ans of dry fir twigs, and the flies clung to the wall near the
fire-place and to the ceiling--no, they would not die yet.

Autumn had come, sun and warmth had disappeared from the Venn, it
was wise to flee now.

But outside, in the depths of the wilds above the highest point in
the Venn, a lonely buzzard was moving round and round in a circle,
uttering the piercing triumphant cry of a wild bird. He was happy there
in summer as in winter. He did not want to leave.

CHAPTER III

The vestryman of the small village in the Venn felt somewhat surprised
and embarrassed when such a fine lady and gentleman drove up to his
house and wished to speak to him. He went out to them, walking through
the filthy water in his yard that splashed up to his knees. He did not
know where he should take them to, as the little pigs and the calf were
in the house and the old sow was wallowing in front of the door.

So they walked up and down the quiet village street from which the
few farms lay somewhat back, whilst the carriage jolted slowly along in
the deep ruts behind them.

Kate was pale, you could see from her eyes that she had only had
very little sleep. But she was smiling, and a happy excitement full of
expectation was written on her features, spoke in her gait; she was
always a little ahead of the others.

Her husband's face was very grave. Was he not committing a great
imprudence, acting in an extremely hasty manner for the sake of his
wife? If it did not turn out all right?

They had had a bad night. He had brought Kate home from the inn the
day before in a strangely silent and absent-minded mood. She had eaten
nothing, and, feigning extreme fatigue, had gone early to bed.
But when he retired to rest a few hours later he found her still awake.
She was sitting up in bed with her beautiful hair hanging down her back
in two long plaits, which gave her quite a youthful appearance. Her
bewildered eyes gazed at him full of a strange longing, and then she
threw both arms round his neck and drew his head down to her.

Her manner had been so strange, so gentle and yet so impetuous, that
he asked her anxiously whether there was anything the matter with her.
But she had only shaken her head and held him close in a silent
embrace.

At last he thought she had fallen asleep--and she was asleep, but
only for quite a short time. Then she woke again with a loud cry. She
had dreamt, dreamt so vividly--oh, if he knew what she had been