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He walked again up and down the room in a pensive mood, and then exclaimed suddenly in a determined tone, "Well, I will be one of the party, and, if you like we will set off instantly."

I eagerly accepted his proposal, and having put in readiness every thing necessary, we agreed to depart in the evening. He proposed to take one of his serjeants with him, and I resolved to do the same. I returned to my lodging against noon, highly pleased with my success, in order to prepare myself for a speedy departure.

We left F..... at eight o'clock in the evening, nobody was privy to our design, and our serjeants fancied we were going on official business, wondering very much how recruiting officers in the service of two different princes, could act thus in concord; but on the road we undeceived them, and were much rejoiced that our veterans did not dislike our enterprize.

Three days after our departure from F...... we arrived within a small distance from the place of our destination. without having met with any sinister accident.

We were now on the skirts of the Black Forest but could see no village; the spot where the houses leading to the castle had began was deeply impressed on my memory: I shewed to my fellow traveller the rivulet, on the borders of which the old man had been sitting when we first met him. We looked about for the houses but we could find none. I did not know what to think of the matter.

Pursuing our route, we ascended a rising ground...gracious heaven! how was I shocked when I at once beheld an heap of ruins on the spot where the village had stood! We could trace the marks of conflagration. In the back ground we saw only a few miserable huts left, and a little farther the castle presented itself to our view. We gazed at each other in dumb astonishment, and the Austrian alighted; I and our two veterans did the same, and we climbed, after much difficulty, over the heap of ruins. As we approached the few remaining houses, the inhabitants came running towards us, covered with rags, and exhibiting pale woe-worn countenances. I never beheld such an horrid picture of wretchedness and misery ;...they wrung their hands, crying for alms, and wept bitterly.

Having distributed money among them, I inquired when that misfortune had happened. "Alas!" groaned they," who should have thought, when your honor left us, that you ever would see us in such a miserable state? We all are ruined; all our little property has been consumed by the flames. Good heaven! how shall we keep our little helpless babes from starving."

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Repeating my question when that terrible accident had happened, poor unfortunate people told me, their village had been set on fire the day after we had left it.

Dreadful apprehensions filled my soul, and the Austrian's looks seemed to confirm them.

When I inquired after my former host, I was told that he had lost his life in the flames. The fire, said the poor people, broke out suddenly, in different places, in the dead of night, they had not been able to save their property, and a great number of the inhabitants, with their cattle, had perished in the flames. This horrid tale made my blood run chill, being convinced that I had been the primary cause of that dreadful event.

As we entered one of the miserable huts, we were met by the lamentations of people half-naked; they all recollected me, receiving me with hideous groans. All my money was not sufficient to comfort the unhappy sufferers, but I divided it willingly amongst them, feeling an inward pleasure in being able to ease at least their sufferings a little, The Austrian smiled at me, followed my example as far as the expences of our journey would admit.

At last I ventured to inquire after the Haunted Castle; the poor suf. ferers shuddered at the question, telling me, without reserve, that they did not doubt that the last visit we had paid to that abode of horror, had drawn upon them the dreadful ire of the revengeful spirits, which I in vain wished to be able to contradict. Unwilling to behold any longer the marks of sorrow and distress so deeply imprinted on the faces around me, and stung to the heart by the tormenting thought, to have partly contributed, by my idle curiosity, to provoke the lurking tempest of woe, that had thus cruelly crushed the earthly happiness of the wretched villagers, I hastily inquired for the next village, they shewed us the way, and we bade them farewel with a bleeding heart, riding away in full speed.

But, alas! I could not escape the hideous spectre of self-reproach, the groans of woe which I had heard still vibrating in my ears, the looks of these unhappy people, undone by my heedlessness, stared me in the face ever and anon, and I struggled in vain to shake off the grisly spectre pursuing me with unrelenting resentment. "How comfortless and miserable is the man," said I to myself, "whom conscience accuses of having plunged into the gaping gulph of misery a fellow

creature!"

