THE MOUTH OF HELL, page 27
From the back of the carriage, the baron, careworn and gloomy, his head supported on his hand, vaguely watched the trees and bushes fly past along the road. All of a sudden, he saw a human creature speed like an arrow from the top. of a steep incline, and alight, or rather fall in front of the horses, and nearly under the wheels, crying: “Stop! stop! “Despite her altered looks and wild appearance, the baron recognised Gretchen. He ordered the postillion to stop.
“What is the matter, Gretchen?” he asked anxiously; “has there been any accident at the castle?”
“No,” Gretchen replied in a strange tone, “God watches over them still; but Samuel watches too. You will arrive in time. And, yet, will you be as powerful for good, as he is for evil? However that may be, my duty is to warn you, even at the cost of my blushes and my shame. And on seeing you from up there I hastened at once, because the instinct for good, which the devil has not been able to kill in me, commands me to speak to you.”
“Not just now, my child,” Baron von Hermelinfeld answered kindly. “The grave and sad event that brings me to Eberbach, does not allow of the least delay. I have not a moment to lose. But can you tell me, Gretchen, whether I shall find my son at home?”
“At home? What do you call his home?” replied Gretchen; “do you then imagine that he is master in his house? No, he is not the lord, nor is his wife the lady of the castle. Yet, perhaps it is she who has sent for you....? Did she ask you to come, tell me?”
“Are you raving or feverish, little one?” asked the baron. “I cannot understand what all this talk means. No, Christiane has not sent for me. I am bringing sad news to my children, but I have received none from them.”
“Were you bringing news of a death,” rejoined Gretchen, “it would seem as nothing compared with what I have to tell you. Because better certain death than possible dishonour!”
“Dishonour! Indeed! what do you mean?” exclaimed the baron, impressed, despite himself, at the peremptory and convincing way in which Gretchen spoke.
“Listen,” said Gretchen; “in a carriage it will take you a quarter of an hour to reach the castle. Come with me on foot along this short cut and you will be there in ten minutes. And, on the way, I will tell you those secrets which my conscience would like to keep to itself. But the memory of the pastor who saved my mother impels me to save his daughter. Herr von Eberbach must not break his head against the walls of that cursed castle; Madame Christiane must not run mad like poor Gretchen; the child, nursling of my goat, must not be left an orphan in a cruel world. So come, and I will speak.”
“I will be with you in a moment, Gretchen,” said the baron, seized, in spite of himself, with fear.
He stepped out of the carriage, told the postillion to drive on to the castle and wait there for him, and, with a still quick and youthful step, accompanied Gretchen along the path indicated.
“I will tell you my story as we walk along,” said Gretchen, “first of all because you are in a hurry, and then because, in this way, no tree and no bush in my forest will hear my story of shame in its entirety.”
She shook in all her limbs.
“Be calm, my child,” the baron said kindly, “and speak fearlessly to an old friend, to a father.”
“Yes, you are a father,” said Gretchen, “and you will help me in my trouble. You know, I believe, sir, of the terrible threats which that reprobate, that hater, that Samuel Gelb, since I must pronounce his name, used against Madame Christiane and me.”
“I heard about it, yes, Gretchen. My God! is it Samuel again? Speak, speak, my child.”
“Sir,” resumed Gretchen, hiding her face in her hands. “Samuel Gelb, as you know, swore that we both should love him, or, at least, that we should be his. “Well!.... well! he has already been as good as his word so far as I am concerned.”
“What! Gretchen! you love him?”
“Oh! I hate him!” Gretchen exclaimed with fierce energy. “But there came a day, there came an hour, when he succeeded, but too well, in compelling me, the instrument of hell.... I do not know if it is to love him.... but, in short, may my mother forgive me! I am his!”
“Is it possible, Gretchen! Gretchen! Are you in your right mind?”
