diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/twohe10.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/twohe10.txt | 8487 |
1 files changed, 8487 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/twohe10.txt b/old/twohe10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a35dc5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/twohe10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8487 @@ +***The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tales From Two Hemispheres*** + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +Tales From Two Hemispheres + +by Hjalmar Hjorth Boysen + +July, 1995 [Etext #299] + + +***The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tales From Two Hemispheres** +*****This file should be named twohe10.txt or twohe10.zip***** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, twohe11.txt. +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, twohe10a.txt. + + +We are now trying to release all our books one month in advance +of the official release dates, for time for better editing. + +Please note: neither this list nor its contents are final till +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. To be sure you have an +up to date first edition [xxxxx10x.xxx] please check file sizes +in the first week of the next month. Since our ftp program has +a bug in it that scrambles the date [tried to fix and failed] a +look at the file size will have to do, but we will try to see a +new copy has at least one byte more or less. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +fifty hours is one conservative estimate for how long it we take +to get any etext selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. This +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If our value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $4 +million dollars per hour this year as we release some eight text +files per month: thus upping our productivity from $2 million. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away One Trillion Etext +Files by the December 31, 2001. [10,000 x 100,000,000=Trillion] +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is 10% of the expected number of computer users by the end +of the year 2001. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +All donations should be made to "Project Gutenberg/IBC", and are +tax deductible to the extent allowable by law ("IBC" is Illinois +Benedictine College). (Subscriptions to our paper newsletter go +to IBC, too) + +For these and other matters, please mail to: + +Project Gutenberg +P. O. Box 2782 +Champaign, IL 61825 + +Email dircompg@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu for more information. +When all other email fails try our Michael S. Hart, Executive Director: +hart@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (internet) hart@uiucvmd (bitnet) + +We would prefer to send you this information by email +(Internet, Bitnet, Compuserve, ATTMAIL or MCImail). + +****** +If you have an FTP program (or emulator), please +FTP directly to the Project Gutenberg archives: +[Mac users, do NOT point and click. . .type] + +ftp mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu +login: anonymous +password: your@login +cd etext/etext90 through /etext95 +or cd etext/articles [get suggest gut for more information] +dir [to see files] +get or mget [to get files. . .set bin for zip files] +GET INDEX?00.GUT +for a list of books +and +GET NEW GUT for general information +and +MGET GUT* for newsletters. + +**Information prepared by the Project Gutenberg legal advisor** +(Three Pages) + + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you can distribute copies of this etext if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG- +tm etexts, is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor +Michael S. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at +Illinois Benedictine College (the "Project"). Among other +things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext +under the Project's "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] the Project (and any other party you may receive this +etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold the Project, its directors, +officers, members and agents harmless from all liability, cost +and expense, including legal fees, that arise directly or +indirectly from any of the following that you do or cause: +[1] distribution of this etext, [2] alteration, modification, +or addition to the etext, or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word pro- + cessing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the etext (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Project of 20% of the + net profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Illinois + Benedictine College" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Illinois Benedictine College". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + + + +Scanned by Charles Keller with +OmniPage Professional OCR software +donated by Caere Corporation, 1-800-535-7226. +Contact Mike Lough <Mikel@caere.com> + + +TALES FROM TWO HEMISPHERES. + +BY + +HJALMAR HJORTH BOYSEN. + +1877 + + + + +CONTENTS +---- +THE MAN WHO LOST HIS NAME +THE STORY OF AN OUTCAST +A GOOD-FOR-NOTHING +A SCIENTIFIC VAGABOND +TRULS, THE NAMELESS +ASATHOR'S VENGEANCE + + + + + +TALES FROM TWO HEMISPHERES. + +THE MAN WHO LOST HIS NAME. + +ON the second day of June, 186--, a +young Norseman, Halfdan Bjerk by +name, landed on the pier at Castle +Garden. He passed through the straight +and narrow gate where he was asked his name, +birthplace, and how much money he had,--at +which he grew very much frightened. + +"And your destination?"--demanded the +gruff-looking functionary at the desk. + +"America," said the youth, and touched his +hat politely. + +"Do you think I have time for joking?" +roared the official, with an oath. + +The Norseman ran his hand through his hair, +smiled his timidly conciliatory smile, and tried +his best to look brave; but his hand trembled +and his heart thumped away at an alarmingly +quickened tempo. + +"Put him down for Nebraska!" cried a stout +red-cheeked individual (inwrapped in the mingled +fumes of tobacco and whisky) whose function +it was to open and shut the gate. + +"There aint many as go to Nebraska." + +"All right, Nebraska." + +The gate swung open and the pressure from +behind urged the timid traveler on, while an +extra push from the gate-keeper sent him flying +in the direction of a board fence, where he sat +down and tried to realize that he was now in +the land of liberty. + +Halfdan Bjerk was a tall, slender-limbed youth +of very delicate frame; he had a pair of +wonderfully candid, unreflecting blue eyes, a smooth, +clear, beardless face, and soft, wavy light hair, +which was pushed back from his forehead without +parting. His mouth and chin were well +cut, but their lines were, perhaps, rather weak +for a man. When in repose, the ensemble of +his features was exceedingly pleasing and somehow +reminded one of Correggio's St. John. He +had left his native land because he was an +ardent republican and was abstractly convinced +that man, generically and individually, lives +more happily in a republic than in a monarchy. +He had anticipated with keen pleasure the large, +freely breathing life he was to lead in a land +where every man was his neighbor's brother, +where no senseless traditions kept a jealous +watch over obsolete systems and shrines, and +no chilling prejudice blighted the spontaneous +blossoming of the soul. + +Halfdan was an only child. His father, a +poor government official, had died during his +infancy, and his mother had given music lessons, +and kept boarders, in order to gain the means +to give her son what is called a learned education. +In the Latin school Halfdan had enjoyed +the reputation of being a bright youth, and at +the age of eighteen, he had entered the +university under the most promising auspices. He +could make very fair verses, and play all +imaginable instruments with equal ease, which +made him a favorite in society. Moreover, he +possessed that very old-fashioned accomplishment +of cutting silhouettes; and what was more, +he could draw the most charmingly fantastic +arabesques for embroidery patterns, and he even +dabbled in portrait and landscape painting. +Whatever he turned his hand to, he did well, +in fact, astonishingly well for a dilettante, and +yet not well enough to claim the title of an +artist. Nor did it ever occur to him to make +such a claim. As one of his fellow-students +remarked in a fit of jealousy, "Once when Nature +had made three geniuses, a poet, a musician, +and a painter, she took all the remaining odds +and ends and shook them together at random +and the result was Halfdan Bjerk." This agreeable +melange of accomplishments, however, +proved very attractive to the ladies, who invited +the possessor to innumerable afternoon +tea-parties, where they drew heavy drafts on +his unflagging patience, and kept him steadily +engaged with patterns and designs for embroidery, +leather flowers, and other dainty knickknacks. +And in return for all his exertions +they called him "sweet" and "beautiful," and +applied to him many other enthusiastic adjectives +seldom heard in connection with masculine +names. In the university, talents of this order +gained but slight recognition, and when Halfdan +had for three years been preparing himself +in vain for the examen philosophicum, he found +himself slowly and imperceptibly drifting into +the ranks of the so-called studiosi perpetui, who +preserve a solemn silence at the examination +tables, fraternize with every new generation of +freshmen, and at last become part of the fixed +furniture of their Alma Mater. In the larger +American colleges, such men are mercilessly +dropped or sent to a Divinity School; but the +European universities, whose tempers the centuries +have mellowed, harbor in their spacious +Gothic bosoms a tenderer heart for their +unfortunate sons. There the professors greet them +at the green tables with a good-humored smile +of recognition; they are treated with gentle +forbearance, and are allowed to linger on, until +they die or become tutors in the families of +remote clergymen, where they invariably fall +in love with the handsomest daughter, and thus +lounge into a modest prosperity. + +If this had been the fate of our friend Bjerk, +we should have dismissed him here with a confident +"vale" on his life's pilgrimage. But, +unfortunately, Bjerk was inclined to hold the +government in some way responsible for his own +poor success as a student, and this, in connection +with an aesthetic enthusiasm for ancient Greece, +gradually convinced him that the republic was +the only form of government under which men +of his tastes and temperament were apt to flourish. +It was, like everything that pertained to +him, a cheerful, genial conviction, without the +slightest tinge of bitterness. The old institutions +were obsolete, rotten to the core, he said, +and needed a radical renovation. He could sit +for hours of an evening in the Students' Union, +and discourse over a glass of mild toddy, on the +benefits of universal suffrage and trial by jury, +while the picturesqueness of his language, his +genial sarcasms, or occasional witty allusions +would call forth uproarious applause from +throngs of admiring freshmen. These were the +sunny days in Halfdan's career, days long to be +remembered. They came to an abrupt end +when old Mrs. Bjerk died, leaving nothing +behind her but her furniture and some trifling +debts. The son, who was not an eminently +practical man, underwent long hours of misery +in trying to settle up her affairs, and finally in +a moment of extreme dejection sold his entire +inheritance in a lump to a pawnbroker (reserving +for himself a few rings and trinkets) for the +modest sum of 250 dollars specie. He then +took formal leave of the Students' Union in a +brilliant speech, in which he traced the parallelisms +between the lives of Pericles and Washington,-- +in his opinion the two greatest men +the world had ever seen,--expounded his theory +of democratic government, and explained the +causes of the rapid rise of the American Republic. +The next morning he exchanged half of +his worldly possessions for a ticket to New +York, and within a few days set sail for the +land of promise, in the far West. + + + +II. + + +From Castle Garden, Halfdan made his way +up through Greenwich street, pursued by a +clamorous troop of confidence men and hotel +runners. + +"Kommen Sie mit mir. Ich bin auch +Deutsch," cried one. "Voila, voila, je parle +Francais," shouted another, seizing hold of his +valise. "Jeg er Dansk. Tale Dansk,"[1] roared +a third, with an accent which seriously impeached +his truthfulness. In order to escape +from these importunate rascals, who were every +moment getting bolder, he threw himself into +the first street-car which happened to pass; he +sat down, gazed out of the windows and soon +became so thoroughly absorbed in the animated +scenes which moved as in a panorama before his +eyes, that he quite forgot where he was going. +The conductor called for fares, and received an +English shilling, which, after some ineffectual +expostulation, he pocketed, but gave no change. +At last after about an hour's journey, the car +stopped, the conductor called out "Central +Park," and Halfdan woke up with a start. He +dismounted with a timid, deliberate step, stared +in dim bewilderment at the long rows of palatial +residences, and a chill sense of loneliness +crept over him. The hopeless strangeness of +everything he saw, instead of filling him with +rapture as he had once anticipated, Sent a cold +shiver to his heart. It is a very large affair, +this world of ours--a good deal larger than it +appeared to him gazing out upon it from his +snug little corner up under the Pole; and it was +as unsympathetic as it was large; he suddenly +felt what he had never been aware of before-- +that he was a very small part of it and of very +little account after all. He staggered over to a +bench at the entrance to the park, and sat long +watching the fine carriages as they dashed past +him; he saw the handsome women in brilliant +costumes laughing and chatting gayly; the +apathetic policemen promenading in stoic dignity +up and down upon the smooth pavements; the +jauntily attired nurses, whom in his Norse +innocence he took for mothers or aunts of the chil- +dren, wheeling baby-carriages which to Norse +eyes seemed miracles of dainty ingenuity, under +the shady crowns of the elm-trees. He did not +know how long he had been sitting there, when +a little bright-eyed girl with light kid gloves, a +small blue parasol and a blue polonaise, quite a +lady of fashion en miniature, stopped in front +of him and stared at him in shy wonder. He +had always been fond of children, and often rejoiced +in their affectionate ways and confidential +prattle, and now it suddenly touched him +with a warm sense of human fellowship to have +this little daintily befrilled and crisply starched +beauty single him out for notice among the +hundreds who reclined in the arbors, or sauntered +to and fro under the great trees. + + +[1] "I am a Dane. I speak Danish." + + + +"What is your name, my little girl?" he +asked, in a tone of friendly interest. + +"Clara," answered the child, hesitatingly; +then, having by another look assured herself of +his harmlessness, she added: "How very funny +you speak!" + +"Yes," he said, stooping down to take he +tiny begloved hand. "I do not speak as well +as you do, yet; but I shall soon learn." + +Clara looked puzzled. + +"How old are you?" she asked, raising her +parasol, and throwing back her head with an +air of superiority. + +"I am twenty-four years old." + +She began to count half aloud on her fingers: +"One, two, three, four," but, before she reached +twenty, she lost her patience. + +"Twenty-four," she exclaimed, "that is a +great deal. I am only seven, and papa gave me +a pony on my birthday. Have you got a pony?" + +"No; I have nothing but what is in this valise, +and you know I could not very well get a pony into it." + +Clara glanced curiously at the valise and +laughed; then suddenly she grew serious again, +put her hand into her pocket and seemed to be +searching eagerly for something. Presently +she hauled out a small porcelain doll's head, +then a red-painted block with letters on it, +and at last a penny. + +"Do you want them?" she said, reaching him +her treasures in both hands. "You may have +them all." + +Before he had time to answer, a shrill, +penetrating voice cried out: + +"Why, gracious! child, what are you doing ? " + +And the nurse, who had been deeply absorbed +in "The New York Ledger," came rushing up, +snatched the child away, and retreated as hastily +as she had come. + +Halfdan rose and wandered for hours aimlessly +along the intertwining roads and footpaths. +He visited the menageries, admired the +statues, took a very light dinner, consisting of +coffee, sandwiches, and ice, at the Chinese +Pavilion, and, toward evening, discovered an inviting +leafy arbor, where he could withdraw into the +privacy of his own thoughts, and ponder upon +the still unsolved problem of his destiny. The +little incident with the child had taken the edge +off his unhappiness and turned him into a more +conciliatory mood toward himself and the great +pitiless world, which seemed to take so little +notice of him. And he, who had come here with +so warm a heart and so ardent a will to join in +the great work of human advancement--to find +himself thus harshly ignored and buffeted about, +as if he were a hostile intruder! Before him +lay the huge unknown city where human life +pulsated with large, full heart-throbs, where a +breathless, weird intensity, a cold, fierce +passion seemed to be hurrying everything onward +in a maddening whirl, where a gentle, warm- +blooded enthusiast like himself had no place and +could expect naught but a speedy destruction. +A strange, unconquerable dread took possession +of him, as if he had been caught in a swift, +strong whirlpool, from which he vainly struggled +to escape. He crouched down among the +foliage and shuddered. He could not return to +the city. No, no: he never would return. He +would remain here hidden and unseen until +morning, and then he would seek a vessel bound +for his dear native land, where the great +mountains loomed up in serene majesty toward the +blue sky, where the pine-forests whispered their +dreamily sympathetic legends, in the long summer +twilights, where human existence flowed +on in calm beauty with the modest aims, small +virtues, and small vices which were the +happiness of modest, idyllic souls. He even saw +himself in spirit recounting to his astonished +countrymen the wonderful things he had heard +and seen during his foreign pilgrimage, and +smiled to himself as he imagined their wonder +when he should tell them about the beautiful +little girl who had been the first and only one +to offer him a friendly greeting in the strange +land. During these reflections he fell asleep, +and slept soundly for two or three hours. Once, +he seemed to hear footsteps and whispers among +the trees, and made an effort to rouse himself, +but weariness again overmastered him and he +slept on. At last, he felt himself seized +violently by the shoulders, and a gruff voice +shouted in his ear: + +"Get up, you sleepy dog." + +He rubbed his eyes, and, by the dim light of +the moon, saw a Herculean policeman lifting a +stout stick over his head. His former terror +came upon him with increased violence, and his +heart stood for a moment still, then, again, +hammered away as if it would burst his sides. + +"Come along!" roared the policeman, shaking +him vehemently by the collar of his coat. + +In his bewilderment he quite forgot where he +was, and, in hurried Norse sentences, assured +his persecutor that he was a harmless, honest +traveler, and implored him to release him. But +the official Hercules was inexorable. + +"My valise, my valise;" cried Halfdan. +"Pray let me get my valise." + +They returned to the place where he had +slept, but the valise was nowhere to be found. +Then, with dumb despair he resigned himself to +his fate, and after a brief ride on a street-car, +found himself standing in a large, low-ceiled +room; he covered his face with his hands and +burst into tears. + +"The grand-the happy republic," he +murmured, "spontaneous blossoming of the soul. +Alas! I have rooted up my life; I fear it will +never blossom." + +All the high-flown adjectives he had employed +in his parting speech in the Students' Union, +when he paid his enthusiastic tribute to the +Grand Republic, now kept recurring to him, and +in this moment the paradox seemed cruel. The +Grand Republic, what did it care for such as +he? A pair of brawny arms fit to wield the +pick-axe and to steer the plow it received with +an eager welcome; for a child-like, loving heart +and a generously fantastic brain, it had but the +stern greeting of the law. + + + +III. + + +The next morning, Halfdan was released +from the Police Station, having first been fined +five dollars for vagrancy. All his money, with +the exception of a few pounds which he had +exchanged in Liverpool, he had lost with his +valise, and he had to his knowledge not a single +acquaintance in the city or on the whole +continent. In order to increase his capital he +bought some fifty "Tribunes," but, as it was +already late in the day, he hardly succeeded in +selling a single copy. The next morning, he +once more stationed himself on the corner of +Murray street and Broadway, hoping in his +innocence to dispose of the papers he had still +on hand from the previous day, and actually +did find a few customers among the people who +were jumping in and out of the omnibuses that +passed up and down the great thoroughfare. +To his surprise, however, one of these gentlemen +returned to him with a very wrathful +countenance, shook his fist at him, and vociferated +with excited gestures something which to +Halfdan's ears had a very unintelligible sound. +He made a vain effort to defend himself; the +situation appeared so utterly incomprehensible +to him, and in his dumb helplessness he looked +pitiful enough to move the heart of a stone. +No English phrase suggested itself to him, only +a few Norse interjections rose to his lips. The +man's anger suddenly abated; he picked up the +paper which he had thrown on the sidewalk, +and stood for a while regarding Halfdan curiously. + +"Are you a Norwegian?" he asked. + +"Yes, I came from Norway yesterday." + +"What's your name?" + +"Halfdan Bjerk." + +"Halfdan Bjerk! My stars! Who would +have thought of meeting you here! You do not +recognize me, I suppose." + +Halfdan declared with a timid tremor in his +voice that he could not at the moment recall +his features. + +"No, I imagine I must have changed a good +deal since you saw me," said the man, suddenly +dropping into Norwegian. "I am Gustav Olson, +I used to live in the same house with you once, +but that is long ago now." + +Gustav Olson--to be sure, he was the porter's +son in the house, where his mother had once +during his childhood, taken a flat. He well +remembered having clandestinely traded jack- +knives and buttons with him, in spite of the +frequent warnings he had received to have nothing +to do with him; for Gustav, with his broad +freckled face and red hair, was looked upon by +the genteel inhabitants of the upper flats as +rather a disreputable character. He had once +whipped the son of a colonel who had been +impudent to him, and thrown a snow-ball at the +head of a new-fledged lieutenant, which offenses +he had duly expiated at a house of correction. +Since that time he had vanished from Halfdan's +horizon. He had still the same broad freckled +face, now covered with a lusty growth of coarse +red beard, the same rebellious head of hair, +which refused to yield to the subduing influences +of the comb, the same plebeian hands and feet, +and uncouth clumsiness of form. But his linen +was irreproachable, and a certain dash in his +manner, and the loud fashionableness of his +attire, gave unmistakable evidences of prosperity. + +"Come, Bjerk," said he in a tone of good- +fellowship, which was not without its sting to the +idealistic republican, "you must take up a better +business than selling yesterday's `Tribune.' +That won't pay here, you know. Come along +to our office and I will see if something can't be +done for you." + +"But I should be sorry to give you trouble," +stammered Halfdan, whose native pride, even +in his present wretchedness, protested against +accepting a favor from one whom he had been +wont to regard as his inferior. + +"Nonsense, my boy. Hurry up, I haven't +much time to spare. The office is only two +blocks from here. You don't look as if you +could afford to throw away a friendly offer." + +The last words suddenly roused Halfdan from +his apathy; for he felt that they were true. A +drowning man cannot afford to make nice +distinctions--cannot afford to ask whether the +helping hand that is extended to him be that of +an equal or an inferior. So he swallowed his +humiliation and threaded his way through the +bewildering turmoil of Broadway, by the side +of his officious friend. + +They entered a large, elegantly furnished +office, where clerks with sleek and severely +apathetic countenances stood scribbling at their desks. + +"You will have to amuse yourself as best you +can," said Olson. "Mr. Van Kirk will be here +in twenty minutes. I haven't time to entertain you." + +A dreary half hour passed. Then the door +opened and a tall, handsome man, with a full +grayish beard, and a commanding presence, +entered and took his seat at a desk in a smaller +adjoining office. He opened, with great dispatch, +a pile of letters which lay on the desk +before him, called out in a sharp, ringing tone +for a clerk, who promptly appeared, handed +him half-a-dozen letters, accompanying each +with a brief direction, took some clean paper +from a drawer and fell to writing. There was +something brisk, determined, and business-like +in his manner, which made it seem very hopeless +to Halfdan to appear before him as a petitioner. +Presently Olson entered the private office, closing +the door behind him, and a few minutes +later re-appeared and summoned Halfdan into +the chief's presence. + +"You are a Norwegian, I hear," said the +merchant, looking around over his shoulder at +the supplicant, with a preoccupied air. "You +want work. What can you do?" + +What can you do? A fatal question. But +here was clearly no opportunity for mental +debate. So, summoning all his courage, but +feeling nevertheless very faint, he answered: + +"I have passed both examen artium and +philosophicum,[2] and got my laud clear in the former, +but in the latter haud on the first point." + + +[2] Examen artium is the entrance examination to the Norwegian +University, and philosophicum the first degree. The ranks given at +these are Laudabilis prae ceteris (in student's parlance, prae), +laudabilis or laud, haud illaudabilis, or haud, etc. + + + +Mr. Van Kirk wheeled round on his chair and +faced the speaker: + +"That is all Greek to me," he said, in a severe +tone. "Can you keep accounts?" + +"No. I am afraid not." + +Keeping accounts was not deemed a classical +accomplishment in Norway. It was only "trade- +rats" who troubled themselves about such gross +things, and if our Norseman had not been too +absorbed with the problem of his destiny, he +would have been justly indignant at having +such a question put to him. + +"Then you don't know book-keeping?" + +"I think not. I never tried it." + +"Then you may be sure you don't know it. +But you must certainly have tried your hand at +something. Is there nothing you can think of +which might help you to get a living?" + +"I can play the piano--and--and the violin." + +"Very well, then. You may come this afternoon +to my house. Mr. Olson will tell you the +address. I will give you a note to Mrs. Van +Kirk. Perhaps she will engage you as a music +teacher for the children. Good morning." + + + +IV. + + +At half-past four o'clock in the afternoon, +Halfdan found himself standing in a large, dimly +lighted drawing-room, whose brilliant +upholstery, luxurious carpets, and fantastically +twisted furniture dazzled and bewildered his +senses. All was so strange, so strange; nowhere +a familiar object to give rest to the +wearied eye. Wherever he looked he saw his +shabbily attired figure repeated in the long +crystal mirrors, and he became uncomfortably +conscious of his threadbare coat, his uncouth +boots, and the general incongruity of his +appearance. With every moment his uneasiness +grew; and he was vaguely considering the +propriety of a precipitate flight, when the rustle of +a dress at the farther end of the room startled +him, and a small, plump lady, of a daintily +exquisite form, swept up toward him, gave a +slight inclination of her head, and sank down +into an easy-chair: + +"You are Mr. ----, the Norwegian, who +wishes to give music lessons?" she said, holding +a pair of gold-framed eyeglasses up to her eyes, +and running over the note which she held in her +hand. It read as follows: + + +DEAR MARTHA,--The bearer of this note is a young +Norwegian, I forgot to ascertain his name, a friend of +Olson's. He wishes to teach music. If you can help the +poor devil and give him something to do, you will oblige, + Yours, H. V. K. + + +Mrs. Van Kirk was evidently, by at least +twelve years, her husband's junior, and apparently +not very far advanced in the forties. Her +blonde hair, which was freshly crimped, fell +lightly over her smooth, narrow forehead; her +nose, mouth and chin had a neat distinctness of +outline; her complexion was either naturally or +artificially perfect, and her eyes, which were of +the purest blue, had, owing to their near-sightedness, +a certain pinched and scrutinizing look. +This look, which was without the slightest touch +of severity, indicating merely a lively degree of +interest, was further emphasized by three small +perpendicular wrinkles, which deepened and +again relaxed according to the varying intensity +of observation she bestowed upon the object +which for the time engaged her attention. + +"Your name, if you please?" said Mrs. Van +Kirk, having for awhile measured her visitor +with a glance of mild scrutiny. + +"Halfdan Bjerk." + +"Half-dan B----, how do you spell that?" + +"B-j-e-r-k." + +"B-jerk. Well, but I mean, what is your +name in English?" + +Halfdan looked blank, and blushed to his +ears. + +"I wish to know," continued the lady +energetically, evidently anxious to help him out, +"what your name would mean in plain English. +Bjerk, it certainly must mean something." + +"Bjerk is a tree--a birch-tree." + +"Very well, Birch,--that is a very respectable +name. And your first name? What did +you say that was? + +"H-a-l-f-d-a-n." + +"Half Dan. Why not a whole Dan and be +done with it? Dan Birch, or rather Daniel +Birch. Indeed, that sounds quite Christian." + +"As you please, madam," faltered the victim,; +looking very unhappy. + +"You will pardon my straightforwardness, +won't you? B-jerk. I could never pronounce +that, you know." + +"Whatever may be agreeable to you, madam, +will be sure to please me." + +"That is very well said. And you will find +that it always pays to try to please me. And +you wish to teach music? If you have no +objection I will call my oldest daughter. She is +an excellent judge of music, and if your playing +meets with her approval, I will engage you, +as my husband suggests, not to teach Edith, +you understand, but my youngest child, Clara." + +Halfdan bowed assent, and Mrs. Van Kirk +rustled out into the hall where she rang a bell, +and re-entered. A servant in dress-coat +appeared, and again vanished as noiselessly as he +had come. To our Norseman there was some +thing weird and uncanny about these silent +entrances and exits; he could hardly suppress a +shudder. He had been accustomed to hear the +clatter of people's heels upon the bare floors, as +they approached, and the audible crescendo of +their footsteps gave one warning, and prevented +one from being taken by surprise. While +absorbed in these reflections, his senses must +have been dormant; for just then Miss Edith +Van Kirk entered, unheralded by anything but +a hovering perfume, the effect of which was to +lull him still deeper into his wondering abstraction. + +"Mr. Birch," said Mrs. Van Kirk, "this is +my daughter Miss Edith," and as Halfdan +sprang to his feet and bowed with visible +embarrassment, she continued: + +"Edith, this is Mr. Daniel Birch, whom your +father has sent here to know if he would be +serviceable as a music teacher for Clara. And +now, dear, you will have to decide about the +merits of Mr. Birch. I don't know enough +about music to be anything of a judge." + +"If Mr. Birch will be kind enough to play," +said Miss Edith with a languidly musical +intonation," I shall be happy to listen to him." + +Halfdan silently signified his willingness and +followed the ladies to a smaller apartment which +was separated from the drawing-room by folding +doors. The apparition of the beautiful +young girl who was walking at his side had +suddenly filled him with a strange burning and +shuddering happiness; he could not tear his +eyes away from her; she held him as by a powerful +spell. And still, all the while he had a +painful sub-consciousness of his own unfortunate +appearance, which was thrown into cruel relief +by her splendor. The tall, lithe magnificence of +her form, the airy elegance of her toilet, which +seemed the perfection of self-concealing art, the +elastic deliberateness of her step--all wrought +like a gentle, deliciously soothing opiate upon +the Norseman's fancy and lifted him into hitherto +unknown regions of mingled misery and +bliss. She seemed a combination of the most +divine contradictions, one moment supremely +conscious, and in the next adorably child-like +and simple, now full of arts and coquettish +innuendoes, then again na<i:>ve, unthinking and +almost boyishly blunt and direct; in a word, +one of those miraculous New York girls whom +abstractly one may disapprove of, but in the +concrete must abjectly adore. This easy +predominance of the masculine heart over the mas- +culine reason in the presence of an impressive +woman, has been the motif of a thousand tragedies +in times past, and will inspire a thousand +more in times to come. + +Halfdan sat down at the grand piano and +played Chopin's Nocturne in G major, flinging +out that elaborate filigree of sound with an +impetuosity and superb ABANDON which caused the +ladies to exchange astonished glances behind his +back. The transitions from the light and ethereal +texture of melody to the simple, more concrete +theme, which he rendered with delicate +shadings of articulation, were sufficiently +startling to impress even a less cultivated ear than +that of Edith Van Kirk, who had, indeed, +exhausted whatever musical resources New York +has to offer. And she was most profoundly +impressed. As he glided over the last pianissimo +notes toward the two concluding chords (an ending +so characteristic of Chopin) she rose and hurried +to his side with a heedless eagerness, which was +more eloquent than emphatic words of praise. + +"Won't you please repeat this passage?" she +said, humming the air with soft modulations; +"I have always regarded the monotonous repetition +of this strain" (and she indicated it lightly +by a few touches of the keys) "as rather a +blemish of an otherwise perfect composition. +But as you play it, it is anything but monotonous. +You put into this single phrase a more intense +meaning and a greater variety of thought than +I ever suspected it was capable of expressing." + +"It is my favorite composition," answered he, +modestly. "I have bestowed more thought +upon it than upon anything I have ever played, +unless perhaps it be the one in G minor, which, +with all its difference of mood and phraseology, +expresses an essentially kindred thought." + +"My dear Mr. Birch," exclaimed Mrs. Van +Kirk, whom his skillful employment of technical +terms (in spite of his indifferent accent) had +impressed even more than his rendering of the +music,--"you are a comsummate{sic} artist, and +we shall deem it a great privilege if you will +undertake to instruct our child. I have listened +to you with profound satisfaction." + +Halfdan acknowledged the compliment by a +bow and a blush, and repeated the latter part of +the nocturne according to Edith's request. + +"And now," resumed Edith, "may I trouble +you to play the G minor, which has even puzzled +me more than the one you have just played." + +"It ought really to have been played first," +replied Halfdan. "It is far intenser in its coloring +and has a more passionate ring, but its conclusion +does not seem to be final. There is no +rest in it, and it seems oddly enough to be a +mere transition into the major, which is its +proper supplement and completes the fragmentary +thought." + +Mother and daughter once more telegraphed +wondering looks at each other, while Halfdan +plunged into the impetuous movements of the +minor nocturne, which he played to the end with +ever-increasing fervor and animation. + +"Mr. Birch," said Edith, as he arose from the +piano with a flushed face, and the agitation of +the music still tingling through his nerves. +"You are a far greater musician than you seem +to be aware of. I have not been taking lessons +for some time, but you have aroused all my musical +ambition, and if you will accept me too, as +a pupil, I shall deem it a favor." + +"I hardly know if I can teach you anything," +answered he, while his eyes dwelt with keen +delight on her beautiful form. "But in my present +position I can hardly afford to decline so +flattering an offer." + +"You mean to say that you would decline it if you +were in a position to do so," said she, smiling. + +"No, only that I should question my convenience +more closely." + +"Ah, never mind. I take all the responsibility. +I shall cheerfully consent to being imposed upon by you." + +Mrs. Van Kirk in the mean while had been +examining the contents of a fragrant Russia-leather +pocket-book, and she now drew out two crisp +ten-dollar notes, and held them out toward him. + +"I prefer to make sure of you by paying you +in advance," said she, with a cheerfully familiar +nod, and a critical glance at his attire, the meaning +of which he did not fail to detect. "Somebody +else might make the same discovery that +we have made to-day, and outbid us. And we +do not want to be cheated out of our good fortune +in having been the first to secure so valuable a prize." + +"You need have no fear on that score, +madam," retorted Halfdan, with a vivid blush, +and purposely misinterpreting the polite subterfuge. +"You may rely upon my promise. I shall be here again, +as soon as you wish me to return." + +"Then, if you please, we shall look for you +to-morrow morning at ten o'clock." + +And Mrs. Van Kirk hesitatingly folded up +her notes and replaced them in her pocket-book. + +To our idealist there was something extremely +odious in this sudden offer of money. It was +the first time any one had offered to pay him, +and it seemed to put him on a level with a common +day-laborer. His first impulse was to resent +it as a gratuitous humiliation, but a glance +at Mrs. Van Kirk's countenance, which was all +aglow with officious benevolence, re-assured him, +and his indignation died away. + +That same afternoon Olson, having been +informed of his friend's good fortune, volunteered +a loan of a hundred dollars, and accompanied +him to a fashionable tailor, where he underwent +a pleasing metamorphosis. + + + +V. + + +In Norway the ladies dress with the innocent +purpose of protecting themselves against the +weather; if this purpose is still remotely present +in the toilets of American women of to-day, +it is, at all events, sufficiently disguised to +challenge detection, very much like a primitive +Sanscrit root in its French and English derivatives. +This was the reflection which was uppermost in +Halfdan's mind as Edith, ravishing to behold +in the airy grace of her fragrant morning toilet, +at the appointed time took her seat at his side +before the piano. Her presence seemed so +intense, so all-absorbing, that it left no thought +for the music. A woman, with all the spiritual +mysteries which that name implies, had always +appeared to him rather a composite phenomenon, +even apart from those varied accessories of +dress, in which as by an inevitable analogy, she +sees fit to express the inner multiformity of her +being. Nevertheless, this former conception +of his, when compared to that wonderful +complexity of ethereal lines, colors, tints and half- +tints which go to make up the modern New +York girl, seemed inexpressibly simple, almost +what plain arithmetic must appear to a man who +has mastered calculus. + +Edith had opened one of those small red- +covered volumes of Chopin where the rich, +wondrous melodies lie