f a raven?

"Yes, one was dashed down the chimney by the snow, into the kitchen."

"Well, let me sleep."

CHAPTER XXXV.
A HEART TOUCHED.

Lenz went and sat down beside Annele in the sitting room. For some time
neither said a word; the child alone laughed, and tried alternately to
grasp the light, and then her father's eyes, that were fixed sadly on
her.

"Thank God! that if we must perish," said Lenz, at last, "our boy at
least is safe." Annele was silent; the clocks continued to tick quietly
in unison, and now the musical clock began to play a hymn. The eyes of
the husband and wife then met for the first time. Annele changed the
position of the child on her lap, and clasped her hands reverently.

"If you can pray," said Lenz, after the sacred melody was finished, "I
advise you to search your heart, and try to repent."

"I have nothing to repent of, so far as you are concerned, and what I
really do require to repent of, I shall confide to God alone. I never
wished to be unkind to you, I tried to be good and upright always."

"And I?"

"And you, too, did the same, so far as you could; I am more just
towards you, than you are to me; you would not let me even try to earn
a living."

"And all your harsh and dreadful words----"

"Pooh! words break no bones."

Lenz conjured and entreated her at least to be gentle and quiet before
his uncle.

Annele replied as if in a dream:--"Your uncle croaking, and the raven
screeching, tell me too plainly that die we must."

"You are not usually superstitious; it would be terrible if you were,
for you threw my mother's legacy and the writing out of the window, and
called on the storm to come."

Annele made no answer, and Lenz after a time rose, and said he would
dig deeper into the hole from which he had rescued his uncle. If he
could only dig his way through to the hill, he could then make his way
out, and bring succour, Annele's first impulse was to stretch out her
hand to detain him. If the snow were to give way, and Lenz be buried
under it, neither she nor Petrowitsch would have strength to dig him
out. She had already extended her hands to hold him back, but she
covered her face with them, and let him go. He came back shortly, and
said that the snow was so soft, that every hollow sank down quickly,
and that he feared it was snowing heavily outside. He, however,
shovelled out the snow, that he had brou