|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 15
"Does one give such things away? Have you the billet?"
"I will look for it," answered Miss Hjelm; and surely enough,
after longer search in the sewing-table, in drawers, and small
boxes, than was really necessary, she found it. Miss Brandt read
it, taking care not to remark that it very much appeared to her as
if it resembled the one the counsellor had mentioned.
"And such a billet one gives away!" she said after a pause.
"Yes: will you have it?" asked Miss Hjelm, as though after a
sudden resolution.
Miss Brandt's first impulse was an eager acceptance; but she
checked herself almost as quickly, and answered:
"Oh, yes, thank you, as a curiosity." Then slowly put it between
her glove and hand.
As Miss Brandt and her company rode away, said Miss Hjelm's
cousin, a handsome, middle-aged widow, to her:
"How is it, Ingeborg? It appears to me you laugh with one eye and
weep with the other."
"Yes: a soap-bubble has burst for me, and glitters, maybe, for
another."
"You know I seldom understand the sentimental enigmas: can you not
interpret your words?"
"Yes: to-day an illusion has vanished, that had lasted for six
years."
"For six years?" said her cousin, with an inquiring or
sympathizing look. "So it began when you were hardly sixteen
years."
"Now do you believe, that when I was in my sixteenth year I saw an
ideal of a man, and was enamoured of him, and to-day I hear that
he is married."
"No, I don't know as I believe just that," answered the cousin,
dropping her eyes; "but I suppose that then you had a pretty
vision, and have carried it along with you in silence--and with
faith."
"But it was something more than a vision; it was a letter--a love-
letter."
The cousin looked upon Ingeborg so inquiringly, so anxiously, that
words were unnecessary. Beside this the cousin knew, that when
Ingeborg was inclined to talk, she did so without being asked, and
if she wished to be silent, she was silent.
Ingeborg continued: "One time, I drove to town with sainted
father. Father was to go no further than to Noerrebro, and I had
an errand at Vestervold. So I stepped out and went through the
Love-path. As I came to the corner of the path, and the
Ladegaardsway, the wind blew so violently against me, that I could
hardly breathe; and something blew against my veil, fluttering
with wings like a humming-bird. I tried to drive it away, for it
blinded one of my eyes; but it blew back again. So I caught it and
was going to let it fly away over my head, but that moment I saw
it was written upon, and read it. It was a love-letter! A man
wrote that he sent this as in old times the Norwegian emigrants
let their high-seat pillars be carried by the sea, and where it
came he would one time come, and bring his faith to his destined--
Geb.'"
"'Geb'? What is that?" asked the cousin. "That is Ingeborg,"
answered Miss Hjelm, with a plain simplicity, showing how deeply
she had believed in the earnestness of the message.
"It was really remarkable!" said the cousin, and added with a
smile which perhaps was somewhat ironical: "And did you then
resolve to remain unmarried, until the unknown letter-writer
should come and redeem his vow?"
"I will not say that," answered Ingeborg, who quickly became more
guarded; "but the letter perhaps contained some stronger
requirements than under the circumstances could be fulfilled."
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|