ght him his breakfast, sat down uninvited beside him, and
asked, "What shall I dress for your dinner today?"

"For me? Nothing. I don't intend to dine at home. Get what you like for
yourself. Only think, Franzl, that kind Pilgrim----"

"Yes; he was here yesterday," interrupted Franzl, "and waited for you a
long time."

"Did he? and I was at his house. What do you think, Franzl? the
kindhearted fellow painted a portrait of my mother yesterday, secretly;
you will be surprised to see how like life she looks: one might almost
fancy she must begin to speak."

"I knew that he was doing it, for he made me send him, privately, your
mother's Sunday jacket, and cap, and neckhandkerchief. You have locked
up her string of garnets with other things, of which I know nothing. It
is no affair of mine: I have no wish to know everything; but when I do
know a thing, and it is to be kept secret, you might cut me in two, and
I would not say a syllable. Has any one ferreted out of me that I knew
what Pilgrim was doing? Did I say a single word to you to account for
his not coming here? You may entrust me with anything."

As, however, Lenz did not entrust her with anything, she asked: "Where
are you going today? and where were you last night?"

Lenz looked at her with surprise, and made no answer.

"Probably you were with your uncle Petrowitsch?" continued Franzl.

Lenz shook his head, but vouchsafed no other reply, and Franzl smoothed
their mutual difficulty by saying: "I have no more time to spare; I
must go to the garden to cut beans for our dinner. I have engaged a
charwoman to help me a little; for we must collect our potatoes to-day.
You approve of this, don't you?"

"Yes, yes--do everything just as you think best."

Lenz went to his workshop, but his head today seemed in considerable
confusion. He could not please himself in the choice of his tools, and
he even threw aside, pettishly, his father's file, which he had
hitherto considered such a treasure.

The great clock played the music of the "Magic Flute."

"Who set these works again in motion?" asked Lenz quickly, in surprise.

"I did," said the apprentice.

Lenz said nothing. The usual routine must be resumed. The world does
not stand still because a heart has ceased to beat for ever, or because
a mourner would fain be still for ever, too. Lenz continued to work
assiduously. The journeyman mentioned that a young artificer in
Freiberg had come home from his travels, an