by, and should begin to bark. But there was not one. He mounted up
the steps, and went into the upper story.

Only once before had he been there; now all was in darkness. He felt
with his hands before him as he went.

At length he found a narrow flight of stairs which led into a yet higher
story. The opening at the top was closed, and he was obliged to use his
whole strength to open it. At length it gave way with a loud noise. This
was not the proper entrance; that lay on the opposite side of the story,
and had he gone there he would have found it open, whereas this one had
not been opened for a long time.

The violent efforts which he had made caused him great pain, both in
his neck and shoulders; but he was now at the very top of the building,
close before the door he sought, and the moonlight shone in through the
opening in the roof.

By the help of the hunting-knife and the fire-tongs he succeeded in
forcing the door, and that without any very considerable noise. He
looked into a small, low room, upon the floor of which some dirty
coverlets were thrown.

Sidsel slept deeply and soundly with open mouth. A thick mass of hair
escaped from beneath her cap, upon her brow; the moonlight fell, through
the window-pane in the roof, upon her face. Otto bowed himself over her
and examined the coarse, unpleasing features. The thick, black eyebrows
appeared only like one irregular streak.

"She is my sister!" was the thought which penetrated him. "She lay upon
the same bosom that I did! The blood in these limbs has kinship with
that in mine! She was the repelled one, the rejected one!"

He trembled with pain and anguish; but it was only for a short time.

"Stand up!" cried he, and touched the sleeper.

"Ih, jane dou! [Author's Note: An exclamation among the common people
of Funen, expressive of terror.] what is it?" cried she, half terrified,
and fixed her unpleasant eyes wildly upon him.

"Come with me!" said Otto, and his voice trembled as he spoke. "German
Heinrich waits in the avenue! I will help you out! Hence; to-morrow it
will be too late!"

"What do you say?" asked she, and still looked at him with a bewildered
mien.

Otto repeated his words.

"Do you think that I can get away?" asked she, and seized him by the
arm, as she hastily sprang up.

"Only silently and circumspectly!" said Otto.

"I should not have expected theft from you!" said she. "But tell me why
you do it?"

Otto trembled; it was imposs