In a moment it seemed as if the wisest man in the world stood before my
eyes.
"Go indoors, Lieutenant; Edwarda is there. Well, I will say good-bye.
See you on the quay, I suppose, when the vessel sails." He walked off,
with head bowed in thought, whistling.
Edwarda was sitting indoors, reading. At the instant of my entering, she
started at my uniform; she looked at me sideways like a bird, and even
blushed. She opened her mouth.
"I have come to say good-bye," I managed to get out at last.
She rose quickly to her feet, and I saw that my words had had some
effect.
"Glahn, are you going away? Now?"
"As soon as the boat comes." I grasped her hand--both her hands--a
senseless delight took possession of me--I burst out, "Edwarda!" and
stared at her.
And in a moment she was cold--cold and defiant. Her whole being
resisted me; she drew herself up. I found myself standing like a beggar
before her. I loosed her hand and let her go. I remember that from that
moment I stood repeating mechanically: "Edwarda, Edwarda!" again and
again without thinking, and when she asked: "Yes? What were you going to
say?" I explained nothing.
"To think you are going already," she said again. "Who will come next
year, I wonder?"
"Another," I answered. "The hut will be built up again, no doubt.
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