Grave；　but　stern　commands　force　me　to　prolong　my　punishment！'
  'Knowest　Thou　this　blood？　　Knowest　Thou　in　whose　veins　it　flowed？
  Beatrice！　Beatrice！　In　his　name　I　charge　thee　to　answer　me！'
  'I　dare　not　disobey　my　taskers。'
  'Darest　Thou　disobey　Me？'
  He　spoke　in　a　commanding　tone；　and　drew　the　sable　band　from　his
  forehead。　　In　spite　of　his　injunctions　to　the　contrary；
  Curiosity　would　not　suffer　me　to　keep　my　eyes　off　his　face：　　I
  raised　them；　and　beheld　a　burning　Cross　impressed　upon　his　brow。
  For　the　horror　with　which　this　object　inspired　me　I　cannot
  account；　but　I　never　felt　its　equal！　　My　senses　left　me　for　some
  moments；　A　mysterious　dread　overcame　my　courage；　and　had　not　the
  Exorciser　caught　my　hand；　I　should　have　fallen　out　of　the　Circle。
  When　I　recovered　myself；　I　perceived　that　the　burning　Cross　had
  produced　an　effect　no　less　violent　upon　the　Spectre。　　Her
  countenance　expressed　reverence；　and　horror；　and　her　visionary
  limbs　were　shaken　by　fear。
  'Yes！'　She　said　at　length；　'I　tremble　at　that　mark！　respect
  it！I　obey　you！　　Know　then；　that　my　bones　lie　still　unburied：
  They　rot　in　the　obscurity　of　Lindenberg　Hole。　　None　but　this
  Youth　has　the　right　of　consigning　them　to　the　Grave。　　His　own
  lips　have　made　over　to　me　his　body　and　his　soul：　　Never　will　I
  give　back　his　promise；　never　shall　He　know　a　night　devoid　of
  terror；　unless　He　engages　to　collect　my　mouldering　bones；　and
  deposit　them　in　the　family　vault　of　his　Andalusian　Castle。　　Then
  let　thirty　Masses　be　said　for　the　repose　of　my　Spirit；　and　I
  trouble　this　world　no　more。　　Now　let　me　depart！　　Those　flames　are
  scorching！'
  He　let　the　hand　drop　slowly　which　held　the　Crucifix；　and　which
  till　then　He　had　pointed　towards　her。　　The　apparition　bowed　her
  head；　and　her　form　melted　into　air。　　The　Exorciser　led　me　out　of
  the　Circle。　　He　replaced　the　Bible　&c。　　in　the　Chest；　and　then
  addressed　himself　to　me；　who　stood　near　him　speechless　from
  astonishment。
  'Don　Raymond；　you　have　heard　the　conditions　on　which　repose　is
  promised　you。　　Be　it　your　business　to　fulfil　them　to　the　letter。
  For　me　nothing　more　remains　than　to　clear　up　the　darkness　still
  spread　over　the　Spectre's　History；　and　inform　you　that　when
  living；　Beatrice　bore　the　name　of　las　Cisternas。　　She　was　the
  great　Aunt　of　your　Grandfather：　　In　quality　of　your　relation；
  her　ashes　demand　respect　from　you；　though　the　enormity　of　her
  crimes　must　excite　your　abhorrence。　　The　nature　of　those　crimes
  no　one　is　more　capable　of　explaining　to　you　than　myself：　　I　was
  personally　acquainted　with　the　holy　Man　who　proscribed　her
  nocturnal　riots　in　the　Castle　of　Lindenberg；　and　I　hold　this
  narrative　from　his　own　lips。
  'Beatrice　de　las　Cisternas　took　the　veil　at　an　early　age；　not　by
  her　own　choice；　but　at　the　express　command　of　her　Parents。　　She
  was　then　too　young　to　regret　the　pleasures　of　which　her
  profession　deprived　her：　　But　no　sooner　did　her　warm　and
  voluptuous　character　begin　to　be　developed　than　She　abandoned
  herself　freely　to　the　impulse　of　her　passions；　and　seized　the
  first　opportunity　to　procure　their　gratification。　　This
