From a Swedish Homestead

and weary; her face was transparently pale; her eyes were sunken, and shone feverishly. Old Anna Stina now and then secretly cast an anxious look at her, and p

thily after them through the forest to reclaim the young girl who, both by t

the midst of the forest without being afraid either of witches or evil spirits-but as she walked there by the side of Ingrid she felt as distinctly as if someone had told

woman had not believed. And when she returned home the next day and found Ingrid, the old woman would at once have gone down to the Parsonage again to tell them that it was not a ghost they had seen; but when she had suggested this to Ingrid, it had affected her so much that she dared not do it. It was as if the little l

er wishes that no one should hear anything about her being alive. And then the old woman tried to arrange everything as wisely as possible. She had a sister who was housekeeper on a large estate in Dalarne, and she

the highroad, but could follow the lonely forest paths. But they had also undergone much hardship. Their shoes were w

valley was a lake, and near the edge of the lake was a high, rocky island, upon which stood a large white buil

ch they wore on their heads, dried their shoes with moss, and washed themselves in a forest str

she had borrowed from Anna Stina, and which did not at all fit her, but her sister Stafva would never take her into her service,

l to the lake. It was only a short distance. Then

a count

o shaky that they hardly thought it would keep together until they were safely over. There was an avenue leading from the bridge

built there. But nothing but weeds grew in the garden, and in the large park the

tafva dead? How can she stand everything looking like this? Things were very different thirty years ago, when I was last here. What

e not two walking there, but three. Someone had come to meet her there, and had turned back to accompany her. Ingri

e here that she dare not go any further. But before she had time to say anything, the stranger came quite close to her, and

trangely delightful that he came to receive her. It was as if it were he who

bridge, through the avenue,

at she saw, only an unspeakably beautiful smile that drew tenderly near her. But if she turned her head quite round to see it properly, it was no

t that was enough for her. It was more than enough to show her t

otected her and watched over her. And before this happy consciousness vani

ck to life. She had the right to l

a faint blush on her cheeks, and with radiant eyes, fragil

nding by the fireplace. She stood there, little and broad, with a large, square face, exactly like the other. But why was she so fine, with a white cap with strings tied in

to pull herself together and say 'Good-day.' But the only thi

ed covering on the furniture. They were taken into that ro

o high in her ladyship's favour that she left it to her to engage the servants. Miss Stafva said nothing, but she gav

onage, but now that she was grown up she wanted really to learn something, and that was wh

owed that she was surprised that anyone who had had a situation in a parso

tives. And this young girl had come running up the hill many an evening and many an early morning t

ay to find a place. If she were a clever girl, she could surely

ngrid's prospects were not good, and th

ad to fight my way in great poverty. But I have never asked you for anything before to-day

iled a little;

o, come from Raglanda, and I should like to know at what pe

ed at Ingrid,

oks like that. But I do not understand how you can think that your sister S

t Ingrid made up her mind to confide in Miss Stafva, and began

me and saved her, before old Miss Stafva grew red and quickly bent down to hide it. It was onl

t the crazy man, whether Ingrid had not been afraid of him. Oh no, he did no harm. He wa

she had heard her adopted mother say. But she told

handkerchief from her head, and looked into her

at. Now sister and Miss Ingrid must excuse me,' she said soon after, 'but I must ta

dyship about the young girl who had lain in the

irs, and shown into h

he old lady and put out her hand. She had often been shy with others who looked much less aristocratic; but

nodding friendlily to her. 'Do you mind telling me your story, my

was interrupted. Her ladyship did exactly the same as Miss Stafva had done. She r

'that I can understand. I can under

her courage. Her ladyship thought she had been very

d of people seeing her in that state. And he did no ha

times how he managed when he came to do business. Had she not laughed at him, and did she not think that he looked terrible-the Goat? It sounded

laughed at unfortunate people. The old lady

will you not stay here with me? You see, I am an old woman living here by myself, and you can keep me company, and I shall take care that you have everything you want. What do you say to it, my child? There will come a time, I suppose,' continued

