having left Father Lasse so shamelessly in the lurch, just for the
sake of all these new strange surroundings. Yes, and then, when they
used to work together, he had been neither as good nor as heedful
as he should have been. It was really Lasse who, old as he was, had
sacrificed himself for Pelle, in order to lighten his work and take
the worst of the burden off him, although Pelle had the younger
shoulders. And he had been a little hard at times, as over that
business between his father and Madame Olsen; and he had not always
been very patient with his good-humored elderly tittle-tattle,
although if he could hear it now he would give his life to listen.
He could remember only too plainly occasions when he had snapped at
Lasse, so unkindly that Lasse had given a sigh and made off; for
Lasse never snapped back--he was only silent and very sad.

But how dreadful that was! Pelle threw all his high-and-mighty airs
to the winds and gave himself up to despair. What was he doing here,
with Father Lasse wandering among strangers, and perhaps unable to
find shelter? There was nothing with which he could console himself,
no evasion or excuse was possible; Pelle howled at the thought of
his faithlessness. And as he lay there despairing, worrying over
the whole business and crying himself into a state of exhaustion,
quite a manful resolve began to form within him; he must give up
everything of his own--the future, and the great world, and all,
and devote his days to making the old man's life happy. He must go
back to Stone Farm! He forgot that he was only a child who could
just earn his own keep. To protect the infirm old man at every point
and make his life easy--that was just what he wanted. And Pelle was
by no means disposed to doubt that he could do it. In the midst of
his childish collapse he took upon himself all the duties of a
strong man.