There were big fields of thick, heavy rye, and big fields
again of oats and barley, not yet ripe. It was a rich landscape to work
in. The clover was seeding, but the turnips were somewhat behindhand. A
good soaking would put them right, said Nils.
The Captain sent me up to the post from time to time; once he gave me a
letter for his wife. A whole bundle of letters there were, to different
people, and hers in the middle. It was addressed care of her mother in
Kristianssand. When I came back in the evening and took in the incoming
post, the Captain's first words were: "You posted the letters all right?"
"Yes," I said.
Time went on. On wet days, when there was little we could do out of doors,
the Captain wanted me to paint a bit here and there about the house
inside. He showed me some fine enamels he had got in, and said:
"Now here's the staircase to begin with. I want that white, and I've
ordered a dark red stair-carpet to put down. Then there'll be doors and
windows. But I want all this done as soon as possible really; it's been
left too long as it is.
Pages:
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377