After all was ended the relatives and acquaintances came up to offer their congratulations; next came Oyvind's comrades to take leave of him, as they had heard that he was to depart the next day; then there came many little ones with whom he had coasted on the hill-sides and whom he had assisted at school, and who now could not help whimpering a little at parting. Last came the school-master, silently took Oyvind and his parents by the hands, and made a sign to start for home; he wanted to accompany them. The four were together once more, and this was to be the last evening. On the way home they met many others who took leave of Oyvind and wished him good luck; but they had no other conversation until they sat down together in the family-room. The school-master tried to keep them in good spirits; the fact was now that the time had come they all shrank from the two long years of separation, for up to this time they had never been parted a single day; but none of them would acknowledge it. The later it grew the more dejected Oyvind became; he was forced to go out to recover his composure a little. It was dusk now and there were strange sounds in the air. Oyvind remained standing on the door-step gazing upward. From the brow of the cliff he then heard his own name called, quite softly; it was no delusion, for it was repeated twice. He looked up and faintly distinguished a female form crouching between the trees and looking down. "Who is it?" asked he. "I hear you are going away," said a low voice, "so I had to come to you and say good-by, as you would not come to me." "Dear me! Is that you, Marit? I shall come up to you." "No, pray do not. I have waited so long, and if you come I should have to wait still longer; no one knows where I am and I must hurry home." "It was kind of you to come," said he. "I could not bear to have you leave so, Oyvind; we have known each other since we were children." "Yes; we have." "And now we have not spoken to each other for half a year." "No; we have not." "We parted so strangely, too, that time." "We did. I think I must come up to you!" "Oh, no! do not come! But tell me: you are not angry with me?" "Goodness! how could you think so?" "Good-by, then, Oyvind, and my thanks for all the happy times we have had together!" "Wait, Marit!" "Indeed I must go; they will miss me." "Marit! Marit!" "No, I dare not stay away any longer, Oyvind. Good-by." "Good-by!"