Pelle the Conqueror, Vol. 2

t of consolation to see familiar faces, but in other respects he did not gain much by his visits; Due was pleasant enough, but Anna thought o

people's horses," Anna would say, "but you must crawl befo

belly and a few rags on their back. You are respected about as much as the dirt you walk on,

and the nearest neighbor, and here he could hear, through the flimsy walls, whether his neighbors were kissing

e was plenty of in the country. Here in the town too the children can get on better; in the country poor children can't learn a

le bitterly, "for here only those w

come into town with his naked rump sticking out of his trousers, and now he's looked up to! If a man's only got the will and the ener

ie as well?"

ted to learn anything. Be

th an authoritative manner; Due simply sat by and smiled and kept his temper. But in his inmost heart, according to report, he knew well enough what he wanted. He never went to the public-house, but came straight home after w

She gazed at one like a poor housewife who is always fretted and distressed, and Pelle was sorry for her. If her mother was harsh to her, he always remembered that Christmastide evening when he first

oint of knocking, he heard Anna storming about indoors; suddenly the door flew ope

then?" asked Pelle,

re one has to slave and reckon and contrive-and for a bad girl like that! Now she's punishing herself and won't eat. Is it anything to

p that!" said

wives tell me to my face she hasn't her father's eyes, and they look at me as friendly as a lot of cats! Am I to be punished all my life, perhaps, because I looked a bit higher, and let mys

espectable, and then no one will treat me as being as good as themselve

e Marie, I shall tell Uncle

ly. "Then you can tel

he'd come and take h

ould

n holding her by the hand, and gave his wife a warning look, but said nothing. "There, there-now all that's forgotten,"

ate his supper of bacon and black bread, stood the child between his knees and stared at her with round

ame a ri

hoss, hoss,

the bread ride up to

e gate!" said the child, an

ad to see. But sometimes it happened that the rider rode right up to her mouth, and then, with a jerk, tu

d Anna, who was bringing coffee in honor of the visitor.

, all the sam

kes after her father, I can tell you! And what's more, if she isn'

u quite well again now?" h

to-day?" asked Anna, filli

yonder right across the whole of the m

to me, ri

o an old coffeepot. "This evening you must t

I've been on the go since half-p

aithfully, so there's n

u'd see to the diggin

got the moonlight, an

me one else will-and

d not

ther people's daily bread together," she said, laying her hand on his shoulder, "Won't you go right a

could hardly see out of his eyes, so sleepy was he. Marie handed him h

wn to the sea. It was an old watercourse, and even now when there was a viole

ver they met any one they stood still and related with much detail precisely why they had taken the field. The "Great Power" was at his tricks again. He had been refractory all day, and the provost had given the order to keep an eye on him. And quite rightly, for in his cups he had met Ship- owner Monsen, on Church Hill, and had fallen upon him with blows and words of abuse: "So you take the widow's bread out of her mouth, do you? You told her the Three Sisters was damaged at sea, and you took over her

to do with m

of the men derisively; "you might get to know the feel

g. "That's why they've got a nice drop stowed away- under their belts. To give th

t get him at all!"

work and leave his fool's tricks alone? He could have a good drink and sleep it off at home

y greeted him in return he'd be quite proud, and tell it to his wife as quite an event, as they were going to bed. "The clerk raised his hat to me to-d

lifted objects which were much too heavy for him; he would by no means have objected to be like the "Great Power," who, as a single individual, kept the whole town in a state of breathless excitement, whether he was in one of his raging moods or whether he lay like one dead. The tho

all lips, and avoided looking people in the eyes, but in M

y the great clay-pit, where the refuse of the town was cast away. Their mother was busy warming the supper in

at was father," said

f you hear

d seen him here, another there. "People are only

urpose," the mother continued. "Formerly he used to take care to lo

t about with hanging head, not knowing what he ought to do; Morten put his arm behind the weary back and spoke

e nothing; he just slept and slept; at last I believed he had become weak-minded, and I was glad for him, for he had peace from those terrible ideas. I believed he had quieted down after al

from one to another; she was like a crafty bird of prey sittin

wouldn't sweeten my husband's sleep if he had behaved so scandalously to his wife and family; he could go to bed and get up again hungry, and

