Falk stood gazing into the open grave, plunged in deep thought. At first he saw only a square of darkness; but gradually a bright spot appeared which grew and took shape; it looked like a disc and shone with the whiteness of a mirror—it was the blank shield on which the life of the child should have been recorded. It gleamed brightly in the darkness, reflecting the unbroken daylight. He dropped his wreath. There was a faint, dull thud, and the light went out. He turned and followed the others.
Arrived at the coach, there was a brief discussion. Borg cut it short.
"To the Restaurant Norrbacka!" he said, briefly.
A few minutes later the party was standing in the large room on the first floor; they were received by a girl whom Borg embraced and kissed; this done, he pushed his hat underneath the sofa, commanded Levi to help him off with his overcoat, and ordered a quart of punch, twenty-five cigars, half a pint of brandy, and a sugar-loaf. Finally he took off his coat and sat down in shirt sleeves on the only sofa in the room.
Struve's face beamed when he saw the preparations for an orgy, and he shouted for music. Levi went to the piano and strummed a waltz, while Struve put his arm into Falk's and walked with him up and down the room. He touched lightly on life in general, on grief and joy, the inconstant nature of man, and so on, all of which went to prove that it was a sin to mourn what the gods—he said gods, because he had already said sin and did not wish to be taken for a pietist—had given and taken.
This reflexion was apparently made by way of an introduction to the waltz which he immediately after danced with the girl who brought the bowl.
Borg filled the glasses, called Levi, nodded towards a glass, and said:
"Let's drink to our brotherly love now; later on we can be as rude as we like."
Levi expressed his appreciation of the honour.
"Your health, Isaac!" said Borg.