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1 I E> RAHY 
 
 OF THE 
 U N IVLRSITY 
 Of ILLINOIS 
 
 L3d8\ 
 v.l 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 A EOMANCE, 
 
 Lane, Darling, and Co, Leadenhall-Street, 
 
{&r-od-* 
 
 INVISIBLE ENEMY? 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE MINES OF IV IE LIT ^K J. 
 
 8 WMity HcgettiJarg ftctnance. 
 
 «=»e«S<S®«<! 
 
 IN FCUR VOLUMES. 
 
 =»€ a« e-4 «*"■="" 
 
 BY T. P. LATHY/ 
 
 slt^'iCR OF 
 iiSURPATIOV, THE PARACLETE, G'c. &C. 
 
 Nature! freat Pare-t! - hcse unceasing hand 
 Rolis i\ ind the staso.is of the cl a .genii y-ar, 
 Kow rfilght; , how .: ajestic are thy works! 
 With what a pleasing aread the/ swell the soul ! 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 THOMSON* 
 
 LO XDON : 
 PRINTED AT THE 
 
 FOR LANE, NEWMAN, AND CO. 
 
 LLALENH A M. -STREET. 
 
 1806. 
 

 
?25 
 
 i 
 
 IJV TROB UC Tl O JV. 
 
 JN OT far from the Carpathian, or, as 
 they arc now termed, the Krapae 
 Mountains, which separate Poland from 
 Transylvania, and at the distance of 
 eight leagues from the city of Cracow, 
 there formerly existed an ancient build- 
 ing, called the Castle of Vistulof. The 
 stupendous ruins with which it was sur- 
 rounded, afforded, at once, a pictu- 
 resque and awful scene of the grandeur 
 and decadence of the noblest of human 
 works, and announced that it had been, 
 at first, composed of a vast pile, which 
 the consuming hand of time, and the 
 devastations of long and disastrous wars, 
 vol. i. b had 
 
11 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 had reduced to an edifice of very mo- 
 derate extent. At one place were sgcu. 
 fragments of buildings really detached 
 from each other, but seemingly united 
 by perspective, and loity masses of 
 ruins, admirable for their elevation and 
 boldness of architecture, as also for their 
 sturdy solidity; at another place ap- 
 Dcared mouldering walls, thick, heavy 
 turrets, and cumbrous battlements, 
 which, in their state of decay, seemed 
 to make the earth groan beneath their 
 pressure. It would be impossible, with- 
 out the aid of the pencil, to give an 
 adequate idea of the saliant towers, 
 raised at intervals, the greatest part of 
 whose crown- work had yielded to time, 
 after having, for centuries, resisted the 
 violence of the most furious storms ; of 
 the lofty ramparts, angular piles com- 
 posed of massy blocks, and of the but- 
 tresses, whose support should seem to 
 
 have 
 
INTRODUCTION". HI 
 
 have been eternal, if the irresistible 
 force of ages had not demonstrated the 
 contrary. Amidst these mementos of 
 past grandeur and present decay, the 
 eye would find some repose by lighting 
 on the bushes, those children of chance 
 and nature, which grew in the midst of 
 the crevices ; on the trees, whose roots 
 had laid hold of the mortar, which time 
 had converted into a vegetative soil, 
 and whose verdant tops shaded the cor- 
 nices, and decorated the loftiest parts ; 
 and also on the tourii and lone-lived 
 ivv, whose thick foliaee and nervous 
 branches overspread a great part of the 
 surface, and served as a prop to those 
 ancient structures. Where any part was 
 entirely overthrown, it was. dinicult to 
 make way through the scattered frag- 
 ments which strewed the ground they 
 once proudly overlooked : where any 
 part was still standing, it appeared to 
 . n 2 brave 
 
IV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 brave both time and seasons, and to 
 yield only after a most desperate con- 
 flict. At one spot, were roofs sinking 
 under their own weight, whose worm- 
 eaten rafters, and iron-work consumed 
 by rust, announced at once their anti- 
 quity and decay ; at another, stood in- 
 sulated masses, unshaken, on their bases, 
 which seemed as durable as the Egyp- 
 tian pyramids ; further on, had been an 
 edifice, of which some pilasters and 
 other fragments only remained, suffi- 
 cient to shew that it had been a chapel. 
 The outer area was separated from the 
 inner one by a broad ditch ; over this 
 there had been a drawbridge, which had 
 long since disappeared, except the pos- 
 terns ; the ditch itself was nearly filled 
 up, by the falling masses of the adja- 
 cent ramparts, and the bushy willows 
 which ranged through it. The front of 
 the tower, against which the draw- 
 bridge 
 
INTRODUCTION. V 
 
 bridge had stood, was covered with 
 saxifrage, whose seeds, borne by the 
 winds, attach to the smallest intervals ; 
 their vagrant stalks grew even in the 
 midst of the bas reliefs, arms, and tro- 
 phies, which formed the crown-work* 
 and of which some vestiges still re- 
 mained. 
 
 On all sides, the spectator was me- 
 naced by accumulated wreck and tot- 
 tering ruins ; his path was, at times, 
 overhung ' by the watch-turrets, which 
 jutted out from the tops of the loftiest 
 towers, where they appeared as if they 
 were suspended in the air. In spite of 
 the combined assaults of wind, rain, 
 frost, and the decomposing power of 
 time, they were still entire -, but, since 
 the destruction of the staircase leading 
 to them had rendered them inaccessible 
 to man, they served for retreats to se- 
 veral species of the winged creation. 
 
 b 3 Flocks 
 
VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Flocks of jackdaws occupied the pin- 
 nacles and the holes whence stones had 
 been detached; and no sooner was a 
 new cavity formed, than a new family 
 took possession of it. They were con- 
 tinually cutting the air in the environs, 
 where, out of danger of the murdering 
 gun, they enjoyed happiness and liberty. 
 Swarms of owls and bats occupied the 
 interior and inferior parts. 
 
 Here the ivy, which delights in soli- 
 tary and umbrageous places, might be 
 said to hold its domain. Like the 
 mournful yew and funereal cypress, 
 these companions of silence and death, 
 it frequents cemetries, and clothes their 
 ancient and venerable inclosures. Some- 
 times its tortuous and flexible branches 
 conceal the unmerited and forgotten 
 epitaphs of the rich; at others, they 
 er brace, from top to bottom, those 
 ancient crosses* or rude stones, which 
 
 the 
 
INTRODUCTION. Vll 
 
 the hands of the indigent have conse- 
 crated to the memory of a relative or 
 friend, without a flattering inscription : 
 whatever begins to be lost in the dis- 
 tance of time, or is remote from the 
 sight and destructive hands of man, it 
 claims for its own- — the mutilated gate- 
 way, on which some legends denote its 
 Gothic origin — the elliptic sweeps, the 
 chefs d'eeuvre of the twelfth century 
 — the tottering pillars, which still sus- 
 tain some arched fragments — all these it 
 usurps, as well as the deserted cottage. 
 Does the weight of years destroy the 
 roof of an edifice, rot its timbers, or 
 crack an arch, instantly the ivy ap- 
 pears in the midst of the ruins, traverses 
 them in every part, and embracing them 
 with its bands, its branches creep up 
 and fasten to the summit of the walls. 
 Do any crevices, or the void of a case- 
 ment, present themselves in its passage, 
 
 b4 it 
 
Viil INTRODUCTION. 
 
 It lays hold on them, and, aided by 
 those new ladders, it again takes a ver- 
 tical direction, and climbs on from story 
 to story, till it covers the cornices with 
 its evergreen garb. There, like a true 
 emblem of perseverance, a friend and 
 companion of solitude, silence, and ob- 
 livion, it remains faithful to the la^t, 
 and perishes only with the - edifice to 
 which it has attached itself, after having 
 long protected its old age, and delayed 
 its decrepitude— amidst the ruins of the 
 Castle of Vistulof, it displayed all its 
 majesty of gloom. 
 
 The entrance from the outer into the 
 inner area, was by a passage under two 
 enormous arches, which had been for- 
 merly defended by iron gratings and 
 portc ull ices. It was much less incum- 
 bered with ruins than the other, and, in 
 the middle of it, stood the body of the 
 building, which was tolerably preserved 
 
 by 
 
INTRODUCTION. IX 
 
 by means of seme modern repairs, very 
 distinguishable from the original struc- 
 ture. The stile of the whole was simple, 
 yet noble. From the center of the build- 
 ing rose a very lofty tower, with a wind- 
 ing staircase : It was a beautiful piece 
 of ancient architecture, and in good pre- 
 servation ; as, except some of the steps, 
 nothing was wanting to its entirety. A 
 cupola of square stones, composed with 
 much taste, surmounted it. The stair- 
 case communicated, by means of gal- 
 leries, with the ramparts, platforms, 
 and apartments. In the latter were still 
 to be seen some vestiges of their ancient 
 magnificence, some traces of the rude 
 luxury of these remote times. 
 
 Beneath the castle were vast subter- 
 raneous caverns, which were still in. 
 perfect preservation. To behold them, 
 it seemed as if time could only destroy 
 those w r orks which are above ground.. 
 
 b 5 These.- 
 
X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 These sonorous vaults were still in their 
 infancy, and appeared as solid as the 
 rock out of which they were excavated. 
 Of all the works of man, those subter- 
 raneous vaults alone, by being protected 
 from the ravages of the seasons, seem 
 to have no other termination than that 
 of the rfobe itself Such are the cis- 
 
 o 
 
 terns of Carthage, over which the Tu- 
 nisians plough j such the aqueducts of 
 
 exandria," and the common sewers of 
 Rome, whose origin was unknown at 
 the epoch of its foundation. In tra- 
 versing the subterraneans of Vistulof, 
 the echoes of those mute and solitary 
 caverns repeated the sounds ten times 
 over, and, made it appear like so many 
 voices welcoming the curious visitor in- 
 to another world,* 
 
 The landscape round the Castle of 
 Vistulof, was formed to delight every 
 soul, sensible of the varying and ma- 
 jestic 
 
INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 jestic scenes of unadorned nature. Here 
 were seen rocks, whose craggy and bare 
 precipices presented the image of steri- 
 lity, whilst others, clothed with wood 
 and verdure, appeared the picture of 
 fertility : There, the eye followed, with 
 delight, the undulation of a serpentine 
 brook, amidst tufts of furze, willows, 
 alders, and poplars. On one side ex- 
 tended a vast plain, which, when co- 
 vered with the verdure of soring:, re- 
 sembled the waving sea playing at the 
 will of the winds; and on the other 
 side, the horizon was determined by a 
 vast chain of mountains, covered with a 
 thick forest, impenetrable to the rays 
 of the sun, whose lofty summit seemed 
 like a vast hanging verdure suspended 
 from the azure sky. 
 
 Such was the Castle of Vistulof* 
 when, about a century and a half since, 
 it became the scene of such surprising 
 
 • B 6 occur- 
 
XII INTRODUCTION, 
 
 occurrences, as caused the greatest sen- 
 sation through all the provinces of Po- 
 land ; and tradition has yet preserved 
 them fresh in remembrance, among the 
 inhabitants of the country adjoining the 
 Carpathian Mountains. The castle had 
 been in the possession of the noble fa- 
 mily of Rosomaski during several pre- 
 ceding generations, and, at that time, 
 belonged to a branch of it, whose sur- 
 prising history, strongly marked by the 
 uncommon vicissitudes of fortune, and 
 by the superior comforts of conjugal 
 love and fidelity to every adverse trial, 
 forms the subject of the following 
 pages. 
 
THE 
 
 INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 mS-£@®$G« 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 \^,OUNT Leopold Rcsomaski, from his 
 earliest infancy, gave evident tokens that 
 the bold, active, and impetuous blood of 
 his ancestors, ennobled his veins ; and yet 
 he arrived at the age of manhood, before 
 he knew that his education, and expecta- 
 tions in life, were by no means suitable to 
 his birth. He was brought up as the son of 
 one ByloiT, a humble peasant, who culti- 
 vated 211 unfrequented spot in the midst 
 
 of 
 
14 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY,. 
 
 of that immense forest, which bristles the 
 greatest part of the country adjacent to the 
 Carpathian mountains, and which was part 
 of the estate of Count Petrowitz. It was, 
 at no great distance from the Castle of Vis- 
 tulof, which justly belonged to Leopold, 
 but had been usurped from him by his 
 uncle on his father's side, upon whose 
 death his son, named Lanfranco, had taken 
 possession of it. As Leopold knew no 
 other than his reputed father, he did not 
 repine at the humble and laborious line of 
 life in which fortune had placed him, and 
 he cheerfully contributed his efforts to those 
 of BylofT and his son, who was his foster- 
 brother, for their mutual support. BylofT 
 made no sort of distinction between his 
 adopted and his real son. He called them 
 simply by their christian names, Leopold 
 and Ludowico, and made them both share 
 the same labours and the same fatigues. 
 Their residence was in the -very midst of 
 the forest, and in the gloomiest and most 
 impenetrable part of it. There, by un- 
 ceasing 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 15 
 
 ceasing perseverance, and felling the trees, 
 thev had cleared a snet of about twelve 
 
 I 
 
 acres, at one end of which stood their cot- 
 tage, which was in the rudest stile of the 
 primitive ages; but, since Leopold and 
 Ludowico had been capable of assisting 
 By loir, it had been enlarged, and rendered 
 comfortable. At the back of the cottage, 
 and excavated, as it were, from the forest, 
 was a small kitchen-garden : Its only orna- 
 ment was a large venerable tree, which had 
 been reserved from the fury of the levelling 
 axe, for the pious purpose of sheltering 
 and protecting a mound of earth, neatly 
 covered with green sod. This was the mo- 
 nument of By Loft's wife, over which con- 
 jugal and filial piety often distilled their 
 precious drops. 
 
 In this remote and dreary situation they 
 never saw any person ; and Leopold and 
 Ludowico would have believed their own 
 little society to have been the sole human 
 inhabitants of the universe, if Bylolf had 
 not sometimes, on holidays, taken them 
 5 to 
 
3 6 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 to Dorbalec, which was the name of the 
 castle of Count Petrowitz, to join in the 
 festivity of the vassals. They could not 
 conceive why EylofT had enjoined them 
 never to mention the place of their abode, 
 any more than they could guess what were 
 the utility of those exercises which he ne- 
 "ver failed, except in bad weather, to make 
 them practise after the labour of the day 
 was finished — these were riding, and the 
 use of arms. Byloff would sometimes 
 make them engage on horseback, sometimes 
 on foot ; at others, he would cause Leo- 
 pold on foot to attack Ludowico on horse- 
 back, and the reverse. Oftentimes he would 
 make them both attack himself, to shew 
 them with what dexterity he could defend 
 himself against such odds: he would also 
 join Leopold in an attack upon Ludowico, 
 and then take the part of Ludowico against 
 Leopold. By these sham rencounters the 
 two youths became so adroit, that they 
 were in a condition, although on foot, and 
 with no other weapon than a cudgel, of 
 
 avoiding 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 17 
 
 avoiding the cuts of a sabre or pole-axe, 
 and dismounting any antagonist. At length 
 the time came which was to put them to a 
 trial. 
 
 Leopold and Ludowico were verging 
 towards manhood, when; one very sultry 
 afternoon, as they were resting from their 
 labour of hewing wood for a provision of 
 winter-fuel, and were taking some repast 
 in the cool shade of a tree, they beheld 
 two females approaching them. They rose 
 up and saluted them with the utmost re- 
 spect. Their salutation was returned with 
 no less civility. The females, who were 
 far different, both in dress and manners, 
 from all whom the young peasants had 
 ever before seen, struck them forcibly by 
 'their affable demeanour, and the easy con- 
 descension with which they asked them se- 
 veral questions. After some few minutes 
 passed in conversation, they bade adieu, 
 and continued their walk, leaving Leopold 
 and Ludowico in a state of almost stupid 
 admiration.. They stood looking after 
 
 them 
 
18 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 them whilst they continued in view, and 
 even after they were out, of sight, their 
 limbs continued motionless, and their eves 
 rivetted towards the road which they had 
 taken. In a short time, they heard the 
 most piercing and alarming cries, and as 
 they were those of females, they had no 
 doubt but they proceeded from the two 
 who had just leh them. By a sudden im- 
 pulse, they instantly seized their axes, and 
 ran towards the spot whence the sound 
 seemed to proceed. They beheld the two 
 females struggling with four men, who 
 were dismounted, whilst two others, mount- 
 ed, and holding the horses of their com- 
 rades, were encouraging them in their 
 violence. 
 
 Leopold, bounding like a tyger on his 
 prey, soon came up with, and levelled two 
 of the then, who held one of the females, 
 to the ground. In an instant, Ludowico 
 struck down one of the others, who held 
 the other female; and the fourth ran to- 
 wards his comrades, and mounted. Leopold 
 
 was. 
 
TI'IE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 19 
 
 was supporting the female whom he had 
 rescued, and who had fainted in his arms, 
 when the remaining horsemen, alter some 
 conversation, drew their sabres, and began 
 to move towards them. Leaving the sense- 
 less maiden to the care of her companion, 
 Leopold and Ludcwico grasped their axes,, 
 and advanced to meet the horsemen. 
 
 cc Who are vcu, base slaves?" cried one 
 of the horsemen, " and how dare you thus 
 obstruct our purposes ?" 
 
 " We arc not base slaves/' replied Leo- 
 pold, <% or we should be your associates in 
 villainy. Notwithstanding the meanness 
 of our garb, we ihel our hearts beat as 
 those of men, whore duty it is to protect 
 female innocence from the insults of such 
 miscreants as you are/' 
 
 " Insolent scoundrel !" exclaimed the 
 same h< — <( retire this instant, or 
 
 you shall receive the chastisement which 
 you deserve \" 
 
 The peasants made no reply, but bran- 
 dished their axes, and the horsemen pushed 
 
 towards 
 
20 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 towards them. Leopold sprung forwards, 
 and, before the foremost horseman had 
 time to use his sabre, struck his horse so 
 violent a blow on the head, as instantly 
 brought it and its rider to the ground. 
 The other two assailed Ludowico, hoping 
 to crush him before Leopold could give 
 assistance, but he avoided them by jump- 
 ing aside, and then instantly springing for- 
 wards ao'ain, and adroitly catching the le^: 
 of one of them, he whirled him off his 
 horse. LeoDold then ioined him, and their 
 appearance was so resolute, and what to- 
 ken they had given of their prowess had so 
 astonished the ravishers, that the two dis- 
 mounted ones ran oft] and the only re- 
 maining horseman thought proper to fol- 
 low them. 
 
 Leopold and Ludowico, being thus leh 
 masters ol the field of battle, returned to 
 the females, exclaiming, lf Fear nothing — 
 ye are safe, and the villains are fled I" At 
 these words, the female who had fainted 
 opened her eyes, and beholding Leopold 
 
 covered 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 21 
 
 covered with the blood of the horse in 
 whose head he had buried his axe, instantly 
 relapsed. It was some time before she re- 
 covered again, and the first words she ut- 
 tered were, ce Oh ! my brave deliverer is 
 wounded !" Leopold, guessing that her 
 relapse had been occasioned by her fear on 
 his account, replied, " No, no, thank Hea- 
 ven ! my dear Lady, we are safe enough. 
 The blood which alarms you, is only that 
 of an innocent horse, which paid the for- 
 feit for its guilty rider." The female, to 
 whom he addressed himself; appeared to 
 regain her spirits by this assurance, and de- 
 sired that they might lose no time in get- 
 ting out of the forest, lest the fugitives 
 should return, and overpower her gallant 
 defenders. 
 
 « We will escort you to your home," 
 said Leopold, " and if they were to return 
 with an host, we would face them in your 
 defence /" 
 
 The first part of this speech, which was 
 uttered with a most intrepid tone, was so 
 
 different 
 
22 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 different from the last three words of it, 
 which were softened into an inexpressible 
 tenderness for her personal safety, that it 
 caused the lady to look at Leopold ; and 
 when she beheld him covered with blood, 
 and brandishing his stained axe, and yet 
 discerned in his eyes the most respectful 
 submission and tender solicitude for her 
 safety, it made such an impression of ad- 
 miration and gratitude on her heart, as 
 were never afterwards to be erazed. Her 
 eyes no sooner met the eager glances of 
 Leopold's, than they were directed to the 
 ground ; and, after a moment's pause, she 
 told her companion, that they had best be 
 going ; and, without waiting for an an- 
 swer, she turned to Leopold, and desired 
 the support of his arm. Leopold's eyes 
 glistened with pleasure at the request : he 
 took her arm within his, and felt, at that 
 moment, a mingled emotion of pride and 
 pleasure, such as his heart had never en- 
 tertained before ; but his pleasure was ra- 
 ther damped, when, on asking her whither 
 
 he 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. * 2j 
 
 he was to conduct her, he was informed 
 that she lived at Dorbalec, and was the 
 daughter of Count Petrowitz. Notwith- 
 standing the retired situation in which they 
 lived, BylofF, whenever the weather was 
 unfavourable to their exercises in the open 
 air, had taught his children to read and 
 write; and, from some few books which he 
 had, Leopold had gained a sufficient know- 
 ledge of the world, to understand the dif- 
 ference which there was betwixt the situa- 
 tion of himself and his fair partner. He 
 became thoughtful, and walked on without 
 scarcely speaking another word. The lady, 
 who perhaps guessed the cause of his si- 
 lence, and was employed in a similar me- 
 ditation, was equally pensive, until they 
 reached the edge of the forest, whence 
 thev had a view of Dorbalec. 
 
 Here an involuntary sigh escaped from 
 Leopold's bosom, Ke stopped, and told 
 the lady, that, as she and her companion 
 were now in safety, himself and his bro- 
 ther would take their leave of them. 
 
 " Surely/ 1 
 
24 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 " Surely/' cried she, (C you will go home 
 with us, and give my father an opportunity 
 of shewing his grateful sense of your gal- 
 lant and generous conduct." 
 
 " Excuse us for the present," replied 
 Leopold — cc we are not in a condition to 
 be seen there ; besides, our father waits 
 for us ; he will be alarmed at our absence 
 beyond the usual hour." 
 
 " My father," said she, cc will send a 
 messenger to acquaint yours with your be- 
 ing at Dorbalec, and he will come and 
 witness, with pleasure, the respect which 
 will be paid to his gallant sons." 
 
 However galling was the separation to 
 the feelings of Leopold, for he was en- 
 slaved by her whom he had risked his life 
 to defend, yet he remembered the injunc- 
 tion of Byloff, not to disclose the place of 
 their abode. Lie told the lady, that there 
 were circumstances, unknown even to 
 themselves, which made it improper for 
 them to obey her; but, seeing^ her much 
 chagiined at the refusal, he gave her a 
 
 solemn 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 25 
 
 solemn promise, that, when she should have 
 recovered from the fright which such an 
 outrage must have occasioned, himself and 
 brother would certainly call at Dorbalec. 
 The ladv seemed somewhat satisfied with 
 this assurance. 
 
 " It would be ungenerous, " said she, 
 " to press you to that for which vou have 
 no inclination." 
 
 '•' No inclination !" exclaimed Leopold 
 — <e Lady, I would rather obey your com- 
 mands, than be the first man in the uni- 
 verse ; but, in this instance, filial duty " 
 
 " Ought to be superior to every other 
 consideration/' said the lady, interrupting 
 him — " We must be contented with your 
 promise of seeing us soon. You must not, 
 however," added she, drawing out a pune, 
 " refuse to accept some little present mark 
 of our gratitude— I am ashamed it is so 
 small." 
 
 ei Lady/' said Leopold, " we have ever 
 been maintained by the labour of our 
 hands, and are unacquainted with the want 
 
 vol. i. c of 
 
26 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 of money. Besides, the man who will ac- 
 cept a remuneration for a good deed, will 
 be easily bribed to a had one." 
 
 " Your^discourse ill besuits your dress/' 
 said the lady — " you are not what you ap- 
 pear to be : We might have expected from 
 vou the language of honest plainness, but 
 not that of polished honour and senti- 
 ment." 
 
 cc We are, however," replied Leopold, 
 " nothing more than what our gr*b be- 
 speaks us — labouring foresters ; and this is 
 the first time in my life that I ever felt dis- 
 satisfied with my lowly station." 
 
 The lady blushed at this speech, and 
 Leopold instantly became sensible of the 
 boldness of it. A pause ensued, which was 
 at length broken by the lady. 
 
 " Well then," said she, " I must be con- 
 tent to postpone my gratitude till you shall 
 think proper to claim it. Accept, how- 
 ever, this bracelet," added she, taking one 
 from her arm, " and wear it in remem- 
 brance of me." 
 
 « I will 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. £7 
 
 " I will wear it next my heart," replied 
 Leopold, as he kneeled to receive it, " and 
 never lose it but with my life" 
 
 It contained a miniature picture of the? 
 fair donor ; and Leopold, after gazing at 
 it for a few moments, put it to his lips, 
 and kissed it with fervour. She blushed, 
 and bidding adieu, hastily went towards the 
 castle, followed by her companion. 
 
 Leopold and Ludowico remained sta- 
 tionarv until they saw them enter the gates 
 of the castle, when they turned about to 
 go homewards. 
 
 " 4 Well," said Leopold, " what think you 
 of this adventure ?" 
 
 " That it is not much to your advan- 
 
 •," reolied Ludowico : (< for if you 
 
 have conquered the men, ihe fair one has 
 
 subdued you. You have lost.your liberty, 
 
 without the hopes of any thing in return/' 
 
 " What makes you think so ?" said Leo- 
 pold. 
 
 " The difference of your situation in 
 life," replied Ludowico. "There might have 
 
 C 2 " been 
 
£8 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 been some hopes for me with my partner, 
 who, as I learnt from her, was only the at- 
 tendant of yours; but I believe it will be 
 best for you to think no more of the mis- 
 tress." 
 
 cc Think no more of her!'* exclaimed 
 Leopold, looking on the miniature — cc I 
 could as easily forget that I exist." 
 
 " Well then," said Ludowico, <c only re- 
 member, at the same time, whose daughter 
 she is, and whose son you are. Prudence 
 may save you some heai;t-aches." 
 
 This caution plunged Leopold into a 
 train of melancholy reflections, which last- 
 ed till they reached home. 
 
 Bylofr^ who had prepared their meal, and 
 wondered at their unusual stay, was gone 
 Into the forest to look for them. Some 
 time elapsed before he returned ; and the 
 instant he entered, and beheld Leopold, 
 whose thoughts had been too much absorb- 
 ed to permit him to think of wiping the 
 sanguinary stains from his dress, he ex- 
 claimed — 
 
 " How's 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 29 
 
 " How's this ! there's blood upon your 
 clothes ! — God preserve us from sin ! what 
 have you been about?" 
 
 At that instant they heard the trampling 
 of horses. 
 
 " Thev are coming again,, to be revenged 
 of us/' exclaimed Leopold, catching up 
 his axe, still clotted with gore — rt but let 
 us sell our lives like men !'' 
 
 cc Oh, my sons," cried BylcfC, " ye have 
 z'r.td blood, and it cries out against you ! 
 Why have 1 lived to see this unfortunate 
 hour!" 
 
 Ke was interrupted by a number of arm- 
 ed men, who rushed into the cottage. They 
 looked earnestly at Leopold and Ludowico, 
 and, at length, one of them said — cc These 
 answer the description which has been 
 given us ; besides, there is blood on the 
 clothes of one of them. You must go 
 with us," added he, addressing himself to 
 Leopold. 
 
 " Whither?" demanded Leopold. 
 
 " To Dorbalec/' replied the person — 
 c 3 " Count 
 
30 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 " Count Fetrowitz has ordered us to brine 
 every person we could find in the forest 
 before him." 
 
 " We will go with you/' said Leopold, 
 " but not by force." 
 
 " We have no orders to use force, unless 
 we are compelled to do so/' replied the 
 person. 
 
 re Lead on then/' said Leopold, tf and we 
 will all attend you." 
 
 By lofT groaned, and lifted up his eyes to 
 heaven — " My sons," cried he, " are vou 
 guilty or innocent ?" 
 
 " We are spotless as the sun," replied 
 Leopold — " We have clone nothing but 
 what you will commend us for doing." 
 
 " Enough," cried ByloiT — " then let us 
 
 go: 
 
 They all left the cottage, the horsemen 
 surrounding By J off, Leopold, and Ludo- 
 wico; the two latter of whom, fearing 
 some perfidious design, refused to be dis- 
 armed, and carried their axes on their 
 shoulders. Whea they arrived at the castle, 
 
 they 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 31 
 
 they found the Count in the great hall, 
 surrounded by his domestics, and numbers 
 of his vassals, whom he had summoned on 
 the occasion. At his side were seated the 
 two females whom Leopold and Ludowico 
 had preserved. The Count turned to his 
 daughter, and asked if these were the per- 
 sons. She answered in the affirmative. 
 
 " Who are you ?" demanded the Count, 
 looting stedfastly at Leopold. 
 
 " I only know," replied he, " that I re- 
 side in the adjoining forest, and that those 
 you see with me, are my father and bro- 
 ther." 
 
 " Is this true ?" said the Count, turning 
 to BviofT. 
 
 '* Part is true, and part is not," replied 
 Byloff — " He is not my son — the other is." 
 
 " Why," said the Count to Leopold, 
 " do you tell me what is not true ?" 
 
 " I scorn it," replied Leopold, asto- 
 nished. 
 
 te He does not know but he has told you 
 c 4 the 
 
32 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 the truth/' said Byloff— -< r Till this instant, 
 he never doubted that he was my son." 
 
 " Whose sen is he then ?" demanded 
 the Count. 
 
 " He is the only son of the late Count 
 Gusfavus Rosomaski " replied BvlofT. 
 
 " Have a care, old man/' cried the 
 Count — cc I have heard that that child died 
 in its in fane v." 
 
 (< So it was falsely reported by his uncle 
 and guardian, the late Theodoric Roso- 
 maski, in order to get the title and estate 
 info his own family." said BvJoff— - " This 
 is She real heir, whom I rescued from the 
 untimely grave to which he was doomed 
 by his unnatural uncle/' 
 
 " Who are you ?" demanded the Count, 
 " and what proofs have you of the truth of 
 so bold an assertion ?" 
 
 " I was one of the domestics of the good 
 Count Gustavus Rosomaski," replied By- 
 lotf, " who died suddenly, leaving this son 
 an infant and an orphan, as his ladv had 
 
 preceded 
 
t 
 
 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 33 
 
 preceded him to the grave only some few 
 weeks before. The uncle became the <niar- 
 dian of the nephew, who, after his mother's 
 death, was nurtured by my wife, with this 
 other vouth, my own son. Theodoric, for 
 some months after his brother's death, was 
 more than kind — he loaded me and my 
 wife with favours; and having thus, as he 
 thought, prepared us to enter into his sor- 
 did and cruel views, he proposed to us to 
 substitute his owg son, then an infant, in 
 the place of the legitimate heir. We were 
 struck with horror at so foul a design ; but, 
 as we imagined that a heart capable of form- 
 ing it, would hesitate at no means of put- 
 ting it into execution, we could not dare 
 to express our detestation openly. Theo- 
 doric, seeing that we hesitated,, gave us 
 money, and made us the most splendid 
 promises. We pretended to be overcome 
 by his liberality, and to give into his 
 scheme. The day was appointed, when his 
 own son Lan franco, the present wrongful 
 possessor of the title and possessions of 
 
 c 5 Rosomaskij 
 
o4 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 Rosomaski, was to be brought into the 
 castle, and received by my wife/ in the 
 place of the son of Gustavus, who was to 
 be sent awav. Having; concerted measures 
 with my wife, we rose before the break of 
 the day which was to have witnessed this 
 horrid deed. We packed up whatever pro- 
 perty we had saved from the liberality of 
 the good Gustavus and his lady, and mount- 
 ed on two horses, which we took out of the 
 stables. My wife carried our son, and I 
 the young Count. As we thought our- 
 selves unsafe, from Theodoric'-s pursuit, in 
 anv inhabited place, we sought the most 
 gloomy and unfrequented part of the forest 
 which is on your domains, where we erect- 
 ed a hut, and, by imperceptible degrees., 
 formed a comfortable retreat. My .wife 
 died several years ago, but not till after, 
 at her own most earnest request, she had 
 made a journey to Cracow; where, in the 
 presence of a priest and a notary, both of 
 whom were pointed out to us as men of 
 unblemished character and integrity, she 
 
 made 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 03 
 
 made an oarh of the facts which I have just 
 related. A written copy of that deposition 
 was, at the same time, signed by her, and 
 left with each of those two persons, to re- 
 main unopened till Leopold, which is the 
 name of the real Count Rosomaski, should 
 arrive at a proper age to assert his rights. 
 Until the present day, we have never been 
 disturbed in cur retreat, where I have con- 
 stantly inured the boys to hardships and 
 labour; and as, in my youth, I had been 
 a soldier, and had seen some real service, 
 I trained them up to arms, to render Leo- 
 pold worthy of the rank to which he was 
 born, as well as canable of contending for 
 it, and to give him my son Lndowico for 
 an able auxiliary. You may judge of the 
 progress which they have made under my 
 instructions, by their bloody feats this dav, 
 of the cause of whicn I am "still ignorant, 
 as I came home only some few moments 
 before your people arrived to bring ir& 
 hither ; but as I have always endeavoured 
 to impress upon their minds, never to use 
 
 c & theii 
 
36 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 their strength but against some violent ag- 
 gression, or act of injustice, I remain con- 
 fident that thev will be found not to have 
 abused it." 
 
 During this narrative, the Count was at- 
 tentively eveing the two youths, whose 
 athletic, though green manhood, undaunt- 
 ed looks, and intrepid demeanour, called 
 forth astonishment and admiration in all 
 the spectators. His attention, however, 
 was chiefly drawn towards Leopold, whom 
 this narrative more neany interested. It 
 is impos.ible to describe his agitation. 
 Rage and indignation, at the unnatural 
 conduct of his uncle ; surprise, at learning 
 the elevated station to which he was born ; 
 joy, at having it disclosed in the presence 
 of the lovely daughter of the Count Petro- 
 witz, whose eyes sufficiently testified her 
 pleasure at the disclosure — all formed to- 
 gether such a mixture of passions, as 
 scarcely ever before struggled together in 
 the. same breast, and at the same instant. 
 
 An interval of silence succeeded the 
 
 narrative, 
 
TITE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 37 
 
 narrative. Every spectator had his eye 
 upon Leopold, who, however, remained 
 mute and thoughtful. At length, Count 
 Petrowitz broke silence. 
 
 " It is a dangerous secret which you have 
 been disclosing," said he — " The present 
 reputed Count Rosomaski is now well esta- 
 blished in his possession : He is rich and 
 powerful, Leopold is poor arid friendless/' 
 
 " But my arm is not nerveless," exclaim- 
 ed Leopold — <T I will challenge Lanfranco 
 to maintain his title against mine, hand to 
 hand, and be his the spoils who wins the 
 day." 
 
 " My daughter RhocNska, and her com- 
 panion," said the Count, " have given me 
 an astonishing account of your prowess 
 and intrepidity; but what can you do 
 singlv against numbers ? for I am assured 
 that Lanfranco will never trust his title to 
 such a decision." 
 
 " I know not what I may be able to do 
 singly," replied Leopold, <( but I feel a 
 something in my heart, which will make 
 
 rne 
 
38 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 me spurn at danger, and urge me on to 
 conquest/' 
 
 As he uttered these words, he ventured 
 to cast a look at Ehcdiska, who crimsone 
 and cast her eyes towards the ground. 
 
 " Let every one, but this young man, 
 leave the room/' said the Count ; " and I 
 charge you that not a syllable transpire of 
 what you have heard. Let every attention 
 be paid to the old man and his son." 
 
 " Brave youth!" added the Count, so 
 soon as he was left with Leopold, cc I feel 
 and tremble for your situation. If you 
 have a just claim to the title and posses- 
 sions of Rosomaski, yet you have a most 
 crafty and powerful competitor. I think I 
 know his character — he will go any lengths. 
 to gratify his ambition." 
 
 " Is there no law then in Poland?" said 
 Leopold. 
 
 tc Certainly," answered the Count ; "but 
 there, ^. c in every other country, it is only 
 for those who can afford the expence of 
 it.* 
 
 " Then 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 39 
 
 " Tfien I will rely on mine own arm for 
 redress/' said Leopold — <c Lan franco shall 
 either yield me my right, or deprive me 
 of life" 
 
 " Be net rash, if you would prosper/' 
 said the Count — ec As some poisons are an- 
 tidotes to others, so is policy the surest 
 weapon against a designing enemy. Take 
 my advice — Our gracious sovereign knows 
 the value of a good soldier, and rewards 
 him according to his merit, be his rank 
 what it may. The army is now going to 
 , make a campaign on our frontiers : go and 
 join it Your skill, braverv, and intreoi- 
 dity, will, in all probability, cause you to 
 be distinguished, and that is the readiest 
 road to favour and fortune. You may 
 then enter the lists with Lanfranco, upon 
 equal terms." 
 
