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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Strife and Peace, by Fredrika Bremer,
+Translated by Mary Howitt
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Strife and Peace
+
+
+Author: Fredrika Bremer
+
+
+
+Release Date: December 21, 2006  [eBook #20156]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STRIFE AND PEACE***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, Janet Blenkinship, and the
+Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
+(http://www.pgdp.net/c/)
+
+
+
+Fredrika Bremer's Works.
+
+STRIFE AND PEACE.
+
+Translated by Mary Howitt.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+London:
+Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden.
+1853.
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+   OLD NORWAY
+   HEIMDAL.
+   THE POULTRY. THE WATER OF STRIFE.
+      FIRST STRIFE.
+   MRS. ASTRID.
+      THE BREWHOUSE.
+      THE GARRET.
+      THE DAIRY.
+   EVENING HOURS.
+   CHRISTMAS.
+   QUIET WEEKS.
+   A MAY DAY.
+   SPRING FEELINGS.
+   MAN AND WIFE.
+      A FRESH STRIFE.
+   ALETTE.
+   AN EVENING IN THE SITTING-ROOM.
+   RETREATING AND ADVANCING.
+   A GLANCE INTO NORDLAND.
+   THE RETURN.
+   THE HALLING.
+   AASGAARDSREIJA.
+   THE MOUNTAIN JOURNEY.
+   THE AWAKENING.
+   THE LAST STRIFE.
+   AN AFTER-WORD.
+
+
+
+
+STRIFE AND PEACE.
+
+
+
+OLD NORWAY.
+
+  Still the old tempests rage around the mountains,
+  And ocean's billows as of old appear;
+  The roaring wood and the resounding fountains
+  Time has not silenced in his long career,
+  For Nature is the same as ever.
+
+  MUNCH.
+
+
+
+  The shadow of God wanders through Nature.
+
+  LINNAEUS.
+
+
+Before yet a song of joy or of mourning had gone forth from the valleys
+of Norway--before yet a smoke-wreath had ascended from its huts--before
+an axe had felled a tree of its woods--before yet king Nor burst forth
+from Jotunhem to seek his lost sister, and passing through the land gave
+to it his name; nay, before _yet_ there was a Norwegian, stood the high
+Dovre mountains with snowy summits before the face of the Creator.
+
+Westward stretches itself out the gigantic mountain chain as far as
+Romsdahlshorn, whose foot is bathed by the Atlantic ocean. Southward it
+forms under various names (Langfjeld, Sognefjeld, Filefjeld,
+Hardangerfjeld, and so forth), that stupendous mountainous district
+which in a stretch of a hundred and fifty geographical miles comprehends
+all that nature possesses of magnificent, fruitful, lovely, and
+charming. Here stands yet, as in the first days of the world, in Upper
+Tellemark, the Fjellstuga, or rock-house, built by an invisible hand,
+and whose icy walls and towers that hand alone can overthrow: here
+still, as in the morning of time, meet together at Midsummer, upon the
+snowy foreheads of the ancient mountains, the rose-tint of morning and
+the rose-tint of evening for a brotherly kiss; still roar as then the
+mountain torrents which hurl themselves into the abyss; still reflect
+the ice-mirrors of the glaciers the same objects--now delighting, now
+awakening horror; and still to-day, even as then, are there Alpine
+tracts which the foot of man never ascended: valleys of wood, "lonesome
+cells of nature," upon which only the eagle and the Midsummer-sun have
+looked down. Here is the old, ever young, Norway; here the eye of the
+beholder is astonished, but his heart expands itself; he forgets his own
+suffering, his own joy, forgets all that is trivial, whilst with a holy
+awe he has a feeling that "the shadow of God wanders through nature."
+
+In the heart of Norway lies this country. Is the soul wearied with the
+tumults of the world or fatigued with the trifles of poor every-day
+life--is it depressed by the confined atmosphere of the room,--with the
+dust of books, the dust of company, or any other kind of dust (there are
+in the world so many kinds, and they all cover the soul with a great
+dust mantle); or is she torn by deep consuming passions,--then fly, fly
+towards the still heart of Norway, listen there to the fresh mighty
+throbbing of the heart of nature; alone with the quiet, calm, and yet so
+eloquent, objects of nature, and there wilt thou gain strength and life!
+There falls no dust. Fresh and clear stand the thoughts of life there,
+as in the days of their creation. "Wilt thou behold the great and the
+majestic? Behold the Gausta, which raises its colossal knees six
+thousand feet above the surface of the earth; behold the wild giant
+forms of Hurrungen, Fannarauken, Mugnafjeld; behold the Rjukan (the
+rushing), the Voering, and Vedal rivers foaming and thundering over the
+mountains and plunging down in the abysses! And wilt though delight
+thyself in the charming, the beautiful? They exist among these fruitful
+scenes in peaceful solitude. The Saeter-hut stands in the narrow valley;
+herds of cattle graze on the beautiful grassy meadows; the Saeter-maiden,
+with fresh-colour, blue eyes, and bright plaits of hair, tends them and
+sings the while the simple, the gentle melancholy airs of the country;
+and like a mirror for that charming picture, there lies in the middle of
+the valley a little lake (kjoern), deep, still, and of a clear blue
+colour, as is generally peculiar to the glacier water. All breathes an
+idyllian peace."
+
+But a presentiment of death appears, even in the morning hour of
+creation, to have impressed its seal upon this country. The vast
+shadows of the dark mountain masses fall upon valleys where nothing but
+moss grows; upon lakes whose still waters are full of never-melted
+ice--thus the Cold Valley, the Cold Lake (Koledal and Koldesjoe), with
+their dead, grey-yellow shores. The stillness of death reigns in this
+wilderness, interrupted only by the thunderings of the avalanche and by
+the noise which occasions the motion of the glaciers. No bird moves its
+wings or raises its twittering in this sorrowful region; only the
+melodious sighs of the cuckoo are borne thither by the winds at
+Midsummer.
+
+Wilt thou, however, see life in its pomp and fairest magnificence? Then
+see the embrace of the winter and the summer in old Norway; descend into
+the plain of Svalem, behold the valleys of Aamaadt and Sillejord, or the
+paradisaically beautiful Vestfjordal, through which the Man flows still
+and clear as a mirror, and embraces in its course little, bright green
+islands, which are overgrown with bluebells and sweet-scented
+wood-lilies; see how the silver stream winds itself down from the
+mountains, between groups of trees and fruitful fields; see how, behind
+the near hills with their leafy woods, the snow-mountains elevate
+themselves, and like worthy patriarchs look down upon a younger
+generation; observe in these valleys the morning and evening play of
+colours upon the heights, in the depths; see the affluent pomp of the
+storm; see the calm magnificence of the rainbow, as it vaults itself
+over the waterfall,--depressed spirit, see this, understand it, and----
+breathe!
+
+From these beautifully, universally known scenes we withdraw ourselves
+to a more unknown region, to the great stretch of valley where the
+Skogshorn rears itself to the clouds; where Urunda flows brightly
+between rocks,--the waterfalls of Djupadahl stream not the less
+charmingly and proudly because they are only rarely admired by the eyes
+of curious travellers. We set ourselves down in a region whose name and
+situation we counsel nobody to seek out in maps, and which we call--
+
+
+
+
+HEIMDAL.
+
+  Knowest thou the deep, cool dale,
+  Where church-like stillness doth prevail;
+  Where neither flock nor herd you meet;
+  Which hath no name nor track of feet?
+
+  VELHAVEN.
+
+
+Heimdal, we call a branch of Hallingdal, misplace it in the parish of
+Aal, and turn it over to the learned--that they may wonder at our
+boldness. Like its mother valley it possesses no historical memories. Of
+the old kings of Hallingdal one knows but very little. Only a few
+monumental stones, a few burial-mounds, give a dim intelligence of the
+mighty who have been. It is true that a people dwelt here, who from
+untold ages were renowned as well for their simplicity and their
+contentedness under severe circumstances as for their wild
+contest-loving disposition; but still, in quiet as in unquiet, built and
+dwelt, lived and died here, without tumult and without glory, among the
+ancient mountains and the pine-woods, unobserved by the rest of the
+world.
+
+One river, the son of Hallen-Jokul, flows through Heimdal. Foaming with
+wild rage it comes through the narrow mountain-pass down into the
+valley, finds there a freer field, becomes calm, and flows clear as a
+mirror between green shores, till its banks become again compressed
+together by granite mountains. Then is it again seized upon by disquiet,
+and rushes thence in wild curves till it flings itself into the great
+Hallingdal river, and there dies.
+
+Exactly there, where the stream spreads itself out in the extended
+valley, lies a large estate. A well-built, but somewhat decayed,
+dwelling-house of wood stretches out its arms into the depths of the
+valley. Thence may be seen a beautiful prospect, far, far into the blue
+distance. Hills overgrown with, wood stretch upward from the river, and
+cottages surrounded with inclosed fields and beautiful grassy paths, lie
+scattered at the foot of the hills. On the other side of the river, a
+mile-and-half from the Grange, a chapel raises its peaceful tower.
+Beyond this the valley gradually contracts itself.
+
+On a cool September evening, strangers arrived at the Grange, which had
+now been long uninhabited. It was an elderly lady, of a noble but
+gloomy exterior, in deep mourning. A young, blooming maiden accompanied
+her. They were received by a young man, who was called there "the
+Steward." The dark-appareled lady vanished in the house, and after that
+was seen nowhere in the valley for several months. They called her there
+"the Colonel's lady," and said Mrs. Astrid Hjelm had experienced a very
+strange fate, of which many various histories were in circulation. At
+the estate of Semb, which consisted of the wide-stretching valley of
+Heimdal, and which was her paternal heritage, had she never, since the
+time of her marriage, been seen. Now as widow she had again sought out
+the home of her childhood. It was known also and told, that her
+attendant was a Swedish girl, who had come with her from one of the
+Swedish watering-places, where she had been spending the summer, in
+order to superintend her housekeeping; and it was said, that Susanna
+Bjoerk ruled as excellently as with sovereign sway over the economical
+department, over the female portion of the same, Larina the
+parlour-maid, Karina the kitchen-maid, and Petro the cook, as well as
+over the farm-servants Mathea, Budeja, and Goeran the cattle-boy,
+together with all their subjects of the four-footed and two-legged
+races. We will now with these last make a little nearer acquaintance.
+
+
+
+
+THE POULTRY. THE WATER OF STRIFE.
+
+FIRST STRIFE.
+
+  "For Norway!"
+  "For Sweden!"
+
+   DISPUTANTS.
+
+
+The morning was clear and fresh. The September sun shone into the
+valley; smoke rose from the cottages. The ladies-mantle, on whose fluted
+cups bright pearls trembled; the silver-weed, with its yellow flowers
+and silver glittering leaves, shone in the morning sun beside the
+footpath, which wound along the moss-grown feet of the backs of the
+mountains. It conducted to a spring of the clearest water, which after
+it had filled its basin, allowed its playful vein to run murmuring down
+to the river.
+
+To this spring, on that beautiful morning, went down Susanna Bjoerk, and
+there followed her "cocks and hens, and chickens small."
+
+Before her waddled with consequential gabblings a flock of geese, which
+were all snow-white, excepting one--a grey gander. This one tottered
+with a desponding look a little behind the others, compelled to this by
+a tyrant among the white flock, which, as soon as the grey one attempted
+to approach, drove it back with outstretched neck and yelling cries. The
+grey gander always fled before the white tyrant; but bald places upon
+the head and neck proved that he had not come into this depressed
+condition, without those severe combats having made evident the
+fruitlessness of protestation. Not one of the goose madams troubled
+herself about the ill-used gander, and for that reason Susanna all the
+more zealously took upon herself, with delicate morsels and kind words,
+to console him for the injustice of his race. After the geese, came the
+well-meaning but awkward ducks; the turkey-cock, with his choleric
+temper and his two foolish wives, one white and the other black; lastly,
+came the unquiet generation of hens, with their handsome, quarrel-loving
+cocks. The prettiest of all, however, were a flock of pigeons which,
+confidingly and bashfully at the same time, now alighted down upon
+Susanna's shoulders and outstretched hand; now flew aloft and wheeled in
+glittering circles around her head; then settled down again upon the
+earth, where they neatly tripped, with their little fringed feet,
+stealing down to the spring to drink, whilst the geese with great tumult
+bathed themselves in the water and splashed about, throwing the water in
+pearly rain over the grass. Here also was the grey gander, to Susanna's
+great vexation, compelled by the white one to bathe itself at a distance
+from the others.
+
+Susanna looked around her upon the beautiful richly-coloured picture
+which lay before her, upon the little creatures which played around her
+and enjoyed themselves, and evident delight beamed from her eyes as she
+raised them, and with hands pressed together, said softly, "O heavens!
+how beautiful!"
+
+But she shrunk together in terror, for in that very moment a strong
+voice just beside her broke forth--
+
+  "How glorious is my fatherland,
+  The old sea-circled Norroway!"
+
+And the steward, Harald Bergman, greeted smilingly Susanna, who said
+rather irritated--
+
+"You scream so, that you frighten the doves with your old Norroway."
+
+"Yes," continued Harald, in the same tone of inspiration--
+
+  "Yes, glorious is my fatherland,
+  The ancient, rock-bound Norroway;
+  With flowery dale, crags old and grey,
+  That spite of time eternal stand!"
+
+"Old Norway," said Susanna as before; "I consider it a positive shame to
+hear you talk of your old Norway, as if it were older and more
+everlasting than the Creator himself!"
+
+"And where in all the world," exclaimed Harald, "do you find a country
+with such a proud, serious people; such magnificent rivers, and such
+high, high mountains?"
+
+"We have, thank God, men and mountains also in Sweden," said Susanna;
+"you should only see them; that is another kind of thing!"
+
+"Another kind of thing! What other kind of thing? I will wager that
+there is not a single goose in Sweden which could compare with our
+excellent Norway geese."
+
+"No, not one, but a thousand, and all larger and fatter than these.
+Everything in Sweden is larger and more excellent than in Norway."
+
+"Larger? The people are decidedly smaller and weaker."
+
+"Weaker? smaller? you should only see the people in Uddevalla, my native
+city!"
+
+"How can anybody be born in Uddevalla? Does anybody really live in that
+city? How can anybody live in it? It is a shame to live in such a city;
+it is a shame also only to drive through it. It is so miserably small,
+that when the wheels of the travelling-carriage are at one end, the
+horse has already put his head out at the other. Do not talk about
+Uddevalla!"
+
+"No, with you it certainly is not worth while to talk about it, because
+you have never seen anything else besides Norwegian villages, and
+cannot, on that account, form any idea to yourself of a proper Swedish
+city."
+
+"Defend me from ever seeing such cities--defend me! And then your
+Swedish lakes! what wretched puddles they are, beside our glorious
+Norwegian ocean!"
+
+"Puddles! Our lakes! Great enough to drown the whole of Norway in!"
+
+"Ha, ha, ha! And the whole of Sweden is beside our Norwegian ocean no
+bigger than my cap! And this ocean would incessantly flow over Sweden,
+did not our Norway magnanimously defend it with its granite breast."
+
+"Sweden defends itself, and needs no other help! Sweden is a fine
+country!"
+
+"Not half as fine as Norway. Norway reaches heaven with its mountains;
+Norway comes nearest to the Creator."
+
+"Norway may well be presumptuous, but God loves Sweden the best."
+
+"Norway, say I!"
+
+"Sweden, say I!"
+
+"Norway! Norway for ever! We will see whose throw goes the highest, who
+wins for his country. Norway first and highest!" and with this, Harald
+threw a stone high into the air.
+
+"Sweden first and last!" exclaimed Susanna, whilst she slung a stone
+with all her might.
+
+Fate willed it that the two stones struck against each other in the air,
+after which they both fell with a great plump down into the spring
+around which the small creatures had assembled themselves. The geese
+screamed; the hens and ducks flew up in terror; the turkey-hens flew
+into the wood, where the turkey-cock followed them, forgetting all his
+dignity; all the doves had vanished in a moment,--and with crimsoned
+cheeks and violent contention as to whose stone went the highest, stood
+Harald and Susanna alone beside the agitated and muddied water of
+discord.
+
+The moment is perhaps not the most auspicious, but yet we will make use
+of it, in order to give a slight sketch of the two contending persons.
+
+Harald Bergman had speaking, somewhat sharp features, in which an
+expression of great gravity could easily be exchanged for one of equal
+waggery. The dark hair fell in graceful waves over a brow in which one
+saw that clear thought was entertained. His figure was finely
+proportioned, and his movements showed great freedom and vigour.
+
+He had been brought up in a respectable family, had enjoyed a careful
+education, and was regarded by friends and acquaintances as a young man
+of extraordinary promise. Just as he had left the S. seminary, and was
+intending a journey into foreign countries, in order to increase still
+more his knowledge of agriculture, chance brought him acquainted with
+the widow of Colonel Hjelm, at the time in which she was returning to
+her native country, and in consequence thereof he altered his plans. In
+a letter to his sister, he expresses himself on this subject in the
+following manner:
+
+"I cannot properly describe to you, Alette, the impression which she
+made upon me. I might describe to you her tall growth, her noble
+bearing, her countenance, where, spite of many wrinkles and a
+pale-yellow complexion, traces of great beauty are incontrovertible; the
+lofty forehead, around which black locks sprinkled with grey, press
+forth from beneath her simple cap. I might tell of her deep, serious
+eyes, of her low and yet solemn voice; and yet thou couldst form to
+thyself no representation of that which makes her so uncommon. I have
+been told that her life has been as much distinguished by exemplary
+virtue as by suffering--and virtue and suffering have called forth in
+her a quiet greatness, a greatness which is never attained to by the
+favourites of fortune and of nature, which stamps her whole being. She
+seemed to me as if all the frivolities of the world passed by her
+unremarked. I felt for her an involuntary reverence, such as I had never
+felt before for any human being; and at the same time a great desire to
+approach her more nearly, to be useful to her, to deserve, and to win
+her esteem--it seemed to me that I should thereby become somewhat
+greater, or at least better; and as I was informed that she sought for a
+clever and experienced steward for her sorely decayed estate, I offered
+myself as such, in all modesty, or rather without any; and when
+accepted, I felt an almost childish joy, and set off immediately to her
+estate, that I might make myself at home there, and have everything in
+readiness to receive her."
+
+Thus much for Harald, now for Susanna.
+
+Barbara Susanna Bjoerk was not handsome, could not be even called pretty
+(for that, she was too large and strong), but she was good-looking. The
+blue eyes looked so honestly and openly into the world; the round and
+full face testified health, kindness, and good spirits; and when Susanna
+was merry, when the rosy lips opened themselves for a hearty laugh, it
+made any one right glad only to look at her. But true is it, that she
+was very often in an ill humour, and then she did not look at all
+charming. She was a tall, well-made girl, too powerful in movement ever
+to be called graceful, and her whole being betrayed a certain want of
+refinement.
+
+Poor child! how could she have obtained this in the home abounding in
+disorder, poverty, and vanity, in which the greater part of her life had
+been passed.
+
+Her father was the Burgomaster of Uddevalla; her mother died in the
+infancy of her daughter. Soon afterwards an aunt came into the house,
+who troubled herself only about the housekeeping and her coffee-drinking
+acquaintance, left her brother himself to seek for his pleasures at the
+club, and the child to take care of herself. The education of the little
+Susanna consisted in this, that she learned of necessity to read, and
+that when she was naughty they said to her, "Is Barbra there again? Fie,
+for shame, Barbra! Get out, Barbra!" and when she was good again, it
+was, "See now, Sanna is here again! Welcome, sweet Sanna!" A method
+which certainly was not without its good points, if it had only been
+wisely applied. But often was the little girl talked to as "Barbra" when
+there was no occasion for it, and this had often the effect of calling
+forth the said personage. In the mean time, she was accustomed as a
+child to go out as Barbra, and to come in again as Sanna, and this gave
+her early an idea of the two natures which existed in her, as they exist
+in every person. This idea attained to perfect clearness in Susanna's
+religious instruction,--the only instruction which poor Susanna ever
+had. But how infinitely rich is such instruction for an ingenuous mind,
+when it is instilled by a good teacher. Susanna was fortunate enough to
+have such a one, and she now became acquainted in Barbra with the
+earthly demon which should be overcome in Sanna, the child of heaven,
+which makes free and enlightens; and from this time there began between
+Barbra and Sanna an open strife, which daily occurred, and in which the
+latter, for the most part, got the upper hand, if Susanna was not too
+suddenly surprised by a naturally proud and violent temper.
+
+When Susanna had attained her twelfth year her father married a second
+time, but became a second time a widower, after his wife had presented
+him with a daughter. Two months after this he died also. Near relations
+took charge of the orphan children. In this new home Susanna learned
+to--bear hardships; for there, as she was strong and tall, and besides
+that made herself useful, and was kind-hearted, they made her soon the
+servant of the whole house. The daughters of the family said that she
+was fit for nothing else, for she could learn nothing, and had such
+unrefined manners; and besides that, she had been taken out of charity;
+she had nothing, and so on: all which they made her feel many a time in
+no gentle manner, and over which Susanna shed many bitter tears both of
+pain and anger. One mouth, however, there was which never addressed to
+Susanna other tones than those of affectionate love, and this was the
+mouth of the little sister, the little golden-haired Hulda. She had
+found in Susanna's arms her cradle, and in her care that of the
+tenderest mother. For from Hulda's birth Susanna had taken the little
+forlorn one to herself, and never had loved a young mother her
+first-born child more warmly or more deeply than Susanna loved her
+little Hulda, who also, under her care, became the loveliest and the
+most amiable child that ever was seen. And woe to those who did any
+wrong to the little Hulda! They had to experience the whole force of
+Susanna's often strong-handed displeasure. For her sake Susanna passed
+here several years of laborious servitude: as she, however, saw no end
+to this, yet was scarcely able to dress herself and her sister
+befittingly, and besides this was prevented by the multitude of her
+occupations from bestowing upon her sister that care which she required,
+therefore Susanna, in her twentieth year, looked about her for a better
+situation.
+
+From the confined situation in which Susanna spent such a weary life,
+she was able to see one tree behind a fence, which stretched out its
+branches over the street. Many a spring and summer evening, when the
+rest of the inhabitants of the house were abroad on parties of pleasure,
+sate Susanna quietly by the little slumbering Hulda, within the little
+chamber which she had fitted up for herself and her sister, and observed
+with quiet melancholy from her window the green tree, whose twigs and
+leaves waved and beckoned so kindly and invitingly in the wind.
+
+By degrees the green leaves beckoned into her soul thoughts and plans,
+which eventually fashioned themselves into a determined form, or rather
+an estate, whose realisation from this time forth became the paradise of
+her soul and the object of her life. This estate was a little farm in
+the country, which Susanna would rent, and cultivate, and make
+profitable by her own industry and her own management. She planted
+potatoes; she milked cows and made butter; she sowed, she reaped; and
+the labour was to her a delight; for there, upon the soft grass, under
+the green, waving tree, sate the little Hulda, and played with flowers,
+and her blue eyes beamed with happiness, and no care and no want came
+near her.
+
+All Susanna's thoughts and endeavours directed themselves to the
+realising of this idea. The next step towards it was the obtaining a
+good service, in which, by saving her wages, she could obtain a sum of
+money sufficient to commence her rural undertaking. Susanna flattered
+herself, that in a few years she could bring her scheme to bear, and
+therefore made inquiries after a suitable situation.
+
+There were this year among the visitors at the watering-place of
+Gustafsberg, which lay near to Uddevalla, a Norwegian Colonel and his
+lady. He was lame from a paralytic stroke, and had lost the use of his
+speech and of his hands. He was a large man, of a fierce, stern
+exterior; and although he seemed to endure nobody near him but his wife,
+and perpetually demanded her care, still it was evidently not out of
+love. And although his wife devoted herself unweariedly and
+self-denyingly to his service, still this evidently was not from love
+either, but from some other extraordinary power. Her own health was
+visibly deeply affected, and violent spasms often attacked her breast;
+but night or day, whenever it was his will to rise, it was her patient,
+bowed neck around which his arm was laid. She stood by his side, and
+supported him in the cold shower-bath, which was intended to re-awaken
+his dormant power of life, at the same time that it destroyed hers. She
+was ever there, always firm and active, seldom speaking, and never
+complaining. By the painful contraction of her countenance alone, and by
+the peculiarity of laying her hand upon her heart, it could be seen that
+she suffered. Susanna had an opportunity of seeing all this, and
+admiration and sympathy filled her breast. Before long she was fortunate
+enough to assist the noble lady, to offer to her her strong youthful arm
+as support, and to watch over the sick man when his wife was compelled
+to close her eyes from fatigue. And fortunately the invalid endured her.
+Susanna was witness of the last horrible scenes by the death-bed of the
+Colonel. He seemed to make violent efforts to say something, but--he
+could not. Then he made signs that he wished to write something; but his
+fingers could not hold the pen. Then presented itself a horrible
+disquiet on his distorted features. With that his wife bowed herself
+over him, and with an expression of the greatest anxiety, seized one of
+his hands and whispered--"Give me only a sign, as answer! Tell me! Tell
+me! does he yet live?"
+
+The sick man riveted upon her a strong gaze, and--bowed his head. Was
+this an assenting answer, or was it the hand of death which forbad an
+answer? No one could tell, for he never again raised his head. It was
+his last movement.
+
+For many days afterwards a quick succession of spasmodic attacks seemed
+to threaten the widowed lady with approaching death. Susanna watched
+incessantly beside her, and felt herself happy in being able to watch
+over her and to serve her. Susanna had conceived an almost passionate
+devotion for Mrs. Astrid; such as young girls often feel for elderly,
+distinguished women, to whom they look up as to the ideal of their sex.
+And when Mrs. Astrid returned to Norway, Susanna kissed with tears her
+little Hulda, but yet felt herself happy to follow such a mistress, and
+to serve her in the rural solitude to which she betook herself. Susanna
+journeyed to the foreign country, but retained deep in her heart her
+little Hulda and her life's plan.
+
+
+
+
+MRS. ASTRID.
+
+  Did ye but feel, O stars! who see
+  The whole earth's silent misery,
+  Then never would your glances rest
+  With such calm radiance on her breast.
+
+  HENR WERGELAND.
+
+
+As Susanna withdrew from Harald, and from the water of discord, she was
+quite in an excited and bad temper; but as soon however as she
+approached the wing of the house which Mrs. Astrid inhabited, she became
+calmer. She looked up to her window, and saw there her noble but gloomy
+profile. It was bent down, and her head seemed as it were depressed by
+dark thoughts. At this sight, Susanna forgot all her own ill humour.
+"Oh!" sighed she, "if I could only make her happier!"
+
+This was Susanna's daily subject of thought, but it became to her every
+day a darker riddle. Mrs. Astrid appeared to be indifferent to
+everything around her here. Never did she give an order about anything
+in the house, but let Susanna scold there and govern just as she would.
+Susanna took all the trouble she could to provide the table of her
+mistress with everything good and delicious which lay in her power; but
+to her despair the lady ate next to nothing, and never appeared to
+notice whether it was prepared well or ill.
+
+Now before Susanna went into the house, she gathered several of the most
+beautiful flowers which the autumn frost had spared, made a nosegay of
+them, and with these in her hand stept softly into Mrs. Astrid's room.
+
+"Bowed with grief," is the expression which describes Mrs. Astrid's
+whole being. The sickly paleness of her noble countenance, the depressed
+seldom-raised eyelids, the inanimate languor of her movements, the
+gloomy indifference in which her soul seemed to be wrapped,--like her
+body in its black mourning habiliments, when she sate for hours in her
+easy-chair, often without occupation, the head bowed down upon the
+breast; all this indicated a soul which was severely fettered by long
+suffering.
+
+Suffering in the north has its own peculiar character. In the south it
+burns and consumes. In the north it kills slowly; it freezes, it
+petrifies by degrees. This has been acknowledged for untold ages, when
+our forefathers sought for images of that which they felt to be the most
+terrible in life; thus originated the fable of the subterranean dwelling
+of Hela, of the terrors of the shore of corpses--in one word, the "Hell
+of the North, with its infinite, treeless wildernesses; with cold,
+darkness, mist, clammy rivers, chill, distilling poison, cities
+resembling clouds filled with rain, feetless hobgoblins," and so on.
+
+In the Grecian Tartarian dance of the Furies there is life and wild
+strength, there is in its madness a certain intoxication which deprives
+it of its feeling of deep misery. The heart revolts not so much from
+these pictures of terror, as from the cold, clammy, dripping ones which
+the chill north exhibits--ah! not alone in poetry.
+
+As Susanna entered the apartment of Mrs. Astrid, she found her sitting,
+as usual, sunk in deep melancholy. Upon a table before her lay paper and
+pens, and a book, in which she appeared to have been reading. It was the
+Bible; it lay open at the book of Job, and the following passages were
+underlined:
+
+  My soul is weary of my life, for my days are vanity.
+  Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards.
+
+Mrs. Astrid's eyes were riveted upon these last words, as Susanna
+softly, and with a warm heart, approached her, and with a cordial "Ah!
+be so good," presented to her the nosegay.
+
+The lady looked up at the flowers, and an expression of pain passed over
+her countenance as she turned away her head and said, "They are
+beautiful, but keep them, Susanna, they are painful to my eyes."
+
+She resumed her former position, and Susanna, much troubled, drew back;
+after a short silence, however, she again ventured to raise her voice,
+and said, "We have got to-day a beautiful salmon-trout, will you not,
+Mrs. Astrid, have it for dinner? Perhaps with egg-sauce, and perhaps I
+might roast a duck, or a chicken----"
+
+"Do whatever you like, Susanna," said the lady, interrupting her, and
+with indifference. But there was something so sorrowful in this
+indifference, that Susanna, who had again approached her, could not
+contain herself; she quickly threw herself before her mistress, clasped
+her knees, and said:
+
+"Ah, if I could only do something to please my lady; if I could only do
+something."
+
+But Susanna's warm glance, beaming with devotion, met one so dark, that
+she involuntarily started back.
+
+"Susanna," said Mrs. Astrid, as with gloomy seriousness she laid her
+hand upon her shoulder and gently put her back, "gratify me in one
+thing, attach not thyself to me. It will not lead to good. I have no
+attachment to give--my heart is dead! Go, my child," continued she more
+kindly, "go, and do not trouble thyself about me. My wish, the only good
+thing for me, is to be alone."
+
+Susanna went now, her heart filled with the most painful feelings. "Not
+trouble myself about her!" said she to herself, as she wiped away a
+tear; "not trouble myself about her, as if that were so easy."
+
+After Susanna was gone, Mrs. Astrid threw a melancholy glance upon the
+papers which lay before her. She seized the pen, and laid it down again.
+She seemed to shudder at the thought of using it; at length she overcame
+herself, and wrote the following letter:
+
+"You wish that I should write to you. I write for that reason; but
+what--what shall I say to you? My thanks for your letter, my paternal
+friend, the teacher of my youth; thanks that you wish to strengthen and
+elevate my soul. But I am old, bowed down, wearied, embittered--there
+dwells no strength, no living word more in my breast. My friend, it is
+too late--too late!
+
+"You would raise my glance to heaven; but what is the glory of the sun
+to the eye that--sees no longer? What is the power of music to the deaf
+ear? What is all that is beautiful, all that is good in the world, to
+the heart that is dead, that is turned to stone in a long, severe
+captivity? Oh, my friend, I am unworthy of your consolation, of your
+refreshing words. My soul raises itself against them, and throws them
+from herself as 'words, words, words,' which have sounded beautifully
+and grandly for thousands of years, whilst thousands of souls are
+inconsolably speechless.
+
+"Hope? I have hoped so long. I have already said to myself so long, 'a
+better day comes! The path of duty conducts to the home of peace and
+light, be the way ever so full of thorns. Go only steadfastly forward,
+weary pilgrim, go, go, and thou wilt come to the holy land!' And I have
+gone--I have gone on through the long, weary day, for above thirty
+years; but the way stretches itself out farther and farther--my hopes
+have withered, have died away, the one after the other;--I see now no
+goal, none, but the grave! Love, love! Ah, if you knew what an
+inexpressibly bitter feeling this word awakens in me! Have I not loved,
+loved intensely? And what fruit has my love borne? It has broken my
+heart, and has brought unhappiness to those whom I loved. It is in vain
+that you would combat a belief which has taken deep root in me. I
+believe that there are human beings who are born and pre-ordained to
+misfortune, and who communicate misfortune to all who approach them, and
+_I believe that I belong to these_. Let me, therefore, fly from my kind,
+fly from every feeling which binds me to them. Why should I occasion
+more mischief than I have already done?
+
+"Why do you desire me to write? I wish not to pour my bitterness into
+the heart of another; I wish to grieve no one, and--what have I now
+done?
+
+"There is a silent combat which goes through the world, which is fought
+out in the reserved human heart, and at times--fearfully! It is the
+combat with evil and bitter thoughts. They are such thoughts as
+sometimes take expression, expression written in fire and blood. Then
+are they read before the judgment-seat and condemned. In many human
+hearts, however, they rage silently for long years; then are undermined
+by degrees, health, temper, love, faith, faith in life and faith in--a
+good God. With this sinks everything.
+
+"Could I believe that my devoted, true pilgrimage by the side of a
+husband whom I once so tenderly loved, and for whose sake I dragged on
+life in the fortress of which he was the commander, in comparison of
+which the life of the condemned criminal is joy; whom I followed
+faithfully, though I no longer loved him, because it was needful to him;
+because, without me, he would have been given over to dark
+spirits--followed, because right and duty demanded it; because I had
+promised it before God--Oh! could I believe that this fidelity had
+operated beneficially--that my endeavours had borne any fruit--I should
+not then, as now, ask 'why was I born? why have I lived?' But nothing,
+nothing!
+
+"Could I think that on the other side of the grave I should meet the
+gentle loving look of my only sister--would I gladly die. But what
+should I reply to her, if she asked after her child of sorrow? How would
+she look upon the unfaithful protectress?
+
+"Oh, my friend! My misfortune has nothing in common with that of
+romances, nothing with that of which most the deep shades only serve to
+set off the most beautiful lights. It is a wearisome winter twilight;
+which only conducts to a deeper night. And am I alone in this condition?
+Open the pages of history, look around you in the present day, and you
+will see a thousand-fold sufferings, unmerited sufferings, which, after
+a long agony lead--to despair. But another, a happier life! Only
+consolation, only hope, only true point of light in the darkness of
+earthly existence!--no, no! I will not abandon thee! I will trust in
+thee; and in this belief will be silenced the murmurings which so often
+arise against the Creator of the world.
+
+"I am ill, and do not believe that I shall live over this winter.
+Breathing is difficult to me; and perhaps the inexpressible heaviness
+which burdens me may contribute to this torment. When I sit up sleepless
+in my bed through the long nights, and see the night in myself, behind
+me and before me, then dark, horrible phantasies surround me, and I
+often think that insanity, with ashy cheeks, stony and rigid gaze,
+approaches me, will darken my reason and bewilder my mind. How can I
+wish to live? When it is evening, I wish it were morning; and when it is
+morning, I wish that the day was over, and that it were again evening.
+Every hour is to me a burden and a torment.
+
+"For this cause, my friend, pray God for me that I may soon die!
+Farewell! Perhaps I may write no more. But my last clear thought will be
+for you. Forgive the impatience, the bitterness, which shows itself in
+this letter. Pray for me, my friend and teacher, pray that I may be able
+to compose myself, and to pray yet before I die!"
+
+
+
+
+NEW CONTENTIONS.
+
+  We're living a peculiar life,
+  With serious words and serious strife.
+
+  MUNCH.
+
+
+Whilst we leave the pale Mrs. Astrid alone with her dark thoughts, we
+are led by certain extraordinary discords to look around in
+
+THE BREWHOUSE.
+
+Harald found himself there for the purpose of tasting the new beer which
+Susanna had brewed; but before he had swallowed down a good draught, he
+said, with a horrible grimace, "It is good for nothing--good for nothing
+at all!"
+
+Somewhat excited, Susanna made reply, "Perhaps you will also assert that
+Baroness Rosenhjelm's brewing-recipe is good for nothing!"
+
+"That I assert decidedly. Does not she give coffee-parties? And a
+coffee-bibber is always a bad housewife; and as Baroness Rosenhjelm is a
+coffee-bibber, therefore----"
+
+"I must tell you," interrupted Susanna, vehemently, "that it is
+unbecoming and profane of you to talk in this way of such an excellent
+lady, and a person of such high rank!"
+
+"High! How high may she be?"
+
+"A deal higher than you are, or ever can be, that I can assure you!"
+
+"Higher than me! then of a certainty she goes on stilts. Now, I must say
+that is the very tip-top of gentility and politeness. One may forgive a
+lady giving coffee-parties, and decorating and dressing herself up, but
+to go on stilts, only on purpose to be higher than other folks, and to
+be able to look over their heads, that is coming it strong over us. How
+can such a high person ever come down low enough to brew good beer? But
+a Swedish woman can never brew good beer, for----"
+
+"She will not brew a single drop for you abominable Norwegians, for you
+have neither reason, nor understanding, nor taste, nor----"
+
+Out of the brewhouse flew Susanna, in the highest indignation, throwing
+down a glass of beer which Harald had poured out during the contention
+for her, but which now would have gone right over if he had not saved it
+by a spring.
+
+Towards the evening of the same day we see the contending parties again
+met in
+
+THE GARRET.
+
+"Are you yet angry?" asked Harald, jokingly, as he stretched in his head
+through the garret-door, where Susanna was sitting upon a flour-tub, as
+on a throne, with all the importance and dignity of a store-room queen,
+holding in her hand a sceptre of the world-famous sweet herbs--thyme,
+marjoram, and basil, which she was separating into little bundles,
+whilst she cast a searching glance around her well-ordered kingdom.
+
+The bread-chests were heaped up, for she had just baked oaten-bread;
+bacon-sausages and hams hung full of gravy, from the roof, as well as
+great bundles of dried fish; little bags full of all kinds of vegetables
+stood in their appointed places, and so on.
+
+Harald looked also around the garret, and truly with the eye of a
+connoisseur, and said, although he had yet received no answer to his
+question--
+
+"It is certain that I never saw a better provided or better arranged
+store-room!"
+
+Susanna would not exhibit one gleam of the pleasure she felt at this
+praise.
+
+"But," continued Harald, "you must confess that it does not require so
+very much skill to preserve the store-room and cellar well supplied in a
+country so rich in all the good things of life as our Norway--
+
+  Well-beloved land, with heaven-high mountains,
+  Fruit-bearing valleys, and fish-giving shores!"
+
+"Fish also have we, thank God, in Sweden," replied Susanna, drily.
+
+"Oh, but not to compare with our fish! Or would you seriously set your
+perch and carp against our mackerel, herrings, haddocks, flounders, and
+all our unparalleled quantities of fish?"
+
+"All your Norwegian kind of fish I would give for one honest Swedish
+pike."
+
+"A pike! Is there then in Sweden really nothing but pike?"
+
+"In Sweden there are all kinds of fish that there are in Norway, and a
+great deal bigger and fatter."
+
+"Yes, then they come from our coasts. We take what we want, and that
+which remains we let swim to Sweden, that down there they may have
+somewhat also. But I have forgotten that I myself am going a-fishing,
+and will catch little fishes, great fishes, a deal of fish. Adieu,
+Mamsel Susanna. I shall soon come back with fish."
+
+"You had best stop with your Norwegian fishes," cried Susanna after him.
+
+But Harald did not stop with the fishes. On the morrow we see him
+following Susanna into
+
+THE DAIRY.
+
+"I see that we are going to have to-day for dinner onion-milk, one of
+our most delicious national dishes, and my favourite eating."
+
+"Usch! One gets quite stupid and sleepy when one only thinks on your
+national dishes. And still more horrible than your onion-milk, and more
+unnatural too, is your fruit-soup with little herrings."
+
+"Fruit-soup with little herrings! Nay, that is the most superexcellent
+food on the earth, a food which I might call a truly Christian dish."
+
+"And I might call it a heathenish dish, which no true Christian man
+could eat."
+
+"From untold ages it has been eaten by free Norwegian men in the
+beautiful valleys of Norway."
+
+"That proves that you free Norwegians are still heathens."
+
+"I can prove to you that the Norwegians were a Christian people before
+the Swedes."
+
+"That you may prove as much as you like, but I shall not believe it."
+
+"But I will show it to you in print."
+
+"Then I shall be certain that it is a misprint."
+
+Harald laughed, and said something about the impossibility of disputing
+with a Swedish woman. Should now anybody wish to know how it happens
+that one finds Harald so continually in Susanna's company in the
+brewhouse, in the store-room, in the dairy, we can only reply that he
+must be a great lover of beer, and flour, and milk, or of a certain
+spice in the every-day soup of life, called bantering.
+
+Mrs. Astrid always breakfasted in her own room, but dined with Harald
+and Susanna, and saw them often for an hour in the evening. Often during
+dinner did the contention about Norway and Sweden break out; for the
+slightest occasion was sufficient to make the burgomaster's daughter
+throw herself blindly into the strife for fatherland; and, strange
+enough, Mrs. Astrid herself sometimes seemed to find pleasure in
+exciting the contest, as she brought upon the carpet one question or
+another, as--
+
+"I should like to know whether cauliflower is better in Norway or in
+Sweden?" or, "I should like to know whether the corn is better in Sweden
+or in Norway?"
+
+"Quite certainly in Norway," said Harald.
+
+"Quite decidedly in Sweden," cried Susanna. And vegetables, and fish,
+and the coinage, and measures and weights, were all handled and
+contended for in this way.
+
+Of the corn in Norway, Susanna said, "I have not seen upon this whole
+estate one single straw which may bear a comparison with that which I
+have seen in Sweden."
+
+"The cause of that," said Harald, "is because you saw here good corn for
+the first time."
+
+Of the Norwegian weights, Susanna said, "I never know what I am about
+with your absurd, nasty Norwegian weights."
+
+"They are heavier than the Swedish," replied Harald.
+
+Whenever Susanna became right vehement and right angry, then--it is
+shocking to say it--Harald laughed with his whole heart, and at times a
+faint smile brightened also Mrs. Astrid's pale face, but it resembled
+the gleam of sunshine which breaks forth in a dark November sky, only to
+be immediately concealed behind clouds.
+
+Susanna never thought in the least, on these occasions, of putting the
+bridle on the Barbra temper. She considered it as a holy duty to defend
+the fatherland in this manner.
+
+But the spirit of contention did not always reign between Harald and
+Susanna. At intervals the spirit of peace also turned towards them,
+although as a timid dove, which is always ready soon to fly away hence.
+When Susanna spoke, as she often did, of that which lived in the inmost
+of her heart; of her love to her little sister, and the recollections of
+their being together; of her longings to see her again, and to be able
+to live for her as a mother for her child,--then listened Harald ever
+silently and attentively. No jeering smile nor word came to disturb
+these pure images in Susanna's soul. And how limningly did Susanna
+describe the little Hulda's beauty; the little white child, as soft as
+cotton-wool, the pious blue eyes, the white little teeth, which glanced
+out whenever she laughed like bright sunshine, which then lay spread
+over her whole countenance; and the golden locks which hung so
+beautifully over forehead and shoulders, the little pretty hands, and
+temper and heart lively, good, affectionate! Oh! she was in short an
+angel of God! The little chamber, which Susanna inhabited with her
+little Hulda, and which she herself had changed from an unused
+lumber-room into a pretty chamber, and whose walls she herself painted,
+she painted now from memory yet once more for Harald; and the bed of the
+little Hulda was surrounded with a light-blue muslin curtain, and how a
+sunbeam stole into the chamber in the morning, in order to shine on the
+pillow of the child, and to kiss her little curly head. How roguish was
+the little one when Susanna came in late at night to go to bed, and cast
+her first glance on the bed in which her darling lay. But she saw her
+not, for Hulda drew her little head under the coverlet to hide herself
+from her sister. Susanna then would pretend to seek for the little one;
+but she needed only to say with an anxious voice, "where--ah, where is
+my little Hulda?" in order to decoy forth the head of the little one, to
+see her arms stretched out, and to hear her say, "here I am, Sanna! here
+is thy little Hulda!" And she had then her little darling in her arms,
+and pressed her to her heart; then was Susanna happy, and forgot all the
+cares and the fatigues of the day.
+
+At the remembrance of these hours Susanna's tears often flowed, and
+prevented her remarking the tearful glow which sometimes lit up Harald's
+eyes.
+
+Harald, however, had also his relations; not, it is true, of so tender a
+nature, but yet interesting enough to lay claim to all Susanna's
+attention, and to give us occasion to commence a new chapter.
+
+
+
+
+EVENING HOURS.
+
+  I like the life, where rule and line appeareth,
+  In the mill's clapping and the hammer's blow;
+  I give to him the path who burthens beareth,
+  He worketh for a useful end I know.
+  But he, who for the klip-klap never heareth
+  The call of bells to feeling's holiday--
+  Hath but sham-life, mechanically moving,
+  Soul-less he is, unconscious and unloving.
+  Fly agile arrow, rattling in thy speeding
+  Over the busy emmet's roof of clay,
+  And waken spiritual life!
+
+  FOSS.
+
+
+Harald related willingly, and related uncommonly well;--an entertaining
+and a happy gift, which one often meets with in Norway among all
+classes, both in men and women, and which they appear to have inherited
+from their ancestors the Scalds; and besides this, he was well
+acquainted with the natural wonders and legends of the mountain region.
+
+And it is precisely in mountain regions where the most beautiful
+blossoms of the people's poetry have sprung as if from her heart. The
+ages of the Sagas and the heathens have left behind their giant traces.
+River and mountain have their traditions of spectres and
+transformations; giant "cauldrons" resound in the mountains, and
+monumental stones are erected over warriors, who "buckled on their
+belts," and fell in single combat. From Hallingdal went forth the
+national Polska (the Halling), and only the Hardanger-fela (the
+Hallingdal fiddle) can rightly give its wild, extraordinary melody. Most
+beautiful are the flowers of remembrance which the Christian antiquity
+exhibits, and the eternal snow upon the crowns of the ancient mountains
+is not more imperishable than these innocent roses at their feet. So
+long as Gausta stands, and the Rjukan sings his thunder-song, will the
+memory of Mari-Stien live, and his tales of joy and sorrow be told; so
+long as the ice-sea of Folgefond rests over his silent, dark secrets,[1]
+so long will the little island become green, of which it is said, that
+it is eternally wetted with the tears of true love.
+
+Be it who it may--they who write with their own life, song and legend,
+who express the depths of being by the silent but mighty language of
+deeds--they are the real authors, the first poets of the earth. In the
+second rank stand those who relate that which the others have lived.
+
+When the day's work was over, and Mrs. Astrid had again betaken herself
+to her chamber after her slight evening meal, it gave Harald great
+pleasure to read aloud or to relate histories to Susanna, whilst she
+sewed, or her spinning-wheel hummed often in lively emulation of Larina
+and Karina, and whilst the flames of the fire danced up the chimney, and
+threw their warm joyous gleams over the assembled company. It pleased
+Harald infinitely to have Susanna for his auditor, to hear her
+exclamation of childish terror and astonishment, or also her hearty
+laughter, or to see her tears over his now merry and now sorrowful
+tales.
+
+How deeply was Susanna's heart touched by the relation of Mari-Stien,
+whose path over the mountain on the edge of the abyss of Rjukan-force,
+which in these days the traveller treads with dread, was discovered by a
+young girl guided by the courage of love. It was by this path that the
+beautiful Mary of Vestfjordal went with light and firm foot to meet the
+friend of her childhood and her beloved, Ejstein Halfvordsen. But the
+avarice of her father separated them, and Mary's tears and prayers
+obliged Ejstein to fly, in order to escape the schemes of a treacherous
+rival against his life. Years passed on, and Mary remained steadfast in
+her faith. Her father died. Ejstein had, by his bravery and his
+magnanimity, made his former enemy his friend, and the lovers were now
+about to meet after a long separation, never again to be divided.
+Ejstein hastened by the shorter road of the Mari-Stien to meet his
+beloved. Long had she awaited him. She saw him coming, and his name
+escaped her with a cry of joy. He saw her--stretched forth his arms, as
+his whole soul, eagerly towards her, and he forgot--that he had no
+pinions. He fell, and the Rjukan swallowed him in its foaming depths.
+For many years after this there wandered daily upon Mari-Stien, a pale
+figure, whose beautiful features spoke of silent insanity, and stood
+bent down over the stream, and seemed to talk with some one down in its
+depths. With melancholy joy in her countenance returned she ever from
+her wandering, and said to her people in the cottage, "I have spoken
+with him, and he besought me to come to him every day, and to tell him
+how I love. It would be wrong to refuse him this; he is so good and
+loves me so truly."
+
+Thus went she, even when the wind blew her silver hair around her
+wrinkled cheeks; thus she went until a merciful voice called the weary
+wanderer to ascend the path of heaven to rest and joy, in the arms of
+the beloved.
+
+Less mournful, but not the less interesting for Susanna, was the old
+legend of Halgrim.
+
+Stormannadauen (the Black Death) had raged through Norway, and cut off
+more than two-thirds of its population, and desolated whole extents of
+country and large populous districts. In Uldvig's Valley, in Hardanger,
+a young peasant of the name of Halgrim alone, of all the people who had
+died there, remained alive. He raised himself from the sick bed on which
+he lay surrounded by the dead, and went out in order to seek for living
+people.
+
+It was spring, and the larks sang loud in the blue clear air; the
+birch-wood clothed itself in tender green; the stream, with its melting
+snow-drifts, wound down the mountains singing on its way; but no plough
+furrowed the loosened earth, and from the heights was heard no wood-horn
+calling the cattle at feeding time. All was still and dead in the
+habitations of men. Halgrim went from valley to valley, from cottage to
+cottage; everywhere death stared him in the face, and he recognised the
+corpses of early friends and acquaintance. Upon this, he began to
+believe that he was alone in the world, and despair seized on his soul,
+and he determined also to die. But as he was just about to throw himself
+down from a rock, his faithful dog sprang up to him, caressed him, and
+lamented in the expressive language of anguish. Halgrim bethought
+himself, and stepped back from the brink of the abyss; he embraced his
+dog; his tears flowed, and despair withdrew from his softened heart. He
+began his wandering anew. Thoughts of love led him towards the parish of
+Graven, where he had first seen and won the love of Hildegunda.
+
+It was evening, and the sun was setting as Halgrim descended into the
+valley, which was as still and dead as those through which he had
+wandered. Dark stood the fir-trees in the black shadow of the rocky
+wall, and silently rolled on the river between the desolate banks. On
+the opposite side of the river a little wooded promontory shot out into
+the blue water, and upon the light green tops of the birch-trees played
+the last rays of the sun.
+
+Suddenly it seemed to Halgrim as if a light smoke rose up from among the
+trees. But he trusted not his eyes; he stared upon it breathlessly. He
+waited however hardly a second, when he saw a blue column curling slowly
+upwards in the peaceful evening air. With a cry of joy Halgrim darted
+forwards, waded through the stream, and soon stood on its opposite
+shore. Barking and whining his dog ran onwards to the cottage whence the
+smoke ascended. Upon its hearth clearly burned the fire, and a young
+maiden stepped forward to the door--one cry of inexpressible joy, and
+Halgrim and Hildegunda lay in each other's arms! Hildegunda was also the
+only living person in her valley after the terrible visit of the Black
+Death.
+
+On the following day, after mutual agreement, they went to church, and
+as there was no priest to marry them, and nobody to witness the
+plighting of their faith, they stepped alone together to God's altar,
+and extended to each other a hand, whilst Halgrim said with a solemn
+voice, "In the name of God the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
+Ghost!"
+
+And God blessed the faith plighted in His name. From this happy pair
+descended generations who peopled anew this region, and the names of
+Halgrim and Hildegunda are to this day in use among its inhabitants.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Through Harald also was Susanna made acquainted with the legends of the
+kings of Norway; with the deeds of Olaf Haraldsen, the blood-baptizer;
+with those of the noble Olof Tryggveson; and with admiration heard she
+of king Sverre, with the little body and the large truly-royal soul. It
+flattered also somewhat her womanly vanity to hear of women as
+extraordinary in the old history of Norway; as for example, the proud
+peasant's daughter, Gyda, who gave occasion to the hero-deeds of Harald
+Haarfager, who first made Norway into a kingdom; and although the action
+of Gunild, the king's mother, awakened her abhorrence, yet it gave her
+pleasure to see how a woman, by the supremacy of her mind, governed
+seven kings and directed their actions.
+
+Darker pictures were presented by the citizen-wars, which hurried
+"blood-storm upon blood-storm" through the land, and in which it at
+length "bled liberty to death."
+
+Now the wild strawberry blooms in the ruins of former strongholds, and
+upon blood-drenched fields grow golden forests,
+
+  As the scar groweth o'er the healed wound.--TEGNER.
+
+A milder generation lived in the place of the "Bloody Axe,"[2] and
+looked serenely and hopefully towards the future, whilst in their
+peaceful, beautiful valleys, they listened willingly to the memories of
+the old times.
+
+  Upon the hill-tops stands the ancient stone,
+  Where legend hovers like a singing lark,
+  With morning brightness on its downy breast.
+
+  VELHAVEN.
+
+One subject of conversation and of dispute also between Harald and
+Susanna, was their pale lady. As soon as the discourse turned to her,
+Harald assumed a very grave demeanour, and replied only to Susanna's
+earnest inquiries of what he knew about her, "she must have been very
+unfortunate!" If, however, Susanna began to assail him with questions
+about this misfortune, in what it consisted, whether one could not help
+her in some way or other--Susanna would have gone up and down the world
+for this purpose--then began Harald to tell a story.
+
+Tales of women, powerful and distinguished in their valleys, are not
+rare in Norway. The story of the lady in Hallingdal, called the
+Shrieking Lady, is well known, who was so magnificent that she was drawn
+by elks; one hears of the rich Lady Belju, also of Hallingdal, who built
+Naes church, and by means of fire and butter split the Beja rock, so
+that a road was carried over it, which road is called to this day the
+Butter Rock. One hears tell of the Ladies of Solberg and Skoendal, of
+their great quarrel about a pig, and of the false oath which one of them
+swore in the lawsuit which thence ensued; and to every one of these
+ladies belongs the story, that the preacher did not dare to have the
+church-bells rung until the great lady had arrived there.
+
+They tell further the history of the wife of the knight Knut Eldhjerna,
+who, from grief for the criminal lives of her seven sons, retired from
+the world, and lived as a hermit in a lonesome dale, where, by fasting
+and alms, she endeavoured to atone for the misdeeds of her children.
+Yes, indeed, there are many histories of this kind. But as concerns the
+history which Harald related to Susanna, of Mrs. Astrid, its like had
+not yet been heard in the valleys of Norway. There occurred in it so
+many strange and horrible things, that the credulous Susanna, who during
+it had become ever paler and paler, might have been petrified with
+horror if, precisely at the most terrible part of the catastrophe, the
+suspicion had not suddenly occurred to her, that she was horrifying
+herself--at a mere fiction! And Harald's countenance, when she expressed
+her conjectures, made this certainty; and the hearty laughter with which
+he received her exclamations and reproaches excited her highest
+indignation, and she rose up and left him, with the assurance that she
+never again would ask him anything, never believe a word that he said.
+
+This lasted till--the next time. Then if Harald promised to tell the
+truth as regarded their lady--the whole pure truth, then Susanna let
+herself be befooled, listened, grew pale, wept, till the increasing
+marvels of the story awoke afresh her suspicion, which she again plainly
+expressed as before, and again Barbra stood up, scolded, threatened,
+banged the door after her in anger, and Harald--laughed.
+
+In one point, however, Harald and Susanna always perfectly agreed, and
+that was in serving their lady with the greatest zeal; and this, without
+themselves being aware of it, increased their esteem for each other,
+which, however, by no means prevented their boldly attacking each other,
+and slandering--he Sweden, she Norway.
+
+Thus, amid perpetual alternations of strife and peace, slid away the
+autumn months unobserved, with its darkening days and its increasing
+cold; and the season came, in which important business demanded the time
+of the ladies, as well in great as in small houses; the time for lights
+and tarts, dance, play, and children's joy, in one word--
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[1] Several districts, wicked as Sodom and Gomorrah, are said to be
+buried under the gigantic pall, and it is related that people have heard
+the cock crow below the snow covering. If the sun appears above the
+Fond, it is believed that swarms of innumerable birds of all colours,
+white, black, green, yellow, and red, are seen flying up and down over
+the snowy sea. It was thought in early times, that these were the souls
+of the wicked inhabitants of the valley which swarmed about here in the
+shapes of birds.--FAYE.
+
+[2] Eric, king of Norway, so called because of his cruelty.
+
+
+
+
+CHRISTMAS.
+
+  Come hither little birds, merry of mood,
+  By barn-door and dwelling-house corn ears are strewed;
+      Christmas comes hither,
+      Then may ye gather,
+  Food from the bread-giving straw, golden hued.
+
+  BJERREGAARD.
+
+     The sun shall warm and illumine the whole earth, therefore is the
+     earth glad of his coming.--THE KING'S PLAY.
+
+
+Thanks be to God for the sun! So many friends, so many joys, desert us
+during our pilgrimage through life; the sun remains true to us, and
+lights and warms us from the cradle to the grave. This is it which
+unites the Pagan and the Christian in one common worship, inasmuch as it
+lifts the hearts of both to the God who has created the sun. The highest
+festival of the year among the Northern Heathens and Christians occurs
+also at the season in which the sun, as it were, is born anew to the
+earth, and his strength is converted from waning to waxing. With the
+greatest cordiality is this festival celebrated in the Scandinavian
+countries. Not alone in the houses of the wealthy blaze up fires of joy,
+and are heard the joyful cries of children; from the humblest cottages
+also resounds joy; in the prisons it becomes bright, and the poor
+partake of--plenty. In the country, doors, hearths, and tables, stand
+open to every wanderer. In many parts of Norway the innkeeper demands no
+payment from the traveller either for board or lodging. This is the time
+in which the earth seems to feel the truth of the heavenly words--"It is
+more blessed to give than to receive." And not only human beings, but
+animals also, have their good things at Christmas. All the inhabitants
+of the farm-yard, all domestic animals, are entertained in the best
+manner; and the little birds of heaven rejoice too, for at every barn a
+tall stake raises itself, on the top of which rich sheaves of oats
+invite them to a magnificent meal; even the poorest day-labourer, if he
+himself possesses no corn, asks and receives from the peasant a bundle
+of corn, raises it aloft, and makes the birds rejoice beside his empty
+barn.
+
+Susanna had much to care for in the Christmas week, and was often up
+late at night: in part, on account of her own business; in part, on
+account of some Christmas gifts with which she wished to surprise
+several persons around her. And this certainly was the cause of her
+somewhat oversleeping herself on the morning of Christmas-eve. She was
+awoke by a twittering of birds before her window, and her conscience
+reproached her with having, amid the business of the foregoing day,
+quite forgotten the little birds, to which she was accustomed to throw
+out upon the snow, corn and bread crumbs; and they were now come to
+remind her of it. Ah! were but all remembrances like to the twittering
+of birds! With real remorse for her forgetfulness Susanna hastened to
+dress herself, and to draw aside the window-curtain. And behold!
+outside, before her window, stood a tall slender fir-tree, in whose
+green top, cut in the form of a garland, was stuck a great bunch of
+gold-yellow oats, around which great flocks of sparrows and bulfinches
+swarmed, picking and chirping. Susanna blushed, and thought "Harald!"
+The people in the house answered with smiles to Susanna's questions, the
+Steward had, indeed, planted the tree. The Steward, however, himself
+appeared as if he were quite a stranger to the whole affair, betrayed
+astonishment at the tree with the sheaf of oats, and could not conceive
+how it had come there.
+
+"It must," said he, "have shot forth of itself during the night;" and
+this could only be proved from the wonderful strength of the excellent
+Norwegian earth--every morsel of which is pulverised primary rock. Such
+a soil only can bring forth such a miraculous growth.
+
+In the forenoon, Harald went with Susanna into the farm-yard, where she
+with her own hands divided oats among the cows; bread among the sheep;
+and among the little poultry corn in abundant measure. In the community
+of hens was there with this a great difference of character observable.
+Some snatched greedily, whilst they drove the others away by force;
+others, on the contrary, kept at a modest distance, and picked up well
+pleased the corn which good fortune had bestowed upon them; others,
+again, seemed to enjoy for others more than for themselves. Of this
+noble nature was one young cock in particular, with a high comb, and a
+rich cape of changeful gold-coloured feathers, and of a peculiarly proud
+and lofty bearing; he gave up his portion to the hens, so that he had
+scarcely a single grain for himself; regarding, however, the while, with
+a noble chanticleer-demeanour the crowd which pecked and cackled at his
+feet. On account of this beautiful behaviour, he was called the Knight,
+by Susanna, which name he always preserved after that time. Among the
+geese, she perceived with vexation that the grey one was still more
+oppressed and pecked at by his white tyrant than ever. Harald proposed
+to kill the grey one; but Susanna declared warmly, that if either of the
+rivals were sacrificed it must be the white one.
+
+In a house where there are no children, where neither family nor friends
+assemble, where the mistress sits with her trouble in darkness, there
+can Christmas bring no great joy. But Susanna had made preparations to
+diffuse pleasure, and the thoughts of it had through the whole week,
+amid her manifold occupations, illumined her heart; and, besides, she
+was of that kind that her life would have been dark had it not been that
+the prospect of always making somebody happy had glimmered like a star
+over her path. Larina, Karina, and Petro tasted on this day of the
+fruits of Susanna's night-watching; and when it was evening, and Susanna
+had arranged the Christmas-table in the hall, and had seen it adorned
+with lut-fish,[3] and roast meat, and sweet groats, cakes and butter,
+tarts and apples, and lighted with four candles; when the farm-people
+assembled round the table with eyes that flashed with delight and
+appetite; when the oldest among them struck up a hymn of thanksgiving,
+and all the rest joined in with folded hands and solemn voices--then
+seemed it to Susanna as if she were no longer in a foreign land: and
+after she had joined in with the hymn of the people, she seated herself
+at the table as the most joyous, cordial hostess; clinked her glass with
+those of men and maid servants; animated even the most colossal passion
+for eating, and placed the nicest things before the weak and the timid.
+
+Mrs. Astrid had told Susanna that she would remain alone in her chamber
+this evening, and only take a glass of milk. Susanna wished, however, to
+decoy her into enjoyment by a little surprise; and had laid the
+following little plot against her peace. At the time when the glass of
+milk was to be carried in to her, instead of this a very pretty boy,
+dressed to represent an angel, according to Susanna's idea of one, with
+a crown of light upon his head, should softly enter her room and beckon
+her out. So beautiful and bright a messenger the lady would find it
+impossible to withstand, and he would then conduct her out into the
+great hall, where, in a grove of fir-trees, a table was covered with the
+sweetest groats, and the most delicious of tarts, and behind the
+fir-trees the people of the house were to be assembled, and to strike up
+a song to a well-known air of the country, in praise of their lady, and
+full of good wishes for her future life.
+
+Harald, to whom Susanna had imparted her scheme, shook his head over it,
+at first, doubtfully, but afterwards fell into it, and lent a helping
+hand to its accomplishment, as well by obtaining the fir-trees, as by
+fitting out the angel. Susanna was quite charmed with her beautiful
+little messenger, and followed silently and softly at his heels, as with
+some anxiety about his own head and its glittering crown he tripped
+lightly to Mrs. Astrid's chamber.
+
+Harald softly opened the door for the boy. From thence they saw the lady
+sitting in an easy-chair in her room, her head bowed upon her hands. The
+lamp upon the table cast a faint light upon her black-appareled figure.
+The audible movement at the door roused her; she looked up, and stared
+for some time with a wild glance at the apparition which met her there.
+Then she arose hastily, pressed her hands to her breast, uttered a faint
+cry of horror, and sank lifeless to the floor. Susanna pushed her angel
+violently aside, and rushed to her mistress, who with indescribable
+feelings of anguish she raised in her arms and carried to bed. Harald,
+on the contrary, busied himself with the poor angel, who with his crown
+had lost his balance, and while the hot tallow ran down over brow and
+cheeks broke out into the most deplorable tones of lamentation.
+
+Susanna soon succeeded in recalling her mistress to life; but for a long
+time her mind seemed to be confused, and she spoke unintelligible
+unconnected sentences, of which Susanna only understood the words,
+"Apparition--unfortunate child--death!" Susanna concluded therefore that
+the fabricated angel had frightened her, and exclaimed with tears, "Ah,
+it was only Hans Guttormson's little fellow that I had dressed up as an
+angel in order to give you pleasure!"
