MYSTERIOUS WARNING.
CHAP. I.
No sooner had the struggling soul escaped from the clay-cold body of Count Renaud, than his eldest son, Count Rhodophil, hastened to the library, and opening the secret cabinet, where his late father usually deposited his papers of consequence, after a strict examination of the contents, returned to the anti-chamber, on the floor of which lay extended his brother, the deeply-afflicted Ferdinand, just recovering from a fainting fit, and overwhelmed with inexpressible anguish.
"Brother!" said Rhodophil, in an accent of grief and tenderness, "Brother! here is my father's will, and I have little doubt but that you will find he was your father also, and that, however severely his resentment was expressed in his life-time, he has not extended it beyond the grave, nor forgotten, in the disposal of his effects, that he had a younger son, and a grand-child."
Ferdinand, who had been lifted from the floor, turning his eyes on his brother with a look of fixed sorrow, exclaimed, "His will! Alas! what have I to do with that? He expired without seeing me, without granting me, all I ever wished for, or expected, his pardon, and his blessing! O, Rhodophil! my friend—my brother—why, why did you not urge him to pronounce me forgiven in his last moments, to revoke that curse, which now weighs me down to the earth with sorrow and remorse!"
"Did I not urge him," replied the Count, "Did I not supplicate him on my knees in your behalf? Did I not beseech him to consider your situation and his own? Unjust Ferdinand to reproach me—me, who have for three years wearied my father with tears, supplications and entreaties, to forgive and receive you to his paternal arms! What have I left unsaid, or undone, to convince you of my brotherly affection?"
"Pardon me," cried Ferdinand, extending his hand: "Forgive me, my dear brother, I know my inexpressible obligations to you; but grief, despair, and heart-rending retrospections, deprive me of my reason. O, my father! to the grave, even beyond this world, hast thou carried thy hatred and reprobation of thy wretched son! How great, how good, how benevolent, how forgiving to all, was Count Renaud! What then must my crimes have been, in what magnitude must they have appeared to him, thus to draw down everlasting resentment!"
He covered his face with his hands, and throwing his head upon the bosom of his brother, wept aloud; his whole frame was convulsed, and Rhodophil was obliged to call for assistance, that he might be conveyed to a bed, where it was some hours before the extreme violence of his feelings subsided into a melancholy silent sorrow. His brother and the steward of the late Count remained with him, and when they found the turbulence of grief had a little abated, the Count again mentioned the will.
"As it may be possible some particular orders may be given respecting the funeral, and more than probable that the contents of this packet may speak peace to your wounded mind, it is necessary, my dear brother (continued he) that we break the seals."———Ferdinand bowed an assent; speech was denied him at that moment, the principal domestics being summoned to the apartment, Rhodophil broke the seals, and delivered the packet to the steward.
"Do you read it," said he; "neither my eyes or my heart will permit me to do it."—The steward obeyed. There was a schedule of his estate and effects, which in a few words Count Renaud gave to the entire possession of his dear and dutiful son Rhodophil, 'a few legacies only excepted to his servants.'
"How!" cried the Count, "all, what all to me! Impossible! Is there no mention made of my brother?"
"No, my Lord," replied the old man, delivering the papers with a look of sorrow; "no, I have too truly read all the contents."
Not a word escaped from the lips of Ferdinand; at that moment riches or poverty was indifferent to him, nor could the wealth of nations have given him peace or comfort, when unaccompanied with the forgiveness of a parent.
"How cruel, how unjust!" cried Rhodophil; "but he knew my heart. Yes, my dear brother," added he, embracing Ferdinand, "our father well knew that in giving all to me, he had procured to me the inexpressible delight of voluntarily sharing it with my brother. Henceforth (looking round on the servants) know you have two masters; my brother is equal with me in fortune, power, and command."
The servants bowed and withdrew, all but the faithful and affectionate Ernest, who had been upwards of twenty years steward to the late Lord, and had ever fondly loved the unhappy, reprobated, Ferdinand.—Rhodophil reiterated his caresses, and tender expressions: "We will no longer be separated (said he;) your Claudina, your little Charles, shall be equally dear to me, as to yourself."
Ferdinand started up:—"Claudina! my Claudina!" repeated he, "Well, have you reminded me, I left her oppressed with sickness and sorrow."
"Hasten to her, then," said the Count; "let her be removed to the Castle immediately; accommodated here, she will soon be restored to health."
