That evening the Captain came out to me. “I didn't want to send you down with the ladies,” he said, “because of your work. But now Frøken Elisabeth says she wants you to drive, and not the other man.” “Me?” “Yes. Because she knows you.” “Why, as for that, 'twould have been safe enough as it was.” “Do you mind going at all?” “No.” “Good! Then that's settled.” This thought came to my mind at once: “Aha, it's me the ladies fancy, after all, because I'm an inventor and proprietor of a patent saw, and not bad looking when I'm properly got up--not bad looking by any means.” But the Captain explained things to Falkenberg in an altogether different way, that upset my vanity completely: Frøken Elisabeth wanted me to go down to the vicarage once more, so that her father might have another try at getting me to take work there. She'd promised him to do so. I thought and thought over this explanation. “But if you get taken on at the vicarage, then it's all off with our railway work,” said Falkenberg. “I shan't,” said I. XXIII I started early in the morning with the two ladies in a closed carriage. It was more than a trifle cold at first, and my woollen rug came in very handy; I used it alternately to put over my knees and wrap round my shoulders. We drove the way I had walked up with Falkenberg, and I recognized place after place as we passed. There and there he had tuned the pianos; there we had heard the grey goose passing.... The sun came up, and it grew warmer; the hours went by; then, coming to cross-roads, the ladies knocked at the window and said it was dinner-time. I could see by the sun it was too early for the ladies' dinner-time, though well enough for me, seeing I took my dinner with Falkenberg at noon. So I drove on. “Can't you stop?” they cried. “I thought ... you don't generally have dinner till three....” “But we're hungry.” I turned off aside from the road, took out the horses, and fed and watered them. Had these strange beings set their dinner-time by mine? “_Værsaagod_!” But I felt I could not well sit down to eat with them, so I remained standing by the horses. “Well?” said Fruen. “Thank you kindly,” said I, and waited to be served. They helped me, both of them, as if they could never give me enough. I drew the corks of the beer bottles, and was given a liberal share here as well; it was a picnic by the roadside--a little wayfaring adventure in my life. And Fruen I dared look at least, for fear she should be hurt. And they talked and jested with each other, and now and again with me, out of their kindliness, that I might feel at ease. Said Frøken Elisabeth: “Oh, I think it's just lovely to have meals out of doors. Don't you?” And here she said _De_, instead of _Du_, as she had said before. “It's not so new to him, you know,” said Fruen; “he has his dinner out in the woods every day.”