"Volkert, Volkert, for God's sake have mercy on me; save me from an ocean of doubts; spare me, O spare me; save me from the disgrace of appearing to myself and my friends a fool and a superstitious fanatic! Tell me, O tell me, am I indeed deceived? O, I will forgive thee, I will pronounce thee my benefactor, my saviour, only speak--tell me I am not deceived!"
"The tears ran down his cheeks as he pronounced these words, spoken in a most violent passion.
"It is a terrible, awful sight to see a man weep. I turned my eye away from the affecting scene, not being able to behold it any longer. The rest of my companions were seized anew with dumb stupefaction when they saw the violent emotions of my venerable friend, and a pause of unutterable horror ensued after the Austrian's speech. The old man either would or could not speak, and the Austrian began once more to address the hoary deceiver in an accent of utter insensibility, and with a sternness of look not to be described.
"Volkert, thou wilt not know me. I will spare thee the disgrace of confessing thine own guilt, but if thou wert in my power----"
"His eyes darted flashes of lightning, and his voice was like the roaring of thunder.
"If thou wert in my power, I would make thee confess thy cheats, and if I should be forced to beat thy old rascally limbs to atoms, and to draw thy black blood from thy diabolical heart by single drops, I would make thee confess; but," added he in a more gentle accent, "thou art not within the reach of my power, and it is well that it is so. Volkert, here is my hand, I forgive thee. Thou not only deservest my forgiveness, but also my sincere gratitude, because thou hast given me a wholesome lesson, hast taught me, that everybody, though ever so wise, may be deceived; and I think I have not paid too dear for it."
"Volkert wanted to speak, but he could not, being overcome by a sudden emotion, and hid his face with his hands.
"Well, Volkert," resumed the Austrian, "I see thou art not quite so bad as I thought. I will not compel thee to a confession, though I am wishing most ardently to have my doubts cleared up, and trust that thou wouldst tell me more than I want to know. I will not distress thee any longer by my presence; I am going to leave this house and this town for ever.
"Gentlemen," added he, addressing us, "I have deceived you, by supporting the reality of things which have been nothing but illusion; from this moment I have forfeited your good opinion, and the honour of being admitted any longer to a circle where I have been respected. You may call my resolution pride, caprice, or whatever you please, I cannot remain here any longer, and I am determined to depart this instant; farewell, live happy."
"Having addressed us in so unexpected a manner, he hurried out of the room, taking no particular leave of me. Sympathizing with his feelings, I thought it proper not to pay him a parting visit, because I knew it would recall disagreeable recollections, and give him pain.
"A parting look which he gave me, when he was leaving the room, told me more than words could have done. Mine eyes were bathed with tears. I have seen him no more, and shall never forget that unhappy night which has robbed me of such a valuable friend, and deprived me of the darling of my soul.
"When the Austrian and the corporals had left us, the Necromancer was likewise going to leave the room. His appearance was sullen and gloomy, his looks cast down. My friends were also stirring and stopped him, forming a circle round him.
"The landlord was still in a maze of silent wonder, not knowing what to think of what had happened. I was dejected and melancholy, and had banished from my soul every idea of vengeance; my companions, however, seemed not inclined to let him get off so cheaply, and insisted on his explaining how he had contrived to cheat us; but the innkeeper interfered, imploring them not to ruin him entirely, by quarrelling in his house.
"Lieutenant N---- threatened at last to give him up to the civil power, if he would not confess, which I at first likewise had determined to do, how he had deceived us; however, his stubbornness could not be shaken, and he remained as silent as the grave.
"Seeing that every further means to break his obstinacy would prove fruitless, I interfered, advising my fellow adventurers to let him depart in peace.
"Upon the whole," added I, "it matters not how we have been deceived; our friend the Austrian has set us an example how one ought to behave on such an occasion. Let us, like him, forgive the wretch, he is below our resentment."
"These words produced the desired effect on the minds of my fellow adventurers, who were stung with shame and remorse, but none of them more than Lieutenant N----. He blushed at his idle fears and his credulity, leaving the room abruptly, accompanied by his friends and the landlord.
