Part 13 (2/2)
Vedder laughed, and added: ”Go then to thy bed, I am tired.”
”Not tired of Sunna?”
”Well then, yes, of thee I have had enough at present.”
She went away as he spoke, and then he was worried. ”Now I am unhappy!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. ”What provokers to the wrong way are women!
Her mother was like her--my beloved Adriana!” And his old eyes filled with sorrowful tears as he recalled the daughter he had lost in the first days of her motherhood. Very soon Sunna and Adriana became one and he was fast asleep in his chair.
In the morning Sunna kept her intention. She poured out her grandfather's coffee, and talked of everything but the thing in her heart and purpose. After breakfast she said: ”I shall put the day past with Thora Ragnor. Thy dinner will be served for thee by Elga.”
”Talking thou wilt be----”
”Of nothing that ought to be kept quiet. Do not come for me if I am late; I intend that Boris shall bring me home.”
Sunna dressed herself in a pretty lilac lawn frock, trimmed with the then new and fas.h.i.+onable Scotch open work, and fresh lilac ribbons.
Her hair was arranged as Boris liked it best, and it was s.h.i.+elded by one of those fine, large Tuscan hats that have never, even yet, gone out of fas.h.i.+on.
”Why, Sunna!” cried Thora, as she hastened to meet her friend, ”how glad am I to see thee!”
”Thou wert in my heart this morning, and I said to it 'Be content, in an hour I will take thee to thy desire.'” And they clasped hands, and walked thus into the house. ”Art thou not tired after the dance?”
”No,” replied Thora, ”I was very happy. Do happy people get tired?”
”Yes--one can only bear so much happiness, then it is weariness--sometimes crossness. Too much of any good thing is a bad thing.”
”How wise thou art, Sunna.”
”I live with wisdom.”
”With Adam Vedder?”
”Yes, and thou hast been living with Love, with Mr. Macrae. Very handsome and good-natured he is. I am sure that thou art in love with him! Is that not the case?”
”Very much in love with me he is, Sunna. It is a great happiness. I do not weary of it, no, indeed! To believe in love, to feel it all around you! It is wonderful! You know, Sunna--surely you know?”
”Yes, I, too, have been in love.”
”With Boris--I know. And also Boris is in love with thee.”
”That is wrong. No longer does Boris love me.”
”But that is impossible. Love for one hour is love forever. He did love thee, then he could not forget. Never could he forget.”
”He did not notice me last night. Thou must have seen?”
”I did not notice--but I heard some talk about it. The first time thou art alone with him, he will tell thee his trouble. It is only a little cloud--it will pa.s.s.”
”I suppose the enlisting s.h.i.+p sails northaway first?”
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