with the vehicle sometimes on two wheels. Often the horses would stiffen their legs and make the downgrade almost on their haunches, and when they came to a sudden drop in the road, Magnus would stand up and use the whip desperately, to urge the horses on so that the high carriage would not come tumbling over them.
In the middle of one of these break-neck descents the little girl again turned to the nurse and said:
"Aren't you glad, Back-Kaisa, to be alone with me? Aren't you glad, Back-Kaisa, the baby isn't along?"
There came no response now, either; and wondering, the child turned so that she could see the nurse's face.… Back-Kaisa sat holding on to the seat, a fixed stare in her eyes, her lips compressed, her face the hue of ashes. "Isn't Back-Kaisa glad?" But the little girl now saw that Back-Kaisa was far from glad and she was so crestfallen she could have cried.
Then at last Back-Kaisa spoke:
"Hush up, Selma! You must't talk when you're facing such danger! Never've I known worse! But for your sake, I'd 've got down and gone home long ago."
The little girl sat pondering the reply, not quite satisfied. She was never afraid when with Back-Kaisa, so why should Back-Kaisa be afraid when she was with her? It was nice of her, though, not to get down and go home; but it would have been nicer if she had felt too happy to be scared.
