Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 28, 2025
After the parents had exchanged looks once or twice, he went on, but with a struggle: "I came down with Mildrid, for if she has done wrong, it was my fault." Something had to be said. The mother looked at the father, and at last he said that all this had happened without their knowing anything of it, and that Mildrid could give them no explanation of how it had come about.
But he kept his eyes on hers, and she did not dare to look up. Then he put down the axe, saying: "Let us go in to mother!" On the way he asked one or two questions about things up at the soeter, and got satisfactory answers. "Now Hans sees us going in," thought Mildrid, as they passed a gap between the barn and some of the smaller outhouses.
He looked well, and almost cheerful at his work, and she took courage at the sight. He did not notice her, she had come so quietly and cautiously over the flagstones. "Good morning!" she said in a low voice. He looked at her in surprise for a moment. "Is that you, Mildrid? Is there anything the matter?" he added hastily, examining her face. "No," she said, and blushed a little.
Instead of expressing any sympathy with her, he asked sharply: "Then I suppose Mildrid did not sleep last night either? And she has not eaten, I saw that myself, not for" he thought a little "not for ever so long." He rose. "Can you go on now?" "I think so." He took her hand, and they set off again at a tremendous pace.
Her father took his raised seat close to the farthest away window, the one that looked down the valley. Her mother sat on the same bench, but nearer the kitchen. Mildrid seated herself on the opposite one, in front of the table. Hans could see her there; and he could see her father, right in the face, but her mother he could hardly see.
This meant then that their daughter had something particular to say to them, and it could not with any seemliness be put off longer. "There is something that I must tell you," she got out at last, with changing colour and downcast eyes. Her father and mother exchanged troubled looks. Mildrid raised her head and looked at them with great imploring eyes.
She found her breakfast set ready, took it hurriedly, and went out and saw Mildrid at work, but looking ill. Beret said that she was going to hurry after the cattle. Mildrid said nothing in answer, but gave her a glance as though of thanks. The younger girl stood a minute thinking, and then went off. Mildrid looked round; yes, she was alone.
But perhaps some one has spoken ill of me?" He looked up to them. Mildrid sat there feeling ashamed on her parents' account, and they themselves felt that they had perhaps awakened a false suspicion, and this they had no desire to do. So both said at once: "No, we have heard nothing bad of you."
And Mildrid now poured out to her sister all that a few hours ago it had seemed to her she could never tell to anybody. She was sometimes interrupted by Beret's throwing her arms round her and hugging her, but she went on again with all the more pleasure. It seemed to her like a strange legend of the woods. They laughed and they cried. Sleep had gone from them both.
"There she comes," thought Mildrid, and looked up. But there was more noise than Inga was likely to make, and such a breaking and cracking among the bushes. Mildrid turned pale, got up, and saw something hairy and a pair of eyes below it it must be a bear's head! She wanted to scream, but no voice would come; she wanted to run, but could not stir.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking