Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 2.djvu/147

 "However, the quarrel between the two officers afforded me very soon such an alluring opportunity to display my skill, that I could not stand the temptation to perform the most cunning and subtle trick. The whole transaction bears such strong marks of the marvellous, that you will expect a long explanation, but the contrivance was so simple that a few words will suffice to unfold to you that strange affair."

"One morning a foreign officer sent for and requested me, to compose an ointment, which would make him invulnerable. I stared at him with wonder and astonishment; however, when he covered the whole table with gold, I was tempted to profit by his folly, and asked him who his antagonist was: Being told it was Lieutenant C, I would not run the risk of exposing myself to his resentment, and left the valiant son of Mars without listening to his proposal."