animal heroes-第33节

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left　the　Reindeer's　eye；　and　he　suffered　the　child　to　lead　him
quietly　back　to　the　starting…point。　Beware；　O　driver！　the
Reindeer；　too；　〃sees　red。〃

This　was　the　coming　of　the　White　Storbuk　for　the　folk　of
Filefjeld。

In　the　two　years　that　followed　he　became　famous　throughout　that
country　as　Sveggum's　Storbuk；　and　many　a　strange　exploit　was　told
of　him。　In　twenty　minutes　he　could　carry　old　Sveggum　round　the
six…mile　rim　of　Utrovand。　When　the　snow…slide　buried　all　the
village　of　Holaker；　it　was　the　Storbuk　that　brought　the　word　for
help　to　Opdalstole　and　returned　again　over　the　forty　miles　of
deep　snow　in　seven　hours；　to　carry　brandy；　food；　and　promise　of
speedy　aid。

When　over…venturesome　young　Knute　Sveggumsen　broke　through　the
new　thin　ice　of　Utrovand；　his　cry　for　help　brought　the　Storbuk　to
the　rescue；　for　he　was　the　gentlest　of　his　kind　and　always　ready
to　come　at　call。

He　brought　the　drowning　boy　in　triumph　to　the　shore；　and　as　they
crossed　the　Vand…dam　stream；　there　was　the　Troll…bird　to　sing：

Good　luck；　good　luck；
With　the　White　Storbuk。

After　which　he　disappeared　for　monthsdoubtless　dived　into　some
subaqueous　cave　to　feast　and　revel　all　winter；　although　Sveggum
did　not　believe　it　was　so。


III

How　often　is　the　fate　of　kingdoms　given　into　child　hands；　or　even
committed　to　the　care　of　Bird　or　Beast！　A　She…wolf　nursed　the
Roman　Empire。　A　Wren　pecking　crumbs　on　a　drum…head　aroused　the
Orange　army；　it　is　said；　and　ended　the　Stuart　reign　in　Britain。
Little　wonder；　then；　that　to　a　noble　Reindeer　Buk　should　be
committed　the　fate　of　Norway：　that　the　Troll　on　the　wheel　should
have　reason　in　his　rhyme。

These　were　troublous　times　in　Scandinavia。　Evil　men；　traitors　at
heart；　were　sowing　dissension　between　the　brothers　Norway　and
Sweden。　〃Down　with　the　Union！〃　was　becoming　the　popular　cry。

Oh；　unwise　peoples！　If　only　you　could　have　been　by　Sveggum's
wheel　to　hear　the
Troll　when　he　sang：

The　Raven　and　the　Lion
They　held　the　Bear　at　bay；
But　he　picked　the　bones　of　both
When　they　quarrelled　by　the　way。

Threats　of　civil　war；　of　a　fight　for　independence；　were　heard
throughout　Norway。　Meetings　were　held　more　or　less　secretly；　and
at　each　of　them　was　some　one　with　well…filled　pockets　and　glib
tongue；　to　enlarge　on　the　country's　wrongs；　and　promise
assistance　from　an　outside　irresistible　power　as　soon　as　they
showed　that　they　meant　to　strike　for　freedom。　No　one　openly　named
the　power。　That　was　not　necessary；　it　was　everywhere　felt　and
understood。　Men　who　were　real　patriots　began　to　believe　in　it。
Their　country　was　wronged。　Here　was　one　to　set　her　right。　Men
whose　honor　was　beyond　question　became　secret　agents　of　this
power。　The　state　was　honeycombed　and　mined；　society　was　a　tangle
of　plots。　The　king　was　helpless；　though　his　only　wish　was　for　the
people's　welfare。　Honest　and　straightforward；　what　could　he　do
against　this　far…reaching　machination？　The　very　advisers　by　his
side　were　corrupted　through　mistaken　patriotism。　The　idea　that
they　were　playing　into　the　hands　of　the　foreigner　certainly　never
entered　into　the　minds　of　these　dupesat　least；　not　those　of　the
rank　and　file。　One　or　two；　tried；　selected；　and　bought　by　the
arch…enemy；　knew　the　real　object　in　view；　and　the　chief　of　these
was　Borgrevinck；　a　former　lansman　of　Nordlands。　A　man　of　unusual
gifts；　a　member　of　the　Storthing；　a　born　leader；　he　might　have
been　prime　minister　long　ago；　but　for　the　distrust　inspired　by
several　unprincipled　dealings。　Soured　by　what　he　considered　want
of　appreciation；　balked　in　his　ambition；　he　was　a　ready　tool　when
the　foreign　agent　sounded　him。　At　first　his　patriotism　had　to　be
sopped；　but　that　necessity　disappeared　as　the　game　went　on；　and
perhaps　he　alone；　of　the　whole　far…reaching　conspiracy；　was
prepared　to　strike　at　the　Union　for　the　benefit　of　the　foreigner。

