The Necromancer (Kahlert)/Volume 2/Part 4
CONTINUATION OF
WOLF'S CONFESSION,
AND THE
FINAL ISSUE OF HIS TRIAL.
"My worthy friend,
"It is with the sincerest satisfaction I am going to give you a faithful account of the remainder of Wolf's confession, and the final issue of his trial, according to my promise."
"You will remember that he closed the narration of his singular adventures which he gave on the first day of his trial, with his reluctant return to the castle, where he intended to stay 'till the darkness of night should shelter him against the pursuit of his persecutors. The great fatigue he had sustained on his flight soon closed his weary eyes, and he slept 'till after sun set, when he left the Castle to pursue his way to F———, where he intended to enlist in the Prussian service."
"Directed by the silver rays of the rising moon he soon found his way to the high road: At the first well he fell in with he cleaned his sooty face and hands and then went briskly on. Being well stocked with provisions, he determined not to enter any inhabited place before he should be obliged by necessity to do it, lest some new misfortunes might cross his military scheme. With that view he left the high road whenever it led through a village, walked all night long and slept in the day time. Thus he travelled onward two nights without having met with any accident, when he, at the close of the third day, was obliged to direct his course to a small hamlet in order to provide himself with provisions: As soon as it was dark he went with fearful steps to a baker's shop, to purchase some bread, but great was his terror when he wanted to pay for the small loaf of coarse bread he had bought, and could not find his purse, which must have dropt out of his pocket when he dried his garments in the hall of the castle.
Being entirely destitute of money, he offered one of his pistols, which he took out of his pocket, in lieu of payment: The baker viewed him from tip to toe, and after some hesitation agreed to the bargain. Unfortunately the house of this man had been robbed some weeks ago by a gang of thieves, and Wolf's savage look joined with his singular appearance rendered him suspicious to the baker, who, ever since the robbery had been committed in his house, took every ill-looking stranger for a thief.
Prompted by that notion he ordered one of his people to follow Wolf at some distance as soon as he had left the house, and went instantly to the bailiff to inform him of his suspicions, and the strange bargain he had just concluded.
The magistrate who had been indefatigable in his researches after the daring robbers, without succeeding in his endeavours to find them out, soon fell in with his opinion, and ordered some stout fellows to follow the suspected robber, and to secure him by surprise.
Wolf, who had mean while struck again into the forest, seated himself behind some bushes by the banks of a rivulet, and began to appease the demands of his grumbling stomach, not observing that he was followed, when suddenly four sinewy arms seized him from behind.
The unexpected surprise, the continual fatigues he had undergone, and the strength of his adversaries rendered it impossible to disengage himself from their powerful grasps, and he was dragged before the magistrate of the hamlet who demanded his passport: Having been obliged to leave it behind when his alarmed conscience had drawn upon him his late disaster, he had no other choice left but to pretend being an Austrian deserter, who wanted to go into the Prussian service. The bailiff mistrusting his veracity, ordered him to be searched, when a loaded pistol and a large knife were found upon him, which increased the suspicion of the zealous magistrate, who, without farther ado, sent him to the prison.
New apprehensions of a dreadful nature assailed now the unhappy man. The fear that all his former crimes would be detected filled his desponding soul with black despair; however his lamentable situation took soon a turn more favorable than he could have expected. A transport of Prussian recruits passing thro' the village in the afternoon, the bailiff ordered him to be delivered to the commanding officer, thinking this to be the most commodious way to rid the country of a fellow whose whole appearance bore evident marks of his thiefish profession, and to spare himself the trouble of a tedious examination. His size and the robust make of his limbs rendered him a very acceptable acquisition to the recruiting officer, and he was enrolled as a Prussian soldier to his unutterable joy.
Wolf the robber was now at once appointed to fight the battles of Frederic the Great, and made a solemn vow to fulfil cheerfully the duties of his honorable calling.
The transport arrived safe at Magdeburg, and the new soldier was with his companions instructed in the art of killing lawfully his fellow creatures. The Corporal who was appointed to instruct him in the manual exercise, was famous for his severity, conforming strictly to the military principles of his royal master, who, as it is universally known, had it laid down as a rule to inspire his martial bands with heroism by the frequent application of wooden arguments. Wolf who was not in the least partial to that sort of reasoning, found it very difficult to brook the brutality of his drilling master, who seemed to have a particular predilection for him, plying his back so frequently and so severely, that the new soldier was soon rendered too sensible of his instructor's partiality for him.
