In the afternoon the old lady and the assistant were on the pilot's boat being taken out to an inward bound steamer. Why Miss Mary stayed, he could not understand clearly. Perhaps with the hope of a renewal, perhaps with a desire to show her spite or may be something else.
However, she placed herself at the window, so that she could be seen from the custom house cottage. And there she sat most of the time, sometimes drumming on the window pane, sometimes reading a book and now and then raising her handkerchief to her face.
About seven o'clock in the evening the corvette was seen stealing from Landsort's passage and going to anchor at once between Norsten and East Skerries. When it signaled with the steam whistle for pilots, the girl arose and came out to see what was going on; and as she now stood on the slope, regarding the fine vessel, which was adorned for a feast with flags on all stays and with colored awnings amidships, the commissioner could see how she became fascinated by the alluring sight. She stood with her hands behind her back in an unbecoming attitude, until the wind brought to the skerry the tunes of a festival march, when her feet began to move on the spot. Slowly the slender body bent forwards, as if it was attracted by the tones of music, and then, at once, the whole figure collapsed, the hands covered the face and the girl rushed precipitately into the cottage, in despair like a child, who had lost an expected pleasure.
The commissioner now dressed for the ball; on the black dress coat with the doctor's insignia embroidered in black silk on the velvet collar, he hung his six decorations of knighthood on a chain and put on his bracelet, which he had not worn since the day of his engagement.
When he had finished his toilet and had still an hour left, before the boat would come for him, he decided to make a farewell visit to Miss Mary, mostly because he would not be suspected of cowardice, but also because he was longing to test his power over his own feelings. As he came into the hall he made a noise to give the girl time to pose in order that he from this pose might learn the reason of her stay and what her intentions were.
After knocking he entered and found Miss Mary sitting with sewing work, something he had never seen in her hands before. Her face expressed humiliation, regret and submission, although with an effort to look indifferent and aristocratic.
"Will you see me, Miss Mary, or shall I go?" commenced the commissioner. And he felt again the inexplicable desire to lift her above himself as a woman, when she appeared with a woman's attributes and leaned towards him, just as he otherwise felt an irresistible desire to push her down, when she came with manly pretensions and manners. At this moment she seemed more beautiful to him than he had seen her for a long time, so that he gave way to his feelings, and without making resistance he became approachable.
"I have caused you grief, Miss Mary...."
When she heard the softness in his voice she at once straightened up and snapped:
"But you were too cowardly to come and tell me, yourself."