measure recovered my tranquillity of mind, and was
able to bear the sight of friends, I heard that she was
suffering from an incurable disease, and that her life
was despaired of by the physician. How whimsically
does fate sport with man and all human intentions !
I was informed that her father in the extremity of
grief, would willingly have given me his beloved
child had he been able thereby to save her ; that
he would have despised the opinion of the world, and
the objections of his family, could he by these means
have saved his Juliet, by whose illness he had first
learnt how much he loved her, and how much his life
was bound up in hers. All was in vain, she died
in agonies, calling for me, and the disconsolate father
heaped execrations upon me that will overtake me,
ay, as surely as her own."
These are, as nearly as possible, the affecting
confessions of my unhappy friend. He added, in con
clusion, that the whole of his property would be lost,
unless he discovered a certain document for which
he had long been searching, but which he could find
nowhere.
62 THE TOKEN.
There are sufferings during which it is foolish to
make even the attempt at offering consolation. Such
sufferings must he lived through, they are peculiar to
human nature, and he who is not overwhelmed by
them, hut survives them, will afterwards see that to
pass such a severe reprobation was essential to his
happiness.
" I am convinced," said my friend a few days
afterwards, when I took leave of him, " that these
execrations and the prophecies of the old fury will
visit me. My life will be consumed in illness, misery,
delirium, and poverty. The spirit of the departed
will tread in my footsteps and sow poison, where,
perhaps, some joy might otherwise have sprung."
I began to comfort him, calling to my aid, hope
and consolation from every source, because such ap
prehensions are generally imaginary, and may be com
bated. Hope is at least more infinite than the all-
engrossing sensation of such visionary fear. We
separated, and for a long time I heard nothing of my
friend Francis. I lived in foreign countries and re
turned some years after the period in question.
We had not kept up any correspondence. I was
therefore surprised and delighted by his first letter
which I received in my own comfortable home. There
was no allusion to his former sufferings ; all was for
gotten. Time and fortune had transformed my
friend into a truly new being. He wrote to me of
his approaching marriage. The most beautiful girl
THE KLAUSENBUKG. 68
of the country, young, cheerful, and innocent, had
bestowed her affections upon him ; and on the very
day on which their vows were exchanged, he had,
after years of fruitless search, discovered the impor
tant document which would complete their nuptial
happiness. The melanchoy time, he informed me,
had vanished from his mind, his youth seemed re
newed, and now only he hegan to live. In a week
his marriage was to be celebrated, and he urged me
to come and be a witness of his happiness.
It would have delighted me to have complied
with his invitation, had not my uncle, who lived
forty miles distant, and was then lying on his death
bed, called me from home. The prince, who bitter
ly hated and persecuted my friend, had died in the
meanwhile, so that, in all human probability, there
was the prospect that every thing ominous, mena
cing, and fatal, would fade away and be forgotten, and
that spirts of fortune and delight would henceforth
draw my friend s car of life.
My stay with my uncle, who was dying, was pro
tracted. His sufferings lasted longer than his phy
sicians had expected, and I was glad that my pre
sence was so consoling and beneficial to him. After
his death, I had various business to transact, to exe
cute his will, to make arrangements with the remain
ing relatives, part of his fortune being left to me
and to settle all to our mutual satisfaction. As
journeys were required for these matters, nearly eigh-
64 THE TOKEN.
teen months elapsed before they were completed.
The journeys had carried me far from our neighbor
hood, and I must confess that these circumstances,
and the pressure of business, had almost caused me to
forget my friend Francis. He had not written to
me, nor had I heard any thing of him, and I was,
therefore, convinced that it was well with him ; that
he was married and happy in his new condition. Be
ing soon after near Switzerland I made a tour to that
country, and then visited a watering-place on the
Khine, to which my medical adviser had long before
recommended me.
