my hands. Are you
better now?"

"Yes, much better, but my head feels as if every hair were dripping
blood. Hark! I hear the cock crow, and the raven screech. God be
praised! it must be daylight at last."

They started up, as if help were really at hand, and the uncle, too,
seemed to rouse himself from his supposed sleep; but suddenly there was
a loud crash. "We are lost!" cried Petrowitsch.

All was again still. The ceiling of their sleeping room had given way,
so that the door could no longer be opened. After the first moment of
alarm, Lenz thanked God that his wife had a presentiment in her sleep
of what had happened, and left the room with her child; and for their
comfort he told them that their sleeping room was a new building,
unconnected with the other part of the house; and that he had no fear
of the stout crossbeams of the old house not standing fast and
untouched. It did seem to him, however--only he took care not to say
this--that the walls of the room next the sleeping one bent inwards;
but this was merely a delusion, caused by the flickering, dim, blue
light.

A long silent pause ensued; no sound was heard except when a cock was
heard crowing in the distance, or when Bueble barked and the raven
croaked.

"This is an actual Noah's ark," said Petrowitsch; and Lenz replied:--

"Whether the issue of this is life or death, we are equally saved from
the deluge caused by sin."

Annele placed her hand in his.

"If I had only my pipe; it is so stupid in you not to smoke, Lenz,"
said Petrowitsch, in a complaining voice. The thoughts of his
collection of pipes at home, must have reminded him of his fireproof
strongbox, for he continued:--"I tell you fairly, that even if we are
saved, you need not expect any money from me--not a single dollar."

"We shall not want it then," said Lenz; and Annele asked in her clear
voice:--

"Do you know who will not believe you?"

"You?"

"No! the world will never believe it; if you were to swear it a hundred
times over, no man will credit, that he who shared our deadly peril,
will not share his life with us henceforth. The world will in future
give us credit for your sake, and make us rich if we like."

"You are as shrewd and mischievous as ever," said Petrowitsch; "I
thought all your gay gibes were at an end for ever."

"I am thankful they are not," cried Lenz; "Annele, keep up your lively
spirits; if God rescues us from this peril, be honest and merry, as
Pilgrim