“Oh! if only I were not! But, unfortunately, sir, it is true, true as my conscience, true as my memory. There is only one thing upon which I am in doubt. You, sir, are learned. Enlighten my poor clouded mind. I seem to speak only of myself, but it is for the sake of your son’s wife that I speak. So be frank with me as I am with you. Sir, can it be that the God of gentleness and mercy has left, within reach of the wicked, weapons and means against the good, from which the good cannot escape? Are there infernal forces which can compel an honest and innocent soul to sin? Are there insurmountable powers of magic which lead us to stain even that which is pure, and to possess even that which we abhor?”
“Explain yourself, my child.”
“Sir,” Gretchen went on, “examine this small phial which I found one evening on the floor of my hut.”
Baron von Hermelinfeld took the platinum phial that Gretchen held out to him, uncorked it, then smelt it.
“Good God!” he cried, “have you then drunk any of this potion?”
“When I loved Samuel despite my hatred of him, sir, I noticed on the previous evening, and on that very day, the smell of this phial on my bread and in my milk.”
“Oh! the unfortunate girl! Oh! the villain!” cried the baron.”
“Well! what do you say, sir?”
“I say, my poor child, that your will has been coerced, drugged, blinded. I say that the crime has been double for him and null for you. I say that you are innocent notwithstanding your error, and pure notwithstanding your defilement.”
“Oh! thank God!” exclaimed Gretchen, clasping her hands together with an expression of radiant joy. “Dear mother, then I have not been false to my vow. Blest be God, in heaven! and blest may you be, sir, on earth!”
But all of a sudden she went on, discouraged.
“For all that, there are some terrible mysteries. The soul is spotless, but the body is no longer so. And although I am white within, none the less am I sullied.”
“Be consoled, be comforted, poor little one! The angels are not purer than you. I repeat, this villain has done all, and you need not complete the sad story, I guess the rest. He forced his way into your hut during the night, like a scoundrel. He took advantage of the solitude, and of your confidence, the coward. Oh! but we will punish him, never fear.”
Gretchen raised her head, sad and proud, as if to shake off her depression.
“Let us not think any more of me,” she said, “but of your daughter.”
“Christiane is, thank God, less exposed than you, poor child,” rejoined the baron. “Christiane does not live alone, in an open hut, but in a castle enclosed by high walls and surrounded by devoted servants whom she can summon to her aid and who are able to defend her, should her husband be absent.”
“Is that what you think?” said Gretchen with a bitter smile. “Does not Samuel Gelb open every door of the castle that opens with a key, and even every door that opens without a lock?”
“What! Gretchen, so far as you know, has Samuel Gelb ever been inside the castle?”
“And how could he who built it, never have been inside it?”
“He who built it?” the baron repeated in amazement.
“I may tell you everything now,” resumed Gretchen. “His crime has freed me from my oath, and my little roe, on which the monster was to be revenged, died a month ago. Already we are in sight of the Castle. Listen attentively, sir.”
And she related how Samuel had constructed the double Castle.
“Oh! what daring!” exclaimed the baron. “And is Christiane not aware of all this?”
“She knows all, but she swore secrecy to me.”
“What matter!” said the baron, “considering the danger she runs, why has she not written to me, according to her promise? Thank you again, Gretchen, thank you for confiding in me. I may keep this phial, may I not? and the villain is in my power, I hope.”
“If he is in your power, do not let him escape!” said Gretchen, her eyes flashing with anger. “Oh! how I hate him! What a blessing I have the right to hate him! I live only for the day when I shall see him punished, and punished he will be, if not by you, by God.”
She resumed:
“We are at the postern of the Castle, sir, and I must go back to my goats. I have done my duty, it is for you to act.”
“Adieu, Gretchen,” said the baron, “I thought only an unfortunate event called me to the Castle, but I find a danger summoned me as well, I have now two reasons for making haste. Adieu.”
He walked with rapid strides towards the Castle.
The first servant he met informed him that Julius had gone out two hours ago; after dinner, he had taken his gun, and intended to be out shooting until evening. But Madame von Eberbach was at the Castle.
The baron displayed the liveliest annoyance. He walked straight to Christiane’s apartments, refusing to be announced.
