in the blood, for love, become wretched and dissolve like sugar.  Oh pshaw! if they truly loved each other they would have no fear; they would laugh, and would openly march to the church door, in the face of every smile and every word.  I have read about it in books, and I have seen it for myself.  That is a pitiful love which chooses a secret course.  Love naturally begins in secresy because it begins in shyness; but it must live openly because it lives in joy.  It is as when the leaves are changing; that which is to grow cannot conceal itself, and in every instance you see that all which is dry falls from the tree the moment the new leaves begin to sprout.  He who gains love casts off all the old, dead rubbish he formerly clung to, the sap wells up and rushes onward; and should no one notice it then?  Hey, my girl! they shall become happy at seeing us happy; two who are betrothed and remain true to each other confer a benefit on people, for they give them a poem which their children learn by heart to the shame of their unbelieving parents.  I have read of many such cases; and some still live in the memory of the people of this parish, and those who relate these stories, and are moved by them, are the children of the very persons who once caused all the mischief.  Yes, Marit, now we two will join hands, so; yes, and we will promise each other to cling together, so; yes, and now it will all come right.  Hurrah!”

He was about to take hold of her head, but she turned it away and glided down off the stone.

He kept his seat; she came back, and leaning her arms on his knee, stood talking with him, looking up into his face.

“Listen, Oyvind; what if he is determined I shall leave home, how then?”

“Then you must say No, right out.”

“Oh, dear! how would that be possible?”

“He cannot carry you out to the carriage.”

“If he does not quite do that, he can force me in many other ways.”

“That I do not believe; you owe obedience, to be sure, as long as it is not a sin; but it is also your duty to let him fully understand how hard it is for you to be obedient this time.  I am sure he will change his mind when he sees this; now he thinks, like most people, that it is only childish nonsense.  Prove to him that it is something more.”

“He is not to be trifled with, I can assure you.  He watches me like a tethered goat.”

“But you tug at the tether several times a day.”

“That is not true.”

“Yes, you do; every time you think of me in secret you tug at it.”

“Yes, in that way.  But are you so very sure that I think often of you?”

“You would not be sitting here if you did not.”

“Why, dear me! did you not send word for me to come?”

“But you came because your thoughts drove you here.”

“Rather because the weather was so fine.”

“You said a while ago that it was too warm.”