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Ti t l e: Absal om' s Hai r
Aut hor : Bj or nst j er ne Bj or nson
Rel ease Dat e: Febr uar y, 2004 [ EBook #5052]
[ Yes, we ar e mor e t han one year ahead of schedul e]
[ Thi s f i l e was f i r st post ed on Apr i l 11, 2002]
Edi t i on: 10
Language: Engl i sh
Char act er set encodi ng: ASCI I
*** START OF THE PROJ ECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, ABSALOM' S HAI R ***
Ni col e Apost ol a, Char l es Fr anks and t he Onl i ne Di st r i but ed Pr oof r eadi ng Team.
ABSALOM' S HAI R
BJ ORNSTJ ERNE BJ ORNSON
CHAPTER 1
Har al d Kaas was si xt y.
He had gi ven up hi s f r ee, uncr i t i ci sed bachel or l i f e; hi s yacht
was no l onger seen of f t he coast i n summer ; hi s t our s t o Engl and
and t he sout h had ceased; nay, he was r ar el y t o be f ound even at
hi s cl ub i n Chr i st i ani a. Hi s gi gant i c f i gur e was never seen i n t he
door ways; he was f ai l i ng.
Bandy- l egged he had al ways been, but t hi s def ect had i ncr eased;
hi s her cul ean back was r ounded, and he st ooped a l i t t l e. Hi s
f or ehead, al ways of t he br oadest - - no one el se' s hat woul d f i t hi m-
- was now one of t he hi ghest , t hat i s t o say, he had l ost al l hi s
hai r , except a r agged l ock over each ear and a t hi n f r i nge behi nd.
He was begi nni ng al so t o l ose hi s t eet h, whi ch wer e st r ong t hough
smal l , and bl ackened by t obacco; and now, i nst ead of " deuce t ake
i t " he sai d " deush t ake i t . "
He had al ways hel d hi s hands hal f cl osed as t hough gr aspi ng
somet hi ng; now t hey had st i f f ened so t hat he coul d never open t hem
f ul l y. The l i t t l e f i nger of hi s l ef t hand had been bi t t en of f " i n
gr at i t ude" by an adver sar y whom he had knocked down: accor di ng t o
Har al d' s ver si on of t he st or y, he had compel l ed t he f el l ow t o
swal l ow t he pi ece on t he spot .
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He was f ond of car essi ng t he st ump, and i t of t en ser ved as an
i nt r oduct i on t o t he hi st or y of hi s expl oi t s, whi ch became gr eat er
and gr eat er as he gr ew ol der and qui et er .
Hi s smal l shar p eyes wer e deep set and l ooked at one wi t h gr eat
i nt ensi t y. Ther e was power i n hi s i ndi vi dual i t y, and, besi des
shr ewd sense, he possessed a consi der abl e gi f t f or mechani cs. Hi s
boundl ess sel f - est eemwas not devoi d of gr eat ness, and t he
emphasi s wi t h whi ch bot h body and soul pr ocl ai med t hemsel ves made
hi mone of t he or i gi nal s of t he count r y.
Why was he not hi ng mor e?
He l i ved on hi s est at e, Hel l eber gene, whose l ar ge woods ski r t ed
t he coast , whi l e numer ous l easehol d f ar ms l ay al ong t he cour se of
t he r i ver . At one t i me t hi s est at e had bel onged t o t he Kur t
f ami l y, and had now come back t o t hem, i n so f ar as t hat Har al d' s
f at her , as ever y one knew, was not a Kaas at al l , but a Kur t ; i t
was he who had got t he est at e t oget her agai n; a book mi ght be
wr i t t en about t he ways and means t hat he had empl oyed.
The house l ooked out over a bay st udded wi t h i sl ands; f ar t her out
wer e mor e i sl ands and t he open sea. An i mmensel y l ong bui l di ng,
r ai sed on an ol d and massi ve f oundat i on, i t s east er n wi ng bar el y
hal f f ur ni shed, t he west er n i nhabi t ed by Har al d Kaas, who l i ved
hi s cur i ous l i f e her e.
These wi ngs wer e connect ed by t wo cover ed gal l er i es, one above t he
ot her , wi t h st ai r s at each end.
Cur i ousl y enough, t hese gal l er i es di d not f ace t he sea, t hat i s,
t he sout h, but t he f i el ds and woods t o t he nor t h. The por t i on of
t he house bet ween t he t wo wi ngs was a neut r al t er r i t or y- - namel y, a
l ar ge di ni ng- r oom wi t h a bal l r oomabove i t , nei t her of whi ch was
used i n l at er year s.
Har al d Kaas' s sui t e of r ooms was di st i ngui shed f r om wi t hout by a
mi ght y el k' s head wi t h i t s enor mous ant l er s, whi ch was set up over
t he gal l er y.
I n t he gal l er y i t sel f wer e heads of bear , wol f , f ox and l ynx, wi t h
st uf f ed bi r ds f r om l and and sea. Ski ns and guns hung on t he wal l s
of t he ant er oom, t he i nner r ooms wer e al so f ul l of ski ns and
i mpr egnat ed wi t h t he smel l of wi l d ani mal s and t obacco- smoke.
Har al d hi msel f cal l ed i t " Man- smel l ; " no one who had once put hi s
nose i nsi de coul d ever f or get i t .
Val uabl e and beaut i f ul ski ns hung on t he wal l s and cover ed t he
f l oor s; hi s ver y bed was not hi ng el se; Har al d Kaas l ay, and sat ,
and wal ked on ski ns, and each one of t hem was a wel come subj ect of
conver sat i on, f or he had shot and f l ayed ever y si ngl e ani mal
hi msel f . To be sur e, t her e wer e t hose who hi nt ed t hat most of t he
ski ns had been bought f r om Br and and Company, of Ber gen, and t hat
onl y t he st or i es wer e shot and f l ayed at home.
I f or my par t t hi nk t hat t hi s was an exagger at i on; but be t hat as
i t may, t he ef f ect was equal l y t hr i l l i ng when Har al d Kaas, seat ed
i n hi s l og chai r by t he f i r esi de, hi s f eet on t he bear ski n, opened
hi s shi r t t o show us t he scar s on hi s hai r y chest ( and what scar s
t hey wer e! ) whi ch had been made by t he bear ' s t eet h, when he had
dr i ven hi s kni f e, r i ght up t o t he haf t , i nt o t he monst er ' s hear t .
Al l t he queer t ankar ds, and cupboar ds, and car ved chai r s l i st ened
wi t h t hei r wont ed i mpassi veness.
Har al d Kaas was si xt y, when, i n t he mont h of J ul y, he sai l ed i nt o
t he bay accompani ed by f our l adi es whom he had br ought f r om t he
st eamer - - an el der l y l ady and t hr ee young ones, al l r el at ed t o hi m.
They wer e t o st ay wi t h hi munt i l August .
They occupi ed t he upper st or ey. Fr om i t t hey coul d hear hi m
wal ki ng about and gr unt i ng bel ow t hem. They began t o f eel a l i t t l e
ner vous. I ndeed, t hr ee of t hem had had ser i ous mi sgi vi ngs about
accept i ng t he i nvi t at i on; and t hese mi sgi vi ngs wer e not di mi ni shed
when, next mor ni ng, t hey saw Kaas composedl y st r ol l i ng up f r om t he
sea st ar k naked!
They scr eamed, and, gat her i ng t oget her , st i l l i n t hei r ni ght gowns,
hel d a counci l of war as t o t he advi sabi l i t y of l eavi ng at once;
but when one of t hem cr i ed " You shoul d not have cal l ed us, Aunt ,
and t hen we shoul d not have seen hi m, " t hey coul d not hel p
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l aughi ng, and t her ewi t h t he whol e af f ai r ended. Cer t ai nl y t hey
wer e a l i t t l e st i f f at br eakf ast ; but when Har ol d Kaas began a
st or y about an ol d bl ack mar e of hi s whi ch was i n l ove wi t h a
young br own hor se over at t he Dean' s, and whi ch pl unged madl y i f
any ot her hor se came near her , but , on t he ot her hand, put her
head coaxi ngl y on one si de and whi nni ed " l i ke a dai nt y gi r l "
whenever t he par son' s hor se came t hat way- - wel l , at t hat t hey had
t o gi ve i n, as wel l f i r st as l ast .
I f t hey had st r ayed her e out of cur i osi t y t hey must j ust put up
wi t h t he " NI GHT si de of nat ur e, " as Har al d Kaas expr essed i t , wi t h
t he st r ess on t he f i r st wor d.
For al l t hat t hey wer e near l y f r i ght ened out of t hei r wi t s t he
ver y next ni ght , when he di schar ged hi s gun r i ght under t hei r
wi ndows. The aunt even asser t ed t hat he had shot t hr ough her open
casement . She scr eamed l oudl y, and t he ot her s, st ar t i ng f r om t hei r
sl eep, wer e out on t he f l oor bef or e t hey knew wher e t hey wer e.
Then t hey cr ouched i n t he wi ndows and peeped out , al t hough t hei r
aunt decl ar ed t hat t hey woul d cer t ai nl y be shot - - t hey r eal l y must
see what i t was.
Yes! t her e t hey saw hi mamong t he cher r y and appl e t r ees, gun i n
hand, and t hey coul d hear hi mswear i ng. I n t he gr eat est
t r epi dat i on t hey cr ept back i nt o bed agai n. Next mor ni ng t hey
l ear ned t hat he had shot at some ni ght pr owl er s, one of whom had
got " hal f t he char ge i n hi s l eg, t hat he had, Deush t ake hi m! I t
ai n' t t he pr owl i ng I mi nd, but t hat he shoul d pr owl her e. We
bachel or s wi l l have no one poachi ng on our pr eser ves. "
The f our l adi es sat as st i f f as f our chur ch candl es, t i l l at
l engt h one of t hem spr ang up wi t h a scr eam, t he ot her s j oi ni ng i n
chor us.
The vi si t or s wer e not bor ed; Har al d Kaas deal t t oo much i n t he
unexpect ed f or t hat . Ther e was a char m, t oo, i n t he gr eat woods,
wher e t her e had been no f el l i ng si nce he had come i nt o t he
pr oper t y, and t her e wer e mer r y wal ks by t he r i ver si de and pl ent y
of f i sh i n t he r i ver .
They bat hed, t hey t ook del i ght f ul sai l s i n t he cut t er and dr i ves
about t he nei ghbour hood, t hough cer t ai nl y t he t ur n- out was none of
t he smar t est .
The youngest of t he gi r l s, Kr i st en Ravn, pr esent l y became l ess
eager t o j oi n i n t hese expedi t i ons. She had f al l en i n l ove wi t h
t he di sused east wi ng of t he house, and t her e she spent many a
l ong hour , al one by t he open wi ndow, gazi ng out at t he gr eat l i me-
t r ees whi ch st ood st r aggl i ng, gaunt , and myst er i ous.
" You ought t o bui l d a bal cony her e, out t owar ds t he sea, " she
sai d. " Look how t he wat er gl i t t er s bet ween t he l i mes. "
When once she had hi t upon a pl an, Kr i st en Ravn never r el i nqui shed
i t , and when she bad suggest ed i t some f our or f i ve t i mes, he
pr omi sed t hat i t shoul d be done. But on t he heel s of t hi s scheme
came anot her .
" Bel ow t he f i r st bal cony t her e must be anot her wi der one, " sai d
she i n her sof t voi ce, " and i t must have st eps at each end down t o
t he l awn- - t he l awn i s so l ovel y j ust her e. "
The unhear d- of pr esumpt i on of her demand i nocul at ed hi mwi t h t he
i dea, and at l engt h he consent ed t o t hi s as wel l .
" The r ooms must be r ef ur ni shed, " she gr avel y commanded. " The one
next t o t he bal cony whi ch i s t o be bui l t under her e shal l be i n
yel l ow pi ne, and t he f l oor must be pol i shed. " She poi nt ed wi t h her
l ong del i cat e hand. " ALL t he f l oor s must be pol i shed. I wi l l gi ve
you t he desi gn f or t he r oom above, I have t hought i t car ef ul l y
out . " And i n i magi nat i on she paper ed t he wal l s, ar r anged t he
f ur ni t ur e, and hung up cur t ai ns of wondr ous pat t er ns.
" I know, t oo, how t he ot her r ooms ar e t o be done, " she added. And
she went f r om one t o t he ot her , r emai ni ng a l i t t l e whi l e i n each.
He f ol l owed, l i ke an ol d hor se l ed by t he br i dl e.
Bef or e t hei r vi si t was hal f over he most cool l y negl ect ed t hr ee
out of hi s f our guest s.
Hi s deep- set eyes t wi nkl ed wi t h t he l i vel i est admi r at i on whenever
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she appr oached. He sought i n t he f aces of t he ot her s t he
admi r at i on whi ch he hi msel f f el t : he woul d ambl e r ound her l i ke an
ol d phot ogr aphi c camer a whi ch had t he power of set t i ng i t sel f up.
But f r om t he day when she t ook down f r om hi s bookshel f a Fr ench
wor k on mechani cs, a subj ect wi t h whi ch she was evi dent l y
acquai nt ed and f or whi ch she decl ar ed t hat she had a nat ur al
apt i t ude, i t was al l over wi t h hi m. Fr om t hat day f or war d, i f she
wer e pr esent , he ef f aced hi msel f bot h i n wor d and act i on.
I n t he mor ni ngs when he met her i n one of her char act er i st i c
cost umes he l aughed sof t l y, or gazed and gazed at her , and t hen
gl anced t owar ds t he ot her s. She di d not t al k much, but ever y wor d
t hat she ut t er ed ar oused hi s admi r at i on. But he was most of al l
capt i vat ed when she sat qui et l y apar t , heedl ess of ever y one: at
such t i mes he r esembl ed an ol d par r ot expect ant of sugar .
Hi s l i nen had al ways been snowy whi t e, but beyond t hi s he had
t aken no speci al pai ns wi t h hi s t oi l et ; but now he st r ut t ed about
i n a Tussor e si l k coat , whi ch he had bought i n Al gi er s, but had at
once put asi de because i t was t oo t i ght - - he l ooked l i ke a cl i pt
box hedge i n i t .
Now, who was t hi s l i on- t amer of t went y- one, who, wi t hout i n t he
l east wi shi ng t o do so, unconsci ousl y even ( she was t he qui et est
of t he par t y) , had made t he monar ch of t he f or est cr ouch at her
f eet and gaze at her i n abj ect humi l i t y?
Look at her , as she si t s t her e, wi t h her l oose shi ni ng hai r of t he
pr et t i est shade of dar k r ed; l ook at her br oad f or ehead and
pr omi nent nose, but mor e t han al l at t hose l ar ge wonder i ng eyes;
l ook at her t hr oat and neck, her t al l sl i ght f i gur e; not i ce
especi al l y t he Renai ssance dr ess whi ch she wear s, i t s st yl e and
col our , and your cur i osi t y wi l l st i l l r emai n unsat i sf i ed, f or she
has an i ndi vi dual i t y al l her own.
Kr i st en Ravn had l ost her mot her at her bi r t h and her f at her when
she was f i ve year s ol d. The l at t er l ef t her a handsome f or t une,
wi t h t he expr ess condi t i on t hat t he i nvest ment s shoul d not be
changed, and t hat t he i ncome shoul d be f or her own use whet her she
mar r i ed or not . He hoped by t hi s means t o f or m her char act er . She
was br ought up by t hr ee di f f er ent member s of her wi de- br anchi ng
f ami l y, a f ami l y whi ch mi ght mor e pr oper l y be t er med a cl an,
al t hough t hey had no common char act er i st i cs beyond a desi r e t o go
t hei r own way.
When t wo Ravns meet t hey, as a r ul e, di f f er on ever y subj ect ; but
as a r ace t hey hol d r el i gi ousl y t oget her - - i ndeed, i n t hei r eyes
t her e i s no ot her f ami l y whi ch i s " amusi ng, " t he f avour i t e
adj ect i ve of t he Ravns.
Kr i st en had a r ecept i ve nat ur e; she r ead ever yt hi ng, and
r emember ed what she r ead; t hat i s say, she had a l ogi cal mi nd, f or
a r et ent i ve memor y i mpl i es an or der l y br ai n. She was consequent l y
NUMBER ONE i n ever yt hi ng whi ch she t ook up. Thi s, coupl ed wi t h t he
f act t hat she l i ved among t hose who r egar ded her somewhat as a
specul at i on, and consequent l y f l at t er ed her , had ear l y made an
i mpr essi on on her nat ur e, qui t e as gr eat , i ndeed, as t he
possessi on of money.
She was by no means pr oud, i t was not i n t he Ravn nat ur e t o be so;
but at t en year s ol d she had l ef t of f pl ayi ng; she pr ef er r ed t o
wander i n t he woods and compose bal l ads. At t wel ve she i nsi st ed on
wear i ng si l k dr esses, and, i n t he t eet h of an aunt al l cur l s and
l ace and wi t h a t er r i bl e f l ow of wor ds, she car r i ed her poi nt . She
hel d her sel f er ect and pr i m i n her si l ks, and st i l l r emai ned
NUMBER ONE. She composed ver ses about Si r Adge and Mai d El se,
about bi r ds and f l ower s and sad t hi ngs.
On r eachi ng t he age at whi ch ot her gi r l s, who have t he means,
begi n t o wear si l k dr esses, she l ef t t hem of f . She was t i r ed, she
sai d, of t he " smoot h and gl ossy. "
She now gr ew ent husi ast i c f or f i ne wool and expensi ve vel vet of
ever y shade. Dr esses i n t he Renai ssance st yl e became her
f avour i t es, and t he subj ect of her st udi es. She puf f ed out her
bodi ces l i ke t hose i n Leonar do' s and Raf ael ' s por t r ai t s of women,
and t r i ed i n ot her ways as wel l t o r esembl e t hem.
She l ef t of f wr i t i ng ver ses, and wr ot e st or i es i nst ead; t he st yl e
was good, t hough t hey wer e anyt hi ng r at her t han spont aneous.
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They wer e shor t , wi t h a mor e or l ess cl ear poi nt e. St or i es by a
gi r l of ei ght een do not as a gener al r ul e make a sensat i on, but
t hese wer e par t i cul ar l y audaci ous. I t was evi dent t hat t hei r onl y
obj ect was t o scandal i se. I nst ead of her own name she used t he
nom- de- pl ume of " Puss. " Thi s, however , was onl y t o post pone t he
announcement t hat t he aut hor who scandal i sed her r eader s most , and
t hat at a t i me when ever y aut hor st r ove t o do so, was a gi r l of
ei ght een bel ongi ng t o one of t he f i r st f ami l i es i n t he count r y.
Soon ever y one knew t hat " Puss" was she of t he t umbl ed r ed l ocks,
" t he t al l Renai ssance f i gur e wi t h t he Ti t i an hai r . "
Her hai r was abundant , gl ossy, and sl i ght l y cur l i ng; she st i l l
wor e i t hangi ng l oose over her neck and shoul der s, as she had done
as a chi l d. Her gr eat eyes seemed t o l ook out upon a new wor l d;
but one f el t t hat t he l ower par t of her f ace was scar cel y i n
har mony wi t h t he upper . The cheeks f el l i n a l i t t l e; t he pr omi nent
nose made t he mout h l ook smal l er t han i t act ual l y was; her neck
seemed onl y t o l ead t he eye downwar d t o her bosom, whi ch al most
appear ed t o car ess her t hr oat , especi al l y when her head was bent
f or war d, as was gener al l y t he case. And ver y beaut i f ul t he t hr oat
was, del i cat e i n col our , super b i n cont our , and admi r abl y set upon
t he bust . For t hi s r eason she coul d never f i nd i n her hear t t o
hi de t hi s f ul l whi t e neck, but al ways kept i t uncover ed. Her
f i nel y moul ded bust sur mount i ng a sl ender wai st and smal l hi ps,
her r ounded ar ms, her l ong hands, her gr acef ul car r i age, i n her
t i ght l y- f i t t i ng dr ess, f or med such a st r i ki ng pi ct ur e t hat one di d
mor e t han l ook- - one was obl i ged t o st udy her , When t he el egance
and beaut y of her dr ess wer e t aken i nt o account , one r eal i sed how
much i nt el l i gence and ar t i st i c t ast e had her e been exer ci sed.
She was f r i endl y i n soci et y, nat ur al and composed, al ways occupi ed
wi t h somet hi ng, al ways wi t h t hat wonder i ng expr essi on. She spoke
ver y l i t t l e, but her wor ds wer e al ways wel l chosen.
Al l t hi s, and her gener al di sposi t i on, made peopl e char y of
opposi ng her , mor e especi al l y t hose who knew how i nt el l i gent she
was and how much knowl edge she possessed.
She had no f r i ends of her own, but her i nnumer abl e r el at i ons
suppl i ed her wi t h soci et y, gossi p, and f l at t er y, and wer e at once
her f r i ends and body- guar d. She woul d have had t o go abr oad t o be
al one.
Among t hese r el at i ons she was a pr i ncess: t hey not onl y pai d her
homage, but had swor n by " Li f e and Deat h" t hat she must mar r y
wi t hout mor e ado, whi ch was absol ut el y agai nst her wi sh.
Fr om her chi l dhood she had been l ayi ng by money, but t he amount of
her savi ngs was f ar l ess t han her r el at i ons supposed. Thi s r at her
myt hi cal f or t une cont r i but ed not a l i t t l e t o t he f act t hat " ever y
one" was i n l ove wi t h her . Not onl y t he bachel or s of t he f ami l y,
t hat was a mat t er of cour se, but ar t i st s and amat eur s, even t he
most bl ase, swar med r ound her , l a j eunesse dor ee ( whi ch i s homel y
enough i n Nor way) , wi t hout an except i on. A l i vi ng wor k of ar t ,
wor t h mor e or l ess money, pi quant e and admi r ed, how each l onged t o
car r y her home, t o gl oat over her , t o cal l her hi s own!
Ther e was sur el y mor e i nt ensi t y of f eel i ng near her t han near
ot her s, a l osi ng of onesel f i n one onl y; t hat unat t ai nabl e dr eam
of t he wor l d- wear y.
Wi t h her one coul d l ead a t hor oughl y st yl i sh l i f e, f ul l of ar t and
t ast e and comf or t . She was hi ghl y cul t i vat ed, and absol ut el y
emanci pat ed- - our l i t t l e count r y di d not , i n t hose days, possess a
mor e al l ur i ng expr essi on.
When f ace t o f ace wi t h her t hey wer e uncer t ai n how t o act , whet her
t o appr oach her di f f i dent l y or bol dl y, smi l e or l ook ser i ous, t al k
or be si l ent .
What t hese i dl e wooer s gl eaned f r om her st or i es, her
char act er i st i c dr ess, her wonder i ng eyes, and her qui et
dr eami ness, was not t he hi ghest , but t hey expended t hei r ener gy
t her eon; so t hat t hei r unbounded di scomf i t ur e may be i magi ned
when, i n t he aut umn, t he news spr ead t hat Fr uken Kr i st en Ravn was
mar r i ed t o Har al d Kaas.
They bur st i nt o peal s of der i si ve l aught er t hey scof f ed, t hey
excl ai med; t he onl y expl anat i on t hey coul d of f er was t hat t hey had
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t oo l ong hesi t at ed t o t r y t hei r f or t une.
Ther e wer e ot her s, who bot h knew and admi r ed her , who wer e no l ess
di smayed. They wer e mor e t han di sappoi nt ed- - t he wor d i s t oo weak;
t o many of t hem i t seemed si mpl y depl or abl e. How on ear t h coul d i t
have happened? Ever y one, her sel f except ed, knew t hat i t woul d
r ui n her l i f e.
On Kr i st en Ravn' s i ndependent posi t i on, her st r ong char act er , her
r ar e cour age, on her knowl edge, gi f t s, and ener gy, many,
especi al l y women, had bui l t up a f ut ur e f or t he cause of Woman.
Had she not al r eady wr i t t en f ear l essl y f or i t ? Her t endency
t owar ds eccent r i ci t y and par adox woul d soon have wor n of f , t hey
t hought , as t he st r uggl e car r i ed her f or war d, and at l ast she
mi ght have become one of t he f i r st champi ons of t he cause. Al l
t hat was nobl est and best i n Kr i st en must pr edomi nat e i n t he end.
And now t he f ew who seek t o expl ai n l i f e' s per pl exi t i es r at her
t han t o condemn t hem di scover ed- - Some of t hem, t hat t he def i ant
t one of her wr i t i ngs and her l ove of opposi t i on bespoke a degr ee
of vani t y suf f i ci ent t o have l ed her i nt o f al l acy. Ot her s
mai nt ai ned t hat her s was essent i al l y a r omant i c nat ur e whi ch mi ght
cause her t o f or m a f al se est i mat e bot h of her own power s and of
t he ci r cumst ances of l i f e. Ot her s, agai n, had hear d somet hi ng of
how t hi s husband and wi f e l i ved, one i n each wi ng of t he house,
wi t h di f f er ent st af f s of ser vant s, and wi t h separ at e i ncomes; t hat
she had f ur ni shed her si de i n her own way, at her own expense, and
had appar ent l y concei ved t he i dea of a new ki nd of mar r i ed l i f e.
Some peopl e decl ar ed t hat t he gr eat l i me- t r ees near t he mansi on at
Hel l eber gene wer e al one r esponsi bl e f or t he mar r i age. They soughed
so wondr ousl y i n t he summer eveni ngs, and t he sea beneat h t hei r
br anches t ol d such ent hr al l i ng st or i es. Those gr and ol d woods, t he
l i ke of whi ch wer e har dl y t o be f ound i n i mpover i shed Nor way, wer e
f ar dear er t o her t han was her husband. Her i magi nat i on had been
t aken capt i ve by t he t r ees, and t hus Har al d Kaas had t aken HER.
The est at e, t he cl i mat e, t he excl usi ve possessi on of her par t of
t he house: t hi s was t he bai t whi ch she had chosen. Har al d Kaas was
onl y a ki nd of Puck who had t o be t aken al ong wi t h i t . But i t i s
doubt f ul whet her t hi s conj ect ur e was any near er t he t r ut h. No one
ever r eal l y knew. She was not one of t hose whom i t i s easy t o
cat echi se.
Ever y one wear i es at l ast of t r yi ng t o sol ve even t he most
i nt er est i ng of eni gmas. No one coul d t ol er at e t he sound of her
name when, f our mont hs af t er her mar r i age, she was seen i n a st al l
at t he Chr i st i ani a Theat r e j ust as i n ol d days, t hough l ooki ng
per haps a l i t t l e pal er . Ever y oper a- gl ass was l evel l ed at her . She
wor e a l i ght , al most whi t e, dr ess, cut squar e as usual . She di d
not hi de her f ace behi nd her f an. She l ooked about her wi t h her
wonder i ng eyes, as t hough she was qui t e unconsci ous t hat t her e
wer e ot her peopl e i n t he t heat r e or t hat any one coul d be l ooki ng
at her . Even t he most per t i naci ous wer e f or ced t o concede t hat she
was bot h physi cal l y and ment al l y uni que, wi t h a char m al l her own.
But j ust as she had become once mor e t he subj ect of gener al
conver sat i on, she di sappear ed. I t af t er war ds t r anspi r ed t hat her
husband had f et ched her away, t hough har dl y any one had seen hi m.
I t was concl uded t hat t hey must have had t hei r f i r st quar r el over
i t .
Accur at e i nf or mat i on about t hei r j oi nt l i f e was never obt ai ned.
The at t empt s of her r el at i ons t o f or ce t hemsel ves upon t hem wer e
qui t e wi t hout r esul t , except t hat t hey f ound out t hat she was
encei nt e, not wi t hst andi ng her ut most ef f or t s t o conceal t he f act .
She sent nei t her l et t er nor announcement ; but i n t he summer , when
she was next seen i n Chr i st i ani a, she was wheel i ng a per ambul at or
al ong Kar l J ohan St r eet , her eyes as wonder i ng as t hough some one
had j ust put i t bet ween her hands. She l ooked handsomer and mor e
bl oomi ng t han ever .
I n t he per ambul at or l ay a boy wi t h hi s mot her ' s br oad f or ehead,
hi s mot her ' s r ed hai r . The chi l d was char mi ngl y dr essed, and he,
as wel l as t he per ambul at or , was so dai nt i l y equi pped, so
compl et el y i n har mony wi t h her sel f , t hat ever y one under st ood t he
r epl y t hat she gave, when, af t er t he usual congr at ul at i ons, her
acquai nt ances i nqui r ed, " Shal l we soon have a new st or y f r om
you?" - - she answer ed, " A new st or y? Her e i t i s! "
But , not wi t hst andi ng t he unal l oyed happi ness whi ch she di spl ayed
her e, i t coul d no l onger be conceal ed t hat mor e of t en t han not she
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was absent f r om home, and t hat she never ment i oned her husband' s
name. I f any one spoke of hi mt o her , she changed t he subj ect . By
t he t i me t hat t he boy was a year ol d, i t had become evi dent t hat
she cont empl at ed l eavi ng Hel l eber gene ent i r el y. She had been i n
Chr i st i ani a f or some t i me and had gone home t o make ar r angement s,
sayi ng t hat she shoul d come back i n a f ew days.
But she never di d so.
The day af t er her r et ur n home, whi l e t he numer ous ser vant s at
Hel l eber gene, as wel l as t he l abour er s wi t h t hei r wi ves and
chi l dr en, wer e al l assembl ed at t he pot at o di ggi ng, Har al d Kaas
appear ed, car r yi ng hi s wi f e under hi s l ef t ar ml i ke a sack. He
hel d her r ound t he wai st , f eet f i r st , her f ace downwar ds and
hi dden by her hai r , her hands convul si vel y cl ut chi ng hi s l ef t
t hi gh, her l egs somet i mes hangi ng down, somet i mes st r ai ght out . He
wal ked composedl y out wi t h her , hol di ng i n hi s r i ght hand a bunch
of l ong f r esh bi r ch t wi gs. A l i t t l e way f r om t he gal l er y he
paused, and l ayi ng her acr oss hi s l ef t knee, he t or e of f some of
her cl ot hes, and beat her unt i l t he bl ood f l owed. She never
ut t er ed a sound. When he put her f r om hi m, she t r embl i ngl y
r ear r anged- - f i r st her hai r , t hus di spl ayi ng her f ace j ust as t he
bl ood f l owed back f r om i t , l eavi ng i t deadl y whi t e. Tear s of pai n
and shame r ol l ed down her cheeks; but st i l l not a sound. She t r i ed
t o r ear r ange her dr ess, but her t at t er ed gar ment s t r ai l ed behi nd
her as she went back t o t he house. She shut t he door af t er her ,
but had t o open i t agai n; her t or n cl ot hes had caught f ast i n i t .
The women st ood aghast ; some of t he chi l dr en scr eamed wi t h f r i ght :
t hi s i nf ect ed t he r est , and t her e was a chor us of sobs. The men,
most of whom had been si t t i ng smoki ng t hei r pi pes, but who had
spr ung t o t hei r f eet agai n, st ood f i l l ed wi t h shame and
i ndi gnat i on.
I t had not been wi t hout a pang t hat Har al d Kaas had done t hi s, hi s
f ace and manner had shown i t f or a l ong t i me and st i l l di d so; but
he had expect ed t hat a r oar of l aught er woul d gr eet hi s
ext r aor di nar y vagar y. Thi s was evi dent f r om t he composur e wi t h
whi ch he had car r i ed hi s wi f e out ; and st i l l mor e f r om t he gl ance
of gr at i f i ed r evenge wi t h whi ch he l ooked r ound hi maf t er war ds.
But t her e was onl y dead st i l l ness, succeeded by weepi ng, sobbi ng,
and i ndi gnat i on. He st ood t her e f or a moment , qui t e over come, t hen
went i ndoor s agai n, a def eat ed, ut t er l y br oken man.
I n ever y encount er wi t h t hi s del i cat e cr eat ur e t he gi ant had been
wor st ed.
Af t er t hi s, however , she never went beyond t he gr ounds. For t he
f i r st f ew year s she was onl y seen by t he peopl e about t he est at e,
and by t hem but sel dom. Somet i mes she woul d t ake her boy out i n
hi s l i t t l e car r i age, or , as t i me went on, woul d l ead hi mby t he
hand, somet i mes she was al one. She was gener al l y wr apped i n a bi g
shawl , a di f f er ent one f or each dr ess she wor e, and whi ch she
al ways hel d t i ght l y r ound her . Thi s was so char act er i st i c of her
t hat t o t hi s day I hear peopl e f r om t he nei ghbour hood t al k about
i t as t hough she wer e never seen ot her wi se.
What t hen di d she do? She st udi ed; she had gi ven up wr i t i ng: f or
mor e t han one r eason i t had become di st ast ef ul t o her . She had
changed r ol es wi t h her husband, gi vi ng her sel f up t o mat hemat i cs,
chemi st r y, and physi cs, she made cal cul at i ons and anal yses- -
sendi ng f or books and mat er i al s f or t hese obj ect s. The peopl e on
t he est at e saw not hi ng ext r aor di nar y i n al l t hi s. Fr om t he f i r st
t hey had admi r ed her del i cacy and beaut y. Ever y one admi r ed her ;
i t was onl y t he manner and degr ee t hat var i ed.
Li t t l e by l i t t l e she came t o be r egar ded as one whose l i f e and
t hought s wer e beyond t hei r compr ehensi on.
She sought no one, but t o t hose who came t o her she never r ef used
hel p- - mor e or l ess. She made her sel f wel l acquai nt ed wi t h t he
f act s of each case; no one coul d ever decei ve her . Whet her she
gave much or l i t t l e, she i mposed no condi t i ons, she never l ect ur ed
t hem. Her opi ni on was expr essed by t he amount t hat she gave.
Her husband' s behavi our t owar ds her was such t hat , had she not
been ver y popul ar , she coul d not have r emai ned at Hel l eber gene;
t hat i s t o say, he opposed and t hwar t ed her i n ever y way he coul d;
but ever y one t ook her par t .
The boy! Coul d not he have been a bond of uni on? On t he cont r ar y,
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t her e wer e t hose who decl ar ed t hat i t was f r om t he t i me of hi s
bi r t h t hat t hi ngs had gone ami ss bet ween t he par ent s. The f i r st
t i me t hat hi s f at her saw hi mt he nur se r epor t ed t hat he " came i n
l i ke a l or d and went out l i ke a beggar ! " The mot her l ay down agai n
and l aughed; t he nur se had never seen t he l i ke of i t bef or e. Had
he expect ed t hat hi s chi l d must of necessi t y r esembl e hi m, onl y t o
f i nd i t t he i mage of i t s mot her ?
