laugh aloud when he heard Magnhild running all sorts of exercises up
and down like a squirrel in a tree. The result of this, so far as
Magnhild was concerned, was that the young girl learned--not more music,
as one might have supposed, but--basket-making.

The fact was that about this time there spread, like an epidemic among
the people, the idea that skill in manual industries should be
cultivated among the peasants, and propagators of the new doctrine
appeared also in this parish. Magnhild was chosen as the first pupil;
she was thought to have the most "dexterity." The first thing taught was
basket-making, then double spinning, then weaving, especially of the
more artistic kinds, and after this embroidery, etc., etc. She learned
all these things very rapidly, that is to say, she learned zealously as
long as she was gaining an insight into each; further development did
not interest her. But as she was henceforth expected to teach others,
grown people as well as children, it became a settled habit for her to
repair twice each week to the public school where many were assembled.
When anything had once become part of her daily routine she thought no
more about it. The house that had given her shelter was responsible for
this.

The mistress of the house made her daily regulation visits to the
kitchen, cellar, and stables, the rest of the time she embroidered; the
whole house was covered with embroidery. She might be taken for a fat
spider, with a little round head, spinning its web over chairs, tables,
beds, sledges, and carts. Her voice was rarely heard; she was seldom
addressed by any one.

The priest was much older than his wife. His face was characterized by
its small proportion of nose, chin, and eyes, and its very large share
of all else belonging to it. He had fared badly at his examination, and
had been compelled to support himself by teaching until, when he was
advancing in years, he had married one of his former pupils, a lady with
quite a nice property. Then he betook himself to seeking a clerical
appointment, "the one thing in which he had shown perseverance," as he
was himself in the habit of playfully remarking. After a ten years'
search he had succeeded in getting a call (not long since) to his
present parish, and he could scarcely hope for a better one. He passed
most of his time in lying on the sofa reading, chiefly novels, but also
newspapers and periodicals.

The governess always sat in the same cha