+
+Susanna saw now right well how little fortunate had been this thought;
+but Mrs. Astrid listened with great eagerness to Susanna's explanation
+respecting the apparition which had shook her so much, and at length her
+convulsive state passed off in a flood of tears. Susanna beside herself
+for grief, that instead of joy she had occasioned trouble to her lady,
+kissed, with tears, her dress, hands, feet, amid heartfelt prayers for
+forgiveness.
+
+Mrs. Astrid answered mildly, but with excitement: "Thou meant it well,
+Susanna. Thou couldst not know how thou wouldst grieve me. But--think no
+more about it; never more attempt to give me pleasure. I can never more
+be joyful, never more happy! There lies a stone upon my breast which
+never can be raised, until the stone shall be laid on my grave. But go
+now, Susanna, it is necessary for me to be alone. I shall soon be
+better."
+
+Susanna prayed that she might bring her a glass of milk, and Mrs. Astrid
+consented; but when she had brought it in she was obliged again to
+withdraw, her heart full of anguish. When she came out to Harald she
+poured out to him all her pain over the unfortunate project, and related
+to him the deep agitation of mind, and the dark, despairing words of her
+lady.
+
+At this Harald became pale and thoughtful, and Susanna at that was still
+more depressed. To be sure she had yet a little mine of pleasures
+remaining, on whose explosion she had very much pleased herself, but
+this in the disturbed state of mind produced but little effect. It is
+true that Harald smiled, and exclaimed, "The cross!" when a waistcoat
+made its appearance out of a wheaten loaf; it is true that he thanked
+Susanna and pressed her hand, but he had evidently so little pleasure in
+her present, his thoughts were so plainly directed to something else,
+that now every gleam of pleasure vanished for Susanna from the Christmas
+joy. When she was alone in her chamber, and saw from her window how a
+little beam of light proceeded from every cottage in the valley, and she
+thought how within them were assembled in confidential circles, parents,
+children, brothers and sisters, and friends, then felt she painfully
+that she was lonesome in a strange land; and as she remembered how
+formerly on this evening she made her little Hulda happy, and how
+fortunate her projects had always been, she took out a handkerchief
+which had been worn on the neck of the little beloved sister, and
+covered it with hot tears and kisses. Great part of the night she passed
+on the threshold of her lady's door, listening full of anguish to the
+never-ceasing footsteps within. But with the exception of several deep
+sighs, Susanna heard no expression of pain which might justify her in
+breaking in upon the solitude of her mistress.
+
+We will now turn ourselves to a somewhat more lively picture.
+
+There exists in Norway a pleasant custom, which is called Tura-jul, or
+Christmas-turns. In Christmas week, namely, people go out to visit one
+another by turns, and then in the hospitable houses is there feasting,
+sporting, and dancing. That is called "the Christmas-turns."
+
+And the "turns" extended also to the remote-lying solitary Heimdal. The
+pastor of the mother parish, the friendly and hospitable pastor,
+Middelberg, had sent an invitation to friends and acquaintances in the
+whole neighbourhood, which included also the inhabitants of Semb, to a
+feast at the parsonage, on the second day of Christmas.
+
+Mrs. Astrid excused herself, but besought Harald and Susanna to drive
+there. It had frozen a few days before, and had freshly snowed, so that
+the sledging was excellent, and Harald now again in good humour seemed
+disposed to make a little festival of driving Susanna to the parsonage
+in a small sledge with jingling bells.
+
+Mrs. Astrid had regained her accustomed manner and appearance, and thus
+Susanna was easy as to all consequences of her unfortunate scheme on
+Christmas-eve, and could give herself up with a free mind to the
+agreeable impressions which the winter-drive offered. And these were
+manifold and rich to a person who was so little used to pleasure of any
+kind as Susanna, and who, besides this, was of a fresh, open spirit. The
+air was so clear, the snow was so dazzling, mountain and woods so
+splendid, the horse so spirited, and Harald drove so indescribably well,
+the most difficult places being to him mere play-work, that Susanna
+exclaimed every now and then, "Oh, how beautiful! Oh, how divine!"
+
+With all this, Harald was uncommonly polite and entertaining. Attentive
+in the extreme that Susanna sate comfortably, was warm about the feet,
+and so on, laid himself out at the same time to make her acquainted with
+all wonders and beauties of the district; besides which he related much
+that was interesting of the peculiarities of the neighbourhood, of its
+woods, mountains, and kinds of stones, spoke of the primeval mountains
+and transition-formations, of that which had existed before the Flood,
+and of that which had been formed after it, so that Susanna was
+astonished at his great learning, and a feeling of reverence for him was
+excited in her mind. It is true that she forgot this for one while, in a
+quarrel which suddenly arose between them respecting the sun, which,
+according to Harald's assertion, must appear brighter in Norway than in
+Sweden, which Susanna contended against most vehemently, and assured him
+of exactly the opposite; and about the strata of air, of which Susanna
+asserted that they lay in Norway different to Sweden; upon the whole,
+however, the drive was harmonious, and in the highest degree
+advantageous to Harald's appearance. By his driving, his politeness, and
+his learning, he had attained to something quite grand and extraordinary
+in Susanna's eyes.
+
+When, after a drive of about six miles, they approached the
+parsonage-house, they saw from all sides the little sledges issuing from
+the passes of the valleys, and then hastening forward in the same
+direction as themselves across the fields of snow. Steaming breath came
+from the nostrils of the snorting horses, and merrily jingled the bells
+in the clear air. Susanna was enraptured.
+
+No less was she enraptured by the cordiality with which she saw herself
+received at the parsonage--she, a foreign serving-maiden--by foreign,
+wealthy, and respectable people. Susanna was, besides this, very curious
+to see bow things looked, and how they went on, in a respectable
+parsonage in Norway; and it was therefore very agreeable to her, when
+the kind Madame Middelberg invited her to see the house, and allowed her
+to be conducted by her eldest daughter, Thea Middelberg, everywhere,
+from the cellar even to the garret. Susanna, after this, felt great
+esteem for the arrangements in the parsonage-house; thought that she
+could learn various things from it; other things, however, she thought
+would have been better according to her Swedish method. Returned to the
+company, Susanna found much to notice and much to reflect upon. For the
+rest, she was through the whole of this day in a sort of mental
+excitement. It seemed to her, as if she saw the picture of comfort and
+happiness of which she had sometimes dreamed, here realised. It seemed
+to her, that life amid these grand natural scenes and simple manners
+must be beautiful. The relationship between parents and children,
+between masters and servants, appeared so cordial, so patriarchal. She
+heard the servants in the house of the clergyman call him and his wife,
+father and mother; she saw the eldest daughter of the house assist in
+waiting on the guests, and that so joyously and easily, that one saw
+that she did it from her heart; saw a frank satisfaction upon all faces,
+a freedom from care, and a simplicity in the behaviour of all; and all
+this made Susanna feel quite light at heart, whilst it called forth a
+certain tearful glance in her eye.
+
+"Have you pleasure in flowers?" inquired the friendly Thea Middelberg;
+and when Susanna declared that she had, she broke off the most beautiful
+rose which bloomed in the window and gave to her.
+
+But the greatest pleasure to Susanna was in the two youngest children of
+the house, and she thought that the heartful "mora mi" (my mother), was
+the most harmonious sound which she had ever heard. And in that Susanna
+was right also, for more lovely words than these "mora mi," spoken by
+affectionate childish lips, are not in the earth. The little Mina, a
+child about Hulda's age, and full of life and animation, was in
+particular dear to Susanna, who only wished that the little romp would
+have given to herself a longer rest upon her knee. Susanna herself won
+quite unwittingly the perfect favour of the hostess, by starting up at
+table at a critical moment when the dinner was being served, and with a
+light and firm hand saving the things from danger. After this she
+continued to give a helpful hand where it was needful. This pleased
+much, and they noticed the young Swede with ever kinder eyes; she knew
+it, and thought all the more on those who thought of her.
+
+Towards the end of the substantial and savoury dinner, skal was drunk
+and songs were sung. Susanna's glass must clink with her neighbours,
+right and left, straight before her and crosswise, and animated by the
+general spirit, she joined in with the beautiful people's song, "The
+old sea-girded Norway," and seemed to have forgotten all spirit of
+opposition to Norway and Norwegians. And how heartily did not she unite
+in the last skal which was proposed by the host, with beaming and
+tearful eyes, "To all those who love us!" and she thought on her little
+Hulda.
+
+But now we must go on to that which made this day a remarkable one for
+Susanna.
+
+After dinner and coffee were over, the company divided, as is customary
+in Norway. The ladies remained sitting on the sofa and in armed chairs
+round about, and talked over the occurrences in the neighbourhood,
+domestic affairs, and the now happily-concluded Christmas business, and
+"yes, indeed!" "yes, indeed!" was often heard among them.
+
+The young girls grouped themselves together in the window, and there was
+heard talk of "dress" and "ornament," "heavens, how pretty!" and jest
+and small-talk.
+
+In the next room sate the gentlemen together with pipes and politics.
+
+Susanna was near to the open door of this room, and as she felt but
+little interest in the subjects that were spoken of in her
+neighbourhood, she could not avoid listening to that which was said by
+the gentlemen within the room, for she heard how there a coarse voice
+was abusing Sweden and the Swedes in the most defamatory manner.
+Susanna's blood boiled, and involuntarily she clenched her fist.
+
+"Oh, heavens!" sighed she, "that I were but a man!"
+
+The patriotic burgomaster's daughter burned with desire to fall upon
+those who dared to despise her fatherland. She could not hear this
+coolly, and almost fearing her own anger she was about to rise and take
+another place, but she restrained herself, for she heard a grave, manly
+voice raised in defence of that foreign calumniated country. And truly
+it was refreshing for Susanna to hear Sweden defended with as much
+intelligence as zeal; truly it was a joy to her to hear the assertions
+of the coarser voice repelled by the other less noisy, but more powerful
+voice, and at length to hear it declaim, as master of the field, the
+following lines, which were addressed to his native land on the occasion
+of the death of Gustavus Adolphus the Great:
+
+  At once is dimmed thy glory's ray;
+  Thy flowery garland fades away.
+  Bowed mother! But thy brightness splendid
+  Shall never more be ended.
+  The grateful world on thee her love will cast,
+  Who mother of Gustavus wast![4]
+
+Yes, truly was all this a feeling of delight for Susanna; but the voice
+which spoke so beautifully--the voice which defended Sweden--the voice
+which called forth the feeling of delight, this voice operated more than
+all the rest on Susanna, for it was that of--Harald. Susanna could not
+trust her ears, she called her eyes to their assistance, and then, as
+she could no longer doubt that the noble defender of her country was
+Harald, she was so surprised and so joyful that in the overflowing of
+her feelings she might almost have done something foolish, had not at
+that very moment one of the elderly ladies of the party come to her, and
+led her into a quieter corner of the room, in order to be able there
+quietly to question her of all that she wished to know. This lady
+belonged to that class (scattered in every country of the world) which
+has a resemblance to the parasite growth, inasmuch as it grows and
+flourishes by the nourishment which it seeks from the plants on which it
+fixes itself. As this lady wore a brown dress, and had brown ribbons in
+her cap, we find it very appropriate to call her Madame Brun. Susanna
+must now give Madame Brun an account of her family, her home, all her
+connexions, why she was come into Norway, how she liked living there,
+and so on. In all this Susanna was tolerably open-hearted; but when the
+discourse was turned upon her present situation, and her lady, she
+became more reserved. On this subject, however, Madame Brun was less
+disposed to question than to relate herself.
+
+"I knew Mrs. Astrid," said she, "in our younger days, very well. She was
+a very handsome lady, but always rather proud. However, I did not mind
+that, and we were right good friends. People told me that I ought to pay
+a visit to Semb, but--I don't know--I have never seen her since she has
+been so strange. My God, dear friend, how can you live with her? She
+must be so horribly gloomy and anxious!"
+
+Susanna replied by a warm burst of praise of her lady, and said, "that
+she was always sorrowful, and appeared to be unhappy, but that this only
+bound her to her all the more."
+
+"Unhappy!" began Madame Brun again. "Yes, if that were all--but alas!"
+
+Susanna asked in astonishment what she meant.
+
+Madame Brun answered, "I say and think nothing bad of her, and always
+defend her, but in any case there is something odd about her. Could you
+really believe that there are people wicked enough to speak----to
+suspect----a murder?"
+
+Susanna could neither think nor speak--she only stared at the speaker.
+
+"Yes, yes," continued Madame Brun, fluently; "so people say! To be sure
+the Colonel, who was a monster, was most guilty in the affair; but yet,
+nevertheless, she must have known of it--so people assert. See you--they
+had a boy with them, the son of her sister. The mother died, after
+having confided her child to the care of her sister and her
+brother-in-law. What happens then? One fine day the boy has vanished----
+never again comes to light----nobody knows what has become of him; but
+his cloak is found on a rock, by the lake, and drops of blood on the
+stone under it! The boy had vanished, and his property came in well for
+his relations, since the Colonel had gambled away everything which he
+and his wife possessed. But our Lord, in his justice, smote the Colonel,
+so that for five years he remained lame and speechless, and his wife
+never since that has had one joyful day on earth."
+
+Susanna turned pale with emotion, and as zealously as she had before
+defended the honour of her native land, now defended she the innocence
+of her lady. But in this she was interrupted by the friendly hostess,
+who invited her to join the other young people in games and dancing. But
+Susanna was so excited by that which she had heard, and longed so much
+to be at home with her mistress, for whom, now that she had heard her so
+cruelly maligned, she felt more affection than ever; she prayed to be
+excused from taking any part in the Christmas games, and announced her
+intention of driving home. She wished not, however, to take Harald from
+the company, and intended, unfearingly, to drive home alone. She could
+drive very well, and should easily find the way.
+
+No, sooner, however, did Harald become aware of her intentions than he
+prepared to accompany her; and it was of no avail that Susanna opposed
+herself to it. Host and hostess, however, in their cordiality, opposed
+warmly their guests leaving them so early, and threatened them with
+"Aasgaardsreija," who was accustomed to rage in Christmas time, and
+would meet them by the way if they persisted in their unwise resolve.
+Notwithstanding this they did so, and were accompanied by their hosts to
+the sledge. Susanna thanked them from her moved heart for all their
+kindness, promised the amiable Thea that they would see one another
+often, and kissed tenderly the little Mina, who hung upon her neck.
+
+Scarcely was Susanna seated in the sledge, and was amid mountains and
+woods, than she gave vent to her heart, and related to Harald the story
+which she had just heard. And her abhorrence had not been less than was
+now Harald's anger at such a shameful calumniation, and at the person
+who had exhibited such an evidence of her own dark soul. Yes, he fell
+into such a rage with old Madame Brun, and made such threatening
+demonstrations against her well-being, and the horse made such violent
+springs and plunges, that Susanna endeavoured to lead the conversation
+to other subjects. She therefore asked Harald what was meant by
+Aasgaardsreija, and why they had threatened her with it.
+
+Harald on this returned to his customary temper, and assured her that
+this was by no means to be jested with. "The Aasgaardsreija," said he,
+"are the spirits which are not good enough to deserve heaven, and yet
+not bad enough to be sent to hell; they consist of tipplers, polite
+deceivers--in one word, of all those who from one cause or another have
+given themselves to evil. For punishment, therefore, must they ride
+about till the end of the world. At the head of the troop rides
+Guro-Rysse, or Reisa-Rova, who is to be known by her long train. After
+her follows a long numerous band of both sexes. The horses are coal
+black, and their eyes flash in the darkness like fire. They are guided
+by bits of red-hot iron, ride over land and water, and the halloo of the
+riders, the snorting of the horses, the rattling of the iron bits,
+occasion a tumult which is heard from far. Whenever they throw a saddle
+over a house, there must some one die, and wherever they perceive that
+there will be bloodshed or murder, they enter, and seating themselves on
+the posts by the door, make a noise and laugh in their sleeve. When one
+hears the Aasgaardsreija coming, one must throw oneself on the ground
+and pretend that one sleeps. If one does this not, one is carried away
+by the troop, and struck down in a fainting-fit in a place far distant
+from where one was. People often, after this, are low-spirited and
+melancholy all their days. But the virtuous, who throw themselves down
+immediately on the approach of the troop, suffer nothing, excepting that
+every one of the airy company spits upon him in passing; when the troop
+has passed by, then one spits again, and the affair has then no further
+consequence."
+
+Harald added that this troop was commonly out at Christmas, and nothing
+was more possible than that they themselves might meet it on this very
+evening, and in that case Susanna had nothing more to do than to
+dismount from the sledge, throw herself with her nose on the ground, and
+bury her face in the snow, till the wild herd were gone over.[5]
+
+Susanna declared, it is true, that she had not any faith in the story;
+but Harald said so gravely that one of these days she would see that the
+affair was true, and Susanna was naturally so inclined to believe in the
+marvellous, that she very often, especially in narrow passes of the
+valleys, directed her glance to the heights, half fearing, half wishing,
+that the black horses, with the fiery eyes and the red-hot bridlebits,
+might make their appearance. But she only saw bright stars look down
+upon her, now and then dimmed by the Northern lights, which waved their
+shining, fleeting veils over the vault of heaven.
+
+Arrived at Semb, she saw the customary faint light in the windows of her
+lady. Susanna's heart was affected, and with a deep sigh she said, "Ah,
+how wicked this world is! To lay yet stones upon the burden, and to make
+misfortune into crime. What, what can we do to shield her from the
+attacks of malice?"
+
+"Madame Brun shall at least not spread her lies further," said Harald.
+"I will drive to her to-morrow morning, compel her to swallow her own
+words, and terrify her from ever letting them again pass her lips."
+
+"Yes, that is good!" exclaimed Susanna, delighted.
+
+"If an accident happens to a child," continued Harald, excitedly, "then
+directly to charge those belonging to it with a wilful murder! Can one
+imagine anything more shameful or more absurd. No, such snakes, at
+least, shall not hiss about the unhappy lady. And to crush them shall be
+my business!"
+
+And with this Harald pressed Susanna's hand at parting, and left her.
+
+"And my business," thought Susanna, with tearful eyes, "shall be to love
+her and to serve her faithfully. Perhaps, when order and comfort are
+diffused more and more around her, when many pleasures daily surround
+her, perhaps she may again feel an inclination for life."
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[3] A kind of codfish, which has been soaked in lye for several weeks,
+and is a general Christmas dish in Norway and Sweden.
+
+[4] The Battle of Luezen. By Rein.
+
+[5] The rushing noise and tumult in the air which attends violent
+storms, especially in mountain countries, has probably given occasion to
+the legend of the Aasgaardsreija. There is no doubt of its having its
+origin in heathen times, but it may also have reference to the
+procession towards Aasgaard of the heroes who have fallen in battle, or
+to the aerial journey of the Nornor and Valkyrior. The legend has taken
+its present form under Christianity, in which the old divinities have
+been transformed in popular belief into evil powers and servants of the
+devil.--FAYE.
+
+
+
+
+QUIET WEEKS.
+
+  When clouds hang heavy on the face of earth,
+    And woods stand leafless in their mourning plight,--
+    Then gentle sympathy has twofold might,
+  And kindness on the social winter's hearth
+    Within our hearts the glow of spring's delight.
+
+  VELHAVEN.
+
+
+Hast thou heard the fall of water-drops in deep caves, where heavily,
+and perpetually, and gnawingly, they eat into the ground on which they
+fall? Hast thou heard the murmuring of the brook that flows on
+sportively between green banks, whilst nodding flowers and beaming
+lights of heaven mirror themselves in its waters? There is a secret
+twittering and whispering of joy in it. There hast thou pictures of two
+kinds of still life, which are different the one from the other as hell
+and heaven. Both of them are lived on earth; both of them, at Semb in
+Heimdal, were lived through the following months: the first by Mrs.
+Astrid, the second by Harald and Susanna, only that sometimes the
+wearing drops were blown aside by a favourable breeze, and that
+sometimes mud of various kinds made turbid the waters of the dancing
+brook.
+
+January passed away with his growing sunshine and his increasing winter
+pomp. Waterfalls planted their edges with flowers, palms, grapes--yes,
+whole fruit-trees of--ice. The bulfinches, with their red breasts, shone
+like hopping flames upon the white snow. The winter bloomed in sparkling
+crystals, which were strewn over wood and earth, in the song of the
+throstle, in the glittering whiteness of the snow-fields. Timber was
+felled in the woods, and songs from Tegner's Frithof resounded thereto.
+People drove in sledges through the valleys, and on snow-skates over the
+mountains. There was fresh life everywhere.
+
+The contest at Semb, about Sweden and Norway, had ceased ever since
+Christmas. It is true that Harald attempted various attacks upon Swedish
+iron, the Swedish woods, and so on, but Susanna seemed not rightly to
+believe in their seriousness, and would not on that account take up the
+strife; and his last attempt on the Swedish wind fell so feebly, that
+Harald determined to let the subject rest, and to look about for some
+other matter of contention wherewith to keep himself warm during the
+winter.
+
+February and March came on. This is the severest time of a northern
+winter. In January it is young, but it becomes now old, and grey and
+heavy, especially in cottages, where there is no great provision for the
+family. The autumn provision, as well in the house as in the yard, is
+nearly consumed. It is hard for hungry children to trail home wood from
+the forests, which is to boil for them in their kettle only thin
+water-gruel, and not always that.
+
+April came. It is called the spring month, and the larks sing in the
+woods. But in the deep valley often prevails then the greatest anxiety
+and want. Often then scatters the needy peasant ashes and sand upon the
+snow which covers his acres, that it may melt all the sooner, and thus
+he may be able to plough up his land between the snow walls which
+surround it. Susanna during this month became well known in the cottages
+of the valley, and her warm heart found rich material for sympathy and
+help.
+
+Harald thought this too good an opportunity to be lost for infusing into
+Susanna a horror of himself and his character, and showed himself cold
+and immovable to her description of the wants which she had witnessed,
+and had a proud ability to say "no" to all her proposals for their
+assistance. He spoke much of severity and of wholesome lectures, and so
+on; and Susanna was not slow in calling him the most cruel of men,
+another "tyrant Christjern," a regular misanthrope; "wolves and bears
+had more heart than he had. Never again would she ask him for anything;
+one might just as well talk to a stock or a stone!" And Susanna set off
+to weep bitter tears. But when she afterwards found that much want was
+silently assisted from the hand of the misanthrope; when she found that
+in various instances her suggestions were adopted; then, indeed, she
+also shed in silence tears of joy, and soon forgot all her plans of
+hostile reserve. By degrees, also, Harald forgot his contention in the
+subject, the interest of which was too good and important; and before
+they were rightly aware of it, they found themselves both busied for the
+same purpose in various ways. Susanna had begun by giving away all that
+she possessed. As she had now no more to give, she began to give ear to
+Harald's views; that for the poor which surrounded them, generally
+speaking, direct almsgiving was less needful than a friendly and
+rational sympathy in their circumstances, a fatherly and motherly
+guardianship which would sustain the "broken heart," and strengthen the
+weary hands, which were almost sinking, to raise themselves again to
+labour and to hope. In the class which may be said to labour for their
+daily bread, there are people who help themselves; others there are whom
+nobody can help; but the greater number are those who, through prudent
+help in word and deed, can attain to helping themselves, and obtaining
+comfort and independence.
+
+Harald considered it important to direct the attention of the people to
+the keeping of cattle, knowing that this was the certain way of this
+region's advancing itself. And as soon as the snow melted, and the earth
+was clear, he went out with labourers and servants, and occupied himself
+busily in carrying away from the meadows the stones with which they, in
+this country, are so abundantly strewn, and sowed new kinds of grass,
+as a source of more abundant fodder; and Susanna's heart beat for joy as
+she saw his activity, and how he himself went to work, and animated all
+by his example and his cheerful spirit. Harald now also often found his
+favourite dishes for his dinner; nay, Susanna herself began to discover
+that one and another of them were very savoury, and among these may
+particularly be mentioned groat gruel with little herrings. This course,
+with which dinners in Norway often begin, is so served, that every guest
+has a little plate beside him, on which lie the little white herrings,
+and they eat alternately a piece of herring and a spoonful of gruel,
+which looks very well, and tastes very good.
+
+Harald, towards spring, was very much occupied with work and workpeople,
+so that he had but little time to devote to Susanna, either for good or
+bad. But he had discovered that possibly in time he might have a weak
+chest, and he visited her, therefore, every morning in the dairy that he
+might receive a cup of new milk from her hand. For this, he gave her in
+return fresh spring-flowers, or, by way of change, a nettle (which was
+always thrown violently into a corner), and for the rest attentively
+remarked the occurrences in the dairy, and Susanna's movements, whilst
+she poured the milk out of the pails through a sieve into the pans, and
+arranged them on their shelves, whereby it happened that he would forget
+himself in the following monologue--
+
+"See, that one may call a knack! How well she looks at her work, and
+with that cheerful, friendly face! Everything that she touches is well
+done;--everything improves and flourishes under her eye. If she were
+only not so violent and passionate!--but it is not in her heart, there
+never was a better heart than hers. Men and animals love her, and are
+well off under her care--Happy the man who--hum!"
+
+Shall we not at the same time cast a glance into Susanna's heart? It is
+rather curious there. The fact was, that Harald had,--partly by his
+provocativeness and naughtiness, and partly by his friendship, his
+story-telling, and his native worth, which Susanna discovered more and
+more,--so rooted himself into all her thoughts and feelings, that it was
+impossible for her to displace him from them. In anger, in gratitude, in
+evil, in good, at all times, must she think of him. Many a night she
+lay down with the wish never to see him again, but always awoke the next
+morning with the secret desire to meet with him again. The terms on
+which she stood with him resembled April weather, which we may be able
+the clearest to see on--
+
+
+
+
+A MAY DAY.
+
+  The first time, yes, the first time flings
+  A glory even on trivial things;
+  It passes soon, a moment's falling,
+  Then it is also past recalling.
+
+  The grass itself has such a prime;
+  Man prizes most spring's flowery time,
+  When first the verdure decks earth's bosom,
+  And the heart-leaf foretels the blossom.
+
+  Thus God lets all, however low,
+  In "the first time" a triumph know;
+  Even in the hour when death impendeth,
+  And life itself to heaven ascendeth.
+
+  HENR WERGELAND.
+
+
+It was in the beginning of May. A heavy shower of rain had just ceased.
+The wind sprang up in the south, blew mild and fresh, and chased herds
+of white clouds over the brightening heaven.
+
+The court at Semb, which had been desolate during the rain, now began to
+be full of life and movement.
+
+Six ducks paddled up and down with great delight in a puddle of water,
+bathing and beautifying themselves.
+
+The chanticleer, called the Knight, scratched in the earth, and
+thereupon began to crow merrily, in order to make it known that he had
+something nice to invite to, and as two neat grey-speckled hens sprang
+towards him, he let first one grain of corn and then another fall out of
+his beak, of which, agreeably to a clever hen-instinct, they availed
+themselves without ceremony or compliments. How easily the creatures
+live!
+
+The turkey-cock was in great perplexity, and had a deal of trouble to
+keep his countenance. His white lady had accepted the invitation of the
+chanticleer (which she probably thought was general), and sprang forward
+as fast as she could with her long legs, and stuck her head between the
+two hens to have a share of their treat. The knightly young chanticleer
+on this, with some surprise and a certain astonished sound in his
+throat, drew himself a little proudly back, but for all that was too
+much of the "gentleman" to mortify, in the least, the foreign
+presumptuous beauty. But the grey-speckled hens turned their backs upon
+her. Her neglected spouse gobbled in full desperation, and swelled
+himself out, his countenance flaming with anger, by the side of his
+black wife, who was silent, and cast deprecating eyes up to heaven.
+
+By the kitchen-wall, the black cat and her kittens romped amid a
+thousand twists and turns; whilst above them the mice, in the
+waterspout, peeped peeringly and curiously forth, drank of the
+rain-water, snuffed in the fresh air, and afterwards crept quietly again
+under the house tiles.
+
+The flies stretched their legs, and began to walk about in the sunshine.
+
+In the court stood a tall ash, in whose top waved a magpie nest. A many
+magpies, candidates for the airy palace, made their appearance there,
+flew screaming round about, wished to get possession of it, and chased
+one another away. At length two remained as conquerors of the nest.
+There laughed they and kissed under the spring-blue heaven, rocked by
+the south wind. Those that were chased away consoled themselves by
+fluttering down upon the yard-dog's provision-trough, and plucking out
+of it, whilst the proud Alfiero, sitting outside his kennel,
+contemplated them in dignified repose.
+
+The starlings struck up their quaver, and sent forth their melodious
+whistling, whilst they congregated together on the edge of the roof.
+
+The grapes shook from themselves the rain-drops in the wind, and the
+little stellaria, which is so dear to the singing birds, raised again
+its head to the sun, and was saluted by the jubilant song of the lark.
+
+The geese waddled, gabbling over the grassy fields, biting the young
+green herbage. In this way, a change was revealed, which had taken place
+in the company. The bully, the white gander, had by accident become
+lame, and had with this lost his power and his respect. The grey gander
+had now an opportunity of exhibiting a beautiful character, a noble
+disposition; but no! The grey gander showed nothing of that; but as the
+white gander had done to him, did he now in return; stretching out his
+neck against him, and keeping him at a distance with cries and blows;
+and the geese-madams troubled themselves not about it, and the white
+gander must now think himself well off to see his rival ruling the
+assembly, whilst he himself crept behind, hapless and forsaken. Susanna,
+who saw this, lost now all regard for the grey gander, without having
+any higher respect for the white one. She found the one no better than
+the other.
+
+Just now Susanna returned from a visit to a peasant's cottage, where
+some time ago she had helped the wife to set up a piece of weaving, and
+now had been assisting her in taking it down, and her countenance beamed
+with pleasure at the scene which she had witnessed there. The cow had
+calved there that same morning, and the milk ran in foaming and abundant
+streams, to the unspeakable joy of four small pale boys, who now were
+divided in their joy over this, and their admiration of the little,
+lively, black-and-white spotted calf; which admiration, however, in the
+mind of the youngest, was mixed with fear. The web, also, had turned out
+beyond expectation: Susanna helped the housewife to cut out the piece of
+cloth in the most advantageous manner, and her cheerful words and
+cordial sympathy were like the cream to the milk breakfast. It was with
+this glad impression on her soul, that Susanna entered the court at
+Semb, and was saluted by Alfiero and all the poultry with great joy. In
+the mean time she heard the cries and lamentations of birds, and this
+led her to the orchard. Here she saw a pair of starlings, which with
+anxiety and screams were flying about the lowest branches of an oak. In
+the grass below, something black was hopping about, and Susanna saw that
+it was a young starling, which had ventured itself too early out of the
+nest and had fallen down. It now raised its weak cries to its parents,
+which, as it appeared, sought by their fluttering to keep at a
+respectful distance a grey cat, whose greedy eyes gleamed forth from
+under a hawthorn-bush. Susanna drove away the cat, and took up and
+warmed the little bird in her breast. But this did not at all pacify the
+starling papa and mamma; their uneasiness seemed rather to increase.
+Susanna would gladly from her heart have allayed it; but when she looked
+up and saw the starling nest high up in the oak trunk, many ells above
+her head, she was quite in despair. With that the noon-day bell rang;
+Alfiero howled to it in his tragical manner, and Harald, at the head of
+his workpeople, returned from the field. Susanna hastened to ask counsel
+from him, and showed him the young one. "Give it here," said Harald, "I
+will twist its neck, and so we can have a nice little roast for dinner."
+
+"No! can you be so cruel?" replied Susanna.
+
+Harald laughed without answering, looked up to the oak to see where the
+starling nest was, and swung himself with great agility up the tree.
+Standing now upon the lowest boughs, he bent himself down to Susanna,
+and said, "Give it here to me, I will manage it." And Susanna now gave
+him the bird, without any further remark. Lightly and nimbly sprang
+Harald now from bough to bough, holding the bird in his left hand, and
+accompanied by the crying starling-parents, who flew terrified around
+his head. It was certainly a surprise to them when the young one was
+placed uninjured in the nest, but it was no longer so for Susanna; and
+as Harald, glowing and warm, sprang down from the tree, he was received
+by Susanna's most friendly glances and cordial thanks.
+
+At this moment came several travelling tradespeople with their packs
+into the court, and were observed by Harald, who said that he had some
+little purchases to make, and besought Susanna's advice. Susanna was a
+woman, and women give advice willingly. Always good, of course!
