The Count was very much grieved at the sudden departure of the dear stranger, as he used to call him. I was already in the beginning, strongly tempted to predict it; but cannot conceive what prevented me from doing so; and my friend was, soon after that incident, a second time obliged, by his affairs, to leave me, before I could conclude my history, and elucidate many mysterious events to him; for the various occupations in which I was engaged did not allow me, as I already have informed the reader, more leisure hours for the continuation of my memoirs than I could spare from the time of nocturnal rest.
My friend remained a long time absent, being detained by the unaccountable intricacy of his affairs. It really seemed as if they intended to exhaust his patience by juridical chicanes and petty artifices, to make him waste his precious time in the most useless manner. I very seldom received letters from him, and he always concluded them by informing me that he should not return so soon. Being convinced that I was completely acquainted with his ideas, he did not trouble himself about the management of his estates which was an additional motive for me to be the more careful. There never was a period in my whole life, in which I knew so well to fill up every moment with such exactness; every one of them, from morning till night, being counted and designed for some employment. These tedious occupations did not at first please me much on account of their tiresome sameness; however, after a few weeks reluctant exertion, they grew so easy, and at last so amusing to me, that I could not disuse myself therefrom. I now exercised more authority over the Count's people than he ever did himself, because he had not acquired that knowledge of the inferior classes which I possessed: I conversed with every one, listened to every proposal of theirs, and frequently improved my own plans by comparing and uniting their ideas with mine. I was all the day long on horseback, or running from one part of the estate to the other to give directions to the workmen I never indulged myself with reading before all the labourers had finished their daily talk and my accounts were settled; and after supper, which received an additional relish from the fatigues of the day, I continued my memoirs till it was time to go to rest, when I went to bed highly satisfied with myself. The writing down of my memoirs was from that time, continued with so much assiduity, that the manuscript was finished in less than a month after the Count's departure. I afterwards corrected it in many places, and gave it him on his return.
I was always very fond of gardening; and although my friend had an excellent taste in arranging the whole, yet he had too little patience to dedicate much time to a proper survey and regulation of the particulars. I began, therefore, to revise his excellent plans, and to polish them more carefully than he had taken the trouble to do, and altered some parts of his garden accordingly. Some old buildings and pleasure houses were sacrificed to my impatient industry. A pavilion, which was situated in a corner of the park, and visited by no one who valued his life, was one of the chief objects that had excited my dislike. It was entirely concealed by bushes and trees, and seemed to have been designed by nature for solitude, which determined me to have it pulled down, and "to build in its place a little hermitage, with a few small apartments; flattering myself with the sweet hope of being able to inhabit them the subsequent summer. I formed that idea and the plan for the new building in one night; went? early in the morning into the garden, took some workmen with me, who were cleaning a bason, ordering them to provide themselves with the necessary implements, and conducted them to the pavilion, with the instruction to pull the old nest instantly down. My orders were put into execution with the greatest alacrity. A part of one of the side-walls fell down of itself; and a large stone, which seemed to support the rest, being removed, we beheld the entrance of a narrow subterraneous passage. We flared at each other, seized with astonishment; and I asked one of the workmen whether he could strike fire? He affirmed it; and some of his fellow labourers tore some dry branches from a fir tree, which, being lighted, the whole train followed me laughing into the cavern, expecting to find a great treasure, and to have some share of it. We descended, therefore, cheerfully; and I cannot deny that I also hoped t6 find something of value, though of a different nature from what they imagined. The scene which once took place between myself and the Count in that very garden, the small distance of the famous turf-feat from the pavilion, the communication of these two places through an almost impenetrable boscage, and the favourable concealment at the spot, seemed to promise me some important discovery, which was the reason of my being more apprehensive than the rest of my fellow adventurers However, the consideration of my being attended by seven stout Germans, armed with their working tools, and of a brave appearance, soon inspired me with courage. I entered the avenue laughing, though with a beating heart, and called to the rest to keep close to my heels, i left one at the avenue, to guard us against all external attacks I and to alarm the servants at the castle, if we should not return within the course of an hour. Having descended some part of our way almost perpendicularly, the passage grew so small, that we found it very difficult to proceed. I constantly held the torch before me, examining the ground carefully, lest we should he caught in a dangerous snare. Yet, the passage soon grew wider, the way more even; and we had not proceeded a minute, when we came into a vaulted cave, which apparently formerly was a cellar. We discovered, in the back part, a second receptacle, furnished with a table and chairs, that were pretty new. On examining the table, I found that a piece had recently been cut out of it; and it appeared to me that some person had attempted to obliterate a character which seemed to have been cut into the wood. After a more minute inspection, I discovered some traces of an E.
