THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 
 \
 
 EMANUEL 
 
 OR 
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL
 
 All Rights Reserved.

 
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 PR-CHI LDRENOFTH EJ'OILFRO
 
 IN " Emanuel, or Children of the Soil," Henrik 
 Pontoppidan gives us a chapter in the Evolution 
 of the Danish Peasant. The period he chooses 
 for the story, about twenty years ago, was one 
 filled with the falling echoes of great religious 
 and political enthusiasms. 
 
 Until 1788, when Serfage was abolished under 
 the regency of Frederik the Sixth, " the People's 
 Friend," the Danish Peasant was simply a slave, 
 bought and sold with the land he laboured on, 
 and absolutely at the mercy of his feudal lord. 
 Personal freedom became his then, but he was 
 still without the other rights of a citizen. These 
 were, however, granted him in the fullest measure 
 by the Constitution of 1849, a constitution that 
 was then the most free of any in Europe. This 
 gave him, amongst other things, Religious Liberty, 
 Manhood Suffrage, Free Education, a Free Press, 
 and Parish Councils. The outburst of popular 
 enthusiasm at this juncture was immense. The 
 Peasant was half intoxicated with his new powers, 
 and was anxious to experiment with them at once. 
 
 1633553
 
 viii PREFACE 
 
 The two predominant political parties in Den- 
 mark at that time, under whose influence he fell, 
 were the " National-Liberal " party and the 
 " Friends of the Peasants." The former had 
 grown out of the Constitutional disputes with 
 the dependent Duchies, Schleswig and Holstein, 
 which culminated in the war of 1848, when 
 the Danes were victorious. It was patriotic, 
 anti-German, Scandinavian ; and taught with un- 
 measured enthusiasm that no personal sacrifice 
 was too great in the cause of Denmark. 
 
 The " Friends of the Peasants " were also 
 Patriotic, but more democratically so, and de- 
 clared that the welfare of their country depended 
 mainly on the Peasant, whom they courted and 
 exalted in every possible way. 
 
 Both of these movements also more or less 
 directly influenced a man who was then one of 
 the most remarkable figures in Denmark, Bishop 
 Nicholai Frederik Severin Grundtvig, the Saga- 
 Priest ; and through him reacted back on the 
 Peasant. Born in 1783, he had spent his early 
 life and manhood in combating the hide-bound 
 orthodoxy and formal pietism of the State 
 Church ; and by the time the Constitution was 
 granted he had gathered a great following in the 
 Church, and had aroused the same sort of personal 
 enthusiasm as John Wesley in England. 
 
 He saw that the peasant, though nominally 
 free, was still bound in ignorance, an ignorance 
 which he bent all his mind to dispel. He had
 
 PREFACE ix 
 
 been struck during a visit to England with the 
 efforts that were made there for the enlighten- 
 ment of the poorer classes, and resolved to imitate 
 them in Denmark. 
 
 This he did by the establishment of " High 
 Schools" for the people, where he gathered 
 together young men and maidens, for months at 
 a time (the one sex in summer the other in 
 winter), and by means of lectures, historical 
 readings, and the singing of patriotic songs, 
 saturated their minds with a love of their Father- 
 land and a knowledge of its glorious past. He 
 put the old gods before them as the only natural 
 and inevitable forerunners of Christianity, and 
 constantly recited the Eddas and Sagas. The 
 awakening of the spirit was his prime object, 
 rather than the training of the intellect. 
 
 So successful were the High Schools that in a 
 somewhat modified form they are now general all 
 over Denmark, and in an address given at the 
 opening of the new building of the Danish 
 Students Society, in 1894, Georg Brandes said : 
 " If we wished to point out to a foreigner what 
 was most remarkable in modern Denmark we 
 should distinguish three things of National 
 Origin," and the first of these is " the Peoples' 
 High Schools." 
 
 This great institution, then, with its religious- 
 political teaching, together with the outcome of 
 the agitations of the " National-Liberal " party 
 and the "Friends of the Peasants," form the
 
 x PREFACE 
 
 background to the story before us. Grundtvig 
 himself had died in 1872, but the Grundtvigians 
 were still a united and powerful body. 
 
 The National-Liberals and the Friends of the 
 Peasants were no longer organized parties, but 
 they had left their mark on the minds of the 
 People, whose keen interest in politics was kept 
 alive by the grave dangers that loomed on the 
 constitutional horizon. By the revision of the 
 Constitution in 1866 their liberties were already 
 and somewhat curtailed, and a still more serious 
 incursion on them (to which reference is made 
 in Mr Pontoppidan's later story, " The Promised 
 Land," a sequel to " Emanuel ") was soon to be 
 made by the decreeing of provisionary Budgets 
 by the King without the consent of the Rigsdag. 
 
 Veilby and Skibberup have their prototypes in 
 two picturesque and remote villages on the 
 Roeskiide Fjord in North Sjoelland. Here 
 Henrik Pontoppidan lived for years, and here he 
 learnt to know the Peasants whom he describes 
 so charmingly, not only in " Emanuel " and " The 
 Promised Land," but also in his volumes of 
 short stories, " Village Pictures," and " From 
 the Cottages." Here, too, the material for the 
 illustrations in this volume and "The Promised 
 Land " was collected. 
 
 NELLY ERICHSEN. 
 
 
 April 1896.
 
 NOTE 
 
 In reading all names 
 
 a has the sound of a in father. 
 e a in pane. 
 
 z , ; ee. 
 
 11 oo. 
 
 y >? it- 
 
 All final i?'s accented, thus Hansine, Hanseene. 
 
 XI
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 " CUCKOO ! " . . . . . Frontispiece 
 
 PAGE 
 
 HALF-TITLE TO BOOK I. i 
 
 HEAD-PIECE ...... 3 
 
 EMANUEL INTRODUCED TO His PARISHIONERS . 27 
 
 THEIR FIRST MEETING ..... 37 
 
 HALF-TITLE TO BOOK II. . . . -53 
 
 THE MEN CARRIED THE WOMEN ASHORE . . 55 
 "I?" SAID HE, STARTING AND LOOKING DOWN AT 
 
 HER ....... 77 
 
 THE CROWS FLEW HOMEWARDS OVER THE FIELDS AT 
 
 SUNSET ...... 93 
 
 A LITTLE PLACE WITH YELLOW-WASHED OUT- 
 BUILDINGS ...... 96 
 
 HANSINE AT HOME . . . . . 101 
 
 THEIR BROWN HANDS MOTIONLESS ON THEIR LAPS . 122 
 
 HALF-TITLE TO BOOK III. .... 133 
 
 THE GIRLS IN THE BOAT BEGAN TO SING . . 161 
 
 "THE DEATH OF YOUNG BURE" . . . 165 
 
 HE TOOK HOLD OF HER ARM AND HELD HER BACK . 175 
 
 Miss RAGNHILD PUT THE BOWL HURRIEDLY DOWN . 192 
 
 ELSE is ASTONISHED ..... 201 
 
 ANE AND HANSINE ..... 207
 
 xiv ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 EMANUEL GAZED IN HER FACE . . .211 
 
 ELSE OPENED THE CHESTS ONE BY ONE . . 222 
 
 THE DAY OF THE ENGAGEMENT . . . 224 
 
 HALF-TITLE TO BOOK IV. .... 229 
 
 THE LONELY CHURCH AT SKIBBERUP . . . 231 
 
 HE BEGAN TO SPEAK ..... 239 
 " MY CLERICAL DUTIES CALL ME AWAY " . . 266 
 
 HALF-TITLE TO BOOK V. . . . .277 
 
 HE LED THE WAY INTO THE CHURCH . . . 301 
 
 TAIL-PIECE ...... 307
 
 BOOK 
 ONE
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 IT was towards the end of the seventies. 
 
 For a week the devil's own weather had raged 
 over the district. The storm had swept from the 
 east on the wings of wild, jagged, blue black 
 clouds, lashing up the waters of the fiord, so 
 that great masses of foam were thrown high on 
 to the fields. In many places the peasants' 
 winter corn was completely uprooted ; the reeds 
 and rushes in the bogs were beaten down, the 
 meadows seared, and the ditches choked with 
 sand and earth so that the water not finding an 
 outlet spread itself over both fields and roads. 
 There were uprooted trees in every direction, 
 shattered telegraph posts, broken down corn 
 stacks, and dead birds killed by the hurricane. 
 
 In the little village of Veilby which lay quite 
 unprotected on the top of a hill, an old barn blew 
 down one night with such a crash, that all the 
 people sprang up out of their beds and rushed
 
 4 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 into the street in their night clothes. A dozen 
 chimney pots were blown down the same night, 
 and whole flower beds uprooted in the Parsonage 
 garden ; and all the starlings' building boxes were 
 blown out of the trees. 
 
 Nay the heavenly powers did not even spare 
 the Provst ; while the storm was at its height he 
 stepped out one afternoon on to the verandah to 
 look round at the scene of devastation ; the wind 
 lifted the hat from his white head, threw it to 
 the ground like a ball, trundled it along the road, 
 and in spite of all his efforts to stop it, swept it 
 along in a swirling dust-cloud. It only relin- 
 quished its prey in a ditch behind some black- 
 thorn bushes, a long way down the high road, to 
 cast its force over a little girl who lived beyond the 
 common, and who weeping bitterly, was struggling 
 home from school. Then with howls and shrieks 
 as of a hundred devils let loose, the wind enveloped 
 the worn out little creature, puffed up her skirts 
 and drove her nearer and nearer the edge of the 
 road, till it at last overturned her by a corner 
 stone, and sent her rolling with despairing cries 
 into an old gravel pit. Here her little doubled 
 up corpse was found next day by the searchers ; 
 a new catechism still tightly pressed to her 
 sheltering bosom, with convulsive grasp. 
 
 Never in the memory of man had such weather 
 been known. 
 
 " The Lord preserve those at sea," the people 
 shouted to each other through the uproar, when
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 5 
 
 they met in the street as they fought their way 
 step by step along the road with head bowed 
 down ; or flying along with the storm behind 
 them. " Lucky folks who have a roof over their 
 heads," thought those who were sitting at home 
 in their half dark rooms, where even in the middle 
 of the day they could hardly see to read the 
 newspaper ; while the wind piped and whistled 
 round them as if all the evil spirits were let loose 
 on the village. The horses stood pricking up 
 their ears in the stables, and shaking with fear ; 
 the cows bellowed one against the other as at a 
 fire, even the cats went mewing about in a plaintive 
 manner; and the dogs snuffed round uneasily, 
 with their tails between their legs. When at last 
 the storm subsided a little, the snow came tumbling 
 down in white masses ; and though it was still 
 early winter, the beginning of December, it 
 remained lying on the ground and filling the 
 ditches, hiding the uprooted trees, heaping itself 
 against broken fences, and covering torn thatch. 
 
 For full three days and nights heaven and earth 
 were merged in one. 
 
 By this time several people had begun to search 
 their innermost hearts, and to make up their 
 accounts with the Almighty in the belief that the 
 Day of Judgment must be at hand. Even on 
 the evening of the third day when the people 
 began shovelling away the snow drifts from the 
 doors, and sweeping the thick cakes of snow from 
 the window panes, more than one man standing
 
 6 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 on his door-step, in the struggling moonbeams, 
 peering out over the desolate white waste of 
 snow to which earth and fiord were changed, 
 wondered " what it all meant," that is to say was 
 it a warning, a heavenly proclamation of some 
 great event which might be expected to befal the 
 village, the district, or possibly the whole land 
 in the immediate future ? 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 ON the same evening a young stranger was 
 sitting in the study with the Provst, he had 
 arrived the day before, when the snowstorm was 
 at its height. 
 
 He was a tall slightly built man in a long 
 black coat and white tie. His light blue eyes 
 looked out with an open glance, from a pale 
 childlike face. Over his forehead, which was 
 high and arched, waved a quantity of slightly 
 curling hair, and a fine growth of pale down 
 was visible on his chin and down the sides of 
 his cheeks. 
 
 Provst Tonnesen sat opposite to him in a 
 large old fashioned porter's chair with earpieces 
 and a neck cushion. He was a handsome man 
 of giant build, with the bearing of a church 
 dignitary; his head was massive, and .covered 
 with short bristling white hair. Behind long,
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 7 
 
 overhanging, and still quite black eyebrows 
 gleamed dark grey eyes, which together with 
 the full curves of the nose and lips gave to the 
 clean shaven face a somewhat southern appear- 
 ance. His clothing, from the spotless cambric 
 tie to his brocaded vest and shining boots, dis- 
 closed an unusual degree of attention to outward 
 appearance in a village pastor. His bearing, 
 and the way in which in the course of conver- 
 sation he took whiffs from a long -stemmed 
 pipe all revealed the self-confident man of the 
 world. 
 
 Folding doors at his side stood open to the 
 drawing - room, a large handsomely furnished 
 room where his daughter, a pale, auburn haired 
 girl, sat working by a tall lamp with a green 
 shade. Silence reigned around. All sound 
 seemed drowned in the waste of snow with- 
 out. Besides the Provst's deep bass voice only 
 the crackling of the stove was to be heard and 
 the monotonous chatter of a parrot in a cage by 
 the young lady. 
 
 The young stranger was the Provst's new 
 curate whose arrival had been awaited^ with 
 much interest, not only at the Parsonage but 
 throughout the parish. Directly after the mid- 
 day meal the two priests had withdrawn to the 
 subdued light of the study ; and for the last four 
 hours had discussed all kinds of things concern- 
 ing their mutually responsible office. 
 
 The conversation was almost entirely carried
 
 8 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 on by the Provst. The curate was a very young 
 man of six-and-twenty, and he had only a few 
 days ago been solemnly ordained by the Bishop 
 to the cure of souls. It was evident that he 
 was still somewhat oppressed by his new 
 dignity. He coloured up every time the Provst 
 addressed him as " Herr Pastor," and looked 
 down shyly. 
 
 The Provst began his discourse in a quiet 
 instructive tone, dwelling somewhat on the words, 
 as if he secretly enjoyed the unusual pleasant- 
 ness of his voice, and the polish of his phrases. 
 It did not often fall to his lot to have such an 
 intelligent listener, and he could not resist the 
 temptation to allow his fluency a somewhat wide 
 range. As he came to a closer discussion of the 
 church to-day, and when he touched upon the 
 many controversial elements within the church 
 his voice lost its calmness, and his language was 
 less controlled. Finally he bent forward and 
 said with a strong emphasis and looking straight 
 into the curate's eyes : 
 
 " What I particularly want to impress upon 
 you Mr Hansted is that it is not only the 
 priest's right, but his sacred and inalienable 
 duty to his Master whose Kingdom on earth he 
 administers, I say it is the undeniable duty of 
 the priest, on every occasion to maintain the un- 
 doubted authority of the church. The beautiful 
 old patriarchal feeling which formerly existed 
 between the shepherd of souls and his flock
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 9 
 
 will soon, unfortunately, be no more than a Saga. 
 And whose is the blame ? Who are those that 
 for years have systematically undermined the 
 authority of the church, and broken down the 
 traditional respect of the people for their duly 
 constituted ministers of religion. Are they the 
 so-called Freethinkers, the open and audacious 
 Atheists ? It may be said that it is so, but don't 
 believe it ! No, it is within the church's own 
 doors that the corruption has been nourished. 
 It is those movements pregnant with disaster, 
 which, under the name of ' democratic liberty,' 
 and ' equality,' have risen from the dregs of the 
 people, and which now have found their way even 
 into the sacred precincts of the church not only 
 by means of hot-headed youths here and there, 
 but unfortunately latterly even through some 
 of the most trusted men in the church. I need 
 not explain myself further, no doubt you know 
 to what I refer. Who and what are these so- 
 called followers of Grundtvig, with their 
 ' Friendly Meetings,' and their High schools, 
 which have latterly received state support ? And 
 this ' Colporteur ' nuisance, these preaching shoe- 
 makers and tailors ignorant persons, who mark 
 you are sent out by the priests themselves into 
 the land, and empowered to bear witness in the 
 name of the Holy Church ? I cannot understand 
 the blindness of certain of our colleagues, who do 
 not see how destructive is such a proceeding to 
 the dignity and authority which we (there is no
 
 io EMANUEL; OR 
 
 use denying it among ourselves) cannot afford 
 to be without in the presence of the common 
 people, who are not in a position to value true 
 superiority, or to judge rightly of spiritual qualifi- 
 cations. And what are the consequences ? Do 
 we not already see the fruits ? These shoemaker 
 and tailor apostles are they not marvellous 
 orators, almost prophets in the eyes of the 
 populace ? Their phrases and catchwords de- 
 moralize the people to such an extent, that they 
 will hardly listen to a proper well thought out 
 sermon, and they lose all taste for the solemnities 
 of a church service. It is only a few days since 
 one of these presumptuous individuals presented 
 himself to me as a ' colleague ; ' and even had the 
 insolence to ask permission to use the church for 
 his ministrations ! This is what we have come 
 to ! Tramps in the pulpit, criminals at the altar. 
 In this manner is the Church's brilliance tar- 
 nished. This is what its importance has sunk 
 to ! I ask you, Pastor Hansted, when is it to 
 end ? " He had talked himself into an ever- 
 increasing violence of passion. His face was pale 
 and he trembled in every limb, and at his last 
 words he rose to his full height, straightening his 
 giant frame as if ready for the fray at once. 
 
 The curate looked at him in astonishment and 
 even the young lady turned her head, while the 
 parrot screamed and flapped its wings. 
 
 Quite beside himself with excitement, the 
 Provst tramped up and down the floor with
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL n 
 
 steps which echoed through the room. In a 
 few minutes he came back to his place, and 
 stopping in front of the curate, looked at him 
 with a searching glance which blazed under the 
 dark eyebrows like lightning in a storm cloud, 
 said, in a voice which still trembled, " I hope, 
 Pastor Hansted, that you understand my anxiety 
 in the case I have just mentioned ; and I hope 
 you share the doubts which every conscientious 
 priest must entertain in the face of these move- 
 ments ... I won't conceal from you that even 
 in this parish I see traces of agitation. A certain 
 weaver named Hansen, as ignorant as he is 
 audacious, one of the sad products of this High 
 school movement, has been trying, for the last 
 year or two, to form a revolutionary party among 
 the congregation ; this party of braggarts and 
 ignoramuses dares openly to defy me. But I 
 won't stand it ! I feel it is my duty to crush this 
 spirit of revolt with inexorable severity, and I 
 hope I may depend on your support in the future, 
 Mr Hansted. I hope in all matters of importance 
 we shall work together for the glory of God and 
 the good of the congregation." 
 
 " I have no higher wish," answered the young 
 man quietly, looking at the floor. 
 
 " I am quite sure of that," continued the 
 Provst, evidently pleased by the curate's answer. 
 "At the same time, I am glad to have it con- 
 firmed by your own lips. I do not doubt that we 
 shall get on very well together."
 
 12 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 At this moment a softly-chiming clock in the 
 drawing-room struck eight. At the sound the 
 Provst's daughter appeared in the doorway, and 
 invited the gentlemen to come in to tea. 
 
 " Well then we must obey," said the Provst in 
 a lively voice, and rose. Laying his hand on the 
 curate's shoulder he added jocularly, " as you 
 have perhaps perceived, Pastor Hansted, my 
 
 daughter rules the house and I may tell 
 
 you that she is a strict commander. We can 
 continue the conversation another time. Come 
 in, you must put up with a countrified supper 
 table." 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE dining-room like most of the Parsonage 
 rooms was a lofty and well proportioned apart- 
 ment, with a richly decorated ceiling and frescoes 
 over the doors. Although Veilby and Skibberup 
 were far from being rich livings, the Parsonage 
 and all its out buildings were in a style more 
 in keeping with the seat of a rich landed pro- 
 prietor, than a dwelling for a servant of the 
 church. The Provst's predecessor in the living 
 had been an exceedingly rich man, and his first 
 work had been to level the old Parsonage 
 buildings with the ground. At his own cost he 
 erected the present palatial building, the costli-
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 13 
 
 ness of which led to pilgrimages from all parts of 
 the country to look at it. Even now the wildest 
 tales were told of the recklessness with which he 
 squandered his money. 
 
 A peasant only had to go to him and complain 
 of a misfortune with his cattle, or say that his 
 corn was blighted, and he would immediately run 
 a pen through his debt for tithes, and sometimes 
 even hand him a note for 50 Daler when he left. 
 All that he asked in return was to be left in 
 peace with his books and his works of art ; and 
 as the parishioners always had considerably less 
 taste for the treasures of religion than for the 
 more tangible goods of this world, the best under- 
 standing existed between the congregation and 
 its head during the fifteen years reign of the 
 " Millionaire Priest." 
 
 In the meantime Provst Tonnesen complained 
 bitterly of his predecessor, and with reason ; by 
 his proceedings he had entirely muddled the 
 ideas of the parishioners. They had grown 
 accustomed to regard tithes and offerings as 
 things they might give or withhold at their 
 discretion, so that when the Provst demanded 
 that regularity should be re-introduced and even 
 required strictly punctual payments, it was looked 
 upon as unseemly greed in a priest, and gave rise 
 to a meeting which was the first source of the 
 strained relations which had existed ever since. 
 
 The hostile feeling against the Provst had in 
 the last few days taken a new arid characteristic
 
 i 4 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 turn, and it was the remembrance of this which 
 was at the bottom of his recent violent outburst. 
 
 The fact was, that the conspiring peasants 
 having again refused to pay their tithes, the rector 
 had distrained, and according to a preconcerted 
 arrangement, they had all allowed their old 
 manure carts and wagons to be seized, and drove 
 up one day in solemn procession before the 
 Parsonage, where the sale was to take place. 
 Then amid great merriment they bought their 
 goods back again and drove off exultant. 
 
 If the Provst then had reasonable cause to be 
 displeased with his predecessor's relations with 
 his parishioners, he was in return doubly grateful 
 for the princely home he had left behind him. 
 It exactly corresponded to what, in his opinion, 
 was a fitting residence for a Vicar of Christ in 
 the parishes of Veilby and Skibberup ; and it 
 was partly on this account that he still held this 
 in proportion to his age and seniority very 
 moderate living. Moreover he was suffering 
 from an imaginary mortification at the hands 
 of the higher powers, which he attributed to the 
 personal spite of his immediate superior, namely 
 the Bishop, an unusually liberal minded man 
 both in ecclesiastical affairs and in politics. It 
 was in fact not one of Provst Tonnesen's failings 
 to undervalue himself, and as he had more than 
 once been passed over on the filling up of some 
 of the larger appointments, he looked upon this 
 as an intentional slight, and determined that he
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 15 
 
 would not again apply for preferment under his 
 present Bishop a decision which the smallness 
 of his family and some private fortune enabled 
 him to maintain without any great self-denial. 
 
 He was not however, above accepting a little 
 balm for his wound when, a year or two later he 
 allowed himself to be nominated Provst or rural 
 dean ; a position in which he at last found a fitting 
 field for his superfluous energy, and his self-esteem 
 recovered from the mortifications it had under- 
 gone. From that day he lived and breathed 
 among old documents, and acts of parliament, 
 composing with painful solicitude sheet upon 
 sheet of representations to diocesan authorities 
 and county councils. He instituted elaborate 
 enquiries at every opportunity among his sub- 
 ordinate clergy, and was the special dread of the 
 school masters under his jurisdiction, whom he 
 pursued with endless lists of reports and schedules 
 which he insisted on having filled up with great 
 precision. He did in fact succeed to a great 
 extent in strengthening the clerical control over 
 the Education Department ; and it was not with- 
 out reason that he considered himself at home on 
 this subject, for in his younger days he had been 
 assistant master at one of the public schools for 
 several years. 
 
 He explained all these measures to the curate 
 at the tea-table, giving him to understand that he 
 was taking a curate so as to have more time to 
 devote to these works.
 
 16 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 The curate, listening in silence, absently 
 crumbled his bread on the cloth without eating 
 anything. He had hardly eaten at all for the 
 twenty-four hours he had been under the Provst's 
 roof. He did not give the impression of being ill 
 at ease. On the contrary there was an expression 
 of joy and thankfulness in his gentle light blue 
 eyes, when he now and then raised them and 
 glanced round the room, dwelling a moment on 
 the daughter of the house, as she stood behind 
 the steaming urn. 
 
 Miss Ragnhild Tonnesen was, like her father, 
 a stately figure and the image of him. She had 
 the same large expressive eyes only a shade 
 lighter the same southern type of nose and 
 well-formed mouth. But she was slim almost 
 to thinness, nor had she inherited the Provst's 
 healthy dark complexion. Her skin was pale 
 and delicate, almost transparent as if it had 
 never known either wind or sun. On the other 
 hand her haughty bearing and formal carriage 
 were again quite her father's, just as the relation- 
 ship could be traced in the inordinate care of her 
 person which was disclosed by her elegant costume 
 in the latest fashion. 
 
