Knut Hamsun

“ Haven't you help yourself? Haven't you Sivert all the time?"
What could Isak say to a meaningless argument like that? He answered: "Ay, well; when you get a girl up here, I doubt you'll be able to plough and sow and reap and manage all by yourselves. And then Sivert and I can go our ways."
"That's as may be," said Inger. "But I'll just say this: that I could get Barbro to come now; she's written home about it."
"What Barbro?" said Isak. "Is it that Brede's girl you mean?" ”

“ When they came home the hay was dry as ever. They had cheated providence by trusting it, and suffered no loss; they had gained by it. And then Sivert flung out an arm, and said: "Ho! Mother's been haymaking!" Isak looked down over the fields and said "H'm." Isak had noticed already that some of the hay had been shifted; Inger ought to be home now for her midday meal. It was well done indeed of her to get in the hay, after he had scolded her the day before and said "Huttch!" And it was no light hay to move; she must have worked hard, and all the cows and goats to milk besides.... ”

“ And it's not much; only a Daler now and then."
"Ay, that's just it," said Isak harshly. "A Daler now and a Daler then...." But his harshness was all because he missed Eleseus himself, and wanted him home. "It makes too many Dalers in the long run," said he. "I can't keep, on like this; you must write and tell him he can have no more."
"Ho, very well then!" said Inger in an offended tone.
"There's Sivert — what does he get by way of pocket-money?"
Inger answered: "You've never been in a town, and so you don't know these things. Sivert's no need of pocket-money. ”

“ And it might have been her own cathedral, from the way she praised it, boasted of it, told them height and breadth; it was a marvel! Seven priests could stand there preaching all at once and never hear one another. ”

“ She's got a new place now, as housekeeper, for two young clerks. They've no wives nor womenfolk of their own, and they pay her well."
"How much?" said Isak.
"She doesn't say exactly in the letter. But it must be something altogether different from what folk pay down here, that's plain. Why, she gets Christmas presents, and presents other times as well, and not counted off her wages at all."
"Ho!" said Isak.
"You wouldn't like to have her up at your place?" asked Brede. ”

“ Coming down the road that day Isak noticed other clearings; two of them were lower down, nearer the village, but there was one far up above, between Breidablik and Sellanraa — ay, men were beginning to work on the land now; in the old days when Isak first came up, it had lain waste all of it. And these three new settlers were folks from another district; men with some sense in their heads, by the look of things. They didn't begin by borrowing money to build a house ”