duct, but he
could not understand how ignorance of his family, and of the land of his
birth, could be regarded by her as such a heinous crime. He tried one
day to reason with Kajsa, and to make her understand the injustice and
cruelty of such a prejudice, but she would not even deign to listen to
him. Then as they both grew older, the abyss which separated them seemed
to widen. At eighteen Kajsa made her _debut_ in society. She was
flattered and noticed as the rich heiress, and this homage only
confirmed her in the opinion that she was superior to common mortals.

Erik, who was at first greatly afflicted by her disdain, ended by
becoming indignant, and vowing to triumph over it. This feeling of
humiliation had a great share in producing the passionate ardor with
which he pursued his studies. He dreamed of raising himself so high in
public esteem, by the force of his own industry, that every one would
bow before him. But he also vowed that he would go away on the first
opportunity, and that he would not remain under a roof where every day
he was exposed to some secret humiliation.

Only the good doctor must be kept in ignorance of the cause of his
departure. He must attribute it solely to a passion for traveling. And
Erik therefore frequently spoke of his desire, when his studies were
completed, of engaging in some scientific expedition. While pursuing his
studies at Upsal, he prepared himself by work, and the most severe
exercise, for the life of fatigue and danger which is the lot of great
travelers.

CHAPTER XI.

THE "VEGA."

In the month of December, 1878, Erik had attained the age of twenty, and
passed his first examination for his doctor's degree. The learned men of
Sweden were greatly excited about the proposed arctic expedition of the
navigator Nordenskiold, and their enthusiasm was shared by a large
proportion of the population. After preparing himself for the
undertaking by several voyages to the polar regions, and after studying
the problem in all its aspects, Nordenskiold intended to attempt once
more to discover the north-east passage from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, which for three centuries had defied the efforts of all the
maritime nations.

The programme for the expedition had been defined by the Swedish
navigator, and he announced the reasons which led him to believe that
the north-east passage was practicable in summer, and the means by which
he hoped to realize this geographical desid