And she thought only of them as the clergyman laid his hand
upon her head, and spoke of the holy baptism, of the covenant with God,
and how she should now become a true Christian; and the organ pealed so
solemnly, the sweet children's voices sang, and the old music-directors;
but Karen thought only of her red shoes.
In the afternoon the old lady heard that the shoes had been red, and she
said that it was very wrong of Karen, that it was not at all becoming,
and that in future Karen should only go in black shoes to church, even
when she should be older.
The next Sunday there was to be the sacrament, and Karen looked at the
black shoes, then looked at the red ones,--looked at them again, and put
on the red shoes.
The sun shone gloriously; Karen and the old lady walked along the path
through the corn; it was rather dusty, and their shoes were covered.
At the church-door stood an old soldier with a crutch, and with a
wonderful long beard which was more red than white, and he bowed to the
ground and asked the old lady if he might dust her shoes; and Karen
stretched out her little foot.
"See! what beautiful dancing-shoes!" said the soldier; "sit firm--you
dance," and he put his hand out towards the soles.
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