a story from the sand-hills-第6章

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

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

the　world。　The　eel…breeder　of　Fjaltring　had　an　uncle　at　Old　Skjagen；

who　was　a　fisherman；　but　also　a　prosperous　merchant　with　ships　upon

the　sea；　he　was　said　to　be　a　good　old　man；　and　it　would　not　be　a　bad

thing　to　enter　his　service。　Old　Skjagen　lies　in　the　extreme　north　of

Jutland；　as　far　away　from　the　Hunsby　dunes　as　one　can　travel　in　that

country；　and　this　is　just　what　pleased　Jurgen；　for　he　did　not　want

to　remain　till　the　wedding　of　Martin　and　Else；　which　would　take

place　in　a　week　or　two。

　　　　The　old　fisherman　said　it　was　foolish　to　go　away；　for　now　that

Jurgen　had　a　home　Else　would　very　likely　be　inclined　to　take　him

instead　of　Martin。

　　　　Jurgen　gave　such　a　vague　answer　that　it　was　not　easy　to　make　out

what　he　meant…　the　old　man　brought　Else　to　him；　and　she　said：

　　　　〃You　have　a　home　now；　you　ought　to　think　of　that。〃

　　　　And　Jurgen　thought　of　many　things。

　　　　The　sea　has　heavy　waves；　but　there　are　heavier　waves　in　the

human　heart。　Many　thoughts；　strong　and　weak；　rushed　through　Jurgen's

brain；　and　he　said　to　Else：

　　　　〃If　Martin　had　a　house　like　mine；　which　of　us　would　you　rather

have？〃

　　　　〃But　Martin　has　no　house　and　cannot　get　one。〃

　　　　〃Suppose　he　had　one？〃

　　　　〃Well；　then　I　would　certainly　take　Martin；　for　that　is　what　my

heart　tells　me；　but　one　cannot　live　upon　love。〃

　　　　Jurgen　turned　these　things　over　in　his　mind　all　night。　Something

was　working　within　him；　he　hardly　knew　what　it　was；　but　it　was　even

stronger　than　his　love　for　Else；　and　so　he　went　to　Martin's；　and

what　he　said　and　did　there　was　well　considered。　He　let　the　house　to

Martin　on　most　liberal　terms；　saying　that　he　wished　to　go　to　sea

again；　because　he　loved　it。　And　Else　kissed　him　when　she　heard　of

it；　for　she　loved　Martin　best。

　　　　Jurgen　proposed　to　start　early　in　the　morning；　and　on　the

evening　before　his　departure；　when　it　was　already　getting　rather　late；

he　felt　a　wish　to　visit　Martin　once　more。　He　started；　and　among　the

dunes　met　the　old　fisherman；　who　was　angry　at　his　leaving　the　place。

The　old　man　made　jokes　about　Martin；　and　declared　there　must　be　some

magic　about　that　fellow；　of　whom　the　girls　were　so　fond。

　　　　Jurgen　did　not　pay　any　attention　to　his　remarks；　but　said　good…bye

to　the　old　man　and　went　on　towards　the　house　where　Martin　dwelt。　He

heard　loud　talking　inside；　Martin　was　not　alone；　and　this　made

Jurgen　waver　in　his　determination；　for　he　did　not　wish　to　see　Else

again。　On　second　thoughts；　he　decided　that　it　was　better　not　to　hear

any　more　thanks　from　Martin；　and　so　he　turned　back。

　　　　On　the　following　morning；　before　the　sun　rose；　he　fastened　his

knapsack　on　his　back；　took　his　wooden　provision　box　in　his　hand；　and

went　away　among　the　sand…hills　towards　the　coast　path。　This　way　was

more　pleasant　than　the　heavy　sand　road；　and　besides　it　was　shorter；

and　he　intended　to　go　first　to　Fjaltring；　near　Bovbjerg；　where　the

eel…breeder　lived；　to　whom　he　had　promised　a　visit。

　　　　The　sea　lay　before　him；　clear　and　blue；　and　the　mussel　shells

and　pebbles；　the　playthings　of　his　childhood；　crunched　over　his

feet。　While　he　thus　walked　on　his　nose　suddenly　began　to　bleed；　it　was

a　trifling　occurrence；　but　trifles　sometimes　are　of　great

importance。　A　few　large　drops　of　blood　fell　upon　one　of　his　sleeves。

He　wiped　them　off　and　stopped　the　bleeding；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　if

this　had　cleared　and　lightened　his　brain。　The　sea…cale　bloomed　here

and　there　in　the　sand　as　he　passed。　He　broke　off　a　spray　and　stuck

it　in　his　hat；　he　determined　to　be　merry　and　light…hearted；　for　he　was

going　out　into　the　wide　world…　〃a　little　way　out；　beyond　the　bay；〃

as　the　young　eels　had　said。　〃Beware　of　bad　people　who　will　catch

you；　and　skin　you；　and　put　you　in　the　frying…pan！〃　he　repeated　in

his　mind；　and　smiled；　for　he　thought　he　should　find　his　way　through

the　world…　good　courage　is　a　strong　weapon！

　　　　The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　he　approached　the　narrow