-Ingrid

called you something else. As soon as you entered the room with

than ever that she had been brought here in some supernatural manner, and she whispered her

ish crowns and French lilies. The bed was so broad that she could lie as she liked either way, and so high that she must mount two steps to g

it Ingrid might take as much sweetly-scented linen as she liked. There was also a wardrobe containing man

ning she set her small white teeth in fine white bread and delicious almond-cakes; every day she was dressed in a fine musli

ith a narrow glass in a broad frame, where she c

really you? How ha

broidered or painted on silk, and when she was tired of that, she played a little on the guitar and sang,

rived at the house, no one left it. In this big house only two or three rooms were kept in order; in the others no one ever went. No one walked in the garden, no one lo

, and her ladyship and Ingrid were always wai

id not nurse and cultivate flowers there, Ingrid was not the one to neglect her dream-roses. They grew up

often walked. It looked so strange to see so many letters carved on the trees, to see the old seats and summer-houses; to see the old tumble-down pavilions, which were so worm-eat

because he had brought her to a home where she was so happy, where they loved her, and made her forget how hardly others had treated her.

r felt that he was so near her that he took care of her. The only thing she longed for was that he himself should come, for of

autumn; Christmas

'I think I ought to tell you that the young master who owns Munkhyttan is comi

never even mentioned that s

She might just as well have answer

Ingrid,' said the housekeeper, 'for her la

Stafva would n

at she was herself afraid they would fail. The truth might be well worth hearing, but it might also be bitter, and destroy all her be

the snow away from the avenue. She gre

looking down the avenue. Ingrid had gone further into the roo

m I am expecting

she dared not depend up

told you that my

shook h

nnot speak about it. I canno

that made everything so strange? Was it something terrible that she did not know

order again to feel that it must be he who came. She could not at all say why she so firmly believed that he must be the son jus

y sat waiting in silen

istmas logs, and the horse remained in

tone, 'run down to Anders and tell him that he must be

cessary for her to see him standing curtsying and curtsying to recognise him. But, but--She put her hand to her head and drew a deep breath. How would all these things ever become clear to her? Was it for that fe

was not her beloved who had watched over her; it was this crazy man. She had been allowed to remain here bec

at was the

ne had expected her. It was all dreams, fancies, illusion

dreamt over and over again that she saw the student come home. 'It was not you who cam

in the boudoir embroidering. Her ladyship sat on the sofa kn

seen him. In his home, too, he lived like a peasant, slept in the men-servants

uld try and persuade him to remain at home. And it grieved her that it was impossible for her to do what they wished. She w

is pack ready to start. He was not even staying as long as he gene

from her, but she could do nothing. She

ite forgot that she was not alone; a feeling of drowsiness suddenly came

at them, she saw that the chamber was neither painted black, nor covered with black material, but it was so dark on account of the walls and the ceiling being completely covered with bats. The whole room was nothing but a huge nest for bats. In one of the windows a pane was broken, so one could understand how the bats had got in in such incredible numbers that they covered the whole room. They hung there in their undisturbed winter sleep; not one moved when she entered. But she was seized by such terror

I suppose you know, Miss Ingrid, that there is not a single old country

eard that befor

I have, Miss Ingrid, you will find out that

people will put up with

Those bats are Mistress Sorrow's birds,

n to sew again; but she could not help speculating over who that Mistress Sorrow could be who

Stafva come out and make a low curtsy. An old lady in a long black velvet cloak, with many small capes on the shoulders, alighte

e been her jingle I heard. Have you noticed that she never has sledge-bells on her horses, but only quite a sma

Mistress Sorrow stood talking with Miss Sta

efore she discovered that they were two large bat's wings which she tried to hide. The young girl grew still more curious and tried to see her face, but she stood and looked into the yard, so it w

thing is as usua

istress Sorrow,'

r pruned any trees? You have not mend

oured mi

uppose you have not had the audacity to search for the vein of or

oured mi

lean the

to clean

. In a few years things will be in such a state that my birds can live

he housekeeper m

ouse?' said Mistress Sorrow. 'What

her room day after day, thinks of nothing but her son, and does not even know that it is

