nnchen's departure she fervently prays to
Heaven for her beloved. When she sees him come to her through the
forest with flowers on his hat, her fears vanish, and she greets him
joyously. But Max only answers hurriedly, that having killed a stag in
the Wolf's-glen, he is obliged to return there. Agathe, filled with
terror at the mention {100} of this ill-famed name wants to keep him
back, but ere she can detain him, he has fled. With hurried steps Max
approaches the Wolf's-glen, where Caspar is already occupied in forming
circles of black stones, in the midst of which he places a skull, an
eagle's wing, a crucible and a bullet-mould. Caspar then calls on
Samiel, invoking him to allow him a few more years on earth. To-morrow
is the day appointed for Satan to take his soul, but Caspar promises to
surrender Max in exchange. Samiel, who appears through the cleft of a
rock, agrees to let him have six of the fatal balls, reserving only the
seventh for himself.

Caspar then proceeds to make the bullets, Max only looking on, stunned
and remorseful at what he sees. His mother's spirit appears to him,
but he is already under the influence of the charm, he cannot move.
The proceeding goes forward amid hellish noise. A hurricane arises,
flames and devilish forms flicker about, wild and horrible creatures
rush by and others follow in hot pursuit. The noise grows worse, the
earth seems to quake, until at length after Caspar's reiterated
invocations Samiel shows himself at the word, "seven". Max and Caspar
both make the sign of the cross, and fall on their knees more dead than
alive.

In the third act we find Agathe, waiting for her bridesmaids. She is
perturbed and sad, having had frightful dreams, and not knowing what
has become of Max. Aennchen consoles her, diverting her with a merry
song, until the bridesmaids {101} enter, bringing flowers and gifts.
They then prepare to crown her with the bridal wreath, when lo, instead
of the myrtle, there lies in the box a wreath of white roses, the
ornament of the dead.

Meanwhile everybody is assembled on the lawn near Prince Ottocar's
tent, to be present at the firing of the master-shot. The Prince
points out to Max a white dove as an object at which to aim. At this
critical moment Agathe appears, crying out: "Don't shoot Max, I am the
white dove!" But it is too late; Max has fired, and Agathe sinks down
at the same time as Caspar, who has been waiting behind a tree and wh