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diff --git a/old/37726-8.txt b/old/37726-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5a95087..0000000 --- a/old/37726-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,11729 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of In God's Way, by Björnstjerne Björnson - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: In God's Way - A Novel - -Author: Björnstjerne Björnson - -Translator: Elizabeth Carmichael - -Release Date: October 11, 2011 [EBook #37726] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN GOD'S WAY *** - - - - -Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books - - - - - - - - - - -Transcriber's Notes: - - 1. Page scan source: - http://books.google.com/books?id=K0gRAQAAMAAJ - - 2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe]. - - - - - -Heinemann's International Library. - - - - - EDITOR'S NOTE. - - -There is nothing in which the Anglo-Saxon world differs more from the -world of the Continent of Europe than in its fiction. English readers -are accustomed to satisfy their curiosity with English novels, and it -is rarely indeed that we turn aside to learn something of the interior -life of those other countries the exterior scenery of which is often so -familiar to us. We climb the Alps, but are content to know nothing of -the pastoral romances of Switzerland. We steam in and out of the -picturesque fjords of Norway, but never guess what deep speculation -into life and morals is made by the novelists of that sparsely peopled -but richly endowed nation. We stroll across the courts of the Alhambra, -we are listlessly rowed upon Venetian canals and Lombard lakes, we -hasten by night through the roaring factories of Belgium; but we never -pause to inquire whether there is now flourishing a Spanish, an -Italian, a Flemish school of fiction. Of Russian novels we have lately -been taught to become partly aware, but we do not ask ourselves whether -Poland may not possess a Dostoieffsky and Portugal a Tolstoi. - -Yet, as a matter of fact, there is no European country that has -not, within the last half-century, felt the dew of revival on the -threshing-floor of its worn-out schools of romance. Everywhere there -has been shown by young men, endowed with a talent for narrative, a -vigorous determination to devote themselves to a vivid and sympathetic -interpretation of nature and of man. In almost every language, too, -this movement has tended to display itself more and more in the -direction of what is reported and less of what is created. Fancy has -seemed to these young novelists a poorer thing than observation; the -world of dreams fainter than the world of men. They have not been -occupied mainly with what might be or what should be, but with what is, -and, in spite of all their shortcomings, they have combined to produce -a series of pictures of existing society in each of their several -countries such as cannot fail to form an archive of documents -invaluable to futurity. - -But to us they should be still more valuable. To travel in a foreign -country is but to touch its surface. Under the guidance of a novelist -of genius we penetrate to the secrets of a nation, and talk the very -language of its citizens. We may go to Normandy summer after summer and -know less of the manner of life that proceeds under those gnarled -orchards of apple-blossom than we learn from one tale of Guy de -Maupassant's. The present series is intended to be a guide to the inner -geography of Europe. It presents to our readers a series of spiritual -Baedekers and Murrays. It will endeavour to keep pace with every truly -characteristic and vigorous expression of the novelist's art in each of -the principal European countries, presenting what is quite new if it is -also good, side by side with what is old, if it has not hitherto been -presented to our public. That will be selected which gives with most -freshness and variety the different aspects of continental feeling, the -only limits of selection being that a book shall be, on the one hand, -amusing, and, on the other, wholesome. - -One difficulty which must be frankly faced is that of subject. Life is -now treated in fiction by every race but our own with singular candour. -The novelists of the Lutheran North are not more fully emancipated from -prejudice in this respect than the novelists of the Catholic South. -Everywhere in Europe a novel is looked upon now as an impersonal work, -from which the writer, as a mere observer, stands aloof, neither -blaming nor applauding. Continental fiction has learned to exclude, in -the main, from among the subjects of its attention, all but those facts -which are of common experience, and thus the novelists have determined -to disdain nothing and to repudiate nothing which is common to -humanity; much is freely discussed, even in the novels of Holland and -of Denmark, which our race is apt to treat with a much more gingerly -discretion. It is not difficult, however, we believe--it is certainly -not impossible--to discard all which may justly give offence, and yet -to offer to an English public as many of the masterpieces of European -fiction as we can ever hope to see included in this library. It will be -the endeavour of the editor to search on all hands and in all languages -for such books as combine the greatest literary value with the most -curious and amusing qualities of manner and matter. - - EDMUND GOSSE. - - - - - - IN GOD'S WAY - - - - - - - Heinemann's International Library. - - Edited by EDMUND GOSSE. - - _Crown 8vo, in paper covers, 2s. 6d., or cloth limp, 3s. 6d_. - - Volume I. - - _IN GOD'S WAY_. - - _A Novel_. - - _By BJÖRNSTJERNE BJÖRNSON_. - - _Translated from the Norwegian by Elizabeth Carmichael_. - - * * * - - _Volume II. In July_. - - _PIERRE AND JEAN_. - - _By GUY DE MAUPASSANT_. - - _Translated from the French by Clara Bell_. - - * * * - - _Volume III. In August_. - - _THE CHIEF JUSTICE_. - - _By EMIL FRANZOS_. - - _Translated from the German by Miles Corbet_. - - _Other Volumes will be announced later_. - - _Each Volume will contain a Specially Written Introduction - by the Editor_. - - * * * * * - - London: WILLIAM HEINEMANN, 21 Bedford St., W.C. - - - - - - - IN GOD'S WAY - - A NOVEL - - - - BY - - BJÖRNSTJERNE BJÖRNSON - - - - TRANSLATED FROM THE NORWEGIAN - - BY - - ELIZABETH CARMICHAEL - - - - - LONDON - WILLIAM HEINEMANN - 1890 - [_All rights reserved_] - - - - - - - _TO MY BEST FRIEND_ - - _ETATSRÅD FREDERIK HEGEL_ - - _IN REMEMBRANCE_ - - - - - - - Thou never hast been here; yet I roam - Often up and down and meet thee everywhere. - Here is no room, nor road - But thoughts of thee stand forth - Awaiting me from by-gone days, - When thou by deeds of faithful friendship - Brought comfort to my home in all its troubles. - - And ofttimes as I wrote this book, - Thy kindly eye would beam on me; - We were alone then, thou and I, and - All that silently grew into words-- - Here and there the book must needs - Be like thy heart, thy simple faith, - And therefore may thy name impart a blessing unto it. - -AULESTAD, _September_ 11, 1889. - - - - - INTRODUCTION. - - -Among many Scandinavian candidates for fame in the province of fiction, -by far the most distinguished in our own day is the Norwegian, -Björnstjerne Björnson. He is a child of the mountains; it was in the -remote and romantic parish of Kvike, of which his father was priest, -that he was born on the 8th of December, 1832. In the bleak parsonage -high up in a ravine of the hills, the child led the solitary life which -he has described in the little story called _Blakken_. When he was six -years old, his father was transferred to Næsset, in the Romsdal, one of -the loveliest parishes in Norway, where the influences of natural -beauty and a full peasant society instantly began to mould the child's -poetic sensations. At the grammar school of Molde, Björnson was an -active, tiresome, and industrious boy; in whom, at about the age of -fifteen, a feeling for literature was suddenly awakened, by the reading -of Wergeland's poem, _The English Pilot_. At seventeen, he was sent to -a high school at Christiania, and in 1852 he entered the university. At -the age of twenty he began to write dramas in verse, none of which have -seen the light, and a little later he began to live by journalism in -the capital. His early career was one of struggle against privation and -disappointment. It was not until 1857 that Björnson made his literary -debut, with a little historic drama, called _Between the Battles_, and -with a novel, _Synnöve Solbakken_, of unprecedented charm and -freshness, an exceedingly naïve study of peasant life in Norway; of -this four or five separate translations exist in the English language. -He was now suddenly famous, and the great success of this book led the -author to write a similar, but perhaps a stronger novel, _Arne_, in -1858. Of this also many versions have been made. In 1860 followed -_Short Stories_, a volume including six tales, one of which, "A Happy -Boy," has been regarded as Björnson's most successful effort in this -line of peasant-romance. He proceeded to concentrate his attention on a -revival of the poetical drama, and wrote a succession of masterly -tragedies and a good comedy. His next novel, _The Fisher Maiden_, did -not appear until 1868. - -Absorbed in dramatic work of various kinds, a short story called _The -Bridal March_, 1873, was Bjornson's only contribution to fiction for -several years. When he reappeared as a novelist, a great change in his -manner was discernible. In _Magnhild_, published in 1877, his exquisite -purity and simplicity of style had disappeared; this book was more -real, perhaps, but it was much more turbid and more speculative than -his early mountain romances. Björnson had been touched by the "novel of -experience," and had been troubled by it. _Captain Mansana_, a story of -the Italian war, was slight in character. Everything seemed to point to -the abandonment of prose fiction by Björnson, in favour of the drama, -in which he had made and was still making a series of paradoxical -successes. Quite in recent years, however, Björnson has returned to the -novel, and has produced several works of extraordinary merit. Among -these, the latest, _In God's Way_, which was originally published in -1889, has been universally received as the most remarkable. It is a -book which combines the romantic colour and ideal glow of the author's -early pastoral stories, with a deeper insight into life and a graver -examination of the relations of impulse to duty. - -Björnson is a Radical in almost every department of thought. Within the -last ten years he has been drawn more and more closely into the vortex -of political life. From his farm at Aulestad, in the mountains, he sent -forth in 1877, a drama, _The King_, the consequences of which were such -as he probably never anticipated. The piece, which was far from being -one of his most artistic creations, was looked upon as a manifestation -of enmity to the throne, and since that time the poet has been driven -further and further into opposition to the existing Sovereign of Sweden -and Norway. But, fortunately for literature, no revolution has as yet -given him that opportunity which so many advanced Norwegians yet hope -may be placed in his way, of helping to administer the government of -his country upon a Republican basis. He is probably able to do better -service to Norway by writing those pure and manly stories of his, which -thousands of young people read with enthusiasm, than if he were -entrusted with the responsibilities of a portfolio. But it would be -idle to speculate what triumphs, whether literary, social, or -political, the future may not hold for one whose physical and -intellectual health is superb, and who has not yet approached his -sixtieth year. - - EDMUND GOSSE. - - - - - -SCHOOL-DAYS - - - - - - IN GOD'S WAY - - - - - I. - - -In the melting snow on the hill-side by the sea, in the last rays of -the evening sun, stood a boy of fourteen, awestruck. He looked toward -the west, out across the sea; he looked toward the east, over town and -shore and the broad hills; in the background still higher peaks rose -far away in the clear sky. - -The storm had lasted a long time; it had been more terrible, too, than -any the old people could remember. In spite of the new dyke, many ships -had been driven ashore, and many had sunk. The telegraph brought news -of wrecks all along the coast, and close by here the herring-nets had -been broken and washed away, oars and anchors had disappeared; it was -even feared that the worst was not yet known. - -It was but a few hours since a calm had set in, the storm had abated, -the gusts of wind ceased, all was over--all except the last low -grumblings of the storm. - -But the sea was rebellious; it does not do to stir up the deep and then -to run away. Far off in the distance great sea-waves, higher than -houses, came rolling up in endless lines with foam-white crests and a -crashing fall; the dull, heavy thud was heard across the town and -shore; it was like a piece of land slipping away down into space. - -Each time the waves at full height stormed the mountain, the spray was -dashed up to a monstrous height; from afar it seemed as though the -great white sea-monsters of the old legends were trying to land just at -that very spot. But a few salt splashes were all that reached the top; -they stung the boy's cheek as he stood there motionless. - -As a rule it was only the very worst westerly storms that could dash -the spray so high; but now it had reached the top though the air was so -calm. No one but he had ever seen such a sight. - -Away in the far west, sky and sea seemed melting into one in the glow -of the setting sun. It was like some golden realm of peace; and all the -deep sea-waves, with their white crests rolling up from as far as the -eye could reach, were like banished rebels; they came crowding onward, -protesting, million-mouthed. - -The contrast of colouring was now at its height; no more blending of -lights and shades, not even a red shimmer made its way across. _There_ -was a rich, warm glow, _here_ a cold, blue-black lay over the sea and -snowy coast; all that could be seen of the town from the hill-side -dwindled away and seemed to grow less and less every time the boy -turned to look inland. But each time he looked he felt himself grow -more restless and uneasy; surely that was a bad sign; could more be -going to happen? His imagination was startled, and, tired as he was -from want of sleep, he had no strength to fight against this fear. - -The splendour of the sky was disappearing, all the colour gradually -fading away. The roar from down below, where the sea-monsters were -trying to climb, grew louder and louder; or was it he who heard it more -plainly? - -Was this meant for him? What in the world had he been doing? Or was he -going to do something wrong? Once before the same vague fear had proved -to be a bad omen. - -It was not the storm alone that had frightened him; a short time ago a -lay preacher had prophesied that the end of the world was at hand; all -the signs of the Bible had come to pass, and the prophecies of Jeremiah -and Daniel were clearly to be understood. It made such a sensation that -the papers took up the matter and announced that the same thing had -been foretold so very often before, and those prophecies of Jeremiah -and Daniel were always suited to the occasion. But when the hurricane -came, and was fiercer and more terrible than any that could be -remembered; when ships loosed from their moorings were driven up -against the wharf, crushed themselves and crushing others, and -especially when night came on and shrouded everything in darkness, and -no lantern even could keep alight, ... the crashing fall of the waves -was heard but not seen, shouts of command, screamings and great -lamentations; and in the streets such terror, roofs were lifted right -off, houses shook, windows rattled, stones hurled about, and the -distant screams of those trying to escape only added to the fright, ... -then, indeed, were many who remembered the words of the preacher; God -help and save us, surely the last day has come and the stars are about -to fall. The children especially were frightened to death. The parents -had not time to stay with them; though the last day of the world had -come, still there was a doubt as to whether it really were the last -day, and from sheer force of habit it was thought wiser to look well -after all worldly goods, so they saved what they could, and put up -bolts and bars, and ran to look to the fires, and were busy everywhere. -But to the children they gave prayer-books and psalm-books, and told -them to read what was written about earthquakes and other plagues, and -about the day of judgment; hurriedly they found the places for them, -and then ran and left them. As if the children could read then! - -Some there were who went to bed and pulled the bedclothes over their -heads; some took their dog or cat with them--it was company for them, -and they would die together. But it happened sometimes that neither dog -nor cat chose to die under the bedclothes, so then there was a fight. - -The boy who now stood up on the top of the hill had been absolutely -crazy with fear. But he was one of those whom fright drove about from -place to place--out of the house into the street, from the street down -to the harbour, and then back home again. No less than three times had -his father been after him, caught him and locked him in, but he always -managed to get out again. Now this was not the sort of thing that could -have been done with impunity in an ordinary way, for no boy was kept -more strictly or got such abundance of thrashings as Edward Kallem; but -the one benefit the storm brought was that there were no blows that -night. - -The night passed away, and the stars still shone clear until day dawned -once more, and the sun was as bright as ever; the storm died away and -with it all remains of fear. - -But once one has been influenced by anything so terrifying there will -ever after be, as it were, a dread of the actual terror. Not only by -night in evil dreams, but by day when one fancies one's self safest, it -lurks in our imagination, ready to seize hold of us at the smallest -provocation, and devouring us with cunning eyes and bated breath drives -us sometimes to madness. - -As the lad stood there he began to feel afraid of the deepening -twilight and the roar of the sea; and all at once a terrible fear came -upon him, and all the horrors of the last day began afresh. How could -he have been so foolish as to venture up there, and _alone_, too! He -stood like one paralysed, he dared not move one foot forward, it might -be noticed, and he was surrounded by enemies. He whispered a prayer to -his dead mother that if this really were the last day, and the -resurrection set her free, she would come to him up there and stay with -him; not with his sister, for she had the headmaster of the school to -take care of her; but he was quite alone. - -But all remained as before. Only toward the west it grew lighter, but -darker toward the east; the cold grew more intense and reigned supreme; -but there was a comforting feeling in the more equal size and monotony -of all around. By degrees he regained courage, and began to breathe -more freely--timidly at first, then a long-drawn breath several times; -he began then to touch himself all over very gently and cautiously, -half afraid that those invisible powers which were looking out for him -might suspect some evil. Softly he crept away from the edge of the -precipice and drew nearer to the downward path. He was not going to run -away, oh dear no! He was not even sure that he would go down; he might -just try; certainly he would gladly come again. But the descent just -here was dangerous, and really ought to be got over before dark, and at -this time of year it got dark so very quickly. If he could manage to -climb down to the path that led across the mountain from the fishing -village down below, then there would be no danger; but up here--well, -he would go carefully, cautiously, one little step forward, then -another quite tiny little step. It was just a trial; he would be sure -to come again. - -No sooner had he in this way clambered down the steepest and most -dangerous part of the descent, and stood where he felt himself -protected from those invisible powers he had been so anxiously -capitulating with, than he set to work to cheat them most thoroughly; -down he fled, leaping and jumping, bounding like an India-rubber ball -from one piece of rock to another, till suddenly he saw a pointed cap -sticking up so far down below him that he could only just distinguish -it. In an instant he came to a dead stop! His terror and flight, all he -had just gone through vanished; not a shadow of it remained. Now it was -his turn to frighten others; and here came the very boy he had been -waiting for all the time. His excitement, his eyes, his whole eager -attitude showed how he delighted in the knowledge that the other was -coming within range. How he would give it him! - -The other boy came climbing upward, little suspecting the danger that -awaited him; slowly he jogged along as if enjoying his liberty and -solitude: soon his heavy boots were heard with their iron heels -clanking against the stones. - -A well-built lad he was, tall and fair, a year or so older than the one -awaiting him. He wore coarse cloth clothes, and a woollen scarf around -his neck; his hands were encased in thick, knitted gloves; he carried -one of the little wooden boxes generally used by the peasants; it was -painted blue, with white and yellow roses. - -A great mystery was now going to be revealed. For many days the whole -school had been waiting, wondering with whom, and how and where this -meeting would take place, and when the important moment would arrive -when Ole Tuft, confronted by one of the school's most solemn police -force would be obliged to confess where he went to, and what he did in -the afternoons and evenings. - -Ole Tuft was the son and only child of a well-to-do peasant along the -coast. His father, who had been dead now a year, had been one of the -most popular lay preachers in all the West country, and had early -determined that his son should be a clergyman, that was why he went to -the town-school. Ole was clever, industrious, and so respectful to the -masters that he soon was a favourite with them all. - -But no one can know a dog by his coat only. This most respectful and -simple lad began to disappear from the playground in the afternoons; he -was not at home (he lived with his aunt, his father's sister), and he -was not at the Schultzes, where he used to help two of the children -with their lessons--he always did that directly after dinner; neither -was he at the head-master's, which was the same as being with the -master's adopted daughter, Josephine Kallem, Edward's sister; Ole and -she were always so much together. Sometimes the other lads would see -him go in there, but never come out again, and yet they always found -Josephine alone when they went in to look for him; for they posted out -sentinels, and the whole search was carried on most methodically. They -could track him as far as to the school-yard but no farther--surely he -could not have disappeared into the earth? They ransacked the yard from -one end to the other, every corner, every hiding-place was visited over -and over again; Josephine herself went about with the boys and took -them even up to the cock-loft, down into the cellar, and into every -room where none of the family were sitting, assuring them, on her word -of honour, that he was not there; but they could look for themselves. -Where in all the world was he then? - -It so happened that the dux of the school had just won in a lottery -"Les trois Mousquetaires," by Alexandre Dumas the elder, a splendid -book, with illustrations; but as he soon discovered it was not the kind -of book for so learned a man as he, he offered it as a reward to that -one of his school-fellows who could find out where Ole Tuft went to, -and what he did in the afternoons and evenings. This seemed a very -enticing offer to Edward Kallem; he had always lived in Spain until -about a year ago; he could read French just as well as Norwegian, and -he had heard that "Les trois Mousquetaires" was the most splendid novel -in the world. And now he stood sentinel for "Les trois Mousquetaires." -Hurrah for all the three! now they would be his. - -Down he crept softly, softly, until he reached the path; the culprit -was close at hand. - -There was something about Edward Kallem's head that made one think of a -bird of prey. The nose was like a beak; the eyes wild looking, partly -from their expression and partly because they had a slight squint. His -forehead was sharp and short, the light brown hair closely cropped -around it. There was an extraordinary mobility about him which made one -feel that he was very agile. He was standing still, but he bent his -body forward, shifted his feet and raised his arms as though the next -moment he would throw himself into the air. - -"Boo-oo!" shouted he with all the strength of his lungs. How he -startled the boy who was climbing up--he nearly dropped his box. "Now I -have got you! It's all up with your secret now!" - -Ole Tuft was like one turned to stone. - -"So there you are! Ha, ha! What have you got in the box?" And he rushed -at him; but the other one quickly changed his box from right to left -hand, and held it behind him; it was impossible for Edward to get hold -of it. "What are you thinking of lad? Do you fancy you can escape? Give -up the box!" - -"No, you shan't have it!" - -"What! you won't obey? Then I'll just go down and ask." - -"No; oh no!" - -"Indeed but I will though." - -"No, you won't?" - -"Yes, I shall!" And he pushed past and tried to go down. - -"I'll tell all, if only you'll not tell again." - -"Not tell again? Are you out of your senses?" - -"Oh, but you must not tell!" - -"What a ridiculous idea! Give me the box or I'm away down to ask!" -shouted he. - -"Well, you'll not tell about it?" And Ole's eyes filled with tears. - -"I won't promise." - -"Don't tell, Edward!" - -"I tell you I won't promise. Out with the box; look sharp!" - -"Indeed it's nothing wrong. Do you hear, Edward?" - -"Then if it's nothing wrong, I suppose you can give it me. Come, be -quick!" - -Boylike, Ole took this as a sort of half promise; he looked imploringly -at him and began hesitatingly: "I go down there to--to--oh, you -know--to walk in the ways of God." This last was said very timidly and -he burst into tears. - -"In the ways of God?" repeated Edward, half uneasily but highly -astonished. - -Then he remembered that once in a very drowsy geography class, the -master had asked, "What are the best kind of roads or ways?" The answer -in the lesson-book was, "The best way for the exportation of wares is -by sea." - -"Well," repeated the master, "what ways arc the best? Answer, you, -Tuft!" - -"The ways of God," answered Tuft. In an instant the whole class was -wide awake, a roar of laughter gave evidence of it. - -But for all that Edward Kallem did not really know the true meaning of -"God's ways." Ole down in the fishing village, and walking in the ways -of God! From sheer curiosity he forgot that he was a member of the -moral police force, and blurted out, just like any other school-boy, "I -don't understand what you mean, Ole; walking in the ways of God, did -you say?" - -Ole noticed the change at once; those wild-looking eyes were friendly -again, but still had that strange light which indeed never left them. -Edward Kallem was the one of all his school-fellows whom Ole secretly -admired the most. The peasant boy suffered much from the town boys' -superior brightness and sharpness, and both these qualities were very -much to the fore in Edward Kallem. And besides, there was as it were a -halo round his head--he was his brown-haired sister's brother. - -He had one unbearable fault, he was a fearful tease. He often got a -beating for it from the master or his father, or his companions, but a -moment after he would begin again. This sort of courage was beyond the -peasant boy's comprehension. Therefore a friendly word or smile from -Edward had a greater effect than it was really worth; it had about it a -sunny glow of gracious condescension. This coaxing, kindly questioning, -coming from the bird of prey (though its beak only was visible), -together with the bright, shining eyes, made Ole give in. As soon as -Edward changed his tactics and asked innocently to be allowed to look -at the box he gave it up, and felt so safe and at his ease that he -dried his eyes with his big gloves, took off the one glove and blew -his nose, then remembering that someone had given him a checked -pocket-handkerchief for that purpose, he looked for it in his pockets -but could not find it. - -Edward had unfastened the lid of the box; before he raised it he looked -up, saying, "May I?" - -"Yes, you may." - -Edward put the lid on one side and took off a handkerchief, under which -lay a large book; it was a Bible. He felt rather small, almost awed. -Underneath the Bible lay several unbound books; he took up a few of -them, turned them over and put them back again; they were religious -tracts. He laid down the Bible again carefully, just as he had found -it, spread the handkerchief over it, and shut the lid. In reality he -was not a bit wiser than before, but he was more curious. - -"You surely don't read the Bible to the people down there?" asked he. - -Ole Tuft blushed. "Yes, I do, sometimes, and then----" - -"Who do you read to?" - -"Oh, to the sick, but it is not often I can get so far." - -"Do you go and visit the sick?" - -"Yes, it is just the sick I do visit." - -"The sick? What can you do for them?" - -"Oh, I help them as well as I can." - -"You?" repeated Edward, with all the astonishment he was capable of. -After a pause he went on. "But how do you help them? Do you take food -to them?" - -"Sometimes I do. I help them whenever they need it; I change the straw -under them." - -"Change the straw?" - -"Why, yes, they lie upon straw, and then, don't you see, they would lie -on there, no matter how dirty it got, for they are ill and cannot help -themselves, and often in the daytime they are left quite alone when -every one is out at work and the children are at school. So when I come -in the afternoon, I go first to the boats just in from along the coast -with straw, and there I buy what I need and carry it up and then take -away the old straw." - -"But, my dear fellow, have you got money to buy it with?" asked Edward. - -"My aunt collects money for me, and so does Josephine too." - -"Josephine!" exclaimed the brother. - -"Yes; oh, but perhaps I ought not to have told." - -"Who does Josephine get money from?" asked Edward, with all an elder -brother's aroused curiosity. - -Ole bethought himself a moment, then answered decidedly and clearly: -"From your father." - -"From father?" - -Edward knew quite well that even though it were Josephine who asked -their father for money, he would never give it for any useless purpose; -he always liked to know what it was wanted for. Therefore his father -must approve of what Ole did, and that took away all doubt from -Edward's mind. Ole could feel how entirely he changed his view of the -matter; he could see it, too, in his eyes. He longed to tell him more -about it all, and he did so. He explained how, often when he went -there, there was hard work for him to do; he was obliged to light the -fire and cook for them. - -"Can you cook?" - -"Of course I can, and clean up too, and buy all that is needed, and -send a messenger rowing across to the apothecary; for the doctor may -have written a prescription, but no one ever thinks of sending it -over." - -"And have you time to do all this?" - -"Directly after dinner I finish work at the Schultzes, and I learn my -own lessons at night." - -And he talked on, telling all there was to tell, until he, too, -remembered that they ought to get down from the mountain before dark. - -Edward walked on in front, deep in thought; the other followed after -with his box. - -There, on the slope of the hill, they could hear the roaring of the -waves as if in the air; it was like the low murmur of a distant crowd, -but high above their heads. They felt it getting very cold; the moon -was up, but no stars were to be seen; yes, one solitary one peeped -forth. - -"And what made you think of doing this?" asked Edward, turning round. - -Ole stood still too. He moved his box backward and forward from one -hand to the other; should he make a bold venture and tell all? - -Edward understood at once that he had not heard everything, and that -what remained to be told was the most important part of all. - -"Can't you tell me?" he asked, as though it was quite immaterial. - -"Yes, I think I can;" but he kept on changing his box from hand to hand -without saying a word. - -Then Edward became impatient and began trying to persuade him, to which -Ole had no objections, but still he hesitated. - -"Surely it is nothing wicked?" - -"No, it is not wicked." And he added, after a pause, "It is rather -something grand, very grand and great." - -"Really something great?" - -"In reality the grandest thing in all the world." - -"But what can you mean?" - -"Well, then, if only you will not tell, not to a living soul--do you -hear?--I might tell you." - -"What is it, Ole?" - -"I am going to be a missionary." - -"A missionary?" - -"Yes, a missionary among the heathen, the regular savages, don't you -know, those who eat people." He saw that Edward was almost speechless; -so he made haste to tell him all sorts of things about cyclones, raging -wild beasts, and poisonous snakes. "You see one requires to be prepared -for such things." - -"How prepared--for raging wild beasts and poisonous snakes?" Edward -began to think everything possible. - -"The people are the worst," said Ole, who had to give in about the wild -beasts; "they are such dreadful heathens, and cruel and ugly and wicked -into the bargain. So it will not be so easy to manage them. One must -have practice." - -"But how can you get practice in that sort of thing here? They are not -heathens down in the fishing village?" - -"No, but they can teach one how to bear a little of everything; there -is no use complaining down there, but just be ready to do all sorts of -hard work. They are often so suspicious when they are ill and fretful, -and some of them are downright brutes. Just fancy, one evening one of -them was going to hit me." - -"Hit you?" - -"I prayed to God that she would, but she only cursed and swore." Ole's -eyes glistened, his whole face was beaming. "In one of the tracts I -have in my box it says that that is the mistake of our missionaries, -they go out to their work without having any practice or experience. -And it says, too, that the art of winning people is a very difficult -one, but hardest of all it is to win them for the kingdom of God, and -that we ought to strive to do it from our childhood upward; that is -what the book says, and I mean to do it. For to be a missionary is -higher and greater than anything upon earth; greater than to be king, -greater than to be emperor or pope. That is all in the tract, and this, -too, that a missionary said: 'If I had ten lives, I would give them all -to the mission.' And I mean to do the same." - -They were walking side by side; unconsciously Ole had turned to the -stars as they began to twinkle, and they both stood still awhile gazing -into space. Beneath them lay the harbour with its dimly outlined ships, -the silent, empty wharfs, and the scattered lights from the town; -beyond was the shore, gray with snow and the dark sea-waves rolling up; -they could hear the sound again, faintly in the distance, the monotony -of the roar seemed in keeping with the star-spangled twilight. An -invisible wave of sympathy passed between the lads, and seemed to link -them together. There was no one Ole was so anxious should think well of -him as his friend here with his jaunty fur cap; while Edward was -thinking all the time how much better Ole was than he; for he knew -quite well that he was far from good, and indeed he was told of it -every day. He glanced sideways at the peasant boy. The peaked cap -was pulled down over his ears, the big gloves, the thick scarf, the -coarse cloth jacket, and trousers hanging loosely on him; the heavy, -iron-bound boots--a curious figure--but his eyes alone made up for it -all. And then the innocent, trusting expression, though it was rather -an old-fashioned face.... Ole would decidedly be a great man some day. - -They trotted on again, Edward in front, Ole after him, down toward the -"hill-town," as that part was called which lay nearest the hill-side, -and which consisted chiefly of workmen's houses, a few workshops, and -some smaller factories. As yet the streets were neither properly paved -nor lighted, and now the muddy snow was stiffening into ice as night -came on. The lanterns, few and far between, hung in the middle of the -streets, on ropes stretched across from opposite houses; they were made -to be hoisted up and down. They had been badly cleaned and burned -dimly. Here and there one of the small workshops had its own private -lantern, which was hung up outside on the steps. Edward stopped again -under one of these; he felt he must ask more questions. He wanted to -know more particularly who it was Ole went to see among the fisher -people--whether it was anyone they both knew. - -Ole boldly put down his box on the steps, and stood there resting his -hand on it; he smiled. "Do you know Martha from the docks?" The whole -town knew her; she was a clever woman, but much given to drink, and on -Saturday evenings the school-boys always had great fun with her, when -she stood leaning up against a wall, abusing them roundly with gestures -not of the most refined, in fact, quite unmentionable. This, however, -was just what the boys were waiting for, and was invariably received -with shouts of delight. - -"What! Dock Martha?" shrieked Edward. "Do you suppose you can convert -her?" - -"Hush! hush! For goodness' sake, not so loud," implored Ole, reddening -and looking anxiously round. - -Edward repeated, in a whisper: "Do you think anyone could ever convert -Martha?" - -"I believe I am on the high road to do so," whispered the other, -mysteriously. - -"Come, you won't get me to believe that," and he smiled with squinting -eyes. - -"Just you wait and hear. You know she fell on the ice this winter and -was badly hurt?" - -"Yes, I know that." - -"Well, she is still laid up, and now everyone is tired of helping her, -for she is so cross and so wicked. At first she was very disagreeable -to me; I could hardly bear it; but I took no notice, and now it is -nothing but, 'my little angel,' and 'my lamb,' and 'my pigeon,' and -'dear child;' for I have taken care of her, and got clothes and food -for her, and bedclothes too, and have done much for her that was not at -all pleasant; that I have. And yet it was she who wanted to beat me the -other evening. I was going to help her up, and somehow she managed to -hurt her bad foot. She shrieked with pain and lifted her stick, but -then she thought better of it, and began to curse and abuse me -dreadfully. Now we are good friends again, and the other day I ventured -to read the Bible to her." - -"What! to Martha?" - -"Yes, the Sermon on the Mount, and she cried, lad." - -"She cried? Then did she understand it?" - -"No, for she cried so that she could not have heard much of it. But I -don't think she cried on account of what was in the Bible, for she -began as soon as ever I took it out." - -The two boys stood looking at each other; a noise of hammering was -heard over from the backyard, and in the far distance a steam-whistle; -then the faint cry of a child from across the street. - -"Did she say anything?" - -"She said she felt much too miserable to listen to anything. So I -explained that it was just the most wretched and miserable whom God -wanted. But she seemed not to hear that at all. She only begged me to -go away, and to go round and see if Lars the washerman had come home." - -"Lars the washerman!" cried Edward so loud that again Ole had to check -him; Lars was the woman's sweetheart. - -"Yes, just fancy his being fond of that creature. But they all say -there is a great deal of good in Lars. He goes there every evening to -see what he can do for her. This evening he came earlier than usual, so -I got away; but generally I stay there much longer." - -"Have you read to her more than once?" - -"Yes, to-day I did. She began to cry at once, but I do think she heard -me to-day; for I read about the Prodigal Son, and she said: 'I expect I -am one of his swine.'" Both the lads laughed. "Then I spoke to her and -said I could not believe that, and that I would try and pray. 'Oh,' -said she, 'there's not much use in that;' but when I began to say 'Our -Father,' she became perfectly crazy, just as though she were -frightened, and sat up in bed crying out that she would not hear -another word, not for anything. Then she lay down again and sobbed most -bitterly." - -"So you never said your prayer after all?" - -"No, for then Lars came in, and she told me to go. But you see, it did -some good. Don't you think I am on the right way?" - -Edward was not sure about it. It was clear that his admiration had -received a blow. Soon after they separated. - - - - - II. - - -Sometimes in the higher class of schools there reigns a spirit utterly -opposed to that prevalent in the town where the school is; and it is -even a rule that in certain matters the school exists under its own -independent influence. One single master can often keep the pupils to -his own way of thinking, just as it may depend on one or several of the -boys whether there is a chivalrous spirit among them or the opposite, a -spirit of obedience or one of rebellion; as a rule there is one who -leads them all. It is the same, too, as regards morality; the boys -become what they are according to the example set before them, and -oftenest it is one or more of themselves who have the power to set this -example. - -Just at this time it was Anders Hegge, the _dux_ of the school, who -took the lead in everything. He was the cleverest and best-read boy the -school had seen since its foundation; he was to stay there a year -longer than was necessary, so as to lend to the school the glory of a -certain double first. The other boys were tremendously proud of him; -they told admiring tales of how he had been known to catch the masters -at fault, that he could choose what lessons he liked, and could come -and go whenever he pleased; he did his lessons, too, mostly alone. He -had a library, the shelves of which had long since covered the walls -and now stood out upon the floor; there was one long shelf on each side -of the sofa; it was so much talked about that the smaller boys were -allowed to go up and look at it all. And there, in the middle, in front -of the window, sat he smoking, in a long loose dressing-gown, a present -from a married sister, a velvet cap with gold tassel, a present from an -aunt (his mother's sister), and embroidered slippers, from another aunt -(his father's sister). He was quite a ladies' man, lived with his -mother, who was a widow, and five elderly female relatives paid for his -books and his clothes, and gave him pocket-money. - -He was a tall, stout fellow, with marked, regular features, showing -descent from a good old family; the face would have been good-looking -enough, but his eyes were too prominent and had something at once -greedy and inquiring about them. It was the same with his well-made -figure; the effect would have been good but that he stooped so much, -just as if his back were too heavy for him, and his walk was uneven. -His hands and feet were neat, he was dainty and particular, and his -tastes in general were effeminate. - -He never forgot anything that had once been told him, important or not -it made no difference; except, perhaps, he considered the trifling -things of most importance. Few things escaped him; he had a quiet way -of gaining the confidence of others, it was quite an art. He knew the -history of all the great families in the whole country and in foreign -countries as well; his greatest delight in life was to repeat these -stories, especially when they were scandalous ones, and to sit -listening greedily for new ones. If the masters had only known how the -air of the school was infected and corrupted by this much-admired piece -of goods, with the contents of its secret drawers, they would hardly -have kept him there another year; the whole school was critical and -doubting, full of slander and mean efforts to curry favor, and infected -by slanderous stories. - -Ever eager for news, he was always to be found in his smoking-gear, -sitting among his books, and was there, too, when Edward came in that -evening to tell him that he knew now where Ole went to and what he did -with himself; so now he expected to get the reward! Anders got up and -begged him to wait till he fetched some beer that they might enjoy -themselves together. - -The first glass was most delicious, a second little half glass equally -so, but not till then did Edward tell his news--how Ole went to nurse -the sick down in the fishing village. - -Anders felt almost as small as Edward had done when he saw Ole's Bible -in his box; Edward laughed heartily at him. But very soon Anders began -to insinuate doubts; he suggested that Ole had invented all that so as -to screen himself; there must be something more under it all; peasant -boys, he said, were always so cunning, and to prove it he began telling -some rather good stories from school. Edward did not at all relish this -everlasting doubting, and to cut the matter short (for he was very -tired) he informed the other that his father knew and approved of it, -and even helped Ole with money. Of course when he heard that, Anders -could doubt no longer; and yet there might be more under it, peasant -boys were so very sly. - -But this was too much for Edward; he started up from his seat and asked -if he thought any of them told lies? - -Anders sipped his beer quite calmly, rolling his prominent eyes -cautiously around. "Lie" was a strange word to use; might he be allowed -to ask who were the sick people Ole went to see? - -Edward was not prepared for this; he had intended to tell as much as -would justify his getting the reward, but not a word more. He got up -from his seat again. If Anders wouldn't believe him, he might leave it -alone, but he meant to have the reward. - -Now it was not Anders Hegge's way to quarrel with anyone, and Edward -knew that well. Of course he would give Edward the book, but first he -must just listen to such a funny story about the sick people down in -the fishing village. The parish doctor and his wife had been to see his -mother yesterday, and someone had asked after Martha from the docks, -who had not been seen for so long, whether she was still laid up from -her fall in the winter? Yes, she was still laid up, but she was not in -any want, for, strange to say, people sent her all she needed, and Lars -brought in brandy to her every evening, and they had many a merry -carouse together. She would probably not be up again for some time to -come. - -Edward got very red, and Anders noticed it directly; he suggested that -perhaps Martha was one of those whom Ole visited. - -Yes she was. - -His prominent eyes widened at this piece of news. Edward saw with what -eagerness he gulped it down and it made him feel as if he had been -devoured and swallowed up himself. But if there is a thing that -schoolboys cannot stand it is to be thought too confiding and innocent; -he hastened to free himself from the most insulting insinuation that he -was not able to see through Ole Tuft and his stupid ways; only fancy, -he actually read the Bible to Martha! - -He read the Bible to her? Again those prominent eyes opened and -greedily drank it in, but he closed them at once, and was seized with -laughter; he regularly shouted with laughter--and Edward with him. - -Yes, he read the Bible to Martha, he read to her about the Prodigal -Son, and then Edward repeated all that Martha had said. They laughed in -chorus and drank up the rest of the beer. All that was pleasant and -amusing in Anders showed itself when he laughed, although his laugh had -a grating sound down in the throat; still it incited one to more fun, -more mischief. So Edward had to tell all, and a little more than all. - -As he ran home later with the grand book under his arm, he had a kind -of disgusted feeling. The effects of the beer were over, he was no -longer tempted to laugh, and his wounded pride was satisfied; but Ole's -trusting eyes seemed to meet him everywhere, as soon as he got out in -the air. He tried to put it from him, he was so dreadfully tired; he -would think no more about it this evening; but to-morrow--to-morrow he -would ask Anders not to speak about it. - -But the next morning he overslept himself. He hurried on his clothes -and rushed off, eating his bread-and-butter as he went along, and -giving a rapid thought to "Les trois Mousquetaires," now his precious -property; he longed for the afternoon to be able to read it. In school -he stumbled through his lessons one by one, for he had learned nothing, -and on Saturdays there was always so much. He worked on until two hours -before the school closed; there was still to be French and Natural -History, but to neither of these classes did he belong--so away he flew -downstairs before any of the others. - -Just as he stood outside the school gates he saw Anders coming from the -opposite side; he was going now to take his lesson in the upper class. -Edward thought at once of the preceding day, and he felt anxious as to -what Anders might take it into his head to tell; but at that very -moment he caught sight of a monster steamer, a wreck, coming slowly in -between the two piers, and all the people running by said there had -never been so large a ship in the harbour before. She dragged along, -hardly able to move, her masts gone, bulwarks all damaged, and the -propped-up funnel all white with salt water up to the very top; was -that another steamer towing her? Edward could not make out for the -pier. Everyone was running that way; he ran too! - -Meanwhile Anders turned in at the school gate. Just as he opened it a -class was over, and all the boys rushed down the stairs as through a -long funnel, and out into the yard; it was a storm in a wizard's -belly, the very house shook; first came one short, sharp yell, the -first-comer's shout of delight; then a screaming of mingled voices high -and low, some cracked and breaking ones toning down the whole; then a -mighty shout from all together like a sea of fire shooting up to the -sky, then half quenched on one side, but flaring up again on the other, -then uniting in a broad glow over the whole yard. - -Anders whistled softly as he came along; it was not like being in a sea -of fire; it was like sailing through dangerous rocks and reefs, tossed -about and dashed from one side, and tossed and dashed back again to the -other; but he had an object in view; he would try cautiously to reach -the stack of wood over by the neighbour's paling; there all was quiet, -and he could partially screen his body up among the wood. - -When he had reached this point of vantage and had looked cautiously -round to see if it was safe, he gazed down on the crowd with delight; -he felt a pleasurable satisfaction in knowing that he could quiet this -uproar just with three or four words which he would whisper in the ear -of his nearest neighbour. They would act like oil upon a raging sea, -and the noise would cease as those few words were spread about. - -Where was Ole? There he was, he and a big boy together; they had hold -of each other by the collar and were tumbling about; the bigger of the -two was trying to knock down the other, using his feet freely for many -a kick. Ole's heavy boots swung round, the iron heels shining in the -air; he shouted with laughter as his companion grew fiercer and wilder, -but could not get him down. - -Then Anders bent his head down to the boy who stood nearest him: - -"Now I know what Ole Tuft does in the evenings!" - -"Oh, rubbish!" - -"But I do know." - -"Who found it out?" - -"Edward Kallem." - -"Edward Kallem? And has he got the book?" asked the other, hurriedly. - -"Of course he has." - -"No, really? So Edward Kallem has----!" - -"Edward Kallem? What about him?" put in a third, and the one who had -just heard the news repeated the story. A fourth boy, a fifth, a sixth, -all rushed away, crying out: "Edward Kallem has won the prize, lads! -Anders Hegge knows what Ole Tuft does in the evenings." Wherever they -went the noise stopped instantaneously; all of them wanted to hear the -news, and rushed across to Anders Hegge. - -Hardly had a fourth part of them reached him before the remaining -three-fourths, losing interest in their games, followed suit. What in -all the world was the matter over by the wood-stack? why were they all -running there? They crowded round Anders, and climbed up on the wood as -many of them as could find room. "What's the matter?" "Edward Kallem -has won the prize." "Edward Kallem?" And the noise began again, -everyone asking, everyone answering--all except Ole Tuft, who remained -standing just where his companion had left him. - -There was a dead silence as Anders Hegge told the story; and he had a -right to tell it, for he had paid for it. He told it well, in a short, -dry sort of way that gave an air of double meaning to everything; he -told them first where Ole went to and what he did; how he changed the -straw in Martha's bed, moved and lifted her, cooked for her, and -fetched medicine for her from the apothecary. Then he told them _why_ -Ole did all this; he wished to be a missionary, and was practising for -it down at Martha's; he read the Bible to her and made her cry; then, -as soon as Ole had gone, Lars, the washerman, came in with the brandy -bottle, and he and Martha had a grand carouse together on the top of -the Bible reading. - -At first the boys stood as quiet as mice; they had never heard the like -before. They looked upon it as a sort of game, and from the way it had -been told it could hardly be understood otherwise; but never before had -they heard of anyone playing at being missionary and Bible-reader; it -was funny, but it was something else besides--something they could not -quite make out. As nobody laughed, Anders continued. And what made Ole -do all this? Because he was ambitious and wanted to become an apostle, -which was more than to be either king, emperor, or pope; Ole had told -Edward Kallem that himself. But, in order to become an apostle, he had -to find out "God's ways," and those ways began down at Martha's; there -he meant to learn how to work miracles, to wrestle with the heathen and -the wild beasts and poisonous snakes, and to calm a cyclone. Then there -was a roar. But just at that moment the school-bell rang, and, shouting -with laughter, the boys had only time to run past Ole back to their -lessons again. - -Once before in his young life had Ole Tuft gazed down into a bottomless -abyss. It was on a winter's day, as he stood by his father's grave and -heard the dull sound of the frozen earth falling upon the coffin; the -air was thick with driving mist, and the sea was black as pitch. -Whenever he was in trouble his thoughts flew back to that day; and now -it seemed as if he were standing there again, and heard the mournful -church bells toll. Just as the noise on the stairs and along the -passages had ceased, the last stray loiterer gone in, the last door -been shut--complete quiet suddenly--then, through this empty silence, -he heard a bell, ding-dong, and in fancy saw himself at the little -pine-wood church by the shore. How they creaked and rustled in the -wind, those long-armed, leafless birches by the wall, and the ancient -fir-tree at the gate; the clanging of the bells, harsh and shrill, -floating in the air, and the dull thud of the earth on the coffin, made -a life-long impression on him; and his mother's ceaseless weeping--she -had kept it all back until now, had made no sound, neither by the sick -man's bedside, nor even when he was carried away in his coffin; but -now, suddenly, the tears gushed forth--ah, so bitterly.... O father, -mother! Mother, father! And he, too, burst into tears. - -This was sufficient reason for his not following the other boys in; he -would never go back to school again. He could not face any of them -after what had happened, he would have to leave the town; in a couple -of hours it would be known everywhere, they would all be asking -questions, and staring and laughing at him. And now, too, all his hopes -and intentions for the future had been profaned; what was the use of -studying any more; nor would he go to any other town, only home, home, -home. - -But if he stood there much longer one of them would be sent down to -fetch him; he ought to get away at once. But not home to his aunt, or -he would have to tell her everything; and not out by the big gates and -down the principal street, for there were so many people who would see -how he was crying. No, he must make his way to the little hiding-place -that Josephine had made for him, and through which she helped him out -every afternoon, so that the other boys might not see him. - -The wood-stacks stood next to the neighbour's paling; but to the right -leaned up against a shed into which Ole went. He loosened two boards in -the wall nearest the wood-stack, crept through, and closed them behind -him. This performance could not have been carried out if there had not -been on the other side an open space, made by an impediment of nature, -in the shape of a large stone, taller than the boy, but which stood at -a little distance from the wall. If the stone had not been there, the -two stacks of wood would have touched each other and barred the way; -but as it was, there was plenty of room at both ends of the stone as -well as on the top of it. The children had made themselves little rooms -here, one on each side of the stone. The most comfortable one was at -the back; there they had a board to sit on, and when that was fastened -at both ends in the stacks, they could pass each other in crossing it. -They had laid some planks overhead, and then wood on the top of that, -so that nobody might suspect anything; it had been quite a piece of -work for the children. It was not very light, certainly, but then that -made it all the cosier. Here she would tell him tales of Spain, and he -would tell her of missionaries' adventures; she told of bull-fights, -but he of fights with tigers, lions, and snakes, of terrible cyclones -and water-spouts, of savage monkeys and man-eaters. And by degrees his -stories had eclipsed hers; they were more exciting, and then there was -an object in them; she had only her recollections to look back to, but -he threw himself heart and soul into all his imagination could scrape -together. He drew such vivid, glowing pictures, till at last she was -fascinated too! At first she felt her way with a few cautious questions -as to whether women could be missionaries too? But he did not know; he -thought it was only work for men, though they might possibly be allowed -to be missionaries' wives. Then she asked if missionaries ever married. -He, taking it up as a dogmatic question, answered that he had once -heard his father speak on the subject; it was at a meeting when someone -had had doubts as to this missionary-marriage question, for St. Paul -was the first missionary, and the greatest, too, and he certainly had -not been married, and even gloried in that fact; but his father had -replied that St. Paul believed that Christ was so soon to come again so -he had to hurry as quickly as possible from place to place to tell that -to the people so that they might be in readiness. But nowadays -missionaries always lived in the same place, and therefore might be -allowed to marry. He had even read about missionaries' wives who kept -schools for the little black children. They had not advanced further -than that, but it was easy to see she often thought about it by the -questions she asked: If it were true that black children ate snails? -She did not like the idea of that at all. - -In this dim light, with their two heads, brown and fair, bent close -together over their tales of adventures, they had in fancy sat under -palm-trees amid swarms of black children, all so good and clean and -converted, and there were tame tiger-cubs playing on the sand at their -feet; friendly, good-natured monkeys waited upon them, elephants -conveyed them carefully about, and all the food they needed hung in -plenty on the trees. - -And now Ole came for the last time to say farewell to this little -Paradise. - -Just as he raised himself to climb over the stone, he remembered that -it was Saturday, and her lessons were always over on Saturdays by -eleven o'clock (she took private lessons), and that she often used to -sit behind the stacks during the boys' free quarter-hour. Suppose she -were sitting there, and had heard all? Up he clambered onto the stone -in greatest haste, and there she sat, down on the board, and looked at -him! At the sight of her and as their eyes met he began sobbing again. -"I want to ... go ... home," stammered he, "and never ... never come -back again," and he came sliding down to her. She received him with -open arms and hastened to give him her pocket-handkerchief to stuff -into his mouth that his crying might not be heard. She had a good -deal of knowledge as to school and play-ground ways, and knew that -some one would soon be sent to look for him. He gave in, as he always -did, to her superior guidance in matters of good behaviour and -manners; he thought she was reminding him of that everlasting use of the -pocket-handkerchief, so he began alternately to blow his nose and to cry. -She seized hold of the back of his neck with one of her small but -coarse girl's hands, with the other she grasped his hands with the -handkerchief and forced it right into his mouth, at the same time -shaking her dark-haired head warningly in his face. Then it dawned upon -him! And it was high time too; for he heard his name called down in the -yard, again and again on all sides. His whole body shook and trembled -with his efforts to stifle his sobs; but he kept them down bravely, -waiting till the boy who had been sent down to look for him had gone -rushing back again. He began anew: "I ... want to ... go ... home," and -a fresh burst of tears followed, he couldn't help it. So he gave her -back her pocket-handkerchief with a nod and got up to pull away the -wood in front of the hole in the neighbour's fence, sobbing bitterly -all the time and half-alarmed at his own grief. Hardly had he pulled -the wood aside before he disappeared into the hole; the seat of his -trousers, polished and shiny from daily contact with the school -benches, and the iron heels of his boots crept farther and farther in, -till at last they vanished; he stood upright on the other side, pushed -himself between the paling and the shed, and on past some old wood-work -which lay there rotting, from there he sprang across to the back door, -and not until he stood outside on free ground in a narrow road, did he -remember that he had forgotten to say good-bye to Josephine and had -never even thanked her! This addition to all his other troubles made -him turn and flee from the town, and he never stopped before he, by -roundabout ways, had reached the high road. It was almost as if it were -his property, this well-known road by the shore. - -Josephine stood still a moment gazing after the vanishing heels; but -she did not wait long. She hopped upon the stone and slid down to the -wall, pushed the boards aside, crept through and closed them again -carefully behind her. Soon after she was seen at the apothecary's -without her hat; she asked after her brother, first down in the shop -where she knew he liked to be, but he was not there and he had not been -in either to leave his bundle of books. Upstairs she went through all -the rooms, but he was not there; then looking out of the window she saw -the great foreign steamer and ten or twelve small boats around it; of -course he would be there! Away she flew to the pier, unfastened their -own little white-painted boat and pushed off. - -She rowed until the perspiration streamed down her face, rowed and -looked about her until she reached the wreck, the great green monster -lying there groaning under the pumps. From afar she could see Edward up -on the captain's bridge, with his books under his arm, talking to his -friend Mo, the pilot. - -As soon as she was within call she shouted his name; he heard her, he -and all the others; they saw a brown-haired girl, without hat, red and -heated with rowing, standing up in the boat, leaning on her oars, and -staring up at the captain's bridge; they did not think much of it, -though, and forgot her quickly. But Edward felt a sharp pang; something -out of the common must have happened, and it did not take him long to -get down from the captain's bridge on to the deck, across the deck and -down the steamer's side, climbing over the other boats and up into -hers, exclaiming, as he pushed off: "What's the matter?" He put his -books down in the bottom of the boat, took the oars from her and sat -down repeating: "What's the matter?" - -With streaming hair, breathless and red she stood and looked at him as -he turned the boat; then she moved back to a farther bench. Here she -unfastened the other pair of oars and sat down behind him. He did not -like to question her a third time so he rowed on silently--and then, -keeping her oars on the surface of the water meanwhile, she began: - -"What have you done to Ole Tuft?" - -He turned pale, then red; he too stopped rowing. - -"It's all up with him now at school; he has gone home, and he'll never -come back any more." - -"Oh, that's a lie!"