"Speak right out, Kaisa, for when I question you, you don't have to
beat about the bush. I guess I'm able to bear anything you may have
to tell me."

"I must say that every time I was at Bergskog Brit always looked as
if she'd been crying. Once, when she and I were alone in the
kitchen, I said to her: 'It's a fine husband you'll be getting,
Brita.' She looked at me as if she thought I was making fun of her.
Then she came at me with this: 'You may well say it, Kaisa. Fine,
indeed!' She said it in such a way that I seemed to see Ingmar
Ingmarsson standing there before my face and eyes, and he's no
beauty! As I've always had a great respect for all the Ingmarssons,
that thought had never before entered my mind. I couldn't help
smiling a little. Then Brita gave me a look and said once more:
'Fine, indeed'' With that she turned on her heel and ran into her
room, crying as if her heart would break. As I was leaving I said
to myself: 'It will all come out right; everything always comes out
right for the Ingmarssons.' I didn't wonder at her parents doing
what they did. If Ingmar Ingmarsson had proposed to a daughter of
mine, I shouldn't have given myself a moment's peace till she said
yes."

Ingmar from his bedroom could hear every word that was spoken.

"Mother is doing this on purpose," he thought. "She's been
wondering about that trip to town to-morrow. Mother fancies I'm
going after Brita, to fetch her home. She doesn't suspect that I'm
too big a coward to do it."