"But as for that," said he,
"your father can have the telegraph business again for me; I'll have
no more of it, 'tis but a waste of time."
"Ay," says Barbro.
Axel thought for a while, then asked straight out: "Well, what about
it now, would you want to come for the summer and no more?"
"Nay," says Barbro, "let it be as you please."
"You mean that, and truly?"
"Ay, just as you please, and I'll be pleased with the same. You've no
call to doubt about me any more."
"H'm."
"No, 'tis true. And I've ordered about the banns."
H'm. This was not so bad. Axel lay thinking it over a long time. If
she meant it in earnest this time, and not shameful deceit again, then
he'd a woman of his own and help for as long as might be.
"I could get a woman to come from our parts," said he, "and she's
written saying she'd come. But then I'd have to pay her fare from
America."
Says Barbro: "Ho, she's in America, then?"
"Ay. Went over last year she did, but doesn't care to stay."
"Never mind about her," says Barbro. "And what'd become of me then?"
says she, and begins to be soft and mournful.
Pages:
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617