  opportunity　was　at　length　presented；　after　many　obstacles　which
  only　added　new　force　to　her　desires。　　She　contrived　to　elope　from
  the　Convent；　and　fled　to　Germany　with　the　Baron　Lindenberg。　　She
  lived　at　his　Castle　several　months　as　his　avowed　Concubine：　　All
  Bavaria　was　scandalized　by　her　impudent　and　abandoned　conduct。
  Her　feasts　vied　in　luxury　with　Cleopatra's；　and　Lindenberg　became
  the　Theatre　of　the　most　unbridled　debauchery。　　Not　satisfied　with
  displaying　the　incontinence　of　a　Prostitute；　She　professed
  herself　an　Atheist：　　She　took　every　opportunity　　to　scoff　at　her
  monastic　vows；　and　loaded　with　ridicule　the　most　sacred
  ceremonies　of　Religion。
  'Possessed　of　a　character　so　depraved；　She　did　not　long　confine
  her　affections　to　one　object。　　Soon　after　her　arrival　at　the
  Castle；　the　Baron's　younger　Brother　attracted　her　notice　by　his
  strong…marked　features；　gigantic　Stature；　and　Herculean　limbs。
  She　was　not　of　an　humour　to　keep　her　inclinations　long　unknown；
  But　She　found　in　Otto　von　Lindenberg　her　equal　in　depravity。　　He
  returned　her　passion　just　sufficiently　to　increase　it；　and　when
  He　had　worked　it　up　to　the　desired　pitch；　He　fixed　the　price　of
  his　love　at　his　Brother's　murder。　　The　Wretch　consented　to　this
  horrible　agreement。　　A　night　was　pitched　upon　for　perpetrating
  the　deed。　　Otto；　who　resided　on　a　small　Estate　a　few　miles
  distant　from　the　Castle；　promised　that　at　One　in　the　morning　He
  would　be　waiting　for　her　at　Lindenberg　Hole；　that　He　would　bring
  with　him　a　party　of　chosen　Friends；　by　whose　aid　He　doubted　not
  being　able　to　make　himself　Master　of　the　Castle；　and　that　his
  next　step　should　be　the　uniting　her　hand　to　his。　　It　was　this
  last　promise；　which　overruled　every　scruple　of　Beatrice；　since　in
  spite　of　his　affection　for　her；　the　Baron　had　declared　positively
  that　He　never　would　make　her　his　Wife。
  'The　fatal　night　arrived。　　The　Baron　slept　in　the　arms　of　his
  perfidious　Mistress；　when　the　Castle…Bell　struck　'One。'
  Immediately　Beatrice　drew　a　dagger　from　underneath　the　pillow；
  and　plunged　it　in　her　Paramour's　heart。　　The　Baron　uttered　a
  single　dreadful　groan；　and　expired。　　The　Murderess　quitted　her
  bed　hastily；　took　a　Lamp　in　one　hand；　in　the　other　the　bloody
  dagger；　and　bent　her　course　towards　the　cavern。　　The　Porter　dared
  not　to　refuse　opening　the　Gates　to　one　more　dreaded　in　the
  Castle　than　its　Master。　　Beatrice　reached　Lindenberg　Hole
  unopposed；　where　according　to　promise　She　found　Otto　waiting　for
  her。　　He　received　and　listened　to　her　narrative　with　transport：
  But　ere　She　had　time　to　ask　why　He　came　unaccompanied；　He
  convinced　her　that　He　wished　for　no　witnesses　to　their　interview。
  Anxious　to　conceal　his　share　in　the　murder；　and　to　free　himself
  from　a　Woman；　whose　violent　and　atrocious　character　made　him
  tremble　with　reason　for　his　own　safety；　He　had　resolved　on　the
  destruction　of　his　wretched　Agent。　　Rushing　upon　her　suddenly；　He
  wrested　the　dagger　from　her　hand：　　He　plunged　it　still　reeking
  with　his　Brother's　blood　in　her　bosom；　and　put　an　end　to　her
