Pelle the Conqueror, Vol 3

d imitating his comical grimaces. She had come in over the roof. "Why

ed Pelle piteously. "Pi

hasn't come back, so I l

ing laugh. "What if he

e in bed always,

Pelle la

hat I shall do! You mu

the back door and out on to the roof. Half an hour later she came again and threw a pair of striped trousers on the bed. "He's obliging, is Herr Klodsmajor! Now just hurry yourself a bit. I ran round

up the stairs. He held the rope in one hand, and at every turn of the staircase he bowed a few times outward over the rope. The women we

as he set eyes on Pelle. "You hold your tongue!" He pr

Sunday trousers?" he asked angrily. The Pipm

y he whistled. "Trousers, did you say, young man? What, what? Did you really say trousers? And you ask me where your trousers

sers?" cried Pelle, so star

o need to get so hot about it! You can't eat me, you know. That goes

thief!" cried Pelle.

ipman's a respectable man, I tell you. Here, you can see for yourself! What'll you give me for t

other had come out over yonder. Hanne was wearing a yellow straw hat with broad ribbons. She looked bewitching; the old l

t out of his reach. "You're angry, aren't you?" he said confidingly, as though he had been speaking to a little child. "Dreadfully angry? But what the de

between the roof- buildings and had rooms on either side of it. A loud buzzing sound struck suddenly on his ears. The doors of all the little rooms stood open on to the long gangway, which served as a common livingroom. Wrangling and chattering and the cryin

below her ankles, so that she kept treading on it. Within the room two children of nine and twelve were moving backward and forward with mighty strides, their hands in

rie," said Pelle. "I cou

insteps with cobbler's wax. "They're splendid now!" she whispered, and she looked at him gratefully. The boys came an

tand over, Peter; I'm i

l put it on the accoun

her, we know all about it!" Hopping and skipping, she accompanied him to the steps, and stood laughing down at him. To-day she was r

side facing the street. This was the fashionable portion of the "Ark"; here lived old sea-dogs, shipbuilders, and other folks with regular inc

orner of the landing on the main staircase, by the door, each family had a sink with a little

been!" said Hanne, as she took his arm. "And how's the 'Family?' Was Marie pleased with the shoe

me to me; I'm ever

t. The 'Family' is proud. I had to

see how they hold together! And they know how to get along. But why

it, little mother? Pelle is my youn

tect you from? From yourself,

upon me in the forest and carry me away.

at all! But have you noticed how blue the sky is? It's splendid with all t

who were perspiring and hurling silly witticisms at one another. Behind them the dust rolled threateningly, and hung in a lazy cloud round the great black waterbutts w

brightness, and looked wonderfully light and festive against the century-old trunks. "Heigh, h

isterous, and the sound of their voices lingered about the tree-tops and only challenged them to give vent to their feelings. People went strolling between the tree-trunks and amusing themselves in their own way, laying about them with great boughs and shouting w

nne was silent and absent; Pelle took her hand in order to make her run up a hillock, but she did not at first notice that he was touching her, and the hand was limp and c

ound and looked about

ndid for many years," she said.

ged on again. Madam Johnsen was paying a rare visit to the forest and wanted to see everything. The young people raised objections, but she was not to be dissuaded. She had girlhood memories of the forest, and she wanted to renew them; let

to Raavad there were

The leaves are so close, it's just the place for a loving couple of lovers. Now I'm going to sit d

her feet in the fresh grass as she sat there chatting. "It's so warm to-day the stones feel quite burning-but you two certainly won't cat

a child might look at her doll. Her hat had slipped on to her shoulders. On her white forehead and her upper lip were little clear drops of sweat. Then, with a merry laugh,

of yours alone," said the mo

eight here," said Hanne. "But at home in th

ugh money to be able to go into the forests every Sunday all the summer. When one has grown up in the open air it's ha

ing here!" said Hanne lazily. "Pell

it. It sailed slowly downward, on its mighty outspread wings, now and again compressing the air beneath it

