Repeatedly, and with the greatest attention, I read over this letter of
Aurelia, especially the latter pages, in which there was obviously
displayed so much of true piety and confiding simplicity of heart, that,
at our next meeting, I was unable to continue my addresses in the tone
and manner in which I had before indulged. Aurelia remarked this change
in my conduct; and, struck with remorse, I penitentially confessed to
her my robbery of her letter addressed to the Lady Abbess--(which,
however, I had duly sealed and forwarded)--excusing myself on the
principle, that some mysterious and supernatural impulse had forced me
to this deed, against which it was impossible to contend. I insisted
also, that a similar influence, emanating from some high and
inexplicable source, had already shadowed forth to me in visions some of
the principal incidents in her life, which the perusal of the letter,
therefore, had only confirmed and realized.--"As a proof," said I, "of
the intellectual sympathy existing betwixt us, I could long ere now have
informed you of a wonderful dream by which I was myself visited, in
which you confessed to me your love; but methought I was transformed
into a miserable monk, whose heart, instead of being rejoiced by such
good fortune, was torn by remorse and self-reproach. I loved you,
indeed, with the utmost fervour; but my love was mortal sin; for I had
regularly taken the vows of a Capuchin; and you, Aurelia, were
metamorphosed into the blessed St Rosalia."
At these words Aurelia started up in affright. "For God's sake,
Leonard," said she, "say no more! Our lives are mutually obscured by
some frightful and impenetrable mystery; and the less we endeavour to
break through the veil by which it is now wrapt in darkness, the better.
Who knows what insupportable horrors may be therein concealed? Let us
think no more of such frightful inquiries, but rely firmly on each
other. That you have read my letter to the Abbess no doubt surprises
and vexes me. But what is done cannot be retrieved. As to its contents,
I would willingly have imparted them to you _viva voce_, if I had known
that it was to serve any good purpose, for no secrets dare exist betwixt
us. But to say the truth, Leonard, it appears to me that you yourself
struggle against the evil influence of much that is wrapt up in your own
bosom, and which, on account of false shame, you do not allow to pass
your lips. If possible, be for the future sincere! How much would your
heart be lightened by a free confession, and as to our attachment, its
bonds would thereby be strengthened tenfold!"
At these words of Aurelia, I felt in all its bitterness the torment of
conscious deception and hypocrisy. I reflected with the keenest
self-reproach, how, only a few moments before, I had voluntarily
practised imposition against this pious simple-hearted girl; and an
almost unconquerable impulse arose within me to confess to her
_all_--even the worst that I could utter against myself, and yet
methought I should not even then lose her affection!
"Aurelia! my guardian angel, who rescued me from----" I had thus even
begun my confession, when the Princess abruptly entered the room, and
produced an entire change, not only in my behaviour, but in my feelings.
Her manner, as usual, was haughty and ceremonious. I met her with all
the outward forms of respect, but internally with emotions of scorn and
defiance. As the acknowledged bridegroom of Aurelia, she was now obliged
to bear with me, and I boldly kept my place, though I perceived that her
aversion to me was by no means abated. In truth, it was only when alone
with Aurelia that I was now free from all wicked thoughts and impulses.
At such moments, the beatitude of Heaven seemed to descend on me, and I
began once more to wish anxiously for our marriage, in despite of every
obstacle.
About this time it came to pass that a remarkable dream one night
greatly disturbed my rest, by the recollection of which I continued for
several days to be haunted. Methought the figure of my mother stood
vividly before me, and when I wished to salute and welcome her, I
perceived it was but an aerial phantom which assumed her features, and
mocked my filial embrace. "To what purpose this absurd deception?" cried
I, angrily--"Thou delusive shadow, what would'st thou here?"
Then methought my mother wept bitterly. The tears that she shed were
changed into bright dazzling stars which floated through the air, and
began to form a circle round my head; but ever and anon, a black
frightful hand, like that of a demon, with long claws, broke the circle
as soon as it was nearly formed. "Thou, whom I brought pure and sinless
into the world," said my mother, "and whose infancy and youth I watched
over with such care, hast thou lost all energy and self-command, that
thou submittest, like a grovelling slave, to every enticement of Satan?
Now, indeed, I can look into thine inmost heart, since the load of
earthly existence, under which I have long struggled, is taken from my
shoulders. Rouse thyself, Franciscus! Resist the fiend that besets thee,
and he will flee! I shall once more adorn thee, as in early days, with
ribbons and flowers, for St Bernard's day is come, and thou shalt again
be a pious and happy child!"
Now it seemed to me as if, in obedience to my mother's admonition, I
must once more begin singing one of the lovely anthems which I had
learned in my youth, but frightful and indescribable noises overpowered
my voice. My attempts at music were like the howling of a wild beast;
and betwixt me and my phantom visitant there fell, rustling and
undulating, the folds of a massy black veil, supported by the spectral
arms of demons, with long hideous talons. Thus ended my dream.
