"No, no," she answered. "I shall write to you. I shall write to you. I cannot trust myself to speak. If I began, I——"
It was she who broke off this time.
"I have so much I want to say to you," she went on. "Up at Peer Gynt's stue, when I turned towards you, I——"
She broke off again.
The news spread about that the Englishwoman was returning to England the very next morning. It caused general dissatisfaction.
"Going away!" said Bedstemor. "Why doesn't she stay in Norway? That is the only place to live in."
"Going to leave the Gaard!" said Solli reproachfully; "before the harvest is gathered in too."
"Going to England!" said the Sorenskriver sulkily; "to that barbarous country, which scarcely exists on the map."
"Going away!" exclaimed old Kari, "and before the cows come down from the mountains."