"You can expound everything so well; I had never thought of that before."
This remark inspired Lenz with fresh eloquence.
"I am devoted to clockmaking; and if I cannot succeed with my musical timepieces, I can at least make the common clocks of the Black Forest: a sure mode of getting money. I can always have recourse to that. I earn much more by the musical instruments, but I cannot trust to them for a livelihood, for I can only make them when they are bespoke, and I might some fine day discover that I had nothing, for lovers of music are not to be met with every day,--and when I do leave my common clocks for my musical ones, I feel so happy that----"
"Your heart jumps for joy,--you feel as if a blessing rested on your labours."
"Oh! Annele, how clever and loveable you are! If I only knew----"
There was so much warmth and tenderness in these simple words, that Lenz, flushed with emotion, stammered,--
"I cannot say it--if you don't know it I cannot say; Annele, I feel----"
"My children, all the people in the room are staring at you. What are you saying to each other?" said the Landlady, suddenly coming up to them. "Lenz, if you have anything confidential to say to Annele, I place entire trust in you, for you are a high principled man; I will put lights into the back parlour, and you can talk together there at your ease."
"Oh, no, mother!" exclaimed Annele, trembling, but the Landlady went hastily out of the room, and Annele hurried after her. Lenz sat still--the whole room seemed to go round with him; at last he rose and slipped out; the back parlour door was open, and he was alone now with Annele. She hid her face with her hands.
"Look at me," said he; "Annele! Now may I speak out? You see, Annele, I am a plain man--a very plain man, but--" putting his hand on his heart, he could scarcely go on, "if you really think that I am worthy of you, you could make me very happy."
"You are more worthy than any man in the whole world--you are only too good; you have no idea of the wickedness of the world."
"The world is not all evil, as you are in it. Now, tell me, is it also your wish, your honest wish?--Will you stand by me, and be my helper in joy and sorrow, and be good, and industrious,--and will you be my mother, my wife, and my all? Say yes--and I will be yours for life and death!"