tree, no Chr

so much as a candle in the w

God's Son when God will not heal

y shoul

sent, I suppose? Perh

. He is as much afra

ike a peasant? Does he

rooms; he is afraid of her ladyshi

kitchen, and sleeps in

he d

no idea how

ing, we under

oment; when she spoke again there

es, Miss Stafva; but I am not quit

turned round and loo

o doubled up that one could hardly see the lower jaw. She had teeth like a saw, and thick ha

e what she saw: Mistress Sorrow was not

th and showed her glittering t

ent by God. You thought you could see from her eyes that she had been sent by Ou

at all. She has n

y dreams about seeing her beloved. If she had not had such expectations, she would not have had such a bitter disappointment. Had disappointment not paralyzed her, she could perhaps hav

tress knows her busine

and dried her red-rimmed eyes. It looked as

do not like my having taken that room for my birds. You do not like the thought of my having the wh

and then we always know he is about to leave. Everything her ladyship and I have been dreaming about the whole autumn is over. Nothing has been do

tress Sorrow. 'But, all the same, she must be sent away no

ring legs. At every step she raised her wings a little, as if t

ed. If Mistress Sorrow had been the most beautiful woman in the w

itting on the sofa by the side of her ladyship, whisperi

who cannot bear to see a flower growing in your garden, can surely not stand having a young girl about

t I have been sitting

's companion somewhere or ot

to say

see you about,' she said.

p. 'I only live in him as long as he is at home. It is worse than

aming so vividly that she was quite surprised to see that her ladyship

but she did not come. She asked Ingri

he kitchen to ask for the housekeeper, but before she had time to open the door she hear

she had been expecting. She must try to do something for him; she must persuade him to r

servants tried to lead him on in order to amuse themselves by his strange talk. They asked

ve-Lily-don't you

did not know that she

re does

has she farm,' Hede said

was a queer home, and

ther,' Hede said. 'She is as fine as a

was he could not get on at all. He said a number of words, but they were strangely mixed together. One could no

was afraid of him. She disliked him. But she had not got further than the stairs before her co

her eyes for a moment and thought. No, it was impossible, she could not imagine him as being any different from what he was. The same moment she saw the outlines of a beloved face by her sid

ossible to grasp and hold fast as a sun-spot reflected by the prism of a chandelier, but just as

ke, but she could not hear a sound. Then she tried to see what they said,

' the lips said; '

e. She was so overcome that she shook. It was more heart-rending than anything she had ever heard in her whole life. Never had she thought t

akable pity. It seemed to her that more than life itself must be at st

. When they assumed this expression she uttered a cry and stumbled.

t be so! It must not! it cannot!

t at last hope sprang up in her, strong and fair. She again took courage to raise her head. All that had happened seemed to

ed so pitiful to hear her asking the housekeeper to persuade her son to

'but your ladyship knows that no one c

ot the slightest necessity for him to go. C

y. She glided through the room with light, airy steps; her ey

ned a little. She also felt an inc

e here; I must speak wit

tar and was about to leave the roo

uture is already decided, you know,' she continued, with the s

the young girl. But when Miss Stafva came down to her room she found Ingrid sitting there, singing so

d no idea whatever as to how she should set about it. To begin with, she only thought of how she could persuade him to remain at Munkhyttan; and this was easy enough. On

She tried keeping in her room, and said she would not play any more for him if he did not come to her. But afte

n coat, and wear an ordinary coat. He consented at once, but the next day he had it on again. Then she hid it from him; but he then appeared in the man-servant's skin coat. So th

curtsying to the cat. She would not ask him to do anything so difficult as give

d; the cat

' she said; 'it has

at last he had found something by which he

he met Miss

rns,' he said; and l

grid playing. But after he had sat a little while he grew

rm and shook him. He ran straight out of the

will end by your frightening him so that he dare not see you any more. It is better to le

ng her hands in sorrow that such a fine, lovabl

ere to play her grandfather's tunes to him? Should they go

something wonderfully subtle and beautiful. A sane person would never have thought of anything like it.