Two days afterwards, I happened to meet in the park the chief judge of
the criminal court, who came up to me in a very friendly manner, and
entered into conversation.
"Do you know," said he, "that the final issue of Medardus's trial has
again become very doubtful? Judgment of death had nearly been pronounced
against him, indeed was all but carried into effect, when he again
shewed symptoms of madness. The court received intelligence of the death
of his mother. I made this known to him. Then he laughed aloud like a
maniac, and in a tone which would have inspired the stoutest heart with
horror--'The Duchess of Neuenburg!' said he, (naming the wife of the
late Duke, brother of our Sovereign,)--'She is long since dead. If this
is all the intelligence you had to bring, the trouble might have been
spared!'
"In consequence of this paroxysm, the execution of the sentence is
delayed, and a new medical inquiry set on foot. However, it is
generally believed that his madness is only pretended, and that his
condemnation is therefore inevitable."
I afterwards obtained information of the day and hour of my mother's
death, and found that these corresponded exactly with the time at which
she had appeared to me in that remarkable vision.
* * * * *
The day which the Prince had appointed for our marriage was at last
arrived; and the ceremony was to take place in the morning, at the altar
of St Rosalia, in the church of a neighbouring convent, which (I know
not for what reason) Aurelia preferred to the Prince's chapel. I passed
the preceding night in watching and prayer.--Alas! I did not reflect
that prayer under such circumstances, and cherishing such intentions in
my heart, was only adding by blasphemy to my previous guilt.
When I went to Aurelia, she came, dressed in white, and wearing roses as
her only ornament, to meet me. Never had she looked more beautiful; but
in the fashion of her dress, and in the flower wreaths that she had
chosen, there was something that inspired me with strange and mysterious
recollections, which I knew not how to define. At the same moment I
remembered that the painting over the altar, at which the marriage
ceremony was to take place, represented the martyrdom of St Rosalia, and
that the saint was there dressed precisely as Aurelia now appeared,
whereupon my whole frame was shaken with horrid and uncontrollable
apprehensions, which it was hardly in my power to conceal.
We had no time for conversation, however. Scarcely had I saluted
Aurelia, when a servant of the Prince announced that we were waited for
by the wedding-party. She quickly drew on her gloves, and gave me her
arm. Then one of her attendants remarked that some ringlets of her hair
had fallen loose, and begged for a moment's delay. Aurelia seemed vexed
at the interruption, but waited accordingly.
At that moment a hollow rumbling noise, and a tumult of voices on the
street, attracted our attention. At Aurelia's request I hastened to the
window. There, just before the palace, was a _leiter-wagen_, which, on
account of some obstacle, had stopped in the street. The car was
surrounded by the executioners of justice; and within it, I perceived
the horrible monk, who sat looking backwards, while before him was a
capuchin, earnestly engaged in prayer. His countenance was deadly pale,
and again disfigured by a grizzly beard, but the features of my
detestable _double_ were to me but too easily recognizable.
When the carriage, that had been for a short space interrupted by the
crowd, began to roll on, he seemed awoke from his reverie, and turning
up his staring spectral eyes towards me, instantly became animated. He
laughed and howled aloud--"_Brued-er-lein_--_Brued-er-lein!_" cried
he.--"Bride-groom!--Bride-groom!--Come quickly--come quickly.--Up--up to
the roof of the house. There the owl holds his wedding-feast; the
weather-cock sings aloud! There shall we contend together, and whoever
casts the other down, is king, and may drink blood!"
The howling voice in which he uttered these words, the glare of his
eyes, and the horrible writhings of his visage, that was like that of an
animated corse, were more than, weakened as I was by previous
agitation, I was able to withstand. From that moment I lost all
self-possession; I became also utterly insane, and unconscious what I
did! At first I tried to speak calmly. "Horrible wretch!" said I; "what
mean'st thou? What would'st thou from me?"
Then I grinned, jabbered, and howled back to the madman; and Aurelia, in
an agony of terror, broke from her attendants, and ran up to me. With
all her strength, she seized my arms, and endeavoured to draw me from
the window. "For God's sake," cried she, "leave that horrible spectacle;
they are dragging Medardus, the murderer of my brother, to the scaffold.
Leonard!--Leonard!"
Then all the demons of hell seemed awoke within me, and manifested, in
its utmost extent, that power which they are allowed to exercise over an
obdurate and unrepentant sinner. With reckless cruelty I repulsed
Aurelia, who trembled, as if shook by convulsions, in every
limb.--"Ha--ha--ha!" I almost shrieked aloud--"foolish, insane girl! I
myself, thy lover, thy chosen bridegroom, am the murderer of thy
brother! Would'st thou by thy complaints bring down destruction from
heaven on thy sworn husband?--Ho--ho--ho! I am king--I am king--and will
drink blood!"