When, after knocking, he entered into Christiane’s room, he found her absorbed in that occupation, so interesting to mothers, of cooing to her baby.
Christiane gave a cry of surprise on recognising her father-in-law and advanced eagerly towards him.
The baron embraced her tenderly. Then he lavished caresses on his grandson, who he thought looked bonny and well.
“Yes, he is a fine boy, is he not, my Wilhelm?” said Christiane. “There are not, I think, many children as beautiful. Would you believe that he already understands when I speak to him! Oh! I love him! Come, now, smile at your grandfather, you ugly little rosebud of a face.”
“He is charming, my dear daughter, he resembles you,” said the baron. “But send him to his nurse. I must have a serious talk with you, and I am afraid of a distraction such as that. So Julius is in the forest?” he asked.
“Yes, he is out shooting.”
“Does any one know where? Can he be found?”
“We can, at least, try,” said Christiane.
“Well, I should be glad if you would. I have serious, urgent matters to discuss with him.”
Christiane rang, and gave orders that three of the servants should search the wood each in a different direction, and request Julius to return.
“But whatever is the matter?” she asked the baron anxiously.
“Nothing,” replied the uneasy baron. “At least, Julius is the one to whom I must speak about it. So we will discuss the matter when he returns. Meanwhile, tell me about yourself. You have not written to me?”
“But I have, my dear father,” Christiane said.
“Ah! yes, a few loving words at the end of Julius’ letters. But I mean no letters have passed between you and me.”
“Excuse me, father, I wrote you two and half months ago, a long and urgent letter of a private nature.”
“Well! nothing of the kind has reached me,” said the baron in surprise. “But, wait a moment. Yes, two or three months ago, it is true, I received an envelope bearing the Heidelberg postmark, by containing only a blank sheet of paper. I mentioned it in one of my letters to Julius, but he replied that he did not understand what I meant.”
“I am quite certain of having put the letter into the envelope,”. Christiane said. “I can see myself now at that bureau, writing it and sealing it. My God! could he have come and taken it away?”
“Who?” quickly asked the baron.
“He who was the subject of my letter to you.”
“Samuel Gelb?”
“Yes, Samuel Gelb, father.”
There was a moment’s silence. Christiane, dismayed, pondered over this fresh insolence on Samuel’s part.
The baron studied his daughter-in-law.
“Have you then seen this Samuel again,” he asked.
“Alas! yes, twice.”
“Here!” resumed the Baron.
“No, outside,” Christiane replied after a moment’s hesitation.
She remembered that the baron had particularly forbidden Julius to receive Samuel, and she told a lie to screen Julius.
“And what did Samuel say to you?” the Baron went on.
“The first time he repeated his insolent threats.”
“The villain!”
“It was on that I wrote to you, father, asking your help, begging you to come to me. The second time that I saw him, was eight or ten days later, at a play in public.”
And Christiane told the baron of the emigration of the students and the representation of the Robbers. She laid all the blame on her woman’s curiosity; it was she who wanted to be present at the entertainment and who induced Julius to go to it. Julius yielded out of deference to his wife. Besides, Samuel, with whom she exchanged a few words after the play, swore that he would not re-appear before her until she herself summoned him. And, of course, that she would never do. The students returned to Heidelberg on the following day.
“For the last two months,” Christiane added, “Monsieur Samuel has scrupulously kept his word. Therefore, surprised at receiving no reply from you, I have not written you again. During these two months, neither the sight, nor the remembrance, nor even the name of this man has troubled my happiness. For, in reality, I have never been happier nor more quiet than I am now. Wilhelm has not had the least recurrence of his indisposition, nor does Julius feel any return of that languor which our secluded life at first cast over him, after the excitement and noise to which he had been accustomed. In fact,” Christiane continued smiling, “the father and the child are quite cured. And, I, who live only in them, and am half Wilhelm, half Julius, the love of Julius and the health of Wilhelm make my happiness complete. I thank God every day of my life, and I wish for no other paradise than my present made eternal.”
