"If only he doesn't take to drinking again," I said to Nils.
"No, surely," he said. "And I don't believe he ever did. It was just a bit
of foolery, if you ask me, his going on like that just for the time. But
talking of something else--will you be coming back here in the spring?"
"No," I answered. "I shall not come again now."
Then Nils and I took leave of each other. Well I remember that man's calm
and fairness of mind; I stood looking after him as he walked away across
the yard. Then he turned round and said:
"Were you up in the woods yesterday? Is there snow enough for me to take a
sledge up for wood?"
"Yes," I answered.
And he went off, relieved, to the stables, to harness up.
Grindhusen, too, comes along, on the way to the stable. He stops for a
moment to tell me that the Captain has himself offered him work cutting
wood. "'Saw up all the small stuff you can,' he said; 'keep at it for a
while. I dare say we can agree all right about wages.' 'Honoured and thank
you, Captain,' says I.
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