"Permit me to have this one dance;the young ladywill give her permission only if you say so.
Peer kept a polite face;he said nothing，and Felixdanced with the pharmacist's daughter，the most beautifulgirl at the ball.He also danced the next dance with her.
"You will grant me the supper dance?"asked Peer，with a pale face.
"Yes，the supper dance，"she answered with her mostcharming smile.
"You surely will not take my partner from me?"saidFelix，who stood close by."That's not being very friend-ly.We two old friends from town!You say that you are soglad to see me.Then you must allow me the pleasure oftaking the lady to supper!"And he put his arm aroundPeer and laid his forehead jestingly against him."Granted，isn't it?Granted!"
"No!"said Peer，his eyes sparkling with anger.
Felix gaily raised his arms and set his elbows akimbo，as if he were trying to look like a frog ready to leap."Youare Perfectly right，young man!I would say the same if thesupper dance were promised me，sir!"He drew back witha graceful bow to the young lady.
But shortly after，when Peer stood in a corner and ad-justed his necktie，Felix returned，put his arm around hisneck，and，with the most coaxing look，said，"Be big-hearted!My mother and your mother and old grandmotherwill all say that is just like you.I am leaving tomorrow，and I will be terribly bored if I do not take the young ladyto supper.My own friend，my only friend!"
Peer，as his only friend，could not resist that;hepersonally led Felix to the young beauty.
It was bright morning of the next day when the guestsdrove away from the Dean's.The Gabriel household was inone carriage，and the whole family went to sleep，exceptPeer and Madam.
She talked about the young merchant，the nich man'sson，who was really Peer's friend;she had heard him say，"Skaal，my friend!To Mother and Grandmother!"Therewas something so"uninhibited，gallant in him，"she said;"one saw at once that he is the son of rich people，or acount's child.That，the rest of us can't acquire.Onemust bow to that!"
Peer said nothing.He was depressed all day.Atnight，when bedtime had come and he lay in bed，sleepwas chased away，and he said to himself，"One has tobow;one has to please!"That's what he had done;hehad obeyed the rich young fellow;"because one is bornpoor，he is placed under obligation and subjection to theserichly born people.Are they then better than we?And whywere they created better than we?"
There was something vicious rearing up in him，some-thing that his grandmother would he grieved at.He thoughtof her."Poor Grandmother!You have also known whatpoverty is.Why has God permitted that?"And he feltanger in his heart，and yet at the same time he was con-scious of having sinned in thoughts and words against thegood God.He was grieved to think he had lost his child'smind;and his faith returned，as wholesome and rich as be-fore.Happy Peer!
A week later a letter came from Grandmother.Shewrote in the only way she could，mixing up big letters andsmall letters，but all her heart's love was in everything，big and small，that concerned Peer：
My own sweet，blessed boy：
I am thinking of you;I am longing for you，and sois your mother.She is getting along well;she takes wash-ing.And the merchant's Felix came up to see us yesterday，with a greeting from you.You had both been dt the Dean'sball，and you had been such a gentleman，but that youwill always be，and make your old grandmother and yourhardworking mother happy.She has something to tell youabout Miss Frandsen.
And then followed a postscript from Peer's mother：
Miss Frandsen is going to be married，the oldthing.The bookbinder，Herr Hof，has been appointedcourt bookbinder，in accordance with his petition.Hehas a great new sign，"Court Bookbinder Hof."And shewill become Madam Hof.It is an old love that does notrust，my sweet boy.
YOUR MOTHER Second Postscript：Grandmother has knitted you sixpairs of woolen socks;you will get them at the first opportu-nity.I am also sending you a pork pie，your favorite dish.I know that you never get pork at Herr Gabriel's，since hiswife is so afraid of what I have difficulty in spelling-"trichines."You must not believe in these，but just goahead and eat.
YOUR OWN MOTHER Peer read the letter，and it made him happy.Felixwas so good;what a great injustice he had done him!Theyhad separated at the Dean's without saying good-by to eachother.
"Felix is better than I，"said Peer.