eawayfromthecloister,leftNarcissus,offendedMasterNiklausandrenouncedbeautifulLisbethmerelytocampih,trackstraycattle,andkillthatpoorfellowbackthereonthosestones?Didallthismakesense?Wasitworthexperieng?Hisheartgrewtightwithmeaninglessnessandself-pt.Helethimselfsinkdownandstaredintothepalenightclouds,andashestared,histhoughtsstopped;hedidntknowwhetherhewaslookingintotheskyorintothedrabworldinsidehim.Suddenly,justashewasfallingasleepoone,alargepalefaceappearedlikefar-awaylightninginthedriftingclouds,themother-face.Itlookedheavyandveiled,butsuddenlyitseyesopenedwide,largeeyesfulloflustandmurder.Goldmuuntilthedewfellonhim.

    ThedayLenewasill.Theymadeherstayinbed,forthereweremanythingstobedohemRoberthadseentwosheepinthesmallforest,buttheyhadrunfromhim.HecalledGoldmund,andmorethanhalfthedaytheyhuiltheycaughtohesheep;theycamebackexhausted.Leverysiundexaminedherandfoundplagueboils.Hekeptitsecret,butRobertbecamesuspiciouswhehatLenehadstillnotrecovered.Hewouldnotstayi.Hedfindasleepingplaceoutside,hesaid,aakethegoatalongtoo:whyletitgetied.

    "Gotohell,"Goldmundyelledathiminfury."Idontwanttoseeyoueveragain."Hegrabbedthegoatandpulledhertohissideofthejuniperpartition.Robertdisappearedwithoutaword,withoutthegoat.Hewassickwithfear:oftheplague,ofGoldmund,oflonelinessandthenight.Helaydownclosetothehut.

    GoldmundsaidtoLene:"Illstaywithyou,dontworry.Youllgetwellagain."

    Sheshookherhead.

    "Becareful,love.Dontcatchthissiesstoo;youmustnte