The quiet, straightforward way he said this made a good impression.  Mildrid trembled; for she felt that this gave things a different look.  Hans had his cap on, for in their district it was not the custom for a passer-by to take off his hat when he came in; but now he took it off unconsciously, hung it on the barrel of his gun, and crossed his hands over it.  There was something about his whole appearance and behaviour that claimed consideration.

“Mildrid is so young,” said her mother; “none of us had thought of anything like this beginning with her already.”

“That is true enough, but to make up I am so much older,” he answered; “and the housekeeping at home, in my house, is no great affair; it will not task her too hard—­and I have plenty of help.”

The parents looked at each other, at Mildrid, at him.  “Do you mean her to go home with you?” the father asked incredulously, almost ironically.

“Yes,” said Hans; “it is not the farm that I am coming after.”  He reddened, and so did Mildrid.

If the farm had sunk into the ground the parents could not have been more astonished than they were at hearing it thus despised, and Mildrid’s silence showed that she agreed with Hans.  There was something in this resolution of the young people, unintentional on their part, that, as it were, took away from the parents the right of decision; they felt themselves humbled.

“And it was you who said that you would not forsake us,” said her mother in quiet reproach, that went to Mildrid’s heart.  But Hans came to her assistance: 

“Every child that marries has to leave its parents.”

He smiled, and added in a friendly way:  “But it’s not a long journey to Haugen from here—­just a little over four miles.”

Words are idle things at a time like this; thoughts take their own way in spite of them.  The parents felt themselves deserted, almost deceived by the young ones.  They knew that there was no fault to be found with the way of living at Haugen; the tourists had given the place a good name; from time to time it had been noticed in the newspapers; but Haugen was Haugen, and that their dearest child should wish to carry their race back to Haugen was more than they could bear!  In such circumstances most people would likely have been angry, but what these two desired was to get quietly away from what pained them.  They exchanged a look of understanding, and the father said mildly: 

“This is too much for us all at once; we can’t well give our answer yet.”

“No,” continued the mother; “we were not expecting such great news—­nor to get it like this.”

Hans stood quiet for a minute before he said: 

“It is true enough that Mildrid should first have asked her parents’ leave.  But remember that neither of us knew what was happening till it was too late.  For that is really the truth.  Then we could do no more than come at once, both of us, and that we have done.  You must not be too hard on us.”