 " Count," replied Leopold, " vour ad- 
 vice is highly reasonable, and I will follow 
 it? I will seek danger in the tented field ; 
 and, when my sword shall have been accus- 
 tomed 
 
40 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 tomect to v'ctory, it WH1 fall the heavier 
 on the head pf LanTrancq." 
 
 " May I'eaven crown ' you with suc- 
 cess \" said the Count — "and whatever I 
 can do to ensure it to you, shall not be 
 wanting. I will write to Colonel Zulman- 
 dorf, whose regiment is one ol those about 
 to take the field, and request him to take 
 you under his protection, If his answer be 
 favourable, as I expect from our long ac- 
 quaintance, you shall depart in a manner 
 which would not disgrace you, even if you 
 were the acknowledged Count Rosomaski." 
 After Leopold had uttered all that a 
 grateful heart could dictate, the "Count in- 
 sisted upon his supping with him, and tar- 
 rying the night, as it would be then late. 
 Leopold would have joined BylofT and his 
 son, but the Count insisted on his sitting at 
 his own table. Leopold's heart beat high 
 at the honour of being admitted a com- 
 panion of the Count, although he would 
 have preferred the company of his father 
 
 and 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 41 
 
 and brother, as he si ill termed them, if it 
 had not been for the presence of the lovely 
 lihodiska. During the whole supper-time, 
 she was particularly attentive to help him, 
 although he ate scarcely anything; and 
 she seemed more disposed to prevent his 
 wants, than to have any of her own. After 
 supper, they conversed for several hours; 
 and the Count and his daughter were sur- 
 prised at the propriety of Leopold's ideas, 
 the quickness of his perception, and the 
 dignity of his expression, which w T ere far 
 beyond what might have been expected 
 from the situation in which he had been 
 brought up. Amongst the books, how- 
 ever, which Byloff had brought away from 
 Vistulof, was a translation of Plutarch's 
 Lives into the Polish dialect, which Leo- 
 pold ha4 ever perused with avidity, as if 
 to ground himself on the example of these 
 illustrious characters; and thence he had 
 drawn the chief of his ma 2nd formed 
 
 his ideas. At length they retired for the 
 flight, and Leopold was left at liberty to 
 
 indulge 
 
42 TKB INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 indulge the reflection of his happiness, in 
 being under the same roof with feia beloved 
 
 Rhodiska. 
 
 •* m - j— T-.vie.-ry--c^--~ .-*^.r- „ .~— t^ v—. - " - A ** :> 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 O: 
 
 P N the first appearance of the sun above 
 the horizon, Leopold rose, and met Byloff 
 and his son in the hall. Ke acquainted 
 them with the Count's advice, and his own 
 resolve. 
 
 (i I approve of both/' said BylofF— <c It 
 w 7 as the very plan which. 1 myself had laid 
 down for you, when you should have ar- 
 rived at a proper age : that season is now 
 come. Excuse the dreadful suspicions which 
 I entertained of ye.u yesterday ; my son has 
 
 convincd 
 
THE IW VISIBLE ENIMY. 43 
 
 convinced me of the injustice of them. 
 The Count Rosomaski will never shed 
 blood but in a just cause. Go, and may 
 the shades of vour ancestors hover over, 
 and protect you in the hour of danger !** 
 
 Ludowico insisted on accompanying 
 Leopold. 
 
 " Go, my son/' cried BylofT — fl fight by 
 the side of your young lord, and prove 
 yourself" worthy to support him, when he 
 shall return to claim his right/' 
 
 " But how can we leave you alone, my 
 dear father I" cried Leopold. 
 
 " Give yourself no trouble about me," 
 replied the old man — u The Count Petro- 
 witz will, I dare say, permit me to conti- 
 nue in our old abode ; and though my head 
 begins to shew the wintry season of life, 
 yet my arm is not withered. I shall be 
 able to support myself till your return, 
 and I shall depart in peace when I have seen 
 you in your proper station/' 
 
 Count PetroVvitz pressed Leopold to re- 
 mrin at Dorbaiec ; but, as BylofT intreated 
 
 to 
 
44 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 to be permitted to live and die in his old 
 retreat, and to be buried in the same grave 
 with his wife, Leopold was determined, 
 notwithstanding the happiness of enjoying 
 the presence of Rhodiska, not to quit By- 
 lofF till Colonel Zulmandorf's answer 
 should arrive. He pleaded to the Count, 
 as an excuse, that it Was necessary he 
 should join his endeavours to those of Lu- 
 dowico, to render the situation of their 
 father as easy as possible during their ab- 
 sence. The good Count accjuiesced in 
 Leopold's grateful resolution, and granted 
 him whatever part of the forest himself 
 or his companions might wish to inclose. 
 When they returned thither, they began to 
 fell trees, and saw and split them into logs, 
 until they had stacked sufficient fuel to have 
 lasted two or three years. They then grub- 
 bed and ploughed the land, and put it into 
 such a state of preparation, that Bylofi* 
 would have only the easiest labour of hus- 
 bandly to undergo, to raise much more 
 than sufficient for his support. 
 
 Every 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 45 
 
 Every inquiry which had been made by 
 Count Petrowitz, to discover the authors 
 of the violence offered to his daughter, 
 had proved abortive. On searching the 
 spot where the ravishers had been defeated, 
 nothing but the traces of the blood re- 
 mained — the bodies of the slain had been 
 all hastily removed. Strong suspicion, 
 however, attached to Lanfranco, who had 
 demanded Rhodiska in marriage, but had 
 been peremptorily refused by her : he was, 
 moreover, known to be haughty, violent, 
 and revengeful. Count Petrowitz, who 
 had no idea, when Lan franco made propo- 
 sals to him to unite the two families, that 
 he had come to his honours by such foul 
 means, approved the match, which would 
 have destroyed those quarrels, so common 
 in Poland, between the vassals of two 
 neighbouring lords, which frequently in- 
 volved the chiefs in sanguinary feuds, and 
 mortal hatred. He recommended a serious 
 consideration of the offer to his daughter, 
 but she declared a decided aversion to 
 
 Lan franco. 
 
46 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 Lan franco, whose manners were infinitely 
 more calculated to excite disgust, than the 
 tender passion, in the breast of a timid and 
 susceptible maiden. Indeed, his own was 
 actuated by no sentiment of love : He 
 sought her hand from motives of interest 
 and policy, and in pursuance of the advice 
 of his father, who had died* about two years 
 before. Theodoric was well aware, that 
 the real owner of the honours of Rosomaski 
 might be in existence, although he had 
 never heard a syllable concerning BylofF, 
 since his flight. He had, therefore, by ex- 
 actions from the tenants, amassed a consi- 
 derable property, which he meant to have 
 secured, let what would happen. This,, 
 besides a considerable property which was 
 really his own, he had left to his son, whom 
 he acquainted with the foundation of his 
 title to the domains of Rosomaski, and ad- 
 vised him to seek the daughter of Count 
 Petrowitz, who was the. next considerable 
 person in that neighbourhood, as the'means 
 of securing his usurped honours. This, 
 5 therefore. 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 47 
 
 therefore, was the only motive of Lanfran- 
 co ; and, as he was considerably more afflu- 
 ent than Count Petrowitz, he imagined his 
 proposal would have been readily accepted. 
 But, as the power of love had not humbled 
 his arrogance and self-conceit, he made his 
 approaches with so much haughtiness and 
 confidence, as caused the gentle Rhodiska 
 to shrink from them. She beheld in him, 
 one who would be rather her imperious 
 master than her tender companion. She 
 disguised nothing of her sentiments, on 
 this head, from her father, who doated on 
 his only child, and put off Lanfranco with 
 as much care as possible, to avoid giving 
 offence. 
 
 Lanfranco, who had ever been accustom- 
 ed to an immediate compliance with his 
 will, and expected it on this occasion, 
 was so excessivelv mortified, that his re- 
 sentment made him determine to drop so- 
 licitation, and obtain Rhcdisia by force. 
 Thev were his emissaries, therefore, who 
 had been chastised by Leopold and Ludo- 
 
 wico ; 
 
48 THE INVISIBLE ENEMT. 
 
 wico; and he was no sooner informed of 
 the defeat of his plot by the fugitives, 
 than he caused the bodies of the slain to 
 be removed from the scene of action. 
 
 Having: thusy as he imagined, removed 
 all possibility of a discovery, he thought it 
 time to endeavour to clear himself from 
 all suspicion, by calling at Dorbalec, and 
 expressing the utmost indignation against 
 the authors of the outrage. He played 
 this part with so much seeming sincerity, 
 that Count Petrowitz, although his suspi- 
 cions were not in the least staggered, could 
 not avoid thanking him for the interest 
 which he took in the business. Lanfranco 
 thought this a proper opportunity to re- 
 new his proposal, and he hinted, that, by 
 bestowing his daughter's hand upon him, 
 the Count would free himself and her from 
 all danger of a renewal of the attempt. 
 Count Petrowitz knew no better way of 
 getting rid of him, than by referring him 
 to his daughter, whose consent, he told 
 him, must be obtained previously to his 
 
 own. 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 49 
 
 own, as no consideration whatever should 
 induce him to offer the least violence to 
 her inclination, in a matter in which all 
 her future happiness was concerned. Lan- 
 franco asked permission to converse with 
 Rhodiska once more on the subject, which 
 the Count readily granted, and told him, 
 that he would find her, he believed, in the 
 garden. 
 
 When Lanfranco approached Rhodiska, 
 she was talking with Dorothea, her confi- 
 dential attendant, who was the same that 
 was with her in the forest. Lanfranco ac- 
 quainted Rhodiska, that he had obtained 
 her father's permission to speak to her in 
 private, and desired she would dismiss her 
 attendant ; but Rhodiska replied, that she 
 had no reserve whatever from the person 
 who attended her, and that she might as 
 well hear what he had to say to her then, 
 as be informed of it the instant he left her. 
 Lanfranco wassoniewhat disconcerted at so 
 unpropitious a beginning, from which he 
 augured unfavourably, and was not mis- 
 
 vol. i. d taken. 
 
50 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 taken. He renewed the offer of his hand 
 ■ — told her it was more necessary now than 
 ever, after the late attempt, that she should 
 put herself under the care of a person who 
 could prevent a repetition of it, which 
 her father's advanced age rendered him. 
 incapable of doing effectually : he made 
 an ostentatious display of the advantages 
 which would accrue to her from being 
 united to him ; and concluded by hoping, 
 that he might consider himself as her suitor, 
 aud, consequently, as having a right to 
 protect her against all the world. Rho- 
 diska had scarcely patience to hear out this 
 tedious harangue, . from one whom she 
 thoroughly despised. She replied with the 
 utmost coldness, that she was too young 
 to entertain any ideas of marriage, and in- 
 deed had never bestowed any consideration 
 on the subject ; but she knew it must be an 
 object of so much importance to her fu- 
 ture happiness, that she should only be- 
 stow her hand where she believed she could 
 safely trust her heart. She had never felt 
 
 it 
 
TlIK INVISIBLE ENEMY. 5 I 
 
 it in the least degree interested in his be- 
 half, and therefore could give him no en- 
 couragement, much less permission, to con- 
 sider himself as having a right to interfere 
 in her concerns. As to any repetition of 
 the late violence, she should take care 
 never to stir out of the castle-walls, with- 
 out such security as would be sufficient to 
 chastise those who made the attempt. Lan- 
 f ran co was stun^ to the soul by this indif- 
 ference, but he bridled his resentment, that 
 he might not be denied admittance to Rho- 
 diska, whom he determined to reduce at all 
 hazards. He only desired she would not 
 form any hasty resolve, but give his pro- 
 posal a serious consideration, and he en- 
 tertained no doubt but the expediency of 
 iccepting it would strike her in a proper 
 light. 
 
 As Leopold always visited at the castle, 
 when his labour was not required at home, 
 he chanced to enter the ffarden,at the verv 
 moment when Lanfranco was about to take 
 leave of Rh< and, as the) in one 
 
 d2 of 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF tUJW«S 
 
52 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 of the cross walks, he was close to them 
 before ho perceived them. He bowed, and 
 would have retired, but Rhodiska prevent- 
 ed him. Leopold had never seen Lanfranco 
 before, but, by some secret impulse, most 
 probably that of jealousy, he instantly ex- 
 perienced an extreme aversion towards 
 him ; and it was evident, in spite of all 
 Lanfranco's endeavours to conceal it, that 
 he was surprised and offended at his inter- 
 ruption. Although he was before about to 
 go away, yet he still remained fixed to the 
 spot. Rhodiska received Leopold with all 
 that frankness which she had ever shewn 
 him, and every word she uttered to him 
 clouded the brow of Lanfranco. As he 
 perceived that Rhodiska paid no further 
 attention to him, he darted a malignant 
 glance at her, and went off without utter- 
 ing another syllable. Rhodiska walked to- 
 wards a part of the walls, whence they had 
 a view of the adjacent country, and conti- 
 nued there until she saw Lanfranco ride 
 away on fiill gallop. Leopold miscon- 
 strued 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 53 
 
 strued this desire of Iihodiska to have a h'ot 
 view of the person who had rode off, into 
 ?. partiality for hinij and was lost in silent 
 gloom, whence Rhodiska roused him, by 
 asking what was his opinion of the person 
 who had just left them ? 
 
 " I cannot but think we}]/' replied Leo- 
 pold, " o\ a man of whom you appear to 
 entertain a favourable opinion." 
 
 " What makes you imagine so ?" said 
 she. 
 
 Leopold was at a loss for an answer, as 
 he could not betray any symptoms of jea- 
 lousy to a person, to whom he had never 
 dared to utter his love. lie hesitated, and 
 at last stammered out, that he inferred k 
 from seeing them together, and from the 
 trouble which she took to behold the last 
 of him. 
 
 " That trouble. was for vour sake, and 
 not for his. I did not dare to introduce 
 you to Lanfranco, lest your indignation 
 should have broken out on the spot, and 
 
 d 3 I was 
 
54 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 I was happy when I saw him leave the 
 castle.'' 
 
 " Ah !" cried Leopold,, unable to con- 
 tain his emotions^ " you dreaded lest I 
 should have felled him to your feet." 
 
 "Why not/' replied she, " that he might 
 have felled you ? You cannot suppose that 
 I should wish him better than you, my dear 
 Leopold!" (Here she. blushed at the im- 
 prudence of her tongue, and endeavoured 
 to rectify it, by putting it all to the ac- 
 count of gratitude) — " You," added she, 
 ".who are my deliverer, and entitled to 
 my warmest gratitude !" 
 
 " I relieve you from that," cries Leo- 
 pold — " let it not stand in competition 
 with' " 
 
 " What?" said she, perceiving that he 
 hesitated. 
 
 " Any sentiments which you may en- 
 tertain in his favour," replied Leopold, 
 with a chagrin which he could not disguise 
 "-*-" I could renounce vengeance, and al- 
 most 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 55 
 
 most forget my own private injuries, rather 
 than destroy jour happiness." 
 
 " The sentiments which I entertain for 
 Lanfranco," said Rhodiska, " need not pre- 
 vent your asserting your right : I only wish 
 you to reserve your vengeance, till you 
 can give way to it without danger to your- 
 self — Vou do not know my heart." 
 
 Another blush, deeper than the former, 
 overspread her face ; and, finding she could 
 not conceal her confusion, she desired her 
 attendant to acquaint Leopold with what 
 had passed between herself and Lanfranco, 
 whilst she went to give the same informa- 
 tion to her father. She then went towards 
 the castle. 
 
 " You are wrong," said Dorothea, " to 
 suspect that my young mistress has any 
 partiality towards Lanfranco : she despises 
 him, and you will be convinced of it, when 
 I acquaint you, as she has ordered me to 
 do, with what has just passed between 
 them." 
 
 d I She 
 
56 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 She then gave him the detail ; and the 
 hatred which Leopold had borne to Lan- 
 franco was trifling, compared to what he 
 felt when he knew that he aspired to the 
 hand of Rhodiska, of which he was before 
 totally ignorant. Rage swelled his bosom, 
 so as to prevent him from making any 
 reply. 
 
 " Do you then disbelieve what I have 
 been telling you ?" added Dorothea. 
 
 " Not a syllable of it," replied Leopold 
 — " but it has inflamed my hatred of a man 
 who has dared to aspire to Rhodiska." 
 
 Leopold had no sooner uttered these 
 words, than he cursed the phrenzy which 
 had occasioned his imprudence. " I have 
 discovered my sentiments/' said he — " I 
 have dared to love Rhodiska, and passion 
 has extracted that declaration which I had 
 resolved to bury in my breast, at least till 
 I could reveal it with some degree of pro- 
 priety. Do not, my dear Dorothea^ dis- 
 close my audacity to your mistress, or she 
 
 will 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY; LI 
 
 will no longer treat me with that frankness 
 which is all my pleasure on earth." 
 
 <( I shall disclose nothing to my mis- 
 tress/' replied Dorothea, cc which will do 
 you any injury in her opinion. Do you 
 only take care of vourself, and not let 
 temerity ruin your cause. You are not 
 yet in a situation to come to an open rup- 
 ture with your rival. Manage your own 
 matters well., and you shall not want a 
 friend with my mistress." 
 
 Leopold seized Dorothea's hand, and im- 
 printed so many kisses on it, that she told 
 him to cease his raptures; for if her mis- 
 tress should chance to be looking out of 
 the window, and witness them, it would, 
 perhaps, be a difficult matter to make her 
 believe that he was only making love to 
 her by proxy. 
 
 Dorothea then \eh him, and he hastened 
 from the castle to bury himself in the 
 forest, and reflect, undisturbed, upon what 
 had passed, which, like the fuel to fire, 
 had increased his passion, by feeding it 
 
 ii 5 wilh_ 
 
58 THE. INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 with hopes. He sought out a remote spot, 
 and found it in a small glen at the foot of 
 sn eminence, composed of rugged masses 
 of rocks, interspersed with trees, and co- 
 vered with thick underwood. Here he 
 threw himself on the ground, and shutting 
 his eyes, that his senses might be distracted 
 by no exterior objects, he soon became in- 
 sensible to every thing but Rhodiska. He 
 had lain a considerable time in this situa- 
 tion, when he suddenly heard a noise, as 
 of persons making their way through the' 
 bushes. As he imagined that cattle only 
 could visit so solitary a place, to which 
 there were no traces of footsteps, he never 
 thought of concealing himself, until the 
 sounds approached nearer, and he discern- 
 ed some human voices. He then started 
 ud, and threw himself into some thick 
 bushes, which grew between two rocks, 
 where he was concealed so effectually* that 
 it would have been very difficult to have 
 discovered him, even if a strict search had 
 been made. He was scarcely settled in his 
 
 hiding- 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 59 
 
 hiding-place, before he saw four men enter 
 
 Ox * 
 
 the glen, and seat themselves very near the 
 spot which he had quitted the moment be- 
 fore. He recognized Lanfranco among 
 them, and was near enough to hear almost 
 every word that passed. From their dis- 
 course he gathered, that the moment Lan- 
 franco had quitted Dorbalec, he had has- 
 tened home, and dispatched some of his 
 emissaries to discover who was the person 
 he had seen with Rhodiska. These emis- 
 saries had learned, from the whispers among 
 the domestics, that he was one of those 
 two men who had rescued Rhodiska in the 
 forest. They had moreover picked up, 
 that he assumed to be the real Count Ror- 
 sornaski, the son of the late Gustavus. 
 Leopold heard Lanfranco tell the other 
 persons all these discoveries, and urge them 
 on to vengeance against him, not only as 
 his own personal enemy, but as one of 
 those who had handled them so roughly in 
 the forest, and slain their comrades. He 
 heard him make them the most unbounded 
 
 £ G promises, 
 
60 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 promises, if they could contrive to get 
 himself, or Rhodi&ka, or. both, into his 
 power. After much deliberation on the 
 means of effecting these purposes, he heard 
 them agree, that two of them should go to 
 Dorbalec under some pretence or other, 
 but, in reality, to bribe some of the Count's 
 domestics, particularly Dorothea; for which 
 end Lan franco gave them a purse, and 
 bade them not to be sparing either of 
 money or promises. Having thus closed 
 their consultation, they arose, and left the 
 spot. Leopold, during the whole of this 
 conference, was so enraged, that he was 
 more than once upon the point of rushing 
 out and attacking the whole party. How 
 ardently did he wish that Ludowico had 
 been with him, that he might have taken 
 instant vengeance ! He was, however, 
 happy to be acquainted with Lanfranco's 
 designs; and they were no sooner out of 
 hearing, than he left his concealment, and 
 returned to Dorbalec, to acquaint the 
 Count with what had passed. 
 
 Count 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 61 
 
 Count Petrowitz immediately rang for 
 one of his domestics, and enquired whether 
 any of the domestics of Vistulof were then 
 in the castle ? The answer was, that there 
 were two of them then in the castle. They 
 had come to inquire for their master, who, 
 they said, was wanted at home, on very 
 particular business, and they knew not 
 where to find him. After being answered 
 in the negative, they had however remain- 
 ed, and were still drinking in the servants' 
 hall. When the domestic had retired, 
 Count Petrowitz informed Leopold, that 
 he had just that instant received a messen- 
 ger from Colonel Zulmandorf, who had ac- 
 quiesced in taking his young friend under 
 his protection, with the greatest readiness ; 
 but his letter mentioned, that, if he wished 
 to arrive before the army marched, he must 
 set out immediately with the messenger. 
 Although it panged Leopold to the soul 
 to think of leaving Rhodiska, yet he did 
 not hesitate to declare his intention of 
 setting out early the next morning. 
 
 s( You 
 
62 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 " You are right/' said the Count — 
 " You will then, defeat the malice of Lan- 
 franco against your own person ; and as 
 for my daughter, I will take care that she 
 shall never leave the castle without a strong 
 escort ; and I will cause every person who 
 enters these walls, to be so strictly watch- 
 ed, that they shall have no opportunity of 
 doing her any violence. But as Byloff is 
 the only living witness of the justice of 
 vour claim, he should be placed out of the 
 reach of your enemy., which he cannot be, 
 if he remain alone in the forest. You must, 
 therefore, prevail upon him to come to 
 Dorbalec, where he may live in safety, and 
 at his ease." 
 
 Leopold quitted Dorbalec and returned 
 to BjlofF, whom he prevailed upon to 
 accept the Count's offer of residing at 
 the castle, till the return of Leopold and 
 his son. 
 
 Early the next morning, they all re- 
 paired to Dorbalec, where they found the 
 messenger waiting for them, and two fine 
 
 caparisoned 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 03 
 
 caparisoned horses ready for Leopold and 
 Ludowico. Count Pctrowitz gave Leo- 
 pold a letter of introduction to Colonel 
 Xulmandorf, and, also presenting him with 
 a purse of gold ducats, told him, thai when- 
 
 * 
 
 ever he wanted more, the Colonel would 
 furnish him, as he had requested him to 
 do so in the letter. Leopold, whose heart 
 was too full to permit utterance to his gra- 
 titude, was going to throw himself on his 
 knees to the Count, who prevented him 
 by catching him in his arms, and having 
 embraced him, recommended him to Hea- 
 ven. Leopold was retiring, when he met 
 Rhodiska, whom he did not expect to see 
 so early in the morning. 
 
 " I am going to leave you, Madam/' 
 said he. 
 
 M So my father has informed me," said 
 Rhodiska, with an unsteady tone. 
 
 iC And I wished for this opportunity of 
 
 paying my respects to you," added he — 
 
 ic Whatever fortune may have tfl store for 
 
 me, believe me, I shall never fail to en- 
 
 5 tertain 
 
64 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 tertain a proper sense of the condescension 
 of the Count and yourself towards me. 
 Pardon my presumption — but this bracelet, 
 which I received from your fair hands,, 
 shall never be separated from me till death : 
 I shall, as I view it night and morning, 
 offer up my prayers for the lovely original, 
 who will be my spur to deeds of glory — 
 Would I dared to say, that she would be 
 my sole object of success !" 
 
 " Go/' said Rhodiska, with her face half 
 averted, to conceal the gushing tear, " and 
 do not doubt that I shall pray Heaven to 
 grant it you, and to permit you to return 
 in safety." 
 
 Rhodiska then held out her hand, which 
 Leopold kneeled to receive, and imprint- 
 ing a fervent kiss, said, in a low tone, 
 " Heaven preserve her, who is dearer to me 
 than life!" 
 
 Rhodiska hurried away, being no longer 
 able to contain a burst of grief; and Leo- 
 pold had no sooner lost sight of her, than 
 he w r ent to the gateway, where the horses 
 
 and 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 65 
 
 and his companions were waiting for him. 
 He threw his arms round the neck of the 
 worthy BylofF, whom he called his " dear 
 father;" and then, bidding him adieu, 
 hastily mounted, and rode off with Ludo- 
 wico and the messenger. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 A 
 
 iTLS soon as Leopold and Ludowico ar- 
 rived at the head-quarters, they were con- 
 ducted by the messenger to Colonel Zul- 
 mandorf, to whom Leopold delivered the 
 Count's letter. The Colonel had no sooner 
 perused it, than he told Leopold, that he 
 should have been inclined to have favoured 
 two youths, of the appearance of himself 
 
 and 
 
66 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 and his companion, in the pursuit of mi- 
 litary glory, eVen if Count Petrowitz, for' 
 whom he had had a friendship of long 
 standing, had not prepossessed him in their 
 favour. Leopold thanked him for the fa- 
 vourable opinion which he had been pleased 
 to entertain of himself and his brother, of 
 which, he said, it would be their chief hap- 
 piness to prove themselves worthy. The 
 Colonel immediately sent for the serjeant- 
 roajor of his regiment, to whom he recom- 
 mended the two youths, and desired him 
 to procure them good quarters, and to su- 
 perintend, in person, their improvement 
 in the usual manoeuvres. 
 
 The serjeant-major was inclined to pay 
 the greatest attention to the request of his 
 Colonel, but he found his two pupils so 
 expert in the horse and sword exercise, 
 that he had nothing more to do than to 
 teach them manoeuvring with the troop. 
 
 In a fortnight after Leopold and Ludo-^ 
 wico had joined the regiment, there was to 
 be a grand review by the king in person, 
 
 preparatory 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. • 67 
 
 preparatory to the march of the army. 
 The Colonel was excessive ly surprised to 
 see these two young men already in tl e 
 ranks, on so extraordinary an occasion. 
 He watched irs:<;n narrowly, and his asto- 
 nishment was: increased by the manner in 
 which they acquitted themselves, which 
 was not inferior to the eldest veterans in 
 the regiment. After the review he sent 
 for them, and expressed his pleasure and 
 astonishment at their progress. Leopold 
 modestly answered, that he would cease to 
 wonder at it, when he should know that 
 their father had destined them, from their 
 earliest infancy, for a military life ; and, 
 having been himself a veteran, had taken 
 the ut\v( to instruct them in the 
 
 necessary exercises. The Colonel offered 
 Leopold a cadetcy, which was then at his 
 disposal ; but he begged leave to decline 
 it, as he v. ished not to be separated from 
 his brother, but to fight side by side. The 
 Colonel gave thorn the greatest enconragie- 
 ment, and dismissed them with assurances 
 
 of 
 
68 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 of his protection and esteem,, if they de- 
 served it. In a short time afterwards,, the 
 army marched for the scene of action, 
 which was to be on the frontiers of Poland,, 
 into which the enemy had made some ir- 
 ruptions, of no srreat conseouence in them- 
 selves, but very harassing to the king's sub- 
 jects in that neighbourhood. 
 
 Nothing occurred, during this campaign, 
 worthy of being related, neither was there 
 any thing interesting in the private adven- 
 tures of Leopold, whose affections being 
 wholly engaged, he neither made nor en- 
 couraged any of those advances to or from 
 the other sex, which are so common in the 
 military profession,' and so productive of 
 incidents. As the enemy were rather a 
 marauding party than a regular army, the 
 whole of the campaign passed away in 
 skirmishes, which, although trifling, were 
 extremely harassing, and required the 
 greatest skill and perseverance. Leopold 
 and Ludowico had shewn themselves so vi- 
 gilant, prompt, and adroit at this petty 
 
 kind 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 69 
 
 kind of warfare, that, under pretence that 
 the service did not require any officer, the 
 Colonel often entrusted them with the 
 command of a small party, with which they 
 alwavs returned, bringing in either prison- 
 ers or forage. In the space of about two 
 months,, the enemy were so chastised and 
 intimidated bv the Polish horse, that not 
 one of them was to be seen on their fron- 
 tiers, and their own became the scene of 
 that desolation which they had before in- 
 flicted on the Polish peasants. They were 
 at length reduced to submission, and to 
 give hostages for their future respect to 
 the Polish territories. During the cam- 
 paign, the Colonel had frequently repeated 
 the offers of a commission to Leopold; but 
 he had always given the same answer as at 
 first. As he imagined that Leopold only 
 declined it, because he would not step over 
 the head of his companion, he offered them 
 both commissions ; but he still received the 
 same answer, with this addition, that there 
 was an affair of infinitely more conse- 
 quence, 
 
70 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 quence, in which, if they had merited his 
 favour, he might be serviceable to them. 
 
 " Count Petrowitz has intimated some- 
 what to me of the circumstances of your 
 birth, to which I presume you allude/' re- 
 plied the Colonel — cc As soon as the regi- 
 ment goes into quarters, I have the King's 
 commands to attend him ; and if you have 
 any favour to ask, or justice to solicit, pre- . 
 pare your. petition, and I will present and 
 back it with all my influence/' 
 
 The worthy Colonel strictly adhered to 
 his promise. When the regiment was can- 
 toned, he went to Warsaw, where the court 
 then was, taking Leopold and Ludowicb 
 with him ; and, on his arrival, was agree- 
 ably surprised at receiving the first token 
 of his Majesty's approbation, which was 
 the commission of Lieutenant-general. 
 
 When the General went to the levee to 
 thank the King for this favour, he took the 
 opportunity of presenting Leopold's peti- 
 tion. It stated the facts of the injustice 
 which he suffered, and prayed the King to 
 
 cause 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 71 
 
 cause justice to be strictly and promptly 
 administered between himself and his 
 powerful competitor. This petition was 
 accompanied by a certificate of General 
 Zulmandorf, of his braverv and oood 
 conduct in his regiment, during the late 
 expedition. The King, by a gracious con- 
 descension for the worthy General, took 
 the petition into instant consideration, and 
 
 • 
 
 bade him wait till the levee was over, for 
 an answer. In less than half an hour after 
 it broke up, the King sent for the General 
 into his cabinet, where he delivered him a 
 letter written with his own hand. IC Read 
 that letter," said the King — " I believe it 
 will be satisfactory to the young man whom 
 you have taken by the hand, and whom, 
 for that reason, 1 conceive to be worthy of 
 what I have done." The letter was ad- 
 dressed to his chancery at Cracow, within 
 whose jurisdiction the domains of Roso- 
 maskj lay ; and directed them to do strict 
 and speedy justice between Leopold and 
 Lanfranco, and to protect the person of 
 
 the 
 
72 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 the claimant, and of all those who should 
 give evidence on his side, against any at- 
 tempts of his competitor. 
 
 After the General had expressed his 
 thanks for this additional proof of the 
 King's favour, he returned home, and de- 
 ' livered the letter to Leopold, who was im- 
 patient to set out with it to prosecute his 
 claim, as well as to revisit Dorbalec, which 
 contained all his treasure. The General 
 detained him only till he wrote a few lines 
 to Count Petrowitz ; and then bidding- 
 Leopold apply to him whenever he should 
 think he could be of any service to him, 
 he embraced, and permitted him to depart. 
 Leopold and Ludowico immediately mount- 
 ed, and pursued the route to Dorbalec, with 
 the utmost pleasure at the thoughts of be- 
 holding there those persons who were so 
 dear to them. 
 
 When they arrived at Dorbalec, the 
 Count received them with open arms ; and 
 after he had perused the General's letter, 
 he again embraced Leopold, saying, that 
 
 he 
 
THE INVISIRLE ENEMY. 73 
 
 lie was rejoiced to learn from the General, 
 that they proved themselves well worthy 
 of his protection and recommendation. 
 " The General," added he, ie further in- 
 forms me, that if you should prove unsuc- 
 cessful in your claim to the title of Roso- 
 maski, and should be desirous cf pursuing 
 a military career, he will use all his inte- 
 rest to procure you a rank suited to your 
 merit." 
 
 Although this discourse was highly gra- 
 tifying to Leopold, yet he was impatient 
 till he heard the came of Rhodiska men- 
 tioned, and he at length ventured to ex- 
 press his hopes that she was well. 
 
 " Go and satisfy yourself," said the Count 
 — " c she would be angry with me, if she 
 knew it, for detaining her friend so long 
 from her : You will find her in the garden, 
 with Dorothea, her constant companion." 
 
 Leopold, after having hastily embraced 
 the good old Byloff in the way, flew thither, 
 and perceived them at the bottom of the 
 
 vol. i. e garden. 
 
74 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 garden. He was, as usual, the theme of 
 their discourse at that very instant; and 
 they were so earnestly engaged, that they 
 never perceived him till he was close to 
 them. Rhodiska hearing some one ap- 
 proach, turned about, and instantly ex- 
 claimed, "Here he is!" Leopold threw 
 himself on his knees, and saluted her hand 
 with great respect, but with more than 
 usual warmth, as the expectation which he 
 had formed of being reinstated in his pro- 
 per rank, had removed somewhat of that 
 vast disparity of condition which had be- 
 fore appeared to exist between them. 
 
 " Have I then/' said Leopold, ce had the 
 happiness of engaging any share of the 
 thoughts of the adorable Rhodiska ? May 
 I flatter myself that I was the subject of her 
 discourse when I interrupted it ?" 
 
 " We were certainly talking about you/' 
 replied Rhodiska, " and not very much to 
 your advantage* We were saying, that it 
 was a proof how much we enjoyed of your 
 
 meditations, 
 
THE INVrSIELE ENEMY. 75 
 
 meditations, since you could be several 
 months absent without giving us the least 
 tidings of you/' 
 
 (C Charming Rhodiska \" said Leopold — 
 (c I only deferred writing to Borbalec, in 
 the hopes of being the bearer of those 
 tidings in person. Amidst all the confu- 
 sion of arms, my thoughts have ever been 
 at Dorbalec ; and if your portrait could 
 speak, it would inform you how often I 
 have talked to it, and wished that sym- 
 pathy could convey my words to the 
 lovely original/' 
 
 " It is a proof of a bad cause, when you 
 •are driven to call a dumb witness in your 
 favour," replied Rhodiska — " but you men 
 think, that any excuse will pass upon us 
 credulous women, who are always inclined 
 to forgive : however, as some slight pu- 
 nishment for your neglect, I now impose 
 upon you the task of informing us whatever 
 has happened to you in your absence." 
 
 Leopold led her to an arbour, where he 
 gratified her curiosity ; and, in return, 
 
 e 2 made" 
 
76 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 made a request to know how she had passed 
 her time ? 
 
 " Our lives/' replied Rhodiska, " have 
 been a constant round of insipid mono- 
 tony. To prevent a recurrence of the 
 danger from which you rescued me, I have 
 never made any excursion beyond the 
 castle walls ; we have, therefore, been con- 
 fined to the garden : and, to avoid the dis- 
 agreeable visits of Lan franco, we have seen 
 very little company." % 
 
 " He has visited you, however, I sup- 
 pose. " 
 
 " Yes, several times." 
 
 " And has he not been able to divert 
 you?" 
 
 " No ; I know not how it is, but al- 
 though, when alone, I wished for com- 
 pany, yet Lan franco no sooner presented 
 himself, than I sighed for solitude ; so that 
 it could not be his company I wanted. But 
 now you are come " 
 
 Rhodiska stopped all at once, as if she 
 recollected herself, and looked confused. 
 
 Leopold's 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 77 
 
 Leopold's eyes brightened — he threw him- 
 self on his knees, and asked if he might 
 hope that his endeavours to entertain her 
 would be more agreeable ? 
 
 " Oh ! the company of any one/' re- 
 plied Rhodiska, " mutt be infinitely more 
 agreeable than that of a person who is de- 
 spised. " 
 
 " I could almost pity Ian franco for be- 
 ing so unhappy as to be the object of your 
 contempt, which,, to myself, would be an 
 insupportable misfortune, and make me 
 weary of existence. " 
 
 " But you are never likely to be put to 
 the trial/* replied Rhodiska, smiling — ■ 
 " Come, lei us now go to my father, who 
 will wish to enjoy your conversation as 
 well as myself/' 
 
 They then went to rejoin the Count; and 
 notwithstanding the happiness which Leo- 
 pold enjoyed with his Rhodiska, yet he ac- 
 quainted them, that he should set off the 
 next morning for Cracow, to deliver the 
 King's letter, and to commence his suit 
 
 e 3 against 
 
7*8 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY.. 
 
 against Lan franco. The Count approved 
 his diligence. It was easy to collect from 
 the looks of -Rhqdiska, that she was not 
 pleased to lose b*m again so soon ; but 
 when she 1 recollected, that the sooner the 
 cause was ended, the sooner Leopold, if 
 the decision should te in his favour, would 
 be emboldened to declare his passion, 
 which she was certain his honour would 
 never permit him to do otherwise, she 
 joined her father in advising him to lose 
 no time. 
 
