By the help of the hunting-knife and the fire-tongs he succeeded in forcing the door, and that without any very considerable noise. He looked into a small, low room, upon the floor of which some dirty coverlets were thrown.
Sidsel slept deeply and soundly with open mouth. A thick mass of hair escaped from beneath her cap, upon her brow; the moonlight fell, through the window-pane in the roof, upon her face. Otto bowed himself over her and examined the coarse, unpleasing features. The thick, black eyebrows appeared only like one irregular streak.
“She is my sister!” was the thought which penetrated him. “She lay upon the same bosom that I did! The blood in these limbs has kinship with that in mine! She was the repelled one, the rejected one!”
He trembled with pain and anguish; but it was only for a short time.
“Stand up!” cried he, and touched the sleeper.
“Ih, jane dou! [Author’s Note: An exclamation among the common people of Funen, expressive of terror.] what is it?” cried she, half terrified, and fixed her unpleasant eyes wildly upon him.
“Come with me!” said Otto, and his voice trembled as he spoke. “German Heinrich waits in the avenue! I will help you out! Hence; to-morrow it will be too late!”
“What do you say?” asked she, and still looked at him with a bewildered mien.
Otto repeated his words.
“Do you think that I can get away?” asked she, and seized him by the arm, as she hastily sprang up.