a story from the sand-hills-第7章

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

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

knights'　estates；　when　coachmen　and　servants　were　often　made

magistrates；　and　had　power　to　sentence　a　poor　man；　for　a　small

offence；　to　lose　his　property　and　to　corporeal　punishment。　Judges　of

this　kind　were　still　to　be　found；　and　in　Jutland；　so　far　from　the

capital；　and　from　the　enlightened；　well…meaning；　head　of　the

Government；　the　law　was　still　very　loosely　administered　sometimes…　the

smallest　grievance　Jurgen　could　expect　was　that　his　case　should　be

delayed。

　　　　His　dwelling　was　cold　and　comfortless；　and　how　long　would　he　be

obliged　to　bear　all　this？　It　seemed　his　fate　to　suffer　misfortune

and　sorrow　innocently。　He　now　had　plenty　of　time　to　reflect　on　the

difference　of　fortune　on　earth；　and　to　wonder　why　this　fate　had　been

allotted　to　him；　yet　he　felt　sure　that　all　would　be　made　clear　in

the　next　life；　the　existence　that　awaits　us　when　this　life　is　over。

His　faith　had　grown　strong　in　the　poor　fisherman's　cottage；　the

light　which　had　never　shone　into　his　father's　mind；　in　all　the

richness　and　sunshine　of　Spain；　was　sent　to　him　to　be　his　comfort　in

poverty　and　distress；　a　sign　of　that　mercy　of　God　which　never　fails。

　　　　The　spring　storms　began　to　blow。　The　rolling　and　moaning　of　the

North　Sea　could　be　heard　for　miles　inland　when　the　wind　was　blowing；

and　then　it　sounded　like　the　rushing　of　a　thousand　waggons　over　a　hard

road　with　a　mine　underneath。　Jurgen　heard　these　sounds　in　his

prison；　and　it　was　a　relief　to　him。　No　music　could　have　touched　his

heart　as　did　these　sounds　of　the　sea…　the　rolling　sea；　the　boundless

sea；　on　which　a　man　can　be　borne　across　the　world　before　the　wind；

carrying　his　own　house　with　him　wherever　he　goes；　just　as　the　snail

carries　its　home　even　into　a　strange　country。

　　　　He　listened　eagerly　to　its　deep　murmur　and　then　the　thought　arose…

〃Free！　free！　How　happy　to　be　free；　even　barefooted　and　in　ragged

clothes！〃　Sometimes；　when　such　thoughts　crossed　his　mind；　the　fiery

nature　rose　within　him；　and　he　beat　the　wall　with　his　clenched　fists。

　　　　Weeks；　months；　a　whole　year　had　gone　by；　when　Niels　the　thief；

called　also　a　horse…dealer；　was　arrested；　and　now　better　times　came；

and　it　was　seen　that　Jurgen　had　been　wrongly　accused。

　　　　On　the　afternoon　before　Jurgen's　departure　from　home；　and　before

the　murder；　Niels　the　thief；　had　met　Martin　at　a　beer…house　in　the

neighbourhood　of　Ringkjobing。　A　few　glasses　were　drank；　not　enough

to　cloud　the　brain；　but　enough　to　loosen　Martin's　tongue。　He　began

to　boast　and　to　say　that　he　had　obtained　a　house　and　intended　to

marry；　and　when　Niels　asked　him　where　he　was　going　to　get　the　money；

he　slapped　his　pocket　proudly　and　said：

　　　　〃The　money　is　here；　where　it　ought　to　be。〃

　　　　This　boast　cost　him　his　life；　for　when　he　went　home　Niels　followed

him；　and　cut　his　throat；　intending　to　rob　the　murdered　man　of　the

gold；　which　did　not　exist。

　　　　All　this　was　circumstantially　explained；　but　it　is　enough　for　us

to　know　that　Jurgen　was　set　free。　But　what　compensation　did　he　get　for

having　been　imprisoned　a　whole　year；　and　shut　out　from　all

communication　with　his　fellow　creatures？　They　told　him　he　was

fortunate　in　being　proved　innocent；　and　that　he　might　go。　The

burgomaster　gave　him　two　dollars　for　travelling　expenses；　and　many

citizens　offered　him　provisions　and　beer…　there　were　still　good

people；　they　were　not　all　hard　and　pitiless。　But　the　best　thing　of　all

was　that　the　merchant　Bronne；　of　Skjagen；　into　whose　service　Jurgen

had　proposed　entering　the　year　before；　was　just　at　that　time　on

business　in　the　town　of　Ringkjobing。　Bronne　heard　the　whole　story；

he　was　kind…hearted；　and　understood　what　Jurgen　must　have　felt　and

suffered。　Therefore　he　made　up　his　mind　to　make　it　up　to　the　poor　lad；

and　convince　him　that　there　were　still　kind　folks　in　the　world。

　　　　So　Jurgen　went　forth　from　prison　as　if　to　paradise；　to　find

freedom；　affection；　and　trust。　He　was　to　travel　this　path　now；　for