Here I abandoned myself to amusements, enjoy
ed the beauties of nature during my rambles, and
felt happier than I had been for some time. Being
one day at the table d hote, I accidentally looked over
the list of visitors, and found that my friend Francis,
with his wife, had been a week in the town. I won
dered he had not found me out, as my name must
have struck him in the list. However, I accounted
for his not doing so, by saying to myself that he had
not looked over the leaves attentively, that he had not
heard my name mentioned, or that possibly he might
be seriously ill and would see no company. Satisfied
so far, I called upon him, and was told he was -not at
home. I hoped to meet him in my walks, but per
ceived him nowhere. Calling the following day, I re
ceived the same answer, that he had gone out. I left
my card, requesting he would pay me a visit or tell
THE KLAUSENBURG. 65
me when he would receive me. I heard nothing
from him. The next morning early, I called again,
and the servant again replied, with a troubled coun
tenance, that his master was already from home.
Now I plainly saw, that Francis did not choose
to see me, and had denied himself. I endeavored to
call to my memory, whether I had at any time given
him offence ; but after the strictest scrutiny, could
not find the least spot on my conscience respecting
him. I therefore wrote him rather a severe letter,
requiring him to see me, and that not merely from
friendship to me, but from the respect he owed
himself.
When I called again, I was admitted, and hav
ing waited for some time in the room, I saw a
stranger approaching from the adjoining chamber,
not like a human being, but a tottering, trembling
skeleton, with a pale, sunken countenance, which,
but for the fiery eye, one might have taken for the
face of a corpse. " Great God ! " I exclaimed with
horror, as I recognised in this spectre my friend
Francis, that once handsome, noble fellow.
I sank terrified into a chair, and he sat down by
me, took my hand between his withered fingers, and
said, " Yes ! my friend, thus we again meet, and
you now understand why I wished to spare you this
sad sight. Yes ! friend, all those curses have been
realised, and calamity has overtaken me, however
actively I endeavored to escape it ; my life is ex-
4*
66 THE TOKEN.
hausted by disease, as well as that of my youthful
wife, once a. paragon of beauty ; I arn a beggar, and
all hope is gone for ever."
Still I could not recover from my astonishment ;
the first chilling terror was succeeded by the deepest
compassion and ineffable sympathy in my soul, and
my unfortunate friend saw my tears flow.
" But how has all this been possible ? " I ex
claimed. " Speak ; confide all to your friend."
" Spare me," he said, in a faint voice, "let us
throw a veil over these calamities, for what good can
it do you to know the why and wherefore ? You
would not comprehend nor believe it, and still less
could your advice or consolation avail any thing."
I could make no reply, his distress seemed so
great, that he was, perhaps, right in what he said.
Words, details, and complaints, are often only
stings to the deadly wound. I requested him to
introduce me to his wife. He led her in. She
seemed to suffer equally with himself, but still
showed evident traces of beauty. She was of a tall,
noble figure, her blue eye was of a piercing clear
ness, and her sweet-toned voice was full of soul.
After some conversation, the physician entered, and
I took my leave, making it a condition, that in
future he would not refuse to see me.
I required rest to collect myself, and therefore,
sought the most solitary spot to arrange my
thoughts and feelings. How strange, in these ino-
THE KLAUSENBURG. 67
ments, appeared human life, friendship, death, and
health ! In these my dreams, I was interrupted by
a friendly voice addressing me. It was the physi
cian, an elderly good-natured man, who sat down
beside me. " I have learned," he began, " that you
are a youthful friend of our poor patient, and have
sought you to consult with you, respecting his
lamentable and enigmatical state. I have never
met with a similar illness, I do not understand it,
and, therefore, am but groping in the dark with my
remedies ; nor do I know whether the waters here
are salutary to him or his sick wife, who seems
wasting away from the same complaint. I have no
name for this wasting fever, which defies all known
remedies. Sometimes I could almost imagine them
insane, did not reason absolutely manifest itself.
