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Page 20
"Because under ordinary circumstances it appears to me impossible
for a lady to make her toilette and drive ten miles in less than
two hours."
"That is quite true, Mr. Counsellor; but neither do I intend to
drive ten miles to-day."
"It was for that reason that I said, fly."
"Neither fly. And to convince you and quite certainly rid you of
the idea of witchcraft, you can stay here, if you please, until--
what time was it?"
"Two o'clock."
"That is two long hours; but the Counsellor can, if he please, lay
that offering upon the altar of education."
"Oh! I know another altar, upon which I would rather offer the two
only all too short hours"--.
"Let it now be upon that of education. You promised my cousin and
me that you would read to us about popular science of nature and
interesting facts in the life of animals."
"Yes, dear madam; but _I_ cannot fly: my carriage stands waiting
at the tavern."
"Oh, I beg pardon! an agreeable journey, Mr. Counsellor."
"Yes; but I don't understand why I shall drive the ten miles."
"Every one knows his own concerns best."
"Oh, yes! that is true. But I at least don't know mine."
Miss Hjelm made no answer to this, and there was a little pause.
"I would," continued the counsellor, somewhat puzzled, "take the
great liberty to propose that you should ride with me."
"I have already told the Counsellor that I did not intend to go to
town to-day," answered Miss Hjelm, coldly.
"Yes," continued Bagger, following his own ideas, "and so I
thought, also, that we could as well stay here."
At this moment Bagger was so earnest and impassioned, that
Ingeborg, in hearing words so very wide of what she regarded as
reasonable, began to suspect his mind of being a little
disordered, and with an inquiring anxiousness looked at him.
Meeting the look from these eyes, Bagger could no longer continue
the inquisition which he had carried on for the sake of involving
Miss Hjelm in self-contradiction and bringing her to confession.
He himself came to confession, and exclaimed:
"Miss Ingeborg, I ask you for Heaven's sake have pity on me, and
tell me if you expect me at two o'clock to-day at Mrs. Lund's!"
"I expect you at Mrs. Lund's!" exclaimed Miss Hjelm.
"Is it not you, then, who have written me that--"
"I have never written to you!" cried Ingeborg, and almost tore
away the hand which Bagger tried to hold.
"For God's sake, don't go, Miss--! My dear madam, you must forgive
me: you shall know all!"
And now he began to tell his tale, not according to rules of
rhetoric and logic, but on the contrary in a way which certainly
showed how little even our abler lawyers are educated to
extemporize.
But, however, there was in his words a certain almost wild
eloquence; and, beside, Miss Hjelm had some foreknowledge, that
helped her to understand and fill up what was wanting under the
counsellor's restless eloquence. At last he came to the point;
while his words were of whirlwind and letters, his tone and eye
spoke, unconsciously to him, a true, honest, though fanciful
language of passion; and however comical a disinterested spectator
might have found it, it sounded very earnest to her who was the
object and sympathetic listener.
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