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] Röse 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.
The road was untracked, often steep and terrific, but the horses stepped
safely over it, and thus in a little time they came to a Säter-hut,
which lay upon the shore of Ustevand, one of the inland lakes which lie
at the foot of Hallingskarv. This Säter lies above the boundary of the
birch-tree vegetation, and its environs have the strong features
peculiar to the rocky character; but its grass-plots, perpetually
watered from the snowy mountains, were yet of a beautiful green, and
many-coloured herds of cattle swarmed upon them. Like dazzling silver
ribbons shimmered the brooks between the green declivities and the
darker cliffs. The sun now shone bright, and they mutually congratulated
each other on the cheering prospect of a happy journey. At this Säter
the company rested for an hour, and made a hasty breakfast of the simple
viands which are peculiar to this region. Before each guest was placed a
bowl of "Lefsetriangle,"[18] on which was laid a cake of rye-meal, about
the size of a plate. Upon the table stood large four-cornered pieces of
butter, and a dish of excellent mountain-fish. Cans of Hardanger ale
were not wanting; and a young girl, with light plaited hair,
light-yellow leather jacket, black thickly-plaited petticoat, and a red
kerchief tied round her neck, with a face as pretty and innocent as ever
an idyl bestowed upon its shepherdess, waited upon the guests, and
entertained them with her simple, good-humoured talk.
After breakfast the journey was continued. Upon the heights of Ustefjell
they saw two vast mountain ranges, whose wavy backs reared themselves
into the regions of perpetual snow. They were Hallingskarv and
Halling-Jokul.
Slowly advanced the caravan up the Barfjell. By degrees all trees
disappeared; the ground was naked, or only covered by low black bushes;
between, lay patches of snow-lichen, which increased in extent the
higher they ascended. The prospect around had in it something
indescribably cold and terrific. But Susanna felt herself in a peculiar
manner enlivened by this wild, and to her new spectacle. To this the old
Halling peasant contributed, who, whilst they travelled through this
desolate mountain track, related to the party various particulars of the
"subterranean folk" who dwelt there, and whom he described as a spectre
herd, with little, ugly, pale, or bluish human shapes, dotted in grey,
and with black head-gear. "They often draw," said he, "people down into
their subterranean dwellings, and there murder them; and if anybody
escape living out of their power, they remain from that time through
the whole of their lives dejected and insane, and have no more pleasure
on the earth. Certain people they persecute; but to others they afford
protection, and bring to them wealth and good fortune." The Halling
peasant was himself perfectly convinced of the actual existence of these
beings; he had himself seen in a mountain district a man who hastily
sunk into the earth and vanished!
One of his friends had once seen in a wood a whole farm, with house,
people, and cattle; but when he reached the place, all these had
immediately vanished.
Harald declared that here the imagination had played its pranks well;
but the old man endeavoured to strengthen the affair by relating the
following piece out of Hans Lauridsen's "Book of the Soul."
"The devil has many companions; such as elfin-women, elfin-men, dwarfs,
imps, nightmares, hobgoblins with red-hot fire-tongs, Var-wolves,
giants, spectres, which appear to people when they are about to die."
And as Harald smilingly expressed some doubt on the subject, the old man
said warmly--
"Why, does it not stand written in the Bible that all knees, as well
those that are in heaven and on the earth, and _under_ the earth, shall
bow at the name of the Lord? And who, indeed, can they be _under_ the
earth, if not the subterranean? And do you take care," continued he
gaily, with an arch look at Susanna, "take care when the 'Thusmörk'
(twilight) comes, for then is the time when they are about; and they
have a particular fancy for young girls, and drag them gladly down to
their dwellings. Take care! for if they get you once down into their
church--for they have churches too, deep under ground--you will never
see the sun and God's clear heaven again as long as ever you live; and
it would not be pleasant, that you may believe, to dwell with Thuserne."
Susanna shuddered involuntarily at this jest. She cast a glance upon the
wild rock-shapes around her, which the Halling-peasant assured her were
all spectres, giants, and giantesses, turned into stone. Harald remarked
the impression which all this made on Susanna; but he, who had so often
amused himself by exciting her imagination, became now altogether
rectifying reason, and let his light shine for Susanna on the darkness
of superstition.
Higher yet ascended the travellers, and more desolate became the
country. The whole of this mountain region is scattered over with larger
and smaller blocks of stone; and these have assisted people as waymarks
through this country, when, without these, people must infallibly lose
themselves. Stones have, therefore, been piled upon the large blocks in
the direction which the road takes; and if a stone fall down, the
passer-by considers it a sacred duty to replace it. "Comfortable
waymarks," as Professor Hansten, in his interesting "Mountain Journey,"
calls these guides; "for," continues he, "they are upon this journey the
only traces of man; and if only once one has failed to see one such
stone of indication, the next which one discovers expels the awakened
anxiety by the assurance, 'thou art still upon the right way.'"
In dark or foggy weather, however, those friendly watchers are almost
useless, and the journey is then in the highest degree dangerous. People
become so easily bewildered and frozen in this desert, or they are
overwhelmed by the falls of snow. They who perish in this manner are
called after death "Drauge," and are supposed to haunt the gloomy
mountain passes. The guide pointed out a place near the road where had
been found the corpses of two tradespeople, who one autumn had been
surprised by a snow-storm upon the mountains, and there lost their
lives. He related this with great indifference, for every year people
perish in the mountain regions, and this kind of death is not considered
worse than any other. But dreadful thoughts began to rise in Susanna's
mind. There was, however, no reason to anticipate misfortune, for the
weather was lovely, and the journey, although difficult, went on safely
and well. It was continued uninterruptedly till evening. As no Säter
could be reached before dark, they were to pass the night in a place
called "Monsbuheja," because in its neighbourhood there was grass for
the horses. Here our travellers happily arrived shortly before sunset.
