Withered Leaves. Vol. III.(of III)

o all visitors. She was in a state of excitement which she could conceal with difficulty. Whenever a carriage drove up in her vicinity she rushed to the wi

, and with a calm gladsomeness, such as follows the execution of a good deed; she stirred the crackling fire in the stove, seated herself co

ers in mail coaches, those Polish Jews, those people from the small towns with their boxes, their baggage, their stupid faces! Thus it went on night and day, day and night. People have given themselves the trouble to find names for all these heaths, these towns

m creep past me several times, wrapped up in his cloak. I had an eerie feeling as if he had cast an evil eye upon me, it seemed sometimes as if he were staring piercingly at me out of the dark with his only sound one. I had to rest in the capital, for three days and three nights I had not left the rattling coach, and,

e to proceed, for the pos

ercourse with a prima donna upsets one's nerves. Do not be offended, dear child, but even the finest particles of dus

Alps again, dangerous as was th

lorious lake. From Stresa I went over the mountains to Orta--how my heart beat, when the wav

n. Many plans that rose in my mind I rejected as too daring, as impracticable, much I must leave to chance and circumstances. I then made enquiries for the two witnesses to the marriage,

l was to be instituted against him for forgery, of which he had been guilty. The chaplain himself conducted me up the high steps by the lake into the sacristy of the church, where he searched through the registry to reply to my question as to your marriage day. If ever I

e taken me for a love-sick dreamer if they had seen me wander upon the woodland paths behind the litt

as if I belonged not to the bright day, not to this glorious nature! How exquisite was the view over the lake from the Sacro Monte, upon the chestnut and walnut woods of Pella, upon the

nting rays into the waves of the lake and upon the house roofs of the little town. And much as I had longed f

inder-box that was sufficiently well supplied to c

uminated, it was the hour of evening service. My boat glided over

lake, in a boat that seemed to be circling round the little rocky island, like an eagle round hi

the conclusion that I had become the victim of a morbid delusion. The skiff disappeared behind a

s of porphyry, the image of the Madonna of Ferrari, nor the mosaics of the floor. I only looked about for s

as occupied with the service, to creep behind the door of the sacristy, and quickly as lig

m used to creeping, crawling, and slipping into crevices like lizards, and thus I succeeded in deceiving the custodian of the church by first gliding after him and then suddenly disappearing behind

ke ghosts. But then the darkness became intense, either the moon had set or was concealed behind heavy clouds. My solitary footsteps made a hollow echo upon the floor. I shuddered when I remembered that about the midnigh

mpty space as if something besides myself were stirring here, I sat down moti

d cry. Had I dreamed it? It seemed as if at the other end of the church

ing besides myself in this place had fled to my dr

rated to my ears, not even the dim radiance of the lightly veiled moonlight forced its way through the windows.

harply into my memory, estimated all distances correctly; I knew exactly where the chairs stood, and

et the distance to the altar steps, and was already placing my foot u

; it could be no delusion; I was not alone here; was I in th

s; I cried in a strong voice, so as to inspire myself with courage, 'Who is here?

arm? What concerns you is that you have pledged your honour to save your friend; now

than that any human being besides myself lingered in the gloomy place,

ew off my shoes, and crept once more to the altar steps, which this time I could pass up undisturbed. I felt about the altar until I

h altar, held my dress closely together with the other, so t

e I was not alarmed. I was thankful that the ghost was on the other side of the church

groped for the desk where I had seen the registry lie, there it was still in the same place. I turned over the leaves and counted

. My tinder-box did its duty; the altar candle b

d the sensation of sacrilege

s the fatal leaf! With bold resolution I tore it out and held it in the flame. Then a loud peal of

in a dream; rigid with fear I saw the man rush upon

, a tiger prepared for the spring which shall kill us: my nerves were ov

the gruesome ghost. My senses

as still intensely dark,

ept out of the sacristy up to the altar and put it back upon its old place. Nothing molested me! My shoes I foun

or early mass. He went towards the altar, while I glided out behind him

I performed very severe penance; my mind was terribly upset, but the farther north I came, the fresher did the breeze blow towards me. I began then to triumph that I had outman?uvred that secret emissary

that fettered you, and freel

d. Anxious forebodings of unknown possibilities that lay waiting in the air disturbed her confidence in unclouded happiness. What secrets oppressed her soul! How could she meet her beloved one's eye? The heavy weight that lies in the consciousness of forbidden deeds, did not permit her to draw that free breath without which success loses

s received. The day of the marriage was decided upon. Giulia prepared for her

performance for the Polter-abend, adapted from his collection of poetical blossoms, and the doctors, Kuhl and Sch?ner, drove a spirited team to the lakes of Masuren. C?cilie was expected to come with Olga and Wegen

ladies pretended to be ill, and only allowed their husbands to look on a

n reality, the other was the same kind, only a different colour. No power in the world would take me to this wedding; you, of course, will drive over because everything connect