--but his voice failed him, he felt she was speaking -the truth. He plunged the oars into the water with all his strength and -rowed with might and main. - -"Indeed you had better row hard," though she herself began backing her -oars; "you had better hurry after him even if you have to walk all the -way to Store Tuft; if you don't, it will be a bad look-out for you both -at school and at home with father. What a mean wretch you are!" - -"Oh, you hold your tongue!" - -"No, I shan't! and if you don't go after him at once and bring him home -with you again, I'll tell father, and the head master too, I will!" - -"It's you who are the mean wretch with all your gossiping and -story-telling." - -"You should have heard how Anders Hegge went on, and the whole school, -and how they laughed at Ole, every one of them; and he poor fellow, he -cried as if his heart would break, and then ran right away home. Oh, -fie! fie! For shame! If you don't bring him back with you it will be -bad for you." - -"You stupid! Don't you see I am rowing as hard as I can?" - -His finger-nails were quite white and his face streaming and he bent -double each time to take a longer pull at the oars. Without another -word she moved over to the bench nearest him and rowed with all her -might. - -As he stood up when they were nearing the pier and stretched out his -hand to prevent the boat bumping against it, he said: "I have had no -lunch to-day, and now I shall get no dinner either; have you any money -with you that I might buy myself some biscuits?" - -"Yes, a few pence I have;" she laid down her oars and looked in her -pocket for the money. - -"You take my books!" shouted he as he rushed up the street. Shortly -after he too was out on the high road. - - - - - III. - - -The day had been dull, the air thick, and the clouds were driving along -against a light southerly wind; it was mild, though, and had begun to -thaw again; the roads were in a fearful state with snow slush and mud, -especially close by the town where it had been trampled and trodden -into a perfect morass. - -Edward had not been walking more than ten minutes before his somewhat -thin boots were wet through. Well, that did not matter, what was much -worse was that he had finished his last biscuit and was by no means -satisfied--not by a long way! However, even that did not matter as he -would soon overtake Ole, he walked so much quicker and lighter than he -did, and then he was hurrying tremendously. As soon as he reached him -he would put things right again; not for an instant did he doubt that. -Ole was very easily managed and he, Edward, would make all square with -the other boys, it was the least he could do; he would enjoy it, too; -he would get others to join him and they would have a fight. - -But after he had walked a quarter of a mile[1] without seeing any -traces of Ole's boots in the mud and no sign of himself either, and -particularly after he had dragged on for another quarter along the most -dreadful roads, his feet dripping wet, now perspiring, now cold, then -half-dry, then wet again--it was threatening rain and the wind was -getting up, and all nature seemed so uncomfortably lonely along the -stony ridges with dark woods between each valley--then indeed his -courage fell considerably. - -And it seemed so strange, too, that after the first quarter of a mile -he never met a soul. There were plenty of footmarks on the road both of -horses, people, and dogs; they were all bent in the same direction as -himself and most of them were quite fresh, but there was not a creature -to be seen anywhere, not even in the farmyards, not a dog did he hear -bark, nor did he see a chimney smoke; all was deserted. He passed by -one empty cove after the other; they were divided by jutting out ridges -of loose stones caused by landslips; on each side of these ridges lay a -cove, and in every cove one or more farmyards and a brook or stream, -but no people. So many times had the boy now struggled up these stony -hills and gone so far along that he could see across the next field -without distinguishing Ole on the high road, in fact without seeing -anyone, so he began to think that he would have to trudge on, hungry -and tired as he was, the whole way to Store Tuft. It was nearly a mile -distant; that would keep him away so long that his father would hear of -his absence, and then it would be a case of scolding and lecturing, and -probably of beating and swearing as well, and the head-master would -very likely look in and then it would all begin over again.... He could -not help it, the tears would come. Confound Anders Hegge, with his -greedy, fishy eyes and oily smile, his mocking laugh and sneaking -friendliness, the story-teller, the brute! Here was he now forced to -tramp along with tingling feet in all the mud, tired and done up. This -then was the meaning of his fearful fright the evening before, now all -was explained. - -But, hang it all! who would cry about that? One must arrive some day at -the journey's end, and a beating would be nothing new, tra-la-la! And -he broke into a Spanish ditty and sang verse upon verse till he became -quite breathless and was obliged to slacken his pace, but taking fright -when he no longer heard the sound of his own voice, he began afresh and -kept on singing all the way through the long valley. - -He met nobody there either, only traces of cart-wheels and footmarks of -old and young folk, of horses and dogs from the farms; all bound in the -same direction. What could be going on? A fire? An auction? But then -they would not have taken carts with them. Had there been a landslip -anywhere? Or was it a wreck from yesterday's storm? Well, it was all -the same to him. Just as he was crossing over the next ridge which -jutted out into the bay, he caught sight for the first time of Ole's -footsteps on the hill; he could see that he had walked along by the -side of the road; he recognized the iron heels and the straps under -each foot. The marks were quite fresh too, so Ole could not be far off. -This was exciting, and he hurried on. - -Here there was a thick fir-wood, very still and quiet, and as he had to -stop singing going up-hill it was rather uncanny. The farther he -advanced into the wood the thicker it became; the snow lay firmer on -the ground, stones and small tufts of heather peeping up through it -like animals; and then there was a crack here and a rustle there and -sometimes a cry; a startled capercailzie flew up with great flapping of -wings, and the boy in a terrible fright bent down to look for Ole's -foot-marks, just for company's sake--the terror of the day before was -on him again. If he dared but begin to run, and if the wood would only -come to an end! In the painfully long silence that followed the -capercailzie's cry he felt that a very little more and he would go mad -with fright. And this bit of road with high banks on each side, through -which he would have to pass--he looked on ahead at the steep dark sides -which seemed as if they would close over him; terrible looking trees -hung over the top peering down at him. When at last he arrived there, -he felt as if he were the tiniest little ant in a wood; if only all -would keep still, or at least no one swoop down upon him and seize him -by the neck, or drop down suddenly before him, or behind him, or begin -to puff and blow at him.... He walked on with stiff eyes, like one -walking in his sleep, the gnarled and crooked roots of the fir-trees -stretched along the banks, they seemed as though alive, but he -pretended not to notice them. High up in the air far in front of him a -bird was winging its way toward the town he came from. Ah, if he might -but mount that bird! He could see the town distinctly and the ships in -the harbour; he could hear the cheery heave-a-hoy songs and the -rattling of anchor chains, the rolling of barrels along the wharf, and -the merry screams of laughter and the shouts of command.... Yes, he -could even hear those, and the whistle of a steamer! and then another, -a shrill one! and voices! Those _were_ voices! And neighing of horses, -and barking of dogs! And again the sound of voices, many voices. He had -got through the road with the steep banks, for it had only been a short -bit, and through the trees he could see the sea and boats.... But what -was that? Was he back in town again? Had he been walking round and -round? No, surely he had followed the sea all the way. He began to run, -he felt all right again. But had he really walked straight on? Of -course, here is the clearing in the wood, and there the bay, he knew it -well, and the little islands, he remembered them too, it was the right -way, and it was not so very far now to Store Tuft.... But what are all -those boats doing there? And what is the meaning of that steady buzzing -noise? Herring fishing! Hurrah! herring fishing! He had come right into -the midst of a take of herrings, hurrah! hurrah! And away with hunger, -fatigue, and fear, off flew the boy down the hill with mighty strides. - -One of the sweep-nets had been hauled in, one was out, one was just -going to be put out, it was a great take. But it was Saturday evening, -and it was necessary to net the herrings before Sunday evening, and to -gut the fish that was already taken. In the twinkling of an eye he -understood it all. - -The shore was crowded with people, near the road and on the road, and -up on the fields, crowds and crowds. And endless carts and sledges with -barrels and tubs, some with horses still harnessed, others with the -horses taken out, crowds of dogs; children everywhere, and great -laughter and noise. Out in the bay the boats were round the sweep-net -that was to be put out, the men shouting and calling to each other, and -high in the air a flock of birds flew overhead, flapping their wings -and screaming. - -The sky was overcast, the smoke from the steamers making the air seem -thicker and more threatening, the bare, bleak islands seemed suited to -the coming storm, they looked as if they had just started into -existence; the little wooded islet far out rose up solitary and -mysterious through the rainy mist; the steamers came steaming in, -puffing and whistling as if for a wager; they belonged to rival -companies. Men were stamping about in fishermen's boots and in oilskin -clothes over their ordinary ones; others were dressed more like -peasants in coarse cloth coats and fur caps. Women as well as men were -busy cleaning the fish, wrapped in shawls or in a man's jacket over -their own; the usual quiet style of conversation had been disturbed. - -Heavy drops of rain began to fall, faster and faster; nearly all the -faces Edward looked at were wet with the rain. They stared a great deal -at him, the delicate looking town boy in the midst of this noisy crowd, -thinly clad, with dripping face and breathless, his little fur cap -clinging wet to his head. - -Who should he see just in front of him but Ingebert Syvertsen, the -tall, black-haired man, who did business with his father. He was -standing there bargaining, tall and thin, and dressed in oilskin from -top to toe; he had evidently taken a very active part in it all, the -shiny fish-scales lay thick on his arms and his boots like silver. - -"Good day, Ingebert!" shouted the boy in great light. - -The great fellow with wet face under his sou'wester, a great drop -hanging from his nose, thin black beard, and three of his upper teeth -missing, knew him at once and laughed; then he said: "Your father is -somewhere about my lad, he is out riding to-day." - -Someone spoke to Ingebert at that moment; he turned round, became angry -and abusive, which took up time, when he turned again to speak to the -boy he saw him already far away along the road beyond the whole of the -fishing crowd. - -Edward had run away from sheer fright--and it was only when he found -himself out on the road that he remembered he was running just in the -direction his father was coming from. Was it likely he could get to -Store Tuft without meeting his father? - -But what was he to do? All those people had seen him, and had stared -hard at him, they would be sure to find out who he was, and then when -his father came riding past he would hear of it too. There was not much -use trying to run away. It was all one whether he got a beating now or -one later. He felt inclined to sing again, for nothing could be worse -than the present state of affairs. He actually did strike up a song, -the Marseillaise, in French; it was so very suitable for one advancing -to get a beating as he was! But before he got to the end of the first -verse his courage failed him, his voice grew fainter, the time slower, -there was a general change of colouring. And oh, it was heavy walking, -and raining fast. So his song gradually died away until it stopped. -Then the boy's thoughts went back to something he had lately read in -the papers about a large coal mine in England that had been inundated -with water. The miners tried to escape as quickly as possible, the -horses after them, down in the mine they could not help themselves, -poor creatures! One boy who had escaped told the others about a horse -that had neighed and whinnied so hopelessly; the boy climbed to the -top, but not the horse.... Edward could distinctly see what the horse -must have looked like, its head, the beautiful shining eyes, he heard -its breathing, its whinnying and felt himself turn quite sick. What it -must be to die amid such horrors! And to think that all that would come -to life again at the day of judgment! And all that would arise from the -mines and very bowels of the earth! Why not the animals too? Surely -they would come forward whining and complaining against mankind? Great -heavens, what complaints there would be. And so many animals, too--only -fancy, from the creation of the world! And where were they all to be -found? On the earth and down in the earth--and think of those that lay -in the sea, at the bottom of the deep sea! And those who lay under that -again, for in many places there had been land where there now was sea. -Well, well! - -Oh, how hungry he was! And cold too; he could no longer walk so fast, -and he was very, very tired. - -And certainly there was nothing very inviting to look forward to, oh, -no! Well he knew the new riding-whip; he had himself despatched the old -one out of the world; but if he had known that the new one was still -worse, he would have let the old one live on for a couple of years -more. Ouf! how his nails began to ache and his fingers to swell with -the cold. And his feet! But it would never do to think about them or -they got worse directly; hark, how the water sopped in his boots! He -amused himself by putting his feet forward cross ways, and went on from -right to left, from left to right till he got tired of that too. Harder -and harder was the struggle, more and more tedious, again he had to -climb up hill. Dear me! is not this the last hill? Does not Store Tuft -lie in the next valley? Just under the hill? Surely that is Store Tuft? -Perhaps after all he could get there before his father? It would always -be something gained, the evil day put off awhile. At any rate it was -worth hurrying for. Fresh life came to the boy, on he went again! - -His father was not always severe either, he could be kind sometimes. -Especially if Josephine were on his side and asked to get him off; and -if Ole came back again then she surely would do that, she must take his -part. They could try, too, to make the apothecary join them! He, the -apothecary, was always so kind, and it is a good thing to be many. Good -heavens! were there no others who---- - -Up came the chestnut's head over the hill-top! The big straw shoes -which his father used in the winter as stirrups stood out on each side -of the old hack like the paws of a wild beast; the boy stood still, -petrified. - -The old hack stared at the lad from out of its heavy Spanish harness; -it could hardly believe its own clever eyes! Neither could the boy's -father believe his, for the round head in the gray woollen cap -stretched farther and farther forward over the horse's neck, till he -had to lean with both hands on the pommel of the saddle. Was that -drenched, dripping boy, with the wisp of fur on his head, standing -terrified and pale as a ghost in the middle of the road--was that the -boy who ought to be sitting at home doing his lessons before he was -allowed to move? And on Saturday afternoon! In such weather and such -roads, and so thinly clad, out on the hill at Store Tuft? And without -permission? - -"What the devil are you doing there?" - -The horse was pulled up sharp; its warm breath seemed to fill the air -around the boy and envelop him in a thick mist of unpleasant vapours -from its steaming body. Edward dared neither move nor answer. He only -stared up at his father through the mist in a stupid, clumsy fashion, -as though half-dazed. - -His father dismounted without delay, and with the bridle round his left -arm and the whip in his right hand he stood before the boy. - -"What's the matter? Hey? Why are you here! Why the devil can't you -answer?" - -Mechanically Edward slipped farther and farther away, his father after -him; mechanically, too, the boy raised his right arm to shield his -face, and stretched out his left to ward off the coming blows. - -"Where are you going to?" - -"To Ole Tuft." - -"What are you going to do there? Hey? Is Ole Tuft at home? Hey?" - -"Yes." - -"What are you going there for?" - -"I am going to--to----" - -"Well!" - -"To beg his pardon." - -"To beg his pardon? What for? What for? Hey?" and he raised his whip. - -The boy answered, hurriedly: "He won't come to school any more." - -"Oh, indeed! So you've been teasing him? Hey? You at the head? Hey?" - -"Yes." - -"Your fault, was it? Hey?" he cried. - -"I found out----" here he stopped. - -"Well?" - -"That he--that he----" and the boy began to cry. - -"Well?" - -"That he goes to visit the sick." - -"So you told the others? Hey? Carried tales? Hey?" - -Edward dared not answer, and then the whip began to be troublesome; -both the lad's arms swung up and down, keeping time with the whip, as -if uncertain where it would fall next. He kept slipping farther and -farther away. - -"Stand still!" shouted his father. - -But instead the boy sprang with one bound right to the edge of the -ditch. Fiercely the father lifted his whip again; but, unintentionally, -the horse behind him received such a sharp cut that it pulled so hard -at the bridle as nearly to upset its master. Edward could not resist -the comical side of this most welcome deliverance and he burst into a -roar of laughter. But he was so startled at hearing himself laugh that -he hopped over the ditch and ran into the wood. He could not possibly -control himself as he turned away; he began to laugh again, and could -hit upon no better way of hiding it than to set up a good howl. - -The father's contempt for his son was not to be described. He recovered -his temper, though, quieted the horse, and mounted again. "Come along," -said he, quietly, pointing with his whip in the direction of the Tuft -valley. - -"There will be more accounts to settle when we get there," thought the -boy to himself. - -He obeyed his father's call, of course, and walked on, but at a safe -distance in front of the horse. He kept at the same distance all the -time; the horse was a quick stepper, so it was an effort. - -The man in gray on the chestnut horse drove his son mercilessly on -before him, through the snow and slush, although one could clearly see -by the way he walked that his feet hurt him, and although his hands -were half-frozen--he kept putting them in his mouth--and although -he was dripping wet; his fur cap was sticking to his head like a -washed-out rag. The man in gray sat comfortably on his horse, in warm, -waterproof clothes, his whip in his hand, his eyes glistening on each -side of his hooked nose. No one who saw this little procession could -have guessed that the dearest wish of this stern-looking man was to -love the boy he was so angrily driving before him. - -But in order to love anyone that person must be exactly as we would -wish--is not that the case? And supposing now the boy was not willing? -And that Kallem was not accustomed to opposition? His wife's death was -the first serious blow he had met with; it happened not very long -before this affair with the boy. Up to that time they had all lived -abroad, Kallem leading a quiet retired life with his wife, his -business, sport, and his silent books (he was a great reader), and had -never been worried or annoyed. His wife's brother took charge of the -business, which was a flourishing one, and his wife took charge of the -house, where all flourished too. Everything was managed without fear or -disturbance, and exactly as was proper, until the wife died. But -afterward! - -At first neither he himself nor any of the others could realize the -unexpected change that had come over him. Some people thought that the -loss of his wife had made him mad; he himself thought that the air of -Spain was too warm; he was anxious to leave, and longed for home. The -head of the firm agreed at once. It would be a capital speculation to -move the principal house of business to Norway and just have a branch -house in Spain. And so they left--now about a year ago. - -But it was the boy who, when they were still in Spain, had been the -cause of his father's first losing command of himself, and indeed the -second time too, and unfortunately also the third, fourth, fifth, sixth -time; it was always the boy. And the same thing, too, when they had -moved to Norway. Hot or cold climate, the boy was equally troublesome. - -Soon there began to come complaints about him over from the school, -then from the apothecary, who was an old friend of Kallem's, and in -whose house they had lodgings; then from the courtyard, from the -neighbours, and from the wharf. But possibly other parents also heard -complaints about their sons, and perhaps people in this part of the -world were more given to complaining; of course Kallem could know -nothing about that, for he was a solitary man. But he knew that his son -was the cleverest lad in all the school; one master after the other -came and assured him of that; he knew that nothing was lacking in the -boy, neither heart nor will; but he was peculiar, indifferent to all, -and yet liked meddling in matters that did not concern him. He was both -brave and cowardly, a shameful tease, and altogether hopelessly -naughty. He would have tried the patience of an angel from heaven, to -say nothing of Kallem, who was entirely without that virtue. - -This thin, slippery customer, limping on in front of him with -frightened side-glances at both horse and whip, had spoilt the peace of -his father's life. Not only had he made him feel inwardly so unsafe and -uncertain, but at times his want of power became perfect helplessness, -and on those occasions he longed to beat the boy to smithereens. - -He would send for him and try both threats and entreaties. Last night, -the night of the storm, he had kept guard over him and used all his -powers of persuasion trying to talk the boy out of his shameful fright, -scolded him and tried to make it clear to him by all manner of natural -history proofs that the prophecy about the end of the world was all a -lie, an invention. The boy answered, yes, and indeed, but did not -believe a word his father said! As soon as the storm broke he was like -one crazy, out and away in the most abject state of fear. - -And here he is now to-day, out on the open high road, a mile from the -town, in rain, storm, and wind, and of course without permission. First -he goes and ill-treats the best lad in the school, a little fellow whom -Kallem was really fond of and had helped with a few pence now and then -for his little mission, which he heard of from Josephine; and then on -the top of that---- - -"Look at him!" said he, to himself. "Deuce take the boy, if he isn't -laughing!" but he pretended not to see it. - -What was that? Why, the horse behind him with "What the devil" on its -back, and the whip, and the heavy tramp, tramp in the snow and slush. -Sop-sop, sop-sop, sop-sop, sop-sop; all this grew and grew and got -larger and larger, until it became a huge monster all twisted and -shapeless.... Hurriedly the boy began thinking of other things. He -threw himself into the coal-mine in England that had been inundated, -and tried to conjure up before him the horse that had neighed so -piteously after the escaping miner lad. But no, he could not force -himself into the mine; there was nothing but the high road and -"sop-sop, sop-sop," and "What the devil" and his whip, and he himself -in front limping along with one leg and a half, he, he--e--e! - -A shrill "Hey!" came from behind. The sound seemed to creep down the -boy's back like a sharp piece of ice. - -Presently Store Tuft came in sight. It lay just below the hill they -were going down. There were many outhouses, most of them in a square -round the farmyard; a stream rushed noisily by on the other side where -the corn and saw-mills lay; the islands outside and the two arms of -land on either side shut in the bay so completely that the water there -was as still and quiet as a millpond, with ice in the corners; there -was a row of boathouses side by side along the bay; there were -fruit-gardens, too, most of them a good size. - -The smoke rose up from the house-chimney at Store Tuft--at last! Ole's -mother must be cooking dinner for him! And hunger, grief, and longing -came over the boy, and the thought of a warm room and dry clothes, and -the remembrance of his own mother and of their home in Spain nearly -made him cry again; but then he thought that his father would say: -"Devil take him! Now he's crying again!" so he controlled himself. - -He looked toward the farm with fear and trembling. - -The house lay with its longest side out to the garden; it was a -two-storied wooden house, painted red, with white window-sills. They -turned up the road, the boy still in front, the father after him. - -Passing the short end of the house they came into the yard; on the -other side of that lay cow-house and stable, under the same roof; these -buildings were quite new, and lay at right angles with the barn, -wood-house, and other buildings in the middle. A herd of goats stood in -this corner munching leaves, and surrounded by an incredible number of -sparrows. The whole party were collected together just outside the -barn. - -The goats caught sight of the newcomers; they lifted their heads and -stretched out their necks all at the same moment, their eyes wide open, -ears standing up stiff, with the last bite immovable in their mouths, -inquisitive to the last degree. The billy-goat only kept on munching as -he looked at them, lazily satisfied. The flock of sparrows flew away -with a whirr. - -Between the cattle-stable and the short end of the dwelling-house, the -father stopped and dismounted. The boy was already inside the yard, and -stood staring at the barn roof, which was broken up and being renewed, -but there were no workmen to be seen; probably they had gone off to the -herring fishery; the ladder still stood on the scaffolding, leaning -upward. - -"Stop!" shouted the father, and the boy stopped and turned round; his -father was tying up his old hack to one of the grinding stones which -stood up against this short end of the dwelling-house; the lad stood -and looked on. - -"Wonderful, how quiet he is now," thought the father, as he came -forward and pointed with his whip. The boy was to walk in front of him -up to the broad stone step at the entrance in the middle of the house. -And he did so. Past a sledge with railed-in seat that was standing -there; he discovered two kittens playing with each other through the -railing, the one inside, the other outside. The windows they went past -were so low that they could see right through the little room which had -windows on the other side, and through that again into the other room. -There sat Ole in a huge shirt that reached down to his feet, in front -of the hearth with his legs up; his mother stood beside him, bending -over some pots and pans. Edward had not time to see more; he stepped -over the stone and into the passage, where he was met by a strong smell -of fish, both old and new; also a smell of something else which he -could not at first make out. The father pointed on to the right; to the -left, too, there was a door, grandly painted and with a brass handle, -and he was not meant to go there. No, thought the boy, I knew that -much, too, that we were to go where there are people, and not into the -cold guest room. He put his swollen fingers on the latch and lifted it. - -The fireplace was in the corner to the left, close by the door, and one -can fancy how the two in there opened their eyes! To such an extent -that curly-lock's head stretched up out of his father's wide blue linen -shirt. The mother was tall and had a delicate face; she wore a black -cap; her fair hair was puffed out down her cheeks and made her face -seem long. She turned from her pots and pans toward the two arrivals, -whom she knew both. It was a grave but friendly face. She seemed afraid -and uncertain. Just at first she did not let her eyes rest on either of -them. Ole's boots stood by the fireside; but his clothes, shirt, and -stockings were hung up to dry above on some of the many poles that -reached across from beam to beam. On the other poles were bundles of -wood and various things put up to dry. Dishes and cups stood about just -as usual on a weekday. - -The room was not painted but wainscoted; on each side under the windows -there were red-painted benches. In the corner to the left, at the other -side of the window, stood a table with a bookcase above; at the end of -the table, just by the door into the smaller room, hung the clock. It -ticked as evenly and cheerily as if there had never before been -anything but peace in that room. Outside he saw the kittens in the -sledge, the one inside sticking its paw out through the railing, and -the outside one pushing its paw in; and then he saw Ole's face just in -front of him. He was smiling, was Ole, and it was because he too was -afraid. But those pots and pans! Hungry and tired as Edward was, the -pots seemed to him the best part of it all. There were potatoes in the -one which stood down, quite ready; but two pots still hung over the -fire; could it be fish in one of them? But in the other? - -The mother hesitated, not knowing what to do; for they remained -standing there, the angry looking man and the boy. At last just as she -was going to ask them to sit down, or something similar, the father -began. He presumed that she knew now what had happened, hey? The boy -had come to beg pardon and to receive his punishment; it was quite -necessary, for he was a bad boy and nothing but punishing did him any -good; kindness was utterly wasted on him. - -"Oh, must it be?" said the mother, mildly. She was quite frightened, -and Ole turned a bluish-white, like the shirt he had on. - -"Yes, he must have a beating! Beg pardon first. Sharp's the word?" - -Ole began to cry, not so Edward. Ole could not sit still; he got up, he -looked at his mother: "Mother, dear!" said he. He could not get out -another word; but his meaning was evident, his mother was to make peace -between them. - -"Beg pardon!" shouted the father, and the whip became restless. - -"But, mother dear!" shrieked Ole. - -Then Edward had to come forward. Ole turned away; he could not look on -any longer, he was not used to that sort of thing. Edward dived and -ducked, his father after him with clanking spurs. In his fright Edward -rushed to Ole's mother with outstretched hand; she did not take it, but -Ole began to yell. So much sympathy was too much for poor Edward; he -too began to roar, as he dashed round and round the mother. There was -such a hubbub and noise that again the goats stopped their munching and -stared in, listening; the sparrows too, which had come back, flew away -over the roof. - -And what happened? The sparrows showed the boy the way. Quick as -lightning, he flew past his father and out at the door, which he left -wide open behind him. They saw the goats fly on all sides, and the boy -into the scaffolding, up the ladder, and on to the roof. Directly he -got there he began to pull the ladder up after him. - -"Look at him! Look at him!" screamed his father from the window. "Hey!" -and away he rushed. - -As soon as his son saw him coming he dropped the ladder which fell -thundering down. Like a cat the lad ran up the rafters to the ridge of -the roof and along that, balancing himself as though he had never done -anything else all his life. He thought no more of his aching feet. - -His father was in great alarm: "Take care, I say, take care there, take -care! Come away from there, and at _once!_ Come down, you young -wretch!" He ran out into the yard in his long riding-boots and -threatened him with the whip. - -"I think I see myself! I shall jump right down into the yard!" - -"Mad boy! Devil take him! Will you come down?" - -"Yes if you'll not beat me!" - -"I won't promise." - -"Oh, you won't promise?" and away crept the boy farther out along the -ridge. - -"Yes, yes! O you wretch! O you coward!" - -"Well, have you promised?" - -"Devil take your promising. Come down, can't you!" - -"And you won't pull my hair either?" - -"Down with you! You'll only fall up there!" - -"You won't pull my hair and won't beat me, and won't do anything?" - -"No, no, no! But come down directly! Look, now you're slipping! Edward, -do you hear?" shouted he. - -"Well, will you keep to what you promise?" - -"Oh! what don't you deserve!" and he threatened up with his whip. "Yes, -yes, I promise! But take care!" - -But the boy went on: "May I stay here till tomorrow with Ole? May I?" - -"I won't answer anything till you come down." - -"Oh, you won't? all right!" - -"Oh you scoundrel; oh, you miserable rascal!" - -"Do you agree, then?" - -"Yes, deuce take you! But get away from the outer edge at least! Devil -take the boy!" - -"I say, it might be just as well if you went away first father." - -"Not I; you'll not get me to do that. Never. I must see you down -first." - -The boy thought this just as well. His father put up the ladder and -slowly the lad came down; but not until his father had gone a little -way back into the yard. And he kept his distance, although his father -wished to speak to him and assured him he would not harm him. Neither -would he go into the house as long as his father stayed there; but -being wet through, obliged his father to go away. - -Five or six minutes after both lads lay kicking on the floor, Edward in -just as big a shirt as Ole's and equally naked otherwise; they were -both going to put on a pair of thick woollen stockings, of the kind the -peasants use that come well up over the thighs. They had thought it -easier to try and put them on sitting on the floor, which was strewn -with sand. There they pushed each other over and laughed as though many -days had gone by since _that_ happened which we have just witnessed. -Everything Edward did Ole did after him; they laughed until at last the -quiet, gentle mother was obliged to laugh too; there was no end to all -that Edward hit upon. They were to put on those long stockings so that -they might sit at table and eat their dinner without feeling too cold; -at table there was no fireplace for their legs. And at last they were -so far ready they got them on. And then was disclosed the contents of -the other pot; it was cream porridge. Edward had never tasted that -before. Ole was to be coaxed into better spirits than he was in when he -arrived, therefore his mother had made that porridge for him. Edward -applauded loudly and greeted the food with laughter. - -But all at once Ole sat quite solemn and quiet. What now? Hands folded, -eyes cast down? The mother stood before them; she too was serious with -folded hands and cast-down eyes. Her face was bent down, it seemed to -be vanishing gradually farther and farther, or rather it was as if -shutters were put up before and all light in it extinguished. And then -she began, as though from afar, a long, long grace, in a low monotonous -voice, as if she were talking quietly with someone but at some other -place. Edward felt himself out of it all. His loneliness and fright -came back again, the old recollections and the old longing for his -mother. Then it passed away, pushed back like a shutter; it all -vanished behind the hill. - -Edward had never before been present when grace was said at meals, and -her manner and ways were so altogether new to him, and he did not -understand her and her mumbling. He sat very quiet for some time after. -Ole did not speak either; all the time while they were dining he was -very silent and hardly even smiled. Food was God's gift; a certain -solemnity was therefore necessary. - -But what a serious matter their eating was! The mother asked them at -last if they did not think it would be best to keep a little till the -evening? No, they said, this was dinner and supper in one. They were to -sleep together in the servant's room, which was used as a spare room; -the fire had been lighted there, and now they would sit by the fireside -for an hour or so and then go to bed. - -The mother saw they would rather be alone, so she left them. - -Then afterward when they were in the bedroom! At first the most -terrific row; the bed-clothes and featherbeds flew about them; then -they grew calmer after each attack, and at last they began to talk. Ole -told how the boys had treated him and Edward promised that he would -give that boy such a thrashing--yes, even if it were Anders Hegge -himself--if he would not hold his tongue about the "ways of God," and -all that, Edward would give him a proper kind of beating. Anders Hegge -was a coward. He knew who he would get to help him; they would have -such fun! - -As they grew more tired they became sentimental. Ole spoke of Josephine -and Edward joined in and assured him that she had behaved splendidly -that day. He described her as she came rowing out in search of him. Ole -thought this grand. Certainly there was something great about -Josephine; they both agreed as to that. - -Edward could not understand why Ole should wish to be a missionary? Why -on earth was it such an excellent thing to go off on wild adventures -when one had enough to do here at home? Ole should be a clergyman and -he would be a doctor, and they would both live together in the same -town; would not that be much nicer? - -And Edward went on drawing pictures of their future life. They were to -live next door to each other and be often together; in the evenings -particularly, with their glass of punch, just as his father and the -apothecary were and play chess together as those two did. And they -would have a carriage for high days and holidays, and each harness his -own horse to it and drive out together; it would be more sociable like -that. Or else they would live by the sea-side and have a big boat -between them; everything must be between them. - -In Ole's fancy Josephine was to be always with them, though Edward did -not actually say as much. But it was clear that she was to be with -them. And Ole thought this showed so much tact on Edward's part and was -very grateful to him; indeed it quite decided him. Josephine was to be -the clergyman's wife and manage everything in the house. - -At last he agreed to all; it was decided that one was to be a clergyman -and the other a doctor, and they were to live together. The last thing -they talked about was their fishing expeditions. - -They heard sounds of tramping and talking; it was the men coming home -from the herring-fishing. But they were very tired and soon fell -asleep. - - - - - - YOUTH - - - - - I. - - FIRST COUPLE FORWARD - - -There was a party of young people collected together at a country house -about five kilometres outside the town. The garden they were sitting in -down by the cove was brightly coloured by their light summer clothes, -especially those of the girls: - - - "Yellow, black, brown, white, - Green, violet, blue," - - -some self-coloured, others variegated, checks and stripes; felt hats, -straw hats, tulle hats, caps, bare heads, parasols. A sound of singing -rose harmoniously up out of this medley of colour; men's and women's -voices in chorus floating in long undulating waves of sound. There was -no conductor; a dark young girl in a brown checked dress lay in the -midst of the group, leaning on one elbow, and led the singing with a -soprano voice stronger and clearer than the others; and they followed -her lead. They were in good practice. In the cove below them lay a -freshly painted smack, with half rigged up new sails; the water calm as -a mirror. - -The singing and the smack seemed brightly to enter into league with -each other down in that black-looking cove, overshadowed and shut in by -the bleak mountains with still higher ones in the distance. The little -cove was like a mountain lake, once caused by a flood but since -forgotten. The mountains--oh, so heavy and stunted in outline as in -colour, rugged and leaden-looking, the more distant ones blue-black, -with dirty snow on their peaks, monsters all of them. - -The smack lay on the black water, ready for a dance; it belonged to a -more light-hearted community than these lofty accessories of nature and -human life. The smack and the singing protested against all overweening -despotism, all that was rude, rough, and coarse--a free swaying -protest, proudly delighting in their colours. - -But the mountains took no notice of this protest, nor did the young -people ever understand that it had been made. The "high-born" part of -being born and bred in scenery like that of Norway's west country is -just this, that nature forces one to make a stand, if one would not be -utterly crushed and overwhelmed; either one must be beneath or above -all! And they were above; for the west country folk are the brightest -and cleverest of all Scandinavians. In so great a degree do they feel -themselves masters of the situation as regards their scenery that not -one of all these young people felt the mountains as heavy and cold in -colour; all nature seemed to them fresh and strong, as nowhere else in -the world. - -But they who now sat there singing or listening only had not been born -and nurtured by glad songs and the wide sea alone; no, they were -children of the mountains too; children of them as well as of the songs -and sea. Just before the song began they had been engaged in a -discussion as sharp and cutting, as leaden-hued as any mountain. It was -to do away with this stone-like sharpness among themselves that they -had sent forth their melodious song, building long bridges of glorious -harmony across the mountain-peaks and precipices. The summer day was -slightly gray in itself; but occasionally (just as at that moment!) the -sun shone forth over song and sail and landscape. - -There sat two on whom both sun and song were wasted. Look at him down -there, a little to the right, lying in the grass, leaning on his elbow; -a tall young fellow in light summer clothes and without hat, a round -closely-cropped head, short, broad forehead that looked like butting, a -forehead that in his boyish days must have given many a hard bang! -Below the forehead was a nose like a beak, and sharp eyes that just -then were slightly squinting; either the spectacles concealed it so as -to make it hardly visible, or else it really was only very slight. The -whole face had something severe about it, the mouth was pinched and -hard and the chin sharp. But when one looked more closely into it the -impression it gave one changed entirely; all that was so sharply cut -became energetic rather than severe, and the spirit which had taken up -its abode in this mountainous country could doubtless be both a -friendly and a mischievous one. Even then, as he sat there in a -towering rage, not caring a hang about either sunshine or song, he -would rather have had a fight--even then gleams of merriment shot out -from under the angry brows. It was clear that he was the conqueror. - -If anyone doubted it they need only cast an eye over to the other side -of the group on him who sat up against a tree to the left, a little -higher up the bank. He was the picture of a wounded warrior, suffering, -and with all the trembling uneasiness of battle still in his features. -It was a long fair face, not a west country face, but belonging rather -to the mountain districts or highlands; either he was a foreigner, or -else he came of a race of immigrants; he was strikingly like the -popular pictures of Melanchthon, though perhaps the eyes were a little -more dreamy and the eyebrows a little more arched; altogether the -likeness, particularly the forehead, position of the eyes, and the -mouth, was so striking that among his fellow-students he always went by -the name of Melanchthon. - -This was Ole Tuft, student in theology, his studies nearly completed; -and the other one, the conqueror with the eagle's beak (which just now -had been hacking so sharply), was the friend of his childhood, Edward -Kallem, medical student. - -Several years ago their paths in life had begun to deviate, but so far -there had never been any serious encounter between them; but now what -had happened was to prove decisive. - -Between these two, in the middle of the garden and surrounded by the -singers, sat a tall girl in a plum-colored silk dress, round her neck -some broad yellow lace which hung in long loose folds down to her -waist. She herself was not singing; she was making a wreath out of a -whole garden of field flowers and grass. One could easily see that she -was sister to the conqueror, but with darker complexion and hair. The -same shape of head, although her forehead was comparatively higher and -the whole face larger, undoubtedly too large. The sharp family nose had -a more gentle bend in her well-proportioned face; his thin lips became -fuller, his chin more rounded, his uneven eyebrows more even, the eyes -larger--and yet it was the same face. The expression of the two was -different; hers, though not cold, was calm and silent; no one could -quickly read those deep eyes; and yet the two expressions were much -alike. Her head was well set on a strong-looking neck and well-shaped -shoulders, the bust, too, was well developed. Her dark hair was twisted -into a knot peculiar to herself. Her throat was bare, but the dress, -with its yellow lace fastened closely round it--indeed, her whole -attire gave one the idea of something shut in, buttoned up as it were; -and so it was with her whole manner. As before said, she was making a -wreath and looked neither at one or the other of the two who had been -fighting. - -The quarrel has been caused by a large black dog; it lay there now -pretending to sleep, its thick wet coat glistening in the sun. Several -of them had been throwing sticks into the water and sending the dog in -after them; each time they threw a stick they shouted, "Samson! -Samson!"--that was the dog's name. Edward Kallem said to two or three -who stood near him, "Samson means sun-god." - -"What?" asked one young girl, "does Samson mean sun-god?" - -"Certainly it does; but of course the clergymen take care not to tell -that." He said it in youthful exuberance, not in the least intending to -hurt anyone's feelings, or to say more at all. But by chance Ole Tuft -overheard him and said, with rather a superior air: - -"Why should the clergymen not dare to tell the children that Samson -means sun-god?" - -"Why, for then the whole legend about him could no longer serve them as -a type of the Christ-myth." - -This last word was like a sharp stab, and it was meant as such. With a -superior smile Ole said: - -"I suppose Samson may be used as a type, whether he be _called_ sun-god -or not." - -"Certainly, whether he be _called_ sun-god or not, but suppose him to -_be_ sun-god?" - -"Indeed, so he was sun-god?" shouted Ole, laughing. - -"The name tells us so." - -"The name? Are we bears or wolves because we are called after bears or -wolves? Or gods because we are called after gods?" - -Several of the party stood by listening; others joined them, Josephine -among the number, and both turned at once to her. - -"The misfortune is," said Edward, "that it is only the fact of his -being a sun-god that gives any sense to the stories told about Samson." - -"Oh, nowadays all old records of everybody's forefathers are turned -into sun legends. And Ole related a few amusing parodies of this -scientific craze now so much in vogue. They all laughed, Josephine too; -Edward became excited at once and began to explain that our gods, who -were Indian sun-gods, had in reality been turned into our forefathers -when a new religion was started; the altars which then had been used -for sacrifices were turned into graves or burying-places. In the same -way all the old sun-gods of the Jews had been changed to forefathers -when the worship of Jehovah did away with them as gods." - -"Who can know that?" - -"Know it? Why, take Samson! How utterly meaningless to believe that -anyone's strength should be in his hair! But as soon as we take it for -granted that it is the sun's rays, lengthy in summer-time, but cut -short in the lap of winter, then there is some sense in it. And when -the rays grew longer and longer, and spring drew near, then all can -understand that the sun-god could again encircle with his arms the -pillars of the world. Never have bees been known to deposit their honey -in a beast's carcase; but when we hear that each time the sun passes -over one of the signs of the stars--for instance, the lion's--then it -is said that the sun slaughtered the lion; then we can understand that -the bees made their honey in the dead lion's carcase, that is to say, -in the hottest part of the summer." - -The whole party was all ears, and Josephine was highly astonished. She -did not look up at her brother because she felt he was looking at her, -but the impression made was unmistakable. What Edward had at first -started, without other thought than that of showing off a little, was -now a decided thing aimed at, and it was because Josephine stood -between them. - -"With the Egyptians," explained he, "the spring began when the sun -slaughtered the lamb, that is to say, passed across the sign of the -lamb--in their delight at the renewal of all things, every Egyptian -slaughtered a lamb that day. The Jews have it from them. It is utterly -false if the Jews later on have changed this to something that -separates them from the Egyptians. Just as with the circumcision, they -have that, too, from Egypt. But clergymen take care never to speak of -that kind of thing." - -Ole Tuft had little or no knowledge of all these things. His plodding -studies had been severely theological, he had not time for more, and -his faith was an inheritance from an old peasant race, and was far too -secure in itself to be capable of scientific doubts. Had he announced -this fact straight out, there would probably have been an end of the -matter. But he too felt that Josephine stood between them and was -allowing herself to be led away. So he began with great scorn to call -everything vague inventions, empty devices, shining one day, melted -away on the morrow. - -The other's vanity would not stand this. "Theologians," cried he, "are -wanting in the very simplest honesty. They conceal the fact that the -most important items of their faith are not revealed to the Jews, but -simply taken up and accepted from elsewhere! Like the creed of -immortality, that is from Egypt. The same with the Commandments. No one -climbs up on to a high mountain to have revealed to him in a -thunderstorm what others have known for thousands of years. Where is -the devil from? And the punishments of hell? Whence the last day and -judgment? And the angels? The Jews knew nothing of all this. Clergymen -are a set--in short, a set who do not honestly investigate matters, -telling people such things." - -Josephine subsided completely; all the young people, particularly the -men, were evidently on Kallem's side; free-thinking was the fashion, -and it was amusing to have a laugh at the old faith handed down from -days of yore. - -One young man began mocking at the history of the creation; Kallem -possessed both geological and palæontological learning, and he made -good use of it. Still less on this subject could Ole Tuft argue with -them; he alluded again to a trial that had been made to reconcile the -doctrines of the Bible with more recent discoveries, but it fared badly -with him. And on they went in rapid succession from dogma to dogma--now -they lay basking in the doctrine of the atonement of sins, it descended -from so ancient and uncultured a time that such a thing as individual -responsibility was not then known, merely that of the whole tribe or -family. Tuft was in despair; to him it really was an important -question, and much moved, in a loud voice, he began to confess his -faith. As if that were of any use! Excuses! Inventions!--show us your -proofs! Too late, Ole Tuft perceived that he had defended the cause too -eagerly and had therefore lost all. He was overcome with grief, fought -without hope, but fought on all the same and shouted out that, if a -single one of all those truths seemed doubtful, the fault was his; he -lacked the power to defend it. But the Word of God would stand unharmed -to the last hour of the world! What is the Word of God? It is the -spirit and entirety of the Bible, the creation (No!); the deluge (No! -No!); the expiation by death (No, No, No!); he shouted, they shouted; -the tears rushed to Tuft's eyes, his voice shook; he looked pale and -handsome. - -Young people are not quite so cruel as children; but still it is the -same kind of spirit. Some were sorry for him, others just wanted to -drive him into a corner, Edward Kallem first and foremost. - -But Josephine stepped quickly away to the dark girl with the soprano -voice. She began one of their songs directly, the others joined in, the -gentlemen rather after the ladies. With very few exceptions, the party -consisted of a chorus of ladies and gentlemen who had practised -together the last three winters with all the perseverance and industry -only to be met with in a small town. - -Josephine went and sat down in the middle of the bank, the others round -about her. She did not sing; she had her flowers. - -The party had come out there in the little schooner which now lay so -fresh and bright-looking in the sun. On board, Josephine, Edward, and -Ole had sat together, close together, for there was not much room. No -one could guess, hearing their merry, oft-whispered conversation, that -there was aught between them save friendship and goodwill. And now, -only three hours after, Ole Tuft sat there like an outcast! How he -suffered! An attack on his calling, on his faith, and before them all! -And by Edward, too! So cruel, so persistingly scornful! And Josephine? -Not a single word of sympathy, not even a look from Josephine. - -From their childhood Ole and she had been constantly together; they had -written to each other when he was away at Christiania, he once a -fortnight, she as often as she had anything to write about. When he was -at home for his holidays they met daily. During the two years that she -was at a French school and away in Spain their correspondence had been -more active than ever, on her part, too, and when she came home -again--changed though she was otherwise--to him she was always the -same. Her father had helped him with his studies and enabled him to -give all his attention to them; he was to pass his last examination at -Christmas; everyone prophesied that it would be one of the first and -best ever passed in theology. Undoubtedly he had her, and possibly her -brother too, to thank for his having been helped. In former days they -had both of them brought him to their father, to the head-master, to -the apothecary, and to many other families; and now through her he was -accepted everywhere. In everyday life she spoke but little, and was -often rather difficult to get on with; but she was a firm and true -friend. At times she would censure him (for he was not always according -to her taste); it was all part of their intercourse and he did not -attach much importance to it, nor she either; from the very first she -had always been his guardian. As yet he had not dared to say that he -loved her; there was no necessity for it, and, in fact, it was almost -too sacred to be mentioned. He was as sure of her as of his own faith. -He was a peasant, his chief characteristic was a certain trustful, -solid collectiveness. God provided for his faith; his well-being and -future were provided for--of course also by God; but through Josephine. -In his eyes she was the cleverest, most beautiful and healthiest girl -not only in the town but in the whole country, and she was very rich. -This last must be taken into consideration too; as a small boy he had -been an ambitious dreamer, but now his dreams had a different bent. - -His fellow-students knew all about it; as well as Melancthon, they -called him the "bishop-theme from the bay," or the "bay bishop." He had -got accustomed to this, it was almost a necessity for him; there was -something child-like in his smiling trustfulness that suited him well; -then he was so handsome, with his fair, open face; and when that is the -case it is quite excusable to be ambitious. - -Now he felt that he had been hurled down from his secure and pleasant -height! Anyone who having been safe and secure, for the first time is -thoroughly defeated, feels so completely out of it all. The worst of -this was that Josephine did not appear to wish to have anything to do -with him; he looked repeatedly across to her, but she went on arranging -her flowers and grass just as if he did not exist. - -At last it was exactly as though they all had glided away and he too -were no longer there. He sat without seeming to sit, heard without -hearing, saw without seeing. The supper was being got ready up before -the house; they all went up there as soon as the table was laid; they -ate, they drank, they laughed and made merry; but he was not with them, -he stood there staring out across the bay--far, far away. A young man, -clerk in some business, spoke to him about the routes of the different -steamers and how badly they were managed; a girl with crooked teeth, -red hair in plaits and a freckled face (he had formerly been her -master), assured him that sailors were by no means so well educated as -one might expect from people who travelled so much. The hostess came -and asked how it was he would not eat anything, and the host took wine -with him; in doing so they showed him the usual respect; but both of -them cast a hurried, searching glance at his eyes, which made him -tremble. He felt they doubted. In his ceaseless and ever-increasing -pain, he saw nothing but doubt and scorn on every side, even in the -fact of the general merriment. Edward Kallem was especially full of fun -and they all collected round him. It was in his honor too (he had come -home a fortnight ago) that the expedition had been got up. As in a -dream, Ole saw that Josephine's flowers had been placed on the table, -and he heard how everyone praised the blending of their colors; she -herself was sitting at a little stone table with two girl friends--was -that to prevent his joining her? There was much noise and fun going on -at the other side. He saw her talking and laughing, all the young men -waiting upon her; Edward joined them several times; he made them laugh -too. Ole noticed all this with a strange feeling of fear. The noise -jarred on him, the laughter made him feel ashamed, he could not swallow -a morsel, and the wine had a bad taste; everyone seemed as though they -were worked by machinery, the house, the bay, the schooner, the -mountains, all seemed so overwhelmingly near. - -A dead calm had set in, so that the whole party were obliged to walk -back to town. They started on their walk singing and all together; but -almost immediately some of the numerous summer visitors came pouring -out from the houses along the road, and, as they were all -acquaintances, they stopped to speak. The newcomers joined them and -walked on with them; then came others, and each time they stopped, and -each time the party broke up and became more divided. In that way Ole -was able to keep behind without anyone's noticing it. He could not bear -their company and their merriment any longer. - -Now it was that everything was, as it were, concentrated in Josephine. -The being attacked and overthrown by Edward, the shame of this defeat, -his wounded religious feelings ... it all was due to the fact that she -had not upheld him, neither by word nor by look; had shunned him -before, and now had gone and left him! He could not stand that; for she -had grown to be so much, too much, for him, he knew it and was not -ashamed. That which once had been his highest aim, namely, to be a -missionary, had fallen from him like scales, when he saw she no longer -cared about it. Whenever his mother had said that he should never -become a missionary, his answer was that God must be obeyed before man. -But when Josephine, in her strong sort of way, had looked closer into -the reality of things, he gave up all his wishes without her needing -even to say a word on the subject. He said to himself that he would -surely be punished for having so great a love for any one person. But -he could not help it. - -With these and thousands of similar thoughts in his mind, he lagged -behind, and turned off from the road up into the wood; there he lay -down, waiting until their summer acquaintances should pass back again. -He soon turned over, and lay with his face downwards, the cool blades -of grass prickling both cheeks and forehead, and the half-wet earth he -seemed to inhale suited his mood. All these tiny blades of grass were -as nothing in the shade; and so it was with him--through her he reached -the sunny side of life, without her all was shadow. - -A voice within him seemed to say her brother had taken her from him. - -Her brother, who, until a very few days ago, had not cared a straw -about her, whilst Ole had always been with her since they were children -together, had rowed with her, read to her, been to her both brother and -sister in one, and had faithfully written to her when they were -separated; her own brother had never done any one of all these things. -Even his defeat of to-day he credited to her account; for if he had -not, for her sake, been so conscientious in working for his -examination, to which he had been assisted by her father, then he would -probably have known more about all those matters under discussion -to-day--he would perhaps not have been defeated at all; this, too, he -suffered for the sake of his fidelity. - -As long as Josephine was a child and half grown up, Edward had seldom -been together with her without teasing her. She was very thin, with -large, black eyes, often uncombed hair, red hands, altogether scraggy; -he nicknamed her "the duckling," and once when she had hurt her foot -and went about limping, "the lame duckling." - -He could never really make her out, she was so defiant, and yet -shy--kept always at a distance. And then, time upon time, she was the -cause of his getting a beating. She considered it "just" to tell each -time he did anything wrong. And if he beat her for telling, then it was -"just" to tell about that too. He took a dislike to her. Soon, however, -they were separated, through his leaving his father's house. After that -unlucky day, when father and son met on the road to Store-Tuft, the -apothecary took pity on his old friend and, taking the boy from him, -adopted him entirely as his own son. What the father had never been -able to succeed in succeeded now. The boy was at once taken away from -school, and allowed to devote himself to his chief interest, natural -history. Chemical and physical analysis or botanical expeditions were -his highest aim, and for two years he studied nothing but what belonged -to those branches. After that he went through other necessary studies -with a private master, and very quickly; he began his medical studies -after passing his second examination. As long as he was at home he only -saw his sister when she came across to the apothecary's to see him, -and, as their interests were entirely opposed, their intercourse became -almost nil. Later on, the apothecary used to take him abroad with him -in the holidays; Edward was so clever at languages, which he certainly -was not. It was not often, therefore, that the brother and sister met -in their holiday time. But from the time that, as a student, he had -first travelled abroad with the apothecary, and she saw her brother -come home, grown-up, with new fashions, both in ideas and in dress, -energetic, full of life, a very ideal, especially a woman's ideal of -youth, from that time she had always secretly admired him. He, for his -part, either overlooked her completely, or else teased her; it cost her -many an hour's torture, but she swallowed it all, so as to be allowed -to be where he was, even if only quietly in a corner. - -Ole understood her, though she never betrayed herself. To him, too, she -spoke seldom of Edward without calling him "disgusting," "meddlesome," -"chatterbox," etc., etc. But Ole's faithful attention to her every time -she sat there neglected by her brother, and with wounded feelings -heaped up "treasures" for him in her heart. - -A great change had taken place in Edward--his inquisitiveness had -become a desire for knowledge, his restlessness was now energy. But at -the same time his sister also underwent a change to an extent that he -knew nothing about. It was exactly two years and a half since he had -seen her last; she had been in France and Spain for two years, and in -the last holidays, when she was at home, he had been away travelling in -England with the apothecary; this year, too, they had been away for a -couple of months. This sister whom he now met again was like a stranger -to him. He was much taken up with her after their first meeting. - -She was not handsome, he told Ole, as soon as they two met (to Ole's -greatest astonishment). But he never wearied talking of the new and -peculiar sort of impression she produced up here among all the others. -Their mother must surely have looked too much at some Spanish woman -during the time before Josephine's birth. If it had not been for that -indescribable something about the eyes which distinguishes one person -from the other all the world over--if it had not been for that -something about the eyes--she might very well have lived among -Spaniards and been taken for their countrywoman. The effect of this in -a Norwegian household may be imagined! She talked well, rapidly, and to -the point; but, all the same, was rather silent--kept herself at a -distance. She dressed conspicuously, liked bright colors, and was -always in the height of fashion, thereby almost challenging people, but -in all other respects she was timid and shy. - -From this time Edward really became a brother to her. Their father was -away, and during his absence she lived at the head-master's and was not -always easily got at; but whenever it was possible they were together. -She had a feeling that he wanted to study her thoroughly, so she was on -her guard; but it flattered her greatly that, whenever there was anyone -present, his eyes always sought hers and he appealed to her in -everything. - - * * * * * - -While Ole, in deep distress, pressed his face down in the grass in -the little wood where he lay, he could see in his mind's eye Josephine -at a ball, her brother dancing first with this one, then with the -other--sometimes even several dances with the same partner, but with -her only one little "turn," out of compassion. - -But now? - -Now she had become a precious sister to Edward, and she and Ole were to -be separated. - -Why should Edward break in upon and spoil their intercourse, he who -knew so little about it?--taking to himself all manner of rights which -he did not in the least deserve? Just after being together for a few -days, was he to decide who was suitable for her to be with, and who was -not? - -Why, before them all, had he thus attacked him, casting scorn and -derision on his calling in life?--not only mocking him, but mocking God -himself. - -As this thought passed through Ole Tuft's mind, a strange and strong -light seemed to rise up and spread over all the mountains far away on -the other side of the bay. He felt it in the back of his neck as he lay -there with his face buried in the grass. Then there seemed to come a -whisper from over there, filling all the air around him, "What hast -thou done with me?" - -Oh! how crushed he felt, he seemed forced down into the ground. Now he -knew that his suffering was like a sharp razor cutting away all that -was diseased out of his flesh. He had lost his cause to-day simply -because he stood there as a liar. "Thou shalt have no other gods but -me!" No, no, forgive me, spare me! "Thou with thy vain, sensual dreams! -Let the night serve thee as it did Jacob, to wrestle with me, writhing -worm that thou art!" - -The air around him seemed full of the sound of a thousand wings. - -It was not the first time that the solemnity of the Old Testament had -come upon him from the heights and taken root in him. These questions -of great or small; as to whether he should hazard "the greatest"--or be -contented, like everyone else, with mediocrity--this was nothing new to -him. - -But were he to meet Josephine in good humor again, those questions -would cease to exist, with one stroke of her hand she made them vanish. -And such was the case now. Without any warning, it was as if a fresh -protest from her came and overwhelmed him. Josephine would never have -turned from him to-day because her brother wished it, never! And if she -had understood it in that way, she would have done just the opposite. -No, she turned from him because he was such a poor creature--for -nothing else. Perhaps, too, because she did not wish to be forced into -a discussion, she was so very shy. Neither had she turned to her -brother. She sat in the middle of the group in the garden, and later -on, when they dined, she and a couple of girl friends had been at a -separate table. And when the party broke up she had made no effort to -be where her brother collected so many round him--why, in the world, -had he not thought of that before? She was true to him; upon my word, -she was true and faithful! He rose up; why, in the name of fortune, had -he not seen that sooner? - -He had wished that she would help him one way or another--at least, -would comfort him and show him how sorry she was for him. But all that -sort of thing was utterly opposed to Josephine's nature. How could he -even think of it? Especially as there had been all this disturbance and -everyone was on the lookout as to what she would do. - -He had been a great stupid. Delighted with this discovery, he hopped -down through the wood and across the ditch, on his homeward way, after -the others. - -Great heavens, how he loved her! He saw her before him as she was -sometimes when she thought him too child-like; through all her majesty -he could always catch a good, kind look from her! - -The late sunset left no red sky behind, the night was dull and gray, a -deserted road winding down hill; by the roadside were some small -factories, the houses being up on the hill, poor places all of them, -and a few shabby-looking summer villas here and there, low trees, and a -few bushes spread about. - -He saw it all without seeing it, occupied as he was with his own -thoughts. Not a soul on the road--yes, far off in the distance was a -solitary individual going toward the town. He slackened his pace so as -not to overtake this person, and never noticed that besides that person -walking in front of him was another advancing to meet him. At last he -could distinguish one from the other. Surely--it could never be--was he -mistaken? No, he recognized the hat, and then the walk, the whole -figure, there was only one such! Josephine was coming back to fetch -him! It was just like her. - -"But where have you been?" said she. Her large-featured face was -flushed, her breath came quickly, her voice was rather hesitating, and -the parasol she held in her left hand was not altogether steady. He did -not answer; he gazed at her face, her dress, the feather in her hat, -her tall, fine figure, till involuntarily she smiled; so much dumb -admiration and gratitude would pierce through any kind of armor. -"Josephine! Oh, Josephine!" Joy and admiration were reflected from the -crown of his flat hat and down to his very boots. She went gaily up to -him and laid her right hand on his left arm, pushing him gently -forward; he was to walk on. - -His face was all stained by the grass he had been burrowing in, she -thought he had been crying: "You are silly, Ole," she whispered. - -Such a gray summer's night, when nothing really sleeps nor yet is fully -awake, gives one a strange, unsatisfied feeling. For these two it was -as would be a dimly lighted room for two who were secretly engaged. She -allowed her hand to remain resting on his arm, and when his eyes met -hers she looked at him as though watching over a child. - -"You see, I thought," said he, "I thought, only fancy I thought--" The -tears stood in his eyes. - -"You are very silly, Ole," whispered she again! And thus ended the -storm of that day. - -Her hand still rested on his arm; it looked as if she were leading him -to prison. He could only just feel a very slight pressure, but it went -to his very marrow. Now and then her silk dress just touched his leg, -they were keeping step together, he seemed carried along by the -electric current of her vicinity. They were utterly alone, and the -silence round them was complete; they could hear their own steps and -the rustling of the silk dress. He kept the arm on which her hand lay, -painfully quiet, half afraid that the hand might fall down and be -broken. There was just this one drawback--for there must always be -something not quite perfect, that he felt an ever-increasing guilty -desire to take her hand and tuck it under his arm in the usual way; he -could have pressed it then. But he dared not do it. - -They walked on and on. He looked upward and discovered there was no -moon. "There is no moon," said he. - -"It would have been lighter if there had been," answered she, smiling. -"Much lighter." Their voices had met and the sound of them mingled, -floating together like birds in the air. - -But just on that account they found it difficult to say more. As Ole -walked along pondering over what he could venture to say next, he felt -both touched and proud. He thought of that snowy Saturday evening long -ago, when the other boys at school had treated him so badly, and he had -fled away to Store-Tuft; he thought of all his misery that day; but his -promotion as it were dated from then, he had walked into the town from -the other side, but with her on his arm--stop though, not quite. There -had been the same drawback then too. - -Should he tell her? Would she not think it too outspoken. - -"We are quite alone now, we too," thus cunningly would he try to lead -up to it; but he could not depend on his voice, it would betray him. -She did not answer him. Again there was a complete silence between -them. Just fancy, then her hand of its own accord slipped quietly into -his arm, in the usual way when two people are engaged. His whole frame -quivered, and taking courage, he pressed it slightly; but did not dare -to look at her. They walked on. - -Soon the town lay before them as though under a veil, the ships' -rigging rising up like so many towers; or like the pointed sort of -rigging dredging ships always have; the houses stood in thick outline, -no coloring visible; everything carefully packed up and put away, the -mountains keeping guard over the whole. One long, faint, indistinct -sound, a dull gleam through the dead-gray silence. "Will you not tell -me something?" said she, rapidly, as though she could not possibly get -out more just then. He felt quite relieved at this, and asked her if he -should tell her--about light. - -"Yes, about light," answered she; was it ironical? - -He began, but could not do it clearly. The very first time that she -asked him for a clearer explanation he felt that he could not give it, -he was not sufficiently at home with the subject. "No," he said, "let -me finish my story about Jeanne d'Arc; you know we were interrupted -yesterday." - -"Yes, let us take Jeanne d'Arc!" said she, merrily, and laughed. - -"Do you not wish that?" - -"Yes, yes!" And she said that more kindly, as if wishing to make up for -the first. Then he told her the end of Jeanne d'Arc's story, as it was -told in a newly published book which he had borrowed from her father in -the holidays. This was a subject that suited him; his west country -accent, with the sing-song rise and fall in the voice, his carefully -studied use of words, peculiar to one who had once been a peasant, -heightened by the country dialect, though it no longer was so -noticeable, impressed one with the idea that it was the words of some -old writer; his soft and gentle Melancthon-face was dreamy; she looked -up at him, and each time seemed to see deep down into his pure heart. - -And in this manner they reached the town. The story had taken a hold on -her too, and they both became so eager that they were not aware that -they might possibly meet someone, and that they now had houses on each -side of them; he just lowered his voice a little, but went on telling -his story. - -But when they came near the street where his aunt lived, and up which -he ought to turn, he stopped, without having finished his story. Would -he be allowed to take her home? The head-master's house was a little -further on; if not, then he ought to leave her here. Now, this was not -a question of this evening only. - -Just on this account she thought of it too; she had never approved of -that sort of nonsense, of being taken to one's own door when the other -person's way lay quite in an opposite direction. From their childhood -she had always had the same feeling, because she had been teased about -him. But she knew that for him it was a great treat. - -They both walked along the short bit of road that remained, and worked -themselves up to a state of excitement. Shall we say good-by here, -or--? What had originally been so childish had now grown, by dint of -repetition, to something of great importance. She could not account for -it, but as they stood at the cross-roads, she quietly took her -gloveless hand from his arm and offered it to him in farewell greeting. -She saw his disappointment. And to make up for it her large eyes beamed -on him, her hand grasped his heartily, and, "Thanks for a pleasant -evening!" said she, in quite a different tone of voice from what she -had used for the last few years. The words seemed to fly from heart to -heart like a life-long promise, and such was their meaning. She thanked -him now and always for his faithful love. He stood there, quite pale. -She saw it, and seemed to meditate something--took her hand away, and -went. On the hill, she turned again to look at him, thankful that -neither by word nor deed had he tried to do anything but what she -wished. She nodded to him, he raised his hat. - -A few minutes later she stood in her own room, much too warm and too -wide-awake to think of going to bed. She did not wish to sleep; at all -events, she wanted first to see the sun on the roofs, or at least -daylight. Her room looked out on the courtyard, the playground and -gymnasium at the end, some gymnastic apparatus stood outside too. -Looked at from the street side, her bed-room was in the second story, -but seen from the court it was on the first floor; hundreds of times, -as a child, she had jumped out of the window instead of going out -through the door. She opened the window, and even thought of jumping -out now and walking up and down the court. She would, in reality, have -preferred walking about the whole night with Ole; but he could not -understand that. Perhaps it was because he had not proposed it that she -had dismissed him up the street. - -But as she thought more about it, she did not dare to venture out into -the yard. It happened sometimes that young men coming home from a -country walk or a boating expedition, or jaunt of some kind, would take -it into their heads, as they passed the old school-yard, to turn into -the playground of their boyish days and have a swing on the ropes; she -would not like to meet those half-tipsy young men. She took off her -hat, and remained standing in the window, leaning forward, gazing out -after what had just happened, and which seemed to draw her outward in -spite of herself. - -She heard steps on the stairs outside, and then in the sand, the way in -to her. Could it be Ole? Was he sentimental enough to wish to look up -at her window? He must not come! God help him if he did come! She -listened eagerly; no--those steps were too rapid; it was--she knew it -as he stood there, it was her brother. - -Yes, it was Edward who came. He was not astonished at seeing her, but -came straight up to her. And when he had come up to the open window he -stretched up his right hand to her, and she took it. His eyes squinted -a little, a sure sign that he was excited. "I am glad you are still up; -otherwise I should have been obliged to knock." His eyes looked -searchingly into hers, and he did not loose her hand. "Have you just -got back?" - -"Yes, just this moment." All at once she felt herself to be in his -power; he might have questioned her about anything in the world and she -would have answered, with those eyes of his looking at her like that. - -"When I saw you were no longer with the rest of the party, I knew you -had gone back to Ole." - -"Yes." - -He stopped speaking, his voice shook: "I behaved badly; I suppose now -you are engaged?" - -There was a pause, but her answer gleamed forth directly in her eyes. -"I think so," she said. - -Lovingly, yet full of grief, he gazed at her. She felt the greatest -desire to cry aloud. Had she done wrong? She was dreadfully alarmed. -Then he took her head between both his hands, and bending down, kissed -her on the forehead. She burst into tears and clasped her arms tightly -round his neck; they lay thus cheek against cheek. - -"Well, well--if it is settled, then--I congratulate you, Josephine, -dear Josephine." They pressed closer to each other, then they parted. - -"I leave to-day," whispered he, taking hold of her hand; she gave them -both to him. - -"To-day, Edward?" - -"I have behaved