Wieland's Maddness by Charles Brockden Brown
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reluctance .Pleyel's insinuations that i_was in love affected in no degree my belief; yet the consciousness that_this was_the opinion of one who_would probably be present at our introduction to each_other would excite all that confusion which the passion itself is apt to_produce . this_would confirm him in_his error and call forth new railleries . his mirth, when exerted upon_this topic, was_the source of_the bitterest vexation . had he been aware of_its influence upon my happiness, his temper would_not have allowed him to persist; but this influence it_was my chief endeavor to conceal . that_the belief of_my having bestowed my heart upon another produced in my friend none but ludicrous sensations was_the true cause of_my distress; but if_this had_been discovered by him my distress would_have_been unspeakably aggravated .

III

as_soon_as evening arrived, I performed my visit .Carwin made one_of_the company into which i_was ushered .Appearances were the same as when I before beheld him . his garb was equally negligent and rustic .I gazed upon his countenance with new curiosity . my situation was such as_to enable me to bestow upon it a deliberate examination . viewed at more leisure, it lost none of_its wonderful properties . I_could_not deny my homage to_the intelligence expressed in_it, but was wholly uncertain whether he were an object to_be dreaded or adored, and whether his powers had_been exerted to evil or to good .

he_was sparing in discourse; but whatever he_said was pregnant with meaning, and uttered with rectitude of articulation and force of emphasis of_which I had entertained no conception previously to my knowledge of him . notwithstanding the uncouthness of_his garb, his manners were_not unpolished . all topics were handled by him with skill, and without pedantry or affectation . he uttered no sentiment calculated to_produce a disadvantageous impression; on_the contrary, his observations denoted a mind alive to every generous and heroic feeling . they were introduced without parade, and accompanied with_that degree of earnestness which indicates sincerity .

he parted from_us not till late, refusing an invitation to_spend the night here, but readily consented to repeat his visit . his visits were frequently repeated . each_day introduced us to a more intimate acquaintance with_his sentiments, but left us wholly in_the dark concerning that about_which we were most inquisitive . he studiously avoided all mention of_his past or present situation . even the place of_his abode in_the city he concealed from_us .

our sphere in_this respect being somewhat limited, and_the intellectual endowments of_this man being indisputably great, his deportment was more diligently marked and copiously commented on by_us than you, perhaps, will think the circumstances warranted . not a gesture, or glance, or accent, that was not, in_our private assemblies, discussed, and inferences deduced from_it . it may well be thought that he modeled his behavior by an uncommon standard, when, with all our opportunities and accuracy of observation, we were able for_a_long_time to gather no satisfactory information . he afforded us no ground on_which to build even a plausible conjecture .

there_is a degree of familiarity which takes place between constant associates, that justifies the negligence of many rules of_which, in an earlier period of_their intercourse, politeness requires the exact observance . inquiries into our condition are allowable when_they are prompted by a disinterested concern for_our welfare; and this solicitude is not_only pardonable, but may justly be demanded from those who choose us for their companions . this state of things was more slow to arrive at on_this occasion than on most others, on account of_the gravity and loftiness of_this man's behavior .

Pleyel, however, began at_length to employ regular means for_this end . he occasionally alluded to_the circumstances in_which they had formerly met, and remarked the incongruousness between_the religion and habits of a Spaniard with those of a native of Britain . he expressed his astonishment at meeting our guest in_this corner of_the globe, especially as, when_they parted in Spain, he_was taught to_believe that Carwin should never leave that country . he insinuated that a change so great must_have been prompted by motives of a singular and momentous kind .

no answer, or an answer wide of_the purpose, was generally made to_these insinuations .Britons and Spaniards, he_said, are votaries of_the same deity, and square their faith by_the same precepts; their ideas are drawn from_the same fountains of literature, and_they speak dialects of_the same tongue; their government and laws have more resemblances than differences; they were formerly provinces of_the same civil, and, till lately, of_the same religious, empire .

as_to_the motives which induce men to_change the place of_their abode, these must unavoidably be fleeting and mutable . if_not bound to one spot by conjugal or parental ties, or by_the nature of_that employment to which_we_are indebted for subsistence, the inducements to_change are far more numerous and powerful than opposite inducements .

he spoke as_if desirous of showing that he_was not aware of_the tendency of Pleyel's remarks; yet certain tokens were apparent that proved him by no means wanting in penetration . these tokens were to_be read in_his countenance, and not in_his words . when anything was said indicating curiosity in us, the gloom of_his countenance was deepened, his eyes sunk to_the ground, and_his wonted air was not resumed without visible struggle . hence, it_was obvious to infer that some incidents of_his life were reflected on by him with regret; and_that, since these incidents were carefully concealed, and even that regret which flowed from_them laboriously stifled, they had_not_been merely disastrous . the secrecy that was observed appeared not designed to provoke or baffle the inquisitive, but was prompted by_the shame or by_the prudence of guilt .

these ideas, which were adopted by Pleyel and my brother as_well as myself, hindered us from employing more direct means for accomplishing our wishes .Questions might_have_been put in_such terms that no room should_be left for_the pretense of misapprehension; and, if modesty merely had_been the obstacle, such questions would_not_have_been wanting; but we considered that, if_the disclosure were productive of pain or disgrace, it_was inhuman to extort it .

amidst the various topics that were discussed in_his presence, allusions were, of_course, made to_the inexplicable events that had lately happened . at those times the words and looks of_this man were objects of_my particular attention . the subject was extraordinary; and anyone whose experience or reflections could throw any light upon it_was entitled to my gratitude . as_this man was enlightened by reading and travel, I listened with eagerness to_the remarks which he_should make .

