<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2180" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><IMG alt="" hspace=0
src="cid:001601c6d526$633ca470$8a6fdac4@qn.dehw" align=baseline
border=0></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As it happened, Bobby had come in just when Niels
was punishingher. The whole marriage, the whole antecedents of this marriage
wereimmoral . It was not often that Niels even saw his wife in the early part ofthe
winter. Unlike dogs, they do not cling to or fawnupon him who does not deserve their
love.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Atlast he turned north again, along pig-pens and
milk-house, till hereached the garden. Pictures of the past flitted throughhis mind:
the first that had come to him through many months. A feeling of shame swept through
him,unnerving his strength. There heturned south into the bush, almost running over
the sun-dappledsoil between the trees. It would almost seem as if she watched for
his appearance on theyard to extinguish even her lamp. It was a meeting of no more
than a quarter minute. Hopelessness andindifference began to show more and more even
in his physique. Suddenly the shadow of a figure fell across the grass in front
ofhim. It was still early when he saw his wife leave the house for her nowaccustomed
walk in the bluff.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As for the farm, he would pay in half
crops.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But he attended himself to all those of thechores
which necessitated entering the house. Again she was in undress for the night, with
a gown thrown over hershoulders. When he came to the sentence, That which is crooked
cannot be madestraight, it seemed a comfort.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>And yet, Niels, even then I could not get rid of
the thought ofyou.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On the wagon-truck drawn by the slow, plodding
beasts rested asand-box without a seat. The manbent over and kissed her on the
mouth, long, fervently, with thekiss of a sensual lover. Suddenly his heart began to
beat like a sledgehammer; he could hearits thud.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Im two rounds ahead, Niels said as he let himself
down from hisseat.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If he avoided people in thissettlement, the people
also avoided him. How could he, how could he let things getthe better of him that
way?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Niels first impulse had been to go to her
aid.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Suppose he had simulated feelings which he did not
have .</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>He had strongly, forcibly realised that he was not
the onlysufferer. Thealarm clock showed a quarter past nine . Unlike dogs, they do
not cling to or fawnupon him who does not deserve their love. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>