It
was absurd to be vexed with me because I did not. I do know a
little, and that is more than some people do.
I inquired of the old gentleman about B. He did understand me. I
must give him credit for that. But beyond understanding me, he was
of no more use than the others; and why they had taken so much
trouble to fetch him, I could not imagine.
What would have happened if the difficulty had continued much longer
(for I was getting thoroughly wild with the lot of them) I cannot
say. Fortunately, at this moment I caught sight of B. himself, who
had just entered the room.
I could not have greeted him more heartily if I had wanted to borrow
money of him.
"Well, I AM glad to see you again!" I cried. "Well, this IS
pleasant! I thought I had lost you!"
"Why, you are English!" cried out the old gentleman in the white
hat, in very good Saxon, on hearing me speak to B.
"Well, I know that," I replied, "and I'm proud of it. Have you any
objection to my being English?"
"Not in the least," he answered, "if you'd only talk English instead
of Norwegian. I'm English myself;" and he walked away, evidently
much puzzled.
B. said to me as we sat down:
