CHAPTER XVI.
A HEART IS WON.
The Landlord seated himself beside Lenz, and was very fatherly. "You have got the money for your musical work?" asked he, abruptly.
"Yes," answered Lenz.
"You would be wise," began the Landlord again, "if you secured shares in the New Railway Loan: they will become very profitable soon. You have still the money in hard cash, I presume?"
"No; I had eight hundred over, and I lent three thousand gulden in one round sum to my neighbour, the bailiff. He required it to pay his redemption money."
"Really? Have you any good security, and what interest does he pay?"
"I have merely an acknowledgment, and he gives five per cent."
"The bailiff is a solid man, and five per cent. solid also; but, as I said before, if you wish to make money, my advice is at your service."
"I prefer keeping to what I understand; though, of course, I should be quite willing to follow your advice blindfold. I am pretty far advanced already with the new work that you intend to buy from me, and I believe it will be the best I have yet finished."
"Lenz, don't forget that I said nothing positive—an upright man goes no further than——"
"Not another syllable; I can never——"
"As I said, even with one's best friends, a man can never be too clear and precise. I hope there will be one day written on my tombstone, 'Here lies an honest and accurate man.'"
Lenz was quite delighted with the just and equitable character of the worthy Landlord; he was indeed pure gold.
Annele came in, saying, "By your leave," and seated herself at the table with her father and Lenz. In a short time the Landlord rose, and Lenz said: "Annele, you may well be proud of such a father—he is a man of a thousand. It does one good to converse with him; and just because he says little, every word is—what shall I say?—sound grain, unadulterated ore."
"True," said Annele; "and there is nothing more pleasing to a child than to hear her father spoken of in such a manner; and he deserves it, too. To be sure he is often cross and perverse, like all men."
"All men?" asked Lenz.
"Yes, all—I may say it to your face; you are one of the best of them, but I dare say you have your humours also; but we must have patience with them, I suppose."
"That is very good of you, Annele; I must say it pleases me exceedingly to hear you praise me, though I don't deserve it, I know. I can't tell you how often I feel angry with myself; I mismanage many things, and music is so constantly in my head, that I often only hear half what is said, or do half of what I ought to do. I am not so clever as many others, and yet I am not without talent; and I am passionate besides, and many things weigh on my heart that others take lightly enough on their shoulders; so I fear I shall never get the better of such brooding. My mother said to me a thousand times, 'Lenz, with all your goodness, it would not be always easy to live with you, unless a person were both very forbearing, and very fond of you.' And it is a proof of true love, and true patience, when a person can say: 'He is in one of his tantrums, but I know him, and what he really is.' Let me hold your hand—why do you draw it away?"
In the heat of his description of his own shortcomings, Lenz had seized Annele's hand, but he was not aware of it till she snatched it from him.
With a modest, sly glance, Annele said: "We are not alone in the room; there are still people here."
Lenz all at once felt burning hot, and then as cold as ice, and said: "Do not be offended, I did not mean it, and you know I did not, Annele; I never wished to be importunate; I hope you are not angry?"
"Not in the most remote degree. Angry? how can you say such a thing?"
"Then you feel kindly towards me?" and Lenz's face beamed with joy.
"For Heaven's sake," said Annele, leaning forward on the arm of Lenz's chair, "don't go on talking in that manner! What makes you do so? What does it mean? I always thought that I might speak to you like a brother. Alas! I have none."
"And I have no sister, nor, indeed, anyone to care for me."
"Everyone likes you."
"If, however, I have not the one I want to care for me, I have no one."
A long pause ensued, and Annele asked: "Have you heard that the bailiff's Kathrine is betrothed to a young man named Holdersepp, from the other side of the valley? They have just sent to us for the betrothal wine."
"So," said Lenz, "when I came out of church I saw her standing with some one. She will make a good farmer's wife; I wish her all happiness. Tell me, Annele, were you in church at the wedding today?"
"Yes, and I saw you there: your conduct to Faller must help you on the road to heaven."
"I should win it easily in that case. The Pastor did preach admirably; everyone present might profit by it, married and single. The Holy Scriptures are like music,—out of the hundreds and hundreds who listen, not one deprives his neighbour of any share of it—each one has it entire for himself."
"And I can tell you that I like to listen to you almost better than to our Pastor; with you everything seems to have a firm and clear foundation. I can't quite explain what I mean:—I often think it is a sad pity that you are only a clockmaker."
"Only a clockmaker! I rejoice at being one, for it is a fine calling. I could preach a sermon on that text. The whole world is a clock, wound up by God from all Eternity. There the stars revolve, and run their appointed course. Pilgrim once said that there was no clock in Paradise; certainly not, but from the hour when men were forced to work, they were obliged to divide the time; and just imagine what it would be to us if we no longer knew the different hours; we should be like children or lunatics."
"You can expound everything so well; I had never thought of that before."
This remark inspired Lenz with fresh eloquence.
"I am devoted to clockmaking; and if I cannot succeed with my musical timepieces, I can at least make the common clocks of the Black Forest: a sure mode of getting money. I can always have recourse to that. I earn much more by the musical instruments, but I cannot trust to them for a livelihood, for I can only make them when they are bespoke, and I might some fine day discover that I had nothing, for lovers of music are not to be met with every day,—and when I do leave my common clocks for my musical ones, I feel so happy that——"
"Your heart jumps for joy,—you feel as if a blessing rested on your labours."
