Dinner was served in the small room on the north side of the house, and
the company assembled in the two so-called Sunday-rooms, which looked
over the garden.
Mrs. Garman always dressed in black silk, but to-day she was more
shining and ponderous than usual. She had been looking forward to a nice
quiet little dinner with Pastor Martens and the new school inspector;
and now here came a whole posse of worldly minded people. Mrs. Garman
was thus not in the best of tempers, and Miss Cordsen had to display all
her tact. But Miss Cordsen had had long practice, for Mrs. Garman had
always been difficult to manage, especially of late years since
"religion had come into fashion," as the careless Uncle Richard
declared.
Mrs Garman did not really manage her own house; everything went on
without change, according to the immutable rules which had come down
from the old Consul's time, and she very soon gave up the attempt to
bring in new ideas, according to her own pleasure. But now, since she
was as it were without any positive influence, she contented herself
with saying "No" to everything that she observed the others wished to
do. In this way she acquired a kind of negative authority, for although
her "No" did not always prevail, it still seemed to give her a right to
show her annoyance, by meeting it with an expression full of unmerited
suffering and Christian forbearance.
It was thus, with this expression, that Mrs. Garman was listening to Mr.
Aalbom, the tall assistant master, who was holding forth about the
delicacy and effeminacy of the rising generation. Mrs. Aalbom sat by the
window, pretending to listen to the Consul, who was describing with
great clearness, and in carefully chosen language, how the garden had
been arranged in his late father's time. But the lady was in reality
listening to her husband, for whom she had a most unbounded admiration.
Mrs. Aalbom was extremely tall, lean, bony, and angular; her lips were
thin, and her teeth long and yellow.
The pastor and the carriage from the town had not yet arrived. The
Consul's only daughter, Rachel, was standing by the old-fashioned stove,
talking merrily with Uncle Richard, and as the door opened, and the
pastor and the new inspector entered the room, she was laughing still
more gaily, and her mother gave her a reproving look.
As this was Mr. Johnsen's first visit to Sandsgaard, Mr. Martens took
him round and introduced him to each guest in succession, beginning with
the ladies. When they came to the fireplace, Uncle Richard received them
with his usual affability; but Rachel only gave a momentary glance at
the new acquaintance, and, almost without turning her head, continued
her conversation with her uncle. To her astonishment, however, she
remarked that the strange gentleman still remained standing by her side,
and, raising her calm blue eyes, she looked fixedly at him. What
followed was for her most unusual: she was obliged to withdraw her
glance, for, contrary to her expectation, she did not find Mr. Johnsen
shy, awkward, and impressed with the strange surroundings. It was plain,
however, that he was conscious that his behaviour was unconventional,
but he did not therefore desist. This caused Rachel to lose somewhat of
her usual self-possession.
"Have you been on the west coast before?" said Uncle Richard, coming to
her assistance.
"Never," replied the young man; "all I have as yet seen of the sea has
been Christiana Fjord."
"And what do you think of our scenery?" continued the old gentleman. "I
have no doubt that you have already seen some of the finest views in the
neighbourhood."
"It has made a deep impression on me," answered Mr. Johnsen; "but Nature
here is so grand and so impressive as to make one feel insignificant in
its presence."
"Perhaps you find it too dull here?" said Rachel, a little disappointed.
"Oh no, not exactly that," replied he, quietly. "The idea I wished to
convey is that Nature here has something--how shall I express
it?--something exacting about it, by which one seems, as it were,
impelled to activity, to perform some deed which will make a mark in the
world."
She looked at him with astonishment; but her uncle said
good-humouredly--
"For my part, I find our desolate and weather-beaten coast tends rather
to lead the mind to meditation and thought than to excite it to
activity."
"When I come to your years," answered Mr. Johnsen, "and have done
something in the world, I dare say I shall look upon life as you do."
"I hope not," sighed Uncle Richard, half smilingly and half sadly. "As
to having done anything, I--"
At that moment the door opened and young Mrs. Garman entered the room.
She looked so lovely that all eyes were turned upon her. Her French grey
silk with its pink trimmings had a cut quite foreign to those parts, and
it was difficult to look at her or her toilette without feeling that
both were out of the common in that society.
