Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

“ The smoke from the chimney curled into the air. The roofs with their glazed blue tiles looked affluently comfortable. The large gardens on both sides with their gravel walks lay like striped wings outstretched from the houses. The whole had an air of life, as if it might rise into the air at any moment.
"Had you been lying long here?" Mary asked unmercifully; she regarded Jörgen's mood as a species of possession. ”

“ Mary's eyes were half closed; her bosom was heaving. She walked slowly round the statue, then retired to a distance, came back, and stood still again midway between front and side.
Then she looked round for Alice and caught sight of the eye-glasses turned in her direction; Alice was actually holding them on, to see clearer. There could be no mistake—her face was one mischievous smile.
There are things which one woman objects to another understanding. Mary's blood surged; angry and hurt, she took Alice's look as an insult. She turned her back quickly on the acrobat and walked towards the door. ”

“ Alice explained to Mary that the statue of an acrobat had been broken in the process of setting it up.
"An acrobat?" called Frans Röy. He was standing a short way off; now he hastened up to them. "An acrobat? Did I hear you speaking about an acrobat?"
"Yes," said they, and laughed.
"Is that anything to laugh at?" said he. "I have a cousin who is an acrobat."
The ladies laughed more heartily. Frans was greatly astonished.
"I assure you he is one of the best fellows I know. And marvellously clever. The talent runs in our family. As a boy I was two whole summers in the circus with him." ”

“ It was a long time before Alice could say anything. Then she began by pitying Frans Röy.
"You are too severe with him, Mary. Goodness! how miserable he looked!" And the laughter began again.
But Mary, who had been sitting waiting for an opportunity, now broke out:
"What have I to do with your protégé?"
And as if this were not enough, she bent forward to face Alice's laughing eyes:
"You are confusing me with yourself. It is [90] you who are in love with him. Do you imagine that I have not seen that for ever so long? You know best yourselves in what relation you stand to each other. ”

“ The blood rushed through Mary's veins in hot waves of fury and loathing. Is he utterly shameless? Or has he gone out of his mind? To outward appearance she behaved as if she saw nothing; she plunged into the sea and swam to the steps, walked calmly up them, and disappeared.
But her breath was coming hard and short, and she was so hot that she forgot to dry herself, forgot to dress. Hotter and hotter she grew, [125] until she was positively boiling with rage and desire for vengeance. The polite Jörgen Thiis had dared to insult her as she had never in her life been insulted! ”

“ The rich man was accustomed to give free vent to his petulance, anger, insolence. "Jörgen deserves—confound him!—that I should stop the allowance I give him! He does nothing but ask for more. And now I am to——ha, ha! It's just like him!"
Mary listened, pale as death. Never before had she been so humiliated; never had any human being treated her otherwise than with the deference paid to a privileged person. ”

“ Alice sat down with a hopeless feeling. She said no more; she thought it useless to do so. He seated himself opposite to her.
"Explain it to me, Alice! Did you not see how she laughed when I danced off with you?"
"Has it not dawned upon you yet that there is a difference between us and her?"
"Mary Krog is most unassuming; she makes no pretensions whatever."
"Quite so. But now you are misunderstanding me again. Whereas we are ordinary beings, whom other people may touch with impunity, she dwells in a remoteness which no one as yet has diminished by one foot. ”

“ This time Alice was successful. Mary was quite ready to meet him again.
They met at Alice's house, to drive together to the exhibition in the Champs Elysées.
To stand together before works of art is the real conversation without words. The few words that are spoken awake hundreds. But these remain unspoken. The one friend feels through the other, or at least they both believe that they do so. They meet in one picture, to separate in another. An hour thus spent teaches them more of each other than weeks of ordinary intercourse. ”

“ It either really was the case, or it seemed to her, that the hurricane was increasing. It must surely soon have reached its worst. To her it represented her own misery and shame. This thought strengthened her. It was not death she feared, but life.
She thought it all out again as she pressed on. She would not save herself by allowing her child to be killed, nor would she send it away to strangers and thus disown it; she could not live without self-respect. ”

