finally succeeded in securing a hold upon a projecting rock on the
very edge of the abyss.
Joel and Hulda, though they had not yet caught sight of him, heard his
cry.
"What is that?" exclaimed Joel, springing to his feet.
"A cry!" replied Hulda.
"Yes, a cry of distress."
"From what direction did it come?"
"Let us listen."
Both looked first to the right, and then to the left of the fall, but
they saw nothing, though they had certainly heard the words "Help!
help!" uttered during one of the intervals between each rebound of the
Rjukan.
The cry was repeated.
"Joel, some one who is in danger is calling for help," cried Hulda.
"We must go to his aid."
"Yes, sister; and he can not be far off. But in what direction? Where
is he? I see no one."
Hulda hastily climbed a little knoll behind the mossy rock upon which
she had been sitting.
"Joel!" she cried, suddenly.
"Do you see him?"
"There, there!"
As she spoke she pointed to the imprudent man whose body seemed to
be almost overhanging the abyss. If his foothold upon a tiny ledge of
rock failed him, or he was seized with dizziness, he was lost.
"We must save him!" said Hulda.
"Yes," replied Joel, "if we can keep our wits about us we shall
perhaps be able to reach him."
Joel gave a loud shout to attract the attention of the traveler,
who immediately turned his head toward the spot from which the sound
proceeded; then the worthy fellow devoted a few moments to deciding
how he could best rescue the stranger from his dangerous position.
"You are not afraid, are you, Hulda?" he asked.
"No, brother."
"You know the Maristien well, do you not?"
"I have crossed it several times."
"Then walk along the brow of the cliff, gradually getting as near the
traveler as you possibly can; then allow yourself to slide down
gently toward him, and take him by the hand, so as to prevent him
from falling any further; but do not let him try to lift himself up,
because if he should be seized with vertigo he would certainly drag
you down with him, and you would both be lost."
"And you, Joel?"
"While you are traversing the brow of the cliff I will creep along the
edge of it on the river-side. I shall reach him about as soon as you
do, and if you should slip I shall perhaps be able to prevent you both
from falling."
Then, taking advantage of another interval in the roaring of the
torrent, Joel shouted in stentorian tones:
"Don't move, sir. Wait; we will try to get to you!"
Hulda had already disappeared behind the trees that crowned the ledge,
in order to ascend the Maristien from the other side of the declivity,
and Joel soon caught a glimpse of the fast-receding form of the brave
girl at the turn in the path where the last trees grew.
He, in turn, at the peril of his life, had begun to creep slowly
along the shelving edge of the ledge that surrounds the Rjukan. What
wonderful coolness, what steadiness of foot and of hand were required
to thus advance in safety along the edge of an abyss whose borders
were drenched with the spray of the cataract!
In a parallel direction, but at least one hundred feet above his head,
Hulda was advancing obliquely in order to reach the traveler more
easily; but the position of the latter was such that she could not see
his face, that being turned toward the cataract.
Joel, on reaching a spot directly below the unfortunate man paused,
and after planting his foot firmly in a small crevice in the rock,
called out:
"Hallo, sir!"
The traveler turned his head.
"Don't move, sir; don't move an inch, but hold fast!"
"I'll do that, my friend, never fear," replied the stranger in a tone
that reassured Joel. "If I hadn't a good grip, I should have gone to
the bottom of the Rjukan a quarter of an hour ago."
"My sister is also coming to help you," continued Joel. "She will take
hold of your hand, but don't attempt to get upon your feet until I
reach you. Don't even move."
"No more than a rock," replied the traveler.
Hulda had already begun to descend the ledge, carefully selecting
the less slippery parts of the slope with the clear head of a true
daughter of the Telemark.
And she, too, now called out as Joel had done:
"Holdfast, sir."
"Yes; I am holding fast, and I assure you that I shall continue to do
so as long as I can."
"And above all don't be afraid!" added Hulda.
"I am not afraid."
"We'll save you yet!" cried Joel.
"I hope so, indeed; for by Saint Olaf I shall never succeed in getting
out of this scrape myself."
It was evident that the tourist had lost none of his presence of mind;
but his fall had probably disabled him, and all he could do now was to
keep himself upon the narrow shelf of rock that separated him from the
abyss.
Meanwhile Hulda continued her descent, and in a few minutes reached
the traveler; then, bracing her foot against a projecting point in the
rock, she caught hold of his hand.
The traveler involuntarily attempted to raise himself a little.
"Don't move, sir, don't move," cried Hulda. "You will be sure to drag
me down with you, for I am not strong enough to keep you from falling!
You must wait until my brother reaches us. When he gets between us and
the fall you can then try to get up."
