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And just those few words from one boat to another seemed to me pleasant and merry to hear. Edwarda was wearing the same dress she had, worn the day before, as if she had no other or did not care to put on another. Her shoes, too, were the same. I fancied her hands were not quite clean; but she wore a brand new hat, with feathers. She had taken her dyed jacket with her, and used it to sit on.
But when I turned round, there was Edwarda standing behind me. She gave me a glance of recognition. Afterwards I noticed that she drew the fair girl aside to find out what I had said. I cannot say how that look of Edwarda's cheered me, after I had been going about from room to room like a sort of outcast all the evening; I felt better at once, and spoke to several people, and was entertaining.
I went into the room. "Fancy Lieutenant Glahn amuses himself having meetings with the servants on the steps!" said Edwarda suddenly, out loud. She was standing in the doorway. Several heard what she said. She laughed, as if speaking in jest, but her face was very pale. I made no answer to this; I only murmured: "It was accidental; she just came out, and we met in the passage..."
I took out my lines and went fishing for two days, four days; but at night I lay with open eyes in the hut... "Edwarda, I have not seen you for four days." "Four days, yes so it is. Oh, but I have been so busy. Come and look." She led me into the big room.
It began to rain heavily. Suddenly I heard someone running after me. I stopped short, and there was Edwarda. "I forgot," she said breathlessly. "We were going over to the islands the drying grounds, you know. The Doctor is coming to-morrow; will you have time then?" "To-morrow? Yes, indeed. I shall have time enough." "I forgot it," she said again, and smiled.
I will never do it again." And she laughed again, and did not look at me. "Edwarda," I said, "do stop." She had spoken very formally, which meant no good, and her look was malicious. I thought of the Doctor, and shrugged my shoulders carelessly, as he would have done. She said: "But why don't you go out in the kitchen? Eva is there. I think you ought to stay there."
Edwarda was troubled by my presence at first, and looked down when I spoke; afterwards, she bore with me, and even went so far as to ask me a question about something or other. She was strikingly pale; the mist lay grey and cold upon her face. She did not get out of the carriage. "I have come on an errand," she said.
Edwarda sat with her face turned away and let me talk as much as I pleased. She listened to what the others said, putting in a word herself now and again. The Doctor told the young ladies' fortunes by their hands, and talked a lot; he himself had small, delicate hands, with a ring on one finger. I felt myself unwanted, and sat down by myself awhile on a stone. It was getting late in the afternoon.
There were visitors there the young ladies I had met before young people dancing, just like madcap foals. A carriage came rolling up and stopped outside the gate; Edwarda was in it. She started at sight of me. "Good-bye," I said quietly. But the Doctor held me back.
"Is it that you can't bear to hear me speak her name?" "Tell me," I said, "what is your honest opinion of Edwarda? I should be interested to know." He looked at me suspiciously. "My honest opinion?" "Perhaps you may have something new to tell me to-day. Perhaps you have proposed, and been accepted. May I congratulate you? No? Ah, the devil trust you haha!" "So that was what you were afraid of?"
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