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 work-box, and handing them to Hofrat Heerbrand, she proceeded:  “Here, take the fragments of the mirror, dear Hofrat; throw them down, tonight, at twelve o’clock, over the Elbe-bridge, from the place where the Cross stands; the stream is not frozen there; the lock, however, do you wear on your faithful breast.  I again abjure all magic; and heartily wish Anselmus joy of his good fortune, seeing he is wedded with the green Snake, who is much prettier and richer than I. You, dear Hofrat, I will love and reverence as becomes a true honest wife.”

“Alack!  Alack!” cried Conrector Paulmann, full of sorrow; “she is cracked, she is cracked; she can never be Frau Hofraetin; she is cracked!”

“Not in the least,” interrupted Hofrat Heerbrand; “I know well that Mam’sell Veronica has felt kindly toward the loutish Anselmus; and it may be that in some fit of passion, she has had recourse to the wise woman, who, as I perceive, can be no other than the card-caster and coffee-pourer of the Seetor—­in a word, old Rauerin.  Nor can it be denied that there are secret arts, which exert their influence on men but too balefully; we read of such in the Ancients, and doubtless there are still such; but as to what Mam’sell Veronica is pleased to say about the victory of the Salamander, and the marriage of Anselmus with the green Snake, this, in reality, I take for nothing but a poetic allegory; a sort of poem, wherein she sings her entire farewell to the Student.”

“Take it for what you will, best Hofrat!” cried Veronica; “perhaps for a very stupid dream.”

“That I nowise do,” replied Hofrat Heerbrand; “for I know well that Anselmus himself is possessed by secret powers, which vex him and drive him on to all imaginable mad freaks.”