"Have you bought your horse yet?"
"Well, no, I haven't."
"Do you think you will?"
"I don't know yet. I'm trying to split a difference of five and twenty kroner."
Later I saw Nikolai going to the goldsmith's again. He seemed to do a great deal of business there.
"I could have company across the fjeld now," I thought. "It's spring, and do I not always travel in the spring?"
I began to pack my knapsack.
Nikolai emerged once more, apparently as empty-handed as he had entered. I opened my window and called to him to ask if he had bought the horse.
"N-no--the man won't meet my price."
"Well, can't you meet his?"