823 
 
 H2.93 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2016 
 
 https://archive.org/details/hauntedcastleorcOOunse 
 
THE 
 
 Haunted Castle ; 
 
 ox, 
 
 The Child of Misfortune . 
 
 A GOTHIC TALE. 
 
 1 am thy father’s fpirit $ 
 
 Doom’d for a certain term to walk the night , 
 
 And, for the day, confin’d to faft in fires, 
 
 ’Till the foul crimes, done in my days of nature, 
 Are burnt and purg’d away. 
 
 S H AK E ST E A R Ei 
 
 tlanDon : 
 
 Printed by T. Maiden, .9 btrbcume- 
 FOR ANN LEMOINE, WHITE-ROSE-COURT, COLEMAN- 
 STREET, AND SOLD BY T. HURST, 
 PATERNOSTER-ROW. 
 
 [ Price $ix pence.'] 
 

 
 / 
 
 ( 
 
 
 
 
 
THE 
 
 haunted castle. 
 
 T 1 ^. dirconrolafe Julian, expelled from the afyiurfl which had 
 o • '-re his infancy, without fortune or friends, and only a few 
 , UCa * ln P oc ket, with fome neceffary linen, and no other guar - 
 dian tnan his integrity, nor other companion than his horfe, fet out 
 u P on a lon S and doubtful journey. As he paffed 
 L- raw ,’ to go out, an old domeftic of the family faluted 
 
 * * no ” in S he was taking his departure for good, crolTed 
 himfclf and wifhed him the moft profperous adventures. He re- 
 t .irned the oW fenranfs affe&ionate regard, and obferved, that few 
 feared to own themfelves the friends of the unfortunate. “ Ah 
 \ t-ndrin, “ that I fhould live thus to fee the dav, 
 
 when the gallant Julian, the adopted and beloved of my old mafter, 
 f * turned out of doors. Alas ! an old man’s blefnng is all I have 
 to give, and that I mod: freely bellow. Oh, may Heaven,’* he ad- 
 ded, with uplifted hands, “ direft your feet from ail falie friends, 
 ^ r gh a intnca , le mazes oF thi * deceitful world j and, for this 
 a , Rd m °rtificatioM, pour its balmy comforts on 
 r r ea * * ee |> * replied Julian, “ the value of your blef- 
 
 mg ; and may your declining years glide on in peace ; and Heaven, 
 m its own good time, receive your breath without a figh. Farewell,, 
 u^nn. As he fpurred his horfe, he {tumbled over a (tone, which 
 r uT h ' S 5 ead, . and P u31 l, P the reins 5 but, juft as he fet 
 tfw.r nf°,h ed r °n, nd a ?f in , at the ° id fervarn > and U P to a Particular 
 waved his h C * He fighed 5 and, looking again at Cudrin, 
 aved his h.nd as a parting farewell, and, as if Eying from re- 
 
 moment ^ Ulred on ids horfe, and was out of fight in a 
 
 himH^ U tV a8 Uncertain * his fodden difmifTal had not allowed 
 nnlv I ° f ° rm an n. plan * and the mali g n ance of his fate had 
 e ve^ that had ^ . accom P ]i{b > which was to fly from every 
 
 where h U t ^ 7, f ffed ^ 1S P Ioi P^ous days, and flicker himfelf 
 where he was utterly unknown. Wrapt up in thought, and in- 
 
 to h,s c , ourie ’ he ieft to i,is h ° rfe the ch ° 5ce the 
 road, only now and then, when impelled by fome greater agita- 
 tion of mmd, he (purred him on to a brilker pace g S 
 
 gerous'fitua^on^ M !l roUg . ht Julian t0 a fenfe of his da "‘ 
 
 dhH Jhn / fo [ th ^ r woods of Suabia abounded with a ban- 
 
 horrid excefl^Vb 6 d ' fgUlf ? °/ Pand °urs, committed the moft 
 
 life /trim cV its f WaS tluc ’ r he bad httle to l°f e > and though his- 
 lire, .tript of its former com torts, feemed of little value vet the 
 
 i voluntary defire of it induced him to- be. careful of whaAe de- 
 
 A %. 
 
4 THE HAUNTED CASTLE, 
 
 pi't'd. He rode on forne time over an open plain, which he pre- 
 ftntd to the dark recedes of the fore ft. The eyt-idif* had advan- 
 ced two he iris, when, by the light of the moon, he perceived an 
 humbie habitation. As he approached it, he difcovered a little 
 cabin by the fide of the road, to which the fa fh ion of the times 
 had given the name of inn. This place brought to Julian's recol- 
 lection, that he had not broke his faft that day ; therefore, going 
 in, he alighted, and following the holt’s daughter into the kitchen, 
 01 dei ed an omelet of eggs and a quarter of a goofe for his fupper. 
 His young landlady applied hcrieli very readily to get him his 
 fupper, and hunger was the fauce . that gave it a relifh. After 
 1 upper, he drank half a pint of mufcadel ; and, not being inclined 
 for company, called his hoft to (hew him where he was to deep. 
 The man was profufely eloquent in praife of his houfe, while he 
 concluded him up a. ladder in:o the room where he was to deep. 
 Julian, brought up amidft the fplendor of fuperior ranks, foundbut 
 little to admire in this apartment. He was, however, conftrained 
 by neceffity to remain there ; but deep not immediately overcoming 
 the anxiety of his mind, he opened the lattice, to contemplate the 
 moon, which was near its tuli, and (hone juft oppofite to him with 
 peculiar orightnefs. 
 
 While he was amufing himfelf with his thoughts of futurity, 
 his cujiofity was awakened by the found of human voices in the 
 front of the houfe. Sufpicious of the fequel, he felt about his 
 room for the opening to get out, when, finding the ladder removed, 
 he groped about till he found a fquare hole, which led into a long 
 gallery : here liftenihg, he heard him felt minutely defcribed, with 
 inquiries whether he had been feen by any belides the people of the 
 inn. 
 
 For a moment a gleam of joy took pofleffior. of his foul, for he 
 vainly flattered himfelf that Count Wartenburg had by iome mi- 
 racle relented, and fent to require his return. Filled with this im- 
 piobable idea, he went to the lattice, to fee if he could fpeak to 
 thefe inquirers. This window looked into a garden, when, in 
 that ciiticai moment, he difeoverved among them a confidential 
 fervant of Calheim, Baron Elailbron’s fon. Julian, convinced that 
 no good could flow from that quarter, drew in his head before he 
 was difcovered, and underftood, by their ciiicourfe, that they had 
 entered the houfe. As It was of confequence to him to dilcover 
 their defign in purfuing him thus, he liftened in a coiner where he 
 was fafe from being feen, and, iooking through a chink, could 
 have a good view of the party. One of them, as was laid before, 
 had been a fervant of Caiheim’s, and was in company with two 
 others, whofe countenance were truly diabolical. I hey were leated 
 with the landlord and his daughter found a table, with liquor be- 
 fore them ; but they feemed more intent on bufinefs than eating, 
 and weie feemingly in a very deep ccuiultation. Now and then 
 i heir difeourfe was carried on fo low, that they feemed to flmn the 
 iiiier inii ear of night; yet lo intent was J N uhan upon unravelling 
 their plot, that every accent met his ear. 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 5 
 
 “ Why, I fay," vehemently averted the footman, “ money 
 fhal! not be wanting. See this bag 5 here is plenty of gold ; and, 
 if this will not content you, you lhall have more: enough to make 
 your old age comfortable, and buy your pretty daughter a good 
 hufband. And all tor what ? Body of me ! for nothing but hold- 
 ing your tongue. We don’t want your afliftance ; thefe gentle- 
 men know their trade too well to require your help.” 4< But if 
 it (hould be difcovered ?’* faid the hoft, (eyeing the purfe.) “ How 
 the devil (hould that be? We mult be lilenr for our own fakes j 
 and dead men tell no tales.” <( But how fhall I anfwer it to my 
 confcience?” “ Pho ! you can afford to purchafe abfolution : your 
 confeffor and you will let that to rights, never fear.” 
 
 From the impetuofity of their difcourfe, Julian found he had not 
 a moment to lofe. He therefore immediately withdrew into his 
 own place. He did not confult long what was to be done ; ef- 
 C 3 pe was the mod neccffary motion ; and, as the cabin was but 
 one low ftory above the ground, he made his way through the 
 lattice, and came fafeiy to the ground ; then dealing through the 
 yard, not daring to take his horfe, he left the precin&s of the cabin 
 with fpeed and trepidation. He flew with all fpeed through the 
 valley, and by the dawn of next morning had reached a thick 
 foreft. Sheltered by the friendly (hade of the thickeft part of it, 
 he afeended a tall tree, whofe luxuriant foliage would have effectu- 
 ally fereened him from view, had his enemies purfued him thither. 
 Excefiive fatigue brought with it its own cure ; and he loft all his 
 cares, his anxieties, and Ins difappointments, in a profound fleep 3 
 nor did he awake till the fun darted his meridian beam through the 
 verdant canopy. 
 
 In the nrft moment of his waking, the novelty of his lodging, 
 and the ftrangenefs of the feene around, made him fancy himf'eif 
 ftili in a dieam. But foon the painful incidents of the preceding 
 day crowded on his recolleCtion ; and the care of an exlftence, 
 which the morning before he had contemned, now became his 
 ftudy. 
 
 With pain he refleCled that he had no weapon to defend himfelf 
 with; for having, when he Lid down on the bed, taken off his 
 fword, in the hurry of his elcape he forgot to take it with him. 
 He therefore cut up as large a club as he could manage with his 
 pocket knife, and purfued his way through the narrow parts of the 
 foreft, uncertain where they would lead him ; his only point being 
 to get at a diftance from his enemies, to evade their fearch. By 
 evening he came to the verge of another large plain, on which he 
 perceived feveral fcattered cottages, and which feemed terminated 
 by another fuch foieft as that through which he had paffed. 
 
 Tired with his long walk, and faint with falling the whole day, 
 he yet dared not to venture into the plain till evening ; when palling 
 feveral cottages, which leemed to have more company in them than 
 he chofe to dilclofe himlelf to, he at laft faw one who had no other 
 inmate at that time than an old woman. He rapped at the door, 
 and requefted the old dame to give him a fup of milk. 
 
6 the haunted castle, 
 
 “ Aye, that I will," raid (he. « God blebs (hat fweet face it 
 
 a long day’s fport. Shall I 
 
 i , ... me. ■ 
 
 looks it you were very weary with a i AtlA> a > r 
 brmg your honour a dice of my poor 5/ ^ fpor 5: ShaJJ 1 
 
 the milk?” « If y OU p i ea p e 7 P d ? ry - br ° wn bread Wlth 
 
 more acceptable.” P * / S d mother j it never could be 
 
 benevojent; hoftafc was ddigS^^nd ' " prVd !*! >eral, 3 r » that hi * 
 more, whieh he refufed • bift remipftft him to llave /brne 
 
 loaf to piit in his pocket IJ 9 ■ ^ however, a piece of the 
 accompanied with a piece’of mone* 10 ! ^ * miiJj on of thanks, 
 though he fcarcelv knew tn l 7? ‘ le p 0Ce more pet forward * 
 formed no determinate plan " “ ° f lhe com P afs < and had 
 
 a a littIe reached 
 
 the thick houghs Of a ft eadTn.T. S !‘ n . relt ^' h ™felf amidft 
 repofe, dearlyearnhhy hhftLue whf J 7 J h ° u - « f 
 
 fet forward } keeping as before^ In * ■''“ n ae rtUV0 *'-» he again 
 parts of the foreft : g b ut the mor’n L ^ na " OW paths 2nd th ^eft 
 
 T e 
 
 «heU^ hook the air, a°nd 
 
 .ht‘my S dXfs “ l “«Thri rather en 1 ' "" “**'£*%£ teTi 
 dorms as this, than go where I am fure'to me'eMhe dfv“l -^'h ‘h^ 
 kept his court there always thefe twenty years • and aU h 138 
 
 come every night to dance with himf and I’f^fui ' r % IT j* 
 make. There is fucb a /broking, fuch howling and fuch^h 
 bub, that every body would rather ten ™ i * , ch buh - 
 
 go Within one of the caftle, fpecially after finMet’o^ « '7'’ ,h ?, n 
 fnend : [ am ferry to have detained thee.” “ Then voTh” * 
 
 Will not go to my cottage ?” « No • I finnk d,, » 7 bonour 
 
 calfle the receptacle of robber^’ . nf, Bu V s not that 
 
 *:iu;« -,r ... 1 Doers - Uh! no, no * the hardieft 
 
 villain of them all would- not fleep there "°' "° ’ th " hardieft 
 
 for ,h richeft booty ,hey might tfk -7d 2 IT^Tk^ g **"{ 
 feared. « Farewell friend.’" ai v 1S u known and 
 
 FhlS llninKokt f o,-l ..1 r • ■ T . • 
 
 or dilcovery.” 7 U11 *y from interruption 
 
 The violence of the ftorm made him run acrof« i 
 foon arrived at what had been the moat, but which 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 7 
 
 come choked with weeds. A decayed drawbridge lay acrofs it. 
 by which he patted into the ruined court. The door of the cattle 
 itood half open, and he entered a fpacious hall : but his entrance 
 occafioned no fmall buttle, from the fright it gave a large owl, who 
 had taken up his hitherto unmolefted ttation in that place, and 
 whole fudden flight alarmed a family of bats, its ancient iniiabi- 
 * ants * The uproar occafioned by his intrufion having a little ffib- 
 iided, Julian looked round. An air of magnificence was ft ill 
 vihble through the dirt and cobwebs. Its upper pannels, adorned 
 with whole length pi&ures of the emperors of Germany, its lower 
 with military trophies, the back-iwurd, the battered helmet, and 
 the tattered colours, evinced the a£hve bravery of their poffdlors. 
 Its floor, where, from the accumulated dull of a length of years* 
 the floor could be difeerned, was marble in large chequers of black 
 and white : the windows large j but, from their Gothic ftmchire, 
 and the gials being painted with armorial bearings, covered too 
 with dirt and cobwebs, the light which ftruck through them was 
 
 obreaslofheTye. and ^ ju “ t0 thc '-‘ou„d„,g 
 
 A fpacious ftone ftair-cafe was at the upper end of this hall, and 
 feveial doors on each fide. Julian opened one, and found it J e «l 
 into a nobie fuit of apartments, whofe velvet hangings, which 
 once had been crimfon adorned with gold, were dropfmg°by damp 
 and negleft from the walls. 1 5 J P 
 
 fur P rifed him was > that, though unin- 
 
 habited, the caftle was not disfurmfhed, there appearing in tliei'e 
 «ooms every thing proper for an opulent family, though in a date 
 fLal i , ^ Cf ? airs were man X of them tailing to pieces, and 
 weighf ^ niaib e tables had ciu thed their frames with their own 
 
 w rnil5g i in A°i he halJ> he °P eneda door on the other fide, and 
 rtmnd it conduced to the offices, among which was a kitchen, fur- 
 mfhed with every culmary apparatus, and in feme diforder, as if 
 in actual ufe, tnough dirty, and devoured with ruft. 
 
 He then akended the flairs j and, opening a door in the front of 
 the ante-chamber, he found himfelt in a grand faioon 5 and he pn. 
 -eived this floor had not fluttered near fo much as the ground- floor 
 by damp; for the fplendid ornaments of this room were in a very 
 good fta‘e of preservation, and fully evinced the magnificent and 
 elegant tafle of thofe who had adorned it. 
 
 He next opened the doors of many bed-chambers. Some of them 
 he found fumptuoufly decorated, others fimply elegant. All of 
 them had futtered more or Jefs, but ftemingly more from damp than 
 J ulTa " im P uted t0 the choaking up of the moat, that 
 had attested the cattle walls, the coftly hangings which were upon 
 them bearing the grea elt marks of decay. ** 
 
 One of thefe chambers he entered, whofe hangings were in much 
 e ter prefervation than the reft ; they were of rich tapettry. Over 
 the chimney-piece of this room was a large pifture, which con- 
 tained a family group, and fixed the attention of Julian. A man 
 
8 THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 in the prime of life, and of a noble air, ftood leaning with looks 
 of plea fu re and cordial love over the back of a chair, on which fat 
 a lady of exquifite beauty. On her lap Jay a lovely finding male 
 infant, which (he was careffing : at her knee ftood a fine little boy j 
 and at a fmall diftance were two other, children} one a beautiful 
 girl, feated on a lamb, whole neck was decorated with flowers, and 
 held on by a boy of a molt amiable countenance, ftemingly iome- 
 thin g older than herfelf. 
 
