123 / 208
123
‘It’s really too bad.’
‘You’ve been ill,’ is Ragna’s immediate reply. ‘You ought to
be glad you’ve recovered as well has you have!’
‘Yes, all right. But now I’m much better. And I need
something to read.’
‘Books! Books! I’ve spent every single moment of my free
time on you. And all you can do is complain that I don’t
fetch books for you?’
Ragna bangs a glass down hard on the table. I hear her get
up and rattle the cups around in the sink.
‘All you think about is Johan and yourself.’
‘Don’t you bring Johan into this. He’s got more than enough
to lug around on his trips to the village. It’s not exactly
nothing, all you put away. And on top of that you want him
to carry books for you!’
‘Don’t be stupid, Ragna. You know what I mean.’
‘What you mean is just rubbish. And let me tell you one
thing.’ Ragna bangs her hand down on the draining board
by the sink: the cups clatter, there’s rattling in the