u who are in love with
him. Do you imagine that I have not seen that for ever so long? You know
best yourselves in what relation you stand to each other. That is no
affair of mine. But the 'De'[B] which you both keep up--is it for the
purpose of concealment?"

[B] _You_ as distinguished from the familiar _thou_.

Alice's laughter ceased. She turned pale, so pale that Mary was alarmed.
Mary tried to withdraw her eyes, but could not; Alice's held them fast
through painful changes until they lost all expression. Then Alice's
head sank back, whilst a long, heavy sigh resembling the groan of a
wounded animal escaped her.

Mary sat motionless, aghast at her own speech.

But it was irrevocable.

Alice suddenly raised her head again and told the coachman to stop. "I
have a call to make at this house." The carriage stopped; she opened the
door, stepped out, and shut it after her.

With a long look at Mary, she said:

"Good-bye!"

"Good-bye!" was answered in a low tone.

Both felt that it was for ever.

Mary drove on. As soon as she reached home, she went straight to the
private drawing-room; she had something to say to her father. Before
she opened the door, she heard piano-playing, and understood that Joergen
Thiis was there. But this did not stop her. With her hat and spring
cloak still on, she unexpectedly appeared in the room. Joergen Thiis
jumped up from the piano and came towards her, his eyes filling with
admiration; her face was all aglow from the tumult within. But something
proud and repellent in its sparkle caused him to give up his intention
of closer approach.

Then his eyes assumed the gloating, greedy expression which Mary so
detested. With a slight bow she passed him and went up to her father,
who was sitting as usual in the big chair with a book upon his knee.

"Father, what do you say to our going home now?"

Every face brightened. Mrs. Dawes exclaimed: "Joergen Thiis has just been
asking when we intend to go; he wants to travel with us."

Mary did not turn towards Joergen but continued: "I think the steamer
sails from Havre to-morrow?"

"It does," answered her father; "but we can't possibly be ready by that
time?"

"Yes, we can!" said Mrs. Dawes. "We have this whole afternoon."

"I shall be delighted to help," said Joergen Thiis.

Now Mary bestowed a friendly look on him, before mentioning the price
which Alice had advised her to offer for the Dutch coast landscape her
father wished