The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-11-27
A LIFE'S ENIGMA.
BY BJoRNsTJERNE BJoRSsEN.

me quite giddy, and the sun shines sc
dazzling on the water. Let's go little
further"
"No, not any further"
"Just back, then, as far as that green
inclosue it was so pleasant there"
No, say, not there, either" and he
flung himself down as if he either could
not or would not go further.
She remained standing, with her eyes
intently fixed upon him.
"Aasta," then he said, "now Won
must explain TO me why it was you were
so much afraid of that foreign skipper
who came in just in the dusk OF the
evening"
Didn't think that was it I" she
whispered, and seemed to wish to avoid
the matter.
Yes, Won must tell me before YOU
60, else 1 shall never come again"
BOtOlf !" she exclaimed and she
turned, but still remained standing.
It's true," he continued, "I prom
ised Won I wouldn't ask any questions,
and I'll still keep my word if you like !;
bat then things must come to an end
between u.s."
She burst into tears, and came over
to him, with the sun shining full upon
her slender little figure, small hands,
and soft golden hair, wherefrom the
kerchief bad fallen.
He sprang up.
Yes !" he exclaimed, "you know
very well when you come looking like
that Mt me, always give in to you. But
L know, too, that the longer this thing
goes on the worse it gets. Can't you
understand that, though I may promise
you hundred times not to wish to know
about your by-gone life, never have
any peace? l can bear it no more. "
His face, too, did indeed bear look of
long-continue6 suffering.
" Yes, BotOlf, You did indeed promise
me to let that thing rest-that which I
can never, never tell you about. You
promised me solemnly; you said vou
didn't care about it, il you could but
have me. BOtolf! !! she exclaimed again,
sinking to her knees before him upon
the heather; and she wept as though
her very life was in peril, and so looked
ut him through her fast-falling tears
that she seemed at once the Ioveliest
and most miserable creature he had
ever seen in all his DAYS.
o dear mer he exclaimed, rising.
but then directly sitting down again,
" If you did but love me well enough to
have confidence in me, how happy we
two might ber'
eft you, rather, could have n little
confidence in me !" she implOred, COM
ing nearer him, still upon her knees,
and looking yearningly into his face.
Love yOUl What, that very night
when yOur ship had run into ours, when
came mp on the deck, and yOu stood
there in command, I though I never
had seen anybody so brave and manly
and | loved you from that moment.
And then when you carried me over into
the boat when the ships were sinking, !
once more felt, what thought I never
should feel again--a wish to live" She
wept IN silence, with her hnnIs clasped
together resting upon his knee.
"BotOlf I" then she exclaimed, "be
good and noble; be as you we're when
you frs took me l-BotOlf !"
Why do you urge me so? he re-
Piled. almost harsbly. "YOu know very
we'll is can't be. One must have a wo-
mans whole soul though for n little
while at first, perhaps, one is content
without"
She drew back, and said hopelessly
"Ah, well, then, nv life can never
come right again o God - and once
more she began to weep.
"TrUst me with the whole of your
life. aud not merely q part of It. and it
will ali come right, so far as I am con-
cernnd."
H smoke cheerfulIy, as though to en-
courage.her.
She dId not answer but he saw that
she was struggling with herself.
Master yourself" he urged "ruu
the risk of doing as I wish. Things
can't be worse than they are, at any
rate"
" You'll drive me to the-very worst"
she said, piteOusiy.
He misunderstood her, and con-
tinued
Even If you have to confess the
greatest crime to me. I'll try to bear up
but this can't bear"
"NO; and neither can I !" she ex-
claimed, and she rose.
I'll help YOU, he said, rising also
" day by day Til help you, when onlv
know what this thing is. But I'm quite
too proud to be with woman I don't
fully know about, and who, perhaps,
belongs to somebody else."
A bright flush came over her face.
" For shame If you talk of pride,
Tn n good deal prouder than Won a,e,
aud l won't have you say such things.
So, stop T.
"If you're SO very proud, then, whv |
do Won leave room for my suspicions ?" !
God help me can bear this no |
longer -
No, nor I neither. I've made n VOW
1t shall come TO an end. this day."
How cruel it is" she walled ont |
90 to go on worrying and tormenting a |
woman who has trusted herself so fully |
to you, and has begged and PRAYED of |
you rs / have been doing = She was |
near again beginning to weeY, but with |
n sudden change of feeling she ex-
Yes, I see how il is Won |
-hink by provoking and exciting me |
vouU get things ont of me I" She !
looked at him indignantly and turned |
aside.
Then she heard him say slowly, word |
for word
Will yOU, or will YOU not ?"
i will not, replied she, stretchingout |
her hand ; "no, not If you gave me all we |
can see from here !" She went from him.
her bosom heaved, and her eyes wan |
dered to and fro, but mostly looked |
toward him, now sternly, next sorrow
fully, then sternly again. She leaned |
against tree aud wept; then ceased
weeping, and returned to her former
mood.
Alb, 1 knew very we'll you didn't
love me" she heard next, aud became
in moment the most humble and pen
itert of creatures.
Twice she tried to answer, but, in
stead, she flung herself down upon the |
heather, and hid her face in her hands.
Botolf came forward and stood over
her.
Size knew he was there, aud she
waited for him to speak, and tried to
prepare herself for whatever he might
say; bat not a word came, and she
grew vet more disturbed, and felt
obliged to look mp. She sprang to her
feet instantly. BotOlfs long, weather
beaten face seemed to have become sun
ken and hollow, his deeply-set eyes
,taringly prominent, and his whole fig
IRE mOnstrous and it stood over her
with some strange influence that sud
1enly made her see him once more upon
he ship Just as she saw him on the
q ght of the wreck; but now his