Rhodophil withdrew; his brother taking Ernest by the hand, "My worthy old man, your looks bespeak a sympathizing soul.—You read my heart: Oh! Ernest, it is not the loss of riches I deplore, my brother's kindness will relieve me there; but a father's curse, carried beyond the grave! there, there's the wound that never can be healed. My wife, poor, poor Claudina! how shall I return to tell her the sad event, already sinking under sorrows she thinks she has deserved—in her situation too!"
"Dear master, dear Sir," cried Ernest, "I beg you to take comfort, the worst is now past, I am sure, I know my late good master forgave you in his heart, his mind never, never, harboured eternal displeasure and resentment. Things are contrary to my expectation; but—I dare not say all I think, nor will it avail now; but I beseech you, Sir, to hasten home to your poor dwelling, from whence you shall quickly return with all that is dear to you; I will prepare every thing, and then follow you."—With a heavy sigh that seemed to burst his heart-strings, a look of inexpressible grief, Ferdinand wrung his hand, and with slow and trembling steps repaired to his humble habitation in the suburbs of Baden, about a mile from the Castle of Renaud.
When his footsteps reached the threshold, he stopped, and paused: "The truth will kill her (cried he:) Sure, if ever deception was pardonable, it may be now; yet how dearly have I already paid for the violation of truth! Heaven pardon me, for I must deceive her. Alas! one deviation from rectitude is productive of innumerable errors which spring from each other, and plunge us rapidly into guilt!" He entered the house at the very moment when his unfortunate wife had given birth to a daughter. The intelligence pierced his heart: "Another burden on the bounty of a brother!" exclaimed he, softly as he passed to the room where his Claudina lay. The sight of her instantly banished every idea, but anxiety for her safety.
He flew to her, "My love! my wife!" She fixed her feeble eyes upon him: "I am become a mother to another poor unfortunate. Ah! Ferdinand, have you found a father?" What a dagger to the heart of her husband was this question!
"All is well, my love," answered he, struggling to repress his emotions: "Compose your mind, and expect happier days; the moment you can be removed without danger, we shall reside at the Castle."—She uttered a faint exclamation of joy, and fainted. Ferdinand was terrified, and blamed himself for his abrupt communication; but happily she was soon restored, and capable of rejoicing at such unhoped-for intelligence.
"You are no longer reprobated then," said she, tenderly kissing his hand, "no longer consigned to misery, and our dear infants will not endure the pinching gripe of poverty. Blessed, blessed Count! you have at length relented, and I may think existence a blessing." This apostrophe was more than the unhappy Ferdinand could bear. Unable to speak, he hastily left the room; his poor deceived wife judging what he must feel from such a (supposed) revolution in his circumstances, imagined he had withdrawn, that their mutual transports might not too much agitate her spirits; a thousand pleasing visions floated in her brain, and to have her husband restored to a father's love, to have her dear children rescued from want and misery, were such delightful considerations, that she was not sorry she could indulge them freely, and repressed her curiosity for particulars, satisfied that the event was certain.
Mean time Ferdinand sat lost in thought, and overwhelmed in wretchedness, the kindness of his brother afforded no compensation for the unalterable displeasure of his father, nor could he reconcile to himself, that determined hatred which one error (in his eyes a venial one, and not deserving such everlasting resentment) had drawn upon him, as at all consistent with the benevolence which had always formed a distinguished feature in the character of the late Count Renaud. Tormented by these painful conjectures he was found by Ernest, who came to acquaint him, that he had given orders for apartments to be instantly prepared for him and his family, and was come to wait on his Lady to the Castle.
Ferdinand, roused by the entrance of his good old friend, soon informed him of the impossibility of their immediate removal, from his wife's situation, and also of the deception he had been compelled to give into.—"She does not as yet know of my father's death (continued he;) her too susceptible heart would sink under the knowledge of what my sufferings must be in such circumstances; by degrees, as her strength returns, I must reveal the dreadful truth:—But, oh! my friend, I cannot live a burden on the bounty of a brother, something I must resolve on, and if his kindness protects my wife and children, I will endeavour to support a separation from all that is dear to me, and carve out my own fortune by my sword.
Ernest had nothing to answer against this resolution but affectionate regrets, he had but too much cause to think the intention would be as necessary as it was becoming in a young man of spirit and honour; therefore he only hoped, "that his dear young master would do nothing rashly, but wait until his wife and children could have some certain independence secured to them."
