and motionless like a statue was he standing there. A chilly
sensation of horror penetrated me, I did not dare fetch breath.

"The stranger remained in that posture for a quarter of an hour, my fear
was swallowed up in dumb amazement, and my heart began soon to fail me
from fear and awful expectations. At length my conductor broke his
mysterious silence; I heard his voice, but I could not understand what
he said, the words he pronounced seemed to belong to a foreign language.
The lamp afforded but a faint light, and I could not well distinguish
the objects around me. All was silent as the grave. My conductor
whispered only now and then some mysterious words, drawing figures in
the sand with his ebony wand.

"Now I heard the clock strike twelve, with the last stroke the stranger
began to turn himself round about, within the circle, with an
astonishing velocity, pronouncing the christian and surname of my
deceased mother. I staggered back thrilled with chilly horror. On a
sudden I heard a noise under ground, like the distant rolling of
thunder. The stranger pronounced the name of my mother a second time,
and in a more solemn and tremendous voice than at first. A flash of
lightning hissed through the room, and the voice of thunder grew louder
and louder beneath my feet. Now he pronounced the name of my mother a
third time, still louder and more tremendous. At once the whole
pleasure-house appeared to be surrounded with fire. The ground began to
shake under me, and I sank suddenly down. The ghost of my mother hovered
before my eyes, with a grim, ghastly look; a chilly sweat bedewed my
face and my senses forsook me.

"A violent shaking roused me at length from my stupefaction.

"The shaking did not cease, and I felt as if I was tossed to and fro: at
the same time I heard a terrible creaking and whizzing not far off. As
soon as I had recovered my recollection, I perceived that I was sitting
in a coach, driving onward with an incredible velocity, and found myself
closely confined. Something was snoring by my side, but I could not
distinguish what it was, being surrounded with impenetrable darkness.

"You cannot imagine what I suffered in that terrible situation. I was
seized with anxiety and apprehension, creating the most tormenting
sensations, which cannot be described.

"The road my human or supernatural coachman had taken seemed to be very
uneven, or, perhaps, he did not know the road, for I felt every moment
the most violent jolts, which increased my anxiety still more, by the
additional apprehension of being overturned. My bones, which already had
been hurt very much by my falling down in the pleasure-house, seemed to
be quite dislocated. I had been in that state of agony about half an
hour, when a most violent jolt overturned the coach. A voice roared,
'Jesu Maria!' Methought I felt the freezing hand of death upon my heart,
and lost the power of recollection.

"At length I was roused from that state of insensibility, by the most
excruciating pains. I opened my eyes; two men, each of them holding a
horse by the bridle, were standing by me; a countryman, with a lanthorn,
was in their company, and the broken coach was lying on the ground at a
small distance. They wanted to raise me up, but being pierced by
terrible pains, I entreated them, for God's sake, not to touch me. My
leg was fractured in two places: the horsemen promised to ride to a
neighbouring town for assistance, and disappeared; the countryman
remained with me and endeavoured to comfort me.

"I waited half an hour and nobody appeared; the night was cold: I waited
an hour and no assistance came; one fainting fit followed the other. At
length I heard the rolling of a coach, the countryman went with his
lanthorn into the middle of the road, and saw a coach and four; the
honest man begged the driver to stop, and related my misfortune. An old
reverend man got out of the vehicle, lifted me, with the assistance of
the good peasant, into the coach, and ordered the coachman to drive
slowly onward.

"With the dawn of the morning we came to a village. My kind deliverer
was the lord of it. Having been carried to the castle, a surgeon was
sent for, meanwhile the old nobleman endeavoured, by his kind
conversation, to make me forget part of my pains.

"The surgeon arrived a little while after, my wounds were dressed, and I
was carried to bed. At first my deliverer would not leave me, and
visited me afterwards three times a day. May heaven reward him for his
generous and humane behaviour.

"As soon as I had related to him all that had happened to me, he sent
some of his people to look after the coach; but it could be found no
where.

"After nine weeks' confinement I was recovered so far that I could
return to F----, the benevolent nobleman accompanied me thither, and my
landlord was rejoiced to see me. Inquiring after the mysterious stranger
I was told, that he had been seen no more since I had left the inn. My
deliverer stayed three days with me, and then we parted in a most
affectionate manner. The next day I set out for my own country, where I
happily arrived without any farther accident."

Here Elfrid concluded his wonderful tale, which he, as he added, never
had been able to unfold, though he had taken the greatest pains to come
at the bottom of it. He looked at his friend, eager to hear what he
would say to those extraordinary adventures; but Herman was lost in
profound meditation for many minutes, at length he began: "Brother, thy
tale is very wonderful, so wonderful, that I should not have believed
it, if I had not met, on my travels, with adventures, which seem to
have some connexion with thine."

Elfrid had apprehended that Herman would laugh at his story, as many of
his friends had done; he was therefore very much astonished at Herman's
words, and besought him to give a short account of the adventures he had
hinted at. Herman promised to give a full account of whatever had
happened to him, partly by way of narration and partly in writing;
however, he begged him to wait till to-morrow, that he might be able to
arrange the necessary papers. Elfrid very readily consented to it.

The next morning was uncommonly fine, yet Herman's guest had no
inclination for a hunting party. As soon as breakfast was over he
reminded his friend of his promise, asking whether he had found the
papers he had been mentioning. Herman said he had, telling his friend at
the same time, that he intended to relate only that part of those
adventures in which he had been personally concerned, the remainder he
would give him in writing, but not before his departure, lest ghosts and
necromancers might deprive him of the pleasure of making his dear
visitor as comfortable and happy as possible. Elfrid having consented to
it, the two friends took their places by the fireside, lighted their
pipes, and Herman began as follows:

"Thou knowest, brother, that I, having finished my studies, was
appointed governor to the young Baron de R----, to conduct him on his
travels. On our return from Italy we took our way through Switzerland
and Germany, and met, on this last tour, with the most remarkable
adventure of our whole journey.

"Being arrived at the skirts of the Black Forest, our postillion missed
his way, as it began to grow dark, and at length, did not know what
direction he should take. Our fright was not little, when he apprised
us of his distress, being desirous to get out of that dreadful forest as
soon as possible, on account of the many instances of robberies and
murders committed within its precincts, which the postillion had
enlarged upon on the road; we therefore exhorted the fellow to go on,
whatever might be the consequence. He did so, and after half an hour we
came to an open spot.

"'Now we are safe!' exclaimed the postillion joyfully, 'and, if I am not
mistaken, not far from a village.'

"He was right. We soon heard the welcome barking of dogs not far off,
and a little while after we saw lights.

"We entered a large village, but the inn was very indifferent, and the
landlord was amazed at the uncommon sight of gentlemen. His whole stock
of eatables consisted in some smoaked puddings, and a coarse sort of
bread; he told us that neither wine nor beer could be got within the
distance of many leagues and even our postillion could not drink his
brandy. We asked him where the lord of the village resided; he answered
that he never lived there, because the castle had not been habitable for
many years. I enquired the reason of it.

"'At present,' replied the host, 'I dare not give you an account of it,
to-morrow you shall know everything; but, very likely, this night will
make you guess the reason.'

"The Baron and I entreated him to satisfy our curiosity, but he shook
his head and left the room.

"Pinched by hunger we took up with our scanty supper, and then asked the
landlord to show us to our beds, but, alas! there was not one bed
unoccupied in the whole house, and we were obliged to rest our weary
limbs upon a bed of clean straw in the middle of the room.

"The Baron soon began to snore, but I could not get a wink of sleep. Now
the watchman announced the hour of midnight with a hoarse voice, and on
a sudden I heard the trampling of horses and the sound of horns. The
noise came nearer, and methought I heard a number of horsemen rushing
by, and sounding their horns as if a large hunting party were passing
through the village; the troop darted like lightning through the street
close by the windows of the inn. The Baron started up, asking me with a
fearful voice, 'What is this?'--'I don't know,' replied I abruptly. I
listened attentively, and the troop had not been far from our inn, when
on a sudden all was again as silent as the grave; the Baron began to
snore as before, and I to muse on that strange incident.

"I could not think it possible that any body would go a hunting in so
large a company, at that unseasonable hour, and was much inclined to
think all had been a deluding dream, when I suddenly recollected the
mysterious words of our landlord, I cannot but confess that I was seized
with horror. I was just falling asleep when the voice of the watchman,
crying one o'clock, roused me from my slumber. No sooner had he finished
his round than the former noise was heard again at a small distance. I
started up and ran to the window, but before I could open it the whole
troop had rushed by like a hurricane. A little while after all was
silent again, yet in vain did I beseech the god of slumber to take me in
his arms.

"The Baron had heard nothing the second time, snoring quietly by my side
whilst I was ardently wishing for the morning, in order to satisfy my
curiosity. I was too impatient to await the landlord's account of the
castle, and when the watchman was crying two o'clock I hastened to the
window, and began to converse with him.

"'Watchman,' exclaimed I, 'what did that noise at twelve and one
o'clock mean?' 'Your honour,' replied he, 'is certainly a stranger, for
there's not a child in our village that does not know what that noise
means; it is sometimes heard every night for several weeks, afterwards
every thing is quiet again for a considerable time.'

"'But,' said I, 'who is that person that goes a hunting at night?'

"'That I can't tell you at present,' answered the watchman, 'ask your
landlord, he will tell you all the particulars, I am here on my duty,
and under the protection of Providence, but I dare not speak of what I
hear and see.'

"With these words he went away:--I wrapped myself up in my cloak, and
sitting down by the window on a chair, expected, with anxious
impatience, the rising of the sun. At length the eastern sky began to be
embroidered with purple streaks, the crowing of the cocks sounded
through the village, and the watchman announced the approach of day. The
Baron awoke.

"'You are very early,' said he, rubbing his eyes, 'pray tell me, what
noise was it I heard in the night?'

"'I myself am impatient to know it,' replied I, 'I wish the landlord
would rise and unfold that mystery; the troop has rushed by again at one
o'clock with the same terrible noise.'

"While I was talking thus, I heard the trampling of horses, and looking
out of the window, saw an officer with a servant. They alighted at the
inn, knocked at the door, and entered the room. The officer, a lively
young man, wore a Danish uniform, and was on the recruiting business; he
had missed his way like ourselves, and we soon got acquainted with him.
When the Baron related the nightly adventure, the officer at first
thought he was joking, but when I most seriously affirmed every
circumstance, he showed an ardent desire to get acquainted with those
nocturnal sportsmen.

"'That honour you can easily have,' said the Baron, 'if you will stay
here the ensuing night, we will give you company.'

"'Bravo!' exclaimed the officer, 'perhaps the gentlemen will be so
polite to invite us to their sport, and then we may be so fortunate as
to get a haunch of venison.'

"Now the landlord entered the room. 'Well,' said he, bidding us a good
morning, 'have you heard anything to night, gentlemen?'

"'More than I liked,' answered I; 'who are those sportsmen that go a
hunting at midnight.'

"'Why,' replied he, 'we don't talk of it: I would not tell you anything
about it last night, for fear your curiosity might expose you to some
misfortune; yet, having promised you yesterday to tell you as much of it
as I know, I will be as good as my word.'

"After having paused awhile, he began thus, in a confidential tone:
'Close by our village is a very large building, where formerly the Lord
of this village used to reside. One of the former masters of the castle
was a very wicked and irreligious man, who found great delight in
tormenting the poor peasants; every body trembled when he appeared. He
trampled with his feet upon his own children, confined them in dark
dungeons, where they were often kept for many days without a morsel of
bread. He used to call his tenants dogs, and to treat them as such--in
short, he was cruelty itself.

"'Hunting was his only amusement, and he always kept a vast number of
deer, which were the ruin of the peasants' little property, and reduced
them to the utmost poverty; no one dared to drive them from his fields,
and if he did, he was confined in a damp dungeon, under ground, for
many weeks. When that wicked man wanted to hunt, then the whole village
was called together to serve him instead of dogs; if any one was not
alert enough, then he would hunt him instead of the deer, till he fell
down expiring under the lashes of his whip.

"'One time after he had roved about from morning till night, he fell
from his horse and broke his neck. He was buried in his garden. But now
he was terribly punished for his wickedness, having had no rest in his
grave to the present day. At certain times of the year he is doomed to
appear in the village, at twelve o'clock at night, and to make his entry
into the castle with his infernal crew, but as soon as the clock strikes
one he is plunged back again into the lake of fire burning with
brimstone. Nobody can inhabit the castle! Many who have been so
fool-hardy to attempt it have lost their lives; whoever ventures to look
out of the window when the infernal hosts are passing by gets a swollen
face as a punishment for his curiosity. We are now used to that
nocturnal sport, and do not care for those infernal spirits, but many
strangers have fallen ill through fright.'

"Here the landlord finished his tale, and seemed to be pleased with our
astonishment; however, his pleasure was soon damped when the Lieutenant
broke out in a roaring laughter.

"'Laugh as long as you please,' said he; 'stay here till night if you
have courage, and then we shall see if you will laugh.'

"'That I will,' replied the officer, 'I will not only stay in your
house, but I will also spend the coming night at that dreadful castle. I
dare say, gentlemen,' added he, 'you will keep me company.'

"The Baron, being a man of honor, thought it a great disgrace to betray
the least want of courage in the presence of the soldier; he therefore
promised to accompany him thither: I made several objections,
representing to the officer the danger we should run, not knowing who
those spirits might be; however, he silenced all my remonstrances: 'I am
a soldier,' said he, 'and all ghosts and hobgoblins have ever been kept
at a respectful distance by a martial dress.'

"At length I was obliged to take a part in the expedition, if I would
not desert the Baron. The landlord, who had all that time been staring
at us in dumb amazement, lifted up his hands when I had consented to go
to the castle, and entreated us, for God's sake, to desist from our
undertaking: 'If you go,' added he, 'then all of you will be dead before
to-morrow morning: for heaven's sake, dear gentlemen, do not run into
the very mouth of the devil thus wantonly!'

"However, the raillery of the Lieutenant put him soon so much out of
temper, that he left us in great wrath, swearing in the height of his
anger, that the devil would make us smart for our fool-hardiness and
unbelief.

"'Gentlemen,' began now the officer, 'pray let us take a walk to that
terrible place, where we are going to spend the night, and reconnoitre
it before dinner,'--Approving of that proposal, we went all three to
that residence of terror.

"We approached and beheld the gothic remains of a half decayed castle,
the gate was open and we entered the fabric. The arched walls, overgrown
with moss and ivy, echoed to the sound of our footsteps; a long narrow
passage led to a spacious court-yard, paved with stones; now we espied a
spiral staircase of stone, and ascended it in dumb silence. A second
long and narrow passage, which received a faint glimmering of light
through several small windows, strongly guarded by iron bars, led us to
a back door; the chilly damps of the long confined air rushed from the
aperture when the Lieutenant had pushed it open; the apartment to which
it led bore the gloomy appearance of a prison--the remains of
half-decayed tapestry, covered with cobwebs, gave the room a dark dreary
appearance; pieces of broken furniture were scattered about on the
floor, a lamp hung in the middle from an iron chain fastened to the
arched ceiling.

"Just as we were going to leave this abode of gloom and horror, I
perceived a little door in the remotest corner of the room, it was
likewise unbolted, and we entered a second room, which bore the same
gloomy aspect with the former apartment, being covered with half-rotten
remains of broken furniture; another door led us at length into a
spacious hall, where the cheering light of the day hailed us at last,
many of the arched windows being either open or broken to pieces; the
fresh air, the beautiful view meeting our eye from every side, chased at
once from our countenance the solemn awe.

"'Here,' exclaimed the Lieutenant, 'here we will meet the airy Lords of
this Manor; Let us try, gentlemen, whether we cannot fit a table and
some seats among the rotten relics of furniture.'

"We succeeded in our attempt, dragged a round massy table in the middle
of the hall, supported it by four worm-eaten poles, then we fetched some
pieces of wood from the adjacent apartments, placing them upon large
stones round the table, and thus secured a resting place for the night.

"Now we rambled through several apartments on the other side of the
hall, and meeting with nothing worthy of our notice, except the traces
of desolation, we returned by the way we had entered that gloomy
mansion.

"We descended into the court-yard and made there likewise our
observations: spurred on by curiosity, we entered through a ruinous side
building, a garden, which still bore some marks of former grandeur;
broken statues of marble were here and there lying on the ground. We
cleared with our sabres a way through brambles and nettles to a grove of
beech trees; it likewise was hardly penetrable.

"Having worked our way for more than half an hour, with much toil and
difficulty, through a thicket of thistles and brambles, we arrived at
length wearied and fatigued at an open spot; in the middle of it we
beheld a statue, bearing in one hand an urn of black marble--we
approached and read the following inscription on the pedestal:--

                             "HIC JACET
                      GODOFREDUS HAUSSINGERUS,
                              PECCATOR.

           (_Here lieth Godfrey Haussinger, a Sinner_.)

"A little lower down we perceived a cross engraved in the stone, and
under it

                              A.D. 1603.

"We stared at each other in dumb amazement, and being already too much
fatigued, we did not like to work our way farther into the garden, and
returned.

"'Gentlemen,' began the officer, as we were going back, 'what do you
think of the inscription on that tomb?'

"'I think,' replied I, 'it strongly corroborates what the landlord has
told us.'

"My companions smiled, and we came again into the court-yard, looking
around we observed and arched wall opposite the staircase; as we came
nearer we saw a flight of steps leading to a cellar, which was shut up
by a massy iron door, strongly secured by an enormous padlock.

"Having now examined every corner we returned to our inn.

"The landlord, who was ignorant of what we had been about, was struck
with horror and amazement when we related where we had been, and did his
utmost to persuade us to desist from our design; however, when he saw he
was spending his breath in vain, he kept his peace, and mentioned not a
single word more about it during the whole day--we did the same--for the
Lieutenant's conversation amused us so well, that evening stole upon us
unawares.

"Our dinner was better than our scanty supper on the preceding day,
because the Lieutenant had brought with him an ample provision of ham
and cold beef; some bottles of excellent wine, which he was also
provided with, raised our spirits, and increased his and the Baron's
courage, in such a manner, that they expected the approach of night with
the greatest impatience--they were constantly looking at their watches,
and as soon as the clock had struck nine, thought it high time to go to
the castle.

"We called the landlord to pay our bill, and the poor fellow tried once
more to persuade us not to go to the castle: he entreated us not to
expose our lives thus daringly to certain danger, and at last fell on
his knees;--but when we left the room, without taking notice of his
entreaties and ardent prayers, he lamented before hand our untimely
death, gave us a lamp, and bolted the door, fetching a deep sigh.

"The Lieutenant's servant walked before us, carrying the lighted lamp in
his hand, and a portmanteau stocked with provisions under his arm, and
we kept close to his heels, armed with sabres and pistols.

"It was autumn, and of course very dark. We arrived at the castle; the
faint glimmering of the lamp spread a kind of awful twilight around us
as we were walking through the lofty arches of the vaulted passage
leading to the court-yard. Having fired our pistols and loaded them
again with bullets, we ascended the staircase; the doors leading to the
hall we left open, that we might have a view of the court-yard, and sat
cheerfully down to supper; a bottle of wine we had taken with us to keep
us alert, was handed round: however, we missed our aim, for every one of
us began to grow drowsy soon after we had finished our meal--we rose and
walked about in order to avoid falling asleep, but we were soon tired of
it, the ground being so very uneven, and returned to our seats. I
recollected now, very fortunately, that I had put the fables of Gellert
in my pocket. I took the book out, and began to read to the company;
then I gave it to the Baron, and he was relieved by the Lieutenant--thus
we were enabled to resist the powerful charms of sleep.

"Now it struck eleven. All around us was buried in awful silence, which
only now and then was interrupted by the creaking of our feeble chairs;
the Lieutenant wound up his watch and put it before him on the table.

"'One hour more,' began now the officer, 'and we shall be in another
world.' Then he awoke his servant, who was fast asleep, and the Baron
began again to read to us.--When the Lieutenant's turn came for the
second time, he looked at his watch and exclaimed, 'three quarters past
eleven, we must be on our guard.'

"He got up and went to the window, I followed him, impenetrable darkness
surrounded us, no star could be seen; awful silence was still all
around, interrupted only by the snoring John, and the creaking of the
wood; the pale light of our lamp produced a horrid glimmering in the
spacious dreary hall; the Baron, leaning his head upon his arm,
struggled to forget every object around him, and the officer uttered not
a single word.

"Now we heard a clock toll twelve at a great distance, and I walked
softly back to my seat, the Lieutenant did the same, taking up one of
his pistols, and rubbing the lock with his handkerchief. We looked at
each other, and every one of us strove in vain to hide the horror he was
struggling against. The watchman cried the hour, the crowing of the
cocks told us midnight was set in, and still all around us was as silent
as the grave. The Baron laid the book upon the table, and the Lieutenant
was going to raise a loud laughter, asking us where the spirits might
be, when suddenly the trampling of horses and the sound of horns was
heard--we all were fixed to our seats, staring at each other with a
ghastly look; now the noise seemed to be under our window; the
Lieutenant ran towards it, with a cocked pistol in his hand, but he was
too late.

"All was quiet again, and an awful stillness swayed around the castle:
however, a few seconds after we heard suddenly a most tremendous noise
in the court-yard, which was followed by a terrible trampling and a
gingling of spurs on the staircase, as if a great number of people in
boots was coming up. The noise came nearer and nearer, my feet began to
fail, my teeth to chatter in my mouth, and my hair to rise like
bristles, while every sense was lost in anxious bodings; at length the
noise grew fainter and fainter, and soon we could hear it no more, and
midnight stillness resumed her awful sway.

"A long pause of dumb astonishment ensued, until at last the Lieutenant,
who had recovered his spirits first, exclaimed, 'Shall we go down?' I
shook my head without uttering a word, and the Baron was likewise
silent. 'Then I will go alone,' said the Lieutenant, snatched up a brace
of pistols, drew his sabre, and hurried down. He returned a few minutes
after, exclaiming, 'It is surprising; I cannot see the least traces of
either men or horses.'

"Now he retook his seat, casting down his looks in a pensive manner--his
servant was still snoring--the Baron began again to read, and I fell
fast asleep. At once I was roused by the report of a pistol, I and
honest John started up at the same moment, and we heard once more the
trampling of horses and the sound of horns, but it soon died away at a
distance, and the Lieutenant entered the hall with the Baron.

"They also had not been able to resist the leaden wand of sleep, but the
same noise in the court-yard we had heard at twelve o'clock had soon
roused them from their slumber. 'As soon as we heard the noise,' said
the Baron, 'we hastened to the outer room, our pistols cocked, but
before we could reach it the noise was under the window of the castle;
the Lieutenant knocked through one of the windows in the room close to
the hall, and sent a bullet after the troop, which was rushing by like
an hurricane; however, he was prevented by the darkness of the night
from distinguishing any thing except some white horses.

"'The spirits are afraid of us,' exclaimed the Lieutenant now, 'but
come, let us return to our inn, we shall rest more comfortable on a bed
of clean straw than on this damp ground.' We all consented to it, and
left the gloomy abode of those nocturnal sportsmen. We knocked a good
while at the door of the inn before it was opened: and at last the
landlord appeared, stammering, lost in wonder, 'God be praised that you
are still alive, how did you escape?'

"The Lieutenant silenced him by some hasty lies, and promised to give
him a full account of the whole adventure after he should have rested a
little.

"'Gentlemen,' said he, as soon as he got up in the morning, 'next night
I will go once more to the haunted castle, and spend the night in the
court-yard, will you keep me company?'

"The Baron looked at me as if he wished me to refuse the proposal; I did
so. 'We cannot,' said I, 'stay here a day longer, and such an
undertaking would, besides, be too dangerous for only four people.'

"'O!' exclaimed the Lieutenant, 'if that is all you have to say against
it, then I will soon make you easy. We will take a dozen stout fellows
from the village with us, they will not hesitate to accompany us if we
give them a couple of dollars and a good dram; it will be devilish good
fun, and to-morrow, with the first dawn of day, I will depart with you.'

"The Baron consented to the proposal, and I myself did not dislike it;
in short, we remained, and sent our postillion through the village to
publish, 'that all young fellows who would go with us to the castle next
night, should have sixpence each, and as much brandy as they could
drink.'

"In less than half an hour the whole village was assembled round the
door of the inn. We selected fifteen of the stoutest, ordered them to
provide themselves with proper arms, and to appear by ten o'clock at
night at the inn. Our landlord, who beheld these preparations in dumb
amazement, believed firmly that we must be arch necromancers, and his
fancy having been fired by the wonderful account of our nocturnal
adventure, which the Lieutenant had given him, he was himself not
unwilling to go with us to the castle, and to bid defiance to the
infernal hosts. However, as soon as it grew dark, his courage died away,
and he wished success to our undertaking, telling us, he could not leave
his house.

"Our little army was assembled before ten o'clock, armed with scythes,
poles, hay forks and flails. We ordered the landlord to give a dram to
every one; took some tables, benches, lamps, and a small cask of brandy
with us, and marched in triumph towards the castle.

"We pitched our camp in the court-yard, not far from the entrance, the
peasants placed themselves round the brandy cask, lighted their pipes,
and expected with pleasure the appearance of the airy gentlemen.

"Another advantage we reaped from that honest company was, that we had
no need to keep sleep at a distance by reading, for the merriment of our
little army soon rose to the highest pitch, and these jovial fellows,
being heated by the contents of our little cask, challenged his satanic
majesty and all his infernal hosts amid peals of roaring laughter.

"It was now past eleven o'clock, and the noise began to abate, some of
our gentlemen were nodding, and some snoring, we were therefore obliged
to beg those who had not yet yielded to the powerful charms of sleep, to
give us a song, which they instantly did in so vociferous a manner, that
our hearing organs were most painfully affected--the sleepers started up
when they heard that terrible noise, and joined the jovial songsters
with all their might. Thus we chased away the god of sleep, who seemed
not in the least to relish the disharmonious notes of our jolly
companions.

"Now the Lieutenant beckoned to the blithesome crew, and the clamorous
noise was suddenly hushed in awful silence. It struck twelve o'clock,
and the sound of horns and the trampling of horses was heard at a
distance. The peasants listened, their mouths wide open, and gazed at
each other struck with chilly terror. No sound was heard, except the
palpitating of their hearts, and here and there the chattering of
teeth--all of them moved their lips as if praying ardently. The noise
came nearer and nearer, and now it seemed to be in the castle. Again
everything was silent, but in an instant the former noise struck once
more our listening ears, and the infernal hosts rushed by like
lightning--the Lieutenant, the Baron, and I darted through the passage
leading to the gate, but the airy gentlemen were already out of sight,
and we could see nothing, save a faint glimmering of some white horses.
The mingled noise of their horns and of the trampling of their horses
soon died away; the stillness of midnight swayed all around, and we
returned to the court-yard.

"Our valiant crew was still fixed to the ground, seized with horror and
astonishment. None of them were able to distinguish whether we were
ghosts or their fellow-adventurers; however, they recovered their
spirits by degrees, and prepared to leave the residence of the infernal
sportsmen.

"We left the castle, fully convinced that these nocturnal ramblers must
be beings who were afraid of us, discharged our courageous troop and
went to rest.

"I awoke with the first ray of the morning sun, and roused the Baron and
the Lieutenant; the latter seemed not to be inclined to fulfil his
promise, being desirous to try his fortune once more, and to hide
himself either in the court-yard, or before the gate. When he saw that
we would not stay any longer, he postponed the execution of his design
to a future time, and followed our example.

"We left our inn at six o'clock, the morning was gloomy and rainy, the
wind swept furiously over the heath, and drove the black clouds still
closer and closer together; after a few minutes we entered the Black
Forest. Looking out of the coach I saw the Lieutenant and his servant
turn to the left towards a brook, where we beheld an odd incident. A
reverend old man was sitting there, and reading in a large book;
bewildered in profound meditation, he seemed to take no notice of the
howling storm; and not to be sensible of the rain rushing down in large
drops upon his uncovered head, the tempest was sporting with his
reverend grey locks, and the rain beating in his face, yet he did not
stir. His long brown robe seemed to denote a traveller from the East--a
long staff and a black wallet were lying by his side.

"I got out of the coach to view that strange being a little closer, and
to speak to him, but before I could accost him, the Lieutenant
exclaimed, 'Greybeard, what art thou reading?'

"The old man appeared to take no notice of his question, and went on
reading as if nobody had been there.

"'What art thou reading?' exclaimed the Lieutenant once more, alighting
and looking over his shoulder at the book.

"The old man answered not a word, but still continued to read. I also
was now standing behind him, and looking at the book, its leaves were of
yellow parchment, the characters large and of different colours.

"The Baron was close at my heels, and the Lieutenant being provoked by
the man's obstinate silence, shook him now violently by the shoulder,
thundering in his ears, 'Greybeard, what art thou reading?'

"Now the old man lifted his reverend head slowly up, stared at us with
angry looks, and then said, with a solemn awful voice,

"'Wisdom!'

"'What language is it?'

OLD MAN.--(Reading again)--"The language of wisdom."

"'What dost thou call wisdom?'

OLD MAN.--"All that thou dost not comprehend."

LIEUTENANT.--"If thou knowest what other people cannot comprehend, then
I should like to ask thee a question."

OLD MAN.--(Staring again at him)--"What question?"

LIEUTENANT.--"There is a castle not far from the next village, where
every night a numerous troop of spirits make their entry; I and these
two gentlemen have watched there these two nights."

OLD MAN.--(Interrupting him)--"And art not a bit wiser for't, for thou
seemest not to be fit to converse with spirits."

LIEUTENANT.--"But thou--?"

OLD MAN.--"I understand the language of Wisdom."

"The Lieutenant bit his lips, shaking his head with a contemptuous
smile. Now the Baron accosted the old man, who again was immersed in
profound meditation.

BARON.--"Well, then, if thy book contains such a treasure of wisdom,
then tell us why that castle is haunted by spirits, and for what reason
they go their nightly rounds?"

OLD MAN.--"That the spirits must tell thee themselves."

BARON.--"What does then thy book contain?"

OLD MAN.--"The ways and means of forcing them to a confession."

BARON.--"But why hast thou not forced them long ago to confess every
thing?"

OLD MAN.--"Because I never cared for it."

BARON.--(Laughing)--"But if we should entreat thee to do it, and pull
our purses, would'st thou not do us that favour?"

OLD MAN.--(Frowning)--"Vile mortal, can wisdom be bought with gold and
silver?"

BARON.--"How can one then purchase it?"

OLD MAN.--"With nothing--hast thou courage?"

BARON.--"Else we could not have watched in the dreadful castle."

OLD MAN.--"Then spend another night in it. I will be there a quarter
before twelve o'clock--now leave me."

"We gazed at each other with doubtful looks. The old man resumed his
reading, and seemed to take no further notice of us, who were still
standing behind him lost in silent wonder. At length the Lieutenant
mounted his horse, and we went back to our coach. 'Well,' said the
officer, as we were getting in our carriage, 'well, gentlemen, will you
return with me?'

"In vain did I make objections, the expectation of the two hot-headed
young men was strained too much; it was impossible to subdue the eager
curiosity of the young Baron, and the presence of the Lieutenant made me
apprehend that all reasoning would not only be spent in vain, but at the
same time make me contemptible; I therefore was forced to go back with
them, and to embark in an enterprise, which, being not only useless, but
also very dangerous, would plunge me in great distress.

"Our host was highly rejoiced and struck with astonishment, when he saw
us come back with the intention (as he believed) to engage once more
with the nightly sportsmen. Our valiant companions of the preceding
night had given a wonderful account of our adventure, relating how
horribly the ghosts had looked, how courageously they had encountered
the infernal crew, and how the strange conjurors at last had banished
the tremendous host from the castle for ever.

"The whole village assembled, therefore, as soon as our return was
known, gazing at us as supernatural beings, and consulting us about
several matters. The Lieutenant had his fun with the simplicity of those
honest people and the day was spent merrily.

"It was already dark, and the villagers had not yet left the inn; they
unanimously intreated us to take them along with us to the castle. We
were obliged to disavow our design, to feign sleepiness, and to order a
bed of straw to be got ready.

"At ten o'clock we stole silently to the castle without a light; the
Lieutenant's servant lighted our lamp in the court-yard, and we went to
the hall, where we had spent the first night, waiting with impatience
for the last quarter before midnight. The lieutenant did not believe the
old man would be as good as his word; I joyfully seconded his opinion,
and should have been glad if we had not waited for him; but the Baron,
who, from his juvenile days, had been fond of every thing bearing the
aspect of mysteriousness, was quite charmed with the reverend appearance
of the old man, and maintained, upon his honour, that he certainly would
stick to his appointment.

"The Lieutenant began to discourse with the Baron on apparitions and
necromancers, maintaining by experience and reasoning, that all was
either deceit or the effects of a deluded fancy; yet the Baron would not
relinquish his opinion, adding, that one ought not to speak lightly of
those matters, and that the old man certainly would prove the truth of
his assertion. We were still conjecturing who that strange wanderer
might be, when we saw by our watches that there were but sixteen
minutes wanting to twelve; as soon as it was three quarters after
eleven we heard the sound of gentle steps in the passage.

"'Our grey-beard,' said the Lieutenant, 'is a man of honour,' and took
up the lamp to meet the old man.

"Now he entered the hall, his black wallet on his back, and beckoned in
a solemn manner to follow him. We did so, and he led us through the
apartments and the vaulted passage down stairs. We followed him through
the court-yard to the iron gate of the cellar without uttering a word;
there he stopped, turning towards us, and eyeing us awhile with a
ghastly look; after an awful pause of expectation, he said with a low
trembling voice, 'Don't utter a word as you value your lives.' Then he
went down the two first steps; taking from his bosom an enormous key
which had been suspended round his neck by an iron chain, and opened,
without the least difficulty, the monstrous padlock, the door flew open,
and the old man took the lamp from the Lieutenant, leading us down a
large staircase of stone; we descended into a spacious cellar, vaulted
with hewn stone, and beheld all around large iron doors, secured by
strong padlocks; our hoary leader went slowly towards an iron folding
door, opposite to the staircase, and opened it likewise with his key; it
flew suddenly open, and we beheld with horror a black vault, which
received a faint light from a lamp suspended to the ceiling by an iron
chain.

"The old man entered, uncovering his reverend head, and we did the same,
standing by his side in trembling expectation, awed by the solemnity
that reigned around us; a dreadful chilliness seized us, we felt the
grasp of the icy fangs of horror, being in a burying vault surrounded by
rotten coffins. Skulls and mouldered bones rattled beneath our feet, the
grisly phantom of death stared in our faces from every side, with a
grim, ghastly aspect. In the centre of the vault we beheld a black
marble coffin, supported by a pedestal of stone, over it was suspended
to the ceiling a lamp spreading a dismal, dying glimmering around. The
air was heavy and of a musty smell, we could hardly respire, the objects
around seemed to be wrapped in a blueish mist. The hollow sound of our
footsteps re-echoed through the dreary abode of horror as we walked
nigher.

"The old man stopped at a small distance from the marble coffin,
beckoning to us to come nigher; we moved slowly on, and he made a sign
not to advance farther than he could reach with extended arms. The
Lieutenant placed himself at his right, I took my station at his left,
and the Baron opposite to him.

"He put the lamp on the ground before him, taking his book, an ebony
wand, and a box of white plate out of his wallet. Out of the latter he
strewed a reddish sand around him, drew a circle with his wand, and
folded his hands across the breast, then he pronounced, amid terrible
convulsions, some mysterious words, opened the book and began to read,
whilst his face was distorted in a ghastly manner; his convulsions grew
more horrible as he went on reading; all his limbs seemed to be
contracted by a convulsive fit. His eyebrows shrunk up, his forehead was
covered with wrinkles, and large drops of sweat were running down his
cheeks--at once he threw down his book, gazing with a staring look, and
his hands lifted up at the marble coffin.

"We soon perceived that midnight had set in; the trampling of horses and
the sound of horns was heard, the Necromancer did not move a limb, still
staring at the coffin with a haggard look. Now the noise was on the
staircase of the cellar and still he was motionless, his eyes being
immoveably directed towards the coffin. But now the noise was in the
cellar, he brandished his wand and all around was buried in awful
silence. He pronounced again three times an unintelligible word with a
horrible thundering voice. A flash of lightning hissed suddenly through
the dreary vault, licking the damp walls, and a hollow clap of thunder
roared through the subterraneous abode of chilly horror. The light in
the lamp was now extinguished, silence and darkness swayed all around;
soon after we heard a gentle rustling just before us, and a faint
glimmering was spreading through the gloomy vault. It grew lighter and
lighter, and we soon perceived rays of dazzling lights hooting from the
marble coffin, the lid of which began to rise higher and higher; at once
the whole vault was illuminated, and a grisly human figure rose slow and
awful from the coffin. The phantom, which was wrapped up in a shroud,
bore a dying aspect, it trembled violently as it rose and emitted a
hollow groan, looking around with chilly horror. Now the spectre
descended from the pedestal, and moved with trembling steps and haggard
looks towards the circle where we were standing.

"'Who dares,' groaned it, in a faltering hollow accent; 'who dares to
disturb the rest of the dead?'

"'And who art thou?' replied our leader, with a threatening frowning
aspect, 'who art thou, that thou darest to disturb the stillness of this
castle, and the nocturnal slumber of those that inhabit its environs?'

"The phantom shuddered back, groaning in a most lamentable accent, 'Not
I, not I, my cursed husband disturbs the peace around and mine.'

OLD MAN.--"For what reason?"

GHOST.--"I was assassinated, and he who judges men has thrown my sins
upon the murderer."

OLD MAN.--"I comprehend thee, unhappy spirit, betake thyself again to
rest; by my power, which every spirit dreads, he shall disturb thee no
more--begone--"

"The phantom bowed respectfully, staggered towards the pedestal, climbed
up, got into the coffin, and disappeared; the lid sunk slowly down, and
the light which had illuminated the dismal mansion of mortality died
away by degrees. A flash of lightning hissed again through the vault,
licking the damp walls, the hollow sound of thunder roared through the
subterraneous abode of horror, the lamp began again to burn, and the
awful silence of the grave swayed all around.

