might be, until he had left
the shop.

All this was like a ray of sunlight through the high, barred paling.

In other respects, one day passed like another, from the hum of the
factory into the work at home, and Mrs. Holman was quite satisfied with
the help she really must say she had of Silla this summer. That her
daughter grew more large-eyed, pale and thin, it was not in her nature
to attach much importance to; it only showed that Silla was not
accustomed to systematic work.

On the rare occasions when Nikolai had an opportunity of speaking to
her, Silla complained sadly.

She talked herself into such exasperation that she cried over everything
that the others--all the others--had leave to do, and only she had not.
To begin with, in her childhood, and all the time she was growing up,
she had been bottled up in that cellar in the square, and now, when she
was grown up, she had got into a regular workhouse!

After having thought gloomily and sadly over this for a time, her
reflections took another course, and she began to anticipate impetuously
how they would amuse themselves, she and Nikolai, when once she got away
from home. She would have fun like all other young people, even if they
had to give a dance in their own room. And go out in a boat in the
evening and row and fish, and on Sundays take their dinner out into the
woods, and shout so loud that the hills would ring again.

She was almost wild, and her eyes burned with all the pressure and work
that was put upon her.

When she did not get excited with talking, she looked depressed--more so
every time, Nikolai thought. Her face seemed to him to wear such a
plaintive expression.

There was nothing to be done but to set his teeth and hammer away, and
hope for release by the winter.

Georgina Korneliussen in the next house but one, who sewed uppers for
the shoemaker--she was such a nice, quiet girl. Silla should make
friends with her, Mrs. Holman thought; it began to dawn upon her that
there are limits to being trained in one's duty. On Sundays they might
take it in turns to visit one another, for then they would be under
surveillance in both places. And Mrs. Holman even allowed Silla one
Sunday to go for a walk with Georgina down in the town. Young people
must have a little pleasure now and then.

Silla had looked forward all the week to this Sunday with the passionate
impatience of a bird that is to be let out of its cage, and the morning
rose on gre