Absalom's Hair

, and at once left the town in the boat which was to take them to Hellebergene. They di

t pass between them. Neither mother nor son spoke to the men, nor did they talk to each ether. In thus keeping silence they entered into each other's feelings, for they were both awestruck. It came

both old and new. How would all that they were coming to loo

d once been crowned and darkly clad with luxuriant woods. Now they stood there denuded, shrunk, formless, spread over with a light green growth leaving some parts bare. The lowlands, as well as the hi

ple stood about near the gallery, looking embarrassed-or were they suspicious? The travellers went into Fru Kaas's old rooms, both up stairs and down. These were j

rees were gone

old rooms had been entirely renovated for him. In everything, both great and small, he recognised his mother's designs and taste. A vast amount of work, unknown to him, an endless interchange of letters a

ong the shore. The wide waters of the bay gleamed softly, and the gentle ripple

e came to disturb him. After having lived for many years in large towns, to find oneself alone in a Norwegian bay is like leaving a noisy market-place at midday and passing into a high vaulted church where no sound penetrates from without, and where only one's

to known. New sensations, impressions of beauty absolutely forgotten since childhood,

effects of light in colder tones, but paler and more delicate. Nowhere a broad plain, an endless expanse. No!

cord with his memories, his na

, he had not concerned himself whither, when he heard from behind the sound of oars which w

lands, and the open sea. Rafael, she was told, had already gone out in the boat. Yes! there he was, far out. She put up her glass at the moment that a

nd the boats glide past each other. Fru Kaas could distinguish the girl's s

e is laughing till his broad shoulders shake. What is it? What is it? Can any one have followed him from Munich? Fru Kaas could remain where she was no longer. She went indoors and put down the glass; she was overcome by anxiety, filled with helpless anger. It was some time before she could prevail on herself to go out and resume her walk. The girl had turned her boat. Now they are rowing in side by side, she as strongly as he. Whenever Fru Kaas looked at her son he was laughing and the girl's face was turned towards his. Now the

the moment she was nothing more than a

t she would row past the house; and thus it was that she had

ith the place." He saw a face whose regular lines, and large grey eyes, harmonised well with each other, a quiet wise face, across which all at once there flew a roguish look. He knew it again. It

es, which have a roguish look jus

, arresting the pr

, blushing crimson and

ft contra

. During breakfast she said, in a tone of indifference, that she was going to drive to the Dean's, to thank him for the supervision which he had given to the estate during all these years. He did

old man and thoroughly practical. His wife was of profounder nature. Both protested that the care of the

len

, that when she was not at school, she went with him everywhere; and, indeed, he was a wonderful old man. During these rambles she had learned all that he could teach her. He had an

she might see He

st gone out with R

s. She would not show surprise; but

she had to cross a brook, climb a wooded slope, force a way through a barrier of bristly young fir-trees which opposed her passage, or surmount a heap of clay at a quarry, of which there were a great many about there. Each difficulty was in turn overcome. The

ing the last rainy weather, and hung half suspended by its roots, obstructin

ing which she considers

ees, over them she went, and over the next ones as well, and then across the trunk to the farthest side, where there were no br

him. When he got up to her, everything swam before him; and although it was o

and her bosom rose and fell quickly; but there was no doubt that she could at

and look at th

our of her eyes, the richness of her voice, the grace of her movements, the glimpses of her soul, had allured him down there in the valley, beside the rushing river, and the feeling of loss of individuality had increased with the exertion and the excitement. No ball-room or play-ground, no gymnasium or riding-school can display the physical powers, and the spirit which underlies them, the unity of mind and body, as does the scaling of steep hills and rocky slopes. At

there before him, the island-studded sea, the open sea beyond, the wide swelling ocean, the desires and destinies of life all the world over. The sea lay steel-bright beneath t

vaguely before him. They lay outside there. It depended on

to the present. He felt how full and rich her contralto voice was, A moment ago he could have told her this,

death; down there it is a mere highway." He smiled. She continued: "The sea has this power, that whate

oked

ue," said she,

e least doubt i

e the subject. "You are

se

es

than that little fir-tree down there in the hollow? just look at its colour; that is a healthy fellow! and these sturdy saplings, and that little gem there!" The tones of Helene's voice betrayed the interest which she felt. "But how that one over there has grown." She scrambled across to it, and he after her. "Do you see? two branches already; and what branches!" They knelt down beside it. "

ten up here

very one of them, indeed. If I am long away from them they do not thrive, but when I am often with them they flourish." She was on her knees

a merry mouth-but Helene was tall and stately; her eyes were not lively, but met one

thoughtfully, each syllable distinct and musical. She was not the same girl who had led the way by ri

g her and listening to her. Did the aged woman, then at the close of her life, recognise anything of her own youth in the girl? Outwardly too they resembled each other. Helene was dark, as Fru Hejberg had been; was about the same height, with the same figure, but stronger; had

e one bring Helene to her, and drawing he

or he positively must see the "Buckthorn Swamp"; but when they got do

. I was only a child then, but I had my share in it. They gave me a bit of ground down by the river to plant Kohl Kabi in. I looked after it the whole summer. Later on I had a

her's rooms, it had seemed as though nothing could ever separate them-and the first thing in the morning he was off with some one else. This evening he knew that nothing could be done, but next morning he begged her earnestly to come with them, and they would show her what he had seen the day before; but she only shook her head and took up a book. Day after day he made a similar request, but al

self, and specially thanked Helene for her care of Hellebergene. Helene coloured without knowing why, but when Ra

unusual facility in explaining his meaning, and in Helene he found a listener such as he had rarely before met with. She was sufficiently acquainted with the laws of nature to understand a simple description. But all the same it was not his

d told her more about it he rose considerably in her estimation. It was SHE now who began to feel constrained. At first she did not understand why she felt obli

y affronted that his mother had chosen to confound his former gallantries with his present attachment. He quite forgot that at first he had merely sought to amuse himsel

attempts to obtain meetings with Helene failed. He had never been so infatuated. He seemed to see her

the next day? What could be more natural?

er and the country. He still had some money left, the proceeds of the patent, and he could easily make more. How irksome it b

s they would have had to come out in the boat to see it he had let the remark pass. Now he decided to land there. The shore rose steeply from the water, but he scrambled up. He had expected to find limestone, but he could hardly believe his own eyes: it was cement stone! Absolutely, undoubtedly, cement stone! How far did

to the landing-place before the house. If the cement stone contained the right proportion

s face bathed in perspiration, he rushed up to h

mething for

looked up and turne

tone?" she asked, as

?" he exclaimed, in th

across to the window, came back again, pressing

id bef

ing in as you did just now-not so quickly, not so quickly, he was weak in the legs, but otherwise just like you." She let her eyes r

noticed

he bed of cemen

asked him how he dared? He could hardly speak." She paused for

d he say

ned to leav

d that I had brought

as it not

im quickly.

ood me. I meant, why did it com

were too many hooks about him for h

oo

tism, passion, which ca

he propo

as to be everything! For this reason the timber was to be cut down and sold; and when we

struggle again; and he understood that he must not question her further. She made a ge

brought you no good,"

that it would bring him no good now. Sh

ews to the parsonage, he thought to himself, Here is

ld not give him both herself and her fortune, so

all. Yes, and mother

could have been raised on the property, the value of the cement-bed being taken into consideration. He

e he carried ev

se she felt attracted by his ability and enthusiasm. Helene? Helene was silent and frightened. He turned toward

with him," sa

rds the bow; but, without a word, she passed him, sat down, a

foamed under her oars, there was a secret struggle, a tacit fear, which was heard

sible. He was now turned so as to face her, and he explained it all to her. She kept her eyes fixed on the cliff, and only glanced at him, or did not look at him all. They turned the boat again, in order to land a

his assistance; then they climbed upwards, he leading the way, expla

little now. It would be many years before the trees yielded any return. But here was promise of immediate prosperity and future wealth if,

face and figure showed his state of tension. She felt almost giddy: should she re

d on his return. That would be simply to turn all that was most cherished, most unselfish in her life, against herself. Something in him frightened her, something which, perhaps, he himself

to Hellebergene, to the parsonage, and the river flowing into the inner bay, than he turned away from it all

pproaching her; he wished

id not pause till she had got down to the boat, which she was about to push off, but bethought

from above, "why do

f which a powerful nature is capable sounded in her words. She in the boat, he on the shore; they eyed one a

; but before doin

I wanted to say to you."

got out her oars; her t

gain more slowly

ake. There was a sense of expectation over all. The scent of the young fir-trees and the heather was wafted out to them; farther in lay the flowery meadows of Hellebergene. At a great distance

nd smiled, and she smiled back at him. He felt in the seventh heaven of delight, but it must not be spoken. But the oars seemed to re

birds no longer breed on t

the birds have not been protect

n: we must manage to bring t

she a

ps she should not have said that, sh

thought, she looked towards the land

you do with the

o the trap. He turned ro

stream met the boat. Rafael looked up to where they had walked together the first day. H

onage, and he spoke once or twice, but she had lear

bye in passing, "Helene!" But she did not stay. "Helen

em the barrow which is still to be seen near the parsonage-yes, ever since the elk of the primaeval forest, with mighty antlers, swam away from the doe which he had won in combat, to the other which he heard on the opposite shor

pace. She had seen them row slowly back, and she understood

up and dow

mething very different before him. The cement stone would not run away from him, or the girl either, if there were anythin

under the bow of his boat. Now he has landed; now he drags the boat

e burst in through the door and began to speak, she cried out: "Taisez-vous! des egards, s'il vous plait." She stretched ou

arms down, embraced and kissed her, first on the forehead, then on the

ite besid

afael, donc!-Que-" And she threw herself o

sake me, Rafael,"

No one can unite the t

o Christiania, and find an expert to examine the cement-bed and learn what further should be done. Her cousin, the Government Secretary, would be able to advise them, and some of her other relations as well. Most of them were engineers and men of business. He was reluctant to leave Hellebergene just now, he said,

se she was uneasy, and wished to conceal the fact by an appearance of liveliness; on the Dean's part because he really was in high spirits at the discovery which promise

e obtained a half-promise from her that when he wrote she would answer; but he was careful not to say that he h

waved his hat as long a

ed, first by all, but

over to the parsonage again and knocking at the window of Helene's room. He actually went down to the boathouse and got out the boat. But perhaps it would frighten her, and possibly injure his own cause. So he rowed out and out to the farthest islands, and there he frightened the birds. At his approach they rose: first a few, then many, t