Part 5 (1/2)

”Hi, look after the hamper with the bottles, you madcaps there. Doctor, I shall hold you responsible for the wine.”

”Right!” cried the Doctor. 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.

At Herr Mack's request I fired a shot just as we were about to land, in fact, two shots, both barrels--and they cheered. We rambled up over the island, the workers greeted us all, and Herr Mack stopped to speak to his folk. We found daisies and corn marigolds and put them in our b.u.t.ton-holes; some found harebells.

And there was a host of seabirds chattering and screaming, in the air and on the sh.o.r.e.

We camped out on a patch of gra.s.s where there were a few stunted birches with white stems. The hampers were opened, and Herr Mack saw to the bottles. Light dresses, blue eyes, the ring of gla.s.ses, the sea, the white sails. And we sang a little.

And cheeks were flushed.

An hour later, my whole being was joy; even little things affected me. A veil fluttering from a hat, a girl's hair coming down, a pair of eyes closing in a laugh--and it touched me. That day, that day!

”I've heard you've such a queer little hut up there, Lieutenant?”

”Yes, a nest. And the very thing for me. Come and see me there one day; there's no such hut anywhere else. And the great forest behind it.”

Another came up and said kindly:

”You have not been up here in the north before?”

”No,” I answered. ”But I know all about it already, ladies. At night I am face to face with the mountains, the earth, and the sun. But I will not try to use fine words. What a summer you have here! It bursts forth one night when everyone is asleep, and in the morning there it is. I looked out of my window and saw it myself. I have two little windows.”

A third came up. She was charming by reason of her voice and her small hands. How charming they all were! This one said:

”Shall we change flowers? It brings luck, they say.”

”Yes,” I answered, holding out my hand, ”let us change flowers, and I thank you for it. How pretty you are! You have a lovely voice; I have been listening to it all the time.”

But she drew back her harebells and said curtly:

”What are you thinking about? It was not you I meant.”

It was not me she meant! It hurt me to feel that I had been mistaken; I wished myself at home again, far away in my hut, where only the wind could speak to me. ”I beg your pardon,” I said; ”forgive me.” The other ladies looked at one another and moved away, so as not to humiliate me.

Just at that moment someone came quickly over towards us. All could see her--it was Edwarda. She came straight to me. She said something, and threw her arms round my neck; clasped her arms round my neck and kissed me again and again on the lips. Each time she said something, but I did not hear what it was. I could not understand it all; my heart stood still; I had only a feeling of her burning look. Then she slipped away from me; her little breast beat up and down. She stood there still, with her brown face and brown neck, tall and slender, with flas.h.i.+ng eyes, altogether heedless. They were all looking at her. For the second time I was fascinated by her dark eyebrows, that curved high up into her forehead.

But, Heavens--the girl had kissed me openly in sight of them all!

”What is it, Edwarda?” I asked, and I could hear my blood beating; hear it as it were from down in my throat, so that I could not speak distinctly.

”Nothing,” she answered. ”Only--that I wanted to. It doesn't matter.”