When t he boy was ol d enough he l oved t o wander acr oss t o hi s
f at her ' s r ooms wher e t her e wer e so many cur i ous t hi ngs t o see; hi s
f at her al ways r ecei ved hi mki ndl y, t al ki ng i n a way sui t ed t o hi s
chi l di sh i nt el l i gence, but he woul d t ake occasi on t o cut away a
quant i t y of hi s hai r . Hi s mot her l et i t gr ow f r ee and l ong l i ke
her own, and hi s f at her per pet ual l y cut i t . The boy woul d have
been gl ad enough t o be r i d of i t , but when he gr ew a l i t t l e ol der ,
he compr ehended hi s f at her ' s mot i ve, and t hencef or t h he was on hi s
guar d.
When t he peopl e on t he est at e had t ol d hi msomet hi ng of hi s
f at her ' s hi ghl y- col our ed hi st or i es of hi s f eat s of st r engt h and
hi s achi evement s by l and and wat er , t he boy began t o f eel a shy
admi r at i on f or hi m, but at t he same t i me he f el t al l t he mor e
st r ongl y t he i nt ol er abl e yoke whi ch he l ai d upon t hem- - upon ever y
l i vi ng bei ng on t he est at e. I t became a secr et r el i gi on wi t h hi m
t o oppose hi s f at her and hel p hi s mot her , f or i t was she who
suf f er ed. He woul d r esembl e her even t o hi s hai r , he woul d pr ot ect
her , he woul d make i t al l up t o her . I t was a posi t i ve del i ght t o
hi mwhen hi s f at her made hi msuf f er : he absol ut el y f el t pr oud when
he cal l ed hi mRaf ael l a, i nst ead of Raf ael , t he name whi ch hi s
mot her had chosen f or hi m; i t was t he one t hat she l oved best .
No one was al l owed t o use t he boat s or t he car r i age, no one mi ght
wal k t hr ough t he woods, whi ch had been f enced i n, t he hor ses wer e
never t aken out . No r epai r s wer e under t aken; i f Fr u Kaas at t empt ed
t o have anyt hi ng done at her own expense, t he wor kmen wer e or der ed
of f : t her e coul d no l onger be any doubt about i t , he wi shed
ever yt hi ng t o go t o r ack and r ui n. The pr oper t y went f r om bad t o
wor se, and t he woods- - wel l ! I t was no secr et , ever y one on t he
pl ace t al ked about i t - - t he t i mber was bei ng ut t er l y r ui ned. The
best and l ar gest t r ees wer e al r eady r ot t en; by degr ees t he r est
woul d become so.
At t wel ve year s of age Raf ael began t o r ecei ve r el i gi ous t eachi ng
f r om t he Dean: t he onl y subj ect i n whi ch hi s mot her di d not
i nst r uct hi m. He shar ed t hese l essons wi t h Hel ene, t he Dean' s onl y
chi l d, who was f our year s younger t han Raf ael and of whom he was
devot edl y f ond.
The Dean t ol d t hem t he st or y of Davi d. The nar r at i ve was unf ol ded
wi t h addi t i ons and expl anat i ons; t he boy made a pi ct ur e of i t t o
hi msel f ; hi s mot her had t aught hi mever yt hi ng i n t hi s way.
Assyr i an war r i or s wi t h poi nt ed bear ds, obl i que eyes, and obl ong
shi el ds, had t o r epr esent t he I sr ael i t es; t hey mar ched by i n an
endl ess pr ocessi on. He saw t he bl ue- gr een of t he vi neyar ds on t he
hi l l si de, t he shadow of t he dust y pal m- t r ees upon t he dust y r oad.
Then a wood of ar omat i c t r ees i nt o whi ch al l t he war r i or s f l ed.
Then f ol l owed t he st or y of Absal om.
" Absal omr ebel l ed agai nst hi s f at her , what a dr eadf ul t hi ng t o
t hi nk of , " sai d t he Dean. " A gr own- up man t o r ebel agai nst hi s
f at her . " He chanced t o l ook t owar ds Raf ael , who t ur ned as r ed as
f i r e.
The t hought whi ch was const ant l y i n hi s mi nd was t hat when he was
gr own up he shoul d r ebel agai nst hi s f at her .
" But Absal omwas puni shed i n a mar vel l ous manner , " cont i nued t he
Dean. " He l ost t he bat t l e, and as he f l ed t hr ough t he woods, hi s
l ong hai r caught i n a t r ee, t he hor se r an away f r om under hi m, and
he was l ef t hangi ng t her e unt i l he was r un t hr ough by a spear . "
Raf ael coul d see Absal omhangi ng t her e, not i n t he l ong Assyr i an
gar ment s, not wi t h a poi nt ed bear d. No! Sl ender and young, i n
Raf ael ' s t i ght - f i t t i ng br eeches and st ocki ngs, and wi t h hi s own
r ed hai r ! Ah! how di st i nct l y he saw i t ! The hor se gal l opi ng f ar
away- - t he gr ey one at home whi ch he used t o r i de by st eal t h when
hi s f at her was asl eep af t er di nner . He coul d see t he t al l , sl ender
l ad, dangl i ng and swayi ng, wi t h a spear t hr ough hi s body.
Di st i nct l y! Di st i nct l y!
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Thi s vi si on, whi ch he never ment i oned t o a soul , he coul d not get
r i d of . To be l ef t hangi ng t her e by hi s hai r - - what a st r ange
puni shment f or r ebel l i ng agai nst hi s f at her !
Cer t ai nl y he al r eady knew t he hi st or y, but t i l l now he had pai d no
speci al heed t o i t .
I t was on a Fr i day t hat t hi s gr eat i mpr essi on had been made on
hi m, and on t he f ol l owi ng Thur sday mor ni ng he awoke t o see hi s
mot her st andi ng over hi mwi t h her most wonder i ng expr essi on. Her
hai r st i l l as she had pl ai t ed i t f or t he ni ght ; one pl ai t had
t ouched hi mon t he nose and awoke hi mbef or e she spoke. She st ood
bendi ng over hi m, i n her l ong whi t e ni ght gown wi t h i t s dai nt y l ace
t r i mmi ng, and wi t h bar e f eet . She woul d never have come i n l i ke
t hat i f somet hi ng t er r i bl e had not happened. Why di d she not
speak? onl y l ook and l ook- - or was she r eal l y f r i ght ened?
" Mot her ! " he cr i ed, si t t i ng up.
Then she bent cl ose down t o hi m. " THE MAN I S DEAD, " she whi sper ed.
I t was hi s f at her whom she cal l ed " t he man, " she never spoke of
hi mot her wi se.
Raf ael di d not compr ehend what she sai d, or per haps i t par al ysed
hi m. She r epeat ed i t agai n l ouder and l ouder , " The man i s dead,
t he man i s dead. "
Then she st ood upr i ght , and put t i ng out her bar e f eet f r om under
her ni ght gown, she began t o dance- - onl y a f ew st eps; and t hen she
sl i pped away t hr ough t he door whi ch st ood hal f open. He j umped up
and r an af t er her ; t her e she l ay on t he sof a, sobbi ng. She f el t
t hat he was behi nd her , she r ai sed her sel f qui ckl y, and, st i l l
sobbi ng, pr essed hi mt o her hear t .
Even when t hey st ood t oget her besi de t he body, t he hand whi ch he
had i n hi s shook so t hat he t hr ew hi s ar ms r ound her , t hi nki ng
t hat she woul d f al l .
Lat er i n l i f e, when he r ecal l ed t hi s, he under st ood what she had
si l ent l y endur ed, what an unbendi ng wi l l she had br ought t o t he
st r uggl e, but al so what i t had cost her .
At t he t i me he di d not i n t he l east compr ehend i t . He i magi ned
t hat she suf f er ed f r om t he hor r or of t he moment as he hi msel f di d.
Ther e l ay t he gi ant , i n wr et chedness and squal or ! He who had once
boast ed of hi s cl eanl i ness, and expect ed t he l i ke i n ot her s, l ay
t her e, di r t y and unshaven, under di r t y bed cl ot hes, i n l i nen so
r agged and f i l t hy t hat no wor kman on t he est at e had wor se. The
cl ot hes whi ch he had wor n t he day bef or e l ay on a chai r besi de t he
bed, mi ser abl y t hr eadbar e, f oul wi t h di r t , sweat , and t obacco, and
st i nki ng l i ke ever yt hi ng el se. Hi s mout h was di st or t ed, hi s hands
t i ght l y cl enched; he had di ed of a st r oke.
And how f or l or n and desol at e was al l ar ound hi m! Why had hi s son
never not i ced t hi s bef or e? Why had he never f el t t hat hi s f at her
was l onel y and f or saken? To how gr eat an ext ent no wor ds coul d
expr ess.
Raf ael bur st i nt o t ear s; l ouder and l ouder gr ew hi s sobbi ng, unt i l
i t sounded t hr ough al l t he r ooms. The peopl e f r om t he est at e came
i n one by one. They wi shed t o sat i sf y t hei r cur i osi t y.
The boy' s cr yi ng, unconsci ousl y t o hi msel f , i nf l uenced t hem al l :
t hey saw ever yt hi ng i n a new l i ght . How unf or t unat e, how desol at e,
how hel pl ess had he been who now l ay t her e. Lor d, have mer cy on us
al l !
When t he cor pse of Har al d Kaas had been l ai d out , t he f ace shaved,
and t he eyes cl osed, t he di st or t i on was l ess appar ent . They coul d
t r ace si gns of suf f er i ng, but t he expr essi on was st i l l vi r i l e. I t
seemed a handsome f ace t o t hem now
CHAPTER 2
Wi t hi n a f ew days of t he f uner al mot her and son wer e i n Engl and.
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Raf ael was now t o ent er upon a l ong cour se of st udy, f or whi ch, by
hi s ear l i er educat i on, hi s mot her had pr epar ed hi m, and f or whi ch,
by pai nf ul pr i vat i ons, she had saved up suf f i ci ent money.
The pr oper t y was t o t he l ast degr ee i mpover i shed, and bur dened
wi t h mor t gages, and t he t i mber onl y f i t f or f uel .
Thei r nei ghbour t he Dean, a cl ear - headed and pr act i cal man, t ook
upon hi msel f t he management of af f ai r s; as money was needed t he
wor k of devast at i on must begi n at once. The mot her and son di d not
wi sh t o wi t ness i t .
They came t o Engl and l i ke t wo f ugi t i ves who, af t er many and gr eat
t r i al s, f or af f ect i on' s sake seek a new home and a new count r y.
Raf ael was t hen t wel ve year s ol d.
They wer e i nsepar abl e, and i n t he shi f t l ess l i f e t hat t hey l ed i n
t hei r new sur r oundi ngs t hey became, i f possi bl e, mor e cl osel y
at t ached t o each ot her .
Yet not l ong af t er war ds t hey had t hei r f i r st di sagr eement .
He had gone t o school , had begun t o l ear n t he l anguage and t o make
f r i ends, and had devel oped a gr eat desi r e t o show of f .
He was ver y t al l and sl ender and was anxi ous t o be at hl et i c. He
t ook an act i ve par t i n t he pl ay- gr ound, but her e he achi eved no
gr eat success. On t he ot her hand, t hanks t o hi s mot her , he was
bet t er i nf or med t han hi s comr ades, and he cont r i ved t o obt ai n
pr omi nence by t hi s. Thi s pr omi nence must be mai nt ai ned, and
not hi ng answer ed so wel l as boast i ng about Nor way and hi s f at her ' s
expl oi t s. Hi s st at ement s wer e somewhat exagger at ed, but t hat was
not al t oget her hi s f aul t , He knew Engl i sh f ai r l y wel l , but had not
mast er ed i t s ni cet i es. He made use of super l at i ves, whi ch al ways
come t he most r eadi l y. I t was t r ue t hat he had i nher i t ed f r om hi s
f at her t went y guns, a l ar ge sai l i ng- boat , and sever al smal l er
ones; but how magni f i cent t hese boat s and guns had become!
He i nt ended t o go t o t he Nor t h Pol e, he sai d, as hi s f at her had
done, t o shoot whi t e bear s, and i nvi t ed t hem al l t o come wi t h hi m.
He made a gr eat er i mpr essi on on hi s hear er s t han he hi msel f was
awar e of ; but somet hi ng mor e was want ed, f or i t was i mpossi bl e t o
f or et el l f r om day t o day what mi ght be expect ed of hi m. He had t o
st udy har d i n or der t o meet t he demand.
As an out come of t hi s, he bet ook hi msel f one eveni ng t o t he
hai r dr esser ' s, wi t h some of hi s school f el l ows, and, wi t hout mor e
ado, r equest ed hi mt o cut hi s hai r qui t e cl ose. That ought t o
sat i sf y t hem f or a l ong t i me.
The ot her boys had t eased hi mabout hi s hai r , and i t got i n t he
way when he was pl ayi ng- - he hat ed i t . Besi des, ever si nce t he
st or y of Absal om' s r ebel l i on and puni shment , i t had r emai ned a
secr et t er r or t o hi m, but i t had never bef or e occur r ed t o hi mt o
have i t cut of f .
Hi s school f el l ows wer e di smayed, and t he hai r dr esser l ooked on i t
as a wor k of wi l f ul dest r uct i on.
Raf ael f el t hi s hear t begi n t o si nk, but t he ver y audaci t y of t he
t hi ng gave hi mcour age They shoul d see what he dar e do. The
hai r dr esser hesi t at ed t o act wi t hout Fr u Kaas' s knowl edge, but at
l engt h he ceased t o make obj ect i ons.
Raf ael ' s hear t sank l ower and l ower , but he must go t hr ough wi t h
i t now. " Of f wi t h i t , " he sai d, and r emai ned i mmovabl e i n t he
chai r .
" I have never seen mor e spl endi d hai r , " sai d t he hai r dr esser
di f f i dent l y, t aki ng up t he sci ssor s but st i l l hesi t at i ng.
Raf ael saw t hat hi s compani ons wer e on t he t i pt oe of expect at i on.
" Of f wi t h i t , " he sai d agai n wi t h assumed i ndi f f er ence.
The hai r dr esser cut t he hai r i nt o hi s hand and l ai d i t car ef ul l y
i n paper .
The boys f ol l owed ever y sni p of t he sci ssor s wi t h t hei r eyes,
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Raf ael wi t h hi s ear s; he coul d not see i n t he gl ass.
When t he hai r dr esser had f i ni shed and had br ushed hi s cl ot hes f or
hi m, he of f er ed hi mt he hai r . " What do I want wi t h i t ?" sai d
Raf ael . He dust ed hi s el bows and knees a l i t t l e, pai d, and l ef t
t he shop, f ol l owed by hi s compani ons. They, however , exhi bi t ed no
par t i cul ar admi r at i on. He caught a gl i mpse of hi msel f i n t he gl ass
as he went out , and t hought t hat he l ooked f r i ght f ul .
He woul d have gi ven al l t hat he possessed ( whi ch was not much) , he
woul d have endur ed any i magi nabl e suf f er i ng, he t hought , t o have
hi s hai r back agai n.
Hi s mot her ' s wonder i ng eyes r ose up bef or e hi mwi t h ever y shade of
expr essi on; hi s mi ser y pur sued hi m, hi s vani t y mocked hi m. The end
of i t al l was t hat he st ol e up t o hi s r oom and went t o bed wi t hout
hi s supper .
But when hi s mot her had vai nl y wai t ed f or hi m, and some one
suggest ed t hat he mi ght be i n t he house, she went t o hi s r oom.
He hear d her on t he st ai r s; he f el t t hat she was at t he door . When
she ent er ed he had hi dden hi s head beneat h t he bedcl ot hes. She
dr agged t hem back; and at t he f i r st si ght of her di smay he was
r educed t o such despai r t hat t he t ear s whi ch wer e begi nni ng t o
f l ow ceased at once.
Whi t e and hor r or - st r uck she st ood t her e; i ndeed she t hought at
f i r st t hat some one had done i t mal i ci ousl y; but when she coul d
not ext r act a wor d of enl i ght enment , she suspect ed mi schi ef .
He f el t t hat she was wai t i ng f or an expl anat i on, an excuse, a
pr ayer f or f or gi veness, but he coul d not , f or t he l i f e of hi m, get
out a wor d.
What , i ndeed, coul d he say? He di d not under st and i t hi msel f . But
now he began t o cr y vi ol ent l y. He huddl ed hi msel f t oget her ,
cl aspi ng hi s head bet ween hi s hands. I t f el t l i ke a br i st l y
st ubbl e.
When he l ooked up agai n hi s mot her was gone.
A chi l d sl eeps i n spi t e of ever yt hi ng. He came down t he next
mor ni ng i n a cont r i t e mood and t hor oughl y shamef aced. Hi s mot her
was not up; she was unwel l , f or she had not sl ept a wi nk. He hear d
t hi s bef or e he went t o her . He opened her door t i mi dl y. Ther e she
l ay, t he pi ct ur e of wr et chedness.
On t he t oi l et - t abl e, i n a whi t e si l k handker chi ef , was hi s hai r ,
smoot hed and combed.
She l ay t her e i n her l ace- t r i mmed ni ght gown, gr eat t ear s r ol l i ng
down her cheeks. He had come, i nt endi ng t o t hr ow hi msel f i nt o her
ar ms and beg her par don a t housand t i mes. But he had a st r ong
f eel i ng t hat he had bet t er not do so, or was he af r ai d t o? She was
i n t he cl ouds, f ar , f ar away. She seemed i n a t r ance: somet hi ng,
at once pai nf ul and sacr ed, hel d her enchai ned. She was bot h
pat het i c and subl i me,
The boy st epped qui et l y f r om t he r oom and hur r i ed of f t o school .
She r emai ned i n bed t hat day and t he next , and made hi msi t wi t h
t he ser vant i n or der t hat she mi ght be al one. When she was i n
t r oubl e she al ways behaved t hus, and t hat he shoul d cr oss her i n
t hi s way was t he gr eat est t r i al t hat she had ever known. I t came
upon her , t oo, l i ke a del uge of r ai n f r om a cl ear sky. NOWi t
seemed t o her t hat she coul d f or esee hi s f ut ur e- - and her own.
She l ai d t he bl ame of al l t hi s on hi s pat er nal ancest r y. She coul d
not see t hat i ncessant ar t i st i c f uss and t oo much i nt el l ect ual
t r ai ni ng had, per haps, ar oused i n hi ma desi r e f or i ndependence.
The f i r st t i me t hat she saw hi magai n wi t h hi s cr opped head, whi ch
gr ew mor e and mor e l i ke hi s f at her ' s i n shape, her t ear s f l owed
qui et l y.
When he wi shed t o come t o her si de, she wai ved hi mback wi t h her
shapel y hand, nor woul d she t al k t o hi m; when he t al ked she har dl y
l ooked at hi m; t i l l at l ast he bur st i nt o t ear s. For he suf f er ed
as one can suf f er but once, when t he chi l di sh peni t ence i s f r esh
and t her ef or e boundl ess, and when t he year ni ng f or l ove has
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r ecei ved i t s f i r st r ebuf f .
But when, on t he f i f t h day, she met hi mcomi ng up t he st ai r s, she
st ood st i l l i n di smay at hi s appear ance: pal e, t hi n, t i mi d; t he
ef f ect per haps hei ght ened by t he l oss of hi s hai r . He, t oo, st ood
st i l l , l ooki ng f or l or n and abj ect , wi t h di sconsol at e eyes. Then
her s f i l l ed; she st r et ched out her ar ms. He was once mor e i n hi s
Par adi se, but t hey bot h cr i ed as t hough t hey must wade t hr ough an
ocean of t ear s bef or e t hey coul d t al k t o each ot her agai n.
" Tel l me about i t now, " she whi sper ed. Thi s was i n her own r oom.
They had spoken t he f i r st f ond wor ds and ki ssed each ot her over
and over agai n. " How coul d t hi s have happened, Raf ael ?" she
whi sper ed agai n, wi t h her head pr essed t o hi s; she di d not wi sh t o
l ook at hi mwhi l e she spoke.
" Mot her , " he answer ed, " i t i s wor se t o cut down t he woods at home,
at Hel l eber gene, t han t hat I - - "
She r ai sed her head and l ooked at hi m. She had t aken of f her hat
and gl oves, but now she put t hem qui ckl y on agai n.
" Raf ael , dear , " she sai d, " shal l we go f or a wal k t oget her i n t he
par k, under t he gr and ol d t r ees?"
She had f el t hi s r et or t t o be i ngeni ous.
Af t er t hi s epi sode, however , Engl and, and mor e especi al l y her
son' s school f el l ows, became di st ast ef ul t o her , and she const ant l y
made pl ans t o keep hi maway f r om t he l at t er out of school hour s.
She f ound t hi s ver y easy; somet i mes she went over hi s st udi es wi t h
hi m, at ot her s t hey vi si t ed al l t he Manuf act or i es and " Wor ks" f or
mi l es r ound.
She l i ked t o see f or her sel f and awakened t he same t ast e i n hi m.
Fact or i es whi ch, as a r ul e, wer e cl osed t o vi si t or s, wer e r eadi l y
opened t o t he pr et t y el egant l ady and her handsome boy, " who af t er
al l knew not hi ng at al l about i t ; " and t hey wer e abl e t o see
al most al l t hat t hey wi shed. I t was a l ess congeni al t ask t o use
her i nf l uence t o t ur n hi s t hought s t o hi gher t hi ngs, but i t was
r ar el y, never t hel ess, t hat she f ai l ed. She st r uggl ed har d over
what she di d not under st and and sought f or hel p. To expl ai n t hese
t hi ngs t o Raf ael i n t he most at t r act i ve manner possi bl e became a
new occupat i on f or her .
Hi s nat ur al di sposi t i on i ncl i ned hi mt o such st udi es; but t o a boy
of t hi r t een, who was t hus kept f r om hi s comr ades and t hei r spor t s,
i t soon became a nui sance.
No sooner had Fr u Kaas not i ced t hi s t han she t ook act i ve st eps.
They l ef t Engl and and cr ossed t o Fr ance.
The st r ange speech t hr ew hi mback on her ; no one shar ed hi mwi t h
her . They set t l ed i n Cal ai s. A f ew days af t er t hei r ar r i val she
cut her hai r shor t ; she hoped t hat i t woul d t ouch hi mt o see t hat
as he woul d not l ook l i ke her , she t r i ed t o l ook l i ke hi m- - t o be
a. boy l i ke hi m. She bought a smar t new hat , she composed a j aunt y
cost ume, new f r om t op t o t oe, f or EVERYTHI NG must be al t er ed wi t h
t he hai r . But when she st ood bef or e hi m, l ooki ng l i ke a gi r l of
t went y- f i ve, mer r y, al most boi st er ous, he was si mpl y di smayed- -
nay, i t was some t i me bef or e he coul d al t oget her compr ehend what
had happened. As l ong as he coul d r emember hi s mot her , her eyes
had al ways l ooked f or t h f r om beneat h a cr own; mor e sol emn, mor e
beaut i f ul .
" Mot her , " he sai d, " wher e ar e you?"
She gr ew pal e and gr ave, and st ammer ed somet hi ng about i t s bei ng
mor e comf or t abl e- - about r ed hai r not l ooki ng wel l when i t began t o
l ose i t s col our - - and went i nt o her r oom. Ther e she sat wi t h hi s
hai r bef or e her and her own besi de i t ; she wept .
" Mot her , wher e ar e you?" She mi ght have answer ed, " Raf ael , wher e
ar e you?"
She went about wi t h hi mever ywher e. I n Fr ance t wo handsome,
st yl i shl y dr essed peopl e ar e al ways cer t ai n t o be not i ced, a t hi ng
whi ch she t hor oughl y appr eci at ed.
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Dur i ng t hei r di f f er ent expedi t i ons she al ways spoke Fr ench; he
begged her t o t al k Nor se at l east now and t hen, but al l i n vai n.
Her e, t oo, t hey vi si t ed ever y possi bl e and i mpossi bl e f act or y.
Unpr act i cal and r eser ved as she was on or di nar y occasi ons, she
coul d be f ul l of ar t i f i ce and coquet r y whenever she wi shed t o gai n
access t o a st eam baker y and par t i cul ar as she gener al l y was about
her t oi l et t e, she woul d come away agai n soot y and gr i my i f t her eby
she coul d pr ocur e f or Raf ael some i nsi ght i nt o mechani cs. She
shr ank f r om f oul ai r as f r om t he chol er a, yet i nhal ed sul phur i c
aci d gas as t hough i t had been ozone f or hi s sake.
" Seei ng f or your sel f , Raf ael , i s t he subst ance, ot her met hods ar e
i t s shadow; " or " Seei ng f or your sel f , Raf ael , i s meat and dr i nk,
t he ot her i s but l i t er at ur e. "
He was not qui t e of t he same opi ni on: he t hought t hat Not r e Dame
de Par i s, f r om whi ch he was dai l y dr agged away, was t he r i chest
banquet t hat he had yet enj oyed, whi l e f r om t he f act or y of Mayel
et f i l s t her e i ssued t he most deadl y odour s.
Hi s r eadi ng- - she had encour aged hi mi n i t f or t he sake of t he
l anguage and had her sel f hel ped hi m; now she was j eal ous of i t and
coul d not be per suaded t o get hi mnew books; but he got t hem
never t hel ess.
They had been i n Cal ai s f or sever al mont hs; he had mast er s and was
begi nni ng t o f eel hi msel f at home, when t her e ar r i ved at t he
pensi on a wi dow f r om one of t he col oni es, accompani ed by her
daught er , a gi r l of t hi r t een.
The new comer s had not appear ed at meal s f or mor e t han t wo days
bef or e t he young gent l eman began t o pay hi s cour t t o t he young
l ady. Fr om t he f i r st moment i t was a pl ai n case. Ver y soon ever y
one i n t he pensi on was hi ghl y amused t o not i ce how f l uent hi s
Fr ench was becomi ng; hi s choi ce of wor ds at t i mes was even
el egant ! The gi r l t aught hi mi t wi t hout a t r ace of gr ammar , by
char m, spr i ght l i ness, a l i t t l e nonsense; a pai r of conf i di ng eyes
and a yout hf ul voi ce wer e suf f i ci ent . I t was f r om her t hat he got ,
by st eal t h, one novel af t er anot her . By st eal t h i t had t o be; by
st eal t h Luci e had pr ocur ed t hem; by st eal t h she gave t hem t o hi m;
by st eal t h t hey wer e r ead; by st eal t h she t ook t hem back agai n.
Thi s r eadi ng made hi ma l i t t l e absent - mi nded, but ot her wi se
not hi ng bet r ayed hi s f l i ght s i nt o l i t er at ur e: t o be sur e, t hey
wer e not ver y wonder f ul .
Fr u Kaas not i ced her son' s f l i r t at i on, and smi l ed wi t h t he r est
over hi s pr ogr ess i n Fr ench. She had l ess obj ect i on t o t hi s
f r i endshi p, i n whi ch, t o a gr eat ext ent , she shar ed, t han t o t hose
i n Engl and, f r om whi ch she had been qui t e excl uded. I n t he
eveni ngs she woul d t ake t he mot her and daught er out f or shor t
excur si ons; and t hese she gr eat l y enj oyed. But t he novel r eadi ng
whi ch t he young peopl e car r i ed on secr et l y had r esul t ed i n
conver sat i ons of a " gr own up" t ype. They t al ked of l ove wi t h t he
deep exper i ence whi ch i s pr oper t o t hei r age, t hey t al ked wi t h
st i l l gr eat er di scr et i on as t o when t hei r weddi ng shoul d t ake
pl ace; on t hi s poi nt t hey i ndi r ect l y sai d much whi ch caused t hem
many a del i ght f ul t r emor . As t hey wer e accust omed t o t al k about
t hemsel ves bef or e ot her s, t o descr i be t hei r f eel i ngs i n a vei l ed
f or m, i t of t en happened when t her e wer e many peopl e near t hat t hey
car r i ed t hi s amusement f ur t her , and bef or e t hey wer e t hemsel ves
awar e of i t , t hey wer e i n t he f ul l t i de of a symbol i c l anguage and
pl ayed " cat ch" wi t h each ot her .
Fr u Kaas not i ced one eveni ng t hat t he wor d " r ose" was dr awn out t o
a gr eat er l engt h t han i t was possi bl e f or any r ose t o at t ai n t o;
at t he same t i me she saw t he l angui shi ng l ook i n t hei r eyes, and
br oke i n wi t h t he quest i on, " What do you mean about t he r ose,
chi l d?"
I f any one had peeped behi nd a r ose- bush and caught t hem ki ssi ng
one anot her , a t hi ng t hey had never done, t hey coul d not have
bl ushed mor e.
The next day Fr u Kaas f ound new r ooms, a l ong way f r om t he quay
near whi ch t hey wer e l i vi ng.
Raf ael had suf f er ed gr eat l y at bei ng t or n away f r om Engl and j ust
as he had come down f r om hi s hi gh hor se and had put hi msel f on a
par wi t h hi s compani ons, but not t he l east not i ce was t aken of hi s
t r oubl e; i t had onl y annoyed hi s mot her .
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To be absol ut el y debar r ed f r om t he books he was so f ond of had
been har d; but up t o t hi s t i me, bei ng i n a f or ei gn l and, ami d
f or ei gn speech, he had al ways f al l en back upon her . Now he openl y
def i ed her . He went st r ai ght of f t o t he hot el and sought out
Madame Mer y and her daught er as t hough not hi ng had occur r ed. Thi s
he di d ever y day when he had f i ni shed hi s l essons. Luci e had now
become hi s sol e r omance; he gave al l hi s l ei sur e t i me t o her , and
not onl y t hat ( f or i t no l onger suf f i ced t o see her at her
mot her ' s) , t hey met on t he quay! At t i mes a mai d- ser vant wal ked
wi t h t hem f or appear ance sake, at ot her s she kept i n t he
backgr ound. Somet i mes t hey woul d go on boar d a Nor wegi an shi p,
somet i mes t hey wander ed about or st r ol l ed beneat h some gr eat
t r ees. When he saw her i n her shor t f r ock come out of t he door ,
saw her qui ck movement s, and her l i vel y si gnal s t o hi mwi t h
par asol or hat or f l ower s, t he quay, t he shi ps, t he bal es, t he
bar r el s, t he ai r , t he noi se, t he cr owd, al l seemed t o pl ay and
si ng,
" Enf ant ! si j ' et ai s r oi j e doner ai s l ' empi r e,
Et mon char , et mon sept r e, et mon peupl e a genoux, "
and he r an t o meet her .
He never dar ed t o do mor e t han t o t ake bot h her chubby br own
hands, nor t o say mor e t han " You ar e ver y sweet , you ar e ver y ver y
good. " And she never went f ur t her t han t o l ook at hi m, wal k wi t h
hi m, l augh wi t h hi m, and say t o hi m, " You ar e not l i ke t he
ot her s. " What exper i ences t her e had been i n t he l i f e of t hi s gi r l
of t hi r t een goodness al one knows. He never asked her , he was t oo
sur e of her .
He l ear ned Fr ench f r om her as one bi r d f eeds f r om anot her ' s bi l l ,
or as one who l ooks at hi s i mage i n a f ount ai n, as be dr i nks f r om
i t .
One day, as mot her and son wer e at br eakf ast , she gl anced qui et l y
acr oss at hi m. " I hear d of an excel l ent pr epar at or y school of
mechani cs at Rouen, " she sai d, " so I wr ot e t o i nqui r e about i t ,
and her e i s t he answer . I appr ove of i t i n al l r espect s, as you
wi l l do when you r ead i t . I t hi nk t hat we shal l go t o Rouen; what
do you say t o i t ?"
He gr ew f i r st r ed, t hen whi t e; t hen put down hi s br ead, hi s t abl e
napki n; got up and l ef t t he r oom. Lat er i n t he day she asked hi m
whet her he woul d not r ead t he l et t er ; he l ef t her wi t hout
answer i ng. At l ast , j ust as he was goi ng t o meet Luci e on t he
quay, she sai d, and t hi s t i me wi t h det er mi nat i on, t hat t hey wer e
t o l eave i n t he cour se of an hour . She had al r eady packed up; as
t hey st ood t her e t he man came t o f et ch t he l uggage. At t hat moment
he f el t t hat he coul d t hor oughl y under st and why hi s f at her had
beat en her .
As t hey sat i n t he car r i age whi ch t ook t hem t o t he st at i on he
suf f er ed keenl y. I t coul d not nave been wor se, he t hought , i f hi s
mot her had st abbed hi mwi t h a kni f e. He di d not si t besi de her i n
t he r ai l way car r i age.
Dur i ng t he f i r st days at Rouen he woul d not answer when she spoke
t o hi m, nor ask a si ngl e quest i on. He had adopt ed her own t act i cs;
he car r i ed t hem t hr ough wi t h a cr uel t y of whi ch he was not awar e.
For a l ong t i me he had been di sposed t o cr i t i ci se her ; now t hat
t hi s cr i t i ci sm was ext ended t o al l t hat she sai d or di d, t he
spi r i t of accusat i on t i nct ur ed her whol e l i f e; t hei r j oi nt past
seemed al t er ed and debased.
Hi s f at her ' s bent f or m, i n t he l og chai r on t he hai r l ess ski n,
mal odor ous and di r t y, r ose up bef or e hi m, i n vi vi d cont r ast wi t h
hi s mot her i n her wel l appoi nt ed, ai r y, per f umed r ooms!
When Raf ael st ood by hi s f at her ' s body he had f el t t he same t hi ng-
- t hat t he ol d man had been badl y t r eat ed. He hi msel f had been
encour aged t o negl ect hi s f at her , t o shun hi m, t o evade hi s
or der s. At t hat t i me he had l ai d t he bl ame on t he peopl e on t he
est at e; now he put i t al l down t o hi s mot her ' s account . Hi s f at her
had cer t ai nl y ador ed her once, and t hi s f eel i ng had changed i nt o
wi l d sel f - consumi ng hat r ed. What had happened? He di d not know;
but he coul d not but admi t t hat hi s mot her woul d have t r i ed t he
pat i ence of J ob.
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He pi ct ur ed t o hi msel f how Luci e woul d come r unni ng wi t h her
f l ower s, sear ch f or hi mover t he whol e quay, f ar t her and f ar t her
ever y t i me, st andi ng st i l l at l ast . He coul d not t hi nk of i t
wi t hout t ear s, and wi t hout a f eel i ng of bi t t er ness.
But a chi l d i s a chi l d. I t was not a l i f e- l ong gr i ef . As t he pl ace
was new and hi st or i cal l y i nt er est i ng, and as l essons had now begun
and hi s mot her was al ways wi t h hi m, t hi s f eel i ng wor e of f , but t he
mut ual r est r ai nt was st i l l t her e. The cr i t i cal spi r i t whi ch had
f i r st been r oused i n Engl and never af t er war ds l ef t Raf ael .
