felt that all that
he had said and done showed sympathy for her fate. She could do
nothing more that day, she hardly slept during the night, but the
change which had taken place in her was nothing less than the bringing
of something into the daylight again from five years ago, from six
years indeed, as one brings flowers out of the cellar, where they have
been put for their winter sleep, up into the spring-time again. As
this thought passed through her mind, she made the same gesture at
least twenty times, she laid both hands on her breast, one over the
other, as though to control it: it must not speak too loudly.

The next day their conversation flowed more freely. The children were
called in. After looking at them for a while, he said: "You have
something real there."

In a little time they were such good friends, he and the boys, that he
was down on all-fours playing horses with them, and did some quite
new tricks which they thought extremely amusing; he then invited them
to come for a drive the next day. After a thaw, there had been an
unusually heavy fall of snow; the town was white and the state of the
roads perfect.

Before he left Ella offered to brush him; the carpet had not been as
well swept as it should have been. He took the clothes-brush from her
and used it himself, but he had unfortunately lain on his back as
well, so she was obliged to help him. She brushed his coat lightly and
deftly, but she was never satisfied, nor was he yet properly brushed
in front. He had to do it over again: she stood and looked on. When he
had finished she took the brush into the kitchen.

"How funny that you should still wear your plait," said he, as she
went out. She remained away for some time, and came in again by
another door. He had gone. The children said that some one had come
across for him.

The next morning the little boys had their drive. They did not return
until late in the afternoon. They had been to Baadshaug, a
watering-place with an hotel and an excellent restaurant, to which
people were very fond of making excursions during the winter. His
sister's youngest boy was with them, and while all three went back
with the horses to "Andresen's at the corner," Aaroe remained standing
in the passage. Never had Ella seen him so cheerful. His eyes
sparkled, and he talked from the time he came to the time he left. He
talked about the Norwegian winter which he had never realised before;
how could that have been? For