 The day was, by this time drawing to its clofe. Julian was (till 
 dripping wet from the Itorm; though his curiofity had fo entirely 
 engrafted every faculty, that it had fcarcely occurred to him. A 
 chill, which he now felt, reminded him that he was fo } and he took 
 off fome of his clothes, and hung them at the back of a chair to 
 dry, thinking to wrap himl'elf up in the counterpane of the bed. 
 But perceiving preffes in a clofet, the door of which ftood open, 
 he looked into them, and to his great furprife found they were full 
 of men’s habiliments of the ricneft kinds. “ This caftle,” laid 
 he, “ ab®unds in wonders. I muft beg leave to borrow this night- 
 gown,” throwing one about his (houldersj and then laying him r 
 leif down on the bed, he was foon buried in a profound repofe, 
 out of which he was fuddenly awoke about midnight by a horrible 
 noife, a kind of cry of diftrefs, as il from feveral voices. 
 
 Julian poffeffed a courage the moft undaunted } vet as he lay and 
 liftened, and recolle&ed what the peafant had told him of the cable's 
 being the refidence of infernal fpirits, though his good fenfe rejected 
 the fuppoiition, a fen timent not much unlike fear obtruded itfelf 
 with the wonder with which he heard the difmal cry that rung 
 through the caftle. As he was deliberating whether he had better 
 rife, or continue where he was, on a hidden, by the light of the 
 moon, which fhone bright into his apartment, he perceived a man 
 at the foot of the bed. Julian, though greatly furprifed, looked 
 ftedfaftiy at him. He was in a loofe drefs, ftained in many places 
 with blood ; his afpeft expreftive of the deepeft anguifh and heait- 
 felt grief} and his features, Julian thought, like thole in the fa- 
 mily picfuie. The phantom feemed to eye Julian, then waved his 
 hand for him to rile. Though his heart palpitated at fo ftrange a 
 fummons, he inftantly obeyed it. He role from the bed. The 
 phantom walked to the door, and beckoned him to follow. ' It led 
 him down the ftair-cafe, and acrofs the hall, where a door opened 
 to rective them. Through this door Julian ft ill followed his con- 
 ductor, though not without reluctance, when he found it led them 
 into a dark narrow paffage. Hitherto he had enjoyed the light of 
 the moon } but no looner were they entered this place, than the 
 door (hut to .with a violence which reverberated through all the 
 caftle, and he found himfelf Ihur up in utter darknefs. imme- 
 diately his hand was feized by one of icy coldnefs, and he was 
 drawn with an irrefiftibie force down a winding and deep defcent of 
 great length. 
 
 Was it in man to be unappalled in fuch a fituation ? The idea 
 of his companion— -The hoiror of the daiknefs— The delcent. 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. g 
 
 which Teemed to his imagination as if leading info the bowels of 
 the earth ! — His blood Teemed congealed by the cold touch of thofe 
 ftrange fingers ; his heart beat with a violence which would fcarcely 
 allow hir* to breathe. A door before them flew open, and Julian 
 defcried a room, or rather a dungeon, where, by a blue and ful- 
 phureous light, he Taw a woman fitting on the floor, beTmeared 
 with blood, and round her three children bleeding. Seeing Julian, 
 the rofe, and glided towards him with fpread arms, as if to em- 
 brace him ; but, with a heart too much opprefled to fupport any 
 additional terrors, he fhrui.k with hoiror from the embrace, and 
 fell into a deep fwoon. 
 
 It was feveial hours ere Julian revived to TenTe and recollection. 
 He iooked round. The Tun, who was now at Tome height, dart- 
 ing his beams on the window of a neighbouring tower, fhot from 
 thence downward an oblique ray, which, piercing through the 
 bars of that difmal abode in which Julian found himfelf, enabled 
 him, bj* its faint and indiftintft: light, to view it. It was a narrow 
 gloomy dungeon, the walls of which were beTmeared with blood, 
 and dropping with a noxious dew, that partook of its colour. On 
 the floor lay leveral dead bodies, which time had wafted to fkeletons. 
 Unnerved, and with weakened fpirits, Julian fhiveied with horror 
 atthefcene; and, perceiving the door open, endeavoured imme- 
 diately to efcape from it to the upper regions of the caftle. 
 
 With Tome difficulty, and not without a chill of horror, he cau- 
 tyoufly retrod his midnight fteps through the dark afcent, groping 
 with his hands, and running every moment againft the damp wind-^ 
 ing wall ; and never was the broad light of day fo welcome to his 
 eyes, as when, on pufhing open the door, he found himlelf in the 
 hall. He afcended the ftair-cafe with hafty fteps, looking behind 
 him as if he feared the phantom was following him : and, having 
 entered the chamber where he flept, he put on his clothrs. With 
 all expedition he left this troubled abode ; and crofting the lawn, 
 regained the fkirt of that foreft which he had travelled the preceding 
 day. He had fcarcely entered it, when he again met the fame 
 peafant who had accofted him the day before. 
 
 “ A fmiiing morning, your honour, after the ftorm of yefterday. 
 You muft have been nation wet. Why woudn’t you be io good as 
 to go to my poor cottage ? We fhould have been a very few minutes 
 running there; and my wife would have been fo happy to dry your 
 honour’s clothes, which to my thinking are wet now.” Doft thou 
 know, me, good fellow?” “ Yes, your honour. Don’t vow re- 
 member the Count’s vaftal, Conrad ?’* But how came you in 
 this part of the country, Conrad ?’’ “ Oh, your honour, I mar- 
 
 ried Gillian, one of lady Konigfal’s attendants, and fettled here, 
 where f earn hard bread by cutting wood in the foreft, and cai lying 
 it to Augfburg. But though I earn coarle htead by hard labour, 
 and the fweat of my brow, what of that? Work is good for my 
 health : the rich man muft toil or be fick ; and he endures as much 
 fatigue in fporting as I do in wood cutting.” “ Oh, Conrad ! 
 thou ait indeed a happy man !” “ I am contented, your honour j 
 
io THE HAUNTED CASTLE, 
 
 and that is every thing. But would you make me happy, and go 
 to my cottage?” “ Yes, I think I will go with thee, to have mv 
 clothes dried, which aie indeed very damp. Which is the way ?'* 
 
 “ O, this way, your honour.” 
 
 They Toon reached the cabin (for it was no better) of honed 
 Conrad, who bawled out, as he entered, “ Here, Gillian, I have 
 brought thee Lord Julian ! His clothes are wet : make a fire, and 
 dry them. Perhaps he hath not yet bioke his fall, and will eat 
 lome of our homely tare.” “ Will you,” laid Gillian, “ will 
 your Lordlhip condefcend to blels our humble board ?” “ Gladly, 
 Gillian $ for, to confeis a truth, I have been a long time farting.” 
 The cabin was now in commotion ; the children weie difpatched 
 for (ticks to make a fire. Julian was Itript of his wet clothes, 
 and dreli in the holiday ones of Conrad, which, though fufficiently 
 homely, were clean. Conrad undertook to dry them, whilft Gil- 
 lian prepared the entertainment. 
 
 A clean doth w'as fpread upon a fhining brown table; and a 
 regale of bread, butter, and milk, fat thereon, that no time might 
 be loft, whilit a repaft of eggs and fifn was preparing. Some nuts 
 and dried grapes compoled the defert ; whilit the pure beverage of 
 nature from t he brook at their door Ipaikied in the brown jug. 
 
 The rage of hunger appeafed, Julian had leifure to look about 
 him. The houfe, though a mud built cottage, was clean even to 
 nicenefs, with all its humble furniture. His hoft was a robuit 
 peafant of about thirty: honefty, in its plained: and moft ruftic 
 garb, marked his manners. 
 
 Conrad had gazed in filence on Julian while he was eating: his 
 voracious appetite, his wet clothes from the preceding day’s ftorm, 
 bis being unattended, became matter of allonifliment to him. “ I 
 alk .your pardon, your honour ; but I cannot chufe, but wonder 
 to fee your honour without any feivants, ieerr.ingly without lodg- 
 ing laft night, and hungry enough to relifh our homely diet. If 
 the good Count knew all this, he would fear you would catch a 
 fever with your damp things.” “ And Lady Jemima,*’ faid Gil- 
 lian, “ what would rtie fear ?” 
 
 The cheeks of Julian glowed at that name. “ Alas !” faid he, 
 fighing, “ know you not that the good Count is dead? His bro- 
 ther is now' in polfeflion of the cartle, and has chafed me from it : 
 and Lady Jemima — is — by this time — the wife of the young Baron 
 Hailbron ; who, not content with that envied blefling, punues my 
 life with the mod rancorous hate. It is but two nights ago that I 
 eicaped from ruffians, hired to murder me, into thele forefts, where, 
 alone and unarmed as I am, I would wilh to avoid them.” 
 
 “ Here, your honour, here you Jhall be fafe. I will pledge my 
 life 40 fecure yours,” faid Conrad. “ Generous, blefled fpirit !” 
 laid Julian, “ worthy to inhabit the breafts of princes ! Gratitude 
 cannot be a folitary virtue; to you I will commit mylelf. I have 
 if ill (ome ducats, which will prevent my becoming burthtnfome, 
 till I can fix upon a plan for my future conduit.” 
 
 Conrad and his wife were as grateful to Julian for his intention 
 3 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. u 
 
 to ftay with them as if he had conferred a benefit. (r But,” af 1 r 
 a paufe, (Purveying again the cottage,) “ my good friends,” laid 
 Julian, “ this habitation but ill accords with your own expanded 
 hearts ; it mud be too 1’mail for the family you already have ; you 
 cannot lodge me. Befides, Conrad, my enemies wtll purine me. 
 
 I know well their malice ; it is edged with double fury bv con- 
 feious ingratitude. If I appear here, others in this diftri£l may 
 know me as well as. yourfeif ; inquiries will be made after me, and 
 I (hall be betrayed. Is there no unfrequented place near, in which 
 I may dither?” “ I, by the greatefl accident in the world, d f- 
 coveied a cave in the foreft, which is very large, and it is dry and 
 clean,” laid Conrad. “ The very thing ; that cave fhall be my 
 refidence” “ And what does your lordfhip think of the drels ot 
 a hermit r” faid Gillian. “ As of the happielt thought imagi- 
 nable, and the propereft inhabitant of a cave. I am impatient to 
 wear it — But how (hail I procure it ?” <i That fhall be my pro- 
 vince,” anfwered fhe. “ I was going this day to Augfburg, fo 
 fell my fpinning work, and buy fome matters, and there I can pur- 
 chafe what is nectffary.” “ Do ; and in the interim I will go 
 with your hufband to the cave ; and here is fome money for your 
 marketing.” 
 
 According to this plan, each went their different route. Julian 
 found the cave but a little way in that part of the foreft which 
 fronted the Haunted Caftle, but in a very thick part of it, and ac- 
 ceflible only by a narrow path, which winded with many intricate 
 doublings through the briar and underwood. Ti e firft entrance 
 was discovered by Cbnrad merely by accident. The door of the 
 cave was in the in fide of a rocky hill, fo covered wi‘h mofs and 
 weeds, it was no ea:y mater t© find it. The cave it felt was 1 nge 
 and commodious, and confided of two apartments, which were made 
 out of the lblid n ek. Our youthful adventurer, was deligh ed 
 with it. “ To night,” faid he, “ Conrad, will I take pofleflion, 
 as foon as your wife comes from Augfburg.” And he was as 
 good as his word ; for Gillian came h use loon after their return 
 to the cottage, laden with thole neceffary articles which enabled 
 him fo to do. Here,” faid fhe, “ is your beard; and here is your 
 lobe and your firing of beads. Let me have the honour of tranf- 
 foimirg ti e Ivmdlomeft young man in Germany into a venerable 
 hermit. I have brought jou ai fo a mattrefs, pillow, and coverlid $ 
 a tinder-box, fome oil, and a lamp.” 
 
 Julian’s affairs were foon adjutted. Gillian would aflift in car- 
 rying Ids furniture to the cave. The moon was friendly to the 
 evening expedition. The mattrefs was fpread in the inner cave, 
 his humble furniture putin order; and, after imploring millions 
 of bieflings on his head, Com ad and his i’poufe left our adventurer 
 to his repofe. 
 
 Julian awoke early ; and, rifing from his lowly couch, he opened 
 the door of the cave, and iallied out to view his domain. “ What 
 an enchanting , retreat !” he exclaimed; “ fweet feat of innocence 
 and peace ! Why cannot I be the chara£Ur 1 affume ? bid a final 
 
 B a 
 
»*■ THE HAUNTED CASTLE, 
 
 adieu to a world that affords not one glimpfe of happinefs for me, 
 and end my life in this charming lolitude? If Jemima be another's 
 * — and will her being fo admit a doubt ? — If fife be, what is the 
 world r — A blank. S;ciety, were it inclined to admit me, a curfe ; 
 and life an intolerable burthen. — Yet how do I know but the 
 conftancy of Jemima may furmount the obftinacy of her perle- 
 cutors t Her foul, though foft as the wefiern breeze, and yielding 
 a« afr to its all reafcnable deitits, is firm and unbending in the caufe 
 of virtue and hbnour. Shall 1 fupinely bury myfelf in folitude, 
 and leave to her an unavailing and una (filled confii6l ? I will at lealt 
 make one tffurt to fee her. No one can recognize me in my prefent 
 di-'guife. I will find means to enter the cafile. I will be allured 
 1 have nothing to hope, before I refign myfelf to defpair.” 
 
 This relblution was no fooner formed, than Conrad appeared at 
 the entiar.ee, to whom Julian communicated his determination. 
 “ You mull fuffer me then to go with you, my lord,” laid that 
 honed pealant. “ ’ Tis a parlous long way, and your honour 
 does not lock quite well. JBefides, you may be difeovered ; and 
 it will be f’af'er to have one with you, who is both able and willing 
 to defend you. I will run home, tell Gillian where we are going, 
 bring fome prnvifions for the way, and then, if it fo pleale you, 
 we will fet out.” 
 
 As foon as Conrad returned, they began their journey, each 
 with a (tout ttaff in his hand, and a waiiet of provifions on the 
 (ho older of Conrad. They did not arrive at the environs of tr.e 
 ca/tle till the fi-cond day had doled upon them. Their path lay 
 within a furlong of the chmcb, from the windows of which, when 
 they came agair.ft it, they perceived a great light, which Itreamed 
 along the glade. 
 
 “ There is a funeral,” faid Conrad. “ Shall we look in, your 
 honour? “As you pleafe, my friend. My curiofity, except in 
 one paiticular, is extind. But, probably, as there are many 
 people gathered together, you may, by fome prudent inquiries, 
 difeover what is going forward at the cattle. But I piithce be 
 guarded.” “ Oh ! fear me not, your honour,” laid Conrad, 
 bending his hafty Heps towards the church. Julian followed him. 
 They entered, perceived it lighted by a profulion of wax tapeis, 
 full of people, many of them In mourning habits, and the piiells 
 chanting a requiem to the foul of the decaled. 
 
 “ Who cat. 7 it be:” whifpertd Conrad. “ A woman by the 
 eofnn ; and, to ail appearance, of great account.” “ Happy fpi- 
 rit 1” faid Julian. “ Released from ail the miferies of this Jublu- 
 nary feene of torments, how I envy thy fweet oblivion of grief and 
 caie ! But loft, they lead to the monument of Warlenburg. My 
 boding heart! For Heaven’s lake, Conrad, inquire who it is.” 
 
 Conrad made the inquiry of a pealant who ltcod near, and was 
 anfwered, with a dare of wonder, “ Why, that’s ltrange, ye 
 (hould not know ’tis her ladylhip, Madam Jemima, our lord’s 
 daughter; the fweet ell and bell lady in the world. This was to 
 have been her v.edding-day. Lord blel's us! Many things, you 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 13 
 
 f 
 
 ee, mailer, fall out between the cup and the Up. Well, God dif«« 
 pofes of all things, as our good pried: fays. She had a bitter dil- 
 like to the man my lord had choof’ed for her. She could not en- 
 dure the Baron. No, no; there was another young gentleman die 
 had let her heart upon, who was as handfome as the day was long, 
 and fo affable and kind to poor people. Well, well, ’tis not for 
 poor people to pals their verdi£! upon rich people’s doings, or, to 
 ?>y 'hinlcing, the Count delerves all the fcrrow he meets with. He 
 turned this good young gentleman out of doors to feek his for- 
 tune ; when, I have heard, he never would have been mailer cf 
 the caftle, if it had not been for him. But we mud take care 
 how we talk of our betters, you know. Well, and then he would 
 make madam Jemima marry the Baron, becaufe his father was 
 rich; and now God, you lee, has taken his daughter from him. 
 Allis for the bell, as our pried fays ; for, to my thinking, die 
 had better be in heaven than married to the Baron, whole father is 
 hated by every body; and all the fervants fay the fon is as like 
 him as two peas.” 
 
