the purcell papers-2-第18章

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otherwise　solitary　supper。



One　evening；　the　painter　and　his　pupil

were　sitting　by　the　fire；　having　accomplished

a　comfortable　supper；　and　had

yielded　to　that　silent　pensiveness

sometimes　induced　by　the　process　of　digestion；

when　their　reflections　were　disturbed　by

a　loud　sound　at　the　street…door；　as　if

occasioned　by　some　person　rushing　forcibly　and

repeatedly　against　it。　A　domestic　had　run

without　delay　to　ascertain　the　cause　of　the

disturbance；　and　they　heard　him　twice　or

thrice　interrogate　the　applicant　for　admis…

sion；　but　without　producing　an　answer　or

any　cessation　of　the　sounds。



They　heard　him　then　open　the　hall…door；

and　immediately　there　followed　a　light　and

rapid　tread　upon　the　staircase。　Schalken

laid　his　hand　on　his　sword；　and　advanced

towards　the　door。　It　opened　before　he

reached　it；　and　Rose　rushed　into　the　room。

She　looked　wild　and　haggard；　and　pale　with

exhaustion　and　terror；　but　her　dress

surprised　them　as　much　even　as　her

unexpected　appearance。　It　consisted　of　a　kind

of　white　woollen　wrapper；　made　close　about

the　neck；　and　descending　to　the　very

ground。　It　was　much　deranged　and

travel…soiled。　The　poor　creature　had

hardly　entered　the　chamber　when　she　fell

senseless　on　the　floor。　With　some　difficulty

they　succeeded　in　reviving　her；　and

on　recovering　her　senses　she　instantly　ex…

claimed；　in　a　tone　of　eager；　terrified　impatience：



'Wine；　wine；　quickly；　or　I'm　lost！'



Much　alarmed　at　the　strange　agitation

in　which　the　call　was　made；　they　at　once

administered　to　her　wishes；　and　she　drank

some　wine　with　a　haste　and　eagerness　which

surprised　them。　She　had　hardly　swallowed

it；　when　she　exclaimed；　with　the　same

urgency：



'Food；　food；　at　once；　or　I　perish！'



A　considerable　fragment　of　a　roast　joint

was　upon　the　table；　and　Schalken　immediately

proceeded　to　cut　some；　but　he　was

anticipated；　for　no　sooner　had　she　become

aware　of　its　presence　than　she　darted　at　it

with　the　rapacity　of　a　vulture；　and；　seizing

it　in　her　hands　she　tore　off　the　flesh　with

her　teeth　and　swallowed　it。



When　the　paroxysm　of　hunger　had　been

a　little　appeased；　she　appeared　suddenly　to

become　aware　how　strange　her　conduct

had　been；　or　it　may　have　been　that　other

more　agitating　thoughts　recurred　to　her

mind；　for　she　began　to　weep　bitterly　and　to

wring　her　hands。



'Oh！　send　for　a　minister　of　God；'　said

she；　'I　am　not　safe　till　he　comes；　send

for　him　speedily。'



Gerard　Douw　despatched　a　messenger

instantly；　and　prevailed　on　his　niece　to

allow　him　to　surrender　his　bedchamber　to

her　use；　he　also　persuaded　her　to　retire

to　it　at　once　and　to　rest；　her　consent　was

extorted　upon　the　condition　that　they　would

not　leave　her　for　a　moment。



'Oh　that　the　holy　man　were　here！'　she

said；　'he　can　deliver　me。　The　dead　and

the　living　can　never　be　oneGod　has

forbidden　it。'



With　these　mysterious　words　she

surrendered　herself　to　their　guidance；　and

they　proceeded　to　the　chamber　which

Gerard　Douw　had　assigned　to　her　use。



'Do　notdo　not　leave　me　for　a

moment；'　said　she。　'I　am　lost　for　ever　if

you　do。'



Gerard　Douw's　chamber　was　approached

through　a　spacious　apartment；　which　they

were　now　about　to　enter。　Gerard　Douw

and　Schalken　each　carried　a　was　candle；

so　that　a　sufficient　degree　of　light　was　cast

upon　all　surrounding　objects。　They　were

now　entering　the　large　chamber；　which；　as

I　have　said；　communicated　with　Douw's

apartment；　when　Rose　suddenly　stopped；

and；　in　a　whisper　which　seemed　to　thrill

with　horror；　she　said：



'O　God！　he　is　herehe　is　here！　See；

seethere　he　goes！'