"That is more easily said than done I fear."
"Are you so much hurt, sir? I hope you have broken no bones."
"No; but one leg is badly cut and scratched."
Joel was about twenty yards from them, the rounded shape of the brow
of the cliff having prevented him from joining them at once. He was
now obliged to climb this rounded surface. This was, of course, the
most difficult and also the most dangerous part of his task.
"Don't make the slightest movement, Hulda!" he cried. "If you should
both slip while I am not in a position to break your fall you would
both be killed."
"You need not fear that, Joel!" replied Hulda. "Think only of
yourself, and may God help you!"
Joel began to crawl slowly up the rock, dragging himself along on his
belly like a veritable reptile. Two or three times he narrowly
escaped sliding down into the abyss below, but finally he succeeded in
reaching the traveler's side.
The latter proved to be an elderly but still vigorous-looking
man, with a handsome face, animated with a very genial and kindly
expression.
"You have been guilty of a very imprudent act, sir," remarked Joel as
soon as he recovered his breath.
"Imprudent!" repeated the traveler. "Yes, and as absurd as it was
imprudent."
"You have not only risked your life, but--"
"Made you risk yours."
"Oh! that is my business," replied Joel, lightly. Then he added, in
an entirely different tone: "The thing to be done now is to regain the
brow of the cliff, but the most difficult part of the task is already
accomplished."
"The most difficult?"
"Yes, sir. That was to reach you. Now we have only to ascend a much
more gradual slope.
"Still, you had better not place much dependence upon me, my boy. I
have a leg that isn't of much use to me just now, nor will it be for
some time to come I fear."
"Try to raise yourself a little."
"I will gladly do so if you will assist me."
"Then take hold of my sister's arm. I will steady you and push you
from below."
"Very well, my friends, I will be guided entirely by you; as you have
been so kind as to come to my assistance, I can not do less than yield
you implicit obedience."
Joel's plan was carried out in the most cautious manner, and though
the ascent was not made without considerable difficulty and danger,
all three accomplished it more easily and quickly than they had
thought possible. Besides, the injury from which the traveler was
suffering was neither a sprain nor dislocation, but simply a very bad
abrasion of the skin; consequently, he could use his limbs to much
better purpose than he had supposed, and ten minutes later he found
himself safe on the other side of the Maristien.
Once there, he would have been glad to rest awhile under the pines
that border the upper -field- of the Rjukanfos, but Joel persuaded
him to make one more effort. This was to reach a hut hidden among the
trees, a short distance from the rock, on which the brother and sister
had seated themselves on first arriving at the fall. The traveler
yielded to their solicitations, and supported on one side by Hulda,
and on the other by Joel, he finally succeeded in reaching the door of
the humble dwelling.
"Let us go in, sir," said Hulda. "You must want to rest a moment."
"The moment will probably be prolonged to a quarter of an hour."
"Very well, sir; but afterward you must consent to accompany us to
Dal."
"To Dal? Why, that is the very place I was going to!"
"Can it be that you are the tourist who was expected from the north?"
asked Joel.
"Precisely."
"Had I foreseen what was going to happen, I should have gone to the
other side of the Rjukanfos to meet you."
"That would have been a good idea, my brave fellow. You would have
saved me from a foolhardy act unpardonable at my age."
"Or at any age," replied Hulda.
The three entered the hut which was occupied by a family of peasants,
a father and two daughters, who received their unexpected guests with
great cordiality.
Joel was able to satisfy himself that the traveler had sustained no
injury beyond a severe abrasion of the skin a little below the knee;
but though the wound would necessitate a week's rest, the limb was
neither broken nor dislocated.
Some excellent milk, an abundance of strawberries, and a little black
bread were offered and accepted. Joel gave incontestable proofs of an
excellent appetite, and though Hulda eat almost nothing, the traveler
proved a match for her brother.
"My exertions have given me a famous appetite," he remarked; "but I
must admit that my attempt to traverse the Maristien was an act of the
grossest folly. To play the part of the unfortunate Eystein when one
is old enough to be his father--and even his grandfather--is absurd in
the highest degree."
"So you know the legend?" said Hulda.
"Of course. My nurse used to sing me to sleep with it in the happy
days when I still had a nurse. Yes, I know the story, my brave girl,
so I am all the more to blame for my imprudence. Now, my friends, Dal
seems a long way off to a cripple like myself. How do you propose to
get me there?"
"Don't worry about that, sir," replied Joel. "Our kariol is waiting
for us at the end of the road, about three hundred yards from here."
"Hum! three hundred yards!"
"But downhill all the way," added Hulda.
"Oh, in that case, I shall do very well if you will kindly lend me an
arm."
