"I have a little girl inside this evening, so it's clearly impracticable."


"Oh, in that case, of course there's no question about it."

I drew back, said good-night, and went away.

So there was no way out of it but to seek some place out in the woods. If
only the fields were not so damp. I patted my blanket, and felt more and
more at home at the thought of sleeping out. I had worried myself so long
trying to find a shelter in town that I was wearied and bored with the
whole affair. It would be a positive pleasure to get to rest, to resign
myself; so I loaf down the street without thought in my head. At a place
in Haegdehaugen I halted outside a provision shop where some food was
displayed in the window. A cat lay there and slept beside a round French
roll. There was a basin of lard and several basins of meal in the
background. I stood a while and gazed at these eatables; but as I had no
money wherewith to buy, I turned quickly away and continued my tramp. I
went very slowly, passed by Majorstuen, went on, always on--it seemed to
me for hours,--and came at length at Bogstad's wood.

I turned off the road here, and sat down to rest. Then I began to look
about for a place to suit me, to gather together heather and juniper
leaves, and make up a bed on a little declivity where it was a bit dry. I
opened the parcel and took out the blanket; I was tired and exhausted with
the long walk, and lay down at once. I turned and twisted many times
before I could get settled. My ear pained me a little--it was slightly
swollen from the whip-lash--and I could not lie on it. I pulled off my
shoes and put them under my head, with the paper from Semb on top.