On their way to the kitchen there was only time for a brief discussion.
"What made you kiss him?" Sophie said to Joanna.
"I sat looking at his mouth and couldn't resist it. He is so cute!"
"How did it taste?"
"Not exactly like I'd imagined, but. . ."
"It was the first time, then?"
"But not the last!"
Coffee and cake were soon on the table. Alberto had started giving the boys some of his firecrackers when Sophie's mother tapped on her coffee cup.
"I am not going to make a long speech," she began, "but I only have this one daughter, and it is only this once that exactly one week and a day ago she reached the age of fifteen. As you see, we have spared no expense. There are twenty-four almond rings on the birthday cake, so there's at least one whole ring for each of you. Those who help themselves first can take two rings, because we start from the top and the rings get bigger and bigger as you go. That's the way it is in life too. When Sophie was a little girl, she went tripping around in tiny little rings. But as the years went by, the rings got bigger and bigger. Now they reach right over to the Old Town and back. And what is more, with a father who is at sea so much, she makes calls to all parts of the world. We congratulate you on your fifteenth birthday, Sophie!"
"Delightful!" exclaimed Mrs. Ingebrigtsen.
Sophie was not sure whether she was referring to her mother, the speech, the birthday cake, or Sophie herself.
The guests applauded, and one of the boys threw a firecracker up into the pear tree. Joanna left the table and pulled Jeremy up off his chair. They lay down on the grass and started kissing each other again. After a while they rolled in under the red-currant bushes.
"Nowadays it's the girl who takes the initiative," said Mr. Ingebrigtsen.
Having said that, he got up and went over to the red-currant bushes where he stood observing the phenomenon at close quarters. The rest of the guests followed suit. Only Sophie and Alberto remained sitting at the table. The other guests now stood in a semicircle around Joanna and Jeremy.
"They can't be stopped," said Mrs. Ingebrigtsen, not without a certain pride.
"No, generation follows generation," said her husband.
He looked around, expecting applause for his well-chosen words. When the only response was a few silent nods, he added: "It can't be helped."
Sophie saw from a distance that Jeremy was trying to unbutton Joanna's white shirt, which was already covered with green stains from the grass. She was fumbling with his belt.
"Don't catch cold!" said Mrs. Ingebrigtsen.
Sophie looked despairingly at Alberto.
"It's happening more quickly than I thought," he said. "We have to get away from here as soon as possible. I just have to make a short speech."
Sophie clapped her hands loudly.
"Could everyone please come back and sit down again? Alberto is going to make a speech."
Everyone except Joanna and Jeremy came drifting back to their places at the table.
"Are you really going to make a speech?" asked He-lene Amundsen. "How charming!"
"Thank you."
"And you like going for walks, I know. It is so important to stay in shape. And it's so much nicer when you have a dog to keep you company. Hermes, isn't that its name?"
Alberto stood up. "Dear Sophie," he began. "Since this is a philosophical garden party, I will make a philosophical speech."
This was greeted by a burst of applause.
"In this riotous company, a dose of reason might not be out of place. But whatever happens, let us not forget to congratulate Sophie on her fifteenth birthday."
He had hardly finished these sentences when they heard the drone of an approaching sports plane. It flew in low over the garden. Behind it streamed a long tail banner saying: "Happy 15th birthday!"