When Karl had reached his room, and was dressing himself, the thought
struck him that something might be made of the report of the extreme
weight of the body of old Kuntz, to favour the continuance of the
delusion of Teufelsbürst, although he hardly knew yet to what use he
could turn this delusion. He was convinced that he would have made no
progress however long he might have remained in his house; and that he
would have more chance of favour with Lilith if he were to meet her in
any other circumstances whatever than those in which he invariably saw
her--namely, surrounded by her father’s influences, and watched by her
father’s cold blue eyes.
As soon as he was dressed, he crept down to the studio, which was now
quiet enough, the storm being over, and the moon filling it with her
steady shine. In the corner lay in all directions the fragments of the
mould which his own body had formed and filled. The bag of plaster and
the bucket of water which the painter had been using stood beside.
Lottchen gathered all the pieces together, and then making his way to an
outhouse where he had seen various odds and ends of rubbish lying, chose
from the heap as many pieces of old iron and other metal as he could
find. To these he added a few large stones from the garden. When he had
got all into the studio, he locked the door, and proceeded to fit
together the parts of the mould, filling up the hollow as he went on
with the heaviest things he could get into it, and solidifying the whole
by pouring in plaster; till, having at length completed it, and
obliterated, as much as possible, the marks of joining, he left it to
harden, with the conviction that now it would make a considerable
impression on Teufelsbürst’s imagination, as well as on his muscular
sense. He then left everything else as nearly undisturbed as he could;
and, knowing all the ways of the house, was soon in the street, without
leaving any signs of his exit.
Karl soon found himself before the house in which his friend
Höllenrachen resided. Knowing his studious habits, he had hoped to see
his light still burning, nor was he disappointed. He contrived to bring
him to his window, and a moment after, the door was cautiously opened.
“Why, Lottchen, where do you come from?”
“From the grave, Heinrich, or next door to it.”
“Come in, and tell me all about it. We thought the old painter had made
a model of you, and tortured you to death.”
“Perhaps you were not far wrong. But get me a horn of ale, for even a
vampire is thirsty, you know.”
“A vampire!” exclaimed Heinrich, retreating a pace, and involuntarily
putting himself upon his guard.
Karl laughed.
“My hand was warm, was it not, old fellow?” he said. “Vampires are cold,
all but the blood.”
“What a fool I am!” rejoined Heinrich. “But you know we have been
hearing such horrors lately that a fellow may be excused for shuddering
a little when a pale-faced apparition tells him at two o’clock in the
morning that he is a vampire, and thirsty, too.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account