X
The Captain and his wife came next day. Nils and I had talked over whether
to hoist the flag; I dared not myself, but Nils was less cautious, and
said we must. So there it was, flapping broad and free from its white
staff.
I was close at hand when the carriage drove up and they got out. Fruen
walked out far across the courtyard, looked at the house, and clapped her
hands. I heard her, too, loud in wonder as she entered the hall--at sight
of the stairs, no doubt, and the new red carpet.
Grindhusen had no sooner got the horses in than he came up to me, all
agape with astonishment over something, and drew me aside to talk.
"There must be something wrong," he said. That's not Fru Falkenberg,
surely? Is she married to him--the Captain, I mean?"
"Why, yes, Grindhusen, the Captain's wife is married to the Captain. What
makes you ask?"
"But it's that cousin girl! I'll stake my life on it if it's not the very
same one. The Inspector's cousin that was there."
"Not a bit of it, Grindhusen.
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