se, and
greater still upon her hens. The hens, whose winter-quarters were in a
coop by the stove, politely clucked their thanks and took as good a
view as their space permitted of the man to whom their good qualities
were thus set forth. The gold-colored hen, called Yellow-hammer,
flapped her wings with delight, and then gave herself a good,
comfortable shake.

Lenz had no time to speak, before Franzl, thinking to comfort him,
broke out into fierce abuse of the landlady, mixed with commendations
of Katharine and her kindness to her, as well as to all the poor in the
neighborhood. "She feeds my hens, and they in return feed me," said the
old woman, laughing at her own wit.

Lenz at last made out to say that it was time for him to be going. He
heard Annele's sharp words as plainly as if she were standing at his
elbow, reproaching him for his foolish waste of time, in sitting
listening to any old woman's tale that was poured into his ears. He
cast a hurried look behind him to see if she were not actually in the
room, and hastily seized his hat and cane. Franzl begged him before he
went to mount with her into her little chamber under the roof where she
had something to say to him. He trembled inwardly lest Franzl too was
about to speak of his unhappiness at home. She did not refer to that,
however, but brought out from the straw of her bed a heavy, well-filled
shoe, tied with many fastenings, saying: "You must do me a favor; I
cannot sleep in peace with this thing here; and I pray you to take it
away and do what you please with it. Here are a hundred florins and
three crown-pieces. You will take them, won't you? and give me back my
quiet sleep." Lenz declined the proffered money, and again prepared to
depart; but Franzl wept and held him fast. "If you have any message for
your mother, let me know. Please God, I shall soon be with her, and
will deliver it faithfully. And if your mother is too timid to tell our
Lord God the whole truth, I will do it myself. You can rely upon me."

Still the old woman would not let go of Lenz's hand, and kept saying:
"There was something else I wanted to say to you; it has been on my
tongue, but now I cannot think what it was. As soon as you are gone I
shall certainly remember it. I was to remind you of something; don't
you know what it was?"

Lenz did not know what it was, and at last almost reluctantly took his
departure.

He entered a wayside inn, where a noisy welcome awaited him. "H