"Then I will speak for myself," said Helga, "and say that I thank you for your goodness to Rasmussen and his family;" and she took his hand and kissed it.
Hardy saw she was governed by a momentary impulse, but it evinced a warm sympathy for what she considered a good act, and impressed him the more so as her manner was always towards him cold and retiring.
At this juncture Kirstin appeared in an unusual state of agitation.
"I have come," she said, "to ask Herr Hardy's pardon, for what I have said and done."
"My servant reports to me that you beat him yesterday," said Hardy, "and as you did not beat me I have nothing to forgive. I have told my man, if you do so again, to lay the matter before the authorities. He will have to come here in acting as my servant; but if you beat him because you cannot understand him, he must be protected, the more so as his orders are not to strike you, under any circumstances. The matter has been brought to the Herr Pastor's knowledge, and that is enough, and you can go out."
There was a stern dignity in John Hardy's manner, always present in a man of his type when accustomed to obedience.
Kirstin hesitated. "You can go out, Kirstin," repeated Hardy; and she obeyed.
Frøken Helga's implicit faith in the rigid character of Kirstin was shaken.
Rasmussen's funeral took place shortly after, and on the Sunday the Pastor referred to Hardy's conduct.
"It may hurt the sensibility of the Englishman who is with us, that I should refer to him thus publicly; but it is my duty, while the occurrence of Rasmussen's death has the force of its being recent to point out, not that it was his simple duty to do what he did, but the way and manner that duty was done showed a Christian charity that no one of us could do more than imitate."