expending on the fire two hundred and sixteen great billets, succeeded in
conquering its incombustibleness, and reducing it to ashes. Such, at
least, was the story which had reached the painter's household, and was
believed by many; and if all this did not compel the perturbed corpse to
rest, what more could be done?

"When Karl had reached his room, and was dressing himself, the thought
struck him that something might be made of the report of the extreme
weight of the body of old Kuntz, to favour the continuance of the delusion
of Teufelsbuerst, although he hardly knew yet to what use he could turn
this delusion. He was convinced that he would have made no progress
however long he might have remained in his house; and that he would have
more chance of favour with Lilith if he were to meet her in any other
circumstances whatever than those in which he invariably saw her--namely,
surrounded by her father's influences, and watched by her father's cold
blue eyes.

"As soon as he was dressed, he crept down to the studio, which was now
quiet enough, the storm being over, and the moon filling it with her
steady shine. In the corner lay in all directions the fragments of the
mould which his own body had formed and filled. The bag of plaster and the
bucket of water which the painter had been using stood beside. Lottchen
gathered all the pieces together, and then making his way to an outhouse
where he had seen various odds and ends of rubbish lying, chose from the
heap as many pieces of old iron and other metal as he could find. To these
he added a few large stones from the garden. When he had got all into the
studio, he locked the door, and proceeded to fit together the parts of the
mould, filling up the hollow as he went on with the heaviest things he
could get into it, and solidifying the whole by pouring in plaster; till,
having at length completed it, and obliterated, as much as possible, the