I replied, "on
whom it depends whether those ladies will find good husbands and live
happily, or pine and grow old in their magic cloister." The old man
retreated some steps. "Who revealed that to you?" he asked with doubt
and astonishment. "Three apples," said I, "three jewels." "And what
reward do you desire?" he exclaimed. "Above all things," I replied,
"the little creature who brought me into this cursed condition." The
old man threw himself at my feet, without heeding the dampness and
muddiness of the ground. He then arose, not in the least wetted, took
me kindly by the hand, led me into the room, where I had been before,
dressed me again quickly, and I soon found myself with my hair curled
and my Sunday clothes on, as at first. The porter did not utter
another word, but before he allowed me to cross the threshold, he
detained me, and showed to me certain objects that were near the wall,
and on the other side of the way, while at the same time he pointed to
the door backwards. I understood him well. He wished me to impress
the objects on my mind, that I might more readily find the door again,
which unexpectedly closed behind me. I observed already what was
opposite to me. The boughs of seven old nut-trees projected over a
high wall, and partly covered the moulding with which it terminated.
The branches reached to a stone tablet, the decorated border of which I
could easily recognise, but the inscription on which I could not read.
It rested on the jutting stone of a niche, in which a fountain
artificially constructed, was throwing water from cup to cup into a
large basin, which formed a kind of little pond, and was lost in the
ground. Fountain, inscription, nut-trees, all stood, one directly over
the other, and I could have painted it as I saw it.

It may be easily conceived how I passed the evening, and many a day
afterwards, and how often I repeated these adventures, which I could
hardly believe myself. As soon as I could, I went again to the "evil
wall," that I might at least refresh my memory by the sight of the
objects, and look at the beautiful door. To my great astonishment all
was changed. Nut-trees were, indeed, hanging over the wall, but they
were not close together. A tablet was inserted, but it stood at some
distance to the right of the trees, was without carving, and had a
legible inscription. A niche with a fountain stood far to the left,
and was not to be compared to the one I had be