“Is he going to marry?”
“And who ever thought about that yet,” broke in grandmother, not being able to restrain herself.
“And who has thought about it if not we,” said grandfather, taking her up as if he wished to rectify what she had spoiled.
Grandmother said no more, and went out of the house, and there outside she told Uncle John who had come, and what was the matter.
What further conversation Novak had with grandfather is of no consequence, but so much as this is certain, that when he departed grandfather shook hands with him, as if he was his best friend, and promised himself the pleasure of more frequent intercourse.
When Novak inquired for grandmother she shut herself in the kitchen and would not even see him.
Uncle John did not trouble him to wait. The candle still burnt on the table, and grandmother was still stewing something at the hearth.
Grandfather told grandmother that he should like her to leave them alone, and that she should soon hear all about it. But he said this with an air of affability and grandmother obeyed at once.
In this affability of his there lay something very engaging so that in that moment grandfather was again like himself, and what he formerly used to be.
Uncle John was struck by it.
And he began like a diplomatist.
First about the work that had been done that day, then about what was to be done to-morrow, until he approached to the very threshold of what he had in mind.
