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Article THE DOOMED ONE AND THE EXECUTIONER. ← Page 3 of 9 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Doomed One And The Executioner.
knife , " it is , too probably , lost to him for ever ; but if he is still in being , I may yet see and restore it to bim ; and that I may be always ready to clo so , as well as in remembrance of the owner , I will , henceforth , continually wear it about my person . " About three years after the disappearance of Bartholdy , the guardians of Florian , who had been left an orphan in infancy , removed him from the seminary , and placed him as a law student at the university . But here
again , although advantageously introduced and recommended , he found himself unheeded and desolate : his timid , and now invincible reserve , preventedall approach toafrank and social intercourse . Even the passion of love , which so often rouses the latent powers of the diffident into life and energy , failed to inspire the timid youth with that external ardour and prompt assiduity so essential to success . Often had he been upon the point of declaring his passionbut never yet mustered
suffi-, cient courage : ahvays irresolute in the presence of the object of his love , the fear of a repulse made him tremble as he approached her . One evening he had repaired to the grove behind the house of his beloved , determined that his favourite elm , hitherto the sole confidant of his passion , should be the medium of a more sensible declaration of his feelings than he had hitherto dared to convey . Intending to carve upon the bark the initials of the fair one ' s name , he drew from his
pocket the ivory clasp-knife of Bartholdy , which , after seven years ' faithful custody , he began to consider as his own , and kneeling upon the turf he cut deep within the bark the beloved one ' s cipher ; laying down the knife , he gazed upon it and fell into one of his accustomed
. An hour had thus elapsed , when suddenly he was aroused from his dream of bliss by tones of loud ancl vehement contention , at no great distance from the elm . Prompted by his natural aversion to scenes of violence , he concealed himself behind the tree , from whence he was enabled to discern two young officers , who had long been his rivals with the girl he loved , approaching the elm , and indicating , by furious tones ancl gestures , feelings of mutual hatred ancl animosity . Florianwhose
, sense of the awkward situation in which he was placed was increased by his timidity , fancied that he should be accused of listening to their conversation , and retreating unobserved into the wood , he gained the high road before he recollected that he had left his knife upon the seat of turf . Ashamed of his cowardice , he determined to return and claim it , in the event of its having been discovered by one of the contending parties . He was solicitous also to complete the ornament
round the cipher on the elm while there was light enough for his purpose , ancl trusting that his angry rivals had walked in another direction , he hastily retraced his steps ; emerging from the wood with confidence he approached the tree , but recoiled in sudden horror , as he almost stepped upon the body of one of his rivals who lay dead upon his back , while the blood was issuing in torrents from a wound in his throat , inflicted by the knife of Bartholdythe remarkable handle of which
, protruded from the deep incision . Florian ' s blood froze as he gazed upon the fearful spectacle , and , covering his face with his hands , he stood for some time over the body in sickening horror . Soon , however , his strong antipathy to scenes of bloodshed and violence induced him to rush with headlong precipitation from the fatal spot ; leaving the knife sticking in the wound , he darted forward through the wood , fortunately without meeting any one either in or near it .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Doomed One And The Executioner.
knife , " it is , too probably , lost to him for ever ; but if he is still in being , I may yet see and restore it to bim ; and that I may be always ready to clo so , as well as in remembrance of the owner , I will , henceforth , continually wear it about my person . " About three years after the disappearance of Bartholdy , the guardians of Florian , who had been left an orphan in infancy , removed him from the seminary , and placed him as a law student at the university . But here
again , although advantageously introduced and recommended , he found himself unheeded and desolate : his timid , and now invincible reserve , preventedall approach toafrank and social intercourse . Even the passion of love , which so often rouses the latent powers of the diffident into life and energy , failed to inspire the timid youth with that external ardour and prompt assiduity so essential to success . Often had he been upon the point of declaring his passionbut never yet mustered
suffi-, cient courage : ahvays irresolute in the presence of the object of his love , the fear of a repulse made him tremble as he approached her . One evening he had repaired to the grove behind the house of his beloved , determined that his favourite elm , hitherto the sole confidant of his passion , should be the medium of a more sensible declaration of his feelings than he had hitherto dared to convey . Intending to carve upon the bark the initials of the fair one ' s name , he drew from his
pocket the ivory clasp-knife of Bartholdy , which , after seven years ' faithful custody , he began to consider as his own , and kneeling upon the turf he cut deep within the bark the beloved one ' s cipher ; laying down the knife , he gazed upon it and fell into one of his accustomed
. An hour had thus elapsed , when suddenly he was aroused from his dream of bliss by tones of loud ancl vehement contention , at no great distance from the elm . Prompted by his natural aversion to scenes of violence , he concealed himself behind the tree , from whence he was enabled to discern two young officers , who had long been his rivals with the girl he loved , approaching the elm , and indicating , by furious tones ancl gestures , feelings of mutual hatred ancl animosity . Florianwhose
, sense of the awkward situation in which he was placed was increased by his timidity , fancied that he should be accused of listening to their conversation , and retreating unobserved into the wood , he gained the high road before he recollected that he had left his knife upon the seat of turf . Ashamed of his cowardice , he determined to return and claim it , in the event of its having been discovered by one of the contending parties . He was solicitous also to complete the ornament
round the cipher on the elm while there was light enough for his purpose , ancl trusting that his angry rivals had walked in another direction , he hastily retraced his steps ; emerging from the wood with confidence he approached the tree , but recoiled in sudden horror , as he almost stepped upon the body of one of his rivals who lay dead upon his back , while the blood was issuing in torrents from a wound in his throat , inflicted by the knife of Bartholdythe remarkable handle of which
, protruded from the deep incision . Florian ' s blood froze as he gazed upon the fearful spectacle , and , covering his face with his hands , he stood for some time over the body in sickening horror . Soon , however , his strong antipathy to scenes of bloodshed and violence induced him to rush with headlong precipitation from the fatal spot ; leaving the knife sticking in the wound , he darted forward through the wood , fortunately without meeting any one either in or near it .