Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-11-19
A LIEE'S ENIGMA.
A Norwegian Sketch.

[Biornstjerne Bjornson, in Saturday
Journal.
"Why sit here?"
because it is high and pleasant .
''But it goes so deep down it makes
me quite giddy, and the sun shines SC
dazzling on the water Let's go lit
tie further
mo, not any further"
"Just back, then, as far as that
green enclosure; it was so pleasant
there"
No, I-say not there, either,' and
he flung himself down as if either he
could not or would not go further.
She remained standing, with her
eyes intently fixed upon him.
"Aasta," then he said, ''now you
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 it was it, she
whispered, and seemed to wish to
avoid the matter.
"Yes, you must tell me before you
90, else | shall never come again"
''Botofr' she exclaimed: and she
turned, but still remained standing.
''It's true" he continued. 81
promised you / wouldn't ask any
questions, and I'll still keep my word
if you like: but things must come to
an end between us"
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, whereupon the
kerchief mad fallen.
He sprang up:
YES" he exclaimed, you know
very well when you come looking like
that at me, | always give in to you.
But | know, too, that the longer this
thing goes on the worse it gets. Can't
you understand that, though | may
promise you hundred times not to
wish to know about your beyond life,
| never have any peace? | can bear
it no more" His face, too, did IN
deed bear a look of long continued
suffering.
''Ies, BotOf, you did indeed prom
Use me to let that thing rest-that
which [ can never, never tell you
about. You promised me solemnly;
YOU said you didn't care about it, if
you could but have me. Botofr' 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 at him
through irer fast-falling tears that she
seemed at once the lovcliest and most
miserable creature he had ever seen
in all his days.
80 dear me-" he exclaimed rising,
and then directly sitting down again.
''if you did but love me well enough
to have confidence in me, how happy
we two might ber'
''If you, rather, could but have
little confidence in mer' she implor-
ed, coming nearer him, still upon her
knees, and looking yearningly into
his face. Love you. Why that
very night when your ship had run
into ours, when L came upon the
deck, and you stood there in com
mand, l thought / had never 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 l thought i
never should feel again-a wish to
live. She wept in silence. with her
hands clasped together resting upon
his knee
"Botof!'' then she exclaimed ..be
good and noble; be as you were when
you first took me-Botofr'
why do you urge me soy' he re-
piled, almost harshly. "You know
very well it can't be. One must have
woman's whole soul; though for a
little while at first, perhaps. one is
content without"
She drew back, and said hone
lessly:
"Ah, well, then my life can never
come right again! o Godr' and
once more she began to weep.
"trust me with the whole of your