Johann August Apel

“ The place had all the appearance of a complete wilderness; but nevertheless bore witness that the hand of man had once been busy there. The grass had grown to such a height as to impede the step, and at every advance I made, the birds flew fluttering from out their quiet nests; here and there were recesses in the hedges, and occasionally a broken statue was seen lying on the ground; and in other places, a fragment was observed still standing on its pedestal. All this bespoke a deserted garden in the old French style, and, indeed, I perceived the chateau at a small distance. ”

“ Without doubt one of the balls had been destined for the Count, and the other for Clara. Deceived by Clara’s disguise the murderers had doubtless mistaken her for her consort, and myself for the Countess. Clara recovered but for a few seconds; she took the hand of the despairing Mongomery. “If ever you have loved me, said she, swear to fulfil what I request with my dying breath.” He solemnly pledged his word. “I thank you,” said she, “and shall now die content. What I demand of you, is to seek no vengeance, but instantly to fly!” ”

“ Mongomery is quite in raptures with you, and says, had it not been for the daughter, he should most assuredly have fallen in love with the mother. He is entirely of the opinion of the good Queen Mary. In a few days, the festivity to celebrate the nuptials of the unhappy Princess Elizabeth will begin. We have fixed our marriage for the same period. I hope, in the midst of the bustle, that we shall better escape observation. Heaven grant, that the gloomy clouds which gather over the fatal nuptials of this amiable and devoted princess may bode nothing sinister to thy poor Clara. ”

“ The Queen was greatly agitated; the assembly dispersed; but the fame of Master Lucas increased prodigiously.
Now, my dear Mother, before I close this long epistle, I must make a confession to you. I really do not know where to find words to do it; but it is something which I must not conceal, and is the true cause for the agitation in which I began this letter. Dear Mother, I really believe I am in love; or rather I feel it with the utmost certainty; for if what I feel is not love, then I do not know, and hope never to know, what love is. ”

“ But when a fourth king had ascended the throne, Master Lucas again caused the apparition to disappear, and absolutely refused to show any thing more of the future. The Queen solicited in vain, and at length threatened him with her own and the King’s displeasure. Master Lucas now grew wroth, and exclaimed—“Since you will not remain in peace, gaze on—gaze on! till horror freezes your heart,—terror palsies your limbs; and may you not rest till all is fulfilled that you have seen!” ”

“ He spoke to us, and taking for a moment, as if by chance, her hand, he gazed at it intently for an instant, but without making any remark; indeed, it was done so instantaneously, that I scarcely think the Dauphiness herself noticed it. In the meantime Roger had arranged his mirror, and invited the Queen of Scots to look at the images of her future life; but Master Lucas preventing her, inquired, “Do you yourself know, Master Roger, what her Majesty is to see?” “No!” replied the other disdainfully, “do you consider me an impostor?” “Not an impostor;” ”

“ In a forced passion, and in a shrill tone, I heard him exclaim—“My lady, this demands satisfaction!” At this moment the young Count Mongomery approached me, and begged me to leave this satisfaction to him. My heart was full, I was unable to utter a single syllable in reply, and the Count took my silence for consent. “Mount and break a lance with me, Chastelard!” cried he leaping into his saddle, and forcing the dastard to do the same. ”

“ I had already learnt that my venerable friend, (its minister) who had been intrusted with my education, when I passed my happy youth in the charming valleys of the province,—but who, for the last twenty years, had fulfilled the duties of a servant of God in this place,—had escaped the horrors of the reign of terror; and that he still lived, beloved and respected, in the midst of his spiritual children. The Marquis of Mongomery, however, the lord of the manor, had fallen its victim, and the magnificent chateau had been destroyed. ”

“ He is a venerable looking old man; small in his figure, but remarkable for the power of his eye, which forms a singular contrast with the general mildness of his manner. I am very fond of him, perhaps from his partiality to me, for it has been remarked, that I am the only young lady at the court, whom he chooses to honour by his conversation. Roger, evidently jealous of this introduction of a rival, talked a great deal of magic, while Master Lucas maintained a respectful silence. The Queen paid no attention to Roger, but desired Master Lucas to cast the nativity of the young Queen Mary. ”

“ The hedges I walked between formed narrow alleys, open spaces, and serpentine walks. There was something in all this more dreadful than the mere solitude of a wilderness. Where Nature reigns alone in her native majesty, she is ever smiling, grand, or soothing; but where she triumphs over the works of men, her aspect is fearful and appalling; the genius of humanity veils her face and flies, while men are lost in awful contemplation of their own transient condition.—I approached the ruined edifice ”

“ Mongomery’s lance struck the King upon the chest with such violence, that it was shivered into splinters, and the King bloody and fainting, dropped from the saddle. A splinter of Mongomery’s lance had pierced his eye and entered his head. Of what happened after this, I was altogether unconscious: my senses swam, and when I returned to myself I was lying on a couch in my own apartment.
I have just received a suit of male attire from Mongomery, in order to facilitate our escape. The night is dark: when you receive this, your Clara will perhaps be already in your vicinity. ”

“ The fair Queen Mary, who treats me with all the friendship of a relative, and even calls me her little sister, frequently comes to pay me a visit, and is accustomed, whenever she has occasion to appear in some new or foreign costume, to come and dress in my apartment, in order to have my opinion upon it. Among the crowd of admirers who gather round the royal flower of Scotland, is a certain nobleman of the name of Chastelard; an infatuated, foppish creature, who on all occasions pursues and annoys her with the expressions of his ridiculous passion. ”

“ The Queen now seemed violently agitated, and hid her face with her hands. The Master made a sign, and all vanished in an instant. Would you believe it, dear Mother, appalling as the spectacle had been, the Queen had not yet seen enough of horrors: she pressed the fearful man to renew his incantation, for she was determined to see the further destiny of the empire and its kings.
Master Lucas consented, and the throne appeared anew. A young handsome man, having likewise a crown on his head, approached with hasty steps to the throne ”

“ The Queen must be endued with nerves of steel, for she calmly said, she was prepared for the worst, knowing that the spirits had no power over her. She persisted with more vehemence than before, till at length Master Lucas was again prevailed upon to renew the magic rites. The throne again appeared, with the king who had last ascended it. ”

“ I heard something of that kind from the peasants, but I treated it as a mere superstition; and now I hear you gravely repeating the very same thing!” He smiled and said, “God is a mystery, and his works are not less so. Let this suffice you. Philosophy kindles her torch only to show us that we are really in darkness. The White Lady does appear. However, I strictly forbade the peasantry to talk about it, as it is a subject not fit for them.—Do you recollect the letter I wrote you ten years ago, in which I wished you joy on your quitting France?” ”

“ The best course for you to pursue, in order to escape the dangers that threaten you, will be to marry Mongomery secretly the moment he returns, and then to rejoin your mother, as you have so often expressed a wish to do. ”

“ I have lost one child, and heaven blesses me with the sight of another before I close these eyes for ever.”—This brought me, of course, upon the mysterious manner of the death of the young girl, and upon my visit to the vault.—“How strange!” replied he, “you have then been at the vault! For many years not a human being has been there except myself. The peasants avoid that part of the gardens—and the spring in the wall is a secret.—Indeed,” added he, after a pause, “there is a mystery about the death of my poor Rosa! ”

“ In the archives of Chateau Mongomery, it is stated, that in the year 1559 a stranger, who called himself Master Lucas, arrived there, and that under his direction a vault was prepared to receive the body of an illustrious lady, whose veiled statue was placed over her tomb. The body, which previously had been buried in a distant convent, arrived during the night. The whole transaction was mysterious, and kept a profound secret. ”