 Though this intelligence was given in a whifpering voice, Julian 
 loft not a word, as he leaned for fupport again!! one of the pillars 
 of the church, which fortunately he happened 'to Hand near; for a 
 fupport, indeed, he wanted. 44 Lead me to the monument, faid 
 he, “ Conrad;” 
 
 Conrad reluflantly lent his arm, and Julian, by that adillance, 
 daggered towards the monument; which, by this time, the coffin 
 being depolited, and all due rights performed, every one had quit- 
 ted, but the man whofe office it was tc take care of it, and lock 
 it up, which he was then preparing to do. 44 I have no leifure to 
 gratify farther curiolky,” faid he, very rudely, as Julian entered. 
 “ If you dont’t come out dire 6 Hy, I lhall lock you up.” “ I lhall 
 thank thee, friend ; thou canll not do me a greater fervice,” re- 
 plied Juiinn, throwing himlelf upon his knees by the fide of the ‘ 
 ccffin, and Ipreading his arms over it, whillt a torrent of tears 
 poured down his cheeks. 
 
 The man looked at him with allonilhment, not unmixed with 
 pity. Poor Conrad was in tears ; yet, amidft his grief, forgot not 
 how neceffary it was his patron fiiould be concealed. “ A poor 
 crazed hermit,” faid he to the I’exton, 44 whofe whole dependence 
 was on the charity of Lady Jemima.” “ Alas ! poor man! his 
 lofs is great'indeed !” replied the other. ‘ 4 We have ali realon to 
 weep. So good-, fo affable, fo kind ! Ah ! the poor have loft their 
 belt friend! — But come, father, grief will not bring her to life 
 again, and I want to be getting home.” 44 Have patience with 
 him a Ihort time,” faid Conrad. 4 ‘ Have you no others matters 
 to lee after in the church? In about a quarter of an hour, perhaps, 
 
 I lhall be able to move him from hence.” “ Yes, I want to put 
 things a lit tie to rights; but, when that is done, I mult not be 
 kept.” So faying, he left them. 
 
 “ Oh! my dear Sir,” faid Conrad to Julian, who Hill con- 
 tinued to bathe the coffin with his tears, “ though i cannot blame 
 
i* THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 your grief for the lofs of fo fweet a creature, yet confider where 
 you are, and the evil conlequences of being known.” “ Where I 
 am> Conrad! Oh! I know full well — In the place which holds 
 all that was ever dear to me in this world, and all to <n horn I was 
 dear. Here lies my jemima ; the lovelieft — fweeteft — belt — Oh ! 
 my lwoln heart ! — burft, obftinate tormentor, and fpare me thefe 
 excruciating pangs. And there, Conrad, look there,’' riling, and 
 pointing to another coffin, « there lies my dear, my ineftimable 
 friend. His arms dandled my infancy, his care nurtured my 
 youth : he fought to bring me to honour : It was his intention to 
 give me riches, to procure me happinefs. Alas ! thou molt bene- 
 volent, thou belt of oeings,” kneeling, and lifting his dreaming 
 eyes to Heaven, “ as a fen thou didft love me ; and viith an af- 
 fe&ion m^re than filial was thy love returned. See thy Julian be- 
 reaved of ail thy goodnefs had intended for him $ the virtues which 
 thou implanted in his heart were the means of his deftru 6 ti<sn.” 
 
 Come,*‘Sir \ the fexton will be back.” “ And mult l leave thee, 
 jemima?” finking again into tender lorrow, “ for ever leave thee? 
 Leave thee to^, my honoured friend ! the only pair who truly 
 loved me, and return to a world that cares not for me ? — Oh, 
 Jemima !” finking on his knees by the fide of the coffin, and fer- 
 vently kiffing the velvet which covered it ; l< molt beautiful, fairtft 
 of female forms ! Rich cafe of a jewel which now ffiines in heaven 1 
 Farewell! Oh! farewell — for tVfcR!” So faying, he rufhed out 
 cf the place, as if he doubted his own refoluticn, followed by 
 Conrad. 
 
 The intention of his journey thus foirowfully accomplifhed, 
 Julian felt an eagernefs to return to his cave, where, in uninter- 
 rupted folitude, he might give free indulgence to his g< itf, which 
 made him deaf to all the reprefentations of Conrad on ihe abfolute 
 neceffity cf reft and rcfrefhment ; and, as foon as they had regained 
 the path tffiy had quitted, Julian fet off at a rate which his itrength, 
 impaired as it was by the fatigue of the two preceding day’s jour- 
 ney, was very inadequate to fuftain. It was loon flacKened j but 
 fUJI, for feveral hours, he went forward in deep filence, inter- 
 nip'ed but by fighsj and the day broke upon them as, with weaiy 
 fteps and flaw, they afetnded a very high hill. By the time they 
 gained the furnmir, the ftrength of both weie fo much ex haul! ed, 
 that they threw themfelves, as if by confent, at the foot of a large 
 ip reading tree. 
 
 On a hidden the fun, burfting from a cloud, which had veiled 
 his riling beams, gave Ire, ipiiit, and animation to the world. 
 To all the woiJd but Julian 5 who, hiding his eyes on his arm, as 
 he lay upon the earth, refilled to join in the general joy. “ Oh ! 
 Conrad,” he exclaimed, ** how' came we to place ourlelves here 
 in fuch a moment as this, when all nature, the whole creation 
 ' Teem at war with my feelings ? When every living creature inlults 
 me with a difpiay of joy and gladnefs ! Limbs, bear me to my 
 Yequeftered vale, and then ftiften, and refufe your offices for ever. 
 You are weary, Conrad,’* A little, your honour, But what 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. , 5 
 
 think you of breaking your faft? To fay truth, I am more hungry 
 than tired. I have (tilt lome bread, and a liice of cheti'e, in my 
 wallet j and I can fill my bottle at that clear little fpring on my 
 left hand.” “ I will thank thee for a little water, my good friend j 
 but no eating for me.” “ But what will lupport your honour ?” 
 “ Milery ! — Defpair ! The wretch on the rack is ini'enhble to the 
 tooth-ach.” Conrad filled his bottle, out of which Julian greedily 
 drank $ and then the honeft pealanr eat his breakfaft with a very 
 good appetite, though not with that glee which he would have done 
 could his patron have partook it with him. 
 
 On they again walked j and towards evening reached a fmall vil- 
 lage, where, with great difficulty, Conrad perluaded Julian to take 
 l’ome lefrefhment and reft. He did lie down a few hours $ but 
 ihort #vas the repofe he allowed himfelf ; and the next evening, 
 weary and fpent, they arrived at the place where he had fo much 
 wi filed to be. 
 
 Conrad, though extremely fatigued, would have ftaid, and waited 
 upon him, but this he would not futfer. “ Go to thy wife, my 
 happy friend,” faid he. ** I want nothing in thy power to pro- 
 cure me. I have provifions ; my rivulet affoids me drink j I have 
 oil in my lamp.” «* At leaft, let me light it,” faid Conrad. 
 He (truck the flint, and illuminated the cave. “ There, my friend, 
 now leave mej and let me not fee a human form till the morning 
 after to-morrow.’* Conrad pronounced a fervent benediction, and 
 departed. 
 
 “ At laft, I am left to do as I pleafe,” faid he, with a gloomy 
 and luilen latisfa&ion, throwing himfelf on the ground before his 
 cave, in which pofition he lay a confiderable time, overwhelmed 
 with the moft poignant grief. At length he called reafon to his 
 aid ; and reflecting in a rnanly manner on his prefent fituation, at 
 laft concluded, as he had loft all that was dear to him in this 
 werld, it was a duty he owed to God to do what good he could 
 for the reft of his life, that he might obtain eternal happinefs here- 
 after. He laid, “ My power of doing good belongs to the great 
 Ruler of the Univei fe to affign. I bring a heart to his lervicej 
 and He, who beholds the inmoft receffes of that heart, will accept 
 the intention , though the attion may be circumlcribed. This 
 quiet leclufion has infinite charms, much to be preferred to the 
 noife and buftle of the world. I will tear that preference from my 
 foul } for, as I fujfer life from a principle of duty to God, with- 
 out any profpeCt of enjoying it, neither inclination nor tcjfe have 
 bu fine Is to take the lead in my choice of what fort of life it fhall 
 be. I live, becaufe, by dying, I fhould incur tne ang - r of God, 
 and hazard the happindk or an eternity : and I will jo live as I 
 think wili be moft plealmg to him, and of courl'e molt proper to 
 fecure that happinefs j or I had belter die at once, and eficape the 
 •evils of life. Adieu, then, the felfilfi lolitude of the monk and 
 the hermit — But which way to bend my courfe ? Will it be of any 
 ufe to explore the myltery of that Caftle, which a cowardly fear 
 ■Ktade mg abandon i The fpirits gf the dead are not ordinarily iuf-* 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 fered to diftuib the abodes of the living. There mud be fotne- 
 thing more than common in it. Has there been murder, and the 
 perturbed fpirits wander round the unbuned relics of the bodv, 
 till they are committed to confecrated ground, and the murderer 
 puniftied? That dungeon— thofe bones- — The recollection chills me 
 with horror. O that I could bring peace to thofe difturbed ipirits ! 
 But how? I will conlider to morrow, for I feel weary, heavy, and 
 want repofe.” He entered his cave, threw himfeif on his Tnat- 
 trefs, and, in a few moments, funk into a profound deep, in which 
 he remained till the next day was far advanced.. 
 
 At length the iun approached the horizon ; and Julian, taking 
 his lamp and implements tor procuring a light, walked to the 
 Caftle. The fame buttle "eniued amonglt the ancient inhabitants of 
 the hall as upon his ttrtt arrival. He waited not to fee tranquil- 
 lity reftored, but immediately afcended the ttairs, and entered the 
 chamber he had before occupied. “ The time will pafs very te- 
 dioufly,*’ faid he, “ till midnight, with no other companion than 
 my own thoughts. Would 1 had a bock. But is it polfible.a 
 Caftle, furnifhed as this is, can be without a library? Let me feak 
 it.” 
 
 He went out of the chamber, opened feveral doors, and at Iaft: 
 difcovered what he had fought. It was a very noble room, adorned 
 with beautiful paintings and ftatuary, and contained the bett au- 
 thors. “ What an invaluable trealure !” faid Julian, as his eyes 
 ran greedily over the backs of the books. He foon feleCted one. 
 Two large wax candles, in mafiy filver candlefticks, (food upon 
 the writing table. He took them, with his book, into the cham- 
 ber ; and, as it now began to be dark, he lighted them; and, 
 fitting down, fo placid was his foul, that the hour of midnight 
 Hole upon him unheeded : nor did the errand on which he came once 
 rife to his recolleftion, till he was reminded of it by a fudden guft 
 of wind riling in the caftle, and howling in the long paflages. 
 The doors banged, the windows rattled, the wainfcot cracked. 
 This was fucceeded by a deep and difmal cry of diftrefs. . A more 
 foul- harrowing found never reached a human ear. . It leemed to be 
 compoled of thefereams of children, the piercing Ihrieks of women, 
 and the groans of dying men. 
 
 Firm as Julian thought his foul, the book dropt from his trem- 
 bling hand. A moment's reflection, however, rettored him to him- 
 fell. He took up his book, and was endeavouring to regain his 
 fubje61, when the door flew open with great noife and violence, and 
 the l. o e-robed phantom,, with (low and foleinn pace, prefented it- 
 felf before him. For a moment it gazed on Julian ; and then, with 
 a majeliic air, waved him to the dooi . “ I will not go hence,” 
 
 faid Julian with firmnefs. “ It aught is required me to know, un- 
 fold it here. Who art thou ?" A voice, like the hollow echoes of 
 a vault, replied, “ Thy murderld fattier.” “ My father!” 
 cried Julian, gafping for breath, his eyes gazing on the wan and 
 faded (orm, whilft: a fenfation of painful tendernefs lwelled his 
 heart. “ Mr father murdered — awd thus? Oh l ray 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. *7 
 
 father! revered name! let me thus, on my knees, pay that du- 
 teous homage to thy {hade, which fate denied me to thy earthly 
 fubllance.” He approached the fhadow, and funk on his knees be- 
 fore it in fpeechlels agony, whilfl (beams of tears ran down his 
 cheeks. The {hade Went over him, whilfl a faint g!eam of pleafure 
 half illumed its folemn and fad countenance. “ Oh! njy father l” 
 at length, he cried, i( if the unimbodied fpirit can take cognizance 
 of what paffes in the imhodied, thou kncwefl what painful curio- 
 (ity rends my heart. Where is my mother ? Where thy other 
 children?” “ All murdered hut thyfelf, whom, thrown into the 
 river, a tuft of hay, by the good providence of God, received.” 
 il My God ! — All !” — He paufed, in horror and aftdnifhment ; at 
 lafl proceeded : “ How {hall I revenge thy murder ? How give 
 peace to thy troubled fpirit?’* “ Confult the Marquis ofVicanze,” 
 the fame hollow voice replied. 
 
 Julian ftill continued kneeling, flill gazing on the almoft trans- 
 parent form, when it gradually faded from his light, and he con- 
 tinued to fix his {training eyes on empty i'pace. At length he- 
 arofe, and threw himfelf into ah eafy chair, iiis mind fo filled with 
 the recent fcene, that he feemed to have not ?n idea beyond it. 
 
 As his mind recovered its powers, he perceived that, though he 
 had gained fome light, {till the affair was involved in great my fiery. 
 Who was the Marquis of Vicanze, and where was he to be found ? 
 It was not probable that Conrad could give him any infdrmation, 
 yet he might be of ufe to him. He then lay down upon the bed ; 
 but his mind was too peiturbed to afford him ai y thing but fhort 
 and broken (lumbers. The moment he cloftd hi* eyes, the wan 
 fpirit of his father fwam before him, the difinal cries founded in 
 his ears, and he darted from his deep in indescribable horrors. He 
 role early, unrefrefhed and difpiiitedj and, leaving the caftle, 
 walked towards his cave. Near it he found Conrad, who had been 
 to pay him an early vifit. 
 
 Juiian law, in the honeft joy of the peafant at perceiving him 
 fafe, an incontrovertible teflimony of his affe£lio«j and he took 
 him l) 2 ck to the cave, that he might there unbolom himfelf, with- 
 out fear of interruption. r . 
 
 Conrad declared his hair flood on end with terror and aftonifh- 
 intntj but Julian found he could give him no intelligence of the 
 Marquis. He had been but a (hort time in that part of the coun- 
 try, and knew no more than that the domain of the Haunted 
 Caftle was very laige and exfenfive ; and that its loid lived at fome 
 diltance $ but he was not even acquainted with his name. “ But 
 if your lordfhip,” faid he, ** would give grant that I might tell 
 this wonderful fiory to my wife, fire hath forty times more fenfe 
 than me, your honour. Ods bobs, (he would find out a way. 
 How joyful (houid we all be to fee your honour lord of that fine 
 Caftle, and ail the eftates round ! ” “ Well, Conrad, we will firft 
 difeover were this Marquis is to be found. If thou thinkeft Gil- 
 lian can affitt us, and ait fare (lie can keep a fecret,” <* I will 
 pledge my Ufe,, your honour.” 
 
1 3 THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 They went to the cabin, but Gillian was not alone ; an eld 
 goffiping female was with her, who came to buy her honey. 
 
 “ Oh Heavens!" laid Gillian, as they entered, “ here is good 
 father Francis with my hufoand ! Welcome, father*, how are you 
 after your long walk?” “ I thank you, daughter, perfe&iy well.” 
 “ This,” faid Gillian, “ neighbour, is a pious father, who 
 means to blefs us by living in our diftritt.’* “ Holy Mary, how 
 glad I am to hear it! It is now many years fmee father Jacamo 
 had a cell in the foreft — Ah! the good that he did in our cottages ! 
 He comforted the fouls of all the poor twenty miles round. Al>! 
 they were blefled days ! Younger eyes than mine will nevtr fee the 
 like again. Las-a*day ! no, for then we had a good lord and lady 
 at the Cattle.” “ Indeed !” faid Conrad, finding that Julian was 
 unable to fpeak, “ Who were they, pray ? Did you know them ?” 
 “ Ah! blefs their fweet faces! I have feen them times and of- 
 ten. My lord was as ftately as a king ; nay, people did fay he 
 was related to the king ; but he was very kind to the poor for all 
 that ; and my lady was as handfome and as good as an angel.’’ 
 “ What were their names ?” The Count and Countefs of Waid- 
 burg.” - “ What became of them?” “ Oh! they went into 
 France at the time we had fo many foldiers all about. My lady 
 was afraid belike, and fo they went away all of a fudden, without 
 bidding good by to their neareft friends ; and there Hands the poor 
 Cattle, juft as they left it, with all the furniture I have heard: and 
 there it may remain I fancy, for nobody will carry it away.” 
 “ Why ?” laid Gillian. “ Why, the devil is come to keep houfe 
 there, and the witches have a ball every night.” “ But who re- 
 ceives the rents of the Cattle?” juft articulated Julian. “Holy- 
 father, a nobleman, who lives about twenty miles off, and is 
 called the Baron Hailbron.” Julian ftarted. She did not obferve 
 him, but continued — “ He married the Countefs’s fitter. People 
 faid he was a fad hufband, and broke the poor lady’s heart; but he 
 lives a long way off, and the world is very given to lying. To be 
 fuse he hath a fteward, who fcrews the tenants very much; they 
 cannot live as in my lord the Count’s time: Oh! no, that they 
 cannot. But we mutt never expefl to fee fuch days as they were 
 agan; we might have fifty lords, atad never look upon fuch an- 
 other.” “ Did the Marquis of Vicanze ever come to the Cattle ?” 
 faid Conrad. “ O yes; his wedding was kept there, and very grand 
 it was : all the vattals were feafted — Gracious Virgin, what happy 
 times were thole!” “ Do you know where the Marquis lives?’* 
 “ Yes, in Italy ; for my hufband's fitter went laundry-maid to tire 
 young Marchionefs.” 
 