She　pointed　towards　the　door　of　the

inner　room；　and　Schalken　thought　he　saw

a　shadowy　and　ill…defined　form　gliding　into

that　apartment。　He　drew　his　sword；　and

raising　the　candle　so　as　to　throw　its　light

with　increased　distinctness　upon　the　objects

in　the　room；　he　entered　the　chamber　into

which　the　shadow　had　glided。　No　figure

was　therenothing　but　the　furniture　which

belonged　to　the　room；　and　yet　he　could

not　be　deceived　as　to　the　fact　that

something　had　moved　before　them　into　the

chamber。



A　sickening　dread　came　upon　him；　and

the　cold　perspiration　broke　out　in　heavy

drops　upon　his　forehead；　nor　was　he　more

composed　when　he　heard　the　increased

urgency；　the　agony　of　entreaty；　with　which

Rose　implored　them　not　to　leave　her　for

a　moment。



'I　saw　him；'　said　she。　'He's　here！　I

cannot　be　deceivedI　know　him。　He's

by　mehe's　with　mehe's　in　the　room。

Then；　for　God's　sake；　as　you　would　save；

do　not　stir　from　beside　me！'



They　at　length　prevailed　upon　her　to　lie

down　upon　the　bed；　where　she　continued

to　urge　them　to　stay　by　her。　She

frequently　uttered　incoherent　sentences；

repeating　again　and　again；　'The　dead

and　the　living　cannot　be　oneGod　has

forbidden　it！'　and　then　again；　'Rest

to　the　wakefulsleep　to　the　sleep…walkers。'



These　and　such　mysterious　and　broken

sentences　she　continued　to　utter　until　the

clergyman　arrived。



Gerard　Douw　began　to　fear；　naturally

enough；　that　the　poor　girl；　owing　to　terror

or　ill…treatment；　had　become　deranged；　and

he　half　suspected；　by　the　suddenness　of

her　appearance；　and　the　unseasonableness

of　the　hour；　and；　above　all；　from　the

wildness　and　terror　of　her　manner；　that　she

had　made　her　escape　from　some　place　of

confinement　for　lunatics；　and　was　in

immediate　fear　of　pursuit。　He　resolved　to

summon　medical　advice　as　soon　as　the

mind　of　his　niece　had　been　in　some

measure　set　at　rest　by　the　offices　of　the

clergyman　whose　attendance　she　had　so

earnestly　desired；　and　until　this　object　had

been　attained；　he　did　not　venture　to　put

any　questions　to　her；　which　might

possibly；　by　reviving　painful　or　horrible

recollections；　increase　her　agitation。



The　clergyman　soon　arriveda　man　of

ascetic　countenance　and　venerable　age

one　whom　Gerard　Douw　respected　much；

forasmuch　as　he　was　a　veteran　polemic；

though　one；　perhaps；　more　dreaded　as　a

combatant　than　beloved　as　a　Christianof

pure　morality；　subtle　brain；　and　frozen

heart。　He　entered　the　chamber　which

communicated　with　that　in　which　Rose

reclined；　and　immediately　on　his　arrival　she

requested　him　to　pray　for　her；　as　for　one　who

lay　in　the　hands　of　Satan；　and　who　could

hope　for　deliveranceonly　from　heaven。



That　our　readers　may　distinctly　understand

all　the　circumstances　of　the　event

which　we　are　about　imperfectly　to　describe；

it　is　necessary　to　state　the　relative　position

of　the　parties　who　were　engaged　in　it。

The　old　clergyman　and　Schalken　were　in

the　anteroom　of　which　we　have　already

spoken；　Rose　lay　in　the　inner　chamber；

the　door　of　which　was　open；　and　by　the

side　of　the　bed；　at　her　urgent　desire；　stood

her　guardian；　a　candle　burned　in　the　bed…

chamber；　and　three　were　lighted　in　the

outer　apartment



The　old　man　now　cleared　his　voice；　as　if

about　to　commence；　but　before　he　had

time　to　begin；　a　sudden　gust　of　air　blew

out　the　candle　which　served　to　illuminate

the　room　in　which　the　poor　girl　lay；　and

she；　with　hurried　alarm；　exclaimed：



'Godfrey；　bring　in　another　candle；　the

darkness　is　unsafe。'



