a story from the sand-hills-第5章

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long；　and　weary　and　overcome　with　various　emotions；　he　rested　for　a

few　moments　before　a　splendid　house；　with　marble　pillars；　statues；　and

broad　steps。　Here　he　rested　his　burden　against　the　wall。　Then　a　porter

in　livery　came　out；　lifted　up　a　silver…headed　cane；　and　drove　him

away…　him；　the　grandson　of　that　house。　But　no　one　knew　that；　and　he

just　as　little　as　any　one。　Then　he　went　on　board　again；　and　once

more　encountered　rough　words　and　blows；　much　work　and　little　sleep…

such　was　his　experience　of　life。　They　say　it　is　good　to　suffer　in

one's　young　days；　if　age　brings　something　to　make　up　for　it。

　　　　His　period　of　service　on　board　the　ship　came　to　an　end；　and　the

vessel　lay　once　more　at　Ringkjobing　in　Jutland。　He　came　ashore；　and

went　home　to　the　sand…dunes　near　Hunsby；　but　his　foster…mother　had

died　during　his　absence。

　　　　A　hard　winter　followed　this　summer。　Snow…storms　swept　over　land

and　sea；　and　there　was　difficulty　in　getting　from　one　place　to

another。　How　unequally　things　are　distributed　in　this　world！　Here

there　was　bitter　cold　and　snow…storms；　while　in　Spain　there　was

burning　sunshine　and　oppressive　heat。　Yet；　when　a　clear　frosty　day

came；　and　Jurgen　saw　the　swans　flying　in　numbers　from　the　sea

towards　the　land；　across　to　Norre…Vosborg；　it　seemed　to　him　that

people　could　breathe　more　freely　here；　the　summer　also　in　this　part　of

the　world　was　splendid。　In　imagination　he　saw　the　heath　blossom　and

become　purple　with　rich　juicy　berries；　and　the　elder…bushes　and

lime…trees　at　Norre　Vosborg　in　flower。　He　made　up　his　mind　to　go　there

again。

　　　　Spring　came；　and　the　fishing　began。　Jurgen　was　now　an　active

helper　in　this；　for　he　had　grown　during　the　last　year；　and　was　quick

at　work。　He　was　full　of　life；　and　knew　how　to　swim；　to　tread　water；

and　to　turn　over　and　tumble　in　the　strong　tide。　They　often　warned

him　to　beware　of　the　sharks；　which　seize　the　best　swimmer；　draw　him

down；　and　devour　him；　but　such　was　not　to　be　Jurgen's　fate。

　　　　At　a　neighbour's　house　in　the　dunes　there　was　a　boy　named

Martin；　with　whom　Jurgen　was　on　very　friendly　terms；　and　they　both

took　service　in　the　same　ship　to　Norway；　and　also　went　together　to

Holland。　They　never　had　a　quarrel；　but　a　person　can　be　easily

excited　to　quarrel　when　he　is　naturally　hot　tempered；　for　he　often

shows　it　in　many　ways；　and　this　is　just　what　Jurgen　did　one　day　when

they　fell　out　about　the　merest　trifle。　They　were　sitting　behind　the

cabin　door；　eating　from　a　delft　plate；　which　they　had　placed　between

them。　Jurgen　held　his　pocket…knife　in　his　hand　and　raised　it　towards

Martin；　and　at　the　same　time　became　ashy　pale；　and　his　eyes　had　an

ugly　look。　Martin　only　said；　〃Ah！　ah！　you　are　one　of　that　sort；　are

you？　Fond　of　using　the　knife！〃

　　　　The　words　were　scarcely　spoken；　when　Jurgen's　hand　sank　down。　He

did　not　answer　a　syllable；　but　went　on　eating；　and　afterwards　returned

to　his　work。　When　they　were　resting　again　he　walked　up　to　Martin　and

said：

　　　　〃Hit　me　in　the　face！　I　deserve　it。　But　sometimes　I　feel　as　if　I

had　a　pot　in　me　that　boils　over。〃

　　　　〃There；　let　the　thing　rest；〃　replied　Martin。

　　　　And　after　that　they　were　almost　better　friends　than　ever；　when

afterwards　they　returned　to　the　dunes　and　began　telling　their

adventures；　this　was　told　among　the　rest。　Martin　said　that　Jurgen

was　certainly　passionate；　but　a　good　fellow　after　all。

　　　　They　were　both　young　and　healthy；　well…grown　and　strong；　but

Jurgen　was　the　cleverer　of　the　two。

　　　　In　Norway　the　peasants　go　into　the　mountains　and　take　the　cattle

there　to　find　pasture。　On　the　west　coast　of　Jutland　huts　have　been

erected　among　the　sand…hills；　they　are　built　of　pieces　of　wreck；　and

thatched　with　turf　and　heather；　there　are　sleeping　places　round　the

walls；　and　here　the　fishermen　live　and　sleep　during　the　early

spring。　Every　fisherman　has　a　female　helper；　or　manager　as　she　is

called；　who　baits　his　hooks；　prepares　warm　beer　for　him　when　he

comes　ashore；　and　gets　the　dinner　cooked　and　ready　for　him　by　the　time

he　comes　back　to　the　hut　tired　and　hungry。　Besides　this　the　managers

bring　up　the　fish　from　the　boats；　cut　them　open；　prepare　them；　and

have　generally　a　great　deal　to　do。

　　　　Jurgen；　his　father；　and　several　other　fishermen　and　their　managers

inhabited　the　same　hut；　Martin　lived　in　the　next　one。

　　　　One　of　the　girls；　whose　name　was　Else；　had　known　Jurgen　from

childhood；　they　were　glad　to　see　each　other；　and　were　of　the　same

opinion　on　many　points；　but　in　appearance　they　were　entirely　opposite；

for　he　was　dark；　and　she　was　pale；　and　fair；　and　had　flaxen　hair；

and　eyes　as　blue　as　the　sea　in　sunshine。

　　　　As　they　were　walking　together　one　day；　Jurgen　held　her　hand　very

firmly　in　his；　and　she　said　to　him：

　　　〃Jurgen；　I　have　something　I　want　to　say　to　you；　let　me　be　your

manager；　for　you　are　like　a　brother　to　me；　but　Martin；　whose

housekeeper　I　am…　he　is　my　lover…　but　you　need　not　tell　this　to　the

others。〃

　　　　It　seemed　to　Jurgen　as　if　the　loose　sand　was　giving　way　under

his　feet。　He　did　not　speak　a　word；　but　nodded　his　head；　and　that　meant

〃yes。〃　It　was　all　that　was　necessary；　but　he　suddenly　felt　in　his

heart　that　he　hated　Martin；　and　the　more　he　thought　the　more　he　felt

convinced　that　Martin　had　stolen　away　from　him　the　only　being　he

ever　loved；　and　that　this　was　Else：　he　had　never　thought　of　Else　in

this　way　before；　but　now　it　all　became　plain　to　him。

　　　　When　the　sea　is　rather　rough；　and　the　fishermen　are　coming　home　in

their　great　boats；　it　is　wonderful　to　see　how　they　cross　the　reefs。

One　of　them　stands　upright　in　the　bow　of　the　boat；　and　the　others

watch　him　sitting　with　the　oars　in　their　hands。　Outside　the　reef　it

looks　as　if　the　boat　was　not　approaching　land　but　going　back　to　sea；

then　the　man　who　is　standing　up　gives　them　the　signal　that　the　great

wave　is　coming　which　is　to　float　them　across　the　reef。　The　boat　is

lifted　high　into　the　air；　so　that　the　keel　is　seen　from　the　shore；　the

next　moment　nothing　can　be　seen；　mast；　keel；　and　people　are　all

hidden…　it　seems　as　though　the　sea　had　devoured　them；　but　in　a　few

moments　they　emerge　like　a　great　sea　animal　climbing　up　the　waves；　and

the　oars　move　as　if　the　creature　had　legs。　The　second　and　third　reef

are　passed　in　the　same　manner；　then　the　fishermen　jump　into　the

water　and　push　the　boat　towards　the　shore…　every　wave　helps　them…

and　at　length　they　have　it　drawn　up；　beyond　the　reach　of　the　breakers。

　　　　A　wrong　order　given　in　front　of　the　reef…　the　slightest

hesitation…　and　the　boat　would　be　lost；

　　　　〃Then　it　would　be　all　over　with　me　and　Martin　too！〃

　　　　This　thought　passed　through　Jurgen's　mind　one　day　while　they

were　out　at　sea；　where　his　foster…father　had　been　taken　suddenly

ill。　The　fever　had　seized　him。　They　were　only　a　few　oars'　strokes　from

the　reef；　and　Jurgen　sprang　from　his　seat　and　stood　up　in　the　bow。

　　　　〃Father…let　me　come！〃　he　said；　and　he　glanced　at　Martin　and　across

the　waves；　every　oar　bent　with　the　exertions　of　the　rowers　as　the

great　wave　came　towards　them；　and　he　saw　his　father's　pale　face；　and

dared　not　obey　the　evil　impulse　that　had　shot　through　his　brain。　The

boat　came　safely　across　the　reef　to　land；　but　the　evil　thought

remained　in　his　heart；　and　roused　up　every　little　fibre　of

bitterness　which　he　remembered　between　himself　and　Martin　since　they

had　known　each　other。　But　he　could　not　weave　the　fibres　together；

nor　did　he　endeavour　to　do　so。　He　felt　that　Martin　had　robbed　him；　and

this　was　enough　to　make　him　hate　his　former　friend。　Several　of　the

fishermen　saw　this；　but　Martin　did　not…　he　remained　as　obliging　and

talkative　as　ever；　in　fact　he　talked　rather　too　much。

　　　　Jurgen's　foster…father　took　to　his　bed；　and　it　became　his

death…bed；　for　he　died　a　week　afterwards；　and　now　Jurgen　was　heir　to

the　little　house　behind　the　sand…hills。　It　was　small；　certainly；　but

still　it　was　something；　and　Martin　had　nothing　of　the　kind。

　　　　〃You　will　not　go　to　sea　again；　Jurgen；　I　suppose；〃　observed　one　of

the　old　fishermen。　〃You　will　always　stay　with　us　now。〃

　　　　But　this　was　not　Jurgen's　intention；　he　wanted　to　see　so