he
wood lay already far behind him; no shelter was near. He began to
gather up his recollections; his grief became gentler; tears flowed
from his eyes. He already hated life less; it seemed to him as though
the night itself wisht to comfort him and to soothe his sorrow.
Uncertain whether to seek for his fallen horse again, or to hide
himself in some hollow from the rain, he lookt once more around, and
at length far below him across a valley and at the back of some trees
discovered a little dancing light, that like a friendly eye winkt to
him through the thick darkness and called him to approach it. He
hastened toward the dubious gleam, which now vanisht, and now again
shone forth. All his powers, all his feelings were bound as in sleep;
his whole being had as it were past away into a dream.

A storm now got up, and heavy low-hanging thunderclouds were rolling
slowly along. He was already approaching some trees, as it appeared to
him; but the darkness made it impossible to distinguish anything
whatever. A flash of lightning here dazzled him and a loud clap of
thunder stunned him, so that he fell into a ditch.

On lifting himself up again, the light which had allured him was close
at hand. He knockt at the little window that peept through some trees,
and begged for admittance and shelter from the rain and storm. A loud
hoarse voice answered from within; but the youth did not catch a word;
for the wind and thunder and rain, and the rustling of the trees, all
now raged so violently at once, that every sound beside them fell
dead.

The door of the little house opened into the garden: he had to hasten
through it; a female hand then took hold of him, led him along a dark
passage, and into a little room, from which the light of a lamp and
the fire on the hearth shone in his eyes. In the corner by the lamp
sat a hideous old woman spinning; the girl who had conducted him in
set to work over the fire; and for a long time he was unable to
examine the figures closelier by the doubtful quivering light; for a
long time no conversation could be carried on, the roaring of the
thunder overpowering every other sound.

"This is a cruel storm!" said the old woman during a pause with a
croaking voice. "Whence do you come hither, young man?"

"I come from Padua since this evening."

"Far indeed," cried the old woman: "it lies six good leagues from
here. And whither are you going? for there is no public road
hereabout."

"I know not,