"Let us have no more of this! He who means to do right does not begin as you did. But in spite of the beginning you might perhaps still have--Yet how did you act? I say: let us have no more of this!" She moved away a few paces and came back again with: "No, I was not to blame when I gave myself to you, for you promised that I should do and live precisely as I pleased. And I was such an inexperienced child that I did not in the least understand how you were outwitting me. But I did wrong when I heard how matters really were and did not at once leave you. Also when I failed to do so later. However, this is connected with many things about which we will not talk at present. All we can do now is to make amends, as far as we can, for the past. Give me up, and try to do your duty toward others." "What do you mean by that?" His eyes blinked and his face grew sharp. "I mean that you have outwitted others, so I have heard, for your own selfish ends. Try to make amends for your evil deeds, if you really desire improvement." "That is not true. If it was, it is nothing to you." "Alas! alas! There is little hope of improvement, I fear, in this as in other things. Aye, then, farewell! It shall be as I have said." He looked up and distorted his face to a grin, making the eyes almost wholly disappear beneath the bushy brows. "You cannot leave here without my consent." "Oh!" "Moreover, have you considered what you are doing? Are you right in the eyes of God?" "You know very well what I think upon _this_ subject." "Pshaw! If you mean that talk about unholy marriages, it is sheer nonsense. There is not a word in the Bible about it. I have looked." She stroked the hair from her brow. "Then it is written here," said she, and turned to go. Skarlie began to get up. He was very angry. Rönnaug felt the necessity of making haste, for now she was in danger of being seen. Suddenly the three stood face to face.