I drew out the stiletto--I struck at Aurelia,--blood streamed over my
arm and hand, and she fell lifeless at my feet. I rushed down
stairs,--forced my way through the crowd to the carriage--seized the
monk by the collar, and with supernatural strength tore him from the
car. Then I was arrested by the executioner; but with the stiletto in my
hand, I defended myself so furiously, that I broke loose, and rushed
into the thick of the mob, where, in a few moments, I found myself
wounded by a stab in the side; but the people were struck with such
terror, that I made my way through them as far as to the neighbouring
wall of the park, which, by a frightful effort, I leapt over.
"Murder--murder!--Stop--stop the murderer!" I had fallen down, almost
fainting, on the other side of the wall, but these outcries instantly
gave me new strength. Some were knocking with great violence, in vain
endeavours to break open one of the park gates, which, not being the
regular entrance, was always kept closed. Others were striving to
clamber over the wall, which I had cleared by an incredible leap. I
rose, and exerting my utmost speed, ran forward. I came, ere long, to a
broad _fosse_, by which the park was separated from the adjoining
forest. By another tremendous effort, I jumped over, and continued to
run on through the wood, until at last I sank down, utterly exhausted,
under a tree.
I know not how the time had passed, but it was already evening, and dark
shadows reigned through the forest, when I came again to my
recollection. My progress in running so far had passed over like an
obscure dream. I recollect only the wind roaring amid the dense canopy
of the trees, and that many times I mistook some old moss-grown pollard
stem for an officer of justice, armed and ready to seize upon me!
When I awoke from the swoon and utter stupefaction into which I had
fallen, my first impulse was merely to set out again, like a hunted wild
beast, and fly, if possible, from my pursuers to the very end of the
earth! As soon, however, as I was only past the frontiers of the
Prince's dominions, I would certainly be safe from all immediate
persecution.
I rose accordingly, but scarcely had I advanced a few steps, when there
was a violent rustling in the thicket; and from thence, in a state of
the most vehement rage and excitement, sprung the monk, who, no doubt in
consequence of the disturbance that I had raised, had contrived to make
his escape from the guards and executioners.
In a paroxysm of madness he flew towards me, leaping through the bushes
like a tiger, and finally sprung upon my shoulders, clasping his arms
about my throat, so that I was almost suffocated. Under any other
circumstances, I would have instantly freed myself from such an attack,
but I was enfeebled to the last degree by the exertions I had undergone,
and all that I could attempt was to render this feebleness subservient
to my rescue. I fell down under his weight, and endeavoured to take
advantage of that event. I rolled myself on the ground, and grappled
with him; but in vain! I could not disengage myself, and my
infernal double laughed scornfully. His abominable accents,
"He--he--he!--He--he--he!" sounded amid the desolate loneliness of the
woods.
During this contest, the moon broke, only for a moment, through the
clouds, for the night was gloomy and tempestuous. Then, as her silvery
gleam slanted through the dark shade of the pine trees, I beheld, in all
its horror, the deadly pale visage of my _second self_, with the same
expression which had glared out upon me from the cart in which he had
been dragged to execution. "He--he--he--Broth-er, broth-er!--Ever, ever
I am with thee!--Leave thee, leave thee never!--Cannot run as thou
canst! Must carry--carry me! Come straight from the gallows--They would
have nailed me to the wheel--He--he--he!--He--he--he!"
Thus the infernal spectre howled and laughed aloud as we lay on the
ground; but ere the fleeting moonbeam had passed away, I was roused once
more to furious rage. I sprang up like a bear in the embraces of a
boa-constrictor, and ran with my utmost force against trees and
fragments of rock, so that if I could not kill him, I might at least
wound him in such manner that he would be under the necessity of letting
me go. But in vain. He only laughed the more loudly and scornfully; and
my personal sufferings were increased tenfold by my endeavours to end
them.
I then strove with my whole remaining strength to burst asunder his
hands, which were firmly knotted round my throat, but the supernatural
energies of the monster threatened me with strangulation. At last, after
a furious conflict, he suddenly fell, as if lifeless, on the ground: and
though scarcely able to breathe, I had run onwards for some yards, when
again he sat upon my shoulders, laughing as before, and stammering out
the same horrible words. Of new succeeded the same efforts of despairing
rage! Of new I was freed! Then again locked in the embraces of this
demoniacal spectre!
After this I lost all consciousness.--I am utterly unable to say
distinctly how long I was persecuted by my relentless _double_. It seems
to me as if my struggles must have continued at least during a whole
month; and that during this long period I neither ate nor drank. I
remember only _one_ lucid interval. All the rest is utter darkness.
I had just succeeded in throwing off my double, when a clear gleam of
sun-light brightened the woods, and with it a pleasant sound of bells
rose on mine ear. I distinguished unequivocally the chimes of a convent,
which rung for early mass. For a moment I rejoiced; but then the thought
came like annihilation upon me--"Thou hast murdered Aurelia!" and once
more losing all self-possession and recollection, I fell in despair upon
the earth.