"Aye, to be sure! You are, I believe, a wealthy man?"
"Well, if not precisely wealthy, I am sufficiently well provided to get married."
Here Skarlie laughed.
But there was something in his laugh, something which did not quite please the priest. Still less did he like the tone of indifference with which Skarlie seemed to treat the whole affair. Least of all did he like being so taken by surprise.
"I must speak with my wife about this," said he, and groaned. "That I must," he added decidedly, "and with Magnhild," came as an afterthought.
"Certainly," said the other, as he rose to take leave.
A little while later, the priest's wife was sitting where the saddler had sat. Both hands lay idly open on her lap, while her eyes followed her spouse as he steamed back and forth.
"Well, what do you think?" he urged, pausing in front of her.
Receiving no reply, he moved on again.
"He is far too old," she finally said.