 At night, when the Count was about to 
 retire, which was early, on account of his 
 infirmities, Leopold took his leave of him, 
 as he had determined to depart very early 
 the next morning. Lcopoid had then the 
 felicity of being left alone with Rhodiska, 
 but their conversation was not such as to 
 embarrass either. Leopold carefully avoid- 
 ed any thing like the subject of his love : 
 he had resolved, that his success in his 
 cause should either open or seal his lips 
 for ever on that head. As he was about to 
 
 take 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 79 
 
 take his leave of her, she asked how long 
 he might be absent ? 
 
 " As short a time as possible/' replied 
 Leopold — (e I have only to deliver the 
 King's letter, and engage and instruct my 
 lawyers. My presence will then be no 
 longer necessary at Cracow till the trial — 
 I- should imagine two or three days will be 
 sufficient for those purposes/' 
 
 " I shall pray for your success/' said 
 Rhodiska. 
 
 ? " So shall I," said Leopold — c( more 
 to prove myself worthy of your esteem, 
 than for the advantages of rank and for- 
 tune." 
 
 Very early the next morning, Leopold 
 was on the road to Cracow. As soon as he 
 arrived, he delivered the King's mandate to 
 the chief judge of the chancery, who told 
 him, that a notification of his claim, and a 
 summons to prepare his defence without 
 loss of time, would be sent off to Lanfranco 
 with all possible expedition ; and that, in 
 every respect, tha King's commands would 
 
 e 4 be 
 
SO THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 be obeyed. Leopold then engaged some 
 lawyers, to whom he was recommended, 
 for their ability and integrity, by some 
 friends of Count Fetrowitz, who had writ- 
 ten to them in Leopold's behalf. Having 
 furnished them with the names of the no- 
 tary and priest, with whom BylorPs wife 
 had left copies of her deposition, and given 
 them every other necessary information in 
 his power, they advised him to return to 
 Dorbalec, and collect any other evidence 
 which might serve his cause at the trial. 
 They promised that they would give him 
 timelv notice of the day appointed for it, 
 that he might come to Cracow with all his 
 witnesses. 
 
 The King's commands had been so 
 strictly obeyed, that the notification and 
 summons had reached Lanfranco before 
 Leopold had reached Dorbalec. If this 
 sudden shock could not multiply, yet it 
 rendered horribly furious the malignant 
 passions which stained the breast of Lan- 
 franco. In the first burst of his rage, he 
 
 could 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 81 
 
 could not refrain, even in the presence of 
 the officer who brought the notification 
 and summons, from throwing them on the 
 ground, and trampling them under foot, 
 lie called Leopold a cheat and impostor; 
 and gave such alarming symptoms of 
 phrenzy, that every person present hastily 
 withdrew, to avoid the ebullition of his 
 fury. He then threw himself on thegroimd^ 
 and wallowed in his rage. 
 
 So stretch'd out, huge in length, the arch fiend hiy, 
 Chain'd en the burning lake ; nor ever thence 
 Hud rib'n, or hc.iv'd his head, but that the will 
 And high permission of all-ruling Heav'n, 
 Left him at large to his own dark designs ; 
 That, with reiterated crimes, he might 
 Heap on himself damnation, while he sought 
 Evil to others ; and, enrag'd, might see 
 How ail his malice serv'd but to bring forth 
 Infinite goodness, grace, and mercy shewn 
 On man, by him sedue'd ; but on himseif. 
 Treble confusion, wrath, and vengeance pour'd. 
 
 Milton's Tar. Lost, b. i. line, 2oo, &c, 
 
 E J 
 
 His 
 
82 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY, 
 
 His mind was filled with poison, daggers, 
 and stratagems ; and he resolved, at all 
 hazards, to sacrifice those who caused his 
 torment. The first expedients which he 
 hit upon were, to put his competitor out 
 of the way, and to carry ofTRhodiska, and 
 compel her :o marry him ; by effecting 
 which, he imagined he should gain the 
 Count to his partv, who would not seek to 
 ruin his son-in-law, by however unworthy 
 means he obtained that title. He summon-- 
 ed Cassimir and Zulasko, two of his most 
 confidential domestics, and the instruments 
 of all his vile purposes, to consult with 
 them on the means of carrying these mea- 
 sures into execution. These were two of 
 the persons who escaped with their lives, 
 when the outrage was offered to Rhodiska 
 in the forest. In order to induce them to 
 make that attempt, La n franco had made 
 them great promises; but, under pretence 
 of" their having suffered his victim *o 
 escape, he had never thought of keeping 
 them. They were dissatisfied., but did not 
 
 daa^e 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 83 
 
 .la re to shew it, for fear of falling a sacri- 
 ice to his anger, which they knew to be 
 implacable; but they secretly rejoiced when 
 they heard from Lanfranco, that he stood 
 more in need than ever of their services. 
 
 Lan franco acquainted them with what 
 he wished them to perform, and he made 
 them more extensive promises than before, 
 if they would put either Leopold or Rho- 
 diska, or both, into his power, or assassi- 
 nate the former. After he had ended, 
 Cassimir and Zulasko put on a very serious 
 air, and began to point out insuperable 
 obstacles to the attempt. They stated, that 
 Leopold would undoubtedly be upon his 
 guard; and that as the Count Petrowitz had 
 declared for him, he would order his gates to 
 be shut against all who were averse to him, 
 particularly those who were known to be- 
 long to Vistulof. In short, they represent- 
 ed the attempt as impracticable, until Lan- 
 franco, who penetrated their meaning, dis- 
 posed them to try to surmount all those 
 
 e 6 obstacles, 
 
g4* . THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 obstacles, bv giving them some money as 
 earnest. 
 
 After having put these infernal machines 
 in motion, Lanfranco began to devise the 
 means of defending himself .before the 
 chancery. As the coffin, which was sup- 
 posed to contain the corpse of the infant 
 Kosomaski, had been filled with stones 
 onlv, to prevent any discovery of" the im- 
 position by means of a search, he caused 
 some others of his servants to go' to Zabno, 
 the nearest village, where, by means of a 
 bribe, they procured the bones of a male 
 infant, who had been interred about eigh- 
 teen years before. These were carefully 
 deposited within the remains of the moul- 
 dering coffin, instead of the stones which 
 were taken out. Two females, either 
 operated upon by the powerful stimulus of 
 gold, or dreading the wrath of Lanfranco, 
 were ready to swear, that Byloflf's wife had 
 been delivered of twins, about the same 
 time the Countess Rosomaski was brought 
 
 fro 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 85 
 
 to bed ; from whence an inference was to 
 be drawn, that Byloff wished to impose one 
 of his own children in the room of the de- 
 ceased infant of Count Gustavus. Oassimir 
 and Zulasko were to swear that they put 
 the corpse of that infant, who was the real 
 son of GustavuSj into the coffin,, and de- 
 posited it in the ground which was the 
 usual burying-place of the family. Having 
 thus settled this artful and imposing de- 
 fence, he again began to turn all his 
 thoughts to the warding off the blow, be- 
 fore it could be struck, by putting Leo- 
 pold out of the way. For this reason, he 
 could not rest till he had seen Cassimir and 
 Zulasko leave Vistulof, in disguise., to ac- 
 complish it. 
 
 More determined than ever in his at- 
 tempt upon the person of Rhodiska, he 
 had, like Jupiter in his pursuit of Danae, 
 assailed the walls of Dorbalec with a golden 
 shower. He had bribed one of the Count's 
 domestics, lest any of his own emissaries 
 might be discovered at work on the out- 
 5 side. 
 
86 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 side,, to make an aperture from within,, 
 through a little unfrequented tower, which" 
 stood at one corner of the further end of 
 the garden nearest to the forest. The 
 stones were replaced so loosely, that any 
 one from the outside might enter in a mi- 
 nute; and the aperture - was so concealed by 
 the ivy which overspread the outside, and 
 prevented the entrance of the light through 
 the fissures, that it could not have been dis- 
 covered without a close inspection. So 
 lavish had Lanfranco's agents been of his 
 money on this occasion, that even Doro- 
 thea, who had been, for: years, rather the 
 friend than the servant of Rhodiska, had 
 yielded to a large bribe, and promised. 
 to decoy Rhodiska into this tower, when 
 the emissaries of* Ian Franco should be 
 waiting there, in readiness to carry her 
 off. The absence of Leopold presented 
 a proper opportunity of completing this 
 scheme, without much danger of inter- 
 ruption. 
 
 As unsuspecting innocence is not a match 
 ♦ for 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 87 
 
 for wakeful villainy, the unfortunate Rho- 
 diska fell into the treacherous snare laid 
 for her by her ungrateful attendant. She 
 was decoyed by her one evening into the 
 tower, where she was instantly seized by 
 four men, who stopped her mouth, and 
 conveyed her to their horses, which were 
 waiting on the outside. In an instant they 
 put her before one of them, and rode into 
 the forest, with all possible expedition.. 
 After Dorothea judged them out of the 
 reach of pursuit, she began to tear and 
 disorder her dress, as though it had been 
 done in her struggles to rescue her mis- 
 tress, and then ran into the castle, to give 
 the alarm. She never stopped her cries 
 and exclamations, till she reached the room 
 where the Count was sitting, in expectation 
 of his daughter's return : and having; told 
 her story with ail the signs of the deepest 
 distress, she finished it by a pretended 
 swoon. 
 
 The Count paid no attention to her, but 
 instantly hastened to the servants' hall, and 
 
 in 
 
88 THE INVISIELE ENEMY. 
 
 in almost frantic accents, as he tore his 
 grey hairs from his aged head, he bade 
 them fly to the rescue of his daughter. 
 Whither must we go ?" — (C Where shall 
 we enquire for her?" — ce Where shall we 
 seek her ?" were the instant cries of the 
 domestics, whom Dorothea had not stop- 
 ped to acquaint with the particulars — 
 fC The tower in the garden', was all that 
 the Count could utter ; and having pro- 
 nounced these words, he dropped down, 
 senseless. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
HIE ItyVISItiLE ENEMY. 89 
 
 B H*^#— —— wg L. mj lu wwpf— ^ 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Jr\T the very crisis ef this confusion, 
 Leopold returned from Cracow, and en- 
 tered the hall. When he perceived the 
 Count lying motionless on the floor, and 
 all the domestics flying different ways in 
 disorder, he drew one of his pistols from 
 his belt, and threatened the first who stirred 
 with instant death. Dorothea, who had 
 thought proper to come to herself, and 
 that instant entered the hall, exclaimed, 
 " Oh, my mistress ! my dear mistress \" 
 
 " What of her ?" demanded Leopold. 
 
 u Gone, gone ! irrecoverably lost !* J 
 
 « How? When?'' 
 
 " Carried 
 
90 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 " Carried off!" 
 
 S( This instant tell me in what manner." 
 Dorothea related all the particulars, and 
 Leopold, having recommended the Count 
 to the care of the females, bade all the 
 male domestics to fly and scour the forest. 
 He himself instantly mounted his jaded 
 horse, and guessing Lanfranco to have 
 been the author of this plot, he rode as 
 fast as possible to the skirt of the forest 
 which overlooked the Castle of Vistulof. 
 Here he alighted to give his horse rest, and 
 to watch all who approached it. The re- 
 mainder of the day, however, wore away 
 without his seeing a single person ap- 
 proach or leave the castle ; but as Leopold 
 imagined they would take a circuit to avoid 
 pursuit, and bring in their prey at night, 
 he determined to remain at his post. 
 
 The sun was now at the antioodes, and 
 his pale sister ruled the night with uncom- 
 mon splendour. Silence reigned, except 
 where the almost expiring breezes shook 
 the foliage of the trees; and sleep had scat- 
 tered 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 9 J 
 
 tered her drowsy poppies over all but the 
 lurking assassin, the care or woe-worn 
 wretch, and the beasts of prey — in plain 
 English, it was midnight, when Leopold 
 discerned the shadow of a man, who came 
 from the castle directly towards him. He 
 lay perfectly motionless till he saw him 
 within his grasp, and then starting up, he^ 
 seized him w 7 ith one hand, whilst his other 
 brandished his threatening sabre. The man 
 instantly dropped on his knees, and begged 
 him to spare his life. 
 
 " Your life is in no clanger/' replied 
 LeoooM, " if you instant! v answer me 
 truly, such questions as I shall demand. 
 First, who are you ? and what brings you 
 out at this unseasonable hour ?" 
 
 " I am one oi Count Rosomaski's domes- 
 tics/' replied the trembling wretch." 
 
 " Well, and your business i" 
 
 " That is my master's, who has ordered 
 me to divulge it to no one. A servant may 
 not, you know, disobey the commands of 
 his master." 
 
 " True," 
 
92 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 " True/' cried Leopold, " and lam your 
 lawful master : I ain the true Count Roso-. 
 maski." 
 
 " You cannot be my master,, however, 
 till the law has established your claim." 
 
 (i My claim Has nothing to do with what 
 } want to know of you. The daughter of 
 Count Petrowitz has been carried off, this 
 afternoon, by some villains, and I suspect 
 that you know something of the matter. 
 Therefore I shall carry you before the ma- 
 gistrates, who will make you give an ac- 
 count of yourself, and your midnight 
 rambles." 
 
 " You will gain nothing by that," re- 
 plied the man — (t Harsh means mostly pre- 
 vent the effect which they are intended to 
 produce." 
 
 " The choice betwixt harsh or gentle 
 means lies with yourself," said Leopold. 
 
 " The late Count Gustavuswas a sene-< 
 rous master," said the man, after some he- 
 sitation ; " and if you are his son, I sup- 
 pose you are no less so." 
 
 " Those 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 9.1 
 
 Cl Those who do me a service/' said Leo- 
 pold, "shall not have to reproach me with 
 ingratitude. But as we are strangers to 
 each other, perhaps you think pay better 
 than promises — there's money for you." 
 
 " This is, indeed, acting like the son of 
 Count Gustavus, and I am sure, neither 
 the domestics nor tenants of Vistulof, will 
 have any occasion to be sorry if you should 
 meet with success. We are treated like 
 slaves, and the tenants groan under the 
 most oppressive exactions, besides the in- 
 sults which such of their wives and danjrh- 
 ters as are handsome are compelled to sub- 
 mit to. Any change must be for the bet- 
 ter, as our condition cannot be worse." 
 
 " Well," said Leopold, " if I gain the 
 dav, it will be a happy one Tor yon all — 
 but come to the point." 
 
 " If I tell you where the lady is, you 
 cannot recover her without assistance, and 
 I am afraid you will not have time to get 
 it." 
 
 " How so?" 
 
 "She 
 
94 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 " She is to be removed, at midnight, to 
 a place of greater security than where she 
 now is. I was going to be one of the 
 escort, but as you have detained me, they 
 may probably have been tired of waiting, 
 and gone off without me." 
 
 cc How many, besides yourself, are those 
 who w T ere to form the escort ?" 
 
 " Only three. Lanfranco would not let 
 any more into the secret than those who 
 were engaged in carrying her off.' 3 
 
 " You were one of them then ?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Does not your conscience accuse you 
 with the baseness of the action ?" 
 
 " Conscience, as you call it, would have 
 been instant death. If we had but hesitated 
 after Lanfranco confided to us his design, 
 he would have rendered us corpses ere 
 now." 
 
 iC Are you sure there are no more than 
 three guards over the lady ? ■? 
 
 " Perfectly sure." 
 
 " Then lead towards the place," said Leo- 
 pold; 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 95 
 
 pold ; <c and remember, that if I discover 
 the least treachery, thy life shall instantly 
 pay the forfeit." 
 
 Leaving his horse, Leopold followed the 
 man through a considerable part of the fo- 
 rest, until thev reached the foot of the 
 Carpathian Mountains, which they skirted, 
 and at length entered into a defile. The 
 guide stopped at a place where a large 
 mass of rock overhung their path, and 
 seemed to threaten instant destruction : 
 beneath it grew some thick bushes. 
 
 e{ We are now," said the guide, iC arrived 
 at the entrance of the subterraneous cavern 
 to which the lady was conveyed. There is 
 a long dark passage to pass before you will 
 arrive at the cavern ; and if the guards have 
 not removed her, you will have to encoun- 
 ter them. I have now given you," added 
 he, cc all the information in my power, and 
 it is for you to determine in what manner 
 you will proceed." 
 
 Leopold then first began to reflect upon 
 himself, for having come upon such an 
 
 errand 
 
96 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 errand alone. If he had overtaken the ra- 
 vishers with their prey, it would have been 
 a most desperate undertaking to have at- 
 tacked them; and the horrors of Rhodiska 
 ■would have been, perhaps, augmented, by 
 seeing him fall beneath the weapons of his 
 numerous adversaries. He considered, that if 
 he entrusted Lanfranco's domestic to go to 
 Dorbalec, and get him assistance, he would, 
 in all probability, return to Vistulof, and 
 sally out with his comrades to destroy him. 
 He once thought of sending him in to the 
 cavern, to brinrx him intelligence whether 
 Rhodiska was still there or not; but again 
 he dreaded, that they might escape with 
 her by some other outlet, or, at least, that 
 his emissary would alarm the guards! and 
 join them in attacking him. There ap- 
 peared only two courses to be pursued ; 
 the one was, to wait at the entrance till 
 the guards should make their appearance ; 
 the other was, to venture into the subter- 
 ranean : the former would subject him to 
 less danger from treachery ; and he re- 
 mained 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 97 
 
 mained where he was nearly an hour. lie 
 then began to grow Impatient, and deter- 
 mined to proceed to' the cavern at all ha- 
 zards. Having bound the domestic's hands 
 behind him,, to prevent any treacherous 
 blow in the dark, he held him with one 
 hand, and then removing the bushes, they 
 penetrated the dreary giilpti. They pur- 
 sued this dismal route during the space of 
 several minutes, when the domestic in- 
 formed Leopold, that he had better feel 
 before him as he proceeded, as they must 
 soon arrive at the end of. the passage. 
 Leopold held out his sabre, and in a short 
 time found an obstacle present itself; it 
 was the solid rock, which seemed to bar 
 all further progress ; but the guide told 
 him, that if he went a little to the left, he 
 would find a flight of step, which they 
 must ascend. It was as he said: they 
 mounted the steps, and, at the top, came 
 to a strong door. It was not fastened : 
 and, on Leopol l's pushing it, he felt it 
 give way, and perceived, at a distanc 
 
 VOL. I. F the 
 
98 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 the faint glimmering o^ a lamp. The guide 
 then assured him, that his comrades were 
 still there., or the lamp would have been 
 extinguished. Leopold's heart now panted 
 for action : he let go the door, which in- 
 stantly closed with a loud report, and the 
 echoes rung through the vaults/ till they 
 died away apparently at a great distance. 
 Leopold suspected treachery — his sabre was 
 uplifted to strike his guide ; but he averted 
 the blow, by telling Leopold, that it would 
 not alarm the guards, who expected his 
 coming, and would not dream of his bring- 
 ing company. He also assured Leopold, 
 that, if he mastered the guards, he could 
 easily open the door with the assistance of 
 the lamp. As a man of true valour never 
 wishes to spill blood but in cases of neces- 
 sity, Leopold was satisfied with this assu- 
 rance, and with the precaution which he 
 bad taken, of preventing his guide from 
 doing him any harm. He had advanced 
 some paces towards the lamp, when he was 
 seized from behind : his treacherous guide 
 
 was 
 
THE INVISIBLE FNP.MT. 99 
 
 was separated from him ; and, in spite of 
 all his struggles, his sabre was wrested 
 from him, and his hands confined. He was 
 then forced to the place where the lamp 
 was burning, by the light of which he per- 
 ceived himself in a spacious vault. He was 
 put into irons, which were fastened to a 
 ring-bolt in the ground ; and having thus 
 secured him, the treacherous guide and his 
 comrades all went away. 
 
 Leopold's breast was swollen with rage 
 and indignation : he did not doubt that 
 Rhcdiska, as well as himself, were in Lan- 
 franco's power, and that they had every 
 thing to dread from his cruelty and vio- 
 lence. His suspicions were not unfounded. 
 We have already seen by what means Lan- 
 franco had gotten Rhodiska into his power. 
 Leopold also owed his imhqf cation 
 
 to bis treachery. Lan franco had g Gra- 
 
 ders to Cassknir, v - ?cia s should 
 
 carried o I a, to watch round 
 
 • ice, and. : 1 be any h 
 
 mediate pursuit, to discover bji ; and, 
 
 -,- c 
 
100 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 by taking a contrary direction,, to mislead 
 the pursuers. For this purpose, he was 
 mounted on one of the fleetest horses. 
 Cassimir remained at the edge of the forest 
 so long without seeing any thing like a 
 pursuit, that he imagined his associates had 
 arrived at their place of destination with 
 Rhodiska. He was about to return with the 
 intelligence to Lanfranco, when he beheld 
 Leopold leave Dorbalec, and ride towards 
 Vistulof. Cassimir readily guessed his in- 
 tentions, and conceived the idea of tre- 
 panning him, as he was unattended by a 
 single person. As his horse was fresher 
 than Leopold's, he galloped at full speed 
 to Vistulof, to consult Lanfranco, and enr 
 tered the castle some minutes before Leo- 
 pold arrived in sight of it. Lanfranco im- 
 mediately ordered several of his domestics 
 to watch, and give him notice the instant 
 anv one came in sight. It was not Ions: 
 before he was informed, that a horseman 
 had appeared on the edge of the forest, 
 where he had alighted, and was then seated 
 
 at 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 101 
 
 at the foot of a tree. Cassimir went to 
 reconnoitre, and declared that the person 
 was Leopold. 
 
 Lan franco at first entertained the design 
 of causing some of his domestics, well 
 mounted and armed, to go out of the castle 
 on the opposite side, where they could. not 
 be perceived by Leopold, and to endeavour 
 to cut off his retreat ; but Cassimir repre- 
 sented, that Leopold's being alone might 
 be only a feint, and probably he would, 
 on the first appearance of a pursuit, retire 
 to a strong party of Count Petrowitz's ad- 
 herents, which might be placed in ambush, 
 and, instead of surprising him, all Lan- 
 franco's party might be cut off. At length 
 Lanfranco hit upon the expedient to en- 
 snare Leopold, which too fatally succeed- 
 ed. Cassimir was ordered to throw him- 
 self in his way, as if through chance, and 
 inveigle him to the subterranean, where 
 every thing was prepared for his recep- 
 tion. 
 
 f 3 Cassimir 
 
102 THE INVISIELF LXEMY. 
 
 Cassimir and RJs associates had not long 
 left Leopold, before he was rouzed from 
 the state of stupefaction into which his 
 misfortune had plunged him, by some dis- 
 tant sounds which approached him. " It 
 is all over/' exclaimed he — " the treache- 
 rous villains have informed my mortal 
 enemy of their success, and are now bring- 
 ing him to triumph over me, and to plant 
 the dagger in my breast — Heaven protect 
 my Khodiska!" He at length discerned 
 several flambeaux, and, by their light, he 
 distinguished persons bearing something 
 like a coffin, and one who preceded them 3 
 carrying a basket. As they approached 
 nearer, Leopold discovered that the latter 
 person was Lanfranco. 
 
 " Is it possible," said Leopold, " that 
 one who claims to be of the noble blood 
 of the 'losemaski, can be coward enough 
 to distrust his own arm, and to attack his 
 fciaemy as an assassin I" 
 
 " What hast tbcu, vile peasant ! to do 
 
 with 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 103 
 
 with the blood of Rosomaski?" replied 
 Lanfranco. Then turning to the domes- 
 tics, he bade them put down their load. 
 
 The domestics approached Leopold, and 
 placed near him a coffin, painted black, on 
 the Kd of which was the following inscrip- 
 tion — 
 
 " Lcopo-d Byloff, 
 
 The pretended Count Rosomaski ; 
 
 A notorious cheat 
 
 and 
 
 Impostor, 
 
 Died here." 
 
 " There," cried Lanfranco, pointing to 
 the inscription, " you may read your des- 
 tiny and your epitaph." 
 
 " If thou art really a Rosomaski/' said 
 Leopold, (C thou wilt not suffer one of the 
 same name and blood to perish like a ma- 
 lefactor. Restore me my sabre, and then 
 do thou and thy attendants attack me. Nay, 
 if thou art afraid there will not be enough, 
 
 f 4 sond 
 
104 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 send for all thy host of myrmidons, and I 
 will prove myself a true Rosomaski !" 
 
 Lanfranco bade the attendants remove 
 the lid of the coffin ; they did so, and Leo- 
 pold beheld only a small quantity of straw, 
 which covered tht, bottom. He now ex- 
 pected the fatal blow. (t Here/' said he to 
 the attendants, " I bare my bosom to your 
 daggers. I do not attribute my death to 
 you, but to the cowardly assassin, your 
 master! his is the hand which directs your 
 weapons. Only bear witness that I die like 
 a Rbsomaski. I die in. peace, since I am 
 assured that Hie brave Ludowico, my friend, 
 will never rest till he has revenged my 
 death, by striking his own dagger into the 
 heart of my murderer!" 
 
 The attendants, appeared astonished at 
 the undaunted firmness with which he ut- 
 tered this discourse. Lanfranco evidently 
 trembled at the latter part of it : he was 
 not unacquainted with the daring soul of 
 Ludowico ; and the uplifted dagger, with 
 
 which 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 105 
 
 which Leopold had threatened him, seemed 
 already to play before his disturbed imagi- 
 nation. Leopold beheld his confusion, and 
 smiled. 
 
 " What is there/' said he, " in the name 
 of Ludowico, that should make Lanfranco 
 tremble, as if an ague-fit shook him ?" 
 
 " Thou wilt perhaps see him in the course 
 of the few days which I shall permit thee 
 to live," replied Lanfranco. " "As you have 
 been companions in life, you w 7 ill then be 
 so in death, and I shall smile at that ven- 
 geance in which thou seemest to hug thy- 
 self. When I have gained my law-suit, 
 Leopold and Ludowico shall die. To in- 
 crease thy present torment, I will tell thee 
 that Rhodiska is mine/' 
 
 " Tis false !" cried Leopold — " thine she 
 never will be \" 
 
 " That, or death," replied Lanfranco, 
 will be her onlv alternative : but I have no 
 more time to waste in words. That coffin 
 will serve thee for a seat by day, and a 
 couch at night, till it incloses thee for 
 
 p 5 ever. 
 
106 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 ever. This basket contains bread and wa- 
 ter, which vvill serve to prolong thy mi- 
 serable existence, until, glutted with re- 
 venge, I give thee the coup de grace/ 3 
 
 Lan franco then put down the basket, and 
 retired with all his attendants. He shut 
 himself up in his chamber, not to seek re- 
 pose, for that fled from him, but to con- 
 trive new schemes. He had guarded, as he 
 imagined, against all possibility of Rho- 
 diska and Leopold's being discovered by 
 their friends ; for although the cavern, in 
 which they were confined, communicated 
 with the subterraneous vaults of Vistulof, 
 yet the communication was so artfully con- 
 cealed, that he dreaded not the strictest 
 search. In order to be completely secure, 
 he thought that there only remained to get 
 ByiofT and his son into his power, to pre- 
 vent the former from giving his evidence 
 on the trial, and the latter from revenging 
 his friend, 
 
 CHAP, 
 
INVISIBLE ENEMY. 10/ 
 
 "'V 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 HILST Lan franco was thus employed, 
 the inhabitants of Borbalec were suffering 
 
 er the effects of his treachery. Count 
 Petrowitz no sooner recovered his senses, 
 than those around him dreaded a relapse, 
 They endeavoured to compose him, by tell— 
 
 him that Leopold had arrived during 
 his insensibility, and had instantly left the 
 castle with the greatest pari of the domes- 
 tics, in search of his daughter. This intel- 
 
 :.ce had somewhat of the desired effect. 
 Ludowico, who was absent when the alarm 
 was given, and did not return till Leopold 
 had left the castle, immediately mounted 
 
 i ti one 
 
108 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 one of the Count's best horses, and rode to 
 all the neighbouring villages, to give no- 
 tice of the transaction, and desire that the 
 ravishers might be stopped, if they at- 
 tempted to pass that way. Eyloff remained 
 with the Count, to console him. Ludo- 
 wico did not return, till very late at night. 
 When he was informed that Leopold was 
 not come back, he entertained rio appre- 
 hensions for his safetv ; but, on the con- 
 trarv, expressed his hopes, that he had 
 gained some intelligence of the route of 
 the ravishers, and was in full pursuit of 
 them. He went to bed, perfectly easy on 
 his account, to refresh himself, and pre- 
 pare to go in search of him the next morn- 
 ing. BvlofT sat by the Count's bedside 
 during the whole of the night. In the 
 morning, very little after day-break, they 
 were alarmed bv intelligence which was 
 brought them, that Leopold's horse was at 
 the drawbridge, without its rider. 
 
 The Count, BylpflG and Ludowico, were 
 now assailed with the most gloomy presage. 
 
 They 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 109 
 
 They conjectured that he had been either 
 assassinated., or trepanned, into the power 
 of his enemy. Leopold's horse and furni- 
 ture were examined, but not the least marks 
 of biood or violence appeared upon either. 
 Ludowico expressed his resolution of going 
 post to Cracow, to demand the interfe- 
 rence of the chancery and the police ; and 
 he had no sooner left the castle, than By- 
 Ion^ and a number of the Count's domes- 
 tics, went into the forest,, where they sepa- 
 rated, to traverse it in different directions, 
 and endeavour to find some traces of Leo- 
 pold. At night the domestics returned, 
 without having discovered the least ves- 
 tiges either of Rhodiska or Leopold. Nei- 
 ther BylofF, nor his son, came back that 
 night, which the Count passed in the ut- 
 most agitation, of alternate hope and de- 
 spair. 
 
 Lanfranco, who had risen with the sun 
 on that morning, instantly dispatched Cas- 
 simir and Zulasko to endeavour to waylay 
 By loft" and Ludowico, and to trepan, or 
 
 a^assmate 
 
1 10 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 assassinate their*. Having seen them de- 
 part, he began to draw up his defence, to 
 be given in to the chancery. He insisted, 
 that he was the only son of the brother, 
 and heir-at-law, of Count Gustavus Roso- 
 maski, who had died, leaving no issue be- 
 sides a son, who survived his father only a 
 few weeks, and was interred in the family- 
 vault at Vistulof. lie asserted, that BylofFs 
 wife had been delivered of twins, with 
 whom she and her husband fled, carrying 
 away a considerable property belonging to 
 his father, which had been entrusted to 
 their care by Count Gustavus Rosomaski, 
 in his lifetime ; and that, notwithstanding 
 every pursuit was made by his father, to 
 discover the place of their retreat, and 
 make them restore the stolen property, 
 they had never been heard of till within a 
 few weeks ; when, finding his father dead, 
 Byloff had come forward, and attempted 
 to impose one of his own children upon 
 the world, as the infant son of Count Gus- 
 tavus, whom he should prove to have died. 
 
 He 
 
THE INVISIBLE EKET-'Y. 1 1 1 
 
 He expressed his hopes, that the decree of 
 the honourable chancery of Cracow, in his 
 favour, would soon remove all the asper- 
 sions which had been attempted to be 
 thrown on the memory of his late father. 
 To sum up the whole, he ventured to add 
 his belief, that the ""claim was fabricated, 
 with a view to impose upon Count Petro- 
 witz, whose daughter and the pretended 
 Count Rosomaski had disappeared toge- 
 ther. 
 
 With this artful defence, he dispatched 
 a messenger to Cracow, who also carried 
 his instructions to his lawyers, to press that a 
 speedy day might be appointed for the triah 
 As the lawyers employed by Leopold had 
 received similar instructions from him, and 
 were ignorant of the misfortune which had 
 befallen him, they concurred in the appli- 
 cation ; and that day week was appointed 
 for the trial, of which notice was instantly 
 sent to Vistulof and Dorbalec. 
 
 Count Petrowitz had no sooner received 
 this notice, than he was impatient at the 
 
 absence 
 
1J2 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 absence of Byloff and Ludowico. He,, at 
 times, entertained apprehensions that they 
 also had fallen into seme snare, which had 
 been laid for them bv the vengeful and 
 crafty Lanfranco. Messengers were dis- 
 patched every where, to search for them ; 
 but another night elapsed, without bring- 
 ing any tidings of either of them. 
 
 Leopold had passed this gloomy interval 
 in alternate paroxysms of rage and despair. 
 He would have borne his own misfortune 
 with mardy fortitude, if the idea of Rho- 
 diska's being a partaker of it, had, not over- 
 come him. He w r as seated on his coffin, 
 revolving on the insults to which he sup- 
 posed her exposed, when he was rouzed 
 by the sound of approaching footsteps. 
 He beheld Lanfranco, who brought him, as 
 usual? his scanty pittance of bread and 
 water. 
 
 " Behold," said the taunting coward, 
 " the only scanty pittance of the good 
 things of Vistulof, which then mayst ever 
 hope to receive !■" 
 
 Leopold 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 113 
 
 Leopold eyed him with a look of sove- 
 reign contempt, but made not the least 
 reply. 
 
 " Is this/' added Lanfranco, "■ the would- 
 be Count Rosomaski ? — He looks more like 
 a malefactor." 
 
 " Insolent villain !" exclaimed Leopold 
 — " Row wilt thou look when Ludowico 
 shall justly reproach thee with thy crimes, 
 previously to plunging the avenging dag- 
 ger into thy heart, and sending thy black 
 soul to its kindred darkness?'* 
 
 These words had a greater effect upon 
 Lanfranco than even Leopold could have 
 imagined. Lanfranco, who had passed the 
 two nights before the preceding one, in 
 ruminating on future schemes of ven- 
 geance, had yielded to sleep, on the last 
 night, only through fatigue, and then he 
 had better not have slept. A frightful vi- 
 sion harrowed up his soul, which had not 
 yet recovered from the horrible impression 
 which Leopold's words renewed in all its 
 force. He dreamed that the ground opened 
 
 beneath 
 
114 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 beneath his feet^ and belched out (he 
 most pestilential exhalation!:. Levourmg 
 
 flames. As he tied, the earth still gave 
 way, and similar chasms oy ready to 
 
 ingulph him. One only wa - to 
 
 favour his flight — He pursi 
 instantly stopped by Ludowico, a dag- 
 
 ger in his hand, and rage spari ing in his 
 eyes. He heard the voice of Ludowtco 
 exclaiming, " Behold the victim due to 
 friendship and to justice !." Lanfranco 
 threw himself at his feet, and tried every 
 method to avord his impending fate; but 
 Ludowico only smiled at his pangs. ({ It 
 is thus/' cried Ludowico, " that you smiled 
 when about to pierce the bosom of my be- 
 loved friend Leopold. Thy present an- 
 guish is delightful. Lool^down, thou spot- 
 less spirit of my departed friend ! and be- 
 hold how I revenge thy death, by ridding 
 the world of this monster, and sending his 
 soul to those eternal tortures which await 
 it !" He raised his arm to strike the fatal 
 blow, when the struggles and inward con- 
 vulsions 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 115 
 
 vulsions of Lan franco, released him from 
 the bonds of sleep. Some minutes' < d 
 
 before he could persuade himself that it 
 was only a dream. He then uttered the 
 most piercing cries, and presently drew 
 some of the domestics around him. ey 
 
 found him pale, almost lifele;s, and co- 
 vered with the cold dew of fear. He bade 
 them, search his apartment, and all the ad- 
 joining ones, to see if they could find no 
 person concealed. The search was fruit- 
 less, and his fears began to subside ; but 
 he would not subject himself to ar-epeti- 
 tion of the vision, and detained some of 
 the servants in conversation, till daybreak. 
 The words of Leopold again brought the 
 horrid spectre before his imagination. He 
 breathed hard — he was agitated, and trem- 
 bled. Leopold knew not the cause of his 
 agitation, but he enjoyed it : he beheld 
 him as triumphantly as if he had had him 
 prostrate at his feet ; but neither of them 
 uttered a word. This pause of silence was 
 at last interrupted by a noise, which ap- 
 peared 
 
116 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 peared to proceed from the door which 
 had closed upon Leopold when he entered 
 these horrid caverns. It ceased for a mo- 
 ment,, and then recommenced with in- 
 creased violence, as if some persons, from 
 without, were breaking it open with axes. 
 
