  We report the detection of \HI 21-cm absorption in the $z=0.96$ early-type
lensing galaxy towards MG J0414+0534 with the Green Bank Telescope. The
absorption, with total $N_{\rm HI}=1.6 \times 10^{18} (T_{\rm s}/f) {\rm
cm}^{-2}$, is resolved into two strong components, probably due to the two
strongest lens components, which are separated by 0.4\arcsec. Unlike the other
three lenses which have been detected in \HI, J0414+0534 does not exhibit
strong OH absorption, giving a OH/\HI column density ratio of $N_{\rm
OH}/N_{\rm HI}\lapp10^{-6}$ (for $T_{\rm s}=100$ K, $T_{\rm x}=10$ K and
$f_{\rm HI}=f_{\rm OH}=1$). This underabundance of molecular gas may indicate
that the extreme optical--near-IR colour ($V-K=10.26$) along the line-of-sight
is not due to the lens. We therefore suggest that despite the strong upper
limits on molecular absorption at the quasar redshift, as traced by millimetre
lines, the extinction occurs primarily in the quasar host galaxy.
