"No, really?"
He seemed to find something to ponder over in that; he stared straight in
front of him, whistling softly to himself. Then he walked away.
The Captain was in good spirits; he had been more communicative than ever
before; he nodded to me as he went off. Just as of old he was now--quick
and determined, taking an interest in his affairs once more, and sober as
water. I felt cheered myself to see him so. He was no wastrel; he had had
a spell of foolishness and dissipation, but it needed only his own
resolution to put an end to that. An oar in the water looks broken to the
eye, but it is whole.
* * * * *
It set in to rain, and I had to stop work on the painting. Nils had been
lucky enough to get in all the hay that was cut; we got to work now on the
potatoes, all hands out in the fields at once, with the women folk from
the house as well.
Meanwhile the Captain stayed indoors all alone; it was dull enough; now
and again he would touch the keys of Fruen's piano.
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