"The old man took up his wallet and his book, beckoning us to follow
him. We returned to the adjoining vault, through which we had entered
that abode of awful dread; it was as lonesome as we had left it; our
leader locked the iron folding-door carefully; then he took out of his
wallet a large piece of parchment on which a number of strange
characters were written, a piece of black sealing wax, and a monstrous
iron seal. Having made several crosses over those things with his ebony
wand, he fixed the parchment above the lock, and sealed it hastily on
the four corners.

"This done, he went into the middle of the cellar assigning us our
places; then he strewed sand on the ground, drew a circle with his wand,
and began again to read in his book amid horrible convulsions. He
brandished his wand, pronouncing three times with a most tremendous
voice the same word he had made use of in the burying vault. A flash of
lightning hissed through the cellar, a clap of thunder shook the
subterraneous fabric, all the doors save that which had been sealed up
were suddenly forced open with a thundering noise, the lamp was
extinguished, and a blue light reflected in a grisly manner from the
staircase against the damp wall; woeful groans, lamentations, and the
dismal clashing of chains resounded through the spacious caverns. The
noise seemed to come from the staircase--gentle steps were heard--a
numerous troop seemed to be descending into the cellar; the lamentations
and the woeful groans advanced nearer, and louder resounded the clashing
of chains.

"Horrid to behold did now a second phantom appear before our gazing
looks, staggering slowly towards us, and leaving a numerous retinue on
the staircase; the garment of the spectre was stained with blood, the
skull fractured, the eyes like two portentous comets!

"'Who art thou?' roared our leader with a thundering voice, and the
dreary cavern echoed to the sound.

"The phantom answered with a hollow, dismal voice, 'A damned soul!'

OLD MAN.--"What business hast thou in this castle?"

GHOST.--"I want to be redeemed from hell."

OLD MAN.--"How canst thou be redeemed?"

GHOST.--"By the forgiveness of my wife."

OLD MAN.--"How darest thou claim it, reprobate villain? Return to thy
damned companions in hell. Respect this seal, respect these characters."

"Here the old man pointed at the door of the vault which had been sealed
up: the phantom staggered towards it, but suddenly shuddered back and
sunk groaning on the ground; a flash of lightning illuminated the
cellar, and a tremendous peal of thunder resounded through the lofty
vault; all the doors were shut again with a terrible noise, a frightful
howling filled our ears, and horrid phantoms hovered before our eyes;
flashes of lightning hissed through the vault and roaring claps of
thunder threatened to overturn the whole fabric.

"The lightning ceased by degrees, and the roaring of the thunder died
away, a blue flame was still glimmering on the staircase, but it soon
died away, and we were surrounded with darkness; groans and dreadful
lamentations resounded still through the winding caverns, but soon all
around was hushed in profound silence. After a short pause of horrid
stillness, the trampling of horses and the sound of horns was heard
again; yet that noise died also away before we recovered our
recollection.

"When our astonishment began to subside, we perceived that we were
standing in a dark cellar, without knowing whether any one of us was
missing. A disagreeable sulphurous odour affected our smelling organs,
and bereft us almost of the power of respiration; not a whisper
interrupted the dead midnight silence which surrounded us. At length,
somebody took me by the hand, I shuddered back, my imagination being
still the wrestling place of horrid wild phantoms, and my soul divining
a thousand dreadful thoughts.

"'It is I,' said the Lieutenant, and I felt at once as if a heavy load
had been taken from my breast. Now the Baron began also to speak, 'Where
are you?' whispered he, 'are you still alive?'

"We groped about in the dark, and at last found him leaning against the
wall.

"'How shall we get out of this cursed residence of horror?' exclaimed
the Lieutenant. 'Come, let us try whether we can find the staircase; It
must be just opposite to us, if I am not mistaken.' Then he began to
walk on, and we groped after him, tumbling now and then over loose
stones.

"'I have found the staircase,' cried our fellow adventurer, 'at last,
after a long fruitless search, I feel the first step.'

"A ray of joy beamed through our hearts as we were climbing up, but
alas! it was soon most cruelly damped; the cellar door was locked up,
and the blood congealed in our veins when the Lieutenant told it us. We
exerted all our strength to force it open, but in vain, it was bolted on
the outside. The Lieutenant called as loud as he could for his servant,
whom he had left snoring in the hall; we joined our voices with his,
calling with all our might 'John! John!'

"The hollow echo repeated in a tremendous accent, John! John! but no
human footstep would gladden our desponding hearts. Frantic with black
despair did we now begin to knock at the massy door till the blood was
running down from our hands, and to cry John, John, till our voices grew
hoarse--the hollow echo still repeated in an awful tremendous accent our
knocking and crying, but no human footstep was heard. 'The fellow sleeps
and cannot hear us,' said the Lieutenant, at length with a faint voice,
'let us sit down and watch him when he shall come down.'

"We did so, but I had no hope that the servant would come, yet I
concealed my apprehension within my breast. The Lieutenant dissembled to
be easy, and began to converse on what we had seen and heard; however
his broken accent, the faltering of his speech, and his low voice,
betrayed the anxiety of his mind. The Baron and I spoke little, and when
we had been sitting about an hour not one uttered a word more; all was
silent around us. Nothing interrupted the death-like stillness of the
night, except the violent beating of our hearts.

"At length the Lieutenant asked if we were asleep; however, the anxiety
of our minds and the dreadful apprehensions which assailed us, drove far
away even the idea of sleep. We sat some hours in the dreadful
situation, and it was now about five o'clock in the morning when the
Lieutenant exclaimed, 'I fear we wait in vain for my servant, he cannot
sleep so fast that he should not hear us! But where can he be?' Then he
began again to knock violently against the massy iron door, but all was
in vain. No human footsteps were heard, we remained some hours on the
staircase, but all our waiting and listening was fruitless, no cheering
sound of human footsteps would gladden our desponding hearts.

"'I will not torment you by vain apprehensions,' began the Lieutenant at
length, 'however, we seem to be doomed to destruction, yet let us try if
we cannot escape some way or other, come down with me into the cellar,
there we shall have a better chance to espy an outlet than here.'

"We descended, with trembling knees, without saying a word, and groped
along in the dark a good while, knocking our heads against the damp
wall, and the iron doors. Alas! our search seemed to be in vain, and the
grim spectre of a lingering death stared us grisly in the face, my feet
could support me no longer, and I dropped down wearied with anxiety.

"Now I began to reproach myself for having plunged into the gulph of
destruction not only myself but also him who had been entrusted to my
care. The apprehension of being famished in that infernal abode,
thrilled my soul with horror and black despair; at first I heard the
Baron and the Lieutenant still groping about; neither of them uttered a
word; the hollow sound of their footsteps re-echoed horribly through the
vault--at length the sound of the Baron's footsteps died away at a
distance, and only one of my companions in destruction remained with me.

"'Where are you?' exclaimed the Lieutenant.

"'Here I am,' replied I, 'but where is the Baron?'

"The Lieutenant called him, and I did the same, but we received no
answer. At once a sudden hollow noise struck our ears, and at the same
time a faint glimmering of light darted from a remote corner of our
dungeon. I started up, half frantic with joy, and we pursued the
gladdening ray of light; it seemed to come from an opening in the wall.
No words can express the rapture we felt when we beheld one of the iron
doors half open; we went through it with hasty steps, and entered a long
vaulted passage. A faint dawn of light hailed our joyful looks at a
great distance from below. We descended a declivity, the farther we went
the more the light increased, at length we reached the end of the
avenue, and perceived some steps leading into a spacious apartment, at
the entrance of which some boards on the floor had given way. We
descended the steps, and, who can paint the horror which rushed upon us,
when we beheld the Baron lying lifeless in the deep vault, upon some
mouldering straw? I leaped down without a moment's hesitation, the
Lieutenant did the same, and now we began to shake the Baron till we at
length perceived signs of returning life. We continued our endeavours to
recall his senses, he breathed, gave a hollow groan, and opened his
eyes: his fainting fit had been the effect of sudden terror, and he had
not received the least hurt.

"He now told us that he had met in the dark with a long narrow passage
which he had pursued, in a kind of insensibility, till he had staggered
down from an elevated spot, when the boards suddenly gave way, dragging
him along into the deep vault.

"Looking around we perceived that we were in a spacious cavern, which
appeared to have been formerly a kind of stable. High over our heads
were two large round holes, grated with strong iron bars, through which
the daylight was admitted, and after a closer examination we espied a
gloomy outlet in a remote corner, shut up by a wooden door, which we
forced open without difficulty. We now ascended through a dark passage,
higher and higher, till we at length with rapture beheld an outlet which
opened into the garden; we were obliged to cut our way with our sabres,
through the underwood and the entangled weeds, and soon came to the
court-yard. Tears of joy sparkled in our eyes, rays of unspeakable
rapture beamed through our hearts, and we praised God for our unexpected
deliverance from the grisly jaws of a lingering death.

"The dreary desolated court-yard appeared to us a paradise, the dazzling
splendour of the bright morning sun, and the pure air which we now
inhaled, filled our hearts with the strongest sensations of bliss. We
congratulated each other on our resurrection from the dreary abode of
mortality, where we were doomed to be entombed alive, and shook each
other by the hand half frantic with joy.

"We went now to the hall in search of the Lieutenant's servant; the
table and everything was in the same condition we had left them, but
John was not there. We went through the whole gloomy fabric shouting and
hallooing, discharging our pistols, but no sound was heard except the
hollow echo repeating our shouts and the reports of our pistols all over
the dreary building.

"'Very likely he is returned to the inn,' said the Lieutenant, 'and we
shall find him there.'

"We left that dangerous abode of black horror, praising God again and
again for our deliverance.

"As we entered the inn we beheld the landlord surrounded by a number of
villagers, who were come to inquire whether we were returned from the
castle. They were very much surprised when we entered the room, and,
respectfully taking off their hats, told us, that the uproar at the
village last night had been more tremendous than ever. Every one was
impatient to know the particulars of our adventure, but the Lieutenant
having then no inclination of amusing himself with their simplicity,
gave them a short answer, and asked the landlord where his servant was.

"'I have not seen him since yesterday,' replied he.

"'It is impossible,' resumed the Lieutenant; 'where are the horses?'

"'They are in the stable,' replied the landlord, 'I have just been
looking after them.'

"The Lieutenant gave us an apprehensive look, and begged the gaping
peasants to look after him, all over the village and the adjacent
places: they all were very willing to do it, and left the inn.

"It was nine o'clock when we entered the inn, and it struck twelve when
our honest villagers returned, with the disagreeable news that they
could find poor John nowhere.

"The Lieutenant thought it not prudent to remain any longer at that
fatal place; the Baron likewise wished to depart and I too was impatient
to be gone. As soon as we had finished our scanty dinner, we departed a
second time; the tears started from our landlord's eyes, and from those
of the good villagers, when we bade them farewell, after having made
them a small present, and they saw us depart with regret.

"The Lieutenant knew the ways through the Black Forest pretty well, he
rode by our chaise leading his servant's horse with one hand, and we
reached without any farther accident the limits of that dreadful
forest. We parted company at the close of the second day, bidding each
other a tender adieu.

"'I thank you, gentlemen,' said the Lieutenant, as we were getting into
our chaise at the door of the inn. 'I thank you for your kind and
faithful assistance in the most dreadful adventure of my life; if I
should be so fortunate to get at the bottom of the mystery which hangs
over that castle, as I shall endeavour to do, I will take the first
opportunity to apprise you of my success. Farewell, remember now and
then the 20th of September, 1750, and do not forget your friend.'

"The postillion smacked his whip, and we went different roads. On the
fifth day we arrived, without any further accident, at the castle of
Baron R----, the father of my pupil.

"And here," added Herman, "my narration is finished. A letter which the
Baron wrote me, and a manuscript sent me by the Lieutenant, contains
everything that has happened afterwards. But these papers you shall not
get before your departure."

Though Elfrid's curiosity had been spurred very much, yet he could not
but consent to his friend's proposal, and spent a fortnight more with
him in uninterrupted pleasure.

The days rolled swiftly on, shortened by the conversation of his friend,
by hunting and other diversions, and he at length was obliged to bid his
host adieu.

Before he parted with his Elfrid, he gave him the above-mentioned
manuscript, assuring him that he would have given it him sooner, if he
had been able to find it amongst a great many papers. He added, that he
had searched for it in vain several days, and would have given him the
continuation and conclusion of those mysterious adventures, by way of
narration, if he could not have found the manuscript, but he had
fortunately traced it out the day before his departure amongst a number
of old musty papers. Herman cleaned it from the dust and gave it to his
friend, saying to him, "Take, brother, take here the continuation of my
tale, and if thou thinkest the publication of it will amuse and benefit
the world thou art welcome to publish it."

Then they parted, alas! for ever. Herman's wish was accomplished, he had
seen once more the faithful friend of his younger days, and soon after
went to that better world where good men will meet again the friends of
their bosom, never to part again. Elfrid, too, is awaiting the solemn
morn of resurrection in his grave, and he, before he died, set down in
writing the foregoing narration. Now let us see what the writings which
his friend had given him contain.




                          END OF THE FIRST PART




                                  PART II




CHAPTER I


                                BARON R---- TO MR. HERMAN

                                            "B----, NOV. 11, 1772.

     "DEAR FRIEND,--It is with the greatest pleasure I am going to
     communicate to you a remarkable incident I met with this
     summer, when at Pyrmont. I would have given you the following
     account some time ago, if it had not been for some papers which
     I was obliged to wait for; they are arrived at last, and here I
     send them, beseeching you to remit them to me as soon as you
     shall have perused them.

     "I had been three weeks at Pyrmont, when I one time went to the
     promenade on a very beautiful evening, there I happened to meet
     a gentleman whose features interested me very much though they
     were unknown to me. Walking slowly on I soon saw him come after
     me, he passed me with hasty steps, and turning suddenly stared
     me in the face; I did the same, being surprised that I also had
     attracted the notice of the stranger. He went on, but soon
     after turned round once more, directing his steps towards me
     and staring again at me. I stopped and did the same. He moved
     his lips as if he wanted to speak to me, just when I was going
     to ask him whether he wanted something; however, we both
     remained silent, pursuing our walk. That pantomime we repeated
     several times, neither of us uttering a word, at length it
     began to grow dark and I went to my lodgings.

     "The next morning I awoke with the first ray of the sun, and
     went again to the promenade, to inhale the salubrious breeze of
     the morning air, and to hail the rising king of the day under
     the canopy of heaven. I was no sooner seated on a bench beneath
     a majestic beech-tree, admiring the greatness of the Creator so
     striking in the beautiful scenes of a fine summer's morning,
     when I once more beheld the stranger who had interested me so
     much the preceding evening. He came nearer, saluted me, and
     took a seat on the bench where I was sitting. We both admired,
     in profound silence, the beautiful scene around for a quarter
     of an hour. Every object which surrounded us pronounced the
     greatness of God: numbers of feathered songsters hailed the
     rising sun; diamonds and rubies sparkled on the leaves of the
     trees, loaded with the pearly drops of dew. Now the sun darted
     his warming cheerful rays all around, and the stranger looked
     at me with an inquisitive eye. 'Sir,' he at length began, 'you
     will excuse me if I should be mistaken. I think I have had,
     some years past, the pleasure of being in your company
     somewhere or other.'

     "'It is possible,' replied I, 'that I have had that honour.
     Will you favour me with your name?'

     "'My name is B----, and I am Major in the service of the King
     of Denmark.'

     "'B----! I think I remember that name, yet I cannot recollect
     where I have had the honour of seeing you.'

     "'Perhaps I may,' replied he, 'if you will be so kind to favour
     me with your name.'

     "'My name is R----.'

     "'Did not you return from your travels to Germany in the year
     1750?'

     "I replied in the affirmative.

     "'Then I am not mistaken,' said he smiling, 'don't you remember
     the adventure at the Haunted Castle on the skirts of the Black
     Forest, and that villanous Necromancer?'

     "I was struck with amazement, 'How,' exclaimed I, 'is it you?
     Do I not dream?'

     "'Yes, dear friend, it is I,' he replied, 'you are not
     mistaken. How strangely and how unexpectedly do friends meet
     sometimes in this world! I am at present governor to a young
     prince who is on his travels. We are here incognito, yet I
     could not resist the ardent desire of making myself known to
     you. Did you never wish to get some further intelligence of the
     mystery of that terrible castle and its strange inhabitants?
     With the greatest pleasure I would have communicated to you
     what came to my knowledge since we parted, had I but known the
     place of your residence; I travelled on purpose to your native
     town as soon as I had finished my recruiting business, but I
     was told you had been sent by your prince to England on affairs
     of state.'

     "'Your kindness deserves my warmest acknowledgment, and I am
     very sorry that I had the misfortune of being absent when you
     intended to do me the honour of seeing me.'

     "'Your absence vexed me very much,' he replied, 'because it not
     only deprived me of the pleasure of seeing once more an old
     friend, but also prevented me from performing the promise I had
     given you when we parted. This happy meeting affords me,
     therefore, the greatest pleasure, and if you will favour me
     with your company, at my apartments, I can give you a
     satisfactory account of several accidents which happened before
     and after our adventure at the castle, and which are nearly
     connected with what we have encountered.'

     "I accepted his kind invitation, and went with him to breakfast
     in his apartments. On the way he inquired after you, and was
     rejoiced to hear that you are well and happy, blessed with the
     love of a dear and virtuous wife. He particularly seemed to be
     pleased with my little narrative of your matrimonial bliss--I
     forbore to inquire after the reason of it, fearing to renew the
     pains, which perhaps the recent loss of a dear beloved object
     might have inflicted upon him, and gave our conversation
     another turn until we arrived at his apartments.

     "After we had breakfasted we seated ourselves by the window,
     and he began a tale which took an unexpected and a most
     wonderful turn, but the accidents were so various and many,
     that he only could give me a short sketch, which being
     interspersed with many episodes, was rather confused. He was
     himself sensible of the defects of his narrative, and promised
     to send me a written account of those wonderful accidents as
     soon as he should have finished his travels.

     "I spent five happy days in his company, and then we parted
     reluctantly. Two months after he sent me the enclosed
     continuation of his adventures, which will strike you with
     astonishment.

     "Major B---- sends you his best wishes, he longs ardently to
     see you once more.

                         "Farewell, and remember

                                             "Your faithful,

                                                           R----."




CHAPTER II

ADVENTURES OF LIEUT. B----


"I was lost in profound meditation after I had parted with my
companions; all the horrid scenes of the adventure at the castle hovered
before my imagination; I fancied myself at the inn, in the ruinous hall,
and then in the cellar, still beholding the Necromancer and the
phantoms, seeing the flashes of lightning, and hearing the roaring of
the thunder, and the hollow voices of the spectres. My fancy renewed all
the horrors which had rushed upon me when shut up in the cellar, as well
as the joy I felt when we had the good fortune to find an outlet from
our infernal dungeon; my restless fancy painted all these pictures with
the strongest colours, painted them so grisly, that I sent up to heaven
the most fervent thanksgiving for my delivery from that infernal abode.

"These horrid dreams vanished at length, giving room to contemplations
of a more serious cast. I was every moment reminded of the unhappy fate
of my faithful John, and felt an ardent desire to get at the bottom of
those mysterious events, that I might be enabled to deliver my poor
servant from the clutches of the spirits, or, at least, revenge his
death. I was however sensible, that I alone should not be equal to it;
the peasants of the village I did not think fit for assisting me in my
enterprise, and the whole undertaking too hazardous without the
assistance and the counsel of an experienced and resolute man. I
therefore was determined to search for such a man, and, aided by his
counsel and assistance, once more to encounter those nocturnal
sportsmen.

"This resolution was the result of my meditations on the first morning
after my separation from my companions, and I burned with impatient
desire to rid myself of that load of uncertainty which lay heavy upon my
mind. At length I arrived at the place of my destination, and resumed my
recruiting business, assisted by two old serjeants.

"I hastened to return to the skirts of the Black Forest, and went to
F----, while there I met with Prussian, Austrian, Hessian, and Swedish
recruiting officers, and now and then with an old acquaintance of mine.

"Amongst others I got acquainted with an old Austrian officer, who was
highly respected by every one; when he said anything, which happened not
often, then everybody listened with the greatest attention, and when,
now and then, a quarrel arose, everything was soon settled by his
interference.

"A man who thus powerfully could influence a set of people who admit no
law but that of superiority soon engaged my admiration in the highest
degree, and I concluded he would be the fittest person to assist me in
the execution of my design, to unfold the mystery of the Haunted Castle,
if I could but gain his confidence; yet I was sensible that it would be
no easy task to ingratiate myself so far with him that he should not
refuse believing a tale like mine, which bore such glaring marks of
fiction. I apprehended a veteran of so much experience, and so serious a
turn of mind, would laugh at my narrative, and treat it as a nursery
tale.

"I was the more inclined to fear this apprehension might prove true,
when I learned by experience that his curiosity was always guided by
cool and just reasoning. His cheerfulness never exceeded the limits of
moderated seriousness, and his smile was nothing more than an almost
imperceptible unfolding of the wrinkles, which contracted his reverend
brow; his mirth bore the resemblance of his carriage, and whoever knew
him, trembled at his anger, though none of his acquaintances had ever
experienced the least mark of passion in his countenance, and much less
had he ever betrayed a symptom of unbridled wrath.

"I let slip no opportunity of doing him some little services, and thus
endeavoured to gain his favour; however, he appeared to take no notice
of my unremitted zeal to please him; I treated him with marks of the
highest veneration, whenever I was in his company, but he seemed not to
regard it. All my most anxious endeavours to win that strange man over
to my interest proved abortive, and, at last, I gave over every hope of
engaging his attention.

"Chance befriended me, at length, unexpectedly, and I got by accident
what I already had despaired to attain by the most indefatigable
endeavours.

"The inn where one of the recruiting officers lodged was reported to be
haunted; many strange stories circulated on account of that report,
which the then owner of the house endeavoured to laugh off, because he
had lived a fortnight in it without perceiving any thing uncommon.

"This subject afforded one evening matter for a serious discourse among
the officers. The Austrian veteran maintained, contrary to our
expectation, that one ought not to treat with ridicule some events of
supernatural appearance, and no argument could make him relinquish his
opinion. My heart panted for joy, for now I could hope he would not
refuse to credit my wondrous tale.

"I was already going to relate the strange events which I had witnessed
at the Haunted Castle, when I suddenly was checked by the apprehension
of drawing upon me the laugh of the company, or that some one or other
would offer to encounter with me the nightly sportsmen, without being
equal to that hazardous undertaking.

"The Austrian spoke with uncommon warmth, his eyes sparkled, and the
wrinkles on his brow were contracting closer and closer, and when the
company persisted in contradicting his opinion, he offered to enforce
his arguments by undeniable facts, which he himself had experienced,
requesting to be heard in profound silence, which could not but be
granted to a man like him. We expected to hear something very uncommon,
and for sometime gazed at him in dumb expectation, till he at length
began as follows:--

"If I maintain that apparitions of supernatural beings ought not wholly
to be rejected, then I must tell you, gentlemen, that I do not only mean
that it is merely possible that departed souls, or supernatural beings
of another class, can appear when and wherever they please; but I also
promise to convince you by my own experience, that there are people who
can affect apparitions of that kind, at certain times and under certain
conditions.

"We stared at each other in silent wonder: the preamble of the Austrian
gave us reason to expect some horrid tale, and the seriousness of his
looks and the solemn accent of his words commanded general awe. After a
short pause, our solemn narrator related the following tale:--




CHAPTER III

THE AUSTRIAN OFFICER'S TALE OF GODFRIED BURGHER'S GHOST


"In a regiment of the garrison in which I served as Lieutenant, about
twenty years ago, was a man who gave the most undeniable proofs of the
truth of my assertion; he was a serjeant, about forty years old, and of
a morose and gloomy appearance; he was respected by his superiors,
prompt and exact in the service, and never would brook an affront. The
unthinking called him a sorcerer, and people of a more serious cast of
mind talked of his connexion with superior beings, taking great care not
to offend that terrible man, whose name was Volkert. In the whole he was
a very good sort of a man, never offended any body, if not provoked, was
averse to company, and fond of solitude.

"He was reported to have performed many strange and wonderful exploits;
an ensign, who had severely chastised him for a slight neglect in his
duty, was said to have been deprived ever since of the proper use of his
right arm; and a captain, who had scolded him without reason, to be
afflicted with a deficiency in his speaking organs. In short, strange
things were every where related of Volkert, and in so serious a manner,
that no impartial man would laugh at those reports.

"I had not, as yet, got an opportunity of getting more nearly acquainted
with that wonderful man, and I must confess I was not very desirous of
being introduced to him, for I always treated with scorn such
supernatural events, yet I never liked to make those matters a subject
for ridicule.

"Some of my comrades were frequently inclined to have a fun, as they
used to call it, and to request the sorcerer, Volkert, to raise up the
ghost of one of their companions who had died suddenly in order to ask
his departed spirit whether he had found pretty girls and good wine in
the other world; but I always dissuaded them from it, endeavouring to
direct them to some other amusement. Meanwhile the rumour of Volkert's
exploits increased from day to day, and some people would swear
solemnly, that they had seen and conversed with their departed
relations, through his assistance.

"Among those who related such strange things of Volkert, was a woman,
whose husband had died suddenly some months ago, and entreated her,
before he expired, not to give her daughter in marriage to a certain
tradesman who had courted her. The girl doated on the young man, and he
likewise was exceedingly fond of her; the distress this young couple
felt at that sad and cruel prohibition, cannot be expressed by words;
their grief was unspeakable when they were thus unexpectedly removed for
ever from the happiness of being united by the bonds of holy wedlock,
just when they flattered themselves to have reached the aim of their
fondest wishes.

"Volkert was quartered in the same street where the unhappy girl's
mother lived. She requested him to find out, by means of his
supernatural skill, what reason might have induced her departed husband
to forbid his daughter, on his death-bed, to marry the man of her
choice, though he had not only never the least objection against the
union, but also had always looked upon it with the greatest
satisfaction. Volkert promised to take the matter into consideration
and answered, some days after, that the deceased himself must be applied
to.

"The poor girl was very much frightened at this declaration, however,
the hope of being at last united to the darling of her love-sick heart,
revived her spirits, and she consented at length to suffer the rest of
her parent to be disturbed. The mother refused for a considerable time
to consent to it, however, at last she agreed to Volkert's proposal, and
the day, or rather the night, for the execution of the conjuration was
fixed.--'The mother,' added the Austrian, 'has related to me the whole
transaction, and I will let her speak herself.'

"'It was on a Saturday,' said the good old woman, 'when we were
assembled in a back room, the same wherein my late husband had breathed
his last, myself, my daughter, her lover, and two of my neighbours being
present. At eleven o'clock we began to sing, as Volkert had ordered us,
penitential hymns and psalms till the clock struck twelve, when we left
off singing, and Volkert entered the room, clad in a white garment,
barefoot, and with a pale and disordered countenance; under his arm he
carried a black carpet, a naked sword, and a crucifix, and in each hand
a lighted taper. As soon as he entered the room, he beckoned us to rise,
and made a sign not to utter a word; then he placed a table in the
middle of the room, covered it with the black carpet, and put the
crucifix and the tapers upon it, holding the sword in his hand: This
done, he took out of his pocket a bottle with consecrated water, and
sprinkled us and the floor with it. After we had pulled off our shoes
and stockings, he burned perfumes in a chaffing-dish, and began the
conjuration, mumbling many mysterious words, and brandishing his sword
as if fighting with an invisible enemy; at once the combat seemed to
cease, he grew quiet, and turning towards us who had been standing
around him, exclaimed, 'I have succeeded, he is coming!'

"A thick smoke overdarkened suddenly the room, the lights were
extinguished, and a shiny figure, resembling in a most striking manner
my deceased husband appeared.

"'Ask him,' said the Necromancer, 'ask him before he vanishes.'

"I shuddered, seized with horror, and was unable to utter a single word:
my daughter was in the same situation; the phantom gave us a ghastly
look, shaking his head, as if denying something. The Necromancer
exhorted us once more to ask the spectre, and one of my neighbours took
courage to question him. 'Who art thou?' asked he with a faltering
voice. 'Godfried Burgher,' answered the phantom, in a hollow woeful
accent.

"'May thy daughter marry Anthony Smith?'

"'No! no!' replied the apparition, gave a deep hollow groan and shook
his head in a ghastly manner.

"'Why not?' resumed my neighbour.

"The phantom shuddered, lifting up his hands in a menacing manner,
staggered back, and, when disappearing, added in a most rueful accent,

"'He is her brother!'

"Night surrounded us, the Necromancer pushed the window open, and the
tapers began again to burn. Now I could breathe again, and looking
anxiously around, beheld my poor child stretched on the floor in a
fainting fit. The unhappy girl recovered soon, but alas! her reason was
gone. We were seized by the chilly hand of horror when we beheld her
roving like a frantic person, wringing her hands, in a grisly manner,
tearing her dishevelled hair, and beating her breast in an agony of
despair. A burning fever had disordered her mind, and, alas! after
three days she was no more! Wild despair drove her lover into the wide
world, and heaven knows whether he is still alive or has fallen a victim
of his wretched fate. I am a poor disconsolate mother, and haunted by
the agonizing pangs of a tormenting conscience, can find neither rest
nor comfort here below; the spirit of my poor child, murdered, by my
consent to that wicked infernal transaction, hovers constantly before my
bewildered fancy; my peace is gone for ever; I dare not to pray to the
supreme ruler of the world, for comfort and mercy, though he who
dwelleth in heaven knows that I reluctantly consented to that wicked
transaction, for no other reason but to promote the happiness of my
murdered child, murdered by her own mother, who ought to have been her
guardian angel! Oh! God of mercy, what! what will become of me, when I
shall be called to the tribunal of the All-seeing! when I shall behold
her standing before the Supreme Judge, and hear her accuse me in the
face of heaven as her murderer? How shall I, how can I answer the stern
questions of him who has entrusted her to my care, to watch with a
mother's tenderness, over her life and happiness? I tremble, seized with
chilly horror when my frantic mind anticipates that awful moment, when
he who sitteth on the throne of majesty shall, with the voice of
thunder, say unto me, Wretch! who hast cruelly murdered thy child,
depart from me into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels!--Alas! I feel already within my breast, the worm that shall
never die, and the fire that shall not be quenched."

"Having thus given vent to her grief, she tore her hair in wild agony,
beating her breast, and the tears of sorrow trickled down her
cheeks--she appeared a grisly, ghastly figure.

"Her narrative, though incredible in the highest degree, made an
unspeakable impression on me. I beheld the poor disconsolate mother
standing before me in an agony of unutterable grief; saw the briny tears
of her who had with her own eyes witnessed the apparition, and heard her
bemoan her unhappy child.

"Having mused awhile on these dreadful events, I felt an ardent desire
to unfold the mystery hanging over that wonderful transaction; or, if I
should not succeed, to convince myself by my own experience of Volkert's
supernatural skill.

"I interrogated the woman about several circumstances, which had
appeared to me rather suspicious; and asking her, at last, whether she
had any reason to think that the lover of her daughter had really been a
son of her deceased husband, she was prevented, by her tears and sobs,
from answering that question, I therefore dismissed her, with the firm
resolution to make the strictest inquiries at her neighbours, which I
did the same day, but all my endeavours to unfold that mysterious
transaction proved abortive; they could tell me no more than what I had
known already, repeating the unhappy widow's tale without any material
alterations; I was left in the dark and found myself necessitated to
check my ardent curiosity.

"I now waited with impatience for an opportunity of witnessing Volkert's
skill, being determined to be present if he should perform another
transaction of that kind.

"I went to him, requesting him to give me notice if he should happen to
make a new experiment, and to admit me as a spectator. He hesitated not
to give me his word, but seemed very little inclined to perform his
promise, being terrified by the last transaction and its fatal
consequences; the whole town talked of it, and the widow was sued at
law on account of the death of her daughter. Volkert was prohibited by
his General from making any farther experiment of that kind. He had not
mentioned to me that interdiction of his commanding officer, yet I
perceived that my request gave him some uneasiness, which I took for
mistrust when I afterwards came to know that circumstance.

"A few months after my application to him, a new accident happened,
which gave him an opportunity to exhibit an astonishing proof of his
supernatural skill, and tempted him forcibly to disregard the earnest
prohibition of his General.

"A friend of mine happened to fall out with a foreign officer, who had
been visiting his parents, the foreigner challenged my friend, who most
readily consented to decide the quarrel by the sword. Business of the
greatest consequence obliged the foreigner to depart in the night
preceding the morning on which the duel was to be fought--he wrote a
note to my friend, promising upon his honour to appear at the appointed
place on the ninth day, and my brother officer consented to the delay.

"I and a few more officers of our regiment paid a visit to my friend who
had been challenged, two days before the duel was to be fought; we were
in high spirits, played, ate and drank amid the cheerful laughter of
merriment, not recollecting, that after three days our host, perhaps,
might not be more. He himself appeared to have entirely forgotten the
quarrel, 'till he at last, at the close of our merriment, recollected
the duel he was going to fight, telling me who was to be his second, to
remind him the following day of his killing business, lest his valiant
adversary, Captain T----, might wait in vain for him.

"'Upon my soul,' added he, heated with wine, 'I wish he was here now,
d--n me if I would not send him to Paradise, to rest in Abraham's
bosom.'

"'Why, brother,' exclaimed one of the visitors, 'could you not have him
summoned hither by Volkert?'

"'That would indeed be excellent fun!' resumed my friend, 'but you know
Volkert dare not do it, we must of course let him alone; yet, if the
rascal does not come the day after to-morrow, Volkert must be applied
to, and, even if I should be obliged to ask the General's permission he
shall conjure him hither, that I may pierce his cowardly soul.'

"A unanimous bravo rewarded this unripe joke of our jovial host; we
separated, and I went home, lost in profound meditation. Having some
reason to suspect that Baron T---- would let us wait in vain, his
departure having been so abrupt, I thought this would prove a fair
opportunity of putting Volkert's supernatural power to the test. At last
I resolved to wait quietly the issue of that affair; and if T---- should
give us the slip, to try whether I should be able to persuade Volkert to
give us a sample of his skill.

"Though I had unjustly doubted Baron T----'s courage, as it will appear
in the sequel of my narrative, yet what we had suspected happened
afterwards.

"The day fixed for the duel came, but no Baron T---- appeared. We waited
for him six hours, and still he did not come. Now I hastened to Volkert
without telling a syllable of my design to my friends. The mysterious
man smiled as I entered the room, and appeared to have a little more
confidence in my honesty than when I paid him my first visit. I broke
the business to him without circumlocution, and he seemed not unwilling
to chastise the foreign officer for his want of courage, yet he
endeavoured to make me sensible of the disagreeable consequences which
likely would arise, if the transaction should transpire. I summoned up
all my little rhetoric, and refuted his objections, by assuring him,
that my friends would give him their word of honour never to betray him,
and thus screen him from every disagreeable consequence; and that, if an
unforeseen accident should unhappily make the transaction known, our
joint interference should save him from punishment.

"These arguments, accompanied by golden encouragements, conquered at
last all his remaining fear; he promised to serve me at any time;
however, he entreated me not to invite too great a number of friends,
that the danger of detection might not be increased without need. Having
promised to act according to his desire, I left him with the greatest
satisfaction, and went directly to my disappointed friend, who was
railing with much asperity against the cowardice of his adversary.

"'What, brother,' exclaimed I, 'what will all this anger boot thee? It
certainly will not give courage to Baron T----, and thou canst not be
blamed on account of his ungentleman-like behaviour, having not
challenged him. There are a great many who would be glad to sneak off so
cheaply and yet so gloriously; you rather ought to pity the
white-livered fellow than to be angry with him, yet, if you like, we may
hit him a blow when he least suspects it.'

"Not knowing whether my friend would approve my plan or not, I
pronounced the last words in a jocose tone to secure a fair retreat, in
case he should not relish my proposal.

"'How else,' resumed I, 'could one get at him, than by _forcing_ him to
wait on us? Didst thou not lately swear to have him conjured hither by
Volkert, if he should give us the slip?'

"My friend seemed at first to be offended, looking upon my proposal as
an unseasonable joke; but when I went on talking of Volkert, and his
occult arts, he asked me at last, 'Seriously, friend, dost thou believe
in the secret arts of that fellow?'

"'I believe nothing,' replied I, 'that I have not seen; let us make a
trial how far the common talk of his supernatural arts deserves to be
credited.'

"He stared at me with astonishment, asking me, after a short pause,
'Dost thou expect to prevail on that necromancer to agree with our
wishes?'

"'What wouldst thou say,' replied I, 'if he had already consented to
give us his assistance?'

"My friend stared again at me, and exclaimed at last with visible
satisfaction, 'Well then, let us see what honest Volkert can do.'

"Everything requisite for the accomplishment of our design was now
talked over and settled. Two of our brother officers, whose discretion
we could rely upon, were chosen to be of the party, and my friend agreed
to win them over to our purpose.

"I returned to Volkert, and was not a little surprised when I found him
less willing than ever to assist us in our undertaking. He pretended to
have pondered my proposal, but thought it too dangerous to exert his
supernatural knowledge in the present case, because the conjuring of a
living person could have the most dreadful consequences, which very
likely might happen on the present because the Baron seemed not at all
to be over-stocked with courage. Though I could not contradict him, yet
I endeavoured once more to dispel his apprehensions, by the repeated
assurance to screen him, with the assistance of my friends, against
every disagreeable consequence. At length he appeared to be easy in
respect to that point; yet he did not think it convenient to execute
our design in the apartment of my friend, but when I proposed my room,
he consented, after many persuasions, to look at it. Having gained his
consent, I left him with rapturous joy.

"Volkert came the next day to my lodgings, faithful to his promise, but
having looked over my apartments, he raised new objections, telling me
that none of my rooms were fit for the undertaking. I could not conceal
my displeasure, which he, however, did not seem to notice.

