Over a week went by before Irgens turned up again. Had he become suspicious? Or had he simply tired of Aagot? However, he entered Ole's office one afternoon; the weather was clear and sunny, but it was blowing hard and the dust whirled through the streets in clouds and eddies. He was in doubt whether Miss Aagot would want to go out on such a day, and for this reason he said at once: "It is a gloriously windy day, Miss Aagot; I should like to take you up on the hills, up to the high places! You have never seen anything like it; the town is shrouded in dust and smoke." At any other time Ole would have said no; it was neither healthy nor enjoyable to be blown full of dust. But now he wanted to show Aagot that he was not thinking of their recent conversation.... Certainly; run along! Really, she ought to take this walk. And Aagot went. "It is an age since I have seen you," said Irgens. "Yes," she said, "I am busy nowadays. I am going home soon." "You are?" he asked quickly and stopped. "Yes. I am coming back, though." Irgens had become thoughtful. "I am afraid it is blowing a little too hard, after all," he said. "We can hardly hear ourselves think. Suppose we go to the Castle Park? I know a certain place--" "As you like," she said. They found the place; it was sheltered and isolated. Irgens said: "To be entirely candid, it was not my intention to drag you up into the hills to-day. The truth of the matter is that I was afraid you would not care to come; that is the reason I said what I said. For I _had_ to see you once more." Pause. "Really--I have ceased to wonder at anything you say." "But think--it is ten days since I have seen you! That is a long, a very long time." "Well--that is not altogether my fault--But don't let us talk about it any more," she added quickly. "Rather tell me--why do you still act toward me in this manner? It is wrong of you. I have told you that before. I should like to be friends with you, but--" "But no more. I understand. However, that is hardly sufficient for one who is distracted with suffering, you know. No, you do not know; you have never known. Ever and ever one must circle around the forbidden; it becomes a necessity continually to face one's fate. If, for instance, I had to pay for a moment like this with age-long wreck and ruin, why, I would gladly pay the price. I would rather be with you here one brief moment, Miss Aagot, than live on for years without you." "Oh, but--It is too late now, you know. Why talk about it, then? You only make it so much harder for us both." He said, slowly and emphatically: "No, it is not too late." She looked at him steadily and rose to her feet; he, too, got up; they walked on. Immersed in their own thoughts, without conscious realisation of what they were doing, walking slowly, they made the circuit of the park and returned to their sheltered nook. They sat down on the same bench.