peacefully folded up like +strange exotic flowers in an herbarium. She began +to play the fantasia impromtu, which ought +to be dashed off at a single "heat," whose +passionate impulse hurries it on breathlessly toward +its abrupt finale. But Edith toiled considerably +with her fingering, and blurred the keen +edges of each swift phrase by her indistinct ar- +ticulation. And still there was a sufficiently +ardent intention in her play to save it from being +a failure. She made a gesture of disgust +when she had finished, shut the book, and let +her hands drop crosswise in her lap. + +"I only wanted to give you a proof of my incapacity," +she said, turning her large luminous gaze +upon her instructor, "in order to make +you duly appreciate what you have undertaken. +Now, tell me truly and honestly, +are you not discouraged?" + +"Not by any means," replied he, while the +rapture of her presence rippled through his +nerves, "you have fire enough in you to make +an admirable musician. But your fingers, as +yet, refuse to carry out your fine intentions. +They only need discipline." + +"And do you suppose you can discipline +them? They are a fearfully obstinate set, and +cause me infinite mortification." + +"Would you allow me to look at your hand?" + +She raised her right hand, and with a sort of +impulsive heedlessness let it drop into his. An +exclamation of surprise escaped him. + +`{`}If you will pardon me," he said, "it is a +superb hand--a hand capable of performing mira- +cles--musical miracles I mean. Only look here" +--(and he drew the fore and second fingers apart) +--"so firmly set in the joint and still so flexible. +I doubt if Liszt himself can boast a finer row +of fingers. Your hands will surely not prevent +you from becoming a second Von Bulow, which to +my mind means a good deal more than a second Liszt." + +"Thank you, that is quite enough," she +exclaimed, with an incredulous laugh; "you have +done bravely. That at all events throws the +whole burden of responsibility upon myself, if +I do not become a second somebody. I shall be +perfectly satisfied, however, if you can only +make me as good a musician as you are yourself, +so that I can render a not too difficult piece +without feeling all the while that I am committing +sacrilege in mutilating the fine thoughts +of some great composer." + +"You are too modest; you do not--" + +"No, no, I am not modest," she interrupted +him with an impetuosity which startled him. +"I beg of you not to persist in paying me +compliments. I get too much of that cheap article +elsewhere. I hate to be told that I am better +than I know I am. If you are to do me any +good by your instruction, you must be perfectly +sincere toward me, and tell me plainly of my +short-comings. I promise you beforehand that +I shall never be offended. There is my hand. +Now, is it a bargain?" + +His fingers closed involuntarily over the soft +beautiful hand, and once more the luxury of her +touch sent a thrill of delight through him. + +"I have not been insincere," he murmured, +"but I shall be on my guard in future, even +against the appearance of insincerity." + +"And when I play detestably, you will say so, +and not smooth it over with unmeaning flatteries?" + +"I will try." + +"Very well, then we shall get on well +together. Do not imagine that this is a mere +feminine whim of mine. I never was more in +earnest. Men, and I believe foreigners, to a +greater degree than Americans, have the idea +that women must be treated with gentle forbearance; +that their follies, if they are foolish, +must be glossed over with some polite name. +They exert themselves to the utmost to make +us mere playthings, and, as such, contemptible +both in our own eyes and in theirs. No sincere +respect can exist where the truth has to be +avoided. But the majority of American women +are made of too stern a stuff to be dealt with in +that way. They feel the lurking insincerity +even where politeness forbids them to show it, +and it makes them disgusted both with themselves, +and with the flatterer. And now you +must pardon me for having spoken so plainly +to you on so short an acquaintance; but you +are a foreigner, and it may be an act of friendship +to initiate you as soon as possible into our +ways and customs." + +He hardly knew what to answer. Her +vehemence was so sudden, and the sentiments she +had uttered so different from those which he +had habitually ascribed to women, that he could +only sit and gaze at her in mute astonishment. +He could not but admit that in the main she +had judged him rightly, and that his own attitude +and that of other men toward her sex, +were based upon an implied assumption of superiority. + +"I am afraid I have shocked you," she +resumed, noticing the startled expression of his +countenance. "But really it was quite inevitable, +if we were at all to understand each other. +You will forgive me, won't you?" + +"Forgive!" stammered he, "I have nothing +to forgive. It was only your merciless truth- +fulness which startled me. I rather owe you +thanks, if you will allow me to be grateful to +you. It seems an enviable privilege." + +"Now," interrupted Edith, raising her +forefinger in playful threat, "remember your +promise." + +The lesson was now continued without further +interruption. When it was finished, a little girl, +with her hair done up in curl-papers, and a very +stiffly starched dress, which stood out on all sides +almost horizontally, entered, accompanied by +Mrs. Van Kirk. Halfdan immediately recognized +his acquaintance from the park, and it appeared +to him a good omen that this child, whose friendly +interest in him had warmed his heart in a moment +when his fortunes seemed so desperate, +should continue to be associated with his life +on this new continent. Clara was evidently +greatly impressed by the change in his appearance, +and could with difficulty be restrained +from commenting upon it. + +She proved a very apt scholar in music, and +enjoyed the lessons the more for her cordial +liking of her teacher. + +It will be necessary henceforth to omit the +less significant details in the career of our friend +"Mr. Birch." Before a month was past, he had +firmly established himself in the favor of the +different members of the Van Kirk family. +Mrs. Van Kirk spoke of him to her lady visitors +as "a perfect jewel," frequently leaving them +in doubt as to whether he was a cook or a +coachman. Edith apostrophized him to her +fashionable friends as "a real genius," leaving +a dim impression upon their minds of flowing +locks, a shiny velvet jacket, slouched hat, +defiant neck-tie and a general air of disreputable +pretentiousness. Geniuses of the foreign type +were never, in the estimation of fashionable +New York society, what you would call "exactly +nice," and against prejudices of this order +no amount of argument will ever prevail. Clara, +who had by this time discovered that her teacher +possessed an inexhaustible fund of fairy stories, +assured her playmates across the street that he +was "just splendid," and frequently invited +them over to listen to his wonderful tales. Mr. +Van Kirk himself, of course, was non-committal, +but paid the bills unmurmuringly. + +Halfdan in the meanwhile was vainly struggling +against his growing passion for Edith; +but the more he rebelled the more hopelessly +he found himself entangled in its inextricable +net. The fly, as long as it keeps quiet in the +spider's web, may for a moment forget its +situation; but the least effort to escape is apt to +frustrate itself and again reveal the imminent +peril. Thus he too "kicked against the pricks," +hoped, feared, rebelled against his destiny, and +again, from sheer weariness, relapsed into a +dull, benumbed apathy. In spite of her friendly +sympathy, he never felt so keenly his alienism +as in her presence. She accepted the spontaneous +homage he paid her, sometimes with impatience, +as something that was really beneath +her notice; at other times she frankly +recognized it, bantered him with his "Old World +chivalry," which would soon evaporate in the +practical American atmosphere, and called him +her Viking, her knight and her faithful squire. +But it never occurred to her to regard his +devotion in a serious light, and to look upon him +as a possible lover had evidently never entered +her head. As their intercourse grew more +intimate, he had volunteered to read his favorite +poets with her, and had gradually succeeded in +imparting to her something of his own passionate +liking for Heine and Bj<o:>rnson. She had in +return called his attention to the works of +American authors who had hitherto been little +more than names to him, and they had thus +managed to be of mutual benefit to each other, +and to spend many a pleasant hour during the +long winter afternoons in each other's company. +But Edith had a very keen sense of humor, and +could hardly restrain her secret amusement when +she heard him reading Longfellow's "Psalm of +Life" and Poe's "Raven" (which had been +familiar to her from her babyhood), often with +false accent, but always with intense enthusiasm. +The reflection that he had had no part of his +life in common with her,--that he did not love +the things which she loved,--could not share +her prejudices (and women have a feeling akin +to contempt for a man who does not respond to +their prejudices)--removed him at times almost +beyond the reach of her sympathy. It was +interesting enough as long as the experience +was novel, to be thus unconsciously exploring +another person's mind and finding so many +strange objects there; but after a while the +thing began to assume an uncomfortably serious +aspect, and then there seemed to be something +almost terrible about it. At such times a call +from a gentleman of her own nation, even +though he were one of the placidly stupid type, +would be a positive relief; she could abandon +herself to the secure sense of being at home; +she need fear no surprises, and in the smooth +shallows of their talk there were no unsuspected +depths to excite and to baffle her ingenuity. +And, again, reverting in her thought to Halfdan, +his conversational brilliancy would almost +repel her, as something odious and un-American, +the cheap result of outlandish birth and +unrepublican education. Not that she had ever +valued republicanism very highly; she was one +of those who associated politics with noisy +vulgarity in speech and dress, and therefore +thanked fortune that women were permitted to +keep aloof from it. But in the presence of this +alien she found herself growing patriotic; that +much-discussed abstraction, which we call our +country (and which is nothing but the aggregate +of all the slow and invisible influences +which go toward making up our own being), +became by degrees a very palpable and +intelligible fact to her. + +Frequently while her American self was thus +loudly asserting itself, Edith inflicted many a +cruel wound upon her foreign adorer. Once,-- +it was the Fourth of July, more than a year after +Halfdan's arrival, a number of young ladies and +gentlemen, after having listened to a patriotic +oration, were invited in to an informal luncheon. +While waiting, they naturally enough spent their +time in singing national songs, and Halfdan's +clear tenor did good service in keeping the +straggling voices together. When they had +finished, Edith went up to him and was quite +effusive in her expressions of gratitude. + +"I am sure we ought all to be very grateful +to you, Mr. Birch," she said, "and I, for my +part, can assure you that I am." + +"Grateful? Why?" demanded Halfdan, +looking quite unhappy. + +"For singing OUR national songs, of course. +Now, won't you sing one of your own, please? +We should all be so delighted to hear how a +Swedish--or Norwegian, is it?--national song +sounds." + +"Yes, Mr. Birch, DO sing a Swedish song," +echoed several voices. + +They, of course, did not even remotely suspect +their own cruelty. He had, in his enthusiasm +for the day allowed himself to forget that +he was not made of the same clay as they were, +that he was an exile and a stranger, and must +ever remain so, that he had no right to share +their joy in the blessing of liberty. Edith had +taken pains to dispel the happy illusion, and had +sent him once more whirling toward his cold +native Pole. His passion came near choking +him, and, to conceal his impetuous emotion, he +flung himself down on the piano-stool, and struck +some introductory chords with perhaps a little +superfluous emphasis. Suddenly his voice burst +out into the Swedish national anthem, "Our +Land, our Land, our Fatherland," and the air +shook and palpitated with strong martial melody. +His indignation, his love and his misery, +imparted strength to his voice, and its occasional +tremble in the PIANO passages was something +more than an artistic intention. He was loudly +applauded as he arose, and the young ladies +thronged about him to ask if he "wouldn't +please write out the music for them." + +Thus month after month passed by, and every +day brought its own misery. Mrs. Van Kirk's +patronizing manners, and ostentatious kindness, +often tested his patience to the utmost. If he +was guilty of an innocent witticism or a little +quaintness of expression, she always assumed it +to be a mistake of terms and corrected him +with an air of benign superiority. At times, of +course, her corrections were legitimate, as for +instance, when he spoke of WEARING a cane, +instead of CARRYING one, but in nine cases out of +ten the fault lay in her own lack of imagination +and not in his ignorance of English. On such +occasions Edith often took pity on him, +defended him against her mother's criticism, and +insisted that if this or that expression was not +in common vogue, that was no reason why it +should not be used, as it was perfectly +grammatical, and, moreover, in keeping with the +spirit of the language. And he, listening +passively in admiring silence to her argument, +thanked her even for the momentary pain +because it was followed by so great a happiness. +For it was so sweet to be defended by Edith, to +feel that he and she were standing together side +by side against the outer world. Could he only +show her in the old heroic manner how much he +loved her! Would only some one that was +dear to her die, so that he, in that breaking +down of social barriers which follows a great +calamity, might comfort her in her sorrow. +Would she then, perhaps, weeping, lean her +wonderful head upon his breast, feeling but that +he was a fellow-mortal, who had a heart that +was loyal and true, and forgetting, for one brief +instant, that he was a foreigner. Then, to +touch that delicate Elizabethan frill which +wound itself so daintily about Edith's neck-- +what inconceivable rapture! But it was quite +impossible. It could never be. These were +selfish thoughts, no doubt, but they were a lover's +selfishness, and, as such, bore a close kinship to +all that is purest and best in human nature. + +It is one of the tragic facts of this life, that a +relation so unequal as that which existed between +Halfdan and Edith, is at all possible. As +for Edith, I must admit that she was well aware +that her teacher was in love with her. Women +have wonderfully keen senses for phenomena of +that kind, and it is an illusion if any one +imagines, as our Norseman did, that he has locked +his secret securely in the hidden chamber of his +heart. In fleeting intonations, unconscious +glances and attitudes, and through a hundred +other channels it will make its way out, and the +bereaved jailer may still clasp his key in fierce +triumph, never knowing that he has been +robbed. It was of course no fault of Edith's +that she had become possessed of Halfdan's +heart-secret. She regarded it as on the whole +rather an absurd affair, and prized it very +lightly. That a love so strong and yet so humble, +so destitute of hope and still so unchanging, +reverent and faithful, had something grand and +touching in it, had never occurred to her. It is +a truism to say that in our social code the value +of a man's character is determined by his position; +and fine traits in a foreigner (unless he +should happen to be something very great) +strike us rather as part of a supposed mental +alienism, and as such, naturally suspicious. It +is rather disgraceful than otherwise to have your +music teacher in love with you, and critical +friends will never quite banish the suspicion +that you have encouraged him. + +Edith had, in her first delight at the discovery +of Halfdan's talent, frankly admitted him +to a relation of apparent equality. He was a +man of culture, had the manners and bearing of +a gentleman, and had none of those theatrical +airs which so often raise a sort of invisible wall +between foreigners and Americans. Her mother, +who loved to play the patron, especially to young +men, had invited him to dinner-parties and introduced +him to their friends, until almost every one +looked upon him as a protege of the family. He +appeared so well in a parlor, and had really such +a distinguished presence, that it was a pleasure +to look at him. He was remarkably free from +those obnoxious traits which generalizing American +travelers have led us to believe were inseparable +from foreign birth; his finger-nails were +in no way conspicuous; he did not, as a French +count, a former adorer of Edith's, had done, +indulge an unmasculine taste for diamond rings +(possibly because he had none); his politeness +was unobtrusive and subdued, and of his accent +there was just enough left to give an agreeable +color of individuality to his speech. But, for +all that, Edith could never quite rid herself of +the impression that he was intensely un-American. +There was a certain idyllic quiescence +about him, a child-like directness and simplicity, +and a total absence of "push," which were +startlingly at variance with the spirit of American +life. An American could never have been +content to remain in an inferior position without +trying, in some way, to better his fortunes. +But Halfdan could stand still and see, without +the faintest stirring of envy, his plebeian friend +Olson, whose education and talents could bear +no comparison with his own, rise rapidly above +him, and apparently have no desire to emulate +him. He could sit on a cricket in a corner, +with Clara on his lap, and two or three little +girls nestling about him, and tell them fairy +stories by the hour, while his kindly face +beamed with innocent happiness. And if Clara, +to coax him into continuing the entertainment, +offered to kiss him, his measure of joy was full. +This fair child, with her affectionate ways, and +her confiding prattle, wound herself ever more +closely about his homeless heart, and he clung +to her with a touching devotion. For she was +the only one who seemed to be unconscious of +the difference of blood, who had not yet learned +that she was an American and he--a foreigner. + + + +VI. + + +Three years had passed by and still the situation +was unchanged. Halfdan still taught music +and told fairy stories to the children. He had +a good many more pupils now than three years +ago, although he had made no effort to solicit +patronage, and had never tried to advertise his +talent by what he regarded as vulgar and +inartistic display. But Mrs. Van Kirk, who had by +this time discovered his disinclination to assert +himself, had been only the more active; had +"talked him up" among her aristocratic friends; +had given musical soirees, at which she had +coaxed him to play the principal role, and had +in various other ways exerted herself in his +behalf. It was getting to be quite fashionable to +admire his quiet, unostentatious style of playing, +which was so far removed from the noisy +bravado and clap-trap then commonly in vogue. +Even professional musicians began to indorse +him, and some, who had discovered that "there +was money in him," made him tempting offers +for a public engagement. But, with characteristic +modesty, he distrusted their verdict; his +sensitive nature shrank from anything which had +the appearance of self-assertion or display. + +But Edith--ah, if it had not been for Edith +he might have found courage to enter at the +door of fortune, which was now opened ajar. +That fame, if he should gain it, would bring +him any nearer to her, was a thought that was +alien to so unworldly a temperament as his. +And any action that had no bearing upon his +relation to her, left him cold--seemed unworthy +of the effort. If she had asked him to play in +public; if she had required of him to go to the +North Pole, or to cut his own throat, I verily +believe he would have done it. And at last +Edith did ask him to play. She and Olson had +plotted together, and from the very friendliest +motives agreed to play into each other's hands. + +"If you only WOULD consent to play," said she, +in her own persuasive way, one day as they had +finished their lesson, "we should all be so happy. +Only think how proud we should be of your +success, for you know there is nothing you +can't do in the way of music if you really want +to." + +"Do you really think so?" exclaimed he, +while his eyes suddenly grew large and luminous. + +"Indeed I do," said Edith, emphatically. + +"And if--if I played well," faltered he, +"would it really please you?" + +"Of course it would," cried Edith, laughing; +"how can you ask such a foolish question?" + +"Because I hardly dared to believe it." + +"Now listen to me," continued the girl, +leaning forward in her chair, and beaming all over +with kindly officiousness; "now for once you +must be rational and do just what I tell you. I +shall never like you again if you oppose me in +this, for I have set my heart upon it; you must +promise beforehand that you will be good and +not make any objection. Do you hear?" + +When Edith assumed this tone toward him, +she might well have made him promise to perform +miracles. She was too intent upon her +benevolent scheme to heed the possible +inferences which he might draw from her sudden +display of interest. + +"Then you promise?" repeated she, eagerly, +as he hesitated to answer. + +"Yes, I promise." + +"Now, you must not be surprised; but mamma +and I have made arrangements with Mr. +S---- that you are to appear under his auspices +at a concert which is to be given a week from +to-night. All our friends are going, and we +shall take up all the front seats, and I have +already told my gentlemen friends to scatter +through the audience, and if they care anything +for my favor, they will have to applaud vigorously." + +Halfdan reddened up to his temples, and +began to twist his watch-chain nervously. + +"You must have small confidence in my +ability," he murmured, "since you resort to +precautions like these." + +"But my dear Mr. Birch," cried Edith, who +was quick to discover that she had made a +mistake, "it is not kind in you to mistrust me in +that way. If a New York audience were as +highly cultivated in music as you are, I admit +that my precautions would be superfluous. But +the papers, you know, will take their tone from +the audience, and therefore we must make use +of a little innocent artifice to make sure of it. +Everything depends upon the success of your +first public appearance, and if your friends can +in this way help you to establish the reputation +which is nothing but your right, I am sure you +ought not to bind their hands by your foolish +sensitiveness. You don't know the American +way of doing things as well as I do, therefore +you must stand by your promise, and leave +everything to me." + +It was impossible not to believe that anything +Edith chose to do was above reproach. She +looked so bewitching in her excited eagerness +for his welfare that it would have been inhuman +to oppose her. So he meekly succumbed, and +began to discuss with her the programme for +the concert. + +During the next week there was hardly a day +that he did not read some startling paragraph +in the newspapers about "the celebrated Scandinavian +pianist," whose appearance at S---- +Hall was looked forward to as the principal +event of the coming season. He inwardly +rebelled against the well-meant exaggerations; +but as he suspected that it was Edith's influence +which was in this way asserting itself in his behalf, +he set his conscience at rest and remained silent. + +The evening of the concert came at last, and, +as the papers stated the next morning, "the +large hall was crowded to its utmost capacity +with a select and highly appreciative audience." +Edith must have played her part of the performance +skillfully, for as he walked out upon +the stage, he was welcomed with an enthusiastic +burst of applause, as if he had been a world- +renowned artist. At Edith's suggestion, her +two favorite nocturnes had been placed first +upon the programme; then followed one of +those ballads of Chopin, whose rhythmic din and +rush sweep onward, beleaguering the ear like +eager, melodious hosts, charging in thickening +ranks and columns, beating impetuous retreats, +and again uniting with one grand emotion the +wide-spreading army of sound for the final +victory. Besides these, there was one of Liszt's +"Rhapsodies Hongroises," an impromptu by +Schubert, and several orchestral pieces; but the +greater part of the programme was devoted +to Chopin, because Halfdan, with his great, +hopeless passion laboring in his breast, felt that +he could interpret Chopin better than he could +any other composer. He carried his audience +by storm. As he retired to the dressing-room, +after having finished the last piece, his friends, +among whom Edith and Mrs. Van Kirk were +the most conspicuous, thronged about him, +showering their praises and congratulations +upon him. They insisted with much friendly +urging upon taking him home in their carriage; +Clara kissed him, Mrs. Van Kirk introduced +him to her lady acquaintances as "our friend, +Mr. Birch," and Edith held his hand so long in +hers that he came near losing his presence of +mind and telling her then and there that he +loved her. As his eyes rested on her, they +became suddenly suffused with tears, and a vast +bewildering happiness vibrated through his +frame. At last he tore himself away and wandered +aimlessly through the long, lonely streets. +Why could he not tell Edith that he loved her? +Was there any disgrace in loving? This heavenly +passion which so suddenly had transfused +his being, and year by year deadened the +substance of his old self, creating in its stead +something new and wild and strange which he +never could know, but still held infinitely dear +--had it been sent to him merely as a scourge to +test his capacity for suffering? + +Once, while he was a child, his mother had +told him that somewhere in this wide world +there lived a maiden whom God had created +for him, and for him alone, and when he should +see her, he should love her, and his life should +thenceforth be all for her. It had hardly +occurred to him, then, to question whether she +would love him in return, it had appeared so +very natural that she should. Now he had +found this maiden, and she had been very kind +to him; but her kindness had been little better +than cruelty, because he had demanded something +more than kindness. And still he had +never told her of his love. He must tell her even +this very night while the moon rode high in the +heavens and all the small differences between +human beings seemed lost in the vast starlit +stillness. He knew well that by the relentless +glare of the daylight his own insignificance +would be cruelly conspicuous in the presence of +her splendor; his scruples would revive, and his +courage fade. + +The night was clear and still. A clock struck +eleven in some church tower near by. The Van +Kirk mansion rose tall and stately in the moonlight, +flinging a dense mass of shadow across +the street. Up in the third story he saw two +windows lighted; the curtains were drawn, but +the blinds were not closed. All the rest of the +house was dark. He raised his voice and sang +a Swedish serenade which seemed in perfect +concord with his own mood. His clear tenor +rose through the silence of the night, and a +feeble echo flung it back from the mansion +opposite: + + [3] "Star, sweet star, that brightly beamest, + Glittering on the skies nocturnal, + Hide thine eye no more from me, + Hide thine eye no more from me!" + + +[3] Free translation of a Swedish serenade, the name of whose author I +have forgotten. H. H. B. + + + +The curtain was drawn aside, the window +cautiously raised, and the outline of Edith's +beautiful head appeared dark and distinct +against the light within. She instantly recognized him. + +"You must go away, Mr. Birch," came her +voice in an anxious whisper out of the shadow. +"Pray go away. You will wake up the people." + +Her words were audible enough, but they +failed to convey any meaning to his excited +mind. Once more his voice floated upward to +her opened window: + + "And I yearn to reach thy dwelling, + Yearn to rise from earth's fierce turmoil; + Sweetest star upward to thee, + Yearn to rise, bright star to thee." + + +"Dear Mr. Birch," she whispered once more +in tones of distress. "Pray DO go away. Or +perhaps," she interrupted herself "--wait one +moment and I will come down." + +Presently the front door was noiselessly +opened, and Edith's tall, lithe form, dressed in a +white flowing dress, and with her blonde hair +rolling loosely over her shoulders, appeared for +an instant, and then again vanished. With one +leap Halfdan sprang up the stairs and pushed +through the half-opened door. Edith closed +the door behind him, then with rapid steps led +the way to the back parlor where the moon broke +feebly through the bars of the closed shutters. + +"Now Mr. Birch," she said, seating herself +upon a lounge, "you may explain to me what +this unaccountable behavior of yours means. +I should hardly think I had deserved to be +treated in this way by you." + +Halfdan was utterly bewildered; a nervous +fit of trembling ran through him, and he +endeavored in vain to speak. He had been +prepared for passionate reproaches, but this calm +severity chilled him through, and he could only +gasp and tremble, but could utter no word in +his defense. + +"I suppose you are aware," continued Edith, +in the same imperturbable manner, "that if I +had not interrupted you, the policeman would +have h*eard you, and you would have been +arrested for street disturbance. Then to-morrow +we should have seen it in all the newspapers, +and I should have been the laughing-stock of +the whole town." + +No, surely he had never thought of it in +that light; the idea struck him as entirely new. +There was a long pause. A cock crowed with +a drowsy remoteness in some neighboring yard, +and the little clock on the mantel-piece ticked +on patiently in the moonlit dusk. + +"If you have nothing to say," resumed Edith, +while the stern indifference in her voice +perceptibly relaxed, "then I will bid you good- +night." + +She arose, and with a grand sweep of her +drapery, moved toward the door. + +"Miss Edith," cried he, stretching his hands +despairingly after her, "you must not leave me." + +She paused, tossed her hair back with her +hands, and gazed at him over her shoulder. He +threw himself on his knees, seized the hem of +her dress, and pressed it to his lips. It was a +gesture of such inexpressible humility that even +a stone would have relented. + +"Do not be foolish, Mr. Birch," she said, try- +ing to pull her dress away from him. "Get up, +and if you have anything rational to say to me, +I will stay and listen." + +"Yes, yes," he whispered, hoarsely, "I shall +be rational. Only do not leave me." + +She again sank down wearily upon the +lounge, and looked at him in expectant silence. + +"Miss Edith," pleaded he in the same hoarse, +passionate undertone, "have pity on me, and +do not despise me. I love you--oh--if you +would but allow me to die for you, I should be +the happiest of men." + +Again he shuddered, and stood long gazing +at her with a mute, pitiful appeal. A tear stole +into Edith's eye and trickled down over her +cheek. + +"Ah, Mr. Birch," she murmured, while a +sigh shook her bosom, "I am sorry--very sorry +that this misfortune has happened to you. You +have deserved a better fate than to love me--to +love a woman who can never give you anything +in return for what you give her." + +"Never?" he repeated mournfully, "never?" + +"No, never! You have been a good friend +to me, and as such I value you highly, and I had +hoped that you would always remain so. But +I see that it cannot be. It will perhaps be best +for you henceforth not to see me, at least not +until--pardon the expression--you have out- +lived this generous folly. And now, you know, +you will need me no more. You have made a +splendid reputation, and if you choose to avail +yourself of it, your fortune is already made. I +shall always rejoice to hear of your success, and +--and if you should ever need a FRIEND, you +must come to no one but me. I know that these +are feeble words, Mr. Birch, and if they seem +cold to you, you must pardon me. I can say +nothing more." + +They were indeed feeble words, although +most cordially spoken. He tried to weigh them, +to measure their meaning, but his mind was as +if benumbed, and utterly incapable of thought. +He walked across the floor, perhaps only to do +something, not feeling where he trod, but still +with an absurd sensation that he was taking +immoderately long steps. Then he stopped +abruptly, wrung his hands, and gazed at Edith. +And suddenly, like a flash in a vacuum, the +thought shot through his brain that he had seen +this very scene somewhere--in a dream, in a +remote childhood, in a previous existence, he did +not know when or where. It seemed strangely +familiar, and in the next instant strangely mean- +ingless and unreal. The walls, the floor-- +everything began to move, to whirl about him; he +struck his hands against his forehead, and sank +down into a damask-covered easy-chair. With +a faint cry of alarm, Edith sprang up, seized a +bottle of cologne which happened to be within +reach, and knelt down at his side. She put her +arm around his neck, and raised his head. + +"Mr. Birch, dear Mr. Birch," she cried, in a +frightened whisper, "for God's sake come to +yourself! O God, what have I done?" + +She blew the eau-de-cologne into his face, +and, as he languidly opened his eyes, he felt the +touch of her warm hand upon his cheeks and his +forehead. + +"Thank heaven! he is better," she murmured, +still continuing to bathe his temples. "How do +you feel now, Mr. Birch?" she added, in a tone +of anxious inquiry. + +"Thank you, it was an unpardonable weakness," +he muttered, without changing his attitude. +"Do not trouble yourself about me. I +shall soon be well." + +It was so sweet to be conscious of her gentle +ministry, that it required a great effort, an effort +of conscience, to rouse him once more, as his +strength returned. + +"Had you not better stay?" she asked, as he +rose to put on his overcoat. "I will call one of +the servants and have him show you a room. +We will say to-morrow morning that you were +taken ill, and nobody will wonder." + +"No, no," he responded, energetically. "I +am perfectly strong now." But he still had to +lean on a chair, and his face was deathly pale. + +"Farewell, Miss Edith," he said; and a tender +sadness trembled in his voice. "Farewell. We +shall--probably--never meet again." + +"Do not speak so," she answered, seizing his +hand. "You will try to forget this, and you +will still be great and happy. And when fortune +shall again smile upon you, and--and-- +you will be content to be my friend, then we +shall see each other as before." + +"No, no," he broke forth, with a sudden +hoarseness. "It will never be." + +He walked toward the door with the motions +of one who feels death in his limbs; then +stopped once more and his eyes lingered with +inexpressible sadness on the wonderful, beloved +form which stood dimly outlined before him in +the twilight. Then Edith's measure of misery, +too, seemed full. With the divine heedlessness +which belongs to her sex, she rushed up toward +him, and remembering only that he was weak +and unhappy, and that he suffered for her sake, +she took his face between her hands and kissed +him. He was too generous a man to misinterpret +the act; so he whispered but once more: +"Farewell," and hastened away. + + + +VII. + + +After that eventful December night, America +was no more what it had been to Halfdan +Bjerk. A strange torpidity had come over him; +every rising day gazed into his eyes with a fierce +unmeaning glare. The noise of the street +annoyed him and made him childishly fretful, and +the solitude of his own room seemed still more +dreary and depressing. He went mechanically +through the daily routine of his duties as if the +soul had been taken out of his work, and left +his life all barrenness and desolation. He +moved restlessly from place to place, roamed at +all times of the day and night through the city +and its suburbs, trying vainly to exhaust his +physical strength; gradually, as his lethargy +deepened into a numb, helpless despair, it seemed +somehow to impart a certain toughness to his +otherwise delicate frame. Olson, who was now +a junior partner in the firm of Remsen, Van +Kirk and Co., stood by him faithfully in these +days of sorrow. He was never effusive in his +sympathy, but was patiently forbearing with +his friend's whims and moods, and humored him +as if he had been a sick child intrusted to his +custody. That Edith might be the moving +cause of Olson's kindness was a thought which, +strangely enough, had never occurred to Halfdan. + +At last, when spring came, the vacancy of his +mind was suddenly invaded with a strong desire +to revisit his native land. He disclosed his plan +to Olson, who, after due deliberation and +several visits to the Van Kirk mansion, decided +that the pleasure of seeing his old friends and +the scenes of his childhood might push the +painful memories out of sight, and renew his +interest in life. So, one morning, while the +May sun shone with a soft radiance upon the +beautiful harbor, our Norseman found himself +standing on the deck of a huge black-hulled +Cunarder, shivering in spite of the warmth, and +feeling a chill loneliness creeping over him at +the sight of the kissing and affectionate leave- +takings which were going on all around him. +Olson was running back and forth, attending to +his baggage; but he himself took no thought, +and felt no more responsibility than if he had +been a helpless child. He half regretted that +his own wish had prevailed, and was inclined to +hold his friend responsible for it; and still he +had not energy enough to protest now when the +journey seemed inevitable. His heart still clung +to the place which held the corpse of his ruined +life, as a man may cling to the spot which hides +his beloved dead. + +About two weeks later Halfdan landed in +Norway. He was half reluctant to leave the +steamer, and the land of his birth excited no +emotion in his breast. He was but conscious of +a dim regret that he was so far away from +Edith. At last, however, he betook himself to +a hotel, where he spent the afternoon sitting +with half-closed eyes at a window, watching +listlessly the drowsy slow-pulsed life which +dribbled languidly through the narrow +thoroughfare. The noisy uproar of Broadway +chimed remotely in his ears, like the distant +roar of a tempest-tossed sea, and what had once +been a perpetual annoyance was now a sweet +memory. How often with Edith at his side had +he threaded his way through the surging crowds +that pour, on a fine afternoon, in an unceasing +current up and down the street between Union +and Madison Squares. How friendly, and sweet, +and gracious, Edith had been at such times; +how fresh her voice, how witty and animated +her chance remarks when they stopped to greet +a passing acquaintance; and, above all, how +inspiring the sight of her heavenly beauty. +Now that was all past. Perhaps he should +never see Edith again. + +The next day he sauntered through the city, +meeting some old friends, who all seemed +changed and singularly uninteresting. They +were all engaged or married, and could talk of +nothing but matrimony, and their prospects of +advancement in the Government service. One +had an influential uncle who had been a chum +of the present minister of finance; another based +his hopes of future prosperity upon the family +connections of his betrothed, and a third was +waiting with a patient perseverance, worthy of +a better cause, for the death or resignation of +an antiquated chef-de-bureau, which, according +to the promise of some mighty man, would open +a position for him in the Department of Justice. +All had the most absurd theories about American +democracy, and indulged freely in prophecies +of coming disasters; but about their own +government they had no opinion whatever. If +Halfdan attempted to set them right, they at +once grew excited and declamatory; their +opinions were based upon conviction and a +charming ignorance of facts, and they were not +to be moved. They knew all about Tweed and +the Tammany Ring, and believed them to be +representative citizens of New York, if not of +the United States; but of Charles Sumner and +Carl Schurz they had never heard. Halfdan, +who, in spite of his misfortunes in the land of +his adoption, cherished a very tender feeling for +it, was often so thoroughly aroused at the foolish +prejudices which everywhere met him, that his +torpidity gradually thawed away, and he began +to look more like his former self. + +Toward autumn he received an invitation +to visit a country clergyman in the North, a +distant relative of his father's, and there whiled +away his time, fishing and shooting, until winter +came. But as Christmas drew near, and the day +wrestled feebly with the all-conquering night, +the old sorrow revived. In the darkness which +now brooded over land and sea, the thoughts +needed no longer be on guard against themselves; +they could roam far and wide as they +listed. Where was Edith now, the sweet, the +wonderful Edith? Was there yet the same +dancing light in her beautiful eyes, the same +golden sheen in her hair, the same merry ring +in her voice? And had she not said that when +he was content to be only her friend, he might +return to her, and she would receive him in the +old joyous and confiding way? Surely there +was no life to him apart from her: why should +he not be her friend? Only a glimpse of her +lovely face--ah, it was worth a lifetime; it +would consecrate an age of misery, a glimpse of +Edith's face. Thus ran his fancies day by day, +and the night only lent a deeper intensity to the +yearnings of the day. He walked about as in a +dream, seeing nothing, heeding nothing, while +this one strong desire--to see Edith once more +--throbbed and throbbed with a slow, feverish +perseverance within him. Edith--Edith, the +very name had a strange, potent fascination. +Every thought whispered "Edith,"--his pulse +beat "Edith,"--and his heart repeated the +beloved name. It was his pulse-beat,--his +heartbeat,--his life-beat. + +And one morning as he stood absently +looking at his fingers against the light--and they +seemed strangely wan and transparent--the +thought at last took shape. It rushed upon +him with such vehemence, that he could no more +resist it. So he bade the clergyman good-bye, +gathered his few worldly goods together and +set out for Bergen. There he found an English +steamer which carried him to Hull, and a few +weeks later, he was once more in New York. + +It was late one evening in January that a +tug-boat arrived and took the cabin passengers +ashore. The moon sailed tranquilly over the +deep blue dome of the sky, the stars traced their +glittering paths of light from the zenith downward, +and it was sharp, bitter cold. Northward +over the river lay a great bank of cloud, dense, +gray and massive, the spectre of the coming +snow-storm. There it lay so huge and fantastically +human, ruffling itself up, as fowls do, in +defense against the cold. Halfdan walked on +at a brisk rate--strange to say, all the street- +cars he met went the wrong way--startling +every now and then some precious memory, some +word or look or gesture of Edith's which had +hovered long over those scenes, waiting for his +recognition. There was the great jewel-store +where Edith had taken him so often to consult +his taste whenever a friend of hers was to be +married. It was there that they had had an +amicable quarrel over that bronze statue of +Faust which she had found beautiful, while he, +with a rudeness which seemed now quite +incomprehensible, had insisted that it was not. +And when he had failed to convince her, she had +given him her hand in token of reconciliation-- +and Edith had a wonderful way of giving her +hand, which made any one feel that it was a +peculiar privilege to press it--and they had +walked out arm in arm into the animated, gas- +lighted streets, with a delicious sense of +snugness and security, being all the more closely +united for their quarrel. Here, farther up the +avenue, they had once been to a party, and he +had danced for the first time in his life with +Edith. Here was Delmonico's, where they had +had such fascinating luncheons together; where +she had got a stain on her dress, and he had +been forced to observe that her dress was then +not really a part of herself, since it was a thing +that could not be stained. Her dress had +always seemed to him as something absolute and +final, exalted above criticism, incapable of +improvement. + +As I have said, Halfdan walked briskly up the +avenue, and it was something after eleven when +he reached the house which he sought. The +great cloud-bank in the north had then begun +to expand and stretched its long misty arms +eastward and westward over the heavens. The +windows on the ground-floor were dark, but the +sleeping apartments in the upper stories were +lighted. In Edith's room the inside shutters +were closed, but one of the windows was a little +down at the top. And as he stood gazing +with tremulous happiness up to that window, +a stanza from Heine which he and Edith had +often read together, came into his head. It +was the story of the youth who goes to the +Madonna at Kevlar and brings her as a votive +offering a heart of wax, that she may heal him +of his love and his sorrow. + + "I bring this waxen image, + The image of my heart, + Heal thou my bitter sorrow, + And cure my deadly smart!"