no　goblet　of　life　is　all　bitterness；　no　good　man　would　pour　out　such　a

draught　for　his　fellow…man；　and　how　should　He　do　it；　Who　is　love

personified？

　　　　〃Let　everything　be　buried　and　forgotten；〃　said　Bronne；　the

merchant。　〃Let　us　draw　a　thick　line　through　last　year：　we　will　even

burn　the　almanack。　In　two　days　we　will　start　for　dear；　friendly；

peaceful　Skjagen。　People　call　it　an　out…of…the…way　corner；　but　it　is　a

good　warm　chimney…corner；　and　its　windows　open　toward　every　part　of

the　world。〃

　　　　What　a　journey　that　was：　It　was　like　taking　fresh　breath　out　of

the　cold　dungeon　air　into　the　warm　sunshine。　The　heather　bloomed　in

pride　and　beauty；　and　the　shepherd…boy　sat　on　a　barrow　and　blew　his

pipe；　which　he　had　carved　for　himself　out　of　a　sheep　bone。　Fata

Morgana；　the　beautiful　aerial　phenomenon　of　the　wilderness；　appeared

with　hanging　gardens　and　waving　forests；　and　the　wonderful　cloud

called　〃Lokeman　driving　his　sheep〃　also　was　seen。

　　　　Up　towards　Skjagen　they　went；　through　the　land　of　the　Wendels；

whence　the　men　with　long　beards　（the　Longobardi　or　Lombards）　had

emigrated　in　the　reign　of　King　Snio；　when　all　the　children　and　old

people　were　to　have　been　killed；　till　the　noble　Dame　Gambaruk　proposed

that　the　young　people　should　emigrate。　Jurgen　knew　all　this；　he　had

some　little　knowledge；　and　although　he　did　not　know　the　land　of　the

Lombards　beyond　the　lofty　Alps；　he　had　an　idea　that　it　must　be

there；　for　in　his　boyhood　he　had　been　in　the　south；　in　Spain。　He

thought　of　the　plenteousness　of　the　southern　fruit；　of　the　red

pomegranate　flowers；　of　the　humming；　buzzing；　and　toiling　in　the　great

beehive　of　a　city　he　had　seen；　but　home　is　the　best　place　after　all；

and　Jurgen's　home　was　Denmark。

　　　　At　last　they　arrived　at　〃Vendilskaga；〃　as　Skjagen　is　called　in　old

Norwegian　and　Icelandic　writings。　At　that　time　Old　Skjagen；　with　the

eastern　and　western　town；　extended　for　miles；　with　sand　hills　and

arable　land　as　far　as　the　lighthouse　near　〃Grenen。〃　Then；　as　now；

the　houses　were　strewn　among　the　wind…raised　sand…hills…　a

wilderness　in　which　the　wind　sports　with　the　sand；　and　where　the　voice

of　the　sea…gull　and　wild　swan　strikes　harshly　on　the　ear。

　　　　In　the　south…west；　a　mile　from　〃Grenen；〃　lies　Old　Skjagen；

merchant　Bronne　dwelt　here；　and　this　was　also　to　be　Jurgen's　home

for　the　future。　The　dwelling…house　was　tarred；　and　all　the　small

out…buildings　had　been　put　together　from　pieces　of　wreck。　There　was　no

fence；　for　indeed　there　was　nothing　to　fence　in　except　the　long　rows

of　fishes　which　were　hung　upon　lines；　one　above　the　other；　to　dry　in

the　wind。　The　entire　coast　was　strewn　with　spoiled　herrings；　for　there

were　so　many　of　these　fish　that　a　net　was　scarcely　thrown　into　the　sea

before　it　was　filled。　They　were　caught　by　carloads；　and　many　of　them

were　either　thrown　back　into　the　sea　or　left　to　lie　on　the　beach。

　　　　The　old　man's　wife　and　daughter　and　his　servants　also　came　to　meet

him　with　great　rejoicing。　There　was　a　great　squeezing　of　hands；　and

talking　and　questioning。　And　the　daughter；　what　a　sweet　face　and

bright　eyes　she　had！

　　　　The　inside　of　the　house　was　comfortable　and　roomy。　Fritters；

that　a　king　would　have　looked　upon　as　a　dainty　dish；　were　placed　on

the　table；　and　there　was　wine　from　the　Skjagen　vineyard…　that　is；

the　sea；　for　there　the　grapes　come　ashore　ready　pressed　and　prepared

in　barrels　and　in　bottles。

　　　　When　the　mother　and　daughter　heard　who　Jurgen　was；　and　how

innocently　he　had　suffered；　they　looked　at　him　in　a　still　more

friendly　way；　and　pretty　Clara's　eyes　had　a　look　of　especial

interest　as　she　listened　to　his　story。　Jurgen　found　a　happy　home　in

Old　Skjagen。　It　did　his　heart　good；　for　it　had　been　sorely　tried。　He

had　drunk　the　bitter　goblet　of　love　which　softens　or　hardens　the

heart；　according　to　circumstances。　Jurgen's　heart　was　still　soft…　it

was　young；　and　therefore　it　was　a　good　thing　that　Miss　Clara　was　going

in　three　weeks'　time　to　Christiansand　in　Norway；　in　her　father's　ship；

to　visit　an　aunt　and　to　st