But even should their minds be unimpaired, they
are, doubtless, hypochondriacs. And the worst
is, the count will not communicate freely, but, on
the contrary, anxiously avoids all questions respect
ing his condition, and all inquiries as to its cause
and commencement. I do not wish to irritate him,
though my inquiries and questions have more than
once had that effect, and yet it seems necessary to
learn from himself the history of his complaint. I
therefore request you, dear sir, to exert your influ
ence with him, as his friend, that he may confess to
us the origin of his illness. If I once knew this, it
might, perhaps, be possible to afford) relief to both
68 THE TOKEN.
of them. If the disease is mental, of which I feel
almost convinced, the physician must be in their
confidence to afford relief; but if this is withheld,
he may cause even death, not only by his prescrip
tions, but by an unguarded word. I therefore con
jure you to do all in your power to make him con
fide every thing to you." I promised all he desired,
for I had long entertained the same opinion. But
when, on the following day, I remonstrated with
my friend, I found the task more difficult than I
expected, as he was inaccessible on that point. He
did not yield until I united tears to my entreaties,
and his suffering wife joined with me, as the hope
arose within her that the physician might be able to
afford relief to her husband. He stipulated that
whatever he should communicate should be com
municated in private to me alone, undisturbed, and
without even the presence of his wife, who would be
much pained at the relation.
Thus was it arranged. My little room looking
on the garden was so quiet and retired, that no in
trusion was to be feared, and after a frugal supper
I dismissed the servant, enjoining him not to admit
any one. The invalid countess was left with her
attendants, and a lady of my acquaintance kindly
read some amusing work to her during her husband s
absence.
We sat then in my well lighted little room,
while the summer breezes murmured sweetly through
THE KLAUSENBURG. 69
the trees without. My sick friend was on the sofa,
and the physician and myself were opposite, when
Francis began slowly and with many pauses (as
speaking seemed painful to him) the following
narrative :
" Yes, my friend, you see me again, ill and dying,
and my wife, who but two years since was a paragon
of health and beauty, is no less afflicted. The
Klausenburg which more than once sheltered us so
hospitably is become a desolate ruin ; storms and
fire have destroyed it, and whatever useful material
remained was wrested from it by my cruel creditors
in derision, and sold for a mere trifle. You know,
my friend, the belief or rather superstition that fol
lowed me, but with this I will not weary our good
physician, as it had no sensible influence on my im
mediate fate. I have, moreover, so much of the
marvellous to tell in the recent events that have
befallen me, that it will be more than sufficient fully
to convince the learned doctor that I am insane.
" Young as I was I had already resigned life,
since I considered it completely at a close. But as
it frequently happens that the power of a beautiful
spring will revive a tree apparently lifeless, so that
its branches again become verdant, and at last one
blossom springs from them, so it happened with me.
Travelling about in a misanthropical mood I stopped
in a small town situate in a delightful country, and
through my introductions made acquaintance with
70 THE TOKEN".
some interesting people. One of these, a distant
relative, who received me most kindly, introduced
me to his family, where, for the first time I saw my
beloved Elizabeth, and at the second visit I had lost
my heart and peace of mind. But wherefore dwell
on charms that are fled ? Suffice it to say that I
was enraptured, and flattered myself that my feel
ings were understood, and might perhaps in a short
time be returned. Elizabeth was residing with an
aged aunt ; they were neither of them wealthy,
though they belonged to an ancient family. I was
superior to the talk and astonishment of the towns
people, and I stayed a long while in this insignifi
cant place, where there was neither a theatre to
amuse, nor large assemblies, balls, and festivals to
engage me. I was so happy that I only lived for,
and enjoyed, the present moment. The family was
very musical, and Elizabeth a truly accomplished per
former on the pianoforte. Her voice was highly cul
tivated, full-toned, and beautiful, and she agreeably
surprised me by joining in my perhaps one-sided
taste for ancient composition. Harmony, skill, and
kind looks from her beautiful eyes, all this so
charmed me that weeks vanished like days, and days
like hours in the poetical intoxication.
"I spoke of the family. The aunt too was
musical, and accompanied us when we sang. I also
found myself benefited by becoming again conscious
of the talents which I had so long neglected to ex-
THE KLAUSENBURG. 71
ercise. Yes, indeed, talents, amiability, social gifts,
and pleasing manners, &c." continued Francis
after a pause, during which he seemed lost in thought
" the vanity of possessing these graces have ren
dered me and others unhappy. Speaking of the
family, I must now mention Ernestine, an elder
sister of my wife s. Their parents had died early in
life. They had lived at a distance from that small
town, in what is called good style. This they did
without considering their fortune, and the conse
quence was that they became impoverished and in
volved in debt. Where this confusion breaks in,
where the necessity of the moment ever absorbs the
security of the days and weeks, few men possess
sufficient energy and resolution firmly to hold the
rudder amid the tumult of a returning storm. And
thus the wildest and most confused management
had broken into this ruined household. The parents
not only diverted themselves in banqueting, dress,
and theatres, but, as it were, even with new and sin
gular misfortunes. The latter were more particularly
caused by their eldest daughter, Ernestine. This
poor being had, when only three years old, during
the confusion and bustle of a banquet, unnoticed by
any one, taken up a bottle of strong liquid, and
drinking it, became intoxicated by it, and thus had
unconsciously fallen down a high staircase.
