II.

“Yes, but we must bear in mind, ladies and gentlemen, that it not only

concerns us here to come to the help of oppressed humanity in the

aggregate; but that we have set ourselves at the task of working within

distinct boundaries. Therefore, while with all my heart I can concur in

the views advanced by Consul With, at the same time, I must insist that

we should not go beyond our proper limits. It is possible enough that

need--and what now especially interests us, moral depravity among young

girls--that it may be just as great--yes, perhaps much greater in St.

Paul’s parish than here in St. Peter’s. But I believe, indeed, that if

our labors are really to bring forth visible fruits for blessing, we

should confine ourselves to the bounds indicated by God himself, and

that is--I think--our own parish.”

“Oh, how true that is that the chaplain says;” said Mrs. Bentzen

joyfully. “It is just as it was before I took my own poor. All that I

gave, that we poured forth, it disappeared without doing any good, and

there were only more and more, who came and begged. But now I only let

the maid say: ‘We have our own to take care of.’ So one is sure that no

unworthy person gets it, and so one can see the invisible fruits--no,

blessed fruits. How was it the chaplain expressed it; it was at once so

true and so graceful?”

“Visible fruits for blessing,” said the chaplain with a modest blush.

“Yes--that was it,” said the lady, and repeated the words half aloud,

so as to remember them.

“I, for my part, do not even think that it is right to give and help

indiscriminately,” said the young wife of the new chief of police, and

modestly cast down her handsome eyes.

The chaplain bowed in acknowledgment to the lady, and remarked that it

was also said in the Scriptures, that it is not right to take bread

from children and cast it before small dogs. Besides, he added some

comments, in which he again insisted that the institution for fallen

women, which they were met there to organize, ought to confine its

labors strictly within the limits of St. Peter’s parish.

Merchant With, had, in fact, not the least objection to that. He had

spoken some common-place words on the spur of the moment, in order to

say something. Now he had to explain that it had been his intention as

it were in large outlines--hem--to give a suggestion of what according

to his--hem--opinion should be done concerning this--hem--this social

evil.

The chaplain complimented him on the valuable contribution the Consul

had made to the illumination of the matter. After which the discussion

on that point was considered at an end, and the name proposed by the

chaplain was adopted: The Institution for Fallen Women in St. Peter’s

Parish.

Consul With stroked his black moustache, and stole an opportunity to

look at his watch. It was his wife who had compelled him to take part

in this meeting, at which no men except himself and the chaplain were

to be found. Aside from them, it was a selection of the finest ladies

of the town, who had come together on this occasion at the solicitation

of the chaplain. Consul With was included, because they desired one of

the town’s wealthiest and best names among the founders.

Malicious men might perhaps think that Consul With looked a little

strange in an organization of just that character; for in reality, he

did not have the best reputation.

Some found an excuse for him, in the circumstance that Consul With had

done almost the same as Kierkegaard has it that Luther did, namely,

married an ironing-board. For Mrs. With was certainly one of the

flattest one’s eyes were like to meet.

Others thought she deserved nothing better, for being so foolish as to

imagine that the handsome Otto With had chosen her for anything but old

sailor Randulf’s money.

But the Consul himself was so easy and smooth, so companionable

and affable that the reports slid off from him. Those who knew him

intimately, laughed at him; he was now quite beyond reformation; but

the most thought that he was not so bad as was told.

Meanwhile matters were progressing; the preliminary labors were

discussed and divided among those who were present. That, in its turn,

was not without its difficulties, and the chaplain had to be careful to

the last degree, to maneuver among all these ladies without offending

somebody.

He noticed, especially, that there were several of the ladies who

aspired to the post of secretary of the Institution. And that was

partly the chaplain’s own fault. For he had, half in sport, described

it as interesting and responsible in this way to keep a big, thick

register with red and blue headings.

The police-chief’s wife seemed to have been especially smitten by this

thick register; and every time the secretaryship came under discussion,

she let her handsome eyes rest upon the chaplain in a shy appeal.

But there were others who might be worthier of that distinction. First,

there was Mrs. With, in whose elegant parlors the meeting was taking

place, and from whom they expected the heaviest contribution. But the

chaplain had shrewdly devised a compromise with her by making her

husband, Consul With, chairman of the Institution.

Then there was the wealthy Mrs. Fanny Garman, from Sandsgaard? To be

sure, she looked as if she was only bored and did not trouble herself

about anything; but it might be that she would take a slight illy; one

can never be sure about it.

And then it was a great problem, too, whether properly he ought not

tender his pastor’s wife this secretaryship. Pastor Martens had,

in his wife’s behalf, accepted the invitation to take part in the

organization. But he had added, to be sure, that, although his Lena

was interested with heart and soul in the matter, yet she was so

weakly that, like a quiet housewife, she remained entirely within

the sheltered enclosure of her home. Neither was she present at the

meeting.

The chaplain began to grow uneasy; he was comparatively strange in

the parish; and the founding of this Institution for Fallen Women in

St. Peter’s parish was really to be his great debut. Now he felt the

difficulties already; this secretaryship--what was he to do with it?

But while he was sitting and writhing in all these considerations,

there was a knock at the door, and Miss Falbe walked in.

After a hasty salutation to Mrs. With, she began curtly and

emphatically, turning to the assembled company:

“I have been informed that you are organizing a society for rescuing

young girls; and as I thought there might be a rush for places, I have

made haste to present a young girl who very badly needs rescue from her

environment. You certainly know her too, Mrs. Bentzen; it is little

Elsie, at Madam Speckbom’s.”

