Now, that seemed to my mind a poor and vulgar way to speak; I felt he shamed us both in answering so, and it distressed me. So I must put in a word myself. _“Mille grâces, Madame; vous êtes trop aimable_,” I said gallantly, and took off my cap. Fruen turned round and stared at me in astonishment; the look on her face was comical to see. We were shown into the kitchen and given an excellent meal. Fruen went indoors. When we had finished, and were starting off, she came out again; Falkenberg had got back his courage now, and, taking advantage of her kindness offered to tune the piano. “Can you tune pianos too?” she asked, in surprise. “Yes, indeed; I tuned the one on the farm down below.” “Mine's a grand piano, and a good one. I shouldn't like it....” “Fruen can be easy about that.” “Have you any sort of....” “I've no certificate, no. It's not my way to ask for such. But Fruen can come and hear me.” “Well, perhaps--yes, come this way.” She went into the house, and he followed. I looked through the doorway as they went in, and saw a room with many pictures on the walls. The maids fussed about in and out of the kitchen, casting curious glances at me, stranger as I was; one of the girls was quite nice-looking. I was thankful I had shaved that morning. Some ten minutes passed; Falkenberg had begun. Fruen came out into the kitchen again and said: “And to think you speak French! It's more than I do.” Now, Heaven be thanked for that. I had no wish to go farther with it myself. If I had, it would have been mostly hackneyed stuff, about returning to our muttons and looking for the lady in the case, and the State, that's me, and so on. “Your friend showed me his papers,” said Fruen. “You seem to be decent folk. I don't know.... I might telegraph to my husband and ask if he's any work for you.” I would have thanked her, but could not get a word out for swallowing at something in my throat. Neurasthenia! Afterwards I went out across the yard and walked about the fields a bit; all was in good order everywhere, and the crops in under cover. Even the potato stalks had been carted away though there's many places where they're left out till the snow comes. I could see nothing for us to do at all. Evidently these people were well-to-do.