Garman and Worse

e of the house, and the company assembled in the two

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 C

as, 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

om 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 th

g by the old-fashioned stove, talking merrily with Uncle Richard, and as the door opened, and the pastor and t

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 he

ast before?" said Uncle Richa

"all I have as yet seen of the

old gentleman. "I have no doubt that you have alread

ohnsen; "but Nature here is so grand and so impressiv

dull here?" said Rachel

here has something--how shall I express it?--something exacting about it, by which one seems

stonishment; but her unc

aten coast tends rather to lead the mind to medi

nsen, "and have done something in the world,

d, half smilingly and half sadly.

turned upon her. Her French grey silk with its pink trimmings had a cut quite foreign to those parts, and it

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 contr

ot another new one!"

le est belle!" whispered

g Mr. Delphin, secretary to the resident magistr

mother's "cross," which did not, however, seem to oppress him. He had a good-looking fac

t 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

Garman, on the other hand, was particularly well disposed towards him, and there were some who maintained that

in the story. Rachel herself appeared to dislike Jacob Worse, and Mrs. Garman could no

. Rachel, to his astonishment, turned to her uncle and said, "I beg pardon, but I am going

ut not awkwardly, and they follow

ed Morten to Worse; "she generally c

but, with a polite bow, g

t consisted of Julienne soup, ham, and pork cutlets with sauer kraut; then roast lamb an

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,

e head of the table, and, leaning over beyond Rachel and Mr. Aalbom, who sa

scenery, I hope you will also receive the same favourable opinio

as seldom that he took much notice of the young people who c

d Uncle Richard, "I don't

o 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

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

e, now that there is so much religious excite

asked Johns

under which simile you prefer to r

the young, and I prefer to see my duty plain before my eyes without any simile," answered Jo

ugh; and Mrs. Aalbom muttered, "To think of answ

tters relating to the National School. Mr. Garman had been for some years chairman of the school committee; for S

ons. She was especially pleased to hear the new inspector insist upon certain changes being made in the s

l, 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 Wo

ung up between him and the old lady. She was usually cold and reserved in her manner, but he had

e 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

eir glasses well filled. He paid otherwise but little attention to what went on at the ta

cted 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 ba

in-law looks in the sunlight

ally think so?

, who was waiting, to pull down the blind a lit

nishment, 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 Con

in Mrs. Aalbom, "school and

sband. "If a boy is punished at school,

ohnsen. This was the first time he had mad

nd looking up to the ceiling. "It is possible to have too much of natur

of home it is, Mrs. Aalbom,"

had drawn himself up, and his fa

. 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 sc

going downstairs, for having joined in so opportunely. Worse himself could not help a la

scussion, 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 hi

taken up with their new and interesting guest, and besides, his neighbour fully engrossed his attention. After dinner was over, he had again to t

bony arm, as Mr. Delphin kindly put it, while they were waiting for coffee. He was still annoyed

for a time. They will soon make themselves unwelcome in some way or another. There is no doubt that

nd of my attainments in literature and education, to have to put up with such impertinent answers from a set of youngsters, from such-

ard and the town, which had been the original ca

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 he

this occasion they did not sleep long, as they were engaged in talking over Madeleine's projected visit to the t

ship-yard, in a happy and contented mood, to make an in