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I might say more: "The Captain was obliged to drive himself, because Nils couldn't spare any one to go." But a moment can be long at times, and thought a lightning flash. I found time to reject both these plans and hatch out another before Fruen came. Though I doubt if my last plan was any better. Fruen asked in surprise: "Well, what do you want?"
The Captain went out and gazed down the road, whistling to himself; he was looking thinner now. Often and often he would come out to where we were at work, and keep with us, looking on all the time without a word. But if Nils happened to ask him anything, he did not start as if his thoughts had been elsewhere, but was quick and ready as could be.
"No, of course not. You don't know anything that's any sense. But you know all about ploughing in standing crops, don't you? There's not many can beat you at that." But here Nils grew angry for once, and his cheeks paled. "What an utter fool you are, Lars! Can't you keep your mouth shut with that nonsense?" "Fool, eh? Hark at the silly goat!" said Lars, turning to me.
He looked and behaved just as he had that day he attacked Nils. He looked at me with a bright, cruel glare; he smiled, and licked his lips with his tongue. Oh, I was frightened; worse, I felt sick and weak. And I felt anger, too; aye, there was rising in me a wild and murderous rage, which, if I let it go, would, I knew, master both fear and caution.
The trout rose freely for about an hour, and Helga had charge of the landing-net, and lost for Hardy several good fish, to Nils Nilsen's great disgust.
Nils shook his head reprovingly. "Come, now, you're malicious." "No, I'm not. But I'd like something to happen to stir them all up, just for once. There never was such a family for having nothing ever happen to them but dinner and threshing. I'd almost be willing to die, just to have a funeral. You wouldn't stand it for three weeks."
But there's a deal more to do yet, and we...." "Well, and what then what then?" "There's two and a half acres here, and Nils with hard on three acres of corn land; perhaps Captain might give it another thought." At that the Captain swung on his heel and left me without a word. "That's my dismissal," I thought to myself. But I walked up after him with my cart and team, ready to do as he had said.
"Wasn't that whisky?" exclaimed Nils, in surprise. "There was a drop in it," owned the mother; adding, "I would give it clear to anybody dying. I am not wild crazy about temperance, boy." "Do you think I am dying?" said Nils; and then he hastily added, "I should not like to leave you and the schoolmistress; but for anything else I should not mind. Maybe I should be like other folks up there."
"Oh-h-h, das-a fine music," he cried, clapping his hands as Nils finished. "Now 'Marble Halls, Marble Halls'! Clara, you sing him." Clara smiled and leaned back in her chair, beginning softly: "I dreamt that I dwelt in ma-a-arble halls, With vassals and serfs at my knee," and Joe hummed like a big bumblebee. "There's one more you always played," Clara said quietly, "I remember that best."
More people come out from the house an elderly lady wearing a shawl, and two gentlemen with her. Nils tells me it is not always there are so many guests in the house at once; but it was the Captain's birthday two days ago, and two carriage loads of people had come dashing up; the four strange horses were in the stables now.
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