The Were-wolf

Scary Books: Great Ghost Stories

H. B. MARRYATT





My father was not born, or originally a resident, in the Hartz

Mountains; he was the serf of an Hungarian nobleman, of great

possessions, in Transylvania; but, although a serf, he was not by any

means a poor or illiterate man. In fact, he was rich, and his

intelligence and respectability were such, that he had been raised by

his lord to the stewardship; but, whoever may happen to be born a serf,

a serf must he remain, even though he become a wealthy man; such was the

condition of my father. My father had been married for about five years;

and, by his marriage, had three children--my eldest brother Caesar,

myself (Hermann), and a sister named Marcella. Latin is still the

language spoken in that country; and that will account for our

high-sounding names. My mother was a very beautiful woman, unfortunately

more beautiful than virtuous: she was seen and admired by the lord of

the soil; my father was sent away upon some mission; and, during his

absence, my mother, flattered by the attentions, and won by the

assiduities, of this nobleman, yielded to his wishes. It so happened

that my father returned very unexpectedly, and discovered the intrigue.

The evidence of my mother's shame was positive: he surprised her in the

company of her seducer! Carried away by the impetuosity of his feelings,

he watched the opportunity of a meeting taking place between them, and

murdered both his wife and her seducer. Conscious that, as a serf, not

even the provocation which he had received would be allowed as a

justification of his conduct, he hastily collected together what money

he could lay his hands upon, and, as we were then in the depth of

winter, he put his horses to the sleigh, and taking his children with

him, he set off in the middle of the night, and was far away before the

tragical circumstance had transpired. Aware that he would be pursued,

and that he had no chance of escape if he remained in any portion of his

native country (in which the authorities could lay hold of him), he

continued his flight without intermission until he had buried himself in

the intricacies and seclusion of the Hartz Mountains. Of course, all

that I have now told you I learned afterwards. My oldest recollections

are knit to a rude, yet comfortable cottage, in which I lived with my

father, brother, and sister. It was on the confines of one of those vast

forests which cover the northern part of Germany; around it were a few

acres of ground, which, during the summer months, my father cultivated,

and which, though they yielded a doubtful harvest, were sufficient for

our support. In the winter we remained much in doors, for, as my father

followed the chase, we were left alone, and the wolves, during that

season, incessantly prowled about. My father had purchased the cottage,

and land about it, of one of the rude foresters, who gain their

livelihood partly by hunting, and partly by burning charcoal, for the

purpose of smelting the ore from the neighbouring mines; it was distant

about two miles from any other habitation. I can call to mind the whole

landscape now: the tall pines which rose up on the mountain above us,

and the wide expanse of forest beneath, on the topmost boughs and heads

of whose trees we looked down from our cottage, as the mountain below us

rapidly descended into the distant valley. In summer time the prospect

was beautiful; but during the severe winter, a more desolate scene could

not well be imagined.



I said that, in the winter, my father occupied himself with the chase;

every day he left us, and often would he lock the door, that we might

not leave the cottage. He had no one to assist him, or to take care of

us--indeed, it was not easy to find a female servant who would live in

such a solitude; but, could he have found one, my father would not have

received her, for he had imbibed a horror of the sex, as a difference of

his conduct toward us, his two boys, and my poor little sister,

Marcella, evidently proved. You may suppose we were sadly neglected;

indeed, we suffered much, for my father, fearful that we might come to

some harm, would not allow us fuel, when he left the cottage; and we

were obliged, therefore, to creep under the heaps of bears'-skins, and

there to keep ourselves as warm as we could until he returned in the

evening, when a blazing fire was our delight. That my father chose this

restless sort of life may appear strange, but the fact was that he could

not remain quiet; whether from remorse for having committed murder, or

from the misery consequent on his change of situation, or from both

combined, he was never happy unless he was in a state of activity.

Children, however, when left much to themselves, acquire a

thoughtfulness not common to their age. So it was with us; and during

the short cold days of winter we would sit silent, longing for the happy

hours when the snow would melt, and the leaves burst out, and the birds

begin their songs, and when we should again be set at liberty.



Such was our peculiar and savage sort of life until my brother Caesar was

nine, myself seven, and my sister five, years old, when the

circumstances occurred on which is based the extraordinary narrative

which I am about to relate.



One evening my father returned home rather later than usual; he had been

unsuccessful, and, as the weather was very severe, and many feet of snow

were upon the ground, he was not only very cold, but in a very bad

humour. He had brought in wood, and we were all three of us gladly

assisting each other in blowing on the embers to create the blaze, when

he caught poor little Marcella by the arm and threw her aside; the child

fell, struck her mouth, and bled very much. My brother ran to raise her

up. Accustomed to ill usage, and afraid of my father, she did not dare

to cry, but looked up in his face very piteously. My father drew his

stool nearer to the hearth, muttered something in abuse of women, and

busied himself with the fire, which both my brother and I had deserted

when our sister was so unkindly treated. A cheerful blaze was soon the

result of his exertions; but we did not, as usual, crowd round it.

Marcella, still bleeding, retired to a corner, and my brother and I took

our seats beside her, while my father hung over the fire gloomily and

alone. Such had been our position for about half-an-hour, when the howl

of a wolf, close under the window of the cottage, fell on our ears. My

father started up, and seized his gun; the howl was repeated, he

examined the priming, and then hastily left the cottage, shutting the

door after him. We all waited (anxiously listening), for we thought that

if he succeeded in shooting the wolf, he would return in a better

humour; and although he was harsh to all of us, and particularly so to

our little sister, still we loved our father, and loved to see him

cheerful and happy, for what else had we to look up to? And I may here

observe, that perhaps there never were three children who were fonder of

each other; we did not, like other children, fight and dispute together;

and if, by chance, any disagreement did arise between my elder brother

and me, little Marcella would run to us, and kissing us both, seal,

through her entreaties, the peace between us. Marcella was a lovely,

amiable child; I can recall her beautiful features even now--Alas! poor

little Marcella.



We waited for some time, but the report of the gun did not reach us, and

my elder brother then said, "Our father has followed the wolf, and will

not be back for some time. Marcella, let us wash the blood from your

mouth, and then we will leave this corner, and go to the fire and warm

ourselves."



We did so, and remained there until near midnight, every minute

wondering, as it grew later, why our father did not return. We had no

idea that he was in any danger, but we thought that he must have chased

the wolf for a very long time. "I will look out and see if father is

coming," said my brother Caesar, going to the door. "Take care," said

Marcella, "the wolves must be about now, and we cannot kill them,

brother." My brother opened the door very cautiously, and but a few

inches; he peeped out.--"I see nothing," said he, after a time, and once

more he joined us at the fire. "We have had no supper," said I, for my

father usually cooked the meat as soon as he came home; and during his

absence we had nothing but the fragments of the preceding day.



"And if our father comes home after his hunt, Caesar," said Marcella, "he

will be pleased to have some supper; let us cook it for him and for

ourselves." Caesar climbed upon the stool, and reached down some meat--I

forget now whether it was venison or bear's meat; but we cut off the

usual quantity, and proceeded to dress it, as we used to do under our

father's superintendence. We were all busied putting it into the

platters before the fire, to await his coming, when we heard the sound

of a horn. We listened--there was a noise outside, and a minute

afterwards my father entered, ushering in a young female, and a large

dark man in a hunter's dress.



Perhaps I had better now relate, what was only known to me many years

afterwards. When my father had left the cottage, he perceived a large

white wolf about thirty yards from him; as soon as the animal saw my

father, it retreated slowly, growling and snarling. My father followed;

the animal did not run, but always kept at some distance; and my father

did not like to fire until he was pretty certain that his ball would

take effect: thus they went on for some time, the wolf now leaving my

father far behind, and then stopping and snarling defiance at him, and

then again, on his approach, setting off at speed.



Anxious to shoot the animal (for the white wolf is very rare), my father

continued the pursuit for several hours, during which he continually

ascended the mountain.



You must know that there are peculiar spots on those mountains which are

supposed, and, as my story will prove, truly supposed, to be inhabited

by the evil influences; they are well known to the huntsmen, who

invariably avoid them. Now, one of these spots, an open space in the

pine forests above us, had been pointed out to my father as dangerous on

that account. But, whether he disbelieved these wild stories, or

whether, in his eager pursuit of the chase, he disregarded them, I know

not; certain, however, it is that he was decoyed by the white wolf to

this open space, when the animal appeared to slacken her speed. My

father approached, came close up to her, raised his gun to his shoulder,

and was about to fire, when the wolf suddenly disappeared. He thought

that the snow on the ground must have dazzled his sight, and he let down

his gun to look for the beast--but she was gone; how she could have

escaped over the clearance, without his seeing her, was beyond his

comprehension. Mortified at the ill success of his chase, he was about

to retrace his steps, when he heard the distant sound of a horn.

