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[Le Miroir de Venise]

The Venetian Looking-glass

In a laboratory an alchemist is at work amidst smoking retorts and the customary appliances. From time to time he consults his mysterious books. He is disturbed in his experiments by a usurer who seeks to have the alchemist show in a vision the face of his future wife. The alchemist accedes to his wishes on condition that the usurer give up a large sum of money. The latter regretfully hands over his bag of silver, and would like to get it back again after it leaves his hands. The alchemist brings forth a casket covered with cabalistic Persian characters. When the casket is opened there is revealed a Venetian mirror in which appears the head of a lovely young woman; after the head the body comes into view, and she then steps forth from the frame where she is replaced by the head of an old woman. The former advances to the arms of the usurer, but when he speaks of love to her whom he considers his fiancée, she at once disappears, and he finds in her stead in his arms the toothless old woman. Enraged he dashes for the mirror to break it, but beholds therein with horror his own image hung in effigy to a gibbet. He smashes the mirror, and then finds himself before a veritable gallows beside which is the executioner ready to hang him. Maddened with fear, he scrambles away while the alchemist shares with his colleagues his spoils.

MEL 1905-A