“Certainly,” said the Captain.
When he had gone I sat down on the bed. Well, it was all over now. Ay,
so it was--and Lord have mercy on us all! Nine o'clock; she is up--she
is there in the house I can see from this very window. Well, let me get
away and have done with it.
I get out my sack and stow away my things, put on my wet jacket over my
blouse, and am ready to start. But I sit down again.
Emma comes in: “_Værsaagod_; there's something ready for you in the
kitchen.”
To my horror she had my rug over one arm.
“And Fruen told me to ask if this wasn't your rug.”
“Mine? No; I've got mine here with my things.”
Emma goes off again with the rug.
Well, how could I say it was mine? Devil take the rug!... Should I go
down to the kitchen or not? I might be able to say good-bye and thanks
at the same time--nothing strange in that.
Emma came in again with the rug and laid it down neatly folded on a
stool.
“If you don't hurry up, the coffee'll be cold,” she says.
“What did you put that rug there for?”
“Fruen told me to.”
“Oh, well, perhaps it's Falkenberg's,” I muttered.
Emma asks:
“Are you going away now for good?”
“Yes, seeing you won't have anything to do with me.”
“You!” says Emma, with a toss of her head.
I went down with Emma to the kitchen; sitting at table, I saw the
Captain going out to the woods. Good he was gone--now, perhaps, Fruen
might come out.
I finished my meal and got up. Should I go off now, and leave it at
that? Of course; what else? I took leave of the maids, with a jesting
word to each in turn.
“I'd have liked to say good-bye to Fruen, too, but....”
“Fruen's indoors. I'll....”
Emma goes in, and comes back a moment later.
“Fruen's lying down with a headache. She sent her very good wishes.”
“Come again!” said all the girls as I set off.
I walked away out of the place, with my sack under my arm. Then suddenly
I remembered the ax; Falkenberg might not find it where I'd put it. I
went back, knocked at the kitchen door, and left a message for him where
it was.
Going down the road, I turned once or twice and looked back towards the
windows of the house. Then all was out of sight.