Strife and Peace

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After the song, the dancing began again with new spirit. An iron hook
was driven into the beam in the middle of the roof, and the dancer who,
during the whirl of the Halling-polska, succeeded in striking it with
his heel, so that it was bent, obtained the prize for dancing this
evening. Observing the break-neck efforts of the competitors, Susanna
seated herself upon a bench. Several large leafy branches which were
reared between the benches and window, prevented her from seeing two
persons who stood in quiet conversation, but she remained sitting, as if
enchanted, as she heard the voice of Alette, saying:

"Susanna is to be sure an excellent and good girl, and I really like
her; but yet, Harald, it would distress me if you seriously were
attached to her."

"And why?" asked Harald.

"Because I think that she would not be suitable for your wife. She has
an unreasonable and violent temper, and--"

"But that may be changed, Alette. She has already changed very much. Of
her violent temper I have no fear--that I should soon remove."

"Greater wizards than you, my brother, have erred in such a belief. At
the same time she is much too uneducated, too ignorant to be a suitable
companion for you through life. And neither would she be suitable for
the social circles into which you must sometime come. Best Harald! let
me beseech you, do not be over-hasty. You have so long thought of taking
a journey into foreign countries to improve your knowledge of
agriculture. Carry out this plan now; travel, and look about you in the
world before you fetter yourself for life."

"I fancy you are right, Alette; and I shall follow your advice, but----"

"Besides," said Alette, interrupting him in her zeal, "it is time enough
for you to think of marrying. You are still young; have time to look
about you, and choose. You can easily, if you will, in every point of
view, form a good connexion. Susanna is poor, and you yourself have not
wealth enough entirely to disregard----"

Susanna would hear no more; and, in truth, she had heard enough. Wounded
pride and sickness of heart drove the blood to her head and chest, till
she felt ready to be choked. She rose hastily, and after she had begged
an acquaintance to tell Alette and Harald that a mere headache compelled
her to leave the dance, she hurried by the wood-path back to Semb.

The evening was beautiful, but Susanna was blind to all its splendours;
she remarked not the twinkling of the bright stars, not how they
mirrored themselves in the ladies-mantle, which stood full of pure
crystal water; she heard not the rushing of the river, nor the song of
the pine-thrush; for never before, in her breast, had Barbra and Sanna
contended more violently.

"They despise me!" cried the former; "they cast me off, they trample me
under their feet. They think me not worthy to be near them; the haughty,
heartless people! But have they indeed a right to hold themselves so
much above me, because I am not so fine, so learned as they; because I
am--poor? No, that have they not, for I can earn my own bread, and go my
own way through the world as well as any of them. And if they will be
proud, then I can be ten times prouder. I need not to humble myself
before them! One is just as good as another!"

"Ah!" now began Sanna, and painful tears began to flow down her cheeks,
"one is not just as good as another, and education and training make a
great difference between people. It is not pleasant for a man to blush
for the ignorance of his wife; neither can one expect that anybody would
teach a person of my age; nor can they look into my heart and see how
willingly I would learn, and--and Harald, whom I thought wished me well,
whom I loved so much, whom I would willingly serve with my whole heart
and life--how coldly he spoke of me, who just before so warmly--Harald,
why shouldst thou fool my heart so, if thou carest so little for what it
feels, what it suffers?"

"But," and here again began Barbra, "thou thinkest merely on thyself;
thou art an egotist, like all thy sex. And he seems to be so sure of me!
He seems not to ask whether I will; no--only whether he graciously
should. Let him try! let him make the attempt! and he shall see that he
has deceived himself, the proud gentleman! He shall see that a poor
girl, without connexions, without friends, solitary in the wide world,
can yet refuse him who thinks that he condescends _so_ to her. Be easy,
Miss Alette! the poor despised Susanna is too proud to thrust herself
into a haughty family; because, in truth, she feels herself too good for
that."

But Susanna was very much excited, and very unhappy, as she said this.
She had now reached Semb. Lights streamed from the bedroom of the
Colonel's widow. Susanna looked up to the window, and stood in mute
astonishment; for at the window stood the Colonel's widow, but no longer
the gloomy, sorrowful lady. With her hands pressed upon her breast, she
looked up to the clear stars with an expression of glowing gratitude.
There was, however, something wild and overstrained in her appearance,
which made Susanna, who was possessed by astonishment and strange
feelings, determine to go to her immediately.