Astonishment at such a sound--at such an hour--in such a wilderness,

made him forget for the moment his disappointment, and he remained

riveted to the spot. In a minute the horn was blown a second time, and

at no great distance; my father stood still, and listened: a third time

it was blown. I forget the term used to express it, but it was the

signal which, my father well knew, implied that the party was lost in

the woods. In a few minutes more my father beheld a man on horseback,

with a female seated on the crupper, enter the cleared space, and ride

up to him. At first, my father called to mind the strange stories which

he had heard of the supernatural beings who were said to frequent these

mountains; but the nearer approach of the parties satisfied him that

they were mortals like himself. As soon as they came up to him, the man

who guided the horse accosted him. "Friend Hunter, you are out late, the

better fortune for us: we have ridden far, and are in fear of our lives,

which are eagerly sought after. These mountains have enabled us to elude

our pursuers; but if we find not shelter and refreshment, that will

avail us little, as we must perish from hunger and the inclemency of the

night. My daughter, who rides behind me, is now more dead than

alive--say, can you assist us in our difficulty?"



"My cottage is some few miles distant," replied my father, "but I have

little to offer you besides a shelter from the weather; to the little I

have you are welcome. May I ask whence you come?"



"Yes, friend, it is no secret now; we have escaped from Transylvania,

where my daughter's honour and my life were equally in jeopardy!"



This information was quite enough to raise an interest in my father's

heart. He remembered his own escape: he remembered the loss of his

wife's honour, and the tragedy by which it was wound up. He immediately,

and warmly, offered all the assistance which he could afford them.



"There is no time to be lost, then, good sir," observed the horseman;

"my daughter is chilled with the frost, and cannot hold out much longer

against the severity of the weather."



"Follow me," replied my father, leading the way towards his home.



"I was lured away in pursuit of a large white wolf," observed my father;

"it came to the very window of my hut, or I should not have been out at

this time of night."



"The creature passed by us just as we came out of the wood," said the

female in a silvery tone.



"I was nearly discharging my piece at it," observed the hunter; "but

since it did us such good service, I am glad that I allowed it to

escape."



In about an hour and a half, during which my father walked at a rapid

pace, the party arrived at the cottage, and, as I said before, came in.



"We are in good time, apparently," observed the dark hunter, catching

the smell of the roasted meat, as he walked to the fire and surveyed my

brother and sister, and myself. "You have young cooks here, Mynheer." "I

am glad that we shall not have to wait," replied my father. "Come,

mistress, seat yourself by the fire; you require warmth after your cold

ride." "And where can I put up my horse, Mynheer?" observed the

huntsman. "I will take care of him," replied my father, going out of the

cottage door.



The female must, however, be particularly described. She was young, and

apparently twenty years of age. She was dressed in a travelling dress,

deeply bordered with white fur, and wore a cap of white ermine on her

head. Her features were very beautiful, at least I thought so, and so my

father has since declared. Her hair was flaxen, glossy and shining, and

bright as a mirror; and her mouth, although somewhat large when it was

open, showed the most brilliant teeth I have ever beheld. But there was

something about her eyes, bright as they were, which made us children

afraid; they were so restless, so furtive; I could not at that time tell

why, but I felt as if there was cruelty in her eye; and when she

beckoned us to come to her, we approached her with fear and trembling.

Still she was beautiful, very beautiful. She spoke kindly to my brother

and myself, patted our heads, and caressed us; but Marcella would not

come near her; on the contrary, she slunk away, and hid herself in the

bed, and would not wait for the supper, which half an hour before she

had been so anxious for.



My father, having put the horse into a close shed, soon returned, and

supper was placed upon the table. When it was over, my father requested

that the young lady would take possession of his bed, and he would

remain at the fire, and sit up with her father. After some hesitation on

her part, this arrangement was agreed to, and I and my brother crept

into the other bed with Marcella, for we had as yet always slept

together.



