She was sitting in the corner of the sofa half asleep in the twilight, with her knitting untouched before her.
Aslak and two of the girls had got leave to go to a Christmas entertainment down at the Skreberg farm, and except old Torbjörg, who was sitting with her hymn book and humming and singing in the kitchen, there was no one at home.
Bells jingled out in the yard. Great-Ola had come home with the two-seated sleigh and old Svarten, after having driven the captain and Thea.
He stamped the snow off in the hall and peeped in through the door.
When he drove past Teigen, the postmaster had come out with the captain's mail.
"When did you get there last evening? I hope Thea was not cold."
"No, not at all! We were down there in good time before supper. Ever so many messages from the young wife; she was down in the stable and patted and stroked Svarten last night. It was kind of a separation."
Ma rose. "There is a candle laid out for the stable lantern."
Great-Ola vanished again.
Old Svarten, still harnessed to the sleigh, stood in the stable door and neighed impatiently.