"Abraham Hertz.
"Poste restante, Christiania."
She read the letter through a dozen times at least, and sat puzzling her brains to try and recollect a "fair young man," who had been one of her admirers at Mrs. Moller's. She could make nothing of it. She had been only seventeen at the time, and had had such a host of admirers before and since; it was too much to expect that she should recollect them all.
But was it meant in earnest now, or was the whole thing a vulgar hoax?
This lawyer of hers was but a poor creature after all; red-nosed, almost a dotard—ugh! To think of getting away from it all and go to Christiania, perhaps Paris, Vienna, Rome—away! And then to be rich—rich! Poverty was a dreadful thing to face, dreadful even to think of. Was she to grow old, and ugly, and poor?
"Mr. Abraham Hertz,—Your kind letter received. I set great store by old friends, and should therefore be glad to renew the acquaintance, but must confess that I am unwilling to enter upon a correspondence with one who remains anonymous. How can I be sure that I am not exposing myself to a mischievous practical joke?
"I should be glad of a photo, in order if possible to identify the 'fair young man.'
"E. R."
Two days later came a registered letter.
"Mrs. Emilie Rantzau,—How could you ever think I was joking? However, that you may no longer doubt for a moment the seriousness of my intentions, I enclose £50, with the request that you will come to Christiania as soon as possible. If you will put up at Mrs. Irving's pension, I will meet you there.