But he said no word. Maybe he was grown prouder and more
obstinate with the years that had passed. It might well seem so from his
looks.
Then it was there came the happenings I spoke of.
III
Fru Falkenberg had been playing with her husband now for some little time.
She affected indifference to his indifference, and consoled herself with
the casual attentions of men staying in the house. Now one and now another
of them left, but stout Captain Bror and the lady with the shawl stayed
on, and Lassen, the young engineer, stayed too. Captain Falkenberg looked
on as if to say: "Well and good, stay on by all means, my dear fellow, as
long as you please." And it made no impression on him when his wife said
"Du" to Lassen and called him Hugo. "Hugo!" she would call, standing on
the steps, looking out. And the Captain would volunteer carelessly:
"Hugo's just gone down the road."
One day I heard him answer her with a bitter smile and a wave of his hand
towards the lilacs: "Little King Hugo is waiting for you in his kingdom.
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