 “ Can yon recollett how long it is fir.ee the Count, with Ins 
 family, went to Fiance?” faid Julian. “ ExaSly, father; fori 
 was brought to bed of my third fon the very morning I heard the 
 news, and my fon is two and twenty next July. I have reafon to 
 remember it was that time of the year, for we had the night before 
 fuch a flood as fwept all the new mown hay from the meadows into 
 the river — But, blefs me!’* faid fhe,. “ I ftiall talk, and forget 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 19 
 
 what I have to do. Holy father, I hope you will look into my 
 poor habitation, and bids me and my family.” “ Where do you 
 live, daughter?” “ Hard by $ my good neighbour will, I hope, 
 fhew you the way. May the bleffing of God be upon you all !” 
 
 “ Though we have gained all the intelligence we wanted,” faid Ju- 
 lian, “ yet ItiliGillian fhallbe made acquainted with my fecret, that 
 flie may ccur.fel me, as I am convinced the female mind is much 
 the moil ready and ingenious in difficult matters.” He did fo. 
 Gillian’s aftonilhment was great. “ If the Maiquis lives in Italy,” 
 faid ffie, “ you will, without doubt, take a journey thither.” “ I 
 intend itj but the difficulty is, how to procure the means of tra- 
 velling — My purfe contains a very few ducats.” “ But the Caftle, 
 my lord, that is undoubtedly yours. If every thing remains as 
 they were left by the family, even to the wearing apparel, pro- 
 bably there may be jewels j thefe murderers fee'm to have been 
 above plunder of the fmall kind. It would be worth while to exa- 
 mine minutely, and your right to them is indifputable.” “ We 
 have the gholt’s word for it, indeed j but how fhall we prow that 
 right ? However, your hint, Gillian, is not a bad one : the peace 
 of thefe perturbed fpirits is of the firft confideration, and I will 
 hazard petty confequences to effe&it. You fhall both go with 
 me.” “ Not at night, pleafe your honour,” faid Conrad. “We 
 will go immediately j for I fhall enjoy no reft till the fpirits of my 
 parents are in peace.” 
 
 Accordingly, after taking fome refreshment, they let off, and 
 reached the Caftle about noon. As they entered the hall, though 
 warned of the buftle their prefence would occafion, Conrad and 
 Gillian ftarted back, in no fmall confternation ; and though Julian 
 endeavoured to rally them out of their fears, they trembled, and 
 turned pale, as their fteps echoed in the lofty rooms, and were 
 every moment looking behind them. By degrees, however, their 
 fears fubfided, and they grew tolerably compofed. They exa- 
 mined all the lower apartments, and then afcended the ftairs. After 
 viewing and admiring the rich furniture and coftly decorations of 
 the faloon, Julian conducted them into the chamber where he had 
 flept j which, being the place where the ghoft had appeared, le- 
 newed all their fears 5 and it was fome time before they were fuf- 
 ficiently compofed to examine it. Curiofity at length got the bet- 
 ter of apprehenfion t and as this had been to all appearance the 
 apartment of the Count and Countefs, and there were clofets in it, 
 and two large drelfing- rooms adjoining, one for^a gentleman, tie 
 other for a lady, it was here, if any where, their feai ch would be 
 fuccefsful, and a very ftri£t one commenced. All the drawers 
 were opened and examined. They found a great variety of rich 
 articles of drefs. Same valuable ornaments, which feemed to have 
 been in common wear, were in the dreffing- boxes ; and in one of 
 them they found a key, which th£y immediately concluded be- 
 longed to a large cabinet in the lady’s dreffing-room, and upon trial 
 found themlelves not miltaken. Examining the drawers of this 
 cabinet, the eyes of Conrad and Gillian, unaccuftomed to fuch 
 
ao THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 things, were dazzled at the riches they contained. In one of them 
 was a lady’s fet of jewels of immenle value ; in another thofe of a 
 gentleman, with a fplendid (far, which feemed to belong to lome 
 order of knighthood ; in another lome very beautiful miniature 
 portraits, encircled with brilliants. Thefe laft fixed the attention 
 of Julian, who fancied he faw in one the likenefs of his father ; 
 and on comparing it with the family pi*ce, he difcovered a firiking 
 re femb lance, as another bore to the lady there, whom he concluded 
 was his mother. He fervently killed both. “ Whatever btfal 
 me,” laid he, “ never will I part fiom thefe precious fhadows. 
 They fhall he the companions of my future fortunes ;” faying which, 
 he encloied them in their cafes, and put them into his pocket. 
 
 “ 'Tis ftiange,” Laid Conrad, “that whoever murdered this 
 family, fhould not take away any of thefe valuable things.” “ They 
 aimed higher,” laid Julian; “ it was in all probability the rich do- 
 mains of the Caftle, not its furniture, or the ornaments of its in- 
 habitants, they fought by their crime to in Rue. Money, how- 
 ever, as a commodity not dijlinguijhable , it is likely they fecurni; 
 but we will i'eaich farther, notwithstanding that conjecture. Count 
 Warlenburg had a fecret treafury thiough fucli a clofet as is in 
 the gentleman’s drefling room, whole door was fo ingenioully con- 
 trived, that it was imperceptible to all who were not previoufly 
 acquainted with the fecret : perhaps this Calfle has filch an one, 
 which it is pojjible might efcape the feaicli of the aflaflins ; when 
 we have feen all the contents of this cabinet, I am determined to 
 examine that clofet,” 
 
 The other drawers of the cabinet they found contained valuable 
 matters of ornament or curiofity ; and on opening a private drawer, 
 he found a large green filk purfe, crammed up to the top with 
 double ducats. 
 
 This was a mod d<. Arable acquifition, and indeed alfthat he 
 flood in need of; yet Julian could not be fatisfied without endea- 
 vouring to difeover the treafury ; and they went into the clofet, 
 which was hung with tapefliy, and loole from its walls. He 
 founded all round it, but found no other appearance than its being 
 in the wall of the Caltle, as in fa£l it was, in one of the fmall 
 round towers, and had a window in it which dilcovered the ex- 
 treme thicknefs of the wall, fo that he became fatisfied there was 
 no door ; or if there was, it could not have led to any place. 
 
 But, unwilling to give up this fearch, he made Conrad take cut 
 the furniture, which confided of a fmall table, and fome ch 
 and taking up the carpet, examined the floor. Here he fa » t- 
 boards which compofed the flooring did not ruh the whole length 
 of the clofet, but were cut next the wall in a large fquare, which 
 lie was immediately convinced was a trap-door, though he knew 
 not how to get it up. He tried with his foot to fee where the hinge 
 was, and then with his hand ; at length, prefling a place very haid 
 he thought lco'er than the reft, he found it was a fpring, which 
 puttied up a little piece of the flooiing, and difcovered a large key- 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. ax 
 
 hole. Bat where was the key ? “ Perhaps,” faid Gillian, <( it is 
 in the cabinet in the lord's dreffing-room.” 
 
 The cabinet was examined. It contained gold and (liver medals, 
 and other valuable curiofities of elegant -antiquity j and in one 
 drawer, to their great (atisfaClion, they found two keys, one of 
 which they had no doubt belonged to the trap-door, and on appli- 
 cation found it did lo. The door was at length heaved up, by the 
 united efforts of Julian and Conrad ; for the joints were fo rufted 
 they had forgot their office. Under it they perceived a narrow 
 winding ftair-cafe, which leemed to lead them from the light of 
 day; for Julian going down a few (leps, found the paffage fo ex- 
 ceedingly dark, that it was impoffible to make any difcoveries. 
 Here Gillian’s prudent forecaft was of infinite ufe : for not know- 
 ing where they might be obliged to go, (lie had taken with her 
 implements for (Inking a light. A light was (truck ; one of the 
 wax candles which Julian had left the evening before was lighted, 
 and he went down the (fairs with it in his hand, followed by the 
 trembling Conrad, in whom this gloomy defcent renewed all his 
 fears. They defcended a great number of (feps, and at !a(t found 
 themfelves before a door which was locked. Julian had put the 
 two keys in his pocket after unlocking the trap door, ami found 
 the other belonged to this. On unclofing this door, which was 
 done with great difficulty, their candle, to the great confirmation 
 of Conrad, went fuddenly out ; and they were left in utter dark- 
 nefs at the foot of this deep (tail cafe, which, to Conrad’s ideas, 
 (eemed to have carried them into the bowels of the earth. The 
 poor peafant, expecting every moment to be feized tooth and nail 
 by fome fiend, turned up the (lairs, (tumbling and beating his 
 fains againlt them at every (tep, and with pale face, chattering 
 teeth, and (landing hair, prefented fuch a picture of horror to his 
 wife, who was impatiently waiting for them, that (he was aimolt 
 as frightened ashimlelf; nor could all the eloquence of Julian, 
 who followed immediately after, for fome time compofe them ; 
 nofwithilanding he affined them it could be nothing but the damp 
 vapour qf the loom, that had been fo long fhut up, which put out 
 the candle. 
 
 At length a light was (truck a fecond time; but Conrad, well 
 as he loved his patron, feemed unwilling to venture again into 
 what he really thought the infernal regions, and Julian excufed 
 jifr*. Again he deicended the (lairs, and, with great precaution 
 ffi'Ttiing the candle with his hand, entered this fubterranean apart, 
 mein, and looked round. It was a fmall room, which he con- 
 jectured mull be below the foundation of the Caftle : its walls were 
 incrufted with a kind of marble, and round it were placed (everal 
 chelts, which were become black and mouldy with the damp. He 
 examined them : in one were large bags of ducats, in another many 
 large pieces of old ulelefs filver plate ; and in fome others what lie 
 fancied was a complete feivice of gold, but fo exceedingly difco- 
 loured, that it was but probable conjecture. 
 
 As the purfe in the cabinet was competent to all its wants for 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 tiie prefenf, he difplaced nothing ; bi t having fatisfitd his curio- 
 iny, he h eked the dcor, and afcending the regions of day, ie- 
 litved his faithful adherents from all their fears upon his account. 
 He informed them of Kis difcoveries ; for in their bofoms he was 
 convinced his fepet was fafe. The furniture of the clofet was 
 replaced ; and locking the keys of the treafury with that of the 
 ladv’s cabinet in his father’s, he put that key into his pocke f , 
 with the purfe of ducats, and it drawing near evening, they leit 
 the CalHe, and Julian retired to his cell, having firti t: iven Conrad 
 orders and money to pui chafe three horfes, to hire a fervant, to_ 
 buy livery for him, and clothes for himfelf, as the gentleman of a 
 nobleman, with ail other neceffary accoutrements, and arms for 
 all three. 
 
 Conrad was indefatigable in executing his commilTion. He 
 hirtd a (tout fellow, of whom, from feme knowledge, he had 
 formed a good opinion ; bought three very fine hoi fes j in fhort, 
 was lo a61ive, that every thing was ready for their journey on the 
 fixth morning; and, after taking a tender leave of Gillian, who 
 breathed many anient prayers’ for a happy conclufi n to the adven- 
 ture, Julian let out on his way to Italy, attended by Conrad as 
 his gentleman, and honeft Geoffrey in livery, as his footman, wiih 
 the cloak-bag, &c. 
 
 They afcended part of thole ftupendous mountains whofe range 
 er.com pa fs fo many province*, when, coming to a defile, which 
 'winded through one of them, and which afforded no unpleafant 
 p-rffage, as its afetnt was very gradual, Julian, tired with riding, 
 gave his horfe to his fervant, and walked on. The defile, at 
 1 ngth, fuddEnly opened into a wide and circular plain, where one 
 of the natives, taking advantage of the fituation, had fcooped a 
 latge cavern in the rock, and had nrr.de of it a kind of auberge 
 for the reception of travellers pafftng that way. An Italian noble- 
 man, and his train of attendants, had, in his way to Germany, 
 itopt to take fome refrefhment in this place. Julian was immedi- 
 ately fainted by the mafter of this extraordinary inn, the novelty 
 of which feduced him to enter. He found himfelf in the prefence 
 of a man of a noble afipeef, about the middle age, accompanied 
 by a lady of much the lame time cf li'e; and a young lady of near 
 eighteen, whofe elegant manners, and fweetnefs of countenance, 
 wei e infinitely prepi flefiing. They informed him they were going 
 into Suabia, and hoped for the pleaiure of his company in their 
 journey ; hut he lamented that fortune had cruelly deprived him of 
 inch felicity, a bufinefs of indifpeniible necefhty leading him into 
 Italy. 
 
 “ To Italy ! — -We came from thence. Who is to have the ho- 
 rn ur of entertaining you there ?’* “ I am in fearch, Madam, of a 
 
 nobleman, to whole perfon I am a ftianger } the Marquis of Vi- 
 car, ze.” 
 
 Thev looked at each other. The gentleman came forwards : 
 4< The Marquis of Vicanze, did you fay, Sir? How fortunate this 
 rencontre! behikJ him here.” 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. *3 
 
 “ Oh !” faid the lady, coining up eageriv to him, taking his 
 hand, and looking inquiiitively in his face, “ Let >ne guel’s your 
 errand . . You are the ion of Count Waidburg.j lent by your dear 
 father in fearch of relations, who have been i'o long estranged from 
 him. It mu ft be, fo. - See you not, my lord, my brother’s form 
 and face, and even the accents of his voice? On ! let me embrace 
 thee, my dear Le pold ; for it mu!t lie him j the dear boy i re- 
 ceived in my lap when he opened his fweet eyes to the light.. Ten 
 me, have you not the fhape of a ftrawherry imprinted on your 
 breaft ?” “ I have! I have!” faid he, tearing open the bofom of 
 his ftiirt. “ See, Madam — Do you recognize the mark T* “ I 
 do — Ido. — You are my own brother’s foil j my dear 'Leopold t 
 But how,” laid five, “ how is my dear brother, my filter, and 
 their other fweet children ? Tell me, Leopold, what has happened j 
 what events in the many tedious yeais we have been ftrangers to 
 each other r” “ Oh ! Madam,” laid he, clafping his hands in an 
 agony, <( and when I do tell you, you will die with grief.” “ Yet, 
 tell me — Oh ! teil me — My brother, perhaps, is Thatched from 
 me?” “ He is Madam.” “ My filter ?” “ All gone— all but 
 
 my unfortunate felf. Oh!” faid he, throwing himfelf on the ground 
 at her feet,, in an agony of diftrefs, which precluded every prudent 
 referve 5 4s 0h! my dear aunt, what will you feel when you are 
 informed they perithed by the hand of Cruel affaflins ? and that, tin- 
 u actioned, ana unburied, their perturbed fpirits (till haunt the place 
 which comains iheir earthly relics? They call aloud for ven> 
 geance ; and it was for that purpofe I fought the Marquis,”— 
 “ Oh ! thou deareft of brothers — thou fweeteft, befit of women — . e 
 angelic children! all to be murdered, bafely murdered! — Mr- 
 cilefs — But were wert thou, young man? — Thy arm "fhould have 
 guarded, fhonid have prevented the blow.” ** Alas, Madam ! ( 
 was an infant, not a year old j faved by Providence from the general 
 wreck ; brought up by thofe who knew me not ; and it is not ten 
 days fmee 1 was fir ft made acquainted with my family, and their 
 dreadful catafli ophe.” 
 
 “ An infant! — So long ago! 0’n ! this is torture beyond the-im. 
 fliflion of fiends ! 1, unnatural filler, never in the ipace of twenty- 
 two years, to make any inquiries! — Suffer this treafure to be bafely, 
 inhumanly lrized, and gaily tread the earth, as if it full exilted ! 
 Oh ! Leopold, let me hear the whole of thy fad tale !” 
 