"At last he made me another proposal before he left me, offering to
speak to an honest tradesman, who had an empty room, which would exactly
fit his purpose, and, as he hoped, be at our service, if we would but
make a reasonable acknowledgment to its owner. I consented to that
proposal, Volkert went away, and returned after half an hour with the
joyful tidings that he had prevailed on the man to let us have the room,
fixing, at the same time, the ensuing night, for the execution of our
design. He requested me to repair to the place of rendezvous after nine
o'clock, describing the street so minutely that I could not miss it.
Having reminded me once more of my promise, he left my room, and I went
out to tell my friend and our two associates to resort in good time, to
the place of appointment. At eight o'clock they came to my apartment,
burning with impatience to witness the mysterious transaction, and we
hastened a quarter before nine o'clock, to the house where our curiosity
was to be satisfied.

"I knew the owner of the room which Volkert had chosen, as a worthy,
honest man. When we entered his house he accosted us with much good
nature, requesting leave to be admitted to the experiment, which we the
more readily consented to when he cautioned us to be on our guard
against the cunning of Volkert, whom he very much suspected to be an
artful impostor.

"'I, for my part,' added he, 'have taken all possible care to prevent
the Necromancer from imposing upon us, and I would lay anything that we
shall catch him in some foul play or other.'

"When we told him that imposition would be impossible, because the
gentleman who was to be summoned was still alive, he burst out into a
loud laughter, requesting us to wait in his parlour till Volkert should
call us upstairs.

"'He will not be disturbed in his toilsome labour,' added he, smiling,
'and has made the whole evening such a tremendous noise, that one should
think he had been hunting up and down the whole infernal crew of his
satanic Majesty.'

"Time had passed quickly on in the company of that queer good-natured
man, who fetched two bottles of excellent old wine, bidding us to be of
good cheer. The clock struck ten before we were aware of it, and as soon
as the last stroke was heard, Volkert entered the parlour, holding a
lighted taper in his hand, his looks were wild and ghastly, his face
pale, and every muscle of his countenance distorted, as if some horrid
accident had filled him with terror. Every smile of merriment took its
flight as he entered the room, our jovial mood was checked at once, and
our faces grew deadly wan, like his, bearing all the marks of secret
awe. He beckoned us to follow him, and we obeyed his solemn command like
machines, forgetting where we were.

"He led the way, with tottering knees, in awful solemn silence, and we
followed him with beating hearts, expecting to behold unheard and
wondrous things. We stepped into a spacious room, in the back part of
which we saw a little door. Volkert opened it, leading us through an
empty narrow ante-chamber to a folding door; there he stopped, looking
back with a ghastly boding aspect, and put the key in the lock--now he
turned it slowly and carefully, the folding doors flew suddenly open, a
thick smoke broke from it, as we entered, and darkened at first all the
objects around.

"Ere long I observed in the back part of the spacious apartment a human
figure clad in a white garment. The smoke evaporated by degrees through
the open door, and the figure grew brighter and brighter, and, advancing
a few steps towards it, I fancied to discern some known lineaments. The
smoke was now entirely evaporated, and the vision hovered clear and
discernible before our gazing looks; I shuddered back when I beheld the
exact image of Baron T---- before me. His tall slender figure, clad in a
white night-gown, struck our senses with awe, as he stood motionless
before us--his looks denoted a man in the agony of death, his long black
hair covered partly his pallid woe-worn cheeks, floating in a grisly
manner down his shoulders.

"The vision stared at me and my companions with a ghastly rueful aspect,
it made my blood congeal, thrilling my soul with deadly horror; my hair
rose up like bristles, and I staggered back towards my friends, who were
standing by the door like lifeless statues, their faces wan, their looks
bewildered--they resembled midnight spectres, just risen from the
yawning grave. I collected all the small relics of courage, advancing
again some paces towards the dreadful phantom, and saw the vision
hovering nearer, making some feeble signs with his left hand. I made an
attempt to speak, but what I said I do not know. The phantom uttered not
a word, but was still making anxious signs with his left arm. Now I
understood what he meant--the right arm hung in a sling as if
fractured.

"As soon as I comprehended this pantomime, the phantom staggered back, a
dark mist arose from under his feet and surrounded the vision by degrees
until we at last could see him no more. I panted for breath, my senses
forsook me, a horrid humming noise filled my ears, my eyes grew dim, I
staggered to the wall and was nearly fainting. At once I felt my senses
returning, and, opening my eyes, beheld myself in a spacious, empty
room, my companions around me, panting for breath like myself--Volkert
was no where to be seen.

"It lasted a good while before we could entirely recover the proper use
of our benumbed senses. My comrades were chilled with horror, and every
one seemed to ask his neighbour, by his inquisitive looks, whether what
our senses had witnessed had been a deluding dream or reality.

"The landlord was standing behind me, trembling like my companions, with
crossed arms and downcast looks, buried in profound meditation, and
exhibiting a woeful picture of pallid fright; at length he begged us to
follow him down stairs, and we went into the parlour with dejected
spirits, he offered us a dish of tea, but we refused staying any longer,
gave him two louis d'ors, and left his house.

"The next morning I awoke, wearied and dispirited, having had only a few
moments of restless sleep. I expected Volkert would come to fetch his
stipulated reward, but I was disappointed, and esteemed him higher for
his seeming disinterestedness. At noon my friend who had been challenged
paid me a visit.

"'Brother,' exclaimed he, as he entered the room, 'tell me, what did the
vision of last night mean by the anxious motion of his arm?'

"'That his right arm was fractured,' replied I hastily.

"'There, read that letter,' resumed he, throwing an open letter on the
table; I took it up and read as follows:

     "'Sir,--An unhappy accident prevents me from fulfilling my
     promise this day, having been thrown from my horse and
     fractured my right arm. However, as soon as I shall have
     sufficient strength to make a journey of twenty leagues, I
     shall insist upon your giving me satisfaction. I am fully
     persuaded that you would suspect me of foul play, though I
     should not have sent you the enclosed certificate; yet, not to
     give you the least room to suspect my honour, and to screen
     yourself by mean subterfuges, I send you the enclosed
     certificate of our Surgeon-Major. Within six weeks at farthest
     I hope to recover the use of my right arm, by the skill of that
     honest man, until then I remain, without either spite or
     enmity,

                                                     "'Baron T----.

     "'Signed with my left hand.'

"I gazed in dumb amazement at my friend, who was walking up and down the
room with hasty steps and in a pensive attitude.

"'Well,' exclaimed he at length, 'what dost thou think of that letter?
It was, as I suppose, only owing to the carelessness of the postman,
that I received it so late. The certificate cannot be suspected, and I
would have believed the Baron though he should not have sent it.'

"I remained silent, reading over again and again the letter of the
unfortunate T----. The preceding night and the whole morning I had been
wavering between doubt and belief, but now I was convinced of the
Necromancer's skill, as I am still, and dreaded to see his face. At
length I suffered myself to be persuaded by my friend to pay him a
visit; he was not at home, and we went several times to his lodgings
without seeing him, until we at last, on the third day, met him on the
parade. I approached him, and my three fellow adventurers did the same,
Volkert wanted to give us the slip, when he saw us coming towards him,
however we came up with him, and with great difficulty persuaded him to
come to my lodgings in the afternoon--having promised to meet us, he
went instantly away with hasty steps.

"At three o'clock he made his appearance; we showed him the Baron's
letter--having read it with apparent unconcern, he said, that he as well
as ourselves had known the contents of it three days ago. We persuaded
him with great difficulty to accept four louis d'ors for his trouble,
and he promised to see us now and then, and to convince us of his
warmest gratitude by every service in his power, if we would but promise
him, on our word of honour, never to desire him any more to raise up
ghosts.

"'I have suffered very much,' added he, 'and I am determined to expose
myself no more to like dangers. I am afraid some additional disaster
awaits me. Baron T---- is no poltroon, which I am glad of, but I fear, I
fear lest----'

"Here he stopped, taking up his hat; we asked for the reason of his
apprehensions, entreating him to speak without reserve; but all was in
vain, and he left the room with these words, 'I wish all may end well.'

"We could not comprehend the meaning of these words, and did indeed not
much mind them, my friend being quite unconcerned about the duel, which
we thought Volkert had been hinting at.

"Eight days were now elapsed without any disagreeable accident. None of
us had spoken a word, as well of our adventure as of the duel, but on
the ninth day we were reminded of it in a most terrible manner. My
friend entered my apartment at a very early hour, with a pallid,
disordered countenance, flinging a folded letter on the table. I took it
up, seized with terrible apprehensions, and saw that it was a second
letter from Baron T----. 'If you will give me leave, gentlemen, I will
read it to you.' We all consented to it, and he read as follows:--

     "'Sir,--Having recovered my strength a little, I hasten to
     request you to acquaint me with the particulars of a dreadful
     accident, which you, without doubt, will be able to unfold.

     "'In the night succeeding the day which was fixed for our
     meeting, an accident happened to me which I cannot unriddle,
     and most willingly would suppose to have been nothing but the
     delusion of a disordered imagination; if not, many of my
     friends had witnessed the unspeakable sufferings I have
     endured. I was seized after eight o'clock in the evening, with
     an agony more terrible and excruciating than that of a dying
     person, expiring amid the most pungent horrors and torments of
     a violent death. Drops of cold sweat bedewed my face, a chilly
     trembling shook my limbs violently, and the leaden hue of death
     rendered my countenance wan. I hoped to find relief if I was to
     walk up and down the room; however, I was seized by the burning
     fangs of still greater, still more agonizing pains, and the
     despondency preying on my bewildered fancy increased every
     minute. I shivered and trembled in such a manner that the
     chattering of my teeth could be heard at a great distance; all
     my muscles were contracted by horrid convulsions; the pangs of
     excruciating agony increased for two hours of infernal torture,
     until at last, my friends, despairing of my life, carried me to
     bed; there I lay for half an hour as if my spirit had been
     separated from my body, which really has been the case. I can
     give no better description of the last degree of my agonizing
     pains, than by comparing my feelings with the torments of one
     whose whole frame suddenly is pierced with a red hot iron.

     "'After that terrible shock I was in a state of lethargy, but I
     dreamed, a horrid, frightful dream. Methought I was violently
     dragged away from my weeping friends, and, on a sudden beheld
     myself in the company of some known persons, who seemed to be
     highly delighted with my torments, and inflicted still greater
     pangs on my woe-worn frame.

     "'Suddenly I recovered my recollection, to the utter
     astonishment of my afflicted friends, but I awoke in such a
     pitiful state of weakness, that every one present, and even the
     physician who attended me, despaired of my recovery. They all
     are of opinion that my enemies must have effected those
     infernal torments by supernatural means, and I myself cannot
     think otherwise. You certainly must have some knowledge of that
     shameless, horrid transaction, and it is you to whom I ought to
     apply for an explanation. I expect your answer by the returning
     mail. I repeat it once more, you must know the particulars of
     that infernal transaction, &c., &c.'

"'The impression this letter made on us,' resumed the Austrian, 'cannot
be described. I read in the countenance of my friend the bitterest
reproaches, for having seduced him to employ the infernal arts of
Volkert to so shameless a purport.'

"The serious turn which this dark transaction began to take made us
apprehend that it would end with a most melancholy catastrophe, yet all
our apprehensions were trifles light as air in comparison to the
dreadful anxiety which poor Volkert was overwhelmed with, when these
tidings were reported to him. We now plainly comprehended the tendency
of the mysterious words he had uttered, when we had seen him last--I
never saw a man in a more distressing situation than he was as he
perused the Baron's letter. His agony rendered him almost distracted
when he came to the conclusion of that melancholy epistle. He wrung his
hands in wild despair, was beating his breast, and tearing his hair,
exclaiming in an accent of unspeakable agony, 'I am undone!'

"Then he fell on his knees, imploring us for God's sake to spare him,
and to save him from ignominy and ruin. 'I have foreseen it,' groaned
he, 'I have foreseen it; O, had I but that time not suffered myself to
be deluded to lend a helping hand to that wicked, infernal transaction!'

"We did all that lay in our power to make him easy, and promised him to
take all disagreeable consequences upon ourselves; however, he would not
listen to the comfort we administered to him.

"'I am too much known,' exclaimed he, and left us in wild despair.

"I now consulted with my friend what was to be done, and we agreed at
last that it would be best not to answer the Baron's letter, but quietly
to await his arrival.

"Volkert, who was now more submissive and humble than ever, came
frequently to see us, and approved our resolution; but he was always in
the greatest anxiety when the idea of the Baron's arrival crossed his
mind. Meanwhile the time when we were to expect the Baron drew nearer
and nearer.

"Six weeks were now nearly elapsed since we had received his last
letter. One morning, as I was reading and smoking my pipe with much
tranquillity, my servant entered my room, telling me a foreign officer
desired to see me. Not suspecting that I should be the first person to
whom the Baron would give notice of his being arrived, I was struck with
surprise when I beheld Baron T---- before me, and I cannot but confess
that I was seized with horror when I saw him. The marks of a recent
dangerous illness were still visible on his pale countenance; his
gloomy, melancholy aspect strongly denoted the sufferings of a deeply
afflicted mind, and his whole carriage horribly reminded me of the
detestable, dark transaction of that unhappy, fatal night. He entered my
room bowing silently, and began, after a portentous pause, to address me
thus:--

"'Sir, you are the second of Mr. C----, who has injured me in a most
glaring and disgraceful manner; first, by having insulted me in public,
and then by having employed infernal arts to torment me. I dare say you
are no stranger to the horrid means your friend has made use of in order
to let me feel his wrath. I will not publicly accuse your friend of that
black, shameless transaction, the dreadful effects of which you can
still read in my countenance; however, he shall answer me with his
heart's blood for that ignominious transaction, and for the sufferings
he has made me undergo. I have written to him, but he has not thought it
proper to answer my letter, which is a certain proof of his having been
concerned in that horrid deed, the reality of which I am now fully
convinced of: I know everything, even the wretch who has assisted in the
performance of that diabolical business. Do not ask me how I came to
know it.'

"He spoke this with such an emphasis, that I was unable to utter a
single word in defence of my friend, and he appearing not to expect
anything of that kind, added, after a short pause,--

"'My arm is not yet fit to manage the sword, for which reason I request
he may bring with him two brace of pistols. You may tell this, your
friend: I hope he will not oblige me to _force_ him to accept my terms.
At seven o'clock next morning I shall be at the spot we have appointed
long ago; till then farewell, and tell your friend that I have not
waited on him, because he prefers to converse with unbodied beings, and
that I have written to him no more, because he has not thought proper to
answer my last letter.'

"So saying, the Baron rose and left me in such perplexity that I was not
able to utter a word in reply. My friend was not less frightened than
myself when I told him his antagonist pretended to know the whole of our
secret transaction. The remainder of the day was spent in preparations
for the duel, and in settling all the affairs of my friend, in case he
should be killed.

"Volkert came in the evening as usual, being afraid of being known to
have any connection with us. He trembled violently when we told him that
the Baron was arrived, but understanding that he would not make public
the dreadful wrongs which he had suffered, the poor fellow recovered
from his fright, and offered to assist the Lieutenant's servant, who was
scouring his master's pistols. This task was soon finished, the two
brace of pistols cleaned and charged with bullets.

"We sat down conversing and drinking punch till midnight, when Volkert
left us with the promise to see my friend once more next morning. He
seemed little inclined to give us his opinion on the means by which the
Baron could have got intelligence of the conjuration, and the man who
had performed it; yet he promised to tell us next morning all he knew
about it. I remained with my friend the whole night, and began to sleep
a little towards morning. At six o'clock Volkert interrupted our
slumber, telling us that he came to take leave of us.

"We gazed at him with astonishment and surprise.

"'Yes, gentlemen,' exclaimed he, 'I am going to leave this town, and I
am very fortunate that I can do it in an honourable manner. I promised
you last night to tell you how Baron T---- has traced out his tormentor;
know, then, that he has written to his family the same that he wrote to
you in his second letter; his relations soon suspected me, being known
here as a Necromancer these many years; they gave notice to the governor
of the supposed transaction, and he bearing me a great regard, would not
meddle with this affair; he has, however, requested my General to remove
me to some other place as soon as possible, which my commanding officer
was very willing to grant. He sent for me the day before yesterday, and
when I appeared before him accosted me thus:

"'Volkert, I have warned thee several times to practise no more thine
infernal tricks, I expected thou wouldst show some regard for thy
General, but seeing that all my endeavours to recall thee to thy duty
are fruitless, I must send thee away, yet do not fear that I shall be
unkind to thee. I know thou art a clever fellow, and I will give thee a
commission as recruiting officer, which employment, I suppose, will not
be disagreeable to thee, because it will afford thee an opportunity to
make a proper use of thy talents.'

"'My heart was ready to leap into my mouth for joy,' added Volkert,
'when I heard these welcome tidings, for this is the very situation I
had been hankering after. Yesterday I received my instructions, my
commission, and plenty of money, and I shall set off as soon as I shall
have seen the decision of Mr. C----'s affair, and begin my new
employment with pleasure and vigour.'

"We were surprised to see the gloomy, melancholic Volkert on a sudden so
cheerful and merry, but he did not give us time to disclose our
astonishment, taking a hasty leave. Having wished success to my friend,
he shook us heartily by the hand, and told us, that if Mr. C---- should
kill the Baron he expected him to join him on the road, adding,

"'Perhaps I may then have a better opportunity to convince you of the
love and high esteem I bear you.' Having promised to see me once more
after the duel, if possible, he left us; however, I saw him no more. The
hour fixed for the fight drew nearer and nearer. We now took a hasty
breakfast and went to the appointed place, where we found the Baron
awaiting our arrival in company with a foreign officer, his second. He
was impatient to begin the combat directly, but I begged him to have
patience, and to remove a little farther from the town, into the field,
lest the report of their pistols might be heard by the sentinels on the
ramparts. Though the young spark thought it needless to be over
cautious, as he scornfully called it, he consented at last to my
proposal, riding a good distance farther. We thanked him for his
readiness to oblige us, and alighted.

"The combatants were placed opposite each other, within the short
distance of four paces. My friend fired first, but missed his
antagonist; the Baron doing the same was not more successful; my friend
fired a second time, but he missed his aim once more; Baron T----'s
second ball grazed his antagonist's cheek; Lieutenant C---- was vexed,
and seeing him take up the third pistol, with a trembling hand, I asked
the foreigner whether he was satisfied; he shook silently his head, and
my friend missed him again: the Baron returned the shot, and his ball
entered the shoulder of C----: I entreated the foreigner to desist from
farther animosities, however he would not listen to me and turning with
a malicious grin towards his second, he took the fourth pistol from his
hand; my friend discharged his into the air, but the Baron, less
generous, took his aim, and his ball whizzed through his antagonist's
hat; then shaking my friend smiling by the hand, he mounted his horse,
and rode in full speed to the town, accompanied by his second.

"The Lieutenant grew fainter and fainter from the loss of blood, and all
my endeavours to stop it were fruitless. At length my servant, whom I
had sent to town, arrived with a coach and a surgeon, who declared that
the wound was of no consequence, and, having dressed it, we conducted my
friend to his apartments.

"On our arrival we were told that the Baron with his second had been
arrested as they had entered the town gate, but nobody could tell us who
had been the informer. The auditor of the regiment made his appearance
soon after, and examined me strictly, yet he assured me that we had
nothing to fear. 'It is known,' added he, 'that your friend has not been
the aggressor.'

"When I begged him to tell me the name of that informer, he paused
awhile and then replied,

"'Well! I will tell you to whom you owe that kind service, he is no more
here; it was Volkert, the noted Serjeant of Colonel R----'s regiment.'

"'Volkert!' exclaimed I, the words dying on my lips.

"The auditor affirmed it and left me. I followed him to the door,
inquiring whether Volkert had said anything else.

"'I don't think he has,' replied he, 'he departed this morning on the
recruiting business, and before he left the town has told the governor,
that a foreign officer, a notorious wrangler, had challenged Lieutenant
C----, and that they were going to fight a duel this morning. The
governor ordered a file of soldiers to arrest you, but they were too
late. When Baron T---- returned to town, he was arrested along with his
second. That is all I know of the matter.'

"I returned to my wounded friend in a pensive mood, not knowing what to
think of Volkert's strange proceedings. I was inclined to look upon this
step as a proof of his concern for my friend's safety, yet I could not
conceive why he had not given earlier notice to the governor, having
known the hour when the duel was to be fought.

"The wound of my friend was not dangerous, and he was able to go abroad
after the tenth day, when he went to the governor to make his
submission. Having expected to be condemned at least to four weeks'
confinement, he was surprised when that gentleman, who was known to be
very rigorous, dismissed him with a slight reprimand. Our General took
not least notice of the whole transaction, and Baron T---- returned to
his garrison after having been arrested four weeks. All our brother
officers spoke highly of his noble behaviour, telling us that he had
rejected all the proposals of his relations to interfere in his behalf.

"However," added the Austrian, "I will not abuse your patience any
longer, and here conclude my wonderful tale, thinking to have fully
proved my paradoxical opinions, by the account I have given you of
Volkert's experiment, and I thank you cordially for your kind attention
to my long mysterious narrative; you will excuse my prolixity, having
been desirous to give you a faithful account of that strange man.
Although I am not able to clear up his character in a more satisfactory
manner, yet I am convinced that you now will believe that spirits can
appear to the eye of mortals."

"Here he ended, seeming to care little what sensations his odd tale
might have produced in the mind of his hearers. The serious tone in
which he had been speaking, and the high respect we bore him, prevented
us from making our observations on his tale; I, for my part, could not
help thinking it very extraordinary and fabulous, yet I could not
harbour the least mistrust in the narrator's veracity, in despite of the
struggles of reason, being fully convinced of his honesty. My design of
relating to him our adventures at the Haunted Castle began now to ripen,
and I was determined to catch the first opportunity that should offer to
impart to him my secret.

"The other officers sat in dumb silence, seeming to ponder how to abide
by their first opinion without opposing their reverend antagonist: 'It
is a pity,' one of them exclaimed at last, after a long solemn silence,
'it is a pity that Volkert is not present, for I am sure he would
convince us also, by ocular proofs, of a matter which bears such evident
marks of impossibility, in the eye of the impartial friend of truth. I
do not in the least suspect your veracity, being fully persuaded that
you are convinced by your own experience of a reality of the strange
incident you have related; yet you will not take it unkind if I assure
you, that my reason will prevent me from becoming a convert to your
opinions, until I shall have been an ocular witness of an experiment of
that kind.'

"The Austrian replied not a word to that speech, but rose and took up
his hat in dumb silence.

"'But, pray sir,' resumed another, 'have you had no further account of
Volkert? did he never return from his recruiting business?'

"'He is dead,' replied the Austrian.

"'Dead!' we repeated with one voice.

"'He is,' repeated the veteran, coolly, 'he met with a sad misfortune in
the second year of his employment; ten of his best recruits gave him the
slip, and, being called to an account for his negligence, he fell a
victim of wild despair, blowing his own brains out.'

"'A sad exit for a Necromancer,' resumed he who had put the question to
the Austrian.

"'But a common one with gentlemen of that line,' added another, rather
forward.

"The Austrian gave him a stern, scornful look.

"'I wish Volkert was still alive,' said he who lodged at the haunted
inn, 'I wish he was still alive, he soon would restore tranquillity to
the house of my landlord, and put a stop to the disagreeable talk that
is rumoured about, and so hurtful to the poor man.'

"The Austrian made a silent bow to the company, and left the room. I
followed him with hasty steps, and, coming up with him, accosted him
respectfully. 'You will excuse the liberty I am going to take to request
of you a private hearing, wishing to impart to you something.'

"'That I will hear to-morrow,' interrupted he drily, and went away.

"The night being far advanced I went to my lodging. I awoke with the
first dawn of day, arose, and, having put on my clothes, waited with
impatience till it should strike eight o'clock, at which hour I intended
to pay a visit to the Austrian. It was about five o'clock when I got up,
and the seeming slow progress of time was very painful to me. At length
the wished-for hour arrived, and I went with hasty steps to the
veteran's lodging. He received me as he was wont to do, with great
kindness, giving me a pipe, and after I had lighted it he asked me what
my pleasure was?

"After some circumlocution I broke the matter to him, giving him a full
account of our adventures at the Haunted Castle. He listened with great
attention to my tale, and hinting, at the conclusion of it, that I
wished he would assist me in unfolding that mysterious matter, he looked
seriously at me without uttering a word. Having waited some time for his
answer with anxious impatience, he arose, and walked up and down the
room in profound meditation.

"'Friend,' said he at last, after a long and painful silence, 'what
reason have you to engage in that dangerous undertaking?'

"'I have no other motive,' replied I, 'than to chastise the impostors,
and to deliver my servant from their clutches.'

"He shook his head: 'Are you certain,' resumed he at length, after a
short pause, 'that your servant has not been associated with those
nightly sportsmen?'

"I stared at him and replied, after having meditated awhile, 'No, it is
impossible, the fellow was too honest; and what motive----' -- 'You are
right,' interrupted he, 'it cannot have been a preconcerted plan.'

"He walked again up and down the room in a pensive mood, and then
exclaimed suddenly in a determined tone, 'Well, I will be one of the
party, and, if you like, we will set off instantly.'

"I eagerly accepted his proposal, and having put in readiness everything
necessary, we agreed to depart in the evening. He proposed to take one
of his serjeants with him, and I resolved to do the same. I returned to
my lodging against noon, highly pleased with my success, in order to
prepare myself for a speedy departure.

"We left F---- at eight o'clock in the evening; nobody was privy to our
design, and our serjeants fancied we were going on business, wondering
very much how recruiting officers in the service of two different
princes could act thus in concord. But on the road we undeceived them,
and were much rejoiced that our hoary veterans did not dislike our
enterprise.

"Three days after our departure from F---- we arrived within a small
distance from the place of our destination, without having met with any
sinister accident.

"We were now on the skirts of the Black Forest, but could see no
village; the spot where the houses leading to the castle had began was
deeply impressed on my memory. I showed to my fellow traveller the
rivulet, on the borders of which the old man had been sitting when we
first had met him; we looked about for the houses but we could find
none. I did not know what to think of the matter.

"Pursuing our route, we ascended a rising ground. Gracious heaven! how
was I shocked when I at once beheld a heap of ruins on the spot where
the village had stood! We could still trace the marks of conflagration.
In the background we saw only a few miserable huts left, and a little
further distant the castle presented itself to our view. We gazed at
each other in dumb astonishment, and the Austrian alighted; I and our
two hoary veterans did the same, and we climbed, after much difficulty,
over the heap of ruins. As we approached the few remaining houses, the
inhabitants came running towards us covered with rags, and exhibiting
pale, woe-worn countenances. I never beheld such a horrid picture of
wretchedness and misery;--they wrung their hands, crying for alms, and
wept bitterly.

"Having distributed money amongst them, I inquired when that misfortune
had happened. 'Alas!' groaned they, 'who should have thought, when your
honour left us, that you ever would see us in such a miserable state?
We are all ruined; all our little property has been consumed by the
flames. Good heaven! how shall we keep our little helpless babes from
starving?'

"Repeating my question, when that terrible accident had happened, the
poor unfortunate people told me their village had been set on fire the
day after we had left them.

"Dreadful apprehensions filled my soul, and the Austrian's looks seemed
to confirm them.

"When I inquired after my former host, I was told that he had lost his
life in the flames. 'The fire,' said the poor people, 'broke out
suddenly, in different places, in the dead of night; they had not been
able to save their property, and a great number of the inhabitants, with
their cattle, had perished in the flames.' This horrid tale made my
blood run chill, being convinced that I had been the primary cause of
that dreadful event.

"As we entered one of the miserable huts, we were met by the
lamentations of people half-naked; they all recollected me, receiving me
with hideous groans. All my money was not sufficient to comfort the
unhappy sufferers, but I divided it willingly amongst them, feeling an
inward pleasure in being able to ease at least their sufferings a
little. The Austrian, smiling at me, followed my example as far as the
expenses of our journey would admit.

"At last I ventured to inquire after the Haunted Castle; the poor
sufferers shuddered at the question, telling me, without reserve, that
they did not doubt that the last visit we had paid to that abode of
horror had drawn upon them the dreadful ire of the revengeful spirits,
which I in vain wished to be able to contradict. Unwilling to behold any
longer the marks of sorrow and distress so deeply imprinted on the faces
around me, and stung to the heart by the tormenting thought to have
partly contributed, by my idle curiosity, to provoke the lurking tempest
of woe that had thus cruelly crushed the earthly happiness of the
wretched villagers, I hastily inquired for the next village, they showed
us the way, and we bade them farewell with a bleeding heart, riding away
in full speed.

"But, alas! I could not escape the hideous spectre of self-reproach,
pursuing me with icy fangs. The scene of misery which my eyes had
witnessed hovered constantly before my gloomy fancy, the groans of woe
which I had heard still vibrated in my ears, the haggard looks of these
unhappy people, undone by my heedlessness, stared me in the face ever
and anon, and I struggled in vain to shake off the grisly spectre
pursuing me with unrelenting resentment. 'How comfortless and miserable
is the man,' said I to myself, 'whom conscience accuses of having
plunged into the gaping gulph of misery a fellow-creature!'

"The Austrian saw the painful workings of my soul, kindly striving to
dispel the gloomy clouds hovering over my brow. 'How can you accuse
yourself,' spoke the reverend veteran, 'of having been, though
involuntarily, accessory to the fatal blow that has thus cruelly
destroyed the happiness of these people, whose fate you are bemoaning?
It was the high decree of a superior power, that rules the fate of man.
The ways of the All-wise are ever good and just, though surrounded
sometimes with impenetrable darkness. Men are but tools in the hand of
Providence, and never ought to murmur against the Father of the
universe. It is not you who have destroyed the happiness of these poor
sufferers; your heart is good, and you could not foresee the dreadful
consequences of your juvenile rashness; cheer up, young man, and trust
to the Supreme Ruler of all things, that he knows best what is good and
fit; he produces light from the womb of darkness, and leads sometimes
his children to greater bliss over the thorny path of misery and woe.'

"I listened with eager attention to the soothing speech of comfort
flowing from the reverend lips of my sage companion, and a heavy load
was taken from my heart; when he had finished, the clouds of gloominess
dispersed by degrees, and a ray of cheerfulness darted through my mind.
After half an hour's ride we beheld a large village before us; we agreed
to wait there the setting in of night, and then to visit the Haunted
Castle secretly.

"Our host could not, or perhaps would not, answer our inquiries
concerning the desolated castle, and we endeavoured in vain to know
whether the mighty sportsmen were still housing there or not; my
serjeant went abroad to get some information, and was so fortunate as to
draw from the schoolmaster of the village as much as we wanted to know;
returning after an hour with the corroboration of our suspicion, that
the spirits residing at the castle had set fire to the desolated
village, and that they since that time had forsaken their former abode.

"Although the latter part of his intelligence gave us but little hope
that we should succeed in our design to unfold the mystery of the
ruinous castle, yet we determined to make at least a trial, the Austrian
being very desirous to explore the noted building, and we went all four
to the Haunted Castle as soon as it was dark.

"We arrived at the gloomy fabric after a short walk, lighted some
torches we had brought with us from F----, entered the court-yard, and
ascended the spiral staircase; the Austrian searched every corner, and I
found all the rooms in their former condition, the seats and the table
we had constructed were still as we had left them, unmoved, untouched.

"When the Austrian had carefully searched everything, we descended the
stairs leading to the cellar, but found the iron door strongly fastened
as before. We entered the garden, searching and prying round, till we at
length espied the aperture of the cavern through which we had effected
our escape from the grisly jaws of a lingering death. The hollow sound
of our footsteps re-echoed horribly through the dreary subterraneous
abode as we entered, and the light of our torches reflected grisly from
the damp mossy walls of the deep and narrow passage.

"Stepping into the ruinous stable, we espied, with pleasure, the hole in
the boards through which the Baron had fallen down, and detected in one
of the corners a ladder, and above the place where it was standing a
trap-door. Having ascended the ladder, I opened the half-decayed door,
with one violent push, and entered with my fellow-adventurers the
well-known spacious apartment, leaping over the gaping opening where the
boards had given way. Looking around we beheld several small iron doors,
one of which flew open at the first push of the Austrian, and presented
to our eyes the avenue of a damp arched vault, from which a stone
staircase led to that part of the fabric which faced the cellar door.

"Without stopping there, we pursued our way to the large folding door
leading to the great hall under ground, but found it strongly bolted on
the inside, and all our hopes of farther discovery were blasted at once.
We made the utmost efforts to disengage the massy door from its rusty
hinges, but all our labour was lost, its strength proved superior to our
united endeavours of forcing it.

"While we were standing before that door, consulting whether we should
go back or not, we heard suddenly a distant noise, as if a lock was
opening, and soon after a folding door seemed to fly open, with a
hideous creaking, which instantly was followed by a terrible noise of
numerous steps as if people in boots were descending. When the noise
drew nearer, we could distinguish the clattering of many spurs, and the
harsh voices of men; the whole subterraneous cavern was at length filled
with a most tremendous noise, and we gazed at each other rather pleased
than frightened, being four vigorous men, used to danger, provided with
four sabres and as many brace of double-barrelled pistols. The Austrian,
standing nearest to the door, retained his equanimity unimpaired and,
ere long, a hollow voice, like the distant rolling of thunder,
exclaimed, 'Come hither with the booty.' A confused bustle ensued, the
tinkling of money was heard, some quarrelled and some cursed and
scolded, but were soon reconciled. At length the bustle ceased, a door
was opened close by us, and money locked up in a chest. Meanwhile the
following discourse took place in the unknown assembly.

"FIRST VOICE. To-morrow we will waylay the gentlemen of Norrinberg, and
ease them of their golden burthen. I trust you will behave like men, my
jolly boys! It would be a pity if they should give us the slip once
more.

"SECOND VOICE. By holy Peter! they shall not escape.

"MANY VOICES. They shall not, they shall not.

"THIRD VOICE. I wonder where our grey-beard may stay so long. I have not
seen his holy face since our last fun.

"FOURTH VOICE. Take my word, brother, he sits by the fireside and
chaunts penitential hymns. The fellow is of no further use to our
community, we must send him to the devil.

"FIRST VOICE. Let him alone, my boys, he has rendered us many good
services, has saved many of our brave companions from the hangman's
ruthless fangs; don't grudge him a little rest, he will soon return and
bring us joyful tidings.

"SECOND VOICE. He has procured us many a golden booty; has, by his
cunning, extricated us from many neck-breaking difficulties; it would be
ungrateful to be angry with him. What would become of our noble band if
he did not guide our arm by his sage counsels?

"THIRD VOICE. Bravely spoken, my lad, he is a good sort of a fellow; it
is a thousand pities that he begins to grow old and infirm.

"FIRST VOICE. Let him grow old and infirm, if he but escapes the
gallows.

"Here somebody was locking the door of an adjoining room, a hollow
bustle and humming ensued, and the robbers (for such they must have
been) were going to withdraw.

"'Shall we break in upon the scoundrels?' whispered the Austrian to me.

"'By what means?' replied I, shrugging up my shoulders.

"'Through the garden, or the adjoining wing of the castle,' resumed he.

"'But the danger,' said I,--'Is not so great as you fancy,' interrupted
the Austrian; 'yet it will be better to force the gentlemen to open the
door; if they should refuse to do it, then it will be time enough to
surprise them in the court-yard, for I do not think it prudent to
venture on the staircase, because they would then have too much
advantage over us.'

"Now all was silent in the cellar, till after a short pause a new
conversation began.

"FIRST VOICE. I say, brother, what shall we do with the officer's
servant we have entrapped? The dog is good for nothing, and we are in
danger that he will betray us one time or other.

"SECOND VOICE. Let us knock his brains out.

"THIRD VOICE. Let us give him his liberty.

"FOURTH VOICE. Or sell him to a recruiting officer.

"FIRST VOICE. We will take thy advice, brother Rasch, and set him at
liberty. If his master has saved his life, the servant may share the
same fortune with him; but first the blockhead shall swear a terrible
oath never to betray us, else I will break his rascally neck.

"MANY VOICES. Well spoken, Captain, let us break the scoundrel's neck if
he refuses to swear.

"Now we heard them ascend the staircase with a terrible noise, and
instantly the Austrian knocked with his hands and feet against the door;
a momentary silence ensued.

"'Open the door, ye miscreants!' roared my friend with a thundering
voice. 'Open the door, ye rascals,' exclaimed I and my fellow
adventurers, but before the hollow sound of our voices had ceased
re-echoing through the vaulted passage where we were standing, the whole
crew was running up stairs with a tremendous noise, and we hurried with
all possible speed through the long winding passage, with pistols
cocked, but before we could reach the end of the subterraneous avenue,
we heard the trampling of horses, which soon was dying away at a
distance. A gust of wind had extinguished our torches, but the light of
the moon was shining so clear that we soon beheld an opening in the
garden wall leading to the field, where we could see at a small
distance, a numerous troop of horsemen galloping away at a furious rate.
On our return we observed that the horsemen had taken their flight
through the garden, which appeared to have been their common in and
outlet since the burning down of the village.

"I left the residence of these robbers very much dissatisfied; the
Austrian, on the contrary, was highly pleased, representing to me that
we should not know much more of the matter than we had heard, even if we
had surprised them; that I did wrong if I complained of having been
disappointed, being now informed of my servant's fate, and the mystery
of the castle; and that every wish of taking personal vengeance on these
miscreants was not becoming men like ourselves, because the hangman
would have been defrauded of his perquisites if we had killed some of
them.

"'All we could do,' added he, 'would be to give notice of what we have
seen and heard to the magistrates of the next town; but I fear the gang
is too numerous than that they could be taken prisoners; besides, they
will take care not to suffer themselves to be entrapped; and if the
magistrates were to take cognizance of our denunciation, and should fail
in their attempt to destroy the whole crew, they perhaps would be made a
second example of the revengeful daring spirit of these lawless
wretches, and pay dearly for having enacted the laws against them.
Remember the agony of grief you felt when you beheld the horrid
consequences of opposition against these outlaws, in viewing the ruins
of the village which but lately has fallen a victim to their cruel
resentment, and then tell me whether it is advisable to inform against
them? We had better leave their punishment to that supreme Judge who
certainly will overtake them with his vengeance when their measure shall
be full.'

