He slipped into The Crown inn. He had thought to hide himself away that evening because of his weariness. But hardly had he seated himself, when there came into the room one of his dear respected countrywomen

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and welcomed him very kindly. After supper he was honoured by some most beautiful music. The next day he went on to Herr Hauser, to tell him of his intentions concerning apples, the latter promised readily to supply them. Now he was taken around the whole place, welcomed everywhere with great benevolence and entertained as a guest. He is only afraid to offend his dear friends and benefactors, otherwise he would call them all by their names. Yet he cannot refrain from mentioning Herr Keller, the Landschreiber [magistrates' clerk]. The treatment he enjoyed there and the familiar conversation in which he spent all of half a day, will be something he will never forget. In his judgement this noble philanthropist deserved to be not only magistrates' clerk in Wädenschweil, but to rule a kingdom. He well knows that by praising this gentleman in a rustic panegyric he would offend more than he would please him, and so would other philanthropists who do good only in secret and don't wish it trumpeted abroad.

Wherever he was led there was music and open house. It seemed to him that all Wädenschweil was skilled in music. He was ashamed to accept all the signs of honour of which he felt unworthy. All his friends were united to make these few days rapturously pleasant for him. One day a fine concert took place. Musicians with all kinds of instruments, the best virtuosi, men and women singers, a chamber full of people of the best class, but no noisy milling about. The Poor Man had no idea of what it would be like. While all the instruments were being tuned he went into the workroom to smoke a pipe, and heard the most wonderful music strike up, without going into the other room. A friend came and reproached him. What are you thinking of, said he, all this is being done in your honour and you hide yourself in the servants' hall. I'm truly sorry, said the Poor Man, I am not worthy of it, and with more than dejected feelings he joined the musical company. With tears in his voice he said: O, you dear good people, do as you please and content yourselves how you will, but not in my honour. I know better than you all who I am, I am not worthy of it, by my soul I am not worthy! But they would not change their minds, and that lasted for several evenings in succession. During the daytime he paid visits wherever he was taken - or rather, I think, wherever people wanted to see him - to see where there was nothing to be seen and hear where there was nothing to be heard!

Meanwhile the good patient Herr Hauser had sought out for him the finest, tastiest apples of Wädenschweil, which he is now enjoying with a good appetite, remembering Wädenschweil with pleasure, whenever he sees an apple, and looking forward to seeing those which he will certainly hoard up until next summer. Well, the apples were packed up and the time had come when he had determined to leave for home. And much as he would have liked to linger in kindly Wädenschweil, he felt as if he was sitting on thorns when the promised day arrived.

His charming fellow-countrywomen had promised to travel with him into the Toggenburg, and the departure was arranged for Saturday if the weather were favourable. On the Friday evening he was always running to the lakeside and peering at all points of the compass to espy good weather. And in fact the sky promised good weather everywhere. But on Saturday rain streamed ceaselessly down from the sky as hard as it might. The gnats in Wädenschweil are fools, said he. At home in the Toggenburg the dancing gnats that one sees rising upwards at

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See note on Wädenschwil, above.

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