"You see I wish to keep order, and when I say a thing must be done, it must, and when I say to her, not him, but him, it must be him, and not him!"
"Certainly!"
"But it is not so; for three years she has said no, and for three years there hasn't been a good understanding between us. That is not good, and if it is he who is the cause of it, I will only say to him, so that you hear it, you who are his father, that it is no use, he must give up."
"Well."
Ole looked a minute at Thore, then said, "You give such short answers."
"I can't make the sausage longer than it is."
Here Ovind must laugh, though in sooth he was in no laughing mood; but with some people laughter and fear go hand in hand.
"What are you laughing at?" said Ole sharply.
"I?"
"Are you laughing at me?"