His countenance had
a singular air of gravity; and especially the round hooked nose, on
which was a huge pair of spectacles, distinguished itself from all the
noses ever seen. He wore a strange peruke too--more like a feather-cap
than a wig.
"Ey, many good evenings!" grated and cackled the little comical
mannikin. "Is the student Herr Anselmus among you, gentlemen?--Best
compliments from Archivarius Lindhorst; he has waited today in vain
for Herr Anselmus; but tomorrow he begs most respectfully to request
that Herr Anselmus would not forget the hour."
And with this he went out again; and all of them now saw clearly
that the grave little mannikin was in fact a gray Parrot. Conrector
Paulmann and Registrator Heerbrand raised a horse-laugh, which
reverberated through the room, and, in the intervals, Veronica was
moaning and whimpering, as if torn by nameless sorrow; but as to the
student Anselmus, the madness of inward horror was darting through
him, and unconsciously he ran out of the door, into the street.
Instinctively he reached his house, his garret. Ere long Veronica came
in to him, with a peaceful and friendly look, and asked him why, in
his intoxication, he had so alarmed her; and desired him to be on
his guard against new imaginations, while working at Archivarius
Lindhorst's. "Good night, good night, my beloved friend!" whispered
Veronica, scarce audibly, and breathed a kiss on his lips.
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