“Am I not your wife? Is it not my right to expect you to come to me with your troubles? In bitter sorrow I have waited for you these two days.”
“I was the cause of Captain Lennart’s misfortunes. How could I dare to show myself to you?”
“You are not often afraid, Gösta.”
“The only service I can do you, Elizabeth, is to rid you of myself.”
Unspeakable contempt flashed from under her frowning brows at him.
“You wish to make me a suicide’s wife!”
His face was distorted.
“Elizabeth, let us go out into the silent forest and talk.”
“Why should not these people hear us?” she cried, speaking in a shrill voice. “Are we better than any of them? Has any one of them caused more sorrow and injury than we? They are the children of the forest, and of the highway; they are hated by every man. Let them hear how sin and sorrow also follows the lord of Ekeby, the beloved of all, Gösta Berling! Do you think your wife considers herself better than any one of them—or do you?”
He raised himself with difficulty onto his elbow, and looked at her with sudden defiance. “I am not such a wretch as you think.”