wine in the cellar.' By the bye, shall I fetch you a pint of it now? just wait, I'll bring it in a minute. Those who are sad should drink wine. A thousand times have I heard your mother say--'Wine cheers the heart, and brings another train of thought.'" Franzl hurried out of the room, and soon returned from the cellar with a pint of wine. Lenz insisted on her having a glass herself. He poured it out himself for her, and made his glass ring against hers. She only put it to her lips coyly; but when she cleared the table, she did not forget to take the glass of wine with her to the kitchen. Lenz again worked hard till evening. Whether it was the wine or some other cause, he was very restless at his work, and often on the point of laying aside his tools to go out and visit some one; but again he thought that it was better he should not leave the house, as no doubt some of his kind friends would come to comfort him in his solitude, and he wished they should find him at home. No one came, however, but the Proebler. He was much attached to Lenz; for he was one of the few who did not turn him into ridicule, and scoff at him for refusing to sell any of his ingenious devices--he only pawned them until he could no longer redeem them; and it was said that the landlord of the "Lion," who carried on a brisk trade as a _packer_ (which in this district means a wholesale dealer and agent), and had an extensive business, made a good profit out of Proebler, who had pledged his chief works to him. Lenz always listened with serious attention to old Proebler, even when he told him that he was constructing no less a piece of mechanism than the _perpetuum mobile_; and, in order to complete it, there was nothing wanting but forty two diamonds, on which the works must revolve. On this occasion, however, Proebler did not come on account of any new discovery, nor to discuss the _perpetuum mobile_; but when Lenz had taken the usual pinch of snuff from his box, he proposed himself as his negociator, if he wished to marry. He brought forward a whole array of marriageable girls, those of the Doctor included; and concluded by saying--"All houses are open to you--but you are shy. Tell me honestly whither your thoughts turn, and I will take care that you are met half way."