[4] + + +[4] Translation, from "Exotics. By J. F. C. & C. L." + + +Then came the thought that for him, too, as +for the poor youth of Cologne, there was healing +only in death. And still in this moment he +was so near Edith, should see her perhaps, and +the joy at this was stronger than all else, +stronger even than death. So he sat down +beside the steps of the mansion opposite, where +there was some shelter from the wind, and +waited patiently till Edith should close her win- +dow. He was cold, perhaps, but, if so, he hardly +knew it, for the near joy of seeing her throbbed +warmly in his veins. Ah, there--the blinds +were thrown open; Edith, in all the lithe +magnificence of her wonderful form, stood out clear +and beautiful against the light within; she +pushed up the lower window in order to reach +the upper one, and for a moment leaned out +over the sill. Once more her wondrous profile +traced itself in strong relief against the outer +gloom. There came a cry from the street below, +a feeble involuntary one, but still distinctly +audible. Edith peered anxiously out into the +darkness, but the darkness had grown denser +and she could see nothing. The window was +fastened, the shutters closed, and the broad +pathway of light which she had flung out upon +the night had vanished. + +Halfdan closed his eyes trying to retain the +happy vision. Yes, there she stood still, and +there was a heavenly smile upon her lips--ugh, +he shivered--the snow swept in a wild whirl up +the street. He wrapped his plaid more closely +about him, and strained his eyes to catch one +more glimpse of the beloved Edith. Ah, yes; +there she was again; she came nearer and +nearer, and she touched his cheek, gently, warily +smiling all the while with a strange wistful smile +which was surely not Edith's. There, she bent +over him,--touched him again,--how cold her +hands were; the touch chilled him to the heart. +The snow had now begun to fall in large scattered +flakes, whirling fitfully through the air, +following every chance gust of wind, but still +falling, falling, and covering the earth with its +white, death-like shroud. + +But surely--there was Edith again,--how +wonderful!--in a long snow-white robe, grave +and gracious, still with the wistful smile on her +lips. See, she beckons to him with her hand, +and he rises to follow, but something heavy +clings to his feet and he cannot stir from the +spot. He tries to cry for help, but he cannot,-- +can only stretch out his hands to her, and feel +very unhappy that he cannot follow her. But +now she pauses in her flight, turns about, and +he sees that she wears a myrtle garland in her +hair like a bride. She comes toward him, her +countenance all radiant with love and happiness, +and she stoops down over him and speaks: + +"Come; they are waiting for us. I will follow +thee in life and in death, wherever thou +goest. Come," repeats Edith, "they have long +been waiting. They are all here." + +And he imagines he knows who they all are, +although he has never heard of them, nor can +he recall their names. + +"But--but," he stammers, "I--I--am a foreigner " + +It appeared then that for some reason this +was an insurmountable objection. And Edith's +happiness dies out of her beautiful face, and she +turns away weeping. + +"Edith, beloved!" + +Then she is once more at his side. + +"Thou art no more a foreigner to me, beloved. +Whatever thou art, I am." + +And she presses her lips to his--it was the +sweetest kiss of his life--the kiss of death. + +The next morning, as Edith, after having put +the last touch to her toilet, threw the shutters +open, a great glare of sun-smitten snow burst +upon her and for a moment blinded her eyes. +On the sidewalk opposite, half a dozen men +with snow-shovels in their hands and a couple +of policeman had congregated, and, judging by +their manner, were discussing some object of +interest. Presently they were joined by her +father, who had just finished his breakfast and +was on his way to the office. Now he stooped +down and gazed at something half concealed in +the snow, then suddenly started back, and as +she caught a glimpse of his face, she saw that +it was ghastly white. A terrible foreboding +seized her. She threw a shawl about her shoulders +and rushed down-stairs. In the hall she was +met by her father, who was just entering, +followed by four men, carrying something between +them. She well knew what it was. She would +fain have turned away, but she could not: +grasping her father's arm and pressing it hard, +she gazed with blank, frightened eyes at the +white face, the lines of which Death had so +strangely emphasized. The snow-flakes which +hung in his hair had touched him with their +sudden age, as if to bridge the gulf between youth +and death. And still he was beautiful--the +clear brow, the peaceful, happy indolence, the +frozen smile which death had perpetuated. +Smiling, he had departed from the earth which +had no place for him, and smiling entered the +realm where, among the many mansions, there is, perhaps, +also one for a gentle, simple-hearted enthusiast. + + + +THE STORY OF AN OUTCAST. + +THERE was an ancient feud between +the families; and Bjarne Blakstad was +not the man to make it up, neither was +Hedin Ullern. So they looked askance +at each other whenever they met on the +highway, and the one took care not to cross the +other's path. But on Sundays, when the church- +bells called the parishioners together, they could +not very well avoid seeing each other on the +church-yard; and then, one day, many years +ago, when the sermon had happened to touch +Bjarne's heart, he had nodded to Hedin and +said: "Fine weather to-day;" and Hedin had +returned the nod and answered: "True is that." +"Now I have done my duty before God and +men," thought Bjarne, "and it is his turn to +take the next step." "The fellow is proud," +said Hedin to himself, "and he wants to show +off his generosity. But I know the wolf by his +skin, even if he has learned to bleat like +a ewe-lamb." + +What the feud really was about, they had +both nearly forgotten. All they knew was +that some thirty years ago there had been a +quarrel between the pastor and the parish about +the right of carrying arms to the church. And +then Bjarne's father had been the spokesman of +the parish, while Hedin's grandsire had been a +staunch defender of the pastor. There was a +rumor, too, that they had had a fierce encounter +somewhere in the woods, and that the one had +stabbed the other with a knife; but whether that +was really true, no one could tell. + +Bjarne was tall and grave, like the weather- +beaten fir-trees in his mast-forest. He had a +large clean-shaven face, narrow lips, and small +fierce eyes. He seldom laughed, and when he +did, his laugh seemed even fiercer than his +frown. He wore his hair long, as his fathers +had done, and dressed in the styles of two +centuries ago; his breeches were clasped with large +silver buckles at the knees, and his red jerkin +was gathered about his waist with a leathern +girdle. He loved everything that was old, in +dress as well as in manners, took no newspapers, +and regarded railroads and steamboats as inventions +of the devil. Bjarne had married late in +life, and his marriage had brought him two +daughters, Brita and Grimhild. + +Hedin Ullern was looked upon as an upstart. +He could only count three generations back, +and he hardly knew himself how his grandfather +had earned the money that had enabled +him to buy a farm and settle down in the +valley. He had read a great deal, and was well +informed on the politics of the day; his name +had even been mentioned for storthingsmand, or +member of parliament from the district, and it +was the common opinion, that if Bjarne Blakstad +had not so vigorously opposed him, he +would have been elected, being the only +"cultivated" peasant in the valley. Hedin was no +unwelcome guest in the houses of gentlefolks, +and he was often seen at the judge's and the +pastor's omber parties. And for all this Bjarne +Blakstad only hated him the more. Hedin's +wife, Thorgerda, was fair-haired, tall and stout, +and it was she who managed the farm, while +her husband read his books, and studied politics +in the newspapers; but she had a sharp tongue +and her neighbors were afraid of her. They +had one son, whose name was Halvard. + +Brita Blakstad, Bjarne's eldest daughter, was +a maid whom it was a joy to look upon. They +called her "Glitter-Brita," because she was fond +of rings and brooches, and everything that was +bright; while she was still a child, she once +took the old family bridal-crown out from the +storehouse and carried it about on her head. +"Beware of that crown, child," her father had +said to her, "and wear it not before the time. +There is not always blessing in the bridal +silver." And she looked wonderingly up into +his eyes and answered: "But it glitters, +father;" and from that time forth they had +named her Glitter-Brita. + +And Glitter-Brita grew up to be a fair and +winsome maiden, and wherever she went the +wooers flocked on her path. Bjarne shook +his head at her, and often had harsh words +upon his lips, when he saw her braiding field- +flowers into her yellow tresses or clasping the +shining brooches to her bodice; but a look +of hers or a smile would completely disarm +him. She had a merry way of doing things +which made it all seem like play; but work went +rapidly from her hands, while her ringing laughter +echoed through the house, and her sunny +presence made it bright in the dusky ancestral +halls. In her kitchen the long rows of copper +pots and polished kettles shone upon the walls, +and the neatly scoured milk-pails stood like +soldiers on parade about the shelves under the +ceiling. Bjarne would often sit for hours watching +her, and a strange spring-feeling would steal +into his heart. He felt a father's pride in her +stately growth and her rich womanly beauty. +"Ah!" he would say to himself, "she has the +pure blood in her veins and, as true as I live, +the farm shall be hers." And then, quite +contrary to his habits, he would indulge in a little +reverie, imagining the time when he, as an +aged man, should have given the estate over +into her hands, and seeing her as a worthy matron +preside at the table, and himself rocking +his grandchildren on his knee. No wonder, +then, that he eyed closely the young lads who +were beginning to hover about the house, and +that he looked with suspicion upon those who +selected Saturday nights for their visits.[5] +When Brita was twenty years old, however, her +father thought that it was time for her to make +her choice. There were many fine, brave lads +in the valley, and, as Bjarne thought, Brita +would have the good sense to choose the finest +and the bravest. So, when the winter came, he +suddenly flung his doors open to the youth of +the parish, and began to give parties with ale +and mead in the grand old style. He even +talked with the young men, at times, encouraged +them to manly sports, and urged them to taste +of his home-brewed drinks and to tread the +spring-dance briskly. And Brita danced and +laughed so that her hair flew around her and +the silver brooches tinkled and rang on her +bosom. But when the merriment was at an +end, and any one of the lads remained behind +to offer her his hand, she suddenly grew grave, +told him she was too young, that she did not +know herself, and that she had had no time as yet +to decide so serious a question. Thus the winter +passed and the summer drew near. + + +[5] In the country districts of Norway Saturday +evening is regarded as "the wooer's eve." + + +In the middle of June, Brita went to the saeter[6] +with the cattle; and her sister, Grimhild, +remained at home to keep house on the farm. She +loved the life in the mountains; the great +solitude sometimes made her feel sad, but it was +not an unpleasant sadness, it was rather a gentle +toning down of all the shrill and noisy feelings +of the soul. Up there, in the heart of the +primeval forest, her whole being seemed to herself +a symphony of melodious whispers with a +vague delicious sense of remoteness and mystery +in them, which she only felt and did not attempt +to explain. There, those weird legends which, +in former days, still held their sway in the fancy +of every Norsewoman, breathed their secrets +into her ear, and she felt her nearness and kinship +to nature, as at no other time. + + +[6] The saeter is a place in the mountains where the +Norwegian peasants spend their summers pasturing their cattle. +Every large farm has its own saeter, consisting of one +or more chalets, hedged in by a fence of stone or planks. + + +One night, as the sun was low, and a purple +bluish smoke hung like a thin veil over the tops +of the forest, Brita had taken out her knitting +and seated herself on a large moss-grown stone, +on the croft. Her eyes wandered over the broad +valley which was stretched out below, and she +could see the red roofs of the Blakstad mansion +peeping forth between the fir-trees. And she +wondered what they were doing down there, +whether Grimhild had done milking, and +whether her father had returned from the ford, +where it was his habit at this hour to ride with +the footmen to water the horses. As she sat +thus wondering, she was startled by a creaking +in the dry branches hard by, and lifting her eye, +she saw a tall, rather clumsily built, young man +emerging from the thicket. He had a broad +but low forehead, flaxen hair which hung down +over a pair of dull ox-like eyes; his mouth was +rather large and, as it was half open, displayed +two massive rows of shining white teeth. His +red peaked cap hung on the back of his head +and, although it was summer, his thick wadmal +vest was buttoned close up to his throat; over +his right arm he had flung his jacket, and in his +hand he held a bridle. + +"Good evening," said Brita, "and thanks for +last meeting;" although she was not sure that +she had ever seen him before. + +"It was that bay mare, you know," stammered +the man in a half apologetic tone, and +shook the bridle, as if in further explanation. + +"Ah, you have lost your mare," said the girl, +and she could not help smiling at his helplessness +and his awkward manner. + +"Yes, it was the bay mare," answered he, in +the same diffident tone; then, encouraged by her +smile, he straightened himself a little and +continued rather more fluently: "She never was +quite right since the time the wolves were after +her. And then since they took the colt away +from her the milk has been troubling her, and +she hasn't been quite like herself." + +"I haven't seen her anywhere hereabouts," +said Brita; "you may have to wander far, before +you get on the track of her." + +"Yes, that is very likely. And I am tired already." + +"Won't you sit down and rest yourself?" + +He deliberately seated himself in the grass, +and gradually gained courage to look her +straight in the face; and his dull eye remained +steadfastly fixed on her in a way which bespoke +unfeigned surprise and admiration. Slowly his +mouth broadened into a smile; but his smile had +more of sadness than of joy in it. She had, +from the moment she saw him, been possessed +of a strangely patronizing feeling toward him. +She could not but treat him as if he had been a +girl or some person inferior to her in station. +In spite of his large body, the impression he +made upon her was that of weakness; but she +liked the sincerity and kindness which expressed +themselves in his sad smile and large, honest +blue eyes. His gaze reminded her of that of an +ox, but it had not only the ox's dullness, but +also its simplicity and good-nature. + +They sat talking on for a while about the weather, +the cattle, and the prospects of the crops. + +"What is your name?" she asked, at last. + +"Halvard Hedinson Ullern." + +A sudden shock ran through her at the sound +of that name; in the next moment a deep blush +stole over her countenance. + +"And my name," she said, slowly, "is Brita +Bjarne's daughter Blakstad." + +She fixed her eyes upon him, as if to see +what effect her words produced. But his features +wore the same sad and placid expression; +and no line in his face seemed to betray either +surprise or ill-will. Then her sense of patronage +grew into one of sympathy and pity. "He +must either be weak-minded or very unhappy," +thought she, "and what right have I then to +treat him harshly." And she continued her +simple, straightforward talk with the young +man, until he, too, grew almost talkative, and +the sadness of his smile began to give way to +something which almost resembled happiness. +She noticed the change and rejoiced. At last, +when the sun had sunk behind the western +mountain tops, she rose and bade him good- +night; in another moment the door of the saeter- +cottage closed behind her, and he heard her +bolting it on the inside. But for a long time +he remained sitting on the grass, and strange +thoughts passed through his head. He had +quite forgotten his bay mare. + +The next evening when the milking was done, +and the cattle were gathered within the saeter +enclosure, Brita was again sitting on the large +stone, looking out over the valley. She felt a +kind of companionship with the people when +she saw the smoke whirling up from their chimneys, +and she could guess what they were going +to have for supper. As she sat there, she again +heard a creaking in the branches, and Halvard +Ullern stood again before her, with his jacket +on his arm, and the same bridle in his hand. + +"You have not found your bay mare yet?" +she exclaimed, laughingly. "And you think +she is likely to be in this neighborhood?" + +"I don't know," he answered; "and I don't +care if she isn't." + +He spread his jacket on the grass, and sat +down on the spot where he had sat the night +before. Brita looked at him in surprise and +remained silent; she didn't know how to interpret +this second visit. + +"You are very handsome," he said, suddenly, +with a gravity which left no doubt as to his +sincerity. + +"Do you think so?" she answered, with a +merry laugh. He appeared to her almost a +child, and it never entered her mind to feel +offended. On the contrary, she was not sure but +that she felt pleased. + +"I have thought of you ever since yesterday," +he continued, with the same imperturbable +manner. "And if you were not angry with me, I +thought I would like to look at you once more. +You are so different from other folks." + +"God bless your foolish talk," cried Brita, +with a fresh burst of merriment. "No, indeed +I am not angry with you; I should just as soon +think of being angry with--with that calf," +she added for want of another comparison. + +"You think I don't know much," he +stammered. "And I don't." The sad smile again +settled on his countenance. + +A feeling of guilt sent the blood throbbing +through her veins. She saw that she had done +him injustice. He evidently possessed more +sense, or at least a finer instinct, than she had +given him credit for. + +"Halvard," she faltered, "if I have offended +you, I assure you I didn't mean to do it; and a +thousand times I beg your pardon." + +"You haven't offended me, Brita," answered +he, blushing like a girl. "You are the first one +who doesn't make me feel that I am not so wise +as other folks." + +She felt it her duty to be open and confiding +with him in return; and in order not to seem +ungenerous, or rather to put them on an equal +footing by giving him also a peep into her +heart, she told him about her daily work, about +the merry parties at her father's house, and +about the lusty lads who gathered in their halls +to dance the Halling and the spring-dance. He +listened attentively while she spoke, gazing +earnestly into her face, but never interrupting +her. In his turn he described to her in his +slow deliberate way, how his father constantly +scolded him because he was not bright, and did +not care for politics and newspapers, and how +his mother wounded him with her sharp tongue +by making merry with him, even in the presence +of the servants and strangers. He did not seem +to imagine that there was anything wrong in +what he said, or that he placed himself in a +ludicrous light; nor did he seem to speak from +any unmanly craving for sympathy. His manner +was so simple and straightforward that +what Brita probably would have found strange +in another, she found perfectly natural in him. + +It was nearly midnight when they parted{.} +She hardly slept at all that night, and she was +half vexed with herself for the interest she +took in this simple youth. The next morning +her father came up to pay her a visit and to see +how the flocks were thriving. She understood +that it would be dangerous to say anything to +him about Halvard, for she knew his temper +and feared the result, if he should ever discover +her secret. Therefore, she shunned an opportunity +to talk with him, and only busied herself +the more with the cattle and the cooking. +Bjarne soon noticed her distraction, but, of +course, never suspected the cause. Before he +left her, he asked her if she did not find it too +lonely on the saeter, and if it would not be well +if he sent her one of the maids for a companion. +She hastened to assure him that that was quite +unnecessary; the cattle-boy who was there to +help her was all the company she wanted. +Toward evening, Bjarne Blakstad loaded his +horses with buckets, filled with cheese and butter, +and started for the valley. Brita stood +long looking after him as he descended the +rocky slope, and she could hardly conceal from +herself that she felt relieved, when, at last, the +forest hid him from her sight. All day she had +been walking about with a heavy heart; there +seemed to be something weighing on her breast, +and she could not throw it off. Who was this +who had come between her and her father? +Had she ever been afraid of him before, had +she been glad to have him leave her? A sudden +bitterness took possession of her, for in her +distress, she gave Halvard the blame for all that +had happened. She threw herself down on the +grass and burst into a passionate fit of weeping; +she was guilty, wretchedly miserable, and +all for the sake of one whom she had hardly +known for two days. If he should come in +this moment, she would tell him what he had +done toward her; and her wish must have been +heard, for as she raised her eyes, he stood there +at her side, the sad feature about his mouth and +his great honest eyes gazing wonderingly at her. +She felt her purpose melt within her; he looked +so good and so unhappy. Then again came the +thought of her father and of her own wrong, +and the bitterness again revived. + +"Go away," cried she, in a voice half +reluctantly tender and half defiant. "Go away, +I say; I don't want to see you any more." + +"I will go to the end of the world if you +wish it," he answered, with a strange firmness. + +He picked up his jacket which he had dropped +on the ground, then turned slowly, gave her +mother long look, an infinitely sad and hopeless +one, and went. Her bosom heaved violently +--remorse, affection and filial duty wrestled +desperately in her heart. + +"No, no," she cried, "why do you go? I did +not mean it so. I only wanted--" + +He paused and returned as deliberately as he +had gone. + +Why should I dwell upon the days that followed-- +how her heart grew ever more restless, +how she would suddenly wake up at nights and +see those large blue eyes sadly gazing at her, +how by turns she would condemn herself and +him, and how she felt with bitter pain that she +was growing away from those who had hitherto +been nearest and dearest to her. And strange +to say, this very isolation from her father made +her cling only the more desperately to him. It +seemed to her as if Bjarne had deliberately +thrown her off; that she herself had been the +one who took the first step had hardly occurred +to her. Alas, her grief was as irrational as her +love. By what strange devious process of +reasoning these convictions became settled in her +mind, it is difficult to tell. It is sufficient to +know that she was a woman and that she loved. +She even knew herself that she was irrational, +and this very sense drew her more hopelessly +into the maze of the labyrinth from which she +saw no escape. + +His visits were as regular as those of the sun. +She knew that there was only a word of hers +needed to banish him from her presence forever. +And how many times did she not resolve to +speak that word? But the word was never +spoken. At times a company of the lads from +the valley would come to spend a merry evening +at the saeter; but she heeded them not, and +they soon disappeared. Thus the summer went +amid passing moods of joy and sorrow. She +had long known that he loved her, and when at +last his slow confession came, it added nothing +to her happiness; it only increased her fears for +the future. They laid many plans together in +those days; but winter came as a surprise to +both, the cattle were removed from the mountains, +and they were again separated. + +Bjarne Blakstad looked long and wistfully +at his daughter that morning, when he came to +bring her home. She wore no more rings and +brooches, and it was this which excited Bjarne's +suspicion that everything was not right with +her. Formerly he was displeased because she +wore too many; now he grumbled because she +wore none. + + + +II. + + +The winter was half gone; and in all this +time Brita had hardly once seen Halvard. Yes, +once,--it was Christmas-day,--she had ventured +to peep over to his pew in the church, and had +seen him, sitting at his father's side, and gazing +vacantly out into the empty space; but as he +had caught her glance, he had blushed, and began +eagerly to turn the leaves of his hymn- +book. It troubled her that he made no effort to +see her; many an evening she had walked alone +down at the river-side, hoping that he might +come; but it was all in vain. She could not but +believe that his father must have made some +discovery, and that he was watched. In the +mean time the black cloud thickened over her +head; for a secret gnawed at the very roots of +her heart. It was a time of terrible suspense +and suffering--such as a man never knows, such +as only a woman can endure. It was almost a +relief when the cloud burst, and the storm broke +loose, as presently it did. + +One Sunday, early in April, Bjarne did not +return at the usual hour from church. His +daughters waited in vain for him with the dinner, +and at last began to grow uneasy. It was +not his habit to keep irregular hours. There +was a great excitement in the valley just then; +the America-fever had broken out. A large +vessel was lying out in the fjord, ready to take +the emigrants away; and there was hardly a +family that did not mourn the loss of some +brave-hearted son, or of some fair and cherished +daughter. The old folks, of course, had to +remain behind; and when the children were gone, +what was there left for them but to lie down +and die? America was to them as distant as if +it were on another planet. The family feeling, +too, has ever been strong in the Norseman's +breast; he lives for his children, and seems to +live his life over again in them. It is his greatest +pride to be able to trace his blood back into the +days of Sverre and St. Olaf, and with the same +confidence he expects to see his race spread into +the future in the same soil where once it has +struck root. Then comes the storm from the +Western seas, wrestles with the sturdy trunk, +and breaks it; and the shattered branches fly to +all the four corners of the heavens. No wonder, +then, like a tree that has lost its crown, his +strength is broken and he expects but to +smoulder into the earth and die. + +Bjarne Blakstad, like the sturdy old patriot +that he was, had always fiercely denounced the +America rage; and it was now the hope of his +daughters that, perhaps, he had stayed behind +to remind the restless ones among the youth of +their duty toward their land, or to frighten some +bold emigration agent who might have been too +loud in his declamations. But it was already +eight o'clock and Bjarne was not yet to be seen. +The night was dark and stormy; a cold sleet +fiercely lashed the window-panes, and the wind +roared in the chimney. Grimhild, the younger +sister, ran restlessly out and in and slammed the +doors after her. Brita sat tightly pressed up +against the wall in the darkest corner of the +room. Every time the wind shook the house +she started up; then again seated herself and +shuddered. Dark forebodings filled her soul. + +At last,--the clock had just struck ten,--there +was a noise heard in the outer hall. Grimhild +sprang to the door and tore it open. A tall, +stooping figure entered, and by the dress she at +once recognized her father. + +"Good God," cried she, and ran up to him. + +"Go away, child," muttered he, in a voice +that sounded strangely unfamiliar, and he pushed +her roughly away. For a moment he stood +still, then stalked up to the table, and, with a +heavy thump, dropped down into a chair. There +he remained with his elbows resting on his +knees, and absently staring on the floor. His +long hair hung in wet tangles down over his +face, and the wrinkles about his mouth seemed +deeper and fiercer than usual. Now and then +he sighed, or gave vent to a deep groan. In a +while his eyes began to wander uneasily about +the room; and as they reached the corner where +Brita was sitting, he suddenly darted up, as if +stung by something poisonous, seized a brand +from the hearth, and rushed toward her. + +"Tell me I did not see it," he broke forth, +in a hoarse whisper, seizing her by the arm and +thrusting the burning brand close up to her face. +"Tell me it is a lie--a black, poisonous lie." + +She raised her eyes slowly to his and gazed +steadfastly into his face. "Ah," he continued +in the same terrible voice, "it was what I told +them down there at the church--a lie--an infernal +lie. And I drew blood--blood, I say--I +did--from the slanderer. Ha, ha, ha! What +a lusty sprawl that was!" + +The color came and departed from Brita's +cheeks. And still she was strangely self +possessed. She even wondered at her own calmness. +Alas, she did not know that it was a +calmness that is more terrible than pain, the +corpse of a forlorn and hopeless heart. + +"Child," continued Bjarne, and his voice +assumed a more natural tone, "why dost thou +not speak? They have lied about thee, child, +because thou art fair, they have envied thee." +Then, almost imploringly, "Open thy mouth, +Brita, and tell thy father that thou art pure-- +pure as the snow, child--my own--my beautiful child." + +There was a long and painful pause, in which +the crackling of the brand, and the heavy +breathing of the old man were the only sounds +to break the silence. Pale like a marble image +stood she before him; no word of excuse, no +prayer for forgiveness escaped her; only a +convulsive quivering of the lips betrayed the life +that struggled within her. With every moment +the hope died in Bjarne's bosom. His visage +was fearful to behold. Terror and fierce +indomitable hatred had grimly distorted his features, +and his eyes burned like fire-coals beneath his bushy brows. + +"Harlot," he shrieked, "harlot!" + +A cold gust of wind swept through the room. +The windows shook, the doors flew open, as if +touched by a strong invisible hand--and the old +man stood alone, holding the flickering brand +above his head. + +It was after midnight, the wind had abated, +but the snow still fell, thick and silent, burying +paths and fences under its cold white mantle. +Onward she fled--onward and ever onward. +And whither, she knew not. A cold numbness +had chilled her senses, but still her feet drove +her irresistibly onward. A dark current seemed +to have seized her, she only felt that she was +adrift, and she cared not whither it bore her. +In spite of the stifling dullness which oppressed +her, her body seemed as light as air. At last,-- +she knew not where,--she heard the roar of the +sea resounding in her ears, a genial warmth +thawed the numbness of her senses, and she +floated joyfully among the clouds--among +golden, sun-bathed clouds. When she opened +her eyes, she found herself lying in a comfortable +bed, and a young woman with a kind motherly +face was sitting at her side. It was all +like a dream, and she made no effort to account +for what appeared so strange and unaccountable. + +What she afterward heard was that a fisher- +man had found her in a snow-drift on the strand, +and that he had carried her home to his cottage +and had given her over to the charge of his +wife. This was the second day since her arrival. +They knew who she was, but had kept the doors +locked and had told no one that she was there. +She heard the story of the good woman without +emotion; it seemed an intolerable effort to think. +But on the third day, when her child was born, +her mind was suddenly aroused from its lethargy, +and she calmly matured her plans; and for the +child's sake she resolved to live and to act. +That same evening there came a little boy with +a bundle for her. She opened it and found +therein the clothes she had left behind, and-- +her brooches. She knew that it was her sister +who had sent them; then there was one who +still thought of her with affection. And yet her +first impulse was to send it all back, or to throw +it into the ocean; but she looked at her child and forbore. + +A week passed, and Brita recovered. Of +Halvard she had heard nothing. One night, as +she lay in a half doze, she thought she had Seen +a pale, frightened face pressed up against the +window-pane, and staring fixedly at her and her +child; but, after all, it might have been merely +a dream. For her fevered fancy had in these +last days frequently beguiled her into similar +visions. She often thought of him, but, strangely +enough, no more with bitterness, but with +pity. Had he been strong enough to be wicked, +she could have hated him, but he was weak, and +she pitied him. Then it was that; one evening, +as she heard that the American vessel was to +sail at daybreak, she took her little boy and +wrapped him carefully in her own clothes, bade +farewell to the good fisherman and his wife, and +walked alone down to the strand. Huge clouds +of fantastic shapes chased each other desperately +along the horizon, and now and then the +slender new moon glanced forth from the deep +blue gulfs between. She chose a boat at random +and was about to unmoor it, when she saw the +figure of a man tread carefully over the stones +and hesitatingly approach her. + +"Brita," came in a whisper from the strand. + +"Who's there?" + +"It is I. Father knows it all, and he has +nearly killed me; and mother, too." + +"Is that what you have come to tell me?" + +"No, I would like to help you some. I have +been trying to see you these many days." And +he stepped close up to the boat. + +"Thank you; I need no help." + +"But, Brita," implored he, "I have sold my +gun and my dog, and everything I had, and this +is what I have got for it." He stretched out +his hand and reached her a red handkerchief +with something heavy bound up in a corner. +She took it mechanically, held it in her hand for +a moment, then flung it far out into the water. +A smile of profound contempt and pity passed +over her countenance. + +"Farewell, Halvard," said she, calmly, and +pushed the boat into the water. + +"But, Brita," cried he, in despair, "what +would you have me do?" + +She lifted the child in her arms, then pointed +to the vacant seat at her side. He understood +what she meant, and