The Landlady soon thought of an appropriate question, and said—"Lenz, has your uncle not been here yet? and is he not proud of your fine clock?"
"He was here, but the only remark he made was, that I had sold it far too cheap, and did not understand my own advantage."
Now nothing can answer better than to bring forward some absent person, and especially one so generally disliked as Petrowitsch. The point now was in what tone he was to be spoken of Annele and her mother had already sharpened their tongues, when they were forced to silence by a warning glance from the Landlord. The Doctor began to praise Petrowitsch, saying that he affected to be rough because he dreaded his own soft heart; and, turning to the Schoolmaster and Lenz, he said—"Petrowitsch is like those trees that were not transformed into coal at the Deluge, but yet have rich warm substance within: this is just Petrowitsch." The Schoolmaster smiled assentingly, Lenz looked puzzled, and the Landlord hemmed.
The Doctor's eldest daughter said—"Petrowitsch is fond of music, and whoever likes music must have a good heart." Lenz nodded approvingly, and Annele smiled sweetly. The Landlady could not stand this. She had turned the conversation on such a fruitful subject, that she could not permit others to snatch it from her; so she, too, praised Petrowitsch's cleverness, and hinted that she was his confidant on most points; whence it was pretty plainly to be seen that she was very clever herself, so thoroughly to understand such a superior person, for it was not every one that was capable of doing so. Annele, too, had a good word to say, and praised Petrowitsch for his neatness, and always wearing such fine linen, and making so many pleasant jokes; even Büble came in for a good morsel from this rich banquet of praise. Annele described Petrowitsch as the most devoted friend of her family,—indeed, shortly they made him out to be a perfect saint, and only wanting a pair of wings to become an angel altogether. At last the visit came to an end; the Schoolmaster accompanied the Doctor; Lenz followed the Doctor as he went out, and said—
"Herr Doctor, I have a question to put to you, but you must not inquire why I ask it."
"What is it, pray?"
"I should like to know what kind of plant Edelweiss is."
"Do you know it, Amanda?" said the Doctor.
Amanda, colouring, said, "It is an Alpine plant which grows in snowy regions; in fact it springs up under the snow; but I never saw it growing."
"I should think not, child," answered the Doctor, smiling; "bold Alpine hunters and shepherds alone venture to gather this strange plant on the spot where it grows, and it is considered a sign of a bold spirit to secure it. It is a singular, fine, and delicately formed plant, with very little sap, and therefore more easily preserved, like our native Immortelle; the flower is edged with white velvety leaves, and the stalk is also covered with white down. The first time you come to see me, Lenz, I can show you a specimen of the little plant; its Latin name is Leontopodium Alpinum, which is called in Germany Löwenfuss (Lionfoot). I don't know whence its German name is derived, unless I can find it in some book; but at all events it is a prettier one than the Latin denomination."