"I returned to our inn at the next village, comforted by the seasonable
reasoning of my worthy friend, and I never shall forget the wise
instructions he gave me on the way; I never shall forget his tender
exhortations to take care not to follow the first impulse of the moment,
but always to listen attentively to the voice of reason before I should
engage in any undertaking, and to bridle the youthful ardour of
heedlessness by prudence and cool reflection.

"We entered our inn at two o'clock in the morning, and we were met by
the landlord, who had been very uneasy at our staying away so long,
because many murders had been committed lately within the environs of
the village. We told him we had taken a walk, but having missed our way,
had strayed about until the dawn of day had assisted us in finding our
way back. He appeared to believe our words and we went to rest.

"We awoke at eight o'clock, and departed at nine for F----, where our
absence had not been much taken notice of, those secret journeys being
very common among recruiting officers; yet some of my friends puzzled
themselves very much by various conjectures about the reasons of my
connexion with the Austrian; but neither we nor our trusty serjeants
communicated our adventure to anyone of our acquaintance.

"During our absence a strange accident had happened to one of our
comrades, which had made every one wish for the return of the Austrian,
and no sooner were we arrived before all the officers repaired to my
room to inform us of it.

"The officer who lodged at the haunted inn, coming home against midnight
three days ago, sat down to finish a letter to his Colonel. As soon as
it had struck twelve o'clock, he heard a tremendous rap at the door,
which he did not mind at first, but continued writing. A second rap,
more violent than the first, disturbed him soon after, but he still took
little notice of it. A third, not unlike a clap of thunder, ensued
after a short pause, the door of his apartment flew open, and a white
figure was going to enter the room.

"'Fearless,' these are his own words, 'did I start up, unsheath my sword
and run towards the phantom; it retreated, but I pursued, and pierced it
with my sword, it gave a hollow scream, but what further happened I
cannot tell; I awoke as if from a deluding dream, and was lying
stretched on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, surrounded by a
great number of people with lighted candles; terrible pains had seized
me, and my sword was still in my hand.'

"When the narrator had finished his wonderful tale, I perceived visible
marks of its authenticity on his face, and inquired whether he had been
hurt by the fall. He told me he had suffered no material injury except a
few bruises.

"The Austrian began now to question him.

"'Have you perceived anything uncommon before that strange accident
happened?'

"OFFICER.--Nothing at all except an insignificant noise, after twelve
o'clock.

"AUSTRIAN.--Have you, perhaps, before you met with that misfortune, been
thinking on my tale of Volkert's exploits?

"OFFICER.--(Vexed) I was writing to my Colonel; how could I therefore
think on that fellow? Or do you think it impossible that any one besides
you can experience things the possibility of which you have proved by
facts?

"The Austrian, apparently lost in profound meditation, gave him no
answer, but was walking up and down in solemn silence.

"Our companions acquainted us now with the purport of their visit,
signifying a desire to encounter the kingdom of spirits and hobgoblins
_in pleno corpore_, under the command of my serious friend. Thinking the
veteran would relish their proposal as little as myself, I thought it
would be agreeable to him, if I could prevail on the spirited sons of
Mars not to urge the matter further, addressing them in a jocose
manner:--

"'Gentlemen, it seems you do not consider that these airy disturbers of
nocturnal rest are not fond of large companies; or do you suppose the
apparition, which I suspect to be a female one, a second Semiramis?'

"However, it was in vain to attempt persuading them to drop the
adventure, their imagination having been heated too much by the
Austrian's tale, as that they would give up their design. Turning their
backs against me, highly displeased with my harangue, they solicited my
friend with the greatest impetuosity to comply with their request. He
inquired whether Lieutenant N---- was still an inhabitant of the haunted
inn, and being told that the valiant son of Mars had removed to another
lodging the next morning after the nocturnal encounter, he refused
flatly to yield to their entreaties, telling them he was sure the
apparition would give them the slip.

"'Well, well,' exclaimed the undaunted warriors, 'we will run the risk
and watch the ghost, though we should sit up ten nights for it; we are
determined to unfold that mystery.'

"So saying they left the room in great hurry.

"'What do you think of the matter?' said I, when the visitors had left
us.

"'Nothing,' replied he, with much _sang froid_, shrugging up his
shoulders.

"'But the ghost,' said I----

"'Is an offspring of their childish fancy,' replied the Austrian.

"'The fall of Lieutenant N----?' asked I.

"'Is very natural,' replied the Austrian; 'I could cite you more than
one hundred incidents corroborating the truth, that people have a very
confused idea when their senses are tied up by fear and anxiety. As soon
as cool reflection gives way to the horrors of a disordered fancy, we
are but too apt to create phantoms and spectres around us, we do not see
what really exists, but what we fear to behold.'

"I could oppose nothing to this reasoning of his, founded so strongly on
experience, and suspected the courage of our valiant Lieutenant very
much, having no doubt but his fear had made him miss the staircase; I
therefore took no farther notice of our bravado and his companions, not
caring what would be the finale of their trifling adventure. My friend
was likewise quite unconcerned about the matter, and, without mentioning
it any farther, we went about our business.

"When night invited us to rest from the toils of the day, we dedicated
the remaining hours to the mutual enjoyment of hallowed friendship's
cheerful bliss.

"Eight days of peaceful happiness were now elapsed, when Lieutenant
N---- entered my apartment one morning, with a countenance exhibiting
the strongest marks of horror.

"'I come to you,' said he, 'because I apprehend a second refusal from
your friend, if you do not support my request.'

"Asking him whether he intended to apply once more to my friend to
encounter the ghost, he replied, it was his intention to try his fortune
once more with my obstinate friend.

"'Then you must excuse me,' exclaimed I, peevishly.

"Having stared at me awhile in profound silence, he began walking up and
down the room, and at last seated himself by my side, resuming, in a
cool and tranquil tone, 'Hear what I am going to say before you refuse
to intercede with your friend, and I will acknowledge myself to be
unworthy of your confidence if you persist any longer in your
resolution, not to speak in my behalf to your worthy friend.'

"The solemn manner in which he pronounced the last words engaged my
attention, and made me apprehend to hear a tale of horror. Having moved
my chair closer to his he went on.

"'You know what I and my friends intended to do; we have executed our
design. All our efforts to make the ghost appear proved abortive at
first; in vain did we watch, make a noise, search every corner of the
house, and try to provoke the spirit for three nights; we could neither
hear nor see anything uncommon.'

"I was going to interrupt him, and to argue the imprudence of their
proceedings, but he squeezed my hand gently, and begged me not to
interrupt his narrative.

"The fourth night appeared," thus he continued after an awful pause, "it
still makes my blood freeze when I recollect the horrible scene of
terror my eye beheld in that night of dreadful note. We all repaired to
the abode of that airy disturber of the stillness of night, taking our
residence in a lonely hall, in the apartment. We sat down to the
inviting punch bowl after eleven o'clock, as we had done the preceding
nights, filling our pipes and cursing the cowardice of the spectre,
seemingly afraid of meeting an assembly of hardy soldiers; but it took
ample vengeance on our forwardness, in so horrid a manner, that one must
have been an eye-witness of its ire, if one will form a just idea of our
situation.

"Our impatience increased as the punch began to heat our blood, we took
the candles from the table, unsheathed our swords, and began to search
every corner of the house and the cellar without success. My friends
looked gloomy, the clouds of dissatisfaction were hovering over their
brows, and a storm was gathering, which perhaps would have ended in a
serious quarrel, if it had not been for the Austrian's tale, which, as
yet, had sheltered me against their boiling anger, and from the
suspicion of being an impostor or a coward. They began ridiculing the
landlord and myself on account of our self-created fright, as they
called it, declaring all we had heard and seen to be a mere phantom, the
offspring of a deluded fancy; however, they were soon convinced of the
truth of our narration, in a most shocking manner.

"We were ascending the staircase, and the foremost had not yet reached
the last step, when a sudden hollow noise arose. It was not unlike the
howling of the tempest rushing through the chinks of an old ruinous
building. The noise carried something frightful with it, which cannot be
expressed by words. My hair rose up like bristles, an irresistible
horror made my blood run chill, and my ridiculing friends became as
serious as if a magic wand had touched them, gazing at each other in
dumb astonishment. The dismal noise continued a few seconds, and then
every thing was as silent as the grave.

"We pursued our way to the hall, and retook our seats, wondering what
could have caused that dreadful howling, and one of the company opened
the window to see whether a tempest had gathered in the air, but the sky
was clear, and not the least wind blowing. Sensations of unspeakable awe
thrilled our souls, the fumes of punch evaporated, and solemn stillness
swayed all around; nothing was heard save the violent palpitations of
the heart, the chattering of our poor landlord's teeth, and the knocking
together of his trembling knees.

"A few moments more of profound silence, and then the dismal howling
arose again with redoubled force; a sudden violent gust of wind threw
the windows open, and the door from its hinges, extinguishing all the
candles; a tremendous clap of thunder shook the house, a terrible flash
of lightning hissed through the room, and prostrated us to the ground; a
hideous lamenting noise assailed our ears, and lifting up my head I
beheld the phantom that once had frightened me, advancing with a
threatening grin; grisly was its shape, and its eyes rolling like two
flaming comets.

"I was the first who recovered the use of his senses, and, calling in
vain for the landlord, my companions started up, and we found the poor
fellow prostrate on the floor, half frantic with terror. At length he
also recovered a little from his fright, and after many persuasions
ventured down stairs, accompanied by me, to strike a light. Everybody in
the house was snoring, except our crest-fallen fellow adventurers, who
exhibited a rueful ghastly group, being all as pale as ashes. Looking at
our watches we saw it was past two o'clock, sat an hour longer without
perceiving any thing farther, and returned against morning to our
respective lodgings.

"I would not have troubled you with an account of this strange incident
if an accident was not connected with it, which has happened last night.

"My recruiting business having called me abroad yesterday, I returned in
the afternoon; in the dusk of evening I entered a thicket in a gloomy
pensive mood, all around was lonely and buried in profound silence; no
sound was heard except the dismal dirge of the screech-owl, and the
shrill chirping of the amorous cricket[A]. At length I heard a
whispering within a small distance, and cocking one of my pistols, I
rode on with the greatest circumspection. At once I saw a manly figure
coming out of the thicket, but could not distinguish his dress;
advancing a little farther, I beheld somebody in a peasant's garb,
walking on briskly and talking to himself. As I came up with him I
observed a black wallet on his back, and a thick branch of a tree in his
hand, serving him instead of a walking cane. He seemed to take no notice
of me, pursuing his way with hasty steps, and still muttering between
his teeth. I saluted him but he gave me no answer.

     [A] The _chirping of the cricket_ is a noise which the male one
     makes with his wings in order to attract the attention of the
     female.--_Vide_ Goetze, "Ueber Natur Menschenleben und
     Forschung."

"'Whither art thou going, good friend?' exclaimed I.

"'To men!' replied he, to my utter astonishment.

"'Very likely to F----,' resumed I.

"'Yes,' said he, 'there are men.'

"Supposing him to be a lunatic, I passed him, pursuing my way in a brisk
trot; when I came out of the thicket I saw that I was nearer the town
than I thought, and made my horse quicken his pace; but how was I
astonished when I beheld again the same figure walking before me.

"'Old gentleman,' exclaimed I, 'it seems thou knowest the road better
than I do.'

"'I think so myself,' added he drily; 'and I believe I know many things
better than you do.'

"'Strange being,' resumed I, 'who art thou?'

"'A friend of wisdom!' was his answer.

"'Thy wisdom,' replied I, 'must be as odd as thyself! But pray what dost
thou call wisdom?'

"'What you do not understand,' was his reply.

"Hearing the words friend of wisdom, I was suddenly struck with a
suspicion which my readers will easily guess, and that suspicion was
strengthened when the narrator informed me of his definition of wisdom.
I strongly suspected that he was the same person I had met in the Black
Forest, under the garb of a pilgrim, and I hardly could refrain from
exclaiming, 'Art thou here, impostor?'

"Every one may guess the conclusion of the Lieutenant's wonderful tale.
I scarcely had patience to await it. The narrator being highly charmed
with the hoary juggler, could not find words to express the sensations
his reverend aspect had raised within his breast. He had fancied to be
in a company with a robust countryman, but when he entered his house in
the suburbs, to which he kindly had invited him, he beheld the
countenance of an old man with silver hair, and a mien exciting awful
respect. He offered him a glass of excellent wine, and began by degrees
to become more cheerful and communicative.

"The old man's conversation on the road having betrayed a high degree of
occult knowledge, had very nearly tempted the Lieutenant to communicate
to him his adventure at the haunted inn; that temptation returning with
redoubled force he could no longer resist, and told him everything that
had happened. The result of the ensuing conversation was, that he
entreated the old man to come and conjure up the apparition, to which
he, after many seeming struggles, at last consented, under the condition
that no more than six persons should be present, and the landlord's
leave could be obtained. The Lieutenant left him in high spirits, after
having promised to fulfil strictly these two conditions.

"I could not bridle any longer my ardent desire to hasten to the
Austrian and to get rid of my visitor, who now became exceeding
troublesome to me, being tired of his overstrained encomiums on the old
deceiver, I therefore, anticipating the renewal of his request to speak
to my friend, promised that I not only would engage to persuade him to
assist at the conjuration, which was to be performed the ensuing night,
but I also assured him that I myself would be present.

"The Lieutenant's raptures exceeded all bounds, he almost stifled me by
his embraces, and called me more than a hundred times his kind
benefactor, and his dear obliging friend. I was, however, entirely
indifferent to his raptures and endearments, pondering how I might best
confound the vile dissembler, and put a final stop to his enormous
cheats. I begged the poor hood-winked Lieutenant to give me leave to go
directly to my friend, and to win him over to the party, which he
instantly did, after having fixed an hour in the afternoon when he would
wait on me to hear how far I should have succeeded with the Austrian.

"'Meanwhile,' added he, 'I will go to the owner of the haunted inn, in
order to talk the business over with him, and to engage three able
assistants more from among our friends.'

"Not finding the veteran at home I was vexed very much, but when
dinner-time came I had the pleasure of meeting him. The recapitulation
of Lieutenant N----'s account of his late adventure at the inn, and his
conversation with the hoary juggler, produced the desired effect. Though
a man like him, who was of a cool temper, and never suffered his passion
to get the better of his reason, could not be seized with a fit of
amazement, yet I never saw him so violently agitated.

"Having with apparent emotion awaited the conclusion of my tale, he
exclaimed at last, after a short pause, during which his desire for
vengeance and punishment seemed to struggle with his reflection and
prudence--

"'Friend, what do you intend to do?'

"'To seize the Necromancer.'

"'Before or after the conjuration?' asked the Austrian.

"'After it,' replied I.

"Now the dinner bell rang, and he left me with the promise to repair at
night to the place of action.

"Having accustomed myself by degrees to examine minutely what likeliest
might be the result of my noble friend's almost unfathomable
considerations, before I determined on anything he was concerned in, I
succeeded sometimes in my anxious endeavours to act in unison with his
principles, and to coincide with his ideas, but in the present case I
was quite at a loss how to proceed conformably to his wish, having not
the least clue by which I could expect to extricate myself out of the
labyrinths into which he had led me, leaving everything to myself.

"However, after much reflection, I was at last so fortunate to hit upon
a plan which he fully approved, proposing to conceal myself until the
whole transaction should be finished, and then to rush like lightning
upon the hoary deceiver, to upbraid him with his glaring cheats, to
force him to a confession of the dark, fraudulent means he had employed
to play that infernal trick upon us, when he left us in the lurch in the
cellar of the Haunted Castle, and then to make him a prisoner without
farther ceremony.

"We both agreed to deliver him up to the civil power, after having
convicted him of his roguery, and to order four stout corporals to rush
into the room at the first signal, in order to arrest the shameless,
cunning deceiver. Flattering ourselves with hopes of good success, we
parted, after a mutual promise to repair to the place of action at
eleven o'clock.

"Lieutenant N---- came to my lodging at three o'clock in the afternoon,
to inform me that everything was ready for the performance of our
nocturnal adventure. The landlord had made no difficulty to give his
consent to the conjuration, and was desirous to be admitted one of the
spectators, being elated with the hope that his house soon would be
cleared of that troublesome being which had until now banished all his
customers, and very much impaired his circumstances. He knew the
reverend Necromancer, as the lieutenant was pleased to call him, and was
in raptures that the honest old man was returned to F----, and had
consented to restore the tranquillity of his house, exclaiming,

"'Now I am easy; Father Francis is the very man. It is a thousand pities
that he visits these parts so seldom, and that he, if present, buries
himself in solitude.'

"'He could not tell me precisely,' added the lieutenant, 'how the old
man employs his time, because nobody was on an intimate footing with
him, nor could any one tell where he came from, or whither he was
travelling so often, but that it was universally known that he possessed
houses in most of the adjacent towns, where he was living in the same
retired and harmless manner as here.'

"The lieutenant, highly pleased when I told him that the Austrian had
consented to be present at our nocturnal meeting, went now to the other
associates, in order to settle everything, and invited myself and my
friend to supper, which I readily consented to.

"Having shifted my clothes, that the old deceiver might not know me so
easily, I went to the Austrian, whom I, without difficulty, persuaded to
sup with me and Lieutenant N----. We repeated our orders to our trusty
corporals and left the house.

"Strange sensations occupied my mind, spreading a gloom over my
countenance. The expectation of seeing something extraordinary and
wonderful thrilled my soul with awe, and an unaccountable chill trembled
through my limbs; perhaps it was the effect of a foreboding of my
approaching separation from my ever-beloved friend, who appeared as cool
and unconcerned as ever. When he saw me so silent and gloomy, he said,
'So solemn, my friend, it seems you wish very little for your old
acquaintance.'

"'It is no pleasant task to unmask an impostor,' said I.

"'But a useful one,' answered he, taking me under the arm.

"I endeavoured to appear cheerful, in which painful task I succeeded at
length; however, there was still lurking in my soul an awful, strange
sensation, quite foreign to my character, though the latter had been
tinged with a sombre hue since I had frequented the company of my new
friend.

"When we came to Lieutenant N----'s apartment, we met two of his most
intimate friends, who had been present at the late alarming apparition
of the ghost, and were determined to engage the spectre once more.

"They all were rejoiced at the Austrian's coming, and soon began to
recount the terrible visitation of the ghost, and the anxiety they had
suffered, which they did in a most prolix and tedious manner. The
Austrian begged them to talk of something else and not to deprive
themselves of the necessary firmness of mind by the recollection of what
was past; he at the same time endeavoured to give the conversation a
more cheerful turn, and I cannot but confess that he never had been so
amusing and pleasing since I had known him.

"The cloth being laid we sat down to supper, but none of us did honour
to the meal except the Austrian; the wine promised to dispel the clouds
of gloominess from our circle; however, our host plied us in vain with
bumpers, the heart-elevating juice of the grape could not raise our
crest-fallen spirits, and the Austrian was the only one who relished it,
and experienced 'its powers divine.'

"The farther the night advanced the lower our spirits sunk, in despite
of my friend's endeavours to spread the glow of merriment around, and to
encourage us to join him heartily in his libations. Though he sounded
the praise of the wine's excellence, by words and deeds, yet he kept
within the bounds of soberness, and when it struck eleven o'clock, bade
us drink a final bumper to good success, and then took up his hat and
sword.

"I did the same, and our companions followed our example with fear and
trembling. We went down stairs in solemn taciturnity, and groped our way
through midnight darkness to the Haunted Inn.

"The master of the house welcomed us most cordially, thanking us
beforehand for the expected tranquillity of his house and the return of
his prosperity; he led us to the hall where the above-mentioned dreadful
apparition had appeared, enlarging with indefatigable garrulity on many
horrible incidents which had taken place, within the space of a
twelve-month, in that disastrous apartment.

"The Austrian uttered not a word, but searched closely every corner of
the spacious lonely room, and then took a candle and went out. Having
been absent a good while, he returned at length, pulled his great coat
off, and entered into a long conversation with the master of the house,
asking him many questions, which betrayed his diffidence in the poor
fellow's honesty. I was not much pleased with his unequivocal marks of
suspicion, knowing the innkeeper as an upright, honest man, void of
disguise and art, and that he himself had suffered the utmost damage by
those nocturnal apparitions. His inn had been unfrequented by travellers
these many months, on account of that sleep-disturbing phantom which
haunted the weary wanderer in the dead of night, and he swore by every
thing holy and sacred, that he had never seen Father Francis (so he
called the hoary deceiver) though he had heard of many deeds perpetrated
by that wonderful man.

"'It is now,' added he, 'a good while since I have heard of that
sagacious old man; they say he is gone to a distant place, offended at
the ingratitude of the people of our country. Formerly he has told the
people's fortunes, but without fee. My father, the late possessor of
this house, has told me many marvellous instances of his astonishing
skill in detecting thefts, and recovering stolen goods; as how he has
been possessed of a wonderful sagacity to read in people's looks, at
first sight, whatever they had done all their life long; discovered and
solved the spell of witchcraft, and horribly punished the old hags that
dared to bewitch the countrymen's cattle. In short, said my father, God
rest his honest soul, Father Francis has indeed been a father and a
friend to every one in distress, and a baneful foe to the Black Spirit
and his infernal hosts.'

"The Austrian appearing still to harbour thoughts of suspicion against
the simple innkeeper, watched closely all his motions, was always at his
heels when he left the room, and ever busy to ply him with various
questions. I and my companions kept close together, myself burning with
desire for the beginning of the drama, and my fellow adventurers
awaiting it with fear and trembling.

"It struck twelve when the innkeeper was still in close conversation
with the circumspect Austrian. The door opened, and Father Francis
entered the room; the sight of the hoary deceiver made my blood boil in
my veins, and I clapped my hand involuntarily to my sword; the Austrian,
who was standing at a small distance from me, hiding a part of his face
under his hat, and holding a brace of pistols in his hands, seemed to
ask me, by a side glance, whether Father Francis and my old acquaintance
in the Black Forest were one and the same person. I affirmed it by a
quick motion of my eyelids, and the Austrian turned his back to the
Necromancer; I removed behind Lieutenant N----, and peeping over his
shoulders, watched the proceedings of the juggler, who advanced with
solemn steps into the middle of the apartment, where he stopped, resting
his inquisitive looks on the countenances of the company.

"Profound silence swayed all around, and we were fixed to the ground
like so many statues, thrilled with anxious expectation, and scarce
ventured to breathe.

"The old man was clad in a long robe of black silk, his snow-white head
uncovered, a white silken sash, marked with strange characters, was tied
round his waist, and the well-known black wallet hung on his back;
having taken it down he untied it, and exhibited the mysterious
instruments of conjuration: at his mute command the host carried a table
to the centre of the room, put two lighted torches upon it and bolted
the door.

"Now he gave us a signal to form a circle round him; the Austrian placed
himself to his left side, turning his face towards the door, Lieutenant
N----, by the conjurer's own desire, to his right; the innkeeper stood
close by the Austrian, one of Lieutenant N----'s friends took his
station by the landlord, and I placed myself close to the latter. The
Necromancer appeared to care little for the right wing, and I could
clearly observe that his left neighbour raised his suspicion.

"However, he began his conjuration with apparent firmness, after he had
strewed a reddish sand on the floor, and delineated a treble circle with
his ebony wand. The particulars of the act of conjuring were nearly the
same as in the cellar of the Haunted Castle, except his reading aloud
the greatest part of the form of the conjuration, and his face being
not so horribly distorted by convulsions as in the subterraneous rooms
of that terrible haunt of robbers.

"Now the ceremony was finished, he cast his book on the table, and
pronounced thrice the well-known mysterious word. Suddenly a howling
blast of wind rushed against our faces, a thick column of smoke ascended
from the floor, overcasting the whole apartment, and extinguishing the
torches. Darkness and horror surrounded us.

"Ere long a faint gleam was breaking from the floor, sparingly
illuminating the objects around, and rising higher and higher on the
opposite wall till it reached the ceiling. At once the floor seemed to
shake beneath our feet, and we beheld with chilly horror a human figure
hovering on the wall; its garments and face, bearing the grisly marks of
corruption, appeared to have suffered by the flames. It shook its head
and fiery sparks flew around. A sudden smell of brimstone almost
suffocated us.

"After we had gazed at the phantom some time, with secret horror, the
Necromancer exclaimed with a thundering voice, 'Who art thou?'

"'PHANTOM (staggering back).--A soul from purgatory.'

"'OLD MAN.--What is thy desire?'

"'PHANTOM.--To be redeemed from the flames.'

"'OLD MAN.--By what means?'

"'PHANTOM.--By the sale of this house.'

"'OLD MAN.--For what reason?'

"'PHANTOM.--Because I have got it by fraudulent means.'

"'OLD MAN.--How can the sale of this house expiate thy crime?'

"'PHANTOM.--It can, because my children will be saved.'

"The Necromancer was silent and the phantom disappeared.

"A violent gust of wind rushed again in our faces, the smoke evaporated,
and the torches began to burn. Lieutenant N----, with his friends and
the landlord, were struck with amazement, and unable to stir; the
Austrian lifted his hat, which had hidden part of his face, staring
wildly at the hoary cheat, and I expected with impatience the signal for
seizing the rascal, who, with great tranquillity and unconcern, was
busied with putting his gewgaws again into his wallet.

"Now the Austrian came forth, and I clapped my hand to my sword; awful
silence reigned around, and our companions were still fixed to their
places, whilst the Austrian's sparkling looks rested on the Necromancer,
who now had packed up the instruments of fraud, and thrown the wallet
over his shoulders. Just when he was going to leave the room his eye
caught the glowing face of my friend, and he seemed thunderstruck. Their
looks evinced a mutual emotion of an uncommon nature: my friend's stern
looks grew more and more terrible, and the old man was apparently
grasped by horror's icy fangs: our expectation rose to the highest
pitch, and we were standing around them in a grisly attitude, most of us
thrilled with secret awe, and I not without chill.

"'Yes,' began now the Austrian with a trembling voice, 'yes, it is thou,
Volkert! it is thou!'

"The old deceiver shivered violently, his face was distorted by terrible
convulsions, he gave a hollow groan, and fell lifeless on the floor.

"We all seemed touched by a magic wand, and the Austrian was standing a
good while in our middle, in a state of stupefaction; at length he
recovered his recollection, drew with his wonted firmness nearer to the
lifeless Necromancer, raised him up, shook him with all his might and
exclaimed:--

"'Volkert, Volkert, return to life once more.'

"But all was in vain, the old man gave no sign of life.

"'Volkert, Volkert,' exclaimed my friend once more, but he did not hear
him.

"The innkeeper ran down stairs, fetching a glass of water and some
drops, but our endeavours to restore the hoary villain to the use of his
senses proved abortive, and he remained senseless in our arms.

"'Well then,' resumed the Austrian, his eyes flashing with anger, 'if
amicable means will not do, then I must have recourse to violence.' So
saying, he discharged a pistol, the door flew open, and four corporals
rushed in with their swords unsheathed.

"'Tie the rascal's arms and legs,' roared the Austrian, 'away with the
villain, he is our prisoner.'

"'Your prisoner!' replied the grey deceiver, who had recovered at last,
'your prisoner!' roared he with a ghastly grin, disengaging himself from
our grasp.

"The corporals rushed upon him.

"'I am a citizen of F----, of a free imperial town, who dares to touch
me?'

"The corporals retired hastily, and the Austrian's brow was covered with
terrible wrinkles, his eyes flashed anger, his mouth foamed, and his
whole frame trembled in an agony of furious rage. I never beheld a more
terrible aspect.

"'Infernal spirit! hell-born villain!' roared he, gnashing his teeth, 'I
am deceived!--deceived by thee, Volkert!--Volkert!'

"At once the thunder of his voice lowered to an entreating accent.

"'Volkert, Volkert, for God's sake have mercy on me; save me from an
ocean of doubts; spare me, O spare me; save me from the disgrace of
appearing to myself and my friends a fool and a superstitious fanatic!
Tell me, O tell me, am I indeed deceived? O, I will forgive thee, I will
pronounce thee my benefactor, my saviour, only speak--tell me I am not
deceived!'

"The tears ran down his cheeks as he pronounced these words, spoken in a
most violent passion.

"It is a terrible, awful sight to see a man weep. I turned my eye away
from the affecting scene, not being able to behold it any longer. The
rest of my companions were seized anew with dumb stupefaction when they
saw the violent emotions of my venerable friend, and a pause of
unutterable horror ensued after the Austrian's speech. The old man
either would or could not speak, and the Austrian began once more to
address the hoary deceiver in an accent of utter insensibility, and with
a sternness of look not to be described.

"'Volkert, thou wilt not know me. I will spare thee the disgrace of
confessing thine own guilt, but if thou wert in my power----'

"His eyes darted flashes of lightning, and his voice was like the
roaring of thunder.

"'If thou wert in my power, I would make thee confess thy cheats, and if
I should be forced to beat thy old rascally limbs to atoms, and to draw
thy black blood from thy diabolical heart by single drops, I would make
thee confess; but,' added he in a more gentle accent, 'thou art not
within the reach of my power, and it is well that it is so. Volkert,
here is my hand, I forgive thee. Thou not only deservest my forgiveness,
but also my sincere gratitude, because thou hast given me a wholesome
lesson, hast taught me, that everybody, though ever so wise, may be
deceived; and I think I have not paid too dear for it.'

"Volkert wanted to speak, but he could not, being overcome by a sudden
emotion, and hid his face with his hands.

"'Well, Volkert,' resumed the Austrian, 'I see thou art not quite so bad
as I thought. I will not compel thee to a confession, though I am
wishing most ardently to have my doubts cleared up, and trust that thou
wouldst tell me more than I want to know. I will not distress thee any
longer by my presence; I am going to leave this house and this town for
ever.

"'Gentlemen,' added he, addressing us, 'I have deceived you, by
supporting the reality of things which have been nothing but illusion;
from this moment I have forfeited your good opinion, and the honour of
being admitted any longer to a circle where I have been respected. You
may call my resolution pride, caprice, or whatever you please, I cannot
remain here any longer, and I am determined to depart this instant;
farewell, live happy.'

"Having addressed us in so unexpected a manner, he hurried out of the
room, taking no particular leave of me. Sympathizing with his feelings,
I thought it proper not to pay him a parting visit, because I knew it
would recall disagreeable recollections, and give him pain.

"A parting look which he gave me, when he was leaving the room, told me
more than words could have done. Mine eyes were bathed with tears. I
have seen him no more, and shall never forget that unhappy night which
has robbed me of such a valuable friend, and deprived me of the darling
of my soul.

"When the Austrian and the corporals had left us, the Necromancer was
likewise going to leave the room. His appearance was sullen and gloomy,
his looks cast down. My friends were also stirring and stopped him,
forming a circle round him.

"The landlord was still in a maze of silent wonder, not knowing what to
think of what had happened. I was dejected and melancholy, and had
banished from my soul every idea of vengeance; my companions, however,
seemed not inclined to let him get off so cheaply, and insisted on his
explaining how he had contrived to cheat us; but the innkeeper
interfered, imploring them not to ruin him entirely, by quarrelling in
his house.

"Lieutenant N---- threatened at last to give him up to the civil power,
if he would not confess, which I at first likewise had determined to do,
how he had deceived us; however, his stubbornness could not be shaken,
and he remained as silent as the grave.

"Seeing that every further means to break his obstinacy would prove
fruitless, I interfered, advising my fellow adventurers to let him
depart in peace.

"'Upon the whole,' added I, 'it matters not how we have been deceived;
our friend the Austrian has set us an example how one ought to behave on
such an occasion. Let us, like him, forgive the wretch, he is below our
resentment.'

"These words produced the desired effect on the minds of my fellow
adventurers, who were stung with shame and remorse, but none of them
more than Lieutenant N----. He blushed at his idle fears and his
credulity, leaving the room abruptly, accompanied by his friends and the
landlord.

"Being now left alone with the Necromancer, I flattered myself to
succeed better than my companions, and to get informed of what I so
eagerly wanted to know; but I was mistaken, his stubborn reserve baffled
all my solicitations.

"'Farewell, Lieutenant,' said he, as he was going to leave the room, 'I
did not know you at first, and I am rejoiced that you have escaped your
doom. I do not deserve your noble, generous treatment: Farewell, and
remember sometimes Volkert the Necromancer. If you could see my heart,
you rather would pity than despise me; I may perhaps one time find an
opportunity of being serviceable to you, and of proving my gratitude by
deeds.'

"I went down stairs with him, and having seen him to the door he
squeezed my hand and hurried away. I left the fatal house in a strange
situation of mind, and it struck one o'clock when I came home. I went to
bed, but not to rest, my fancy being haunted by gloomy ideas, which kept
sleep and repose at a distance. Early in the morning my fellow
adventurers came to see me, requesting me to unfold the mysteries of the
preceding night.

"'We know,' began Lieutenant N----, their spokesman, 'we know that you
are, or at least have been, very intimate with the Austrian, and you
will, of course, be able to inform us, how your friend came to be
acquainted with the cheats of the Necromancer. We have reason to think
that he would have acted with more circumspection, if he had known that
the Necromancer was no other person than Volkert his former intimate
favourite. We hope you will be so kind to clear up the matter. The
Austrian's firmness of mind, his solid character, and his unshaken
belief in the possibility of apparitions, give us strong reasons to
think that he cannot have acted thus without mature deliberation.'

"Being but ill-disposed to enter into a circumstantial narrative, and
not at all inclined to inform the intruding gentlemen of our adventures
at the Haunted Castle, I called one of my corporals, who had been on the
watch in the fatal inn the preceding night. 'This man,' said I, 'will
tell you more of the matter than I know, having watched every motion of
the Necromancer, and discovered all his secret machination.'

"The old veteran was very willing to satisfy their curiosity, and began
a prolix narration of every proceeding in the lower apartment of the
inn. The innkeeper was, he related, deceived like ourselves, but his
servants had acted in concert with Volkert, and enabled by their
assistance to impose upon us.

"Not being disposed to listen to his tale, I did not mind what he
related, but my visitors, more attentive than myself, appeared at least
to be fully satisfied and left me, after a profusion of thanks for
having freed them of the doubts and errors.

"The separation from my venerable friend had spread a melancholy gloom
over my mind, which nothing could dispel.

"The third day after his departure, I could no longer stay in a place
where every object reminded me of so many hours of bliss, and of the
man, whose friendship had made me so truly happy; I bade my servant pack
my trunks, ordered my corporals to keep themselves ready, and left F----
after a few days.

"My journey afforded me but little amusement, being not able to wean my
gloomy mind from the painful recollection of the time past, the image of
my friend rushing ever and anon on my soul, and I could not resist the
ardent desire of being re-united to him.

"I sat in the stage musing on what was past, revolving in my mind the
strange events of the Haunted Castle, and the inn, and examining
minutely all the particulars, but I grew not a bit wiser: that Volkert
was an impostor could not be doubted, but how he had managed his artful
cheats and what his views had been in deceiving us, I could not unravel
in a satisfactory manner; I examined singly all his transactions I
knew, pondered with the greatest accuracy what the Austrian had related
of his earlier exploits, but I was not able to dispel the impenetrable
darkness which I was bewildered in.

"The final result of my meditations was, that anybody, though ever so
circumspect and wise, would, like my worthy friend, have been deceived
by his intricate machinations, and tempted to adopt the opinion that
enlightened officer had once defended so stoutly.

"I was almost angry with myself for having let slip the opportunity of
forcing that dangerous man to a confession of his dark and diabolical
transgressions. It is true, I myself knew him as a hardened impostor,
but could he not drag into the gulf of perdition many of my fellow
creatures, who, like myself, would fall an easy victim to his deceitful
hypocrisy?

"This thought overwhelmed me with a load of uneasiness, and I reproached
myself severely for having imitated the over-generous example of the
Austrian, and suffered the accomplished villain to decamp without
punishment. I had, indeed, reason to apprehend that the magistrate of
F---- would not have regarded much the information of a recruiting
officer against a citizen, and that the innkeeper would have been
induced, by fear or bribe, to contradict our denunciation; nevertheless,
I should have had the satisfaction of having performed my duty, and
cautioned the inhabitants of F---- against that dangerous villain.

"Tormented with this and similar thoughts did I finish my first day's
journey, struggling in vain to recover my wonted cheerfulness, my mind
being then too much occupied by gloominess, and an entire stranger to
joyful feelings.

"Not being able to get a wink of sleep all night long, I was haunted
without rest, by the gloomy offsprings of my fancy, distressed by the
appearing slowness of time, and entirely cut off from every comfort by
the snoring disposition of my fellow travellers, which made me resolve
to leave the stage next morning, and to continue my journey on
horseback. I left, therefore, my cheerless and sullen companions, with
the first dawn of day, bought a horse in the first village where we
stopped, and trotted briskly onward.

"I was not in the least acquainted with the roads in those parts, a
circumstance which ought to have come sooner in my mind; I was obliged
to ride back several times, and when it began to grow dark, found myself
bewildered in a dreary forest, without knowledge which way to turn. My
jaded horse being hardly able to stir; I alighted, leading the poor
beast by the bridle, in order to advance with more expedition.

"It was now so dark that I could hardly distinguish the objects before
my eyes, when a sudden rustling in the thicket made me start; I
listened, but all was silent again and I pursued my way without
apprehension, thinking it might have been a deer; but I was not gone far
when I heard the rustling again much louder than at first, and close by
me: I now beheld, on a sudden, a man with a sack on his back, and a
staff in his hand, coming out of the thicket, within the short distance
of two or three paces. This unexpected sight gladdened my heart,
flattering me with the sweet hope of getting a friendly conductor out of
that dreary wilderness, who would direct my weary steps to a place of
rest.

"'Whither art thou going, good friend?' exclaimed I.

"'To the mill,' answered he, groaning under his burden.

"'Is the mill far from hence?' said I.

"'No farther than half a league,' he replied.

"'May I find shelter there for myself and horse?'

"'No,' replied he.

"'Why not?' asked I.

"'Because,' replied he, 'the miller does not admit strangers.'

"'I am sorry for it; but is there no house hereabouts where one could
get a night's lodging?'

"'O yes,' answered he, 'not far from hence, if you turn to the right
lives a wood-cutter who lodges travellers.'

"'But do you think I shall be safe there?' asked I.

"'What do you mean by that?' said he.

"'Don't you know, good friend,' replied I, 'that this part of the
country is the constant haunt for robbers?'

"'Would to God I could stay this night with good Master Max, I would not
be uneasy on that score; but I must go on, and alas my burden is heavy.'

"'If my poor beast was not so jaded, and so much tired, I would be glad
to lend it you,' said I,

"'Thank you, Master,' returned he; 'I am used to hardships, and have
laid in a good stock of patience.'

"Discoursing thus we went slowly on together, till we came to a
foot-path, where the wanderer stopped to direct me to the wood-cutter's
cottage: 'You cannot miss your way,' said he; 'if you pursue this path
you will soon see light.'

"I hesitated a little while, whether I should follow the advice of the
honest man, or not, but the increasing darkness, and a rising tempest,
which shook the oaks around, fixed soon my wavering resolution, and I
pursued the path, bidding the honest wanderer good night.

"I soon found myself on an unbeaten footway, obstructed by brambles and
underwood; my poor horse threatened every moment to sink down, and I
could not resist the apprehension of having been sent on a fool's
errand by the unknown man, and misled into an unfrequented lonesome part
of the forest. This made me look about with more circumspection, till I
had ascended a rising ground with great difficulty, my horse fell
frequently on his knees, and it would have been impossible to proceed a
mile farther; you may therefore easily think how rejoiced I was when the
glimmering of a light, apparently at a small distance, bade me hope a
speedy end of my distress.

"Quickening my steps, I soon perceived a small cottage, the owner of
which made his appearance as soon as I had knocked at his humble door,
hailed me with a hearty welcome, and bade me, with much good-nature,
enter his hospitable abode.

"Not expecting much convenience, I was struck with wonder when he showed
me into a neat little room, not in the least corresponding with the poor
appearance of his hut; I had expected to be introduced to the residence
of poverty, and found a habitation that bore evident marks of
prosperity, and seemed rather to be the abode of a gentleman than that
of a poor wood-cutter.

"Mr. Max--this he told me was his name--Mr. Max took no notice of my
astonishment, but prepared, with much alacrity, to provide me and my
weary horse with food and drink.

"While he was busy to prove his hospitality, I had full leisure to
satisfy my curiosity, and to take a view of the objects around me,
assisted by the faint glimmering of a lamp.

"The first object that struck my fancy was an enormous sword, hanging by
his bed-side, which, as I thought at first, was rather an improper
furniture for a wood-cutter's dwelling; but I soon made myself easy when
I recollected, that he, living in an unfrequented part of the forest,
might want sometimes an instrument of that kind to defend himself
against unwelcome visitors, but my apprehension returned when I beheld a
brace of pistols hanging on the wall, which I found were charged with
ball.

"I went farther in my search, and saw a great number of guns, pistols,
and swords in a recess close by the fireside; I was chilled with terror,
and just as I had taken the lamp in my hand to have a closer view at
this alarming furniture, Mr. Max entered the room, with a large plate of
greens, a piece of ham, and a bottle of wine.

"'Well,' exclaimed he merrily, as he entered the room, 'there, I have
brought you something to silence your grumbling stomach with; sit down,
good sir, and take up with my frugal fare.'

"Alas! my appetite was gone, but he fetched knives and forks and a large
loaf of bread, and began to eat with great avidity, taking at first no
notice of my backwardness to follow his example; perceiving at length
that I did not eat, he exclaimed, 'Well, sir, why don't you eat? I think
one must be hungry, if one has travelled far and missed one's way.'

"His joviality revived a little my spirits, but his country-like
simplicity, and his seeming honesty, appeared to me very little
corresponding with the great number of fire-arms and swords which I had
seen, yet I joined him at last in eating and drinking.

"When supper was over I could no longer suppress my curiosity, and asked
him why he kept so many guns and swords in his house.

"'What,' replied he rather angry, 'what is this to you? I get sometimes
visitors for whom I must keep them.'

"'But why,' resumed I, 'so great a number as I have seen in the recess
by the fireside?'

"'These are fine doings,' said he angrily, 'who bade you to search my
room? Is this becoming a guest?'

"I arose, and asked him how much I had to pay for my supper? He fell a
laughing, and exclaimed, with marks of astonishment--

"'You don't intend to depart in this dark and tempestuous night! Don't
you hear how the tempest roars, and how the rain beats against the
windows? I hope you don't think you will be shot or stabbed because
there are so many fire-arms and swords in that recess? No no, good
friend, you need not be afraid, all these things are not mine, they
belong to sportsmen who have laid them up here, that they may have them
when they are a hunting in this part of the forest; perhaps you may see
them yourself to-morrow morning; and sword by my bed-side I bought some
years ago from an Austrian deserter.'

"Though I was not inclined to stay for the sportsmen, I did not know
whither I should go with my jaded horse in that dark tempestuous night,
and dreaded to run the risk of escaping from an imaginary danger, only
to fly in the face of a real one, which, at last, determined me to stay.
I begged Mr. Max to show me the place where I was to sleep, intending to
charge my pistols with balls before I should go to bed in case of
accident.

"My host opened a side door leading to a small chamber, where a bed was.

"'Here,' said he, 'you may sleep till it is broad day, and rest your
weary limbs at your ease; I keep this chamber on purpose for travellers;
take this lamp, I will fetch it when you shall be asleep.'

"So saying, he left me, shutting the door after him.

"Taking a nearer view of my bed chamber, I observed that it had no
windows, and, in order to be prepared for the worst, I charged my
pistols, which I had put in my pockets before I had entered the cottage.
This done, I considered whether I should go to bed, and thus deceive my
host, which, on mature deliberation, I thought would be best.

"With that intention I took my lamp to see whether the bed was fastened,
lest I might sink down with it into the cellar. Though this apprehension
was groundless, I made another discovery which filled my soul with
horror. Perceiving traces of blood on the pillow, I was seized with a
sudden terror, my hands trembled violently, the lamp fell on the floor,
and I was in the dark.

"As soon as I had recovered a little from my fright, I searched for my
pistols, groping about a good while before I could find them in the
dark. My fear abated a little when I found them at last, after a long
and fruitless search, and I sat myself down on a little stool by the
bed-side, listening whether anybody was coming. All was quiet at first,
but after a quarter of an hour I heard somebody entering the adjacent
room, and approaching the door of my chamber, which was gently opened,
and the voice of my host called, 'Are you asleep?' I uttered not a word,
and after a short pause the same voice resounded once more, 'Have you
extinguished the lamp?' I still gave no answer, and the host retired.

"All was hushed again in profound silence, but it lasted not long, my
ears being suddenly assailed by the sound of many voices, the tinkling
of spurs, and humming noise, as if a number of people were discoursing;
I could understand nothing, the discourse being held in so low an
accent, that I was unable to distinguish the sound of their words. At
once I saw, through the crevices in the door, somebody striking a light,
which gave me some comfort. The discourse was still carried on in that
secret mysterious manner. At last, it seemed as if the company were
sitting down, and I could now better distinguish the different sounds.
The voices of those that spoke were rough, and the words seemed to
belong to a foreign language.

"I sat near an hour on my stool, like a poor culprit who awaits his
doom, but was determined to defend myself to the last drop of blood. I
intended several times to rush into the room, and to force my escape
through the company with cocked pistols, but something within my breast
admonished me to stay where I was, and patiently to wait till they
should think it proper to pay _me_ a visit.

"My situation was exceedingly painful, and at the least noise which
seemed to approach my chamber I started up, putting myself in a posture
of defence. My fears not having been realized as yet, my apprehensions
began to vanish a little, and I thought Mr. Max might be an honest man,
and his company the sportsmen he had been speaking of, although their
language seemed to contradict that opinion. Hope soothed my terrors for
some time, till at length I recollected the traces of blood I had seen
on the pillow, which recalled all my apprehensions with redoubled
anxiety.

"Sleep, whom till now I had carefully kept at a distance, began, by
degrees, to steal upon me, and shut at last, with his leaden wand, my
heavy eyes. But I was scarce fallen asleep, when one of my pistols
dropped on the floor, and went off. I started up, seized by the chilly
fangs of terror, and in the same moment the other pistol slipped out of
my hand. I had scarcely picked it up when the door suddenly flew open,
and three fellows, of a gigantic size, entered my room with naked
swords. Sleep, the report of my pistol, and the sudden appearance of
those terrible men, had stunned me so much, that I, without knowing
what I was doing, discharged my pistol, at which one of the villains
dropped on the floor with a roaring yelp. A numerous crew, armed with
guns, cutlasses, and daggers, rushed like lightning into my chamber, and
before I could unsheath my sword, I felt myself in their clutches,
bereft of all power of self-defence.

"A tremendous voice roared like thunder from the adjoining room, 'Hither
with the rascal.'

"Before I could recover my recollection, I felt myself dragged out of my
chamber, and beheld in an instant a man of the most terrible forbidding
aspect, who, with a rough thundering voice, menacing looks, and
sparkling eyes, asked me 'If I could not have patiently waited my doom.'

"'Tie the daring wretch,' added he in a rage, 'and throw him into the
cellar, until sentence shall be pronounced against him.' His commands
were obeyed, and Mr. Max himself assisted; I was seized with a
despairing stupor, and uttered not a word. I was shut up in a damp
cellar; how long I remained in my dungeon I cannot tell, having been in
a situation which suspended all my powers of reflection.

"After a long interval of the most desponding agony, I was at length
dragged forth, and brought before the tribunal of the terrible looking
man. The villain whom I had wounded was stretched on the bed, his head
tied up, and his associates standing round him, bemoaning his hapless
fate, and amongst them a venerable old man, whom I at first had not
observed.

"Now the grim judge began to speak, and the whole assembly to dart
furious and bloodthirsty looks at me. The old man likewise turned his
face towards me, and it cannot be expressed by words what my sensations
were when I discerned the features of Volkert. A poor culprit cannot
feel greater joy when, under the hangman's merciless fangs, his
guardian-angel appears to save him from his impending doom. I did indeed
not know whether he could save me or not, however, the sweet soothing
voice of hope silenced all my apprehensions; I had saved him once from
ignominy, and, perhaps, from death itself; he had promised me to prove
his gratitude, how could I therefore doubt that he would save me from
destruction. 'Volkert!' exclaimed I, in a supplicating accent,
'Volkert!' The terrible man staggered back, staring by turns at me and
him.

"'Volkert!' exclaimed I, again lifting up my fettered hands; he knew me,
and without the least delay took a knife out of his pocket, and cut
asunder the cords my hands had been tied with. The whole frightful
assembly was fixed to the ground, seized with wonder and astonishment.

"'Thou hast saved me,' began my guardian-angel now, in a solemn awful
accent, thou hast given me liberty, take back thy gift, and life into
the bargain.'

"'Friends,' said he, addressing the gaping crew, 'friends, he is the
preserver of my honour and my liberty, what may he expect?'

"'Pardon, pardon,' was the unanimous cry, 'pardon, pardon, he shall
live.'

"'Bravo, my boys,' said now their formidable Captain, who was sitting in
judgment upon me, 'bravo, my honest lads, you are noble fellows:
farewell Andrew,' added he, addressing his dying companion, 'farewell,
Andrew, thou art avenged, art doubly avenged by the generosity of thy
companions!"

"At the same instant the whole crew hurried out of the room, leaving me
alone with Volkert. 'Farewell, Lieutenant,' said he, shaking me by the
hand, 'you have wisely acted, in leaving F----, like the Austrian; I
shall never return to that town. If any similar sinister accident should
happen to you, need but to pronounce my name and you will be safe.'

"I was going to embrace, and to assure him of my warmest gratitude, but
he tore himself from my arms, and hastened to join his associates. Soon
after I heard a confused noise before the door of the cottage, and, ere
long, the whole band rode away in full speed. Now I was surrounded by
midnight stillness, interrupted only by the groans of the dying robber.
Max did not dare to enter the room while I was there.

"I was no longer able to remain in the house, the roaring of the tempest
was hushed in silence, and the dawn of morn peeping through the windows;
I found my horse sleeping in a corner behind the cottage, got on his
back, and rode away in a slow pace.

"The morning sun rose in all his dazzling splendour, and still I was
bewildered between trees and bushes, straying about two tedious hours
without being able to find an outlet, until at length I was so fortunate
to meet a countryman, who, for a small reward, directed me to the road
leading to N----.

"Warned by my dangerous adventure, I now inquired at every village for
the route I was to take, and thus reached at last the place of my
destination without having met with any farther misfortune. Before I
arrived at N----, an incident happened, which being connected with my
adventure at the Haunted Castle, I cannot omit mentioning.

"Coming to a village about three miles distant from N----, a great noise
struck my ears, proceeding, as I soon could distinguish, from a great
number of recruits, carousing and singing at the inn. I alighted and
entered the residence of merriment and intoxication, in order to inform
myself who the commanding officer was, in hopes to meet with an old
acquaintance, but I was disappointed. Two serjeants, entirely unknown to
me, conducted the transport, and, inquiring after their officer's name,
I found that he was an utter stranger to me.

"Having surveyed the recruits, I was going to leave the room, when my
eyes by accident fell on a man standing in a musing attitude by the
fireside, his looks fixed on the floor. Thinking to recollect his
features I advanced nearer to him; he started up from his reverie, and,
seeing me standing before him, staggered back with evident marks of
astonishment; however, his terror soon gave way to rapturous joy; he ran
towards me, caught me by the hand, and exclaimed, flushed with
pleasure,--

"'Dear, dear Lieutenant, is it you? God be praised that you are still
alive! God be praised that I have once more the happiness of seeing my
kind old master!'

"His voice, his accent, and his transport, gave me no room to doubt that
he was my late servant, whom I had lost in the castle.

"The honest fellow could find no words to express his joy, at my not
having been famished with my companions in the cellar, as it had been
the intention of the robbers. He expressed his joy in so noisy a manner,
that we were soon surrounded by the recruits. I begged the serjeants to
indulge with me with a private conversation with my honest servant,
which they granted me with great politeness. I called for the host,
requesting him to let us have a room to ourselves, that we might
converse without being interrupted by the curiosity of his noisy guests.

"As soon as we were in private, I requested John to give me a brief
account of what had happened to him after we had left him snoring in the
great hall of the Castle; he was very willing to satisfy my curiosity,
and related as follows:--

"I was aroused from my sleep by a violent shaking, and, recovering from
my drowsiness, saw myself seized by two ill-looking fellows, who were
employed to drag me forcibly away. Fear and terror bereft me at first of
all power of utterance and resistance. I attempted several times to cry,
but I could not pronounce a single word, and, as much as I could observe
through the midnight darkness, saw myself carried down the spiral
staircase, over the court-yard. When we were arrived at the gate, I was
tied upon a horse, and surrounded by a numerous crew, who took me
between them and rode away in full speed. My feet being tied together
under the horse's belly, it was out of my power to stir, which rendered
my situation exceedingly painful.

"The dawn of morn appeared, but not a single ray of hope cheered my
desponding soul, being in the power of those merciless ruffians, who
were still sweeping the field with all possible expedition, not caring
for the excruciating pains I suffered, and forcing my horse to leap over
hedges and ditches.

"The swiftness of the race and my uncomfortable situation deprived me,
at length, of all power of recollection, and threw me into a kind of
stupefaction which prevented me from observing how long our journey had
lasted. I was seized with a fainting fit, and when my recollection
returned, observed that I was shut up in a subterraneous dungeon, an old
hag was rubbing me with onions, and, when I recovered from the state of
stupefaction, occasioned by the cruelty of my leaders, she fetched a
bottle of brandy, admonishing me, in a rough uncouth dialect, to drink
plenty of it, which I declined, requesting her to rub my lacerated limbs
with it.

"Having performed my request with great alacrity she left me, and I had
full leisure to contemplate the horrors of my dreary abode, the walls of
which were blackened by the hand of time, and overgrown with moss; muddy
straw spread on the damp ground served me for a couch, and the faint
glimmering of a lamp heightened the horrors of my dungeon; the thick
corrupted air made it difficult to fetch breath, to which were added
most excruciating pains, not in the least alleviated by the use of
brandy, but rather increased on account of the sores my poor frame was
covered with; only the agony of my tortured mind surpassed the
sufferings of my body; futurity stared me grisly in the face, and the
consciousness being in the power of a set of villains, who would either
sacrifice my life, to their thirst of blood, or force me, by threats and
exquisite torments, to commit deeds of the most atrocious nature, filled
my mind with dreadful apprehensions.

"I remained two days in a state of unspeakable despondency; although my
bodily pains had abated, and I could move my limbs with more ease, yet
the fear of futurity had weakened me so much that I could not stir from
my miserable couch; my misery was augmented by the troublesome
officiousness of the old hag, who every instant came to torment me. One
time she wanted to apply to my sores poultices of roasted flour, and at
another she would make me swallow a spoonful of disgusting nauseous
drops; now she would force down my throat a soup of a most uninviting
appearance, and a few minutes after she brought straw, which was half
rotten, to place it under my head; in short, she tormented me so much by
plying me with her unwelcome officiousness and kindness, that the
gloominess of my mind hourly increased, and my little remaining strength
was entirely spent by my efforts to resist her torturing care for my
health and ease.

"On the fourth day of my confinement I was taken out of my dungeon, and
my apprehensions were realised. The infernal villains intending to make
me one of their associates in wickedness, ordered me to mount a horse,
and forced me to follow them in full speed through fields and forests,
notwithstanding the weak state of my body. My conductors, at first only
three in number, and clad in linen frocks, blackened with coal dust,
rode a-head, looking back now and then; their black faces and sooty
hands evidently foreboded their dark design.

"After half an hour's ride my infernal guides stopped at a lonely public
house, alighted, and bade me take care of the horses until they should
return.

"I obeyed their stern command with gloomy silence, tied the horses to a
tree, and sat myself down upon a bench before the house. The haunts of
my disordered fancy made the time pass quickly on; I revolved in my
afflicted mind my former occupation, the happy hours I had spent in the
service of a kind, indulgent master, and the horrors of my present
situation, the briny drops of sorrow and affliction moistened my pallid
cheeks. 'What will become of thee?' said I to myself; 'a robber, and
perhaps a murderer, too.' A chilly trembling glided through my veins, I
started up, and was resolved to mount one of the horses, and make my
escape, but the want of strength reminded me soon of the utter
impossibility of the execution of my rash design. I sunk down upon the
bench, imploring heaven rather to put an end to my miserable life than
to suffer me to become an associate of these hell-born fiends. After I
had ejaculated this fervent prayer I felt my despondency abate a little,
awaiting with impatience the re-appearance of my fell conductors.

"A short time after they came, accompanied by three more ruffians of a
most frightful aspect, who, with the greatest expedition, fetched their
horses from an adjacent stable, mounted them without delay, and rode
away like lightning; my conductors did the same, ordered me to follow
their example, and galloped over fields as fast as their coursers could
run; coming up with our ill-looking companions we pursued our journey
with all possible swiftness.

"Having, by accident, mounted the wrong horse, which was the fleetest of
all, I kept always a-head, and could distinctly hear every word they
spoke, though I could not understand a syllable of their conversation.
After it had grown dark, we alighted again at a solitary public house,
the horses being once more committed to my care, and I awaited with
patience the end of an adventure that boded no good.

"I had been standing in the chilly air of night above an hour, musing on
my deplorable fate, when the innkeeper brought me a piece of bread and
butter and a mug of beer, but I could neither eat nor drink, shaking
with cold.

"The night was dark and the sky overcast, a thick dampish fog had wetted
my clothes, and not one friendly star was to be seen in the firmament,
which was as gloomy as my mind. After I had been exposed for half an
hour longer to the inclemency of the chilly air, my conductors
reappeared, their number being increased to twelve, and their sooty
dress exchanged for green hunting coats; every one of them was armed
with a gun, a brace of pistols, and a cutlass.

"The feelings which were rushing on my mind at that sight admit of no
description; the blood froze in my veins, my soul was harrowed up in
dreadful suspense, and I mounted my horse more dead than alive,
galloping over the heath with my conductors in senseless stupefaction,
like a poor culprit who is dragged along to be delivered to the
merciless fangs of the grim fiendly-looking executioner, till I at
length was roused from my stupor by the sounds of horns assailing my
ears from afar, and the loud clamorous shouts of our troop.

"The sound of horns drew nearer, and my conductors answered by blowing
theirs. Now I perceived a powerful troop of horsemen, sweeping the heath
like a hurricane. In an instant I was surrounded by a numerous crew on
horseback, and rough dismal voices vibrated in my ear in a confused
manner. One of them struck fire, a number of torches were lighted, and I
beheld with amazement and dismay, a large troop of terrible beings
around me.

"Whithersoever I turned my eyes, I was frightened almost out of my wits
by stern, threatening looks. They soon perceived the workings of my
desponding mind, laughed at my fear, and uttered terrible execrations.
One of them, who bore a more tremendous aspect than the rest, came
forth, the noisy crew was awed in solemn silence, and the terrible man
began to address them thus:

"'You know, my brave companions, that this rascal here,' pointing at me,
'is the servant of the wretch who has dared to watch in our Castle, with
armed numbers. The daring scoundrel and his two associates are punished;
famine and thirst have seized their victims with merciless fangs,
tormenting them with excruciating pains, with agony and black despair;
on our next visit nocturnal to the castle we shall see them lifeless on
the ground. You know how the daring fools have been vexed, teased, and
tormented by Father Francis. It was glorious fun, we have been amused
with their foolish credulity, and are now amply avenged on these bold
disturbers of our nocturnal assembly.

"'The villagers are not yet punished,' continued he, 'for having
assisted them, but they shall not escape their doom. Our future safety
demands the destruction of the village, and its environs, but, tell me,
what shall we do with that fellow there? He is well fed, and seems not
to be without strength, my advice is to make him our companion.'

"'We will, we will,' roared the whole troop.

"Then their terrible leader resumed, 'he must give us tonight a specimen
of his dexterity.'

"'He shall, he shall,' was the universal cry. I trembled like a wretched
culprit who hears his sentence pronounced, when the speaker addressed me
thus:--'Fellow! thou hast heard what an honour we have conferred on
thee, we expect that thou wilt be faithful to us, oaths are as little
valued among robbers as they are in hell, and a hand-stroke will satisfy
us, give me thy right hand as a token of unshaken fidelity.'

"Trembling did I obey his stern command, and he bade me to take courage,
to abandon all fear, and to follow him. The torches were extinguished,
the robbers began to converse in an unintelligible accent, the horns
were sounded, the whole troop set spurs to their horses, rushing over
the fields like a midnight tempest; I felt myself seized by the arm, and
my horse pulled by the bridle after them. After a short ride the voice
of the terrible leader ordered us to halt.

"'Here,' said he to me, 'is a gun and a whistle! The former thou art to
use in case of necessity, and the latter as soon as a waggon or a coach
passes the road.'

"This said, he rode away, but methought I heard another horseman not far
from me.

"Now I began to consult with myself what I should do, whether I should
betray the innocent traveller, or suffer him to escape. My mind shrank
back from the horrid idea of becoming accessory to the destruction of a
fellow-creature, but how could I avoid it if I would not myself fall a
victim to the cruelty of my infernal companions? Life is the sweetest
gift of heaven, and not easy to be parted with.

"While I was in deliberation with myself what course to take, I heard
the rattling of a coach within a little distance from me, and a violent
trembling seized my limbs: the coach came nearer and my trembling
increased. Without knowing what I was about, I was going to apply the
whistle to my lips, my hand trembled, a sudden stupor seized me, the
whistle dropped to the ground, and the coach passed by in full speed; at
the same time I heard somebody whistle behind me, soon after the report
of three guns, accompanied with cries and lamentations, struck my ear; a
female voice was praying for mercy, loud acclamations filled the air,
and soon after all was hushed in profound silence.

"I was sitting on my horse in dumb stupefaction, when on a sudden I
perceived somebody laying hold of the bridle of my steed, and pulling
her forcibly after him. After a few minutes I saw at a distance a
glimmering light shining through the bushes; as we came near to the spot
I beheld in my conductor the terrible leader of the band, and we at
length arrived at a place surrounded with bushes, where the robbers were
seated round a fire, dividing the spoil; they all gave a loud shriek, as
if they already knew how badly I had acquitted myself of my first task.

"'Let us pronounce sentence against the rascal!' exclaimed my conductor,
with a thundering voice.

"'Let us knock his brains out,' roared one of the robbers.

"'Send him to the dungeon,' exclaimed a second.

"'The latter we will do,' resumed the Captain, 'punishment may, perhaps,
recall him to reason.'

"Having said this, he ordered two of the gang to carry me to the place
of confinement; they mounted their horses, took me between them, and
hurried away with me at a furious rate. We arrived with the first dawn
of day at the bottom of a hill, where I forcibly was dragged through the
bushes and thorns fettered with heavy chains, and carried through a
narrow passage into a dark dungeon; groping about I found myself
surrounded with straw, the muddy smell of which left me no doubt that it
was half rotten.

"Having lingered many hours in that terrible abode of misery, without
either hearing or seeing anybody, I at last was hailed by the distant,
hollow sound of approaching footsteps, dying away sometimes, and then
vibrating again faintly on my ear; at once they grew more and more
audible, and the glimmering of a light began to illuminate the
subterraneous cave.

"Turning round with much difficulty, I perceived that it emerged from a
deep grotto behind me. The glimmering grew lighter, and the sound of
footsteps drew nearer; at length I beheld a figure more frightful than
the robbers themselves; the old hideous hag, adorned with all the graces
of hell, ascended with alacrity from the gloomy abyss, panting for
breath; and now I had a full view of the horrors of my den: the faint
rays of my lamp were reflected in a grisly manner from the lofty walls,
hewn into the solid rock, and mixed with the midnight darkness, which
was hovering beneath the high-vaulted ceiling. My dungeon was of a small
circumference, but appeared to be far removed from the surface of the
earth; the dreadful abode of horror was infected by a damp,
pestilential air, through which the light was glimmering as if through
a bluish fog.

"The antiquated scare-crow began to pity and to bemoan my miserable
doom, exhorting me to obey more strictly the commands of my masters,
and, having put a pitcher with water, and a piece of bread before me,
unfettered my hands, admonishing me to submit patiently to my fate, and
never to attempt an escape, which not only would prove abortive, but at
the same time prolong and increase my punishment. I uttered not a
syllable, and she left me to muse in solitude on my forlorn and unhappy
situation.

"Three gloomy days of misery and dismay were now elapsed since I had
been thrown into that terrible abode of silence and melancholy, before I
saw anybody except the old witch, by whose visits alone I could guess
the progress of time. No year of my whole life has ever appeared to me
so long as those three days of woe; I strove in vain to loosen the
fetters which chained my feet, the lock that confined them together
baffled all my endeavours, and, after many fruitless efforts, I was
obliged to bid a mournful adieu to every ray of hope of making my escape
from the fangs of my cruel tyrants: black despair hovered over me with
sooty wings, the greedy tooth of grief was gnawing on my vitals, and the
recollection of former times of ease and tranquillity served only to
heighten my misery.

"The fourth day brought me the visit of the Captain, who entered my
dungeon with a lighted torch.

"'Well, rascal!' exclaimed he, 'how dost thou like this beautiful
apartment? art thou tired of thy sepulchre, or dost thou prefer to be
entombed alive for ever, to the honor of being one of our brave party?
art thou sensible of the foolishness of thy stubborn disobedience, and
may I expect that thou wilt be more obsequious in future?'

"I groaned a lamentable _yes_, the result of my resolution, which I had
been driven to by despair and my forlorn situation.

"'Well,' resumed my tyrant, unfastening my chains, 'I hope thou art
sensible that it is more eligible to be a gentleman of the high road
than to be buried alive amid spiders and toads; I will try once more
whether I can make thee a worthy member of our society, rise and follow
me!'

"I attempted to get on my legs, but I sunk down again upon my damp
couch; my legs, which were become quite useless by the pressure of the
chains, were now pierced with most excruciating pains, and unable to
support my miserable carcase. The robber seeing me struggle in vain to
obey his command, seized me with a powerful arm, and dragged me forcibly
over the rocky ground. I was trailed along the winding passage of the
subterraneous fabric, like a victim to the altar, where it is to receive
the finishing stroke. I was every now and then forced to crawl on my
knees through narrow holes, and to climb with much difficulty over
gaping chasms in the rock, till at length an iron door obstructed our
passage; my conductor opened it, and I beheld a spacious lofty hall,
illuminated with a great number of torches, where some of the robbers
were seated at table, eating, drinking, and conversing merrily with each
other, and some cleaning guns and pistols, and charging them.

"They all spoke kindly to me, inviting me to partake of their blithesome
meal, and congratulating me on the wise resolution I had taken to become
a sharer of their fortune. I relished the roasted meat, the turkeys, and
hams exceeding well, and swallowed plentiful draughts of most delicious
wine. Though I was not remiss to ply briskly the knife and fork and the
cheerful goblet, and strove to do honour to the table, yet the robbers
chided me every now and then, finding fault with my tardiness.

"The exhilarating juice of the grape spread mirth and cheerfulness
around; the spacious cavern re-echoed their jocund songs, the tales of
their exploits gave variety to the entertainment, and it seemed as if
the sting of conscience had entirely lost, with them, its pungent point.
The cloth was at length removed, the beldam who had been waiting at
table began now likewise to eat, and the robbers made themselves ready
to leave their subterraneous haunt.

"'To-day,' said the captain to me, before they departed, 'thou shalt
stay at home, but to-morrow thou art to be of our party, and thy
deportment must decide whether we can enlist thee in our noble company,
or shall knock thy brains out.'

"Then the whole crew sallied forth through the iron door, without giving
me time to answer, and left me alone with the old woman, who was very
assiduous to amuse me, relating with much garrulity, many stories of the
dear gentlemen, as she called the robbers, and extolling their
generosity to the skies.

"Perceiving that I did not relish her tiresome tales, she fetched books,
cards, and dice, leaving it to my choice what sort of amusement I should
fix upon. I preferred reading to a tte--tte with the old witch, and
endeavoured to dispel the gloom of my mind, by perusing an old book of
chivalry.

"At night my rusty companion wanted me to sit down to supper with her,
which I refused, requesting her to show me to my bedroom. Vexed by my
refusal, she mumbled something between her few remaining teeth, and
opened the door of a small side-room where I found a couch, made of
clean straw, and covered with a blanket; throwing myself upon it, I
slept for the first time sweet and soundly after eight painful nights of
horror.

"The next morning the old woman thundered at my door, telling me it was
broad day, and past nine o'clock, and that our gentlemen would soon
return to dinner. I got up much refreshed, and assisted her in the
kitchen, which pleased her so well that she promised to recommend me to
the good graces of the Captain."

"Thus far had my servant proceeded in his narration, without having been
interrupted by me, though he had been very circumlocutious, and spoken
above an hour. It gave me great pleasure to hear a circumstantial
description of the robbers and their cave, and honest John's simplicity
afforded me great amusement, which proved a very seasonable relief in my
then gloomy state of mind; I therefore was very much vexed when one of
the serjeants entered to tell him that they were waiting for him to
proceed on their march, and bade him make haste, just as he was going to
give me a full account of the robbers' deportment towards him after
their return, of the splendid dinner which the old woman had prepared,
assisted by him, and of their discourses at table.

"I entreated the rough son of Mars to resign this recruit to me, and to
accept from me double the binding money he had given him, but he did not
relish my proposal, and John himself was little inclined to enter again
into my service; at last I prevailed, by fair words and a small present,
on the serjeant to wait a quarter of an hour longer, and he left the
room after we had promised to be as expeditious as possible.

"When he was gone I asked John why he would rather be a soldier than
enter again into my service.

"'What else would you advise me to do?' replied he, with weeping eyes,
'my life is exposed to the greatest danger in these parts, and would
you like to have a servant who has been a robber?'

"'You have not been a robber,' interrupted I the poor fellow, but
recollected soon that he had not finished his narration, and perhaps
might have been compelled at last, by menaces, to become a member of the
gang, I therefore requested him to continue his tale, and to be as brief
as possible, which he in vain strove to do, going every now and then
astray. The substance of his confused continuation was as follows:

"The robbers returned, treated John again with kindness, ate, drank, and
left him once more, without mentioning a word about his going with them,
which did not in the least displease him; he amused himself with
reading, and when night invited him to sleep, he went to his couch with
a much lighter heart than when he had left it in the morning. That
manner of life he led eight days, during which time the robbers always
returned to dinner, in greater or lesser number; the whole gang
consisted of twenty-four stout men besides the Captain.

"On the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and the three succeeding days, the
robbers did not return, but on the fifteenth they all appeared in high
spirits, though with empty hands; John concluded, from this
circumstance, and what he could gather from their mysterious discourses,
that they must have had several other haunts, where they hoarded up
their spoils; the old castle on the skirts of the Black Forest seemed,
however, to be their usual residence.

"After dinner was over, and the goblet had freely circulated, the
captain recollected that John was to give them a second sample of his
capacity, ordered him to mount a horse, and conducted him, accompanied
by two of his associates, to the high road leading through the forest,
where he commanded him to lay in ambush, and to rob the first traveller
he should see coming along the road.

"Poor John was thunderstruck at the stern command of the Captain, fell
at his feet, and entreated him to have mercy on him; but the ruffians
laughed at him, and their leader repeated his order, swearing he would
kill him on the spot, if he did not instantly comply with his desire.
The hapless fellow seeing there was no alternative, but to be killed, or
to prey on his fellow creatures, concealed himself in a thicket, and the
robbers posted themselves opposite to him, behind some bushes, taking
the three horses along with them.

"The first travellers that passed by were two monks, and John thanked
God in his heart that they were two. A little while after a ruddy
countryman appeared, he was on horseback, as it seemed returning from
the market, carrying two empty sacks behind him, and counting money.
That will be an easy task, thought John, but when he was going to leave
his hiding-place, his knees trembled he was unable to stir, and the
clown pursued his way without being disturbed.

"The robbers began to hem, and poor John seized with terror, was going
to run after the swain, but, thinking him too far advanced, resolved to
wait for the next traveller, and to attack him vigorously.

"He had waited a good while for another opportunity to acquit himself of
his task, till at length a travelling journeyman appeared. John rushed
out of his hiding place before his prey was near enough and as soon as
the frightened traveller saw a man running towards him with a pistol, he
took to his heels and luckily got out of his reach.

"The Captain and his companions seized with a fit of roaring laughter,
exhorted their awkward pupil, in a low accent, to have a little more
patience in future.

"Before John could reach his lurking place, a Jew made his appearance;
the sight of the poor Israelite fired the novice in robbery with an
unusual courage; he rushed upon the terrified Hebrew like lightning,
and, having seized him by the collar, demanded his money with a
thundering voice. The petrified Israelite feeling himself thus roughly
handled, shrieked and lamented most ruefully, and stoutly refused at
first to deliver up his mammon, but when he saw his life at stake, and
John put his pistol to his breast, yielded at last, with a woeful
visage, to the uncouth demands of his aggressor, 'I will give--I will
give--all the money I have about me.' So saying, he untied a leathern
bag with money, fastened round his waist, and offered it to the greedy
robber, who, transported with joy at his success, was thrown off his
guard, and the cunning Jew taking hold of an opportunity to recover his
treasure, seized, with much adroitness, the pistol, wrested it from poor
John's trembling hand, and ordered the affrighted fellow, who was almost
petrified, to return him his money instantly, if he would not have his
brains blown out; John hesitated not a moment to submit to the Jew's
demand, restored him his bag, and took to his heels, but the two robbers
sallying forth from their hiding-place, retook him soon, while the
cunning Israelite got clear off with his money and John's pistol.

"The unfortunate fellow was instantly carried back to the robbers' den,
and shut up again in the subterraneous dungeon which he had but lately
left. Having been confined there some weeks the robbers took him one day
out of his hole, and gave him his liberty, and a small sum of money,
after he had sworn a dreadful oath never to reveal the least thing of
what he had heard and seen in the cavern during his stay with them, and
to leave the country as soon as possible.

"This is the substance of my late servant's narrative; he had entirely
forgotten his oath until he mentioned it, yet he silenced soon his
murmuring conscience, persuading himself not to have committed perjury,
because he had been intimidated by dreadful menaces to make it, and an
oath of that nature could never be binding; he at the same time alleged,
that the Captain himself had declared that among robbers swearing was of
no importance, and thus soothed his conscience.

"I did not think it necessary to undeceive, but gave him a handsome sum
of money as a token of my gratitude for his faithful services, and bade
him an affectionate farewell. He thanked me with weeping eyes and left
the room. When he was gone I mounted my horse, and arrived after a few
hours at N----.

"Now I come to the last and most important incident I ever met with
during the whole time of my recruiting business, which will clear up all
the above-related events, and dispel the clouds which are still hanging
over some parts of my wonderful tale.

"Two years were now elapsed since my last adventure, and I had heard
nothing farther either of the Necromancer or his associates. The
frequent unwelcome visits at the Castle and their alarming consequences,
very likely had made both parties more circumspect, which appeared to me
to have been the principal motive of those ruffians to release my
servant, lest I might be induced to make a strict search after him;
whatever may have been their motive for doing so, I had no farther trace
either of the robbers or Volkert, and even at F----, the Necromancer's
principal place of action, whither I went shortly after, even there,
everything relating to our former adventures was entirely forgotten--the
haunted inn had been sold to a new master, the apparition was
frightened away, and the house was a respectable auberge.

"I also began, by degrees, to forget the adventures which I partly had
heard related, and partly experienced myself, being only now and then
reminded of those incidents, when, in the lonely hour of solitude the
recollection of the Austrian stole on my mind.

