Seeing no one but me, a stranger, in the room, he
goes in to Nils in the bedroom next door, and they take a dram together;
after a little they call to me to come in. I am careful not to say too
much, hoping not to be recognized; but when Lars gets up to go home, he
asks me to go part of the way with him. And then it appears that I am
discovered already; Lars knows that I am his former mate of the
woodcutting days.
The Captain had told him.
Well and good, I think to myself. Then I've no need to bother about being
careful any more. To tell the truth, I was well pleased at the way things
had turned out; it meant that the Captain was completely indifferent as to
having me about the place; I could do as I pleased.
I walked all the way home with Lars, talking over old times, and of his
new place, and of the people at Ovrebo. It seemed that the Captain was not
looked up to with the same respect as before; he was no longer the
spokesman of the district, and neighbours had ceased to come and ask his
help and advice.
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