"Being now left alone with the Necromancer, I flattered myself to succeed better than my companions, and to get informed of what I so eagerly wanted to know; but I was mistaken, his stubborn reserve baffled all my solicitations.
"farewell, Lieutenant," said he, as he was going to leave the room, "I did not know you at first, and I am rejoiced that you have escaped your doom. I do not deserve your noble, generous treatment: farewell, and remember sometimes Volkert the Necromancer. If you could see my heart, you rather would pity than despise me; I may perhaps one time find an opportunity of being serviceable to you, and of proving my gratitude by deeds."
"I went down stairs with him, and having seen him to the door he squeezed my hand and hurried away. I left the fatal house in a strange situation of mind, and it struck one o'clock when I came home. I went to bed, but not to rest, my fancy being haunted by gloomy ideas, which kept sleep and repose at a distance. Early in the morning my fellow adventurers came to see me, requesting me to unfold the mysteries of the preceding night.
"We know," began Lieutenant N----, their spokesman, "we know that you are, or at least have been, very intimate with the Austrian, and you will, of course, be able to inform us, how your friend came to be acquainted with the cheats of the Necromancer. We have reason to think that he would have acted with more circumspection, if he had known that the Necromancer was no other person than Volkert his former intimate favourite. We hope you will be so kind to clear up the matter. The Austrian's firmness of mind, his solid character, and his unshaken belief in the possibility of apparitions, give us strong reasons to think that he cannot have acted thus without mature deliberation."
"Being but ill-disposed to enter into a circumstantial narrative, and not at all inclined to inform the intruding gentlemen of our adventures at the Haunted Castle, I called one of my corporals, who had been on the watch in the fatal inn the preceding night. "This man," said I, "will tell you more of the matter than I know, having watched every motion of the Necromancer, and discovered all his secret machination."
"The old veteran was very willing to satisfy their curiosity, and began a prolix narration of every proceeding in the lower apartment of the inn. The innkeeper was, he related, deceived like ourselves, but his servants had acted in concert with Volkert, and enabled by their assistance to impose upon us.
"Not being disposed to listen to his tale, I did not mind what he related, but my visitors, more attentive than myself, appeared at least to be fully satisfied and left me, after a profusion of thanks for having freed them of the doubts and errors.
"The separation from my venerable friend had spread a melancholy gloom over my mind, which nothing could dispel.
"The third day after his departure, I could no longer stay in a place where every object reminded me of so many hours of bliss, and of the man, whose friendship had made me so truly happy; I bade my servant pack my trunks, ordered my corporals to keep themselves ready, and left F---- after a few days.
"My journey afforded me but little amusement, being not able to wean my gloomy mind from the painful recollection of the time past, the image of my friend rushing ever and anon on my soul, and I could not resist the ardent desire of being re-united to him.
"I sat in the stage musing on what was past, revolving in my mind the strange events of the Haunted Castle, and the inn, and examining minutely all the parti
culars, but I grew not a bit wiser: that Volkert was an impostor could not be doubted, but how he had managed his artful cheats and what his views had been in deceiving us, I could not unravel in a satisfactory manner; I examined singly all his transactions I knew, pondered with the greatest accuracy what the Austrian had related of his earlier exploits, but I was not able to dispel the impenetrable darkness which I was bewildered in.
"The final result of my meditations was, that anybody, though ever so circumspect and wise, would, like my worthy friend, have been deceived by his intricate machinations, and tempted to adopt the opinion that enlightened officer had once defended so stoutly.
"I was almost angry with myself for having let slip the opportunity of forcing that dangerous man to a confession of his dark and diabolical transgressions. It is true, I myself knew him as a hardened impostor, but could he not drag into the gulf of perdition many of my fellow creatures, who, like myself, would fall an easy victim to his deceitful hypocrisy?
"This thought overwhelmed me with a load of uneasiness, and I reproached myself severely for having imitated the over-generous example of the Austrian, and suffered the accomplished villain to decamp without punishment. I had, indeed, reason to apprehend that the magistrate of F---- would not have regarded much the information of a recruiting officer against a citizen, and that the innkeeper would have been induced, by fear or bribe, to contradict our denunciation; nevertheless, I should have had the satisfaction of having performed my duty, and cautioned the inhabitants of F---- against that dangerous villain.
"Tormented with this and similar thoughts did I finish my first day's journey, struggling in vain to recover my wonted cheerfulness, my mind being then too much occupied by gloominess, and an entire stranger to joyful feelings.
"Not being able to get a wink of sleep all night long, I was haunted without rest, by the gloomy offsprings of my fancy, distressed by the appearing slowness of time, and entirely cut off from every comfort by the snoring disposition of my fellow travellers, which made me resolve to leave the stage next morning, and to continue my journey on horseback. I left, therefore, my cheerless and sullen companions, with the first dawn of day, bought a horse in the first village where we stopped, and trotted briskly onward.
"I was not in the least acquainted with the roads in those parts, a circumstance which ought to have come sooner in my mind; I was obliged to ride back several times, and when it began to grow dark, found myself bewildered in a dreary forest, without knowledge which way to turn. My jaded horse being hardly able to stir; I alighted, leading the poor beast by the bridle, in order to advance with more expedition.
"It was now so dark that I could hardly distinguish the objects before my eyes, when a sudden rustling in the thicket made me start; I listened, but all was silent again and I pursued my way without apprehension, thinking it might have been a deer; but I was not gone far when I heard the rustling again much louder than at first, and close by me: I now beheld, on a sudden, a man with a sack on his back, and a staff in his hand, coming out of the thicket, within the short distance of two or three paces. This unexpected sight gladdened my heart, flattering me with the sweet hope of getting a friendly conductor out of that dreary wilderness, who would direct my weary steps to a place of rest.
"Whither art thou going, good friend?" exclaimed I.
"To the mill," answered he, groaning under his burden.
"Is the mill far from hence?" said I.
"No farther than half a league," he replied.
"May I find shelter there for myself and horse?"
"No," replied he.
"Why not?" asked I.
"Because," replied he, "the miller does not admit strangers."
"I am sorry for it; but is there no house hereabouts where one could get a night's lodging?"
"O yes," answered he, "not far from hence, if you turn to the right lives a wood-cutter who lodges travellers."
"But do you think I shall be safe there?" asked I.
"What do you mean by that?" said he.
"Don't you know, good friend," replied I, "that this part of the country is the constant haunt for robbers?"
"Would to God I could stay this night with good Master Max, I would not be uneasy on that score; but I must go on, and alas my burden is heavy."
"If my poor beast was not so jaded, and so much tired, I would be glad to lend it you," said I,
"Thank you, Master," returned he; "I am used to hardships, and have laid in a good stock of patience."
"Discoursing thus we went slowly on together, till we came to a foot-path, where the wanderer stopped to direct me to the wood-cutter's cottage: "You cannot miss your way," said he; "if you pursue this path you will soon see light."
"I hesitated a little while, whether I should follow the advice of the honest man, or not, but the increasing darkness, and a rising tempest, which shook the oaks around, fixed soon my wavering resolution, and I pursued the path, bidding the honest wanderer good night.
"I soon found myself on an unbeaten footway, obstructed by brambles and underwood; my poor horse threatened every moment to sink down, and I could not resist the apprehension of having been sent on a fool's errand by the unknown man, and misled into an unfrequented lonesome part of the forest. This made me look about with more circumspection, till I had ascended a rising ground with great difficulty, my horse fell frequently on his knees, and it would have been impossible to proceed a mile farther; you may therefore easily think how rejoiced I was when the glimmering of a light, apparently at a small distance, bade me hope a speedy end of my distress.
"Quickening my steps, I soon perceived a small cottage, the owner of which made his appearance as soon as I had knocked at his humble door, hailed me with a hearty welcome, and bade me, with much good-nature, enter his hospitable abode.
