In his fury he scarcely knew what he did, and seiz
ing the old prophetesses by their long gray hair, he
dragged them out of the room and threw them down
the staircase. He then commanded the servants,
who came crowding around, to secure them to a
stone pillar in the yard, to bare their backs, and
chastise them with whips as long as the strength, of
the ministers of his cruelty would hold out. His
orders were executed.

Having locked himself in his room, he was hor
rified, on becoming calmer, as he reflected on the
barbarities he had committed. From these thoughts
he was aroused by a loud knocking at the door. He
opened it, and a servant in evident terror entered,
saying, " Oh ! gracious count, I was afraid you
were ill, or perhaps dead, for I have been knocking
for a long time, without receiving any answer from



THE KLAUSENBURG. 4o

your lordship." " What do you want ? " " The
eldest of these hideous witches/ replied the servant,
"insists on speaking to you for a minute before she
leaves the castle. She will not be refused, and the
most severe threats and curses avail nothing with
the old woman/ The count ordered the ill-used wo
man to be led to his room. The appearance of the
poor creature was frightful, and the count himself
started back with horror, when she presented herself
covered with blood, her face and arms lacerated, and
a deep wound in her head, which was still uncover
ed. u I thank you," she said, " kind brother, for the
Christian kindness that you have shown me in your
palace. You are, indeed, a virtuous man, a persecu
tor of vice, an impartial judge, and a punisher of
crimes ; and I suppose you would call yourself an
avenging angel in the service of your God. Do you
know then, tender-hearted man, why we were sitting
by the bedside of your wife ? We had, indeed, told
her fortune, but the real object of our visit was to
speak to you, and you were not in your hospitable
house. It was our wish to separate from the gang,
and seek a humble and honest living. We know
the haunt where the leader conceals himself, that
notorious incendiary whom you have so long sought
in vain, and intended to deliver him into your
hands ; but you are worse than the most atrocious
of our gang, and as you have shown us to-day so
much kindness, a curse for it shall light upon you,



46 THE TOKEN.

your family and your offspring, to the third and
fourth generation."

The count, who had now repented of his hasty
wrath, wished to appease the awful woman, by
speaking kindly to her, and offering her, by way of
reconciliation, his purse well filled with gold. She
cast an evil, though covetous look at the gold, and,
grinding her teeth, threw the purse at the count s
feet. " That mammon," she cried, {e would have
made me and my poor sister happy, but after the
meal you have given us, I would rather gnaw the
bark of trees than receive the wealth from your ac
cursed hands." Various and many were the curses
she continued heaping on him, and the torments and
misfortunes she denounced against him and his
house. When she had finished, she tottered down
the stone staircase, all the servants fleeing from her
as from a spectre.

From this moment the count was a changed
man. His energies were crushed. He lived as in a
dream, having no wish, and being incapable of form
ing a single resolution. Those around him could
not learn whether he was deeply shocked by the
death of his consort, who died the night after that
fatal day. Since that time he was scarcely ever
heard to speak or to utter a sound, sigh, or complaint.
He no longer concerned himself about any thing, and
seemed perfectly indifferent when the government
confiscated his largest estate to punish him as a re
bel and violator of the laws. In his present state






~7



THE KLAUSENBUKG. 47

of mind, he abandoned himself to the guidance of
those very priests whom previously he had so point
edly avoided ; he frequented the church often, and
was fervent in his devotions. He never looked
around when people behind him called out, " There
sneaks the old sinner,the traitor, the murderer and re
bel, back again into God s house." Now like wise some
relatives profited by his listlessness, so far as to de
prive him by a lawsuit of another large estate, and
there was every appearance that of all the large pos
sessions of his ancestors, nothing would be left for
his only heir, a beautiful boy, had not a prudent
guardian of the child done all in his power for him.
From the unconcern of his father, the young count
became daily more impoverished, leaving to his off
spring but a small portion of the large property to
which he had succeeded ; but, notwithstanding these
misfortunes, and also the breaking out of war, the
next proprietor of the Klausenburg, and his family,
maintained their rank, and were respected in the
neighborhood. By his industry, his success, and
his marriage with a wealthy lady, he partly retriev
ed his fortune, and succeeded in his endeavors to re
vive and maintain the former splendor of his castle
for some fifty or sixty years, so that his friends and
relatives resorted to it as formerly, with delight, and
he, at his death, left to his only son his remaining
estates in good condition, besides large sums of
money. Thus the curse of the gipsies appeared to-



48 THE TOKEN.

tally removed, the count and his son having com
pletely forgotten former events, or having, perhaps,
never heard of the curse.

