CHAPTER XVII.
Mrs.Garman had already gone to bed after her long and tiring day.
Madeleine had also slipped out of the way, as she always tried to do when Fanny came.

Both Fanny and Morten were at Sandsgaard that evening.
The latter behaved to Madeleine just as before, and was so smiling and kind that Madeleine had often to ask herself if she had not, after all, been dreaming on that moonlight evening.
It was nearly eleven o'clock, and Gabriel had just returned from his expedition to the field above the West End.

He had heard a noise up there when he had gone out to see how the wind was.
The Consul and Uncle Richard were playing chess.

Morten, Fanny, and Rachel were talking of to-morrow's ball, and they every now and then addressed themselves to Miss Cordsen, who was sitting by the fireside polishing the silver.
"It is a south wind, is it not, Gabriel ?" said the Consul, as he listened to the sough of the wind through the trees.
"South-west, and blowing fresh, father," answered Gabriel.
"Good!" said the Consul.

"It won't do us any harm if only the wind doesn't get round to the northward, because that drives the sea right in on to the yard." The ladies were getting up to say good night, and Morten was just going to brew himself another glass of toddy, when excited voices were heard below.