a story from the sand-hills-第7节

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arable　land　as　far　as　the　lighthouse　near　〃Grenen。〃　Then；　as　now；

the　houses　were　strewn　among　the　wind…raised　sand…hills…　a

wilderness　in　which　the　wind　sports　with　the　sand；　and　where　the　voice

of　the　sea…gull　and　wild　swan　strikes　harshly　on　the　ear。

　　　　In　the　south…west；　a　mile　from　〃Grenen；〃　lies　Old　Skjagen；

merchant　Bronne　dwelt　here；　and　this　was　also　to　be　Jurgen's　home

for　the　future。　The　dwelling…house　was　tarred；　and　all　the　small

out…buildings　had　been　put　together　from　pieces　of　wreck。　There　was　no

fence；　for　indeed　there　was　nothing　to　fence　in　except　the　long　rows

of　fishes　which　were　hung　upon　lines；　one　above　the　other；　to　dry　in

the　wind。　The　entire　coast　was　strewn　with　spoiled　herrings；　for　there

were　so　many　of　these　fish　that　a　net　was　scarcely　thrown　into　the　sea

before　it　was　filled。　They　were　caught　by　carloads；　and　many　of　them

were　either　thrown　back　into　the　sea　or　left　to　lie　on　the　beach。

　　　　The　old　man's　wife　and　daughter　and　his　servants　also　came　to　meet

him　with　great　rejoicing。　There　was　a　great　squeezing　of　hands；　and

talking　and　questioning。　And　the　daughter；　what　a　sweet　face　and

bright　eyes　she　had！

　　　　The　inside　of　the　house　was　comfortable　and　roomy。　Fritters；

that　a　king　would　have　looked　upon　as　a　dainty　dish；　were　placed　on

the　table；　and　there　was　wine　from　the　Skjagen　vineyard…　that　is；

the　sea；　for　there　the　grapes　come　ashore　ready　pressed　and　prepared

in　barrels　and　in　bottles。

　　　　When　the　mother　and　daughter　heard　who　Jurgen　was；　and　how

innocently　he　had　suffered；　they　looked　at　him　in　a　still　more

friendly　way；　and　pretty　Clara's　eyes　had　a　look　of　especial

interest　as　she　listened　to　his　story。　Jurgen　found　a　happy　home　in

Old　Skjagen。　It　did　his　heart　good；　for　it　had　been　sorely　tried。　He

had　drunk　the　bitter　goblet　of　love　which　softens　or　hardens　the

heart；　according　to　circumstances。　Jurgen's　heart　was　still　soft…　it

was　young；　and　therefore　it　was　a　good　thing　that　Miss　Clara　was　going

in　three　weeks'　time　to　Christiansand　in　Norway；　in　her　father's　ship；

to　visit　an　aunt　and　to　stay　there　the　whole　winter。

　　　　On　the　Sunday　before　she　went　away　they　all　went　to　church；　to　the

Holy　Communion。　The　church　was　large　and　handsome；　and　had　been

built　centuries　before　by　Scotchmen　and　Dutchmen；　it　stood　some　little

way　out　of　the　town。　It　was　rather　ruinous　certainly；　and　the　road

to　it　was　heavy；　through　deep　sand；　but　the　people　gladly　surmounted

these　difficulties　to　get　to　the　house　of　God；　to　sing　psalms　and　to

hear　the　sermon。　The　sand　had　heaped　itself　up　round　the　walls　of

the　church；　but　the　graves　were　kept　free　from　it。

　　　　It　was　the　largest　church　north　of　the　Limfjorden。　The　Virgin

Mary；　with　a　golden　crown　on　her　head　and　the　child　Jesus　in　her　arms；

stood　lifelike　on　the　altar；　the　holy　Apostles　had　been　carved　in