 “ What I have to fay, my dear Madam,” laid he, taking her 
 hand, as he feated himfelf by her, and reipeflfully killing it, i( will 
 bear little relation to thofe dear friends, of whole fate you wilh to 
 be informed, fince I am wholly unacquainted with the particulars ; 
 am*, till thefe few days, was fo totally ignorant of the honfe fro n 
 whence I fpiung, that I know not even its name, or that fuch a 
 family evtr ex. ‘ted. I can recount only my own hillory. 
 
 “ it is now ibmething lefs than twenty- two years fince, as the 
 Marquis Warfcnburg was walking early one morning by the fide 
 of a branch of the Rhine, which interfered his grounds, ami which . 
 had the day before, by a fudden fall of rain, overflown all its boon- 
 
 C a 
 
14 THE HAUNTED CASTLE.' 
 
 claries, and wafhed away a confiderable quantity of hay which had 
 been making on its . banks, he perceived fomething floating down 
 the ftream upon a large bunch of hay, which he at firft imagined 
 was a bundle of lir.en. Curiofity impelled him to a nearer inipec- 
 tion ; and as it approached the place where he flood, with a crooked 
 flick he had in his hand, he gently drew it nearer, and, with the 
 afliftance of the fervant who attended him, brought it on Ihore. 
 But what was his aftonifliment when he found, wrapt up veiy 
 cloiely, a child of about half a year old ! The tender and benevo- 
 lent heart of the Count was greatly moved. He had been fome 
 years a widower, and had lately loll an only fon, a youth of great 
 hopes.*’ (t God of mercy !” he exclaimed, “ thou haft gracioufly 
 lent nie this child to comfort me for that thou haft taken to thy fell ! 
 Welcome, little ftranger j from henceforth my fon. Jofeph, thy 
 wife haft lately laid in, fetch her to nurfe it. What a little cherub 
 it is !” added he, carefling me, whilft, as if fenfible of the favour, 
 I returned his carelTes with a linile. 
 
 t: In Ihort, — for this infant, Madam, is the man before you — 
 I was carried home by the compaflionate Count, treated with the 
 utmoft tendernefs, and educated with the fame care as a young 
 man of quality. No real father and fon could more tenderly love 
 each other. 
 
 “ But the favour in which I flood with the Count created me 
 enemies. He had a brother, who looked upon himfelf as heir to 
 his poftefflons, and who regarded me with an evil eye, as (landing 
 between him and his hopes. He even remonftrated with the Count 
 • n the injuftice he did his family, in his declaration of having 
 adopted me. But the Count was difgufted at his interference, and 
 but the more firmly determined for the oppofition. But the dif- 
 ference arifing from my being taken into the family, and which 
 happened when I was very young, had fo totally eftranged them 
 from each other, that they did not meet for many years 5 and ti e 
 perfons of all that part of the family were unknown to me. 
 
 “ As I grew up, and was informed of thefe circumftances, and 
 perceiving myfelf the reafon of this unnatural reparation, I be- 
 came uneafy, and endeavoured, though in-vain, to perfuade the 
 Count to a reconciliation. My defire to effe£l this grew more ar- 
 dent after I went to Prague, to which univerfity the fon of Farn- 
 bach was fent, as well as myfelf, to finilh his education. We 
 met there. Avarice, I believe, is feldom the paflion of youth. 
 Edricdid not feem to hate me, becaufe I was the rival of his for- 
 tune ; on the contrary, he, upon all occafions, manifefted a real 
 afteflion for me j and being my fenior in the college, had many 
 ©pportunities of rendering me little fervices, which he never omit- 
 ted doing. He introduced me to his snoft intimate friend, Cal- 
 heim, the fon of Baron Hailbron, who was, upon the whole, an 
 amiable young man ; though he fometimes permitted his reafon to 
 be governed by the impetuoftty of his paflions j and we three be- 
 came infeparable. 
 
 «< I foon difcovered that Calheim was'in lave with the After of 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. a S 
 
 Edrlc i he nrnde her the perpetual theme of his conversion, de~ 
 fcribed her as the mod beautiful woman in the world, and delighted 
 to (hew her pi&ure, which gave, indeed, fufRcient evidence to the 
 affei tion. 
 
 “ I languiflied to introduce Edric to his uncle, and laboured fo 
 earntllly for that purpofe at the vacaiion, that the good and indul- 
 gent Count could no longer witirftand my importunities, but con* 
 iented to receive a vilit from Farnbach and his family ; and I, 
 knowing how much a reconciliation was wifhed for by them, de- 
 termined myfelf to be the mefilnger of this agreeable intelligence. 
 
 “ I was received with transports by both father and fon, and in- 
 troduced to Jemima. Heavens! how did fhe furpafs my utmofl 
 expe&ation, high railed as it was, and my ideas of her formed from 
 a lover’s vivid colourings ! Yet was her lovely perfon lefs charming 
 than her mind. She was, indeed, the peneftic-n of human nature. 
 All charming as I found her, believing her engaged to Calheim, 
 the delicate fenfe of honour deeply implanted' in my bofom by my 
 more than father, taught me to guard my heart from the fedudlive 
 wifh of gaining her from him ; and I for fome time felt for her 
 only the tender affe£lion of a near relation, in which light the Farn- 
 bachs affe&ed to regard me; and mv attentions to her were no more 
 than that of a brother to a beloved fifter. 
 
 “ I accompanied Farnbach and his amiable children to the Cattle 
 of Warfenburg, where, in prefentihg them to the Count, I had a 
 featt of the molt fublime nature, in feeing the family union reftored, 
 in observing the extreme pkafure it gave all parties, and in the con- 
 fcicufnefs that I myfelf was the occafion of it. 
 
 “From this time the family vifits were frequent j I was often 
 at Farnbach’s, where I frequently met Caiheim. His love was of 
 the moll impetuous kind ; and the unguarded, and fometimes rude 
 difplay of it, feemed to give Jemima more difguft than pleafurej 
 and I could not help remarking a coldnefs in her manner to him ; 
 but this I imputed to the natural referve of the fex. His fuit was 
 warmly favoured by her brother, and not much lefs fo by Farr - 
 bach himfelf, who was dettrous of making a rich match for his 
 daughter, and Calheim was^the only child of a man of immtnfe 
 wealth. But the Baron, who was reported to have a mercenary 
 foul, difapproved his Ton’s choice, becaufe Farnbach could give 
 but a (lender fortune with his daughter; and as Calheim was en- 
 tirely dependant on his father, here the affair demurred. With, 
 all thefe circumftances, as one of the family, I was made ac- 
 quainted. 
 
 “ At length I found that the guard of honour was infufficient 
 to fhield my heart from love; and that the intimate converfe in 
 which I lived with Jemima was deftruftive of my peace. The 
 equanimity of my mind was deftroyed ; my vivacity flown : I be- 
 came reitlels, uneafy, and melancholy. Alas!” laid I, “ if money 
 be the only obftacle to an union on which her happinels depends, 
 gladly would I facrifice my own fortune to effe6f it. 
 
 “ Full of this projeft, I battened to the Count; for we were 
 
 C 3 
 
t6 THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 then on a vifit toFarnbach; and, on my knees, befought him to 
 transfer to Jemima the ‘ortune he had intended for me, as the only 
 means of rendering the Baron propitious. 
 
 “ After commending the geneiofity of my fentiments, * are you 
 Jure,' added he with a fmile, ‘ that, in promoting the union of 
 Jemima with Calheim, you (hall find her grateful? Before any 
 thing is propofed, I will have you talk with her on thefubjeft, and 
 endeavour to difcover her real fentiments. If yon are right in 
 your conjectures, you fhall command my fervices ; for are you not 
 my fon ? and ought I not to endeavour to render you happy ? But 
 I mult not fuffer you to be the dupe of your own heart, and made 
 wretched by a noblenefs of foul. Talk to her, learn her fentiments, 
 and then you (hall direCt me.” 
 
 (i I fell, at his feet in a tranfport of gratitude, and killed his 
 hands a thou (and times. I then ran out of the apartment to feek 
 for jemima, whom I found walking in a retired part of the garden. 
 She blulhed at my approach. ‘ How happy am I, my fair coufin, to 
 find you thus alone 1 for I have bufmefs of the molt intereftmg na- 
 ture. It has. been matter of the greateft uneafinefs to me, my 
 deareft csufin, to fee for feveral weeks an air of deje&ion take place 
 of thofe fmiles which ufed to adorn that face, and glad the hearts 
 of all beholders. There a:e fome fecrets which there is an unwil- 
 lingnefs in a delicate mind to dilcloie ; will you pardon me, if I 
 attempt to guefs ? The happy Caleheim, by his merits, his afli- 
 duities, has acquired an imereft in your heart.’ c No more, Ju- 
 
 lian : I will htar no more.’ 4 As I perceive your happinefs at 
 Hake — nay, hear me out — 1 have prevailed upon the Count to make 
 that matter eafy to the Baron. For, oh, Jemima !’ ieizing her 
 hard, ‘ wnat facrifices would I not make to infure your felicity ? — - 
 w uld even myfelf prefent this dear foft fnowy hand, much as my 
 heart would luffer in the effort, to effeft it.’ 
 
 “ Jemi.na wept, hid her face in her handkerchief, and fighed — 
 
 4 Leave me.’ ‘ Not in this (fate of mind. Ah, Jemima, n was 
 your happinefs I fought j but I feem to add to your diftreis ; I am 
 a e.y un ortunate. Yet, pardon r. error, for the fake or the mo- 
 tive, and tell nie how I can alleviate youi forrow ?’ ‘ Not by pro- 
 moting my marriage with Calheim j for that would be wori'e than 
 death : I hate and deteft him.’ 
 
 “ I paufed : my heart thrilled with delight. I took courage to 
 difclole my fentiments to herj and had the fupreme felicity of hear- 
 ing the foft g nreffion of a reciprocal affc&ion before we parted. 
 My tranfports arofe almoft to madnefs ; and, when we feparated, 
 
 I ran to impart them to the Count. This event of cur converfa- 
 tior, which he had forefeen, delighted him. He took upon him- 
 ftlf ti e manageirent of the bufinels. Calheim, enraged at his d if. 
 appoin.rnent, imprecated curies < a us all, and denounced vengeance 
 on me. 
 
 “ Splendid preparations were made for the wedding. We were 
 all afiem'oled at the C a file of Warl’enburg, wheie Jemima and I 
 were to live with the Count 5 when, the very evening before that 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 27 
 
 day which was to give to my arms the lovelieft of women, my 
 benefa&or, my father, my friend, funk, from his chair in an apo» 
 ple&ic fit, and, notwithftanding every medical afiiftance, expired 
 that night in my arms; waking, juft before his demife, to fenfe 
 and recolle&ion, and dying imploring the bltfting of Heaven on 
 me — Let me draw a veil over the diftra£lion of my grief. 
 
 “ On opening the will, I found myfelf recognized by the endear- 
 ing name of Ion, and as fuch left heir to all his vaft poffeflions, 
 l'oine few legacies to his brother's family, and his own l'ervants, 
 excepted. 
 
 “ I was hurt at this great bequeft. Had I been left an eafy for- 
 tune in money, I fhould have been fatisfied, and taken it without 
 remorfe. But his vaft domains, the inheritance of his anceftors 
 for many generations ! — -T t would be robbing the family of their 
 juft expe£lations, their undoubted right. This eonfideration (truck, 
 me with all its weight. 
 
 “ I will not,” laid I, addrefling Farnbach, <? be a richer man 
 than I ought, nor take advantage of the kind partiality of the 
 Count in my favor, to deprive his family of what they have a juft 
 claim to. This Caftle, with its rich domain, have been in thepoffef- 
 fion of your anceftoi s from remote antiquity, and fhall be yours, 
 the lawful heirs to it. I will be neither rich nor great at the ex- 
 pence of Juftice. Give me your Jemima ; look upon me as your 
 fon ; and give me, as a fon dependant on his lather, what you 
 pleafe. Upon your generofity, your juftice, I throw myfelf, with- 
 out referve. My heart (wells with gratitude to the dear departed 
 Count, for the many invaluable benefits his benevolence, his love, 
 heaped upon me ; but there, Sir, ends my claim on hi 3 fortune j 
 and lb laying, I thruft the will into the fire, 
 
 “ Wonder and furprize, for lbme moments, held them filent, 
 Farnbach ar.d his fon then embraced me in tranfports, and were 
 piofufe in their expreflions of admiration and gratitude. 
 
 Jemima, by this addition to the wealth of her family, was 
 now confidered as a vaft fortune. As our marriage was unavoid- 
 ably poftponed from reipefl t=o the deceafed Count, it gave leifure 
 to Baron Hailbron, now as defirous of the match as he had been be- 
 fore averfe to it, to make lush f’plendid propofols 10 VVarfenburg, 
 as dazzled him fo much, that he forgot his obligations to me, his 
 promife to his brother, his love to his daughter, and became fo 
 obftinately bent upon it, that no eonfideration of honor or affec- 
 tion could have any weight to detach him from his purpufe. 
 
 “ In vain were my remonltrances ; fori would not defeendto 
 reproaches. In vain Jemima’s declarations of unchangeable love — 
 her folemn probations ot never wedding another, whilft I was 
 living ; and, in confirmation, calling on her knees, the Bleiled Vir- 
 gin, and every taint, to witnefs her fincerity. She was torn from 
 me, and I was bade to leave the caftle for ever.” 
 
 Julian then proceeded to inform his noble auditors of all that 
 with which the arcade/' hath been before acquainted. 
 
 f‘ But who, my Lord,” laid the Marchionefs, “ .can be this 
 
 3 
 
28 THE HAUNTED CASTLE, 
 
 diabolical aftaflin, who took, the lives, but left untouched the pro- 
 petty of our unhappy family ? As if the love of blood was his worfe 
 than favage Itimulanf, lince the fierceft beaks (lay not, but from 
 the impuife of hunger. ” — “ Who, my dear, but the man who 
 now receives the rents, and pofl'cfies himfelt, by lo doing, of all 
 the rich domain of the Cattle — that vile Baron Hatibron r It was, 
 as you mu(t recollect, my defire to take the veil from your brother’s 
 eyes, who thought him a man of the moil confummate virtue, 
 and difplay him in his proper colours, which was the foundation 
 of that quarrel that leparated us for fo many year's.” — “ I tco 
 well recoileTt it. Ah ! if he had but.Iift.ened to your friendly re- 
 prefentations, he might have been now living ! But,” faid (he, 
 i ifrng, “ we flay too long. Let not a moment be loft in procuring 
 peace to the unquiet fpirits of my poor brother and his family — 
 VVe wili put fue our journey.” 
 
 They let out for the feat of the Baron, with a train of fervants, 
 well armed, and reached the houfe of Hailbron, with which the 
 Marquis was well acquainted, by the next noon. Their harbinger 
 bunded his horn at the gate : and, on the porter’s appeartng, they 
 defired admittance to the Baron j but were told, that he could re- 
 ceive no company j for that his only fon had, three days before, 
 been brought home fo dangeroufly bruifed, by a fall from his 
 horfe in hunting, that his life was ddpaired off which had lb 
 alfebled the Baron, whofe health had been fome time in a declining 
 Hate, that he had taken to his bed, and it was apprehended would 
 live but a very few days. But the Marquis was not to be denied. 
 He infilled the Baron fiiould be told that two gentlemen defired to 
 fee him upon buiinefs of the molt important and urgent nature, 
 which would admit of no delay j and, in confequence of this mel- 
 lage, they were admitted. 
 
 This wretched man was fupported in his bed, almoft 11 -prightj' 
 with pillows, and prefented to them, on their entrance, a counte- 
 nance fo expreffive of grief and debility, fo fick, and fo ghaftly, 
 that Julian, whofe heart had been, as he drew near the houle, al- 
 moft burlting with rage at the idea of a conference with his father’s 
 murderer, and had his doubts whether it would be poffible to 
 withhold himfelt from doing actual juftice on his perfon, found his 
 paftion difarmed, and a kind of pity rifing in his breaft. His phy- 
 iician and confelfor were with him. 
 
 <f Who are thefe ?” they heard him peevifhly cry as they ap- 
 proached his chamber, “ that will obtrude themfelves, and their 
 bufinefs, upon me, in fuch an hour as this Who is it I fee? 
 Vicanze ! — and — Hell and diftra£lion.” — 
 
 His eyes fixed themfelves on Julian with a wild expreflion of 
 allomlhment, fear, and horror, which, for a moment, held him 
 fpeechlefs } at la ft he cried — “ Hide me, prote6l me from him— 
 (uffer him not to come near me — he will fnatch me alive to hell — 
 Do&op — father — Oh ! fpeak to him — tell him I am forry — grieve — 
 repent, with bitter remorle, fever injured him — but oh !"*prote& 
 me from his vengeance r’—« 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 tf Who is it you fear, my Lord ?” faid the father. u Here are 
 only two gentlemen in the room, and neither of them feem inclined 
 to inj re you.” t( Gentlemen ! Alas ! father, you know not what 
 they aie. One of them jnay be a living man, but the other— -Ah ! 
 
