fatigue, and then she would go, slowly, with a look
in her brother's direction to see if he approved.
She sat on her chair by the window and looked at
the gloomy yard, at the apple-tree, with drops drip-
ping from its yellow leaves. There was no sound to
be heard save the feet in the shop, the sound of peas
or beans pouring out of the measure, sometimes the
bell. Her brothers had to work, to work all the
time, in order to pay, and she wasn't able to. And
all the time she had to keep thinking of what was
being borne in this house for the fault of another.
It would be forgiven, there was no doubt of that,
but here it had left nothing but darkness and sorrow
in its wake, and even the morrow was dark. What
else was there to think, but just: why ? She stared
out with her face lifted towards the dim wall. When
she heard the cooing of the turtle-dove she moved
slightly. When she heard the sound of little feet,
the hurried turning of the door-handle, she turned
her head. Floris threw down his satchel and his
cap and disappeared through the other door.
The room had been dark for a long time when
Stien came in to light the lamp. Agnete sighed,
she put the Bible in front of her and read what she
had read innumerable times : " Nay, I had not
known sin, but by the law."
After Christmas she did not appear in the shop
any more. The doctor had given her pills, Mrs.
Sanne had had a rye loaf baked for her with herbs