Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/195

 "Hansine, you must answer one more question. You must not be angry … but am I right in feeling that we have been brought together this evening by God Himself? You must not hide anything from me. Do you care for me? Tell me.… Do you care for me ever so little?"

She put forth all her strength to try and get away, and uttered a muffled cry. But now both his arms were round her, and he drew her to him with ungovernable passion.

"Is it true? Hansine … dear, dear Hansine, do you love me a little?

She no longer heard anything. She had sunk powerless in his arms, and her tears could no longer be restrained, she cried so violently that she was quite convulsed. She was paralysed with shame and despair. She seemed as if she would fall to the earth, and implore it to open and hide her.

"Then, then, do not cry any more, dearest one. It's all right now, isn't it? Come, we will go home together, and talk to your parents.… Come."

These words roused her.

"You must not go with me," she said quickly, passing her hand over her tear-stained eyes.

"But why not? don't you want any one to see us until I have spoken to your parents? Well,