snow lay on the ground, and bright gray ice covered the lake. The tree

e the snow was quite trodden down. Gunnar Hede went behind her. There was som

as no brightness in her eyes

so nearly over, was content with itself-if it were from joy it

over any other day. In the whole month that had passed

er all this. She was nearly forgetting the student, only for thinking of the poor fellow. All that w

what ought to be done-felt that she must give it all up. Oh, God, to have him wal

skate, and helped him to put on his skates; but he fell as soon as he got on to the

rs, and behind it the radiant evening sky, which was still flaming red. And the fine, light, leafless to

t familiar spot looks from all sides. And Munkhyttan one always knew by the little islet. If one had not seen the p

islet and at the branches of the trees

And soon he was sitting looking at the islet without thinking about it, just as one does with things one knows so well. He sat for a long time ga

n home surroundings. Security and peace came to him from the li

defending himself. For many years he had not felt that peace which

finds one's self in accustomed circumstances. As he sat there with the shining ice before him and with skates on his feet, he got up

skating. He was a long way off the sho

in the day. It is a good thing I was more here yesterday,' he said.

do something he was in the habit of doing before

to force themselves upon his consciousness, and at the same tim

beyond a certain point. He did so now without thinking, but when he had turned the

oming home, but she must wait

n him. A moonlight evening like this was just the time for skating; he was so fond of this peaceful transition from

e knew her, but he skated towards her to find out. No; it was no one he knew,

ed to be addressed in this unceremonious manner; she looked quite frightened when he

. He turned off and skated further up the

her skating elegantly, with his arms crossed, the brim of his hat turn

. She did not stop to think about it. She skated quickly towards the shore. She came b

he young master

in the housekeeper's room. Ingrid rushed through the whole house, went into rooms where no one e

ded by the servants, Miss Stafva, and her ladyship herself. She said it over and over again. She was too mu

ve explanations and orders, but about what? That she could so lose

as it I

ers in a low, trembling vo

e in the young master's room. Lay

fva to be important. But there was all the same a

master's room. The young master's clo

go up to her room,'

ot herself know that she was not still. She impatiently dried the tears from her eyes, so that she could see over the snowfield

ried to her ladyship. 'He walks q

e other strained her eyes to see. She asked Ingrid to be quiet, so that she could hear how he walked. Ah, yes, sh

hispered, 'so that her lady

kitchen. Did she hear that it was the front steps that creaked? Did she hear that it was the door to the front hall that opened? Did she hear how quickly he

he door of the drawing-room. Had he come in then, they would no doubt

ship would have liked to die at that moment. Without opening her eyes, she put ou

cry. We must not speak about it. Take a stool and come and sit down by the fire. We must be calm

he chandelier was lighted. He had dressed; every trace of the peasant

er ladyship. One never had known what he might do. But in any case they would both be quite calm. A feeling of great happiness had

, there was no sign o

e got such a headache, that I shall have to go to be

it would be like that. It took her a few moments to realize that he did no

cup of tea,' he said, looking a l

to the tea-tray.

rying, mother? Y

sad story, I and my young friend here,

he said. 'I did not s

eautiful as one would be who knew that the gates

t know who she was. Her ladyship introduced th

Miss Berg on th

ut her-had never sp

in periods of his life; he could not play the violin; he had almost forgotten all he knew; and his power of thinking was weak; and he preferred neither to read nor to write. But still he was very muc

rily and cheerfully. He was most happy when he was engaged in bodily exercise. He took Ingrid out with him sledging and skating. He did not talk much to her, but she was happy to be with him. He was kind to Ingrid, as he was to

hts, which he was afraid of doing now. But she dared not compel him to do this, and there was no one else who dared. If he bega

the Parsonage at Raglanda where Ingrid had been broug

little to himself. Of course he had heard that the dead girl lying in this coffin had appeared. She was supposed to have unscrewed her coffin-lid on the very day of her funeral, risen from the grave, and appeared at the Parsonage. The Pasto

but stopped digging and whistled the whole reveille of the Vermland Regiment-for he was an old soldier. Then he thought he had better examine the thing properly. It would never do for a grave-digger to have thoughts about t

the questionings and surmises. So much they were all agreed upon-that the youn

saying a word. All she took care of was that the cakes were not burnt. She put sheet-tins in and took sheet-tins out, and it was dangerous to approach her as she stood there with the long baker's s

of course obliged to go back with the Pastor home to her mother. The Pastor had come to fetch her. He did not say much about their being glad that she was alive, but one could see how happy he was. He had never b

hat the Pastor's wife had had a hard time, and had suffered many pangs of conscience, and that they wanted to have her back again in order to b

