"How comes that?"

"I loved thee first of all. I shall always love thee first. Boris
played me false, I must pay him back. I must make him suffer. Those
Ragnors--all of them--put on such airs! They make me sick."

"What art thou after? What favour art thou seeking?"

"Thou knows how the girls will try to outdress each other at this
Brodie affair----"

"It is too late for a new dress--what is it thou wants now?"

"I want thee to go to the bank and get me my mother's necklace to wear
just this one night."

"I will not. I gave thy dead mother a promise."

"Break it, for a few hours. My Easter dress is not a dancing dress. I
have no dancing dress but the pretty white silk thou gave me last
Christmas--and I have no ornaments at all--none whatever, fit to wear
with it."

"There are always flowers----"

"Flowers! There is not a flower in Kirkwall. Easter and old Mistress
Brodie have used up every daisy--besides, white silk ought to have
jewels."

Adam shook his head positively.

"My mother wishes me to have what I want. Thou ought not to keep it
from me."

"She told me to give thee her necklace on thy twenty-first birthday--not
before."

"That is so silly! What better is my twenty-first birthday than any
other day? Grandfather, I cannot love thee more, because my love for
thee is already a perfect love; but I will be such a good girl if thou
wilt give me what I want, O so much I want it! I will be so obedient!
I will do everything thou desires! I will even marry Boris Ragnor."
And this urgent request was punctuated with kisses and little fondling
strokes of her hand, and Adam finally asked--

"How shall I answer thy mother when she accuses me of breaking my
promise to her?"

"I will answer for thee. O dear! It is growing late! If thou dost not
hurry, the bank will be closed, and then I shall be sick with
disappointment, and it will be thy fault."

Then Adam rose and left the house and Sunna, having seen that he took
the proper turn in the road, called for a cup of tea and having
refreshed herself with it, went upstairs to lay out and prepare
everything for her toilet. And as she went about this business she
continually justified herself:--

"It is only natural I should have my necklace," she thought. "Norse
women have always adored gold and silver and gems, and in the old days
their husbands sailed long journeys and fought battles for what their
women wanted. My great Aunt Christabelle often told me t