"I won't stay here any longer now. One never knows what may happen." She hastily laced up her

at, staring down at everything as though he were short-sighted. If I were he I should fly straight up in the

ned. Hanne has always had the feeling that something has got to happen; a

d Hanne, showing her hands and laughing. "

ear agitators speaking, but had obtained his ideas of the new movements at second hand. They were in tune with the blind instinct within him. But he had never experience

an see all the Social-Democrats of Copenhagen. They never have been more numerous, although they pret

himself knew too little of the mat

self, and to prove himself grateful for the quickly-passing day. If the Court shoemaker hadn't spoken the words that drove him to join the Union he would still have been standing apart from it all, like a heathen. The act of subscribing the day before was like a baptism. He felt quite different in the society of these men-he

ugh the unfruitful years. If one division was overthrown another was ready with the carrying-staves, and at last the day was breaking. Now they stood at the entrance to the Promised Land, with the proof in their hands that they were the rightful dwellers therein. All that was quite a matter of course; if there was anything that Pelle had experienced it was that wearisome wandering of God's people through the wilderness. That was the great symbol of poverty. The words came to him like something long familiar. But the greatness of the man's voice affected Pelle; there was something in the speech of this man which di

s way. He became one, as he stood there, with that vast being; he felt its strength swelling within him; the little finger shares in the strength of the whole body. A blind certainty of irresistibility went out from this mighty gatheri

she did notice him; she too now was far away. He looked at her pretty neck, and bent forward to see her face. The great yellow hat threw a golden glimmer over it. Her active intelligence played restlessly behind her strained, frozen featur

und, quite apart from the crowd, stood a tall, handsome man, astonishingly like the owner of Stone Farm in his best days; the sunlight was com

awakening from a deep s

ought Pelle, vexedly, how is it she knows him; and he drew his arm from hers. But she took it again at once

busied themselves nervously about her hair. "You are so restless, child," said the mother, who had seated

erself in the desired position.

ly, "if he comes over to us I

know him

men come and speak to one. But then y

omes up with the smell out of the sewer. She must have lied to me nicely, he thought after a while. Women are cunning, but he was too proud to qu

steps in advance. Hanne hummed as she went; now and then s

id Pelle morosely. "But it's not

lle!" She gazed wonde

There's something b

le, no, what should I have to do with him? I have never even seen him bef

bout being your brother-not

ffend you? I'm sorry if I

y wife!" cried Pe

mother? Pelle wants me for h

re than you think," sai

id softly, "but you can't come to me bringing me something from foreign parts-I know ev

said Pelle, raising his head

other, turning round. "You really needn't have spoiled this l

not quite right in my mind, because father hit me on t

she used to make the children down in the yard even crazier than herself with her nonsense. And she was always bothering me to leave everything standing-poor as we were aft

r mother's rebuke, and humming-it

ourself," said the old

n her-there's nothing

like frolicsome wild beasts. At every moment some one tooted in your ear, to make you jump, or you suddenly discovered that some rogue was fixing something on the back of

the hurdy-gurdy man from home, on a roundabout, nodding to him as he went whirling round. He held his hand in front of his

d Madam Johnsen. She didn't care about

atching the crowd. Hanne consented to have her fortune told; it cost five and twenty ?re, but she wa

much better than tha

er foretell me anything

, lau

igs." She sat down beside her. "You go over there now and

om time to time they had five ?re worth of dancing. When other men came up and asked

their heads, and reviled her. Pelle had to reprove her. "You have offende

only going to dance with you!" She made angry eyes, and looked bewitching in her unapproachableness. Pe

make haste, but she stood there, staring absent-mindedly in the midst of the dancers as though she did not kno

lle's arm. "Shan't we go, then?" she said i

efore Hanne. She did not look at him, but her left arm tw

y more; she is tired," said Pel

ed, with a feeling of deliverance, as they went b

he should have seen him; and yet a peculiar knowledge had enveloped her, as though she had seen obliquely through her down-dropped eyelids; and then it was well known wo

he old woman was lively; Hanne walked on in silence and let them both talk. Bu

ully in my ears; but whe

nruly," said the mother, "and

again he pressed Hanne's hand, which lay, war

ing from the city and the dark peaceful Sound had their message for h

ight upon her

tars are bright

bell of ev

ewards, and the

as difficult for her to keep step

tart work again and clean old uniform trousers. But it's been a beautiful outing." She wad

did you say 'my sweetheart'?"

red Pelle, who would wi

ran up the stairs. "Goodnight,