stupidly. Good-by, Josephine." - -She disengaged her hands to take her handkerchief and press it to her -face. "I will come and say good-by," she sobbed. - -"Don't do that! No--not again!" And to get it over quickly, he embraced -and kissed her once more and left her without once looking round. - - - - - II. - - NEXT COUPLE FORWARD. - - -In March of the following year, just as Edward Kallem was preparing to -pass the second part of his medical examination, he came across -something else which completely occupied his thoughts. - -We must now tell all about it. - -At the time when his desultory studies in natural history concentrated -themselves more and more on physiology, at that time the cleverest -physiologist was a young realistic student, Thomas Rendalen, somewhat -older than Edward Kallem. In itself, it was seldom that a non medical -student distinguished himself in that branch, so that everybody was -struck by it, and of course Edward Kallem too; but he did not on that -account become any closer acquainted with Rendalen, who was not one of -those who make themselves accessible to all. - -It was later on, indeed not until after New Year (as they happened to -be on the same steamer coming back after the Christmas holidays), that -they got to know each other better. The first evening that Kallem went -to see Thomas Rendalen in his own rooms, he stayed the night there. And -a few evenings after, when Rendalen came to him, they kept going -backward and forward between the two lodgings (which were close -together) till between three and four o'clock in the morning. Edward -Kallem had never before come across such a genial sort of fellow, and -Rendalen went up to him early one morning, before Kallem had gone out -to the hospital, just to tell him that of all his friends and -acquaintances Kallem was the one he liked best. - -In reality Rendalen's was a stronger nature than Kallem's, a mixture of -savagery and tameness, of passion, melancholy, and music, with great -powers of communicativeness, but with recesses in his character which -were seldom, if ever, opened. Unbounded energy--and then again so -utterly devoid of power that he could do nothing; the whole machinery -was out of order, as though one of the wheels were broken. Not a single -spot at right angles, nothing but irregularities on the whole landscape -of his character; but the light of a great mind was over the whole. -However incalculable were the surroundings, or unpleasant the -disappointments--his individuality, with its strict sense of justice, -was so winning that one could not do otherwise than be fond of him. - -His chief concern was for all belonging to schools, and for education -to its very centre; to carry each separate child safe through the -"dangerous age" which comes at different times. Many suffered greatly -at that time, wounds were made but not easily healed; those who lived -comfortably and in better circumstances could pass the ordeal unhurt; -but they were hardly in the majority. All education and teaching was to -be concentrated in forming a good and moral man, that was his first and -last thought. - -He was indefatigable in lecturing on ways and means of education; in -discussing all school arrangements and the work to be done in the -homes. His mother owned a widely-known girls' school in one of the -towns on the coast, and he was anxious to take possession of it so as -to be able to carry out his plans! His great aim was a system of mixed -schools; but first the teaching of all the principal branches must -undergo a change--be made easier, not suitable only for the most -talented pupils. And he intended practising all this at the girls' -school. - -He possessed a tolerably large collection of school material from -America and from several European countries, and he kept on adding to -it; besides that, he owned a whole library of school literature. He -lived together with one Vangen, a student of theology who had finished -his studies at Christmas, but was just going up for his practical -examination; but although between them they had three rooms, they were -all three full of Rendalen's library and collections. - -His appearance was remarkable. Red-haired (but rather a light color) -and the ends sticking up straight in the air, freckled, and with -blinking gray eyes under white short-haired eyebrows which were hardly -visible; the nose was broad and rather turned up, the mouth pinched; -short, freckled hands, every finger denoting energy; not tall, but -splendidly made; his walk, on well turned out feet, was very light. -Wherever he went he was the best of all gymnasts, and could climb the -ropes like none other; Edward, too, who had always been fond of -gymnastics, became doubly eager through his example; for nothing could -equal Rendalen's power to win others for whatever he was fond of. At -this time his great passion was walking on his hands; Kallem could do -this to his great admiration; probably that put the climax to the -respect that Rendalen had for him. - -They had many subjects in common; they were both specialists, and both -powerful in whatever they undertook; modern in their way of thinking, -and with the courage of reformers; both were particular to the last -degree about their persons; they dressed with taste; Rendalen, however, -thought rather too much about it. Both had the same quick way of -thinking, guessing in advance the half of what was said; both in that -way perfecting each other's knowledge! Rendalen was musical, played the -piano in a most masterly way, and sang well. Kallem sang still better, -and was encouraged in it by Rendalen. - -Although Rendalen could with heart and soul give himself up to one -single object or individual, still there was a reserve about him which -no one could penetrate. He was very fond of Vangen, his adopted -brother; but one could always see that there was a decided something -that kept them apart. In this respect Kallem was entirely to Rendalen's -satisfaction; he too, in the midst of all his devotion to anyone, had -the same kind of stand-offishness about him. - -But there was difference enough between them both to keep up the -novelty of their intercourse, at the same time rendering it rather -difficult. Nearly all the difficulties proceeded from Rendalen, for -Kallem was more pliable and accommodating. When Rendalen was in the -humor, he would play by the hour together, just as though no one were -in the room; one might make up one's mind to go away at once. He it was -who always gave the keynote to all their moods. He was capricious and -could have long spells of melancholy; when one of these fits was on him -few could get a word out of him. There was a marvellous power of work -in him whenever he was taken up about anything that occupied his -mind--and then suddenly, good-by to the whole thing! Were he in a -communicative mood and really in good spirits, the very air around him -seemed sparkling with electricity. - -For Kallem the study of medicine meant fresh discoveries daily, and on -account of their mutual physiological studies they both faithfully -interchanged ideas, each from his side. During the months of January -and February they met nearly every evening; at any rate, at the -gymnasium from six to seven o'clock; after that they would often sup -together--oftenest at Rendalen's rooms, as he had a piano. - -In the early part of March Rendalen's mother came to pay him a visit; -she lodged with her son's landlord, a new-comer to the town. He was a -native of Norland, blind and paralysed down one side, and had an -excessively musical wife; she was very young, in fact almost a -child--the strangest couple imaginable. Rendalen often spoke of them. -As long as his friend's mother was in town, Kallem kept away; each time -they left the gymnasium, Kallem could see that Rendalen did not wish to -have him with him. But when, after a stay of eight days or so, the -mother went home again, still things did not change; either Rendalen -went on with his gymnastics longer than Kallem, or else he left after a -very few exercises; it was clear that he did not wish for Kallem's -company. The latter thought that he was in one of his melancholy moods. - -But one morning, Kallem having come home earlier than usual (as a rule -he was out the whole forenoon), he heard the bell ring, the servant -open the door, and then Rendalen's footstep in the passage. He came in -hurriedly, was gloomy and taciturn; his business was--should they -change lodgings? - -Kallem knew him so well now, and was so good-natured, that he did not -show the least surprise, and never even asked his reasons for wishing -to change; he only said that his two small rooms would surely not be -large enough for Rendalen's collections and his piano--and for Vangen? -Or, were he and Vangen no longer going to live together? Yes, they -were! But there was a large room adjoining Kallem's two rooms, and for -long Rendalen had had his eye on that. He knew the landlady would be -glad to let it. It would suit him perfectly. Only fancy what it would -be to play in that large room! - -"Have you spoken now to the landlady about it?" - -"No, but I am just going to her," and off he rushed. They both came -back together, the landlady and he; a few minutes after, all was -settled! In the afternoon they moved! When the good-natured Vangen came -hurrying home from his dinner, there sat Kallem in dressing-gown and -slippers in the first room to the right, and announced to him that -Rendalen had gone to live in Sehested Street, where he, Kallem, used to -live; they had changed lodgings. They both laughed. - -"And yet he was very comfortable here," said Vangen; but that was the -only remark he made. - -Of course Edward Kallem speculated much on the reason of this hurried -move, and thought he would have a good talk with the servant each time -she came to see to the stove or to bring in his lunch or supper, both -which meals he took at home; she looked as if she knew something. -Marie had a peculiar smile that seemed to say: "Oh, I know the lot of -you--you too, you rogue." He got that, the very first time she opened -the door for him. She had eyes that were more than half covered by the -lids which hung over them in folds. The nose was a turn-up and seemed -to drag the mouth upward into a stiff smile, the upper lip projected, -showing a row of teeth for which there was hardly room, they glistened -through each smile. Everything she said seemed to have a hidden meaning -of fun and nonsense, it shot forth from under her eyelids and played -about the corners of the mouth. The voice was a soft one. Otherwise a -steady girl, well made, clever as old Nick himself, but prudent and -cautious both in speech and ways, for all her laughing criticisms. But -her laugh seemed always on the lookout for one. When he said: "I am -Edward Kallem, I am to live in Rendalen's room," she answered, -smilingly: "Oh!" just as if she had known all his secrets from the time -he was a boy. If he mentioned Rendalen, she looked as if she had a -whole room full of jokes about him; and yet--he never got anything out -of her. - -The house where he lived now was a corner house, almost opposite the -university. The door of the house was in the same street into which -Kallem's rooms looked too. They were on the second floor and had -the same entrance as his landlord had; that is to say, one of the -rooms--the other one, his bed-room, had its own private entrance. -Rendalen had had a third room, the corner room further in. Kallem put -his card on the door leading into the little hall, below a large -door-plate bearing the name of Sören Kule; that was the landlord's -name! Next day being Sunday, he went to call on him. - -There sat the paralysed, blind man in a large roller-chair. The -unfortunate man was still young, barely over thirty, very heavily -built, and heavy both in face and in speech. His very "Come in!" when -Kallem knocked, was heavy. Kallem introduced himself, the other sat -immovable and answered slowly: "Indeed, I am blind. And I can't move -about much either." This was said with a Norland accent; each syllable -jerked out and jogging heavily along like a London brewer's dray-horse. -It was a clever, but full, large-featured face; he came probably of a -healthy race. Kallem was sufficiently a doctor to be able to see at -once why he was paralysed and blind. A quantity of engravings and -photographs from Spain, hanging on the walls, gave him the idea that it -was probably _there_ he had received as a gift what that most gallant -people distribute with such hospitality. - -"Won't you sit down?" he said, at last. His healthy side brisked up as -he turned and looked toward a door to the left: "Ragni!" he called. -Nobody answered and nobody came. His voice, as well as his seeming -indifference and stolid quiet, seemed to make the silence duller. -Kallem sat there and looked about him. Were those children's toys? It -seemed to him surely he heard children's voices? Were there children -_here?_ - -"Ragni!" repeated he once more, slowly. Then, more gently: "Perhaps -they are in the kitchen busy with the dinner." - -Again the same dull, heavy silence; the sound of bells from the street -broke through it for a moment, but only to make it all the more evident -afterward. The furniture was too heavy and dark for a small Norwegian -room in winter; and it was faded and worn. The engravings and -photographs were in large frames, which, however, did not fit very -well, so that both dust and damp had got in and spoilt the paper. The -children's toys and a piano were the most noticeable things; the piano -seemed to be perfectly new and by one of the best Parisian makers, it -was certainly a concert-grand. "Your wife plays so beautifully?" - -"Yes." - -Kallem knew that she had devoted herself to the study of music since -she was a child, and just to find something to talk about he took up -the subject. "She has studied at the conservatoire in Berlin?" - -"Yes." - -There was a noise of chairs being pushed about in the room to the -right, the one adjoining the corner room. Kallem then took that up as a -subject for conversation. "I hear I am to have a neighbor in the corner -room?" - -"Yes." - -"A relation of yours, I believe?" - -"Yes, an aunt." - -Again Sören Kule looked to the left, and called out in an indifferent -sort of way: "Ragni!" Nobody answered and nobody came. "I fancied I -heard a door open outside," he said, as though apologizing for having -called. Kallem got up then and said good-by. - -A few days afterward he gave Rendalen an amusing description of his -visit. Rendalen laughed; he had not often been there himself; but had -heard much about Sören Kule. He declared the fellow might go to the -devil for him, he would rather not talk about him at all; he sat down -to the piano and began to play. - -A few days later, who should Kallem meet in the entrance but his -brother-in-law in spe, Mr. Ole Tuft, now candidate in theology, come to -town to pass his so-called practical examination. - -Grand meeting and recognition! The one had no idea of the change of -lodgings that had taken place, nor the other that Ole Tuft had come to -town. Kallem begged him to go in with him, and heard then that Tuft was -there for the first time; the landlord's aunt had moved in yesterday, -and it was her Ole had been visiting. Edward Kallem understood at once -what community she belonged to, and he changed the subject. He asked -further whether he knew Sören Kule? No, only through hearing of him -from his aunt; all the family were from the Norland. Then who was Sören -Kule? He was a well-to-do fish-dealer who became blind and partially -paralysed; was obliged to sell his business and had bought this house -in Christiania to make a living by it and by other things as well. They -had several relations in town, and had only been there since October. -Did Ole Tuft know what had caused his paralysis and blindness? No. -Kallem told him there could hardly be a doubt on the matter. Ole Tuft -was quite shocked. - -"How could he dare marry then? And twice." - -"Has he been married twice?" - -"Yes, he married a second time about six months or a year ago--his late -wife's sister." - -"Then the children are by the first wife?" - -"Yes. But the present wife is hardly more than a child herself; just -fancy, she is eighteen and has been married nearly a year!" - -"Was he like this when he married again?" - -"No, I think not. He was in ill-health but not so bad as now. There are -not many who can understand how it came about?" - -"Have you seen her?" - -"No, but my aunt says she is a delicate little creature, and very -musical. She has played in public." - -"Indeed, up in the north?" - -"They are said to be so very critical up there." Then he began again on -the subject of the marriage. "The parents probably arranged it for the -children's sake." - -Kallem very nearly answered, "Then, of course, they are clergy folk;" -but he recollected in time. He only said: "One can't accuse her of -being too particular." - -They conversed a little on indifferent subjects; no mention was made of -Josephine. Shortly after Ole went in to find his aunt, whom he had come -to call upon. As it happened Kallem was at home that forenoon and he -heard the landlord's wife play. She began with scales and scales and -still more scales; but then came a piece so wonderfully well executed -that he set his door ajar so as to hear better. Her playing was more -like singing. How in all the world could a woman young like she, and -full of artistic and lyric feeling, marry such a mass of corruption? -Here was a problem which he would have had Rendalen solve, but Rendalen -knew nothing. However, he was in good spirits that day, spoke in -raptures about her playing; there was not so much power in it but it -was full of song, and a poetical charm of coloring which was -unequalled. He could play a Russian piece of her's, "after a fashion" -he added; he played it perfectly. Kallem wanted to know something about -her appearance. - -"She looks--stupid!" cried he. "God forgive me for saying it--stupid! -Her forehead might possibly save her, but she hides it entirely with -her hair. I said so to her; 'Up with your hair,' said I. Her eyes, too, -might save her. But never in my life have I seen anyone so shy about -her eyes." - -"Has she good eyes?" - -"Good heavens, her eyes are of the many-voiced kind! Some eyes sing as -it were in unison or at the most for two voices; but some there are -that send forth chords of bright harmony. If she looks up when she is -playing you will feel it! But generally her eyes are on a level with -the feet of the table, or piercing holes in the corners, or setting the -stove alight. Sometimes, though, they dash up high along the walls like -a rat that cannot escape!" He was amused at his own description and -began to play a Halling.[2] "Wonderful that such a musical nature -can--come, we must not be sentimental, old fellow!" He intended going -to the theatre and took Kallem with him. - -A week passed and still Kallem had not seen her, although he had -tried what he could to bring it about. But he was out at a dance one -night--the son of the house was a fellow-student of his--the latter -came up to him whilst a "tour d'inclination" was going on, bringing two -ladies with him, and asked Kallem whether he would choose the "kernel -of a nut" or a "dog-rose?" This was not particularly clever, but he -chose the "dog-rose." This "dog-rose" had a musical forehead and -prettily arched eyebrows; otherwise she was silent and insignificant. -Rather tall, with sloping shoulders, pretty arms, not actually fat but -well-shaped; the same might be said of her whole person. She danced -well, but seemed as if she wished to get away from him as quickly as -possible; he brought her back to her place without her having so much -as looked at him. He was much surprised therefore when she came and -fetched him out in the next "tour." Probably she only knew very few -people and those few were very likely engaged. She looked about her -shyly and then came forward with timid steps and curtsied; still she -did not look up, she seemed positively afraid, and so it struck him he -would be kind and sit down beside her. But whatever he said to her she -never answered anything but "yes," "no," "indeed," "perhaps," which -soon proved too much of a good thing for so-much-sought-after a -cavalier as he; so he left her. Again he was offered his choice between -the "nut-kernel" which he had despised and a "bon-bon," and this time -he chose the "nut-kernel." He liked her much better; she was a lively, -round, little thing, and spoke with a mixture of Norland and Bergen -accent. He soon learned that her father was a native of Bergen, but was -now a clergyman in the Norland district. She was staying here in town -with her sister, and very often went to balls; for they had so many -relations--her voice rose and fell in true Norland fashion; but -unfortunately she would soon have to be going home again; they were -nervous about her up there in the north; nor did the old parents like -to be left alone. Of course Kallem did the polite and pretended to be -highly amused; they became such good friends that-- She told him with a -great flow of words how she had come to town so as to help her sister -to get settled; her sister was not at all practical, which _she_ was; -she could do nothing but play the piano, that sister of hers; she had -been accustomed to it since her childhood, and had studied two years in -Berlin. Then Kallem became all attention, and it turned out that her -sister was the partner he had danced with first and had thought so -tiresome; his landlady, Fru Ragni Kule! The "nut-kernel," it must be -observed, was not her real sister; they were children of different -marriages. And the "nut-kernel" was not the eldest, as he had imagined; -on the contrary, her sister was nearly nineteen, and she was a little -more than seventeen. - -Immediately he went and danced with Fru Kule, and remarked with much -surprise that she was his landlady. Was she aware of that? Was that why -she had chosen him to dance with before? She felt as if she were taken -in the act of committing a crime, but could think of no excuse to make. -"But why did you not tell me who you were?" continued he, insisting. - -She felt still more overwhelmed by this fresh sin of having kept -silence, and could not possibly get out a word. Then he said, rather -rudely and impatiently: - -"Perhaps you have some difficulty in speaking?" - -She turned very pale; there was something unspeakably unhappy in her -startled look. His rudeness was the natural consequence of his contempt -for anyone who could lower themselves by such a marriage as hers was. -But his sympathy was so thoroughly aroused by her pallor and -helplessness that he hastened to say: "To be sure, I know that you -possess the gift of a language which is easier for you than for most -people--" and so he talked on in an easy, natural way about her music, -made her sit down, told her that he had heard her play, and that -Rendalen was such a competent judge; he turned the conversation upon -all the world-renowned artists he had ever heard, and succeeded in -making her join in; of course she had heard so many of them. By degrees -she gained so much confidence that she even ventured to ask after -Rendalen; she had not seen him at all since he had moved. He was all -right, and then he described all Rendalen's peculiarities till she was -obliged to laugh. She did not look "stupid" when she laughed, far from -it. For a moment, too, there was a gleam in the eyes as of "many rays." - -"Why did Rendalen move?" asked she, and there was something of the -singing Norland accent in her voice too, but less that in her sister's. -It was rather a weak voice, but at the same time so very sweet. He -answered her with a question. But no, she knew nothing; and then she -looked full at him; those were eyes! "Was it about the room?" - -"About the room?" repeated he. - -"Yes, I mean when he heard that my aunt wanted to live here--my -husband's aunt," she added, correcting herself, and suddenly she became -shy again. - -"Had they given him notice to leave?" - -"No, certainly not." - -"Then he could not possibly be offended." - -She quite agreed to that too. But Rendalen had never even been to say -good-by. She never quite got rid of her shyness; it suited her though, -as sometimes a veil can suit a face. - -"Did you see much of his mother?" - -"Yes," said she, and smiled. - -"Why do you smile?" - -"Well, perhaps it is hardly right of me, but she was so like a man." -She was ashamed after she had said this, and would gladly have taken -back her words; she had only meant that she was such a clever woman. -But Kallem began joking her about it; she was forced to laugh again, -and, as before said it was sweet to see and hear her laugh. "You see -you _can_ talk!" She glanced up at him; was he making fun of her? -Suddenly he remembered that Rendalen had told her she ought to wear her -hair off her forehead, and it was off this evening! Oh-ho! - -She was really very pretty! To think of his not having found it out at -once! And to think that others had not seen it and spoken about it. It -was true that her face was undeveloped and child-like, and the slender -figure rather too thin. Her forehead was lovely; the eyebrows were -delicately arched, but they were fair and not strongly marked. There -was a difficulty in getting a look at the eyes; but now he knew that -they were so confiding in all their gray-blue shyness, and they spoke -volumes. Cheeks, chin, and mouth were soft and undecided; the latter -always slightly open; it was short, too, which made it so "sweet." The -nose was nothing much, but it was slightly crooked. Her hair was not -very thick, but it had a pretty reddish shade in it. But her -complexion! It was so dazzingly white one could not take one's eyes -from it once one had found it out; but the thing was, one did not -notice it unless the colour of the dress helped one or the light was -dim; she wore no ornaments, not even a bracelet. The wrists were such -as would belong to long, narrow hands, which he would have liked to -see. "So you love music more than anything else?" - -"Yes," answered she, "it is all that I can do." She looked down. He -wondered what there was he might question her on that would not make -her feel ashamed. But he had better have a care--there he sat falling -in love as fast as he could. Unfortunately he was obliged to leave her -to go and dance with, and talk to, others. As soon as he left her it -was as though he would never find her again; she seemed to become -invisible. He came back to her as soon as he could for propriety's -sake. She evidently did not object; she was a little more confiding, -even looked at him once or twice and smiled right up into his eyes. -Fancy that! It was more than Rendalen could have aspired to. His -falling in love began through her being so shy, and increased as she -became more confiding. He asked if he might be allowed to see the -ladies home. Surely he had a better right to it than anyone else as she -was his landlady. She accepted his offer at once; she never hesitated. -It was true, she said, that her nephew, the young man who had first -offered Kallem the choice between a "nut-kernel" and a "dog-rose" was -going with them too, but that they could both come. - -"Yes, of course we can!" said he gaily, thinking secretly that the -nephew should take charge of the "nut-kernel." - -It was a thick, dark evening, the snow falling slightly. The star-like -snow-flakes floated slowly and singly down as though each one had its -own place and was bent on a special errand; not a breath of wind came -to disturb them. Both ladies were well wrapped up and had Laplander -shoes on. The music and dancing were still in full swing when they met, -and there was much merry laughter among all the young people on the -stairs and in the corridors; outside was the noise of bells from the -sledges come to fetch the guests. The "nephew," being the host of the -evening, could not leave so early; but he found someone to take his -place; this other young man gave his arm to his lady, and they set off -down hill at a run; but when Kallem would have done the same his young -landlady was frightened and clung to him, as she was forced along -running, and begged and implored him not to do it. It was just as -though she did not see properly. He stopped and asked if that were the -case. No; but she was so terribly afraid of falling. - -"You seem to be nervous and timid altogether." - -"Yes, I know I am," said she, truthfully. She was sweet enough, but in -reality a bit of a prude. Then they walked on for a while in silence; -they could see nothing of the other two. Bah! thought he, there is no -use being offended, I suppose she can't help it. "It is not one o'clock -yet," said he. - -"No, but the youngest child is not very well; the servant is sitting -up with her, but she has to get up early to-morrow morning." The -North-country sing-song in her voice seemed to carry him far away out -to sea. - -"I miss the open sea so much now in the winter," said he; "here -everything is ice-bound. I suppose it is always so in the West." - -She told him that when she was at Berlin, and particularly after she -had been playing, she could almost hear the sea at times. "But is it -not a delightful thing that the sea always freshens one up when one is -near it, and makes one melancholy when one thinks of it?" Just then -something came driving past them at great speed; they had to get out of -the way and she pulled him with her to the extreme edge of the road, as -three sledges, one after the other, dashed past them at a terrific -rate. - -They continued their walk, listening to the sleigh bells as they died -away in the distance; again there was that complete silence necessary -to attract attention to the falling snow-flakes. - -"One ought really never to talk whilst snow is falling," said she. - -Then the other two waited for them and the conversation was kept up for -a time by the "nut-kernel" and the two gentlemen, till they came to a -hill which the first couple took at full speed. By and by they saw them -again through the veil of snow, but could hear nothing of them. But as -the street became more inhabited, and the traffic greater, the couples -kept closer together, and there was an end to all that had been amusing -in their walk. - -After that evening his impression of her seemed like a part of nature's -scenery; she was blended with the starry snow-flakes; never had he met -or seen anything so white and so pure. All that she had said about the -sea and the falling snow was full of musical imagination; at last her -whole person was enveloped in a sort of dim haze. As each of these -pearls of first impressions rose up from the depths of his soul, his -every sense seemed to be enamoured. He seemed to feel her presence in -all the rooms; he started every time a door was opened; and if there -came a soft footstep along the passage he thought it was hers; he felt -it through his whole being. He was really rather afraid of meeting her -again, in case the picture should lose its charm. And that was exactly -what happened. Five or six days after, as he was coming out of the -university, he met her with her sister and two little children; the -street was crowded, so he neither saw nor recognized them till they -were quite close. He bowed; the "nut-kernel" smiled and returned his -bow, but her sister blushed very red and forgot to bow: at that moment -she looked anything but clever. He stopped to thank them for the -pleasant evening they had spent together, and began talking to the one -sister; the other bent down to the children--two sweet little girls, -dressed out like dolls, one about three, the other four years old. He -invited them into a confectioner's for refreshments; the offer was -accepted after a good deal of hesitation; but the married sister never -raised her eyes, and he could hardly induce her to sit down. Out of -pure shyness and uneasiness she worried the children so that they -became impatient. He offered them cakes and wine; but she could not -make up her mind what she would have, and at last allowed her sister to -choose. Her face was framed in by a bonnet with silk flaps; the -forehead quite disappeared, and her face became round and -insignificant; her figure was concealed by clothes which were all much -too large for her (he heard later that they had belonged to her late -sister). It was only when he began to notice the children--he had a -wonderful gift that way, for he was fond of children--that they -really made friends again; it happened down on the floor, too, -because the youngest child had made a terrible mess of itself with a -cake full of whipped cream, which the mother had most injudiciously -chosen for it. There they were now, both drying the child with their -pocket-handkerchiefs, and the mother thanking him over and over again, -with a guilty feeling that it had been her fault. The child, who so -blissfully had made itself in such a mess, asked for more cake of the -same kind and would not be content with any other; and Kallem (though -he knew it was not good for the child to have so much) readily agreed -to it; but he took the child on his lap, asked for a napkin, and -watched carefully over it until the last bite had disappeared. She -stood by humbly taking a lesson. Then the child asked for another cake, -to which Kallem also agreed. Then the eldest of the two, who had -patiently been watching her sister eat her cakes, now ventured to ask -for one; so he took her up on his other knee and fed them both. -Everybody enjoyed themselves thoroughly while this important business -was going on; even Fru Kule joined in the laugh. And as before said, -when she laughed she was very "sweet." The three grown-up ones drank -each another glass of wine, and as they walked home Kallem carried the -youngest child in his arms. He became fast friends with the little -thing; her stepmother was more courageous after she had had her wine, -and said: "Is she not a dear wee thing, my little Juanita?" She -stretched her hand up to the child, who took it in her thick little -glove, and kept tight hold of it as they walked along. - -He carried the little one up-stairs, and was careful to show her where -his room was, and invited them both to come and pay him a visit the -next day, which was Sunday. Directly after his dinner he went out and -bought some oranges, apples, figs, and other dried fruits, so as to -have something for them when they came. - -"Is she not a dear wee thing, my little Juanita?" This sentence, with a -little of her north-country sing-song in it, he set to music and went -about humming it every time he thought of her. Her voice, her eyes -looking up at the child, and her hand stretched out to it, were all -part of the melody! "Is she not a dear wee thing, my little Juanita?" -became the refrain of his life; he taught it to Rendalen, too; they -greeted each other with it when they met at the gymnasium in the -evenings. But Edward Kallem kept to himself the notion he had that she -had been so shy because she had met him again--perhaps because it was -broad daylight. He mentioned, too, that she looked so funny in the -clothes that were so much too large for her; they seemed to have been -made for a young, growing girl; but he never said a word about how -uneasy she had grown when he looked at her in the confectioner's shop. - -The children often came to see him; he gave them oranges and candied -fruit, and walked on his hands and jumped over the chairs, and they -were all tremendously happy. But the servant spoilt everything; he -could distinctly read the following in her smile: "You are a rogue! You -are doing all this for their mother's sake." - -He was coward enough to tell her that the children were not to come to -him for a while. It cut him to the heart as he sat there the following -evening and heard how the eldest one opened the door to the passage to -run in to him, but was caught and carried back crying. He rang for the -servant and told her to give the children the remains of what he had -bought for them. She took the things from him but said: "Is it not too -much?" and looked at him with a cunning smile; he could have beaten -her. But then he thought to himself, "If she suspects me no matter what -I do, then the children may just as well come!" And the next evening he -fetched them in himself from the kitchen. - -One day he met her sister, who was going out. She nodded brightly to -him and said: "Thanks for our last treat! Fancy," she added, "in a few -days I am going away." - -Then he suggested that it would be quite the correct thing for them to -go and have a little farewell feast at the confectioner's. She agreed -with him, and they settled that they would all meet the next day, the -children too, and have it all over again just like the last time. And -so they did. Fru Kule was not quite so shy as the other day, Kallem -himself was in the best of spirits, and the children were uproarious. -He was full of the wildest, maddest love fancies as they went merrily -home he dancing along with Juanita on his head, and teaching the -sisters to sing, "Is she not a dear wee thing, my little Juanita?" - -He was at the railway station the day the sister was to leave. Several -of their relations and friends were there to say good-bye. Both the -sisters were very unhappy; the one to be left behind perhaps the most -so; she wept unceasingly, even after the train had gone. For a moment -he thought of going away and leaving the relations alone together, but -she said: "Oh, no, don't go!" And yet there was no reason for her -wishing him to stay; she walked home beside him and the others, crying -all the way; and when the others left them and went their own way, and -he and she stood before their door, she could find nothing to say, but -just went on up-stairs. On the stairs he asked her if she and the -children would like to go for a drive; it might cheer her up a little. -She only shook her head. "Tomorrow perhaps?" asked he, respectfully, as -he opened the door for her. She went in, but came back to say, "Thank -you, to-morrow!" gave him her hand and a look from her dear eyes full -of tears. - -He fancied he could tell from her deep distress that she must feel -lonely. Not perhaps in everyday life, because her imagination kept her -time occupied; but when anything out of the common happened, rousing -her and awakening her from her dreams, then she would look around and -see that she was forsaken. - -The next day he took her and the children out in a sledge and drove -them himself. After the drive he went in to see Kule, who thanked him -in his heavy sort of way for being so kind to the children. They showed -Kallem all their toys, and Kule asked his wife to play a piece when the -children were sent away; he sat himself, smoking a long pipe, which his -wife usually had to fill for him; Kallem had done it now in her stead. -Kallem saw then, for the first time, a stout kitchen-maid, an elderly, -masculine-looking woman, who sang in a northern dialect, like birds -shrieking over the sea. She was both cook and Kule's attendant. -Apparently the wife was allowed entire liberty in whatever concerned -herself, that is to say, the children and her music. At this moment she -was playing that same piece by the Russian composer which he had heard -from his own room, and perhaps better. Not because he was particularly -attentive; he was looking at her. The upper part of the face now -flashing down over the keys and music was very different to how he knew -it; probably it was like this Rendalen had seen her. How much she would -have to go through before the lower part of the face was equally -developed? A few days ago he had had a letter from a cousin who lived -at Madison, in Wisconsin; he had been made professor at the university -there, and his wife, a Norwegian lady, studied under him. Something of -the kind would be necessary to bring life and shape into these dull -cheeks and weak chin, that vacillating mouth with the cracked lips. But -how touching it was to see all this child-like dependence. Close by he -saw the husband's huge hands resting on the arm of his chair--he lay -back in the chair like a dead river-god in breeches. Whilst she was -playing, the door to the right was opened, and in came the third -supernatural, north-country being, an old lady with white hair, a large -round face, and horn spectacles; this was the aunt, she was taller than -Kallem, and stout in proportion to her height. The young wife moved -about amongst them like a pleasure-yacht among Atlantic steamers laden -to sinking-point. She looked upon Kallem now as an intimate friend, -although she had probably not confided in him at all; but their mutual -youth sought to conspire against all that was a hindrance and hard to -bear. In his love for her he grew impatient, longing to set her free; -the thought that he could not do it made the air of the room seem quite -oppressive. It distressed him greatly, this incomprehensible -connection. - -The impressions he received from this visit disturbed him in his -studies for his examination, which, until that day, had been very -regular. - -He formed the wildest of plans, even wrote over to his cousins in -America, and asked if they could receive a young lady to live with -them. He confided in Rendalen, who at first protested angrily; but at -last Kallem convinced him. Her feeling of individual responsibility -ought to be aroused, she ought to be shown the dangers of continuing -her present life; above all, she ought to be sent away, far away, where -she would have freedom of thought and liberty to develop.... Kallem -gained more and more assurance, and his love grew stronger from all -this self-imposed solicitude. Each time he met her, however short were -the meetings, even though he only bowed to her on the street or in the -corridor, strengthened him in the conviction that she was his, and his -only, and must be set free! - -This was before he had said a word to her about it. - -Often before had he been in love, and often had pretended without its -being the real thing; but now he had a longing to save, and then -re-form, all that was so pure yet so undeveloped, so talented and yet -so forlorn, it lay in his disposition, this desire, and he gave himself -up to it with all his soul. She, for her part, lost somewhat of her -shyness each time they met; it seemed as though he really were a -comfort to her after her sister left; indeed, unless he were much -mistaken, he was even more than that. At all events, there was one -unmistakable sign; he had told her that he stayed at home in the -evenings on purpose to hear her play, and that he left his door ajar -the better to hear; now she played every evening and often for a long -time. - -When he met her out with the children, and took them to the -confectioner's, he had the greatest desire to speak out; but her manner -prevented it. It was her trustful innocence that was the principal -hindrance, and he dared not startle her. All the energy in him drove -him to action; but his love for her lent itself to her wish for a -poetical pastime where love might not be mentioned, although everything -was symbolical of it. There was a charm about their intercourse the -like of which he had never experienced. - -On a certain evening, once every week, she took part in a private -concert, or something of the kind, at the house of some of her -husband's relations, the same house, in fact, where she had gone to -that dance. Kallem made his way in to these evenings, through his -fellow-student, her nephew. Of course he went there solely and entirely -so as to be able to walk home with her at night. At this time the snow -was gone and the streets were full of ice. When he told her that he was -going to be there, too, and would be allowed to see her home (at which -she was very pleased), it was an understood thing that he always had -either a sledge or carriage for her. - -They were about to start for home after a long evening when there had -been a great deal too much music for those small rooms; she hastened to -get on her wraps and get away. Here he took her arm. "It is fortunate," -said he, "that the moon is just up." She thought they would have got -into one of the sledges that stood waiting there, or into a carriage -that just then drove up; she gave a little scream, as it was quite -smooth ice just by the door, yet she went on bravely. Meanwhile they -passed by one sledge after the other, and the carriage, too. None -seemed to be theirs. "Are we not going to drive?" asked she. The rogue -laughed; it was he who had planned this walk. She tried to hide her -disappointment; but, after a few vain efforts, begged to be allowed to -drive. Then he recollected how frightened she had been that first time; -his conscience pricked him, and he declared they would go to the very -first stand, which was not far off. The road was not so very slippery, -but it was steep; she clung to his arm, staring nervously before her, -with an occasional little scream. Matters did not mend as they -advanced, for at times the whole road was covered with ice, though -there were always one or two safe spots. He rather lost courage; -especially as he no longer heard her little screams. He had never seen -anyone so frightened before. As a matter of course, they made their way -slowly, step by step, with many and long pauses. - -Some of the gardens and fields round about them were bare, and some -were covered with snow and ice; it was to these she tried to make her -way; but he showed her that the way was stopped either by a house or a -garden; it was not like in the country. The fields looked broken up, -the sky, too, for long, narrow, cloudlets were floating through the -dark-blue atmosphere above, exactly like ice down below here with gaps -between. The moon seemed to be racing after the cloudlets at full -speed, trying to overtake them, pass through and hurry still farther -on; there must be a perfect hurricane up above; down below all was -quiet. Kallem's mistake made him feel both uneasy and unhappy. The -unsteady light there was over the whole of nature, with its scattered -colouring only increased this feeling; surely something would go wrong. -And never did that feeling come over him without its bringing back to -his remembrance that night of terror from his childhood, with all its -consequences. Was this to follow him all through life, this terrifying -forewarning of his own wrong-doings? He was greatly excited; for she -must not be allowed to fall. If it had not been for her timidity he -would have gone down the hills in a merry, sliding dance; now her being -frightened made him frightened too. Each slippery place became a real -danger, from which he was only saved by passing on to a fresh one; they -neither looked at each other nor did they utter a word, they were -impatient and afraid. They were several minutes in doing what otherwise -would have taken a few seconds; the one secretly blamed the other, -struggling on as though for dear life. There was just an occasional -gasping, "Good heavens!" or "Take care here!" or a despairing "No, no, -it's no use!" and then a "Try again! Come along!"--at last not even -that. She might groan and lament, almost cry, he no longer answered -her. She was so taken up by her own fright that she never noticed the -change. - -But at last they saw salvation in front of them, namely, high houses on -each side which had kept off the sun and prevented the snow melting. -The question was now to get thus far; the stand was close by. At last -they succeeded. She stopped and drew breath and tried to laugh, but -without success. "Let us wait a little," she said, and drew a long -breath again. They turned and looked on either side; farther away they -heard sleigh bells and listened. "I hope the last horse has not left -the stand," said she; "it is late." She took his arm and they walked -on. The road was not quite all; right here either; the snow was trodden -down hard, but there had been sand strewn on the pavement; they walked -quicker, and by degrees with greater assurance. "Thank God!" said she, -as much relieved as though she had come out of a sea of ice. Hardly had -she said the words before down she fell. They had come to a deceptive -place where there had been water, which was now frozen and covered with -hoar frost. She slipped, and up against one of his feet, so that he too -slipped and fell--the one on top of the other. He swore a tremendous -oath in the fulness of his heart, and sprang to his feet again in order -to help her; but she lay there immovable with closed eyes. - -He turned like ice. Was it concussion of the brain? He laid her on his -knee, pulled off his right-hand glove with his teeth, and then untied -the strings under' her chin. Her arms hung loosely down, her face was -pale as death, he opened her cloak, he wanted to give her air. Then she -moved. "Ragni!" whispered he; "Ragni!" and bent down still nearer to -her. "Dear, darling Ragni! Forgive me!" She opened her eyes. "Do you -hear? Can you forgive me?" The colour came back to her cheeks, her hand -went up to her cloak, which was unfastened; then she must have felt it, -she had only been dazed with fright. He could no longer control his -joy, he pressed her head to him and kissed her one, two, three times. -"Oh, how I love you!" whispered he, and kissed her again. He felt she -wanted to move, so he got up at once and helped her up as well. But she -was not able to stand alone, and nearly fell, so he supported her to -the garden railing just in front of the house; she caught hold of it -and leaned against it as if she could not bear her own weight. He let -go his hold of her to see if she could stand without help, which she -was able to do. "I'll run for a sledge," said he, and away he went. As -he ran along he bethought himself that he might have done that at once -and all would have been avoided. But would he be able to get a sledge? -If not there, he would run on farther. If only she could stand and -nobody go by.... He ran and he flew, and when he saw a horse and sledge -standing there, he jumped in, and would have had the coachman drive off -at the top of his speed without knowing where he was to go to. When -that was rectified and the sledge had started, he realized what he had -said and done as he held her in his arms! He had felt it all along, -though it had only been as it were in soft and gentle tones, now it -burst out into full, rich melody. - -"Drive on, faster! She is standing over there to the right. We fell -down, and she hurt herself. There she is!" He jumped out and hurried up -to her, while the coachman turned and drove the sledge close up to -them. She was still leaning against the railing, half sideways; she had -fastened her cloak again and drawn down her veil. She gave him her hand -when he came, that she might have support; he took it, put his other -hand on her waist so as to guide her in front of him; he did not wish -to risk being upset again. There was no further accident, he put her in -the sledge, wrapped her up carefully, paid the coachman and told him -where to go. She begged him not to drive with her; she never said -good-bye; never looked up. They drove off. - -At once he felt--now she was leaving him. Nothing annoys a sensible man -more than his own stupidity and want of control. He wandered about the -streets that night by the hour, and sneaked home like a beaten hound. -He dared not inquire of the servant next morning, but in the evening -she told him, unasked, that her mistress had not been well; she had -been sick and was still in bed, but was rather better. Marie's -conscious smile put him into a towering passion. And she had the -impudence, too, to examine his face closely. All the same, he was -obliged to go and inquire the next day; her mistress was up and quite -well again. But neither that day nor the next did he get a glimpse of -her, or hear a sound from any of the children. Neither did she play in -the evening, he made an excuse to stay at home and listen. Neither she -nor the children passed that way when they were going out; they went -down the back-stairs. He never met her. She chose new ways and roads. - -Until then his love had been a secret happiness full of many plans. But -now he had used violence and broken into the sanctuary, and his bright -days and healthy nights gave way to ceaseless dreaming and useless -ponderings. He went through all that happened, and each time with -self-torturing pangs. He despised himself, allowed himself to be led -into all sorts of dissipation and then despised himself all the more. -From the moment he had touched her lips and had offended her ears there -was, as it were, a veil drawn across her image; he no longer saw the -pure, dove-like whiteness, borne in all its charms and helplessness by -music; he only saw one he longed for. But his was a healthy nature and -he had a strong sense of the comic side of things; he would not let -himself be eaten up by this self-torture and stupid longing; he would -move away immediately and would do it under pretence that he was going -to travel. In that way he thought to overcome all difficulties as he -would leap over a fence of split sticks. He could not bear her having -closed her door to him; he could not even bear the servant's -impertinent smile. - -He was struck now by so much in this moving of his which was like the -time when Rendalen had moved. He had not borne it one single day, -either! Surely it could never have been for the same reason? He laughed -aloud; of course it must be exactly the same thing that had happened to -him! - -Rendalen's mother had been in town and had lived there; at that time -Ragni had been with them a great deal; Rendalen and she had played -duets together. They kept this up after his mother had left, and it was -always on his piano; he knew that for certain.... This seemed to him a -most humiliating coincidence. - -Kallem knew no higher or nobler nature than Rendalen's; he would never -have allowed himself any liberties. But that she could succeed in so -completely disturbing his peace of mind that he had been obliged to -move? There must be something strange in her thus to unsettle them. He -excused himself in this way, but what was worse was that he felt an -ever-increasing temptation. The same evening he said to Marie that he -was going to leave either the next day or the day after, he was not -sure which it would be; but she was to ask for his bill--as a matter of -course, he would pay for the whole quarter. The girl looked at him, she -guessed the hidden meaning at once; did she enjoy it or had she -something to tell? In her usual modest way, she asked if he wanted his -bill at once? No, he did not. - -He did not leave the day following, but put it off till the next day. -He meant to go away for a few days, but would first take lodgings -somewhere and move all his possessions. He went out in the afternoon -and found rooms, but quite in another part of the town. Then he -speculated a little as to what reasons he should give for his -moving--particularly to Rendalen; he came to the conclusion that he -would tell him the whole truth; to others he would merely say that he -had been disturbed in various ways at his old lodgings, which was the -truth. He went home again about five o'clock, and in through the -bedroom door, put on his dressing-gown and slippers, went into the next -room and lay down on the sofa, where he fell fast asleep--he needed the -rest. At seven o'clock the servant came in and lit the stove without -his noticing it. He woke up a little later and heard the fire crackling -and saw the light; he understood from that, that it must be past seven -o'clock. His thoughts flew at once to her who was so near in those -other rooms. He had a secret hope that, when she knew he was going -away, he would be allowed to hear her play once more. So far he had -been disappointed in this; but he could not give up his belief that his -departure would trouble her. He lay on the sofa listening. Could he go -and say good-bye to her just as if nothing had happened? Should he -light his lamp? Should he go out again? He raised himself up and stared -at the fire in the stove. Then he heard a door in the passage open, and -voices--a couple of women's voices, with a strong north-country accent; -from that he concluded that some newly arrived relations had been -calling and were being escorted to the door; he heard the aunt's slow, -drawling voice; he heard, too, a man's voice--was it Ole Tuft? But he -could not hear her voice, the voice he was listening for. There were -good-byes all round and the door was shut; then came the aunt's voice -again, then Ole Tuft's, it really was his voice--he had evidently -arrived just as the others were leaving; they went into the aunt's -room and shut the door after them, at the same time a door was shut a -little further away. Again there was a ring; again a door opened and -out came--both the children, shouting with joy; they had seized the -occasion to try and run into Kallem, but they were not allowed, so -there was a chase after them down the corridor amid much laughter; they -were captured and a door shut upon them; at the same moment, the -entrance door was opened; one of those north-country ladies had -forgotten her galoshes, and now he could hear Ragni's voice offering to -fetch a light, as it was quite dark; but the offer was refused in the -usual singsong style. Her galoshes were close by the door; but she -could not get them on easily, they were so new! At last! Now they were -on! Again was heard "Good-bye, good-bye!" and then the answer, "Very -welcome on Friday?" This last was Ragni's voice. Did he deceive -himself--or was it not just like the voice of one who feels danger is -near? It did not sound like her voice. Did she speak of him perhaps -against her will? Up he jumped, and was at the door before she had shut -the outer one. Should he? He listened for some sign. He did not hear -her go; perhaps she was still standing outside. His heart beat fast and -loud, but his hand felt softly for the door-handle--he opened it -noiselessly. To him who had been staring at the fire in his stove, the -passage seemed pitch-dark. He put out his hands to feel for the door -and got hold of the latch; he groped his way still further, but no one -was there. Could she have gone out with the last visitor? But no, he -heard her say good-bye and remind the others about Friday. How was it -he had not heard her go? He never heard the inner door open again. She -must be in the passage. - -His heart beat so that he could almost hear it; but he was impelled -onward. Then his hand touched some clothes; he turned to ice! but he -came to his senses directly, for the garments were cold and empty. Some -one was heard coughing and spitting in one of the rooms, it was Kate; -then the children were heard talking in the kitchen or dining-room. -He stood still, like any criminal, when he heard these accustomed -every-day sounds. He ought never to have embarked on this proceeding. -He heard the aunt's droning questions and Ole's clear answers; that is -to say, he heard their voices, but not what they said. Was Ragni in the -passage? She might have been looking for something and have stopped in -her fright at seeing him. If he went on, he might startle her so that -she might rush up to any door and open it. There he would be then -visible to all! - -Still, she was too timid for that. He advanced a few steps. He was in -slippers, so his steps were hardly audible; but he hoped that she was -not there. The children were talking in the room at the end of the -passage; he could hear them so distinctly now the nearer he came; he -seemed to see them kneeling each on her chair and building houses at -the table. He was ashamed of himself; what business had he there? But -though he asked himself that question, he went on all the same; he went -from one side to the other, touching first a cloak, then a shawl, then -the panel of a door, then one of the coloured passage windows, which he -could just distinguish. A carriage rattled past; soon after there came -a sound of sleigh-bells dying away in the distance; in this kind of -half-thaw both carriages and sledges were used. Something fell down in -the kitchen; Kate began to cough again; how long time must seem to him! -probably he never used lights? Surely the door between the children's -room and the kitchen was open, for they ran in there to find out what -had fallen down; he heard the north-country servant answer with lazy -good-nature; it was a wooden dish that fell, it tumbled out of the -rack. Still he went on. If Ragni were there she must be in the extreme -corner. How frightened she must be by this time! What must she think of -him? Were he to turn back now, he would look like an unsuccessful -thief. It was a little lighter by the window, but no further; no light -came either from under or over the doors, not even through the -keyholes, or from the children's room. Could she be standing there? He -fancied he must see her were she there. - -Perhaps she had gone from the passage in to see her aunt? Close by his -own door? Or she might have left the door of Kate's or the children's -room open when she went out, and have shut it again just as he opened -his. Could she be sitting there dreaming? He felt sure of it; but that -was because he wished it to be so. But still he went forward. At last -close up to the door he could hear the children in their room and the -servant bustling about in the kitchen to the left. He turned round and -felt much relieved. He walked back much faster, keeping his hands in -front of him; suddenly he took hold of a warm, firm arm. He shivered -and trembled, sparks seemed to flash from his eyes; he stopped -abruptly. But the arm scarcely moved, so he regained courage. He let -his arm glide slowly down from the arm and round the waist, which he -cautiously encircled. It felt soft and pliable; she stood quite still -but trembled a little. He gave a faint pressure. With his other hand he -took hold of her hand and gently pressed it; it trembled too. He -pressed it again--and step by step they moved slowly forward--without -resistance, but still not quite willingly. He could just hear his own -footsteps, but hers not at all; the children were talking quietly now. -There was not a sound to be heard either in Kule's, or in the aunt's -room; but in front of them was an open chink at his door. They arrived -there; he pushed it open gently and would have led her in; but here she -stopped and tried to draw away her hand. He heard her breathing and -felt her breath, could just make out the pale face as he gently pushed -her to the threshold, then over it, and closed the door behind them. -Here he let go his hold of her so as to shut the door as quietly as -possible. She stood with her back to him just as he left her; but with -her face buried in her hands; when he came up to her she began to cry. -He put his arm round her to draw her closer to him; and her crying -turned to sobbing. She sobbed so bitterly and grievously that his blood -was sobered and a fresh train of thought set in. Unresistingly she let -him lead her to the sofa; she sobbed so despairingly that he felt he -must have a light, as one would if anyone were taken ill. So he made -haste to trim the lamp, remembered though that the blinds must first be -pulled down, so he did that and then lit the lamp. - -No one could weep like that who had not been for days and nights shut -in with their grief. The very table she leaned on shook with her sobs. - -Hundreds of times he had made fun of those lovers who in novels and -plays go down upon their knees; but now he pushed the end of the table -a little to one side and let himself sink on his knees before her like -the humblest sinner. He was trying to see her face, but with both hands -she held her handkerchief up before it. Her head, shoulders, and bosom -heaved with her violent weeping, he felt each movement, and begged and -implored her to forgive him! He had not been master of himself when he -spoke those words to her that night on the ice. He loved her, they -belonged to each other. "Oh, do not weep so!" he entreated, "I cannot -bear it!" He took her hands in his and sat down on the sofa beside her, -he laid her head on his shoulder and put his arms round her; he kissed -her hair, he pressed her tear-stained cheek against his own; but she -cried just as much in this position as in the former one. He wanted to -give her some wine. No, ho no!--but it was really terrible this crying. -Could it be because he had brought her in to his room? He had been -longing so to see her that he could not resist it when he heard her in -the passage. Surely she would not have him leave without saying -good-by? Was he never to see her again? She shook her head, and -disengaging herself from his grasp, laid her head down on the table and -sobbed into her handkerchief, more piteously than ever. "Do you wish me -to leave?" he asked; but she did not hear him. He allowed her to cry -on; after some little time he bent down to her and said: "I will do all -you wish me to do." Then she raised herself in all her tears from the -table and threw herself in his arms. He folded both arms round her, and -felt, as he held her in that close embrace, that she took it in a -higher and nobler way than he did. - -But someone was at the door and it was opened; it was the servant with -his supper. In a great fright he took away his arms and stood up; but -Ragni merely laid herself down on the table again and sobbed. Carefully -the servant put down the tray on the vacant edge of the table, with -equal care she moved the lamp a little and pushed the tray further in. -She was red in the face and did not look at either of them; but she had -the usual smile which seemed to say: I have been expecting this for -long! And now Kallem fancied there was a quiet roguish delight in that -smile, so very differently can one look at one and the same thing. She -came in very quietly and went out equally so, and shut the door as -gently as though he himself had done it. - -"Good God! Ragni!" he exclaimed. She answered not a word, it seemed to -her a trifling matter, engrossed as she was in her own grief. Again he -took her and drew her close to him, then she said: "Oh, how unhappy I -am!"