I was a spirited boy when I made the acquaint
ance of Francis, the last heir of the Klausenburg.
This Francis, who was about a year my senior, was
cheerful, amiable, and handsome, and the pride of
his father, the persevering man who had partly re
stored the splendor of his ancestors. My playmate
grew up to be, not merely the delight of his father,
but of all around. He was manly, witty, and en
gaging, an accomplished dancer, and expert horse
man, and in fencing, had not his equal. After
being presented at court, he soon gained the prince s
favor, by his natural vivacity, and in a few years
was raised to the office of counsellor. Few men
on earth had fairer prospects of a happy life. All
mothers and aunts in the neighborhood saw, and
hoped to find in him, the future husband of their
daughters and nieces, and at the assemblies in the
capital he was the adored and chosen hero of the
ladies, as he was the object of envy and persecution
among the young fashionables. No one could con
ceive why he so long deferred his choice, and, for a
longtime, people would not credit the rumors that
were circulated, that he had formed an engagement
with the young princess. It was confidently whis
pered that the lovers waited only for some favorable
chance, or occurrence, to acknowledge publicly their



THE KLAUSENBURG. 49

mutual affection and wishes. However, nothing of
the kind happened, and years passed, and with them
faded the rumors, and various interpretations of
sage politicians.

Suddenly, when the affair seemed forgotten, my
youthful friend was banished the court and capital
in disgrace. All his former friends forsook him, and
what was still worse, an intrigue, countenanced by
the government, involved him in a dangerous lawsuit,
which threatened the loss of his fortune. Thus then
this courted, admired, and universally caressed Fran
cis, saw himself in the very worst position, and was
obliged to confess that his career was closed, and
that all his splendid prospects were darkened for
ever.

About this time I saw him again ; he bore his
misfortune manfully. He was still as youthful and
handsome as ever, and the serenity of his temper
had suffered but little. We were travelling in this
neighborhood, and the Klausenburg having gone to
ruin, he built a pleasant house not far distant, on
the slope of a hill, from whence he enjoyed a beau
tiful prospect.

He avoided speaking of former circumstances,
but one evening he was deeply affected by a letter
announcing the decease of the young princess, who
had died of a broken heart ; or, as was afterwards
said, had voluntarily sought death, because she



50 THE TOKEN.

could no longer bear the burden of her embittered
life.

It was evident to me that a deep-seated melan
choly had taken possession of my friend, and often
showed itself ; his mind, however, was not so affect
ed as to display any symptoms of weariness of life,
which made me hope that his misfortune, and the
evil fate that had attended him, would serve to
purify his character, and give him that genuine
deportment which is essential even to those who are
not tried by calamity, and much more to those who
have to pass through heavy trials.

There lived in the neighborhood, about that
time, a wild old woman, who was half crazy, and
who went begging from village to village.

The higher class called her jokingly, the Sibyl,
the common people did not hesitate to call her a
witch. The place of her residence was not exactly
known ; probably she had no certain place of resort,
as she was constantly seen on the high-roads, and
roaming in every direction in the country. Some
old rangers maintained that she was a descendant
of that notorious gang of gipsies whom Count Mo-
ritz many years before had persecuted and dispersed.

Walking one day in a beautiful beech-wood, and
engaged in conversation, which made us forget the
world without, we suddenly saw, at a turn of the
footpath, the old hideous Sibyl before us. Being
both in a cheerful mood, we were rather astonished,



THE KLAUSENBURG. 51

but in no way startled. Having dismissed the im
pudent beggar by giving her some money, she hasti
ly returned, saying : " Will not you have your for
tunes told for what you have given to me ? "

" If it is something good that you can tell me,
you may earn a few more pence."

