He began to understand why she lingered and took so long. It was a sign
that she wanted to surprise him, that her heart was kind. And her light
breathing seemed even now to fill the room with love.
Outside in the night the lake-ice, splitting into new crevices, sent up
loud reports; and the winter sky above the roof that sheltered them was
lit with all its stars.
Chapter VI
For the next few years Peer managed his estate and his workshop, without
giving too much of his time to either. He had his bailiff and his
works-manager, and the work went on well enough in its accustomed
grooves. If anyone had asked him what he actually did himself all the
time, he would have found it hard to answer. He seemed to be going
round gathering up something not clearly defined. There was something
wanting--something missed that now had to be made good. It was not
knowledge now, but life--life in his native land, the life of youth,
that he reached out to grasp. The youth in him, that had never had free
play in the years of early manhood, lay still dammed up, and had to find
an outlet.
There were festive gatherings at Loreng. Long rows of sleighs drove in
the winter evenings up from the town and back again. Tables were spread
and decked with glass and flowers, the rooms were brightly lit, and
the wine was good. And sometimes in the long moonlit nights respectable
citizens would be awakened by noisy mirth in the streets of the little
town, and, going to the window in their night-shirts, would see sleighs
come galloping down, with a jangle of bells, full of laughing, singing
young people, returning from some excursion far up in the hills, where
there had been feasting and dancing.
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