" The accident had scarcely been observed, and
was lightly thought of when discovered. The physi-
72 THE TOKEN.
cian, a jovial friend of the family, instead of apply
ing the proper remedies, joked on the occurrence, and
hence it was that those consequences soon appeared
in the child, which she could, in after years, justly
attribute to want of affection in her parents. The
chest-bone and spine were dislocated, so that as she
grew up, she became more and more deformed.
Being rather tall, the double hump was more strik
ing, her arms and hands were excessively long and
thin, and her lean body quite out of proportion to
her long legs. Her face had a singular expression,
the little lively and cunning eyes could hardly peep
forth from beneath the bony vault of her forehead,
and the broad, flatted nose, the chin was peaked, and
the cheeks were sunken. Thus this unfortunate be
ing was a remarkable foil to her sister Elizabeth.
Their aunt, when she heard the total ruin of the
family, had interfered and assisted them as far as her
limited means permitted. Thus the younger daugh
ter was saved and continued healthy, since the
father s sister had taken the children upon the death
of their parents, for the purpose of educating them.
" The physical care of Ernestine came too late,
but her mind was cultivated, and her talents were
awakened. She showed herself intelligent, learned
with ease, and retained what she had once acquired,
evidently surpassing her sister in wit and presence
of mind. Being fond of reading philosophical works,
she exercised her judgment and showed so much
THE KLAUSENBUKG. 73
acuteness, that she often startled even men by her
bold and abrupt opinions ; not being united to her
own sex by beauty and grace, she not unfrequently
exercised a more than masculine power. But what
almost seemed to border on the marvellous was her
great talent for music. Never had I heard the
pianoforte played in such a perfect manner ; every
difficulty vanished before her, and she only laughed
when difficult passages were mentioned to her.
" No doubt the extraordinary span of her hand
and fingers assisted her in excelling all that can be
done by an ordinary hand. Being also well versed
in the art of composition, she composed with ease
long pieces of music which we often executed to her
delight.
" Could not such a being be happy independent
of others ? Certainly, if she had resigned herself to
her lot, if she could have forgotten she was a wo
man. Unfortunately for her, all men forgot it who
approached her, but she could never raise herself be
yond the limit so as to belong to the other sex, or
to none.
" This singular being attracted me in a peculiar
manner, both by her excellences and her repulsive-
ness. When they performed and I sang her composi
tions, there beamed in moments of excitement from
her small eyes, a wonderful, poetic spirit, like a
veiled angel humbled in the dust, with benign yet
74 THE TOKEN.
terrifying splendor. This frequently made me for
get that she was the sister of my Elizabeth.
" Elizabeth had before refused some suitors who
had earnestly courted her. Entering once the ante
chamber unannounced, I heard both sisters engaged
in a lively conversation in which my name was men
tioned. c You will not accept him I hope/ cried
Ernestine ; e he suits neither you nor us ; they say
he is not very rich, but he is so proud, so self- suffi
cient, so convinced of, and so penetrated with, his
own excellence, that he excites my indignation
whenever he comes near us. You call him amiable,
noble ; but I tell you he is dogmatical and obsti
nate ; and, believe me, his mental gifts are not so
great as you seem to think/
" With a gentle voice Elizabeth undertook my
defence, but her sister discussed all the bad traits of
my character so much the more, and passed all my
faults in review. Finding that I was the subject of
so much discussion, I would not surprise them by en
tering immediately, and thus I discovered, against
my expectation, the dislike the eldest sister enter
tained for me. I therefore resolved to reconcile this
unfortunate being, for whom life had so few charms
and joys, by kindness and benevolence. When they
had ceased I entered, and the aunt also joining us
we immediately commenced our musical exercises,
by which means I could best conceal my embarrass
ment.
