with me; but when girls grow up, there is never any peace to depend on.
I wish all lovers and questioners a long way off. Here we could live
altogether as in a kingdom of heaven, now that we have got everything in
such order. Some small improvements may still be wanted, but this will
be all right if we are only left in peace. I have been thinking that we
could so easily make a wardrobe here: do you see on this side of the
wall--don't you think if we were to open--What! are you asleep
already, my dear?"

* * * * *

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