"Yes, I've come on an important errand to-day," said Fru Thora, sipping her glass.
Both the schoolmaster and his wife looked attentively at her. She continued with a smile as she looked from the one to the other:
"It's in connection with recent events. It has been a sad time, and a disgrace to the district."
"Yes," said Fru Heggen, shaking her head as she knitted.
"But we who sit here have got off fairly well. I only got sneered at a little in the papers because I was rude enough to wish to take one of their children for a time; and you, Heggen, have been found fault with because you remained neutral." Fru Thora could not help laughing.
"Poor man!" said the schoolmaster, playing with his beard.
"Ye-es! It's hard on him, and we won't judge Wangen," said she, "but as long as we live in an orderly community, I suppose we have the right to some protection; and it doesn't do to go on as Wangen has done."
Fru Heggen shook her head once more, said "No," and looked at her husband.
"But the person who has suffered most during this time, dear friends, is Norby; and I've come to propose that we make him some reparation in one form or another."
Heggen rose, and left the table in order to fill himself a pipe, which he slowly lighted, and then returned to the table and seated himself. Out of doors the sun was beginning to set, and sent golden beams in to them through the tree-tops in the garden.
"Well, what did you think of doing?" Heggen finally asked, while he endeavoured to make his pipe draw.
Fru Thora coloured a little. She had expected that she would meet with opposition here, so she had come here first. She braced herself, and continued courageously:
"Well, we see what our great politicians, for instance, do when one of their number has been exposed to unjust attacks. They give him a banquet. And I think we might give a little festive entertainment for Norby; it might be as simple as possible."
Heggen and his wife looked at one another.
"Ye-es," said he; but with a slightly embarrassed smile.
There was a short pause, which Fru Thora dared not allow to become too long.
"With reference to the heart of the matter," she said, "you, too, believe, do you not, that Norby was altogether in the right?"