"But you are a real fairy, then! For you read into my very soul, and how anxious I was about Sophie, and longing to see her. It was just for that that I was praying, that my darling little Sophie might be saved and brought here. And then you come in and bring me, like the message in the Gospel, the comforting answer: 'Go yourself and fetch her!' And do you still venture to affirm that there is no good in prayer?"
"To those who believe it is good," replied Zeneida, kissing the girl's forehead; upon which the latter, throwing her two arms lovingly round Fräulein Ilmarinen's neck, said:
"Let us say 'thou' to each other."
And they signed the compact with a kiss. Then joyously running to the table, Bethsaba drank her wine soup almost at a breath. There was a little left in the glass.
"That you must drink; I left it for you."
And the bond was sealed.
"I am quite ready; let us go," said Bethsaba.
"Wait just a few minutes. We will let the gentlemen get away first. We will go out by the garden gate, and take only one man to steer and another for the boat-hook."
"Then we will row, won't we? I am accustomed to it, and strong as iron."
"It would be no use. The boat can only be sculled through the ice, especially against the current, and that will be done with the boat-hook."