"There has been some difficulty with the lieutenant, Elizabeth?"

"Yes, aunt, there has," she replied; "he made love to me."

"He did--"

"And first I said as good as yes. But I don't mean to have him--and so I
told Madam Beck."

"So you wouldn't have him?" was the rejoinder, after an astonished
pause; "and the reason, I suppose, was that you would rather have
Salvé?"

"Yes, aunt," in a low voice.

"And why in the world didn't you take him, then?"

The tears came into Elizabeth's eyes.

"Well--as people make their beds so they must lie," said the old woman,
severely--and betook herself then, without any further observation, to
the preparation of the morning coffee.

As Elizabeth went down to the quay, to get a boat to take her out to the
merchantman, she looked in at the post-office, where she found Marie
Forstberg already up, and busy in the sitting-room in her morning dress.
She was greatly astonished when Elizabeth told her of her new
destination.