, nor the rest of the household paid any
heed to them. When finally she was obliged to go to bed, there still
hovered over her such joy, aye, and peace, that the others had no time
for anxiety. Her feverish fancies blended in such a way with her life,
her wishes, her faith, that it was often not well to separate them. They
all understood that she was ill and that she was often delirious, but
not that she was in any danger. The physician was one of those who
rarely express an opinion; but they all thought that had there been
danger he would have spoken. Stina, who had undertaken the supervision
of the sick-room, was absorbed in her own fancies and hope, and
explained away everything when Atlung showed any uneasiness.

Then one noon he came home from the factories, and after warming
himself, went up-stairs to the large chamber where the invalids all lay,
for the mother wanted to be where the boys were. Her bed was so placed
that she could see them both. Atlung softly entered the room. It was
airy and pleasant there, and deep peace reigned. No one besides the
invalids, as far as he could see at first, was in the room; but he
afterwards discovered that the sick-nurse was there asleep in a large
arm-chair, which she had drawn to the corner nearest the stove. He did
not wake her; he stood a little while bending over each of the boys, who
were either sleeping or lying in a stupor, and thence he stepped very
softly to his dear wife's bed, rejoicing in the thought that she too was
now peaceful, perhaps sleeping; for he did not hear her babble which
usually greeted him. A screen had been placed between the bed and the
window, so he could not see distinctly until he came close to her. She
lay with wide-open eyes; but tear after tear trickled down from them.

"What is it?" he whispered, startled. In her changed mood he saw at once
how worn, how frightfully worn, she was. Why, in all the world, had he
not seen this before. Or had he observed it, yet been so far governed by
her security that he had not paid any attention to it. For a moment it
seemed as if he would swoon away, and only the fear that he might fall
across her bed gave him strength to keep up.

As soon as he could he whispered anew, "What is it, Amalie?"

"I see by your looks that you know it yourself," she whispered slowly,
in reply; her lips quivered, the tears filled her eyes and rolled down
her cheeks: but otherwise she lay quite still. Her hands--oh, how thin
th