Mean time, Ferdinand and the Count expressed a good deal of anxiety that they had no return to the letters they had written.—For five or six days past, they had daily expected them, and the disappointment grew very painful.
To divert their attention, they asked the young Count Reiberg to ride with them to the Turk's cottage, as they wished to know if he had gained any information relative to Fatima.
On arriving at the house, they were surprised to see all the window shutters fastened. The Count advanced to the door, and knocking with his whip, found the door was on a jar. They alighted, and repeated the knock; but no one appearing, and fancying they heard a noise something like the moan of a person in pain, they pushed open the door, and ventured in. There was no one below, but an appearance of disorder in the room, the closet open, and things scattered about, that gave them an idea some ruffians had broken in and plundered the house.
They had no fire arms with them, and therefore went cautiously up stairs.—The same disorder was apparent in the first room they entered; but on going through to an inner apartment, how greatly were they astonished and shocked, to behold a gentleman on the floor dead or dying, and Heli also on the floor, with very little appearance of life, though he feebly moved one of his hands, as they hastened towards him.
The blood was running from a wound in his neck; this they quickly staunched with their handkerchiefs, bound up the wound, and raised him upon the sofa; whilst the Count and Baron were attending to him.—Ferdinand had examined the gentleman, who seemed to be dangerously wounded, and scarcely alive. His wound was in the side, and, as they supposed, proceeded from a pistol; therefore, not knowing where the bullet might be lodged they could form no judgment of his danger; however, they stopped the blood, washed his face with cold water, and, by the help of drops, he soon began to show signs of life. He opened his eyes, and making a great effort to speak,
"Your help is in vain—I am dying."
"Do not despair, Sir," said Reiberg.—And pouring some drops into water, he got a little down his throat.—Again trying to speak, he said, "'Tis in vain!"—Not, however, discouraged, they raised him upon a sofa likewise, and Reiberg got upon his horse, and flew towards the city for a surgeon.
On his return with one in a very short space of time, he found they were both alive, Heli in a much better state than the other;—but he preserved a sullen silence; the gentleman was incapable of speaking. The surgeon having examined their wounds, pronounced Heli's not dangerous, but the other's very doubtful, as he could not then extract the ball. After he had dressed them, and given them some cordials to restore their spirits, the gentleman seemed to acquire some strength.
"I must die," said he to the surgeon; "I know I must; flatter me not."
"I fear indeed," answered he; "if you have friends, or any thing to do, no time should be lost."
"This then is the end," exclaimed the other feebly, and paused for a few moments; then turning to the gentlemen, 'this is the conclusion of a life short as to years—but an eternity in vice and wickedness.
"I am Count Wolfran—Louisa Hautweitzer is my lawful wife—she must inherit. I die by the hand of a vile Turk, cut off when projecting the death of others. This is retribution.—Women—passion, vile principles, have destroyed me.—I have a house, servants, wretches in the——."
Here his articulation failed; he struggled violently to speak, which occasioned his wounds to bleed afresh, and carried him off in a few moments.
Heli viewed this scene with a gloomy ferocity, but spoke not. Ferdinand and his friends were equally shocked and surprised.
"Unhappy man," cried the Count, 'this is indeed a terrible conclusion of an ill-spent life."
"Do you then know the gentleman?" asked the surgeon; "I understood he was a stranger."
"Personally so," returned Count M***, "his name, I know, has too often been disgraced by bad actions—but here they rest."
Turning to Heli—"Perhaps he can give some solution of this strange business.—My friend," said he to Ferdinand, "will you inquire."
The surgeon here interposed.—"I think, gentlemen, you had best defer 'till to-morrow any examination; the sudden and fatal effects which attend the agitation of the spirits, we have just seen; and if I can translate that man's looks, he is not likely to be very placid."
They subscribed to this opinion; and therefore Ferdinand addressed him in very soothing terms, to which the other made no reply.
The body was removed to another room, and the surgeon undertook to send a proper person to attend on Heli.
"But what," cried the Count, "is become of the women servants?"
This question was again asked of Heli.
"The devil has them," answered he, sulkily.
They then proceeded to search the house. No person was to be found; the trunks and closets were all open and stripped.
"The house is robbed," said Ferdinand to Heli.
"By your cursed sister," returned he in German.
The surgeon and Reiberg stared.—Ferdinand was extremely confused; but recovering himself—"If the woman you call my sister," answered he in the same language, "has robbed you, you can blame only yourself; I disclaim all knowledge or affinity to her."
Heli did not perfectly understand him, but again furiously and maliciously repeated, "your sister, the cursed Fatima."
Provoked and much hurt, he said to the surgeon, "I entreat of you, Sir, to inquire out for an interpreter for this man; he knows not what he means; let him have a proper person to explain what he says, that he may not be misunderstood."
The surgeon, whose curiosity was evidently much excited, promised instantly to comply with his request; upon which they left him there with one of Count Reiberg's servants, another having been sent away for the surgeon's assistant, on whose arrival he promised to set off and procure an interpreter.
The gentlemen, particularly Ferdinand, left the house under much perturbation. The latter bitterly lamented his folly, in making himself known to Fatima; for as he supposed her capable of any excesses, should the Turk promulgate the report of his consanguinity to her, it would reflect infinite disgrace on his name, and render him an object of curiosity to the inhabitants of the city.
Perplexed and uneasy, he returned to the Baron's, and saw no method to do away the prejudice with which Heli's story and malicious expressions might possibly fill young Reiberg's mind to his disadvantage, than by a brief recital of the adventure which had brought him to the knowledge of Fatima, to the truth of which his friend the Count could bear testimony.
He therefore seized the first opportunity, when the dinner was over, and the servants withdrawn, candidly to repeat every circumstance; and concluded with saying, that from Fatima's elopement, and the presence of Count Wolfran at Heli's, he had little doubt but that they had contrived some dark plot, in the execution of which the Count had fallen a victim; but by whom the house was robbed, or the preceding circumstances, could only be learnt from Heli, whose sullen taciturnity for the present afforded no lights to guide their search.
When Ferdinand had concluded the little narrative, which he thought requisite to do himself justice, he could not avoid remarking an uncommon spirit and animation in the appearance of Reiberg; his looks, his voice, his whole form, seemed to possess a new soul; involved in perplexity on his own affairs, 'till this moment the alteration had escaped his notice.
The other, observing that both the Count and Ferdinand looked at him with surprise, caught the hand of the latter—"My dear Sir, I can translate your thoughts; know then, the events of this morning nearly concern me; they hold out a dawn of hope, a possibility of happiness, which I thought for ever extinguished: Count Wolfran was my mortal enemy; he robbed me of the woman I adored; his relations were her guardians, they compelled her to give him her hand;—he is dead, and she is free.—Heaven is just—and I may hope."
The Count and Ferdinand were astonished at this development, and more so to find that he was unacquainted with the circumstances
that had occasioned a separation between the Count and his lady.
"Where does the Countess reside?" asked Ferdinand.
"I believe in a convent," answered Reiberg.—"I have only once heard from her since her fatal marriage. She wrote to me, that, by mutual consent, she was separated from her husband, and intended to retire from the world; conjured me, as I valued her future happiness, if chance should ever throw me in the way of Count Wolfran, whatever reports might reach my ears, as probably many false stories might be promulgated, never to lift my hand against his, or embitter her days, by hazarding my own life: Entreated me to consider her as dead to the world, and to form another connexion, which she knew was most anxiously wished for by my friends.
"The first part of her request I resolved strictly to observe: I sought not Count Wolfran—I desired not to meet him, since his death, by my hands, would have placed an insuperable bar to any hopes from Theodosia; but the passion she had inspired was interwoven with my existence, impossible to be eradicated, and being hopeless, produced an entire change in my disposition. I found myself insensibly growing morose, unsociable, and unpleasant to my friends; my temper seemed to be utterly ruined; but the events of this morning has occasioned an entire revolution in my feelings; the possibility of hope has restored me to myself.
