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022 - Book 3 Chapter 2 · Bridal Wreath

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  Speaker 1: Book three, Chapter two of the Bridal Wreath by Sigurd Unset.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter two.
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  Speaker 1: At the Hagathing Field, on the day of Bartholomew's Mass,
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  Speaker 1: the twenty fourth of August, the daughter's son of King
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  Speaker 1: hawkein of happy memory, was hailed as king. Among the
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  Speaker 1: men sent thither from northern Gudbransdall was laverns Bjorgolsen. He
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  Speaker 1: had had the name of kingsmen since his youth, but
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  Speaker 1: in all these years he had seldom gone nigh the
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  Speaker 1: household and the good name he had won in the
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  Speaker 1: war against Duke Irich. He had never sought to turn
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  Speaker 1: to account, nor had he now much mind to this
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  Speaker 1: journey to the homaging. But he could not deny himself
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  Speaker 1: to the call. Besides, he and the other thing men
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  Speaker 1: from the upper valley were charged to try and buy
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  Speaker 1: corn in the south and send it round by ship
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  Speaker 1: to Romsdaal. The folk of the parishes round about were
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  Speaker 1: heartless now and went in dread of the winter that
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  Speaker 1: was at hand. An ill thing too. The farmers deemed
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  Speaker 1: it that once again a child would be king in Norway.
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  Speaker 1: Old folks called to mind the time when King Magnus
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  Speaker 1: was dead and his sons were little children, and cyril
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  Speaker 1: Iarik said vi tere ubi pooher Rex asked which in
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  Speaker 1: the North's tongue is no resting a knight's For rats
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  Speaker 1: in the house were the cats a kitten arentfret Eyvier's
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  Speaker 1: daughter managed all things on the manor while her husband
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  Speaker 1: was gone, and it was good both for Christen and
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  Speaker 1: for her that they had their heads and hands full
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  Speaker 1: of household cares and work. All over the parish, the
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  Speaker 1: folks were busy gathering in moss from the hills and
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  Speaker 1: stripping bark from the trees, for the hay crop had
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  Speaker 1: been but light, and of straw there was next to none,
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  Speaker 1: and even the leaves gathered after Saint John's Eve were
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  Speaker 1: yellow and sapless. On Holy Cross Day, when Cyril Eirik
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  Speaker 1: bore the crucifix about the fields, there were many in
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  Speaker 1: the procession who wept and prayed aloud to God to
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  Speaker 1: have mercy on the people and the dumb beasts. A
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  Speaker 1: week after Holy Cross, Lavens Bjorgelsen came home from the thing.
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  Speaker 1: It was long past the housefolk's bedtime, but Renfried still
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  Speaker 1: sat in the weaving house. She had so much to
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  Speaker 1: see to in the daytime, now that she often worked
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  Speaker 1: on laid into the night at weaving and sewing. Renfreed
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  Speaker 1: liked the house well too. It had the name of
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  Speaker 1: being the oldest on the farm. It was called the
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  Speaker 1: mound house, and folks said it had stood there ever
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  Speaker 1: since the old Heathen ages. Kristen and the girl called
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  Speaker 1: Ostried were with Renfried. They were sitting spinning by the hearth.
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  Speaker 1: They had been sitting for a while, sleepy and silent,
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  Speaker 1: when they heard the hoofbeats of a single horse. A
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  Speaker 1: man came riding at a gallop into the wet farm place.
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  Speaker 1: Ostried went to the outer room to look out. In
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  Speaker 1: a moment she came in again, followed by Lavens Bjorgelsen.
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  Speaker 1: Both his wife and his daughter saw at once that
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  Speaker 1: he had been drinking more than a little. He reeled
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  Speaker 1: in his walk and held to the pole of the
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  Speaker 1: smoke vent, while Ronfret took from him his dripping wet
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  Speaker 1: cloak and hat, and unbeckled his sword belt. What have
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  Speaker 1: you done with Halvdan and Colbine, she said, in some fear.
