If you don't obey exactly
what I order, you'll repent it. Now, attend. What's the time?'
'It struck eight a minute ago.'
He looked towards her intently; and said, with a laboured distinctness,
as if he had got the words off by heart:
'I have been travelling day and night, and am tired. I have lost some
money, and that don't improve me. Put my supper in the little off-room
below, and have the truckle-bed made. I shall sleep there to-night, and
maybe to-morrow night; and if I can sleep all day to-morrow, so much
the better, for I've got trouble to sleep off, if I can. Keep the house
quiet, and don't call me. Mind! Don't call me. Don't let anybody call
me. Let me lie there.'
She said it should be done. Was that all?
'All what? You must be prying and questioning!' he angrily retorted.
'What more do you want to know?'
'I want to know nothing, Jonas, but what you tell me. All hope of
confidence between us has long deserted me!'
'Ecod, I should hope so!' he muttered.
'But if you will tell me what you wish, I will be obedient and will
try to please you. I make no merit of that, for I have no friend in
my father or my sister, but am quite alone.
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