w, I cannot tell you.
I am--Annele--"

"Children, what are you about? The whole room is looking at you," broke
in the landlady. "I can perfectly trust you, Lenz; if you have anything
so very special to say to Annele, I will have a lamp lighted in the
private sitting-room, and you can have your talk out there."

"Oh no, mother," cried Annele, trembling; but the landlady was already
gone. Annele flew after her. Lenz sat motionless, while the whole room
swam before his eyes. He got up at length, stole out, saw the door of
the sitting-room open, and was alone with Annele. She hid her face.

"Look at me," he entreated; "look at me while I speak to you. Annele, I
am but a foolish, simple fellow; but--" he pressed his hand to his
heart, hardly able to go on--"but if you think me worth it, you can
make me happy."

"You are worth more than the whole world; you are too good; you do not
know how bad the world is."

"The world is not bad, for you are in it. Answer me; answer me truly:
Will you stand by me? will you help me to be industrious and good? will
you be mother, wife, all to me? Say yes, and my whole life shall be
yours."

"Yes, a thousand and a thousand times yes!" She fell upon his breast,
and he held her fast.

"Mother, O my mother!" cried Lenz, as the landlady appeared. "Dear
landlady, forgive me!" he added, apologetically.

"You have nothing to fear from me," returned the landlady. "But,
children, I must beg one thing. Annele can tell you I have always been
a good friend to you. 'Lenz must prosper,' I have always said, 'for his
mother's blessing rests upon him.' But I pray you, children, to act with
caution. You do not know my husband. He so worships his children that
he is angry with every man that tries to take them from him. Thank God,
we shall keep one near us, if it be his will. They will not all grow to
be such strangers." Here the landlady wept bitterly, but after a
vigorous wiping of her eyes and nose was able to continue. "For the
present my husband must observe nothing. I will break the matter to him
first, and let you know, Lenz, when you may regularly lay your suit
before him. Till that time you must not enter the house. Bring your
uncle with you to the betrothal. It will be showing him no more than
proper respect to allow him to take your father's place. All my other
daughters were received into large families with all the ceremony
that is observed in the highest circles. God gave me no son, Lenz