Plans　were　being　perfected；army　officers　being　secretly　misled
and　won　over　by　the　specious　talk　of　〃their　country's　wrongs；〃
and　each　move　made　Borgrevinck　more　surely　the　head　of　it
all；when　a　quarrel　between　himself　and　the　〃deliverer〃　occurred
over　the　question　of　recompense。　Wealth　untold　they　were　willing
to　furnish；　but　regal　power；　never。　The　quarrel　became　more
acute。　Borgrevinck　continued　to　attend　all　meetings；　but　was　ever
more　careful　to　centre　all　power　in　himself；　and　even　prepared　to
turn　round　to　the　king's　party　if　necessary　to　further　his
ambition。　The　betrayal　of　his　followers　would　purchase　his　own
safety。　But　proofs　he　must　have；　and　he　set　about　getting
signatures　to　a　declaration　of　rights　which　was　simply　a　veiled
confession　of　treason。　Many　of　the　leaders　he　had　deluded　into
signing　this　before　the　meeting　at　Laersdalsoren。　Here　they　met
in　the　early　winter；　some　twenty　of　the　patriots；　some　of　them
men　of　position；　all　of　them　men　of　brains　and　power。　Here；　in
the　close　and　stifling　parlor；　they　planned；　discussed；　and
questioned。　Great　hopes　were　expressed；　great　deeds　were
forecast；　in　that　stove…hot　room。

Outside；　against　the　fence；　in　the　winter　night；　was　a　Great
White　Reindeer；　harnessed　to　a　sled；　but　lying　down　with　his　head
doubled　back　on　his　side　as　he　slept；　calm；　unthoughtful；
ox…like。　Which　seemed　likelier　to　decide　the　nation's　fate；　the
earnest　thinkers　indoors；　or　the　ox…like　sleeper　without？　Which
seemed　more　vital　to　Israel；　the　bearded　council　in　King　Saul's
tent；　or　the　light…hearted　shepherd…boy　hurling　stones　across　the
brook　at　Bethlehem？　At　Laersdalsoren　it　was　as　before：　deluded　by
Borgrevinck's　eloquent　plausibility；　all　put　their　heads　in　the
noose；　their　lives　and　country　in　his　hands；　seeing　in　this
treacherous　monster　a　very　angel　of　self…sacrificing　patriotism。
All？　No；　not　all。　Old　Sveggum　was　there。　He　could　neither　read
nor　write。　That　was　his　excuse　for　not　signing。　He　could　not　read
a　letter　in　a　book；　but　he　could　read　something　of　the　hearts　of
men。　As　the　meeting　broke　up　he　whispered　to　Axel　Tanberg：　〃Is
his　own　name　on　that　paper？〃　And　Axel；　starting　at　the　thought；
said：　〃No。〃　Then　said　Sveggum：　〃I　don't　trust　that　man。　They
ought　to　know　of　this　at　Nystuen。〃　For　there　was　to　be　the　really
important　meeting。　But　how　to　let　them　know　was　the　riddle。
Borgrevinck　was　going　there　at　once　with　his　fast　Horses。

