Two years and a half passed, during the course of which Krog was at home
several times, unaccompanied by the others. Then it was determined that
they should all spend a summer at Krogskogen. With this project in view
the three were in a draper's shop in Vienna. Mrs. Dawes and Marit were
to have new clothes, Marit especially being in need of them, as she had
grown out of hers. It was the first week of May; summer dresses were to
be chosen.
"We think, both your father and I, that you must have long dresses now.
You are so tall."
Marit looked at her father, but the materials which lay spread out in
front of him engaged his attention. Mrs. Dawes spoke for him.
"Your father says that when you are walking with him, gentlemen look at
your legs."
Krog began to fidget. Even the lady behind the counter felt that there
was thunder in the air. She did not understand the language, but she saw
the three faces. At last Anders heard Marit answering in a curious, but
quite pleasant voice:
"Is it because Mother had long dresses when she was my age that I am to
have them?"
Mrs. Dawes looked with dismay at Anders Krog; but he turned away.
"Aunt Eva," began Marit again; "of course you were with Mother then? at
the time she got long dresses? Or was it Father?"
No more was said about long dresses. No more was said at all. They left
the shop.
Nothing else happened. As if it had been a matter of course, next day,
instead of coming to lessons, she drove with her father, first to
arrange about the dresses, and then to the picture-galleries. They went
sight-seeing every day until they left. There were no more lessons. In
the evenings the three went, as if nothing had occurred, to concert,
opera, or theatre. They wished to make good use of the remaining time.
At the beginning of June they were in Copenhagen. There a letter awaited
them from "Uncle Klaus." Joergen Thiis, his adopted son, had received his
commission as lieutenant; Klaus meant to give a summer ball at his
country-house, but was waiting until they came home. When were they
coming?
Marit was delighted at the prospect. She remembered handsome, tall
Joergen. He was a son of the Amtmand[A]; his mother was Klaus Krog's
sister.
[A] Chief magistrate of the district.
A ball-dress had now to be thought out; but the deliberations were
short, nothing being said on the subject until they were on their way to
order it. The one really exciting question: Ought not this dress to be
long? they did not discuss. When the decisive moment arrived, and the
length of the skirt was to be taken, the dressmaker who was measuring
said: "I suppose the young lady's dress is to be long?" Marit looked at
Mrs. Dawes, who turned red. What was worse, the dressmaker herself
blushed. Then she hastily took the length of the short dress which Marit
was wearing.
The ball was given on the 20th of June, a sultry day, without sun. The
guests were assembled in the garden in front of the large country-house,
when the sailing-boat came in which brought Marit and her father; they
were the last to arrive. Old Klaus--tall, thin, wearing remarkably wide
white trousers--stalked down to receive her. Standing hatless, with
shining bald head and perspiring face, he stopped her with a motion of
his hand whilst he looked down at Anders in the boat.
"Are you not coming?"
"No, no! Thanks all the same!"
Off went the boat. Not till now did Klaus look at Marit, whom Mrs. Dawes
in her long letters had described as the most beautiful girl she had
ever seen. He stared, he bowed, and approached her, reeking of tobacco,
his big, smiling, open mouth disclosing unclean teeth. He offered his
arm. But Marit, who was wearing a long sleeveless cloak which reached to
the ground, pretended not to see this. Klaus was offended, but escorted
her up to the others, saying as they arrived: "Here I come with the
queen of the ball." This displeased her, and every one else, so the
beginning was unfortunate. Joergen, whose place it was to do so, hastened
forward to take her cloak and hat; but she bowed slightly and passed on.
There was style in this! As soon as she was out of hearing, comment
began. Her bearing in passing them, her face, carriage, gait, the
dazzlingly white skin, the sparkling eyes, the arch above them, the
shape of the nose--everything was perfect, and made a perfect whole. It
was all over with Joergen Thiis. He himself was a tall, slender man of
the Krog type, but with eyes peculiar to himself. At present these were
fixed on the door through which Marit had disappeared. He was waiting on
the steps.
And when she came out again and stepped forward to take his arm and be
conducted down to the others, she was a sight to see--in a short dress
of light sea-blue silky material, with transparent silk stockings of the
same colour, and silvery shoes with antique buckles. The company were
unanimous in admiration, and were still expressing it as they trooped in
to take their places at the tables. Nor was the subject dropped there;
Marit's beauty became the talk of the town. To think that these regular
features and bright eyes, and that white, white skin should be framed in
such a glory of red hair! And the whole was in perfect keeping with the
tall figure, the slight forward inclination of the shoulders, and a
bosom which, though not fully developed yet, nevertheless stood out
distinct and free.
The arms, the wrists, the hips, the legs!--it became positively comical
when a group of young men were heard maintaining with the utmost
eagerness that the ankles were more superb than anything else. Such
ankles had never been seen--so slender and so beautifully shaped--no,
never!
Joergen Thiis forgot to speak; he even for a considerable time forgot to
eat, though, as a rule, he liked nothing better. He followed Marit about
like a sleep-walker. She was never to be seen without him behind her or
at her side.
Her father and Mrs. Dawes had, on account of the ball, come in to the
town house. They were awakened at dawn of day by loud talking and
laughter outside, ending with cheers; the whole company had seen Marit
home.
Next day the relations and friends of the Krog family came to call. The
elder people who had been at the ball considered Marit to be the most
beautiful creature they had ever seen. At nine o'clock in the evening
old Klaus had rowed into town and trudged round for the express purpose
of getting some of his friends to come out and see her.
In the afternoon Joergen presented himself in uniform, with new gloves.
He had taken the liberty of calling to ask how Miss Krog was. But
nothing had as yet been heard of that young lady.
When she did make her appearance, her mind was not occupied with
yesterday, but with something quite different. This Mrs. Dawes felt at
once. The queen of the ball told nothing about the ball. She contented
herself with asking if they had been awakened. Then she went and had
something to eat. When she came back, her father told her that Joergen
had called to ask how she was. Marit smiled.
"Do you not like Joergen?" asked Mrs. Dawes.
"Yes."
"Why did you smile, then?"
"He ate so much."
"His father, the Amtmand, does the same," remarked Krog, laughing. "And
he always picks out the daintiest morsels."
"Yes, exactly."
Mrs. Dawes sat waiting for what was to come next; for something was
coming. Marit left the room; in a short time she appeared again with her
hat on and a parasol in her hand.
"Are you going out?" asked Mrs. Dawes.
Marit was standing pulling on her gloves.
"I am going to order visiting-cards."
"Have you no cards?"
"Yes, but they are not suitable now."
"Why not?" said Mrs. Dawes, much surprised. "You thought them so pretty
when we bought them, in Italy."
"Yes--but what I don't think suits me any longer is the name."
"The name?"
Both looked up.
"I feel exactly as if it were no longer mine."
"Marit does not suit you?" said Mrs. Dawes.