she married a dean who was two-and-sixty, just because she wanted to get away from home."
Here Anna and Johan stood up. They must go fetch a light, they said. It was some little time before that light was brought.
"The sixteenth was called Mary. She was homely, and she used to say she'd never be able to catch a parson or a gentleman; but she was that eager to leave home she took up with a farm-hand, and went off and got married."
Mamselle Lovisa remained faithfully at her post, where she had gone sound asleep; but this the jungfru had not noticed.
"The seventeenth was hardly eighteen when she moved away from the deanery. She used to help the missus write letters to all the brothers and sisters; for that was more than any one body could do."
The door opened ever so little and shut again.
"The eighteenth," droned the jungfru, "was but fifteen when he declared he was going to America because he couldn't put up with so many relatives.
"And number nineteen and twenty, they were only fourteen and thirteen when I last saw them."
At that moment Fru Lagerlöf came in with her knitting, Anna appeared with the lamp, and Mamselle Lovisa awoke.
"Thanks, thanks, dear Jungfru Anna," said Fru Lagerlöf. "We shall never forget this. It has been so very instructive to me and my children."
