s a large party, and he could not free himself from that idea,
even though he counted how many cows "Country-joy" had on the meadow
and how many heaps of gravel he could see along the road. At last the
peasant stopped near a small path leading down to the country-house, and
Mogens slid down from the cart and began to brush away the bits of straw
while the cart slowly creaked away over the gravel on the road.

He approached the garden-gate step by step, saw a red shawl disappear
behind the balcony windows, a small deserted white sewing-basket on the
edge of the balcony, and the back of a still moving empty rocking-chair.
He entered the garden, with his eyes fixed intently on the balcony,
heard the councilor say good-day, turned his head toward the sound, and
saw him standing there nodding, his arms full of empty flowerpots. They
spoke of this and that, and the councilor began to explain, as one might
put it, that the old specific distinction between the various kinds of
trees had been abolished by grafting, and that for his part he did not
like this at all. Then Camilla slowly approached wearing a brilliant
glaring blue shawl. Her arms were entirely wrapped up in the shawl,
and she greeted him with a slight inclination of the head and a faint
welcome. The councilor left with his flower-pots, Camilla stood looking
over her shoulders towards the balcony; Mogens looked at her. How had
he been since the other day? Thank you, nothing especial had been the
matter with him. Done much rowing? Why, yes, as usual, perhaps not quite
as much. She turned her head towards him, looked coldly at him, inclined
her head to one side and asked with half-closed eyes and a faint smile
whether it was the beautiful Magelone who had engrossed his time. He did
not know what she meant, but he imagined it was. Then they stood for a
while and said nothing. Camilla took a few steps towards a corner, where
a bench and a garden-chair stood. She sat down on the bench and asked
him, after she was seated, looking at the chair, to be seated; he must
be very tired after his long walk. He sat down in the chair.

Did he believe anything would come of the projected royal alliance?
Perhaps, he was completely indifferent? Of course, he had no interest
in the royal house. Naturally he hated aristocracy? There were very few
young men who did not believe that democracy was, heaven only knew what.
Probably he was one of those who attributed not the slightest politica