"My long overclouded serenity had resumed its wonted brightness, and the
remembrance of my ever-regretted friend was no longer accompanied by
gloominess and melancholy sensations; I could again partake of the
pleasures which smile at us wherever we are, and could relish again the
innocent sports of merriment.

"In that state of mind I arrived towards the end of summer at A----,
when the expectation of every inhabitant was engaged by the approaching
scene of a bloody execution, which was to take place within a few days.

"A church having been robbed about six months ago, several suspected
persons had been imprisoned and put to the rack, but could not be
brought to confession, upon which the magistrates had been obliged to
set them at liberty for want of such witnesses as the law requires, and
to give up the inquisition until further proofs should be found. Many
months elapsed before the enraged priests, aided by the eagle-eyed
assistance of the magistrates, could trace out the sacrilegious robbers
of their hallowed treasures, and feast their vengeance on the throes of
the victims of their foaming ire, expiring on the flaming pile, until at
length an accident delivered into their holy fangs the perpetrators of
that daring deed, whom they in vain had endeavoured to discover by
advertisements, tortures of the rack, and the promise of reward.

"There lived in a suburb of A----, an old unsuspected man, named Peter,
loved by the children of the place, whom he oftentimes amused with
little tales, and bribed with sweetmeats, but dreaded by the aged, who
firmly believed him to be on an intimate footing with his satanic
majesty, because he now and then displayed, when in good humour, proofs
of his juggling skill, which they beheld with gaping terror. This hoary
man, who lived in a mean cottage, in apparent indigence, and could not
be suspected of possessing ill-gotten goods, went oftentimes abroad, but
whither he journeyed, or what called him so frequently from his abode,
nobody could tell with certainty; some said he went a begging, others,
more superstitious, pretended to have seen him, through the chinks of
the half decayed window shutters, stretched lifeless on the floor; and
some insisted upon having seen him riding through the air on a
broomstick, to pay, as it was supposed, his court to his infernal
master, to whom his soul and body was said to be mortgaged.

"Very fortunately this man was not at A---- when the church robbery was
committed, to the greatest satisfaction of some who thought him to be an
harmless man, and to the greater mortification of others, who pretended
to have suffered many a malicious trick by his sorcery: for if he had
not been absent at that time, his ill wishers would certainly have
forged a pretext to deliver him up to the civil power, as a suspicious,
because he never went to church, although he was supposed to be a Roman
Catholic.

"Some days after the above-mentioned prisoners had been set at liberty,
he returned to A----, on a holiday after sun set. The children playing
in the streets no sooner espied him, than they ran towards him, hailing
their hoary benefactor with loud shouts, searching his pockets for
sweetmeats, and teasing the poor old man so unmercifully, that he at
last grew angry, and threatened to chastise the troublesome crowd with
his staff; however, their demands grew still more clamorous, and some of
them began to prick him with pins, which at length obliged him to put
his threats in execution.

"When the mothers of those ill-mannered boys saw the old man plying the
backs of their darlings with his staff, they attacked him like furies,
to revenge their children's wrongs and the profanation of the holiday,
and by their vociferations alarmed the whole neighbourhood. The husbands
of the enraged dames came soon to their assistance; the children began
terribly to roar when they saw their old friend in danger of being torn
to pieces by their parents, and poor Peter was glad when he got off the
clutches of the merciless multitude, after having sustained many a hard
blow, and hastened with all possible speed to shelter himself from
farther insult in his humble cottage.

"But who can describe the terror he was seized with, when he perceived
that he had lost his wallet in the scuffle! Raving like a madman did he
rush out of his hut, to recover his property, which was carried away in
triumph by the victorious party. He exhausted all the rhetoric he was
master of, entreated them, whined, and swore, but alas! his adversaries
had hearts of flint, and stoutly refused to give up their booty, and
when he at last, half frantic with despair, endeavoured to regain it by
force, a violent shower of stones drove him back to his humble abode,
leaving his dear wallet in the ruthless hands of the furious and
inexorable mob.

"The principal motive that had induced the assailants to retain the
wallet, was an impulse of curiosity, to see what the old sorcerer, so
they called him, had got by his journey; and the attack of the children
was, very likely, a preconcerted matter, in order to provoke his anger,
thus to give them an opportunity of satisfying their curiosity.

"The wallet having been opened the first object meeting their prying
looks was an old pair of breeches, a tattered shirt, and some pairs of
stockings, then followed a large book and some unknown instruments, and
at last they found at the bottom a heavy leathern bag, the knot by which
it was fastened, baffling all their endeavours to untie it, was at
length cut asunder, and the amazement of the gaping multitude rose to
the highest pitch, when their eyes beheld a great number of gold pieces.

"At first the whole crew was struck dumb with astonishment, but their
silence was soon interrupted by a voice, exclaiming, 'We have entrapped
the sacrilegious robber of our church!' which was the signal for the
enraged multitude to break out in curses and terrible execrations
against the old man; the air resounded with the universal cry, 'Church
robber! church robber!' and some of them, hastening to the justice of
peace, roared with a bellowing voice, 'We have found him out! we have
detected the sacrilegious robber of our church!'

"The justice was astonished at the unexpected tidings, but his amazement
increased still more, when he saw the large heaps of gold coin which had
been found in the wallet of the old beggar, and instantly sent the
beadle to seize poor Peter; meanwhile the rest of the furious mob had
stormed the defenceless hut of the old man, dragged him forth, and
conducted him towards the judge's house amid numberless blows and
curses. He was now delivered up to the grim catchpole, who instantly
carried him to the town prison.

"His trial began the following day, and he was ordered to give an
account of himself, and how he had got such a large sum of money.
Refusing to answer that question, and pretending to have earned the
money by honest means, he was put to the rack; yet he stoutly maintained
his first declaration, and the justice, being unable to convict him of
the charge he stood accused of, was obliged to set him at liberty,
retaining, however, his money, until he should have proved that he had
got by lawful means.

"Peter promised to prove his deposition within a short time, and
returned to his hut, which, during his confinement, had been closely
searched by his busy neighbours, who, however, had found nothing in it
but some tattered coats, and broken pieces of furniture.

"The justice, being a prudent man, dissembled to have dropped all
further inquiry, but secretly appointed some trusty people to watch all
his motions. Their vigilance was fruitless a great while, until at
length one of Peter's neighbours observed him, one morning, leaving his
house, with a wallet on his back and a staff in his hand, setting off in
full speed.

"The people of the justice, whom he informed of what he had seen,
followed Father Peter in different directions, in disguise, and saw him
at noontide enter a lonely public house. Having waited in vain for his
re-appearance, they began to conceive suspicion, and concealed
themselves behind some bushes within a small distance from the house,
until it grew dark.

"As soon as night had spread her dun mantle over the face of the earth,
they heard a distant trampling of horses, bending their course towards
the spot where they were hidden, and, ere long, a numerous troop of
horsemen alighted at the public house and entered it, upon which the
spies crept forth from their lurking place, and stole softly to the
windows of the house; there they had not listened six minutes, when they
heard a jingling of money, and, peeping through the chinks of one of the
shutters, beheld a table covered with dollars, and surrounded by a
number of armed men, among whom was Father Peter, feasting his looks on
the money which was spread before him.

"Having now got every information necessary, they mounted each of them
one of the horses which the robbers had fastened to some trees, and
hurried back to the town with all possible expedition. The public house
being distant from A---- only two leagues, they arrived there after an
hour's ride, and having informed the justice of everything they had
heard and seen, were instantly sent back with a great part of the
town-guard, well armed, and mounted on the fleetest coursers that could
be got.

"The whole troop arrived a little before midnight at the public house,
where the robbers were seated round a table, eating and drinking in
great security, and almost bereft of the use of their senses by frequent
libations. They all started up as if roused by a sudden clap of thunder,
when the town guard rushed into the room, seizing their arms, and
threatening to blow their brains out if they should attempt the least
resistance.

"Their hands having been tied, Father Peter, the landlord, who had
concealed himself under the bed, and all his servants were seized, and,
having been properly secured, carried off in triumph.

"The robbers, amounting to ten, were clad in hunting coats, and their
purses well stored with gold and silver coin; the whole train marching
slowly on, with lighted torches, arrived at A---- before it was light,
and the prisoners were safely lodged in the strongest dungeon.

"Their trial commenced early in the morning, and the youngest of the
robbers, who was questioned first, refusing to confess, was put to the
rack; his stubbornness being soon subdued, by the torments of the rack,
he made evidence, that their gang was very numerous, and scattered all
over the country, where they had a great many hiding places underground;
their chief residence, he said, was the old Castle, on the skirts of the
Black Forest, where a great part of their spoils was concealed. He
farther confessed, that Father Peter was in close connexion with all the
different gangs: he had no fixed abode, but resided sometimes in this,
and at other times in that town, and enjoyed the burghership in several
cities, where he possessed houses and estates. He firmly denied to have
had any share in the church robbery, but pointed out three of his fellow
prisoners who had been concerned in it: whether Peter had been accessory
in it or not he could not tell.

"The day following the three robbers charged with the sacrilege were
brought to the bar, but none of them would plead guilty. Being put to
the rack, the first of them, an aged man, bore the three degrees without
uttering a word, and died a few hours after he had been reconducted to
the prison. The second confessed at the third degree, that he had been
accessory in the church robbery; but declared that the third was
innocent, and that he himself had been persuaded by Father Peter to
commit the sacrilege.

"Now the hoary dissembler was ordered to the bar. Having heard the
charges of the justice with a firm countenance, he replied, with great
equanimity.

"'Yes, I am guilty, and wish to God I had no other crimes on my
conscience than that which I stand accused of. The sluggish, gluttonous
monks, who, in honour of an image of stone, have ruined and expelled
from their own country a whole innocent family to beg their bread in the
streets; these vile villains are far greater felons than myself, and I
rejoice at having been an instrument in the hand of providence to
avenge the wrongs of the hapless objects of their rapacity, and to
restore to those innocent sufferers their property. If this action
deserves punishment, you may tear my old limbs asunder, break these
withering bones, and reduce to dust and ashes my poor worn-out frame; I
will not complain nor utter a groan.

"'The grim avenger draws near--I feel the hand of the Supreme Judge; he,
and not you, poor mortals, forces me to confess my transgressions. I can
brave the ire of men, and deride all bodily sufferings; but I must bend
my aged knees to him who dwelleth in heaven, and the pangs of conscience
are not to be trifled with.'

"The Judge and the Sheriffs gazed at each other in dumb silence at these
words, and none of them were inclined to question him any farther.
Seeing this, he informed them voluntarily of every particular of the
sacrilege, and of the family which had been plunged into want and misery
by the rapacious monks whose church and convent had been robbed, by
means of a forged will. He at the same time confessed where and in what
manner the jewels, and the gold and silver furniture had been turned
into money, and by what means the sums those articles had fetched had
been conveyed to the family, without acquainting the innocent sufferers
with the names of their secret benefactors.

"The astonishment of the whole court increased with every word the old
man uttered, and as soon as he had finished his confession, he requested
the jailor to reconduct him to the prison. It lasted a good while before
the dread arbiters of life and death could recover from their
astonishment, and debate on Peter's doom, which they unanimously agreed
to mitigate as much as possible.

"According to the rigour of the law he should have been burnt alive, but
he and the robber who had been convicted of sacrilege, were sentenced
to be beheaded first, and then burnt. The rest of the gang were ordered
to close confinement for further examination.

"When Father Peter with his fellow-sufferer was called to the bar, in
order to hear his sentence pronounced, he behaved with the same firmness
of mind as on his trial, and comforted him who had betrayed him.

"Having heard his sentence pronounced with the greatest equanimity, he
thanked his judges for their clemency, and left the court, supporting
with his arm his companion, who exhibited a ghastly picture of dismay
and despondency. Father Peter did not lose his courage during his
confinement, and took all possible pains to soothe the grief of his
fellow sufferer, and to inspire him with sentiments superior to black
despair.

"He was to be executed two days after my arrival at A----, and I
hesitated long whether I should go and see this extraordinary man or
not, although I was much solicited by my friends to do it; having a
secret boding that this reverend old man, who faced the grim spectre of
death so cool and undaunted, could be no other person than Father
Francis, alias Volkert, and thinking it disingenuous to distress, by my
presence, a man who had saved my life two years ago.

"Curiosity and sensibility struggled a great while within my breast,
until the last day before the execution, when an ardent desire of having
cleared up the mysteries of former events got the better of my generous
sentiments, and prompted me to see him early in the morning.

"Having mustered up all my fortitude, I went to the prison at six
o'clock. Perhaps, thought I, the old man may now be more willing to
dispel my doubts than formerly, being on the awful brink of eternity,
and disclose the mystery of his former impenetrable transactions, and
my presence may not distress the unhappy man so much as thou thinkest!
Yet I could not get entirely rid of my apprehensions of increasing the
sufferings of my benefactor, or being, perhaps, disappointed in my
expectation.

"In this state of mind I arrived at the prison, which was opened by the
gaoler after a violent knocking. I requested him to favour me with a
short interview with the prisoner, but was denied access, because it was
against the common rule to introduce company to the convicts the day
before execution. I offered him a dollar, entreating him to make an
exception with me, being a stranger, and having reasons of moment to
wish for an interview with the old man. The sight of the money seemed to
have more weight with him than my words; he mused awhile, and then said,
'Since you are a stranger, I will make an exception from the common
rule, but I must insist upon your telling nobody of this indulgence.'

"So saying, he conducted me without farther ado to a narrow staircase,
leading to a long and narrow passage; at length we came to a small black
door, marked with three red crosses, through which I followed him into a
dark gloomy room; the entrance was guarded by two men half asleep, and
in the background close to the wall I beheld two human figures, of a
ghastly woe-worn aspect, and drawing near with a beating heart, saw that
one of them was Volkert: his countenance was pale and emaciated, but
still stamped with his usual dignity of mien; his head reclining against
the wall, and his hands resting on his knees.

"He seemed not to perceive that a stranger was in the room until the
gaoler said to him, 'Well, Father Peter, there is a gentleman who will
be glad to speak to you and your comrade.'

"Hearing this, he slowly lifted up his head, staring at me.

"'Volkert!' exclaimed I, 'Volkert!'

"His looks grew wild, his head sunk back, and he heaved a deep groan;
whilst I was standing before him like a statue, thrilled with horror and
pity.

"As soon as the gaoler had left us, Volkert began with a trembling
voice, 'Lieutenant, are you come to embitter my last hours, or to speak
comfort to my afflicted mind?'

"'The latter, good Volkert,' replied I.

"'Then,' said he, 'you are welcome, sit down, if you please, perhaps I
may be able to be useful to you somehow or other, before I fall a victim
to my crimes. I can caution you at least against cheats like myself.

"'No idle curiosity has prompted me.' said I, 'to see you, nor am I come
to distress you by illiberal reproaches, for having once endangered my
life, that would be ungenerous. You have saved me once from imminent
destruction, and that atones fully for all former injuries; yet you will
not be offended if I earnestly request you to clear up some late events,
which have happened to myself and the Austrian, who--'

"'Has been imposed upon by me,' replied Volkert, 'like yourself, whom I
had given the lie at F----, in your and your friend's presence. I will
give you all the information you desire, and at the same time a short
sketch of my life, as well as it is in my power in my present deplorable
situation. I wish most ardently I had done what I always intended to do,
and set down in writing those events, and the memoirs of my life; they
undoubtedly would be very instructive, and greatly lessen the number of
impostors, and those that are imposed upon.'

"Here he stopped, and, having mused awhile, began his narrative, which,
indeed, was very defective, but satisfactory enough for me.

"I am," thus Volkert began, "a native of England, my father died when I
was not quite ten years old, and left me an helpless orphan, without
either fortune or near relations. A rich Dutchman being moved by my
helpless situation, took me in his house, and, leaving England the year
following, carried me over with him to the Hague.

"This worthy man gave me a very liberal education, and when I was
thirteen years old took me in his counting-house; but alas! he died
before he could establish my fortune as he intended to do.

"His son, who carried on his father's business, had never been partial
to me, and found a pretext to quarrel with me, and to send me away. A
rich nobleman, just going to set out for Germany, wanted a servant, who
occasionally would act as secretary, and I was glad to accept his offer
to take me in his service. He directed his way to K----, where his
father was one of the ministers of state.

"My young master appeared to be little inclined to qualify himself for
state business, being possessed of a very small stock of ambition, and
entirely addicted to the study of the occult sciences, which had engaged
his attention so much, that he was unfit for anything else. I soon was
infected with an ardent desire to become his pupil, and, after a few
months' instruction, was as great a fool as himself.

"It would be too tedious if I was to relate all our fruitless endeavours
to effect the apparition of a spirit, and I was soon convinced that it
lay not in the power of man to lord over these bodiless beings. My
master, however, continued his mysterious operations day and night with
an indefatigable ardour.

"It is very natural, that it at length came into my head to profit by
his superstitious enthusiasm, and that I eagerly seized every
opportunity to impose upon a man, who promised to fall an easy sacrifice
to art and cunning, having great reason to expect that such an attempt
would ensure me his affection, and promote my fortune rapidly.

"One night as he was conjuring up his guardian angel with much
impatience, I entered his room, telling him that all his efforts would
be in vain, because he was not acquainted with the proper means of
forcing the inhabitants of the other world to make their appearance.

"Gazing at me with wonder and surprise, he inquired whether I had
improved so much in the occult sciences that I could effect what he so
eagerly desired. I neither denied nor confirmed his question, but told
him that I would give him the next day a specimen of my skill in
Necromancy.

"It was an easy task to impose on my credulous enthusiastic Count,
having secured the assistance of a fellow-servant. We resided at a
country-seat his mother had left him, which was the fittest place in the
world for the execution of our design. Having succeeded better than I at
first expected, I made him my dupe above a twelve-month, and grew at
last so bold and impudent that the Count could not but perceive my
juggling tricks, and instantly sent me away.

"The good credulous man has certainly been convinced afterwards, that
the lesson I gave him by my cheats deserved the warmest gratitude.

"I had saved a pretty sum of money during my stay with the Count, and
being used to an idle life, had not the least thought of looking about
for another master. I went back to H----, where I abandoned myself to
gambling, drinking, and all sorts of dissipation, until all my money was
spent, and no other means of getting an honest livelihood left, than to
try my fortune in the army.

"A recruiting officer paid me a hundred dollars for my liberty, and I
cheerfully enlisted under the banner of Mars.

"I had received the promise to be made a serjeant, but saw myself at
first very much disappointed, being forced to serve as a common soldier.
Being, however, a good penman, well skilled in casting accounts, and
leading a sober and regular life, I soon rose so high in the good
opinion of my superiors, that I was appointed serjeant after nine
months' service. I certainly should have been promoted higher if I had
continued to be zealous in the service, sober and attentive to my
superiors, but my patience was exhausted, and I relapsed again into my
former dissipations.

"A dissolute life requires money, and the desire of getting it plunges
him who has once been led astray from the path of virtue soon into his
former errors. I had once more recourse to my juggling tricks,
pretending to possess a supernatural skill in detecting thefts, in
tossing up the cup, and in telling people's fortunes; I conjured up
spirits, dispelled the power of witchcraft, and raised up the dead. In
short, I did everything in my power to drain the purses of the weak and
credulous.

"This trade was profitable, and very advantageous in many respects; but
it lost me the esteem of my superiors, stained my character, poisoned my
heart, and reduced me at last to that despicable sort of people whose
heedlessness bids defiance to every obstacle, and who have nothing more
at heart than how they may enrich themselves to the detriment of their
fellow creatures. In short, I became a rogue of the blackest die.

"It was natural that my cheats now and again miscarried before I arrived
at that degree of skill, which, in later years, has crowned with success
most of my roguish tricks. My superiors, who had warned me many a time
against committing such villainous actions, became at last tired of
admonishing and correcting me by words, and a spirit which I had
conjured up played his part so bad, that they found themselves obliged
to make an example of me, and to banish me the country.

"A healthy well-made man of my age had no need to be uneasy about
getting into the service of any foreign power. I had taken a liking to
the life of a soldier, and found soon an opportunity of enlisting under
the banners of Austria.

"A few days after I had began my peregrination, I met with a recruiting
officer of that country, who proposed me to enter the Austrian service,
but, being grown wiser by experience, I at first feigned to dislike the
military profession, and succeeded so well that the officer at last
threw a hundred ducats upon the table, assuring me, upon his salvation,
that he never had paid such a price to a recruit.

"Now I thought it high time to strain the strings a little lower, agreed
to his terms, and told him that I had been serjeant in the Hanoverian
service. Having given him a specimen of my skill in penmanship, I
requested him to recommend me to his commanding officer; he promised it
and was as good as his word. The general received me exceeding well, and
I occupied my former post, as serjeant, before a year was elapsed.

"Having been sent away with disgrace from H----, I had taken a firm
resolution to abstain in future from all fraudulent, juggling tricks,
and kept my resolution firmly a long while, behaving eight years as it
meets a good soldier.

"I abstained entirely from art and fraud, minded my duty, and thus
ingratiated myself with my superiors to such a degree that I kept firmly
my ground, in spite of many complaints which afterwards were made
against me. An unhappy accident induced me to have recourse again to my
former juggling tricks, and thus to acquire once more the title of a
Necromancer.

"I will tell you all the particulars of that adventure, in order to
enliven a little my tedious narrative, and to convince you that nothing
but necessity could tempt me to engage once more in rogueries which
already had destroyed my fortune once, and deprived me of my good
character and a honourable employment.

"I was quartered in a house that was said to be haunted. It was rumoured
about, that time out of mind it had been haunted by a spirit who
disturbed the tranquillity of the inhabitants, though he never had
injured anybody; he had now, for about six months, alarmed very much the
people that lived in the house, and the report of that extraordinary
perturbance had caused such a general fear that most of the rooms were
unoccupied.

"Tempted by the cheapness of the lodgings, and desirous to get at the
bottom of the alarming apparitions which had given so much uneasiness to
the inhabitants of that house, I went to the owner, and agreed with him
to pay five dollars a year for the best room; I instantly took
possession of my apartment, and, to my greatest surprise, perceived a
long while not the least trace of any supernatural inhabitant.

"My landlord always disappointed my inquiries by vague ambiguous
answers; and his daughter, who, as it was rumoured, had suffered most
from the dreadful apparition, replied with nothing but a deep sigh, when
I interrogated her about the nocturnal phantom.

"That girl had attracted my attention in a high degree, as soon as I had
seen her, being adorned with charms which conquered every heart, almost
irresistibly, because she seemed to be entirely unconscious of their
winning powers. Her face was rather pale, her constitution weak and
sickly, and although she could not be called a beauty, yet I thought her
very amiable, and more bewitching than any woman my eyes had ever
beheld. I never had tasted the heavenly bliss of innocent virtuous love
before my thirty-ninth year, but I must confess this girl had infused
into my heart, at first sight, sensations I had always been an utter
stranger to.

"Helen, this was her name, her father, and myself, occupied the first
floor of the haunted house, and the second floor was inhabited by a
young secretary; all the other rooms, a back parlour on the ground floor
where the servants lived excepted, were unoccupied.

"The secretary seemed to have no concern for what was passing around
him, his whole attention being engaged by his writings, and I happened
only now and then to see him in the company of my landlord and his fair
daughter, whom he treated as utter strangers. However, I watched my
opportunity better than him, and was never so happy as when I could
spend a few hours in conversation with the charming maid. I always
pretended to have something to say to the father, taking care never to
come to his apartment but when he was abroad.

"However, all my anxious endeavours to make a tender impression on my
charmer's heart proved abortive; Helen neither seemed to take the least
notice of the attention I paid her, nor to be pleased with my eager zeal
to engage her favour. The discourses I addressed to her consisted mostly
in monologues, interrupted by frequent pauses; and her replies in a
pantomime, composed of a silent shaking or nodding of the head,
accompanied every now and then by a gentle sigh, which of course made
me, by degrees, tired of conversing with her, though my heart at first
shrunk back at the thought of giving up such a lovely object.

"I had now been many weeks in the house without either hearing or seeing
the least thing of the phantom, the tranquillity of the mansion not
having been interrupted for a single moment. The domestics of my
landlord were highly surprised, ascribing the peace which they enjoyed
to me; even my landlord thought that I had chased away the dread
phantom, and oftentimes thanked me warmly for having restored the
tranquillity of his house.

"'Dear friend,' said he one evening to me, shaking me by the hand with
evident marks of satisfaction, 'to you I owe the peace and tranquillity
I now enjoy; if the nightly phantom shall continue to stay away, my
house will not longer remain unoccupied, and you shall live in it
without paying rent as long as it shall be in my possession.'

"These words he spoke in the presence of his daughter, who fetched a
deep melancholy sigh.

"A few days after that trifling accident, as it appeared to me, I came
home late in the night, and was going to lay myself down to rest without
calling for a candle, every body being gone to bed, when I heard gentle
footsteps before my door; I started up, and the steps advanced nearer
and nearer. Now they seemed to retreat, and silence reigned around a
while.

"I listened with eager expectation, and at once heard again the sound of
fearful steps and somebody moving the latch of my door, which now was
opened slowly and shut again. I was just going to see what these strange
proceedings meant, when a white figure entered my apartment.

"Who art thou?" exclaimed I, with a furious voice, seizing the phantom
with a powerful hand.

"'Jesu Maria!' groaned the apparition, 'for God's sake be quiet.'

"Methought I knew the voice, and, asking again who it was that dared to
disturb my rest, the ghost whispered, in a faltering accent, 'Be quiet,
dear Sir, I am Helen!'

"Half frantic with rapture, I pressed the trembling girl to my panting
bosom, printed a glowing kiss on her sweet lips, and asked her what
fortunate accident had procured me the happiness of seeing her so late
in the night.

"'Oh!' sighed the lovely girl, 'you shall save me from destruction.'

"'With all my heart,' answered I, 'if it is in my power.'

"'It is in your power,' resumed my sweet visitor, 'my father confides in
you; O, save me! save me!'

"I entreated her to tell me the source of her affliction, and how I
could be serviceable to her, upon which she sat herself down and began
as follows:--

"'The apparition which has lately disturbed the tranquillity of our
house is my lover, Henry--the secretary in the second floor. Last autumn
he asked me in marriage from my father, who refused to comply with his
suit, and the unhappy man has been hurried by despair into a resolution
which has destroyed the peace of my mind, and has made him likewise
miserable.

"'Our house has been reported to be haunted by a ghost these many years,
because it was formerly a cloister. My Henry took hold of that
superstitious rumour, turning it to his advantage, and, alas!
accomplished his design without difficulty. My heart was thrilled with
terror at first, and several nights elapsed in unspeakable horror,
before I knew that my Henry was the spectre that visited me every night,
and made my blood run chill with awful dread. At length he undeceived
me, but, alas! it was then too late; my virgin honour was gone for ever.
I feel the dreadful consequences of my guilty connexion with the
unhappy man, and disgrace and ruin will seize me with merciless fangs,
if you do not save me. O, Mr. Volkert! do not refuse your assistance to
a poor helpless girl.'

"Moved by this woeful speech I promised to procure the consent of her
father to her marriage with the secretary, might it cost whatever it
would. Her gratitude knew no bounds, she almost suffocated me by her
endearments, and left me with these words:--'My happiness, my life, and
my honour, are in your power; without your assistance destruction will
seize me, and eternal misery will be my dreadful lot.'

"After a cool deliberation, I grew sensible that I had engaged in a very
difficult undertaking. By what natural means could the father of the
seduced girl be persuaded to sanction her love? How was it possible to
shake the firm resolution of a rigorous head-strong man, if a medium
congenial to his manner of thinking was not to be employed which might
surprise and prompt him to come to our terms for the sake of his own
interest. This medium was no other than what he himself had suggested to
me--his belief in the supernaturalness of the apparition, and the power
he supposed me to have over it.

"I could not get a wink of sleep during the remainder of the night,
racking my brain and tormenting my imagination in vain. Whenever I
fancied to have hit on a feasible expedient, it soon vanished like a
deluding dream, as soon as I applied the undeceiving torch of reason,
and I saw but too clearly that nothing would extricate me from the maze
I was bewildered in but the magic wand.

"I was engaged for three days in a most distressing conflict with my
rebelling conscience, and several times on the brink of shifting
quarters, and taking a house far enough removed from my then abode, but
my resolution was always shaken as soon as it was formed, when the
doleful situation of the poor distressed girl recurred to my mind,
imploring my assistance with a pallid, ghastly look.

"It is true the lover of the afflicted, disconsolate girl did not
deserve my assistance; however, poor Helen would certainly have been
lost without my assistance. These considerations conquered at last every
hesitation which reason and honesty had suggested to my troubled mind,
and on the fourth morning I went to work.

"I entered at nine o'clock the apartment of my landlord, and could not
but observe that Helen's cheeks were tinged with a crimson hue of inward
satisfaction; her aspect and her looks supported my resolution.

"'Sir,' said I, 'the tranquillity of your house is dear to me, and I
have had the good fortune, last night, to hit upon means, the
application of which will certainly secure it for ever.'

"The simple, superstitious man embraced me with visible marks of
gratitude, exclaiming in an ecstasy of joy, 'O, tell me, tell me, what
must I do?'

"Then he ordered his daughter to fetch a bottle of Hungarian wine,
pressing me to drink; but I declined it, resuming--

"'Sir, the ghost that disturbs the peace of your house--'

"'Have you seen him?' he interrupted me, with a ghastly look.

"'I will see him,' replied I; 'he is a malicious being, and has given me
much trouble; yet I trust I shall be able to get the better of him by
the assistance of the occult knowledge which I possess.'

"'How, how!' stammered the simpleton; 'then you are indeed the man I
always took you for: then you are really one of those great mortals who
understand the wonderful art of necromancy. How happy I am to meet at
last, so unexpectedly, with the man I have always most ardently wished
to find out. Tell me, dear friend, what must we do?'

"'Nothing in the world,' answered I, 'but conjure up in due form that
turbulent spirit.'

"'And will you undertake to perform that difficult, dangerous task?'

"'Why not?'

"'And when, dear sir, do you intend to do me that inestimable favour?'

"'The ensuing night, if you will consent to it, for without your leave I
can do nothing.'

"'O, that you have! that you have! You may do whatever you please; I
will consent to anything, if I can get rid of that infernal disturber of
my nocturnal rest!'

"I left the credulous man with sensations which sprung from pity rather
than exultation at my easy-gotten victory. I instantly made every
preparation for executing my roguish plan, being assisted by the
secretary, and having won over to my purpose the servants of the house,
everything succeeded to admiration.

"A little before twelve o'clock all the inhabitants of the house
resorted to my room, and an intimate friend of mine acted the ghost
admirably well: benumbing perfumes deprived the spectators of the proper
use of their senses, and the landlord had previously been made unfit for
investigation by a powder mixed with his wine.

"The ghost appeared, or rather stepped forth, from behind a partition of
paper, which I had contrived to make.

"When I asked why he had dared to disturb the tranquillity and peace of
the house, he answered, in a tremulous, hollow accent, 'Out of
resentment to the female sex.'

"On my further inquires, he related in short answers, that, a century
ago, the cruelty of a lady he had been in love with had driven him to
despair, and hurried him into the rash resolution to shut himself up
within a cloister's hallowed walls; but having profaned his holy order
by entering into it with a worldly heart, polluted by the loose desires
of sensual love, he had been condemned to purgatory until a certain
condition should be fulfilled.

"All these queries and answers, previously set down in writing and got
by heart, produced the desired effect on the blinded mind of the
credulous father, who at length stammered out the question, by what
means could he be relieved from his torments? The ghost replied, that he
was doomed to suffer the agonies of purgatory, and to haunt his former
abode in the midnight hour until an unhappy couple, separated by a
parent's cruel tyranny, should be united in holy wedlock.

"Having related his fictitious tale, he disappeared behind the partition
of paper, under the cover of a thick smoke, leaving my landlord in a
state of mind which seconded our design to the utmost of our wishes.

"When the credulous man had recovered a little from his astonishment, I
asked him if he could explain the meaning of the ghost's answer, and
whether it was in his power to perform the condition he had hinted at;
upon which he silently nodded to me, and promised to pay me a visit
early in the morning, which he did at six o'clock, confessing his
cruelty towards his daughter, which he believed had provoked the
resentment of the monk, and pleaded the poverty of the young man, and
the cool indifference he had treated his daughter with ever since his
offers had been rejected.

"'Now,' added he, 'I see everything in its proper light; the ghost has
entirely opened my eyes, blinded by avarice. God be praised that the
young man has not yet left my house, as he intended to do, for it would
give then much room for scandal, if he should marry my daughter, which I
am very well convinced cannot be avoided, if the tranquillity of my
house shall be restored.'

"In short, the secretary was married to the girl, and the ghost appeared
no more.

"This beneficial fraud--for so I may justly call it, the honour, and
perhaps the life of the father and daughter, having been saved by it,
and the young man, who was sober and industrious, proving a tender and
affectionate husband--this beneficial fraud was the first step, which
afterwards led me to ruin and disgrace.

"Possessed of a large stock of knowledge of the human heart, of
experience, and art, I was no longer satisfied with confining myself to
trifling juggling tricks, but I soon began to act after a more extensive
plan. In spite of all the precautions I had taken to keep the
above-mentioned transaction from the knowledge of the public, it soon
transpired, with the usual additions, and everybody thought me to be a
sort of supernatural being, and so many opportunities of preying on the
credulity of mankind were thrown in my way, that I could not stand the
temptations which frequently occurred to profit by the superstitions of
my fellow creatures.

"I hope you will spare me the distressing task to relate all the
transgressions I committed afterwards; suffice it to say, that a
complete account of my frauds would swell many volumes. The few
remaining hours of life allotted me prevent me from relating all the
subsequent tricks which I committed, I therefore shall confine myself to
the two criminal transactions by which your friend, the brave Austrian
has been imposed upon; they will afford you ample means of forming a
proper idea of those I am obliged to bury in silence.

"I had, for the space of six years, carried on my juggling tricks with
so much secrecy, that few of my criminal deeds were known. Although I
had been betrayed several times by my associates, and reprimanded by my
superiors, yet I always suffered myself to be blinded by the too
powerful charms of gold and false ambition, and was ever ready to lend
my assistance to deeds of the blackest hue.

"One day the widow of an honest citizen sent for me and, having bribed
me by some pieces of gold, requested me to assist her in the execution
of a most criminal design.

"Her husband, lately deceased, so she told me, had promised her daughter
in marriage to a man whom she could not suffer to become her son-in-law,
because he had behaved very disrespectfully towards her while her
husband had been living, and scorned to apply for her consent; moreover,
she told me, he was a lazy drunkard and a gambler; in one word, a
good-for-nothing fellow.

"'I know, Mr. Volkert,' added she, 'that you are in high favour with the
Devil, and entreat you to raise up one of the angels of darkness,
commanding him to appear to my daughter, and to threaten her to carry
her to hell if she will not desist from her intended marriage.'

"Shocked at that infernal proposal I was going to throw the money at her
feet; would to God I had done it! but three ducats more soothed my
indignation, and allured me to promise that I would take the matter into
consideration, and inform her of the result of it the following day.

"I kept my promise, enjoining the woman to tell her daughter, as a
secret, that her deceased father had, on his death-bed, compelled her to
make a solemn promise never to consent to that marriage. She readily
executed my order, and the poor girl was overwhelmed with grief.

"Then I bade the inhuman mother assume a melancholy aspect, to treat her
daughter with more kindness than ever, to mingle her tears with those of
her child, to inveigh now and then against the caprice of the deceased,
to inflame the girl, by degrees, with a desire of knowing the reason her
father might have had to forbid, on his death-bed, her union with a man
he had always seemed to be fond of; and, after these preparations, to
mention, as if by accident, my name, and my skill in necromancy, yet to
take care, not to betray her design of having conjured up her deceased
husband.

"The cruel, unnatural mother executed my orders with all possible
dexterity and art, wept with her afflicted, disconsolate child, and, by
these means, beguiled the unsuspecting heart of her unhappy daughter.
The poor victim of a mother's infernal cruelty listened eagerly to the
deceitful speeches of her artful parent, and her curiosity was soon
raised to so high a pitch, that she one evening came to my lodgings
trembling and shivering to acquaint me with her woe, and to implore my
assistance, which I instantly promised to grant her.

"The rest you very likely know from the relation of your friend. One of
my comrades, who was always ready to execute my commands, acted the
ghost, and every thing succeeded, alas! too well.

"But suffer me to drop the dreadful, horrid tale; this black, infernal
deed lies heavy on my conscience, for it has rendered me guilty of the
murder of two innocent persons.

"Your friend requested me, soon after, to give him a specimen of my
talents, which I readily promised to do as soon as an opportunity should
offer; but, God knows, I did not mean to perform my promise.

"However, the quarrel between the two officers afforded me very soon
such an alluring opportunity to display my skill, that I could not
stand the temptation to perform the most cunning and subtle trick. The
whole transaction bears such strong marks of the marvellous, that you
will expect a long explanation, but the contrivance was so simple that a
few words will suffice to unfold to you that strange affair.

"One morning a foreign officer sent for and requested me, to compose an
ointment which would make him invulnerable. I stared at him with wonder
and astonishment; however, when he covered the whole table with gold, I
was tempted to profit by his folly, and asked him who his antagonist
was. Being told it was Lieutenant C----, I would not run the risk of
exposing myself to his resentment, and left the valiant son of Mars
without listening to his proposal.

"The succeeding day your friend visited me; 'Volkert,' said he, as he
entered the room, 'I have a job for you: I can give you an excellent
opportunity to favour me with a proof of your skill, and to get a
handsome sum of money into the bargain.'

"I pricked up my ears, made a few faint objections, and at length
suffered myself to be persuaded.

"As soon as your friend had left me I went to Baron T----, who was still
in bed, without having the least inclination of fighting a duel.

