Not a movement, not a sound.
"Isak," said Geissler again.
"Ay. Yes," answered Isak, and murmured, overwhelmed, "'Tis not that
I've asked for it, nor would—after all you've done."
"Ten tens in that—should be, and twenty fives here," said Geissler shortly. "And I hope there'll be more than that by a long way for your share soon."
And then it was that Oline recovered from her trance. The wonder had happened after all. She set the food on the table.
Next morning Geissler went out to the river to look at the mill. It was small enough, and roughly built; ay, a mill for dwarfs, for trollfolk, but strong and useful for a man's work. Isak led his guest a little farther up the river, and showed him another fall he had been working on a bit; it was to turn a saw, if so be God gave him health. "The only thing," he said, "it's a heavy long way from school: I'll have to get the lads to stay down in the village." But Geissler, always so quick to find a way, saw nothing to worry about here. "There are more people buying and settling here now," said he. "It won't be long before there's enough to start a school."
"Ay, maybe, but not before my boys are grown."
"Well, why not let them live on a farm down in the village? You could drive in with the boys and some food, and bring them up again three weeks—six weeks after; it would be easy enough for you, surely?"
"Ay, maybe," said Isak.
Ay, all things would be easy enough, if Inger came home. House and land and food and grand things enough, and a big sum of money too he had, and his strength; he was hard as nails. Health and strength— ay, full and unspoiled, unworn, in every way, the health and strength of a man.