a flighty fellow as me
alone, who before I was nineteen had been mixed up in...

Bernick: Well, what then?

Johan: Well, Karsten, now I am coming to a confession that I am ashamed
to make.

Bernick: You surely haven't confided the truth to her?

Johan: Yes. It was wrong of me, but I could not do otherwise. You can
have no conception what Lona has been to me. You never could put up
with her; but she has been like a mother to me. The first year we were
out there, when things went so badly with us, you have no idea how she
worked! And when I was ill for a long time, and could earn nothing and
could not prevent her, she took to singing ballads in taverns, and gave
lectures that people laughed at; and then she wrote a book that she has
both laughed and cried over since then--all to keep the life in me.
Could I look on when in the winter she, who had toiled and drudged for
me, began to pine away? No, Karsten, I couldn't. And so I said, "You go
home for a trip, Lona; don't be afraid for me, I am not so flighty as
you think." And so--the end of it was that she had to know.

Bernick: And how did she take it?

Johan: Well, she thought, as was true, that as I knew I was innocent
nothing need prevent me from taking a trip over here with her. But make
your mind easy; Lona will let nothing out, and I shall keep my mouth
shut as I did before.

Bernick: Yes, yes I rely on that.

Johan: Here is my hand on it. And now we will say no more about that
old story; luckily it is the only mad prank either of us has been
guilty of, I am sure. I want thoroughly to enjoy the few days I shall
stay here. You cannot think what a delightful walk we had this morning.
Who would have believed that that little imp, who used to run about
here and play angels' parts on the stage--! But tell me, my dear
fellow, what became of her parents afterwards?

Bernick: Oh, my boy, I can tell you no more than I wrote to you
immediately after you went away. I suppose you got my two letters?

Johan: Yes, yes, I have them both. So that drunken fellow deserted her?

Bernick: And drank himself to death afterwards.

Johan: And she died soon afterwards, too?

Bernick: She was proud; she betrayed nothing, and would accept nothing.

Johan: Well, at all events you did the right thing by taking Dina into
your house.

Bernick: I suppose so. As a matter of fact it was Martha that brought
that about.

Johan: So it was Martha? By the way, where is she today?

B