But we could not sleep; there was something so unusual, not only in

seeing strange people, but in having those people sleep at the cottage,

that we were bewildered. As for poor little Marcella, she was quiet, but

I perceived that she trembled during the whole night, and sometimes I

thought that she was checking a sob. My father had brought out some

spirits, which he rarely used, and he and the strange hunter remained

drinking and talking before the fire. Our ears were ready to catch the

slightest whisper--so much was our curiosity excited.



"You said you came from Transylvania?" observed my father.



"Even so, Mynheer," replied the hunter. "I was a serf to the noble

house of----; my master would insist upon my surrendering up my fair

girl to his wishes; it ended in my giving him a few inches of my

hunting-knife."



"We are countrymen, and brothers in misfortune," replied my father,

taking the huntsman's hand, and pressing it warmly.



"Indeed! Are you, then, from that country?"



"Yes; and I too have fled for my life. But mine is a melancholy tale."



"Your name?" inquired the hunter.



"Krantz."



"What! Krantz of--I have heard your tale; you need not renew your grief

by repeating it now. Welcome, most welcome, Mynheer, and, I may say, my

worthy kinsman. I am your second cousin, Wilfred of Barnsdorf," cried

the hunter, rising up and embracing my father.



They filled their horn mugs to the brim, and drank to one another, after

the German fashion. The conversation was then carried on in a low tone;

all that we could collect from it was, that our new relative and his

daughter were to take up their abode in our cottage, at least for the

present. In about an hour they both fell back in their chairs, and

appeared to sleep.



"Marcella, dear, did you hear?" said my brother in a low tone.



"Yes," replied Marcella, in a whisper; "I heard all. Oh! brother, I

cannot bear to look upon that woman--I feel so frightened."



My brother made no reply, and shortly afterwards we were all three fast

asleep.



When we awoke the next morning, we found that the hunter's daughter had

risen before us. I thought she looked more beautiful than ever. She came

up to little Marcella and caressed her; the child burst into tears, and

sobbed as if her heart would break.



But, not to detain you with too long a story, the huntsman and his

daughter were accommodated in the cottage. My father and he went out

hunting daily, leaving Christina with us. She performed all the

household duties; was very kind to us children; and, gradually, the

dislike even of little Marcella wore away. But a great change took place

in my father; he appeared to have conquered his aversion to the sex, and

was most attentive to Christina. Often, after her father and we were in

bed, would he sit up with her, conversing in a low tone by the fire. I

ought to have mentioned, that my father and the huntsman Wilfred, slept

in another portion of the cottage, and that the bed which he formerly

occupied, and which was in the same room as ours, had been given up to

the use of Christina. These visitors had been about three weeks at the

cottage, when, one night, after we children had been sent to bed, a

consultation was held. My father had asked Christina in marriage, and

had obtained both her own consent and that of Wilfred; after this a

conversation took place, which was, as nearly as I can recollect, as

follows:



"You may take my child, Mynheer Krantz, and my blessing with her, and I

shall then leave you and seek some other habitation--it matters little

where."



"Why not remain here, Wilfred?"



"No, no, I am called elsewhere; let that suffice, and ask no more

questions. You have my child."



"I thank you for her, and will duly value her; but there is one

difficulty."



"I know what you would say; there is no priest here in this wild

country: true, neither is there any law to bind; still must some

ceremony pass between you, to satisfy a father. Will you consent to

marry her after my fashion? if so, I will marry you directly."



"I will," replied my father.



"Then take her by the hand. Now, Mynheer, swear."



"I swear," repeated my father.



"By all the spirits of the Hartz Mountains----"



"Nay, why not by Heaven?" interrupted my father.



"Because it is not my humour," rejoined Wilfred; "if I prefer that oath,

less binding perhaps, than another, surely you will not thwart me."



"Well, be it so then; have your humour. Will you make me swear by that

in which I do not believe?"



"Yet many do so, who in outward appearance are Christians," rejoined

Wilfred; "say, will you be married, or shall I take my daughter away

with me?"



"Proceed," replied my father, impatiently.



"I swear by all the spirits of the Hartz Mountains, by all their power

for good or for evil, that I take Christina for my wedded wife; that I

will ever protect her, cherish her, and love her; that my hand shall

never be raised against her to harm her."



