through their whole frames.

But when she felt their eyes following her, she went into the room where
the commercial men sat dining, and began to polish some teaspoons at the
sideboard.

'Did you notice the mail-guard?' asked one of the travellers.

'No, not particularly; I only got a glimpse of him. I think he went out
again directly,' replied the other, with his mouth full of food.

'He's a devilish fine fellow! Why, I danced at his wedding.'

'Indeed. So he is married?'

'Yes; his wife lives in Lemvig; they have at least two children. She was
a daughter of the innkeeper of Ulstrop, and I arrived there on the very
evening of the wedding. It was a jolly night, you may be sure.'

Karen dropped the teaspoons and went out. She did not hear them calling
to her from the parlour. She walked across the courtyard to her chamber,
closed the door, and began half-unconsciously to arrange the bedclothes.
Her eyes stood rigid in the darkness; she pressed her hands to her head,
to her breast; she moaned; she did not understand--she did not
understand--

But when she heard Madame calling so piteously, 'Karen, Karen!' she
sprang up, rushed out of the yard, round the back of the house, out--out
upon the heath.