+
+After some time Harald had made various purchases, and had always asked
+counsel of Susanna, who thereby felt herself somewhat flattered, but
+could not help thinking the while of Harald "yet he must be a regular
+egotist. He always thinks about himself, and always buys for himself,
+and never anything for his sister, of whom he, however, talks so much,
+and seems to love so well! But--the Norwegian men, they love themselves
+most!"
+
+And this time it did not seem without reason that Susanna thought so,
+for it was terrible how thoughtful Harald was for himself, and what a
+deal he needed for this self.
+
+This piece of damask he would have for his table; this muslin for his
+curtains; these pocket-handkerchiefs for his nose; and so on.
+
+Susanna could not avoid saying, on purpose to try him, when they came to
+a handsome piece for a dress--
+
+"How pretty that is! Certainly that would become your sister very
+nicely!"
+
+"What? my sister!" returned Harald. "No; it is best that she clothe
+herself. This is exactly the thing that I want for my sofa. One is
+always nearest to oneself. One must care a little for oneself."
+
+"Then care you for yourself! I have no time!" said Susanna, quite
+excited, as she turned her back upon him and his wares, and went.
+
+
+
+
+SPRING FEELINGS.
+
+  Heaven has strewn thoughts o'er the sweet vernal dale,
+  These on the hearts of the flowers bestowing,
+  Therefore, when open the chalices glowing,
+  Whispers each petal a secret tale.
+
+  VELHAVEN.
+
+May strides on, and June approaches. From their nests in the airy,
+leaf-garlanded grottoes, which mother nature has prepared for them in
+the lofty oaks and ashes, the starlings send their deep, lively
+whistlings, their love-breathing trills. Song and fragrances fill the
+woods of Norway. Rustic maidens wander with their herds and flocks up to
+the Saeter dales, singing joyously:
+
+  To draw to the Saeter is good and blessed.
+    Come, Boeling[6] mine!
+  Come cow, come calf, come greatest and least;
+    To the Queen your steps incline.
+
+The labour of the spring was closed; the harvests ripened beneath the
+care of heaven. Harald had now more leisure, and much of this he devoted
+to Susanna. He taught her to know the flowers of the dale, their names
+and properties; and was as much amused at her mangling of the Latin
+words, as he was charmed at the quickness with which she comprehended
+and applied their economical and medicinal uses.
+
+The dale and its beauties became to her continually more known and
+beloved. She went now again in the morning to the spring, where the
+ladies-mantle and the silver-weed grew so luxuriantly, and let the
+feathery creatures bathe and rejoice themselves. On Sunday afternoon,
+too, she sometimes took a ramble to a grove of oaks and wild
+rose-bushes, at the foot of the mountain called Krystalberg, which in
+the glow of the evening sun glittered with a wonderful radiance. She was
+sometimes followed thither by Harald, who related many a strange legend
+of Huldran, who lived in the mountain; of the dwarfs who shaped the
+six-sided crystals, called thence dwarf-jewels; of the subterranean
+world and doings, as these were fashioned in the rich imagination of
+ancient times, and as they still darkly lived on, in the silent belief
+of the northern people. Susanna's active mind seized on all this with
+the intensest interest. She visioned herself in the mountain's beautiful
+crystal halls; seemed to hear the song of the Neck in the rushing of the
+river; and tree and blossom grew more beautiful in her eyes, as she
+imagined elves and spirits speaking out of them.
+
+Out of the prosaic soil of her life and action sprang a flower of
+poetry, half reality, half legend, which diffused a delightful radiance
+over her soul.
+
+Susanna was not the only one at Semb on whom this spring operated
+beneficially. The pale Mrs. Astrid seemed to raise herself out of her
+gloomy trance, and to imbibe new vigour of life from the fresh vernal
+air. She went out sometimes when the sun shone warmly, and she was seen
+sitting long hours on a mossy stone in the wood, at the foot of the
+Krystalberg. When Susanna observed that she seemed to love this spot,
+she carried thither silently out of the wood, turfs with the flowering
+Linnea and the fragrant single-flowered Pyrola, and planted them so that
+the south wind should bear their delicious aroma to the spot where Mrs.
+Astrid sate; and Susanna felt a sad pleasure in the thought that these
+balsamic airs would give to her mistress an evidence of a devotion that
+did not venture otherwise to show itself. Susanna would have been richly
+rewarded, could she at this time have seen into her mistress's soul, and
+also have read a letter which she wrote, and from which we present a
+fragment.
+
+
+"TO BISHOP S----.
+
+"Love does not grow weary. Thus was I constrained to say to myself
+to-day as your letter reached me, and penetrated me with the feeling of
+your goodness, of your heavenly patience! And you do not grow weary of
+those who almost grow weary of themselves! And always the same spring in
+your hopes--the same mountain-fast, beautiful faith. Ah! that I better
+deserved your friendship! But to-day I have a glad word to say to you,
+and I will not withhold it from you.
+
+"You wish to know how it is with me? Better! For some time I have
+breathed more lightly. Quiet days have passed over me; mild stars have
+glanced down upon my head; the waterfall has sung its cradle-song to me
+by night, till it has lulled me to sleep, and it has become calmer and
+better with me. The spring exerts its beneficent influence upon me. All
+rises round me so great, so rich in its life and beauty, I forget myself
+sometimes in admiration. It is more than thirty years since I lived in
+the country.
+
+"At times, feelings arise in me like vernal gales. I have then
+experienced a certain consolation in the thought, that throughout my
+long conflict I have yet striven to do right, to endure to the utmost;
+that in a world where I have shed so many tears, I have also forborne to
+shed many. Sometimes, out of the vernally blue heaven, something falls
+on me like a tender glance, an anticipation. But, perhaps, these
+brightenings are merely spring flowers, which perish with the spring.
+
+"I go sometimes out. I enjoy sitting in the beautiful grove of oaks down
+in the dale, and there, mild and beneficial feelings pass over me. The
+breeze bears to me odours ineffably delicious. These odours remind me of
+the world of beneficent, healing, invigorating powers which shoot forth
+around me, and manifest themselves so silently, so unpretendingly,
+merely through their fragrance and their still beauty. I sate there this
+evening, at the foot of the mountain. The sun was hastening towards his
+setting, but gleamed warmly into the grove. Near me grazed some sheep
+with their tender lambs. They gazed at me with a wondering but unalarmed
+air; a little bell tinkled clear and softly, as they wandered to and fro
+on the green sward; it was so calm and still that I heard the small
+insects which hummed in the grass at my feet, and there passed over me I
+know not what feeling of satisfaction and pleasure. I enjoyed existence
+in this hour like the lambs, like the insects--I can then still enjoy!
+Mild, affluent Nature! on thy heart might yet mine--but there stands the
+pale, bloody boy,--there stands the murderer, everlastingly between me
+and peace of mind! If I could sometimes hear your voice, if I could see
+frequently your clear, solace-inspiring glance, I might perhaps yet
+teach myself to--look up! But I ask you not to come. Ah! I desire no one
+to approach me. But be no longer so uneasy concerning me, my friend, I
+am better. I have about me good people, who make my outward life safe
+and agreeable. Let your affectionate thoughts, as hitherto, rest upon
+me; perhaps they will some time force light into my heart!"
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[6] Boeling is the collected flock. Queen is the fold for the night.
+
+
+
+
+MAN AND WIFE.
+
+A FRESH STRIFE.
+
+  And I will show what a fellow I am!
+  My master--I am incensed!
+
+  SIFUL SIFADDA.
+
+
+We have said that Harald, just as little as Griselda's blessed husband,
+appeared to like a life which flowed like oil. Perhaps it seemed to him
+that his intercourse with Susanna was now assuming this character, and
+therefore was it perhaps that, as he could no longer excite her
+abhorrence as a misanthropist, one fine day he undertook to irritate her
+as a woman-tyrant.
+
+"I am expecting my sister here one of these days," said he one evening
+in a disrespectful tone to Susanna; "I have occasion for her, to sew a
+little for me, and to put my things in order. Alette is a good, clever
+girl, and I think of keeping her with me till I marry, and can be waited
+on by my wife."
+
+"Waited on by your wife!" exclaimed Susanna--one may easily conceive in
+what a tone.
+
+"Yes, certainly. The woman is made to be subject to the man; and I do
+not mean to teach my wife otherwise. I mean to be master in my house,
+I."
+
+"The Norwegian men must be despots, tyrants, actual Heathens and Turks!"
+said Susanna.
+
+"Every morning," said Harald, "precisely at six o'clock, my wife shall
+get up and prepare my coffee."
+
+"But if she will not?"
+
+"Will not? I will teach her to will, I. And if she will not by fair
+means, then she shall by foul. I tolerate no disobedience, not I; and
+this I mean to teach in the most serious manner; and if she does not
+wish to experience this, why then I advise her to rise at six o'clock,
+boil my coffee, and bring it me up to bed."
+
+"Nay, never did I hear anything like this! You are the sole--God have
+mercy on the wives of this abominable country!"
+
+"And a good dinner," continued Harald, "shall she set before me every
+day at noon, or--I shall not be in the best temper! And she must not
+come with her 'Fattig Leilighed'[7] more than once a fortnight; and then
+I demand that it shall be made right savoury."
+
+"If you will have good eating, then you must make good provision for the
+housekeeping," said Susanna.
+
+"That I shall not trouble myself about; that my wife must care for. She
+shall provide stores for housekeeping how she can."
+
+"I hope, then," said Susanna, "you will never have a wife, except she be
+a regular Xantippe."
+
+"For that we know a remedy; and therefore, to begin with, every evening
+she shall pull off my boots. All that is necessary is, for a man to
+begin in time to maintain his authority; for the women are by nature
+excessively fond of ruling."
+
+"And that because the men are tyrants," said Susanna.
+
+"And besides," continued Harald, "so horribly petty-minded."
+
+"Because," retorted Susanna, "the men have engrossed to themselves all
+matters of importance."
+
+"And are so full of caprice," said Harald.
+
+"Because the men," said Susanna, "are so brimful of conceit."
+
+"And so fickle," added Harald.
+
+"Because the men," retorted Susanna, "are not deserving of constancy."
+
+"And so obstinate and violent," continued Harald.
+
+"When the men," said Susanna, "are absurd."
+
+"But I," proceeded Harald, very sharply, "do not like an obstinate,
+passionate, imperious woman. It is in general the men themselves who
+spoil them; they are too patient, too conceding, too obliging. But in my
+house it shall be different. I do not intend to spoil my wife. On the
+contrary, she shall learn to show herself patient, devoted, and
+attentive to me; and for this purpose I intend to send for my dear
+sister. She must not expect that I shall move from the spot for her
+sake; she must not----"
+
+At this moment a carriage was heard to drive into the court, and stop
+before the door. Harald looked through the window, made an exclamation
+of surprise and joy, and darted like an arrow out of the room. Susanna
+in her turn looked with anxiety through the window, and saw Harald lift
+a lady from the carriage, whom he then warmly and long folded in his
+arms, and quitted only to take from her the boxes and packages which she
+would bring out, and loaded himself with them.
+
+"Oh, indeed!" thought Susanna, "it is thus then that it stands with his
+tyranny:" and satisfied that it was Harald's sister whom she thus
+received, she went into the kitchen to make some preparations for
+supper.
+
+When she returned to the sitting-room, she found the brother and sister
+there. With beaming eyes Harald presented to Susanna--"My sister
+Alette!" And then he began to dance about with her, laughing and
+singing. Never had Susanna seen him so thoroughly glad at heart.
+
+At supper Harald had eyes only for his sister, whom he did nothing but
+wait upon with jest and merriment, now and then playing her, indeed,
+some joke, for which she scolded him; and this only seemed to enliven
+him still more. Mrs. Astrid had this evening never quitted her room, and
+Harald could therefore all the more enjoy himself with Alette. After
+supper, he took his seat beside her on the sofa, and with her hand in
+his, he reminded her of the days of childhood, and how little they were
+then able to endure each other.
+
+"You were then so intolerably provoking," said Alette.
+
+"And you so unbearably genteel and high," said Harald. "Do you remember
+how we used to wrangle at breakfast? That is, how I did, for you never
+made much answer, but carried yourself so excessively knowingly and
+loftily, because you were then a little taller than I."
+
+"And I remember, too, how you sometimes quitted the field, left the
+breakfast, and complained to our mother you could not support my genteel
+airs."
+
+"Yes, if that had but in the end availed me anything. But I was
+compelled to hear, 'Alette is much more sensible than you. Alette is
+much more steady than you.' That had a bitter taste with it; but as some
+amends, I ate up your confectionary."
+
+"Yes, you rogue you, that you did; and then persuaded me into the
+bargain that a rat had done it."
+
+"Ay, I was a graceless lad, good for nothing, conceited, intolerable!"
+
+"And I a tiresome girl, a little old woman, peevish and sanctified. For
+every trick you played me I gave you a moral lecture."
+
+"Nay, not one, my sister, but seven, and more than that. That was too
+strong for anything!" exclaimed Harald, laughing, and kissing Alette's
+hand. "But," continued he, "they were necessary, and well merited. But
+I, unworthy one, was rather glad when I escaped from them, and went to
+the University."
+
+"Nor was I either at all sorry to have my pincushion and things left in
+peace. But when you came home three years later, then the leaf had
+turned itself over; then it was otherwise. Then became I truly proud of
+my brother."
+
+"And I of my sister. Do you know, Alette, I think you must actually
+break off with Lexow. I really cannot do without you. Remain with me,
+instead of going with him up into the shivering, cold North, which you
+really never can like."
+
+"You must ask Lexow about that, my brother."
+
+Thus continued the conversation long, and became by degrees more serious
+and still. The brother and sister seemed to talk of their future, and
+that is always a solemn matter, but ever and anon burst forth a hearty
+laughter from the midst of their consultations. It went on to midnight,
+but neither of them appeared to mark this.
+
+Susanna, during the conversation of the relatives, had retired to the
+next room, so as to leave them the more freedom. Her bosom was oppressed
+by unwonted and melancholy feelings. With her brow leaned against the
+cool window panes, she gazed out into the lovely summer evening, while
+she listened to the soft and familiar voices within. The twilight cast
+its soft dusky veil over the dale; and tree and field, hill and plain,
+heaven and earth, seemed to mingle in confidential silence. In the grass
+slumbered the flowers, leaning on each other; and from amongst the
+leaves, which gently waved themselves side by side, Susanna seemed to
+hear whispered the words, "Brother! Sister!" With an ineffable yearning
+opened she her arms as if she would embrace some one--but when they
+returned again empty to her bosom, tears of anguish rolled over her
+cheeks, while her lips whispered, "Little Hulda!"
+
+Little Hulda, all honour to thy affections, to thy radiant locks; but I
+do not believe that Susanna's tears now flowed alone for thee.
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[7] "Fattig Leilighed"--"_poor opportunity_"--is the name given in
+merriment to the cooking-up the remains of the week's provisions, which
+generally is brought out on a Saturday.
+
+
+
+
+ALETTE.
+
+
+  I see thine eyes in beauty fling
+  Back the tall taper's splendour;
+  Yet can still, and clear, and tender,
+  Dwell on an angel's wing.
+
+  VELHAVEN.
+
+When Susanna the next morning went in to Alette, to inquire how she
+had slept and so on, she found Harald already with his sister, and
+around her were outspread the linen, the neckerchiefs, the
+pocket-handkerchiefs, the tablecloths, etc., which he told Susanna he
+had purchased for himself, but which in reality were presents for his
+sister, on the occasion of her approaching marriage. Scarcely had
+Susanna entered the room, when to her great amazement the brother and
+sister both united in begging her to accept the very handsome dress
+which she had once proposed that Harald should buy for his sister. She
+blushed and hesitated, but could not resist the cordiality of Harald,
+and received the gift with thanks, though glad was she not. Tears were
+ready to start into her eyes, and she felt herself poor in more than one
+respect. When Harald immediately after this went out, Alette broke forth
+into a hearty panegyric upon him, and concluded with these words: "Yes,
+one may probably three times a day get angry with him before we can
+rightly get to know him; but this is certain, that if he wishes it, you
+cannot get clear of him without first loving him." Susanna sate silent;
+listened to Alette's words; and her heart beat at once with painful and
+affectionate feelings. The call to breakfast broke off the conversation.
+
+Alette was something more than twenty years of age, and had the
+beautiful growth, the pure complexion, the fine features, with which
+mother Nature seems especially to have endowed her daughters of Norway.
+Something fine and transparent lay in her appearance; and her body
+seemed merely to be a light garment for the soul, so full of life. Her
+manner of action and of speaking had something fascinating in them, and
+betrayed happy endowments of nature and much accomplishment. Betrothed
+to a wealthy merchant of Nordland, she was to be married in the autumn;
+but in the meanwhile came to spend some time with her brother, and with
+some other near relatives in Hallingdal.
+
+Susanna felt herself but little at ease with Alette, beside whose fine,
+half-ethereal being, she perceived in herself for the first time, an
+unpleasant consciousness of being--lumpish.
+
+From the moment of Alette's arrival in Semb, there commenced a change
+there. Her charming disposition and great talents made her quickly the
+centre round which all assembled. Even Mrs. Astrid felt her influence,
+and remained in the evenings with the rest, and took part in the
+conversation, which Alette knew how to make interesting. But Mrs. Astrid
+herself contributed not the less thereto, when she for hours together,
+as it were, forgot herself in the subjects of the conversation, and then
+uttered words which gave evidence of a deeply feeling and thinking
+spirit. Susanna regarded her with joy and admiration. Yet often a
+painful thought seemed to snatch her away from the genial impression,
+some dark memory appeared spectre-like to step between her and gladness;
+the words then died on her pallid lips, the hand was laid on the heart,
+and she heard and saw no more of what was going on around her, till the
+interest of the conversation was again able to take hold of her.
+
+There was frequently reading aloud. Alette had a real talent for this,
+and it was a genuine enjoyment to hear from her lips, poems of Velhaven
+and Vergeland; which two young men, although personal enemies, in this
+respect have extended to each other a brotherly hand, because they
+sincerely love their native land, and have exhibited much that is
+beautiful and ennobling in its literature.
+
+In the mean time, Susanna became continually less at ease in her mind;
+Harald no longer, as before, sought her company, and seemed almost to
+have forgotten her in Alette. In the conversations, at which she was now
+often present, there was much which touched her feelings, and awoke in
+her questions and imaginations; but when she attempted to express any of
+these, when she would take part and would show that she too could think
+and speak, then fell the words so ill, and her thoughts came forth so
+obscurely, that she herself was compelled to blush for them; especially
+when on this, Alette would turn her eyes upon her with some
+astonishment, and Harald cast down his; and she vowed to herself never
+again to open her mouth on subjects which she did not understand.
+
+But all this sunk deep into her bosom; and in her self-humiliation she
+lamented bitterly the want of a more careful education, and sighed from
+the depths of her heart, "Ah! that I did but know a little more! That I
+did but possess some beautiful talent!"
+
+
+
+
+AN EVENING IN THE SITTING-ROOM.
+
+
+  And is it once morning, then is it noon-day,
+  For the light must eternally conquer.
+
+  FOSS.
+
+It was a lovely summer evening. Through the open windows of the
+sitting-room streamed in the delicious summer air with the fragrance of
+the hay, which now lay in swath in the dale. At one table, Susanna
+prepared the steaming tea, which the Norwegians like almost as much as
+the English; at another sate Mrs. Astrid with Harald and Alette,
+occupied with the newly-published beautiful work, "Snorre Sturleson's
+Sagas of the Norwegian Kings, translated from the Icelandic of J. Aal."
+The fourth number of this work lay before Harald, open at the section
+"The Discovery of Vineland." He had just read aloud Mr. Aal's
+interesting introduction to the Sagas of Erik Roede and Karlefne, and now
+proceeded to read these two Sagas themselves, which contained the
+narrative of the _first_ discovery of America, and of which we here give
+a brief compendium.
+
+"At the end of the tenth century, at the period when the Northmen sought
+with warlike Viking hosts the south, and the Christianity with the
+Gospel of Peace made its way towards the North, there lived in Iceland a
+man of consequence, named Herjulf. His son was called Bjarne, and was a
+courageous young man. His mind was early turned towards travel and
+adventures. He soon had the command of his own ship, and sailed in it
+for foreign lands. As he one summer returned to the island of his
+ancestors, his father had shortly before sailed for Greenland, and had
+settled himself there. Then also steered Bjarne out to sea, saying, 'He
+would, after the old custom, take up his winter's board with his father,
+and would sail for Greenland.'
+
+"After three days' sail, a fierce north wind arose, followed by so thick
+a fog that Bjarne and his people could no longer tell where they were.
+This continued many days. After that they began to see the sun again,
+and could discern the quarters of the heaven. They saw before them land,
+which was overgrown with wood, and had gentle eminences. Bjarne would
+not land there, because it could not be Greenland, where he knew that
+they should find great icebergs. They sailed on with a south-west wind
+for three days, and got sight of another land, which was mountainous,
+and had lofty icebergs. But Bjarne perceived that neither was this
+Greenland, and sailed farther, till he at length discovered the land
+which he sought, and his father's court.
+
+"On a visit to Erik Jarl in Norway, Bjarne related his voyage, and spoke
+of the strange country which he had seen. But people thought that he had
+had little curiosity not to have been able to say more about this
+country, and some blamed him much on this account. Erik Roede's son Leif,
+the descendant of a distinguished line, was filled with zeal at Bjarne's
+relation, to pursue the discovery, and purchased of him a ship, which he
+manned with five-and-thirty men, and so set out to sea, to discover
+this new land. They came first to a country full of snow and mountains,
+which seemed to them to be destitute of all magnificence. They then came
+in sight of one whose shore was of white sand, and its surface overgrown
+with woods.[8] They sailed yet farther westward, and arrived at a
+splendid country, where they found grapes and Indian corn and the noble
+tree 'Masur.'[9]
+
+"This country[10] they called 'Vineland,' and built a house, and
+remained there through the winter, which was so mild that the grass was
+but little withered. Moreover, the day and night were of more equal
+length than in Iceland or Greenland. And Leif was a tall and strong man,
+of a manly aspect, and at the same time wise and prudent in all matters.
+After this expedition, he grew both in consideration and wealth, and was
+universally called 'The Happy.'
+
+"Amongst the voyages to this new country which followed on that of Leif,
+Karlefne's is the most remarkable. But the new colonists were attacked
+with heavy sickness; and the peculiar home-sickness of the inhabitants
+of the North might perhaps, in part, drive them back from the grapes of
+Vineland to their own snowy home: certain it is, that they retained no
+permanent settlement in the new country. They were also continually
+assaulted by the natives, whom their weapons were not powerful enough to
+restrain.
+
+"In the mean time, several Icelandic annalists have recorded that, in
+every age, from the time of Leif to that of Columbus, America was
+visited by the Northmen. Testimonies and memories of these voyages we
+have now only in these relations, and in the remarkable stone called
+'Dighton written Rock,' on the bank of Taunton river, in Massachusetts,
+and whose ruins and hieroglyphics, at length, in 1830, copied by learned
+Americans, corroborate the truth of these relations."
+
+Harald now commented on these figures with great zeal, remarking that,
+in Norway, similar ones were yet found engraven on the face of rocks, on
+tombstones, etc. "Do you see, Alette," continued he, eagerly, "this
+represents a woman and a little child; probably Karlefne's wife, who
+bore a son during this visit to Vineland. And this must be a bull; and
+in Karlefne's Saga a bull is mentioned, which terrified the natives by
+his bellowings; and these figures to the right represent the natives.
+This must be a shield, and these Runic letters."
+
+"It requires a right good strength of imagination for all this, my
+brother," here interrupted Alette, smilingly, who was not altogether so
+patriotic as Harald; "but granted that all this was evidence of the
+first discovery of America by our ancestors, what then? What good, what
+advantage has the world derived thence? Is it not rather sorrowful to
+see that such important discoveries should have been lost, that they
+could be obliterated, as if they had never been, and must be made anew?
+Had not Columbus, some centuries later, braved both the
+narrow-mindedness of men and the yet unmeasured tracks of the ocean, it
+is probable that to-day we should know nothing of America, and of these
+stones, the traces of our forefathers on this foreign soil."
+
+"But, my dear Alette," exclaimed Harald in astonishment, "is it not then
+clear as the sun, that without the Vineland voyages of the Northmen,
+Columbus could certainly never have fallen upon the idea of seeking a
+land beyond the great ocean? In the time of Columbus, the Northmen
+sailed in their Snaeckor[11] about all the coasts of Europe; they made
+voyages to Spain, and rumours of the Vineland voyages went with them.
+Besides--and _this_ is worthy of notice--Columbus himself visited
+Iceland a few years prior to his great voyage of discovery; and, as
+Robertson says, rather to extend his knowledge of sea affairs than to
+augment his property."
+
+"But," said Alette, "Washington Irving, in his 'Columbus,' which I have
+recently read, speaks indeed of his voyage to Iceland, but denies that
+he derived thence any clue to his great discovery."
+
+"But that is incredible, impossible, after what we here see and hear!
+Listen now to what Aal says of the time when Columbus made his sojourn
+in Iceland: 'In Iceland flourished then the written Sagas, and the
+various Sagas passed from hand to hand in various copies, serving then,
+as now, but in a higher degree, to shorten the winter evenings. Our old
+manuscript Sagas thus certainly kindled a light in his dim conceptions;
+and this must have so much the more brought him upon the track, as it
+was nearer to the events themselves, and could in part be orally
+communicated by those who were the direct lineal descendants of the
+discoverers.'
+
+"Is not this most natural and essential? Can you doubt any longer,
+Alette? I pray you convert and improve yourself. Convert yourself from
+Irving to Aal."
+
+"I am disposed to take Harald's side," said now Mrs. Astrid, with a
+lively voice and look. "Great, and for mankind, important discoveries
+have never occurred without preparatory circumstances, often silently
+operating through whole centuries, till in a happy moment the spirit of
+genius and of good fortune has blown up the fire which glowed beneath
+the ashes, into a clear, and for the world, magnificent flame. Wherever
+we see a flower we can look down to a stem, to the roots hidden in the
+earth, and finally look to a seed, which in its dark form contained the
+yet undeveloped but living plant. And may not everything in the world be
+regulated by the same law of development? In the tempestuous voyages of
+the Northmen through the misty seas, I could see the weather-driven seed
+which, under the guidance of Providence, from the soil of Vineland,
+stretched its roots through centuries, till a mighty genius was guided
+by them to complete the work, and to the Old World to discover the New."
+
+Harald was delighted with this idea, which blew fresh wind into his
+sails; and thereby enlivened, he gave vent to the admiration of the
+ancient times of the North, which lived in his bosom.
+
+"It belonged," said he, "to those men of few words but of powerful
+deeds; those men to whom danger was a sport, the storm music, and the
+swell of waves a dance: to this race of youths it belonged to discover
+new worlds without imagining that to be any exploit. Great achievements
+were their every-day occupation."
+
+Alette shook her beautiful head at this enthusiasm for antiquity. She
+would not deny these times had a certain greatness, but she could not
+pronounce them truly great. She spoke of the revenge, the violence, the
+base cruelties which the past ages of the North openly paid homage to.
+
+"But," continued Harald, "the contempt of pain and death, this noble
+contempt, so universal amongst the men of that time, deprived cruelty of
+its sting. Our degenerate race has scarcely a conception of the strength
+which made the men of past times find a pleasure even in pains, since
+they spurred their courageous souls to the highest pitch of heroism;
+since in such moments they felt themselves able to be more than men.
+Therefore sung heroes amid the very pains of death. Thus died the
+Swedish Hjalmar, in the arms of his friend Odd, the Norwegian, while he
+greeted the eagles which came to drink his blood. Thus died Ragnar
+Lodbrok, in the den of serpents; and while the snakes hissing, gnawed
+their way into his heart, he sung his victories, and concluded with the
+words--
+
+  Gone are the hours of existence!
+  Smiling shall I die.
+
+"How noble and admirable is this strength, amid torments and death! Could
+we but thus die!"
+
+"But the rudest savages of America," said Alette, "know and practise
+this species of heroism; before me floats another ideal, both of life
+and death. The strong spirit of past ages, which you, my brother, so
+highly prize, could not support old age, the weary days, the silent
+suffering, the great portion of the lot of man. I will prize the spirit
+which elevates every condition of humanity; which animates the dying
+hero to praise, not himself, but God, and die; and which to the lonely
+one, who wanders through the night of life towards his unnoticed grave,
+imparts a strength, a peace, and enables him in his darkness to triumph
+over all the powers of darkness. Ah! I who deeply feel myself to be one
+of the weak ones in the earth, who possess no single drop of Northern
+heroic blood; I rejoice that we can live and die in a manner which is
+noble, which is beautiful, which requires not the Berserker-mood, and of
+which the strongest spirit need not be ashamed. Do you remember, my
+brother, 'The old poet' of Rein? This poem perfectly expresses the tone
+of mind which I would wish to possess in my last hour."
+
+Harald recollected but faintly "The old poet," and both he and Mrs.
+Astrid begged Alette to make them better acquainted with him. Alette
+could not remember the whole of the poem, but gave an account of the
+most essential of its contents in these words--
+
+"It is spring. The aged poet wanders through wood and mead, in the
+country where he once sung, where he had once been happy, amongst those
+whom he had made glad. His voice is now broken; his strength, his fire,
+are over. Like a shadow of that which once he was, he goes about in the
+young world still fresh with life. The birds of spring gather around
+him, welcome him with joy, and implore him to take his harp and sing to
+it of the new-born year, of the smiling spring. He answers--
+
+  O ye dear little singer quire,
+  No more can I strike the harp with fire;
+  No more in youth is renewed my spring;
+  No more the old poet can gaily sing;
+  And yet I am so blest--
+  In my heart is heavenly rest.[12]
+
+"He wanders farther through wood and meadow. The brook murmuring between
+green banks, whispers to him its joy over its loosed bands, and greets
+the singer as the messenger of spring and freedom:
+
+  Thy harp, my fleet stream fondly haileth--
+  It leaps, it exults, it bewaileth;
+  Let it sound then--O make no delay!--
+  Like me the days hasten away.
+
+"The aged singer replies:
+
+  O spring! which dost leap in thy sheen,
+  No more am I what I have been.
+  The name of the past I hear alone--
+  A feeble echo of days that are flown.
+  And yet I am so blest;
+  In my heart is heavenly rest.
+
+"He wanders farther. The Dryads surround him in their dance; the Flowers
+present him garlands, and beg him to sing their festival; the Zephyrs,
+which were wont to play amid his harp-strings, seek in the bushes, and
+ask whether he has forgotten them there; caress the old man, and seek
+again, but in vain. They are about to fly, but he entreats:
+
+  O dear ones, depart not I pray!
+  O flowers, spread with beauty my way!
+  My harp is broken, but no sigh
+  Spring's spirits gay shall cause to fly.
+  And I am still so blest;
+  In my heart is heavenly rest.
+
+"He wanders farther, and seeks out every beloved nook. The youth of the
+country assemble, and surround the aged singer--'the friend of youth and
+gladness.' They entreat him with his music to beautify their festival:
+
+  For spring is dead, with all its pleasure,
+  Without the harp and song's glad measure.
+
+"The old man replies:
+
+  Quenched, ye youth, is my fire so wild;
+  My evening twilight is cool, but mild;
+  And the blissful hours of my youth are brought,
+  By your lively songs, into my thought.
+  Bewail me not; I am still so blest--
+  In my heart lieth heaven's own rest.
+
+"And now he exhorts the songsters of the wood, flowers, youth,
+everything that is lovely in nature and in life, to rejoice in its
+existence, and to praise the Creator. The beauty and joy of all
+creatures are the garland in his silver hair; and grateful and happy,
+admiring and singing praises, he sinks softly into the maternal bosom of
+Nature."
+
+Alette was silent; a tender emotion trembled in her voice as she uttered
+the last words, and beamed in her charming countenance. The tears of
+Mrs. Astrid flowed; her hands were convulsively clasped together, whilst
+she exclaimed, "Oh thus to feel before one dies! and thus to be
+permitted to die!" She drew Alette to her with a kind of vehemence,
+kissed her, and then wept silently, leaning on her shoulder. Harald,
+too, was affected; but he appeared to restrain his feelings, and gazed
+with earnest and tearful eyes on the group before him.
+
+Silently and unobserved stole Susanna out of the room. She felt a sting
+in her heart; a serpent raged in her bosom. Driven by a nameless
+agonised disquiet, she hastened forth into the free air, and ascended,
+almost without being aware of it herself, the steep footpath up the
+mountain, where many a time, in calmer moments, she had admired the
+beautiful prospect.
