Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. VI, November 1850, Vol. IVarious
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. VI, November 1850, Vol. I
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
"It was night when the whole party met, not far from the gate of
Augustin's cottage. Heinrich advanced first, and, at a signal from him,
every man concealed himself till it was observed that Augustin came out
of the house, and proceeded cautiously onward till he reached the
cemetery just without the village; the watchful band still close on his
track.
"He there began to undress himself, and having done so, hid his clothes
under a grave-stone. Scarcely had he finished this arrangement, when
the hoarse cry of a raven seemed to startle him, and the sound was
presently answered by a low howl, when, to the inexpressible horror of
all present, a hideous wolf rushed forth, as if from the tombs, and was
lost in the surrounding gloom.
"No one could stir from the spot where each stood but Heinrich, who
darted toward the place where the garments were hid, and drawing them
forth, wrapped them in a heap, and calling to the petrified group who
looked on, bade them follow. They did so, and having returned to the
village, prepared to complete the directions of Heinrich, who ordered a
large fire to be made, into which all the clothes were thrown; but, to
the surprise of all, among them was discovered the hood and vail of a
female. They were burned with the rest, and as the last spark of the
fire died away, the face of Heinrich seemed to have caught its glow, so
fierce was the expression of his eyes, as he exclaimed,
"'Now the work of vengeance is complete; now the Black Huntsman has his
own!'
"He told the trembling lookers-on that on the destruction of these
habiliments depended the Wahr-wolf's power of resuming his human shape,
which had now become quite impossible.
"After all these ceremonies, each person returned to his respective
dwelling; but my father was unable to obtain a moment's rest all night,
for the continual shrieking of a raven close to his window. As day
dawned the annoyance ceased, and he rose the next morning hoping all he
had witnessed the preceding night was a dream. However, he hastened to
the house of Agatha, and there he found all in confusion and dismay. She
could be nowhere found, nor any trace of her discovered. Heinrich was in
more consternation than any one, and hurried up and down almost
distracted.
"My father now related how his rest had been disturbed by the hoarse
cries of the raven, and said that such an omen boded no good. He then
proposed seeking for the unfortunate girl in the cemetery, as perhaps,
her mysterious lover had murdered and buried her in one of the tombs. At
the mention of this suspicion, a new light seemed to burst on the
awe-struck Heinrich. He suddenly called out in a piercing voice,
"'The hood--the vail!--it is too plain, I have betrayed him, and lost
her forever. I burnt her garments, and doubtless, he had taught her his
infernal art, so that she can never be restored to her human form. She
will remain a raven, and he a Wahr-wolf, forever!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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