When the forester pronounced the name of Medardus, my whole frame
violently shook, nay, the story throughout had even, physically and
corporeally, tormented me, so that at every word I felt almost as if
daggers were piercing to my heart; and it was with great difficulty that
I prevented my agitation from being observed by my companion. I felt
convinced that the monk had spoken only the truth, both with regard to
the relic and direct agency of the devil; nay, that it could have been
nothing else but a repetition of the same infernal drink that had now
renewed in him this horrible delirium.
But my own situation had again become degraded. I found myself more and
more confirmed into the mere plaything of that mysterious and malicious
destiny, which had so effectually wrapt its indissoluble toils around
me, so that, while I madly believed myself free, I was, in truth, only
beating about, like a captive bird in a cage, within barriers, from
which I could find no outlet.
The good and pious lessons of my old friend Cyrillus, on which I had
bestowed no attention; the appearance of the young Count and his
volatile tutor, all came back on my memory. I was now clearly instructed
whence had proceeded that sudden alteration which I had experienced both
in mind and body. I was utterly ashamed of the delusions to which I had
been subjected, and of my criminal conduct. But, alas! this shame, which
was the emotion of a selfish worldling, rather than a penitent, appeared
to me at the moment as equivalent to the deep repentance, the
self-annihilation which I ought in my inmost heart to have felt and
cherished.
Thus I had sunk into deep reflection, and scarcely listened to the old
man, who once more recurred to his hunting stories, describing to me
various adventures which he had encountered with poachers, etc. etc.
The twilight had now drawn on, and at last we stood opposite to the
covert in which it was said that there were black game or partridges.
The forester placed me in a proper station and attitude, admonished me
once more that I was not to speak nor move, but, with the utmost care,
to hold my gun on the cock, and ready to fire.
The huntsmen softly glided away to their several places, and I was left
standing alone in the dim light, which always became more obscure.
Seldom have I known visions more strange than what arose to my
bewildered senses at that moment. Forms and features, imagery and
adventures out of my past life, stept out vividly, like the illusions of
a phantasmagorie, amid the gloom of the dark forest, before me. Among
them were visions even of my earliest years. I beheld alternately my
mother and the Abbess. They looked at me with a severe and reproving
aspect. Euphemia, too, habited in luxurious splendour, came floating and
rustling up, as if to salute me. But her visage was deadly pale, and I
liked not the gleam of her darkly-glaring eyes. I shrunk, therefore,
from her proffered embrace, whereupon she lifted up her hands, in a
threatening attitude, against me. "They are steeped in blood," cried I,
"that drops reeking to the earth. They are died in the life-blood from
Hermogen's wounds!"
Instantly, as I uttered aloud these delirious words, there came over my
head a great whirring of wings, so that by the noise I was quite stunned
and confounded. It was a large covey of partridges. I directly put my
gun to my shoulder, and shot, blindfold and at random, into the air,
whereupon two birds fell directly to the ground.
"Bravo!" cried one of the huntsmen, who had been standing at a short
distance, while at the same moment, as the stragglers of the covey
started up, he fired, and brought down a third partridge. Shots
afterwards reverberated all round us. The air was filled with smoke, and
the _chasseurs_ at last assembled, every one bearing his own proper
booty.
The lad to whom I had been stationed nearest, related, not without sly
side-looks at me, how, when the partridges rose on the wing, I had cried
out aloud, as if in great affright, and then, without once taking aim,
had shot blindly into the midst of them, though he was obliged to allow,
that I had at the same time killed two birds. Nay, he insisted that, in
the twilight, it had appeared to him as if I held the gun in a direction
totally wrong; yet the birds were struck, by which result he seemed to
have been brought into great perplexity.
The old forester was mightily diverted, and laughed aloud at the notion
that I could be frightened in such manner by a covey of partridges, and
that I had then only shot at random among them. "However," added he, "I
shall nevertheless trust that you are an honest Christian hunter, and no
_freischutz_--no devil's marksman--who can hit whatever he likes,
whether he aims at it or not." This unpremeditated jest of the old man
struck my inmost heart, and even the good luck attending my random shot,
at that moment filled me with horror. More than ever discontented, and
torn by conflicting impulses, I became wholly involved in doubt and
mystery, which, by their destructive influence, continued to darken my
whole existence.
* * * * *
On our return to the _forst-haus_, Christian announced that the monk had
kept himself quite quiet in his prison, had not spoken a word, and would
not accept of any nourishment.
