I could not command her, and seemed powerless to persuade her;
but I had not done yet, and proceeded to use every argument I
could find to bring her round to my view; and when I finished she
put her arms around my neck and drew herself up once more. "O
Abel, how happy I shall be!" she said, taking no notice of all I
had said. "Think of me alone, days and days, in the wood,
waiting for you, working all the time; saying: 'Come quickly,
Abel; come slow, Abel. O Abel, how long you are! Oh, do not come
until my work is finished!' And when it is finished and you
arrive you shall find me, but not at once. First you will seek
for me in the house, then in the wood, calling: 'Rima! Rima!'
And she will be there, listening, hid in the trees, wishing to be
in your arms, wishing for your lips--oh, so glad, yet fearing to
show herself. Do you know why? He told you--did he not?--that
when he first saw her she was standing before him all in white--a
dress that was like snow on the mountain-tops when the sun is
setting and gives it rose and purple colour. I shall be like
that, hidden among the trees, saying: 'Am I different--not like
Rima? Will he know me--will he love me just the same?' Oh, do I
not know that you will be glad, and love me, and call me
beautiful? Listen! Listen!" she suddenly exclaimed, lifting
her face.
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