She's probably shamefaced about breaking off with her
intended.
JEAN. No doubt! but he was a likely sort just the same. Do you
know, Kristin, how it happened? I saw it, although I didn't let on.
KRISTIN. No--did you see it?
JEAN. Yes, indeed, I did. They were out in the stable yard one
evening and she was "training" him as she called it. Do you know
what happened? She made him leap over her riding whip, the way you
teach a dog to jump. He jumped it twice and got a lash each time;
but the third time he snatched the whip from her hand and broke it
into pieces. And then he vanished!
KRISTIN. Was that the way it happened? No, you don't say so!
JEAN. Yes, that's the way the thing happened. But what have you got
to give me that's good, Kristin?
KRISTIN. [She takes things from the pans on stove and serves them
to him.] Oh, it's only a bit of kidney that I cut out of the veal
steak for you.
JEAN [Smelling the food]. Splendid! My favorite delicacy. [Feeling
of plate]. But you might have warmed the plate.
KRISTIN. You're fussier than the Count, when you get started.
[Tweaks his hair.]
JEAN. Don't pull my hair! You know how sensitive I am.
KRISTIN. Oh--there, there! you know I was only loving you.
[Jean eats, and Kristin opens bottle of beer.]
JEAN. Beer on midsummer night--thank you, no! I have something
better than that myself. [Takes bottle of wine from drawer of
table.] Yellow seal, how's that? Now give me a glass--a wine glass
you understand, of course, when one drinks the genuine.
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