Friedrich August Schulze

“ Motionless with anxiety and terror, Amelia and Maria gazed on the clock, which now began to strike. The last glimmering flame of the wood-fire died away—and the room was for a moment dark. “Welcome—Oh welcome!” cried Florentine in a tone of rapture, and rose with her arms extended, advancing to the door which then opened. Amidst a radiance like that of the full moon in the midnight sky,—the apparition of Seraphina appeared. Florentine flew into her embrace. “Thine for ever!” ”

“ I had now lost them, and after a long fruitless search, I found them again, the harlequin leaning upon the arm of a fantastic pantaloon, and columbine following them with a companion in a black domino and a prodigiously lofty feather in his hat. At this sight my heart began to beat quickly. My feet seemed to be attracted after them as if by a magnet; the stranger appeared to be engaged in very earnest conversation with her, and I could not help following close at their heels, even at the risk of being discovered. ”

“ Imagine an only son, with the point of a sword which he holds in his hand, piercing his father’s skull! The bare idea is sufficient to deprive one of one’s senses.”
“I did not believe,” answered the colonel, after having for some time considered Calzolaro, “that the conscience of a man, who like you has rambled the world over, could still be so much overcome by the powers of imagination.” ”

“ The Countess heaved a long sigh, and Libussa said, ‘To say the truth, I should rather not have listened to it—I felt many times a cold shuddering in every limb.’ ‘No doubt,’ answered I—‘every new betrothed bride or lover must feel in this manner, who hears my legend, as the Count is pleased to term it;’ and with these words I looked at Marino, who had frequently started up from his chair, and evidently could not get the better of his apprehensions that I was meditating formidable opposition to his present plans. ”

“ The last day of his residence in Ruhethal had at length arrived; and from the top-most window of his house Mr. Recorder threw down a looks of indulgent tender pity upon the poor infatuated town that lay ben beneath him. “Poor erring place!” said he; most certainly as the Horatian Flaccus observed Quos deus vult perdere, prius dementat. But bitterly I shall be avenged. Soon, too soon (I fear) , will Ruhethal be taught to know be taught—whom it is that she has lost in losing me. But who will pity her? ”

“ Farewell, now to all faith in man or dog; for all might be among the bitten, and consequently might in turn be among the biters.
The night was now come; dinner was past, at which all the grandees of the place had been present: all had now departed, delighted with the condescensions of the Count, and puzzled only on one point, viz., the extraordinary warmth of his attentions to the Commissioner’s daughter. The young lady’s large fortune might have explained this excessive homage in any other case, but not in that of a Prince, and beauty or accomplishments they said she had none. ”

“ Heftelmeyer wondered that his wife would eat no dinner, and at length extorted from her a confession, that she had set her mind on a pie which she had seen carried to Madame Seeheim, and in so ostentatious a manner that she had no doubt it was done purposely to mortify her. Amelia ventured to doubt this, and received a reproof for her pains. Mr. Heftelmeyer, like a good husband, consoled his wife with a promise that she should have such a pie as would make their neighbour’s pie blush for very shame. ”

“ It was probably the same then with whom I left the diligence, and I was right in my suspicions of his occupation. Eloisa, too, owing to this cursed whim of her aunt’s, had fallen into a doubtful connexion. My presence of mind was completely gone; so much the more keenly the Frenchman eyed me. In silence I gave him the box, and my increasing confusion, as I related to him the adventure with the blind man, augmented his suspicion. Nothing but some extraordinary good fortune could prevent him sending us to prison, seeing that we were perfect strangers. ”

“ The wise and learned pity them for their ignorance, in not knowing what is possible and impossible, true or false, light or dark; because they do not know and cannot comprehend the exalted spirits, who, from the silence of the vault and the grave, from the mouldering bones of the dead, speak to the living in a voice no less formidable than true. As to you, who are now here assembled, listen to a word of advice: Avoid provoking by any indiscreet question the vengeance of the spirit, who at my command will be invisibly stationed beneath this human skull. ”

“ Just as they expected, Florentine came to receive them, evidently in great agitation, and embraced them, even with more than usual affection. “A fine morning for our excursion!” said Amelia, trying to assume a tone of pleasantry; “How have you got through that awful night?” “Not very tranquilly, as you may suppose,” said Florentine; “this house, you are aware, is none of the best; the situation too is exposed; and I thought every moment it would have been blown down about our ears.” “It is well then that you are not to remain in it long,” said Maria, smiling rather archly. “Aye, very true!” ”

“ Matters are at length come to a crisis. You have the audacity to pretend to keep a secret from your lawful wife. Hear then my fixed determination. At this moment there is a haunch of venison roasting for dinner. The cook is so ignorant that, without my directions, this haunch will be scorched to a cinder. Now I swear that, unless you instantly reveal to me this secret without any reservation whatever, I will resign the venison to its fate. ”

“ When, according to the old fashion of the Venetians, Felippo went in the twilight to the residence of his bride, he could not help believing, all the way, that Clara’s ghost was walking by his side. Indeed, no loving couple were ever accompanied to the altar by such fearful omens as those which now took place. At the request of Camilla’s parents I was there in attendance as a witness, and I have never since forgotten the horrors of that morning. ”

“ Upon my expressing my surprise at this sudden resolution on the part of Eloisa, who on the preceding evening had not even thought of such a thing, Wagen replied, “Oh, you know the eternal restlessness of her aunt: this morning she received news of some intended festival at the Spa, and in an hour after they were on their way. I must warn you, too, that Eloisa is not particularly well pleased with you, having sent every where for you to no purpose. Be ready with a fair excuse, for she seemed to me to suspect your being engaged in some love adventure.” ”