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Page 8
II
A fortnight later Ingmar Ingmarsson stood polishing some harness.
He seemed to be in a bad humour, and found the work rather irksome.
"Were I in our Lord's place," he thought, then put in another rub
or two and beg again: "Were I in our Lord's place, I'd see to it
that a thing was done the instant your mind was made up. I
shouldn't allow folks such a long time to think it over, and ponder
all the obstacles. I shouldn't give them time to polish harness and
paint wagons; I'd take them straight from the plow."
He caught the sound of wagon wheels from the road, and looked out.
He knew at once whose rig it was. "The senator from Bergskog is
coming!" he shouted into the kitchen, where his mother was at work.
Instantly fresh wood was laid on the fire and the coffee mill was
set going.
The senator drove into the yard, where he pulled up without
alighting. "No, I'm not going into the house," he said, "I only
want a word or two with you, Ingmar. I'm rather pressed for time as
I am due at the parish meeting."
"Mother is just making some fresh coffee," said Ingmar.
"Thank you, but I must not be late."
"It's a good while now since you were here, Senator," said Ingmar
pressingly.
Then Ingmar's mother appeared in the doorway, and protested:
"Surely you're not thinking of going without first coming in for a
drop of coffee?"
Ingmar unbuttoned the carriage apron, and the senator began to
move. "Seeing it's Mother Martha herself that commands me I suppose
I shall have to obey," he said.
The senator was a tall man of striking appearance, with a certain
ease of manner. He was of a totally different stamp from Ingmar or
his mother, who were very plain looking, with sleepy faces and
clumsy bodies. But all the same, the senator had a profound respect
for the old family of Ingmars, and would gladly have sacrificed his
own active exterior to be like Ingmar, and to become one of the
Ingmassons. He had always taken Ingmar's part against his own
daughter, so felt rather light of heart at being so well received.
In a while, when Mother Martha had brought the coffee, he began to
state his errand.
"I thought," he said, and cleared his throat. "I thought you had
best be told what we intend to do with Brita." The cup which Mother
Martha held in her hand shook a little, and the teaspoon rattled in
the saucer. Then there was a painful silence. "We have been
thinking that the best thing we could do would be to send her to
America." He made another pause, only to be met by the same ominous
silence. He sighed at the thought of these unresponsive people.
"Her ticket has already been purchased."
"She will come home first, of course," said Ingmar.
"No; what would she be doing there?"
Again Ingmar was silent. He sat with his eyes nearly closed, as if
he were half asleep.
Then Mother Martha took a turn at asking questions. "She'll be
needing clothes, won't she?"
"All that has been attended to; there is a trunk, ready packed, at
L�vberg's place, where we always stop when we come to town."
"Her mother will be there to meet her, I suppose?"
"Well, no. She would like to, but I think it best that they be
spared a meeting."
"Maybe so."
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