"Are you going there?" she asked in surprise.
"I have been asked to come; I am going with some friends."
Aagot did not know that Irgens had received a pressing invitation from
Mrs. Hanka; she said all right, nodded, and went in.
Ole was waiting for her; she threw herself on his neck and cried eagerly:
"It was glorious—the Laocoön Group—everything! We did not have time to see everything, that is, to see everything carefully; but you will take me there some time, won't you? Promise! For I want you to take me."
* * * * *
When later on Ole and Aagot were going to Tidemand's house on their way to
Tivoli, Aagot remarked casually:
"It is a pity that you are not a poet, Ole."
He looked at her in surprise. "Do you think so?" he asked.
Then suddenly it dawned on her what a tactless thing she had said. As a matter of fact, she had not meant it at all; it was just a thoughtless word, a thoughtless, thoughtless word. She repented it bitterly and would have given anything to have it unsaid. She stopped, threw her arms around Ole's neck right in the middle of the street, and said in agitation: