Invisible Links

rden crowded one another on narrow terraces up the slope, and when they could go no further in that direction, they leaped with their bushes and trees across

d bushes, and now and again a house. The only sound to be heard was the rolling of balls

rse voices thundered against the walls of the town-hall and the church was thrown back from the m

rs! How terrified they were! One could almost see the

, who six years before had run away, accused of theft. Those who were with him wer

e had been getting on well. He had found one

ska tunes seethed and roared in his ears. And one of them was more persisten

s time h

s time h

ristmas time

not true

not true

s after Chris

re, blended with every drop of blood, soaked into his brain and marrow. It is so; that is the meaning. Between Christmas and Easter, between the festivals of birth and death, comes life's fasting. One

d at having cheated life out

ch twigs with small feathers tied on the ends, are sold everywhere on the streets. The origin of this custom is unknown.] in her hand. And he heard how she hissed at him: "You have wish

ing quarter the Spirit of Fasting had her dwelling. Petter Nord found work in a machine shop. He grew strong and energetic. He became serious and thrifty. He had fine S

soon learned silent ways. He no longer invented anything new, for since he had to look after springs and wheels in earnest, he no longer found them amusing. He never fell in love, for he could not be interested in the women of the working quarter, a

but he was so used to it that he did not notice it. Petter Nord was proud of himself because he had become so vi

to the village on a work-day, accompanied by th

men held together like brothers, principally because they were all three named Petter. That name united them much more than if they bad been born brothers. And now they allowed the boy on account of that name to do them friendly services, and when they had got their grog ready and settled

years they brought Petter Nord information that Halfvorson had put the fifty crowns out for him to disqua

d equipped with the wisdom of this world. He wo

"Go back and punish Halfvorson, then you will be arrested, and there will be a trial, and the

revenge is a costly pleasure, and Petter Nord knew t

hat they were going in his place to beat Halfvorson,

ll three of them if they went on

was little and shor

ade a speech t

Petter Nord, and the apple must hang near the fire to be sweet and tender; but if the string breaks and the apple falls into

be a steel wire,"

f there is no justice on earth, everything falls into the fire. Therefore

me I will offer any

quite unmoved

ed," said Long-Petter,

norable name of Petter shall not be brought to disrepute," said

ighly esteemed!" said Pet

rywhere in all the saloons that you must have meant to steal th

Nord started up and said that he

with you and help y

rept into him. And as he became more at home in the old Petter Nord he felt what a grievous wrong the shopkeeper had done him. Not only because he had tried to tempt him and ruin him, but, worst of all, because he had driven him away from that town, where Petter Nord could have remained Petter Nord

son, and instead of, as before, followi

se, hardly knew how to begin. There was nothing for an angry man to do here. There was not a dog to

ushes, and the air is full of the fragrance of the apple-blossoms. These men who had come direct from paved streets and wharves to this realm of flowers were strangely

cherry-trees which formed vaulted arches with their white tops. The arch was light an

ople planted cherry trees, where any one could take the cherries. The three Petters had considered it before as

fiercely, for he felt that this was the town where he ought to have lived and labored. It was hi

it, their scorn and their good humor increased. It was perhaps the first time in their lives that they had ever noticed flowers, but here

do you suppose live

tter, m

d received his name because he had once

oung, pretty faces, and they saw children playing on the terraces. But no noise disturbed the silence. It seemed to them as i

pman in a terrible voice. They asked if the fire-brigade had their engines in order, and

away. One, two, three, all the bottles at the same corner,

aughter, much laughter, and, moreover, a rattling as if of metal. They wer

All the maids of the town were going

n, these citizens of the world. The maids of th

d out of their door

eamed and ran. Their skirts fluttered; their head clot

, was heard a deafening sound of gates and d

old woman by a table with candies and cakes. She did not move; she

f wood," said

y," said Ru

he old woman they began to reel. They staggered ag

of clay," they said

em, but now, at last, they were directly in front of

nd pointed at the shop. "I wish to go in alone and

ead, Petter Nord! W

Halfvorson. He heard that the latter had gone away. He had quite a talk

world, and now he was not at all dangerous. He was not inhuman to his debtors, and had ceased to spy on his shop-boys. The last few years he had devoted himself to gardening.

e the man was good. He had remained in paradis

he had been ill for a while. Her lungs were weak

to all this, and more too, the t

so that Edith might lie there in the beautiful, warm spring days. Sh

office, of the dim little shop, of money-getting. When she was seventeen years old, she had the incentive of winning friends and acquaintances. Then she undertook to

e, with womanly goodness and womanly daring, before she had reached the point with her uncle when she was sure that there was no longer danger of any Petter Nord affairs

oud voice that he alone wished to settle with Halvorson.

troubles. Edith rose with trembling limbs, and just then three dreadful creatures came around the cor

way, for he was ashamed of his passion for gardening. Edith was terribly frightened at the three men as well as at the one who had gone into the shop. She was sure th

They could not resist pretending that they wished to catch her. One of t

was going to die. Yes, if one of those men laid his hand on her, she knew that she should die. When she had reached the highest terrace, and dared to look back, she found that the men were still in the street, a

g. She was then half dead. For the moment she was brought ba

rom the town. They fared badly enough as it was. For after Petter Nord had come out to them again, and had told them that Halfvorson was not at home

re they had bought the beer, and about all their boisterous behavior. The women exaggerated and magnified everything, for they had sat at home and frightened one another the whole afternoon. Their hu

ut on their doorsteps and frightened one a

em all four. They had made a ring round them while they slept

conquerors. They struck for the pleasure of striking. When one of the prisoners clenched his fist at them, he received a blow on

of his victorious enemy. But he is proud and beautiful still in adversity. And looks follow him as well as

e, as he walked. He roared without knowing it. Boys caught hold of him, and he dragged them long distances. Once he stopped and flung off the crowd in the street. Just as he was about to escap

s game of whist in the garden of the inn. "Yes," he sai

hed in peace and order. The villagers' cheeks flushed; some of them threw down their cudgels; others put them on their shoulders li

moke is as thick as a cloud, and the great men of the town mix their midnight toddy, more is heard of the deed, magnified. They grow bigger in their rocking-chairs; th

elf to the stirring of the old Viking blood. He could not sleep for thinking o

leep with closed eyelids. The steep hill behind was black, as if in mourning. But in the midst of all the sleep there was one thing awake-the fragrance of the flowers did not slee

village of flowers, where it was not house by house, but garden by garden. He saw the cherry trees that raised their white arches over the steep wood

the affairs of the town. But that night be asked himself if he had done right. "I had the town in my hand," he thought, "

violent struggle. Their slender bodies were bent backwards, until they lay even with the edge of the boat. Their soft arm-muscles tightened. The oars bent like bows. The noise of laughter and cries filled the air. Again and again the current conquered. The boat was driven back. And

eautiful clear eyes and red lips. Then he straightened himself proudly up. The little town was not without all glory. Other

forts. He need not fear for the future of the town. Such

stice of the peace, and talked with him. And the two were of one mind. Th

r the little town is l

auty, and it lacks