"But it is more prudent," said the Grocer, "to dispose of your house first; with ready money in hand, you will easily get a suitable inn."
Lenz looked pale and agitated, but simply said:—"I have no intention whatever of selling my house."
The Grocer and his friend were angry and displeased at such capricious people, who would take no advice, and caused so much trouble for nothing.
Lenz nearly got into a rage with them, but he had sufficient command over himself to say nothing in reply. When he was at last left alone with Annele, she did not speak a word, though he looked at her several times; he at length said:—"Why did you do this to me?"
"To you? I did nothing to you; but it must be so—we shall have no peace till we leave this place. I won't stay here any longer, and I am determined to keep an inn, and you shall see that I will make more by it in a single year, ay, three times as much as you, with all your worry about your pegs and wheels."
"And do you really think you can force me to take such a step?"
"You will thank me one day for insisting on it; it is not easy to force you to give up your old ways, and to leave this house."
"I am leaving it now, this minute," said Lenz in a low voice; and, hastily drawing on his coat, he left the house.
Annele ran after him a few steps.
"Where are you going to, Lenz?"