'Well, the mother should be the one to know.
But in this case, it seems, she doesn't. The woman I'm married to doesn't
know--or do you?' But Fruen did not answer. _'Do_ you know? I ask
you!' Oh, but again she could not answer, only slipped down to the floor
again and cried. Really, I don't know--but perhaps I'm on her side after
all; it was dreadful for her, poor thing. And then I was just going to
knock at the door and go in, but then the Captain went on again. 'You
can't say it,' he said. 'But that's an answer in itself, and plain
enough.' 'I can't say more,' said Fruen. She was still crying. 'I'm fond
of you for lots of things, Lovise,' says the Captain, 'and one of them's
because you're truthful.' 'Thank you,' she says. 'They haven't taught you
to lie as yet. Get up, now.' And he helped her up himself, and set her in
the chair. But it was pitiful to see her crying so. 'Don't cry, now,' he
says. 'I want to ask you something. Shall we wait and see what it's like
when it comes--what sort of eyes it has, and so on?' 'Oh, heaven bless
you, yes, if you would! Oh, my dear, God bless you, God bless you.
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