TheneighborsteasedCanuteagooddealuntilheknockedoneofthemdown。HegavenosignofsufferingfromherneglectexceptthathedrankmoreandavoidedtheotherNorwegiansmorecarefullythanever，Helayaroundinhisdenandnooneknewwhathefeltorthought，butlittleJimPeterson，whohadseenhimgloweringatLenainchurchoneSundaywhenshewastherewiththetownman，saidthathewouldnotgiveanacreofhiswheatforLena’slifeorthetownchap’seither；andJim’swheatwassowondrouslyworthlessthatthestatementwasanexceedinglystrongone。
　　CanutehadboughtanewsuitofclothesthatlookedasnearlylikethetownmanIsaspossible。Theyhadcosthimhalfamilletcrop；fortailorsarenotaccustomedtofittinggiantsandtheychargeforit。Hehadhungthoseclothesinhisshantytwomonthsagoandhadneverputthemon，partlyfromfearofridicule，partlyfromdiscouragement，andpartlybecausetherewassomethinginhisownsoulthatrevoltedatthelittlenessofthedevice。
　　Lenawasathomejustatthistime。WorkwasslackinthelaundryandMaryhadnotbeenwell，soLenastayedathome，gladenoughtogetanopportunitytotormentCanuteoncemore。
　　Shewaswashinginthesidekitchen，singingloudlyassheworked。Marywasonherknees，blackingthestoveandscoldingviolentlyabouttheyoungmanwhowascomingoutfromtownthatnight。TheyoungmanhadcommittedthefatalerroroflaughingatMary’sceaselessbabbleandhadneverbeenforgiven。
　　“Heisnogood，andyouwillcometoabadendbyrunningwithhim！Idonotseewhyadaughterofmineshouldactso。IdonotseewhytheLordshouldvisitsuchapunishmentuponmeastogivemesuchadaughter。Thereareplentyofgoodmenyoucanmarry。“
　　Lenatossedherheadandansweredcurtly，“Idon’thappentowanttomarryanymanrightaway，andsolongasDickdressesniceandhasplentyofmoneytospend，thereisnoharminmygoingwithhim。“
　　“Moneytospend？Yes，andthatisallhedoeswithitI’llbebound。Youthinkitveryfinenow，butyouwillchangeyourtunewhenyouhavebeenmarriedfiveyearsandseeyourchildrenrunningnakedandyourcupboardempty。DidAnneHermansoncometoanygoodendbymarryingatownman？“
　　“Idon’tknowanythingaboutAnneHermanson，butIknowanyofthelaundrygirlswouldhaveDickquickenoughiftheycouldgethim。“
　　“Yes，andanicelotofstoreclotheshuzziesyouaretoo。NowthereisCanutesonwhohasan’eighty’provedupandfiftyheadofcattleand——“
　　“Andhairthatain’tbeencutsincehewasababy，andabigdirtybeard，andhewearsoverallsonSundays，anddrinkslikeapig。Besideshewillkeep。IcanhaveallthefunIwant，andwhenIamoldanduglylikeyouhecanhavemeandtakecareofme。
　　TheLordknowsthereain’tnobodyelsegoingtomarryhim。“
　　Canutedrewhishandbackfromthelatchasthoughitwereredhot。Hewasnotthekindofmantomakeagoodeavesdropper，andhewishedhehadknockedsooner。Hepulledhimselftogetherandstruckthedoorlikeabatteringram。Maryjumpedandopeneditwithascreech。
　　“God！Canute，howyouscaredus！IthoughtitwascrazyLou——
　　hehasbeentearingaroundtheneighborhoodtryingtoconvertfolks。Iamafraidasdeathofhim。Heoughttobesentoff，I
　　think。Heisjustasliableasnottokillusall，orburnthebarn，orpoisonthedogs。Hehasbeenworryingeventhepoorministertodeath，andhelaidupwiththerheumatism，too！DidyounoticethathewastoosicktopreachlastSunday？Butdon’tstandthereinthecold，comein。Yensenisn’there，buthejustwentovertoSorenson’sforthemail；hewon’tbegonelong。Walkrightintheotherroomandsitdown。“
　　Canutefollowedher，lookingsteadilyinfrontofhimandnotnoticingLenaashepassedher。ButLena’svanitywouldnotallowhimtopassunmolested。Shetookthewetsheetshewaswringingoutandcrackedhimacrossthefacewithit，andrangigglingtotheothersideoftheroom。Theblowstunghischeeksandthesoapywaterflewinhiseves，andheinvoluntarilybeganrubbingthemwithhishands。Lenagiggledwithdelightathisdiscomfiture，andthewrathinCanute’sfacegrewblackerthanever。Abigmanhumiliatedisvastlymoreundignifiedthanalittleone。HeforgotthestingofhisfaceinthebitterconsciousnessthathehadmadeafoolofhimselfHestumbledblindlyintothelivingroom，knockinghisheadagainstthedoorjambbecauseheforgottostoop。Hedroppedintoachairbehindthestove，thrustinghisbigfeetbackhelplesslyoneithersideofhim。
　　Olewasalongtimeincoming，andCanutesatthere，stillandsilent，withhishandsclenchedonhisknees，andtheskinofhisfaceseemedtohaveshriveledupintolittlewrinklesthattrembledwhenheloweredhisbrows。Hislifehadbeenonelonglethargyofsolitudeandalcohol，butnowhewasawakening，anditwasaswhenthedumbstagnantheatofsummerbreaksoutintothunder。
　　WhenOlecamestaggeringin，heavywithliquor，Canuteroseatonce。
