ordered to keep beside his master on the pavement, which was clean.
After a few sprightly excursions he became obedient; he was afraid of
Joergen's thin cane.
Mary's erect figure was distinguishable from a long distance. She stood
with her back to them, looking in the direction of the palace. Joergen's
heart beat violently; his courage was failing him.
Mary became aware of his approach by the dog's rushing up to her as to
an old friend. She loved dogs; nothing but her constant change of abode
had prevented her keeping one. And this was such a beautiful, healthy,
well-kept animal, so entirely to her taste in every way, that she
involuntarily bent down to take notice of him. As she did so she saw
Joergen. She drew herself up again at once.
"Is this your dog?" she asked, as if they had parted half an hour ago.
"Yes," answered he, taking off his hat respectfully.
Then she bent down again and patted the dog: "What a beauty you are! a
real beauty! No--keep down!"
"Keep down!" came in a more peremptory tone from Joergen.
Mary straightened herself again. "Where shall we go?" she asked. "I have
never been in Stockholm before."
"We may as well go straight on. If we take the turning yonder we shall
come to John Ericson's monument."
"Yes, I should like to see that." They walked on.
"Come here!" called Joergen to the dog, indicating the spot with his
stick. He was offended by Mary's not even having offered him her hand.
The dog came dejectedly, but cheered up immediately, for Mary spoke to
him and patted him again.
"I have been over in America," she said.
"Yes, I heard that."
"The 50,000 kroner of which you spoke were not in my father's books,
which made me certain that he must keep a separate account of the money
in America. This account I found. It showed me the necessity for going
across and saving what could be saved. The main sum was, of course,
hopelessly lost."
"What success had you?"
"I brought home with me the accumulated interest of all these years."
"The money had been well invested?"
"Better, I believe, than it could have been in Europe."
Here followed a short intermezzo. The dog had been off the pavement, and
now received a few cuts with the cane. This made Mary indignant.
"Dear me! the dog doesn't understand."
"Yes, he understands perfectly; but he has not learned to obey."
They walked on quickly. "What is your intention in telling me this?"
asked Joergen.
"To show you
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