“We better have some more beer,” John said. A girl brought it this time. She smiled as she opened the bottles. “Many letters,” she said. “Yes. Many.” “Prosit,” she said and went out, taking the empty bottles. “I’d forgotten what beer tasted like.” “I hadn’t,” John said. “Up in the hut I used to think about it a lot.” “Well,” I said, “we’ve got it now.” “You oughtn’t to ever do anything too long.” “No. We were up there too long.” “Too damn long,” John said. “It’s no good doing a thing too long.” The sun came through the open window and shone through the beer bottles on the table. The bottles were half full. There was a little froth on the beer in the bottles, not much because it was very cold. It collared up when you poured it into the tall glasses. I looked out of the open window at the white road. The trees beside the road were dusty. Beyond was a green field and a stream. There were trees along the stream and a mill with a water wheel. Through the open side of the mill I saw a long log and a saw in it rising and falling. No one seemed to be tending it. There were four crows walking in the green field. One crow sat in a tree watching. Outside on the porch the cook got off his chair and passed into the hall that led back into the kitchen. Inside, the sunlight shone through the empty glasses on the table. John was leaning forward with his head on his arms. Through the window I saw two men come up the front steps. They came into the drinking room. One was the bearded peasant in the high boots. The other was the sexton. They sat down at the table under the window. The girl came in and stood by their table. The peasant did not seem to see her. He sat with his hands on the table. He wore his old army clothes. There were patches on the elbows. “What will it be?” asked the sexton. The peasant did not pay any attention. “What will you drink?” “Schnapps,” the peasant said. “And a quarter litre of red wine,” the sexton told the girl. The girl brought the drinks and the peasant drank the schnapps. He looked out of the window. The sexton watched him. John had his head forward on the table. He was asleep. The innkeeper came in and went over to the table. He spoke in dialect and the sexton answered him. The peasant looked out of the window. The innkeeper went out of the room. The peasant stood up. He took a folded ten-thousand kronen note out of a leather pocket-book and unfolded it. The girl came up. “Alles?” she asked. “Alles,” he said. “Let me buy the wine,” the sexton said.