s-day and handed her the odorous nosegay, along
with a little packet; out of which, when she opened it, a pair of
glittering ear-rings beamed up at her. A rapid flying blush tinted her
cheeks; her eyes sparkled in joy, and she cried: "O Heaven! These are
the very ear-rings which I wore some weeks ago, and thought so much
of."

"How can this be, dearest Mam'sell," interrupted Hofrat Heerbrand,
somewhat alarmed and hurt, "when I bought these jewels not an hour ago
in the Schlossgasse, for current money?"

But Veronica heeded him not; she was standing before the mirror to
witness the effect of the trinkets, which she had already suspended
in her pretty little ears. Conrector Paulmann disclosed to her, with
grave countenance and solemn tone, his friend Heerbrand's preferment
and present proposal. Veronica looked at the Hofrat with a searching
look, and said: "I have long known that you wished to marry me. Well,
be it so! I promise you my heart and hand; but I must now unfold to
you, to both of you, I mean, my father and my bridegroom, much that
is lying heavy on my heart; yes, even now, though the soup should get
cold, which I see Fraenzchen is just putting on the table."

Without waiting for the Conrector's or the Hofrat's reply, though the
words were visibly hovering on the lips of both, Veronica continued:
"You may believe me, best father, I loved Anselmus from my heart, and
when Registrator Heerbrand, who is now become Hofrat himself, assured
us that Anselmus might probably reach that position, I resolved that
he and no other should be my husband. But then it seemed as if alien
hostile beings were for snatching him away from me; I had recourse to
old Liese, who was once my nurse, but is now a wise woman, and a great
enchantress. She promised to help me and give Anselmus wholly into
my hands. We went at midnight on the Equinox to the crossing of the
roads; she conjured certain hellish spirits, and by aid of the black
Cat we manufactured a little metallic mirror, in which I, directing my
thoughts on Anselmus, had but to look in order to rule him wholly in
heart and mind. But now I heartily repent having done all this, and
here abjure all Satanic arts. The Salamander has conquered old Liese;
I heard her shrieks; but there was no help to be given; so soon as the
Parrot had eaten the Parsnip my metallic mirror broke in two with a
piercing clang." Veronica took out both the pieces of the mirror,
and a lock of hair from her