September 3, 2025 • 11 mins
In the enchanting backdrop of Rome, a group of artists is immersed in their creative pursuits. But when one of them retreats to a secluded villa for solitude, his friends are drawn to visit. What they discover is unsettling‚a mere ‚òshadowy likeness‚ of Marcello, who has inexplicably taken up sleepwalking. As they delve deeper into the mystery, a strange woman emerges from the shadows of the grounds each night. Who is she, and what secrets does she hold? - Summary by Newgatenovelist
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Section five of A Mystery of the Compania by Anne Crawford.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Part two
Robert Sutton's account of what happened at the Vigna Marziale,
Segment C. I slept long and was awakened at last
(00:23):
by my landlady Sora Nana, standing over me and saying,
there is a signora who wants you. It is I, Manya,
said a voice behind her. I could not wait for
you to come. He looked haggard with anxiety and watching
dettire is raving. Still, he went on, only worse than before. Speak,
(00:47):
for heaven's sake, why don't you tell me something? And
he shook me by the arm, as though he thought
I was still asleep. Have you nothing to say? You
must have seen something. Did you see Marcello? Oh? Yes,
I saw him. Well, well, he was very comfortable, quite alive.
(01:08):
He had a woman's arms around him. I heard my
door violently slammed too, a ferocious sucregomo, and then steps
springing down the stairs. I felt perfectly happy at having
made such an impression, and turned and resumed my broken
(01:29):
sleep with almost a kindly feeling toward Manya, who was
at that moment probably tearing up the Spanish scarlenatter two
steps at a time and making himself horribly hot. He
could not help Detire, poor fellow. He could not understand
my news. When I had slept long enough, I got up,
(01:53):
refreshed myself with a bath and something to eat, and
went off to see Dettire. It was not his fault
that I had been made a fool of, so I
felt sorry for him. I found him raving, just as
I had left him the day before, only worse. As
Manya said, he persisted in continually crying, Marcellow, take care,
(02:17):
No one can save you, in hoarse, weak tones, but
with the regularity of a knell, keeping up a peculiar
movement with his feet, as though he were weary with
a long road, but must press forward to his goal.
Then he would stop and break into childish swords. My
(02:39):
feet are so sore, he murmured piteously, and I am
so tired, but I will come. They are following me,
but I am strong. Then a violent struggle with his
invisible pursuers, in which he would break off into that
singing of his Alton, with the warning cry. The singing
(03:03):
voice was quite another from the speaking one. He went
on and on, repeating the singular air, which he had
himself called a funeral march, and which had become intensely
disagreeable to me. If it was one, indeed, it surely
was intended for no Christian burial. As he sang, the
(03:27):
tears kept trickling down his cheeks, and Mania sat wiping
them away as tenderly as a woman. Between his song,
he would clasp his hands feebly enough, for he was
very weak when the delirium did not make him violent,
and cry in heartrending tones, Marse, though I shall never
(03:49):
see you again, why did you leave us at last?
When he stopped for a moment, Manya left his side,
beckoning the sister to take it, and drew me into
the other room, closing the door behind him. Now tell
me exactly how you saw, Marcello, said he. So I
(04:10):
related my whole absurd experience forgetting, however, my personal irritation,
for he looked too wretched and worn for anybody to
be angry with him. He made me repeat several times
my description of Marcello's face and manner as he had
come out of the house that seemed to make more
(04:32):
impression upon him than the love business sick people. How
strange intuitions, he said gravely, And I persist in thinking
that Marcello is very ill and in danger. Tennay, And
here he broke off, went to the door and called
(04:52):
Monsieur under his breath. She understood, and after having drawn
the bedclothes straight and and once more dried the trickling tears,
she came noiselessly to where we stood, the wet handkerchief
still in her hand. She was a singularly tall and
strong looking woman, with piercing black eyes and a self
(05:14):
controlled manner. Strange to say, she bore the adopted name
of Cloudius instead of a more feminine one. Monsieur said, Mania,
At what o'clock was it that he sprang out of
bed and we had to hold him for so long?
