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his heart, God could and would do so much for them in answer to his
prayers and tears that the service he would have done them would per–
haps outweigh the harm he had already done. This gradually calmed
Lenz, who went back to his painting.
In the afternoon he returned to Oberlin. On his left shoulder he
had placed a piece of fur and in his hand he carried a bunch of birch
rods, which he had been asked to deliver to Oberlin together with a letter.
He gave the rods to Oberlin and asked him to beat him with them.
Oberlin took them from him, kissed him several times on the mouth,
and said: "These are the only strokes I can give you." He asked him
to calm himself and to make his peace with God by himself, as any
number of scourgings could not remove a single sin; Jesus had made
this His business and it was to Him that Lenz should turn. Lenz
went away.
During supper he was, as usual, somewhat pensive. Yet he spoke
of one thing and another, but with anxious haste. At about midnight
Oberlin was awakened by a noise. Lenz was running through the court–
yard, calling out the name "Friederike" in a hollow, metallic voice,
though in confusion and despair; he flung himself into the basin,
splashed about in it, out again and up to his room, down again to the
fountain , and continued in this way several times. At last he grew quiet.
T he maids, who lived in the nursery immediately below his room, said
they had often, but particularly during this same night, heard a moaning
sound which they could compare only with the sound of a reed pipe.
Perhaps it was Lenz whining in a hollow, terrible, despairing voice.
Next morning Lenz did not appear at the usual time. At last Oberlin
went up to his room; Lenz was lying in bed, rigid and motionless.
Oberlin had to address him several times before he received an answer;
at last Lenz said: "Yes, vicar, you see it's boredom, boredom! Oh it's
very boring! Really, I no longer know what to say. I've already drawn
all sorts of figures on the wall." Oberlin told him to direct his thoughts
toward God, whereupon Lenz laughed and said: "Yes, if I were as
fortunate as you are, fortunate enough to find such a pleasant pastime,
yes, in that case I imagine you could
fill
in the time quite pleasantly.
All out of idleness: for most of us pray out of boredom, others fall in
love out of boredom, some are virtuous and some are evil; only I am
nothing, nothing, and I don't even feel like doing away with myself;
it really is too boring!
o
God, in the wave of thy light,
At thy noontide's glistening height,
My long-waking eyes have grown sore.
Shall the healing night come no more?"
