Wieland's Maddness by Charles Brockden Brown
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aruefulness of aspect which no words can describe, were now visible .

his looks touched into energy the same sympathies in me, and I poured forth a flood of tears . this passion was quickly checked by fear, which had now no longer my own but his safety for their object .I watched his deportment in silence . at_length he spoke:--

" sister," said he, in an accent mournful and mild, " I_have acted poorly my part in_this world . what thinkest thou ? shall I not do better in_the next ? "

I_could make no answer . the mildness of_his tone astonished and encouraged me .I continued to regard him with wistful and anxious looks .

" i_think," resumed he, " i_will try . my wife and my babes have_gone before . happy wretches ! I_have sent you to repose, and ought not to linger behind ."

these words had ameaning sufficiently intelligible .I looked at_the open knife in_his hand and shuddered, but knew not how to_prevent the deed which I dreaded . he quickly noticed my fears, and comprehended them .Stretching toward me his hand, with an air of increasing mildness, " take it," said he; " fear not for thy own sake, nor for mine . the cup is gone by, and its transient inebriation is succeeded by_the soberness of truth .

" thou angel whom i_was wont to worship ! fearest thou, my sister, for thy life ? once it was_the scope of_my labors to destroy thee, but i_was prompted to_the deed by heaven; such, at_least, was my belief .Thinkest thou that thy death was sought to gratify malevolence ? no . I_am pure from all stain .I believed that my god was my mover !

" neither thee nor myself have I cause to injure . I_have_done my duty; and surely there_is merit in having sacrificed to_that all that_is dear to_the heart of man . if a devil has deceived me, he_came in_the habit of an angel . if I erred, it_was not my judgment that deceived me, but my senses . in thy sight, being of beings ! I_am still pure . still will I look for_my reward in thy justice ! "

did my ears truly report these sounds ? if I_did_not err, my brother was restored to just perceptions . he_knew himself to_have_been betrayed to_the murder of_his wife and children, to_have_been the victim of infernal artifice; yet he_found consolation in_the rectitude of_his motives . he_was not devoid of sorrow, for_this was written on_his countenance; but his soul was tranquil and sublime .

perhaps this_was merely a transition of_his former madness into a new shape . perhaps he had_not yet awakened to_the memory of_the horrors which he had perpetrated . infatuated wretch that i_was ! to set myself up as a model by_which to judge of_my heroic brother ! my reason taught me that his conclusions were right; but, conscious of_the impotence of reason over my own conduct, conscious of_my cowardly rashness and my criminal despair, I doubted whether anyone could_be steadfast and wise .

such was my weakness, that even in_the midst of_these thoughts my mind glided into abhorrence of Carwin, and I uttered, in a low voice, "O Carwin ! Carwin ! what hast thou to answer for ? "

my brother immediately noticed the involuntary exclamation ."Clara ! " said he, " be thyself . equity used to_be a theme for thy eloquence . reduce its lessons to practice, and be just to_that unfortunate man . the instrument has_done its work, and I_am satisfied .

"I thank thee, my god, for_this last illumination ! my enemy is thine also .I deemed him to_be a man,-- the man with_whom I_have often communed; but now thy goodness has unveiled to_me his true nature . as_the performer of thy behests, he_is my friend ."

my heart began now to misgive me . his mournful aspect had gradually yielded place to a serene brow .a new soul appeared to actuate his frame, and_his eyes to beam with preternatural luster . these symptoms did_not abate, and he continued:--

"Clara, I_must not leave thee in doubt . I_know not what brought about thy interview with_the being whom thou callest Carwin . for a time i_was guilty of thy error, and deduced from_his incoherent confessions that I had_been made the victim of human malice . he left us at my bidding, and I put up a prayer that my doubts should_be removed . thy eyes were shut and thy ears sealed to_the vision that answered my prayer .

" i_was indeed deceived . the form thou hast seen was_the incarnation of a demon . the visage and voice which urged me to_the sacrifice of_my family were his . now he personates a human form; then he_was environed with_the luster of heaven .

"Clara," he continued, advancing closer to_me, " thy death must come . this minister is evil, but he from whom his commission was received is god . submit then with all thy wonted resignation to a decree that cannot_be reversed or resisted . mark the clock . three minutes are allowed to thee, in_which to_call up thy fortitude and prepare thee for thy doom ." there he stopped .

even now, when_this scene exists only in memory, when life and all its functions have sunk into torpor, my pulse throbs, and my hairs uprise; my brows are knit, as then, and I gaze around me in distraction . i_was unconquerably averse to death; but death, imminent and full of agony as_that which_was threatened, was nothing . this_was not the only or chief inspirer of_my fears .

for him, not for_myself, was my soul tormented . I_might die, and no crime, surpassing the reach of mercy, would pursue me to_the presence of_my judge; but my assassin would survive to contemplate his deed, and_that assassin was Wieland !

