this amiable Boy, whom I had always considered rather as a
Companion than a Servant, was now my only comfort. His
conversation was gay yet sensible, and his observations shrewd
and entertaining: He had picked up much more knowledge than is
usual at his Age: But what rendered him most agreeable to me,
was his having a delightful voice, and some skill in Music. He
had also acquired some taste in poetry, and even ventured
sometimes to write verses himself. He occasionally composed
little Ballads in Spanish, his compositions were but indifferent,
I must confess; yet they were pleasing to me from their novelty,
and hearing him sing them to his guitar was the only amusement,
which I was capable of receiving. Theodore perceived well enough
that something preyed upon my mind; But as I concealed the cause
of my grief even from him, Respect would not permit him to pry
into my secrets.
One Evening I was lying upon my Sopha, plunged in reflections
very far from agreeable: Theodore amused himself by observing
from the window a Battle between two Postillions, who were
quarrelling in the Inn-yard.
'Ha! Ha!' cried He suddenly; 'Yonder is the Great Mogul.'
'Who?' said I.
'Only a Man who made me a strange speech at Munich.'
'What was the purport of it?'
'Now you put me in mind of it, Segnor, it was a kind of message
to you; but truly it was not worth delivering. I believe the
Fellow to be mad, for my part. When I came to Munich in search
of you, I found him living at 'The King of the Romans,' and the
Host gave me an odd account of him. By his accent He is supposed
to be a Foreigner, but of what Country nobody can tell. He
seemed to have no acquaintance in the Town, spoke very seldom,
and never was seen to smile. He had neither Servants or Baggage;
But his Purse seemed well-furnished, and He did much good in the
Town. Some supposed him to be an Arabian Astrologer, Others to
be a Travelling Mountebank, and many declared that He was Doctor
Faustus, whom the Devil had sent back to Germany. The Landlord,
however told me, that He had the best reasons to believe him to
be the Great Mogul incognito.'
'But the strange speech, Theodore.'
'True, I had almost forgotten the speech: Indeed for that
matter, it would not have been a great loss if I had forgotten
it altogether. You are to know, Segnor, that while I was
enquiring about you of the Landlord, this Stranger passed by. He
stopped, and looked at me earnestly. 'Youth!' said He in a solemn
voice, 'He whom you seek, has found that which He would fain
lose. My hand alone can dry up the blood: Bid your Master wish
for me when the Clock strikes, 'One.'
'How?' cried I, starting from my Sopha. (The words which
Theodore had repeated, seemed to imply the Stranger's knowledge
of my secret) 'Fly to him, my Boy! Entreat him to grant me one
moment's conversation!'
Theodore was surprised at the vivacity of my manner: However, He
asked no questions, but hastened to obey me. I waited his return
impatiently. But a short space of time had elapsed when He again
appeared and ushered the expected Guest into my chamber. He was
a Man of majestic presence: His countenance was strongly marked,
and his eyes were large, black, and sparkling: Yet there was a
something in his look which, the moment that I saw him, inspired
me with a secret awe, not to say horror. He was drest plainly,
his hair was unpowdered, and a band of black velvet which
encircled his forehead spread over his features an additional
gloom. His countenance wore the marks of profound melancholy;
his step was slow, and his manner grave, stately, and solemn.
He saluted me with politeness; and having replied to the usual
compliments of introduction, He motioned to Theodore to quit the
chamber. The Page instantly withdrew.
'I know your business,' said He, without giving me time to speak.
'I have the power of releasing you from your nightly Visitor; But
this cannot be done before Sunday. On the hour when the Sabbath
Morning breaks, Spirits of darkness have least influence over
Mortals. After Saturday the Nun shall visit you no more.'
'May I not enquire,' said I, 'by what means you are in possession
of a secret which I have carefully concealed from the knowledge
of everyone?'
'How can I be ignorant of your distress, when their cause at this
moment stands beside you?'
I started. The Stranger continued.
'Though to you only visible for one hour in the twenty-four,
neither day or night does She ever quit you; Nor will She ever
quit you till you have granted her request.'
'And what is that request?'
'That She must herself explain: It lies not in my knowledge.
Wait with patience for the night of Saturday: All shall be then
cleared up.'
I dared not press him further. He soon after changed the
conversation and talked of various matters. He named People who
had ceased to exist for many Centuries, and yet with whom He
appeared to have been personally acquainted. I could not mention
a Country however distant which He had not visited, nor could I
sufficiently admire the extent and variety of his information.
I remarked to him that having travelled, seen, and known so much,
must have given him infinite pleasure. He shook his head
mournfully.
