Garman and Worse

made some acquaintance with the family by previous short visits to Sandsgaard, and the same impression of coldness which she had hitherto received from her relations still

rst few weeks she fretted herself quite out of health. For a reason she could

endly terms, and the two cousins had but little in common. Although Rachel was only a few years the elder, she was greatly superior to her cousin in knowledge and experience. Whilst Madeleine was bright and

Garman never lost his self-command, but on this occasion he was on the very point of doing so. The dispute was short, it is true, and soon ended, like every other conflic

eleine had nothing in her except perhaps some undefined longings, but at the same time no real desire for work, she let her

ot been originally consulted as to her visit; and even the good-natured Miss Cordsen fr

till pretty, but the first look told that her face had once been still prettier, and there was something stunted and

oneliness, to show herself kindly and almost affectionately disposed towards the timid girl. One evening when she had gone, Madeleine asked Miss Cordsen who she was, and the old lady, after scrutinizing her sharply, answered, "that Marianne was a granddaughter of old Anders Begmand, and that some ye

did not ask any more questions on the su

ls; a secret of the Garman family was hid in the sempstress's histor

thought was, how handsome he looked when he came home from abroad, before there was any talk about his marriage with the magistrate's daughter! how long he had prayed and tormented her, and how long she had striven against him; and then came the dreadful day, when she had been called into the Consul's private office. She never could imagine how any one had found it out; the only one who could know anything was Miss Cordsen: but still less could she now understand how she had allowed herself to be talked over, and compelled to agree to what had since been arranged. There must be truth in what people said, that it was impossible to resist the young Consul, and s

, but after a time he also seemed to have forgotten, and now he greeted her

thick wall of indifference, against which her

dividing the shavings and putting them into sacks. She found her grandfather, wh

of each cottage, and then on to the next. Seaweed and half-decayed fish refuse lay on the shore, while at the back of the houses were heaps of kitchen refuse, and other abominations. The path itself consisted

y went to sea in one of the vessels belonging to the firm, and the brightest of the girls were taken into service, either at the house or at the farm. Otherwise the cottagers were left pretty much to th

tin, he did not require much room. Before, when his wife was alive, and they had three grown-up sons at home, one of whom was mar

imes, for the angrier he got the more he stammered, and the more he stammered the more his anger increased. There was only one way out of it, and that was by singing; and so whenever anything of more than usual importance refused to come out, he was obliged to sing his intelligence, which he did to a merry little air he always used on these occasions. It was said that he had to sing when he proposed to his wife, but whether there was any truth in the statement is not quite clear. It was certain, however, that he did not often have to sing, and woe to any one who dared to say, "Sing, Anders." This was, of course, when he was young; he was now so broken down that any

a light already shone in the cottage

e, drinking ag

ey are," answ

h were covered with dew, but she knew one which

red Marianne. "You'll have to sit there, i

yes!" answere

h was carried on by four men who sat drinking round the table. They had

ld hide his guilty conscience. "Good evening, grandfather. G

nd the little paraffin lamp without a globe. On the table were tobacco, glasses, matches

mug which had been standing between him and his friend

rling! are

I love

rianne, to the great annoyance of the hungry-looking

tach to the shady individuals of that nation. He had risen when Marianne came into the room, and was now making a low bow, with his shoulders, and especially the left one, well over his ears. His head was on one side, and he kep

odlouse passed his time in a dingy den in the magistrate's office, where he either slept or occupied himself in sorting documents and papers. But there he had grown to be almost a necessity, for he had the special gift of knowing the contents of every paper, and the name of every single person who for years had sought information at the office. He could stand in the middle of the room and poi

ave him a meaning look. He nodded to show that he understood her wishes. She then said good night to

the moment she got into bed. Under her the noise of voices continued, varied by quarrelling and cursing, which mingled with the dreams of her heavy and bro

been up to the office that morning, intending to speak to the young Consul

gave up drinking. As he told his story there was an evil glare in his eyes, which were large and bright like Marianne's, but piercing and cruel. In the pale face there was also the same trace of weakness as in his sister's; but Martin was

what had the young Consul got to do with that? But they should see what he would do

m Robson, laughing; "good again.

uld get Martin to talk himself into a f

foul of everything and everybody he came in contact with. Martin did most of the talking of the four, who already began to be excited by drink. It would perhaps be more correct to say, of the three, for Torpander was not there to drink, but only to be n

he preferred to sit in silent rapture. This afternoon, however, Torpander joined Martin in his attack on the Gar

n!" cried the chairman, "and let us h

n Woodlouse, eagerly, "the

e mean?" sho

his speech, as his eyes wandered inquiringly fr

and curses against Garman and Worse, capital, captain, and the whole world, only

e was always anxious to hear what they said when the conversation turned upon the firm. He therefore left the door

said Begmand, as he pu

side on the bench he kept a bottle of rum, from which he every now and then poured out a glass for each. He generally put a good d

o that, Mr. Robso

answered Tom,

s pipe, the stem of which was not more than half an inch long, while

of getting as much as would last for a day or two; he then picked u

comforting to the old man. He sat there, crouching on the edge of the bench, eagerly watching Tom each

here! Who has got all that for them? We, I tell you, grandfather; we who have been toiling here fishing, and going to sea year after year, son after father, in storm and tempest, watching night after night in wind and snow, so as to bring

d drawing hard at his pipe. Woodlouse saw

ty is r

on't we go up and say, 'Share with us, we who have done all the work'? There has been enough of this blood-sucking! But no;

u think people are willing to share like brothers in Ame

kmen in America live like we do?

what you can't

hey do?" a

ere!" shouted Tom, bringing his fist down heavily on th

rk? Do you mean to sa

ied Tom. "Let the o

It's shameful of you to talk like that about the firm. They have given both your father and your grandfather certain employment; and you might have had th

ncle Svend, and Uncle Reinert,--every one lost in the Consul's ships; and what have you got by it all? Two empty hands, and just as much food as will kee

face crimsoning up to the very roots of his

said Tom, good naturedly

th. "Thanks, Mr. Robson," s

t, got up, and went into the little room by the kitchen, where he slept. The unwonted drink had rouse

they staggered off; Woodlouse away through West End, while Tom clambered up a steep path that led over the hill

ough West End alone, and because he wanted to have a last g

ee that there were some empty bottles on the locker, and they rolled down on the floor, and one of them was broken against the s

ed. Then followed a thick grey smoke, which came curling up from the still glowing wick, and wreathed itself in graceful spirals

nd broken, while Martin, after turning over a few times, lay quiet, and at length began t

wick, while the smoke wreathed up thinner and thinner