"How! (replied Ferdinand) would you have me limit my brother's bounty, or seem to doubt his generosity and kindness? How contemptible should I appear in his eyes by a bare suggestion, by the remotest hint, that I wished for any certainty more than what I may rely on from his affection and generosity, so recently proved on an occasion, where not one out of a million would have conducted themselves with that nobleness of spirit, that true fraternal affection Count Rhodophil has manifested."
"I presume not, Sir," answered Ernest, respectfully, "to dictate, or even to advise you; but, nevertheless, as we are all mortal, subject every hour to be suddenly deprived of health and life, as we can no more answer for our own hearts than for our own lives, as it is possible Count Rhodophil may marry, and new engagements may give birth to new sentiments; all these natural occurrences may happen, and both for your children's sake, and for his honour, it would be better to place a circumstance, of so much consequence to your family, beyond the power of chance to injure them."
"I own (said Ferdinand, after pausing a few minutes) I own what you say is both wise and prudent; but such a proposition as relates to any settlement must originate with my brother.—No selfish proposals, no narrowness of heart, shall mark my conduct, or render me less generous than himself."
Ernest sighed, but was silent.—The other observing his dejection, added: "You know, my old friend, that Rhodophil's mother was a woman of very superior birth, with a much larger fortune than my mother could boast, who, though by no means despicable, yet owed her elevation to my father's rank, more to her beauty than hereditary claims, therefore my brother's generosity is the more estimable."
"You, Sir, are the best judge (replied the steward) and I hope you will forgive my presumption, which is directed by true affection to your interest."
"I know it well (answered Ferdinand) but now, my good Ernest, return, and acquaint my kind brother of the event, which must preclude us from removing for some time. In the evening, or to-morrow morning, you may expect me, for I have a melancholy duty to perform, from which nothing shall divert me."
The steward bowed, and was about to retire, but stepped a few paces very reluctantly; then suddenly turned—"Sir (said he) I hope you will not be offended if I presume to leave this purse; when you are settled at the Castle, you may return it." He laid the purse upon a chair, and hastened out of the house.
"Good creature! (exclaimed Ferdinand) I will not now mortify thee by a refusal of proffered kindness, because now I know I shall have it in my power to repay the money, and reward thee tenfold in thy estimation, by my attentions and marks of gratitude."—He strove to stifle his painful reflections by procuring several little necessaries and indulgences for his Claudina, which in her situation were wanted, and which the fear of not being able to supply had tormented him for many preceding days. She received and enjoyed them with delight, as the proofs of a parent's returning affection.—In the evening, when Ferdinand was sitting by her bedside, and she observed the deep gloom that every now and then pervaded his features, in spite of all his efforts to appear happy. She looked at him several moments in silence, then pressing his hand: "My dearest husband (said she) from whence proceeds that sorrow which clouds your features, and seems to fill your eyes with tears? Tell me, have you deceived me into hope, or is your father's forgiveness fettered with conditions that distress your feelings? Your looks correspond not with the joyful intelligence you communicated this morning.—Tell me, I beseech you, what there is behind which is a drawback upon such an event as I thought must have insured your happiness."
Ferdinand endeavoured to recover himself, and by a little evasion prepare her for future communications.—"Your penetration, my dear Claudina, cannot be eluded; know then that the state of my father is such as inclines me to think it is almost past a doubt, that you will see him no more. I see you are affected (added he) but you know he has long been ill, and therefore such an event may be expected; compose yourself, however, and do not let me be doubly afflicted; to-morrow I shall see him again; perhaps, at my return I shall be in better spirits."—
"Heaven grant it (returned she, sighing.) Ah! what a world is this, so chequered, that seldom any good arises without its concomitant share of evil!"
"True, my love (answered Ferdinand;) but then reverse the picture, and thank our bounteous Father that almost every evil to our imperfect view, brings with it some alleviating circumstances we cannot always foresee."
"Yes (returned she) perhaps we are indebted to his increased weakness, and expectancy of death, the very pardon, and favour he has accorded to us. Would to Heaven, however, that I may once more see, and thank him on my knees for his goodness to you and my dear infants!"
Ferdinand could not stand this, tears gushed from his eyes, and, throwing his arms round her, he freely indulged them. She also wept, but not with that poignancy of sorrow to injure her health, the mutual indulgence relieved, and after a time, afforded them a melancholy composure.