cially began to feel that she had perhaps been too hard
with her.

While the young man was telling about Mildrid, he was telling too,
without being aware of it, about himself; for his love to Mildrid
showed clearly in every word, and made her parents glad. He felt this
himself at last, and was glad too--and the old couple, unaccustomed to
such quiet self-reliance and strength, felt real happiness. This went
on increasing, till the mother at last, without thinking, said
smilingly:

"I suppose you've arranged everything right up to the wedding, you
two--before asking either of us?"

The father laughed too, and Hans answered, just as it occurred to him
at the moment, by softly singing a single line of the Wedding March,

"Play away! speed us on! we're in haste, I and you!"

and laughed; but was modest enough at once to turn to something else.
He happened accidentally to look at Randi, and saw that she was quite
pale. He felt in an instant that he had made a mistake in recalling
that tune to her. Endrid looked apprehensively at his wife, whose
emotion grew till it became so strong that she could not stay in the
room; she got up and went out.

"I know I have done something wrong," said Hans anxiously.

Endrid made no reply. Hans, feeling very unhappy, got up to go after
Randi and excuse himself, but sat down again, declaring that he had
meant no harm at all.

"No, you could hardly be expected to understand rightly about that,"
said Endrid.

"Can't _you_ go after her and put it right again!"

He had already such confidence in this man that he dared ask him
anything.

But Endrid said: "No; rather leave her alone just now; I know her."

Hans, who a few minutes before had felt himself at the very goal of
his desires, now felt himself cast into the depths of despair, and
would not be cheered up, though Endrid strove patiently to do it. The
dog helped by coming forward to them; for Endrid went on asking
questions about him, and afterwards told with real pleasure about a
dog he himself had had, and had taken much interest in, as is
generally the way with people leading a lonely life.

Randi had gone out and sat down on the doorstep. The thought of her
daughter's marriage and the sound of the Bridal March together had
stirred up old memories too painfully. _She_ had not, like her
daughter, given herself willingly to a man she loved! The shame of her
wedding-day had been deserved; and that shame, and the trouble, a