needed, he was ready to pledge his body and soul to death and damnation,
and sign the bond with his heart's blood, if by the end of the thirteenth
day he had not found the red Lion, and through its aid 'Aurum potabile'
and the panacea against every evil of body or soul. This would likewise
give him the power of turning every mineral, even the most worthless,
into pure gold, as easily as I might turn my spinning-wheel or say a
Paternoster.

All this he poured forth with rolling eyes and panting breath, and that
he spoke every word in sacred earnest none could doubt; and indeed the
fervent, eager longing which appealed to my compassion and charity from
every fibre of his being, might have moved me to bestow on him that which
he craved, if I had possessed such wealth; but, as it was, I was forced
to say him nay; and whereas at this minute Susan came in with the tidings
that a man had come from the Pernharts', bidding me go forthwith to Ann,
I threw over me my cloak and gave him to understand how matters stood
with me, bidding him farewell with all gentleness yet of set purpose.

The blood mounted into his pale cheeks; he came close up to me, and set
his teeth, and said wrathfully that I must and I should save him, and
with him my own brother, if I did but clearly understand the sense and
purpose of his entreaty. And he began with a flood of speech to tell me
how near he was to his end, with a number of outlandish, magical words
such as "the great Magisterium," "the Red Lion," "the Red Tincture," and
the like, till meseemed my brain reeled with the sinful gibberish;
notwithstanding, to this day I believe that in all truth he was nigh
attaining his purpose; and he might have done so at last were it not
that, a short space after this, he was choked by the vapor from an
alembic which burst.