"Yes," he answered with a sigh of discouragement: "it is true enough I ought; but where shall I turn? That is just the immeasurable difficulty." "Write by the same mail as before." "Which?" "Let the whirlwind, that brought the first letter to its destination, also take care of this, in which you demand your word back." "Oh, that you do not mean! Or, if you mean it, then I may honestly confess that I am not young any more or have not received another youth. I have not courage to write anything, for fear it should come to others than to you." "So I see that, after all, I may act as witch to-day. Write, and I will take care of the letter: do you hesitate?" "No: only it took me a moment to comprehend the promise involved in this that you will take care of my letter. I obey you blindly; but what shall I write?" "Write: 'Dear fairy,--Since I woo Miss Hjelm's hand and heart,'--" "Oh, you acknowledge it! O Ingeborg, the Lord's blessing upon you!" said Bagger, and would rise. "'I ask you to send me my billet back.'--Have you that?" "Yes, Ingeborg, my Ingeborg, my unspeakably loved Ingeborg! How poor language is, when the heart is so full!" "Now, name, date, and address. Have you that? 'Postscriptum. I give you my word of honor, that I neither know who you are, or how this letter shall reach you.'--Have you that?" "That I can truly give. I am as blind as"... "Let me add the witch-formulae." "O Ingeborg, you will write upon the same paper with me, in a letter where I have written your name!" "Hand me the pen. We must have the letter sent to the mail before two o'clock." "Two o'clock. How queer! The last letter reads: 'Take notice of the striking two.'" "That we will," said Ingeborg. She wrote: "Dear Miss Brandt, I, too, ask you to send the Counsellor his billet, and I pray you to write upon it: 'Given me by Miss Hjelm.' It is best for all parties that the fun does not come out in gossip. You shall, by return of mail, receive back your letters." VI.