Wolf exerted himself to the utmost of his ability to please the rigorous corporal, and to shelter himself against the frequent heavy showers of blows and cuffs, but not being able to attain his end, resentment and hatred began at length to rankle in his heart, his whole stock of patience was exhausted, and he began to have frequent recourse to drinking, in order to dispel the gloominess of mind which haunted him incessantly, and to drown the recollection of his forlorn situation.
One day as he came half intoxicated to the parade, he acquitted himself so badly of his task, that his military mentor plied his back most unmercifully. Wolf's anger was roused, his blood was boiling, and he called his chastiser a savage beast, a blood-hound, and many other names of the same stamp. The fury of his tyrant being raised to the highest degree by that language, he inflicted his blows with so much violence, that Wolf, in a fit of despair struck him to the ground with the but end of his gun. He was instantly seized, carried to the prison, and sentenced by a court martial to run the gantlet.
The day of execution appeared, the soldiers were drawn up, and his back was bared, when lo! the mark of his ignominy was seen between his shoulders. It being evident by the sign of a gallows, which was seen between his shoulders, that he had been under the hands of the common hangman, he was declared unworthy to receive military punishment, and sentenced to work in the fortification.
Confined with the dregs of human kind, and ever in company with the basest of villains, his weak virtuous resolutions died away by degrees. He once more began to consider himself as the sport of injustice and barbarous cruelty, his belief in the providence of the benevolent ruler of the world soon gave way to atheistical principles, and his former desire for doing mischief returned with redoubled force, when he saw his sincere endeavours to become an useful member of human society were thwarted again in a most cruel manner: He began to think that he was doomed to be a villain, and being driven to despair by hard labour, and frequent blows, he concerted plans of effecting his escape.
One of his fellow prisoners, a most consummate ruffian, joined with him in devising means of regaining their liberty, and after many fruitless efforts they at length effected their escape, assisted by an impenetrable fog which covered their flight. As soon as their escape was known in the fortress, the cannons were fired, and the country roused: However they happily eluded their pursuers, and reached at the close of day a wood where they resolved to conceal themselves in the tops of the trees 'till the heat of the pursuit should have abated.
In this uncomfortable situation they remained as long as their small flock of provisions lasted, consulting with each other by what means they could best procure an independent livelihood, and at last agreed to resort to the Haunted Castle in the Black Forest, and there to commence robbers. After many fatiguing rambles and alarming fears, they arrived at length at the wished for asylum.
Wolf's inventive genius begot the scheme to render that desolated fabric more secure against the intrusion of unwelcome visitors, by raising an idea in the fancy of the neighbouring villagers of its being haunted by evil spirits. In order to accomplish their design, they set up a dreadful howling and doleful lamentations whenever they perceived some of the villagers near the environs of the caste. The gloomy appearance of that half decayed fabric, aided by the superstition of the credulous peasantry rendered their artful schemes successful, and in a short time none of the villagers dared to approach their lurking place, from which they sallied out every night disguised in the skin of goats, which they had stolen and fleeced, and committed numberless robberies in the village. Having procured a sufficient stock of money, Wolf's associate was dispatched to a neighbouring town to procure fire arms, powder, and ball, and then they began to prey on the unwary wanderer. To relate the numberless robberies they committed before they were joined by new associates would swell volumes: As their numbers augmented they became more daring, and extended their depredations many miles over the country, 'till after a series of thirty successful years their infernal society sustained a deadly blow by the nocturnal surprize which delivered them into the punishing justice. Wolf has since confessed that they have a great number of hiding places besides the solitary castle, and that their gang consists of fifty-three ruffians, who are dispersed all over the country. The useful information he has given to his Judges has enabled them to secure a great number of innkeepers and publicans, who were leagued with that infernal set of ruffians, of whom six more have been taken up since you have left me, however their money and the great booty they have hoarded up, has not been detected as yet, and is supposed to have been removed on the first alarm by the rest of the gang. Wolf's life will be spared on account of his faithful confession, and the great assistance he has afforded his Judges in putting a final stop to the depredations which have been committed for a series of years in the environs of the Black Forest; he is to be committed for life to the house of correction, where he will have ample scope to reflect on his life past, and to prepare to meet that eternal Judge who sooner or later overtakes the wicked in his vile pursuits. Thus I have executed my task as well as it was in my power, and trust you will kindly overlook the defects of my narrative, and always believe me to be with the greatest sincerity,
Your affectionate friend,
FINIS.