wafted from the open chest, beside which her master had fallen, and like
a butterfly, fluttered down upon the heart that had ceased to beat
several hours before.

Six months after the death of the Court apothecary, Melchior Ueberhell
returned home and Frau Vorkel or, as she must now be called, Frau
Schimmel, was the only person to whom he wrote to announce the hour of
his arrival in Leipsic.

In his letter the young doctor begged her to undertake the responsibility
of engaging a man servant and a kitchen maid for him, and of seeing that
there was a fire laid on his hearth to welcome him. He also asked "his
faithful old friend" to nail up before the furnace of the laboratory on
the first floor the brass triangle which the messenger, who brought the
letter, would give to her. It was to be hung with the face, bearing the
numerals and the figures of animals, towards the outside.

This news threw Frau Schimmel into a great state of excitement and at the
appointed hour everything stood ready for the reception of the future
occupants of the Ueberhell house.

Doctor Melchior and his family waited in Connewitz for the sun to set
that he might enter his native town after it was dark and yet before the
city gates were closed; for it was characteristic of his retiring nature
to wish to avoid exposing himself and his beautiful wife and child to the
vulgar curiosity of the people. These two had made the journey in a
litter carried by mules.

As it was just the time for the Easter fair and many strangers were
arriving in Leipsic the travellers passed through the Peterstrasse,