--and that was really the only thing she said all the time she sat -there. He could answer nothing but what would have sounded very stupid. -He tried to say something and took refuge in caresses; but she got up -and drew herself away--she wished to leave him. He felt he was not able -to keep her any longer, but took her to the door. Before she opened it, -she turned to him with a look of sorrowing devotion, like one in -death-agony. He put out the lamp and she slipped out. - -But just as she shut the door behind her, a faint ray of light fell on -her, it came from the little recess that led into the aunt's room; at -that very moment the door opened and her aunt stood before her--looking -to Ragni's fevered imagination like a huge whale on two legs. Of -course, the aunt had heard Ragni crying in her lodger's room, and had -seen at a glance how to account for Ragni's strange manner the last few -days. So she had kept guard outside her own door, and just as Ragni was -leaving Kallem's room, she gave a push to her door, thereby causing the -light to fall full on her. Her aunt put out her hand; that was as much -as to say: "This way, my lady!" And Ragni obeyed, and her aunt let her -pass in before her. She was not alone. There stood a sofa against the -wall nearest to the room she had just quitted; a tall, fair man with a -mild and gentle face rose up from the sofa-corner; it was Ole Tuft. It -was he who had first heard her cry and had been outside their door. -Ragni sank down onto a chair between the sofa and the door. - - -The next day she was in bed. But before Kallem went out he got a note -from her in which she told him that her aunt had heard her crying in -his room, and so had Tuft; he had also been at their door. There was -nothing more in the note; but low down at the bottom of the page the -almost illegible words: "Never more." - -In the midst of all the fright which now came over him, too, Kallem -thought those poor little words "never more" so eloquent, that they -caused his eyes to fill with tears, but his heart to take fresh -courage. Something must be done now! Her aunt and Ole Tuft had -evidently been cross-questioning her. He had heard nothing of it, so it -must either have been done very quietly or else not in that room at -all. Poor, poor Ragni! - -He was full of the greatest compassion, of furious indignation, of -fear, revenge, boundless love, disappointment, rage! - -He dressed himself and hurried out into the street. Where to? He would -go to Ole Tuft; the confounded croaker meddling in his affairs! He was -both spy and detective! What the devil did he want? What was his -object? Was that walking in "the ways of God," that too? Peeping -through key-holes and listening at doors? It was all in "the ways of -God" that this fellow had stolen his handsome sister from him; was he -now to rob him of his love? Why had he not gone direct to him? Why -first tell the aunt? - -He felt the greatest desire to go and maltreat him, to nearly half kill -him. By heavens, he deserved it! He turned round really intending to go -there; but then he seemed to see his sister's great eyes gazing -steadfastly at him. It was no fancy; turn about as he would, on every -side he was met by those clear eyes. He seemed even to feel her cheek -resting against his like that last evening they were together. The end -of it was that he walked past. But that brought him in the -neighbourhood of his old lodgings, and he thought of Rendalen. He would -go to him! He would not keep one item of the truth from him; it would -be such happiness to unburden one's self. At a little distance from the -door he saw someone coming out. Was it----? Ole Tuft! The scoundrel -himself! ... Kallem's blood boiled; but Tuft went the other way and -never saw his brother-in-law. - -Kallem did not know Tuft at all as he was now. Had he done so, he would -have understood that for him it was a question of saving two souls from -perdition. He lived in a state of feverish sleeplessness for the sake -of these two precious souls, and sought help; and allowed himself no -peace or rest till he had accomplished his aim. He might have gone -himself to Kallem, but it might have been dangerous, and certainly was -useless. Other steps must be taken in this matter. If Kallem had had -any inkling of this, instead of going to Rendalen, he would have -followed Tuft home and have beaten him till he could not stand. - -Fortunately, however, he suspected nothing and rang at Rendalen's door, -full of all he was going to tell him. Rendalen opened the door himself -at once; he was almost ready dressed to go out; he stood there with his -hat on and his overcoat in his hand, well brushed and carefully got up. -As soon as he saw Kallem, he lifted his head like a war-horse -confronting the enemy. "You here?" he exclaimed. Kallem walked in -quickly, highly astonished. Rendalen shut the door, locked it as well, -and flung his hat and coat from him. "I was just getting ready to go to -you!" he hissed out the words; he was quite pale through all his -freckles, his thin lips tightly pressed together, his small gray eyes -flashing. And now he clenched his broad, short hands, the hands of a -giant, till they got quite white. His red hair stood on end and seemed -to rival the eyes in flashing fire; the enormous bodily strength of the -man made Kallem uneasy and alarmed. "What the devil is the matter?" The -other answered in the greatest rage, though subdued: "Tuft has been -here and told me everything. Ah, I see you turn pale." He came still -closer to him: "She was the most innocent creature on earth--you -villain!" His voice trembled. - -"Oh, come now!" said Kallem, but he turned cold as ice. But the other -had no longer any control over himself and interrupted: "You think I -know nothing about such things? Why, it is common to every single -individual! And do you know why I moved away from there? Do you imagine -that I have less power and influence over anyone than you? You damned, -cowardly villain!" He poured forth these words like wild shrieks out of -his troubled spirit, and yet he spoke more quietly than he had -previously done. Anger and scorn in such a degree is always infectious. - -"Oh, don't you be jealous, man!" shouted Kallem. If a bucket full of -blood had been poured over Rendalen, he could not have turned redder, -and as suddenly turned white again. In vain he strove to speak, but -not being able, he went straight at Kallem, piercing him with his -eyes, so that they almost burnt him. He just managed to say: "I have -the--the--the greatest wish to fight you!" - -"Come on!" said Kallem, and put himself into position. Hardly had he -thus mockingly challenged him, before Rendalen's right hand swung round -in the air. Kallem stooped down and then rose unhurt, but kept on -provoking him. Rendalen rushed at him again. Kallem nimbly jumped on -one side. "Are you out of your senses?" shouted he, loudly. - -Rendalen stood there just as if someone had seized him from behind and -were holding him, and by degrees he seemed to lose all power. He stared -in front of him stiff and pale, until at last, summoning all his -strength of will to his aid, he succeeded in turning away and walked -slowly to the window, placed himself in front of it, and stared -vacantly out in the air. His breathing was so rapid that Kallem thought -he would have had a fit. Kallem himself stood quite motionless; he was -too angry to go near him. To him Rendalen was a mystery; a moment ago a -prey to the most violent passion, and now half paralysed. Nothing was -heard but the sound of his breathing; his face was unhappy--so utterly, -miserably unhappy! What in the world was the meaning of it all? He -looked at his companion, till all his old kindly feeling for him woke -up again; and without further ado he went up to the window too and -stood beside him. "You must not take it so much to heart," he said; "it -is not so bad as you perhaps think." The other did not answer; perhaps -he never heard it, he kept on looking out of the window as before. Or, -perhaps he did not believe him, and thought he was scoffing. Then -Kallem smiled, and his smile was unmistakable, it was good and genuine. -Life and color seemed to come into Rendalen's face again; he turned his -head. In joyful haste Kallem said: "Upon my soul, I have done her no -harm, old fellow." Rendalen did not at once take in what he said; he -could not turn it about in his mind so quickly; but when Kallem put his -head closer to him and said: "Upon my honor I have not!" then -Rendalen's heart rejoiced and he put his arms round him. - -Overcome as they both were, there followed an exchange of confidences -which was boundless. Rendalen heard how it had all come about, and how -it was they came to love each other. It made a great impression on -Rendalen, which he neither could nor would try to conceal. So Kallem -asked him openly whether he too loved her? Again Rendalen turned pale -and ill at ease, and Kallem felt unhappy at his own thoughtlessness; -but it could not be rectified. The conversation came to a dead stop, -and Rendalen's eyes avoided his. When, at last, he succeeded in shaping -his answer, he said: "I am not at liberty to love anyone. That is why I -moved." - -Kallem felt this to the very marrow of his bones. Rendalen sat with -his arms on the table, and a book in his hands which he kept turning -over and looking at both outside and in. "There is madness in our -family--widely spread. My father was mad. I--well, you know how -ungovernable I am--I am on the borders of it. My father was exactly the -same. So that when you said that there--about being out of my senses, -you hit the mark. The very words of my mother. I dare not give in. Not -in love either. All the same I could not always resist. However, I have -no wish to confess. Music helps me to forget; but here it betrayed me, -and has done so before, too." He put the book from him, took another -one, and laid it on the first one, spinning them round on the table. -Then he heard Kallem say, half laughingly: "And so you chose me for -your substitute?" - -"What the deuce could I do? I thought you were an honorable man." - - -In the evening Kallem struggled to write a letter to the apothecary, he -wanted him to help them. The more he wrote, the more impossible he -found it to explain to the old bachelor and crusty naturalist, what -love was, and in what sore distress was she for whom he now wrote to -ask for help; he tore up his letter. Quickly he determined to try his -father. The latter had done all he could to help Ole Tuft; perhaps he -now would help someone else? His father was very peculiar, but he was a -warm-hearted man and hated injustice. Edward Kallem had never heard of -anything more unjust than Ragni's self-imposed lot; he was almost -certain that his father would feel the same. So he told him about their -love--quite without reserve; he promised that if his father would help -her, this treaty should be like a consecration. He would apply himself -more earnestly than ever to his studies; he would strive to obtain the -highest of everything. And though it might be long before they could -marry, both on account of his as well as her further education--he -would wait for her as faithfully as she for him; that was his solemn -promise. And he hoped his father had no reason to think he would break -that promise; but rather take him at his word and help her. - -He was not mistaken in this. Three days afterward he had an answer by -telegram, that everything was arranged according to his wish; the -necessary should be sent by the first post. With this victorious -telegram in hand, he began to work his and Rendalen's mutual plan; to -have her sent over to Kallem's cousin at Madison. He wrote to him at -once and asked him to cable "yes" or "no." - -He obtained a first meeting with her through the servant, who showed -herself to be thoroughly faithful to Ragni; it was in a street outside -the town and did not last long; the servant was with her. He told her -at once what were his plans and how it could be arranged, and who was -to have a hand in the matter. She was so frightened that he thought it -would be impossible to proceed; on no consideration would she leave the -children. He was in despair after this meeting, and went to Rendalen to -complain. He at once suggested that the children could be sent to his -mother; he would write to her about it. When Kallem, at their next -"rendezvous," told her this, Ragni seemed to hesitate; she acknowledged -humbly that she could never educate them so well herself. But what she -partially agreed to the one day, she drew back from the next; every -time she had been with the children it again all seemed so impossible -to her. And as she each time worked herself up to such a pitch of -excitement that all the passers-by stared at them, they could no longer -keep their appointments in the street. There could be no question of -their meeting anywhere but at his or Rendalen's rooms; but Ragni had -again become so shy that he doubted whether she would consent. He -prepared her for it by letters, and got Marie also to try and persuade -her to it, and to accompany her. At last this succeeded too. After this -they met a few times at his rooms, once too, at Rendalen's; but always -there was the same undecided wavering and hesitation as to what she -would do, and always there was great despair. She was afraid, too, of -the actual journey; fancy going all the way to America, alone! And -alone from New York to Madison; that was the worst of all! It was -impossible, quite impossible! Marie would like to go with her; Kallem -promised her a ticket; but on no account could they both forsake the -children; no, it was most wrong even to think of such a thing. Then -Marie would wait until the children were properly provided for. - -If she really were to start, she would have to go on board without -anyone knowing anything of it; therefore the necessary things for the -voyage would have to be bought; but as a matter of course, all would -have to be most carefully arranged. He expected to meet with opposition -in this; but she was still such a child, that before it was really -settled about the voyage, he had persuaded her to buy all her -travelling outfit; it amused her immensely. If only he could manage -to have a good long talk with her, or see her every day just for a -little--but she was cautious to an extreme. Then he wrote letters yards -long; she dare not answer, she fancied she was watched by her aunt and -the north-country kitchen-maid; but as the letters told her of all the -strength of his love, and as they, with all the cunning of love, were -written to charm her imagination, they effected a great deal more than -the meetings had done. It was thanks to the cunning Marie that these -letters reached their destination; she was too clever both for the aunt -and for the north-country girl. As long as these arrangements were -going on and keeping his strength up to the mark, Kallem lived for -nothing else. Perseverance increases our courage; and when at last the -cable came with "yes," he ventured to form a bold plan. It consisted in -getting everything ready by the time the next big English steamer was -to start, and not to say a word to her about it, but to make sure that -she that day should have an excuse for going out early and remaining -out a long time, and also arrange for Marie to be at liberty. He made -an appointment for Ragni to meet him at his rooms two hours before the -steamer was to sail; both ticket and luggage were all ready. - -On the appointed day and at the given hour, she and Marie appeared. -Ragni's luggage had been sent on board early in the morning and the -carriage ordered and paid for. Nothing was to be seen in the rooms -that called to mind a departure; but the way he received her made -her afraid that something was brewing. Formerly he had been so -self-contained--partly, too, because Marie was always present--now he -embraced Ragni with all the tenderness he was capable of, and seemed as -though he could not let her go. His grief had no regard for others; -neither did he seek to hide anything, but, with both her hands in his, -and gazing into her eyes, he told her hurriedly that her luggage had -been sent on board; the steamer would sail in two hours; and here was -the ticket. - -She understood directly that this was the choice between him and -everything else--there was no time to reflect. And that was how he -gained the day. At first she stood there in speechless helplessness; -then she crept close up to him and stayed there. He kissed her -"welcome;" they held each other in a close embrace and wept. The -servant saw someone coming outside the windows and drew down the -blinds, so there was only a dim light in the room; and they, too, heard -Marie crying in the next room. Their embrace gradually became a -whispered conversation, at first interrupted, but then accompanied by -subdued sobbing, which was checked and began again, like music with -sourdine. There were whispers of the day when he would journey after -her, never again to part from her; and whispers of how true a friend he -would be to her; that their future was worthy of sacrifice now; that -both his and her letters should be like diaries--short, hurried words -of endless love, all from him; hers was the weeping, sourdine-like. - -Although this was the hour of departure, this hour they spent together -now, it was the first time that they had so completely and -undisturbedly shown their devotion for each other. The novelty of it -shone in upon their grief till there seemed to be a sunny haze around -them. Soon her hushed sobbing became a whisper; the first time she -spoke he wanted to look at her, but she would not allow it. If he would -sit quite still and not look at her, then she would tell him something. -He was the white pasha! She would not tell him what she meant by it, it -would take too long; but she had been waiting for the white pasha from -the time she was a child; that is to say, since her father died; she -was then twelve years old. She had suffered much, most of all when she -came home from Berlin and had not sufficient courage to play in public; -but neither would she tell him about that; it would take too long. -Always she had dreamt of this white pasha; ah, if he would but come! -She was quite confident that he would come. Even when she went down to -the "whales," she knew he would follow her; he would find the way. Once -she had thought that Rendalen was the white pasha; but, as it turned -out, he was not; he had moved away to make room for the real one to -come. The first evening they two had met in the silent falling snow. -Why should they have met there? She had looked at him then and thought, -wonderingly: Is he the white pasha? The next time they met he had -carried little Juanita, and then she felt almost certain that none -other would have thought of that. But then everything seemed to have -come so rapidly, and it was all so different from what she had -imagined. He asked in a whisper if she would tell him what had made her -go down to the "whales" a year ago; she shuddered when he asked her. -And even after her marriage, did she still expect the white pasha to -come? More eagerly than ever. Had she not known then what marriage was? -She pressed closer to him and was silent. - -Although he was just on the verge of learning what he most wished to -know, he stopped. - -He told her that it was arranged so that Rendalen was to meet Ragni on -board; the former was going home for a few days and would take care of -her. Then they got up. - -Would Kallem not take her to the steamer? He put his arms round her, -hid his face on her shoulder and said, he dare not. This was the -hardest blow of all. For a while she was quite overcome; then they sat -down again and took leave of each other, a long, harrowing farewell. -Marie was on thorns. He would have taken her down to the carriage; but -Marie forbade it most decidedly; they must not be seen together by -anyone. - -He heard the carriage drive away, but did not see it, and in all the -succeeding years he looked back upon that moment as the most terrible -he had ever experienced. - -He did not go out to see the steamer sail away in the distance; but in -the afternoon he went down to the place where she had lain. - -From there he went for a long walk--and timed it so that her aunt -should see him. It was part of his plan. - -For a time this kept all suspicion away from him. No one could suppose -that the person who had arranged Ragni's flight and who was the cause -of it, would come to the front so soon. - -Everyone who remembers this event, will remember, too, how severely she -was condemned. A stranger, shy, and without relations, she had left no -remembrance of herself--unless it were of her poetical playing so full -of song; and that could not plead for her now. A year ago she had -undertaken to live for her dead sister's children; and now she had -forsaken them. The blind man whom she had married was her own choice; -she had had no difficulties with him. - -If she regretted it, why not say so openly? Why behave in that sly, -underhand way? - -It was hard for Kallem to listen to all this; had he ruined her -reputation? Already everyone took it for granted that she had had a -"liaison" with someone; and the hour was not far distant when it would -be asserted that _he_ was the guilty one. - -He met the children with Marie outside the university one day, and they -both rushed straight at him. What would he not have given had it been -Ragni who came smiling after them? Of course he took the children into -a confectioner's and heard them tell how "mamma had gone away in a -large ship," "mamma was coming back for Christmas with new dresses and -new dolls." - -There was an illustrated paper lying on the table; Juanita took it into -her head that all the ladies in the pictures were "mamma;" when her -sister said no, she just moved her little finger on to another, "that's -mamma!" - -That same day Kallem had been present at an unsuccessful operation; a -mishap occurred and the patient nearly bled to death. His nerves were -so upset at this time that it made a great impression on him. But when -he left the children and went to his dinner, it seemed to him as though -he were the unsuccessful operator. He had wished to set Ragni free, but -he had done it badly, and now her good name was bleeding to death. -Social life altogether was a network of muscles, sinews, and veins.... - -He was sitting in the university library a few days later, reading and -studying some plates in front of him, when he looked up to see Ole -Tuft, fresh and smiling, before him. He did not know where Kallem was -living now, and so had gone to find him here. Kallem got up and went -out with him. - -None of Kallem's fierce courage remained to threaten his -brother-in-law; he no longer desired to half kill him, not even to look -reproachfully at him; and he would be more than satisfied if Ole did -not cast reproachful glances at him. Probably Ole knew, as all must -know who were in any way connected with the event, that Edward Kallem -was the sinner. He must have heard it from Josephine, who would hear it -from her father--or, was he mistaken? Was there not a mixture of doubt -in Ole's friendliness? A suspicion as to his thorough honorableness? A -warning that such a beginning could never lead to victory? Or, was all -this hearty friendliness sincere, genuine "brotherly love"--fostered by -a young theologian's obedience to the command: "Love one another?" - -Ole came to announce that he had finished his studies and was going -home; his joy was great. He asked if he should take any message; he -said he hoped soon to begin his "work;" he hinted at what then would -happen; the way was clear before him and the goal was not a small -one. All who passed in and out of the library stopped to look at the -good-looking young fellow. - -Edward stood bare-headed up on the library steps, as Ole Tuft, in his -heavy sort of way, went slouching across the square. This much was -true: there went a man who was sure in himself; his beginning was -thorough and complete, as was his nature. - - - - - - MANHOOD - - - - - I. - - -"----Justification has its origin in the mercy of God. It cannot have -it in the sinner or his moral struggles with self; for he is unjust. -And as such he neither deserves it nor can he lay claim to it. God's -sublime will alone can justify him." - -The clergyman walked backwards and forwards, learning by heart from the -written sheets he held in his hand. The sun was shining brightly in at -both windows; they looked to the southwest and were wide open; a milky -whiteness seemed to come through the furthest window and shed itself -over the gray varnished floor; fluttering aspen-leaves were reflected -on the window; the aspen-trees stood trembling by the railing outside -on the road. The scent of auriculas, lilacs, and laburnums streamed in -from the garden; he recognised each particular scent floating through -the air; for he had planted both trees and flowers himself; they were -his pets. If the breeze were a little stronger, regardless of -everything, it would waft through the whole garden a powerful whiff -from the budding birches and fresh pine-needles on the fir-trees which -stood outside his domain; each time followed by a whiff of all sorts of -things from the open fields; there was a smell of growing. - -Hush! - -"----What makes God so merciful to the poor unjust man, who can do -nothing by himself? It is His unfathomable love for sinners, His -unmerited loving-kindness, that makes him so." - -The steamer whistled for the third time; no, this was irresistible, he -must watch the steamer as it steamed away from the pier in a long -curve, and out across the lake, cutting the mirror-like water in two; -the larger share fell to the islands yonder, the lesser to the shore -here by the town. He took up his telescope from his desk. The pier down -below was full of many-colored parasols, with a mixture of men's hats, -mostly dark in colour, and here and there were linen hoods and -kerchiefs, oftenest several of them together. - -He heard steps to the right in the sand; they came from his mother's -garden and were coming to this one--steps of a grown-up person and two -small child's steps to one of the other's. "I say, mother, what has the -steamer got inside its stomach?" "Ha, ha!" Then there came a woman who -gave one the impression of great power and strength. A powerful throat -and full chest, exceptionally well made; a dark-looking face, rather -large and with a hooked nose; the hair was almost black. She had on a -cream-colored muslin dress spotted with bright-red flowers; it was made -with a red silk yoke and a belt of the same stuff and colour. It was a -striking contrast to her dark complexion, black hair, and clear eyes; -she showed her appreciation of the warm spring day by her consummate -brilliancy of colouring. But directly she saw the smiling Melancthon -face in the window, she let down her red parasol between them. She led -her little boy by the hand, a pretty little fellow about four years -old, with fair hair and a face like the face of him standing in the -window. The boy dropped his mother's hand, opened the gate between the -two gardens, and ran past to open the next gate out to the road. As his -wife passed by, the clergyman whispered: "I congratulate you! You are -charming!" But there was a bitter sweetness in the tone. Ought a -clergyman's wife to dress as she did? - -Without lowering her parasol, she walked on to the open gate and along -the road down toward the town; the little boy hastened to shut the gate -and ran after her. "Where are you going?--Down to see!" shouted the boy -as he ran on. The back of her neck seen under her hat, her figure -against the sunlight, her walk, the bright colours ... the clergyman -stood in the window drumming on the sill and whistling noiselessly. His -glistening eyes continued to follow her--till he got up, giving a -powerful push to the sill with all five fingers. - -"----God does not punish, He is long-suffering, He wishes to save. -But not as the leader of an army gives quarter, or a king grants -an amnesty (perhaps they won't all understand 'amnesty;' should I -say--oblivion?... No, that's not enough; 'merciful oblivion;' well -then--); but not as the leader of an army gives quarter or a king -grants merciful oblivion; not like that does God judge; no, that would -be contrary to God's eternal holiness. Justification is certainly an -act of mercy, but it is also an act of judgment. It needs a fundamental -law, that is, the claims of the law, which is God's own, must be -fulfilled." - -Now this was decidedly very juridical. - -He looked down into the book which lay open on the desk between the two -windows; he compared it with the one he held in his hand. All the while -he listened to the roar of the steamer which came cutting in across the -lake. He felt obliged to look out of the furthest window, and the -result was that unconsciously he sat himself down there. The sun was -shining on the steamer's white awning, a line of foam stretched between -shore and island like a rope; not the tiniest cloud was in the sky, so -that the smoke rose up against a clear background and the noise of the -steamer was heard distinctly. The clergyman looked from the steamer to -the town, to the shore, across the lake, and towards the hills away on -the other side of the lake; the snow still lay on most of the distant -blue hills. The noise of the steamer seemed to fill everything, like -another sermon following upon his own. The modest fragrance coming from -his own little garden attracted his eyes from the greater to the less. -Little Edward and he had done it all together, that is to say, he had -really done it, and little Edward had been there to make mischief. The -minister examined first the beds on which as yet nothing had come up, -then he looked at those that had been first finished, they already -wanted weeding. Little Edward could very well help with that. Tiresome, -very; but he had promised himself that nobody but he should touch the -garden this year; bending is a healthy thing, it causes the gall to mix -freely with the blood. His thoughts turned unconsciously to his wife; -when would she come to him with a glass of wine and a bit of cake? It -is in the nature of women to guess our weaknesses and to be lenient to -them. He looked up, she had disappeared; he then stood bolt upright: - -"----The claims of the law, which are God's own, must be fulfilled. If -a sinner could do this by himself, then there would be no mercy in -justification; consequently it must be by the help of another. - -"But even this atonement by another must come of God's saving mercy, if -it is not to do away with justification (oh, how juridical!). If this -work of mercy is to be a benefit to all, then the atonement must be -extended to the whole of sinful humanity. If only the Almighty Himself -can bring about a like atonement, a like reconciliation and -justification. - -"It is a basis of faith for all Christians, that this doctrine of the -salvation of the world, and the forgiveness of sins of the whole of -humanity, once for all, are obtained through Jesus Christ, and that -each individual sinner can reap the benefit thereof." - -He looked up. Surely the steamer should be ... yes, there it is. He -went to the window and remained standing there. The ship shot out in a -straight line towards the headland, which stretched so far that it -almost reached to the island. The large town which lay to the right, -and of which the headland formed the nose, stretched itself out almost -the whole way across; the sea lay between. Farm upon farm lay in the -sun, verdant and fruitful; here and there were large gaps that showed -the distance between the farms. But that side which stretched out -toward the island appeared to be nothing but a flat tongue of land; the -steamer had to go through the narrow strait out yonder and disappear in -the large bay beyond. - -What a puffing and groaning! Just as if nature had learnt to speak! -That is to say, the entire surroundings, not only a part of them. -Supposing a string were strung across the whole country and a bow were -to be drawn over it, it would be like the sound of the steamer's -noise---- - -Hush! - -"----God has so willed it, and has ordained it so, that a sinner can be -justified by His grace, through Christ who has fulfilled the law for -us. The merits of Christ and the righteousness of Christ have paid all -our debts. Everyone can in a way take a share for himself of the -righteousness that Christ has gained for the world." No, stop a bit, is -not that going rather far? Still that is about the meaning of it. - -Soon after this he lay stretched out at the window, leaning on his -elbows, as if he had no intention of ever getting up again. As -Josephine had not returned with the little one, he gazed down the road -and over the sea and island, thinking of the islet that lay out there -to the left; he could not see it from here; but he knew it was there, -and that it was so amusing. His thoughts flew rapidly from the -mountains to the steamer again; it was struggling forward towards the -little strait. The island out yonder had a garden hat on, and now it -seemed as if a veil were added as well from the smoke of the steamboat. -Surely the wind was blowing from a different quarter out there? No, now -it seems the same over here too. The wind chops and changes at this -time of year. No scent from trees, gardens, or fields was wafted -towards him now, we shall probably soon see the fan of the screw -drawing black lines through the water. To the left, down by the sea, an -engine whistle screamed shrilly; perchance a train was about to start, -or perhaps they were only shunting a luggage train. - -Good heavens, how quiet everything was otherwise! He could hear -children's voices from afar, even the very vibrations were audible. -Hammering and sawing could be heard every now and then in the new house -at the corner of the beach street and the road that turned up this way; -the sound seemed to proceed from an empty space. The staccato puffs of -the groaning steamer could still be faintly heard in the distance. The -house he was in lay in a free and open space, it was therefore that he -had so extensive a view and could hear everything so distinctly; all -this, however, would be over when once the fields were parcelled off -for building purposes. - -He fell into deep thought on this subject; would it not be wise for him -to buy up land? He wished to do so very much; but house and ground and -everything they had belonged to his wife. His own little fortune was -invested in the tiny house and garden to the right, where his mother -lived. - -There are many advantages in having a rich wife, even though the -marriage contract may leave her free to dispose of her fortune -as she chooses; many little comforts are gained which make life -pleasanter and work easier; besides it certainly increases one's -authority--particularly a clergyman's. Much good may be done which -others have to deny themselves, and this may be turned to power. -He had felt this and had felt the comfort of it. It pleased him. - -But----. All "buts" proceed from the person who has the disposal -of the fortune. "Just as the congregation is subject to Christ----" -Hush!--Again he began to read, aloud this time: "An outer foundation -for justification is therefore that Jesus has fulfilled the laws; the -inner condition is that the sinner believe this. However much God may -be reconciled with the world, He can grant His grace to that sinner -only who is attached to Christ through faith in Him as his Saviour." - -The book was lowered, the minister was not conscious of what he was -reading. There was a certain passage in Ephesians that made him pause. -If the wife be not subject in all things, ... now, just the fact of the -wife having the disposal of her fortune, would sow seeds of dissent. - -He was so firmly persuaded of this and could produce such convincing -proofs, that he neither saw nor heard a thing, near or distant--except -as though he were listening to another person's account of it. He -drummed on the window-sill and looked down the road. Two newly awakened -butterflies circling round each other above and below his window, had -not the smallest idea of all the difficulties that can ensue when one -has a fortune and not the disposal of it. A little further away, shaded -by the boy's footstool which had stood there forgotten for some days, a -graceful declytera with its thin stalk covered with little red bells, -rang her wedding-bells, a wedding without the slightest regard to the -epistle to the Ephesians, V. 24. Therefore it was overlooked by the -minister. Not even the bees belonging to Nergård the gardener--up here -perhaps for the first time this year (would they remember the way, now -that the wind had changed and the scent of the flowers gave them -warning)--not even the bees did he hear buzzing round the new blossoms -shaded by the house. Matrimonial difficulties as regards Ephesians V. -24, can weave a covering for the head even though the sun's rays be -shining on the hair. His eyes were blind as the wind itself as he let -them wander over the town, yonder on the gentle slope, with its three -shades of green, the meadows, the corn-fields, and the woods. Just at -that moment there lay a long black stripe across the water, and some -single wavy lines; he was in the midst of it all, but saw nothing. A -cow tethered over the way was lowing for water, water! All around him -seemed in a state of invisible expectancy ... until the despairing cry -of a child seemed to pierce the warm spring air, ... one single scream. -He seemed to hear each vibration, it was like a cutting hand laid on -his chest; he started up, listening breathlessly for the next. Would it -never come, that next scream; the child must have disappeared after the -first ... no, there it is again. The first scream had been despairing, -this next was horror itself, and the next one too and the following -one!... The minister stood there quite pale, with all his senses on the -alert. He heard rapid footsteps across the sand to the right; it was -his mother who came to the gate between the two gardens; she was a thin -old woman, a black cap covering her chalk-white hair, which framed in a -cautious and dry-looking face. - -"No," exclaimed the minister, "no, God be praised, that is not Edward; -that flourish in the crying was not his; no, there are no flourishes -about him; he bellows right out, he does!" - -"Whoever it is, it's a bad business," answered she. - -"You are right, mother," and in his heart he prayed for the little one -crying so pitifully. But when he had done that, he gave thanks that it -was not his boy, which was quite allowable. - -A tall man in light clothes and with a Stanley hat on, was walking up -the road while this was going on. He kept looking at the house and -garden; the minister looked at him too, but did not recognize him. He -bent his way to that side of the road, straight up to the steps--a tall -man with short, sun-burnt face, spectacles, and a peculiar rapid way of -walking; but, in all the world?... The minister drew back from the -window just as the stranger reached the steps, which he must have taken -at a bound, for now there was a footstep in the passage. Then came a -knock. - -"Come in!" - -The door opened wide, but the stranger still stood outside. - -"Edward!" - -The other made no answer. "What, Edward? you here! without first -letting me know? Is it really you?" The minister advanced to meet him, -gave him both hands and drew him in. "Welcome! dear old fellow, you are -heartily welcome!" His face was red with delight. - -Edward's sunburnt hands pressed those of his brother-in-law in answer, -his eyes glistened behind his spectacles; but he had not yet spoken. - -"Have you not a word to say, old fellow?" exclaimed the minister, -dropping his hands and laying his on his shoulders. "Did you not meet -your sister?" - -"Yes, it was she who told me where you lived." - -"And did you run and leave her? You wanted to get on quicker? I suppose -the boy walked too slowly for you?" asked the minister, his kind eyes -looking into the other's with unmixed joy. - -"That was not the only reason. What a pretty place you have here!" - -"I am sure your house will be just as nice, although I would have -preferred this north side of the town to the centre." - -"But there was no choice left me." - -"No, that is quite true. As you were going to buy the infirmary, you -were obliged to buy the doctor's house as well; for they go together. -Everyone thinks it was very cheap. And convenient in every way, and a -good deal of ground to it! What a long time you have been away! A long -time at a stretch.--And why did you not write now, and let me know? -Good heavens, how could I not know you directly! You are really almost -totally unchanged." He looked at his brother-in-law's thin face, which -seemed to have gained a milder expression. Then he went on talking. -They walked up and down beside each other, sometimes standing together -at the window. Then Edward turned to him: - -"But you, Ole, you are not unchanged." - -"Indeed! I thought I was. In fact, everyone says so." - -"No, you have got something of a clergyman's manner about you." - -"A clergyman? Ha, ha! you mean that I have got stouter? I assure you I -do everything a fellow can to prevent it; I work in the garden, I take -long walks; but all to no purpose!... You see, my wife takes too good -care of me. And everyone here is much too good to me." - -"You should do as I do." - -"And what do you do?" - -"I walk on my hands." - -"Ha, ha, ha, on my hands? I, in my position?" - -"In your position? If you walked up the church on your hands, that -would be a nice sermon!" - -"Ha, ha, ha! Can you really walk on your hands?" - -"Yes, I say, can?" At the same moment he proceeded to walk on his -hands; his short, loose tussore silk coat fell down over his head, the -minister gazed at it and at the back of his waistcoat, and at the piece -of shirt which showed between it and the band of his trousers, at part -of the braces, and lastly at the trousers down to the stockings, and -leather shoes with thick, gutta-percha soles. Kallem ran round the room -in no time. Ole hardly knew how to take it. Kallem stood panting on his -feet again, took off and wiped his spectacles, and began to examine the -bookshelves closely in his short-sighted way. - -The minister could distinctly feel that there was something the matter. -Something must have put his brother-in-law out. Could his sister have -said anything to wound him? No, dear me; what could it be? She who -admired him so greatly? He would ask right out what it was; why not -have it cleared up on the spot? Kallem had put his spectacles on and -passed across to the desk; a woodcut of Christ by Michael Angelo hung -just above it; he glanced casually at it, and then looked down at the -open pamphlet lying on the desk. And before the minister was -sufficiently recovered to ask any questions, Kallem said: "Johnsen's -systematic theology? I bought it at once at Kristianssand." - -"That book? You bought it?" - -"Yes, it was never to be had before. However, now it lay on the -counter. It was just like a new landchart." - -"Yes, it is not like Norway any longer," said the minister. "The most -of it is nothing but impossible jurisdiction." - -Astonished at the minister's answer, Kallem turned towards him. "Is -this way of thinking general among the younger Norwegian theologians?" - -"Yes. I laid it there so as to find out to-morrow all the different -opinions that exist on the doctrine of propitiation." - -"Ah, I see, that is a capital plan." Again Kallem looked out of the -window, for the fourth or fifth time. There could be no doubt that -something was the matter. - -"There they are!" he said. He was standing at the furthest window, and -Ole Tuft in front at the other; from it he could see his wife's parasol -above her muslin dress; she was walking slowly, and held her little boy -by the hand; he was evidently talking incessantly, for his face was -turned upwards towards her, whilst he jogged along the uneven road. -They kept to the other side. But here, just by the hedge, a lady was -walking. She raised her green parasol (what a beauty it was!). She was -not as tall as Josephine, but slight; she was looking about and turned -slightly; she was fair, with reddish hair, and had a tartan travelling -dress on; it had a decidedly foreign cut; she must surely be a -stranger. It was not at all wonderful that Edward ran on in front; he -wished to be alone and leave them by themselves. - -"Who can that lady be walking with Josephine? Did she come by the same -steamer as you?" - -"Yes, she did." - -"Do you know her, then?" - -"Yes; she is my wife." - -"Your wife? Are you a married man?" - -He said this with such a loud voice that both the ladies looked up. In -went his head into the room; but nothing but vacant air met him there; -the doctor's head was still outside. It was from out there the answer -came. "I have been married for six years." - -"For six years?" Out popped the minister's head again and stared at -Kallem with the greatest astonishment. Six years, he thought. "How -long ago is it since?... My dear fellow, it is scarcely six years -since?..." - -The ladies were now close by; the strange lady walking by the furthest -hedge, while Josephine and the boy had crossed over to the other side. -"I say, mother, why do little boys fall and knock their heads?" No -answer. "I say mother, why don't they fall on their legs?" No answer. -"Because the upper part of the body is heaviest, my boy!" It was Kallem -who said that. They all three looked up. - -He left the window to go and meet them, the minister followed after; -but he stopped at the bottom step. - -The strange lady's eyes were full of tears when Kallem joined them; in -vain she tried to hide it by looking about her on all sides. Josephine -was cold and stiff. Little Edward ran up to his father and told him how -Nicholas Andersen had climbed up the "ladder" (the boy pointed down to -the new house) and "then fallen down." And "the new lady" had tied up -his head with her handkerchief. This did not seem to interest the -minister as much as the boy expected, so he ran round the house and in -to tell his grandmother all about it. - -"I suppose I need not introduce her?" said Edward Kallem, with his hand -in his wife's and looking at the minister. The latter tried to find -something to say, but failed and glanced over at Josephine, who did not -look as if she were willing to help him. - -It was hardly a week ago since the zealous minister had written -condemning the numerous divorces that occurred, followed by fresh -marriages; it was an article in the _Morgenblad_ entitled "Marriage or -Free-love?" And he had shown, by the most convincing proofs, that, -according to the Scripture, the only ground for divorce was infidelity -between man and wife. Whatever man could convict his wife of adultery, -was free and could marry again; but if any man divorced his wife for -other reasons and got married again during her lifetime, then the first -marriage was valid and not the other one. Hardly a week ago he had -written all this, and with the full consent of his wife. And just -because this case of Kallem and Ragni Kule was still so fresh in -his memory, he had written how the wife of a sick man had grown -weary of the path in life chosen for her by God, and had had secret -love-dealings with another man; but as soon as it was discovered, she -had left him and got a divorce. Supposing, he wrote, that that woman -were to marry the man who had aided her in deceiving her husband? who -could call such a marriage as that aught but continued adultery? - -He had written it word for word. His wife entirely agreed with him; -beforehand, she hated the woman who had captivated her brother. And now -they both stood there before her, and Ragni was her brother's wife. - -This reunion could hardly have been more unfortunate. They had both -been so certain that he was now quite steady. He was a learned man now, -and had been offered a professorship; he was in fact the one of all the -younger doctors who was most thought of by the others. - -This was a dreadful disappointment! And think what it would be to live -together with them and introduce them to their circle of friends in the -congregation as Mr. and Mrs. Kallem? after putting his name to a -declaration that their marriage was not valid! - -Of course Kallem must have read it, he who was so eager to keep up with -the Norwegian bent of the times, that he actually read Johnsen's -dogmas.... In all probability, he would first and foremost read the -papers. He had read it, of course, and that explained all. There she -stood, not knowing which way to look, but pressing closer to him. And -he----? His right arm was round her, as though he wished to proclaim -she was his. She held her parasol up in her right hand and persisted in -trying to screen herself, but she could not bear it for long, she had -to look for her handkerchief, and not finding her own, took possession -of Kallem's. - -Mechanically the minister said: "Shall we not go in?" - -They did as he wished. He showed them over the house, while Josephine -went to get some refreshment ready. From the study, which looked into -the garden, they went into the large drawing-room looking on to the -road, into the drawing-room behind that again, and from there to the -kitchen at the north side of the house, and to which there was a -separate entrance; on the same side was the larder, and a spare -bed-room out to the garden, next to the minister's study, and with a -balcony in front corresponding to the steps at the other end of the -facade. Upstairs were several bed-rooms, etc. It barely took five -minutes to show them over the house. Nothing but a few necessary -remarks on the part of the minister, and from Kallem a sneering -allusion to the minister's occupying the spare bed-room, while -Josephine was upstairs with her boy; a similar speech later on, as he -stood before a rare collection of celebrated theologians hanging round -Luther's portrait on the largest wall of the room. He refused the -refreshments Josephine offered them, said good-bye and went. - -Ragni followed them about like an invisible being. As they were -going away, her long, narrow, hand whisked through the hands of her -brother- and sister-in-law like an ermine through a hole in the wall. -Her eyes glanced timidly at them like the shadow of a wing. The -minister went out to the steps with them, Josephine remaining behind at -the big window. - -Kallem walked so quickly that Ragni was obliged to take a little hop at -every third step; the minister stood and looked after them. This rapid -walking increased her agitation so that, when they had got about -half-way between the beach and the minister's house, she asked him to -stop. She began to cry. - -Kallem was surprised at this display of feeling so different to his -own; he was very angry. But he soon understood that she was probably -crying on account of his behaviour. He drew her up to the railing, and -leaning his back against it, said: "Have I not acted rightly?" - -"You were so cruel--oh, so cruel, and not only to him and to her, but -to me too; yes, especially to me. You never looked at me, never paid -the slightest attention to my being there." - -"But, my dear, it was just on your account." - -"Well, then I would rather go away again! I cannot bear that!" She -threw herself in his arms. - -"My dear! did you see what Josephine looked like?" - -"Of course I did," answered Ragni, and her head peeped up again, her -hat falling off, and her hair tumbled. "She will kill me some day!" and -again took refuge in his arms. - -"Well, well," said he, "she will not succeed in doing you any harm. But -am I not to fight your battles?" - -Forth she peeped again: "Not in that way! I would never have thought -you were like that! It was so--so unrefined, Edward," and she took and -shook him by the coat-collar. - -"Listen to me," said he, quietly; "what that fellow has written about -us, that is unrefined. And her silence? I thought that worse than -anything he had written." - -To this she answered nothing. After a pause he heard: "I am not suited -for this." - -He bent over her head; her hat had fallen off, but they neither of them -noticed it; he whispered softly through her reddish hair; she must not -give in at once, nor speak of dying or going away again. "We must take -it in a more manly way than that, don't you think so too?" - -"Yes, yes." Her rough head peeped out again: "But you must remember -that now I am with you; you cannot behave quite as if you were alone." - -No, he quite saw that, and stood there with a guilty conscience. - - -At the same time Josephine was again in the room looking on to the -road; there was only one window there, but a larger one than was usual, -and she stood leaning her head against the window-post. The minister -stood behind her. He considered it an untoward accident, his having -written that in the _Morgenblad_. - -"Your brother said he had been married six years?" - -Josephine turned right round. But after she had thought the matter -over, she only said: "Rubbish!" and turned to the window again. The -minister thought too that it must be a mistake. They could not have -been married before she was legally divorced. - -"He was always acting a part," said he; "he took to walking on his -hands." She turned towards him again, with eyes wide open with -astonishment. "He walked right round the study on his hands," the -minister assured her. "He advised me to walk up to the altar in that -way. Well, as he even ridicules Luther, I ought certainly to be able to -endure his ridicule." - -She evidently did not wish him to speak of this meeting at the present -moment; it caused her too much pain. He retired to his study, and -looked anything but pleased whilst he was filling his pipe. - -Josephine had reckoned so much on meeting and living with her brother. -She would never listen to the slightest insinuation of a possibility of -things turning out differently to what she expected. Perhaps her -present suffering was wholesome for her. - -Had he himself acted rightly to-day? He certainly thought he had. He -only hoped he would always be able to take things as meekly; he was -quite certain this was not the last of it. - -He enjoyed his pipe and took up his sermon again; but thoughts about -Josephine would keep cropping up. He never could feel the same -confidence in their married life as others had. She was irritable at -times, and this last outbreak had been a bad one. Without doubt, -because her thoughts had been entirely taken up by the expected -visitor. - -Hush! - -"----Conversion is a spontaneous proceeding, conclusive forever. All -our sins are washed away; we are as pure and holy in God's sight as -Christ Himself!" - - - - - II. - - -These two who had just made friends on their way down the road, walked -on arm in arm. - -Andersen, the mason, was standing on the scaffolding at the corner of -the road and beach street; he was a large man, with a long brown beard, -and he had blue glasses on; he was covered from top to toe with lime. -He saw the fair lady again who had helped his little boy, and as she -was walking arm in arm with the man with spectacles whom he had just -seen go up yonder, he concluded it must be the new doctor; the minister -was his brother-in-law, and they were now coming from his house. -Andersen left off working and took off his hat to them; Ragni stopped -her husband, and Andersen could remark she was saying something. He -silenced the hammering and asked what the lady was saying? She wanted -to know if the little boy had fallen asleep? Yes, he was asleep; but -they would be glad if the doctor would have a look at him when he -awoke; "for this is the new doctor, I suppose?" - -"You are right, it is he." - -The people who were in the house came to the window at once, also a few -in the neighbouring house; a passer-by stopped and stared at them, then -moved on and told the tale all the way down the street. Andersen took -the opportunity of mentioning his bad eyes; the doctor would also have -to look at them presently. As they walked on they had spectators from -open windows and down the street; they got many a greeting. They were -young; it did not require much to make them forget what had so recently -happened, and they began to feel that they might live very comfortably -here. - -Amongst those who greeted them was a very young man with masses of -hair, fair, arched features, slightly built, but tall; there was -something refined and rather shy about him. As they looked at him he -blushed. - -"By Jove! you have made a conquest there," whispered Kallem. - -Shortly after they met a very odd-looking fellow, slouching along in a -knitted jacket, with a leathern apron in front; dusty black hair, an -unwashed face, indeed it was begrimed with dirt; he was carrying some -tools in his thin, narrow hands, which were appended to unusually long -arms that swung in a kind of bow behind him; had they swung both -together they must undoubtedly have come into collision. He wore no -hat, his short clipped hair showed the entire shape of his head. His -forehead was neither broad nor high, but peculiarly well-shaped; long -in the jaw, with projecting bones. His small, cold eyes and tightly -pressed lips gave him a cynical look. His nose was flat and small, and -his chin pointed. - -"Do just look at that man!" whispered Kallem. - -"Disgusting!" she replied. - -The man now passed close beside them, scanning them carefully. Kallem -returned the glance, and when they had gone past they turned to have a -mutual look at each other. An old woman came hobbling along. - -"Who is that man?" asked Kallem. She looked at him and then after the -man. - -"It is Kristen Larssen." - -"Is he a locksmith?" - -"What kind do you say?" - -"Locksmith!" - -"Yes, he is. But he is also a watchmaker and gunsmith; in fact, -everything you like." - -The beach street was open to the sea, and without even a stone wall in -front of it. Things lay rotting in the sea as also on land. There was -an unfinished appearance about the whole town; a large house next to a -small one, then a house built of stone, then a wooden one, all of them -erected in haste and as cheaply as possible. The houses were not even -in a line, the street was on the whole scarcely bearable. The people -they met were neither town nor country folk, they were "wary but -friendly," as Kallem said; "medium goods." - -They had now arrived at the market-place, where the road turned up to -the church, tall and graceful. It was here they had met Josephine on -their way up; for up to the right by the church, in a park, lay their -house with the garden in front; they could, however, not see it from -where they were. - -The street divided just in front of the church, and continued to run on -either side of it; their home lay on the road to the right. As they -came nearer the church, they could discern the park behind their own -house, and in it the gables of the large hospital. At last--they were -walking slowly, without uttering a single word--at last the large -garden appeared, and their own house! It was a large wooden building in -the Swiss style, rather too broad, with big windows all open now. - -Steps led down from the veranda to an open space strewn with sand. The -flower-garden was nearest to this, then the kitchen-garden further on, -and at the side, down toward the town, lay the fruit-garden, a very -large one. The two owners looked at it simultaneously. Here it was! For -six long years had they each of them worked for this; they had dreamed -of it in various forms and ways, but never quite like this; they had -fixed it at many a place, but never just at this stop. Not one of all -their dream-pictures was in what now lay before them! They both turned -and surveyed the breadth and beauty of the landscape, smiling the while -at each other. It was strange that just at that moment there was not a -creature to be seen, not a sound or a noise that recalled anything, -either far or near. Just those two and their home! The one saw exactly -the same as the other saw, the sight and the feelings of the one were -rendered more intense by the knowledge that the other shared them too. -Ragni took her arm out of Kallem's, went over to the railing, which was -of juniper branches, she reached through and gathered some grass and -leaves; she came back with this in her hand, and fastened it in his -coat. He espied a tuft of cowslips further up, went and pushed his hand -through, and gathered them; she took them and gathered more; it looked -very pretty when there were many together. - -At the side of the house and in the yard at the back, lay -packing-cases, furniture, straw, sawdust, mats. Ragni's grand piano had -just been taken out of the case and the legs screwed on; but there was -no one visible. - -A large dove-cot stood out in the yard. "Fancy, if pigeons came flying -here now? We must keep pigeons!" - -"But, fancy, if a dog came running to us now. We must keep a dog!" - -At this side there was no gate; but on the road which divided the park -and garden. They stopped there, and turned once more to look across the -wide landscape. - -Here, in this rich country, the richest and sunniest in all the land, -their own home was to them as the centre of the compass. Ragni glanced -across to see if the minister's house was visible from there; but not a -bit of it! Kallem guessed what she was looking for, and smiled. Through -the open windows they heard the work-people in the rooms; they went -down the veranda steps with much noise and laughter; they came out -there and went straight up to the piano, not noticing the two who stood -there. Then they carried off the piano to the veranda and went tramping -up the steps again. Kallem and Ragni looked behind at the park; there -were beautiful tall trees, through the trunks of which one could see -the hospital, a large wooden house built on a stone wall or foundation, -and with large, many-paned windows. Then they went through the gate -into the garden and down to their own house. - -With the exception of one little outhouse on this near side, the -building lay free on all sides. - -The fruit-trees were just beginning to blossom, so it must be a -sheltered spot. And the garden! Ragni never gave it a thought that this -well-stocked garden was Josephine's work, she only looked forward to -herself taking charge of it. The house needed painting; and it must -have a different colour than this common-looking yellow. It was _their_ -house, _their_ home! Kallem stamped three times on the ground, it was -his too. He wanted to go in there, but she wished to go round to the -front and up the veranda steps. So they went round by the straw and -packing-cases, and peeped in at the windows. The house was low in -comparison with the length and breadth of it, the roof projected very -much, lying heavily on the house. But that was a good thing. - -The veranda was out of proportion, too, but it was broad, and the steps -up to it were easy. - -Arm in arm they walked up, but were met first of all by a -disappointment; the entrance door, which was of glass, was not in the -middle, but at the extreme end of the south wall of the room. But they -soon saw that if the veranda was to be in the centre, it could not be -otherwise; to the right there were two more rooms leading out of the -drawing-room. The men who had carried in the piano came out to meet -them; they understood at once who it was, and as Ragni looked at them, -first the one, then all of them, took off their hat or cap. Kallem -returned their greeting, Ragni escaped in to the piano which stood in -the middle of the floor, took out the key and opened it, as if it had -to be examined very closely and she must absolutely try if it had kept -in tune. With her gloves still on, she struck the first chords of -Longfellow's "Sweet Home." On hearing the first notes of this hymn to -home, Kallem took his hat off. The others saw it, and supposing it to -be a psalm, they did the same. - -Ragni stood with her back turned, and did not therefore notice two -people who came from the right--a man with a round, shining face, and -behind him a little woman anxious to see and yet remain unseen. But -then the door just in front of her was opened and a peasant girl looked -quietly in, attracted by the sweet sounds. Ragni understood that it -must be their servant come from the kitchen, and she went up to her. - -"Are you Sigrid?" - -Yes, it was she. - -"Well, I am the doctor's wife." - -"I thought so," said she, coming quite into the room. She was a stout, -nice-looking girl. - -"Is it the first time you are in service?" asked Kallem. - -Yes, it was. - -"And it is the first time we keep house," said Kallem; "it will be -great fun!" - -Ragni went out to the kitchen; there she saw their new dinner-service, -which had just been unpacked and washed. She was not fit for more, so -she went out into the passage and upstairs, to be alone. The door to -their bed-room stood open just in front of her, she went in and out on -the balcony over the veranda. How had she deserved such great -happiness? What was all her longing, and all her work, compared to what -now awaited her in a rich man's home? But there was a terror of -something, through all this undeserved happiness. And here she again -glanced over northward--was the minister's house visible from here? No, -it was not possible to see it. - -Josephine disliked her; she could feel it at once. And even if her -brother thought it a shame--still he was very fond of his sister; there -was something about her that he particularly admired; she was never -mistaken in such matters. - -Down below, Kallem went round the rooms. The two who had stood in the -right-hand door had retired again, and the men were hard at work. It -was a large room, there were windows in it that looked both to the -church and the garden; but he thought he would propose to shut up the -former. The walls were self-coloured, light gray, the ceiling pale blue -with gold stars; the paint was old and faded, only the floor had been -freshly painted, light gray too. The room to the left was still being -papered. Goodness! were they not yet ready? Nor in the next room -either? There were two people at work, the man and woman who had -appeared in the doorway. - -"Good-day!" said Kallem. - -"Good-day!" came the answer from the round shiny face, with a Danish -accent. Kallem went up to the table where the man stood cutting; the -woman was standing beside, but now she sidled behind him. - -"Is this your wife?" - -"Yes, it is; and she is my assistant too; both wife and assistant; but -for all that a proper kind of wife too." The little woman behind him -giggled, though almost inaudibly. The man had prominent rolling eyes -with a roguish twinkle in them. - -"I fancied everything was ready." - -"There are always hindrances to one's work, doctor." - -She laughed heartily, but in a muffled sort of way. - -"Is she Danish too?" - -"No, she is Norwegian, but we get on very well together for all that." - -She dived down deeper than ever, laughing continually. - -The room they were in was oblong; Kallem saw directly that it was the -dining-room; probably also the waiting-room for patients. The inner -room, with windows both to the front and to the southeast, was of -course his work-room; he would receive people there when not at the -hospital. He did not go into it, but out of the dining-room and into -the passage again. To the right was the kitchen door. He was met by an -array of beer-bottles on the kitchen dresser; some empty, some full. - -"Whose are those bottles?" - -"They belong to the saddler." - -"To the paper-hanger, you mean?" - -Then it dawned upon Kallem what kind of "hindrances" he had alluded to; -and that he was quite tipsy at that very moment, and his wife still -tipsier! That was why the men had been so long before they moved in the -piano; they had been treated all round. - -"Will you kindly ask the Dane to come to me here?" - -The girl went directly, and directly too appeared the round, shining -face with hundreds of twinkles in his eye; his wife was behind him, -peeping out first at one side, then at the other. - -"Are those your bottles?" - -"Not altogether." - -"Have you gone shares with the others?" - -"Yes, in drinking them." - -"But did you buy them?" - -"Yes, I bought the beer, but not the bottles; they are to be returned." - -The woman was heard to titter. - -"May I ask what is your name?" - -"Sören Pedersen, that's my name." - -"Look here, Sören Pedersen, will you let me buy the bottles of you?" - -"Do you mean the beer?" - -"Yes, the beer." - -"All right, then." - -"We shall have something, then, to drink to-night; for we must work all -night, we must be ready to-morrow. We will help you with your work. Do -you agree to that?" - -"As you wish, doctor." - -"Then will you kindly sup with us this evening?" - -Then Kallem went upstairs in three-four strides; Ragni was out on the -balcony, standing in the sun. She turned to him. He asked if she had -finished her prayer? Yes, she was quite ready. - -He, too, stood on the balcony, looking at the little islet at play -beside the mother-island--it was visible from there--and the sea with -its ripples, and the mountains yonder in distant grandeur. He looked -over to the right, where the minister lived--she noticed it at once. - -"They would never dare to treat us as though we were not married, eh? -It will be amusing to see what they do!" - -She drew him in and pointed to the colour of the walls in their -bed-room; it was exactly as she had asked for it to be, white, a dull -oil-colour. Everything was to be white up there except the long -curtains and hangings draped from the ceiling down over both beds, at -the balcony windows, and before the door; they were blue in colour and -pattern, and matched the ornamentations on the beds and the other -furniture. Then she became very talkative; but Kallem wanted to see the -hospital, and she thought she would like to go with him. - -The first thing he wished to have altered when they stopped in front of -it, inside the park, was that several beautiful old trees, that were -too close to it, should be taken away. The hospital was a two-storied -house, painted yellow, with exceptionally large windows, but very small -panes. The ground floor of the building was brick and contained the -servants' rooms and offices; it all looked very snug, with curtains in -the windows and plenty of flowers standing in them. The entrance was at -the left side of the house; and there was a very large yard railed in -by a high fence. Kallem was pleased to see a row of shady trees by the -paling; he knew that in about a fortnight he would have some American -tents there for the use of the patients in summer-time. - -The door was open, but no porter (concierge) to be seen; in the window -there were religious books and tracts for sale. There was no notice put -on the door to say when the patients might receive visits. Presently -they saw the porter in the inner yard; he was an elderly man with a -searching, solemn eye; he had spectacles on, but looked over the top of -them and took them off directly he had taken in who it was. - -"Are you the new doctor?" - -"Yes." - -Then he took off his hat too. - -"Welcome!" - -The patient he had been talking to crept on before them; he was pale -and had a thick woollen scarf round his neck, even on that warm day; he -kept at a distance and did not bow. The porter accompanied them. - -In the hospital there was a suite of rooms on each side of a light -and airy corridor, those to the front were large and those to the yard -were small, both stories were built in the same way. The porter was not -only porter, but he was also steward, and the oldest inspector the -house had; he therefore felt called upon to introduce the other -members of the household one by one as they met them. They were all -respectable-looking people, both men and women; there were two -deaconesses among the latter, and they seemed the pleasantest of them -all. - -The first thing Kallem intended to do was to do away with the -old-established typhus-fever rooms, and to build a separate -typhus-pavilion for winter use. The operating-room was very light, but -there must at once be a new polished floor put in. The ventilating -apparatus was most faulty. With the exception of these and a few minor -drawbacks--such as the small windowpanes--it was a capital house, high -rooms and roomy passages, and generally airy; altogether he was well -pleased. - -The beds were pretty well filled, considering the time of year; -tubercular disease of the lungs, his special study, was represented by -three individuals, two boys and a girl about ten years old, poor, thin, -waxy-pale creatures, whom he looked forward to seeing in his American -tent. The late owner of the infirmary, old Dr. Kule--an uncle of -Ragni's former husband--was dead; Kallem had bought it very cheap, -because just at that moment there was no one else who could entertain -the idea of buying. Here he would be able to arrange himself and his -time exactly according to his own wishes; he had great plans. The -parish gave their contribution, and a committee, consisting of the -district physician and one other doctor besides, had the supervision of -it; but he was entirely his own master. They were both of them quite -delighted with this first visit. They went back to their own home in -excellent spirits, but dreadfully hungry, took a bite of something in -the kitchen and a glass of wine; thought fit to drink an extra glass on -account of the important event that they were breaking bread for the -first time in their own house. - -Everything in the drawing-room was topsy-turvy; but in spite of it -Ragni made her way to the piano. She had often attempted translations -from that foreign literature--it had been like her own for five or six -years--especially translations of poetry. Slightly flushed with the -wine, and just a little shy, she struck some chords--begging him not to -stand before her--then again more chords, and with a small, gentle -voice, she recited more than sang: - - - Here let us live! - May our friends and our fancies, - Our life's by-gone chances - Flourish and grow-- - In thoughts as in things, - In trees as in tones, - In voices, entwining - Around us. - - Here may my heart - Through thee be laid bare - To myself and to thee - Who wert blind-- - And joyfully, sinfully, - Gladden thee, wound thee; - Though yearning with years - For a happy reunion - With thine. - - - - - III. - - -The next morning they were awakened by a loud and continued noise. When -they could collect their thoughts they knew it was the church bells -ringing for service; they had slept very late, but then they had worked -till three o'clock, that is to say, until broad daylight. - -Kallem was out of bed in a second, and into the bathroom, next door, -where he took a tremendous shower-bath; evidently, the former doctor -had had a taste for that kind of thing! And hardly was he half dressed -before he ran out onto the balcony to look at the view. He shouted in -to Ragni to take her shower-bath too, and dress herself and come out to -look at it; but she had felt the water so fearfully cold yesterday, she -lay there with wide-open eyes, debating as to whether she should shirk -it or really venture to take it. She made up her mind to shirk, so she -quickly appeared at his side in a very pretty dressing-gown, which she -had thrown round her. But although she looked so sweetly at him, and -eagerly began praising the view and the exquisite day, he did not -forget the shower-bath. Yesterday she had solemnly promised that she -would begin the very first morning; susceptible to cold as she was, she -must look upon a shower-bath as her daily bread, especially up here, -where the change from heat to cold was so very sudden. Therefore----! -She made the most piteous face, and tried to laugh it off; but he -pointed to the shower-bath--would she really break her promise? If she -broke it now, this first time, she would break it too often later on. -She kissed him and said he was cruel; he kissed her and said she was -sweet; but how about the shower-bath? So she darted in and undid her -dressing-gown, as though she meant to take the bath, but popped into -bed instead. When he came in, she pulled the clothes over her head; but -without more ado he took up the blanket and its contents, and carried -it to the door; but she begged and implored him to let her off, and -seemed so frightened that he went back with his burden. She put her -arms round him and dragged him down to her; she kissed him and -whispered to him, and with her sweet caresses completely defeated his -logic. - -The bells went on ringing and ringing, carriages drove past away from -the town. Hardly had one gone by before another came. The door was -open; every time the bells stopped preparatory to the well-known three -peals, they could hear the flies buzzing about the room, and the birds -outside. They also heard the puffing of a little steamer out on the -lake; they had seen it cut across from the other coast, probably with -tourists. There must be some festivity going on somewhere to account -for the way people were streaming in. - -There was a light southwesterly breeze, filling the room each time with -sweet scents; it poured in from the fields and trees. Through the -clanging of the bells one could hear it whispering and sighing, the air -seemed full of sounds. - -Shortly after, they again stood on the balcony and watched the people -going to church; well-packed carriages drove constantly past the church -and continued upwards. The steamer came quite close; now the train -whistled too. They both caught sight of two swallows that were -evidently playing with their own shadows in the sand outside the -veranda. They flew above and past each other, the shadows on the sand -imitating each swoop; the birds wore down close to the sand and then a -little way above; whenever they flew too high and the shadows -disappeared, they darted down again to find them. She whispered to him -that next year they would put out boxes for them to build in. - -They finished dressing and went down to lunch. Sören Pedersen and his -wife had arrived some time ago, and had their meal; they were now hard -at work. - -Then they heard that everyone was bound for the neighbouring parish, -where the clergyman, Pastor Meek, was to celebrate his fifty years -jubilee, and to preach a farewell sermon. Foot passengers had been on -the go all the morning; now came those in carriages; and a steamer full -of people from the opposite coast. Meek had had this same living all -these fifty years--"a truly delightful man." - -Kallem and Ragni were lunching in the big room; but their lunch was -interrupted by someone knocking, and in came a thin, elderly man, -smiling and noiseless, with horn spectacles on his nose; this was Dr. -Kent, who was temporary manager of the hospital; he came from there -just now. They both got up. He had a soft, pleasant voice, and a -knowing smile accompanied all he said. He sat down at a little distance -from them while they went on with their lunch, and gave a short account -of the patients over at the "establishment," and of the sanitary state -of both town and country. He answered dryly and briefly all questions -as to those functionaries Kallem would have to call upon, as to the -leaders in town and parish matters, and those of the local government -board he ought to know. The purest business matters became pleasant -when spoken of by Dr. Kent. When his gig came to the door--he was going -on his rounds out in the country--Kallem asked leave to drive with him; -but Ragni at once did the same too. So they hired a larger carriage and -soon they were all three seated in it. Just as they were starting, -Ragni remembered that the piano wanted tuning slightly, and she asked -Sören Pedersen if he knew anyone who could tune at any rate for the -present? Yes; there was Kristen Larssen. - -So the drive began with an account of Kristen Larssen. Kent told them -he was born up in one of the worst and most remote districts, and had -been punished by the law for some trifling slip--he thought it was -because he had called a tune he played, "the forgiveness of sins." -Kristen Larssen was an inventor too; there was a knitting machine much -in use now which was his invention, and various kinds of tools. He was -a cold man--cold as iron in the winter time. Sören Pedersen and his -wife were the only people he had anything to do with. And who were -those two? He knew nothing about their "antecedentia;" she was from -these parts, he was from Funen. They were both clever at their work; -but people soon found out that they drank. The minister tried to -correct this failing; he had grown attached to them from the time they -had worked for him in his new house. Strange to say, his efforts were -crowned with success; not only did they give up drink, but Sören became -a most zealous temperance man and very religious; at last he knew the -Bible by heart. It was literally true, he knew it by heart! He often -told them how it was his greatest delight to make Aase hear him, and in -some few small assemblies, he would repeat by heart whole chapters out -of the Bible, while his hearers sat and followed attentively. The -minister put his name down to get him into a Bible school, and he had -no higher wish than to belong to it, but he expected Aase to be taken -in too. As they did not agree to this, he gave up the Bible class and -became unsteady again in everything. - -He then became acquainted with that Jack of all trades, Kristen -Larssen, who had just settled in the town. Kristen Larssen had heard -about Sören Pedersen's powers of learning by heart, and tried to find -out the mechanism of it. But there was none; the whole thing was a gift -of God's mercy; all things were possible for God. - -That is in the book of Matthew, answered Kristen Larssen; but in the -book of Judges it is written that the Lord was with Judah, but Judah -could not make the enemy flee from the valley, because they had -chariots of iron. - -The worthy Sören Pedersen was much shocked that the God of the Jews had -not gained the victory over the chariots of iron. - -In the same book of Moses, continued Kristen Larssen, it is written, -"Thou shalt not kill," but it is written too that the Lord constantly -gave orders to kill. So there are contradictions. - -This was altogether new to Sören Pedersen, and yet he knew his Bible by -heart. He was anxious to know the rights of it, and at every religious -meeting he demanded explanations. At last he had no less than a hundred -contradictory questions to inquire into; it was no longer possible to -keep the peace. Half of them went into fits of laughter, the other half -got angry. It ended by his being turned out of the meetings, both he -and Aase. "I don't know," said Dr. Kent, "whether I may tell you how -your brother-in-law, with his own hands, turned out Sören Pedersen and -his wife Aase--out of the meeting-house! They had sat themselves down -there before anyone else, and they would not move. Your brother-in-law -is very strong, but Sören Pedersen held on, until it struck the -minister that he would take Aase first, and then they both pulled away -at her as if she were a stick of firewood." - -Kallem and Ragni roared with laughter at this. - -"I myself have witnessed one of the encounters," said Dr. Kent. "The -minister was holding an examination at the school; I am one of the -school committee. Sören Pedersen and his wife, Aase, were present, and -everyone suspected there would be mischief. 