took me in to dinner."

"Nonsense!" answered her husband. "What have I in common with these
tradesmen and their moneybags? But for a man of my intelligence, and of
my attainments in literature and education, to have to put up with such
impertinent answers from a set of youngsters, from such--" and from his
rich _répertoire_ of abuse the master poured out a choice stream of
invective, which afforded some relief to his feelings.

The Aalboms lived about half-way between Sandsgaard and the town, which
had been the original cause of their being invited to the Garmans'
house.

Since then they had shown themselves such good neighbours that the
Garmans were generally glad to fall back upon them when they wanted to
get a few people together in a hurry. Mr. Garman had also assisted the
master in some unexpected difficulties he had encountered in writing a
short paper on the origin of the French language, and its connection
with history. The pamphlet was headed "For Use in Schools," but from
want of perception and appreciation on the part of the authorities, this
pearl of literature had not been taken into use in a single school in
the country.

Both the elder Garmans were in the habit of retiring to their rooms and
taking a short nap after dinner; but on this occasion they did not sleep
long, as they were engaged in talking over Madeleine's projected visit
to the town. It was arranged that she was to come in two or three days,
and have a room upstairs, close by Miss Cordsen's.

Gabriel, having annexed a cigar, had wandered off to the ship-yard, in a