"O, Gottlieb!" cried Nanna, weeping and laughing, "this is madness
indeed!"
"No, on the contrary it is happiness!"
"But to-morrow you will repent it!"
"Never, Nanna, I sincerely believe that all is for the best. We can work
hard; we have only a few needs, and it is such happiness to love each
other."
"But--"
"You must accustom yourself to omit that disagreeable word. When my mind
is once made up, I permit of no _ifs_ nor _buts_. And as we do not
require a great amount of money to defray our little domestic expenses,
I think it would be wrong for us to waste the best part of our lives in
useless delay. After one year has elapsed, the parson shall unite us as
man and wife, and I shall take you from this valley, and we will look
forward to all the joys and sorrows, which our Heavenly Father in his
wisdom shall send us."
Nanna, who for a long season had battled against the intoxicating desire
which had filled her heart, gradually assented to Gottlieb's words, and
the interview terminated with a second agreement, which was directly
contrary to the first one, for by it they bound themselves to love each
other forever.
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