Jenny | Page 5

sign. But be
sure to take the tram marked San Pietro, stazione Termini, No. 1."
Helge stood somewhat crestfallen, listening to the foreign names which
the girls used with such easy familiarity, and, shaking his head, said: "I
am afraid I shall never be able to find it - perhaps I had better walk till I
find a cab."
"We might go with you to the stop," said the tall one.
The little one whispered peevishly something in Italian, but the other
answered her decisively. Helge felt still more confused at these asides,
which he did not understand.

"Thank you, but please do not trouble. I am sure to find my way home
somehow or other."
"It is no trouble," said the tall one, starting to walk; "it is on our way."
"It is very kind of you; I suppose it is rather difficult to find one's way
about in Rome, is it not?" he said, by way of conversation - "especially
when it is dark."
"Oh no, you will soon get into it."
"I only arrived here to-day. I came from Florence this morning by
train." The smaller one said something in an undertone in Italian. The
tall one asked: "Was it very cold in Florence?"
"Yes, bitterly cold. It is milder here, is it not? I wrote my mother
anyway yesterday to send my winter coat."
"Well, it is cold enough here too sometimes. Did you like Florence?
How long were you there?"
"A fortnight. I think I shall like Rome better than Florence."
The other young girl smiled - she had been muttering to herself in
Italian all the time - but the tall one went on in her pleasant, quiet
voice:
"I don't believe there is any town one could love as much as Rome."
"Is your friend Italian?" asked Helge.
"No; Miss Jahrman is Norwegian. We speak Italian because I want to
learn, and she is very good at it. My name is Winge," she added. "That
is the Cancellaria." She pointed towards a big, dark palace.
"Is the courtyard as fine as it is reported to be?"
"Yes; it is very fine. I will show you which car." While they stood
waiting two men came across the street.

"Hullo, you here!" exclaimed one of them.
"Good evening," said the other. "What luck! We can go together. Have
you been to look at the corals?"
"It was closed," said Miss Jahrman sulkily.
"We have met a fellow-countryman, and promised to show him the
right tram," Miss Winge explained, introducing: "Mr. Gram - Mr.
Heggen, artist, and Mr. Ahlin, sculptor."
"I don't know if you remember me, Mr. Heggen - my name is Gram;
we met three years ago on the Mysusaeter."
"Oh yes - certainly. And so you are in Rome?"
Ahlin and Miss Jahrman had stood talking to one another in whispers.
The girl came up to her friend and said: "I am going home, Jenny. I am
not in the mood for Frascati tonight."
"But, my dear, you suggested it yourself."
"Well, not Frascati anyway - ugh! sit there and mope with thirty old
Danish ladies of every possible age and sex."
"We can go somewhere else. But there is your tram coming, Mr.
Gram."
"A thousand thanks for your help. Shall I see you again - at the
Scandinavian club, perhaps?"
The tram stopped in front of them. Miss Winge said: "I don't know -
perhaps you would like to come with us now; we were going to have a
glass of wine somewhere, and hear some music."
"Thank you." Helge hesitated, looking round at the others a little
embarrassed. "I should be very pleased, but" - and, turning with
confidence to Miss Winge of the fair face and the kind voice, he said,
with an awkward smile, "you all know one another - perhaps you

would rather not have a stranger with you?"
"Indeed no," she said, smiling - "it would be very nice - and there -
your tram's gone now. You know Heggen already, and now you know
us. We'll see you get home all right, so if you are not tired, let us go."
"Tired, not a bit. I should love to come," said Helge eagerly.
The other three began to propose different cafés. Helge knew none of
the names; his father had not mentioned them. Miss Jahrman rejected
them all.
"Very well, then, let us go down to St. Agostino; you know the one,
Gunnar, where they give you that first-rate claret," and Jenny began to
walk on, accompanied by Heggen.
"There is no music," retorted Miss Jahrman.
"Oh yes, the man with a squint and the other fellow are there almost
every night. Don't let us waste time."
Helge followed with Miss Jahrman and the Swedish sculptor.
"Have you