I held out to her my hand, at which she looked
very carefully, and then said, scornfully : " My good
sir, you have a miserable hand, which would puzzle
even the best fortune-teller. Such a middling per
son, neither one thing nor the other, as you, I have
never seen in all my life : you are neither wise nor
stupid, neither bad nor good, neither fortunate nor
unfortunate ; without passions, mind, virtue, or vice ;
you are what I call a real A. B. C. scholar of Heav
en s blockheads, and you will not in all your life
have the slight merit of ever perceiving your own in
significance. From your paltry hand and unmean
ing countenance nothing at all can be prophesied ; a
dry fungus, without it is first prepared and macera
ted, cannot even receive a spark. Therefore, Jack
Mean-nothing, your dull nature will never live to
see any thing worth telling."

My friend Francis did not laugh at the old wo
man s opinion and description of my character, but
being attached to me, his anger rose, and he repro
ved her in strong terms. She listened very calmly
to what he said, and then replied : " Why are you
so angry ? If you will not give me something more



52 THE TOKEN.

for my trouble and wisdom, let me go quietly. No
doubt men do not like to have their innermost heart
exposed to the daylight. Is it my fault that there
is nothing better in your friend s character ? He is
neither my son nor disciple." Thus the prophetess
meant to justify and atone for her insolence by
repeating it anew. My friend was pacified, and
gave her a ducat, saying : " Make merry with that,
where do you live ? "

" Where do I live ? " she replied ; " my roof
changes so often that I cannot tell or describe it to
you ; not unfrequently it is open, and my compan
ion is the howling storm ; where men have not built
houses they usually call it nature. But I thank you,
and must requite your kindness." Quickly and for
cibly taking the unwilling hand of my friend, she
held it firmly between her bony fingers, and consid
ered it for some time ; then letting the arm drop,
with a sigh she said in a tone of voice expressive of
deep sorrow, " Son, son ; you descend from wicked
blood, are an evil scion of evil ancestors but fortu
nately you are the last of your race, for your children
would be more evil still. What begins in evil must
end in evil. Ah ! ah ! your physiognomy ; your
expression ; your whole countenance ; I feel almost
as if I saw a murderer before me. Yes ! yes ! you
have killed a young, beautiful, and noble maiden.
On her dying bed she long struggled with grief and
anguish. ye wicked men, can you not be faithful



THE KLAUSENBURG. 53

and keep your oaths. It is not only daggers, swords,
and guns, that cut and kill ; looks and sweet words
will also do it. Oh, those seductive words, and all
that pretended affection ! Now this splendid frame
that first dazzled your foolish eye, breaks, and is con
signed to corruption. Beauty ! oh thou fatal gift of
Heaven ! and besides, murderer, you are handsome
enough to kill others. The curses of your father
follow you now, whether you dwell in the forest or in
your finely tapestried rooms. See you not, feel you
not, how, coming from the very heart, they waft
misfortune and misery towards you, as the stormy
wind scatters the dry leaves in the valleys between
the mountains ? Where is your peace, your happi-
piness, your confidence ? All scattered, like the
drifting sand in the barren plain ; no fruit can there
strike root."

Suddenly the crazy woman shouted aloud, and
ran shrieking and yelling discordantly into the thick
est part of the wood. When I looked round, I was
terrified on seeing my friend become pale as death.
He shook so violently that he could not support him
self, but sank on a hillock beside him. I sat down
by him, and endeavored to comfort and quiet him.

" Is this madwoman," he exclaimed, " inspired
by truth ? does she really see the past and the fu
ture, or are those only mad sounds which she utters
in brutish thoughtlessness ; and if it be so, have not



51 THE TOKEN".

such random words been perhaps the genuine oracles
in all ages ? "

He now gave way to tears and loud lamentations ;
he called loudly in the air, what hitherto he had so
carefully and mysteriously locked up in his heart.

