gold and
dress burst upon her view, the sorrows of her heart vanished at once. I
repeat, that the abbess herself shall introduce thee to the cell of the
nun, and I will employ no supernatural means. Thou thyself shalt see how
the old gudgeon will swallow the hook. Come, we will pay her a visit
under the pious figures of two nuns. I know the manners and ways of the
nuns, ay, and of the monks too, of Germany, well enough to ape them. I
will represent the Abbess of the Black Nuns, and thou shalt be her
friend, Sister Agatha.

At this moment Faustus's friend came, full of joy, to inform him of the
happy issue of the law-suit. He was about to thank Faustus and the Devil
upon his knees; but Faustus said, "Spare your thanks, and take care of my
wife and family during my absence." He then whispered into the ear of
the Devil, "It is time to think of the Judge."

The Judge wished after dinner to gratify his beloved wife by counting the
gold pieces in her presence. He unlocked the coffer, and started back in
a tremor at the sight of its contents: the gold pieces were changed into
large rats, which sprang out, and fell furiously upon his face and hands.
The Judge, who had a great aversion to these animals, rushed out of the
room; but they pursued him, fastening on his heels. He hurried from the
house, and ran through the streets; but still they were close behind him.
He fled into the fields; but they allowed him no rest, and at last forced
the terrified wretch to seek shelter in the stone tower where the tolls
are gathered, and which stands in the middle of the Rhine. Here he
thought himself safe from farther pursuit; but rats and mice hot from
hell are not to be terrified by water: they swam through, fell upon him,
and ate him up alive. His wife, in her terror and astonishment, told the
history of the transformation of the gold pieces by which her unfortunate
husband had allowed himself to be dazzled; and from that time there has
not been in the whole diocese of Mayence a single instance of a judge or
a man in office taking a bribe. The Devil could not have foreseen this,
or he certainly would have let the scoundrel go unpunished.

Faustus and the Devil stood in their disguises before the gate of the
convent of White Nuns. The portress ran as fast as she could in order to
inform the abbess of the unexpected visitors. The abbess received them
with conventual greetings, to which the Devil answered in a similar tone.