Sveggum's　eye　twinkled　as　he　nodded　toward　the　Storbuk；　standing
tied　to　the　fence。　Borgrevinck　leaped　into　his　sleigh　and　went
off　at　speed；　for　he　was　a　man　of　energy。　Sveggum　took　the　bells
from　the　harness；　untied　the　Reindeer；　stepped　into　the　pulk。　He
swung　the　single　rein；　clucked　to　the　Storbuk；　and　also　turned
his　head　toward　Nystuen。　The　fast　Horses　had　a　long　start；　but
before　they　had　climbed　the　eastward　hill　Sveggum　needs　must
slack；　so　as　not　to　overtake　them。　He　held　back　till　they　came　to
the　turn　above　the　woods　at　Maristuen；　then　he　quit　the　road；　and
up　the　river　flat　he　sped　the　Buk；　a　farther　way；　but　the　only
way　to　bring　them　there　ahead。

Squeak；　crack…squeak；　crack…squeak；　crackat　regular　intervals
from　the　great　spreading　snow…shoes　of　the　Storbuk；　and　the
steady　sough　of　his　breath　was　like　the　Nordland　as　she　passes　up
the　Hardanger　Fjord。　High　up；　on　the　smooth　road　to　the　left；
they　could　hear　the　jingle　of　the　horse…bells　and　the　shouting　of
Borgrevinck's　driver；　who；　under　orders；　was　speeding　hard　for
Nystuen。

The　highway　was　a　short　road　and　smooth；　and　the　river　valley　was
long　and　rough；　but　when；　in　four　hours；　Borgrevinck　got　to
Nystuen；　there　in　the　throng　was　a　face　that　he　had　just　left　at
Laersdalsoren。　He　appeared　not　to　notice；　though　nothing　ever
escaped　him。

At　Nystuen　none　of　the　men　would　sign。　Some　one　had　warned　them。
This　was　serious；　might　be　fatal　at　such　a　critical　point。　As　he
thought　it　over；　his　suspicions　turned　more　and　more　to　Sveggum；
the　old　fool　that　could　not　write　his　name　at　Laersdalsoren。　But
how　did　he　get　there　before　himself　with　his　speedy　Horses？

There　was　a　dance　at　Nystuen　that　night；　the　dance　was　necessary
to　mask　the　meeting；　and　during　that　Borgrevinck　learned　of　the
swift　White　Ren。

The　Nystuen　trip　had　failed；　thanks　to　the　speed　of　the　White
Buk。　Borgrevinck　must　get　to　Bergen　before　word　of　this；　or　all
would　be　lost。　There　was　only　one　way；　to　be　sure　of　getting
there　before　any　one　else。　Possibly　word　had　already　gone　from
Laersdalsoren。　But　even　at　that；　Borgrevinck　could　get　there　and
save　himself；　at　the　price　of　all　Norway；　if　need　be；　provided　he
went　with　the　White　Storbuk。　He　would　not　be　denied。　He　was　not
the　man　to　give　up　a　point；　though　it　took　all　the　influence　he
could　bring　to　bear；　this　time；　to　get　old　Sveggum's　leave。

The　Storbuk　was　quietly　sleeping　in　the　corral　when　Sveggum　came
to　bring　him。　He　rose　leisurely；　hind　legs　first；　stretched　one；
then　the　other；　curling　his　tail　tight　on　his　back　as　he　did　so；
shook　the　hay　from　the　great　antlers　as　though　they　were　a　bunch
of　twigs；　and　slowly　followed　Sveggum　at　the　end　of　the　tight
halter。　He　was　so　sleepy　and　slow　that　Borgrevinck　impatiently
gave　him　a　kick；　and　got　for　response　a　short　snort　from　the　Buk；
and　from　Sveggum　an　earnest　warning；　both　of　which　were　somewhat
scornfully　received。