The hour s of st udy whi ch t hey passed t oget her pr oduced good
r esul t s. Begi nni ng as her pupi l , he had ended by becomi ng her
t eacher . She was anxi ous t o keep up wi t h hi m, and t hi s was an
advant age t o hi m, on account of her al most t oo mi nut e accur acy,
but st i l l mor e f r om her i nt el l i gent quest i ons. Apar t f r om st udy
t hey passed many pl easant hour s t oget her , but t hey bot h knew t hat
somet hi ng was mi ssi ng i n t hei r conver sat i on whi ch coul d never be
t her e agai n.
At l onger or shor t er i nt er val s a shy si l ence i nt er r upt ed t hi s
i nt er cour se. Somet i mes i t was he, somet i mes she, who, f or some
cause or ot her , of t en a most t r i vi al one, el ect ed not t o r epl y,
not t o ask a quest i on, not t o see. When t hey wer e good f r i ends he
appr eci at ed t he best si de of her char act er , t he sel f - sacr i f i ci ng
l i f e whi ch she l ed f or hi m. When t hey wer e not f r i ends i t was
exact l y t he opposi t e. When t hey wer e f r i ends, he, as a r ul e, di d
what ever she wi shed. He t r i ed t o at one f or t he past . He was i n t he
l and of cour t esy and i nf l uenced by i t s t eachi ng. When he was not
f r i ends wi t h her he behaved as badl y as possi bl e. He ear l y got
among bad compani ons and i nt o di ssi pat ed habi t s; he was t he ver y
chi l d of Rebel l i on. At t i mes he had qual ms of consci ence on
account of i t .
She guessed t hi s, and wi shed hi mt o guess t hat she guessed i t .
" I per cei ve a st r ange at mospher e her e, f i e! Some one has mi xed
t hei r at mospher e wi t h your s, f i e! " And she spr i nkl ed hi mwi t h
scent .
He t ur ned as r ed as f i r e and, i n hi s shame and mi ser y, di d not
know whi ch way t o l ook. But i f he at t empt ed t o speak she became as
st i f f as a poker , and, r ai si ng her smal l hand, " Tai sez- vous des
egar ds, si l vous pl ai t . "
I t must be sai d i n her excuse t hat , not wi t hst andi ng t he dar i ng
books whi ch she had wr i t t en, she had had no exper i ence of r eal
l i f e; she knew no f or m of wor ds f or such an occasi on. I t came at
l ast t o t hi s pass, t hat she, who had at one t i me wi shed t o cont r ol
hi s whol e l i f e and ever y t hought i n i t , and who woul d not shar e
hi mwi t h any one, not even wi t h a book, gr adual l y became unwi l l i ng
t o have any r el at i ons wi t h hi mout si de hi s st udi es.
The Fr ench l anguage especi al l y l ends i t sel f t o f or mal i nt er cour se
and di pl omacy. They gr asped t hi s f act f r om t he f i r st . I t may,
i ndeed, have cont r i but ed t o f or m t hei r mut ual l i f e. I t was mor e
equi t abl e and caused f ewer col l i si ons. At t he sl i ght est
di sagr eement i t was at once " Monsi eur mon f i l s" or si mpl y
" Monsi eur , " or " Madame ma mer e, " or " Madame. "
At one t i me hi s heal t h seemed l i kel y t o suf f er : hi s r api d gr owt h
and t he st udi es, t o whi ch she kept hi mver y cl osel y, wer e t oo much
f or hi s st r engt h.
But j ust t hen somet hi ng r emar kabl e occur r ed. At t he t i me when
Raf ael was ni net een he was one day i n a Fr ench chemi cal f act or y,
and, as i t wer e i n a f l ash, saw how hal f t he power used i n t he
machi ner y mi ght be saved. The son of t he owner who had br ought hi m
t her e was a f el l ow- st udent . To hi mhe conf i ded hi s di scover y. They
wor ked i t out t oget her wi t h f ever i sh exci t ement t o t he most mi nut e
det ai l s. I t was ver y compl ex, f or i t was t he wor ki ng of t he
f act or y i t sel f whi ch was i nvol ved. The scheme was car ef ul l y gone
i nt o by t he owner , hi s son, and t hei r assi st ant s t oget her , and i t
was deci ded t o t r y i t . I t was ent i r el y successf ul ; LESS t han hal f
t he mot i ve power now suf f i ced.
Raf ael was away at t he t i me t hat i t was i naugur at ed; he had gone
down a mi ne. Hi s mot her was not wi t h hi m; he never t ook her down
mi nes wi t h hi m. As soon as ever he r et ur ned home he hur r i ed of f
wi t h her t o see t he r esul t of hi s wor k. They saw ever yt hi ng, and
t hey bot h bl ushed at t he r espect shown t o t hem by t he wor kmen.
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They wer e qui t e t ouched when, t he owner bei ng cal l ed, t hey hear d
hi s expr essi ons of boundl ess del i ght . Champagne f l owed f or t hem,
accompani ed by t he war mest t hanks. The mot her r ecei ved a beaut i f ul
bouquet . Exci t ed by t he wi ne and t he congr at ul at i ons, pr oud of hi s
r ecogni t i on as a geni us, Raf ael l ef t t he pl ace wi t h hi s mot her on
hi s ar m. I t seemed t o hi mas t hough he wer e on one si de, and al l
t he r est of t he wor l d on t he ot her . Hi s mot her wal ked happi l y
besi de hi m, wi t h her bouquet i n her hand. Raf ael wor e a new
over coat - - one af t er hi s own hear t , ver y l ong and f aced wi t h si l k,
and of whi ch he was excessi vel y pr oud. I t was a cl ear wi nt er ' s
day; t he sun shone on t he si l k, and on somet hi ng mor e as wel l .
" Ther e i s not a speck on t he sky, mot her , " he sai d.
" Nor one on your coat ei t her , " she r et or t ed; f or t her e had been a
gr eat many on hi s ol d one, and each had had i t s hi st or y.
He was t oo bi g now t o be t ur ned t o r i di cul e, and t oo happy as
wel l . She hear d hi mhummi ng t o hi msel f : i t was t he Nor wegi an
nat i onal ai r . They came back t o t he t own agai n as f r om El ysi um.
Al l t he passer s- by l ooked at t hem: peopl e qui ckl y det ect
happi ness. Besi des Raf ael was a head t al l er t han most of t hem and
f ai r er i n compl exi on. He wal ked qui ckl y al ong besi de hi s el egant
mot her , and l ooked acr oss t he Boul evar d as t hough f r om a sunny
hei ght .
" Ther e ar e days on whi ch one f eel s onesel f a di f f er ent per son, " he
sai d.
" Ther e ar e days on whi ch one r ecei ves so much, " she answer ed,
pr essi ng hi s ar m.
They went home, t hr ew asi de t hei r wr aps, and l ooked at one
anot her . Sket ches of t he machi ner y whi ch t hey had j ust seen l ay
about , as wel l as some r ough dr awi ngs. These she col l ect ed and
made i nt o a r ol l .
" Raf ael , " she sai d, and dr ew her sel f up, hal f l aughi ng, hal f
t r embl i ng, " kneel ; I wi sh t o kni ght you. "
I t di d not seem unnat ur al t o hi m; he di d so.
" Nobl esse obl i ge, " she sai d, and l et t he r ol l of paper appr oach
hi s head; but t her ewi t h she dr opped i t and bur st i nt o t ear s.
He spent a mer r y eveni ng wi t h hi s f r i ends, and was
ent husi ast i cal l y appl auded. But as he l ay i n bed t hat ni ght he
f el t ut t er l y despondent . The whol e t hi ng mi ght , af t er al l , have
been a mer e chance. He had seen so much, had acqui r ed so much
i nf or mat i on; i t was no di scover y t hat he had made. What was i t ,
t hen? He was cer t ai nl y not a geni us; t hat must be an exagger at i on.
Coul d one i magi ne a geni us wi t hout a vi ct or ' s conf i dence, or had
hi s pecul i ar l i f e dest r oyed t hat conf i dence? Thi s anxi et y whi ch
const ant l y i nt r uded i t sel f ; t hi s bad consci ence; t hi s dr eadf ul ,
vi l e consci ence; t hi s i ner adi cabl e dr ead; was i t a f or ebodi ng? Di d
i t poi nt t o t he f ut ur e?
I t was about hal f a year af t er t hi s t hat hi s desul t or y st udi es
became concent r at ed on el ect r i ci t y, and af t er a t i me t hi s t ook
t hem t o Muni ch. Dur i ng t he cour se of t hese st udi es he began t o
wr i t e, qui t e spont aneousl y. The st udent s had f or med a soci et y, and
Raf ael was expect ed t o cont r i but e a paper . But hi s cont r i but i on
was so or i gi nal t hat t hey begged hi mt o show i t t o t he pr of essor ,
and t hi s encour aged hi mgr eat l y. I t was t he pr of essor , t oo, who
had hi s f i r st ar t i cl e pr i nt ed. A Nor wegi an t echni cal per i odi cal
accept ed a subsequent one, and t hi s was t he ext er nal i nf l uence
whi ch t ur ned hi s t hought s once mor e t owar ds Nor way. Nor way r ose
bef or e hi mas t he pr omi sed l and of el ect r i ci t y. The mot i ve power
of i t s count l ess wat er f al l s was suf f i ci ent f or t he whol e wor l d! He
saw hi s count r y dur i ng t he wi nt er dar kness gl eami ng wi t h el ect r i c
l ust r e. He saw her , t oo, t he manuf act or y of t he wor l d, t he
possessor of navi es. Now he had somet hi ng t o go home f or !
Hi s mot her di d not shar e hi s l ove f or t hei r count r y, and had no
desi r e t o l i ve i n Nor way. But t he money whi ch she had saved up f or
hi s educat i on bad been spent l ong ago. Hel l eber gene had had i t s
shar e. The est at e di d not yi el d an equi val ent , f or i t was
essent i al l y a t i mber ed est at e, and t he t r ees on i t wer e st i l l
i mmat ur e.
So i t was t o be home! A f ew year s al one at Hel l eber gene was j ust
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what he wi shed f or . But - - somet hi ng al ways occur r ed t o pr event
t hei r depar t ur e at t he t i me f i xed f or i t . Fi r st he was det ai ned by
an i nvent i on whi ch he wi shed t o pat ent . Up t o t he pr esent t i me he
had onl y sket ched out i deas whi ch ot her s had adopt ed; now i t was
t o be di f f er ent . The i nvent i on was dul y pat ent ed and handed over
t o an agent t o sel l ; but st i l l t hey di d not st ar t . What was t he
hi ndr ance? Anot her i nvent i on wi t h a f r esh pat ent mor e l i kel y t o
sel l t han t he f i r st , whi ch unf or t unat el y di d not go of f . Thi s
pat ent was al so t aken out , whi ch agai n cost money, and was handed
over t o t he agent t o be sol d. Coul d he not st ar t now? Wel l , yes,
he t hought he coul d. But Fr u Kaas soon r eal i sed t hat he was not
ser i ous, so she sought t he hel p of a young r el at i ve, Hans Ravn, an
engi neer , l i ke most of t he Ravns. Raf ael l i ked Hans, f or he was
hi msel f a Ravn i n t emper ament , a t hi ng t hat he had not r eal i sed
bef or e; i t was qui t e a r evel at i on t o hi m. He had bel i eved t hat t he
Ravns wer e l i ke hi s mot her , but now f ound t hat she gr eat l y
di f f er ed f r om t hem. To Hans Ravn Fr u Kaas sai d pl ai nl y t hat now
t hey must st ar t . The l ast day of May was t he dat e f i xed on, and
t hi s Hans was t o t el l ever y one, f or i t woul d make Raf ael best i r
hi msel f , hi s mot her t hought , i f t hi s wer e known ever ywher e. Hans
Ravn spr ead t hi s news f ar and near , par t l y because i t was hi s
pr ovi nce t o do so, par t l y because he hoped i t woul d be t he
occasi on of a f ar ewel l ent er t ai nment such as had never been seen.
A banquet act ual l y di d t ake pl ace ami d gener al ent husi asm, whi ch
ended i n t he whol e company f or mi ng a pr ocessi on t o escor t t hei r
guest t o hi s house. Her e t hey encount er ed a cr owd of of f i cer s who
wer e pr oceedi ng home i n t he same manner . They near l y came t o
bl ows, but f r at er ni sed i nst ead, and t he engi neer s cheer ed t he
of f i cer s and t he of f i cer s t he engi neer s.
The next day t he hi st or y of t he t wo ent er t ai nment s and t he
col l i si on bet ween t he guest s went t he r ound of t he paper s.
Thi s pr oduced r esul t s whi ch Fr u Kaas had not f or eseen. The f i r st
was a ver y pl easant one. The pr of essor who had had Raf ael ' s f i r st
ar t i cl e publ i shed dr ove up t o t he door , accompani ed by hi s f ami l y.
He mount ed t he st ai r s, and asked her i f she woul d not , i n t hei r
company, once mor e vi si t t he pr et t i est par t s of Muni ch and i t s
vi ci ni t y. She f el t f l at t er ed, and accept ed t he i nvi t at i on. As t hey
dr ove al ong t hey t al ked of not hi ng but Raf ael : par t l y about hi s
per son, f or he was t he dar l i ng of ever y l ady, par t l y about t he
f ut ur e whi ch l ay bef or e hi m. The pr of essor sai d t hat he had never
had a mor e gi f t ed pupi l . Fr u Kaas had br ought an excel l ent
bi nocul ar gl ass wi t h her , whi ch she r ai sed t o her eyes f r om t i me
t o t i me t o conceal her emot i on, and t hei r hear t y pr ai se seemed t o
f l ood t he l andscape and bui l di ngs wi t h sunshi ne.
The l i t t l e par t y l unched t oget her , and dr ove home i n t he
af t er noon.
When Fr u Kaas r e- ent er ed her r oom, she was gr eet ed by t he scent of
f l ower s. Many of t hei r f r i ends who had not t i l l now known when
t hey wer e t o l eave had wi shed t o pay t hem some compl i ment . I ndeed,
t he mai d sai d t hat t he bel l had been r i ngi ng t he whol e mor ni ng. A
l i t t l e l at er Raf ael and Hans Ravn came i n wi t h one or t wo f r i ends.
They pr oposed t o di ne t oget her . The sal e of t he l ast pat ent seemed
t o be assur ed, and t hey wi shed t o cel ebr at e t he event . Fr u Kaas
was i n excel l ent spi r i t s, so of f t hey went .
They di ned i n t he open ai r wi t h a number of ot her peopl e r ound
t hem. Ther e was musi c and mer r i ment , and t he subdued humof
di st ant voi ces r ose and f el l i n t he t wi l i ght . When t he l amps wer e
l i ght ed, t hey had on one si de t he gl ar e of a l ar ge t own, on t he
ot her t he semi - dar kness was onl y r el i eved by poi nt s of l i ght ; and
t hi s was made t he subj ect of poet i cal al l usi ons i n speeches t o t he
f r i ends who wer e so soon t o l eave t hem.
J ust t hen t wo l adi es sl owl y passed near Raf ael ' s chai r . Fr u Kaas,
who was si t t i ng opposi t e, not i ced t hem, but he di d not . When t hey
had gone a shor t di st ance t hey st ood st i l l and wai t ed, but di d not
at t r act hi s at t ent i on. Then t hey came sl owl y back agai n, passi ng
cl ose behi nd hi s chai r , but st i l l i n vai n. Thi s annoyed Fr u Kaas.
Her i ndi vi dual i t y was so st r ong t hat her si l ence cast a shadow
over t he whol e par t y; t hey br oke up.
The next mor ni ng Raf ael was out agai n on busi ness connect ed wi t h
t he pat ent . The bel l r ang, and t he mai d came i n wi t h a bi l l ; i t
had been br ought t he pr evi ous day as wel l , she sai d. I t was f r om
one of t he chi ef r est aur at eur s of t he t own, and was by no means a
smal l one. Fr u Kaas had no i dea t hat Raf ael owed money- - l east of
al l t o a r est aur at eur . She t ol d t he mai d t o say t hat her son was
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of age, and t hat she was not hi s cashi er . Ther e was anot her r i ng- -
t he mai d r eappear ed wi t h a second bi l l , whi ch had al so been
br ought t he day bef or e. I t was f r om a wel l - known wi ne mer chant ;
t hi s, t oo, was not a smal l one. Anot her r i ng; t hi s t i me i t was a
bi l l f or f l ower s and by no means a t r i f l e. Thi s, t oo, had been
br ought t he day bef or e. Fr u Kaas r ead i t t wi ce, t hr ee t i mes, f our
t i mes: she coul d not r eal i se t hat Raf ael owed money f or f l ower s- -
what di d he want t hem f or ? Anot her r i ng; now i t was a bi l l f r om a
j ewel l er . Fr u Kaas became so ner vous at t he r i ngi ng and t he bi l l s
t hat she t ook t o f l i ght . Her e, t hen, was t he expl anat i on of t hei r
post poned depar t ur e: he was hel d capt i ve; t hi s was t he r eason f or
al l hi s anxi et y about sel l i ng t he pat ent . He had t o buy hi s
f r eedom. She was har dl y i n t he st r eet when an unpr et endi ng l i t t l e
ol d woman st epped up t o her , and asked t i mi dl y i f t hi s mi ght be
Fr au von Kas? Anot her bi l l , t hought Fr u Kaas, eyei ng her cl osel y.
She r emi nded one of a wor n- out r ose- bush wi t h a f ew f aded bl ossoms
on i t : she seemed poor and i nexper i enced i n al l save humi l i t y.
" What do you want wi t h me?" i nqui r ed Fr u Kaas sympat het i cal l y,
r esol ved t o pay t he poor t hi ng at once, what ever i t mi ght be.
The l i t t l e woman begged " Tausend Mal umVer zei hung, " but she was
" Ei ner Beamt en- Wi t t we" and had r ead i n t he paper t hat t he young
Von Kas was l eavi ng, and bot h she and her daught er wer e i n such
despai r t hat she had r esol ved t o come t o Fr au von Kas, who was t he
onl y one- - and her e she began t o cr y.
" What does your daught er want f r om me?" asked Fr u Kaas r at her l ess
gent l y.
" Ach! t ausend Mal umVer zei hung gnadi ge Fr au, " her daught er was
mar r i ed t o Hof r at h von Rat hen- - " i hr er gr ossen Schonhei t wegen" - -
ah, she was so unhappy, f or Hof r at h von Rat hen dr ank and was cr uel
t o her . Her r von Kas had met her at t he ar t i st s' f et e- - " Und so
wi ssen Si e zwei so j unge, r ei zende Leut e. " She l ooked up at Fr u
Kaas t hr ough her t ear s- - l ooked up as t hough f r om a r ai n- spl ashed
cel l ar wi ndow; but Fr u Kaas had r ever t ed t o her abr upt manner , and
as i f f r om an upper st or ey t he poor l i t t l e woman hear d, " What does
your daught er want wi t h my son?"
" Tausend Mal umVer zei hung, " but i t had seemed t o t hem t hat her
daught er mi ght go wi t h t hem t o Nor way, Nor way was such a f r ee
count r y. " Und di e zwei J ungen haben si ch so ger n. "
" Has he pr omi sed her t hi s?" sai d Fr u Kaas, wi t h haught y col dness.
" Nei n, nei n, nei n, " was t he f r i ght ened r epl y. They t wo, mot her and
daught er , had t hought of i t t hat day. They had r ead i n t he paper
t hat t he young Von Kas was goi ng away. " Her r Got t i n Hi mmel ! " i f
her daught er coul d t hus be r i d at once of al l her t r oubl es! Fr au
von Kas had not an i dea of what a f ai t hf ul soul , what a t ender
wi f e her daught er was.
Fr u Kaas cr ossed hast i l y over t o t he opposi t e pavement . She di d
not go qui t e so f ast as a per son i n chase of hi s hat , but i t
seemed t o t he poor l i t t l e cr eat ur e, l ef t i n t he l ur ch, wi t h f ol ded
hands and f r i ght ened eyes, t hat she had vani shed f ast er t han her
hopes. On t he ot her si de of t he wayst ood a pr et t y young f l ower -
gi r l who was wai t i ng f or t he el egant l ady hur r yi ng i n her
di r ect i on. " Bi t t e, gnadi ge Fr au. " Her e i s anot her , t hought t he
hunt ed cr eat ur e. She l ooked r ound f or hel p, she f l ew up t he
st r eet , away, away- - when anot her l ady popped up r i ght i n f r ont of
her , evi dent l y t r yi ng t o cat ch her eye. Fr u Kaas dashed i nt o t he
mi ddl e of t he st r eet and t ook r ef uge i n a car r i age.
" Wher e t o?" asked t he dr i ver .
Thi s she had not st opped t o consi der , but never t hel ess answer ed
bol dl y, " The Bavar i a! "
I n poi nt of f act she had had an i dea of seei ng t he vi ew of t he
ci t y and i t s envi r ons f r om " Bavar i a' s" l of t y head bef or e l eavi ng.
Ther e wer e a gr eat many peopl e t her e, but Fr u Kaas' s t ur n t o go up
soon came; but j ust as she had r eached t he head of t he gi ant ess
and was goi ng t o l ook out , she hear d a l ady whi sper cl ose behi nd
her , " That i s hi s mot her . " I t was pr obabl e t hat t her e wer e sever al
mot her s up t her e i n " Bavar i a' s" head besi de Fr u Kaas, never t hel ess
she gat her ed her ski r t s t oget her and hur r i ed down agai n.
Raf ael came home t o di ne wi t h hi s mot her ; he was i n t he hi ghest
spi r i t s- - he had sol d hi s pat ent . But he f ound her si t t i ng i n t he
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f ar t hest cor ner of t he sof a, wi t h her bi g bi nocul ar gl ass i n her
hand. When he spoke t o her she di d not answer , but t ur ned t he
gl ass wi t h t he smal l end t owar ds hi m; she wi shed hi mt o l ook as
f ar of f as possi bl e.
CHAPTER 3
I t was a br i ght eveni ng i n t he begi nni ng of J une t hat t hey
di sembar ked f r om t he st eamer , and at once l ef t t he t own i n t he
boat whi ch was t o t ake t hem t o Hel l eber gene. They di d not know any
of t he boat men, al t hough t hey wer e f r om t he est at e; t he boat al so
was new.
But t he i sl ands among whi ch t hey wer e soon r owi ng wer e t he ol d
ones, whi ch had l ong awai t ed t hem and seemed t o have swum out t o
meet t hem, and now t o move one behi nd t he ot her so t hat t he boat
mi ght pass bet ween t hem. Nei t her mot her nor son spoke t o t he men,
nor di d t hey t al k t o each et her . I n t hus keepi ng si l ence t hey
ent er ed i nt o each ot her ' s f eel i ngs, f or t hey wer e bot h awest r uck.
I t came upon t hem al l at once. The br i ght eveni ng l i ght over sea
and i sl ands, t he ar omat i c f r agr ance f r om t he l and, - - t he qui ck
spl ash of a l i t t l e coast i ng st eamer as she passed t hem- - not hi ng
coul d cheer t hem.
Thei r l i f e l ay t her e bef or e t hem, br i ngi ng r esponsi bi l i t i es bot h
ol d and new. How woul d al l t hat t hey wer e comi ng t o l ook t o t hem,
and how f ar wer e t hey t hemsel ves now f i t t ed f or i t ?
Now t hey had passed t he nar r ow ent r ance of t he bay, and r ounded
t he l ast poi nt beneat h t he cr ags of Hel l eber gene. The gr een
expanse opened out bef or e t hem, t he bui l di ngs i n i t s mi dst . The
hi l l si des had once been cr owned and dar kl y cl ad wi t h l uxur i ant
woods. Now t hey st ood t her e denuded, shr unk, f or ml ess, spr ead over
wi t h a l i ght gr een gr owt h l eavi ng some par t s bar e. The l owl ands,
as wel l as t he hi l l s whi ch f r amed t hem, wer e shr unk and
di mi ni shed, not i n ext ent but i n appear ance. They coul d nut
per suade t hemsel ves t o l ook at i t . They r ecal l ed i t al l as i t had
been and f el t t hemsel ves despoi l ed.
The bui l di ngs had been newl y pai nt ed, but t hey l ooked smal l by
cont r ast wi t h t hose whi ch t hey had i n t hei r mi nds. No one awai t ed
t hem at t he l andi ng, but a f ew peopl e st ood about near t he
gal l er y, l ooki ng embar r assed- - or wer e t hey suspi ci ous? The
t r avel l er s went i nt o Fr u Kaas' s ol d r ooms, bot h up st ai r s and
down. These wer e j ust as t hey had l ef t t hem, but how f aded and
wr et ched t hey l ooked! The t abl e, whi ch was l ai d f or supper , was
l oaded wi t h coar se f ood l i ke t hat at a f ar mer ' s weddi ng.
The ol d l i me- t r ees wer e gone. Fr u Kaas wept .
Suddenl y she was r emi nded of somet hi ng. " Let us go acr oss t o t he
ot her wi ng, " she sai d t hi s as i f t her e t hey woul d f i nd what was
want i ng. I n t he gal l er y she t ook Raf ael ' s ar m; he gr ew cur i ous.
Hi s f at her ' s ol d r ooms had been ent i r el y r enovat ed f or hi m. I n
ever yt hi ng, bot h gr eat and smal l , he r ecogni sed hi s mot her ' s
desi gns and t ast e. A vast amount of wor k, unknown t o hi m, an
endl ess i nt er change of l et t er s and a gr eat expendi t ur e of money.
How new and br i ght ever yt hi ng l ooked! The r ooms di f f er ed as much
f r om what t hey had been, as she had endeavour ed t o make Raf ael ' s
l i f e f r om t he one t hat had been l ed i n t hem.
They t wo had a comf or t abl e meal t oget her af t er al l , f ol l owed by a
qui et wal k al ong t he shor e. The wi de wat er s of t he bay gl eamed
sof t l y, and t he gent l e r i ppl e t ook up i t s ol d st or y agai n whi l e
t he summer ni ght sank gent l y down upon t hem.
Ear l y t he next mor ni ng Raf ael was out r owi ng i n t he bay, t he pl ay-
gr ound of hi s chi l dhood. Not wi t hst andi ng t he shor n and sunken
aspect of t he hi l l s, hi s del i ght at bei ng t her e agai n was
i ndescr i babl e. I ndescr i babl e because of t he l onel i ness and
st i l l ness: no one came t o di st ur b hi m. Af t er havi ng l i ved f or many
year s i n l ar ge t owns, t o f i nd onesel f al one i n a Nor wegi an bay i s
l i ke l eavi ng a noi sy mar ket - pl ace at mi dday and passi ng i nt o a
hi gh vaul t ed chur ch wher e no sound penet r at es f r om wi t hout , and
wher e onl y one' s own f oot st ep br eaks t he si l ence. Hol i ness,
pur i f i cat i on, abst r act i on, devot i on, but i n such l i ght and f r eedom
as no chur ch possesses. The l apse of t i me, t he past wer e
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f or got t en; i t was as t hough he had never been away, as t hough no
ot her pl ace had ever known hi m.
I ndescr i babl e, f or t he i nt ensi t y of hi s f eel i ngs sur passed
anyt hi ng t hat he had hi t her t o known. New sensat i ons, i mpr essi ons
of beaut y absol ut el y f or got t en si nce chi l dhood, or r emember ed but
i mper f ect l y, cr owded upon hi m, speaki ng t o hi ml i ke wel comi ng
spi r i t s.
The al t er ed cont our of t he hi l l s, t he dear f ami l i ar smel l , t he sky
whi ch seemed l ower and yet f ar t her of f , t he ef f ect s of l i ght i n
col der t ones, but pal er and mor e del i cat e. Nowher e a br oad pl ai n,
an endl ess expanse. No! al l was di ver si f i ed, f ul l of cont r ast ,
br oken; not l of t y, st i l l uni que, f r esh, he had al most sai d
t umul t uous.
Each moment he f el t mor e i n accor d wi t h hi s memor i es, hi s nat ur e
was i n har mony wi t h i t al l .
He paused bet ween each st r oke of t he oar s, soot hed by t he gent l e
mot i on; t he boat gl i ded on, he had not concer ned hi msel f whi t her ,
when he hear d f r om behi nd t he sound of oar s whi ch was not t he echo
of hi s own. The st r okes succeeded each ot her at r egul ar i nt er val s.
He t ur ned.
At t hat moment Fr u Kaas came out on t o t he t er r ace wi t h her bi g
bi nocul ar . She had had her cof f ee, and was r eady t o enj oy t he vi ew
over t he bay, t he i sl ands, and t he open sea. Raf ael , she was t ol d,
had al r eady gone out i n t he boat . Yes! t her e he was, f ar out . She
put up her gl ass at t he moment t hat a whi t e pai nt ed boat shot out
t owar ds hi s br own one. The whi t e one was r owed by a gi r l i n a
l i ght - col our ed dr ess. " Gr and Di eu! ar e t her e gi r l s her e t oo?"
Now Raf ael ceases r owi ng, t he gi r l does t he same, t hey r est on
t hei r oar s and t he boat s gl i de past each ot her . Fr u Kaas coul d
di st i ngui sh t he gi r l ' s shapel y neck under her dar k hai r , but her
wi de- br i mmed st r aw hat hi d her f ace.
Raf ael l et s hi s oar s t r ai l al ong t he wat er and r est i ng on t hem
l ooks at her , and now her oar s al so t ouch t he wat er as she t ur ns
t owar ds hi m. Do t hey know each ot her ? Qui ckl y t he boat s dr aw
t oget her ; Raf ael put s out hi s hand and dr aws t hem cl oser , and now
he gi ves HER hi s hand. Fr u Kaas can see Raf ael ' s pr of i l e so
pl ai nl y t hat she can det ect t he movement of hi s l i ps. He i s
l aughi ng! The st r anger ' s f ace i s hi dden by her hat , but she can
see a f ul l f i gur e and a vi gor ous ar mbel ow t he hal f - sl eeve. They
do not l oose t hei r hands; now he i s l aughi ng t i l l hi s br oad
shoul der s shake. What i s i t ? What i s i t ? Can any one have f ol l owed
hi mf r om Muni ch? Fr u Kaas coul d r emai n wher e she was no l onger .
She went i ndoor s and put down t he gl ass; she was over come by
anxi et y, f i l l ed wi t h hel pl ess anger . I t was some t i me bef or e she
coul d pr evai l on her sel f t o go out and r esume her wal k. The gi r l
had t ur ned her boat . Now t hey ar e r owi ng i n si de by si de, she as
st r ongl y as he. Whenever Fr u Kaas l ooked at her son he was
l aughi ng and t he gi r l ' s f ace was t ur ned t owar ds hi s. Now t hey head
f or t he l andi ng- pl ace at t he par sonage. Was i t Hel ene? The onl y
gi r l f or mi l es r ound, and Raf ael had hooked hi msel f on t o her t he
ver y f i r st day t hat he was at home. These gi r l s who can never see
hi mwi t hout t aki ng a f ancy t o hi m! Now t he boat s ar e beached, not
on t he shi ngl e, wher e t he st ones woul d be sl i pper y. No! on t he
sand, wher e t hey have r un t hem up as hi gh as possi bl e. Now she
j umps l i ght l y and qui ckl y out of her boat , and he a l i t t l e mor e
heavi l y out of hi s; t hey gr asp each ot her ' s hands agai n. Yes!
t her e t hey wer e.
Fr u Kaas t ur ned away; she knew t hat f or t he moment she was not hi ng
mor e t han an ol d chat t el pushed away i nt o a cor ner .
I t was Hel ene. She knew t hat t hey had ar r i ved and t hought t hat she
woul d r ow past t he house; and t hus i t was t hat she had encount er ed
Raf ael , who had si mpl y gone out t o amuse hi msel f .
As t hey had l ai n on t hei r oar s and t he boat s gl i ded si l ent l y past
each ot her , he t hought t o hi msel f , " That gi r l never gr ew up her e,
she i s cast i n t oo f i ne a moul d f or t hat ; she i s not i n har mony
wi t h t he pl ace. " He saw a f ace whose r egul ar l i nes, and l ar ge gr ey
eyes, har moni sed wel l wi t h each ot her , a qui et wi se f ace, acr oss
whi ch al l at once t her e f l ew a r ogui sh l ook. He knew i t agai n. I t
had done hi mgood bef or e t o- day. Our f i r st t hought i n al l
r ecogni t i ons, i n al l r emembr ances- - t hat i s t o say, i f t her e i s
occasi on f or i t - - i s, has t hat whi ch we r ecogni se or r ecal l done us
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good or evi l ?
Thi s l ar ge mout h, t hose honest eyes, whi ch have a r ogui sh l ook
j ust now, had al ways, done hi mgood.
" Hel ene! " he cr i ed, ar r est i ng t he pr ogr ess of hi s boat .
" Raf ael ! " she answer ed, bl ushi ng cr i mson and checki ng her boat
t oo.
What a sof t cont r al t o voi ce!
When he came i n t o br eakf ast , beami ng, r eady t o t el l ever yt hi ng,
he was conf r ont ed by t wo l ar ge eyes, whi ch sai d as pl ai nl y as
possi bl e, " AmI put on one si de al r eady?" He became absol ut el y
angr y. Dur i ng br eakf ast she sai d, i n a t one of i ndi f f er ence, t hat
she was goi ng t o dr i ve t o t he Dean' s, t o t hank hi mf or t he
super vi si on whi ch he had gi ven t o t he est at e dur i ng al l t hese
year s. He di d not answer , f r om whi ch she i nf er r ed t hat he di d not
wi sh t o go wi t h her . I t was some t i me bef or e she st ar t ed. The
har ness was new, t he st abl e- boy r aw and unt r ai ned. She saw not hi ng
mor e of Raf ael .
She was r ecei ved at t he par sonage wi t h t he gr eat est r espect , and
yet ver y hear t i l y. The Dean was a f i ne ol d man and t hor oughl y
pr act i cal . Hi s wi f e was of pr of ounder nat ur e. Bot h pr ot est ed t hat
t he car e of t he est at e had been no t r oubl e t o t hem, i t had onl y
been a pl easant empl oyment ; Hel ene had now under t aken i t .
" Hel ene?"
Yes; i t had so chanced t hat t he f i r st bai l i f f at Hel l eber gene had
once been agr onomi st and f or est er on a l ar ge concer n whi ch was i n
l i qui dat i on, Hel ene had t aken such a f ancy t o hi m, t hat when she
was not at school , she went wi t h hi mever ywher e; and, i ndeed, he
was a wonder f ul ol d man. Dur i ng t hese r ambl es she had l ear ned al l
t hat he coul d t each her . He had an especi al gi f t f or f or est r y. I t
was a devel opment f or her , f or i t gave a f r esh i nt er est t o her
l i f e. Li t t l e by l i t t l e she had t aken over t he whol e car e of t he
est at e. I t absor bed her .
