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Page 16
"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 _entr�e_ 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.
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