"We can't light a fire," continued Lenz; "the chimney is choked up, so we should be stifled. But, God be praised! here is the spirit lamp that my poor mother bought. Yes, mother," said he, looking up at her picture, "even in death you help us. Light it, Annele; but be very sparing of the spirit. Who knows how long we must stay here?" Annele was transfixed with amazement at Lenz's expressions and gestures. The words were often on her lips--"Are you the same Lenz who was always so supine and helpless?" But she did not give utterance to them; she was like a person in a trance, who would fain speak, but cannot. She could not articulate a syllable. After she had swallowed a cupful of hot milk, however, Annele said: "If the rats and mice come in here, what is to be done?" "Then we will kill them here too, and I will throw them out into the snow, that their putrid carcases may not taint the air. I will do the same to those in the kitchen." Annele thought--"This must be another man! Can this be the former listless, indolent Lenz, who is now so bold, when face to face with death?" Some words of kindness and appreciation trembled on her lips, but still she said nothing. "Look! that confounded raven has bitten me," said Lenz, coming in with his hand bleeding, "and I cannot catch him. The creature is crazy from terror, for the mass of snow carried the bird along with it. There is a perfect pillar of snow in the chimney. It is ten o'clock. They are now leaving church down below in the village. When the last peal rang out, we were buried alive. That was our death-bell." "I cannot die yet, I am still so young! and my child! I never knew, or anticipated, that I exposed myself to sudden death by settling in such a desert with a clockmaker." "Your father is the sole cause of it," replied Lenz. "My parents were three times snowed up. The snow lay so thick outside, that for two or three days no one could leave the house; but we never were buried under it till now. Your father sold the wood; it is his doing; he let the wood be cut down over our heads." "It is your fault; he offered to give you the wood." "That is true enough." "Oh, that I were safe out of this house, with my child!" lamented Annele. "And you don't think of me at all?" Annele pretended not to hear this speech, and exclaimed again, "Gracious powers! why must I die thus? what have I done?" "What have you done? Soon, very soon, God will tell you. My words are of no avail in awakening your conscience." Lenz was silent, and Annele also, though she felt she must say something, and yet she could not utter.