before. "Yes,"
added he, "we have many examples to show that certain phantasms may
rise before a man and pester and plague him not a little; but this is
bodily disease, and leeches are good for it, if applied to the right
part, as a certain learned physician, now deceased, has directed." The
student Anselmus knew not whether he had been drunk, crazy, or sick;
but at all events the leeches seemed entirely superfluous, as these
supposed phantasms had utterly vanished, and the student himself was
growing happier and happier, the more he prospered in serving the
pretty Veronica with all sorts of dainty attentions.

As usual, after the frugal meal, came music; the student Anselmus had
to take his seat before the harpsichord, and Veronica accompanied
his playing with her pure clear voice. "Dear Mademoiselle," said
Registrator Heerbrand, "you have a voice like a crystal bell!"

"That she has not!" ejaculated the student Anselmus, he scarcely
knew how. "Crystal bells in elder-trees sound strangely, strangely!"
continued the student Anselmus, murmuring half aloud.

Veronica laid her hand on his shoulder, and asked: "What are you
saying now, Herr Anselmus?"

Instantly Anselmus recovered his cheerfulness, and began playing.
Conrector Paulmann gave a grim look at him; but Registrator Heerbrand
laid a music-leaf on the frame, and sang with ravishing grace one
of Bandmaster Graun's bravura airs. The student Anselmus accompanied
this, and much more; and a fantasy duet, which Veronica and he now
fingered, and Conrector Paulmann had himself composed, again brought
all into the gayest humor.

It was now quite late, and Registrator Heerbrand was taking up his hat
and stick, when Conrector Paulmann went up to him with a mysterious
air, and said: "Hem!--Would not you, honored Registrator, mention to
the good Herr Anselmus himself--Hem! what we were speaking of before?"

"With all the pleasure in nature," said Registrator Heerbrand; and
after all were seated in a circle, he began, without farther preamble,
as follows:

"In this city is an old, strange, remarkable man; people say he
follows all manner of secret sciences; but as there are no such
sciences, I rather take him for an antiquary, and, along with
this, for an experimental chemist. I mean no other than our Privy
Archivarius Lindhorst. He lives, as you know, by himself, in his old
sequestered house; and when disengaged from his office he is to
be found in his library, or in