amorebeautifulapartmentcouldnotbefoundinthewholetownofkjoge;thequeenherselfcouldscarcelybebetteraccommodated.therewerecarpets,andrugs,andwindowcurtainshangingtotheground.picturesandflowerswerescatteredrewasavelvetchair,andalooking-glassagainstthewall,intowhichapersonmightbeindangerofstepping,foritwasaslargeasadoor.allthisknudsawataglance,andyet,intruth,hesawnothingbutjoanna.shewasquitegrownup,andverydifferentfromwhatknudhadfanciedher,andagreatdealmorebeautiful.inallkjogetherewasnotagirllikeher;andhowgracefulshelooked,althoughherglanceatfirstwasodd,andnotfamiliar;butforamomentonly,thensherushedtowardshimasifshewouldhavekissedhim;shedidnot,however,althoughshewasverynearit.yes,shereallywasjoyfulatseeingthefriendofherchildhoodoncemore,andthetearsevenstoodinhereyes.thensheaskedsomanyquestionsaboutknud'sparents,andeverything,eventotheelder-treeandthewillow,whichshecalled"elder-motherandwillow-father,"asiftheyhadbeenhumanbeings;andso,indeed,theymightbe,quiteasmuchasthegingerbreadcakes.thenshetalkedaboutthem,andthestoryoftheirsilentlove,andhowtheylayonthecountertogetherandsplitintwo;andthenshelaughedheartily;butthebloodrushedintoknud'scheeks,andhisheartbeatquickly.joannawasnotproudatall;henoticedthatthroughherhewasinvitedbyherparentstoremainthewholeeveningwiththem,andshepouredouttheteaandgavehimacupherself;andafterwardsshetookabookandreadaloudtothem,anditseemedtoknudasifthestorywasallabouthimselfandhislove,foritagreedsowellwithhisownthoughts.andthenshesangasimplesong,which,throughhersinging,becameatruestory,andasifshepouredforththefeelingsofherownheart.

"oh,"hethought,"sheknowsiamfondofher."thetearshecouldnotrestrainrolleddownhischeeks,andhewasunabletoutterasingleword;itseemedasifhehadbeenstruckdumb.

whenheleft,shepressedhishand,andsaid,"youhaveakindheart,knud:remainalwaysasyouarenow."whataneveningofhappinessthishadbeen;tosleepafteritwasimpossible,andknuddidnotsleep.

atparting,joanna'sfatherhadsaid,"now,youwon'tquiteforgetus;youmustnotletthewholewintergobywithoutpayingusanothervisit;"sothatknudfelthimselffreetogoagainthefollowingsundayevening,andsohedid.buteveryeveningafterworkinghours-andtheyworkedbycandle-lightthen-hewalkedoutintothetown,andthroughthestreetinwhichjoannalived,tolookupatherwindow.itwasalmostalwayslightedup;andoneeveninghesawtheshadowofherfacequiteplainlyonthewindowblind;thatwasagloriouseveningforhim.hismaster'swifedidnotlikehisalwaysgoingoutintheevening,idling,wastingtime,asshecalledit,andsheshookherhead.

buthismasteronlysmiled,andsaid,"heisayoungman,mydear,youknow."

"onsundayishallseeher,"saidknudtohimself,"andiwilltellherthatiloveherwithmywholeheartandsoul,andthatshemustbemylittlewife.iknowiamnowonlyapoorjourneymanshoemaker,butiwillworkandstrive,andbecomeamasterintime.yes,iwillspeaktoher;nothingcomesfromsilentlove.ilearntthatfromthegingerbread-cakestory."

sundaycame,butwhenknudarrived,theywereallunfortunatelyinvitedouttospendtheevening,andwereobligedtotellhimso.

joannapressedhishand,andsaid,"haveyoueverbeentothetheatre?