d Annele; "I am not like you,
to let my arms hang down at my side. I don't care what becomes of me;
but I choose to see the danger. You would like to wait till some one
came to dig you out or till the snow went away of itself; that is not
my way. Defend yourself, is our family motto."

"Stay where you are; I will strike a light," answered Lenz; but hardly
had he reached the next room before Annele stood beside him with the
child in her arms. On attempting to go to the garret a new misfortune
disclosed itself; the roof had been broken in. "The snow alone could
not have done the damage," he said; "it has brought trunks of trees
down with it, and that was what made such a crash."

"I don't care what made it; only let us find some help, some way of
escape."

She ran hither and thither trying all the windows and doors. Not till
she found that all were firmly walled up and yielded nothing under her
fiercest efforts, did she admit the full extent of the catastrophe, and
setting the child down upon the table, broke out into screams and
tears. Lenz took the child in his arms, and with difficulty persuaded
Annele to be quiet. "The hand of death is upon our house," he said;
"all struggle is unavailing. Did you keep William too at home? Is he
concealed anywhere here?"

"No; he went with the maid. I kept only the baby."

"Thank God! we are not all lost; one of us at least is saved. Poor
little child! I sent the boy away, Annele, that he might not see his
father kill himself; but now all is changed. God summons us all. Poor
child, to have to perish for your parents' sins!"

"I have not sinned; I have nothing to reproach myself with."

"Good; hold to that to the last. Do you not know that you have murdered
me, poisoned the very heart in my body, disgraced me in my own eyes,
trodden me under foot, taken all strength from me?"

"A man who allows his strength to be taken from him deserves nothing
better."

"An hour more and we may be standing before another judgment-seat. Look
into your heart, Annele."

"Keep your preaching to yourself; I don't want it."

An instant afterwards her screams summoned Lenz to the kitchen, whither
she had gone to light the fire, and where he found her gazing in terror
at the rats and mice congregated on the hearth, while a raven flew
round and round the kitchen, knocking down plates and pots in his
course.

"Kill them! kill them!" shrieked Annele, and fled into the adjoining
room.

The rats