 1 know him well : it is tne ghoft of Count Waidburg, who pe- 
 rilled by”— “ By your hand,” faid Julian, as he advanced to 
 
 the bed, and pulled the counterpane from off the head of the trem- 
 bling delinquent. <{ I am come to claim vengeance for the dead, 
 though not the ghoft of Waidburg, but his living fon.’’ — “ His 
 fon ! You cannot be his fon, becaufe” — “ Bethink thee 1 Did all 
 perifti by thy fell fword ?” “ No : one was toffed into the river, to 
 perifti there.” “ But there the providence of God preferved him 
 to revenge his family. Mifcreant, confefs thy crimes — let thefe 
 witnefs thy guilt, arid the juftice of thy punifhment.’ 1 — “ And 
 what vengeance wouldeft thou have? I am now dying 5 my death’s 
 wound was given me in that of my fon ; and he — Oh, my lbn ! 
 thou art dying alfo. I am puniftied, I ka've been punifhcd — a 
 fwifter vengeance than thine hath overtaken me — Oh ! if thou 
 couldeft know the tortures which have and do wring my foul, 
 thou wouldeft hold thylelf amply revenged Confefs thy 
 guilt.” — “ I do confefs it. Father, draw near ; Do&or hear me $ 
 Vicanze — Waidburg- — pray be (eated. If my ftrenr.th will per- 
 mit, I will give a fhoit — it muft be a very imperfe£l (ketch of a 
 wicked life, and of confequence a wretched one $ for, let this truth 
 ever dwell in thy memory, young man, that so far as we de- 
 viate FROM THE PATH OF VIRTUE, SO FAR DO WE STRAY 
 FROM THAT OF HAPPINESS. 
 
 “ Count Waidburg and myfelf were educated at the fame aca- 
 demy. An eaily friendftiip was formed between us ; and the fir ft 
 grief which either knew was, when leparated from the academy. 
 Time, however, had its ufual effeCI in healing our l'orxows : ab- 
 fence cooled the fervors of our friendfhip ; and our correipondcnce 
 remitted fo much from its firft punctuality, that we at length for- 
 got to write to each other. Waidburg poffeffed every virtue. 
 He had a foul formed for domeftic happineis. He married a wo- 
 man as amiable as himfelf, and their felicity was unbounded, till 
 
 I, fiend like My lefs happy ftars led me to Vienna. There I 
 
 (ell in company with fome profligate young men : they found me 
 virtuous, but they were unwilling to leave me fo. The good 
 principles I had imbibed in my education, for a time withltood all 
 their attacks j and they at laft found that their luccefs depended 
 on their ridding me of all religious &pprehenfions. They, there- 
 fore, with a hellifh zeal, plied me with inch arguments as at firft 
 daggered my faith, arid at length diverted me of every religious 
 principle. Lcofened thus from my former rertraints, I gave an 
 unbounded indulgence to every paftion. Let fools,” laid 1 , “ talk , 
 of virttie, of confdence , of moral obligations — abfurd rertraints, 
 if they in any manner thwart the great end of being — happinefs ! 
 as whatever conduces to it, is real wifdom. Rape, robbery, mur- 
 der, what are you? Teims of reproachful meaning, mere namss 
 
30 THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 affixed to certain aCfions, by knaves, to deter fools /rom praclifing 
 them. Upon this principle I governed my conduct. My com- 
 panions had no more reafon to upbraid me for want of fpirit ; f 
 had a pride in outdoing them in every outrage againft decency and 
 virtue. In this way of life my fortune was loon diffipated. My 
 companions, as poor as myfelf, could not adili me, and I was 
 much diftrelt. At length I recolie&ed Waidburg. I made him 
 a vifit, and found him, in the bofom of his family, as bleft as 
 mortal could be. He received me afteCiionately ; the ardors of our 
 youthlul fiie'ndfnip feemed to revive ; on his part they were with- 
 out doubt fincere ; on mine 1 confided in him the bioken ftace 
 
 of my fortune, imputed it to misfortune, to imprudence, to the 
 follies of youth, feen and repented of ; for his foul was too vir- 
 tuous to unveil to him my principles, or acquaint him with my 
 conduQ, which luckily, as I then thought, the diftance at which 
 we had lived had precluded him from hearing; his purfe was at my 
 command : he re-purchafed the eftate in which I row live, which 
 had once belonged to my family — He was the molt generous of 
 men. 
 
 “ The father of the Countefs dying foon after you left them, her 
 only filter came to refide with her. She was beautiful in her per- 
 fon. of a mild and amiable difpoliiion, and her fortune was large : 
 altogether I thought her an object worthy my feiious attention : I 
 foon made myfelf an intereft in her gentle bofom ; the Count and 
 Countefs were my advocates, and we foon were married. Bielt 
 with fuch a wife, and an ample fortune, I ought to have been con- 
 tent. But all fell far fhort of my ddires ; nor could I be eafy 
 with a moderate income, whillt I law the Count enjoy his vaft do- 
 mains; for that devil, Avarice, had poffelfed himfelf of my heart, 
 and the love of money fucceeded the love of pleafure. As my 
 guided precept was, that every thing was lawful which led to the 
 accomplilhment of my defires, my fertile invention (bon prefented 
 me with a plan, which would effectually put me in pofledion of my 
 iitmoll wn'h. But how lhall I unfold the horrid myftery ! As a 
 method of fupplying the Callle with provifions, in cafe of a fiege, 
 or of facilitating elcape when defence failed, theaock on which it 
 flood had been excavated, and a winding paffage led from one of its 
 lower apartments into the foreft, and ended in a cavern in one of 
 its thickeft and moft impervious parts. The fecret of this palfage 
 had been delivered down, with the utmoft caution, from father to 
 fon, for many generations ; but the unbounded confidence ofWaid- 
 burg had intruded me with it ; and through it I, one fatal night, 
 Jed fome ruffians, hired for the purpofe, who, as the family were 
 all deeping in their beds, fecured every creature with very little 
 noife, fervants as well as principals, except one nurle ; and having 
 difpatched them, put all the bodies in the vaults under tne Callle. 
 The nurfe of the youngeft child, which had been crying, and kept 
 her awake, was alarmed, and made her efcape out of the Callle by 
 a Imall wicket ; but n©r unperceived, for die was puriued, and 
 overtaken at fome ddiance, as fhe was eroding a bridge ; and the 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 31 
 
 man who followed her told me, that he toflVd the child into the 
 river, that he might be at mote liberty to manage ti e nurfe, whom, 
 alter (tabbing, to prevent her outcries, he brought her dead body 
 back to the Caftle, and put it to the others. The next morning I 
 went round to the Count’s vaflals, to inform them, that bufintfs of 
 the la(t moment, which regarded the ftate, had called their lord ' 
 fuddenly, and without any warning, into France: his lady, and 
 all his fervants, were gone with himj and that he had intruded me 
 with the care of every thing till his return. That, as foon as I had, 
 by the help of my own fervants, put things into fome order after 
 their hafty departure, as there were no fervants left, I (hould (hut 
 up the Cadle, and they were defired to go no more thither. Sa- 
 tisfied with this tale, no one inquired into the probability of it, 
 and we were not difturbed ; the horfes and the carriages were de« 
 ftroyed ; the plate, jewels, and furniture, I would not fuffer to be 
 touched, led they (hould lead to a dilcoveryj and I could not, by 
 the drifted fearch, difcover where the Count depofited his money. 
 
 “ Indeed, every thing was put in fuch order alter the carnage, 
 that if- accident or fufpicion had led any one to the Cadle, and even 
 induced a fearch, there were no marks remaining of what had been 
 done. To prevent every poflibility of a difcovery from the remorfe 
 or intered of thole I had employed, I one evening treated them fo 
 plentifully with the Count’s wine, that they were all intoxicated $ 
 and then, in their lad bottle, I infufed a large portion of a fwift 
 afting deadly drug, which laid everyone lifelefs at my feet. I then 
 difpoied of their bodies in the vault where the other fervants were 
 depofited, and, locking up the Cadle, departed to my own houfe $ 
 concluding that now, with fuch an acceflion of fortune, I (hould 
 fircl my (elf completely happy. 
 
 “ Alas ! how miftaken is that man who thinks to pnrchafe 
 happinefs by guilt ! Though I had fecured every avenue to a dif- 
 covery, the idea of thole I had murdered perpetually haunted me ; 
 every penetrating eye that was cad on me, I (lirunk from, as if it 
 could have pierced the dark recedes of my foul 5 and I lived in con- 
 tinual apprehenfions ofdeteftion, though I knew not from whence 
 it could come. I feldom vifited the environs of the Cadle, and 
 never could I perfuade myfelf to enter its gates. There has a 
 report gone forth that it is haunted ; and fure, if ever place N was 
 didurbed by the (pints of the dead, it mud be fuch an one, where 
 io many atrocious murders were committed. 
 
 “ My wife was uneafy for her fider ; and many letters was I 
 obliged to forge to make her quiet. Death, however, foon re- 
 lieved me from all trouble on that head, and her from a life of 
 rmfery. A.ll my hopes, all my expeftations, now centered in my 
 fon 5 and I flattered myfelf with feeing him enjoy that happineis 
 which I felt myfelf incapable of poflefling. Alas ! how fallacious 
 that hope !—~I have feen him alfo miierable, the prey of hopeltfs 
 pafuon. The lbrrowfu! witnefs of his wretchednefs, and burthemd 
 with my own guilt. Oh! Waidburg, thou haft been greatly re- 
 venged ! Yet tliefe feem but the preludes of my pumihmem ; for my 
 
3* THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 Ton is dying, the laft prop on which I leaned for happinefs ; and 
 my own life draws to its clofe. Waidburg, I am ignorant how 
 you were preferved ; but your perfon declares your father. I know 
 not in what (late your Cable is, but I never pillaged it. The 
 money with which your father died pofleffed I never difcovered $ 
 thefe you may enjoy : and oh! that I could as well reltore to you 
 the dear relatives I have deprived you of, as I can the wealth I 
 have accumulated by their dellruftion ! for all I have (hall be yours. 
 But leave me for the prefent, and have fome refrelhment.” 
 
 Vicanze and Julian withdrew in a (late of mind eafily conceived, 
 but impoftible to be defcribed ; (hocked to the foul at the accu- 
 mulated crimes of Hailbron, *yet deeply compaflionating his prefent 
 wretchednefs, and the horrors which feerned to await hurt. 
 
 A repaft was fct before them, though neither of them had much 
 appetite ; and, foon after it was finifhed, they were fummoned into 
 the fick Baron’s room, who was informed of his Ion’s death, and 
 his own approaching late, which nearly overwhelmed him. 
 
 As foon as the Marquis and Julian appeared, “ Oh,” he cried, 
 <£ they tell me I mull die — die foon — die now — Oh ! how (hall I 
 hide me from the prefence of an offended God? Teach me, father 
 Anfelmo, to deprecate his vengeance. Oh ! no, no, it cannot be. 
 How do iny crimes arife in ghaftly array againft me ! — See — fee the 
 aftaflins, whom I murdered, armed with fcorpion whips ! — They 
 grin and fitake them at me — Oh! Oil they advance towards me — 
 they will feize me — Save me — lave me from their fury.” 
 
 Then falling into horrible convulfions, he expired. 
 
 The Marquis and Julian withdrew from this dreadful fcene, in 
 an agony of mingled horror and grief. Beds were prepared for 
 them, but they were both too much (hocked to enjoy any repofe, 
 and met in the morning with deprefled fpirits. 
 
 They found the Baton had executed the deed, which conftituted 
 Julian tbs foie heir of all his podedions, recapitulating briefly his 
 reafons for fo doing. They gave orders for the funerals of father 
 and fon ; and, fending for the pariflt pried, whom Anfelmo com- 
 mended as a very good man, particularly requefted that every thing 
 might be done in maffes, and all religious rites, as far as the fur- 
 vivors can do for the deceaf’ed, to inlure the peace of their fouls, 
 particularly that of the unhappy father. 
 
 A fervant had been lent with orders to get one of the farm 
 houfes, near the Caille, ready for their reception, which they 
 found done; and that no time might be loft, the next morning the 
 Marquis, Julian, father Anfelmo, with Conrad, who would not 
 be left out, and a train of fervants, proceeded to the Caftie, and 
 Julian guided them to that dungeon to which he had been led by 
 the phantom the firft night of his lodging at the Caftie ; and there, 
 by the light of the lanterns, they indeed found the evident remains 
 of a man, a woman, and three children. From the Baron’s ac- 
 count, there could be no doubt but thefe were the relics of the 
 unfortunate Count and his family. Filial grief fwelled the heart, 
 and fuffufed the eyes of Julian. The Marquis was deeply afteeled. 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. ^ 
 
 Even the attendants were moved at the fad fpe£lacle. Magnificent 
 cofiin-s were ordered for each ; and to Father Anfelmo was given the 
 charge of the funeral rites, which were to be performed with every 
 lolemnity and ceremony which his piety, good fenfe, and knowledge 
 of the manners and ufages of the church, to reftore peace to the 
 fpirits of the de'ceafed, could fuggeft. 
 
 They then explored the relt of the faster ranean apartments of the 
 Caftle, which, ftanding upon arches, had cellars, vaults, and dun- 
 geons, all under it. Next the dungeon where they found the Count’s 
 remains, was a large p/ace lull of bones, which they concluded were 
 thofe of the fei varus, and their murderers. Funeral rites were or- 
 dered for theft alio j and having itarched every gloomy recefs, with 
 the niceft infpe&ion, that the Caftle might no more be polluted with 
 dead bodies, they realcended to the light of day. In a few days, 
 receptacles for the various bodies being prepared, they were incaled 
 in them. Thofe of the Count, the Counters, and their children, 
 were depofited, with all due honours, in the family maufoleuinj 
 thofe of the fervants, and others, in the common burying-place. 
 
 The Caftle was then cleanfed, proper prayers offered up in every 
 apartment, due Initiations made by the burning of incenfe, fprink- 
 ling with holy water, &c. Every ceremony performed which Father 
 Anfelmo thought neceflary, Julian that night determined to lie in 
 the Caftle, as did the father, and the Marquis. But they found 
 fome difficulty in perfuading their fervants to deep in the Caftle: 
 even Conrad, though very unwilling to leave his lord, would fcarce- 
 ly have been prevailed on to remain there in the night, had he not 
 been promiftd a pallat-bed in Julian’s apartment, which he took, 
 pofleffion of with fear and trembling. 
 
 Julian had cholen, for his own apartment, that chamber in which 
 he had parted his former nights, and which he believed to have been 
 that of his parents $ and every one retired early to bed, with lights 
 in each room. Julian was little difpofed to lleep, being occupied 
 by a multitude of thoughts, fome pleafing, fome otherwile. Every 
 fteming unfortunate circumftance had hitherto become matter of 
 real benefit to him ; and he found himfelf, by a chain of the moll 
 joylefs and unpromifing accidents, inftated moft unexpe&edly in all 
 his family wealth and honours. While he was thus ruminating, 
 he was fuddenly interrupted by the found of diftant mufic. He lis- 
 tened. It ftemed to found as if in the vaults of the Caftle. It 
 grew every moment more diftinct, as if approaching. At laft it 
 feemed to enter, and fill his chamber. All which the imagination 
 can form of the fongs of angels in the higheft heaven was here re- 
 alized. The notes were fwelled with iuch enchanting fweetnefs, 
 the ftrains fo raviftiing, that he liftened in an extafy of delight, and 
 fcarcely breathed, left he fhould lofe a note. He had undrawn his 
 curtain to fee from whence the harmony proceeded j but, though his 
 chamber was illumined with a brightness fuperior to the mid-day 
 fun, he could perceive no appearance of any being. The heavenly 
 ftrains ftill continued to enchant him, and fuch were their effeift, 
 that every painful lenfation was difpelled from his bofom, a lweet 
 
34 ' THE HAUNTED CASTLE, 
 
 and tranquil pleafure was infufed into his foul, and fleep ftole infer* 
 fibly over his delighted fenfes. Imagination prefented to him the 
 moll pleafing dreams— His father, Ins mother, and their children, 
 in white and fpotlefs robes, crowned with glory, and accompanied 
 by angels, hymning in heavenly melody their ^laker’s praife. Even 
 Conrad, after the firft fenfations of fear, found his foul harmonized 
 by the divine mufic. Every one in the Caftle had heard it, as it 
 palled from the vault ; and they all met in the morning with renova- 
 ted fpirits, particularly Julian, for he looked upon it as an indubi- 
 table aflurance of the peace and happinefs of his parents. 
 