On Susanna's entrance into the room Mrs. Astrid turned hastily to her.
She held a letter clasped to her breast, and said with restless delight
and a kind of vehemence--

"To Bergen, to Bergen! Susanna, I set off to-morrow morning to Bergen.
Get all in readiness for my journey as soon as you can."

Susanna was confounded. "To Bergen?" stammered she, inquiringly; "and
the road thither is so difficult, so dangerous, at this time----"

"And if death threatened me upon it, I should yet travel!" said Mrs.
Astrid, with impatient energy. "But I desire that no one accompany me.
You can stay here at home."

"Lord God!" said Susanna, painfully excited, "I spoke not for myself.
Could I die to save my lady from any danger, any sorrow, heaven knows
that I would do it with joy! Let me go with you to Bergen."

"I have been very unhappy, Susanna!" resumed Mrs. Astrid, without
remarking her agitated state of mind; "life has been a burden to me. I
have doubted the justice of Providence; doubted whether our destinies
were guided by a fatherly hand; but now--now I see--now all may be very
different.--But go, Susanna, I must compose myself; and you also seem to
need rest. Go, my child."

"Only one prayer," said Susanna--"I may go with you to-morrow morning?
Ah! refuse me not, for I shall still go with my lady."

"Well, well," said Mrs. Astrid, almost joyfully, "then it would be no
use my saying no."

Susanna seized and kissed her hand, and was ready to weep, from all the
pain and love which filled her soul; but her lady withdrew her hand, and
again desired her kindly but commandingly to go.

When she was alone, she turned her eyes upon the letter which she held
in her hands.

Upon the envelope of the letter stood these words, written by an
unsteady hand.

"To my wife, after my death."

The letter was as follows:

"I feel that a great change is about to take place in me. Probably I may
die, or become insane. In the first place, I will thank my wife for her
angel-patience with me during my life, and tell her, that it is owing to
her conduct that I have at this moment my faith left in virtue and a
just Providence. I will now reward her in the only way which is possible
to me. Know then, my wife, that the boy, for whom thou hast loved and
deplored--_is not dead!_ Let it also lessen the abhorrence of my deed,
when I assure thee, that it was solicitude for your well-being which led
me in part to it. I was totally ruined--and could not endure the
thoughts of seeing thee destitute! For this reason I sent away the boy,
and gave it out that he was dead. He has suffered no want, he has----"

Here followed several illegible lines, after which might be read:

"I am confused, and cannot say that which I would. Speak with the former
Sergeant Roenn, now in the Customs at Bergen; he will----"

Here the letter broke off. It was without date, the paper old and
yellow. But Mrs. Astrid kissed it with tears of joy and gratitude,
whilst she whispered,

"Oh, what a recompense! What light! Wonderful, merciful, good
Providence!"

FOOTNOTES:

[14] About a farthing.

[15] The understrings of the so-called Hardanger-fiddle are four metal
strings, which lie under the sounding-board. They are tuned in unison
with the upper catgut strings, whereby, as well as by the peculiar form
of the violin itself, this gives forth a singular strong, almost
melancholy sound.

[16] The langoleik, or langleg, is a four-stringed instrument, probably
of the same form as the psaltry. The peasant girls in mountain-districts
play gladly upon it, and often with great dexterity. In the so-called
"Elskov's Song," from Vestfjordal it is said--

Ho som so gjilt kan po Langoleik spelo,
Svanaug den vena, ska no vaera mi!

AASGAARDSREIJA.

Wildly the misty troop the tempest rideth,
The ghosts of heroes seek the Northern fjorde;
There goes the iron-boat; the serpent glideth,
The ravens flutter round the lofty board.

Dark, silent shades the high mast are surrounding;
Lightnings are flashing from the weapons bright;
Rise up from ocean-cliff's thou horn resounding,
To-night ride forth the Daughters of the fight!

VELHAVEN.

Susanna went into her quiet room, but within her it was not quiet--a
hard fight was fought there. It was necessary now to abandon all her own
wishes and hopes, for Susanna found now that she almost unconsciously to
herself had cherished such as regarded her mistress and Harald. She had
hoped that through her love she might win this, through her attentions
might become necessary to them; and now she saw how infinitely little
she was to them. She blushed at her own self-delusion, and reproached
herself with having been untrue to her little Hulda; in having attached
herself so deeply to strange people, and allowed her favourite scheme to
be dimmed by new impressions and views. Susanna punished herself
severely for it; called herself foolish and weak; and determined to fly
from Harald, and from the place where he dwelt.