Half past eleven and a few minutes, she answered promptly.
(05:37):
Then he turned to me, At what time did Marcelo
come out into the garden? Well, it might have been
half past eleven, I answered, unwillingly. I should say that
three quarters of an hour might possibly have passed since
I rang my repeater. Mind you, I won't swear it.
(05:58):
I hate to have people try to prove mysterious coincidences,
and this was just what they were attempting. Are you
sure of the hour, monsieur, I asked a little tartly.
She looked at me calmly with her great black eyes,
and said, I heard the Trinita de Monti strike the
(06:20):
half hour just before it happened. Be so good as
to tell Monsieur Sutton exactly what took place, said Manya.
One moment, Monsieur, and she went swiftly and softly to detire,
raised him on her strong arm, and held a glass
to his lips, from which he drank mechanically. Then she
(06:43):
came and stood where she could watch him through the
open door. He hears nothing, she said, as she hung
the handkerchief to dry over a chair, And then she
went on. It was half past eleven, and my patient
had been very uneasy, that is to say, more so
(07:03):
even than before. It might have been four or five
minutes after the clock had finished striking that he became
suddenly quite still, and then began to tremble all over,
so that the bed shook with him. She spoke admirable English,
as many of the sisters do, so I need not translate,
(07:24):
but will give her own words. He went on trembling
until I thought he was going to have a fit,
and told Monsieur Magna to be ready to go for
the doctor. When just then the trembling stopped. He became
perfectly stiff. His hair stood up upon his head, and
his eyes seemed coming out of their sockets, though he
(07:46):
could see nothing, for I passed the candle before them.
All at once. He sprang out of his bed and
rushed to the door. I did not know he was
so strong before he got there. I had him in
my arms, for he has become very light, and I
carried him back to bed again, though he was struggling
(08:07):
like a child. Monsieur Magna came in from the next
room just as he was trying to get up again,
and we held him down until it was past that.
He screamed Monsieur Sulvestre's name for a long time after that. Afterward,
he was very cold and exhausted, of course, and I
(08:27):
gave him some beef tea, though it was not the
hour for it. I think you had better tell the
sister all about it, said Mania, turning to me. It
is best that the nurse should know everything very well,
said I, though I do not think it's much in
(08:48):
her line, she answered me herself. Everything which concerns our
patience is our business. Nothing shocks us. Thereupon she sat
down and thrust her hands into her long sleeves, prepared
to listen. I repeated the whole affair, as I had
(09:08):
done to Manya. She never took her brilliant eyes from
off my face, and listened as coolly as though she
had been a doctor hearing an account of a difficult case.
Though to me it seemed almost sacrilege to be describing
the behavior of a love stricken youth to a sister
(09:28):
of charity. What do you say to that, monsieur, asked Manya,
when I had done, I say nothing, monsieur. It is
sufficient that I know it. And she withdrew her hands
from her sleeves, took up the handkerchief, which was dry
by this time, and returned quietly to her place at
(09:49):
the bedside. I wonder if I have shocked her after all,
I said to Manya. Oh no, he answered. They see
many things, and a sioux is as abstract as a confessor.
They do not allow themselves any personal feelings. I have
seen Soue Cloudius listen perfectly unmoved to the most abominable ravings,
(10:16):
only crossing herself beneath her cape with the most hideous blasphemies.
It was last summer when poor star revol died. You
were not here, Manya, put his hand to his forehead.
You are looking ill yourself. I said, Go and try
to sleep, and I will stay very well. He answered,
(10:42):
but I cannot rest unless you promise to remember everything.
He says that I may hear it when I wake.
