d do anything
to please you, but I cannot do that."

Annele was silent and walked on. The mother, however, whispered to
Lenz--"What's the good of discussing things? You ought to have
said--'Oh yes, dear Annele! I will see about it'--or something of that
kind, and afterwards you could have done just as you liked. She is a
mere child, and that is the way to manage children. If you are shrewd,
you can manage her perfectly; but you must not make too much of a
thing, and snap up every word. Let the subject drop for a few days, and
don't renew it immediately; don't promise rashly, if you are not sure
about a thing: she will either think it over alone, or more probably
forget it. She is but a child."

Lenz looked at her disapprovingly, and said, "Annele is no child; she
is capable of discussing any subject, and she understands everything."

"Oh! you think so, of course," said the mother, shrugging her
shoulders.

When they were half way across the meadow Annele exclaimed again: "Good
heavens! I had no idea it was so far, or so steep! what a distance it
is! it will be an age before we get there!"

"I can't make the distance shorter," said Lenz, in a displeased, dry
tone.

Annele turned, and looked at him inquisitively.

He continued, stammering, "I am sure that, for all that, you will be
rather glad that the distance is so far. Remember, that shows how large
our meadow must be. I could keep three cows on it, if it were not so
much trouble."

Annele smiled in a forced manner. At last they arrived at the house.
Annele panted for breath, and complained that she was sadly overheated.

"Welcome home, in God's name," said Lenz, seizing her hand as she
crossed the threshold.

She looked at him kindly, and suddenly said, "You are really a kind
soul, and take everything with good humour!"

Lenz was pleased, and what a happy woman Franzl was. First the mother
gave her her hand, and then Annele did the same. And both praised up to
the skies the kitchen, the parlour, and the whole house, as so clean
and neatly arranged.

The mother stood with Franzl below, while Lenz took Annele all over the
house, and showed her the seven beds, and their stock of bedding, and
two large feather beds besides, which could make at least three more.
He opened trunks, and chests, in which stores of fine white linen were
closely packed, and said, "Now Annele, what do you think of these? You
are a little surprised, I should think? Can any one see