“And Gretchen?” said the baron suddenly.
Christiane shuddered.
“Gretchen!” she answered, sad and pensive; “Gretchen shows herself to no one now. She used to be shy, now she has become wild, savage, unapproachable. All intercourse with human beings seems so unbearable to her that, in order to avoid bringing the goat that feeds Wilhelm to the castle, she no longer takes him along with her flock. The goat remains at the castle and the servants look after it. The people of Landeck who have had occasion to exchange a few words with Gretchen, say that her mind appears to be unhinged. As to myself, I have been five or six times to her hut to try to see her, but in vain did I knock and call, Gretchen never answered. I have often seen her in the distance when I go out with Wilhelm. But the moment she perceives me she flies into the depths of the forest.”
“That’s strange!” said the baron, “now I have been at Eberbach but half an hour, and Gretchen has been the first to accost me and has spoken to me at great length.”
“And what has she told you?”
“Everything. Samuel’s crime, his plans, his indiscretion. He has built this castle; he can come into it whenever he likes, and it is not outside, it is here, Christiane, that he has seen you.”
“Well! father?”
“Well! you have not told me the whole truth, Christiane.”
A smile of sad dignity flitted across Christiane’s lips. But she did not vindicate herself.
The Baron got up, a prey to some violent emotion, and strode up and down the room.
“I will see Samuel,” said he, “and have a talk with him. Let him beware. This time, I will not confine myself to words. As soon as I have spoken to Julius, I will set off, and this very night, I shall be at Heidelberg.”
“Excuse me, father,” said Christiane, “but I implore you to reflect before you do that. I have already told you that for the last two months this man has left us in peace. Is it prudent to excite and rouse him? I admit to you that I am afraid, as afraid as if you spoke of striking a sleeping tiger.”
“Then have you any particular reasons, Christiane, for taking exception to this step?”
Christiane coloured, feeling insulted at his tone.
“Men,” said she as if to herself, “with their strange suspicions, do not understand the modesty of a woman, nor do they know that the more quiet the lake, the more easily a breath will ruffle it. If you want to see Samuel Gelb, sir, you need not go to Heidelberg, nor wait until this evening for that.”
“What do you mean?” said the baron.
Christiane went direct to the panel Samuel had indicated to her, and placed her finger on the button.
CHAPTER LVI.
THE DAY OF RECKONING IS SURE TO COME.
“WHAT are you going to do, Christiane?” cried the Baron.
“Have I not told you, father,” Christiane replied, “that Samuel Gelb swore never to appear before me again unless I should summon him by this signal. Well! since you are desirous of seeing him, I am sending for him, that is all.”
And, trembling with both fear and pride, she pressed the button.
The button yielded, then rebounded all of a sudden before she had time to remove her finger. The shock sent a thrill through her, and she drew back pale and startled, as if Samuel were about to appear suddenly.
She looked round the wainscoting in fear and trembling, not knowing where Samuel might spring from. It seemed to her that he emerged from all sides at once; she felt hemmed in by this invisible enemy, and fancied that she heard thousands of footsteps behind the oak panelling.
Notwithstanding, the wall remained motionless and silent.
“No one comes,” said the baron, after two or three moments’ silence.
“Wait yet awhile! “Christiane replied.
And she sat down, quivering with fear, her gaze always fixed, on the wainscot. But a quarter of an hour passed, and the panel did not move.
“Christiane, you have been dreaming or this man has lied to you,” said the baron.
Then Christiane rose, radiant, and drew a long breath of relief.
“Ah! you are right, my father!” she exclaimed. “How foolish of me to have been afraid. How foolish of me to have believed that Samuel was going to appear from behind the panel. No, he will not come. He told me that to strike my imagination, to make me believe that he was always near, unknown to me, that I might feel his presence whatever I was doing, that I might be compelled to think of him always. He calculated on my never attempting to push the spring. By sheer chance I have pushed it, and this has revealed the falsehood. Oh my God! I thank Thee! How grateful I am, father, that you drove me to this act of daring.”
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