CONCLUSION.
A long season of gloom and despondency succeeded the death of Carl.
It was fortunate that Ragnar returned home at an earlier period than
usually; the flowers on Carl's grave had not withered when Magde piously
conducted him to his brother's final resting-place.
"Rest in peace, poor brother," said Ragnar, brushing away a tear, "God
saw best to take you from us--but, dear Magde, you must not grieve too
much for his death, or you will not be able to rejoice at the news I
have for you."
"What news, Ragnar?"
"Captain Hanson, who has been master of the brig Sarah Christiana ever
since I have been her mate, has latterly become very much reduced in
health, and he has concluded not to go to sea again."
"Well, that cannot be joyful news. He was a better captain than perhaps
you will ever sail under again."
"I shall never sail under another captain. I shall be captain myself,
hereafter. The owners of the vessel have tendered the captaincy to me."
"Is it possible?"
"It will soon be more than possible, for my old captain has so well
recommended me, that Mr. Lund has advanced me a sufficient sum of money
to pay the charges of my examination, and as soon as Christmas is
over--for until then I shall study at home--I will take a journey to
prepare myself, and after the examination you will be the wife of a
captain. Then you and Nanna can go with me to Goteborg, that you may see
the vessel before I go to sea."
Magde quietly clasped her hands. Her pious gratitude was evinced in her
every expression. She thanked her God for having thus favored them with
fortune.
Ragnar silently embraced her. "I did not say anything about it
yesterday, for I wished to tell you here near Carl, who always placed
his pleasures aside that they might not interfere with yours."
"Bless you, bless you, Ragnar! I now know why I found so many four
leaved clovers last summer--only think, a captain's wife!--and still you
love me as before?"
"Now and forever, my Magde. You shall have a bonnet as magnificent as
any other lady; you shall have a cashmere shawl, and a black silk dress.
Yes, I promise you all this, and more."
"Let us return home quickly, that I may rejoice father and Nanna."
And Nanna and her father were as much rejoiced at the glad tidings as
was Magde herself.
A few days afterwards, Magde and her father were seated together in the
parlor consulting about the future.
"The Lord thus distributes joys and sorrows. One year ago our prospects
were much different."
"Have I forgotten that time? No! And if I should live a hundred years, I
would never forget the day you were taken from us to prison, nor the day
you were released by Mr. Gottlieb. This year Ragnar must send him the
balance still due him."
"We can repay him the money; but we can never reward him for his
kindness and love. He has not returned to Almvik, and perhaps it is for
the best, and as Nanna under any circumstance--"
The old man was suddenly interrupted by a shrill blast from the outside,
which blast was produced by some one blowing upon a blade of grass.
"Well, well," exclaimed Magde glancing through the window, and then
rushing to the door, "the old proverb is true, 'talk of--'"
"A certain gentleman and he is here," interrupted Gottlieb, entering the
door with his face beaming with his usual cheerfulness. He presented one
hand to Magde, and the other to old Mr. Lonner, who exclaimed with
glistening eyes:
"Welcome, welcome, Mr. Gottlieb. Ragnar intended to write you to-day,
and I just told Magde we are able to discharge one part of our debt, but
the other can never be repaid."
"Enough, enough, good father Lonner, I too was influenced by a selfish
motive--but pardon me, where is Nanna?"
"She has gone to fish with Ragnar and little Conrad," said Magde, who
had already manufactured an urn of coffee, "but they will soon return."
"Aha! is Mate Lonner at home. Then I can become acquainted with him."
"_Captain_ Lonner, next spring at least, Mr. Gottlieb," said Magde,
proudly.
"Crown Secretary, now, instead of Mr. Gottlieb, if you please, Mrs.
Lonner."
"So soon?"
"Yes, eight days ago I received the appointment; but my _great_ fortune
will come next spring, for then I hope to have a little house of my
own."
"Yes, and perhaps a housekeeper too," added Magde.
"Possibly."
At this reply Magde cast a secret glance towards her father, which he
returned. Gottlieb, however, changed the conversation, and commenced
speaking of the death of poor Carl of which he had before been informed.
During the next half hour, Gottlieb evinced the utmost impatience. He
would walk to the window and gaze anxiously towards the lake, not
observing that Magde and her father were exchanging significant glances
and smiles behind his back.
At length he spied the boat, and he hastened down to the beach. The
skiff contained the brother and sister, and their little companion.
A sympathetic sentiment seemed to have pervaded the entire family, for
during their excursion Nanna and Ragnar conversed almost entirely about
her young friend Gottlieb. So nicely had Ragnar probed his sister's
heart that he knew almost as much about its true condition as Carl had
previously learned. Although Ragnar would have desired to have believed
as Carl did, he did not think it proper to offer Nanna any further
consolation, than by saying that since he had received a captaincy she
was placed on a more equal footing with Gottlieb and that he would do
everything in his power to render her happy.
"I know you will, Ragnar," replied Nanna, "but only one thing can ever
afford me happiness."
After these words the conversation ceased, and the brother and sister
commenced their homeward ride.
In his great haste Gottlieb nearly ran into the water, in which Ragnar
was standing fastening the boat; but so much was he astonished by the
marvellous change which taken place in Nanna's appearance that he was
forced to start back and gaze silently upon her. Nanna in the meantime
appeared abstracted. She had not observed Gottlieb's approach; but sat
in the boat slowly moving one of the oars, apparently in the deepest
thought.
But how can we describe Nanna's joyful surprise when she discovered
Gottlieb. Ragnar's presence prevented her from giving vent to her joy in
words; but the joyful expression of her eyes was a more than sufficient
welcome.
We will not describe the first interview between Ragnar and
Gottlieb--suffice it to say it was the meeting of two brothers; not of
two strangers. Neither will we describe the first hour of _mutual_
congratulations; but we will at once draw the reader's attention to a
pleasing picture near the fountain in the meadow. Here the two lovers
had proceeded that they might confer with each other uninterrupted.
"You see, my little nymph, I have come back. Do you think that I have an
honorable spirit and a true heart? Now tell me, have you grown so
beautiful, for me; yes so beautiful that I can well be proud of you as
my own little wife?"
"Wife! are you then serious?"
"Serious we shall never be, we will make a third agreement, which is
that we shall live henceforth without a gloomy thought or serious
foreboding. Although we shall marry, as it is said, for 'love in a
cottage,' yet we are both so familiar with the reality of the cottage,
that our romantic dreams, if we have any, will be fully realized."
"True, very true," said Nanna smiling, and her countenance radiant with
joy, appeared still more beautiful, "and now I am--"
"--Betrothed," said Gottlieb joyfully embracing her.
How happy were the inmates of the little cottage that evening!
* * * * *
When the news of Gottlieb's betrothal reached Almvik, Mrs. Ulrica
foretold that nothing but evil would result from the wedding.
Mr. Fabian, however, who secretly esteemed Gottlieb, was silent; but
afterwards when the young couple were firmly united he would hold them
up as examples and say that some men could be happy with a wife who did
not possess riches and station.
"But that," insisted Mrs. Ulrica, "is no reason why a poor man should
not know to prize the happiness which a wealthy wife could procure for
him."
End of Project Gutenberg's The Home in the Valley, by Emilie F. Carlén