CHAPTER XXX

ecalledtothecoachmantostop."Iamgoingintotheforestforalittlewhile,"shesaid,jumpingout"Youdriveonhome."Andshecrossedtheroadquickly,herwhitedressflutteringforamomentbetweenthepine-trunks,andthendisappearinginthesoftgreenshadow. MissLeechdroveonalone,sighinggently.SomethingwastroublingherdearMissEstcourt.Somethingoutoftheordinaryhadhappened.Shewishedshecouldhelpher.Shedroveon,sighing. Directlytheroadwasoutofsight,Annastruckbackagaintotheleft,acrossthemossandlichen,towardstheplacewheresheknewtherewasapaththatledtoLohm.Shewalkedverystraightandveryquickly.Shedidnotmissherway,butfoundthepathandhastenedherstepstoarun.WhatweretheydoingtoAxel?Shewasgoingtohishouse,alone.Peoplewouldtalk.Whocared?Andwhenshehadheardallthatcouldbetoldherthere,shewasgoingtoAxelhimself.Peoplewouldtalk.Whocared?Thelaughableindifferenceofslander,whenbigissuesoflifeanddeathwereatstake!AllthetonguesofalltheworldshouldnotfrightenherawayfromAxel.Hereyeshadanewlookinthem.Forthefirsttimeshewaswideawake,wasfacinglifeasitiswithoutdreams,facingitsabsolutecrueltyandpitilessness.Thiswaslife,theseweretherealities—suffering,injustice,andshamenottobeavoidedapparentlybythemosthonourableandinnocentofmenbutatleasttobefoughtwithalltheweaponsinone'spower,withunflinchingcouragetotheend,whateverthatendmightbe.Thatwaswhatoneneededmost,ofallthegiftsofthegods—nothappiness—oh,foolish,childishdream!howcouldtherebehappinesssolongasmenwerewicked?—butcourage.ThatblindlookonAxel'sface—no,shewouldnotthinkofthatittoreherheart.Shestumbledalittleassheran—no,shewouldnotthinkofthat. Outintheopen,betweentheforestandLohm,shemetManske."Iwascomingtoyou,"hesaid. "Iamgoingtohim,"saidAnna. "Oh,mydearyounglady!"criedManskeandtwobigtearsrolleddownhisface. "Don'tcry,"shesaid,"itdoesnothelphim." "HowcanInotdosoafterseeingwhatIhavethisdayseen?" Shehurriedon."Come,"shesaid,"wemustnotwastetime.Heneedshelp.IamgoingtohishousetoseewhatIcando.Wheredidtheytakehim?" "Theytookhimtoprison." "Where?" "Stralsund." "Willhebetherelong?" "Tillafterthetrial." "Andthatwillbe?" "Godknows." "Iamgoingtohim.Comewithme.Wewilltakehishorses." "Oh,dearMiss,dearMiss,"criedManske,wringinghishands,"theywillnotletusseehim—youtheywillnotletinunderanycircumstances,andmeonlyacrossmountainsofobstacles.Theofficialwhoconductedthearrest,whenIprayedforpermissiontovisitmydearpatron,wasbrutalityitself.'Whyshouldyouvisithim?'heasked,sneering.'Theprisonchaplainwilldoallthatisneedfulforhissoul.''Letitbe,Manske,'saidmydearpatron,butstillIprayed.'Icannotgiveyoupermission,'saidthemanatlast,wearyofmyimportunity,'itrestswithmychief.Youmustgotohim.'" "Whoisthechief?" "Iknownot.Iknownothing.Myheadisinawhirl." "HemustbesomewhereinStralsund.Wewillfindhim,ifwehavetoaskfromdoortodoor.AndI'llgetpermissionformyself." "Oh,dearestMiss,nonewillbegivenyou.Themansaidonlyhisnearestrelatives,andthoseonlyveryseldom—forIaskedallIcould,Ifeltthemomentswerepriceless—mydearpatronspokenotaword.'Hiswife,ifhehasone,'saidtheman,makinghideouspleasantries—hewellknewthereisnowife—orhisBraut,ifthereisone,orabrotherorasister,butnooneelse." "DohisbrothersandTrudiknow?" "Iatoncetelegraphedtothem." "Thentheywillbehereto-night." ThewomenandchildreninthevillageranouttolookatAnnaasshepassed.Shedidnotseethem.Axel'shousestoodopen.TheMamsell,overcomebytheshameofhavingbeeninsuchaservice,wasinhystericsinthekitchen,andtheinspector,adevotedservantwholovedhismaster,wasupbraidingherwithbitterestindignationfordaringtosaysuchthingsofsuchamaster.TheMamsell'slamentsandtheinspector'sfuriousreproachesechoedthroughtheemptyhouse.Thedoor,lik