"When I have attended my lady over the dangerous mountains,"--thus
thought Susanna,--"when I see her in safety and happy, then I will leave
her--her and him, and this country for ever. Poor came I hither, poorer
shall I go away from it, for I shall leave a part of my heart behind in
a foreign land. But a pure conscience shall I take with me to my home.
They could not love me; but when I am gone, they will perhaps think with
esteem, perhaps with friendship, upon Susanna!"

The silent stars mirrored themselves in Susanna's tears, which flowed
abundantly during this quiet discourse with herself, and the tears and
the stars calmed her mind, and she felt herself strengthened by the
resolution which she had taken.

After this she entirely directed her thoughts upon that which would be
necessary for the journey, and passed the remainder of the night partly
in these preparations, and partly in setting the domestic affairs in
order, that she might with a good conscience leave the house.

In the mean time the journey was not so quickly undertaken as was at
first intended, for a safe guide and good safe horses for the journey
over the mountains had to be obtained, and this occupied the greater
part of the next day. Before the morning of the following day, it was
not possible that they could set out. Harald, greatly amazed at this
sudden determination, endeavoured to delay the journey, by
representations of its difficulties and even dangers during this season,
for, "from the beginning of September, they may every day look for falls
of snow and stormy tempests in this mountain region." But Mrs. Astrid,
without further explaining herself, adhered to her resolution, and
Harald promised to make all preparations for the journey, so that it
might be performed as speedily and as safely as possible. They had the
choice between four equally difficult mountain-roads which led from this
part of Hallingdal towards the diocese of Bergen; and of these, the
shortest was that which went through Hardanger. Mrs. Astrid determined
upon this. This, however, would require at least two days and a half.
Harald, who knew the way, and said that in case of need he could serve
as guide, made preparations to attend the lady on her adventurous
journey. Alette, in the mean time, with her Alf, should, in company
with her uncle in Hallingdal and his family, set off on the journey to
Trondhjem, where Harald promised afterwards to meet them for Alette's
marriage.

Harald wished to inquire from Susanna the cause of this extraordinary
journey; but Susanna at this time was not much to be spoken with, she
had so much to attend to both within and out of the house, and she was
always surrounded by Larina and Karina, and Petro. And Susanna was glad
that her household affairs gave her a good excuse for absenting herself
from the company, and even from avoiding intercourse with the world. A
certain bitterness both towards him and Alette was rooted into her
heart.

Among many noble and valuable qualities, man has that of being able to
condemn and sentence himself. And if we are justly displeased with any
one, if we are wounded and repelled by word or deed, we should depend
upon this quality, and permit it to operate reconcilingly upon our
feelings. For while we are embittered by his offence, perhaps he himself
may have wept in silence over it, waked in the silent hours of the night
unpityingly to punish himself in the severe sanctuary of his conscience;
and the nobler the human being, all the greater is his pang, even over
failings which before the judgment-seat of the world are very small or
no faults at all; nay, he will not at all forgive himself if he cannot
make atonement for his faults; and the hope of so doing is, in such
painful hours, his only comfort.

Thus even would every bitter feeling have vanished out of Susanna's
soul, could she have seen how deeply dissatisfied was Harald at this
time with himself,--how warmly he upbraided himself for the words which,
during the yesterday's dawn, had passed his lips, without there being
any actual seriousness in them; and how displeased he was by the promise
which he had given to Alette, and with the resolve he had made, in
consequence of her anxieties and advice.

This dissatisfaction was the more increased, when he saw by Susanna's
swollen eyelids that she had wept much, and remarked in her manner a
certain uneasiness and depression which was so entirely the reverse of
her usually fresh and lively deportment. Uneasy and full of foreboding,
he questioned himself as to the cause, whilst he followed her with
inquiring looks.

At dinner, Mrs. Astrid did not join them at the table, and the others
sate there silent and out of spirits, with the exception of Lexow, who
in vain endeavoured to enliven the rest with his good humour.

In the afternoon, whilst they were taking coffee, Susanna slipped
silently away, to carry to a sick peasant woman, before her journey,
some medicines, together with some children's clothes. Harald, who had
stood for some time observing the barometer, and who seemed to suspect
her intention, turned round to her hastily as she went out at the door,
and said to her--

"You cannot think of going out now? It is not advisable. In a few
minutes we shall probably have a severe storm."

