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affair。 Before his interview with you he spent a few minutes with
me。 These minutes he employed in upbraiding me for crimes and
intentions with which I am by no means chargeable。 I believe him
to have taken up his opinions on very insufficient grounds。 His
behavior was in the highest degree precipitate and unjust； and；
until I receive some atonement； I shall treat him； in my turn； with
that contempt which he justly merits； meanwhile； I am fearful that
he has prejudiced my brother against me。 That is an evil which I
most anxiously deprecate； and which I shall indeed exert myself to
remove。 Has he made me the subject of this morning's conversation？〃
My brother's countenance testified no surprise at my address。 The
benignity of his looks was nowise diminished。
〃It is true；〃 said he； 〃your conduct was the subject of our
discourse。 I am your friend as well as your brother。 There is no
human being whom I love with more tenderness and whose welfare is
nearer my heart。 Judge； then； with what emotions I listened to
Pleyel's story。 I expect and desire you to vindicate yourself from
aspersions so foul； if vindication be possible。〃
The tone with which he uttered the last words affected me deeply。
〃If vindication be possible！〃 repeated I。 〃From what you know； do
you deem a formal vindication necessary？ Can you harbor for a
moment the belief of my guilt？〃
He shook his head with an air of acute anguish。 〃I have
struggled；〃 said he； 〃to dismiss that belief。 You speak before a
judge who will profit by any pretense to acquit you who is ready to
question his own senses when they plead against you。〃
These words incited a new set of thoughts in my mind。 I began to
suspect that Pleyel had built his accusations on some foundation
unknown to me。 〃I may be a stranger to the grounds of your belief。
Pleyel loaded me with indecent and virulent invectives； but he
withheld from me the facts that generated his suspicions。 Events
took place last night of which some of the circumstances were of an
ambiguous nature。 I conceived that these might possibly have
fallen under his cognizance； and that； viewed through the mists of
prejudice and passion； they supplied a pretense for his conduct；
but believed that your more unbiased judgment would estimate them
at their just value。 Perhaps his tale has been different from what
I suspect it to be。 Listen； then； to my narrative。 If there be
anything in his story inconsistent with mine； his story is false。〃
I then proceeded to a circumstantial relation of the incidents of
the last night。 Wieland listened with deep attention。 Having
finished； 〃This；〃 continued I； 〃is the truth。 You see in what
circumstances an interview took place between Carwin and me。 He
remained for hours in my closet； and for some minutes in my
chamber。 He departed without haste or interruption。 If Pleyel
marked him as he left the house； （and it is not impossible that he
did；） inferences injurious to my character might suggest themselves
to him。 In admitting them； he gave proofs of less discernment and
less candor than I once ascribed to him。〃
〃His proofs；〃 said Wieland； after a considerable pause； 〃are
different。 That he should be deceived is not possible。 That he
himself is not the deceiver could not be believed； if his testimony
were not inconsistent with yours； but the doubts which I
entertained are now removed。 Your tale； some parts of it； is
marvelous； the voice which exclaimed against your rashness in
approaching the closet； your persisting； notwithstanding that
prohibition； your belief that I was the ruffian； and your
subsequent conduct； are believed by me； because I have known you
from childhood； because a thousand instances have attested your
veracity； and because nothing less than my own hearing and vision
would convince me； in opposition to her own assertions； that my
sister had fallen into wickedness like this。〃
I threw my arms around him and bathed his cheek with my tears。
〃That；〃 said I； 〃is spoken like my brother。 But what are the
proofs？〃
He replied； 〃Pleyel informed me that； in going to your house； his
attention was attracted by two voices。 The persons speaking sat
beneath the bank； out of sight。 These persons； judging by their
voices； were Carwin and you。 I will not repeat the dialogue。 If
my sister was the female； Pleyel was justified in concluding you to
be indeed one of the most profligate of women。 Hence his
accusations of you； and his efforts to obtain my concurrence to a
plan by which an eternal separation should be brought about between
my sister and this man。〃
I made Wieland repeat this recital。 Here indeed was a tale to fill
me with terrible foreboding。 I had vainly thought that my safety
could be sufficiently secured by doors and bars； but this is a foe
from whose grasp no power of divinity can save me！ His artifices
will ever lay my fame and happiness at his mercy。 How shall I
counterwork his plots or detect his coadjutor？ He has taught some
vile and abandoned female to mimic my voice。 Pleyel's ears were
the witnesses of my dishonor。 This is the midnight assignation to
which he alluded。 Thus is the silence he maintained when
attempting to open the door of my chamber； accounted for。 He
supposed me absent； and meant； perhaps； had my apartment been
accessible； to leave in it some accusing memorial。
SECOND PART
I
＇As this part opens； the unhappy Clara is describing her hurried
return to the same ill…fated abode at Mettingen。 Hence kind
friends had borne her after the catastrophe of her brother
Wieland's 〃transformation。〃 This was the crowning horror of all：
the morbid fanatic； prepared by gloomy anticipations of some
terrible sacrifice to be demanded in the name of religion； had
found himself goaded to blind fury； by a mysterious compelling
voice； to yield up to God the lives of his beloved wife and family；
and had done the awful deed！
Though chained in his madhouse； he persists in his delusion；
insists that it still remains for him to sacrifice his sister
Clara； and twice breaks away in wild efforts to find and destroy
her。＇
I took an irregular path which led me to my own house。 All was
vacant and forlorn。 A small enclosure near which the path led was
the burying ground belonging to the family。 This I was obliged to
pass。 Once I had intended to enter it； and ponder on the emblems
and inscriptions which my uncle had caused to be made on the tombs
of Catharine and her children； but now my heart faltered as I
approached； and I hastened forward that distance might conceal it
from my view。
When I approached the recess； my heart again sunk。 I averted my
eyes； and left it behind me as quickly as possible。 Silence
reigned through my habitation； and a darkness which closed doors
and shutters produced。 Every object was connected with mine or my
brother's history。 I p