"It's a serious matter to me, Holm. My child's future...." There were tears in her eyes as she spoke.
"My dear lady, for Heaven's sake don't let's turn serious. I simply can't stand that sort of wedding-day solemnity, weeping on one another's necks as if it were a funeral. It simply comes to this: I've been had. Well, the only thing to do is to put the best face on it one can."
She held out her hand. "Thanks, Holm. Thanks. I can assure you I shall never forget all your kindness. You are a good man, Holm."
"Thanks for the unsolicited testimonial. Well, I dare say I might be worse. And when it comes to getting out one's final balance-sheet, it's as well to have a little on the credit side here and there."
He walked across to the window and stood for some time without speaking.
"Have you seen William to-day?" he said at last.
"Yes, he came round to see us, and walked back here with me. I expect he's in the office now."
"Well, we'd better have him up, and get the matter settled out of hand at once."
As he was moving towards the door, Bramsen looked in.
"Beg pardon, Mr. Holm," he began, then stopped and stood looking from one to the other. "Er--h'm. Hopes I don't intrude?"
"Not a bit, Bramsen; come in! What's the trouble?"
"Why, 'twas just a bit of a private matter, if...."
Holm went over to him. "Anything wrong, Bramsen?"
"Andrine's come home and chucked the Salvationing business for good and all."
"The savings-bank book--she wants it back. And now there's nothing in it, for when I bought the ship, d'you see...."
"We must talk it over later, Bramsen. I'm busy just now."
"Busy, eh? I see," said Bramsen, looking sideways at Mrs. Rantzau. And, lowering his voice, he whispered slyly, "_That's a fine one you've got there!_" and retired.
"Bramsen," Holm called after him, "tell William to come up, will you? You'll find him in the office."
William came in directly after, went up to his father and took his hand.
"Thank you, father," he said. "I didn't understand at first, but Miss Trap told me all about it. That you only wanted to try us----"
"Eh? Try you? Yes--yes, of course.... Yes, my son; it was--er--it was the only way I could see to make a sensible man of you, and get that artistic nonsense out of your head. Good idea, don't you think? Competition's a good thing all round--checks abnormal fluctuations of the market, you know."