🧚 A Historical Tale., part 4

They wandered on until they had reached the beam--the fatal beam--where they stood still, and the men warned Schlosser solemnly, if his life was dear to him, to utter no sound till they had passed the next two caves.1

Schlosser promised, and the three crossed cautiously the dangerous bridge, and entered a cave filled with the most horrible vermin.2

Bombinas and salamanders seemed to be giving a ball.3 Bats fluttered thick as a hailstorm through the air.4 Terrible serpents and dragons coiled hissing around each other.5 The most hideous brood of nature was flocked together, and swarmed around the feet of the three men entering, as if to form a wall to hinder their entrance.6

With firmness the three went directly forward toward a second cave, which was large and lofty, and lighted with a magical splendour.7

At the right, against the rocky wall, shimmering with gold and silver, stood a couch of red velvet embroidered in gold, and on the silken cushions lay a sleeping maiden of such super-terrestrial beauty, that Schlosser could not take his eyes from the picture, and was drawn forward by force by his companions.8 In the next cave they stood still, drew a long breath, looked anxiously at each other, and put down their lamps.9

"Now, dear friend," said one of the men to Schlosser, "the moment is come.10 In a quarter of an hour we may become rich and happy, or for ever lost in perdition.11 Immeasurable wealth is in the cave we are about to enter, but only two of us can become possessed of the accumulated treasures, or ever see the light of day again; the third, on whom the lot falls, must remain as a sacrifice to the dark ruler of the subterranean world.12 Be firm and follow us!"13

Schlosser felt as if paralysed by lightning at the terrible disclosure, and without knowing what he did, he followed the two, who went on before, and knocked three times on a small iron door.14

Cracking, it sprang open, and a blood-red splendour shone forth in the great space which they now entered.15 Gold, silver, and precious stones lay in colossal heaps on every side, and the place sparkled and shone so, that even the anxious Schlosser's heart was filled with joy.16

But now from a corner a man of lofty stature came forward, with sparkling, burning eyes, black, bristly hair, dark, bushy eyebrows, and a crooked, arched hawk-nose.17

In a frightful, peculiar manner he twitched his yellow face, and his garments were strange and odd.18 A fiery-red, gold-bordered mantle hung in bunchy folds from his shoulders; a broad, drooping Spanish hat, with a long, waving red plume, sat sideways on his head, and a long rapier hung at his side.19

With a slight bow he passed the three men, and vanished through the iron door by which they had entered.20

The two men now challenged Schlosser to help them fill their sacks, and as soon as that was done they returned through the iron door, which shut with a loud crash behind them.21

"I cannot tell how it is with me to-day," said one stranger to his friend. "22 I am filled with fear, and my teeth chatter, and it creeps like fire in my veins.23 If only some misfortune does not meet us!"24

"Thou art very foolish," replied the other. "25 Is it not the eighteenth time that we have been here, and we have always known how to turn and shuffle that the lot fell on the accompanying third person?26 And where could we have found a better companion than that fellow there, out of whose eyes the most charming simplicity and stupidity look, so that a child might deceive him?"27

He would have added more, but Schlosser, who went on before, uttered a cry of horror, and the hearts of the two friends sank within them, although what they saw they had seen already eighteen times.28

On the fatal beam over the foaming water stood the devil himself, with all the terrors peculiar to his dark majesty.29 Great burning eyes rolled like wheels of flaming fire in his awful face, a shaggy-haired hide clothed the spirit of the bottomless pit, and the fearful claws were extended to seize his prey.30

With trembling hand the eldest of the two strangers produced the cards; but however falsely he shuffled them the death-card fell to him, and he began to quake, and grew as pale as the chalk of the wall.31

Under the pretext that something had been omitted, the stranger shuffled again; but, to his terror, the death-lot fell, not upon Schlosser, but his own friend.32

"The third time it will surely fall on the fellow," thought the stranger to himself, and began under all sorts of excuses to shuffle again.33

The foul fiend raised himself to his greatest height, breathing flames of fire from mouth and nostrils, and cried in a hollow, smothered voice, like the sound of distant thunder: "Only once more can ye draw lots, no more.34 Over that person there," pointing to Schlosser, "I have no power; he is defended, by a plant which he carries on his person, from every danger!"35

The two old sinners turned paler than ever, and looked despairingly at each other; but the devil waved his hand, and they drew lots for the third time.36 The lot fell on him on whom it had fallen the first time.37

Like a tempest Satan threw himself on the despairing man, seized him with his claws, rose with him in the air, and tore him in pieces.38

With swelling breast, breathless, Schlosser till now had looked on all that had passed; but at this fearful sight the last spark of firmness failed him, he closed his eyes and sank lifeless on the ground.39

When he awoke he was lying before the entrance to the cave; near him a sack filled with beaten gold and silver.40

He looked in vain for his companion, who must have already gone away, if the terror caused by the awful fate of his friend had not killed him.41

Schlosser was as if paralysed, and could scarcely drag himself to the village near by.42

He, however, soon recovered, moved from Osterhagen to Andreasburg, where he built a handsome house, and never forgot that it was through his wife's forethought that wealth and happiness had been won.43

The Bell-Founder of Stolberg.44

The traditions of the apprentices' pillar in Roslin Chapel, and of the bell-founder in Breslau, bear a strong resemblance to this of Stolberg.45

There was once a bell-founder in Stolberg who was a master worthy of honour, skilled in counsel and deed.46

He had already cast many bells, yellow and white, the poem tells us, for churches and chapels, to the praise and glory of God.47

And his bells rang so full, so clear and pure in tone; he cast love and faith in with the metal.48

And Stolberg desired also a work from his hand, and the master employed every means to produce a perfect bell for his place of residence.49

But it was as if the Evil One had a hand too in the work, for the cast was a perfect failure.50

Vexed, he threw the bell aside, commanded his sixteen-years-old apprentice to prepare everything for a new cast on a certain day, so soon as he returned, and then departed to visit his father, who was also a bell-founder, to relate his failure and ask his advice.51

The thoughtful apprentice reflected unceasingly on the cause of the failure of his so skilful master in the last bell.52

After long speculation he discovered the cause, sprang up joyfully, worked day and night, and soon the bell stood without a flaw before the youth's delighted eyes.53