THE PALE NUN.
Over-persuaded by the Abbess and sisters, Marie had entered the convent, forsaking her lover, the Knight Carl of Zant, and all her worldly possessions.
The vows were taken and the days wore on, the kind attentions and former solicitude of the nuns vanished, and poor Marie found her life one long monotony; then she remembered her lover, and the wings of the poor prisoned bird were hurt by the wires of the cage.
At length she bethought her that her possessions, not herself, were the objects desired by the Abbess; so she fell at the feet of this lady, and offered to give all that she had to the convent, if only she might depart. The haughty Superior severely replied, that her goods had all passed to the cloister, and inflicted a penance for the carnal desires that she said were wickedly filling the heart of the nun.
From this time forth Marie rapidly drooped like a poor blighted flower, whose beauty and gladness departed, remains on its stem with bowed head and but a semblance of life.
One morning a fisherman found her dead body at rest within the Moselle. The Knight Carl being informed of her fate set off for the Holy Land, and there died fighting the battles of faith.
The Pale Nun may often be seen, with her wan face lit up by the moon, as she glides noiselessly through forest and ruin.
The ruins are placed on the summit of the neck of land, and Murray’s “Guide-book” compares the view at this place to one on the Wye, and with justice; indeed, those who are acquainted with the beautiful Wye will find the Moselle has many points of resemblance to her young sister in England, but she is in every respect more lovely and graceful.
This promontory is about three miles in length, and scarcely five hundred yards across in the narrowest place. It is a spur of the Eifel mountains, or hills, as they are called, according to the fancy of the speaker. The promontory is two or three hundred feet over the bed of the river, and near the ruined cloister the slope is almost precipitous, just affording spaces for vines, which flourish extremely on the south side. The forest extends over the base of the promontory, and then gives place to the corn-fields and meadows.