y conversed
in an odd, short-winded fashion, until at last Soeren, in a tone which
was meant to be careless, threw out the suggestion: "What should you say
to getting married this autumn?"

Marie forgot to express surprise. The same thought had been running
in her own head; so she answered, looking to the ground: "Well, if you
think you can afford it, I can have no objection."

"Suppose we reckon the thing out," said Soeren, and drew her towards the
summer-house.

Half an hour afterwards they came out, arm-in-arm, into the sunshine.
They, too, seemed to radiate light--the glow of a spirited resolution,
formed after ripe thought and serious counting of the cost.

Some people might, perhaps, allege that it would be rash to assume the
absolute correctness of a calculation merely from the fact that two
lovers have arrived at exactly the same total; especially when the
problem happens to bear upon the choice between renunciation and the
supremest bliss.

In the course of the calculation Soeren had not been without misgivings.
He remembered how, in his student days, he had spoken largely of our
duty towards posterity; how he had philosophically demonstrated the
egoistic element in love, and propounded the ludicrous question whether
people had a right, in pure heedlessness as it were, to bring children
into the world.

But time and practical life had, fortunately, cured him of all taste for
these idle and dangerous mental gymnastics. And, besides, he was far
too proper and well-bred to shock his innocent lady-love by taking into
account so indelicate a possibility as that of their having a large
family. Is it not one of the charms of young love that it should
leave such matters as these to heaven and the stork? [Note: The stork,
according to common nursery legends, brings babies under its wing.]

There was great jubilation at the Sheriff's, and not there alone. Almost
the whole town was thrown into a sort of fever by the intelligence that
the Sheriff's clerk was to be married in the autumn. Those who were
sure of an invitation to the wedding were already looking forward to it;
those who could not hope to be invited fretted and said spiteful things;
while those whose case was doubtful were half crazy with suspense. And
all emotions have their value in a stagnant little town.--Mrs. Olsen
was a woman of courage; yet her heart beat as she set forth to call upon
Mrs. Moeller. It is no light matter to ask a mother to let her