They found here a cave, half formed by nature and half by the hands of
men, which last had rolled large stones around its entrance. Its walls
were covered with moss, and decorated with horns of the reindeer
fastened into the crevices of the rock. Soon had Susanna formed here,
out of carpet-bags, cloaks, and shawls, a comfortable couch for her
wearied lady, who thanked her for it with such a friendly glance as
Susanna had never before seen in her eyes.
Harald, in the mean time, with the servants had cared for the horses,
and in collecting fuel for the night. A few hundred paces from the cave,
a river flowed between ice-covered banks; on the edge of this river, and
on the shores of the snow-brook, they found roots of decayed junipers,
rock-willows, and moor-weed, which they collected together to a place
outside the cave, where they kindled the nocturnal watch-fire.
During this, Susanna ascended a little height near the cave, and saw the
sun go down behind Halling-Jokul. Like a red globe of fire, it now stood
upon the edge of the immeasurable snow-mountains, and threw splendid,
many-coloured rays of purple, yellow, and blue, upon the clouds of
heaven, as well as upon the snow-plains which lay below. It was a
magnificent sight.
"Good heavens! how great, how glorious!" exclaimed Susanna,
involuntarily, whilst with her hands pressed upon her breast, she bowed
herself as though in adoration before the descending ruler of the day.
"Yes, great and glorious!" answered a gentle echo near; Susanna looked
around, and saw Harald standing beside her. There stood they, the two
alone, lighted by the descending sun, with the same feelings, the same
thoughts, ardent and adoring in the waste, dead solitude. Susanna could
not resist the feelings of deep and solemn emotion which filled her
heart. She extended her hand to Harald, and her tearful look seemed to
say, "Peace! peace!" Susanna felt this a leave-taking, but a
leave-taking in love. In that moment she could have clasped the whole
world to her breast. She felt herself raised above all contention, all
spite, all littleness. This great spectacle had awakened something great
within her, and in her countenance _Sanna_ beamed in beautiful and mild
illumination.
Harald, on the contrary, seemed to think of no leave-taking; for he held
Susanna's hand fast in his, and was about to speak; but she hastily
withdrew it, and, turning herself from him, said:
"We must now think about supper!"
The fire outside the cave blazed up cheerfully, and in the eastern
heaven uprose the moon amid rose-coloured clouds.
Soon was Susanna, lively and cheerful, busied by the fire. From cakes of
bouillon and prepared groats which she had brought with her, she
prepared an excellent soup, in which pieces of veal were warmed. Whilst
this boiled, she distributed bread, cheese, and brandy to the men who
accompanied them, and cared with particular kindness for the old guide.
Harald allowed her to do all this, without assisting her in the least.
He sate upon a stone, at a little distance, supported on his gun, and
observed her good and cheerful countenance lighted up by the fire, her
lively movements and her dexterity in all which she undertook. He
thought upon her warm heart, her ingenuous mind, her activity; he
thought upon the evenings of the former winter, or when he read aloud,
related stories to her, and how she listened and felt the while. All at
once it seemed to him that the ideal of a happy life, which for so many
years had floated before his mind, now was just near to him. It stood
there, beside the flames of the nocturnal fire, and was lighted up by
them. Alette's warnings flitted from before him like the
thence-hastening night-mists, without shape or reality. He saw himself
the possessor of an estate which he would ennoble as Oberlin has done
the sunken rocky valley; saw himself surrounded by dependents and
neighbours, to whose happiness he really contributed; he saw himself in
his home--he contemplated it in the most trying light--the long winter
evenings; but it dimmed not thereby. For he saw himself as before, on
the winter evenings with Susanna; but yet not as before, for he now sate
nearer to her and she was his wife, and he read aloud to her, and
enjoyed her lively, warm sympathy; but he rested at intervals his eyes
upon her and upon the child, which lay in the cradle at her feet, and
Susanna glanced at him as she had just now done upon the rock in the
evening sun. The flames which now danced over the snow were the flames
of his own hearth, and it was his wife who, happy and hospitable, was
busied about them, diffusing comfort and joy around her.
"What is the use of a finer education?" thought he, "it cannot create a
heart, a soul, and qualities like this girl's!" He could not turn his
eyes from Susanna; every moment she seemed more beautiful to him.--The
sweet enchantment of love had come over him.
In the mean time the evening meal was ready, and Harald was called to
it. What wonder if he, after a fatiguing day's journey, and after the
observations which he had just been making, found Susanna's meal beyond
all description excellent and savoury?! He missed only Susanna's
presence during it, for Susanna was within the cave, and upon her knees
before Mrs. Astrid, holding in her hand a bowl of soup, and counting
with quiet delight every spoonful which her lady with evident
satisfaction conveyed to her lips. "That was the best soup that I ever
tasted!" said she, when the bowl was emptied; "it is true, Susanna, that
you are very clever!" It was the first time that Mrs. Astrid had paid
attention to her eating, and the first praise which Susanna had received
from her mouth,--and no soup, not even nectar, can taste so charming, so
animating, as the first word of praise from beloved lips!
When Susanna went out of the cave, she was welcomed by Harald's looks;
and they spoke a language almost irresistibly enchanting for a heart to
which affection was so needful as was Susanna's: and in her excited and
grateful spirit she thought that she could be content for all eternity
to be up in these mountains, and wait upon and prepare soup for those
beloved beings who here seemed first to have opened their hearts to her.