his heart was stirred within him while wandering in its lonely ravines, and how there lay concealed for him in its dark rocks the long-worshipped mystery of his life, and treasures inexhaustible.
One day as he took his way in a more melancholy mood than usual up the mountain, he perceived, while wandering under the dark fir-boughs, a clear light shining at a distance, and on approaching it, discovered an iron gate which seemed to defend the entrance to a lighted-up cavern full of open chests containing untold treasures of gold and silver and jewels, which all seemed to smile upon the dazzled beholder. As he stood gazing on the red gold, a gigantic figure suddenly appeared at his side, who addressed him in these words: “All those treasures are yours,—only mark well the place; when you return hither three days hence, yonder gate shall be standing open.” The forest had an opening at this spot which allowed a clear prospect into the valley beneath; towards the left of the Kynast, the steeple of Hermsdorf was just seen rising above an intervening eminence; above the Kynast rose the steeple of Warmbrun, and Hirschberg lay in the back-ground of the scene. The gigantic figure pointed out the bearings of the spires and the principal objects in the landscape: “Fix the picture well im your mind,” said he; “when you shall have returned three days hence, and recognised this spot by all those marks, then will you perceive the cavern lighted up as it now is, and the gate standing open; enter and your happiness is secured.” The astonished and enraptured chemist endeavoured by every means in his power to fix the locality of the wondrous spot; he went away,—returned again,—hesitated,—renewed his observations, and at last satisfied himself that he could not fail to recognise the identical spot from which he had beheld the riches of the cavern. “There is a piece of money for you,” said the mysterious figure, “that you may not persuade yourself that you have seen all this in a dream.” He gave him a gold coin inscribed with strange characters, and then
