Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 22 (US).djvu/73

 seizing a brush; with which, having dipt it in a copper skillet, she then besprinkled the grate. The fire went out; and as if filled with thick smoke, the room grew pitch-dark: but the crone, who had gone aside into a closet, soon returned with a lighted lamp; and now Veronica could see no beasts or implements in the apartment; it was a common meanly furnished room. The crone came up to her, and said with a creaking voice: "I know what thou wantest here, little daughter: tush, thou wouldst have me tell thee whether thou shalt wed Ansel mus, when he is Hofrath."

Veronica stiffened with amazement and terror; but the crone continued: "Thou hast told me the whole of it at home, at thy papa's, when the coffee-pot was standing before thee: I was the coffee-pot; didst thou not know me? Daughterkin, hear me! Give up, give up this Anselmus: 'tis a nasty creature; he trod my little sons to pieces, my dear little sons, the Apples with the red cheeks, that glide away, when people have bought them, whisk! out of their pockets again, and roll back into my basket. He trades with the Old One: 'twas but the day before yesterday, he poured that cursed Auripigment on my face, and I had nigh gone blind with it. Thou may'st see the burnmarks yet. Daughterkin, give him up, give him up! He loves thee not, for he loves the gold-green Snake; he will never be Hofrath, for he has joined the Salamanders, and he means to wed the green Snake: give him up, give him up!"

Veronica, who had a firm, steadfast spirit of her own, and could soon conquer girlish terror, now drew back a step, and said, with a serious resolute tone: "Old dame! I heard of your gift of looking into futurity; and wished, perhaps too curiously and thoughtlessly, to learn from you whether Anselmus, whom I love and value, could ever be mine. But if, instead of fulfilling my desire, you keep vexing me with your foolish unreasonable babble, you are doing wrong; for I have asked of you nothing but what, as I well know, you grant to others. Since, as it would seem, you are acquainted