"You are welcome, Richard. I am charmed to see you," answered the
Consul, keeping his hands behind his back.

Richard seemed quite confused, as he generally was when he met his
brother, who sometimes could be as gay and cheerful as when they were
boys, and at others would put on his business manner, and be cold,
repellant, and so abominably precise.

"Is any one coming to dinner to-day, Caroline?" asked Consul Garman.

"Pastor Martens has announced his kind intention of introducing the new
school inspector to us," answered the lady.

"Yes, I dare say, another of your parson friends," said the Consul,
drily; "then, I'll just send the coachman with the carriage for Morten
and Fanny, and ask them to bring some young people with them: they might
find Jacob Worse, perhaps."

"What for?" answered the lady, in a tone which showed an inclination to
dispute the proposition.

"Because neither Richard nor I care to have our dinner with nothing but
a lot of parsons," answered the Consul, in a tone which brought his wife
to her senses. "And will you be so kind as to arrange with Miss Cordsen
about the dinner?"

"Oh! the dinner, the dinner!" sighed Mrs. Garman, as she left the room.
"I cannot understand how people can think so much about such trifles."