Weird Tales

A. Hoffman E. T.

Description

E.T.A. Hoffmann was a gifted German author and composer whose most well-known work was a fantasy tale entitled "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," which inspired Tchaikovsky's famous ballet. Hoffmann also wrote dozens of tales dealing with the uncanny and the supernatural; this collection brings together a group of his most spine-chilling short works.

Sujets

• Short story

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 juillet 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781775454144
• Langue: English

Extrait

WEIRD TALES
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E. T. A. HOFFMAN
Translated by
J. T. BEALBY
 
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Weird Tales First published in 1885 ISBN 978-1-775454-14-4 © 2011 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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The Cremona Violin The Fermata Signor Formica The Sand-Man The Entail Arthur's Hall The Doge and Dogess Master Martin, the Cooper, and His Journeyman Mademoiselle de Scudéri Gambler's Luck Master Johannes Wacht Biographical Notice Endnotes
The Cremona Violin
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Councillor Krespel was one of the strangest, oddest men I ever met within my life. When I went to live in H— for a time the whole town wasfull of talk about him, as he happened to be just then in the midst ofone of the very craziest of his schemes. Krespel had the reputationof being both a clever, learn lawyer and a skilful diplomatist. One ofthe reigning princes of Germany—not, however, one of the mostpowerful—had appealed to him for assistance in drawing up a memorial,which he was desirous of presenting at the Imperial Court with the viewof furthering his legitimate claims upon a certain strip of territory.The project was crowned with the happiest success; and as Krespel hadonce complained that he could never find a dwelling sufficientlycomfortable to suit him, the prince, to reward him for the memorial,undertook to defray the cost of building a house which Krespel mighterect just as he pleased. Moreover, the prince was willing to purchaseany site that he should fancy. This offer, however, the Councillorwould not accept; he insisted that the house should be built in hisgarden, situated in a very beautiful neighbourhood outside thetown-walls. So he bought all kinds of materials and had them cartedout. Then he might have been seen day after day, attired in his curiousgarments (which he had made himself according to certain fixed rules ofhis own), slacking the lime, riddling the sand, packing up the bricksand stones in regular heaps, and so on. All this he did without onceconsulting an architect or thinking about a plan. One fine day,however, he went to an experienced builder of the town and requestedhim to be in his garden at daybreak the next morning, with all hisjourneymen and apprentices, and a large body of labourers, &c., tobuild him his house. Naturally the builder asked for the architect'splan, and was not a little astonished when Krespel replied that nonewas needed, and that things would turn out all right in the end, justas he wanted them. Next morning, when the builder and his men came tothe place, they found a trench drawn out in the shape of an exactsquare; and Krespel said, "Here's where you must lay the foundations;then carry up the walls until I say they are high enough." "Withoutwindows and doors, and without partition walls?" broke in the builder,as if alarmed at Krespel's mad folly. "Do what I tell you, my dearsir," replied the Councillor quite calmly; "leave the rest to me; itwill be all right." It was only the promise of high pay that couldinduce the builder to proceed with the ridiculous building; but nonehas ever been erected under merrier circumstances. As there was anabundant supply of food and drink, the workmen never left their work;and amidst their continuous laughter the four walls were run up withincredible quickness, until one day Krespel cried, "Stop!" Then theworkmen, laying down trowel and hammer, came down from the scaffoldingsand gathered round Krespel in a circle, whilst every laughing face wasasking, "Well, and what now?" "Make way!" cried Krespel; and thenrunning to one end of the garden, he strode slowly towards the squareof brick-work. When he came close to the wall he shook his head in adissatisfied manner, ran to the other end of the garden, again strodeslowly towards the brick-work square, and proceeded to act as before.These tactics he pursued several times, until at length, running hissharp nose hard against the wall, he cried, "Come here, come here, men!break me a door in here! Here's where I want a door made!" He gave theexact dimensions in feet and inches, and they did as he bid them. Thenhe stepped inside the structure, and smiled with satisfaction as thebuilder remarked that the walls were just the height of a goodtwo-storeyed house. Krespel walked thoughtfully backwards and forwardsacross the space within, the bricklayers behind him with hammers andpicks, and wherever he cried, "Make a window here, six feet high byfour feet broad!" "There a little window, three feet by two!" a holewas made in a trice.