"Oh! Annele, how clever and loveable you are! If I only knew——"
"Knew what—what then?"
There was so much warmth and tenderness in these simple words, that Lenz, flushed with emotion, stammered,—
"I cannot say it—if you don't know it I cannot say; Annele, I feel——"
"My children, all the people in the room are staring at you. What are you saying to each other?" said the Landlady, suddenly coming up to them. "Lenz, if you have anything confidential to say to Annele, I place entire trust in you, for you are a high principled man; I will put lights into the back parlour, and you can talk together there at your ease."
"Oh, no, mother!" exclaimed Annele, trembling, but the Landlady went hastily out of the room, and Annele hurried after her. Lenz sat still—the whole room seemed to go round with him; at last he rose and slipped out; the back parlour door was open, and he was alone now with Annele. She hid her face with her hands.
"Look at me," said he; "Annele! Now may I speak out? You see, Annele, I am a plain man—a very plain man, but—" putting his hand on his heart, he could scarcely go on, "if you really think that I am worthy of you, you could make me very happy."
"You are more worthy than any man in the whole world—you are only too good; you have no idea of the wickedness of the world."
"The world is not all evil, as you are in it. Now, tell me, is it also your wish, your honest wish?—Will you stand by me, and be my helper in joy and sorrow, and be good, and industrious,—and will you be my mother, my wife, and my all? Say yes—and I will be yours for life and death!"
"Yes—a thousand times, yes!" She sank into his arms.
"Mother, dear mother!" cried Lenz. The Landlady came in. "Forgive me," said he, "for my presumption!"
"You have nothing but good to expect from me," said the Landlady; "but, children, I have one thing to beg of you. Annele can tell you who always spoke well of you, and always said, 'Lenz is sure to do well, for his mother's blessing rests on his head.' But I entreat of you to keep quiet; you don't know my husband as I do. All his children are wound round his heartstrings, and he is always vexed when one is taken from him. God be praised! if this event comes to pass; we shall have one child in our native place, and not estranged from us like the others." At these words the Landlady wept bitterly, but continued, after violently blowing her nose. "My husband must know nothing of it just at present. Let me, my children, prepare him for it by degrees, and I know well how to do it, and when you ought to make your proposals to him in due form; don't return to this house till then, and bring your uncle with you, for it is only proper that you should pay him the respect, to ask him to represent your father. Hitherto, my children have always entered families of note; we are accustomed to observe the same forms as the gentry. Lenz, God has given me no son of my own, and I must honestly say I am rejoiced that you are to become my son. I have a great regard for my other sons-in-law, but they are too genteel and too high for me. Now go, Lenz, for my husband may come in at any moment, and then who knows what might happen?—but stop, take this: give it to him, Annele." She opened the double doors of the huge press, and gave Annele a gold coin, saying, "Look! this is what your godfather, our worthy minister, placed in your cradle—an ancient coin; so it is quite suitable for the purpose: but, no—you must first give her a pledge."
"I have nothing—but yes, I have. There, Annele! that is my watch, made by my deceased father in Switzerland, and he gave it to my mother; and on our marriage day, please God, I will give you something else of my mother's, which will please you. There, take the watch; hear how it ticks,—it has lain on my heart for many years. I only wish I could take out my heart, and entrust it to your faithful hands."
They mutually exchanged pledges; the Landlady, who must always put in her word, declared: "Yes! a heart and a watch are like each other, and love is the watchkey." She smiled at her own cleverness—as no one else did so. She rummaged in the press, and said—"See! here is the first frock Annele wore, and her first shoe." Lenz begged he might have them; she gave them to him, and began again. "But now, Lenz! you really must go; I can't allow you to stay a moment longer. Go through the kitchen,—there is my hand as a pledge. Good night, Lenz!"
"May Annele go with me a little way?"
"No! I cannot permit it; you must not be displeased, but that is just what I am—I mean very strict. I have brought up three daughters, and no one can say a word against one of them; that is my pride. If it be God's will you may see enough of each other yet, with our sanction and knowledge."
"Goodnight, Lenz!"
"Good night, Annele!"
"Once more—good night!"
"Good night, my precious treasure!"
"Good-bye, dear Lenz I sleep sound!"
"And you, too, a thousand times!"
"Now, come along; you have said 'good night' often enough!" said the mother laughing.
When Lenz was in the street, the whole world seemed turning round with him, and the stars in the sky dancing, "Annele, the daughter of the Landlord of the 'Lion' is mine!" He hurried home,—he must tell it without delay to Franzl, for she had praised Annele so highly. "Oh! how she will rejoice! If I could shout it out from house to house—" But when he had got to the top of the hill, and was close to his own house, he checked himself, saying—"No! I must not tell it to Franzl; not till it is all settled, or it would not long remain a secret: but I must tell it to somebody." He retraced his steps, and stood for some time opposite the "Lion" Inn. "Now, I stand here as a stranger; but tomorrow I hope to be at home there." At last he tore himself away, and proceeded to Pilgrim's house.