My father repeated the words after Wilfred.



"And if I fail in this, my vow, may all the vengeance of the spirits

fall upon me and upon my children; may they perish by the vulture, by

the wolf, or other beasts of the forest; may their flesh be torn from

their limbs, and their bones blanch in the wilderness; all this I

swear."



My father hesitated, as he repeated the last words; little Marcella

could not restrain herself, and as my father repeated the last sentence,

she burst into tears. This sudden interruption appeared to discompose

the party, particularly my father; he spoke harshly to the child, who

controlled her sobs, burying her face under the bed-clothes.



Such was the second marriage of my father. The next morning, the hunter

Wilfred mounted his horse and rode away.



My father resumed his bed, which was in the same room as ours; and

things went on much as before the marriage, except that our new

mother-in-law did not show any kindness towards us; indeed, during my

father's absence, she would often beat us, particularly little Marcella,

and her eyes would flash fire, as she looked eagerly upon the fair and

lovely child.



One night, my sister awoke me and my brother.



"What is the matter?" said Caesar.



"She has gone out," whispered Marcella.



"Gone out!"



"Yes, gone out at the door, in her night-clothes," replied the child; "I

saw her get out of bed, look at my father to see if he slept, and then

she went out at the door."



What could induce her to leave her bed, and all undressed to go out, in

such bitter wintry weather, with the snow deep on the ground, was to us

incomprehensible; we lay awake, and in about an hour we heard the growl

of a wolf, close under the window.



"There is a wolf," said Caesar, "she will be torn to pieces."



"Oh, no!" cried Marcella.



In a few minutes afterwards our mother-in-law appeared; she was in her

night-dress, as Marcella had stated. She let down the latch of the door,

so as to make no noise, went to a pail of water, and washed her face and

hands, and then slipped into the bed where my father lay.



We all three trembled, we hardly knew why, but we resolved to watch the

next night: we did so--and not only on the ensuing night, but on many

others, and always at about the same hour, would our mother-in-law rise

from her bed, and leave the cottage--and after she was gone, we

invariably heard the growl of a wolf under our window, and always saw

her, on her return, wash herself before she retired to bed. We observed,

also, that she seldom sat down to meals, and that when she did, she

appeared to eat with dislike; but when the meat was taken down, to be

prepared for dinner, she would often furtively put a raw piece into her

mouth.



My brother Caesar was a courageous boy; he did not like to speak to my

father until he knew more. He resolved that he would follow her out, and

ascertain what she did. Marcella and I endeavoured to dissuade him from

this project; but he would not be controlled, and, the very next night

he lay down in his clothes, and as soon as our mother-in-law had left

the cottage, he jumped up, took down my father's gun, and followed her.



You may imagine in what a state of suspense Marcella and I remained,

during his absence. After a few minutes, we heard the report of a gun.

It did not awaken my father, and we lay trembling with anxiety. In a

minute afterwards we saw our mother-in-law enter the cottage--her dress

was bloody. I put my hand to Marcella's mouth to prevent her crying out,

although I was myself in great alarm. Our mother-in-law approached my

father's bed, looked to see if he was asleep, and then went to the

chimney, and blew up the embers into a blaze.



"Who is there?" said my father, waking up.



"Lie still, dearest," replied my mother-in-law, "it is only me; I have

lighted the fire to warm some water; I am not quite well."



My father turned round and was soon asleep; but we watched our

mother-in-law. She changed her linen, and threw the garments she had

worn into the fire; and we then perceived that her right leg was

bleeding profusely, as if from a gun-shot wound. She bandaged it up,

and then dressing herself, remained before the fire until the break of

day.



Poor little Marcella, her heart beat quick as she pressed me to her

side--so indeed did mine. Where was our brother, Caesar? How did my

mother-in-law receive the wound unless from his gun? At last my father

rose, and then, for the first time I spoke, saying, "Father, where is my

brother, Caesar?"



"Your brother!" exclaimed he, "why, where can he be?"



"Merciful Heaven! I thought as I lay very restless last night," observed

our mother-in-law, "that I heard somebody open the latch of the door;

and, dear me, husband, what has become of your gun?"



My father cast his eyes up above the chimney, and perceived that his gun

was missing. For a moment he looked perplexed, then seizing a broad axe,

he went out of the cottage without saying another word.