stood for a moment wavering. +Suddenly, he covered his face with his +hands and burst into tears. Within half an +hour, Brita boarded the vessel, and as the first +red stripe of the dawn illumined the horizon, the +wind filled the sails, and the ship glided westward +toward that land where there is a home +for them whom love and misfortune have exiled. + +It was a long and wearisome voyage. There +was an old English clergyman on board, who +collected curiosities; to him she sold her rings +and brooches, and thereby obtained more than +sufficient money to pay her passage. She hardly +spoke to any one except her child. Those of +her fellow-parishioners who knew her, and perhaps +guessed her history, kept aloof from her, +and she was grateful to them that they did. +From morning till night, she sat in a corner +between a pile of deck freight and the kitchen +skylight, and gazed at her little boy who was +lying in her lap. All her hopes, her future, and +her life were in him. For herself, she had +ceased to hope. + +"I can give thee no fatherland, my child," she +said to him. "Thou shalt never know the name +of him who gave thee life. Thou and I, we +shall struggle together, and, as true as there is +a God above, who sees us, He will not leave either +of us to perish. But let us ask no questions, +child, about that which is past. Thou shalt +grow and be strong, and thy mother must grow +with thee." + +During the third week of the voyage, the +English clergyman baptized the boy, and she +called him Thomas, after the day in the almanac +on which he was born. He should never +know that Norway had been his mother's home; +therefore she would give him no name which +might betray his race. One morning, early in +the month of June, they hailed land, and the +great New World lay before them. + + + +III. + + +Why should I speak of the ceaseless care, the +suffering, and the hard toil, which made the +first few months of Brita's life on this continent +a mere continued struggle for existence? They +are familiar to every emigrant who has come +here with a brave heart and an empty purse. +Suffice it to say that at the end of the second +month, she succeeded in obtaining service as +milkmaid with a family in the neighborhood of +New York. With the linguistic talent peculiar +to her people, she soon learned the English +language and even spoke it well. From her +countrymen, she kept as far away as possible, not +for her own sake, but for that of her boy; for +he was to grow great and strong, and the knowledge +of his birth might shatter his strength and +break his courage. For the same reason she +also exchanged her picturesque Norse costume +for that of the people among whom she was +living. She went commonly by the name of +Mrs. Brita, which pronounced in the English +way, sounded very much like Mrs. Bright, and +this at last became the name by which she was +known in the neighborhood. + +Thus five years passed; then there was a great +rage for emigrating to the far West, and Brita, +with many others, started for Chicago. There +she arrived in the year 1852, and took up her +lodgings with an Irish widow, who was living +in a little cottage in what was then termed the +outskirts of the city. Those who saw her in +those days, going about the lumber-yards and +doing a man's work, would hardly have recognized +in her the merry Glitter-Brita, who in +times of old trod the spring-dance so gayly in +the well-lighted halls of the Blakstad mansion. +And, indeed, she was sadly changed! Her features +had become sharper, and the firm lines +about her mouth expressed severity, almost +sternness. Her clear blue eyes seemed to have +grown larger, and their glance betrayed secret, +ever-watchful care. Only her yellow hair had +resisted the force of time and sorrow; for it +still fell in rich and wavy folds over a smooth +white forehead. She was, indeed, half ashamed +of it, and often took pains to force it into a +sober, matronly hood. Only at nights, when +she sat alone talking with her boy, she would +allow it to escape from its prison; and he would +laugh and play with it, and in his child's way +even wonder at the contrast between her stern +face and her youthful maidenly tresses. + +This Thomas, her son, was a strange child. +He had a Norseman's taste for the fabulous and +fantastic, and although he never heard a tale of +Necken or the Hulder, he would often startle +his mother by the most fanciful combinations +of imagined events, and by bolder personifications +than ever sprung from the legendary soil +of the Norseland. She always took care to +check him whenever he indulged in these imaginary +flights, and he at last came to look upon +them as something wrong and sinful. The boy, +as he grew up, often strikingly reminded her of +her father, as, indeed, he seemed to have +inherited more from her own than from Halvard's +race. Only the bright flaxen hair and his square, +somewhat clumsy stature might have told him +to be the latter's child. He had a hot temper, +and often distressed his mother by his stubbornness; +and then there would come a great burst +of repentance afterwards, which distressed her +still more. For she was afraid it might be a +sign of weakness. "And strong he must be," +said she to herself, "strong enough to overcome +all resistance, and to conquer a great name for +himself, strong enough to bless a mother who +brought him into the world nameless." + +Strange to say, much as she loved this child, +she seldom caressed him. It was a penance she +had imposed upon herself to atone for her guilt. +Only at times, when she had been sitting up late, +and her eyes would fall, as it were, by accident +upon the little face on the pillow, with the +sweet unconsciousness of sleep resting upon it +like a soft, invisible veil, would she suddenly +throw herself down over him, kiss him, and +whisper tender names in his ear, while her tears +fell hot and fast on his yellow hair and his rosy +countenance. Then the child would dream that +he was sailing aloft over shining forests, and +that his mother, beaming with all the beauty of +her lost youth, flew before him, showering +golden flowers on his path. These were the +happiest moments of Brita's joyless life, and +even these were not unmixed with bitterness; +for into the midst of her joy would steal a shy +anxious thought which was the more terrible +because it came so stealthily, so soft-footed and +unbidden. Had not this child been given her +as a punishment for her guilt? Had she then a +right to turn God's scourge into a blessing? +Did she give to God "that which belongeth unto +God," as long as all her hopes, her thoughts, +and her whole being revolved about this one +earthly thing, her son, the child of her sorrow? +She was not a nature to shrink from grave questions; +no, she met them boldly, when once they +were there, wrestled fiercely with them, was +defeated, and again with a martyr's zeal rose to +renew the combat. God had Himself sent her +this perplexing doubt and it was her duty to +bear His burden. Thus ran Brita's reasoning. +In the mean while the years slipped by, and great +changes were wrought in the world about her. + +The few hundred dollars which Brita had been +able to save, during the first three years of her +stay in Chicago, she had invested in a piece of +land. In the mean while the city had grown, +and in the year 1859 she was offered five thousand +dollars for her lot; this offer she accepted +and again bought a small piece of property at +a short distance from the city. The boy had +since his eighth year attended the public school, +and had made astonishing progress. Every day +when school was out, she would meet him at the +gate, take him by the hand and lead him home. +If any of the other boys dared to make sport of +her, or to tease him for his dependence upon +her, it was sure to cost that boy a black eye{.} +He soon succeeded in establishing himself in +the respect of his school-mates, for he was the +strongest boy of his own age, and ever ready to +protect and defend the weak and defenseless. +When Thomas Bright (for that was the name +by which he was known) was fifteen years old +he was offered a position as clerk in the office of +a lumber-merchant, and with his mother's consent +he accepted it. He was a fine young lad +now, large and well-knit, and with a clear +earnest countenance. In the evening he would bring +home books to read, and as it had always been +Brita's habit to interest herself in whatever +interested him, she soon found herself studying +and discussing with him things which had in +former years been far beyond the horizon of +her mind. She had at his request reluctantly +given up her work in the lumber-yards, and now +spent her days at home, busying herself with +sewing and reading and such other things as +women find to fill up a vacant hour. + +One evening, when Thomas was in his nineteenth +year, he returned from his office with a +graver face than usual. His mother's quick eye +immediately saw that something had agitated +him, but she forbore to ask. + +"Mother," said he at last, "who is my father? +Is he dead or alive?" + +"God is your father, my son," answered she, +tremblingly. "If you love me, ask me no more." + +"I do love you, mother," he said, and gave +her a grave look, in which she thought she +detected a mingling of tenderness and reproach. +"And it shall be as you have said." + +It was the first time she had had reason to +blush before him, and her emotion came near +overwhelming her; but with a violent effort +she stifled it, and remained outwardly calm. +He began pacing up and down the floor with +his head bent and his hands on his back. It +suddenly occurred to her that he was a grown +man, and that she could no longer hold the +same relation to him as his supporter and +protector. "Alas," thought she, "if God will but +let me remain his mother, I shall bless and thank Him." + +It was the first time this subject had been +broached, and it gave rise to many a doubt and +many a question in the anxious mother's mind. +Had she been right in concealing from him that +which he might justly claim to know? What +had been her motive in keeping him ignorant of +his origin and of the land of his birth? She +had wished him to grow to the strength of man- +hood, unconscious of guilt, so that he might +bear his head upright, and look the world +fearlessly in the face. And still, had there not in +all this been a lurking thought of herself, a fear +of losing his love, a desire to stand pure and +perfect in his eye? She hardly dared to answer +these questions, for, alas, she knew not that even +our purest motives are but poorly able to bear a +searching scrutiny. She began to suspect that +her whole course with her son had been wrong +from the very beginning. Why had she not +told him the stern truth, even if he should +despise her for it, even if she should have to stand +a blushing culprit in his presence? Often, when +she heard his footsteps in the hall, as he returned +from the work of the day, she would man herself +up and the words hovered upon her lips: +"Son, thou art a bastard born, a child of guilt, +and thy mother is an outcast upon the earth." +But when she met those calm blue eyes of his, +saw the unsuspecting frankness of his manner +and the hopefulness with which he looked to +the future, her womanly heart shrank from its +duty, and she hastened out of the room, threw +herself on her bed, and wept. Fiercely she +wrestled with God in prayer, until she thought +that even God had deserted her. Thus months +passed and years, and the constant care and +anxiety began to affect her health. She grew +pale and nervous, and the slightest noise would +annoy her. In the mean while, her manner +toward the young man had become strangely +altered, and he soon noticed it, although he +forbore to speak. She was scrupulously mindful +of his comfort, anxiously anticipated his wants, +and observed toward him an ever vigilant consideration, +as if he had been her master instead of her son. + +When Thomas was twenty-two years of age, +he was offered a partnership in his employer's +business, and with every year his prospects +brightened. The sale of his mother's property +brought him a very handsome little fortune, +which enabled him to build a fine and comfortable +house in one of the best portions of the +city. Thus their outward circumstances were +greatly improved, and of comfort and luxury +Brita had all and more than she had ever +desired; but her health was broken down, and the +physicians declared that a year of foreign +travel and a continued residence in Italy might +possibly restore her. At last, Thomas, too, +began to urge her, until she finally yielded. It +was on a bright morning in May that they both +started for New York, and three days later they +took the boat for Europe. What countries +they were to visit they had hardly decided, but +after a brief stay in England we find them again +on a steamer bound for Norway. + + + +IV. + + +Warm and gentle as it is, June often comes +to the fjord-valleys of Norway with the voice +and the strength of a giant. The glaciers totter +and groan, as if in anger at their own weakness, +and send huge avalanches of stones and ice +down into the valleys. The rivers swell and +rush with vociferous brawl out over the mountain- +sides, and a thousand tiny brooks join in +the general clamor, and dance with noisy chatter +over the moss-grown birch-roots. But later, +when the struggle is at an end, and June has +victoriously seated herself upon her throne, her +voice becomes more richly subdued and brings +rest and comfort to the ear and to the troubled +heart. It was while the month was in this latter +mood that Brita and her son entered once more +the valley whence, twenty-five years ago, they +had fled. Many strange, turbulent emotions +stirred the mother's bosom, as she saw again +the great snow-capped mountains, and the calm, +green valley, her childhood's home, lying so +snugly sheltered in their mighty embrace. +Even Thomas's breast was moved with vaguely +sympathetic throbs, as this wondrous scene +spread itself before him. They soon succeeded +in hiring a farm-house, about half an hour's +walk from Blakstad, and, according to Brita's +wish, established themselves there for the summer. +She had known the people well, when she +was young, but they never thought of identifying +her with the merry maid, who had once +startled the parish by her sudden flight; and +she, although she longed to open her heart to +them, let no word fall to betray her real +character. Her conscience accused her of playing +a false part, but for her son's sake she kept silent. + +Then, one day,--it was the second Sunday +after their arrival,--she rose early in the morning, +and asked Thomas to accompany her on a +walk up through the valley. There was Sabbath +in the air; the soft breath of summer, laden +with the perfume of fresh leaves and field-flowers, +gently wafted into their faces. The sun +glittered in the dewy grass, the crickets sung +with a remote voice of wonder, and the air +seemed to be half visible, and moved in trem- +bling wavelets on the path before them. Resting +on her son's arm, Brita walked slowly up +through the flowering meadows; she hardly +knew whither her feet bore her, but her heart +beat violently, and she often was obliged to +pause and press her hands against her bosom, as +if to stay the turbulent emotions. + +"You are not well, mother," said the son. +"It was imprudent in me to allow you to exert +yourself in this way." + +"Let us sit down on this stone," answered +she. "I shall soon be better. Do not look so +anxiously at me. Indeed, I am not sick." + +He spread his light summer coat on the stone +and carefully seated her. She lifted her veil +and raised her eyes to the large red-roofed mansion, +whose dark outlines drew themselves dimly +on the dusky background of the pine forest. +Was he still alive, he whose life-hope she had +wrecked, he who had once driven her out into +the night with all but a curse upon his lips? +How would he receive her, if she were to +return? Ah, she knew him, and she trembled at +the very thought of meeting him. But was not +the guilt hers? Could she depart from this +valley, could she die in peace, without having +thrown herself at his feet and implored his for- +giveness? And there, on the opposite side of +the valley, lay the home of him who had been +the cause of all her misery. What had been +his fate, and did he still remember those long +happy summer days, ah! so long, long ago? +She had dared to ask no questions of the people +with whom she lived, but now a sudden weakness +had overtaken her, and she felt that to-day +must decide her fate; she could no longer bear +this torture of uncertainty. Thomas remained +standing at her side and looked at her with +anxiety and wonder. He knew that she had +concealed many things from him, but whatever +her reasons might be, he was confident that +they were just and weighty. It was not for +him to question her about what he might have +no right to know. He felt as if he had never +loved her as in this moment, when she seemed +to be most in need of him, and an overwhelming +tenderness took possession of his heart. +He suddenly stooped down, took her pale, thin +face between his hands and kissed her. The +long pent-up emotion burst forth in a flood of +tears; she buried her face in her lap and wept +long and silently. Then the church-bells began +to peal down in the valley, and the slow mighty +sound floated calmly and solemnly up to them. +How many long-forgotten memories of childhood +and youth did they not wake in her bosom +--memories of the time when the merry Glitter- +Brita, decked with her shining brooches, wended +her way to the church among the gayly-dressed +lads and maidens of the parish? + +A cluster of white-stemmed birches threw its +shadow over the stone where the penitent +mother was sitting, and the tall grass on both +sides of the path nearly hid her from sight. +Presently the church-folk began to appear, and +Brita raised her head and drew her veil down over +her face. No one passed without greeting the +strangers, and the women and maidens, according +to old fashion, stopped and courtesied. At +last, there came an old white-haired man, leaning +on the arm of a middle-aged woman. His +whole figure was bent forward, and he often +stopped and drew his breath heavily. + +"Oh, yes, yes," he said, ill a hoarse, broken +voice, as he passed before them, "age is gaining +on me fast. I can't move about any more +as of old. But to church I must this day. God +help me! I have done much wrong and need to +pray for forgiveness." + +"You had better sit down and rest, father," +said the woman. "Here is a stone, and the +fine lady, I am sure, will allow a weak old man +to sit down beside her." + +Thomas rose and made a sign to the old man +to take his seat. + +"O yes, yes," he went on murmuring, as if +talking to himself. "Much wrong--much +forgiveness. God help us all--miserable sinners. +He who hateth not father and mother--and +daughter is not worthy of me. O, yes--yes-- +God comfort us all. Help me up, Grimhild. I +think I can move on again, now." + +Thomas, of course, did not understand a word +of what he said, but seeing that he wished to +rise, he willingly offered his assistance, supported +his arm and raised him. + +"Thanks to you, young man," said the peasant. +"And may God reward your kindness." + +And the two, father and daughter, moved on, +slowly and laboriously, as they had come. +Thomas stood following them with his eyes, +until a low, half-stifled moan suddenly called +him to his mother's side. Her frame trembled violently. + +"Mother, mother," implored he, stooping +over her, "what has happened? Why are you +no more yourself?" + +"Ah, my son, I can bear it no longer," sobbed +she. "God forgive me--thou must know it all." + +He sat down at her side and drew her closely +up to him and she hid her face on his bosom. +There was a long silence, only broken by the +loud chirruping of the crickets. + +"My son," she began at last, still hiding her face, +"thou art a child of guilt." + +"That has been no secret to me, mother," +answered he, gravely and tenderly, "since I was +old enough to know what guilt was." + +She quickly raised her head, and a look of +amazement, of joyous surprise, shone through +the tears that veiled her eyes. She could read +nothing but filial love and confidence in those +grave, manly features, and she saw in that +moment that all her doubts had been groundless, +that her long prayerful struggle had been for naught. + +"I brought thee into the world nameless," she +whispered, "and thou hast no word of reproach +for me?" + +"With God's help, I am strong enough to conquer +a name for myself, mother," was his answer. + +It was the very words of her own secret wish, +and upon his lips they sounded like a blessed +assurance, like a miraculous fulfillment of her +motherly prayer. + +"Still, another thing, my child," she went on +in a more confident voice. "This is thy native +land,--and the old man who was just sitting +here at my side was--my father." + +And there, in the shadow of the birch-trees, +in the summer stillness of that hour, she told +him the story of her love, of her flight, and of +the misery of these long, toilsome five and +twenty years. + +Late in the afternoon, Brita and her son were +seen returning to the farm-house. A calm, subdued +happiness beamed from the mother's countenance; +she was again at peace with the world +and herself, and her heart was as light as in the +days of her early youth. But her bodily +strength had given out, and her limbs almost +refused to support her. The strain upon her +nerves and the constant effort had hitherto +enabled her to keep up, but now, when that +strain was removed, exhausted nature claimed +its right. The next day--she could not leave +her bed, and with every hour her strength +failed. A physician was sent for. He gave +medicine, but no hope. He shook his head +gravely, as he went, and both mother and son +knew what that meant. + +Toward evening, Bjarne Blakstad was +summoned, and came at once. Thomas left the +room, as the old man entered, and what passed +in that hour between father and daughter, only +God knows. When the door was again opened, +Brita's eyes shone with a strange brilliancy, and +Bjarne lay on his knees before the bed, pressing +her hand convulsively between both of his. + +"This is my son, father," said she, in a +language which her son did not understand; and a +faint smile of motherly pride and happiness +flitted over her pale features. "I would give +him to thee in return for what thou hast lost; +but God has laid his future in another land." + +Bjarne rose, grasped his grandson's hand, and +pressed it; and two heavy tears ran down his +furrowed cheeks. "Alas," murmured he, "my +son, that we should meet thus." + +There they stood, bound together by the +bonds of blood, but, alas, there lay a world +between them. + +All night they sat together at the dying +woman's bedside. Not a word was spoken. +Toward morning, as the sun stole into the darkened +chamber, Brita murmured their names, and +they laid their hands in hers. + +"God be praised," whispered she, scarcely +audibly, "I have found you both--my father +and my son." A deep pallor spread over her +countenance. She was dead. + +Two days later, when the body was laid out, +Thomas stood alone in the room. The windows +were covered with white sheets, and a subdued +light fell upon the pale, lifeless countenance. +Death had dealt gently with her, she seemed +younger than before, and her light wavy +hair fell softly over the white forehead. Then +there came a middle-aged man, with a dull eye, +and a broad forehead, and timidly approached +the lonely mourner. He walked on tip-toe and +his figure stooped heavily. For a long while he +stood gazing at the dead body, then he knelt +down at the foot of the coffin, and began to sob +violently. At last he arose, took two steps toward +the young man, paused again, and departed +silently as he had come. It was Halvard. + +Close under the wall of the little red-painted +church, they dug the grave; and a week later +her father was laid to rest at his daughter's side. + +But the fresh winds blew over the Atlantic +and beckoned the son to new fields of labor in +the great land of the future. + + + +A GOOD-FOR-NOTHING. + +RALPH GRIM was born a gentleman. +He had the misfortune of coming into +the world some ten years later than +might reasonably have been expected. +Colonel Grim and his lady had celebrated twelve +anniversaries of their wedding-day, and had +given up all hopes of ever having a son and +heir, when this late-comer startled them by his +unexpected appearance. The only previous +addition to the family had been a daughter, and +she was then ten summers old. + +Ralph was a very feeble child, and could only +with great difficulty be persuaded to retain his +hold of the slender thread which bound him to +existence. He was rubbed with whisky, and +wrapped in cotton, and given mare's milk to +drink, and God knows what not, and the Colonel +swore a round oath of paternal delight +when at last the infant stopped gasping in that +distressing way and began to breathe like other +human beings. The mother, who, in spite of +her anxiety for the child's life, had found time +to plot for him a career of future magnificence, +now suddenly set him apart for literature, +because that was the easiest road to fame, and +disposed of him in marriage to one of the most +distinguished families of the land. She +cautiously suggested this to her husband when he +came to take his seat at her bedside; but to +her utter astonishment she found that he had +been indulging a similar train of thought, and +had already destined the infant prodigy for the +army. She, however, could not give up her +predilection for literature, and the Colonel, who +could not bear to be contradicted in his own +house, as he used to say, was getting every +minute louder and more flushed, when, happily, +the doctor's arrival interrupted the dispute. + +As Ralph grew up from infancy to childhood, +he began to give decided promise of future +distinction. He was fond of sitting down in a +corner and sucking his thumb, which his mother +interpreted as the sign of that brooding disposition +peculiar to poets and men of lofty genius. +At the age of five, he had become sole master +in the house. He slapped his sister Hilda in +the face, or pulled her hair, when she hesitated +to obey him, tyrannized over his nurse, and +sternly refused to go to bed in spite of his +mother's entreaties. On such occasions, the +Colonel would hide his face behind his newspaper, +and chuckle with delight; it was evident +that nature had intended his son for a great +military commander. As soon as Ralph himself +was old enough to have any thoughts about his +future destiny, he made up his mind that he +would like to be a pirate. A few months later, +having contracted an immoderate taste for +candy, he contented himself with the comparatively +humble position of a baker; but when +he had read "Robinson Crusoe," he manifested +a strong desire to go to sea in the hope of being +wrecked on some desolate island. The parents +spent long evenings gravely discussing these +indications of uncommon genius, and each +interpreted them in his or her own way. + +"He is not like any other child I ever knew," +said the mother. + +"To be sure," responded the father, earnestly. +"He is a most extraordinary child. I was a +very remarkable child too, even if I do say it +myself; but, as far as I remember, I never +aspired to being wrecked on an uninhabited is +land." + +The Colonel probably spoke the truth; but +he forgot to take into account that he had never +read "Robinson Crusoe." + +Of Ralph's school-days there is but little to +report, for, to tell the truth, he did not fancy +going to school, as the discipline annoyed him. +The day after his having entered the gymnasium, +which was to prepare him for the Military +Academy, the principal saw him waiting at the +gate after his class had been dismissed. He +approached him, and asked why he did not go +home with the rest. + +"I am waiting for the servant to carry my +books," was the boy's answer. + +"Give me your books," said the teacher. + +Ralph reluctantly obeyed. That day the +Colonel was not a little surprised to see his son +marching up the street, and every now and then +glancing behind him with a look of discomfort +at the principal, who was following quietly in +his train, carrying a parcel of school-books. +Colonel Grim and his wife, divining the teacher's +intention, agreed that it was a great outrage, +but they did not mention the matter to Ralph. +Henceforth, however, the boy refused to be +accompanied by his servant. A week later he +was impudent to the teacher of gymnastics, +who whipped him in return. The Colonel's +rage knew no bounds; he rode in great haste +to the gymnasium, reviled the teacher for +presuming to chastise HIS son, and committed the +boy to the care of a private tutor. + +At the age of sixteen, Ralph went to the +capital with the intention of entering the +Military Academy. He was a tall, handsome youth, +slender of stature, and carried himself as erect +as a candle. He had a light, clear complexion +of almost feminine delicacy; blonde, curly hair, +which he always kept carefully brushed; a low +forehead, and a straight, finely modeled nose. +There was an expression of extreme sensitiveness +about the nostrils, and a look of indolence +in the dark-blue eyes. But the ensemble of his +features was pleasing, his dress irreproachable, +and his manners bore no trace of the awkward +self-consciousness peculiar to his age. Immediately +on his arrival in the capital he hired a +suite of rooms in the aristocratic part of the +city, and furnished them rather expensively, +but in excellent taste. From a bosom friend, +whom he met by accident in the restaurant's +pavilion in the park, he learned that a pair of +antlers, a stuffed eagle, or falcon, and a couple +of swords, were indispensable to a well-appointed +apartment. He accordingly bought these articles +at a curiosity-shop. During the first weeks +of his residence in the city he made some feeble +efforts to perfect himself in mathematics, in +which he suspected he was somewhat deficient. +But when the same officious friend laughed at +him, and called him "green," he determined to +trust to fortune, and henceforth devoted himself +the more assiduously to the French ballet, where +he had already made some interesting acquaintances. + +The time for the examination came; the +French ballet did not prove a good preparation; +Ralph failed. It quite shook him for the time, +and he felt humiliated. He had not the courage +to tell his father; so he lingered on from +day to day, sat vacantly gazing out of his window, +and tried vainly to interest himself in the +busy bustle down on the street. It provoked +him that everybody else should be so light- +hearted, when he was, or at least fancied himself, +in trouble. The parlor grew intolerable; +he sought refuge in his bedroom. There +he sat one evening (it was the third day after +the examination), and stared out upon the gray +stone walls which on all sides enclosed the +narrow court-yard. The round stupid face of the +moon stood tranquilly dozing like a great Limburger +cheese suspended under the sky. + +Ralph, at least, could think of a no more +fitting simile. But the bright-eyed young girl +in the window hard by sent a longing look up +to the same moon, and thought of her distant +home on the fjords, where the glaciers stood +like hoary giants, and caught the yellow moonbeams +on their glittering shields of snow. She +had been reading "Ivanhoe" all the afternoon, +until the twilight had overtaken her quite +unaware, and now she suddenly remembered that +she had forgotten to write her German exercise. +She lifted her face and saw a pair of sad, vacant +eyes, gazing at her from the next window in +the angle of the court. She was a little startled +at first, but in the next moment she thought of +her German exercise and took heart. + +"Do you know German?" she said; then +immediately repented that she had said it. + +"I do," was the answer. + +She took up her apron and began to twist it +with an air of embarrassment. + +"I didn't mean anything," she whispered, at last. +"I only wanted to know." + +"You are very kind." + +That answer roused her; he was evidently +making sport of her. + +"Well, then, if you do, you may write my +exercise for me. I have marked the place in +the book." + +And she flung her book over to his window, +and he caught it on the edge of the sill, just as +it was falling. + +"You are a very strange girl," he remarked, +turning over the leaves of the book, although +it was too dark to read. "How old are you?" + +"I shall be fourteen six weeks before +Christmas," answered she, frankly. + +"Then I excuse you." + +"No, indeed," cried she, vehemently. "You +needn't excuse me at all. If you don't want to +write my exercise, you may send the book back +again. I am very sorry I spoke to you, and I +shall never do it again." + +"But you will not get the book back again +without the exercise," replied he, quietly. +"Good-night." + +The girl stood long looking after him, hoping +that he would return. Then, with a great burst +of repentance, she hid her face in her lap, and +began to cry. + +"Oh, dear, I didn't mean to be rude," she +sobbed. "But it was Ivanhoe and Rebecca +who upset me." + +The next morning she was up before daylight, +and waited for two long hours in great +suspense before the curtain of his window was +raised. He greeted her politely; threw a hasty +glance around the court to see if he was +observed, and then tossed her book dexterously +over into her hands. + +"I have pinned the written exercise to the fly- +leaf," he said. "You will probably have time +to copy it before breakfast." + +"I am ever so much obliged to you," she +managed to stammer. + +He looked so tall and handsome, and grown- +up, and her remorse stuck in her throat, and +threatened to choke her. She had taken him for a boy +as he sat there in his window the evening before. + +"By the way, what is your name?" he asked, +carelessly, as he turned to go. + +"Bertha." + +"Well, my dear Bertha, I am happy to have +made your acquaintance." + +And he again made her a polite bow, and entered his parlor. + +"How provokingly familiar he is," thought +she; "but no one can deny that he is handsome." + +The bright roguish face of the young girl +haunted Ralph during the whole next week. +He had been in love at least ten times before, of +course; but, like most boys, with young ladies far +older than himself. He found himself frequently +glancing over to her window in the +hope of catching another glimpse of her face; +but the curtain was always drawn down, and +Bertha remained invisible. During the second +week, however, she relented, and they had many +a pleasant chat together. He now volunteered +to write all her exercises, and she made no +objections. He learned that she was the daughter +of a well-to-do peasant in the sea-districts of +Norway (and it gave him quite a shock to hear +it), and that she was going to school in the city, +and boarded with an old lady who kept a pension +in the house adjoining the one in which he lived. + +One day in the autumn Ralph was surprised +by the sudden arrival of his father, and the fact +of his failure in the examination could no longer +be kept a secret. The old Colonel flared up at +once when Ralph made his confession; the large +veins upon his forehead swelled; he grew coppery- +red in his face, and stormed up and down +the floor, until his son became seriously alarmed; +but, to his great relief, he was soon made aware + +that his father's wrath was not turned against +him personally, but against the officials of the +Military Academy who had rejected him. The +Colonel took it as an insult to his own good +name and irreproachable standing as an officer; +he promptly refused any other explanation, and +vainly racked his brain to remember if any +youthful folly of his could possibly have made +him enemies among the teachers of the Academy. +He at last felt satisfied that it was envy +of his own greatness and rapid advancement +which had induced the rascals to take vengeance +on his son. Ralph reluctantly followed +his father back to the country town where the +latter was stationed, and the fair-haired Bertha +vanished from his horizon. His mother's wish +now prevailed, and he began, in his own easy +way, to prepare himself for the University. He +had little taste for Cicero, and still less for +Virgil, but with the use of a "pony" he soon +gained sufficient knowledge of these authors to +be able to talk in a sort of patronizing way +about them, to the great delight of his fond +parents. He took quite a fancy, however, to the +ode in Horace ending with the lines: + + Dulce ridentem, + Dulce loquentem, + Lalagen amabo. + +And in his thought he substituted for Lalage the +fair-haired Bertha, quite regardless of the +requirements of the metre. + +To make a long story short, three years later +Ralph returned to the capital, and, after having +worn out several tutors, actually succeeded +in entering the University. + +The first year of college life is a happy time +to every young man, and Ralph enjoyed its +processions, its parliamentary gatherings, and its +leisure, as well as the rest. He was certainly +not the man to be sentimental over the loss of a +young girl whom, moreover, he had only known +for a few weeks. Nevertheless, he thought of +her at odd times, but not enough to disturb +his pleasure. The standing of his family, his +own handsome appearance, and his immaculate +linen opened to him the best houses of the city, +and he became a great favorite in society. At +lectures he was seldom seen, but more frequently +in the theatres, where he used to come in during +the middle of the first act, take his station in +front of the orchestra box, and eye, through his +lorgnettes, by turns, the actresses and the ladies +of the parquet. + + + +II. + + +Two months passed, and then came the great +annual ball which the students give at the opening +of the second semester. Ralph was a man +of importance that evening; first, because he +belonged to a great family; secondly, because he +was the handsomest man of his year. He wore +a large golden star on his breast (for his fellow- +students had made him a Knight of the Golden +Boar), and a badge of colored ribbons in his +button-hole. + +The ball was a brilliant affair, and everybody +was in excellent spirits, especially the ladies. +Ralph danced incessantly, twirled his soft +mustache, and uttered amiable platitudes. It was +toward midnight, just as the company was moving +out to supper, that he caught the glance of +a pair of dark-blue eyes, which suddenly drove +the blood to his cheeks and hastened the beating +of his heart. But when he looked once +more the dark-blue eyes were gone, and his +unruly heart went on hammering against his side. +He laid his hand on his breast and glanced +furtively at his fair neighbor, but she looked happy +and unconcerned, for the flavor of the ice-cream +was delicious. It seemed an endless meal, but, +when it was done, Ralph rose, led his partner +back to the ball-room, and hastily excused +himself. His glance wandered round the wide hall, +seeking the well-remembered eyes once more, +and, at length, finding them in a remote corner, +half hid behind a moving wall of promenaders. +In another moment he was at Bertha's side. + +"You must have been purposely hiding yourself, +Miss Bertha," said he, when the usual +greetings were exchanged. "I have not caught +a glimpse of you all this evening, until a few +moments ago." + +"But I have seen you all the while," answered +the girl, frankly. "I knew you at once as I +entered the hall." + +"If I had but known that you were here," +resumed Ralph, as it were, invisibly expanding +with an agreeable sense of dignity, "I assure +you, you would have been the very first one I +should have sought." + +She raised her large grave eyes to his, as if +questioning his sincerity; but she made no +answer. + +"Good gracious!" thought Ralph. "She +takes things terribly in earnest." + +"You look so serious, Miss Bertha," said he, +after a moment's pause. "I remember you as a +bright-eyed, flaxen-haired little girl, who threw +her German exercise-book to me across the yard, +and whose merry laughter still rings pleasantly +in my memory. I confess I don't find it quite +easy to identify this grave young lady with my +merry friend of three years ago." + +"In other words, you are disappointed at not +finding me the same as I used to be." + +"No, not exactly that; but--" + +Ralph paused and looked puzzled. There +was something in the earnestness of her manner +which made a facetious compliment seem grossly +inappropriate, and in the moment no other +escape suggested itself. + +"But what?" demanded Bertha, mercilessly. + +"Have you ever lost an old friend?" +asked he, abruptly. + +"Yes; how so?" + +"Then," answered he, while his features +lighted up with a happy inspiration--"then you +will appreciate my situation. I fondly cherished +my old picture of you in my memory. Now I +have lost it, and I cannot help regretting the +loss. I do not mean, however, to imply that +this new acquaintance--this second edition of +yourself, so to speak--will prove less interesting." + +She again sent him a grave, questioning look, +and began to gaze intently upon the stone in her bracelet. + +"I suppose you will laugh at me," began she, +while a sudden blush flitted over her countenance. +"But this is my first ball, and I feel as +if I had rushed into a whirlpool, from which I +have, since the first rash plunge was made, been +vainly trying to escape. I feel so dreadfully +forlorn. I hardly know anybody here except +my cousin, who invited me, and I hardly think +I know him either." + +"Well, since you are irredeemably committed," +replied Ralph, as the music, after some +prefatory flourishes, broke into the delicious +rhythm of a Strauss waltz, "then it is no use +struggling against fate. Come, let us make the +plunge together. Misery loves company." + +He offered her his arm, and she arose, +somewhat hesitatingly, and followed. + +"I am afraid," she whispered, as they fell +into line with the procession that was moving +down the long hall, "that you have asked me to +dance merely because I said I felt forlorn. If +that is the case, I should prefer to be led back +to my seat." + +"What a base imputation!" cried Ralph. + +There was something so charmingly na<i:>ive in +this self-depreciation--something so altogether +novel in his experience, and, he could not help +adding, just a little bit countrified. His spirits +rose; he began to relish keenly his position as an +experienced man of the world, and, in the +agreeable glow of patronage and conscious +superiority, chatted with hearty ABANDON with his +little rustic beauty. + +"If your dancing is as perfect as your German +exercises were," said she, laughing, as they +swung out upon the floor, "then I promise myself +a good deal of pleasure from our meeting." + +"Never fear," answered he, quickly reversing +his step, and whirling with many a capricious +turn away among the thronging couples. + +When Ralph drove home in his carriage +toward morning he briefly summed up his +impressions of Bertha in the following adjectives: +intelligent, delightfully unsophisticated, a little +bit verdant, but devilish pretty. + +Some weeks later Colonel Grim received an +appointment at the fortress of Aggershuus, and +immediately took up his residence in the capital. +He saw that his son cut a fine figure in the +highest circles of society, and expressed his +gratification in the most emphatic terms. If he +had known, however, that Ralph was in the +habit of visiting, with alarming regularity, at +the house of a plebeian merchant in a somewhat +obscure street, he would, no doubt, have been +more chary of his praise. But the Colonel +suspected nothing, and it was well for the peace of +the family that he did not. It may have been +cowardice in Ralph that he never mentioned +Bertha's name to his family or to his aristocratic +acquaintances; for, to be candid, he himself felt +ashamed of the power she exerted over him, and +by turns pitied and ridiculed himself for pursuing +so inglorious a conquest. Nevertheless +it wounded his egotism that she never showed +any surprise at seeing him, that she received +him with a certain frank unceremoniousness, +which, however, was very becoming to her; +that she invariably went on with her work heedless +of his presence, and in everything treated +him as if she had been his equal. She persisted +in talking with him in a half sisterly fashion +about his studies and his future career, warned +him with great solicitude against some of his +reprobate friends, of whose merry adventures +he had told her; and if he ventured to compliment +her on her beauty or her accomplishments, +she would look up gravely from her sewing, or +answer him in a way which seemed to banish +the idea of love-making into the land of the +impossible. He was constantly tormented by the +suspicion that she secretly disapproved of him, +and that from a mere moral interest in his welfare +she was conscientiously laboring to make +him a better man. Day after day he parted +from her feeling humiliated, faint-hearted, and +secretly indignant both at himself and her, and +day after day he returned only to renew the +same experience. At last it became too intolerable, +he could endure it no longer. Let it make +or break, certainty, at all risks, was at least +preferable to this sickening suspense. That he +loved her, he could no longer doubt; let his +parents foam and fret as much as they pleased; +for once he was going to stand on his own legs. +And in the end, he thought, they would have to +yield, for they had no son but him. + +Bertha was going to return to her home on +the sea-coast in a week. Ralph stood in the +little low-ceiled parlor, as she imagined, to bid +her good-bye. They had been speaking of her +father, her brothers, and the farm, and she had +expressed the wish that if he ever should come +to that part of the country he might pay them +a visit. Her words had kindled a vague hope +in his breast, but in their very frankness and +friendly regard there was something which +slew the hope they had begotten. He held her +hand in his, and her large confiding eyes shone +with an emotion which was beautiful, but was +yet not love. + +"If you were but a peasant born like myself," +said she, in a voice which sounded almost tender, +"then I should like to talk to you as I would to +my own brother; but--" + +"No, not brother, Bertha," cried he, with +sudden vehemence; "I love you better than I ever +loved any earthly being, and if you knew how +firmly this love has clutched at the roots of my +heart, you would perhaps--you would at least +not look so reproachfully at me." + +She dropped his hand, and stood for a moment silent. + +"I am sorry that it should have come to this, +Mr. Grim," said she, visibly struggling for +calmness. "And I am perhaps more to blame +than you." + +"Blame," muttered he, "why are you to blame?" + +"Because I do not love you; although I sometimes +feared that this might come. But then again +I persuaded myself that it could not be so." + +He took a step toward the door, laid his hand +on the knob, and gazed down before him. + +"Bertha," began he, slowly, raising his head, +"you have always disapproved of me, you have +despised me in your heart, but you thought you +would be doing a good work if you succeeded +in making a man of me." + +"You use strong language," answered she, +hesitatingly; "but there is truth in what you +say." + +Again there was a long pause, in which the +ticking of the old parlor clock grew louder and +louder. + +"Then," he broke out at last, "tell me before +we part if I can do nothing to gain--I will not +say your love--but only your regard? What +would you do if you were in my place?" + +"My advice you will hardly heed, and I do +not even know that it would be well if you did. +But if I were a man in your position, I should +break with my whole past, start out into the +world where nobody knew me, and where I +should be dependent only upon my own strength, +and there I would conquer a place for myself, +if it were only for the satisfaction of knowing +that I was really a man. Here cushions are +sewed under your arms, a hundred invisible +threads bind you to a life of idleness and +vanity, everybody is ready to carry you on his +hands, the road is smoothed for you, every stone +carefully moved out of your path, and you will +probably go to your grave without having ever +harbored one earnest thought, without having +done one manly deed." + +Ralph stood transfixed, gazing at her with +open mouth; he felt a kind of stupid fright, as +if some one had suddenly seized him by the +shoulders and shaken him violently. He tried +vainly to remove his eyes from Bertha. She +held him as by a powerful spell. He saw that +her face was lighted with an altogether new +beauty; he noticed the deep glow upon her +cheek, the brilliancy of her eye, the slight +quiver of her lip. But he saw all this as one +sees things in a half-trance, without attempting +to account for them; the door between his soul +and his senses was closed. + +"I know that I have been bold in speaking to +you in this way," she said at last, seating +herself in a chair at the window. "But it was +yourself who asked me. And I have felt all the +time that I should have to tell you this before +we parted." + +"And," answered he, making a strong effort +to appear calm, "if I follow your advice, will +you allow me to see you once more before you +go?" + +"I shall remain here another week, and shall, +during that time, always be ready to receive you." + +"Thank you. Good-bye." + +"Good-bye." + +Ralph carefully avoided all the fashionable +thoroughfares; he felt degraded before himself, +and he had an idea that every man could read +his humiliation in his countenance. Now he +walked on quickly, striking the sidewalk with +his heels; now, again, he fell into an uneasy, +reckless saunter, according as the changing +moods inspired defiance of his sentence, or a +qualified surrender. And, as he walked on, the +bitterness grew within him, and he pitilessly +reviled himself for having allowed himself to be +made a fool of by "that little country goose," +when he was well aware that there were hundreds +of women of the best families of the land +who would feel honored at receiving his attentions. +But this sort of reasoning he knew to he +both weak and contemptible, and his better +self soon rose in loud rebellion. + +"After all," he muttered, "in the main thing +she was right. I am a miserable good-for- +nothing, a hot-house plant, a poor stick, and if I +were a woman myself, I don't think I should +waste my affections on a man of that calibre." + +Then he unconsciously fell to analyzing +Bertha's character, wondering vaguely that a +person who moved so timidly in social life, +appearing so diffident, from an ever-present fear +of blundering against the established forms of +etiquette, could judge so quickly, and with such +a merciless certainty, whenever a moral question, +a question of right and wrong, was at issue. +And, pursuing the same train of thought, he +contrasted her with himself, who moved in the +highest spheres of society as in his native +element, heedless of moral scruples, and conscious +of no loftier motive for his actions than the +immediate pleasure of the moment. + +As Ralph turned the corner of a street, he +heard himself hailed from the other sidewalk by +a chorus of merry voices. + +"Ah, my dear Baroness," cried a young man, +springing across the street and grasping Ralph's +hand (all his student friends called him the +Baroness), "in the name of this illustrious +company, allow me to salute you. But why the +deuce--what is the matter with you? If you +have the Katzenjammer,[7] soda-water is the +thing. Come along,--it's my treat!" + + +[7] Katzenjammer is the sensation a man has +the morning after a carousal. + + +The students instantly thronged around +Ralph, who stood distractedly swinging his cane +and smiling idiotically. + +"I am not quite well," said he; "leave me +alone." + +"No, to be sure, you don't look well," cried a +jolly youth, against whom Bertha had +frequently warned him; "but a glass of sherry +will soon restore you. It would be highly +immoral to leave you in this condition without +taking care of you." + +Ralph again vainly tried to remonstrate; but +the end was, that he reluctantly followed. + +He had always been a conspicuous figure in +the student world; but that night he astonished +his friends by his eloquence, his reckless humor, +and his capacity for drinking. He made a +speech for "Woman," which bristled with wit, +cynicism, and sarcastic epigrams. One young +man, named Vinter, who was engaged, undertook +to protest against his sweeping condemnation, +and declared that Ralph, who was a Universal +favorite among the ladies, ought to be +the last to revile them. + +"If," he went on, "the Baroness should propose +to six well-known ladies here in this city +whom I could mention, I would wager six +Johannisbergers, and an equal amount of +champagne, that every one of them would accept +him." + +The others loudly applauded this proposal, +and Ralph accepted the wager. The letters were +written on the spot, and immediately dispatched. +Toward morning, the merry carousal broke up, +and Ralph was conducted in triumph to his +home. + + +III. + + +Two days later, Ralph again knocked on +Bertha's door. He looked paler than usual, +almost haggard; his immaculate linen was a little +crumpled, and he carried no cane; his lips were +tightly compressed, and his face wore an air of +desperate resolution. + +"It is done," he said, as he seated himself +opposite her. "I am going." + +"Going!" cried she, startled at his unusual +appearance. "How, where?" + +"To America. I sail to-night. I have followed +your advice, you see. I have cut off the +last bridge behind me." + +"But, Ralph," she exclaimed, in a voice of +alarm. "Something dreadful must have happened. +Tell me quick; I must know it." + +"No; nothing dreadful," muttered he, smiling +bitterly. "I have made a little scandal, that is +all. My father told me to-day to go to the +devil, if I chose, and my mother gave me five +hundred dollars to help me along on the way. +If you wish to know, here is the explanation." + +And he pulled from his pocket six perfumed +and carefully folded notes, and threw them into +her lap. + +"Do you wish me to read them?" she asked, +with growing surprise. + +"Certainly. Why not?" + +She hastily opened one note after the other, +and read. + +"But, Ralph," she cried, springing up from +her seat, while her eyes flamed with indignation, +"what does this mean? What have you +done?" + +"I didn't think it needed any explanation," +replied he, with feigned indifference. "I +proposed to them all, and, you see, they all +accepted me. I received all these letters to-day. +I only wished to know whether the whole world +regarded me as such a worthless scamp as you +told me I was." + +She did not answer, but sat mutely staring at +him, fiercely crumpling a rose-colored note in +her hand. He began to feel uncomfortable under +her gaze, and threw himself about uneasily +in his chair. + +"Well," said he, at length, rising, "I suppose +there is nothing more. Good-bye." + +"One moment, Mr. Grim," demanded she, +sternly. "Since I have already said so much, +and you have obligingly revealed to me a new +side of your character, I claim the right to +correct the opinion I expressed of you at our last +meeting." + +"I am all attention." + +"I did think, Mr. Grim," began she, breathing +hard, and steadying herself against the +table at which she stood, "that you were a +very selfish man--an embodiment of selfishness, +absolute and supreme, but I did not believe that +you were wicked." + +"And what convinced you that I was selfish, +if I may ask?" + +"What convinced me?" repeated she, in a +tone of inexpressible contempt. "When did +you ever act from any generous regard for +others? What good did you ever do to anybody?" + +"You might ask, with equal justice, +what good I ever did to myself." + +"In a certain sense, yes; because to gratify +a mere momentary wish is hardly doing one's +self good." + +"Then I have, at all events, followed the +Biblical precept, and treated my neighbor very +much as I treat myself." + +"I did think," continued Bertha, without +heeding the remark, "that you were at bottom +kind-hearted, but too hopelessly well-bred ever +to commit an act of any decided complexion, +either good or bad. Now I see that I have +misjudged you, and that you are capable of +outraging the most sacred feelings of a woman's +heart in mere wantonness, or for the sake of +satisfying a base curiosity, which never could +have entered the mind of an upright and generous man." + +The hard, benumbed look in Ralph's face +thawed in the warmth of her presence, and her +words, though stern, touched a secret spring in +his heart. He made two or three vain attempts +to speak, then suddenly broke down, and cried: + +"Bertha, Bertha, even if you scorn me, have +patience with me, and listen." + +And he told her, in rapid, broken sentences, +how his love for her had grown from day to +day, until he could no longer master it; and +how, in an unguarded moment, when his pride +rose in fierce conflict against his love, he had +done this reckless deed of which he was now +heartily ashamed. The fervor of his words +touched her, for she felt that they were sincere. +Large mute tears trembled in her eyelashes as +she sat gazing tenderly at him, and in the depth +of her soul the wish awoke that she might have +been able to return this great and strong love +of his; for she felt that in this love lay the germ +of a new, of a stronger and better man. She +noticed, with a half-regretful pleasure, his +handsome figure, his delicately shaped hands, and the +noble cast of his features; an overwhelming +pity for him rose within her, and she began to +reproach herself for having spoken so harshly, +and, as she now thought, so unjustly. Perhaps +he read in her eyes the unspoken wish. He +seized her hand, and his words fell with a warm +and alluring cadence upon her ear. + +"I shall not see you for a long time to come, +Bertha," said he, "but if, at the end of five or +six years your hand is still free, and I return +another man--a man to whom you could safely +intrust your happiness--would you then listen +to what I may have to say to you? For I promise, +by all that we both hold sacred--" + +"No, no," interrupted she, hastily. "Promise +nothing. It would be unjust to--yourself, and +perhaps also to me; for a sacred promise is a +terrible thing, Ralph. Let us both remain free; +and, if you return and still love me, then come, +and I shall receive you and listen to you. And +even if you have outgrown your love, which is, +indeed, more probable, come still to visit me +wherever I may be, and we shall meet as friends +and rejoice in the meeting." + +"You know best," he murmured. "Let it be +as you have said." + +He arose, took her face between his hands, +gazed long and tenderly into her eyes, pressed +a kiss upon her forehead, and hastened away. + +That night Ralph boarded the steamer for Hull, +and three weeks later landed in New York. + + +IV. + + +The first three months of Ralph's sojourn in +America were spent in vain attempts to obtain a +situation. Day after day he walked down +Broadway, calling at various places of business +and night after night he returned to his cheer- +less room with a faint heart and declining spirits. +It was, after all, a more serious thing than he +had imagined, to cut the cable which binds one +to the land of one's birth. There a hundred +subtile influences, the existence of which no one +suspects until the moment they are withdrawn, +unite to keep one in the straight path of rectitude, +or at least of external respectability; and +Ralph's life had been all in society; the opinion +of his fellow-men had been the one force to +which he implicitly deferred, and the conscience +by which he had been wont to test his actions +had been nothing but the aggregate judgment +of his friends. To such a man the isolation and +the utter irresponsibility of a life among +strangers was tenfold more dangerous; and Ralph +found, to his horror, that his character contained +innumerable latent possibilities which the easy- +going life in his home probably never would +have revealed to him. It often cut him to the +quick, when, on entering an office in his daily +search for employment, he was met by hostile +or suspicious glances, or when, as it occasionally +happened, the door was slammed in his face, as +if he were a vagabond or an impostor. Then +the wolf was often roused within him, and he +felt a momentary wild desire to become what +the people here evidently believed him to be. +Many a night he sauntered irresolutely about +the gambling places in obscure streets, and the +glare of light, the rude shouts and clamors in +the same moment repelled and attracted him. +If he went to the devil, who would care? His +father had himself pointed out the way to him; +and nobody could blame him if he followed the +advice. But then again a memory emerged from +that chamber of his soul which still he held +sacred; and Bertha's deep-blue eyes gazed upon +him with their earnest look of tender warning +and regret. + +When the summer was half gone, Ralph had +gained many a hard victory over himself, and +learned many a useful lesson; and at length he +swallowed his pride, divested himself of his +fine clothes, and accepted a position as assistant +gardener at a villa on the Hudson. And as he +stood perspiring with a spade in his hand, and +a cheap broad-brimmed straw hat on his head, +he often took a grim pleasure in picturing to +himself how his aristocratic friends at home +would receive him, if he should introduce himself +to them in this new costume. + +"After all, it was only my position they +cared for," he reflected, bitterly; "without my +father's name what would I be to them?" + +Then, again, there was a certain satisfaction +in knowing that, for his present situation, humble +as it was, he was indebted to nobody but +himself; and the thought that Bertha's eyes, if +they could have seen him now would have dwelt +upon him with pleasure and approbation, went +far to console him for his aching back, his +sunburned face, and his swollen and blistered hands. + +One day, as Ralph was raking the gravel- +walks in the garden, his employer's daughter, a +young lady of seventeen, came out and spoke +to him. His culture and refinement of manner +struck her with wonder, and she asked him to +tell her his history; but then he suddenly grew +very grave, and she forbore pressing him. From +that time she attached a kind of romantic interest +to him, and finally induced her father to obtain +him a situation that would be more to his +taste. And, before winter came, Ralph saw the +dawn of a new future glimmering before him. +He had wrestled bravely with fate, and had +once more gained a victory. He began the +career in which success and distinction awaited +him, as proof-reader on a newspaper in the city. +He had fortunately been familiar with the English +language before he left home, and by the +strength of his will he conquered all difficulties. +At the end of two years he became attached to +the editorial staff; new ambitious hopes, hitherto +foreign to his mind, awoke within him; +and with joyous tumult of heart he saw life +opening its wide vistas before him, and he +labored on manfully to repair the losses of the +past, and to prepare himself for greater usefulness +in times to come. He felt in himself a +stronger and fuller manhood, as if the great +arteries of the vast universal world-life pulsed in +his own being. The drowsy, indolent existence +at home appeared like a dull remote dream from +which he had awaked, and he blessed the destiny +which, by its very sternness, had mercifully +saved him; he blessed her, too, who, from the +very want of love for him, had, perhaps, made +him worthier of love. + +The years flew rapidly. Society had flung its +doors open to him, and what was more, he had +found some warm friends, in whose houses he +could come and go at pleasure. He enjoyed +keenly the privilege of daily association with +high-minded and refined women; their eager +activity of intellect stimulated him, their +exquisite ethereal grace and their delicately chiseled +beauty satisfied his aesthetic cravings, and the +responsive vivacity of their nature prepared him +ever new surprises. He felt a strange fascination +in the presence of these women, and the +conviction grew upon him that their type of +womanhood was superior to any he had hitherto +known. And by way of refuting his own +argument, he would draw from his pocket-book +the photograph of Bertha, which had a secret +compartment there all to itself, and, gazing +tenderly at it, would eagerly defend her against the +disparaging reflections which the involuntary +comparison had provoked. And still, how could +he help seeing that her features, though well +molded, lacked animation; that her eye, with +its deep, trustful glance, was not brilliant, and +that the calm earnestness of her face, when +compared with the bright, intellectual beauty of his +present friends, appeared pale and simple, like +a violet in a bouquet of vividly colored roses? +It gave him a quick pang, when, at times, +he was forced to admit this; nevertheless, +it was the truth. + +After six years of residence in America, +Ralph had gained a very high reputation as a +journalist of rare culture and ability, and, in +1867 he was sent to the World's Exhibition in +Paris, as correspondent of the paper on which +he had during all these years been employed. +What wonder, then, that he started for Europe +a few weeks before his presence was needed in +the imperial city, and that he steered his course +directly toward the fjord valley where Bertha +had her home? It was she who had bidden him +Godspeed when he fled from the land of his +birth, and she, too, should receive his first +greeting on his return. + + +V. + + +The sun had fortified itself behind a citadel +of flaming clouds, and the upper forest region +shone with a strange ethereal glow, while the +lower plains were wrapped in shadow; but the +shadow itself had a strong suffusion of color. +The mountain peaks rose cold and blue in the distance. + +Ralph, having inquired his way of the +boatman who had landed him at the pier, walked +rapidly along the beach, with a small valise in +his hand, and a light summer overcoat flung +over his shoulder. Many half-thoughts grazed +his mind, and ere the first had taken shape, the +second, and the third came and chased it away. +And still they all in some fashion had reference +to Bertha; for in a misty, abstract way, she +filled his whole mind; but for some indefinable +reason, he was afraid to give free rein to the +sentiment which lurked in the remoter corners +of his soul. + +Onward he hastened, while his heart throbbed +with the quickening tempo of mingled expectation +and fear. Now and then one of those chill +gusts of air which seem to be careering about +aimlessly in the atmosphere during early summer, +would strike into his face, and recall him +to a keener self-consciousness. + +Ralph concluded, from his increasing agitation, +that he must be very near Bertha's home. +He stopped and looked around him. He saw a +large maple at the roadside, some thirty steps +from where he was standing, and the girl who +was sitting under it, resting her head in her +hand and gazing out over the sea, he recognized +in an instant to be Bertha. He sprang up on the +road, not crossing, however, her line of vision, +and approached her noiselessly from behind. + +"Bertha," he whispered. + +She gave a little joyous cry, sprang up, and +made a gesture as if to throw herself in his arms; +then suddenly checked herself, blushed crimson, +and moved a step backward. + +"You came so suddenly," she murmured. + +"But, Bertha," cried he (and the full bass of +his voice rang through her very soul), "have I +gone into exile and waited these many years for +so cold a welcome?" + +"You have changed so much, Ralph," she +answered, with that old grave smile which he +knew so well, and stretched out both her hands +toward him. "And I have thought of you so +much since you went away, and blamed myself +because I had judged you so harshly, and wondered +that you could listen to me so patiently, +and never bear me any malice for what I said." + +"If you had said a word less," declared Ralph, +seating himself at her side on the greensward, +"or if you had varnished it over with politeness, +then you would probably have failed to produce +any effect and I should not have been burdened +with that heavy debt of gratitude which +I now owe you. I was a pretty thick-skinned +animal in those days, Bertha. You said the +right word at the right moment; you gave me +a hold and a good piece of advice, which my +own ingenuity would never have suggested to +me. I will not thank you, because, in so grave +a case as this, spoken thanks sound like a mere +mockery. Whatever I am, Bertha, and whatever +I may hope to be, I owe it all to that hour." + +She listened with rapture to the manly assurance +of his voice; her eyes dwelt with unspeakable +joy upon his strong, bronzed features, his +full thick blonde beard, and the vigorous +proportions of his frame. Many and many a time +during his absence had she wondered how he +would look if he ever came back, and with that +minute conscientiousness which, as it were, +pervaded her whole character, she had held herself +responsible before God for his fate, prayed for +him, and trembled lest evil powers should gain +the ascendency over his soul. + +On their way to the house they talked together +of many things, but in a guarded, cautious fashion, +and without the cheerful abandonment of +former years. They both, as it were, groped their +way carefully in each other's minds, and each +vaguely felt that there was something in the +other's thought which it was not well to touch +unbidden. Bertha saw that all her fears for +him had been groundless, and his very appearance +lifted the whole weight of responsibility +from her breast; and still, did she rejoice at her +deliverance from her burden? Ah, no, in this +moment she knew that that which she had foolishly +cherished as the best and noblest part of +herself, had been but a selfish need of her own +heart. She feared that she had only taken that +interest in him which one feels in a thing of +one's own making; and now, when she saw that +he had risen quite above her; that he was free +and strong, and could have no more need of her, +she had, instead of generous pleasure at his +success, but a painful sense of emptiness, as if +something very dear had been taken from her. + +Ralph, too, was loath to analyze the impression +his old love made upon him. His feelings +were of so complex a nature, he was anxious to +keep his more magnanimous impulses active, and +he strove hard to convince himself that she was +still the same to him as she had been before they +had ever parted. But, alas! though the heart +be warm and generous, the eye is a merciless +critic. And the man who had moved on the +wide arena of the world, whose mind had housed +the large thoughts of this century, and expanded +with its invigorating breath,--was he to blame +because he had unconsciously outgrown his old +provincial self, and could no more judge by its +standards? + +Bertha's father was a peasant, but he had, +by his lumber trade, acquired what in Norway +was called a very handsome fortune. He received +his guest with dignified reserve, and +Ralph thought he detected in his eyes a lurking +look of distrust. "I know your errand," that +look seemed to say, "but you had better give it +up at once. It will be of no use for you to try." + +And after supper, as Ralph and Bertha sat +talking confidingly with each other at the window, +he sent his daughter a quick, sharp glance, +and then, without ceremony, commanded her to +go to bed. Ralph's heart gave a great thump +within him; not because he feared the old man, +but because his words, as well as his glances, +revealed to him the sad history of these long, +patient years. He doubted no longer that the +love which he had once so ardently desired was +his at last; and he made a silent vow that, +come what might, he would remain faithful. + +As he came down to breakfast the next +morning, he found Bertha sitting at the window, +engaged in hemming what appeared to be a +rough kitchen towel. She bent eagerly over +her work, and only a vivid flush upon her cheek +told him that she had noticed his coming. He +took a chair, seated himself opposite her, and +bade her "good-morning." She raised her head, +and showed him a sweet, troubled countenance, +which the early sunlight illumined with a high +spiritual beauty. It reminded him forcibly of +those pale, sweet-faced saints of Fra Angelico, +with whom the frail flesh seems ever on the +point of yielding to the ardent aspirations of +the spirit. And still, even in this moment he +could not prevent his eyes from observing that +one side of her forefinger was rough from sewing, +and that the whiteness of her arm, which +the loose sleeves displayed, contrasted strongly +with the browned and sun-burned complexion of +her hands. + +After breakfast they again walked together +on the beach, and Ralph, having once formed +his resolution, now talked freely of the New +World--of his sphere of activity there; of his +friends and of his plans for the future; and she +listened to him with a mild, perplexed look in +her eyes, as if trying vainly to follow the flight +of his thoughts. And he wondered, with secret +dismay, whether she was still the same strong, +brave-hearted girl whom he had once accounted +almost bold; whether the life in this narrow +valley, amid a hundred petty and depressing +cares, had not cramped her spiritual growth, +and narrowed the sphere of her thought. Or +was she still the same, and was it only he who +had changed? At last he gave utterance to his +wonder, and she answered him in those grave, +earnest tones which seemed in themselves to be +half a refutation of his doubts. + +"It was easy for me to give you daring +advice, then, Ralph," she said. "Like most school- +girls, I thought that life was a great and glorious +thing, and that happiness was a fruit which +hung within reach of every hand. Now I have +lived for six years trying single-handed to +relieve the want and suffering of the needy people +with whom I come in contact, and their squalor +and wretchedness have sickened me, and, what +is still worse, I feel that all I can do is as a drop +in the ocean, and after all, amounts to nothing. +I know I am no longer the same reckless girl, +who, with the very best intention, sent you +wandering through the wide world; and I thank +God that it proved to be for your good, +although the whole now appears quite incredible +to me. My thoughts have moved so long within +the narrow circle of these mountains that they +have lost their youthful elasticity, and can no +more rise above them." + +Ralph detected, in the midst of her despondency, +a spark of her former fire, and grew eloquent +in his endeavors to persuade her that she +was unjust to herself, and that there was but a +wider sphere of life needed to develop all the +latent powers of her rich nature. + +At the dinner-table, her father again sat eyeing +his guest with that same cold look of distrust +and suspicion. And when the meal was +at an end, he rose abruptly and called his +daughter into another room. Presently Ralph +heard his angry voice resounding through the +house, interrupted now and then by a woman's +sobs, and a subdued, passionate pleading. When +Bertha again entered the room, her eyes were +very red, and he saw that she had been weeping. +She threw a shawl over her shoulders, +beckoned to him with her hand, and he arose +and followed her. She led the way silently +until they reached a thick copse of birch and +alder near the strand. She dropped down upon +a bench between two trees, and he took his seat +at her side. + +"Ralph," began she, with a visible effort, "I +hardly know what to say to you; but there is +something which I must tell you--my father +wishes you to leave us at once." + +"And YOU, Bertha?" + +"Well--yes--I wish it too." + +She saw the painful shock which her words +gave him, and she strove hard to speak. Her +lips trembled, her eyes became suffused with +tears, which grew and grew, but never fell; she +could not utter a word. + +"Well, Bertha," answered he, with a little +quiver in his voice, "if you, too, wish me to go, +I shall not tarry. Good-bye." + +He rose quickly, and, with averted face, held +out his hand to her; but as she made no motion +to grasp the hand, he began distractedly to +button his coat, and moved slowly away. + +"Ralph." + +He turned sharply, and, before he knew it, +she lay sobbing upon his breast. + +"Ralph," she murmured, while the tears +almost choked her words, "I could not have you +leave me thus. It is hard enough--it is hard +enough--" + +"What is hard, beloved?" + +She raised her head abruptly, and turned +upon him a gaze full of hope and doubt, and +sweet perplexity. + +"Ah, no, you do not love me," she whispered, +sadly. + +"Why should I come to seek you, after these +many years, dearest, if I did not wish to make +you my wife before God and men? Why +should I--" + +"Ah, yes, I know," she interrupted him with +a fresh fit of weeping, "you are too good and +honest to wish to throw me away, now when +you have seen how my soul has hungered for +the sight of you these many years, how even +now I cling to you with a despairing clutch. +But you cannot disguise yourself, Ralph, and I +saw from the first moment that you loved me +no more." + +"Do not be such an unreasonable child," he +remonstrated, feebly. "I do not love you with +the wild, irrational passion of former years; +but I have the tenderest regard for you, and +my heart warms at the sight of your sweet +face, and I shall do all in my power to make +you as happy as any man can make you who--" + +"Who does not love me," she finished. + +A sudden shudder seemed to shake her whole frame, +and she drew herself more tightly up to him. + +"Ah, no," she continued, after a while, +sinking back upon her seat. "It is a hopeless thing +to compel a reluctant heart. I will accept no +sacrifice from you. You owe me nothing, for +you have acted toward me honestly and uprightly, +and I shall be a stronger, or--at least-- +a better woman for what you gave me--and-- +for what you could not give me, even though +you would." + +"But, Bertha," exclaimed he, looking mournfully +at her, "it is not true when you say that I +owe you nothing. Six years ago, when first I +wooed you, you could not return my love, and +you sent me out into the world, and even refused +to accept any pledge or promise for the future." + +"And you returned," she responded, "a man, +such as my hope had pictured you; but, while I +had almost been standing still, you had outgrown +me, and outgrown your old self, and, +with your old self, outgrown its love for me, +for your love was not of your new self, but of +the old. Alas! it is a sad tale, but it is true." + +She spoke gravely now, and with a steadier +voice, but her eyes hung upon his face with an +eager look of expectation, as if yearning to detect +there some gleam of hope, some contradiction +of the dismal truth. He read that look +aright, and it pierced him like a sharp sword. +He made a brave effort to respond to its appeal, +but his features seemed hard as stone, and he +could only cry out against his destiny, and +bewail his misfortune and hers. + +Toward evening, Ralph was sitting in an +open boat, listening to the measured oar-strokes +of the boatmen who were rowing him out to the +nearest stopping-place of the steamer. The +mountains lifted their great placid heads up +among the sun-bathed clouds, and the fjord +opened its cool depths as if to make room for +their vast reflections. Ralph felt as if he were +floating in the midst of the blue infinite space, +and, with the strength which this feeling +inspired, he tried to face boldly the thought from +which he had but a moment ago shrunk as from +something hopelessly sad and perplexing. + +And in that hour he looked fearlessly into the +gulf which separates the New World from the +Old. He had hoped to bridge it; but, alas! it +cannot be bridged. + + + +A SCIENTIFIC VAGABOND. + +I. + +THE steamer which as far back as 1860 +passed every week on its northward +way up along the coast of Norway, +was of a very sociable turn of mind. It +ran with much shrieking and needless bluster in +and out the calm, winding fjords, paid unceremonious +little visits in every out-of-the-way nook +and bay, dropped now and then a black heap of +coal into the shining water, and sent thick volleys +of smoke and shrill little echoes careering +aimlessly among the mountains. It seemed, on +the whole, from an aesthetic point of view, an +objectionable phenomenon--a blot upon the perfect +summer day. By the inhabitants, however, +of these remote regions (with the exception +of a few obstinate individuals, who had at +first looked upon it as the sure herald of dooms- +day, and still were vaguely wondering what the +world was coming to,) it was regarded in a +very different light. This choleric little monster +was to them a friendly and welcome visitor, +which established their connection with the outside +world, and gave them a proud consciousness +of living in the very heart of civilization. +Therefore, on steamboat days they flocked en +masse down on the piers, and, with an ever-fresh +sense of novelty, greeted the approaching boat +with lively cheers, with firing of muskets and +waving of handkerchiefs. The men of condition, +as the judge, the sheriff, and the parson, +whose dignity forbade them to receive the +steamer in person, contented themselves with +watching it through an opera-glass from their +balconies; and if a high official was known to be +on board, they perhaps displayed the national +banner from their flag-poles, as a delicate +compliment to their superior. + +But the Rev. Mr. Oddson, the parson of whom +I have to speak, had this day yielded to the +gentle urgings of his daughters (as, indeed, he +always did), and had with them boarded the +steamer to receive his nephew, Arnfinn Vording, +who was returning from the university for his +summer vacation. And now they had him +between them in their pretty white-painted par- +sonage boat, with the blue line along the +gunwale, beleaguering him with eager questions +about friends and relatives in the capital, chums, +university sports, and a medley of other things +interesting to young ladies who have a collegian +for a cousin. His uncle was charitable enough +to check his own curiosity about the nephew's +progress in the arts and sciences, and the result +of his recent examinations, till he should have +become fairly settled under his roof; and Arnfinn, +who, in spite of his natural brightness and +ready humor, was anything but a "dig," was +grateful for the respite. + +The parsonage lay snugly nestled at the end +of the bay, shining contentedly through the +green foliage from a multitude of small sun- +smitten windows. Its pinkish whitewash, which +was peeling off from long exposure to the +weather, was in cheerful contrast to the broad +black surface of the roof, with its glazed tiles, +and the starlings' nests under the chimney-tops. +The thick-leaved maples and walnut-trees which +grew in random clusters about the walls seemed +loftily conscious of standing there for purposes +of protection; for, wherever their long-fingered +branches happened to graze the roof, it was +always with a touch, light, graceful, and airily +caressing. The irregularly paved yard was +inclosed on two sides by the main building, and on +the third by a species of log cabin, which, in +Norway, is called a brew-house; but toward the +west the view was but slightly obscured by an +elevated pigeon cot and a clump of birches, +through whose sparse leaves the fjord beneath +sent its rapid jets and gleams of light, and its +strange suggestions of distance, peace and +unaccountable gladness. + +Arnfinn Vording's career had presented that +subtle combination of farce and tragedy which +most human lives are apt to be; and if the tragic +element had during his early years been preponderating, +he was hardly himself aware of it; for +he had been too young at the death of his +parents to feel that keenness of grief which the +same privation would have given him at a later +period of his life. It might have been humiliating +to confess it, but it was nevertheless true +that the terror he had once sustained on being +pursued by a furious bull was much more vivid +in his memory than the vague wonder and +depression which had filled his mind at seeing his +mother so suddenly stricken with age, as she lay +motionless in her white robes in the front parlor. +Since then his uncle, who was his guardian and +nearest relative, had taken him into his family, +had instructed him with his own daughters, and +finally sent him to the University, leaving the little +fortune which he had inherited to accumulate +for future use. Arnfinn had a painfully distinct +recollection of his early hardships in trying to +acquire that soft pronunciation of the r which is +peculiar to the western fjord districts of Norway, +and which he admired so much in his +cousins; for the merry-eyed Inga, who was less +scrupulous by a good deal than her older sister, +Augusta, had from the beginning persisted in +interpreting their relation of cousinship as an +unbounded privilege on her part to ridicule him +for his personal peculiarities, and especially for +his harsh r and his broad eastern accent. Her +ridicule was always very good-natured, to be +sure, but therefore no less annoying. + +But--such is the perverseness of human nature-- +in spite of a series of apparent rebuffs, +interrupted now and then by fits of violent +attachment, Arnfinn had early selected this dimpled +and yellow-haired young girl, with her piquant +little nose, for his favorite cousin. It was the +prospect of seeing her which, above all else, +had lent, in anticipation, an altogether new +radiance to the day when he should present him- +self in his home with the long-tasseled student +cap on his head, the unnecessary "pinchers" on +his nose, and with the other traditional +paraphernalia of the Norwegian student. That +great day had now come; Arnfinn sat at Inga's +side playing with her white fingers, which lay +resting on his knee, and covering the depth of +his feeling with harmless banter about her +"amusingly unclassical little nose." He had +once detected her, when a child, standing before +a mirror, and pinching this unhappy feature in +the middle, in the hope of making it "like +Augusta's;" and since then he had no longer felt +so utterly defenseless whenever his own foibles +were attacked. + +"But what of your friend, Arnfinn?" exclaimed +Inga, as she ran up the stairs of the +pier. "He of whom you have written so much. +I have been busy all the morning making the +blue guest-chamber ready for him." + +"Please, cousin," answered the student, in a +tone of mock entreaty, "only an hour's respite! +If we are to talk about Strand we must make a +day of it, you know. And just now it seems so +grand to be at home, and with you, that I +would rather not admit even so genial a subject +as Strand to share my selfish happiness." + +"Ah, yes, you are right. Happiness is too +often selfish. But tell me only why he didn't +come and I'll release you." + +"He IS coming." + +"Ah! And when?" + +"That I don't know. He preferred to take +the journey on foot, and he may be here at +almost any time. But, as I have told you, he is +very uncertain. If he should happen to make +the acquaintance of some interesting snipe, or +crane, or plover, he may prefer its company to +ours, and then there is no counting on him any +longer. He may be as likely to turn up at the +North Pole as at the Gran Parsonage." + +"How very singular. You don't know how +curious I am to see him." + +And Inga walked on in silence under the +sunny birches which grew along the road, trying +vainly to picture to herself this strange +phenomenon of a man. + +"I brought his book," remarked Arnfinn, +making a gigantic effort to be generous, for he +felt dim stirrings of jealousy within him. "If +you care to read it, I think it will explain him +to you better than anything I could say." + + + +II. + + +The Oddsons were certainly a happy family +though not by any means a harmonious one. +The excellent pastor, who was himself neutrally +good, orthodox, and kind-hearted, had often, in +the privacy of his own thought, wondered what +hidden ancestral influences there might have +been at work in giving a man so peaceable and +inoffensive as himself two daughters of such +strongly defined individuality. There was +Augusta, the elder, who was what Arnfinn called +"indiscriminately reformatory," and had a +universal desire to improve everything, from the +Government down to agricultural implements +and preserve jars. As long as she was content +to expend the surplus energy, which seemed to +accumulate within her through the long eventless +winters, upon the Zulu Mission, and other +legitimate objects, the pastor thought it all +harmless enough; although, to be sure, her +enthusiasm for those naked and howling savages +did at times strike him as being somewhat +extravagant. But when occasionally, in her own +innocent way, she put both his patience and his +orthodoxy to the test by her exceedingly puzzling +questions, then he could not, in the depth +of his heart, restrain the wish that she might +have been more like other young girls, and less +ardently solicitous about the fate of her kind. +Affectionate and indulgent, however, as the pastor +was, he would often, in the next moment, do +penance for his unregenerate thought, and thank +God for having made her so fair to behold, so +pure, and so noble-hearted. + +Toward Arnfinn, Augusta had, although of +his own age, early assumed a kind of elder-sisterly +relation; she had been his comforter during +all the trials of his boyhood; had yielded +him her sympathy with that eager impulse which +lay so deep in her nature, and had felt forlorn +when life had called him away to where her +words of comfort could not reach him. But +when once she had hinted this to her father, he +had pedantically convinced her that her feeling +was unchristian, and Inga had playfully remarked +that the hope that some one might soon +find the open Polar Sea would go far toward +consoling her for her loss; for Augusta had +glorious visions at that time of the open Polar Sea. +Now, the Polar Sea, and many other things, far +nearer and dearer, had been forced into uneasy +forgetfulness; and Arnfinn was once more with +her, no longer a child, and no longer appealing +to her for aid and sympathy; man enough, ap- +parently, to have outgrown his boyish needs +and still boy enough to be ashamed of having +ever had them. + +It was the third Sunday after Arnfinn's +return. He and Augusta were climbing the hillside +to the "Giant's Hood," from whence they +had a wide view of the fjord, and could see the +sun trailing its long bridge of flame upon the +water. It was Inga's week in the kitchen, +therefore her sister was Arnfinn's companion. +As they reached the crest of the "Hood," +Augusta seated herself on a flat bowlder, and the +young student flung himself on a patch of +greensward at her feet. The intense light of +the late sun fell upon the girl's unconscious face, +and Arnfinn lay, gazing up into it, and wondering +at its rare beauty; but he saw only the clean +cut of its features and the purity of its form, +being too shallow to recognize the strong and +heroic soul which had struggled so long for +utterance in the life of which he had been a blind +and unmindful witness. + +"Gracious, how beautiful you are, cousin!" +he broke forth, heedlessly, striking his leg with +his slender cane; "pity you were not born a +queen; you would be equal to almost anything, +even if it were to discover the Polar Sea." + +"I thought you were looking at the sun, +Arnfinn," answered she, smiling reluctantly. + +"And so I am, cousin," laughed he, with an +other-emphatic slap of his boot. + +"That compliment is rather stale." + +"But the opportunity was too tempting." + +"Never mind, I will excuse you from further +efforts. Turn around and notice that wonderful +purple halo which is hovering over the forests +below. Isn't it glorious?" + +"No, don't let us be solemn, pray. The sun I +have seen a thousand times before, but you I +have seen very seldom of late. Somehow, since +I returned this time, you seem to keep me at a +distance. You no longer confide to me your +great plans for the abolishment of war, and the +improvement of mankind generally. Why don't +you tell me whether you have as yet succeeded +in convincing the peasants that cleanliness is a +cardinal virtue, that hawthorn hedges are more +picturesque than rail fences, and that salt meat +is a very indigestible article?" + +"You know the fate of my reforms, from long +experience," she answered, with the same sad, +sweet smile. "I am afraid there must be some +thing radically wrong about my methods; and, +moreover, I know that your aspirations and +mine are no longer the same, if they ever have +been, and I am not ungenerous enough to force +you to feign an interest which you do not feel." + +"Yes, I know you think me flippant and +boyish," retorted he, with sudden energy, and +tossing a stone down into the gulf below. +"But, by the way, my friend Strand, if he ever +comes, would be just the man for you. He has +quite as many hobbies as you have, and, what is +more, he has a profound respect for hobbies in +general, and is universally charitable toward +those of others." + +"Your friend is a great man," said the girl, +earnestly. "I have read his book on `The +Wading Birds of the Norwegian Highlands,' +and none but a great man could have written it." + +"He is an odd stick, but, for all that, a capital +fellow; and I have no doubt you would get on +admirably with him." + +At this moment the conversation was interrupted +by the appearance of the pastor's man, +Hans, who came to tell the "young miss" that +there was a big tramp hovering about the barns +in the "out-fields," where he had been sleeping +during the last three nights. He was a dangerous +character, Hans thought, at least judging +from his looks, and it was hardly safe for the +young miss to be roaming about the fields at +night as long as he was in the neighborhood. + +"Why don't you speak to the pastor, and +have him arrested?" said Arnfinn, impatient of +Hans's long-winded recital. + +"No, no, say nothing to father," demanded +Augusta, eagerly. "Why should you arrest +a poor man as long as he does nothing worse +than sleep in the barns in the out-fields?" + +"As you say, miss," retorted Hans, and departed. + +The moon came up pale and mist-like over +the eastern mountain ridges, struggled for a few +brief moments feebly with the sunlight, and +then vanished. + +"It is strange," said Arnfinn, "how +everything reminds me of Strand to-night. What +gloriously absurd apostrophes to the moon he +could make! I have not told you, cousin, of a +very singular gift which he possesses. He can +attract all kinds of birds and wild animals to +himself; he can imitate their voices, and they +flock around him, as if he were one of them, +without fear of harm." + +"How delightful," cried Augusta, with sudden +animation. "What a glorious man your friend +must be!" + +"Because the snipes and the wild ducks like him? +You seem to have greater confidence in their judgment +than in mine." + +"Of course I have--at least as long as you +persist in joking. But, jesting aside, what a +wondrously beautiful life he must lead whom +Nature takes thus into her confidence; who has, +as it were, an inner and subtler sense, corresponding +to each grosser and external one; who is +keen-sighted enough to read the character of +every individual beast, and has ears sensitive to +the full pathos of joy or sorrow in the song of +the birds that inhabit our woodlands." + +"Whether he has any such second set of +senses as you speak of, I don't know; but there +can be no doubt that his familiarity, not to say +intimacy, with birds and beasts gives him a +great advantage as a naturalist. I suppose you +know that his little book has been translated +into French, and rewarded with the gold medal +of the Academy." + +"Hush! What is that?" Augusta sprang +up, and held her hand to her ear. + +"Some love-lorn mountain-cock playing yonder +in the pine copse," suggested Arnfinn, +amused at his cousin's eagerness. + +"You silly boy! Don't you know the mountain- +cock never plays except at sunrise?" + +"He would have a sorry time of it now, then, +when there IS no sunrise." + +"And so he has; he does not play except in +early spring." + +The noise, at first faint, now grew louder. It +began with a series of mellow, plaintive clucks +that followed thickly one upon another, like +smooth pearls of sound that rolled through the +throat in a continuous current; then came a few +sharp notes as of a large bird that snaps his +bill; then a long, half-melodious rumbling, +intermingled with cacklings and snaps, and at last, +a sort of diminuendo movement of the same +round, pearly clucks. There was a whizzing of +wing-beats in the air; two large birds swept +over their heads and struck down into the copse +whence the sound had issued. + +"This is indeed a most singular thing," said +Augusta, under her breath, and with wide-eyed wonder. +"Let us go nearer, and see what it can be." + +"I am sure I can go if you can," responded +Arnfinn, not any too eagerly. "Give me your +hand, and we can climb the better." + +As they approached the pine copse, which + +projected like a promontory from the line of +the denser forest, the noise ceased, and only the +plaintive whistling of a mountain-hen, calling +her scattered young together, and now and then +the shrill response of a snipe to the cry of its +lonely mate, fell upon the summer night, not as +an interruption, but as an outgrowth of the very +silence. Augusta stole with soundless tread +through the transparent gloom which lingered +under those huge black crowns, and Arnfinn +followed impatiently after. Suddenly she motioned +to him to stand still, and herself bent forward +in an attitude of surprise and eager observation. +On the ground, some fifty steps from +where she was stationed, she saw a man +stretched out full length, with a knapsack under +his head, and surrounded by a flock of downy, +half-grown birds, which responded with a low, +anxious piping to his alluring cluck, then scattered +with sudden alarm, only to return again +in the same curious, cautious fashion as before. +Now and then there was a great flapping of +wings in the trees overhead, and a heavy brown +and black speckled mountain-hen alighted close +to the man's head, stretched out her neck toward +him, cocked her head, called her scattered brood +together, and departed with slow and deliberate +wing-beats. + +Again there was a frightened flutter over- +head, a shrill anxious whistle rose in the air, +and all was silence. Augusta had stepped on a +dry branch--it had broken under her weight-- +hence the sudden confusion and flight. The +unknown man had sprung up, and his eye, after a +moment's search, had found the dark, beautiful +face peering forth behind the red fir-trunk. +He did not speak or salute her; he greeted her +with silent joy, as one greets a wondrous vision +which is too frail and bright for consciousness +to grasp, which is lost the very instant one is +conscious of seeing. But, while to the girl the +sight, as it were, hung trembling in the range +of mere physical perception, while its suddenness +held it aloof from moral reflection, there +came a great shout from behind, and Arnfinn, +whom in her surprise she had quite forgotten, +came bounding forward, grasping the stranger +by the hand with much vigor, laughing heartily, +and pouring forth a confused stream of +delighted interjections, borrowed from all manner +of classical and unclassical tongues. + +"Strand! Strand!" he cried, when the first +tumult of excitement had subsided; "you most +marvelous and incomprehensible Strand! From +what region of heaven or earth did you jump +down into our prosaic neighborhood? And +what in the world possessed you to choose our +barns as the centre of your operations, and +nearly put me to the necessity of having you +arrested for vagrancy? How I do regret that +Cousin Augusta's entreaties mollified my heart +toward you. Pardon me, I have not introduced +you. This is my cousin, Miss Oddson, and this +is my miraculous friend, the world-renowned +author, vagrant, and naturalist, Mr. Marcus Strand." + +Strand stepped forward, made a deep but +somewhat awkward bow, and was dimly aware +that a small soft hand was extended to him, +and, in the next moment, was enclosed in his +own broad and voluminous palm. He grasped +it firmly, and, in one of those profound abstractions +into which he was apt to fall when under +the sway of a strong impression, pressed it with +increasing cordiality, while he endeavored to +find fitting answers to Arnfinn's multifarious +questions. + +"To tell the truth, Vording," he said, in a +deep, full-ringing bass, "I didn't know that +these were your cousin's barns--I mean that +your uncle"--giving the unhappy hand an emphatic +shake--"inhabited these barns." + +"No, thank heaven, we are not quite reduced +to that," cried Arnfinn, gayly; "we still boast a +parsonage, as you will presently discover, and a +very bright and cozy one, to boot. But, whatever +you do, have the goodness to release +Augusta's hand. Don't you see how desperately +she is struggling, poor thing?" + +Strand dropped the hand as if it had been a +hot coal, blushed to the edge of his hair, and +made another profound reverence. He was a +tall, huge-limbed youth, with a frame of +gigantic mold, and a large, blonde, shaggy head, +like that of some good-natured antediluvian +animal, which might feel the disadvantages of +its size amid the puny beings of this later stage +of creation. There was a frank directness in +his gaze, and an unconsciousness of self, which +made him very winning, and which could not +fail of its effect upon a girl who, like Augusta, +was fond of the uncommon, and hated smooth, +facile and well-tailored young men, with the +labels of society and fashion upon their coats, +their mustaches, and their speech. And Strand, +with his large sun-burned face, his wild-growing +beard, blue woolen shirt, top boots, and unkempt +appearance generally, was a sufficiently +startling phenomenon to satisfy even so exacting +a fancy as hers; for, after reading his book +about the Wading Birds, she had made up her +mind that he must have few points of resemblance +to the men who had hitherto formed part +of her own small world, although she had not +until now decided just in what way he was to +differ. + +"Suppose I help you carry your knapsack," +said Arnfinn, who was flitting about like a small +nimble spaniel trying to make friends with some +large, good-natured Newfoundland. "You must +be very tired, having roamed about in this +Quixotic fashion!" + +"No, I thank you," responded Strand, with +an incredulous laugh, glancing alternately from +Arnfinn to the knapsack, as if estimating their +proportionate weight. "I am afraid you would +rue your bargain if I accepted it." + +"I suppose you have a great many stuffed +birds at home," remarked the girl, looking +with self-forgetful admiration at the large +brawny figure. + +"No, I have hardly any," answered he, +seating himself on the ground, and pulling a thick +note-book from his pocket. "I prefer live +creatures. Their anatomical and physiological +peculiarities have been studied by others, and +volumes have been written about them. It is +their psychological traits, ii you will allow the +expression, which interest me, and those I can +only get at while they are alive." + +"How delightful!" + +Some minutes later they were all on their way +to the Parsonage. The sun, in spite of its mid- +summer wakefulness, was getting red-eyed and +drowsy, and the purple mists which hung in +scattered fragments upon the forest below had +lost something of their deep-tinged brilliancy. +But Augusta, quite blind to the weakened light +effects, looked out upon the broad landscape in +ecstasy, and, appealing to her more apathetic +companions, invited them to share her joy at the +beauty of the faint-flushed summer night. + +"You are getting quite dithyrambic, my +dear," remarked Arnfinn, with an air of cousinly +superiority, which he felt was eminently +becoming to him; and Augusta looked up with +quick surprise, then smiled in an absent way, +and forgot what she had been saying. She had +no suspicion but that her enthusiasm had been +all for the sunset. + + + +III. + + +In a life so outwardly barren and monotonous +as Augusta's--a life in which the small external +events were so firmly interwoven with the +subtler threads of yearnings, wants, and desires +--the introduction of so large and novel a fact +as Marcus Strand would naturally produce some +perceptible result. It was that deplorable +inward restlessness of hers, she reasoned, which +had hitherto made her existence seem so empty +and unsatisfactory; but now his presence filled +the hours, and the newness of his words, his +manner, and his whole person afforded +inexhaustible material for thought. It was now a +week since his arrival, and while Arnfinn and +Inga chatted at leisure, drew caricatures, or +read aloud to each other in some shady nook of +the garden, she and Strand would roam along +the beach, filling the vast unclouded horizon +with large glowing images of the future of the +human race. He always listened in sympathetic +silence while she unfolded to him her +often childishly daring schemes for the +amelioration of suffering and the righting of social +wrongs; and when she had finished, and he met +the earnest appeal of her dark eye, there would +often be a pause, during which each, with a +half unconscious lapse from the impersonal, +would feel more keenly the joy of this new +and delicious mental companionship. And +when at length he answered, sometimes gently +refuting and sometimes assenting to her +proposition, it was always with a slow, deliberate +earnestness, as if he felt but her deep sincerity, +and forgot for the moment her sex, her +youth, and her inexperience. It was just this +kind of fellowship for which she had hungered +so long, and her heart went out with a +great gratitude toward this strong and +generous man, who was willing to recognize her +humanity, and to respond with an ever-ready +frankness, unmixed with petty suspicions and +second thoughts, to the eager needs of her half- +starved nature. It is quite characteristic, too, +of the type of womanhood which Augusta +represents (and with which this broad continent +of ours abounds), that, with her habitual disregard +of appearances, she would have scorned +the notion that their intercourse had any ultimate +end beyond that of mutual pleasure and instruction. + +It was early in the morning in the third week +of Strand's stay at the Parsonage. A heavy +dew had fallen during the night, and each tiny +grass-blade glistened in the sun, bending under +the weight of its liquid diamond. The birds +were improvising a miniature symphony in the +birches at the end of the garden; the song- +thrush warbled with a sweet melancholy his +long-drawn contralto notes; the lark, like a +prima donna, hovering conspicuously in mid +air, poured forth her joyous soprano solo; and +the robin, quite unmindful of the tempo, filled +out the pauses with his thoughtless staccato +chirp. Augusta, who was herself the early bird +of the pastor's family, had paid a visit to the +little bath-house down at the brook, and was +now hurrying homeward, her heavy black hair +confined in a delicate muslin hood, and her lithe +form hastily wrapped in a loose morning gown. +She had paused for a moment under the birches +to listen to the song of the lark, when suddenly +a low, half articulate sound, very unlike the +voice of a bird, arrested her attention; she +raised her eyes, and saw Strand sitting in the +top of a tree, apparently conversing with himself, +or with some tiny thing which he held in +his hands. + +"Ah, yes, you poor little sickly thing!" she +heard him mutter. "Don't you make such an +ado now. You shall soon be quite well, if you +will only mind what I tell you. Stop, stop! +Take it easy. It is all for your own good, you +know. If you had only been prudent, and not +stepped on your lame leg, you might have been +spared this affliction. But, after all, it was not +your fault--it was that foolish little mother of +yours. She will remember now that a skein of +hemp thread is not the thing to line her nest +with. If she doesn't, you may tell her that it +was I who said so." + +Augusta stood gazing on in mute astonishment; +then, suddenly remembering her hasty +toilet, she started to run; but, as chance would +have it, a dry branch, which hung rather low, +caught at her hood, and her hair fell in a black +wavy stream down over her shoulders. She +gave a little cry, the tree shook violently, and +Strand was at her side. She blushed crimson +over neck and face, and, in her utter bewilderment, +stood like a culprit before him, unable to +move, unable to speak, and only returning with +a silent bow his cordial greeting. It seemed to +her that she had ungenerously intruded upon +his privacy, watching him, while he thought +himself unobserved. And Augusta was quite +unskilled in those social accomplishments which +enable young ladies to hide their inward emotions +under a show of polite indifference, for, +however hard she strove, she could not suppress +a slight quivering of her lips, and her intense +self-reproach made Strand's words fall dimly on +her ears, and prevented her from gathering the +meaning of what he was saying. He held in +his hands a young bird with a yellow line along +the edge of its bill (and there was something +beautifully soft and tender in the way those +large palms of his handled any living thing), +and he looked pityingly at it while he spoke. + +"The mother of this little linnet," he said, +smiling, "did what many foolish young mothers +are apt to do. She took upon her the responsibility +of raising offspring without having acquired +the necessary knowledge of housekeeping. +So she lined her nest with hemp, and the +consequence was, that her first-born got his legs +entangled, and was obliged to remain in the +nest long after his wings had reached their full +development. I saw her feeding him about a +week ago, and, as my curiosity prompted me to +look into the case, I released the little cripple, +cleansed the deep wound which the threads had +cut in his flesh, and have since been watching +him during his convalescence. Now he is quite +in a fair way, but I had to apply some salve, +and to cut off the feathers about the wound, and +the little fool squirmed under the pain, and grew +rebellious. Only notice this scar, if you please, +Miss Oddson, and you may imagine what the +poor thing must have suffered." + +Augusta gave a start; she timidly raised her +eyes, and saw Strand's grave gaze fixed upon +her. She felt as if some intolerable spell had +come over her, and, as her agitation increased, +her power of speech seemed utterly to desert +her. + +"Ah, you have not been listening to me?" +said Strand, in a tone of wondering inquiry. +"Pardon me for presuming to believe that my +little invalid could be as interesting to you as +he is to me." + +"Mr. Strand," stammered the girl, while the +invisible tears came near choking her voice. +"Mr. Strand--I didn't mean--really--" + +She knew that if she said another word she +should burst into tears. With a violent effort, +she gathered up her wrapper, which somehow +had got unbuttoned at the neck, and, with +heedlessly hurrying steps, darted away toward the +house. + +Strand stood looking after her, quite unmindful +of his feathered patient, which flew chirping +about him in the grass. Two hours later Arnfinn +found him sitting under the birches with +his hands clasped over the top of his head, and +his surgical instruments scattered on the ground +around him. + +"Corpo di Baccho," exclaimed the student, +stooping to pick up the precious tools; "have +you been amputating your own head, or is it I +who am dreaming?" + +"Ah," murmured Strand, lifting a large, +strange gaze upon his friend, "is it you?" + +"Who else should it be? I come to call you +to breakfast." + + + +IV. + + +"I wonder what is up between Strand and +Augusta?" said Arnfinn to his cousin Inga. The +questioner was lying in the grass at her feet, +resting his chin on his palms, and gazing with +roguishly tender eyes up into her fresh, blooming +face; but Inga, who was reading aloud from +"David Copperfield," and was deep in the +matrimonial tribulations of that noble hero, only +said "hush," and continued reading. Arnfinn, +after a minute's silence, repeated his remark, +whereupon his fair cousin wrenched his cane +out of his hand, and held it threateningly over +his head. + +"Will you be a good boy and listen?" she +exclaimed, playfully emphasizing each word +with a light rap on his curly pate. + +"Ouch! that hurts," cried Arnfinn, and +dodged. + +"It was meant to hurt," replied Inga, with +mock severity, and returned to "Copperfield." + +Presently the seed of a corn-flower struck the +tip of her nose, and again the cane was lifted; +but Dora's housekeeping experiences were too +absorbingly interesting, and the blue eyes could +not resist their fascination. + +"Cousin Inga," said Arnfinn, and this time +with as near an approach to earnestness as he +was capable of at that moment, "I do believe +that Strand is in love with Augusta." + +Inga dropped the book, and sent him what +was meant to be a glance of severe rebuke, and +then said, in her own amusingly emphatic way: + +"I do wish you wouldn't joke with such +things, Arnfinn." + +"Joke! Indeed I am not joking. I wish to +heaven that I were. What a pity it is that she +has taken such a dislike to him!" + +"Dislike! Oh, you are a profound philosopher, +you are! You think that because she +avoids--" + +Here Inga abruptly clapped her hand over +her mouth, and, with sudden change of voice +and expression, said: + +"I am as silent as the grave." + +"Yes, you are wonderfully discreet," cried +Arnfinn, laughing, while the girl bit her under +lip with an air of penitence and mortification +which, in any other bosom than a cousin's would +have aroused compassion. + +"Aha! So steht's!" he broke forth, with +another burst of merriment; then, softened by the +sight of a tear that was slowly gathering beneath +her eyelashes, he checked his laughter, +crept up to her side, and in a half childishly +coaxing, half caressing tone, he whispered: + +"Dear little cousin, indeed I didn't mean to +hurt your feelings. You are not angry with +me, are you? And if you will only promise me +not to tell, I have something here which I should +like to show you." + +He well knew that there was nothing which +would sooner soothe Inga's wrath than confiding +a secret to her; and while he was a boy, he had, +in cases of sore need, invented secrets lest his +life should be made miserable by the sense that +she was displeased with him. In this instance +her anger was not strong enough to resist the +anticipation of a secret, probably relating to +that little drama which had, during the last +weeks, been in progress under her very eyes. +With a resolute movement, she brushed her +tears away, bent eagerly forward, and, in the +next moment, her face was all expectancy and +animation. + +Arnfinn pulled a thick black note-book from +his breast pocket, opened it in his lap, and read: + +"August 3, 5 A. M.--My little invalid is doing +finely; he seemed to relish much a few dozen +flies which I brought him in my hand. His +pulse is to-day, for the first time, normal. He +is beginning to step on the injured leg without +apparent pain. + +"10 A. M.--Miss Augusta's eyes have a strange, +lustrous brilliancy whenever she speaks of subjects +which seem to agitate the depths of her +being. How and why is it that an excessive +amount of feeling always finds its first expression +in the eye? One kind of emotion seems to widen +the pupil, another kind to contract it. TO be +noticed in future, how particular emotions affect +the eye. + +"6 P. M.--I met a plover on the beach this +afternoon. By imitating his cry, I induced him +to come within a few feet of me. The plover, +as his cry indicates, is a very melancholy bird. +In fact I believe the melancholy temperament to +be prevailing among the wading birds, as the +phlegmatic among birds of prey. The singing +birds are choleric or sanguine. Tease a thrush, +or even a lark, and you will soon be convinced. +A snipe, or plover, as far as my experience goes, +seldom shows anger; you cannot tease them. +To be considered, how far the voice of a bird may +be indicative of its temperament. + +"August 5, 9 P. M.