"We are going to have a visitor," said he.
"The officials have sent me a young man who wants to learn to fish."
"So, it is delightful that Axel is going to have some man for company," said the mother with true sincerity.
And the commissioner went with light steps down to his waiting betrothed, sure that with a novelty on hand he could immediately pass over the most disagreeable of explanations.
[CHAPTER TENTH]
A few days later, the commissioner had been out sailing alone to lay down salmon trails secretly, and now after having delayed his dinner hour as he went up from the harbor, he heard chatting and laughter from the porch of the ladies cottage. Without intending to listen he went thither, and when he reached the westerly gable wall, he saw through the two windows in the large chamber, which were in the angle of the cottage corner, that the two ladies were eating dinner on the porch and had a male visitor at the table. He took a step forwards and caught sight of Miss Mary, who with sparkling eyes raised a glass of wine to pass it over the table to the guest, of whom he only saw a pair of broad shoulders. Suddenly it came to him, that he had seen these movements and expressions before in the girl's eyes, and he remembered her first appearance on the islet, when she treated the boatman to a glass of beer, and he had thought she coquetted with the churl! But now he was astonished, that he had never seen this expression in her eyes, when she looked at him. Could her glances only have reflected his? Or did she always hide her inner-most thoughts from him, who should be her victim?
He regarded her for a moment, and the longer he looked, the more strange seemed the expression in the girl's face, so strange, that he became frightened, as when one discovers a deceit in his nearest related.
When one can see so much, when not seen, what then shall one not hear? he thought and stopped behind the corner to listen.
The mother arose now and went into the kitchen, so that the young couple were left alone.