"It is impossible now," said the forester, "that he can remain any
longer with me; for who can say that his madness, which is obviously
incurable, might not break out again, and, in consequence, some horrible
misfortune be brought upon our house? To-morrow, therefore, he must, as
early as possible, be sent off with Christian into the town. The
deposition that I thought it best to draw up, as to my whole adventures
with him, has been long since ready, and in town he may be at once taken
to the mad-house."
* * * * *
This night, when I was again left alone in my chamber, the same
frightful visions that had haunted me in the wood, once more regained
their full influence. More especially Hermogen, like a horrible ghastly
spectre, stood, in the dimness of the half-lighted room, before me, and
when mustering courage to dare the worst, I tried to look fixedly on the
apparition, it was changed into that of the delirious monk. Both seemed,
according to my confused perceptions, to be melted into one, and thus
perhaps impersonized the warning influence of a higher power, which
interposed to save me just as I stood upon the very brink of
destruction.
While undressing, I stumbled over the basket-bottle, which still lay
upon the floor. The monk had drained it even to the last drops; thus I
was protected completely from any temptation to drink more. But even the
bottle itself, from which there exhaled a strong stupifying odour, I
hurled away through the open window, over the wall of the court, in
order to annihilate at once every operation of this damnable Elixir.
By degrees I became more tranquil, and found at last some consolation in
the belief, that in point of intellect, I must be greatly elevated over
that monk, who, by a scanty draught out of my bottle, had been roused
into furious madness. I felt also that the present dangers had passed
over me, for the forester believed that his maniac monk was the Capuchin
Medardus; and, from all this, I inferred the favourable warning of
Providence, whose purpose it was not that I should utterly perish.
* * * * *
Irresistibly I felt myself drawn towards the Prince's _residenz_. There
it was possible that an introduction to the sister of the Abbess, who
was said to bear a great resemblance to the latter, might restore to me
my long-lost disposition towards a life of simple piety, and to those
pure enjoyments which had attracted me in youth. In order to reanimate
the most vivid recollections of that period, even a sight of the
Princess was, in my present tone of feelings, all that would be
requisite; but as to the means by which an interview with her might be
obtained, I resolved to submit myself wholly to chance.
Scarcely was it day-break when I heard the voice of the forester in the
court. I had agreed to set out early with his son, and therefore dressed
as quickly as possible. When I came down stairs, there was a rough
_leiter-wagen_ at the door, prepared for departure. The three servants
now brought out the monk, who, with a deadly-pale and distorted
countenance, allowed himself to be led, without uttering a word. He
would answer no questions--he would accept of no food; indeed, scarcely
seemed to notice those who were around him. Accordingly, they lifted him
upon the carriage, and bound him with ropes; for his present condition
appeared very doubtful, and no one could be secure against the sudden
breaking out of his malady.
As they bound his limbs, his visage was convulsively writhen, and he
heaved a deep sigh, with an expression so piteous, that his situation
wounded me to the heart. Between him and me there subsisted some
mysterious relationship, as to the nature of which, I could not yet even
guess; but to his misery and probable destruction I owed my present
hopes of safety.
Christian, and one of the huntsmen, took their places beside him in the
carriage. It was not till they were driving away that his looks happened
to fall directly on me, whereupon his features immediately assumed an
expression of wonder and perplexity. As the carriage receded, his eyes
still remained intently gazing on me.
"Mark you," said the forester, "how strangely he watches you. I do
believe that your presence in the dining-room contributed very much to
his frenzy; for even in his lucid intervals he has always been timid,
and has cherished the suspicion that a stranger was to come who would
put him to death, of which he always entertains an unbounded horror.
Being aware of this, I have often, when in the wildest of his paroxysms,
by threatening to shoot him, produced perfect calmness and submission."
I now felt lightened and relieved by the consciousness that this monk,
who seemed to present a horrible and distorted shadow of myself, was
effectually removed from my presence. I rejoiced, too, in my
anticipation of the _residenz_, believing that the load of that gloomy
and obscure fate by which I had been oppressed, would at last be taken
from my shoulders,--that I should be gifted with new energies, and
acquire strength to tear myself from the grasp of that malicious demon,
to whom I had hitherto been subjected.
After breakfast, the handsome travelling equipage of the forester drove
up to the door; I could not prevail on his wife to accept of a little
money in requital for the hospitality that she had shewn to me; but to
his daughters I was luckily able to give some articles of _bijouterie_
which I found in my portmanteau, having purchased them at the fair in
Frankenburg. The whole family took leave of me as affectionately as if I
had been for a long time resident among them; but the old man did not
let me go without some farther jokes upon my peculiar genius and success
as a sportsman. Under the bright golden gleams of a fine autumnal day,
we at last drove off.