Part 6 (1/2)

”HOPE'S CLAD IN APRIL GREEN.”

”You're kicking up the dust!” cried Cousin Hans.

Ola did not hear.

”He's quite as deaf as Aunt Maren,” thought Hans. ”You're kicking up the dust!” he shouted, louder.

”Oh, I beg your pardon!” said Cousin Ola, and lifted his feet high in air at every step. Not for all the world would he do anything to annoy his brother; he had too much on his conscience already.

Was he not at this very moment thinking of her whom he knew that his brother loved? And was it not sinful of him to be unable to conquer a pa.s.sion which, besides being a wrong towards his own brother, was so utterly hopeless?

Cousin Ola took himself sternly to task, and while he kept to the other side of the way, so as not to make a dust, he tried with all his might to think of the most indifferent things. But however far away his thoughts might start, they always returned by the strangest short-cuts to the forbidden point, and began once more to flutter around it, like moths around a candle.

The brothers, who were paying a holiday visit to their uncle, the Pastor, were now on their way to the Sheriff's house, where there was to be a dancing-party for young people. There were many students paying visits in the neighborhood, so that these parties pa.s.sed like an epidemic from house to house.

Cousin Hans was thus in his very element; he sang, he danced, he was entertaining from morning to night; and if his tone had been a little sharp when he declared that Ola was kicking up the dust, it was really because of his annoyance at being unable, by any means, to screw his brother up to the same pitch of hilarity.

We already know what was oppressing Ola. But even under ordinary circ.u.mstances he was more quiet and retiring than his brother. He danced ”like a pair of nut-crackers,” said Hans; he could not sing at all (Cousin Hans even declared that his speaking voice was monotonous and unsympathetic); and, in addition to all this, he was rather absent and ill-at-ease in the society of ladies.

As they approached the Sheriff's house, they heard a carriage behind them.

”That's the Doctor's people,” said Hans, placing himself in position for bowing; for the beloved one was the daughter of the district physician.

”Oh, how lovely she is--in light pink!” said Cousin Hans.

Cousin Ola saw at once that the beloved one was in light green; but he dared not say a word lest he should betray himself by his voice, for his heart was in his throat.

The carriage pa.s.sed at full speed; the young men bowed, and the old Doctor cried out, ”Come along!”

”Why, I declare, that was she in light green!” said Cousin Hans; he had barely had time to transfer his burning glance from the light-pink frock to the light-green. ”But wasn't she lovely, Ola?”

”Oh yes,” answered Ola with an effort.

”What a cross-grained being you are!” exclaimed Hans, indignantly. ”But even if you're devoid of all sense for female beauty, I think you might at least show more interest in--in your brother's future wife.”

”If you only knew how she interests me,” thought the nefarious Ola, hanging his head.

But meanwhile this delightful meeting had thrown Hans into an ecstatic mood of amorous bliss; he swung his stick, snapped his fingers, and sang at the pitch of his voice.

As he thought of the fair one in the light-green frock--fresh as spring, airy as a b.u.t.terfly, he called it--the refrain of an old ditty rose to his lips, and he sang it with great enjoyment:

”Hope's clad in April green-- Trommelommelom, trommelommelom, Tender it's vernal sheen-- Trommelommelom, trommelommelom.”

This verse seemed to him eminently suited to the situation, and he repeated it over and over again--now in the waltz-time of the old melody, now as a march, and again as a serenade--now in loud, jubilant tones, and then half whispering, as if he were confiding his love and his hope to the moon and the silent groves.

Cousin Ola was almost sick; for, great as was his respect for his brother's singing, he became at last so dog-tired of this April-green hope and this eternal ”Trommelommelom” that it was a great relief to him when they at last arrived at the Sheriff's.

The afternoon pa.s.sed as it always does on such occasions; they all enjoyed themselves mightily. For most of them were in love, and those who were not found almost a greater pleasure in keeping an eye upon those who were.

Some one proposed a game of ”La Grace” in the garden. Cousin Hans rushed nimbly about and played a thousand pranks, threw the game into confusion, and paid his partner all sorts of attentions.