Fr u Kaas asked i f she mi ght see Hel ene, t o t hank her .
" But Hel ene has j ust gone out wi t h Raf ael , has she not ?"
" Yes, t o be sur e, " answer ed Fr u Kaas. She woul d not show sur pr i se;
but she asked at once f or her car r i age.
Meanwhi l e t he t wo young peopl e had det er mi ned t o cl i mb t he r i dge.
At f i r st t hey f ol l owed t he cour se of t he r i ver , Hel ene l eadi ng t he
way. I t was evi dent t hat she had gr own up i n t he woods. How st r ong
and suppl e she was, and how wel l she acqui t t ed her sel f when she
had t o cr oss a br ook, cl i mb a wooded sl ope, f or ce a way t hr ough a
bar r i er of br i st l y young f i r - t r ees whi ch opposed her passage, or
sur mount a heap of cl ay at a quar r y, of whi ch t her e wer e a gr eat
many about t her e. Each di f f i cul t y was i n t ur n over come. The ascent
f r om t he r i ver was t he most di r ect and t he pl easant est , whi ch was
t he r eason t hat t hey had come t hi s way. Raf ael woul d not be
out done by her , and kept cl ose at her heel s. But , gr eat heavens!
what i t cost hi m. Par t l y because he was out of pr act i ce, par t l y- -
" I t i s a l i t t l e di f f i cul t t o get over her e, " she sai d. A t r ee had
f al l en dur i ng t he l ast r ai ny weat her , and hung hal f suspended by
i t s r oot s, obst r uct i ng t he pat h. " You must not hol d by i t , i t
mi ght gi ve way and dr ag us wi t h i t . "
At l ast t her e i s somet hi ng whi ch she consi der s di f f i cul t , he
t hought .
She del i ber at ed f or a moment bef or e t he f ar t hest - spr eadi ng
br anches whi ch had t o be cr ossed; t hen, l i f t i ng her ski r t s t o her
knees, over t hem she went , and over t he next ones as wel l , and
t hen acr oss t he t r unk t o t he f ar t hest si de, wher e t her e wer e no
br anches i n t he way; t hen obl i quel y up t he hi l l si de. She st ood
st i l l at t he t op of t he hei ght and wat ched hi mcr awl up af t er her .
I t cost hi ma st r uggl e; he was out of br eat h and t he per spi r at i on
pour ed of f hi m. When he got up t o her , ever yt hi ng swam bef or e hi m;
and al t hough i t was onl y f or a f r act i on of a second, i t l ef t hi m
f ai r l y capt i vat ed by her st r engt h,
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She st ood and l ooked at hi mwi t h br i ght , r ogui sh eyes. She was
f l ushed and hot , and her bosom r ose and f el l qui ckl y; but t her e
was no doubt t hat she coul d at once have t aken an equal l y l ong and
st eep cl i mb. He was not abl e t o speak a wor d.
" Now t ur n r ound and l ook at t he sea, " she sai d.
The wor ds af f ect ed hi mas t hough gr eat Pan had ut t er ed t hem f r om
t he mount ai ns f ar behi nd. He t ur ned hi s eyes t owar ds t hem. I t
seemed as t hough Nat ur e her sel f had spoken t o hi m. The wor ds
car essed hi mas wi t h a hand now col d, now war m, and he became a
di f f er ent bei ng. For he had l ost hi msel f - - l ost hi msel f i n her as
she wal ked al ong t he r i ver - bank and cl i mbed t he hi l l si de. She
seemed t o dr aw f r esh power f r om t he woods, t o gr ow t al l er , mor e
agi l e, mor e vi gor ous. The f er vour of her eyes, t he r i chness of her
voi ce, t he gr ace of her movement s, t he gl i mpses of her soul , had
al l ur ed hi mdown t her e i n t he val l ey, besi de t he r ushi ng r i ver ,
and t he f eel i ng of l oss of i ndi vi dual i t y had i ncr eased wi t h t he
exer t i on and t he exci t ement . No bal l - r oom or pl ay- gr ound, no
gymnasi um or r i di ng- school can di spl ay t he physi cal power s, and
t he spi r i t whi ch under l i es t hem, t he uni t y of mi nd and body, as
does t he scal i ng of st eep hi l l s and r ocky sl opes. At l ast ,
i nt oxi cat ed by t hese f eel i ngs, he t hought t o hi msel f - - I am
cl i mbi ng af t er her , cl i mbi ng t o t he hi ghest pi nnacl e of happi ness.
Up t her e! Up t her e! The composur e of her manner t owar ds hi m, her
f r eedomf r om embar r assment , maddened hi m. Up t her e! Up t her e! And
ever as t hey mount ed she became mor e spi r i t ed, he mor e di st r essed.
Up t her e! Up t her e! Hi s eyes gr ew di m, f or a f ew seconds he coul d
not move, coul d not speak. Then she had sai d, " Now you must l ook
at t he sea. "
He seemed t o see wi t h di f f er ent eyes, t o be endowed wi t h new
sensat i ons, and t hese new sensat i ons gave answer t o what t he
di st ant mount ai ns had sai d. They answer ed t he sea out t her e bef or e
hi m, t he i sl and- st udded sea, t he open sea beyond, t he wi de
swel l i ng ocean, t he desi r es and dest i ni es of l i f e al l t he wor l d
over . The sea l ay st eel - br i ght beneat h t he suf f used sunl i ght , and
seemed t o gaze on t he r ugged l and as on a bel oved chi l d i nst i nct
wi t h vi t al power . Cl i ng t hou t o t he mi ght y one, or t hy st r engt h
wi l l be t hi ne undoi ng!
And many of t he i nvent i ons whi ch he had dr eamed of l oomed vaguel y
bef or e hi m. They l ay out si de t her e. I t depended on hi mwhet her he
shoul d one day br i ng t hem saf el y i nt o por t .
" What ar e you t hi nki ng about ?" sai d she, t he sound of her voi ce
put t hese t hought s t o f l i ght and r ecal l ed hi mt o t he pr esent . He
f el t how f ul l and r i ch her cont r al t o voi ce was, A moment ago he
coul d have t ol d her t hi s, and mor e besi des, as an i nt r oduct i on t o
st i l l mor e. Now he sat down wi t hout answer i ng, and she di d t he
same.
" I come up her e ver y of t en, " she sai d, " t o l ook at t he sea. Fr om
her e i t seems t he sour ce of l i f e and deat h; down t her e i t i s a
mer e hi ghway. " He smi l ed. She cont i nued: " The sea has t hi s power ,
t hat what ever pr e- occupat i on one may br i ng up her e, i t vani shes i n
a moment ; but down bel ow i t r emai ns wi t h one. "
He l ooked at her .
" Yes, i t i s t r ue, " sai d she, and col our ed.
" I do not i n t he l east doubt i t , " he r epl i ed.
But she di d not cont i nue t he subj ect . " You ar e l ooki ng at t he
sapl i ngs, I see. "
" Yes. "
" You must know t hat l ast year t her e was a l ong dr ought ; al most al l
t he young t r ees up her e wi t her ed away, and i n ot her pl aces on t he
hi l l si des al so, as you see. " She poi nt ed as she spoke. " I t l ooks
so ugl y as one comes i nt o t he bay. I t hought about t hat yest er day.
I t hought al so t hat you shoul d not be her e l ong bef or e you saw
t hat you had done us an i nj ust i ce, f or coul d anyt hi ng be pr et t i er
t han t hat l i t t l e f i r - t r ee down t her e i n t he hol l ow? j ust l ook at
i t s col our ; t hat i s a heal t hy f el l ow! and t hese st ur dy sapl i ngs,
and t hat l i t t l e gemt her e! " The t ones of Hel ene' s voi ce bet r ayed
t he i nt er est whi ch she f el t . " But how t hat one over t her e has
gr own. " She scr ambl ed acr oss t o i t , and he af t er her . " Do you see?
t wo br anches al r eady; and what br anches! " They knel t down besi de
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i t . " Thi s boy has had par ent s of whom he can boast , f or t hey have
al l had j ust as much and j ust as l i t t l e shel t er . Oh! t he
di sgust i ng cat er pi l l ar s. " She was down bef or e t he l i t t l e t r ee at
t he si de whi ch was bei ng spun over . She cl ear ed i t , and got up t o
f et ch some wet moul d, whi ch she l ai d car ef ul l y r ound t he spr out s.
" Poor t hi ng I i t want s wat er , al t hough i t r ai ned t r emendousl y a
l i t t l e t i me ago. "
" Ar e you of t en up her e?" he asked.
" I t woul d al l come t o not hi ng i f I wer e not ! " She l ooked at hi m
sear chi ngl y. " You do not , per haps, bel i eve t hat t hi s l i t t l e t r ee
knows me; ever y one of t hem, i ndeed. I f I aml ong away f r om t hem
t hey do not t hr i ve, but when I amof t en wi t h t hem t hey f l our i sh. "
She was on her knees, suppor t i ng her sel f wi t h one hand, whi l e wi t h
t he ot her she pul l ed up some gr ass. " The t hi eves, " sai d she,
" whi ch want t o r ob my sapl i ngs. "
I f i t had been a l i t t l e per son who had sai d t hi s; a l i t t l e per son
wi t h l i vel y eyes and a mer r y mout h- - but Hel ene was t al l and
st at el y; her eyes wer e not l i vel y, but met one wi t h a st eady gaze.
Her mout h was l ar ge, and gave del i ber at e ut t er ance t o her
t hought s.
Whoever has r ead Hel ene' s wor ds qui ckl y, hur r i edl y, must r ead t hem
over agai n. She spoke qui et l y and t hought f ul l y, each syl l abl e
di st i nct and musi cal . She was not t he same gi r l who had l ed t he
way by r i ver and hi l l . Then she seemed t o gl or y i n her st r engt h;
now her ener gy had changed t o del i cat e f eel i ng.
One of t he most r emar kabl e women i n Scandi navi a, who al so had
t hese t wo si des t o her char act er , and made t he f ul l est use of
bot h, J ohanne Lui se Hej ber g, once saw Hel ene when she had but j ust
at t ai ned t o womanhood. She coul d not t ake her eyes of f her ; she
never t i r ed of wat chi ng her and l i st eni ng t o her . Di d t he aged
woman, t hen at t he cl ose of her l i f e, r ecogni se anyt hi ng of her
own yout h i n t he gi r l ? Out war dl y t oo t hey r esembl ed each ot her .
Hel ene was dar k, as Fr u Hej ber g had been; was about t he same
hei ght , wi t h t he same f i gur e, but st r onger ; had a l ar ge mout h,
l ar ge gr ey eyes l i ke her s, i nt o whi ch t he same r ogui sh l ook woul d
st ar t . But t he gr eat est l i keness was t o be f ound i n t hei r nat ur es:
i n Fr u Hej ber g' s expr essi on when she was qui et and ser i ous; i n a
cer t ai n mot her l i ness whi ch was t he sal i ent f eat ur e i n her nat ur e.
" What a heal t hy gi r l ! " sai d she; bade some one br i ng Hel ene t o
her , and dr awi ng her t owar ds her , ki ssed her on t he f or ehead.
Hel ene and her compani on had cr ossed t o t he ot her si de of t he
hi l l , f or he posi t i vel y must see t he " Buckt hor n Swamp" ; but when
t hey got down t her e he di d not know i t agai n: i t was cover ed by
l uxur i ant woods.
" Yes! I t i s ol d Hel gesen who deser ves t he cr edi t of t hat , " she
sai d. " He not i ced t hat an ar t i f i ci al embankment had conver t ed t hi s
gr eat f l at i nt o a swamp, so he cut t hr ough i t . I was onl y a chi l d
t hen, but I had my shar e i n i t . They gave me a bi t of gr ound down
by t he r i ver t o pl ant Kohl Kabi i n. I l ooked af t er i t t he whol e
summer . Lat er on I had a l ar ger pi ece. Wi t h t he pr of i t s we cut
di t ches up t o her e. I n t he f our t h year we bought pl ant s. I n f act ,
he so ar r anged i t , t hat I pai d f or i t al l wi t h my wor k, t he ol d
r ogue! "
When Raf ael got home hi s mot her was at t abl e: she had not wai t ed
f or hi m, a sur e si gn t hat she f el t aggr i eved. No at t empt s on hi s
par t t o set t hi ngs r i ght succeeded. She woul d not answer , and soon
l ef t t he r oom. I t now st r uck hi mhow pl easant i t woul d have been
f or hi s mot her i f he had t aken her wi t h hi mt o expl or e and make
acquai nt ance wi t h t hi s new Hel l eber gene. The eveni ng bef or e, i n
hi s f at her ' s r ooms, i t had seemed as t hough not hi ng coul d ever
separ at e t hem- - and t he f i r st t hi ng i n t he mor ni ng he was of f wi t h
some one el se. Thi s eveni ng he knew t hat not hi ng coul d be done,
but next mor ni ng he begged her ear nest l y t o come wi t h t hem, and
t hey woul d show her what he had seen t he day bef or e; but she onl y
shook her head and t ook up a book. Day af t er day he made a si mi l ar
r equest , but al ways wi t h t he same r esul t . She t hought t hat t hese
i nvi t at i ons wer e mer el y f or mal , and so, f r om one poi nt of vi ew,
t hey wer e. He was most r eady t o appease her , most r eady t o show
her ever yt hi ng, f or he f el t hi msel f t o bl ame, t hough he cer t ai nl y
t hought t hat she mi ght have under st ood; but her pr esence woul d
have mar r ed t hei r t et e- a- t et e; he woul d have been embar r assed
enough i f she had acqui esced!
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The Dean, wi t h hi s wi f e and daught er , came t he f ol l owi ng Sunday t o
r et ur n Fr u Kaas' s vi si t . She was pol i t eness i t sel f , and speci al l y
t hanked Hel ene f or her car e of Hel l eber gene. Hel ene col our ed
wi t hout knowi ng why, but when Raf ael al so col our ed, she bl ushed
st i l l deeper . Thi s was t he event of t he vi si t ; not hi ng el se of
i mpor t ance occur r ed.
I n t hei r dai l y wal ks t hr ough t he f i el ds and woods, t he t wo young
peopl e soon exhaust ed t he t opi c of Hel l eber gene. He t ook up
anot her t heme. Hi s i nvent i ons became t he t opi c of conver sat i on. He
had acqui r ed, f r om hi s st udi es wi t h hi s mot her , an unusual
f aci l i t y i n expl ai ni ng hi s meani ng, and i n Hel ene he f ound a
l i st ener such as he had r ar el y bef or e met wi t h. She was
suf f i ci ent l y acquai nt ed wi t h t he l aws of nat ur e t o under st and a
si mpl e descr i pt i on. But al l t he same i t was not hi s i nvent i ons but
hi msel f t hat he di scour sed on. He qui t e r eal i sed t hi s, and became
al l t he mor e eager . Her eyes made hi s r easoni ng cl ear er . He had
never bef or e had such compl et e f ai t h i n hi msel f as when near her ,
and now no mi sgi vi ngs succeeded.
Hel ene, however , had not hi t her t o known t he di r ect i on and r esul t s
of hi s st udi es. He was an engi neer , t hat was al l t hat she had
hear d on t he subj ect . When he had t ol d her mor e about i t he r ose
consi der abl y i n her est i mat i on. I t was SHE now who began t o f eel
const r ai ned. At f i r st she di d not under st and why she f el t obl i ged
t o put mor e r est r ai nt upon her sel f . Af t er a t i me she began t o
excuse her sel f f r om j oi ni ng hi m, and t hei r wal ks became mor e r ar e.
" She had so much t o do now. "
He di d not compr ehend t he r eason of t hi s; he f anci ed t hat hi s
mot her mi ght be t o bl ame ( whi ch, by t he way, was qui t e a mi st ake) ,
and he gr ew angr y. He was al r eady gr eat l y af f r ont ed t hat hi s
mot her had chosen t o conf ound hi s f or mer gal l ant r i es wi t h hi s
pr esent at t achment . He qui t e f or got t hat at f i r st he had mer el y
sought t o amuse hi msel f her e as el sewher e. He gave hi msel f up
ent i r el y t o hi s passi on, whi ch woul d br ook no hi ndr ance, no
opposi t i on; i t became maj est i c. I n Hel ene he had f ound hi s f ut ur e
l i f e.
But her par ent s had gr own l ess cor di al of l at e owi ng t o Fr u Kaas' s
col dness, and t he t i me came when al l at t empt s t o obt ai n meet i ngs
wi t h Hel ene f ai l ed. He had never been so i nf at uat ed. He seemed t o
see her cont i nual l y bef or e hi m- - her l uxur i ant beaut y, her l i ght
st ep, her gr ey eyes gazi ng st eadf ast l y i nt o hi s.
Why coul d t hey not be mar r i ed t o- mor r ow or t he next day? What
coul d be mor e nat ur al ? What coul d mor e cer t ai nl y hel p hi mf or war d?
The const r ai nt bet ween hi s mot her and hi msel f had r eached a
gr eat er pi t ch t han ever bef or e. He t hought ser i ousl y of l eavi ng
her and t he count r y. He st i l l had some money l ef t , t he pr oceeds of
t he pat ent , and he coul d easi l y make mor e. How i r ksome i t became
t o hi mt o go i nt o t he f i el ds and woods wi t hout Hel ene! He coul d
not st udy; he had no one t o t al k t o; what shoul d he do?
Devot e hi msel f t o boat i ng! - - r ow out f ar beyond t he bay, r i ght up
t o t he t own! One day, as he r owed al ong t he coast , beyond t he bay,
he not i ced t hat t he cl ay and f l ag- st one f or mat i on i n t he hi l l s and
r i dges was speckl ed wi t h gr ey. Hel ene had t ol d hi mhow
ext r aor di nar y i t l ooked out t her e now t hat t he t r ees wer e gone,
but as t hey woul d have had t o come out i n t he boat t o see i t he
had l et t he r emar k pass. Now he deci ded t o l and t her e. The shor e
r ose st eepl y f r om t he wat er , but he scr ambl ed up. He had expect ed
t o f i nd l i mest one, but he coul d har dl y bel i eve hi s own eyes: i t
was cement st one! Absol ut el y, undoubt edl y, cement st one! How f ar
di d i t ext end? As f ar as he coul d see; i t mi ght even ext end t o t he
boundar y of t he est at e. I n any case, her e was suf f i ci ent f or
ext ensi ve wor ks f or many, many year s, i f onl y t her e wer e enough
si l i ca wi t h t he cl ay and l i me. He had soon knocked of f a f ew
pi eces, whi ch he put i nt o t he boat , and set out f or home t o
anal yse t hem.
Sel domhad any one r owed f ast er t han he di d; now he shot past t he
i sl ands i nt o t he bay, up t o t he l andi ng- pl ace bef or e t he house. I f
t he cement st one cont ai ned t he r i ght pr opor t i ons, her e was what
woul d make Hel ene and hi msel f i ndependent of ever y one; AND THAT
AT ONCE!
A l i t t l e l at er , wi t h di r t y hands and cl ot hes, hi s f ace bat hed i n
per spi r at i on, he r ushed up t o hi s mot her wi t h t he r esul t of hi s
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i nvest i gat i ons.
" Her e i s somet hi ng f or you t o see. "
She was r eadi ng; she l ooked up and t ur ned as whi t e as a sheet .
" I s t hat t he cement st one?" she asked, as she put down her book.
" Di d you know about i t ?" he excl ai med, i n t he gr eat est
ast oni shment .
" Good gr aci ous, yes, " she answer ed. She wal ked acr oss t o t he
wi ndow, came back agai n, pr essi ng her hands t oget her . " So you have
f ound i t t oo?"
" Who di d bef or e me?"
" Your f at her , Raf ael , your f at her , t he f i r st t i me t hat I was her e,
a l i t t l e t i me bef or e we wer e t o l eave. " She paused. " He came
r ushi ng i n as you di d j ust now- - not so qui ckl y, not so qui ckl y, he
was weak i n t he l egs, but ot her wi se j ust l i ke you. " She l et her
eyes r est , wi t h a pecul i ar l ook, on Raf ael ' s di r t y hands. The
hands t hemsel ves wer e not wel l shaped, t hey wer e al most exact l y
hi s f at her ' s.
Raf ael not i ced not hi ng.
" Had HE f ound t he bed of cement st one, t hen?"
" Yes. He l ocked t he door behi nd hi m. I got up f r om my chai r and
asked hi mhow he dar ed? He coul d har dl y speak. " She paused f or a
moment , r ecal l i ng i t al l agai n. " Yes, and i t was THAT st uf f . "
" What di d he say, mot her ?"
She had t ur ned t o l eave t he r oom.
" Your f at her bel i eved t hat I had br ought l uck t o t he house. "
" And why was i t not so, t hen?"
She f aced hi mqui ckl y. He col our ed.
" Par don, mot her , you mi sunder st ood me. I meant , why di d i t come t o
not hi ng about t he cement ?"
" You di d not know your f at her : t her e wer e t oo many hooks about hi m
f or hi mt o be abl e t o car r y out anyt hi ng. "
" Hooks?"
" Yes! eccent r i ci t y, egot i sm, passi on, whi ch caught f ast i n
ever yt hi ng. "
" What di d he pr opose t o do?"
" No one was t o be al l owed t o have anyt hi ng t o do wi t h i t , no one
was t o know of i t , he was t o be ever yt hi ng! For t hi s r eason t he
t i mber was t o be cut down and sol d; and when we wer e mar r i ed- - I
say when we wer e mar r i ed, t he whol e of my f or t une was t o be used
as wel l . "
He saw t he hor r or wi t h whi ch she st i l l r egar ded i t ; she was
passi ng t hr ough t he whol e st r uggl e agai n; and he under st ood t hat
he must not quest i on her f ur t her . She made a gest ur e wi t h her
hand; and he asked hur r i edl y, " Why di d you not t el l me bef or e,
mot her ?"
" Because i t woul d have br ought you no good, " she answer ed
deci dedl y.
He f el t , nay, he saw t hat she bel i eved t hat i t woul d br i ng hi mno
good now. She agai n r ai sed her hand, and he l ef t her .
When he was once mor e i n t he boat , t aki ng hi s gr eat news t o t he
par sonage, he t hought t o hi msel f , Her e i s t he r eason of my
f at her ' s and mot her ' s deadl y enmi t y.
The cement st one! She di d not t r ust hi m, she woul d not gi ve hi m
bot h her sel f and her f or t une, so t her e was no cement , nor wer e any
t r ees f el l ed.
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" Wel l , he scor ed af t er al l . Yes, and mot her t oo; but God hel p ME! "
Then he r eckoned up what t he t i mber and t he f or t une t oget her woul d
have been wor t h, and what f ur t her sumcoul d have been r ai sed on
t he pr oper t y, t he val ue of t he cement - bed bei ng t aken i nt o
consi der at i on. He under st ood hi s f at her bet t er t han hi s mot her .
What a f or t une, what power , what magni f i cence, what a l i f e!
At t he par sonage he car r i ed ever y one wi t h hi m.
The Dean, because he saw at once what t hi s was wor t h. " You ar e a
r i ch man now, " he sai d. The Dean' s wi f e, because she f el t
at t r act ed by hi s abi l i t y and ent husi asm. Hel ene? Hel ene was si l ent
and f r i ght ened. He t ur ned t owar ds her and asked i f she woul d come
wi t h hi mi n t he boat t o see i t . She r eal l y must see how ext ensi ve
t he bed was.
" Yes, dear , go wi t h hi m, " sai d her f at her .
Raf ael wi shed t o si t behi nd her i n t he boat and hast ened t owar ds
t he bow; but , wi t hout a wor d, she passed hi m, sat down, and t ook
her oar s; so, af t er al l , he had t o si t i n f r ont of her .
They t hus began at cr oss pur poses. Hi s back was t owar ds her , he
saw how t he wat er f oamed under her oar s, t her e was a secr et
st r uggl e, a t aci t f ear , whi ch was hear d i n t he f ew wor ds whi ch
t hey exchanged, and whi ch mer el y i ncr eased t hei r const r ai nt .
When t hey dr ew near t o t hei r dest i nat i on t hey wer e f l ushed and
hot . Now he was obl i ged t o t ur n r ound t o l ook f or t he pl ace of
l andi ng. To begi n wi t h, t hey went sl owl y al ong t he whol e cement -
bed as f ar as i t was vi si bl e. He was now t ur ned so as t o f ace her ,
and he expl ai ned i t al l t o her . She kept her eyes f i xed on t he
cl i f f , and onl y gl anced at hi m, or di d not l ook at hi mal l . They
t ur ned t he boat agai n, i n or der t o l and at t he pl ace wher e he
i nt ended t he f act or y t o st and. A por t i on of t he r ock woul d have t o
be bl ast ed t o make r oom, t he har bour t oo must be made saf er so
t hat vessel s mi ght l i e cl ose i n, and al l t hi s woul d cost money.
He l anded f i r st i n or der t o hel p her , but she j umped on shor e
wi t hout hi s assi st ance; t hen t hey cl i mbed upwar ds, he l eadi ng t he
way, expl ai ni ng ever yt hi ng as he went ; she f ol l owi ng wi t h eyes and
ear s i nt ent .
Al l f or whi ch, f r om her chi l dhood, she had wor ked so har d at
Hel l eber gene, and al l whi ch she had dr eamed of f or t he est at e, had
become so l i t t l e now. I t woul d be many year s bef or e t he t r ees
yi el ded any r et ur n. But her e was pr omi se of i mmedi at e pr osper i t y
and f ut ur e weal t h i f , as she never doubt ed, he pr oved t o be
cor r ect . She f el t t hat t hi s humbl ed her , made her of no account ,
but ah! how gr eat i t made hi mseem!
The r owi ng, t he cl i mbi ng, t he exci t ement , gave ani mat i on t o
Raf ael ' s expl anat i ons; f ace and f i gur e showed hi s st at e of
t ensi on. She f el t al most gi ddy: shoul d she r et ur n t o t he boat and
r ow away al one? But she was t oo pr oud t hus t o bet r ay her sel f .
I t seemed t o her t hat t her e was t he l ook of a conquer or i n hi s
eyes; but she di d not i nt end t o be conquer ed. Nei t her di d she wi sh
t o appear as t he one who had r emai ned at home and specul at ed on
hi s r et ur n. That woul d be si mpl y t o t ur n al l t hat was most
cher i shed, most unsel f i sh i n her l i f e, agai nst her sel f . Somet hi ng
i n hi mf r i ght ened her , somet hi ng whi ch, per haps, he hi msel f coul d
not mast er - - hi s i nwar d agi t at i on. I t was not boi st er ous or
t er r i f yi ng; i t was gl owi ng, ear nest zeal , whi ch seemed t o depr i ve
hi mof power and her of wi l l , and t hi s she woul d not endur e.
Har dl y had t hey gai ned t he summi t f r om whi ch t hey coul d l ook out
over t he i sl ands t o t he open sea, and acr oss t o Hel l eber gene, t o
t he par sonage, and t he r i ver f l owi ng i nt o t he i nner bay, t han he
t ur ned away f r om i t al l t owar ds her , as she st ood wi t h heavi ng
br east , gl owi ng cheeks, and eyes whi ch dar e not t ur n away f r om t he
sea.
" Hel ene, " he whi sper ed, appr oachi ng her ; he wi shed t o t ake her i n
hi s ar ms.
She t r embl ed, al t hough she di d not t ur n r ound; t he next moment she
spr ang away f r om hi m, and di d not pause t i l l she had got down t o
t he boat , whi ch she was about t o push of f , but bet hought her sel f
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t hat i t woul d be t oo cowar dl y, so she r emai ned st andi ng and
wat ched hi mcome af t er her .
" Hel ene, " he cal l ed f r om above, " why do you r un away f r om me?"
" Raf ael , you must not , " she answer ed when he r ej oi ned her . The
st r ongest accent of bot h pr ayer and command of whi ch a power f ul
nat ur e i s capabl e sounded i n her wor ds. She i n t he boat , he on t he
shor e; t hey eyed one anot her l i ke t wo ant agoni st s, wat chf ul and
br eat hi ng har d, t i l l he l oosed t he boat , st epped i n and pushed
of f .
She t ook her seat ; but bef or e doi ng t he same he sai d:
" You know qui t e wel l what I want ed t o say t o you. " He spoke wi t h
di f f i cul t y.
She di d not answer and got out her oar s; her t ear s wer e r eady t o
f l ow. They r owed home agai n mor e sl owl y t han t hey had come.
A l ar k hover ed over t hei r heads. The not e of a t hr ush was hear d
away i nl and. A gui l l emot ski mmed over t he wat er i n t he same
di r ect i on as t hei r own, and a t er n on cur ved wi ng scr eamed i n
t hei r wake. Ther e was a sense of expect at i on over al l . The scent
of t he young f i r - t r ees and t he heat her was waf t ed out t o t hem;
f ar t her i n l ay t he f l ower y meadows of Hel l eber gene. At a gr eat
di st ance an eagl e coul d be seen, hi gh i n ai r , wi ngi ng hi s way f r om
t he mount ai ns, f ol l owed by a f l ock of scr eami ng cr ows, who
i magi ned t hat t hey wer e chasi ng hi m. Raf ael dr ew Hel ene' s
at t ent i on t o t hem.
" Yes, l ook at t hem, " she sai d; and t hese f ew wor ds, spoken
nat ur al l y, hel ped t o put bot h mor e at t hei r ease. He l ooked r ound
at her and smi l ed, and she smi l ed back at hi m. He f el t i n t he
sevent h heaven of del i ght , but i t must not be spoken. But t he oar s
seemed t o r epeat i n measur ed cadence, " I t - - i s- - she. I t - - i s- - she.
I t - - i s- - she. " He sai d t o hi msel f , I s not her r esi st ance a t housand
t i mes sweet er t han- -
" I t i s st r ange t hat t he sea bi r ds no l onger br eed on t he i sl ands
i n her e, " he sai d.
" That i s because f or a l ong t i me t he bi r ds have not been
pr ot ect ed; t hey have gone f ar t her out . "
" They must be pr ot ect ed agai n: we must manage t o br i ng t he bi r ds
back, must we not ?"
" Yes, " she answer ed.
He t ur ned qui ckl y t owar ds her . Per haps she shoul d not have sai d
t hat , she t hought , f or had he not sai d " we" ?
To show how f ar she was f r om such a t hought , she l ooked t owar ds
t he l and. " The cl over i s not good t hi s year . "
" No. What shal l you do wi t h t he pl ot next year ?"
But she di d not f al l i nt o t he t r ap. He t ur ned r ound, but she
l ooked away.
Now t he r ush of t he r i ver t ossed t hem up and down i n a gi ddy
dance, as t he f or ce of t he st r eammet t he boat . Raf ael l ooked up
t o wher e t hey had wal ked t oget her t he f i r st day. He t ur ned t o see
i f she wer e not , by chance, l ooki ng i n t he same di r ect i on. Yes,
she was!
They r owed on t owar ds t he l andi ng- pl ace at t he par sonage, and he
spoke once or t wi ce, but she had l ear ned t hat t hat was danger ous.
They r eached t he beach.
" Hel ene! " sai d he, as she j umped on shor e wi t h a good- bye i n
passi ng, " Hel ene! " But she di d not st ay. " Hel ene! " he shout ed,
wi t h such meani ng i n i t t hat she t ur ned.
She l ooked at hi m, but onl y r emai ned f or a moment . No mor e was
needed! He r owed home l i ke t he gr eat est conquer or t hat t hose
wat er s had ever seen. Ever si nce t he Vi ki ngs had met t oget her i n
t he i nner most cr eek, and l ef t behi nd t hem t he bar r ow whi ch i s
st i l l t o be seen near t he par sonage- - yes, ever si nce t he el k of
t he pr i maeval f or est , wi t h mi ght y ant l er s, swam away f r om t he doe
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whi ch he had won i n combat , t o t he ot her whi ch he hear d on t he
opposi t e shor e. Si nce t he f i r st swar m of ant s, l i ke a wavi ng f an,
danced up and down i n t he sunl i ght , on i t s one day of f l i ght .
Si nce t he f i r st seal s st r uggl ed agai nst each ot her t o r each t he
one whom t hey saw l i e sunni ng her sel f on t he r ocks.
Fr u Kaas had seen t hem pass as t hey r owed out at a f ur i ous pace.
She had seen t hem r ow sl owl y back, and she under st ood ever yt hi ng.
No sooner had t he cement st one been f ound t han- -
She paced up and down; she wept .
She di d not put any dependence on hi s const ancy; i n any case i t
was t oo ear l y f or Raf ael t o set t l e hi msel f her e: he had somet hi ng
ver y di f f er ent bef or e hi m. The cement st one woul d not r un away
f r om hi m, or t he gi r l ei t her , i f t her e wer e anyt hi ng ser i ous i n
i t . She r egar ded hi s meet i ng wi t h Hel ene as mer el y an obst acl e i n
t he way, whi ch bar r ed hi s f ur t her pr ogr ess.
Raf ael r owed t owar ds home, bendi ng t o hi s oar s t i l l t he wat er
f oamed under t he bow of hi s boat . Now he has l anded; now he dr ags
t he boat up as i f she wer e an eel - pot . Now he st r i des qui ckl y up
t o t he house.
Fr i ght ened, despai r i ng, hi s mot her shr ank i nt o t he f ar t hest cor ner
of t he sof a, wi t h her f eet dr awn up under her , and, as he bur st i n
t hr ough t he door and began t o speak, she cr i ed out : " Tai sez- vous!
des egar ds, s' i l vous pl ai t . " She st r et ched out her ar ms bef or e
her as i f f or pr ot ect i on. But now he came, bor ne on t he wi ngs of
l ove and happi ness. Hi s f ut ur e was t her e.
He di d what he had never done bef or e: went st r ai ght up t o her ,
dr ew her ar ms down, embr aced and ki ssed her , f i r st on t he
f or ehead, t hen on t he cheeks, eyes, mout h, ear s, neck, wher ever he
coul d; al l wi t hout a wor d.
He was qui t e besi de hi msel f .
" Mad boy, " she gasped; " des egar ds, mai s Raf ael , donc! - - Que- - " And
she t hr ew her sel f on hi s br east wi t h her ar ms r ound hi s neck.
" Now you wi l l f or sake me, Raf ael , " she sai d, cr yi ng.