'God cannot lie,' said the -minister. Then Sören Pedersen rose up and said: 'It is written, that -the Lord gave unto the prophets a spirit of lying.' Again Sören -Pedersen had to depart." - -The scenery through which they were driving, as they listened to all -these amusing anecdotes, was an elevated, sunny plain divided by large -and small ridges of woodland--or contrariwise, a wood divided by -cultivated fields. The farms were all well built, the fields fertile, -the road varied, first through woods, across fields, hills, and -undulating over brooks and streams. There were heaps of stones in the -most unexpected places, and paths and roads in all directions. Anyone -coming from the prairies of America and the regularity of Central -Europe, would be put in good spirits by all this variety. The same -dazzling sunshine as yesterday, the same strong scent from meadow and -wood--and such a display of flowers, such singing of birds; hark, that -was the cuckoo! - -It was not long till midsummer's day, and the vegetation was -thereafter; Ragni was enchanted with the luxuriance of it all. Botany -was her favourite branch of study, and the contrast between the flora -she had studied, and that of the country here, interested her greatly. -She asked if there were many places in Norway where barberry and -columbine grew wild? Dr. Kent thought that they must have been brought -into the country a long time ago; probably by the monks from the -cloister down yonder. - -As they passed again from the meadow into a narrow strip of wood, -principally fir-trees, she saw the linnæa for the third time; she could -not sit still in the carriage any longer; they all got out. - -It had just begun to open its bell-shaped pink flowers; its spicy -fragrance filled the wood; Ragni at once began her little whisperings -to it; if only she were allowed to be alone now--for six years they had -not seen each other, or, indeed, as it was spring when she started, it -was six years and a half. She gathered and lifted up some of them, and -her eye fell on a "pyrola uniflora" bending low in melancholy solitude; -Kallem had just found the same; she asked him what it was called in -Norwegian? He asked Kent if it was not St. Olaf's candlestick--he asked -as an apothecary, and received an answer from a herbarium. - -Ragni went further and further away from them both. The scent of the -flower as she gathered it seemed to attract her still further in; it -was sent to entice her on. So she went further, but kept a little -behind--away from the others. She heard them talking; one hears so -distinctly in the wood; she heard too a pair of startled birds. But -here at hand was nothing but the rustling of her own footsteps through -the grass and moss. She found one single wood-sorrel in flower, a last -loiterer. It looked so out of sorts midst all its clover-like leaves; -did it know its companions had left it? - -The flowers all told her to go on; indeed, both the linnæa, and the -holy candlestick, and the wood-sorrel drew her on; the latter had stood -so long waiting on purpose for that. And there was Ragni--in a large -family gathering of star-flowers; they were all waiting to see her; no -one else had trodden that way this year. Ragni knelt down among them -and told them how she had come from so very far away, she told it all -in flower-fashion, without words; speech was not necessary between -them. How she had opened one door after the other to find her way back -to Norway; each time she had opened one, there had been another beyond -... until at last she was with them all. As soon as she saw the linnæa -she knew that she had reached the end. This was the innermost of all. -All great dangers from outside, direct from the sea, all that strength -and cruelty, variable and busy, all this splendour and alarm, all -impels us further and further in; right in here we must come to -understand that everything does not fall in a thousand pieces. It is -they who are in there who can control all. - -"We have been waiting for you too. Here we keep the innermost secret." - -"Oh, tell it to me!" - -"Be kind to others." - -"Indeed, I think that is the only thing I have a talent for. But if the -others will not----" - -"Let the others be as they will; but be you kind." - -Then she understood, because she had gone so deep in. She understood -now what had the greatest strength. The star-flowers. - -"Ragni," shouted Kallem, in the distance, the wood resounded with his -clear voice. "Yes!" Some of the family must go with her, she gathered -them and took them up. - -Then she hastened back again nearer to the road. On the edge of the -wood stood an "actea"--it seemed to stand there just to show the way -in, if she had got out of the carriage there. Now it wished to join the -party. And just by the road, well hidden under the bank, was a whole -party of lilies of the valley; where could her eyes have been? They -knew well enough where she came from, for they, too, had been posted as -sentinels to show the way in. They saw and understood one another -directly; but that is always the way amongst those of the same family. -Some of them must go with her too. - -"Ragni!" shouted Kallem. - -"Yes, yes!" and she came out on to the road and saw how far behind she -was. - -The two men were standing by the carriage, talking; they were on the -top of the bank, and Kallem's tall figure and the other's little slight -one stood out clearly defined. Both of them had their hands full. As -she hurried toward them she could hear Kallem discoursing; it was on a -branch of black alder which he swung as he stood there; he repeated in -German, a German botanist's delight over this stately poison-bearer -which he had come across in Norway. Dr. Kent presented her with a -"polygula amara;" he knew that the little blue flower would be new to -her coming from America. She thanked him warmly. They got into the -carriage and began at once arranging their treasures, and begged Ragni -to choose what she liked; they had gone through a small bog; Kent had -the flower of a bog-fir fastened in his coat, and they had both -gathered everything, down to the very buttercup, "that wild beast," -said Ragni; she wouldn't have it; it was so "muddy" too. - -"You are æsthetic in everything," said Kallem. She shot a glance at -him, sweet as the scent of her flowers. - -"Do you notice that we are quite alone on the road?" remarked Dr. Kent; -he told them that everyone was at church, as old Pastor Meek was to -preach a farewell sermon on this his fifty years jubilee day. When he -was twenty years old he had become curate to his own father--that was -in those times--and he had inherited the living. He was now seventy -years old, and was going to start on a journey abroad with his -grand-daughter. He must be a strong man? Yes, and led a healthy -life; always on the move, always busy. He was the go-between here. -Go-between? Yes, each district must have one to intercede for science -and for practical matters. Much of the prosperity of this district -proceeds from him and has been passed on to others. Then he is popular? -The most popular man of the neighbourhood. How is he "in the pulpit?" -"Well, he has stood there now fifty years and related anecdotes. At -first this was made fun of, and there were some who thought it -profanation; now there are several who have followed his example." - -"What sort of anecdotes are they?" - -The last one that Dr. Kent had heard was about a woman who had been -thirty years in prison in St. Louis, in America, and who, although she -was seventy years old, was the worst of all the prisoners. Once the -prisoners had to be moved to another prison which was under the -management of a woman who was a Quaker. The old woman refused to be -moved; she resisted with all her strength, and at last they had to tie -her in a chair and carry her away. As they arrived with her, the woman -who had the management of the prison stood in the doorway and received -the furious old creature. "Unloose her!" she said. "But is it safe?" -"Unloose her!" And they did so. As soon as the old woman was unbound, -her new superintendent bent down over her, put her arm round her neck, -and gave her a kiss of welcome as from one sister to another. Then the -old woman fell on her knees and asked: "Do you really believe that -there is some good in me?" From that time she invariably was quite -obedient. - -Here Kent and Kallem left the carriage; they had to turn up to a -peasant's house a little way back from the road. There was a black dog -lying in front of the gallery; he looked at the carriage and barked; -but only once or twice, then he went down a few steps toward them, -sniffed at them all round, and then went back and lay down. - -There was no one else to be seen. The driver turned the horses and -drove to one side. The two doctors went in to the patient, and Ragni -walked up and down the yard. Through the window she could see an old -man in bed and his old wife sitting beside him; she sang to him with -trembling voice, and did not stop even when the door was opened behind -her. - -Ragni looked about her in the yard; then went and sat down on the -store-house steps. - -Nothing has such a quieting influence on one as a peasant's farm at -rest. Not even the wood, for there is always a rustle or sound of -something, and one must be on the look-out both sitting or lying down; -nor yet the sea when it is quiet, for it never can be perfectly at -rest; nor the meadow, for that swarms with life and we can see it too -around us. But a peasant's farm which is not at work--the hens going -about scratching and picking up food, make you feel comfortable, the -dog lying down, and the cat that creeps stealthily a few paces, stops, -then creeps on again, and the ploughs leaning up against the harrows, -the grinding-stones standing dry, the carts with shafts down, the -dinner-bell silent; everything that has been at work rests like you, -and that which still moves about only adds to the general peace. Should -you see a pig in the distance rooting up the ground, it is entirely -occupied with that; or a horse champing and whisking away flies, that -is its pleasure; should the little birds come and chirp their greeting -to you, it increases the light-heartedness which is the foundation of -all peace. - -Suddenly, in the midst of this peaceful rest, the fright from that -meeting with Josephine came over her. Was there nothing in her -conscience that could accuse her? No, a thousand times, no! Not even -her sister's children? No, for she could not even have lived for them -under such circumstances. What then? What had she done? She had loved -him. And why should she not do so? - -The quiet was over; she went up above the house and found there two -kinds of "orobus" not very far apart, first of all the bird-pea out on -the meadow, and then one other in a cup with petals; she could not -remember the name of the latter. As she went down the path again she -found a splendid cock's-comb and a third kind of violet; the others had -already given her two kinds. What flowers there were! Look there! The -loveliest veronica; ah, the head fell; but there is another, that will -keep. Afterwards she heard that the fragile flower is called here -"man's faith." - -Again she went in to the farm-yard; through the window of the bed-room -she saw Kallem with his ear pressed to the old man's chest. Dr. Kent -soon came out and the wife with him; he screamed at her, but she heard -almost nothing. Kallem looked so tall standing there in the door, now -he came to join her. How she loved him. - - -They were sitting together in the evening in the doctor's work-room; it -was now all arranged as it was to be, with the exception of the books. -Sören Pedersen, followed by his wife Aase, came in from the passage -through the dining-room; he looked cunning, she looked alarmed; they -announced that the minister and his wife were just coming in at the -gate! - -Kallem saw that Ragni turned pale. As the others were present, however, -he said nothing but: "Come along!" went into the drawing-room, and from -thence out in the passage to receive them. - -The meeting was a stiff one. The minister begged they would excuse -their coming so late, but it was the most convenient time for him, he -had just come from evening service. They only came in to ask if Kallem -and his wife would go home with them to supper? On Sundays a clergyman -is seldom his own master before the evening. - -His voice had still a little of the solemnity of a sermon in it, and -there was a reflection of church in both countenance and manner. -Josephine stood and looked about her, in which her husband speedily -followed her example. - -He thought it all very snug and cosy, and the piano was a "splendid -piece of furniture." As they were looking at it, Josephine opened her -lips for the first time, and turning to Ragni, said quickly: "I hear -you play so beautifully!" - -"Oh----" - -"Won't you play something for us?" The minister added: "Please do!" - -Ragni looked at her husband--as one who is drowning looks for help. -"Ragni requires to be in the proper mood to be able to play," said he. - -"Very likely she is tired," said the minister, excusing her; they sat -down, the minister and Kallem opposite each other, Josephine on one -side; Ragni remained standing. - -"Of course you must both of you be tired," continued the minister; "you -have been travelling now for so long, and then arranging the house -here; I heard from Dr. Kent that you had very nearly finished?" - -Yes, so they were; but they had had capital help from Sören Pedersen -and his wife Aase. Ragni was afraid that those two were still in the -dining-room, and hurried in to see; but they were gone, and were not in -the doctor's room either. - -The minister's face had assumed quite a fatherly expression. "We have -been obliged to employ Sören Pedersen and his wife because the people -we otherwise employ were not at liberty. But one ought not to give work -to that kind of people." - -"Indeed?" - -"Oh, they are good workers; but they drink up everything they earn, and -then stay away from their work for days; it was the same here too. They -scandalize the whole congregation." - -"Dear me, that's a pity." - -In passing Kallem, Ragni stroked his head with her hand; she had to -fetch something off the piano. The minister was nothing abashed by the -doctor's flighty tone. - -"We have striven to do what we could for them both--yes, for she drinks -just as much as he does. You would be astonished if you heard how kind -everyone has been to them. But all in vain, and worse than in vain. But -I will not go further into that story." He looked at his wife, who sat -there in her tight-fitting dress, stiff and impenetrable, a piece of -perfection from top to toe. Her eyes so well trained that they saw -everything without appearing to see. She would have liked Kallem to -have come and spoken to her. Ragni stood farther back, unseen by the -others, but directly opposite him. - -"It is provoking," he said, "that the former doctor built his house so -close to the hospital. It is not pleasant to have strangers so near -one." - -"Yes, but the old man built it for his brother-in-law. And now he is -dead too." - -"So I hear; if I could afford to sink more money in houses, I would buy -this, although I should have no use for it." - -Josephine turned half round, doubtless to see if Ragni still stood -there. "I don't think it is for sale," said she; "I know the heirs." -Then there was a pause for a little while. - -The minister started a new subject; that same morning he had been -reading in the _Morgenblad_ about the general state of insecurity all -over America. He spoke like one who knew all about it, and turned -continually to his wife; if he did look at the others--for instance at -Ragni, who had just come back from America--it was merely a passing -glance; he invariably returned to his wife. - -Pastor Tuft was a stately, good-looking man, especially as a certain -degree of stoutness had filled in his bony face; he had a pleasant -voice, and his Melancthon eyes sparkled and glistened at all that was -said. His speech and manners were, if anything, persuasive; but one -felt his power under cover of all his mildness. - -His wife quite unexpectedly made an upward movement with her head. "Of -course it must be time to be going now," said he, as he rose from his -seat; "I am quite forgetting myself. Well--will you go with us?" - -Josephine got up too, so did Kallem. But he, too, had a wife who could -give glances, warning and imploring. - -"Thanks, but we are both tired, we will put it off till another time." - -And so they accompanied the others to the door. Kallem then went to the -window and looked out after them as they walked away, both so tall and -strong-looking. Soon they had left the church behind them; everyone who -met them greeted them most respectfully. He stood on there even after -they were out of sight. He walked up and down the room a few times, -then he turned a somersault (made a wheel on his hands). "Go and fetch -Sören Pedersen and his wife Aase to me!"--but he went himself. They -were not to be found anywhere; Sigrid told him they had gone directly -the minister and his wife came. "Hang it all, now you'll see they are -making themselves tipsy! Just go down to them and invite them to come -to supper with us. Say we are quite alone." Off went the girl; Kallem -shouted out after her: "Insist upon their coming, whether they want to -or not." - -"Now listen to me, Mr. saddler!" said the doctor, when they both -appeared in the parlor again, the wife behind the husband; "listen to -me. The minister says that you drink, Pedersen, both you and your wife, -and that he cannot get you to give it up?" - -"The minister speaks the truth." - -"But it is a dreadful disease, Pedersen." - -"Oh, yes--in the long run." - -"Will you leave it to me to cure you?" - -"Oh, most willingly, doctor! but seriously, now; will it take a long -time?" - -"Two minutes." - -"Two minutes?" He smiled; but before the smile had vanished, Kallem was -upon him with his eyes, which had a strange and startling expression. -The saddler changed colour, he retreated a few steps. The doctor -followed and told him to sit down. He did it without hesitation. "Look -at me!" Aase was fit to faint. "Sit down, you too!" said the doctor -over his shoulder to her, and she collapsed into a chair. Yesterday -already the doctor had seen what kind of people he had to do with; it -did not take two minutes, before Sören Pedersen was completely -mesmerized and his wife Aase too, though she had only been looking on. -The doctor commanded them to open their eyes again; they both did so at -once. "Now listen here, Sören Pedersen! You just leave off drinking -brandy or spirits in any shape or form whatever; no more wine either, -nor strong beer--not for one whole month. Do you hear? When that month -is past--it is now half-past six--you come here to me on the stroke of -the hour. And you too, Aase. Every time he wants to drink, you must cry -out. And afterwards you can sing, both of you." - -"But we can't sing." - -"You will sing all the same." - - - - - IV. - - -Josephine left the town, she took her boy with her to the west-country, -to have some sea-bathing; the minister was soon to follow them, he had -not had a holiday since he had taken holy orders. He had come here as -curate, directly after his examination, and had so completely gained -the good-will of his congregation, that when, two years ago, the town -and country parishes were separated, the congregation voted unanimously -for him, and he got the living. He had worked very hard for about six -years; he much required a little rest. Josephine went up to her -brother's house one day when he was not at home, she announced that she -was about to travel, said good-bye, and left a greeting for her -brother. - -Ragni understood at once that this journey had simply been arranged so -as to escape the necessity of introducing her into society; they would -not help to smooth her path. She did not mention it to the unsuspicious -Kallem. He soon forgot the whole affair, for he got such an amount of -work to do. As Kent wished to go abroad, Kallem would have to take both -their practices, in consideration of his having attended to the -hospital before Kallem's arrival. The third doctor who belonged to the -place was a young military surgeon, he was now at the man[oe]uvres. His -name was Arentz; he was possessed of a remarkably broad, powerful -chest. Kallem recognized, by the accuracy of his knowledge, the very -words of the books he had studied from; at first he had great -difficulty in not calling him Niemeyer, but he admired his upright and -honorable character. When Kallem found that this life passed on -highways and streets was becoming quite unbearable to him, he thought -of asking Arentz to help him; if he wished to become an independent -man, he must arrange things very differently. - -Ragni saw him gulp his food down in the middle of the day and return -home in the evening. Sometimes he sat on the veranda with her for a -while, or took a turn arm in arm in the garden, or helped her if there -was anything she was busy with; but seldom--as he had to go in to his -books. A great change took place, however, when his colleague returned; -his only thought was that of regaining lost time, so now he was a -fixture in the laboratory or office. Ragni very soon installed herself -in this sanctum; she got her own chair, her own book-shelf; in fact, -the office became the sitting-room. - -They each read their own book by the hour, scarcely exchanging ten -words. He had got into a long, self-engrossing study, and had no idea -what he looked like when he, at intervals during his reading, stretched -full length on the sofa, silently gazing at her; or, as was generally -the case, stood looking out of the windows. If he did move away a few -steps, it would only be to return again at once to his old place at the -window. He declared that there was no place where he could think with -so much ease as there; this was an inheritance from his father. - -He was much attached to his home, and seldom returned to it without a -grateful feeling, and went about as happy and light-hearted as a bird. -After dinner he was very fond of listening to music; but did not always -as much as remark what Ragni was playing. - -But she? Each day she bound herself faster and faster to the animate -and inanimate things of her home. She again called him her "white -pasha," her piano "a fairy tale." "Now for a fairy tale!" she said, -when she felt inclined to play, and soon taught him to do the same. She -called their bed-room, "amongst the stars." The pigeons which were -given her at Whitsuntide, she called "her Whitsuntide-lilies;" Sigrid -she called "the seven-armed woman." When she and Kallem were-sitting -reading in the office, she felt as if they were out sailing, each in -their own boat, each to their own country. "Shall we go in and have a -sail?" was what she called it. - -He had discovered by her letters from America how fond she was of using -figurative language: "We are each working slowly toward each other at -opposite ends of a tunnel through the world," she wrote in one of her -letters, and always kept returning to the subject of the tunnel; at -last "they had reached so near to one another that she could hear him -speak!" About the steamers, "that swim above," passing each other with -their letters, she wrote that "the desire of the one attracted the -other after it." - -One evening that they were sitting on the veranda (it was raining, but -they were protected by the projecting roof), she said: "A house like -this should have a head." - -"A head?" - -"Yes, a head between the wings as every worthy hen has." - -"Oh, that's what you mean, is it?" - -"I always feel as if I were under a pair of wings, being hatched." - -"Tell me how it is that you did not use biblical figures of speech in -your youth?" - -"Because I had a father who taught me what the origin of everything -was from my tenth year; plants, animals, and people all belong to -one family--that was a doctrine that I loved! After that I got a -step-father who was a clergyman, and insisted that the earth and human -beings had been created perfect from the beginning, and that everything -was made for the use of man; but I did not believe it. My own father -was a quiet, delicate man, I loved him dearly; I was afraid of my -step-father, he was such a strong, violent man." - -Kallem asked her to give him a description of her childhood and -education, but she answered decidedly, no. - - -Kristen Larssen had got work to do at the doctor's, he had arranged his -laboratory and put up the ventilators, etc. Kallem had never had -anything to do with a more silent, suspicious man; but neither with a -more clever one. He came one Sunday morning in the beginning of August, -arrayed in his best clothes, a long-tailed brown cloth coat, with -extraordinarily tight sleeves, an old rusty waistcoat, much too short, -and a pair of gray trousers made of the so-called English leather. He -went about bare-headed, as a rule; but on grand occasions he carried a -hat in his hand; he could not bear anything on his head, unless the -weather were fearfully cold. There he stood in the office, tall, thin, -with closely-cropped hair, well-scrubbed face with black stubby beard. -His whole appearance was lightened up by a white collar spread over a -red-striped scarf. The doctor asked him to sit down, and inquired what -was the matter with him. His answer was--first an inquiring glance, and -then that he had not complained of his health. - -Kallem remarked by the answer he had just given him, that it was not -easy to tell him what he wanted; but he thought to himself: Now, my -friend, you may be content. - -At last he said that he knew that "the doctor's wife" had been five or -six years in America; and that perhaps she might have some English -books to lend him. As he had taught himself a little English, perhaps -she would tell him how to proceed further. - -Was he thinking of emigrating? Oh, that would not be freedom; "to go -and be a slave for the Norwegians ... over there too; no, I don't feel -drawn toward that." - -"How old are you?" - -"About forty, or rather more." - -He looked over fifty. - -"I daresay my wife would with pleasure teach you English, Larssen, -maybe in the evenings." - -No, he would not hear of that on any account. Kallem, however, -explained to him that pronunciation must be learned by ear; Ragni -happened to come in at that moment, and Kallem told her that if Kristen -Larssen knew English, it would be like giving him a pair of wings. She -blushed, for it was not the first time that her husband had given her -some tiresome work to do; of course, he thought she had not sufficient -occupation. She, however, would have preferred not to agree. But as she -stood looking at Kristen Larssen, she remembered that her husband had -never met a cleverer man; she began to feel a certain amount of -compassion for him. He was studying an English book at that moment, and -could barely understand what it was about. She not only proposed to -help him, but tried to persuade him to accept her proffered help. On -that very same afternoon, about five o'clock, they began; they sat -spelling through a very easy book. When Kallem came home he found them -with their heads close together, poring over the same book, the one -black and rugged, the other small and well-formed with reddish hair; -the one a stiff, grubby face with furrows and wrinkles; the other -possessed warm bright eyes and dazzling colouring, and was full of -spirit. She held her handkerchief to her mouth, it was evidently a -struggle for her to sit beside him at all. Kallem then remembered that -he himself had remarked that Kristen Larssen's breath was not of the -sweetest. Kallem at once arranged that they were each to have their own -book and sit at opposite sides of the table. As soon as ever she could, -she escaped. To make up for this Kallem invited Larssen to spend the -evening with them, and tried to thaw him up a little; but no, he was -just as stiff and wary when he left as when he came. Kallem's thoughts -were much taken up by him. Who in all the world could he be, and how -had he managed to become like this? - -One day Kallem had occasion to go to his house. There he found a thin, -stiff-looking woman who was Kristen Larssen's wife, her head wrapped in -a black shawl; if the husband had too little covering on his head, she -certainly had too much. No children. No fire on the hearth; she said -she cooked the food for many days at a time. She went about knitting -with a shrewd and suspicious air. Kallem began to think they had agreed -to live as cheaply as possible, so as to scrape as much money together -as they could for the journey they wished to take. As he wanted an -excuse for this visit, he had taken a revolver with him that would not -go off; it was in its case, so he had taken case and all with him, but -only remarked now that the ammunition for the revolver was in it too. -He showed it to her. - -"Oh, there are many of that kind here," she answered, and took it up -without the slightest fear. "What a charming weapon," she said, and -laid it down, locked it, and put the case on a shelf over her husband's -work-table. Both the shelf and the table were covered with things -waiting to be mended. - -"He has too much work out just now," said she, "such trifles must -wait." - -Work-room, kitchen, and bed-room were all comprised in this one -apartment. A bell hung on the wall, a table, a bed, a long bench, and -three wooden chairs; otherwise the room was completely bare--then a -nasty strong smell. - -He went home past Sören Pedersen, the saddler's shop. Kallem had helped -him to begin this shop, he was getting on well. There stood Kristen -Larssen, with a glass in one hand, a bottle in the other, and Sören -Pedersen and his wife were screaming or singing in front of the glass -and bottle; it sounded like the long melancholy howling of a dog. -Kristen Larssen laughed with a laugh that came from the very essence of -his being. There was an unctuous satisfaction in this outburst, the -exposure of a malicious heart's innermost feelings, an explorer's -hallelujah of wildest delight. Was it that he took an interest in these -two people? Who knows? Did he repeat this every day? - -Ragni soon had cause again to feel Kallem's talent of making work for -everyone. - -They were to meet old Pastor Meek and his granddaughter, Tilla Kraby, -at a small party given by Dr. Kent; they had just returned from a trip -abroad, but were to start again immediately. They had been made much of -during this short, and in all probability last, visit to these parts of -the country; this party was given for them, and Kallem and his wife, -who otherwise did not go out much, went to it solely to have a look at -them. The guests of the evening were very late in coming, but in the -meantime a very stout lady, barely thirty years of age, was introduced -to Ragni; she was bright and good-looking. She startled Ragni by -saying: "I don't know whether it will be a disagreeable piece of news -to you to hear that I am Sören Kule's sister." As she remarked how very -uncomfortable Ragni looked, she quickly took her aside: "Pray do not -think otherwise than that I should have acted exactly as you did," she -whispered. "And particularly if I had met a man like your husband"--she -pressed Ragni's arm. She was clever and free and easy, and had little -idea that she was torturing the delicate feelings of the being whose -arm she held. The fact that her face and figure had a resemblance to -the "whale tribe" was enough; Ragni recognized everything, even the -peculiarity of the "swimmers;" she could not help thinking of pork. At -last old Pastor Meek and his grand-daughter appeared; their host and -his sister--Dr. Kent was not married--went to receive them with almost -all the rest of the company after them. One could distinguish amongst -the "How do you do's" and "Welcomes" of the foremost, remarks from -those who were behind. "How good-looking he is!" "What a traveller -Tilla is!" In the meanwhile, Kallem and Ragni stood by and wondered who -it was they were like; they seemed to recognize their faces. - -Pastor Meek was a man of medium height, broad-shouldered, but rather -stout. He carried his head high, it was broad and glistening, encircled -by thick white hair. "Now I know!" whispered Ragni, "I am sure they are -related to that young man we met the first day we were here. Of course -you remember him, he was so good-looking." - -"Yes, of course, that's it! The same arched face. They might perfectly -belong to the Bourbons." - -The old man thanked the company for their welcome in a low voice, but -he spoke slowly. His eyes were not cheerful, on the contrary, they were -wistful and resigned. He did not give one the impression of being a -determined man, but of being kind-hearted and thoughtful. When any of -the officials of high standing spoke to him, he put on a stiff, -ceremonious manner, quite in the old style. - -"The new doctor" was introduced, and Fru Lilli Bing said to Ragni, as -if she knew all about it: "Oh, how you two must suit each other! May I -introduce you Fru Kallem, Fröken Kraby?" They bowed to one another -rather shyly, but began to talk of the young man whom Fröken Kraby was -like; he was her nephew and was very musical. This led to their -speaking of music, and they never left one another's side for the rest -of the evening. - -Ragni had seldom--one may say never--with the exception of Kallem, -found anyone who had so entirely taken up her thoughts. This quiet, and -yet at the same time bright, blondine was so charming, and all she said -was the expression of her own thoughts. Alas! she had to leave the town -in a few days forever! That this was the first, and perhaps the last, -time they were ever to meet, drew them with a kind of melancholy -sweetness to each other. Ragni agreed on this account to play when her -host, later in the evening, in his chaffing way, asked her to do so; -she wished her new friend to learn to know her as well as possible. - -"Do stand so that I may see a face I know," she whispered, and then -began Solveig's song from "Per Gynt." They had probably expected a -showy piece, not such a simple melody; but when the piano had finished -"singing," they were all so charmed that the town magistrate, who was -general spokesman on such occasions, begged her to repeat it; which she -readily did. Then followed the Wizard's March, so unutterably weird; -directly after that Selmer's "Child's Frolics," such a delicate, -charming contrast; she played it with the same clear understanding and -feeling of the smallest nuances; then came a quiet, old-fashioned song -by Sinding, each note like a separate word; then a bright, lively song -by Svendsen; and finished up with a festival march by Selmer. She was -not at all nervous to-day, her eyes flashed out volumes to Tilla, and -from her to many others, volumes of all sorts of enchanted tales. The -company was much entertained; the town magistrate marched about like a -braying trumpet. Old Meek came up to her with old-fashioned gallantry; -Tilla whispered to her: "Grandfather is so musical." - -An hour later, old Pastor Meek went away; he never stayed longer than -that at a party; his grand-daughter left with him, and Kallem and Ragni -joined them. - -The evening was mild, considering that it was the end of August, when -there were always such sudden changes after sunset; still it was not so -mild but what they were obliged to have on both cloaks and overcoats. -There were people out walking everywhere. When they came to the -Kallem's house, Ragni, who otherwise was so very retiring and shy, -asked if they would not go in with them for a little while, and the old -man answered politely that if there was the slightest hope of hearing -some more music, the invitation was only too acceptable. So the lamps -were lighted in the room, the piano opened, and an Italian barcarole -went rowing away out through the open windows. Old Pastor Meek was -delighted, and ventured to ask whether his grand-son, who was at the -school here, might come and hear Fru Kallem play--of course only if it -was quite convenient. Unfortunately, he was so taken up with his music -that he had reached the age of nineteen without having passed his -student's examination; but as there was no help for it, it was just as -well he should hear good music. Ragni replied that it would be a -pleasure to her. Kallem asked if he should go to him and tell him he -could come? The old man was most grateful to him, and would be still -more so, if at the same time the doctor would examine him and see what -was the matter with him; there was something wrong. Kallem said that he -had noticed it too, and thought he would be able to find out what it -was. - -The old man sat down to the piano: - -"Now you shall hear one of his songs," said he. And with fingers not so -stiff as might have been expected, and with a low voice, as though one -were fingering a church bell--particularly with a peculiar use of -head-voice, he hummed: - - - When does the morning dawn? - When golden rays are floating - O'er the snow-covered heights - Deep down in the dark rifts, - Lifts - The stem that turns to the light - Till it feels like an angel with wings. - Then it is morning, - Bright clear morning. - But in stormy weather, - And when my heart is sad, - There's no morn for me, - None. - - Surely the morning has dawned - When the flowers have burst into bloom, - And the birds having broken their fast, - Are chirping a promise that - The woods - Shall have fresh green crowns as a gift, - The brook have a sight of the sea. - Then it is morning, - Bright, clear morning. - But in stormy weather, - And when my heart is sad, - There's no morn for me, - None. - - When does the morning dawn? - When the strength that glows through - Sorrow and storm, awakens - The sun in thy soul, so thy bosom - Warmly - Embraces the world in this cause: - To be truly good to each and all! - Then it is morning, - Bright, clear morning. - The greatest strength thou knowest, - And the most dangerous too-- - Is it that thou would'st have? - Yes. - - -Both voice and accompaniment were peculiar. Ragni exclaimed: "Oh, how -it all floats away!" - -Kallem asked whose words they were--evidently a woman's? Tilla answered -that it was taken from a newspaper; it was doubtless a translation. But -when the others had left them, Ragni confided to Kallem that the -"woman's words" was one of her translations! His cousin had got it into -a Norwegian-American paper; and from that it had gone further still. -This coincidence was sufficient to make Kallem go the very next day to -Karl Meek--and three days later the latter, with his piano, books, and -clothes, was established up in a large attic in Kallem's house, the one -that looked out to the park. Kallem had overcome Ragni's strongest -opposition. - - - - - V. - - -From that time there sat at their table a tall, long-haired individual, -with legs twisted round those of the chair, with long red fingers -always covered with chilblains, and so clammy that Ragni could not -touch them. Nor could she bring herself to speak to him after what -Kallem had told her about him; all the good and prepossessing qualities -that she had seen in him at their first meeting had been effaced by -what she had heard. He entered the room quickly, as if he had practised -it, and then his coat or his sleeve caught in the door handle, or he -did not shut the door the first time he tried, or his legs tripped him -up, or he dragged a chair along with him, or knocked up against the -servant who had just put down something on the table and was leaving -the room. He never looked anyone in the face, his really fine eyes were -sleepy and dull, his cheeks were ashen-gray; he studied the patterns on -the plate, on the Chinese bread-basket which stood in front of him. He -never uttered a word; if anyone spoke to him he was so startled that he -answered "yes" or "no" as if he had hot cinders in his mouth. But he -ate--according to Ragni's way of reckoning--like a carpenter's horse. -And then, when he wiped his clammy hands on his trousers or up in his -thick greasy hair, he was worse than Kristen Larssen. - -This disgusting youth at her table every blessed day, and in the -evenings Kristen Larssen! To say nothing of all the old women Kallem -brought in to her so that she might supply them with warm woollen -things; children, too, who sometimes were to be clothed from top to -toe--his tuberculous friends! - -Not only did she feel repelled by the actual persons, but every door -was left open; she had not a corner where she could be at liberty, nor -could she call her time her own. There was no use talking to him about -it, as long as that, which was her greatest horror, was his greatest -pleasure. There was a little jealousy, too, mixed up with it: he did -not think enough about her and her doings. He had quite put on one -side that affair with his sister; the minister and his wife had long -since returned to town, Josephine had paid them a flying visit one -morning in their garden, with some flowers from old Kallem's grave; the -brothers-in-law met in the street and by sick-beds; then, too, Kallem -sometimes met his sister, who was very good to the poor; but she did -not come to him, nor he to her; neither was there any party given in -their honor at the minister's house, as everyone had expected; in fact, -there were no more parties at all. Not for a moment did Ragni doubt the -reason of this. Kallem did not understand how this unspoken doubt -worried her; nor could he be made to see that in a way it shut her out -from the town; and she would not worry him with it. He had the -privilege of the busy man, to put everything on one side which did not -seem "clear" to him. In his daily tubercular chase, the old women and -children whom he brought in his train were more to him than "all -religious disputes;" and unfortunately, more too than the comfort and -sense of beauty which for her were an absolute necessity. - -At the further end of the large hospital yard was a long provision -store and woodhouse, etc. Kallem had a hall for gymnastics fitted up -there, and he and the ashen-gray young man spent most of their evenings -there after six o'clock. As long as this lasted, he came home very -punctually, did his own exercises, then arranged a class and was -himself the leader. It was a miserable affair to begin with, but with -his accustomed energy he brought order and go into it. The timid youth -had hardly touched his piano since he had been there, he was afraid of -Free Kallem. So Kallem went up to him every evening for half an hour -with his book; he made Karl play whilst he sat there. In his capacity -as doctor he had forced his way to his confidence; he looked after him -with watchful friendliness, and soon the youth came into the room more -at his ease, and did not sneak away so quickly. And at last she took -courage--after earnest entreaties from Kallem--and said to the youth -one Sunday morning: "No, don't go upstairs; come, let us try to play -some duets together! We will take easy pieces," she added. He was in -despair; but as good luck would have it, he nearly overturned the piano -stool as he was going to sit down, and almost upset hers too in trying -to save his own, and at that they both began to laugh; that helped them -through the worst. She sat there fresh and slim, in a red silk dress, -with lace at her neck and wrists, her long, white piano fingers well -away from his long red ones; her intelligent face often turned toward -him, a scent of mignonette from her dress, and the perfume of her hair -... he trembled with shyness. And how ugly he thought himself! And the -smell of his hair! He struggled so to play, that he was soon tired and -made stupid mistakes. "I am sure you are not inclined for it to-day," -said she, and got up. - -He went off like a beaten hound; he shrunk from all, he writhed, and -for the ninth or ninetieth time made up his mind to run away. He never -appeared at dinner-time, and was not to be found in all the house, so -Kallem thought he would ask about it; she told him then what a -miserable performance it had been; he had got tired after barely half -an hour; a young man who could not stand more than that disgusted her. -"Oh, you everlasting æsthetic!"--he went to look for the youth, and -sacrificed his delightful Sunday afternoon to it, and came home with -him toward evening. Then she whispered to him, when they were in the -office, that she was going to be very good. Kristen Larssen came, and -more patient than any beaten poodle, she sat herself down to give him -an English lesson. - -From the very first she had felt compassion for this peculiar man; but -she froze to an icicle in his society, and in the vicinity of his -breath. Therefore, she herself thought that it was horribly cowardly of -her to go on with it without a complaint; it was certainly not out of -compassion. Punctual to the minute he appeared, in his long brown coat -with the tight sleeves, and with a working-man's unbearable smell of -stale perspiration from clothes and body. His breath reached right -across the table; she felt it too, even if it did not really reach her. -He pulled forward his chair, sat down, and opened his book, and when he -had found his place, he sent his cold, horrible eyes across to her -warm, startled, dove-like ones, startled beyond bounds. His long, -black-smudged fingers, covered with black hair like his whole hand, -took hold, the one hand of the book, the fingers of the other he used -to point with; then he cleared his throat well, and finally began. -Usually he asked about something from the last lesson; always -intelligent, suspecting a mistake on her part, a want of perception or -logic. He made her feel unsafe under the safest circumstances. - -When he slowly, and with much deliberation, struggled on, word for -word, and she presumed to interrupt him because he had made a mistake, -he put down his finger still firmer to mark the place where he had been -caught tripping, and looked up at her, vexed and suspicious. Then she -in a most uncertain way reiterated her correction; but never could she -succeed in making it clear enough to him; he had always to ask for -further explanations. She repeated it a third time, and at last he was -gracious enough to let it pass--to her account. Each time she -interrupted him, she knew what would follow--and knew that wave upon -wave of that bad breath would be wafted across to her. - -What a piece of work it was for this man to come to her as sure as he -always was; never repeating a mistake that once had been corrected; and -what capacity he had, enabling him to ask all those extraordinary -questions, which sometimes would have done honour to a philologist--all -this she neither overlooked nor undervalued. But to her he was so truly -fearful. He was too painfully like an old monkey she had seen sedately -eating with a silver spoon. This picture hanging grinning over him was -like revenge. - -There was one circumstance in her daily life which made it very -pleasant, it was her work together with the servant; they became very -good friends. Both of them got on so well together--Ragni found out -what there was to do, and the other one did it. Ragni liked work and -was quick about it, the servant was intelligent and anxious to learn; -they took a pleasure in each other's society. - -A fortnight after the unsuccessful attempt at duet-playing, she said to -Karl Meek: - -"What do you think about it? Shall we try once more?" - -"No, thank you, it--it won't do!" answered he, horrified. - -"Oh, yes, I have looked out a duet which you will be able to manage." -She took it out, he stood at a distance of two ells and looked at -it--grew very red, and passed his hands through his hair. - -"Do you know it?" He never answered; it was a piece of his own, he -called it the "Mountain Brook," and he had often played it for Kallem -upstairs; now it had been arranged as a duet; in this way she wished to -make up for the last time. - -"Come, now!" In the same red silk dress, with the same lace falling -over her long playing-fingers, there she sat, the same figure, the same -wonderfully dreamy eyes looking at him, sometimes in a way that made -him shiver. But now he was himself in new clothes, and his hair was cut -and well arranged, as was his whole person. And the "mountain brook" -came rushing from under her nimble fingers; if he were not always able -to keep up with her, she waited to take him along. At last, if not -quite perfect, it was at all events not so bad but what she graciously -promised in the future to go on with it. - -He bowed, and would have gone. "It is Sunday," said she, "you can't -have anything to do?" - -"No." - -"Shall we go for a walk?" - -"Yes, if you.... Oh, yes!" - -Quick as an arrow he came down in overcoat and fur cap, and she -appeared in her pretty cloak and the coquettish American hat with -feathers. - -"Let us go up the hill and meet the doctor." - -They went off. She felt she would have to talk the whole time, so she -began to describe the snow-storms on the American prairies, and what -the consequences could be for both man and beast. He saw how little by -little the colour came to her cheeks, and how her small feet could -hurry along the road. There was no sun that October day, but it was not -cold; the fields were dark and dull, and the foliage was just beginning -to turn; but he saw nothing of all that, he was overcome by the thought -that she had wished to walk with him, she, the most refined, the most -musical woman he knew. For her sake he would so gladly roll in the -dust, shoot himself with a pistol, or jump into the lake. This was no -imaginary woman, it was Ragni Kallem in the red silk dress under the -soft cloak, and the American hat with feathers--the one that all his -companions admired so much. Those eyes gazed at him; and he dared not -go down to their very depths. She walked and talked with him before -everybody. Then he too began to talk, as they went from winter in -America to winter in the forest districts. His father, Pastor Meek's -son Otto, was a doctor and had married a farmer's daughter from a large -farm in the forest district, and lived there like any other peasant. -Together with him Karl had been across the river-bed, away up in the -solitude of the wooded mountains; he had helped at the felling of -timber, the netting of deer, and shooting; he talked of scenery and -impressions of which she had not the slightest idea. He described the -appearance of a black-cock, its courtship, habits, the flapping of its -wings, and its cry so vividly, that she ever after called him the -"black-cock." - -They did not meet Kallem, and went back therefore by the same road. -They played their duet over again, and much better than at first; they -wished to practise it well so as to play it some evening when Kallem -was sitting in his office! To him Kallem was the greatest and highest -he knew. - -Little by little she gained influence over the "blackcock," and got -accustomed to his oval face, his variable moods, one moment radiant and -beaming, the next down in the depths, hasty and impetuous, then humbly -submissive, with short spells of industry and long ones of "dolce far -niente," very much got up, but at the same time very slovenly; she -began to think him quite good-looking, and had no objection to take him -by the hand. She helped him with his lessons; especially with his -English. His learning was very scrappy, so Kallem proposed that he -should leave school and study privately those things that he was so far -behind in, and he wrote to Karl's father about it at once. After this -Karl often sat in the large room with his books and exercises, played -and read, and read and played--alone and together with her. - -In the afternoons they were seen out taking long walks together. As -soon as the snow lay firm on the ground--it had come the beginning of -November--they would go and meet Kallem and drive home with him, each -standing on one of the runners of his sledge. As soon as ever the bay -was frozen they were out on the ice, the quickest and most agile of -all. One sport alone had Kallem and he reserved for themselves, and -that was to get Karl to walk on his hands. With the greatest solemnity -the doctor would lift up his long legs and hold them up, while the -other tried till he could try no longer. At first this went on only in -the gymnasium, but soon they began in the room, in the passage, even on -the stairs, just before dinner, just before supper too: "Up with your -legs, lad!" How Ragni laughed every time he tumbled down again. At last -she too became anxious that he should succeed; but he never could -manage it; he was "too limp." Then it became a matter of honour for -him; and the same for her too. She took a great interest in trying to -make a "man" of him; his limp appearance, his tendency to dream and -idle away his time, annoyed her greatly; she told him so. But he could -not stand much, and soon became cross. Then she punished him by being -very reserved. It was of no use his being altogether crushed and that -he made hundreds of advances, even that he cried; she allowed him to -live in mortal terror of her complaining to Kallem; she helped him with -his work, but without either a word or a look but what belonged to the -subject; she refused to go out with him; she never saw him--until in -Kallem's presence she could again talk as though nothing had happened. -Kallem, of course, knew nothing of all these shadows cast over their -mutual intercourse. - -Kallem associated with no one, he had not time. He was obliged to -diminish his practice, so that he took serious steps to come to an -agreement with Dr. Arentz, the young military surgeon, that he should -be his assistant. This was arranged by the end of November, and from -that time he could take more part and interest in the lessons and -mutual occupations which rendered them all the more firmly established. - -Karl Meek's father travelled into town on purpose to thank them, and to -invite them to accompany his son up to the forest district for -Christmas. Otto Meek was taller and stouter than his old father; the -face was in more grand style, more truly "Bourbon;" but it was -melancholy, or rather gloomy. Kallem accepted the invitation, and at -once made arrangements with his colleagues to enable him to get away. -But as the time drew near Dr. Kent fell ill, and Ragni was obliged, -however unwillingly, to start alone with Karl; Kallem would follow -them. A fur cloak for driving was bought for her, fur boots, a -foot-muff; a valuable fur cap, too, a present from Karl. She looked -like a Greenlander when she had it on. - -Kallem went to the station with them; Ragni had been crying a -little--in honour of its being the first parting since they were -married. As she sat in the train and Kallem stood outside, she was -going to begin again; he had to get in and scold her. As soon as her -tears were checked, he got down again and looked up at Karl, who sat -there happy and healthy. "I say, dear old 'black-cock,' from this time -I shall always say 'thou' to you and call you Karl, for you are a good -fellow!" But Karl jumped right down and threw himself on his neck. - -So they departed. - -Kallem read a great deal and thought it not altogether unpleasant to be -at peace; latterly they had occupied his time very much. But already -the third day, which was Christmas Eve, it felt lonely; he thought he -would go and take them by surprise; Dr. Kent was better. - -On the evening of Christmas Day he was just coming away from Kent and -going up to the hospital, when he saw in the distance a small crowd at -the gate. A horse and sledge were just driving away; the sledge was -full of straw and bed-clothes; some sick person must have been driven -in. He heard also children crying. Who had been hurt? It was Andersen, -the mason--the same man who had greeted Kallem and his wife from up on -the new house, the first day they came to the town. In the winter, -mason Andersen went about and did pedlar business whilst his own trade -was at a stand-still, and in crossing over a forest ridge he had lost -his way, fallen and hurt himself, and had to lie there until, by the -merest chance, he had been found. Kallem found his inconsolable wife -with the deaconesses, and heard from her that her husband, who was an -active man, had made extra haste as it was just before Christmas, and -had wanted to take a short cut so as to reach home for Christmas; -Andersen was always so "fond of his home." But his sight was bad, and -he slipped on his Lapp-shoes and cut and broke his leg, and there he -lay not able to move. That was how he kept Christmas. "We waited and -waited," she said, "and the children too!" - -Kallem went up to the patient, who was in bed in a warm room. The big -man with the large brown beard floating over his shirt was altogether -unrecognizable. The eyes were pressed together, the eyelids swollen, -stiff. The mucous membrane of the eye was inflamed, the cornea was -threatened, and as it was painful at the slightest ray of light, there -was probably greater danger at hand. Swollen bluish-red patches on the -face; the fingers of both hands quite white and without feeling; the -backs of the hands twice their usual size and covered with large -blisters full of water. The right leg was broken at the upper end of -the fibula, the fracture went up into the knee-joint; the wound was as -large as a crown-piece, a splinter of bone sticking out like a finger. -Compared with this, all other injury to the foot was of little -consequence. - -Andersen could hardly speak, but now and again groaned that his foot -must not be cut off. Kallem answered repeatedly as he helped him, that -the next morning's daylight would decide it. The room was at once -half-darkened, compresses of boron water were laid on his eyes, with -urgent instructions to change constantly; his face was rubbed in with -oil and wrapped in a thin sheet of wadding, the same with the hands; -the wound in the leg was syringed with carbolic water, and a small -bleeding vein was bound up, the wound sprinkled with iodoform and -wrapped round with wadding, and put in a wire bandage. If he should -awake and feel weak, he was to have ether every second hour, and if in -very great pain, then an injection of morphia. - -After that he fell asleep; but each time he awoke he complained of -unbearable pain--less from the fracture, but more particularly down the -shin-bone to the back of the foot; he was in constant fear that his -foot would be amputated. - -At nine o'clock the next morning, Kallem thought him better in all -respects. His mind was clearer, too, now, but was still much taken up -about his foot--if only it might be spared. He wished to see his good -friend the minister; the wife was there, and she went off at once to -beg the minister to come to him a little before church began. Meanwhile -his eyes were attended to; they were less swollen, but could not bear -the light; atropin was used to them and the compresses changed for a -light bandage. Kallem was on the lookout when Andersen's wife came back -with the minister; he went to meet them. According to his opinion, -Andersen's right leg would undoubtedly have to be exarticulated, that -is, the leg taken off at the knee-joint; but the patient was not to -know that at present. The wife, who until now had taken the accident -with strength of mind and calmness, broke down entirely, so Kallem -dared not let her go into the room; the minister went in alone. - -It made a deep impression on the latter to stand beside his sick friend -in this darkened room, and by degrees distinguish the giant lying there -without eyes, with an unrecognizable face, his hands in bags, and to -hear him moaning. But soon he was bound to admire his strength and his -confident faith. Andersen wished them to pray for him in church to-day; -"they all know me," said he. The minister agreed to it, but on the spot -he offered up a heartfelt prayer for him and for all who were dependent -on him. The sick man was much cheered by this prayer; he whispered: "I -have made a covenant with God about my foot," then lay quite quiet -whilst the minister pronounced St. Paul's blessing over him. Within an -hour from then Dr. Arentz came, and Andersen was carried into the -operating-room. They told him that they intended to chloroform him so -as thoroughly to examine his injuries; and as he was still suffering -such intolerable pain, he agreed to it at once; "but my foot is not to -be cut off." - -A closer examination proved that the upper extremity of the fibula was -splintered up crossways into the knee-joint; unfortunately, too, one of -the larger veins lay pressed between the fractured extremities, so that -its pouch was filled by a large thrombus, which stretched up a few -inches of the thigh. - -As a matter of course, the leg had to be amputated; it was done in a -quarter of an hour. - -All those who were to help in nursing him were strictly enjoined to let -him believe that his leg had been spared. All excitement was to be -avoided, so that there might be no possibility of his raising himself -in bed and changing his position; if a thrombus were started, it would -be all over with him. He was laid in a wire bandage from the hip-joint -and down to the foot of the bed, the stump was wrapped in a bandage of -carbolic gauze and jute, and fastened at the outer side to a block. - -When he was in bed again they roused him, but impressed upon him to -keep perfectly quiet. They gave him wine, but in tablespoonfuls, so -that he need not move; in the same way he had some bouillon (beef-tea) -and the yolk of an egg; soon he fell asleep again. - -As soon as Kallem had changed his coat, he went down to the -deaconesses' room where the wife was waiting, and told her the whole -case, together with the danger threatening if Andersen were in any way -agitated. He grew quite fond of her broad, intelligent face with the -eagle's nose; seldom had he come across a purer strength of character. -"Should this end badly," said he, "you have still many friends." - -"God lives," whispered she. - -Between three and four o'clock Andersen woke up, took more spoonfuls of -wine, beef-tea, eggs, milk; he assured them that he felt well enough, -except that his shin-bone pained him; occasionally too he felt a pain -in his heel. Toward evening his vital powers were much stronger, and he -wished to see the minister again. Just as his wife was going to fetch -him, he came of his own accord. Kallem had impressed on him that he was -to pretend that the leg was still on. - -It was evident at once that Andersen just lay there and thought of -nothing else. "I think now I can say that God has heard my prayer," -said he; "therefore must He be thanked in a fitting manner." - -The minister was touched by this, and felt called upon to give hearty -thanks that the leg had proved to be a pledge of God's mercy to the -sick man, and had allied him still more closely with his Saviour. -Andersen seemed to be considering the matter; at last he said: "Pray -now that He will spare the leg afterwards too." - -What could make him think of that? - -"Oh, because I have so much pain in it." - -But shortly before he thought his prayers had been heard? - -"Yes; but it is a good thing to pray without ceasing." - -The minister tried to refuse; but the patient at once became restless, -and his wife whispered meekly that Andersen must be allowed his way in -this. So the minister yielded. But he did it more on her responsibility -than on his own, and it passed over. Kallem had just gone home when the -minister came to him there, very pale, and told him what had taken -place. "I will not do that over again," said he. - -"I can assure you, you have done a good deed." The minister stood with -his overcoat and hat on, his hand on the door-handle; Kallem's tone and -words offended him. "Through truth alone can we draw near the God of -truth. Good-bye!" - -The doctor followed him out: "You believe, then, that if you now tell -Andersen his leg has been cut off, that God can save him?" - -"Yes," answered the minister, angrily, without turning round. - -It was impossible for Kallem to leave now. He wrote a lengthily -detailed letter to Ragni and promised to come as soon as he could. - -The next morning he found everything in the most desirable order; but -enforced the greatest quiet in his position in bed, and that he was not -to talk so much. In the afternoon Andersen wished to take the -sacrament, but the deaconess answered that he could not stand so much -agitation. "I wish to renew my covenant with God," replied Andersen. - -They could not do otherwise but listen to this; but they dared not -consent without first asking the doctor, and he had been sent for in -the morning to attend a confinement. The deaconess consulted with the -porter, who had been there so long that he was all-powerful. Andersen -repeated his wish to him too in the most decided way, and the porter -thought it could not be avoided; he would take the responsibility on -himself. Shortly after the minister and he were together in the -porter's room to take the chill off the wine; the weather had changed -and it was a bitterly cold evening. They both went upstairs. Andersen -was glad to hear who it was who came; "I knew it," said he. - -The minister asked if there were anything special? - -"Yes, there was." - -The others left the room. Then Andersen said that once, when he was -young, he had given a boy a rupture with the same foot that now was -injured. It was surely not on that account that he was now punished? - -"No." - -"No, but for all that he had been thinking so much about it, and had a -longing to take the sacrament." - -There was nothing else the matter? - -"No." - -The minister begged him to collect his thoughts, now they would pray -together. Andersen was silent while this went on. After the prayer the -minister gave him absolution from sins, and said that now he would give -him the bread and wine. - -"Oh, wait a little! Now I have received absolution from my sins, now -there is a clean page. Let us write down the leg on that, that it may -be read in heaven. I feel so happy, yes, I am so truly happy!" - -"The whole body is included in the covenant, dear Andersen." - -"Yes, but this time the Lord is to promise my wife and children that my -leg will get quite well. Come now!" - -He stretched out his frost-bitten hands. - -The perspiration broke out on the minister's face. "I cannot do this," -whispered he, quite unconsciously. - -Andersen's mouth quivered, his bandaged hands fumbled for something; he -raised them to his eyes, but they were met by the bandage. "We cannot -question the justice of God," said the minister; "supposing now that -what we wish for is impossible?" - -Was there something in the minister's voice, or was it the actual -opposition that made Andersen suspicious? - -Without answering, he tore the bandage from his eyes, and he raised -himself up, did it quickly, flung the bedclothes aside and fell back on -his pillow, put his hand on his chest, crying out that he was -suffocating, his breathing was alarming. A clot of blood (thrombus) had -gone up into the lung. - -The minister had put down what he was holding in his hands, and -hastened to the door where the porter and the others were waiting -outside; they ran for Doctor Arentz and Doctor Kent, but before either -of them arrived Kallem had come back. The minister had left by then; -Andersen died that same night. - - - - - VI. - - -The porter was the first who had to pay for it. He was dismissed that -same day. - -Then Kallem went down to Andersen's widow. "You are a very clever, -capable woman. If you like you shall have the place as porter and -steward at the hospital. Accept it and begin at once to-morrow to pack -up and move in with the children, you will have less time to think -about your sorrow. Have you a good servant-girl?" - -"Yes." - -"Take her with you. More will not be necessary. Everything else is -ready, and the deaconesses will help you." - -The upper deaconess got a sound rating; but nothing further. She was to -atone for her mistake by doing all that lay in her power to help mother -Andersen. - -He made no effort to see the minister, nor the minister to see him. He -heard from others that he had been ill, which he thought likely enough. -A few days later Kallem met Josephine in the street; she pretended not -to see him. - -The effect produced by this incident is not easily described. The whole -town was in a tumult. There must be something peculiar about belief -altogether, when belief in a lie could save a man from certain death. - -Of course the porter and his large family came down upon the minister -and his wife like a heavy beam. Josephine had to provide money for -starting them in a bookseller's shop, much more money than she wished -to part with. - -From that time Kallem had a true and faithful enemy in that man. - -Directly after all this Kallem travelled up to the wood district. He -gave no notice of his coming; he came driving up from the station to -the farm one moonlight evening just as the yard and a good part of the -road were filled with sledges; some had people in them, some were -empty; old and young, all were going on a sleighing expedition; they -were to start from here and come back to the farm to dance. - -No one noticed him coming from the station; they thought he belonged to -the party. It was only when he stood in the passage where the people of -the house and their guests were dressing that several of them saw he -was a stranger; but they did not think much about that; many fur-clad -figures were tramping out and in. Ragni had just got her fur on when -she felt herself embraced from behind. She gave a scream and looked up. -What delight that was! And Karl, who stood aside in a corner struggling -to pull on his long boots--without a sound or word he pulled them off -again, his fur too, flung his legs up in the air and away he went on -his hands to greet Kallem; at last he had acquired the art! The father -stood by with his thick hair and his melancholy face; he introduced -Kallem to his wife, a pale, quiet creature; she spoke in the dialect of -that district and had a weak voice--about all that Kallem remarked in -her. He had now no time for anything but just to join them. - -There was much neighing of horses, and shouting, and little screams, -and laughter until "Ready!" was sung out down all the line and the -first sledge with a lady in it and a fur-man standing behind dashed -off; then sledge upon sledge, broad ones and narrow ones, sledges with -one horse and sledges with two horses. All along the snowy field in the -moonlight there was a long waving line with blackish-gray dots on it -wending toward the wood, while soon re-echoed through the trees the -sound of bells, dogs, laughing and talking. Some began to sing, others -joined in; but it was impossible to keep time, so they gave it up. -Kallem sat in a broad sledge with his wife. She looked so sweet wrapped -in all her furs that he several times tried to kiss her--a very -difficult task. What a lot she had experienced! As he listened to her -it became clear to him that it was only now she was enjoying her youth. -He had never seen anyone so happy, had never known that she had such a -longing for enjoyment in her. The same thing struck him later in the -evening, as they danced, played games, chattered, played, ate; she was -enjoying herself now for many past years. Whether it was a ponderous -wood-owner who took her round her slim waist and carried her off so -that she barely touched the floor with the tips of her toes, or whether -she caught hold of one of the children and waltzed away with it, or of -Karl, or some other youth from school or university whirled her round -the reverse way like a top--there was always the same delighted face, -the same zealous eagerness. The dancing and games went on in a corner -room reaching right across the house; but many kept streaming out from -there and into the other rooms, yes, even into the kitchen over in the -other corner; the door into it was open. A few elderly gentleman tried -to have a game of cards in a corner, but had to give it up; they were -perpetually being called away to dance, they too. Old and young, all -were equally happy. - -At eleven o'clock the next day Ragni was still asleep, and when she -came downstairs about noon, rather tired and confused and much -astonished that Kallem had got up without her hearing him, she was -informed that he had gone away! A telegram from Dr. Kent, who was ill -again, made it impossible for him to remain longer. A few hasty lines, -scribbled while he ate his breakfast, comforted her a little. He wrote -that he would not wake her as she had been up so late the night before, -still less would he have her with him; but never had he felt a greater -pleasure than in seeing her so happy. - -The first thing Kallem found when he got home was an invitation to a -ball from the "club." And he decided to accept it. The invitation was -in his sister's hand-writing (she was one