Year: 1859

BOn0 ulRnL .t


She clasped them in her arms. kissed
them, aud desired them to go to their own
room. But they clung sorrowfuly round
her neck.


DO not forsake us Y besought they
weeping, we have nobody to cling to and
look mp to but you. You are our only
support, and the only joy we have in the
world. Don't leave us ?


NO, no, never 7 said Hertha, with deci-
siOnj and if | go away for little while, it
is only that j may be able all the more
camly to stay with you.


But Hertha could not separate herself
from them until they had covered her with
their carresses and tears.


When Martha and Maria were together
in their little chamber, they gave for a while
! free vent to their tears, as well as to con-
lectures which did not afford them any
light. Finally, they endeavored to console
themselves. with thinking what they should
do in the house during HerthO's absence,
and which would give her pleasure on her
return. And these little plans for the fu-
ture cast roseate glow over the increas-
ing darkness Of the evening.


|
ters' embrace the reRewal of 6rm resolve
to live for them; but for that purpose, pre-
cisely for that purpose, must she now leaTe
them for little time she felt that she
must do it.


In order to escape from the torturiug
pang which had overcome her, and to avoid
the visits aud proximity of Yngve, and to
| gain time for reflection on the line of con-
duct which she ought to pursue with regard
to HMM order to endeaVor, from her
own sOuPs depths, to obtain light in the
! darkness which now surrounded herself and
him, Hertba felt that she must go away for
time,-whither, was matter of ind fer
ence to her--only away, away from him.


Through the whole night she paced to
and fro in her chamber, restless and Sleep
less. Sometimes she stood by the window
and looked up TO heaven, but without
prayer, and almost without thought, except
that dark abyss Of doubt which had so long
lain at the root Of her SOUL and which now
again lifted up his head through the cover
ing of flowers which had atterly been placed
there. The stars glittered brilliantly aud
coldly, and darkness overspread the earth.
At daybreak she dressed herself for her
journey; took little trayelling-bag which
contained some necessary articles of cloth
ing, together with small sum of money,
the gift of her father, set out on the way
to the harbor, which was between one and
two miles distant from her home.
! Like Rudolph some months before, with
the sense Of a vast unhappiness in her soul,
she walked solitary along the dreary road
to seek for rest somewhere, a long way from
home. Poor Rudolph ? sighed Hertha,
invOluntarily. She felt reproach of con-
science for having almost forgotten him
(although she had written to him aud he
to her more than once since his fight), for
the feelings and thoughts which had dur
ing the last few weeks engrossed her whole
soul and she suddenly took the resolution
of visiting him at Copenhagen.


| Il will see him 7 thought she; L can an
understand him better than formerly, and
that will help him to bear his unfortunate
life =


And perhaps also help myself, whispered
low voice in Hertha's soul. There was
now an object in her journey beyond her
self, and this object shone like little star
on her gloomy path.


When Herths reached the harbOr she
found one Of the steamboats, inst leaving
for the western coast, and its dark column
Of smoke circling aloft towards the clear
blue heaven. AS soon as she was on board,
the plank was drawn to shere.


THE JOURNEY.


The morning wind blew cold as the
steam.b boat worked her way over the dane
ing waters. Silent and perturbed in mind,
Hertha, wrapped in her dark grey wooden
shawl, seated herself and watched the heav-
ing waters, the careering clouds, the flying
shores, the whirling, beckonng trees, the
leaves of which were already tinted with
the froSts of the antumnal nights, and which
seemed to be waiting to her their farewells.
Hour after hour passed on, aud Hertha
safe thus immOvably. 1t was as if the
pulses of life had stopped under the pres
sure Of cOnvulSiVe hand.


When the steam-b boat reached the locks
of Trollhatta and the company on board
landed, as is usual, to visit the fall, Hertha
mechanically accompanied them.


When at the Falls, the company again
went on board to continue their journey,
Hcrtha was not with them. The wild
laundering falls, the solitary region, the
wood.cOvered mountains around them, the
contest between the giant powers Of nature
and the strong symbolic language in which
they seemed to address her, attracted her
to them with a congenial power. 1t SEEM
ed good to her to rest here.


When the steamer burst forward through
the locks of Trollhatta or its way into the
beautiful river. Hertha was sitting alone on
Gold Island, with the laundering falls roar
lug around her, and the words of Kirke-
gard in her hand. The deafening thunder
of the fall seemed to her lullaby which
would hush to sleep the wild combat IN her
breast, and for the moment il did so.-
When evening came, and with it darkness,
she went to the inn, and ordered and OBJ
tanned for herself room.


She passed a sleepless night. With the
frst flush of dawn she went out. She wan
dered from the falls through the wood, and
over the rocks She stopped for moment
at the Giants cauldrons in the primeval