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  Speaker 1: Have you left them behind on the road? No, I
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  Speaker 1: left them behind at Lopsgard, he said, with a little laugh.
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  Speaker 1: I had such a mind to come home again. There
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  Speaker 1: was no rest for me till I did. The man
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  Speaker 1: went to bed down at Lopsgard, but I took goldsweinen
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  Speaker 1: and galloped home. You must find me a little food, Ostried,
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  Speaker 1: he said to the servant. Bring it in here, a girl.
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  Speaker 1: Then you need not go so far in the rain.
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  Speaker 1: But be quick, for I have eaten no food since
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  Speaker 1: early morning. Had you no food at Lopsgard, then asked
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  Speaker 1: his wife in wonder. Laverrens sat rocking from side to
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  Speaker 1: side on the bench, laughing. A little food there was,
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  Speaker 1: to be sure, but I had no stomach for it.
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  Speaker 1: When I was there, I drank a while with seagurt.
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  Speaker 1: But methought then twas as well I should come home
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  Speaker 1: at once, as wait till tomorrow. Ostried came back, bearing
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  Speaker 1: food and ale. She brought with her too a pair
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  Speaker 1: of dry shoes for her. Master. Laverrenz fumbled with his
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  Speaker 1: spur buckles to unloosen them, but came near to falling
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  Speaker 1: on his face. Come hither, Kristin, my girl, he said,
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  Speaker 1: and help your father. I know you will do it
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  Speaker 1: from a loving heart. I a loving heart to day.
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  Speaker 1: Kristin kneeled down to obey. Then he took her head
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  Speaker 1: between his two hands and turned her face up. One
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  Speaker 1: thing I trow you know, my daughter, I wish for
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  Speaker 1: naught but your good. Never would I give you sorrow,
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  Speaker 1: except I see that thereby I save you for many
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  Speaker 1: sorrows to come. You are full young yet Christen, twas
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  Speaker 1: but seventeen years old. You were this year three days
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  Speaker 1: after Halvard's Mass, But seventeen years old Christon had done
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  Speaker 1: with her service. Now she was a little pale as
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  Speaker 1: she rose from her knees and sat down again on
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  Speaker 1: her stool by the hearth. Lavern's head seemed to grow
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  Speaker 1: somewhat clearer as he ate and was filled. He answered
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  Speaker 1: his wife's questions and the servant maids about the hawgathing.
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  Speaker 1: Why twas a fair gathering. They had managed to buy
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  Speaker 1: corn and some flour and malt, part at Oshchlo and
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  Speaker 1: part at Tunsburg. The wares were from abroad. They might
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  Speaker 1: have been better, but they might have been worse. To ay,
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  Speaker 1: he had met many both kinsfolk and friends, and they
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  Speaker 1: had sent their greetings home with him. But the answers
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  Speaker 1: dropped from him one by one. As he sat there,
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  Speaker 1: I spoke was Sir Andres, good Munson. He said, when
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  Speaker 1: Ostrid had gone out, Simon marries the young widow at Manvik.
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  Speaker 1: He has held his betrothal feast. The wedding will be
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  Speaker 1: a different at Saint Andrew's Mass. He has chosen for
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  Speaker 1: himself this time as the boy. I held aloof from
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  Speaker 1: Sir Andres at Tunsburg. But he sought me out twas
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  Speaker 1: to tell me he knew for sure that Simon saw
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  Speaker 1: Lady Alfred for the first time this Midsummer. He feared
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  Speaker 1: that I should think Simon had this rich marriage in
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  Speaker 1: mind when he broke with us. Lavernce paused a little
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  Speaker 1: and laughed joylessly. You understand that good and word worthy
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  Speaker 1: man feared much that we should believe such a thing
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  Speaker 1: of his son. Kristin breathed more freely. She thought it
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  Speaker 1: must be this that had troubled her father so sorely. Maybe
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  Speaker 1: he had been hoping all this time that it might
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  Speaker 1: come to pass after all, her marriage with Simon Andersen.
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  Speaker 1: At first she had been in dread lest he had
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  Speaker 1: heard some tidings of her doings in the south. At Oshlow.
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  Speaker 1: She rose up and said, good night, but her father
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  Speaker 1: bade her stay yet a little. I have one more
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  Speaker 1: thing to tell, said Lavrens. I might have held my
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  Speaker 1: peace about it before you, but tis better you should
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  Speaker 1: know it. This. It is Kristin, the man you have
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  Speaker 1: set your heart on him. Must you strive to forget?
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  Speaker 1: Kristin had been standing with arms hanging down and bent head.
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  Speaker 1: She looked up now into her father's face. She moved
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  Speaker 1: her lips, but no sound came forth that could be heard.
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  Speaker 1: Lavernz looked away from his daughter's eyes. He struck out
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  Speaker 1: sideways with his hand. I WoT, well, you know that
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  Speaker 1: never would I set myself against it? Could I anyways
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  Speaker 1: believe twould be for your good? What are the tidings
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  Speaker 1: that have been told you on this journey, father, said
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  Speaker 1: Kristen in a clear voice. Erlon Nicholson and his kinsman
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  Speaker 1: Sir moon and Birdson came to me at Tunsberg, answered Laverns.
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  Speaker 1: Sir Moonin asked for you for Erlon, and I answered
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  Speaker 1: him no. Kristen stood awhile, breathing heavily. Why will you
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  Speaker 1: not give me to Erlon Nicholson? She asked, I know
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  Speaker 1: not how much you know of the man you would
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  Speaker 1: have for husband, said Laverns. If you cannot guess the
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  Speaker 1: reason for yourself, twill be no pleasing thing for you
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  Speaker 1: to hear from my lips? Is it because he had
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  Speaker 1: been outlawed and banned by the church, asked Christen, as
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  Speaker 1: before know you what was the cause that King Hokin
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  Speaker 1: banished his near kinsman from his court? And how at
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  Speaker 1: last he fell under the Church's ban for defying the
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  Speaker 1: archbishop's bidding, And that when he fled the land, twas
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  Speaker 1: not alone, aye, said Christen. Her voice grew unsteady. I
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  Speaker 1: know too that he was but eighteen years old when
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  Speaker 1: he first knew her his paramour. No older was I
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  Speaker 1: when I was wed, answered Laverns. We reckoned when I
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  Speaker 1: was young, that at eighteen years a man was of
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  Speaker 1: age to answer for himself and care for others welfare
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  Speaker 1: and his own. Christin stood silent. You called her his paramour,
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  Speaker 1: the woman he has lived with for ten years, and
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  Speaker 1: who has borne him children, said Laverns. After a while,
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  Speaker 1: little joy would be mine the day I sent my
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  Speaker 1: daughter from her home with a husband who had lived
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  Speaker 1: openly with a paramour. Ye're out year in before ever
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  Speaker 1: he was wed. But you know that twas not loose life,
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  Speaker 1: only twas life in adultery. Christin spoke, low, you judge
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  Speaker 1: not so hardly? Have Lady Osild and Sir Bjorn? Yet?
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  Speaker 1: Can I not say? I would be fain we should
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  Speaker 1: wed into their kindred? Answered Laverns. Father said Christin, Have
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  Speaker 1: you been so free from sin all your life that
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  Speaker 1: you can judge Rlon so hardly? God knows? Said Laverans sternly.
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  Speaker 1: I judge no man to be a greater sinner before
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  Speaker 1: him than I am myself. But tis no just reckoning
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  Speaker 1: that I should give away my daughter to any man
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  Speaker 1: that pleases to ask for her, only because we all
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  Speaker 1: need God's forgiveness. You know I meant it not so,
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  Speaker 1: said Christin hotly. Father, Mother, you have been young yourselves?