"Why not two, as we have four at your disposal?" responded Joel.
"We will say two then. It won't cost me any more, will it?"
"It will cost you nothing."
"Except my thanks; and that reminds me that I have not yet thanked
you."
"For what, sir?" inquired Joel.
"Merely for saving my life at the risk of your own."
"Are you quite ready to start?" inquired Hulda, rising to escape any
further expression of gratitude.
"Certainly, certainly. I am more than willing to be guided by the
wishes of the other members of the party."
The traveler settled the modest charge made by the occupants of the
cottage; then, supported by Joel and Hulda, he began the descent of
the winding path leading to the river bank.
The descent was not effected without many exclamations of pain; but
these exclamations invariably terminated in a hearty laugh, and at
last they reached the saw-mill, where Joel immediately proceeded to
harness the horse into the kariol.
Five minutes later the traveler was installed in the vehicle, with
Hulda beside him.
"But I must have taken your seat," he remarked to Joel.
"A seat I relinquish to you with the utmost willingness."
"But perhaps by a little crowding we might make room for you?"
"No, no, I have my legs, sir--a guide's legs. They are as good as any
wheels."
Joel placed himself at the horse's head, and the little party started
for Dal. The return trip was a gay one, at least on the part of the
traveler, who already seemed to consider himself an old friend of
the Hansen family. Before they reached their destination they found
themselves calling their companion M. Silvius; and that gentleman
unceremoniously called them Hulda and Joel, as if their acquaintance
had been one of long standing.
About four o'clock the little belfry of Dal became visible through the
trees, and a few minutes afterward the horse stopped in front of
the inn. The traveler alighted from the kariol, though not without
considerable difficulty. Dame Hansen hastened to the door to receive
him, and though he did not ask for the best room in the house, it was
given to him all the same.
CHAPTER IX.
Sylvius Hogg was the name that the stranger inscribed upon the
inn register, that same evening, directly underneath the name of
Sandgoist, and there was as great a contrast between the two names
as between the men that bore them. Between them there was nothing
whatever in common, either mentally, morally, or physically. One was
generous to a fault, the other was miserly and parsimonious; one was
genial and kind-hearted, in the arid soul of the other every noble and
humane sentiment seemed to have withered and died.
Sylvius Hogg was nearly sixty years of age, though he did not appear
nearly so old. Tall, erect, and well built, healthy alike in mind and
in body, he pleased at first sight with his handsome genial face, upon
which he wore no beard, but around which clustered curling locks of
silvery hair; eyes which were as smiling as his lips, a broad forehead
that bore the impress of noble thoughts, and a full chest in which
the heart beat untrammeled. To all these charms were added an
inexhaustible fund of good humor, a refined and liberal nature, and a
generous and self-sacrificing disposition.
Sylvius Hogg, of Christiania--no further recommendation was needed.
That told the whole story. And he was not only known, appreciated,
loved and honored in the Norwegian capital, but throughout the entire
country, though the sentiments he inspired in the other half of the
Scandinavian kingdom, that is to say in Sweden, were of an entirely
different character.
This fact can easily be explained.
Sylvius Hogg was a professor of law at Christiania. In some lands to
be a barrister, civil engineer, physician, or merchant, entitles one
to a place on the upper rounds of the social ladder. It is different
in Norway, however. To be a professor there is to be at the top of the
ladder.
Though there are four distinct classes in Sweden, the nobility,
the clergy, the gentry, and the peasantry, there are but three
in Norway--the nobility being utterly wanting. No aristocracy is
acknowledged, not even that of the office-holder, for in this favored
country where privileged persons are unknown, the office-holder
is only the humble servant of the public. In fact, perfect social
equality prevails without any political distinctions whatever.
Sylvius Hogg being one of the most influential men in the country, the
reader will not be surprised to learn that he was also a member of the
Storthing; and in this august body, by the well-known probity of his
public and private life even more than by his mighty intellect, he
wielded a powerful influence even over the peasant deputies elected in
such large numbers in the rural districts.
Ever since the adoption of the Constitution of 1814, it may be
truly said that Norway is a republic with the King of Sweden for
its president; for Norway, ever jealous of her rights, has carefully
guarded her individuality. The Storthing will have nothing whatever to
do with the Swedish parliament; hence it is only natural that the most
prominent and patriotic members of the Storthing should be regarded
with distrust on the other side of the imaginary frontier that
separates Sweden from Norway.
This was the case with Sylvius Hogg. Being extremely independent in
character, and utterly devoid of ambition, he had repeatedly declined
a position in the Cabinet; and a stanch defender of all the rights
of his native land, he had constantly and unflinchingly opposed any
threatened encroachment on the part of Sweden.
