Jenny | Page 6

cold when you go out." Heggen hung his coat and hat on a peg and sat down on a rush chair.
"She is not well, poor girl, and that man Gram, you see, followed us a while before he dared to speak to us; and anything of that kind always puts her out of temper; she has a weak heart, you know."
"Sorry for her. The cheek of the man."
"Poor thing, he was wandering listlessly about and could not find his way home. He doesn't seem used to travelling. Did you know him before?"
"Haven't the slightest recollection of it. I may have met him somewhere. Here they are."
Ahlin took Miss Jahrman's coat.
"By Jove!" said Heggen. "How smart you are tonight, Cesca. Pretty as paint."
She smiled, evidently pleased, and smoothed her hips; then, taking Heggen by the shoulders: "Move out, please, I want to sit by Jenny."
How pretty she is, thought Helge. Her dress was a brilliant green, the skirt so high-waisted that the rounded breasts rose as out of a cup. There was a golden sheen in the folds of the velvet, and the bodice was cut low round the pale, full throat. She was very dark; small, jet-black curls fell from under the brown bell-shaped hat about her soft, rosy cheeks. The face was that of a little girl, with full, round lids over deep, brown eyes, and charming dimples about the small, red mouth.
Miss Winge too was good-looking, but could not compete with her friend. She was as fair as the other was dark; her blonde hair brushed back from a high, white forehead had tints of flaming gold in it; her skin was a delicate pink and white. Even the brows and lashes round her steel-grey eyes were a fair, golden brown. The mouth was too big for her face, with its short, straight nose and blue-veined temples, and the lips were pale, but when she smiled, she showed even, pearly teeth. Her figure was slender: the long, slim neck, the arms covered with a fair, silken down, and the long, thin hands. She was tall, and so slim that she was almost like an overgrown boy. She seemed very young. She had a narrow, white turned-down collar round the V-shaped neck of her dress and revers of the same kind round her short sleeves. Her dress of soft, pale grey silk was gathered round the waist and on the shoulders - obviously to make her look less thin. She wore a row of pink beads round her neck, which were reflected in rosy spots on her skin.
Helge Gram sat down quietly at the end of the table and listened to the others talking about a friend of theirs who had been ill. An old Italian, with a dirty white apron covering his broad waistcoat, came up to ask what they required.
"Red or white, sweet or dry, what do you like, Gram?" said Heggen, turning to him.
"Mr. Gram must have half a litre of my claret," said Jenny Winge. "It is one of the best things you can have in Rome, and that is no small praise, you know."
The sculptor pushed his cigarette-case over to the ladies. Miss Jahrman took one and lighted it.
"No, Cesca - don't!" begged Miss Winge.
"Yes," said Miss Jahrman. "I shan't be any better if I don't smoke, and I am cross tonight."
"Why are you cross?" asked Ahlin.
"Because I did not get those corals."
"Were you going to wear them tonight?" asked Heggen.
"No, but I had made up my mind to have them."
"I see," said Heggen, laughing, "and tomorrow you will decide to have the malachite necklace."
"No, I won't, but it is awfully annoying. Jenny and I rushed down on purpose because of those wretched corals."
"But you had the good luck to meet us, otherwise you would have been obliged to go to Frascati, to which you seem to have taken a sudden dislike."
"I would not have gone to Frascati, you may be sure of that, Gunnar, and it would have been much better for me, because now that you have made me come I want to smoke and drink and be out the whole night."
"I was under the impression that you had suggested it yourself."
"I think the malachite necklace was very fine," said Ahlin, by way of interrupting - "and very cheap."
"Yes, but in Florence malachite is much cheaper still. This thing cost forty-seven lire. In Florence, where Jenny bought her cristallo rosso, I could have got one for thirty-five. Jenny gave only eighteen for hers. But I will make him give me the corals for ninety lire."
"I don't quite understand your economy," said Heggen.
"I don't want to talk about it any more," said Miss Jahrman. "I am sick of all this talk - and tomorrow I am going to buy the corals."
"But isn't ninety