  existence　by　repeated　blows。
  'Otto　now　succeeded　to　the　Barony　of　Lindenberg。　　The　murder　was
  attributed　solely　to　the　fugitive　Nun；　and　no　one　suspected　him
  to　have　persuaded　her　to　the　action。　　But　though　his　crime　was
  unpunished　by　Man；　God's　justice　permitted　him　not　to　enjoy　in
  peace　his　blood…stained　honours。　　Her　bones　lying　still　unburied
  in　the　Cave；　the　restless　soul　of　Beatrice　continued　to　inhabit
  the　Castle。　　Drest　in　her　religious　habit　in　memory　of　her　vows
  broken　to　heaven；　furnished　with　the　dagger　which　had　drank　the
  blood　of　her　Paramour；　and　holding　the　Lamp　which　had　guided　her
  flying　steps；　every　night　did　She　stand　before　the　Bed　of　Otto。
  The　most　dreadful　confusion　reigned　through　the　Castle；　The
  vaulted　chambers　resounded　with　shrieks　and　groans；　And　the
  Spectre；　as　She　ranged　along　the　antique　Galleries；　uttered　an
  incoherent　mixture　of　prayers　and　blasphemies。　　Otto　was　unable
  to　withstand　the　shock　which　He　felt　at　this　fearful　Vision：
  Its　horror　increased　with　every　succeeding　appearance：　　His　alarm
  at　length　became　so　insupportable　that　his　heart　burst；　and　one
  morning　He　was　found　in　his　bed　totally　deprived　of　warmth　and
  animation。　　His　death　did　not　put　an　end　to　the　nocturnal　riots。
  The　bones　of　Beatrice　continued　to　lie　unburied；　and　her　Ghost
  continued　to　haunt　the　Castle。
  'The　domains　of　Lindenberg　now　fell　to　a　distant　Relation。　　But
  terrified　by　the　accounts　given　him　of　the　Bleeding　Nun　（So　was
  the　Spectre　called　by　the　multitude）；　the　new　Baron　called　to　his
  assistance　a　celebrated　Exorciser。　　This　holy　Man　succeeded　in
  obliging　her　to　temporary　repose；　But　though　She　discovered　to
  him　her　history；　He　was　not　permitted　to　reveal　it　to　others；　or
  cause　her　skeleton　to　be　removed　to　hallowed　ground。　　That　Office
  was　reserved　for　you；　and　till　your　coming；　her　Ghost　was　doomed
  to　wander　about　the　Castle　and　lament　the　crime　which　She　had
  there　committed。　　However；　the　Exorciser　obliged　her　to　silence
  during　his　lifetime。　　So　long　as　He　existed；　the　haunted　chamber
  was　shut　up；　and　the　Spectre　was　invisible。　　At　his　death　which
  happened　in　five　years　after；　She　again　appeared；　but　only　once
  on　every　fifth　year；　on　the　same　day　and　at　the　same　hour　when
  She　plunged　her　Knife　in　the　heart　of　her　sleeping　Lover：　　She
  then　visited　the　Cavern　which　held　her　mouldering　skeleton；
  returned　to　the　Castle　as　soon　as　the　Clock　struck　'Two；'　and　was
  seen　no　more　till　the　next　five　years　had　elapsed。
  'She　was　doomed　to　suffer　during　the　space　of　a　Century。　　That
  period　is　past。　　Nothing　now　remains　but　to　consign　to　the　Grave
  the　ashes　of　Beatrice。　　I　have　been　the　means　of　releasing　you
  from　your　visionary　Tormentor；　and　amidst　all　the　sorrows　which
  oppress　me；　to　think　that　I　have　been　of　use　to　you；　is　some
  consolation。　　Youth；　farewell！　　May　the　Ghost　of　your　Relation
  enjoy　that　rest　in　the　Tomb；　which　the　Almighty's　vengeance　has
  denied　to　me　for　ever！'
  Here　the　Stranger　prepared　to　quit　the　apartment。
  'Stay　yet　one　moment！'　said　I；　'You　have　satisfied