" Yes ! " he exclaimed ; "accursed be every tal
ent, speech, grace, and all the gifts with which a
malicious fate endowed us to ruin ourselves and
others ! Could I not have avoided her first kind
look ? Why did I suffer myself to be infatuated, to
exchange glance for glance, and then word for word ?
Yes ! she was lovely, noble, and graceful ; but in
my heart there arose together with better feelings,
the vanity that even she, the most exalted, distin
guished me. I approached her nearer, more boldly,
more decidedly, and my pure exalted sentiments
surprised and won her. She gave me her confidence.
Her heart was so virtuous, so noble ; all her youthful
feelings were so tender and fervent ; it was a para
dise that opened to our view. Childishly enough,
we thought that no higher happiness on earth
could be offered us, the present heavenly moment
sufficed. But now passion awoke in my heart. This
she expected not, she was terrified, and withdrew.
This goaded my self-love ; I felt unhappy, crushed,
and ill. Her compassion was moved, and she no
longer avoided me. By means of an attendant in our
confidence, we were able to meet without witnesses.
Our intercourse became more tender, our love more



THE KLAUSENBURG. 55

defined and ardent ; but as these feelings were embo
died in language, and expressed more definitely, the
paradisiacal breath, the heavenly bloom was fled for
ever. It was happiness, but changed in character ; it
was more earthly, more kindly, more confiding, but was
not surrounded by that magic which had transported
me formerly, so that I could frequently ask myself
when alone, i are you really happy ? Alas ! my
friend, as we saw each other so often, how many fool
ish and mad projects were then conceived !

" We talked, we conversed of the future of which
those who ardently love never think in the early pe
riod of their ecstacies. Once an opportunity of an
alliance likely to add to the lustre of her house pre
sented itself. What fury and bitter rancor were
aroused in me ! For only appearing favorably
disposed towards this illustrious alliance, she suffered
much from my anger. My passion was ignoble, as
she deeply felt, more from her love to me, than from
the sufferings it caused her. Oh ! she was never
able to erase from her soul this picture of my mad
ness. To alleviate my sufferings and completely to
reconcile me, she stooped to my mean and rude na
ture. Our hearts harmonised again, but from the
lowering clouds that now surrounded me, I looked
back with yearnings to that heavenly serenity that
first shone dazzlingly upon me so. In imagination
we lived as though affianced, and dreamt of our
union, of unexpected bliss, of varied pleasures, and



56 THE TOKEN.

turns of fate never to be realised. But these were
misty visions, and we considered the greatest im
probabilities as near and natural. The habitual
thoughts of our love gradually destroyed necessary
precaution. The looks of spies were watchful, and
were sharpened by our imprudence. Rumors were
circulated, which perhaps never would have reached
the prince himself, had not his own glance suspected
and discovered our connection. He now learnt more
from his questions than he desired to know, and far
more than was in accordance with truth. One even
ing he sent for me to attend him alone in his closet,
and displayed to me in this serious interview all the
nobleness of his great mind. Without reproaching
me, he ascribed to himself alone the immediate cause
of my presumption, saying that he had treated me
with too much confidence, nay almost like a son ;
that he had deviated too much from his rank and
the laws of etiquette ; that he had foolishly rejoiced
in the thought of his daughter being able by inter
course with me to improve her mind. As he became
more serious, I assured the agitated father by my
honor, and by all that is sacred, which indeed was
in accordance with the truth, that our mutual pas
sion had never led us astray, and that our better
genius had never forsaken us. At this he became
tranquil, and only replied by prohibiting as I had
anticipated. I was not allowed to meet his daughter
again privately. I was to endeavor by degrees to



THE KLAUSENBURG. 57

heal the wounds which our separation caused, to
eradicate the affection, which I had so rashly kindled,
by my good sense and demeanor, and thereby to
make myself worthy to regain the confidence and
love of the prince.

" Suddenly I felt as if the veil had fallen from
my eyes," continued Francis, " indeed, I may say,
that by this interview, I was quite a changed being.
Truth and reality had now, at length, with victori
ous power, asserted their ascendency over me. Many
periods of life may be compared to a vivid fantastic
dream ; we awake to sober consciousness, but still
feel the reality of the vision.

