'Hannè does not care a straw for him--she is only a child.'
'A child! and on the 12th of November she will be seventeen years old! No, no, uncle, girls give up thinking themselves children when they arrive at ten years of age.'
'But I tell you, Hannè does not care in the least for him; nor does he for her.'
'Very well, uncle, so much the better, for there is no sort of danger then in his coming here.'
'Danger! Oh! I don't look upon him as at all dangerous; but I can't bear to see him looking so woe-begone.'
'I shall soon enliven him. Only leave him to me, and you will see that he shall become quite gay. I will take him in hand if he can come here every day.'
'Confound the fellow! I must just tell you plainly out then--he is a great admirer of Jettè. Do you understand me now?'
'May I ask how you know that, sir?'
'How I know that?... Well ... No matter how. Suffice it to say, I know it. Jettè cannot endure him, that I know also; but his sighs might make some impression on her, so it were better that he kept entirely away. Besides, if he gets no encouragement, his fancy will wear out. Don't you agree with me that he had better not come here?'
'I can't call it a sin to be in love with Jettè, for I am so myself; she is a girl that it would be impossible not to admire. If we were to drive away every one who was guilty of admiring her, we should be compelled at last to live as hermits.'