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  Speaker 1: Have you not your youth so much in mind that
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  Speaker 1: you know tis hard to keep oneself from the sin
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  Speaker 1: that comes of love? Laverrens grew red as blood. No,
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  Speaker 1: he said curtly. Then you know not what you do,
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  Speaker 1: cried Christin wildly. If you part ere Lon Nicholason and me,
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  Speaker 1: Lavern sat himself down again on the bench. You are
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  Speaker 1: but seventeen, Christin, he began again. It may be so
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  Speaker 1: that you and he that you have come to be
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  Speaker 1: more dear to each other than I thought could be.
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  Speaker 1: But he is not so young a man. But he
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  Speaker 1: should have known, had he been a good man, he
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  Speaker 1: had never come near a young, unripe child like you
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  Speaker 1: with words of love. That you were promised to another
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  Speaker 1: seemed to him mayhap but a small thing. But I
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  Speaker 1: wed not my daughter to a man who has two
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  Speaker 1: children by another's wedded wife. You know that he has children.
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  Speaker 1: You are too young to understand that such a wrong
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  Speaker 1: breed's enmity in a kindred and hatred without end. The
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  Speaker 1: man cannot desert his own offspring, and he cannot do
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  Speaker 1: them right. Hardly will he find a way to bring
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  Speaker 1: his son forth among good folk, or to get his
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  Speaker 1: daughter married with any but a serving man or a cotter.
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  Speaker 1: They were not flesh and blood, these children. If they
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  Speaker 1: hated not you and your children with a deadly hate.
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  Speaker 1: See you not christen such sins as these. It may
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  Speaker 1: be that God may forgive such sins more easily than
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  Speaker 1: many others. But they lay waste a kindred in such
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  Speaker 1: wise that it can never be made whole again. I
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  Speaker 1: thought Abjorn and Os hill too. There stood this moonin
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  Speaker 1: her son. He was blazed with gold. He sits in
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  Speaker 1: the council of the King's Counselors. They hold their mother's heritage,
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  Speaker 1: he and his brothers, and he hath not come once
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  Speaker 1: to greet his mother in her poverty in all these years.
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  Speaker 1: Ay and twas this man your lover had chosen to
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  Speaker 1: be his spokesman. No, I say no into that kindred.
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  Speaker 1: You shall never come while my head is above the ground.
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  Speaker 1: Christen buried her face in her hands and broke into weeping.
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  Speaker 1: Then I will pray God night and day, night and day,
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  Speaker 1: that if you change not your will, he may take
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  Speaker 1: me away from this earth. It boots not to speak
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  Speaker 1: more of this to night, said her father, with anguish
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  Speaker 1: in his voice. You believe it not now, maybe, but
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  Speaker 1: I must needs guide your life so as I may
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  Speaker 1: hope to answer it hereafter, Go now, child and rest.
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  Speaker 1: He held out his hand toward her, but she would
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  Speaker 1: not see it, and went sobbing from the room. The
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  Speaker 1: father and mother sat on awhile. Then Laverenz said to
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  Speaker 1: his wife, would you fetch me in a draft veil? No,
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  Speaker 1: bring in a little wine, he asked, I am weary,
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  Speaker 1: Renfrey did as he asked. When she came back with
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  Speaker 1: the tall wine stoop. Her husband was sitting with his
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  Speaker 1: face hidden in his hands. He looked up and passed
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  Speaker 1: his hand over her head dress and her sleeves. Poor wife,
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  Speaker 1: now you are wet, Come drink to me, Renfrete. She
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  Speaker 1: barely touched the cup with her lips. Nay, now drink
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  Speaker 1: with me, said Lawrence vehemently, and tried to draw her
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  Speaker 1: down on his knee. Unwillingly, the woman did as he bade.