 " Dost thou not hear those sounds ?" said 
 Leopold — u They proceed from the arm of 
 Ludowico, which is now forcing the gate 
 of my prison, to give me liberty and thee 
 death !■" 
 
 tc It is not too late to prevent that," 
 cried Lan franco, drawing his sword — " If 
 it be Ludowico, he shall only carry thy 
 corpse hence." He ran towards Leopold, 
 who, by a sudden impulse, seized the lid 
 of the coffin, on which he was sitting, and 
 struck Lanfranco so violent a blow on the 
 breast, before he could reach his own with 
 his sword, that he reeled back several paces, 
 and dropped the weapon. Leopold endea- 
 voured to follow up his blow, but his chains 
 would not permit hirn to reach so far. At 
 that instant, they heard the door give way, 
 
 and 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 117 
 
 and a confusion of voices ensued. Lan- 
 franco fied, with all possible speed, in an 
 opposite direction. He had scarcely dis- 
 appeared, before Leopold heard the voice 
 of Ludowico exclaiming, " Here he is ! 
 and, thanks to the Almighty ! alive." He 
 saw him rush forwards, and, in an instant, 
 held him in his embrace; but, suddenly 
 releasing himself, he exclaimed, " My 
 friend ! my brother ! my deliverer ! lose 
 no time with me, but seek Rhodiska, who 
 is somewhere in these abodes. "' Ludowico 
 ordered some of the party to follow him, 
 and proceeded in his search after the un- 
 fortunate maiden. Byloff, who had at- 
 tended the party, but was in the rear, now 
 advanced, and clasped Leopold in his arms 
 — iC My dear son ! my dear master \" cried 
 Byloff — e< Providence only could have re- 
 stored thee to us!" Leopold's heart was 
 too big for utterance — he appeared stupi- 
 fied with surprise, but was soon rouzed, by 
 hearing Ludowico exclaim, " She is found ! 
 she will be here presently \" Leopold then 
 
 gave 
 
118 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 gave way to the most frantic excess, and 
 danced about in his fetters; so that they 
 could hardly persuade him to stand still, 
 whilst he was released from them. This 
 task was scarcely completed, before they 
 beheld the rest of the party approaching, 
 with Rhodiska in the midst of them. Leo- 
 pold broke through all who stood in his 
 way, and was at her feet in an instant. 
 Rhodiska was so overpowered with her 
 emotions, that she could not speak ; and 
 Ludowico intreated Leopold to withdraw 
 from her sight, till she could behold him 
 with more composure. Leopold complied 
 with this seasonable advice ; and, leaving 
 Rhodiska to the care of his friend, he re- 
 turned to Byloff, with whom he left the 
 cavern, and once more beheld the open 
 air, which, only some few minutes before, 
 he despaired of ever seeing again. A num- 
 ber of horses, belonging to the party, were 
 waiting for them ; and as soon as Ludowico 
 brought forwards Rhodiska, thev. prepared 
 to convey her back to Dorbalec. Amongst 
 
 the 
 
T HB INVISIBLE ENEMY. 119 
 
 the party, were a magistrate and several of 
 the police-officers of Cracow; the former 
 had a chaise., in which he politely offered 
 Rhodiska a seat. They only waited the ar- 
 rival of the rest of the party, who were ex- 
 ploring the subterraneous cavern ; but, to 
 extreme surprise of Leopold, they de- 
 clared, when they le^t it, that, after a most 
 strict search, they could discover no one 
 who was not of their party, except Rho- 
 diska and Leopold ; neither could they find 
 any other outlet than the entrance by which 
 they arrived at it. They, however, brought 
 the coffin, the sword which had been 
 dropped by Lanfranco, and every thing 
 they could find. The whole party then set 
 -ward for Dorbaler, whither Leopold 
 and Ludowico had pushed on before, to 
 break the joyful news to the Count. They 
 found him lying on his bed, with his eyes 
 closed: as they approached, he opened 
 them ; and no sooner cast them on Leo- 
 pold, than he exclaimed, " Do you bring 
 me any tidings of my dear Rhodiska?" 
 
 5 Leopold 
 
1 20 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 Leopold, who saw his situation, did not 
 think it prudent to give him any violent 
 sensation ; but, assuming a cheerful air, 
 he answered, that there were more than 
 hopes that he would see her before another 
 day elapsed. The Count only shook his 
 head at this reply, which he looked upon 
 as a kind of pious fraud, to disguise from 
 him the full extent of his misfortune. Leo- 
 pold took one of his hands, and, grasping 
 it within his own, assured him, that he 
 himself had an implicit confidence in what 
 he had just told him, and that he had not 
 the least doubt but that his daughter was, 
 at that very moment, safe in the hands of 
 the police-officers of Cracow, who had, by 
 some means, discovered the author of the 
 outrage, and gone to search the place 
 where they had heard she was concealed. 
 The Count appeared more composed after 
 this assurance, and said he should die satis- 
 fied if he could behold her once again. 
 At that instant, their ears were assailed 
 with the loudest acclamations, and the 
 
 Count, 
 
THE INVISIBLE #*EMY. 121 
 
 Count, feebly raising his head, appeared 
 to wish and yet to dread to ask the cause 
 of it. Presently they heard the trampling 
 of horses, and -the acclamations grew louder 
 and. more distinct. The Count looked in 
 Leopold's face. 
 
 " I should not be surprised/' said Leo- 
 pold, <c if even now your daughter was 
 safe within these walls." 
 
 The Count, unable to restrain his impa- 
 tience any longer, desired that some one 
 might be sent to learn the cause of these 
 acclamations. Leopold turned to Ludo- 
 wico, who understood his looks, and left 
 the chamber. In a few moments he re- 
 turned, and informed the Count, that the 
 acclamations were those of his domestics, 
 who had been overjoyed by the arrival of 
 some horsemen, to inform him that his 
 daughter was safe, and on the road to Dor- 
 balec : she might be expected to arrive in 
 less than a quarter of an hour. The Count 
 reclined his head, and appeared employed 
 in a silent ejaculation to Heaven, in which 
 
 vol. i. c no 
 
122 TILE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 no one would interrupt him. Rhodiska 
 was actually arrived, but Ludowico had pre- 
 vailed upon her to restrain her impatience 
 of seeing her father, till he should be made 
 acquainted with her arrival, by degrees. 
 Ludowico at length received another look 
 from Leopold, and he again left the room. 
 In order to prepare the Count, Ludowico 
 ordered the domestics to give another 
 shout, and then returning, he informed the 
 Count that his daughter was arrived; and 
 Be had seen her alight from the chaise 
 which had brought her, and which he knew 
 to belong to one of the magistrates of Cra- 
 cow. Presently the door opened, and Rho- 
 diska entered : she flew to her father, and 
 caught him in her arms ; but, through an 
 excess of joy at seeing him again, and 
 ©rief at beholding the havoc which her 
 misfortune had caused in his countenance, 
 she uttered only sobs and sighs. At length 
 she began to speak, but inarticulately. — 
 u Compose yourself, my dear Rhodiska !" 
 said the Count — t( I shall be happy, since I 
 
 behold 
 
THE INVISIBLE F/tfEMY. 123 
 
 behold you again.'* Leopold, who dreaded 
 the effect which tire grief of Rhodiska 
 might have upon her father, at length . 
 thought proper to try to remove her. He 
 represented to her, that the Count stood 
 in need of repose after such an unex- 
 pected burst of joy, and that the magis- 
 trate was Waiting to take down, from the 
 mouths of those concerned, whatever they 
 could inform him of the aiTair, that the ■ 
 author of it might be brought to punish- 
 ment. The Count joined in desiring her 
 not to detain the worthy magistrate, who 
 would, in all probability, wish to return 
 ns soon as possible to Cracow. Rhodiska 
 was, with difficulty, prevailed upon to leave 
 her father ; and she accompanied Leopold 
 to the room w T here the magistrate was em- 
 ployed in taking the depositions, and where 
 they gave in their own. When this busi- 
 ness was finished, the Count sent to desire 
 that the magistrate wouM favour him with 
 his company. The Count thanked him in 
 the warmest terms, for the deliverance of 
 
 g 2 his 
 
124 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 his daughter, and requested to be informed 
 how they had discovered the place of her 
 confinement ? The magistrate replied, that 
 Byloff, through whose means it had been 
 effected, was the only person to give him 
 that information. He added, that he had 
 only done his duty, in searching the place 
 where she was suspected to be concealed. 
 The Count again thanked him for the happy 
 dispatch with which he had executed his 
 office, and desired his acceptance of a va- 
 Juable ring which -he took from his finger, 
 as a token of his esteem and gratitude. He 
 also presented him with a purse, which he 
 begged him to do him the favour to distri- 
 bute as he should think proper, among 
 those who had attended him. The magis- 
 trate had no sooner retired, than the Count 
 desired that Byloff might be sent for, to 
 acquaint them with the manner in which he 
 had made the happy discovery. Byloff soon 
 arrived, and gave them the following won- 
 derful account. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 125 
 
 *— ^ 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 JL HE morning on which we were alarm- 
 ed at the return of Leopold's horse without 
 its rider, I set off, determined to trace the 
 whole adjoining country, to discover what 
 had become of him. I wandered about the 
 whole day, without having met with a single 
 person. The declining sun had begun to 
 paint objects of a deep-red colour, and I 
 thought of seeking some path which would 
 conduct me to a habitation, where I might 
 pass the night. I guessed I must be at a 
 considerable dist nee from DorLalec, when 
 I beheld a long avenue, pierced through 
 the forest in a straight line, where the 
 
 c 3 underwood 
 
I2t) THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 underwood had been cleared to form a 
 passage between the gigantic trees, which 
 formed an arch over head. At the further 
 extremity., I perceived a bright light 
 through the gloom of this umbrageous 
 vault, which was caused by the reflection 
 of. the sun-beams from a beautiful cascade. 
 My curiosity was awakened — I hastened 
 my steps ; and, when I arrived at the ex- 
 tremity of the avenue, I beheld the re- 
 mains of an old castle. The sheet of water, 
 with which it appeared surrounded, had 
 penetrated through the foundations, and 
 made its way into the interior. The source 
 
 Ci lni9 icacrvoir, cemg no longer confined 
 by the bars which art had formerly opposed 
 to keep it within proper bounds, had flown 
 jn greater abundance ; and having entered 
 the castle, where the waters were confined 
 by truck walls, had risen to the height of 
 the lowest windows, whence they issued 
 out again in torrents of foam. 
 
 " I was admiring, in silence, this won- 
 derful combination of nature and art, when 
 
 I was 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 127 
 
 I was surprised to hear the voice of a hu- 
 man being, whose approach the noise of 
 these cascades had prevented me from per- 
 ceiving, till he was at my side. On turn- 
 ing rounds 1 beheld a venerable figure, 
 with a long beard. Curiosity only made 
 me attentively examine his face, of which 
 I had not the least recollection ; but, after 
 examining mine with equal attention, I 
 started to hear him call me by my nr.me. 
 I again endeavoured to recollect him, but 
 in vain ; and, at length, desired an expla- 
 nation. 
 
 'It is no wonder/ said he, e that you 
 should not knoW 'the Xtfde-wtfr'n Irvan kr 
 this disguise, and after so long an absence. 
 I knew you, however, at some distance, 
 and could not help imagining I beheld 
 your phantom, since all your acquaintance 
 have long supposed you dead.' 
 
 " If the hermit was surprised at behold- 
 ing me, I was no less at seeing, in that 
 condition, one of the tenants of VistuLof, 
 whom, in the days of Count Gustavus, I 
 
 g 4 had 
 
158 TiTE 1NVISIELI ENEMY. 
 
 had oftentimes beheld in ease, happiness, 
 and prosperity. I expressed my surprise 
 in turn, and desired to know the cause of 
 his quitting the world for solitude. 
 
 ' Come with me/ said he, ' to my habi- 
 tation, and I will readily acquaint you with 
 it. It is some relief to the afflicted, to dis- 
 burden themselves of that never-ending 
 worm which gnaws and consumes them/ 
 
 " He then led me round the basin, till 
 we came to a small isthmus, or neck of 
 land, which joined the ruins to the forest, 
 and afforded a kind of causeway to it. We 
 walked over this to the peninsula, where, 
 in \hc ruins of what appeared to have been 
 formerly a chapel, and which, by being in 
 an elevated station, had escaped the sur- 
 rounding element, he had taken up his re- 
 sidence. Some dried moss and leaves, 
 heaped up in one corner, served him to 
 repose his head; and the rest of the furni- 
 ture, except an axe, a fishing-net, a kettle, 
 and some other trifling utensils, were 
 equally simple. A stone served him for a 
 
 seat; 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENE^IY. 129 
 
 seat; and he left me a few minutes, to roll 
 in another for his unexpected guest. — 
 Having raked up the expiring embers, and 
 thrown on them some fresh fuel, he pro- 
 duced some fish, of which he said the pond 
 contained vast quantities, and put them 
 into the kettle over the fire. 
 
 ' Now 'we shall lose no time/ said Irvan P 
 ' as supper will be getting ready, whilst I 
 relate my sad story. You once knew me 
 contented, happy, and gay — you now be- 
 hold me sinking under a load of grief, and 
 flying, like a wild beast, from the haunts 
 ©f man : such are the vicissitudes of hu- 
 man life t — But to my story : Yoir have 
 seen my daughter Zerbetta ?* 
 
 ' Yes> frequently,' replied I — c she was 
 said to be handsome, and I thought that 
 report aid not exaggerate her beauty ; but 
 •she was then almost too young to form a 
 judgment of her/ 
 
 ' Curses on her beauty V exclaimed the 
 old man, c that Was our ruin/ 
 
 " The tears began to trickle down his sil- 
 g 5 very 
 
130 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY; 
 
 ■very beard — he paused awhile, but I would 
 not break silence, lest I might again un- 
 thinkingly wound him. At length, he grew 
 more composed, and continued thus : 
 
 * You well know, that, in the days of 
 our good Count Gustavus, we were safe in 
 our property and honour. After his death, 
 vou soon disappeared ; and although we 
 thought your conduct strange at first, yet, 
 in a very little time, we began to give you 
 t fie credit of foreseeing the storm that hung 
 over our heads. We groaned under the 
 most oppressive exactions; but that was 
 the least misfortune of those who hap- 
 pened to have handsome wives or daugh- 
 ters. All domestic felicity was destroyed 
 by the lawless Theodoric. For years I en- 
 deavoured to conceal my Zerbetta, and 
 never permitted her, on any occasion, to 
 go to the castle ; but my precaution was 
 vain — I only escaped Scylla to run upon 
 Charybdis. Lanfranco, his son, when he 
 arrived at the age of manhood, even ex- 
 ceeded his father in vice, and seemed to 
 
 place 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 131 
 
 place all his delight in doing us some mis- 
 chief. If we ventured to complain of it to 
 Theodoric, he laughed at us, and Lan franco 
 was sure to be revenged. 
 
 ' One hapless day., either being, or pre- 
 tending to be fatigued with the chace, he 
 stopped at my cottage when I was absent, 
 and demanded, some refreshment. My 
 daughter, without knowing who he was, 
 gave him whatever we had, and was un- 
 fortunate enough to appear, in his eyes, 
 worthy of conquest. At my return, L 
 asked for my supper, but it was all gone, 
 and my daughter acquainted me with the 
 occasion of it. I told her, she had acted, 
 just as I should have done if. I had been at 
 home ; and, having taken a slight repast 
 of bread and milk, , retired to rest, without 
 imagining that this adventure would have 
 any further consequences. The next dav 
 Lanfranco called again, and either timed 
 his visits so welJ, or had watched my goin<>- 
 out, that he was several hours alone with 
 
 c 6 her 
 
132 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 her. By what means he had prevailed upon 
 Zerbetta to connive at his visits,, and to 
 conceal them from me, I know not; but 
 he continued to visit her daily for a long 
 time, without my having the least suspi- 
 cion of it. One day, however, I was taken 
 ill,, and was obliged to quit my labour. 
 As I entered my cottage, I was astonished 
 to behold our young lord, as I instantly 
 knew him to be, seated by my daughter, 
 with one arm round her waist, and looking 
 at her as she was at work. Zerbetta was 
 covered with confusion, and so was Lan- 
 franco; but he soon resumed his usual 
 effrontery— took me by the hand — blamed 
 me for concealing such a treasure as my 
 daughter from the eyes of the world ; and 
 added, how much he was obliged to chance 
 for havinsr discovered it to him. I was too 
 much displeased to stand upon any kind of 
 ceremony, and I instantly bade Zerbetta, 
 with a stern voice and look, to leave the 
 room, and to know, in future, that the 
 
 son 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 135 
 
 son of Coupt Rosomaski was not a proper 
 companion for the daughter of Irvan, the 
 peasant/ 
 
 * Why not?' demanded he. 
 
 c Your youth and inexperience may ex- 
 cuse such a question/ replied I; f but if 
 you had lived longer in the world, you 
 would have been sensible of the difference 
 of your rank and hers/ 
 
 ' Something is due to my rank/ said he, 
 ' and something to her beauty. She has 
 enslaved me — Permit me to continue my 
 visits, which will be unknown to all the 
 rest of the world, and I will make you the 
 richest tenant of Vistulof/ 
 
 ' I am sorry,' said £ regarding him with 
 the utmost contempt, c to find that a per- 
 son in your elevated station, can lessen 
 himself so far as to appear contemptible in 
 the eyes of a man of my lowly rank. Do 
 you feel no shame at proposing to a father 
 to consent to his daughter's infamy, and to 
 pamper himself with the fruits of it ? Learn 
 that there are as many poor men with ho- 
 nour, 
 
134: THE INVISIBLE EXEMY. 
 
 noiir, as there are rich ones without it: 
 henceforth, know yourself and me better. 
 Do not seek to destroy the respect 1 have 
 for you, as the son of my lord; for, if 
 vou seek to wound my honour, I shall 
 consider myself as your, superior, and act 
 accordingly.' 
 
 c Having said this, I left him, and went 
 in search of my daughter, whom I would 
 not suffer out of my sight any more, untih 
 I saw him depart. Notwithstanding the 
 close watch- which. I kept during several 
 following weeks, I never once saw him 
 make his appearance, nor any one who had 
 the suspicious look of a clandestine mes- 
 senger on those occasions. I then con- 
 eluded, that what I had said to hi n had 
 made a proper impression : I began to lose 
 my suspicions, and to go to my labour as 
 usual — Fatal security ! 
 
 f One evening I returned, and found the 
 cottage deserted — Iflew round the neigh- 
 bourhood, and sought Zerbetta every 
 where^ but in vain — -Night came, but no 
 
 Zerbetta: — 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 135 
 
 Zerbetta — I wandered about the forest the 
 greater part of it; and, in the morning, 
 took the resolution of going to Yistulof, 
 throwing myself at the feet of Theodoric, 
 and imploring him, as a parent himself, 
 ro pity the anguish of a distressed father, 
 and to cause Lan franco to restore me my 
 daughter. I did sot, and Theodoric laughed 
 at me. He had the insolence to tell rac, 
 that he neither knew 7 nor cared any thing 
 abo ut my daughter ; but if she was under 
 the protection of his son, it was an honour^ 
 instead of a disgrace, to a peasant like my- 
 self. Stung' to madness with insult added 
 to injury, T forgot the vassal, and talked as 
 one man should talk to another on such an^ 
 occasion. Theodoric was enraged, and or- 
 dered the domestics to thrust me out of 
 the castle, and never to admit me again. 
 I still persisted in endeavouring to find my 
 lost sheep, but ray search was fruitless. 
 My house grew hateful to me, and I quitted 
 it, to wander about the forest. In mv 
 rambles, I. discovered this retreat; and, as 
 3 it 
 
136 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY, 
 
 it had no inhabitant, appropriated it to my- 
 self. Here, the screeching of the owl, the 
 flitting of the bat, and the croaking of the 
 raven, are pleasing to me in this solitude. 
 Like those streamlets which gush out of 
 the crevices of the rocks, and, after having 
 dashed over the precipices with foaming; 
 restlessness, mingle themselves with the 
 peaceful waters of the lake, my latter end 
 would be peaceful, if the thoughts of my 
 unhappy Zerbetta, of whose fate I am still 
 ignorant, did not embitter them. Only 
 last night, I met with an extraordinary ad- 
 venture, which renewed my fears for her, 
 and still fills my soul with terror. Ah ! if 
 that hapless female should have been Zer- 
 betta!' 
 
 c What adventure ! what hapless female IT 
 exclaimed I, starting up. 
 
 e Resume your seat, and you shall hear/ 
 replied Irvan — c As I sleep but little, I ge- 
 nerally wander when the nights are fine, 
 and meditate, as I behold the globes of 
 night sparkling in the studded expanse, on 
 
 the 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 137 
 
 the glory of their artificer. Last night was 
 uncommonly beautiful. I was walking in 
 a glen which divides two chains of these 
 extensive mountains, when I was surprised 
 at the sounds of some horsemen. Judging 
 they might be some of those banditti who 
 infest these parts,, I quitted the glen, and 
 ascending the hill on one side, I sat down 
 behind some thick bushes, where I thought 
 they would pass by without perceiving me. 
 To my surprise, when they arrived oppo- 
 site to the spot where I sat, I could per- 
 ceive, by their voices, they had also stop- 
 ped. As I was in an elevated situation, I 
 ventured to look down into the glen, and 
 beheld four men, who had dismounted 
 from their horses, and bore in their arms 
 the appearance of a female, but whether 
 lifeless or not, I could not determine. 
 They approached a spot covered with 
 bushes, and overhung by a huge mass of 
 rock. They removed the bushes,, and in- 
 stantly disappeared, leaving one man to 
 
 take 
 
138 - THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 lake care of the horses. In less than half 
 an hour, the three men, who had entered 
 the cave, returned without the female, and 
 remounting their horses, they all rode off. 
 I was, for some time after their departure, 
 fixed to the spot with surprise and horror. 
 ' Who knows/ exclaimed I, ' but that hap- 
 less female may be Zerbetta V 
 
 * No — it must have been Rhodiska V said 
 I, again starting up. 
 
 c Who ?' said Irvan. 
 
 ' Rhodiska, the daughter of Count Pe- 
 trowitz, who was carried off from her fa- 
 ther's house, on the evening before, by 
 some villains. Should you be able to (ind 
 the spot again ?* 
 
 c Yes, readily,' replied Irvan. 
 
 c Then you must accompany me to-mor- 
 row morning to Cracow/ said I, ( to give 
 intelligence of this extraordinary affair to 
 the magistrates, who will search into it.' 
 
 e I have been thinking of doing so this, 
 whole day/ said Irvan ; e but I reflected 
 
 that 
 
TUE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 139 
 
 that my strange appearance would cause 
 me to be disregarded as a lunatic, or a 
 dreamer and a visionary.' 
 
 ' There is no danger of that now/ said 
 I ; c our stories, the time and place, all 
 agree so exactly, that I am well assured 
 that hapless female will prove to have been 
 Khodiska : if it should not be so, w T e shall 
 rescue some other distressed female from 
 wretchedness, and restore her to her pa- 
 rents, whose feelings must be no less acute 
 than those of yourself and Count Pctro- 
 vitz.' 
 
 " As soon as we had made our frugal 
 supper, we retired to rest ; and at day-? 
 break the next morning, we walked to the 
 nearest village, where I hired a couple of 
 horses to carry us to Cracow. As we en- 
 tered that city, w T e met my son and a party 
 of police officers, who were then going to 
 search the Castle of Vistulof ; but we told 
 them, that we had brought more certain 
 information, and prevailed upon them to 
 turn back with us to the magistrate, where* 
 
 Irvan 
 
140 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 Irvan gave in his wonderful story on oath. 
 The worthy and indefatigable magistrate 
 thought this affair of so much consequence^ 
 that he ordered a chaise for himself, to in- 
 vestigate it in person. Irvan conducted us 
 to the mouth of the cavern, where our 
 journey was crowned with that success 
 which renders us all happy/ 1 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 JtLVERY one admired the strange inter- 
 ference of Providence, in bringing about 
 this discovery. Ci Where is Irvan/' said the 
 Count, "who has been the instrument made 
 use of to restore us to peace ?"' 
 
 " In spite of all our endeavours to bring 
 
 hi ni 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 141 
 
 him with us," replied Byloff, c{ he left us 
 to return to his solitude, to enjoy, as he 
 told us, the pleasure of having been useful 
 to mankind, of whom he long ago thought 
 he had taken leave for ever.' , 
 
 The Count then informed Leopold of 
 the notice which he had received, and that 
 there were only four days more to that 
 appointed for the trial. " You see," add- 
 ed he, " how seasonable was your unex- 
 pected deliverance." After some consul- 
 tation, it was agreed that Leopold, and all 
 his witnesses, should set out for Cracow 
 the next morning, in order to give time 
 to the lawyers to make their final prepara- 
 tions for the occasion. 
 
 This matter being adjusted, the Count 
 desired that every one might leave the 
 room, except his daughter and Leopold. 
 When they were all gone, he raised him- 
 self in the bed, and addressed them thus: 
 
 " Leopold, if I am not mistaken., you 
 love my daughter." 
 
 « That 
 
142 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 ec That term is too presumptuous for me 
 In my present situation," cried Leopold, 
 throwing himself on his knees; cc but I 
 would readily yield my life to be of any 
 service to her." 
 
 " Daughter/' said the Count, c< I think 
 you are not indifferent in respect to Leo- 
 pold." 
 
 She flushed, and cast down her eyes in 
 silence. 
 
 cc I am not mistaken/' continued the 
 Count ; ** and I will confess, that I have 
 witnessed your mutual attachment with 
 pleasure. I think that I shall consult my 
 daughter's happiness better, by giving her 
 to a man of courage, virtue, and honour, 
 than to one without either, whatever may 
 be his rank. Leopold, the day approaches 
 which is to create you Count Rosomaski, 
 or to leave you Leopold BylofT for life. 
 The event will make no difference in my 
 opinion ; and, that you may not think I 
 would grant that to Count Rosomaski, 
 
 which 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 143 
 
 Tvliich I would refuse to Leopold Byloff, 
 I here declare,, that I think you now wor- 
 thy to be my son-in-law." 
 
 It would be impossible to describe the 
 emotions which this generous declaration 
 rouzed in the breast of Leopold. He 
 grasped the Count's hand, and then cast a 
 look at Rhodiska, to see whether she sanc- 
 tioned his happiness. 
 
 cc Is my daughter of the same opinion ?" 
 said the Count. 
 
 u 1 have too great a deference for my 
 father's opinion/' replied the ingenuous 
 maid, ({ not to be guided by it, even if it 
 were not so congenial with my own, as, I 
 must confess, it is in the present instance." 
 <c Then give him your hand," said the 
 Count. 
 
 Leopold instantly threw himself at her 
 feet, and taking the hand which she pre- 
 sented to him, he imprinted on it the dumb 
 signs of a most ardent passion. 
 
 t( Now leave me to seek some repose," 
 
 said 
 
144 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 said the Count — " after the extraordinary 
 incidents of this day, I require it." 
 
 Leopold led Rhodiska out of the cham- 
 ber, and retiring to the garden, where no 
 one could observe them, he gave vent to 
 all the tender expressions which honour no 
 longer bound him to smother in his im- 
 passioned breast. Rhodiska, who looked 
 upon their fate as united, did not attempt 
 to conceal the pleasure which his passion 
 gave her, neither did she blush to confess 
 that it was mutual. Never did a flame burn 
 with greater brightness and purity ! 
 
 The next morning, Leopold, after having 
 taken leave of the Count and his daughter, 
 set out for Cracow, accompanied by Bylofr) 
 (carrying a casket, of which no one be- 
 sides himself was acquainted with the con- 
 tents), Ludowico, and several of the te- 
 nants of the Count, who offered to escort 
 them to that city. The magistrate had in- 
 formed Rhodiska, that she would be a ma- 
 terial witness on the trial ; but she refused 
 
 to 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 145 
 
 to leave her father, till the day preceding 
 that of the trial. When Leopold arrived 
 at Cracow, he passed the greatest part of 
 the interval with his lawyers. 
 
 On the day preceding that on which the 
 trial was to come on, Leopold dined with 
 one of his lawyers at his house, which was 
 at some little distance from the city. It 
 was late before they had finally arranged 
 their business, and the lawyer would have 
 * detained Leopold till the morning; but, as 
 Phodiska was expected to arrive in Cracow 
 that evening, no entreaties nor persuasions 
 could prevail on him to stay. As the dis- 
 tance was only trilling, he had walked thi- 
 ther, and would Viot accept the offer of a 
 horse to take him back. The night was 
 very fine, and the moon shone in all its 
 splendor. Leopold reached the bridge 
 across the Vistula, without entertaining 
 any apprehensions of danger. When he 
 was about the middle of it, he saw the 
 lengthened shadow of a man, and heard 
 some person behind him. He turned round 
 
 vol. i. h suddenly, 
 
146 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 suddenly., and, by that lucky movement, 
 received a thrust of a dagger in his arm, 
 which was intended for his back : he in- 
 stantly pushed the assassin from him, and 
 drawing a pistol, which he carried in his 
 girdle, shot him dead. Two more were 
 ready to revenge their fallen comrade; 
 and Leopold, drawing out the other pistol, 
 luckily brought the foremost to the ground. 
 The other now attempted to close with 
 him ; but Leopold shifted his ground, and 
 avoided several thrusts which were made at 
 him. The moon, which shone full in the 
 face of the remaining assassin, discovered 
 him to be Lanfranco. Leopold had dis- 
 charged both his pistols, yet scorned to 
 fly. As Lanfranco a^ain made towards him, 
 he threw one of the discharged pistols, 
 which struck him on the head with such 
 force as to make him reel. Leopold in- 
 stantly ran up to him, and struck the hand 
 which held the dagger so violently with 
 the but-end of the other pistol, that it 
 dropped the dagger. Not knowing whe- 
 ther 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 147 
 
 ther he might have any other weapon con- 
 cealed, Leopold would not stoop to pick 
 it up; but, seizing Lanfranco round the 
 waist, he flung him, with Herculean force, 
 over the bridge, into the stream. He then 
 sent the bodies of the other two assassins 
 the same road, and went off, with all haste, 
 towards his lodging, which he reached with- 
 out any further interruption. 
 
 Rhodiska had *arrived several hours be- 
 fore, and w 7 as expecting him with the ut- 
 most impatience, which Byloff and Ludo- 
 wico were endeavouring to calm, when he 
 came to the door. He no sooner entered 
 the room, than Rhodiska discovered that he 
 was pale, agitated, and his clothes covered 
 with blood. She cried out, and fell sense- 
 less on the floor. Leopold fiew T to raise 
 her up, and could not be prevailed upon 
 to quit her till she came to herself: that 
 instant he exclaimed, <c Rhodiska ! my 
 life ! my soul ! behold your Leopold ! — 
 Your fears are vain — I am not hurt/' Thi s 
 seasonable assurance prevented a rapse; 
 
 h 2 and 
 
148 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 and she had strength enough to ask. what 
 was the meaning of the stains on his dress? 
 Leopold told her, he had received a wound, 
 but that it was only a scratch. Eyloff got 
 him out of the room, under pretence of 
 changing his dress ; but, in reality, the 
 good old man dreaded that Leopold dis- 
 guised the truth from Rhodiska, and that 
 the wound was dangerous. On stripping, 
 however, it was discovered that the dagger 
 had only wounded the fleshy part of the 
 arm, in a manner no way dangerous. By- 
 loff cleansed it with water, and applied 
 some lint and a bandage to stop the hae- 
 morrhage, which was all that was necessary. 
 Leopold then hastily changed his clothes, 
 and returned to relieve Rhodiska from her 
 apprehensions. After BylofF had assured 
 her that there was not the least danger, ' 
 Leopold told them, that it was a very lucky 
 wound, since, if he had not received it, 
 he should never have been freed from the 
 vengeance of so cruel and sanguinary an 
 enemy as ever man had to contend against. 
 
 He 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. J 49 
 
 lie then related the manner in which he had 
 ridded himself of Lanframo, and his two 
 other knights of the dagger. This intelli- 
 gence was very consoling to the whole of 
 them ; but it was concluded, that the most 
 profound secrecy ought to he observed on 
 the subject. 
 
 The ensuing morning, Cracow was 
 thronged with strangers, whom the report 
 of the extraordinary trial which was to take 
 place, had drawn together, Every avenue 
 to the court was blocked up ; and it was 
 not without the greatest difficulty, that 
 those who had business there could get into 
 their places. 
 
 The trial at length began, and the most 
 solemn silence prevailed. The deposition 
 of BylofPs wife was produced by the priest 
 and notary, who swore, that it was taken 
 at her own request ; had remained in their 
 hands, sealed up, ever since ; and never 
 been broken open till that day. The de- 
 position was then read. It stated, that 
 
 h 3 when 
 
150 . - THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 when the Countess of Gustavus Rosomaski 
 died, her infant son was committed to her 
 to suckle with her own son, then about 
 the same age: that, after the death of 
 Count Gustavus, his brother Theodoric 
 tampered with the deponent and her hus- 
 band, to substitute his own child instead 
 of his brother's: that, grateful for the fa- 
 vours of the late Count and Countess, and 
 desirous to spare the life of their innocent 
 babe, they fled to a neighbouring forest 
 on the estate of Count Petrowitz, where 
 they built a coit?ge 7 and lived in the ut- 
 most privacy, to prevent the pursuit of 
 Theodoric : that thev took nothing with 
 them which did not belong to them, ex- 
 cept a box, containing the linen made up 
 by the Countess herself for her infant, and 
 a coral and gold necklace, with a portrait 
 of the Countess attached, which she herself 
 had put about the infant's neck : that the 
 youth whom they had educated as their 
 own, under the name of Leopold, was the 
 
 infant 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 151 
 
 infant son of Gustavus Count Rosomaski 
 and his Countess, and the lawful heir of 
 his titles and possessions. 
 
 BylofF then corroborated his wife's de- 
 position, and produced the box containing 
 the clothes and necklace, the portrait at- 
 tached to which was known, to many in 
 court, to be that of the Countess. He 
 swore that the present claimant was the 
 Leopold alluded to by his wife in her de- 
 position, w T hich was true in every respect* 
 
 Another witness, whom BylofF had dis- 
 covered to have lived at Vistulof at the 
 time of the pretended death of Count Gus,- 
 tavus's infant, swore that, at the time, it 
 was remarked by all the domestics, that 
 not one of them, except Cassimir and Zu- 
 lasko, two persons who were in the great- 
 est confidence of Theodoric, had ever been 
 permitted, or pretended to have seen the 
 corpse. 
 
 Rhodiska, Ludowico, and all those who 
 knew any thing of the infamous attempts 
 of Lan franco to defeat the decree of the 
 
 ii 4 court, 
 
152 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. - 
 
 court, by putting Leopold out of the way, 
 were next examined ; after which, the 
 counsel for the claimant made a most elo- 
 quent speech, and commented on the 
 clearness of the evidence which had been 
 produced. Then pointing out Leopold, 
 who w ? as in the court, he concluded by 
 saying-, that there were many present who 
 very well remembered the late Count Gus- 
 tavus Rosomaski ; and they needed only to 
 look at the claimant, and they would in- 
 stantly recognize the father in the son. 
 
 •After a short pause,' Cassimir, the first 
 . witness for the defendant, was called, but 
 did not answer. For some time the court, 
 and all the adjoining parts, rung with the 
 name of " Cassimir !'*' but he did not ap- 
 pear; and, after waiting a considerable 
 space, Zulasko, the second witness, was 
 called, to as little purpose. 
 
 In fact, Cassimir and Zulasko were, at 
 that moment, the sport of the waves of the 
 Vistula : they were the two assassins who 
 attempted the life of Leopold on the pre- 
 ceding 
 
TFIi: INVISIBLE ENEMY. 153 
 
 ceding evening, and whose bodies he had 
 thrown over the bridge, to accompany that 
 of their master. 
 
 When the court had again waited a con- 
 siderable time with the utmost patience, 
 the two women, who w 7 ere to have sworn 
 that BylofTs wife had been delivered of 
 twins, were called ; but whether their con- 
 science had stung them, or they were ap- 
 palled at finding themselves forsaken by 
 Lan franco and the two other witnesses, 
 ihev had slunk out of court. 
 
 The counsel for the defendant then told 
 the court, that the whole of the defence 
 i-estecj on the witnesses who had been 
 called, and who, they were led to believe, 
 would appear, but had not answered when 
 called upon. They therefore submitted to 
 the court, that, if it should be their opi- 
 nion that the claimant had substantiated, 
 his claim, they must acquiesce. 
 
 Whilst the court were deliberating, a 
 solemn pause of anxious suspence ensued. 
 Hi. length the decree was pronounced, to 
 
 h 5 this 
 
154 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 this effect — " That the claimant had sub- 
 stantiated his claim to the title and Dosses- 
 sions of Rcsomaski, and that he be ad- 
 judged the same accordingly ; and that the 
 defendant must account to him for all the 
 receipts from that estate, by himself and 
 his father, since the death of the claimant's 
 father, the late Count Gustavus Roso- 
 maski." 
 
 This decree was no sooner pronounced, 
 than the solemnity of the court was broken 
 in upon by a burst of applause, which was 
 begun by the tenants of Count Petrowitz, 
 and several of those of Rosomaski, who 
 were present through curiosity, and who 
 reioiced at the defeat of their late tvrant. 
 
