we could get a man like you, Mr Hansted, to visit us and talk to us in a homely way, and tell us anything you like, it would be another matter; that would be something that would give us real pleasure and that we should thank you for. We all think, when all's said and done, that you're an honest, civil-spoken gentleman that we could get to like very much. Then you're as like your mother as two peas, especially in your expression, as far as I can remember, having only seen her once, many a year ago, at one of our friendly meetings at Sandinge. So I'll promise you there'd be joy on the day it became known that the curate would visit us in the Meeting House, because then we'd know that we'd found what we so long and earnestly had wished for. It was only these few words I wanted to say to you, sir, and you mustn't be angry that I've made so free. I can assure you I've done it for the best."
Emanuel continued silent.
He was so curiously dazed by the weaver's words, which suddenly opened up to him a vista of the fulfilment of all the longings stored in his soul. He no longer knew what to believe. Was this man, about whom he had heard so much evil, really a friend? or was it all a cunning device to entrap him? And Anders Jörgen and his daughter? Were they secretly in league with him? He had accidentally caught the strained expectant expression with which the young girl along in the corner, at her work, watched him, as