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The Austrian saw the painful workings of my soul, kindly striving to dispel the gloomy clouds hovering over my brow. "How can you accuse yourself," said the reverend veteran," of having been, though involuntarily, accessary to the fatal blow that has thus cruelty destroyed the happiness of these people, whose fate you are bemoaning? It was the high decree of a superior power, that rules the fate of man. ways of the all-wise are ever good and just, though surrounded sometimes with impenetrable darkness. Men are but tools in the hand of Providence, and never ought to murmur against the father of the universe. It is not you who have destroyed the happiness of these poor sufferers; your heart is good, and you could not foresee the dread, ful consequences of your juvenile rashness; cheer up young man, and trust to the supreme ruler of all things, that he knows best what is good and fit, he produces light from the womb of darkness, and leads sometimes his children to greater bliss over the thorny path of misery and woe."

I listened with eager attention to the soothing speech of comfort flowing from the reverend lips of my sage companion, and an heavy load was taken from my heart; when he had finished, the clouds of gloominess dispersed by degrees, and a ray of cheerfulness passed through my mind. After half an hour's ride we beheld a large village before us, we agreed to wait there the setting in of night, and then to visit the Haunted Castle secretly.

Our host could not, or perhaps would not answer our enquiries concerning the desolated castle, and we endeavoured in vain to know whether the nightly sportsmen were still housing there or not: my ser.

jeant went abroad to get some information, and was so fortunate as to draw from the schoolmaster of the village as much as we wanted to know; returning after an hour with the corroboration of our suspicion, that the spirits residing at the castle had set fire to the desolated village, and that they since that time had forsaken their former abode.

Although the latter part of this intelligence gave us but little hope that we should succeed in our design to unfold the mystery of the rainous castle, yet we determined to make at least a trial, the Austrian being very desirous to explore the noted building, and we went all four to the Haunted Castle as soon as it was dark.

We arrived at the gloomy fabric after a short walk, lighted some torches we had brought with us from F......, entered the court-yard, and ascended the spiral stair-case; the Austrian searched every corner, and I found all the rooms in their former condition, the seats and the table we had constructed were still as we had left them, unmoved, untouched.

When the Austrian had carefully searched every thing, we descended the stairs leading to the cellar, but found the iron door strongly fastened as before. We entered the garden, searching and prying around, till we at length espied the aperture of the garden through which we had effected our escape.

Stepping into the stable, we espied the hole in the boards through which the Baron had fallen down, and detected in one of the corners a ladder, and above the place where it was standing, a trap-door. Having ascended the ladder I opened the half-decayed door, with one violent push, and entered with my fellow-adventurers the well-known spacious apartment, leaping over the gaping opening where the boards had given way. Looking around we beheld several small iron doors, one of which flew open at the first push of the Austrian, and presented to our eyes the avenue of a damp arched vault, from which a stone staircase led to that part of the fabric which faced the cellar door.

We pursued our way to the large folding door leading to the great hall under ground, but found it strongly bolted on the inside, and all our hopes of further discovery were blasted at once. We made the

utmost efforts to disengage the massy door from its rusty hinges, but all our labour was lost, for its strength proved superior to our united endeavours of forcing it.

While we were standing before that door, consulting whether we should go back or not, we heard suddenly a distant noise, as if a lock was opening, and soon after a folding door seemed to fly open, with an hideous creaking, which instantly was followed by a terrible noise of numerous steps, as if people in boots were descending: when the noise drew nearer we could distinguish the clattering of many spurs, and the harsh voices of men; the whole subterraneous cavern was at length filled with a most tremendous noise, and we gazed at each other rather pleased than frightened, being four vigorous men, used to dangers, provided with four cutlasses and as many brace of double barrelled pistols...The Austrian standing nearest the door, retained his equanimity unimpaired, and, ere long an hollow voice like the distant rolling of thunder, exclaimed, "Come hither with the booty." A confused bustle ensued, the tinkling of money was heard, some quarrelled, and

some cursed and scolded, but were soon reconciled. At length the bustle ceased, a door was opened close by us and money locked up in a chest. Meanwhile the following discourse took place in the unknown assembly.

First Voice. To-morrow we will way-lay the gentlemen of Norrinberg, and ease them of their golden burthen. I trust you will behave like men, my jolly boys! It would be a pity if they should give us the slip once more.

Second Voice. By holy Peter! they shall not escape.