I could not guess, at first, what that letter could mean, but recollected, at last, that the Count had the singular custom to delineate frequently such an E in the sand, or to cut it into the bark of trees; and I ere now suspected that letter to be the first character of the name of a former mistress. I discovered nothing else besides this; neither a new avenue, nor a continuation of the vault. I had ordered all my attendants to search every corner: however, we found no farther trace of a human inhabitation; yet, when I left the vault, to ascend the passage again, one of them exclaimed, that he had found some papers. I ordered him to give them to me and unfolded them. All of them were blank, except the fourth, on which something was written, and I was struck with astonishment when I read, "Countess Elmira is cautioned against the young Marquis Carlos of G****** who means to impose upon her." I did not know whether I could trust my eyes; yet it was undoubtedly the same paper. Seeing, however, that my attendants were astonished to see me start back, I added coolly, after a few moments consideration, "The: D--- may make that out without the other half."
So saying, I threw the whole parcel into the same corner in which it had been found. Thus terminated that singular expedition. I left the passage with an easy heart; but my conductors hung their heads, because they had not found the expected treasures. In order to console them for their disappointment, I gave every one a dollar, under the condition to mention nothing of our adventure to the Count's servants. I could easily foresee that this would be the surest means of having it circulated in the castle, and determined to watch whether I could gather nothing from the behaviour of the servants, all of whom I suspected very much. However, the whole affair became a subject of general merriment: every one was impatient to see the subterraneous vault; and the visits of the curious to the cellar became soon so numerous, that I ordered the passage to be shut up, because. it was now the general rendezvous of the servants. Thus terminated that adventure. The new pavilion was finished in a short time, and furnished, and I had the pleasure of breakfasting there before the Count returned. He arrived at length, fatigued by the incidents and the labours which had retarded his return so long. His affairs were, indeed, settled, and his law-suit was gained: however, the expenses amounted to more than he had saved; and he had, besides, reason to regret the time he had wasted in that disagreeable affair. Yet he thought himself rewarded for his troubles, in some degree, by
several discoveries he had accidentally made, and which he communicated to me without reserve as soon as he had read my memoirs.
"Let us act just, dear Carlos," he said, "notwithstanding those villainous artifices. We are not bound to keep promises which have been forced from us by cruelties: it would, however, be to no purpose to inform you of the history of those days when I suddenly left you. You have discovered the mysteries of the cavern: it seems to be forsaken already for some time, and I have made a solemn promise to be silent. What is, at present, of more importance to me, is to find out the persons that still are very active in our neighbourhood, that have confounded my law-suit, and, as I have reason to apprehend, will ruin us sooner or later. Marquis, are you my friend?" Here he stretched out his hand. I shook it warmly, and replied, "Yes, I am. your sincere, your faithful friend."
"Will you ever preserve me your affection?" "By Heaven! for ever!" "Then come to my heart, my brother, and receive from me the same vow. I swear to be inviolably your friend; and may I be left without comfort in my dying hour, if ever I forget this promise only for a single moment. May Heaven preserve me your friendship; this is all that I wish."
"Lewis, I follow you whithersoever you go, in spite of all disasters that may befall you."
"Well, then, let us boldly meet those daring villains that intrude upon our fate; let us save the last half of life; let us sacrifice a few years more, , and without mercy attack them in the centre of their mystic abode."
"Here is my hand. I follow you." Let us go to Paris, assemble our friends around us, and then penetrate into Spain. How willingly would I sacrifice the greater part of my fortune in that attempt, if I could purchase peace and tranquillity."
CHAPTER III
WE now exerted ourselves jointly to settle the Count's affairs as well as it was possible. Before six months were elapsed, we accomplished our purpose, and soon after arrived at the capital of France.
We were obliged to mix with the great world, in order to make discoveries, and to obtain all kinds of assistance in the execution of our plans. The Count spared nothing to do credit to his rank and title, and to introduce himself with eclat. His equipage was one of the most splendid at Paris; his servants' liveries were in the highest taste; his dress was selected with elegance; and before many weeks were elapsed, we were introduced in the best circles of the town, and in some received with cordiality.
The amusements of that capital are too well known to require a minute description. The play, dancing, parties of pleasure, and particularly the charm of the fine arts, never miss their aim. The Count was not much attracted by them. My character, on the contrary, impels me forcibly to seek that sort of amusement. We mixed, therefore, with the gay circles, and enjoyed the pleasures of Paris, but without being much diverted. We made new connexions, and continued the old ones, without sacrificing much to them; and spared every day at least a few hours for more important conversations in our closet.