the　choir；　and　on　the　walls　there　were　portraits　of　the　old

burgomasters　and　councillors　of　Skjagen；　the　pulpit　was　of　carved

work。　The　sun　shone　brightly　into　the　church；　and　its　radiance　fell　on

the　polished　brass　chandelier　and　on　the　little　ship　that　hung　from

the　vaulted　roof。

　　　　Jurgen　felt　overcome　by　a　holy；　childlike　feeling；　like　that　which

possessed　him；　when；　as　a　boy；　he　stood　in　the　splendid　Spanish

cathedral。　But　here　the　feeling　was　different；　for　he　felt　conscious

of　being　one　of　the　congregation。

　　　　After　the　sermon　followed　Holy　Communion。　He　partook　of　the

bread　and　wine；　and　it　so　happened　that　he　knelt　by　the　side　of　Miss

Clara；　but　his　thoughts　were　so　fixed　upon　heaven　and　the　Holy

Sacrament　that　he　did　not　notice　his　neighbour　until　he　rose　from

his　knees；　and　then　he　saw　tears　rolling　down　her　cheeks。

　　　　She　left　Skjagen　and　went　to　Norway　two　days　later。　He　remained

behind；　and　made　himself　useful　on　the　farm　and　at　the　fishery。　He

went　out　fishing；　and　in　those　days　fish　were　more　plentiful　and

larger　than　they　are　now。　The　shoals　of　the　mackerel　glittered　in

the　dark　nights；　and　indicated　where　they　were　swimming；　the

gurnards　snarled；　and　the　crabs　gave　forth　pitiful　yells　when　they

were　chased；　for　fish　are　not　so　mute　as　people　say。

　　　　Every　Sunday　Jurgen　went　to　church；　and　when　his　eyes　rested　on

the　picture　of　the　Virgin　Mary　over　the　altar　as　he　sat　there；　they

often　glided　away　to　the　spot　where　they　had　knelt　side　by　side。

　　　　Autumn　came；　and　brought　rain　and　snow　with　it；　the　water　rose

up　right　into　the　town　of　Skjagen；　the　sand　could　not　suck　it　all

in；　one　had　to　wade　through　it　or　go　by　boat。　The　storms　threw

vessel　after　vessel　on　the　fatal　reefs；　there　were　snow…storm　and

sand…storms；　the　sand　flew　up　to　the　houses；　blocking　the　entrances；

so　that　people　had　to　creep　up　through　the　chimneys；　that　was

nothing　at　all　remarkable　here。　It　was　pleasant　and　cheerful

indoors；　where　peat　fuel　and　fragments　of　wood　from　the　wrecks

blazed　and　crackled　upon　the　hearth。　Merchant　Bronne　read　aloud；

from　an　old　chronicle；　about　Prince　Hamlet　of　Denmark；　who　had　come

over　from　England；　landed　near　Bovbjerg；　and　fought　a　battle；　close　by

Ramme　was　his　grave；　only　a　few　miles　from　the　place　where　the

eel…breeder　lived；　hundreds　of　barrow　rose　there　from　the　heath；

forming　as　it　were　an　enormous　churchyard。　Merchant　Bronne　had

himself　been　at　Hamlet's　grave；　they　spoke　about　old　times；　and　about

their　neighbours；　the　English　and　the　Scotch；　and　Jurgen　sang　the　air

of　〃The　King　of　England's　Son；〃　and　of　his　splendid　ship　and　its

outfit。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃In　the　hour　of　peril　when　most　men　fear；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　He　clasped　the　bride　that　he　held　so　dear；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　proved　himself　the　son　of　a　King；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　his　courage　and　valour　let　us　sing。〃



