finds the nicest things to tell her; but men, with the
exception of a few, who immediately print their pretty phrases, talk
miserable rubbish. It positively makes my hair stand on end when I
think that they used to do exactly the same in my day, and I didn't
take it in ill part. They are only really clever when they're driven
into a corner and can't help themselves; it must be a fearful strain on
them."

"Yes," said the Raven-mother, "it's as if they thought that a fresh
girl like that could only be caught by extraordinary nonsense--to be
sure, she laughs at their foolishness; but I tell you she's a cool head
all the same."

"And she's right," said Frau Kummerfelden.

But the talk of two old women is a dry affair. In the spring twilight
they were sitting by the window in the great living-room; the young
people were playing forfeits. In the next room the table was laid for
supper.

They had passed a good many merry Sunday afternoons and evenings with
the object of all this devotion, harmless, amusing hours, in which the
suitors forgot what had brought them there and enjoyed themselves just
like other people. But tonight there seemed to be a sort of spring
fever in the air. Outside a cold, persistent rain could be heard
falling, in spite of the new leaves on the trees. In the chicken-house
the fowls were clucking in a Sunday afternoon ennui. The wretched rain
had interfered with the usual Sunday occupations of the men and maids.
Footsteps dragged across the yard in whose very sound discontent and
boredom could be detected. The raindrops beat against the window-panes,
or when the wind dropped, came down like a soft gray curtain.

The little town of Weimar, with all its distinguished men, lay hidden
in mist and equally bored at the foot of the long slope of
the Ettersberg, looking like any other little country town in the
rain--comfortless and desolate'. In the midst of the loneliness and the
spring rain, sounded now and then the note of a thrush, crying for the
sun.

The Kirsten girls and their comrades had slipped up in spite of rain
and mud, because they hoped that on such a day the amorous youths, the
donkeys, as they called them, would stay at home. But the same thought
had struck others. Each had hoped not to find the rest and to be able
to show off his own personality; and all had been disappointed.

The object of their devotion was in anything but a good mood. A sort of
disgust had seized her as all the dri