on her boots. It
flowed so equally and calmly; unquestionably there was joy in it, but
the joy was subdued--it might be called pure.

She remained still until Magnhild ended, and even then paused a little
while. She finally went down-stairs. The door of the sitting-room was
half open, which accounted for her having heard so distinctly. Magnhild
had turned round with the piano-stool and sat talking with the two
friends of her childhood, who had seats one on each side of her. She had
been singing for them, it would seem.

They all rose as Roennaug entered. Magnhild called her friend's attention
to the clock. Verily, the hour hand pointed to ten. Magnhild had been up
a long time--and singing.

The girls withdrew to carry coffee, eggs, etc., into the dining-room. As
soon as Magnhild saw that she and Roennaug were alone, she hastened to
ask if Roennaug knew that Grong was at the parsonage. Roennaug told about
having just met him.

"Yes," whispered Magnhild, "he is traveling in search of his son. Only
think, the young man has eloped with the girl to whom he is betrothed!
He is twenty years old, she about sixteen."

"So, then, the verses--?"

"Were of course by Grong's son. Grong is furious. He wanted to make a
poet of his son, though!"

They both laughed.

The young man was really extraordinarily gifted, Magnhild further
narrated, and for his sake his father had read extensively, besides
taking long journeys with his son in Germany, France, Italy, and
England. Plans had been made to give the young man an opportunity of
gaining an impression of the scenery of his fatherland and of country
life, but--pop!--the bird had flown.

Grong was now heard on the stairs, so nothing more was said. He gave the
ladies a sharp glance as he entered, then began to pace the floor, as
completely hidden by his beard as though it were a forest, and veiled by
his spectacles as an image is veiled in a fountain.

They sat down to the late breakfast, and the priest's wife received
them, one by one, with diffident friendliness. The priest had gone down
to the school-house to attend a meeting.

After the meal was over, Grong, who had not opened his mouth for any
other purpose than to eat and to drink, walked through the sitting-room
and passage directly out to the door-steps. Roennaug bravely followed;
she wished to talk with him. He discovered this and made an effort to
escape, but was overtaken and obliged to walk up the road with Roenna