Mrs. Bentzen tossed her head and brushed a thread off of her dress--of

course she knew her; everybody knew the little out-cast; but she must

plainly understand--

Several of the other ladies also muttered and whispered to each other;

but Consul With was so unguarded as to call out:

“Ah! you mean Loppen, Miss Falbe--a handsome--hem, hem!”

It did no good to cough; the ironing-board sent him a look and Mrs.

Garman laughed openly behind her large fan. But Miss Falbe continued

her recommendation, describing all the temptations of life at the Ark.

“That Miss Falbe can bear to live at such a house,” said the

ironing-board aside.

Miss Falbe forced herself to be silent. But when no one seemed disposed

to make any response, the little wife of the chief of police said:

“Pardon, I am yet so strange here; but does the young girl you speak

of, live within the bounds of St. Peter’s parish?”

That keen-witted question made so good an impression on the chaplain,

that he decided she should have the secretaryship. But it was soon

brought to light that the Ark really was inside the limits of St.

Peter’s parish; and then again ensued a short, painful pause. For every

one was anxious to oppose Miss Falbe, but no one saw what excuse they

were to give.

Then the chaplain said: “Pardon, Miss Falbe; but as you know the

object of this institution, you also understand what class of people

in society we are starting out to rescue. Allow me, therefore, one

question: Is the girl proposed by you, a fallen woman?”

“That I do not know,” answered Miss Falbe hurriedly, and colored; but

just after, she continued composedly: “She is no more than seventeen

years old and just on that account I hoped she could be saved. For,

from the surroundings in which she has grown up, it seems to me almost

a necessity that she must fall and go down, as we so often see girls in

her position do.”

“Yes, Miss, to that I must answer, that in the first place I do not

share these modern views about necessity. I, for my part, believe--and

I am--even if the new wisdom of our times will laugh at me--I am happy

to believe that right there, where human eyes see the certain, the

necessary way to destruction, that right there is the place for God’s

loving providence. And as to the matter itself,” added the chaplain,

and looked about among the company, “I must now repeat what I have

already had the honor to point out in this connection--that, just as

have we found it our duty to confine our labors to a certain parish,

so we must also maintain that our work of rescue comprehend a distinct

class of our fellow men. That, too, we have intended to indicate in the

name we have chosen: The Institution for Fallen Women--so only for the

unfortunates whom we designate fallen women--of St. Peter’s Parish.”

This address was received with subdued, but warm approval, by all the

ladies around the table; and several might be heard--“certainly,”

“that is clear,” “it must be that way of course.”

For a moment it looked as it Miss Falbe would return a sharp answer;

she was often that unaccountable; but she stopped and let it pass with

a dry apology, “that she had mistaken,” as she expressed it.

Then she left the company.

“That’s always the way with Miss Falbe,” exclaimed Mrs. With, when the

door was closed. “Something disagreeable’s always tagging after her.”

“She is so dreadfully severe,” said Mrs. Bentzen.

“I fear she lacks the proper spirit,” said the chaplain with a mild

solemnity.

“So far as I know,” insinuated the police-chief’s wife in her guileless

tone, “Miss Falbe is not a member of any charitable organization in

town.”

“No, we had her with us at first in the Foundling’s Home,” answered

Mrs. Bentzen. “But she was so unmanageable and domineering, and at last

came the story of the quack doctor.”

This story was then related. It was the more suitable for the

occasion, as it turned just on this same Elsie, whom Miss Falbe had

presented. The wife of the police-chief inquired very anxiously about

the difference between the ages of Miss Falbe and the young girl--a

shrewdness which the chaplain could not fail to recognize to himself.

When just then Dr. Bentzen came in--he was the family physician--they

had already had a full account of the whole scandal.

When he heard what they were talking about, he turned his red nose up

in air, and began to rake down the Ark from top to bottom, in a torrent

of words. It was a disgrace to the whole town; Puppelena was a thieves’

go-between, who kept a dolt of a musician to fool the police. Miss

Falbe and her brother were of about the same stripe; but when he came

to Madam Speckbom and Loppen, he talked himself into such a fury that

his wife, as was her wont, had to go over to him, and soothe him, and

gently push him out of doors.

After these interruptions they could not get affairs under way again.

Mrs. Fanny Garman had buttoned her gloves, and they had seen the

Sandsgaard horses before the window long ago. Mrs. Fanny had not opened

her mouth, except to gape. Now and then she made a grimace of weariness

to Consul With, which he answered when he dared.

The chaplain would have preferred to close with a little benediction.

But it did not happen so. The ladies’ silk dresses rustled and crackled

so much as they now began to rise, that he did not manage to begin.

This Institution was besides a little different from the numerous

missions and charitable associations, where religious people are

usually so prominent. The most of the ladies present commonly did not

take part in such affairs; and it had been precisely the chaplain’s

design for this Institution to gather the most aristocratic ladies,

who would otherwise confine themselves to furnishing financial support

alone.

By this, it was by no means his intention to make his Institution more

aristocratic and exclusive than the other organizations of the town.

But he was of the opinion that the ministers of our day pay too much

attention to the middle class, and neglect to admonish those who stand

highest in society, and think themselves in the possession of the

loftiest culture.

That was the idea he wished to carry out.

But the town understood him, alas! not at all. And just as

competition and strong rivalry always hold sway among the innumerable

organizations for all sorts of missions and the numberless swarms of

bazaar-committees for every imaginable purpose, so they were all united

in looking with envious eyes upon this new rival--this aristocratic,

highly-connected Institution for Fallen Women of St. Peter’s

Parish--with Consul With for chairman.