 After having dispatched a messenger with 
 the exhilirating tidings to Count Petrovvitz, 
 Rosomaski, for so we shall henceforwards 
 term Leopold, with Rhodiska, Ryloff, Lu- 
 dowico, and a numerous train of the te- 
 nants of Dorb.alec, as well as those of Vis- 
 tulof, who being, before the trial, afraid 
 to declare their sentiments, now gave the 
 
 reins 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 155 
 
 reins to the most extravagant demonstra- 
 tions of iov, left Cracow on their route to 
 Dorbalec. When they arrived there, the 
 Count ordered the gates to be thrown open, 
 and all comers to be entertained ; but Ro- 
 somaski and Rhodiska, fearing that the 
 noise and bustle would be too much for 
 him in his present situation, prevailed upon 
 him to countermand those orders, and bid 
 the butler prepare an entertainment for the 
 tenants, on the lawn before the castle. 
 There the tenants of Dorbalec and Vistulof, 
 intermingled, and enlivened by the Count's 
 good cheer, enjoyed their rustic revelry in 
 perfect harmony. - 
 
 The Count, having summoned Roso- 
 maski and Rhodiska to his bedside, ad- 
 dressed them thus : — 
 
 " My dear children, only one thing re- 
 mains to crown your and my happiness. 
 Need I mention it ? — It is your union. 
 Let the ceremony be this instant per- 
 formed. I have sent for a priest, who is 
 now in the castle. It is useless to delay 
 
 h 6 what 
 
156 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 what we all wish for, and is within our 
 reach." 
 
 Rosomaski threw himself on his knees 
 by the bedside, and thanked the Count in 
 the warmest terms : he rose only to pros- 
 trate himself again before Rhodiska, and 
 implore her not to refuse him that boon 
 which her father had proffered. 
 
 " I hope/' said Rhodiska, crimsoning, 
 f * that I have ever complied with my father's 
 
 wishes. 
 
 " Enough !" cried the Count — " let the 
 priest be sent for/' 
 
 The impatient Rosomaski would not 
 wait the slow motions of an uninterested 
 messenger — he flew to find the priest, and 
 returned with him instantlv. The knot, 
 which death alone could dissolve, was then 
 tied, and Rosomaski embraced his own Rho- 
 diska. The news soon spread throughout 
 the castle, and reached the lawn, whence 
 the shouts of the happy rustics re-echoed 
 them back again to the castle. 
 
 After several days passed in rejoicing, 
 
 Byloff 
 
Tin: DIVISIBLE BflEMY. 157 
 
 Byloff and Ludowico went to Yistulof, to 
 take possession of it in the name of Leo- 
 pold Rosomaski. They met with no op- 
 position, as Lanfranco had never been 
 heard of since he went to Cracow ; which, 
 to those who knew what happened there, 
 was no wonder ; neither was he so well be- 
 loved, that any one interested himself in 
 his fate. 
 
 m* *\r * 
 
 chap, viii, 
 
 JL HE happiness of Rosomaski and Rho- 
 diska would have known no bounds, if it 
 had not been interrupted by their fears for 
 the Count her father, whose health de- 
 clined very visibly. In due time, she pre- 
 sented 
 
158 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 sented her husband with a daughter, wha 
 was baptized Paulina; and the noble soul 
 of Count Pefrowilz, which seemed to 
 linger on earth, only till it witnessed this 
 completion of their happiness, was now 
 preparing to take its flight to the regions 
 of immortality. lie delayed, almost to 
 the latest moment, to give the melancholy 
 intelligence to his children ; but he was at 
 last obliged to summon them to his bedside. 
 tc My dear children/' said he, taking one 
 of their hands in each of his, "there is one 
 debt which all of us must pay ; but it is 
 terrible only to those who have not pre- 
 pared themselves for it. 1 trust that is 
 not my case. I have endeavoured to ful- 
 fill my duty in life, as a son, a husband, a 
 father, a man, and a christian : deatn, 
 therefore, has no terrors for me. My 
 daughter, I leave you in the arms of a man 
 whose virtue has been proved— My son, I 
 have. given you the strongest mark of my 
 esteem, by entrusting to vour care the 
 most sacred pledge which Heaven ever con- 
 fided 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 159 
 
 Tided to mine. Continue happy in each 
 other, and may the Almighty bless you 
 both!" 
 
 After a pause, which was interrupted 
 only by the heart-rending sobs and sighs 
 of Rhodkka, the Count added — 
 
 " My dear children, leave me now — 
 I have done with the affairs of this world, 
 and must devote the few remaining mo- 
 ments to prepare for the next. God pre- 
 serve you V 
 
 Rosomaski grasped his hand, and then 
 took Rhodiska's, to lead her out of the 
 chamber; but she no sooner saw herself 
 about to be taken from her father for the 
 last time, than she gave vent to her grief, 
 and falling on the bed, bedewed his face 
 with her tears. The Count beckoned to 
 Rosomaski to take her away ; and he car- 
 ried her out of the room, quite senseless. 
 
 Two hours afterwards, the good old 
 Count breathed his last. 
 
 Dining the three succeeding days, Ro- 
 somaski suffered Rhodiska to give vent to 
 
 her 
 
160 TEE INVISIBLE ENEMY". 
 
 her grief, without attempting to stop the 
 torrent. It then became necessary to offer 
 her some consolation, 
 
 <c The loss of a tender and affectionate 
 parent/' said he, c: is great — it is irrepa- 
 rable ; but it is the will of Heaven* and 
 submission is piety. Consider, my dearest 
 Rhodiska, that you have fulfilled your duty 
 as a daughter; but ycu have still one no 
 less important to perform — that of a pa- 
 rent. If your affection for me should be 
 entirely absorbed in the greatness of your 
 late loss, yet do not let it rob our little 
 innocent, our Paulina, of a m other's at- 
 tentions. " 
 
 At these words he brought the infant, 
 and holding it towards Rhodiska, he said, 
 " Will you suffer your immoderate grief to 
 deprive us of this too^ our only consolar 
 tion?" 
 
 Rhodiska clasped the infant, and letting 
 fall a shower of tears, her grief began to 
 abate, as her maternal tenderness revived. 
 On the day preceding that in winch the 
 
 last 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 16-1 
 
 last mournful token of respect was to be 
 paid to the Count's remains, Kosomaski 
 prevailed upon her to suffer herself to be 
 removed to Vistulof, where every thing 
 had been prepared for their reception. 
 
 Kosomaski thought that the best mode 
 of restoring pence to the wounded mind of 
 Rhodiskaj would be that of finding some 
 little agreeable employment for her; and 
 BylofF soon gave him an opportunity,, by 
 acquainting mm, that the unfortunate 
 daughter of old Irvan was still at Vistulof, 
 and that he had made known to her some 
 part of his adventure with him in his soli- 
 tude. 
 
 " My dear Rhodiska/' said Kosomaski, 
 <! this is your affair. Here is one of vour 
 own sex who has been imprudent; but we 
 have no reason to believe that she has been 
 viciously so. Besides that, to her misfor- 
 tune we owe cur deliyeranpe from Lan- 
 franeoj and the hap- : > which we now 
 enjoy in each other, I know that the sen- 
 sibility 
 
162 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 sibility of your heart will be .delighted at 
 restoring this erring female to the right 
 path. Suppose you were to converse with 
 her, and let her find that she is not aban- 
 doned by all the world." 
 
 " It will be an agreeable task to me," 
 replied Rhodiska, " to restore her to her- 
 self and to her father." 
 
 Zerbetta was sent for, and Rosornaski 
 \eh the room, that there might be no 
 check upon their conversation. Rhodiska, 
 who, without the least tincture of prudery, 
 was strictly virtuous, received Zerbetta 
 with the utmost kindness; and having ex- 
 pressed her sense of the obligations which 
 herself and her husband lay under to her 
 father, she made that a pretence of wish- 
 ing to do whatever she could to render the 
 situation of his daughter comfortable. 
 Either a tender remembrance of her aged 
 father, or Rhodiska 's kindness, or perhaps 
 both, suffused the eves of Zerbetta with 
 tears. 
 
 <c Alas, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 163 
 
 C( Alas, Madam/' replied she, " you- 
 know my unfortunate story. I am unwor- 
 thy of your favour, and of a father's soli- 
 citude. Suffer me to live with you, and, 
 from your example,, to endeavour, in fu- 
 ture, to retrieve what is past." 
 
 " My dear Zerbeita," cried Rhodiska, 
 rising and embracing her, " it delights my 
 heart to hear that you are sensible of your 
 errors. The greatest obstacle is overcome, 
 and your return to virtue will be easy. 
 Your father must be reconciled to you." 
 
 " Ah, Madam, that is what I most wish 
 and dread. I long to see him again, to 
 embrace his aged knees, and to entreat 
 forgiveness; but how can I bear his just 
 reproaches ?" 
 
 " He will make you none," said Rho- 
 diska — <( My husband will prepare him to 
 forget the past, and to receive you as if 
 you had been faultless." 
 
 Rosomaski entered the room soon after- 
 wards, and having been informed of what 
 had passed, he assured Zerbetta of his good 
 
 oftice s 
 
16i TEE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 offices in so obliging a manner, as drew 
 the tears again from her eyes. 
 
 The kind offices of humanity, in which 
 Rhodiska had been engaged, had so ani- 
 mated her' face, and made her forget her 
 own sorrows, that Rosomaski was deter- 
 mined not to lo^e what he had so happily 
 gained. He immediately dispatched BylofF, 
 well mounted, to bring Irvan with him to 
 Vistulof. In less than three hours, BylofY 
 fulfilled his task, and Rosomaski went to 
 prepare Irvan for the meeting. 
 
 " My good friend/' said Rosomaski, 
 " after owing all my happiness on earth to 
 you, it cannot surprise you, that I should 
 be anxious to contribute towards yours. 
 I am not going to offer you wealth, but I 
 think I can restore you to that peace of 
 mind, to which you have been so long a 
 stranger. Your daughter is now under this 
 roof; and, from the conversation which 
 my Rhodiska has had with her, it will re- 
 joice you to hear, that she is truly sensible 
 of her errors — that she is anxious to*return 
 
 to 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 1G5 
 
 to virtue. There is only one thing want- 
 ing — in order to reconcile her to herself, 
 von must be reconciled to her/' 
 
 " Yv> a have indeed rendered me happy/* 
 replied Irvan — " and, that there may be 
 no check to my daughter's laudable re- 
 solve, you may acquaint her that I for- 
 give her — will never cease to pray Heaven 
 to confirm her in it, and, with my last 
 breath, will bless her." 
 
 " But you must see her," said Roso- 
 maski.. 
 
 " I can refuse nothing/' replied Irvan, 
 " to those who are reclaiming my stray 
 lamb." 
 
 Rosomaski led Irvan to the room where 
 Zerbetta was sitting with Rhodiska. Irvan 
 no sooner entered the room than he paused, 
 and looked earnestly at Zerbetta. For 
 some moments she was chained to her seat 
 by a conscious awe, and covered her face 
 with her hands; but presently recovering 
 herself, she rose, and threw herself at his 
 feet. Paternal fondness was instantly tri- 
 umphant 
 
168 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 umphant in the breast of Irvan, who flung 
 his arms around her neck, and sobbed out, 
 cc -My dear Zerbetta ! my dear child ! may 
 Heaven forgive thee, as I do most sin- 
 cerely V This tender scene between fa- 
 ther and daughter, revived, in the heart of 
 Rhodiska, her recent loss ; and she was 
 once more sinking into despondency, when 
 Rosomaski, who guessed her sensations, em- 
 braced her most tenderly, and whispered to 
 her — cc I knew how grateful this scene 
 would be to your susceptible heart ; finish 
 what you have so well begun, and you 
 will have all the glory of having rescued 
 an unhappy female from wretchedness." 
 
 Irvan had, by this time, raised his daugh- 
 ter, and leading her towards Rhodiska — 
 
 t( Behold," said he, " how happy are 
 the votaries of virtue ! They find in it a 
 consolation under the severest trials. My 
 daughter, if ever you should again find 
 yourself wavering, remember the Countess 
 Rosomaski, and that will be sufficient to 
 confirm you." 
 
 Rosomaski 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 167 
 
 Rosomaski trun introduced the subject 
 of their future mode of life, and made Ir- 
 van two proposals — that he should have 
 his former cottage, or some other, rent 
 free ; or that he and his daughter should 
 reside in the castle. 
 
 Si For myself/' replied Irvan, cc I should 
 prefer my old solitude, to which I am ha- 
 bituated ; but my daughter can never be 
 so well placed as in the service of the 
 Countess, from whose example she w r ill re- 
 ceive dailv benefit/' 
 
 <e Then tarrv here both of you/' said 
 Rosomaski — " Zerbetta will find a friend 
 in my Rhodiska; and you need not pine 
 for your solitude, as you may live as re- 
 tired, and employ yourself in what man- 
 ner yon please." 
 
 Irvan and Zerbetta joyfully accepted the 
 proposal, and Rosomaski was rejoiced at 
 having found means of diverting the grief 
 of Rhodiska, who entered with pleasure 
 into the scheme of making a permanent 
 reformation in the wandering female. So 
 
 humane 
 
163 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 humane an undertaking ti^ust have created 
 esteem in every upright heart ; but it cre- 
 ated only malignant jealousy in the perfi- 
 dious bosom of Dorothea,, whose guilt had 
 escaped detection, and who had accom- 
 panied her mistress to Vistulof. When 
 Rhodiska was carried off bv Lanfranco's 
 emissaries, she had pretended to make a 
 <n*ent stt?ug;£le, as if to rescue her. which 
 she did not intend should be effectual ; 
 and uttered a loud cry, Which she knew 
 could never reach the Castle of Dorbalec, 
 at that distance. It had had, however, the 
 effect of deceiving Rhodiska, who imagined 
 that she was left in despair. When Do- 
 rothea ran in to alarm the castle, and also 
 when her mistress was brought back safe, 
 she counterfeited the extremes of grief and 
 joy so well, that no one could suspect her 
 of imitation. She hoped still to enjoy the 
 misplaced confidence of her mistress ; but, 
 after her nuptials, Rhodiska wisely and 
 prudently resolved to make her husband 
 «nly her confidant. Dorothea was, at first, 
 5 hurt 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 169 
 
 hurt at this resolve; but she presently com- 
 forted herself with the thoughts of the 
 money which had been the price of her 
 treachery, and with being still the princi- 
 pal attendant on the person of Rhodiska^ 
 whence she still hoped to derive a profit. 
 
 A connection in vice, as well as in vir- 
 tue, often begets a sympathetic intimacy : 
 so it was with Dorothea and Zokalef, one 
 of the male domestics of Dorbalec, who 
 had been also bribed by Lan franco, and was • 
 the person who had made the hole in the 
 tower, through which the emissaries of 
 Lanfranco. had entered, and Rhodiska had 
 been carried oil'. Dorothea and Zokalef 
 had agreed upon an union, as soon as their 
 treachery should have procured them what 
 thev should think a sum sufficient to enable 
 them to launch out into the world. 
 
 When Dorothea was on the point of 
 leaving Dorbalec, to follow Rhodiska to 
 Yistulof, she hinted at the connection which 
 subsisted between herself and Zokalef, to 
 Rhodiska, who, willing to please her fa- 
 vor,, i. i vourite, 
 
170 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 vourite, prevailed upon Rosomaski to let 
 Zokalef also attend them. Rosomaski was 
 the more inclined to receive Zokalef, who 
 had lived several years at Dorbalec, be- 
 cause he had given directions to Byloff to 
 dismiss all the domestics at Vistulof, who 
 had been engaged since his father's death ; 
 as he could not depend upon any who had 
 merited the confidence of Theodoric or 
 Lan franco. When ByloiT had performed 
 this order, he found that, of all the domes- 
 tics, the old porter was the only person 
 who was of that description which he Was 
 to retain. This matter he had signified to 
 Rosomaski, who was glad to have a domes- 
 tic who had lived so long with the late 
 Count Petrowitz as Zokalef had done. A 
 gardener, who did not sleep in the castle, 
 and two female servants, who did, were all 
 the additional domestics which were at Vis- 
 tulof, when Rosomaski and Rhodiska re- 
 moved thither. 
 
 Dorothea, who vainly imagined that, as 
 soon as the first passion of love began to 
 
 abate, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. I ? \ 
 
 abate, she would gain her usual ascendan< 
 over her mistress, and be able to turn it to 
 •her future advantage, was chagrined at see- 
 ing Zerbctta, whom she regarded as a rival, 
 take up so much of her mistress's atten- 
 tion. But she dissembled her jealousy, in 
 the hopes of finding some opportunity, for 
 which she was determined to lie in wait, of 
 ruining her in the esteem of Rhodiska. 
 Zerbetia, however, conducted herself so 
 discreetly, and gained so much upon Rho- 
 diska, by the constant attention which she 
 paid to the little Paulina, that Dorothea 
 could scarcely restrain the marks of her 
 resentment, and disappointed avarice. 
 
 In the mean time, as a distance of space 
 softens and renders pleasing those riisr&ed 
 
 AT O C>0 
 
 precipices, which, seen close at hand, would 
 have created awe and terror, so does a 
 distance of time wear away those troubles, 
 which, at first, appear insupportable and 
 overwhelming. Rhodiska's keen grief for 
 the loss of her father, began, at length, to 
 subside into a veneration and tender re- 
 
 i 2 eel 
 
172 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 spect for his memory. Rosomaski never 
 lost a single opportunity of contributing 
 to the tranquillity of his Rhodiska. As 
 Vistulof was, from thenceforth, to be the 
 chief place of their residence, Rosomaski 
 determined to render it not only com- 
 pletely convenient, but also to give a de- 
 gree of elegance to the exterior. He con- 
 sulted Rhodiska, and they drew plans to- 
 gether. This employment kept her mind 
 almost constantly engaged, and banished 
 melancholy reflections. When they had 
 adopted what they thought the best plan, 
 he prevailed upon her also to give her 
 opinion on the execution of it. 
 
 In little more than the space of a year^ 
 the interior of the castle was not onlv ren- 
 dered convenient and pleasant, but the 
 greatest part of the rubbish, which incum- 
 bered the exterior, and almost denied a 
 passage, was removed. Those venerable 
 relics of antiquity, which still retained any 
 part of their pristine grandeur and form, 
 were spared ; and, as they appeared stand- 
 
 ing 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 173 
 
 ing by themselves,- they resembled, on ap- 
 proaching the castle, those ancient Egyp- 
 tian ruins, which are still the admiration 
 of travellers, in the neighbourhood of 
 Alexandria. 
 
 When all these improvements were nearly 
 completed, Rosomaski and Rhodiska began 
 to arrange their different departments of 
 domestic economy. Although Rosomaski 
 had hired a gardener to perform all the la- 
 borious part of that occupation, yet, as he 
 was convinced that the art of cultivating 
 the earth was the most agreeable, as well 
 as the noblest of all employments,, he took 
 a delight in attending the flower-beds, the 
 fruit-trees, and the more delicate plants. 
 Oftentimes he held in his hand the spade, 
 the watering-pot, or the pruning-knife. 
 Rhodiska was no less disoosed than her 
 husband, to take a pleasure in every thing 
 which pertained to rural employments. 
 She divided her time between the attention 
 which she paid to her little Paulina, the 
 caresses of conjugal love, and the relaxa- 
 
 i 3 tions 
 
174 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 tions which are derived from the study of 
 music, and the interesting details of a poul- 
 try-yard. Assisted by a single female do- 
 mestic, who performed the laborious part. 
 she herself sufficed for the government of 
 all her subjects. She would often thank 
 her stars, for having to sway only docile 
 fowls, and other different species, equally 
 pacific and tractable. 
 
 Sometimes, when domestic affairs would 
 permit, Rosornaski and Ludowico would 
 amuse themselves with shooting; at other 
 times, Rhodrska would accompany them, 
 when they went upon the more sedentary 
 amusement, of ensnaring the finny race 
 with the treacherous bait. 
 
 But the details of the marriage-state, 
 however delightful to the parties them- 
 selves, are monotonous and tedious to 
 strangers, unless marked bv some very 
 strange occurrences, and prominent ad- 
 ventures. If ever there was an union which 
 promised conjugal felicity, it was that of 
 Rhodiska and Rosornaski. At the time 
 
 when 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 175 
 
 when it took place, Rhodiska was on the 
 point of completing her seventeenth y 
 If nature, the better to assure to virtue the 
 homage of mortals, was to offer it to their 
 eyes under the form of beauty, she could 
 not have adorned the female, who was in- 
 tended to represent it, with more perfec- 
 tions than she had bestowed on Rhodiska. 
 A noble dignity impressed on her fore- 
 head, discovered the elevation of her soul ; 
 the fire of sentiment animated her looks ; 
 the tender carnation of modesty tinged 
 her cheeks; gentleness and kindness danced 
 in her smiles; her auburn hair played 
 without art, on the velvet tissue of her 
 neck of alabaster ; the display of her shape 
 was designed by the graces ; the accents of 
 her voice were melody itself: to sum up 
 the whole, there was spread over her per- 
 son an intoxicating charm, w T hose power 
 could never fail to seduce ail eyes, and to 
 subdue all hearts. This union of so many 
 perfections would seem never to have ex 
 isted, but in the imagination ; and yet na- 
 
 i 4 ture 
 
176 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 ture had realized it, to make of Rhodiska 
 a most enchanting woman. To have added 
 another charm would have been superflu- 
 ous ; as, in the words of our immortal 
 poet — 
 * 
 
 To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, 
 
 To throw a perfume on the violet, 
 
 To 'smooth the ice, or add another hue 
 
 Unto the rainbow, cr, with taper light", 
 
 To seek the beauteous eye of heav'n to garnish, 
 
 Is wasteful and ridiculous excess. 
 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 The goddess had been scarcely less pro- 
 digal towards Rosomaski, who was, at the 
 time of his marriage, in his twentieth year. 
 A majestic port, large black eyes, in which 
 his lofty soul was seen in all its beauty, a 
 countenance, which pleased still more by 
 the expression of its tout ensemble than by 
 the regularity of its features, a frank and 
 generous character, a mind replete with 
 delicacy, and a heart formed for love and 
 friendship, were the gifts which rendered 
 
 him. 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 177 
 
 him worthy of Rhodiska. Rosomaski, how- 
 ever^ was not without a defect. It is very 
 rare to find a couple equally perfect. Fiery 
 and impetuous,, he had less mildness than 
 Rhodiska. If he had had the least reason 
 to doubt the attachment and virtue of his 
 wife, he would have had a propensity to 
 iealousv. More than once he gave way to 
 slight sallies of warmth; but Rhodiska had 
 so much merit,, that she knew how to allay 
 them almost in an instant, and in the same 
 instant she pardoned them, in considera- 
 tion of the goodness of his heart. Roso- 
 maski knew how to appreciate the value of 
 Rhodiska, and he rendered her tenderness 
 for tenderness. It was no vender then 
 that two such hearts, cemented by love, 
 should experience, when tin assailed by fo- 
 reign troubles, the utmost harmony, plea- 
 sure, ease, and tranquillity. 
 
 ouch had been the state of Rosomaski 
 and Rhodiska during several years; in 
 which space, Rhpdiska had presented her 
 husband with three children, beside rau- 
 
 i j Iinat. 
 
ITS THK INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 Una. They seemed now to have reached 
 the top of Fortune's wheel ; but the fickle 
 goddess soon convinced them that it was 
 never stationary, and one of its revolutions 
 brought all their felicitv to the ground. 
 
 A fever, which was supposed to have 
 been introduced into the castle by a men- 
 dicant, who had not in vain solicited shel- 
 ter during a stormy night, raged violently 
 within the walls of Vistiilof, and, in less 
 than a wee!;, carried off the three younger 
 children of Rhpdrska and R'csomaski, the 
 faithful and worthy BylofT, and several of 
 the domestics. Paulina also caught the in- 
 fection, and her life was, for some days., 
 despaired of; but it pleased Heaven to 
 spare the afflicted parents that one conso- 
 lation ; and she, deep as w 7 ere their wounds, 
 made them still retain an attachment for 
 life. 
 
 BylofF, according to his last wish, was 
 deposited under the same sod with his be- 
 loved partner; and the filial piety of Ludo- 
 wico, and almost filial love of Rosomaski, 
 
 caused 
 
THE INVISIELE ENEMY. 179 
 
 caused it to be surrounded with an iron 
 railing, to prevent the depository of these 
 dear remains from being intruded upon, 
 except when the eyes of filial duty and of 
 friendship approached, to drop the sacred 
 tear to their memory. 
 
 This dreadful loss was only the fore- 
 runner of unparalleled sufferings, which 
 did not approach the walls of Vistulof ' 
 with a limping pace, but followed one 
 another in rapid, and almost continued 
 succession. 
 
 i 6 CHAP; 
 
180 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 ^'NE 'evening, when Rosomaski and Lu- 
 dowico returned from their usual amuse- 
 ments, they were met by Rhodiska at the 
 hall-door, apparently in great consterna- 
 tion. Rosomaski instantly enquired into 
 the cause of it. €( You know," replied 
 she, (C that I do not easily give way to 
 groundless fears; but, during the greatest 
 part of the last hour, my ears have been 
 assailed by rumbling confused sounds, 
 which appear to issue from underneath the 
 castle, as if some persons were forcing their 
 way into the subterraneans." Rosomaski 
 told her, that, in all probability, some of 
 
 the 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 131 
 
 the labourers on the exterior of the castle, 
 had been at work later than usual ; and that 
 the echoes of the sounds of their pick-axes 
 and sledge-hammers, in the subterraneans, 
 had produced the cause of her alarm. 
 
 Dorothea affirmed, that, although she was 
 sitting in the same room with her mistress, 
 yet she had heard nothing extraordinary. 
 " I shall not disbelieve my own sense of 
 hearing-, for all that," said Rhodiska — 
 " neither shall I be able to rest till the 
 subterraneans are searched/' Rosomaski 
 told her, that she should have that satis- 
 faction immediately ; and, whilst he and 
 Ludowico were, arming themselves, Doro- 
 thea was sent to bid Zokalef get a torch, 
 and accompany them. After a long inter- 
 val, she returned with Zokalef, w ho walked 
 before Rosomaski and Ludowico, through- 
 out the whole of the spacious vaults. No- 
 thing was. seen, nothing heard, except the 
 sounds of their feet and voices, echoed from 
 one to the other of these caverns. They 
 looked into everv corner, every recess, but 
 
 discovered 
 
182 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 discovered nothing to alarm them. Roso- 
 maski demanded of Zokalef, if he had heard 
 any unusual noises ? "None/* 5 replied he, 
 " but what are usual,, and those ceased 
 when the workmen had finished their day's 
 labour/' Rosomaski and Ludowico were 
 now persuaded that the sounds which Rho- 
 diska had heard, were only those of the 
 workmen, and they returned to put an end 
 to her disquietude. At the usual hour, 
 they all retired to rest. 
 
 Night had long enveloped our hemi- 
 sphere in her sable mantle, and all the cares 
 of life were nearly drowned in sleep, when 
 Rosomaski and '. Rhodiska. were suddenly 
 alarmed by a loud grating noise, and rum- 
 bling motion, somewhat resembling the 
 rolling of an immense weight over a pave- 
 ment. Rosomaski instantly rose and seized 
 his arms, which he had placed on a table in 
 his chamber. He took the lamp, which 
 was usually burning at night, on account 
 of the child, and proceeded to Luciowico's 
 chamber, who had been awakened by the 
 
 same 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 1S3 
 
 same noise, and was dressing himself. They 
 descended into the subterraneans, and, just 
 as they reached the entrance into the prin- 
 cipal vault, they heard the sound of foot- 
 steps — they stopped, and presently saw a 
 glimmering light. They advanced towards 
 the door, which was half open ; and, as 
 soon as they pushed it, they beheld a man 
 with a dark Ianthorn in his hand, whose 
 weak and vacillating light was not sufficient 
 to enable them to distinguish his features. 
 Instantly they heard a voice saying, cc You 
 have no reason to be alarmed, my masters; 
 it is only I, Zokalef. Having heard the 
 noise, which has undoubtedly awakened 
 you, I rose to discover the cause of it, and 
 I think I have succeeded. If you* Jock at 
 this mill-stone, which was placed on its 
 ed^e against the wall, but has slidden down, 
 and fallen on the pavement, you will be 
 convinced, as well as myself, that 1 here is 
 no occasion to look any further." As this 
 vault contained several mill-stones, for the 
 use of the mill, belonging to Vistulof, one 
 5 of 
 
154 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY! 
 
 of the largest of which lav horizontally on 
 the pavement, this explanation of Zokalef 
 appeared quite satisfactory. They re- 
 ascended — Rcsomaski again wished his 
 frier;! a good night ; and, after having re- 
 moved the disquietude of Rhodiska, they 
 passed the remainder of the night without 
 any further disturbance. 
 
 As these alarms were succeeded by a 
 profound tranquillity during a months the 
 inhabitants of Yistulof had recovered their 
 ease, and thought themselves in perfect 
 security; but they, reckoned without their 
 host. 
 
 One night, the tinkling bell had sounded 
 that hour of silence, in which mortals are 
 commonly plunged into so death-like a 
 
 J X o 
 
 sleep, that r slight noise will not rouse 
 them out of it : such was the state of Ko- 
 somaski ; but, as a tender solicitude alwavs 
 keeps a mother half awake, lest her infant 
 should require her attention, Rhodiska 
 slumbered only, and so slightly, that she 
 imagined she heard footsteps in the gallery. 
 
 She 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 185 
 
 She listened with the utmost attention, and 
 heard them stop at the door of her cham- 
 ber. Dreading to give Rosomaski a false 
 alarm, she gently drew back the curtain, 
 and listened again. She heard a voice say- 
 ing, in a low murmuring tone, " Do not 
 forget the child:'' another answered, "Not 
 one of them shall escape." No longer 
 doubting the danger which threatened 
 them, she cried out, " Rouse, Rosomaski ! 
 arm ! arm !" Rosdmaski had only just 
 time to seize his pistols before the door 
 v^as forced ooen ; and three frightful 
 figures entered, lighted by dark lanthorns. 
 They all wore masks, which were painted 
 so as to inspire horror, as well as their 
 dress, which was black, with red cloaks. 
 Their arms were naked to the shoulders, 
 and their hands grasped murderous axes, 
 whose polished blades reflected the rays of 
 their lanthorns, which were suspended to 
 their girdles. At the sight of these satel- 
 lites of death, Rhodiska uttered a piercing 
 cry, and shrunk under the clothes, to avoid 
 
 the 
 
186 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 the terrific sight. Even the intrepid soul 
 of Rosomaski felt a momentary torpor, 
 which prevented .his beginning the work 
 of death. He was, however, soon roused 
 by the entrance of a fourth person, who, 
 without uttering a syllable, aimed a stroke 
 of his sabre at one of the preceding three, 
 and instantly the s6unds of the clashing 
 sabre and axes, made all the walls of the 
 old castle resound. At that instant, Ro- 
 somaski discharged one of his pistols, and 
 wounded one of the three villains in the 
 left arm. He drew back, and rejoined the 
 other two, who were repulsing the person 
 who had come to the assistance of this un- 
 fortunate family, in the gallery. Rosomaski 
 pursued him into the gallery, and there 
 the action recommenced. The person who 
 had made so fortunate a diversion for Ro- 
 somaski, was Ludowico, who, being awa- 
 kened by the cries of Rhodiska, had flown 
 to the defence o£ his friends. He conti- 
 nued to fight with the greatest resolution ; 
 but, at length, Rosomaski beheld him fall 
 
 under 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 187 
 
 under the blow of one of the villains, who 
 had contrived to get behind him. Roso- 
 maski., who, till then, had reserved the 
 fire of his remaining' pistol, for fear of 
 hurting his friend, instantly fired, and the 
 axe dropped from the hand of the villain 
 who had felled his friend, and was pre- 
 paring to dispatch him with it. Roso- 
 maski was then unarmed ; yet he was about 
 to grapple with one of the assassins, in 
 hopes to wrest the axe from his hand, 
 when Rhodiska, who had assumed courage 
 enough to look out when she heard the 
 sounds retiring to the gallery, and saw that 
 Rosomaski, in his hurry, had forgotten his 
 sabre., with the greatest presence of mind 
 brought it to him. Rosomaski, maddened 
 to desperation by the fall of Ludowico, 
 fell upon the assassins with so much fury, 
 that, finding: themselves unable to with- 
 stand his impetuosity, and smarting with 
 the wounds from his strokes, which they 
 had not been able to parry with their axes., 
 they took to flight, aJid 4 darkening their 
 
 Ian thorns, 
 
188 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 lanthorns, prevented Rosomaski from see- 
 ing which way they went. Rosomaski 
 called to Rhodiska to bring him the lamp, 
 which he had no sooner received, than he 
 descended. the great staircase, and searched 
 all the lower parts of the castle, without 
 seeing any one. At last he perceived 
 that one of the windows had been broken 
 open, and he no Jonger doubted but that 
 they had made their escape through it. 
 
 Rosomaski then began to think of the 
 situation of Ludowico, and he ascended the 
 staircase and hastened back to the gallery, 
 where he found him in the arms of Irvan, 
 whom the reports of the pistols had roused, 
 whilst Rhodiska and Zerbetta were staunch- 
 ing the blood of his wounds, which were 
 on the side of his head, and on his shoulder. 
 Ludowico was still senseless, but his wounds 
 did not appear to be very dangerous. The 
 axe had fortunately glided fro'm his head to 
 his shoulder: if it had fallen directly on 
 the former, it must have been instant death. 
 Rosomaski helped to convey him to his 
 
 bed, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 189 
 
 bed, where., after binding up his wounds, 
 and giving him some cordial drops, he had 
 the happiness of seeing him give signs of 
 returning life. He had been at first stun- 
 ned by the blow, and the loss of blood in 
 that interval had caused him to faint, as 
 soon as the first effect began to wear off. 
 
 Rosomaski, with great difficulty, pre- 
 vailed upon Rhodiska to retire to her own 
 chamber, to take care of her child, whilst 
 he himself, with Irvan and Zerbetta, re- 
 mained to watch Ludowico. After nearly 
 two hours passed in the most anxious six- 
 pence, Rosomaski was overjoyed to hear 
 his friend regain the powers of speech ; but 
 he intreated him to be silent, and endea- 
 vour to compose himself. In a short time 
 he began- to slumber, and, at length, ap- 
 peared to be in a deep sleep. Irvan and 
 Zerbetta then desired Rosomaski to retire 
 to his own chamber, and seek that repose 
 of which he must stand in need. They re- 
 presented, that he would not only break 
 
 his 
 
190 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 bis own rest, but that of Rhodiska, who, 
 would not be composed in his absence. 
 Thev promised to take as much care of his 
 friend as if he were present, and to call him 
 if any change should take place. 
 
 Rosomaski -yielded reluctantly to these 
 remonstrances, and returned to his own 
 chamber, to calm the perturbation of his 
 beloved Rhodiska. He found her anxiously 
 hanging over the little Paulina, who was 
 still in the happy sleep of infancy, and had 
 not been disturbed by the alarming and 
 disastrous tragedy which had been just 
 acted. Her tender mother, contemplating 
 her with ecstacy, and lightly kissing her 
 vermilion cheeks, was enjoying the happi- 
 ness of still possessing her beloved 
 and seeing her escaped from the dang 
 which so recently threatened her existence. 
 At the sight of Rosomaski, she ran to throw 
 herself into his arms. The mute, yet ex- 
 pressive language of their embraces, evin- 
 ced the lively and rapid sensations which 
 
 their 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 191 
 
 their affectionate hearts experienced,, at 
 finding themselves in each other's arms, 
 after so terrible a crisis. 
 
 It now struck them for the first time, 
 that although every one besides in the 
 castle had been alarmed, vet neither Doro- 
 thea nor Zokalef had been seen. Roso- 
 maski went to the upper story where they 
 lay, and knocked loudly at the doors of 
 their respective chambers; but it was some 
 time before he could gain any answer. He 
 bade Dorothea* rise and come to her mis- 
 tress's chamber, and told Zokalef to dress 
 and attend him immediately. When they 
 made their appearance, they both appeared 
 as if awakened from a sound sleep. They 
 pretended, when Rosomaski questioned 
 them, to have heard no noise, and affected 
 extreme surprise at their being roused so 
 early in the morning. 
 
 h% R.osomrski would not retire to rest 
 again till he had searched the castle, he re- 
 loaded his pistols, and with his drawn sabre, 
 accompanied by Zokalef, who carried a 
 
 lamp, 
 
192 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 lamp, he went over the whole of the apart- 
 ments, and even descended into the vaults, 
 without seeing any thing to create alarm. 
 Having thus satisfied himself, that the as- 
 sassins must have made their escape through 
 the window which he had found broken, 
 he once more retired to rest, and the re- 
 mainder of the night was perfectly calm. 
 
 In the morning, the first thoughts of Ro- 
 somaski and Rhodiska were directed to 
 Ludowico, and they were rejoiced to hear, 
 that he had passed several hours in sound 
 repose, and felt himself so well when he 
 awoke, that he was preparing to meet 
 them, as usual, at breakfast. Rosomaski 
 hastened to his chamber, and, after having 
 congratulated him on his favourable con- 
 dition, said, " My dear friend and brother, 
 how sincerely do we rejoice at cur late for- 
 tunate escape, since your own precious 
 life has not been endangered by it ! Ah ! 
 if it had been, we should have set little 
 value on our own lives, which would have 
 been purchased at too dear a rate. Come 
 
 and 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 103 
 
 and receive the heartfelt thanks and con- 
 gratulations of a wife, a mother, who owes 
 the existence of herself, her husband, and 
 child, to your intrepidity." 
 
 Rhodiska, on her part, uttered to Ludo- 
 wico all the effusions of a heart grateful 
 and sensible of so vast an obligation. Lu- 
 dowico expressed his happiness at the 
 escape of those who were so dear to him, 
 and at his having been instrumental to it, 
 at the expence of only a trifling hurt. 
 
 After breakfast, Rosomaski dispatched 
 messengers, to acquaint all the magistrates 
 of the neighbouring villages and towns 
 with this unprecedented affair, and to re- 
 quest them to keep a look-out for the per- 
 petrators. The circumstance which gave 
 this worthy family the greatest alarm was, 
 that, from the words which I hodiska had 
 heard them drop, they were evidently as- 
 sassins, and their designs were against the 
 life of the very infant. 
 
 " If they had oeen only robbers," said 
 Rhodiska, " my mind would have been at 
 
 vol. i. k rest, 
 
194 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 rest, as to any future attempt of the kind. 
 They would not risk it again, when they 
 might expect we should have been pre- 
 pared for them. Their words were — c Do 
 not forget the child!' — ' Let not one of them 
 escape!' We must have some secret and 
 malignant enemy. If Lanfranco should be 
 alive " 
 
 " He cannot be," replied Rosomaski — 
 " He was stunned by the blow of the, pistol 
 which I threw at him ; and that, added to 
 his rapid descent from the bridge into the 
 water, must have rendered it impossible 
 for him to have stemmed the current. No ; 
 he could not have escaped with life. Be- 
 sides, if he had, is it credible that he would 
 have suppressed his vengeance during so 
 many years P J 
 
 Ptosomaski was interrupted in the midst 
 of his observations, by the entrance of Zo- 
 kalef, who had been sent to inquire in the 
 neighbourhood, if any suspicious persons 
 had been seen lurking about ? He informed 
 them, that three deserters had been seen 
 
 passing 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 passing that way, whose haggard and fero- 
 cious looks appeared to bespeak them ca- 
 pable of any mischief. They were, there- 
 fore, the most likely persons to have been 
 the actors of the late bloody midnight 
 scene. He added, that they had been seen 
 to cross into the main road, and that there 
 were no more apprehensions to be enter- 
 tained of them. Ludowico concluded, from 
 the circumstances reported by Zokalef, 
 that the attack had certainly been the work 
 of those three miscreants, who had dis- 
 guised themselves to prevent a discovery; 
 and, after their defeat, had made a preci- 
 pitate retreat. Ludowico either was, or, 
 to calm the fears of Rhodiska, pretended to 
 v hc of the same opinion. He alTected not 
 to entertain the least doubt that it was 
 rather a desperate attempt of these strag- 
 gling sons of rapine and plunder, than a 
 premeditated scheme of a permanent ene- 
 i:iv, to destroy theii peace,, and glut him- 
 self with their blood. 
 
 " But they certainly sought our lives/' 
 k 2 said 
 
196 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 said Rhodiska ; cc and they as certainly have 
 carried away none of our property." 
 
 " The attempt on your lives/' said Ludo- 
 wico, " was,, perhaps, only a preliminary 
 of the robbery. If they had succeeded in 
 their intended scheme of assassination, 
 they would have proceeded to ransack the 
 castle." 
 
 « But the child!" said Rhodiska — C( if 
 they were stragglers, how could they know 
 that there was one ? and why should she 
 be included in their horrid designs?" 
 
 Neither Ludowico nor Rosomaski knew 
 what to answer to this objection ; but the 
 latter observed, that, since the danger was 
 over, it would be wiser to devise means 
 to prevent a repetition, than to puzzle 
 themselves with guessing the authors of it ; 
 in which, after all, they might not be right. 
 " I cannot conceive," added he, " how the 
 window, which was defended by a strong 
 shutter, could have been forced. I will, 
 however, this very day, cause that, and all 
 the rest on the ground floor, to be strength- 
 ened 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 197 
 
 ened with iron bars, sufficiently strong to 
 render any similar attempt impracticable. 
 
 Rhodiska applauded this scheme ; and 
 Ludowico, to lessen her apprehensions, 
 declared, that he would pass the ensuing 
 night in the watch-tower, to prevent a sur- 
 prise. Rosomaski observed, that his wound 
 must require some care, and insisted that 
 he himself would occupy that station ; and 
 Ludowico consented to it, on condition 
 that he might take bis turn on the night 
 following. These precautions, together 
 with Rosomaski 's assurances that the alarm 
 had been spread abroad, and that they 
 might rely on the vigilance of the neigh- 
 bouring magistrates, composed the pertur- 
 bation of Rhodiska. That night Rosomaski 
 mounted guard; but it passed quietly, with- 
 out his seeing or hearing any thing extra- 
 ordinary. On the next day, they were 
 more at ease ; and, after Ludowico and 
 Zokalef had watched the two next nights 
 without any cause of alarm, tranquillity 
 resumed its reign at Vistulof. 
 
 k 3 Rosomaski 
 
198 THE INVISIBLE FNEMY, 
 
 Rosomaski, however,, was resolved to 
 continue a watch every. night, at least till 
 after the accouchement of Rhodiska, who 
 was far advanced in a state of pregnancy. 
 His fears, on that account, had been much 
 exaggerated ; but Rhodiska assured him, 
 that her late fright had had no disagreeable 
 consequences. He had no difficulty to en- 
 gage one or other of the sons of his tenants, 
 who were eager to oblige him, to sit up 
 every night; and, in addition to his other 
 domestics, he engaged two of them to re- 
 main in the house, to work in the gardens 
 and pleasure-grounds. Thus secured, the 
 time passed on without any sinister event, 
 until Rhodiska presented him with a fine 
 hoy, who was named Ladislaus. 
 
 The rejoicings to which this occasion 
 gave birth, were of no short duration, and 
 happiness reigned throughout Vistulof and 
 Dorbalec ; none of the tenants of which 
 two estates, besides partaking of the good 
 cheer provided by the hospitable proprie- 
 tor, but received from him some more solid 
 
 ma 
 
the invisible enemy. 199 
 
 marks of his bounty. As the time was ar- 
 rived for the payment of the rents, which 
 were all paid in produce, as Poland is a 
 country without a maritime port, and con- 
 sequently with very little cash, Rosomaski 
 gave directions to remit all arrears to such 
 as owed any, and to such as did not, he 
 presented half the rent due, as some com- 
 pensation for the exactions which Theodo- 
 ric and Lanfranco had levied upon them. 
 This liberality of their new lord banished 
 the gloom which had long pervaded the 
 cottages of the tenants, and gave them the 
 brightest prospects. Every one was anxi- 
 ous to give some little token of their gra- 
 titude and respect; and Rosomaski had the 
 felicity of observing that they regarded him 
 as a common father, and felt a lively inte- 
 rest in his happiness, 
 
 But the demon of jealousy, envious of 
 his short-lived bliss, was busily employed 
 in preparing for him a long and continued 
 series of the most distressing adventures. 
 When the health of Rhodiska had been 
 
 k 4 quite 
 
200 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 quite restored, Rosomaski set off for Dor- 
 balec, to receive his rents. He had not 
 been gone above an hour, before Zokalef 
 and Dorothea came to the Countess with a 
 basket, which the former pretended to have 
 found on the outside of the gate. There 
 was a label attached to it, addressed — <( To 
 ike humane 'proprietors of Visttdof." On 
 opening the basket, it contained, to the 
 great astonishment of Rhodiska, a fine male 
 child, on whose breast was a paper, on 
 which were written these words — " An or- 
 phan implores your protection." Rhodiska, 
 whose heart was as easily melted at the sight 
 of distress, as the morning's frost at the 
 rising sun, instantly made the little found- 
 ling partaker of that nourishment which 
 nature had ordained only for her own La~ 
 dislans. She then ordered that an enquiry 
 should be made among the tenants, for 
 some mother who would be willing, on 
 having a handsome compensation, to nur- 
 ture the unfortunate babe, which had been 
 thus thrown in her way. In the afternoon, 
 
 word 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 201 
 
 word was brought that the messenger, who 
 had been sent upon this errand,, had suc- 
 ceeded, and had found a neat person, a 
 cottager's wife, who was ready to under- 
 take the charge, Rhodiska set out with the 
 infant j after having given orders that no 
 one should say a syllable to her husband, if 
 he returned before herself, about the child, 
 as she intended to surprise him with the 
 news. . 
 
 Rhodiska had not been gone above half 
 an hour, before a muleteer appeared at the 
 gate with a large* trunk, which, he said, 
 came from Cracow, and contained some 
 things which the Countess had ordered. 
 Dorothea, who happened to be at hand, 
 directed the men-servants to convey the 
 Urunk to the Count's cabinet ; and the mu- 
 leteer had no sooner ridden himself of his 
 charge, than he went away. 
 
 Rosomaski returned before Rhodiska, and, 
 on entering his cabinet, he perceived the 
 trunk. He paid little attention to it at first, 
 as he knew that Rhodiska had given orders. 
 
 k 5- to> 
 
202 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 to a shopkeeper at Cracow to send her a 
 quantity of linen, and he did not doubt 
 but the trunk contained what she had or- 
 dered. He was about to leave the cabinet, 
 when he perceived a letter, addressed to 
 the Countess, attached to the cord which 
 fastened the trunk. He opened it without 
 hesitation, in the supposition that it only 
 contained a bill of the goods; but what 
 was his astonishment at reading these 
 
 words 
 
 . j. 
 
 " Charming Florisca/ 
 
 11 At the moment I am writing 
 this,, I anion the point of inclosing myself 
 in the prison on which we have agreed, and 
 which will be a palace to me, since it will 
 conduct me to your feet. I shall be suffi- 
 ciently recompensed for the disagreeable 
 hours which I shall pass in this narrow 
 confinement, by the delightful moments 
 which I shall pass with you. How trans- 
 porting was your last letter ! How flatter- 
 
 ing 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 203 
 
 ino- the confession which you made me, 
 that only the authority of a father could 
 have prevailed upon you to break those 
 vows which your first love made to me. I 
 have caused our infant to be inclosed in a 
 basket and dropped at the gate of Vistulof, 
 as if abandoned by some unnatural parent. 
 
 ml -i 
 
 The deception will easily pass on the cre- 
 dulous Rosomaski, and you may embrace, 
 without suspicion, the pledge of our ardent 
 affection. When you have liberated me 
 from my prison, we will concert the means 
 of freeing vou for ever from the heavv 
 chains of matrimony, which a delicate lover 
 will replace by the flowery bands of unfet- 
 tered love. Rosomaski will then find that, 
 to be happy, a husband must possess the 
 heart of his wife, I give you now a proof, 
 that, to be near you, I would run my 
 breast against a naked sword, would march 
 over burning coals, would brave the fury 
 of the elements, and the sea, roaring un- 
 der the lash of furious winds, I shall have* 
 lived long enough, after having again; 
 
 k 6 sipped; 
 
204 
 
 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 sipped out of that cup which should be 
 touched only by the immortals. " 
 
 Rosomaski experienced the most dread- 
 ful sensations whilst he was perusing this 
 letter; but as he knew that, in similar 
 cases, a prudent silence was far better than 
 a great noise, he restrained the impetuous 
 sallies of passion. He quitted the cabinet 
 and enquired for Rhodiska. They told him, 
 that she was gone to the cottage of one of 
 his tenants, whom they named. He resolved 
 to go to meet her, and to confound her 
 with his discovery, before she could be pre- 
 pared to put any deception upon him. He 
 dissembled his grief, mounted his horse, 
 and rode off without saying another word. 
 Upon the road he entered into the follow- 
 ing soliloquy : — 
 
 if What further dreadful trials am I born 
 to undergo ! Surely they must here have 
 an end, as my heart, I feel, is mortally 
 wounded by this last and severest. Not 
 
 half 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 203 
 
 half an hour since, I imagined myself the 
 most beloved of husbands — I am now ter- 
 ribly undeceived. How capable is a wo- 
 man of refinement, even in the art of de- 
 ceiving ! Rhodiska. overwhelmed me with 
 caresses, lavished on me the tenderest ap- 
 pellations, whilst she was secretly con- 
 triving to introduce, under my very roof, 
 an infamous seducer. Cruel Rhodiska ! 
 was it necessary to make use of such pro- 
 found dissimulation ? How often have you 
 said, in running over the history of our 
 loves, that you had never felt an inclina- 
 tion for any man besides myself? I now 
 see that your actions, your words,, were all 
 deceit. I now hate, as much as I once - 
 loved you. Oh ! what odious words have 
 escaped my lips ! Rhodiska,, do not believe 
 me — I am not in my senses — I love, I doat 
 upon you — I should be worse than a bar- 
 barian, to condemn before I have heard 
 you. Was there ever a soul which appeared 
 so pure ; protestations which seemed so in- 
 genuous ? No — impossible. That accursed 
 
 letter 
 
206 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 
 
 letter must have been the work of some 
 disappointed rival,, to poison our hitherto 
 unembittered chalice of felicity.'' 
 
 As he ended this speech, he perceived 
 the cottage to which he had been directed, 
 and riding up to the door, a woman ap- 
 peared with two children in her arms. He 
 demanded if the Countess Rosomaski was 
 there? and was answered, that she had not 
 been long gone. " Are these both your 
 children?" demanded Rosomaski. 
 
 "•This on my left arm is/' replied the 
 woman — " the other has been just now 
 placed under my care by the .Countess/' 
 
 Rosomaski darted a furious glance at the 
 latter unfortunate little being, and turning 
 about his horse, rode back towards Vistulof. 
 *i There is no longer any room for doubt/' 
 said he — ci the letter has opened my eyes 
 to the truth, and the child is a proof of her 
 duplicity and infidelity. Perjured woman ! 
 she is now returned to Vistulof to receive 
 her paramour; but the meeting will not be 
 so happy as they expect. " He then clap- 
 ped 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 207 
 
 ped spurs to his horse,, which, obeying the 
 impatience of its rider, arrived at the gates 
 of Visf ulof, covered with foam. 
 
 Rhodisrka had arrived about ten minutes 
 before ; and, as she entered the gates, the 
 clock sounded eight, and it was dusk. The 
 porter informed her, that the Count had 
 returned, but had gone out again, after 
 some few minutes. As she entered the 
 hall, Dorothea met her. (i Madam/' said 
 she, " you will find in your cabinet a trunk, 
 which a muleteer brought scon after you 
 were gone. Here is the key of it, which 
 the muleteer forgot to deliver with the 
 trunk, and he returned with it soon after 
 the Count went in search of you." 
 
 " I suppose/' said Rhodiska, " that it is 
 the linen which I ordered to be sent to me 
 from Cracow/' 
 
 She, went to the cabinet and opened the 
 trunk ; but, instead of linen, beheld a man. 
 Any woman, less courageous than Rho- 
 diska, would have fainted at the sight; but, 
 with her usual presence of mind, she ran 
 5 to 
 
208 THb INVISIBLE ENEMY* 
 
 to a drawer, where she knew that Rcso- 
 maski kept a case of loaded pistols, and 
 taking them in her hands, returned towards 
 the trunk. Her surprise was increased, at 
 seeing that he remained almost motionless^ 
 Compassion soon succeeded to her former 
 emotions, when, on looking nearer, she- 
 observed that the unfortunate man had a. 
 bandage on his mouth, which was fastened 
 at the back of his head, to prevent his 
 making any outcry. Far from having the 
 appearance of a man who could harbour 
 any evil designs, his countenance wore the- 
 impression of grief and dejection,- and 
 seemed to implore her commiseration. She 
 laid down the pistols, and assisted to draw 
 him out of the trunk ; w 7 hence, either from 
 long confinement or the narrowness of his 
 prison, he was extricated with difficulty, 
 She then cut the straps which fastened the 
 bandage upon his mouth, and prevented^, 
 as she imagined, the power of speech; but, 
 although freed from this trammel, the man 
 uttered only some inarticulate sounds. His 
 
 eyes, 
 
TFIK INVISIBLE ENEMY. 209 
 
 eyes, however, appeared wet with tears of 
 gratitude ; and to atone, by his gestures, 
 for the deficiency of speech, he threw him- 
 self on his knees before Rhodiska, and took 
 one of her hands, Which he placed on his 
 lips. 
 
 ft. I. » f i ,m ;;- 
 
 chap. x. 
 
 A 
 
 T that instant the doer opened, and 
 Rhodiska heard a VGicc exclaiming, <( Per- 
 fidious pair, your blood shall wipe away my 
 dishonour !" A man advanced, brandishing 
 a flittering: sabre, Rhodiska recognized 
 Rosomaski, and fell into a swoon. The idea 
 o{ being surprised, in a situation where 
 all appearances united against her, to de- 
 clare 
 
§10 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 clare her unfaithful to her conjugal vow, 
 was more alarming to her than her per- 
 sonal danger. The object of her misfor- 
 tune, seeing Rosomaski about to strike at 
 him, rose instantly, seized one of the r>is- 
 tols which Rhcdiska had placed on the 
 floor, and put himself in an attitude of 
 defence. Rosomaski, without losing a mo- 
 ment, made a blow at him ; but the blade 
 fell on a button of his coat, and, gliding 
 off on his arm, produced jrco other effect 
 than to make him drop the pistol, with 
 which he had armed himself Rosomaski 
 picked it up, and, holding the muzzle to 
 the man's breast, cried out, "-Who are 
 you, and what is your business in this 
 place ? Speak this instant, or you are a 
 corpse V The man only uttered seme in- 
 articulate sounds, and made some signifi- 
 cant gestures, which were, however, in- 
 comprehensible to Rosomaski. It was so 
 dark, that, at first, Rosomaski had not been 
 able to distinguish the features of the man 
 at a distance ; he saw only that he was of a 
 
 fine 
 
I i\\ tSIBLB ENEMY, f 1 I 
 
 fine figure, capable of exciting the jealousy 
 with which his bosom was u I. He 
 
 thought that he laboured under some im- 
 pediment of speech, or that fear had pro- 
 duced the same effect upon his organs. To 
 try whether the latter was the case, he 
 turned away the pistol from him, and said, 
 " I am mistaken ; you have not the ap- 
 pearance of a seducer: if so, fear net, but 
 tell me who you are." The man still an- 
 swered only by convulsive gestures. Ro- 
 somaski at length comprehended, that he 
 wished to have him understand that he 
 could not speak, and that he desired to be 
 furnished with materials for writing. Ro- 
 somaski opened his v/riting-desk, and fur- 
 nished what he required. At that instant 
 Rhodiska recovered her senses, and ex- 
 claimed, with tears and sighs, " Alas, Ro- 
 Bomaski, you are deceived, by a false ap- 
 pearance, into a belief of mv guilt; but 
 Heaven know T s my innocence \" 
 
 " What is the meaning then/' replied 
 
 Rosomaski, 
 
212 » THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 Rosomaski, <c of all this strange scene ? 
 Am I in the land of dreams and chimeras p-.V 
 Scarcely had he finished these words, 
 before the staircase, and the gallery lead- 
 ing to the cabinet, resounded with the 
 steps of several persons, who advanced 
 with the greatest haste. Rosomaski and 
 Rhodiska beheld four men, who entered 
 with a female at their head. One of the 
 men cried out, u Do not stir, we are all 
 armed: you have carried ofT a gentleman 
 and his child — what is become of them r'» 
 Rosomaski and Rhodiska looked at each 
 other, unable to answer through surprise. 
 At that moment, the prisoner in the trunk, 
 distracted by this strange circumstance, left 
 off writing, and ran to the lady who came 
 with the guard, and who called him her 
 dear husband, her dear Vendost. The lady 
 then turned to Rosomaski, and demanded 
 her dear child. " I know not what to an- 
 swer you," replied Rosomaski — ci I am in 
 the land of wonders. I looked upon your 
 
 husband. 
 
THE INV1S1ELE ENEMY. 213 
 
 husband as a vile seducer, who entered my 
 walls to repeat his infamous attempts 
 against my honour. I thought the child 
 you speak of, was the first fruit of an ille- 
 gitimate passion between your husband 
 and my wife, before she became so. In 
 short, I looked upon myself as the most 
 injured man in the world ; and yet I am 
 now charged with a most dishonourable 
 attempt against the very man by whom I 
 thought myself mortally wounded. Per- 
 haps we may all lie under a mistake, in 
 which passion will only entangle us the 
 more, and which will be explained only 
 by calm investigation. Rhodiska, do you 
 first relate to the company, by what means 
 you became possessed of the child whom 
 you have put out to nurse, and who, I pre- 
 sume, is the same that this lady complains 
 of having been taken from her." Rho- 
 diska related the adventure, and caused 
 Zokalef and Dorothea to bring the basket 
 vith the address, and the ticket which was 
 
 pinned 
 
214 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 pinned on the child's breast, to corroborate 
 what she said. She also gave an account 
 of what had happened on her opening the 
 trunk. After she had ended her narrative, 
 Rosomaski began his, and produced the 
 letter which had so violentlv agitated his 
 breast, and nearly proved fatal to the lives 
 of Rhodiska and Mr. Vendost. 
 
 Mrs. Vendost and her escort heard, with 
 the utmost astonishment, this surprising 
 train of mysterious villainy. They owned, 
 that this adventure demonstrated that re- 
 venge knew how to direct its batteries, so 
 as to give to the brightest innocence the 
 appearance of the deepest shades of guilt. 
 After Rosomaski had ordered that the in- 
 fant Vendost should be immediately sent 
 ., for, he told Mrs. Vendost, that she ought 
 to be convinced that neither himself nor 
 his wife were the authors of this affair; 
 and desired that she would inform them 
 in what manner this event had been 
 brought about, which had proved a com- 
 mon 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 215 
 
 mon source of affliction and anguish to 
 both parties. Mrs. Vendost satisfied them 
 in these words : 
 
 " We reside in the town of Jaroslow, 
 which is at the distance of about thirty 
 leagues from this place. My mother, who 
 lives in a village on this side of Cracow., 
 having written to me that she was dan- 
 gerously illj and wished to see me before 
 she died, myself and my husband set out 
 to acquit ourselves of so sacred a duty., 
 taking our infant with us. After having 
 travelled about twenty-seven leagues, we 
 arrived at a place where the road lay be- 
 tween a lofty mountain, which overhung it 
 on one side, and a steep and long descent 
 on the other side. This passage was so nar- 
 row, that it would have been excessively 
 hazardous not to have alighted from the 
 carriage. We did so, and the coachman 
 quitted his box and walked before the 
 horses, which he held by the reins. We 
 followed, at some distance behind. Mr. 
 Vendost carried my son on his left arm, 
 
 and 
 
216 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 and I held by his right. I saw him make a 
 gesture which indicated disquietude ; for, 
 undoubtedly you must have perceived that 
 he is deaf and dumb. I watched the direc- 
 tion of his eyeS; and saw that they were 
 turned towards the lower part of the moun- 
 tain, .which was, covered with a thick un- 
 derwood. I looked towards the same spot, 
 and beheld three men, habited as wood- 
 cutters, who came out of a thick covert, 
 and advanced towards us. 1 heard them 
 say, f Here's just what we want/ There 
 was no escape for us; so that they soon 
 came up, and two of them seized Mr. Ven- 
 dost and my son, whilst the third laid hold 
 of me, and kept me fast- in his arms. He 
 placed one hand over my eyes, which pre- 
 vented my seeing any thing more that 
 passed. All my blood seemed to rush to- 
 wards my heart, as my ears were assailed 
 with the lamentable cries of Mr. Vendost. 
 Shortly afterwards, the person who held 
 me let me go, and ran off. He crossed 
 the road, and descended the precipice by 
 
 sliding, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 2J7 
 
 sliding, and laying hold of the wild shrubs 
 which covered the descent. He disappeared 
 in an instant under the thickets, which 
 formed a sort of covered way. As Mr. 
 Vendost and my son had also disappeared,, 
 I had no doubt but that they had been 
 dragged into this abyss. I deliberated a 
 moiv.ent, whether I had best to descend, or 
 to continue my route, and get assistance ; 
 but grief and fear had quite unnerved me, 
 My legs could no longer support me, my 
 knees gave way, and I fell in the middle 
 of the road. Some minuses afterwards, I 
 w T as raised by my coachman, who, after 
 having got through the defile, had stopped 
 the carriage, and not seeing us, had re- 
 turned to find us. The rattling of the car- 
 riage, and the distance he was from us, had 
 prevented his hearing the cries of Mr. Ven- 
 dost. He was struck with horror and asto- 
 nishment at the dreadful accident, which 
 had deprived me of a husband and a son. 
 He, however, told me, that our search 
 vol. i. l would 
 
918 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 would be useless, and that the "best way 
 would be, to hasten to our journey's end, 
 whence a proper pursuit might be immedi- 
 ately set on foot after the perpetrators of 
 this horrid action. I pursued his advice, 
 and reached the village in little more than 
 an hour. My two brethren, who had pre- 
 ceded us on a visit to my mother, were 
 surprised to see me come alone; but when 
 I had acquainted them with my misfortune, 
 they swore they would spare neither time, 
 trouble, nor expence, to restore me the 
 objects of my affection, or, at least, to 
 avenge their death. They soon set out 
 with two other young men, who were their 
 friends, and had been prevailed upon to 
 accompany them: you see the whole four 
 here. After an absence of three days, they 
 returned, without having been able to make 
 the least discovery. We were deliberating 
 upon the methods which remained to be 
 taken to find my husband and son, when a 
 person, who v/ent off immediately after he 
 
 had 
 
TIIE IK VISIBLE ENEMY. 2J9 
 
 had performed his errand, left at our door 
 an arvmymous letter, in the following 
 terms : — 
 
 * Madame Vendost, 
 
 ' A person, who is much 
 concerned at your late misfortune, informs 
 you, that Mr. Vendost and your son are 
 concealed in the Castle of Vistulof, the 
 proprietor of which is colleagued with 
 some of your husband's relations, who, to 
 enjoy his wealth, have determined to put 
 them out of the way/ 
 
 " You may conceive the cruel emotions 
 which the reading of this letter caused me. 
 My brethren and their friends told me, 
 that there was not a minute to be lost ; and 
 we all set off together, to rescue my hus- 
 band and son. We reckoned that we should 
 have to come to blows with assassins, but 
 we have found them in the hands of an 
 
 l 2 amiable 
 
250 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 amiable couple, who have suffered no less 
 than ourselves. My joy at seeing them 
 again would have been more pure, if they 
 had not made other victims, and if their 
 sufferings had not been the instruments of 
 yours. Mr. Vendost is now describing 
 what has happened to him since we were 
 separated from each other. Although born 
 deaf and dumb, yet he is passionately fond 
 of study, and may be ranked among the 
 literati of the age ; the qualities of his heart 
 and mind are more than sufficient to coun- 
 terbalance the advantages which nature has 
 withheld from him, and his property is 
 considerable : but I see that he has finished 
 his account. " 
 
 Mr. Vendost had left off writing, and 
 rose to present what he had written to his 
 wife, that she might read it to the company; 
 but, just as she was about to begin, her 
 son was brought, and she flew to hold him 
 once more in her arms. After having la- 
 vished on him all the tokens of maiernal 
 fondness, she handed him to Mr. Vendost, 
 
 who 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 221 
 
 who seemed tenderly affected,, and held him 
 in his arms whilst his wife read the writing, 
 which was as follows : — 
 
 * Though destitute of hearing and speech, 
 yet I have been able to comprehend that I 
 find myself here among deliverers, whom 
 secret enemies have wished to stigmatize as 
 robbers and assassins. I can only express 
 my gratitude to them in very imperfect 
 terms : be my interpreter to them, my dear 
 wife, and supply those organs in which I 
 am deficient. You undoubtedly desire to 
 know all that has befallen me since our se- 
 paration, and you will read here the dread- 
 ful recital. When the three banditti, who 
 surprised us on the road, had seized us, 
 one of them bound a bandage close over 
 my eyes : he then took me up in his arms, 
 and threw me over on his back. He crossed 
 my hands on his breast, and tied them to- 
 gether with a running knot. I was fastened 
 again to his shoulders and waist by a cord, 
 
 l 3 which 
 
22% THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 which passed round several times, and of 
 which he held the extremity in his teft 
 hand; at least I conjecture so, from what 
 I felt, and from the motion of our de- 
 scent ; for, having been blindfolded, I had 
 no other mode than that of guessing. It 
 appeared to me, that I was carried by a man 
 who possessed more than human strength, 
 -As he -inclined forwards, and I experienced 
 slight jerks at each step, I judged that he 
 Ascended backwards into that deep abvss 
 which we observed on cue side ef our road. 
 1 presumed that his right hand was disen- 
 gaged, and that he made use of it to lay 
 bold on whatever might support him in his 
 descent. I do not attempt to describe to 
 vou, my dear wife, what passed within me 
 during this dreadful scene. I felt myself 
 draped into the bottom of an abyss; and 
 I was ignorant of your destiny, and that of 
 my son — You may, at least, guess that my 
 sufferings w r ere horrible. After some mi- 
 nutes, it appeared to me, that the bandit 
 who carried me, had ceased to descend, and 
 
 thai 
 
TH!«; INVISIBLE ENEMY. 223 
 
 that he trod on level ground. He conti- 
 nued to walk, as I guessed, about two 
 hours, when he stopped and put me down 
 on the ground, after having loosened the 
 cords which bound me to him : but it was 
 only to replace them by a chain, one end 
 of which embraced my left wrist, and the 
 other was fastened to a stone. By siretcn- 
 ing out my right hand, which they had left 
 at liberty, I knew that I was seated on a 
 mat, with my back against a wall, the sur- 
 face of which was also cover:.! with thi< 
 flatting. It is impossible fojr nsq to ?v; in 
 what kind of place I was. I sfa I have 
 thought myself in a subterranean, if I had 
 not felt the impression" ql the open air. 
 key had left me no inslyuitient which 
 might serve to file tlve chair, cr to detach 
 the bandage from my eyes — th: I plmin 
 
 derccl me of even n era. I was re- 
 
 » i i 
 
 duced to the necessity, o. [ting with pa- 
 tience my liberty or death, at the caprice 
 oi the banditti, Some minutes afterwards, 
 I felt with astonishment that they held a 
 
 l. 1 tlaggon, 
 
224 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 flaggon, filled with wine, to my mouth. 
 Though I was parched with a most burning 
 thirst, yet I hesitated to taste the liquor 
 which was presented to rne; but they 
 forced it down my threat. I was, in like 
 manner, constrained to swallow some food, 
 which was put into my mouth. They then 
 withdrew, after having placed a basket by 
 my side, which contained refreshment. If 
 one can measure time by thought, or rather 
 by the occasions which one has for sleep, 
 five days had elapsed in this manner, when 
 they visited me again, and freed me from 
 my chains; but it was only to prepare new 
 tortures for me. They placed a bandage 
 over my mouth, which was fastened behind, 
 and this addition to my misfortunes ap- 
 peared insupportable. Whilst one ban- 
 dage hindered my tears from flowing, an- 
 other denied a vent to my sighs. They 
 then stretched me out at full length, and 
 inclosed me in the trunk which you see 
 here. I cannot form any idea of the route 
 which they took ; only, from the motion 
 
 of 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 225 
 
 of my prison,, I concluded that I was con- 
 veyed on the back of a mule. The pro- 
 prietors of this castle, I presume, have in- 
 formed rriy dear wife of every thing which 
 preceded and followed my being liberated 
 from my prison. There remains no more 
 for me, than to express the joy which I now 
 feel. -I expected only death ; and I behold 
 again the light, my wife, and child. My 
 happiness is now more rapturous than my 
 anguish has been painful/' 
 
 When the reading of this writing w T as 
 finished, Mrs. Vendost again embraced her 
 husband and son, arrd Rosomaski and Hho- 
 diska followed her example. No scene 
 could have been more delightful than that 
 of the mutual transports of those two 
 couple, who, bv mutual caresses, contra- 
 filiated each other on having thus happily 
 arrived at the end of their misfortunes. 
 The bystanders were not unmoved in .he 
 midst of this common joy. The friends of 
 
 L 5 Mr, 
 
226 TT" fttXtStbLB ENEMY. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Vendost congratulated Roso- 
 
 mask! and Rhcdkka ; and as the little La- 
 dislaus was brought into the room, to re- 
 ceive that nourishment from his mother of 
 which he had been long deprived,, he re- 
 ceived the caresses of ail these new ac- 
 quaintances. In so doing, every one re- 
 marked with surprise, that there was a very 
 striking resemblance between Ladislaus and 
 the son of Mr. Vendost, in age, figure, and 
 countenance, 
 
 Night had now begun to resume its em- 
 pire, and the castle- clock had given notice 
 of it, by striking ten. The two brethren 
 of Mrs. Vend os [, and their friends, were 
 impatient to set cut on their return home, 
 whence they had been, for several days, 
 absent. They took leave of their host and 
 hostess of Vistulof, mounted their horses, 
 and set off. Mr. and Mrs. Vendost pro- 
 posed to accompany them ; but they dread- 
 ed travelling by night, especially after their 
 late misfortune. They accepted the hospi- 
 tality y/hich the amiable couple of "Vistulof 
 3 offered 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 17 
 
 offered them, with much politeness, to pass 
 
 t and the two succeeding days with 
 them, in cider to re-establish their tran- 
 quillity. Rosomaski and Rhodiska did all 
 that lay in their power to render their stay 
 agreeable to them. There is nothing which 
 caa so soon attach mankind to each other 
 as misfortune. The day following was 
 passed entirely within the walls, in inte- 
 resting conversation. Mr. Vendost had his 
 pen com tantly in his hand, and supplied 
 by writing, which he executed with ex- 
 treme rapidity, the faculty of speech, which 
 was denied him to express his ideas. Roso- 
 maski protested, that he never could have 
 believed that a person deaf and dumb from 
 his birth, could have been susceptible of 
 so much knowledge. They exhausted them- 
 selves in conjectures on the secret causes 
 qf the intrigues which had reduced them to 
 8$ much distress. Mr. and Mrs. Vendost 
 declared, that they knew no person wmo 
 had any reason to harbour the least germ 
 of hatred towards themselves, Rosomaski 
 
 l G and 
 
228 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 and Rhodiska affirmed,, that if any hidden 
 enemy aimed at their destruction, his hatred 
 was unjust ; but that they knew none. Ro- 
 somaski ordered the porter to be called, 
 and asked him, if he saw the muleteer 
 again, whether he thought he should know 
 him ? 
 
 C( No, Sir," replied he — ce the instant he 
 told me his errand, I admitted him, with- 
 out taking any particular notice of him/' 
 
 Dorothea and Zokalef were then called, 
 and gave similar answers. During this in- 
 terrogation, Mrs. Vendost, Rosomaski, and 
 Rhodiska, fixed their eyes on Mr. Vendost, 
 who appeared to write with more than 
 usual earnestness. His wife looked over 
 him, and perceived that he had, that in- 
 stant, found in one of his pockets a little 
 packet, which merited particular attention. 
 When it was opened, they found in it three 
 superb diamonds not set, and a letter, in 
 the following terms : — 
 
 Poor 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 229 
 
 C( Poor Ven dost, it is not 
 you at whom the late fatal blow has been 
 aimed ; but he, who has been chosen to be 
 the instrument of punishment to another, 
 has himself much to undergo. Your cor- 
 poral defects, and the age of your child, 
 are the causes which have drawn on thee 
 this unlucky preference. If money can 
 recompence you for the temporary incon- 
 veniencies you must of course suffer, the 
 inclosed jewels will prove more than a 
 counterbalance; if not, then console your- 
 self that you will no more be made use of, 
 to inflict those torments on the hated pro- 
 prietors of Vistulof, which they will never 
 cease to endure till death receive them/' 
 
 Rosomaski and Rhodiska were astonished 
 to hear such bitter vengeance denounced 
 against themselves, without knowing any 
 reason for its existence. Mr. Vendost ag-ain 
 wrote, that he could not think of enriching 
 himself from the misfortunes of others ; and 
 
 that 
 
25 9 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 that it was only proper that they, who had 
 been the greatest sufferers, and were Still 
 like to be $q, should reap good from the 
 harm which was intended them. For his 
 part, he was satisfied to know, that he 
 should suffer no more from the same quar- 
 ter; and must insist, that the jewels should 
 remain with their hospitable friends of 
 Vistulof. 
 
