"Well, sometimes I have less desire to go."
"Your mother must be very fond of you. I should like to see your mother."
"Come over to Kampen when you are well."
And now all at once he pictured her sitting in the cheerful room at Kampen, looking out on the mountains; his chest began to heave, the blood rushed to his head. "It is warm in here," said he, getting up.
She heard this. "Are you going, Arne?" asked she, and he sat down again.
"You must come over to us often; mother likes you so much."
"I should be glad to come myself; but I must have some errand, though."
Eli was silent for a while, as if she were considering something. "I believe," said she, "that mother has something she wants to ask of you."
He heard her turn in bed. There was no sound to be heard, either in the room or outside, save the ticking of the clock on the wall. At last she burst out,—
"How I wish it were summer!"