The first time Jan of Ruffluck had gone to Lövdala on a seventeenth
of August the visit had not passed off as creditably for him as he
could have wished; so he had never repeated it, although he had
been told that each year it was becoming more lively and festive at
the Manor.
But now that the little girl had come up in the world, it was
altogether different with him. He felt that it would be a great
disappointment to Lieutenant Liljecrona if so exalted a personage
as the Emperor Johannes of Portugallia did not do him the honour of
wishing him happiness on his birthday.
So he donned his imperial regalia and sallied forth, taking good
care not to be among the first arrivals. For him who was an emperor
it was the correct thing not to put in an appearance until all the
guests had made themselves quite at home, and the festivities were
well under way.
Upon the occasion of his former visit he had not ventured farther
than the orchard and the gravelled walk in front of the house. He
had not even gone up to pay his respects to the host. But now he
could not think of behaving so discourteously.
This time he made straight for the big bower at the left of the
porch, where the lieutenant sat with a group of dignitaries from
Svartsjö and elsewhere, grasped him by the hand, and wished him
many happy returns of the day.
"So you've come out to-day, Jan," said the lieutenant in a tone of
surprise.
To be sure he was not expecting an honour like this, which probably
accounted for his so far forgetting himself as to address the
Emperor by his old name. Jan knew that so genial a man as the
lieutenant could have meant no offense by that, therefore he
corrected him in all meekness.
"We must make allowances for the lieutenant," he said, "since this
is his birthday; but by rights we should be called Emperor Johannes
of Portugallia."
Jan spoke in the gentlest tone possible, but just the same the
other gentlemen all laughed at the lieutenant for having made such
a bad break. Jan had never intended to cause him humiliation on his
birthday, so he promptly dismissed the matter and turned to the
others. Raising his cap with an imperial flourish, he said:
"Go'-day, go'-day, my worthy Generals and Bishops and Governors."
It was his intention to go around and shake hands with everybody,
as one is expected to do at a party.
Nearest the lieutenant sat a short, stocky man in a white cloth
jacket, with a gold-trimmed collar, and a sword at his side, who,
when Jan stepped up to greet him did not offer his whole hand, but
merely held out two fingers. The man's intentions may have been all
right, but of course a potentate like Emperor Johannes of
Portugallia knew he must stand upon his dignity.
"I think you will have to give me your whole hand, my good Bishop
and Governor," he said very pleasantly, for he did not want to
disturb the harmony on this great day.
Then, mind you, the man turned up his nose!
"I have just heard it was not to your liking that Liljecrona called
you by name," he observed, "and I wonder how you can have the
audacity to say _du_ [Note: Du like the French "tu" is used only in
addressing intimates.] to me!" Then, pointing to three poor little
yellow stars that were attached to his coat, he roared: "See
these?"
When remarks of this kind were flung at him, the Emperor Johannes
thought it high time to lay off his humility. He quickly flipped
back his coat, exhibiting a waistcoat covered with large showy
"medals" of "silver" and "gold." He usually kept his coat buttoned
over these decorations as they were easily tarnished, and crushable.
Besides, he knew that people always felt so ill at ease when in the
presence of exalted personages and he had no desire to add to their
embarrassment by parading his grandeur when there was no occasion
for it. Now, however, it had to be done.
"Look here, you!" he said. "This is what you ought to show if you
want to brag. Three paltry little stars--pooh! that's nothing!"
Then you had better believe the man showed proper respect! The fact
that all who knew about the Empress and the Empire were laughing
themselves sick at the Major General must have had its effect, also.
"By cracky!" he ejaculated, rising to his feet and bowing. "If it
isn't a real monarch that I have before me! Your Majesty even knows
how to respond to a speech."
"That's easy when you know how to meet people," retorted the other.
After that no gentleman in the party was so glad to be allowed to
talk to the ruler of Portugallia as was this very man, who had been
so high and mighty at first that he would not present more than two
fingers, when an emperor had offered him his whole hand.
It need hardly be said that none of the others seated in the bower
refused to accord the Emperor a fitting greeting. Now that the
first feeling of surprise and embarrassment had passed and the men
were beginning to perceive that he was not a difficult person to
get on with, emperor though he was, they were as eager as was every
one else to hear all about the little girl's rise to royal honours
and her prospective return to her home parish. At last he was on so
friendly a footing with them all that he even consented to sing for
them the song he had learned in the forest.
This was perhaps too great a condescension on his part, but since
they were all so glad for every word he uttered he could not deny
them the pleasure of hearing him sing, also.
And when he raised his voice in song imagine the consternation!
Then his audience was not confined to the group of elderly
gentlemen in the bower. For immediately the old countesses and the
old wives of the old generals who had been sitting on the big sofa
in the drawing room, sipping tea and eating bonbons, and the young
barons and young Court ladies who had been dancing in the ballroom,
all came rushing out to hear him and all eyes were fixed on him,
which was quite the proper thing, as he was an emperor.
The like of that song they had never heard, of course, and as soon
as he had sung it through they wanted him to sing it again. He
hesitated a good while--for one must never be too obliging in such
matters--but they would not be satisfied until he had yielded to
their importunities. And this time, when he came to the refrain,
they all joined in, and when he got to the "boom, boom" the young
barons beat time with their feet and the young Court ladies clapped
their hands to the measure of the tune.
But that was a wonderful day! As he sang it again and again, with
so many smartly dressed people chiming in; so many pretty young
ladies darting him glances of approval; so many young swains
shouting _bravo_ after every verse, he felt as dizzy as if he had
been dancing. It was as if some one had taken him in their arms and
lifted him into the air.
He did not lose his head, though, but knew all the while that his
feet were still on the earth. Meantime, he had the pleasant
sensation of being elevated far above every one. On the one hand,
he was being borne up by the honour, on the other by the glory.
They bore him away on strong wings and placed him upon an imperial
throne, far, far away amongst the rosy evening clouds.
There was but one thing wanting. Think, if the great Empress, his
little Glory Goldie, had only been there, too!
Instantly this thought flashed upon him, a red shimmer passed
before his eyes. Gazing at it more intently, he saw that it
emanated from a young girl in a red frock who had just come out
from the house, and was then standing on the porch.
The young girl was tall and graceful and had a wealth of gold
yellow hair. From where he stood he could not see her face, but he
thought she could be none other than Glory Goldie. Then he knew why
he had been so blissfully happy that evening; it was just a
foretoken of the little girl's nearness. Breaking off in the middle
of his song and pushing aside all who stood in his way, he ran
toward the house.
When he reached the steps he was obliged to halt. His heart thumped
so violently it seemed ready to burst. But gradually he recovered
just enough strength to be able to proceed. Very slowly he mounted
step by step till at last he was on the porch. Then, spreading out
his arms, he whispered:
"Glory Goldie!"
Instantly the young girl turned round. It was not Glory Goldie! A
strange woman stood there, staring at him in astonishment.
Not a word could he utter, but tears sprang to his eyes; he could
not hold them back. Now he faced about and staggered down the
steps. Turning his back upon all the merriment and splendour, he
went on up the driveway.
The people kept calling for him. They wanted him to come back and
sing to them again. But he heard them not. As fast as he could go
he hurried toward the woods, where he could be alone with his grief.