Part 35 (2/2)
”Oh, this is too much! I would recommend you, Mr. Oiland----”
”Most kind of you. I was sure you would. And I'm quite an eligible suitor, really, you know. Got my degree--rather low on the list, I confess, but, anyhow.... I ought to tell you, though, that I don't propose to enter the Church.”
”Something to be thankful for at least,” said Sukkestad.
”So glad you agree with me. Delighted, really. Well, my dear fellow, I can understand you're a little overwhelmed just at the moment, but we can settle the details when we're at home and at leisure. We're agreed on the essential point, so that's all right.”
Oiland let go his hold, and Sukkestad hurried off to his cabin and began getting his things together in feverish haste. What, give his daughter, his only child, to a fellow like that? Never!
They got in without further event, and parted on the quay, Oiland shaking hands fervently with a hearty ”Thanks for your pleasant company,” while Sukkestad murmured absently: ”Not at all, not at all.”
Sukkestad had hardly got inside the house when Andrea came rus.h.i.+ng up to him. ”Oh, wasn't it a lovely speech of Oiland's? The parson's just been in and told us; simply splendid, he says it was.”
”Well, my child, that's a matter of opinion.”
”Oh, father, you're always so severe,” said Andrea, turning away with tears in her eyes.
A quarter of an hour later Sukkestad and his wife were unpacking in the bedroom, and a serious conference took place between the two. He recounted Oiland's behaviour on the voyage. ”And I do hope things haven't gone so far between them as he says,” observed Sukkestad sternly, with a meaning glance at his wife. The latter turned away, wiping her eyes on a corner of her ap.r.o.n, and sniffing the while.
”Marie, you don't mean to say you've been a party to it yourself?”
”I--yes--no, that is---- Oh, don't be angry with me. I did think he was such a nice man, really I did.”
”Well, we must see what can be done,” said Sukkestad.
That evening it was decided that Andrea should be sent as a Warder to the Moravian Mission at Kristiansfeldt.
Andrea wept bitterly, but to no purpose; she had to go, whether she liked it or not.
Peter Oiland came several times to the house, but got no farther than the doorstep; the maid invariably greeted him with the words: ”Mr.
Sukkestad's compliments, sir, but he's not at home.”
On the occasion of his last attempt before Andrea's departure, he had just got out of the gate when he heard the drawing-room window open, and Andrea's well-known voice singing:
”Thou are my one and only thought, My one and only love....”
He stopped and looked up, but saw only the stern countenance of Papa Sukkestad hastily closing the window, and the music ceased abruptly.
It was quite enough for Peter, however, and he walked home gaily, confident now that all would go well.
Andrea went off without having spoken to Oiland, but the post was busy between Strandvik and Kristiansfeldt, for letters pa.s.sed daily either way--while Mrs. Sukkestad went about complaining that Andrea never wrote home.
XVI
EMILIE RANTZAU
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