the living. His voice was a little unsteady when he said this, but
recovered its composure, when he began to speak of the grain
magazine as such, and reason concerning its utility.

Lars answered him ably on this last, adding: "Besides, for many
reasons I would be led to doubt whether the affairs of this parish
are to be conducted for the best interests of the living, or for
the memory of the dead; or further, whether it is the love and
hate of a single family which rules, rather than the welfare of
the whole."

Canute answered quickly: "I don't know whether the last speaker
has been the one least benefited not only by the dead of this
family, but also by its still living representative."

In this remark he aimed first at the fact that his powerful
grandfather had, in his day, managed the farm for Lars'
grandfather, when the latter, on his own account, was on a little
visit to the penitentiary.

The straw, which had been moving quickly for a long time, was now
still:

"I am not in the habit of speaking everywhere of myself and
family," said he, treating the matter with calm superiority; then
he reviewed the whole matter in question, aiming throughout at a
particular point. Canute was forced to acknowledge to himself,
that he had never looked upon it from that standpoint, or heard
such reasoning; involuntarily he had to turn his eye upon Lars.
There he stood tall and portly, with clearness marked upon the