Karl readily agreed. The painter produced some of his best; but took care
not to allow Lilith to taste it; for he had cunningly prepared and mingled
with it a decoction of certain herbs and other ingredients, exercising
specific actions upon the brain, and tending to the inordinate excitement
of those portions of it which are principally under the rule of the
imagination. By the reaction of the brain during the operation of these
stimulants, the imagination is filled with suggestions and images. The
nature of these is determined by the prevailing mood of the time. They are
such as the imagination would produce of itself, but increased in number
and intensity. Teufelsbuerst, without philosophizing about it, called his
preparation simply a love-philtre, a concoction well known by name, but
the composition of which was the secret of only a few. Wolkenlicht had, of
course, not the least suspicion of the treatment to which he was
subjected.
"Teufelsbuerst was, however, doomed to fresh disappointment. Not that his
potion failed in the anticipated effect, for now Karl's real sufferings
began; but that such was the strength of Karl's will, and his fear of
doing anything that might give a pretext for banishing him from the
presence of Lilith, that he was able to conceal his feelings far too
successfully for the satisfaction of Teufelsbuerst's art.
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