The Old Man of the Mountain, The Lovecharm and Pietro of Abano: Tales from the German of TieckTieck, Ludwig
General
The Old Man of the Mountain, The Lovecharm and Pietro of Abano: Tales from the German of Tieck
Tieck, Ludwig
German fiction -- Translations into English
curtained from us by space and time; we are here and there; the future
comes forward and, like the past, pours out its secrets before us; the
whole realm of knowledge, of comprehension, lies open to us; the
powers of heaven become our willing servants: and yet to the truly
wise man one glimpse into the mysteries of the Godhead, one emotion of
his own heart when toucht by God's love, is far higher, and far more
precious knowledge, than all the treasures which do homage to the
inquiring mind, than the revealed soul of history or of the present
time, than the bending knees of a thousand angels who are ready to
call him their master."
Alfonso cast a look of enthusiasm upon his friend; and Antonio could
not refrain from acknowledging to himself that here in the garb of
lowly simplicity he found more than had ever delighted him from
Apone's mouth, even at the time of his greatest admiration for that
ostentatious philosopher. Indeed he was already become fully convinced
that the knowledge which people call supernatural may be easily united
with piety and a thorough resignation to the Lord.
"Do you know now what my fate has been?" askt the youth with emotion:
"can you tell me anything about the events that are hereafter to
befall me?"
"If I learn the year, the day, and the hour of your birth," answered
Castalio, "compare the horoscope I shall then draw with the lines of
your face and the marks on your hands, and afterward give free range
to my mind in contemplating the results, I hardly doubt my being able
to tell you something about your destinies."
Antonio gave him a pocket-book, in which his father had himself noted
down the hour of his birth. Castalio placed some wine before the young
men, himself partaking a little of it, turned over a few books, and
then sat down to calculate, without however entirely breaking off his
conversation with his guests. It only seemed as if the cheerful young
man had some common business in hand, which was far from requiring the
whole of his attention. Thus amid laughing and lively talk an hour may
have past away, when Castalio stood up and beckoned to Antonio to go
with him to the window.
"I know not, he began, how far you trust your friend there, or what
you may wish to keep secret from him."
Hereupon he examined Antonio's face and hands very minutely, and then
in regular connexion told him the story of his parents and their
misfortunes, the early violent death of his mother, and his father's
sinful passion, together with his murder by the hand of his wicked
complice. Afterward he came to Antonio's own affairs, how he had
sought for the murderer and pursued him, and had been detained at
Padua by love.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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