hing he had acquired
was his money, and see how profitably he has laid it out--a man like
that is sure to prosper."

"And why should not we?"

"Those who take pleasure in things that gold cannot buy, do not require
money. See! all the superfluous clinking sounds I hear proceed from my
guitar, and it is enough for me. A few days ago I heard Don Bastian's
youngest boy say the Ten Commandments, and a very sagacious thought
occurred to me--'What is the first Commandment?'--'Thou shalt have none
other gods but me.' Now, every man can have but one god. You and I love
our professions. You are happy when you have finished a work of which
the mechanism is perfect; and I too, in the same way--though it often
goes sadly against the grain with me to paint that one everlasting
village, with the same everlasting girl, and the same woman and
child--but still I am glad when it is done; and when I am painting it I
am as merry as a bird--do you see?--as that goldfinch sitting on the
roof of the church. And he who takes pleasure in what he does, and
throws his whole heart and soul into it, cannot possibly spare time to
think of how to become rich, and to speculate, and to overreach others.
'Thou shalt have none other gods but me'--that is a wise command. In
fact, the other god is generally the Devil, and you may see the truth
of that by your uncle Petrowitsch."

"Come and live with me," was the only answer that Lenz made to his
friend. "I will build a couple of rooms for you upstairs."

"You mean well and kindly, but it would not do. Lenz, you are a
singular man. You are a born husband and father of a family: you must
marry, and already I rejoice at the thoughts of telling your children
stories of my travels. And when I become old, and can no longer earn my
bread, then I shall be only too thankful if you will take me into your
house, and cram me with good things till I die. But now keep your eyes
open, and remember I shall not be offended; on the contrary, it is my
advice, that you depreciate me before your uncle, who hates me; and
then, perhaps, he will leave you something in his will. You have quite
talent enough to accept a legacy. I have a remarkable talent in that
line myself; but unluckily all my relations are poor, or at least rich
only in children. I am the only one of the family who has anything to
leave, so you see I am a rich uncle like Petrowitsch."

His friend cheered Lenz, just as a passing sunny shower at that moment