Голод

           Ioughttohaverememberedit;butIwentonforgettingit—byGodinHeaven,itistrue!GodkeepmefromevercomingalivefromthisspotifIlie.There,youcansee,youdomeaninjustice.ItwasnotoutofneedIdidit;Icangetcredit,muchcredit,atIngebret’sorGravesen’s.Ioften,too,hadagooddealofmoneyinmypocket,anddidnotbuyfoodallthesame,becauseIforgotit.Doyouhear?Youdon’tsayanything;youdon’tanswer;youdon’tstirabitfromthefire;youjuststandandwaitformetogo...."

           Shecamehurriedlyovertome,andstretchedoutherhand.Ilookedather,fullofmistrust.Didshedoitwithanytrueheartiness,ordidsheonlydoittogetridofme?Shewoundherarmsroundmyneck;shehadtearsinhereyes;Ionlystoodandlookedather.Sheofferedhermouth;Icouldn’tbelieveinher;itwasquitecertainshewasmakingasacrificeasameansofputtinganendtoallthis.

           Shesaidsomething;itsoundedtomelike,"Iamfondofyou,inspiteofall."Shesaiditverylowlyandindistinctly;maybeIdidnotheararight.Shemaynothavesaidjustthosewords;butshecastherselfimpetuouslyagainstmybreast,claspedbothherarmsaboutmyneckforalittlewhile,stretchedevenupabitonhertoestogetagoodhold,andstoodsoforperhapsawholeminute.Iwasafraidthatshewasforcingherselftoshowmethistenderness,andIonlysaid:

           "Whatadarlingyouarenow!"

           MoreIdidn’tsay