But when she left, she had, with many cautious reservations, and in the hope that Barbara's wares would stand the test in the long run, expressed her inclination to remove her custom to Barbara.
Mrs.Holman's Silla was just standing at the counter--she wanted a pint of groats to take home with her--when Barbara, who was measuring them out, suddenly saw Ludvig Veyergang at the door.
He had seen Barbara before, and as he passed the door twice a day now, he nodded to her whenever she showed herself on the steps.

But so friendly as he was to-day! Barbara was quite softened, and very nearly called him Ludvig, he was so lively and playful about her shop.

He stood looking with half-closed eyes, and laughing at Silla, who grew redder and more bashful, and only tried in her confusion to get the bag of groats out of Barbara's hand.

He had taken his straw hat off his curly hair for the heat, and looked so nice and handsome.
Silla hardly dared look up at him, and only heard something about freckles not being anything to mind when one had such dark eyes, when, with head in advance, she rushed out of the door.
Barbara's opinion afterwards about Silla's behaviour--her having all at once turned crimson, and rushed away at a few innocent words from such a well-meaning and handsome man as Ludvig Veyergang--her son heard the same evening.

A young girl ought to stand modestly, and not go on like that: if she did, it was a sure way of getting all that could be called man-folk at her heels.
Was she anything for Nikolai--that awkward, dark, long girl, who ran about in that bodice that was too short for her, looking like a half-peeled, bent prawn in the back, and went balancing along the edge of the gutter, as if she were going to be a tightrope dancer--without any education?
Upon her word, if it had been any other than Ludvig Veyergang, she would have had him peeping after her at every corner.
"But, do you know, Nikolai, it suddenly came into my head while he stood there, that here was the person who both could and would help me with those fifteen dollars I still want so badly.