“ The arms, the wrists, the hips, the legs!—it became positively comical when a group of young men were heard maintaining with the utmost eagerness that the ankles were more superb than anything else. Such ankles had never been seen [40] —so slender and so beautifully shaped—no, never!
Jörgen Thiis forgot to speak; he even for a considerable time forgot to eat, though, as a rule, he liked nothing better. He followed Marit about like a sleep-walker. She was never to be seen without him behind her or at her side.
Her father and Mrs. Dawes had, on account of the ball, come in to the town house. ”

“ Amongst the crumbling blocks by the wayside stood a slender birch, quite alone. Mary remembered it as she came up to it. Had it weathered such a storm uninjured? Yes, it was safe and sound. She paused beside it to recover her breath. It bent so low that every moment she thought: Now it must break! But up it came again as fresh as ever. She herself could not stand still, with such hurricane force was the gale blowing here; but the young birch, which was so tall and had such a spreading top and such a slender, swaying stem—it stood, quite alone. ”

“ She flung up her arms and with a loud groan threw herself back on her mother's sofa, and covered her face with her hands.
Margrete knelt down beside her. Mary allowed her friend to put her arms round her and draw her to her like a tired, suffering child. And she began to cry, as a child cries, touchingly and helplessly; her head sank on to Margrete's shoulder.
But only for a moment; then she sat up with a sudden start. For Margrete had whispered into her ear: "There is something the matter with you. Speak to me." ”

“ Mary was deeply touched. She knew that her father had been the old man's best, perhaps his only friend. But she understood that it was not for him alone the tears had been shed; they told also of sympathy with her, and of remorse. Had it not been so, Uncle Klaus would have stayed beside the coffin.
The sweet-toned chapel bell began to toll. The dog, which had been kept prisoner in Mary's room all day, and was very restless, rushed to the window towards the sea, and put his fore-paws up on the sill, to look out. Mary followed him. ”

“ She was sitting on a sofa, beneath a large portrait of her mother. When she stood up in her black dress, pale and heavy-eyed under her crown of red hair, it struck Margrete Röy that she was the very image of sorrow, the most beautiful one that could be imagined. A solemn tranquillity surrounded her. She spoke as low as the storm outside permitted.
"I feel that you respect another's grief. I am also certain that you betray no secrets."
"I do not."
A little time passed before Mary said: "Who is Jörgen Thiis?" ”

“ Never, never have I known a human being for whom I could answer as confidently. And I could not tell you this; I could not help you. I knew you; I dared not come near you. But I have been able to save you after all. For you cannot possibly wish to die now, after you have heard me?"
He had heard her sob; her arms were round his neck now, almost stifling his words. He let her slip slowly down. But she still held fast with the arm which was round his neck; and when she reached the ground she flung the other round it too, and laid her head upon his breast, sobbing—but with happiness now. ”

“ She had on her studio-dress and her hand was dirty, so that she could not take Mary's.
"You are busy with a model," whispered Mary.
"I shall be presently," answered Alice with a curious smile. "The model is waiting in the next room. But come in."
When Mary passed beyond the curtain she saw the reason why the model was waiting in the next room. In the studio sat Frans Röy. Thus early in the day and rapt in thought! He did not even notice them entering. This was the first time Mary had seen him serious; and seriousness became the manly figure and the strong face much better than wanton hilarity. ”

“ Mrs. Dawes lay groaning and weeping and calling for Mary. No sooner did Mary appear at the door than she began:
"What was happening to you, child? Sudden terror seized me. What was going on?"
Mary went up to the bed without looking at Jörgen. She knelt down and put her arm round her old friend's neck.
"Oh, Aunt Eva!" she said, and laid her head on the old lady's breast. Presently she began to cry.
"What is it? What is it? What is making you so unhappy?" moaned Mrs. Dawes, stroking the beautiful hair.
At last Mary looked up. Jörgen Thiis had gone; but she still kept silence. ”

