Part 18 (1/2)
Dinner was drawing to an end and the long Pension dining-room was filled with a hubbub of conversation in many languages. Estelle Hagerup and Astrid were having a lively discussion on the advantages of matrimony as compared with single blessedness.
”I say,” declared Estelle, ”that no man living is worth a woman's giving up her whole life to him. Why should she? Why should the woman always give up to the man? Then there is the monotony of it. I should be tired to death of seeing the same face across the breakfast table every day in the year, and year in, year out!”
”You needn't look at him then,” said Astrid, ”or you could make him sit at the side, or have your breakfast in bed. Now I think it must be such a comfort to have someone to grumble at, and who is obliged to listen to you!”
”Oh, my dear, you'll find that all the grumbling won't be on your side!”
”I hope I shall bring my husband up too well for that!” said Astrid.
Estelle snorted.
”If only my dear Peter were alive!” sighed Fru Bjork, ”he was such an amiable man. I never knew him to grumble.”
”Ah, well, there's no telling,” said Estelle, ”he might have in time.”
”My blessed Peter would never have grumbled,” said Fru Bjork with finality. Astrid giggled.
”I should hate a man with no spirit, there would be no satisfaction in managing him.”
The old Swedish lady raised her head.
”My dear, it is most unseemly for a young woman to talk of 'managing'
her husband. Young people nowadays have lost the virtue of obedience.”
”Obedience is for children and the feeble-minded,” said Astrid. The old lady gasped and raised her mittened hand.
”My dear, my dear, a wife should always obey her husband!”
”Well, I shan't when I'm married.”
Froken Hagerup interposed:
”You'll find that you'll have to, to keep the peace.”
”Keep the peace indeed! That will be Edvard's business. Ragna, why don't you say something?”
Ragna had been sitting silent; on being addressed she started and dropped her fork.
”I--I have a headache.” Her cheeks flamed at the lie. Fru Bjork looked at her anxiously.
”I do hope you are not going to be ill, child! I am sure you have been tiring yourself out with all this going about alone, I don't half like it!”
”Stuff and nonsense,” said Estelle, ”she never looked better in her life! A night's rest and she will be all right again. You should not walk in the sun,” she said to Ragna; ”it is dangerous at this season of the year. It is probably that that gave you your headache.”
”I believe Ragna's in love with somebody,” said Astrid, ”all this mooning about alone is a symptom, and she's losing her appet.i.te, too.”
”Nonsense!” said Ragna angrily. ”I am a bit tired, but as Estelle says, a night's rest will set me right. I think I shall go to bed now.”
”I think you are right, Ragna,” said Fru Bjork. ”Take some quinine and cover yourself well. I shall come a little later to see if you are comfortable.”