?--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 someb