'No one,' He replied, 'is adequate to comprehending the misery of
my lot! Fate obliges me to be constantly in movement: I am not
permitted to pass more than a fortnight in the same place. I
have no Friend in the world, and from the restlessness of my
destiny I never can acquire one. Fain would I lay down my
miserable life, for I envy those who enjoy the quiet of the
Grave: But Death eludes me, and flies from my embrace. In vain
do I throw myself in the way of danger. I plunge into the Ocean;
The Waves throw me back with abhorrence upon the shore: I rush
into fire; The flames recoil at my approach: I oppose myself to
the fury of Banditti; Their swords become blunted, and break
against my breast: The hungry Tiger shudders at my approach, and
the Alligator flies from a Monster more horrible than itself.
God has set his seal upon me, and all his Creatures respect this
fatal mark!'
He put his hand to the velvet, which was bound round his
forehead. There was in his eyes an expression of fury, despair,
and malevolence, that struck horror to my very soul. An
involuntary convulsion made me shudder. The Stranger perceived
it.
'Such is the curse imposed on me,' he continued: 'I am doomed to
inspire all who look on me with terror and detestation. You
already feel the influence of the charm, and with every
succeeding moment will feel it more. I will not add to your
sufferings by my presence. Farewell till Saturday. As soon as
the Clock strikes twelve, expect me at your chamber door.'
Having said this He departed, leaving me in astonishment a
t the
mysterious turn of his manner and conversation.
His assurances that I should soon be relieved from the
Apparition's visits produced a good effect upon my constitution.
Theodore, whom I rather treated as an adopted Child than a
Domestic, was surprized at his return to observe the amendment in
my looks. He congratulated me on this symptom of returning
health, and declared himself delighted at my having received so
much benefit from my conference with the Great Mogul. Upon
enquiry I found that the Stranger had already past eight days in
Ratisbon: According to his own account, therefore, He was only
to remain there six days longer. Saturday was still at the
distance of Three. Oh! with what impatience did I expect its
arrival! In the interim, the Bleeding Nun continued her
nocturnal visits; But hoping soon to be released from them
altogether, the effects which they produced on me became less
violent than before.
The wished-for night arrived. To avoid creating suspicion I
retired to bed at my usual hour: But as soon as my Attendants
had left me, I dressed myself again, and prepared for the
Stranger's reception. He entered my room upon the turn of
midnight. A small Chest was in his hand, which He placed near
the Stove. He saluted me without speaking; I returned the
compliment, observing an equal silence. He then opened his
Chest. The first thing which He produced was a small wooden
Crucifix: He sank upon his knees, gazed upon it mournfully, and
cast his eyes towards heaven. He seemed to be praying devoutly.
At length He bowed his head respectfully, kissed the Crucifix
thrice, and quitted his kneeling posture. He next drew from the
Chest a covered Goblet: With the liquor which it contained, and
which appeared to be blood, He sprinkled the floor, and then
dipping in it one end of the Crucifix, He described a circle in
the middle of the room. Round about this He placed various
reliques, sculls, thigh-bones &c; I observed, that He disposed
them all in the forms of Crosses. Lastly He took out a large
Bible, and beckoned me to follow him into the Circle. I obeyed.
'Be cautious not to utter a syllable!' whispered the Stranger;
'Step not out of the circle, and as you love yourself, dare not
to look upon my face!'
Holding the Crucifix in one hand, the Bible in the other, He
seemed to read with profound attention. The Clock struck 'One'!
As usual I heard the Spectre's steps upon the Staircase: But I
was not seized with the accustomed shivering. I waited her
approach with confidence. She entered the room, drew near the
Circle, and stopped. The Stranger muttered some words, to me
unintelligible. Then raising his head from the Book, and
extending the Crucifix towards the Ghost, He pronounced in a
voice distinct and solemn,
'Beatrice! Beatrice! Beatrice!'
'What wouldst Thou?' replied the Apparition in a hollow faltering
tone.
'What disturbs thy sleep? Why dost thou afflict and torture this
Youth? How can rest be restored to thy unquiet Spirit?'
'I dare not tell!--I must not tell!--Fain would I repose in my
Grave, but stern commands force me to prolong my punishment!'
'Knowest Thou this blood? Knowest Thou in whose veins it flowed?
Beatrice! Beatrice! In his name I charge thee to answer me!'
'I dare not disobey my taskers.'
'Darest Thou disobey Me?'
He spoke in a commanding tone, and drew the sable band from his
forehead. In spite of his injunctions to the contrary,
Curiosity would not suffer me to keep my eyes off his face: I
raised them, and beheld a burning Cross impressed upon his brow.
For the horror with which this object inspired me I cannot
account, but I never felt its equal! My senses left me for some
moments; A mysterious dread overcame my courage, and had not the
Exorciser caught my hand, I should have fallen out of the Circle.