And he threw himself down upon the hard sofa like
a sack, and was asleep in a moment. And I,
who had felt so angry with him but a few
hours ago, put a cushion under his head and made
(11:04):
him comfortable. I sat down in the next room and
listened to Detire's monotonous ravings while Sir Claudius read in
her book of prayers. It was getting dusk, and several
of the academicians stole in and stood over the sick
man and shook their heads. They looked around for Mania,
(11:29):
but I pointed to the other room with my finger
on my lips, and they nodded and went away on
tiptoe end of Section five
Section five of A Mystery of the Compania by Anne Crawford.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Part two
Robert Sutton's account of what happened at the Vigna Marziale,
Segment C. I slept long and was awakened at last
(00:23):
by my landlady Sora Nana, standing over me and saying,
there is a signora who wants you. It is I, Manya,
said a voice behind her. I could not wait for
you to come. He looked haggard with anxiety and watching
dettire is raving. Still, he went on, only worse than before. Speak,
(00:47):
for heaven's sake, why don't you tell me something? And
he shook me by the arm, as though he thought
I was still asleep. Have you nothing to say? You
must have seen something. Did you see Marcello? Oh? Yes,
I saw him. Well, well, he was very comfortable, quite alive.
(01:08):
He had a woman's arms around him. I heard my
door violently slammed too, a ferocious sucregomo, and then steps
springing down the stairs. I felt perfectly happy at having
made such an impression, and turned and resumed my broken
(01:29):
sleep with almost a kindly feeling toward Manya, who was
at that moment probably tearing up the Spanish scarlenatter two
steps at a time and making himself horribly hot. He
could not help Detire, poor fellow. He could not understand
my news. When I had slept long enough, I got up,
(01:53):
refreshed myself with a bath and something to eat, and
went off to see Dettire. It was not his fault
that I had been made a fool of, so I
felt sorry for him. I found him raving, just as
I had left him the day before, only worse. As
Manya said, he persisted in continually crying, Marcellow, take care,
(02:17):
No one can save you, in hoarse, weak tones, but
with the regularity of a knell, keeping up a peculiar
movement with his feet, as though he were weary with
a long road, but must press forward to his goal.
Then he would stop and break into childish swords. My
(02:39):
feet are so sore, he murmured piteously, and I am
so tired, but I will come. They are following me,
but I am strong. Then a violent struggle with his
invisible pursuers, in which he would break off into that
singing of his Alton, with the warning cry. The singing
(03:03):
voice was quite another from the speaking one. He went
on and on, repeating the singular air, which he had
himself called a funeral march, and which had become intensely
disagreeable to me. If it was one, indeed, it surely
was intended for no Christian burial. As he sang, the
(03:27):
tears kept trickling down his cheeks, and Mania sat wiping
them away as tenderly as a woman. Between his song,
he would clasp his hands feebly enough, for he was
very weak when the delirium did not make him violent,
and cry in heartrending tones, Marse, though I shall never
(03:49):
see you again, why did you leave us at last?
When he stopped for a moment, Manya left his side,
beckoning the sister to take it, and drew me into
the other room, closing the door behind him. Now tell
me exactly how you saw, Marcello, said he. So I
(04:10):
related my whole absurd experience forgetting, however, my personal irritation,
for he looked too wretched and worn for anybody to
be angry with him. He made me repeat several times
my description of Marcello's face and manner as he had
come out of the house that seemed to make more
(04:32):
impression upon him than the love business sick people. How
strange intuitions, he said gravely, And I persist in thinking
that Marcello is very ill and in danger. Tennay, And
here he broke off, went to the door and called
(04:52):
Monsieur under his breath. She understood, and after having drawn
the bedclothes straight and and once more dried the trickling tears,
she came noiselessly to where we stood, the wet handkerchief
still in her hand. She was a singularly tall and
strong looking woman, with piercing black eyes and a self
(05:14):
controlled manner. Strange to say, she bore the adopted name
of Cloudius instead of a more feminine one. Monsieur said, Mania,
At what o'clock was it that he sprang out of
bed and we had to hold him for so long?
Half past eleven and a few minutes, she answered promptly.