"I am not afraid of it," replied Susanna, going.

"But you do not know _our_ storms!" answered Harald. "Lexow, come here!
See here,"--and Harald pointed to the barometer, whilst he said half
aloud, "the quicksilver has fallen two degrees in half an hour; now it
sinks again; now it stands near the earthquake point! we shall have in a
moment a true 'Berg-roese,'[17] here."

Lexow shook his head mournfully, and said--

"It is a bad look out for the morrow's journey! But I presume that your
storms here are mere child's play, compared with those that we have in
certain districts of Nordland!" And Alf went to his Alette, who looked
inquiringly and uneasily at him.

Harald hastened after Susanna, and found her at the door, just about
going out with a bundle under her arm. He placed himself in the way
before her, and said to her gravely--

"You cannot go! I assure you that danger is at hand."

"What danger?" asked Susanna, gloomily, and with an obstinate
determination to act in opposition to Harald.

"Aasgaardsreija," answered Harald, smiling, "and it is nothing to joke
about. Soon enough will it come riding here and may take you with it, if
you do not stop at home. No! You must not go now!" And he seized her
hand in order to lead her into the house.

Susanna, who fancied that he was joking in his customary manner, and
who was not at all in a joking humour, released her hand, and said,
crimsoning and proudly--

"I _shall_ go, sir! I shall go, because I will do so; and you have no
right to prevent me."

Harald looked at her confounded, but said afterwards, in a tone which
very much resembled Susanna's--

"If I cannot prevent your going, neither can you prevent my following
you!"

"I would rather go alone!" said Susanna, in a tone of defiance, and
went.

"I, even so!" said Harald, in the same tone, and followed her, yet ever
at the distance of from fifteen to twenty paces. As he passed the
kitchen door, he went in and said to those whom he found there, "Look to
the fire, and extinguish it at the first gale of wind; we shall have a
tempest."

At the same moment, Alfiero sprang towards Susanna, howling and leaping
up with his paws upon her shoulder, as if he would prevent her from
going forward on her way. But repulsed by her, he sprang anxiously
sneaking into his kennel, as if seeking there for shelter from danger.

The weather, however, was beautiful; the wind still; the heaven bright;
nothing seemed to foretel the approaching tempest, excepting the smoke,
which, as it ascended from the cottages in the dale, was immediately
depressed, and, whirling round, sunk to the earth.

Susanna went rapidly on her way; hearing all the time Harald's footsteps
a little behind her, and yet not venturing to turn round to look at him.
As by chance she cast her eyes to heaven, she perceived a little white
cloud, which took the fantastical shape of a dragon, and which, with the
speed of an arrow, came hastening over the valley. Immediately
afterwards was heard a loud noise, which turned Susanna's glance to the
heights, where she saw, as it were, a pillar of smoke whirlingly ascend
upwards. At the same moment Harald was at her side, and said to her
seriously and hastily, "To the ground! throw yourself down on the ground
instantly!"

Susanna would have protested; but in the same moment was seized by
Harald, lifted from the earth, and in the next moment found herself
lying with her face upon the ground. She felt a violent gust of wind;
heard near to her a report like that of a pistol-shot, and then a loud
cracking and rattling, which was followed by a roar resembling the
rolling of successive peals of thunder; and all was again still.

Quite confounded by what had taken place, Susanna raised her head, and
looked around her as she slowly raised herself. Over all reigned a dead
stillness; not a blade of grass moved. But just near to her, two trees
had been torn up, and stones had been loosened from the crags and rolled
into the dale. Susanna looked around for Harald with uneasiness, but he
was nowhere to be found, and she thought upon the story of
Aasgaardsreija. In her distress she called upon his name, and had great
joy in hearing his voice reply to her.

She perceived him at a little distance from her, slowly raising himself
near an angular wall of rock. He was pale, and seemed to feel pain.
Busied about Susanna's safety, Harald had assumed too late the humble
posture into which he had compelled Susanna, and had been caught by the
whirlwind, and slung violently against the corner of a rock, whereby he
had sustained a severe blow upon the left collar-bone and shoulder. He,
however, assured Susanna, who was now anxious about him, that it was of
no consequence; it would soon be better, he added jestingly.

"But was I not right in saying that Aasgaardsreija is not to be played
with? And we have not yet done with it. In a few moments it will be upon
us again; and as soon as we hear it roaring and whistling in the
mountains, it is best that we humble ourselves. It may otherwise fare
ill with us."