But the first glance told that the beautifully fitting dress, and the
graceful and bright-eyed woman who wore it, were well suited to each
other; and as she stepped lightly across the room and gave a sprightly
nod to her uncle, there was a natural ease about her gait and manner
which contrasted favourably with the self-consciousness with which young
ladies exhibit themselves and their smart dresses when first entering
into society.
"I declare, she has got another new one!" muttered Mrs. Aalbom.
_"Mais, mon Dieu, comme elle est belle!"_ whispered Uncle Richard,
enchanted.
After Fanny followed the short but active-looking Mr. Delphin, secretary
to the resident magistrate, then Jacob Worse, and lastly Morten Garman.
Morten was tall and stoutly built. It would appear that he had inherited
something of his mother's "cross," which did not, however, seem to
oppress him. He had a good-looking face, which was, however, rather
weak; and his eyes were too prominent and slightly bloodshot.
George Delphin had been about six months in the town, as secretary to
the magistrate, and since Fanny Garman was the magistrate's daughter,
Delphin soon got an _entrée_ into the Garmans' house, and was a frequent
guest at Sandsgaard. Morten had picked him up at his father-in-law's
office, when the carriage was sent to the town to find the young people;
they had met Jacob Worse accidentally, and Fanny had called to him when
they were already seated in the carriage.
Morten had no great liking for Jacob Worse, although they had been much
thrown together in their boyhood. Consul Garman, on the other hand, was
particularly well disposed towards him, and there were some who
maintained that the young Consul would gladly have the name of Worse
back in the firm, perhaps as his son-in-law; who could tell?
But those who had an opportunity of closer observation declared that
there was no truth in the story. Rachel herself appeared to dislike
Jacob Worse, and Mrs. Garman could not bear the sight of him, since
Pastor Martens had assured her that he was a freethinker.
The Consul took in Mrs. Aalbom, and George Delphin was so fortunate as
to get Fanny Garman. Rachel, to his astonishment, turned to her uncle
and said, "I beg pardon, but I am going to ask you to-day to give me up
to our new acquaintance. Mr. Johnsen, will you be so kind?"
He offered her his arm stiffly, but not awkwardly, and they followed the
others into the dining-room.
"What can be up with Rachel?" muttered Morten to Worse; "she generally
can't bear these parsons of mother's."
Jacob Worse made no reply, but, with a polite bow, gave his arm to Miss
Cordsen.
For the _habitués_ of the house, it was not difficult to foresee what
the _menu_ would be. It consisted of Julienne soup, ham, and pork
cutlets with _sauer kraut_; then roast lamb and roast veal, served with
chervil and beet-root; and lastly, meringues and Vanilla cream.
At the head of the table the conversation was mostly carried on between
Mr. Aalbom and Delphin, both of whom came from the neighbourhood of
Christiania, and Aalbom tried his best to induce the other to say
something disparaging of the west coast and its surroundings. This he
did in the hope that it would cause annoyance to the Consul and his
brother, and also that it would put the speaker, as a new guest at
Sandsgaard, in an unfavourable light. Delphin was, however, too quick
for him. Either he noticed his intention, or else he really meant what
he said. The scenery, he declared, was most interesting, and he was
particularly pleased with the acquaintances he had hitherto made in the
neighbourhood.
Richard Garman had his usual place on the left of the Consul, who sat at
the head of the table, and, leaning over beyond Rachel and Mr. Aalbom,
who sat next to him, and raising his glass to the new school inspector,
he said--
"As you are of the same opinion as Mr. Delphin with regard to our
scenery, I hope you will also receive the same favourable opinion of our
society. May I have the honour of drinking your health?"
The Consul regarded his brother with some astonishment. It was seldom
that he took much notice of the young people who came to the house,
especially if they belonged to the Church.
"Well, you see," whispered Uncle Richard, "I don't think this one's so
bad."
Fanny also noticed the attention that was shown to the new guest, who
sat opposite to her, and, glancing at him, thought he might prove not
interesting. True, he was not so refined as Delphin, nor so good looking
as Worse, but still her eyes often wandered in his direction. Neither
Worse, who sat on her right hand, nor Delphin, who was on her left, had
much attraction for her. Worse, although perfectly polite, paid her but
little attention; and that Delphin was at her feet was only natural--it
was a fate that, without exception, had befallen all her father's
secretaries since her girlhood.