" For sake you, mot her ! No one can uni t e t he t wo wi ngs l i ke Hel ene. "
And now he began a panegyr i c on her , wi t hout measur e, and
unconsci ous t hat he sai d t he same t hi ng over and over agai n. When
he became qui et er , and she was per mi t t ed t o br eat he, she begged t o
be al one: she was used t o bei ng al one. I n t he eveni ng she came
down t o hi m, and sai d t hat , f i r st of al l , t hey ought t o go t o
Chr i st i ani a, and f i nd an exper t t o exami ne t he cement - bed and
l ear n what f ur t her shoul d be done. Her cousi n, t he Gover nment
Secr et ar y, woul d be abl e t o advi se t hem, and some of her ot her
r el at i ons as wel l . Most of t hem wer e engi neer s and men of
busi ness. He was r el uct ant t o l eave Hel l eber gene j ust now, he
sai d, she must under st and t hat ; besi des, t hey had agr eed not t o go
away unt i l t he aut umn. But she mai nt ai ned t hat t hi s was t he sur est
way t o wi n Hel ene; onl y she begged t hat , wi t h r egar d t o her ,
t hi ngs shoul d r emai n as t hey wer e t i l l t hey had been t o
Chr i st i ani a. On t hi s poi nt she was i nf l exi bl e, and i t was so
ar r anged.
As was t hei r cust om, t hey packed up at once. They dr ove over t o
t he par sonage t hat same eveni ng t o say good- bye. They wer e al l
ver y mer r y t her e: on Fr u Kaas' s si de because she was uneasy, and
wi shed t o conceal t he f act by an appear ance of l i vel i ness; on t he
Dean' s par t because he r eal l y was i n hi gh spi r i t s at t he di scover y
whi ch pr omi sed pr osper i t y bot h t o Hel l eber gene and t he di st r i ct ;
on hi s wi f e' s because she suspect ed somet hi ng. The most hear t y
good wi shes wer e t her ef or e expr essed f or t hei r j our ney.
Raf ael had avai l ed hi msel f of t he gener al pr eoccupat i on t o
exchange a f ew l ast wor ds wi t h Hel ene i n a cor ner . He obt ai ned a
hal f - pr omi se f r om her t hat when he wr ot e she woul d answer ; but he
was car ef ul not t o say t hat he had spoken t o hi s mot her . He f el t
t hat Hel ene woul d be st ar t l ed by a pr oceedi ng whi ch came qui t e
nat ur al l y t o hi m.
As t hey dr ove away, he waved hi s hat as l ong as t hey r emai ned i n
si ght . The wavi ng was r et ur ned, f i r st by al l , but f i nal l y by onl y
one.
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The summer eveni ng was l i ght and war m, but not l i ght enough, not
war m enough, not wi de enough; t her e di d not seem r oom enough i n i t
f or hi m; i t was not br i ght enough t o r ef l ect hi s happi ness. He
coul d not sl eep, yet he di d not wi sh t o t al k; compani onshi p or
sol i t ude wer e al i ke di st ast ef ul t o hi m. He t hought ser i ousl y of
wal ki ng or r owi ng over t o t he par sonage agai n and knocki ng at t he
wi ndow of Hel ene' s r oom. He act ual l y went down t o t he boat house
and got out t he boat . But per haps i t woul d f r i ght en her , and
possi bl y i nj ur e hi s own cause. So he r owed out and out t o t he
f ar t hest i sl ands, and t her e he f r i ght ened t he bi r ds. At hi s
appr oach t hey r ose: f i r st a f ew, t hen many, t hen al l pr ot est ed i n
a hi deous chor us of wi l d scr eams. He was envel oped i n an angr y
cr owd, a pandemoni umof bi r ds. But i t di d not r uf f l e hi s good
humour . " Wai t a bi t , " he sai d t o t hem. " Wai t a bi t , unt i l t he
i sl ands at Hel l eber gene ar e ' pr ot ect ed, ' and t he whol e est at e as
wel l . Then you shal l come and be happy wi t h us. Good- bye t i l l
t hen! "
CHAPTER 4
He came t o Chr i st i ani a l i ke a t al l shi p gay wi t h f l ags. Hi s l ove
was t he musi c on boar d.
Hi s numer ous r el at i ons wer e r eady t o r ecei ve hi m. Of t hese many
wer e engi neer s, who wer e a j our wi t h al l hi s wr i t i ngs, whi ch t hey
had t aken car e shoul d be wel l known. Some of t he l ar gest
mechani cal under t aki ngs i n t he count r y wer e i n t hei r hands, so
t hat t hey had connect i ons i n ever y di r ect i on.
Once mor e t he f ami l y had a geni us i n i t s mi dst ; t hat i s t o say,
one t o make a show wi t h. Raf ael went f r om ent er t ai nment t o
ent er t ai nment , f r om pr esent at i on t o pr esent at i on, and wher ever he
or hi s mot her went cour t was pai d t o t hem.
I n al l t hi s t he l adi es of t he f ami l y wer e even mor e act i ve t han
t hei r l or ds; and t hey had not been i n t he t own many days bef or e
ever y one knew t hat t hey wer e t o be t he r age.
Ther e ar e some peopl e who al ways wi l l hol d al oof . They ar e as
i r r esponsi ve as a soot y ket t l e when you st r i ke i t . They ar e l i ke
peevi sh chi l dr en who say " I won' t , " or sur l y ol d dogs who gr owl at
ever y one. But HE was so exceedi ngl y geni al , a capi t al f el l ow wi t h
t he hi ghest spi r i t s. He had l ooks as wel l ; he was si x f eet hi gh;
and al l t hose si x f eet wer e cl ot hed i n per f ect t ast e. He had l ar ge
f l ashi ng eyes and a br oad f or ehead. He was pr act i sed i n maki ng
cl ear t o ot her s al l i n whi ch he was i nt er est ed, and at such t i mes
how handsome he l ooked! He was a t hor ough man of t he wor l d, abl e
t o conver se i n sever al l anguages at t he cosmopol i t an di nner s whi ch
wer e a speci al i t y of t he Ravns. He was t he owner of one of t he f ew
ext ensi ve est at es i n Nor way, and had t he cont r ol , i t was sai d, of
a consi der abl e f or t une besi des.
The hal f of t hi s woul d have been enough t o set al l t ongues
waggi ng; t her ef or e, f i r st t he f ami l y, t hen t hei r f r i ends, t hen t he
whol e t own f et ed hi m. He was a ni ne days' wonder ! One must know
t he cr i t i cal , uni magi nat i ve nat i ves of Chr i st i ani a, who dai l y pi ck
each ot her t o pi eces t o f i l l t he voi d i n t hei r exi st ences; one
must have admi r ed t hei r endl ess wor r yi ng of t hr eadbar e t opi cs t o
under st and what i t must be when t hey got hol d of a f r esh t heme.
Not hi ng whi ch f l i es bef or e t he st or m i s mor e danger ous t han deser t
sand, not hi ng can sur pass a Chr i st i ani a FUROR.
When i t became known t hat t wo of hi s r el at i ons who wer e conver sant
wi t h t he subj ect , t oget her wi t h a di st i ngui shed geol ogi st and a
super i nt endent of mi nes, had been down t o Hel l eber gene wi t h
Raf ael , and had f ound t hat hi s st at ement s wer e wel l gr ounded, he
was capt ur ed and bor ne of f i n t r i umph t went y t i mes a day. I t was
t r yi ng wor k, but HE was al ways i n t he vei n, and r eady t o t ake t he
r ough wi t h t he smoot h. I n al l r espect s t he young madcap was up t o
t he st andar d, so t hat day and ni ght passed i n a ceasel ess whi r l ,
whi ch l ef t ever y one but hi msel f br eat hl ess. The gl or i ous mont h at
Hel l eber gene had done good. He was dr awn i nt o endl ess j ovi al
advent ur es, so st r ange, so audaci ous, t hat one woul d have st aked
one' s exi st ence t hat such t hi ngs wer e i mpossi bl e i n Chr i st i ani a.
But gr eat dr yness beget s t hi r st . He was i n t he humour of a boy who
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has got possessi on of a j am- pot , whose mout h, nose, and hands ar e
al l besmi r ched. I t i s t hus t hat l adi es l i ke chi l dr en best ; t hen
t hey ar e t he sweet est t hi ngs i n t he wor l d.
Li ke a t al l , f ul l - gr own mount ai n- ash cover ed by a f l ock of
st ar l i ngs, he was t he cent r e of a f l ut t er i ng cr owd. I t onl y
r emai ned f or hi mt o be dei f i ed, and t hi s t oo came t o pass. One day
he vi si t ed sever al f act or i es, gi vi ng a hi nt her e, anot her t her e
( he had gr eat pr act i cal knowl edge and a qui ck eye) and ever y hi nt
was of val ue.
At l ast i n a f act or y of somet hi ng t he same descr i pt i on as t he one
i n Fr ance wher e he had been t he means of economi si ng hal f t he
mot i ve power , he suggest ed a si mi l ar pl an; he saw on t he spot how
i t coul d be ef f ect ed. Thi s became t he subj ect of much
conver sat i on. I t gr ew and gr ew, i t r ose l i ke t he sea af t er days of
west er l y gal es. Thi s new geni us, but l i t t l e over t went y, woul d
sur el y some day be t he wonder of t he count r y. I t soon became t he
f ashi on f or ever y manuf act ur er t o i nvi t e hi mt o vi si t hi s f act or y,
and i t was onl y af t er t hey wer e convi nced t hat t hey had a god
among t hem t hat i t became ser i ous, f or ent husi asm i n a
manuf act ur er st r i kes ever y one. The l adi es onl y wai t ed f or t hi s
i mpor t ant moment t o go at a bound f r om t he l owest degr ee of sense
t o t he f i f t h degr ee of madness. Thei r eyes danced on hi ml i ke
sunl i ght on pol i shed met al . He hi msel f pai d l i t t l e heed t o degr ee
or t emper at ur e; he was t oo happy i n hi s geni al cont ent ment , and
t oo i ndi f f er ent as wel l . One t hi ng whi ch gr eat l y hel ped t o br i ng
hi mt o t he r i ght pi t ch was t he f ami l y t emper ament , f or i t was so
l i ke hi s own. He was a Ravn t hr ough and t hr ough, wi t h per haps a
l i t t l e gr ai n of Kaas added. He was what t hey cal l ed pur e Ravn,
qui t e unal l oyed. He seemed t o t hem t o have come st r ai ght f r om t he
f ount ai n- head of t hei r r ace, endowed wi t h i t s pr i mi t i ve st r engt h.
Thi s st r ong physi cal at t r i but e had per haps made hi s abi l i t i es mor e
f er t i l e, but t he f ami l y cl ai med t he abi l i t i es, t oo, as t hei r own.
Thr ough Hans Ravn, Raf ael had l ear ned t o val ue t he compani onshi p
of hi s r el at i ons; now he had i t i n per f ect i on. For ever y wor d t hat
he sai d appr eci at i ve l aught er was r eady- - i t r eal l y spar kl ed r ound
hi m. When he di sagr eed wi t h pr evai l i ng t ast es, pr ej udi ces, and
mor al s, t hey di sagr eed t oo. When hi s pr ecoci ous i nt el l i gence bur st
upon t hem, t hey wer e al ways r eady t o appl aud. They even met hi m
hal f - way- - t hey coul d f or esee t he di r ect i on of hi s t hought s. As he
was young i n year s and di sposi t i on, and at t he same t i me knew mor e
t han most young peopl e, he sui t ed bot h ol d and young. Ah! how he
pr osper ed i n Nor way!
Hi s mot her went wi t h hi mever ywher e. Her l i f e had at one t i me
appear ed t o her r el at i ons t o be most obj ect l ess, but how much she
had made of i t ! They r espect ed her per sever i ng ef f or t s t o at t ai n
t he goal , and she became awar e of t hi s. I n t he most el egant
t oi l et t es, wi t h her di scr eet manner and di st i ngui shed depor t ment ,
she was hur r i ed f r om par t y t o par t y, f r om excur si on t o excur si on,
unt i l i t became t oo much f or her .
I t went t oo f ar , t oo; her t ast e was of f ended by i t ; she gr ew
f r i ght ened. But t he t r ai n of di ssi pat i on went on wi t hout her , l i ke
a st r i ng of car r i ages whi ch bor e hi mal ong wi t h i t whi l e she was
shaken of f . Her eyes f ol l owed t he cl oud of dust f ar away, and t he
r ol l of t he wheel s echoed back t o her .
Hel ene- - how about Hel ene? Was she t oo out i n t he col d? Far f r om
i t . Raf ael was as cer t ai n t hat she was wi t h hi mas t hat hi s gol d
wat ch was next hi s hear t . The ver y f i r st day t hat he ar r i ved he
wr ot e a l et t er t o her . I t was not l ong, he had not t i me f or t hat ,
but i t was t hor oughl y char act er i st i c. He r ecei ved an answer at
once; t he host ess of t he pensi on br ought i t t o hi mher sel f . He was
so i mmensel y del i ght ed t hat t he l ady, who was r el at ed t o t he Dean
and who had not i ced t he post mar k, di vi ned t he whol e af f ai r - - a
t hi ng whi ch amused hi mgr eat l y.
But Hel ene' s l et t er was evasi ve; she evi dent l y knew hi mt oo l i t t l e
t o dar e t o speak out .
He never f ound t i me t o dr aw t he host ess i nt o conver sat i on on t he
subj ect , however . He came home l at e, he got up l at e, and t hen
t her e wer e al ways f r i ends wai t i ng f or hi m; so t hat he was not seen
i n t he pensi on agai n unt i l he r et ur ned t o dr ess f or di nner , dur i ng
whi ch t i me t he car r i age wai t ed at t he door , f or he never got home
t i l l t he l ast moment .
When coul d he wr i t e? I t woul d soon al l be done wi t h, and t hen home
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t o Hel ene!
The busi ness r espect i ng t he cement det ai ned hi ml onger t han he had
ant i ci pat ed. Hi s mot her made compl i cat i ons; not t hat she opposed
t he f or mat i on of a company, but she r ai sed many di f f i cul t i es: she
shoul d cer t ai nl y pr ef er t o have t he whol e af f ai r post poned. He had
no t i me t o t al k her r ound, besi des, she i r r i t at ed hi m. He t ol d i t
t o t he host ess.
A cur i ous bei ng, t hi s host ess, who di r ect ed t he pensi on, t he
busi ness of t he i nmat es, and a number of chi l dr en, wi t hout
appar ent ef f or t . She was a wi dow; t wo of her chi l dr en wer e near l y
t went y, but she l ooked scar cel y t hi r t y. Tal l , dar k, cl ever , wi t h
eyes l i ke gl owi ng coal s; deci ded, r eady i n conver sat i on as i n
busi ness, l i ke an of f i cer l ong used t o command, al ways t r ust ed,
al ways obeyed; one yi el ded onesel f i nvol unt ar i l y t o her mat t er - of -
cour se way of ar r angi ng ever yt hi ng, and she was obl i gi ng, even
sel f - sacr i f i ci ng, t o t hose she l i ked- - i t was t r ue t hat t hat was
not ever ybody. Thi s absence of r eser ve was especi al l y
char act er i st i c of her , and was anot her r eason why al l r el i ed on
her . She had l ong ago t aken up Fr u Kaas- - ent er t ai ned her f i r st and
f or emost . Angel i ka Nagel used i n conver sat i on moder n Chr i st i ani a
sl ang whi ch i s t he l at est devel opment of t he l anguage. I n t he
choi ce of expr essi ons, wor ds such as hi deous wer e appl i ed t o what
was t he ver y opposi t e of hi deous, such as " hi deousl y amusi ng, "
" hi deousl y handsome. " " Snappi ng" t o anyt hi ng t hat was l i qui d, as
" snappi ng good punch. " One di d not say " PRETTY" but " qui t e t oo
pr et t y" or " hugel y pr et t y. " On t he ot her hand, one di d not say
" bad" f or anyt hi ng ser i ous, but wi t h comi cal moder at i on " baddi sh. "
Anyt hi ng t hat t her e was much of went by mi l es; f or i nst ance,
" mi l es of vi r t ue. " Thi s sl i pshod st yl e of t al k, whi ch t he i dl er s
of l ar ge t owns af f ect , had j ust become t he f ashi on i n Chr i st i ani a.
Al l t hi s seemed new and char act er i st i c t o t he car el ess emanci pat ed
par t y whi ch had ar i sen as a pr ot est agai nst t he pr uder y whi ch Fr u
Kaas, i n her t i me, had combat ed. The t ype t her ef or e amused her : - -
she st udi ed i t .
Angel i ka Nagel r el i eved her of al l her busi ness car es, whi ch wer e
onl y pl ay t o her . I t was t he same t hi ng wi t h t he quest i on of t he
cement under t aki ng. I n an appar ent l y car el ess manner she l et dr op
what had been sai d and done about i t , whi ch had i t s ef f ect on Fr u
Kaas. Soon t hi ngs had pr ogr essed so f ar t hat i t became necessar y
t o consul t Raf ael about i t , and as he was di f f i cul t t o cat ch, she
sat up f or hi mat ni ght . The f i r st t i me t hat she opened t he door
f or hi mhe was absol ut el y shy, and when he hear d what she want ed
hi mf or he was above measur e gr at ef ul . The next t i me he ki ssed
her ! She l aughed and r an away wi t hout speaki ng t o hi m- - t hat was
al l he got f or hi s pai ns. But he had hel d her i n hi s ar ms, and he
gl owed wi t h a suddenl y awakened passi on.
She, i n t he meant i me, kept out of hi s way, even dur i ng t he day he
never saw her unl ess he sought her . But when he l east expect ed i t
she agai n met hi mat t he door ; t her e was somet hi ng whi ch she
r eal l y MUST say t o hi m. Ther e was a st r uggl e, but at l ast she
t wi st ed her sel f away f r om hi mand di sappear ed. He whi sper ed af t er
her as l oud as he dar ed, " Then I shal l go away! "
But whi l e he was undr essi ng she sl i pped i nt o hi s r oom.
The next day, bef or e he was qui t e awake, t he post man br ought hi m
t he war r ant f or a post - of f i ce or der f or f i f t een t housand f r ancs.
He t hought t hat t her e must be a mi st ake i n t he name, or el se t hat
i t was a commi ssi on t hat had been ent r ust ed t o hi m. No! i t was
f r om t he Fr ench manuf act ur er whose wor ki ng expenses he had r educed
so gr eat l y. He per mi t t ed hi msel f , he wr ot e, t o send t hi s as a
modest honor ar i um. He had not been abl e t o do so sooner , but now
hoped t hat i t woul d not end t her e. He awai t ed Raf ael ' s
acknowl edgment wi t h gr eat anxi et y, as he was not sur e of hi s
addr ess.
Raf ael was up and dr essed i n a t r i ce. He t ol d hi s news t o ever y
one, r an down t o hi s mot her and up agai n; but he had not been a
moment al one bef or e t he super abundance of happi ness and sense of
vi ct or y f r i ght ened hi m. Now t her e must be an end of al l t hi s, now
he woul d go home. He had not had t he sl i ght est pr i cki ngs of
consci ence, t he sl i ght est l ongi ngs, unt i l now; al l at once t hey
wer e uncont r ol l abl e. SHE st ood upon t he hi l l t op, pur e and nobl e.
I t became agoni si ng. He must go at once, or i t woul d dr i ve hi m
mad. Thi s anxi et y was made l ess acut e by t he si ght of hi s mot her ' s
si ncer e pl easur e. She came up t o hi mwhen she hear d t hat he had
shut hi msel f i nt o hi s r oom. They had a r eal l y comf or t abl e t al k
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t oget her - - f i nal l y about t he st at e of t hei r f i nances. They l i ved i n
t he pensi on because t hey coul d no l onger af f or d t o l i ve i n an
hot el . The est at e woul d br i ng not hi ng i n unt i l t he t i mber once
mor e became pr of i t abl e, and her capi t al was no l onger i nt act - -
not wi t hst andi ng t he pr ohi bi t i on. Now she was r eady t o l et hi m
ar r ange about t he cement company. On t hi s he went out i nt o t he
t own, wher e hi s cour t soon gat her ed r ound hi m.
But t he l ar ge sumof money whi ch was r equi r ed coul d not be r ai sed
i n a day, so t he af f ai r dr agged on. He gr ew i mpat i ent , he must and
woul d go; and f i nal l y hi s mot her i nduced her cousi n, t he
Gover nment Secr et ar y, t o f or m t he company, and t hey pr epar ed t o
l eave. They pai d f ar ewel l vi si t s t o some of t hei r f r i ends, and
sent car ds and messages of t hanks t o t he r est . Ever yt hi ng was
r eady, t he ver y day had come, when Raf ael , bef or e he was up,
r ecei ved a l et t er f r om t he Dean.
An anonymous l et t er f r om Chr i st i ani a, he wr ot e, had dr awn hi s
at t ent i on t o Raf ael ' s manner of l i f e t her e, and he had i n
consequence obt ai ned f ur t her i nf or mat i on, t he r esul t bei ng t hat he
was, t hat day, sendi ng hi s daught er abr oad. Ther e was not hi ng mor e
i n t he l et t er . But Raf ael coul d guess what had passed bet ween
f at her and daught er .
He dr essed hi msel f and r ushed down t o hi s mot her . Hi s i ndi gnat i on
agai nst t he r ascal l y cr eat ur es who had r ui ned hi s and Hel ene' s
f ut ur e- - " Who coul d i t have been?" - - was equal l ed by hi s despai r .
She was t he onl y one he car ed f or ; al l t he ot her s mi ght go t o t he
deuce. He f el t angr y, t oo, t hat t he Dean, or any one el se, shoul d
have dar ed t o t r eat hi mi n t hi s way, t o di smi ss hi ml i ke a
ser vant , not t o speak t o hi m, not t o put hi mi n a posi t i on t o
speak f or hi msel f .
Hi s mot her had r ead t he l et t er cal ml y, and now she l i st ened t o hi m
cal ml y, and when he became st i l l mor e f ur i ous she bur st out
l aughi ng. I t was not t hei r habi t t o set t l e t hei r di f f er ences by
wor ds; but t hi s t i me i t f l ashed i nt o hi s mi nd t hat she had not
per suaded hi mt o come her e mer el y on account of t he cement , but i n
or der t o separ at e hi mf r om Hel ene, and t hi s he sai d t o her .
" Yes, " he added, " now i t wi l l be j ust t he same wi t h me as i t was
wi t h my f at her , and i t wi l l be your f aul t t hi s t i me as wel l . " Wi t h
t hi s he went out .
Fr u Kaas l ef t Chr i st i ani a shor t l y af t er war ds, and he l ef t t he same
eveni ng- - f or Fr ance.
Fr om Fr ance he wr ot e t he most pr essi ng l et t er t o t he Dean, beggi ng
hi mt o al l ow Hel ene t o r et ur n home, so t hat t hey coul d be mar r i ed
at once. What ever t he Dean had hear d about hi s l i f e i n Chr i st i ani a
had not hi ng t o do wi t h t he f eel i ngs whi ch he nour i shed f or Hel ene.
She, and she al one, had t he power t o bi nd hi m; he woul d r emai n
her s f or l i f e.
The Dean di d not answer hi m.
A mont h l at er he wr ot e agai n, acknowl edgi ng t hi s t i me t hat he had
behaved f ool i shl y. He had been mer el y t hought l ess. He had been l ed
on by ot her t hi ngs. The det ai l s wer e decept i ve, but he swor e t hat
t hi s shoul d be t he end of i t al l . He woul d show t hat he deser ved
t o be t r ust ed; nay, he HAD shown i t ever si nce he l ef t
Chr i st i ani a. He begged t he Dean t o be magnani mous. Thi s was
pr act i cal l y exi l e f or hi m, f or he coul d not r et ur n t o Hel l eber gene
wi t hout Hel ene. Ever yt hi ng whi ch he l oved t her e had become
consecr at ed by her pr esence; ever y pr oj ect whi ch he had f or med
t hey had pl anned t oget her ; i n f act , hi s whol e f ut ur e- - He f r et t ed
and pi ned t i l l he f ound i t i mpossi bl e t o wor k as ser i ousl y as he
wi shed t o do.
Thi s t i me he r ecei ved an answer - - a br i ef one.
The Dean wr ot e t hat onl y a l engt hened pr obat i on coul d convi nce
t hem of t he si ncer i t y of hi s pur pose.
So i t was not t o be home, t hen, and not wor k; at al l event s, not
wor k of any val ue. He knew hi s mot her t oo wel l t o doubt t hat now
t he cement busi ness was shel ved, whet her t he company wer e f or med
or not - - he was onl y t oo sur e of t hat .
He had wr i t t en t o hi s mot her , beggi ng ear nest l y t o be f or gi ven f or
what he had sai d. She must know t hat i t was onl y t he heat of t he
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moment . She must know how f ond he was of her , and how unhappy he
f el t at bei ng i n di scor d wi t h her on t he subj ect whi ch was, and
al ways woul d be, most dear t o hi m.
She answer ed hi mpr et t i l y and at some l engt h, wi t hout a wor d about
what had happened or about Hel ene. She gave hi ma gr eat deal of
news, among ot her t hi ngs what t he Dean i nt ended t o do about t he
est at e.
Fr om t hi s he concl uded t hat she was on t he same t er ms wi t h t he
Dean as bef or e. Per haps hi s l at est r easons f or def er r i ng t he
af f ai r was pr eci sel y t hi s: t hat he saw t hat Fr u Kaas di d not
i nt er est her sel f f or i t .
I t wor e on t owar ds t he aut umn. Al l t hi s uncer t ai nt y made hi mf eel
l onel y, and hi s t hought s t ur ned t owar ds hi s f r i ends at
Chr i st i ani a. He wr ot e t o t el l t hem t hat he i nt ended t o make
t owar ds home. He meant , however , t o r emai n a l i t t l e t i me at
Copenhagen.
At Copenhagen he met Angel i ka Nagel agai n. She was i n company wi t h
t wo of hi s st udent f r i ends. She was i n t he hi ghest spi r i t s,
gl owi ng wi t h heal t h and beaut y, and wi t h t hat j aunt y assur ance
whi ch t ur ns t he heads of young men.
He had, dur i ng al l t hi s t i me, bani shed t he subj ect of hi s i nt r i gue
f r om hi s mi nd, and he came t her e wi t hout t he l east i nt ent i on of
r enewi ng i t ; but now, f or t he f i r st t i me i n hi s l i f e, he became
j eal ous!
I t was qui t e a novel f eel i ng, and he was not pr epar ed t o r esi st
i t . He gr ew j eal ous i f he so much as saw her i n company wi t h
ei t her of t he young men. She had a hear t y out spoken manner , whi ch
r eki ndl ed hi s f or mer passi on.
Now a new phase of hi s l i f e began, di vi ded bet ween f ur i ous
j eal ousy and passi onat e devot i on. Thi s l ed, af t er her depar t ur e,
t o an i nt er change of l et t er s, whi ch ended i n hi s f ol l owi ng her t o
Chr i st i ani a.
On boar d t he st eamer he over hear d a conver sat i on bet ween t he
st ewar d and st ewar dess. " She sat up f or hi mof ni ght s t i l l she got
what she want ed, and now she has got hol d of hi m. "
I t was possi bl e t hat t hi s conver sat i on di d not concer n hi m, but i t
was equal l y possi bl e t hat t he woman mi ght have been i n t he
pensi on at Chr i st i ani a. He di d not know her .
I t i s st r ange t hat i n al l such i nt r i gues as hi s wi t h Angel i ka t he
per sons concer ned ar e al ways convi nced t hat t hey ar e i nvi si bl e. He
bel i eved t hat , up t o t hi s t i me, no human bei ng had known anyt hi ng
about i t . The mer est suspi ci on t hat t hi s was not t he case made i t
al t oget her l oat hsome.
The pensi on- - Angel i ka- - t he l et t er s. He woul d be hanged i f he
woul d go on wi t h i t f or any ear t hl y i nducement . Had Angel i ka
angl ed f or hi mand l anded hi ml i ke a st upi d f at f i sh? He had been
absol ut el y unsuspi ci ous. The whol e af f ai r had been wi t hout
i mpor t ance, unt i l t hey met agai n at Copenhagen. Per haps THAT, t oo,
had been a deep- l ai d pl an.
Not hi ng can mor e wound a man' s vani t y t han t o f i nd t hat , bel i evi ng
hi msel f a vi ct or , he i s i n t r ut h a capt i ve.
Raf ael paced t he deck hal f t he ni ght , and when he r eached
Chr i st i ani a went t o an hot el , i nt endi ng t o go home t he next day t o
Hel l eber gene, come what woul d. Thi s and ever yt hi ng of t he ki nd
must end f or ever : i t si mpl y l ed st r ai ght t o t he devi l . When once
he was at home, and coul d f i nd out wher e Hel ene was, t he r est
woul d soon be set t l ed.
Fr om t he hot el he went up t o Angel i ka Nagel ' s pensi on t o say t hat
some l uggage whi ch was t her e was t o be sent down t o t he hot el at
once- - he was l eavi ng t hat af t er noon.
He had di ned and gone up t o hi s r oom t o pack, when Angel i ka st ood
bef or e hi m. She was at once so pr et t y and so sad- l ooki ng t hat he
had never seen anyt hi ng mor e pat het i c.
Had he r eal l y kept away f r om her house? Was he goi ng at once?
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She wept so despai r i ngl y t hat he, who was pr epar ed f or anyt hi ng
r at her t han t o see her so i nconsol abl e, answer ed her evasi vel y.
Thei r r el at i ons, he sai d, had had no mor e si gni f i cance t han a
chance meet i ng. Thi s t hey bot h under st ood; t her ef or e she must
r eal i se t hat , sooner or l at er , i t must end. And now t he t i me was
come.
I ndeed, i t had mor e si gni f i cance, she sai d. Ther e had never been
any one t o whom she had been so much at t ached; t hi s she had pr oved
t o hi m. Now she had come her e t o t el l hi mt hat she was encei nt e.
She was i n as gr eat despai r about i t as any one coul d be. I t was
r ui n f or her sel f and her chi l dr en. She had never cont empl at ed
anyt hi ng so f r i ght f ul , but her mad l ove had car r i ed her away; so
now she was wher e she deser ved t o be.
Raf ael di d not answer , f or he coul d not col l ect hi s t hought s. She
sat at a t abl e, her f ace bur i ed i n her hands, but hi s eye f el l on
her st r ong ar ms i n t he cl ose- f i t t i ng sl eeves, her l i t t l e f oot
t hr ust f r om beneat h her dr ess; he saw how her whol e f r ame was
shaken by sobs. Never t hel ess, what f i r st made hi mcol l ect hi s
t hought s was not sympat hy wi t h her who was her e bef or e hi m; i t was
t he t hought of Hel ene, of t he Dean, of hi s mot her : what woul d THEY
say?
As t hough she wer e consci ous whi t her hi s t hought s had f l own, she
r ai sed her head. " Wi l l you r eal l y go away f r om me?" What despai r
was i n her f ace! The st r ong woman was weaker t han a chi l d.
He st ood er ect bef or e her , besi de hi s open t r unk. He, t oo, was
absol ut el y mi ser abl e.
" What good wi l l i t do f or me t o st ay her e?" he asked gent l y.
Her eyes f i xed t hemsel ves on hi m, di l at i ng, becomi ng cl ear er ever y
moment . Her mout h gr ew scor nf ul . She seemed t o gr ow t al l er ever y
moment .
" You wi l l mar r y me i f you ar e an honour abl e man! "
" Mar r y- - you?" he excl ai med, f i r st st ar t l ed, t hen di sdai nf ul . An
evi l expr essi on came i nt o her eyes; she t hr ust her head f or war d;
t he whol e woman col l ect ed her sel f f or t he at t ack l i ke a t i ger - cat ,
but i t ended wi t h a vi ol ent bl ow on t he t abl e.
" Yes you SHALL, devi l t ake me! " she whi sper ed.
She r ushed past hi mt o t he wi ndow. What was she goi ng t o do?
She opened i t , scr eamed out he coul d not cl ear l y hear what , l eant
f ar out , and scr eamed agai n; t hen cl osed i t , and t ur ned t owar ds
hi m, t hr eat eni ng, t r i umphant . He was as whi t e as a sheet , not
because he was f r i ght ened or dr eaded her t hr eat s, but because he
r ecogni sed i n her a mor t al enemy. He br aced hi msel f f or t he
st r uggl e.
She saw t hi s at once. She was consci ous of hi s st r engt h bef or e he
had made a movement . Ther e was t hat i n hi s eye, i n hi s whol e
demeanour , whi ch SHE woul d never be abl e t o over come: a l ook of
det er mi nat i on whi ch one woul d not wi l l i ngl y cont est . I f he had not
under st ood her t i l l now, he had equal l y r eveal ed hi msel f t o her .
Al l t he mor e wi l dl y di d she l ove hi m. He r ej oi ced t hat he had
t aken no not i ce of what she had done, but t ur ned t o put t he l ast
t hi ngs i nt o hi s t r unk and f ast en i t . Then she came cl ose up t o
hi m, i n mor e compl et e cont r i t i on, peni t ence, and wr et chedness t han
he had ever seen i n l i f e or ar t . Her f ace st i f f ened wi t h t er r or ,
her eyes f i xed, her whol e f r ame r i gi d, onl y her t ear s f l owed
qui et l y, wi t hout a sob. She must and woul d have hi m. She seemed t o
dr aw hi mt o her sel f as i nt o a vor t ex: her l ove had become t he
necessi t y of her l i f e, i t s ut t er ances t he wi l d cr y of despai r .
He under st ood i t now. But he put t he t hi ngs i nt o hi s t r unk and
f ast ened i t , t ook a f ew st eps about t he r oom, as i f he wer e al one,
wi t h such an expr essi on of f ace t hat she her sel f saw t hat t he
t hi ng was i mpossi bl e.
" Do you not bel i eve, " she sai d qui et l y, " t hat I woul d r el i eve you
of al l car es, so t hat you coul d go on wi t h your own wor k? Have you
not seen t hat I can manage your mot her ?" She paused a moment , t hen
added: " Hel l eber gene- - I know t he pl ace. The Dean i s a r el at i on of
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mi ne. I have been t her e; t hat woul d be somet hi ng t hat I coul d t ake
char ge of ; do you not t hi nk so? And t he cement quar r i es, " she
added; " I have a t ur n f or busi ness: i t shoul d be no t r oubl e t o
you. " She sai d t hi s i n an under t one. She had a sl i ght l i sp, whi ch
gave her an ai r of hel pl essness. " Don' t go away, t o- day, at any
r at e. Thi nk i t over , " she added, weepi ng bi t t er l y agai n.
He f el t t hat he ought t o comf or t her .