? She could not make the excuse that they needed her at Munkhyttan. She could surely be away for some weeks without it doing

Miss Stafva would surely come and lift her out of it, and carry her into the house again. It was impossible to realize that s

of Munkhyttan. They thought, perhaps, she was tired of being the keeper of a crazy man. She raised her hand, and was on the point of seizing the reins and turning the

re was not a single human being who answered her or advised her. She received just as

s far as she knew, but it really did not matter. If she had come to a palace full of everything one could most desire, t

d had the great happiness of seeing her mother and her brothers and sisters. But the roads were really too bad. She must st

n. But this seemed to be the case with her father and her mother and everybody else in the parish.

roads were still in the same bad condition; they surrounded her with walls and ramparts and moats. She would knit and weave, and plant out in the forcing-frame

est, send small piercing rays between the fir-trees, and melt the snow beneath them. Dear, dear sun! It did not matter if the snow were not melted in the valley, if only the snow would vanish from the mountains, if on

e road through the forest became passable. She knew one who would leave the Parsonage

e she had waited for green leaves and anemones, and the song of the thrush and the cuckoo. But that was childishness-nothing more. They did not long for the spring who only thought of what was bea

hey did not say anything, they seemed to think

and look after that crazy fellow,' said Karin Landberg o

at now,' said the Pastor's wife, bef

gone the Past

that you want

was s

began to improve perhaps

to improve,' Ingrid said, fee

said her adopted mother. 'Father and I have been speaking abo

eep me,' Ingrid said. And she was touched

e bird it was that told them about her longing. Now her adopted mother had told her tha

you,' she said, 'they

m the enchanted castle. She would like to know if her adopted mother thought that the King of the Mountain

en even more uneasy. There came messages to her in her dreams by nights, and there came messages

n, and that she must go to him. If anyone had told her

away. Those who saw that look would never believe

ess in the eyes when he or she comes in from work and sits down by the fire. But in Ingrid's eyes there was no gleam of happiness, ex

andberg, and she began to tell her about her life at Munkhytta

when she could speak of nothing but her lover. She knew nothing but what

id that they did not think the Goat was mad at all. He only pretended to be in order to attract customers. But Oluf had maintained that he was mad, and in order to prove it went to the market and bought a wretched little goat. And then it was plain enough to see that he was mad. Oluf had

ot look at Ingrid whilst she told this story. If she had

uch a thing!' Ingrid said. 'I think it wo

nkind, that it quite worried her. For several days she was quite unhappy, because she feared Oluf was not what she would like him to be. It

vening, and the next morning find the ground white with snow. Gooseberry-bushes and lawns may b

een of no avail. Not a single S?ter girl had taken up her abode in the

up to the church in full gallop, whilst people along the roadside politely took off their hats, and those who were standing on the road rushed to the side as if they were q

hear how the disciples were comforted in their longing. She was glad

skin coat, and had a large pack on his back, like one who cannot tell winter from summer, or Sunday from any other day. He

church. Karin Landberg's Oluf was one of the first to leave the church, and when he happened to look across the churchyard he discovered the Dalar man. It is hard to say whether it wa

g for her who was called Grave-Lily. She was to come and play to

as waiting was standing outside the church. If he stood up

ll Dalar man came running up to them. He came at a great pace in spite of a

whether she was most glad to see him again or most grieved that he had

poor wretched man. She only felt that she was once again near t

from her face. She did not move; she stood waiting for him. But those who saw how radiant she was with happin

y between his soul and hers-some secret affinity which lay so deeply hid

d lifted her into the carriage. She would not have a scene between the two just outside the church, with s

e away. The Pastor's wife thanked God that s

tor. He came to speak about the crazy Dalar man. He had now gone quite raving mad, and they ha

vice but to take him home. He told the

verything. It was best to tell her the t

he poor girl set out for Munkhyttan by the highroad. She would no doubt be able to get the

s and small patches of birch forest between the fields. The mountain-ash and the bird-cherry were in bloom; the light, sticky leave

ain given way, wondering whether she could do anything for him, wh

go to pieces. Perhaps it would be better for he

that it could be of no use her coming now that he had gone quite out of his mind. T