He did not remain away from us long: in a few minutes he returned,

bearing in his arms the mangled body of my poor brother; he laid it

down, and covered up his face.



My mother-in-law rose up, and looked at the body, while Marcella and I

threw ourselves by its side wailing and sobbing bitterly.



"Go to bed again, children," said she sharply. "Husband," continued she,

"your boy must have taken the gun down to shoot a wolf, and the animal

has been too powerful for him. Poor boy! He has paid dearly for his

rashness."



My father made no reply; I wished to speak--to tell all--but Marcella,

who perceived my intention, held me by the arm, and looked at me so

imploringly, that I desisted.



My father, therefore, was left in his error; but Marcella and I,

although we could not comprehend it, were conscious that our

mother-in-law was in some way connected with my brother's death.



That day my father went out and dug a grave, and when he laid the body

in the earth, he piled up stones over it, so that the wolves should not

be able to dig it up. The shock of this catastrophe was to my poor

father very severe; for several days he never went to the chase,

although at times he would utter bitter anathemas and vengeance against

the wolves.



But during this time of mourning on his part, my mother-in-law's

nocturnal wanderings continued with the same regularity as before.



At last, my father took down his gun, to repair to the forest; but he

soon returned, and appeared much annoyed.



"Would you believe it, Christina, that the wolves--perdition to the

whole race--have actually contrived to dig up the body of my poor boy,

and now there is nothing left of him but his bones?"



"Indeed!" replied my mother-in-law. Marcella looked at me, and I saw in

her intelligent eye all she would have uttered.



"A wolf growls under our window every night, father," said I.



"Aye, indeed?--why did you not tell me, boy?--wake me the next time you

hear it."



I saw my mother-in-law turn away; her eyes flashed fire, and she gnashed

her teeth.



My father went out again, and covered up with a larger pile of stones

the little remnants of my poor brother which the wolves had spared. Such

was the first act of the tragedy.



The spring now came on: the snow disappeared, and we were permitted to

leave the cottage; but never would I quit, for one moment, my dear

little sister, to whom, since the death of my brother, I was more

ardently attached than ever; indeed I was afraid to leave her alone with

my mother-in-law, who appeared to have a particular pleasure in

ill-treating the child. My father was now employed upon his little farm,

and I was able to render him some assistance.



Marcella used to sit by us while we were at work, leaving my

mother-in-law alone in the cottage. I ought to observe that, as the

spring advanced, so did my mother decrease her nocturnal rambles, and

that we never heard the growl of the wolf under the window after I had

spoken of it to my father.



One day, when my father and I were in the field, Marcella being with us,

my mother-in-law came out, saying that she was going into the forest, to

collect some herbs my father wanted, and that Marcella must go to the

cottage and watch the dinner. Marcella went, and my mother-in-law soon

disappeared in the forest, taking a direction quite contrary to that in

which the cottage stood, and leaving my father and I, as it were,

between her and Marcella.



About an hour afterwards we were startled by shrieks from the cottage,

evidently the shrieks of little Marcella. "Marcella has burnt herself,

father," said I, throwing down my spade. My father threw down his, and

we both hastened to the cottage. Before we could gain the door, out

darted a large white wolf, which fled with the utmost celerity. My

father had no weapon; he rushed into the cottage, and there saw poor

little Marcella expiring; her body was dreadfully mangled, and the blood

pouring from it had formed a large pool on the cottage floor. My

father's first intention had been to seize his gun and pursue, but he

was checked by this horrid spectacle; he knelt down by his dying child,

and burst into tears: Marcella could just look kindly on us for a few

seconds, and then her eyes were closed in death.



My father and I were still hanging over my poor sister's body, when my

mother-in-law came in. At the dreadful sight she expressed much concern,

but she did not appear to recoil from the sight of blood, as most women

do.



"Poor child!" said she, "it must have been that great white wolf which

passed me just now, and frightened me so--she's quite dead, Krantz."



"I know it--I know it!" cried my father in agony.



I thought my father would never recover from the effects of this second

tragedy: he mourned bitterly over the body of his sweet child, and for

several days would not consign it to its grave, although frequently

requested by my mother-in-law to do so. At last he yielded, and dug a

grave for her close by that of my poor brother, and took every

precaution that the wolves should not violate her remains.