She came t owar ds hi m, and t hr owi ng her ar ms r ound hi m, she cl ung
t o hi mi n her despai r and eager ness. " Don' t go, don' t go! " She
f el t t hat he was yi el di ng. " Never , " she whi sper ed, " si nce I have
been a wi dow have I gi ven mysel f t o any one but you; and so j udge
f or your sel f . " She l ai d her head on hi s shoul der and sobbed
bi t t er l y.
" I t has come upon me so suddenl y, " he sai d; " I cannot - - "
" Then t ake t i me, " she i nt er r upt ed i n a whi sper , and t ook a hast y
ki ss. " Oh, Raf ael ! " She t wi ned her ar ms r ound hi m: her t ouch
t hr i l l ed t hr ough hi m- -
Some one knocked at t he door : t hey st ar t ed away f r om each ot her .
I t was t he man who had come f or t he l uggage. Raf ael f l ushed
cr i mson. " I shal l not go t i l l t o- mor r ow, " he sai d.
When t he man had l ef t t he r oom Angel i ka spr ang t owar ds Raf ael . She
t hanked and ki ssed hi m. Oh, how she beamed wi t h del i ght and
exul t at i on! She was l i ke a gi r l of t went y, or r at her l i ke a young
man, f or t her e was somet hi ng mascul i ne i n her manner as she l ef t
hi m.
But t he l i ght and f i r e wer e no sooner wi t hdr awn t han hi s spi r i t s
f el l . A l i t t l e l at er he l ay at f ul l l engt h on t he sof a, as t hough
i n a gr ave. He f el t as t hough he coul d never get up f r om i t agai n.
What was hi s l i f e now? For t her e i s a dr eam i n ever y l i f e whi ch i s
i t s soul , and when t he dr eam i s gone t he l i f e appear s a cor pse.
Thi s, t hen, was t he f ul f i l ment of hi s f or ebodi ngs. Hi t her t he
r avens had f ol l owed t he wi l d beast whi ch dwel t i n hi m. I t woul d on
l onger pl ay and amuse hi m, but st r i ke i t s cl aws i nt o hi mi n
ear nest , over t hr ow hi m, and l ap hi s f r esh- spi l t bl ood.
But i t was none t he l ess cer t ai n t hat i f he l ef t her she woul d be
r ui ned, she and her chi l d. Then no one woul d consi der hi mas an
honour abl e man, l east of al l hi msel f .
Dur i ng hi s l ast soj our n i n Fr ance, when he coul d not set t l e down
t o a gr eat wor k whi ch was const ant l y dawni ng bef or e hi m, he had
t hought t o hi msel f - - You have t aken l i f e t oo l i ght l y. Not hi ng gr eat
ever comes t o hi mwho does so.
Now, per haps, when he di d hi s dut y her e; t ook upon hi msel f t he
bur den of hi s f aul t t owar ds her , hi msel f , and ot her s- - and bor e i t
l i ke a man; t hen per haps he woul d be abl e t o ut i l i se al l hi s
power s. That was what hi s mot her had done, and she had succeeded.
But wi t h t he t hought of hi s mot her came t he t hought of Hel ene, of
hi s dr eam. I t was f l yi ng f r om hi ml i ke a bi r d of passage f r om t he
aut umn. He l ay t her e and f el t as t hough he coul d never get up
agai n.
Fr om ami d t he t ur moi l of t he l ast summer t her e came t o hi s
r ecol l ect i on t wo i ndi vi dual s, i n whom he r eposed ent i r e
conf i dence: a young man and hi s wi f e. He went t o see t hem t he same
eveni ng and l ai d t he f act s honest l y bef or e t hem, f or now, at al l
event s, he was honest . The concl usi ve pr oof of bei ng so i s t o be
abl e t o t el l ever yt hi ng about onesel f as he di d now.
They hear d hi mwi t h di smay, but t hei r advi ce was r emar kabl e. He
ought t o wai t and see i f she wer e encei nt e.
Thi s ar oused hi s spi r i t of cont r adi ct i on. Ther e was no doubt about
i t , f or she was per f ect l y t r ut hf ul . But she mi ght be mi st aken; she
ought t o make qui t e sur e. Thi s suggest i on, t oo, shocked hi m; but
he agr eed t hat she shoul d come and t al k t hi ngs over wi t h t hem.
They knew her .
She came t he next day. They sai d t o her , what t hey coul d not ver y
wel l say t o Raf ael , t hat she woul d r ui n hi m. The wi f e especi al l y
di d not spar e her . A hi ghl y gi f t ed young man l i ke Raf ael Kaas,
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wi t h such excel l ent pr ospect s i n ever y way, must not , when l i t t l e
mor e t han t went y, bur den hi msel f wi t h a mi ddl e- aged wi f e and a
number of chi l dr en. He was f ar f r om r i ch, he had t ol d her so
hi msel f ; hi s l i f e woul d be t hat of a beast of bur den, and t hat
t oo, bef or e he had l ear ned t o bear t he yoke. I f he had t o wor k, t o
f eed so many peopl e, he mi ght st r ai n hi msel f t o t he ut t er most , he
woul d st i l l r emai n medi ocr e. They woul d bot h suf f er under t hi s, be
di sappoi nt ed and di scont ent ed. He must not pay so heavy a pr i ce
f or an i ndi scr et i on f or whi ch she was t en t i mes mor e t o bl ame t han
he. What di d she i magi ne peopl e woul d say? He who was so popul ar ,
so sought af t er . They woul d f al l upon her l i ke r ooks at a r ooks'
par l i ament and pi ck her t o pi eces. They woul d, wi t hout except i on,
bel i eve t he wor st .
The husband asked her i f she wer e qui t e sur e t hat she was
encei nt e: she ought t o make qui t e cer t ai n.
Angel i ka Nazel r eddened, and answer ed, hal f scor nf ul , hal f
l aughi ng, t hat she ought t o know.
" Yes, " he r et or t ed, " many peopl e have sai d t hat - - who wer e
mi st aken. I f i t i s under st ood t hat you ar e t o be mar r i ed on
account of your condi t i on, and i t shoul d af t er war ds t ur n out t hat
you wer e mi st aken, what do you suppose t hat peopl e wi l l say? f or
of cour se i t wi l l get about . "
She r eddened agai n and spr ang t o her f eet . " They can say what t hey
pl ease. " Af t er a pause she added: " But God knows I do not wi sh t o
make hi munhappy. "
To conceal her emot i on she t ur ned away f r om t hem, but t he wi f e
woul d not gi ve up. She suggest ed t hat Angel i ka shoul d wr i t e t o
Raf ael wi t hout f ur t her del ay, t o set hi mf r ee and l et hi mr et ur n
home t o hi s mot her ; t her e t hey woul d be abl e t o ar r ange mat t er s.
Angel i ka was so capabl e t hat she coul d ear n a l i vi ng anywher e.
Raf ael t oo ought t o hel p her .
" I shal l wr i t e t o hi s mot her , " Angel i ka sai d. " She shal l know al l
about i t , so t hat she may under st and f or what he i s r esponsi bl e. "
Thi s t hey t hought r easonabl e, and Angel i ka sat down and wr ot e. She
f r equent l y showed agi t at i on, but she went on qui ckl y, st eadi l y,
sheet af t er sheet . J ust t hen came a r i ng- - a messenger wi t h a
l et t er . The mai d br ought i t i n. Her mi st r ess was about t o t ake i t ,
but i t was not f or her ; i t was f or Angel i ka- - t hey bot h r ecogni sed
Raf ael ' s car el ess handwr i t i ng.
Angel i ka opened i t - - gr ew cr i mson; f or he wr ot e t hat t he r esul t of
hi s most ser i ous consi der at i ons was, t hat nei t her she nor her
chi l dr en shoul d be i nj ur ed by hi m. He was an honour abl e man who
woul d bear hi s own r esponsi bi l i t i es, not l et ot her s be bur dened by
t hem.
Angel i ka handed t he l et t er t o her f r i end, t hen t or e up t he one
whi ch she had been wr i t i ng, and l ef t t he house.
Her f r i end st ood t hi nki ng t o her sel f - - The good t hat i s i n us must
go bai l f or t he evi l , so we must r est and be sat i sf i ed.
The di scover y whi ch she had made had of t en been made bef or e, but
i t was none t he l ess t r ue.
CHAPTER 5
The next day t hey wer e mar r i ed. That ni ght , l ong af t er hi s wi f e
had f al l en i nt o her usual heal t hy sl eep, Raf ael t hought
sor r owf ul l y of hi s l ost Par adi se. HE coul d not sl eep. As he l ay
t her e he seemed t o l ook out over a meadow, whi ch had no
spr i ngt i me, and t her ef or e no f l ower s. He r et r aced t he event s of
t he past day. Hi s woul d be a mar r ed l i f e whi ch had never known t he
sweet j oys of cour t shi p.
Angel i ka di d not shar e hi s bel i ef s. She was a st er n r eal i st , a
sneer i ng scept i c, i n t he most l i t er al sense a cyni c.
Her even br eat hi ng, her r egul ar f eat ur es, seemed t o answer hi m.
" Hey- dey, my boy, we shal l be mer r y f or a t housand year s! Bet t er
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sl eep now, you wi l l need sl eep i f you mean t o t r y whi ch of us i s
t he st r onger . "
The next day t hei r mar r i age was t he mar vel of t he t own and
nei ghbour hood.
" J ust l i ke hi s mot her ! " peopl e excl ai med; " what pr omi se t her e was
i n her ! She mi ght have chosen so as t o have been now i n one of t he
best posi t i ons i n t he count r y- - when, l o and behol d! she went and
made t he most i di ot i c mar r i age. The most i di ot i c? No, t he son' s i s
mor e i di ot i c st i l l . " And so on and so f or t h.
Most peopl e seem nat ur al l y i mpel l ed t o exal t t he her o of t he hour
hi gher t han t hey t hemsel ves i nt end, and when a r eact i on comes, t o
decr y hi mi n an equal degr ee. Few peopl e see wi t h t hei r own eyes,
and on speci al occasi ons even magni f yi ng or di mi ni shi ng gl asses
ar e cal l ed i nt o pl ay wi t h most amusi ng r esul t s.
" Raf ael Kaas a handsome f el l ow?- - wel l , yes, but t oo bi g, t oo f ai r ,
no r epose, al t oget her t oo r est l ess. Ri ch? He? He has not a st i ver !
The savi ngs eat en up l ong ago, not hi ng comi ng i n, t hey have been
encr oachi ng on t hei r capi t al f or some t i me; and t he beds of cement
st one- - who t he deuce woul d j oi n wi t h hi mi n any l ar ge under t aki ng?
They t al k about hi s gi f t s, hi s geni us even; but I S he ver y hi ghl y
gi f t ed? I s i t anyt hi ng mor e t han what he has acqui r ed? The savi ng
of mot i ve power at t he f act or y? Was t hat anyt hi ng mor e t han a mer e
r epet i t i on of what he had done bef or e?- - and t hat , of cour se, onl y
what he had seen el sewher e. "
J ust t he same wi t h t he hi nt s whi ch he had gi ven. " Mer el y cl ose
per sonal obser vat i on; f or i t must be admi t t ed t hat he had mor e of
t hat t han most peopl e; but as f or i ngenui t y! Wel l , he coul d make
out a good case f or hi msel f , but t hat was about t he ext ent of hi s
i ngenui t y. "
" Hi s ear l i er ar t i cl es, as wel l as t hose whi ch had r ecent l y
appear ed on t he use of el ect r i ci t y i n baki ng and t anni ng- - coul d
you cal l t hose di scover i es? Let us see what he wi l l i nvent now
t hat he has come home, and cannot get i deas f r om r eadi ng and f r om
seei ng peopl e. "
Raf ael not i ced t hi s change- - f i r st among t he l adi es, who al l seemed
t o have been suddenl y bl own away, wi t h a f ew except i ons, who di d
not r espect a mar r i age l i ke hi s, and who woul d not gi ve i n.
Hi s r el at i ons, al so, hel d somewhat al oof . " I t was not t hus t hat he
showed hi msel f a t r ue Ravn. He was so i n t emper ament and
di sposi t i on, per haps, but i t was j ust hi s def ect t hat he was onl y
a hal f - br eed. "
The change of f r ont was compl et e: he not i ced i t on al l hands. But
he was man enough, and had suf f i ci ent obst i nacy as wel l , t o l et
hi msel f be ur ged on by t hi s t o har d wor k, and i n hi s wi f e t her e
was st i l l mor e of t he same f eel i ng.
He had a sense of el evat i on i n havi ng done hi s dut y, and as l ong
as t hi s t ensi on l ast ed i t kept hi mup t o t he mar k. On t he day of
hi s mar r i age ( f r om ear l y i n t he mor ni ng unt i l t he t i me when t he
cer emony t ook pl ace) he empl oyed hi msel f i n wr i t i ng t o hi s mot her ;
a wonder f ul , a sol emn l et t er i n t he si ght of t he Al l - Knowi ng, - - t he
cr y of a t or t ur ed soul i n ut most per i l .
I t depended on hi s mot her whet her she woul d r ecei ve t hem and l et
t hei r l i f e become al l t hat was now possi bl e. Angel i ka- - t hei r
busi ness, manager , housekeeper , chi ef . He- - devot ed t o hi s
exper i ment s. She- - t he t ender mot her , t he gui de of bot h.
I t seemed t o hi mt hat t hei r f ut ur e depended on t hi s l et t er and t he
answer t o i t , and he wr ot e i n t hat spi r i t . Never had he so f ul l y
depi ct ed hi msel f , so f ul l y sear ched hi s own hear t .
I t was t he out come of what he had l i ved t hr ough dur i ng t hese l ast
f ew days, t he mel l owi ng i nf l uence of hi s st r uggl es dur i ng t he
ni ght wat ches. Not hi ng coul d have been mor e candi d.
He was pai ned t hat he di d not r ecei ve an answer at once, al t hough
he r eal i sed what a bl ow i t woul d be t o her . He under st ood t hat , t o
begi n wi t h, i t woul d dest r oy al l her dr eams, as i t had al r eady
dest r oyed. But he r el i ed on her opt i mi st i c nat ur e, whi ch he had
never known sur passed, and on t he dept h of her pur pose i n al l t hat
she under t ook. He knew t hat she dr ew st r engt h and r esol ut i on f r om
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al l t hat was deepest i n t hei r common l i f e.
Ther ef or e he gave her t i me, not wi t hst andi ng Angel i ka' s
r est l essness, whi ch coul d har dl y be cont r ol l ed. She even began t o
sneer ; but t her e was somet hi ng hol y i n hi s ant i ci pat i on: her wor ds
f el l unheeded.
When on t he t hi r d day he had r ecei ved no l et t er , he t el egr aphed,
mer el y t hese wor ds: " Mot her , send me an answer . " The wi r es had
never car r i ed anyt hi ng mor e f r aught wi t h unspoken gr i ef .
He coul d not r et ur n home. He r emai ned al one out si de t he t own unt i l
t he eveni ng, by whi ch t i me t he answer mi ght wel l have ar r i ved. I t
was t her e.
" My bel oved son, YOU ar e al ways wel come; most of al l when you ar e
unhappy! " The wor d YOU was under l i ned. He gr ew deadl y pal e, and
went sl owl y i nt o hi s own r oom. Ther e Angel i ka l et hi mr emai n f or a
whi l e i n peace, t hen came i n and l i t t he l amp. He coul d see t hat
she was much agi t at ed, and t hat ever y now and t hen she cast hast y
gl ances at hi m.
" Do you know what , Raf ael ? you ought si mpl y t o go st r ai ght t o your
mot her . I t i s t oo bad, bot h on account of our f ut ur e and her s. We
shal l be r ui ned by gossi p and t r ash. "
He was t oo unhappy t o be cont empt uous. She had no r espect f or
anybody or anyt hi ng, he t hought ; why, t hen, shoul d he be angr y
because she f el t none, ei t her f or hi s mot her or f or hi s posi t i on
i n r egar d t o her ? But how vul gar Angel i ka seemed t o hi m, as she
bent over a t r oubl esome l amp and l et her i mpat i ence br eak out ! Her
mout h but t oo easi l y acqui r ed a coar se expr essi on. Her smal l head
woul d r ear i t sel f above her br oad shoul der s wi t h a snake- l i ke
expr essi on, and her t hi ck wr i st - -
" Wel l , " she sai d, " when al l i s sai d and done, t hat di sgust i ng
Hel l eber gene i s not wor t h maki ng a f uss over . "
Now she i s annoyed wi t h her sel f , he t hought , and must have her
say. She wi l l not r est unt i l she has pi cked a quar r el ; but she
shal l not have t hat sat i sf act i on.
" Af t er al l t hat has been sai d and al l t hat has happened t her e- - "
But t hi s, t oo, mi ssed f i r e. " How coul d I have supposed t hat she
coul d manage my mot her ?" He got up and paced t he r oom. " I s t hat
what mot her f el t ? Yet t hey wer e such good f r i ends. I suspect ed
not hi ng t hen. How i s i t t hat mot her ' s i nst i nct i s al ways mor e
del i cat e? have I bl unt ed mi ne?"
When, a l i t t l e l at er , Angel i ka came i n agai n, he l ooked so unhappy
t hat she was st r uck by i t , and she t hen showed her sel f so ki nd and
f er t i l e i n r esour ce on hi s behal f , and t her e was such sunshi ne i n
her cheer f ul ness and f l ow of spi r i t s dur i ng t he eveni ng, t hat he
act ual l y br i ght ened up under i t , and t hought - - I f mot her coul d have
br ought her sel f t o t r y t he exper i ment , per haps af t er al l i t mi ght
have answer ed. Ther e i s so much t hat i s good and capabl e i n t hi s
cur i ous cr eat ur e.
He went t o t he chi l dr en. Fr om t he f i r st day he and t hey had t aken
t o each ot her . They had been unhappy i n t he gr eat pensi on, wi t h a
mot her who sel domcame near t hem or t ook any not i ce of t hem,
except as cl ot hes t o be pat ched, mout hs t o f eed, or f aul t s t o be
puni shed.
Raf ael had i n hi s nat ur e t he unconvent i onal i t y whi ch del i ght s i n
chi l dr en' s conf i dence, and he f el t a desi r e t o l ove and t o be
l oved. Chi l dr en ar e qui ck t o f eel t hi s.
They onl y wast ed Angel i ka' s t i me. They wer e i n her way now mor e
t han ever ; f or i t may be sai d at once t hat , Raf ael had become
EVERYTHI NG t o her . Thi s was t he f asci nat i on i n her , and what ever
happened, i t never l ost i t s power . Her t ender ness, her devot i on,
wer e boundl ess. By t he ai d of her per sonal char m, her r esour cef ul
i ngenui t y, she obt ai ned ever y advant age f or hi mwi t hi n her r ange,
and even beyond i t . I t was f el t i n her devot i on by ni ght and day,
when anyt hi ng was t o be done, i n an unt i r i ng zeal such as onl y so
st r ong and heal t hy a woman coul d have had i n her power t o r ender .
But i n wor ds i t di d not show i t sel f , har dl y even i n l ooks: except ,
per haps, whi l e she f ought t o wi n hi m, but never si nce t hen.
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Had she been abl e t o adher e t o one l i ne of conduct , i f onl y f or a
f ew weeks at a t i me, and l et her sel f be gui ded by her never -
f ai l i ng l ove, he woul d, i n t hi s st i mul at i ng at mospher e, have made
of hi s mar r i ed l i f e what hi s mot her , i n spi t e of al l , had made of
her s.
Why di d not t hi s happen? Because t he j eal ousy whi ch she had
ar oused i n hi mand whi ch had dr awn hi mt o her agai n was now
r ever sed.
They wer e har dl y mar r i ed bef or e i t was she who was j eal ous! Was i t
st r ange? A mi ddl e- aged woman, even t hough she be endowed wi t h t he
st r ongest per sonal i t y and t he wi dest sympat hy, when she wi ns a
young husband who i s t he f ashi on- - wi ns hi mas Angel i ka won her s- -
begi ns t o l i ve i n per pet ual di squi et ude l est any one shoul d t ake
hi mf r om her . Had she not t aken hi mher sel f ?
I f we wer e t o say t hat she was j eal ous of ever y human bei ng who
came t her e, man or woman, ol d or young, besi de t hose whom he met
el sewher e, i t woul d be an exagger at i on, but t hi s exagger at i on
t hr ows a st r ong l i ght upon t he st at e of t hi ngs, whi ch act ual l y
exi st ed.
I f he became at al l i nt er est ed i n conver sat i on wi t h any one, she
al ways i nt er r upt ed. Her f ace gr ew har d, her r i ght f oot began t o
move; and i f t hi s di d not suf f i ce, she st r uck i n wi t h sul ky or
pr ovoki ng r emar ks, no mat t er who was t her e.
I f somet hi ng wer e sai d i n pr ai se of any one, and i t seemed t o
exci t e hi s i nt er est , she woul d pooh- pooh i t , l i t er al l y wi t h a
" pooh! " a shr ug of t he shoul der s, a t oss of t he head, or an
i mpat i ent t ap of t he f oot .
At f i r st he i magi ned t hat she r eal l y knew somet hi ng
di sadvant ageous about al l t hose whom she t hus di spar aged, and he
was f i l l ed wi t h admi r at i on at her acquai nt ance wi t h hal f Nor way.
He bel i eved i n her ver aci t y as he bel i eved i n f ew t hi ngs. He
bel i eved, t oo, t hat i t was unbounded l i ke so many of her
qual i t i es. She sai d t he most cyni cal t hi ngs i n t he pl ai nest manner
wi t hout appar ent desi gn.
But l i t t l e by l i t t l e i t dawned upon hi mt hat she sai d pr eci sel y
what i t pl eased her t o say, accor di ng t o t he humour t hat she was
i n.
One day, as t hey wer e goi ng t o t abl e- - he had come i n l at e and was
hungr y- - he was del i ght ed t o see t hat t her e wer e oyst er s.
" Oyst er s! at t hi s t i me of t he year , " he cr i ed. " They must be ver y
expensi ve. "
" Pooh! t hat was t he ol d woman, you know. She per suaded me t o t ake
t hem f or you. I got t hem f or next t o not hi ng. "
" That was odd; you have been out , t hen, t oo?"
" Yes, and I saw YOU; you wer e wal ki ng wi t h Emma Ravn. "
He under st ood at once, by t he t one of her voi ce, t hat t hi s was not
per mi t t ed, but al l t he same he sai d, " Yes; how sweet she i s! so
f r esh and candi d. "
" She! Why, she had a chi l d bef or e she was mar r i ed. "
" Emma? Emma Ravn?"
" Yes! But I do not know who by. "
" Do you know, Angel i ka, I do not bel i eve t hat , " he sai d sol emnl y.
" You can do as you pl ease about t hat , but she was at t he pensi on
at t he t i me, so you can j udge f or your sel f i f I amr i ght . "
He coul d not bel i eve t hat any human bei ng coul d so bel i e
t hemsel ves. Emma' s eyes, cl ear as wat er i n a f ount ai n wher e one
can count t he pebbl es at t he bot t om, r ose t o hi s mi nd, i n al l
t hei r i nnocence. He coul d not bel i eve t hat such eyes coul d l i e. He
gr ew l i vi d, he coul d not eat , he l ef t t he t abl e. The wor l d was
not hi ng but a del usi on, t he pur est was i mpur e.
For a l ong t i me af t er t hi s, whenever he met Emma or her whi t e-
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hai r ed mot her , he t ur ned asi de, so as not t o come f ace t o f ace
wi t h t hem.
He had cl ung t o hi s r el at i ons: t hei r weak poi nt s wer e appar ent t o
ever y one, but t hei r abi l i t y and honest y no l ess so. Thi s one
st or y dest r oyed hi s conf i dence, i mpai r ed hi s sel f - r el i ance,
shat t er ed hi s bel i ef , and t hus made hi mt he poor er . How coul d he
be f i t f or anyt hi ng, when he so const ant l y al l owed hi msel f t o be
bef ool ed?
Ther e was not one wor d of t r ut h i n t he whol e st or y.
Hi s si mpl e conf i dence was hel d i n her gr asp, l i ke a chi l d i n t he
t al ons of an eagl e; but t hi s di d not l ast much l onger .
For t unat el y, she was wi t hout cal cul at i on or per sever ance. She di d
not r emember one day what she had sai d t he day bef or e; f or each
day she cool l y asser t ed what ever was demanded by t he necessi t y of
t he moment . He, on t he cont r ar y, had an excel l ent memor y; and hi s
mat hemat i cal mi nd r anged t he evi dence power f ul l y agai nst her . Her
gi f t s wer e mor e apt ness and qui ckness t han anyt hi ng el se, t hey
wer e wi t hout t r ai ni ng, wi t hout cohesi on, and per meat ed wi t h
passi on at al l poi nt s. Ther ef or e he coul d, at any moment , cr ush
her def ence; but whenever t hi s happened, i t was so evi dent t hat
she had been act uat ed by j eal ousy t hat i t f l at t er ed hi s vani t y;
whi ch was t he r eason why he di d not r egar d i t ser i ousl y enough- -
di d not pur sue hi s advant age. Per haps i f he had done so, he woul d
have di scover ed mor e, f or t hi s j eal ousy was mer el y t he f or m whi ch
her uneasi ness t ook. Thi s uneasi ness ar ose f r om sever al causes.
The f act was t hat she had a past and she had debt s whi ch she had
deni ed, and now she l i ved i n per pet ual dr ead l est any one shoul d
enl i ght en hi m. I f any one got on t he scent , she f el t sur e t hat
t hi s woul d be used agai nst her . I t mer el y depended on what he
l ear ned- - i n ot her wor ds, wi t h whom he associ at ed.
She coul d di sr egar d anonymous l et t er s because he di d so, but t her e
wer e pl ent y of di sagr eeabl e peopl e who mi ght make i nnuendoes.
She saw t hat Raf ael t oo, t o some ext ent , avoi ded hi s count l ess
f r i ends of ol d days. She di d not under st and t he r eason, but i t was
t hi s: t hat he, as wel l , f el t t hat t hey knew mor e of her t han i t
was expedi ent f or HI M t o know. She saw t hat he made i ngeni ous
excuses f or not bei ng seen out wi t h her . Thi s, t oo, she
mi sconst r ued. She di d not at al l under st and t hat he, i n hi s way,
was qui t e as f r i ght ened as she was of what peopl e mi ght say. She
bel i eved t hat he sought t he soci et y of ot her s r at her t han her s. I f
not hi ng mor e came of such i nt er cour se, st or i es mi ght be t ol d. Thi s
was t he r eason f or her sl ander s about al most ever y one he spoke
t o. I f t hey had vi l i f i ed her , t hey must be vi l i f i ed i n r et ur n.
She had debt s, and t hi s coul d not be conceal ed unl ess she
i ncr eased t hem; t hi s she di d wi t h a bol dness wor t hy of a bet t er
cause. The house was kept on an ext r avagant scal e, wi t h an
excel l ent t abl e and gr eat hospi t al i t y. Ot her wi se he woul d not be
comf or t abl e at home, she sai d and bel i eved.
She her sel f vi ed wi t h t he most f ashi onabl y dr essed l adi es i n t he
t own. Her dai l y st r uggl e t o mai nt ai n her hol d on hi mdemanded
t hi s. I t f ol l owed, of cour se, t hat she got ever yt hi ng f or
" not hi ng" or " t he gr eat est bar gai n i n t he wor l d. " Ther e was al ways
some one " who al most gave i t " t o her . He di d not know hi msel f how
much money he spent , per haps, because she hunt ed and dr ove hi m
f r om one t hi ng t o anot her .
Or i gi nal l y he had t hought of goi ng abr oad; but wi t h a wi f e who
knew no f or ei gn l anguages, wi t h a l ar ge f ami l y- -
Her e at home, as he soon di scover ed, ever y one had l ost conf i dence
i n hi m. He dar ed not t ake up anyt hi ng i mpor t ant , or el se he wi shed
t o wai t a l i t t l e bef or e he came t o any def i ni t e det er mi nat i on. I n
t he meant i me, he di d what ever came t o hand, and t hat was of t en
wor k of a subor di nat e descr i pt i on. Bot h f r om wear i ness, and f r om
t he necessi t y t o ear n a l i vi ng, he ended by doi ng onl y medi ocr e
wor k, and l et t hi ngs dr i f t .
He al ways gave out t hat t hi s was onl y " pr ovi si onal . " Hi s
sci ent i f i c gi f t s, hi s i nvent i ve geni us, wi t h so many pounds on hi s
back, di d not r i se hi gh, but t hey shoul d yet ! He had yout h' s
l avi sh est i mat e of t i me and st r engt h, and t her ef or e di d not see,
f or a l ong t i me, t hat t he l ar ge f ami l y, t he l ar ge house wer e
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wei ghi ng hi mf ar t her and f ar t her down. I f onl y he coul d have a
l i t t l e peace, he t hought , he woul d car r y out hi s pr esent i deas and
new ones al so. He f el t such power wi t hi n hi m.
But peace was j ust what he never had. Now we come t o t he wor st , or
mor e pr oper l y, t o t he sumof what has gone bef or e. The ceasel ess
uneasi ness i n whi ch Angel i ka l i ved br oke out i nt o per pet ual
quar r el l i ng. For one t hi ng, she had no sel f - command. A capr i ce, a
mi st ake, an anxi et y over - r ul ed ever yt hi ng. She sei zed t he smal l est
oppor t uni t i es. Agai n- - and t hi s was a most i mpor t ant f act or - - t her e
was her over power i ng anxi et y t o keep possessi on of hi m; t hi s dr ew
her away f r om what she shoul d have pai d most heed t o, i n or der t o
l et hi mhave peace. She cont i nued her l avi sh housekeepi ng, she l et
t he chi l dr en dr i f t , she concent r at ed al l her power s on hi m. Her
j eal ousy, her f ear s, her debt s, sapped hi s f er t i l e mi nd, dest r oyed
hi s good humour , l ai d desol at e hi s l ove of t he beaut i f ul and hi s
cr eat i ve power .
He had i n par t i cul ar one gr eat pr oj ect , whi ch he had of t en, but
i nef f ect ual l y, at t empt ed t o mat ur e. The ef f or t t o do so had begun
ser i ousl y one day on t he hei ght s above Hel l eber gene, and had
cont i nued t he whol e summer . Cur i ousl y enough, one mor ni ng, as he
sat at some most wear i some wor k, Hel l eber gene and Hel ene, i n t he
spr i ng sunshi ne, r ose bef or e hi m, and wi t h t hem hi s pr oj ect , l of t y
and smi l i ng, came t o hi magai n. Then he begged f or a l i t t l e peace
i n t he house.
" Let me be qui et , i f onl y f or a mont h, " he sai d. " Her e i s some
money. I have got an i dea; I must and wi l l have qui et . I n a
mont h' s t i me I shal l have got on so f ar t hat per haps I shal l be
abl e t o j udge i f i t i s wor t h cont i nui ng. I t may be t hat t hi s one
i dea may ent i r el y suppor t us. "
Thi s was somet hi ng whi ch she coul d under st and, and now he was abl e
t o be qui et .
He had an of f i ce i n t he t own, but somet i mes t ook hi s paper s home
wi t h hi mi n t he eveni ngs, f or i t of t en happened t hat somet hi ng
woul d occur t o hi mat one moment or anot her . She best owed ever y
car e on hi m; she even sat on t he st ai r s whi l e he was asl eep at
mi dday, t o pr event hi mf r om bei ng di st ur bed.
Thi s went on f or a f or t ni ght . Then i t so chanced t hat , when he had
gone out f or a wal k, she r ummaged among hi s paper s, and t her e,
among dr awi ngs, cal cul at i ons, and l et t er s, she act ual l y, f or once
i n a way, f ound somet hi ng. I t was i n hi s handwr i t i ng and as
f ol l ows:
" Mor e of t he mot her t han t he l over i n her ; mor e of t he sol i ci t ude
of l ove t han of i t s enj oyment . Ri ch i n her af f ect i on, she woul d
not squander i t i n one day wi t h you, but , mot her - l i ke, woul d
di st r i but e i t t hr oughout your l i f e. I nst ead of t he whi r l of t he
r api ds, a pl aci d st r eam. Her l ove was devot i on, never absor pt i on.
YOU wer e one and SHE was one. Toget her we shoul d have been mor e
power f ul t han t wo l over s ar e wont t o be. "
Ther e was mor e of t hi s, but Angel i ka coul d not r ead f ur t her , she
became so f ur i ous. Wer e t hese hi s own t hought s, or had he mer el y
copi ed t hem? Ther e wer e no cor r ect i ons, so most l i kel y i t was a
copy. I n any case i t showed wher e hi s t hought s wer e.
Raf ael came qui et l y home, went st r ai ght t o hi s r oom and l i ght ed a
candl e, even bef or e he t ook of f hi s over coat . As he st ood he wr ot e
down a f ew f or mul ae, t hen sei zed a book, sat down ast r i de of a
chai r , and made a r api d cal cul at i on. J ust t hen Angel i ka came i n,
l eaned f or war d t owar ds hi m, and sai d i n a l ow voi ce:
" You ar e a ni ce f el l ow! Now I know what you have i n hand. Look
t her e: your secr et t hought s ar e wi t h t hat beast . "
" Beast ! " he r epeat ed. Hi s anger at bei ng di st ur bed, at her havi ng
f ound t hi s par t i cul ar paper , and now t he abuse f r om her coar se
l i ps of t he most del i cat e cr eat ur e he had ever known, and, above
al l , t he absol ut e unexpect edness of t he at t ack, made hi ml ose hi s
head.
" How dar e you? What do you mean?"
" Don' t be a f ool . Do you suppose t hat I don' t guess t hat t hat i s
meant f or t he gi r l who l ooked af t er your est at e i n or der t o cat ch
you?"
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She saw t hat t hi s hi t t he mar k, so she went st i l l f ur t her .
" She, t he model of vi r t ue! why, when she was a mer e gi r l , she
di sgr aced her sel f wi t h an ol d man. "
As she spoke she was sei zed by t he t hr oat and f l ung backwar ds on
t o t he sof a, wi t hout t he gr asp bei ng r el axed. She was br eat hl ess,
she saw hi s f ace over her ; deadl y r age was i n i t . A st r engt h, a
wi l dness of whi ch she had no concept i on, gazed upon her i n sensual
del i ght at bei ng abl e t o st r angl e her .
Af t er a wi l d st r uggl e her ar ms sank down power l ess, her wi l l wi t h
t hem; onl y her eyes r emai ned wi de open, i n t er r or and wonder ment .
Dar e he? " Yes, he dar e! " Her eyes gr ew di m, her l i mbs began t o
t r embl e.
