"
Frithiof's only way of escape was to beg his mother for time to
consider the matter.
Meanwhile all the ladies of the household had recovered their health,
so that the doctor was no longer required. Still he called one day,
but he was treated like a burglar who had come to spy out the land. He
was a sharp man and saw at once how matters stood. Frithiof returned
his call but was received coldly. This was the end of their friendly
relations.
Frithiof came of age.
Frantic attempts were now made to carry the fortress by storm. The
aunts cringed before the new master and tried to prove to him that
they could not be dispensed with, by treating him as if he were a
child. His sisters mothered him more than ever, and Louisa began to
devote a great deal of attention to her dress. She laced herself
tightly and curled her hair. She was by no means a plain girl, but she
had cold eyes and a sharp tongue.
Frithiof remained indifferent; as far as he was concerned she was
sexless; he had never looked at her with the eyes of a man. But now,
after the conversation with his mother, he could not help a certain
feeling of embarrassment in her presence, especially as she seemed to
seek his society. He met her everywhere; on the stairs, in the garden,
in the stables even.
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