at first I entertained a kind of apprehension that_the tale would_be heard by him with incredulity and secret ridicule .I had formerly heard stories that resembled this in some of_their mysterious circumstances; but they were commonly heard by me with contempt . i_was doubtful whether the same impression would_not now be made on_the mind of_our guest; but i_was mistaken in my fears .

he heard them with seriousness, and without any marks either of surprise or incredulity . he pursued with visible pleasure that kind of disquisition which_was naturally suggested by_them . his fancy was eminently vigorous and prolific; and, if he_did_not persuade us that human beings are sometimes admitted to a sensible intercourse with_the author of nature, he at_least won over our inclination to_the cause . he merely deduced, from_his own reasonings, that such intercourse was probable, but confessed that, though he_was acquainted with many instances somewhat similar to_those which had_been related by_us, none_of_them were perfectly exempted from_the suspicion of human agency .

on being requested to relate these instances, he amused us with many curious details . his narratives were constructed with so_much skill, and rehearsed with so_much energy, that all the effects of a dramatic exhibition were frequently produced by_them . those that were most coherent and most minute, and, of consequence, least entitled to credit, were yet rendered probable by_the exquisite art of_this rhetorician . for every difficulty that was suggested a ready and plausible solution was furnished . mysterious voices had always a share in producing the catastrophe; but they were always to_be explained on some known principles, either as reflected into a focus or communicated through a tube . I_could_not but remark that his narratives, however complex or marvelous, contained no instance sufficiently parallel to_those that had befallen ourselves, and in_which_the solution was applicable to our own case .

my brother was a much more sanguine reasoner than our guest . even in some_of_the facts which were related by Carwin, he maintained the probability of celestial interference, when_the latter was disposed to deny it, and had found, as he imagined, footsteps of a human agent .Pleyel was by no means equally credulous . he scrupled not to deny faith to any testimony but that of_his senses, and allowed the facts which had lately been supported by_this testimony not to mold his belief, but merely to_give birth to doubts .

it_was soon observed that Carwin adopted, in some degree, a similar distinction .a tale of_this kind, related by others, he_would believe, provided it_was explicable upon known principles; but that such notices were actually communicated by beings of a higher order he_would believe only when his own ears were assailed in a manner which could_not_be otherwise accounted for . civility forbade him to contradict my brother or myself, but his understanding refused to acquiesce in_our testimony . besides, he_was disposed to question whether the voices were_not really uttered by human organs . on_this supposition he_was desired to explain how the effect was produced .

he answered that_the cry for help, heard in_the hall on_the night of_my adventure, was to_be ascribed to a human creature, who actually stood in_the hall when he uttered it . it_was of no moment, he_said, that we_could_not explain by what motives he that made the signal was led hither . how imperfectly acquainted were we with_the condition and designs of_the beings that surrounded us ! the city was near at hand, and thousands might there exist whose powers and purposes might easily explain whatever was mysterious in_this transaction . as_to_the closet dialogue, he_was obliged to adopt one of two suppositions, and affirm either that_it_was fashioned in my own fancy, or that_it actually took place between two persons in_the closet .

such was Carwin's mode of explaining these appearances . it_is such, perhaps, as would commend itself as most plausible to_the most sagacious minds; but it_was insufficient to impart conviction to_us . as_to_the treason that was meditated against me, it_was doubtless just to conclude that_it_was either real or imaginary; but that_it_was real was attested by_the mysterious warning in_the summer- house, the secret of_which I had hitherto locked up in my own breast .

a month passed away in_this kind of intercourse . as_to Carwin, our ignorance was in no degree enlightened respecting his genuine character and views .Appearances were uniform . no man possessed a larger store of knowledge, or a greater degree of skill in_the communication of it to others; hence he_was regarded as an inestimable addition to our society .Considering the distance of_my brother's house from_the city, he_was frequently prevailed upon to_pass the night where he spent the evening . two days seldom elapsed without a visit from_him; hence he_was regarded as a kind of inmate of_the house . he entered and departed without ceremony . when he arrived he received an unaffected welcome, and when he chose to retire no importunities were used to induce him to remain .

Carwin never parted with_his gravity . the inscrutableness of_his character, and_the uncertainty whether his fellowship tended to good or to evil, were seldom absent from_our minds . this circumstance powerfully contributed to sadden us .

my heart was_the seat of growing disquietudes . this change in one who had formerly been characterized by all the exuberances of soul could_not fail to_be remarked by my friends . my brother was always a pattern of solemnity . my sister was clay, molded by_the circumstances in_which she happened to_be placed . there_was but one whose deportment remains to_be described as being of importance to our happiness . had Pleyel likewise dismissed his vivacity ?

he_was as whimsical and jestful as ever, but he_was not happy . the truth in_this respect was of too_much importance to_me not to_make me a vigilant observer . his mirth was easily perceived to_be the fruit of exertion . when his thoughts wandered from_the company, an air of dissatisfaction and impatience stole across his features . even the punctuality and frequency of_his visits were somewhat lessened . it may_be supposed that my own uneasiness was heightened by_these tokens; but, strange as it may seem, I_found, in_the present state of_my mind, no relief but in_the persuasion that Pleyel was unhappy .

that unhappiness, indeed, depended for its value in my eyes on_the cause that produced it . there_was but one source whence it could flow .a nameless ecstasy thrilled through my frame when any new proof occurred that_the ambiguousness of_my behavior was_the cause .

IV

my brother had received a new book from Germany . it_was a tragedy, and_the first attempt of a Saxon poet of whom my brother had_been taught to entertain the highest expectations . the exploits of Zisca, the Bohemian hero, were woven into a dramatic series and connection .According

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