of the patronesses) and it -was to "Dr. and Mrs. Kallem." Dear me! - -Should he telegraph for Ragni? He decided to let her stay where she -was; she could not be better off. - -Meanwhile he had to do with a very serious matter. His first visit the -same evening was to a poor woman down in the town, Sissel Aune, a -washerwoman and mother of a large family; she was in bed with -inflammation of the lungs. It was particularly on her account that Kent -had telegraphed. The seventh day had passed without any crisis, and -when this night was half through, the ninth day would be over too. -Would she survive it? Both upper and lower tips of the lung were -affected. The heart was weak, the pulse very feeble, and there were -other bad symptoms. Should he try to brace up the heart with atropin -for the last struggle? He had never tried that remedy in a similar -case, but it seemed reasonable enough. Wherever he went and whatever he -did, this question haunted him. The five children were over with Sören -Pedersen and his wife Aase; those two were capital in such emergencies. - -The second time he went there he stayed; it was a wrestling match with -death. - -It was a small but clean room with three beds. A miserable geranium -in the window and a portrait of King Charles XV. on horseback, in -frame and glass, hanging on the wall, a few photographs fastened up -with pins, and beside them a violin with three strings, the fourth -hanging down loose. The poor creature who lay there had once been a -good-looking woman, should she recover she would still be hard-working -and active. But now she was wasted away to skin and bone, her worn-out -hard-working hands resting on the ragged sheet. But the man who sat -beside her was not strong like she was; no, he was indeed a poor weak -thing! A good-natured face, so far in keeping with the violin on the -wall that perhaps a string had cracked in himself before the one now -hanging there had given way. Tired and worn out by night-watching, he -sat there quite by himself, not because the neighbours were chary with -their help, but because the one who had last sat there was resting now -until the last struggle should begin. It had touched Kallem to see that -the neighbours kept watch on each side of the house, wishing to prevent -Christmas merry-makers from passing that way; they relieved guard the -whole night through. He heard this from the woman who came again about -eleven o'clock to help. There was not much to be done except for the -doctor, and he did not know whether he dare do anything. - -After the first injection of one-third of a milligramme the pulse was -raised. Kallem felt some hope, but dare not send it on to the imploring -eyes of the husband; it might deceive him. The pulse kept steady for a -couple of hours, then it fell; a fresh dose and it rose again. He sat -there watching her in great anxiety. He had a book with him and tried -to hold it under the lamp, now and again he took in a little of it, but -it was speedily forgotten. Not a word was spoken, but there were groans -and sighs. The last shouts outside in the distance, the last sound of -bells died away, the last door had long since been shut, the night was -gray and still. Five children, the eldest not more than ten years old, -were about to lose their provider, and the man who sat there, sometimes -tapping his knees, then stroking them, or resting his elbows on them -and clasping his hands together, and staring first at her, then at the -doctor, alas, he too would lose his provider. - -Each time the pulse grew weaker a fresh dose was administered, and it -invariably strengthened the pulse so that it certainly seemed as though -he were doing the right thing. But the crisis would not end; it was -past midnight, and according to what they said the ninth day was over, -and still the same wearing struggle was going on. He got up from his -seat in hope and fear, and sat down again, took his book, held it up, -laid it down--and went to take her temperature. Her strength was fast -ebbing away; the husband saw it in his face and he struggled to keep -back his tears; the doctor warned him to be quiet. One more trial, and -soon after she fell asleep. But was that really sleep? He listened. The -others looked at him and he at them. He left the bedside for a little -while to return to it with fresh powers of judging; it was genuine, -quiet sleep! He turned round to the husband, who read it in his face -and a reflection of the light of life flitted over from the doctor's to -his face. He got up, again his feelings overcame him--it must break out -now. "Go to bed!" whispered the doctor. The man flung himself down on -one of the beds with his face buried in the pillow--then he gave way -completely. - -Whispered injunctions to the woman who sat by the stove and who now got -up. Kallem promised to be there again later on in the morning; she -helped him on with his overcoat, he quietly opened the door for himself -and shut it again as quietly. The dull, gray weather had turned to a -heavy fall of snow. Not a single light was to be seen in any window, -with the exception of that one watching over the newly-kindled spark of -life. As Kallem went past the saddler's shop he could not resist -knocking at the door; but they were sound asleep in there. He knocked -again, for he felt sure that they had given up both their bed and the -warm room to the children, and were lying down themselves in the shop. -He was quite right. "Who's there?" was asked, with Sören Pedersen's -Funen accent. "When the children awake, tell them that their mother -will get better." - -"That is delightful," returned the man from Funen, and behind him could -be heard Aase's north country voice: "What is that he is saying?" - -Kallem replied: "Come to dinner with me and bring the children with -you!" - - - - - VII. - - -The whole of that night and the next day there was a tremendous fall of -snow, and toward evening the wind rose to a perfect storm; it drifted -and piled up the newly fallen snow in great heaps. The storm passed -away; but the snow fell on with equal violence. People from the country -who were going to the ball got the snow-plough to drive right down to -the town; in the town itself they were driving it about for the second -time that day. To the ball! to the ball! The first large ball at -Christmas-tide. - -To the ball! to the ball! In those larger towns, where dancing is a -business kept up by the young people in turn at different houses and -assemblies, no one there can have any idea of the upset caused in a -small town by the prospect of the first Christmas ball, and especially -amongst those young people from the country who drive in, ready-dressed -for the ball underneath their furs. But just as the snow-plough -good-naturedly pushes the superfluous snow to both sides, so does this -old-established custom and their natural shyness do away with more -than the half of all they had been romancing about together. A nice, -well-behaved flock appears, who at first seem hardly to know each -other. - -Kallem was lying on the sofa, and was in capital spirits. That -excellent woman, Sissel Aune, was recovering, the husband was going -about to-day drunk with happiness, and with brandy, which the -neighbours forced on him. The children had been there to dinner, -although the servant did not approve of it; in that respect she was -like Ragni, those two were like each other in many ways. - -The children were not quite so shy as Andersen's children, who were -also of the party. Kallem had played the piano for them, indifferently -enough, but he had walked on his hands to perfection, and the saddler -had had much to say about the mason Andersen's death. It was truth had -killed Andersen; so many there are who live by lying that it is -necessary some should be killed by truth, and more of such like -rubbish, which Aase thought wonderful. - -A long and very cheery letter from Ragni lay spread out on Kallem's -stomach; he had been reading it through for the second time. Karl had -enclosed a report of her state after the doctor's departure, and that -was amusing too, especially a description of her first attempt at using -snow-skates (which also proved to be the last). Through it all one -could see her innate cowardice. - -Now he was going to a ball where a minister's wife was to be patroness! -She and her smart friend, Lilli Bing. Was Josephine doing this against -her husband's wishes? It was a public secret that such was the case; -Lilli Bing had betrayed it to him. The minister's wife was the first -ball-room lady in the town! The gentlemen fought for the chance of -merely whirling her once round in a cotillon tour. He could see her in -fancy, tall, bare-necked, dark-eyed, warm and glowing from dancing. -Yes, he would have a dance with her too. He felt a longing to see her, -he could not conceal the fact. He put Ragni's letter on one side, -Karl's too, and the book he had been reading, then he got up, turned -down the lamp, told the servant he meant to go out, then went up to -dress. - -It was quite extraordinary the quantity of snow that fell; not the -star-like flakes, but broad big ones, chasing one after the other. If -there had been the slightest wind it would have been impossible to find -one's way. The lamps were dim, the light hardly reached beyond the -glass, and there was not a sound all round. Rain has a sound, and has -too a scenery of its own, but snow envelops and hides away everything, -never does one feel so utterly alone as in the midst of a fall of snow. -Kallem had not even a garden fence to guide him, he did not stumble -over a single stone by the way, none of the trees in the garden either -bowed or inclined their heads for him; he could no longer even see -them, they were wrapped up and sent away. The church still stood there, -but it was transformed into a heap of stones with a white staff up it. -He and the church, and the church and he, there was none besides. - -The houses down the street seemed to retreat in the background; they -looked like so many great wizards sitting there with huge paws in -front; once those paws had been stairs. A couple of boats lay up-turned -down on the sand at the end of the beach street; they looked like white -elephants at rest. The sea was like a sea of snow; but strange to say -the island had floated loose and drifted away, it was no longer -visible. It was full moon, according to the almanac, and it certainly -was not dark, although the moon was snowed away from the bewitched -world. - -He trudged along like a sugar-loaf turned upside down. The falling snow -and he were the only moving things. It was barely ten o'clock, but -still there were no eyes of fire glaring from out the house. Everything -was shut up, extinguished, and snowed over. Nothing but the dimly -burning lights in the lanterns bore witness that once there had been a -living town there. - -There, now he heard a clarinet squeak and a double-bass scrape--just as -if somewhere a fox and a polar bear were hopping about together. There -was tripping and there was tramping, the snowflakes were falling and -the houses were deserted. - -He advanced so far till he saw a smoking fiery mist round about a large -house; it was from there the squeaking and scraping came. And thither -he directed his steps. - -Had he made a mistake? He fell, or nearly so, down into a restaurant, -down into an atmosphere of tobacco, punch, and food. He saw some stout -men sitting there like so many pigs buried in their fat. They were not -in ball-room dress, but here came some who were. And when at last he -found his way to the right stairs, several gentlemen in evening dress -passed him on their way in search of tobacco and punch. Kallem hated -and despised both tobacco and punch and all tavern life, and especially -those men who could not dance without requiring stimulants. - -No one ought to come late to a ball. He looked at the clock, it was -past eleven and not only just ten as he had thought; either he had got -home too late or he had stayed reading too long. A few young men, -heated and perspiring who just came out through the smoke--each time -the door was opened there was a good deal of smoky fog--wished him -good-evening, thereby settling the fact of his arrival, so he pursued -his way mechanically and took off his outdoor garments. In the passages -were more heated and perspiring people. The one seemed to be running -away just because the other ran, their conversation was meaningless, -their eyes wild, their laughter like a tum-rum-tumming. There came -ladies, too, three and four together, looking very much like full-blown -roses; they laughed about nothing, talked about nothing, quite ready to -be carried off through music and chattering. The instruments were worn -out, the lights were in a hazy mist, the chandeliers a gold red color. - -The ball was overcrowded; it was difficult to make one's way through -all the men who stood disengaged near the door; they were all together -in a clump, a mixture of coarse and fine--a truly Norwegian mixture. - -A waltz was being danced, part of the cotillon. Tall as Kallem was, he -could soon see, now that his glasses were dry again, that his sister -was not among the dancers, probably not in the room at all. But he -forgot her, for in some respects this was an entirely new sight for -him; he knew nothing of Norwegian life but the west country and -Christiania. A ball in a little Norwegian provincial town is a peculiar -thing. Ladies and gentlemen who would adorn any grand Parisian ball, -move easily and lightly about among young people who take things -heavily in daily life, never having learnt the art of dancing, but -pound away in time with unabashed honesty. Men in tail-coats, men in -frock-coats, women in low-necked ball-dresses, women in plain black -stuff dresses, some elderly, some quite young, everyone enjoying -themselves in his or her own particular way. - -From the moment that Kallem had been so unfortunate as to find his way -down into the restaurant or its vicinity, thereby plunging into the -smell of punch and of tobacco-smoke, which he detested, from that -moment he was out of temper and looked at things from the dark side. -However, this passed away when he found himself in the ball-room and -surrounded by so much joyful independence on all sides. A couple -waltzed past him, he in frock-coat, she in a dark woollen dress -fastened with a clasp; they had a firm hold of each other and never -stopped but went on twirling carefully and solemnly round. A tall, fair -young fellow in a short jacket brushed past them, probably a young -sailor home for Christmas; he was dancing with a woman over forty, -doubtless his own mother; she was still quite capable of holding her -own through a regular topsail breeze. There went a well-known railway -man, a thin individual in a tail-coat, with upturned face and hopping -about with body swaying from side to side; if he hopped on his right -foot, the whole body went to the right, if on the left, then he bent to -the left, always keeping time in the most conscientious way, and so -happy--as happy as one of his own whistling engines; his partner -laughed all the time but not in a shy way; on the contrary she was -enjoying herself. And they kept on dancing, starting afresh almost the -moment after they sat down. Then a business man swept by, directly -after him an officer, both irreproachably got up, and with young, fresh -partners in proper ball-dresses; then followed a mad-looking individual -with long floating hair, dancing with a tall, dark woman. They dashed -through the middle of the long ball-room, up and down, everyone was -afraid of them and got out of their way as if they had been horses. -Then came twirling round a tower-like man, a broad, round, high tower -with a little thin lady leaning against him as though she were a -ladder. The upper part of the tower did not move, only twirled round; -if anyone had put a plate of soup upon the top, not a drop would have -spilled. Then there were two who held out their arms like sails, two -tall people, taking up as much room as three ordinary couples. But it -seemed to be the established ball-room custom that everyone had a right -to just as much room as they could manage to take up, and just as much -speed as they wished, and in the way and style they preferred. Here -everyone danced on their own account, and not for dancing's sake only, -but to enjoy themselves. - -But look at these two coming, they can dance! They came out from a -side-room, a good-looking beardless cavalry lieutenant and a tall.... -Josephine! She was in red silk trimmed with black, her firm neck, her -rounded arms with their warm colouring, her luxuriant hair fastened in -the usual knot, her wild-looking eyes, for they were wild, and that -figure--truly, she was queen of the ball! How she danced! It was now -the strength and natural suppleness of her body showed itself. And now -the Irish blood in her came out strongly. Her brother pressed forward, -almost breathless. And it seemed to him, that all stood staring at -these two, who swung round now to the right, then to the left, then -twirled round on the same spot, then dashing right round the room. No -fresh couples joined them, all were looking on, and little by little -many stopped who were dancing; they wished to look on too. There was -this drawback about the cavalry officer, that he was no taller than his -partner, but he was a strong, manly-looking fellow who danced -splendidly. For these two thoroughly healthy people dancing was a -passion and intoxication; or it had that appearance. And it intoxicated -others. Kallem could not resist it. He felt that he must dance, and -with her too, and if possible immediately. The next time they went -swinging past him he looked at her--looked at her in such a way that he -knew she would be forced to look over in his direction. And she did so. -She stood still, just as though someone had taken her round the waist -and stopped her. "Many thanks!" said she to her partner. -Instantaneously her brother stood beside her; but at the same time came -her friend Lilli Bing. "Come and sit down beside me!" said she, and -then, turning at once to Kallem, "How delightful to see you here!" - -"I must thank you for the invitation," answered he, addressing them -both. "But I have such a wish to dance with you, Josephine." He drew on -his gloves. "Will you allow me?" and he bowed to the lieutenant who -politely returned his bow. "Would _you_ like it?" he said to Josephine. - -She was rather breathless after the rapid dancing; but her dark eyes -beamed. "Yes," answered she, softly. - -The floor was again crowded with dancers, so they stood a little and -waited. But as there seemed no chance of better room he put his arm -round her waist so as to start. - -"It will never do!" whispered she. - -"Oh, yes it will!" said he, and started off, passing by everyone -without either knocking them or letting himself be stopped; if there -was danger he carried her rather than guided her past it. But soon he -perceived that it was quite unnecessary; she bent and glided to the -slightest pressure of his arm. They were not so alike that they quite -suited, nor yet so unlike that they clashed; they became interesting -for one another and enjoyed a moment's reconciliation before the fight. -They looked at one another from time to time, always simultaneously, he -very red, she very pale. - -Now the lamps shone brightly, the music was lively, the people happy -and unaffected, and the ball-room splendid. They had not danced -together since the days when he was the first cavalier of the balls, -and she a disagreeable school-girl whom he graciously condescended to -dance a few turns with now and again. But the way they held themselves -and kept time, their pace, too, it was all like one, their dancing was -light and graceful, they were so happy. But all they were thinking -about could not now be discussed while they thus held each other -entwined; it had all somehow got mixed up. They belonged to one another -with all the strong connecting power of their natures, especially now -that the depth of that nature had been reached. All that seemed to -separate them fell away like some foreign or chance element. And as all -the life they had spent together had been in the days of their -childhood, and in another country, they felt themselves carried back -there by the recollection of it. In the burning heat over there, by sea -and shore, they rode on their little ponies, one on each side of that -strange father, he had always looked so well on horseback. - -The brother--taller than his sister--looked down on her broad-shaped -head, he seemed to see his father's head again. She thought about her -father, too, when she looked up into his sharp-featured face. All the -same, he was more like their mother than she was; she recognized again -in him all that had been so clever and good in their mother, although -it was largely mixed with the stormy elements that had been their -father's. She could have lain in his arms as though he were her mother, -sure of him to the very end, in fact, just like that last evening they -were together in their own town on the bay. And in all the world she -had no greater longing than this. - -Then the waltz came to an end. - -Arm in arm they walked to the place Lilli had invited them to; they -felt warm and grateful. They met Lilli with the cavalry lieutenant, she -quite done up on account of her being so stout, but he, as always, -stiff, correct, and respectful. - -Not long after this Kallem found himself in his overcoat, sealskin -boots, his hands deep down in the huge pockets, and away out in the -falling snow. - -Either the brother and sister must now be left to themselves, or else -he must leave. It had moved him greatly. He was very fond of her, and -she, perhaps, even more fond of him. At this moment, when her spirit -seemed to amalgamate with his, everything was left to shape itself as -it best could and would. Something evidently weighed her down in daily -life; it could hardly be religion; but what was it then? She always did -exactly as she pleased, without reference to anyone; and yet she seemed -to be more heavily burdened than most people. - -It went on snowing and snowing; still there was light from the moon, -although it was not visible. His sister seemed to be standing in the -air in front of him, bare-armed and bare-headed, and with eyes of fire; -in the distance he heard the music. - -But when he found himself back in his own white bedroom, which the -attentive servant had kept warm, then the dancing seemed all to be -going on up in the forest district. There was Ragni borne along by the -heavy wood-owner, so that she barely touched the floor with the tips of -her toes; she whirled round with the small children, or hopped away -with the "black-cock," or some dashing young fellow from the -metropolis; he could see her delight after each dance, and could hear -her: "Oh, how I am enjoying myself, Edward!" and so he fell asleep. - -And the day after, just after he had dined alone and had gone into the -big room from force of habit, for it was there that Ragni used to play -for him, the door was opened and in came Ragni. He could hardly believe -his own eyes! There she was, buried in all her furs! and he undid -everything and dragged her out, plump, milk-white, and bewitching. He -carried her off. - -"Oh, well," said she, when they had calmed down after a little, "it was -just always the same thing over again up there and I longed for you." - -"Your nose is crooked!" - -"And you, who have been to a ball!" - -"Your nose is crooked!" - -"It is hardly seen. But do you know that Karl is not at all nice? I -must tell you." - -"Karl?" - -"Oh, not to me! To me he is always delightful; you can't imagine how -nice. But totally different to his brothers and sisters; hasty, -fearfully hasty, and capricious, a self-opinionated gentleman." - -"I can imagine that of him." - -"Do you know that was why I came away. We will be alone now, may we -not? We have always had him hanging over us." - -"Well, I never! Are you now tired of him, too?" - -"I never said that. But to have him always about us, it -is--really--tiresome." - -"Well, perhaps it is rather tiresome, that's true enough." - -"Yes, but now listen to me, I am going to ask one thing more; but you -must be good, and not call me an æsthetic!" - -"Well, what is it?" - -"Don't let Kristen Larssen know that I have come back. Please not! Let -us really have a little peace." - -"But I have just got some children who----" - -"No, no! No children either! oh, no!" and she began to cry. - -"But my dear, darling Ragni----" - -"Yes, yes, I know it is so selfish of me; but I cannot do it; it is not -at all in my line." - -Shortly after the piano was heard sending forth in chords of richest -harmony a hymn of joy for her homecoming. Spirits of beauty took -possession of the house. They flew up to the roof, to the windows and -doors; up to the bedroom, out in the kitchen; into the office, singing, -singing, singing all the while, so the tubercular bacilli that the -doctor was studying danced straight away to meet the song that was to -deal them their death-blow; they sang right up to the kitchen door, so -the whole scullery seemed to dance, the coffee-kettle boiled over and -the new dress which Sigrid had got as a Christmas present from her -mistress, ready-made, with velvet trimmings, and an upper skirt looped -up with cord and tassels, fell to thinking of balls and dancing, up -there under the roof, the highest thing in all the house. - - - - - VIII. - - -The next day Kallem was coming away from Sissel Aune, the washerwoman. -He had been annoyed with her husband, who, in the abundance of his joy, -had got his violin strung again, played at all the merry-makings and -feasts, and made himself quite drunk. He wished to try with him what he -had tried with Sören Pedersen, and he went round there in order, with -their help, to get hold of the lyrical Aune. But he found "wife Aase" -alone in the shop, occupied in helping one of Sissel's children up into -a saddle; four of them were in the shop, the fifth was lying in the -next room. Sören Pedersen was not at home; he was with Kristen Larssen, -who was ill. Kristen Larssen? Yes, he had had dreadful vomitings, at -last nothing but blood came up; but he would not see or speak to the -doctor. Kallem determined to go there at once, but first of all he -would have given a little help toward the keep of the children here, -but it was refused. That very day Aase had sold two sets of harness and -a bed with a spring mattress; they now had in the workshop a niece of -Aase's, a woman who was also called Aase; to distinguish them from one -another, Sören called the latter "Aase's Aase." - -Kallem found Kristen Larssen in bed; he had some work in his hairy -hands, and Sören Pedersen was reading aloud to him. In the corner -between the window and the table, pressed closely to the wall, sat his -wife, knitting; her kerchief was pulled so far forward that the face -was darkened. There was a very bad smell in the room. Kallem was much -alarmed when he saw the sick man, he seemed thinner and more ashen gray -than usual. - -"Have you been eating many rich things this Christmas?" - -"Well, we had some brawn." - -"Have you been ill in this way before?" - -"Oh, yes, now and then." - -"Never as bad as this time," said she who was knitting. - -"Do you feel any pain now?" - -"Not just now. But it comes and goes." - -"Is it in the chest and stomach?" - -"Yes." - -"And does the pain come often?" - -"Oh, yes." - -"Oftener and oftener every day," was heard coming from the corner. - -Kallem examined him and found a swelling the size of a walnut in the -pit of the stomach; Kristen Larssen knew of its existence too. - -"Has this grown larger?" - -"Oh, yes." - -"It has grown very quickly," remarked she in the corner. - -Kallem felt himself grow hotter and hotter. Why had he let himself be -put off by the other's refusal of his help? The wife's eyes followed -him about, her knitting-pins moved more slowly, she seemed to grow -quite stiff; the doctor tried to keep a quiet countenance, but she was -not to be taken in. Kristen Larssen's cold eyes also followed him about -inquiringly. Kallem told them to open the register on the hearth and -leave it open the whole time, day and night; their fire-wood would -suffer, but that could not be helped. - -Sören Pedersen got up and opened it with great eagerness. Both Kristen -Larssen and his wife looked disapprovingly at him; the fire-wood did -not belong to him. - -To gain time and calmness Kallem took up the books that lay there; they -were some of his own English ones, and there was also a work on -mechanics; then he began staring at the little toy the sick man had in -his hands. - -"What is that?" - -Sören Pedersen explained that it was an improvement on the -knitting-machine that Kristen Larssen had invented. As he went on with -the explanation little by little, Larssen's fingers touched the wheels -and the pins with so dexterous and soft a touch that it was easy to see -the power of his mind and his love for his work. - -All over the room, on the tool-chest, on the floor, up on the -table, were piled up things for mending, from watches and guns to -sewing-machines, coffee-mills, locks, and broken tools. Kallem's -revolver had been taken out of its case, and he heard now that it was -the only thing that Larssen had repaired since Christmas. All this talk -of Sören's was a respite for Kallem; he knew now how he would manage. -He spoke about diet and about medicine to relieve the pain, and asked -Sören Pedersen to go with him to fetch the latter. - -Hardly were they out in the street before Kallem said that there was no -hope for Kristen Larssen; this was undoubtedly cancer in the stomach, -and very far advanced too. - -The self-sufficient cunning in Sören Pedersen's round shining face -disappeared by all sorts of back ways, his face was a blank whose doors -and windows all were open. - -"I shall soon be able to give a decided opinion and then you, who know -him better than I do, will have to tell him." Kallem quite forgot to -speak about Aune. - -Within a very few days the whole of the little town knew that Kristen -Larssen, the jack-of-all-trades, was dying of cancer in the stomach; it -was even in the papers. There they called him "an inventor and -mechanician, well-known in our districts." Not a house did Kallem go -to, nor did he stop to speak to anyone in the street, but they all -asked after Kristen Larssen. When he went to see the sick man for the -first time after Pedersen had told him what was the matter, there was -not a word said about it. Larssen lay there with his invention in his -hand, rather weak after a very severe bout of pain. His beard had been -allowed to grow; he looked awful. His wife was knitting, but rather -nearer to the bed. The English books had been put away, but that was -the only outward sign that all thoughts of the future had been given -up. - -From there Kallem went round by Sören Pedersen's, who told Kallem that -the former porter at the hospital had been at Larssen's to try and -convert him; he would not like him to go straight to hell. Larssen had -only answered that he did not wish to be detained; he was occupied with -something which was very near its completion. Then came the minister. -He began in a nicer and more careful way; but perhaps just on that -account did Larssen lose all patience; he gave vent to all his -collected bitterness in words that stung, and the woman with the -knitting-pins and the projecting kerchief placed herself near the door. -The minister understood and went away meekly; he had never been the -same man since that affair with mason Andersen. But among his -congregation this caused a good deal of scandal. - -After a meeting of the young men's association their choir assembled -together outside Kristen Larssen's house and began to sing a psalm, -very softly. Others joined them, but all quite quietly. It happened -that it was just during one of the sick man's fits of pain; he said it -was like the constant pricking of thousands of pins--and whilst he was -in such pain the singing only irritated him. So Kallem had to interfere -and forbid all such doings. Two lay-preachers, the former porter and -one other went to the doctor at the hospital to explain to him that it -had all been done in the best intention, and that it would not do to -keep God's word from a dying man. Kallem lost his temper and answered -rudely. - -When he was down at Kristen Larssen's at the usual time in the evening -he was certain he saw faces outside at the window. The sick man was -just asking the doctor how long he had to live and if the pain would go -on increasing, so Kallem took no further notice of what was outside -except just asking to have something hung before the window. He was -deliberating whether he should tell Kristen Larssen the whole truth, -and he came to the conclusion that he might do so. He told him that it -might last two or three months longer, and that the pain would become -more frequent, although not every day equally often or equally violent. -Larssen's wife stood by listening. - -No one was standing by the window when Kallem came out, but a little -farther up the street a lady was walking about slowly, as if she were -waiting for somebody. When she saw him, she came straight up to him; it -was his sister. - -"Was it you looking in at the window down at Kristen Larssen's?" - -"I!" said she, and he saw her face turn red under her hood; "it is not -my habit to peep in at other people's windows." - -"Excuse me; but I really saw somebody do it." - -"Well, yes, I did do it," - -"Do you know them?" - -"Yes. But I have come to speak to you, Edward. I knew you generally -came about this time." - -"What do you want with me?" - -It was only now he noticed how agitated she was. - -"Is it true you have said you will take the responsibility on yourself -of Larssen's going to hell?" - -"I don't believe in hell one atom." - -"No, but did you say that?" - -"I don't know. No, I don't think I did." - -"Well, you see, others have a different opinion to you. And they feel -indignant when they hear such words. You will lose all you have gained -here by your work if you talk like that, I can tell you that." Kallem -felt this to be so thoroughly like her old self. - -"Yes, I daresay it is wrong to say such things. But by heaven, it is -wrong to torment a man like Kristen Larssen, too. As long as he has his -powers of reasoning, no one will get him to believe in hell; so they -may as well leave him alone." - -"That is not what they want with him either." - -"Indeed, what is it then?" - -"You know just as well as I do, Edward, and it is for your own sake I -beg you not to scoff at earnest and loving people." - -"I have no wish to scoff; I only say that they can spare themselves the -trouble, and spare him too." - -"He is too cold." - -"Cold or warm, such things depend on one's disposition and manner of -living." - -"But people can live themselves into a state of coldness of the soul, -and that is what he has done." - -"May-be; but I know somebody who is warm enough, and who thinks exactly -in the same way as Kristen Larssen. So it is not that." - -"Well, what is it, then?" - -"Thousands of things. She whom I allude to always puts her thoughts -into pictures, and from the time she saw a very old drawing of the -Trinity, a large body with three heads, and heard that the head in the -middle was son to the two at the sides, the father and mother (for you -know that the Holy Ghost began by being a woman), from that time she -never could believe in the Trinity; she laughed at it. And as I said -before, she is warm enough." - -"Fie!" hissed out Josephine, in all the strength of her indignation; -"she may be warm, but she cannot be pure!" Kallem felt a stab at his -heart; she was aiming at Ragni! His sister was cruel, and looked cruel -like in her school-girl days, and he too became again the boy of those -days; bang! he gave her a box on the ear. It hit the hood, but it was -heartily meant. - -With flaming eyes she flew at him like in the days when they used to -fight. She whispered: "I think you----!" she trembled with rage and -scorn, then she turned full of contempt and left him. - -Had anyone seen them? They were alone in the street. He felt an -indescribable fear; this might perhaps be visited on Ragni. - -Kallem thought that the words "not pure," coming from Josephine's -mouth, were a hit at what had happened in former years; that was why he -was so indignant. But what would he not have felt if he had known that -she was rather aiming at their present life? When the minister and his -wife came home and kept away from them, the reason was partly that -Kristen Larssen, the scoffer and blasphemer, was received in Kallem's -house, that Ragni gave him English lessons, and that Kallem had long -conversations with him. For the majority of the congregation Kristen -Larssen appeared to be a regular devil, and when any new arrivals, both -men and women, sought his company (like the Sören Pedersens), it was a -great offence. Soon after Karl Meek came to live with them, and from -that time Ragni was never seen anywhere except in his society. To -crown all, they travelled up together to the wood district; this was -too much when it a was a question of a divorced wife, who was both a -free-thinker and might be accused of breaking her marriage bonds. - -Josephine had come with the well-meant intention of warning her -brother. If she had been allowed to talk to him quietly, she would have -told him all this; she was not afraid, and she was sincerely fond of -him. But now she went back branded by his scorn. - -Then all her pent-up passion burst forth! First and foremost, in -bitterest hatred of her who separated brother from sister; but by -degrees it turned to hatred of everything that caused it. The death of -Andersen, the mason--the more her husband was upset by it, the more -noticeable was the contrast between them--and at a particularly -unfortunate time. All that Tuft complained of in himself was like -making so many concessions to her, and now he intended to put an end to -it. It could not have happened at a worse time. - -In the house next to theirs lived a dried up old woman, the minister's -mother; she was always protesting against the other house. She never -put her foot inside it at any party, and seldom otherwise except for -family prayers, and when she dined there on church festival days. Her -daughter-in-law's manner, her dancing, her dressing, and her friends -were an abomination to her, and the minister's perpetual love-making -she thought ungodly. The little boy became her spy. Josephine was -sitting one summer day on the other side of the open door, and heard -her questioning him as to who had been there the day before, what they -had had for dinner, and if they had drunk much wine, and how many -different kinds. "Grandmother asks me if mother is going out to-day, -too," said he one day. "And she asks me what father says to mother when -she comes home, and if father slept upstairs with us." - -Josephine took it very quietly. But the knowledge that her -mother-in-law was at the bottom of all the minister's religious -admonitions, did not make her more inclined to give in. She intended to -live as she thought fit; he might do the same. - -For him, it was the struggle of his youth, from the time that he for -her sake had given up the idea of being a missionary and there was -always the same result; he was so much in love that he was not master -of himself. But not because she enticed him--just the contrary! When -she sometimes became tired of him as of everything else--for there were -sudden changes in her moods--it was then that she appeared to him most -lovely and most to be desired, like the women of the old legends. He -could make no resistance then. - -But the great task that God had imposed on him by the sick-bed of his -friend, that showed him what he had neglected in his life; now he would -feel the fruits of remission. - -Whilst he had, after much self-examination, made up his mind that he -could speak to his wife, she had been keeping all her struggles secret. -After the last battle, she had at once decided what was the fairest -thing to do--revenge was what she always called justice--but soon, too, -it became clear to her that her brother had seen through her own -dubious conduct. From the moment she had danced with him, she felt that -no one thought so much of her as he; but since their last meeting, she -had discovered that he despised her religious transactions. Indeed, he -had every right to do so. She had never really counted the cost; she -had always been content if her husband's faith and works were -appreciated, if only she might be left in peace. Things could not -continue like this; her brother's contempt was unbearable to her. - -There were morning and evening prayers in the minister's house; -grandmamma always came in, after her the maid-servants, and then the -minister. Josephine did not always appear at morning prayers, and if -they had any guests, evening prayers were given up. The minister always -either began or ended with a prayer suitable to the occasion. At this -period these prayers were lengthy and earnest, so Josephine stayed away -altogether. - -These solemn unctuous debates were her detestation, in public even more -so than in private. The latter generally took place near bed-time, when -their little boy was asleep and family worship was over; if she knew it -was coming, she went to bed; he then seldom followed her; it was -slippery ground to tread on up there. But this evening he did come. She -had heard him moving in the study, and she now heard him on the -staircase. She did not lock her door, and she left the big lamp -burning. But when he took hold of the handle, she exclaimed: "You must -not come in." - -"Why not?" - -"Not as long as I am undressing." - -"I will wait." - -He went down again, and she began to undress slowly. Their bed-room lay -over the study and looked out to the garden; to the right, through a -curtain, was her dressing-room, just over the spare-room; to the left a -door that led to another dressing room. Beside this was a staircase -leading from the passage by the study. She could hear him coming up for -the second time; she was now in bed. The door was in the middle of the -room, just opposite the windows; their beds stood to the right of the -door, hers nearest to it. The little boy slept at the other side, near -the dressing-room. - -He did not inquire again whether he might come in, but just opened the -door. She lay in her white nightdress, her black hair done up in the -usual knot; her head was propped by her left hand as if she were about -to raise herself. - -He sat down on the edge of her bed; she at once moved slightly -backwards, as if she did not like to come in contact with him. He -looked very black. "Josephine, you avoid me; it is not right of you; I -require comfort and advice. The old trouble is upon me, Josephine, the -day of reckoning cannot be postponed." He looked at her sorrowfully; -she looked back silently at him. "You know what is the matter with me. -I live here at your side in affluence and comfort, and amongst my -congregation in earnest worship. But a Christian does not grow in grace -in this way. The other day I was weighed in the balance and found -wanting." He hid his face in his hands and sat silently for some -time, as though he were praying. "Dearest Josephine!"--he raised his -head--"help me! I must make an entire change in everything around me; I -must live and work in a different way." - -"How so?" - -"I am not a true minister, and you are not truly a minister's wife; the -following of our own wills leads us astray!" - -"All these attempts of yours, Ole, to lead a different life commence -with me and my house. Pray begin with yourself! I am as I wish to be; -you can act as you think rightly yourself. As to our home, we only live -as people of our means and tastes should do; if this does not suit you, -well, you have your own private apartment to be in; you can arrange -things as you like there. Should you prefer living separately, pray do -so!" - -"Yes," he answered, "I mean there must be a change in everything, even -down to the household and the very bill of fare." - -"I have not the slightest regard for these everlasting complaints of -yours." - -"That is because you do not understand the spiritual meaning." - -She became quite pale. "I only know one thing," she answered him, -harshly, "that is, I refused to be as sensual as you were, and that was -the beginning of it all." - -"You never will let me hear the last of that. But I am not ashamed to -confess that the first crisis arose from the cravings of nature and -your resistance; that opened my eyes. I am not ashamed to confess this. -For when I proposed a total reformation----" - -"And pray, did I forbid this?" she said, interrupting him. "Yes, I -forbade you to begin trying your reformations on me; try them on -yourself, Ole!" - -He got up. "You don't understand me, nor do you understand God's will -with regard to us. I still hold that there is a want of spirituality -about you, Josephine; you have never given yourself up entirely to -repentance and prayer, you never consecrated your life to all absorbing -worship; your heart is not set on things above, only on the things of -this world. You wish to be a Christian, but you do nothing to attain -thereto. Why do you not answer? Won't you try? Now, together with me? -Josephine? Oh, how I do suffer, also on your account!" He seated -himself humbly beside her again. - -"Do you mean that I am to accompany you to the Zulus?" she asked, -coldly. - -"I mean that we should perfect ourselves together in all good works, -dear Josephine, and that then God will direct our steps." - -"I can't listen to idle talk," she answered; "say right out what you -wish us to do!" - -"We are to live amongst and for the poor, through faith in Jesus." - -"Listen to me, Ole; I know how to do that better than you do. You have -never watched at night by the sickbed of some poor person; I have -often. And it is I who started the 'mutual association.'" (This was the -name of an association consisting of some of the well-to-do women of -the town, where every member bound themselves to provide work and help -for their own special poor; Josephine was their leader, she distributed -the work.) - -"Yes," her husband assented, "you have administrative talent--like your -brother. But living in luxury one's self, and now and then -condescending to visit the poor, it is not that; no, one should live -amongst and entirely for them." - -"Shall we sell the house? Shall we move down to the poor part of the -town? Tell me what your wishes are!" - -"If God chooses us to do so, yes! But it must be done by and through -faith, for Jesus' sake, Josephine, otherwise it is of no avail." - -She answered not a word. - -"What do you say to this, Josephine? Do you not wish us to try and lead -a true Christian life?" his eyes were beseeching, his hand sought hers; -"Josephine!" - -She withdrew her hand. "No, you know, I cannot see why I should make my -own life unpleasant; it would benefit no one, and only injure me." - -"Do not say that! If only we could try! To believe in Jesus, and to -live together only for the good of others." - -"What nonsense! I can't help it, if it hurts your feelings; it is -rubbish to say that one requires to believe in Jesus so as to help the -poor. I don't care, I _will_ say what I think." - -"If you believed in Jesus, you would understand the reason why." - -"I never said I did not believe in Jesus." - -"Ah, Josephine, this kind of faith is worthless! You can't even fathom -what real faith is? I am answerable for this shortcoming of yours; I -who live year out and year in with you, and have got no further!" He -bent down toward her; there were tears in his eyes. "How happy we might -be together if you would but humble yourself before God--you who have -such strength--and whom I love so dearly." He tried to put his arm -gently round her. - -"Faugh!" she exclaimed, and sat up. - -He jumped up as though he were stung. She sat with flaming eyes--soon -laid down again, both arms under her head; her bosom heaved, she was -much agitated. "I do not know whether God will permit us to continue -living together under these circumstances," he said. - -"No, do just as you choose." - -He turned from her, for he thought it beneath him to answer. The little -boy groaned in his sleep and tossed uneasily. Tuft looked at him; the -little fellow lay with his arm under him and half-open mouth; Tuft knew -the forehead well, it was his father's over again, and was like his own -too, the hair, the shape of the little hands and fingers, even to the -very nails. But the day might come when even the boy would no longer be -his own, if this continued. - -"No, Josephine, things shall not continue in this way. God help us -both; the struggle shall not end thus." - -Behind the excessive goodness of his heart, all the breadth and -strength of his nature became evident; she felt this. It moved her -deeply. She heard him wandering up and down in his study, restless, but -with a set purpose. She could not sleep. - - -The day after Kristen Larssen had become aware of the nature of his -disease, he committed suicide. It shocked people dreadfully; he haunted -the place; hardly anyone dare pass the house. A rumor got abroad that -Kallem had lent Larssen his revolver for this purpose; but it was put -an end to by his wife, by Sören Pedersen, and by Kallem's own -testimony. - -Kristen Larssen had retired from this world without warning and without -thanks. He had said to his wife that sudden death would be best. But -neither had they come to any mutual agreement or reckoning, nor had -they taken leave of each other. He had begged her to go and fetch Sören -Pedersen, and whilst she was away, had crept out of bed and, with his -usual cold-bloodedness, had done the deed. - -The regular funeral rites were refused to him; a corner by the north -wall was selected, and three men worked hard to get a grave dug. The -funeral day was unusually cold; some there were who fancied they saw -the finger of God in that too. At quite an unusual hour, namely in the -afternoon, Kristen Larssen was lowered into his grave without the toll -of a bell, without priest or psalm. The most remarkable among the few -people who were present was Aune, for he was drunk and fussing about -everywhere--so thinly clad that it made one shiver to look at the poor -wretch, blue with cold. Sören Pedersen told him several times to keep -quiet; but to no avail. The only visible part of Sören's shining face -was his nose, eyes, and a bit of the cheeks; all the rest was covered -by a huge woollen comforter, wound round and round, and by a fur cap -drawn well down to the eyes; his great big hands were in a pair of huge -woollen gloves, of the kind that fishermen use for rowing; and his feet -were in fur boots. Sören Pedersen had grown rather stout, his greatcoat -was somewhat too tight; he looked like a lobster with all these -excrescences; Aase, in a little cloak and hood, kept by the side of the -widow, who stood there tall and thin, in Laplander shoes and loose -ample dress, as wide at the top as at the bottom; she wore a heavy -woollen shawl over her head; she evidently wished to conceal her face. -Aune slouched round to tell her that he had been "to the station with -her luggage." And now "he had shut up the house; he had the key in his -pocket;" he took it out and showed it. The poor widow was to go direct -from here to the station, and stay with some of her relations who lived -at a few miles distance; and later, go on to her native town. Besides -these four there were two of the sextons present; one of them stood -with short coat and mittens, leaning on his spade, incessantly chewing -tobacco; the other was almost covered by a brown beard, crook-backed, -and dim-eyed. - -There was a tightly packed snow-drift under the wall; Karl Meek and -Ragni came along together and got up on to the snow-drift. They were -all waiting for Kallem, who had been detained, but now came along at -full speed. He took off his cap to the widow, and was greeted by the -others as he went up to the grave. He wished to say a few words, but -waited to see if nothing else would happen. As nothing did happen, he -said: - -"I am not acquainted with the past life of the man we are about to -bury; neither did I know him well personally. He had different -religious convictions to those of the people he lived amongst, and he -has been punished for them. His and his wife's object in life was to be -able to go to free America." (At the word America there was a general -movement amongst the handkerchiefs.) "He tried to teach himself -English; for him it would have been like getting wings. - -"But having said this much, and when I add that he was the cleverest -man I have met with here, I have said about all I know of him. - -"Therefore I cannot join in judging him. I often had the impression, -whilst we sat together, that he was always cold. The cold around him -had chilled him to the bone. - -"It so happens that only we five or six people are here to take a last -farewell of him. Yet all those who benefited by his ingenious work, -most particularly those whose life has been eased by his clever -inventions, thereby affording them greater enjoyment--all those owe him -thanks, which I am here to express." - -A deep stillness ensued; one could hear the snow creak when anyone -moved; but no one attempted to leave. At last Aune reeled forwards to -the edge of the grave. "Well, at least I will thank you for the violin! -Oh--and the forgiveness of sins, oh, oh, fare thee well!"--within an -ace he had fallen into the grave. In great disgust Sören Pedersen -seized him by the arm, turned to his wife, and said: "Dearest Aase, you -say the Lord's Prayer so beautifully; let us have it!" And she stepped -forward, pulled off her mittens, and folded her hands. The men took off -their caps and bowed their heads; and then Aase repeated the Lord's -Prayer. - -The first heavy lumps of earth were then thrown on to the coffin; it -sounded as though it were being crushed. - -Kristen Larssen's wife came up to Kallem. He could now observe her -close by, suffused in tears, worn out by want of sleep; she had lost -nearly all her strength, and her last hope; but she took his hand with -a firm grasp, gazing at him with sorrow-stricken eyes, she nodded with -suppressed feeling, she could not speak. No one could have received -warmer thanks. Ragni was much startled when she likewise took her hand, -for she knew she did not deserve it. The widow hurried past the others -and went down toward the town, Sören Pedersen and Aase had much -difficulty in keeping up with her. But Ragni clung to Kallem's arm, she -would have liked to have hung round his neck, and wept bitterly. - - - - - IX. - - -Kristen Larssen's house remained without a tenant, no one cared to -either buy or rent it; the gloom that had fallen over it spread even to -his friends. It was lucky for Sören Pedersen that his customers were -principally from the country, and not from the town, otherwise it would -have fared badly with him. Ragni did not know that she was more watched -and talked about now than ever; she was not at all careful. The very -fact that the minister's family refused all intercourse with them, made -her a target for evil tongues; her character could not bear any more. - -She was quite defenceless against the things they accused her of, as -she did not know what they were. If she and Karl Meek held each other's -hands on the ice; or if he made her laugh whilst putting her skates on; -or if she tried to push him off when they stood each on one of the -runners behind the doctor's sledge; or if they ran together with the -hand-sledge, or played duets for some visitors--someone had always -noticed a look that could not be mistaken, heard words that had some -hidden meaning, or seen liberties taken that only those could take who -were accustomed to take still greater ones. It was so with the last -lodger, now again with this one; what else could Kallem have expected? -It was only his just punishment. - -Sören Kule's relations were the ring-leaders; they were numerous in -this part of the country, and had fertile imaginations--particularly -about immoral things. - -It was choice to hear Lilli Bing describe how Ragni Kule that was, went -in "every evening" to the student Kallem's room; it was in the same -passage. "Dear me, what harm could there be in that, as they loved each -other? Who could have gone on living with that disgusting Sören?" - -She insinuated that Kallem's present wife did not even require to cross -the passage. One of her remarks was, "What harm can there be in it, as -she never gets children?" - -How was it that none of those whom it concerned never heard anything? -That none of the usual anonymous letters ever reached them? The first -can only be explained by the fact that they scarcely ever associated -with anyone, and the second, that people probably thought that Kallem -would not take the least notice of them; free-thinkers generally have -rather loose ideas about morality. Toward the beginning of spring, -Kallem was seen accompanying his wife and Karl Meek to the steamer; -they were to cross to the other coast; he was seen to fetch them again -on the pier, Monday forenoon. They knew that he was out all day, and -that the other two were together in house and garden all day long. - -Karl's examination went off satisfactorily, but of course with much -anxiety; the day was near at hand when he was to leave them. On the -whole, it had been pleasant to Ragni to have him there, but his -unstability gave her much trouble, and his passionate nature grew with -his bodily strength. His great devotion to her kept this in subjection; -but the way it often showed itself was a great trial to her; she loved -stability and peace. She prophesied that the day would come when things -would not go well with him; he carried too much canvas. - -She longed to be able to be alone again; she said so to Kallem, who -teased her by saying that in three weeks she would have to do without -Karl. He was first to be at home for the summer holidays, but from -there travel down to Germany to study music. Although he had accustomed -himself to live and think under Ragni's eye, in strife with her, in -subjection to her, in constant adoration; still he liked the idea of -being independent. The separation would not be difficult. - -But it so happened that, on one of the last days, he was at a -friend's house--the only one he now and then saw since he came to the -Kallems--and in speaking of his departure his friend said: - -"How do you stand with regard to Kallem's wife?" - -Karl did not grasp his meaning, and began singing her praises -ecstatically. The other interrupted: - -"Yes, I know all about that; but to make a clean breast of it, are you -her lover? People say so." - -Karl asked how he dared to say such a thing? He should be answerable -for his words! But it was his friend's intention seriously to warn -Karl; he had only just heard the report himself, it had not got about -much yet. He bore Karl's raging patiently, and told him that he could -scarcely expect otherwise than that people would think there was -something in it, as they had been so very imprudent. - -They could not at all understand at the Kallems what was the matter -with Karl, all of a sudden. He had hardly been in to them the last few -days, was seldom at home, and had become every bit as silent, shy, and -gloomy as when he first came. The probability was that he was in -despair at the prospect of parting from them, and especially from -Ragni; but it was strange that this despair should have begun exactly -between three and five o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. At three o'clock -they had played duets together and had been in the best of spirits; at -five o'clock she had fixed to go through some of the last remaining -work for his examination with him, but he came home so hopelessly -absent and inattentive, that they were obliged to give it up. From -that day he had been always like that. Kallem teased Ragni, and told -her the youth was in love; it had come over him suddenly, just before -the "bitter hour of parting." Kallem sang: "Two thrushes sat on a -beech-twig," and prophesied that she would very shortly receive a -declaration, probably in verse; he himself had done the very same in -his day. May-be he would shoot himself. She need not imagine that -anyone at his age could escape the charms of her crooked nose without a -little heart-chill. - -When the youth sat staring down on her in alarming silence, neither -eating nor uttering a word; when he played in the most melancholy -style, and always left them to seek solitude; then Kallem said: "How -black is life!" He imitated the youth's languishing eyes at her, went -sighing upstairs, passing his hands through his hair and crying. But to -Karl himself he was excessively kind. - -When the hour of parting came, there was an end to all joking, for Karl -was in such a state of despairing grief that no one could speak to him; -they only tried to hurry him away. Ragni would not go with them to the -station, his exaggerated manner quite alarmed her. But when Karl saw -that she was still standing on the steps, he jumped down from the -carriage and rushed up to her again. She retreated, but he followed -her, looked at her, and cried so bitterly, that the servant who stood a -little behind them felt so sorry for him, that she began to cry too. -Ragni remained cold and silent; she could have no idea that Karl was -then doing the noblest deed he had done--feeling more deeply than ever -before in his life. - -There were people at the station who noticed his great despair, as well -as Kallem's serious face. Especially did they notice that Ragni was not -of the party. Had Kallem heard anything? - - -This conclusion to their intercourse with Karl Meek left an -uncomfortable feeling. They did not willingly speak about him; in fact, -they both felt a doubt as to whether they had done right in having him -in the house; they ought to have foreseen that it would end like that. -But nothing was said about this either by one or the other of them. -Their own life together drew them closer and closer to each other; -never before had Kallem been so much at home, or taken such an interest -in all her doings. - -The whole summer was devoted to the "fever pavilion;" they were never -tired of watching the building, or of seeing it all arranged and put in -complete order. And now that all the summer tents stood there, the good -arrangement and order of the hospital was quite the talk of the place. - -But whilst they were thus alone, dividing their time between the -hospital, their studies, the garden, and the piano; indeed, just -because they were alone, something seemed to affect all their moods, -something they had both thought of for long, and that grew and grew for -that very reason that they never mentioned it. Soon they could hardly -be together without fancying they read something about it in the -other's eyes. - -Why could they have no children? Was the fault Ragni's? Would she do -nothing in the matter? - -By degrees he had found out that she was too shy to allow of his being -the one to mention it. Would she not venture to speak about it herself? -Not even show a wish to say something, so that he could help her out -with it? What was the reason? Was it terror of an examination--an -operation? He seldom saw her now without feeling that she was thinking -about it. And she for her part thought: he misses a child. - -The end of August, Ragni got a great big letter with the Berlin -postmark on, from Karl Meek! It was most welcome to both of them, more -than they would at first allow. - -Karl had been to the festival at Bayreuth, he depicted his impressions -in glowing colours and enthusiastic language. The whole letter was -taken up by that, and four or five lines of thanks and greetings--and -at the end a question: "May I be allowed to write to you again?" They -both felt at once that the real letter consisted of these four or five -lines, all the rest was just an intellectual envelope. Kallem quite -approved, and was anxious that she should begin a correspondence with -him; it might in more ways than one benefit him while he was abroad. - -Without feeling particularly inclined--as had often been the case when -she and Karl studied together--but more in a spirit of obedience and -good nature, she sat herself down and wrote humorously, as she got over -it best in that way, and had an answer from him--first one, then -another, long, long letters, whole diaries. - -Ragni was in the garden one day, early in October, gathering fruit and -things for the kitchen. She went across to the railing by the church -road as a carriage came driving slowly upwards. A very stout man sat on -the seat, swaying about with the jolting of the carriage, like milk in -a pail. Ragni's pigeons were winging their homeward flight from the -church roof and flew just over the carriage; the peculiar flapping of -the wings made him turn his head in the direction they were flying. -"Are those pigeons?" asked he, and the coachman answered. - -Ragni was just going to climb up on a ladder to gather some apples, but -she had to hold fast; that heavy voice, that drawling dialect, and that -north country monotony, all that belonged to Sören Kule! His blind eyes -were partly turned to where the pigeons were, and partly to where the -answer had come from, as he was driven slowly rumbling away. - -Sören Kule here? Surely a blind, half-paralyzed man does not go -travelling about? The inheritance which twice had fallen to his share, -could it be that, that had brought him here? - -Shortly after, Kallem arrived. She saw directly that he too had met -Kule, and he saw at once that she had retreated into the big room to -hide herself; they met there, she laid her head on his shoulder; it -seemed to her there were evil spirits in the air. - -Kallem said to himself: If Sören Kule has come to take possession of -one of the places bequeathed to the family, and is going to move up -here, then Josephine must have had a hand in it; her "spirit of -justice" has been on the alert. - -The only person in the whole world whom he thought he had not treated -well, and to whom he had not tried to make amends, was this blind man. - -I will go and seek him out, he thought; I will speak openly with him. I -can at the same time make it clear to him, that for Ragni's sake he -must not remain here. - -He soon heard where Kule lived: in the house just behind theirs; in the -park, next to the hospital! - -So this share of the inheritance had fallen to him; and were they to -have him here every day? - -He walked about a long time trying to gain some control over himself; -but when he stood in front of the house, he was still so indignant that -he had difficulty in keeping calm. It was a little stone house two -stories high and with a garden in front; in the passage he could hear -sounds of washing up from the kitchen, and looked in there first. There -stood the Norland giant kitchen-maid with tucked-up sleeves, as -unchanged as if they had parted yesterday. As the door opened, she -looked over her shoulder and recognised directly the tall man with the -spectacles, with hooked nose and bushy brows; she smiled and turned -round to him. "Surely that is Kal-lem?" she sang out. - -"Yes." - -"I was told yesterday that you lived here," she smiled still more. - -Oh, you sly fish, thought he, you have known it a long time. - -"When did you come here?" - -"We came yesterday." - -"From Kristiania?" - -"From Kristiania; Kule has inherited this house, and folks say living -is cheap here." A door opened at Kallem's back, he turned round; a -squarely built man with small, clever, but suspicious looking eyes, put -his head cautiously out at the door. Kallem shut the kitchen door, the -other then came quite forward and shut the room door; so they stood -opposite to each other. But the kitchen door was opened again, and the -Norland servant girl looked out and smiled to the man. Kallem guessed -there was some sweet secret. - -"Is that your husband?" - -"Yes, since last sum-mer." The man looked like a sailor. - -"Can I see Kule to speak to?" - -The square man put on a very solemn expression; he would go in and ask. -He stayed away a long time, Kallem heard them arguing, now Kule's -monotonous drawl, now the other's short, dry Trondhjem dialect, both -voices lowered. Meanwhile Oline told him all about her husband, that he -had been pupil at a seminary, had passed a mate's examination, spoke -Spanish, and was now Kule's secretary and right hand. Then she told him -about the "children," that they were at Fru Rendalen's school in the -west country; though for that matter, said she, the school belongs no -longer to Fru Rendalen, but to the son, "who used to live with us." - -And then all at once: "And your wife? How is your wife? So you made her -your little wife, eh? Oh, how delightful it will be." - -The door was opened, the square man stood aside and let Kallem pass in -to Kule. He sat in the very same big roller-chair, with the same board -before his legs, with the same Spanish pictures round him, the same -furniture, only it had another and very faded covering. The piano and -the children's toys were missing. - -The man himself was very gray and had grown much stouter. The -"swimmers" lay as usual on the arms of the chair; a long pipe stood -beside him, quite empty. - -Kallem gave his name; Kule did not answer, but a slight movement of the -healthy hand and some deep groans showed that he was agitated. Kallem -too had difficulty in keeping quiet. To cut short the agony, he -remarked at once, that Kule was perhaps not aware that they were -neighbours? - -Yes, he was. - -"I should not have thought so," replied Kallem, clearly showing by his -tone of voice what he thought. Kule was silent. - -"Shall you remain living here?" - -"Yes." - -Kallem looked at the blind countenance; it was cold and impenetrable. -Kallem felt it would be useless to expect him to have a shadow of -regard for Ragni; he was seized with a terrible loathing. "Then I have -nothing more to say," said he, and got up. - -The kitchen door stood ajar. "Be so good as to give my respects to your -wife!" - -It was only when he found himself outside that Kallem remembered the -original object of his visit; but Kule's increased brutality freed him -from any obligation. Consequently, in future he was to be their -neighbour. They must therefore try and bear their own past, as others -did. He hurried on, away from the town; he dared not at once go home. -She could not bear anything bad or wicked in any shape whatever; he -must think over the best way of taking this. - -When he at last reached home again, Ragni was in the office and had lit -the lamps there. At once she read her doom in his face--ay, had even -heard it in his footstep. She sank down in her chair and felt as though -there never more could be any happiness in life. - -He tried to make it clear to her that, as she was not to blame, she -ought not to be afraid; she shook her head, for it was not that. No, it -was the cruelty of it, that was what she could not stand; the cold -chillingness. She reminded him of what he himself had said by Kristen -Larssen's grave. - -But surely they could not compare themselves to Kristen Larssen? They -had so much of all that gave warmth. Yes, certainly--but a good name! -"In depriving me of that, they shut out all warmth." And again, in a -little while: "This is the cold chill." She did not weep, as she -usually did. - -"Then we will go away from here!" exclaimed Kallem. - -As though she had long since been considering the matter, she answered: -"What doctor is rich enough to buy up all that you have sunk in this -place? And your work? Work that you live for and that gives you so much -happiness? No, Edward!" - -"But I can do nothing, if you are going to be unhappy," and he kissed -her. She did not answer. - -"What are you thinking of?" - -"Yes, I believe you can." - -"What is it that I can?" - -"Work and be happy without me," answered she, and burst into tears. He -folded her in his arms and waited quietly; she must feel that she had -wounded him. "In reality I am not suited to you." - -"But, Ragni dear!" - -"Oh, yes, as your good friend and comrade, the best you have in the -world; would that I might be it for long!" - -She pressed closer in to him, as though wishing to put a seal on his -silence. - - - - - X. - - -The next day was foggy. Although Ragni had slept well and dreamlessly, -her head felt heavy and she went about in the same cheerless way as -yesterday; there was no longer any gloss on anything. At first she -would not even go to the kitchen; she imagined that from the window -there she could see the house where Kule lived. However, she had doubts -about it and ventured out; she could not see it. Then she dared not go -for her morning round in the garden; he might come driving past. At -last she sat down to the piano, but got up again without playing. Then -she wrote a letter to Karl; she owed him an answer to two of his, and -she must occupy herself with something. She wrote according to the -mood she was in, that all kinds of wickedness, lying, treachery, -double dealing, arbitrary persecution, cunning, deceit, were like a -death-chill. It was that we had to fight against; for life is warmth. -Some people were more susceptible to cold than others; just as some -could suffer from tubercular disease, and others not, and she was -surely one of those unfortunate ones. From the time she was a child she -had been exposed to many a cold chill, and at last this rush of cold -air was stronger than were her powers of resistance; this was the whole -question. - -It was not a long letter; for in thinking of her childhood and of all -she had gone through later on, until her marriage with Kule, she felt a -desire to write it all down, and, when the occasion offered, to give it -into Kallem's faithful keeping. She could not tell it him by word of -mouth; but could she write it? Yes, now she could. A vague fear urged -her on, and she began that same day. - -She summoned up all her strength to enable her to be calm and collected -when Kallem came home. He looked searchingly at