“ThelettersW。V。B。arealsobrandedverydistinctlyonhisforehead。”interruptedasecondequerry，“Isupposedthem，ofcourse，tobetheinitialsofWilhelmVonBerlifitzing-butallatthecastlearepositiveindenyinganyknowledgeofthehorse。”
　　“Extremelysingular！”saidtheyoungBaron，withamusingair，andapparentlyunconsciousofthemeaningofhiswords。“Heis，asyousay，aremarkablehorse-aprodigioushorse！although，asyouveryjustlyobserve，ofasuspiciousanduntractablecharacter，lethimbemine，however。”headded，afterapause，“perhapsariderlikeFrederickofMetzengerstein，maytameeventhedevilfromthestablesofBerlifitzing。”
　　“Youaremistaken，mylord；thehorse，asIthinkwementioned，is_not_fromthestablesoftheCount。Ifsuchhadbeenthecase，weknowourdutybetterthantobringhimintothepresenceofanobleofyourfamily。”
　　“True！”observedtheBaron，dryly，andatthatinstantapageofthebedchambercamefromthepalacewithaheightenedcolor，andaprecipitatestep。Hewhisperedintohismaster’searanaccountofthesuddendisappearanceofasmallportionofthetapestry，inanapartmentwhichhedesignated；entering，atthesametime，intoparticularsofaminuteandcircumstantialcharacter；butfromthelowtoneofvoiceinwhichtheselatterwerecommunicated，nothingescapedtogratifytheexcitedcuriosityoftheequerries。
　　TheyoungFrederick，duringtheconference，seemedagitatedbyavarietyofemotions。Hesoon，however，recoveredhiscomposure，andanexpressionofdeterminedmalignancysettleduponhiscountenance，ashegaveperemptoryordersthatacertainchambershouldbeimmediatelylockedup，andthekeyplacedinhisownpossession。
　　“HaveyouheardoftheunhappydeathoftheoldhunterBerlifitzing？”saidoneofhisvassalstotheBaron，as，afterthedepartureofthepage，thehugesteedwhichthatnoblemanhadadoptedashisown，plungedandcurvetted，withredoubledfury，downthelongavenuewhichextendedfromthechateautothestablesofMetzengerstein。
　　“No！”saidtheBaron，turningabruptlytowardthespeaker，“dead！
　　sayyou？”
　　“Itisindeedtrue，mylord；and，toanobleofyourname，willbe，Iimagine，nounwelcomeintelligence。”
　　Arapidsmileshotoverthecountenanceofthelistener。“Howdiedhe？”
　　“Inhisrashexertionstorescueafavoriteportionofhishuntingstud，hehashimselfperishedmiserablyintheflames。”
　　“I-n-d-e-e-d-！”ejaculatedtheBaron，asifslowlyanddeliberatelyimpressedwiththetruthofsomeexcitingidea。
　　“Indeed；“repeatedthevassal。
　　“Shocking！”saidtheyouth，calmly，andturnedquietlyintothechateau。
　　FromthisdateamarkedalterationtookplaceintheoutwarddemeanorofthedissoluteyoungBaronFrederickVonMetzengerstein。
　　Indeed，hisbehaviordisappointedeveryexpectation，andprovedlittleinaccordancewiththeviewsofmanyamanoeuveringmamma；
　　whilehishabitsandmanner，stilllessthanformerly，offeredanythingcongenialwiththoseoftheneighboringaristocracy。Hewasnevertobeseenbeyondthelimitsofhisowndomain，and，inthiswideandsocialworld，wasutterlycompanionless-unless，indeed，thatunnatural，impetuous，andfiery-coloredhorse，whichhehenceforwardcontinuallybestrode，hadanymysteriousrighttothetitleofhisfriend。
　　Numerousinvitationsonthepartoftheneighborhoodforalongtime，however，periodicallycamein。“WilltheBaronhonorourfestivalswithhispresence？”“WilltheBaronjoinusinahuntingoftheboar？”-“Metzengersteindoesnothunt；““Metzengersteinwillnotattend。”werethehaughtyandlaconicanswers。
　　Theserepeatedinsultswerenottobeenduredbyanimperiousnobility。Suchinvitationsbecamelesscordial-lessfrequent-intimetheyceasedaltogether。ThewidowoftheunfortunateCountBerlifitzingwasevenheardtoexpressahope“thattheBaronmightbeathomewhenhedidnotwishtobeathome，sincehedisdainedthecompanyofhisequals；andridewhenhedidnotwishtoride，sincehepreferredthesocietyofahorse。”Thistobesurewasaverysillyexplosionofhereditarypique；andmerelyprovedhowsingularlyunmeaningoursayingsareapttobecome，whenwedesiretobeunusuallyenergetic。
