Part 11 (1/2)
”Yes, indeed; both father and mother pretended they did not see it, but I went up in the garret and hid.”
”More, more! Did he follow you there?”
”I think father told him where I was; he is always so provoking.”
”And so he came? Sit down, sit down here beside me. Well, so he came?”
”Yes; but he did not say much, for he was so bashful.”
”Every word! Do you hear? every word!”
”'Are you afraid of me?' said he. 'Why should I be afraid?' said I. 'You know what it is I want of you,' said he, and sat down on the chest beside me.”
”Beside you!”
”And then he put his arm round my waist.”
”His arm round your waist? Are you wild?”
”I wanted to get away from him, but he would not let me go. 'Dear Eli,'
said he,”--she laughed, and the other girl laughed too.
”Well? well?”
”'Will you be my wife?'”
”Ha, ha, ha!”
”Ha, ha, ha!”
And then both--”Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!”
Finally, the laughter, too, had to come to an end, and then a long silence ensued. After a while, the first one asked, but softly, ”Say,--was it not too bad that he put his arm round your waist?”
Either the other one made no reply to this, or else she spoke in such a low tone that it could not be heard; perhaps, too, she answered only with a smile. Presently the first one asked:--
”Have neither your father nor your mother said anything since?”
”Father came up and looked at me, but I kept hiding; for he laughed every time he saw me.”
”But your mother?”
”Why, she said nothing; but she was less harsh than usual.”
”Well, you certainly refused him?”
”Of course.”
Then there was a long silence again.
”Eli!”