travelling companion would develop into the Cato who wished Ibsen's
_Ghosts_ "might be thrust into the slime-pit, where such things
belong," and would write articles by the hundred against me. Neither had
I any suspicion, during my acquaintance with Topsoee, that the latter
would one day be one of my most determined persecutors. Without exactly
being strikingly youthful, the large, broad-shouldered Borup was still a
young man. Falkman wrote good-humouredly long reports to Bille about
Slesvig, which I corrected for him. Borup and Falkman generally
exclaimed the moment I opened my mouth: "Not seraphic, now!"

We travelled together to Gluecksborg, saw the camp there, and, as we had
had nothing since our morning coffee at 5 o'clock, ate between the three
of us a piece of roast meat six pounds weight. We spent the night at
Flensborg and drove next day to Graasten along a lovely road with wooded
banks on either side. It was pouring with rain, and we sat in dead
silence, trying to roll ourselves up in horse-cloths. When in an hour's
time the rain stopped, and we put up at an inn, our enforced silence
gave place to the wildest merriment. We three young fellows--the future
Finance Minister as well--danced into the parlour, hopped about like
wild men, spilt milk over ourselves, the sofa, and the waitress; then
sprang, waltzing and laughing, out through the door again and up into
the carriage, after having heaped the girl with small copper coins.

From Graasten we proceeded to Soenderborg. The older men lay down and
slept after the meal. I went up to Dybboelmoelle. On the way back, I found
on a hill looking out over Als a bench from which there was a beautiful
view across to Slesvig. I lay down on the seat and gazed up at the sky
and across the perfect country. The light fields, with their tall, dark
hedges, which give the Slesvig scenery its peculiar stamp, from this
high-lying position looked absolutely lovely.