her, but was himself in -a great state of excitement about something fresh and quite different. -He was about to perform an operation that both the other doctors, and a -third who had been called in from some distance, thought doubtful. - -One of the most highly thought of men in those parts, a Colonel Baier, -had suffered for more than a month from inflammation of the coat of the -stomach with symptoms of septicæmia. The military surgeon, Dr. Arentz, -was his family doctor, and treated him in the usual way, with water -compresses and opium. But the illness was a serious one, and Arentz -wished that Kallem should join in the consultation. The wife was -opposed to this--not exactly because she was a zealous Christian, but -because she had an uncomfortable feeling when with Kallem. She was a -good, warm-hearted creature, but hysterical, and such people are -generally either violently for, or violently against, one. Tuft, the -minister, had once saved her; she was ill from sheer weakness, nothing -did her any good, until he came and roused her will by faith--a fact -none could dispute; since then she raved about him. - -The doctor from the neighbouring district, together with Dr. Kent, were -both sent for; but both were honest enough to say that nothing could be -done, the colonel was rapidly dying, and an operation would be -impossible. - -But now her love for her husband proved stronger than her antipathy for -Kallem; she had the horses put to the carriage and drove herself to -fetch him; he was willing to perform the operation and at once. Without -allowing himself to be over-ruled by the others' objections, he opened -the abdominal cavity, discovering therein pus, and also opened the -large intestine. - -This incident called for all his strength of character, especially as -the others had been so opposed to it. The colonel was looked up to and -respected by all; all were interested, both in town and country, and -his wife's state was such that, should the husband die, she would go -out of her mind. From having disliked Kallem, she grew to have the most -unbounded confidence in him; his presence seemed to magnetize her. -Kallem was, of course, very anxious. - -Ragni found other things to think of besides herself when she saw in -what a state of anxiety and responsibility he was in before the -operation, and it was even worse the first few days after. In such like -emergencies she would always keep all petty trifles from him with rare -tact, encouraging and pleasing him, living solely and entirely for him. -To be allowed to be something for such a man as that, that in itself -spread "warmth" enough! - -The colonel recovered, Kallem went about in the best of humours, Ragni -took up her playing again, and all her usual work, even ventured out -into the garden and allowed her eyes to wander to the house up yonder! -She heard the carriage rumbling past without trembling more than the -least little wee atom; she was accosted by the Norland servant going to -market with her basket, and although she felt it was like being stung -by a snake, yet she survived it. One day she even managed to talk to -her--and accustomed herself to expect her coming every morning without -making her escape. This was not because she was courageous, far from -it; but she did it, and felt more at her ease. - -The weather changed to severe cold; the leaves blew about in the north -wind, the fields were frozen and covered with hoar-frost every morning, -the stoves burnt with a roaring noise rivalling the rumbling of carts -and carriages outside on the hollow-sounding frosty ground. Each day -there was a suggestion as to putting in double windows and shutting up -the balcony doors; each day it was put off. There might possibly still -be some fine days. - -One day she had had letters from America, from Norland, from -Berlin--the latter was from Karl; she had opened them all, but had not -read any of them; there was too much to do getting the house ready for -the winter. Still she found time to read her sister's letter in the -afternoon, and it troubled her; her sister was not well; Ragni thought -about getting her down to stay with her. The last two or three letters -from Karl had been decidedly home-sick ones, he felt so melancholy; so -she had no particular wish to peruse this last letter. She was just -then reading an American novel, one of Howell's best, an impressive and -exciting soul-picture; so she sat down to that first when she went into -the office toward evening. But something in the story reminded her of -Karl, so she laid the book aside and took out his letter. As usual, -page upon page, very interesting, but so thoroughly heart-sick. When -she came to the last sheet, there was written on it in red ink: "Read -this when you are alone!" - -He wrote: "From the moment I received your letter about the 'chill cold -of wickedness,' I have been uncertain whether or no I would tell you -that I understood it at once. For long I have known what was said about -us. Such a cruel slander! It was this that nearly drove me mad last -summer, when I heard of it just before we parted. Is it not terrible? I -thought that there could not possibly be anything that would wound me -deeper than this; but now it has come: You have heard of it too--that -must be the meaning of your letter. - -"For weeks I have thought about it. But it is better, for my own sake -and for yours, that we should speak about it! Do not let Kallem hear of -it! I am so dreadfully ashamed, I am so unhappy--ah, if you knew how -unhappy I am! but let us spare him! - -"Therefore I write this on a separate sheet, and will always do so in -future. - -"Also on account of something else which I am now coming to, my dear, -my darling! - -"From the very beginning when you were so good to me, you were most -dear to me; I could not think that you or anyone could be more dear. -But now we are as it were linked together by this shame and grief, we -two must bear it alone, and now, God knows, I only live, suffer, and -work in thought of you. You are ever with me, from morn till eve, and -in my dreams at night. - -"I love you, love you, love you! I write this weeping. I love you, love -you, love you! - -"Perchance this word shocks you, shocks you more than what has gone -before and has called it forth. But if you knew what joy it is just to -write it down and know that you will read it! You are so good, and you -know that I have the most unbounded respect for you." - -When Kallem came home at eight o'clock, the supper table was laid in -the dining-room; the lamps were lighted in the office, and it was warm; -but both rooms were empty, the big room was dark. Sigrid came in with -the tea, and told him that her mistress had gone to bed. - -To bed? was she ill? - -"I think she was only tired." - -Kallem went upstairs directly. It was dark; but he saw in the moonlight -a white arm in a night-gown stretched out toward him. "Forgive me," she -said; "but I felt so tired, and then there was a letter from my sister -which made me sad. No, don't light the candles! It is so nice like -this." - -What a fresh and healthy atmosphere there was about him, his voice was -so strong as he answered: "From your sister?" - -"Yes, she does not thrive up yonder." - -"Suppose we get her down here?" - -"I was just going to ask you for that. How good you are!" and she began -to cry. - -"But, my darling, why do you cry? I assure you the only reason why I -did not speak of it sooner was, that you wanted so much for us to be -alone." - -"Yes, of course it is delightful. But supposing one of us were to be -ill?" - -"Nonsense, we are not going to be ill. You are strong now too. Your -head is rather hot. Let me feel your pulse! Oh, it is nothing but rest -that you need. It was right of you to go to bed. I shall go down and -have my supper, I am ravenous; then you can be quiet. You had a letter -from Karl?" - -"Yes, it is lying on the desk." - -"All right, I shall read it while eating. After that I must be busy. -Good-night!" - -He kissed her, she put both her arms round his neck, drew him down to -her, and kissed him. "You darling!" - -He went away; she heard his quick step on the stairs and going to the -room door; heard him open and shut it. - -Again there was that pain in her chest which his coming had dispelled, -his very footstep scared away. It was something oppressive, dreadful, -unheard-of, something she would never get rid of, and then she began to -shiver. Cold, cold, cold; now it had reached to the very innermost. She -felt now, with a shudder, why "the whale" had come and taken possession -of the little house close by, and would not ever leave it. Now she knew -why the others had allowed it. - -"Alas! what has happened, what have I done?" moaned she, and tried to -hide from herself. Karl's words of love sounded like a whispering voice -amid thundering billows. Poor boy! She lay there in the dark that she -might not be seen, and in order to think it over. What ought she to do? -She had kept back that last sheet, ought she to show it to Kallem? - -When Kallem came up to bed shortly after twelve, she had fallen asleep -in the midst of all her sorrowful reflections. He lighted the candle -behind her, looked into her face, and listened to her breathing. She -was sleeping innocently, open-mouthed. - -The next morning she walked backwards and forwards before the south -side of the house, equally terrified, equally undecided. There had been -snow, but it was nearly all melted again; it was the first snow that -winter. A thick fog lay over the mountain ridges, so thick that it -looked like a separate, impenetrable country, bordering on the -mountains and stretching as far as the eye could reach. A long tongue -of this strange country jutted out into the wood like a secret of -utmost importance. She felt cold, she could not go far without being -seen by people on the road, and to-day she could not let herself be -seen, perhaps never again. - -A useless fight that, among the different kinds of trees round about -the farms. Furthest away from the houses a forest of firs; it looked -almost black through the heavy mist; nearer to the houses a wood of -leafy trees began, long-necked aspen and twisted birch, showing light -yellow against the dark; nearer still there was mountain-ash and -bird-cherry, blood-red in colour; maple, too, and other trees in -endless variety of shades, from colourless as flax to deep red-gold. -Tall asps and alders, too old to bear foliage, spread their naked -branches out over the bright colours of the others, like blue-gray -smoke. - -She stamped her feet, but could not get any warmth into them; she would -not go further, nor yet go in before she had decided what she was to -do! What if Kallem did get to know of it? And what if he did not? - -The meadows were divided in two by ploughed fields. Besides that there -were only dull green fields of rye, sown in harvest-time, clover-fields -in stubble. But see those discontented gray-looking fields further away -from the houses, that are never noticed except when they are to be -plundered; there are too many of them in the country. - -But Juanita? How did she get into this harvest picture? The freshest, -clearest reminiscence of that first spring? Ah, now awoke her longing -for the children. Now she was sure that he was not where they were; so -she could travel down to Rendalen's and see them. - -As long as that lasted she would not be forced to decide what was the -right thing to do; and she needed a respite. Just a short little letter -to Karl Meek, that he must not write to her oftener just now, perhaps -later on; she would let him know. These few words to Karl--should she -telegraph them? Not from here! But she would start at once and -telegraph on her way. - -There arose in her a purpose, a command as strong as though she had -nothing left for her to do but to see the children once again. When -Kallem came home soon after, and she was pacing up and down the floor -to try and get her feet warm, she said to him that she must see the -children again, and it seemed to him that the recollection of her life -together with Kule had turned into a longing for the children; this was -very natural. "Start at once!" said he; "later on it may be too cold." -He did not quite mean it to have been to-day; but that was what she -wished, and in the afternoon he took her to the station. - -As soon as she arrived at the Rendalens, she wrote a despairing letter, -the meeting with the children had been terrible; they did not know her! -And she, too, hardly recognised them! They were certainly well brought -up children, but not as though they had belonged to her sister; there -was no family likeness there, but a likeness to him, the father--he -come of a stronger race. They were big, fat children; they stared at -her without being able to understand her. And all the other strange -faces, always noticing and watching her. She would have gone home again -directly, if she had not had such a very bad cold. Her next letter was -a little more cheerful; not because she was better pleased with the -children--they were just like strangers and were wanting in -"spirituality;" each time she took them in to her room to talk to them, -or play for them, she could feel that it bored them. But her -intercourse with the excellent people at the school and in the -neighbourhood, afforded her great pleasure; "if only we had something -similar," said she, with a sigh. - -He had a letter from Rendalen, too, expressing, in strong terms, the -delight of the entire little colony at having her amongst them. He put -forward "an unanimous request" to be allowed to keep her for a time; -she seemed tired after her journey and not very well; it would be good -for her to have a rest. - -She remained away a fortnight altogether. She came home again one cold -day in mid-winter, looking pale, having still a bad cold, and very -nervous, incapable of saying how dreadful it was for her to be again -amongst people who looked upon her as an improper person. Kallem was -alarmed at her cold and at her looking so ill; their meeting could -hardly be called a meeting, there was an anxious examination of her -chest, a languid account of her visit; she was tired and wished to go -to bed. - -Kallem asked if she had had any letter from Karl? None had been -received here. No, she had had none either. Had she not written to him? -No, Karl had confided a secret to her which she did not approve of. -Often before there had been, so to speak, knots on the thread, which -had only been explained to him later, and now, as she did not look up -at her husband, he felt that he ought not to ask questions. - -She was in bed several days. There was no getting rid of a nasty dry -cough she had; otherwise there were no dangerous symptoms; none at all. -The first day she was up he thought she had grown very thin; her face -had a tired, delicate expression, and there were dark rings under her -eyes. She longed for fresh air, but she refused, in the most determined -way, to go for any walks outside the garden. At first she said it was -so tiresome; when that excuse did not hold good, she hit upon a better -one: she began to cry. He thought this was a strange symptom; was it -possible that she was in the family way? He comforted himself with this -hope and waited. She went for walks in the garden, and then told him -about them with much pride; but she hid from him the fact that she -always went out at dusk. Meanwhile she herself thought she was better, -and he fancied so too. - -Time went on; he was expecting that which he longed to hear, and -thought he noticed other symptoms; but he was alarmed too sometimes, as -she seemed to him to grow thinner and thinner; he could not get her to -eat. One evening, when he was out, she had as usual gone into the -garden and walked about at dusk, had felt a chill afterwards, and great -oppression on the chest! She was asleep when Kallem went to bed, but he -was awakened later by her coughing. He lit the light and saw that she -pressed her hand to her chest. - -"Have you a pain there?" - -"Yes." - -"Where is the pain?" - -"Here!" and she pointed to the right collar bone. - -"Does it hurt you there when you cough?" - -"Yes." And at that moment she was seized with a violent fit of -coughing. He got up, dressed himself, put fire in the stove, rang the -bell for the servant to fetch him some medicine, and then sounded her -chest, asking her many questions. She told him about the chill she had -had that evening, and that she was in the habit of taking her walks at -dusk. - -"At dusk!" exclaimed he, and that was sufficient to make her hide her -face. She must promise him now to be good and not do such things any -more; she would have to stay in bed now for several days. She did not -relish the mustard-plaster on her chest; but the cough lozenges were a -success. He concealed his distress by joking and by petting her--and in -a few days she did actually seem as well as he could expect. And now -she had become so obedient; she kept in the house quite quietly for a -fortnight. Her cough was less frequent; those violent fits of coughing -had made her chest so sore; but, on the whole, she felt tolerably well, -only very tired and breathless; feeling as if she had no wish to touch -the piano. - -A path was made for her in the garden, and she went out there for the -first time with Kallem in the middle of the day, but went in again -almost directly. At first he was frightened, seriously alarmed; but -then from her manner he concluded it was only a little capriciousness. -However, she felt weaker even than she would allow. The next day she -tried together with Sigrid; but after the first few steps she became so -breathless that she was obliged to stop and rest; she begged Sigrid not -to tell; it would pass over when she "had more practice." The weather -was mild, in the middle of the day there were even a few degrees of -warmth, and she felt better, could walk further; Kallem was delighted -when he saw one day that she had opened the piano. - -One evening Sören Pedersen appeared, pale and by himself--two very -unusual things. What was the matter? The matter was that Kristen -Larssen's ghost haunted the place! Kallem shouted with laughter, but -Sören's face never altered; it was quite true that Kristen Larssen's -ghost had been seen! The latter years of his life Kristen Larssen had -never played the violin; he gave it to Aune. But now he plays the -violin, and in his own house! Did nobody live there? No, the house was -shut up; but all the same he played! Several people had heard it; there -was not the slightest doubt. It must be some lover of practical jokes -who had got in there. Who kept the key? - -"A nephew of the widow." - -"And who may that be?" - -"Aune." - -"There we have it!" - -"But Aune has himself helped to search the house; and Aune is the most -frightened of the lot." - -A servant, whose child was ill--Kallem knew her, he was her doctor--had -seen Kristen Larssen one night when she was out, vanishing along by the -wall of the house! Since then several others had seen it. "No one -doubts it," said he. What did the doctor think of this, that the -colonel's wife, went into the saddler's shop one day to tell them that -she had dreamt she saw Kristen Larssen sitting in a long room, amongst -many clever and learned men who were all being taught to spell. She had -felt drawn to tell Sören Pedersen this, as it was Kristen Larssen who -had led him astray. "And will you believe it, doctor, that very night -both Aune and I had dreamt that the colonel's wife came to the shop!" - -"Now I will tell you something just as strange, Sören Pedersen. The -first day that my wife and I were here in the town, we met Andersen, -the mason, Karl Meek, Kristen Larssen, Sigrid, you and your wife, all -in the course of a quarter of an hour!" - -Sören Pedersen rolled his round eyes about in a stupid sort of fashion; -there was nothing so very strange in that. - -"Not at all; for the other hundred people we took no notice of. Just as -you, Sören Pedersen, never think about the hundreds of people you and -Aune dream of without seeing them come to the shop the following day." - -This did not convince Sören Pedersen. - -Superstition was afloat. One person followed the other's lead; the -whole town soon talked of nothing else, and particularly after the -minister was mixed up in the affair. He had lived alone with his mother -since the spring. His wife and child had been away, and had only -returned quite recently. During all this time his preaching had -increased in severity, latterly it had had a passionate ring which -foreboded a storm. He announced at the meeting-house that believers -were aware that spirits live and work amongst us, and that many poor -souls had to wander about after death; these were well-known facts, -sent as warnings to each generation. - -When Kallem heard about this he decided to act on a thought which he -had had for some time, namely, to get Aune in his power. He was very -unwilling; having an inventive mind, he generally managed to get out of -most scrapes; he could talk so persuasively that he had before this -taken Kallem in; but now he was not to escape! His wife agreed to it, -so one Sunday morning Kallem hypnotized him, in her presence, down in -the office of the hospital--first of all on account of the brandy, but -also to clear up this ghost story, which of course no other than this -rascal had set afloat! Thus it happened. Now, there was one great -difficulty about it: if it were discovered, Aune would be done for; his -wife thought of this and interceded for him. There was nothing left but -to forbid his proceedings--and then hold their tongues. - -This did not prevent Kallem, on his morning rounds, telling Kent, who -did not believe in ghosts more than he himself did, that he had -discovered where the tale of Kristen Larssen's ghostly reappearance -sprang from; the whole was a prearranged affair. So, when Dr. Kent met -Josephine one day visiting one of his patients, and knowing that -nothing was so dear to her as hearing news of her brother, he repeated -Kallem's words. During dinner little Edward, who held forth -everlastingly about these ghost stories, told them that Kristen Larssen -had again appeared to two boys; one was a son of Aune, and the other -was a son of the lay-preacher! Edward was bursting with excitement. -Shortly and decidedly, his mother proved to him that this was nothing -but deception; one of the doctors from the town had found out who was -at the bottom of this fraud; there was not such a thing as Kristen -Larssen's ghost at all. - -As soon as the boy had left the dinner-table, the minister reproved -Josephine for her tactless conduct. - -"How, tactless?" - -"Yes, that you could say that to the boy; did you hear how he at once -tried to screen himself by saying that I believed in ghosts?" The -minister's tone was not arrogant or even reproachful, and she felt that -he was right; therefore she did not answer. But it did not rest here, -soon after she was in the study. - -"I have been thinking of what you said." He was lying on the sofa, -smoking, but got up to make room for her; he was glad she came in. She, -however, remained standing. "Is the boy to believe a thing because you -say it, even if it be untrue?" - -"No; but then you could leave it to me to correct the error." - -"Are you quite sure that you would do so?" - -"Pray, what do you mean by that?" - -"Only that you continually teach him things that you yourself cannot -possibly believe." - -"What are you driving at?" He got very red; for he felt that this was -the beginning of an explanation. - -"I have often thought of speaking to you of this," she said, "and now -the right moment has come. You surely don't believe that the world was -created as it is now in six days, six thousand years ago, and that the -story of the first man and woman, and the patriarchs is anything but a -tradition? Likewise everything about Paradise. The world and human -beings cannot have begun by being perfect. But this is what you teach -the children, and of late even Edward." - -He now walked up and down the room; she stood in the doorway between -the room and the passage. Every time he approached her he gave her a -decided, yes, even a look full of power; this was not the look of an -evil conscience, she felt that. To show her in what spirit he wished to -act, he stopped and said, quietly: "Shan't we sit down, Josephine?" - -"No," answered she, "I did not come to stay." - -"What you call a tradition," he said, "is the everlasting truth that -God created everything and everyone, and that sin is a falling away -from Him." - -"Why not teach them in this wise, instead of by untrue pictures?" - -"Children understand pictures best, Josephine." - -"Then tell them that it is only a fairy tale." - -"That's of no consequence." - -"It is of the greatest consequence that children should not learn -everlasting truths in an untrue form--at least, so I think." - -He saw that she was working herself up into a state of excitement, and -reproved her for it; surely they ought to be able to talk together -without that. - -"No," she said, "I cannot; for you must know that not only our boy's -future, but yours and mine too, depend on this." She went up to the -desk to be nearer to him, maybe too she needed support. - -But he was not to be put down. "If you yourself, Josephine, were as -thoroughly convinced of the eternal truth as you pretend to be, and -were you protesting for that truth's sake, then all the rest would be -of small importance. And what we wish to put in its stead is very -uncertain too; we know that everything did not exactly happen as the -revered Book tells us; what we do not know is what the real state of -things was. This only we do know, that our life proceeds from God, and -in God alone can we be happy; therefore, let both children and grown-up -people accept the first teachings of our fathers, at any rate for the -present." There was all the honest strength of conviction in his words, -and they were full of power. She was silent for a long time; but all at -once something else came over her. - -"Do you know that, if it had not been for the total mismanagement -of my intelligence and character when I was a child, I too would have -become--different from what I am now?" - -"Yes," he said, coldly, "I hear that latterly you have come to this -conclusion; that faith is the misfortune of your life." - -"I never said that!" she exclaimed, very pale, "never meant it either!" -But she added, more quietly: "I have never allowed faith in God and -salvation through Jesus to be a restraint on my intelligence. Never!" - -"Dear me, how fortunate!" said he, but he sighed deeply afterwards. - -"Well, if you don't intend to listen to me," she said, "I will just -tell you my business straight out. Either you stop telling the boy -those fairy tales which are not innocent ones, since they thus ensnare -his understanding, or else, Ole, I can no longer consider you as wholly -conscientious." - -It was not the first time she had spoken harshly; they had had many a -long and bitter quarrel. But she had never spoken quite so harshly, -never before attacked his faith in that way. She had pleaded her right -to have her own opinions, but always with much abuse of his; she had -parried his attacks with sharp weapons; but never before had she -talked like that or laid down conditions. For long he had been weighed -down by the knowledge that she was brooding over something; but this -fully armed purpose, sustained by such strength of mind and so much -anger--there they stood facing each other; each sounding the depths of -the other's will. He too was boiling over with indignant rage, and to -put an end at once to anything she might imagine, he said: "The boy -remains with me!" - -"With you?" she turned ashy pale. "Have you more right to him than I? -Are you his mother?" - -"I am his father. The Bible and the law constitute the father owner of -the child." - -She began to walk up and down, but only between the window and door, as -though they were the bars of a cage; her bosom heaved, her breathing -was audible, the paleness of her face, her voice, her eyes, all told of -the dreadful agitation she was in; she would never have thought him -capable of such a thing. - -"Are you not ashamed of yourself? Would you keep the boy?" - -"Such is my intention, as sure as God orders me to do it. You shall not -corrupt our boy!" - -"Corrupt him? I? No, that is too much, now I will speak out! From my -childhood up you gained power over me in that very same way. Through -your unwavering faith you gained power over my mind without my knowing -it, for you were so good and devoted. In that way you ruined my -nature--that you did--it was meant for other things. You gave me an -aim, a choice in life, I knew nothing of it myself. I tell you all this -as it was, without blaming you for it. But you must know that you shall -not have the same power over my child. Not as long as there is a spark -of life in me, in spite of both law and Bible. Now you know that, and -you shall see it too!" - -Had she but known that for long, very long, he had expected that she -would confront him in this way, she would have spared herself such a -terrible outburst of passion. He himself was thoroughly master of his -feelings. - -"Of course, I have led astray your most divine nature, I have known it -long! I have done it through that faith which you do not possess. My -dear, I was aware of that before you went away!" He spoke slowly and -impressively. - -"Oh, so you do know it!" she burst forth, passionately; "you do know -it! Your faith has never been mine; it did not suit me. But I have had -none other instead; I went about thinking it was a sin that I could not -have the same faith as you; I was crushed and overwhelmed, not being -able to devote all my strength to something of my own. Therefore I have -never been like others. It has all been wrong!" - -"What would you have been, you?" - -"Let me say the worst--a circus rider," answered she, without as much -as moving an eye. He stopped abruptly, he could neither believe his -ears nor his eyes. - -"Circus rider?" He laughed scornfully. "Indeed, it has been a great -loss for the world--and for yourself, Josephine, that you did not -become one!" - -"I knew you would think so! But if I had had to do with the management -of a circus I could have provided bread for hundreds, and healthy -amusement for thousands. That is not so little--it is more than most -can do. As it is, what have I done? What empty trifles have I been -struggling with? And to what have I attained? That I am on the point of -despising both yourself and me! What has our life--what has our -intercourse come to? Can you even say that you cherish any love for me? -Can I say that I am fond of you?" - -"No, Josephine, we both know of whom you are fond." - -Had he struck her as her brother had done, she could not have been more -furious--partly because he had said that (she scarcely knew that it had -been in his thoughts), and partly because this man who made that speech -owed everything to her brother and to herself, and yet it was he who -had come between the brother and sister and separated them. - -"Ah, he possesses that which you have not!" she answered, seeking to -wound him. "Nevertheless, it is cowardly of you to say such a thing." - -"Is it, indeed? Do you not think that I know it is his fault that I -have lost you, lost the peace of my home, lost, too, all joy in my -calling, and am now threatened with the loss of my child?" - -His voice trembled, he began in anger, but it turned to deep grief, and -it was the same with her. She felt inclined to sob and cry. But neither -of them would give way to such weakness. She stood looking out of the -window; he walked up and down the room. There was a long, long pause. -Again she was overcome with anger. His step, too, sounded defiant; -still there was silence. What he had just said was shameful, certainly. - -"Well," she said, without looking round, "now you know the conditions. -You can preach about such tales as that of Kristen Larssen's haunting -the place, and you have not even sought to inquire into the matter! -Just as with your tales of Paradise; you don't believe in them -yourself, and yet you can repeat them! Can I have any respect for such -conduct? I must say, my brother is much more honest than that! If you -come again to my boy with those tales without telling him that they are -only fairy tales," and she turned around to him, "then, Ole, there will -be an end to our living together. Before God, this is the truth. It -will never be any use your trying to take him from me by such means." -She moved toward him: "I will never submit to it, Ole!" She left him. - -On that very Sunday, at the self-same hour, Kallem returned home to -dine; his dinner hour was somewhat later than his brother-in-law's. - -He could see Ragni through the kitchen door, with a long apron on which -reached up to her chin; she was cutting up vegetables on the kitchen -table. He took his things off in the passage and went in and joined -her; latterly he had an ever-increasing fear which he had to conceal. -Was it the white apron that threw a pale shadow over her, or the steam -from Sigrid's cooking? She really was looking fearfully ill. And surely -she had been crying! It sent a pang through his heart. She did not look -up from her work, but said: - -"We are to have a guest for dinner." - -"We are?" - -"Yes, Otto Meek, Karl's father; he was here this morning, and is now -coming to dinner." - -"How is Karl getting on?" - -"Not well. Oh, here comes Meek!" - -His big head under a fur cap could be seen appearing over the -prosperous-looking top-coat; he was at the other side of the hedge; now -he turned in, and Kallem went to meet him. During the time that Meek -practised he had turned his attention particularly to diseases of the -chest, which were but too prevalent in these parts of the country, and -he took the most lively interest in Kallem's writings and in his work -at the hospital; Kallem was glad when he came. As he helped him off -with his coat he said that Ragni had told him Karl was not well. - -"No, he is not." - -"What is the matter with him?" - -"Well, that is the reason of my coming here," answered Meek. - -"You have spoken to my wife?" - -"Yes." They both went in. The room was warm and cosy, the piano stood -open. Had she been playing when Meek knocked at the door? If that were -the case, then she could not be as ill as she looked; he longed to -examine her chest. - -Meek was more silent and gloomy than ever that day. - -"Well," said Kallem, "did you and my wife come to an agreement about -Karl?" - -Meek looked up at him, rather surprised. "Do you mean about writing to -him?" - -"Yes. You know there has been one or other knotty point, as was often -the case." - -"Yes," answered Meek, and remained sitting there quite silent. - -"Do you imagine I know anything of it? Not I, not a scrap." - -Meek appeared to be more and more perplexed. "I said to your wife she -ought to tell you. It is very good of her not to do so. But the case is -serious." His melancholy eyes looked into Kallem's. - -"Serious, do you call it?" - -"Yes, I shall be obliged to take him home." - -Kallem jumped up from his scat. Meek continued: - -"It is altogether useless, his being there." - -"But what is wrong? Would you like us to try with him again?" Kallem -thought there was a possibility of the youth's having relapsed into his -old ways. Meek looked enquiringly at him, almost frightened. - -"How do you think your wife really is?" he asked. - -Kallem turned red; it struck him like a shot in the midst of his own -secret fears. "She caught a nasty cold which she cannot get rid of; for -a while I thought, ... I'll tell you what! Can't you sound her chest?" -His own doubts had become certainty, his heart beat so that he would -not have been capable of examining her himself. Meek continued to gaze -at him and Kallem grew more frightened. "Won't you examine her?" - -"Yes, of course. Has it not been done recently?" - -"Not very recently. No. I don't wish to alarm her. Because if her -imagination begins to work then there is danger for her. Besides, there -was something else ... However, now I will--" he would have gone to -fetch her. - -"Did you know her father?" asked Meek, Kallem shuddered. - -"Did you?" - -"Yes, I was doctor to the fisheries up there." - -"Was he--?" Kallem asked breathlessly and unable to finish his -sentence. Meek merely nodded, Kallem clasped his head with both hands, -hurried to the door, came back again: "You will examine her now, here, -at once?" - -Kallem led her in tenderly, without giving her time to take off her -apron; and carefully brought her up close to the windows. Evidently she -had been crying--and those rings under her eyes, her thinness, her -colour! She saw his alarm but mistook the cause. Out in the kitchen she -had been thinking; now they must be talking about Karl; now Kallem will -hear why it is I get no more letters from him. And now that she saw -Kallem's agitation she thought, can he be angry because I did not tell -him? She could not bear the idea of that, it made her hot and cold by -turns. - -"Ragni, darling, Dr. Meek would like to sound your chest." - -Was that what it was! She was much alarmed, she looked at him with -imploring eyes like a stricken deer, begging to be spared. But again he -entreated her and began carefully taking off her big apron; submissive -as she was she gave herself up to them. - -Kallem guessed at once, by the other's manner, by his stopping and then -listening again that something terrible was coming. Her startled eyes -sought her husband's, and increased his suffering--did she suspect -anything herself? Or was she reproaching him for letting anyone but him -do this? - -Now the doctor's great head was pressed to her back. At the right side, -what was it?... a thickening of the tip of the lung? or the tissues? He -imagined the worst, and she did the same; he could see that. Could it -be that she knew more than she would acknowledge? Concealed something -just as he concealed his fears?... Good God, such sorrowfully -beseeching eyes were never seen, save only when the fear of death was -in them. He was seized with it himself. - -"Have you been coughing more than usual lately?" She seemed uncertain -as to what she should answer and looked imploringly at Kallem. Her -hands were trembling and she tried to hide it; Meek noticed it! "Do you -get very tired when you are out walking?" he asked. Again she looked at -Kallem in despair, as though she ought to beg his pardon for it. "Do -you become breathless quickly?" continued the other. - -"Yes." - -"Do you at times feel excessively weak, almost as though you were going -to faint?" She now looked at Kallem in the greatest alarm. "Maybe you -have fainted?" - -"Yes." - -"Have you?" exclaimed Kallem. "Yes, to-day I did," she said hurriedly, -trembling all over. - -"Was that after I had spoken to you?" - -"Yes, for I wanted a little fresh air, and then--" here her tears -choked her utterance. - -Dr. Meek smiled a little. "When you cough I presume it hurts you here?" -he pointed to the right collarbone. She nodded. - -"Have you ever looked at what comes up when you cough?" She made no -answer. "Have you never done that?" - -"Yes, I have; yesterday evening." - -"And how was it?" She was silent, staring at the floor. "Was there -blood mixed with it?" She nodded, her tears were falling fast, she did -not dare to look up. - -Kallem was speechless. Meek asked no more questions. Ragni rearranged -her dress, and Meek silently handed her a shawl she had taken off -whilst he was examining her. And as she sat helplessly trying to put it -on again, Kallem suddenly seemed to think of something he had to fetch -from the office. He did not return. She understood the reason why, and -for a little while she was doubtful whether she could get up from her -chair, and felt as if she would faint again; but the thought of him -alone in the office helped her to overcome her weakness, she must go to -him. So she begged Dr. Meek to excuse her, got up and went toward the -dining-room door and disappeared through it. She too remained away. - -Meek waited first a few moments, then a little longer--and still -longer. Then he went out to the passage, put on his coat and hat, told -the servant in the kitchen that he was obliged to leave; and left many -messages for them. - -Sigrid looked for them in the rooms, knocked at the door of the office, -could get no answer, she listened and at last opened the door. Kallem -was lying on the sofa, Ragni kneeling beside him close up to him. -Sigrid announced very quietly that the dinner was ready and that Dr. -Meek had gone away. No one answered, no one looked up. - -Hitherto Kallem and Ragni had always considered that the day when Ragni -sailed for America was the worst they had ever gone through; both in -their letters and in speaking of it they had said that they felt as -though he must die. But death is different; it is not like anything -else. They learned to know that now. - -After that day there came a time full of hopeless struggles, speechless -despair, and tenderest but joyless love. Ragni had various matters "to -arrange," which she quietly set about doing; she had a good deal too to -write, and whenever she was able she was thus occupied. She wrote, then -scratched out; the whole thing, notwithstanding all her work, proved to -be a very short affair. But as long as she was taken up with what she -had set herself to get done, she really seemed tolerably well; Kallem -was quite surprised. - -He himself had lost all courage. He saw the worst before him. As long -as he could he shrank from examining her expectoration; ... he knew -beforehand that he would find tubercular bacilli there--that enemy, to -fight against which he had spent both fortune and life. And now it had -conquered him in his own house. But one day he was obliged to do -it--and with the expected result. He did not pace up and down the -laboratory, neither did he weep nor wring his hands. He only tried -whether it were possible to think without her; but it ended always by -his thinking of her only. From the hour they first met--all her little -ways, the most trifling proofs of her charm and talents, her failings -and her silent poetical love, he lived all over again in equal joy and -grief; it was all just as dear to him, and just as impossible to part -with; countless incidents full of humour, warmth, fear, sense of -beauty, devotion; they all followed him about like so many eyes. Where -could he go to, what more could he possibly find to do? She was with -him in all his work. Her portrait, taken in the third year of her stay -in America, was standing on the edge of the stove; it had been sent to -him originally that he might see what effect the progress of her -intellectual development had produced in her face and eyes, a joyful -confirmation of all he had predicted when he sent her over there. Now, -as always, the eyes of the portrait seemed to seek his; during that -time of waiting, their smile had cheered and encouraged him; what had -it not been for him--that portrait? And now there came pouring in on -him all the recollections of their first meeting, the first words, -first shy strangeness, the first full and entire recognition, the first -embrace. - -Only to remind him that now all must cease. All, too, that he had -thought of and done in his life together with her; the delight in it, -his capabilities, his faith. What in all the world had happened? He was -bound to speak to her about it; was there anything she wished to hide -from him? Some imprudence which she dare not confess? What could it be? -But he must be very careful about it. - -Then one day when he came home she was not downstairs. He went up -to her and found her lying down. She stretched out her hand--how -thin it had become! and fastened her large eyes on him with a faint, -half-veiled expression: "I lay down for a little," she whispered; "only -for an hour or two." She did not look so very ill; perhaps because she -was in bed. He sat down beside the bed and took both her long thin -hands between his. - -"There is something in all this," he ventured to say, "which has not -been confided to me. Once I was entirely on a wrong scent, but -latterly, too, it has been more hurried than I could understand, for -this reason, that I have not been watchful enough. There is something -at the bottom of all this, some great, may be oft-repeated imprudence -which I have not been counting on. Darling, tell it me now; I shall -have no peace until you do." - -"I will tell you. I have just been thinking about it now. Down-stairs -in my writing-table you will find some papers in the first drawer to -the left; they are all for you. You must read them when--" she broke -off abruptly. "By and by," she added and pressed his hand gently. - -"Then I am not to hear about it now?" - -"Yes, what you are asking about? Oh, yes. I only had not got so far." -She asked him to help her change her position; he did so. "Yes, you -shall hear it now. It is for your sake I kept it secret," her eyes -filled--"my own"--again a gentle pressure of the hand and a smile. He -dried her tears with his handkerchief, letting it slip in under his own -spectacles as well. She lay gazing at him but did not speak; had she -forgotten or had she changed her mind? He bent down over her: - -"Well--?" he asked, "you will not tell me?" - -"Oh, yes, the top paper in the drawer, in Karl's handwriting; you may -read that at once. But not the others." - -"Does Karl's letter contain it?" - -She nodded slightly, it was barely visible; then she closed her eyes. - -"The key?" he whispered. - -"It is in the drawer," she answered, without opening her eyes and let -his hand go. - -He went down-stairs, opened the drawer, and took out the letter we know -of, and sat down to read it properly. - -His horror! And his indignation--and his helplessness! Why had he not -known of this in time? He paced up and down the room, raging, he sat -down again like one paralysed; he made plans and rejected them; he -would have gone to every soul in the place and told them they lied. He -would force his way into the meeting-house one fine day when it was -crowded, climb to the pulpit and accuse them of the most cowardly, -treacherous murder ... then he suddenly remembered that even if Ragni -had been perfectly well, that would have been enough to kill her. - -He himself lived only to do the best he could for all people; and -amongst them all there was not one honest or grateful enough, or even -indignant enough to tell him that he ought to defend his own and his -wife's good name and the honour of his marriage! What apathy and -indifference! What free and open scope for malice and for unjust -judging of others in this "Christian" community! Now he understood his -sister--she had believed this slander? It was especially to talk to him -about this that she had waited for him that evening when he--! And in -her indignation at this, which she so fully and firmly believed to be -true (for what will not people believe about a free-thinker) she -continued to bring "the whale" right down upon them! Everyone believed -it, everyone condemned her without hesitation. No one stood up for her, -not a soul came to the rescue. - -This was what Ragni had had to suffer for being so kind to Karl! It had -been all the more unselfish of her because at first it had cost her a -struggle, and indeed later on it had often been an effort, too; it was -only now that he knew it. In all his life he had never met with any -one as good as she was. To think that her tender-hearted disposition -should thus be ...! The wretches, the false guardians of salvation, -psalm-singing egotists, heartless prayer-makers! He read Karl's letter -over again; he felt so heartily sorry for him. Poor, poor fellow. His -love for her was quite a natural thing; what good honest man would not -adore anyone who had been wronged so unjustly for his sake? The lad's -gratitude and admiration would necessarily turn to love. As soon as -Karl came home, he would have him over--that he would! And he should -stay, too, till she drew her last breath! And he, and none other, would -Kallem have to walk with him ... On that terrible day after her coffin! -He flung himself on the sofa and cried aloud. - -Perchance he had been too much taken up with his own work; he ought to -have associated more with people, and taken her more about with him; -then this would never have happened. None who had really felt a lasting -impression of her goodness and pure soul would have dared ... though -indeed who can tell? Such creatures of habit, blinded by their dogmas, -cannot see. - -In came Sigrid running, her mistress was very ill, had a terrible fit -of coughing. He crossed the rooms, the passage, and was up the stairs -in nine or ten bounds; the attack was over when he got there; but she -lay bathed in perspiration, so weak and exhausted that she was on the -point of fainting. What she had brought up in coughing was of a -greenish colour and streaked with blood--well did he know the look of -it. He accounted for this, thinking that he had stayed away too long, -her excitement had increased, she had grown too warm, had probably -thrown off the clothes and then ... She lay there with eyes closed and -he tried what he could to make her sleep. After that she never left her -room again. - -From her he went straight down to his writing-table and despatched a -letter to Dr. Meek, telling him what had happened, and without entering -into further details, he wrote: "If Karl has come, I suppose we shall -soon see him here? Now I know everything!" - -He went out to fetch a woman to sit up at night, but went up to her -again the moment he got back; she seemed to be easier and was asleep, -and when at last she did awake, her eyes fell first on him. He waited -on her, giving her something to drink, and all the questions he so -plainly read in her eyes, he answered by kissing her poor thin hand, -for his lips quivered and his glasses were bedewed with tears. - -But they talked about other things--how that her sister would not be -able to come, and that he had himself been to fetch Sissel Aune to help -to nurse Ragni; she was the best person he knew of for that sort of -thing, and then she was truly devoted to them. Ragni nodded her -consent. They never wearied of gazing at each other, as those do who -cannot be satisfied. And they both thought of that which they now both -knew--the cause of her lying there ill. "Poor Karl!" whispered she. - -He answered: "Poor Karl!" - -He felt obliged to get up, pretended he had forgotten something -down-stairs; he could always make an excuse. - -Had he but been able to talk to her! But he dared not, and he could not -find time to be alone. He attended to all his hospital work, and -received those of his patients who came to him; but he gave up -everything else so as to sit with her! - -How terrible it seemed to him that he should have given both his work -and his fortune to these people, and they repaid him by murdering his -life's joy! What kind of measure did people mete with, if they could -not understand merely by looking at her, that she was the purest, the -most refined little person amongst them all--to him it was -inexplicable; their blindness seemed so revolting. All those he knew -were, for the most part, plain middle-class people, comfortable and -fond of their homes in daily life, none of them particularly bright, of -course; they were all church-going people, a few attended the meeting -house too, Pastor Tuft's body-guard. Among the latter he had come -across several good, prudent sort of people. And yet so pitiless in -their judgment, so cruelly loving--all of them murderers without stain -or blemish. - -And there was none he could go to and take by the throat, exclaim: "You -have done this; you are answerable to me for this!" Meek and lovable -accomplices! There was one who stood apart from the others--Josephine. -Josephine had not invented this; that was not her way. But she would -believe what was invented when it concerned anyone she disliked. With -icy-cold silence she would allow other people to keep their false, -wicked belief in the slander, or she would let it go on increasing. How -indignant he felt in his heart toward her! Although she was certainly -not the originator of the report--he had to repeat that constantly, she -would hardly sully her lips with such slander, she was too grand for -that--still Josephine was the most to blame for this murder! He was -convinced that however little of a Christian she was in herself, her -love of Christian dogmas had been offended by the little creature's -want of faith, and by such a very faulty person daring to come and -reject their faith. Thence her excessive "spirit of justice" which -killed with so sure and well-meaning a blow. - -But there was this much likeness between them, that he, too, was filled -with the greatest desire of vengeance. He, too, called it "justice;" -and he had no idea that he was lying. When he was with Ragni he never -had those feelings; her mere presence always did him good. He became -deeply agitated if he did feel like that when with her, would well-nigh -crush her hand, stroke her forehead and gazing into her eyes, watch her -and wait on her till he felt he must go; otherwise he would have knelt -down beside her and given way completely. - -Good, helpful Sissel Aune was sitting there now, her dark eyes watching -over her with prudent calmness, or turning sometimes, full of sympathy, -to him. She represented all those whom he had helped and who would have -helped him had they been allowed. Aase or Sören Pedersen came creeping -to the kitchen every morning to hear how she was, and as the news -spread, there came others, all quietly sympathetic. Poor Sigrid could -not go up much to her mistress on account of her crying. But would go -all the same when such things as this happened--for instance when Fru -Baier the colonel's wife brought a lovely flower in a pot which she had -cherished and nurtured through the winter, and which she carried under -her cloak to protect from the severe cold; it was to be taken up to Fru -Kallem and put where she could see it. A servant girl, whose child -Kallem had attended in a severe illness (the same girl who had seen -Kristen Larssen's ghost) had also a flower in a pot, a single one, and -when she heard of Fru Baier's gift she brought hers, too. The pot it -was in was very common, but what did that matter? Without such tokens -of sympathy Kallem could never have borne up. - -One day when he had been over to the hospital where there was something -going on he came back home so deep in thought that he did not notice -there were strange travelling wraps hanging in the passage. He opened -the door into the room before taking off his own things; and there -close by the windows next the veranda stood Otto and Karl Meek. Karl -was the first to turn round; and he came and threw himself in Kallem's -arms. He looked ill, and his manner was restless and confused. His long -hair was in disorder, his oval face, large in itself, seemed to have -grown larger; his eyes had a burning, languishing look in them, the -like of which Kallem had never seen. They never left his own eyes. They -besought his indulgence; they told a tale of bitter sorrow, and -followed him about wherever he went. Karl could not control his -feelings, and, as Kallem was obliged to talk to his father, Karl began -looking about him, went up to the piano, stroked the tables with his -hands, fingered the flowers and turned over the music--then went out to -the dining-room, into the office, stayed there a little by himself, and -from there out to the kitchen to Sigrid, and there he stayed. Kallem -looked round after him repeatedly; Dr. Meek noticed it, and said: - -"All we Meeks have strong feelings. We have tried to tame them; but -Karl cannot control his; they are only pent in to burst forth with -greater violence." - -When Karl came back, he had been crying bitterly; Kallem did not wish -him to go up to Ragni; at all events he must wait until he was calmer. -Karl himself said he would be calm the moment he went up to her; he -implored to be allowed to see her; but to no avail. He did not see her -the whole of that day, and, as the evening was always her worst time, -she was never even told that he was there. - -The next morning, when she had been tidied for the day, Kallem let her -know that Dr. Otto Meek had come to town, and had called yesterday to -ask after her. - -"And Karl too?" she asked. - -"Yes, Karl was with him." She lay quiet for a little without saying -anything. - -"I ought to be able to hear if anyone were to play down-stairs." - -"Yes, if we open the room door; but would it be wise?" The passage was -warm and shut in by doors, the up-stairs rooms were always aired by -means of it; so in that respect there was nothing to be afraid of. "But -you think you can bear the music?" - -"Yes, I long for music," she answered. - -Sissel Aune looked at the doctor; she evidently thought it was not -wise. "May Karl not come up to see you?" - -Ragni lay folding the corner of the sheet with the one hand, in the -other she held her handkerchief; she did not answer; clearly she had no -wish to see him. - -"But you will see Dr. Meek?" - -"Must I?" - -Kallem wished him to see her. Dr. Meek came later in the day and Kallem -told him all. Karl begged most humbly to be allowed to stand in the -doorway behind the others. He promised not to say a word, or make a -movement, and to go away directly. Kallem felt so sorry for him that he -could not deny his request. He went in first and announced Dr. Meek, -who then followed him in. Dr. Meek's broad back quite hid Karl, who -placed himself in the door. Ragni lay with her face turned from the -light, therefore toward the door. She did not see Karl, but he caught a -glimpse of her thin, hollow-cheeked face, of her feverish cheeks and -dry lips; her eyes in their glistening brightness, seemed pleading for -help. The consuming thirst that tortured her day and night made Sissel -come forward from the other side and stand half in front of her, -propping her up as she gave her something to drink. - -Meek asked her a few questions, but she answered him absently and -glanced fearfully and timidly from side to side; did she guess that -Karl was there? Afterwards she moved a little and Sissel slipped back -to her place; then she might have seen Karl, but he was gone. - -Later on they found him sitting crouching in the down-stairs room, in -the greatest despair, but he asked if he might stay there and have his -former room again;--even if he were not allowed to see her again, he -could not keep away. Kallem did not dare to refuse him; and his father, -too, seemed to wish it. There was something about him that made them -both feel anxious. - -The next morning Karl played the piano for her; the door down-stairs -was open and her door was ajar; the music sounded muffled, but very -sweet. He had improved much in his playing; she did not know the piece -he played, but it pleased her; she sent a greeting down to him, and -that she was very grateful to him for it. By-and-by he played something -else, and the following morning he did the same. The result was that -she sent for him to come up to her. Karl promised to be quiet, oh so -very quiet, and only to stay there a moment. In the passage he already -began to walk on tip-toe and glided in, mastering his emotion. But as -soon as he was under the influence of her eyes, as in olden days, he -could feel that she was afraid of him and would rather he went away. -This grieved him much; he stood there, the embodiment of an earnest -entreaty to be allowed to stay. She, too, perceived the change in him; -Kallem took her hand and she grew calmer. The longer he stood there, -the more she felt pity for him. He had suffered, he was a good lad; she -tried to smile at him, even stretched out her poor wasted hand. Karl -looked at Kallem, but did not take her hand, nor did he advance a -single step; but his agitation increased, and, as though she would -quiet it, she whispered: "Good Karl!" He went away. - -He was very quiet and silent after this visit, just as though he were -brooding over some plan or purpose. He talked still less to Kallem, and -not at all to anyone else. Every morning he was allowed to be up-stairs -for a little while; he played for her down-stairs, but otherwise went -about alone the whole day. - -As he was playing one morning, she could tell by the first few chords -that it was something of his own. Once or twice before she had heard -some scraps of his own composition; now he had adopted a different -method, but the originality of his talent suffered by it. This new -piece was a beginning to something greater, a wild introduction full of -stormy passions! Heavens! thought she, it must be meant for himself. -After the crashing storm there came a calm, and a melody arose, simple -and touching; can that be meant for me? Then there came shrieks and -yells breaking in upon this peaceful little melody; a few bars of -melody and several bars of lamentation and crying, the first air -rushing and mingling with the other, all done in a natural sort of -way--almost too natural, for it became irresistibly comical. She had to -be careful not to laugh, for she could not stand that sort of thing. -She looked at Sissel Aune to ask her to hurry down and put an end to -it; but Sissel Aune's clever face expressed so much astonishment on -hearing these most natural shrieks. Dear, dear, can people scream like -that in music too? The last hidden remains of Ragni's old merry humour -broke out in a few peals of laughter, a few more, and then the cough! -Again the cough, and again and again, a worse fit than she had ever had -before. - -Through his playing, Karl heard the bell rung down to the kitchen; he -heard Sigrid rush up-stairs and come tearing down again calling for the -doctor. Karl knew that he had just gone across to the hospital, and ran -off himself, without hat or coat; he could not find him at once, so -they did not get back before the fit was over. There was a greater -quantity of blood than usual. Kallem was much alarmed, Karl could see, -for he had gone up-stairs after him almost unconsciously. He retired, -though, immediately. - -Later in the morning her room was aired, but Kallem stayed there all -the time; Karl passed by outside, and heard him talking, so he ventured -to peep in. Ragni lay there much exhausted, but Kallem had just asked -her if she did not feel any better? She caught a glimpse of Karl, with -his great, big, frightened face. She recollected how she had laughed at -him, and she had heard from Kallem that in his fright he had run to -fetch him without either coat or hat. She made a sign to Kallem that -Karl was to come in. She smiled at him, even raised her hand a little, -just a very little; was it to thank him? He ventured to draw nearer, he -would take her hand to-day. He would do more, he would bend down over -it; there came a look into his eyes. Kallem, who was standing at her -right, saw it; saw, too, that it was the hand she was holding the -handkerchief in that he would have bent over and perhaps kissed; he -hastened to say: - -"Do not do that, Karl." - -Karl drew himself up again and looked at them both; but again there -came that strange look in his eyes, and in an instant he seized both -hand and handkerchief and kissed them both. Before anything could be -said, he stood upright again as though he would challenge them all, or -had done some mighty deed of valour. Ragni lay there with eyes devoid -of hope or understanding; she could not take in his warlike attitude, -his high-flown purpose, but only felt the more convinced of his -terrible instability. Karl had vanished. - -If his wish were to die with her, it was a mistaken calculation, which, -under other circumstances, would have been amusing, since she had just -been tidied and arranged after her attack and had had a fresh -handkerchief given her. But Kallem thought only that what is ordered -for the best only makes mad folk still madder--she had been much -startled. - -As soon as he could, he went in search of Karl. He found him with his -overcoat on, hurrying out. But Kallem called out: - -"Where are you going to?" - -Karl did not answer; he was excited and only thought of getting away, -Kallem drew him into the room, placed himself in front of him and -looked steadily at him, then put his arm round his neck. Upon this, -Karl burst into tears. He complained that he was altogether impossible; -nobody ever wanted him and he was fit for nothing. For long Kallem -could not get in a word; the other would not let himself be comforted; -his misery and worthlessness were too great, and he was utterly without -talent. He had that morning been playing his latest composition, -originated like none other, out of his own life; the most true that he -could produce, and it had seemed to him to be comical, terribly -comical! Ah ha! thought Kallem, is it that; that is the matter? - -And it was that. He could feel in her presence how she judged him! - -Kallem saw his mistake in having let him come to them at all; he -thought with horror of all Ragni must formerly have gone through with -him. He had considerable difficulty himself in keeping him in order -just now. - -One day he said to her--she had just been asking after Karl--"You -evidently have had more trouble with him than I had the slightest idea -of." She closed her eyes, then opened them again smiling. - -Karl did not come to see her any more, did not even ask to be allowed -to do so. He could not play during all this self-torture; Kallem had -almost to threaten him before he could succeed in hearing any of his -own little pieces. At last he agreed, but with closed doors; Ragni, -however, heard them and thought them very pretty; so did Kallem. Karl -became quite happy again at this; some of his self-assurance returned, -and by degrees he became more agreeable. - -When once Kallem had got everything quiet and in order, his turn came. -He fought manfully, but not always with success, and Karl felt there -were others besides himself who suffered, and others to be thought of -too. A total change came over him. He now only lived for Kallem, full -of care and thought for him. There was one mode of comforting him that -never failed; this he often had recourse to. It was to speak of Ragni -and give an impressive description of her. He could paint beautiful -pictures of all the peculiarities of her nature and person; could -artistically depict some action or word of hers with such adoring -fervour, that it was balm to Kallem's feelings; he stood in need of the -warming rays of sympathy, for he was sinking with despair at her -increasing weakness. She could not even keep her head on the pillow; it -fell either to one side or the other, her eyes had an ethereal look, -that seemed to spiritualize everything she gazed at; her thin, silent -lips were half open on account of the difficulty in her breathing; as -she lay there in that white room, between the white sheets and in that -white gown, she was like some gasping fledgling in a deserted, downy -nest. Often when Kallem left the room, unable to restrain his grief, or -from over-fatigue, it was Karl who persuaded him to rest, or found the -right word to comfort, or sing endless praises of her. - -She could not talk much, indeed she felt no inclination to do so; but, -when she did speak, she showed that she did not for a moment mistake -her state--as consumptive people generally do. One day she made a sign -to Kallem to bend down closer to her. "Kristen Larssen," she whispered, -"there in that corner." She smiled and added: "I am not afraid of him -any more now." Another time she sent for Kallem only to say. "You must -not feel anger toward anyone--for my sake." She mentioned no name. -Kallem pressed her hand; her eyes flashed on him in rapturous joy. -Sometimes she tried to smile, a thing no longer in her power. If she -remarked his tears, she would beckon to him, and put her fingers -through his hair. Once while so doing he thanked her for everything, -from their first meeting till this moment--she tried to pull his hair; -he was not to say those kind of things. - -Since then they scarcely spoke. They used the language of the eyes, -with pressure of the hands. They were one in their grief, and had no -thought left unuttered. The gratitude they felt toward each other, the -horror of an approaching separation, could not be expressed in words. -The hour was at hand. - -One evening they heard Sissel ring, and ring and ring. Sigrid rushed -up, after her Kallem and Karl; the latter remained outside! He could -hear that it was a fit of coughing, a terrible one again. He could not -conceive that she still had so much strength; each separate cough -seemed to stab his breast; it cut right through him and crushed him; -the cold sweat broke out on him when he heard her groans of pain; he -could not bear to listen, yet he dared not go away. Probably this was -her last hour. He heard how Sigrid was weeping, and heard her say: "Oh -mistress! mistress!"