ood time at any ball! But if any one had asked her if she had
danced much, she would have needed to reconsider and acknowledge
that she had not. But it was the best proof that she had really
enjoyed herself when she had not even noticed that she had been a
little neglected.

She had so much enjoyed looking at Maurits. Just because she had
been a little bit severe to him at breakfast and laughed at him
yesterday, it was such a pleasure to her to see him at the ball. He
had never seemed to her so handsome and so superior.

He had seemed to feel that she would consider herself injured
because he had not talked and danced only with her. But it had been
pleasure enough for her to see how every one liked Maurits. As if
she had wished to exhibit their love to the general gaze! Oh,
Downie was not so foolish!

Maurits danced many dances with the beautiful Elizabeth Westling.
But that had not troubled her at all, for Maurits had time after
time come up and whispered: "You see, I can't get away from her. We
are old friends. Here in the country they are so unaccustomed to
have a partner who has been in society and can both dance and talk.
You must lend me to the daughters of the county magnates for this
evening, Anne-Marie."

But Uncle, too, gave way to Maurits. "Be host for this evening," he
said to him, and Maurits was. He was everywhere. He led the dance,
he led the drinking, and he made a speech for the county and for
the ladies. He was wonderful. Both Uncle and she had watched
Maurits, and then their eyes had met. Uncle had smiled and nodded
to her. Uncle certainly was proud of Maurits. She had felt badly
that Uncle did not really do justice to his nephew. Towards morning
Uncle had been loud and quarrelsome. He had wanted to join the
dance, but the girls drew back from him when he came up to them and
pretended to be engaged.

"Dance with Anne-Marie," Maurits had said to his uncle, and it had
sounded rather patronising. She was so frightened that she quite
shrank together.

Uncle was offended too, turned on his heel and went into the
smoking-room.

Maurits came up to her and said with a hard, hard voice:--

"You are ruining everything, Anne-Marie. Must you look like that
when Uncle wishes to dance with you? If you could know what he
said to me yesterday about you! You must do something too, Anne-Marie.
Do you think it is right to leave everything to me?"

"What do you wish me to do, Maurits?"

"Oh, now there is n