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  Speaker 1: Lavans said, you you will stand by me in this thing,
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  Speaker 1: wife of mine? Will you not? Surely twill be best
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  Speaker 1: for Christie herself that she understand from the very outset
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  Speaker 1: she must drive this man from her thoughts. Twill be
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  Speaker 1: hard for the child, said the mother. Aye, well, do
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  Speaker 1: I see it will, said Laverns. They sat silent awhile.
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  Speaker 1: Then Ronfret asked, how looks he this here lon of Hussbie, Oh,
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  Speaker 1: said Laverans, slowly. A proper fellow enough, after a fashion,
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  Speaker 1: But he looks not a man that is fit for
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  Speaker 1: much but to beguile women. They were silent again for
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  Speaker 1: a while. Then Lavern said, the great heritage that came
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  Speaker 1: to him from Sir Nicholas. With that I trow he
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  Speaker 1: has dealt so that it is much dwindled. Tis not
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  Speaker 1: for such a son in law that I have toiled
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  Speaker 1: and striven to make my children's lives sure. The mother
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  Speaker 1: wandered restlessly up and down the room. Laveranz went on,
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  Speaker 1: least of all, did it like me that he sought
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  Speaker 1: to tempt Colbine with silver to bear a secret letter
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  Speaker 1: to Kristin. Looked you what was in the letter? Asked Ronfried. No,
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  Speaker 1: I did not choose, said Laverance, curtly. I handed it
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  Speaker 1: back to Sir Mounin and told him what I thought
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  Speaker 1: of such doings. Arlon had hung his seal to it too.
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  Speaker 1: I know not what a man should say of such
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  Speaker 1: child's tricks. Sir Mounin would have me see the device
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  Speaker 1: of the seal that twas King Shule's privy seal come
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  Speaker 1: to Erlon through his father. His thought was, I trow
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  Speaker 1: that I might bethink me how great and honor they
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  Speaker 1: did me to sue for my daughter. But tis in
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  Speaker 1: my mind that Sir Mounin had scarce pressed on this
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  Speaker 1: matter for Arlon so warmly. Were it not that in
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  Speaker 1: this man's hands tis downhill with the might and honor
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  Speaker 1: of the Hussbie kindred that a wan in Sir Nicholas
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  Speaker 1: and Sir Bard's day's no longer care and Herelon looked
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  Speaker 1: to make such a match as befitted his birth. Ronfreid
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  Speaker 1: stopped before her husband. Now I know not, husband, if
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  Speaker 1: you are right in this matter. First must it be
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  Speaker 1: said that, as times are now, many men round about
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  Speaker 1: us on the great estates, have had to be content
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  Speaker 1: with less of power and honor than their fathers had
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  Speaker 1: before them. And you yourself best know that tis less
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  Speaker 1: easy now for a man to win riches, either from
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  Speaker 1: land or from merchantry, than it was in the old world.
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  Speaker 1: I know, I know, broke in laverrens impatiently. All the
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  Speaker 1: more does it behoove a man to guide warily the
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  Speaker 1: goods that have come down to him. But his wife
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  Speaker 1: went on, and this too is to be said. I
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  Speaker 1: see not that Kristen can be an uneven match for Erelon.
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  Speaker 1: In Sweden, your kin sit among the best, and your
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  Speaker 1: father and his father before him bore the name of
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  Speaker 1: knights in this land of Norway. My forefathers were barons
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  Speaker 1: of shires, son after father, many hundred years down to
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  Speaker 1: Ivar the Old. My father and my father's father were wardens. True,
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  Speaker 1: tis neither you nor Tront have held titles or lands
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  Speaker 1: under the crown. But as for that, methinks it may
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  Speaker 1: be said that tis no otherwise with reln Nicholson than
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  Speaker 1: with you. Tis not the same, said Laverans Hotly power
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  Speaker 1: and knightly name lay ready to Erelan's hand, and he
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  Speaker 1: turned his back on them to go aharing. But now
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  Speaker 1: I see you are against me too. Maybe you think,
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  Speaker 1: like Osmond and Trond, tis an honor for me that
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  Speaker 1: these great folks would have my daughter for one of
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  Speaker 1: their kinsmen. Ronfret spoke in some heat. I have told you,
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  Speaker 1: I see not that you need be so over nice
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  Speaker 1: as to fear that Rlon's kinsman should think they stoop
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  Speaker 1: in these dealings. But see you not what all things
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  Speaker 1: be token a gentle and abidable child to find courage
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  Speaker 1: to set herself up against us and turn away. Simon Darry,
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  Speaker 1: have you not seen that Kristin is no wise herself
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  Speaker 1: since she came back from Oshlow. See you not that
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  Speaker 1: she goes around like one bewitched? Will you not understand
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  Speaker 1: she loves this man so sorely that if you yield
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  Speaker 1: not a great misfortune may befall What mean you buy that?
