my behalf, I am undone for ever!'
The tone in which She pronounced these words was so touching,
that in spite of my joy at receiving her promise to follow me, I
could not help being affected. I also repined in secret at not
having taken the precaution to provide a Carriage at the Village,
in which case I might have carried off Agnes that very night.
Such an attempt was now impracticable: Neither Carriage or
Horses were to be procured nearer than Munich, which was distant
from Lindenberg two good days journey. I was therefore obliged
to chime in with her plan, which in truth seemed well arranged:
Her disguise would secure her from being stopped in quitting the
Castle, and would enable her to step into the Carriage at the
very Gate without difficulty or losing time.
Agnes reclined her head mournfully upon my shoulder, and by the
light of the Moon I saw tears flowing down her cheek. I strove
to dissipate her melancholy, and encouraged her to look forward
to the prospect of happiness. I protested in the most solemn
terms that her virtue and innocence would be safe in my keeping,
and that till the church had made her my lawful Wife, her honour
should be held by me as sacred as a Sister's. I told her that
my first care should be to find you out, Lorenzo, and reconcile
you to our union; and I was continuing to speak in the same
strain, when a noise without alarmed me. Suddenly the door of
the Pavilion was thrown open, and Cunegonda stood before us. She
had heard Agnes steal out of her chamber, followed her into the
Garden, and perceived her entering the Pavilion. Favoured by the
Trees which shaded it, and unperceived by Theodore who waited at
a little distance, She had approached in silence, and overheard
our whole conversation.
'Admirable!' cried Cunegonda in a voice shrill with passion,
while Agnes uttered a loud shriek; 'By St. Barbara, young Lady,
you have an excellent invention! You must personate the Bleeding
Nun, truly? What impiety! What incredulity! Marry, I have a
good mind to let you pursue your plan: When the real Ghost met
you, I warrant, you would be in a pretty condition! Don
Alphonso, you ought to be ashamed of yourself for seducing a
young ignorant Creature to leave her family and Friends:
However, for this time at least I shall mar your wicked designs.
The noble Lady shall be informed of the whole affair, and Agnes
must defer playing the Spectre till a better opportunity.
Farewell, Segnor-- Donna Agnes, let me have the honour of
conducting your Ghost-ship back to your apartment.'
She approached the Sopha on which her trembling Pupil was seated,
took her by the hand, and prepared to lead her from the Pavilion.
I detained her, and strove by entreaties, soothing, promises, and
flattery to win her to my party: But finding all that I could
say of no avail, I abandoned the vain attempt.
'Your obstinacy must be its own punishment,' said I; 'But one
resource remains to save Agnes and myself, and I shall not
hesitate to employ it.'
Terrified at this menace, She again endeavoured to quit the
Pavilion; But I seized her by the wrist, and detained her
forcibly. At the same moment Theodore, who had followed her into
the room, closed the door, and prevented her escape. I took the
veil of Agnes: I threw it round the Duenna's head, who uttered
such piercing shrieks that in spite of our distance from the
Castle, I dreaded their being heard. At length I succeeded in
gagging her so compleatly that She could not produce a single
sound. Theodore and myself with some difficulty next contrived
to bind her hands and feet with our handkerchiefs; And I advised
Agnes to regain her chamber with all diligence. I promised that
no harm should happen to Cunegonda, bad her remember that on the
fifth of May I should be in waiting at the Great Gate of the
Castle, and took of her an affectionate farewell. Trembling and
uneasy She had scarce power enough to signify her consent to my
plans, and fled back to her apartment in disorder and confusion.
In the meanwhile Theodore assisted me in carrying off my
antiquated Prize. She was hoisted over the wall, placed before
me upon my Horse like a Portmanteau, and I galloped away with her
from the Castle of Lindenberg. The unlucky Duenna never had made
a more disagreeable journey in her life: She was jolted and
shaken till She was become little more than an animated Mummy;
not to mention her fright when we waded through a small River
through which it was necessary to pass in order to regain the
Village. Before we reached the Inn, I had already determined how
to dispose of the troublesome Cunegonda. We entered the Street
in which the Inn stood, and while the page knocked, I waited at a
little distance. The Landlord opened the door with a Lamp in his
hand.
'Give me the light!' said Theodore; 'My Master is coming.'
He snatched the Lamp hastily, and purposely let it fall upon the
ground: The Landlord returned to the Kitchen to re-light the
Lamp, leaving the door open. I profited by the obscurity, sprang
from my Horse with Cunegonda in my arms, darted up stairs,
reached my chamber unperceived, and unlocking the door of a
spacious Closet, stowed her within it, and then turned the Key.
The Landlord and Theodore soon after appeared with lights: The
Former expressed himself a little surprised at my returning so
late, but asked no impertinent questions. He soon quitted the
room, and left me to exult in the success of my undertaking.
I immediately paid a visit to my Prisoner. I strove to persuade
her submitting with patience to her temporary confinement. My
attempt was unsuccessful. Unable to speak or move, She expressed
her fury by her looks, and except at meals I never dared to
unbind her, or release her from the Gag. At such times I stood
over her with a drawn sword, and protested, that if She uttered a
single cry, I would plunge it in her bosom. As soon as She had
done eating, the Gag was replaced. I was conscious that this
proceeding was cruel, and could only be justified by the urgency
of circumstances: As to Theodore, He had no scruples upon the
subject. Cunegonda's captivity entertained him beyond measure.
During his abode in the Castle, a continual warfare had been
carried on between him and the Duenna; and now that He found his
Enemy so absolutely in his power, He triumphed without mercy. He
seemed to think of nothing but how to find out new means of
plaguing her: Sometimes He affected to pity her misfortune, then
laughed at, abused, and mimicked her; He played her a thousand
tricks, each more provoking than the other, and amused himself by
telling her that her elopement must have occasioned much
surprise at the Baron's. This was in fact the case. No one
except Agnes could imagine what was become of Dame Cunegonda:
Every hole and corner was searched for her; The Ponds were
dragged, and the Woods underwent a th
orough examination. Still
no Dame Cunegonda made her appearance. Agnes kept the secret,
and I kept the Duenna: The Baroness, therefore, remained in
total ignorance respecting the old Woman's fate, but suspected
her to have perished by suicide. Thus past away five days,
during which I had prepared every thing necessary for my
enterprise. On quitting Agnes, I had made it my first business
to dispatch a Peasant with a letter to Lucas at Munich, ordering
him to take care that a Coach and four should arrive about ten
o'clock on the fifth of May at the Village of Rosenwald. He
obeyed my instructions punctually: The Equipage arrived at the
time appointed. As the period of her Lady's elopement drew
nearer, Cunegonda's rage increased. I verily believe that spight
and passion would have killed her, had I not luckily discovered
her prepossession in favour of Cherry Brandy. With this favourite
liquor She was plentifully supplied, and Theodore always
remaining to guard her, the Gag was occasionally removed. The
liquor seemed to have a wonderful effect in softening the
acrimony of her nature; and her confinement not admitting of any
other amusement, She got drunk regularly once a day just by way
of passing the time.
The fifth of May arrived, a period by me never to be forgotten!
Before the Clock struck twelve, I betook myself to the scene of
action. Theodore followed me on horseback. I concealed the
Carriage in a spacious Cavern of the Hill, on whose brow the
Castle was situated: This Cavern was of considerable depth, and
among the peasants was known by the name of Lindenberg Hole. The
night was calm and beautiful: The Moonbeams fell upon the
antient Towers of the Castle, and shed upon their summits a
silver light. All was still around me: Nothing was to be heard
except the night breeze sighing among the leaves, the distant
barking of Village Dogs, or the Owl who had established herself
in a nook of the deserted Eastern Turret. I heard her melancholy
shriek, and looked upwards. She sat upon the ride of a window,
which I recognized to be that of the haunted Room. This brought
to my remembrance the story of the Bleeding Nun, and I sighed
while I reflected on the influence of superstition and weakness
of human reason. Suddenly I heard a faint chorus steal upon the
silence of the night.
'What can occasion that noise, Theodore?'
'A Stranger of distinction,' replied He, 'passed through the
Village today in his way to the Castle: He is reported to be
the Father of Donna Agnes. Doubtless, the Baron has given an
entertainment to celebrate his arrival.'
The Castle Bell announced the hour of midnight: This was the
usual signal for the family to retire to Bed. Soon after I
perceived lights in the Castle moving backwards and forwards in
different directions. I conjectured the company to be
separating. I could hear the heavy doors grate as they opened
with difficulty, and as they closed again the rotten Casements
rattled in their frames. The chamber of Agnes was on the other
side of the Castle. I trembled lest She should have failed in
obtaining the Key of the haunted Room: Through this it was
necessary for her to pass in order to reach the narrow
Staircase by which the Ghost was supposed to descend into the
great Hall. Agitated by this apprehension, I kept my eyes
constantly fixed upon the window, where I hoped to perceive the
friendly glare of a Lamp borne by Agnes. I now heard the massy
Gates unbarred. By the candle in his hand I distinguished old
Conrad, the Porter. He set the Portal doors wide open, and
retired. The lights in the Castle gradually disappeared, and at
length the whole Building was wrapt in darkness.