I was now really miserable, as I lay alone in the bed which I had

formerly shared with my brother and sister. I could not help thinking

that my mother-in-law was implicated in both their deaths, although I

could not account for the manner; but I no longer felt afraid of her: my

little heart was full of hatred and revenge.



The night after my sister had been buried, as I lay awake, I perceived

my mother-in-law get up and go out of the cottage. I waited for some

time, then dressed myself, and looked out through the door, which I

half-opened. The moon shone bright, and I could see the spot where my

brother and my sister had been buried; and what was my horror, when I

perceived my mother-in-law busily removing the stones from Marcella's

grave.



She was in her white night-dress, and the moon shone full upon her. She

was digging with her hands, and throwing away the stones behind her with

all the ferocity of a wild beast. It was some time before I could

collect my senses and decide what I should do. At last, I perceived that

she had arrived at the body, and raised it up to the side of the grave.

I could bear it no longer; I ran to my father and awoke him.



"Father! father!" cried I, "dress yourself, and get your gun."



"What!" cried my father, "the wolves are there, are they?"



He jumped out of bed, threw on his clothes, and in his anxiety did not

appear to perceive the absence of his wife. As soon as he was ready, I

opened the door, he went out, and I followed him.



Imagine his horror, when (unprepared as he was for such a sight) he

beheld, as he advanced towards the grave, not a wolf, but his wife, in

her night-dress, on her hands and knees, crouching by the body of my

sister, and tearing off large pieces of the flesh, and devouring them

with all the avidity of a wolf. She was too busy to be aware of our

approach. My father dropped his gun, his hair stood on end; so did mine;

he breathed heavily, and then his breath for a time stopped. I picked up

the gun and put it into his hand. Suddenly he appeared as if

concentrated rage had restored him to double vigour; he levelled his

piece, fired, and with a loud shriek, down fell the wretch whom he had

fostered in his bosom.



"God of Heaven!" cried my father, sinking down upon the earth in a

swoon, as soon as he had discharged his gun.



I remained some time by his side before he recovered. "Where am I?" said

he, "what has happened?--Oh!--yes, yes! I recollect now. Heaven forgive

me!"



He rose and we walked up to the grave; what again was our astonishment

and horror to find that instead of the dead body of my mother-in-law,

as we expected, there was lying over the remains of my poor sister, a

large, white she wolf.



"The white wolf!" exclaimed my father, "the white wolf which decoyed me

into the forest--I see it all now--I have dealt with the spirits of the

Hartz Mountains."



For some time my father remained in silence and deep thought. He then

carefully lifted up the body of my sister, replaced it in the grave, and

covered it over as before, having struck the head of the dead animal

with the heel of his boot, and raving like a madman. He walked back to

the cottage, shut the door, and threw himself on the bed; I did the

same, for I was in a stupor of amazement.



Early in the morning we were both roused by a loud knocking at the door,

and in rushed the hunter Wilfred.



"My daughter!--man--my daughter!--where is my daughter!" cried he in a

rage.



"Where the wretch, the fiend, should be, I trust," replied my father,

starting up and displaying equal choler; "where she should be--in

hell!--Leave this cottage or you may fare worse."



"Ha-ha!" replied the hunter, "would you harm a potent spirit of the

Hartz Mountains? Poor mortal, who must needs wed a were wolf."



"Out, demon! I defy thee and thy power."



"Yet shall you feel it; remember your oath--your solemn oath--never to

raise your hand against her to harm her."



"I made no compact with evil spirits."



"You did; and if you failed in your vow, you were to meet the vengeance

of the spirits. Your children were to perish by the vulture, the

wolf----"



"Out, out, demon!"



"And their bones blanch in the wilderness. Ha!-ha!"



My father, frantic with rage, seized his axe, and raised it over

Wilfred's head to strike.



"All this I swear," continued the huntsman, mockingly.



The axe descended; but it passed through the form of the hunter, and my

father lost his balance, and fell heavily on the floor.



"Mortal!" said the hunter, striding over my father's body, "we have

power over those only who have committed murder. You have been guilty of

a double murder--you shall pay the penalty attached to your marriage

vow. Two of your children are gone; the third is yet to follow--and

follow them he will, for your oath is registered. Go--it were kindness

to kill thee--your punishment is--that you live!"