"'Baron,' exclaimed I, as I entered his room, 'give me the money, I am
ready to execute your orders; you shall not only be invulnerable, but
also leave the field of battle and this town as a man of honour,
provided nobody knows that you are returned from your journey.

"'That is charming!' exclaimed the undaunted Baron, 'nobody besides you
and my landlord know that I am returned, and him we can easily silence
if secrecy is necessary.'

"Then he jumped nimbly out of his bed, and gave me the money. I laid my
plan before him, and he joyfully submitted to every thing proposed. His
landlord and the owner of the house where the conjuration was performed,
were bribed. The Baron, who acted the ghost, was concealed in a small
closet, to which he, when the whole transaction was finished, retired,
under the cover of a thick benumbing smoke, which concealed his retreat,
and left the town that very night. The postman had likewise been bribed
to deliver the letter, composed by me and copied by the Baron. The
certificate of the surgeon-major was forged, and everything succeeded to
our satisfaction.

"As to the duel, everything was effected by natural means. I cleaned and
charged the pistols of Lieutenant C----, and took care to spoil the
locks of one brace, and to charge the other with wrong bullets. I
informed the governor of the duel, that Baron T----'s courage might be
known, and he returned, for the same reason, to town, as soon as the
duel was fought, delivering himself into the hands of the soldiers who
had been ordered to arrest the combatants.

"That he might be thought generous, he supplicated for the enlargement
of his antagonist, and procured him the governor's pardon.

"The heinousness of this deed of mine will be lessened in your eyes, if
I tell you, that the bullets in the Baron's pistols were likewise too
small, so that Lieutenant C---- could not be wounded dangerously, and the
baron took care not to hurt him materially."

"Volkert had as yet spoken with great hilarity, and it almost appeared
as if he had entirely forgotten his impending doom; but suddenly he grew
more serious and solemn. Gloomy clouds of sorrow were gathering on his
brow, the paleness of his countenance increased, his lips were
contorted, he gave a deep groan of anguish, and after an awful pause of
inward agony, he went on in a faltering accent--

"'Oh that I here could conclude the dreadful tale of my transgressions!
Oh, that I had not to relate deeds more glaring and abominable! Deeds
which thrill my soul with anguish, and pierce my guilty heart with a
thousand daggers, pointed by unutterable pangs of a polluted conscience.
However, I promised you a sketch of my whole life, and will be as good
as my word. Although I shall not be able to give you a full narrative of
deeds which fill my soul with horror, yet I will go on as well as I can.

"'The intercession of Baron T---- in my behalf had so much weight with
the governor, that he suffered me to escape without punishment, and sent
me on the recruiting business, in order to get rid of me without
provoking my anger. O that he had rather loaded me with his resentment
than with his bounty, and punished me as I deserved; perhaps it would
have opened my eyes and brought me back to the path of honesty.

"'My ruin was now completed. I began my recruiting business with great
alacrity and cheerfulness, and found but too many opportunities of
exerting my plotting skill, which I did with so much success, that my
comrades were astonished, and my superiors so highly pleased with my
zeal, that they put the greatest confidence in me, and entrusted me with
sums which enabled me to abandon myself to all manner of dissipation;
the few remaining sparks of honesty and virtue were extinguished by
degrees, and I was hurrying with rapid steps into the abyss of
destruction.

"'My dissipations tempted me to defraud my superiors, and soon
intricated me in a maze of embarrassment, where I found myself entirely
bewildered. I got acquainted and intimately connected with the most
dangerous sort of people, with robbers and their infernal associates.
Allured by my cunning and artful tricks, they did everything in their
power to gain my confidence, and to win me over to their party, which,
alas! laid the foundation to my ruin. I became a spy, a traitor, and, at
last, their accomplice in the perpetration of the most shocking crimes.

"'My recruiting business was neglected, and my superiors were going to
call me back. Being not able to give an account of large sums that had
been intrusted to me, I could not appear before my commanding officer,
and no other means were left me to escape the impending storm, but to
disappear entirely, which I effected in such a manner that every one
firmly believed I was no more.

"'I conducted ten robbers, disguised as recruits, through a large town,
where many of my profession resided, and, as soon as we had reached the
adjacent wood, they took to their heels. I ran to the next village,
raving like a madman, related my misfortune, wept, cried, and then
returned to the wood, dissembling to be in the greatest despair.

"'The robbers, who were waiting for me, made me pull off my uniform,
dressed a dead man in it, who, perhaps, had been murdered for that
purpose, put a pistol in his hand, and disfigured him by blowing his
brains out.

"'Now I was no longer Volkert the serjeant; I was Volkert the robber and
murderer. I painted my face, feigned to be twenty years older than I
really was, and thus escaped being known by my former acquaintances. I
soon became famous under the name of Father Francis, bought houses in
several towns, and everybody took me for what I appeared to be, an old,
harmless man. Yet I was known at length by one of my former messmates,
when in the H----n service, who was recruiting in the empire, and forced
me to assist him in his business.

"'The cunning rogue had not forgotten my skill in executing deceitful
plots, and his expectation that I should be of great service to him by
my artifices did not deceive him. I never spread my nets in vain when I
wanted to catch a well-made young fellow, and we had enlisted within a
short time a great number of recruits. How easily I could remove every
obstacle I will prove by a single instance, which will give you a true
notion of my intricate artifices.

"'A well-made, young, and amiable Livonian, lodged with me, at the same
inn, at T----, and my associate took such a liking to him, that he
offered to acquit me of all farther services, if I could ensnare this
young man.

"'I promised to do my utmost, and went instantly to work, ordering some
of the gang I was connected with, and who then resided at T---- on
account of the great fair, to purloin his ring, snuff-box, purse, and
watch, returning him the latter in a public place, telling him that I
had detected the thief admirably well.

"'This done, I left him suddenly, without giving him time to make
farther inquiries, my sole view being to excite his curiosity, and to
gain his confidence, in which I succeeded admirably well.

"'The Livonian became very anxious to get acquainted with me, watched my
return to the inn several nights, and attempted to converse with me; in
short, he was very impatient to draw from me an information of the means
by which I had detected the thief, but I always shunned him, and baffled
his endeavours a great while, until, at last, I found it necessary to
pay him a visit, in order to console him about the loss of a bill of
exchange which my myrmidons had got in their power, along with his
pocket-book.

"'This bill having contained all the little wealth he had got about him,
he was under the necessity of either remaining some time longer at
T----, or of selling his linen and everything of value, and thus return
to his own country, in a most distressing condition. I gave him two
notes, each of a hundred dollars, the binding money from the recruiting
officer.

"'My unexpected visit and my seeming generosity put him into the
greatest astonishment, and I left him again abruptly, without entering
into conversation with him.

"'He was now enlisted without suspecting it, but I did not, as yet, know
how I could put him into the power of my employer; however, my inventive
genius soon suggested to me the proper means of effecting my purpose. By
some letters from his mother, which I had found in his pocket-book, I
had learned that she had died a little time before, very ill satisfied
with his conduct, on account of his dissipations when at the university.

"'The characters engraved on the inside of the ring which I had taken
from him, being the same with those the letters of his mother were
signed with, put it out of doubt that the miniature picture of an old
lady it was adorned with, must be the likeness of his mother.

"'One of my associates, whose features had by accident some resemblance
with those of the picture, concealed himself at the inn, painted his
face with chalk, wrapped himself in a sheet, and went at night into the
room of the young Livonian, who seemed to wait for my return, to
inquire, as I suppose, some particulars about the two notes I had given
him the preceding day, and was not a little frightened when he saw the
ghost of his deceased mother entering his room. The phantom walked
through his apartment, looked at the watch which was on the table to
signify that it wanted rest, sighed, gave him a menacing look, and left
him thrilled with horror and amazement.

"'The day following I ordered my myrmidons to watch every step of the
Livonian and was informed that he was gone into a tea garden, after he
had changed the two notes.

"'I hastened after him without delay, and found him sitting in a lonely
bower; he did not see me, though I was standing close by him, being
bewildered in gloomy meditations, and talking to himself. Suddenly he
exclaimed, 'No, it was a dream!' 'It was no dream,' replied I instantly.
He looked up, seized with terror and surprise. I promised to unfold, at
ten o'clock at night, all the mysterious accidents which had happened to
him at T----, and, having appointed to meet me at the city gate, which
was within a small distance from our inn, disappeared suddenly.

"'My spies continued to watch his motions during the remainder of the
day, and one of them carried every thing that he had lost to the
landlord of the inn where we lodged, that he might be the more eager to
meet me and to satisfy his curiosity, which had the desired effect.

"'He kept the appointment very punctually, but I made him wait above an
hour. Just when he was on the point of going home I came walking towards
him with hasty steps, and conducted him to a lonely public house within
a small distance from the town, which was the usual haunt of the
recruiting officers and their associates.

"'Having conducted him into a pleasure-house in the garden, built over a
cellar, to which a trap door led from the room where we then were, I
asked him what he desired to know, and seeing him hesitate to fix on a
question, I inquired if he should not like to know his benefactor, who
had interested himself so much for him? he consented to it, and, having
drawn a circle round the trap-door, which could be let down from below,
I placed him in the centre of it. Some of my associates, who were
concealed in the cellar, imitated the roaring of thunder, during my
conjurations, opened the trap door, and caused him to sink down into the
cellar: he, who already had acted the ghost of his mother, appeared
again in his former disguise; some blew powder of calophony through the
windows of the pleasure-house, and everything succeeded as well as I
could wish.

"'The poor young man was stunned with wonder and surprise and seeing the
ghost of his mother as he was sinking down into the cellar, lost all
power of recollection. He was instantly carried in a coach, one serjeant
of the recruiting officer seated himself by his side, and another
mounted the box, driving on with all possible speed, but being a very
indifferent coachman, the vehicle was suddenly overturned and one of the
unhappy young man's legs was broken.

"'When the serjeants saw it they disengaged the horses from the coach
and rode away. This was indeed a great disaster, but still it turned out
very fortunate for the young man, for a neighbouring nobleman, who saw
him in his deplorable situation as he passed the road, took him to his
castle, sent for proper assistance, and took so much care of the young
man, that he, after a few months, was able to return to his native
country, where he safely arrived without having met with any farther
sinister accident.

"'The recruiting officer, vexed at the miscarrying of our design, now
dropped all connexion with me, and I abandoned myself entirely to a life
of rapine and plunder.

"'You will now expect me to unfold your adventure at the ruinous
Castle, on the skirts of the Black Forest, but I hope you will spare me
the disagreeable task of enlarging on the particulars, since you have a
clue, by the assistance of which you will easily extricate yourself from
the maze of mystery and wonder in which you have been bewildered.

"'As to the strange apparitions in the subterraneous vaults, they have
likewise been effected by the assistance of the robbers. Some of them
were concealed in the vaults joining to the principal cellar, and the
burying vault, blowing the artificial flashes of lightning through the
chinks in the wall, and others being concealed in the hidden recesses of
the subterraneous fabric, produced the thunder by means of large kettle
drums. The lid of the coffin was opened by a cord, which the darkness
concealed from your sight; the female figure was the son of a
neighbouring publican, closely connected with our gang, who already had
acted the ghost several times, when curious travellers had visited the
castle: the light shooting from the coffin was effected by a dark
lanthorn, which previously had been placed to it: the bluish glimmering
you saw in the other vault, came from a lanthorn composed of blue glass,
and placed on the staircase of the cellar.

"'The second ghost was one of the robbers; his fractured, disfigured
head was made of a hollowed pumpkin. Our sudden retreat we effected
through the iron doors, and the ruinous side building opposite the
cellar door.

"'The stench you smelt was effected by some brimstone we had left
burning on the staircase; the extinguishing of the light in the lamp,
hanging over the cenotaph, and of that which you had taken with you was
caused by a certain spirit I had poured in it as we descended the
staircase; perhaps you will recollect that I took it from you before I
began my juggling tricks, as I was leading the way into the cellar. The
spirit in the lamp over the cenotaph had previously been poured into it
by one of my associates; and the smoke caused by the artificial
lightning smothered the light until it evaporated in the arched vault.
After the second apparition had disappeared I overturned the lamp; and
the rest you will be able to unravel without my assistance.

"'Now I come to the incident which gave you and your friend an
opportunity of seeing me in my real character, and of detecting my
juggling, cheating tricks. Every thing has been carried on and executed
under my direction; here is the key to it.

"'Ever since the H----n recruiting officer had known me at T---- I
visited that town very seldom, though I possessed a house there, and was
esteemed by my neighbours and fellow citizens.

"'An acquaintance of mine who kept a public house within a small
distance from T----, took a large inn at that town, and expected to do
very well, but an adjacent inn which was in great renown, disappointed
all his hopes, and reduced him soon to very distressing circumstances.
He disclosed his distresses to me as I once happened to come to T----,
and I advised him to ruin the neighbouring inn by the introduction of a
ghost.

"'The owner of the house had died a little time ago, and his son, a
young inexperienced and simple lad, carried on the business. We bribed
some of his servants to make a noise in the night, and to spread the
rumour about, that the house was haunted, and that the late possessor of
it appeared at midnight, frightening the guests in a terrible manner.

"'This artifice succeeded to the utmost of our wishes, and when I left
T----, a few months after, the inn of my friend, which always had been
empty, was crowded with travellers, while that of his neighbour was the
lonely haunt of the disguised spectres.

"Having great reason to apprehend that out machination would be detected
sooner or later, I promised my friend, who dreaded the same, to return
within a twelve-month, and to procure him an opportunity of purchasing
the haunted inn on reasonable terms. I was as good as my word, returned
to T----, and what farther happened you know.

"'At first I was rather uneasy that the foreign officer had taken
lodgings at the haunted inn, and prohibited every nocturnal disturbance,
apprehending the whole artifice would be detected; but just as I was
going to leave T----, without having attempted anything, the cowardice
of that officer gave me an opportunity of executing my design.

"'His comrades, chicken-hearted like himself, proposed to watch with him
in the haunted house, and their imagination played them a trick which
most unexpectedly favoured the execution of my plan.

"'They had watched three successive nights without either hearing or
seeing anything uncommon; the fourth night a tempest was raging, without
their perceiving it, being prevented from doing it by the great quantity
of punch they had swallowed, and the roaring noise which was the natural
consequence of their inebriation.

"'When they entered the room, after having been frightened by the
howling of the storm, on their return from the search they had been
making, the tempest ceased for a few seconds, and it was natural that
one of them, who very wisely looked out of the window, could perceive
nothing. Being chilled with dread and apprehension, he forgot to bolt
the window, his companions had, from like reasons, neglected to shut the
door, and the first gust of wind finding no resistance threw the window
and the door suddenly open, the lights were extinguished, and their
disordered fancy effected now, what I, perhaps, would have attempted in
vain, with all my juggling skill. Flashes of lightning illuminated the
room, the tremendous roaring of thunder shook the house, one of the
company overturned the table in his fright, and they really fancied to
see a phantom, which only existed in their disordered imagination,
harrowed up by fearful apprehensions and superstitious terror. What
farther happened I need not tell you.

"'My spies informed me of the departure of the officer who had resided
at the haunted inn, and of the route he had taken; they likewise
apprised me of his return. I hastened to meet him on the road, and the
conjuration of the ghost was agreed on.

"'Being no stranger to the cowardly disposition of his friends, I
apprehended not the least danger from their being present at the
experiment, and willingly consented that he should bring with him some
of them. However, I was very much mistaken, because two of them were
gentlemen for whom I was not prepared, and who had been already once
deceived by Volkert; yet I did not entirely miss my aim, and the haunted
inn was sold soon after to my friend on very low terms; the simpleton
who had been the owner of it, and who believed still in the reality of
the apparition in spite of what he had seen and heard when I conjured up
the spirit, and in spite of reason and good sense, having no peace nor
rest until he had disencumbered himself of the possession of ill-gotten
wealth. The apparition itself was effected by means of a camera obscura
in an apartment beneath that where I performed the cheat, some boards in
the floor having, the night before, been sawed through, after we had
made a hole in the ceiling of the lower chamber. The boards which
covered the opening close to the wall were replaced in such a manner
that they could be removed from below, by means of which the smoke could
ascend from the lower apartment, and represent the picture in the
machine--smoke and darkness put the finishing stroke to the deception.

"'I left, like your friend, T---- the next morning, with the firm
resolution to return no more, apprehending to be delivered up to the
vengeance of the civil power, in spite of your generosity, and having
lost my good character for ever. On my journey I happened to come to the
house where you was confined, and felt the highest satisfaction when I
had it in my power to make you some atonement for the many wrongs you
had suffered by me. My intention was to live here in A---- in solitude
and retirement, and to dedicate the rest of my miserable life to
repentance, and thus to make my peace with God. But my former lawless
companions soon found out my retreat and forced me to renew my crimes,
and to assist them in their infernal deeds.

"'The crime for which I am confined here you very likely know. All I can
say in order to palliate this last transgression is, that it is one of
the noblest deeds I ever performed, and it would not give me the least
uneasiness if the execution of it had not brought destruction on other
people beside myself.'

"Here Volkert stopped fatigued and exhausted by the long narrative. I
conversed a good while longer with him on his conjurations, and could
not help mentioning, that I was very much surprised that his deceptions
could have been kept so concealed, though he had always been obliged to
rely on the assistance of other people, to which he replied--

"'Your observation is very just, but your surprise will vanish, if you
consider that my assistants in cheating people bore their share in the
frauds I committed, and, of course, would not have escaped punishment if
they had not kept secret all transactions of that nature.

"'It is more surprising,' added he, 'that one is always certain to find
people who will lend their assistance in cheating their fellow citizens,
and it is almost incredible how willing every one is to assist any
impostor in deceiving others; yet I do not think that the source of that
intriguing disposition, so common among all classes of men, springs from
the depravity of human nature; I rather would attribute it to the
pleasure every one feels when he can prove the superior powers of his
genius, which is the head spring which animates us as well to good as to
bad actions, and, if guided by a benevolent heart and good principles,
raises us above the common herd, and leads us to honour and glory.'

"As I rose and was going to leave the prison, Volkert squeezed my hand,
and said, with a faltering voice--

"'To-morrow, at this hour, I shall be no more,--to-morrow, at this hour,
I shall have seen the Supreme Judge of human kind. I shudder when I
think that I must appear before His awful throne. Yet, there is one
consolation supporting me,--one consolation, that, as yet, has warded
off the deadly arrows of despair, and, I trust, will comfort me in my
trying hour, and when He who dwelleth in heaven shall speak to me. This
consolation, friend--give me leave to call you by that sacred name--this
consolation is not the vain, groundless expectation that I shall atone
for my sins by suffering the punishment that awaits me. No; if I had a
hundred lives to lose, I could not atone for my manifold crimes. This
consolation consists in the persuasion that I shall be made a warning
example of the dread consequences attending the criminal abuse of the
intellectual powers the great Ruler of the universe has given us, and
that the world will be warned against impostors like myself.'

"When he had finished, I bade him a last farewell, in a faltering
accent, and left the unhappy man, who said to me, as I opened the door--

"'Come to-morrow to the place of execution, your presence will give me
comfort!'

"I left the prison lost in gloomy thought, and with a bleeding heart.
The dismal idea of the awful scene which was to be exhibited the next
day haunted me wherever I went, and I struggled in vain to chase it from
my mind. The solemn stillness of the night rather increased than
diminished my uneasiness, and sleep entirely fled from my weary eyes.
The dawn of the rosy morn cheered the whole creation, but my soul was
pierced with horror when the first ray of the rising sun hailed me on my
couch.

"At length the solemn sound of bells announced the approaching hour of
execution. I wrapped myself in my cloak, and repaired with trembling
steps to the place where Volkert was to atone for his crimes. The
streets were crowded with a noisy multitude. Haunted by secret awe did I
arrive at the place of execution, and horror made my blood run chill as
I beheld the dreadful pile which soon was to reduce to ashes the
preserver of my life.

"A gaping multitude was standing around, awaiting with cruel
insensibility, and with more than beastly satisfaction, the dreadful
catastrophe which was to terminate the life of their fellow creatures.

"Without recollection was I standing amid the crowd, when suddenly a
confused noise was heard, and every eye directed to one spot. Lifting my
downcast looks, I beheld the funeral procession drawing near with slow
solemnity. Volkert was walking in the front with firm and manly steps,
followed by his ghastly-looking fellow sufferer. The procession stopped
at the enclosure encircling the scaffold, and Volkert's eyes were
anxiously looking around; at length he saw me, nodded to me with a
grateful smile, and entered the enclosure.

"His trembling fellow sufferer was first sacrificed by the avenging hand
of justice. I cast my eyes to the ground until I perceived by the
murmuring noise around that his sufferings were over. Now I directed
again my melancholy looks towards the dread place of execution, and
beheld Volkert undressing himself, and approaching with firmness the
stool stained with the smoking blood of his friend. Now he was seated,
the sword of the executioner lifted up--now it glittered in the morning
sun ready to strike the fatal blow. I shut my eyes involuntarily--a
sudden hollow humming told me that Volkert had conquered. Awful
sensations thrilled my palpitating heart, and I forced my way through
the gaping multitude without looking once more towards the horrid place
where Volkert had expired.

"At the city gate I looked back and beheld with horror a thick column of
smoke ascending aloft and darkening the pure, serene air; I could not
stand the horrible sight, and hastened to my apartments, determining to
leave a place immediately in which my peace of mind had been so much
disturbed.

"But being informed that the Captain of the gang would be examined the
following day, curiosity got so far the better of my impatience to leave
as soon as possible a town where every object recalled to my mind the
hapless state of my preserver, that I resolved to stay one day longer,
and very glad I am that I took that resolution. The account this man
gave of himself being so singular and remarkable, that I was amply
repaid for the melancholy and grief which haunted me with unabating
fury, whilst I tarried within the walls of the town where my benefactor
had been executed.

"The trial began at six o'clock in the morning, and I took care to be in
the town house before the terrible leader of the robbers had made his
appearance at the bar. Every one present seemed struck with terror when
he entered the hall.

"He was of a gigantic make, near seven feet high, his robust limbs
corresponding with his extraordinary size; his black and bushy hair
covered part of his sun-burnt face, which was disfigured by two gaping
scars across his left cheek. His eye, for he had but one left, flashed
like lightning when he beheld the dread arbiters of life and death eager
to pronounce his doom. The judge exhorted him to speak the truth, and
not to aggravate his guilt by stubbornness. However, nobody expected
that a wretch of his appearance would pay the least regard to gentle
admonitions, and perhaps remain silent even under the tortures of the
rack. His savage look and lofty mien seemed to betoken a haughty spirit,
not easy to be subdued. I at least had entertained not the most distant
hope of having my curiosity gratified in so satisfactory a manner as he
really did. Imagine therefore my astonishment when, contrary to all
expectation, he began:--

"'My Lord and Gentlemen,--I am in your power, and well aware that
nothing can avert my impending doom; I scorn the tortures of the rack
and bid defiance to every human effort, to force me to a confession of
my crimes. You might tear my limbs asunder, and kill me by inches, and
yet would never extort a single word from my lips if I had no other
reasons to deal candidly with you However, I will spare you that
trouble, and honestly confess my crimes, their origin, and their
progress; being strongly persuaded that the history of my life will
afford a useful lesson to judges, and teach the guardians of the people
to be careful how they inflict punishments if they will not make a
complete rogue of many a hapless wretch, who would have been recalled to
his duty, and preserved to human society, by gentle treatment. I never
should have become a robber, had not the too great severity of laws made
me an enemy to the human race, and hurried me to the brink of black
despair. I know my doom is fixed; however, if your heart is no stranger
to pity you will at least not refuse a tear of humanity to a poor
unhappy man, who has been dragged by dire fatality into the path of
vice, and forced to commit deeds his soul abhors.'

"Here he stopped. Awful silence swayed around, and my curiosity was
harrowed up to the highest degree, when he began nearly in the following
strain:--

"'I am the son of an innkeeper at A----, whose name was Wolfe, and who
died when I had reached my twenty-fourth year. I succeeded him in his
business, which being indifferent, many of my hours were unemployed.
Being the only son, I had been spoiled by my parents, who were delighted
with my wanton pranks and indulged me in everything. Grown-up girls
complained of my impudence when I was but twelve years old; and the boys
of the village paid homage to my inventive genius. Nature had not dealt
niggardly with me in respect of bodily endowments; however, an
unfortunate kick from a horse disfigured my face in such a manner, that
the girls of the village shunned me, and my play-fellows took frequent
opportunities to make me an object of their merriment. The more my
female acquaintances avoided me, the more the desire of pleasing took
root in my heart. As I grew up, I was given to sensuality and persuaded
myself to be in love. The object of my flame treated me with scorn, and
I had reason to apprehend that my rivals were more successful than I;
however, the girl was poor, and I had reason to hope that her heart,
which was inaccessible to my vows and prayers, would yield to presents,
which I knew not how to procure, the small income my business afforded
me being entirely swallowed up by the vain efforts I made to render my
person less disgusting. Being too much addicted to idleness to exert
myself in amending my circumstances, and too ambitious to change my
expensive mode of life, I had only one means left to improve my fortune,
which thousands before me had tried with more success.

"'The village in which I lived gave me an opportunity of committing
depredations on the game, and the money I raised in that way wandered
regularly into the hands of my mistress. Robert, a gamekeeper to the
Lord of the Manor, was one of the admirers of Jenny, which was the name
of my paramour; he soon observed the advantage which my presents
procured me over him, and being spurred by envy and jealousy he watched
me closely. By degrees he began to resort to the 'Sun,' which was the
sign of my inn, more frequently than ever, and his prying eye soon
detected the source of my liberal gifts.

"'A very rigorous law against game-stealing had been renewed not long
before, and Robert was indefatigable to find an opportunity of getting
rid of his rival. He succeeded but too soon; I was caught in the very
act of shooting a deer, and condemned to be sent to the house of
correction. It cost me all my little remaining fortune to buy off that
punishment. Robert had gained his aim, and Jenny's heart was lost to me.

"'Glowing resentment rankled in my breast, and I was determined to be
revenged as soon as a proper opportunity should offer. Poverty and want,
hunger and despair, tempted me once more to have recourse to game
stealing, and Robert's watchfulness surprised me a second time. Being
reduced to the lowest degree of poverty, it was not in my power to gild
the hands of justice a second time, and I was committed for a whole year
to the house of correction in the residence. Every lash of the gaoler's
whip gave new strength to my resentment, the separation from my mistress
increased my passion, and I hastened on the wings of love and revenge to
my native place as soon as I had been set at liberty. I flew to Jenny,
but was denied admittance and treated with scorn. The pinching want
having subdued my pride and laziness, I offered my services to the rich,
in the village, but nobody would employ a fellow who had been imprisoned
in the house of correction.

"'Pressed by hunger and dire necessity, and foiled in all my attempts at
getting an honest livelihood, I renewed my depredations on the game, and
was entrapped a third time through Robert's watchfulness. The repeated
infringements on the game laws had aggravated my guilt. The judges
looked into the records of the law, but not into the heart of the
transgressor, paid no regard to the plea of want and dire necessity, and
sentenced me to have the mark of a gibbet burnt on my back, and to work
three years in the fortifications.

"'At the close of that term I recovered my liberty a second time, and
here begins a new period of my life.

"'I was entirely changed, having entered the fortress as a common
transgressor, and left it as a consummate villain. I was not entirely
divested of all sentiments of honour when I was confined; however, the
few remaining sparks of ambition were soon extinguished by ignominy,
being confined in one room with twenty-three malefactors, two of whom
were murderers, and all the rest famous thieves and vagabonds. I was
laughed at when mentioning the name of God, and urged every day to utter
blasphemies against our Holy Redeemer! My fellow prisoners sung obscene
songs to me, which I could not hear without disgust and horror, and
committed actions which I could not behold without blushing. Every day
new rogueries were related, or wicked designs fabricated.

"'At first I avoided the company of that abominable set of wretches as
much as possible, hiding myself in the remotest corners of the prison;
however, I wanted a companion in my solitude, and the cruelty of my
gaoler had refused me even the poor consolation of taking my dog with
me. My labour was hard and my health declining: I wanted assistance,
and, to be sincere with you, I was in need of comfort, which, scanty as
it was, I could not obtain without sacrificing the last remains of my
conscience.

"'Thus I used myself by degrees to hear without disgust the most horrid
language, and to behold without aversion, and at length with secret
pleasure, the most shocking actions; before the termination of my
confinement I was superior in wickedness to my instructors in villainy,
and began to thirst with increasing impatience for liberty and revenge.
I hated the whole human race because every one of my fellow creatures
was either happier or less wicked than myself; I fancied to be a martyr
to the natural rights of man, and a victim of glaring injustice. I
rubbed my chains against the wall in a fit of frenzy, grinding my teeth
when the sun was rising behind the rock on which the fortress stood, and
experienced with unutterable agony, what a hell an extensive view
creates in the bosom of a prisoner.

"'The free air whistling through the iron gates of my window, and the
swallow perching on the massy bars, seemed to mock me with their
liberty, and rendered my imprisonment more hateful and horrid to me.
Seized with the burning fangs of despair, I vowed unrelenting and
burning revenge to the whole human race, and have been as good as my
word.

"'The first idea which rushed upon my mind as soon as I saw myself at
liberty, was that of my native village. I had indeed not the least
glimmering of hope to meet there with the smallest assistance in my
distress; however, I entertained sanguine hopes to glut my revenge,
which gave wings to my steps. My heart beat violently when my impatient
eye beheld the steeple of the village; however, it was not that sweet
satisfaction which I had felt on my first pilgrimage, which was now
heaving in my bosom. The recollection of all the misfortunes and cruel
persecutions I once had suffered there awakened me suddenly from a kind
of stupefaction; all my wounds began to bleed anew. I quickened my
steps, anticipating the pleasure it would afford me to strike my enemies
with terror by my sudden appearance, and to feast my eyes on the pangs
of the devoted victims of my vengeance.

"'The bells were ringing to summon the inhabitants to the church when I
went to the market-place. I was soon known by the inhabitants, who were
going to church, and every one who met me started back at the sight of
me.--Having always been very fond of children, I could not resist the
involuntary impulse of giving a penny to a boy who was skipping by; he
stared at me for a moment and then threw the money in my face. If my
blood had not been heated so much, I should have recollected that my
long and bushy beard had frightened the poor boy however, my polluted
heart had infected my reason, and tears, which I never had shed in my
life, were trickling down my cheeks.

"'The boy does not know who I am, nor whence I came, said I, half aloud
to myself, and yet he avoids me like a wild ferocious beast. Is my black
heart marked on my brow, or have I ceased resembling a human being,
because I am sensible that I hate all human kind? The contempt of that
boy grieved me more than my long imprisonment, because I had treated him
kindly, and could not accuse him of personal hatred.

"'I seated myself on a large stone opposite the church. What intention I
had I do not know; however, I remember very well that I rose up in a fit
of burning rage when I saw that all my former acquaintances passed by
with visible contempt, and scarcely deigned to look at me.

"'I left my station in an agony of vexation, to find out a lodging, and
as I was turning round the corner of a street I met my Jenny. 'My dear
Wolfe,' she exclaimed, and offered to embrace me, 'God be praised that
you are returned at last; I have shed many a bitter tear during your
absence!' Hunger and misery were marked in her face, and I beheld with
horror that she was infected with an ignominious illness. Her tattered
raiment and her whole appearance told me plainly what a miserable wretch
she was. I soon guessed the origin of her abject situation, concluding
by the sight of some dragoons that soldiers had been quartered in the
village. 'Soldier's strumpet!' I exclaimed, and turned my back to her
with an exulting laughter. It gave me some satisfaction to see her
infidelity rewarded in so shocking a manner. I never had loved her
sincerely.

"'My mother was dead, and my house had been sold for the benefit of the
creditors. I had no friend, no money, except a few groats; everybody
fled me like a mad dog; however, I was dead to shame and disgrace.
After my first imprisonment I had shunned all human society, because I
could not stand the contempt I met with everywhere. Now I intruded upon
them, and it afforded me a malicious satisfaction to drive them away by
my appearance; it gave me a pleasure, because I had nothing farther to
lose, and nobody to care for; I had no farther occasion for the least
good quality, because nobody believed I had one left; the whole world
was open to me, and perhaps I should have been able to recover the
character of an honest man in a distant province. However, I had no
courage to assume even the mask of honesty; despair and disgrace had
forced these sentiments upon me, and I persuaded myself that every sense
of honour was useless to me, since I had no claim to the smallest share
of it. If my vanity and pride had maintained their dominion over me, I
certainly should have put an end to my existence. I did not know myself
what my intentions were; I wanted to do mischief--so much I knew; I
wished to deserve my fate. 'The laws,' said I to myself, 'are the
guardians of human happiness, and therefore I will do whatever is in my
power to subvert them. Necessity and thoughtlessness had once compelled
me to sin, but now I did it voluntarily, because it gave me pleasure.'

"'I had again recourse to game-stealing, for hunting had always been my
chief passion, and life called for support; but this was not the sole
motive which prompted me to reassume my former favourite occupation; the
desire of bidding defiance to the laws, and to infringe the prerogatives
of the prince, was an additional impulse. I had no apprehension of being
taken up once more, for now I had a ball in readiness to stop the mouth
of my informer, and was sure I could not miss my aim.

"'I killed all the deer which came in my way, selling only a few pieces
on the frontiers, the remainder I left behind to rot. I lived very
sparing, in order to be able to afford the expenses for powder and shot.
My depredations, and the havoc I made in the forest, caused a great
alarm, but nobody suspected me, my miserable appearance screened me from
suspicion, and my name was forgotten.

"'This mode of life I continued for several months without being
detected. One morning I was rambling through the forest, pursuing the
traces of a deer; having hunted without success two tedious hours, I
began to give up every hope of coming at my prey, when I saw it at once
within the reach of my gun. I took my aim, and was going to fire, but
started suddenly back, when I saw a hat upon the ground not far from me.
I looked around with great circumspection and beheld Robert, the
gamekeeper, standing behind the trunk of an oak, and aiming at the same
deer which I intended to kill. My blood froze in my veins as I beheld
the author of all my misfortunes; and this very man, whom I hated most
among the whole human race, was within reach of my fusee. Infernal joy
thrilled my whole frame, I would not have exchanged my gun for the
universe; the burning revenge which till then had been rankling in my
bosom rose up to my finger's end, which was going to put an end to my
adversary's life; however, an invisible hand seemed to retain my arm to
prevent the horrid deed. I trembled violently as I directed my gun
against my foe--a chilly sweat bedewed my face--my teeth began to
chatter, as if a fever frost had seized my frame; methought I felt the
icy fang of death upon my heart, and every nerve was quivering.

"'I hesitated a minute--one more elapsed--and now a third. Revenge and
conscience were struggling violently for victory,--the former gained,
and Robert lay weltering in his blood!----

"'My gun dropped on the ground when Robert fell. 'Murderer,' stammered
I, with quivering lips. The forest was as silent as a church-yard, and I
heard distinctly the word murderer. Creeping nearer to the spot where my
enemy was swimming in his blood, I saw him just expire. I stood a
dreadful minute of grisly horror before my murdered foe, as if
petrified; a yelling laughter restored me to the use of my senses. 'Wilt
thou any more tell tales, good friend?' said I, stepping boldly nearer,
and turning him upon his back. His eyes were wide open. I grew serious,
and every power of utterance fled; strange and horrid sensations chilled
my heart.

"'Till then I had been a transgressor of the laws on the score of the
disgrace I had suffered, but now I had perpetrated a deed for which I
had not yet atoned. An hour before that horrid action, no man living
would have been able to persuade me that there was a more abject being
upon the earth than myself, but now I began to fancy that I had been
enviable an hour ago.

"'Not the most distant idea of God's judgments came in my mind; however,
I had a confused notion of halter and gibbet, and of the execution of a
murderer which I had witnessed when a boy. The idea of having forfeited
my life froze my very soul with dreadful fear. I wished ardently that it
might be in my power to restore to life my slain enemy, and racked my
brain to recall to my recollection all the injuries he had made me
suffer, but, strange to tell, my memory seemed to be entirely
extinguished, I could not recall a shadow of all the ideas which, but a
quarter of an hour ago, had filled my soul with glowing revenge, I could
not conceive how I could commit such a horrid deed.

"'I was still standing by the corpse in a kind of stupefaction, when I
was roused from my desponding reverie by the cracking of whips and the
creaking of waggons on the high road, which was about a mile distant
from the spot where I then was.

"'I went mechanically deeper into the forest, and recollecting on the
way that Robert had been used to wear a watch, I wished to get it in my
possession. I wanted money to reach the frontier, and yet I had no
courage to return to the place where the corpse lay; the idea of the
devil and the omnipresence of God rushing suddenly on my mind, I
struggled a few moments, and having summoned all my boldness determined
to go back and fetch the watch in defiance of God and the devil.

"'I found what I had expected, and in a green purse a little more than a
dollar, silver coin. As I was going to put both in my pocket, I started
suddenly back and considered whether I should take it or not. It was no
fit of shame, nor was it fear to aggravate my crime through robbery; it
was rather scorn which prompted me to fling the watch upon the ground,
and to take only one half the money. I wanted to be thought an enemy of
the gamekeeper but not his robber.

"'Now I fled deeper into the forest. I knew that it extended itself four
German miles[B] towards the north, where the frontiers of the country
began. I fled on the wings of fear till noon; the swiftness of my flight
had dispelled the agony of my conscience; however, it returned with
redoubled violence as my strength began to be exhausted: a thousand
grisly phantoms tortured my fancy and filled my soul with dreadful
bodings. I had no other choice but either to put an end to my wretched
existence, or to drag on a life embittered by a continual fear of dying
under the hand of the executioner. I had not the courage to rid myself
of a painful existence, and shuddered at the idea of leading a life of
never-ceasing torments.

     [B] A German mile is five and a half English.

"'Hemmed in between the certain tortures of life and the uncertain
horrors of eternity, equally averse to life and to death, I finished the
sixth hour of my flight, an hour abounding with agonies which no living
man can form an idea of.

