At this moment the doctor entered the room.

“Have you spoken to my husband, doctor?”

“No, Mrs. Garman.  Is there anything the matter with him?”

“Has he anything the matter with him!  I am really surprised that you should ask such a question,” replied Fanny, sharply.  “Can you not see that he is weary—­overworked?  He must go to Carlsbad this year, or his health will suffer severely.”

“Oh yes!” said the doctor, good-humouredly, “it might perhaps have a good effect; but you know yourself that his answer always is that he has no time, and so—­”

“Bah!” answered Fanny; “as if a doctor ought to listen to rubbish of that sort!”

The doctor went off straight to the office, and succeeded in frightening Morten to such a degree that the journey was arranged for the next week.

Jacob Worse’s “disappearance,” as it was called, caused a great sensation, and the astonishment did not diminish when a telegram arrived, announcing his engagement to Rachel Garman.  At the same time he begged Morten to arrange everything for the wedding, as they intended to be married shortly after their return home.

Morten, after consulting his wife, answered that the doctor had ordered him off to Carlsbad at once; but he proposed to meet them both in Copenhagen, where the wedding might take place.  He received an answer assenting to his proposal, and the day was fixed.  Although he had not been consulted, Morten was much pleased with the match.

During the last six years, he had often thought upon the advice his father had given him before his death, when he had advised him to take Jacob Worse into partnership.  Morten had never mentioned the idea to any one.  He could not reconcile himself to such a humiliation.  Now the opportunity came of itself, and at a most fortunate time, when he was on the point of starting for abroad.  Worse would, therefore, be able to get an insight into everything during his absence, and there were some weak places in the business which were causing Morten much uneasiness.  Matters of this nature are more easily got over when they can be explained by letter.

The wedding thus took place in Copenhagen.  Gabriel was present at the ceremony.  He had been for some time in an office in England, whither they had telegraphed to him from Paris, and he joined them at Cologne.  It was already more than half settled, that Gabriel should take Rachel’s place with Barnett Brothers in Paris, a prospect at which he was quite overjoyed.

The wedding-breakfast was served at the Hotel d’Angleterre, in one of the large salons looking out on the Kongen’s Nytorv.  Every one was in the highest spirits, and Morten made a speech in which he remarked, that Garman and Worse would now again become a reality.

“And my old enemy Aalbom?” asked Gabriel at dessert.

“Oh, he is the same as ever,” answered Morten.  “The other day he made a virulent speech somewhere about the Garman dynasty.  He is terribly bitter since we have ceased inviting him to Sandsgaard.”