"A few words the Count uttered, as he was dying, surprises and confounds me.—He said, 'Louisa:' The tumult of my spirits, at the moment, has lost the recollection of the other name; but he said, 'Louisa is my wife—she must inherit.'
"What could be meant; had he two wives, or is my Theodosia dead? The idea chills me; for I know not the name of the convent she retired to.—"Till this doubt is removed, I cannot give myself up to joy, tho" my heart feels light, and presages happiness. The Count, I know, has an estate near Ulm, and I believe relations there: We must dispatch a courier to them, and then my destiny will be decided."
Count M*** and Ferdinand, having listened with much satisfaction to the volubility of Reiberg, who had spoken more words in a few moments than he had uttered in several days, felt infinite pleasure that they could do away some part of his apprehensions, by assuring him that Theodosia still existed, and even named to him the convent she resided at; but their confidence was limited; for her situation, in respect to the Count, being very delicate, they held themselves bound to conceal that part of her story, and even prevailed with the Baron to delay sending off a messenger until the next morning, under the pretence of gaining further information from Heli; but in reality they wanted to inform Louisa of this event, and consult with her the proper steps necessary to assert her rights.
By advice of the Count, Ferdinand set out to see her, whilst the former, with Reiberg, went to visit Heli.
CHAPTER XI
When Ferdinand arrived at Dr. Renau's, he heard that Louisa was very much recovered, and on being introduced to her, was charmed to see her more easy, and apparently in better health than he could have expected. After a few compliments, and a little preparatory chat, he bid her prepare to hear news interesting and pleasing, and then entered upon the scenes which they had witnessed at Heli's cottage.
Louisa was both surprised and affected.—She shed many tears for the dreadful fate of a man she once tenderly loved; thus cut off in the high career of vice, when he was planning new schemes of mischief. After she grew a little composed, he repeated the story of Count Reiberg, and concluded with asking what directions she would give him or her friends to prosecute her claims to a share of the late Count's property, as his widow; his last words before witnesses would corroborate the circumstances she could bring forth.—After pausing for some time, she delivered her sentiments in these words:
"There was a time, when, to be acknowledged the wife of Count Wolfran, would have been my pride, my happiness; that time is no more. To be justified in the opinion of my generous friends and protectors, is now the only gratification his confession can afford me.
"I never will make any public claims;—my story is unknown, but among my few friends; there let it rest.—The generous, noble-minded Theodosia, was married in the face of the world; she has a child; that child is his lawful heir; nor for millions would I deprive it of its rights, or occasion confusion to its amiable mother, by the ill natured observations of little minds, who will judge superficially of the deception practised against her.
"This then is my determination: I will not appear in the business; Theodosia is Countess of Wolfran; send an express to her; let her emerge from her solitude, and act for her child, as heir to the Count; her claims are incontestable—mine, were I inclined to assert them, might subject me to trouble from his relations; but I have no such inclinations; a thousand reasons of delicacy, honour, and gratitude, determine me to resign all my pretensions."
"But," said Ferdinand, "how shall we account for the last words of the Count, spoken before Reiberg and the surgeon? of which the former has taken notice."
"As the delirium of the moment," answered she.—"The surgeon cannot be interested to investigate it: The Countess will be recognized by all his friends and her's, and Reiberg may be led to believe it was some transient attachment he had lately formed. The words of a dying man, situated as he was, may easily be overlooked."
"Well," said Ferdinand, "I admire your resolution exceedingly; I trust we shall, in a few hours, have the benefit of Mr. D'Alenberg's advice; for I think they will not delay their journey, when they know your situation."
"I believe so," replied Louisa, "and shall rejoice to see them; but my determination is fixed, as to resigning all claims on the deceased or his property.—On that head, I have made up my mind; nor will any advice or persuasions prevail upon me to alter it; and indeed there is less generosity than justice in this resolve, because I have no one that can be benefited by the Count's fortune; and his child is, and ought to be, his heir; therefore, dear Sir, have no doubts on the business; send off to the Countess without delay; I will prepare a letter to go by the same courier."
