The fact was, she had already been talking over that very plan with
Eleseus, she had heard it from Sivert, who could not keep the secret.
And indeed, why should Sivert keep the matter secret when his father
had surely told him of it on purpose to feel his way? It was not the
first time he had used Sivert as a go-between. Well, but what had
Eleseus answered? Just as before, as in his letters from town,
that no, he would not throw away all he had learned, and be an
insignificant nothing again. That was what he had said. Well, and then
his mother had brought out all her good reasons, but Eleseus had said
no to them all; he had other plans for his life. Young hearts have
their unfathomable depths, and after what had happened, likely enough
he did not care about staying on with Barbro as a neighbour. Who could
say? He had put it loftily enough in talking to his mother; he could
get a better position in town than the one he had; could go as clerk
to one of the higher officials. He must get on, he must rise in the
world. In a few years, perhaps, he might be a Lensmand, or perhaps a
lighthouse keeper, or get into the Customs. There were so many roads
open to a man with learning.

However it might be, his mother came round, was drawn over to his
point of view. Oh, she was so little sure of herself yet; the world
had not quite lost its hold on her. Last winter she had gone so far as
to read occasionally a certain excellent devotional work which she had
brought from Trondhjem, from the Institute; but now, Eleseus might be
a Lensmand one day!

"And why not?" said Eleseus. "What's Heyerdahl himself but a former
clerk in the same department?"