heek, as she had so often seen it before. It gave her new courage; she felt as if he

king a little less downcast, a quee

fat woman sat in the cart, and a tall, thin man,

r looking like ordinary people. The little cart in which they travelled about was well covered over

r, or that the man who walked by her side, and looked like a pensioned soldier, was the same Mr. Blomgren who occasionally, to break the monotony of the journey, took it in

mgren generally sat playing the Jews'-harp, but as soon as they met anyone, she put it in her pocket, so that no one should discover they were

f his belonging to the company. The blind man was led by a little dog; he was not allowed to have a child to lead him, for

money Mr. and Mrs. Blomgren were making in the towns, they felt they must be i

of them, for she was in a hurry; she was afraid of their detaining her. But dire

old people's joy at meeting her. You may be sure they had plenty to talk about. The

le saw at once that she had been crying, and they were so concerned t

she had run away from the Parsonage. For them nothing was dull or sad, but everything was bright and hopeful. They simply had no standard by which to measure reality, and therefore its hardness could not affect them. They compared everything they heard w

rid knew they did not at all understand how great her troub

m the table some peasants came driving up with a man who was mad. Mrs. Blomgren could not bear to see mad people, and wanted to go away at once, and Mr. Blomgren

the spring, and if it were not just the same where they went. And old Mrs. Blomgren asked him equally ceremoniousl

s soon as Mrs. Blomgren wished to say anything, she was obliged to hand the instrument to Mr. Blomgren, and when Mr. Blomgren wante

d seen represented at the dolls' theatre. They comforted her with the 'Enchanted Princess,' th

r eyes grew brighter. 'Artist's eyes,' they said, nodding

d had become one of them, an artist. They thought she was playin

id that the madman would not be at the inn any longer. But he was

him, but he had somehow managed to free his hands from the cord, and when they came to fetch him he was free, and, beside himself with rage, had seized a chair, with which he threatened to stri

ite saw that Gunnar Hede was worse than he had ever been before, but that was what she had expected.

him, and he would not do her any harm; but the peasants said they

ng. She would never have met them if it had not been for some purpose. And Ingrid thought of how Hede had regained his senses the last tim

inn, looking more unhappy than one would have th

d their old, wrinkled cheeks, and said it would please her so much if they would let her see a per

mour, but when she had expended a few smiles upon them they could n

the yard, but took them into the garden belonging to the inn, for there was a garden belonging to this inn. It was mostly full of beds for vegetables whic

ere was a small audience. But it was hard work for Mr. and Mrs. Blomgren t

rooms in the inn faced this way. Mrs. Blomgren was very nearly running away when she heard a window in one of the room

gentleman with a pleasant face. He was in shirt-sleeves, but otherwise very decently dressed.

t he did not notice anything. Mrs. Blomgren, who had nothing else to d

s never before, and her face was so white that light seemed to come fro

to them, and he went up to the blind man and asked him to lend him his vi

from "Freischü

Mrs. Blomgren almost thought that she would dissolve into a sunbeam, and fly awa

self. 'Is it he? That was why she wa

e felt inclined to kill someone, had suddenly heard a blind man playing outs

m to do was to try and borrow the blind man's violin to play himself quiet again; he was so excited. And as soon as he had got the violin in his hand he b

egin to dance as they had done last time. He endeavoured to play with more life to make them do so, but his fingers were sti

ingly, that it ought to have melted their hearts. But the old acrobats did not begin to dance. It was a long time since they ha

stonishment he gave up playing. He stood a moment looking round the small crowd. They all looked at him with such strange, uneasy glances. It was impossible

with red creepers. No, it could not be Upsala. But he did not mind very much where he was. It seemed to him as if he had not played for centuries, and now he had got hold of a v

begin at the be

rnt. His father had played it to him, and he had afterwards played it from

ld learn to dance, but

ey had asked him to play at the dancing-lessons at the young ladies' boarding-school. He could see

h Form at the Latin school at Falun. Some old gentlemen had practised this quartette for a concert, but the first

inct sensation that in his brain there was some great darkness that hid his past. As soon as he tried to remember anything, it was as if he were trying to find something in a dark r

