Quicksand
ple and cerise, Fru Dahl approved her and so did Herr Dahl. Everything in her responded to his “She‘s beautiful; beautiful!” Helga Crane knew she wasn‘t that, but it pleased her that he could think so, and say so. Aunt Katrina smiled in her quiet, assured way, taking to herself her husband‘s compliment to her niece. But a little frown appeared over the fierce mustache, as he said, in his precise, faintly feminine voice: “She ought to have ear-rings, long ones. Is it too late for Garborg‘s? We could call up.”
And call up they did. And Garborg, the jeweler, in Fredericksgaarde waited for them. Not only were ear-rings bought, long ones brightly enameled, but glittering shoe-buckles and two great bracelets. Helga‘s sleeves being long, she escaped the bracelets for the moment. They were wrapped to be worn that night. The ear-rings, however, and the buckles came into immediate use and Helga felt like a veritable savage as they made their leisurely way
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