Mr. Johnsen was now drawn into the conversation. Delphin met him at
first with an air of superiority, but after receiving a few cutting
answers, he was glad to draw in his horns and become more affable.
Aalbom, on the contrary, did not change his manner so readily. He was
annoyed that Delphin had not fallen into the trap he had laid for him,
and was now eager to break a lance with the new guest. He began his
attack on the inspector in a half-respectful, half-jesting tone, and
with the greater gusto because he knew the aversion which the two Mr.
Garmans had to the clergy generally, and Mrs. Carman was deep in
conversation with Pastor Martens, who was sitting beside her at the
other end of the table.
"I dare say you expect a rich harvest out here, now that there is so
much religious excitement," said Aalbom, with a grin to the others.
"Harvest?" asked Johnsen, shortly.
"Or draught of fishes; I don't know under which simile you prefer to
regard your calling," replied Aalbom.
"I regard my calling very much in the same light as you do yours. We are
both here to teach the young, and I prefer to see my duty plain before
my eyes without any simile," answered Johnsen, quietly; but there was
something in his voice which rather disconcerted his opponent.
Fanny and Delphin could not restrain a slight laugh; and Mrs. Aalbom
muttered, "To think of answering a man in my husband's position in that
way!"
The Consul now endeavoured to give a peaceable direction to the
conversation, by consulting Johnsen on several matters relating to the
National School. Mr. Garman had been for some years chairman of the
school committee; for Sandsgaard was included within the limits of the
town, although it was situated at a considerable distance from it.
Rachel heard with pleasure the terse and forcible answers which her
neighbour gave to the Consul's questions. She was especially pleased to
hear the new inspector insist upon certain changes being made in the
school, and upon an increase of expenditure, which her father thought
unnecessary and altogether too lavish.
It was not often Rachel had met a man who showed such power and energy
as their young guest, and each time he spoke as to the necessity of
something or another being done for the school, she could not help
looking half disdainfully at Delphin, who was now quite taken up with
teaching Fanny a trick with a piece of cork and two forks. But when her
eye fell on Jacob Worse, an inquiring expression seemed to come over her
face, to which, however, he appeared to pay little attention. He was
quite occupied in talking half jestingly with old Miss Cordsen.
Ever since Jacob Worse had begun to be a constant guest at Sandsgaard,
quite a friendship had sprung up between him and the old lady. She was
usually cold and reserved in her manner, but he had a particular knack
of getting her into conversation, so that he became quite a favourite of
hers.
Aalbom was so annoyed that he ate nearly all the beet-root, and Uncle
Richard was amusing himself by quietly working him up. Gabriel, too,
devoted all the time that he could spare from his dinner to staring at
the master; and every time the latter looked over to that part of the
table where Gabriel was sitting, by the side of Miss Corsden, the young
scapegrace took up his glass and emptied it with a careless, grown-up
air, which he knew would irritate his natural enemy.
Morten, who sat between Mr. Johnsen and Pastor Martens, amused himself
by keeping both their glasses well filled. He paid otherwise but little
attention to what went on at the table, especially as he had managed to
get one of the bottles of Burgundy close by his side.
It was a still, warm day in spring, and at dessert the sun, which shone
in obliquely through the two open windows, just reached as far as the
table. First it was reflected from Mrs. Garman's black silk, and then
shed a faint halo around Pastor Martens's blond head. The rays fell on
those of the company who were sitting with their backs to the light,
and, casting their shadows over the white cloth, sparkled in the
polished decanters. Morten held up his glass to the light, and enjoyed
its brilliancy.
"See how lovely your sister-in-law looks in the sunlight!" whispered
Delphin to Fanny.
"Oh! do you really think so?" she answered.
Shortly after she told one of the maid-servants, who was waiting, to
pull down the blind a little, as she did not like the glare in her eyes.
