Ovind: A Story Of Country Life In Norway Part 16

Darkness falleth fast, Daylight soon is past, Who's to guide me home I wonder!

Garry, garry, giss, Sang I of a kiss?

Nay, my love, that ne'er can be,-- Do you say you doubt it?

Think no more about it, I shall slip away you see.

Oh, goodnight, goodnight, Dreamland seems so bright, Whispering of your blue eyes true,-- Of the little silent word, Once, you know, I overheard, Oh, it was so rash of you!

See, I shut the door, Do you want me more?

Echoes falling on mine ear, Ticing and laughing free, Do you want more with me?

The night is so mild and clear.

CHAP. XII.

THE OLD MAN GETS HIS OWN WAY.

A few years have pa.s.sed since the last scene. It is in the Autumn; the schoolmaster is coming towards Heidegaard; he opens the outside door, finds n.o.body at home, goes further in, still n.o.body there, till he comes to the innermost room;--there sits Ole Nordistuen in front of his bed, gazing at his hands.

The schoolmaster salutes him, and is welcomed; takes a stool, and seats himself in front of Ole.

"You have sent for me."

"Yes, I have."

The schoolmaster looks round, takes a book that is lying on the sofa and opens it.

"What was it you wanted with me?"

"I am just thinking it over."

The schoolmaster takes his time, brings out his spectacles to read the t.i.tle of the book, dries them, and puts them on.

"You are getting old now, Ole."

"Yes, it was just about that I wanted to see you; things go wrong, and I shall soon be gone."

"Then you should see that you are ready to go, Ole;" he shuts the book, and sits looking at the binding.

"It's a good book you have in your hand, there."

"Yes, that's true;--have you often got beyond the fly leaf, Ole?"

"Lately, yes--"

The schoolmaster lays the book aside, and puts his spectacles by.

"Things are not just as you would wish them now, Ole."

"Nor have they been as far back as I can remember."

"Well it was the same with me for a long time. I was not on good terms with a friend of mine, I wanted him to come to me, and I was miserable; at last I bethought me I would go to him, and since then I have been happy."

Ole looks up, but is silent.

The schoolmaster: "How do you think the farm is doing, Ole?"

"It is going backwards like myself."

"Who will take it when you are gone?"

"It is just this I don't know, and it troubles me."

"Your neighbours are doing well, Ole."

"Yes, they have the Agriculturist to help them."

The schoolmaster turns towards the window, saying somewhat carelessly, "You should have help too Ole, you can't walk much, and you know very little of the new method."

"Oh, there's no one who would help me!"

"Have you asked anyone?"

But Ole makes no reply.

The schoolmaster: "It was long thus between myself and G.o.d. 'Thou art not good to me,' I said to Him. 'Hast thou asked me to be so?' He replied. No, I had not, then I prayed, and all things went on well."

Ole is still silent, and now the schoolmaster is silent too.

At last Ole says, "I have a grandchild she knows what it would please me to see before I am borne away, but she does not do it."

The schoolmaster smiles: "Perhaps it would not please her? There are many things that trouble you, but so far as I can see, all the difficulties centre at last on the farm."

Ole replies feelingly: "Yes, it has pa.s.sed from one generation to another, and the soil is good. All that father after father has got together, has been laid out there, and now things don't grow. Neither do I know, when I am taken away, who shall come in my stead. He cannot be of our kindred."

"But there is your granddaughter.--"

"But he who takes her, how will he manage the farm? This I long to know before I die. There is haste Baard, both for me and the farm."

After a pause, the schoolmaster said, "Shall we go out a little and look at the farm, this fine day?"

"Yes, let us go, I have labourers up there; they gather the leaves, but they don't work except they see me."

He hobbled for his great cap and stick, saying as he went, "They don't like working for me, I don't know how it is."

On coming out and turning the corner, he exclaimed, "Here you see, no order; the wood scattered all over, the axe not stuck in the log." He bent over with difficulty, took it up and slashed it in.