+
+Great and beautiful scenes had, during the foregoing conversation,
+arisen before her view;--she felt herself so little, so poor beside
+them. Ah! she could not once speak of the great and beautiful, for her
+tongue was bound. She felt so warmly, and yet could warm no one! The
+happy Alette won without trouble, perhaps even without much valuing it,
+a regard, an approval, which Susanna would have purchased with her life.
+The Barbra-spirit boiled up in her, and with a reproachful glance to
+heaven she exclaimed, "Shall I then, for my whole life remain nothing
+but a poor despised maid-servant!"
+
+The heaven looked clown on the young maiden mildly, but smilingly; soft
+rain-drops sprinkled her forehead; and all nature around her stood
+silent, and, as it were, in sorrow. This sorrowing calm operated on
+Susanna like the tenderly accusing glance of a good mother. She looked
+down into her heart, and saw there envy and pride, and she shuddered at
+herself. She gazed down into the stream which waved beneath her feet,
+and she thought with longing, "Oh, that one could but plunge down, deep,
+deep into these waves, and then arise purified--improved!"
+
+But already this wish had operated like a purifying baptism on Susanna's
+soul; and she felt fresh and light thoughts ascend within her. "A poor
+maid-servant!" repeated now Sanna; "and why should that be so
+contemptible a lot? The Highest himself has served on earth; served for
+all, for the very least; yes, even for me. Oh!--" and it became
+continually lighter and warmer in her mind.--"I will be a true
+maid-servant, and place my honour in it, and desire to be nothing else!
+Charm I cannot; beauty and genius, and beautiful talents, I have not;
+but--I can love and I can serve, and that will I do with my whole heart,
+and with all my strength, and in all humility; and if men despise me,
+yet God will not forsake the poor and faithful maid-servant!"
+
+When Susanna again cast her tearful eyes on the ground, they fell on a
+little piece of moss, one of those very least children of nature, which
+in silence and unheeded pass through the metamorphoses of their quiet
+life. The little plant stood in fresh green, on its head hung the clear
+rain-drops, and the sun which now shone through the clouds, glittered in
+them.
+
+Susanna contemplated the little moss, and it seemed to say to her: "See
+thou! though I am so insignificant, yet I enjoy the dew of heaven and
+the beams of the sun, as fully as the roses and the lilacs of the
+garden!" Susanna understood the speech of the little plant, and grateful
+and calmed, she repeated many times to herself, with a species of silent
+gladness--"a humble, a faithful maid-servant!"
+
+When Susanna came home, she found Mrs. Astrid not well. She had been
+much excited, and on such occasions an attack of the spasms was always
+to be apprehended. Susanna begged earnestly, and received the permission
+to watch by her to-night; at least, till Mrs. Astrid slept. Mrs. Astrid
+had, indeed, another maid with her, but she was old and very deaf, and
+Susanna had no confidence in her.
+
+Mrs. Astrid retired to rest. Susanna seated herself on a stool by the
+window, silently occupied with her thoughts, and with knitting a
+stocking. The window had stood open during the day, and a host of flies
+had entered the room. Mrs. Astrid was much disturbed by them, and
+complained that they prevented her sleeping. Quietly Susanna laid bare
+her white shoulders, neck, and arms, and when the flies in swarms darted
+down upon her, and her mistress now left at peace slept calmly, Susanna
+sate still, let the flies enjoy themselves, and enjoyed herself thereby
+more than one can believe.
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[8] Probably Newfoundland.
+
+[9] Probably spotted maple.
+
+[10] Upper Canada.
+
+[11] Snails or cockles, as they called their light craft.
+
+[12] I have not wished to attempt a translation of these verses,
+convinced that for the Swedish reader it is not necessary; and why
+unnecessarily brush off the golden dust from the butterfly's
+wings.--_Fredrika Bremer_.
+
+As, however, the _English reader_ may find it _rather_ more necessary to
+give a translation of the Norwegian verses, I have made it, and that as
+much in the simplicity of the original as I could.--M. H.
+
+
+
+
+RETREATING AND ADVANCING.
+
+     True delicacy, that most beautiful heart-leaf of humanity, exhibits
+     itself most significantly in little things. Those which we in
+     general call so, are not by any means so little.
+
+     J. C. LOUS.
+
+
+It is with our faults as with horseradish; it is terribly difficult to
+extirpate it from the earth in which it has once taken root; and nothing
+is more discouraging to the cultivator who will annihilate this weed
+from his ground, than to see it, so lately plucked up, shooting forth
+again freshly to the light from roots which remained buried in the
+earth. One can get quite out of patience; with the weedy soil, and one
+is, when this soil is one's own dear self, possessed by the most cordial
+desire to set off far, far from one's self. But how!!!
+
+Susanna was often conscious of this feeling, as she daily laboured to
+repress the excitements which arose up within her at this time. Still
+the thoughts and resolutions which awoke within her on the evening just
+described, had taken hold upon her too strongly for them to be again
+effaced, and with the motto--"a humble and regular servant-girl," she
+struggled boldly through the dangers and the events of the day. Her
+demeanour was calmer; she quietly withdrew herself from taking part in
+conversation which went beyond her education; in a friendly spirit, she
+endeavoured to renounce the attentions and interest of others, and
+busied herself only in attending to the comforts and pleasures of all,
+as well as in accomplishing, and when possible, anticipating every wish.
+And such an activity has, more than people imagine, an influence upon
+the well-being of every-day life. The affectionate will lends even to
+dead things soul and life. But heavy to the ministering spirits is this
+life of labour and care for others, where no sunbeam of love, no cordial
+acknowledgment, falls upon their laborious day.
+
+In the beginning of August, Harald set off, to return in about fourteen
+days with Alf Lexow, the betrothed of Alette. During his absence, Alette
+was to pay a visit to her uncle in Hallingdal; but, according to Mrs.
+Astrid's wish, she yet spent another week at Semb. During these days,
+Alette and Susanna became better friends, for Alette was touched
+involuntarily by Susanna's unwearied and unpretending attentions, and
+besides this, she found in her such a frank mind and such cordial
+sympathy, that she could not deny herself the pleasure of communicating
+much of that which lived in the heart of the happy bride. Happy,--indeed
+Alette was, for long and warmly had she loved Alf Lexow, and should
+shortly be united to him for ever; and yet often stole a melancholy
+expression over her charming surface, when the conversation turned to
+this marriage and to her removal into Nordland. Susanna asked her
+several times of the cause of this, and as often Alette jestingly evaded
+the question; but one evening when they had chatted together more
+friendly than common, Alette said--
+
+"It is a strange feeling to get everything ready for one's own marriage
+in the belief that one shall not long survive it! This removal to
+Nordland will be my death, that I know certainly. No, do not look so
+terrified! It is in no case so dangerous. And thoughts of an early
+death I have long borne in my mind, and therefore I am accustomed to
+them."
+
+"Ah!" said Susanna, "those who love and are loved, the happy, should
+never die! But why this strange foreboding?"
+
+"I do not know myself!" replied Alette, "but it has accompanied me from
+my earliest youth. My mother was born under the beautiful heaven of
+Provence, and passed the greater part of her youth in that warm country.
+The love of my father made her love in our Norway a second country, and
+here she spent the remainder of her life; she never, however, could
+rightly bear this cold climate, longed secretly for that warmer land,
+and died with the longing. To me has she bequeathed this feeling; and
+although I have never seen those orange groves, that warm blue heaven,
+of which she so gladly spoke, I drew in from childhood a love to them; I
+have, besides, inherited my mother's suffering from cold;--my chest is
+not strong, ah!--the long, dark winters of Nordland; the residence on
+the sea-shore in a climate which is twice as cold as that to which I
+have been accustomed, the sea-mists and storms--ah! I cannot long
+withstand them. But Susanna, you must promise me not to say one word of
+what I have confided to you, either to Harald or to Lexow!"
+
+"But if they know it," said Susanna, "then you certainly need not go
+there. Certainly your bridegroom would for your sake seek out a milder
+country----"
+
+"And not feel at home there, and die of longing for his dear Nordland!
+No, no, Susanna! I know his love for his native land, and know that this
+winterly nature which I dread so much, is precisely his life and his
+health. Alf is a Nordlander in heart and soul, and has, as it were,
+grown up with the district which his fathers inhabited, and whose
+advance and prosperity is his favourite scheme, the principal object of
+his activity. No, no! for my sake he shall not tear himself from his
+home, his noble efforts. Rather would I, if it must be so, find an early
+grave in his Nordland!"
+
+Susanna now desired to know, and Alette communicated to her, various
+particulars of the country which was she thought so terrible, and we
+will now, with the young friends, cast--
+
+
+
+
+A GLANCE INTO NORDLAND.
+
+  All is cold and hard.
+
+  BLOM.
+
+  The spirit of God yet rests upon Nordland.
+
+  Z.
+
+
+A great part of Norway has, as it were, its face turned away from life.
+"The Old Night," which the ancient world considered to be the original
+mother of all things, here held the giant child in her dark bosom, and
+bound it tight in swaddling bands, out of which it could not shape
+itself to joy and freedom. Neither Nordland nor Finmark see the sun for
+many months in the year, and the difficulties and dangers of the road
+shut them out from intercourse with the southern world. The spirit of
+the North Pole rests oppressively over this region, and when in still
+August nights it breathes from hence over southern Norway, then withers
+the half-ripened harvests of the valleys and the plains, and the
+icy-grey face of hunger stares stiffly from the northern cliffs upon
+laborious but unhappy human multitudes. The sea breaks upon this coast
+against a palisadoed fence of rocks and cliffs, around which swarm
+flocks of polar birds with cries and screams. Storms alternate with
+thick mists. The cliffs along this coast have extraordinary shapes; now
+ascend they upwards like towers, now resemble beasts, now present
+gigantic and terrific human profiles; and one can easily imagine how the
+popular belief sees in them monsters and giants turned to stone, and why
+their ancestors laid their Jotunhem in this desolate wilderness.
+
+And a dark fragment of Paganism still lingers about this region even to
+this day. It is frozen fast into the people's imagination; it is turned
+to stone in the horrible shapes of nature, which once gave it life. The
+light of the Gospel endeavours in vain to dissipate the shadows of a
+thousand years; the Old Night holds them back. In vain the Holy Cross is
+raised upon all the cliffs; the belief in magic and magic arts lives
+still universally among the people. Witches sit, full of malice, in
+their caves, and blow up storms for the sea-wanderers, so that they must
+be unfortunate; and the ghost Stallo, a huge man, dressed in black, with
+a staff in his hand, wanders about in the wildernesses, and challenges
+the solitary traveller to meet him in the contest for life and death.
+
+The Laplander, the nomade of the North, roving free with his reindeer
+over undivided fields, appears like a romantic feature in this life; but
+it must be viewed from afar. Near, every trace of beauty vanishes in the
+fumes of brandy and the smoke of the Lapland hut.
+
+Along the coasts, between the cliffs, and the rocks, and the hundreds of
+islands which surround this strand, live a race of fishermen, who,
+rivalling the sea-mew, skim the sea. Night and day, winter and summer,
+swarm their boats upon the waves; through the whistling tempest, through
+the foaming breakers, speed they unterrified with their light sails,
+that from the depths of the sea they may catch the silvery shoals of
+herrings, the greatest wealth of the country. Many annually are
+swallowed up of the deep; but more struggle with the elements, and
+conquer. Thus amid the daily contest are many powers developed, many a
+hero-deed achieved,[13] and people harden themselves against danger and
+death, and also against the gentler beauty of life.
+
+Yet it is in this severe region that the eider-duck has its home; it is
+upon those naked cliffs where its nest is built, from feathers plucked
+from its own breast, that silky soft down which is scattered abroad over
+the whole world, that people in the North and in the South may lie warm
+and soft. How many suffering limbs, how many aching heads, have not
+received comfort from the hard cliffs of Norway.
+
+Upon the boundaries between Nordland and Finmark lies the city of
+Tromsoe, the now flourishing centre of these provinces. It was here that
+Alette was to spend her life; it was here that affection prepared for
+her a warm and peaceful nest, like the eider-duck drawing from its own
+breast the means of preparing a soft couch in the bosom of the hard
+rock. And after Alette had described to Susanna what terrified her so
+much in her northern retreat, she concealed not from her that which
+reconciled her so forcibly to it; and Susanna comprehended this very
+well, as Alette read to her the following letter:
+
+
+Tromsoe. May 28th.
+
+Were you but here, my Alette! I miss you every moment whilst I am
+arranging my dwelling for your reception, and feel continually the
+necessity of asking, "How do you wish it? what think you of it?" Ah,
+that you were here, my own beloved, at this moment! and you would be
+charmed with this "ice and bear land," before which, I know, you
+secretly shudder. The country around here is not wild and dark; as, for
+example, at Helgoland. Leafy woods garland the craggy shores of our
+island, and around them play the waves of the sea in safe bays and
+creeks. Our well-built little city lies sweetly upon the southern side
+of the island, only divided from the mainland by a narrow arm of the
+sea. My house is situated in the street which runs along the large
+convenient harbour. At this moment above twenty vessels lie at anchor,
+and the various flags of the different nations wave in the evening wind.
+There are English, German, and especially Russian, which come to our
+coast, in order to take our fish, our eider-down, and so on, in exchange
+for their corn and furs. Besides these, the inhabitants of more southern
+regions bring hither a vast number of articles of luxury and fashion,
+which are eagerly purchased by the inhabitants of Kola, and the borders
+of the White Sea. Long life to Commerce! My soul expands at the sight of
+its life. What has not commerce done from the beginning of the world for
+the embellishment of life, for promoting the friendly intercourse of
+countries and people, for the refinement of manners! It has always given
+me the most heartfelt delight, that the wisest and most humane of the
+lawgivers of antiquity--Solon--was a merchant. "By trade," says one of
+his biographers, "by wisdom and music was his soul fashioned. Long life
+to commerce! What lives not through it?" What is all fresh life, all
+movement, in reality, but trade, exchange, gift for gift! In love, in
+friendship, in the great life of the people, in the quiet family circle,
+everywhere where I see happiness and prosperity, see I also trade; nay,
+what is the whole earth if not a colony from the mother country of
+heaven, and whose well-being and happy condition depend upon free export
+and import! The simile might be still further carried out, yet--thou
+good Giver above, pardon us that we have ventured upon it!
+
+And you must not fancy, Alette, that the great interest for trade here
+excludes the nobler and more refined mental culture. Among the thousand
+people who inhabit the city, one can select out an interesting circle
+for social intercourse. We also have a theatre, and many pleasures of
+refined life. I was yesterday at a ball, where they danced through the
+whole night, till--daylight. The good music, the tasteful dresses and
+lovely dancing of the ladies; but above all, the tone of social life,
+the cordial cheerfulness, astonished several foreigners who were
+present, and caused them to inquire whether they were really here under
+the seventieth degree of latitude?
+
+But the winter! Methinks I hear you say, "in summer it may be well
+enough, but in the long, dark winter." Well then, my Alette,
+winter--goes on right excellently when people love one another, when it
+is warm at home. Do you remember, Alette, last autumn, how we read
+together at Christiansand, in the Morning Paper, the following paragraph
+from the Tromsoe News of the fourteenth of October:
+
+"Already for several days successively have we had snow storms, and at
+this moment the snow-plough is working to form a road for the
+church-going people. The grave-like stillness of night and winter spread
+itself with tempest speed over meadow and valley, and only a few cows
+wander now like spectres over the snow-covered fields, to pluck their
+scanty fare from the twigs which are not yet snowed up."
+
+That little winter-piece pleased me, but at the expression, "the
+grave-like stillness of night and winter," you bowed your loving dear
+face, with closed eyes, to my breast. Oh, my Alette! thus shall you do
+in future, when dread of darkness and cold seize upon you; and upon my
+breast, listening to the beating of my heart and to my love, shall you
+forget the dark pictures which stand without before your home. Close
+your eyes; slumber beloved, whilst I watch over you, and then you will,
+with brightening eyes and blooming cheeks, look upon the night and
+winter, and feel that its power is not great. Oh, truly can love, this
+Geiser of the soul, smelt ice and snow, wherever they may be on earth;
+truly, wherever its warm springs swell forth, a southern clime can
+bloom; yes, even at the North Pole itself.
+
+Whilst I write this, I hear music, which makes upon me a cheerful and a
+melancholy impression at the same time. They are eight Russians, who
+sing one of their national songs, whilst in the quiet evening they sail
+down the Tromsoe-sound. They sing a quartet, and with the most complete
+purity and melody. They sing in a minor key, but yet not mournfully.
+They row in the deep shadow of the shore, and at every stroke of the
+oars the water shines around the boat, and drops, as of fire, fall from
+the oars. The phenomenon is not uncommon on the Atlantic; and know you
+not, my Alette, what it is which shines and burns so in the sea? It is
+love! At certain moments, the consciousness of the sea-insects rises to
+a high pitch of vividness, and millions of existences invisible to the
+naked human eye, then celebrate the bliss of their being. In such
+moments the sea kindles; then every little worm, inspired by love,
+lights up its tiny lamp. Yet only for a moment burns its flame, then all
+the quicker to be extinguished. But it dies without pain--dies joyfully.
+Rich nature! Good Creator!
+
+My heart also burns. I look upon the illuminated element, which may be
+said to be full of enjoyment; I listen to the melody of the singers,
+full of joy and pain, and--I stretch forth my arms to you, Alette, my
+Alette!
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed Susanna, "how this man loves you, and how you must love
+him! Certainly you must live long, that you may be happy together!"
+
+"And if not long," said Alette, "yet for a short time; yes, a short time
+I hope to live and to make him happy, to thank him for all his love. And
+then----"
+
+Alette stooped down and plucked a beautiful full-blown water-lily which
+grew in the river, by whose banks they stood; she showed it to Susanna,
+whilst she continued with a pensive smile--
+
+  What more then than this?
+  One moment she is
+  A friendly ray given,
+  From her home's shining heaven;
+  Then is she the flame,
+  High mid the temple's resounding acclaim--
+  One moment like this
+  Bears you up through death's sleep into bliss.--MUNCH.
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[13] The stormy winter of 1839 abounded in misfortunes to the fishermen
+of Lofodne, but abounded also in the most beautiful instances of heroic
+courage, where life was ventured, and sometimes lost, in order to save a
+suffering fellow-creature.
+
+
+
+
+THE RETURN.
+
+  To meet, to part;
+  The welcome, the farewell;
+  Behold the sum of life!
+
+  BJERREGAARD.
+
+
+Alette set off to fulfil her promise to her uncle in Hallingdal; but in
+a few weeks she was again at Semb, in company with Harald and Alf Lexow,
+who had fetched her there. Yet this visit could last only for a short
+time, for then she had to set out with her bridegroom and her uncle's
+family on the journey to Trondhjem, where her marriage was to be
+celebrated at the house of a rich and cordial aunt, who had long been
+rejoicing in it, and had now for several months been baking and boiling
+in preparation for it. Harald also was to accompany them on this
+journey.
+
+Alf Lexow was a man in his best years, with an open and generous manner.
+His face was small, marked by the smallpox, but otherwise handsome and
+full of life and benevolence. He was one of those men whose first glance
+attracts one and inspires confidence. Susanna felt great pleasure on
+seeing the affectionate, confidential understanding between the
+betrothed. She herself also was now happier, because Harald now left
+Alette much with her bridegroom, and sought as before for Susanna's
+society.
+
+Alette was lively, agreeable, and well-educated; but she liked best to
+hear herself talk. So in reality did Harald; and a better listener than
+Susanna could nobody have. Contentions occurred no longer; but there was
+a something in Susanna which attracted Harald to her more than the
+former passion for strife had ever done. He found Susanna's manners
+altered for the better; there was in them a something quieter, and, at
+the same time, gentler than before; whilst she was now always so kind,
+so attentive, and thought of everything which could give pleasure to
+others. He saw, at the same time, with what silent solicitude her
+thoughts followed Mrs. Astrid, who now, at the approach of autumn--it
+was then the end of August--appeared to have relapsed into her dark and
+silent mood, out of which she had been aroused for some time. She now
+very rarely left her room, except at the hour of dinner.
+
+Harald wished that his sister and brother-in-law elect should witness,
+before their departure from the dale, some of the popular assemblings
+for games and dancings, and had therefore prepared a rural festival, to
+which he invited them and Susanna, and to which we also will now betake
+ourselves.
+
+
+
+
+THE HALLING.
+
+  This peculiar, wild, affecting music, is our national poetry.
+
+  HENR WERGELAND.
+
+  The violins ringing;
+  Not blither the singing
+  Of birds in the woods and the meadows.
+
+  Hurrah! hand round the foaming can--
+  Skal for the fair maid who dancing began!
+
+  Skal for the Jente mine! And
+  Skal for the Jente thine! And
+  Skal for the fathers and mothers on benches!
+
+  NORWEGIAN SONG.
+
+
+One lovely afternoon in the early part of September were seen two young
+festally-attired peasant maidens gaily talking, hastening along the
+footpath through the little wood in Heimdal towards a green open space
+surrounded by trees, and where might be seen a crowd of persons of both
+sexes assembled, all in peasant dresses. Here was the "Leikevold," or
+dancing-ground; and as the young girls approached it, the one said to
+the other, "It is certain, Susanna, that the dress becomes you
+excellently! Your lovely bright hair shines more beautifully than ever,
+plaited with red ribbons. I fancy the costume does not suit me half so
+well."
+
+"Because you, best Alette, look like a disguised princess, and I in mine
+like a regular peasant girl."
+
+"Susanna, I perceive that you are a flatterer. Let us now see whether
+Alf and Harald will recognise the Tellemark 'jente' girls."
+
+They did not long remain in uncertainty on this subject; for scarcely
+were they come to the dancing-ground, when two peasants in
+Halling-jackets, and broad girdles round their waists, came dancing
+towards them, whilst they sang with the others the following
+peasant-song:
+
+  And I am bachelor, and am not roving;
+    And I am son unto Gulleig Boe;
+  And wilt thou be to me faithful and loving,
+    Then I will choose thee, dear maiden, for me.
+
+Susanna recognised Harald in the young peasant, who thus singing gaily,
+politely took her hand, and led her along the lively springing-dance,
+which was danced to singing. Alette danced with her Alf, who bore
+himself nobly as a Halling-youth.
+
+Never had Susanna looked so well and so happy; but then neither had she
+ever enjoyed such pleasure. The lovely evening; the tones of the music;
+the life of the dance; Harald's looks, which expressed in a high degree
+his satisfaction; the delighted happy faces which she saw around
+her--never before had she thought life so pleasant! And nearly all
+seemed to feel so too, and all swung round from the joy of their hearts;
+silver buckles jingled, and shilling after shilling[14] danced down into
+the little gaily painted Hardanger-fiddle, which was played upon with
+transporting spirit by an old man, of an expressive and energetic
+exterior.
+
+After the first dance, people rested for a moment. They ate apples, and
+drank Hardanger-ale out of silver cans. After this there rose an almost
+universal cry, which challenged Harald and another young man who was
+renowned for his agility and strength, to dance together a "loes
+Halling." They did not require much persuasion, and stepped into the
+middle of the circle, which enlarged itself, and closed around them.
+
+The musician tuned his instrument, and with his head bowed upon his
+breast, began to play with an expression and a life that might be called
+inspired. It was one of the wild Maliserknud's most genial compositions.
+Was it imagined with the army, in the bivouac under the free nightly
+heaven, or in--"slavery," amid evil-doers? Nobody knows; but in both
+situations has it charmed forth tones, like his own restless life, which
+never will pass from the memory of the people. Now took the
+Hardanger-fiddle for the first time its right sound.
+
+Universal applause followed the dancing of the young men; but the
+highest interest was excited by Harald, who, in the dance, awoke actual
+astonishment.
+
+Perhaps there is no dance which expresses more than the Halling the
+temper of the people who originated it, which better reflects the life
+and character of the inhabitants of the North.
+
+It begins, as it were, upon the ground, amid jogging little hops,
+accompanied by movements of the arms, in which, as it were, a great
+strength plays negligently. It is somewhat bear-like, indolent, clumsy,
+half-dreaming. But it wakes, it becomes earnest. Then the dancers rise
+up and dance, and display themselves in expressions of power, in which
+strength and dexterity seem to divert themselves by playing with
+indolence and clumsiness, and to overcome them. The same person who just
+before seemed fettered to the earth, springs aloft, and throws himself
+around in the air as though he had wings. Then, after many break-neck
+movements and evolutions, before which the unaccustomed spectator grows
+dizzy, the dance suddenly assumes again its first quiet, careless,
+somewhat heavy character, and closes, as it began, sunk upon the earth.
+
+Loud shouts of applause, bestowed especially upon Harald, resounded on
+all sides as the dance closed. And now they all set themselves in motion
+for a great Halling-polska, and every "Gut" chose himself a "Jente."
+Harald had scarcely refreshed and strengthened himself with a can of ale
+before he again hastened up to Susanna, and engaged her for the
+Halling-polska. She had danced it several times in her own country, and
+joyfully accepted Harald's invitation.
+
+This dance, too, is deeply characteristic. It paints the Northern
+inhabitant's highest joy in life; it is the Berserker-gladness in the
+dance. Supported upon the arm of the woman the man throws himself high
+in the air; then he catches her in his arms, and swings round with her
+in wild circles; then they separate; then they unite again, and
+whirl again round, as it were, in superabundance of life and delight.
+The measure is determined, bold, and full of life. It is a
+dance-intoxication, in which people for the moment release themselves
+from every care, every burden and oppression of existence.
+
+Thus felt also at this time Harald and Susanna. Young, strong, agile,
+they swung themselves around with certainty and ease, which seemed to
+make the dance a sport without any effort; and with eyes steadfastly
+riveted on each other, they had no sense of giddiness. They whirled
+round, as it were, in a magic circle, to the strange magical music. The
+understrings sounded strong and strange. The peculiar enchanted power
+which lies in the clear deeps of the water, in the mysterious recesses
+of the mountains, in the shades of dark caves, which the skalds have
+celebrated under the names of mermaids, mountain-kings, and wood-women,
+and which drag down the heart so forcibly into unknown, wondrous
+deeps--this dark song of Nature is heard in the understrings[15] of the
+Halling's playful, but yet at the same time melancholy, tones. It deeply
+seized upon Susanna's soul, and Harald also seemed to experience this
+enchantment: Leaving the wilder movements of the dance, they moved
+around ever quieter, arm-in-arm.
+
+"Oh, so through life!" whispered Harald's lips, almost involuntarily, as
+he looked deep into Susanna's beaming, tearful eyes; and, "Oh, so
+through life!" was answered in Susanna's heart, but her lips remained
+closed. At this moment she was seized by a violent trembling, which
+obliged her to come from dancing, and to sit down, whilst the whole
+world seemed going round with her. It was not until she had drunk a
+glass of water, which Harald offered to her, that she was able to reply
+to his heartfelt and anxious inquiries after her health. Susanna
+attributed it to the violent dancing, but declared that she felt herself
+again quite well. At that moment Susanna's eyes encountered those of
+Alette. She sate at a little distance from them, and observed Harald and
+Susanna with a grave, and as it seemed to Susanna, a displeased look.
+Susanna felt stung at the heart; and when Alette came to her, and asked
+rather coldly how she found herself, she answered also coldly and
+shortly.
+
+The sun was going down, and the evening began to be cool. The company
+was therefore invited by Harald to a commodious hut, decorated with
+foliage and flowers. At Harald's desire, a young girl played now upon
+the "langleg,"[16] and sung thereto with a clear lively voice the
+Hallingdal song, "Gjetter-livet" (Shepherd-life), which so naively
+describes the days of a shepherd-girl in the solitary dales with the
+flocks, which she pastures and tends during the summer, without care,
+and joyous of mood, although almost separated from her kind;--_almost_,
+for Havor, the goatherd, blows his horn on the rocks in the
+neighbourhood, and ere long sits beside her on the crags--
+
+  The boy with his jew's-harp charms the kine,
+  And plays upon the flute so fine,
+  And I sing this song of mine.
+
+So approaches the evening, and "all my darlings," with "song and love,"
+are called by their names;--
+
+  Come Laikeros, Gullstjerna fine;
+  Come Dokkerose, darling mine;
+  Come Bjoelka, Qvittelin!
+
+And cows and sheep come to the well-known voice, and assemble at the
+Saeter-hut, lowing and bleating joyfully. Now begins the milking; the
+goatherd maiden sings--
+
+  When I have milked in these pails of mine,
+  I lay me down, and sleep divine,
+  Till day upon the cliffs doth shine.
+
+After the song, the dancing began again with new spirit. An iron hook
+was driven into the beam in the middle of the roof, and the dancer who,
+during the whirl of the Halling-polska, succeeded in striking it with
+his heel, so that it was bent, obtained the prize for dancing this
+evening. Observing the break-neck efforts of the competitors, Susanna
+seated herself upon a bench. Several large leafy branches which were
+reared between the benches and window, prevented her from seeing two
+persons who stood in quiet conversation, but she remained sitting, as if
+enchanted, as she heard the voice of Alette, saying:
+
+"Susanna is to be sure an excellent and good girl, and I really like
+her; but yet, Harald, it would distress me if you seriously were
+attached to her."
+
+"And why?" asked Harald.
+
+"Because I think that she would not be suitable for your wife. She has
+an unreasonable and violent temper, and--"
+
+"But that may be changed, Alette. She has already changed very much. Of
+her violent temper I have no fear--that I should soon remove."
+
+"Greater wizards than you, my brother, have erred in such a belief. At
+the same time she is much too uneducated, too ignorant to be a suitable
+companion for you through life. And neither would she be suitable for
+the social circles into which you must sometime come. Best Harald! let
+me beseech you, do not be over-hasty. You have so long thought of taking
+a journey into foreign countries to improve your knowledge of
+agriculture. Carry out this plan now; travel, and look about you in the
+world before you fetter yourself for life."
+
+"I fancy you are right, Alette; and I shall follow your advice, but----"
+
+"Besides," said Alette, interrupting him in her zeal, "it is time enough
+for you to think of marrying. You are still young; have time to look
+about you, and choose. You can easily, if you will, in every point of
+view, form a good connexion. Susanna is poor, and you yourself have not
+wealth enough entirely to disregard----"
+
+Susanna would hear no more; and, in truth, she had heard enough. Wounded
+pride and sickness of heart drove the blood to her head and chest, till
+she felt ready to be choked. She rose hastily, and after she had begged
+an acquaintance to tell Alette and Harald that a mere headache compelled
+her to leave the dance, she hurried by the wood-path back to Semb.
+
+The evening was beautiful, but Susanna was blind to all its splendours;
+she remarked not the twinkling of the bright stars, not how they
+mirrored themselves in the ladies-mantle, which stood full of pure
+crystal water; she heard not the rushing of the river, nor the song of
+the pine-thrush; for never before, in her breast, had Barbra and Sanna
+contended more violently.
+
+"They despise me!" cried the former; "they cast me off, they trample me
+under their feet. They think me not worthy to be near them; the haughty,
+heartless people! But have they indeed a right to hold themselves so
+much above me, because I am not so fine, so learned as they; because I
+am--poor? No, that have they not, for I can earn my own bread, and go my
+own way through the world as well as any of them. And if they will be
+proud, then I can be ten times prouder. I need not to humble myself
+before them! One is just as good as another!"
+
+"Ah!" now began Sanna, and painful tears began to flow down her cheeks,
+"one is not just as good as another, and education and training make a
+great difference between people. It is not pleasant for a man to blush
+for the ignorance of his wife; neither can one expect that anybody would
+teach a person of my age; nor can they look into my heart and see how
+willingly I would learn, and--and Harald, whom I thought wished me well,
+whom I loved so much, whom I would willingly serve with my whole heart
+and life--how coldly he spoke of me, who just before so warmly--Harald,
+why shouldst thou fool my heart so, if thou carest so little for what it
+feels, what it suffers?"
+
+"But," and here again began Barbra, "thou thinkest merely on thyself;
+thou art an egotist, like all thy sex. And he seems to be so sure of me!
+He seems not to ask whether I will; no--only whether he graciously
+should. Let him try! let him make the attempt! and he shall see that he
+has deceived himself, the proud gentleman! He shall see that a poor
+girl, without connexions, without friends, solitary in the wide world,
+can yet refuse him who thinks that he condescends _so_ to her. Be easy,
+Miss Alette! the poor despised Susanna is too proud to thrust herself
+into a haughty family; because, in truth, she feels herself too good for
+that."