 Mrs. Vendost could not conceal the vex- 
 ation which this waiting occasioned her.; 
 and she sufficiently betrayed unequivocal 
 marks of a low origin, and of a narrow 
 uncultivated mind. Rosomaski and Rho- 
 diska, who observed her chagrin, nobly 
 refused the proffered gift ; but Mr. Vendost 
 was positive, and it was evident that Mrs. 
 Vendost only gave up the point, because 
 she did not choose to contradict him. From 
 affability, she descended to a petulance of 
 humour, until Rosomaski informed her^ 
 that, in order to appear to comply with 
 the wishes of Mr. Vendost, he would ac^ 
 cept the jewels, but only as a deposit ; and 
 
 would 
 
THE ENVISIBIiB BKE3WT. 231 
 
 would take cave to have them conveyed 
 privately to her, by the fin&t person who 
 should pass through Jaroslow, to whom he 
 thought he could safely confide so valuable 
 a trust. This declaration softened Mrs. 
 Vendost, who began to affect contempt of 
 mercenary views. She ever] desired Roso- 
 maski and Rhodiska to keep the diamonds, 
 as tokens of the friendship of herself and 
 Mr. Vendost ; but Rosomaski refused to ac- 
 cept them on any other terms than those 
 which he himself had proposed. Mrs. Vcn- 
 dest, conceiving she had carried her point, 
 was more civil than ever to her entertain- 
 ers; but she could not efface the unfa- 
 vourable opinion which they had imbibed 
 of her. 
 
 When the time proposed for the stay of 
 Mr. .and Mrs. Vendost had elapsed, they 
 took leave of the hospitable Rosomaski, 
 but in a very different manner. Mr. Ven- 
 dost quitted them with evident marks of a 
 sincere regret, and Mrs. Vendost with 
 much formality. Rosomaski aa;d Rhodiska 
 
 exactly 
 
232 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 exactly copied their manners,,, by bidding 
 a very friendly adieu to Mr. Vendost, and 
 a very ceremonious one to his wife. As 
 they left the gate, Mrs. Vendost said to 
 Rhodiska, " You need not be in any haste 
 to send the jewels; I shall be in no pain 
 about them." Rhodiska instantly perceived 
 the drift of this speech, and only replied 
 by a nod and a smile : of what kind the 
 latter was, may be easily guessed. 
 
 Rosomaski and Rhodiska had a short 
 breathing-time from the fury of their in- 
 satiate enemy ; but they could not forget 
 the vengeance with which he had threa- 
 tened them, and of which tbey had already 
 experienced too much, to doubt of his 
 putting his threats into execution. In a 
 short time, they had another cause of alarm, 
 though not of apprehension — Zokalef and 
 Dorothea disappeared after dinner. It was 
 at first concluded, that the evening would 
 bring them back again ; but they did not 
 make their appearance. — The next day 
 they were still expected; but in vain. This 
 
 sudden 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY, g'33 
 
 sudden disappearance created suspicions; 
 Rhodiska had even conceived, that there 
 was something odd in Dorothea's drawing 
 her into the tower of the garden of Dor- 
 balec, at the time that she was carried off 
 by Lanfranco's emissaries ; but she was un- 
 willing to dismiss her without proofs of 
 her guilt, o[ which there were none. She 
 thought, however, that she had observed 
 frequent marks of discontent at the kind- 
 ness which she shewed to Zerbctta. To 
 satisfy Rosomaski, she looked over all her 
 effects, but not the least trifle was missing. 
 <c Why," said she, " could Dorothea and 
 Zokalef leave us in this manner ? We were 
 no strangers to their attachment to each 
 other ; and if they are gone to be married, 
 why not acquaint us with their intentions ? 
 we should not have suffered them to de- 
 part without some recompence for their 
 long services: they ought to have known 
 us sufficiently, to have been assured of 
 that." 
 
 iC It is not worth a moment's thought, 
 
 much 
 
234 THE INVISIBLE ENEftfJf. 
 
 much less uneasiness/' replied Rosomaskl 
 ■ — <( If they have chosen to depart without 
 giving us an opportunity of evincing our 
 liberality, it is their fault, not swrt — If 
 they have been treacherous, it is a happy 
 riddance for us." 
 
 .After three days had passed without 
 hearing any thing about them, Rosomaski 
 desired Irvan to inquire among the tennncs; 
 for two honest industrious persons to sup- 
 ply their place, to whom every encourage- 
 ment should be given, and he seen suc- 
 ceeded. 
 
 Tranquillity did not loffca together take 
 up its residence within iht walls of VatuloC 
 One morning early, the person who had 
 been intrusted with the charge of the C 
 of Dorbalec, came to Visiulof, and be 
 the melancholy news, that, en the p 
 ceding midnight, a dtea$M fire had broken 
 out at Dorbalec, which had nearly con- 
 sumed all but the bare wails, and that no 
 one could give the least conjecture how it 
 happened. 
 
 (( Alas!" 
 
THK INVISIBLE ENEMY, 2 J > 
 
 "Alas!" cried Rhodiska, " is the w 
 dence of my ancestors for generations, is 
 the delightful scene of all my youthful 
 pleasures, destroyed? — Cruel enemy !" 
 
 iC I rather think/' replied Rosomaski, 
 u that the fire must have happened through 
 accident than design. The shafts of our 
 secret foe are levelled against our persons, 
 and he would have fired this castle rather 
 than that of Dorbalee, in the hopes of de~ 
 rivr- us. But do not grieve: as onlv 
 the interior of the castle is consumed, it 
 will net be very expensive to reinstate it. 
 Our income is much larger than our ex- 
 penditure, and we have now more than 
 enough to defray the expence. Twill de- 
 sire Ludowico to return with il\e messen- 
 ger, and get some proper person to esti- 
 mate- what it will cost, and what will be the 
 speediest means of restoring Dorbalec to 
 its former state." 
 
 Ludowico was no sooner acquainted with 
 Kosomaski's wish, than he departed with 
 the me>sengcr, grieved to the heart at ti 
 
 new 
 
236 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 new misfortune, and not expecting that, 
 on his return, he should find them over- 
 whelmed with one still more extraordinary 
 and dreadful. 
 
 At night, as he was sitting alone with 
 Rhodiska, in the absence of Zerbetta, who 
 was gone to put the children to rest, they 
 were suddenly alarmed by the sounds of 
 horses' feet in the front of the castle. 
 " Ah!" cried Rhodiska, turning pale as 
 ashes, " here is some new misfortune. We 
 expect no friend — it is too late an hour 
 for visiting. Fly, Rosomaski, from this 
 new snare of your enemy, and leave me 
 to take care of the children !" 
 
 " Can you think/' replied Rosomaski, 
 " that I would not prefer instant death to 
 the flying from you and them ? I may be 
 unhappy, but I am innocent; and will 
 perish before I suffer myself to be driven 
 from home." 
 
 They then began to listen in the most 
 dreadful suspence, and presently heard 
 these words — ff Let some of you surround 
 
 the 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 237 
 
 Ac castle on all sides — Do you remain at 
 this en f ranee." Shortly after, the door of 
 the room where they were sitting was 
 opened, and they beheld seven soldiers 
 armed with muskets and fixed bayonets, 
 who formed the guard of a person cloathed 
 in black, and whom they judged to be an 
 agent of the police. 
 
 " I summon you, in the name of the ma- 
 gistrates of Zabno," said the last person, 
 M to give me instantly the key of your ca- 
 binet, and that of your writing-desk. You 
 shall not be treated with rigor, if you shew 
 a ready compliance. I already know my 
 way to the chamber, which I am directed to 
 search." 
 
 He then produced to the astonished Ko- 
 somaski and Rhodiska, the authority under 
 which he acted, which was under the siir- 
 nature of the principal magistrates of 
 Zabno. Rosomaski then made no difficulty 
 of giving up the keys which were demanded. 
 
 '* Follow us," said the officer. 
 
 He then went up stairs to the cabinet, 
 
 accompanied 
 
238 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 accompanied by this unfortunate couple 
 and four of the soldiers, the rest having 
 been ordered to remain below. He unlock- 
 ed the writing-desk, and, without hesita- 
 tion, opened the drawer which contained 
 the jewels left in trust by Mrs. Vendost. 
 The officer took them in his hand, exa- 
 mined them, and presently knew them to 
 be the same as he had been directed to 
 search for. 
 
 " These jewels/' said he, ic are a proof 
 of the horrible crime with which the pro- 
 prietors of this castle are accused." 
 
 " Of what crime are we accused ?" said 
 Rosomaski. 
 
 <e Let them name it," cried Rhodiska, 
 <c and we shall be able, with a single word, 
 to confound the vile calumniator who has 
 denounced us." 
 
 " Do net hope," said the officer, " to 
 impose on me, by affecting surprise and 
 candour : your crime is already half proved, 
 and all appearances make me believe that 
 it will be wholly so in a short time. — 
 
 Come/' 
 
TDK INVISIBLE ENEMY. 239 
 
 Come," added he, speaking to the sol- 
 diers, " let us carry our researches into the 
 subterraneous apartments." 
 
 tc What is to be the end of these strange 
 researches?" cried Rosomaski, with a noble 
 boldness — C( Am I threatened with some 
 new machination ? They may calumniate 
 us — persecute us — but they shall not vilify 
 us." 
 
 cc Yes/' added Rhodiska, (C the plots of 
 the wicked may destroy our peace and 
 happiness, but they shall not rob us of our 
 innocence." 
 
 ce I am not your judge/' replied the 
 officer — (C my business is only to verify the 
 facts which are alledged against you. You 
 will justify yourselves, if you shall be able, 
 before the tribunal of Zabno. For the pre- 
 sent you must descend with me into the 
 subterraneans." 
 
 When they had descended the last flight 
 of steps, and opened the first door, they 
 entered a spacious cavern. The police- 
 officer and the soldiers admired the bold- 
 ness 
 
240 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 ness of the arch, which appeared suspended 
 over their heads, and supported the enor- 
 mous load above. They listened with 
 astonishment to the sounds of their voices 
 and of their footsteps, which, were multi- 
 plied by innumerable echoes. Though 
 they had been fully apprized of these cir- 
 cumstances beforehand, though they were 
 men very little susceptible of fear, yet 
 they could not help feeling something like 
 awe at the profound obscurity which reign- 
 ed in this cavern. The darkness was so pal- 
 pable, that the light of the torches which 
 guided their march, could scarcely pierce 
 through it. 
 
 " It is not here/' said the officer of po- 
 lice, " that the proof of the crime is con- 
 cealed — we must go farther." 
 
 He then approached a large arched pas- 
 sage with his soldiers, still accompanied by 
 P.osomaski, and Rhodiska holding by his 
 arm : the latter, in spite of her endea- 
 vours, could not avoid letting some signs 
 of anxiety escape her. They all passed 
 
 under 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 24T 
 
 under the center of the arch, and entered 
 a ca\;ern still more spacious than the for- 
 mer, which had numerous communications 
 with other caverns, all of the same con- 
 struction. It resembled those subterranean 
 churches, which are divided . into large 
 compartments by massy pillars, whose 
 upper extremities embrace, and round in- 
 to arches. 
 
 When they arrived at a certain spot, the 
 officer of police suddenly stopped, and 
 said to the soldiers — 
 
 " Remove that large flat stone, and you 
 will discover a trap-door, which you must 
 raise." 
 
 The order was no sooner obeyed, than 
 they perceived a flight of steps, hewn out 
 of the solid rock. 
 
 cc This is the first moment," cried Roso- 
 maski, " that ever I was aware of the ex- 
 istence of this trap-door. I have been but 
 a short time proprietor of the castle; and 
 the late proprietor left it before I took 
 possession, without giving me anv infor- 
 
 vol. i. m mation 
 
24 % THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 mation whatever. You see that the iron 
 ring, which serves to raise this trap, was 
 so well concealed under this flat stone, that 
 it would have been almost impossible to 
 suspect the existence of it, without some 
 previous information/' 
 
 <c All that you can say," replied the 
 officer of police, " will make very little 
 impression on me. Words will not justify 
 you, if your actions speak against you. 
 Come on, soldiers, let us descend/' 
 
 At the bottom of the staircase, which 
 consisted of about thirty steps, they found 
 a second subterranean, whose dimensions 
 and form exactly resembled those of the 
 one above. At this discovery Rosomaski 
 and Rhodiska were struck with astonish- 
 ment; but they dissembled .their concern, 
 lest it should be attributed to fear or re- 
 morse, and increase the suspicion of their 
 guilt. The officer of police walked before 
 to one of the extremities of the subterra- 
 nean, and Rosomaski, Rhodiska, and the 
 soldiers, followed in silent expectation. 
 
 ff Soldiers/' 
 
TflE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 243 
 
 ec Soldiers/' said the officer of police, 
 xc you see another staircase ; we must again 
 descend." 
 
 He himself set the example, and all the 
 ' rest followed it. It led them into a little 
 narrow cave. 
 
 (C Merciful Heaven I" cried Rhodiska — 
 €C what do I see ? Here is the fatal trunk, 
 which has already caused us so much an- 
 guish, and which we have never missed. 
 — Perfidious Dorothea ! Treacherous Zo- 
 kalef !" 
 
 " Here/' cried the officer, <c is the last 
 stage of our researches. This trunk con- 
 tains the last proof of your guilt, or will 
 acquit you." 
 
 As he spoke, he lifted up t\\e lid of the 
 trunk, which was not fastened, and in- 
 stantly exclaimed — 
 
 i( Soldiers, behold, and tremble ! This 
 
 dreadful crime, of which one would scarcely 
 
 . think human nature capable, is fully proved 
 
 — This trunk contain the corpse of a young 
 
 female!' 1 
 
 m:2 CHAP 
 
244 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 URPRISE and horror seized all those 
 who heard this dreadful exclamation. They 
 advanced to look into the trunk, and saw 
 it verified. 
 
 " Heaven protect us !" cried Rhodiska — 
 " they have sworn our destruction. What 
 an abominable plot \" 
 
 " At least acquaint us," said Rosomaski, 
 " with the circumstances of the crime with 
 which we are charged, and the name of 
 our accuser." 
 
 " No one, I believe," said the officer of 
 police, " can be better acquainted with 
 
 the 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 243 
 
 the particulars of this horrid . affair than 
 yourselves/* 
 
 " We are innocent; however !" cried 
 Rosomaski and Rhodiska both at once. 
 
 " Innocent \" said the officer — et have 
 you not poisoned this young woman, whom 
 you have decoyed into your castle, for the 
 purpose of plundering her of her jewels? 
 Your denying it will not pass upon me. 
 The diamonds, which I have just secured ; 
 this trunk, on which I behold, at this mo- 
 ment, the address of the Comress Rgso- 
 maski ; the linen, which envelopes this 
 unfortunate female, and which bears the 
 initials of your names — all combine to be- 
 speak you guilty. " 
 
 f I have not the least apprehensions 
 about the event/' replied Rosomaski, with 
 a calmness which astonished Rhodiska — 
 " We can readily account for the manner 
 in which the diamonds came into our pos- 
 session ; and, one link of this accursed 
 combination being broken, the whole 
 
 m 3 chain 
 
246 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 chain must fail to pieces. Bring us now 
 face to face with our accuser, and we shall 
 easily confound him." 
 
 ff Your accuser is unknown to me," re- 
 plied the officer — u but what has been al- 
 ledged against you, appears to be founded 
 on undeniable fact. We have not been 
 sent here to seek after a Will-oMhe-Wisp. 
 Soldiers, perform the last part of your 
 duty ; bind them and conduct them to 
 prison," 
 
 Rosomnski was ready to burst with in- 
 dignation at the sight of cords and chains: 
 he in treated that, if they were determined 
 to put so great an indignity upon himself, 
 fhey would at least have some considera- 
 tion for the female sex, and leave his wife 
 at liberty. 
 
 " Soldiers, do your duty instantly !" 
 cried the officer. 
 
 As they were obeying his orders — 
 
 " O heavens*" cried Rhodiska, i( must 
 we be treated like vile malefactors, like 
 
 murderers! 
 
THE 1 INVISIBLE ENEMY. 247 
 
 murderers! If you die, my dear Roso- 
 maski, at least I shall have the consolation 
 of bearing you company." 
 
 " Dearest Rhodiska," replied Rosomaski, 
 * f calm your fears. Heaven will never 
 suffer innocence to be confounded with 
 guilt." 
 
 " Come, soldiers/ 1 said the officer of po- 
 lice, " take up that trunk, and let us con- 
 duct the victim and her murderers to Zabno, 
 where the magistrates are waiting to enter 
 into a closer examination of the prisoners." 
 
 The four soldiers instantly took each a 
 corner of the trunk, and lifted it upon 
 their shoulders : they then quitted the sub- 
 terraneans, and returned to the hall. The 
 officer of police then ordered the horses to 
 be harnass2d to Rosomaski's chaise, -and a 
 litter was found to convey the trunk and 
 its contents to Zabno. 
 
 Whilst this was doing, Rhodiska in- 
 treated, with a tone which would have 
 melted apathy into compassion, that they 
 would permit her to send for her children, 
 
 m 4 to 
 
24S THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 to embrace them before she was carried 
 ofT) and to give some instructions relating 
 to them : even the officers and soldiers 
 seemed inclined to grant her this request ; 
 but the former replied, that his orders were 
 peremptory not to suffer them to speak to 
 any one besides himself, if he should dis- 
 cover any proofs of guilt. 
 
 Rosomaski and Rhodiska were then es- 
 corted to the chaise, and the officer of 
 police got in with them, to prevent them 
 fs'orn having any secret communication, 
 and concerting their defence before their 
 examination, which was to take place at 
 Zabno. The fatal trunk was placed on the 
 litter, and the soldiers mounted, and sur- 
 rounded the chaise, in which were the pri- 
 soners. The procession then moved on 
 towards Zabno, which was about three 
 leagues distant. As they were on the road, 
 Rhodiska, after ruminating on the event of 
 this terrible accusation, cried out — 
 
 tc Ah ! my dear Rosomaski, you thought 
 nothing of the disappearance c^ Dorothea 
 
 and 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 249 
 
 and Zokalef ; but I presaged that we should 
 derive some new misfortune from it. Their 
 treacherous hands must have conveyed this 
 fatal trunk to the cave." 
 
 C( Silence, Madam !'" cried the officer — 
 " I am to permit no conversation on this 
 affair. Speak on any other subject as much 
 as you please; but, if you utter another 
 word on this, I must separate you, and 
 cause your husband to go to Zabno on 
 foot." 
 
 Rhodiska could no longer refrain from- 
 bursting: into tears; and she looked at Ro- 
 somaski, and he at her, with eves so tender 
 and expressive, that they could not help 
 perceiving, that each was infinitely more 
 affected by the sufferings of the other, thaiv 
 by their own personal fears. 
 
 On their arrival at the town of Zabno, 
 the procession did not halt till it arrived at 
 the gate of the prison. At that time, night 
 had replaced the day, and the sonorous 
 clock of that gloomy receptacle for male- 
 factors struck nine. Rosomaski and Rho- 
 
 m 5 diska* 
 
250 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 cliska were conducted into the gaoler's 
 room, whilst separate cells were preparing 
 for them. All their sufferings hitherto were 
 nothing, compared with what they experi- 
 enced when they were informed, that they 
 were to be separated from each other. 
 Rhodiska, whose hands had not been fet- 
 tered, threw her arms round the neck of 
 RosomaskL and held him so closely em- 
 braced, that force alone could tear them 
 from each other. The gaoler's assistants 
 loosened his hands, and began to pull Ro- 
 scmaski away ; but Rhodiska seized his 
 clothes, and was dragged some paces on 
 the Aground after him, before her hands 
 could be again loosened. She then sunk 
 into insensibility, and, in that state, was 
 conveyed to the cell, and placed on a mi- 
 serable bed, which had been prepared for 
 her reception. 
 
 The pangs which rent the labouring bo- 
 som of Rosomaski, were no less severe. 
 The instant in which he had been separated 
 from his Rhodiska, he thought he had lost 
 
 the 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 251 
 
 the vital principle, or spring of life. — ■ 
 Stretched on the straw, which covered the 
 floor of his dungeon, he bewailed his un- 
 happy lot | but his greatest affliction arose 
 from his being unable to repose his grief 
 in the bosom of his Rhodiska, who would 
 have found consolation in being near him. 
 Whilst Rosomaski and Rhodiska were 
 thus abandoning themselves to the most 
 distressing reflections, the officer of the 
 police was preparing further proofs of the 
 crime of which they already appeared con- 
 victed. The corpse of the female was car- 
 ried to the anatomical hall, in order to 
 ascertain, by dissection, whether the de- 
 ceased had ended her days by poison or not. 
 The body was taken out of the trunk in its 
 envelope, and placed on a table standing 
 in the midst of the hall, which was lighted 
 by several chandeliers. Whether from the 
 lateness of the hour, or from the secrecy 
 which had been used by the police,, lest 
 the accused persons should escape, the hall, 
 
 m 6 although 
 
252 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY, 
 
 although a public place, and open to the 
 public en all similar occasions, contained 
 only one person, who was a stranger, be- 
 sides the anatomist, his assistant, and the 
 officer of the police. The anatomist then 
 uncovered the face of the deceased, and 
 w 7 as struck with admiration at its youth and 
 beauty. 
 
 " What a pity!" exclaimed he — "This 
 woman is still beautiful in the arms of 
 death. She could hardly have seen sixteen 
 summers. 5 ' 
 
 The officer of the police, whom nothing 
 could touch, cried out — " Our present bu- 
 siness is not to admire an inanimate body — 
 we want to know* whether this female died 
 by poison cr not ? It grows late, we have 
 had a long journey, and want to go to rest 
 — Take vour instruments, and go on with 
 your examination/' 
 
 The operator, who did not wish to risk 
 the displeasure of the officer of police, in. 
 whose power it lay to do him a disservice 
 
 with 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 253 
 
 with the tribunal of Zabno, immediately 
 looked out his instruments, and approached 
 the table. 
 
 " Stop \" cried the stranger, who had 
 been attentively examining and feeling the 
 face of the deceased ; iC this female has no- 
 thing of the livid hue of death : her in- 
 sensibility may be only the effect of a le- 
 thargy : you should be assured that she is 
 dead, before your instruments prevent all 
 hopes of resuscitation. The man who 
 would destroy a fellow-creature, to in- 
 dulge himself an hour sooner in sleep,, 
 ought never to wake again/' 
 
 The officer of police no sooner per- 
 ceived that this keen apostrophe was le- 
 velled at himself, than he taxed the stranger 
 with impertinence, and threatened that, if 
 he again insulted justice in his person, he 
 would order him to be turned out of 
 doors. 
 
 " If you put your threat into execution," 
 replied the stranger, " I will instantly 
 
 alarm 
 
254 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 alarm the magistrates and people of Zabno, 
 and give them to understand with how- 
 little humanity you execute your office. 
 Not only the lives of the accused, but, I 
 have reason to think, that of this apparently 
 deceased person, depend on the present 
 investigation ; and I charge you to try the 
 means of recovery before you proceed any 
 further. If, on feeling the pains you are 
 about to inflict upon her so precipitately, 
 she give signs of life, remember you are 
 the murderer." 
 
 The undaunted tone in which the stran- 
 ger spoke, made the police officer imagine 
 that he was of a superior rank. He replied, 
 that he would wait with patience till every 
 effort should be made to convince so incre- 
 dulous a person, that for once he had been 
 deceived. 
 
 The operator ordered his assistant to 
 bring him a looking-glass, which he placed 
 before the lips of the female, and observed, 
 with astonishment, that the glass was tar- 
 nished. 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 255 
 
 nished. " Can it be possible ?" cried he — 
 i( this woman still preserves some remains 
 of life!" 
 
 He then procured a feather, which he 
 
 dipped into some spirituous liquor, and 
 
 i 
 
 pushed up one of her nostrils, which in- 
 stantly caused a contraction of the muscles 
 of that part of the face. The operator de- 
 clared, that there were still hopes of re- 
 turning life. He was assured of it, when,, 
 on opening one of her eyes, he observed 
 that it was bright, and as prominent as ever. 
 All the usual methods, in such cases, were 
 then successively put into practice; and, in 
 less than half an hour, the patient opened 
 her eyes, and endeavoured to raise her lan- 
 guid head. 
 
 The operator, who was naturally hu- 
 mane, and would, if he had not been inti- 
 midated by the police officer, perhaps have 
 readily attended to the suggestion of the 
 stranger, then declared, that the greatest 
 danger was to be apprehended from the 
 patient's fright, if she should, on recover- 
 in o* 
 
956 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 ing her senses., perceive herself in such a 
 situation,, and surrounded bv unknown 
 persons, of whom not one was of her own 
 sex. She was, therefore, immediately con- 
 veyed to the bed of the assistant, who slept 
 in an adjoining room to the hall, and joy- 
 fully ga^e it for the occasion. An elderly 
 matron, who had the care of the hall, was 
 called to give her assistance; and, at the 
 end of another hour, the surgeon sent to 
 inform the officer and the stranger,, who 
 waited the event in the hall, that the pa- 
 tient had recovered her senses, and the use 
 of her speech. They immediately entered 
 the apartment ; and, after the officer had 
 assured her that she was among friends, 
 and had nothing to fear, he asked her what 
 was her name, and where was her place of 
 abode ? 
 
 . i( Have a Yittle patience/' replied she — 
 ff mv memory is returning, and I shall 
 shortly be able to give you an account of 
 what has happened to me." 
 
 After an interval, during which they ad- 
 ministered 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 257 
 
 •ninistered to her some restoratives,, and 
 appeared to compose her mind, by re- 
 peated assurances that she was in perfect 
 safety, with those who would restore her to 
 her friends, she desired to know where she 
 was, and what had happened to her since 
 she had lost her recollection ? The worthy 
 anatomist informed her, in the most cau- 
 tious terms, to avoid giving her any shock, 
 that she had been found in (he Castle of 
 Vistulof, the proprietors of which had been 
 accused of having poisoned her. 
 
 " They are innocent !" replied she, with 
 much animation. 
 
 " Take notice of that, Mr. Officer," said 
 the stranger. 
 
 " You have not been poisoned then ?" 
 said the anatomist. 
 
 " Yes, I have been." 
 
 " Who then has put you into the state 
 from which we have delivered you ?'' 
 
 " I feel too weak to enter into all these 
 details: at present, be satisfied with know- 
 ing, that I am named Theresia Dauvernop, 
 
 that 
 
258 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 that I reside at Cracow, and that the fatal 
 draught was administered, Heaven forgive 
 me ! with my own guilty hand." 
 
 The stranger made the officer of police 
 set down these answers, and requested the 
 anatomist, his assistant, and the keeper of 
 the hall, to sign them, which they readily 
 complied with. 
 
 The anatomist then declared that the pa- 
 tient wanted rest, and the officer would not 
 press her to enter into any further explana- 
 tions at that time. 
 
 " Madam," said the officer," 1 am har- 
 dened only against the guilty, or such as I 
 suspect to be so ; but I am compassionate 
 to the unfortunate. Compose yourself 
 here to-night, and to-morrow I offer you 
 an asylum at my house, where my wife 
 will pay you every attention, till the time 
 comes to restore you to your friends." 
 
 All the company then left the room ex- 
 cept the hall-keeper, who sat up with 
 Theresia the whole night, during which 
 she slept. soundly, probably because the 
 
 effects 
 
THE INVISIBLE LNFMY. 259 
 
 effects of the draught were not yet worn 
 off. The hall-keeper, however, rouzed her 
 at intervals, under pretence of giving her 
 some restoratives,, as she had been directed 
 by the surgeon to do, if the patient slept 
 too soundly. 
 
 The next morning, Theresia was pretty 
 well recovered; and, after having break- 
 fasted with the hall-keeper, a chaise ar- 
 rived at the door, in which wa-s the police 
 officer's wife, who came to take her home 
 with her. Theresia expressed her gratitude 
 to the hall-keeper, and her mortification 
 that she had nothing about her to recom- 
 pense her for the trouble she had taken on 
 her account; but she promised, that her 
 friends would not forget her. She then 
 entered the chaise, and was politely re- 
 ceived by the officer's wife, who ordered 
 the coachman to return to her house, which 
 was situated at the other end of the town. 
 Theresia no sooner got out of the chaise, 
 than she in treated the officer not to lose a 
 minute in exculpating the innocent per- 
 sons, 
 
260 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 sons, whom her own guilt had involved in 
 so much distress. She declared,, she should 
 never- enjoy a moment's ease till she was 
 informed they had been liberated. 
 
 " The forms of justice must be gone 
 through/' replied the officer — " but your 
 declaration of their innocence has already 
 softened the rigors of their confinement. 
 In order to effect their deliverance, you 
 must give me an account of your being in 
 such a situation, which is all that is now 
 wanting to complete my final report, pre- 
 viously to its being given to the magis- 
 trates. The result will be, the immediate 
 discharge of the accused persons." 
 
 u That no time may be lost then," said 
 Theresia, " you shall have that extraordi- 
 nary account immediately." 
 
 CHAP 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 26 I 
 
 CHAP. XIL 
 
 1 AM the daughter of Major Dauvernop, 
 formerly of Cracow, who died in the ser- 
 vice of his country when I was a child. 
 Scarcely had I attained my tenth year, be- 
 fore my mother introduced to me, as a 
 companion, the young Zedeo Darnim, who 
 was the son of the Governor of the Citadel 
 of Cracow, and then about a year older 
 than myself: she bade me call him my 
 little husband. 
 
 " I know not by what instinct, but, from 
 that very moment, I had a sort of antipa- 
 thy towards all children who were not of 
 my own sex. I could not endure to be 
 
 alone 
 
262 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 alone with Zedeo, much less to join with 
 him in youthful diversions : I rather be- 
 lieve, that his presence was so much the 
 more hateful to me,, as I thought I per- 
 ceived, that he himself was not held to me 
 by any inclination, but solely through the 
 orders of Colonel' Darnim. When I had 
 nearly attained my fifteenth year, my mo- 
 ther declared to me, that my father had 
 betrothed me to the son of Colonel Dar- 
 nim, and that I must look upon Zedeo as 
 my future husband. She then acquainted 
 me with the origin of what I regarded as 
 an insupportable misfortune, and an un- 
 just oppression. There had, from their 
 youth, existed between my father and Co- 
 lonel Darnim, who were early in life com- 
 missioned in the same regiment, the stric- 
 test friendship : they had made the same 
 campaigns, and were present at the same 
 battles and the same sieges. They wished, 
 by this marriage of their children, to erect 
 a sort of monument to the friendship which 
 had existed between their fathers. 
 
 5 ({ Whether 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 263 
 
 ** Whether there was between us some 
 secret principle of a natural antipathy, or 
 Heaven thought proper to interpose, and 
 frustrate the intentions of those who would 
 circumscribe its decrees, our parents could 
 never make the sentiment, which they wish- 
 ed to raise in our hearts, take root : per- 
 haps the rigorous treatment, of which we 
 were at once the cause and the object, had 
 made us the more dislike each other. In 
 vain did our parents make efforts to sub- 
 due the invineible aversion which we dis- 
 covered. As for myself, I could never 
 love Zedeo, although he was thought hand- 
 some; and whether it was really the case, 
 or the persecution, which I daily suffered 
 on the account of Zedeo, only made me 
 imagine so, by degrees the antipathy, with 
 which Zedeo inspired me, appeared to me 
 to extend to all the individuals of his sex — 
 The idea of marriage was hateful to me. 
 
 " Notwithstanding the opposition which 
 I made to the will of my mother, she did 
 not renounce her project of fulfilling the 
 
 will 
 
264 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 will of Major Dauvernop. She regarded 
 the accomplishment of the last wishes of 
 her husband,, whom she passionately loved, 
 and who had been snatched from her at an 
 age when men are most amiable, as a reli- 
 gious duty. 
 
 "When I had attained my sixteenth year, 
 my mother told me, in an imperative tone, 
 that she knew how to compel me to marry 
 the young Zedeo. I answered, that no hu- 
 man force should make me consent to give 
 my hand to him, or any other man, against 
 my inclination. She reproached me in 
 the harshest terms, with outraging the manes 
 of my father, by refusing the husband whom 
 he had destined for me. 
 
 rr Twas little moved at the reprimands, 
 and menaces of my mother, who even car- 
 ried the matter so far, as to vent the most 
 direful imprecations against me. I retired 
 to my apartment, to withdraw myself from ' 
 her anger. 
 
 ft Some time after, she renewed her pro- 
 posals; but, at this time, she constrained 
 
 herself 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY, 26.'} 
 
 herself to speak to me with a tone of gen- 
 tleness. I listened attentively to what she 
 said. She told me, that a more suitable 
 match than that with Zedeo, could not be 
 found for me, as we were both nearly of 
 an age, and had each a considerable for- 
 tune. She added, that parents sometimes 
 saw themselves under a necessity of oppo- 
 sing; the inclinations of their children, to 
 render them happy ; and that we should 
 be scarcely united to each other, before 
 we should both applaud a marriage for 
 w 7 hich we now testified repugnance ; be- 
 cause, at our age, we were incapable of 
 discerning our true inclinations. I an- 
 swered her by a positive refusal, which, 
 however, I endeavoured to soften, that I 
 might wear the appearance of as much mo- 
 deration as herself. But her redness, and 
 her forced demeanour, evinced sufficiently 
 ihatshc did herself a violence, and that, at 
 the bottom of her heart, she was trans- 
 ported with rage and vexation. 
 
 (C A week after, she again demanded if 
 VOL. I. n I would 
 
266 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 I would yet consent to fulfil the intentions 
 of Major Dauvernop ? I declared, that I 
 still persisted in my refusal, convinced 
 that, by abstaining from accomplishing the 
 indiscreet wish of my father, I did by no 
 means violate the respect due to his me- 
 mory. My answer was the signal for a new 
 scene. Unable any longer to stifle the ex- 
 plosion of her discontent, she gave the 
 reins to her anger, and forgot herself so 
 far as to strike me. I left her hastily ; she 
 pursued me, and I should have found a 
 difficulty in freeing myself from her ex- 
 cesses, if I had not found the street-door 
 open, and fled with all my speed. 
 
 (t My indignation now knew n a bounds, 
 and drove me to the fatal resolution, which 
 plunged me into the dreadful situation in 
 which you beheld me, and which has caused 
 such dreadful anxiety loan innocenf couple. 
 I had no thoughts of taking away my life, 
 till I passed the door of an apothecary. I 
 felt a sudden impulse, and obeyed it with- 
 out reflection, I entered, and asked for 
 
 some 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. <Jo7 
 
 Some laudanuin. Whether from the dis- 
 tracted air which I must have worn, or 
 from the apothecary's humane caution, I 
 cannot say, but, from what has happened, 
 there is no doubt but that he took care the 
 dose which he gave me should not be fatal 
 to life. My heart was elated, when I had 
 in my possession what I looked upon as a 
 certain cure for all my sufferings; but I 
 resolved not to make use of it, unless upon 
 the greatest emergency. I concealed it 
 carefully about my clothes, and returned 
 home with a composure which surprised 
 my mother, and indeed mvself. 
 
 " The next day, my mother appeared to 
 repent the impetuous sallies to which she 
 had given way. She no longer spoke to 
 me of Zedeo, nor of the will of my father, 
 nor of the marriage which caused me so 
 great a terror; but the coldness of her 
 manner, and her gloomy air, did not per- 
 mit me to doubt that she still continued 
 to be irritated against me. However, as 
 none of her discourse tended towards flic 
 
 n 2 projected 
 
268 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 projected union, I thought there might be 
 reason for me to hope that she had totally 
 abandoned it. There were about fifteen 
 days that I enjoyed an appearance of a 
 calm ; at the end of which, my mother 
 proposed to me to accompany her on a 
 visit, which she told me she was going to 
 pay to one of her friends, who lived in 
 the country. As I could not refuse her 
 with a good grace, I went with her into 
 the carriage. We went without the walls 
 of Cracow, .and, after a journey of about 
 seven or eight leagues, I perceived that 
 the carriage entered under a large portico, 
 which served as an entrance to several 
 wings of a building, whose exterior re- 
 sembled an assemblage of large and lofty 
 edifices. 
 