While I sat upon a broken ridge of the Hill, the stillness of the
scene inspired me with melancholy ideas not altogether
unpleasing. The Castle which stood full in my sight, formed an
object equally awful and picturesque. Its ponderous Walls tinged
by the moon with solemn brightness, its old and partly-ruined
Towers lifting themselves into the clouds and seeming to frown on
the plains around them, its lofty battlements oergrown with ivy,
and folding Gates expanding in honour of the Visionary
Inhabitant, made me sensible of a sad and reverential horror.
Yet did not these sensations occupy me so fully, as to prevent me
from witnessing with impatience the slow progress of time. I
approached the Castle, and ventured to walk round it. A few rays
of light still glimmered in the chamber of Agnes. I observed
them with joy. I was still gazing upon them, when I perceived a
figure draw near the window, and the Curtain was carefully closed
to conceal the Lamp which burned there. Convinced by this
observation that Agnes had not abandoned our plan, I returned
with a light heart to my former station.
The half-hour struck! The three-quarters struck! My bosom beat
high with hope and expectation. At length the wished-for sound
was heard. The Bell tolled 'One,' and the Mansion echoed with
the noise loud and solemn. I looked up to the Casement of the
haunted Chamber. Scarcely had five minutes elapsed, when the
expected light appeared. I was now close to the Tower. The
window was not so far from the Ground but that I fancied I
perceived a female figure with a Lamp in her hand moving slowly
along the Apartment. The light soon faded away, and all was
again dark and gloomy.
Occasional gleams of brightness darted from the Staircase
windows as the lovely Ghost past by them. I traced the light
through the Hall: It reached the Portal, and at length I beheld
Agnes pass through the folding gates. She was habited exactly
as She had described the Spectre. A chaplet of Beads hung upon
her arm; her head was enveloped in a long white veil; Her Nun's
dress was stained with blood, and She had taken care to provide
herself with a Lamp and dagger. She advanced towards the spot
where I stood. I flew to meet her, and clasped her in my arms.
'Agnes!' said I while I pressed her to my bosom,
Agnes! Agnes! Thou art mine!
Agnes! Agnes! I am thine!
In my veins while blood shall roll,
Thou art mine!
I am thine!
Thine my body! Thine my soul!
Terrified and breathless She was unable to speak: She dropt her
Lamp and dagger, and sank upon my bosom in silence. I raised her
in my arms, and conveyed her to the Carriage. Theodore remained
behind in order to release Dame Cunegonda. I also charged him
with a letter to the Baroness explaining the whole affair, and
entreating her good offices in reconciling Don Gaston to my union
with his Daughter. I discovered to her my real name: I proved
to her that my birth and expectations justified my pretending to
her Niece, and assured her, though it was out of my power to
return her love, that I would strive unceasingly to obtain her
esteem and friendship.
I stepped into the Carr
iage, where Agnes was already seated.
Theodore closed the door, and the Postillions drove away. At
first I was delighted with the rapidity of our progress; But as
soon as we were in no danger of pursuit, I called to the Drivers,
and bad them moderate their pace. They strove in vain to obey
me. The Horses refused to answer the rein, and continued to rush
on with astonishing swiftness. The Postillions redoubled their
efforts to stop them, but by kicking and plunging the Beasts soon
released themselves from this restraint. Uttering a loud shriek,
the Drivers were hurled upon the ground. Immediately thick
clouds obscured the sky: The winds howled around us, the
lightning flashed, and the Thunder roared tremendously. Never
did I behold so frightful a Tempest! Terrified by the jar of
contending elements, the Horses seemed every moment to increase
their speed. Nothing could interrupt their career; They dragged
the Carriage through Hedges and Ditches, dashed down the most
dangerous precipices, and seemed to vye in swiftness with the
rapidity of the winds.
All this while my Companion lay motionless in my arms. Truly
alarmed by the magnitude of the danger, I was in vain attempting
to recall her to her senses; when a loud crash announced, that a
stop was put to our progress in the most disagreeable manner.
The Carriage was shattered to pieces. In falling I struck my
temple against a flint. The pain of the wound, the violence of
the shock, and apprehension for the safety of Agnes combined to
overpower me so compleatly, that my senses forsook me, and I lay
without animation on the ground.
I probably remained for some time in this situation, since when I
opened my eyes, it was broad daylight. Several Peasants were
standing round me, and seemed disputing whether my recovery was
possible. I spoke German tolerably well. As soon as I could
utter an articulate sound, I enquired after Agnes. What was my
surprise and distress, when assured by the Peasants, that nobody
had been seen answering the description which I gave of her!
They told me that in going to their daily labour they had been
alarmed by observing the fragments of my Carriage, and by hearing
the groans of an Horse, the only one of the four which remained
alive: The other Three lay dead by my side. Nobody was near me
when they came up, and much time had been lost, before they
The Monk - A Romance Page 17