　　“Yensen，“hesaidquietly，“Ihavecometoseeifyouwillletmemarryyourdaughtertoday。“
　　“Today！“gaspedOle。
　　“Yes，Iwillnotwaituntiltomorrow。Iamtiredoflivingalone。“
　　Olebracedhisstaggeringkneesagainstthebedstead，andstammeredeloquently:“DoyouthinkIwillmarrymydaughtertoadrunkard？amanwhodrinksrawalcohol？amanwhosleepswithrattlesnakes？GetoutofmyhouseorIwillkickyououtforyourimpudence。“AndOlebeganlookinganxiouslyforhisfeet。
　　Canuteanswerednotaword，butheputonhishatandwentoutintothekitchen。HewentuptoLenaandsaidwithoutlookingather，“Getyourthingsonandcomewithme！“
　　Thetonesofhisvoicestartledher，andshesaidangrily，droppingthesoap，“Areyoudrunk？“
　　“Ifyoudonotcomewithme，Iwilltakeyou——youhadbettercome，“saidCanutequietly。
　　Sheliftedasheettostrikehim，buthecaughtherarmroughlyandwrenchedthesheetfromher。Heturnedtothewallandtookdownahoodandshawlthathungthere，andbeganwrappingherup。Lenascratchedandfoughtlikeawildthing。Olestoodinthedoor，cursing，andMaryhowledandscreechedatthetopofhervoice。AsforCanute，heliftedthegirlinhisarmsandwentoutofthehouse。Shekickedandstruggled，butthehelplesswailingofMaryandOlesoondiedawayinthedistance，andherfacewashelddowntightlyonCanute’sshouldersothatshecouldnotseewhitherhewastakingher。Shewasconsciousonlyofthenorthwindwhistlinginherears，andofrapidsteadymotionandofagreatbreastthatheavedbeneathherinquick，irregularbreaths。
　　Thehardershestruggledthetighterthoseironarmsthathadheldtheheelsofhorsescrushedabouther，untilshefeltasiftheywouldcrushthebreathfromher，andlaystillwithfear。Canutewasstridingacrossthelevelfieldsatapaceatwhichmanneverwentbefore，drawingthestingingnorthwindsintohislungsingreatgulps。Hewalkedwithhiseyeshalfclosedandlookingstraightinfrontofhim，onlyloweringthemwhenhebenthisheadtoblowawaythesnowflakesthatsettledonherhair。SoitwasthatCanutetookhertohishome，evenashisbeardedbarbarianancestorstookthefairfrivolouswomenoftheSouthintheirhairyarmsandborethemdowntotheirwarships。Foreverandanonthesoulbecomeswearyoftheconventionsthatarenotofit，andwithasinglestrokeshattersthecivilizedlieswithwhichitisunabletocope，andthestrongarmreachesoutandtakesbyforcewhatitcannotwinbycunning。
　　WhenCanutereachedhisshantyheplacedthegirluponachair，whereshesatsobbing。Hestayedonlyafewminutes。Hefilledthestovewithwoodandlitthelamp，drankahugeswallowofalcoholandputthebottleinhispocket。Hepausedamoment，staringheavilyattheweepinggirl，thenhewentoffandlockedthedooranddisappearedinthegatheringgloomofthenight。
　　Wrappedinflannelsandsoakedwithturpentine，thelittleNorwegianpreachersatreadinghisBible，whenheheardathunderingknockathisdoor，andCanuteentered，coveredwithsnowandhisbeardfrozenfasttohiscoat。
　　“Comein，Canute，youmustbefrozen，“saidthelittleman，shovingachairtowardshisvisitor。
　　Canuteremainedstandingwithhishatonandsaidquietly，“I
　　wantyoutocomeovertomyhousetonighttomarrymetoLenaYensen。“
　　“Haveyougotalicense，Canute？“
　　“No，Idon’twantalicense。Iwanttobemarried。“
　　“ButIcan’tmarryyouwithoutalicense，man。itwouldnotbelegal。“
　　AdangerouslightcameinthebigNorwegian’seye。“IwantyoutocomeovertomyhousetomarrymetoLenaYensen。“
　　“No，Ican’t，itwouldkillanoxtogooutinastormlikethis，andmyrheumatismisbadtonight。“
　　“ThenifyouwillnotgoImusttakeyou，“saidCanutewithasigh。
　　Hetookdownthepreacher’sbearskincoatandbadehimputitonwhilehehitcheduphisbuggy。Hewentoutandclosedthedoorsoftlyafterhim。Presentlyhereturnedandfoundthefrightenedministercrouchingbeforethefirewithhiscoatlyingbesidehim。
　　Canutehelpedhimputitonandgentlywrappedhisheadinhisbigmuffler。Thenhepickedhimupandcarriedhimoutandplacedhiminhisbuggy。Ashetuckedthebuffalorobesaroundhimbesaid:
　　“Yourhorseisold，hemightflounderorlosehiswayinthisstorm。Iwillleadhim。“
　　Theministertookthereinsfeeblyinhishandsandsatshiveringwiththecold。Sometimeswhentherewasalullinthewind，hecouldseethehorsestrugglingthroughthesnowwiththemanploddingsteadilybesidehim。Againtheblowingsnowwouldhidethemfromhimaltogether。Hehadnoideawheretheywereorwhatdirectiontheyweregoing。Hefeltasthoughhewerebeingwhirledawayintheheartofthestorm，andhesaidalltheprayersheknew。Butatlastthelongfourmileswereover，andCanutesethimdowninthesnowwhileheunlockedthedoor。Hesawthebridesittingbythefirewithhereyesredandswollenasthoughshehadbeenweeping。Canuteplacedahugechairforhim，andsaidroughly，——
　　“Warmyourself。“