a story from the sand-hills-第5节

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he　comes　back　to　the　hut　tired　and　hungry。　Besides　this　the　managers

bring　up　the　fish　from　the　boats；　cut　them　open；　prepare　them；　and

have　generally　a　great　deal　to　do。

　　　　Jurgen；　his　father；　and　several　other　fishermen　and　their　managers

inhabited　the　same　hut；　Martin　lived　in　the　next　one。

　　　　One　of　the　girls；　whose　name　was　Else；　had　known　Jurgen　from

childhood；　they　were　glad　to　see　each　other；　and　were　of　the　same

opinion　on　many　points；　but　in　appearance　they　were　entirely　opposite；

for　he　was　dark；　and　she　was　pale；　and　fair；　and　had　flaxen　hair；

and　eyes　as　blue　as　the　sea　in　sunshine。

　　　　As　they　were　walking　together　one　day；　Jurgen　held　her　hand　very

firmly　in　his；　and　she　said　to　him：

　　　〃Jurgen；　I　have　something　I　want　to　say　to　you；　let　me　be　your

manager；　for　you　are　like　a　brother　to　me；　but　Martin；　whose

housekeeper　I　am…　he　is　my　lover…　but　you　need　not　tell　this　to　the

others。〃

　　　　It　seemed　to　Jurgen　as　if　the　loose　sand　was　giving　way　under

his　feet。　He　did　not　speak　a　word；　but　nodded　his　head；　and　that　meant

〃yes。〃　It　was　all　that　was　necessary；　but　he　suddenly　felt　in　his

heart　that　he　hated　Martin；　and　the　more　he　thought　the　more　he　felt

convinced　that　Martin　had　stolen　away　from　him　the　only　being　he

ever　loved；　and　that　this　was　Else：　he　had　never　thought　of　Else　in

this　way　before；　but　now　it　all　became　plain　to　him。

　　　　When　the　sea　is　rather　rough；　and　the　fishermen　are　coming　home　in

their　great　boats；　it　is　wonderful　to　see　how　they　cross　the　reefs。

One　of　them　stands　upright　in　the　bow　of　the　boat；　and　the　others

watch　him　sitting　with　the　oars　in　their　hands。　Outside　the　reef　it

looks　as　if　the　boat　was　not　approaching　land　but　going　back　to　sea；

then　the　man　who　is　standing　up　gives　them　the　signal　that　the　great

wave　is　coming　which　is　to　float　them　across　the　reef。　The　boat　is

lifted　high　into　the　air；　so　that　the　keel　is　seen　from　the　shore；　the

next　moment　nothing　can　be　seen；　mast；　keel；　and　people　are　all

hidden…　it　seems　as　though　the　sea　had　devoured　them；　but　in　a　few

moments　they　emerge　like　a　great　sea　animal　climbing　up　the　waves；　and

the　oars　move　as　if　the　creature　had　legs。　The　second　and　third　reef

are　passed　in　the　same　manner；　then　the　fishermen　jump　into　the

water　and　push　the　boat　towards　the　shore…　every　wave　helps　them…

and　at　length　they　have　it　drawn　up；　beyond　the　reach　of　the　breakers。

　　　　A　wrong　order　given　in　front　of　the　reef…　the　slightest

hesitation…　and　the　boat　would　be　lost；

　　　　〃Then　it　would　be　all　over　with　me　and　Martin　too！〃

　　　　This　thought　passed　through　Jurgen's　mind　one　day　while　they

were　out　at　sea；　where　his　foster…father　had　been　taken　suddenly

ill。　The　fever　had　seized　him。　They　were　only　a　few　oars'　strokes　from

the　reef；　and　Jurgen　sprang　from　his　seat　and　stood　up　in　the　bow。

　　　　〃Father…let　me　come！〃　he　said；　and　he　glanced　at　Martin　and　across

the　waves；　every　oar　bent　with　the　exertions　of　the　rowers　as　the