Such is the moral and political gulf between the two countries that
the King of Sweden--then Oscar XV.--after being crowned at Stockholm,
was obliged to go through a similar ceremony at Drontheim, the ancient
capital of Norway. Such too is the suspicious reserve of Norwegian men
of business, that the Bank of Christiania is unwilling to accept the
notes of the Bank of Stockholm! Such too is the clearly defined line
of demarkation between the two nations that the Swedish flag floats
neither over the public buildings of Norway, nor from the masts of
Norwegian vessels. The one has its blue bunting, bearing a yellow
cross; the other a blue cross upon a crimson ground.
Sylvius Hogg was a thorough Norwegian in heart and in soul, and
stoutly defended her rights upon all occasions; so, when in 1854 the
Storthing was discussing the question of having neither a viceroy
nor even a governor at the head of the state, he was one of the most
enthusiastic champions of the measure.
Consequently, though he was by no means popular in the eastern part of
Scandinavia, he was adored in the western part of it, even in the most
remote hamlets. His name was a household word throughout Norway from
the dunes of Christiansand to the bleak rocks of the North Cape, and
so worthy was he of this universal respect that no breath of calumny
had ever sullied the reputation of either the deputy or the professor.
But though he was a Norwegian to the core he was a hot-blooded man,
with none of the traditional coldness and apathy of his compatriots;
but much more prompt and resolute in his thoughts and acts than most
Scandinavians, as was proved by the quickness of his movements, the
ardor of his words, and the vivacity of his gestures. Had he been born
in France, one would have unhesitatingly pronounced him a Southerner.
Sylvius Hogg's fortune had never exceeded a fair competence, for
he had not entered into politics for the purpose of making money.
Naturally unselfish, he never thought of himself, but continually of
others; nor was he tormented by a thirst for fame. To be a deputy was
enough for him; he craved no further advancement.
Just at this time Sylvius Hogg was taking advantage of a three months'
vacation to recuperate after a year of severe legislative toil. He
had left Christiania six weeks before, with the intention of traveling
through the country about Drontheim, the Hardanger, the Telemark, and
the districts of Kongsberg and Drammen. He had long been anxious
to visit these provinces of which he knew nothing; and his trip
was consequently one of improvement and of pleasure. He had already
explored a part of the region, and it was on his return from the
northern districts that the idea of visiting the famous falls of the
Rjukan--one of the wonders of the Telemark--first occurred to him. So,
after surveying the route of the new railroad--which as yet existed
only on paper--between the towns of Drontheim and Christiania, he sent
for a guide to conduct him to Dal. He was to meet this guide on the
left bank of the Maan; but lured on by the beauties of the Maristien,
he ventured upon the dangerous pass without waiting for his guide. An
unusual want of prudence in a man like him and one that nearly cost
him his life, for had it not been for the timely assistance rendered
by Joel and Hulda Hansen, the journey would have ended with the
traveler himself in the grim depths of the Rjukanfos.
CHAPTER X.
The people of Scandinavia are very intelligent, not only the
inhabitants of the cities, but of the most remote rural districts.
Their education goes far beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The peasant learns with avidity. His mental faculties are ever on the
alert. He takes a deep interest in the public welfare and no mean part
in all political and local affairs. More than half of the Storthing is
made up of members of this rank in life. Not unfrequently they attend
its sessions clad in the costume of their particular province; but
they are justly noted for their remarkable good sense, acute reasoning
powers, their clear though rather slow understanding, and above all,
for their incorruptibility.
Consequently it is not at all strange that the name of Sylvius Hogg
was a household word throughout Norway, and was uttered with respect
even in the wilds of the Telemark; so Dame Hansen on receiving such a
widely known and highly esteemed guest, thought it only proper to tell
him how highly honored she felt at having him under her roof, if only
for a few days.
"I don't know that I am doing you much honor, Dame Hansen," replied
Sylvius Hogg, "but I do know that it gives me great pleasure to be
here. I have heard my pupils talk of this hospitable inn for years.
Indeed, that is one reason I intended to stop here and rest for about
a week, but by Saint Olaf! I little expected to arrive here on one
leg!"
And the good man shook the hand of his hostess most cordially.
"Wouldn't you like my brother to fetch a doctor from Bamble?" inquired
Hulda.
"A doctor! my little Hulda! Why! do you want me to lose the use of
both my legs?"
"Oh, Mr. Sylvius!"
"A doctor! Why not send for my friend, the famous Doctor Bork, of
Christiania? All this ado about a mere scratch, what nonsense!"
"But even a mere scratch may become a very serious thing if not
properly attended to," remarked Joel.
"Well, Joel, will you tell me why you are so very anxious for this to
become serious?"