“ After taking it down, Nanna ran up to the big stone on the ridge, to keep a look-out on both sides. Mary meant to go into the water with nothing on, that she might enjoy her bath thoroughly.
She swam out at once to the island. From there she could herself see the inlet on both sides and the roads. No one anywhere, no danger—therefore back again!
The sea caressed and upheld her; upon the arms that clove it the sun played; the land in front lay in the repleteness of a rich aftermath; sea-birds rocked on the waves, others screamed in the air [124] above Mary's head. ”

“ Jörgen was not in the least disturbed. He ate as much as ever, was as strict as ever in his capacity of leader, and continued, unmoved, to play the part of Mary's inventive, ever-ready squire.
The ship had its full complement of passengers, amongst them a number of foreigners; but Jörgen Thiis's merry party was the centre of attraction. Nature made such perpetual calls on the passengers' admiration that they were not in too close and constant contact with each other. ”

“ You see now, child, what we women are; we never learn."
"Oh, if only you and Father had not insisted on bringing this man into my life!" moaned Mary. [180] "My instinct warned me to keep him at a distance, but you deadened it." She added at once: "No, don't take it like that, Aunt Eva! I am not reproaching you and Father. Besides, there's no use in complaining now. There is only one thing to be done—to shut my eyes and take the plunge."
In this Mrs. Dawes entirely agreed with her. "Afterwards you will do as I did; when your reputation is saved, you will separate from him." ”

“ They found Uncle Klaus in his smoke-filled den, where they rather imagined than saw him. He himself was quite startled when Mary in all her glory appeared before him. He led them hurriedly into the large, stiff drawing-room. Even before they were seated, Jörgen said: "We have come, Uncle, to tell you—"
He got no farther, for Uncle Klaus saw in their radiant faces the news which they brought.
"My heartiest congratulations!" The tall man bowed, offering a hand to each. "Yes—every one says that you are the handsomest couple ever seen in this town. ”

“ The passengers on the small steamers which, on their way to and from the neighbouring town, [2] touch at the landing-place below the little chapel, never fail to remark on the beautifully sheltered, snug situation of Krogskogen.
The mountains rise high on the horizon, but here they have dwindled down. The families between two long wooded ridges which project into the sea—its buildings so close to the right-hand ridge that to the steamer-passengers it seems as if a man might easily jump from their roofs on to the steep hill-side. The west wind cannot find its way in here. ”

“ They had long had the rooms warm and hot food in readiness. Now they laid another cover, for Nanna had rushed in again to tell them that Miss Krog was not alone; she had heard a man speaking. The maids at once said to each other that Jörgen Thiis had come at last. "No," said Nanna; "it was not his voice; it was a strong man's!"
But the dog's joy at seeing Mary again was boundless. He barked, he yelped, he jumped right up to her face; there was no end to his demonstrations. When Frans Röy spoke to him, he went up to him at once, as to an old friend, but immediately returned to Mary. ”

“ As she did so she saw Jörgen. She drew herself up again at once.
"Is this your dog?" she asked, as if they had parted half an hour ago.
"Yes," answered he, taking off his hat respectfully.
Then she bent down again and patted the dog: "What a beauty you are! a real beauty! No—keep down!"
[183] "Keep down!" came in a more peremptory tone from Jörgen.
Mary straightened herself again. "Where shall we go?" she asked. "I have never been in Stockholm before."
"We may as well go straight on. If we take the turning yonder we shall come to John Ericson's monument." ”

“ He addressed her as: "My honoured and dear god-daughter, Miss Mary Krog." She had had no idea that she was his god-daughter; her father had never told her, probably did not know it himself.
Uncle Klaus wrote: "There are feelings which are too strong for words, especially for written words. I am no letter-writer; but I take the liberty of intimating to you in this manner, since I was unable to do it by word of mouth, that on the day when your father, my best friend, and Mrs. Dawes, your revered foster-mother, died, and you were left alone, I made you, my dear god-daughter, my heiress. ”