did I leave off? The fisheries, the fisher maiden;—for that matter, they belong together. The fisheries, the fisher maiden, ha, ha! Well, then, I furnish the cash; you make the arrangements; she will be my wife, and then”—
Farther he did not get; during his speech he had paid no heed to Ödegaard, who had risen to his feet, pale as a corpse, and now attacked him with a delicate Spanish cane in his hand. The merchant’s amazement was beyond description; he warded off the first blow.
“Take care, you may hit me!” said he.
“Yes, I may hit you! You see: Spanish, Spanish cane; they belong together!” and the blows fell in showers on shoulders, arms, hands, face, wherever they chanced to hit. The merchant darted round the room.
“Are you mad! Have you lost your senses! I mean to marry her,—do you hear?—marry her!”
“Begone!” shrieked Ödegaard, whose strength was now exhausted.
And out of the door, and down the steps plunged the fair-haired man, away from this madman; and soon he stood in the street below, screaming up for his light hat. It was flung out of the window to him. Then all was still.
