""Little one, I have a request to make to you. Will you come out for a ride with me?"
""What an honour," replied I.
""No, you must not begin again like that," said he, laughing, though annoyed. "We will try for once to be good comrades just for half an hour. Agreed?"
"His cordiality pleased me. I gave him my hand upon it.
"As we rode out of the courtyard gate Martha stood at the kitchen window and waved to us with her white ap.r.o.n.
""See here, Martha," I thought in my mind, "this is how I would ride out into the wide world with him if I were his paramour."
"For my ideas as to what a "paramour" is were as yet very vague, and I did not hesitate to ascribe this dignity to Martha.
""He rides well." I went on thinking; "my prince could not do better."
"And then I caught myself throwing myself back proudly and joyously in my saddle, swayed by an undefined sense of well-being that made all my nerves tingle.
"He said nothing, only now and again turned towards me and nodded at me smilingly, as if he thought well to secure our compact anew every five minutes. It was needless trouble, for nothing was further from my thoughts than to break it.
"When we had ridden for half an hour at a sharp trot he pulled up his chestnut and said:
""Well, little one?"
""What is your pleasure, big one?"
""Shall we turn back?"
""Oh, no."
"I was absolutely not willed to give up so quickly what filled me with such intense satisfaction.
""Well, then, to the Illowo woods," said he, pointing to the bluish wall which bordered the distant horizon.
"I nodded and gave my horse the whip, so that it reared up high and plunged along in wild bounds.
""Very creditable for a young lady of fifteen." I heard his voice behind me.
""Sixteen, if you please!" cried I, half turning round towards him. "By the bye, if you again reproach me with my youth, there"s an end to our good fellowship."
""Heaven forbid!" he laughed, and then we rode on in silence.
"The wood of Illowo is intersected by a small rivulet, whose steep banks are so close together that the alder branches from either side intertwine and form a high-vaulted, green dome over the surface of the water, terminating at each bend in a dense wall of foliage, behind which it builds itself up anew. Down there, close to the water"s edge, I had known, since my childhood, many a secluded nook, where I had often sat for hours, reading or dreaming to myself, while my horse peacefully grazed up in the wood.
"As we now rode slowly along between the trees, a desire seized me to show him one of my sanctuaries.
""I want to dismount," I called out to him; "help me out of my saddle."
"He jumped off his horse and did as I had bid.
""What do you intend to do?" he then asked.
""You will see shortly." said I. "First of all, let the horses go."
""I should think so, indeed," he laughed. "You seem to be one of those who catch their hares by putting salt on their tails."
"And he set about tying the bridles to a tree.
""Let loose," I commanded; and as he did not obey, I gave the horses a lash of the whip, so that before he thought of catching hold of the reins tighter, they were already galloping about at liberty in the wood.
""What now?" said he, and put his hands in his pockets. "Do you think they will let themselves be caught?"
""Not by you!" laughed I, for I was sure of my favourites.
"And when at a low whistle from my lips they both came racing along from the distance and snuffled about affectionately at my neck with their nostrils, my heart swelled with pride that there were creatures on earth, though only dumb animals, who bowed to my might and were subject to me through love; and triumphantly I looked up at him as if now he must know me as I really was, and what I required of the world.
"But I could see that even now I had not impressed him. "Well done, little one!" he said, nothing more, patted me on the shoulder in fatherly manner, and then threw himself down carelessly upon the gra.s.s.
The sun"s rays, which broke through the foliage, glittered in his beard. Like a hero in repose he appeared to me, like those described in northern saga.
"But just as I was about to grow absorbed in my romancing, he began to yawn most fearfully, so that I was very quickly and rudely transferred to prose.
""But we are not going to stay here. Sir Cousin."
""Don"t be foolish, little one," said he, closing his eyes; "do like me, let us sleep."
"Then a frolicsome mood possessed me, and I stepped up to him and shook him soundly by the collar.
"He s.n.a.t.c.hed at my dress, but I evaded him, so that he jumped to his feet and attempted to lay hold of me. Then I walked quietly to meet him and said, "That"s right, now come along." And then I led him right through a dense thicket of thorns, down the steep slope, at the foot of which the deep water lay like a dark mirror. Down there broadleaved convolvuli and creepers had formed a natural bower above a projecting block of stone, in which even at high noon one could sit almost in the dark.
"Thither I led him.
""Upon my word, it is delightful here, little one," he said, and comfortably stretched himself upon the stone, so that his feet hung down to the water. "Come, sit down at my side; ... there is room for us both."
"I did as he wished, but seated myself so that I could look down upon him.
"He pretended to be sleeping, and now and again blinked up at me through half-closed lids.
"Then the thought suddenly came to me, "Now, if you were Martha, what should you do?" and I was so startled by it that my blood gushed up hotly into my face.
""Are you easily frightened, little one?" he asked.
"I shook my head.
""Then come here!"
""I am here at your side."
""Place yourself in front of me."
"I did so. My feet almost touched the flat edge of the stone.