It was very favourable to our purpose, that many of my former acquaintances and friends gradually gathered around us. Don Bernhard and Count S******i were the first and more strongly captivated with our plans than I had left them. They were surprised to the highest degree at Count S******s adventures, and impatient to have those mysterious incidents elucidated. The sufferings and experiences of some years had ripened our characters, and rendered them more harmonious I and we found, in the mutual exchange of our ideas, comforts, pleasures, and prospects which none of us had expected.
Our method of proceeding was also altered very much through the existing circumstances. Having divested ourselves of our former timidity, we made no secret of our plans, but spoke of them wherever we met; and while we thus gained many friends and sharers in our enterprise, we also obtained gradually more resources, and perhaps, defeated thereby many secret machinations of the confederates.
Yet all these favourable circumstances did not, at bottom, bring us much nearer to the mark; for all our power consisted, as yet, in nothing else than in firmness, and in a calculated opposition against probable future events. We had not fixed upon a plan of attack, but left the regulation of our proceedings to the direction of circumstances; yet nothing happened that could.have guided us. The Count was inclined to return to Spain; and I would have faithfully followed him, if it had not been for Don Bernhard, and our associated friends, without whose assistance we could not expect to succeed in our undertaking, which, to confess the truth, promised very little, as the centre of the confederacy could easily be shifted; and we had already been convinced that it could exist any where. Thus our preparations were rendered ineffective by the confederates, while they took care to give us no opportunity of applying vigorous measures. We began, by degrees, to grow negligent, because no occasion occurred that could have given energy to our designs. Trifling amusements enervated our desire for great and important deeds; and the female world left us little time to meditate on serious occupations. A constant round of diversions unbraced our minds; and we soon looked upon our plans, which formerly had engaged our whole attention, as an object: of exercising our wit. At last an incident happened which seemed to make us forget them entirely. A fatal love affair occasioned a difference between myself and the Count; deprived me, for a long time, of his affection and confidence, before I could prevail upon myself to make some sacrifice to him; and, surprising us unawares, almost terminated our investigations by an ill-fated jealousy. Chance only re-united us, and removed the veil of mysteriousness from our eyes.
Caroline de B****** was of an ancient and noble family in Picardy. She was not rich; however, her fortune was sufficient to afford lier a good education, and to.render her no despicable party. Sh6 was not handsome; but her complexion was fresh, her shape elegant, and her deportment natural and winning. She possessed an unaffected gaiety, which graced all her movements, and gave them diversity and novity. She neither possessed a striking wit, nor an uncommon understanding: however, her sallies were always pleasing and her modesty, good-nature, and evenness of temper, spoke highly in her favour:' As for her character, I might well say, she had none; it was, at least, impossible to discern it; for she accommodated herself with so much ease and simplicity to the individual disposition of those with whom she conversed, and adapted herself in so natural a manner to the humours of those with whom she was connected, that every one imagined to see in her his own picture. As for her hearty I may truly say that it was pure and noble.
It was, indeed, very unfortunate for us that we did not get sooner acquainted with that amiable being. If we had seen her on our introduction into our social circle the impression she would have made upon us, would, perhaps, not have been so strong, or soon have been obliterated by other charming objects. But now we were tired by too much art; and our hearts being over-fatigued by the intricate mazes of the most consummate female coquetry, were in want of a place of rest in the lap of simple nature.
Caroline charmed us at first sight. We got acquainted with her at an evening assembly which we frequented almost every day to play at cards. Caroline had already, sometime before our arrival, accompanied some friends into the country; and being a constant member of the cheerful circle where we met her, her return occasioned some confusion in the arrangement of the gaming-party. As soon as she perceived this, she declared that she would not play with us, but was determined to be received again into the party to which she belonged before she went into the country. This whim threw the whole company into a new confusion. Those with whom she desired to associate again were already used to their new companions and did not shew the least inclination to quit them; and their ladies were not less disinclined to be abandoned by their partners on Caroline's account. The general commotion to which this gave rise terminated at last in a loud laughter, which covered the face of the poor girl with a high crimson colour, and she declared that she would not play at all. Tranquillity and order were soon restored, and I seated myself by her side on the sofa; not ill pleased with the termination of that ridiculous affair.
/> However, the Count's mind was far from being easy. It is almost impossible to brook such an incident with indifference with an irritability like his, which was unimpaired by misfortunes. Anger boiled in his heart, and he only wanted an opportunity of giving vent to it. A fire, whose nature I was no stranger to, flushed in his eye, and seemed to search an object. I ridiculed his agitation, and begged him to be easy: however, he replied; "Fye upon you, Carlos; how can you be so torpid?" "He then fixed his eyes upon a German officer, who played at some distance from us, and continued to smile at our disaster. "Don't you comprehend," he resumed, "that all this is preconcerted?"
The Complete Northanger Horrid Novel Collection (9 Books of Gothic Romance and Horror) Page 138