Ten yards more, and I had joined her.
"Axel!" she cried surprised.

"What! have you come to meet me?
Is this why you are here, sir ?" But when she had looked upon me, Graeuben could not fail to see the uneasiness and distress of my mind.
"What is the matter ?" she said, holding out her hand.
"What is the matter, Graeuben ?" I cried.
In a couple of minutes my pretty Virlandaise was fully informed of the position of affairs.

For a time she was silent.

Did her heart palpitate as mine did?
I don't know about that, but I know that her hand did not tremble in mine.

We went on a hundred yards without speaking.
At last she said, "Axel!" "My dear Graeuben." "That will be a splendid journey!" I gave a bound at these words.
"Yes, Axel, a journey worthy of the nephew of a savant; it is a good thing for a man to be distinguished by some great enterprise." "What, Graeuben, won't you dissuade me from such an undertaking ?" "No, my dear Axel, and I would willingly go with you, but that a poor girl would only be in your way." "Is that quite true ?" "It is true." Ah! women and young girls, how incomprehensible are your feminine hearts! When you are not the timidest, you are the bravest of creatures.