at the same time, curiously near—like the twinkling of a solitary star.
When they reached the top of the hill, they saw the young people a couple of hundred paces ahead; they had seated themselves on a flowery strip of meadow by the wayside, but now they started on again singing. Suddenly a little shiver ran through Emanuel. In the rear of the party he caught sight of her for whom he had been looking all the time—Hansine. She was walking arm in arm with a tall, strong, redhaired girl, in whom he recognised the gamekeeper's adopted daughter, Ane, Hansine's dearest friend, whom he had always seen with her in church. A little, thin, shabby figure hung on her other arm, whose black dress, all too long, and boyish stride, plainly marked the newly confirmed.[1] Ane's brick-red hair was covered with a little straw hat trimmed with tartan ribbon, which looked as if it was meant for a child. Her dark green linsey dress was the same as Hansine's, and she had a bright yellow handkerchief round her neck, hanging in a three corner down her back. Hansine had a low, broad-brimmed, brown straw hat, but no handkerchief down her back; her black hat-ribbons reached her waist, which was encircled by the bright leather belt, the distinctive mark of every High School girl.
- ↑ Confirmation marks the line between childhood and womanhood very sharply.