--and soon after: "She is dying!" He opened the -door. The first thing he saw was blood, and he sank to the ground -fainting. - -When he came to himself, he was lying on his bed; Sigrid was sitting -beside him crying. This was the first thing he remarked; then suddenly -he remembered everything and asked: "Is she dead?" - -"The doctor thinks it will soon be over." - -Later on they were both allowed to go in. There she lay in her bed as -if asleep, white as the sheets she lay on. Kallem was holding her hand; -as they entered they could not see his face, only the heaving of his -shoulders, and hear his groans. Sissel stood at the other side. How -wonderful it was to see the different degrees of grief. Although her -strong, open features were full of sympathy, still they belonged to an -outsider; she seemed removed miles from Kallem's silent despair. - -"Is she dead?" whispered Sigrid. Sissel shook her head. And Ragni heard -the question; she looked up. She exerted her last strength to please -them; she tried--one can't say to smile, for that was beyond her power -now; no, she wished to send them some last message. It lighted on -Sigrid and Karl; but she at once transferred it to Kallem. A moment -after she was dead. - -The others left the room; Kallem still sat on. When he went down, he -found no one. Karl had gone to his room, Sissel and Sigrid were sitting -together in the latter's room. The kitchen was empty; rooms empty, -office empty. He had promised to read something she had written, yes, -there it lay under Karl's letter, and on it was written: "By and by." -But he could not read it now, scarcely, indeed, as long as she still -lay in the house. He went up to her book-shelf and gazed at it--the -image of her own self. How often had he done this before and smiled at -the titles of the books. His eyes now fell on "Vildanden" by Henrik -Ibsen. He was so tall, that, looking at it from above, it seemed to him -there was a gap between the last leaves, so he took out the book. Just -fancy, she had cut out the leaves where Hedvig's sad story is about to -close, where she shoots herself, and all that follows after that. Cut -it right out; it ought never to have happened. - -Nothing could have affected him more. He threw himself down on the -sofa, and his sobs were like those of an ill-used child. Of course she -was too refined and too timid; the world we have to battle in is still -too rough; it must improve before such as she can live in it. She tried -to take from it all she did not like; but it was she who was taken. - - - - - XI. - - -Some days before the Sunday on which the struggle between Ole and -Josephine about little Edward's education had taken place, he had had a -cough. That evening he was not quite well, so was kept indoors. - -In a few days he was out again and seemed very bright; but one evening -he was feverish and cross, with a dry cough, and so was kept in on the -following days. Accustomed as he was to be in the open air, he grew -fretful and lost his appetite; Josephine had many a fight with him and -at last had to be severe. Then he began whimpering and wanted to go to -his grandmother; that was not allowed. But when his grandmother came to -see him, he was cross and peevish and went off to his father. But he -came back again crying; he had not been allowed to pull out the books -from the lower shelves to build a house with. - -So he was put to bed feverish and cross; complained that when he -coughed it hurt him again in the right side of his chest; during the -night he was in a high fever, raving about Kristen Larssen; that he was -chasing all the boys and was going to carry them off to hell in a big -bag. - -Josephine doctored him with compresses of turpentine, etc.; but in the -morning, when his father came up to see him, she begged that the doctor -might be sent for. - -Kent was their family doctor; he was not able to come before the -evening, and found that the boy had pleurisy in the right side. All -that Josephine had done was quite correct; he himself gave some orders -respecting the necessary diet, and prescribed a mixture to be taken -every other hour, also that if the fever increased so that his -temperature rose higher than 39 degrees Centigrade, he was to be sent -for. - -The next few days the boy seemed better, had a little appetite, coughed -less; his temperature in the evening was never higher than 38 degrees. -God be praised! - -Though the danger had only been very slight, both Tuft and Josephine -felt it like a gentle pressure on the shoulder by an invisible hand! In -this way they were forced to draw nearer to each other, and they sought -opportunities of talking together--certainly it was only about the -child's state; but something both in voice and manner seemed pleading -for pardon. - -His cough and the pain in the side decreased, and by degrees the boy -grew visibly better; but his appetite was not good; he still had a -little fever every day, and he did not gain strength. They bought him -some new toys which he was delighted with the first day; but the next -day he was tired of them; he listened to the fairy tales which his -father and mother told him by turns, without asking a single question; -he took no notice of his grandmother's visits. Sometimes he would grow -quite hot, and directly after felt quite cold. Kent was specially -anxious because the child's temperature rose every evening; he began to -give him quinine, then tried a blister! Josephine would not leave his -bedside and could not bear to hear of anyone taking her place; neither -did the child like anyone else to come near him. - -However there was an improvement, and the minister said one evening, -when they were sitting together after having tried the child's -temperature: "We shall escape with a good fright, Josephine." She -looked up at him; he put out his hand; she placed hers in it, but -seemed half ashamed and took it away again. - -Dr. Kent had told them that Fru Kallem was very ill; she could no -longer leave her bedroom. Later on they heard from others that she -suffered from decline; they each separately asked Dr. Kent, who told -them that it was galloping consumption. - -The minister did not mention it to Josephine; but he said to Kent that -this would doubtless be a blessing for his brother-in-law; possibly he -would now be less burdened and able to work his way higher up. - -Josephine took it in quite a different way; he could see it by her -increased reserve; only very rarely would she say a word or two to him. - -Some time afterwards, as she was lying on her bed one afternoon -and wondering how it would affect her brother if Ragni were to -die--suddenly she saw him. At first she thought nothing of it; but it -grew so excessively distinct. She saw him stretched at full length on a -sofa in his office; she could see the whole room, curtains, -bookshelves, books, desk, two tables, a large armchair, several -half-opened books, and sheets of paper covered with writing lying side -by side.... She saw each sheet, each little detail, and he himself in a -brown suit of clothes which she did not know. But she had never been in -the office since it was furnished, and had never seen that furniture, -nor the curtains and carpet; but she had no doubt whatever that it was -exactly as she saw it. At any other time this would have produced a -strange impression; but now it was all swallowed up in the fact of her -seeing him; for he was so worn and wasted by grief! The closer she -looked at him, the worse it became. In such despair did he seem to be, -that never before in her life, not even when their father died, had -anything so moved her. She saw him tossing about sobbing bitterly; -she saw him holding his hands clasped before him. At last she saw -nothing but him, the agony of his eyes from under the busy brows and -spectacles, and all around him a great waste. - -She awoke bathed in cold perspiration and so exhausted that she could -hardly lift a finger. From that time she seemed weighed down by a vague -fear: it deprived her of sleep. Had this to do with her brother, or her -boy? Little Edward lay there beside her, with laboured breathing and a -cough that seemed to come from a distance. His high forehead seemed -empty, his eye restless; his hands were no longer a small boy's rough -little fists, they were ethereal. At times she would hasten up to him, -just to be sure he was there. Ah me! it had come to that; but merciful -heavens--surely she was not going to lose him? She seemed to recognize -her brother's suffering in this of her own, and each time felt as -though they were drawn together in it. Her boy's fate grew to be one -with Ragni's. In wakeful nights and during anxious days, both these -destinies became so entangled and interwoven that to her mind they -seemed to depend on one decision. - -Until now her religion had chiefly been a desire for freedom and an -unflinching love of truth. In her great anxiety this became fatalism, -unbending, mystical fate. Everything startled her; she was always -seeing signs and warnings. It seemed as though the boy could only lie -on the side that was affected, otherwise it pained him so that he cried -out ... and each time she helped him, she could not make this out at -all. She propped him up with air-cushions; he replied by heartrending -entreaties to be left in peace. She no longer knew what was right or -wrong. He would not even let her come near his legs; he always wanted -to have his knees bent and the one knee in a certain position over the -other, ... and she had to yield to these inexplicable fancies and let -herself be set aside as superfluous and troublesome. Was this to show -her that she must accustom herself to the idea that she was always in -the way? - -In the end this would quite wear her out. Her fright from the last time -she had moved him till the next time she would have to do it, would -have been more than enough. But all the fancies and ideas she took into -her head nearly drove her mad; she spoke to no one about it. This new -phase with the legs seemed to her so hopelessly mystical in its -unreasonableness, that it made her afraid of the boy; he was no longer -her boy. Just by chance later on she discovered a good deal of swelling -round the ankles. She had always heard that this was the beginning of -the end; she could scarcely drag herself down the stairs to the study, -where the minister sat in a cloud of smoke. He saw her enter pale and -terrified in her white night-dress. - -"My dear, what is the matter?" He listened to her, went up with her, -and looked at the swelling, fell on his knees by the bedside, burying -his face in his hands; he was praying. Across his father's head she -heard the short hurried breathing of the little fellow, saw the shining -yet indifferent look he turned on him. She, too, would have prayed; but -at that moment the boy pushed his father away with his hand; he could -not bear the smell of tobacco. In that way he pushed her away from a -possible prayer. - -Dr. Kent's kind smile, his quiet, comforting assurance that the illness -was the same as when he first had discovered the inflammation, that no -worse symptom had set in, and that the swelling probably came from the -strained position of the knees, relieved them so that Josephine cried -for joy. He examined various matters, thereby confirming what he had -already said. - -That night Josephine slept better than she had done for long, but still -she felt weaker than ever before. - -Some time passed; one evening the minister and Dr. Kent came up-stairs; -there was a certain solemnity about them. Josephine lay dressed on the -bed, raised herself so as to get up, but both Kent and the minister -begged her to lie down again. Dr. Kent told her that Fru Kallem had -died the day before. Both the men looked at Josephine; she closed her -eyes. For a while there was complete silence. But seeing repeated -twitchings in her face, Tuft hastened to say: - -"Under these circumstances, Josephine, it can only be for Edward's -good. Of course he will feel it deeply now, but he will get over it. It -will but benefit him." Josephine turned away her head. Her eyes -remained closed; then the tears gushed forth. - -He felt at that moment that he had said something studied; indeed, -that he had been guilty of brutality. He had changed much during their -boy's illness and that time of mutual anxiety. These words from former -days--coming as they did just then in her smarting grief; uttered by -the bed of their own sick child--became his silent companions, full of -independent life: "they were messages from God." - -Until he let fall those words, Josephine had always prayed silently -whenever her husband prayed; since then she could do it no longer. She -felt as she did in the beginning of their married life, when he had -always expected her to join in all his overweening wishes and desires. -In those days he had noticed nothing, but now he felt it at once. But -just on that account, he felt he must have support, must have it -chiefly in prayers for his sick child. So he turned to his friends at -the meeting-house; he was sure of them. The painful events of those -days; his fear for his boy's life; his joyless, wounded love, all -collected into one violent outburst: he begged them to pray with him, -he besought God's mercy. Could he but be found worthy of higher -communion with God, then the trial would not be too hard. - -He was radiant with the strength of his faith, as he went home and told -about it. There were few like him when he was thus powerfully moved; -but it happened so seldom. - -Josephine's state of health became alarming. The want of fresh air and -regular sleep week after week, the loss of appetite and the constant -anxiety, all began to tell upon this strong and healthy nature. Tuft -spoke to Kent about it secretly; but there was nothing to be done as -long as she would do nothing herself. - -Whilst he was carefully watching her every movement, he was obliged one -day, against his will, to tell her that Ragni was not to be buried -there, but at the nearest country church. Thereupon his brother-in-law -made known his indignation and loathing in the strongest possible way. -Undoubtedly it was aimed at the community at large, but mostly at them. - -Tuft never knew what Josephine felt about it; it hurt him deeply. Once -only she showed how impatient she had become. He had bent down over the -boy, but came rather too near; Edward began to whimper and push him -away with his hand. - -"Why can't you give up smoking?" she said, bitterly. - -He turned to her and answered, meekly: "I will give it up." When he got -up afterwards he added, sorrowfully: "He is not well to-day." - -"No," she answered, quietly; his way of taking it made her feel -ashamed. - -The doctor was sent for; he was used to these sudden messages, so he -took it quietly, and possessed that most excellent faculty of -communicating his calm to others. The parents thought at first that the -child ate with a better appetite, and took more notice of his -grandmother. She came four times a day, and the way in which she was -received was always their barometer. - -The old grandmother had been up to the hospital and had seen Kallem and -Karl Meek drive away from there with Ragni's body. The coffin was -white, and was on a sledge draped with black; Sigrid sat in front, -beside the coachman; Kallem and Karl Meek followed after in a sledge -with a seat for two. That was the whole procession. - -This account of Ragni's last journey came unawares on them. And that -Karl Meek was there, and alone! Did that mean that Kallem did not -suspect him? Or, which was more likely, that he had forgiven him? -Wishing perhaps to gloss it over and thus do her a last service? Ah, if -one could be as good as that! - -The following night Josephine went down-stairs to her husband who was -asleep. Her hair was let down; she looked like one bewitched, or -walking in her sleep, with her great hollow-eyed face surrounded by the -long black hair, with eyes staring fixedly over the lamp she held in -her hand. He sat up and would have got out of bed. She stayed him with -her hand, and said, in a monotonous voice: - -"I wish to speak to you, Ole; I cannot sleep. My brother's wife wants -to take away our boy." - -He felt all the blood rush to his heart. - -"What do you say?" he whispered. - -"We have been too hard, we two. Now we shall have to pay for it; and -she will not be satisfied with less." - -"Dear Josephine, you are not yourself. Let us fetch help!" He started -up. - -"Yes, I am going to get help. All who can pray must come now! Do you -hear, Ole?" - -"But, dearest" - -"Or do you not think that you all are stronger than she is; do -you not think so? The other day you came home so happy from the -prayer-meeting--oh, you know them, make them come, do make them come, -Ole, do you hear?" She began sobbing and crying: "It is but a Christian's -duty to bring help here. They cannot look on and see her take him from us!" - -Her voice died away in a long wailing sound. He was sitting on the edge -of the bed, and had put on his under-garments, but stopped now with his -trousers in his hand. - -"My dear, my dear, only believe that it is God who has the power and -none other. Josephine, you are ill!" - -He was much distressed, and hastened to get on his clothes. - -"Will you really go and fetch them?" she asked, much pleased, and put -down the lamp. "Thank you, I knew you would. I assure you solemnly, -Ole, that it is urgent!" - -He did make haste, but said: - -"You know, Josephine, we must be careful when we pray for non-spiritual -things." - -This made her uneasy; she stretched out her hands to him. Everything -she had on was loose and open, the sleeves slipped from her -shoulders--she had grown so fearfully thin--a great fear came over him. -Her wild countenance, delirious words, emaciated form.... - -"God bless you, Josephine, do not exert yourself too much in prayer, -you might break down completely, you have grown so weak!" - -"Do you not believe, then, Ole?" flashed from her like lightning. - -"Yes, yes! But suppose God's will be not our will, dear child?" There -arose in him the painful recollection of Andersen's death-bed scene. -"You would pray for a miracle!" - -"Yes, yes! of course! Certainly! What else should we pray for?" - -"We pray to be granted communion with God, Josephine; at all events -that is what I do. For then all is well, my soul is strengthened, and -often I am in such sore need of it." - -"It is written, 'Soften the heart of the Lord.' Is that not right? -Soften the heart of God? Speak, Ole. Soften the heart of God? Answer -me!" - -He was kneeling down in front of the stove with a piece of firewood in -one hand and a knife in the other, he would have lighted the fire; she -was so thinly clad; but he stopped now and looked up at her -sorrowfully. "I dare not pray for a miracle, Josephine; I am not -worth." As he was saying this his agitation increased, and he was so -overcome that he had to put down what he had in his hands and cover his -face. But when he looked up again he started to his feet; if she had -had her arms full of the most costly china and had let it fall so that -it was shivered to a thousand pieces ... she could not possibly have -looked different, more paralysed, more horror-struck. Her hands were -outstretched as though over what she had let fall, her eyes were -fastened on him, her senses gone; it seemed as though the next instant -she must fall. Not so however; for when he seized hold of her, she woke -up, collected her thoughts and without further warning said quickly: - -"Then we must send for my brother! He only can make her leave our boy -alone." The words proceeding from that strange train of thought were -like a suggestion to him. A thousand times he had thought the same, -Colonel Baier's case had called forth the desire, and many had advised -him to it; but until now he had been ashamed. - -A few minutes later, he was on his way to Dr. Kent; who must be -consulted first. - -It was a sharp, clear night. By day the roads were in a state of thaw, -but frozen again at night, so he had to be careful; it was not easy, -pursued as he was by his thoughts. What became of the Bible's dogmas of -the creation, the deluge, and all the rest--what was it all worth, when -death was at the door? What then was number one, what number twenty? - -None would wake up at Kent's house; he rang and rang without hearing -any sound himself; the bell must have been removed. Then he began to -knock, it sounded hollow and hard, and to him it seemed as though death -were knocking; it was so, too. At last a servant appeared rather -grumbling, but as it was the minister she went to rouse the doctor. -Patient Dr. Kent came down, brought him into his room and listened to -him. He would with pleasure go to Kallem; had he thought they would -have allowed it, he would have done it long since. - -When Tuft got back Josephine was up-stairs with the child; she -misunderstood him, she thought her brother was coming at once, and as -he had not appeared by seven o'clock, by eight, by nine, she was afraid -he would not come and became much agitated; her husband was obliged to -go again to fetch her brother and the doctor. Kent was not to be found -at once; but sent to say that Kallem and he would come at eleven -o'clock precisely. They came, too, at that hour; but the minister had -been called away, so there was no one to receive them, Kallem had not -put his foot inside their door since the day he had arrived in the -town. Since the preceding night Josephine had not had her brother out -of her thoughts, which is always the case when one longs for anyone; -but when at last Kent and he came up the thickly-carpeted stairs she -was not thinking of him; she stood bending over the boy giving him a -drink; when their knock came at the door she started up and could not -utter a sound. The door opened nevertheless. Kent let Kallem go in -first. - -He was met by a slight scream. She nearly dropped what she was holding; -for what did he look like! It was death himself who came, bony and -mowing all around with sharp scythe. It was not to help her, but to -take the boy from her; she felt it directly. - -Shortly and mercilessly he looked at her, without a spark of -compassion, although she too was worn with grief. As he advanced -further in he looked at the boy, and from that moment she ceased to -exist for him, she slipped on one side. Kent went up and greeted her -kindly, then went back to Kallem. And now the usual thing happened--the -same that had happened to Kallem himself when he was together with Dr. -Meek--namely, Dr. Kent accepted all Kallem's impressions, the child's -appearance seemed new to him and frightened him considerably. All -that he had formerly put away from him, showed itself of its own -accord--"Empyème?" he whispered in French to Kallem who did not answer, -but drew nearer, felt the boy's faint, weak pulse, tapped him lightly -here and there, listened to the quick short breathing, looked at the -temperature list and at what he had last coughed up. Then followed a -short consultation between the doctors; Josephine heard every scrap of -it, although she stood a little way from them, on the other side of the -bed--the child's bed now stood where his father's used to stand; but -she did not understand the technical terms, therefore could not seize -the meaning. She felt that some evil was hanging over her; her hands -were pressed together on her bosom while her eyes wandered from one to -the other. At last Kent approached a few steps; he wished to ask if -they might be allowed to insert the point of a syringe, fine as a -needle, in the cavity of the chest. - -"Is it an operation?" she whispered as she sought support. - -"We shall be able to tell then," he answered, equally softly. She sank -down on a chair. Her brother did not wait for her answer, but pulled -out his instrument case and took out of it something shiny, long and -thin, bending down with it over the boy. She saw nothing more; nor -could she think of anything either--she only tried not to give way; she -heard the boy whimper and call repeatedly "Mother" in a frightened -voice; she had not the strength to rise up, dared not move. She heard -Kent say: "Now it is over, my boy;" but could not see what was over. - -Little Edward whimpered and cried, and insisted on having his mother up -to his bed. So she tried once or twice, but it was quite impossible; -her brother acted like a weight on her, although he never even looked -her way. - -The door opened and shut; he had gone, and she breathed more freely. -Kent went up to her at once, kind and sympathetic. - -"There must be an operation," he whispered. - -"What for?" She knew it would be of no use; she had seen it written in -her brother's face. - -"Because everything must be tried," answered Kent. - -With the most miserable little voice, the boy begged his mother to come -to him. - -"I am coming." She knelt down beside him and began to cry. - -"They hurt me," the boy said, complaining. - -Ah, if she could have answered: "It was to make you well that you may -get out again." But even Kent dared not say that. She struggled to find -courage to forbid the operation, but she dared not, she was afraid of -her brother. Kent stood there waiting; she became conscious of that at -last, and looked despairingly at him. He stooped down to her. - -"Your brother generally sends some of the hospital people to disinfect -and arrange everything," he said, gently. - -"Is it to be to-day?" whispered she, weeping bitterly. - -"No; but the cleaning and airing must be begun today. The adjoining -rooms must be used, too." She had laid her head down again beside the -boy, she made no answer; then she heard him go. - -When the minister came home he rushed up at once to the sick room and -was not a little surprised to find his mother there and--Sissel Aune! -The latter was keeping watch, the boy was cross, and did not want -anyone near him but his mother; not even his father, for he could still -smell tobacco about him, although he had given up smoking. Tuft found -Josephine lying on his sofa in the study, overcome with despair, and -talking quite incoherently; "Doomed to death!" she would answer to -nearly all his questions. - -One of the deaconesses came over in the afternoon and assumed the -management of affairs; she brought strange servants with her; their -home seemed broken up, and the scouring and cleaning sounded like the -planing of a coffin. Their own servants all sorrowful, poor old -grandmother in tears; and when they heard the noise caused by moving -the boy's bed into another room, they sat trembling hand in hand. - -Fancy, now, if anyone were to say: "It is a good thing for the parents, -that their boy is dying. Of course they can't think so now, but they -will come to see it in that light;" fancy if anyone were brutal enough -to say such a thing to them? Tuft felt bound to speak to Josephine -about it, and confessed that these words would have wounded him deeply. -She pressed his hand in silence. - -When the evening came and all was quiet, they were both up-stairs with -the boy and they fancied he already bore the mark of death! He fell -asleep holding his mother's hand, and then Tuft gently led her away. -She consented to be led now; an extra bed had been put up in the spare -room, it was part of all the moving and arranging that had gone on. - -The next day from early morning the parents were in with the little -boy. As soon as they left, he was to be moved back to his old room -where all was ready for the operation. - -At ten o'clock the doctors came. Josephine was lying on the sofa in the -study. She stopped her ears as soon as she heard them; the carpets were -taken up so that the slightest creak of a boot was heard. She would not -be comforted, nor let herself be reasoned with, and fell into that -half-unconscious state she had before been in; she wanted to go up to -the boy, he might die on their hands. - -The minister was anxious to speak to the doctors; but she hung round -him, she would go, too; so he could not leave. If anyone just moved a -foot upstairs, she knew who it was, and if the doctors moved at the -same time, there must be something going on, she doubled herself up and -sat crouching there with her hands to her ears. She would not let -herself be taken to another room, she would stay there and be tortured; -at times she went up to Tuft seeking a haven, she had worn herself out, -was tired to death. "Help me!" she whispered, assuring him that her -reason and her life were at stake, and that she had always known that -the time would come when she would be thus miserable. - -Tuft persuaded her to lie down with wet bandages on her forehead, he -prayed aloud, and his love for her was so powerful that it quieted her. -"Thank you, Ole, thank you!" she grew calmer. - -All at once. "He is screaming!" she exclaimed; and, raising herself, -would have got up. The minister assured her he heard nothing; but at -the same instant they both heard it. "Yes, yes," she said, and tried to -go. Tuft put both his arms round her, praying for her and blessing her. -Again she calmed down. And now all was silent. - -Upstairs all was going on rapidly. Kallem took the responsibility of -chloroforming the boy, and the screams the parents had heard were on -account of the flannel bag which Kent held over his face; the boy -pushed it away; he was suffocating. "Mother, mother!" he cried; but he -soon became unconscious. The old grandmother in a clean cotton gown sat -by the pillow on the other side and held his hand; the old woman was -trembling; but there she sat and intended to sit until all was over. No -one had asked her to do it; she had herself asked God. But as soon as -the boy was unconscious, Kallem said to her quite politely that now she -would have to go. Slowly and silently she left the room. - -Then he began. An incision, eight centimetres in length, was made -between the ribs in the right side. He inserted blunt instruments into -the aperture, got hold of the end of the rib-bone and sawed off a small -piece; the matter streamed out of the wound. - -Here they were all startled by a wild shriek behind them. Quick as -lightning Josephine had opened the door and seen these white operating -coats, and Kallem, his hands covered with blood, rummaging in her -child's chest--down she fell onto the floor. - -"Was the door not locked?" asked Kallem. Sissel came running from the -inner room, the minister from outside, they carried her out between -them. - -"Mind the temperature," was whispered over to the deaconess; "And lock -the door!" - -"But Sissel----?" - -"She must stay away!" - -Presently they heard her at the door, but took no notice. A tube was -inserted in the cavity of the chest which was well syringed, and a tow -bandage carefully put on the side. The tube was to be left there for -several days and the temperature of the room day and night was to be -kept at 15°. Kallem soon retired to the next room with his instruments -and was out of the house before anyone, except those present at the -operation, knew that he had finished. - -The old grandmother, poor thing, had just come up again to listen at -the door, when Sissel, who was back in the room, came out, carrying -something under her apron. In passing she told her that it was all -over. So the old woman ventured in; but on seeing the child lying there -pale and quiet, she lost all command over herself, went out again -directly, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that she managed -to reach her own house. - -In ordinary life it was impossible to make any sort of impression on -this specimen of fossilization from the border of the sea, crushed flat -by her pietistical views and walled at the north side of the house. The -only one she seemed to take any interest in was the boy. Her whole -house was his playroom; he was allowed to drag in there almost anything -he had a fancy to, she put it away again and liked nothing better than -tidying up after he had been there. Now, one would think that he would -have been devoted to her on that account, but strange to say, from the -moment he fell ill, he would hardly look at his grandmother. In spite -of all its severity, his mother's blunt manner had taken his fancy; he -had been greatly worried by his grandmother's devotion, interspersed as -it was with scoldings and threats, full of prayers which he had to -learn by heart, and of Bible stories which he never understood. Now -that he was so ill and weak, she was not allowed to talk to him. But it -was hard on the old grandmother. Her son neglected her too, now that -Josephine was more accessible. Had it not been for the coming of the -deaconess, the operation might have taken place without the old woman's -having heard anything of it. - -A few hours later, she crept upstairs again, listened outside, could -hear nothing, thought all was over and ventured to look in. Sissel sat -there nodding; but looked up at once. - -"Is he alive?" asked the old woman. - -"Yes," answered Sissel in a voice barely audible, but her hope of him -was not much greater either. The old grandmother could not bear more, -she turned away. A couple of hours after she came again, and he was -still alive. This time she had brought her spectacles with her and an -old much-loved book; she meant to sit there till the end. Sissel could -have a sleep. So she was told what there was to do, and Sissel lay down -on Josephine's bed. - -It was six o'clock in the evening before the minister put his head into -the room--it was only now that he dared leave Josephine for a moment. -He saw his mother sitting there with her spectacles and her old book of -sermons, he drew nearer searching her face like a book; in it he read: -"he lives!" She nodded as Sissel had done before and conveying the same -meaning. He shuddered as he looked at the boy's deathly pale, worn-out -face, and went away. - -The house was quite quiet. In the kitchen which lay some way off, they -all spoke softly, the doors were well oiled and the carpets laid down -in the passages. The minister came in on tiptoe every hour and received -always the same answer; there was still life. Everybody came and went -noiselessly as though spirits were moving about. In the spare room -where Josephine lay, signs took the place of words. - -The night was if possible more silent; grandmother had gone away, but -Sissel was there; fire was burning in the kitchen and a watch was kept -in case there should be anything to fetch; the minister was up and -awake and went about backwards and forwards. But toward three o'clock -both he and the watch fell asleep. When grandmother came in at four -o'clock, Sissel was asleep too; she sat down in her seat; there was not -a sound of any kind till near seven o'clock. Grandmother looked after -the stove and attended to the medicine--surely little Edward breathed -more easily, or was she deceiving herself? - -A little before seven the door was opened slowly. She expected to see -her son; but it was Josephine who came. Her large face under the -disordered hair, and her wild eyes looked worse than ever in the dim -light, she alarmed the old woman, who for long had been afraid for her -mind. But Josephine stood still by the door, she heard Sissel's steady -breathing but not the boy's; she dared not go further in. The old -grandmother saw this and nodded encouragingly. A few steps forward and -the mother saw her boy--fearfully pale and without a sign of life. But -grandmother nodded again, so she ventured further forward. The curtains -were still drawn, so she did not see well; but then she thought he -breathed. She knelt down ... was he breathing easier, or ...? She was -so sure in her belief that he was doomed to death, that she could not -hear what she really did hear. She listened in the greatest anxiety, -wondering, considering, holding her own breath the while, and only when -she was quite sure that his breathing was easier, did she herself -unconsciously breathe strongly and rapidly full in the boy's face. The -warm whiff awoke him, he opened his eyes and looked at his mother, -trying to collect his thoughts. Yes, it was mother who had come back -again. His eyes grew more lively, and brighter than she had seen them -for weeks past, they gazed at her until her own filled with tears. Not -a word did he say, nor moved a limb from fear of the old pain; and to -her it seemed as though his spirit would fly away if he moved or if she -touched him or uttered a sound. Indeed she thought her breathing was -too loud, so she smothered it, and neither moved her hands nor turned -her head; in this immovable stillness it was as though they were under -the shadow of gathering wings. The hour was like the one in which she -had given birth to him, when she heard the first gurgling sound of his -living voice. And now life was beginning a second time with trembling -breath. His eyes were as light in the snow. She could never weary of -their fresh brightness, they floated together, his and hers, she wished -it would never end. - -But the boy was overcome by the power of her eyes and gave himself up -to the safe feeling of her presence, so he shut his eyes again, opened -them once or twice just to try ... yes, she was there, and so fell -asleep. - -Soon after she was down in the study. Outside was bright day; in it -should come! She drew up the blinds, the daylight filled the high -room with the life of life, filled her own soul to its innermost -recesses--she pushed open the door to the spare room and placed herself -in the doorway. - -Tuft lay there broad and strong with outstretched arms, a bushy head of -hair, his high forehead still shining with yesterday's perspiration, -and a smile about his mouth. The light half wakened him. "Ole!" she -said, he opened his eyes wide, but shut them again; he strove to settle -in his memory what he had just had a glimpse of, and at the same -instant from out of all this light came the words of Josephine's voice: -"He lives!" - - -Thus, on Sunday, a man spoke from the church pulpit, taking his text -from his own experiences. - -He spoke of what is highest and greatest for us all. - -One man forgets it in the midst of his hard struggles, a second because -of his zeal, a third on account of stubbornness, a fourth in his own -wisdom, a fifth from sheer force of habit, and we have all more or less -been wrongly taught on the subject. "For were I now to ask those who -are listening to me, just because I ask in this place, from this -pulpit, you would all unthinkingly answer: 'Faith is greatest!' Nay, -but in truth it is not. Watch by thy child lying gasping for breath -and on the brink of death; or see thy wife slipping gradually after -the child away to that outermost edge, worn out by fear and many -night-watches, then love will teach thee this, that life is first. And -from this day, never again will I first seek God or God's will in any -form of speech, in any sacrament, or in any book or at any place, as -though He were there present; no, rather let me seek His presence in -life--in life won back from the depths of the fear of death, in the -victory of light, in the beauty of devotion, in the community of the -living. God's most important words to us are those of life; our truest -worship of him is love for all living things. However much it be a -matter of course, this doctrine was what I needed more than anyone. -That it is which I have put from me in different ways and from various -reasons--and oftenest just latterly. But never again shall either words -or signs be for me the most important; but, contrariwise, the -everlasting revelation of life. Never again will I let myself be -immured in any doctrine; but will let my will be set free by the warmth -of life. Never again will I judge mankind by the codes of an old-world -justice, if the justice of our day cannot use the language of love. -Before God, never! And this because I believe in Him, the God of life, -and His incessant revelation in life." - - - - - XII. - - -That afternoon Tuft received a most unusual visit. There was a gentle -knock at the door, and at the first "Come in" no one appeared. The -second time the door was opened cautiously by Sören Pedersen, and after -him by slow degrees came Aase, very shy. - -Their business was nothing less than to thank the minister for his -sermon that day! "For nobody can live without God! at all events not -ignorant people; it doesn't do; no, it doesn't do at all. And so we -come like the prodigal son--Aase I suppose must be the prodigal -daughter ... (come forward do--well, just as you please!) and we wish -that you will pray for God's mercy for us both." And their request was -granted with all the earnest fervour that Tuft could put into a prayer. -Sören said they were going direct to Dr. Kallem. "He is certainly the -best man in the world, at any rate in the town. But he is mistaken in -these matters. For there exists both God and spirits, and we will go -and tell him so." - -Tuft had himself fixed to go to Kallem that same afternoon. He was -grateful to him, and he longed to acknowledge that had it not been for -their cruel wronging of Ragni, not even the events of the past days -would have sufficed to show him the treasures of life. He wished -particularly to justify Josephine by taking her faults on his -shoulders. Busy with his heavy load of dogmas, like a post-horse laden -with bags full of letters, she had always been obliged to keep him -company, whether she would or no; and this injustice had made her hard -and suspicious. - -As he set out on his way an hour or so later, all their childhood was -vivid before him. He wanted then to be a missionary; perhaps now he -might be one in earnest! To propound a doctrine of evolution or -progress in religion was worthy of a mission, and he thought of -undertaking it. The God of dogmas and his priests of olden days, must -be vanquished and overcome like the idols and miracle-makers of the -heathens. What though he had dreamed of becoming a bishop, strong in -his theological powers, well, there was a dangerous bishopric--vacant -for easily explained reasons--here in Norway. - -Sigrid was standing on the steps of the upper entrance as Pastor Tuft -came across the yard with long strides. She was dressed in black with a -black silk kerchief over her fair hair. - -"The doctor is not at home," she said in her quiet way. He turned round -and went toward the hospital with the same decision. There stood -Andersen's widow, also dressed in black and in a cap with black -ribbons. - -"Arc you still in mourning for your husband?" - -"No, this time it is for Fru Kallem." - -"Is Kallem here?" - -"No, he went home a little while ago." - -That's a mistake on your part, thought Tuft, and turned his steps in -the direction of the woods; he liked having a good long walk. - -There were many people out walking; they all greeted him with joyful -sympathy; it was not to be mistaken. Widow Andersen's stern face had -cast a shadow over him; but it vanished before the kind looks of -everyone else. Again the same impetuous courage came over him as it had -recently done--the courage peculiar to all newly-converted people. Just -by the hospital he met Sören Pedersen and his wife who were coming away -from Kallem; they too were going for a walk this bright Sunday evening -so full of messages of spring. - -"Was he at home?" asked Tuft. "Yes, your reverence," replied Pedersen, -highly delighted. - -"Well, what did the doctor say?" - -"I was much pleased with what he said, your reverence. There are two -kinds of persons, said he; the one kind believe only what they know; -the other kind do likewise; but that which they know cannot be -proved--at least only to themselves." - -"He is right," and Tuft laughed as he hurried away. But the moment he -was alone, the sixteenth chapter of St. Mark, sixteenth verse, was upon -him; it lay in ambush for him, like a spy from his "orthodox" period. -"He that believeth not shall be damned." God has no respect for "two -kinds of persons." Tuft began eagerly to defend: "The sixteenth -chapter, from the ninth verse upwards, is a later addition which the -oldest manuscripts do not recognize. If this passage be not genuine, -then no such dreadful passage can be found in any of the other three -gospels. The fourth, in which it occurs, has thereby damned itself. No, -life is everything, and faith is the wondrous road to the explanation -of life, that is to say, to God. By this means we shall attain the -highest communion with Him, if not here, then in the next world. Faith -is not for judging, but for guidance. To condemn people for their -faith's sake might have been thought right in olden times; in our day -it shocks us. God reveals Himself in our understanding in a higher -light than that." Again he hastened back into the yard. - -But again Sigrid came out on the steps. "The doctor is not at home." -Her eyes avoided his; but she remained standing there immovable, her -face framed in by the kerchief. The house at her back seemed like a -secret, select community, full of mutual steadfastness, something he -was shut out from. - -Now he understood. - -The price of entering there was greater than he had thought. He went -home humbled, and did not mention it to Josephine. - -This repulsion led to further claims on him: it urged him on along the -road that would unite brother and sister together, which was the -condition laid down for all else. He acknowledged openly that he had -been jealous of his brother-in-law. This episode in his private life -was the cause of much of the narrow-mindedness of his preaching. - -He received help from outside. At first there were wondering questions, -a reserved manner, which wounded him, and at times made him doubtful; -but soon it came to an open fight with his nearest followers, and that -urged him on. His old friend, the former porter, seemed to have longed -for an opportunity of freeing himself from a debt of gratitude that -weighed on him; he made a great to do and called in auxiliary troops -all the way from the capital. Teachers in seminaries, schoolmasters, -scientific travellers, and a few clergymen attacked Pastor Tuft at the -meeting-house with all sorts of theological weapons. First and foremost -he learnt to speak distinctly, for the greater part of what they -attacked him for was nothing but a misunderstanding; but he had -occasion for capabilities and knowledge which he had not needed -before. During this first month Josephine felt merely tired and -indifferent--she had grown weaker than she could understand; but after -that she began following in the steps of the peasant lad, who in days -gone by had captivated her heart by his bright faith; would he come -back to her? - -An incident which she concealed from her husband had kept her back and -prevented her gaining strength, therefore she was so languid. She too -had quietly been over to her brother's the first time she was able to -go out; she, too, had been met by Sigrid on the steps telling her that -he was not at home;--but she had seen him standing on the veranda as -she came up. With great difficulty she reached home again. - -She had felt the deepest pity for him and was ready to make all manner -of allowances; but his inexorableness aroused her opposition. Josephine -had not the slightest idea that she herself had been jealous of Ragni, -therefore she could not know that it affected her manner. She -considered herself to have been at fault in being intolerant toward one -who was guilty. As Sissel Aune sat upstairs beside the boy, and told -her all about Ragni, how she had been lovable to the very last, she -felt how unnatural it was to have overlooked Ragni's goodness of heart -and Kallem's love for her. But beyond this intolerance she did not -consider herself to blame. - -The disappointment was great, and the consequences might have been -serious if it had not been that she was so much taken up just then with -her husband's struggles. A person of confused ideas, who has chiefly -lived a defiant life, can only be freed when some great event happens. -And such an event it was, the day that Ole said to her: - -"On this, Josephine, we must stake both the living and our fortune." - -Three months had gone by when she, revived by the fight, thought -herself strong enough to take up the case with her brother. She wrote -to him and said that whatever they might have done wrong--they would -wish to hear it right out; they ought to be worthy to be accused. Their -gratitude to him was great, as they repented of their former -intolerance, and wished to make every possible amends to that spirit of -charity and justice which they had misjudged. - -It was an excellent letter; her husband said so too. - -But the days went and there came no answer. It was a mercy that just at -that time Tuft was fighting some of his hardest battles. At the -meeting-house, and afterwards in church, he had made use of the words -Josephine had concluded her letter with. - -"Justice and charity," without distinction of faith (as in the story of -the good Samaritan), is the essence of Christianity. Therefore must -everything be meted out with this measure, and first and foremost the -doctrine itself, so that the smallest particle weighed and found -wanting fell, like the theology of distant and cruel times, before the -revelation of justice in our day. - -That very same day he was summoned on this account to a debate; three -meetings were held in the course of the week, all of them overcrowded. -The principal speaker against him was a clergyman and theological -publisher from the metropolis. The doctrine of hell was almost the sole -subject, and Tuft maintained that what St. Paul said about it was -widely different from what was in the Book of Revelations. - -According to St. Paul, life here and in the next world was a state of -progression, which ended by God becoming "all in all." This doctrine -was up to the standard of both justice and charity. And a great -impression was made, as his resonant voice, in its rapid west-country -tones, shouted out across the tightly packed assembly, asking whether -they thought there would ever be an end of wars and persecutions as -long as the doctrine of hell, with all its cruel revenge and brutality -was taught in all the schools and churches as the justice and charity -of God. His opponents were "thoroughly in the style of the doctrine of -hell," for they did all they could to condemn and stigmatize him as -heretical. - -However, there was but one opinion amongst the auditors--that for -clearness of language and powers of persuasion Tuft was vastly superior -to the others. - -Dr. Kallem was present at the last meeting. He saw Josephine sitting -there with flaming eyes, and the next day, toward evening, his answer -came. - -She was walking up and down before the house, watching her boy at play -with the garden-hose, when the letter was given her. She recognized the -writing directly, but trembled so that she could not open it. She was -horrified to see how weak she still was; would she never get back the -strength of her youth? - -Then she went up to her room and locked herself in. It was a long -letter; she turned it over and sat down to consider whether she would -let Tuft read it first. But possibly there might be something about him -which he was not to see. - -She opened the letter. - -Not a word from her brother, not a single word to her. The first that -she saw was written in a strange hand, the next too, and the following -after that, the whole thing, but in two different handwritings. There -were some sheets of paper fastened together, some letters, a few loose -scraps--not a word from Edward. - -What did it signify? Involuntarily Josephine selected the least of all -the papers, a little scrap of three lines: - -"They destroyed my good name and I knew it not. For I knew not that I -had it before it was destroyed." - -On another scrap there were these words faintly written: - -"Forgive them; they know not what they do!" - -This delicate, flowing handwriting was of course Ragni's. Josephine -began to tremble without knowing why. - -Then there was a letter, written in another hand, the first words of -which were in red ink. No signature. But as she read that Kallem was -not to see it, she guessed it was a love-letter from Karl Meek, which -Kallem must have found afterwards. What had Josephine to do with that? - -Hastily she read the first words, but was surprised at his calling her -"you," and that he spoke of a sorrow which he would have borne alone, -but which now had fallen upon her too, a slander----? Had she been -slandered? - -All through the most respectful terms. When was it written? There was -no date given; but the writer of the letter was abroad; so it was after -their life together here. The letter was one long wail of despair, a -grief so genuine, never had she read of anything greater. - -Josephine's hand shook so that she was obliged to put the letter down -on the table. - -She read how Karl through all this cruel slander could not think of -anyone or anything else; she read how he in that way had come to love -Ragni. Josephine saw this love, engendered by sorrow, gratitude, -devotion, find vent in pure and touching words. - -Ragni innocent? Good God, was she innocent? Then all those harrowing -scenes between her and Edward, as Death separated them inch by inch -from one another (Sissel Anne had so often described them to her), they -must indeed have been hard to bear! Yes, now she understood why he had -driven away that day with her body, and had Karl Meek by his side; only -she could not understand how he had survived it. - -There was a knock at the door; she started in her seat. But it was only -the servant girl who came to ask her to go down to supper. She could -not answer, again there was a knock. "No, no!" she managed to -articulate as she writhed in sorrow and shame. She must go to her -brother, she would go to him, if she went there on her knees. - -But here were more papers, and she felt as though her brother was -standing over her commending her to read them. She trembled and read: - -"Now that I am about to copy what I have written down after many trials -and failures about my childhood and my first marriage, I feel myself to -be so tired--so done up. I had intended to write a few words as -beginning, and looked forward to it. Now it is too late for that. Now I -can only just tell to you, 'the white pasha' of my life, how it has -fared with me. I have told it briefly for it was torture to me; and I -have only told it so that you may defend my cause should anyone still -think it worth while to speak evil of me after I am gone. Dear friend, -I do not murmur. I have lived as purely and nobly as I could live; it -has only been too, too short. Know, that I had thrown myself away from -sheer horror of something still worse--and then you came and took me -out of the deep waters and giving me in keeping of good people I found -peace and all good things--till you could come again and bear me away -to yourself. To think that I might share all in your home and yourself -too without deserving it; for I felt that often; but I was happy all -the same. - -"I did not suffice for you here, I know it; but now that the end is -near, it does not seem to matter. You would have borne with me as long -as it lasted, I feel so sure of that." - -"My friend, were I now to tell you all I feel of gratitude and -admiration for you, you would not understand it; it has seemed so -natural to you that all the happiness of your life came from me. And -that was what was most beautiful in mine too. - -"But you will not read this until the day when I no longer am sitting -in this chair, and nothing can imprint my memory so vividly on you and -make it live on in you, as one long, everlasting: - - "Thanks." - - -And this was the marriage they had considered not worthy of the name! -What was Josephine's compared to this! - -She slipped from the chair down upon her knees. She wept and -sobbed--and forced herself to silence that no one might discover her -crouching there in the shame of her crime. She folded her hands on -Ragni's letter, and laid her head down on them, whispering: "Forgive -me, forgive me!" though she knew that none could hear her, and that -none, none could forgive her. - -In a moment, she understood that Ragni had been pure in her first -marriage; and that there too she had been slandered! The papers telling -how this marriage had been arranged--she did not need to read them, she -could not. With clammy hands she collected all the papers together, Ole -must read them. Now he must help her; her life was at stake. She had -committed murder, the murder of an innocent person. Not by her words or -prompting, for she had said nothing. But it was just her silence, and -her having that very first day repelled Ragni--just on that account the -poor thing had been hopelessly lost; this all flashed through her mind -like lightning; she lay there like one deaf and paralysed. The doom she -had read in her brother's eyes, the death-doom--and she had not been -mistaken, it was not intended for her son, it was intended for herself. -She deserved death! - -She was seized with horror, a cold sweat broke out over her like a -stunning blow--now it was at hand! - -Yes, now it was at hand! She had thought all was over when her boy was -well again; but no, now it had come, now that she had regained her -happiness in her husband and a firm footing altogether--now it overtook -and aimed a deadly blow at her. - -She hurried down to the study whilst Tuft was still at his supper and -put the envelope on his desk; she had on her hat and a shawl, and now -she ran rather than walked toward her brother's house; now it must -break or bend. - -Passing by a short cut she came right on the church. She remembered -Ole's last sermon and the tears came to her eyes; for only think what -it would have been if their mutual life had had such free scope and -such aims from the first! She wept as she hurried down toward the -terrible house. She could see the white wall of the other house shining -through the foliage to the left, the house Kule lived in, Kule the -murderous instrument. No, no, no, she had not asked him to come; she -had had no share in it whatever! Yes, she had heard it suggested and -had thought it was quite a fair proceeding. Some had looked upon it as -a good joke, others had taken it seriously, even religiously; Josephine -could remember each word to which she had tacitly agreed; each thought, -too, that she had had. - -Murder, murder! She knew there was no forgiveness for her; of what use -was it to go to her brother? He had saved her child--but beyond that he -would have nothing whatever to do with her. All the same, from -henceforth she was nailed to that spot; even though she might die -there. She ran with all her might. - -Her life was branded, after this she could never again look an honest -person in the face. Cruelly and coldly she had killed an utterly, -wholly innocent being, and had laid bare her brother's home! Henceforth -where could she live? What should she do now? Seek her just punishment! -Yes, but she would administer it herself. But first she must see him, -hear him, and herself speak to him--yes, for she had something to say; -he did not even know how she loved him and had always loved him, he -hardly knew her. She ran on, weeping. - -She saw him standing in the yard between the house and the out-houses, -bending over something he was carrying; she saw him above the currant -and gooseberry bush hedge visible through the opening of the taller -fruit-trees. She shuddered, but she kept on her way. Soon she was under -the trees of the park; then turned down to the yard; nothing divided -them but the outhouse wall; then she came quite forward. - -He stood with turned-up sleeves--his cuffs were off--in a yellow -tussore silk coat, the same probably in which he had arrived two years -ago, washing a travelling trunk under the pump; all the labels pasted -on by the railway people, one on top of the other, were to be taken -off; was he thinking of going away? He was sun-burnt and thin, seen in -profile his face seemed sharper; then he heard her step and looked -up--looked up into her tear-stained beseeching face! No trace of her -former bright-coloured dresses; a dark cotton dress with a belt round -her waist, a broad, shady, straw hat with a brown ribbon, a shawl -hanging on her arm. Her tears burst forth, bitterly, despairingly: -"Edward!" she could get no further. - -For he dropped the trunk and drew himself upright; a voice with a sort -of break in it said: - -"I can not forgive you, Josephine." - -"Edward, let me explain myself!" She turned to the house, in horror and -despair at his stern face; but he fancied she wanted to go in. - -"You shall never enter there!" and he put his hands on his sides as -though he were keeping guard. - - - - - XIII. - - -Tuft left the supper-table and went into his study; but he did not -notice the envelope as he did not look at the desk. He went for a walk, -which he often did in the evenings; if Josephine had been down she -would have gone with him, he thought. He walked for an hour; it was -Saturday and he got ready his sermon for the morrow. When he got home -he sat down by the window with a book he was in want of; he read, he -dawdled about, and read again till ten o'clock. - -He went up to bed but did not find Josephine, neither was she in her -own room, in fact, nowhere all over the house. Then he went down to the -study again, he would wait for her down there; but where could she be? -Gone to see some sick person? He knew of none. In mere absence of -mind he took up the envelope as he passed the desk; his name was -outside--was it written in Josephine's hand? He turned hot and went to -the window the better to see. There was no seal; but on the top of -several papers lay a little note with the following words from -Josephine: - -"I have gone to him for my life's sake." - -What was the meaning of this? - -A quarter of an hour later Tuft was on his way past the church; he, -too, rather ran than walked. He was the only guilty one; long ago it -was he who had given Josephine to understand that Ragni had been -unfaithful to her first husband, and had thereby started everything -that had since happened! And unless it had been that he was jealous of -his brother-in-law, he would hardly have taken their breach with the -church, their intercourse with scoffers, as sufficient reason for -keeping away and avoiding them. Even if his brother-in-law were to -answer that Josephine was not sufficiently a Christian to join in -persecuting Ragni on that account; nor could she for that reason at -once think the worst of a freethinker, then Tuft would answer that it -is not true Christians who do such things, but only those who are -half-Christians. That man whose love for God has become the law of his -life never judges; but so much the more eagerly do the others do it. -Josephine had been so situated that she could not become more than a -half-Christian; these theological studies stop a man's growth. - -How clearly he saw it all now! He could not bear, therefore, to think -of her in her soul's distress; he ran so fast that he arrived panting -through the park, the yard, and up on to the steps. The front door was -locked--was it not more than ten o'clock? He rang, and rang again, -heard steps in the passage, it was the step of a man, Kallem himself -opened the door. - -"Is Josephine not here?" - -"No." - -"Has she not been here?" - -"Yes, about an hour and a half ago." - -"Well?" - -"I forbade her to enter." - -"You did not even speak to her?" - -"No." - -Then Tuft, throwing out his right hand: "Now you, too, are ruled by -dogmas," turned his back on him and went off again. His broad hat over -his broad shoulders had the effect of broadly accentuating his last -words. - -Shortly after eleven the bell rang again, just in the same way. Kallem -came out at once, he had evidently not been in bed yet. - -It was Tuft who was there again; but as far as Kallem could see, -without being near him, he appeared like another man, horrified and -harrowed. - -"Where do you think she can have gone to, Edward?" - -"I think she must have gone to Ragni's grave." - -A choking sob, a visible welling-up of grief, and he turned and went -away. His heavy footfall was heard far off through the stillness of the -grove. - -Toward one o'clock there was again a ring at the door, but this time it -was only one single timid peal. Kallem heard it directly and came out -from the room--he was still sitting up. - -A woman stood there. Kallem, who was shortsighted, hurried up to her, -but the voice proved to be Sissel Aune's. "Dear, kind doctor, be good -and merciful!" Kallem thought she had come on his sister's behalf, and -that something had happened; he shivered. But Sissel continued: "None -but you can manage him; he gets quite mad every blessed night." - -"Do you mean Anne?" shouted Kallem. - -"Yes, he fancies he sees Kristen Larssen after him, so he rushes away -through the town, into the wood and out on the high road; this is the -third night, and I cannot stand it any longer. Dear, good doctor, I -have no one but you to turn to," here she began to cry, "and no one -else has any power over him but you." - -Had the clever bookbinder and fiddler gone mad? Then had he freed -himself from his power? Had he taken to drink again, was this delirium? -No, no, he was "mad" from fear of Kristen Larssen's ghost. Kallem -started directly with her. - -The sky was clouded, and the night very dark; but a fresh northerly -wind began to sweep the clouds away. It shook and rustled the trees by -the roadside, whistling through the thick foliage and seeming to ask -and ask all manner of things as they passed by. Was it not very strange -that Aune, who had fooled people into believing in Kristen Larssen's -ghost, should now be rushing about mad with terror of what he had -himself set going? Every evening after dark, Sissel declared that Aune -imagined Kristen Larssen was after him and going to take him to hell! -At that instant a shriek was heard far off, one sharp, breathless call -for help. It rose up like a spectre in the night, it seemed almost -visible. - -"There he is!" cried Sissel, clasping her hands. "Christ help us!" she -shrieked, and began running. - -But Kallem hurried after her: "You will only be slower like that, -Sissel; go quietly--go quietly, I tell you!" - -She obeyed at once, but turned eagerly to him: "Who but Satan can -persecute a man like that!" she said, breathlessly. At the same moment -a watch-dog began barking close by, it was startled by the cries and -barked on without stopping. Kallem raised his voice above the barking: - -"It does not follow that Aune is more beset by Satan, Sissel, than that -angry bitch in there! Do you know how people found out Satan? They -thought everything was created perfect and they were in want of -somebody on whom to throw the blame when sin did come into the world." - -The furious dog rushed at them just at that moment; Sissel fled over to -Kallem. - -"What a savage beast!" he exclaimed, and stooped to pick up a stone. -The dog retreated a few paces. There came a fresh shriek, nearer than -the first one, a call for help with a last expiring gasp; they -shuddered, the very dog stopped short. Then it swung round and dashed -past them in the direction of the ghost. - -"God help us, now he will be hurt!" said Sissel, crying and hurrying -onwards; "the mad man must not be exposed to the dog's attack!" - -But they heard it bark as though a wild beast were confronting it and -going to fasten its teeth in it; so they both ran as hard as they -could; Kallem was at once far past Sissel. It could hardly be Aune who -was in danger; the last shriek had not been so near; the furious beast -had attacked the first person it came upon; and who could that be? -Since he was a boy Kallem had not run so fast; he could hear by the dog -that there was a fight and he pushed on with renewed strength. Soon he -saw something large and black by the roadside near the corner of the -wood, and it was before this that the dog had stopped. Once again a -piercing shriek rang out through the night; it really came from there! -What was that great black mass? Surely not an animal? - -No, it was a man, a big man fighting with a smaller one, and a dog with -both of them. The big man kept turning round and round hitting out at -the dog, at the same time keeping fast hold of the other man with his -left hand. Then Kallem recognized the broad hat and the broad -shoulders; it was Tuft who was holding Aune, holding him with a giant's -strength; the dog was trying to attack the latter, who kicked it away -from him each time. Maybe Aune thought the dog was the devil and -possessed by Kristen Larssen's spirit, for the little man kicked and -wriggled, bit, hit out, and struggled to get free; he threw himself -backwards and with the last remains of his hoarse voice he groaned, -"Help! help!" If he had been frightened before, he became so now in -good earnest as he saw Kallem's figure appear in the dim light; he let -himself fall and began to howl. The dog flew at his leg directly. The -minister lifted them both up; the beast was in such a rage that it did -not see Kallem before it got a kick from his foot which sent it flying -a few metres off! One short howl and a whine--a doctor knows where to -hit--and they neither saw nor heard it again; it may have been dead. - -Then Kallem took hold of Aune and the minister let him go. He, too, had -been much maltreated; his coat was all torn and dragging on the ground, -the sleeve hung in rags down over his hand, his flannel shirt likewise. -He was bleeding from bites and scratches, but was so excited that he -felt no pain. Kallem took little wretched Aune with both hands by the -collar, lifted him up to his level, and, panting from his run and the -rapid coursing of his blood, he stared straight into his eyes, until -they grew wide open, dazed, and glassy, his mouth gaped, the muscles of -the face relaxed, he hung there like a gutted herring. By the time that -Sissel reached them, breathless and crying, Aune lay under the trees on -the grass and slept. Both the men stood over him. - -Kallem said that Aune could stay where he was; there would be no dew on -account of the wind; they should be sent for later. He expected to be -able to cure this madness. - -The minister had taken off his coat, dried the blood, and bound up the -worst places; then they turned towards home. - -Not a word about Aune, or how it was he had come across him; but hardly -were they out on the road before Tuft said piteously: - -"She was not there, Edward, she was not there!" And shortly after: "I -can think of nothing else; no, now I can think of nothing else. That -you could send her away from you, Edward!" The thick foliage of the -trees took up the murmur and kept on unceasingly: "That you could send -her away, Edward!" - -"Do you know what she wrote and put beside the letters from you? 'For -my life's sake I go now to my brother's.'" - -Kallem felt an icy chill. A thousand voices reechoed: "For my life's -sake," and the sound drew nearer, encircling him closer and closer, -till he could hardly draw breath. - -The day was about to dawn; Tuft's scratched and shiny face was turned -toward the rising sun as though he were imploring: "Mercy, mercy for -her!" He hurried along as fast as he could; he did not know where to -look for her, but he felt he must walk and walk. Kallem too. - -"Oh, the horror of it, the horror of it!" he burst forth. "Do you -remember the night of the storm in our childhood, Edward? We thought -the world was at an end. Do you remember how frightened you were up on -the hill the evening after? This whole night the 'deep-sea monsters' -have been trying to reach me too. The horror of it! our soul's horror -of the punishment of sins! From our childhood it drives away all our -intelligence, just when we are most in need of it; we run away in -despair--or cast ourselves down in the dust before God. Perchance later -on we get rid of this dogma of terror, but never of its effects. As I -was walking along thinking of this, I came across that madman. He leapt -up; the terror was upon him; he thought I was a ghost and the dog the -devil! And Josephine! She too is in despair and flees away. And you, -Edward? You too must be swayed by terror if you can have the heart to -torture her more than she now tortures herself. For that is the worst -of terror, it hurts one; he who has been terrified himself, learns to -terrify others!" - -The words came from him heavily; his walk was heavy too as he plodded -along. Kallem did not say a word; when he suffered he was silent. - -But from a child the lay preacher's son had been accustomed to hear all -life experiences converted into learning. His heart was bleeding; but -he talked on all the time. Kallem ought not to doubt Josephine; she was -the most honourable and truthful creature on the face of the earth. In -this affair she had been led astray by him. In his deep pity for her, -he laid bare her soul's history as he himself saw it, and proved to him -clearly that if she were to be cast off now by her brother she could -not live. - -Occasionally Kallem interposed with a "Dear Ole," "Listen to me, Ole;" -but never got any further. For even when they reached his home and he -took his brother-in-law in with him to attend to his wounds, Tuft -talked on without ceasing; it was as though his fear and uncertainty -would have increased had he been silent; and then too Edward must see -her as he saw her, and above all help her! "All who have gone astray -must be helped; they who have sinned against us--as soon as they -acknowledge it they must be helped above all others! God's forgiveness -is, to help us on." He was still going on with his explanations as -Kallem accompanied him to the door; his giant strength was unfailing. -But supposing that she meanwhile had gone back to her child and to him. -Certainly there was no great hope of it; but he hurried away. - -It grew lighter. Kallem could not sleep, and at last could not remain -at home. In fear, greater than he would own to his brother-in-law, he -went in and out of the rooms, up and down as though the house were to -be searched. For it was true enough that he too had both judged and -condemned. - -His sister had always been fonder of him than he of her. That time they -had danced together last winter he could tell that her love for him had -not diminished. Yes, even when he struck her--had she not come then to -do him good? Her attack on Ragni that time----of course there was more -than dogmatical narrow-mindedness in it--it was jealousy! Jealousy -because he had become all in all to Ragni and was nothing to her. He -could have brought those two women together; it was impossible to doubt -that. Had he tried to do that? - -The more he thought of it, the less right he had to be severe; for he -was guilty too! His sister's great eyes, as he had seen them last -evening, were resting on him now in her direst need, they seemed to -gaze full at him. All her life long, confused and shy, when not carried -away by passion, hampered by unnatural doctrines and defiant in her -truthfulness--she had looked out for him, from year to month, from week -to day. Then he came and had cast her off. Cast her off for one who -was not worthy of him--so it seemed to her. - -Poor, poor Josephine! He had thus never been anything for her, had only -harmed her, and yet she in her faithfulness had always longed for him. - -The rooms became oppressive and he felt afraid; he must go out and look -for her. It was getting lighter and lighter and with the feeling that -morning was near, he threw open the veranda doors; but he had nothing -to do out there; on the contrary he would have to shut them again if he -were really going out. So he stepped out to close them again and in -doing so glanced on one side--and there, sheltered from the north wind -by the veranda, sitting on Ragni's bench just under his office windows, -was Josephine, with her shawl over her knees. She saw him and crouched -down like a wounded bird, which cannot move away, yet must not be seen. -And yet she was sitting there just to be seen. There was nowhere else -she could be, for she had tried. He hurried down the steps toward her. -Then she trembled: - -"Oh, no, Edward, oh, no; let me stay," she implored and burst into -tears. And even when he took her by the arm and raised her up she -kept on beseeching him, weak as any child: "Oh, no, no, Edward, let -me----" but she got no further, for she felt herself folded in his -arms, and felt how he too was quivering with the emotion he could not -control. He was not cruel, perchance he would listen to her, and she -raised her arms and threw them round him mingling her tears with his; -the brother and sister stood with their heads together, cheek resting -upon cheek, all the similarity of their temperament, their first and -oldest feelings, their love of homelike things, down to the very smell -of their clothes in the passages at their parent's house, all this met -together in their one desire never again to part. - -And yet, when he began to move with her toward the veranda, she -stopped; she could not believe that she would be allowed to go in. She -looked at him through her tears; he forced her along, step by step. On -the steps she again held back. But he led her on till they stood in the -room; here she clasped her arms round him again and sinking down upon a -chair, buried her face in her hands--everything in the room, he too, -seemed listening to her sobs. - -Then he went up to her and stroked her hair; but he knew it was not -really he who did it, it was Ragni! - -Arm in arm they walked that summer's night through the town that was so -wide-awake, although everyone seemed asleep. The long steps of brother -and sister hurried on, keeping time as of old; they said nothing about -it, but they were looking for Ole; forgot the short cut and came down -the road to the shore. Soon they turned up toward the minister's house. -They had just gone a few steps along the road, when Josephine as it -were felt drawn to look across the shore. She stopped directly and held -back Edward. - -"Yes, it is he!" she whispered. - -Tuft came hurrying from out yonder, quickly, quickly, but with -hanging head as though he could not bear it. In vain he had searched -for her along the shore, he was now going on with his search further -southward--quickly as ever, though ever in vain. They both understood, -her arm trembled in that of her brother. She pressed closer up to him, -for just a moment ago she had told him that had she been driven out of -his garden, then----! Hush! They turned now and went to meet Ole. His -quick ear heard the steps, he looked up, recognized her, opened his -arms and could neither go a step further nor utter a sound. But -Josephine left her brother's arm and went to him. - - * * * - -All three walked slowly homewards, the minister with Josephine on his -arm, and Kallem at his other side. He said repeatedly: "God's ways! -God's ways!" - -"But I do not share your faith," Kallem felt bound to interpose. - -"No, no, no, no," exclaimed the minister eagerly. "There where good -people walk, those are God's ways." - - - - FOOTNOTES: - -[Footnote 1: One Norwegian mile = seven English miles.] - -[Footnote 2: A Norwegian country-dance.] - - - - - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In God's Way, by Björnstjerne Björnson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN GOD'S WAY *** - -***** This file should be named 37726-8.txt or 37726-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/7/2/37726/ - -Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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