d it out if you came to me; you may be sure no one would do you any
harm, and I would give you a good reward--and you should choose what
you would have."

While he was speaking she had never left off shaking her head. What her
expression was he could not see, for she had sank her chin on her
breast. Now she suddenly looked up at him and said, with a little laugh
that became her charmingly, while she twisted her streaming hair into a
thick knot: "I would just like to sit on horseback once, and ride round
real fast in a circle."

"If it's nothing more than that," he laughed, "come! Don't be afraid,
but put your foot in the stirrup."

He bent down over her again, grasped her under the arm that she reached
out to him, and swung up the light little figure as if it had been a
feather; then he let her down on the saddle before him and seized the
bridle. She instantly clasped her arms tight round his body, and clung
so close to him that for a moment she almost took his breath away, "Do
you sit firmly?" he called to her. She nodded, and laughed softly to
herself. Then he set his horse in motion and began to ride round in a
circle, at first slowly, then faster and faster, and she sat before him
on the saddle without moving, and pressed her head close against his
breast.

"Is that what you like?" he cried; "or shall I stop?"

She did not answer.

"How would it be," he said, "if now I should trot back to town with
you, and not draw rein until I came to my house? You would have to come
with me, then, whether you wanted to or not, and do what I asked you.
Aren't you quite in my power now?"

He reined in the horse for a moment, as though to give her opportunity
to settle herself for a longer ride. But suddenly he felt how her arms
unclasped, and in the next instant she had slid down from the saddle,
and stood before him in the dusk, out of breath and rearranging her
light dress.

"I thank you very much." she said. "It was very jolly; but, now, that's
enough. And all the rest is nonsense, and so, good-night! If you can
catch me again you may keep me!"

In a second she had sprung away and disappeared behind the nearest
houses. Even if he had been seriously inclined to follow her, he would
never have been able to find her trail again among the gardens and
hedges that bordered the field.

A few passers-by had watched this singular performance from the avenue.
He heard all sort of jokes that he did not understand. "Thank God!"