  We consider a microscopic model of a stretched horizon of the Schwarzschild
black hole. In our model the stretched horizon consists of a finite number of
discrete constituents. Assuming that the quantum states of the Schwarzschild
black hole are encoded in the quantum states of the constituents of its
stretched horizon in a certain manner we obtain an explicit, analytic
expression for the partition function of the hole. Our partition function
predicts, among other things, the Hawking effect, and provides it with a
microscopic, statistical interpretation.
