the direction of his friend
Pilgrim's. Halfway down he turned about as suddenly as if some one had
called him; but all was still. Only the blackbird's ceaseless
twittering was heard in the bushes, and the yellowhammer's monotonous
whistle from the fresh pine-tops. There are no larks down in the valley
and meadows, but on the upland fields you hear them chattering in the
wide stretches of corn. The mists were rising from the meadows, too
light to be seen just about him, but plainly visible in the distance
behind and before.

Lenz walked rapidly up the valley, till the sun set behind the
Spannreute and turned the lowland mist into flaming clouds. "It is the
first time it has set upon her grave," he murmured. He stood still a
moment, took off his hat at the sound of the evening bells, and went on
more slowly. At a turn in the valley, just below a solitary little
house, from which a thick bush screened him, he paused again. Upon a
bench before the house sat a man whom we have seen before, the
clockmaker Fallen. He was dancing a child on his knee, while beside him
his sister, whose husband was abroad, sat nursing her baby, and kissing
its little hands.

"Good evening, Faller!" cried Lenz in his old, clear tenor voice.

"It is you,--is it?" called back Faller's bass. "We were just talking
of you. Lisbeth thought you would forget us in your sorrow; but I said,
on the contrary, you would not fail to remember our need."

"It is about that I am come. Henzel's house is to be sold to-morrow, as
you know; and if you want to buy it, I will be your security. It will
be pleasant to have you for neighbor."

"That would be fine, glorious! So you stay where you are?"

"Why not?"

"I was told you were going abroad for a year or two."

"Who told you?"

"Your uncle, I think, said so. I am not quite sure."

"Did he? maybe so. If I do go, you must move into my house."

"Better stay at home. It is too late to go abroad."

"And marry soon," added the young mother.

"Yes, that will tie you down, and put an end to your roving. But, Lenz,
whatever you do must prosper. Your mother in heaven will bless you for
remembering me in your time of grief. Not a moment goes by that I do
not think of her. You come honestly by your goodness, for she was
always thoughtful of others. God bless you!"

"He has already. The walk here and our plan together have lightened my
heart. Have you anything to eat, Lisbeth? I feel hungry for the first
time t