　　Thecharitable，nevertheless，attributedthealterationintheconductoftheyoungnoblemantothenaturalsorrowofasonfortheuntimelylossofhisparents-forgetting，however，hisatrociousandrecklessbehaviorduringtheshortperiodimmediatelysucceedingthatbereavement。Sometherewere，indeed，whosuggestedatoohaughtyideaofself-consequenceanddignity。Othersagainamongthemmaybementionedthefamilyphysiciandidnothesitateinspeakingofmorbidmelancholy，andhereditaryill-health；whiledarkhints，ofamoreequivocalnature，werecurrentamongthemultitude。
　　Indeed，theBaron’sperverseattachmenttohislately-acquiredcharger-anattachmentwhichseemedtoattainnewstrengthfromeveryfreshexampleoftheanimal’sferociousanddemon-likepropensities-atlengthbecame，intheeyesofallreasonablemen，ahideousandunnaturalfervor。Intheglareofnoon-atthedeadhourofnight-insicknessorinhealth-incalmorintempest-theyoungMetzengersteinseemedrivettedtothesaddleofthatcolossalhorse，whoseintractableaudacitiessowellaccordedwithhisownspirit。
　　Therewerecircumstances，moreover，whichcoupledwithlateevents，gaveanunearthlyandportentouscharactertothemaniaoftherider，andtothecapabilitiesofthesteed。Thespacepassedoverinasingleleaphadbeenaccuratelymeasured，andwasfoundtoexceed，byanastoundingdifference，thewildestexpectationsofthemostimaginative。TheBaron，besides，hadnoparticular_name_fortheanimal，althoughalltherestinhiscollectionweredistinguishedbycharacteristicappellations。Hisstable，too，wasappointedatadistancefromtherest；andwithregardtogroomingandothernecessaryoffices，nonebuttheownerinpersonhadventuredtoofficiate，oreventoentertheenclosureofthatparticularstall。Itwasalsotobeobserved，thatalthoughthethreegrooms，whohadcaughtthesteedashefledfromtheconflagrationatBerlifitzing，hadsucceededinarrestinghiscourse，bymeansofachain-bridleandnoose-yetnooneofthethreecouldwithanycertaintyaffirmthathehad，duringthatdangerousstruggle，oratanyperiodthereafter，actuallyplacedhishanduponthebodyofthebeast。Instancesofpeculiarintelligenceinthedemeanorofanobleandhigh-spiritedhorsearenottobesupposedcapableofexcitingunreasonableattention-especiallyamongmenwho，dailytrainedtothelaborsofthechase，mightappearwellacquaintedwiththesagacityofahorse-buttherewerecertaincircumstanceswhichintrudedthemselvesperforceuponthemostskepticalandphlegmatic；
　　anditissaidthereweretimeswhentheanimalcausedthegapingcrowdwhostoodaroundtorecoilinhorrorfromthedeepandimpressivemeaningofhisterriblestamp-timeswhentheyoungMetzengersteinturnedpaleandshrunkawayfromtherapidandsearchingexpressionofhisearnestandhuman-lookingeye。
　　AmongalltheretinueoftheBaron，however，nonewerefoundtodoubttheardorofthatextraordinaryaffectionwhichexistedonthepartoftheyoungnoblemanforthefieryqualitiesofhishorse；atleast，nonebutaninsignificantandmisshapenlittlepage，whosedeformitieswereineverybody’sway，andwhoseopinionswereoftheleastpossibleimportance。He-ifhisideasareworthmentioningatall-hadtheeffronterytoassertthathismasternevervaultedintothesaddlewithoutanunaccountableandalmostimperceptibleshudder，andthat，uponhisreturnfromeverylong-continuedandhabitualride，anexpressionoftriumphantmalignitydistortedeverymuscleinhiscountenance。
　　Onetempestuousnight，Metzengerstein，awakingfromaheavyslumber，descendedlikeamaniacfromhischamber，and，mountinginhothaste，boundedawayintothemazesoftheforest。Anoccurrencesocommonattractednoparticularattention，buthisreturnwaslookedforwithintenseanxietyonthepartofhisdomestics，when，aftersomehours’absence，thestupendousandmagnificentbattlementsoftheChateauMetzengerstein，werediscoveredcracklingandrockingtotheirveryfoundation，undertheinfluenceofadenseandlividmassofungovernablefire。
　　Astheflames，whenfirstseen，hadalreadymadesoterribleaprogressthatalleffortstosaveanyportionofthebuildingwereevidentlyfutile，theastonishedneighborhoodstoodidlyaroundinsilentandpatheticwonder。Butanewandfearfulobjectsoonrivettedtheattentionofthemultitude，andprovedhowmuchmoreintenseistheexcitementwroughtinthefeelingsofacrowdbythecontemplationofhumanagony，thanthatbroughtaboutbythemostappallingspectaclesofinanimatematter。
