Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/162

 described. Whilst listening to him the old major-domo, stupified, sank back into the great chair, and covered his face with his hands, to hide himself from the penetrating look that interrogated him.

"It appears, Daniel," continued the justice, "that the desire takes you, during the night, to go and visit the treasures that the old baron Roderick had amassed in the turret. In their attacks, somnambulists answer, without equivocation, to the questions that are put to them; the next night we will speak of certain things."

As the justice spoke, Daniel was troubled; at the last words uttered by V, he cried out loudly, and fell fainting. Some servants were called, and carried him immediately to his bed, insensible. He passed from this crisis to a state of complete lethargy, which lasted several hours. On awaking, he asked for drink, then sent away the servant, who was watching with him, and shut himself up in his room.

The following night, as the justice was thinking of making a decisive trial on Daniel, he heard a noise without, as if several panes of glass were being broke. He ran to the window: a thick vapor was issuing from the room occupied by Daniel, of which they had forced the door to save it from the fire. The old major-domo was found in a fainting fit on the floor. His broken lantern by his side, had communicated the fire to the bed curtains, and without the prompt aid which was rendered to him, he would have perished miserably. It had been necessary, in order to reach him, to break down the door, fastened by two enormous bolts. The justice understood that Daniel wished to make it impossible for him to get out of his room, but the blind instinct which directs somnambulists had been stronger than his will. He had awoke in the midst of the crisis, on finding an unaccustomed resistance; his lantern had fallen from his hand, had set fire, and the fright had made him lose the use of his senses. Come to himself, Daniel had a long and serious illness, from which he arose only to drag himself about in a frightfully languid condition.