poor head wanted to lie soft? Grandmother ought to know how much he needs

ellow to smash if he has a mind to! But now you go to bed and lie down; I'll wait up for Pet

the mother of the boys mildly. "You always take my part, although there's no need. But now you go to bed! It's far p

itting. The boys remembered that they had brought something with

d the mother reproachfully, and put the water to boil

n to waste it on," sai

id Morten. He had taken off the old woman's g

him just to reach an inch higher. And there ought to be plenty in the house-but there's poverty and filth in every corner. I should think the dear God will soon have had enough of it all! Not an hour goes by but I curse the day when I let myself be wheedled away from the country; there a poor man's daily bread grows in the field, if he'll take it as it comes. But here he must go with a shilling in his fist, if it's only that he wan

talk like that," said

bout dying! How can I go and lay me down-who would take a

; I can manage Peter best if I'm alone with him

" whispered the mother. "You are

ticed her away; he had to promise to go with

forget what he's doing when he's like he is now; and she doesn't think of giving in to him, so it's flint against flint.

whether father com

rong-so that I feel as giddy as a young girl. 'Ho, heigh, wench, here's the "Great Power"!' he says, and he laughs as loud as he used to in his rowdy young days. Yes, when he's got just enough in him he gets as strong and joll

ident, and her little body seemed coarsened and worn with work. There was not a spot about her that shed or reflected a single ray of light; she was like some subterranean creature that has

r says nothing, it can't be anything dangerous. Yes, you did really leave home too early, my child; but, after all, you get good food and you learn to be smart. And capable, that she is; she lo

pple himself by dragging children about, who were perhaps stronger than himself-n

other, "and their mother, who's the nearest to them, she

let the brat fall,"

limmered in them. But her face retained its frozen indifference, and it was imp

eady; she's got an obstinate nature. And now you must go to bed, Karen"-she caressed her once more

hange of expression; silently she went up to the garret

n up too soon. And I have to manage so that father doesn't see her when he's merry. He goes on like a wild beast against himself and everybody else when it comes

and run," said the mother, and buttoned up their coats. The October gale was beating i

ded outside, like the breathing of a gigantic beast, sniffing up and down at the crack of the door, and fumbling after the latch with its dripping paws. Jens wanted to run and open the door. "No, you mustn't do that!" cried his mother despairingly, and she pushed the bolt

to the door, listenin

?" she murmured; "he

The boys had for the

rply, and snarled warningly. The woman shrank back as though she herself were about to drop on all fours and answered him. "No, no!" she cried, and considered a moment. Then the door was burst in with one tremendous blow, and Master Bruin rolled over the threshold and leaped toward them in clumsy jumps, his h

n a stumbling, ghostly

not help smiling; he was ramping a

d y

l the world!" But now her

man to rest to-night?"

east-oh, you beast!" she cried, red wit

n, in a flash, he caught sight of the boys, who had shrunk into a corner. "There you are!" he sa

of doors, and now stood

rom it! I say every day. No, let be, I say then-you must keep a hold on yourself, or she just goes about crying! And she's never been anything but good to you! But deuce take it, if it would only come out! And then one goes to bed and says, Praise God, the day is done-and another day, and another. And they stand there and stare-and wait

!" sai

's got a heart, but he's incapable. What can you really do, Jens? Do you get fine clothes from your master, and does he treat you like a son, and wi

w, either, if his master has

re we've got an answer. You don't reflect. Morten,

ve hit me on the head,

and I smack you on the behind? You don't need any understanding there? But it has helped-you've grown much smarter. That was no fool's answer you gave me just now: 'Then you shouldn't have hit me

ys. Life has been hard on us, and she couldn't stand hardships, poor thing! For example, if I were to say now that I'd like to smash the stove"-and here he seized a heavy chair and waved it about in the air-"then she begins to cry. She cries about everything. But if I get on I sh

im. "Ah, don't go out, Peter

n?" he asked sulkily, shrugging his shoulders. He was

ok at me-don't you see how glad I am? Stay with me, do, 'Great Power!'" She breathed warmly into his ear;

the empty air, and was overflowing with good humor. Then he slyly approached his mouth to her ear, and as she listened he trumpeted loudly, so that she started ba

ere's nothing to be done; I've never seen him so drunk. Yes, you look at me, but you must remember that he carries his drink differently to every one else-he is quite by himself in e