great　wave　came　towards　them；　and　he　saw　his　father's　pale　face；　and

dared　not　obey　the　evil　impulse　that　had　shot　through　his　brain。　The

boat　came　safely　across　the　reef　to　land；　but　the　evil　thought

remained　in　his　heart；　and　roused　up　every　little　fibre　of

bitterness　which　he　remembered　between　himself　and　Martin　since　they

had　known　each　other。　But　he　could　not　weave　the　fibres　together；

nor　did　he　endeavour　to　do　so。　He　felt　that　Martin　had　robbed　him；　and

this　was　enough　to　make　him　hate　his　former　friend。　Several　of　the

fishermen　saw　this；　but　Martin　did　not…　he　remained　as　obliging　and

talkative　as　ever；　in　fact　he　talked　rather　too　much。

　　　　Jurgen's　foster…father　took　to　his　bed；　and　it　became　his

death…bed；　for　he　died　a　week　afterwards；　and　now　Jurgen　was　heir　to

the　little　house　behind　the　sand…hills。　It　was　small；　certainly；　but

still　it　was　something；　and　Martin　had　nothing　of　the　kind。

　　　　〃You　will　not　go　to　sea　again；　Jurgen；　I　suppose；〃　observed　one　of

the　old　fishermen。　〃You　will　always　stay　with　us　now。〃

　　　　But　this　was　not　Jurgen's　intention；　he　wanted　to　see　something　of

the　world。　The　eel…breeder　of　Fjaltring　had　an　uncle　at　Old　Skjagen；

who　was　a　fisherman；　but　also　a　prosperous　merchant　with　ships　upon

the　sea；　he　was　said　to　be　a　good　old　man；　and　it　would　not　be　a　bad

thing　to　enter　his　service。　Old　Skjagen　lies　in　the　extreme　north　of

Jutland；　as　far　away　from　the　Hunsby　dunes　as　one　can　travel　in　that

country；　and　this　is　just　what　pleased　Jurgen；　for　he　did　not　want

to　remain　till　the　wedding　of　Martin　and　Else；　which　would　take

place　in　a　week　or　two。

　　　　The　old　fisherman　said　it　was　foolish　to　go　away；　for　now　that

Jurgen　had　a　home　Else　would　very　likely　be　inclined　to　take　him

instead　of　Martin。

　　　　Jurgen　gave　such　a　vague　answer　that　it　was　not　easy　to　make　out

what　he　meant…　the　old　man　brought　Else　to　him；　and　she　said：

　　　　〃You　have　a　home　now；　you　ought　to　think　of　that。〃

　　　　And　Jurgen　thought　of　many　things。

　　　　The　sea　has　heavy　waves；　but　there　are　heavier　waves　in　the

human　heart。　Many　thoughts；　strong　and　weak；　rushed　through　Jurgen's

brain；　and　he　said　to　Else：

　　　　〃If　Martin　had　a　house　like　mine；　which　of　us　would　you　rather

have？〃

　　　　〃But　Martin　has　no　house　and　cannot　get　one。〃

　　　　〃Suppose　he　had　one？〃

　　　　〃Well；　then　I　would　certainly　take　Martin；　for　that　is　what　my

heart　tells　me；　but　one　cannot　live　upon　love。〃

　　　　Jurgen　turned　these　things　over　in　his　mind　all　night。　Something

was　working　within　him；　he　hardly　knew　what　it　was；　but　it　was　even

stronger　than　his　love　for　Else；　and　so　he　went　to　Martin's；　and

what　he　said　and　did　there　was　well　considered。　He　let　the　house　to

Martin　on　most　liberal　terms；　saying　that　he　wished　to　go　to　sea

again；　because　he　loved　it。　And　Else　kissed　him　when　she　heard　of

it；　for　she　loved　Martin　best。

　　　　Jurgen　proposed　to　start　early　in　the　morning；　and　on　the

evening　before　his　departure；　when　it　was　already　getting　rather　late；

he　felt　a　wish　to　visit　Martin　once　more。　He　started；　and　among　the

dunes　met　the　old　fisherman；　who　was　angry　at　his　leaving　the　place。

