"News? Oh, nothing. Only to have a look round. Not much of a priest, as far as I know anything about it; no sort of manner, he had."
Time went.
"What d'you think Axel'd say if he found you here this evening again?" said Barbro suddenly.
There was a thing to say! It was as if she had struck him. Had she forgotten all about last time? Hadn't they agreed that he was to come this evening? Eleseus was deeply hurt, and murmured: "I can go, if you like. What have I done?" he asked then, his lips trembling. He was in distress, in trouble, that was plain to see.
"Done? Oh, you haven't done anything."
"Well, what's the matter with you, anyway, this evening?"
"With me? Ha ha ha!—But come to think of it, 'tis no wonder Axel should be angry."
"I'll go, then," said Eleseus again. But she was still indifferent, not in the least afraid, caring nothing that he sat there struggling with his feelings. Fool of a woman!
And now he began to grow angry; he hinted his displeasure at first delicately: to the effect that she was a nice sort indeed, and a credit to her sex, huh! But when that produced no effect—oh, he would have done better to endure it patiently, and say nothing. But he grew no better for that; he said: "If I'd known you were going to be like this, I'd never have come this evening at all."
"Well, what if you hadn't?" said she. "You'd have lost a chance of airing that cane of yours that you're so fond of."