Faller went about among the guests looking very stiff and awkward, but was at last relieved by Ernestine coming to a.s.sist him in serving the company. "I only do this for Lenz's sake," said he to himself, and he would have liked to say this to every person to whom he brought anything to eat. He scarcely ate or drank himself. When he was close to Lenz once, he said to him--"I have not brought you any wedding gift; I could not bear to give you little, and much I have not to give; but I would gladly give you my life if you required it."

Lenz enjoined on his worthy friend to take care of himself, and said he had now done enough for others. Just in good time he remembered that he had intended to invite old Probler. Faller offered to go and fetch him.

Old Probler came, but he would not be persuaded to go into the public room, as he had no Sunday suit; so Lenz gave him a dish heaped up with meat, enough to last three days at least, and a good bottle of wine into the bargain. The old man was so surprised, that he almost forgot to offer his usual pinch of snuff; and all he said was, "I will bring back the bottle." Lenz said he might keep it, which pleased old Probler immensely, and he quickly took himself off.

When Lenz and Annele were on their way home, morning was almost breaking; and though the moon was up, it was again covered with heavy clouds. On this occasion they were without either escort or torches.

Annele complained that it was frightfully dark, and that she was so weary she could scarcely stand. "I ought to have stayed at home to-night," said she.

"Home?--how do you mean? Your home is up on the hill there."

Annele was silent, and the two walked on together quietly for a time.

"Did you count the money we got today?" said Annele at last.

"No--I can do that at home. I know there must be a good deal, for it is such a weight. It was lucky that your father lent me one of his empty purses."

"What do you mean by empty purses? He has plenty full enough," said Annele quickly.

"I neither inquired about that, nor even once thought about it."

She now pressed forward up the hill, so that Lenz might get home to count the money. When they arrived he did so, but too slowly according to her ideas, and she soon showed him that a landlord's daughter knew better how to set about it. While she was counting, Lenz said:--"I take a different view of the case. It is just as well that we should have accepted presents from these poor people: it does them credit in the eyes of others, and enables them, one and all, to accept a.s.sistance from us in any difficulty without hesitation." Annele looked up at him in the midst of her reckoning.

Lenz had always his own peculiar reasons for everything. He never agreed to anything simply because it appeared to be so to others, but delayed his a.s.sent till he was convinced himself of the fact, and then he was thoroughly converted. Annele said nothing, but kept repeating the number she had arrived at, for fear of forgetting it. There were exactly one hundred and twenty gulden collected, deducting four bad smaller coins. Annele railed violently at those unprincipled men, who could deceive by giving base money. Lenz tried to pacify her by saying--"Don't say that--perhaps they were poor men who had nothing else to give," Annele's eyes flashed, and she replied testily:--"It appears that you know everything, and that I know nothing."

"I did not in the least mean that. Don't be so hasty."

"I never was ill-tempered in my life, and you are the first person that ever said so. Ask any one; and indeed you had pretty good proofs this very day what people think of me."

"Yes, yes! it is surely no use our quarrelling on such a subject."

"I am not quarrelling; and I am sure I don't care what the sum is--if it were only three farthings, it is all the same to me; but I don't choose to be snubbed every word I say."

"Now do be less hasty, Franzl will really think we are quarrelling."

"She may think just what she pleases; and it is just as well to tell you at once, that Franzl can't possibly stay in this house."

"You don't mean, I suppose, that she is to go tonight?"

"Not tonight, but either tomorrow or very soon."

"We will talk about it tomorrow; I am tired, and you said you were tired also."

"Yes; but when people are unjust to me, and attack me, I no longer feel tired. I have no idea of giving in."

"I neither attacked you nor wished to attack you. Remember what our Pastor said:--our honour is the same."

"You need not repeat to me what our Pastor said; and I don't think it was at all pleasant on his part, to preach as if he were reconciling two people who had already been at strife."

"G.o.d forbid he should ever have cause to do that for us. We shall, I trust, bear with each other, and live together in faithful love, both in joy and sorrow, so long as we live, as my mother used to say."

"Yes; let us show the world that we know how to keep house."

"Shall I set the musical timepiece going?"

"No; we have had enough of turmoil today."

END OF VOL. II.