" You have t aken MY appl e, I t el l you, " was hear d i n a chi l di sh
voi ce f r om t he next r oom, a sof t l i spi ng voi ce.
I t came f r om t he most peacef ul i nnocence i n t he wor l d! I t saved
her !
He r ushed out agai n; but even when t he r age had l ef t hi mwhi ch had
sei zed upon hi mand domi nat ed hi mas a r i der does a hor se, he was
st i l l not hor r i f i ed at hi msel f . Hi s sat i sf act i on at havi ng at
l engt h made hi s power f el t was t oo gr eat f or t hat .
But by degr ees t her e came a r evul si on. Suppose he had ki l l ed her ,
and had t o go i nt o penal ser vi t ude f or t he r est of hi s l i f e f or
i t ! Had such a possi bi l i t y come i nt o hi s l i f e? Mi ght i t happen i n
t he f ut ur e? No! no! no! How st r ange t hat Angel i ka shoul d have
wounded hi m! How f r i ght f ul her st at e of mi nd must be when she
coul d t hi nk so odi ousl y of absol ut el y i nnocent peopl e; and how
angr y she must have been t o behave i n such a way t owar ds hi m, whom
she l oved above al l ot her s, i ndeed, as t he onl y one f or whom she
had t o l i ve!
A l ong, l ong sumf ol l owed: hi s f aul t s, her f aul t s, and t he f aul t s
of ot her s. He cool ed down and began t o f eel mor e l i ke hi msel f .
I n an hour or t wo he was f i t t o go home, t o f i nd her on her bed,
di ssol ved i n t ear s, pr epar ed at once t o t hr ow her ar ms r ound hi s
neck.
He asked par don a hundr ed t i mes, wi t h wor ds, ki sses, and car esses.
But wi t h t hi s scene hi s i nvent i on had f l ed. The spel l was br oken.
I t never di d mor e t han f l ut t er bef or e hi m, t empt i ng hi mt o pur sue
i t once mor e; but he t ur ned away f r om t he whol e subj ect and began
t o wor k f or money agai n. Somet hi ng of f er ed i t sel f j ust at t hat
moment whi ch Angel i ka had hunt ed up.
Back t o t he unendi ng t oi l agai n. Now at l ast i t became an
i r r i t at i on t o hi m: he chaf ed as t he war hor se chaf es at bei ng made
a beast of bur den.
Thi s made t he scenes at home st i l l wor se. Si nce t hat epi sode t hei r
quar r el s knew no bounds. Wor ds wer e no l onger necessar y t o br i ng
t hem about : a gest ur e, a l ook, a r emar k of hi s unanswer ed, was
enough t o ar ouse t he most vi ol ent scenes. Hi t her t o t hey had been
r est r ai ned by t he pr esence of ot her s, but now i t was t he same
whet her t hey wer e al one or not . Ver y soon, as f ar as br ut al i t y of
expr essi on or t he t r i vi al i t y of t he quest i on was concer ned, he was
as bad or wor se t han she.
Hi s i dl e f ancy and cr eat i ve geni us f ound no ot her vent , but
over t hr ew and t r ampl ed under f oot many of l i f e' s most beaut i f ul
gi f t s. Thus he squander ed much of t he happi ness whi ch such t al ent s
can dul y gi ve. Somet i mes hi s dai l y r egr et s and suf f er i ngs,
somet i mes hi s passi onat e nat ur e, wer e i n t he ascendant , but t he
cause of hi s despai r was al ways t he same- - t hat t hi s coul d have
happened t o hi m. Shoul d he l eave her ? He woul d not t hus escape.
The st at e of t he case had t ouched hi s consci ence at f i r st , l at er
he had become f ond of t he chi l dr en, and hi s mot her ' s exampl e sai d
t o hi m, " Hol d out , hol d out ! "
The unani mous pr edi ct i on t hat t hi s mar r i age woul d be di ssol ved as
qui ckl y as i t had been made he woul d pr ove t o be unt r ue. Besi des,
he knew Angel i ka t oo wel l now not t o know t hat he woul d never
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obt ai n a separ at i on f r om her unt i l , wi t h t he l aw at her back, she
had f l ayed hi mal i ve. He coul d not get f r ee.
Fr om t he f i r st i t had been a quest i on of honour and dut y; honour
and dut y on account of t he chi l d whi ch was t o come- - and whi ch di d
not come. Her e he had a ser i ous gr i evance agai nst her ; but yet , i n
t he mi dst of t he t r agedy, he coul d not but be amused at t he ski l l
wi t h whi ch she t ur ned hi s own gal l ant r i es agai nst hi m. At l ast he
dar ed not ment i on t he subj ect , f or he onl y hear d i n r et ur n about
hi s gay bachel or l i f e.
The l onger t hi s st at e of t hi ngs l ast ed and t he mor e i t became
known, t he mor e i ncompr ehensi bl e i t became t o most peopl e t hat
t hey di d not separ at e- - t o hi msel f , t oo, at t i mes, dur i ng sl eepl ess
ni ght s. But i t i s somet i mes t he case t hat he, who makes a t housand
smal l r evol t s, cannot br ace hi msel f t o one gr eat one. The endl ess
st r i f e i t sel f st r engt hens t he bonds, i n t hat i t saps t he st r engt h.
He det er i or at ed. Thi s mar r i ed l i f e, wear i ng i n ever y way, t oget her
wi t h t he har d wor k, r esul t ed i n hi s not bei ng equal t o mor e t han
j ust t he necessi t i es of t he day. Hi s i ni t i at i ve and wi l l became
pr opor t i onat el y deadened.
A st r ange st agnat i on devel oped i t sel f : he had hal l uci nat i ons,
vi si ons; he saw hi msel f i n t hem- - hi s f at her ! hi s mot her ! al l t he
pi ct ur es wer e of a menaci ng descr i pt i on.
At ni ght he dr eamed t he most f r i ght f ul t hi ngs: hi s unbr i dl ed
f ancy, hi s unoccupi ed cr eat i ve power , t ook r evenge, and al l t hi s
weakened hi m. He l ooked wi t h admi r at i on at hi s wi f e' s r obust
heal t h: she had t he physi que of a wi l d beast . But at t i mes t hei r
quar r el s, t hei r r econci l i at i ons, br ought r evel at i ons wi t h t hem: he
coul d per cei ve her sor r ows as wel l . She di d not compl ai n, she di d
not say a wor d, she coul d not do so; but at t i mes she wept and
gave way as onl y t he most despai r i ng can. Her nat ur e was power f ul ,
and t he st r uggl e of her l ove beyond bel i ef . The beaut y of t he
f ul ness of l i f e was t her e, even when she was most r epul si ve. The
wi l d cr eat ur e, wr est l i ng wi t h her dest i ny, of t en gave f or t h t r agi c
gl eams of l i ght .
One day hi s r el at i on, t he Gover nment Secr et ar y, met hi m. They
usual l y avoi ded each ot her , but t o- day he st opped.
" Ah, Raf ael , " sai d t he dapper l i t t l e man ner vousl y, " I was comi ng
t o see you. "
" My dear f el l ow, what i s i t ?"
" Ah, I see t hat you guess; i t i s a l et t er f r om your mot her . "
" Fr om my mot her ?"
Dur i ng al l t he t i me si nce her t el egr amt hey had not exchanged a
wor d.
" A ver y l ong l et t er , but she makes a condi t i on. "
" Hum, hum! a condi t i on?"
" Yes, but do not be angr y; i t i s not a har d one: i t i s onl y t hat
you ar e t o go away f r om t he t own, wher ever you l i ke, so l ong as
you can be qui et , and t hen you ar e t o r ead i t . "
" You know t he cont ent s?"
" I know t he cont ent s, I wi l l go bai l f or i t . "
What he meant , or why he was so per t ur bed by i t , Raf ael di d not
under st and, but i t i nf ect ed hi m; i f he had had t he money, and i f
on t hat day he had been di sengaged, he woul d have gone at once.
But he had not t he money, not mor e t han he want ed f or t he f et e
t hat eveni ng. He had t he t i cket s f or i t i n hi s pocket at t hat
moment . He had pr omi sed Angel i ka t hat he woul d go t her e wi t h her ,
and he woul d keep hi s pr omi se, f or i t had been gi ven af t er a gr eat
r econci l i at i on scene. A whi t e si l k dr ess had been t he ol i ve br anch
of t hese l ast peacef ul days. She t her ef or e l ooked ver y handsome
t hat eveni ng as she wal ked i nt o t he gr eat hal l of t he Lodge, wi t h
Raf ael besi de her t al l and st at el y. She was i n excel l ent spi r i t s.
Her qui et eyes had a haught y expr essi on as she t ur ned her st eps
wi t h conf i dent super i or i t y t owar ds t hose whom she wi shed t o
pl ease, or t hose whom she hoped t o annoy.
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HE di d not f eel conf i dent . He di d not l i ke showi ng hi msel f i n
publ i c wi t h her , and l at el y i t had pr eci sel y been i n publ i c pl aces
t hat she had chosen t o make scenes; besi des whi ch, he f el t ner vous
as t o what hi s mot her coul d wi sh t o say t o hi m.
A shor t t i me bef or e he came t o t he f et e, he had t r i ed, i n t wo
quar t er s, t o bor r ow money, and each t i me had r ecei ved onl y
excuses. Thi s had gr eat l y mor t i f i ed hi m. Hi s di st ur bed st at e of
mi nd, as i s so of t en t he case wi t h ner vous peopl e, made hi m
exci t ed and boi st er ous, nay, even made hi mmor e t han usual l y
j ovi al . And as t hough a l i t t l e of t he ol d happi ness wer e act ual l y
t o come t o hi mt hat eveni ng, he met hi s f r i end and r el at i ve Hans
Ravn, hi mand hi s young Bavar i an wi f e, who had j ust come t o t he
t own. Al l t hr ee wer e del i ght ed t o meet .
" Do you r emember , " sai d Hans Ravn, " how of t en you have l ent me
money, Raf ael ?" and he dr ew hi mon one si de. " Now I amat t he t op
of t he t r ee, now I ammar r i ed t o an hei r ess, and t he most char mi ng
gi r l t oo; ah, you must know her bet t er . "
" She i s pr et t y as wel l , " sai d Raf ael .
" And pr et t y as wel l - - and good t emper ed; i n f act , you see bef or e
you t he happi est man i n Nor way. "
Raf ael ' s eyes f i l l ed. Ravn put hi s hands on t o hi s f r i end' s
shoul der s.
" Ar e you not happy, Raf ael ?"
" Not qui t e so happy as you, Hans- - "
He l ef t hi mt o speak t o some one el se, t hen r et ur ned agai n.
" You say, Hans, t hat I have of t en l ent you money. "
" Ar e you pr essed? Do you want some, Raf ael ? My dear f el l ow, how
much?"
" Can you spar e me t wo t housand kr oner ?"
" Her e t hey ar e. "
" No, no; not i n her e, come out si de. "
" Yes, l et us go and have some champagne t o cel ebr at e our meet i ng.
No, not our wi ves, " he added, as Raf ael l ooked t owar ds wher e t hey
st ood t al ki ng.
" Not our wi ves, " l aughed Raf ael . He under st ood t he i nt ent i on, and
now he wi shed t o enj oy hi s f r eedomt hor oughl y. They came i n agai n
mer r i er and mor e boi st er ous t han bef or e.
Raf ael asked Hans Ravn' s young wi f e t o dance. Her per sonal
at t r act i ons, nat ur al gai et y, and especi al l y her admi r at i on of her
husband' s r el at i ons, t ook hi mby st or m. They danced t wi ce, and
l aughed and t al ked t oget her af t er war ds.
Lat er i n t he eveni ng t he t wo f r i ends r ej oi ned t hei r wi ves, so t hat
t hey mi ght al l si t t oget her at supper . Even f r om a di st ance Raf ael
coul d see by Angel i ka' s f ace t hat a st or m was br ewi ng. He gr ew
angr y at once. He had never been bl amed mor e gr oundl essl y. He was
never t o have any unal l oyed pl easur e, t hen! But he conf i ned
hi msel f t o whi sper i ng, " Tr y t o behave l i ke ot her peopl e. " But t hat
was exact l y what she di d not mean t o do. He had l ef t her al one,
ever y one had seen i t . She woul d have her r evenge. She coul d not
endur e Hans Ravn' s mer r i ment , st i l l l ess t hat of hi s wi f e, so she
cont r adi ct ed r udel y once, t wi ce, t hr ee t i mes, whi l e Hans Ravn' s
f ace gr ew mor e and mor e puzzl ed. The st or m mi ght have bl own over ,
f or Raf ael par r i ed each t hr ust , even t ur ni ng t hem i nt o j okes, so
t hat t he par t y gr ew mer r i er , and no f eel i ngs wer e hur t ; but on
t hi s she t r i ed f r esh t act i cs. As has been al r eady sai d, she coul d
make a number of annoyi ng gest ur es, si gns and movement s whi ch onl y
he under st ood. I n t hi s way she showed hi mher cont empt f or
ever yt hi ng whi ch ever y one, and especi al l y he hi msel f , sai d. He
coul d not hel p l ooki ng t owar ds her , and saw t hi s ever y t i me he di d
so, unt i l under t he cover of t he l aught er of t he ot her s, wi t h as
much f er vour and af f ect i on as can be put i nt o such a wor d, " You
j ade! " he sai d.
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" J ade; was i st das?" asked t he br i ght - eyed f or ei gner .
Thi s made t he whol e af f ai r supr emel y r i di cul ous. Angel i ka her sel f
l aughed, and al l hoped t hat t he cl oud had been f i nal l y di sper sed.
No! - - as t hough Sat an hi msel f had been at t abl e wi t h t hem, she
woul d not gi ve i n.
The conver sat i on agai n gr ew l i vel y, and when i t was at i t s hei ght ,
she pooh- poohed al l t hei r j okes so unmi st akabl y t hat t hey wer e
compl et el y puzzl ed. Raf ael gave her a f ur i ous l ook, and t hen she
j eer ed at hi m, " You boy! " she sai d. Af t er t hi s Raf ael answer ed her
angr i l y, and l et not hi ng pass wi t hout r et al i at i on, r ough, savage
r et al i at i on; he was wor se t han she was.
" But God bl ess me! " sai d good- nat ur ed Hans Ravn at l engt h, " how
you ar e al t er ed, Raf ael ! " Hi s geni al ki ndl y eyes gazed at hi mwi t h
a l ook whi ch Raf ael never f or get .
" J a, i ch kan es ni cht mehr aushal t en" sai d t he young Fr u Ravn,
wi t h t ear s i n her eyes. She r ose, her husband hur r i ed t o her , and
t hey l ef t t oget her . Raf ael sat down agai n, wi t h Angel i ka. Those
near t hem l ooked t owar ds t hem and whi sper ed t oget her . Angr y and
ashamed, he l ooked acr oss at Angel i ka, who l aughed. Ever yt hi ng
seemed t o t ur n r ed bef or e hi s eyes- - he r ose; he had a wi l d desi r e
t o ki l l her t her e, bef or e ever y one. Yes! t he t empt at i on
over power ed hi mt o such an ext ent t hat he t hought t hat peopl e must
not i ce i t .
" Ar e you not wel l , Kaas?" he hear d some one besi de hi msay.
He coul d not r emember af t er war ds what he answer ed, or how he got
away; but st i l l , i n t he st r eet , he dwel t wi t h ecst asy on t he
t hought of ki l l i ng her , of agai n seei ng her f ace t ur n bl ack, her
ar ms f al l power l ess, her eyes open wi de wi t h t er r or ; f or t hat was
what woul d happen some day. He shoul d end hi s l i f e i n a f el on' s
cel l . That was as cer t ai nl y a par t of hi s dest i ny as had been t he
possessi on of t al ent s whi ch he had al l owed t o become usel ess.
A quar t er of an hour l at er he was at t he obser vat or y: he scanned
t he heavens, but no st ar s wer e vi si bl e. He f el t t hat he was
per spi r i ng, t hat hi s cl ot hes cl ung t o hi m, yet he was i ce- col d.
That i s t he f ut ur e t hat awai t s you, he t hought ; i t r uns i ce- col d
t hr ough your l i mbs.
Then i t was t hat a new and, unt i l t hen, unused power , whi ch
under l ay al l el se, br oke f or t h and t ook t he command.
" You shal l never r et ur n home t o her , t hat i s al l past now, boy; I
wi l l not per mi t i t any l onger . "
What was i t ? What voi ce was t hat ? I t r eal l y sounded as t hough
out si de hi msel f . Was i t hi s f at her ' s? I t was a man' s voi ce. I t
made hi mcl ear and cal m. He t ur ned r ound, he went st r ai ght t o t he
near est hot el , wi t hout f ur t her t hought , wi t hout anxi et y. Somet hi ng
new was about t o begi n.
He sl ept f or t hr ee hour s undi st ur bed by dr eams; i t was t he f i r st
ni ght f or a l ong t i me t hat he had done so.
The f ol l owi ng mor ni ng he sat i n t he l i t t l e pavi l i on at t he st at i on
at Ei dsvol d wi t h hi s mot her ' s packet of l et t er s l ai d open bef or e
hi m. I t consi st ed of a quant i t y of paper s whi ch he had r ead
t hr ough.
The expanse of Lake Mj osen l ay col d and gr ey beneat h t he aut umn
mi st , whi ch st i l l shr ouded t he hi l l si des. The sound of hammer s
f r om t he wor kshops t o t he r i ght mi ngl ed wi t h t he r umbl e of wheel s
on t he br i dge; t he whi st l e of an engi ne, t he r at t l e of cr ocker y
f r om t he r est aur ant ; si ght s and sounds seet hed r ound hi ml i ke
wat er boi l i ng r ound an egg.
As soon as hi s mot her had f el t sur e t hat Angel i ka was not r eal l y
encei nt e she had busi ed her sel f i n col l ect i ng al l t he i nf or mat i on
about her whi ch i t was possi bl e t o obt ai n.
By t he unt i r i ng ef f or t s of her ubi qui t ous r el at i ons she had
succeeded t o such an ext ent and i n such det ai l as no exami ni ng
magi st r at e coul d have accompl i shed. And t her e now l ay bef or e hi m
l et t er s, expl anat i ons, evi dence, whi ch t he deponent was r eady t o
swear t o, besi des l et t er s f r om Angel i ka her sel f : i mpr udent l et t er s
whi ch t hi s i mpul si ve cr eat ur e coul d per pet r at e i n t he mi dst of her
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schemes; or deepl y cal cul at ed l et t er s, whi ch di r ect l y cont r adi ct ed
ot her s whi ch had been wr i t t en at a di f f er ent per i od, based on
di f f er ent cal cul at i ons. These document s wer e onl y t he
accompani ment of a cl ear summi ng- up by hi s mot her . I t was
t her ef or e she who had gui ded t he i nvest i gat i ons of t he ot her s and
made a di gest of t hei r di scover i es. Wi t h mat hemat i cal pr eci si on
was her e l ai d down bot h what was cer t ai n and what , t hough not
cer t ai n, was pr obabl e. No comment was added, not a wor d addr essed
t o hi msel f .
That por t i on of t he di scl osur es whi ch r el at ed t o Angel i ka' s past
does not concer n us. That whi ch had r ef er ence t o her r el at i ons
wi t h Raf ael began by pr ovi ng t hat t he anonymous l et t er s, whi ch had
been t he means of pr event i ng hi s engagement wi t h Hel ene, had been
wr i t t en by Angel i ka. Thi s r evel at i on and t hat whi ch pr eceded i t ,
gi ve an i dea of t he over whel mi ng humi l i at i on under whi ch Raf ael
now suf f er ed. What was he t hat he coul d be duped and mast er ed l i ke
a capt ur ed ani mal ; t hat what was best and what was wor st i n hi m
coul d l ead hi mso f ar ast r ay? Li ke a weak f ool he was swept al ong;
he had nei t her seen nor hear d nor t hought bef or e he was dr agged
away f r om ever yt hi ng t hat was hi s or t hat was dear t o hi m.
As he sat t her e, t he per spi r at i on pour ed f r om hi mas i t had done
t he ni ght bef or e, and agai n he f el t a deadl y chi l l . He t her ef or e
went up t o hi s r oom wi t h t he paper s, whi ch he l ocked up i n hi s
t r unk, and t hen set of f at a r un al ong t he r oad. The passer s- by
t ur ned t o st ar e af t er t he t al l f el l ow.
As he r an he r epeat ed t o hi msel f , " Who ar e you, my l ad? who ar e
you?" Then he asked t he hi l l s t he same quest i on, and t hen t he
t r ees as wel l . He even asked t he f og, whi ch was now r ol l i ng of f ,
" Who amI ? can you answer me t hat ?"
The cl ose- cr opped hal f - wi t her ed t ur f mocked hi m- - t he cl ear ed
pot at o pat ches, t he bar e f i el ds, t he f al l en l eaves.
" That whi ch you ar e you wi l l never be; t hat whi ch you can you wi l l
never do; t hat whi ch you ought t o become you wi l l never at t ai n t o!
As you, so your mot her bef or e you. She t ur ned asi de- - and your
f at her t oo- - i nt o absol ut e f ol l y; per haps t hei r f at her s bef or e
t hem! Thi s i s a br anch of a gr eat f ami l y who never at t ai ned t o
what t hey wer e i nt ended f or . "
" Somet hi ng di f f er ent has mi sl ed each one of us, but we have al l
been mi sl ed. Why i s t hat so? We have gr eat er ai ms t han many
ot her s, but t he ot her s dr ove al ong t he beat en hi ghway r i ght
t hr ough t he gat es of For t une' s house. We st r ay away f r om t he
hi ghway and i nt o t he wood. See! amI not t her e mysel f now? Away
f r om t he hi ghway and i nt o t he wood, as t hough I wer e l ed by an
i nwar d l aw. I nt o t he wood. " He l ooked r ound among t he mount ai n-
ashes, t he bi r ches, and ot her l eaf y t r ees i n aut umn t i nt s. They
st ood al l r ound, dr i ppi ng, as t hough t hey wept f or hi s sor r ow.
" Yes, yes; t hey wi l l see me hang her e, l i ke Absal omby hi s l ong
hai r . " He had not r ecal l ed t hi s ol d pi ct ur e a moment bef or e he
st opped, as t hough sei zed by a st r ong hand.
He must not f l y f r om t hi s, but t r y t o f at homi t . The mor e he
t hought of i t , t he cl ear er i t became: ABSALOM' S HI STORY WAS HI S
OWN. He began wi t h r ebel l i on. Nat ur al l y r ebel l i on i s t he f i r st
st ep i n a cour se whi ch l eads one f r om t he hi ghway- - l eads t o
passi on and i t s consequences. That was cl ear enough.
Thus passi on over power ed st r engt h of pur pose; t hus chance
ci r cumst ances sapped t he f oundat i ons- - But Davi d r ebel l ed as wel l .
Why, t hen, was not Davi d hung up by hi s hai r ? I t was qui t e as l ong
as Absal om' s. Yes, Davi d was wi t hi n an ace of i t , r i ght up t o hi s
ol d age. But t he i nnat e st r engt h i n Davi d was t oo gr eat , hi s
ener gy was al ways t oo power f ul : i t conquer ed t he power s of
r ebel l i on. They coul d not dr ag hi mf ar away i nt o passi onat e
wander i ngs; t hey r emai ned onl y hol i day f l i ght s i n hi s l i f e and
added poet r y t o i t . They di d not move hi s st r engt h of pur pose. Ah,
ha! I t was so st r ong i n Davi d t hat he absor bed t hem and f ed on
t hem; and yet he was wi t hi n an ace- - ver y of t en. See! That i s what
I , mi ser abl e cont empt i bl e wr et ch, cannot do. So I must hang! Ver y
soon t he man wi t h t he spear wi l l be af t er me.
Raf ael now set of f r unni ng; pr obabl y he wi shed t o escape t he man
wi t h t he spear . He now ent er ed t he t hi ckest par t of t he wood, a
nar r ow val l ey bet ween t wo hi gh hi l l s whi ch over shadowed i t . Oh,
how t hi r st y he was, so f ear f ul l y t hi r st y! He st ood st i l l and
wonder ed whet her he coul d get anyt hi ng t o dr i nk. Yes, he coul d
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hear t he mur mur of a br ook. He r an f ar t her down t owar ds i t . Cl ose
by was an openi ng i n t he wood, and as he went t owar ds t he st r eam
he was ar r est ed by somet hi ng t her e: t he sun had bur st f or t h and
l i ght ed up t he t r ee- t ops, t hr owi ng deep shadows bel ow. Di d he see
anyt hi ng? Yes; i t seemed t o hi mt hat he saw hi msel f , not
absol ut el y i n t he openi ng, but t o one si de, i n t he shadow, under a
t r ee; he hung t her e by hi s hai r . He hung t her e and swung, a man,
but i n t he vel vet j acket of hi s chi l dhood and t he t i ght - f i t t i ng
t r ouser s: he swung suspended by hi s t angl ed r ed hai r . And f ar t her
away he di st i nct l y saw anot her f i gur e: i t was hi s mot her , st i f f
and st at el y, who was t ur ni ng r ound as i f t o t he sound of musi c.
And, God pr eser ve hi m! st i l l f ar t her away, br oad and heavy, hung
hi s f at her , by t he f ew t hi n hai r s on hi s neck, wi t h wr et ched
di st or t ed f ace as on hi s deat h- bed. I n ot her r espect s t hose t wo
wer e not gr eat si nner s. They wer e ol d; but hi s si ns wer e gr eat ,
f or he was young, and t her ef or e not hi ng had ever pr osper ed wi t h
hi m, not even i n hi s chi l dhood. Ther e had al ways been somet hi ng
whi ch had caused hi mt o be mi sunder st ood or whi ch had f r i ght ened
hi mor made hi mconst ant l y const r ai ned and uncer t ai n of hi msel f .
Never had he been abl e t o keep t o t he mai n poi nt , and t hus t o be
i n qui et nat ur al peace. Wi t h onl y one except i on- - hi s meet i ng wi t h
Hel ene.
I t seemed t o hi mt hat he was si t t i ng i n t he boat wi t h her out i n
t he bay. The sky was br i ght , t her e was mel ody i n t he woods. Now he
was up on t he hi l l wi t h her , among t he sapl i ngs, and she was
expl ai ni ng t o hi mt hat i t depended on her car e whet her t hey t hr ove
or not .
He went t o t he br ook t o dr i nk; he l ay down over t he wat er . He was
t hus abl e t o see hi s own f ace. How coul d t hat happen? Why, t her e
was sunshi ne over head. He was abl e t o see hi s own f ace. Gr eat
heavens! how l i ke hi s f at her he had become. I n t he l ast year he
had gr own ver y l i ke hi s f at her - - peopl e had sai d so. He wel l
r emember ed hi s mot her ' s manner when she not i ced i t . But , good God!
wer e t hose gr ey hai r s? Yes, i n quant i t i es, so t hat hi s hai r was no
l onger r ed but gr ey. No one had t ol d hi mof i t . Had he advanced so
f ar , been so l i t t l e pr epar ed f or i t , t hat Hans Ravn' s r emar k, " How
you ar e al t er ed, Raf ael ! " had f r i ght ened hi m?
He had cer t ai nl y gi ven up obser vi ng hi msel f , i n t hi s coar se l i f e
of quar r el s. I n i t , cer t ai nl y, nei t her wor ds nor deeds wer e
wei ghed, and hence t hi s hunt ed f eel i ng. I t was onl y nat ur al t hat
he had ceased t o obser ve. I f t he br ook had been a l i t t l e deeper ,
he woul d have l et hi msel f be engul f ed i n i t . He got up, and went
on agai n, qui cker and qui cker : somet i mes he saw one per son,
somet i mes anot her , hangi ng i n t he woods.
He dar e not t ur n r ound. Was i t so ver y wonder f ul t hat ot her s
besi des hi msel f and hi s f ami l y had t ur ned f r om t he beat en t r ack,
and peopl ed t he byways and t he boughs i n t he wood? He had been
unj ust t owar ds hi msel f and hi s par ent s; t hey wer e not al one, t hey
wer e i n onl y t oo l ar ge a company. What wi l l unj ust peopl e say, but
t hat t he ver y t hi ng whi ch r equi r es st r engt h does not r ecei ve i t ,
but hal f of i t comes t o not hi ng, mor e t han hal f of t he power s ar e
wast ed. Her e, i n t hese st r i ps of woodl and whi ch r un up t he hi l l s
si de by si de, l i ke or gan- pi pes, Henr i k Ver gel and had al so r oamed:
wi t hi n an ace, wi t h hi mt oo, wi t hi n an ace! Wonder f ul how t he
r avens gat her t oget her her e, wher e so many peopl e ar e hangi ng. Ha!
ha! He must wr i t e t hi s t o hi s mot her ! I t was somet hi ng t o wr i t e
about t o her , who had l ef t hi m, who deser t ed hi mwhen he was t he
most unhappy, because al l t hat she car ed f or was t o keep her
sacr ed per son i nvi ol at e, t o mai nt ai n her obst i nat e opi ni on, t o
gr at i f y her pi que- - Oh! what l ong hai r ! - - How f ast hi s mot her was
hel d! She had not cut her hai r enough t hen. But now she shoul d
have her deser t s. Ever yt hi ng f r om as f ar back as he coul d r emember
shoul d be r ecal l ed, f or once i n a way he woul d show her her sel f ;
now he had bot h t he power and t he r i ght . Hi s power s of di scover y
had been l ong hi dden under t he suf f ocat i ng sawdust of t he dai l y
and ni ght l y sawi ng; but now i t was awake, and hi s mot her shoul d
f eel i t .
Peopl e not i ced t he t al l man br eak out of t he wood, j ump over
hedges and di t ches, and make hi s way st r ai ght up t he hi l l . At t he
ver y t op he woul d wr i t e t o hi s mot her ! - -
He di d not r et ur n t o t he hot el t i l l dar k. He was wet , di r t y, and
f r i ght f ul l y exhaust ed. He was as hungr y as a wol f , he sai d, but he
har dl y at e anyt hi ng; on t he ot her hand, he was consumed wi t h
t hi r st . On l eavi ng t he t abl e he sai d t hat he wi shed t o st ay t her e
a f ew days t o sl eep. They t hought t hat he was j oki ng, but he sl ept
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uni nt er r upt edl y unt i l t he af t er noon of t he next day. He was t hen
awakened, at e a l i t t l e and dr ank a gr eat deal , f or he had
per spi r ed pr of usel y; af t er whi ch he f el l asl eep agai n. He passed
t he next t went y- f our hour s i n much t he same way.
When he awoke t he f ol l owi ng mor ni ng he f ound hi msel f al one.
Had not a doct or been t her e, and had he not sai d t hat i t was a
good t hi ng f or hi mt o sl eep? I t seemed t o hi mt hat he had hear d a
buzz of voi ces; but he was sur e t hat he was wel l now, onl y
f ur i ousl y hungr y and t hi r st y, and when he r ai sed hi msel f he f el t
gi ddy. But t hat passed of f by degr ees, when he had eat en some of
t he f ood whi ch had been l ef t t her e. He dr ank out of t he wat er - j ug-
- t he car af e was empt y- - and wal ked once or t wi ce up and down bef or e
t he open wi ndow. I t was deci dedl y col d, so he shut i t . J ust t hen
he r emember ed t hat he had wr i t t en a f r i ght f ul l et t er t o hi s
mot her !
How l ong ago was i t ? Had he not sl ept a l ong t i me? Had he not
t ur ned gr ey? He went t o t he l ooki ng- gl ass, but f or got t he gr ey
hai r at t he si ght of hi msel f . He was t hi n, l ank, and di r t y. - - The
l et t er ! t he l et t er ! I t wi l l ki l l my mot her ! Ther e had al r eady been
mi sf or t unes enough, mor e must not f ol l ow.
He dr essed hi msel f qui ckl y, as i f by hur r yi ng he coul d over t ake
t he l et t er . He l ooked at t he cl ock- - i t had st opped. Suppose t he
t r ai n wer e i n! He must go by i t , and f r om t he t r ai n st r ai ght t o
t he st eamer , and home, home t o Hel l eber gene! But he must send a
t el egr amt o hi s mot her at once. He wr ot e i t - - " Never mi nd t he
l et t er , mot her . I amcomi ng t hi s eveni ng and wi l l never l eave you
agai n. "
So now he had onl y t o put on a cl ean col l ar , now hi s wat ch- - i t
cer t ai nl y was mor ni ng- - now t o pack, go down and pay t he bi l l , have
somet hi ng t o eat , t ake hi s t i cket , send t he t el egr am; but f i r st - -
no, i t must al l be done t oget her , f or t he t r ai n WAS t her e; i t had
onl y a f ew mi nut es mor e t o wai t ; he coul d onl y j ust cat ch i t . The
t el egr amwas gi ven t o some one el se t o send of f .
But he had har dl y got i nt o t he car r i age, wher e he was al one, t han
t he t hought of t he l et t er t or t ur ed hi m, t i l l he coul d not si t
st i l l . Thi s dr eadf ul anal ysi s of hi s mot her , st r ophe af t er
st r ophe, i t r ose bef or e hi m, i t agai n dr ove hi mi nt o t he st at e of
mi nd i n whi ch he had been among t he hi l l s and woods of Ei dsvol d.
Beyond t he t unnel t he char act er of t he scener y was t he same. - - Good
God! t hat dr eadf ul l et t er was never absent f r om hi s t hought s,
ot her wi se he woul d not suf f er so t er r i bl y. What r i ght had he t o
r epr oach hi s mot her , or any one, because a mer e chance shoul d have
become of i mpor t ance i n t hei r l i ves?
Woul d t he t el egr amar r i ve i n t i me t o save her f r om despai r , and
yet not f r i ght en her f r om home because he was comi ng? To t hi nk
t hat he coul d wr i t e i n such a way t o her , who had but l i ved t o
col l ect t he i nf or mat i on whi ch woul d f r ee hi m! Hi s i ngr at i t ude must
appear t oo monst r ous t o her . The ext r eme r eser ve whi ch she was
unabl e t o br eak t hr ough mi ght wel l l ead t o cat ast r ophes. What
mi ght not she have det er mi ned on when she r ecei ved t hi s vi ol ent
at t ack by way of t hanks? Per haps she woul d t hi nk t hat l i f e was no
l onger wor t h l i vi ng, she who t hought i t so easy t o di e. He
shudder ed.
But she wi l l do not hi ng hast i l y, she wi l l wei gh ever yt hi ng f i r st .
Her r oot s go deep. When she appear s t o have act ed on i mpul se, i t
i s because she has had pr evi ous knowl edge. But she has no pr evi ous
knowl edge her e; sur el y her e she wi l l del i ber at e.
