y strange expressive profile, and, if I
am not mistaken, a striking likeness of your old friend the worthy
artist?"

All crowded to the place; no one had remarked this singular device. The
rogue, Eulenboeck, acted surprise most to the life. "That a memorial of
me," said he, "should be preserved in this singular remembrancer, I
could never have dreamt; if the spiteful painter had a presentiment of
my profile, it was too cruel to make this fiery tail just form my nose,
though it has a reddish tinge."

"The thing," said Erich, "is so singularly introduced, that one really
cannot ascertain whether it be design or mere accident."

Walther examined the profile in the picture, then perused the
physiognomy of his friend, shook his head, grew pensive, and made his
bow with an absent air when the stranger took his leave with Eulenboeck,
who had begged his company to shew him his paintings.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Erich, who had stayed behind with
the old gentleman in the saloon. "You seem out of humour at this
curious sport of chance which extorted laughter from all of us; the sot
is surely sufficiently punished by having his portrait so nicely formed
by this devil's crew."

"Do you then really take it for chance?" cried Walther, in a rage: "Do
you not see that the old rogue has fraudulently palmed this picture
upon me? that it is his production? Only look here, I would not shame
him before the rest; but not content with this sketch of himself he has
also inscribed the name of Eulenboeck in minute letters above there, in
the enormous mustachio of the great devil, who is grinding the souls in
a hand-mill. I discovered the scrawl a short time back; but I believed,
as it was not very distinct, the painter or some one else meant to
inscribe the name of Hoellenbreughel: in this way the old scoundrel
himself explained it to me when I shewed it him, and read it
Ellenbroeg, and added that artists had never concerned themselves
particularly with orthography. A light now dawns upon me, that it was
only this profligate sot who seduced the young man to sell me the
Salvator; that you have likewise had such another of him; and we have
to fear withal that our own faces will some time or other be
introduced, under God knows what horrible circumstances, in some
degrading position, by way of a pasquinade."

He was so enraged that he raised his fist to dash the picture to
pieces. But Erich restrained him and said, "Do not destr