 The Count now fent for Gillian, to whom he gave the domeftic 
 management of the Caftle, as governefs of his family, with money 
 to buy clothes and linen, in the moft refpe&able ftyle } and as he 
 found nothing could pleafe the affe61ionate heart of Conrad fo much 
 as being near his perfon, he ordered him clothes, &c. as his firft 
 gentleman: purpofing, however, this arrangement but for the pre- 
 fent, as he intended fixing them, when he was fettled, in a comfort- 
 able farm near him, that they might enjoy themfelves much more 
 at their eafe than in the Caftle, where it was probable Conrad would 
 feon feel himfelf cut of his element. 
 
 Gillian was defired to hire fervants j the proper eftablifhment of 
 a nobleman was formed $ workmen were fet about the neceftary re- 
 pairs j gardeners were employed to put the envirohs in order, and 
 every thing was in a train to reftore the Caftle to its ancient fplendor. 
 
 Julian now determined to explore the paflage by which the Baron 
 bad laid he entered the Caftle. It entered, he faid, the clofetof the 
 fartheft parlour in the fuite from the hall. To, that parlour Julian 
 repaired, and locking the door upon himfelf, he fearched the clofet, 
 and, with fome difficulty, at laft difcovered a trap-door, which hav- 
 ing opened, he descended, by feveral fteps, into a place fo very dark, 
 that he thought it neceftary to return for a lantern. Having procu- 
 red one, he again defcended, and for fome time walked in this dark, 
 winding way, which feemed to have been cut, with infinite labour, 
 through what had the appearance of a rock. At length he reached 
 a door which was bolted $ it was with infinite difficulty he drew the 
 bolt back, for the iron was fo rufted by the damp of the earth, that 
 it required the full exertion of all his ftrength to make it move. 
 This arduous tafk at laft accomplifhed, on opening the door, he, to 
 bis great furprife, found himfelf in his former habitation. With 
 pleafure he regarded the humble furniture provided for him by his 
 faithful friends in the day of his neceffity, and opening the outward 
 door, contemplated with fatisfa&ion the rural fcewe." “ This 
 place,” faid he, “ will I adorn as a retreat from the noify pleafures 
 of the world j from the fatiguing paiade of greatnefs. It fhali be 
 guarded from all irvtrufion by additional plantations ; and here will 
 I enjoy tire tranquil pleafures of retirement. This hermit’s gown,” 
 faid he, throwing it about his fhoulders, at the fame time putting 
 on the hat, “ thefe garments will I keep for this purpofe. In the 
 Caftle, I will be Count Waidburg; in this cave", Father Francis. 
 Sure 1 heard a fhriek of diftrefs !-— Robbers are in the foreft — per-, 
 
 3 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 35 
 
 haps murdering fome traveller — I may poffibly affift the diltreffed, 
 and my habit will protect me from the ruffians — my beard— So, 
 more ffirieks ! nay, then, my Itaff.” He haflily ran out of the thick- 
 et, and had not gone far from the mazes which led to his retreat, 
 direfled by his ear, when he met a youth running, and dole behind 
 him a ruffian with a bloody fword in his hand ; another moment, 
 and he had been too late. Julian knocked the fword out of the man’s 
 hand with his ftaff, and before he had time to recover it, a well- 
 directed blow on his head, by the fame trui^y weapon, laid him 
 fenfelels in the dull. Then, feizing the youth’s hand, who flood 
 panting by his fide, he ran with him through the thicket into his 
 dell, and from thence into the cave, where he faftened the door vvith- 
 in - fide, to prevent, if they fhould be purfued, the poffibility of be- 
 ing broken in upon. “ Sit down on this itool, good youth} thou 
 art greatly, and with reafon, hurried “and alarmed; but take cou- 
 rage, no harm can happen to thee heiv.’* “ Oh 1 father,” laid th$ 
 youth, panting for breath as he fpoke, “ what is it I do not owe 
 to your miraculous interpofition ! A man and woman, who accom- 
 panied me, are both murdered. I ftruggled from the ruffian who- 
 held me, and ran for my life ; but he mult have overtaken me in the 
 next moment, for rny ftrength and my breath wereexhaufted— Qhl 
 receive my thanks.” “ Referve them, my fon, for that Provi- 
 dence which brought me here. And now, if thou canft bear a lit- 
 tle farther walk, I will lead thee to a place where thou mayeft have 
 fome refrefhment, for thou appear-eft to need it.” “ Any where, 
 father, with you.” “Follow me then,” fair! he, taking up the 
 lantern, and leading into the dark winding paffage, the youth ail 
 wonder following. At length, they reached the flairs, and afcen 
 ded through the clofet into the parlour. The youth looked round 
 with amazement. The magnificence of the room formed a finking 
 contraft with the meannefs of the cave, and it received additional 
 brilliance from its dark entrance. “ Repofe thyfeff,” faid Julian, 
 “ on this fofa, whilft I go to order thee fome refrefhment.” The 
 youth received it with gratitude, mixed with a fort of wonder j eat 
 fome bifcuits, but, inftead of wine, entreated Gillian to get fome 
 water. He then requeued to know where he was. “Youare,’ v 
 faid Gillian, “ in the Caltle of Count Waidburg : here he comes, 
 and I hope will prevail upon yon to drink a little wine after your 
 water; but to his better advice I leave you, Sir.” Saying fo, (he 
 quitted the room the moment Waidburg entered it, who now, 
 having thrown off his hermitage attire, appeared as hirnfelf. The 
 youih no fooner caft his eyes upon him, as he fhut the door, than 
 he gave a loud (cream, and exclaimed, “ Heavens and earth ! what 
 do I fee? Julian — and alive! — impoffible — I am under the power of 
 fome illufion — I dare not trufi my eyes.” 
 
 The found of that voice had awakened ideas in Julian, to which 
 he could not give a name. A wild indetenrtined joy ftized his heart. 
 He tan to the fofa, and taking the panting youth up in his arms, 
 he devoured his features with his eyes; then draining him to his 
 brtall — “ What myftery? — what enchanting delufion is this r” 
 D a 
 
36 THE HAUNTED CASTLE* 
 
 faid he, “ which thus feizes my fenfes ? Oh l wake me not from it. 
 Suffer me to continue in the delicious dream, that this is Jemima, 
 whole bofom throbs in blifsful unifon with ir.irfe. O blifs unex- 
 pected ! — Unhoped-for joy ! — Extafy too great for human nature! 
 Tell me how thou waft dead and living at the fame time ; inurntd 
 in the tomb of thy anceftors, yet now breathing in my arms! Yet 
 tell me not ; fufficient to me that I fold thee thus to my bofom ; thy 
 breath is too precious to be fpent in dull recital ; tell me only that 
 thou art mine — mine»only.” “ I am thine,” laid Ihe, “ only thire, 
 and all thine. But, my dear Julian, enough has been given to this 
 wild rapture; let us now condelcend to be realonable beings.” 
 “ And is it unreasonable to- enjoy the lew, the very few moments 
 of unallowed felicity, which falls to the lot of mortals ? It would 
 be ungrateful to Providence not to drink that cup of fweetnefs to the 
 bottom. To behold thee living, after lamenting thee dead ; to 
 hold thee thus in my arms, £ffu redly mine — the blifs is exfatic-— 
 my whole foul is in a whirl of fweet delirium ! — to be reafonable 
 in fuch a moment would be treafon to love.” “ But, rny dear 
 Julian, where is the good father to whom I owe my life ?” ft Here, 
 jemima, clafping thee to his fond bofom. Even me : I was the 
 happy inftrument of faving a life 10 precious; an a&ion I fhould 
 have grudged a monarch.” “ You are ail myftery, all wonder.” 
 “ I am, my fweeteft, and have a wonderful tale to unfold to thee, 
 when I am at leifure.” “ Now then.” “Now! Unconfcionable 
 jemima ! Do not, my fweet girl, unmercifully condemn me to a 
 dull recital of matter of fa£t.” “If you love me —- 1 am dying with 
 curiofity.” “ Irrefiftible girl ; hear then with attention a very 
 lingular ftory.” 
 
 He then recited his hiftory from the time of his leaving the Cafiie. 
 “Thus,” faid he, when he had ended it, “thus then feeft me 
 Count Waidburg ; no more the mean dependant, the wretched out- 
 caft, but poffeffed of friends, of fortune, and of quality, and ena- 
 bled to fupport my Jemima in a rank not unworthy of her. The 
 good Father Anfelmo will be back this evening, and to-morrow 
 morning, in the chapel of theCaftle, lhall blefs me with thy hand.” 
 * i Tc-morronvy Julian!” “Yes, to-morrow, iny love. Nay, no 
 reluctance $ for lee you not,” added he, fmiling, “ that I confult 
 vour honour ? Can you think that I Oiall ever part from you out 
 of my fight again ? And your delicacy will fuggeft the impropriety 
 of living in the fame houfe with a young man.” “ But I am a- 
 Ihamed of my drefs j how ihali I be provided with the proper ha- 
 biliments of my lex ?” “ I think for that we are provided.” Then 
 
 inftantly fummoning Gillian, “ My good Gillian,” laid he, “ par- 
 rake the happinefs of your lord — Behold, in this youth, his adored 
 jemima.” “Lady Jemima! Blelfed event !” “ But, Gillian, can 
 tne wardrobe of my mother afford accommodations for this lady? 
 Perhaps Ihe will condefcend to make ule of it till lomething more 
 proper can be provided.” “ Oh! any thing to get out of this odi- 
 ous drefs. Honour me, Gillian, then with your company up ftairs.” 
 She did fo, Gillian difplayed fbme rich drtffes of the late Counteisj 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 37 
 
 her height had been nearly the fame, and, though fomething larg- 
 er, did notill fit the fair Jemima. She fele&ed one, and with great 
 fatisfaftion attired herfelf in the drefs of her fex. 
 
 She now appeared with more pieafure to herfelf before the eyes of 
 her enraptured lover ; who, all beautiful as he had ever thought her, 
 beheld her now as polTefiing fuperior charms. Perhaps the confent 
 which Ihe yielded to his importunity, to become his wife on the 
 morrow, tinged deeper the rich carmine of her cheek, and gave 
 new heightenings to her beauty. 
 
 At iaft, after a paufe of thole pleafing nothings, that inchanting 
 tautology, which lovers liften to delighted 5 “ Happy,” laid fhe* 
 “as I will own myfelf in my prefent fituation, Julian, yet liill 
 the horrors of the morning will not be done away from my thoughts 
 — That unfortunate man and woman who accompanied me — I had 
 infinite obligations to them — It was their care of me which led them 
 to their unhappy deftiny.” “ I will fend I’ome of my fervants in- 
 to the forelt ; they fhall fearch for them. If they can be recovered, 
 they (hall be rewarded for their Cervices j if actually dead, their 
 remains (hall have due honours .’ i 
 
 Orders were immediately given ; the fervants fallied forth, Con* 
 rad at their head. Jemima rewarded her lover with a fweet and 
 tender (mile, for his readinefs to oblige her, and then fa d, “ Have 
 you no curiofity, Julian, to hear my (lory ?” *< Indeel I have no 
 
 lentiment fo dull about me.” “ Curiofity is an enlivening fenti- 
 ment, if I may judge by its effefts on the many who are often ex- 
 tremely a&ive to gratify it. I iruift, however, give you my tale. 
 
 “ That morning which faw you fo ungratefully and ignominioufi. 
 !y (hut from our gates, thofe gates which jok had opened to us 5 
 my father came up to my chamber, and in great rage, and with 
 the molt bitter imprecations in cafe of my difobedience, bade me 
 prepare to receive Caiheim as my buiband ; binding his refolution, 
 that the nuptial knot (hould be tied that day week, with the molt 
 horrid oaths. I had nothing but tears, prayers, and fighs, to offer 
 in oppofition, and they were offered in vain. In vain I urged my 
 own vow, his promife fo folemnly given, our obligations to you. 
 This laft hint put him in a whirlwind of pafTion ; he flew from me 
 in inconceivable fury, denouncing vengeance on me, on you, era 
 all who lhould oppofe his determinations. 
 
 ** My faithful Maria wept ever me as I lay on the floor, where 
 my father had left me kneeling. The poor girl tried in vain to 
 comfort me ; a dreary hopelefs profpe£l opened before me, and I 
 prayed for the immediate ftroke of death to relieve me from my 
 for rows. 
 
 “ But what mifery beffl me the afternoon of the next day, when 
 my father came into my apartment, and with a fmiie of cruel hr* 
 fult told me, that now he could fet my confidence free from my idld 
 vow, and I might wed Caiheim with perfed eafe of mind, for that 
 you were found dead in the foreli j and, as indubitable proofs of 
 it, your fword and horfe, neither of which I might be allured you 
 
3? THE HAUNTED CASTLE 
 
 would relinquifh alive, were brought to the Caftle, and I might 
 
 fee them ! 
 
 “Ddira&ion would have inftantly feized me, for it immediately 
 occur! ed to me, they mult have been your muderers, had not a hap- 
 py infenfibility fnatched me from refie&icn. I fell from one faint- 
 ing fit into another, till I believe my father was Ihocked at his own 
 ciuelty, and in real fears for my life. 
 
 “ My brother attended me with all his former affection, which in- 
 deed he never, but at that fatal period, when he fuffered a romantic 
 frienufhip to fway N him from every fentiment of honour, forgot. 
 They would have lent for phyficians ; but, in my few intervals of 
 fenfibilily, I infilled fo violently that I would admit none, that they 
 gave it up, hoping that the care of my w-omen -would be lufticienr, 
 and a little while alleviate my grief. 
 
 <» There was amongft my women one for whom, next to Maria, 
 I had the greateft affe6licn : five had long been in, a dangerous Hate 
 of health, and her parents, who were vaffals of my father’s, wifh- 
 ed to have her with them. But fhe, unwilling to leave me, had 
 lingered longer about me then fhe ought, before five would conient 
 to go, though fhe had been repeatedly told, that nothing but her 
 native air could recover her. She had, however, at laft fixed the 
 time, and my father’s coach was the next morning to convey her to 
 her parents, which was to fet out very early in the morning, that 
 the carriage might be back that night. 
 
 “This poor girl, who was brought up with, and tenderly at- 
 tached' to me, had exerted herfelf much beyond her ftrength in af- 
 fixing me ; w*hich, together with her exceflive grief at feeing the 
 deplorable (late I was reduced to, mv milerable profpefls, and the 
 idea likewife that five was going to be feparated from me, perhaps 
 forever, induced altogether luch an extraordinary agitation of fpi- 
 rits as her weak frame was unable to fupport; fhe lunk down in a 
 kind of fir, and expired. 
 
 “ I was at that inflant juft recovered from a fainting fit, and bet- 
 ter than I had been for hours. We did not at firft apprehend her 
 diforder any thing more than a common fwooning j and as Maria, 
 and my nurfe, whofe life was devoted to me, were in the room, 
 and had all the ufual applications ready at hand, they called no 
 body elfe. 
 
 a Finding at length all the methods ufed to recover her in vain, 
 and that fhe' was aflually dead, they were exceflively frightened, 
 and would foon have alarmed the houfe; but that I forbade ; a 
 thought had (buck me, and I in a moment formed my refolution. 
 She was about my height and fize ; her complexion not much un- 
 like mine, and her hair of the fame colour, f made them acquainted 
 with my plan, which they cheerfully accorded to, and Maria went 
 to inform the reft of the women that I was inclined to fleep, and 
 defired that none might enter my room. 
 
 “Thus lecused from interruption, poor Laura was undrefTed, 
 and laid in my bed. I was then drefled in her clothesj and tak- 
 ing with me ail the money I was pofTcffed of, and what jewels I 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. n 
 
 could, without fubje&ing my attendants to fufpicion, was led to 
 her room, and immediately put to bed by my nurfe, leaving Maria 
 by my bed, who had ordeis to fay I was much better, and defired 
 not to be difturbed ; fo that though my father and brother both 
 came to my chamber door, they came no farther. 
 
 “ My plan was to elcape to a convent ; and, as I had money 
 enough to procure admiflion, there to fpend the remainder of my 
 wretched life, under a feigned name, without ever undeceiving my 
 friends in regard to my exigence; for, added to my fears of being 
 obliged to wed Calheim, my heart feemed alienated from my father 
 and brother, for their ungrateful and cruel conduct ; as I had no 
 doubt but they had been, fome way or other, accefl'aiy to your 
 death. 
 
 i( Our fcheme was well executed. Dreffed as Laura, and clofely 
 muffled up, as for fear of taking cold, I was at a very early hour 
 put into the coach by my nuife, and conveyed to her father’s ; 
 where, pretending to be exceeding ill, I defired to lay down upon- 
 a bed ; to which I was led immediately, and avoided all difcovery, 
 till the coachman, who waited to refrefh himfell and his hori'es, 
 was gone. 
 
