to bring him to destruction. Also, as
it happened, there were powerful influences at work trying to save
Barbro, and it was all to his advantage as well.

Then what on earth was there for him to trouble about?

Barbro herself would hardly try to make things look worse than need be
for her former master and lover; he knew terrible things about this
and an earlier affair of the same sort; she could not be such a fool.
No, Barbro was clever enough; she said a good word for Axel, and
declared that he had known nothing of her having borne a child till
after it was all over. He was different in some ways, perhaps, from
other men, and they did not always get on well together, but a quiet
man, and a good man in every way. No, it was true he had dug a new
grave and buried the body away there, but that was long after, and
by reason he had thought the first place was not dry enough, though
indeed it was, and 'twas only Axel's odd way of thinking.

What need, then, for Axel to fear at all when Barbro took all the
blame on herself that way? And as for Barbro herself, there were
mighty influences at work.

Fru Lensmand Heyerdahl had taken up the case. She went about to high
and low, never sparing herself, demanded to be called as a witness,
and made a speech in court. When her turn came, she stood there before
them all and was a great lady indeed; she took up the question of
infanticide in all its aspects, and gave the court a long harangue
on the subject--it almost seemed as if she had obtained permission
beforehand to say what she pleased. Ay, folk might say what they would
of Fru Lensmand Heyerdahl, but make a speech, that she could, and was
learned in politics and social questions, no doubt about that. 'Twas
a marvel where she found all her words. Now and again the presiding
justice seemed wishful to keep her to the point, but maybe he had not
the heart to interrupt, and let her run on. And at the end of it all,
she volunteered one or two useful items of information, and made a
startling offer to the court.

Leaving out all legal technicalities, what took place was this:

"We women," said Fru Heyerdahl, "we are an unfortunate and oppressed
moiety of humanity. It is the men who make the laws, and we women have
not a word to say in the matter. But can any man put himself in the
position of a woman in childbirth? Has he ever felt the dread of it,
ever known the terrible pangs, ever cried aloud in the anguish of that
hour?