ittle. The violin led him through the one year after the other, awoke in him memories of studies, friends and pleasures. The darkness stood like a wall before him, but when h

arge portion of the darkness vanished; he remembered his fiancée and his engagement. He would like to h

g in a village church when he heard it. But why had he been unhappy? Because he went about t

the Fifty-Mile Forest, the snow-covered animals, the weird shapes, the drifts made of them. He remembered the jo

s of itself was an unspeakable pleasure. But all at once the bow stopped, as if of its own accord. It would not lead him

arned such tunes? The darkness did not vanish in the least for these tunes. They really taught him nothing; but from them cam

d not vanish for them, and the awful thing was, that it seemed to him that when he did not advance agai

the world of reality. He saw Ingrid, who had been standing listening to him the whole time

last play

f courage, and quite decided as to what she meant to do. He should not again escape her, not be allowed to slip away from her. But in spite of her

to play at Munkhyttan

on the top of the head and in small curls. Her dress was home-woven, but she wore a lace collar. She had small hands and a refined face. This face, with the large, dreamy eyes, c

name?' he said

ars ago, and whom you comforted because she

e he could partly remembe

rid!' he said. 'And how fine you have be

ht he knew it; it was like a brooch of enamel and pearls

t to me. You must h

lin and went up to Ingrid. H

er brooch? How is it that I don't know

ost gray with terror. She knew alre

why I am here. I don't know why you

on't a

, and stretched out her han

you t

ask! do

by the wrist to compel

l senses! Why is there s

liged to tell him. But she felt as if it were impossible to tell a man that he had be

e!' he

s almost ready to kill her if she told him. Then she summoned up a

not been q

r a lon

now-not for thre

een out o

ought and sold and

ay have I

re frig

was I fri

anim

ats, p

ostly o

ng her hand away from him-simply flung it. He turned away from Ing

cture, a tall Dalar man, weighed down by a huge pack. He was going into a peasant's house, but a wretched little dog came rushing at hi

and loudest were the shrill voices of children. One word, one name came over and over again: it was shouted, shrieked, whispered, wheezed into his ear-'The Goat! the Goat!' And that all meant him, Gunnar Hed

cried, cried: 'It was I!' He moaned and sobbed. 'It was I!' How could he have courage to bear this thought-a madman, scorned and

muscles of his face relax, feel that he again had the look of a madman. But that was better. The other he could not bear. To be pointed at, jeered at, scorned, mad! No, it was

dness was again about to seize him. She was so frightened, so frightened, all her courage had gone. But before he again lost his s

d his neck, put her cheek to his, and kissed him. She did not think herself to

d it was as if serpents had raised their heads against him, an

Do not be so unhappy. No one thinks of

id. 'I cannot bear it. I cannot

can,' sa

,' he moaned. 'I was so dre

you,'

d up dou

at I should not go out of

s you again

ause you think I am i

of hearing that s

ow can I possibly bear it, when I know that everyone who sees me thinks:

He lay crying with

can hear them shouting after me, and I see myse

d's patience c

f your mind again. I call that manly to go

uickly enough, she seized him by the shoulder and shook him. She was enraged and quite besid

ne who has been waiting for you all her life. If you had any thought for anyone but yourself, you would fight against this and get well; but you have no thought for others. You can come so touchingly i

and her lips trembled, whilst she tried to get out the words between her sobs. But in his eyes her emotion only made her more beautiful. A wonderful peace came

his door. He would not merely be tolerated when he came back to life

t as if she were offering him thrones and kingdoms. She told him that whilst he had been out of his mind he had saved her life. H

creature! he who had been held in derision by everybody! and before the great and humble bliss which now filled Gunnar Hede vanished the last darkness. It was drawn aside like a heavy curtain, and he saw plainly before

nspired him now awoke. Love filled his whole being; he felt the same burning lon

y, and now he felt that love would dwell with him forever. The wild flower of the desert had been transplanted into the garden of life

rk; but she was also content, for she felt she had carried out

ar Hede brok

hat I will not g

u,' Ingri

more w

r how much he loved her. It could never be told in wo

ess everybody by the pronoun du (thou), even when speaking t

a S

est