The school-master looks at Ole. The latter feels that he must now rush into the fire; he clears his throat a couple of times, and begins hastily and shortly,—
"It was—it is—yes. What I meant was that you should be in a certain way established—that you should—yes—be the same as at home up yonder with us,—be there, when you were not away."
"Many thanks for the offer, but I should rather remain where I now live."
Ole looks at the school-master, who says,—
"Ole's brain seems to be in a whirl to-day. The fact is he has been here once before, and the recollection of that makes his words get all confused."
Ole, quickly: "That is it, yes; I ran a madman's race. I strove against the girl until the tree split. But let by-gones be by-gones; the wind, not the snow, beats down the grain; the rain-brook does not tear up large stones; snow does not lie long on the ground in May; it is not the thunder that kills people."
They all four laugh; the school-master says:
"Ole means that he does not want you to remember that time any longer; nor you, either, Thore."
Ole looks at them, uncertain whether he dare begin again.
Then Thore says,—