"Indeed, I am not, sir; God forbid!"
"Oh, well, He will preserve you and me, and all Dame Hansen's
household, especially if pretty little Hulda here will be kind enough
to give me some attention."
"Certainly, Mr. Sylvius."
"All right, my friends. I shall be as well as ever in four or five
days. How could a man help getting well in such a pretty room? Where
could one hope for better care than in this excellent inn? This
comfortable bed, with its mottoes, is worth a great deal more than
all the nauseous prescriptions of the faculty. And that quaint window
overlooking the valley of the Maan! And the stream's soft, musical
murmur that penetrates to the remotest corner of my cozy nest! And the
fragrant, healthful scent of the pines that fills the whole house! And
the air, this pure exhilarating mountain air! Ah! is not that the very
best of physicians? When one needs him one has only to open the window
and in he comes and makes you well without cutting off your rations."
He said all this so gayly that it seemed as if a ray of sunshine had
entered the house with him. At least, this was the impression of the
brother and sister, who stood listening to him, hand in hand.
All this occurred in a chamber on the first floor, to which the
professor had been conducted immediately upon his arrival; and now,
half reclining in a large arm-chair, with his injured limb resting
upon a stool, he gratefully accepted the kindly attentions of Joel
and Hulda. A careful bathing of the wound with cold water was the only
remedy he would use, and in fact no other was needed.
"Thanks, my friends, thanks!" he exclaimed, "this is far better than
drugs. And now do you know that but for your timely arrival upon the
scene of action, I should have become much too well acquainted with
the wonders of the Rjukanfos! I should have rolled down into the
abyss like a big stone, and have added another legend to those already
associated with the Maristien. And there was no excuse for me. My
betrothed was not waiting for me upon the opposite bank as in the case
of poor Eystein!"
"And what a terrible thing it would have been to Madame Hogg!"
exclaimed Hulda. "She would never have got over it."
"Madame Hogg!" repeated the professor. "Oh! Madame Hogg wouldn't have
shed a tear--"
"Oh, Mister Sylvius."
"No, I tell you, for the very good reason that there is no Madame
Hogg. Nor can I ever imagine what Madame Hogg would be like, stout or
thin, tall or short."
"She would, of course, be amiable, intelligent and good, being your
wife," replied Hulda, naïvely.
"Do you really think so, mademoiselle? Well, well, I believe you! I
believe you!"
"But on hearing of such a calamity, Mister Sylvius," remarked Joel,
"your relatives and many friends--"
"I have no relatives to speak of, but I have quite a number of
friends, not counting those I have just made in Dame Hansen's house,
and you have spared them the trouble of weeping for me. But tell me,
children, you can keep me here a few days, can you not?"
"As long as you please, Mister Sylvius," replied Hulda. "This room
belongs to you."
"You see, I intended to stop awhile at Dal as all tourists do, and
radiate from here all over the Telemark district; but now, whether I
shall radiate, or I shall not radiate, remains to be seen."
"Oh, you will be on your feet again before the end of the week, I
hope, Mister Sylvius," remarked Joel.
"So do I, my boy."
"And then I will escort you anywhere in the district that you care to
go."
"We'll see about that when Richard is himself again. I still have two
months leave before me, and even if I should be obliged to spend
the whole of it under Dame Hansen's roof I should have no cause
for complaint. Could I not explore that portion of the valley of
Vesfjorddal lying between the two lakes, make the ascent of Gousta,
and pay another visit to the Rjukanfos? for though I very narrowly
escaped falling head foremost into its depths I scarcely got a glimpse
of it, and am resolved to see it again."
"You shall do so, Mister Sylvius," replied Hulda.
"And we will visit it next time in company with good Dame Hansen
if she will be kind enough to go with us. And now I think of it, my
friends, I must drop a line to Kate, my old housekeeper, and Fink, my
faithful old servant in Christiania. They will be very uneasy if they
do not hear from me, and I shall get a terrible scolding. And now
I have a confession to make to you. The strawberries and milk were
delicious and extremely refreshing, but they scarcely satisfied my
hunger, and as I won't submit to being put upon short allowance may I
not ask if it is not nearly your dinner hour?"
"Oh! that makes no difference whatever, Mister Sylvius."
"On the contrary, it does make a great deal of difference. Do you
think that I am going to sit in solitary grandeur at the table, and in
my own room, all the time I stay at Dal? No, I want to take my meals
with you and your mother if Dame Hansen has no objections."
Of course Dame Hansen could but assent when she was apprised of the
professor's request, especially as it would be a great honor to her
and hers to have a member of the Storthing at her table.
