He had loved and cherished Lars, but now that he had become a giant, he hated him deeply, fearfully; he could not explain to himself why he thought so, but he felt it instinctively, while gazing upon him; and in this forgetting all else, he exclaimed: "But Lars! Lars! what in the Lord's name ails you?" He lost all self-control,--"you, whom I have"--"you, who have"--he couldn't get out another word, and seated himself, only to struggle against the excitement which he was unwilling to have Lars see; he drew himself up, struck the table with his fist, and his eyes snapped from below the stiff disorderly hair which always shaded them. Lars appeared as if he had not been interrupted, only turning his head to the assembly, asking if this should be considered the decisive blow in the matter, for in such a case nothing more need be said. Canute could not endure this calmness. "What is it that has come among us?" he cried. "Us, who to this day have never debated but in love and upright zeal? We are infuriated at each other as if incited by an evil spirit;" and he looked with fiery eyes upon Lars, who answered: "You yourself surely bring in this spirit, Canute, for I have spoken only of the case. But you will look upon it only through your own self-will; now we shall see if your love and upright zeal will endure, when once it is decided agreeably to our wish." "Have I not, then, taken good care of the interests of the parish?" No reply. This grieved Canute, and he continued: "Really, I did not think otherwise than that I had accomplished something;--something for the good of the parish;--but may be I have deceived myself." He became excited again, for it was a fiery spirit within him, which was broken in many ways, and the parting with Lars grieved him, so he could hardly control himself. Lars answered: "Yes, I know you give yourself the credit for all that is done here, and should one judge by much speaking in the meetings, then surely you have accomplished the most." "Oh, is it this!" shouted Canute, looking sharply upon Lars: "it is you who have the honor of it!" "Since we necessarily talk of ourselves," replied Lars, "I will say that all matters have been carefully considered by us before they were introduced here." Here little Canute Aakre resumed his quick way of speaking: "In God's name take the honor, I am content to live without it; there are other things harder to lose!" Involuntarily Lars turned his eye from Canute, but said, the straw moving very quickly: "If I were to speak my mind, I should say there is not much to take honor for;--of course ministers and teachers may be satisfied with what has been done; but, certainly, the common men say only that up to this time the taxes have become heavier and heavier." A murmur arose in the assembly, which now became restless. Lars continued: