When Norby and Marit were sitting in the sledge in the twilight ready to drive home, a number of people crowded about them, and gave them quite an ovation. Norby had had his case in such first-rate order that all Wangen's witnesses had only provoked laughter.
As the old man took up the reins, Wangen chanced to pass. He looked broken down; and as he caught sight of his adversary, he suddenly came nearer and shook his fist at him. "You wait!" he cried, his features distorted with anger. "You scoundrel! You think you've won to-day, but wait a little! You shall go to prison, both you and the woman sitting beside you!" He made a sudden dash forward in the snow as if to attack them; but two men caught him by the collar and drew him away, although he resisted strenuously.
"Ah, that brandy!" said an old man, shaking his head after him. "I saw that there consul had him into the hotel and stood treat."
"The best thing would be for the bailiff to take him in charge at once," said another, looking sympathetically at Norby.
Norby laughed, cracked his whip and drove off, while they all took off their hats to him. He was tired. There had been so much excitement to-day. But he seemed to be sitting all the time reading aloud that declaration and seeing Herlufsen's face. He should never forget it as long as he lived.
As they turned into the yard at Norby, Ingeborg came out on to the steps, and said in a frightened voice: "Einar!"
"Einar?" said Marit, who was the first to get out of the sledge. "He's gone back to town, hasn't he?"
"They brought him here in a sledge," said Ingeborg. "I've telephoned for the doctor."
A BRIGHT moon shone out from among floating, silvery clouds, over snowy fields and forests in the dead of night. The buildings and the flagstaff at Norby cast shadows upon the sparkling snow. The sledges standing in the yard were turned up on their edge, so as not to freeze under their runners. A solitary dog was running round the house, giving short barks because no one let it in, although there was a light burning in one of the attic windows.
During the night, one of the old men in the pensioners' house got out of bed and crept to the window in his slippers. He stood there with the moon shining in his face, and looked across at the house. The other farm-labourer was also awake, and after yawning asked: