"Why, then," answered his wife cheerfully, "that's easily managed. Malin will be going down to the store directly, and she can bring back your paper at the same time."
Evidently the Pastor had only gone out for a moment to ask about the post, thought Sven. He would be back now, since that was settled.
But the Pastor spoke again.
"Well," he said, "don't you think now you might go yourself? Wouldn't you like a little walk? It's lovely out just now, and the road has dried after the rain of yesterday. It would do you good to get out in the air a little."
He spoke gently and kindly, as if thinking only for her good. And the young wife answered as kindly again.
"I'd go and gladly," she said, "but look at these curtains strewn all about the room. I can't go till I've got them up."
There was no more to be said after that, thought Sven. But he noticed at the same time how the Priest's voice, manly and strong in itself, seemed to lose its pleasant tone, and become rough and coarse, when heard beside his wife's soft, gentle speech.
And it seemed that the matter was not ended yet, after all, as he had hoped. The Priest began again.
"Oh, of course, one couldn't expect a great lady like yourself to go and fetch a paper for her husband," he said. This must be meant in jest, surely. But it sounded at the same as if he were annoyed at her refusing to do as he wished.
"Oh, Edward, you know it's not that."