He pi ct ur ed her as, wr apped i n her shawl , she wander ed about i n
di r e di st r ess- - or wi t h i nt ent gaze r evi ewi ng her l i f e and hi s own,
unt i l bot h appear ed t o her t o have been hopel essl y wast ed- - or
ponder i ng wher e she coul d best hi de her sel f so t hat she shoul d
suf f er no mor e.
How he l oved her ! Al l t hat had happened had dr awn a vei l over hi s
eyes, whi ch was now r emoved.
Now he was on boar d t he st eamer whi ch was bear i ng hi mhome. The
weat her had become mi l d and summer l i ke; i t had been r ai ni ng, but
t owar ds eveni ng i t began t o cl ear . He woul d get t o Hel l eber gene i n
f i ne weat her , and by moonl i ght . I t gr ew col der ; he spoke t o no
one, nor had he eyes f or anyt hi ng about hi m.
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The i mage of hi s mot her , wr apped i n her l ong shawl - - t hat was al l
t he company he had. Onl y hi s mot her ! No one but hi s mot her !
Suppose t he t el egr amhad but f r i ght ened her t he mor e- - t hat t o see
HI M now appear ed t he wor st t hat coul d happen. To r ead such a
cr ushi ng doom f or her whol e l i f e, and t hat f r om hi m! She was not
so const i t ut ed t hat i t coul d be cancel l ed by hi s aski ng
f or gi veness and r et ur ni ng t o her . On t he cont r ar y, i t woul d
pr eci pi t at e t he wor st , i t must do so.
The vi ol ent per spi r at i on began agai n; he had t o put on mor e wr aps.
Hi s t er r or t ook possessi on of hi m: he was f or ced t o cont empl at e
t he most awf ul possi bi l i t i es- - t o pi ct ur e t o hi msel f what deat h hi s
mot her woul d choose!
He spr ang t o hi s f eet and paced up and down. He l onged t o t hr ow
hi msel f i nt o somebody' s ar ms, t o cr y al oud. But he knew wel l t hat
he must not l et such wor ds escape hi m. - - He HAD t o pi ct ur e her as
she handl ed t he guns, unt i l she r el i nqui shed t he i dea of usi ng any
of t hem. Then he i magi ned her r ecal l i ng t he deepest hi di ng- pl aces
i n t he woods- - wher e wer e t hey al l ?
HE r ecal l ed t hem, one af t er anot her . No, not i n any of THOSE, f or
she wi shed t o hi de her sel f wher e she woul d never be f ound! Ther e
was t he cement - bed; i t went sheer down t her e, and t he wat er was
deep! - - He cl ung t o t he r i ggi ng t o pr event hi msel f f r om f al l i ng. He
pr ayed t o be r el eased f r om t hese t er r or s. But he saw her f l oat i ng
t her e, r ocked by t he r i ppl i ng wat er . Was i t t he f ace whi ch was
upper most , or was i t t he body, whi ch f or a whi l e f l oat ed hi gher
t han t he f ace?
Hi s t hought s wer e par t i al l y di ver t ed f r om t hi s by peopl e comi ng up
t o ask hi mi f he wer e i l l . He got somet hi ng war m and st r ong t o
dr i nk, and now t he st eamer appr oached t he par t of t he coast wi t h
whi ch he was f ami l i ar . They passed t he openi ng i nt o Hel l eber gene,
f or one has t o go f i r st t o t he t own, and t hence i n a boat . I t now
became t he quest i on, whet her a boat had been sent f or hi m. I n t hat
case hi s mot her was al i ve, and woul d wel come hi m. But i f t her e was
no boat , t hen a message f r om t he gul f had been sent i nst ead!
And t her e was no boat ! - -
For a moment hi s senses f ai l ed hi m; onl y conf used sounds f el l on
hi s ear . But t hen he seemed t o emer ge f r om a dar k passage. He must
get t o Hel l eber gene! He must see what had happened; be woul d go
and sear ch!
By t hi s t i me i t was gr owi ng dar k. He went on shor e and l ooked
r ound f or a boat as t hough hal f asl eep. He coul d har dl y speak, but
he di d not gi ve i n t i l l he got t he men t oget her and hi r ed t he
boat . He t ook t he hel m hi msel f , and bade t hem r ow wi t h al l t hei r
mi ght . He knew ever y peak i n t he gr ey t wi l i ght . They mi ght depend
on hi m, and r ow on wi t hout l ooki ng r ound. Soon t hey had passed t he
hi gh l and and wer e i n among t he i sl ands. Thi s t i me t hey di d not
come out t o meet hi m; t hey al l seemed gat her ed t her e t o r epel hi m.
No boat had been sent ; t her e was, t her ef or e, not hi ng mor e f or hi m
t o do her e. No boat had been sent , because he had f or f ei t ed hi s
pl ace her e. Li ke savage beast s, wi t h br i st l es er ect , t he peaks and
i sl ands ar r ayed t hemsel ves agai nst hi m. " Row on, my l ads, " he
cr i ed, f or now ar ose agai n i n hi mt hat dor mant power whi ch onl y
mani f est ed i t sel f i n hi s ut most need.
" How i s i t wi t h you, my boy? I amgr owi ng wear y. Cour age, now, and
f or war d! "
Agai n t hat voi ce out si de hi msel f - - a man' s voi ce. Was i t hi s
f at her ' s?
Whet her or not i t wer e hi s f at her ' s voi ce, her e bef or e hi s
f at her ' s home he woul d st r uggl e agai nst Fat e.
I n man' s di r est necessi t y, what he has f ai l ed i n and what he can
do seem t o encount er each ot her . And t hus, j ust as t he boat had
cl ear ed t he poi nt and t he i sl ands and was t ur ni ng i nt o t he bay, he
r ai sed hi msel f t o hi s f ul l hei ght , and t he boat men l ooked at hi m
i n ast oni shment . He st i l l gr asped t he r udder - l i nes, and l ooked as
t hough he wer e about t o meet an enemy. Or di d he hear anyt hi ng?
was i t t he sound of oar s?
Yes, t hey hear d t hem now as wel l . Fr om t he st r ai t near t he i nl et a
boat was appr oachi ng t hem. She l oomed l ar ge on t he smoot h sur f ace
of t he wat er and shot swi f t l y al ong.
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" I s t hat a boat f r om Hel l eber gene?" shout ed Raf ael . Hi s voi ce
shook.
" Yes, " came a voi ce out of t he dar kness, and he r ecogni sed t he
bai l i f f ' s voi ce. " I s i t Raf ael ?"
" Yes. Why di d you not come bef or e?"
" The t el egr amhas onl y j ust ar r i ved. "
He sat down. He di d not speak. He became suddenl y i ncapabl e of
ut t er i ng a wor d.
The ot her boat t ur ned and f ol l owed t hem. Raf ael near l y r an hi s
boat on shor e; he f or got t hat he was st eer i ng. Ver y soon t hey
cl ear ed t he nar r ow passage whi ch l ed i nt o t he i nner bay, and
r ounded t he l ast headl and, and t her e! - - t her e l ay Hel l eber gene
bef or e t hem i n a bl aze of l i ght ! Fr om cel l ar t o at t i c, i n ever y
si ngl e wi ndow, i t gl owed, i t st r eamed wi t h l i ght , and at t hat
moment anot her l i ght bl azed out f r om t he cai r n on t he hi l l - t op.
I t was t hus t hat hi s mot her gr eet ed hi m. He sobbed; and t he
boat men hear d hi m, and at t he same t i me not i ced t hat i t had gr own
suddenl y l i ght . They t ur ned r ound, and wer e so engr ossed i n t he
spect acl e t hat t hey f or got t o r ow.
" Come! you must l et me get on, " was al l t hat he coul d manage t o
say.
Hi s suf f er i ngs wer e f or got t en as he l eapt f r om t he boat . Nor di d
i t di st ur b hi mt hat he di d not meet hi s mot her at t he l andi ng-
pl ace, or near t he house, nor see her on t he t er r ace. He si mpl y
r ushed up t he st ai r s and opened t he door .
The candl es i n t he wi ndows gave but l i t t l e l i ght wi t hi n. I ndeed,
somet hi ng had been put i n t he wi ndows f or t hem t o st and on, so
t hat t he i nt er i or was hal f i n shadow. But he had come i n f r om t he
semi - dar kness. He l ooked r ound f or her , but he hear d some one
cr yi ng at t he ot her end of t he r oom. Ther e she sat , cr ouched i n
t he f ar t hest cor ner of t he sof a, wi t h her f eet dr awn up under her ,
as i n ol d days when she was f r i ght ened. She di d not st r et ch out
her ar ms; she r emai ned huddl ed t oget her . But he bent over her ,
knel t down, l ai d hi s f ace on her s, wept wi t h her . She had gr own
f r agi l e, t hi n, haggar d, ah! as t hough she coul d be bl own away. She
l et hi mt ake her i n hi s ar ms l i ke a chi l d and cl asp her t o hi s
br east ; l et hi mcar ess and ki ss her . Ah, how et her eal she had
become! And t hose eyes, whi ch at l ast he saw, now l ooked t ear f ul l y
out f r om t hei r l ar ge or bi t s, but mor e i nnocent l y t han a bi r d f r om
i t s nest . Over her br oad f or ehead she had wound a l ar ge si l k
handker chi ef i n t ur ban f ashi on. I t hung down behi nd. She wi shed t o
conceal t he t hi nness of her hai r . He smi l ed t o r ecogni se her agai n
i n t hi s. Mor e spi r i t ual i sed, mor e et her eal i n her beaut y, her
i nner most aspi r at i ons shone f or t h wi t hout ef f or t . Her t hi n hands
car essed hi s hai r , and now she gazed i nt o hi s eyes.
" Raf ael , my Raf ael ! " She t wi ned her ar ms r ound hi mand mur mur ed
wel come. But soon she r ai sed her head and r esumed a si t t i ng
post ur e. She wi shed t o speak. He was bef or ehand wi t h her .
" For gi ve t he l et t er , " he whi sper ed wi t h beseechi ng eyes and voi ce,
and hands upr ai sed.
" I saw t he di st r ess of your soul , " was t he whi sper ed answer , f or
i t coul d not be spoken al oud. " And t her e was not hi ng t o f or gi ve, "
she added. She had l ai d her f ace agai nst hi s agai n. " And i t was
qui t e t r ue, Raf ael , " she mur mur ed.
She must have passed t hr ough t er r i bl e days and ni ght s her e, he
t hought , bef or e she coul d say t hat .
" Mot her , mot her ! what a f ear f ul t i me! "
Her l i t t l e hand sought hi s: i t was col d; i t l ay i n hi s l i ke an egg
i n a deser t ed nest . He war med i t and t ook t he ot her as wel l .
" Was not t he i l l umi nat i on spl endi d?" she sai d. And now her voi ce
was l i ke a chi l d' s.
He moved t he scr een whi ch obst r uct ed t he l i ght : he must see her
bet t er . He t hought , when he saw t he l ook of happi ness i n her f ace,
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i f l i f e l ooks so beaut i f ul t o her st i l l , we shal l have a l ong t i me
t oget her .
" I f you had t ol d me al l t hat about Absal om, t he pi ct ur e whi ch you
made when you wer e t ol d t he st or y of Davi d, Raf ael ; i f you had
onl y t ol d me t hat bef or e! " She paused, and her l i ps qui ver ed.
" How coul d I t el l i t t o you, mot her , when I di d not under st and i t
mysel f ?"
" The i l l umi nat i on- - t hat must si gni f y t hat I , t oo, under st and. I t
ought t o l i ght you f or war d; do you not t hi nk so?"
A PAI NFUL MEMORY FROM CHI LDHOOD
I must have been somewher e about seven year s ol d, when one Sunday
af t er noon a r umour r eached t he par sonage t hat , on t hat same day,
t wo men, r owi ng past t he Buggest r and i n Ei dsf j or d, had di scover ed
a woman who had f al l en over a cl i f f , and had r emai ned hal f l yi ng,
hal f hangi ng, cl ose t o t he wat er ' s edge.
Bef or e movi ng her , t hey t r i ed t o f i nd out f r om her who had t hr own
her over .
I t was t hi r t y- f i ve mi l es by wat er t o t he doct or ' s, and t hen an
or der f or admi ssi on t o t he hospi t al had al so t o be pr ocur ed. She
had l ai n t went y- f our hour s bef or e hel p r eached her , and shor t l y
af t er war ds she di ed. Bef or e she br eat hed her l ast , she sai d i t was
Peer Hagbo who had done i t . " But , " she added, " t hey must n' t do hi m
any har m. "
Ever ybody knew t hat t her e had been an at t achment bet ween t he gi r l ,
who was i n ser vi ce at Hagbo' s, and t he son of t he house, and t he
shr ewd ones i nst ant l y guessed why he want ed t o get her out of t he
way.
I r emember cl ear l y t he ar r i val of t he news. I t was, as I have
sai d, on a Sunday af t er noon, her deat h havi ng occur r ed on t he
mor ni ng of t he same day.
I t was i n t he ver y mi ddl e of summer , when t he whol e pl ace was
f l ooded wi t h sunshi ne and gl adness. I r emember how t he l i ght
f aded, f aces t ur ned t o st one, t he f j or d gr ew di m, and vi l l age and
f or est shr ank away i nt o shadow. I r emember t hat even t he next day
I f el t as t hough a bl ow had been deal t t o or di nar y exi st ence. I
knew t hat I need not go t o school . Men knocked of f wor k, l eavi ng
ever yt hi ng j ust as i t was, and sat down wi t h i dl e hands. The women
especi al l y wer e par al ysed: i t was evi dent t hey f el t t hemsel ves
t hr eat ened, t hey even sai d as much. When st r anger s came t o t he
par sonage t hei r bear i ng and expr essi on showed t hat t he mur der l ay
heavy on t hei r mi nds, and t hey r ead t he same st or y i n us. We t ook
each ot her ' s hands wi t h a sense of r emot eness. The mur der was t he
onl y t hi ng t hat was pr esent wi t h us. What ever we t al ked of we
seemed t o hear of t he mur der i n voi ce and wor d. The l ast
consci ousness at ni ght and t he f i r st i n t he mor ni ng was t hat
ever yt hi ng was unset t l ed, and t hat t he j oy of l i f e was suddenl y
ar r est ed, l i ke t he hands on a di al at a cer t ai n hour .
But by degr ees t he mur der f el l i nt o i t s pr oper pl ace among ot her
i nt er est s; cur i osi t y and gossi p had made i t commonpl ace. I t was
t aken up, t ur ned over , consi der ed, pi cked at and pul l ed about ,
t i l l i t became si mpl y " t he l ast new t hi ng. " Soon we knew ever y
det ai l of t he r el at i on bet ween t he mur der ed and t he mur der er . We
knew who i t was t hat Peer ' s mot her had want ed hi mt o mar r y; we
knew t he Hagbo f ami l y i n and out , and t hei r hi st or y f or
gener at i ons past .
When t he magi st r at e came t o t he par sonage t o i nst i t ut e t he
pr el i mi nar y i nqui r y, t he mur der was mer el y an i nexhaust i bl e t heme
of conver sat i on. But t he next day when t he bai l i f f and some ot her
men appear ed wi t h t he mur der er , a new f eel i ng t ook possessi on of
me, a f eel i ng of whi ch I coul d not have i magi ned mysel f capabl e- -
an over power i ng compassi on. A young good- l ooki ng l ad, wel l gr own,
sl i ght l y bui l t , r at her smal l t han ot her wi se, wi t h dar k not ver y
t hi ck hai r , wi t h appeal i ng eyes whi ch wer e now downcast , wi t h a
cl ear voi ce, and about hi s whol e per sonal i t y a cer t ai n char m,
al most r ef i nement ; a cr eat ur e t o associ at e wi t h l i f e, not deat h,
wi t h gl adness, wi t h gai et y. I was mor e sor r y f or hi mt han I can
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say. The bai l i f f and t he ot her peopl e spoke ki ndl y t o hi mt oo, so
t hey must have f el t t he same. Onl y t he pepper y l i t t l e cl er k came
out wi t h some har d wor ds, but t he accused st ood cap i n hand and
made no answer .
He paced up and down t he yar d i n hi s shi r t sl eeves- - t he day was
ver y war m- - wi t h a f l at cl ot h cap over hi s cl ose- cut hai r , and hi s
hands i n hi s t r ouser s pocket s, or t oyi ng r est l essl y wi t h a pi ece
of st r aw. The par sonage dog had f ound compani ons, and t he yout h
f ol l owed t he dog' s f r ol i c wi t h hi s eyes, and gazed at t he chi ckens
and at us chi l dr en as t hough he l onged t o be one of us. The gi r l ' s
wor ds, " But don' t do hi many har m, " r ang i n my ear s unceasi ngl y- -
whet her he wal ked about or st ood st i l l or sat down. I knew t hat he
woul d cer t ai nl y be beheaded, and, bel i evi ng t hat i t must be soon,
I was f i l l ed wi t h hor r or at t he t hought of hi s sayi ng t o hi msel f ,
I n a mont h I shal l di e- - and t hen i n a week- - i n a day- - an hour . . .
i t must be ut t er l y unendur abl e. I sl i pped behi nd hi mt o see hi s
neck, and j ust at t hat moment he l i f t ed hi s hand up t o i t , a
l i t t l e br own hand; and I coul d not get r i d of t he t hought t hat
per haps hi s f i nger s woul d come i n t he way when t he axe was
f al l i ng.
He and t he war der s wer e asked t o come i n and di ne. I f el t I must
see i f i t wer e r eal l y possi bl e f or hi mt o eat . Yes, he at e and
chat t ed j ust l i ke t he r est , and f or a t i me I f or got my t er r or . But
no sooner was I out si de agai n and al one t han I f el l t o t hi nki ng of
i t wi t h mi ght and mai n, and i t seemed t o me ver y har d t hat her
wor ds, " But you must n' t do hi many har m, " shoul d be so ut t er l y
di sr egar ded. I f el t I must go i n and say as much t o f at her . But
he, sl ow and ser i ous, and t he cl er k, l i t t l e and dapper , wer e
wal ki ng up and down t he r oom deep i n conver sat i on, f ar , f ar above
al l my mi ser y. I sl i pped out agai n, and st r oked t he coat whi ch
Peer had t aken of f .
The i nqui r y was hel d i n my school r oom. My mast er act ed as
secr et ar y t o t he cour t , and I got l eave t o si t t her e and l i st en.
For t he mat t er of t hat , t he cl er k spoke i n so l oud a voi ce t hat i t
coul d be hear d t hr ough t he open wi ndow by ever y one i n t he pl ace.
The unf or t unat e yout h was cal l ed upon t o account f or t he ent i r e
day on whi ch t he mur der had been commi t t ed- - f or ever y hour of t hat
Sunday. He deni ed t hat he had ki l l ed her - - deni ed i t wi t h t he
ut most emphasi s: " I t was not he who had done i t . " The magi st r at e' s
exami nat i on was bot h acut el y and ki ndl y conduct ed; Peer was moved
t o t ear s, but no conf essi on coul d be dr awn f r om hi m.
" Thi s wi l l be a l ong busi ness, madam, " sai d t he magi st r at e t o my
mot her when t he f i r st day' s i nqui r y was over . But l at er i n t he
eveni ng Peer ' s si st er came t o t he par sonage and r emai ned wi t h hi m
al l t hr ough t he ni ght . They wer e hear d whi sper i ng and cr yi ng
unceasi ngl y. I n t he mor ni ng Peer was pal e and si l ent ; bef or e t he
cour t he t ook al l t he bl ame upon hi msel f .
The way i t had happened, he expl ai ned, was t hat he had been her
l over , and t hat hi s mot her had st r ongl y di sappr oved of t he
connect i on. So one Sunday as t he gi r l , pr ayer - book i n hand, was
goi ng t o chur ch, he met her i n t he wood. They sat down, and he
asked i f she i nt ended t o decl ar e hi mt he f at her of t he chi l d she
was about t o bear ; f or i t was i n t hi s t i me of sor e necessi t y t hat
she was goi ng t o seek consol at i on i n t he chur ch. She r epl i ed t hat
she coul d accuse no one el se. He spoke of t he shame i t woul d br i ng
on hi m, and how annoyed hi s mot her al r eady was. Yes, yes, she knew
t hat t oo wel l . Hi s mot her was ver y angr y wi t h her ; and she t hought
i t st r ange of Peer t hat he di dn' t st and up f or her ; he knew best
whose f aul t i t was t hat al l t hi s had happened. But Peer hi nt ed
t hat she had been compl i ant t o ot her s as wel l as t o hi msel f , and
t her ef or e he woul d not submi t t o bei ng gi ven out as t he chi l d' s
f at her . He t r i ed t o make her angr y, but di d not succeed, she was
so gent l e. He had an axe l yi ng conceal ed i n t he heat her near wher e
he sat . He t ook i t and st r uck her on t he head f r om behi nd. She di d
not l ose consci ousness at once, but t r i ed t o def end her sel f whi l e
she begged f or her l i f e. He coul d gi ve no cl ear account of what
happened af t er war ds. I t seemed al most as t hough he hi msel f had
l ost consci ousness. As t o t he ot her event s, he accept ed t he
account of t hem whi ch had been gi ven i n t he evi dence agai nst hi m.
Hi s si st er wai t ed at t he par sonage unt i l he came f r om t he
exami nat i on, wor n out and wi t h eyes r ed wi t h weepi ng. Once mor e
t hey went asi de and whi sper ed. I r emember not hi ng mor e of her t han
t hat she hel d her head down and wept a gr eat deal .
I t was i n t he wi nt er t hat he was t o be execut ed. The announcement
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was made at such shor t not i ce t hat ever y one i n t he house had t o
best i r hi msel f - - f at her was t o del i ver an exhor t at i on at t he pl ace
of execut i on, and t he Dean, whose par i shi oner t he condemned man
was, t oget her wi t h t he bai l i f f , had ar r anged t o come t o us t he day
bef or e.
Peer and hi s war der s and a f r i end, hi s i nst r uct or dur i ng t he t i me
of hi s i mpr i sonment , school mast er J akobsen, wer e t o sl eep down i n
t he school house, whi ch was par t of t he f ar m pr oper t y bel ongi ng t o
t he ol d par sonage. Meal s wer e t o be car r i ed f r om our house t o t he
pr i soner and J akobsen.
I r emember t hat t hey came i n t he mor ni ng i n t wo boat - l oads f r om
Mol de: t he Dean, t he bai l i f f , t he mi l i t ar y escor t , and t he
condemned man. But I had t o si t i n t he ol d school house, and not
even l at er i n t he day was I al l owed t o go down t o wher e t hey wer e.
Thi s pr ohi bi t i on made t he whol e pr oceedi ng t he mor e myst er i ous. I t
gr ew dar k ear l y. The sea r an bl ack agai nst a whi t i sh and i n some
pl aces bar e- swept beach. The r agged cl ouds chased each ot her
acr oss t he sky. We wer e af r ai d a st or m was comi ng on. Then one of
t he par sonage chi mneys caught on f i r e, and most of t he sol di er s
came r ushi ng up t o of f er hel p. The gr eat f i r e- l adder was br ought
f r om under t he st or ehouse. I t was unusual l y heavy and cl umsy, so
i t was di f f i cul t t o get i t r ai sed, t i l l f at her br oke i nt o t he
mi dst of t he cr owd, or der ed t hem al l t o st and back, and set i t up
by hi msel f . Thi s i s st i l l r emember ed i n t he par i sh; and al so t hat
t he bai l i f f , an act i ve l i t t l e f el l ow, t ook a bucket i n each hand
and went up t he l adder t i l l he r eached t he t ur f r oof . The bl ack
f j or d, t he hur r yi ng cl ouds, t he menace of t he comi ng day, t he
bl aze of t he f i r e, t he bust l e and di n. . . and t hen t he si l ence
af t er war ds! Peopl e whi sper ed as t hey moved about t he r ooms and out
i n t he yar d, whence t hey l ooked down upon t he school house- pr i son
wher e t he st eady l i ght bur ned.
School mast er J acobsen was si t t i ng t her e now wi t h hi s f r i end. They
wer e si ngi ng and pr ayi ng t oget her , I hear d f r om t hose who had been
down i n t hat di r ect i on. Peer ' s f ami l y came i n t he eveni ng i n a
boat , went up t o see hi m, and t ook l eave of hi m. I hear d how
daunt l ess he was i n hi s conf i dence t hat t he next day he woul d be
wi t h God, and how beaut i f ul l y he t al ked t o hi s peopl e, and
especi al l y how he begged t hem t o t ake an af f ect i onat e gr eet i ng t o
hi s mot her , and be good t o her as l ong as she l i ved. Some sai d she
had come i n t he boat wi t h t he r est , but woul d not go up t o see
hi m. That was not t r ue, any mor e t han t hat some of t hem wer e at
t he execut i on t he next day, whi ch was al so r epor t ed.
I wakened t he next mor ni ng under a wei ght of appr ehensi on. The
weat her had changed and was f ai r now, but i t f el t oppr essi ve
never t hel ess. No one spoke l oud, and peopl e sai d as l i t t l e as
possi bl e. I was t o be al l owed t o go wi t h t he r est and l ook on; so
I made hast e t o f i nd my t ut or , whom I had been t ol d not t o l eave.
The t wo cl er gymen came out i n t hei r cassocks. We went down t o t he
l andi ng- pl ace and r owed t he f i r st par t of t he way. The condemned
man and hi s escor t had gone on bef or e, and wai t ed at t he pl ace
wher e we di sembar ked, i n or der t o wal k t he l at t er par t of t he way
t o t he pl ace of execut i on, a ki l omet er or so di st ant . The
execut i on had t o t ake pl ace at a cr oss- r oads, and t her e was onl y
one i n t he nei ghbour hood- - namel y, at Ej dsvaag, near l y seven mi l es
away f r om wher e t he mur der was commi t t ed. The bai l i f f headed t he
pr ocessi on, t hen came t he sol di er s, t hen t he condemned man, wi t h
t he Dean on one si de and my f at her on t he ot her , t hen J acobsen and
my t ut or , wi t h me bet ween t hem, t hen some mor e peopl e, f ol l owed by
mor e sol di er s. We wal ked caut i ousl y al ong t he sl i pper y r oad. The
cl er gyman t al ked const ant l y t o t he condemned man, who was now ver y
pal e. Hi s eyes had gr own gent l e and wear y and he sai d ver y l i t t l e.
My mot her , who had been ver y ki nd t o hi m, and whom he had t hanked
f or al l she had done, had sent hi ma bot t l e of wi ne t o keep up hi s
st r engt h. The f i r st t i me t hat my t ut or of f er ed hi msome, he l ooked
at t he cl er gyman as t hough aski ng i f t her e wer e anyt hi ng si nf ul i n
accept i ng i t . My f at her quot ed St . Paul ' s advi ce t o Ti mot hy, and
i nst ant l y he dr ank of f a l ong dr aught .
By t he waysi de st ood peopl e cur i ous t o see hi m, and t hey j oi ned
t he pr ocessi on as i t passed al ong. Among t hem wer e some of hi s
comr ades, t o whom he sor r owf ul l y nodded. Once or t wi ce he l i f t ed
hi s cap, t he same f l at one I had seen hi mi n t he f i r st t i me. I t
was evi dent t hat hi s comr ades had a r egar d f or hi m; and I saw,
t oo, some young women who wer e cr yi ng, and made no at t empt t o
conceal i t . He wal ked al ong wi t h hi s hands cl asped at hi s br east ,
pr obabl y pr ayi ng.
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We wer e al l st ar t l ed by t he capt ai n' s l oud and commonpl ace wor d of
command, " At t ent i on! " as we r eached t he appoi nt ed pl ace. A body of
sol di er s st ood dr awn up i n a hol l ow squar e, whi ch cl osed i n af t er
admi t t i ng t he bai l i f f , t he cl er gyman, t he condemned man, and a f ew
besi des, among whom was mysel f . A gr eat si l ent cr owd st ood r ound,
and over t hei r heads one saw t he mount ed f i gur e of t he sher i f f i n
hi s cocked hat . When t he sol di er s who came wi t h us, havi ng car r i ed
out var i ous shar p wor ds of command, had t aken t hei r pl aces i n t he
squar e, t he f ur t her pr oceedi ngs began by t he sher i f f ' s r eadi ng
al oud t he deat h sent ence and t he r oyal or der f or t he execut i on.
The sher i f f st at i oned hi msel f di r ect l y i n f r ont of t he pl ace wher e
some pl aned boar ds wer e l ai d over t he gr ave. At one end of i t
st ood t he bl ock. On t he ot her si de of t he gr ave a pl at f or mhad
been er ect ed, f r om whi ch t he Dean was t o speak. Peer Hagbo knel t
bel ow on t he st ep, wi t h hi s f ace bur i ed i n hi s hands, cl ose t o t he
f eet of hi s spi r i t ual advi ser . The Dean was of Dani sh bi r t h, one
of t he many who, at t he t i me of t he separ at i on, had chosen t o make
t hei r home i n Nor way. Hi s addr esses wer e beaut i f ul t o r ead, but
one coul dn' t al ways hear hi m, and l east of al l when he was moved,
as was f r equent l y t he case. He shout ed t he f i r st wor ds ver y l oud;
t hen hi s head sank down bet ween hi s shoul der s, and he shook i t
wi t hout a pause whi l e he cl osed hi s eyes and ut t er ed some
smot her ed sounds, cat chi ng hi s br eat h bet ween t hem. The poi nt s of
hi s t al l shi r t - col l ar , whi ch r eached t o t he mi ddl e of hi s ear s ( I
have never si nce seen t he l i ke) , st uck up on each si de of t he bar e
cr opped head wi t h t he t wo doubl e chi ns under neat h, and t he whol e
was f r amed bet ween hi s shoul der s, whi ch, by l ong pr act i ce, he
coul d r ai se much hi gher t han ot her men. Those who di d not know
hi m- - f or t o know hi mwas t o l ove hi m- - coul d har dl y keep f r om
l aughi ng. Hi s speech was nei t her hear d nor under st ood, but i t was
shor t . Hi s emot i on f or ced hi mt o br eak i t of f suddenl y. One t hi ng
al one we al l under st ood: t hat he l oved t he pal e young man whom he
had pr epar ed f or deat h, and t hat he wi shed t hat al l of us mi ght go
t o our God as happy and conf i dent as he who was t o di e t o- day.
When he st epped down t hey embr aced each ot her f or t he l ast t i me.
Peer gave hi s hand t o my f at her and t o a number besi des, and t hen
pl aced hi msel f by hi s f r i end J akobsen. The l at t er knew what t hi s
meant . He t ook of f a ker chi ef and bound Peer ' s eyes, whi l e we saw
hi mwhi sper somet hi ng t o hi mand r ecei ve a whi sper ed answer . Then
a man came f or war d t o bi nd Peer ' s hands behi nd hi s back, but he
begged t o be l ef t f r ee, and hi s pr ayer was gr ant ed. Then J akobsen
t ook hi mby t he hand and l ed hi mf or war d. At t he pl ace wher e Peer
was t o kneel J akobsen st opped shor t , and Peer sl owl y bent hi s
knees. J akobsen bent Peer ' s head down unt i l i t r est ed on t he
bl ock; t hen he dr ew back and f ol ded hi s hands. Al l t hi s I saw, and
al so t hat a t al l man came and t ook hol d of Peer ' s neck, whi l e a
smal l er man dr ew f or t h f r om a coupl e of f ol ded t owel s a shi ni ng
axe wi t h a r emar kabl y br oad t hi n bl ade. I t was t hen I t ur ned away.
I hear d t he capt ai n' s hor r i bl e " Pr esent ar ms" ; I hear d some one
pr ayi ng " Our Fat her " - - per haps i t was Peer hi msel f - - t hen a bl ow
t hat sounded exact l y as i f i t went i nt o a gr eat cabbage. At once I
l ooked r ound agai n, and saw one l eg ki cki ng out , and a yar d or t wo
beyond t he body l ay t he head, t he mout h gaspi ng and gaspi ng as i f
f or ai r .
The execut i oner ' s assi st ant spr ang f or war d and t ook hol d of i t by
t he ends of t he handker chi ef t hat had bandaged t he eyes, and t hr ew
i t i nt o t he cof f i n besi de t he body, wher e i t f el l wi t h a dul l
sound. The boar ds wer e l ai d over t he cof f i ned r emai ns, and t he
whol e hast i l y l i f t ed up and l ower ed i nt o t he gr ave.
Then my f at her got up on t he pl at f or m. Ever y one coul d under st and
what HE sai d, and hi s power f ul voi ce was hear d t o such a di st ance
t hat even now i t i s r emember ed i n t he di st r i ct . Fol l owi ng up t he
t hunder ous admoni t i on of t he execut i on i t sel f , he war ned t he young
agai nst t he vi ces whi ch pr evai l ed i n t he par i sh- - agai nst
dr unkenness, f i ght i ng, unchast i t y, and ot her mi sconduct . They must
have l i ked t he di scour se ver y much, f or i t was st ol en out of t he
pocket of hi s gown on t he way home.
As f or me, I l ef t t he pl ace as si ck at hear t , as over whel med wi t h
hor r or , as i f i t wer e my t ur n t o be execut ed next . Af t er war ds I
compar ed not es wi t h many ot her s, who owned t o exact l y t he same
f eel i ng. Fat her and t he Dean di ned at t he capt ai n' s wi t h t he ot her
of f i ci al s; but t hey separ at ed and went home di r ect l y af t er di nner .
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*** END OF THE PROJ ECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, ABSALOM' S HAI R ***
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I f you can' t r each Pr oj ect Gut enber g,
you can al ways emai l di r ect l y t o:
Mi chael S. Har t <har t @pobox. com>
Pr of . Har t wi l l answer or f or war d your message.
We woul d pr ef er t o send you i nf or mat i on by emai l .
**The Legal Smal l Pr i nt **
( Thr ee Pages)
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***START**THE SMALL PRI NT! **FOR PUBLI C DOMAI N EBOOKS**START***
Why i s t hi s " Smal l Pr i nt ! " st at ement her e? You know: l awyer s.
They t el l us you mi ght sue us i f t her e i s somet hi ng wr ong wi t h
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*BEFORE! * YOU USE OR READ THI S EBOOK
By usi ng or r eadi ng any par t of t hi s PROJ ECT GUTENBERG- t m
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ABOUT PROJ ECT GUTENBERG- TM EBOOKS
Thi s PROJ ECT GUTENBERG- t meBook, l i ke most PROJ ECT GUTENBERG- t meBooks,
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t hr ough t he Pr oj ect Gut enber g Associ at i on ( t he " Pr oj ect " ) .
Among ot her t hi ngs, t hi s means t hat no one owns a Uni t ed St at es copyr i ght
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