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Thelma, touched by her utter misery, would have offered consolation, but
Lovisa repelled her with a fierce gesture.
"Go!" said the old woman harshly. "You have cast your spells upon her--I
am witness of your work! And shall you escape just punishment? No; not
while there is a God in heaven, and I, Lovisa Elsland, live to perform
His bidding! Go,--white devil that you are!--go and carry misfortune
upon misfortune to your fine gentleman-lover! Ah!" and she chuckled
maliciously as the girl recoiled from her, her proud face growing
suddenly paler, "have I touched you there? Lie in his breast, and it
shall be as though a serpent stung him,--kiss his lips, and your touch
shall be poison,--live in doubt, and die in misery! Go! and may all evil
follow you!"
She raised her staff and waved it majestically, as though she drew a
circle in the air,--Thelma smiled pityingly, but deigned no answer to
her wild ravings.
"Come, Sigurd!" she said simply, "let us return home. It is growing
late--father will wonder where we are.


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