Gerard　Douw；　forgetting　for　the　moment

her　repeated　injunctions　in　the　immediate

impulse；　stepped　from　the　bedchamber　into

the　other；　in　order　to　supply　what　she

desired。



'O　God　I　do　not　go；　dear　uncle！'

shrieked　the　unhappy　girl；　and　at　the

same　time　she　sprang　from　the　bed　and

darted　after　him；　in　order；　by　her　grasp；　to

detain　him。



But　the　warning　came　too　late；　for

scarcely　had　he　passed　the　threshold；　and

hardly　had　his　niece　had　time　to　utter　the

startling　exclamation；　when　the　door　which

divided　the　two　rooms　closed　violently

after　him；　as　if　swung　to　by　a　strong　blast

of　wind。



Schalken　and　he　both　rushed　to　the

door；　but　their　united　and　desperate　efforts

could　not　avail　so　much　as　to　shake　it。



Shriek　after　shriek　burst　from　the　inner

chamber；　with　all　the　piercing　loudness　of

despairing　terror。　Schalken　and　Douw

applied　every　energy　and　strained　every

nerve　to　force　open　the　door；　but　all　in

vain。



There　was　no　sound　of　struggling　from

within；　but　the　screams　seemed　to　increase

in　loudness；　and　at　the　same　time　they

heard　the　bolts　of　the　latticed　window

withdrawn；　and　the　window　itself　grated

upon　the　sill　as　if　thrown　open。



One　LAST　shriek；　so　long　and　piercing

and　agonised　as　to　be　scarcely　human；

swelled　from　the　room；　and　suddenly　there

followed　a　death…like　silence。



A　light　step　was　heard　crossing　the

floor；　as　if　from　the　bed　to　the　window；

and　almost　at　the　same　instant　the　door

gave　way；　and；　yielding　to　the　pressure　of

the　external　applicants；　they　were　nearly

precipitated　into　the　room。　It　was　empty。

The　window　was　open；　and　Schalken

sprang　to　a　chair　and　gazed　out　upon

the　street　and　canal　below。　He　saw　no

form；　but　he　beheld；　or　thought　he　beheld；

the　waters　of　the　broad　canal　beneath

settling　ring　after　ring　in　heavy　circular

ripples；　as　if　a　moment　before　disturbed　by

the　immersion　of　some　large　and　heavy　mass。



No　trace　of　Rose　was　ever　after　discovered；

nor　was　anything　certain　respecting

her　mysterious　wooer　detected　or　even

suspected；　no　clue　whereby　to　trace　the

intricacies　of　the　labyrinth　and　to　arrive　at

a　distinct　conclusion　was　to　be　found。　But

an　incident　occurred；　which；　though　it　will

not　be　received　by　our　rational　readers　as

at　all　approaching　to　evidence　upon　the

matter；　nevertheless　produced　a　strong　and

a　lasting　impression　upon　the　mind　of

Schalken。



Many　years　after　the　events　which　we

have　detailed；　Schalken；　then　remotely

situated；　received　an　intimation　of　his

father's　death；　and　of　his　intended　burial

upon　a　fixed　day　in　the　church　of　Rotterdam。

It　was　necessary　that　a　very　considerable

journey　should　be　performed　by

the　funeral　procession；　which；　as　it　will

readily　be　believed；　was　not　very　numerously

attended。　Schalken　with　difficulty

arrived　in　Rotterdam　late　in　the　day　upon

which　the　funeral　was　appointed　to　take

place。　The　procession　had　not　then　arrived。

Evening　closed　in；　and　still　it　did　not　appear。



Schalken　strolled　down　to　the　church

be　found　it　opennotice　of　the　arrival　of

the　funeral　had　been　given；　and　the　vault

in　which　the　body　was　to　be　laid　had　been

opened。　The　official　who　corresponds　to

our　sexton；　on　seeing　a　well…dressed

gentleman；　whose　object　was　to　attend　the

expected　funeral；　pacing　the　aisle　of　the

church；　hospitably　invited　him　to　share

with　him　the　comforts　of　a　blazing　wood

fire；　which；　as　was　his　custom　in　winter

time　upon　such　occasions；　he　had　kindled

on　the　hearth　of　a　chamber　which　commu…

nicated；　by　a　flight　of　steps；　with　the　vault

below。



In　this　chamber　Schalken　and　his

entertaine