," said Magnhild.

"Oh! I am not smoking; it is nothing but habit,"--he drew a long sigh.
"No, Magnhild, it is impossible for things to go well with me if you
leave me. For that is about equal to closing up my house and driving me
out into the world. The gossip of the people would be more than I could
bear."

He looked now positively unhappy. Magnhild plucked several flowers; but
if he expected an answer from her it was in vain.

"It is hard for those who have strong natures," said he; "the devil
gains the upper-hand over them in many ways. I thought _you_ would have
helped me. One thing I must say: if we two could have had a right cozy
home together, and a child"--

But here she sprang up quickly, and the flowers fell from her lap.

"Let us have no more of this! He who means to do right does not begin as
you did. But in spite of the beginning you might perhaps still have--Yet
how did you act? I say: let us have no more of this!"

She moved away a few paces and came back again with: "No, I was not to
blame when I gave myself to you, for you promised that I should do and
live precisely as I pleased. And I was such an inexperienced child that
I did not in the least understand how you were outwitting me. But I did
wrong when I heard how matters really were and did not at once leave
you. Also when I failed to do so later. However, this is connected with
many things about which we will not talk at present. All we can do now
is to make amends, as far as we can, for the past. Give me up, and try
to do your duty toward others."

"What do you mean by that?" His eyes blinked and his face grew sharp.

"I mean that you have outwitted others, so I have heard, for your own
selfish ends. Try to make amends for your evil deeds, if you really
desire improvement."

"That is not true. If it was, it is nothing to you."

"Alas! alas! There is little hope of improvement, I fear, in this as in
other things. Aye, then, farewell! It shall be as I have said."

He looked up and distorted his face to a grin, making the eyes almost
wholly disappear beneath the bushy brows.

"You cannot leave here without my consent."

"Oh!"

"Moreover, have you considered what you are doing? Are you right in the
eyes of God?"

"You know very well what I think upon _this_ subject."

"Pshaw! If you mean that talk about unholy marriages, it is sheer
nonsense. There is not a word in the Bible about it. I have looked."

She stroked the hair from her