It was at this stage of the proceedings that I came to H—; and itwas highly amusing to see how hundreds of people stood round about thegarden and raised a loud shout whenever the stones flew out and a newwindow appeared where nobody had for a moment expected it. And in thesame manner Krespel proceeded with the buildings and fittings of therest of the house, and with all the work necessary to that end;everything had to be done on the spot in accordance with theinstructions which the Councillor gave from time to time. However, theabsurdity of the whole business, the growing conviction that thingswould in the end turn out better than might have been expected, butabove all, Krespel's generosity—which indeed cost him nothing—keptthem all in good-humour. Thus were the difficulties overcome whichnecessarily arose out of this eccentric way of building, and in a shorttime there was a completely finished house, its outside, indeed,presenting a most extraordinary appearance, no two windows, &c., beingalike, but on the other hand the interior arrangements suggested apeculiar feeling of comfort. All who entered the house bore witness tothe truth of this; and I too experienced it myself when I was taken inby Krespel after I had become more intimate with him. For hitherto Ihad not exchanged a word with this eccentric man; his building hadoccupied him so much that he had not even once been to ProfessorM—'s to dinner, as he was in the habit of going on Tuesdays. Indeed,in reply to a special invitation, he sent word that he should not setfoot over the threshold before the house-warming of his new buildingtook place. All his friends and acquaintances, therefore, confidentlylooked forward to a great banquet; but Krespel invited nobody exceptthe masters, journeymen, apprentices, and labourers who had built thehouse. He entertained them with the choicest viands: bricklayer'sapprentices devoured partridge pies regardless of consequences; youngjoiners polished off roast pheasants with the greatest success; whilsthungry labourers helped themselves for once to the choicest morsels of truffes fricassées . In the evening their wives and daughters came,and there was a great ball. After waltzing a short while with the wivesof the masters, Krespel sat down amongst the town-musicians, took aviolin in his hand, and directed the orchestra until daylight.
On the Tuesday after this festival, which exhibited Councillor Krespelin the character of a friend of the people, I at length saw him appear,to my no little joy, at Professor M—'s. Anything more strange andfantastic than Krespel's behaviour it would be impossible to find. Hewas so stiff and awkward in his movements, that he looked every momentas if he would run up against something or do some damage. But he didnot; and the lady of the house seemed to be well aware that he wouldnot, for she did not grow a shade paler when he rushed with heavy stepsround a table crowded with beautiful cups, or when he manoeuvred neara large mirror that reached down to the floor, or even when he seized aflower-pot of beautifully painted porcelain and swung it round in theair as if desirous of making its colours play. Moreover, before dinnerhe subjected everything in the Professor's room to a most minuteexamination; he also took down a picture from the wall and hung it upagain, standing on one of the cushioned chairs to do so. At the sametime he talked a good deal and vehemently; at one time his thoughtskept leaping, as it were, from one subject to another (this was mostconspicuous during dinner); at another, he was unable to have done withan idea; seizing upon it again and again, he gave it all sorts ofwonderful twists and turns, and couldn't get back into the ordinarytrack until something else took hold of his fancy. Sometimes his voicewas rough and harsh and screeching, and sometimes it was low anddrawling and singing; but at no time did it harmonize with what he wastalking about. Music was the subject of conversation; the praises of anew composer were being sung, when Krespel, smiling, said in his lowsinging tones, "I wish the devil with his pitchfork would hurl thatatrocious garbler of music millions of fathoms down to the bottomlesspit of hell!" Then he burst out passionately and wildly, "She is anangel of heaven, nothing but pure God-given music!—the paragon andqueen of song!"—and tears stood in his eyes. To understand this, wehad to go back to a celebrated artiste , who had been the subject ofconversation an hour before.
Just at this time a roast hare was on the table; I noticed that Krespelcarefully removed every particle of meat from the bones on his plate,and was most particular in his inquiries after the hare's feet; thesethe Professor's little five-year-old daughter now brought to him with avery pretty smile. Besides, the children had cast many friendly glancestowards Krespel during dinner; now they rose and drew nearer to him,but not without signs of timorous a