Page:Pontoppidan - Emanuel, or Children of the Soil (1896).djvu/206

 he turned away, and walked slowly to the window, where he remained looking out.

There was a dead silence in the room for more than two minutes.

It was broken by Emanuel, who said—

"Have you anything more to say to me, sir?"

The Provst turned.

"Yes, Mr Hansted!" he said with forced calm. "I feel it is my duty to warn you once more, most solemnly, against this portentous step you are about to take. I have received you into my house, and I cannot look on calmly and see you doing an injury to yourself and to others. Of course, I do not doubt that you are acting from the best possible motives," he continued, coming nearer. "Of course you are persuaded that this will be for your happiness, and for that of the young girl. But you are a dreamer, a romantic dreamer, Mr Hansted. I have long seen that! A craving for the fantastic is an unfortunate heritage in your blood, and it leads you like a blind man along unknown paths. Look at your true self. Tear the bandage of dreams from your eyes, and you will shudder at the abyss, to the edge of which you have been tempted. How has it happened that, with your talents and abilities, you have been blinded to this extent? What is one to believe, what is one to think of you, Mr Hansted?"

"I will not discuss that point. I only know that I cannot accommodate you by repenting of