volume02-第8节

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to　the　haunted　room；　descended　the　staircase　leading　into　the　Hall；　found　the　Gates　open　as　She　expected；　and　left　the　Castle　unobserved。　　What　was　her　surprize　at　not　finding　me　ready　to　receive　her！　　She　examined　the　Cavern；　ranged　through　every　Alley　of　the　neighbouring　wood；　and　passed　two　full　hours　in　this　fruitless　enquiry。　She　could　discover　no　traces　either　of　me　or　of　the　Carriage。　　Alarmed　and　disappointed；　her　only　resource　was　to　return　to　the　Castle　before　the　Baroness　missed　her：　　But　here　She　found　herself　in　a　fresh　embarrassment。　The　Bell　had　already　tolled　'Two：'　The　Ghostly　hour　was　past；　and　the　careful　Porter　had　locked　the　folding　gates。　　After　much　irresolution　She　ventured　to　knock　softly。　　Luckily　for　her；　Conrad　was　still　awake：　　He　heard　the　noise　and　rose；　murmuring　at　being　called　up　a　second　time。　　No　sooner　had　He　opened　one　of　the　Doors；　and　beheld　the　supposed　Apparition　waiting　there　for　admittance；　than　He　uttered　a　loud　cry；　and　sank　upon　his　knees。　　Agnes　profited　by　his　terror。　　She　glided　by　him；　flew　to　her　own　apartment；　and　having　thrown　off　her　Spectre's　trappings；　retired　to　bed　endeavouring　in　vain　to　account　for　my　disappearing。

In　the　mean　while　Theodore　having　seen　my　Carriage　drive　off　with　the　false　Agnes；　returned　joyfully　to　the　Village。　　The　next　morning　He　released　Cunegonda　from　her　confinement；　and　accompanied　her　to　the　Castle。　　There　He　found　the　Baron；　his　Lady；　and　Don　Gaston；　disputing　together　upon　the　Porter's　relation。　　All　of　them　agreed　in　believing　the　existence　of　Spectres：　　But　the　Latter　contended；　that　for　a　Ghost　to　knock　for　admittance　was　a　proceeding　till　then　unwitnessed；　and　totally　incompatible　with　the　immaterial　nature　of　a　Spirit。　　They　were　still　discussing　this　subject　when　the　Page　appeared　with　Cunegonda　and　cleared　up　the　mystery。　　On　hearing　his　deposition；　it　was　agreed　unanimously　that　the　Agnes　whom　Theodore　had　seen　step　into　my　Carriage　must　have　been　the　Bleeding　Nun；　and　that　the　Ghost　who　had　terrified　Conrad　was　no　other　than　Don　Gaston's　Daughter。

The　first　surprize　which　this　discovery　occasioned　being　over；　the　Baroness　resolved　to　make　it　of　use　in　persuading　her　Niece　to　take　the　veil。　　Fearing　lest　so　advantageous　an　establishment　for　his　Daughter　should　induce　Don　Gaston　to　renounce　his　resolution；　She　suppressed　my　letter；　and　continued　to　represent　me　as　a　needy　unknown　Adventurer。　　A　childish　vanity　had　led　me　to　conceal　my　real　name　even　from　my　Mistress；　I　wished　to　be　loved　for　myself；　not　for　being　the　Son　and　Heir　of　the　Marquis　de　las　Cisternas。　　The　consequence　was　that　my　rank　was　known　to　no　one　in　the　Castle　except　the　Baroness；　and　She　took　good　care　to　confine　the　knowledge　to　her　own　breast。　　Don　Gaston　having　approved　his　Sister's　design；　Agnes　was　summoned　to　appear　before　them。　　She　was　taxed　with　having　meditated　an　elopement；　obliged　to　make　a　full　confession；　and　was　amazed　at　the　gentleness　with　which　it　was　received：　　But　what　was　her　affliction；　when　informed　that　the　failure　of　her　project　must　be　attributed　to　me！　　Cunegonda；　tutored　by　the　Baroness；　told　her　that　when　I　released　her；　I　had　desired　her　to　inform　her　Lady　that　our　connexion　was　at　an　end；　that　the　whole　affair　was　occasioned　by　a　false　report；　and　that　it　by　no　means　suited　my　circumstances　to　marry　a　Woman　without　fortune　or　expectations。

To　this　account　my　sudden　disappearing　gave　but　too　great　an　air　of　probability。　　Theodore；　who　could　have　contradicted　the　story；　by　Donna　Rodolpha's　order　was　kept　out　of　her　sight：　　What　proved　a　still　greater　confirmation　of　my　being　an　Impostor；　was　the　arrival　of　a　letter　from　yourself　declaring　that　you　had　no　sort　of　acquaintance　with　Alphonso　d'Alvarada。　　These　seeming　proofs　of　my　perfidy；　aided　by　the　artful　insinuations　of　her　Aunt；　by　Cunegonda's　flattery；　and　her　Father's　threats　and　anger；　entirely　conquered　your　Sister's　repugnance　to　a　Convent。　　Incensed　at　my　behaviour；　and　disgusted　with　the　world　in　general；　She　consented　to　receive　the　veil。　　She　past　another　Month　at　the　Castle　of　Lindenberg；　during　which　my　non…appearance　confirmed　her　in　her　resolution；　and　then　accompanied　Don　Gaston　into　Spain。　　Theodore　was　now　set　at　liberty。　　He　hastened　to　Munich；　where　I　had　promised　to　let　him　hear　from　me；　But　finding　from　Lucas　that　I　had　never　arrived　there；　He　pursued　his　search　with　indefatigable　perseverance；　and　at　length　succeeded　in　rejoining　me　at　Ratisbon。

So　much　was　I　altered；　that　scarcely　could　He　recollect　my　features：　　The　distress　visible　upon　his　sufficiently　testified　how　lively　was　the　interest　which　He　felt　for　me。　　The　society　of　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？