"It is settled, then, that we are to eat together in the living room,"
remarked Sylvius Hogg.
"Yes, Mister Sylvius," replied Joel. "I shall only have to wheel you
out in your arm-chair when dinner is ready."
"Indeed, Mister Joel! Why don't you propose a kariol? No; with the aid
of a friendly arm, I shall be able to reach the table. I haven't had
my leg amputated yet, that I am aware of."
"As you please, Mister Sylvius," replied Hulda. "But don't be guilty
of any imprudence, I beg of you, or Joel will have to hurry off in
search of a doctor."
"More threats! Oh, well, I will be as prudent and docile as possible;
provided you do not put me on short allowance, you will find me the
most tractable of patient. Can it be that you are not hungry, my
friends?"
"Give us only a quarter of an hour," replied Hulda; "and we will set
before you a nice trout from the Maan, a grouse that Joel shot in the
Hardanger yesterday, and a bottle of French wine."
"Thank you, my dear child, thank you!"
Hulda left the room to superintend the dinner and set the table, while
Joel took the kariol back to Lengling's stable. Sylvius Hogg was left
alone, and his thoughts very naturally reverted to the honest family
whose guest and debtor he was. What could he do to repay Hulda and
Joel for the inestimable service they had rendered him?
He had not much time for reflection, however, for scarcely ten minutes
had elapsed before he was seated in the place of honor at the family
table. The dinner was excellent. It corresponded with the reputation
of the inn, and the professor ate very heartily.
The rest of the evening was spent in conversation in which Sylvius
Hogg took the leading part. As Dame Hanson found it well-nigh
impossible to overcome her habitual reserve, Joel and Hulda were
obliged to respond to their genial host's advances, and the sincere
liking the professor had taken to them from the very first naturally
increased.
When night came, he returned to his room with the assistance of Joel
and Hulda, gave and received a friendly good-night, and had scarcely
stretched himself out upon the big bed before he was sound asleep.
The next morning he woke with the sun, and began to review the
situation.
"I really don't know how I shall get out of the scrape," he said to
himself. "One can not allow one's self to be saved from death, nursed
and cured without any other return than a mere thank you. I am under
deep obligations to Hulda and Joel, that is undeniable; but the
services they have rendered me are not of a kind that can be repaid
with money. On the other hand, these worthy people appear to be
perfectly happy, and I can do nothing to add to their happiness!
Still, we shall probably have many talks together, and while we are
talking, perhaps--"
During the three or four days the professor was obliged to keep his
leg upon a stool he and the young Hansens had many pleasant chats
together, but unfortunately it was with some reserve on the brother's
and sister's part. Neither of them had much to say about their mother,
whose cold and preoccupied manner had not escaped Sylvius Hogg's
notice, and from a feeling of prudence they hesitated to reveal to
their guest the uneasiness excited by Ole Kamp's delay, for might they
not impair his good humor by telling him their troubles?
"And yet we perhaps make a great mistake in not confiding in Mister
Sylvius," Joel remarked to her sister, one day. "He is a very clever
man, and through his influential acquaintances he might perhaps be
able to find out whether the Naval Department is making any effort to
ascertain what has become of the 'Viking.'"
"You are right, Joel," replied Hulda. "I think we had better tell him
all; but let us wait until he has entirely recovered from his hurt."
"That will be very soon," rejoined Joel.
By the end of the week Sylvius Hogg was able to leave his room without
assistance, though he still limped a little; and he now began to spend
hours on the benches in front of the house, gazing at the snow-clad
summit of Gousta, while the Maan dashed merrily along at his feet.
People were continually passing over the road that led from Dal to the
Rjukanfos now. Most of them were tourists who stopped an hour or two
at Dame Hanson's inn either to breakfast or dine. There were also
students in plenty with knapsacks on their backs, and the little
Norwegian cockade in their caps.
Many of them knew the professor, so interminable greetings were
exchanged, and cordial salutations, which showed how much Sylvius Hogg
was loved by these young people.
"What, you here, Mister Sylvius?" they would exclaim.
"Yes, my friend."
"You, who are generally supposed to be in the remotest depths of the
Hardanger!"
"People are mistaken, then. It was in the remotest depths of the
Rjukanfos that I came very near staying."
"Very well, we shall tell everybody that you are in Dal."
"Yes, in Dal, with a game leg."
"Fortunately you are at Dame Hansen's inn, where you will have the
best of food and care."
"Could one imagine a more comfortable place?"
"Most assuredly not."
"Or better people?"
"There are none in the world," responded the young travelers merrily.
Then they would all drink to the health of Hulda and Joel, who were so
well known throughout the Telemark.
And then the professor would tell them all about his adventure,
frankly admitting his unpardonable imprudence, and telling how his
life had been saved, and how grateful he felt to his preservers.
"And I shall remain here until I have paid my debt," he would add. "My
course of lectures on legislation will not be resumed for a long time,
I fear, and you can enjoy an extended holiday."
"Good! good! Mister Sylvius," cried the light-hearted band. "Oh, you
can't fool us! It is pretty Hulda that keeps you here at Dal."
"A sweet girl she is, my friends, and as pretty as a picture, besides;
and by Saint Olaf! I'm only sixty."
"Here's to the health of Mister Sylvius!"
"And to yours, my dear boys. Roam about the country, gather wisdom,
and yet be merry. Life is all sunshine at your age. But keep away from
the Maristien. Joel and Hulda may not be on hand to rescue such of you
as are imprudent enough to venture there."
Then they would resume their journey, making the whole valley ring
with their joyful -God-aften-.
Once or twice Joel was obliged to act as guide to some tourists who
wished to make the ascent of Gousta. Sylvius Hogg was anxious to
accompany them. He declared that he was all right again. In fact, the
wound on his leg was nearly healed; but Hulda positively forbade him
to undertake a trip which would certainly prove too fatiguing for him,
and Hulda's word was law.
A wonderful mountain, though, is this Gousta, whose lofty summit
traversed by deep snow-covered ravines, rises out of a forest of pines
that form a thick green ruff about its snowy throat! And what a superb
view one enjoys from its summit. To the east lies the bailiwick of
Numedal; On the west, the Hardanger and its magnificent glaciers; down
at the base of the mountain, the winding valley of Vesfjorddal between
Lakes Tinn and Mjos, Dal, and its miniature houses, and the bright
waters of the Maan leaping and dancing merrily along through the
verdant meadows to the music of its own voice.
To make the ascent Joel was obliged to leave Dal at five o'clock in
the morning. He usually returned about six o'clock in the evening,
and Sylvius Hogg and Hulda always went to meet him. As soon as the
primitive ferry-boat landed the tourists and their guide a cordial
greeting ensued, and the three spent yet another pleasant evening
together. The professor still limped a little, but he did not
complain. Indeed, one might almost have fancied that he was in no
haste to be cured, or rather to leave Dame Hansen's hospitable roof.
The time certainly passed swiftly and pleasantly there. He had written
to Christiania that he should probably spend some time at Dal. The
story of his adventure at the Rjukanfos was known throughout the
country. The newspapers had got hold of it, and embellished the
account after their fashion, so a host of letters came to the inn, to
say nothing of pamphlets and newspapers. All these had to be read
and answered, and the names of Joel and Hulda which were necessarily
mentioned in the correspondence, soon became known throughout Norway.
Nevertheless, this sojourn at Dame Hansen's inn could not be prolonged
indefinitely, though Sylvius Hogg was still as much in doubt as ever,
in regard to the manner in which he should pay his debt of gratitude.
Of late, however, he had begun to suspect that this family was not
as happy as he had at first supposed. The impatience with which
the brother and sister awaited the arrival of the daily mail from
Christiania and Bergen, their disappointment and even chagrin on
finding no letters for them, all this was only too significant.
It was already the ninth of June, and still no news from the "Viking!"
The vessel was now more than a fortnight overdue, and not a single
line from Ole! No news to assuage Hulda's anxiety. The poor girl was
beginning to despair, and Sylvius Hogg saw that her eyes were red with
weeping when he met her in the morning.
"What can be the matter?" he said to himself, more than once. "They
seem to be concealing some misfortunes from me. Is it a family secret,
I wonder, with which a stranger can not be allowed to meddle? But do
they still regard me as a stranger? No. Still, they must think so; but
when I announce my departure they will perhaps understand that it is a
true friend who is about to leave them."
So that very day he remarked:
"My friends, the hour is fast approaching when, to my great regret, I
shall be obliged to bid you good-bye."
"So soon, Mister Sylvius, so soon?" exclaimed Joel, with a dismay he
could not conceal.
"The time has passed very quickly in your company, but it is now
seventeen days since I came to Dal."
"What! seventeen days!" repeated Hulda.
"Yes, my dear child, and the end of my vacation is approaching. I have
only a week at my disposal if I should extend my journey to Drammen
and Kongsberg. And though the Storthing is indebted to you for not
being obliged to elect another deputy in my place, the Storthing will
know no better how to compensate you than I do."
"Oh! Mister Sylvius," cried Hulda, placing her little hand upon his
lips to silence him.
"Oh, I understand, Hulda. That is a forbidden subject, at least here."
"Here and everywhere," replied the girl, gayly.
"So be it! I am not my own master, and I must obey. But you and Joel
must come and pay me a visit at Christiania."
"Pay you a visit?"
"Yes, pay me a visit; spend several weeks at my house in company with
your mother, of course."
"And if we should leave the inn who will attend to things in our
absence?" replied Joel.
"But your presence here is not necessary after the excursion season is
over, I imagine; so I have fully made up my mind to come for you late
in the autumn."
"It will be impossible, my dear Mister Sylvius, for us to accept--"
"On the contrary, it will be perfectly possible. Don't say no. I shall
not be content with such an answer. Besides, when I get you there
in the very best room in my house, in the care of my old Kate and
faithful Fink, you will be my own children, and then you can certainly
tell me what I can do for you."
"What you can do for us?" repeated Joel, with a glance at his sister.
"Brother!" exclaimed Hulda, as if divining his intention.
"Speak, my boy, speak!"
"Ah, well, Mister Sylvius, you can do us a great honor."
"How?"
"By consenting to be present at my sister Hulda's marriage, if it
would not inconvenience you too much."
"Hulda's marriage!" exclaimed Sylvius Hogg. "What! my little Hulda is
going to be married, and no one has said a word to me about it!"
"Oh, Mister Sylvius!" exclaimed the girl, her eyes filling with tears.
"And when is the marriage to take place?"
"As soon as it pleases God to bring her betrothed, Ole Kamp, back to
us," replied the girl.
CHAPTER XI.
Joel then proceeded to relate Ole Kamp's whole history. Sylvius Hogg,
deeply moved, listened to the recital with profound attention. He knew
all now. He even read Ole's letter announcing his speedy return. But
Ole had not returned, and there had been no tidings from the missing
one. What anxiety and anguish the whole Hansen family must have
suffered!
"And I thought myself an inmate of a happy home!" he said to himself.
Still, after a little reflection, it seemed to him that the brother
and sister were yielding to despair while there was still some room
for hope. By counting these May and June days over and over again
their imaginations had doubled the number, as it were.
The professor, therefore, concluded to give them his reasons for this
belief, not feigned, but really sensible and plausible reasons that
would also account for the delay of the "Viking."
Nevertheless his face had become very grave, for the poor girl's
evident grief touched him deeply.
"Listen to me, my children," said he. "Sit down here by me, and let us
talk the matter over calmly."
"Ah! what can you say to comfort us?" cried Hulda, whose heart was
full to overflowing.
"I shall tell you only what I really and truly think," replied the
professor. "I have been thinking over all that Joel just told me, and
it seems to me that you are more anxious and despondent than you have
any real cause to be. I would not arouse any false hopes, but we must
view matters as they really are."
"Alas! Mister Sylvius," replied Hulda, "my poor Ole has gone down with
the 'Viking,' and I shall never see him again!"
"Sister, sister!" exclaimed Joel, "be calm, I beseech you, and hear
what Mister Sylvius has to say."
"Yes, be calm, my children, and let us talk the matter over quietly.
It was between the fifteenth and twentieth of May that Ole expected to
return to Bergen, was it not?"
"Yes; and it is now the ninth of June."
"So the vessel is only twenty days overdue, if we reckon from the
latest date appointed for the return of the 'Viking.' That is enough
to excite anxiety, I admit; still, we must not expect the same
punctuality from a sailing-vessel as from a steamer."
"I have told Hulda that again and again, and I tell her so yet,"
interrupted Joel.
"And you are quite right, my boy. Besides, it is very possible
that the 'Viking' is an old vessel, and a slow sailer, like most
Newfoundland ships, especially when heavily laden. On the other hand,
we have had a great deal of bad weather during the past few weeks, and
very possibly the vessel did not sail at the date indicated in Ole's
letter. In that case a week's delay in sailing would be sufficient to
account for the non-arrival of the 'Viking' and for your failure to
receive a letter from your lover. What I say is the result of serious
reflection. Besides, how do you know but the instructions given to the
captain of the 'Viking' authorize him to take his cargo to some other
port, according to the state of the market?"
"In that case, Ole would have written," replied Hulda, who could not
even be cheered by this hope.
"What is there to prove that he did not write?" retorted the
professor. "If he did, it is not the 'Viking' that is behind time, but
the American mail. Suppose, for instance, that Ole's ship touched at
some port in the United States, that would explain why none of his
letters have yet reached Europe."
"The United States, Mister Sylvius!"
"That sometimes happens, and it is only necessary to miss one mail
to leave one's friends without news for a long time. There is, at all
events, one very easy thing for us to do; that is to make inquiries of
some of the Bergen shipowners. Are you acquainted with any of them?"
"Yes," replied Joel, "Messrs. Help Bros."
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