n so wondrously on the sand, and the foul fiend,
seeing that the moment for his triumph was come, declared his identity
without shame, and added that, would the architect but agree to renounce
all hopes of salvation in the next world, the peerless design would be
his to do with as he pleased.

The young man shuddered on receiving the momentous offer, but continued
to gaze fixedly at the cunning workmanship, and again the Evil One
addressed him, bidding him repair that very night to a certain place on
a blasted heath, where, if he would sign a document consigning his soul
to everlasting damnation, he would be presented with the plan duly
drawn on parchment. The architect still wavered, now eager to accept the
offer, and now vowing that the stipulated price was too frightful. In
the end he was given time wherein to come to a decision, and he hurried
from the place at hot speed as the tempter vanished from his sight.

On reaching his dwelling the architect flung himself upon his bed and
burst into a paroxysm of weeping. The good woman who tended him observed
this with great surprise, for he was not given to showing his emotions
thus; and wondering what terrible sorrow had come to him, she proceeded
to make kindly inquiries. At first these were met with silence, but,
feeling a need for sympathy, the architect eventually confessed the
truth; and the good dame, horrified at what she heard, hurried off to
impart the story to her father-confessor. He, too, was shocked, but he
was as anxious as Bishop Conrad that the proposed cathedral should be
duly built, and he came quickly to the architect's presence. "Here," he
told him, "is a piece of our Lord's cross. This will preserve you. Go,
therefore, as the fiend directed you, take the drawing from him, and
brandish the sacred relic in his accursed face the moment you have
received it."

When evening drew near the architect hurried to the rendezvous, where
he found the Devil waiting impatiently. But a leer soon spread over his
visage, and he was evidently overjoyed at the prospect of wrecking a
soul. He quickly produced a weird document, commanding his victim
to affix his signature at a certain place. "But the beautiful plan,"
whispered the young man; "I must see it first; I must be assured that
the drawing on the sand has been faithfully copied." "Fear nothing."
The Devil handed over the precious piece of vellum; and glancing at it
swiftly, and finding it in order, the architect