"Exactly like myself," answered Irgens. "That is funny; are you like that, too? To tell the truth, I understand music unpardonably poorly, but I show up in the park every day; it would never do to stay away." Much depended upon that; if one did not show oneself and keep abreast of the procession, one would soon be lost, submerged, forgotten. "Can one be forgotten so easily?" she asked. "But that does not apply to you, surely." "Oh, yes, to me as well as to the rest," he replied. "Why shouldn't I be forgotten?" She answered quite simply: "I thought you were too well known." "Known? Oh, as to that, Lord help us! I may not be so entirely unknown, of course, but--You must not think it is an easy matter to keep one's head above water here; one friend is envious, another hateful and malicious, a third simply despicable. No; as far as _that_ is concerned--" "It seems to me, however, that you are known, and well known, too," she said. "We cannot walk two steps that somebody isn't whispering about you; I have noticed it all along." She stopped. "No, it is unbearable; I just heard another remark! Rather let us go up to the Exhibition at once!" He laughed heartily, greatly flattered. How charming she was in her naive and unspoiled way! He said: Never mind; keep on! Pay no attention whatever. One got used to this whispering; if it amused people, what of it? He himself never noticed it any more; honestly, it did not affect him in the least. Besides, he wanted to let her know that to-day _he_ was not the only subject of conversation--what about her? She could believe him or not; she was being thoroughly discussed. One could not come to a city like this one and look as she did without attracting attention; she could be very sure of that. It was not his intention to flatter her; he was sincere in what he said. Still she did not seem to believe him. They walked toward the park, where the band thundered Cherubini's "Overture to the Water-Carrier" across the place. "It seems to me this is an altogether unnecessary noise," he said smilingly. She laughed; she laughed often and heartily over his remarks. This laughter from her fresh lips, the dimple in her left cheek, her many cute and childlike ways, drove his spirits still higher; even her nose, which was somewhat irregular in profile and a little too large, made him almost feel as if he were in love. Greek or Roman noses were not always the most beautiful--not at all; it depended on the rest of the face. There was no such a thing as an authorised standard for noses.