"Go, Baard!" shrieked the other, and Baard left, not daring to linger
longer.

Now with Baard it had been as follows: As soon as he had heard of his
brother's misfortunes, his heart melted; but pride held him back. He
felt impelled to go to church, and there he made good resolves, but he
was not able to carry them out. Often he got far enough to see Anders'
house; but now some one came out of the door; now there was a stranger
there; again Anders was outside chopping wood, so there was always
something in the way. But one Sunday, late in the winter, he went to
church again, and Anders was there too. Baard saw him; he had grown
pale and thin; he wore the same clothes as in former days when the
brothers were constant companions, but now they were old and patched.
During the sermon Anders kept his eyes fixed on the priest, and Baard
thought he looked good and kind; he remembered their childhood and what
a good boy Anders had been. Baard went to communion that day, and he
made a solemn vow to his God that he would be reconciled with his
brother whatever might happen. This determination passed through his
soul while he was drinking the wine, and when he rose he wanted to go
right to him and sit down beside him; but some one was in the way and
Anders did not look up. After service, too, there was something in the
way; there were too many people; Anders' wife was walking at his side,
and Baard was not acquainted with her; he concluded that it would be
best to go to his brother's house and have a serious talk with him.
When evening came he set forth. He went straight to the sitting-room
door and listened, then he heard his name spoken; it was by the wife.

"He took the sacrament to-day," said she; "he surely thought of you."