nt here in the rain. The drops fell thicker and
faster; leaves and twigs were torn from the trees near the boathouse,
and sent whirling far and wide. And yet this lonely man here in the
storm could not even now make up his mind to seek refuge in the house,
which stood before him with its bright windows looking so hospitable
and cozy, and protecting a crowd of happy beings from the furies of the
gale.

He was just considering whether he should not retreat, into one of the
boats which, lying under the roof of the boat-house, would at least
offer him a dry place of refuge, when a vivid flash of lightning lit
up the darkness around, and in the next instant, even before the
thunder-clap had time to follow, he heard a scoffing laugh, not far
away. He saw now that he was not quite alone. On the bridge of the
steamboat-landing, which was built on piles and ran out for some
distance into the lake, stood the young boatman who, an hour before,
had foretold the storm, and had refused to make the return journey. As
if he felt at home amid this whirlwind, he stood there in his
shirtsleeves, his jacket thrown over his shoulder, bareheaded, smoking
a short pipe, and leaning upon the railing of the bridge. His eyes were
fixed with an evil, piercing fire upon Felix, whom he had probably
mistaken for the young count because he had been busied with the boats.
As soon as the noise of the thunder had died away, he burst out anew in
a loud, scoffing laugh. "So Hiesl is a stupid boor, and doesn't know
anything--not even his own business? He ought to learn it from the city
gentlemen? Ha, ha, ha! I only wish you had had all the flesh washed off
your bones. Ha, ha, ha! Well, look sharp now, and carry the thing
through. It's just jolly inside there, and perhaps next time Heaven
will have sense enough to--"

The howling of the storm drowned the rest of his speech. Felix had a
sharp reply on the tip of his tongue, with which to rebuke the fellow,
and at the same time to show him that he had made a mistake in the
person. But now the tempest broke in such a terrible deluge of rain
that he was absolutely deprived of sight and hearing, and had to grope
his way to reach the house with a tolerably dry skin.

The heavy house-door was torn from its chain by the storm, and closed
behind him with a deafening crash. In the lower entry a number of
people sat at little tables hung on hinges along the wall, and just
large enough to hold the plates and beer-mug