Invisible Links

d, with a gold crown under his hat, it would all have seemed simple and natural. But no one, of course, will believe me if I say that Petter Nord also wore a royal crown on his tow

nd for the second time had to flee in shame and disgrace from the town, the same thoughts came over him as when he fled

s time h

s time h

ristmas time

not true

not true

s after Chris

r arm. And she called to him: "Spendthrift, spendthrift! You have wished to celebrate the festival of revenge a

stood peaceful and sensible at his work. No one could believe that it was he who had roare

ine-shop. He looked him up, at his niece's desire. S

ad seen a slippery snake. He did not know which he wished most-to strike him or

drawn; his mouth was compressed; his eyes red and full of tears. He struggled visibly with some sorr

the trouble with us the other day. And as we supposed that they came from here, I could learn where you were. Edith is going to die soon," he

hall come," sa

r. Edith's message made him quite dizzy. Had he not always thought that fine ladies would love him? And now here was one who wished to see him before she died. Most wonderful of all things wonderful!-He sat and thoug

As soon as he approached the village the Spirit of

ved, swept him forward and back on the deck. As he passed Petter, he murmured a few

made me good too. Could not see her sitting in sorrow all day long and ruining the account-book with her tears." Then this came: "A clever child, besides. Won her way with me. Made my home pleasant.

ho wore a royal crown on his brow had no right to be angry with Halfvorson. The latter was separated from men by his infirmity, and co

rs, and now she could not die before she had seen him. Oh, fancy that a youn

tradesman's house, he was taken to Edit

ering away in emulation with the rootless birches around her. Her big eyes had darkened and grown

tly in return, deeply, dearly, ardently! It was bliss, after so m

stood and stared at her, she began to smile with that most despairing smile in the world, the smile of the very ill, that say

alls of its prison so delicate and transparent. It now showed so plainly in his face and in the way he took Edith's hand, that he all at once suffered with her

Of course it was agitating for her to see him, whom she had longed for so long, but it was her weakness that had made her betr

happened to my whi

sh to make the way easier for her. "I let them loo

Are there any

he will never be rid

u, you understand," s

race," answered Pe

to the town a few weeks before to be revenged. Poor Petter Nord! Many a time she had wondered what had become of him. Many a night had the cries of the frightened boy come to her in dreams. It was partly for his sake that she should never again have to live through such a night, that she had begun to reform her uncle, had made

who was an example to all his comrades in the working quarter, he could not guess that she had summoned him, in order to preach virtue and good habits to him, in order to say

elebrate love's festival, and she lay there and thou

he kingly crown shining on her, which made her h

eally you who were here wit

ice, and how he had only gone because he was forced to it, and then how he had been beaten and whipped instead of beating some one himself. He did not dare to look up while he was speaki

hat would have happ

ked Edith, when

aid. "He had not gone away. He was working in his garden o

u not avenge your

d in torrents the day before, for the peas had been broken down to the ground; some of the leaves were whipped to ribbons, others covered with earth. It was like a hospital, and Halfvorson was the doctor. He raised them up so gently, brushed away the earth and helped the

it from the sun, and it must have been terribly hot under the glass. The cucumbers lay there half-dead and gasped for breath; some of the leaves were burnt, and others were drooping. I was so overcome, I too, that I never thought what I was do

u, Pett

hey would come to life. When I came back, he had lifted the glass off and still stood and stared despairingly. I thrust the watering-pot into his hand, and he began to pour over the

Petter Nord,

ed herself in

trike him," sa

s of remorse with the heavy burden of sin around his neck. Was he such a man? Such a tender-hearted, sensitive man! She sank back, clos

, Petter Nord," she began in friendly tones. "It was about

reath. She was

en she said that she had sent for him to ask him to give up his thoughts of revenge, it must have been from bashfulness not t

let you die?

re here, I would refuse to let you die. I would give

he said, smiling at

my vest like a young squirrel. Fancy what it would be to work if something so warm

t she must have seen again something of the magic crown about the boy's head, for she h

erently, "there are no

ly been any on

nged for the tenderness, the pity that the poor workman could give her. She felt the need of being near that deep, disinterested

Sit here for a while, and tell me wha

hich passed between them. She heard and yet she did not hear. But

to the workman's quarter, into a new world, full of tumultuous hopes a

e oppressed a

e might be something for her there, she who always nee

ld have gone there with you. I should enjo

e had been waiting for the whole time. "Oh, can you

d to herself. "And now he believes that I am

y that restrained her. She had not the heart to spoil his happy mood. She felt compassion for his fo

forbade him absolutely. "But," she said, "do you remember our graveyard up on the

t Edith was laying the burden of remorse on the wrong-doer. To see him overpowered by pangs of conscience, for that alone had he sought him out. B

u why she is dying

wered Pet

on his shoulder as if t

ee wretched tramps, and they frightened her while you were in my shop. They chased her, and she ran away from them, ran till she got a hemorrhage. But that is what you wanted; y

killed him with curses; but the latter tore himself away and ran, as if