s friends ridiculed him,
predicting all sorts of misfortunes. He also forgot the uncomfortable
interview with the Consul.

As for the ship at Bremen, which had interested them both so much,
not another word, strangely enough, was ever again spoken about it.

On Sunday, they were married in Madame Torvestad's parlour, only a
few intimate friends being present. In the afternoon, Sarah removed
with Jacob Worse to his house.

At last Skipper Randulf returned, and Worse hastened to greet him.
They plunged at once into conversation, narrating their mutual
adventures; still it was not so pleasant as it might have been. The
subject of Rio had grown rather out of date, and there was a certain
constraint between them, until Randulf broke out: "Now, you old
heathen! I hear you have married one of the eleven thousand wise
virgins."

"Yes, my boy; she is one of the right sort," said Worse, winking at
him.

"Well, take care that she does not make a fool of you, as Sivert
Gesvint and the others did."

"Thank you for nothing; Jacob Worse knows what women are before
to-day."

"Ah! do you know, Jacob, I sometimes think you were not very
fortunate in your first wife."

"Don't talk about her, she was half mad. Mind you, Sarah is very
different." And then he began a long story about all her perfections,
sometimes sinking his voice to a whisper, although they were quite
alone in Randulf's parlour.

Thomas Randulf, however, smiled incredulously, which secretly annoyed
Worse; and the more earnest he became in describing his wife's merits
and his own happiness, the more suspiciously did Randulf's long nose
draw down towards the upturned corners of his mouth, until at last
Worse, becoming bored with him, was about to leave.

"Oh, no! Come, just take a glass; there is no such hurry, Jacob."

"Yes, I must go; it is half-past eleven, and we dine at twelve."

"A-ha, it's beginning already!" cried Randulf, triumphantly. "You are
tied to your wife's apron-strings. I suppose you don't dare take
another glass for fear she may notice it. Ha, ha! you have done for
yourself, Jacob, while I was away."

The result of this was that Worse remained until half-past twelve,
and came home rather red in the face and with watery eyes.

His wife had waited dinner. She looked very grave, graver than usual;
and when he essayed to tell her in a light airy way that Randulf was
come, she added, to his great annoyance: "Yes, I can see that he
has."

I