entrance　to　Nissum　Bay。　He　looked　back　and　saw　a　couple　of　horsemen

galloping　a　long　distance　behind　him；　and　there　were　other　people　with

them。　But　this　did　not　concern　him。

　　　　The　ferry…boat　was　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　bay。　Jurgen

called　to　the　ferry…man；　and　the　latter　came　over　with　his　boat。

Jurgen　stepped　in；　but　before　he　had　got　half…way　across；　the　men　whom

he　had　seen　riding　so　hastily；　came　up；　hailed　the　ferry…man；　and

commanded　him　to　return　in　the　name　of　the　law。　Jurgen　did　not

understand　the　reason　of　this；　but　he　thought　it　would　be　best　to　turn

back；　and　therefore　he　himself　took　an　oar　and　returned。　As　soon　as

the　boat　touched　the　shore；　the　men　sprang　on　board；　and　before　he　was

aware　of　it；　they　had　bound　his　hands　with　a　rope。

　　　　〃This　wicked　deed　will　cost　you　your　life；〃　they　said。　〃It　is　a

good　thing　we　have　caught　you。〃

　　　　He　was　accused　of　nothing　less　than　murder。　Martin　had　been

found　dead；　with　his　throat　cut。　One　of　the　fishermen；　late　on　the

previous　evening；　had　met　Jurgen　going　towards　Martin's　house；　this

was　not　the　first　time　Jurgen　had　raised　his　knife　against　Martin；

so　they　felt　sure　that　he　was　the　murderer。　The　prison　was　in　a　town

at　a　great　distance；　and　the　wind　was　contrary　for　going　there　by　sea；

but　it　would　not　take　half　an　hour　to　get　across　the　bay；　and

another　quarter　of　an　hour　would　bring　them　to　Norre…Vosborg；　the

great　castle　with　ramparts　and　moat。　One　of　Jurgen's　captors　was　a

fisherman；　a　brother　of　the　keeper　of　the　castle；　and　he　said　it　might

be　managed　that　Jurgen　should　be　placed　for　the　present　in　the　dungeon

at　Vosborg；　where　Long　Martha　the　gipsy　had　been　shut　up　till　her

execution。　They　paid　no　attention　to　Jurgen's　defence；　the　few　drops

of　blood　on　his　shirt…sleeve　bore　heavy　witness　against　him。　But　he

was　conscious　of　his　innocence；　and　as　there　was　no　chance　of　clearing

himself　at　present　he　submitted　to　his　fate。

　　　　The　party　landed　just　at　the　place　where　Sir　Bugge's　castle　had

stood；　and　where　Jurgen　had　walked　with　his　foster…parents　after　the

burial　feast；　during。　the　four　happiest　days　of　his　childhood。　He

was　led　by　the　well…known　path；　over　the　meadow　to　Vosborg；　once

more　the　elders　were　in　bloom　and　the　lofty　lime…trees　gave　forth

sweet　fragrance；　and　it　seemed　as　if　it　were　but　yesterday　that　he　had

last　seen　the　spot。　In　each　of　the　two　wings　of　the　castle　there　was　a

staircase　which　led　to　a　place　below　the　entrance；　from　whence　there

is　access　to　a　low；　vaulted　cellar。　In　this　dungeon　Long　Martha　had

been　imprisoned；　and　from　here　she　was　led　away　to　the　scaffold。　She

had　eaten　the　hearts　of　five　children；　and　had　imagined　that　if　she

could　obtain　two　more　she　would　be　able　to　fly　and　make　herself

invisible。　In　the　middle　of　the　roof　of　the　cellar　there　was　a

little　narrow　air…hole；　but　no　window。　The　flowering　lime　trees

could　not　breathe　refreshing　fragrance　into　that　abode；　where

everything　was　dark　and　mouldy。　There　was　only　a　rough　bench　in　the

cell；　but　a　good　conscience　is　a　soft　pillow；　and　therefore　Jurgen

could　sleep　well。

　　　　The　thick　oaken　door　was　locked；　and　secured　on　the　outside　by

an　iron　bar；　but　the　goblin　of　superstition　can　creep　through　a

keyhole　into　a　baron's　castle　just　as　easily　as　it　can　into　a

fisherman's　cottage；　and　why　should　he　not　creep　in　here；　where　Jurgen

sat　thinking　of　Long　Martha　and　her　wicked　deeds？　Her　last　thoughts　on

the　night　before　her　execution　had　filled　this　place；　and　the　magic

that　tradition　asserted　to　have　been　practised　here；　in　Sir

Svanwedel's　time；　came　into　Jurgen's　mind；　and　made　him　shudder；　but　a

sunbeam；　a　refreshing　thought　from　without；　penetrated　his　heart

even　here…　it　was　the　remembrance　of　the　flowering　elder　and　the　sweet

smelling　lime…trees。

　　　　He　was　not　left　there　long。　They　took　him　away　to　the　town　of

Ringkjobing；　where　he　was　imprisoned　with　equal　severity。

　　　　Those　times　were　not　like　ours。　The　common　people　were　treated

harshly；　and　it　was　just　after　the　days　when　farms　were