also whether you will forgive me. You will remember when you told
me that I was not to think of Marie Bromar for myself.'

'I do remember.'

'Well; I had thought of her. If you wanted to prevent that, you
were too late.'

'You were boys and girls together; that is all.'

'Let me tell my story, father, and then you shall judge. Before you
had spoken to me at all, Marie had given me her troth.'

'Nonsense!'

'Let me at least tell my story. She had done so, and I had given
her mine; and when you told me to go, I went, not quite knowing then
what it might be best that we should do, but feeling very sure that
she would at least be true to me.'

'Truth to any such folly as that would be very wicked.'

'At any rate, I did nothing. I remained there month after month;
meaning to do something when this was settled,--meaning to do
something when that was settled; and then there came a sort of
rumour to me that Marie was to be Urmand's wife. I did not believe
it, but I thought that I would come and see.'

'It was true.'