Faller now repeated the universal report, that Lenz had been trying to borrow money in all directions, and also to get a certain sum to make good the security he had given, for the purchase of Faller's house.

This was, however, no longer necessary, as Don Bastian had paid the purchase-money for him this very day.

When Annele heard that, she started up, and her gestures seemed to say--"So, he has deceived me, and told me downright lies. He is alive: he must be alive--for he must live to expiate his sin; for he declared that he had recalled his security. Only come home, liar and hypocrite!"

Annele left the room, and did not return till Faller was gone. All remorse--all contrition had vanished. Lenz had told her a falsehood, and he should repent it. "These watergruel, goodnatured people are all alike; because they have not the spirit to lay hold of a thing manfully, when necessary, they wish, in their turn, to be handled as tenderly as an egg without a sh.e.l.l; do nothing to me, and I do nothing to any one--refuse me nothing, I refuse nothing to any one, though it brings me to beggary. This is his doctrine! Only come home, pitiful milksop!"

Annele had no food warm at the fire for Lenz when he did come home.

There was, however, a warm reception awaiting him!

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

A STORMY NIGHT.

When Lenz left the Doctor to mount the hill, he was full of happy confidence. Two paths were open to him--his uncle or the manufactory.

When he saw lights shining in his house, he said to himself, "G.o.d be praised! those I love are expecting me. All will soon be right again."

Suddenly, like a fiery dart, the thought cut him to the heart "You have this day been wicked--downright wicked--doubly and trebly so. Both when you were with Kathrine and at the Doctor's, the sinful thought arose in your heart--how different your fate might have been! You have hitherto boasted of your honest heart--you can do so no longer. You are the father of two children, and have been five years married. Good heavens!

This is actually our fifth wedding day."

He stood still, and his conscience smote him. He said to himself: "Annele, good Annele! I have sinned in thought today in every way. My parents in heaven will not forgive me if that ever occurs again. But from this day we shall commence a new union."

With this feeling of indignation against himself, and in the joyful security that all would soon be on a more pleasant footing at home, he entered the house. "Where is my wife?" said he, finding the children sitting in the kitchen with the maid.

"She has just lain down."

"What? Is she ill?"

"She did not complain of anything."

Lenz hurried to his wife. "G.o.d be with you, Annele! I say good morning and good evening together, for I forgot it when I left you so early today; and I wish you all happiness, and myself too. Please G.o.d, from this day forth, all will go well with us!"

"Thank you."

"What is the matter? Are you ill?"

"No; only tired--very tired. I will rise immediately, however."

"No; stay where you are, if it rests you. I have good news to give you."

"I don't choose to lie here. Go away, and I will come to you presently."

"But first listen to what I have got to say."

"Plenty of time for that; a few minutes can't make much difference."

All Lenz's lightness of heart seemed to vanish; but he controlled his feelings, and went out and caressed the children. At last Annele came.

"Do you want anything to eat?" said she.

"No. How does my hat come here?"

"Faller brought it. I suppose you gave it to him to bring to me."

"Why should I do that? The wind carried it off my head." He related briefly his interview with Kathrine. Annele was silent: she was carefully h.o.a.rding up the arrow with the lie about Faller's security--the time will soon come when she can send it flying at his head. She can wait.

Lenz sent the maid into the kitchen, and taking his boy on his knee, he told Annele honestly everything, with one exception--the faithless thoughts he had entertained towards her. And Annele said: "Do you know the only reality in all that?"

"What?"

"The hundred gulden and three crown dollars old Franzl offered you. All the rest is stuff."

"Why so?"

"Because your uncle will never help you. I suppose you will own now, that you should not have helped him to slip through our fingers as to his intentions towards you, this day five years?"

"But the proposal about the manufactory?"

"Who is to enter it besides you?"

"I know of no one at this moment but Probler; and it is true he has made many useful discoveries in his life."

"Ha! ha!--capital! Probler and you!--a famous match, certainly! Have not I told you a hundred times that you would sink to his level? But he is better than you, for at least he has not brought a wife and family to beggary by his misconduct. To the deuce with such hypocrites and milksops! Go in harness with Probler, by all means!" cried Annele.

And s.n.a.t.c.hing the boy from his knee, she said pa.s.sionately to the child--"Your father is a scamp and an idler, and expects us to put every morsel of bread into his mouth. It is a pity his mother is not still living, to feed him with bread and milk. Oh! how low I am sunk!

But this I tell you, that so long as I live you shall not enter that manufactory. I would rather drown both myself and my children; then, perhaps, the Doctor's long-legged daughter, the young lady who is so learned in herbs, might marry you."

Lenz sat still, entirely confounded. His hair stood on end. At last he said--"Don't dare to call on my mother: leave her at peace in eternity."

"I can do that easily enough. I didn't want anything from her, and I never had anything from her."

"What?--have you thrown away the plant of Edelweiss that was hers?"

"Oh, stuff! I have it yet."

"Where? give it to me."

Annele opened a cupboard and showed him the plant. "I am thankful that you still have it," said Lenz, "for it will bring a blessing on us both."

"You seem pretty well out of your mind with your foolish superst.i.tions," answered Annele. "Must I submit to that, too? There!

fly away in the air, Edelweiss, along with the sacred inscription!"

She opened the window. A stormy wind was howling outside. "There, wind!" called she, "come! Carry it all off with you--the whole precious concern!" The writing and the plant were whirled away in a moment. The wind shrieked and whistled, and deposited the writing on the bleak hill.

"Annele, what have you done?" said Lenz with a groan.

"I am not superst.i.tious like you; I am not so lost to common sense yet, as to place any faith in the benefit of a spell."