Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/192

 thought seemed too ridiculous, but he saw that he had acted somewhat thoughtlessly in seeking her at this hour, and in such a solitary spot. So he tried to make a joke of it.

All the same there was a touch of bitterness in his voice as he said:

"Well, I really think that I am in your way. You must excuse me,… that was far from my intention. To tell the truth, it did not occur to me that time and place were not well chosen. But, good heavens! am I not your priest.… I had hoped that we were too good friends to misunderstand each other! Well—good-night then! I suppose you are not afraid to shake hands with me?"

She slowly gave him her hand, but drew it quickly back again, and with a short "good-night," turned away and went back the way she came.

Emanuel remained standing, dumb with astonishment. He had felt how cold her hand was, and how it shook. What in the world was the matter with her?

"Hansine!" he called.

She appeared not to hear him, and hurried on.

"Hansine!" he called, this time with the full power of his voice, and then she stopped as if bereft of power.

He went along to her, and although her back was to him, he saw at once that she was struggling to keep herself from crying.