 “ I then difcovered myfelf to the mother of Laura ; who, amidft 
 the grief (lie felt for the lofs of her daughter, omitted not to give 
 me the ftrongeft aflfurances of fecrecy and fidelity ; and which in- 
 deed fhe and her hufband have molt inviolably kept. 
 
 “ l fell ill, and my recovery was a long time doubtful. When- 
 I grew better, I ft ill remained fo weak, that the good peafants,. 
 who procured me every accommodation in their power, would not 
 fuffer me to leave them. 
 
 ** In the mean time my fuppofed death was managed with great 
 art by my nurfe and Maria. After I was fafely departed the 
 Caftle, they made it ring with their clamorous grief, and (hocked 
 my father and brother with the intelligence of my deceafe. The 
 room was kept darkened, and the curtains of the bed clofe drawn, 
 my nurfe and Maria undertaking, as from affe6tion, to do every 
 thing neceflary to the body ; no one entertaining the leaft fhadow 
 of a fufpicion of any deception, the general refemblance in the 
 lineaments of a corpfe not being an objeft of much pleafmg atten- 
 tion, as death makes the moft frightful alteration in every viiage. 
 Altogether, every thing parted off entirely unfufpe&ed ; and the 
 funeral rites of a daughter of the houfe of Warlenburg were per- 
 formed over the humble Laura, and her remains were deport ted in 
 the family maufoleum with great pomp. Over her coffin, iny dear 
 Julian, you poured your rears. Alas, I little thought what pangs 
 I was giving your heart by the deception. 
 
 “ All this time I continued ill and weak at the farm-houfe ; 
 but, being now recovered, I determiped to follow my original plan 
 of going into a convent; and having wrote to the abbels of one, 
 under a fiftitious name, and agreed with her on the terms of ad- 
 mirtfion, I procured the apparel of a youth, left in my journey I 
 might encounter any one who had formerly known me ; the good 
 
*o THE HAUNTED CASTLE, 
 
 man and his wife agreed to accompany me. We took our journey 
 on horfeback by eafy ftages, and had alighted to take fome refrefh- 
 ment we had brought with us, in one of the glades of the foreft, 
 when we were furprized by two ruffians, who, in a moment, laid 
 my feeble prote&ors dead at my feet. Fear gave me wings to fly 
 from the like fate ; but one of them purfued me — he v/as clofe be- 
 hind — my breath, my ftrength failed — >one other moment, Julian" — 
 Julian Ihuddered at the idea: “ Merciful God,” he cried, “ I 
 thank thee, that in that moment thou impelled me to ftep between 
 my Jemima and death.” 
 
 Word was now brought that the bodies were found, but with- 
 out any fymptoms of life; and Julian ordered them to the houfe 
 of one of his vaffals for interment; Jemima fhedding a Ihower of 
 tears over her benevolent heft and hoftefs. 
 
 Anfelmo returned in the evening. That good man had been be- 
 fore acquainted with the ftory of Julian : the incidents of this day 
 were recounted to him, and he was introduced to Jemima. He 
 felicitated them in a manner which did credit to his feelings, and 
 promiled to prepare every thing for the morning; and when that 
 morning rofe, it faw indiffolubly united, in the filken bands of 
 Hymen, the mod charming pair that ever met on earth. 
 
 Julian immediately difpatched an exprefs to the Marchionefs and 
 her fair daughter, requeuing that they would take the trouble of 
 providing all the neceflary articles of drefs for a bride of quality ; 
 importuning them, at the fame time, to honour the Caftle with 
 their company as foon as poflible. 
 
 The noble family received the intelligence with rapture, except 
 the gentle Caroline, in whofe fufceptible bofom the grace of Julian 
 had made fome impreffion. Happily for her they had not been long 
 enough together to render the impreffion indelible. A few tender 
 fighs, a few gentle regrets, and the idea of his irrevocable engage- 
 ment, fcon effaced the gentle emotions of attachment, and her 
 mind refumed its ufual tranquillity. 
 
 The Marchionefs executed her commiflicn with great tafte, and 
 was fo in earneit to partake the happinefs of her nephew, and viflt 
 the manfion of her youth, that a few days brought her to the 
 Caftle, where language is as unable to describe the various pal- 
 lions which conflicted in her bread, as the pencil of the artift to de- 
 lineate their varied expreffion flying over her intelligent countenance : 
 one moment her face wore the fmiles of gladnefs ; the next it was 
 deluged with tears. 
 
 She was charmed with the graceful and elegant manners of her 
 new niece, and at the refpeCltully tender and affectionate ftyle in 
 which fhe received her noble guefts. Caroline, with a liberality of 
 fentiment lelciom where a fuccefsful rival is a candidate for appro- 
 bation, readily yielded the palm of fuperiority to Jemima; and 
 when they retired for the evening, joined in the warm panegyric 
 pronounced by her mother. 
 
 The days rolled pleafmgly on. Alterations were planned and 
 executed lor embdlitag the Caftle and its environs. Its gardens 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. *t 
 
 were put in the higheft order $ its apartments decbrated fuperbly » 
 the fervice of gold plate brought from the fubterranean treafury, 
 and burnilhed for ufe ; all that love, that wealth, that greatnefs 
 had to give, were laviihed on the fair Jemima, and yet Ihe fighed 
 in fecret j one thing was wanting to complete her felicity. 
 
 “ My lweetelt Jemima,” faid the Count, one day as he entered 
 her apartment rather fuddenly, “ why this tear, my love, which 
 hangs on thy cheek, like the dew on the rofe-bud ? Let me kifs it 
 off* and now tell me from whence if. fprung ?” 
 
 I ought not, my dear Julian,” laid the Countefs, with a 
 figb, tS to have one fecret unrevealed to thee.’’ 
 
 “ And h lit thou ?” 
 
 “ I am aihamed to acknowledge that, amidft the delights which 
 furround me, I am not completely happy — My father”— 
 
 “ What of him 
 
 <£ Ah, my Julian ! my heart is a molt wayward one. Ungrate- 
 fully as he requited an aflion noble beyond words, and] much as 
 J fear he fought thy life, jet (till — what fhall I fay ? — he is my 
 father— I cannot harden my heart towards him. I long, I pine 
 to eafe his foul of that pang it feels at the idea of having, by his 
 cruelty, fhorttmed my exigence. My brother too — But I’ll drive to 
 check this tendernel’s, and tell myfelf it is injurious to the bed of 
 kufbands, to entertain ajfe&ion for thole from whom he has expe- 
 rienced fuch inhuman treatment.” 
 
 “ Thy character, mydeared Jemima, rlfes upon me every hour: 
 far be it from me to check the filial tendernel's of the mod deli- 
 cate, the bed of minds 1 No longer let love and duty be at va- 
 ria bee. From my inmoft foul, I forgive whatever injuries I fuf- 
 tained, and whatever might have been meditated againd me. From 
 henceforth they Iball have a place in my affections as the father and 
 the brother of my adorable wife. We will feek. them cut j we 
 will reconcile ourfeives to them ; they (hall partake our h3ppinefs. 
 Another pearly drop !— Nay, my love — this flood of tendernefs 
 will injure thy health. Let me dry thefe tears, and we will feek our 
 friends. _ Tomorrow morning, if it be agreeable to my Jemima, 
 we will look over that houfe and farm, I mean for Conrad, and 
 after that time I am wholly at her difpolal.” 
 
 Leave me a few moments, my generous Julian ; fuffer me a 
 
 fhort rime to indulge thefe delicious tears in lolitude 1 will loon 
 
 join you.” 
 
 He complied with her requefl, and informed his noble relations 
 of what had pa (fed. The good fenfe and piety of the Marquis ap- 
 plauded the filial duty of Jemima, the forgivenefs of his nephew, 
 ami the intended reconciliation. But the Marchionefs, though pof- 
 felfing equal good fenfe, and even fuperioV piety, could not fo eafiiy 
 pardon Warlenburg and his ion; for their perfidious conduft ; how- 
 ever, file was loon induced, though with fome relubtance, to ac- 
 quielce in the general lentiment. 
 
 In the morning, as Julian was fetting out with his fair bride 
 and Caroline, whodefuedto be of their party, to infpett a confi- 
 
43 THE HAUNTED CASTLE, 
 
 derable eft ate which he meant as a reward for his faithful Conrad, 
 he was informed that a coach, in which were two gentlemen, had 
 been overturned in the wood, about half a mile from the Cattle, 
 and was broken fo much, it would take fome hours to repair it. 
 
 His route lying a different way, he ordered fome of his fervants 
 to go to the afhftance of the diitrelfed gentlemen,, and invite them 
 to the Caftle; and as he could not pofftbly return till near even- 
 ing, requeued the Marquis and Marchionefs to receive them, and 
 perform all the rites of hol’pitality in the abfence of himfelf and his 
 Countefs,, 
 
 In about half an hour after their departtire, one of the fervants, 
 who had been lent to the overturned coach, returned, and intro- 
 duced two gentlemen, who looked like father and fon ; both of 
 noble afpeft, and graceful deportment ; the young gentleman fin- 
 gularly handfome. 
 
 They were received with every, mark of hofpi table attention and 
 refpeft ; were .told that the noble lord of the Caftle, Count Waid- 
 burg, with his Countefs, were abfent by. a pre engagement: but, 
 having heard of their accident befoie^Jbis departure, had ordered 
 every afliftance might be given them, and that themfelves would 
 take upon them the office of entertaining them. 
 
 They replied with great politenefs ; and then, to the infinite 
 furprife of the Marquis and Marchionefs, announced themfelves the 
 Count Warfenburg and his fon. 
 
 The Marchionefs, who had not forgiven them in her heart, al- 
 moft grudged them the happinefs which awaited them. Siie, wiftied 
 to keep it from their knowledge as long as poflibie, and to make them 
 experience fome painful fenfations before it was communicated. 
 
 Defirous of heightening their wonder, by impreffing on their 
 minds the higheft ideas of the wealth and grandeur of the Count, 
 their entertainment was conducted in the moil fuperb ftyle : they 
 were lhewn the molt magnificent apartments, and every thing which 
 was rate and coftly pointed out to them. It gave fatisfadtion to 
 the Marchionefs to fee their admiration ftrongiy excited ; fhe ma- 
 licioufly wished to awaken other feelings ; and addreiling herfelfto 
 the Count, “ Though,” faid /he,” “ my lord, I have not had the 
 pleafure of feeing any of your family, yet the lame of fome part 
 of it has reached me j the beauty of the lady Jemima, your 
 daughter, and the extraordinary merit af the young gentleman, 
 to whom I fup pole fhe is by this time married, Julian.” 
 
 She pau fed, for the effedl of thele few words was vifible on the 
 countenances of both ; their eyes were filled with tears ; their faces, 
 covered with blufhes. 
 
 “ I am lorry,” relumed fhe, with an affedfted concern, “ I am 
 afraid I have faid fonve thing wrong — if fo, pardon my ignorance.” 
 
 u Oh, Madam 1” faid tne father, in an agony of grief, “that 
 
 beautiful, that amiable girl you mention tnel'e eyes were blafted 
 
 by feeing her innrned in the tomb of her anceftors.” 
 
 “ I ain very lorry indeed— forty I Ihould revise fo melancholy 
 
THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 43 
 
 a recolleftion — And the poor lover, too, what muft he have fuffered 
 in fuch a lofs ! What became oh him ?” 
 
 The Count and his Ton exchanged a look of unutterable confu- 
 sion. The father hammered for an anlwer, but none prefented j 
 and yet the Marchionefs fat as if fhe expefted one. 
 
 The Marquis faw with pity their emotions. “ My deareft love,” 
 faid he, “ you diftrels the Count. — Gentlemen, will you walk into 
 the garden ? you have not yet viewed it.” 
 
 Happy to be relieved, they gladly affented to the motion, and 
 walked in it fome time, as if they dreaded on their return a reitera- 
 tion of the Marchionefs’s painful interrogatories. 
 
 In the mean time the horn of Count Waidburg’s harbinger an- 
 nounced his lord’s approach. The Marchionefs ran to receive them 
 in the hall, and drawing them afide, told them who were their 
 guefts : ** and now, my dear niece,” fhe added, “ indulge a whim 
 of mine : receive your father and brother as people you never faw 
 before. They are confident of the death of both ; the refemblance 
 will puzzle them ; but under different names, and in fo very dif- 
 ferent a fituation, they cannot fufpeft the truth. — Do, my deareft 
 niece, indulge me this one night in not announcing yourfelves.” 
 
 “ I would do any thing in my power, my dear Madam, to oblige 
 you ; but confider the difficulty of the talk you affign me — How 
 can I reprefs thofe feelings which will affaii me ! My brother, ex- 
 cept in one or two inftances, poffeffed the warmed fraternal affec- 
 tion. My father, with all his infirmities, is entitled to my duty 
 and reverence.” 
 
 “ God forbid, my dear, I fhould wifh you for a moment to forget 
 thofe amiable, thofe never-to-be-difpenfed- with duties ; I would 
 veil them only this night — it is the fufpenfion only of their forms 
 I entreat : I only want to fee how nature, and how confciejice, will 
 aft, when they behold two people appear, whofe exiftence muft 
 contradift every faft they iuppofe themfelves matters of 5 and whofe 
 ftation mutt preclude the molt dittant idea of its being really them, 
 however ftrong the refemblance. — Give me this revenge for my ne- 
 phew’s wrongs, and 1 alk no more.” 
 
 “ I yield, Madam ; but let me have time to prepare.” 
 
 “ The longer you think about it, the worfe it will fee. It is bet- 
 ter to plunge at once into a difficult bufinefs, than increafe your per- 
 plexity by reflefting upon it. Have we your concurrence, Julian ?’* 
 “ With all my foul, if you make it ealy to my Jemima.” 
 
 “ I hear their footfteps. They have heard your horn, and are 
 coming.” 
 
 They entered at this moment. The Marquis, who knew his 
 ’wife’s plan, prefented them in form. The Warfenbuigs both 
 darted, both turned pale; bur, foon recovering, acquitted them- 
 feives tolerably well of the ceremonial. 
 
 They were ufhered into a grand apartment ; fupper wa$ ferved 
 with ttudied magnificence ; they faw themfelves turrounded with 
 princely fplendor. Could their entertainer be the difearded, penny- 
 iefs, friendlefs foundling, of whofe death too they were attured-i — 
 
44 THE HAUNTED CASTLE. 
 
 No.—- Much lefs could his conforc be that lamented Jemima, whom 
 they had both j'cen enclofed in the mausoleum of their family. 
 
 The idea was abiurd — was abiolutely impojfible — Yet, good 
 Heavens, how like! In perfon, in feature, in voice, in manner— 
 in all and every thing the lame ! 
 
 Thefe reflexions they read in the eyes of each other; the com- 
 pany read them alfo, and frpiled internally to lee them loft in a la- 
 byrinth of wonder and amazement. 
 
 Julian behaved to them with an afliduous attention. Their in- 
 gratitude fmote them ; they could fcarcely lift their eyes to his 
 face; yet it was Count Waidburg, not the abjedt Julian — Their 
 feelings were inexplicable to themfelves. 
 
 Jemima could but ill fupport the fcene. She faw her father’s 
 eyes fixed upon her, with an expreffion of the molt pungent grief, 
 ill concealed by an aft'e&ation of eafe ; her brother’s alfo — She 
 longed to difclolc herfelf, and ciafp them to her bofom. 
 
 The hour of retirement was come ; fhe ff ill lingered ; at laft 
 arofe. Her father, who fat oppofite, rofe alfo, his eyes fwimming 
 in tears. He came round to her, without knowing what he did. 
 He took her hand, and with a heart-rending iigh, clafped it to his 
 bofem. An exprefiion cl exquifite tendernel’s, grief, remorfe, 
 mingled in his countenance — She was no longer m iff rels of her 
 emotions, but threw herielf into his arms, murmuring the name of 
 Father. 
 
 What a fenfation of painful delight did that word communicate 
 to both the Warfenburgs ! The brother, flying to her, claimed his 
 ihare, of the embrace- — they indulged in ail tiie luxury of paternal, 
 <ot fraternal love— 
 
 But when the firft tumult of joy gave way to reflection, when 
 they turned to the hufband of their Jemima — 
 
 —How changed were thofe features which were this moment fired 
 with joy, fwelled with rapture ! — Words are inadequate to defciibe 
 the complicated, the various emotion — 
 
 A fcene of joy followed ; which, defpairing to exhibit in colour- 
 ing worthy of it, I fhall only lay, 
 
 — — — the happy pair 
 
 Flourilh’d long in tender blils, and rear’d 
 A numerous offspiing, lovely like themfelves, 
 
 And good, the grace of ali the country round. 
 
 Thomson, 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 Tainted by T, Midden, Sherboume-Lane, Loir.kard-Strcet.