" But, ah ! my friend, this truth created^ a hell
within me. My mind yielded to the noble father in
every thing. He was right in the fullest sense of the
word. If I admired Juliet, and recognised her worth ;
if she was my friend, and I sufficiently important to
elevate her mind, what had that to do with our passion
and my efforts to possess her ? With this conviction
I was now penetrated, and the feeling exerted a be
nign influence over me. But how different were her
feelings ! When such changes occur, women usually
suffer from the consuming fire of passion. What let
ters did I receive from her, when I had communicated
to her my resolution and the advice that we must sub
mit to necessity ! I almost repeated the words which
I had heard from her beautiful lips when I urged my
ardent attachment. She now listened in a spirit dif-
4



58 THE TOKEN.

ferent from that which harassed her formerly ; deaf
to all advice, unsusceptible to every kindness, inac
cessible to conviction, she only listened to the wild
suggestions of her ardent affection. My reason seem
ed to her cowardice, my resignation baseness. She
alone was exclusively to be considered in the question
that agitated my heart. In short, she now played
the same part that I had done formerly. Looking
back upon my former conduct with repentance and
shame, I hoped I should be able, by calm persever
ance, to bring her gradually to the same conviction.
But she frustrated my hopes. It was singular that
I was made unhappy by possessing, in the fullest
measure, what I had formerly considered my supreme
felicity ; and that my most fervent desire extended
no further than to be able to restore her to tran
quillity, nay, even to produce coldness and indiffer
ence.

" So whimsical are the gods frequently towards
us in the bestowal of their gifts.

" My letters grieved her deeper and deeper, as
she showed by her replies. Thence it was that I
could not but wish myself once more able to obtain
a tete-a-tete with her in some evening hour, such as I
had formerly enjoyed over and over again. By bribery,
entreaty, and humiliation, I succeeded.

" But, oh, Heavens ! how different was this Juliet
from her who once had so enraptured and inspired
me. With her grief, her mortified feelings and her



THE KLAUSENBURG. 59

offended pride, she resembled a raving Bacchante.
On approaching her, I said to myself : ( To this state
then has my love, vanity, and eloquence, reduced
her ! Oh ! ye men, who, by your power, are able to
elevate these tender beings to angels, or change them
to wild furies ! But these reflections came too late.
If her letters were violent, her words were raging. No
thing in the whole world she desired, except my love.
She cared for nothing ; every thing seemed right and
desirable, flight into the open world, sacrifice of sta
tion, mortification of her father and family. I was
terrified at this distraction, that seemed to fear and
dread nothing. The more persuasive my manner,
and the more desirous I was to convince her of the
unavoidable necessity of submiting, the more furious
in words and gestures she became. She would fly
with me immediately. I felt it required nothing more
than to express the wish, and she would have sur
rendered herself, in this distraction, totally and un
conditionally. I was wretched from my inmost heart ;
indeed, all my energies were annihilated.

" I learned that the prince had only spoken to
her in hints ; the truth was known to her only from
our correspondence. She blamed me, her father, and
fate, and only became calm after a floo 1 of tears. I
was obliged to promise to see her again in a few days
in order to discuss the means of her flight. Thus my
feelings were so changed that I feared this once ador
ed Juliet, and, indeed, could not help despising her.



60 THE TOKEN.

And yet she was the same, and only the unhappy
passion that I had infused from my heart into hers
had rendered her thus infatuated. I trembled again
to see her. I was at a loss what to say, what pre
text for delay, or what excuses to invent. Thus
some weeks passed, during which we only exchanged
letters. To conclude, I saw her again. She seemed
ill, hut still in that excitement which would not
listen to reason. She had provided a carriage, packed
up her jewels, made the necessary preparations on the
frontier, procured passports, and powerful protec
tions in distant countries ; in short she had done all
that madness of an unbounded love could undertake.
I treated her as an invalid who does not know her
own state, humored all her extravagances, and
praised her most whimsical plans. Thus she thought
we agreed, and in a week we were to fly during a
masquerade^ while all were busied, and no one could
be recognised. To satisfy her for the moment I agreed
to every thing, but proposed in my own heart to quit
the court and the town. While we were thus dis
cussing our highly reasonable projects I suddenly
perceived behind us the prince, who had been for
some time listening to our conversation. The scene
which then took place I will not attempt to describe.
The father s anger overstepped all bounds on finding
me untrue to my promise, since he was convinced
that I quite agreed to all the wild plans of his daughter.
She cast herself at his feet totally unlike the beauti-



THE KLAUSENBUKG. 61

ful being she was formerly, she resembled an autom
aton moved by powerful springs, a figure only mani
festing life in convulsive gestures. It is astonishing
that we ever outlive some moments. I was banished,
obliged to fly into solitude, and for a long time heard
nothing of the city or what occurred there, as I
avoided all intercourse with men. When I in some