"Yes, now I am coming," said Birgit in a broken voice, while she gave her hand to Baard, and burst into a violent flood of tears.
The two hands pressed each other; they were both toilworn now, but they clasped as firmly as if they had sought each other for twenty years. They were still locked together, when Baard and Birgit went to the door; and afterwards when the bridal train went down to the stepping-stones on the shore, and Arne gave his hand to Eli, Baard looked at them, and, against all custom, took Birgit by the hand and followed them with a bright smile.
But Margit Kampen went behind them lonely.
Baard was quite overjoyed that day. While he was talking with the rowers, one of them, who sat looking at the mountains behind, said how strange it was that even such a steep cliff could be clad. "Ah, whether it wishes to be, or not, it must," said Baard, looking all along the train till his eyes rested on the bridal pair and his wife.
"Who could have foretold this twenty years ago?" said he.
THE END.
Cambridge: Stereotyped and Printed by John Wilson & Son.
THE
CHILDREN'S GARLAND
FROM THE BEST POETS
SELECTED AND ARRANGED
By COVENTRY PATMORE