THE KLAUSENBURG. 75
"After a few visits I actually succeeded in dis
posing Ernestine more kindly towards me. When
it happened that we were alone, we were deeply en
gaged in serious conversation, arid I could not help
admiring both her mind and acquirements. I could
not hut agree with her, when she often spoke with
contempt of those men who only esteem and love in
woman the transient and mutable charms that pass
away with their youth. She was also fond of rail
ing at those girls who so frequently pass themselves
off as phenomena, and only, as it were, wish to please
as dolls of fashion and well-dressed blocks. She re
vealed without affectation the wealth of her mind,
her deep feeling, and her lofty thoughts, so that, in
admiration of her mighty soul, I hardly remember
ed her deformed person. She pressed my hand
kindly, and seemed perfectly happy when we had
thus chatted an hour away. I was not less rejoiced
when I perceived how her friendship for me appa
rently increased every day.
It struck me as a weakness in my beloved, that
she was displeased at our intimacy. I did not un
derstand this petty jealousy, and censured it when
alone with her, as showing too much female weak
ness. On the other hand, I was pleased when Ernes
tine gave me evident proofs of her friendship, when
my appearance delighted her, when she was ready to
show me a book or piece of music, or told me how
she had prepared herself for a conversation with me
76 THE TOKEN.
on some important subject. This genuine friendship
seemed to me so desirable, that I anticipated great
delight at the thought that she would, in our mar
ried state, complete the measure of our love by mu
tual confidence. Their aunt approved of my engage
ment with Elizabeth, and our vows were exchanged.
On this occasion Ernestine was not present, being
confined by illness to her chamber. I did not see
her on the day following, and when I wished to call on
her, my betrothed said, ( Do not disturb her, my dear
friend, she is not quite herself, and it is better to let
her passion subside/ What has happened ? I
asked, astonished. ( It is strange/ replied Elizabeth,
that you have not long ere this remarked how ar
dently she loves you ? I was struck dumb with ter
ror and astonishment at this information, which star
tled me the more since, strange to say, I had con
sidered this intellectual being totally incapable of
love ; as though passion did not always run counter
to possibility, truth, nature, and reason, if these op
posed themselves, as, indeed, I had myself experienc
ed in my own life in a similar manner. Yes/ con
tinued Elizabeth, i almost at the very time you en
tered our house, I remarked her partiality to you,
but her predilection manifested itself more decidedly,
when you began to show a preference for me, when
you became more friendly, and thus gained my confi
dence. For a long time, she concealed her affection
under a pretended dislike, which, however, did not
THE KLAUSENBURG. 77
deceive me. Oh ! beloved, the mind and feelings, the
enthusiasm and passions of this singular being possess
such extraordinary power and intensity, that I have
been compelled ever since I comprehended her char
acter, to admire her as much as to fear her, and to
stand in awe at her gigantic intellect. When, some
years ago, I took lessons in music, and made rapid
progress, according to the testimony of my instructor,
she only ridiculed my childlike satisfaction as she
called it. She had never before thought of learning
music, and now devoted herself with all her energy to
this accomplishment. She practised day and night,
and her master no longer satisfying her, she availed
herself of the presence of a celebrated composer, and
became his pupil. I could not comprehend the
mental as well as physical energy, with which she
devoted herself unceasingly, almost without sleep
and refreshments, and with unwearied zeal to the
practice of this art. It was then she learned com
position and gained her master s praise and admira
tion. It was not long, however, before she found
fault with him, fancying his execution not suffi
ciently fiery and enthusiastic, his compositions not
sufficiently original and impassioned. He submitted,
and agreed with her. All men, she used to say, lie
constantly in a half-sleeping state, being almost al
ways, as it were, in a stupor, similar to the plant
which grows, blooms, and is beautiful, diffusing odor,
and possessing powers, without consciousness. What
78 THE TOKEN.
would men accomplish were they truly awake in
their wakeful state ? And so she devoted herself
to philosophy, reading works on medicine, anatmoy,
and other subjects, which are usually too abstruse