holbergaskedthecaptain.

"ishouldthinkyouwoulddowelltogototheferry-womaninborrehaus,"answeredthecaptain."ifyouwanttobeveryciviltoher,hernameismothersorensorensenmuller.butitmayhappenthatshemayflyintoafuryifyouaretoopolitetoher.themanisincustodyforacrime,andthat'swhyshemanagestheferry-boatherself-shehasfistsofherown."

thestudenttookhisknapsackandbetookhimselftotheferry-house.thehousedoorwasnotlocked-itopened,andhewentintoaroomwithabrickfloor,whereabench,withagreatcoverletofleather,formedthechiefarticleoffurniture.awhitehen,whohadabroodofchickens,wasfastenedtothebench,andhadoverturnedthepipkinofwater,sothatthewetranacrossthefloor.therewerenopeopleeitherhereorintheadjoiningroom;onlyacradlestoodthere,inwhichwasachild.theferry-boatcamebackwithonlyonepersoninit.whetherthatpersonwasamanorawomanwasnotaneasymattertodetermine.thepersoninquestionwaswrappedinagreatcloak,andworeakindofhood.presentlytheboatlayto.

itwasawomanwhogotoutofitandcameintotheroom.shelookedverystatelywhenshestraightenedherback;twoproudeyeslookedforthfrombeneathherblackeyebrows.itwasmothersoren,theferry-wife.thecrowsanddawsmighthavecalledoutanothernameforher,whichweknowbetter.

shelookedmorose,anddidnotseemtocaretotalk;butthismuchwassettled,thatthestudentshouldboardinherhouseforanindefinitetime,whilethingslookedsobadincopenhagen.

thisorthathonestcitizenwouldoftencometotheferry-housefromtheneighboringlittletown.therecamefrankthecutler,andsiverttheexciseman.theydrankamugofbeerintheferry-house,andusedtoconversewiththestudent,forhewasacleveryoungman,whoknewhis"practica,"astheycalledit;hecouldreadgreekandlatin,andwaswellupinlearnedsubjects.

"thelessoneknows,thelessitpressesuponone,"saidmothersoren.

"youhavetoworkhard,"saidholbergoneday,whenshewasdippingclothesinthestrongsoapywater,andwasobligedherselftosplitthelogsforthefire.

"that'smyaffair,"shereplied.

"haveyoubeenobligedtotoilinthiswayfromyourchildhood?"

"youcanreadthatfrommyhands,"shereplied,andheldoutherhands,thatweresmallindeed,buthardandstrong,withbittennails."youarelearned,andcanread."

atchristmas-timeitbegantosnowheavily.thecoldcameon,thewindbluesharp,asiftherewerevitriolinittowashthepeople'sfaces.mothersorendidnotletthatdisturbher;shethrewhercloakaroundher,anddrewherhoodoverherhead.earlyintheafternoon-itwasalreadydarkinthehouse-shelaidwoodandturfonthehearth,andthenshesatdowntodarnherstockings,fortherewasnoonetodoitforher.towardseveningshespokemorewordstothestudentthanitwascustomarywithhertouse;shespokeofherhusband.

"hekilledasailorofdragorbymischance,andforthathehastoworkforthreeyearsinirons.he'sonlyacommonsailor,andthereforethelawmusttakeitscourse."

"thelawisthereforpeopleofhighrank,too,"saidholberg.

"doyouthinkso?"saidmothersoren;thenshelookedintothefireforawhile;butafteratimeshebegantospeakagain."haveyouheardofkailykke,whocausedachurchtobepulleddown,andwhentheclergyman,mastermartin,thunderedfromthepulpitaboutit,hehadhimputinirons,andsatinjudgmentuponhim,andcondemnedhimtodeath?