Page:Karl Gjellerup - Minna, A novel - 1913.djvu/57



was to be done? Would it be wiser to confide the circumstances of the case to Miss Jagemann, and ask her to pretend not to know me at all? At first this idea seemed quite impossible, but as time went on it grew upon me, until finally it seemed to be so attractive that I no longer regretted my foolishness.

It was quite an easy matter to meet her on the way, and, when greeting her, I added that I believed we were bound for the same destination. On hearing that I was invited to the Hertzs', she said gaily—

"Well, then at last we are going to be introduced to one another."

"Yes," I answered, "it is just for that reason that I have a rather queer favour to ask of you. Will you pretend not to know me? I mean, will you appear as if we had not met before."

"I can easily do that, but why?"

I told her what had happened, and my explanation was received with laughter.

"Are you always so absent-minded?"

"Not always. But I got so confused when suddenly it became clear to me that I was going to meet you."

She looked at me in a naïve inquiring way, then suddenly blushed and withdrew her eyes, with all of which I was more than satisfied.

"Au revoir, then. I must go up the hill again to fetch