+
+But Susanna was very much excited, and very unhappy, as she said this.
+She had now reached Semb. Lights streamed from the bedroom of the
+Colonel's widow. Susanna looked up to the window, and stood in mute
+astonishment; for at the window stood the Colonel's widow, but no longer
+the gloomy, sorrowful lady. With her hands pressed upon her breast, she
+looked up to the clear stars with an expression of glowing gratitude.
+There was, however, something wild and overstrained in her appearance,
+which made Susanna, who was possessed by astonishment and strange
+feelings, determine to go to her immediately.
+
+On Susanna's entrance into the room Mrs. Astrid turned hastily to her.
+She held a letter clasped to her breast, and said with restless delight
+and a kind of vehemence--
+
+"To Bergen, to Bergen! Susanna, I set off to-morrow morning to Bergen.
+Get all in readiness for my journey as soon as you can."
+
+Susanna was confounded. "To Bergen?" stammered she, inquiringly; "and
+the road thither is so difficult, so dangerous, at this time----"
+
+"And if death threatened me upon it, I should yet travel!" said Mrs.
+Astrid, with impatient energy. "But I desire that no one accompany me.
+You can stay here at home."
+
+"Lord God!" said Susanna, painfully excited, "I spoke not for myself.
+Could I die to save my lady from any danger, any sorrow, heaven knows
+that I would do it with joy! Let me go with you to Bergen."
+
+"I have been very unhappy, Susanna!" resumed Mrs. Astrid, without
+remarking her agitated state of mind; "life has been a burden to me. I
+have doubted the justice of Providence; doubted whether our destinies
+were guided by a fatherly hand; but now--now I see--now all may be very
+different.--But go, Susanna, I must compose myself; and you also seem to
+need rest. Go, my child."
+
+"Only one prayer," said Susanna--"I may go with you to-morrow morning?
+Ah! refuse me not, for I shall still go with my lady."
+
+"Well, well," said Mrs. Astrid, almost joyfully, "then it would be no
+use my saying no."
+
+Susanna seized and kissed her hand, and was ready to weep, from all the
+pain and love which filled her soul; but her lady withdrew her hand, and
+again desired her kindly but commandingly to go.
+
+When she was alone, she turned her eyes upon the letter which she held
+in her hands.
+
+Upon the envelope of the letter stood these words, written by an
+unsteady hand.
+
+"To my wife, after my death."
+
+The letter was as follows:
+
+"I feel that a great change is about to take place in me. Probably I may
+die, or become insane. In the first place, I will thank my wife for her
+angel-patience with me during my life, and tell her, that it is owing to
+her conduct that I have at this moment my faith left in virtue and a
+just Providence. I will now reward her in the only way which is possible
+to me. Know then, my wife, that the boy, for whom thou hast loved and
+deplored--_is not dead!_ Let it also lessen the abhorrence of my deed,
+when I assure thee, that it was solicitude for your well-being which led
+me in part to it. I was totally ruined--and could not endure the
+thoughts of seeing thee destitute! For this reason I sent away the boy,
+and gave it out that he was dead. He has suffered no want, he has----"
+
+Here followed several illegible lines, after which might be read:
+
+"I am confused, and cannot say that which I would. Speak with the former
+Sergeant Roenn, now in the Customs at Bergen; he will----"
+
+Here the letter broke off. It was without date, the paper old and
+yellow. But Mrs. Astrid kissed it with tears of joy and gratitude,
+whilst she whispered,
+
+"Oh, what a recompense! What light! Wonderful, merciful, good
+Providence!"
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[14] About a farthing.
+
+[15] The understrings of the so-called Hardanger-fiddle are four metal
+strings, which lie under the sounding-board. They are tuned in unison
+with the upper catgut strings, whereby, as well as by the peculiar form
+of the violin itself, this gives forth a singular strong, almost
+melancholy sound.
+
+[16] The langoleik, or langleg, is a four-stringed instrument, probably
+of the same form as the psaltry. The peasant girls in mountain-districts
+play gladly upon it, and often with great dexterity. In the so-called
+"Elskov's Song," from Vestfjordal it is said--
+
+Ho som so gjilt kan po Langoleik spelo,
+Svanaug den vena, ska no vaera mi!
+
+
+
+
+AASGAARDSREIJA.
+
+  Wildly the misty troop the tempest rideth,
+  The ghosts of heroes seek the Northern fjorde;
+  There goes the iron-boat; the serpent glideth,
+  The ravens flutter round the lofty board.
+
+  Dark, silent shades the high mast are surrounding;
+  Lightnings are flashing from the weapons bright;
+  Rise up from ocean-cliff's thou horn resounding,
+  To-night ride forth the Daughters of the fight!
+
+  VELHAVEN.
+
+
+Susanna went into her quiet room, but within her it was not quiet--a
+hard fight was fought there. It was necessary now to abandon all her own
+wishes and hopes, for Susanna found now that she almost unconsciously to
+herself had cherished such as regarded her mistress and Harald. She had
+hoped that through her love she might win this, through her attentions
+might become necessary to them; and now she saw how infinitely little
+she was to them. She blushed at her own self-delusion, and reproached
+herself with having been untrue to her little Hulda; in having attached
+herself so deeply to strange people, and allowed her favourite scheme to
+be dimmed by new impressions and views. Susanna punished herself
+severely for it; called herself foolish and weak; and determined to fly
+from Harald, and from the place where he dwelt.
+
+"When I have attended my lady over the dangerous mountains,"--thus
+thought Susanna,--"when I see her in safety and happy, then I will leave
+her--her and him, and this country for ever. Poor came I hither, poorer
+shall I go away from it, for I shall leave a part of my heart behind in
+a foreign land. But a pure conscience shall I take with me to my home.
+They could not love me; but when I am gone, they will perhaps think with
+esteem, perhaps with friendship, upon Susanna!"
+
+The silent stars mirrored themselves in Susanna's tears, which flowed
+abundantly during this quiet discourse with herself, and the tears and
+the stars calmed her mind, and she felt herself strengthened by the
+resolution which she had taken.
+
+After this she entirely directed her thoughts upon that which would be
+necessary for the journey, and passed the remainder of the night partly
+in these preparations, and partly in setting the domestic affairs in
+order, that she might with a good conscience leave the house.
+
+In the mean time the journey was not so quickly undertaken as was at
+first intended, for a safe guide and good safe horses for the journey
+over the mountains had to be obtained, and this occupied the greater
+part of the next day. Before the morning of the following day, it was
+not possible that they could set out. Harald, greatly amazed at this
+sudden determination, endeavoured to delay the journey, by
+representations of its difficulties and even dangers during this season,
+for, "from the beginning of September, they may every day look for falls
+of snow and stormy tempests in this mountain region." But Mrs. Astrid,
+without further explaining herself, adhered to her resolution, and
+Harald promised to make all preparations for the journey, so that it
+might be performed as speedily and as safely as possible. They had the
+choice between four equally difficult mountain-roads which led from this
+part of Hallingdal towards the diocese of Bergen; and of these, the
+shortest was that which went through Hardanger. Mrs. Astrid determined
+upon this. This, however, would require at least two days and a half.
+Harald, who knew the way, and said that in case of need he could serve
+as guide, made preparations to attend the lady on her adventurous
+journey. Alette, in the mean time, with her Alf, should, in company
+with her uncle in Hallingdal and his family, set off on the journey to
+Trondhjem, where Harald promised afterwards to meet them for Alette's
+marriage.
+
+Harald wished to inquire from Susanna the cause of this extraordinary
+journey; but Susanna at this time was not much to be spoken with, she
+had so much to attend to both within and out of the house, and she was
+always surrounded by Larina and Karina, and Petro. And Susanna was glad
+that her household affairs gave her a good excuse for absenting herself
+from the company, and even from avoiding intercourse with the world. A
+certain bitterness both towards him and Alette was rooted into her
+heart.
+
+Among many noble and valuable qualities, man has that of being able to
+condemn and sentence himself. And if we are justly displeased with any
+one, if we are wounded and repelled by word or deed, we should depend
+upon this quality, and permit it to operate reconcilingly upon our
+feelings. For while we are embittered by his offence, perhaps he himself
+may have wept in silence over it, waked in the silent hours of the night
+unpityingly to punish himself in the severe sanctuary of his conscience;
+and the nobler the human being, all the greater is his pang, even over
+failings which before the judgment-seat of the world are very small or
+no faults at all; nay, he will not at all forgive himself if he cannot
+make atonement for his faults; and the hope of so doing is, in such
+painful hours, his only comfort.
+
+Thus even would every bitter feeling have vanished out of Susanna's
+soul, could she have seen how deeply dissatisfied was Harald at this
+time with himself,--how warmly he upbraided himself for the words which,
+during the yesterday's dawn, had passed his lips, without there being
+any actual seriousness in them; and how displeased he was by the promise
+which he had given to Alette, and with the resolve he had made, in
+consequence of her anxieties and advice.
+
+This dissatisfaction was the more increased, when he saw by Susanna's
+swollen eyelids that she had wept much, and remarked in her manner a
+certain uneasiness and depression which was so entirely the reverse of
+her usually fresh and lively deportment. Uneasy and full of foreboding,
+he questioned himself as to the cause, whilst he followed her with
+inquiring looks.
+
+At dinner, Mrs. Astrid did not join them at the table, and the others
+sate there silent and out of spirits, with the exception of Lexow, who
+in vain endeavoured to enliven the rest with his good humour.
+
+In the afternoon, whilst they were taking coffee, Susanna slipped
+silently away, to carry to a sick peasant woman, before her journey,
+some medicines, together with some children's clothes. Harald, who had
+stood for some time observing the barometer, and who seemed to suspect
+her intention, turned round to her hastily as she went out at the door,
+and said to her--
+
+"You cannot think of going out now? It is not advisable. In a few
+minutes we shall probably have a severe storm."
+
+"I am not afraid of it," replied Susanna, going.
+
+"But you do not know _our_ storms!" answered Harald. "Lexow, come here!
+See here,"--and Harald pointed to the barometer, whilst he said half
+aloud, "the quicksilver has fallen two degrees in half an hour; now it
+sinks again; now it stands near the earthquake point! we shall have in a
+moment a true 'Berg-roese,'[17] here."
+
+Lexow shook his head mournfully, and said--
+
+"It is a bad look out for the morrow's journey! But I presume that your
+storms here are mere child's play, compared with those that we have in
+certain districts of Nordland!" And Alf went to his Alette, who looked
+inquiringly and uneasily at him.
+
+Harald hastened after Susanna, and found her at the door, just about
+going out with a bundle under her arm. He placed himself in the way
+before her, and said to her gravely--
+
+"You cannot go! I assure you that danger is at hand."
+
+"What danger?" asked Susanna, gloomily, and with an obstinate
+determination to act in opposition to Harald.
+
+"Aasgaardsreija," answered Harald, smiling, "and it is nothing to joke
+about. Soon enough will it come riding here and may take you with it, if
+you do not stop at home. No! You must not go now!" And he seized her
+hand in order to lead her into the house.
+
+Susanna, who fancied that he was joking in his customary manner, and
+who was not at all in a joking humour, released her hand, and said,
+crimsoning and proudly--
+
+"I _shall_ go, sir! I shall go, because I will do so; and you have no
+right to prevent me."
+
+Harald looked at her confounded, but said afterwards, in a tone which
+very much resembled Susanna's--
+
+"If I cannot prevent your going, neither can you prevent my following
+you!"
+
+"I would rather go alone!" said Susanna, in a tone of defiance, and
+went.
+
+"I, even so!" said Harald, in the same tone, and followed her, yet ever
+at the distance of from fifteen to twenty paces. As he passed the
+kitchen door, he went in and said to those whom he found there, "Look to
+the fire, and extinguish it at the first gale of wind; we shall have a
+tempest."
+
+At the same moment, Alfiero sprang towards Susanna, howling and leaping
+up with his paws upon her shoulder, as if he would prevent her from
+going forward on her way. But repulsed by her, he sprang anxiously
+sneaking into his kennel, as if seeking there for shelter from danger.
+
+The weather, however, was beautiful; the wind still; the heaven bright;
+nothing seemed to foretel the approaching tempest, excepting the smoke,
+which, as it ascended from the cottages in the dale, was immediately
+depressed, and, whirling round, sunk to the earth.
+
+Susanna went rapidly on her way; hearing all the time Harald's footsteps
+a little behind her, and yet not venturing to turn round to look at him.
+As by chance she cast her eyes to heaven, she perceived a little white
+cloud, which took the fantastical shape of a dragon, and which, with the
+speed of an arrow, came hastening over the valley. Immediately
+afterwards was heard a loud noise, which turned Susanna's glance to the
+heights, where she saw, as it were, a pillar of smoke whirlingly ascend
+upwards. At the same moment Harald was at her side, and said to her
+seriously and hastily, "To the ground! throw yourself down on the ground
+instantly!"
+
+Susanna would have protested; but in the same moment was seized by
+Harald, lifted from the earth, and in the next moment found herself
+lying with her face upon the ground. She felt a violent gust of wind;
+heard near to her a report like that of a pistol-shot, and then a loud
+cracking and rattling, which was followed by a roar resembling the
+rolling of successive peals of thunder; and all was again still.
+
+Quite confounded by what had taken place, Susanna raised her head, and
+looked around her as she slowly raised herself. Over all reigned a dead
+stillness; not a blade of grass moved. But just near to her, two trees
+had been torn up, and stones had been loosened from the crags and rolled
+into the dale. Susanna looked around for Harald with uneasiness, but he
+was nowhere to be found, and she thought upon the story of
+Aasgaardsreija. In her distress she called upon his name, and had great
+joy in hearing his voice reply to her.
+
+She perceived him at a little distance from her, slowly raising himself
+near an angular wall of rock. He was pale, and seemed to feel pain.
+Busied about Susanna's safety, Harald had assumed too late the humble
+posture into which he had compelled Susanna, and had been caught by the
+whirlwind, and slung violently against the corner of a rock, whereby he
+had sustained a severe blow upon the left collar-bone and shoulder. He,
+however, assured Susanna, who was now anxious about him, that it was of
+no consequence; it would soon be better, he added jestingly.
+
+"But was I not right in saying that Aasgaardsreija is not to be played
+with? And we have not yet done with it. In a few moments it will be upon
+us again; and as soon as we hear it roaring and whistling in the
+mountains, it is best that we humble ourselves. It may otherwise fare
+ill with us."
+
+Scarcely had Harald uttered these words before the signals were heard
+from the mountains, and the tempest arose with the same violence as
+before, and passed over as quickly too. In a few moments all was again
+still.
+
+"We have now again a few moments' breathing time," said Harald, rising
+up, and looking inquiringly around him; "but the best is, that we now
+endeavour to find a shelter over head, so that we may be defended from
+the shower of stones. There shoots out a wall of rock. Thither will we
+hasten before the tempest comes again. If I am not mistaken, other
+wanderers have thought as we."
+
+And, in truth, two persons had before them sought shelter under the
+rocky projection, and Harald soon recognised them. The elder of them was
+the guide whom Harald had sent for to conduct them over the mountain
+road--a handsome old man in the Halling costume; the younger was his
+grandson, a brisk youth of sixteen, who was to accompany him. On their
+way to Semb, they had been overtaken by the tempest.
+
+It was perhaps welcome to both Harald and Susanna, that in this moment
+of mutual constraint, they were prevented by the presence of these
+persons from being alone together. From their place of refuge they had
+an extensive prospect over the dale, and their attention was directed to
+that which had occurred there. They saw that the cottages had ceased to
+smoke; a sign that the people, as is customary in such tempests, had
+universally extinguished their fires. They saw several horses, which had
+been out to graze, standing immovably, with their heads turned in the
+direction from whence the tempest came; in this manner they divided the
+wind-shocks, and could withstand its force. A little farther off a
+singular atmospheric scene presented itself. They saw thick masses of
+clouds from different sides rush across the sky, and stormily tumult
+backwards and forwards. The singularly-formed masses drew up against
+each other, and had a regular battle in the air. It continued some time;
+but at length the columns which had been driven on by the weaker wind
+withdrew, the conquerors advanced tempestuously onwards, and spread
+themselves over the whole vault of heaven, which now dark and heavy as
+lead, sunk down to the earth. In the mean time the tempest began
+somewhat to abate, and after about three hours' continuance, had
+sufficiently subsided to allow the company under the rock-roof to betake
+themselves to their homeward way. Susanna longed impatiently to be at
+home, as well on account of her mistress as of Harald, whose contusion
+evidently caused him much pain, although he endeavoured to conceal it
+under a cheerful and talkative manner.
+
+Not without danger, but without any further injury, they arrived at
+Semb, where every one, in the mean time, had been in the greatest
+uneasiness on their account. The wind entirely abated towards evening.
+Harald's shoulder was fomented; he soon declared that he had lost all
+pain; and although every one urgently discouraged him, yet he resolutely
+adhered to his determination of accompanying Mrs. Astrid across the
+mountains.
+
+Poor Susanna was so full of remorse for her wilfulness, which had
+occasioned Harald's accident, so grateful for his care for her, that
+every bitter feeling as well towards him as to Alette, had vanished from
+her heart. She felt now only a deep, almost painful necessity of showing
+her devotion to them; and to give them some pleasure, she would gladly
+have given her right hand for that purpose.
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[17] Roese or Ryse (giant) is the name given in Norway to the strong
+whirlwinds, which are heard howling among the rocks, and which, in
+certain mountain districts are so dangerous.
+
+
+
+
+THE MOUNTAIN JOURNEY.
+
+  Forwards! forwards! fly swift as a hind,
+  See how it laughs behind Fanaranktind!
+
+  HENR WERGELAND.
+
+
+The party which next morning set out from Heimdal and ascended
+Ustefjell, did not look in the least gay. They moved along also in a
+thick mist, which hung over the valley, enveloped all the heights, and
+concealed every prospect around them. Before them rode the guide, the
+old trusty Halling peasant, whose strong and tall figure gave an
+impression of security to those who followed after. Then came Mrs.
+Astrid; then Susanna; then Harald, who carried his arm in a sling. The
+train was closed by the young boy, and a peasant, who led two horses
+with the luggage upon hurdles.
+
+After they had ascended for a considerable time, the air became clearer,
+and the travellers had mounted above the regions of mist; soon saw they
+the blue colour of the heavens, and the sun greeted them with his beams,
+and lighted up the wild, singular region which now began to surround
+them. This scene operated upon Susanna's young, open mind with wonderful
+power. She felt herself altogether freer and lighter of mood, and,
+glancing around with bright eyes, she thought that she had left behind
+her all strife and all pain, and now ascended upwards to a future of
+light and tranquillity. Now her mistress would indeed be happy; and
+Susanna would, with liberated heart, and bound no longer by selfish
+feelings, easily follow the calls of duty and the will of Providence. So
+felt, so thought she.
+
+The road was untracked, often steep and terrific, but the horses stepped
+safely over it, and thus in a little time they came to a Saeter-hut,
+which lay upon the shore of Ustevand, one of the inland lakes which lie
+at the foot of Hallingskarv. This Saeter lies above the boundary of the
+birch-tree vegetation, and its environs have the strong features
+peculiar to the rocky character; but its grass-plots, perpetually
+watered from the snowy mountains, were yet of a beautiful green, and
+many-coloured herds of cattle swarmed upon them. Like dazzling silver
+ribbons shimmered the brooks between the green declivities and the
+darker cliffs. The sun now shone bright, and they mutually congratulated
+each other on the cheering prospect of a happy journey. At this Saeter
+the company rested for an hour, and made a hasty breakfast of the simple
+viands which are peculiar to this region. Before each guest was placed a
+bowl of "Lefsetriangle,"[18] on which was laid a cake of rye-meal, about
+the size of a plate. Upon the table stood large four-cornered pieces of
+butter, and a dish of excellent mountain-fish. Cans of Hardanger ale
+were not wanting; and a young girl, with light plaited hair,
+light-yellow leather jacket, black thickly-plaited petticoat, and a red
+kerchief tied round her neck, with a face as pretty and innocent as ever
+an idyl bestowed upon its shepherdess, waited upon the guests, and
+entertained them with her simple, good-humoured talk.
+
+After breakfast the journey was continued. Upon the heights of Ustefjell
+they saw two vast mountain ranges, whose wavy backs reared themselves
+into the regions of perpetual snow. They were Hallingskarv and
+Halling-Jokul.
+
+Slowly advanced the caravan up the Barfjell. By degrees all trees
+disappeared; the ground was naked, or only covered by low black bushes;
+between, lay patches of snow-lichen, which increased in extent the
+higher they ascended. The prospect around had in it something
+indescribably cold and terrific. But Susanna felt herself in a peculiar
+manner enlivened by this wild, and to her new spectacle. To this the old
+Halling peasant contributed, who, whilst they travelled through this
+desolate mountain track, related to the party various particulars of the
+"subterranean folk" who dwelt there, and whom he described as a spectre
+herd, with little, ugly, pale, or bluish human shapes, dotted in grey,
+and with black head-gear. "They often draw," said he, "people down into
+their subterranean dwellings, and there murder them; and if anybody
+escape living out of their power, they remain from that time through
+the whole of their lives dejected and insane, and have no more pleasure
+on the earth. Certain people they persecute; but to others they afford
+protection, and bring to them wealth and good fortune." The Halling
+peasant was himself perfectly convinced of the actual existence of these
+beings; he had himself seen in a mountain district a man who hastily
+sunk into the earth and vanished!
+
+One of his friends had once seen in a wood a whole farm, with house,
+people, and cattle; but when he reached the place, all these had
+immediately vanished.
+
+Harald declared that here the imagination had played its pranks well;
+but the old man endeavoured to strengthen the affair by relating the
+following piece out of Hans Lauridsen's "Book of the Soul."
+
+"The devil has many companions; such as elfin-women, elfin-men, dwarfs,
+imps, nightmares, hobgoblins with red-hot fire-tongs, Var-wolves,
+giants, spectres, which appear to people when they are about to die."
+
+And as Harald smilingly expressed some doubt on the subject, the old man
+said warmly--
+
+"Why, does it not stand written in the Bible that all knees, as well
+those that are in heaven and on the earth, and _under_ the earth, shall
+bow at the name of the Lord? And who, indeed, can they be _under_ the
+earth, if not the subterranean? And do you take care," continued he
+gaily, with an arch look at Susanna, "take care when the 'Thusmoerk'
+(twilight) comes, for then is the time when they are about; and they
+have a particular fancy for young girls, and drag them gladly down to
+their dwellings. Take care! for if they get you once down into their
+church--for they have churches too, deep under ground--you will never
+see the sun and God's clear heaven again as long as ever you live; and
+it would not be pleasant, that you may believe, to dwell with Thuserne."
+
+Susanna shuddered involuntarily at this jest. She cast a glance upon the
+wild rock-shapes around her, which the Halling-peasant assured her were
+all spectres, giants, and giantesses, turned into stone. Harald remarked
+the impression which all this made on Susanna; but he, who had so often
+amused himself by exciting her imagination, became now altogether
+rectifying reason, and let his light shine for Susanna on the darkness
+of superstition.
+
+Higher yet ascended the travellers, and more desolate became the
+country. The whole of this mountain region is scattered over with larger
+and smaller blocks of stone; and these have assisted people as waymarks
+through this country, when, without these, people must infallibly lose
+themselves. Stones have, therefore, been piled upon the large blocks in
+the direction which the road takes; and if a stone fall down, the
+passer-by considers it a sacred duty to replace it. "Comfortable
+waymarks," as Professor Hansten, in his interesting "Mountain Journey,"
+calls these guides; "for," continues he, "they are upon this journey the
+only traces of man; and if only once one has failed to see one such
+stone of indication, the next which one discovers expels the awakened
+anxiety by the assurance, 'thou art still upon the right way.'"
+
+In dark or foggy weather, however, those friendly watchers are almost
+useless, and the journey is then in the highest degree dangerous. People
+become so easily bewildered and frozen in this desert, or they are
+overwhelmed by the falls of snow. They who perish in this manner are
+called after death "Drauge," and are supposed to haunt the gloomy
+mountain passes. The guide pointed out a place near the road where had
+been found the corpses of two tradespeople, who one autumn had been
+surprised by a snow-storm upon the mountains, and there lost their
+lives. He related this with great indifference, for every year people
+perish in the mountain regions, and this kind of death is not considered
+worse than any other. But dreadful thoughts began to rise in Susanna's
+mind. There was, however, no reason to anticipate misfortune, for the
+weather was lovely, and the journey, although difficult, went on safely
+and well. It was continued uninterruptedly till evening. As no Saeter
+could be reached before dark, they were to pass the night in a place
+called "Monsbuheja," because in its neighbourhood there was grass for
+the horses. Here our travellers happily arrived shortly before sunset.
+They found here a cave, half formed by nature and half by the hands of
+men, which last had rolled large stones around its entrance. Its walls
+were covered with moss, and decorated with horns of the reindeer
+fastened into the crevices of the rock. Soon had Susanna formed here,
+out of carpet-bags, cloaks, and shawls, a comfortable couch for her
+wearied lady, who thanked her for it with such a friendly glance as
+Susanna had never before seen in her eyes.
+
+Harald, in the mean time, with the servants had cared for the horses,
+and in collecting fuel for the night. A few hundred paces from the cave,
+a river flowed between ice-covered banks; on the edge of this river, and
+on the shores of the snow-brook, they found roots of decayed junipers,
+rock-willows, and moor-weed, which they collected together to a place
+outside the cave, where they kindled the nocturnal watch-fire.
+
+During this, Susanna ascended a little height near the cave, and saw the
+sun go down behind Halling-Jokul. Like a red globe of fire, it now stood
+upon the edge of the immeasurable snow-mountains, and threw splendid,
+many-coloured rays of purple, yellow, and blue, upon the clouds of
+heaven, as well as upon the snow-plains which lay below. It was a
+magnificent sight.
+
+"Good heavens! how great, how glorious!" exclaimed Susanna,
+involuntarily, whilst with her hands pressed upon her breast, she bowed
+herself as though in adoration before the descending ruler of the day.
+
+"Yes, great and glorious!" answered a gentle echo near; Susanna looked
+around, and saw Harald standing beside her. There stood they, the two
+alone, lighted by the descending sun, with the same feelings, the same
+thoughts, ardent and adoring in the waste, dead solitude. Susanna could
+not resist the feelings of deep and solemn emotion which filled her
+heart. She extended her hand to Harald, and her tearful look seemed to
+say, "Peace! peace!" Susanna felt this a leave-taking, but a
+leave-taking in love. In that moment she could have clasped the whole
+world to her breast. She felt herself raised above all contention, all
+spite, all littleness. This great spectacle had awakened something great
+within her, and in her countenance _Sanna_ beamed in beautiful and mild
+illumination.
+
+Harald, on the contrary, seemed to think of no leave-taking; for he held
+Susanna's hand fast in his, and was about to speak; but she hastily
+withdrew it, and, turning herself from him, said:
+
+"We must now think about supper!"
+
+The fire outside the cave blazed up cheerfully, and in the eastern
+heaven uprose the moon amid rose-coloured clouds.
+
+Soon was Susanna, lively and cheerful, busied by the fire. From cakes of
+bouillon and prepared groats which she had brought with her, she
+prepared an excellent soup, in which pieces of veal were warmed. Whilst
+this boiled, she distributed bread, cheese, and brandy to the men who
+accompanied them, and cared with particular kindness for the old guide.
+Harald allowed her to do all this, without assisting her in the least.
+He sate upon a stone, at a little distance, supported on his gun, and
+observed her good and cheerful countenance lighted up by the fire, her
+lively movements and her dexterity in all which she undertook. He
+thought upon her warm heart, her ingenuous mind, her activity; he
+thought upon the evenings of the former winter, or when he read aloud,
+related stories to her, and how she listened and felt the while. All at
+once it seemed to him that the ideal of a happy life, which for so many
+years had floated before his mind, now was just near to him. It stood
+there, beside the flames of the nocturnal fire, and was lighted up by
+them. Alette's warnings flitted from before him like the
+thence-hastening night-mists, without shape or reality. He saw himself
+the possessor of an estate which he would ennoble as Oberlin has done
+the sunken rocky valley; saw himself surrounded by dependents and
+neighbours, to whose happiness he really contributed; he saw himself in
+his home--he contemplated it in the most trying light--the long winter
+evenings; but it dimmed not thereby. For he saw himself as before, on
+the winter evenings with Susanna; but yet not as before, for he now sate
+nearer to her and she was his wife, and he read aloud to her, and
+enjoyed her lively, warm sympathy; but he rested at intervals his eyes
+upon her and upon the child, which lay in the cradle at her feet, and
+Susanna glanced at him as she had just now done upon the rock in the
+evening sun. The flames which now danced over the snow were the flames
+of his own hearth, and it was his wife who, happy and hospitable, was
+busied about them, diffusing comfort and joy around her.
+
+"What is the use of a finer education?" thought he, "it cannot create a
+heart, a soul, and qualities like this girl's!" He could not turn his
+eyes from Susanna; every moment she seemed more beautiful to him.--The
+sweet enchantment of love had come over him.
+
+In the mean time the evening meal was ready, and Harald was called to
+it. What wonder if he, after a fatiguing day's journey, and after the
+observations which he had just been making, found Susanna's meal beyond
+all description excellent and savoury?! He missed only Susanna's
+presence during it, for Susanna was within the cave, and upon her knees
+before Mrs. Astrid, holding in her hand a bowl of soup, and counting
+with quiet delight every spoonful which her lady with evident
+satisfaction conveyed to her lips. "That was the best soup that I ever
+tasted!" said she, when the bowl was emptied; "it is true, Susanna, that
+you are very clever!" It was the first time that Mrs. Astrid had paid
+attention to her eating, and the first praise which Susanna had received
+from her mouth,--and no soup, not even nectar, can taste so charming, so
+animating, as the first word of praise from beloved lips!
+
+When Susanna went out of the cave, she was welcomed by Harald's looks;
+and they spoke a language almost irresistibly enchanting for a heart to
+which affection was so needful as was Susanna's: and in her excited and
+grateful spirit she thought that she could be content for all eternity
+to be up in these mountains, and wait upon and prepare soup for those
+beloved beings who here seemed first to have opened their hearts to her.
+
+They now made preparations for the night, which promised to be clear,
+but cold. The peasants laid themselves around the fire. Mrs. Astrid,
+anxious on account of Harald's shoulder, prayed him to come into the
+cave, where it was sheltered from the keen air; but Harald preferred to
+keep watch on the outside, and sate before the fire wrapped in his
+cloak. Susanna laid herself softly down at his mistress's feet, which
+she hoped by this means to keep warm. Strange shapes flitted before her
+inward sight whilst her eyelids were closed. Shapes of snow and ice came
+near to her, and seemed to wish to surround her--but suddenly vanished,
+and were melted before the warm looks of love, and the sun shone forth
+in glory; and happy, sweet feelings blossomed forth in her soul. Amid
+such she slept. Then a new image showed itself. She was again in
+Heimdal; she stood upon the bank of the river, and looked with fearful
+wonder on the opposite shore; for there, amid the dark fir-trees, shone
+forth something white, mist-like, but which became ever plainer; and as
+it approached the brink of the river, Susanna saw that it was a child,
+and she knew again her little Hulda. But she was pale as the dead, and
+tears rolled down her snow-white cheeks, while she stretched forth her
+little arms to Susanna, and called her name. Susanna was about to throw
+herself into the waves which separated them, but could not; she felt
+herself fettered by an invisible power. At this, as she turned round
+with inexpressible anguish to free herself, she perceived that it was
+Harald who thus held her; he looked so cold, so severe, and Susanna felt
+at the game time both love and hatred for him. Again anxiously called
+the tender child's voice, and Susanna saw her little sister sink upon
+the stones of the shore, and the white waves beat over her. With a
+feeling of wild despair Susanna now awoke from sleep, and sprang up.
+Cold perspiration stood upon her brow, and she looked bewildered around.