The　old　man　made　jokes　about　Martin；　and　declared　there　must　be　some

magic　about　that　fellow；　of　whom　the　girls　were　so　fond。

　　　　Jurgen　did　not　pay　any　attention　to　his　remarks；　but　said　good…bye

to　the　old　man　and　went　on　towards　the　house　where　Martin　dwelt。　He

heard　loud　talking　inside；　Martin　was　not　alone；　and　this　made

Jurgen　waver　in　his　determination；　for　he　did　not　wish　to　see　Else

again。　On　second　thoughts；　he　decided　that　it　was　better　not　to　hear

any　more　thanks　from　Martin；　and　so　he　turned　back。

　　　　On　the　following　morning；　before　the　sun　rose；　he　fastened　his

knapsack　on　his　back；　took　his　wooden　provision　box　in　his　hand；　and

went　away　among　the　sand…hills　towards　the　coast　path。　This　way　was

more　pleasant　than　the　heavy　sand　road；　and　besides　it　was　shorter；

and　he　intended　to　go　first　to　Fjaltring；　near　Bovbjerg；　where　the

eel…breeder　lived；　to　whom　he　had　promised　a　visit。

　　　　The　sea　lay　before　him；　clear　and　blue；　and　the　mussel　shells

and　pebbles；　the　playthings　of　his　childhood；　crunched　over　his

feet。　While　he　thus　walked　on　his　nose　suddenly　began　to　bleed；　it　was

a　trifling　occurrence；　but　trifles　sometimes　are　of　great

importance。　A　few　large　drops　of　blood　fell　upon　one　of　his　sleeves。

He　wiped　them　off　and　stopped　the　bleeding；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　if

this　had　cleared　and　lightened　his　brain。　The　sea…cale　bloomed　here

and　there　in　the　sand　as　he　passed。　He　broke　off　a　spray　and　stuck

it　in　his　hat；　he　determined　to　be　merry　and　light…hearted；　for　he　was

going　out　into　the　wide　world…　〃a　little　way　out；　beyond　the　bay；〃

as　the　young　eels　had　said。　〃Beware　of　bad　people　who　will　catch

you；　and　skin　you；　and　put　you　in　the　frying…pan！〃　he　repeated　in

his　mind；　and　smiled；　for　he　thought　he　should　find　his　way　through

the　world…　good　courage　is　a　strong　weapon！

　　　　The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　he　approached　the　narrow

entrance　to　Nissum　Bay。　He　looked　back　and　saw　a　couple　of　horsemen

galloping　a　long　distance　behind　him；　and　there　were　other　people　with

them。　But　this　did　not　concern　him。

　　　　The　ferry…boat　was　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　bay。　Jurgen

called　to　the　ferry…man；　and　the　latter　came　over　with　his　boat。

Jurgen　stepped　in；　but　before　he　had　got　half…way　across；　the　men　whom

he　had　seen　riding　so　hastily；　came　up；　hailed　the　ferry…man；　and

commanded　him　to　return　in　the　name　of　the　law。　Jurgen　did　not

understand　the　reason　of　this；　but　he　thought　it　would　be　best　to　turn

back；　and　therefore　he　himself　took　an　oar　and　returned。　As　soon　as

the　boat　touched　the　shore；　the　men　sprang　on　board；　and　before　he　was

aware　of　it；　they　had　bound　his　hands　with　a　rope。

　　　　〃This　wicked　deed　will　cost　you　your　life；〃　they　said。　〃It　is　a

good　thing　we　have　caught　you。〃

　　　　He　was　accused　of　nothing　less　than　murder。　Martin　had　been

found　dead；　with　his　throat　cut。　One　of　the　fishermen；　late　on　the

previous　evening；　had　met　Jurgen　going　towards　Martin's　house；　this

was　no