An incredible story

PORTFOLIO 1 – NIVEL 5- MIERCOLES 8,30 - RAUL PODINGO – WRITTEN TASK 1 – OPTION 1

From: Raul Podingo

To: Claudio Zeta

Subjet: An incredible story

San Martín, September 17º, 2014

Hey Lalo:

It’s the first time I´m telling somebody this story, and I don’t know just how to begin. It’s the sad story of a German artist friend of mine, whose name I prefer not to mention, who died because of an oath he forced his betrothed to take, playing with the love after the death.

I knew him in Florence, 40 years ago, where he was working. He was a young, intelligent, ambitious and vain boy. We had good conection quickly, and we become good Friends. One night he drunk much whisky, and told me his true.

He lived with his uncle and his cousin Gertrude since he was a child, because he was an orphan. Gertrude and he fall in love when they were nineteen, but the uncle never new about that love. When they were betrothed, he put upon her finger a ring, which was of his mother. This ring was a massive golden serpent, the tail in its mouth, the symbol of eternity. At that moment he told her: “ This love is forever. When I die, I would return to you from the grave. Would you do the same?? Would you come back and again these fair arms would be clasped round my neck?? ” . She told him “ People who die in peace don`t come back from the grave. Only suicide can`t go into the paradise” .

Months ago he traveled to Florence and in the meantime, the weeks pass. He began to feel he loved her no longer. She felt very sad. She missed him a lot. She wrote him lots of letters and she told in some of those that her father decided to marry her whit a rich suitor. He never answered her. She felt alone and desperate. She knew that she never would be other man’s wife. She loved her cousin and she only wanted to by between his arms. She understood she hadn’t other way. Then, she went to the bridge, jumped to the river and died.

When he returned from Florence, he saw many people at the side of the river. He walked till there and saw a drowned body they were taking out of the river. He felt the impulse to remove the sailcloth that covered the body. He did it, and very scared he discovered that was her forgotten betrothed. He saw the rigid features, the hands crossed on the cold bosom; and, on the third finger, the ring, the golden serpent eating its tail.

He decided to separate himself from that scene, from that corpse covered with the damp canvas sail. He decided to forgot what happened, and to live his young life. He only thought where he should go, to be farthest away from Brunswick. He went to Cologne, and one day, suddenly, something from behind him, put two cold arms round his neck, and clasped its hands on his breast. He couldn`t see anything but he felt it. He tried to throw off the cold caress but he couldn`t. He could feel the cold wet long delicate fingers, and on the third finger, the serpent ring. Then…he knew it. His cousin came back from the grave.

Since that moment, he tried never to be alone and get company on the road from morning to night. He went to Paris but, week by week, the cold embrace returned. One night he found the opera-house, where there was masked ball. He decided to go and feel no more darkness. He wanted to dance and feel happy. But he couldn`t. Suddenly he felt the cold embrace and later he locked Gertrude’s frozen face with the brightness of her eyes died out. He felt alone, alone in that vast saloon…. He tried to shout, but he had no power in his burning throat. The cold hands were clasped on his breast and I began to feel smothered. In the morning of the next day his died body was discovered.

That was the story. I hope it has been interesting for you. See you soon RAULL

...