of Hallingdal towards the diocese of Bergen; and of these, the
shortest was that which went through Hardanger. Mrs. Astrid determined
upon this. This, however, would require at least two days and a half.
Harald, who knew the way, and said that in case of need he could serve
as guide, made preparations to attend the lady on her adventurous
journey. Alette, in the mean time, with her Alf, should, in company
with her uncle in Hallingdal and his family, set off on the journey to
Trondhjem, where Harald promised afterwards to meet them for Alette's
marriage.

Harald wished to inquire from Susanna the cause of this extraordinary
journey; but Susanna at this time was not much to be spoken with, she
had so much to attend to both within and out of the house, and she was
always surrounded by Larina and Karina, and Petro. And Susanna was glad
that her household affairs gave her a good excuse for absenting herself
from the company, and even from avoiding intercourse with the world. A
certain bitterness both towards him and Alette was rooted into her
heart.

Among many noble and valuable qualities, man has that of being able to
condemn and sentence himself. And if we are justly displeased with any
one, if we are wounded and repelled by word or deed, we should depend
upon this quality, and permit it to operate reconcilingly upon our
feelings. For while we are embittered by his offence, perhaps he himself
may have wept in silence over it, waked in the silent hours of the night
unpityingly to punish himself in the severe sanctuary of his conscience;
and the nobler the human being, all the greater is his pang, even over
failings which before the judgment-seat of the world are very small or
no faults at all; nay, he will not at all forgive himself if he cannot
make atonement for his faults; and the hope of so doing is, in such
painful hours, his only comfort.

Thus even would every bitter feeling have vanished out of Susanna's
soul, could she have seen how deeply dissatisfied was Harald at this
time with himself,--how warmly he upbraided himself for the words which,
during the yesterday's dawn, had passed his lips, without there being
any actual seriousness in them; and how displeased he was by the promise
which he had given to Alette, and with the resolve he had made, in
consequence of her anxieties and advice.

This dissatisfaction was the more increased, when he saw by Susanna's
swollen eyelids that she had wept much, and remarked