+The cave darkly vaulted itself above her; and the blazing fire outside
+threw red confused beams upon its fantastically decorated walls. Susanna
+went softly out of the cave; she wished to see the heavens, the stars;
+she must breathe the free fresh air, to release herself from the terrors
+of her dream. But no beaming star looked down upon her, for the heavens
+were covered with a grey roof of cloud, and the pale moonlight which
+pressed through cast a troubled light over the dead country, and gloomy
+and hideous shapes. The fire had burnt low, and flickered up, as if
+sleepily, now and then, with red flames. The peasants slept heavily,
+lying around it. Susanna saw not Harald at this moment, and she was glad
+of it. In order to dissipate the painful impression she had experienced,
+Susanna took a water-jug, and went down to the river with it, to fetch
+water for the morrow's breakfast. On the way thither she saw Harald, who
+with his gun upon his shoulder, walked backwards and forwards some
+little distance from the cave. Unobserved by him, she, however, came
+down to the river, and filled her jug with the snow-mingled water. This
+little bodily exertion did her good; but the solitary ramble was not
+much calculated to enliven her spirits. The scene was indescribably
+gloomy, and the monotonous murmuring of the snow-brook was accompanied
+by gusts of wind, which, like giant sighs, went mournfully whistling
+through the desert. She seated herself for a moment at the foot of a
+rock. It was midnight, and deep silence reigned over the country. The
+rocks around her were covered with mourning-lichen, and the pale
+snow-lichens grew in crevices of the mountains; here and there stuck out
+from the black earth-rind the bog-lichen, a little pale-yellow
+sulphur-coloured flower, which the Lapland sagas use in the magic arts,
+and which here gives the impression of a ghastly smile upon these fields
+of death. Susanna could not free herself from the remembrance of her
+dream; and wherever she turned her glance she thought that she saw the
+image of her little dying sister. Perhaps in this dream she had received
+a warning, perhaps a foretelling; perhaps she might never leave this
+desert; perhaps she should die here, and then----what would become of
+her little Hulda? Would not neglect and want let her sink upon the hard
+stones of life, and the waves of misery go over her? In the midst of
+these gloomy thoughts, Susanna was surprised by Harald. He saw that she
+had been weeping, and asked, with a voice so kind it went to Susanna's
+heart--
+
+"Why so dejected? Are you uneasy or displeased? Ah! tell it openly to me
+as a friend! I cannot bear to see you thus!"
+
+"I have had a bad dream!" said Susanna, wiping away her tears and
+standing up, "all is so ghastly, so wild here around us. It makes me
+think on all the dark and sad things in the world! But it is no use
+troubling oneself about them," continued she more cheerfully, "it will
+be all well enough when the day dawns. It is the hour of darkness, the
+hour in which the under-earth spirits have rule!" And Susanna attempted
+to smile. "But what is that?" continued she, and her smile changed
+itself suddenly to an expression of anxiety, which made her
+involuntarily approach Harald. There was heard in the air a low
+clattering and whistling, and at the same time a mass resembling a grey
+cloud came from the north, spreading over the snow-fields and
+approaching the place where they stood. In the pale moonlight Susanna
+seemed to see wild shapes with horns and claws, moving themselves in the
+mass, and the words, "the under-earth spirits," were nearly escaping her
+lips.
+
+"It is a herd of reindeer!" said Harald, smiling, who seemed to divine
+her thoughts, and went a few paces towards the apparition, whilst he
+mechanically shouldered his gun. But at the same moment the herd took
+another direction, and fled with wild speed towards the east. The wind
+rose, and swept with a mournful wail through the ice-desert.
+
+"It is here really fearful!" said Susanna, and shuddered.
+
+"But to-morrow evening," said Harald, cheerfully, "we shall reach
+Storlie-Saeter, which lies below the region of snow, and then we shall
+find birch-woods, quite green yet, and shall meet with friendly people,
+and can have there a regularly comfortable inn. The day afterwards we
+shall have a heavy piece of road; but on that same day we shall have a
+view of scenes so magnificent, that you certainly will think little of
+the trouble, on account of the pleasure you will enjoy, for there the
+beautiful far exceeds the terrific. That spot between Storlie-Saeter and
+Tverlic, where the wild Leira-river, as if in frenzy, hurls itself down
+over Hoegfjell, and with the speed of lightning and the noise of thunder
+rushed between and over splintered masses of rock, in part naked, in
+part clothed in wood, to tumble about with its rival the furious
+Bjoeroeja,--that spot exceeds in wild grandeur anything that man can
+imagine."
+
+Thus spake Harald, to dissipate Susanna's dejection; but she listened to
+him half-dreaming, and said as if to herself--
+
+"Would that we were well there, and passed it, and at our destination,
+and then----"
+
+"And then?" said Harald, taking up the unfinished sentence--"what then?"
+
+"Home with my Hulda again!" said Susanna, deeply sighing.
+
+"What, Susanna? Will you then leave us? Do you really hate Norway?"
+
+"No, no!--a long way from that!--But one cannot serve two masters, that
+I now feel. Hulda calls me. I shall have no rest till I return to her,
+and never will I part from her again, I have dreamed of her to-night;
+and she was so pale, so pale--Ah! But you are pale too, terribly pale!"
+continued Susanna, as she looked at Harald with astonishment; "you are
+certainly ill!"
+
+"It is this lovely moonlight and this sweet scenery which gives me this
+ashy-grey colour," said Harald jokingly, who wished to conceal the true
+cause of his paleness; which was, that his shoulder began to be acutely
+painful during the night. And he endeavoured to turn Susanna's attention
+to another object.
+
+The two had in the mean time reached the cave. Harald revived the
+smouldering fire with fresh fuel, and Susanna crept softly into the
+cave, and resumed her former place at the feet of her mistress. But it
+was not till late that she sunk into an uneasy sleep.
+
+She was awoke by a loud and rushing noise. A pale light came into the
+cave, and she heard Harald's voice saying aloud outside, "It is time
+that we are preparing for the journey, that as soon as possible we may
+get into quarters. We have a laborious day before us."
+
+Susanna looked around her for her lady. She stood quite ready near
+Susanna, and was regarding her with a gentle, attentive look.
+
+Susanna sprang up, shocked at her own tardiness, and went all the
+quicker now to make arrangements for breakfast. The bouillon was again
+had recourse to, the servants were refreshed with salmon, bacon, and
+curds thawed in snow-water.
+
+A tempest had blown up after midnight, which promised our travellers not
+at all an agreeable travelling-day. The river and the brooks roared
+loudly, and raged and thundered amid the rocks around them. In the
+course of the morning the wind, however, abated, but Harald cast now and
+then thoughtful glances upon the grey roof of cloud which grew ever
+thicker above their heads. Susanna saw him once cast an inquiring glance
+upon the guide, and he shook his grey head. In the mean time all the
+_men_ seemed cheerful; and Harald seemed to wish by his animation, to
+remove the impression which his continued unusual paleness might
+occasion.
+
+Through the whole forenoon they continued to ascend higher into the
+region of winter, and the snow-fields stretched out wider and wider. No
+one living thing showed itself in this desert, but they frequently saw
+traces of reindeer, and here and there flies lay upon the snow in deep
+winter-sleep. The wind fortunately subsided more and more, and let its
+icy breath be felt only in short gusts. But ever and anon were heard
+peals and roarings, as if of loud thunder. They were the so-called
+"Fjellskred;" or falls of great masses of rocks and stones, which
+separate themselves from the mountains, and plunge down, and which in
+these mountain-regions commonly occur during and after tempests. The
+peasants related many histories of houses and people who were crushed
+under them.
+
+The road became continually more and more difficult. They were often
+obliged to wade through running rivers, and to pass over snow-bridges,
+under which the rivers had made themselves a path. Harald, alike bold,
+as prudent and determined, often averted danger at his own risk, from
+Mrs. Astrid and Susanna. Neither was he pale any longer. The exertions
+and fever, which nobody suspected, made his cheeks glow with the finest
+crimson.
+
+In the afternoon, they had reached the highest point of the rocks. Here
+were piled up two great heaps of stones, in the neighbourhood of a
+little sea called Skiftesjoe, which is covered with never-melted ice in
+the hottest summer. Here the brooks begin to run westward, and the way
+begins from here to descend. The giant shapes of the Vasfjern and
+Ishaug, together with other lofty snow-mountains, showed themselves in
+perspective.
+
+The wind was now almost still; but it began to snow violently, and the
+cloudy sky sank down, dark and heavy as lead, upon the travellers.
+
+"We must hasten, hasten," said the old Halling peasant, as he looked
+round with an intelligent glance to the party whom he led, "else we
+shall be snowed up on the mountains, as it happened to the late Queen
+Margaret, when----"
+
+He ended not, for his horse stumbled suddenly on a steep descent, and
+threw him over. The old man's head struck violently against a stone, and
+he remained lying senseless. It was a full hour before they succeeded in
+bringing him to consciousness. But the blow had been so severe, and the
+old man was so confused in his head, that he could no longer serve as
+guide. They were obliged to place him on the same horse as his grandson
+rode, and the high-spirited young man took charge of him with the
+greatest tenderness. Harald rode now at the head of the party, but every
+moment increased the difficulties of his undertaking, for the snow fell
+with such terrible rapidity, and the thickness of the air prevented him
+distinguishing with certainty "the comfortable waymarks,"--the
+traveller's only means of safety. They were obliged often to make
+windings and turnings, to come again upon the right path. Nevertheless,
+they succeeded in reaching Bjoeroei-Saeter, an uninhabited Saeter, but which
+stands upon the broad and rapid Bjoeroeia.
+
+Here they halted to take counsel. The Bjoeroeia was now so swollen, and
+rushed along so violently, that they soon saw the pure impossibility of
+passing it at this place. The old Halling-peasant advised them to make a
+circuit to another place, where they might with safety cross the river;
+this would take them near to the Storlie-Saeter, and near to the great
+waterfall of the same name, the roar of which might be heard at three
+miles' distance. It is true that they must make a circuit of some miles,
+but what could they do? Great was the danger of pursuing the journey in
+this storm, but greater yet to stand still in this desert, where the
+snow frequently fell to the depth of many yards. The old Hallinger,
+however, chose this last; for he found himself unable to sit on the
+horse, and prayed to be left quiet in the hut, with provisions for a few
+days, in which time he hoped that the snow would cease and begin to
+thaw. He did not wish that his grandson should remain with him, but he
+was resolute not to leave his old grandfather, and the rest considered
+it alike proper and necessary; and the two, therefore, were hastily
+supplied with whatever they might require in this winterly solitude.
+Their horses were supplied with provender, and led likewise into the
+hut.
+
+Susanna bound up the old man's head with the carefulness of a daughter.
+It was to her infinitely difficult to leave the old man behind them
+there. "And if no thaw come?" said she; "if snow and winter still
+continue, and thou art buried in here and frozen?"
+
+"That has happened before now to many a better fellow than me," said the
+old man calmly. "One cannot die more than once, and God is also at home
+in the wilderness. And he who rightly can utter the Lord's Prayer need
+not to fear the under-earth spirits. With me, an old man, it may go as
+it will. My best time is, in any case, past; I am anxious only for the
+youth. Think on him when thou comest to human beings."
+
+Susanna was affected. She impressed a kiss upon the old man's forehead,
+and a warm tear fell from her cheek upon his. The old man looked up to
+her with a cordial, bright-beaming glance. "God's angel guide thee!"
+cried he after her, as she left the hut to attend the rest.
+
+Again was the little train in motion, and wandered over snow-fields,
+naked rocks, and half-thawed morasses. The snow reached high up the legs
+of the horses, and only slowly and almost reluctantly went they forward.
+It grew darker and darker. No one spoke a word. Thus they went on for an
+hour's space.
+
+With great uneasiness had Susanna fancied for some time that she
+observed Harald to reel in his saddle; but she endeavoured to persuade
+herself that it might be only a delusion, which the unequal paces of the
+horse occasioned, and by the thick snow-mist through which she saw him.
+All around her had, in fact, a bewildering appearance, and seemed to her
+waving and spectral. A dull cry from Mrs. Astrid broke the ghostly
+silence--was this also a delusion? Harald's horse stood still, and was
+without its rider. Of a truth, it was only too certain! Harald had,
+seized by dizziness, fallen down beside his horse. He had borne for long
+in silence the increasing pain in his shoulder and breast, and
+endeavoured to conceal from himself, as well as from others, feelings of
+feverish dizziness which seized his head. Even now, when it threatened
+to overpower him, he would not allow it to be of any consequence. With
+the help of the servant, he made several attempts to seat himself again
+upon his horse, but in vain. He could no longer lift up his fevered
+head. Lying upon the snow on his knees, and with silent misery, he
+leaned his burning forehead against a piece of rock.
+
+"Here, then, here shall we die!" said Mrs. Astrid, half aloud to
+herself, in a gloomy voice; "and this young man must be sacrificed for
+my sake. My fate is always the same!"
+
+Then followed a moment of fearful silence. Men and animals stood
+immoveable, and as if turned to stone, whilst the snow fell over them,
+and seemed to threaten to bury them. But now a clear, cheerful voice
+raised itself, and said--
+
+"I see a flat rock yonder, which will shelter us from the snow. We must
+carry him there!" And Susanna raised up Harald and seized his arm,
+whilst the servant went before and made a path through the snow. About
+forty paces from the place where they stood, a vaulted projecting rock
+stretched forth, under which they could obtain shelter from the snow,
+which reared itself in high walls around the open space.
+
+"Support yourself on me; better--better! Fear not; I am strong!" said
+Susanna, whilst she, with a soft but vigorous arm, embraced Harald. He
+allowed himself to be led like a child: although he was not properly
+conscious, still he felt a certain pleasure in submitting himself to the
+young girl's guidance, who talked to him with such a mild and courageous
+voice.
+
+As commodiously as possible was Harald laid under the sheltering rock,
+and Susanna took off her shawl, which she wore under her fur cloak, and
+made of it a soft pillow for Harald. "Ah! that is good!" said he softly,
+and pressed Susanna's hand, as he found himself relieved by this
+position. Susanna returned now to her mistress.
+
+"Susanna," said she, "I would also gladly get there. It seems safe
+resting there; but I am so stiff that I can scarcely move myself."
+
+Susanna helped her lady from her horse; and guided and supported by her,
+Mrs. Astrid reached the sheltering vault. Here, in comparison with that
+of the open plain, the air was almost of a mild temperature, for the
+rock walls and the piled-up snow prevented the cold wind from entering.
+Here Susanna placed softly her lady, who was almost stiffened with cold
+and fatigue.
+
+Susanna also was frozen and weary; but, oh, what a southern clime of
+life and warmth cannot love and a strong will call forth in a human
+being! It was these powers which now impelled the young girl's pulse,
+and let the blood rush warm from the chambers of her heart to her very
+finger ends. She rubbed the stiffened limbs of her mistress, she warmed
+them with kisses and tears, she warmed her with her throbbing breast.
+She prevailed upon her to drink from a bottle of wine, and prepared also
+for Harald's parched and thirsty lips a refreshing draught of wine and
+water. She moistened her handkerchief with snow, and laid it upon his
+aching brow. Around them both she piled cloaks and articles of clothing,
+so that both were protected from the cold. Then stood she for a moment
+silent, with a keen and serious look. She was thinking on what was
+further to be done to save these two.
+
+Harald had raised himself on his sound arm, and looked silently down
+with the pain which a manly nature experiences when it is compelled to
+renounce one of its noblest impulses--sustaining and helping the weak
+who are confided to their care. A tear--the first Susanna had ever seen
+him shed, ran down his cheek.
+
+Mrs. Astrid gazed with a mournful look up to the grave-like vault.
+
+But Susanna's eyes beamed even brighter. "Hark, hark!" said she, and
+listened.
+
+Mrs. Astrid and Harald fixed upon her inquiring looks.
+
+"I hear a noise," resumed Susanna, "a noise like that of a great
+waterfall."
+
+"It is the roar of the Storlie-force!" exclaimed Harald, for a moment
+animated--"but what good of that?" continued he, and sunk down
+disheartened, "we are three miles off--and cannot get there!"
+
+"Yes, we can, we will," said Susanna, with firm resolution. "Courage,
+courage, my dear lady! Be calm, Mr. Bergman! We will reach it, we will
+be saved!"
+
+"And how?" said Harald, "the servant is a stupid fellow, he never could
+find his way."
+
+"But I can find it, be sure of that," replied Susanna; "and come back
+hither with people and help; tell me only the signs by which I may know
+the right way. These and the roar of Storlie-force will guide me."
+
+"It is in vain! You would perish, alone, and in the snow-*storm!"
+
+"I shall not perish! I am strong! No one shall hinder me. And if you
+will not tell me the way, I shall, nevertheless, find it out."
+
+When Harald saw her so firmly resolved, and her cheerful and determined
+tone had inspired him with some degree of confidence, he endeavoured to
+point out to her the objects by which she must direct herself, and which
+consisted of rock and crag, which, however, in the snowy night, she
+probably could no longer distinguish.
+
+With deep attention, Susanna listened, and then said cheerfully, "Now I
+have it! I shall find the way! God preserve you! I shall soon be back
+again with help!"
+
+When she came out into the open air, she found the servant seeking his
+comfort in the brandy-bottle, and the horses sunk in a spiritless
+stupor. She admonished him to take care of these, and charged him
+earnestly both with threats and promises of reward, to think about his
+employers and watch over their safety. She herself gave to her horse
+fodder and water, patting him the while, and speaking to him kind and
+encouraging words. After that she mounted to commence her solitary,
+dangerous journey. But it was only with great difficulty that she could
+make the horse part from his companions, and when it had gone about
+twenty paces forward, it stopped, and would return again to its company.
+This manoeuvre it repeated several times, at length it would obey
+neither blows nor encouragement. Susanna therefore dismounted and let
+the horse go. A few tears filled her eyes as she saw him thus abandon
+her, and beseechingly she lifted her hands to Him, who here alone saw
+the solitary defenceless maiden.
+
+After that she pursued her way on foot.
+
+This indeed was not long, and the length of it was not the difficulty;
+but he who had seen Susanna making her way through the deep snow, then
+clambering up rocks, then wandering over morasses, where at every step
+she feared to sink, would have been filled with amazement at her courage
+and her strength. But "God's angel," whom the old man had prayed might
+guide her, seemed to be with her on the way, for the fall of snow
+ceased, and ever and anon shot a moonbeam forth, and showed her some of
+the objects which Harald had described as landmarks. Besides, the din of
+the Storlie-force grew ever louder and louder, like the trumpet of the
+resurrection in her ears. A strong resolve to attempt the uttermost, a
+secret joy in testifying her affection, even though it should be with
+the sacrifice of her life, gave wings to her feet, and prevented her
+courage falling for a single minute.
+
+So passed two hours. Susanna now heard the water roaring beneath her
+feet. She seemed to be on the point of plunging into an abyss; all
+around was darkness and snow. She stood still. It was a moment of
+terrible uncertainty. Then parted the clouds, and the half-moon in full
+glory beamed forth, just as it was about to sink behind a rock. Susanna
+now saw the abyss on whose brink she stood; she saw the Storlie-force
+spread its white masses of water in the moonlight, saw the Saeter-huts
+there below!...
+
+Beneath the stone vault where Mrs. Astrid and Harald found themselves,
+prevailed for some time after Susanna's departure, a deep and wild
+silence. This was at length broken by Mrs. Astrid, who said in a solemn
+tone--
+
+"I have a request to make of you, Harald!"
+
+"Command me," answered he. "Might I but be able to fulfil your wish!"
+
+"We seem both," resumed Mrs. Astrid, "now to stand near the grave; but
+you are stronger and younger than I, you I hope will be rescued. I must
+confide to you an important commission, and I rely on the honour and the
+soundness of heart which I have observed in you, that you will
+conscientiously execute it, in case I myself am not in a condition to
+do, and you as I trust, will outlive me!"
+
+Mrs. Astrid had uttered this with a firm voice, but during the following
+relation, she was frequently agitated by contending emotions. She spoke
+rapidly, and in short, abrupt sentences, as thus--
+
+"I had a sister. How I loved her I am not able to express. She was as
+gay and gentle in her mood as I was serious. When I married, she
+accompanied me to my house. But there was no good luck.--The fortune
+which my sister possessed placed her in a condition to follow her own
+heart's bias, and she gave her hand to a poor but amiable young man, a
+Lieutenant Wolf, and lived with him some months of the highest earthly
+felicity. But brief was the happiness to be. Wolf perished on a
+sea-voyage, and his inconsolable wife sunk under her sorrow. She died
+some hours after she had given birth to a son, and after she had laid
+her tender babe in my arms, and prayed me to become its mother.
+
+"And I became a mother to this child. An own son could not have possibly
+been dearer to me. I was proud of the handsome lively child. I saw a
+beautiful future for him. He should realise the ideal of my youth, he
+should.... Oh! amid my own poor and desolate life I was yet rich in this
+boy. But the man who had received my hand endured not that my heart
+should belong to this child. He took a hatred to the poor boy, and my
+life became more than ever bitter.--Once I was obliged to make a journey
+to visit a sick relative. I wished to take the seven-year-old boy with
+me, for he had never been separated from me. But my husband would retain
+him with him, and assumed a tone of tenderness to persuade me. This I
+could not resist; and spite of the boy's entreaties, and an anxiety
+which seemed to me ominous--I left my poor child. I persuaded myself
+that I was acting strongly, and I was really weak. I had promised the
+child's mother to protect it--I knew that I left it in hard and hostile
+hands, and yet!---- When after a week's absence I returned from my
+journey, the boy--had vanished. He had gone out one day, it was said,
+and never came back again. They had sought for him everywhere, and at
+length had found his little hat upon a rock on the edge of the sea--it
+was held for certain that he had fallen over it.--I found my husband
+busy in taking possession of my sister's property, which in case of the
+boy's death should, according to her will, fall to us. From this moment,
+my soul was seized with the most horrible suspicions!... God be praised
+that these were false! God forgive me that I ever entertained them!
+
+"For twenty years have they gnawed at my heart; for twenty years have
+they hung the weight of lead on the fulfilment of my duties. All my
+researches were fruitless: no one could be suspected; no one seemed to
+have acted herein, except a dreadful fate. This was all:--the boy had
+had permission to go out and play, had left the house alone, and no one
+had seen him afterwards.
+
+"Twenty years--long, dark years--had passed since this period, and hope
+had by degrees expired in my heart, the feeble hope, which sometimes
+revived in it, that I should yet recover my beloved child. After having
+been many years deprived of both bodily and mental vigour by his
+paralysis, my husband died. I was free; but wherefore should I live!...
+I had lost my faith in everything which makes life dear, and I stood
+alone, on the verge of old age, surrounded by darkness and bitter
+memories. Thus did I still feel but a few days ago, when I received a
+writing from the present Commandant of K----. Within lay an unsealed
+letter, which he said had been found in a drawer into which my husband
+was wont to throw old letters and papers, of no worth or
+importance.--And this letter ... Oh! how it would have changed my heart,
+and my future! This letter was written by my husband, apparently
+immediately after his severe paralytic stroke; but its words, in an
+unsteady hand, said, that the lost child still lived, and directed me
+for further explanation to a certain Sergeant Roenn, in Bergen. Here the
+letter appeared to have been broken off by a sudden increase of his
+attack. I was, as it chanced, absent from home on this day. When I
+returned I found my husband speechless, and nearly lifeless. Life was
+indeed restored through active exertions, but consciousness continued
+dark, and half of the body powerless;--thus he lived on for some years.
+In a moment of clearness which occurred to him shortly before he
+expired, I am convinced that he desired to unfold to me the condition of
+the boy, or the existence of the aforesaid letter--but death prevented
+him ... How this letter became thrown amongst the old papers I do not
+understand--perhaps it might be done by my husband's own hand, in that
+moment of privation of consciousness in which the letter closed--enough,
+the hand of Providence saved it from destruction, and allowed it to
+reach me!...
+
+"You know now the cause of my hasty journey. And if it should for me
+terminate here--if I shall never achieve the highest wish, and the last
+hope of my life--if I never may see again my sister's son, and myself
+deliver into his hands that which has been unjustly withheld from
+him--then, listen to my prayer, my solemn injunction! Seek out, as soon
+as you can, in Bergen, the person whom I have named, and whose address
+you will further find in the paper. Tell him, that in my last hour I
+commissioned you to act in my stead; spare no expense which may be
+necessary--promise, threaten--but search out where my sister's son is to
+be found! And then--go to him. Bear to him my last affectionate
+greeting; deliver to him this;--it is my Will, and it will put him in
+possession of all that I possess, which is properly that of his mother,
+for my own is nearly consumed. Tell him that care on his account has
+worn away my life, that--my God! What do you? Why do you thus seize my
+hand?--you weep!"
+
+"Tell me--" stammered forth Harald, with a voice nearly choked by
+emotion; "did this child wear on a ribbon round his neck a little cross
+of iron?--the head of a winged cherub in its centre?"
+
+"From his mother's neck," said Mrs. Astrid, "I transferred it to his!"
+
+"And here----here it yet rests!" exclaimed Harald, as he led Mrs.
+Astrid's hand to the little cross hanging to his neck. "What
+recollections awake now! Yes, it must be so! I cannot doubt----you are
+my childhood's first cherisher, my mother's sister!"
+
+A cry of indescribable emotion interrupted Harald. "Good God!" exclaimed
+Mrs. Astrid, "you are----"
+
+"Your sister's son; the child that you mourn. At this moment I recognise
+again myself and you."
+
+"And I---- Your voice, Harald, has often struck me as strangely
+familiar. At this moment I seem again to hear your father's voice. Ah,
+speak! speak! for heaven's sake, explain to me----make me certain----
+you give me then more than life."
+
+"What shall I say?" continued Harald, in the highest excitement and
+disquiet; "much is obscure to myself----incomprehensible. But your
+narrative has at this moment called up in me recollections, impressions,
+which make me certain that I neither deceive you nor myself. At this
+instant I remember with perfect clearness, how I, as a child, one day
+ran my little sledge on the hill before the fortress, and how I was
+there addressed by the, to me, well-known Sergeant Roenn, but whose name
+till this moment had entirely escaped me, who invited me to ascend his
+sledge, and take a drive with him. I desired nothing better, and I got
+in. I remember also now extremely well that my hat blew off, that I
+wished to fetch it, but was prevented by the Sergeant, who threw a cloak
+round me, and drove off at full speed. And long did the drive
+continue----but from this moment my recollection becomes dark, and I
+look back into a time as into a dark night, which ever and anon is
+illuminated by lightning. Probably I fell then, into the heavy sickness
+which long afterwards checked my growth. I recollect it as a dream, that
+I would go home to my mother, but that my cries were hushed by the
+Sergeant, first with good words and then with menaces. I remember dimly,
+that I at one time found myself in a foul and wretched house, where
+hideous men treated me harshly, and I longed to die.---- Then comes,
+like a sunbeam, the impression of another home, of a clear heaven, pure
+air, green meadows, and of friendly, mild people, who, with infinite
+tenderness, cherished the sick and weakly child which I then was. This
+home was Alette's; and her excellent parents, after they had recalled me
+to life, adopted me as their son. My new relationships became
+unspeakably dear to me; I was happy; my illness and the long succeeding
+weakness had almost wholly obliterated the memory of the past. I had
+forgotten the names of both people and places, yet never did I forget my
+childhood's earliest, motherly cherisher. Like a lovely and holy image
+has she followed me through life, although, with the lapse of years,
+she, as it were, folded herself continually in a thicker veil.
+
+"When I was older, I requested and received from my foster-father an
+explanation of my reception into his house. I then found that he had one
+day called on Mr. K---- in Christiansand, and had seen there a most
+feeble and pale child, who sate in the sunshine on the floor. The child
+began to weep, but hushed itself in terror when Mr. K----went up sharply
+to it, and threatened it with the dark room. Moved by this occurrence,
+my benefactor inquired to whom the boy belonged, and received for answer
+that it was a poor child without connexions, and who had been taken in
+charity and committed to K----'s care. Alette's father resolved at
+once, cost what it would, to take the child out of this keeping, and
+offered to take the boy himself, and try what the country air would do
+for the restoration of his health. It was in this manner that I came
+into the family which I thence called my own. I could obtain no
+explanation respecting my parents, nor respecting my peculiar connexion
+with Mr. K----. K---- died a few weeks after my removal from his house,
+and his wife either knew or pretended to know nothing whatever about me.
+
+"But my excellent foster-parents never allowed me to feel that I had no
+real relatives. They made no difference between me and their own child,
+and Alette became to me the tenderest and best of sisters. Death
+deprived us of this beloved support; Alette's father has been now dead
+two years: Alette removed to some near relatives, in order after a
+certain time, to give her hand to a man whom she has long loved; and I
+sought in travel to dissipate the feeling of desolation which had seized
+on my heart. It was at this moment that business, or rather Providence,
+conducted me to you. Admiration, and an interest whose power I cannot
+describe, drew me towards you; perhaps, unknown to me, darkly operated
+in me the delightful recollections of my childhood. At this moment they
+have ascended in all their clearness. I seem now again transported into
+the years of boyhood, when I called you mother, and loved you even to
+adoration; and now--" and with passionate tenderness Harald seized the
+hand of Mrs. Astrid, while he stammered forth--"now ... what says your
+heart?... Can you trust this dim recollection ... this narrative without
+all testimony?... May I again call you mother? Can you, will you,
+receive me as son?"
+
+"Do I wish it?... Feel these tears of joy! I have not shed many such
+upon earth. I cannot doubt ... I believe ... I am happy!... Thou art my
+sister's son, my child ... I have thee again. But oh! have I found thee
+merely to see thee die--die here--for my sake? Am I then born to be
+unfortunate? This moment is bitter."
+
+"But delightful also!" exclaimed Harald, with warmth; "we have found
+each other; we are united."
+
+"To die!"
+
+"Rescue is yet possible!"
+
+"But only through a miracle."
+
+"Providence permits wonderful things to happen; we have just had
+evidence of it!" said Harald, with a gentle, admonitory tone.
+
+"Thou art right, Harald; but I have been so unhappy! I have difficulty
+to believe in happy miracles. But, at all events, God be praised for
+this moment, and let His will be done!"
+
+"Amen!" said Harald softly, but with manly fortitude; and both ceased,
+exhausted, and all was in deep darkness around them, for the moon was
+gone down, and the snow fell thickly. They seemed to be entombed alive.
+
+But the miracle of rescue was near. There gleamed a light--there were
+heard voices out of the snowy wilderness.
+
+"Susanna!" exclaimed, with one voice, Mrs. Astrid and Harald. "Susanna,
+our angel of salvation!"
+
+And it was Susanna, who, with a blazing torch in her hand, rushed into
+the dark vault. It glittered at once as with a million of diamonds. Some
+of these gleamed in human eyes.
+
+"You are saved, God be praised!" exclaimed Susanna. "Here are good,
+strong men who will help you. But we must hasten; the snow falls
+heavily."
+
+Several peasants, bearing lights and two litters, were now seen; and
+Mrs. Astrid and Harald were each laid on one of these, and covered with
+soft skins.
+
+"Susanna," said Mrs. Astrid, "come and rest here by me!"
+
+"Nay," answered Susanna, lifting aloft her torch; "I shall go on before
+and light the way. Fear not for me; I am strong!"
+
+But a strange sensation suddenly seized her, as if her heart would sink,
+and her knees failed her. She stood now a moment, then made a step
+forward as to go, then felt her breast, as it were, crushed together.
+She dropped on her knees, and the torch fell from her hands. "Hulda!"
+she whispered to herself, "my little darling ... farewell!"
+
+"Susanna! gracious Heaven!" exclaimed now two voices at once; and,
+strong with terror and surprise, sprang up Mrs. Astrid and Harald, and
+embraced Susanna. She sank more and more together. She seized the hands
+of her mistress and of Harald, and said with great difficulty, earnestly
+praying--"My little Hulda! The fatherless ... motherless ... think of
+her!"
+
+"Susanna! my good, dear child!" exclaimed Mrs. Astrid, "thou wilt not,
+thou shalt not now die!" And for the first time fell a beam of anxious
+love from her dark eyes upon the young, devoted maiden. It was the first
+time that Susanna had enjoyed such a glance, and she looked up as
+joyfully as if she had gazed into the opened heaven.
+
+"Oh, Harald!" said Susanna, while she gazed at him with inexpressible
+tenderness and clearness, "I know that I could not make you happy in
+life, but I thank God that I can die for you. Now--now despise not my
+love!"--and seizing his hand and that of her mistress, she pressed them
+to her bosom, saying, with a sobbing voice, "Pardon my fault, for--my
+love's sake!"
+
+A slight shiver passed through her frame, her head sank upon her breast.
+Without a sign of life, they laid Susanna by her mistress, who held her
+in her arms, and bathed with her tears the young, pallid countenance.
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[18] "Lefse" are thin cakes of dough, which are cut in pieces and baked.
+
+
+
+
+THE AWAKENING.
+
+  I woke, for life assumed victorious sway,
+  And found my being in its weakness lay.