 " The carriage stopped in the midst of a 
 spacious area. The door was opened, and 
 I alighted first; when I heard my mother 
 say, in a loud tone of voice, ' Here's the 
 young person whom you expect/ Those 
 words caused a sudden terror, which in- 
 creased, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 269 
 
 creased, when I found myself rather rudely 
 seized by two women clothed in white, and 
 saw the carriage drive of!' with my mother, 
 at full gallop. I followed it with my eyes, 
 uttering, at the same time, the most pier- 
 cing cries. Instantly I was no longer at a 
 loss to guess in what sort of a house I was 
 left. As I cast my eyes round the buildings 
 which surrounded the area, I remarked, that 
 all the windows were secured with iron 
 bars, and I read on the top of the portico 
 these shocking words — Convent for Penitent 
 Females. ' 
 
 " I was instantly forced into the great 
 hall, where I beheld an old and wrinkled 
 devotee, whose gloomy looks perfectly 
 corresponded with the appearance of the 
 abode. From the respect which several 
 other recluses paid her, I judged that she 
 was the Superior of the convent. She said 
 to me, in a snuffling tone — - 
 
 c Thank Heaven, my child, for having 
 conducted you to this asylum. You will 
 find here the means of making your peace 
 
 N 3 with 
 
270 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 with Heaven, and of repairing the faults 
 which you have committed. You have 
 driven your mother to solicit from the go- 
 vernment, an order to shut you up here 
 for the remainder of your days. Do not 
 regret the world ; it is happy for you that 
 you have quitted it. You are arrived in a 
 safe port. Do not he afflicted at the idea 
 of being destined to live here perpetually : 
 if you love work and prayer, if you are 
 humble and submissive, you will meet with 
 mild usage ; otherwise, you will be treated 
 with severity. We know how to subdue 
 the most untractable dispositions. You are 
 going to be dressed in the habit of the no- 
 vices; and if, in the end, you prove your- 
 self one of the chosen, you may be admit- 
 ted to the rank of a nun/ 
 
 " This strange harangue shocked, instead 
 of consoling me. I shed a torrent of tears, 
 and intreated the Superior to inform me, 
 what grievous offences had drawn upon me 
 the cruel punishment of being immured 
 during life ? She answered, that she had no 
 
 time 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 271 
 
 time to enter into particulars, and had no- 
 thing more to sav to me. The two wo- 
 men, who had brought me into the audi- 
 ence-hall of the Superior, then conducted 
 -me to a little cell, where they left me some 
 time, a prey to my melancholy reflections. 
 They returned, bringing with them all the 
 articles of dress of a novice, and began to 
 substitute them in the place of my former 
 habiliments. Unhappily, I had the address 
 to secure my bottle of laudanum. 
 
 " After they had finished this task, they 
 introduced me into an immense hall, where 
 I beheld more than two hundred novices 
 seated on benches,, and occupied in needle- 
 work, and other feminine employments. 
 Some were sewing, tambouring, and em- 
 broidering ; others spinning wool, flax, or 
 cotton : most of them had their eyes cast 
 down, and the outward appearance of hu- 
 mility. Ten nuns, ranged at intervals, and 
 armed with rods of discipline, looked round 
 with a scrutinizing eye, and., with severe 
 looks, commanded work and silence. As 
 
 n 4 , soon 
 
^72 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 soon as they saw me appear, they marked 
 out a place for me, and presented me with 
 a distaff and spindle. I sat down, but I 
 felt such a depression of spirits, that I found 
 it impossible to work. One of the nuns 
 perceived it, and came and cuffed me se- 
 verely. 
 
 (< The supper hour being come, we all 
 went to the refectory. Roots, and bread, 
 and water, composed all the articles of cur 
 repast. The same silence reigned during 
 supper : it was not interrupted but by some 
 devotional lecture, which one of the nuns 
 gave with a loud voice. After the repast, 
 we were permitted half an hour's recrea- 
 tion. Pastime and conversation filled up 
 this interval ; but the novices were forbid- 
 den to whisper, or to enter into any kind 
 of confidential discourse. They were cer- 
 tain of not being able to say any thing 
 which would not be overheard by the nuns, 
 who were continually passing and repassing 
 between us. I was not tempted to take a 
 part in the relaxations of my companions : 
 
 seated 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 273 
 
 seated in one corner of the hall, with my 
 head reclining on my hands, I reflected on 
 my afflicting situation, and wept in silence. 
 My companions approached me from time 
 to time, and offered to console me; but I 
 intreated them to take no notice of me. 
 What affected me most painfully was, to 
 think that, though innocent and pure, I 
 was confounded with women who, for the 
 greater part, had, by their weaknesses or 
 their licentiousness, tarnished their reputa- 
 tions. At length the convent clock sound- 
 ed for evening prayer : all the novices 
 ranged in a circle, and threw themselves 
 on their knees. I could not witness, with- 
 out great emotion, the contrite and peni- 
 tent air of the greater part of my compa- 
 nions, who, bent towards the ground, and 
 praying with fervour, seemed to wish to 
 hide their foreheads in the dust, at the re- 
 membrance of their failings. 
 
 " When the prayer was ended, each no- 
 vice retired to her cell. I panted for the 
 moment of being left to .myself. When 
 
 n 5 the 
 
274 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 the nun, to whose Superintendance I was 
 entrusted, had carried away the light, and 
 locked the door of my cell, I renewed my 
 reflections on my situation. I could not 
 restrain my sobs, by thinking that my con- 
 duct was irreproachable, and that my mo- 
 ther had, notwithstanding, inflicted on me 
 a chastisement, which was due only to the 
 most guilty excesses. 
 
 f Am I condemned then/ said I, ' to 
 languish all my life in this abode of afflic- 
 tion ? What a hideous perspective ! Grief 
 will undoubtedly soon terminate my days. 
 I sink under my misery.' 
 
 Cf Here I made so loud an exclamation, 
 that the nun who stood guard in the pas- 
 sage overheard me, and bade me be silent. 
 Then I confined myself to low murmuring 
 complaints, and passed the whole night in 
 this painful agitation. 
 
 u When the break of day appeared,, the 
 
 matin bell filled the air with its doleful 
 
 chimes, to which succeeded the harsh 
 
 croaking of the rattle, which a nun turned 
 
 * rapidly, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 275 
 
 rapidly, as she walked hastily through the 
 galleries. I rose as mournfully as I had 
 lain down. Prayer and spinning filled up 
 the whole of the morning, except a very 
 short interval, which was dedicated to what 
 they called breakfast, but which was as fru- 
 gal as the supper. We then returned to 
 work, which occupied us till dinner, which 
 exactly resembled the supper; and, after 
 it, we were, in like manner, allowed half 
 an hour's recreation, in a back yard devoted 
 to that purpose. We again entered the 
 hall after it was expired, to remain till the 
 supper hour came round again. 
 
 " I was too heart-broken to be able to 
 work like the rest ; and I could not finish 
 the task which had been allotted to me, for 
 which the superintendant nun gave me a 
 severe reprimand. The day after, I did 
 not work with more activity, and I was 
 again scolded. I answered in a tone which 
 expressed my indignation. 
 
 ' Let her be punished !' cried the nun, 
 who presided over the haU of work. 
 
 n 6 " That 
 
276 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 cc That instant,, two of the sisterhood 
 stripped me ; and bestowed on my shoul- 
 ders twenty stripes, with the rod of disci- 
 pline. I exclaimed against such unworthy 
 treatment ; and all % my^ companions, af- 
 frighted, forgot to turn their spindles. 
 Presently the accents of menace recalled 
 them to their labours, but their humid and 
 downcast eyes discovered their inward 
 pangs. One of them especially testified 
 her compassion in a more open manner : 
 she was the novice who always sat at my 
 right hand in the work-room. Her physi- 
 ognomy was mild and interesting, and she 
 wore an air of melancholy, which touched 
 the very soul. At the first sound of the 
 rod of discipline, she cried out, c Injustice !* 
 and that single word had nearly made her a 
 partaker of my punishment. When I re- 
 turned to my seat, she regarded me with a 
 look full of compassion. I felt my heart 
 yearn towards her — I longed to make her 
 my friend and confidante; but the rigid 
 silence which was prescribed us, did not 
 
 permit 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 277 
 
 permit us« to use any other language than 
 that of the eyes. 
 
 " Scenes much less violent would have 
 sufficed to make me abhor this abode. I 
 fell into a deep melancholy. I had found 
 some little consolation in the presence of 
 the interesting novice who worked beside 
 me : the few words which she addressed to 
 me, made me judge of the extent of her 
 amiable qualities — but this comfort was 
 denied me. They replaced her by another 
 female, whose harsh and austere looks dis- 
 gusted me, and made me the more regret 
 the companion whom I had lost. I no 
 longer saw my friend, but in the intervals 
 of recreation ; which, besides being shorty 
 were continually interrupted by the im- 
 pertinent intrusion of the nuns, who would 
 not suffer us to discourse at liberty. Ne- 
 vertheless, I gathered enough to give me 
 to understand, that an unfortunate attach- 
 ment was the cause of all her sufferings. 
 Both of us, one day, impelled by a desire 
 to bestow our confidence on each other, 
 
 quitted, 
 
278 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 quitted^ by stealth, the place where the 
 novices assembled to recreate themselves, 
 and retired secretly into a lone chamber. 
 There we related to each other, all the 
 events which had preceded our entrance 
 into the convent. Her history was in every 
 respect similar to mine, except that her 
 aversion for the man who was proposed to 
 her, originated in her attachment to an- 
 other; whilst my refusal had proceeded 
 only from an antipathy to marriage, and 
 particularly to Zedeo. She abhorred, as 
 much as myself, the monastery in which 
 we were confined, and the kind of life to 
 which we were obliged to submit. The 
 similitude of our misfortunes rivetted the 
 connection which had commenced between 
 us, and rendered our conversation exces- 
 sively interesting. 
 
 " When it was over, we went to rejoin 
 our companions; but the summons to the 
 work-room had been long given. We were 
 obliged to endure the harshest reprimands, 
 for our obstinacy and disobedience. My 
 
 sufferings 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 279 
 
 sufferings had so far soured my temper, 
 that I could not forbear from giving vent 
 to a bitter philippic against the tyrannical 
 proceedings of the monastery, and the mi- 
 nute rigor of the sisterhood. My observa- 
 tions appeared like blasphemies, and I was 
 condemned to pass four days in the Cham- 
 ber of Discipline. They gave this appella- 
 tion to a spacious hall in the attic story of 
 the building, which was lighted only by 
 trap-doors in the cieling. It was divided 
 into several boxes by bars of wood, which 
 formed a sort of partition. I was inclosed 
 in one of those mournful abodes, several 
 of which were occupied by other novices. 
 I could perceive their dejected looks, and 
 hear their lamentations. This distracting 
 picture increased my own agony. My 
 gaoleress opened the wicket, and handed 
 a psalm-book, pointing out those which I 
 should be expected to have got by heart 
 on the next day. This was not all : she 
 presented me with a distaff, and marked 
 the task which I was to finish within the 
 
 same 
 
SSO TH'E INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 same time. I could not help complaining 
 loudly of the barbarous usage which they 
 heaped upon me. She affected to think 
 herself insulted, called the disciplinarian,, 
 and made her give me twenty stripes. 
 
 (C Groaning with pain and indignation,, 
 I cursed this horrible convent ; and I have 
 no doubt, that, if I had had it in my power 
 to have avenged myself, those merciless 
 devotees would have paid dearly for the 
 pangs which I suffered. The next day, 
 my gaoleress came to call me to an ac- 
 count; but I had not even be<nm inv task. 
 She instantly gave the signal, and I was 
 seized by two robust sisters, who treated 
 me as on the preceding evening. Those 
 unjust persecutions were not adapted to 
 make me enamoured with work, and the 
 task was again neglected. But, if my hands 
 were unemployed, my imagination was not 
 inactive. 1 turned over a thousand con- 
 fused projects ; sometimes I thought on 
 the means of making my escape ; at others, 
 I entertained a desire of revenging myself 
 
 on 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 281 
 
 on my tormentors : oftentimes, in my de- 
 lirium, I wished for death. When my 
 gaoleress came the next morning, to find 
 what progress I had made, I could shew 
 , her none, and I underwent the usual chas- 
 tisement. The day after, as it was impos- 
 sible to work, my neglect drew on me a 
 similar punishment. 
 
 " At length, the term of my confine- 
 ment arrived, and I left the chamber of 
 discipline ; but I beheld the end of my pu- 
 nishment with indifference. In my eyes, 
 my torments had not ceased, since I was 
 still obliged to live within the walls of the 
 convent, which I detested. My very heart 
 was ulcerated, and the last trial served to 
 put a finishing stroke to my despair. I 
 was led to the chapel, and beheld a coffin, 
 round which they were going to chaunt 
 the funeral service of the dead. A cold 
 tremor came over me, and I approached it 
 with tottering steps. I read on the hearse- 
 cloth the name of my friend. At this fatal 
 
 sights 
 
£82 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 sight, my blood was numbed, and I fainted 
 on the marble, floor. 
 
 " They carried me to my cell, and laid 
 me on the bed. When I recovered my 
 senses, I exclaimed — 
 
 ' Miserable Theresia ! dost thou still ex- 
 ist, whilst there is no longer any thing to 
 attach thee to life ? I have no longer any 
 mother, since she deserves not that appel- 
 lation who has made use of her authority 
 only to persecute me. I have lost my li- 
 berty, which is dearer to me than my life : 
 I have lost it for ever, since I am con- 
 demned to pass all my life here in the hor- 
 rors of captivity, without the least hopes 
 of ever quitting this abode of tears. Since 
 I have languished in this premature tomb, 
 I have endured a thousand torments, and 
 there no longer remains but a dreary pros- 
 pect of suffering more. To be wretched, 
 with the overwhelming certainty of being 
 always so, is a destiny much more fright- 
 ful than death itself. O spirit of her whose 
 
 recent 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 283 
 
 recent loss rouses my despair to madness ! 
 oh thou, my tender friend, whose remem- 
 brance rends my heart, listen to me ! I feel 
 that the last breath of life is about to leave 
 me — a short, short space, and 1 shall fol- 
 low thee into the depths of the cave, whi- 
 ther thou hast preceded me. I am not de- 
 ceived : a chance, conformable to my 
 wishes, presents me with the means of ter- 
 minating my unhappy fate.' 
 
 <c At that instant, I recollected the fatal 
 dose, which I had till then forgotten. I 
 drew out the phial which contained it — I 
 looked at it, but my heart revolted at the 
 idea of self-destruction — I laid it down, and 
 remained in suspense. The ideas of the 
 long punishment, which awaited me in the 
 hateful abode in which I was to pass my 
 days, again revived my disgust at life, 
 which appeared to me as a death, every 
 moment that I existed. The spectre of 
 Despair stalked before me — I again seized 
 the phial, and put it to my lips — I still felt, 
 all through me, a movement of nature, 
 
 which 
 
'284 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 which' revolted at the act — I got the better 
 of it, and, closing my eyes, I swallowed, 
 with precipitation, the fatal beverage. 
 
 * It is all over then,' said I- — ' death has 
 planted its arrow in my bosom. Nothing 
 remains but to write a note, which may 
 reveal the cause of my despair, and become 
 a monument of caution to those mothers, 
 who would hereafter force the inclination 
 of their daughters.' 
 
 <f 1 had inclosed the phial in the case of 
 an etui, in the room of a smelling-bottle, 
 which it before contained. The etui also 
 contained a silver pen. The blank leaf of 
 a prayer-book served me for paper ; but I 
 still wanted ink. I made use of a pin to 
 wound myself in my left arm, and, with 
 the stream, I traced out these words : — 
 
 ( Groan, blind and unna- 
 tural mother ! Tremble, ye barbarous mi- 
 nisters of her guilty rage ! Theresia has just 
 ended her days by poison. It is she herself 
 
 who 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 285 
 
 who has prepared the mortal beverage, but 
 you only have pushed her on to this act of 
 desperation/ 
 
 <c I had scarcely finished, before I heard 
 the door of my cell open. I instantly hid 
 the note in my bosom. ' What are you 
 doing?' cried a nun, who made her ap- 
 pearance. f Nothing/ replied I, with spi- 
 rit — c leave me to myself/ ' This is of a 
 piece with your usual impertinence,' said 
 she, as she retired — f but you shall hear 
 from me this evening. Leave us alone to 
 reduce you yet to your proper senses/ 
 
 <c At this threat I was almost suffocated 
 with indignation. I fell into frightful con- 
 vulsions, which terminated in a cold shi- 
 vering. I attributed my condition to the 
 first effects of the poison, when I began to 
 grow weak and drowsy. Although ex- 
 tremely agitated the instant before, yet I 
 sooji became motionless. I felt my sight 
 
 disordered^ 
 
2S6 ' THE INVISIBLE ENEMY 
 
 disordered, my respiration hard, and my 
 limbs stiffened : I could no longer keep 
 open my eyelids, and I imagined I was 
 about to sleep the sleep of death : but the 
 end has proved, that the poison had not 
 been sufficiently strong to destroy me, or 
 even to leave any sensible effect ; which, 
 as I have already said, I attribute to the 
 preventive caution of the humane apothe- 
 cary who sold it to me. It is impossible 
 for me to relate to you what followed this 
 rash act ; I cannot even giiess how, after 
 having, as I supposed I must have, been 
 Wrapped in my dress of a novice, put into 
 a coffin, and immured in the cemetery of 
 the convent, I have been found in the 
 deepest cave of the„Castle of Vistulof." 
 
 " Nor I either/' replied the officer of 
 police — fC this adventure astonishes me the 
 more, as the Convent of Female Penitents 
 is nearly two leagues distant from the 
 Castle of Vistulof, and it must have been 
 almost impossible to have made such a 
 
 translation, 
 
ill B INVI8XB1 B i v ^ M v -8/ 
 
 translation, without having been seen. — 
 But I will leave nothing undone, to fathom 
 the bottom of this shocking mystery." 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 HERESIA had not been able to go 
 through this moving story, without being 
 interrupted several times by tears and 
 sobs. The wife of the police officer had 
 not refrained from a sympathetic overflow- 
 ing of the eyes, and had conceived a de- 
 gree of tenderness for this unfortunate fe- 
 male. She endeavoured to console her to 
 the utmost of her power, whilst her hus- 
 band was gone to give in to the magistrates 
 the account which he had just taken down, 
 
 and 
 6 
 
28 § 'THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 and with which he set off as soon as he 
 had reduced it to writing. 
 
 The morning's sun had brought into the 
 cell of Rosomaski the feeble light, which 
 served only to render objects just visible. 
 
 The anguish which had preyed upon his 
 mind during the whole of the night, had 
 totally driven away sleep and repose. He 
 was waiting in anxious expectation of his 
 fate, when, about noon, the gaoler en- 
 tered, and ordered him to quit his cell, 
 and follow him. Rosomaski obeyed. The 
 gaoler conducted him into a chamber, 
 which was light, and furnished with every 
 requisite for a parlour. " Wait here," 
 said the gaoler, leaving the room. Roso- 
 maski, astonished, could not penetrate the 
 motives of this conduct ; but there was no- 
 thing in it to alarm him. He was soon as- 
 sured, that there had happened an extra? 
 ordinary change in his affairs. The gaoler 
 returned, accompanied by Rhodiska. Ci The 
 magistrates/' said he, <e have ordered that 
 you should have a more commodious 
 
 room, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 289 
 
 room, and that you should be no longer 
 separated/' 
 
 At these words, Rosomaski and Rhodiska 
 flew into each other's arms, and remained, 
 during some moments, in a close embrace- 
 Even the gaoler, 
 
 " Albeit unused to the melting mood," 
 
 seemed moved at their ecstacy. Enrap- 
 tured at the felicity of again being with 
 each other, they appeared to have almost 
 forgotten that they were still in captivity. 
 Rosomaski enquired of the gaoler, to what 
 happy event he owed this amelioration of 
 his destiny ? He answered, that an un- 
 known person had delivered him the order 
 signed by the chief magistrate of Zabno, 
 without giving him the least explanation ; 
 that he seemed impatient to be gone again, 
 and had no sooner accomplished his er- 
 rand, than he was out of sight. 
 
 " Who can this humane person be/' 
 cried Rhodiska, "who thus interests him- 
 self in our fate }" 
 
 vol. i„ o " It 
 
290 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 " It is not without reason," replied Ro- 
 somaski, " that we have reckoned on the 
 protection of Keaven : we now experience 
 that it never abandons innocence." 
 
 Six hours had elapsed since Rosomaski 
 and Rhodiska had been introduced to each 
 other. They were enjoying the consola- 
 tion of a private conversation, when the 
 door suddenly opened, and a voice ex- 
 claimed — " You are free !" It was Ludo- 
 wico who spoke, and who, in an instant, 
 flew into the arms of .his friend. 
 
 " Is it you," cried Rosomaski, iC who 
 have been our unknown friend, and our 
 deliverer?" 
 
 " My dearest Rosomaski," replied Lu- 
 dowico, u my ^fTorts to restore you to !i«- 
 berty have only a feeble merit — you owe 
 it to your innocence. But let "us leave this 
 place, so unworthy of you : there is your 
 own chaise waiting at the gate, and you. 
 are permitted to leave Zabno when you 
 please ; but it will be necessary that you 
 tarry at some inn to-night, to recover your 
 
 composure 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 291 
 
 composure of mind. All is well athome, 
 as I have been this instant informed by Ir- 
 van, who is arrived at Zabno, unable any 
 longer to remain at Yistulof in ignorance 
 of your fate: he is at the gate with the 
 chaise. " 
 
 They all left the prison,, and got into 
 the chaise to avoid the eyes of the specta- 
 tors, who had gathered in numbers to be- 
 hold the unfortunate couple, whose •ad- 
 venture had, by this time, made a great 
 noise through the town. When they ar- 
 rived at the inn, Rosomaski again embraced 
 his friend, and desired him to acquaint 
 them how he had been able to prove their 
 innocence, and procure their release so 
 much sooner than the usual forms of jus- 
 tice commonly allowed ? 
 
 " When I returned to Vistulof, from 
 viewing the ravages oi' the fire," replied 
 Ludov/ico, " I found the castle in the 
 utmost confusion, and could scarcely ob- 
 tain an answer to all my hasiv enquiries 
 into the cause of it. f My God !' cried I, 
 
 Q - , on 
 
292 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 on the verge of impatience — f tell me in- 
 stantly what new misfortune has befallen 
 my friends ?' When I heard the affair, I 
 was seized with rage and indignation, that 
 you should have been so unjustly accused, 
 and ignominiously treated. I instantly re- 
 mounted mv horse, which still remained 
 at the gate, without knowing what I was 
 going to do, only that I was determined to 
 be near you. It was dark when I entered 
 Zabno ; but Providence directed that I 
 should pass the door of the public hall, at 
 which I beheld your chaise, and the litter 
 which conveyed the fatal trunk. I was en- 
 abled to ascertain that the -chaise was 
 yours, because the door was open, as it 
 must be upon all these public occasions, . 
 and there was a light in the passage. I in- 
 stantly ascended the staircase, and beheld 
 the police officer, and the person who was to 
 anatomize the supposed deceased, to dis- 
 cover whether she had died by poison, and 
 his assistant : no other persons were pre- 
 sent. The" fatal trunk was on the floor, 
 
 and 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 293' 
 
 and they were then in the act of taking out 
 the body to place it on the table/' Here 
 Ludowico, who was the stranger who had 
 so fortunately interposed to rescue the un- 
 fortunate Theresia from a second death, 
 related what had happened. 
 
 " I had no sooner/' added Ludowico y 
 c< seen the unfortunate cause of your suf- 
 ferings restored beyond the danger of a re- 
 lapse, and caused the police officer, and all 
 present, to sign her declaration of your 
 innocence, than I flew to the house of the 
 chief magistrate of Zabno, to re^are to- 
 him the wonderful event which had rust 
 proclaimed the innocence of the proprie- 
 tors of Vistulof. I am Ignorant whether 
 he was moved at the pathetic language with 
 which friendship" certainlv inspired me; 
 but he listened with extreme. patience and 
 attention, and answered me with rather 
 more than common civility, T^at, on the 
 next morning, he would send to the pr/ice 
 officer for his report of what had passed ;. 
 and that he would immediately soften the 
 
 o 3 rigors 
 
S04 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY, 
 
 rigors of your confinement, if circum- 
 stances would permit him so to do. I 
 withdrew, mortified, however, that I could 
 n ot procure your release that night, and 
 spare you, as well as your beloved Rho- 
 - diska, the horror of passing a night ifi 
 prison. 
 
 " This morning early, I again -waited 
 upon tr\e magistrate, who informed me, 
 that, as he had not yet received the report 
 of the police officer, he could take no step 
 in favour of mt> frreuds. 1 then flew to 
 tne officer, wh in formed me, that he should 
 not be able to prepare it in less than an 
 hour. Thinking to pass the tedious inter- 
 val in consoiirfg vou, and giving you no- 
 tice that your innocence was no longer 
 doubted, I hastened to the prison, and de- 
 manded to see you ; but I was informed, 
 that, so far from being permitted to see 
 strangers, vou were separated from your 
 wife. I traced back my steps to the house 
 Gf the police oincer, but found he was al- 
 readv <;one to the magistrate's. I followed, 
 
 •and 
 
the invisible e::lmy. 295 
 
 and ih treated the magistrate to grant you a 
 more convenient apartment, and to permit 
 your wife to be with you. It was at that 
 time that he delivered me the order, by 
 virtue of which you were removed to the 
 gaoler's own apartment, and brought to- 
 gether. Not yet contented with this trif- 
 ling alleviation of your situation, I de- 
 sired to know why., since your innocence 
 was declared, I might not have an order 
 for your leaving the prison ? but the ma- 
 gistrate told me, that he had, as yet, re- 
 ceived only the report of what had passed 
 on the preceding evening; and that he 
 must wait till the unfortunate cause of your 
 confinement had made a full discovery of 
 every circumstance, which the police offi- 
 cer was then ooin£ about. As I was aware, 
 that every instant you were separated was 
 an age of torture, I hastened back to the 
 gaol, and delivered the order which I had 
 obtained. I then returned to the house of 
 the police officer, who, I was informed, 
 
 o 4 had 
 
996 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 had been made acquainted with the lady's 
 history,, and was employed in drawing out 
 his final report. I waited with the utmost 
 impatience until it was finished, when I 
 hurried him away to the house of the ma- 
 gistrate. After the latter had perused this 
 last report, he said to me— 
 
 f I have no longer the least doubt of 
 the innocence of your friends; for such 
 they appear to be, by the interest which 
 you take in their fate ; but there still re- 
 main several formalities to be fulfilled, 
 before they can be set at liberty i but if 
 they can get bail— ' 
 
 ' I will be their bail/ replied I — ' Re- 
 lease my friends, and shut me up in their 
 room.' 
 
 1 There is no occasion for that,' said the 
 magistrate — f you will only have to sign a 
 paper, making yourself responsible for 
 their appearance before this tribunal, if it 
 should be required.' 
 
 " I had no sooner signed a paper to that 
 
 effect, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 297 
 
 effect, than the magistrate gave me the 
 order, which has just opened the gates of 
 your prison." 
 
 Rosomaski and Rhodiska had several 
 times interrupted the narrative of Ludo- 
 wico, by exclamations expressive of .their 
 astonishment^ admiration, and gratitude. 
 Ludowico answered to all this overflow of 
 their sensibility, bv those words worthy of 
 a man who was as modest as generous. 
 
 " Mv friends, why so many acknowledg- 
 mcnts ? You had no need of me to deliver 
 you — I am happy enough in having been 
 instrumental to the triumph of inno- 
 cence." 
 
 Before any answer could be returned, 
 they were surprised by the appearance of 
 the officer of police, who had already 
 caused them so much consternation. Whe- 
 ther Rhodiska betrayed any symptoms of 
 fear or not, the officer desired them to be 
 under no apprehensions ; he was not the 
 bearer of any more ill news, but he came 
 
 o j to 
 
298 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 to inform them, thnt the young lady, who 
 had been the innocent cause of their alarm, 
 entertained so great a desire to see them, 
 and express her sorrow for what had hap- 
 pened, that he could not refuse to acquaint 
 them with her earnest wish, and to request 
 their company at his house, where the lady 
 then was. 
 
 Rcsomaski and Rhodiska felt a strong 
 impulse of curiosity, to behold a person 
 who had herself suffered so strangely 3 and 
 who had been the cause of their extraor- 
 dinary sufferings. Thev immediately ac- 
 i ; ompanicd the officer to his chaise, which. 
 conducted them to his house. 
 
 It may be supposed that Theresia, who 
 looked so beautiful even under the cloud 
 of death, must have been capable of stri- 
 king with surprise, those who should, be- 
 hold her all life and animation. Rosomaski 
 and Rhodiska both thought they had never 
 beheld a more perfect beauty: their mu- 
 tual sufferings seemed to have begotten an 
 
 attachment 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 299 
 
 attachment between them,, at first sight. 
 Theresia no sooner heard them announced, 
 than she exclaimed — 
 
 " Ah ! how unfortunate am I to have 
 occasioned such bitter pangs to so amiable 
 a couple ! I shall never forgive myself/' 
 
 <c But we forgive vou," said Rhodiska, 
 interrupting her with a lively emotion — 
 " You are not our enemy, but have only 
 been made his instrument, as other wor- 
 thy people have been before yd^. 50 
 
 " Is it possible/' said Theresia, " that 
 such persons as you are, can have made so 
 bitter an enemv ? He must be unjust, since 
 I am assured you never can have given him 
 any cause." 
 
 " Not intentionally/' replied Rosomaski 
 — " for we do not know, we ( annot even 
 guess, who is the person that thus hurls his 
 secret, midnight, and malignant darts at* 
 us." 
 
 " That makes the affair more mvsteri- 
 
 ous/* said the officer — " If you could give 
 
 5 us 
 
300 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 us the least clue, I warrant that we would 
 soon ferret him out of his haunts." 
 
 " We are totally in the dark/' said Re- 
 somaski, " as to the person who thus seeks 
 to destroy our peace, and to load us with 
 infamy. If I knew him, I would, with 
 my own hand,- drag the monster from his 
 den, and make him yield up his malignant 
 soul!" 
 
 " Probably/' said the officer, cc if you. 
 were to recur back to all the circumstances. 
 of your life, you might be able to fix upon 
 some person who may be likely to owe 
 you a grudge, and he might be drawn into 
 some snare which might be laid for him, 
 and delivered oyer to justice." 
 
 <c I can think but of one man," replied 
 Rosoma. c ki, " who ever did, or, I think, 
 ever could owe me any enmity, and it is 
 almost impossible that he can now be in 
 existence: but, if you please, I will give 
 you a sketch of my history ; and probably 
 you, who are so well accustomed to draw 
 
 out 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 301 
 
 out facts from circumstances, may be able 
 to make a guess where we. cannot." 
 
 As all the company testified their wish to 
 hear his narrative, Rosomaski ran it over. 
 
 " Your history has been strongly marked 
 with strange adventures/' said the officer — 
 " but there is no one I could fix upon as 
 your secret enemy, except Lanfranco ; 
 and he, as you say, can scarcely be in ex- 
 istence. However, I promise you that this 
 last affair shall not end here, and that I will 
 strain every nerve of my office to discover 
 the dark source." 
 
 Rosomaski and Rhodiska expressed their 
 acknowledgments to the officer: " But," 
 said the latter, " we are still at a loss to 
 know how this lady came to be conveyed 
 to a cave of our abode, of which we our- 
 selves never knew the existence, till you 
 pointed it out to us." 
 
 " There lies the mystery," said the offi- 
 cer — " Some person, intimately acquainted 
 with the castle, must have been concerned 
 in it; but we have no mode of tracing that 
 
 person. 
 
302 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 person. All that we know of the- matter 
 is, that an anonymous paper, containing 
 the accusation against you, was conveyed 
 to the chief magistrate. It also described 
 every part of the subterraneans so accu- 
 rately., that I, who had never seen them 
 before, had,, as you witnessed, not the least 
 difficulty in f.rding the place where the 
 murdered person was described to be." 
 
 " Can the lady herself give no guess?" 
 said Rhodiska. 
 
 " Not the least, Madam," replied The- 
 resia — fi out if you are willing, I will re- 
 late to you all the particulars which I know 
 of this affair. You must be curious, and 
 you have an undoubted right to be made 
 acquainted with them." 
 
 " We have indeed a curiosity," said 
 Rhodiska. 
 
 ce Then I am going to satisfy it," said 
 Theresia. 
 
 She then went through her interesting 
 and extraordinary narrative ; and after Ro- 
 somaski and Rhodiska had apologised for 
 
 recalling 
 
' THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 303 
 
 recalling to her mind so painful a recollec- 
 tion, the latter told her, that she was ex- 
 tremely sorry her first visit to Vistulof 
 should have been under such disagreeable 
 circumstances; but that she hoped she 
 would soon make them another, which, 
 they were convinced, would more than 
 compensate for the disagreeable circum- 
 stances attending the first. 
 
 J ven.sia made a polite reply, and ex- 
 pressed her determination to visit them, as 
 soon as she could gain her mother's ap- 
 probation. They then parted, with all the 
 professions of mutual esteem. 
 
 Early the next morning, Rosomaski and 
 Rhodiska were impatient to set out for 
 Vistulof. Any other persons, less coura- 
 geous, would have been afraid of return- 
 ing to a castle full of snares, where they 
 ran the danger of being, some day or 
 other, buried under its ruins. But Roso- 
 maski and Rhodisxva were not easily inti- 
 midated ; they were attached to their re- 
 sidence at Vistulof, where, in spite of the 
 
 alarms 
 
304 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 alarms which had assailed them, thev had 
 found moments of ineffable happiness, and 
 whose every space was marked, by some 
 delightful remembrance. Besides, the si- 
 tuation of itself contained many advantages 
 capable of fixing them to it. The air was 
 salubrious, the ground fertile, the habita- 
 tion had been rendered not only conve- 
 nient but elegant, and the walks around it 
 were charmingly pleasant, varied, and pic- 
 turesque. The farmers furnished them with 
 corn, wine, and every other article neces- 
 sary for the sustenance of life; and Cracow 
 was a market sufficiently near, for them to 
 dispose of their superfluous produce, and 
 procure all the other wants, either of na- 
 ture or luxury. But, though the proprie- 
 tors had a vast share of fortitude, yet they 
 did not want prudence. As soon as they 
 arrived once more at Vistulof, they.be^an 
 to take new precautions to contribute to 
 their safety. Two additional stout young 
 men, the 'sons of one of his tenants, were 
 taken into their service ; and the windows, 
 
 and 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 30 5 
 
 rmd every other part of the exterior of the 
 house, through which an attack was most 
 likely to be made, were all made as secure 
 as possible. The fire-arms, and other wea- 
 pons, were put into a complete state of 
 repair, and distributed in various parts of 
 the castle, in such a manner, that every 
 one knew where to find them; and all, in 
 cases of alarm, might be ready to defend 
 themselves in a minute. 
 
 They had scarcely finished these neces- 
 sary matters, before they received a visit 
 from Theresia and Mrs. Dauvernop, who 
 had not been able to resist the temptation 
 of forming an acquaintance with a couple 
 so famous for their mutual fondness, and 
 the fortitude with which they bore their 
 misfortunes. Rhodiska gave Theresia the 
 kindest reception, and expressed the great- 
 est satisfaction at seeing her at Vistulof, at 
 a time when they hoped they should be 
 able to make it agreeable to her. Theresia 
 answered the civilities of Rhodiska with 
 much feeling ; but she could not help per- 
 ceiving, 
 
306 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 ceiving, that Rhodiska and Rosomaski be- 
 haved with much coldness and reserve to- 
 wards her mother. She readily guessed 
 that, acquainted as they were with her 
 conduct towards her daughter, they could 
 not receive much pleasure from her com- 
 pany ; and she hastened to endeavour to 
 do away the ill impression which her nar- 
 rative had made on them. For this pur- 
 pose, she introduced, with much address, 
 into the conversation which ensued, some 
 sentences tending to justify Mrs. Dauver- 
 nop, and to throw all the odium of her 
 actions upon Colonel Darnim, who had 
 not only prevailed upon her to act as she 
 had done, but had given her the example, 
 by confining his son in the most dismal 
 dungeon of the Citadel of Cracow, where 
 he still languished. As Rhodiska and Ro- 
 somaski perceived the pious intentions of 
 TheresJa, they presently removed her anxi- 
 ety, by behaving towards Mrs. Dauvernop 
 as if she had been perfectly worthy of 
 esteem. She really was so in every other . 
 
 instance, 
 
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 307 
 
 instance, except in her blind zeal to pur- 
 sue the unreasonable request of her dying 
 husband. 
 
 As Rhodiska felt a strong inclination to 
 know how Theresia had been received by 
 her mother, she proposed to take a walk, 
 and shew her guests some of the romantic 
 scenery which surrounded Vistulof on 
 every side. Mrs. Dauvernop and Theresia 
 were delighted with the proposal. Roso- 
 maski gave his hand to the former, and the 
 latter followed them with Rhodiska. When 
 they were in the open country, Rhodiska 
 purposely fell some little distance behind 
 Rosomaski and Mrs. Dauvernop, and ex- 
 pressed her satisfaction at seeing her mo- 
 ther and herself so thoroughly reconciled, 
 and her hopes that no similar event would 
 ever interrupt their future harmony. 
 
 (< There is no danger of that/' replied 
 Theresia — ff my mother, who is a reason- 
 able woman in every other respect, is sen- 
 sible of her error in this. I am perfectly 
 satisfied, from the reception which she has 
 
 given 
 
308 THE INVISIBLE ENEMY. 
 
 given me, that I shall experience only her 
 tenderness in future. But, as von know 
 the former part of this adventure,, it would 
 be a pity to conceal from you' the latter, 
 which appears to me to be little less extra- 
 ordinary. If the one was wonderful, the 
 other was very extraordinary." 
 
 Rhodiska expressed her earnest desire to 
 hear it, and Theresia gave it to her y as wijl 
 'appear in the next volume. 
 
 KXD OF VOL I. 
 
 Lane, Darling, and Co. Leadenhall-Street, 
 

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