Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-08-30
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said but perhaps It's penance moi
a penance imposed by me, replied the
prior. but by himself. Brother Lazaru:
is very strange person. Perhaps you
may have observed him in the refectory-
he sat nearly opposite you at the other
tabler Bless me is that hep oh yes,
observed him indeed. Who could help OBJ
serving him He has the most eXtraordin-
AIRY countenance ever beheld. Brother
Lazarus is a somnambulist,' returned the
prior, "a natural somnambulist: and is al
together, as | said before, very extraor-
binary character what said /, my Gu
riosity being a good deal awakened, does
he walk 10 his sleepP | never saw som
nambulist before, and should like TO hear
some particulars about him if you have
no objections to tell them to me- They
are not desirable inmates, / assure you,
answered the prior; i could tell you some
very odd adventures connected with this
disease of Brother Lazarus j should be
very much obliged if you wonld,' said
with no little eagerness.
'Somnambulists are sometimes sub.
ject to strange Authorizations he replied
their dream is to them as real as our act
ual daily life is for us, and they not un.
frequently act out the scenes OF the drama
with a terrible determination. | will just
give you one instance of the danger
that may accrue from delusion OF this
nature. AT the last monastery | inhabited
before | became prior of Pierre Chatel,
we had monk who was known to be a
somnambulist. He was man of sober
character and gloomy Temperament Mt; but
il was rather supposed that his melancholy
proceeded from physical causes than from
any particular source Of mental uneasiness.
His nightly wanderings were very irregu-
lar; sometimes they were frequent, some
times there were long intermssions.
Occasionally be would leave his cell. and
after being absent from it several hours,
would return of his own accord, still fast
asleep, and lay himself in his bed at other
times he would wander so far away that
we had to send in search of him; and
sometimes he would be met by the mes
sengers on his way hack, either awake or
asleep, as it might happen. This strange
malady had caused US some anxiety, and
we had not neglected to seek the best ad-
vice we could obtain with respect to its
treatment; and at length the remedies APP
piled seemed to have taken effect the
paroxysms became more rare, and the dis
ease so far subsidized, that it ceased to be
subject of observation amongst us.
Several months had elapsed since | had
heard anything of the nocturnal eXcur-
sions of Brother Cominixue, when one
night that had some businass OF impor-
tance in hand, instead of going to bed
when the rest of the brotherhood retired
to their cells, seated myself at my desk,
for the purpose of reading and answering
certain letters concerning the affair in
question. | had been some time thas oc-
cupied, and had just finished my work
and had already locked my desk prepare
tory TO going to bed, when | heard the
closing OF distant door, and immediate
ly afterwards foot in the long gallery
that separated my room from the cells OF
the brotherhood. What could be the mat
terP Somebody must be ill, and was
coming to seek assistance and | was con-
firmed in this persuasion when perceived
that the foot was approaching my door,
the key OF which had not turned. In
moment more it opened, and Fra Domini-
que entered, asleep. His eyes were wide
open, but there evidently was no specula-
ton In them; they were fixed and CLASSY,
like the eyes of corpse. He had moth
ing on but the tunic which he was in the
habit OF wearing at night, and in his hand
he held large knife. At this strange APP
partition | stood transhxed. From the
cautious manner in which he opened the
door, and the stealthy pace with which he
advanced into the room, could not doubt
that he was bent upon mischief but aware
OF the dangerous effects that frequently
result from the too sudden awakening a
sleep-walker, thought it better TO watch
in silence the acting out Of this fearful
drama, than venture to disturb him. With
all the precautions he could have used not
to arouse me had he been awake, he moved
towards the bed, and in doing so he had
occasion TO pass quite close TO where |
stood, and as the light of the lamps fell
upon his lace saw that his brows were
knit and his features contracted into an
expression OF resolute malignity. When
he reached the bed, he bent over it, felt
with his hand the place where | should
have been, and then, apparently satisfied,
he lifted up his arm and struck successive
ly three heavy blows-so heavy that. hav-
ing pierced the bed-clothes, the blade of
the knife entered far into the mattress. or
rather The mat that served me Tor one.
suddenly, however, whilst his arm was
raised for another blow. he started. and
turning round, he fastened toward the
window, which he opened, and had it been
large enough, think, would have thrown
himself out. But, finding the aperture
too small, he changed his direction. Again
he passed close 10 me, and | felt myself
shrink back as he almost touched me with
his tunlc. The two lamps which stood on
my table made no impression on his ewes
he opened and closed the door as before
and heard him proceed rapidly along the
gallery and retire to his own cell. II
would be vain TO attempt to describe the
amazement with which | had witnessed
this terrible scene. had been, as it were,
the spectator of my own murder, and /
was overcome by the horrors of this Wis
ionary assassination. Grateful to Provi-
denee Tor the danger had escaped. | yet
could not brace my nerves to look at it
WIN calmness, and passed the remain
tation.