“Skoal! skoal!” resounded from every side.  Bear and I emptied our glasses, and went about and shook a multitude of people by the hand, till my head was all confusion.  When this was over, and we were preparing to prosecute our journey, ma chere mere came after us on the steps with a packet or bundle in her hand, and said in a friendly manner, “Take this cold roast veal with you, children, for breakfast to-morrow morning.  After that, you must fatten and consume your own calves.  But forget not, daughter-in-law, that I get back my napkin.  No, you shan’t carry it, dear child, you have enough to do with your bag and mantle.  Lars Anders shall carry the roast veal.”  And as if Lars Anders had been still a little boy, she charged him with the bundle, showed him how he was to carry it, and Bear did as she said.  Her last words were, “Forget not that I get my napkin again!” I looked with some degree of wonder at Bear; but he smiled, and lifted me into the carriage.

THE LANDED PROPRIETOR

From ‘The Home’

Louise possessed the quality of being a good listener in a higher degree than any one else in the family, and therefore she heard more than any one else of his Excellency; but not of him only, for Jacobi had always something to tell her, always something to consult her about; and in case she were not too much occupied with her thoughts about the weaving, he could always depend upon the most intense sympathy, and the best advice both with regard to moral questions and economical arrangements, dress, plans for the future, and so forth.  He also gave her good advice—­which however was very seldom followed—­when she was playing Postilion; he also drew patterns for her tapestry work, and was very fond of reading aloud to her—­but novels rather than sermons.

But he was not long allowed to sit by her side alone; for very soon a person seated himself at her other side whom we will call the Landed Proprietor, as he was chiefly remarkable for the possession of a large estate in the vicinity of the town.

The Landed Proprietor seemed to be disposed to dispute with the Candidate—­let us continue to call him so, as we are all, in one way or the other, Candidates in this world—­the place which he possessed.  The Landed Proprietor had, besides his estate, a very portly body; round, healthy-looking cheeks; a pair of large gray eyes, remarkable for their want of expression; and a little rosy mouth, which preferred mastication to speaking, which laughed without meaning, and which now began to direct to “Cousin Louise”—­for he considered himself related to the Lagman—­several short speeches, which we will recapitulate in the following chapter, headed

STRANGE QUESTIONS

“Cousin Louise, are you fond of fish—­bream for instance?” asked the Landed Proprietor one evening, as he seated himself by the side of Louise, who was busy working a landscape in tapestry.