"As I said before, I say again--not a word more, not a word less. With me all is accurate and clear. I do not give the order; but it is possible." "That is quite enough for me, and makes me quite happy. Your Annele said, just now, something of the same kind that I said to Pilgrim only yesterday: 'I cannot tell you how it grieves me to send away a work in which my mother felt so much interest.'" Annele looked down modestly. "And I will take an interest in it," said the Landlady, "just like your mother." At these words the Doctor's wife and daughter looked at the Landlady in surprise. The Landlord knit his brows fiercely, and cast a glance of reproof at his wife; but the very pause that ensued, made the words of the Landlady more insidious. Franzl, however, came to the rescue, by pressing every one to eat and drink; and she was made quite happy by Annele saying, that she might well be proud of having the house so neat, that its lamented mistress was not missed in that respect. Franzl dried her eyes with her newly washed apron. The Landlady soon thought of an appropriate question, and said--"Lenz, has your uncle not been here yet? and is he not proud of your fine clock?" "He was here, but the only remark he made was, that I had sold it far too cheap, and did not understand my own advantage." Now nothing can answer better than to bring forward some absent person, and especially one so generally disliked as Petrowitsch. The point now was in what tone he was to be spoken of Annele and her mother had already sharpened their tongues, when they were forced to silence by a warning glance from the Landlord. The Doctor began to praise Petrowitsch, saying that he affected to be rough because he dreaded his own soft heart; and, turning to the Schoolmaster and Lenz, he said--"Petrowitsch is like those trees that were not transformed into coal at the Deluge, but yet have rich warm substance within: this is just Petrowitsch." The Schoolmaster smiled assentingly, Lenz looked puzzled, and the Landlord hemmed.