It was of course. Every one nodded in the affirmative, but no one was able to utter an audible word. They wondered that Katrina had the presence of mind to nudge Börje, and make him get up and give his chair to the senator.
After drawing the chair up to the table the senator laid the roll of papers down, then he took out his snuff box and placed it beside the papers, whereupon he removed his spectacles from their case and wiped them with his big blue-and-white checkered handkerchief. After these preliminaries he glanced round the room, looking from one person to the other. Those who sat there were persons of such little importance he did not even know them by name.
"I wish to speak with Jan Anderson of Ruffluck," he said.
"That's him over there," volunteered the seine-maker, pointing at the bed.
"Is he sick?" inquired the senator.
"Oh, no! Oh, no!" replied half a dozen at the same time.
"And he isn't drunk, either," added Börje.
"Nor is he asleep," said the seine-maker.
"He has walked so far to-day he's all tired out," said Katrina, thinking it best to explain the matter in that way. At the same time she bent down over her husband and tried to persuade him to rise.
But Jan lay still.