The father laughed too, and Hans answered, just as it occurred to him at the moment, by softly singing a single line of the Wedding March,
"Play away! speed us on! we're in haste, I and you!"
and laughed; but was modest enough at once to turn to something else. He happened accidentally to look at Randi, and saw that she was quite pale. He felt in an instant that he had made a mistake in recalling that tune to her. Endrid looked apprehensively at his wife, whose emotion grew till it became so strong that she could not stay in the room; she got up and went out.
"I know I have done something wrong," said Hans anxiously.
Endrid made no reply. Hans, feeling very unhappy, got up to go after Randi and excuse himself, but sat down again, declaring that he had meant no harm at all.
"No, you could hardly be expected to understand rightly about that," said Endrid.
"Can't you go after her and put it right again!"
He had already such confidence in this man that he dared ask him anything.
But Endrid said: "No; rather leave her alone just now; I know her."
Hans, who a few minutes before had felt himself at the very goal of his desires, now felt himself cast into the depths of despair, and would not be cheered up, though Endrid strove patiently to do it. The dog helped by coming forward to them; for Endrid went on asking questions about him, and afterwards told with real pleasure about a dog he himself had had, and had taken much interest in, as is generally the way with people leading a lonely life.