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In a Glass Darkly, v. 2/3 By: Joseph Sheridan LeFanu (1814-1873) |
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BY J. SHERIDAN LE FANU, AUTHOR OF "UNCLE SILAS", &C. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II.
LONDON: R. BENTLEY & SON, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1872.
In a Glass Darkly.
THE ROOM IN THE DRAGON VOLANT.
VOL. II.
PROLOGUE.
The curious case which I am about to place before you, is
referred to, very pointedly, and more than once, in the
extraordinary Essay upon the drugs of the Dark and the Middle
Ages, from the pen of Doctor Hesselius. This Essay he entitles "Mortis Imago," and he, therein, discusses
the Vinum letiferum , the Beatifica , the Somnus Angelorum ,
the Hypnus Sagarum , the Aqua ThessalliƦ , and about twenty
other infusions and distillations, well known to the sages of
eight hundred years ago, and two of which are still, he alleges,
known to the fraternity of thieves, and, among them, as
police office inquiries sometimes disclose to this day, in
practical use. The Essay, Mortis Imago , will occupy as nearly as I can, at
present, calculate, two volumes, the ninth and tenth, of the
collected papers of Doctor Martin Hesselius. This Essay, I may remark, in conclusion, is very curiously
enriched by citations, in great abundance, from mediƦval verse
and prose romance, some of the most valuable of which, strange to
say, are Egyptian. I have selected this particular statement from among many cases
equally striking, but hardly, I think, so effective as mere
narratives, in this irregular form of publication, it is simply
as a story that I present it.
CHAPTER I. ON THE ROAD.
In the eventful year, 1815, I was exactly three and twenty, and
had just succeeded to a very large sum in consols, and other
securities. The first fall of Napoleon had thrown the continent
open to English excursionists, anxious, let us suppose, to
improve their minds by foreign travel; and I the slight check of
the 'hundred days' removed, by the genius of Wellington, on the
field of Waterloo was now added to the philosophic throng. I was posting up to Paris from Bruxelles, following, I presume,
the route that the allied army had pursued but a few weeks
before more carriages than you could believe were pursuing the
same line. You could not look back or forward, without seeing
into far perspective the clouds of dust which marked the line of
the long series of vehicles. We were, perpetually, passing relays
of return horses, on their way, jaded and dusty, to the inns from
which they had been taken. They were arduous times for those
patient public servants. The whole world seemed posting up to
Paris. I ought to have noted it more particularly, but my head was so
full of Paris and the future, that I passed the intervening
scenery with little patience and less attention; I think,
however, that it was about four miles to the frontier side of a
rather picturesque little town, the name of which, as of many
more important places through which I posted in my hurried
journey, I forget, and about two hours before sunset, that we
came up with a carriage in distress. It was not quite an upset. But the two leaders were lying flat.
The booted postillions had got down, and two servants who seemed
very much at sea in such matters, were by way of assisting them.
A pretty little bonnet and head were popped out of the window of
the carriage in distress. Its tournure , and that of the
shoulders that also appeared for a moment, was captivating: I
resolved to play the part of a good Samaritan; stopped my chaise,
jumped out, and with my servant lent a very willing hand in the
emergency. Alas! the lady with the pretty bonnet, wore a very
thick, black veil. I could see nothing but the pattern of the
Bruxelles lace, as she drew back. A lean old gentleman, almost at the same time, stuck his head
out of the window. An invalid he seemed, for although the day was
hot, he wore a black muffler which came up to his ears and nose,
quite covering the lower part of his face, an arrangement which
he disturbed by pulling it down for a moment, and poured forth a
torrent of French thanks, as he uncovered his black wig, and
gesticulated with grateful animation... Continue reading book >>
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