Many voices. They shall not, they shall not.

Third Voice. I wonder where our greybeard may stay so long. I have not seen his holy face since our last sun.

Fourth Voice. Take my word, brother, he sits by the fire-side and chaunts penitential hymns. The fellow is of no further use to our community, we must send him to the devil.

First Voice. Let him alone, my boys, he has rendered us many good services, has saved our brave companions from the hangman's ruthless fangs; don't grudge him a little rest, he will soon return and bring us joyful tidings.

Second Voice. He has procured us many a golden booty: has, by his cunning, extricated us from many neck-breaking difficulties; it would be ungrateful to be angry with him. What would become

of our noble band if he did not guide our arm by his sage counsels. Third Voice. Bravely spoken, my lad, he is a good sort of a fellow, it is a thousand pities that he begins to grow old and infirm.

First Voice. Let him grow old and infirm, if he but escapes the gallows.

Here somebody was locking the door of an adjoining room, an hollow bustle and humming ensued, and the robbers (for such they must have been) were going to withdraw.

"Shall we break in upon the scoundrels?" whispered the Austrian

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By what means?" replied I.

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"Is not so great as you fancy," interrupted the Austrian, " yet it will be better to force the gentlemen to open the door; if they should refuse to do it, then it will be time enough to surprise them in the court-yard, for I do not think it prudent to venture on the staircase, because they would then have too much advantage over us."

Now all was silent in the cellar, till after a short pause a new conversation began.

First Voice.

I say, brother, what shall we do with the officer's servant we have entrapt? The dog is good for nothing, and we are in danger that he will betray us one time or other...

Second Voice. Let us knock his brains out.

Third Voice. Let us give him his liberty.

Fourth Voice. Or sell him to a recruiting officer.

First Voice. We will take thy advice, brother Rasch, and set him at liberty. If his master has saved his life, the servant may share the same fortune with him; but first the blockhead shall swear a terrible oath never to betray us, else I will break his rascally neck.

Many Voices. Well spoken, Captain, let us break the scoundrel's neck if he refuses to swear.

Now we heard them ascend the stair-case with a terrible noise, and instantly the Austrian knocked with his hands and feet against the door; a momentary silence ensued.

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Open the door ye miscreants!" roared my friend with a thundering voice," Open the door, ye rascals," exclaimed I and my fellowadventurers, but before the hollow sound of our voices had ceased reechoing through the vaulted passage where we were standing, the whole crew was running up stairs with a tremendous noise, and we hurried with all possible speed through the long winding passage, our pistols cocked; but before we could reach the end of the subterraneous avenue, we heard the trampling of horses, which soon was dying away at a distance. A gust of wind had extinguished our torches, but the light of the moon was shining so clear that we soon beheld an opening in the garden wall leading to the field, where we could see at a small distance, a numerous troop of horsemen galloping away at a furious rate. On our return we observed that the horsemen made their flight through the garden, which appeared to be their common in and out-let since the burning down of the village.

I left the residence of these robbers very much dissatisfied; the Austrian, on the contrary, was highly pleased, representing to me that we should not know much more of the matter than we had heard, even if we had surprised them; that I did wrong if I complained of having been disappointed, being now informed of my servant's fate, and the mystery of the castle; and that every wish of taking personal vengeance on these miscreants was not becoming men like ourselves, because the hangman would have been defrauded of his perquisites if we had killed some of them..

"All that we could do," added he, "would be to give notice of what we have seen and heard to the magistrates of the next town; but I fear the gang is so numerous that they could not be taken prisoners, besides, they will take care not to suffer themselves to be entrapped! and if the magistrates were to take cognizance of our denunciation, and should fail in their attempt to destroy the whole crew, they perhaps would be made a second example of the revengeful daring, spirit of these lawless wretches, and pay dearly for having enacted the laws against them. Remember the agonies of grief you felt when you be held the horrid consequences of opposition against these outlaws, in viewing the ruins of the village which but lately has fallen a victim to their cruel resentment, and then tell me whether it is adviseable to inform against them? We had better leave their punishment to that supreme Judge who certainly will overthrow them with his vengeance when their measure shall be full."

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