"No: that I did not know," she said almost with dread, and arose.
"No: that I have never known!"

"But allow me, dear lady, so you know it now," he said, surprised
that the title or profession produced so strong an effect.

"Yes, now I know it," she said, and held her hand upon her heart.
"Why do you tell me that? What does that signify?"

"Nothing else, Miss Hjelm, than that you may understand that I
don't believe in witchcraft."

A speaker's physiognomy is often more intelligible than his words;
and as Miss Hjelm saw the both hearty and spirited or jovial
expression in the counsellor's face, she had not that inclination,
which she under other circumstances would have had, quickly to
break off the conversation and go away. It is possible, also, that
his situation as Superior Court Counsellor--as that counsellor
mentioned by Miss Brandt--did not, after a moment's consideration,
appear to her so dreadful as at the first moment of surprise. So
she answered:

"But, Mr. Counsellor, is there then anybody who has accused you of
believing in witchcraft?"

"No, dear madam; but for all that I can assure you, that at the
moment the clock struck twelve I thought that you, by two o'clock,
most fly away in the form of a bird."

"As the clock struck twelve now, at noon?--not at midnight?"