　　UpthelongavenueofagedoakswhichledfromtheforesttothemainentranceoftheChateauMetzengerstein，asteed，bearinganunbonnetedanddisorderedrider，wasseenleapingwithanimpetuositywhichoutstrippedtheveryDemonoftheTempest。
　　Thecareerofthehorsemanwasindisputably，onhisownpart，uncontrollable。Theagonyofhiscountenance，theconvulsivestruggleofhisframe，gaveevidenceofsuperhumanexertion：butnosound，saveasolitaryshriek，escapedfromhislaceratedlips，whichwerebittenthroughandthroughintheintensityofterror。Oneinstant，andtheclatteringofhoofsresoundedsharplyandshrillyabovetheroaringoftheflamesandtheshriekingofthewinds-another，and，clearingatasingleplungethegate-wayandthemoat，thesteedboundedfarupthetotteringstaircasesofthepalace，and，withitsrider，disappearedamidthewhirlwindofchaoticfire。
　　Thefuryofthetempestimmediatelydiedaway，andadeadcalmsullenlysucceeded。Awhiteflamestillenvelopedthebuildinglikeashroud，and，streamingfarawayintothequietatmosphere，shotforthaglareofpreternaturallight；whileacloudofsmokesettledheavilyoverthebattlementsinthedistinctcolossalfigureof-_ahorse_。
　　DURINGtheautumnof18，whileonatourthroughtheextremesouthernprovincesofFrance，myrouteledmewithinafewmilesofacertainMaisondeSanteorprivatemad-house，aboutwhichIhadheardmuchinParisfrommymedicalfriends。AsIhadnevervisitedaplaceofthekind，Ithoughttheopportunitytoogoodtobelost；andsoproposedtomytravellingcompanionagentlemanwithwhomIhadmadecasualacquaintanceafewdaysbeforethatweshouldturnaside，foranhourorso，andlookthroughtheestablishment。Tothisheobjectedpleadinghasteinthefirstplace，and，inthesecond，averyusualhorroratthesightofalunatic。Hebeggedme，however，nottoletanymerecourtesytowardshimselfinterferewiththegratificationofmycuriosity，andsaidthathewouldrideonleisurely，sothatImightovertakehimduringtheday，or，atallevents，duringthenext。Ashebademegood-bye，Ibethoughtmethattheremightbesomedifficultyinobtainingaccesstothepremises，andmentionedmyfearsonthispoint。Herepliedthat，infact，unlessIhadpersonalknowledgeofthesuperintendent，MonsieurMaillard，orsomecredentialinthewayofaletter，adifficultymightbefoundtoexist，astheregulationsoftheseprivatemad-housesweremorerigidthanthepublichospitallaws。Forhimself，headded，hehad，someyearssince，madetheacquaintanceofMaillard，andwouldsofarassistmeastorideuptothedoorandintroduceme；althoughhisfeelingsonthesubjectoflunacywouldnotpermitofhisenteringthehouse。
　　Ithankedhim，and，turningfromthemainroad，weenteredagrass-grownby-path，which，inhalfanhour，nearlylostitselfinadenseforest，clothingthebaseofamountain。Throughthisdankandgloomywoodwerodesometwomiles，whentheMaisondeSantecameinview。Itwasafantasticchateau，muchdilapidated，andindeedscarcelytenantablethroughageandneglect。Itsaspectinspiredmewithabsolutedread，and，checkingmyhorse，Ihalfresolvedtoturnback。Isoon，however，grewashamedofmyweakness，andproceeded。
　　Aswerodeuptothegate-way，Iperceiveditslightlyopen，andthevisageofamanpeeringthrough。Inaninstantafterward，thismancameforth，accostedmycompanionbyname，shookhimcordiallybythehand，andbeggedhimtoalight。ItwasMonsieurMaillardhimself。Hewasaportly，fine-lookinggentlemanoftheoldschool，withapolishedmanner，andacertainairofgravity，dignity，andauthoritywhichwasveryimpressive。
　　Myfriend，havingpresentedme，mentionedmydesiretoinspecttheestablishment，andreceivedMonsieurMaillard’sassurancethathewouldshowmeallattention，nowtookleave，andIsawhimnomore。
　　Whenhehadgone，thesuperintendentusheredmeintoasmallandexceedinglyneatparlor，containing，amongotherindicationsofrefinedtaste，manybooks，drawings，potsofflowers，andmusicalinstruments。Acheerfulfireblazeduponthehearth。Atapiano，singinganariafromBellini，satayoungandverybeautifulwoman，who，atmyentrance，pausedinhersong，andreceivedmewithgracefulcourtesy。Hervoicewaslow，andherwholemannersubdued。I
　　thought，too，thatIperceivedthetracesofsorrowinhercountenance，whichwasexcessively，althoughtomytaste，notunpleasingly，pale。Shewasattiredindeepmourning，andexcitedinmybosomafeelingofmingledrespect，interest，andadmiration。