s he opened the door he almost
sank to the ground. His mother was standing opposite, smiling on him!
He quickly, however, recovered from this startled feeling, and inwardly
thanked his friend for having depicted so closely that dear, good,
loving face, before time had effaced it from his memory. Yes, just so
had she looked at him in life! "Pilgrim is, and always will be, my best
friend. As he could not be with me he was engaged in doing me a favour;
yes, the greatest favour he could have done me."

Lenz gazed long and mournfully at the beloved features. His eyes were
swimming in tears, but still he continued to look at the picture. "So
long as I have the use of my eyes I can now always see you, but I shall
never hear you again. Oh! that I could but hear your voice once more!
Oh! that we could but recall the voice of the dead!" He could scarcely
prevail on himself to leave the room. It seemed so strange to leave his
mother thus alone, looking at him as he went out, and no eyes meeting
hers....

He did not go away till darkness set in, so that he could no longer
see; and on his way he said to himself--"Now it is time that
lamentation should cease. I can cherish my grief within my own heart,
but the world shall not say that I don't bear it like a man." He heard
the sound of music as he passed the Doctor's house. The windows were
open, and a man was singing foreign songs in a fine baritone voice: it
was not a voice belonging to the village. Who can it be? Whoever it is,
he sings well.

He heard the stranger say, "Now, Mademoiselle Bertha, I hope you will
sing me something."

"No, Herr Starr, I cannot just now; we must soon go to supper, and we
can sing a duett afterwards. Look through this music in the mean time."

This allusion to supper, and the resolution he had formed to enjoy life
again, seemed to awaken a good appetite in Lenz, and he forthwith
determined to go to the "Golden Lion;" so he went towards the village
with a quick and firm step.

"Oh, Lenz, good evening! How good of you to think of your friends, even
in your sorrow!" said the landlady. "I mentioned your name only a few
minutes since, and if you had been here today, you would have heard
that all those who have been going in and out during the day, were
talking of you. I am sure your cheeks must have been burning! Yes, my
good Lenz, you will meet with your reward even in this world, for your
admirable conduct to your excellent mother. And you know tha