social life? No, that you cannot! What is social life, but
a strift to get into the world in order to discover that the world is
unbearable? but a scheming and labouring to get invited, to be offended
and put out of sorts if not invited; and if invited, then to complain of
weariness and vexation, and thus utter their lamentations. Thus people
bring a mass of folks together, and wish them--at Jericho! and all this
strift only to get poorer, more out of humour, more out of health; in
one word, to obtain the perfectly false position, _vis-a-vis_, of
happiness! See there! Adieu, adieu! When the ladies take leave, they
never have done."

"There is not one single word of truth in all that you have said," was
the last but laughing salutation of Mrs. Gunilla to the Assessor, as,
accompanied by the Candidate, she left the door. The Judge, too, was
gone; and Elise, left alone, betook herself to the parlour.

Suddenly quick steps were heard behind her--she thought "Jacobi"--turned
round, and saw her husband; but never before had she seen him looking as
then; there was an excitement, an agitation, in his countenance that
terrified her. He threw his arm violently round her waist, riveted his
eyes upon her with a glance that seemed as if it would penetrate into
her inmost soul.

"Ernst, Ernst, be calm!" whispered she, deeply moved by his state of
mind, the cause of which she imagined. He seized her hand and pressed it
to his forehead--it was damp and cold; the next moment he was gone.

We will now return to the Candidate.

Wine and love, and excited expectation, had so inflamed the imagination
of the young man, that he hardly knew what he did--whether he walked, or
whether he flew; and more than once, in descending the stairs, had he
nearly precipitated Mrs. Gunilla, who exclaimed with kindness, but some
little astonishment, "The Cross preserve me! I cannot imagine,
heart's-dearest, how either you or I go to-night! I think we are all
about to--see, now again, all's going mad.--No, I thank you, I'll take
care of my nose, crooked as it is. I think I can go safer by myself. I
can hold by----"

"A thousand thousand times pardon," interrupted the Candidate, whilst he
pressed Mrs. Gunilla's arm tightly; "it is all my fault. But now we will
go safely and magnificently; I was a little dizzy!"

"Dizzy!" repeated she. "Heart's-dearest, we should take care on that
very account; one should take care of one's head as well as one's heart;