+  There the beloved ones round my couch I saw.
+
+  REIN.
+
+
+Months went on, and life was for Susanna merely a wild, uneasy dream. In
+the delirious fantasies of fever she again lived over the impressions of
+the mountain journey, but in darker colours. She saw the subterranean
+spirits, how in terrible shapes they raged about in the now wilderness,
+and sought to suffocate her beneath piles of snow and ice, which they
+flung upon her. Susanna combated with desperate exertions against them,
+for she knew that if she fell, the defence for those she loved would be
+taken away, and that the subterranean ones could seize upon it; and
+therefore any mass of snow which the spirits cast upon her, she cast
+back upon them. Finally, the subterranean ones desired a parley, and
+promised that if she would voluntarily accompany them, they would permit
+her friends to be at peace; yes, even heap upon them wealth and
+happiness. Then strove Susanna no longer; but saluting the beautiful
+heaven, and earth with its green dales and beloved people, whom she
+should behold no more, let herself be dragged down in silence by the
+spirits, into their subterranean dwellings, and experienced there
+inexpressible torments. But she was contented to suffer for those she
+loved; and out of the dark, cold abyss, where she was doomed to dwell,
+she sent up the most affectionate, moving farewells to her Hulda, to her
+mistress, to Harald, and Alette, revealing thereby, unknown, to herself,
+all her heart's secrets, conflicts, and sufferings.
+
+One day it seemed to her that she had already dwelt hundreds of years in
+the under world, and she was now in their church, for her time was up,
+and she should now die, and in death (that she knew) should she be
+delivered from the power of the mountain spirits. But she could feel no
+joy over this, so faint was her heart, so chilled was her bosom. She lay
+stretched out upon a stone floor, and over her vaulted itself a roof of
+ice. That was her funeral vault, and there should she die. And by
+degrees all feelings and senses grew benumbed, all torments vanished,
+and there came a sleep so deep, but so secret and peaceful, that
+Susanna, who still retained her consciousness, regarded death as a
+salutary repose, and wished not to awaken. But it seemed to her that the
+door of the vault opened, and she saw a light, like that of the sun; and
+some one approached her, and touched her lips with a flame--a flame as
+of life. Then beat her heart more rapidly, the blood streamed warmly
+through her veins, and she looked up and saw a female figure stand by
+her pillow, which bent over her with a look full of love and compassion.
+The look, the beautiful life-giving look, Susanna seemed to have seen
+some time before, and the longer she gazed on the face of this female
+shape, the better she seemed to recognise familiar features--the noble
+and beloved features of her mistress. But she looked younger and fairer
+than formerly. At her feet she saw roses standing, and the sun shone
+upon them; but all appeared to her so beautiful, so wonderful, that she
+involuntarily whispered:
+
+"Are we now in heaven?"
+
+"Still on the earth," replied a voice, full of tenderness. "Thou wilt
+here live for those who love thee."
+
+"Ah! who loves me?" said Susanna, faint and spiritless.
+
+"I!" answered the voice; "I and others. But be calm and quiet--a mother
+watches over thee."
+
+And Susanna continued calm and quiet, and resigned herself, in her great
+state of weakness, with gratified confidence to the motherly guardian.
+Mrs. Astrid's presence, the mere sound of her light tread, the mere
+sight of her shadow, operated beneficially on her mind; all that she
+received from her hand was to her delicious and healing. There arose
+between them a relationship full of pleasantness. Mrs. Astrid, who saw
+the young girl as it were born anew under her hands, conceived for her
+an attachment which surprised herself, much as it made her happy. The
+strong and healthy Susanna had stood too distant from her; the weak, and
+in her weakness the so child-like affectionate one, had stolen into her
+heart, and she felt her heart thereby bloom, as it were, anew.
+
+Such is the operation of all true devotion, all true affection, and that
+in every stage of life; for affection is the summer of life and of the
+heart.
+
+So soon as strength and clear memory again revived in Susanna, she
+begged to be informed of the fate of all those who had made the mountain
+journey. With astonishment and joy did she then learn how Mrs. Astrid
+had discovered in Harald her sister's son; and how, by this, much
+darkness had vanished from her life.
+
+Through Sergeant Roenn, and the subsequent inquiries to which his
+statement led, within a short time perfect clearness was obtained on all
+that concerned the circumstances of Harald's childhood. It was then
+discovered that Mr. K. had been a confidant of Colonel Hjelm's, and was
+of a sufficiently worthless character to enter, for the sake of gain,
+into the plans of the Colonel, and to receive Harald, and cause him by
+degrees to forget his former circumstances. Sickness came in aid of
+severe treatment; and after a sojourn of some months in K.'s house, he
+found the poor boy so much stupified, that he could, without fear of the
+betrayal of the secret, yield to the solicitations of Mr. Bergman, and
+make over to him a child whose daily aspect was a torment to him. But we
+return now to the present.
+
+Harald, under skilful medical care in Bergen, after the mountain
+journey, was quickly restored to health. When he had attended the
+marriage of Alette, he had travelled abroad, but would, in the course of
+the summer, return to Semb, where he would settle down, in order to live
+for the beloved relative whom he had again discovered.
+
+The guide, the honest old peasant of Hailing, had met with his death on
+the mountains. His grandson wept by his corpse till he was himself half
+dead with hunger and cold, when the people from the dales, sent by Mrs.
+Astrid and Harald, succeeded in making a way through the snow-drifts to
+the Bjoeroeja-saeter, and in rescuing him.
+
+Susanna dropt a tear for the old man's fate, but felt within her a
+secret regret not to have died like him. She looked towards the future
+with disquiet. But when she could again leave her bed, when Mrs. Astrid
+drove her out with her, when she felt the vernal air, and saw the sea,
+and the clear heaven above the mountains, and the green orchards at
+their feet; then awoke she again vividly to the feeling of the beauty of
+the earth, and of life. And she contemplated with admiration and delight
+the new objects which surrounded her, as well the magnificent forms of
+nature, as the life and the changing scenes in the city; for Susanna
+found herself in the lovely and splendidly situated Bergen, the greatest
+mercantile city of Norway, the birthplace of Hollberg, Dahl, and Ole
+Bull.
+
+Yet would she speedily separate herself from all this, and what was
+still harder, from her adored mistress; for Susanna had firmly
+determined never again to see Harald. Crimson blushes covered her cheeks
+when she recollected her confession in the mountains, at the moment when
+she thought herself at the point of death, and she felt that after this
+they could not meet, much less live in the same house without mutually
+painful embarrassment. She would, therefore, not return again to Semb;
+but, so soon as her health would permit it, would go from Bergen by sea
+to Sweden, to her native town again, and there, in the bosom of her
+little darling, seek to heal her own heart, and draw new strength to
+live and labour.
+
+But it was not easy for poor Susanna to announce this resolve to her
+mistress. She trembled violently, and could not restrain her tears.
+
+It was at the same time calming and disturbing to her feelings, when
+Mrs. Astrid, after she had quietly listened to Susanna, answered with
+much composure--
+
+"You are at liberty, Susanna, to act as you find it best; but in three
+or four months, for so long will my affairs yet retain me here--in a few
+months I shall again return, to Semb, and it would be a trial to me to
+be without you on the journey."
+
+"Then I shall accompany you," replied Susanna, glad that she was needed,
+"but then ..."
+
+"Then," began again Mrs. Astrid, "when you will leave me, I shall
+arrange for your safe return to your native place."
+
+"So then yet some months!" thought Susanna with a melancholy pleasure.
+And these months were for her inexpressibly pleasant and strengthening.
+Mrs. Astrid occupied herself much with her, and sought in many
+particulars to supply the defects of her neglected education. And
+Susanna was a quick pupil, and more affectionately than ever did she
+attach herself to her mistress, while she on her part experienced even
+more and more the truth of the adage: "the breath of youth is
+wholesome."
+
+In the beginning of the month of July, Mrs. Astrid travelled again with
+Susanna over the mountains which had once threatened them with death;
+but at this season of the year, the journey was not dangerous, though
+always laborious. Mrs. Astrid was the whole time in the highest spirits,
+and seemed every day to become more joyous. Susanna's mood of mind, on
+the contrary, became every day more depressed. Even Mrs. Astrid's gaiety
+contributed to this. She felt herself infinitely solitary.
+
+It was a beautiful July evening when they descended into Heimdal.
+Susanna's heart swelled with sadness as she saw again the places and the
+objects which were so dear to her, and which she should now soon quit
+for ever. Never had they struck her as so enchanting. She saw the sun's
+beams fall on the Kristallberg, and she called to mind Harald's sagas;
+she saw the grove of oaks where Mrs. Astrid had sate and had enjoyed the
+fragrance which Susanna's hand had prepared for her in silence. And the
+spring where the silver-weed and the ladies-mantle grew, the clear
+spring where she had spent so many happy hours; Susanna seemed to
+_thirst_ for it. The windows in Semb burned with the radiance of the
+sun, the house seemed to be illuminated;--in that house she had worked
+and ordered; there she had loved; there the flame of the winter evenings
+had burned so brightly during Harald's stories. Silently ascended the
+pillars of smoke from the cottages in the dale, where she was at home,
+knew each child and each cow, knew the cares and the joys which dwelt
+there, and where she had first learned rightly to comprehend Harald's
+good-heartedness--always Harald--always did she find his image as the
+heart in all these reminiscences. But now--- now should she soon leave
+all this, all that was beautiful and dear!
+
+They arrived now in Semb, and were greeted by Alfiero with barkings of
+clamorous delight.--Susanna, with a tear in her eye, greeted and nodded
+to all beloved acquaintances, both people and animals.
+
+The windows in Mrs. Astrid's room stood open, and through them were seen
+charming prospects over the dale, with its azure stream, its green
+heights and slopes, and the peaceful spire of its church in the
+background. She herself stood, as in astonishment, at the beauty of the
+grove, and her eyes flashed as she exclaimed--
+
+"See, Susanna! Is not our dale beautiful? And will it not be beautiful
+to live here, to make men happy, and be happy oneself?"
+
+Susanna answered with a hasty Yes, and left the room. She felt herself
+ready to choke, and yet once more arose Barbra in her, and spoke thus--
+
+"Beautiful? Yes, for her. She thinks not of me; troubles herself not the
+least about me! Nor Harald neither! The poor maid-servant, whom they had
+need of in the mountain journey is superfluous in the dale. She may go;
+they are happy now; they are sufficient to themselves. Whether I live or
+die, or suffer, it is indifferent to them. Good, I will therefore no
+longer trouble them. I will go, go far, far from here. I will trouble
+myself no farther about them; I will forget them as they forget me."
+
+But tears notwithstanding rolled involuntarily over Susanna's cheeks,
+and the Barbra wrath ran away with them, and Sanna resumed--
+
+"Yes, I will go: but I will bless them wherever I go. May they find a
+maid equally faithful, equally devoted! May they never miss Susanna! And
+then, my little Hulda, then my darling and sole joy, soon will I come to
+thee. I will take thee into my arms, and carry thee to some still
+corner, where undisturbed I may labour for thee. A bit of bread and a
+quiet home, I shall find sufficient for us both. And when my heart
+aches, I will clasp thee to me, thou little soft child, and thank God
+that I have yet some one on earth whom I can love, and who loves me!"
+
+Just as Susanna finished this ejaculation, she was at the door of her
+room. She opened it--entered--and stood dumb with astonishment. Were her
+senses yet confused, or did she now first wake out of year-long dreams?
+She saw herself again in that little room in which she had spent so many
+years of her youth, in that little room which she herself had fitted
+up, had painted and embellished, and had often described to Harald;--and
+there by the window stood the little Hulda's bed, with its flowery
+coverlet, and blue muslin hangings. This scene caused the blood to rush
+violently to Susanna's heart, and, out of herself, she cried--"Hulda! my
+little Hulda!"
+
+"Here I am, Sanna! Here is thy little Hulda!" answered the clear joyous
+voice of a child, and the coverlet of the bed moved, and an angelically
+beautiful child's head peeped out, and two small white arms stretched
+themselves towards Susanna. With a cry of almost wild joy Susanna sprang
+forward, and clasped the little sister in her arms.
+
+Susanna was pale, wept and laughed, and knew not for some time what went
+on around her. But when she had collected herself, she found herself
+sitting on Hulda's bed, with the child folded in her arms, and over the
+little, light-locked head, lifted itself a manly one, with an expression
+of deep seriousness and gentle emotion.
+
+"Entreat, Susanna, little Hulda," said Harald, "that she bestow a little
+regard on me, and that she does not say nay to what you have granted me;
+beg that I may call little Hulda my daughter, and that I may call your
+Susanna, my Susanna!"
+
+"Oh, yes! That shalt thou, Susanna!" exclaimed little Hulda, while she,
+with child-like affection, threw her arms about Susanna's neck, and
+continued zealously: "Oh, do like him, Susanna! He likes thee so much;
+that he has told me so often, and he has himself brought me hither to
+give thee joy. And seest thou this beautiful necklace he has given me,
+and he has promised to tell me such pleasant stories in winter. He can
+tell so many, do you know! Hast thou heard about Rypan in Justedale,
+Sanna? He has told me that! And about the good lady who went about after
+the Black Death, and collected all the motherless little children, and
+was a mother to them. Oh, Sanna! Do like him, and let him be my father!"
+
+Susanna let the little prattler go on without being able to say a word.
+She buried her face in her bosom, and endeavoured to collect her
+confused thoughts.
+
+"Susanna," prayed Harald, restlessly and tenderly. "Look at me! Speak to
+me a kind word!"
+
+Then raised Susanna her burning and tear-bathed countenance, saying,
+"Oh! how shall I ever be able to thank you?"
+
+"How?" said Harold. "By making me happy, Susanna. By becoming my wife."
+
+Susanna stood up, while she said with as much candour as cordiality,
+"God knows best how happy I should feel myself, if I could believe--if
+words were spoken for your own sake, and not merely for mine. But, ah! I
+cannot do it. I know that it is your generosity and goodness----"
+
+"Generosity? Then am I right generous towards myself. For I assure you,
+Susanna, that I never thought more of my own advantage than at this
+moment; that I am now as completely egotistical as you could desire."
+
+"And your sister Alette," continued Susanna, with downcast eyes; "I know
+that she does not wish to call me her sister, and----"
+
+"And since Alette once was so stupid," said now a friendly female voice,
+"therefore is she here to deprecate it." And Alette embraced heartily
+the astonished Susanna, whilst she continued--"Oh, Susanna! without you
+I should now no longer have a brother. I know you better now, and I have
+read in the depths of his heart and know that he can now no longer be
+happy but through you. Therefore I implore you, Susanna, implore you
+earnestly, to make him happy. Be his wife, Susanna, and be my sister."
+
+"And you, too, Alette," said Susanna, deeply moved; "will you too
+mislead me with your sweet words? Ah! could you make me forget that it
+is my weakness----that is, I who, through my confession have called
+forth---- But that can I never; and therefore can I not believe you, ye
+good, ye noble ones! And therefore I implore and adjure you----"
+
+"What fine speeches are making here?" now interrupted a solemn voice,
+and Mrs. Astrid stood before the affectionately contending group, and
+spoke thus with an assumed sternness. "I will hope that my young
+relatives and my daughter Susanna do not take upon them to transact and
+to determine important affairs without taking me into the council. But
+yes, I perceive by your guilty countenances that this is the fact; and
+therefore I shall punish you altogether. Not another word of the
+business then till eight days are over; and then I demand and require,
+as lady and mistress of this house, that the dispute be brought before
+me, and that I have a word to say in the decision. Susanna remains here
+in the mean time in safe keeping, and I myself shall undertake to watch
+her. Dost thou believe seriously, Susanna," and Mrs. Astrid's voice
+changed into the most affectionate tones, while she clasped the young
+maiden in her arms, "dost thou believe that thou canst so easily escape
+me? No, no, my child! Thou deceivest thyself there. Since thou hast
+saved our lives, thou hast become our life-captive--thou, and with thy
+little Hulda! But supper is laid under the lime-trees in the garden, my
+child; and let us gather strength from it for the approaching strife."
+
+
+
+
+THE LAST STRIFE.
+
+  The winged troops hie
+  From the black woods outpouring;
+  Under them fly
+  Storms and waves roaring.
+  Over them waken
+  Mild stars, and beckon
+  The troop to the sheltering palms.
+
+  AUTUMN SONG, BY VELHAVEN.
+
+
+There is on earth much sorrow and much darkness; there is crime and
+sickness,--the shriek of despair, and the deep, long, silent torture.
+Ah! who can name them all, the sufferings of humanity, in their
+manifold, pale dispensations? But, God be praised! there is also an
+affluence of goodness and joy; there are noble deeds, fulfilled hopes,
+moments of rapture, decades of blissful peace, bright marriage-days, and
+calm, holy death-beds.
+
+Three months after the strife just mentioned, there was solemnised at
+Semb, in Heimdal, one of those bright wedding-days, when the suns of
+nature and of men's hearts combined to call forth on earth a paradise,
+which is always to be found there, though frequently hidden, fettered,
+deeply bound by the subterranean powers.
+
+  Yet from the faces of the fallen shine out
+  The lofty features of their heavenly birth,
+  And Daphne's heart beats 'neath the rugged bark.
+
+  TEGNER.
+
+It was an autumn day, but one of those autumn days when a sun warm as
+summer and a crystally pure air cause the earth to stand forth in the
+brightest splendour before the azure-blue eyes of heaven; when Nature
+resembles a novice, who adorns herself the most at the moment that she
+is about to take the nun's veil, and to descend into her winterly grave.
+The heights of the dale shone in the most gorgeous play of colours. The
+dark pines, the soft-green firs, the golden-tinged birches, the hazels
+with their pale leaves, and the mountain ashes with their bunches of
+scarlet berries, arranged themselves on these in a variety of changing
+masses; while the Heimdal river, intoxicated with the floods of heaven,
+roared onward more impetuous and powerful than ever. Many-coloured
+herds, which had returned fat and plump from the Saeters, wandered on its
+green banks. The chapel-bells rung joyously in the clear air, while the
+church-going people streamed along the winding footpath from their
+cottages towards the house of God. From the margin of the river at Semb
+ran a little fleet of festally adorned boats. In the most stately of
+these sate, under a canopy of leaves and flowers, the Lady of Semb; but
+no longer the pale, sorrowful one, whose glances seemed to seek the
+grave. A new youth appeared now to play upon her cheeks, to breathe upon
+her lips, while the clear eyes, with a glad and quiet enjoyment, gazed
+around her, now on the beauties of nature, and now on a more beautiful
+sight which she had immediately before her eyes--a happy human pair.
+Near her, more like a little angel than a mortal child, sate little
+Hulda, with a wreath of the flowers called by the Norwegians
+"thousand-peace," in her bright locks. All looks, however--as they
+ought--were fixed on the bride and bridegroom; and both were, in truth,
+handsome and charming to look upon; the more so, because they appeared
+so perfectly happy. In a following boat was seen a little strife between
+a young lady and her husband, who would wrap round her a cloak, which
+she would not willingly have. The spectators were tempted to take part
+with him in his tender care for the young wife, who was soon to become a
+mother. The issue of this strife was, that--Alf got the upper hand of
+Alette. Other boats contained other wedding guests. The men who rowed
+the boats had all wreaths round their yellow straw hats. And thus so
+advanced the little fleet, amid joyous music, along the river to the
+chapel.
+
+The chapel was a simple building, without any other ornament than a
+beautiful altar-piece, and an abundance of flowers and green branches,
+which now, for the occasion, adorned the seats, the walls, and the
+floor.
+
+The sermon was simple and cordial, the singing pure; in a word, no
+dissonant tone came hither to disturb the devotion which the arrangement
+of divine service in Norway is so well adapted to call forth and
+maintain.[19]
+
+Here Harald and Susanna called on heaven, from faithful and earnest
+hearts, to bless their sincere intention, in joy and in trouble on the
+earth, to love one another, and were declared by the congregation to be
+a pair.
+
+Many people had come this day to church; and when the wedding-train
+returned homewards, many boats joined themselves to it, and followed it
+to the opposite shore with singing and loud huzzas.
+
+But Susanna did not feel herself truly calm and happy till in Mrs.
+Astrid's quiet room she had bowed her forehead on her knee, and had felt
+her maternal hands laid in blessing upon her head. Her heart was so full
+of gratitude it seemed ready to burst.
+
+"I have then a mother!" she exclaimed, as she embraced Mrs. Astrid's
+knees, and looked up to her with the warmest and most child-like
+affection;--"Ah! I am too happy, far too happy! God has given me, the
+poor solitary one, a home and a mother----"
+
+"And a husband, too! Forget him not, I beseech! He too will be
+included!" said Harald, as he gently embraced Susanna, and also bent his
+knee before the maternal friend.
+
+Mrs. Astrid clasped them both warmly in her arms, and said, with a
+still, inward voice, as she went with them to the window, whence was
+seen the beautiful dale in all its whole extent: We begin to-day
+together a new life, and we will together endeavour to make it happy. At
+this moment when I stand, surrounded by you, my children, and looking
+forward as it were into a beautiful future, I seem to myself so well to
+understand how that may be. We have not here the treasures of art; we
+have not the life of the great world, with its varying scenes to enliven
+and entertain us; but our lives need not therefore be heavy and
+earth-bound. We have Heaven, and we have--Nature! We will call down the
+former into our hearts and into our home, and we will inquire of the
+latter concerning its silent wonders, and through their contemplation
+elevate our spirits. By the flame of our quiet hearth we will sometimes
+contemplate the movements of the great world-drama, in order thereafter
+with the greater joy to return to our own little scene, and consider how
+we can best, each of us play out our part. "And I promise you
+beforehand," continued Mrs. Astrid, assuming a playful tone, "that mine
+shall not be, to make so long a speech as now."
+
+But both Harald and Susanna joined in assuring Mrs. Astrid that she
+could not possibly speak too long.
+
+"Well, well," said she kindly; "if you will sometimes listen to the old
+woman's preachings, she, on the other hand, will often be a child with
+you, and learn with you, and of you. I am at this moment equally curious
+about nature, and long to make a closer acquaintance with her. The
+thought of it throws a kind of vernal splendour over my autumn."
+
+"And assuredly," said Harald, "the intercourse with nature operates
+beneficently, and with a youth-restoring power upon the human heart. I
+always remember with delight the words of Goethe, when in his eightieth
+year, he returned one spring from a visit in the country, sunburnt and
+full of gladness: 'I have had a conversation with the vine,' said he,
+'and you cannot believe what beautiful things it has said to me.' Do we
+not seem here to behold a new golden age beam forth, in which the voices
+of nature become audible to the ear of man, and he in conversation with
+her to acquire higher wisdom and tranquillity of life?"
+
+"Our wisdom," said Mrs. Astrid, as she looked smilingly around, "has not
+in the mean time prevented Susanna from being more sensible than us,
+for she has thought of the wedding-guests, while we have quite forgotten
+them. But we will now follow her!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+After the wedding-dinner spiced with skals and songs, and especially
+with hearty merriment, Mrs. Astrid retired to her own room, and Alette
+assumed the hostess's office in the company.
+
+Sitting at her writing-table, Mrs. Astrid, with an animated air, and
+quick respiration, sketched the following lines:
+
+"Now come, come, my paternal friend, and behold your wishes, your
+prognostications fulfilled; come and behold happiness and inexpressible
+gratitude living in the bosom which so long was closed even to hope.
+Come, and receive my contrition for my pusillanimity, for my murmurings;
+come and help me to be thankful! I long to tell you orally how much is
+changed within me; how a thousand germs of life and gladness, which I
+believed to be dead, now spring up in my soul restored to youth. I
+wonder daily over the feelings, the impressions which I experience; I
+scarcely know myself again. Oh, my friend! how right you were--it is
+never TOO LATE!
+
+"Ah! that I could be heard by all oppressed, dejected souls! I would cry
+to them--'Lift up your head, and confide still in the future, and
+believe that it is never TOO LATE!' See! I too was bowed down by long
+suffering, and old age had moreover overtaken me, and I believed that
+all my strength had vanished; that my life, my sufferings were in
+vain--and behold; my head has been again lifted up, my heart appeased,
+my soul strengthened; and now, in my fiftieth year, I advance into a new
+future, attended by all that life has of beautiful and worthy of love!
+
+"The change in my soul has enabled me better to comprehend life and
+suffering, and I am now firmly convinced _that there is no fruitless
+suffering, and that no virtuous endeavour is in vain_. Winter days and
+nights may bury beneath their pall of snow the sown corn; but when the
+spring arrives, it will be found equally true, that 'there grows much
+bread in the winter night.' It has pleased Providence to remove the
+covering from my eyes here upon earth; for many others will this only
+be removed when their eyes have closed on the earthly day; all will,
+however, one day see what I now see, and acknowledge what I now
+acknowledge with joy and thankfulness.
+
+"Clear and bright now lies my way before me. In concert with my beloved
+children, with the teacher of my youth, and my friend, who I hope will
+spend in my house the evening of his days, I will convert this place
+into a vale of peace. And when I shall leave it and them, may peace
+still remain amongst them with my memory! And now, thou advancing age,
+which already breathes coldly on my forehead; thou winter twilight of
+earthly life, in which my days will sink more and more, come and
+welcome! I fear thee no longer; for it has become warm and light in my
+heart. Even under bodily spasms and pains, I will no more misconceive
+the value of life; but with an eye open to all the good upon earth, I
+will say to my dear ones:
+
+  Bewail me not, for I am still so blest,
+  The peace of heaven doth dwell within my breast."
+
+Mrs. Astrid laid down her pen, and lifted up her tear-bright and beaming
+eyes; she caught sight of Harald and Susanna, who arm-in-arm wandered
+down the dale. They went on in gladness, and yet seemed to contend; and
+the question between them was, indeed, upon a most important
+matter--namely, which of them should hereafter have in their house the
+_last word_. Harald wished that this should hereafter be, as lord and
+master, his exclusive prerogative. Susanna declared that she should not
+trouble herself about his prerogative; but when she was in the right
+intended to persist in it to the uttermost. In the mean time they had
+unconsciously advanced to the spring--the Water of Strife--which had
+witnessed their first contention, and over which now doves, as at the
+first time, circled with silver-glancing wings. And here Harald seized
+Susanna's hand, led her to the spring, and said solemnly--
+
+"My wife! I have hitherto spoken jestingly, but now is the moment of
+seriousness. Our forefathers swore by the bright water of Leipter, and I
+now swear by the water of this clear spring, that if thou hereafter
+shalt oppose me beyond the power of my mind to bear, I will silence
+thee, and compel thee to hold thy peace in this manner----"
+
+The doves, attracted by some wonderful sympathy, now flew rapidly down
+upon the head and shoulders of the young couple. All strife was hushed,
+and you might hear the soft and playful murmur of the spring, which
+seemed to whisper about--what?
+
+  Oh, heaven-azure well,
+  Say what thou now didst see!
+
+The well whispered--
+
+  By a kiss--two disputants
+  United happily!
+
+"Aha! here we have them!" exclaimed a merry voice, a little way behind
+the two who were kissing; "but I must tell you that it is not polite
+thus to leave your guests, to----"
+
+"Come, Susanna," interposed Alette, smiling, whilst she took the arm of
+the deeply blushing Susanna, "come, and let us leave these egotistical
+gentlemen, who always will be waited upon, to themselves a little. It
+does them an infinite deal of good. We will in the mean time go
+together, and open our hearts to each other about them."
+
+"Sweet Alette!" said Susanna, glad in this way to be released from
+Brother-in-law Lexow's jokes, "how happy it makes me to see you so gay
+and healthy, spite of your residence up in the North, which you feared
+so much."
+
+"Ah!" said Alette, softly and sincerely, "a husband like my Lexow can
+make summer and happiness blossom forth all over the earth; but----" and
+now again the melancholy expression crept over Alette's countenance; but
+she constrained herself, and continued joyfully, "but we need not now
+hold forth in praise of these good gentlemen, who, I observe, have
+nothing better to do than to come and listen to us; and therefore--(and
+here Alette raised her voice significantly)--since we have done with my
+dear husband, we will give yours his well-merited share. Has he not
+shockingly many faults? Is he not--between us two--selfish and
+despotic?"
+
+"That I deny!" exclaimed Harald, as he sprang forward, and placed
+himself before Susanna; "and thou, my wife, contradict it if
+thou--dare."
+
+"Dare!" exclaimed Alette; "she must dare it, for you strengthen my word
+by your deed. Is he not a despot, Susanna?"
+
+"Am I a despot, Susanna? I say a thousand times 'No!' thereto. What dost
+thou say?"
+
+"I say--nothing," said Susanna, blushing, with a graceful movement, and
+drew closer to Alette; "but--I think what I will."
+
+"It is good, however," cried Harald, "that I have found out a way to
+have the last word!"
+
+"Have you discovered that, brother-in-law?" said Lexow, laughing; "now,
+that is almost a more important discovery than that which Columbus made.
+Impart it to me above all things."
+
+"It will serve you nothing at all," said Alette, as, with jesting
+defiance, she turned her pretty little head towards him; "because my
+last word is, in every case, a different kind of one to yours."
+
+"How?"
+
+"Yes. My last word, as well as my last thought, remains--Alf!"
+
+"My Alette! my sweet Alette! why these tears?"
+
+"Susanna," whispered Harald, "I will prepare you for it in time, that my
+last word remains--Sanna!"
+
+"And mine--Harald!"
+
+Susanna went now again on Harald's arm, Alette on her Alf's.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+After we have, towards the end of our relation, presented such cheerful
+scenes--ah! why must we communicate one of a more tragical nature? But
+so fate commands, and we are compelled to relate, that----the grey and
+the white ganders--weep not, sentimental reader!--which already, three
+weeks before Susanna's marriage, had been put up to fatten, closed a
+contentious life a few days before the same, and were united in a
+magnificent _a la daube_, which was served up and eaten, to celebrate
+the day of Harald's and Susanna's Last Strife and the beginning of an
+eternal union.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Often afterwards, during her happy married life, stood Susanna by the
+clear spring, surrounded by the feathered herd, which she fed, whilst
+she sang to two little, healthy, brown-eyed boys, and to a young
+blooming girl, this little song, with the conviction of a happy heart:
+
+        At times a little brawl
+        Injures not at all,
+  If we only love each other still
+        Cloudy heaven clears
+        Itself, and bright appears,
+  For such is Nature's will.
+
+        The heart within its cage
+        Is a bird in rage,
+  Which doth madly strive to fly!
+        Love and truth can best
+        Flatter it to rest,
+  Flatter it to rest so speedily.[20]
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[19] The divine service in Norway is not, as still in Sweden, mingled
+with worldly affairs. After the sermon merely some short prayers are
+read, in which the clergyman blesses the people in the same words which
+for thousands of years have been uttered over the wanderers of the
+deserts. They have not here the barbaric custom of reading from the
+pulpit announcements of all possible things--inquiries after thieves and
+stolen pieces of clothing, etc., which, to the worshippers, and
+especially to the partakers of the sacrament, are so unspeakably
+painful, and in cold winter days are enough to freeze all devotion.
+
+
+
+
+AN AFTER-WORD.
+
+Friendly reader! Now that thou hast arrived at a happy conclusion of the
+foregoing contentions, thou perhaps dost not dream that now a contest
+exists between--thee and--me! But it will infallibly be so, if thou, as
+often has happened before, wilt call that a Novel which I have called
+Sketches, and which have no pretension to the severe connexion and
+development of the novel; although, to be sure, they be connected. If
+thou wilt, on the contrary, regard them--for example--as blades of
+grass, or as flowers upon a meadow molehill, which wave in the wind upon
+their several stalks, but which have their roots in the same soil, and
+unfold themselves in the light of one common sun; behold then, we
+conclude in peace, and I wish only that they may whisper to thy heart
+some friendly word, respecting the point of light which may be found in
+every circumstance, in every portion of existence,--respecting the
+spring, which, for noble souls, sooner or later, reveals itself from its
+wintry concealment. To the Norwegian authors, who in the mountain
+journey, or in my wandering among the legends of the country, were my
+guides, I here offer my thanks; and also from the depth of my heart to
+many benevolent and amiable people, whom I have become acquainted with
+in that beautiful country, in whose woods one breathes so fresh and
+free, in whose hospitable bosom I also once found a dear and peaceful
+home.
+
+  THE AUTHORESS.
+
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[20] Geijer.
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
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+
+  19. LIVY'S HISTORY OF ROME. Vol. IV. (which completes the work).
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