Lars' wife was a quiet, timid thing,
easily frightened, not by hard words, but by silence; for Lars
never spoke to her unless she had done wrong, or he feared she
would do so. On the contrary, Canute Aakre's wife spoke much with
her husband, and particularly about the commissioners' meetings,
for lately they had taken his thoughts, work, and love from her
and the children. She was jealous of it as of a woman, she wept at
night about it, and quarrelled with her husband concerning it in
the day. But now she could say nothing; for once he had returned
home unhappy; she immediately became much more so than he, and for
the life of her she must know what was the matter. So as Lars'
wife could tell her nothing, she had to go for information out in
the parish, where she obtained it, and of course was instantly of
her husband's opinion, thinking Lars incomprehensible, not to say
bad. But when she let her husband perceive this, she felt that,
notwithstanding what had occurred, no friendship was broken
between them; on the contrary, that he liked Lars very much.
The day for the parish meeting came. In the morning, Lars Hogstad
drove over for Canute Aakre, who came out and took a seat beside
him. They saluted each other as usual, spoke a little less than
they were wont on the way, but not at all of the proposal. The
meeting was full; some, too, had come in as spectators, which
Canute did not like, for he perceived by this a little excitement
in the parish.
Pages:
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68