　　　　This　verse　Jurgen　sang　with　so　much　feeling　that　his　eyes

beamed；　and　they　were　black　and　sparkling　since　his　infancy。

　　　　There　was　wealth；　comfort；　and　happiness　even　among　the　domestic

animals；　for　they　were　all　well　cared　for；　and　well　kept。　The

kitchen　looked　bright　with　its　copper　and　tin　utensils；　and　white

plates；　and　from　the　rafters　hung　hams；　beef；　and　winter　stores　in

plenty。　This　can　still　be　seen　in　many　rich　farms　on　the　west　coast　of

Jutland：　plenty　to　eat　and　drink；　clean；　prettily　decorated　rooms；

active　minds；　cheerful　tempers；　and　hospitality　can　be　found　there；　as

in　an　Arab's　tent。

　　　　Jurgen　had　never　spent　such　a　happy　time　since　the　famous　burial

feast；　and　yet　Miss　Clara　was　absent；　except　in　the　thoughts　and

memory　of　all。

　　　　In　April　a　ship　was　to　start　for　Norway；　and　Jurgen　was　to　sail　in

it。　He　was　full　of　life　and　spirits；　and　looked　so　sturdy　and　well

that　Dame　Bronne　said　it　did　her　good　to　see　him。

　　　　〃And　it　does　one　good　to　look　at　you　also；　old　wife；〃　said　the

merchant。　〃Jurgen　has　brought　fresh　life　into　our　winter　evenings；　and

into　you　too；　mother。　You　look　younger　than　ever　this　year；　and　seem

well　and　cheerful。　But　then　you　were　once　the　prettiest　girl　in

Viborg；　and　that　is　saying　a　great　deal；　for　I　have　always　found　the

Viborg　girls　the　prettiest　of　any。〃

　　　　Jurgen　said　nothing；　but　he　thought　of　a　certain　maiden　of

Skjagen；　whom　he　was　soon　to　visit。　The　ship　set　sail　for

Christiansand　in　Norway；　and　as　the　wind　was　favourable　it　soon

arrived　there。

　　　　One　morning　merchant　Bronne　went　out　to　the　lighthouse；　which

stands　a　little　way　out　of　Old　Skjagen；　not　far　from　〃Grenen。〃　The

light　was　out；　and　the　sun　was　already　high　in　the　heavens；　when　he

mounted　the　tower。　The　sand…banks　extend　a　whole　mile　from　the

shore；　beneath　the　water；　outside　these　banks；　many　ships　could　be

seen　that　day；　and　with　the　aid　of　his　telescope　the　old　man　thought

he　descried　his　own　ship；　the　Karen　Bronne。　Yes！　certainly；　there

she　was；　sailing　homewards　with　Clara　and　Jurgen　on　board。

　　　　Clara　sat　on　deck；　and　saw　the　sand…hills　gradually　appearing　in

the　distance；　the　church　and　lighthouse　looked　like　a　heron　and　a　swan

rising　from　the　blue　waters。　If　the　wind　held　good　they　might　reach

home　in　about　an　hour。　So　near　they　were　to　home　and　all　its　joys…

so　near　to　death　and　all　its　terrors！　A　plank　in　the　ship　gave　way；

and　the　water　rushed　in；　the　crew　flew　to　the　pumps；　and　did　their

best　to　stop　the　leak。　A　signal　of　distress　was　hoisted；　but　they　were

still　fully　a　mile　from　the　shore。　Some　fishing　boats　were　in　sight；

but　they　were　too　far　off　to　be　of　any　use。　The　wind　blew　towards

the　land；　the　tide　was　in　their　favour；　but　it　was　all　useless；　the

ship　could　not　be　saved。

　　　　Jurgen　threw　his　right　arm　round　Clara；　and　pressed　her　to　him。

With　what　a　look　she　gazed　up　into　his　face；　as　with　a　prayer　to　God

for　help　he　breasted　the　waves；　which　rushed　over　the　sinking　ship！

She　uttered　a　cry；　but　she　felt　safe　and　certain　that　he　would　not

leave　her　to　sink。　And　in　this　hour　of　terror　and　danger　Jurgen　felt

as　the　king's　son　did；　as　told　in　the　old　song：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃In　the　hour　of　peril　when　most　men　fear；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　He　clasped　the　bride　that　he　held　so　dear。〃



　　　　How　glad　he　felt　that　he　was　a　good　swimmer！　He　worked　his　way

onw