has forbidden all visitors. Besides, it is contagious.'
'I don't mind that at all. If you would just let me have a glimpse of him.'
The lady looked at me a little more kindly. 'I am sorry, but it's quite impossible. Perhaps the young lady is Mr. Mörch's fiancée?'
The blood rushed to my face as I answered, 'No.'
She looked astonished and asked, 'From whom shall I give a message?'
'From the young lady.'
'A young lady?'
'No, the young lady.'
I suppose she is now thinking the worst of me, but what does that matter if he only gets my greeting.
How I have lived through this day, how I have been able to control myself, so that no one has guessed anything, I don't know.
I only know that about five or six o'clock I couldn't bear to go on sitting ignorant at home. I went out—Heaven knows with what excuse—stood again outside the house, but did not dare to go up. I got hold of a messenger and sent him. The condition was unchanged; perhaps there was a very slight improvement.
This strange woman said I could not see him. She, to whom he is just a patient like all other
