en sat in her old place by the Bible. Her comeliness increased,
and her manner became more self-possessed, her dress also was
improved; not that it was too conspicuous, for the most austere of
the Haugians would not have been able to find fault with it; but the
woman-folk, who understood such things, noticed that her linen was of
the finest that could be procured, that the woollen stuffs she used
were almost as costly as silk, and that when she wore a white collar
round her neck, it was of real lace, worth a couple of dollars an
ell.

The men, too, noticed something unusual about the young wife, and
would say to their spouses: "Look at Sarah; you should dress like
her; you should manage the house as she does." The mother also
received her meed of praise for having brought up her daughter so
well.

Skipper Worse did not always attend the meetings. Whenever he
manifested a preference for the club, or for a visit to Randulf,
Sarah raised no objection.

But, in truth, he preferred his own house, and throughout the winter,
when the candles were lit early, he sat at the table with his work.
Jacob Worse was very neat-handed, and in his youth had learnt
something of ship-building. He now applied himself to the
construction of a model, an ell and a half long, which he intended to
rig and equip after the pattern of the _Hope of the Family_ down to
the smallest detail.

Sarah read aloud to him, knitting the while. It was Scriver, Johan
Arndt, Luther, or some such other. Worse did not listen very
attentively; but her voice was pleasant to him; and she looked so
well when the light fell on her clear forehead and dark smooth hair.

At the club, they were far too facetious; even Randulf rallied him in
a disagreeable manner. I do not know how it was, but Randulf's return
had proved a disappointment; he was always making remarks about the
marriage, he himself being a widower with grown-up children. His
eldest son was a captain, and lived in the same town.

Another thing, too, annoyed him. Randulf was always speculating upon
what sort of a fishing they might expect that year; and Worse
remembered his promise to Madame Torvestad.

One day, however, Sarah let fall a few words, showing that she was
prepared for his departure as usual.

"But I should tell you," said Worse, "that before I married, I
promised your mother that I would never----"

"I know it. Mother told me all about it; but as she exacted the
promise on my account,