Pelle the Conqueror, Vol 3

ere the first to reach him a friendly helping hand when he stood in t

where the great capital with its towers and factory-chimneys showed out of the mist. Above the city floated its misty light, which reddened in the morning sun, and gave a splendor to the prospect. And the passage between the forts and the naval harbor was sufficiently magnificent to impress him. The crowd

n," and offered Pelle board and lodging for two kroner a day. It was good to find a countryman in all this bustle, and Pelle confidingly put himself in his hands. He was remarkably helpful; Pell

nd twenty kroner. It was a curious chance that Pelle had just that amount of money. He was not willing to be do

f he could not help him. "I can easily carry the box alone, to wherever you want it, but it will cost twenty- five ?re and ten ?re for the barrow. But if I jus

een turned out on the street and have nowhere where I can turn. I am qu

t's a cursed business. You've fallen into the hands of the farmer-catchers, my lad. So you m

parents say if you g

say nothing. Just come with me, and, after all, you c

Born

quite children. Come along with me, countryman!" The bo

ad robbed him; but none the less he went with the

, and the three waifs, who had formerly been shy and retiring, quickly attached themselves to Pelle. They found him in the street and treated him like an e

ind he shook himself free of his burdensome relations with Pipman. There was an end of his profit-sharing, and all the recriminations which were involved in it. Now he could enter into direct relations with the employers and look

money. From the master-shoemaker he obtained as a beginning some material for children's shoe

slippers which his daughter made for him, and in the mornings he smoked his long pipe at the house-door. He had old-fashioned views concerning handwork, and was delighted with Pelle, who could strain any piece of greased leather and was not afraid to strap a pair

ul and began to put by something with which to pay off his debt to Sort. Now h

k, before the quarter-to-six whistle sounded, Pelle already sat in his room hammering on his cobbler's last. About seven o'clock

erminating where it fell and continually produced fresh fruit. It was equivalent to an improvement in his circumstances to d

again. He had obtained certain tangible experience, and he wanted to know how far it would take him. While he

the Court shoemaker and yield him carriages and high living? Could not Pelle himself establish relations with his customers? And shake off Meyer as he had shaken off Pipman? Why, of course! It was said that the Court shoemaker paid taxes on a yearly inc

istance. A hardly earned instinct told him that it was only among poor people that this idea could be developed. This belief was his family inheritance, and he would retain it faithfully through all vicissitudes; as millions had done before him, always ready to cope with the unknown, until they reached the grave and resigned the inhe

d incomprehensible patience. In his world, capacity was often great enough, but resignation was

radise," or "The splendor of the Lord returns." He himself had questioningly given ear; but never until now had the

uickly and easily, a share in the good things of this world; presumptuou

nt surrender, but turned this way and that in bewildered consultation. The miracle was no longer to be accomplished of itself when the time was fulfilled. For an evil

way to and from their work now stood still and asked unreasonable questions as to the aim of it all. Even the simple ventured to cast doubts upon the established order of things. Things were no longer thus because they must be;

f their own accord. Prudent folks who had worked all their lives in one place could no longer put up with the conditions, and went at a word. Their hard-won endurance was banished from their minds, and those who had quietly borne the whole burden on their shoulders were now becoming restive; they were as unwilling an

ly to find their way to them; it was a matter of course that the time had come and the promised land was about to be opened to them. They went about in readiness to accomplish something-what, they did not know; they formed themselves into little groups; they conducted unfortunate strikes, quite at random. Others organized debatin

society people noted nothing but the insecurity of the position of the workers; people complained of their restlessness, a senseless restlessness which jeopardized revenue and aggravated foreign competition. A few thoughtful individuals saw the people as one great listening ear; new preachers were arising who wanted to lea

ecution of those above and below, until it at last possessed several thousand of members. It stood fast in the maelstrom and obstinately affirmed that its doctrines were those of the

ing really essential; for his practical nature called for something palpable whereupon his mind could get to work. Deep within his being was a mighty flux, like that of a river beneath its ice; and at times traces of it rose to

n," he once told Morten, when the baker's driver had thrown up his p

is ancestor great-grandfather was once made to ride on a w

like Morten's ambiguous manner of expres

nably?" he said. "I c

belief that the movement was caused by somebody else, has suddenly discovered that it's he that keeps the whole thing in motion? For that's what is going on. The poor man is not merely a slave who treads the wheel, and had a handful of meal shoved down his gullet now an

things. And I have enough understanding to realize that if you want to make a row you must absolutely have some

orten replied. "There's no need to give a prete

ule, such matters as were considered in his world of thought were fixed by the generations and referred principal

they did the whole work. He was also really a parasite, who had placed himself at the head of them all, and was sucking up their profits. But then Morten was right with his unabashed assertion that the working-

asites. It wouldn't do for every journeyman to sit down and botch away on his own account, like a

tal, and a place of business would be selected. The work would be distributed according to the various capacities of the men, and they would choose

y thought out his pla

ten, and he pulled out a book. "But it didn't work

yself," answered Pe

howed Pelle that his idea was described there-almost word for word-as

! He began to have confidence in his own ideas, and eagerly attended lectures and meetings. He had energy and courage, that he knew. He would try

e all those who were left behind gazed longingly after him-that was the worst of it! But now he perceived new paths, which for all those that were in need led on to fortune

til now always adhered to the ideas which had been handed down from generation to generation as established-and he often found it

picture for himself a future beside Hanne seemed impossible; for her only the moment existed. Her peculiar nature had a certain power over him-that was all. He often

cross to see her. There was no one on the

's voice sounded from the l

r; she took such care of her body, and knew how it should be done. The mirror stood before her, on the window- sill; from the little back room one could see, between the ro

"and behave as though I were looking out for her." But he remained sitting there. Against the wall was the double bed with its red-flowered counterpane, while the table stood by

talk to me, Pel

or. She was holding the end of her plait in her

I talk about?" he

rrified of poverty? Oh, how it does frighten me! It has always been like that ever since I was born,

ecome of us?

w all about. Everything is so familiar if one is poor-one knows every stitch of one's

n him again?"

ill happen-something splendid. Out there lies a great ship-I ca

. "That's a bark-bound for the coal qu

e's something in me singing, 'There lies the ship, and it has brought som

r came in, and be

ad enough of listening to your own crazy nonsense? All through your childhood you've sat there and made up stories and looked out for the

and he's my brother, too.

bosom is! And he's fit to cry inside of him because he mustn't lay his

ard. She threw a kerchief over h

r looked

nsen,' I used to say, 'you and no other are the girl's father.' But he used to beat us-he wouldn't believe me. He used to fly into a rage when he looked at the child, and he hated us both because she was so fine. So its no wonder that she had gone a bit queer in the head. You can believe she'

self to he fooled, and was wasting his youth upon a pat

diant, full of visions. "Will you tak

ully, and he threw all his