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  Speaker 1: Answered the father, looking up sharply. Many a man greets
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  Speaker 1: his son in law and knows not of it, said Renfret.
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  Speaker 1: The man seemed to stiffen where he sat. His face
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  Speaker 1: grew slowly white. You that are her mother, he said hoarsely.
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  Speaker 1: Have you have you seen such sure tokens that you
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  Speaker 1: dare charge your own daughter? No? No, said Ronfret quickly.
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  Speaker 1: I meant it not as you think. But when things
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  Speaker 1: are thus, who can tell what has befallen or what
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  Speaker 1: may befall I have seen her heart, not one thought
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  Speaker 1: hath she left. But her love for this man twere
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  Speaker 1: no marvel. If one day she showed us that he
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  Speaker 1: is dearer to her than her honor or her life.
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  Speaker 1: Lavern sprang up, Oh you are mad? Can you think
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  Speaker 1: such things of our fair good child? No harm? Surely
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  Speaker 1: can have come to her where she was with the
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  Speaker 1: holy nuns. I WoT well, she is no by er
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: wench to go clipping behind walls and fences. Think but
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: of it tis not possible she can have seen this man,
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: or talked with him so many times. Be sure it
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: will pass away. It cannot be aught, but a young
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: maid's fancy, God knows, tis a heavy sight enough for
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: me to see her sorrow. So but be sure it
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: must pass by in time life, you say, and honor
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: at home here by my own hearthstone, twill go hard
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: if I cannot guard my own maiden. Nor do I
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: deem that any maid, come of good people and bred
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: up christianly and shamefastness, will be so quick to throw
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: away her honor, nor yet her life. Ay, such things
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: are told of in songs and ballads, sure enough. But
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: methinks tis so that when a man or a maid
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: is tempted to do such a deed, they make up
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: a song about it and ease their hearts thereby. But
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: the deed itself they forbear to do. You yourself, he said,
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: stopping before his wife, There was another man you would
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: fain have wed in those days when we were brought together.
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: How think you it would have gone with you? Had
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: your father let you have your will? On that score?
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: It was ronfret now that was grown deadly pale. Yesuse Maria,
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: who hath told siegerd Ofvlopsgard, said somewhat twas when we
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: were just come hither to the dale, said Laverns. But
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: answer me what I asked. Think you your life had
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: been gladder? Had Eyvar given you to that man? His
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: wife stood with head bowed low. That man, she said,
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: he could scarce hear the words twas he would not
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: have me. A throb seemed to pass through her body.
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: She struck out before her with her clenched hand. The
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: husband laid his hands softly on her shoulders. Is is
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: it that, he asked, as if overcome, and a deep
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: and sorrowful wonder sounded in his voice. Is it that
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: through all these years have you been sorrowing for him? Ronfrit?
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: She trembled much, but she said nothing, Ronfrite. He asked again, Aye,
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: but afterward, when Bjorgolf was dead, and afterward when you
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: when you would have had me to be to you
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: as as I could not be. Were you thinking then
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: of that other? He spoke, low in fear and bewilderment
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: and pain. How can you have such thoughts? She whispered
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: on the verge of weeping. Laverrens pressed his forehead against
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: hers and moved his head gently from side to side.
