Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-02-19
4 LIFES ENIGMA.
a Norwegian Sketch.
ny BJoRNsTsERNE BJoRNsoN.

zllng on the water. Let me go little fur
Their"
"No, not any further"
"Just back, then, as far as that green en-
closure 1t was so pleasant there"
"No, say not there, either" and he flung
himself down as If he could not or would
not go further.
She remained standing with her eyes in
tently fixed on him.
"Aasta," then he said, "now you must
explain to me why IL 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 ii r. she whis-
pered, and seemed TO wish to avoid the
matter.
Eyes, you must tell me before you go,
or else l shall never come again.
"Butolfr' she exclaimed and she turn
ed, but still remained standing.
"Irs true" he continued, IL promised
you wouldn't ask you any questions, and
I'll still keep my word If you like; but
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, smallihands, and son
golden hair, wherefrom the kerchief had
fallen.
He sprang up:
"Yesr he exclaimed, "you know very
we'll when you come looking like that to
me always give in TO you. But know,
too, that the longer this thing goes the
worse il gets. Can't you understand that,
though 1 may promise you a hundred
times not TO wish to know about your by
gone life, never have any peace? 1 can
bear it no more" His face, too, did in
decd bear a look of long continued suffer-
ing.
"Yes, Botolf, you did indeed promise
me TO let the thing rest-that which can
never tell you about. You promised me
solemnly; you said you didn't care about
| il If you could but haNe me. Botolfr she
exclaimed again, sinking on her knees be-
fore him upon the heather; and she wept
as though her very life was in peril, and
so looked at him through her fast falling
tears that she seemed at once the loveliest
and most miserable creature he had ever
seen in all his days.
40 dear met he exclaimed, rising, but
then directly sitting down again, "if you
did love me well enough to have conf
dence in me how happy wetwo might bep'
"If you, rather, could have little conf
dence in me - she implored, coming near
er him, still upon her knees, and looking
| yearningly into his face. "Love you Why
that very night when your ship had run in
TO ours, when came up on deck, and you
Stood there in command, l thought had
never seen anybody so brave and manly
aud l loved you from that moment. And
then when you carried me over into the
boat when the ships were sinking, l once
more felt, what I thought never should
feel again-s wish TO live" She wept In
silence, with her hands clasped together
resting upon his knee.
"Botolfr' then she exclaimed, "be gooC
and noble; be as you were when you frs
took me i-Botolfr'
"Why do you urge me SOP" he replied
Almost harshly. "You know very well 4
can't be. One must have a woman's Who'll,
soul though for little while at first, per
haps, one is content without"
She drew back, and said hopelessly-
"Ah, well, then, my life can never com,
right again! o Godr and once more sh,
began to weep.
Trust me with the whole of your lif
and not merely part Of it, and 1t will al
come right so far as am concerned"
He spoke cheerfully, as though to en-
courage her.
She did not answer; but he saw she wa
struggling with herself.
"Master yourself" he urged "run tn
risk Of doing as 1 wish. Things can't
worse than they are at any rate.''
"Youll drive me to Il e very worst" sh
said piteously.
He misunderstood her and continued =
"Eyen If you have to confess the creates
crime to me I'll try to bear up; but this
can't bear"
"No; and neither can I"' she exclsini
ed, and she rose.
"Pll help you" he said rising also
day by day I'll help you, when onl
know what this thing is. But I'm quit
too proud to be with a woman don't full
know about, or who, perhaps, belongs
somebody else."
\ bright flush came over her face.
"For shame If you talk of pride, L m
good deal prouder than you are, and
won't have you say such things. So stop.
"lf you're so proud then, why do 20
leave room for my suspicious ?"
"God help me! l can bear this no loni
erp
mo, nor l either. I've made vow
shall come to an end this day."
"How cruel it is" she walled out, "to 6
worrying and tormenting a woman WI
. has trusted herself to you, and has begge
and prayed of you as have been doing
She was near again beginning TO weep, bI
with a sudden change of feeling she el
claimed, Eyes, see how il is you thin
by provoking and exciting me you'll g
things out of me r. She looked at him II
dignantly and turned aside.
Then she heard him say slowly, word
word,
"Will you or will you not ?"
81 will not" she replied stretching o.
her hand "no not If you gave me all v
can see from herep She went from hir
her bosom heaved, and her eyes wandere
to and fro, but mostly looked toward hir
now sternly, next sorrowfully, then ster
ly again. She leaned against a tree al
wept; then ceased weeping and return'
TO her former mood.
"Ah, knew very we'll you didn't To-
h me-" she heard next, and became in a m
:, ment the most humble and penitent
II creatures.
d Twice she tried to answer, but instea
$ she flung herself down upon the heathG
= and hid her face in her hands.
q Bo.olf came forward and leaned ov