ame to the threshold and leaned against the
doorpost. She was full of wild beauty and power. Behind her, the flames
were brightly burning. Hansei was now quite free from the fear he
had experienced on the night when he still believed in the fabled
forest-sprites. The figure now placed its hand to its cheek and uttered
a shrill shout, which might be compared to a tone-rocket ascending on
high and then bursting into all sorts of carols. Hansei trembled, and
then he heard Zenza say:

"You needn't shout so. Don't scream to the whole world that you're at
home. Wait till the horse is in the stable--"

"Hallo!" thought Hansei to himself, while he stood there, trembling,
"she means to make a prisoner of you, and will drag every kreutzer from
your pocket, if you act meanly or badly with her.... She'll make a
beggar of you, and disgrace you in the bargain. No, you shan't rob me
of my money. I won't put myself in your clutches. I'll do no such
thing. You shan't have a right to stand up before my wife, and look her
in the face and talk to her, while I'll have to thank you, in the
bargain, if you don't do it. No, a thousand times no. I won't be
wicked. I'd rather--"

As if pursued by an enemy, Hansei hurried back with mighty strides, and
the unbarked oaken staff which he held with both hands served to
support him in his flight. It was long since he had bounded down the
rocks with such energy and rapidity. He again passed the house where he
heard the child crying. It had not yet been hushed, but he who heard it
was a different man from what he had been a little while ago. He
hurried on as if pursued. The perspiration trickled down his cheeks and
dropped on his hands, but he did not once stop. He felt as if Zenza,
Black Esther and Red Thomas had followed and overtaken him, and were
tearing the clothes from his body. It was not until he had gone far
into the forest, that he ventured to sit down on the stump of a tree.
He felt as tired as if he had been running ten miles. He rested his
hands on his naked knees, and it seemed as if they were grasping a
strange body. He touched the stockings that Walpurga had knit for him,
and the first word that left his lips was: "Walpurga, I've only once
trodden such a path. It shall never happen again. I swear it,
Walpurga," and taking the last letter he had received from her out of
his pocket, he said: "I put your letter in my shoe, and these feet
shall never tread the path of evil again. Thank Go