Wings to bear me beyond his reach I had_not . I_could_not vanish with a thought . the door was open, but my murderer was interposed between that and me . of self- defense i_was incapable . the frenzy that lately prompted me to blood was gone: my state was desperate; my rescue was impossible .

the weight of_these accumulated thoughts could_not_be borne . my sight became confused; my limbs were seized with convulsion; I spoke, but my words were half formed:--

" spare me, my brother ! look down, righteous judge ! snatch me from_this fate ! take away this fury from_him, or turn it elsewhere ! "

such was_the agony of_my thoughts that I noticed not steps entering my apartment .Supplicating eyes were cast upward; but when my prayer was breathed I once more wildly gazed at_the door .a form met my sight; I shuddered as if_the god whom I invoked were present . it_was Carwin that again intruded, and who stood before me, erect in attitude and steadfast in look !

the sight of him awakened new and rapid thoughts . his recent tale was remembered; his magical transitions and mysterious energy of voice . whether he were infernal or miraculous or human, there_was no power and no need to decide . whether the contriver or not of_this spell, he_was able to unbind it, and to_check the fury of_my brother . he had ascribed to himself intentions not malignant . here now was afforded a test of_his truth . let him interpose, as from above; revoke the savage decree which the madness of Wieland has assigned to heaven, and extinguish forever this passion for blood !

my mind detected at a glance this avenue to safety . the recommendations it possessed thronged as it were together, and made but one impression on my intellect . remoter effects and collateral dangers I_saw not . perhaps the pause of an instant had sufficed to_call them up . the improbability that_the influence which governed Wieland was external or human; the tendency of_this stratagem to sanction so fatal an error or substitute a more destructive rage in place of_this; the insufficiency of Carwin's mere muscular forces to counteract the efforts and restrain the fury of Wieland, might, at a second glance, have_been discovered; but no second glance was allowed . my first thought hurried me to action, and, fixing my eyes upon Carwin, I exclaimed,--

"O wretch ! once more hast thou come ? let it be to abjure thy malice; to counterwork this hellish stratagem; to_turn from me and from my brother this desolating rage !

" testify thy innocence or thy remorse; exert the powers which pertain to thee, whatever they be, to_turn aside this ruin . thou art the author of_these horrors ! what have I done to deserve thus to die ? how have I merited this unrelenting persecution ? I adjure thee, by_that god whose voice thou hast dared to counterfeit, to save my life !

" wilt thou then go ? -- leave me ! Succorless ! "

Carwin listened to my entreaties unmoved, and turned from me . he_seemed to hesitate a moment,-- then glided through_the door . rage and despair stifled my utterance . the interval of respite was past; the pangs reserved for_me by Wieland were_not to_be endured; my thoughts rushed again into anarchy .Having received the knife from_his hand, I held it loosely and without regard; but now it seized again my attention, and I grasped it with force .

he_seemed to notice not the entrance or exit of Carwin . my gesture and_the murderous weapon appeared to_have escaped his notice . his silence was unbroken; his eye, fixed upon_the clock for a time, was now withdrawn; fury kindled in every feature; all that was human in_his face gave way to an expression supernatural and tremendous . I_felt my left arm within his grasp .

even now I hesitated to strike .I shrunk from_his assault, but in vain .

here let me desist . why should I rescue this event from oblivion ? why should I paint this detestable conflict ? why_not terminate at once this series of horrors ? -- hurry to_the verge of_the precipice, and cast myself forever beyond remembrance and beyond hope ?

still I live; with_this load upon my breast; with_this phantom to pursue my steps; with adders lodged in my bosom, and stinging me to madness; still I consent to live !

yes ! i_will rise above the sphere of mortal passions; i_will spurn at_the cowardly remorse that bids me seek impunity in silence, or comfort in forgetfulness . my nerves shall be new- strung to_the task . have I not resolved ? i_will die . the gulf before me is inevitable and near . i_will die, but then only when my tale is at an end .

III

my right hand, grasping the unseen knife, was still disengaged . it_was lifted to strike . all my strength was exhausted but what_was sufficient to_the performance of_this deed . already was_the energy awakened and_the impulse given that should bear the fatal steel to_his heart, when--Wieland shrunk back; his hand was withdrawn . breathless with affright and desperation, I stood, freed from_his grasp; unassailed; untouched .

thus long had the power which controlled the scene forborne to interfere: but now his might was irresistible; and Wieland in a moment was disarmed of all his purposes .a voice, louder than human organs could produce, shriller than language can depict, burst from_the ceiling and commanded him-- to hold !

trouble and dismay succeeded to_the steadfastness that had lately been displayed in_the looks of Wieland . his eyes roved from one quarter to another, with an expression of doubt . he_seemed to wait for a further intimation .

Carwin's agency was here easily recognized .I had besought him to interpose in my defense . he had flown .I had imagined him deaf to my prayer, and resolute to_see me perish; yet he disappeared merely to devise and execute the means of_my relief .

why did he not forbear when_this end was accomplished ? why did his misjudging zeal and accursed precipitation overpass that limit ? or meant he thus to crown the scene, and conduct his inscrutable plots to_this consummation ?

such ideas were the fruit of subsequent contemplation . this moment was pregnant with fate .I had no power to reason . in_the career of_my tempestuous thoughts, rent into pieces as my mind was by accumulating horrors, Carwin was unseen and unsuspected .I partook of Wieland's credulity, shook with_his amazement, and panted with_his awe .

silence took place for a moment: so_much as allowed the attention to recover its post . then new sounds were uttered from above:--

" man of errors ! cease to cherish thy delusion; not heaven or hell, but thy senses, have misled thee to commit these acts . shake off thy frenzy, and ascend into rational and human . be lunatic no longer ."

my brother opened his lips to_speak . his tone was terrific and faint . he muttered an appeal to heaven . it_was difficult to comprehend the theme of_his inquiries . they implied doubt as_to_the nature of_the impulse that hitherto had guided him, and questioned whether he had acted in consequence of insane perceptions .

to_these interrogatories the voice, which now seemed to hover at his shoulder, loudly answered in_the affirmative . then uninterrupted silence ensued .

fallen from_his lofty and heroic station; now finally restored to_the perception of truth; weighed to earth by_the recollection of_his own deeds; consoled no longer by a consciousness of rectitude for_the loss of offspring and wife,--a loss for_which he_was indebted to_his own misguided hand,--Wieland was transformed at once into_the man

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