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: I know not you are so strange, and all you
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: have said tonight, I was afraid, Roanfret, like enough, I
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: understand not the hearts of women. Roanfret smiled palely and
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: laid her arms about his neck. God knows, Laverns. I
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: was a beggar to you because I loved you more
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: than tis good that a human soul should love. And
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: I hated that others so that I felt the devil
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: joyed in my hate. I have held you, dear, my wife,
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: said Lavrens, kissing her. Ay with all my heart have
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: I held you? Dear? You know that surely methought always
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: that we two were happy together. Roonfreite, you were the
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: best husband to me, said she with a little sob,
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: and clung close to him. He pressed her to him
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: strongly to night. I would fain sleep with you, Ronfret,
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: And if you would be to me as you were
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: in the old days, I should not be such a fool.
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: The woman seemed too stiffen in his arms. She drew
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: away a little tis fast time. She spoke low in
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: a strange, hard voice. It is so, he laughed a little.
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: You and I, Ronfrete, we have kept all the fasts
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: and striven to do God's bidding in all things. And
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: now almost I could think maybe we had been happier,
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: had we more to repent. Oh speak, not so you,
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: she begged, wildly, pressing her thin hands to his temples.
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: You know well I would not you should do aught.
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: But what you feel yourself is the right. He drew
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: her to him closely once more and groaned aloud, God
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: help her, God help us all my roandfrit Then I
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: am weary, he said, and let her go, And tis
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: time too for you to go to rest. He stood
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: by the door, waiting while she quenched the embers on
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: the hearth, blew out the little iron lamp by the loom,
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: and pinched out the glowing wick. Together they went across
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: through the rain to the hall. Lawrens had set his
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: foot already on the loft room stair when he turned
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: to his wife, who was still standing in the entry door.
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: He crushed her in his arms again for the last time,
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: and kissed her in the dark. Then he made the
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: sign of the Cross over his wife's face and went
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: up the stair. Ronfret flung off her clothes and crept
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: into bed. A while she lay and listened to her
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: husband's steps in the loft room above. Then she heard
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: the bed creak, and all was still. Ronfret crossed her
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: thin arms over her withered breasts. Ah, God help her.
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: What kind of a woman was she? What kind of mother?
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: She would soon be old? Now? Yet was she the same?
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: Though she no longer begged stormily for love as when
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: they were young, and her passion had made this man
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: shrink and grow cold, when she would have had him
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: be her lover and not only husband, So had it been,
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: And so time after time when she was with child,
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: had she been humbled beside herself with shame that she
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: had not been content with his lukewarm husband life. And
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: then when things were so with her and she needed
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: goodness and tenderness, then he had so much to give.
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: The man's tireless gentle thought for her when she was
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: sick and tormented, had fallen on her soul like do
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: gladly did he take up all she laid on him
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: and bear it. But there was ever something of his
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: own he would not give. She had loved her children
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: so that each time she lost one, twas as though
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: the heart was torn from her. God, what woman was
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: she then, that, even then, in the midst of her torments,
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: she could feel it as a drop of sweetness, that
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: he took her sorrow into his heart and laid it
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: close beside his own. Kristen gladly would she have passed
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: through the fire for her daughter. They believed it, not
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: neither Laverrens nor the child. But twas so yet did
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: she feel to her now in anger that was near
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: to hate, twas to forget his sorrow, for the child's sorrow,
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: that he wished to night that he could give himself
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: up to his wife. Runfrey dared not rise, for she
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: knew not but that Christen might be lying awake in
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: the other bed. But she raised herself noiselessly to her knees,
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: and with forehead bent against the foot board of the bed,
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: she strove to pray for her daughter, for her husband,
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: and for herself. While her body, little by little grew
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: stiff with the cold. She set out once more on
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: one of the night wanderings she knew so well, striving
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: to break her way through to a home of peace
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: for her heart. End of Chapter two