--Since the unfortunate +meeting yesterday morning, when my intense +pre-occupation with my linnet, which had torn +its wound open again, probably made me commit +some breach of etiquette, Miss Augusta +avoids me. + +"August 7--I am in a most singular state. +My pulse beats 85, which is a most unheard-of +thing for me, as my pulse is naturally full and +slow. And, strangely enough, I do not feel at +all unwell. On the contrary, my physical well- +being is rather heightened than otherwise. +The life of a whole week is crowded into a day, +and that of a day into an hour." + +Inga, who, at several points of this narrative, +had been struggling hard to preserve her gravity, +here burst into a ringing laugh. + +"That is what I call scientific love-making," +said Arnfinn, looking up from the book with an +expression of subdued amusement. + +"But Arnfinn," cried the girl, while the laughter +quickly died out of her face, "does Mr. +Strand know that you are reading this?" + +"To be sure he does. And that is just what +to my mind makes the situation so excessively +comical. He has himself no suspicion that this +book contains anything but scientific notes. He +appears to prefer the empiric method in love as +in philosophy. I verily believe that he is +innocently experimenting with himself, with a view +to making some great physiological discovery." + +"And so he will, perhaps," rejoined the girl, +the mixture of gayety and grave solicitude +making her face, as her cousin thought, particularly +charming. + +"Only not a physiological, but possibly a +psychological one," remarked Arnfinn. "But +listen to this. Here is something rich: + +"August 9--Miss Augusta once said something +about the possibility of animals being immortal. +Her eyes shone with a beautiful animation +as she spoke. I am longing to continue +the subject with her. It haunts me the whole +day long. There may be more in the idea than +appears to a superficial observer." + +"Oh, how charmingly he understands how to +deceive himself," cried Inga. + +"Merely a quid pro quo," said Arnfinn. + +"I know what I shall do!" + +"And so do I." + +"Won't you tell me, please?" + +"No." + +"Then I sha'n't tell you either." + +And they flew apart like two thoughtless little +birds ("sanguine," as Strand would have called +them), each to ponder on some formidable plot +for the reconciliation of the estranged lovers. + + + +V. + + +During the week that ensued, the multifarious +sub-currents of Strand's passion seemed +slowly to gather themselves into one clearly defined +stream, and, after much scientific speculation, +he came to the conclusion that he loved +Augusta. In a moment of extreme discouragement, +he made a clean breast of it to Arnfinn, +at the same time informing him that he had +packed his knapsack, and would start on his +wanderings again the next morning. All his +friend's entreaties were in vain; he would and +must go. Strand was an exasperatingly head- +strong fellow, and persuasions never prevailed +with him. He had confirmed himself in the belief +that he was very unattractive to women, and +that Augusta, of all women, for some reason +which was not quite clear to him, hated and +abhorred him. Inexperienced as he was, he could +see no reason why she should avoid him, if she +did not hate him. They sat talking until mid- +night, each entangling himself in those passionate +paradoxes and contradictions peculiar to +passionate and impulsive youth. Strand paced +the floor with large steps, pouring out his long +pent-up emotion in violent tirades of self- +accusation and regret; while Arnfinn sat on the bed, +trying to soothe his excitement by assuring him +that he was not such a monster as, for the moment, +he had believed himself to be, but only +succeeding, in spite of all his efforts, in pouring +oil on the flames. Strand was scientifically +convinced that Nature, in accordance with some +inscrutable law of equilibrium, had found it +necessary to make him physically unattractive, +perhaps to indemnify mankind for that excess +of intellectual gifts which, at the expense of the +race at large, she had bestowed upon him. + +Early the next morning, as a kind of etherealized +sunshine broke through the white muslin +curtains of Arnfinn's room, and long streaks of +sun-illumined dust stole through the air toward +the sleeper's pillow, there was a sharp rap at the +door, and Strand entered. His knapsack was +strapped over his shoulders, his long staff was in +his hand, and there was an expression of +conscious martyrdom in his features. Arnfinn +raised himself on his elbows, and rubbed his +eyes with a desperate determination to get +awake, but only succeeded in gaining a very +dim impression of a beard, a blue woolen shirt, +and a disproportionately large shoe buckle. The +figure advanced to the bed, extended a broad, +sun-burned hand, and a deep bass voice was +heard to say: + +"Good-bye, brother." + +Arnfinn, who was a hard sleeper, gave another +rub, and, in a querulously sleepy tone, managed +to mutter: + +"Why,--is it as late as that--already?" + +The words of parting were more remotely +repeated, the hand closed about Arnfinn's half- +unfeeling fingers, the lock on the door gave a +little sharp click, and all was still. But the +sunshine drove the dust in a dumb, confused dance +through the room. + +Some four hours later, Arnfinn woke up with +a vague feeling as if some great calamity had +happened; he was not sure but that he had slept +a fortnight or more. He dressed with a sleepy, +reckless haste, being but dimly conscious of the +logic of the various processes of ablution which +he underwent. He hurried up to Strand's room, +but, as he had expected, found it empty. + +During all the afternoon, the reading of "David +Copperfield" was interrupted by frequent +mutual condolences, and at times Inga's hand +would steal up to her eye to brush away a +treacherous tear. But then she only read the +faster, and David and Agnes were already safe +in the haven of matrimony before either she or +Arnfinn was aware that they had struggled +successfully through the perilous reefs and quick- +sands of courtship. + +Augusta excused herself from supper, Inga's +forced devices at merriment were too transparent, +Arnfinn's table-talk was of a rambling, +incoherent sort, and he answered dreadfully +malapropos, if a chance word was addressed to him, +and even the good-natured pastor began, at last, +to grumble; for the inmates of the Gran Parsonage +seemed to have but one life and one soul in +common, and any individual disturbance immediately +disturbed the peace and happiness of the +whole household. Now gloom had, in some +unaccountable fashion, obscured the common +atmosphere. Inga shook her small wise head, and +tried to extract some little consolation from the +consciousness that she knew at least some things +which Arnfinn did not know, and which it would +be very unsafe to confide to him. + + + +VI. + + +Four weeks after Strand's departure, as the +summer had already assumed that tinge of sadness +which impresses one as a foreboding of +coming death, Augusta was walking along the +beach, watching the flight of the sea-birds. Her +latest "aberration," as Arnfinn called it, was an +extraordinary interest in the habits of the eider- +ducks, auks, and sea-gulls, the noisy monotony +of whose existence had, but a few months ago, +appeared to her the symbol of all that was vulgar +and coarse in human and animal life. Now +she had even provided herself with a note-book, +and (to use once more the language of her +unbelieving cousin) affected a half-scientific interest +in their clamorous pursuits. She had made +many vain attempts to imitate their voices and +to beguile them into closer intimacy, and had +found it hard at times to suppress her indignation +when they persisted in viewing her in the +light of an intruder, and in returning her amiable +approaches with shy suspicion, as if they +doubted the sincerity of her intentions. + +She was a little paler now, perhaps, than before, +but her eyes had still the same lustrous +depth, and the same sweet serenity was still +diffused over her features, and softened, like a +pervading tinge of warm color, the grand +simplicity of her presence. She sat down on a +large rock, picked up a curiously twisted shell, +and seeing a plover wading in the surf, gave a +soft, low whistle, which made the bird turn +round and gaze at her with startled distrust. +She repeated the call, but perhaps a little too +eagerly, and the bird spread its wings with a +frightened cry, and skimmed, half flying, half +running, out over the glittering surface of the +fjord. But from the rocks close by came a long +melancholy whistle like that of a bird in +distress, and the girl rose and hastened with eager +steps toward the spot. She climbed up on a +stone, fringed all around with green slimy sea- +weeds, in order to gain a wider view of the +beach. Then suddenly some huge figure started +up between the rocks at her feet; she gave a +little scream, her foot slipped, and in the next +moment she lay--in Strand's arms. He offered +no apology, but silently carried her over the +slippery stones, and deposited her tenderly upon +the smooth white sand. There it occurred to +her that his attention was quite needless, but at +the moment she was too startled to make any +remonstrance. + +"But how in the world, Mr. Strand, did you +come here?" she managed at last to stammer. +"We all thought that you had gone away." + +"I hardly know myself," said Strand, in a +beseeching undertone, quite different from his +usual confident bass. "I only know that--that +I was very wretched, and that I had to come +back." + +Then there was a pause, which to both seemed +quite interminable, and, in order to fill it out in +some way, Strand began to move his head and +arms uneasily, and at length seated himself at +Augusta's side. The blood was beating with +feverish vehemence in her temples, and for the +first time in her life she felt something akin to +pity for this large, strong man, whose strength +and cheerful self-reliance had hitherto seemed +to raise him above the need of a woman's aid +and sympathy. Now the very shabbiness of his +appearance, and the look of appealing misery in +his features, opened in her bosom the gate +through which compassion could enter, and, +with that generous self-forgetfulness which was +the chief factor of her character, she leaned +over toward him, and said: + +"You must have been very sick, Mr. Strand. +Why did you not come to us and allow us to +take care of you, instead of roaming about here +in this stony wilderness?" + +"Yes; I have been sick," cried Strand, with +sudden vehemence, seizing her hand; "but it is +a sickness of which I shall never, never be +healed." + +And with that world-old eloquence which is +yet ever new, he poured forth his passionate +confession in her ear, and she listened, hungrily +at first, then with serene, wide-eyed happiness. +He told her how, driven by his inward restlessness, +he had wandered about in the mountains, +until one evening at a saeter, he had heard a +peasant lad singing a song, in which this stanza +occurred: + + "A woman's frown, a woman's smile, + Nor hate nor fondness prove; + For maidens smile on him they hate, + And fly from him they love." + + +Then it had occurred to him for the first time +in his life that a woman's behavior need not be +the logical indicator of her deepest feelings, +and, enriched with this joyful discovery, +inspired with new hope, he had returned, but had +not dared at once to seek the Parsonage, until +he could invent some plausible reason for his +return; but his imagination was very poor, and +he had found none, except that he loved the +pastor's beautiful daughter. + +The evening wore on. The broad mountain- +guarded valley, flooded now to the brim with a +soft misty light, spread out about them, and +filled them with a delicious sense of security. +The fjord lifted its grave gaze toward the sky, +and deepened responsively with a bright, ever- +receding immensity. The young girl felt this +blessed peace gently stealing over her; doubt +and struggle were all past, and the sun shone +ever serene and unobscured upon the widening +expanses of the future. And in his breast, too, +that mood reigned in which life looks boundless +and radiant, human woes small or impossible, +and one's own self large and all-conquering. +In that hour they remodeled this old and +obstinate world of ours, never doubting that, if +each united his faith and strength with the +other's, they could together lift its burden. + +That night was the happiest and most memorable +night in the history of the Gran Parsonage. +The pastor walked up and down on the floor, +rubbing his hands in quiet contentment. Inga, +to whom an engagement was essentially a sol- +emn affair, sat in a corner and gazed at her +sister and Strand with tearful radiance. Arnfinn +gave vent to his joy by bestowing embraces +promiscuously upon whomsoever chanced to +come in his way. + +This story, however, has a brief but not +unimportant sequel. It was not many weeks after +this happy evening that Arnfinn and the maiden +with the "amusingly unclassical nose" presented +themselves in the pastor's study and asked for +his paternal and unofficial blessing. But the +pastor, I am told, grew very wroth, and +demanded that his nephew should first take his +second and third degrees, attaching, besides, +some very odious stipulations regarding average +in study and college standing, before there could +be any talk about engagement or matrimony. +So, at present, Arnfinn is still studying, and the +fair-haired Inga is still waiting. + + + +TRULS, THE NAMELESS. + +HE was born in the houseman's lodge; +she in the great mansion. He did not +know who his father was; she was +the daughter of Grim of Skogli, and +she was the only daughter he had. They were +carried to baptism on the same day, and he was +called Truls, because they had to call him something; +she received the name of Borghild, because +that had been the name of every eldest +born daughter in the family for thirty +generations. They both cried when the pastor poured +the water on their heads; his mother hushed +him, blushed, and looked timidly around her; +but the woman who carried Borghild lifted her +high up in her arms so that everybody could +see her, and the pastor smiled benignly, and the +parishioners said that they had never seen so +beautiful a child. That was the way in which +they began life--he as a child of sin, she as the +daughter of a mighty race. + +They grew up together. She had round +cheeks and merry eyes, and her lips were redder +than the red rose. He was of slender +growth, his face was thin and pale, and his eyes +had a strange, benumbed gaze, as if they were +puzzling themselves with some sad, life-long +riddle which they never hoped to solve. On +the strand where they played the billows came +and went, and they murmured faintly with a +sound of infinite remoteness. Borghild laughed +aloud, clapped her hands and threw stones out +into the water, while he sat pale and silent, and +saw the great white-winged sea-birds sailing +through the blue ocean of the sky. + +"How would you like to live down there in +the deep green water?" she asked him one day, +as they sat watching the eider-ducks which +swam and dived, and stood on their heads +among the sea-weeds. + +"I should like it very well," he answered, "if +you would follow me." + +"No, I won't follow you," she cried. "It is +cold and wet down in the water. And I should +spoil the ribbons on my new bodice. But +when I grow up and get big and can braid my +hair, then I shall row with the young lads to the +church yonder on the headland, and there the +old pastor will marry me, and I shall wear the +big silver crown which my mother wore when +she was married." + +"And may I go with you?" asked he, timidly. + +"Yes, you may steer my boat and be my +helmsman, or--you may be my bridegroom, if +you would like that better." + +"Yes, I think I should rather be your +bridegroom," and he gave her a long, strange look +which almost frightened her. + +The years slipped by, and before Borghild +knew it, she had grown into womanhood. The +down on Truls's cheeks became rougher, and he, +too, began to suspect that he was no longer a +boy. When the sun was late and the breeze +murmured in the great, dark-crowned pines, +they often met by chance, at the well, on the +strand, or on the saeter-green. And the oftener +they met the more they found to talk about; to +be sure, it was she who did the talking, and he +looked at her with his large wondering eyes and +listened. She told him of the lamb which had +tumbled down over a steep precipice and still +was unhurt, of the baby who pulled the pastor's +hair last Sunday during the baptismal ceremony, +or of the lumberman, Lars, who drank the kero- +sene his wife gave him for brandy, and never +knew the difference. But, when the milkmaids +passed by, she would suddenly forget what she +had been saying, and then they sat gazing at +each other in silence. Once she told him of the +lads who danced with her at the party at Houg; +and she thought she noticed a deeper color on +his face, and that he clinched both his fists and +--thrust them into his pockets. That set her +thinking, and the more she thought, the more +curious she grew. He played the violin well; +suppose she should ask him to come and fiddle +at the party her father was to give at the end +of the harvest. She resolved to do it, and he, +not knowing what moved her, gave his promise +eagerly. It struck her, afterward, that she had +done a wicked thing, but, like most girls, she +had not the heart to wrestle with an uncomfortable +thought; she shook it off and began to hum +a snatch of an old song. + + "O'er the billows the fleet-footed storm-wind rode, + The billows blue are the merman's abode, + So strangely that harp was sounding." + + +The memory of old times came back to her, +the memory of the morning long years ago, +when they sat together on the strand, and he +said; "I think I would rather be your bride- +groom, Borghild." The memory was sweet +but it was bitter too; and the bitterness rose +and filled her heart. She threw her head back +proudly, and laughed a strange, hollow laugh. +"A bastard's bride, ha, ha! A fine tale were +that for the parish gossips." A yellow butterfly +lighted on her arm, and with a fierce frown on +her face she caught it between her fingers. +Then she looked pityingly on the dead wings, +as they lay in her hand, and murmured between +her teeth: "Poor thing! Why did you come +in my way, unbidden?" + +The harvest was rich, and the harvest party +was to keep pace with the harvest. The broad +Skogli mansion was festively lighted (for it was +already late in September); the tall, straight +tallow candles, stuck in many-armed candlesticks, +shone dimly through a sort of misty halo, +and only suffused the dusk with a faint glimmering +of light. And every time a guest entered, +the flames of the candles flickered and +twisted themselves with the wind, struggling +to keep erect. And Borghild's courage, too, +rose and fell with the flickering motion of a +flame which wrestles with the wind. Whenever +the latch clicked she lifted her eyes and looked +for Truls, and one moment she wished that she +might never see his face again, and in the next +she sent an eager glance toward the door. Presently +he came, threw his fiddle on a bench, and +with a reckless air walked up to her and held +out his hand. She hesitated to return his greeting, +but when she saw the deep lines of suffering +in his face, her heart went forward with a +great tenderness toward him, a tenderness such +as one feels for a child who is sick, and suffers +without hope of healing. She laid her hand in +his, and there it lay for a while listlessly; for +neither dared trust the joy which the sight of +the other enkindled. But when she tried to +draw her hand away, he caught it quickly, and +with a sudden fervor of voice he said: + +"The sight of you, Borghild, stills the hunger +which is raging in my soul. Beware that you +do not play with a life, Borghild, even though +it be a worthless one." + +There was something so hopelessly sad in his +words, that they stung her to the quick. They +laid bare a hidden deep in her heart, and she +shrank back st the sight of her own vileness. +How could she repair the injury she had done +him? How could she heal the wound she had +inflicted? A number of guests came up to greet +her and among them Syvert Stein, a bold-look- +ing young man, who, during that summer, had +led her frequently in the dance. He had a +square face, strong features, and a huge crop of +towy hair. His race was far-famed for wit and +daring. + +"Tardy is your welcome, Borghild of Skogli," +quoth he. "But what a faint heart does not +give a bold hand can grasp, and what I am not +offered I take unbidden." + +So saying, he flung his arm about her waist, +lifted her from the floor and put her down in +the middle of the room. Truls stood and gazed +at them with large, bewildered eyes. He tried +hard to despise the braggart, but ended with +envying him. + +"Ha, fiddler, strike up a tune that shall ring +through marrow and bone," shouted Syvert +Stein, who struck the floor with his heels and +moved his body to the measure of a spring-dance. + +Truls still followed them with his eyes; +suddenly he leaped up, and a wild thought burned +in his breast. But with an effort he checked +himself, grasped his violin, and struck a wailing +chord of lament. Then he laid his ear close +to the instrument, as if he were listening to +some living voice hidden there within, ran wa- +rily with the bow over the strings, and warbled, +and caroled, and sang with maddening glee, and +still with a shivering undercurrent of woe. And +the dusk which slept upon the black rafters was +quickened and shook with the weird sound; +every pulse in the wide hall beat more rapidly, +and every eye kindled with a bolder fire. +Pressently{sic} a Strong male voice sang out to the +measure of the violin: + + +"Come, fairest maid, tread the dance with me; + O heigh ho!" + +And a clear, tremulous treble answered: + +"So gladly tread I the dance with thee; + O heigh ho!" + + +Truls knew the voices only too well; it was Syvert Stein +and Borghild who were singing a stave.[8] + + +[8] A stave is an improvised responsive song. It is an ancient pastime +in Norway, and is kept up until this day, especially among the peasantry. +The students, also, at their social gatherings, throw improvised +rhymes to each other across the table, and the rest of the company +repeat the refrain. + + +Syvert--Like brier-roses thy red cheeks blush, +Borghild--And thine are rough like the thorny bush; + Both--An' a heigho! + +Syvert--So fresh and green is the sunny lea; + O heigh ho! +Borghild--The fiddle twangeth so merrily; + O heigh ho! +Syvert--So lightly goeth the lusty reel, +Borghild--And round we whirl like a spinning-wheel; + Both--An' a heigho! + +Syvert--Thine eyes are bright like the sunny fjord; + O heigh ho! +Borghild--And thine do flash like a Viking's sword; + O heigh ho! +Syvert--So lightly trippeth thy foot along, +Borghild--The air is teeming with joyful song; + Both--An' a heigh ho! + +Syvert--Then fairest maid, while the woods are green, + O heigh ho! +Borghild--And thrushes sing the fresh leaves between; + O heigh ho! +Syvert--Come, let us dance in the gladsome day, +Borghild--Dance hate, and sorrow, and care away; + Both--An' a heigh ho! + + +The stave was at an end. The hot and flushed +dancers straggled over the floor by twos and +threes, and the big beer-horns were passed from +hand to hand. Truls sat in his corner hugging +his violin tightly to his bosom, only to do +something, for he was vaguely afraid of himself-- +afraid of the thoughts that might rise--afraid +of the deed they might prompt. He ran his +fingers over his forehead, but he hardly felt the +touch of his own hand. It was as if something +was dead within him--as if a string had +snapped in his breast, and left it benumbed and +voiceless. + +Presently he looked up and saw Borghild +standing before him; she held her arms akimbo, +her eyes shone with a strange light, and her +features wore an air of recklessness mingled +with pity. + +"Ah, Borghild, is it you?" said he, in a hoarse +voice. "What do you want with me? I +thought you had done with me now." + +"You are a very unwitty fellow," answered +she, with a forced laugh. "The branch that +does not bend must break." + +She turned quickly on her heel and was lost +in the crowd. He sat long pondering on her +words, but their meaning remained hidden to +him. The branch that does not bend must +break. Was he the branch, and must he bend +or break? By-and-by he put his hands on his +knees, rose with a slow, uncertain motion, and +stalked heavily toward the door. The fresh +night air would do him good. The thought +breathes more briskly in God's free nature, +under the broad canopy of heaven. The white +mist rose from the fields, and made the valley +below appear like a white sea whose nearness +you feel, even though you do not see it. And +out of the mist the dark pines stretched their +warning hands against the sky, and the moon +was swimming, large and placid, between silvery +islands of cloud. Truls began to beat his arms +against his sides, and felt the warm blood +spreading from his heart and thawing the numbness +of his limbs. Not caring whither he went, +he struck the path leading upward to the +mountains. He took to humming an old air +which happened to come into his head, only to +try if there was life enough left in him to sing. +It was the ballad of Young Kirsten and the +Merman: + + "The billows fall and the billows swell, + In the night so lone, + In the billows blue doth the merman dwell, + And strangely that harp was sounding." + + +He walked on briskly for a while, and, looking +back upon the pain he had endured but a +moment ago, he found it quite foolish and +irrational. An absurd merriment took possession +of him; but all the while he did not know where +his foot stepped; his head swam, and his pulse +beat feverishly. About midway between the +forest and the mansion, where the field sloped +more steeply, grew a clump of birch-trees, +whose slender stems glimmered ghostly white in +the moonlight. Something drove Truls to leave +the beaten road, and, obeying the impulse, he +steered toward the birches. A strange sound +fell upon his ear, like the moan of one in +distress. It did not startle him; indeed, he was in +a mood when nothing could have caused him +wonder. If the sky had suddenly tumbled +down upon him, with moon and all, he would +have taken it as a matter of course. Peering +for a moment through the mist, he discerned +the outline of a human figure. With three +great strides he reached the birch-tree; at his +feet sat Borghild rocking herself to and fro and +weeping piteously. Without a word he seated +himself at her side and tried to catch a glimpse +of her face; but she hid it from him and went +on sobbing. Still there could be no doubt that +it was Borghild--one hour ago so merry, reckless, +and defiant, now cowering at his feet and +weeping like a broken-hearted child. + +"Borghild," he said, at last, putting his arm +gently about her waist, "you and I, I think, +played together when we were children." + +"So we did, Truls," answered she, struggling +with her tears. + +"And as we grew up, we spent many a pleasant +hour with each other." + +"Many a pleasant hour." + +She raised her head, and he drew her more +closely to him. + +"But since then I have done you a great +wrong," began she, after a while. + +"Nothing done that cannot yet be undone," +he took heart to answer. + +It was long before her thoughts took shape, +and, when at length they did, she dared not +give them utterance. Nevertheless, she was all +the time conscious of one strong desire, from +which her conscience shrank as from a crime; +and she wrestled ineffectually with her weakness +until her weakness prevailed. + +"I am glad you came," she faltered. "I +knew you would come. There was something I +wished to say to you." + +"And what was it, Borghild?" + +"I wanted to ask you to forgive me--" + +"Forgive you--" + +He sprang up as if something had stung him. + +"And why not?" she pleaded, piteously. + +"Ah, girl, you know not what you ask," +cried he, with a sternness which startled her. +"If I had more than one life to waste--but you +caress with one hand and stab with the other. +Fare thee well, Borghild, for here our paths +separate." + +He turned his back upon her and began to +descend the slope. + +"For God's sake, stay, Truls," implored she, +and stretched her arms appealingly toward him; +"tell me, oh, tell me all." + +With a leap he was again at her side, stooped +down over her, and, in a hoarse, passionate +whisper, spoke the secret of his life in her ear. +She gazed for a moment steadily into his face, +then, in a few hurried words, she pledged him +her love, her faith, her all. And in the stillness +of that summer night they planned together +their flight to a greater and freer land, where no +world-old prejudice frowned upon the union of +two kindred souls. They would wait in patience +and silence until spring; then come the fresh +winds from the ocean, and, with them, the birds +of passage which awake the longings in the +Norsernen's breasts, and the American vessels +which give courage to many a sinking spirit, +strength to the wearied arm, hope to the hopeless heart. + +During that winter Truls and Borghild seldom +saw each other. The parish was filled +with rumors, and after the Christmas holiday +it was told for certain that the proud maiden of +Skogli had been promised in marriage to Syvert +Stein. It was the general belief that the families +had made the match, and that Borghild, at +least, had hardly had any voice in the matter. +Another report was that she had flatly refused +to listen to any proposal from that quarter, and +that, when she found that resistance was vain, +she had cried three days and three nights, and +refused to take any food. When this rumor +reached the pastor's ear, he pronounced it an +idle tale; "for," said he, "Borghild has always +been a proper and well-behaved maiden, and she +knows that she must honor father and mother, +that it may be well with her, and she live long +upon the land." + +But Borghild sat alone in her gable window +and looked longingly toward the ocean. The +glaciers glittered, the rivers swelled, the buds of +the forest burst, and great white sails began to +glimmer on the far western horizon. + +If Truls, the Nameless, as scoffers were wont +to call him, had been a greater personage in the +valley, it would, no doubt, have shocked the +gossips to know that one fine morning he sold +his cow, his gun and his dog, and wrapped sixty +silver dollars in a leathern bag, which he sewed +fast to the girdle he wore about his waist. That +same night some one was heard playing wildly +up in the birch copse above the Skogli mansion; +now it sounded like a wail of distress, then like a +fierce, defiant laugh, and now again the music +seemed to hush itself into a heart-broken, sorrowful +moan, and the people crossed themselves, and +whispered: "Our Father;" but Borghild sat at +her gable window and listened long to the weird +strain. The midnight came, but she stirred not. +With the hour of midnight the music ceased. +From the windows of hall and kitchen the light +streamed out into the damp air, and the darkness +stood like a wall on either side; within, +maids and lads were busy brewing, baking, and +washing, for in a week there was to be a +wedding on the farm. + +The week went and the wedding came. +Truls had not closed his eyes all that night, +and before daybreak he sauntered down along +the beach and gazed out upon the calm fjord, +where the white-winged sea-birds whirled in +great airy surges around the bare crags. Far +up above the noisy throng an ospray sailed on +the blue expanse of the sky, and quick as +thought swooped down upon a halibut which +had ventured to take a peep at the rising sun. +The huge fish struggled for a moment at the +water's edge, then, with a powerful stroke of +its tail, which sent the spray hissing through +the air, dived below the surface. The bird of +prey gave a loud scream, flapped fiercely with +its broad wings, and for several minutes a +thickening cloud of applauding ducks and seagulls +and showers of spray hid the combat from +the observer's eye. When the birds scattered, +the ospray had vanished, and the waters again +glittered calmly in the morning sun. Truls +stood long, vacantly staring out upon the scene +of the conflict, and many strange thoughts +whirled through his head. + +"Halloo, fiddler!" cried a couple of lads who +had come to clear the wedding boats, "you are +early on foot to-day. Here is a scoop. Come +on and help us bail the boats." + +Truls took the scoop, and looked at it as if he +had never seen such a thing before; he moved +about heavily, hardly knowing what he did, but +conscious all the while of his own great misery. +His limbs seemed half frozen, and a dull pain +gathered about his head and in his breast--in +fact, everywhere and nowhere. + +About ten o'clock the bridal procession +descended the slope to the fjord. Syvert Stein, +the bridegroom, trod the earth with a firm, +springy step, and spoke many a cheery word to +tho bride, who walked, silent and with downcast +eyes, at his side. She wore the ancestral +bridal crown on her head, and the little silver +disks around its edge tinkled and shook as she +walked. They hailed her with firing of guns +and loud hurrahs as she stepped into the boat; +still she did not raise her eyes, but remained +silent. A small cannon, also an heir-loom in the +family, was placed amidships, and Truls, with +his violin, took his seat in the prow. A large +solitary cloud, gold-rimmed but with thunder +in its breast, sailed across the sky and threw its +shadow over the bridal boat as it was pushed +out from the shore, and the shadow fell upon +the bride's countenance too; and when she +lifted it, the mother of the bridegroom, who sat +opposite her, shrank back, for the countenance +looked hard, as if carved in stone--in the eyes +a mute, hopeless appeal; on the lips a frozen +prayer. The shadow of thunder upon a life +that was opening--it was an ill omen, and its +gloom sank into the hearts of the wedding +guests. They spoke in undertones and threw +pitying glances at the bride. Then at length +Syvert Stein lost his patience. + +"In sooth," cried he, springing up from his +seat, "where is to-day the cheer that is wont to +abide in the Norseman's breast? Methinks I +see but sullen airs and ill-boding glances. Ha, +fiddler, now move your strings lustily! None +of your funeral airs, my lad, but a merry tune +that shall sing through marrow and bone, and +make the heart leap in the bosom." + +Truls heard the words, and in a slow, +mechanical way he took the violin out of its case and +raised it to his chin. Syvert in the mean while +put a huge silver beer-jug to his mouth, and, +pledging his guests, emptied it even to the +dregs. But the bride's cheek was pale; and it +was so still in the boat that every man could +hear his own breathing. + +"Ha, to-day is Syvert Stein's wedding-day!" +shouted the bridegroom, growing hot with +wrath. "Let us try if the iron voice of the +cannon can wake my guests from their slumber." + +He struck a match and put it to the touch- +hole of the cannon; a long boom rolled away +over the surface of the waters and startled the +echoes of the distant glaciers. A faint hurrah +sounded from the nearest craft, but there came +no response from the bridal boat. Syvert pulled +the powder-horn from his pocket, laughed a +wild laugh, and poured the whole contents of +the horn into the mouth of the cannon. + +"Now may the devil care for his own," roared +he, and sprang up upon the row-bench. Then +there came a low murmuring strain as of wavelets +that ripple against a sandy shore. Borghild +lifted her eyes, and they met those of the fiddler. + +"Ah, I think I should rather be your +bridegroom," whispered she, and a ray of life stole +into her stony visage. + +And she saw herself as a little rosy-cheeked +girl sitting at his side on the beach fifteen years +ago. But the music gathered strength from +her glance, and onward it rushed through the +noisy years of boyhood, shouting with wanton +voice in the lonely glen, lowing with the cattle +on the mountain pastures, and leaping like the +trout at eventide in the brawling rapids; but +through it all there ran a warm strain of boyish +loyalty and strong devotion, and it thawed her +frozen heart; for she knew that it was all for +her and for her only. And it seemed such a +beautiful thing, this long faithful life, which +through sorrow and joy, through sunshine and +gloom, for better for worse, had clung so fast +to her. The wedding guests raised their heads, +and a murmur of applause ran over the waters. + +"Bravo!" cried the bridegroom. "Now at +last the tongues are loosed." + +Truls's gaze dwelt with tender sadness on the +bride. Then came from the strings some airy +quivering chords, faintly flushed like the petals +of the rose, and fragrant like lilies of the valley; +and they swelled with a strong, awakening +life, and rose with a stormy fullness until they +seemed on the point of bursting, when again +they hushed themselves and sank into a low, +disconsolate whisper. Once more the tones +stretched out their arms imploringly, and again +they wrestled despairingly with themselves, fled +with a stern voice of warning, returned once +more, wept, shuddered, and were silent. + +"Beware that thou dost not play with a life!" +sighed the bride, "even though it be a worthless one." + +The wedding guests clapped their hands and +shouted wildly against the sky. The bride's +countenance burned with a strange feverish +glow. The fiddler arose in the prow of the +boat, his eyes flamed, he struck the strings +madly, and the air trembled with melodious +rapture. The voice of that music no living +tongue can interpret. But the bride fathomed +its meaning; her bosom labored vehemently, +her lips quivered for an instant convulsively, +and she burst into tears. A dark +suspicion shot through the bridegroom's mind. +He stared intently upon the weeping Borghild +then turned his gaze to the fiddler, who, still +regarding her, stood playing, with a half-frenzied +look and motion. + +"You cursed wretch!" shrieked Syvert, and +made a leap over two benches to where Truls was +standing. It came so unexpectedly that Truls +had no time to prepare for defense; so he merely +stretched out the hand in which he held the +violin to ward off the blow which he saw was +coming; but Syvert tore the instrument from +his grasp and dashed it against the cannon, and, +as it happened, just against the touch-hole. +With a tremendous crash something black +darted through the air and a white smoke +brooded over the bridal boat. The bridegroom +stood pale and stunned. At his feet lay Borghild-- +lay for a moment still, as if lifeless, then +rose on her elbows, and a dark red current +broke from her breast. The smoke scattered. +No one saw how it was done; but a moment +later Truls, the Nameless, lay kneeling at +Borghild's side. + +"It WAS a worthless life, beloved," whispered +he, tenderly. "Now it is at an end." + +And he lifted her up in his arms as one lifts +a beloved child, pressed a kiss on her pale lips, +and leaped into the water. Like lead they fell +into the sea. A throng of white bubbles whirled +up to the surface. A loud wail rose from +the bridal fleet, and before the day was at an +end it filled the valley; but the wail did not +recall Truls, the Nameless, or Borghild his +bride. + +What life denied them, would to God that +death may yield them! + + + +ASATHOR'S VENGEANCE. + +I. + +IT was right up under the steel mountain +wall where the farm of Kvaerk +lay. How any man of common sense +could have hit upon the idea of building +a house there, where none but the goat and +the hawk had easy access, had been, and I am +afraid would ever be, a matter of wonder to the +parish people. However, it was not Lage Kvaerk +who had built the house, so he could hardly be +made responsible for its situation. Moreover, +to move from a place where one's life has once +struck deep root, even if it be in the chinks and +crevices of stones and rocks, is about the same +as to destroy it. An old tree grows but poorly +in a new soil. So Lage Kvaerk thought, and so +he said, too, whenever his wife Elsie spoke of +her sunny home at the river. + +Gloomy as Lage usually was, he had his +brighter moments, and people noticed that these +were most likely to occur when Aasa, his daughter, +was near. Lage was probably also the only +being whom Aasa's presence could cheer; on +other people it seemed to have the very opposite +effect; for Aasa was--according to the testimony +of those who knew her--the most peculiar creature +that ever was born. But perhaps no one +did know her; if her father was right, no one +really did--at least no one but himself. + +Aasa was all to her father; she was his past +and she was his future, his hope and his life; +and withal it must be admitted that those who +judged her without knowing her had at least in +one respect as just an opinion of her as he; for +there was no denying that she was strange, +very strange. She spoke when she ought to be +silent, and was silent when it was proper to +speak; wept when she ought to laugh, and +laughed when it was proper to weep; but her +laughter as well as her tears, her speech like her +silence, seemed to have their source from within +her own soul, to be occasioned, as it were, by +something which no one else could see or hear. +It made little difference where she was; if the +tears came, she yielded to them as if they were +something she had long desired in vain. Few +could weep like her, and "weep like Aasa +Kvaerk," was soon also added to the stock of +parish proverbs. And then her laugh! Tears +may be inopportune enough, when they come +out of time, but laughter is far worse; and when +poor Aasa once burst out into a ringing laughter +in church, and that while the minister was +pronouncing the benediction, it was only with +the greatest difficulty that her father could +prevent the indignant congregation from seizing +her and carrying her before the sheriff for +violation of the church-peace. Had she been poor +and homely, then of course nothing could have +saved her; but she happened to be both rich +and beautiful, and to wealth and beauty much +is pardoned. Aasa's beauty, however, was also +of a very unusual kind; not the tame sweetness +so common in her sex, but something of the +beauty of the falcon, when it swoops down upon +the unwatchful sparrow or soars round the lonely +crags; something of the mystic depth of the +dark tarn, when with bodeful trembling you +gaze down into it, and see its weird traditions +rise from its depth and hover over the pine-tops +in the morning fog. Yet, Aasa was not dark; +her hair was as fair and yellow as a wheat-field +in August, her forehead high and clear, and her +mouth and chin as if cut with a chisel; only her +eyes were perhaps somewhat deeper than is +common in the North, and the longer you +looked at them the deeper they grew, just like +the tarn, which, if you stare long enough into +it, you will find is as deep as the heavens above, +that is, whose depth only faith and fancy can +fathom. But however long you looked at Aasa, +you could never be quite sure that she looked at +you; she seemed but to half notice whatever +went on around her; the look of her eye was +always more than half inward, and when it +shone the brightest, it might well happen that +she could not have told you how many years +she had lived, or the name her father gave her +in baptism. + +Now Aasa was eighteen years old, and could +knit, weave, and spin, and it was full time that +wooers should come. "But that is the consequence +of living in such an out-of-the-way +place," said her mother; "who will risk his +limbs to climb that neck-breaking rock? and the +round-about way over the forest is rather too +long for a wooer." Besides handling the loom +and the spinning-wheel, Aasa had also learned +to churn and make cheese to perfection, and +whenever Elsie grieved at her strange behavior +she always in the end consoled herself with the +reflection that after all Aasa would make the +man who should get her an excellent housewife. + +The farm of Kvaerk was indeed most singularly +situated. About a hundred feet from the +house the rough wall of the mountain rose steep +and threatening; and the most remarkable part +of it was that the rock itself caved inward and +formed a lofty arch overhead, which looked like +a huge door leading into the mountain. Some +short distance below, the slope of the fields +ended in an abrupt precipice; far underneath +lay the other farm-houses of the valley, scattered +like small red or gray dots, and the river wound +onward like a white silver stripe in the shelter +of the dusky forest. There was a path down +along the rock, which a goat or a brisk lad +might be induced to climb, if the prize of the +experiment were great enough to justify the +hazard. The common road to Kvaerk made a +large circuit around the forest, and reached the +valley far up at its northern end. + +It was difficult to get anything to grow at +Kvaerk. In the spring all the valley lay bare +and green, before the snow had begun to think +of melting up there; and the night-frost would +be sure to make a visit there, while the fields +along the river lay silently drinking the summer +dew. On such occasions the whole family at +Kvaerk would have to stay up during all the +night and walk back and forth on either side of +the wheat-fields, carrying a long rope between +them and dragging it slowly over the heads of +the rye, to prevent the frost from settling; for +as long as the ears could be kept in motion, +they could not freeze. But what did thrive at +Kvaerk in spite of both snow and night-frost was +legends, and they throve perhaps the better for +the very sterility of its material soil. Aasa of +course had heard them all and knew them by +heart; they had been her friends from childhood, +and her only companions. All the servants, +however, also knew them and many others +besides, and if they were asked how the mansion +of Kvaerk happened to be built like an eagle's +nest on the brink of a precipice, they would tell +you the following: + +Saint Olaf, Norway's holy king, in the time of +his youth had