“I declare, she has got another new one!” muttered Mrs. Aalbom.

"Mais, mon Dieu, comme elle est belle!" whispered Uncle Richard, enchanted.

After Fanny followed the short but active-looking Mr. Delphin, secretary to the resident magistrate, then Jacob Worse, and lastly Morten Garman.

Morten was tall and stoutly built.  It would appear that he had inherited something of his mother’s “cross,” which did not, however, seem to oppress him.  He had a good-looking face, which was, however, rather weak; and his eyes were too prominent and slightly bloodshot.

George Delphin had been about six months in the town, as secretary to the magistrate, and since Fanny Garman was the magistrate’s daughter, Delphin soon got an entree into the Garmans’ house, and was a frequent guest at Sandsgaard.  Morten had picked him up at his father-in-law’s office, when the carriage was sent to the town to find the young people; they had met Jacob Worse accidentally, and Fanny had called to him when they were already seated in the carriage.

Morten had no great liking for Jacob Worse, although they had been much thrown together in their boyhood.  Consul Garman, on the other hand, was particularly well disposed towards him, and there were some who maintained that the young Consul would gladly have the name of Worse back in the firm, perhaps as his son-in-law; who could tell?

But those who had an opportunity of closer observation declared that there was no truth in the story.  Rachel herself appeared to dislike Jacob Worse, and Mrs. Garman could not bear the sight of him, since Pastor Martens had assured her that he was a freethinker.

The Consul took in Mrs. Aalbom, and George Delphin was so fortunate as to get Fanny Garman.  Rachel, to his astonishment, turned to her uncle and said, “I beg pardon, but I am going to ask you to-day to give me up to our new acquaintance.  Mr. Johnsen, will you be so kind?”

He offered her his arm stiffly, but not awkwardly, and they followed the others into the dining-room.

“What can be up with Rachel?” muttered Morten to Worse; “she generally can’t bear these parsons of mother’s.”

Jacob Worse made no reply, but, with a polite bow, gave his arm to Miss Cordsen.

For the habitues of the house, it was not difficult to foresee what the menu would be.  It consisted of Julienne soup, ham, and pork cutlets with sauer kraut; then roast lamb and roast veal, served with chervil and beet-root; and lastly, meringues and Vanilla cream.

At the head of the table the conversation was mostly carried on between Mr. Aalbom and Delphin, both of whom came from the neighbourhood of Christiania, and Aalbom tried his best to induce the other to say something disparaging of the west coast and its surroundings.  This he did in the hope that it would cause annoyance to the Consul and his brother, and also that it would put the speaker, as a new guest at Sandsgaard, in an unfavourable light.  Delphin was, however, too quick for him.  Either he noticed his intention, or else he really meant what he said.  The scenery, he declared, was most interesting, and he was particularly pleased with the acquaintances he had hitherto made in the neighbourhood.