an to leave the
house tonight, and to give him no more to drink.

When Lenz closed the door behind him, Proebler threw his snuff box after
him, shouting out:--

"I shall never want it again."

Panting for breath, as if he had just escaped from a hot, stifling
covering, Lenz went on his way in the open air. Twilight was beginning
to fell, the kingfisher was singing on the frozen stream below, the
crows were flying towards the woods; a roedeer came out of the wood and
stood still, looking fixedly at Lenz till he came quite close, when he
sprang hurriedly back into the thicket, and his traces could be
followed a long way by the snow that fell from the branches of the
young firs.

Lenz stood still several times to listen, for he thought he heard his
name shouted out behind him; perhaps Proebler was following him; he
answered in a loud voice, which was caught up by the echo; he retraced
his steps a considerable way, but he saw and heard nothing; then he
went straight forwards; the trees and the hills seemed to come to meet
him, and he saw a female figure on his path, which looked like his
mother. If she could see him as he now is!

The old woman who met him nodded kindly, and said he must take good
care to be out of the valley before nightfall, for there were black
channels visible in the snow, and avalanches were not unfrequent round
here, and people were swallowed up in a moment, before they could look
round.

The voice of the woman sounded strangely in his ears; it was as if his
mother had really spoken--and a good hearted warning it was.

Lenz made a solemn vow, deep, deep, in his heart. He was anxious not to
return home quite empty handed, so he went to the nearest town to his
brother-in-law, the timber merchant, and was so fortunate as to find
him at home. It was difficult for Lenz to explain his purpose, for his
brother-in-law either was angry, or affected to be so. He reproached
Lenz for not having advised his father-in-law better, and taken the
business out of his hands. Lenz was the chief cause of the old man's
ruin.

Whether the timber merchant were really displeased or pretended to be
so, there is no better mode, at all events, of refusing assistance.
Lenz implored him with uplifted hands to help him, or he must be
utterly ruined. The brother-in-law shrugged his shoulders, and said
Lenz had better apply to his rich uncle Petrowitsch.

CHAPTER XXIX.