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.
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