"'Gloomy and slow I had pursued a narrow foot-path which led through the
darkest thicket, when suddenly a rough commanding voice ordered me to
stop. The voice was not far off. Agony and the horrors of despair, which
had assumed their dreadful sway over me, had made me entirely regardless
to the objects around me; my eyes were cast to the ground, and I had
covered part of my face with my hat, as if that could have hidden me
from the eye of the lifeless creation. Starting and lifting up my eyes I
saw a savage looking man coming towards me; he was armed with an
enormous club, his figure was of a monstrous size, my first surprise at
least had made me think so, and the colour of his face was of the
mulatto hue, which gave to the white of a squinting eye additional
terrors. Instead of a girdle he had his green buttonless great coat tied
with a thick cord, to which an enormous knife and a brace of pistols
were fastened. I had quickened my steps when his terrible voice assailed
my ears, but he soon came up with me and stopped me with a powerful arm.
The sound of a human voice had filled my soul with terror, however, the
sight of a ruffian raised my spirits. In my miserable situation I had
full reason to tremble at the sight of an honest man, but none at all at
that of a robber.

"'Who art thou?' thundered the frightful apparition in my ear.

"'Thy equal,' was my reply, 'if thou really art what thy appearance
bespeaks.'

"'This is not the right way. What business hast thou here?'

"'And what right hast thou to question me?' I replied in a determined
accent.

"The terrible man measured me with his looks from top to toe. He seemed
to compare my haughty answer with my defenceless situation--'Thou art
impudent like a beggar,' he resumed at length.

"'Very possible, I have been one but yesterday.'

"He laughed, exclaiming with a horrid grin, 'My honest friend, I hope
thou dost not presume to be thought something better.'

"'That is nothing to thee;' so saying, I wanted to pursue my way.

"'Fairly and softly, my dear boy, why in such a hurry; what weighty
business is it which makes thee run so fast?'

"I mused a moment, and cannot conceive what prompted me to reply in a
slow accent, 'Life is short and hell everlasting.'

"He stared at me with a ghastly look, 'I'll be d----d,' he resumed at
length, 'if thou hast not stumbled against a gallows on thy way.'

"'I may come to that one time; farewell, comrade.'

"'Stay a moment longer,' he exclaimed, taking a tin bottle from his
hunting pouch and offering it to me after he had swallowed a large
draught. The hurry of my fright and the dreadful agonies of mind I had
undergone had reduced my strength very low, and my parched lips had not
been moistened with one refreshing draught that whole unfortunate day.
Famine had already stared me horribly in the face, in that extensive
forest, where three miles around no refreshment could be procured; you
may therefore easily think how joyfully I accepted his offer. I
swallowed greedily the contents of the bottle, and new strength animated
my whole frame, my heart was expanded with new courage, and hope and
love for life returned in my desponding heart; I began to fancy that I
was not wholly miserable, so much relief afforded me that welcome
draught; and I must confess that my situation began to appear less
dreadful to me, since, I after a thousand miscarried hopes, had found at
last a being that bore some resemblance with me. In the desponding
situation in which I was, I would not have hesitated to pledge the
health of an infernal spirit, in order to have a confidant.

"Meanwhile my new companion had stretched himself upon the grass, and I
followed his example.

"'Thy brandy has given me new life,' said I, 'we must be better
acquainted with each other.'

"He struck fire and lighted his pipe.

"'Is it long since thou hast carried on this trade?'

"He stared at me--'What means that question?'

"I took the knife from his girdle, resuming, 'Has this instrument done
much execution?'

"'Who art thou?' he roared in a terrible accent, flinging his pipe on
the grass and starting up.

"'A murderer like thyself--but only a beginner.'

"He gazed at me and took up his pipe.

"'Thou art no inhabitant of these districts,' he resumed at length.

"'I am; hast thou heard of Wolfe the innkeeper, at A----?'

"He started up as if frantic, exclaiming in a rapturous accent, 'Wolfe
the innkeeper, who has been punished so severely for game-stealing?'

"'That very man I am.'

"'Welcome, comrade, a thousand times welcome!' he exclaimed, shaking me
joyfully by the hand, 'how glad am I that I have found thee at last, I
have been many, many months in search of thee; I know thee very well,
know all that thou hast suffered, and have been longing for thy
assistance this great while.'

"'For _my_ assistance? To what purpose?'

"'Everybody speaks of thee. Thou hast many enemies, hast suffered
glaring injuries, hast been entirely ruined, and persecuted with
unheard-of severity.'--He grew warm.--'They have immured thee in the
house of correction, have treated thee like a galley slave at the
fortress, have stripped thee of thy fortune, and reduced thee to
beggary, because thou hast killed a few paltry deer, which the Prince
suffers to prey on our corn, and to rob us of the fruit of our
diligence. Is it come to that, brother, that a human being is valued
less than a hare or a boar? Are we not better than the wild beasts of
the field? And a fellow like thyself could brook not such injury.'

"'What could I do?'

"'That we shall see. But, pray tell me, whence dost thou come, and on
what errand?'

"I related my whole history to him, and, without awaiting the end of it,
he jumped up with joyful impatience, pulling me after him with all his
might.

"'Come along, brother,' he said, 'now art thou ripe, art the very man I
wanted for my purpose. I shall reap great honour by introducing thee to
our commonwealth. Make haste and follow me.'

"'Whither art thou going to conduct me?'

"'Don't ask questions, but come and see;' so saying, he dragged me
forcibly after him.

"As we proceeded, the forest grew more and more intricate, impenetrable
and gloomy. None of us spoke a word until I was suddenly roused from my
apathy by the whistle of my leader. I looked around and beheld myself at
the declivity of a steep rock, projecting over a deep cavern. A second
whistle answered from the womb of the rock, and a ladder rose slowly
from the abyss; a thundering voice hallooed from the deep, and the
winding cavern echoed to the sound. My leader descended, first bidding
me to wait till he should return. 'I first must secure the mastiff which
guards the entrance to our abode,' he said, 'thou art a stranger, and
the ferocious beast would tear thee to pieces.' So saying, he
disappeared.

"Now I was standing alone before the precipice, and was well aware of
it. The imprudence of my leader did not escape my notice. It would have
cost me no more but a resolute effort to pull up the ladder, and I would
have been restored to liberty, and effected my escape without the least
danger of being overtaken by the inhabitants of the cavern; I cannot but
confess that I had some temptation to do it. Looking down into the abyss
I was struck with an obscure idea of the bottomless gulf of hell, from
whence there is no redemption to be expected. I began to shudder at the
new course of life which I was going to commence. A sudden flight only
could have saved me. I was half determined to effect my escape, and
already stretching out my hand to pull up the ladder, when suddenly I
fancied to hear a thundering voice as if from the womb of hell, 'What
has a murderer to risk?' and my arm lost its hold and every power of
motion. My doom was fixed, the time of repentance past, and the murder I
had committed was towering behind me like a mountain shutting up for
ever my return to the path of virtue.

"My leader reappeared the same moment, bidding me descend into the
cavern. I had now no other choice left but to submit to necessity, and
climbed down. Having advanced a few steps under the excavated rock, our
passage grew larger, and I beheld some huts at a distance, and as I
approached nearer, a round spot covered with grass appeared to my view.
About twenty people were sitting round a blazing fire. 'Here,' my leader
exclaimed, 'here I bring you a new member of our society, whose name is
not unknown to you; rise and welcome the celebrated Wolfe of A----.'

"'Wolfe!' they all exclaimed with one voice, starting up and forming a
circle around me, men, women, and children. Their joy was unfeigned and
cordial; confidence and even respect was marked in their looks; one
squeezed my hand, the other clapped me on the shoulder in a confidential
manner; all seemed sincerely rejoiced at seeing me, and the scene was
not unlike the meeting again of an old beloved acquaintance.

"My arrival had interrupted their dinner, they retook their seats and
pressed me to partake of their inviting meal, which consisted of venison
of all kind and stewed fruits. The goblet filled with delicious wine
wandered from hand to hand, and spread merriment and joviality around;
plenty and concord seemed to reign in that little society, and every one
strove to manifest his joy at my presence.

"I was seated between two females, which was the place of honour at
table, and having expected to meet with the refuse of their sex, how
great was my astonishment when I found amid this gang of robbers the
most beautiful female figures my eyes ever beheld. Margaret the eldest
and handsomest of the two, was called Miss, and could not be much above
eighteen; her language was very licentious, and her looks still more so.
Maria, the youngest, was married, but had run away from a husband who
had treated her ill; her form was superior to that of my other
neighbour, however, she was pale and of delicate constitution, and on
the whole less striking at first sight than the lively Margaret. They
seemed to rival who first should kindle my desires; the beautiful
Margaret strove to dispel my timidity by wanton jokes: however, I soon
conceived an invincible dislike to that woman, and the modest Maria
fettered my heart for ever.

"'You see, brother,' said the man who had been my conductor to that
place, 'you see how we live here, and every day passes like the present.
Is it not true, comrades?'

"'Yes, every day passes like the present,' the whole gang exclaimed.

"'If therefore you think you can accustom yourself to our manner of
life, then stay with us and be our captain. Do you consent to it,
comrades?'

"An unanimous 'Yes,' rent the air.

"My imagination was fired with wine and loose desires, my reason
fettered, and my blood heated. Human society had banished me--and there
I found brotherly affection, good living and honour. Whatever might have
been my choice, I could not escape the hand of punishing justice;
however, in a situation like that which was offered me, I could at least
sell my life dear. Voluptuousness was my ruling passion, and I had till
then always been treated with scorn and contempt by the other sex, but
here I could expect to satisfy my desires, and to be received with
pleasure. My resolution cost me but very little, and I exclaimed, after
a moment's consideration, I will stay with you, comrades, if you will
cede to me my beautiful neighbour.

"All of them agreed to consent to my request, and I then became
unexpectedly the avowed possessor of a whore, and the chief of a gang of
robbers!

"To be revenged on the prince in whose dominions I had suffered so much
disgrace was the chief desire of my heart, and to effect that purpose
was the first use I made of my new acquired authority. Our gang
consisted in eight stout fellows besides myself, the rest was composed
of women and children. My new associates had contented themselves, till
I was joined to their society, with clandestine depredations in the
pantries and cellars of the rich peasants, and game-stealing, and never
had recourse to violent means. My views went farther. I proposed to
declare open war against the game, which had brought on my disgrace and
ruin, and to rob the houses of the judges who had punished me so
severely.

"To effect our purpose we wanted horses, the frontiers where the
dominions of my former sovereign terminated being three miles distant.
By means of house-breaking and some highway robberies we soon got
possession of a sufficient sum of money, with which we dispatched one of
our associates to a distant town to buy four horses, fire-arms, powder
and ball. The houses of the hated judges were pillaged in a tempestuous
night, and whenever the face of the earth was covered with midnight
darkness, we sallied forth from our den to destroy the game in those
parts where my misfortunes had commenced, and I took care to let my
persecutors know that it was Wolfe who committed these depredations.

"Meeting with success in our nocturnal rambles, our temerity increased,
and we waylaid the traveller on the high road; however, I took great
care not to perpetrate a second murder. The terror of my name soon
spread itself all over the country, and the neighbouring magistrates
tried every means to get me in their power; a great reward was promised
to him who should take me, dead or alive, and if one of my associates, a
full pardon; however, I was so fortunate as to elude the watchfulness
of my pursuers for a considerable time, and to frustrate every attempt
on my liberty.

"I had carried on this infernal trade a whole year, when I began to be
tired of it. The gang whose leader I was having disappointed my sanguine
hopes, I soon perceived, with terror, how much my fancy, heated by wine
and loose desires, had been imposed upon when I consented to become the
captain of my associates. Hunger and want frequently supplied the place
of superfluity and ease, which I had expected, and I was necessitated
many a time to risk my life in order to procure a scanty meal, which
hardly sufficed to appease the violent cravings of my empty stomach. The
visionary image of brotherly concord disappeared, and envy, suspicion,
and jealousy stepped in its place, loosening the ties of our society;
the solemn promise of a full pardon to him who should deliver me into
the hands of justice was a powerful temptation to lawless robbers, and I
was well aware of the dangers which surrounded me. I became a stranger
to sleep, a victim to never-ceasing apprehensions; the phantom of
suspicion pursued me everywhere, tormented me when awake, laid down with
me upon my couch, and created frightful dreams, when my weary eyes were
now and then closed by the hand of slumber. My conscience, which had
been lulled asleep, recovered its power by degrees, and the sleeping
viper of remorse was roused by the general tempest which was raging
within my breast; the hatred I bore the human race turned its dagger
against myself--I was reconciled to human kind, and cursed nobody but
myself. The dreadful consequences of vice stared me grisly in the face,
and my natural good sense dispelled at length the delusions which had
led me astray from the blessed path of virtue. I felt how deep I had
fallen, and gloomy melancholy stepped in the place of gnashing despair.
I wished, with weeping eyes, to have it in my power to recall the times
past, and was convinced that I would make a better use of the hours I
had dedicated to the vile service of guilt. I began to hope that I yet
would reform, being sensible that I should be able to effect a
reformation. On the highest summit of depravity I was more inclined to
tread in the steps of virtue than before I had committed the first
lawless deed.

"A war had broken out in Germany at that time, and recruits were raising
everywhere, which gave me some hopes to retreat in an honourable manner
from my associates, and turn a useful member of human society. I wrote a
letter to my prince, the copy of which you will find in my pocket-book.

"The letter was produced and read by the clerk; the purport of it ran,
as much as I can remember, as follows:--

"'If your Highness does not think it beneath your dignity to condescend
to a villain like myself--if a criminal of my atrocity is not entirely
excluded from your mercy, O then do not reject the humble petition of a
repenting sinner. I am a murderer and robber, have forfeited my life,
and am pursued by the avenging hand of justice. I will deliver myself
into the hand of the executive power; but I, at the same time, am going
to lay a very strange prayer at the feet of your throne. I detest life,
and do not fear to die; it would, however, be dreadful to me to die
without having lived. I wish to live, in order to repair my crimes past,
and to make my peace with human society, which I have offended. My
execution will be a warning example to the world, but will not atone for
my wicked deeds. I hate vice, and have a strong desire to try the path
of honesty and virtue. I have shown great capacities to become a terror
to the state, and I flatter myself that I yet have some abilities to
render services to the country which I have injured.

"'I am well aware that I supplicate for something quite uncommon. My
life being forfeited, it does not become me to propose conditions to
punishing justice; however, I am not yet chained in fetters, am yet at
liberty and fear has the least share in my prayer.

"'It is mercy that I crave, and if I had some claim to justice I would
not attempt now to enforce it; yet there is one circumstance which I
have reason to recall to the recollection of my judges. The period of my
crimes commences with that rigorous sentence which has deprived me of my
honour. If my judges had not been too severe, if they had listened to
the voice of equity and humanity, I should perhaps not have been reduced
to the necessity of craving the mercy of your highness--their want of
feeling has plunged me in the fatal gulf of guilt.

"'Let mercy supply the place of justice and spare my life; if it is in
your power to intercede with the law in my behalf, the remainder of my
life shall be entirely devoted to your service. If you can grant my
humble prayer, let me know it by way of the public prints, and I will
throw myself at your feet, confiding in your princely word; if not, then
justice may proceed as it shall be deemed proper, and I must act as
necessity shall require.'

"'This petition,' thus resumed the delinquent, 'was not taken notice of,
as well as a second and third, and having not the least glimmering of
hope left to be pardoned, I took the resolution to leave the country,
and to die in the service of the King of Prussia as a brave soldier.'

"'I gave my gang the slip, and began my journey. My road led me through
a small country town, where I intended to stay the night. A few weeks
previously a proclamation had been published through the whole country,
commanding a strict examination of every traveller, because the Prince
had taken a part in the war as a member of the German Empire. The
gate-keeper of the town which I was going to enter was sitting upon a
bench before his house as I rode by; my forbidding countenance and motly
dress raised his suspicion, and as soon as I had entered the gate he
shut it and demanded my passport, after he had first secured the bridle
of my horse. I was prepared for accidents of that sort, having provided
myself with a passport, which I had taken from a merchant whom I had
robbed. However, this testimony would not satisfy the eagle-eyed
gate-keeper, my physiognomy being in contradiction with it, and I was
obliged to follow him to the bailiff's house. He ordered me to await his
return at the door.

"The passport was examined, and meanwhile a rabble began to assemble
around me, attracted by my strange figure; a whispering arose among the
multitude, and some of the crowd were pointing alternately at me and my
horse; the latter having been stolen by one of my former associates, my
conscience gave the alarm. The gate-keeper returned with the passport,
and told me that the bailiff, understanding that I came from the seat of
the war, would be glad to have half an hour's conversation with me, and
to get some information of the situation of our army. This message
increased my apprehension of being known, and fearing the invitation of
bailiff to be a snare to get me in his power without resistance, I clapt
spurs to my horse without returning an answer.

"My sudden flight gave the signal to an universal hue and cry: 'A thief!
a thief!' exclaimed the whole multitude, pursuing me with all possible
speed. The iron hand of punishing vengeance seemed ready to grasp me;
my life was at stake, and I redoubled the swiftness of my flight,
goading the sides of my horse without mercy.

"My pursuers were soon far behind me, panting for breath, and liberty
promised to gladden my heart again, when the fleetness of my flight was
suddenly stopped by a dead wall. My pursuers gave a loud shout when they
saw me entrapped, and I had given over every hope of effecting my
escape, when a sudden thought struck me that the wall might be the city
wall, and that perhaps I would regain my liberty through a window of one
of the houses on the bottom of the street. The door of that on the left
side was open; I jumped from my horse, and entered it with a pistol in
each hand, bolting the door after me, and hastening up stairs without
being seen by any one of the inhabitants. My pursuers were close at my
heels, and thundered at the door when I was rushing into a room where
nobody was but an old woman. Seeing a man with a brace of pistols,
terror fettered her tongue, and she fell into a swoon. I opened the
window, and imagine my joy when the open field hailed my anxious looks;
I bolted the door, placed chairs and tables against it, threw the bed
out of the window, and concealed myself in the chimney to await there
the setting in of night.

"This was the work of a few moments, and I was safely housed in my
hiding place when the door was forced open with a thundering noise. My
calculations had not deceived me, and my plan succeeded as well as I
could expect it. My pursuers, seeing the window open and the feather-bed
lying in the field, believed firmly I had effected my escape: some young
men jumped boldly down, and others went to pursue me on horseback; the
old woman who could tell no tales, was carried to another part of the
house, and I was left alone to muse on my awkward situation.

"Soon after, the owner of the house came into the room with some of his
neighbours, and confirmed by his discourses my hope that nobody
suspected my hiding place. One of the company thought I might be
concealed under the bed, but his idea of my still being in the house
was, to my inexpressible satisfaction, treated with ridicule. At length
my situation became extremely painful to me, and I wished fervently my
unwelcome visitors might be gone.

"After two tedious hours I was at length released of my fear to be
detected by some unforeseen accident, when the landlord and his friends
left also the room where I was hidden. As soon as the coast was clear,
and the tranquillity of the house restored, I climbed higher up into the
chimney, with the intention to get upon the roof; however, on maturer
consideration, I thought it safer to remain where I was, hearing many
voices in the field, which made me afraid of being detected.

"The time crept slowly on, and I thought the wished-for hour of midnight
would never set in; hunger and thirst increased the horrors of my
situation, and that ever-watchful remembrancer of the mortal race,
conscience, began to remind me of my wickedness, and the punishments of
never-sleeping justice, which sooner or later would overtake me. My
resolution of leaving the path of vice acquired new strength, and I
vowed fervently never to sin again if I should escape once more.

"Amidst these salutary meditations and resolutions night began to set
in, and I breathed freer. At length the feather-bed was brought back,
but nobody came to sleep in it that night, and the room remained
unoccupied.

"As soon as midnight silence announced to me that everybody was gone to
rest, I slided softly down the chimney, tore one of the bed sheets and
twisted it in a line to make use of it in getting into the field. No
sooner had I touched the ground than I took to my heels to reach, before
daybreak, the Black Forest, which I knew was only two miles distant,
being well aware that the whole country would be in a hue and cry after
me, as soon as my nocturnal escape should be known. Fear gave me
strength and winged my feet; fatigued and entirely spent I reached the
skirts of the Black Forest, and threw myself into the first thicket to
rest my weary limbs.

"Fatigued by the long journey I had made and the anxiety and fear which
continually had harassed my mind, I fell asleep. I had not slept two
hours, as I could guess by the sun, when I was suddenly roused by the
distant barking of dogs: I started up and listened, when the hallooing
of two huntsmen vibrated in my ear. They seemed to direct their course
towards the spot where I was concealed, and no other means of escape
were left me but to climb up an adjoining oak tree, and to hide myself
amid its thickest branches, where I fancied to find security.

"However, all my fears and apprehensions returned with redoubled force,
when the dogs came to the tree which sheltered me, and began to bark in
a terrible manner. The hunters were close at their heels, but seeing no
game, they recalled my new persecutors and pursued their way. Fear of
falling into the hands of my enemies obliged me to remain where I was
until the dark mantle of night should cover once more my flight.

"Hunger and thirst had hardly left me sufficient strength to keep my
situation any longer, when I, to my inexpressible joy, espied the nest
of a raven in the top of a tree, and six eggs in it. This unexpected
relief gave me new strength, new life, new hope, and I awaited with
patience the setting in of night, when I got down, pursuing my way
through the forest.

"The night was dark, and a rising tempest shook the tops of the lofty
oaks; the distant lightning and the hollow voice of the thunder
announced a dreadful night. The thunder soon began to shake the
firmament, flashes of lightning illuminated, by intervals, the dark and
dreary forest, and to increase the miseries of my situation, a storm of
rain rushed down with such violence as if all the flood-gates of heaven
had been opened at once. I sought shelter beneath an ancient oak, but,
alas! a flash of lightning which shivered to atoms a lofty beech tree,
not above fifty paces from the spot where I was standing, made me soon
quit my dangerous asylum, and drove me to an open spot, where I was
exposed to all the violence of the storm. I was soon wet to the skin, my
teeth began to chatter, and all my little courage fled on the wings of
despondency.

"I had stood the fury of the elements two horrid, dreadful hours; no
sound was heard but the screech of the owl, the croaking of the raven,
the roaring of thunder, and the howling of furious winds: midnight was
past, and the hurricane still raged with unabated fury. My wounded
conscience brought all my crimes to my recollection: I fancied the day
of judgment was near, and was seized with a violent trembling. My
tortured soul, divined a thousand horrid thoughts, and I vowed fervently
to pursue the steps of virtue.

"My whole frame shaking with cold I began to run without knowing whither
I was directing my course, in order to warm my blood, which was almost
chilled, when suddenly the ground gave way beneath my feet, and I fell
into a deep pit. My fall was violent; however, I received no other hurt
except a few bruises, my coat being entangled in the root of a tree
about four yards from the bottom of my subterraneous dungeon. I strove
to climb up the wall, which appeared to be horizontal, but all my
endeavours were fruitless, and the dreadful spectre of famine stared me
grisly in the face. I sat down upon the damp ground and began to muse on
my forlorn situation, when a sudden flash of vivid lightning illuminated
my prison, and disclosed to my eyes a narrow passage; I groped along the
winding passage with fearful steps, not knowing whether it would lead me
upwards or downwards.

"I had walked above half an hour and not yet found an outlet, the little
hope I had to extricate myself from my subterraneous dungeon began to
die away by degrees, and seemed to be entirely frustrated, when a massy
iron door suddenly obstructed my way. I exerted all my little remaining
strength to force it open; however, the impenetrable darkness which
surrounded me rendered all my labours abortive. The punishment of my
crimes seemed to be arrived, and I sunk down upon the damp ground in a
fit of despair, entirely spent, and incapable to attempt any farther
efforts to open the fatal door; cold drops of sweat bedewed my wearied
limbs, and I began, the first time in my life, fervently to pray.

"At length a thought struck me, that perhaps the flash of the powder
would disclose to me an outlet, if I was to fire a pistol. I hastily
took one out of my pocket and discharged it; my hope had not deceived me
entirely, and I beheld another passage to the left, which I instantly
pursued with alacrity. Ere long I came to a second iron door, which,
however, soon yielded to my efforts to open it, and let me into a
spacious vault.

"Having groped about half an hour longer I was thrilled with unutterable
joy when I discovered, after many fruitless researches, a narrow
staircase, which led me into a roomy hall, faintly illuminated by the
rays of the moon, who was peeping through the lofty windows, composed of
stained glass.'"

"Here the robber gave a full description of the Haunted Castle, on the
skirts of the Black Forest, which you, my dear friend, know too well to
require a repetition of the faithful picture he drew.

"'Having explored every corner of the ancient fabric,' thus he
continued, 'without meeting a living soul, I descended into a spacious
court-yard, from whence a lofty gate-way led me into the open field. The
dawn of morn began to break in the east from the purple clouds, and I
heard the crowing of cocks within a small distance. He only who has been
in a situation like mine can form an idea of the rapture which rushed on
my soul when I perceived myself to be so near an inhabited spot.

"Quickening my tottering steps I saw two country wenches with baskets on
their heads coming from the adjacent village, which seemed to be not
above a quarter of a mile distant. I was just going to inquire of them
the name of the village, when both of them raised a dreadful scream,
running back as fast as possible. Being desirous to know, previous to my
entrance into the village, where I was, lest I might unknowingly run
into the hands of my pursuers; I summoned up all the few remains of
strength, which hunger and fatigue had left me, in order to come up with
them, but when the frightened girls perceived me close at their heels,
they threw down their baskets, and fled with the swiftness of an arrow.

"Fearing to be known, and apprehending the wenches would alarm the
village, I was obliged to desist from my pursuit, and to seek a
hiding-place until I should be able to advance a mile farther. No place
promising a safer asylum than the desolated castle, I resolved to
return, but previously to examine the baskets the girls had dropt,
whether they might not contain some victuals to appease the pinching
hunger which tormented me.

"It seemed they had been on their way to the market, their baskets
containing some lumps of butter, two earthen jars with milk, some small
cheeses, and two large pieces of coarse bread. The milk, which was not
all run out of the earthen vessels, quenched my thirst, and the bread
and cheese I took with me to the castle to satisfy the pressing demands
of my stomach.

"On my arrival in the great hall of the castle I struck fire with the
help of a steel I had in my pocket, and the flint of one of my pistols,
and soon was seated by the blazing flame drying my wet garments and
appeasing my hunger. Casting my looks accidentally on my hands, I saw
that they were as black as those of a coal-heaver, from the soot of the
chimney where I had sheltered myself against the first onset of my
pursuers, and having every reason to believe that my face must be of the
same hue, I easily could account for the sudden flight of the two girls,
who very likely took me for the devil. This idea silenced my fears of a
visit from the alarmed villagers tolerably, and the soothing hand of
sleep began to close my eyes.'

"Thus far the captain of the robbers had related his extraordinary tale,
when the chief Justice commending the apparent sincerity of his
voluntary confession, broke up the court, ordering the prisoner to be
reconducted to his dungeon until the following day, when he would hear
the continuation of his adventures.

"My business not allowing me to stay a day longer, I departed
reluctantly at four o'clock in the afternoon. However, before I left
N---- I obtained the promise of a friend of mine whom I accidentally had
met, that he would send me the continuation of the robber's further
confession, and four weeks after I received the following letter, which
contains everything you may wish to know.

       *       *       *       *       *


CONTINUATION OF WOLFE'S CONFESSION, AND THE FINAL
ISSUE OF HIS TRIAL.

    "My worthy friend,

    "It is with the sincerest satisfaction I am going to give you a
    faithful account of the remainder of Wolfe's confession, and the
    final issue of his trial, according to my promise.

    "You will remember that he closed the narration of his singular
    adventures which he gave on the first day of his trial, with his
    reluctant return to the castle, where he intended to stay till
    the darkness of night should shelter him against the pursuit of
    his persecutors. The great fatigue he had sustained on his
    flight soon closed his weary eyes, and he slept till after
    sun-set, when he left the castle to pursue his way to F----,
    where he intended to enlist in the Prussian service.

    "Directed by the silver rays of the rising moon he soon found
    his way to the high road. At the first well he fell in with he
    cleaned his sooty face and hands and then went briskly on. Being
    well stocked with provisions, he determined not to enter any
    inhabited place before he should be obliged by necessity to do
    it, lest some new misfortunes might cross his military scheme.
    With that view he left the high road whenever it led through a
    village, walked all night long and slept in the day time. Thus
    he travelled onwards two nights without having met with any
    accident, when he, at the close of the third day, was obliged
    to direct his course to a small hamlet, in order to provide
    himself with provisions. As soon as it was dark he went with
    fearful steps to a baker's shop to purchase some bread, but
    great was his terror when he wanted to pay for the small loaf of
    coarse bread he had bought, and could not find his purse, which
    must have dropt out of his pocket when he dried his garments in
    the hall of the castle.

    "Being entirely destitute of money he offered one of his
    pistols, which he took out of his pocket, in lieu of payment.
    The baker viewed him from top to toe, and after some hesitation
    agreed to the bargain. Unfortunately the house of this man had
    been robbed some weeks before by a gang of thieves, and Wolfe's
    savage look, joined with his singular appearance, rendered him
    suspicious to the baker, who, ever since the robbery had been
    committed in his house, took every ill-looking stranger for a
    thief.

    "Prompted by that notion he ordered one of his people to follow
    Wolfe at some distance as soon as he had left the house, and
    went instantly to the bailiff to inform him of his suspicions,
    and the strange bargain he had just concluded.

    "The magistrate who had been indefatigable in his researches
    after the daring robbers, without succeeding in his endeavours
    to find them out, soon fell in with his opinion, and ordered
    some stout fellows to follow the suspected robber, and to secure
    him by surprise.

    "Wolfe, who had meanwhile struck again into the forest, seated
    himself behind some bushes by the banks of a rivulet, and began
    to appease the demands of his grumbling stomach, not observing
    that he was followed, when suddenly four sinewy arms seized him
    from behind.

    "The unexpected surprise, the continual fatigues he had
    undergone, and the strength of his adversaries rendered it
    impossible to disengage himself from their powerful grasps, and
    he was dragged before the magistrate of the hamlet, who demanded
    his passport. Having been obliged to leave it behind when his
    alarmed conscience had drawn upon him his late disaster, he had
    no other choice left but to pretend being an Austrian deserter,
    who wanted to go into the Prussian service. The bailiff,
    mistrusting his veracity, ordered him to be searched, when a
    loaded pistol and a large knife were found upon him, which
    increased the suspicion of the zealous magistrate, who, without
    farther ado, sent him to the prison.

    "New apprehensions of a dreadful nature assailed now the unhappy
    man. The fear that all his former crimes would be detected
    filled his desponding soul with black despair; however, his
    lamentable situation took soon a turn more favourable than he
    could have expected. A transport of Prussian recruits passing
    through the village in the afternoon, the bailiff ordered him to
    be delivered to the commanding officer, thinking this to be the
    most commodious way to rid the country of a fellow whose whole
    appearance bore evident marks of his thievish profession, and to
    spare himself the trouble of a tedious examination. His size and
    the robust make of his limbs rendered him a very acceptable
    acquisition to the recruiting officer, and he was enrolled as a
    Prussian soldier, to his unutterable joy.

    "Wolfe, the robber, was now at once appointed to fight the
    battles of Frederic the Great, and make a solemn vow to fulfil
    cheerfully the duties of his honourable calling.

    "The transport arrived safe at Magdeburg, and the new soldier
    was with his companions instructed in the art of killing
    lawfully his fellow creatures. The Corporal who was appointed
    to instruct him in the manual exercise was famous for his
    severity, conforming strictly to the military principles of his
    royal master, who, as it is universally known, had it laid down
    as a rule to inspire his martial bands with heroism by the
    frequent application of wooden arguments. Wolfe, who was not in
    the least partial to that sort of reasoning, found it very
    difficult to brook the brutality of his drilling master, who
    seemed to have a particular predilection for him, plying his
    back so frequently and so severely that the new soldier was soon
    rendered too sensible of his instructor's partiality for him.

    "Wolfe exerted himself to the utmost of his ability to please
    the rigorous Corporal and to shelter himself against the
    frequent heavy showers of blows and cuffs, but not being able to
    attain his end, resentment and hatred began at length to rankle
    in his heart, his whole stock of patience was exhausted, and he
    began to have frequent recourse to drinking in order to dispel
    the gloominess of mind which haunted him incessantly, and to
    drown the recollection of his forlorn situation.

    "One day as he came half intoxicated to the parade, he acquitted
    himself so badly of his task that his military mentor plied his
    back most unmercifully. Wolfe's anger was roused, his blood was
    boiling, and he called his chastiser a savage beast, a
    bloodhound, and many other names of the same stamp. The fury of
    his tyrant being raised to the highest degree by that language,
    he inflicted his blows with so much violence that Wolfe, in a
    fit of despair, struck him to the ground with the butt end of
    his gun. He was instantly seized, carried to the prison, and
    sentenced by a court martial to run the gauntlet.

    "The day of execution appeared, the soldiers were drawn up, and
    his back was bared, when lo! the mark of his ignominy was seen
    between his shoulders. It being evident, by the sign of a
    gallows which was seen between his shoulders, that he had been
    under the hands of the common hangman, he was declared unworthy
    to undergo military punishment, and sentenced to work in the
    fortification.

    "Confined with the dregs of human kind, and ever in company with
    the basest of villains, his weak virtuous resolutions died away
    by degrees. He once more began to consider himself as the sport
    of injustice and barbarous cruelty; his belief in the Providence
    of the benevolent Ruler of the world soon gave way to
    atheistical principles, and his former desire for doing mischief
    returned with redoubled force, when he saw his sincere
    endeavours to become a useful member of human society were
    thwarted again in a most cruel manner. He began to think that he
    was doomed to be a villain, and being driven to despair by hard
    labour and frequent blows, he concerted plans of effecting his
    escape.

    "One of his fellow-prisoners, a most consummate ruffian, joined
    with him in devising means of regaining their liberty; and after
    many fruitless efforts they at length effected their escape,
    assisted by an impenetrable fog which covered their flight. As
    soon as their escape was known in the fortress, the cannons were
    fired and the country roused. However, they happily eluded their
    pursuers, and reached, at the close of day, a wood, where they
    resolved to conceal themselves in the tops of the trees till the
    heat of the pursuit should have abated.

    "In this uncomfortable situation they remained as long as their
    small stock of provisions lasted, consulting with each other by
    what means they could best procure an independent livelihood,
    and at last agreed to resort to the Haunted Castle in the Black
    Forest, and there to commence robbery. After many fatiguing
    rambles and alarming fears, they arrived at length at the
    wished-for asylum.

    "Wolfe's inventive genius begot the scheme to render that
    desolate fabric more secure against the intrusion of unwelcome
    visitors, by raising an idea in the fancy of the neighbouring
    villagers of its being haunted by evil spirits. In order to
    accomplish their design, they set up a dreadful howling and
    doleful lamentations whenever they perceived some of the
    villagers near the environs of the castle. The gloomy appearance
    of that half-decayed fabric, aided by the superstition of the
    credulous peasantry, rendered their artful schemes successful,
    and in a short time none of the villagers dared to approach
    their lurking-place, from which they sallied out every night,
    disguised in the skin of goats, which they had stolen and
    fleeced, and committed numberless robberies in the village.
    Having procured a sufficient stock of money, Wolfe's associate
    was dispatched to a neighbouring town to procure fire-arms,
    powder, and ball, and then they began to prey on the unwary
    wanderer. To relate the numberless robberies they committed
    before they were joined by new associates would swell volumes.
    As their numbers augmented they became more daring, and extended
    their depredations many miles over the country, till after a
    series of thirty successful years their infernal society
    sustained a deadly blow by the nocturnal surprise which
    delivered them into the power of punishing justice. Wolfe has
    since confessed that they have a great number of hiding places
    besides the solitary castle, and that their gang consists of
    fifty-three ruffians, who are dispersed all over the country.
    The useful information he has given to his Judges has enabled
    them to secure a great number of innkeepers and publicans, who
    were leagued with that infernal set of ruffians, of whom six
    more have been taken up since you left me; however, their
    money, and the great booty they have hoarded up, has not been
    detected as yet, and is supposed to have been removed on the
    first alarm by the rest of the gang. Wolfe's life will be spared
    on account of his faithful confession, and the great assistance
    he has afforded his Judges in putting a final stop to the
    depredations which have been committed for a series of years in
    the environs of the Black Forest; he is to be committed for life
    to the house of correction, where he will have ample scope to
    reflect on his life past, and to prepare to meet that eternal
    Judge who sooner or later overtakes the wicked in his vile
    pursuits. Thus I have executed my task as well as it was in my
    power, and trust you will kindly overlook the defects of my
    narrative, and always believe me to be, with the greatest
    sincerity,

                                 "Your affectionate friend,

                                                         "P----."




                                FINIS



    +---------------------------------------------------------------+
    | Transcriber's Note:--                                         |
    |                                                               |
    | Punctuation errors have been corrected.                       |
    |                                                               |
    | The following suspected printer's errors have been addressed. |
    |                                                               |
    | Footnote A. Vorschung ==> Forschung.                          |
    | (Quote checked by internet search)                            |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 8. thouasnd ==> thousand. (and a thousand other)         |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 22. repled ==> replied. (replied the host)               |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 31. down down ==> down. (cheerfully down to supper)      |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 123. interferred ==> interfered. (innkeeper interfered)  |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 135. hav ==> have. (you have wisely acted)               |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 149. simplicy ==> simplicity. (honest John's simplicity) |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 183. conductted ==> conducted. (I conducted ten robbers) |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 188. wault ==> vault. (in the other vault)               |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 202. missing word 'not' added.                           |
    | (The boy does not know who I am, nor)                         |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 208. they ==> thy. (what thy appearance bespeaks)        |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 220. everbody ==> everybody. (that everybody was gone)   |
    |                                                               |
    | Page 228. thievieh ==> thievish. (his thievish profession)    |
    |                                                               |
    +---------------------------------------------------------------+




[End of The Necromancer, by Lawrence Flammenberg]
