after her. Lenz sat
still--the whole room seemed to go round with him; at last he rose and
slipped out; the back parlour door was open, and he was alone now with
Annele. She hid her face with her hands.

"Look at me," said he; "Annele! Now may I speak out? You see, Annele, I
am a plain man--a very plain man, but--" putting his hand on his heart,
he could scarcely go on, "if you really think that I am worthy of you,
you could make me very happy."

"You are more worthy than any man in the whole world--you are only too
good; you have no idea of the wickedness of the world."

"The world is not all evil, as you are in it. Now, tell me, is it also
your wish, your honest wish?--Will you stand by me, and be my helper in
joy and sorrow, and be good, and industrious,--and will you be my
mother, my wife, and my all? Say yes--and I will be yours for life and
death!"

"Yes--a thousand times, yes!" She sank into his arms.

"Mother, dear mother!" cried Lenz. The Landlady came in. "Forgive me,"
said he, "for my presumption!"

"You have nothing but good to expect from me," said the Landlady; "but,
children, I have one thing to beg of you. Annele can tell you who
always spoke well of you, and always said, 'Lenz is sure to do well,
for his mother's blessing rests on his head.' But I entreat of you to
keep quiet; you don't know my husband as I do. All his children are
wound round his heartstrings, and he is always vexed when one is taken
from him. God be praised! if this event comes to pass; we shall have
one child in our native place, and not estranged from us like the
others." At these words the Landlady wept bitterly, but continued,
after violently blowing her nose. "My husband must know nothing of it
just at present. Let me, my children, prepare him for it by degrees,
and I know well how to do it, and when you ought to make your proposals
to him in due form; don't return to this house till then, and bring
your uncle with you, for it is only proper that you should pay him the
respect, to ask him to represent your father. Hitherto, my children
have always entered families of note; we are accustomed to observe the
same forms as the gentry. Lenz, God has given me no son of my own, and
I must honestly say I am rejoiced that you are to become my son. I have
a great regard for my other sons-in-law, but they are too genteel and
too high for me. Now go, Lenz, for my husband may come in at any
moment, and then who knows what might happen