(05:37):
Then he turned to me, At what time did Marcelo
come out into the garden? Well, it might have been
half past eleven, I answered, unwillingly. I should say that
three quarters of an hour might possibly have passed since
I rang my repeater. Mind you, I won't swear it.
(05:58):
I hate to have people try to prove mysterious coincidences,
and this was just what they were attempting. Are you
sure of the hour, monsieur, I asked a little tartly.
She looked at me calmly with her great black eyes,
and said, I heard the Trinita de Monti strike the
(06:20):
half hour just before it happened. Be so good as
to tell Monsieur Sutton exactly what took place, said Manya.
One moment, Monsieur, and she went swiftly and softly to detire,
raised him on her strong arm, and held a glass
to his lips, from which he drank mechanically. Then she
(06:43):
came and stood where she could watch him through the
open door. He hears nothing, she said, as she hung
the handkerchief to dry over a chair, And then she
went on. It was half past eleven, and my patient
had been very uneasy, that is to say, more so
(07:03):
even than before. It might have been four or five
minutes after the clock had finished striking that he became
suddenly quite still, and then began to tremble all over,
so that the bed shook with him. She spoke admirable English,
as many of the sisters do, so I need not translate,
(07:24):
but will give her own words. He went on trembling
until I thought he was going to have a fit,
and told Monsieur Magna to be ready to go for
the doctor. When just then the trembling stopped. He became
perfectly stiff. His hair stood up upon his head, and
his eyes seemed coming out of their sockets, though he
(07:46):
could see nothing, for I passed the candle before them.
All at once. He sprang out of his bed and
rushed to the door. I did not know he was
so strong before he got there. I had him in
my arms, for he has become very light, and I
carried him back to bed again, though he was struggling
(08:07):
like a child. Monsieur Magna came in from the next
room just as he was trying to get up again,
and we held him down until it was past that.
He screamed Monsieur Sulvestre's name for a long time after that. Afterward,
he was very cold and exhausted, of course, and I
(08:27):
gave him some beef tea, though it was not the
hour for it. I think you had better tell the
sister all about it, said Mania, turning to me. It
is best that the nurse should know everything very well,
said I, though I do not think it's much in
(08:48):
her line, she answered me herself. Everything which concerns our
patience is our business. Nothing shocks us. Thereupon she sat
down and thrust her hands into her long sleeves, prepared
to listen. I repeated the whole affair, as I had
(09:08):
done to Manya. She never took her brilliant eyes from
off my face, and listened as coolly as though she
had been a doctor hearing an account of a difficult case.
Though to me it seemed almost sacrilege to be describing
the behavior of a love stricken youth to a sister
(09:28):
of charity. What do you say to that, monsieur, asked Manya,
when I had done, I say nothing, monsieur. It is
sufficient that I know it. And she withdrew her hands
from her sleeves, took up the handkerchief, which was dry
by this time, and returned quietly to her place at
(09:49):
the bedside. I wonder if I have shocked her after all,
I said to Manya. Oh no, he answered. They see
many things, and a sioux is as abstract as a confessor.
They do not allow themselves any personal feelings. I have
seen Soue Cloudius listen perfectly unmoved to the most abominable ravings,
(10:16):
only crossing herself beneath her cape with the most hideous blasphemies.
It was last summer when poor star revol died. You
were not here, Manya, put his hand to his forehead.
You are looking ill yourself. I said, Go and try
to sleep, and I will stay very well. He answered,
(10:42):
but I cannot rest unless you promise to remember everything.
He says that I may hear it when I wake.
And he threw himself down upon the hard sofa like
a sack, and was asleep in a moment. And I,
who had felt so angry with him but a few
hours ago, put a cushion under his head and made
(11:04):
him comfortable. I sat down in the next room and
listened to Detire's monotonous ravings while Sir Claudius read in
her book of prayers. It was getting dusk, and several
of the academicians stole in and stood over the sick
man and shook their heads. They looked around for Mania,
(11:29):
but I pointed to the other room with my finger
on my lips, and they nodded and went away on
tiptoe end of Section five
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