The conversation now became lively at the upper end of the table. The
subject on which it turned was education. Aalbom held forth on his
hobby, which was, that it was quite impossible for young people to get a
proper insight into learning without the use of corporal punishment, and
maintained that there would be an end of all intellectual cultivation if
a limit were not placed to modern humanitarianism, which he preferred to
call indulgence. His wife took the same side from conviction, and
Richard Garman from mischief, while the Consul was impartial. He set the
greatest store by the good old times, but still he could not help
thinking that they might get on with a little less of the stick than he
had experienced. Johnsen was very strong on the importance of religious
instruction and home influence.
"As to home influence," broke in Mrs. Aalbom, "school and home ought to
go hand-in-hand."
"Of course they ought," rejoined her husband. "If a boy is punished at
school, he ought to be punished also at home."
"But then, homes are so different," said Johnsen. This was the first
time he had made a remark that Rachel found rather feeble.
"Well, I don't know," cried Mrs. Aalbom, putting her head on one side
and looking up to the ceiling. "It is possible to have too much of
natural affection, mother's influence, home feeling, and that sort of
thing."
"It entirely depends what sort of home it is, Mrs. Aalbom," broke in
Jacob Worse, suddenly.
Every eye was turned upon him. He had drawn himself up, and his face was
red and his eyes gleaming.
There came a slight pause in the conversation, of which the Consul
availed himself, and, taking up his glass, he said, with a smile, "Now
we must mind what we are about. This is not the first time I have seen
Jacob Worse join in a conversation like this; and if we do not want him
to make it too warm for us, we had better change the scene of action to
another room, where we can carry on the conflict in the shade. So if the
ladies and gentlemen are of the same opinion as myself, we had better
retire."
The company broke up. Uncle Richard laughed heartily as he thanked
Worse, while they were going downstairs, for having joined in so
opportunely. Worse himself could not help a laugh, in which all joined,
except Aalbom and his wife, who were too much annoyed to do so.
Rachel was quite astonished at the anxiety displayed by her father when
Worse began to speak. She had herself once or twice heard him take part
in a discussion, and had been surprised at the way in which his feelings
suddenly seemed to get the better of him. There was, it is true, an
originality in his views; but for all that there was no reason why he
should be silent, and she thought it mean of Jacob Worse to allow
himself to be put down so easily.
During dinner Pastor Martens had made several attempts to state his
views on the subject, but hitherto without success. The others were too
much taken up with their new and interesting guest, and besides, his
neighbour fully engrossed his attention. After dinner was over, he had
again to take his place beside Mrs. Garman on the sofa, while the young
people went down to the croquet lawn, which was shaded by the dense
avenue of limes.
Mr. Aalbom was walking up and down the broad path in front of the house,
encircled by his wife's bony arm, as Mr. Delphin kindly put it, while
they were waiting for coffee. He was still annoyed at his failure, and
at the slights he had endured, and his wife was doing her utmost to
pacify him.
"How can a man of your standing bother about such nonsense? These young
upstarts will only be here for a time. They will soon make themselves
unwelcome in some way or another. There is no doubt that we are
considered superior to the rest. You must have noticed that the Consul
took me in to dinner."
"Nonsense!" answered her husband. "What have I in common with these
tradesmen and their moneybags? But for a man of my intelligence, and of
my attainments in literature and education, to have to put up with such
impertinent answers from a set of youngsters, from such--" and from his
rich _répertoire_ of abuse the master poured out a choice stream of
invective, which afforded some relief to his feelings.
The Aalboms lived about half-way between Sandsgaard and the town, which
had been the original cause of their being invited to the Garmans'
house.
Since then they had shown themselves such good neighbours that the
Garmans were generally glad to fall back upon them when they wanted to
get a few people together in a hurry. Mr. Garman had also assisted the
master in some unexpected difficulties he had encountered in writing a
short paper on the origin of the French language, and its connection
with history. The pamphlet was headed "For Use in Schools," but from
want of perception and appreciation on the part of the authorities, this
pearl of literature had not been taken into use in a single school in
the country.
Both the elder Garmans were in the habit of retiring to their rooms and
taking a short nap after dinner; but on this occasion they did not sleep
long, as they were engaged in talking over Madeleine's projected visit
to the town. It was arranged that she was to come in two or three days,
and have a room upstairs, close by Miss Cordsen's.
Gabriel, having annexed a cigar, had wandered off to the ship-yard, in a
happy and contented mood, to make an inspection of the vessel and talk
English with Mr. Robson.