V. Irving
The ghost-ghost
In the mountains of Odenwald in southern Germany stood the castle of Baron von Landshort. He fell into decay, but his owner – a proud descendant of the ancient genus Katsenelenbogen – tried to maintain the appearance of former grandeur. The baron had a beautiful daughter, brought up under the vigilant supervision of two unmarried aunts. She knew how to read rather well and read several church legends, she even could sign her name and succeeded in needlework and music. The Baron was going to give his daughter to marry Count von Altenburg. On this occasion, guests gathered in the castle, waiting for the groom, but he was not there. It so happened that on the way to the castle of the Baron, Count von Altenburg met his friend Hermann von Starkenfaust. The young people were on the way, and they decided to go together. In the woods they were attacked by bandits and a deadly blow was brought to the Count. Before his death, the count asked a
friend to inform his bride about his sudden death. Herman promised to fulfill the commission and, although his family had long been at odds with the family Katsenelenbogen, went to the castle of the baron, where the owner, not waiting for the groom’s daughter, already ordered to serve on the table so as not to starve the guests. But then the sound of the horn announced the arrival of the traveler. The Baron came out to meet the groom. Herman wanted to say that his friend had died, but the baron interrupted him with innumerable greetings and did not allow him to insert words until the door of the castle. The bride was silent, but from her smile it was clear that the young man had felt her heart. Everyone sat at the table, but the groom was gloomy. The Baron told his best and longest stories, and at the end of the feast told a story about a ghost who, in the guise of a groom, came to the castle and took the bride to the kingdom of spirits. The groom listened to a deep story. attention and looked strangely at the Baron. Suddenly he began to rise slowly, becoming higher and higher. It seemed to the Baron that he had become
almost a giant. The groom went to the exit. The Baron followed. When they were alone, the guest said: “I – the dead man killed me robbers I’m waiting for a grave.” With these words he jumped on his horse and drove off. The next day the messenger galloped up with the news that the young earl was killed by robbers and he was buried in the cathedral of the city of Wurzburg. The inhabitants of the castle were horrified at the thought that a specter had visited them the day before. Widowed before the wedding, the bride filled her complaints with the whole house. At midnight she heard melodic sounds coming from the garden. Approaching the window, the girl saw a ghost-ghost. Auntie, asleep in the same room, quietly went to the window after her niece and fainted. When the girl looked out the window again, nobody was in the garden. In the morning my aunt said that she would not sleep in this room anymore, and the bride, showing rare disobedience, stated that she would not sleep anywhere except this room. She took from her aunt’s promise not to tell anyone about this incident, so as not to deprive her niece of bitter delight to live in a room under the window of which the shadow of her fiancé is guarded. A week later the girl disappeared, her room was empty, the bed was not crumpled, the window was opened. Auntie briefly told the story that happened a week ago. She assumed that the girl had taken away the ghost. Two servants confirmed her assumptions, saying that they heard footsteps of horses’ hoofs at night. The Baron ordered to comb all the surrounding forests and himself was going to take part in the search, but suddenly he saw, that two richly dressed horses drove up to the castle, on one of which sat his daughter, and on the other – a ghost-ghost. This time he was not gloomy, his eyes glowed with merry lights. He told the baron how at first glance he fell in love with the bride, but for fear of a family quarrel he did not dare to reveal his real name, as the baron told his eccentric ways out of the situation with his ghost stories. Secretly visiting a girl, he achieved her reciprocity, took her away and married to her. The Baron was so happy to see the daughter unharmed that he forgave the young people, and only the aunt could not reconcile herself to the idea that the only ghost she had seen was a fake. in his eyes shone merry lights. He told the baron how at first glance he fell in love with the bride, but for fear of a family quarrel he did not dare to reveal his real name, as the baron told his eccentric ways out of the situation with his ghost stories. Secretly visiting a girl, he achieved her reciprocity, took her away and married to her. The Baron was so happy to see the daughter unharmed that he forgave the young people, and only the aunt could not reconcile herself to the idea that the only ghost she had seen was a fake. in his eyes shone merry lights. He told the baron how at first glance he fell in love with the bride, but for fear of a family quarrel he did not dare to reveal his real name, as the baron told his eccentric ways out of the situation with his ghost stories. Secretly visiting a girl, he achieved her reciprocity, took her away and married to her. The Baron was so happy to see the daughter unharmed that he forgave the young people, and only the aunt could not reconcile herself to the idea that the only ghost she had seen was a fake. he achieved her reciprocity, took her away and married to her. The Baron was so happy to see the daughter unharmed that he forgave the young people, and only the aunt could not reconcile herself to the idea that the only ghost she had seen was a fake. he achieved her reciprocity, took her away and married to her. The Baron was so happy to see the daughter unharmed that he forgave the young people, and only the aunt could not reconcile herself to the idea that the only ghost she had seen was a fake.
