g him. He shouted in reply till the echoes rang; he went
back a space; but no one did he see or hear. Again he pushed on. The
trees, the mountains, seemed dancing to meet him. A woman who looked
like his mother came towards him. If his mother should see him thus!
The old woman gave him a friendly greeting as she passed, and warned
him not to linger in the valley after dark, for there were black
gullies in the snow, and avalanches were falling which might bury a man
and no one be the wiser.

A wonderful tone there was in the old woman's voice, just like his
mother's. Thanks for the friendly warning!

A sacred vow Lenz registered in his heart.--

He also resolved, however, not to go home empty-handed, and, turning
his steps to the city, sought the house of his brother-in-law, the
lumber-merchant. The rich man was happily at home, but gave him such an
ungracious reception that he found it difficult to state his errand.
Sister Babette's husband laid all the family misfortunes at Lenz's
door; he alone was to blame for not having taken affairs from the
beginning into his own hands. Whether the accusation was made in good
faith or not, it furnished an excellent excuse for refusing help. In
vain did Lenz pray, with clasped hands, to be saved from absolute ruin.
The lumber-merchant only shrugged his shoulders and advised him to
apply to his rich uncle, Petrovitsch.

CHAPTER XXIX.

ANOTHER WORLD.

"Good evening, Mr. Lenz," a voice cried to the dispirited wayfarer, as
he was turning sadly away. Lenz started. Who could be calling him "Mr.
Lenz?"

A sleigh drew up by his side, and the engineer, throwing back his fur
wrappings, pressed him to jump in and occupy his empty seat. There was
no resisting his cordial manner. He made Lenz, who was warm from
walking, take the fur robe, while he covered himself over with the
horse-blanket. The horses set off at a brisk pace; the bells jingled
merrily; they seemed to be flying through the strangely soft air.

Annele is right; I ought to have managed to keep a carriage and horses,
was Lenz's bitter thought in his poverty and debasement. A tormenting
spirit seemed ready to turn every occurrence of this day into a
reminder of his life's failure, and a temptation to unholy desires.

The engineer was very communicative. He spoke with peculiar
satisfaction of the friendly relations that existed between himself and
Pilgrim.