When I recovered myself, I perceived that the burning Cross had
produced an effect no less violent upon the Spectre. Her
countenance expressed reverence, and horror, and her visionary
limbs were shaken by fear.
'Yes!' She said at length; 'I tremble at that mark!-- respect
it!--I obey you! Know then, that my bones lie still unburied:
They rot in the obscurity of Lindenberg Hole. None but this
Youth has the right of consigning them to the Grave. His own
lips have made over to me his body and his soul: Never will I
give back his promise, never shall He know a night devoid of
terror, unless He engages to collect my mouldering bones, and
deposit them in the family vault of his Andalusian Castle. Then
let thirty Masses be said for the repose of my Spirit, and I
trouble this world no more. Now let me depart! Those flames are
scorching!'
He let the hand drop slowly which held the Crucifix, and which
till then He had pointed towards her. The apparition bowed her
head, and her form melted into air. The Exorciser led me out of
the Circle. He replaced the Bible &c. in the Chest, and then
addressed himself to me, who stood near him speechless from
astonishment.
'Don Raymond, you have heard the conditions on which repose is
promised you. Be it your business to fulfil them to the letter.
For me nothing more remains than to clear up the darkness still
spread over the Spectre's History, and inform you that when
living, Beatrice bore the name of las Cisternas. She was the
great Aunt of your Grandfather: In quality of your relation,
her ashes demand respect from you, though the enormity of her
crimes must excite your abhorrence. The nature of those crimes
no one is more capable of explaining to you than myself: I was
personally acquainted with the holy Man who proscribed her
nocturnal riots in the Castle of Lindenberg, and I hold this
narrative from his own lips.
'Beatrice de las Cisternas took the veil at an early age, not by
her own choice, but at the express command of her Parents. She
was then too young to regret the pleasures of which her
profession deprived her: But no sooner did her warm and
voluptuous character begin to be developed than She abandoned
herself freely to the impulse of her passions, and seized the
first opportunity to procure their gratification. This
opportunity was at length presented, after many obstacles which
only added new force to her desires. She contrived to elope from
the Convent, and fled to Germany with the Baron Lindenberg. She
lived at his Castle several months as his avowed Concubine: All
Bavaria was scandalized by her impudent and abandoned conduct.
Her feasts vied in luxury with Cleopatra's, and Lindenberg became
the Theatre of the most unbridled debauchery. Not satisfied with
displaying the incontinence of a Prostitute, She professed
herself an Atheist: She took every opportunity to scoff at her
monastic vows, and loaded with ridicule the most sacred
ceremonies of Religion.
'Possessed of a
character so depraved, She did not long confine
her affections to one object. Soon after her arrival at the
Castle, the Baron's younger Brother attracted her notice by his
strong-marked features, gigantic Stature, and Herculean limbs.
She was not of an humour to keep her inclinations long unknown;
But She found in Otto von Lindenberg her equal in depravity. He
returned her passion just sufficiently to increase it; and when
He had worked it up to the desired pitch, He fixed the price of
his love at his Brother's murder. The Wretch consented to this
horrible agreement. A night was pitched upon for perpetrating
the deed. Otto, who resided on a small Estate a few miles
distant from the Castle, promised that at One in the morning He
would be waiting for her at Lindenberg Hole; that He would bring
with him a party of chosen Friends, by whose aid He doubted not
being able to make himself Master of the Castle; and that his
next step should be the uniting her hand to his. It was this
last promise, which overruled every scruple of Beatrice, since in
spite of his affection for her, the Baron had declared positively
that He never would make her his Wife.
'The fatal night arrived. The Baron slept in the arms of his
perfidious Mistress, when the Castle-Bell struck 'One.'
Immediately Beatrice drew a dagger from underneath the pillow,
and plunged it in her Paramour's heart. The Baron uttered a
single dreadful groan, and expired. The Murderess quitted her
bed hastily, took a Lamp in one hand, in the other the bloody
dagger, and bent her course towards the cavern. The Porter dared
not to refuse opening the Gates to one more dreaded in the
Castle than its Master. Beatrice reached Lindenberg Hole
unopposed, where according to promise She found Otto waiting for
her. He received and listened to her narrative with transport:
But ere She had time to ask why He came unaccompanied, He
convinced her that He wished for no witnesses to their interview.
Anxious to conceal his share in the murder, and to free himself
from a Woman, whose violent and atrocious character made him
tremble with reason for his own safety, He had resolved on the
destruction of his wretched Agent. Rushing upon her suddenly, He
wrested the dagger from her hand: He plunged it still reeking
with his Brother's blood in her bosom, and put an end to her
existence by repeated blows.
The Monk - A Romance Page 19