"Not expecting much convenience, I was struck with wonder when he showed me into a neat little room, not in the least corresponding with the poor appearance of his hut; I had expected to be introduced to the residence of poverty, and found a habitation that bore evident marks of prosperity, and seemed rather to be the abode of a gentleman than that of a poor wood-cutter.
"Mr. Max--this he told me was his name--Mr. Max took no notice of my astonishment, but prepared, with much alacrity, to provide me and my weary horse with food and drink.
"While he was busy to prove his hospitality, I had full leisure to satisfy my curiosity, and to take a view of the objects around me, assisted by the faint glimmering of a lamp.
"The first object that struck my fancy was an enormous sword, hanging by his bed-side, which, as I thought at first, was rather an improper furniture for a wood-cutter's dwelling; but I soon made myself easy when I recollected, that he, living in an unfrequented part of the forest, might want sometimes an instrument of that kind to defend himself against unwelcome visitors, but my apprehension returned when I beheld a brace of pistols hanging on the wall, which I found were charged with ball.
"I went farther in my search, and saw a great number of guns, pistols, and swords in a recess close by the fireside; I was chilled with terror, and just as I had taken the lamp in my hand to have a closer view at this alarming furniture, Mr. Max entered the room, with a large plate of greens, a piece of ham, and a bottle of wine.
"Well," exclaimed he merrily, as he entered the room, "there, I have brought you something to silence your grumbling stomach with; sit down, good sir, and take up with my frugal fare."
"Alas! my appetite was gone, but he fetched knives and forks and a large loaf of bread, and began to eat with great avidity, taking at first no notice of my backwardness to follow his example; perceiving at length that I did not eat, he exclaimed, "Well, sir, why don't you eat? I think one must be hungry, if one has travelled far and missed one's way."
"His joviality revived a little my spirits, but his country-like simplicity, and his seeming honesty, appeared to me very little corresponding with the great number of fire-arms and swords which I had seen, yet I joine
d him at last in eating and drinking.
"When supper was over I could no longer suppress my curiosity, and asked him why he kept so many guns and swords in his house.
"What," replied he rather angry, "what is this to you? I get sometimes visitors for whom I must keep them."
"But why," resumed I, "so great a number as I have seen in the recess by the fireside?"
"These are fine doings," said he angrily, "who bade you to search my room? Is this becoming a guest?"
"I arose, and asked him how much I had to pay for my supper? He fell a laughing, and exclaimed, with marks of astonishment--
"You don't intend to depart in this dark and tempestuous night! Don't you hear how the tempest roars, and how the rain beats against the windows? I hope you don't think you will be shot or stabbed because there are so many fire-arms and swords in that recess? No no, good friend, you need not be afraid, all these things are not mine, they belong to sportsmen who have laid them up here, that they may have them when they are a hunting in this part of the forest; perhaps you may see them yourself to-morrow morning; and sword by my bed-side I bought some years ago from an Austrian deserter."
"Though I was not inclined to stay for the sportsmen, I did not know whither I should go with my jaded horse in that dark tempestuous night, and dreaded to run the risk of escaping from an imaginary danger, only to fly in the face of a real one, which, at last, determined me to stay. I begged Mr. Max to show me the place where I was to sleep, intending to charge my pistols with balls before I should go to bed in case of accident.
"My host opened a side door leading to a small chamber, where a bed was.
"Here," said he, "you may sleep till it is broad day, and rest your weary limbs at your ease; I keep this chamber on purpose for travellers; take this lamp, I will fetch it when you shall be asleep."
"So saying, he left me, shutting the door after him.
"Taking a nearer view of my bed chamber, I observed that it had no windows, and, in order to be prepared for the worst, I charged my pistols, which I had put in my pockets before I had entered the cottage. This done, I considered whether I should go to bed, and thus deceive my host, which, on mature deliberation, I thought would be best.
The Complete Northanger Horrid Novel Collection (9 Books of Gothic Romance and Horror) Page 127