sailed as a Viking over the wide +ocean, and in foreign lands had learned the +doctrine of Christ the White. When he came +home to claim the throne of his hereditary +kingdom, he brought with him tapers and black +priests, and commanded the people to overthrow +the altars of Odin and Thor and to believe alone +in Christ the White. If any still dared to +slaughter a horse to the old gods, he cut off +their ears, burned their farms, and drove them +houseless from the smoking ruins. Here in the +valley old Thor, or, as they called him, Asathor, +had always helped us to vengeance and victory, +and gentle Frey for many years had given us +fair and fertile summers. Therefore the peasants +paid little heed to King Olaf's god, and +continued to bring their offerings to Odin and +Asathor. This reached the king's ear, and he +summoned his bishop and five black priests, and +set out to visit our valley. Having arrived +here, he called the peasants together, stood up +on the Ting-stone, told them of the great things +that the White Christ had done, and bade them +choose between him and the old gods. Some +were scared, and received baptism from the +king's priests; others bit their lips and were +silent; others again stood forth and told Saint +Olaf that Odin and Asathor had always served +them well, and that they were not going to give +them up for Christ the White, whom they had +never seen and of whom they knew nothing. +The next night the red cock crew[9] over ten +farms in the valley, and it happened to he theirs +who had spoken against King Olaf's god. Then +the peasants flocked to the Ting-stone and +received the baptism of Christ the White. Some +few, who had mighty kinsmen in the North, +fled and spread the evil tidings. Only one +neither fled nor was baptized, and that one was +Lage Ulfson Kvaerk, the ancestor of the present +Lage. He slew his best steed before Asathor's +altar, and promised to give him whatever he +should ask, even to his own life, if he would +save him from the vengeance of the king. Asathor +heard his prayer. As the sun set, a storm +sprung up with thick darkness and gloom, the +earth shook, Asathor drove his chariot over the +heavens with deafening thunder and swung his +hammer right and left, and the crackling lightning +flew through the air like a hail-storm of +fire. Then the peasants trembled, for they knew +that Asathor was wroth. Only the king sat +calm and fearless with his bishop and priests, +quaffing the nut-brown mead. The tempest +raged until morn. When the sun rose, Saint +Olaf called his hundred swains, sprang into the +saddle and rode down toward the river. Few +men who saw the angry fire in his eye, and the +frown on his royal brow, doubted whither he +was bound. But having reached the ford, a +wondrous sight met his eye. Where on the day +before the highway had wound itself up the +slope toward Lage Kvaerk's mansion, lay now a +wild ravine; the rock was shattered into a +thousand pieces, and a deep gorge, as if made +by a single stroke of a huge hammer, separated +the king from his enemy. Then Saint Olaf +made the sign of the cross, and mumbled the +name of Christ the White; but his hundred +swains made the sign of the hammer under their +cloaks, and thought, Still is Asathor alive. + + +[9] "The red cock crew" is the expression used +in the old Norwegian Fagas for incendiary fire. + + +That same night Lage Ulfson Kvaerk slew a +black ram, and thanked Asathor for his deliverance; +and the Saga tells that while he was +sprinkling the blood on the altar, the thundering +god himself appeared to him, and wilder he +looked than the fiercest wild Turk. Rams, said +he, were every-day fare; they could redeem no +promise. Brynhild, his daughter, was the +reward Asathor demanded. Lage prayed and +besought him to ask for something else. He +would gladly give him one of his sons; for he +had three sons, but only one daughter. Asathor +was immovable; but so long Lage continued to +beg, that at last he consented to come back in a +year, when Lage perchance would be better +reconciled to the thought of Brynhild's loss. + +In the mean time King Olaf built a church to +Christ the White on the headland at the river, +where it stands until this day. Every evening, +when the huge bell rumbled between the mountains, +the parishioners thought they heard heavy, +half-choked sighs over in the rocks at Kvaerk; +and on Sunday mornings, when the clear-voiced +chimes called them to high-mass, a suppressed +moan would mingle with the sound of the bells, +and die away with the last echo. Lage Ulfson +was not the man to be afraid; yet the church- +bells many a time drove the blood from his cheeks; +for he also heard the moan from the mountain. + +The year went, and Asathor returned. If he +had not told his name, however, Lage would not +have recognized him. That a year could work +so great a change in a god, he would hardly +have believed, if his own eyes had not testified +to it. Asathor's cheeks were pale and bloodless, +the lustre of his eye more than half +quenched, and his gray hair hung in disorder +down over his forehead. + +"Methinks thou lookest rather poorly to-day," +said Lage. + +"It is only those cursed church-bells," answered +the god; "they leave me no rest day or night." + +"Aha," thought Lage, "if the king's bells are +mightier than thou, then there is still hope of +safety for my daughter." + +"Where is Brynhild, thy daughter?" asked Asathor. + +"I know not where she is," answered the +father; and straightway he turned his eyes +toward the golden cross that shone over the +valley from Saint Olaf's steeple, and he called +aloud on the White Christ's name. Then the +god gave a fearful roar, fell on the ground, +writhed and foamed and vanished into the +mountain. In the next moment Lage heard a +hoarse voice crying from within, "I shall return, +Lage Ulfson, when thou shalt least expect me!" + +Lage Ulfson then set to work clearing a way +through the forest; and when that was done, he +called all his household together, and told them +of the power of Christ the White. Not long +after he took his sons and his daughter, and +hastened with them southward, until he found +King Olaf. And, so the Saga relates, they all +fell down on their knees before him, prayed for +his forgiveness, and received baptism from the +king's own bishop. + +So ends the Saga of Lage Ulfson Kvaerk. + + +II. + + +Aasa Kvaerk loved her father well, but +especially in the winter. Then, while she sat +turning her spinning-wheel in the light of the +crackling logs, his silent presence always had a +wonderfully soothing and calming effect upon +her. She never laughed then, and seldom wept; +when she felt his eyes resting on her, her +thoughts, her senses, and her whole being +seemed by degrees to be lured from their hiding- +place and concentrate on him; and from him +they ventured again, first timidly, then more +boldly, to grasp the objects around him. At +such times Aasa could talk and jest almost like +other girls, and her mother, to whom "other +girls" represented the ideal of womanly perfection, +would send significant glances, full of hope +and encouragement, over to Lage, and he would +quietly nod in return, as if to say that he +entirely agreed with her. Then Elsie had bright +visions of wooers and thrifty housewives, and +even Lage dreamed of seeing the ancient honor +of the family re-established. All depended on +Aasa. She was the last of the mighty race. +But when summer came, the bright visions fled; +and the spring winds, which to others bring life +and joy, to Kvaerk brought nothing but sorrow. +No sooner had the mountain brooks begun to +swell, than Aasa began to laugh and to weep; +and when the first birches budded up in the +glens, she could no longer be kept at home. +Prayers and threats were equally useless. From +early dawn until evening she would roam about +in forests and fields, and when late at night she +stole into the room and slipped away into some +corner, Lage drew a deep sigh and thought of +the old tradition. + +Aasa was nineteen years old before she had a +single wooer. But when she was least expecting it, +the wooer came to her. + +It was late one summer night; the young +maiden was sitting on the brink of the ravine, +pondering on the old legend and peering down +into the deep below. It was not the first +time she had found her way hither, where but +seldom a human foot had dared to tread. To +her every alder and bramble-bush, that clothed +the naked wall of the rock, were as familiar as +were the knots and veins in the ceiling of the +chamber where from her childhood she had +slept; and as she sat there on the brink of the +precipice, the late summer sun threw its red lustre +upon her and upon the fogs that came drifting +up from the deep. With her eyes she followed +the drifting masses of fog, and wondered, as +they rose higher and higher, when they would +reach her; in her fancy she saw herself dancing +over the wide expanse of heaven, clad in the +sun-gilded evening fogs; and Saint Olaf, the +great and holy king, came riding to meet her, +mounted on a flaming steed made of the glory +of a thousand sunsets; then Saint Olaf took her +hand and lifted her up, and she sat with him on +the flaming steed: but the fog lingered in the +deep below, and as it rose it spread like a thin, +half-invisible gauze over the forests and the +fields, and at last vanished into the infinite +space. But hark! a huge stone rolls down over +the mountain-side, then another, and another; +the noise grows, the birches down there in the +gorge tremble and shake. Aasa leaned out over +the brink of the ravine, and, as far as she could +distinguish anything from her dizzying height, +thought she saw something gray creeping slowly +up the neck-breaking mountain path; she +watched it for a while, but as it seemed to +advance no farther she again took refuge in her +reveries. An hour might have passed, or perhaps +more, when suddenly she heard a noise +only a few feet distant, and, again stooping out +over the brink, saw the figure of a man strug- +gling desperately to climb the last great ledge +of the rock. With both his hands he clung to +a little birch-tree which stretched its slender +arms down over the black wall, but with every +moment that passed seemed less likely to +accomplish the feat. The girl for a while stood +watching him with unfeigned curiosity, then, +suddenly reminding herself that the situation +to him must be a dangerous one, seized hold +of a tree that grew near the brink, and leaned +out over the rock to give him her assistance. +He eagerly grasped her extended hand, and +with a vigorous pull she flung him up on the +grassy level, where he remained lying for a +minute or two, apparently utterly unable to +account for his sudden ascent, and gazing around +him with a half-frightened, half-bewildered +look. Aasa, to whom his appearance was no +less strange than his demeanor, unluckily hit +upon the idea that perhaps her rather violent +treatment had momentarily stunned him, and +when, as answer to her sympathizing question +if he was hurt, the stranger abruptly rose to his +feet and towered up before her to the formidable +height of six feet four or five, she could no +longer master her mirth, but burst out into a +most vehement fit of laughter. He stood calm +and silent, and looked at her with a timid but +strangely bitter smile. He was so very different +from any man she had ever seen before; +therefore she laughed, not necessarily because +he amused her, but because his whole person +was a surprise to her; and there he stood, tall +and gaunt and timid, and said not a word, only +gazed and gazed. His dress was not the national +costume of the valley, neither was it like +anything that Aasa had ever known. On his head +he wore a cap that hung all on one side, and +was decorated with a long, heavy silk tassel. +A threadbare coat, which seemed to be made +expressly not to fit him, hung loosely on his +sloping shoulders, and a pair of gray pantaloons, +which were narrow where they ought to have +been wide, and wide where it was their duty to +be narrow, extended their service to a little +more than the upper half of the limb, and, by a +kind of compromise with the tops of the boots, +managed to protect also the lower half. His +features were delicate, and would have been called +handsome had they belonged to a proportionately +delicate body; in his eyes hovered a dreamy +vagueness which seemed to come and vanish, +and to flit from one feature to another, suggesting +the idea of remoteness, and a feeling of +hopeless strangeness to the world and all its +concerns. + +"Do I inconvenience you, madam?" were the +first words he uttered, as Aasa in her usual +abrupt manner stayed her laughter, turned her +back on him, and hastily started for the house. + +"Inconvenience?" said she, surprised, and +again slowly turned on her heel; "no, not that +I know." + +"Then tell me if there are people living here +in the neighborhood, or if the light deceived +me, which I saw from the other side of the river." + +"Follow me," answered Aasa, and she na<i:>vely +reached him her hand; "my father's name is +Lage Ulfson Kvaerk; he lives in the large house +you see straight before you, there on the hill; +and my mother lives there too." + +And hand in hand they walked together, +where a path had been made between two +adjoining rye-fields; his serious smile seemed to +grow milder and happier, the longer he lingered +at her side, and her eye caught a ray of more +human intelligence, as it rested on him. + +"What do you do up here in the long winter?" +asked he, after a pause. + +"We sing," answered she, as it were at ran- +dom, because the word came into her mind; +"and what do you do, where you come from?" + +"I gather song." + +"Have you ever heard the forest sing?" +asked she, curiously. + +"That is why I came here." + +And again they walked on in silence. + +It was near midnight when they entered the +large hall at Kvaerk. Aasa went before, still +leading the young man by the hand. In the +twilight which filled the house, the space +between the black, smoky rafters opened a vague +vista into the region of the fabulous, and every +object in the room loomed forth from the dusk +with exaggerated form and dimensions. The +room appeared at first to be but the haunt of +the spirits of the past; no human voice, no human +footstep, was heard; and the stranger +instinctively pressed the hand he held more +tightly; for he was not sure but that he was +standing on the boundary of dream-land, and some +elfin maiden had reached him her hand to lure +him into her mountain, where he should live +with her forever. But the illusion was of brief +duration; for Aasa's thoughts had taken a +widely different course; it was but seldom she +had found herself under the necessity of making +a decision; and now it evidently devolved upon +her to find the stranger a place of rest for the +night; so instead of an elf-maid's kiss and a +silver palace, he soon found himself huddled into +a dark little alcove in the wall, where he was +told to go to sleep, while Aasa wandered over +to the empty cow-stables, and threw herself down +in the hay by the side of two sleeping milkmaids. + + +III. + + +There was not a little astonishment manifested +among the servant-maids at Kvaerk the +next morning, when the huge, gaunt figure +of a man was seen to launch forth from Aasa's +alcove, and the strangest of all was, that Aasa +herself appeared to be as much astonished as +the rest. And there they stood, all gazing at +the bewildered traveler, who indeed was no less +startled than they, and as utterly unable to +account for his own sudden apparition. After a +long pause, he summoned all his courage, fixed +his eyes intently on the group of the girls, and +with a few rapid steps advanced toward Aasa, +whom he seized by the hand and asked, "Are +you not my maiden of yester-eve?" + +She met his gaze firmly, and laid her hand on +her forehead as if to clear her thoughts; as the +memory of the night flashed through her mind, +a bright smile lit up her features, and she +answered, "You are the man who gathers song. +Forgive me, I was not sure but it was all a +dream; for I dream so much." + +Then one of the maids ran out to call Lage +Ulfson, who had gone to the stables to harness +the horses; and he came and greeted the unknown +man, and thanked him for last meeting, +as is the wont of Norse peasants, although they +had never seen each other until that morning. +But when the stranger had eaten two meals in +Lage's house, Lage asked him his name and his +father's occupation; for old Norwegian +hospitality forbids the host to learn the guest's +name before he has slept and eaten under his +roof. It was that same afternoon, when they +sat together smoking their pipes under the huge +old pine in the yard,--it was then Lage inquired +about the young man's name and family; and +the young man said that his name was Trond +Vigfusson, that he had graduated at the +University of Christiania, and that his father had +been a lieutenant in the army; but both he and +Trond's mother had died, when Trond was only +a few years old. Lage then told his guest +Vigfusson something about his family, but of +the legend of Asathor and Saint Olaf he spoke +not a word. And while they were sitting there +talking together, Aasa came and sat down at +Vigfusson's feet; her long golden hair flowed in +a waving stream down over her back and +shoulders, there was a fresh, healthful glow on +her cheeks, and her blue, fathomless eyes had a +strangely joyous, almost triumphant expression. +The father's gaze dwelt fondly upon her, and +the collegian was but conscious of one thought: +that she was wondrously beautiful. And still +so great was his natural timidity and awkwardness +in the presence of women, that it was only +with the greatest difficulty he could master his +first impulse to find some excuse for leaving +her. She, however, was aware of no such restraint. + +"You said you came to gather song," she +said; "where do you find it? for I too should +like to find some new melody for my old +thoughts; I have searched so long." + +"I find my songs on the lips of the people," +answered he, "and I write them down as the +maidens or the old men sing them." + +She did not seem quite to comprehend that. +"Do you hear maidens sing them?" asked she, +astonished. "Do you mean the troll-virgins +and the elf-maidens?" + +"By troll-virgins and elf-maidens, or what the +legends call so, I understand the hidden and still +audible voices of nature, of the dark pine forests, +the legend-haunted glades, and the silent +tarns; and this was what I referred to when I +answered your question if I had ever heard the +forest sing." + +"Oh, oh!" cried she, delighted, and clapped +her hands like a child; but in another moment +she as suddenly grew serious again, and sat +steadfastly gazing into his eye, as if she were +trying to look into his very soul and there to +find something kindred to her own lonely heart. +A minute ago her presence had embarrassed +him; now, strange to say, he met her eye, and +smiled happily as he met it. + +"Do you mean to say that you make your +living by writing songs?" asked Lage. + +"The trouble is," answered Vigfusson, "that +I make no living at all; but I have invested a +large capital, which is to yield its interest in the +future. There is a treasure of song hidden in +every nook and corner of our mountains and +forests, and in our nation's heart. I am one of +the miners who have come to dig it out before +time and oblivion shall have buried every trace +of it, and there shall not be even the will-o'-the- +wisp of a legend to hover over the spot, and +keep alive the sad fact of our loss and our +blamable negligence." + +Here the young man paused; his eyes gleamed, +his pale cheeks flushed, and there was a +warmth and an enthusiasm in his words which +alarmed Lage, while on Aasa it worked like the +most potent charm of the ancient mystic runes; +she hardly comprehended more than half of the +speaker's meaning, but his fire and eloquence +were on this account none the less powerful. + +"If that is your object," remarked Lage, "I +think you have hit upon the right place in +coming here. You will be able to pick up many an +odd bit of a story from the servants and others +hereabouts, and you are welcome to stay here +with us as long as you choose." + +Lage could not but attribute to Vigfusson the +merit of having kept Aasa at home a whole day, +and that in the month of midsummer. And +while he sat there listening to their conversation, +while he contemplated the delight that +beamed from his daughter's countenance and, as +he thought, the really intelligent expression of +her eyes, could he conceal from himself the pa- +ternal hopes that swelled his heart? She was +all that was left him, the life or the death of his +mighty race. And here was one who was likely +to understand her, and to whom she seemed +willing to yield all the affection of her warm +but wayward heart. Thus ran Lage Ulfson's +reflections; and at night he had a little consultation +with Elsie, his wife, who, it is needless to +add, was no less sanguine than he. + +"And then Aasa will make an excellent housewife, +you know," observed Elsie. "I will speak +to the girl about it to-morrow." + +"No, for Heaven's sake, Elsie!" exclaimed +Lage, "don't you know your daughter better +than that? Promise me, Elsie, that you will +not say a single word; it would be a cruel thing, +Elsie, to mention anything to her. She is not +like other girls, you know." + +"Very well, Lage, I shall not say a single +word. Alas, you are right, she is not like other +girls." And Elsie again sighed at her husband's +sad ignorance of a woman's nature, and at the +still sadder fact of her daughter's inferiority to +the accepted standard of womanhood. + + + +IV. + + +Trond Vigfusson must have made a rich +harvest of legends at Kvaerk, at least judging by +the time he stayed there; for days and weeks +passed, and he had yet said nothing of going. +Not that anybody wished him to go; no, on the +contrary, the longer he stayed the more +indispensable he seemed to all; and Lage Ulfson +could hardly think without a shudder of the +possibility of his ever having to leave them. +For Aasa, his only child, was like another being +in the presence of this stranger; all that weird, +forest-like intensity, that wild, half supernatural +tinge in her character which in a measure +excluded her from the blissful feeling of fellowship +with other men, and made her the strange, +lonely creature she was,--all this seemed to vanish +as dew in the morning sun when Vigfusson's +eyes rested upon her; and with every day that +passed, her human and womanly nature gained +a stronger hold upon her. She followed him +like his shadow on all his wanderings, and when +they sat down together by the wayside, she +would sing, in a clear, soft voice, an ancient lay +or ballad, and he would catch her words on his +paper, and smile at the happy prospect of +perpetuating what otherwise would have been lost. +Aasa's love, whether conscious or not, was to +him an everlasting source of strength, was a +revelation of himself to himself, and a clearing +and widening power which brought ever more +and more of the universe within the scope of +his vision. So they lived on from day to day +and from week to week, and, as old Lage +remarked, never had Kvaerk been the scene of so +much happiness. Not a single time during +Vigfusson's stay had Aasa fled to the forest, not a +meal had she missed, and at the hours for +family devotion she had taken her seat at the +big table with the rest and apparently listened +with as much attention and interest. Indeed, +all this time Aasa seemed purposely to avoid the +dark haunts of the woods, and, whenever she +could, chose the open highway; not even +Vigfusson's entreaties could induce her to tread the +tempting paths that led into the forest's gloom. + +"And why not, Aasa?" he would say; "summer +is ten times summer there when the drowsy +noonday spreads its trembling maze of shadows +between those huge, venerable trunks. You can +feel the summer creeping into your very heart +and soul, there!" + +"Oh, Vigfusson," she would answer, shaking +her head mournfully, "for a hundred paths that +lead in, there is only one that leads out again, +and sometimes even that one is nowhere to be found." + +He understood her not, but fearing to ask, he +remained silent. + +His words and his eyes always drew her nearer +and nearer to him; and the forest and its +strange voices seemed a dark, opposing influence, +which strove to take possession of her +heart and to wrest her away from him forever; +she helplessly clung to him; every thought and +emotion of her soul clustered about him, and every +hope of life and happiness was staked on him. + +One evening Vigfusson and old Lage Ulfson +had been walking about the fields to look at the +crop, both smoking their evening pipes. But +as they came down toward the brink whence +the path leads between the two adjoining rye- +fields, they heard a sweet, sad voice crooning +some old ditty down between the birch-trees at +the precipice; they stopped to listen, and soon +recognized Aasa's yellow hair over the tops +the rye; the shadow as of a painful emotion +flitted over the father's countenance, and he +turned his back on his guest and started to go; +then again paused, and said, imploringly, "Try +to get her home if you can, friend Vigfusson.' + +Vigfusson nodded, and Lage went; the song +had ceased for a moment, now it began again: + + "Ye twittering birdlings, in forest and glen + I have heard you so gladly before; + But a bold knight hath come to woo me, + I dare listen to you no more. + For it is so dark, so dark in the forest. + + "And the knight who hath come a-wooing to me, + He calls me his love and his own; + Why then should I stray through the darksome woods, + Or dream in the glades alone? + For it is so dark, so dark in the forest." + + +Her voice fell to a low unintelligible murmur; +then it rose, and the last verses came, clear, soft, +and low, drifting on the evening breeze: + + "Yon beckoning world, that shimmering lay + O'er the woods where the old pines grow, + That gleamed through the moods of the summer day + When the breezes were murmuring low + (And it is so dark, so dark in the forest); + + "Oh let me no more in the sunshine hear + Its quivering noonday call; + The bold knight's love is the sun of my heart-- + Is my life, and my all in all. + But it is so dark, so dark in the forest." + + +The young man felt the blood rushing to his +face--his heart beat violently. There was a +keen sense of guilt in the blush on his cheek, a +loud accusation in the throbbing pulse and the +swelling heart-beat. Had he not stood there behind +the maiden's back and cunningly peered +into her soul's holy of holies? True, he loved +Aasa; at least he thought he did, and the +conviction was growing stronger with every day +that passed. And now he had no doubt that he +had gained her heart. It was not so much the +words of the ballad which had betrayed the +secret; he hardly knew what it was, but somehow +the truth had flashed upon him, and he could +no longer doubt. + +Vigfusson sat down on the moss-grown rock +and pondered. How long he sat there he did +not know, but when he rose and looked around, +Aasa was gone. Then remembering her father's +request to bring her home, he hastened up the +hill-side toward the mansion, and searched for +her in all directions. It was near midnight +when he returned to Kvaerk, where Aasa sat in +her high gable window, still humming the weird +melody of the old ballad. + +By what reasoning Vigfusson arrived at his +final conclusion is difficult to tell. If he had +acted according to his first and perhaps most +generous impulse, the matter would soon have +been decided; but he was all the time possessed +of a vague fear of acting dishonorably, and it +was probably this very fear which made him do +what, to the minds of those whose friendship +and hospitality he had accepted, had something +of the appearance he wished so carefully to +avoid. Aasa was rich; he had nothing; it was +a reason for delay, but hardly a conclusive one. +They did not know him; he must go out in the +world and prove himself worthy of her. He +would come back when he should have compelled +the world to respect him; for as yet he had done +nothing. In fact, his arguments were good and +honorable enough, and there would have been +no fault to find with him, had the object of his +love been as capable of reasoning as he was +himself. But Aasa, poor thing, could do nothing +by halves; a nature like hers brooks no delay; +to her love was life or it was death. + +The next morning he appeared at breakfast +with his knapsack on his back, and otherwise +equipped for his journey. It was of no use that +Elsie cried and begged him to stay, that Lage +joined his prayers to hers, and that Aasa stood +staring at him with a bewildered gaze. Vigfusson +shook hands with them all, thanked them for their +kindness to him, and promised to return; +he held Aasa's hand long in his, but when +he released it, it dropped helplessly at her side. + + +V. + + +Far up in the glen, about a mile from Kvaerk, +ran a little brook; that is, it was little in summer +and winter, but in the spring, while the snow +was melting up in the mountains, it overflowed +the nearest land and turned the whole glen into +a broad and shallow river. It was easy to cross, +however; a light foot might jump from stone to +stone, and be over in a minute. Not the hind +herself could be lighter on her foot than Aasa +was; and even in the spring-flood it was her +wont to cross and recross the brook, and to sit +dreaming on a large stone against which the +water broke incessantly, rushing in white +torrents over its edges. + +Here she sat one fair summer day--the day +after Vigfusson's departure. It was noon, and +the sun stood high over the forest. The water +murmured and murmured, babbled and whispered, +until at length there came a sudden unceasing +tone into its murmur, then another, and +it sounded like a faint whispering song of small +airy beings. And as she tried to listen, to fix +the air in her mind, it all ceased again, and she +heard but the monotonous murmuring of the +brook. Everything seemed so empty and +worthless, as if that faint melody had been the +world of the moment. But there it was again; +it sung and sung, and the birch overhead took +up the melody and rustled it with its leaves, and +the grasshopper over in the grass caught it and +whirred it with her wings. The water, the trees, +the air, were full of it. What a strange melody! + +Aasa well knew that every brook and river +has its Neck, besides hosts of little water-sprites. +She had heard also that in the moonlight at +midsummer, one might chance to see them +rocking in bright little shells, playing among +the pebbles, or dancing on the large leaves of +the water-lily. And that they could sing also, +she doubted not; it was their voices she heard +through the murmuring of the brook. Aasa +eagerly bent forward and gazed down into the +water: the faint song grew louder, paused +suddenly, and sprang into life again; and its sound +was so sweet, so wonderfully alluring! Down +there in the water, where a stubborn pebble +kept chafing a precipitous little side current, +clear tiny pearl-drops would leap up from the +stream, and float half-wonderingly downward +from rapid to rapid, until they lost themselves +in the whirl of some stronger current. Thus +sat Aasa and gazed and gazed, and in one moment +she seemed to see what in the next moment +she saw not. Then a sudden great hush stole +through the forest, and in the hush she could +hear the silence calling her name. It was so +long since she had been in the forest, it seemed +ages and ages ago. She hardly knew herself; +the light seemed to be shining into her eyes as +with a will and purpose, perhaps to obliterate +something, some old dream or memory, or to +impart some new power--the power of seeing +the unseen. And this very thought, this fear of +some possible loss, brought the fading memory +back, and she pressed her hands against her +throbbing temples as if to bind and chain it +there forever; and it was he to whom her +thought returned. She heard his voice, saw +him beckoning to her to follow him, and she +rose to obey, but her limbs were as petrified, +and the stone on which she was sitting held her +with the power of a hundred strong arms. The +sunshine smote upon her eyelids, and his name +was blotted out from her life; there was nothing +but emptiness all around her. Gradually +the forest drew nearer and nearer, the water +bubbled and rippled, and the huge, bare- +stemmed pines stretched their long gnarled +arms toward her. The birches waved their +heads with a wistful nod, and the profile of the +rock grew into a face with a long, hooked nose, +and a mouth half open as if to speak. And the +word that trembled on his lips was, "Come." +She felt no fear nor reluctance, but rose to obey. +Then and not until then she saw an old man +standing at her side; his face was the face of +the rock, his white beard flowed to his girdle, +and his mouth was half open, but no word +came from his lips. There was something in +the wistful look of his eye which she knew so +well, which she had seen so often, although she +could not tell when or where. The old man +extended his hand; Aasa took it, and fearlessly +or rather spontaneously followed. They +approached the steep, rocky wall; as they drew +near, a wild, fierce laugh rang through the +forest. The features of the old man were twisted +as it were into a grin; so also were the features +of the rock; but the laugh blew like a mighty +blast through the forest. + +Aasa clung to the old man's hand and followed +him--she knew not whither. + +At home in the large sitting-room at Kvaerk +sat Lage, brooding over the wreck of his hopes +and his happiness. Aasa had gone to the woods +again the very first day after Vigfusson's +departure. What would be the end of all this? +It was already late in the evening, and she had +not returned. The father cast anxious glances +toward the door, every time he heard the latch +moving. At last, when it was near midnight, he +roused all his men from their sleep, and +commanded them to follow him. Soon the dusky +forests resounded far and near with the blast +of horns, the report of guns, and the calling and +shouting of men. The affrighted stag crossed +and recrossed the path of the hunters, but not a +rifle was leveled at its head. Toward morning-- +it was before the sun had yet risen--Lage, +weary and stunned, stood leaning up against a +huge fir. Then suddenly a fierce, wild laugh +rang through the forest. Lage shuddered, +raised his hand slowly and pressed it hard +against his forehead, vainly struggling to clear +his thoughts. The men clung fearfully +together; a few of the more courageous ones drew +their knives and made the sign of the cross with +them in the air. Again the same mad laugh +shook the air, and swept over the crowns of the +pine-trees. Then Lage lifted his eyes toward +heaven and wrung his hands: for the awful +truth stood before him. He remained a long +while leaning against that old fir as in a dead +stupor; and no one dared to arouse him. A +suppressed murmur reached the men's ears. +"But deliver us from evil" were the last words +they heard. + +When Lage and his servants came home to +Kvaerk with the mournful tidings of Aasa's +disappearance, no one knew what to do or say. +There could be no doubt that Aasa was "mountain- +taken," as they call it; for there were Trolds +and dwarfs in all the rocks and forests round +about, and they would hardly let slip the chance +of alluring so fair a maiden as Aasa was into +their castles in the mountains. Elsie, her +mother, knew a good deal about the Trolds, +their tricks, and their way of living, and when +she had wept her fill, she fell to thinking of +the possibility of regaining her daughter from +their power. If Aasa had not yet tasted of food +or drink in the mountain, she was still out of +danger; and if the pastor would allow the +church-bell to be brought up into the forest and +rung near the rock where the laugh had been +heard, the Trolds could be compelled to give +her back. No sooner had this been suggested +to Lage, than the command was given to muster +the whole force of men and horses, and before +evening on the same day the sturdy swains of +Kvaerk were seen climbing the tower of the +venerable church, whence soon the huge old bell +descended, to the astonishment of the throng +of curious women and children who had flocked +together to see the extraordinary sight. It was +laid upon four large wagons, which had been +joined together with ropes and planks, and +drawn away by twelve strong horses. Long +after the strange caravan had vanished in the +twilight, the children stood gazing up into the +empty bell-tower. + +It was near midnight, when Lage stood at the +steep, rocky wall in the forest; the men were +laboring to hoist the church-bell up to a staunch +cross-beam between two mighty fir-trees, and +in the weird light of their torches, the wild +surroundings looked wilder and more fantastic. +Anon, the muffled noise and bustle of the work +being at an end, the laborers withdrew, and a +strange, feverish silence seemed to brood over +the forest. Lage took a step forward, and +seized the bell-rope; the clear, conquering toll +of the metal rung solemnly through the silence, +and from the rocks, the earth, and the tree- +tops, rose a fierce chorus of howls, groans, and +screams. All night the ringing continued; the +old trees swayed to and fro, creaked, and +groaned, the roots loosened their holds in the +fissures of the rock, and the bushy crowns +bowed low under their unwonted burden. + +It was well-nigh morn, but the dense fog still +brooded over the woods, and it was dark as +night. Lage was sitting on the ground, his +head leaning on both his elbows; at his side lay +the flickering torch, and the huge bell hung +dumb overhead. In the dark he felt a hand +touch his shoulder; had it happened only a few +hours before, he would have shuddered; now +the physical sensation hardly communicated +itself to his mind, or, if it did, had no power to +rouse him from his dead, hopeless apathy. +Suddenly--could he trust his own ears?--the +church-bell gave a slow, solemn, quivering +stroke, and the fogs rolled in thick masses to +the east and to the west, as if blown by the +breath of the sound. Lage seized his torch, +sprang to his feet, and saw--Vigfusson. He +stretched his arm with the blazing torch closer +to the young man's face, stared at him with +large eyes, and his lip quivered; but he could +not utter a word. + +"Vigfusson?" faltered he at last. + +"It is I;" and the second stroke followed, +stronger and more solemn than the first. The +same fierce, angry voices chorused forth from +every nook of the rock and the woods. Then +came the third--the noise grew; fourth--and it +sounded like a hoarse, angry hiss; when the +twelfth stroke fell, silence reigned again in the +forest. Vigfusson dropped the bell-rope, and +with a loud voice called Lage Kvaerk and his +men. He lit a torch, held it aloft over his head, +and peered through the dusky night. The men +spread through the highlands to search for the +lost maiden; Lage followed close in Vigfusson's +footsteps. They had not walked far when they +heard the babbling of the brook only a few feet +away. Thither they directed their steps. On +a large stone in the middle of the stream the +youth thought he saw something white, like a +large kerchief. Quick as thought he was at +its side, bowed down with his torch, and--fell +backward. It was Aasa, his beloved, cold and +dead; but as the father stooped over his dead +child the same mad laugh echoed wildly throughout +the wide woods, but madder and louder +than ever before, and from the rocky wall came +a fierce, broken voice: + +"I came at last." + + +When, after an hour of vain search, the men +returned to the place whence they had started, +they saw a faint light flickering between the +birches not fifty feet away; they formed a firm +column, and with fearful hearts drew nearer. +There lay Lage Kvaerk, their master, still +bending down over his child's pale features, and +staring into her sunken eyes as if he could not +believe that she were really dead. And at his +side stood Vigfusson, pale and aghast, with the +burning torch in his hand. The footsteps of +the men awakened the father, but when he +turned his face on them they shuddered and +started back. Then Lage rose, lifted the maiden +from the stone, and silently laid her in +Vigfusson's arms; her rich yellow hair flowed down +over his shoulder. The youth let his torch fall +into the waters, and with a sharp, serpent-like +hiss its flame was quenched. He crossed the +brook; the men followed, and the dark pine-trees +closed over the last descendant of Lage Ulfson's +mighty race. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Tales From Two Hemispheres + + |