l of rest; your pure eyes say, as they look
down upon us, Thank God, children, that it is so with you, and so shall
continue your life long."

"It seems impossible I have been here so little while," continued
Annele; "I feel as if I had lived here forever. These quiet hours are
better than years anywhere else."

"How prettily and cleverly you describe it! Only remember your words,
if ever this place should seem too lonely for you. Those who did not
believe you could be happy in such a solitude will be surprised."

"Who didn't believe I could be happy? I know,--your Pilgrim, your great
artist. He is a pretty fellow. Whoever is not an angel he sets down as
a devil. But one thing I tell you, he shall never cross this
threshold."

"It was not Pilgrim. Why will you try to find any one now to hate? A
hundred times I have heard my mother say, 'We can have no peace of mind
if we do not feel kindly towards our fellow-men.' If she had but lived
a year longer, that you might have learned of her! Was not that a good
saying? You know how it is if you hate any one, or know you have an
enemy. I experienced it once, and remember how hard it was. Wherever
you go, or whatever you do, you feel an invisible pistol pointed at
you. My greatest happiness is, that there is no one in the world whom I
hate, and no one, so far as I know, who hates me."

Annele had but half heard him. "Who could have said so if it were not
Pilgrim?"

"No one. I have only feared so sometimes myself."

"I don't believe that. Some one put it into your head. But you ought
not to have repeated it to me. I might tell what persons have said to
me about you,--persons you would never suspect of speaking so. You have
your enemies, like the rest of us, but I know better than to make you
uncomfortable by repeating their stupid talk."

"You only say that to pay me back. It is all fair; I have deserved it.
But now we are quits, and let us be merry."

The two were, indeed, full of happiness again. Franzl in the kitchen
often moved her lips, as she was wont to do when thinking to herself.
That is natural and right; thank God they feel so. Such would have been
my life with Anton, if he had not proved faithless, and married a black
woman!

On Sunday morning Lenz said, "I had quite forgotten to tell you that I
had invited a guest to dinner with us today. You have no objection?"

"No; who is it?"

"My good Pilgrim."

"You should have invited your uncle too; it would