Scarcely had Harald uttered these words before the signals were heard
from the mountains, and the tempest arose with the same violence as
before, and passed over as quickly too. In a few moments all was again
still.

"We have now again a few moments' breathing time," said Harald, rising
up, and looking inquiringly around him; "but the best is, that we now
endeavour to find a shelter over head, so that we may be defended from
the shower of stones. There shoots out a wall of rock. Thither will we
hasten before the tempest comes again. If I am not mistaken, other
wanderers have thought as we."

And, in truth, two persons had before them sought shelter under the
rocky projection, and Harald soon recognised them. The elder of them was
the guide whom Harald had sent for to conduct them over the mountain
road--a handsome old man in the Halling costume; the younger was his
grandson, a brisk youth of sixteen, who was to accompany him. On their
way to Semb, they had been overtaken by the tempest.

It was perhaps welcome to both Harald and Susanna, that in this moment
of mutual constraint, they were prevented by the presence of these
persons from being alone together. From their place of refuge they had
an extensive prospect over the dale, and their attention was directed to
that which had occurred there. They saw that the cottages had ceased to
smoke; a sign that the people, as is customary in such tempests, had
universally extinguished their fires. They saw several horses, which had
been out to graze, standing immovably, with their heads turned in the
direction from whence the tempest came; in this manner they divided the
wind-shocks, and could withstand its force. A little farther off a
singular atmospheric scene presented itself. They saw thick masses of
clouds from different sides rush across the sky, and stormily tumult
backwards and forwards. The singularly-formed masses drew up against
each other, and had a regular battle in the air. It continued some time;
but at length the columns which had been driven on by the weaker wind
withdrew, the conquerors advanced tempestuously onwards, and spread
themselves over the whole vault of heaven, which now dark and heavy as
lead, sunk down to the earth. In the mean time the tempest began
somewhat to abate, and after about three hours' continuance, had
sufficiently subsided to allow the company under the rock-roof to betake
themselves to their homeward way. Susanna longed impatiently to be at
home, as well on account of her mistress as of Harald, whose contusion
evidently caused him much pain, although he endeavoured to conceal it
under a cheerful and talkative manner.

Not without danger, but without any further injury, they arrived at
Semb, where every one, in the mean time, had been in the greatest
uneasiness on their account. The wind entirely abated towards evening.
Harald's shoulder was fomented; he soon declared that he had lost all
pain; and although every one urgently discouraged him, yet he resolutely
adhered to his determination of accompanying Mrs. Astrid across the
mountains.

Poor Susanna was so full of remorse for her wilfulness, which had
occasioned Harald's accident, so grateful for his care for her, that
every bitter feeling as well towards him as to Alette, had vanished from
her heart. She felt now only a deep, almost painful necessity of showing
her devotion to them; and to give them some pleasure, she would gladly
have given her right hand for that purpose.

FOOTNOTES:

[17] Roese or Ryse (giant) is the name given in Norway to the strong
whirlwinds, which are heard howling among the rocks, and which, in
certain mountain districts are so dangerous.

THE MOUNTAIN JOURNEY.

Forwards! forwards! fly swift as a hind,
See how it laughs behind Fanaranktind!

HENR WERGELAND.

The party which next morning set out from Heimdal and ascended
Ustefjell, did not look in the least gay. They moved along also in a
thick mist, which hung over the valley, enveloped all the heights, and
concealed every prospect around them. Before them rode the guide, the
old trusty Halling peasant, whose strong and tall figure gave an
impression of security to those who followed after. Then came Mrs.
Astrid; then Susanna; then Harald, who carried his arm in a sling. The
train was closed by the young boy, and a peasant, who led two horses
with the luggage upon hurdles.

After they had ascended for a considerable time, the air became clearer,
and the travellers had mounted above the regions of mist; soon saw they
the blue colour of the heavens, and the sun greeted them with his beams,
and lighted up the wild, singular region which now began to surround
them. This scene operated upon Susanna's young, open mind with wonderful
power. She felt herself altogether freer and lighter of mood, and,
glancing around with bright eyes, she thought that she had left behind
her all strife and all pain, and now ascended upwards to a future of
light and tranquillity. Now her mistress would indeed be happy; and
Susanna would, with liberated heart, and bound no longer by selfish
feelings, easily follow the calls of duty and the will of Providence. So
felt, so thought she.

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