As Ferdinand observed that she appeared fatigued with talking, and saw she was truly decided, he forebore intruding on her by farther conversation, and retired to procure a messenger; also to fabricate some plausible story to account for the last words of Count Wolfran.
When he returned, he found his friend the Count, and young Reiberg, were still absent; he waited on the Baron, and consulted him about the disposal of the Count's body, until the pleasure of his lady should be made known. The Baron readily undertook to manage that business, and to send a proper person with a shell to remove it from Heli's.
They began to be extremely surprised at the long absence of the others; night came on, and they did not appear, when suddenly a loud knocking revived their spirits; presently they heard a bustle, when four armed men rushed in, and produced their authority to arrest Ferdinand for robbery and murder!
Inconceivably astonished, the Baron and he gazed on each other for a few seconds in silence; but the former first recovering, cried out, "This is a false and malicious charge; I know this gentleman; I can answer for his honour and innocence."
"Very possibly, Sir," replied the principal of them; "but that must be proved; we can do nothing about it; we must obey the warrant; and if the gentleman is innocent, he will soon be at liberty; he must, however, go with us." Ferdinand had by this time recovered from his surprise; turning to the Baron—"Be not disconcerted, Sir, the business will soon take another turn; the man is right; I must comply with the mandate, and appeal elsewhere." At that moment entered the Count and young Reiberg.
"How! What is the meaning of all this?" cried the latter.
His father briefly informed him of the charge and arrest.
"That cursed revengeful Turk," exclaimed the Count; "but he shall not be carried to a prison."
"I beseech you, my good friends," said Ferdinand, "not to oppose the authority issued against me. Innocence is best proved by a quiet submission to the laws, and a proper appeal to higher powers. I am ready to attend you," said he, turning to t
he man.
"Sir," returned the man, who had spoken before, "you are a gentleman and an honourable one too.—I am certain—I am sorry I am ordered on such an affair; but I hope you will soon have your liberty."
"I thank you, my good fellow," replied he.
Then embracing his friends, after they had inquired where he was to be carried to, they parted.
No sooner had Ferdinand been taken off, than young Reiberg gave the following relation to his father:
"When we arrived at the cottage, we were extremely surprised to be seized upon by five or six men, on our entrance into Heli's apartment. My first idea was, that they were banditti, but I was soon convinced of my mistake. Heli was reclined on the sofa, as we had left him; a man, who we found was an interpreter, standing by his side.
"On seeing us, he spoke with an appearance of chagrin to the other: He asked where the other gentleman was that had been there in the morning? I replied we had left him in the city, and demanded to know the reason we were thus seized upon. The interpreter made the following reply:
"'I was sent here this morning by a surgeon; just as I arrived, came these men also, with orders to arrest this Turk for the murder of Count Wolfran, information of which had been given to a magistrate.—I explained to Heli their business; he grew outrageous, and denied the fact: Meantime, two of the men had searched the house, had found the dead body, and some empty pistols.
"'This corroborated the charge, and they were on the point of dragging him away wounded as he is.—When he understood this, he declared, that a gentleman, who called himself Count Ferdinand, but who he believed to be a rogue and a sharper, with his sister, calling herself Fatima, had concerted with the late Count to enter his house, and plunder him of some jewels, which the two former knew he had with him.
"'That the Count, Fatima, and a strange man, assaulted him; he made resistance;—upon which the woman had stabbed him in the neck, and he directly caught up a pistol, and fired on the Count: That seeing him fall, and Heli faint with the blood that flowed from his wound, also falling, they had proceeded to plunder the house, had carried off his casket of jewels, and fled, leaving him and the Count to all appearance dying; and then the former confessed Ferdinand had persuaded his sister to get possession of those jewels.
The Complete Northanger Horrid Novel Collection (9 Books of Gothic Romance and Horror) Page 187
