The Genius (Carl Grosse)/Chapter 22
CHAP. V.
The mind of Adela still continued to be serious, and my gaiety insensibly lost itself in her solemn ideas. She was eager to learn my history, and loved to hear me talk of Elmira. She lamented the melancholy fate of this excellent woman, but was soon captivated with the idea of the Mystic Cabal, and admired its spirit and principles. Not a might passed without our talking on this subject, whenever we were by ourselves. Her ingenious arguments could not reconcile me to a society which had occasioned all my sufferings, but gently removed the reluctance I had conceived for its principles. In point of diversion, Adela always went a-hunting, fishing, or walking with us. I was an excellent performer on the German flute, Don Fernandos, the count's secretary, and our servants also understood music, and we formed little concerts, which highly amused my father-in-law. The reading of new publications completed our entertainments by dispelling that kind of heaviness which gay townsmen are apt to feel during a long rural seclusion.
It was now autumn, and I wrote to Paris to inform Count Selami of my unexpected marriage in the south; he sent us a most pressing invitation to spend the winter with him and his Caroline at Paris. We set out and arrived in that capital about the latter end of November.
The political situation of France at this time was very critical, and the revolution of 1789 strongly portended its mighty and wonderful changes. Selami was not perfectly happy with his new-married spouse, and a kind of reserve which predominated in the fashionable circles, made them very cautious in the reception of strangers. We did not spend the winter quite as agreeably as we first expected, and resolved to return to the south early in spring, whence I projected to retire with my Adela to Spain.
About this time Don Fernandos grew very sullen and discontented, whenever he was in company with me and my friends: Deeming it the natural effect of melancholy, I would not disturb his intercourse with my Adela, in whose presence he always behaved with the utmost propriety and politeness. My spouse satisfied with the knowledge I had of Fernandos, permitted him a free access, and received his attentions as the result of his friendship for us both. Selami and Bernardos endeavoured, however, to check his harmonious intimacy with my spouse, which only served to irritate him. He now sought Adela's company more than ever, and his conduct appearing rather singular, Selami and Bernardos thought it their duty to apprize me of the impressions it had made on them and the public in general. I laughed at their suspicions, but promised them to mention the matter to my spouse, at the first opportunity.
One night having bid her a good night and retired to my chamber to go to bed, she came to me quite drest, and, with tears in her eyes, held a paper in her hand.
"What have you got there, my dear," said I, ordering Alfonso to withdraw.
"I can conceal it no longer," replied she; "every farther indulgence for your friend, would be committing a crime against you. No doubt you must have perceived for some time, the oddity of Don Fernandos's conduct. Here is the billet which I this moment found on my toilet table."
She gave it to me, and I read as follows,
"Don't be afraid, fair Adela, of my betraying the secret with which your eyes have entrusted me. Mute joy is the greatest happiness. But supreme love requires expression. Will you receive a vow at eight o'clock to-morrow evening under the great linden tree in the garden; a vow which my heart has long ago taken?
I knew it immediately to be my friend's hand-writing, and was at first so much overcome with indignation, as to throw myself with such violence into a chair, as made the very walls shake. Alfonso, hearing the noise, came in to ask if I had rung the bell? I answered "No," in an angry tone, upon which he retired again. Recollecting that he might probably be in the next apartment, I resumed my former composure, embraced my wife, and promised to rid her of the disturber of her tranquillity, without having recourse to any violent extremes. I entreated her, not to make the least variation in her behaviour to Don Fernandos, till the next night, and leave all the rest to my own management.
Adela seemed to quit me with apparent tranquillity, but her heart was far from being easy. She could not help mentioning the whole affair to her father, who communicated it again to Bernardos. The latter promised to be on the spot, and thought it was my intention to send Fernandos the assignation requested, in lieu of my wife.
Such was, indeed, my plan, Fernandos was uncommonly cheerful all day. At eight o'clock in the evening I went to the place of rendezvous, and to my surprise found Fernandos waiting there. He was reading a paper, and kissing it several times, with all the fervor of enthusiasm, Ne sooner did he see me, than he drew his sword, exclaiming, "I am villanously deceived; but thou monster of a man shalt not escape me a second time."
He then rushed upon me with the naked steel, and being unarmed, I called our to him, "For heaven's sake Fernandos desist from your murderous purpose, and hear me!" He now stood still, and with a woeful countenance looked up to the skies.
Meanwhile some loud cries are heard behind us; he looks round and descries Bernardos in the act of falling to the ground, wrestling with a person dressed in white, with a white veil over his face. We both hasten to our friend's assistance; the white figure keeps him down, and points a dagger at his heart, while the other hand gags his mouth with a handkerchief. Fernandos, in the first impulse of his fury, runs his sword through the body of my friend's antagonist. At this moment I recognize my Genius Amanuel, I hastily tear the veil off his face, and my favourite Alfonso lies bleeding at my feet.
At this discovery my heart yearned with sorrow, and my friends stood till in mute astonishment. After a long and awful pause, we carried Alfonso back to the castle, put him on a bed, and sent for physical assistance.
"O Fernandos!" cried I, "what have you done?" My friend appeared speechless and absorbed in profound meditation. Alfonso's wound was dangerous, and we all felt it our interest to preserve his life, at least for an hour. I had now reason to expect that the mystic curtain would be drawn, and all the secrets of my life be brought to light.
When Alfonso recovered from his long swoon, his first look was fixed upon me. I felt myself penetrated with all the force of its expressiveness. It was the longing glance of a dying man, that is about to bid an everlasting adieu to his favourite.
The surgeons came, and declared that his wound was mortal. He was himself sensible, that he could not live many hours, and impressed with this certainty, laid hold of my hand, kissed it, and said, "My career is terminated, thanks to Don Carlos and his friends!"
This sentence overwhelmed me with the bitterest sensations. Alfonso had always loved me, and I had had numberless proofs of his unshaken attachment to my person. As my Genius, he had extricated me from a thousand dangers, and if he accompanied me by command of the formidable covenant, I was too little acquainted with the latter, to impute it to Alfonso as a crime. All the scenes of the past now rushed upon my fancy. My incomparable Elmira was revived in my mind; it was no doubt Alfonso, who had led me to the possession of that invaluable treasure of a woman. In short, he had been the constant companion of all the struggles, storms, and dangers of my perplexed life.
"The next thing that struck me, were the emotions of Adela, She had watched us from the beginning of the catastrophe at a distance, and hastened to join us during the fatal combat, She now conjured the surgeons to employ all their skill, to prolong the life of their agonizing patient at least for some hours, and determined to profit by this respite, to satisfy the thirst of her inquisitive mind, she was more busily employed about him than all the rest of us. What she knew of my history, was a mere problem to her sceptic mind, and she now waited its solution.
The great debility of Alfonso, the profuse loss of blood, and the extreme pain which he felt, had occasioned three successive swoons; each time he had a desire to speak to us. After fainting the third time; he fell into a soft slumber, from which, the surgeons assured us, it would be fatal to rouse him. At their request I ordered all the servants and attendants to withdraw, and leaving the patient to the care of Adela and Bernardos, I followed Fernandos, who had beckoned me to speak to him in private.