uttered the malevolence they had secretly felt, and jeered
at him and tormented him, now that he was helpless. He went homewards,
but ran past his house to the wood, and ordered the woodcutters
instantly to desist, saying: "You have no right to cut trees here."

"Will you pay us our day's work?"

"Yes."

"Very well," They took their axes and went home.

In his own house Lenz found Annele pressing her children to her heart,
and crying out: "Oh! my poor children, you must beg! my poor infants!"

"Not so long as I have life and health," said Lenz; "remember I am your
husband, only be calm and good-tempered."

"Good-tempered! I never in my life did harm to any one; and you are
mistaken if you think now that you can make me your slave, and that I
shall creep at your feet, on account of my poor father's misfortunes.
Just the reverse! I won't give way in the smallest thing. It is now
your turn to show some of that benevolence you are so proud of. Show me
how you can stand by your wife."

"I will do so, undoubtedly; but unless a hand is opened, how can
anything be placed in it?"

"Had you only followed my advice, and bought the Lion, we should have
been provided for, and the house would not have been transferred to
strangers; above all, don't say one word to me about your money! On the
very spot where you are now sitting, you sat on that day; and here I
stood, and here your glass stood so close to the edge of the table,
that I pushed it farther on the table; do you remember? then and there,
I told you plainly and fairly--a prudent man does not part with his
money, not even to my father, nor to any one."

"Did you know of his difficulties at that time?"

"I knew nothing, absolutely nothing; but I did know what prudence
meant, and so leave me in peace."

"Will you not go to your mother? she is in such bitter grief."

"What good could I do? to set her off again in floods of tears at sight
of me? Why should I go down to be stared at, and pitied by all the
people? Am I to hear the Doctor's fine daughters strumming at their
music, and laughing as I pass by? I am quite contented to stay up here
by myself; I don't wish to see anybody."

"No doubt it is all for the best," said Lenz, kindly; "perhaps you will
in future be both better and happier here alone with me. The time may
return, indeed it must surely return, to what it once was, when you
said: 'Up here we are in Paradise, and we will let the world below
drive an