Knut Hamsun

“ Sellanraa is no longer a desolate spot in in the waste; human beings live here — seven of them, counting great and small. But in the little time the haymaking lasted there came a stranger or so, folk wanting to see the mowing-machine. Brede Olsen was first, of course, but Axel Ström came, too, and other neighbours from lower down — ay, from right down in the village. And from across the hills came Oline, the imperishable Oline.
This time, too, she brought news with her from her own village; 'twas not Oline's way to come empty of gossip. ”

“ And then, besides, I've had words with the people from the telegraph office about it — they've been making a fuss again."
The Lensmand keeps repeating the bids for the farm; they have got up to the few hundred Kroner the place is judged to be worth, and the bidding goes slowly, now, with but five or ten Kroner more each time.
"Why, surely — 'tis Axel there's bidding," cries Brede suddenly, and hurries eagerly across. "What, you going to take over my place too? Haven't you enough to look after?"
"I'm bidding for another man," says Axel evasively. ”

“ Well, what can you expect of folk at Maaneland? we're not so great and fine as you — no."
Oh, she could go to the devil, what did Eleseus care; her face was visibly dirty, and her condition plain enough now even to his innocent eyes.
"Can't you play a bit on the guitar?" he asked.
"No," answered Barbro shortly. "What I was going to say: Sivert, couldn't you come and help Axel a bit with the new house a day or so? If you could begin tomorrow, say, when you come back from the village?"
Sivert thought for a moment. "Ay, maybe. But I've no clothes." ”

“ They walk on for a good way in silence. Then says Axel:
"They've been after me to take over that telegraph business."
"The telegraph? H'm. Ay, I heard that Brede he's given it up."
"H'm," says Axel, smiling. "'Tis not so much that way of it, but Brede that's been turned off."
"Ay, so," says Isak, and trying to find some excuse for Brede. "It takes a deal of time to look after, no doubt." ”

“ A moment — and the darkness would reign in her as before; her eyes glower, her fingers feel out graspingly — how much? she would say. What, no more? she would say. She would be right again. A mother many times, realizing life — it was worthy of a great reward.
But all went otherwise. Old Sivert's accounts had appeared more or less in order after Eleseus had been through them; but the farm and the cow, the fishery and nets were barely enough to cover the deficit. And it was due in some measure to Oline that things had turned out no worse ”

“ She sits drinking coffee in the hut, but seeing the men come up, all must give way to that, and she comes out.
"Goddag, Axel, and welcome back from the sale. You'll not mind me looking in to see how you and Barbro's getting on? And you're getting on finely, to see, and building a new house and getting richer and richer! And you been buying sheep, Isak?"
"Ay," said Isak. "You know her, maybe?"
"If I know her? Nay...."
"With these flat ears, you can see."
"Flat ears? How d'you mean now? And what then? What I was going to say: Who bought Brede's place, after all? ”