Louise was often teased about Cousin Thure; Cousin Thure was often teased about Cousin Louise.  He liked very much to be teased about his Cousin Louise, and it gave him great pleasure to be told that Oestanvik wanted a mistress, that he himself wanted a good wife, and that Louise Frank was decidedly one of the wisest and most amiable girls in the whole neighborhood, and of the most respectable family.  The Landed Proprietor was half ready to receive congratulations on his betrothal.  What the supposed bride thought about the matter, however, is difficult to divine.  Louise was certainly always polite to her “Cousin Thure,” but more indifference than attachment seemed to be expressed in this politeness; and she declined, with a decision astonishing to many a person, his constantly repeated invitations to make a tour to Oestanvik in his new landau drawn by “my chestnut horses,” four-in-hand.  It was said by many that the agreeable and friendly Jacobi was much nearer to Louise’s heart than the rich Landed Proprietor.  But even towards Jacobi her behavior was so uniform, so quiet, and so unconstrained that nobody knew what to think.  Very few knew so well as we do that Louise considered it in accordance with the dignity of a woman to show perfect indifference to the attentions or doux propos of men, until they had openly and fully explained themselves.  She despised coquetry to that degree that she feared everything which had the least appearance of it.  Her young friends used to joke with her upon her strong notions in this respect, and often told her that she would remain unmarried.

“That may be!” answered Louise calmly.

One day she was told that a gentleman had said, “I will not stand up for any girl who is not a little coquettish!”

“Then he may remain sitting!” answered Louise, with a great deal of dignity.

Louise’s views with regard to the dignity of woman, her serious and decided principles, and her manner of expressing them, amused her young friends, at the same time that they inspired them with great regard for her, and caused many little contentions and discussions in which Louise fearlessly, though not without some excess, defended what was right.  These contentions, which began in merriment, sometimes ended quite differently.

A young and somewhat coquettish married lady felt herself one day wounded by the severity with which Louise judged the coquetry of her sex, particularly of married ladies, and in revenge she made use of some words which awakened Louise’s astonishment and anger at the same time.  An explanation followed between the two, the consequence of which was a complete rupture between Louise and the young lady, together with an altered disposition of mind in the former, which she in vain attempted to conceal.  She had been unusually joyous and lively during the first days of her stay at Axelholm; but she now became silent and thoughtful, often absent; and some people thought that she seemed less friendly than formerly towards the Candidate, but somewhat more attentive to the Landed Proprietor, although she constantly declined his invitation “to take a tour to Oestanvik.”