 Miss Ragnhild was twenty-four years old and 
 the Provst's only child. If at the first moment 
 she appeared somewhat older, it was the result of 
 having been the mistress of her father's house for 
 some years. While quite a child the Provst had 
 lost his wife, and it was owing to the overwhelming
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 17 
 
 shock of his loss that he gave up his promising 
 future as a school master and moved into a 
 country parsonage in search of consolation and 
 quiet for himself and his child. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 THEY were just about to leave the table, when 
 the lame old family servant put her head in from 
 the kitchen, and announced that a person was at 
 the door with a sledge, and insisted on seeing the 
 Provst 
 
 " At this time of day ! " exclaimed the Provst, 
 raising his eye-brows ominously, " What does he 
 want, Lon6 ? " 
 
 " How should I know ? " she answered, sourly, 
 " He said he had to fetch the Provst to a sick 
 person." 
 
 " To a sick person ! In this weather ! And 
 now, at night . . . who ever can it be, Lon6 ? " 
 
 " How can I tell ... he says he is Anders 
 Jorgen's son from Skibberup." 
 
 " Oh, indeed ! " murmured the Provst, with a 
 gloomy look and nodding his head. " Is old 
 Anders Jorgen to be called away now ? Dear, 
 dear ? Where is the messenger ? " 
 
 " I shewed him into the study. " 
 
 The Provst finished his tea, wiped his mouth, 
 and rose.
 
 i 8 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 On his way through the drawing-room he drew 
 out of his tail pocket a black silk cap, with which 
 he was wont to cover himself before presenting 
 himself to his parishoners. Having also prepared 
 himself by clearing his throat loudly, he entered 
 his study. 
 
 A little figure stood by the door in the subdued 
 green light, enveloped in an immense great coat 
 several sizes too large for him, from which only 
 a light mop of hair, two swollen blue hands 
 and a pair of feet in white woollen socks stuck 
 out. 
 
 " Good evening," said the Provst, in a friendly 
 voice, waving his hand, " Do you want to speak 
 to me ? " 
 
 A hiccup was his first answer, followed by 
 " yes " in a frightened whisper. 
 
 "What is your name, friend?" continued the 
 Provst. 
 
 For a moment the only sound was the chatter- 
 ing of the lad's teeth. At last the answer came 
 hoarsely and hurriedly, " Ole Christian Julius 
 Andersen." 
 
 " Are you a son of old Anders Jorgen of 
 Skibberup ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Then it was you who came to me as a candi- 
 date for confirmation last year, wasn't it." 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " And now you have come to request me to 
 administer the Sacrament to your old father I
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 19 
 
 thought I had heard that he had been ailing for 
 some time." 
 
 A quiver passed through the lad at these 
 words, he began to shift his feet uneasily and 
 twirled his fur cap round and round in his hands 
 like a wheel. 
 
 " It's rather late in the evening you know, and 
 the state of the roads is very bad," continued 
 the Provst calmly. " But in consideration of the 
 gravity of the case I will not refuse well, what 
 is it ? have you anything else on your mind ? 
 I suppose the roads are passable now. Are the 
 lanes dug out ? " 
 
 " Yes ; but ;) 
 
 " Are they cleared down under the ridge ? " 
 
 " The snow clearers are out. ..." 
 
 " Good ! go out to your horses and wait, I shall 
 be ready directly." 
 
 With these words the Provst waved his hands 
 again and returned to the sitting-room without 
 paying any attention to a pair of distracted, wide 
 opened eyes, with which the boy followed him 
 out of the room. 
 
 When the Provst re-entered the sitting-room 
 and his eye fell upon the curate, who at the same 
 moment came in from the dining-room, a smile 
 suddenly lighted up his face. 
 
 " Listen, I have an idea," he exclaimed gaily, 
 " I daresay you heard, Mr Hansted, that there 
 was a message from a sick man in the parish, 
 who wishes to receive the Holy Communion.
 
 20 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 Now, I can't think of a better opportunity than 
 this, for you to begin your ministrations. I know 
 the old fellow very well, he has always been a 
 respectable hard working man, to whom a few 
 ordinary words of consolation will be all that is 
 requisite. I am convinced that it will not give 
 you the least trouble." 
 
 The Provst's request was visibly embarrassing 
 to the young clergyman. The colour came and 
 went quickly in his cheeks, and he began to 
 stammer excuses. He said the Provst had 
 promised to support him at first till he had 
 had some practice besides, he was quite un- 
 prepared . 
 
 But the Provost interrupted him hastily ; " Oh, 
 that has nothing in the world to do with it You 
 can think over the few words you wish to say on 
 the way. I always do that myself, and, as I said 
 before, a few every day words of consolation will 
 be more than sufficient in this case. Only 
 courage ! my friend, and all will come right. 
 The most important thing is to keep the ritual 
 clearly in your mind and not to get confused. 
 Go, and God be with you, dear friend, always 
 rely surely on His blessing." 
 
 After these words the curate did not raise any 
 more objections. He left the room quietly and 
 went up to put on his gown.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 A QUARTER of an hour later the Parsonage had 
 fallen back into its usual state of peace and 
 quietness. Miss Ragnhild went about in the 
 rooms putting them to rights for the night. She 
 closed the grand piano in the corner, beneath the 
 laurel crowned bust of Beethoven ; put away 
 the music, and kissed the sleepy parrot on the 
 beak before covering up the cage. Then she 
 took her accustomed seat by the table under the 
 lamp, and went on with her work. 
 
 The Provst filled his pipe in his own room, 
 and began wandering up and down through both 
 rooms. Now and then he glanced somewhat 
 nervously at his daughter, puffing out immoder- 
 ately thick clouds of smoke from his pursed up 
 lips. At last he stopped before her, and said 
 with somewhat forced gaiety ; 
 
 " Well, my little Ragnhild, what do you think 
 of our new guest ? " 
 
 The young lady's expression became cold and 
 reserved. The question was evidently disagreeable. 
 
 " Oh ! he makes a very pleasant impression," 
 she said, indifferently. 
 
 " Yes, doesn't he ? there seems to be a pleasing 
 ingenuousness about him a childlike freshness 
 which is very uncommon at the present time. 
 Now-a-days young people of twenty are already 
 old and weary of life I am very glad you like
 
 22 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 him, too, Ragnhild, as he is to be our daily com- 
 panion." 
 
 The young lady's brow contracted. 
 
 " It would be as well not to decide too hastily 
 on a first impression," she said, shortly. " The 
 most important point is, whether he has the right 
 qualities for the post we must find that out." 
 
 " Of course, of course," exclaimed the Provst, 
 and continued his walk. " There I quite agree 
 with you quite ! Hm. Hallo ! " he interrupted 
 himself, as he looked at his watch, " I see it is 
 getting late, it is time for me to get to work." 
 
 He kissed his daughter, bid her good-night, 
 and went into his own room. 
 
 Hardly was his door closed, before the one 
 from the kitchen opened, and the smoke dried 
 face of the old lame maid appeared. Finding 
 that the young lady was alone, she crept into 
 the room and discovering an errand by the 
 stove, turned her head and looked anxiously at 
 Ragnhild, with a knowing and inquisitive glance. 
 At last she hobbled along in her stocking feet 
 to the table where the young lady was sitting. 
 
 " Well," she said, in a whisper, slyly screwing 
 up her eyes, " and what does my young lady 
 think of him ? " 
 
 " Of whom ? " asked Ragnhild, lifting her head 
 quickly, and looking stiffly at the old servant. 
 
 " Why, him of course the curate ! " 
 
 A lightning glance shot from Miss Ragnhild's 
 steely grey eyes which threatened a smart storm.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 23 
 
 But thinking better of it, she repressed her anger, 
 even forcing herself to smile, and answered 
 quickly, and as it were, overflowing with merri- 
 ment : " Yes, thank you, Lone, I am delighted 
 with him ; in fact, I am already in love with him ; 
 to-morrow I shall engage myself to him ; and 
 on Thursday we will be married. If you will 
 come to us on Sunday week for the christening 
 festivities, and hold our first-born at the font, 
 my husband and I will be delighted now, are 
 you satisfied ? " 
 
 The old servant stuck out her big chin in great 
 offence ; and with her usual scowling and sulky 
 expression she retreated towards the door, mutter- 
 ing to herself. 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 IN the meantime the young curate was well on 
 his way to Skibberup. The nervousness which 
 came over him at first on the Provst's request, 
 had quickly passed off. He was in good spirits 
 and leant back comfortably on the wide seat, 
 from whence he observed the winter landscape 
 with surprise. The wind had dropped to a dead 
 calm after sunset. The dark blue sky was 
 brilliant with stars. In the far-distant western 
 horizon there was still a reminiscence of the 
 late storm, in the shape of a long bank of clouds 
 above which rose the golden crescent of the moon.
 
 24 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 The whole scene affected the curate like the 
 revelation of a dream. He was a town-bred 
 child, and only knew winter by the smoke, fog, 
 and mud of the city. It was only a couple of 
 days since he had been wandering about the 
 Copenhagen streets with their inch deep mud ; 
 deafened by the rattle of cabs, the bells of the 
 trams, and the hoarse cries of the mussel sellers 
 now he was sitting wrapped in the Provst's 
 bearskin coat, gliding through fairy land, where 
 the trees and bushes rose up from the fields like 
 branches of white coral tinged with blue, and 
 the sledge rushed on noiselessly with a swaying 
 motion as if borne on long soft wings. 
 
 All at once he became violently agitated. The 
 image of his poor dead mother rose before him, 
 and he wished most earnestly that she could 
 have seen him at that moment. He knew that 
 it had been her dearest wish to live to see that 
 day ; and he felt more strongly than ever before, 
 how entirely it was owing to her that he had 
 found courage to follow the call to the ministry 
 of the Holy Word. 
 
 And how grateful he was to her for it ! 
 
 It was no good now for his father, the Etats- 
 raad, to shake his head at his " wild ideas." The 
 die was cast ! His gay brother, a lieutenant in 
 the guards, shortly to be " Kammeryunker," might 
 for the future save himself the trouble of turning 
 down a side street, for fear of meeting him in a 
 hat which did not come up to the latest fashion ;
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 25 
 
 or with a friend who was not in " Society." And 
 his good little sister, wife of a consul-general, 
 would no longer need to shed tears at his want 
 of social tone and polished manners Emanuel 
 was gone, the theological student was out of 
 the way, and he would certainly not be quick to 
 return. 
 
 No indeed, he would not turn back. 
 
 He looked around on the far-stretching shim- 
 mering snowfields with great content, and he felt 
 as if he had climbed up from a deep, dark well, 
 to a land very near heaven. 
 
 Here and there among the fields a reddish 
 glimmer was to be seen from the lights in the 
 cottage windows, which twinkled like fallen stars. 
 An unearthly peace rested over the whole face of 
 nature. No other sound was to be heard under 
 the dome of heaven than the horses' rusty little 
 bells ; but in the intense stillness, this tinkling 
 was like an echo of a thousand voices, as if the 
 air was full of invisible bells. 
 
 He fell into a reverie this then was henceforth 
 to be his home, he was to wander through these 
 fields, and to go into these cottages as the chosen 
 servant of the Lord ! he already saw himself 
 sitting in these small, low-roofed houses among 
 the poorly clad, listening men and women, and 
 he felt how dearly he would love them, how in 
 the most miserable cabin yes, there especially 
 he would be a hundred times happier than he had 
 ever been in his father's magnificent house
 
 26 EMANUEL 
 
 He was so full of these thoughts that he did 
 not notice how the youth, his driver, several times 
 turned half round towards him, as if about to 
 speak and then ducked down quickly into his big 
 mantle again as if he did not dare. But suddenly 
 he was aroused by a loud shout from many voices 
 just in front of them. The sledge was in a deep 
 lane where the snow had gathered in such drifts 
 that the horses could only go at a walking pace 
 between the wall of snow, a yard high, which had 
 been thrown up on both sides. The driver im- 
 mediately stopped the horses, and in the faint 
 light cast by the last corner of the moon which 
 still peeped up above the cloud bank in the west, 
 the curate saw, fifty yards ahead of them, a party 
 of snow clearers hard at work. Somewhat nearer, 
 only a dozen paces off, stood another group of 
 men resting on their shovels, and it was they 
 who had recognized the Provst's chair,* and 
 therefore shouted out : 
 
 " Ye'll have to stop a bit whoever ye are can't 
 ye see the snow's slippin here? we'll have it 
 cleared in a minnit who are ye then ? " 
 
 " I am the clergyman," called back the curate, 
 somewhat shyly, it was the first time he had 
 called himself by his new title aloud. " We are 
 on our way to a sick person." 
 
 The sound of his voice made the men start. 
 
 * The clergy and doctors have a large armchair which is slung 
 in the sledge or wagon, which always has to be sent for them in 
 the country when their services are required.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 29 
 
 They all looked up at once and put their heads 
 together, whispering to each other. At last one 
 of them went forward and began talking to the 
 driver in an undertone ; the excitement soon 
 spread to the whole party. Slowly, and as if 
 with anxious curiosity, they approached the 
 sledge from both sides. Most of the men were 
 short and strongly built, with broad smiling faces, 
 their eyes glittering like fishes' scales in their red 
 faces. Some waddled forward in big sea boots, 
 others had wooden shoes and long white woollen 
 stockings drawn up over the trousers far above 
 the knees. Most of them wore big fur caps with 
 flaps tied over the ears, and one had on a 
 sou'wester. 
 
 The curate felt somewhat uneasy on suddenly 
 seeing himself surrounded by a troup of inquisi- 
 tive, staring people. Should he speak to them ? 
 They were evidently his parishioners. Then a 
 tall black-bearded man stepped forward a giant 
 to look at among the others, and plainly the one 
 who was accustomed to be spokesman. He drew 
 a big mitten off his right hand -with his strong 
 white teeth, and said with a powerful voice : 
 
 " Beg pardon we're villagers from Skibberup, 
 and we hear you're the new curate ye must e'en 
 give us leave to bid ye welcome. Welcome 
 Pastor Hansted." 
 
 Then the others came quickly forward and 
 before the curate had time to collect himself, he 
 saw himself encompassed by half a score of big
 
 30 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 red fists, which were stretched towards him with 
 a hearty " Welcome." 
 
 For a moment he was quite confused. He felt 
 he must say something, and also perceived that 
 the men expected it. But it had come upon him 
 so unexpectedly that he could find nothing to 
 say beyond repeating, " Thank you, thank you," 
 while he cordially pressed the outstretched hands. 
 
 Just then the clearers in front shouted that the 
 way was open. The driver shook the reins and 
 the sledge began to move. At the last moment 
 he found words and said, " Good-bye friends 
 thank you for your welcome ! I shall consider 
 myself lucky if I always find such men to clear 
 the way for me ! I hope we shall get on well 
 with each other ! " 
 
 " That we will, never fear ! " was answered back 
 from many mouths. 
 
 " And we hae need to ! " shouted a deep 
 threatening voice at the back of the group, 
 followed by a murmur of approbation. 
 
 These words and the tone in which they were 
 spoken startled the curate. While the sledge 
 flew over the snow he mused in astonishment 
 over the meaning of the man's words. He 
 pondered upon it so long, that the sledge reached 
 Skibberup before he had an idea they were so 
 near. At the sight of the first house he started 
 up in dismay all this time he had entirely 
 forgotten the sick man, and didn't know in the 
 least what he was to say to him. But he soon
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 31 
 
 re-assured himself. The meeting with the snow 
 clearers had given him confidence, and he did not 
 doubt, that at the decisive moment, the Lord 
 would put the right words into his mouth. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 SKIBBERUP lay in a hollow surrounded by high 
 hills which only open out on the east, towards 
 the near lying fiord. The curate was at once 
 struck by the number of small houses, and shabby 
 little farms of which the village consisted. There 
 was hardly a single large holding to be seen, but 
 there were about fifty cottages clustered round a 
 large pond, which reflected the starry sky in its 
 dark waters amidst the snow. They were 
 grouped picturesquely under the hills, some nest- 
 ling on the slopes like a " saeter village," round 
 a mountain tarn. Moreover, the village was half 
 hidden by enormous masses of snow, which had 
 been driven in from the fiord. Only the top 
 ridge and smoke blackened chimney of many of 
 the cottages were visible. A glimmer of light 
 was still shining from a few windows, and an old 
 man stood on one of the doorsteps, resting on a 
 crutch, and waving his cap gaily as they swept 
 by. 
 
 The sledge stopped outside a small farm which 
 lay a little way off the road in the southern 
 outskirts. The tarred gates were open, and a
 
 32 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 dim lantern hung in the archway, turning slowly 
 round at the end of a cord. The curate had to 
 alight under this lantern, for the courtyard was so 
 packed with snow, that the sledge couldn't go any 
 further. He walked up a narrow path which 
 had been cleared, through the drifts to a low 
 dwelling house. 
 
 A dead silence reigned. Only the faint rattle 
 of a chain was to be heard in the stable, and 
 somewhere behind a wall a cat mewed. When 
 he got to the entrance he heard a door open 
 inside, and a soft woman's voice said quietly, " I 
 thought I heard bells th' Provst must hae come." 
 He knocked at the door, and the next moment 
 he found himself in a long, low room, with old- 
 fashioned furniture, small windows, a timbered 
 ceiling, and dark earthen floor. A thin tallow 
 candle with a flaring wick, was burning on one 
 end of a heavy oaken table, and, at his entrance, 
 a little, middle-aged man got up. He had a 
 shock head of iron-gray hair, and a pair of rusty 
 brass spectacles were resting on a broad thick 
 nose. The man had been reading a paper, which 
 he now visibly flustered hastened to hide under 
 the table, and, at the same moment, remembering 
 his spectacles, he tore them off with embarrass- 
 ment, as if he had been caught in some piece 
 of folly. 
 
 As he was about to approach the expected 
 Provst, he fell back in amazement, and stared 
 open-mouthed at the stranger, who remained
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 33 
 
 standing by the door, greeting him in a friendly 
 voice. 
 
 " Pray, don't be alarmed," said the curate as he 
 advanced. " I am the Provst's representative, his 
 curate and come to you by his request." 
 
 At this moment the door of an adjoining room 
 was cautiously opened, and a heavily built, 
 middle aged woman with iron-gray hair and 
 large, prominent eyes came in. She also stopped 
 in mute astonishment, and, for a moment, measured 
 the strange clergyman with a not very friendly 
 
 glance But suddenly a bright cheery smile 
 
 lit up her face, and approaching the curate with- 
 out any awkwardness, she offered him her fleshy 
 hand, and said in a remarkably soft, childlike 
 voice 
 
 " It's surely never our new curate ? . . . Nay 
 then you're heartily welcome ! ... So you've 
 really come at last ! I'd never expected such a 
 piece of luck. . . . Well I am glad, that I am ! 
 ... So you're really the new priest, and this is 
 what you look like! It's just what I might have 
 expected. . . . I'm right down glad to see you 
 and no mistake ! " 
 
 She planted herself in front of him a little way 
 off with her hands folded on her big stomach, 
 and continued her outbursts of delight, while she 
 eyed him from head to foot. 
 
 The curate, after a time, began to feel this 
 inspection somewhat embarrassing, and asked 
 after the sick person. 
 
 c
 
 34 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 But she could not get over her joyous surprise, 
 or tear herself away from her observation of him. 
 Only when her husband anxiously pulled her 
 skirt once or twice, from behind, did she answer 
 the curate's enquiries. 
 
 " Oh, thank ye," she said, in a changed voice, 
 looking towards the door, which she had left 
 ajar behind her : " The Lord be thanked ! There's 
 a change for the better, but in the middle of the 
 day she was cruel bad, an when the weather 
 mended, we thought it as well to send a message 
 to the Provst; may be we'd better have left it 
 alone, now the danger's over, an it's no treat for the 
 priest to come out o' nights with such bad roads." 
 
 " Oh don't think about that," the curate inter- 
 rupted her ; " there is nothing to be said on that 
 account. You must send for me whenever you 
 want me, I shall always be at your service. 
 Don't you think, if all is ready in the patient's 
 room, that we had better go in ? " 
 
 The woman carefully opened the door of the 
 side room, and all three stepped quietly down 
 into an oblong, dimly lighted room, a step lower 
 than the living room. A little table with a 
 shaded lamp, a medicine bottle, and a prayer- 
 book, stood at the head of a broad bed which 
 took up the narrow wall. In the bed lay a 
 brown-haired girl, with heavy, closed eyelids, 
 and a dark fever flush on her cheek. 
 
 The young priest turned round hastily, and 
 said in bewilderment :
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 35 
 
 " But what is this ? " 
 
 " It is our daughter," answered the woman, 
 looking at him in astonishment. 
 
 " What ? . . . But the Provst said "... The 
 curate began to stammer. In his shyness he 
 kept his back to the bed, for the young girl lay 
 peasant fashion, only in her chemise, and in her 
 fever had thrown both her bare arms outside the 
 quilt. 
 
 " But it was an elderly man who was ill. . . . 
 The Provst said. . . . Let me see wasn't his 
 name Anders Jorgen ? " 
 
 " Me ! " burst out the man on hearing his name, 
 and looked up confusedly with his small half 
 blind eyes. " I'm beholden to ye for th' inquiry, 
 but I'm all right." 
 
 " But then it is altogether a misunderstand- 
 ing " 
 
 " Yes, it is our daughter Hansine," continued 
 the woman quietly, and then she began to relate 
 how the illness came on three days ago, with 
 pains in the back and loins. At first they didn't 
 think anything of it ; but the pains went into 
 the neck, and the night before, their daughter 
 suddenly became so much worse that they had 
 to send for the doctor. When he came, he 
 shook his head, and even at mid-day he said it 
 might turn to anything. . . . But now he thought 
 the worst was over. 
 
 During this history the curate had time to 
 recover somewhat from his first surprise. He
 
 36 EMANUEL 
 
 was even a little ashamed of his perturbation ; 
 and forcing himself to concentrate his thoughts 
 on the sacred rite he was about to administer, 
 he approached the bed again. 
 
 At that moment the patient woke up, and 
 opening her dark blue eyes, fixed them in feverish 
 delirium on the stranger, with a rigid and re- 
 luctant expression. Her mother bent over her 
 and told her who it was, . . . and then the young 
 girl drew a long sigh of relief, and closed her 
 eyes quietly, as much as to say she had been 
 longing for this and was prepared. 
 
 Her mother carefully put the wadded quilt to 
 rights about her, took the prayer-book from the 
 table, and sat down on the chair at the head of 
 the bed, to be at hand to help her when she had 
 to take the cup. The old father solemnly took 
 his stand at the foot of the bed ; and at the last 
 moment the light-haired boy crept fearfully in at 
 the door, where he remained leaning against the 
 doorpost, his lips quivering with suppressed cry- 
 ing. He stared uninterruptedly at the Sacra- 
 mental Bread, and the little silver chalice, which, 
 in the meantime, the curate had taken out of the 
 case, and placed upon the table under the lamp. 
 
 All was reverently hushed. The only sound 
 was the loud ticking of the tall old clock in the 
 corner, and the laboured breathing of the patient. 
 
 The young priest stepped to the bedside, and 
 folded his hands to pray. 
 
 But whether the sight of the young girl, or the
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 39 
 
 agitation he was thrown into by the sacred office 
 ... or perhaps the sudden change from the 
 fresh, frosty air to the close sick room, was the 
 cause, ... his brain refused to put a single 
 sentence together. A curious dizziness came 
 over him, his tongue was glued to the roof of his 
 mouth, and he felt a cold sweat breaking out on 
 his forehead. 
 
 Then all at once a verse, an evening hymn, 
 which his mother had taught him as a child, 
 flashed across his mind. He had not thought of 
 it for many years, now it came to him like an angel 
 from heaven. He had a sensation as if some one 
 were standing at his side, and taking him by the 
 hand. Almost like listening to a stranger, he 
 heard himself speaking fervent and heartfelt 
 words, about the grace of God, the all-goodness 
 of God, and the death of Jesus Christ for the 
 sins of mankind. 
 
 Even the well-known sentences of the ritual 
 became new and living in his mouth ; and when 
 at last he laid his hand on the girl's forehead 
 to give the absolution, all his trembling soul was 
 penetrated with the feeling that at this moment 
 God's strengthening spirit was being imparted 
 through him.
 
 40 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 * 
 
 THE same night four persons were playing cards 
 in the sky-blue best parlour of Jensen, the chair- 
 man of the Parish Council. 
 
 They were besides the host Aggerbolle the 
 district veterinary surgeon, the old schoolmaster 
 Mortensen, and Villing the shop-keeper. They 
 all belonged to Veilby. 
 
 They had been sitting round the same table 
 since ten o'clock in the morning, without other 
 interruptions than those required for meals. The 
 clock now pointed to three. The candles had 
 twice burnt down to the sockets, and four times 
 in the course of the evening had hot water for 
 toddy been brought in from the kitchen. No one 
 yet seemed to think of breaking up the party, 
 though the fumes of the cognac and the smoke 
 from the glowing stove, combined with the thick 
 blue clouds of tobacco which rendered them 
 almost invisible to each other, had considerably 
 cooled their ardour. 
 
 Not an unnecessary word was uttered. Half 
 mechanically the cards were thrown on the table, 
 and the tricks taken up. Even little Villing's 
 goggle eyes, which usually were busy enough 
 spying out the cards of the other players, were 
 now blood-shot and starting out of his head like 
 a boiled haddock's ; in fact the game only went 
 on because no one had resolution enough to
 
 bring it to a close. The only one who still kept 
 up valiantly was the old schoolmaster. But he 
 might have been born at an Ombre table. 
 
 From the moment that he carefully spread out 
 his coat tails on taking his seat, till he was plainly 
 informed that the game was over, he sat holding 
 his venerable white head as erect as possible, 
 hiding the fever he was always thrown into at the 
 sight of cards and money, under an immoveably 
 grave mask ; while only an irrepressible trembling 
 of the lips and the continual creaking of his stiff 
 old boots betrayed his excitement. Now and 
 then, at critical moments, he wiped the pearling 
 sweat from his forehead with a red silk handker- 
 chief; and if, after careful consideration, he 
 ventured to "ask for cards," he would shut his 
 eyes as if breathing a mental prayer. Jensen, 
 the host, sat on his right, struggling in vain with 
 sleep. He was a big stout peasant with a fiery 
 red face and a drooping purple nose. He was 
 the rich man of the neighbourhood, and his whole 
 bearing and attire showed that he considered him- 
 self something more than an ordinary peasant. 
 His friends used to call him " Squire Jensen," or 
 Mr Jensen without the Christian name. In return 
 he allowed them to fleece him as much as they 
 liked, nay, he even burst into roars of laughter 
 every time he had to produce a fresh " krone " 
 from his trousers pockets. He was not specially 
 interested in the game, although he was proud of 
 having learnt this aristocratic " Lummer " which
 
 42 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 was played in gentlemen's houses. He was also 
 flattered by the greedy coveting of his money by 
 the others, and he flung the coins to them as if he 
 were feeding a herd of swine. 
 
 Aggerbolle, the vet., sat opposite the school- 
 master he was a powerful broad-shouldered man 
 with thick brown hair and a grizzled beard. He 
 sat resting his head on his hand, buried in a dull, 
 gloomy reverie. Now and then he ran his hand 
 through his bushy mane, beating his forehead and 
 cursing himself bitterly. The toddy had gone to 
 his head, and he had been very unlucky this 
 evening. Only a vanishing number of Jensen's 
 coins had found their way to his pocket and for 
 Aggerbolle, card-playing was not a mere pastime, 
 as it was to the others, it was a life and death 
 struggle for existence. 
 
 Suddenly the schoolmaster's old boots began 
 to creak violently under the table. His eyes, 
 under their silvery brows, turned anxiously to- 
 wards a saucer of 25 ore pieces which stood in 
 the middle of the table, the so-called " Pool." 
 
 At last he wiped his pale face, closed his eyes 
 for a moment as he did on Sundays before saying 
 the opening prayer at the chancel steps, and said 
 quietly, " I play for the pool ! " 
 
 The drowsy figures started up, and the vet. 
 lifted his heavy head, ready to cry with 
 exasperation. 
 
 " What suit ? " he growled. 
 
 " Clubs," answered the schoolmaster benignly.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 43 
 
 The cards were brought in silence. The vet. 
 pulled himself together for the fray, sipped his 
 toddy and stroked his beard with his hairy hand. 
 His eyes were as red as a bull's. He would try one 
 more tilt with fortune. If this solo were won, the 
 game would come to an end, and with it all hope 
 for this evening. Mortensen had three "Mata- 
 dors," and a four of trumps, besides the king, 
 queen, and three of hearts, and two small spades. 
 He also had the lead. Like a careful general he 
 kept his king of hearts back, and sent the queen 
 into the fire first. 
 
 The vet, who could not follow suit, was not to 
 be imposed upon. 
 
 "That's a blind, I expect," he growled, and 
 took it with a trump. 
 
 The first drops of sweat made their appearance 
 on Mortensen's forehead. 
 
 The vet. played a small trump, Villing took it 
 with the king ; Mortensen had to follow suit. 
 Then hearts appeared again from Villing, 
 Mortensen followed suit with his king, the vet. 
 took it with a trump and played his queen of 
 spades. 
 
 Now Mortensen saw that he was lost, his boots 
 ceased creaking, and he turned as white as a sheet. 
 Then unnoticed, he dropped the small spade with 
 which he ought to have followed suit into his lap, 
 whence it slid between his knees on to the floor, 
 where he quickly put his foot on it, at the same 
 time taking the queen with a small trump. Then
 
 44 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 he threw his three Matadors on to the table in 
 rapid succession, so as to have an opportunity of 
 replacing the missing card from one of his tricks ; 
 and in the general fog no one noticed that the six 
 of trumps from the first trick re-appeared in the 
 sixth. 
 
 The schoolmaster won his " Solo " and the game 
 came to an end at last. 
 
 Just then the richly gilt clock on the chiffonier 
 struck four admonitory strokes. With a righteous 
 smile Mortensen collected his evenly piled heaps 
 of money into an old-fashioned leather purse and 
 buried it in the bottom of his deep trousers 
 pocket, carefully buttoning it up. 
 
 At this moment the host's deformed little wife 
 appeared at the door of the adjoining room ; she 
 had been sitting wrapped in a big shawl and doz- 
 ing by the kitchen fire. With an almost inaudible 
 voice, which she tried to make grand, and with 
 an awkward movement of her withered hand, 
 she invited the gentlemen to come in to a " little 
 refreshment." 
 
 The host rose too, repeating the invitation in 
 his noisy way. " C-come in, come in and have a 
 1-little refreshment we n-need something to eat 
 after our labours ! " 
 
 The " little refreshment," which was served in the 
 next room, turned out to be a fully laid table 
 with pickled pork, ham, sausages, poached eggs, 
 goose, liver pie, and various smoked meats, be- 
 sides a first course of hot steak and onions ; in
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 45 
 
 addition there was a plentiful supply of corn 
 brandy and Bavarian beer. Although the guests 
 had partaken of four solid meals at the same 
 table in the course of the day and night, they 
 attacked the food with good-will, and soon 
 emptied both the decanter of brandy and the 
 well-filled dishes. At the end of the meal, coffee 
 was served with cognac. 
 
 In the middle of the meal the vet. broke out 
 into a tremendous oath, and banged his glass on 
 to the table so hard that the stem broke. He 
 had suddenly remembered a sick cow he had 
 promised to see in a neighbouring village, and 
 to which he had been on the way when he dropped 
 in at the parish councillor's in the morning. 
 
 Jensen, unfortunately, immediately on his ar- 
 rival, proposed to send a message to the school- 
 master and the shopkeeper to come and have a 
 game of cards ; and as Aggerbolle was very hard 
 up for a few kroner to pay his baker's bill, he had 
 allowed himself to be talked over, in the hope that 
 in a few hours he might win what he wanted. In 
 the course of the game the sick cow as well as 
 everything else went clean out of his head. 
 This was by no means of rare occurrence with 
 Aggerbolle. Every morning he left his home in 
 a tiny, mud-bespattered gig, solemnly promising 
 himself and his wife that he would visit all his 
 patients. Seldom did he get further than the first 
 farm where there was a prospect of cards and of 
 winning some ready money. His life was a con-
 
 46 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 tinuous wild chase after one or two ten-kroner 
 notes which he must find within four-and-twenty 
 hours to pay the baker or the shoemaker. As 
 the visits to patients were not paid on the spof, 
 he could never withstand the temptation to try 
 and get out of his difficulties by a bold dip into 
 fortune's purse. He had now fallen into a com- 
 plete state of imbecility. Without knowing what 
 he was doing, he drained glass after glass, and at 
 last sank back with open mouth, and only woke 
 up when the little shopkeeper laid his hand on 
 his shoulder and said : " Come, Aggerbolle, it's 
 five o'clock." 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 AFTER Mortensen had got into his soft feather 
 bed at home, he folded his hands on the counter- 
 pane, and said the Lord's Prayer. 
 
 His wife lay by his side, and as she turned 
 round, half awake, the bed creaked under her 
 large weighty person. 
 
 " Did you win anything, Mortensen ? " 
 
 He continued his prayer undisturbed, and said 
 at the end : 
 
 " Twelve kroner, my dear ! " whereupon he fell 
 softly and peacefully asleep. 
 
 In the meantime Villing had also reached his 
 shop, which was in the middle of the village, near
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 47 
 
 the pond. He walked along half asleep, but 
 when he entered the shop and perceived the well- 
 known mixed odour of soap, raisins, coffee, and 
 tobacco, he became wide awake at once. He 
 stopped a minute in the dark listening to the 
 heavy snoring of the shop boy in a little closet at 
 the back of the shop. Then he lighted a candle 
 end which stood ready for him on the counter, 
 noiselessly counted the change in the till, in- 
 spected the boxes of raisins and prunes, peered 
 up into the rafters, and held the candle down into 
 the cellar ; and only when he had satisfied himself 
 that there was nothing suspicious to be seen any- 
 where did he go into the bedroom. 
 
 His young wife sat up in bed rubbing her eyes, 
 and at once began a minute statement of all that 
 had taken place in the shop during the day ; the 
 miller who had been there with grain, Hans 
 Jensen who had bought a cask of brandy, and 
 Soren, the old tailor, to whom she had given 
 credit for a pound of candy and so on. She 
 was a plump little creature with a round childish 
 face framed in a big grandmother's nightcap. 
 
 Villing undressed rapidly, throwing in approv- 
 ing remarks. " Good ! very good, little Sine 
 very well done, little friend," he ejaculated from 
 time to time as he skipped about in his socks 
 and drawers, looking as if he was chasing his own 
 shadow, which now shrunk up like a frog in one 
 corner, and then spread out like a ghost on the 
 low walls of the little room.
 
 48 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 For a long time after the light was put out 
 they talked under the clothes about the prices of 
 coffee, meal, and credit. Even in their tenderest 
 moments these two prudent persons never forgot 
 their business for a moment. 
 
 Aggerbolle was the one of the three wanderers 
 who had furthest to go. 
 
 He lived in a little neglected house half a mile 
 from the village, on the way to the shore. Fifteen 
 years ago when, newly married, he came to this 
 neighbourhood he chose this desolate place on 
 purpose to enjoy his happiness in solitude. There 
 was a wide view of the Fiord and the shore from 
 the windows. Many a balmy spring evening and 
 moonlight autumn night he and his young wife 
 had wandered among the silent hills, arm in arm, 
 cheek pressed to cheek, while their hearts beat 
 with joy and lightsome hope. 
 
 Now, he many a time swore at the distance, as, 
 dazed with drink and play, he stumbled home in 
 the dark through mire and snow. His gig was 
 generally left at the place where he had stranded 
 in the day ; for when it came to going home, he 
 was usually in no state to be trusted with a horse. 
 Nor would Jensen, this evening, hand over his 
 vehicle, although with the snow on the ground it 
 was quite light, and the road was cleared nearly 
 all the way to his house. But Aggerbolle did 
 not keep to the road, he floundered across the 
 fields in great circles, over his top boots in snow, 
 stopping every moment with loud lamentations,
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 49 
 
 beating his forehead with his fist and cursing 
 himself and all the world. Never he thought 
 had fate been so hard upon him as to-day, and 
 never so he fancied had he loved his wife and 
 children so dearly as now, when all ways were 
 closed to him. In the morning the baker would 
 bring his bill for the third time, he had already 
 been threatened with the bailiff and a summons. 
 How should he find a way out of it ? He hardly 
 owned a halter to hang himself with ! He stopped 
 again in a great snowdrift, unbuttoned his coat, 
 and took a few small coins from his waiscoat 
 pocket with his swollen fingers, and held them in 
 the hollow of his hand. He stood a moment 
 counting them carefully, and then, with a loud 
 sobbing sigh, clenched his hands and started 
 again. 
 
 When at length he reached his home, and 
 found the gate in the tumbledown fence, fear 
 and shame as they always did made him for 
 the moment perfectly sober. He took off his 
 heavy boots in the passage, and crept softly in 
 his stocking feet into the bedroom. It was 
 crowded with children's beds, and a night-light 
 was burning on a chair by his wife's bed. 
 
 He gave a sigh of relief. His wife's eyes were 
 closed, her thin hand was folded under her pale 
 cheek, and she seemed to be sound asleep. But 
 hardly had he begun to undress, than he heard 
 her move her head, and when he looked round 
 he met a glance from her large, brown eyes, whose 
 
 D
 
 50 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 brightness betrayed that for her, too, the night 
 had brought no sleep. 
 
 " Good good night, little Sophie ! " he hic- 
 cupped tenderly, supporting himself against the 
 bed-post. 
 
 " Good morning," she answered quietly. 
 
 " Ah well, yes," he replied with an attempt at 
 gaiety. " It certainly is rather late or early 
 Ah ! It's that Mortensen, you know he's a 
 regular dog at a card table a regular dog." 
 
 She did not answer him, but closed her eyes 
 wearily, then opened them again and said : 
 
 " A messenger on horseback came from Anders 
 Jensen of Egede. It seems you had promised to 
 go and look at a sick cow there." 
 
 " I ? " he burst out, colouring up and trying to 
 look her straight in the face. " I know nothing 
 about it it must be a mistake." 
 
 She continued calmly, " The messenger was to 
 say that it did not matter now for the cow was 
 dead. But you were not to trouble yourself to 
 go there again." 
 
 Aggerbolle was silent. He stood leaning 
 against the bedpost looking at the floor the 
 swollen blue veins standing out on his forehead, 
 and his lips compressed. 
 
 All at once he drew himself up with a shiver, 
 ran his hand through his hair, and walked with 
 a firm step up to his wife with his right hand 
 outstretched. 
 
 " Here you have my hand, Sophie, it is the last
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 51 
 
 night I will touch a card I swear to you that 
 from this day I will become another man. Do 
 you hear, Sophie ? you may depend upon me 
 you must trust me this time," he went on, re- 
 peating, while his tears began to flow. " I swear 
 to you it will all come right. And I will make 
 up to you, Sophie, for all the bad times for all 
 that you have suffered for my sake for the 
 children's sake for Oh, God oh, God ! " 
 
 The intoxication had come over him again. 
 He sank on his knees by his wife's bed, and 
 buried his head in the clothes like a child, while 
 terrible sobs shook his heavy frame. 
 
 She lay quite still for a moment with closed 
 eyes. Then she lifted her languid hand from 
 the counterpane and stroked his hair she could 
 not help it, although she had heard the same 
 repentant weeping hundreds of times before, and 
 had let herself be deceived by the same solemn 
 promises. At last her eyes filled with tears too, 
 and clasping his head with both her hands, she 
 pressed it to her emaciated bosom, and whis- 
 pered : " My poor poor Bernhard ! "
 
 BOOK:- 
 TWO-
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 SKIBBERUP CHURCH lay nearly a mile from 
 Skibberup village on the top of a bare, soli- 
 tary hill, which jutted out into the Fiord. " Kirk- 
 ness " was joined to the mainland by a low, 
 narrow neck of land, on which only a little pale 
 grass, heather, and a creeping thorn grew, among 
 the sand and stones. The church itself was 
 a very ancient and much dilapidated structure 
 of rough hewn stone, with a brick tower of later 
 date. The whole place made an uncanny im- 
 pression from its desolation. Round about among 
 the weather-beaten graves were strewn broken 
 tiles, fragments of chalk, and bits of glass ; and 
 on entering the church one was met by an icy 
 
 55
 
 56 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 chill from the bare white-washed walls, which 
 even in summer were green with damp. In 
 winter the cold was so intense that the water 
 in the font froze to solid ice, and the priest had 
 to wear overshoes and thick mittens in the 
 pulpit. 
 
 On week-days the church remained undisturbed 
 except for the visits of the tall lean sexton, who 
 went by the name of " Death." He used to 
 wander out from the village, morning and even- 
 ing, meditatively, with his long bony arms crossed 
 behind his back, to ring out a few deep notes 
 from the rusty bells, over the foxes prowling 
 among the thorns, the parish clerk's sheep grazing 
 sadly outside the churchyard walls, or, now and 
 then, over a solitary fisherman catching bait in 
 his boat under the steep cliffs. 
 
 But on Sundays especially the great festivals 
 all was life and bustle. Then the road from 
 Skibberup swarmed with pedestrians in holiday 
 clothes and well-cleaned vehicles. The fisher- 
 men came sailing round the " Ness " and lay to 
 by the big stone on the beach, whence the men 
 carried the women ashore. The women all wore 
 black church-going hoods, and many carried 
 wreaths and crosses of moss and flowers, which 
 they laid on the wind-swept graves, before going 
 into church in single file. In the meantime 
 " Death " stood at his look-out post, at one 
 corner of the churchyard, whence he could see 
 the clergyman's carriage corning along the Veilby
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 57 
 
 road. As soon as he caught a glimpse of the 
 hood among the hills, he hurried with his long 
 strides across the graves into the tower ; and 
 while the men who had assembled in groups, 
 talking outside the church door, slowly filed in 
 and took their seats under the echoing arches, 
 with much devout coughing and sniffing, the 
 bells in the tower pealed out so lustily that all 
 the walls shook. 
 
 But this was all a half-forgotten tale. Since 
 Provst Tonnesen had come to the parish, the 
 church had many a time stood empty even on 
 Sundays ; the rusty bells had pealed over deserted 
 roads, and the only ones there to cough had been 
 a few debtors for tithes, who dared not rouse the 
 Provst's anger. And after all, it was by the 
 Provst's directions that a stove had been placed 
 in the church some few years ago, and the pews 
 carpeted with thick rush matting. 
 
 But it was in the village of Skibberup that 
 the revolutionary party were specially strong, 
 and it was there also that Hansen, the notorious 
 weaver, had his headquarters. The sight of the 
 empty benches made Provst Tonnesen furious 
 every Sunday. On one occasion he worked him- 
 self up into such a passion, and brought his hand 
 down with such force on the pulpit, that St Peter, 
 who, with the other apostles, was carved in wood 
 on the sides of it, lost both nose and mouth from 
 the shock. Since Pastor Hansted came to the 
 parish, a change had taken place, and one Sunday
 
 58 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 in the end of March the first spring-day the 
 sound of many voices again floated over the 
 Fiord and mingled with the shriek of the gulls 
 flying near the shore. 
 
 On the road by the churchyard wall a long 
 row of conveyances with shining horses stood 
 waiting for the service to come to an end. 
 Some of the drivers sat on the seats half-asleep, 
 resting their heads on their hands. Others lay 
 in the ditches passing the time in smoking and 
 gossip. 
 
 The Provst's hooded carriage was standing in 
 front, by the gate, with the driver on the high 
 box seat ; he was an old-womanish sort of man 
 in a big blue greatcoat. 
 
 The waiting lads were in the habit of poking 
 fun at him, " Maren," as he was generally called, 
 after his deceased wife, to v/hom in return (and 
 not without reason) they had given his Christian 
 name, Rasmus. To-day, as usual, four or five 
 lively fellows stood round with their hands in 
 their pockets laughing at him. 
 
 " A' say, Maren ! " said one of them, winking 
 slyly, " whaat's it comin' to wi' the curate an' 
 your young leddy ? A' think they've looked long 
 enough at one another to ha' made it oop be 
 now ! " 
 
 "A'll tell thee what," said another who was 
 leaning carelessly against the gate-post. " It does 
 na go so fast among fine folks ; these ere young 
 leddies are just like the hens they allus hae to
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 59 
 
 wriggle their tails a bit afore they gie theirsels 
 oop. Isn't it true what a' say, Maren ? " 
 
 The man sat immoveable on his box and did 
 not answer. He thought it quite beneath his 
 semi-clerical position to join in the gossip of such 
 blasphemers who made fun of the Provst's coach- 
 man, and took Miss Ragnhild's name in vain. 
 
 At this moment the hymn came to an end 
 in the church, the porch-door opened and the 
 people streamed out. 
 
 Among the men who had been assembling by 
 the entrance to await the parish meeting was one 
 who was the object of unusual attention on all 
 sides. He was a middle-aged man, in peasant's 
 clothing, tall, thin, and somewhat bent, with long 
 drooping arms and a remarkably small, flat head. 
 His face was of a peculiar feline type, clever and 
 alert, with small, red-rimmed eyes, and a thin red 
 beard. 
 
 Most of the men went up to him with out- 
 stretched hand, and an enquiring glance, which 
 he regularly answered by drawing up his mouth 
 to a distorted smile, and drooping one eyelid. 
 
 Suddenly the cluster of people divided, and 
 Pastor Hansted appeared in his gown and ruff. 
 
 Although he had preached several times before, 
 both here and at Veilby, he looked pale and 
 fatigued, and greeted the assembled people with 
 visible embarrassment ; they also uncovered 
 somewhat unwillingly. The man with the cat's 
 face did not touch his hat at all but remained
 
 60 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 standing, with his lip curled, while he followed 
 the figure of the young priest with a con- 
 temptuous glance to the door of the carriage, 
 where " Death " stood with his hat in his hand, 
 bending to the dust like a worm. 
 
 As soon as the old coachman had set the 
 horses going, the curate sank back in the corner 
 of the carriage and pressed his hand to his 
 forehead with an expression of pain. He threw 
 his soft, wide-brimmed hat into the seat at once, 
 as if it burnt his forehead ; and as the carriage 
 jolted and creaked along the uneven road, he 
 remained for several minutes with closed eyes 
 and compressed lips, as if he could hardly keep 
 back his tears. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 HjS was received in the Parsonage by the Provst, 
 who had just returned from the service in Veilby 
 church. The arrangement between the two 
 clergymen was, that they both preached every 
 Sunday, one at Skibberup, the other at Veilby. 
 This was a device of the Provst's, for he feared, 
 and not without reason, that the badly disposed 
 villagers of Skibberup, who so stubbornly declined 
 his ministrations, would further shew their enmity 
 by flocking to the church when the curate 
 preached. Therefore he only made known at
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 61 
 
 the last moment at which church he himself 
 would officiate ; and in consequence, for some 
 time, both churches were crowded, everybody 
 hoping to hear the new priest. 
 
 Refreshed by the sight of his faithful Veilby 
 adherents, the Provst came back in a cheerful 
 mood, and sat down to the luncheon table with 
 a capital appetite. An entertainment which was 
 to take place in the evening, and for which 
 preparations had been going on for some days, 
 also contributed to his good humour. In general 
 the Provst and his daughter lived very quietly, 
 as they never took part in the festivities of the 
 peasants, and but seldom in those of the few, 
 and far from well-to-do Squires of the neighbour- 
 hood. But twice a year the Provst gave, as it 
 were, an official dinner to which representatives 
 of the different classes in the congregation were 
 " commanded," almost in the same sense as to 
 the table of royalty. 
 
 The Provst always conducted the preparations 
 for these entertainments himself. He had a 
 perfect passion for managing, ordering, and giv- 
 ing directions. He had already, some days 
 before, given orders for the purchase of wine, 
 meat, and various delicacies ; and no sooner had 
 he seated himself at the table and arranged his 
 napkin under his chin, than he began to give 
 his daughter the most minute directions about 
 the temperature of the wines and the preparation 
 of the salads.
 
 62 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 In the meantime the curate sat silent, absently 
 crumbling his bread in his usual manner and 
 eating next to nothing. His appearance had 
 perceptibly changed in the course of the winter. 
 His cheeks had grown hollow, and his once clear, 
 frank eyes were clouded over and betrayed the 
 canker gnawing at his heart. 
 
 Miss Ragnhild looked at him several times 
 from the other side of the table with an observant 
 eye. Under pretext of work for the evening 
 festivity, she had not, according to her usual 
 custom, accompanied her father to church, and 
 was still dressed in a flowered morning gown 
 of soft warm stuff, with a long pointed bodice 
 and big puffed sleeves. There was an expression 
 of hidden anxiety on her transparent face and 
 large blue gray eyes, as well as sisterly sympathy 
 with the curate's troubles, which she seemed to 
 know and understand. 
 
 At last even the Provst noticed that Mr 
 Hansted was more than usually absent-minded, 
 and when, suddenly addressing a question to him, 
 he received a confused answer, he wrinkled his 
 forehead disapprovingly. He did not think it 
 suitable that his curate should be inattentive 
 when he spoke, even if it was only about pies 
 and salads. Altogether the Provst was not 
 nearly so pleased with his curate as at one time 
 he had expected to be. He felt himself oppressed 
 by this person who became more peculiar and 
 reserved every day, and went about his house
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 63 
 
 evidently the prey of some secret trouble. He 
 could not imagine what was weighing upon him, 
 feeling satisfied that both he and his daughter did 
 all in their power to make his stay with them as 
 pleasant and home-like as possible. In particular 
 he felt unpleasantly affected by the curate's 
 demeanour towards Ragnhild. He could not be 
 blind to the fact that there was an understanding 
 between the two, and he thought he had grounds 
 for believing that Mr Hansted was not indifferent 
 to his daughter. But so far the curate had not 
 taken any decisive step. The Provst did not 
 know if fickleness was the cause, or excessive 
 shyness, but in either case it seemed to him that 
 he had a right to be aggrieved. 
 
 If, notwithstanding this, he had hitherto kept 
 his impatience in check, it was entirely out of 
 regard for Ragnhild, whose solitariness and 
 unsecured future often caused him much un- 
 easiness. On this occasion he again choked back 
 his exasperation only by great self-restraint. 
 But no sooner had they risen from the luncheon 
 table, and the curate had gone up to his room, 
 than he eased his mind. 
 
 " I can't understand that man ! " he broke out, 
 beginning to pace hurriedly up and down the 
 room. " I can't imagine what he has on his mind. 
 He sits here with us every day, silent and 
 unsympathetic, as if he were overwhelmed by 
 some great misfortune ! Do you know what can 
 be the reason, Ragnhild ? "
 
 64 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " Oh," answered his daughter, quietly she had 
 remained at the table leaning against the back of 
 the chair, looking out of the window with thought- 
 ful and half-closed eyes " I suppose it would not 
 be so extraordinary if he felt somewhat oppressed 
 by his office at first. He is so young and 
 besides, he has perhaps perceived that his sermons 
 have not won the unmixed approval of the 
 people." 
 
 " Oh, so far as that goes, he need not reproach 
 himself," answered the Provst, with a feeling of 
 complacency. " And I don't believe it's anything 
 of that sort that's troubling him. In that case he 
 would certainly have come to me with his troubles. 
 No, I'm afraid he doesn't understand himself. 
 There's something wavering about him. Perhaps 
 he's got some crotchet or other about himself in 
 his head. That sort of thing runs in the family, I 
 hear. His mother according to what Pastor 
 Petersen tells me was a highly eccentric person, 
 who eventually took her own life in a fit of 
 temporary insanity." 
 
 Miss Ragnhild turned to her father with a 
 startled glance. 
 
 " What do you say ! his mother ! " 
 
 The Provst stopped and cleared his throat. In 
 his eagerness, and by a slip of the tongue, he had 
 mentioned a subject on which he had resolved to 
 keep silence for the sake of the curate and the 
 congregation. 
 
 ' Well, I don't know exactly, of course ! " he
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 65 
 
 said, as with a reassuring smile and wave of the 
 hand he resumed his walk. " People say as much 
 I only mean, that our good Mr Hansted has 
 too great an inclination to be wrapped up in him- 
 self, a want of the power of assimilating himself ; 
 but I know I have done all I could to make him 
 feel at home. And I am sure you have, too. I've 
 often seen you walking in the garden together. 
 You have as far as I understand many tastes 
 in common ; he thinks a great deal of your music 
 he told me so himself! So I can't imagine 
 what makes him so reserved for I don't suppose 
 that you, Ragnhild in any way have have 
 hurt him ? " 
 
 The Provst stopped again, this time in a dark 
 corner of the room and looked at his daughter 
 with a wary and searching glance. 
 
 She appeared not to hear him, but sat with her 
 arms crossed, looking straight before her, and the 
 unapproachable expression with which she always 
 turned aside any attempt of her father's to couple 
 the curate's name with hers. 
 
 The Provst knitted his bushy eyebrows. He 
 could not make anything of his child. With a 
 gloomy mien he continued his walk up and down 
 in silence, and shortly after left the room.
 
 66 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 THE curate had gone up to his own room, a 
 spacious attic, quiet and secluded, surrounded by 
 large lofts, a little world in itself. In spite of 
 the sloping ceiling and scanty light from the one 
 window, it was a comfortable room. There was 
 a writing table, a sofa, and an old-fashioned 
 mahogany desk ; shelves filled with books, a 
 big armchair, little mats on the floor, and a bed 
 behind a screen. The air was fresh and flower- 
 scented. The curate was one of those marvels 
 among theologians a non-smoker. He was also 
 an ardent lover of flowers ; the window was full 
 of plants, and an ivy twined its pale green shoots 
 round the window frame. 
 
 A small collection of family likenesses hung 
 over the sofa between two big portraits of Luther 
 and Melancthon. There was his father, a tall, 
 thin, stately-looking man leaning against a table 
 with his hat in his hand, and the broad ribbon 
 of an order in the buttonhole of his tight-fitting 
 coat. By his side hung a little Daguerreotype 
 picture of his mother, surrounded by a wreath of 
 yellow everlastings. It evidently dated from Mrs 
 Hansted's maiden days. It was so bleached by 
 the sun, that one could only through a haze 
 catch a glimpse of a youthful face with the hair 
 dressed high, and large, bright, wide open eyes. 
 Besides these, there were portraits of the curate's
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 67 
 
 brother, a lieutenant in the guards, a handsome 
 young man with a spirited and lively face ; also 
 of his sister, the wife of a consul-general, a little 
 bird-like creature, hardly more than a child, with 
 nervous twitching eyes and a sickly smile. 
 
 And here, by the writing table, sat Emanuel, 
 the eldest of Councillor Hansted's children. He 
 was sitting resting his chin on his hand, in a 
 brown dressing gown, in the act of opening a 
 letter. It was from his father ; he had received 
 it the previous day, but had put off reading it, 
 so as not to be disturbed in the composition of 
 his sermon. Now he opened it almost unwill- 
 ingly, and read it through, at first hastily and 
 abstractedly. There were the usual insignificant 
 details of family events his brother had been to 
 a court ball, the consul's birthday dinner, his 
 sister's baby had got a tooth, and so on. By 
 degrees his attention was arrested. He read 
 more slowly, word by word, sometimes with a 
 thoughtful smile, and at last with a touch of 
 sadness. The end ran thus : 
 
 "As you may imagine, my dear son, we are 
 all delighted to hear that you are well and con- 
 tented in your wilderness as your brother in 
 joke always speaks of it. There is no doubt 
 that you have chosen a noble and exalted pro- 
 fession ; and though I don't deny that I would 
 rather have seen you choose a position in life 
 more in accordance with our family traditions, 
 and one which would not have taken you so far
 
 68 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 away from us ; still, I can say with a clear 
 conscience, that I and all of us wish you success 
 and every blessing in the responsible work you 
 have chosen. It is naturally rather difficult for 
 us, who have always lived entirely in the society 
 of our own cultivated class, to grasp thoroughly 
 the possibility of any close or profitable com- 
 panionship between people of such different 
 circumstances and education ; as, for example, 
 you and the people among whom you have 
 chosen to live. I do not deny that satisfactory 
 intellectual intercourse of course outside strictly 
 religious ground has always been to me an un- 
 solved riddle. Perhaps this lies in my ignorance 
 of the real conditions, and I only repeat that our 
 best wishes follow you in your work." 
 
 Emanuel read this last part twice slowly 
 through and during the reading a darkening 
 shadow spread over his face. Then the hand 
 with the letter sank slowly on to his knee, and 
 he remained motionless in this position, with his 
 eyes fixed on the floor. 
 
 Suddenly he started up, and began striding up 
 and down the room. He could not he would not 
 believe that his father and the others were right 
 that all his bright dreams were mere chimeras ! 
 and yet, and yet ! was it not this same gnawing 
 doubt which tormented him now ? Had he not 
 in his innermost heart begun to lose faith, in at 
 any rate possessing the powers to succeed in this 
 vocation ? He knew that he had tried with all
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 69 
 
 his strength and will to perfect himself for his 
 office. The closely written sheets in the drawer 
 of his writing-table could witness to the untiring 
 diligence, the conscientious care with which week 
 after week he had prepared his sermons hoping 
 that in the end he might succeed in captivating 
 his hearers with the power of his words and the 
 strength of his faith. But in vain ! No sooner 
 did he on Sunday go into the pulpit and see all 
 the strange eyes turned upon him, than all the 
 warmth and conviction of his words froze on his 
 lips. In despair he heard his sentences ring 
 hollow and empty under the echoing arches, 
 while he noticed an ever heavier drowsiness 
 creeping over the whole congregation. It was 
 as if an ever deeper and deeper gulf opened 
 between him and the people, across which his 
 voice could not reach a dark and icy crevasse 
 into which all his heavenward struggling words 
 fell one by one like frozen birds. He stopped 
 his troubled walk and stood in the deep embrasure 
 of the window, looking out for a long time with- 
 out moving. The sun shone with a golden light 
 on the tall, fair-haired man, and as he stood there 
 in his loose dressing gown, with his shoulder lean- 
 ing against the edge of the wall, framed in, as it 
 were, by the green ivy, he recalled the figure of 
 some youthful monk gazing dreamily from his 
 lonely cell, on the world which held all his long- 
 ings. He could see almost the whole parish from 
 his window. Straight below there was a corner
 
 70 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 of the Parsonage garden, and beyond this were a 
 couple of the big Veilby plastered farms and the 
 walled-in pond. Then he could follow the wide 
 highway for a couple of miles, winding over the 
 sloping fields, till, far away in the south, it dropped 
 down between the three big, bare earthmounds 
 behind which Skibberup hid itself so cosily that 
 not a chimney pot was to be seen above the crests 
 of the hills. Farther off, there was a glimpse of the 
 lonely church, and along the whole of the eastern 
 horizon the blue shallows of the fiord appeared, 
 and the green and white shores of the opposite 
 coast. 
 
 Emanuel had stood here every day, gazing out, 
 and he already knew every house, tree and hill in 
 the landscape. His eyes had dreamily followed 
 now the peasants, as with their ploughing teams 
 they wandered one day in sleet and another in 
 sunshine over the wet fields ; now the boats of 
 the Fiord fishermen cruising between the coasts, 
 with their white or brown sails ; now the hurrying 
 vehicles of Skibberup as they rolled home from 
 the town along the winding highroad, becoming 
 smaller and smaller before his eyes at every turn, 
 until like little mice they crept behind the three 
 mole-hills in the distance. In the evening, when 
 the last gleams of the sun had disappeared in the 
 south-west, he saw the lights appearing one by 
 one in the cottages, like stars in the sky. 
 
 Then in his loneliness he had put himself in 
 imagination into the easily contented and toil-
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 71 
 
 some life of the poor ; and he thought of the 
 time when, in his hatred of the society to which 
 he belonged by birth, he had fancied himself 
 related to these free children of the soil, and 
 dreamt that he could live in frank intercourse 
 with them as a friend and brother. 
 
 He now understood that he had made a 
 mistake. His eyes were opened to the deep 
 impassable gulf, which divided him from these 
 children of the soil, who lived here in their half 
 underground dwellings, digging, and busying 
 themselves with the dark earth gnomes whose 
 very being was a riddle, whose language was 
 hardly intelligible, whose thoughts, words, dreams, 
 sorrows and hopes were known to none. 
 
 And would it ever be otherwise ? Was it not 
 as if mankind had forgotten the magic word 
 which could raise the hills on pillars of fire and 
 bring the earth-folk to the light of day ? 
 
 He was roused from his reflections by a lively 
 chirping above his head. 
 
 He looked up. A Starling ! 
 
 That was curious, he thought he had been 
 so taken up all day by his thoughts, that he had 
 not noticed how the sun at last had burst through 
 the cold fogs which had enveloped the land for 
 weeks. 
 
 He looked about and again a starling twit- 
 tered near him and then another and another 
 the whole garden seemed filled with the spring ! 
 
 He smiled sadly. He thought how many
 
 7* EMANUEL; OR 
 
 times in the course of the winter he had longed 
 for the coming of spring because he had had a 
 strange belief, that with it all would come right ; 
 that with the vernal break-up of the frost-bound 
 fields and fiords, the spring of love which was 
 rising in his heart would also be set free. 
 
 He turned towards the room, went to the 
 writing-table and carefully put away his father's 
 letter in one of the drawers, passed both his 
 hands over his forehead and up through his hair, 
 as if to drive away the heavy thoughts ; changed 
 his clothes, and taking his hat and umbrella, 
 which stood by the door, left the room. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 HE went down the creaking attic stairs, through 
 the hall, and out of a gate at the side to reach 
 the open fields through the garden. 
 
 Hardly had he passed the first big lawn, how- 
 ever, before he heard some one calling him. It 
 was Miss Ragnhild's voice. 
 
 He was rather vexed. He would rather have 
 been alone at this moment, and it was with a 
 somewhat annoyed expression that he turned 
 and went back. 
 
 Miss Ragnhild came towards him from the 
 verandah still wearing the flowered morning 
 gown with the long tight bodice. As she stepped
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 73 
 
 down the verandah stairs, a pair .of pointed 
 patent leather shoes were visible below the edge 
 of her dress. She had a pale blue shawl over 
 her shoulders, loosely knotted at the breast ; and 
 perched on her reddish waving hair was an 
 immense straw hat, turned up at the back with an 
 agrafe. 
 
 " Can I just speak to you before you go, 
 Mr Hansted ? " she asked with somewhat forced 
 gaiety, looking at him closely with twitching 
 eyes. " Do you mind going with me to the 
 chestnut avenue, I want to see if I can find some 
 violets." 
 
 They went through the garden together. This, 
 which, as well as the house, was an inheritance 
 of the " Millionaire parson," with the many 
 lawns, shrubberies, big stone vases, its long 
 alleys, and artificially clipped privet hedges, was 
 more like a nobleman's seat than a homely 
 Parsonage and Provst Tonnesen took a pride 
 in keeping it up in its former grandeur as far as 
 he was able. Over a wide ditch, which divided 
 the garden at one end, was built a wooden bridge 
 in the Chinese style, with dragon's heads and a 
 bamboo roof, and over this bridge Miss Ragn- 
 hild and Emanuel now walked. 
 
 " Well," said the latter after some minutes 
 silence, " may I ask what it is you wish to say to 
 me ? " 
 
 She laughed a little. 
 
 " Are you so inquisitive ? "
 
 74 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " Yes, indeed," he answered, with an attempt 
 to imitate her gay tone. " Besides which I am in 
 a hurry!" As you see, I am dressed for a 
 journey, for a pilgrimage. I am on the way to 
 my Promised Land ! " 
 
 " Your Promised Land ? what do you mean ? " 
 
 " Oh, I don't suppose I mean anything," he 
 said, suddenly becoming grave again and looking 
 down. 
 
 They walked on again a few minutes in 
 silence. 
 
 She glanced at him a few times with her 
 observant eyes. He walked by her side in his 
 long coat, with both hands and his umbrella on 
 his back, a little bent, and dragging slightly in 
 his gait. 
 
 " What an ungrateful person you are ! " she 
 said, again trying to laugh ! " I have half a 
 mind to preach you an admonitory sermon. 
 Haven't you noticed that both heaven and earth 
 are smiling to you to-day, and that all the Lord's 
 little birds are singing in emulation of each other 
 above your head ? And do you not see how I 
 am extolling summer to-day ! Or will nothing 
 in the world bring a smile to your face now ? 
 I can tell you that I am on the high road to 
 being a little offended with you. I am sure, for 
 example, that you never noticed how I had 
 decorated the luncheon table entirely because 
 you said one day that you thought much more 
 of seeing a bunch of flowers on the table than
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 75 
 
 a piece of beef. You know that, as far as I am 
 concerned, a piece of beef is infinitely prefer- 
 able." 
 
 He smiled half shyly. " I feel it thoroughly, 
 Miss Ragnhild I am a most unworthy person. 
 Scold me as much as you like I deserve it. But 
 you will see, I shall improve. It's just a sort of 
 childish complaint I am going through, I expect 
 a little old-fashioned romance perhaps. You 
 know what the new-fashioned prophets preach. 
 We all carry about an inheritance of moth-eaten, 
 worn-out romance, they say and either my father 
 or my mother must have been endowed with an 
 extra share of it." 
 
 " Your mother ? " 
 
 " Yes but let us talk about something else ! 
 You mustn't forget what you wanted to tell me. 
 For I suppose it was not this ? " 
 
 They had reached a broad avenue of chestnuts, 
 which formed the boundary between the garden 
 and the fields. A jubilant host of metallic 
 shining starlings fluttered about in the sunshine 
 among the tree-tops ; and a warm balmy breeze 
 brought in a scent of earth and fresh verdure 
 from the fields. Between two trunks stood a 
 rustic seat, before which Miss Ragnhild stopped, 
 and said 
 
 " Shall we sit down for a little while ? The 
 sun is so warm here." 
 
 She flicked away some dry leaves from the 
 wooden seat with the tassels of her shawl, and
 
 76 EMANUEL 
 
 sat down in one corner. Emanuel remained 
 standing before her, leaning on his umbrella, and 
 made no sign of sitting down. 
 
 She sat a moment bending forward with her 
 hands folded in her lap, looking at the toes of 
 her shoes. Then she said without lifting her 
 head 
 
 " You spoke of your mother it has just 
 occurred to me have I dreamt it, or did you 
 once tell me, that you were very young when 
 your mother died." 
 
 " I ? " said he, starting and looking down at 
 her suddenly with an attentive glance. " Oh, I 
 was fifteen or sixteen years old but why do you 
 ask about it ' 
 
 " Oh, I don't know 
 
 " Have you been talking to any one lately 
 about my mother ? " 
 
 " Yes, to-day father and I were talking about 
 I think father once met someone who 
 knew your mother." 
 
 The curate's eye darkened. 
 
 " Then I suppose your father also talked of- 
 of my mother's end ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 A pained expression came over his face. After 
 a moment's silence he said softly and with 
 difficulty 
 
 " My poor mother was a sacrifice to her time, 
 to her family, and to the society to which you 
 and I also belong, Miss Ragnhild ; and which
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 79 
 
 from our birth weaves such a web around us all, 
 as slowly to take the life of those who have not 
 courage or strength to break it asunder." 
 
 She looked up at him with astonishment, and 
 said 
 
 " What do you mean exactly ? " 
 
 " Oh, I mean that if we were candid, we should 
 be obliged to acknowledge that we all drag about 
 a more or less heavy burden of loathing of life, 
 world weariness, lonesomeness, or whatever we 
 like to call the modern disease which is the bitter 
 fruit of our over-culture. There are some who 
 are strong enough to bear this burden without 
 being entirely crippled ; but it is not therefore 
 always the most insignificant or the weakest 
 whose hearts break. You will see, we may 
 perhaps all sink down in the battle especially 
 we poor caricatures of humanity, who are be- 
 gotten in the feverish life of the towns, born 
 among chimney pots, telegraph wires, railways 
 and trams how many generations do you think 
 we shall last ? And that is just the desperate 
 part," he continued, with a changed voice, as he 
 fell back into his old tormenting thoughts. 
 " Can't you see, Miss Ragnhild, how topsy turvey 
 it is that it should be my office to teach others to 
 live and die I, who need to learn to live my own 
 life rightly and just of those very people whom 
 I am set to teach ? Or is it not true that we ought 
 to envy, with all our hearts, the poor labourer who 
 toils week in week out ; happily, and without
 
 So EMANUEL; OR 
 
 complaint, eats his dry bread and sleeps soundly 
 on old straw ? Is greater wisdom of life to be 
 found ? But what folly it is that I, a poor 
 corrupt, monstrous product of culture, should be 
 a teacher of the sound an example to the 
 undefiled ! I assure you, Miss Ragnhild, I 
 never cross the threshold of the most miserable 
 hovel without my heart beating with holy 
 reverence. I feel that I ought to take off my 
 shoes that I am entering a sacred place where 
 human passions are still preserved in all their 
 pristine beauty and nobility, just as the Almighty 
 instilled them into mankind in the morning of 
 life." 
 
 He had entered upon his usual passionate 
 praise of the life of the countryman, about which 
 he and Miss Ragnhild had had many a warm 
 debate in the course of the winter. Miss 
 Ragnhild confessed openly that she hated 
 country life according to her opinion it was 
 a living burial ; nor did she conceal that she 
 looked upon peasants as beings who belonged 
 to a lower level a sort of now creeping, now 
 usurping, but always evil-smelling semi-human 
 creatures, with whom she desired to come as little 
 as possible in contact. 
 
 On this occasion also she combated Emanuel's 
 views most strenuously. She leant back against 
 the seat and looked at him with an unconstrained 
 smile. 
 
 "If many of these peasants," she said, " are
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 81 
 
 content with their dirt and mouldy straw, and 
 hardly even wish for anything better, it only 
 shows how little in reality they are removed from 
 dumb brutes, swine, for example, in whom all the 
 feelings of the heart are undoubtedly preserved 
 in unadulterated swinishness." 
 
 " But it is no use for us to talk about it," she 
 concluded, gaily, "you have once for all been 
 irremediably bitten by some crazy digger of 
 ditches, and it is folly on my part to try and 
 convince you. This illusion will turn to stern 
 reality one of these days. Only wait ! " 
 
 She laughed and as she sat there in her 
 bright, distinguished-lqoking costume, self-con- 
 trolled in every line of her slim figure, from the 
 tip of her little patent leather shoe to the gigantic 
 fancy straw hat, which threw shadows like a lace 
 veil over the upper part of her pale face with the 
 ruddy lips one might very well doubt that she 
 belonged to the same race of humanity as the 
 heavy grey creatures clad in homespun, toilers of 
 the earth, among whom she was condemned to 
 live. 
 
 Emanuel, who felt hurt by her words, made a 
 sign as if to go. Before doing so he turned 
 towards her once again and said : 
 
 " I should like to know what it was you wished 
 to say to me you are forgetting that you have 
 not told me yet." 
 
 Miss Ragnhild coloured slightly. She had had 
 no other reason for calling- him than that she
 
 82 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 wished to talk to him, to try and cheer him a 
 little. 
 
 Then she hit upon saying : 
 
 " Well you see, Mr Hansted as you perhaps 
 know, we are going to have a little festivity to-day 
 at the Parsonage." 
 
 "Yes, I think I have heard a little bird whisper 
 it." 
 
 " Oh well, make fun if you like. A thing of 
 that sort is always an event in the country, where 
 nothing more interesting happens from year's end 
 to year's end which for the rest only proves 
 what I said before on the subject. But enough 
 of that. As I daresay you can imagine, I shall 
 be a most charming hostess to my guests. They 
 are, as far as I know, Messrs Peter Niels, Niels 
 Petersen, Peter Nielsen Petersen, and Niels 
 Petersen Nielsen. Oh, you needn't knit your 
 brows in such a scandalized fashion, I have not 
 the slightest objection to these good people. 
 Only, I cannot reconcile myself to their spitting 
 on my good carpets yes, last time one of them 
 did so. Possibly that kind of thing is a mani- 
 festation of the spontaneity of feeling of which 
 you spoke before so finely, but I would none the 
 less rather be without it. Now I wanted to ask 
 you, Mr Hansted, to be as amiable as possible to 
 our guests this evening. And if anything should 
 happen to me one of my bad headaches, for 
 instance you will be so good as to be my gallant 
 representative among the ladies."
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 83 
 
 " You can, as you know command me," 
 answered Emanuel, as he lifted his hat and 
 bowed with ironical politeness. " Is there any 
 other way in which I can serve you, Miss 
 Ragnhild ? " 
 
 " Yes, I daresay you will be accommodating 
 enough not to be too unpunctual for once. I 
 believe my father would be very impatient on 
 this occasion if we had to wait for you. Rather 
 come half an hour too soon, then you can help 
 me with some of the arrangements into the 
 bargain." 
 
 " I will do my best, but then you must allow 
 me to leave you now. Besides, I see your father 
 coming along in a hurry. You may be sure that 
 there is something wrong with the salads. I have 
 the honour to take leave of you." 
 
 Provst Tonnesen had indeed made his appear- 
 ance at the end of the garden, walking with his 
 hands behind him he was evidently preparing a 
 speech. But no sooner did he catch sight of the 
 young pair by the seat, than he hurriedly turned 
 and continued his walk in the opposite direction 
 through the garden. 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 MISS RAGNHILD remained sitting a little while 
 longer on the seat with her hands on her lap, 
 looking thoughtfully before her. Then she rose
 
 84 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 and walked slowly towards the Parsonage. She 
 was met by the old servant who was upset by the 
 bustle of the day, and who had been quite un- 
 happy at her long absence ; she had a string of 
 questions as to the preparation of the food and 
 the setting out of the festive table. Miss Ragnhild 
 gave her directions in a short, decided tone, and 
 then went into the sitting room, where she sat 
 down at the window, with a book, an English novel 
 which she took hap-hazard out of the bookcase. 
 
 After reading for a quarter of an hour, she 
 looked at the clock in the corner. It was three 
 o'clock. She laid down her book, got up, and 
 busied herself about the room, stood a moment 
 looking at the parrot, which had gone to sleep 
 in its cage, and at last sat down at the grand 
 piano, where she began to play one of Chopin's 
 preludes. 
 
 Again she looked at the clock. Ten minutes 
 past three. 
 
 Then she once more struck a few chords, but 
 broke off suddenly, rose and took up a newspaper 
 from the heavy, round mahogany table in the 
 middle of the room, and sat down by the window 
 again. She remained sitting, with the paper un- 
 folded on her knee, her chin resting in her slender, 
 white hand, her glance wandering slowly over the 
 big empty courtyard, and the thatched roofs of 
 the stables until the clock at last struck half- 
 past three. Then she rose and went into her 
 room to dress.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 85 
 
 The visitors were expected at six o'clock, and 
 as the ordinary dinner was to be passed over on 
 account of the party, there was plenty of time 
 for a careful toilet. 
 
 Even under ordinary circumstances, '^changing 
 her dress was one of the chief events of the day 
 to Miss Ragnhild. She regularly passed the two 
 hours before dinner in her almost over-luxuriously 
 furnished bedroom, in which there was always a 
 delicate odour of the essence of violets. 
 
 It was one of her amusements to stand before 
 her long glass, looking at herself as she dressed 
 and undressed ; she would admire her neck, her 
 shoulders, her loosened hair, try a new way of 
 doing it, or a new combination of colours for her 
 costumes all this not out of empty vanity, or 
 love of display who could she care to dazzle 
 here ? but because it gave transient satisfaction 
 to her longing for beauty, delicacy, and harmony. 
 
 Besides, what else was there for her to do ? 
 She worked at her music every morning and 
 this was her happiest time. But the doctor 
 had strictly forbidden her to spend more than 
 three hours a day at the piano. She spent two 
 hours in reading preferably foreign languages 
 and at need she could kill two hours in house- 
 hold duties, although her personal help was 
 quite superfluous. There remained eight long 
 weary hours what was she to do with them ? 
 Walk ? but in the eight winter months the fields 
 and roads were impassible morasses, or the
 
 86 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 snow lay round the Parsonage like an insur- 
 mountable wall. Even in the summer, the sight 
 of the broad silent fields, the bare monotonous 
 stone dykes, the everlasting grey or blue fiord, 
 had a most depressing effect upon her. All this 
 lifeless wilderness by which she was surrounded 
 filled her with horror. And the living objects 
 were worse than the inanimate. Worst of all, 
 was to walk through the village, where she knew 
 beforehand what people she would meet, in 
 what places, and at what occupation ; where she 
 was obliged to return the obtrusive greetings 
 of the peasants, and to answer the rambling 
 speeches of the half-clad labourer's wives about 
 the weather, harvest prospects, and night frosts. 
 She therefore generally restricted her walks to a 
 solitary path leading from the Parsonage to the 
 sand banks. She would take a little brisk 
 exercise here towards sundown until the sound 
 of a party of returning field-labourers, or the 
 suffocating odour of a newly-manured field drove 
 her home again. 
 
 She had lived in this solitude for eight years. 
 She was born in a provincial town of Jutland, 
 where her father was assistant schoolmaster. 
 From her thirteenth year, when she lost her 
 mother, till her confirmation, she stayed in 
 Copenhagen with some aunts, to complete her 
 education in a superior girl's school. 
 
 She only took up her permanent abode at the 
 end of her sixteenth year.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 87 
 
 She had come with her young heart swelling 
 with bright hopes. She had learnt from her 
 novels, and the theatres, that the flower of Danish 
 womanhood was to be found in the daughters 
 of the country Parsonages, whose charms had 
 been sung by the poets, and whose possession all 
 noble-minded young men desired. Nor was she 
 entirely unconscious of her own advantages her 
 white skin and rippling auburn hair had already, 
 as a schoolgirl, attracted attention in her native 
 town in Jutland, so she went about every day 
 in silent, sweet expectation, prepared to receive 
 the homage which was her due. 
 
 She still remembered plainly, how in those days 
 she wandered about the garden with her hair in 
 a thick plait, hanging down her back, light kid 
 mittens, and a fresh moss rose in her bosom. 
 
 At one time she would sit dreaming in the 
 shade of a softly sighing tree, at another she 
 would climb the dyke by the field, and shading 
 her eyes Math her hands, would look out into the 
 sunlit landscape as if every day she really 
 expected two wandering " Students " to appear 
 on the horizon.* She pictured to herself exactly 
 what they looked like, how dusty and sunburnt 
 they would peep inquisitively in at the garden 
 gate, and how her father would appear on the 
 verandah and ask them in ; how at first they 
 
 * This refers to one of Johan Ludwig Heiberg's (1791-1860) 
 Vaudevilles, " The adventures of a walking tour," always much 
 played in Denmark, in which the heroes are two students.
 
 88 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 would be shy, but gradually become lively and 
 frank, and would end by singing Bellman's 
 Songs * in the garden by moonlight ; how at 
 last one of them, not the merry and amusing 
 one, but the one with the deep dark eyes 
 would, on taking leave, press her hand and 
 stammer some agitated words about not forget- 
 ting him, and how in the following year he would 
 come back, having taken his degree, and ask 
 her father for her hand with earnest words. 
 
 But no tourists ever came to that desolate 
 corner of the country, and summer after summer 
 went by without the smallest sign of a romantic 
 episode. Ragnhild Tonnesen used to smile 
 when she looked back at her youthful dreams. 
 She had often been troubled later by suitors 
 among the beer-fattened Squire's sons, who 
 evidently were quite unable to grasp that she 
 especially now that she was no longer in her 
 first youth did not gratefully accept their offers. 
 But otherwise the years she had passed at her 
 father's side had slipped by without any experi- 
 ences of interest whatever. Now and then, when 
 she looked back at her life, she could hardly 
 believe that she was not more than four and 
 twenty, and still in the height of her bloom. 
 She felt certain that she must have begun to 
 grow old. In short, there was nothing in the 
 world which realized her -anticipations except 
 
 * Charles Michael Bellman's (1741-1795) "Swedish Student 
 Songs,"
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 89 
 
 her music. Even her annual visit to Copen- 
 hagen, which in the first few years of her 
 country life had been like one long fete lasting 
 three weeks, and for which she had prepared 
 herself for months with delight, no longer gave 
 her any real pleasure. After a time she had 
 become strange to city life, her old friends and 
 acquaintances were scattered, her aunts were 
 dead and then after it, her home life seemed 
 doubly empty, and nature around her doubly 
 dismal in its mute stony lifelessness. 
 
 Therefore it was not at all agreeable to her 
 when her father decided to take a curate. She 
 did not want to be disturbed in the state of 
 somnolency into which, by degrees, she had 
 dropped. When, in addition, she perceived that 
 people, even before the arrival of the curate, 
 coupled their names, it did not dispose her more 
 pleasantly towards him : on this account the 
 relations between them were at first decidedly 
 cool, not to say strained. But when she gradu- 
 ally saw that the new house-mate only wanted to 
 live in the same undisturbed reserve as she her- 
 self, she became more easily reconciled to his 
 daily presence. When, at the same time, she 
 discovered his taste for music, and that he had 
 made the acquaintance of some of the most 
 renowned composers at his father's house, about 
 whom it amused her to hear, he began little by 
 little to rouse her interest. As Emanuel also 
 felt an even greater need for some one to talk to,
 
 go EMANUEL; OR 
 
 and in whom to confide, an unconstrained and 
 half confidential relation arose between them 
 little by little, and almost without their knowing 
 it, which roused the Provst's attention and re- 
 flection. 
 
 When, however, the Provst and others laid 
 plans for the future of the young people founded 
 on this relationship, they rested on a complete 
 misunderstanding. Although Miss Ragnhild was 
 in reality the younger of the two, she considered 
 herself the superior of the curate, both in age 
 and experience. She looked upon him as a 
 right-minded and warm-hearted, but slightly 
 peculiar person, who had been driven by unfortu- 
 nate circumstances at home to seek new worlds 
 among strangers. Even his name, Emanuel, had 
 from the first thrown a comic air over his person- 
 ality. His youth and helplessness had later 
 awakened her motherly instincts, and the more 
 depressed and reserved he became in the course 
 of the winter, the more she had seen him suffer 
 under the disappointments she knew so well her- 
 self, so much the more she felt the necessity of 
 winning his confidence, so as if possible to cheer 
 and distract him a little. 
 
 From the very beginning there had not been 
 the slightest trace of love on either side and 
 in this respect there was no misunderstanding 
 between them either.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 91 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 EMANUEL went out by a gate at the further end 
 of the garden leading into the open fields. Here 
 he found himself on the highest point of the 
 district, the so-called " Parsonage Hill," from the 
 top of which a wide view was gained. On every 
 side were pale green fields of rye, which glistened 
 in the sun among the dark ploughed land ; light 
 blue mists lay over the fens and swampy places, 
 ditches and ponds steamed, and the whole land 
 was enveloped in fruitful vapours, the fresh spring 
 air was filled with sunlight, and the song of 
 birds, all heralding the festal entrance of summer 
 any day. Emanuel took a path which led from 
 the Parsonage, through a number of outlying 
 fields towards the fiord. It was the same path 
 taken by Miss Ragnhild in her hurried little 
 sunset promenades. He did not think of this 
 however, nor was it because of this that it had 
 become his favourite walk. If they were both 
 attached to it, the reason was the same for him 
 as well as for her ; they could have the most 
 solitude here. In their loneliness they involun- 
 tarily sought still lonelier spots, and in these 
 remote fields only an occasional cottage was to 
 be seen or a solitary peasant ploughing. 
 
 In the course of the winter, Emanuel had 
 wandered here every day in his long coat, and 
 with his inseparable companion, the black silk 
 umbrella, which was as dear to him as a trusted
 
 9 2 EMANUEL 
 
 friend. He had often roamed about for half a 
 day among the hills and along the deserted 
 shore without rhyme or reason ; and in this 
 intimate communion with nature he at last found 
 some recompense for the loss of human inter- 
 course. Everything here continued to be fresh 
 and wonderful to him. He had never before 
 imagined that anything could be so captivating, 
 as, for example, the slow passage of grey wintry 
 clouds over the earth ; or anything so enchanting 
 as listening to the wild cries of the crows as they 
 flew homewards over the fields at sunset. 
 
 His heart leapt with delight when, one day in the 
 beginning of February, he discovered the first pale 
 shoots in the ditches and the first lark ! Never 
 would he forget the moment when, in the deep 
 silence of the fields, he suddenly heard the ethereal 
 trills of a lark, sure forerunner of the summer, while 
 all around, still lay bound in winter's grasp. 
 
 On this occasion he went down to the shore, 
 where he was in the habit of spending some time 
 watching the gulls as they flew about, mute and 
 restless, as if guarding some great secret. But 
 to-day the beach was empty. The warmth and 
 the exhalations of the meadows had driven the 
 flocks of birds towards the mouth of the fiord 
 and the sea. He continued his walk along the 
 shore, revelling in the sight of the vast blue 
 shallows of the fiord, in which the distant fishing 
 villages and the wooded slopes of the opposite 
 shore were reflected with wonderful clearness.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 95 
 
 At last he climbed a hill to the south, whence he 
 again had a wide view of the country. Skibber- 
 up lay straight below him with its three bare 
 earth mounds. 
 
 He always felt specially attracted by the sight 
 of this village, which, with its clusters of small 
 cottages, its spreading pond, and its many wind- 
 ings and turnings, seemed to him much more 
 idyllic than Veilby, with its brand-new, formal 
 peasant farms which he had before him daily. 
 He was also doubly saddened when he reflected 
 that it was in this very village that the anti-clerical 
 movement had its head-quarters ; and when his 
 eye suddenly fell on a low, dilapidated building in 
 the middle of the village, over the thatched roof 
 of which a " Dannebrog's " * flag waved, a pang 
 shot through his heart. He guessed that it was the 
 " Meeting House " from which Hansen the weaver 
 carried on his angry battle against the church. 
 
 At one end of the village, lying by itself, was 
 a little place with yellow washed outbuildings, 
 which Emanuel at once recognised as the farm 
 to which he had been fetched in the sledge on 
 that winter evening to administer the Holy 
 Communion to the owner's suffering daughter. 
 He had often thought since of that evening 
 and the strangers among whom he had come in 
 such a strange way to inaugurate his priestly 
 
 * The Danish Flag which fell from heaven at the prayer of 
 Andreas Suneson, Archbishop of Lund, when he led the Christian 
 army of Valdemar Second against the heathen Esthonians in 1219.
 
 9 6 
 
 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 work. He had often been inclined to renew his 
 visit to them and to ask after their daughter ; but 
 hitherto he had no more summoned up courage 
 to do so than to mix with any of the other 
 
 . ^: &,.* 
 S "^' 
 
 \2:Tt&>^ 
 
 people of the district. His innate shyness soon 
 caused him to draw back from all personal 
 intimacies, when almost immediately after his 
 first sermon the people showed their unfriendly 
 feeling towards him so plainly.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 97 
 
 But to-day it seemed as if the sun and the 
 spring air endued him with fresh courage, and he 
 resolved seriously to pay his visit. He said to 
 himself that he could not go on living here in this 
 way, that a decision must be come to. He felt at 
 this moment with renewed strength, that he owed 
 it to himself, no longer to put off defining his 
 position, but he must make a decisive effort to 
 discover the reason of the ill-feeling which had 
 arisen so suddenly against him. 
 
 He buttoned his coat, dusted it, and drew on 
 his gloves, and walked down with firm steps 
 towards the village. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 IT was the first time that Emanuel had been 
 seen in Skibberup without his official gown and 
 ruff. His appearance, therefore, aroused con- 
 siderable attention all over the village. The 
 spring air and the day of rest had tempted 
 people out of their houses everywhere ; even the 
 old cripples had hobbled out from the chimney 
 corners, and sat on the doorsteps, sunning them- 
 selves. Both men and women were busy digging 
 in the cottage gardens, and bareheaded children 
 ran about playing. Few, either of men or women, 
 had a, greeting for the young priest, though they all 
 looked up from their work, and followed him with 
 
 G
 
 98 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 their eyes as far as they could. Some of the youths 
 who were leaning over the fences by the girls, or 
 standing in the gateways smoking long pipes, 
 were beguiled by the bright sunshine into insolent 
 smiles and half-audible remarks as he passed. 
 
 In the doorway of a low house stood a man in 
 blue striped shirt-sleeves, with a child in his 
 arms. It was the big black-bearded snow-clearer 
 who had made the hearty little speech of welcome 
 to Emanuel on the evening that he went to the 
 sick girl. Now the man only smiled, showing his 
 white teeth when Emanuel passed ; and the child 
 in his arms beginning to cry, he said, quite loud, 
 as he wiped its nose with his fingers, " There's 
 naught to be frightened of, my lass ! it's on'y his 
 rev'rence, our young parson ! " 
 
 Although Emanuel was already tolerably ac- 
 customed to the incivility of the people, and 
 although he had brought himself to believe that 
 the reason of the discord between himself and the 
 congregation was principally owing to a want in 
 himself, he was often obliged to struggle against 
 the dull wrath which was roused in him, more 
 especially by the conduct of the young people. 
 To-day, too, he found it difficult to preserve his 
 equanimity, and he did not breathe freely till 
 he reached Anders Jorgen's little farm in the 
 southern end of the village. It was not without 
 emotion that he passed under the low gateway 
 and recognised the lantern which still twisted 
 slowly round at the end of the cord, under the
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 99 
 
 rafters. In the yard he stopped and looked 
 around him. Not a creature was to be seen or 
 heard. He went up to the low dwelling-house, 
 entered the passage, and knocked twice at a door 
 to the left. No one answered. 
 
 After a moment's hesitation he opened the 
 door and went into the broad, low-ceilinged 
 living room, with its equipment of antique 
 furniture, which had attracted his attention on 
 yonder evening. The room was empty. Nor 
 was any sound to be heard in the adjoining rooms 
 except the loud ticking of the tall old clock in the 
 side room where the girl had lain ill. He was at 
 his wit's end. He knocked at various doors 
 leading to different parts of the house, but he 
 received no answer anywhere. The house 
 appeared to be deserted. He remained standing 
 a moment in the middle of the floor, lost in 
 thought, while his eye wandered over the room. 
 He recognised the heavy oak table and the 
 benches under the small, many-paned windows, 
 the large square stove, the dark earthen floor 
 strewn with sand, the spinning wheel, and the 
 blue striped curtains of the alcove bed in one 
 corner of the room. A row of shining pewter 
 plates stood upon a high shelf, and upon the 
 wall behind the old armchair by the stove, by 
 way of ornament, hung a cross of straw, a bunch 
 of sweet herbs, and two framed samplers, bearing 
 the date of 1798. All bore witness to a sense of 
 order and scrupulous cleanliness. An air of
 
 ioo EMANUEL 
 
 simple, festive, Sunday comfort rested over the 
 little sunny peasant's home, with which Emanuel 
 was charmed. He involuntarily compared this 
 simplicity with the gorgeous luxury of his own 
 home, furnished with all the modern towns- 
 people's outfit of thick carpets, velvet upholstery, 
 heavy portieres and exotic plants, in which the 
 depraved taste of advanced civilization indulged. 
 On the wall between the windows he discovered 
 a small collection of portraits of well-known men 
 in simple wood-cuts. There were Tscherning,* 
 Grundtvig, Monrad/f and a few others whom he 
 knew. The centre place was occupied by a larger 
 picture which showed Frederick VII. signing the 
 constitution. Emanuel remembered the same 
 picture in his mother's room and it moved him 
 strangely to meet it again after so many years in 
 these surroundings. 
 
 He was roused from his observations by hearing 
 steps in the courtyard. From a little gate between 
 the stables came a young girl with a yoke on her 
 shoulders, and milk pails suspended, followed by 
 the same white-haired lad who had driven the 
 sledge on that winter night. The young girl had 
 on her Sunday best, a cherry-coloured dress 
 fancifully braided over the bosom and on the 
 sleeves. She had fastened up the skirt in her 
 
 * Minister of War in 1848. 
 
 ' f Cultus- Minister in the famous "March Ministry" of 1848, 
 which drafted the Constitution. Afterwards Bishop of Laaland 
 and Falster. The " Bishop " of the story.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 103 
 
 belt in front, and had a light handkerchief tied 
 round her head, which gave her round-cheeked 
 face a still rounder and rosier effect. A white- 
 footed cat was arching its back, and purring 
 round the milk pails, its attention being divided 
 between the young girl and two little kittens 
 carried by the boy. About the middle of the 
 yard it bounded towards a hollow stone in front 
 of an empty dog kennel, where it was evidently 
 used to having its ration of milk given to it. But 
 as the girl walked dreamily on as if she had 
 forgotten it to-day, the animal sprang towards 
 her and clawed the edge of her skirt. Then she 
 smiled half-seriously, turned and poured a liberal 
 allowance of the still steaming milk into the 
 hollow stone. But now the cat's martyrdom 
 began ; instead of putting down the kittens, the 
 boy lifted them above his head, defending himself 
 meanwhile with his foot, against the raging mother 
 which tried to climb up his leg, and then turned 
 to the girl with a woeful expression as if accus- 
 tomed to look there for protection. The girl 
 pleaded for the poor animal, though she was not 
 able to help smiling a little, but the boy would 
 not give up his prize, and continued to dance 
 about the yard, the cat at his heels. 
 
 Emanuel stood at the window silently surveying 
 this scene. His glance rested especially on the 
 young girl, whom he easily recognised as the 
 daughter of the house. He had imagined her 
 to be taller and handsomer ; but to make up for
 
 104 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 this, her trim, little, neatly built figure disclosed 
 peculiar earnestness of purpose coupled with such 
 youthful bloom, that he had difficulty in taking 
 his eyes off her. 
 
 As the boy continued his game, he thought it 
 time to make his presence known. He went back 
 to the door by which he had entered, and stepped 
 out on to the stone flags in front of the entrance. 
 
 Brother and sister both uttered a little startled 
 cry when they caught sight of him. With a burn- 
 ing blush the young girl hurriedly pulled her skirt 
 down and tore off the handkerchief she had worn 
 for milking, while her brother hastily let go the 
 kittens, and disappeared through the nearest barn 
 door. 
 
 Emanuel went down the steps and along to 
 greet her. 
 
 " Pray, don't let me disturb you," he said, lifting 
 his brown plush hat a couple of inches from his 
 head. " I happened to be passing, and looked in 
 to ask after you. I see you have quite recovered 
 since last I saw you." 
 
 " Thank you," she muttered, looking behind her 
 with a dark, uneasy glance, as if for succour. 
 
 At this moment a stable door opened, and old 
 Anders Jorgen came tramping out in heavy metal- 
 tipped wooden shoes, with a halter in his hand. 
 He was in a black and white flannel shirt, and a 
 fur cap with a tassel covered his wiry grey hair. 
 He was humming a merry tune, but no sooner did 
 his half-blind eyes make out Emanuel than he also
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 105 
 
 became rigid with astonishment, and threw away 
 the halter as if he had been caught in a crime. 
 
 Emanuel went towards him, holding out his hand 
 in a friendly manner. The old man could not get 
 over his flurry, but went on stammering out con- 
 fused excuses for his " work-a-day look." 
 
 " Oh, never mind about that ! The proverb 
 says, ' A workman is not ashamed of his tools,' " 
 said Emanuel, becoming more easy at the sight 
 of their embarrassment. 
 
 " I hope you are well, Anders Jorgen ? It is a 
 long time since I saw you." 
 
 " Thank ye thank ye ; it's just this way, ye see, 
 the beasts mun be looked after, be it work-a-day 
 or holy day." The old man went on excusing 
 himself. " We've just got two new-calved cows 
 an one o' them's got a chill an ye can't very 
 weel neglect her." 
 
 "Of course not don't reproach yourself!" 
 said Emanuel, smiling. " I was just passing 
 and thought I should like to see how time goes 
 with you. I see that your daughter isn't her 
 name Hansine ? " 
 
 " Ay, your reverence." 
 
 " I see she has quite recovered. I hope she has 
 got over her illness entirely." 
 
 " I'm much obliged to ye, sir. I think she's 
 quite hearty again, thank the Lord ; but, if you 
 please, won't your rev'rence step inside ? Mother'll 
 be here directly, she's only slipped out to see a 
 woman at the Plantation."
 
 106 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 They walked over the yard together, and went 
 into the room where the sun still shone brightly 
 into the windows, throwing little squares of 
 golden light over the table and the sanded floor. 
 Anders Jb'rgen offered Emanuel the seat of 
 honour in the old arm-chair by the stove, while 
 he himself, in white stocking feet, sat on the 
 corner of a wooden chair by the alcove. He 
 folded his hands solemnly on his knees, palms 
 upwards, as he did during the sermon at church, 
 and remained sitting in this position, listening 
 to every sound outside with an uneasy expression, 
 in the plainly visible hope that it was his wife 
 returning to set him free from his misery. 
 
 Emanuel, on the contrary, felt more and more 
 at his ease in the comfortable little peasant's 
 room. He quickly found a subject for conversa- 
 tion in the fine spring weather, and with a degree 
 of ease which astonished himself, he talked of the 
 joy and gratitude which the farmers in particular 
 ought to feel at seeing how the Almighty was 
 blessing their labours. He did not pay any 
 attention to Anders Jorgen's restless abstraction. 
 On the other hand, he often looked in the course 
 of the conversation with attention towards the 
 daughter of the house. She had come into the 
 room, and sat down with a piece of work by the 
 window, where the sun fell on to her erect little 
 figure, and threw a warm glow over her dark- 
 brown plaits. She had completed her toilet 
 by a broad crotchet collar which fell over her
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 107 
 
 shoulders in points ; she had smoothed her hair 
 with water, and fastened it up in coils. She 
 made her entrance with a somewhat stiff upright 
 bearing, and a rather defiant expression, as if 
 trying to indemnify herself for the state of con- 
 fusion in which the curate had found her. But 
 from the moment that she seated herself on the 
 bench at the furthest end of the room from 
 Emanuel, she remained immovably bent over 
 her work, half turned away, as if she was trying 
 as much as possible to efface herself; while, in 
 reality, her position and the colour of her cheeks 
 plainly betrayed that she was all ears in her 
 distant corner, and was eagerly drinking in every 
 word of the curate's. 
 
 It did not occur to Emanuel that his glance 
 sometimes rested in a rather free and direct way 
 upon her. He was so delighted at having at last 
 found a small circle of listeners, that by degrees 
 he forgot all his shyness. All at once, steps were 
 heard on the flags in the yard. Anders Jorgen 
 moved in his chair with a sigh of relief, and the 
 young girl along by the window threw a hasty 
 glance through the panes to prepare the new- 
 comer. But she suddenly changed colour, and 
 with a startled, almost frightened glance, her eyes 
 sought her father's. 
 
 A moment later three discreet raps sounded on 
 the door.
 
 io8 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE new arrival was the tall, thin, and somewhat 
 bent man, with the curious cat-like face, who 
 had been the object of so much attention among 
 Emanuel's audience in the morning. He re- 
 mained standing a moment by the door, looking 
 about him and smiling with his crooked, drawn- 
 up mouth. Then he said " Good-day" in a 
 drawling voice, and went round shaking hands. 
 
 Old Anders Jorgen, who rose from his chair 
 immediately, became quite pale with consterna- 
 tion, and looked at the stranger with a bewildered, 
 imploring glance, which the latter evidently tried 
 to avoid. The whole bearing of the stranger 
 made an unusually unpleasant impression on 
 Emanuel. He remembered having seen the 
 same face in church occasionally, where it had 
 also inspired him with extraordinary repulsion. 
 This feeling was not lessened when the stranger 
 turned towards him, and, fixing him with a glance 
 which was partly hidden by his red, swollen 
 eyelids, introduced himself in these words : 
 
 " I am Hansen the weaver." 
 
 Emanuel had need of all his self-command not 
 to lose his composure. He felt himself turning 
 fiery red. 
 
 He just kept presence of mind enough to 
 return the man's greeting with the right amount 
 of cold reserve, after which he continued his
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 109 
 
 conversation with Anders Jorgen. After a time, 
 the weaver's presence even had the involuntary 
 effect of adding a touch of high-bred clerical 
 dignity to his bearing, with a fleeting resemblance 
 to that of Provst Tonnesen. 
 
 In the meantime, it did not seem that the 
 weaver had any evil intentions. He took a seat 
 on the bench at the end of the table, and sat 
 there leaning forward with his elbows on his 
 knees, and both his big red hands over his 
 mouth, as if he had only joined them as an 
 attentive listener. But it was not long before his 
 face began twitching and grimacing, while he 
 first cleared his throat, then coughed in a forced 
 manner, and looked about smilingly from the 
 alcove to the window where Hansine sat with 
 heightened colour and swelling bosom, stooping 
 over her work and not daring to lift her eyes. 
 Emanuel became paler and paler. The smothered 
 anger which had come over him at the behaviour 
 of the young men in the village, began to struggle 
 forth in his bosom, and caused him to stammer. 
 He still, however, kept the mastery over his 
 wrath, but when the weaver began to mutter 
 behind his hands, and to make half audible 
 sarcastic remarks on his conversation, his patience 
 gave way. With a mixture of youthful passion 
 and clerical displeasure he turned towards him 
 and exclaimed : 
 
 " I do not know if it is your intention to drive 
 me from the room, but I may tell you that you
 
 no EMANUEL; OR 
 
 will not succeed, and that I will not put up with 
 your interruptions." 
 
 Anders Jorgen rose from his seat by the alcove 
 in consternation and wished to make peace, but 
 Emanuel's blood was up, and it was not easy to 
 stop him. " I know you very well by hearsay, 
 weaver Hansen," he continued with quivering 
 lips. "Provst Tonnesen has told me a good deal 
 about you, and I tell you that you had better 
 take care. Neither the Provst nor I intend to 
 tolerate your attempt to sow discord or dissension 
 among the congregation any longer. As to what 
 concerns myself, I warn you that my patience has 
 limits, and that I will not put up with your 
 continued efforts to thwart me in my work. I 
 know that I have struggled to the best of my 
 ability to form friendly relations with the 
 congregation, and I have tried to win both 
 parties, to smooth out their mutual difficulties. 
 But if you are bent upon war well, then, I 
 am ready for you ! We shall see who is the 
 strongest ! " 
 
 There was a dead silence in the room after his 
 words. Even the weaver sat a moment holding 
 his head as if he had had a blow. But soon the 
 same distorted, irritating leer passed over his 
 contracted countenance. It almost looked as if 
 the young priest's anger was downright pleasing 
 to him. 
 
 After a moment's silence he said in his slow 
 imperturbable manner
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL in 
 
 " You wrong me, sir, I'm sure. You say you 
 know me ; and know what a bad, reckless person 
 I am, and that you have heard it from the Provst 
 himself, so there must be reason in it. The 
 Provst has so often condemned me to hell fire 
 that I can't help thinkin' he's sincere. But you 
 know very well, sir, that things don't always 
 fall out exac'ly as the Provsts preach, and perhaps 
 I'm not quite so black as the Provst would like 
 to make me out. I won't deny, as far as that 
 goes, that I came here to have a little talk with 
 you, between four walls, as we say, for it has long 
 been in my mind to pay you a visit. It seems to 
 me that there might very well be a few things for 
 us to talk about. When I heard that you had 
 gone into Anders Jorgen's, it struck me it was 
 best not to lose the chance." 
 
 " I am sure I do not see what we can have to 
 talk about," exclaimed Emanuel shortly, in a 
 voice still trembling with anger. 
 
 " Well, well, perhaps not," continued the weaver 
 just as soberly, but in a changed tone, while the 
 smile for a moment left his face, and he watched 
 the curate narrowly as if to test him. " I believe 
 all the same that you take us Skibberup folks 
 in the wrong way. We always have our own 
 way of taking things. We somehow speak plainly 
 about everything, and because of that you're 
 annoyed with me to-day, sir. All I can say is, 
 that the last thing I should wish to do, would be 
 to offend you."
 
 ii2 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 "Well, then, I don't understand your behaviour," 
 Emanuel answered in the same stand-off manner, 
 although he was beginning to be calmer, and to 
 be a little ashamed of his outburst. 
 
 " No, that's just it, sir ! that's exac'ly what it 
 is, you don't understand us. We've seen that all 
 along, and we've been heartily sorry for it, I can 
 tell you. And that's why we all thought it would 
 be best to have a talk to you about it." 
 
 The sudden gravity with which he said these 
 words, and the quiet self-confidence with which 
 he spoke in the name of the congregation, made 
 Emanuel hesitate. He looked at the weaver 
 with an uncertain glance and said 
 
 " If you really have anything to talk to me 
 about, I am of course at your service, but it seems 
 to me that the opportunity might have been 
 better chosen." 
 
 " Look there now, isn't that just what I said, 
 we Skibberup folk are just as awkward as a cat 
 in getting through a chimney ! All the same, sir, 
 you'll allow me to tell you that it's not to be won- 
 dered at that we were a bit excited by having you 
 here among us. You see, we never could leave 
 off thinkin' of the woman who came to the Friends 
 of the people in these parts, like the Holy Virgin 
 herself; why, her memory lives now amongst us, 
 as our purest an' best." 
 
 " I do not understand whom you mean," said 
 Emanuel, looking at him in astonishment. 
 
 " Who I mean ? " said the weaver, staring at
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 113 
 
 him as if he could fix him in his chair by the 
 power of his eye. " Well, who else should I mean 
 than she, who of all people was nearest to you, 
 Pastor Hansted, and who long since was freed 
 from her sorrows and sufferings your mother." 
 
 Emanuel started, had he heard aright ? 
 
 " My mother? " he exclaimed in a low tone, 
 and his eyes involuntarily sought the little col- 
 lection of portraits on the wall between the 
 windows. 
 
 " Well, it certainly was before she became your 
 mother that she was to us Friends of the people 
 what we never can forget, though we did have 
 proofs that she didn't entirely throw us off 
 when she became your father's wife. Now, I 
 suppose you will understand, sir, what joy and 
 pride arose among us when we heard that Mrs 
 Hansted's son was coming to be our curate. We 
 thought that must indeed be a minister after our 
 own hearts. And we do need a man of that kind 
 here ; yes, we need him sorely, Pastor Hansted ? " 
 
 Emanuel could not get over his astonishment 
 at hearing his mother mentioned for the second 
 time in the course of the day, and this time, too, 
 as a never-to-be-forgotten protectress the mother 
 whose memory was already wiped out in his own 
 home, and whose name was whispered there with 
 bated breath, so as not to wake up recollections 
 of the shame, which her unhappy end had thrown 
 over the respected Hansted family. 
 
 " But see here now, you'll give me leave to tell
 
 ii4 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 you, sir," while he steadily watched the young 
 priest. "You'll allow me to tell you honestly, 
 Pastor Hansted, that we have not exac'ly found 
 in you what we so much hoped to find, and I 
 daresay you've perceived that yourself. ;Now 
 there are your sermons, for example don't be 
 angry," he broke off with feigned anxiety, when 
 at his last words he saw a cloud pass over the 
 curate's face. " At any rate you won't mind my 
 saying that, although we are glad you do not, as 
 certain others do, speak to us as if we were a 
 flock of dumb animals ; and although we see that 
 your sermons are carefully thought out, well 
 expressed, poetical, and what you would call well 
 delivered, still they are only the same as we have 
 so often heard before. And what is it our good 
 priests are always telling us peasants ? It is that 
 we are to be obedient and virtuous, neither to 
 steal nor to swear, but to turn to the Lord in our 
 sorrows, and trust in the grace of God, and so on. 
 But we know all that by heart, and we shall not 
 be better men even if we were to hear the whole 
 catechism every Sunday in first rate poetry ! No, 
 if a man like you, Pastor Hansted, would tell us 
 something about yourself, instead of about our- 
 selves, because you can't tell us anything on that 
 subject that we don't know better than you do ; 
 no, what we want is something really about your- 
 self, and how you, with your reading and education 
 have arrived at your views of Christianity and 
 the life of the people, then we should learn some-
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 115 
 
 thing, and that's what we need, so as to see how 
 other people live and think in their conditions of 
 life. That's what we want our minister to help us 
 to, you see. I don't know if you understand me, 
 sir. I am only a working man, and I have never 
 studied either for orders or even to be parish 
 clerk, so I'm not up to picking and choosing my 
 words perhaps." 
 
 Emanuel let him have his talk out. He felt 
 keenly how humiliating it was for him to be 
 obliged to listen to this harangue, especially in 
 the presence of others. But he was not able to 
 force out a word to stop it, because in his heart 
 of hearts he was obliged to confess that the 
 weaver was right. Yes, that this man had put 
 into words the very thoughts which had latterly 
 been troubling him so much. Only when the 
 weaver stopped, and he perceived how all eyes 
 were fixed expectantly on him, did he pull him- 
 self together and answered 
 
 " Perhaps I have not, as you may suppose, 
 altogether grasped your meaning, and I am pos- 
 sibly not able to agree with you entirely in all 
 your views. But I appreciate the frankness with 
 which you have mentioned them to me. Such 
 mutual frankness is certainly the first condition 
 towards a closer understanding becoming pos- 
 sible between us." 
 
 "Yes, that's our idea too," said the weaver 
 with sudden eagerness. "And that's just why 
 we thought it would be a good plan to talk
 
 n6 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 things over. So far, we only know you in 
 church nor will I deny that we've several 
 times liked what we heard there but we always 
 think we would like to get nearer to you than 
 that ; we country folk are an inquisitive set, 
 we like to get to know our ministers well, so 
 that we may go to them freely with all our diffi- 
 culties and whatever we have on our minds. We 
 peasants who labour in the same round day in 
 and day out we badly need some one among us 
 who can give us information and teaching about 
 things you can't exactly speak of from the pulpit. 
 But that's what our good priests never really 
 understand, and that's why we're often on such 
 bad terms. 
 
 " See here now, for example, we've a sort of 
 Meeting House, as we call it, in Skibberup. I 
 daresay you've heard about it, sir, and know what 
 sort of a ' den of iniquity ' it is ; for that's what 
 the Provst calls it. But for all that, we don't do 
 anything but meet in a friendly way, and talk 
 over whatever we like, or we read aloud various 
 books, either religious ones, or the " Readings for 
 the People," as we call them. We think it must 
 be just as good a pastime listening to good words 
 as to lie snoozing on the benches all the winter 
 evenings, or to spend time in gambling, and other 
 dissipations the custom in the good old days that 
 the Provst talks so much about. It's easy to see 
 that what we peasant folk can have to talk to each 
 other about, can't be much to the purpose ; no, if
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 117 
 
 we could get a man like you, Mr Hansted, to visit 
 us and talk to us in a homely way, and tell us 
 anything you like, it would be another matter ; 
 that would be something that would give us real 
 pleasure and that we should thank you for. We 
 all think, when all's said and done, that you're an 
 honest, civil-spoken gentleman that we could get 
 to like very much. Then you're as like your 
 mother as two peas, especially in your expression, 
 as far as I can remember, having only seen her 
 once, many a year ago, at one of our friendly 
 meetings at Sandinge. So I'll promise you there'd 
 be joy on the day it became known that the 
 curate would visit us in the Meeting House, 
 because then we'd know that we'd found what we 
 so long and earnestly had wished for. It was 
 only these few words I wanted to say to you, sir, 
 and you mustn't be angry that I've made so free. 
 I can assure you I've done it for the best." 
 
 Emanuel continued silent. 
 
 He was so curiously dazed by the weaver's 
 words, which suddenly opened up to him a vista 
 of the fulfilment of all the longings stored in his 
 soul. He no longer knew what to believe. Was 
 this man, about whom he had heard so much evil, 
 really a friend ? or was it all a cunning device 
 to entrap him? And Anders Jorgen and his 
 daughter? Were they secretly in league with 
 him ? He had accidentally caught the strained 
 expectant expression with which the young girl 
 along in the corner, at her work, watched him, as
 
 n8 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 if by her glance she would steal the answer from 
 his lips. Instead of answering he got up to go, 
 he felt that he no longer had the mastery over his 
 thoughts, and feared to lose his self-possession 
 altogether before the strangers. With an apology 
 that his time to-day did not permit him to con- 
 tinue the discussion, he took his hat and began to 
 take leave. Amid a deep silence he went round 
 shaking hands. When he left the room no one 
 accompanied him. 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 EMANUEL left the farm with hasty steps. To 
 avoid passing through the village again he went 
 by the nearest slopes back to the shore. He 
 soon recovered himself in the fresh air. The 
 stuffy air of the little peasant's room and sitting 
 still so long had both contributed to the confusion 
 which had overcome him. 
 
 He was in a curious state, being both relieved 
 and depressed. 
 
 He was glad to have made the acquaintance of 
 the notorious and much-feared weaver; and he 
 had a happy feeling that the meeting with this 
 man would not be without importance in his 
 future work in the parish. But he was ashamed 
 that he had not had the courage to talk openly 
 to this man. What reason had he to suspect
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 119 
 
 him ? Certainly report did not speak to his 
 credit but then, in this instance, report only 
 meant Provst Tonnesen, who could scarcely 
 be called impartial on this subject. But what 
 right had he to assume a hidden design behind 
 his frankness ? 
 
 He mentally recalled the whole conversation. 
 But as, by so doing, he was again reminded by 
 the weaver's strange words of his mother, his 
 thoughts were all at once turned in another 
 direction. 
 
 He had not often heard his mother mentioned 
 since he had been grown up, and altogether he 
 did not know much more about her than what 
 he remembered to have seen himself. For several 
 years he had felt that there was something in her 
 early life which the family were anxious to hush 
 up. What it was he had never been able to dis- 
 cover. After his mother's unhappy death his 
 young friends and companions had been afraid 
 even of alluding to her in his presence ; and he 
 had had a natural shyness in speaking of her to 
 strangers, especially as his father and his other 
 relations always preserved absolute silence con- 
 cerning everything connected with her. Only an 
 aged aunt who lived in a convent had once, in a 
 moment of excitement, said that he must never 
 forget " how deeply his mother had offended the 
 prejudices of her class." Now, the weaver's words 
 and the pictures on the walls of the peasant's 
 room pointed out distinctly what direction this
 
 120 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " offence " had taken. The more he buried him- 
 self in recollections of her, and of her curious 
 solitary life in his father's house, so much the 
 more were the mists enveloping her image dis- 
 persed. He saw her before him with her hair 
 dressed high, and the plain black gown which 
 in his boyhood had always somewhat embarrassed 
 him, because it so little resembled the dresses of 
 the other ladies of their circle, who were also 
 plainly a little oppressed by her presence. He 
 remembered her private sitting-room, which was 
 not in the least like the other rooms, and where 
 she would often shut herself up for days without 
 seeing anyone. Many a time as a child had he 
 stood outside in the dusk, not knowing if he dared 
 knock. When at last he summoned up courage 
 to enter, he would see his mother crouching in 
 one corner of the long horse-hair sofa, gazing 
 fixedly before her as if she had not heard him. 
 Only after he had stood by her side for some 
 time and whispered " Mother," would she lay her 
 hand on his head and silently stroke his hair ; or 
 she would take him on her knee and press him to 
 her with passionate tenderness while she told him 
 many tales of warriors and king's sons, who, 
 under the banner of Christ, had gone forth into 
 the world to fight for truth and the right he 
 also remembered that his brother and sister 
 seldom visited their mother in her room, and 
 generally fell asleep during her stories. They 
 were younger, and amused themselves better in
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 121 
 
 their father's handsome library with the picture- 
 books and the big globe. The servants also 
 called them "the young lady and gentleman," 
 while they nicknamed him " the mistress' boy." 
 How often and how bitterly had he not felt, that 
 since the day of his mother's death, he had be- 
 come solitary and homeless in his father's house ! 
 
 He wandered on the beach so long, buried in 
 his thoughts, that he forgot both time and place. 
 When at length he reached the Parsonage, he 
 found to his dismay that the guests had already 
 begun to arrive, and he had to hurry his dressing 
 so as not to be too late. 
 
 When he entered the drawing-room a quarter 
 of an hour later, he was received by a most un- 
 gracious look from the Provst, who, in evening 
 dress and skull cap, was gesticulating in the 
 middle of the room, in his animated conversation 
 with a couple of other gentlemen, also in evening 
 dress. 
 
 There were about a score of people assembled. 
 The three landowners of the neighbourhood 
 were there, the old schoolmaster Mortensen, 
 Aggerbolle the veterinary surgeon, and Villing 
 the store-keeper, and all their wives in silk 
 dresses. In addition, there were six peasant 
 farmers from Veilby, their wives, and Johanson, 
 the young assistant teacher. There were none of 
 the Skibberup people, and no representatives of 
 the Veilby cottagers, because the last of the 
 faithful among these had, to the Provst's great
 
 122 
 
 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 mortification, been drawn away to Hansen's 
 Meeting House. 
 
 Two of the landowners were tall powerful men, 
 as like each other as brothers, which they were 
 not. The third was a little, peevish-looking fat 
 man with a red patchy face and protruding eyes 
 (like poached eggs swimming in fat). From his 
 
 broad lower jaw, which stuck out from the upper 
 part of his face like a trough, a grey beard grew, 
 covering an immense double chin which hung out 
 over his neck like a paunch. He walked up and 
 down with his hands behind him near the dining- 
 room door, grunting and looking impatiently at 
 his watch every minute. 
 
 The six peasant women, all dressed alike in
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 123 
 
 black stuft gowns and close-fitting caps em- 
 broidered with gold, sat silent in a row, along 
 by the window, with their brown hands motion- 
 less on their laps, grasping folded pocket hand- 
 kerchiefs. Their husbands, dressed in homespun, 
 stood against the wall close to them, looking just 
 as serious. 
 
 Jenson, the chairman of the parish council, with 
 his purple turkey-like beak, was the only one 
 quite at ease, and his voice rang out like that of 
 a man accustomed to move in good society. 
 
 The ladies were seated in arm-chairs round the 
 table in the middle of the room, their silk trains 
 flowing over the carpeted floor. The tongues 
 wagged merrily here, in that kind of conversation 
 where no one knows either what they say them- 
 selves or what the others answer. The con- 
 versation was led by the wife of one of the 
 landowners, a towering lady in green satin and 
 white lace, who had just returned from a visit to 
 Copenhagen, and was untiring in relating her 
 experiences. The others eagerly echoed her 
 praises of the extensions and improvements in 
 the town. Only Mrs Mortensen, the portly wife 
 of the schoolmaster, who had not been vouchsafed 
 a visit to the capital for the last twenty years, 
 sat pursing up her mouth in a contemptuous 
 manner ; and at last she protested loudly that 
 she hated Copenhagen, and that for her part she 
 would rather die than set her foot in it. 
 
 Her remarks called forth a perfect storm of
 
 124 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 opposition. They all turned towards her with 
 " Dear Mrs Mortensen " ; but she was not to be 
 cowed, and repeated her words with conviction ; 
 and added that she certainly could not imagine 
 how people could endure to live, even for a week, 
 in such a babel and crowd. 
 
 In the meantime, the thin, shy, little Mrs 
 Aggerbolle sat silently looking before her with 
 an absent and worried expression, as if her 
 thoughts were still with her home and children. 
 She sat with her hands on her lap, looking ready 
 to faint from fatigue and night watching. It 
 looked as if she had carefully sought out a place 
 behind Mrs Mortensen 's large person, so that the 
 evening light should not fall too cruelly upon her 
 prematurely aged features and faded silk gown 
 the old-fashioned cut of which, and the far too 
 roomy bodice, bore sorrowful witness to bygone 
 youthful charms. Now and then she glanced 
 fearfully at her husband, who stood in a defiant 
 attitude by the stove, as if disclaiming all know- 
 ledge of the smell of benzine which emanated 
 from his shiny dress coat, and diffused itself all 
 over that part of the room where he stood. He 
 had only come home late in the afternoon from a 
 peasant christening-feast in a neighbouring parish. 
 Reminiscences of the night's carouse were plainly 
 visible on the beardless parts of his face, in the 
 shape of dark red patches, showing that the child 
 had not been christened with water alone. 
 
 The young assistant teacher, Johansen, stood
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 125 
 
 alone by the piano, with one leg lightly crossed 
 over the other, the tips of the toes just touching 
 the ground. He had a white glove on one hand, 
 and a pocket handkerchief stuck in between his 
 waistcoat and his vast shirt front. 
 
 Johansen, who had come to the parish about the 
 same time as Emanuel, had quickly, in contrast to 
 the other, become the lion of the neighbourhood. 
 With his dark, somewhat theatrical hair, which, 
 on grand occasions, was curled all over his head, 
 his pale, fat, beardless face, his marvellously 
 starched and frilled shirt, his stout legs and small 
 feminine feet, he had fascinated all the young 
 wives and girls at the winter festivities ; his social 
 talents had even procured admission for him to 
 the country houses round about, and it was 
 already considered not unlikely that one of the 
 young ladies of the neighbourhood might one 
 day bestow upon him something more than her 
 admiration. 
 
 A moment after Emanuel's arrival the folding 
 doors to the dining-room were thrown open. 
 Miss Ragnhild came in and invited the company 
 to sit down. 
 
 She was dressed in black silk, with yellow palm 
 branches scattered over it, and a sort of lace over- 
 dress, which was transparent at the neck and 
 below the elbows. Round her long, slender neck 
 she wore a fine gold chain in four strands, gathered 
 into an opal clasp. She had a large tortoise-shell 
 comb in her dark auburn hair.
 
 126 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " Will the gentlemen please take ladies ? " called 
 out the Provst, himself offering his arm to the tall 
 wife of the Squire. 
 
 A race took place among the elder gentlemen 
 for Miss Ragnhild. Jensen, who was nearest to 
 her, was the happy man, and he conducted her 
 to the dining-room with uplifted nose. 
 
 Emanuel bowed to Mrs Aggerbolle, who re- 
 mained behind when the other gentlemen had 
 taken their ladies. The peasants took their own 
 wives by the hand, and brought up the rear of the 
 solemn procession in silence. 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 IN the middle of the table, under a large hanging 
 lamp, stood a tall epergne with flowers. There 
 were tall, seven-branched candelabra at each end 
 of the table. The napkins on each plate were in 
 the shape of a bishop's mitre, under which a piece 
 of bread was hidden. The table was spread with 
 a collection of delicate viands. There was fish in 
 different coloured jelly, birds stuffed with force- 
 meat, several kinds of salads in large blue glass 
 bowls, lobsters and sardines in tins, besides a host 
 of other things, all arranged with Miss Ragnhild 's 
 characteristic and refined taste. 
 
 Although the menu did not offer any surprises, 
 as it was always much the same on these occa-
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 127 
 
 sions, yet the festive appearance of the table 
 and the unusual beauty of the china at once 
 impressed the company favourably, and the meal 
 began in solemn silence. The fat little land- 
 owner set to work immediately, with his elbows 
 out, to ladle into his mouth voraciously, with 
 knife and fork, whatever came near him. 
 
 Aggerbolle, on the other hand, struggled bravely 
 against his evil tendencies. He sat for a long 
 time with the same glass of claret before him, 
 and never more than half-filled his plate, con- 
 sequently he was able to glance at his wife with 
 proud self-esteem, for he had solemnly promised 
 her on the way to the Parsonage to behave with 
 propriety and moderation. 
 
 At first the Provst was the only one, so to speak, 
 who conversed ; and altogether he shewed him- 
 self to be an equally amiable and entertaining 
 host. He saw that the dishes were passed round, 
 invited the gentlemen to fill their glasses, told 
 little anecdotes, and, by the gallantry of his 
 behaviour, disclosed the former "society" man, 
 who was involuntarily stimulated and carried 
 away by the sight of bright lights, flowers, and 
 ladies in silk attire. 
 
 When the meal had proceeded for a quarter 
 of an hour, he tapped his glass, and began an 
 elaborate speech .Beginning with Solomon's pro- 
 verb, he spoke in copious and polished terms of 
 the strength felt in times of difficulty from know- 
 ing oneself to be surrounded by faithful friends.
 
 128 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 He expressed the hope that the circle he saw 
 around him, all of the same party, "and also 
 the peace of the congregation," might never be 
 broken, and ended by heartily thanking the 
 guests for the pleasure of their company. 
 
 Immediately afterwards, one of the tall, heavily- 
 built landowners rose, and expressed in fluent 
 terms the thanks of the company to the Provst 
 for his richly blessed activity in the parish. For 
 a moment there was a danger of his touching 
 upon some of the serious questions which the 
 Provst had passed lightly over, by his throwing 
 out a remark as to the "levelling tendencies of 
 the age," against which the Provst was so 
 powerful a bulwark. But sticking fast at this 
 point, as if the flow of his words had come to 
 an end, he concluded abruptly by proposing the 
 health of the Provst and Miss Ragnhild. 
 
 After the company had again risen and touched 
 glasses, the spirits rose considerably ; and when 
 at last the sweet course a mighty plum-pudding 
 was put flaming upon the table, the satisfaction 
 broke out into general mirth. 
 
 But now Aggerbolle's evil moment had arrived. 
 Plum-pudding was one of his favourite dishes, 
 and the decanters of heating wines also began to 
 circulate. Then he was so unfortunate as to have 
 a very bad example opposite to him, in the fat 
 little Squire, who, during the whole meal, sat with 
 the same peevish air, " gorging like a tapeworm "- 
 as Aggerbolle later expressed himself with all
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 129 
 
 the daintiest dishes, so that he was actually forced 
 to turn his eyes away, not to be led into tempta- 
 tion. 
 
 Now for the life of him he could no longer 
 withstand. With a desperate and beseeching 
 glance at his wife, he helped himself to a wedge 
 of pudding, weighing at least a pound and a half, 
 and directly after, tossed off two brimming glasses 
 of sherry, as if at once to deafen himself to the 
 voice of conscience. 
 
 Peals of laughter and loud conversation now 
 resounded on all sides. Only the peasants 
 remained silent. They sat all the time timidly 
 trying the mysterious dishes, as if they were dead 
 rats, and sipping the wine like medicine. One of 
 them whispered to his neighbour, who was looking 
 despondently at a piece of pudding which con- 
 tinued to blaze on his plate 
 
 " If we on'y had one o' mother's dumplins now. 
 These here made-up dishes can't be good for 
 country folk's insides." 
 
 Emanuel was placed about half way down 
 the long table. He had not talked much 
 during the meal, and his companion, who was 
 entirely taken up with keeping an eye on her 
 husband, had not helped him much. He was 
 disgusted by this empty and artificial entertain- 
 ment. 
 
 The conversation with the weaver still rang 
 in his ears, and through the haze of the lights, 
 and the steam in the room, he still saw the sunny 
 
 i
 
 1 3 o EMANUEL; OR 
 
 peasant's room with its simple air of comfort and 
 sober Sunday festivity. 
 
 Miss Ragnhild, from the further end of the table, 
 several times tried to attract his attention in order 
 to drink a glass of wine with him. But he 
 intentionally avoided her eye ; because, of all 
 the company present, she was the most displeas- 
 ing to him. He considered that her dress was 
 in questionable taste, nay, even shocking ; and he 
 noticed with shame how Johansen, who sat near 
 her, absolutely devoured with his eyes her white 
 neck and arms, which shone through the thin 
 stuff, while he bent over her making pleasant 
 remarks. Nor did she listen with indifference 
 to this absurd caricature of a man about town. 
 She lay back in her chair looking quite lively. 
 The heat, the wine, and the sound of the many 
 voices had brought a slight tinge of colour to 
 her cheeks ; and when she smiled, her eyes shone 
 with excitement. 
 
 In his thoughts he compared her with the 
 sober, healthy, rosy-cheeked peasant girl in 
 whose company he had lately been, and who, 
 in her simple dark red dress, seemed to him a 
 hundred times prettier than any of these dressed- 
 up ladies in their flaunting dresses of silk and 
 tulle. He glanced over the assembled company, 
 from the Provst and the squires with their self- 
 satisfied faces to the stolid row of peasants and 
 he thought how woefully he had been deceived. 
 He who at one time thought that he had fled
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 131 
 
 from the abomination of culture for ever now 
 found that here he had only fallen into the arms 
 of a ludicrous caricature of this same culture. Or 
 was not this the same frivolity ? The same 
 arrogance ? The same hypocrisy ? They rose 
 from table, and the company dispersed them- 
 selves in the various rooms. The ladies took 
 possession of the drawing-room, while the gentle- 
 men settled themselves in the study to smoke. 
 
 Miss Ragnhild met Emanuel at the dining-room 
 door. " Velbekomme," she exclaimed merrily, 
 giving him her hand. "All the same, I think 
 you might have said, ' Tak for mad.' Or do you 
 not consider my table worthy of praise ? And 
 why were you so wanting in gallantry as never 
 even to look at me ? I wanted to drink a glass 
 of wine with you." 
 
 " Oh, I saw you very well. I thought Mr 
 Johansen was very much taken up with you, and 
 I could not find it in my heart to take you away 
 from him." 
 
 " Poor Johansen," she laughed, " you are always 
 down upon him. I admit he is very ludicrous, 
 but, good heavens, he's a man after all, and he 
 does not always talk about cattle and the price 
 of corn. He is even a man of taste. I noticed 
 to-day that he uses a scent which is not at all bad ; 
 and then he talked to me both about Wagner 
 and Beethoven. What more can one want ? " 
 
 " I daresay you are right, and in my opinion 
 you and Mr Johansen suit each other admirably."
 
 132 EMANUEL 
 
 The tone of Emanuel's answer made the young 
 lady draw herself up. She looked at him, and 
 then said with displeasure 
 
 " I think you forget yourself, Mr Hansted. It 
 appears to me, altogether, that latterly you have 
 begun in a deplorable degree to lose your former 
 amiability." 
 
 "You are no doubt right on this point also, 
 Miss Ragnhild. I feel myself, that I am out of 
 place in this company, and I was just about to 
 leave it when I met you. If your father asks for 
 me, will you be so good as to make my excuses 
 to him ? " 
 
 He bowed stiffly and left the room. Miss 
 Ragnhild remained on the threshold, thunder- 
 struck, looking after him as he went.
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 ONE Sunday afternoon in May, the Meeting 
 House in Skibberup was crammed with people, 
 whose strained expectant faces plainly showed 
 that something unusual was about to happen. 
 It was indeed a remarkable day in the history of 
 Skibberup. The speaker who was expected was 
 no less a person than Provst Tonnesen's curate, 
 Pastor Hansted. 
 
 Every seat in the long, dimly lighted room, 
 (formerly a barn) was taken, and groups of men 
 and lads hung round the windows blocking out 
 what light there was. There was a lively buzz of 
 gay and loud voices. It was plainly to be seen 
 that it was no gathering of Veilby peasants ; for 
 though the distance between Veilby and Skib- 
 berup was not more than a couple of miles, the 
 inhabitants of the twin villages were as different 
 as if they did not belong to the same part of the 
 country. This circumstance was not the result 
 of chance, but was caused by the difference in 
 position and conditions of life to which, in the 
 course of time, the inhabitants had been sub- 
 jected. While the peaceful inhabitants of Veilby 
 had always busied themselves with ploughing
 
 136 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 and harvesting their wide acres since the time 
 of Arild Skibberup had been originally and, to 
 a certain extent, still remained a fishing village, 
 whose inhabitants chiefly maintained themselves 
 by fishing. As lately as a couple of generations 
 ago, the people of Skibberup looked upon the 
 cultivation of the land as a minor affair to be left 
 to the women, while the men paddled about in 
 the fiords far and near, and made land journeys 
 round the coast to dispose of their catches. 
 Many tales were still told of the stirring adven- 
 tures of the old Skibberup race both on land and 
 at sea. 
 
 At one end of the room stood a simple reading 
 desk, behind which the old brick wall of the barn 
 was draped with a " Dannebrog " flag, which was 
 so hung that the white cross on the red ground 
 was upright. 
 
 The benches in front of the desk were almost 
 entirely taken up by women, and the men ranged 
 themselves at the back of the room and round 
 the walls on both sides. 
 
 Else Anders Jorgen and her daughter Hansine 
 were the objects of much attention among the 
 company, as they took their seats on one of the 
 middle benches. Else's plump face, with the 
 light protruding eyes, her iron grey hair and 
 large gold-embroidered cap, with broad red 
 ribbons hanging down at one side, would have * 
 attracted attention in any assemblage ; but the 
 sensation which she made to-day was owing to 
 
 \
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 137 
 
 the fact, known to all, that it was in her house, 
 that the curate and the weaver had had the 
 meetings in which the great event of to-day had 
 originated. In a way it was considered that the 
 happy ending of the affair was due to Else. 
 She, not having been at home on the occasion 
 of the first meeting between the curate and the 
 weaver, and having heard on her return of its 
 unfortunate issue, made up her mind on her own 
 account to seek out Mr Hansted, for whom, in 
 spite of all, she had preserved an unswerving affec- 
 tion since their first meeting by her daughter's 
 sick bed. On the following Sunday, after the 
 service, she went up to him outside the church, 
 and asked him to renew his visit to her that same 
 evening, " to meet a few good friends who very 
 much wanted to talk to him." Mr Hansted 
 accepted her invitation at once with alacrity, 
 and as she had taken the precaution beforehand 
 to ensure the presence of the weaver and a few 
 other leading men of the village, a serious inter- 
 change of opinions at last took place between 
 the curate and the congregation. 
 
 In consequence of these repeated visits to 
 Anders Jorgen's house, and especially on account 
 of the attention he had plainly shown Else and 
 her daughter, in seeking them out after church 
 every Sunday, and walking part of the way home 
 with them, Hansine's friends had often teazed 
 her about the curate, for whom, according to 
 them, she had long cherished a secret affection.
 
 138 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 She certainly protested against the charge with 
 great vehemence, and to-day, as if to prove her 
 innocence of it, she was dressed, in contrast to all 
 the other girls, in a plain dark green linsey dress 
 without a bit of trimming or finery of any kind. 
 
 She looked well all the same it was not for 
 nothing that she was reckoned among the prettiest 
 girls in the village ; although the lower part of 
 the face was childishly unformed, and a little out 
 of proportion to the upper part, with the closely 
 growing, dark eyebrows, and deep-set, earnest 
 eyes. She sat with her usual almost unnaturally 
 erect bearing, which gave to her trim little figure 
 an air of self-confidence and power ; and she 
 neither took part in, nor listened to the gay 
 chatter going on among the women round her. 
 This want of sympathy with her surroundings 
 was such an old story with her, that it no longer 
 caused astonishment to any one. Even as a 
 child, people had been amused by the comical 
 " stand-off" air with which she met all advances 
 of strangers, friendly or unfriendly. Her reserve 
 had become more pronounced after she had been 
 at a High School a few years ago ; and while there, 
 she had taken part in a " Friendly Meeting " in 
 Copenhagen, where, among others, old Bishop 
 Grundtvig spoke for the last time. Since then 
 she had not been seen much outside her father's 
 house and fields, more especially keeping away 
 from the somewhat free and easy pleasures, in 
 which the youth of the village indulged on
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 139 
 
 Sundays and fine summer evenings. On the 
 other hand, she was always to be heard singing 
 at her work, in cow-byre and kitchen, or when 
 walking over the fields with her milk pails. 
 
 The villagers sometimes laughed at her, but on 
 the whole they did not pay much attention to 
 these peculiarities. After all, she was little more 
 than a child, only nineteen, and other girls in the 
 neighbourhood who had been to High Schools 
 were also observed to have peculiar ways. Be- 
 sides, it was well known that it always took some 
 time before the young people found their level 
 again, and settled down to the simple every-day 
 peasant life. 
 
 In the meantime, it was five o'clock, and the 
 curate had not arrived. Some anxiety was ap- 
 parent among a group of men, who had assem- 
 bled at the door, with the weaver at their head, to 
 receive him. They knew that latterly there had 
 been strained relations between the Provst and 
 his curate, since the former had become aware 
 of the intercourse with the weaver and other 
 prominent men of Skibberup. And now they 
 feared that, notwithstanding all their precautions, 
 Tonnesen should have heard of the meeting, and 
 at the last moment prohibited Pastor Hansted 
 from being present. 
 
 The weaver's pale face especially betrayed 
 great uneasiness. He knew what was in store 
 for him if the curate failed him to-day ; but 
 he also knew what enthusiasm would be aroused
 
 140 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 next day, when it became known that the Provst's 
 colleague had been the speaker in his Meeting 
 House. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 AT last a solitary figure appeared on the sand- 
 banks. It was Emanuel. He carried a light 
 overcoat, and walked down to the village with 
 hasty steps. When he caught sight of the expec- 
 tant group outside the Meeting House, he hurried 
 forward and reached the door in a few minutes. 
 His face, in spite of the heat and his hurried 
 walk, was unusually pale, and betrayed a high 
 state of nervous excitement, which gave him 
 an utterly strange expression. He greeted the 
 weaver and a few of the other bystanders 
 absently, with a silent shake of the hand, and 
 then immediately entered the hall. 
 
 Here the conversation was abruptly brought 
 to a close, and all necks were craned to see him 
 The weaver forced a way through the crowds 
 with his long, baboon-like arms, and led him to 
 the upper end of the room, where he offered him 
 the place of honour, a basket chair with a broken 
 seat. 
 
 After a few words had been exchanged between 
 them, the weaver mounted the reading-desk and 
 took a hymn-book from his coat-tail pocket. He
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 141 
 
 remained standing a moment silent, with the book 
 in his hands, while he closed one eye and glanced 
 round the room with the other, a sly triumphant 
 smile, dedicated to thoughts of the Provst, stealing 
 over his face, which was answered gleefully by the 
 men at the back of the room. At last he said in 
 his guileless voice 
 
 " Now, friends all, I suppose we must have a 
 song to open with ! Pastor Hansted has no 
 partikler choice, so we can e'en please ourselves. 
 What will ye have ? " 
 
 Different songs were called for from the 
 assemblage. At last they agreed on " Forward, 
 peasants forward." 
 
 "Yes, let's sing that," said the weaver, with a 
 meaning smile, "that'll just suit us." 
 
 He gave the note himself in a stentorian voice, 
 and the other voices broke out deafeningly on all 
 sides. It was not song. It was a wild enthusiastic 
 shout, a delight in their own lung power, which 
 threatened to blow the roof off. 
 
 Emanuel took his place on the basket chair, 
 where he sat leaning forward with his legs crossed, 
 running his hands uneasily through his hair from 
 time to time. He did not join in the singing, and 
 was not at all at his ease. The dark, gloomy 
 room, the many free glances, and this noisy dis- 
 cordant singing, had for the moment put him out 
 of spirits. 
 
 Besides which, he was a prey to conscientious 
 scruples, because, on account of unavoidable
 
 142 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 circumstances, he had not had an opportunity 
 of telling the Provst that he proposed to speak 
 here to-day. He had intentionally put off till 
 the last moment saying anything about it, just 
 as he had asked the weaver not to announce the 
 meeting publicly, so that the Provst might not 
 have time to prohibit him from taking part in it. 
 But when, shortly before leaving the Parsonage, 
 he sought the Provst, he found that he had 
 left the house half an hour earlier to pay a visit. 
 
 Under these circumstances he thought it proper 
 to lay his plans before Miss Ragnhild, with whom 
 he had made friends again since the collision on 
 the night of the party ; though the old familiar 
 terms were by no means re-established. Miss 
 Ragnhild was not nearly so surprised as Emanuel 
 had expected. She had heard one thing and 
 another about the curate's doings from the old 
 servant ; besides, she had guessed something of 
 what was impending from various utterances of 
 his own. 
 
 If Miss Ragnhild was not astonished, Emanuel 
 to make up was very much so, at the unusual 
 severity with which the young lady spoke home 
 truths to him, and advised him strongly against 
 taking his proposed step. 
 
 " With all your faint-heartedness you are a 
 curiously fickle person," she said. " Here you 
 plunge blindly into something you know nothing 
 about merely because you are not satisfied with 
 the position in which you find yourself for the
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 143 
 
 moment. I have no doubt it is ridiculous on my 
 part to try to bring you to reason. I know what 
 you are when you have got a thing into your 
 head. But all the same, I will ask you seriously 
 to consider, what may be the consequences of 
 such a step, both to you and to us, Mr Hansted. 
 When you know and you do know how this 
 weaver and his imitators have behaved to my 
 father, one would have thought it would be 
 superfluous to point out to you how peculiar to 
 put it mildly, and not to say downright improper 
 any approach to these people must appear, and 
 in fact is." 
 
 Without giving him time to answer, she turned 
 and left the room. 
 
 These words, and the tone in which they were 
 spoken, caused the last scales to fall from 
 Emanuel's eyes. He had by no means been 
 blind to what the consequences might be in the 
 Parsonage, and he was quite prepared for his 
 days there as the Provst's curate, being numbered. 
 But he had thought that people would at any 
 rate respect his serious convictions nay, he had 
 even entertained a faint hope that the storm 
 might end in mutual reconciliation. He now 
 saw that every attempt to come to an under- 
 standing would be fruitless ; that hereafter, not 
 only at the Parsonage, but among all " right 
 thinking " people, both here and everywhere else, 
 he would be looked upon as a traitor, to whom 
 no mercy would be shewn.
 
 144 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 It was therefore doubly painful to him, to have 
 appeared to keep silence towards the Provst, in 
 a way which might be considered cowardly. 
 
 Besides making him clearer sighted, this new 
 collision with Miss Ragnhild had roused in him 
 the self-confidence and readiness for battle which 
 hitherto he had lacked. Now he only felt eager 
 to break with his past once and for all. Even 
 at this moment, when he was depressed by the 
 discomfort of the gloomy room and the lack of 
 solemnity among the assemblage, he was burning 
 with impatience to arrive at a settlement, to 
 leave the bridge behind him, and to take the 
 step which would put his position beyond all 
 ambiguity. 
 
 As soon as the song came to an end he rose 
 and mounted the reading-desk. 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 HE had purposely not prepared his address 
 beforehand. He wanted to try for once to de- 
 pend upon the inspiration of the moment, and 
 use the words dictated by his heart so as to 
 avoid the stiff, artificial methods which, accord- 
 ing to old models, he had accustomed himself 
 to use in his carefully written sermons. 
 
 All the same he did not come unprepared. 
 The subject on which he had chosen to speak,
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 145 
 
 had, on the contrary, for some time occupied his 
 mind to an extraordinary extent. He had made 
 up his mind to follow the advice the weaver gave 
 him at their first interview, and talk to them 
 about himself. He would try to draw a rough 
 sketch for them of the life of a town-bred child 
 during its growth, and give an account of the 
 impressions to which such a child was subjected, 
 so as to show them the conditions of life and 
 the influences which had operated on his own 
 development, and which had at last brought 
 him to the parting of the ways where he now 
 stood. 
 
 He began by telling them a little story. It 
 was the story of a young princess who was 
 one day presented with a lovely flower by a 
 lover. She was at first delighted with it, and 
 was about to fasten it in her bosom. But when 
 she discovered that the flower was no artificial 
 imitation of nature, made of silk or painted 
 feathers, but a real, living rose, she threw it 
 aside angrily, and told her maid to sweep the 
 ugly peasant's flower away at once. 
 
 This story, he said, seemed to him, applied 
 to our times, to contain a deep and sad truth. 
 In our time it was not alone the young, spoiled 
 princess who thus scornfully rejected the flowers 
 of life no, the whole so-called modern culture, 
 in its progress in the large towns, was an acknow- 
 ledged struggle to corrupt God's earthly gifts, 
 an arrogant attempt to change or, as it was 
 
 K
 
 146 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 called " to develope and improve " God's works 
 on earth, and to create a universe according to the 
 poor capacity of mankind. One had only to look 
 at any of the large towns, or to think how people 
 in the chief cities of the world herded together 
 in hundreds of thousands like a new Tower of 
 Babel, and did their best with coal dust, high 
 houses, and tall chimneys to shut out God's sun 
 and the fresh air and one could not fail to see 
 how the whole of this Society was built up in 
 antagonism to Nature. 
 
 Or if one looked at persons at these dressed- 
 up ladies who, by means of all kinds of machines 
 " crinolines, corsets," or whatever the things 
 were called " improved " their appearance ; if 
 one looked at men, old and young, who got 
 themselves up according to the latest Paris 
 fashions, and by the help of pomades, wax, and 
 hot irons robbed their hair and beards of every 
 natural line. In fact, in great as in small things, 
 one could not but notice this triumphant rebellion 
 against the laws of nature. 
 
 Or if one went from the streets into the houses, 
 and sought these people in their * occupations, 
 their recreations, their joys and their sorrows 
 everywhere one saw how modern civilization, in 
 tearing mankind away from the ever youthful 
 mother, Nature, had doomed them to a world 
 of show and an existence of shams, which in the 
 end they fancied to be the only true and real 
 one. The tired workmen who in the evening
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 147 
 
 sought the beershop to procure a moment's arti- 
 ficial pleasure by means of the glass ; the young 
 ladies who at dusk seated themselves at the 
 piano to conjure up the spirit of moonlight, the 
 roaring of waves, or the song of the lark within 
 four walls ; all those who, in the stifling heat 
 and pestilent air of the theatre, shed tears over 
 paid buffoons parodying human joys and sorrows 
 among painted scenes ; the " lover of Art," who 
 best enjoyed the sight of a raging sea or a flowery 
 meadow framed and glazed on his wall were 
 not all these like the princess who preferred the 
 painted feather to the living, scented rose ? 
 
 " And yet " he continued " this is only the 
 least important outer side of the case. If we 
 look deeper into modern life, if we look for the 
 inner life behind this ugly mask what do we 
 see ? We see humanity divided by a great gulf, 
 which separates not the good from the bad, 
 not the honest from the dishonest, the children 
 of God from the slaves of sin, no, but the rich 
 from the poor, the classes who live only for 
 pleasure, from the needy and the suffering. On 
 one side we have the masses toiling in poverty, 
 on the other we have a chosen few living in 
 idleness and profusion. Here cold, darkness 
 and ignorance reign ; there light, splendour and 
 satiety. In this way the culture of to-day carries 
 out Christ's law of brotherhood among men ! 
 Thus has it fulfilled the law, Love your neigh- 
 bour ! And the higher the state of culture in
 
 148 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 a community so much the wider the gulf; the 
 louder the" wails here, the bolder the licence 
 there until we, in the capitals, the so-called 
 centres of culture, see the whole community in 
 a wild state of moral dissolution, and hear voices 
 from both sides melting into one vast uniform 
 cry : the cry of the dying for air ! " 
 
 He felt the need of making his point of view 
 clear to his hearers at once ; and a craving to 
 confess openly the view of life which the solitude 
 and self-absorption of the last few months had 
 rooted in him. When he had once touched on 
 his old subject of contention, he was urged on as 
 if by a storm ; the words surged to his lips with 
 a fluency and ardour which surprised himself. 
 
 He felt perfectly well that it was the sting in 
 Miss Ragnhild's words which cut him to the 
 heart and inspired his passion, and that it was 
 her public challenge which called forth this 
 veiled answer. To this was added the solemn 
 silence around him, the long rows of strained 
 listening faces. He did not feel here as he did 
 in church any cold abyss between himself and 
 his hearers. For the first time he felt the in- 
 toxication, which lies in seeing the thoughts of 
 hundreds, held by the power of his words, the 
 eyes of hundreds hanging on his lips. Going on 
 in a lighter vein, he touched upon the restlessness 
 of town life in all its forms ; giving among other 
 things a sketch of the long dinners, with course 
 after course, and an endless variety of wines.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 149 
 
 Then he spoke of the style of conversation pre- 
 valent at these entertainments. He who had the 
 power of handling every subject on heaven and 
 earth in a light and joking manner was said to 
 have conversational talent ; and by this alone 
 was a person's worth gauged in the social world. 
 To speak seriously on serious subjects to inquire 
 into the ardent longings and the higher aspira- 
 tions of men was considered unsuitable and 
 pedantic. In like manner it was contrary to 
 good form to speak of one's own purposes in 
 life, our plans and hopes, though it was quite the 
 thing to chatter glibly about the latest scandal, 
 dress and theatres. 
 
 " In this fevered atmosphere, amid this devour- 
 ing restlessness," he went on, " our young people 
 grow up. Amid frivolity, arrogance, twaddle 
 and hypocrisy they receive the first deep im- 
 pressions which are of such enormous import- 
 ance in their future life. There is so much to 
 be pruned, bent, ground, and polished before 
 a child from the Almighty's workshop can 
 become a presentable member of Society. Look 
 at our young men, the youths who are to be our 
 leaders, teachers, and judges! Before they reach 
 their twentieth year, most of them have given up 
 every higher and nobler aspiration, and have 
 thrown overboard all faith in the true and fruitful 
 Powers of life. They have learnt that Society 
 only requires from them an irreproachable 
 exterior, correct behaviour, and a pleasant smile ;
 
 150 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 that a well-starched shirt-front is the shield to 
 make them invulnerable in the battle of life ; 
 and that well-dressed hair, good clothes, and 
 a twirled ' moustache are the passports to a 
 happy and brilliant future. ' A hopeful youth ' 
 is the one who most easily learns the hypocrisies 
 of Society, while the ' Bete noire ' of the family 
 is he whose whole nature revolts against these 
 dictates of Society, and who defends himself with 
 hands and feet against the poison which both 
 at home and at school is dropped into eyes and 
 ears." He pulled himself up. He perceived 
 that the bitter memories of his own home had 
 got the mastery over him, and he required a 
 moment's pause to recover himself. When he 
 looked at his watch he discovered to his horror 
 that the time had flown, he had spoken for an 
 hour and a quarter. " We shall have to stop," 
 he said with an apologetic smile ; and although 
 on all sides he was begged to continue, he 
 decided to break off. 
 
 " No, I think it's best to stop now. In any case 
 I could not finish to-day what I want to say to 
 you. But if we can agree to meet here again on 
 another Sunday, I will continue then." 
 
 " Yes, yes," was shouted from all sides. 
 
 " Very well, send a message to me, and I shall 
 be at your service. I will only add now that 
 whatever my position in the parish in future may 
 be and possibly a change will take place from 
 to-day I feel sure that when once we have
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 151 
 
 learnt to know and understand one another, that 
 our common life will be happy and blessed. If 
 these hours can contribute to that end, my aims 
 will be accomplished." 
 
 Bowing slightly, he left the rostrum. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 A RUSTLE of clothes and a hum of voices went 
 through the room as he finished. They were 
 quite overcome with pleasure and surprise. The 
 most sanguine of them had never in their wildest 
 dreams hoped for such freedom of speech. But 
 the hints in the curate's last words threw a vague 
 gloom over their spirits. It had not occurred to 
 them before that this meeting might have far- 
 reaching consequences. They all looked to- 
 wards the weaver, who at last pulled up his 
 long limp figure from the end of a bench in the 
 front row, and slowly entered the rostrum. He 
 expressed the thanks of the meeting for the 
 " stimulating " address in a remarkably few and 
 dry words, and then proceeded according to the 
 usage of meetings to ask the audience if any 
 one wished to make any remarks on the discourse, 
 "that is to say, if Mr Hansted has no objection," 
 he added, turning with a smile to Emanuel, who 
 silently shook his head,
 
 152 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " Well, then, anybody can address the meeting," 
 he said, waving his hand towards the audience. 
 
 Immediately a figure on one of the middle 
 benches started up, a little, ugly, poorly dressed 
 woman, whose appearance roused a general com- 
 motion. Some even began to hiss, and shout 
 "sit down." But she was evidently used both 
 to appearing in public and to meeting opposition. 
 Without paying the slightest attention to the 
 disturbance, in an almost inaudible voice, like 
 the mewing of a cat in a bag, and shewing 
 absolutely toothless gums, she began, aided by 
 mechanical gestures with her claw-like hand, to 
 put a string of questions to the curate, whom she 
 persisted in calling " the last honourable speaker." 
 All that the curate had said was maybe very 
 right and fine, she began. But what she wanted 
 to know was, what he thought of the laws on 
 taxation, and the new school orders. And she 
 wished to know how the honourable speaker was 
 disposed to the introduction of the new appendix 
 to the hymn-book, and whether he thought it 
 right that a man with fourteen cows should not 
 let his labourers have a bit of grazing in the 
 ditches. And she also wanted to know what he 
 thought of the doctrine of Damnation, the Peace 
 question, and old age annuities. 
 
 The disturbance among the people rose higher, 
 and all eyes were again turned to the weaver, 
 who appeared to be closely contemplating the 
 sole of his boot.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 153 
 
 When the hisses became universal, and com- 
 pletely drowned the speaker, he looked up with a 
 broad smile, and rose. 
 
 " Come, come, now, Maren Smeds, hadn't we 
 better keep all this here for another time. Seems 
 like we shouldn't spoil the good impression of Mr 
 Hansted's speech with too much jaw after it. 
 
 " Hear, hear," was heard on all sides. 
 
 The weaver, who seemed as if he would have 
 added something more, stopped suddenly and 
 sat down. At the same time, a dozen hands 
 pulled Maren by the skirts down on to the seat 
 with a bump like a wooden doll. 
 
 Emanuel, who had risen, looked with uncom- 
 prehending glances both at the speaker and at 
 the hissers, when a bystander whispered a few 
 words to him, and he sat down again. 
 
 Now a movement arose in the background. A 
 man jumped on to the last bench, and in a loud 
 voice asked leave to speak. It was the big, 
 blackbearded "Viking" figure, whom Emanuel 
 had occasionally met before, first, as the speaker 
 among the snow-clearers on that winter evening's 
 sledge ride to Skibberup. 
 
 With a voice which rang through the room like 
 a horn, he said : 
 
 " I'd like to thank the Pastor for what he's said 
 to-day, too but most of all for his presence. I 
 think we can all say that we've found the man 
 we wanted, and we weren't far wrong when we 
 were pleased at hearing who was to be our curate.
 
 iS4 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 May be we haven't all been sure about it before, 
 I'll only say the curate must excuse it but 
 we've got our eyes open now as to what he really 
 is, so I thank him heartily." 
 
 " Hear, hear," came from all the young men in 
 the tightly packed windows and round the walls, 
 while the women nodded approvingly. 
 
 "I'd just like to say, too, if, on account of this 
 day, any troubles or unpleasantness come to the 
 curate up there I've said enough there's room 
 for a parson down here among us ! If Mr 
 Hansted gets into difficulties up there isn't it 
 so, friends? we're quite ready to receive him 
 with open arms and a big hurrah ! Shall we 
 pledge our words on it, eh ? " 
 
 Thundering cheers from the windows and walls, 
 nay, even from the women, followed these words. 
 Emanuel rose, his expression shewed that the 
 " Viking's " clarion had roused him too. He stood 
 by the rostrum, and immediately all was hushed. 
 He stood for a moment, as if fighting out some- 
 thing with himself. Then he said in a firm but 
 low voice : 
 
 " I thank you for your sympathy, my friends. 
 It makes me happy and contented. Nobody 
 knows what the future will bring, but I no longer 
 have any fear." Raising his voice, he added, the 
 colour mounting to his cheek, " I know my voca- 
 tion, and neither opposition nor battle nothing 
 shall hinder me from following it. Be sure of 
 that! In thanking you all for your goodwill, I
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 155 
 
 will ask you to join me in singing the beautiful 
 old hymn, ' All lies in God our Father's hand !" 
 
 The song was sung, and then another, and 
 several people called for one more, but then the 
 weaver rose and abruptly declared the meeting 
 closed. 
 
 It was long past seven. The room was almost 
 dark, and the atmosphere stifling. It became 
 a little lighter when the men sprang down from 
 the windows some outwards, others in. The 
 meeting broke up in a red glow from the setting 
 sun, and the people pressed towards the door 
 with a deafening noise. 
 
 Emanuel was surrounded on his way out by 
 people who wanted to shake hands and to thank 
 him. The devotion of the people overwhelmed 
 him with thankfulness. There was a perfect hum 
 of delight and admiration around him. " What a 
 handsome young man ! " " Yes, he's a child of 
 grace ! " " So pious and good ! " " They say 
 he's so like his poor mother, too ! " 
 
 At the entrance he was met by Else, who 
 came up to him, and pressed his hand with 
 much emotion, while child-like tears of joy stood 
 in her clear eyes. He smiled and said, " Thank 
 you, Else ! " and looked round for Hansine. But 
 she was not there. It was a little disappointment 
 to him in the midst of his pleasure. Although he 
 had not seen her, he felt sure she must have been 
 there.
 
 156 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 AT this moment the " Viking " came up to him, 
 and introduced himself as Nielsen, the carpenter. 
 With a complacent, but bright and pleasant 
 smile, which showed his white teeth, he said, 
 after Emanuel had thanked him for his remarks : 
 
 " Perhaps it would amuse Mr Hansted to go to 
 the shore with us? We generally go there after 
 the meetings, and sing songs and talk to each 
 other, when it's fine enough. To-night it's real 
 summer weather, as we say, so we'd be glad if 
 you'd honour us with your company, sir." 
 
 Emanuel accepted the invitation with pleasure. 
 He had no desire to leave his new friends and 
 return to the parsonage. " That will be delight- 
 ful ! What a lot of people there are here to-day," 
 said he, letting his eyes rove over the tightly 
 packed groups. Again he looked about for 
 Hansine. He could not believe that she was 
 not there. 
 
 It was soon whispered from group to group 
 that the curate was going with them. 
 
 The announcement hastened the movements 
 of those who had children to attend to, or cattle 
 to fodder at home, before they could go. Even 
 " old Erik " might be seen hobbling away with 
 his Sunday crutch, to look after his cat at the 
 other side of the village pond, in which a flaming 
 sunset sky was reflected.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 157 
 
 A crowd of young people, girls and youths, had 
 already started for the rendezvous on the north 
 shore ; the girls first, arm in arm, singing, and the 
 youths behind in twos and threes, with lighted 
 pipes and cigars. The elders soon followed, 
 mostly in pairs, labouring up the steep path 
 which led over the sandhills. 
 
 A couple of elderly men had joined Emanuel 
 two brisk little figures of the usual Skibberup 
 type, with long arms and short legs. They 
 were both leading persons, and tried their 
 best to get Emanuel to say what he thought 
 the Provst would say to "this here business," 
 and how he thought he would get on in the 
 future. 
 
 But Emanuel constantly turned aside from the 
 subject. He felt the need of rest for his spirit 
 and his thoughts for this evening, and of enjoy- 
 ing these few short hours of happiness, and 
 freedom unalloyed. Besides, he thought the 
 evening far too fine for laying plans of war. It 
 was as if nature herself urged an hour's peace 
 and reconciliation. So he often stopped, and 
 compelled the men to silence by looking 
 around him, with outbursts of delight. The 
 pure harmonious colouring of the sky was re- 
 flected in the glowing earth ! Not a breath 
 of air, not a sound. Yes ! high, high up, under 
 the flaming sky, a little lark, invisible, warbled 
 to the setting sun one sound in the infinite 
 silence, a single quivering note, distant, and yet,
 
 158 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 at the same time, curiously near like the twink- 
 ling of a solitary star. 
 
 When they reached the top of the hill, they 
 saw the young people a couple of hundred paces 
 ahead ; they had seated themselves on a flowery 
 strip of meadow by the wayside, but now they 
 started on again singing. Suddenly a little 
 shiver ran through Emanuel. In the rear of the 
 party he caught sight of her for whom he had 
 been looking all the time Hansine. She was 
 walking arm in arm with a tall, strong, red- 
 haired girl, in whom he recognised the game- 
 keeper's adopted daughter, Ane, Hansine's dearest 
 friend, whom he had always seen with her in 
 church. A little, thirr, shabby figure hung on her 
 other arm, whose black dress, all too long, and 
 boyish stride, plainly marked the newly con- 
 firmed.* Ane's brick-red hair was covered with 
 a little straw hat trimmed with tartan ribbon, 
 which looked as if it was meant for a child. 
 Her dark green linsey dress was the same as 
 Hansine's, and she had a bright yellow hand- 
 kerchief round her neck, hanging in a three 
 corner down her back. Hansine had a low, 
 broad-brimmed, brown straw hat, but no hand- 
 kerchief down her back ; her black hat-ribbons 
 reached her waist, which was encircled by the 
 bright leather belt, the distinctive mark of every 
 High School girl. 
 
 * Confirmation marks the line between childhood and woman- 
 hood very sharply.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 159 
 
 It looked as if the gamekeeper's daughter had 
 kept the other two back to impart some im- 
 portant piece of news to them. 
 
 The little girl in black was bending forward, 
 almost doubled up, to look her friend in the face, 
 as if by so doing she could draw out the words 
 with her eyes. Hansine, on the other hand, 
 appeared only to hear with one ear. She was 
 looking down, or to one side, as if wishing to 
 hide her inattention. When they passed a 
 flower by the wayside, which she could reach 
 without letting go her friend's arm, she stooped 
 and picked it. 
 
 Emanuel observed these trifles while absently 
 answering the questions of the two peasants con- 
 cerning the Provst and the future. 
 
 His eyes hardly left Hansine. He could not 
 explain to himself what it was that interested 
 him so strongly in this young girl, whom, in a 
 way, he 'hardly knew at all. An impenetrable 
 taciturnity always came over her in his presence, 
 and altogether he had only spoken two or three 
 times to her, and then merely on indifferent sub- 
 jects. On his visits to her home she had always 
 sat silent, half turned away, on the end of the 
 bench under the window, without ever looking up 
 from her work ; but there was something in her 
 curiously introspective character in her glance, 
 shy and defiant at the same time yes, even in 
 the reserve with which she armed herself in his 
 presence, which impressed him with an almost
 
 160 EMANUEL 
 
 awe-inspiring sense of her purity of soul, depth 
 of feeling and uprightness. 
 
 As soon as he saw her he tried to hurry on his 
 companions. He longed to speak to her, and, if 
 possible, to discover by her face what impression 
 his speech had made upon her. But it was diffi- 
 cult to get the two peasants out of their very 
 leisurely walk, and before they reached the young 
 girls, they had started running down the last steep 
 slope to the shore. 
 
 A few minutes later, Emanuel and his com- 
 panions also reached the meeting-place. This 
 was a sandy spot close to the water, a semi- 
 circular widening of the otherwise narrow shore 
 which ran up between two steep cliffs. It was 
 called "the church" by the country people, 
 because they maintained that it was like an 
 apse. An old tarred boat was hauled up on 
 the beach, and the girls had already taken their 
 places in closely packed rows on the thwarts 
 and gunnel ; while the youths were encamped on 
 the sands. Hansine and her friends had got seats 
 on the further end of the boat's prow towards 
 the water, which was still rather rough after the 
 wild weather of the previous day. The collection 
 of different-coloured dresses and bright summer 
 hats, looked quite picturesque against the white 
 sand and the deep blue waters touched with 
 sunset tints. 
 
 By degrees all the rest of the company arrived 
 and took their places on the slopes. Last of all
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 163 
 
 and greeted with acclamations came old Erik 
 hobbling down the steep path with his crutch, 
 his bad foot in all its wrappings, looking like a 
 baby in swaddling clothes. 
 
 Emanuel left his companions and seated him- 
 self higher up the slopes, feeling the need of a 
 moment's quiet. 
 
 As he sat there, and saw couple after couple 
 slowly wandering down towards the shore 
 always woman with woman, and man with man, 
 and saw how they all stopped at the foot of the 
 path to look for seats, as if dazzled by the light 
 from sky and sea he was reminded of the name 
 of " Church," which the people had given to this 
 spot. He had a feeling himself, at this moment, 
 of having been witness to a church-going more 
 solemn than any he had ever before taken part 
 in. At last the whole congregation sat in long 
 rows around him on the terraced slopes the 
 women lowest down with their skirts gathered 
 round them, and pocket-handkerchiefs in their 
 hands ; some wore large black " church hoods," 
 others their gorgeous gold-embroidered caps, 
 which shone round their heads like halos in the 
 fading light. The men sat in rows above them 
 resting their elbows on their knees. Quite at the 
 top, a group of children lay with their hands 
 under their cheeks, peeping down like the 
 angels' heads in old altar pieces. 
 
 The church-like impression was strengthened 
 when a hush came over the people. The girls in
 
 164 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 the boat began to sing. With their arms round 
 each other's waists, and faces turned to the sea, 
 they sang a pious old evening hymn. 
 
 The horse is stalled upon the close of day, 
 At eve each creature seeks its own retreat, 
 
 The birds sit hushed upon the leafy spray, 
 And Reynard steals away with noiseless feet. 
 
 Athwart the golden cloudbanks in the West, 
 God's portal stands by glowing sunbeams riven, 
 
 And thither toil-worn spirits seek their rest 
 Within the all-embracing lap of Heaven. 
 
 Oh, timorous soul, that by some hidden road 
 Seekest to rest thee till the break of light, 
 
 Why dost forbear to enter God's abode, 
 And there disarm the terrors of the night ? 
 
 That gracious God, who, with his fostering care, 
 For every little bird hath made a nest 
 
 And warmly lined it, shall He not prepare 
 A home, where homeless souls may safely rest. 
 
 Knock ! and the angel host shall let thee in, 
 Though full of fears, though sinful, though alone, 
 
 And they will ease the burden of thy sin, 
 
 And lead thee to the Heavenly Father's Throne." 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE singing sounded well in the clear, quiet 
 spring evening. In the open air, the voices lost 
 the harsh tone they had under the low roof of
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 
 
 165 
 
 the Meeting House. It was as if the wide space 
 gave them depth ; as if heaven and earth lent 
 them their colours. Then they sang various 
 national airs, in which the others gradually 
 joined. Then a powerful man's voice called for 
 " The death of young Bure." 
 
 "The death of young Bure! . . . The death 
 
 of young Bure ! " was eagerly repeated on all 
 sides, while the young men raised themselves to 
 sitting postures. 
 
 Ane Hansine's red-haired friend was chosen 
 to lead. She sat out at the very end of the 
 boat like a figure head, and began to sing in a 
 high powerful voice, which reminded one of the
 
 1 66 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 bright tints of her hair. The whole party sang 
 the chorus, in which the girls came in as seconds. 
 Nielsen the carpenter stood in the middle of the 
 sandy place with legs astride, beating time with 
 his arms, while he led the chorus in smiling 
 enthusiasm, his teeth gleaming through his dark 
 Viking beard. 
 
 " 'Twas long ere the sun was yet in the south, 
 
 In the early dawn, 
 
 That Sir Bur kissed Dame Inger's mouth. 
 Heigh ho ! but the morn is gay ! 
 
 Sir Bure he saddled his ganger gray, 
 
 All dapple-gray ; 
 Dame Inger gazed down from her window all day. 
 
 Heigh ho ! but the Woods are green ! 
 
 Then he hoisted his sail to the top of the mast, 
 
 His silken sail, 
 And Sir Bure was borne on the blue waves so fast. 
 
 Heigh ho ! but 'tis heavy to part." 
 
 There were twenty odd verses in all ; when the 
 last was sung, the girls jumped off the boat and 
 all the men clapped their hands. 
 
 " Perhaps you don't know that song, sir," said a 
 young man with a fair beard and smiling face, 
 who, together with a few other young men, 
 sauntered up to Emanuel to open a conversation 
 with him. " It's a sort of favourite with the 
 young folks here, because it was written by our 
 own High School director over in Sandinge.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 167 
 
 You may have heard tell of him. I daresay he's 
 known all over the country." 
 
 Emanuel remembered very well having heard 
 Sandinge High School spoken of as the place 
 which the youth of the neighbourhood frequented, 
 under the weaver's direction, when they wished 
 to reach a higher intellectual development than 
 the village school afforded ; so he moved nearer 
 to the three peasants, to hear something more 
 about these peculiar teaching institutions which 
 had gained so much ground in the country in the 
 last few years, and which he had often wished to 
 know better. 
 
 He then heard to his great astonishment that 
 Sandinge was barely six miles off, a short distance 
 from the opposite shore. They could plainly see 
 the heath-clad hills, behind which the town was 
 hidden, from the place where they sat. The 
 man with the fair beard was himself a former 
 pupil, and gave such a glowing account of the 
 life and teaching at the school, that Emanuel 
 was quite anxious to make the acquaintance of 
 this man, and made up his mind to visit him at 
 no distant date. 
 
 In the meantime, baskets of provisions were 
 brought out by the married women, some of the 
 girls handed sandwiches on the lids of baskets 
 or dock leaves, while others went about with 
 bottles of milk. The carpenter took charge of 
 a jar of small beer, and altogether acted as 
 master of the ceremonies, while the weaver,
 
 1 68 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 on the other hand, sat in elevated retirement 
 on a tuft of grass, talking to a couple of old 
 women. 
 
 After supper the girls and the young men 
 took to playing games and dancing to their own 
 singing. 
 
 Emanuel, who had again remained alone, sat 
 with his cheek resting on his hand, looking down 
 on this scene with a half absent smile. The 
 merry voices of the young people carried his 
 thoughts over the water and further away. 
 
 He thought of the home of his childhood, and 
 his own joyless youth, and of all his dreams. He 
 felt now that he was in the midst of the realiza- 
 tion of those dreams. This was the joyous mirth 
 of childhood at which he had dimly guessed. 
 Here was the Promised Land, for whose milk 
 and honey he had yearned. 
 
 His eye sought Hansine. He only found her 
 after considerable search among a little group of 
 older girls, who were not taking part in the 
 dancing, but stood by the boat looking on. She 
 was sitting behind the others on the gunnel, with 
 her head half turned away, gazing fixedly at a 
 distant point of the water, as if the notes of the 
 singing had led her thoughts, too, on distant 
 travels. The twilight was considerably advanced, 
 and her features were not plainly visible at the 
 distance where Emanuel was. But the outline 
 of her figure was all the more plainly marked 
 against the purple water. His eye followed the
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 169 
 
 lines of her profile, and the powerful curves of 
 the upper part of her figure and a fear arose in 
 him a fear that, from one cause or another, she 
 might have something against him. Otherwise 
 he could not understand why she had so care- 
 fully avoided him all day, to the extent of not 
 even coming near him. Had she, perhaps, been 
 disappointed in his discourse ? He had really 
 spoken several times, with her alone in his mind, 
 and his wish had all along been that she, above 
 all others, should understand him. Was it possible 
 that she was the only one not to be touched by 
 his words ? 
 
 His disturbed expression was noticed by some 
 of the old people, who at once remarked upon it 
 to some of the others. As they thought he might 
 disapprove of the dancing, they passed the word 
 to stop it. Besides, the evening was so far 
 advanced that it was time to break up. A cold 
 mist was rising from the ground and the stars 
 were out. 
 
 A few old people rose and began to take 
 leave, then others followed their example. They 
 were on the whole a little disappointed that 
 Emanuel had not spoken, or told a story or such- 
 like. Old Erik, who had sat at his feet like a 
 true disciple had looked up, every time there 
 was a moment's silence, into Emanuel's face, with 
 a happy expectant expression, like a child who 
 hopes to have the whole world of elves and fairies 
 unfolded to him. But all the same they went
 
 170 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 and shook hands with him, and thanked him 
 heartily for his company. 
 
 Only Hansine took her red-haired friend by 
 the arm as soon as the company broke up, and 
 disappeared with her along the shore, to walk 
 part of the way home with her to the " Game- 
 keeper's Lodge," as the country people compla- 
 cently called the humble cottage provided for the 
 overseers, in a little wood, in the southern corner 
 of the parish. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 A FEW minutes later Emanuel stood on the top 
 of a hill over which a path ran northwards to 
 Veilby. He took off his broad-brimmed hat and 
 covered his eyes with his hand, while he listened 
 to the distant voices of the people who were 
 singing as they wandered homewards. 
 
 The last notes died away. He was alone. 
 Round about him lay the earth steeped in the 
 silence of the desert. Over his head was the 
 mighty dome of heaven with the pale light of 
 the shimmering stars. Inexorable silence reigned, 
 as if all nature were turned to stone. 
 
 He felt as if he had all at once been shut out 
 of a shining Paradise. . . . He turned his unwill- 
 ing eyes towards Veilby, where in the distance 
 he saw the high-lying Parsonage garden looming
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 171 
 
 like a dark, threatening bank of clouds against 
 the last faint streaks of light. There, reckoning, 
 strife, and excommunication awaited him ! 
 
 He walked on a few steps, but felt so tired and 
 worn out that he was obliged to sit down on a 
 stone by the wayside. The oppression which he 
 had kept under by force all the evening, now, in 
 this solitude, got complete mastery over him, 
 crushing him like a wild beast let loose. It was 
 not that he repented what he had done. He 
 only felt so bitterly alone, so homeless, so for- 
 saken ! There was no longer a single place in the 
 world that he could call his own, not one creature 
 to give him comfort or support. If he even had 
 a home, where he could find rest and peace after 
 the struggle ; had he but a good and faithful wife, 
 who would share his victory and his defeat it 
 would then have been the joy of his life to fight 
 for freedom and happiness. But this was strug- 
 gling on a bare heath with empty hands. No 
 comfort, never a refuge ! 
 
 He sat for a time gazing into space, with one 
 name ever on his lips. . . . Hansine ! Then he 
 tore himself away from the thought. Dreams ! 
 he whispered, and rose. He stood for a moment 
 looking down at the Fiord, which was now wrapped 
 in light, grey mists. Then he slowly continued 
 his walk. 
 
 But he could not banish the thought of Hansine. 
 It was as if all his restlessness, depression, and 
 fears at last resolved themselves into this one
 
 172 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 question : Why does she shun me ? What is 
 there in me to repulse her? ... It seemed to 
 him, more and more, that the answer to this 
 contained an omen for his whole future ; in this 
 state of uncertainty he was in no condition to 
 open battle. He stopped. 
 
 He must have certainty this very night. He 
 remembered having seen Hansine go along the 
 shore with her friend. She must therefore come 
 back. She would hardly take the short cut to 
 the village, across the bogs and the water courses. 
 She would consequently come back to the meet- 
 ing place. He would still be able to .meet her 
 there, and talk to her without being disturbed ; 
 make her tell him what she had against him, 
 why she avoided him, what he had done to 
 her. . . . 
 
 He turned and retraced his steps. Fearful of 
 being too late, he hurried on stumbling over 
 every stone in the dim light, and in a few 
 minutes found himself in the " church " again. 
 
 All at once he stopped and his heart ceased to 
 beat there she was, coming towards him, not 
 a hundred paces off, curiously big in the dusk, 
 melting away like a shadow into the misty Fiord. 
 She was walking close to the water, quite slowly 
 like one who had longed for solitude singing 
 softly and gazing out over the Fiord. 
 
 Suddenly she stopped and pressed her hands 
 to her heart she had seen him. 
 
 He approached quite slowly, so as to give her
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 173 
 
 time to recognise him ; and when he reached her, 
 he raised his hat. 
 
 " Don't be afraid, Hansine, . . . you see it is 
 only me. I hope I do not disturb you. I shan't 
 do you any harm, you may be sure." 
 
 These last words slipped out involuntarily on 
 seeing her alarm. She stood as if turned to 
 stone. Her face was ashy pale, her eyes, under 
 their dark eyebrows, fixed on him with a curious 
 startled gaze. 
 
 In his helplessness he gave an elaborate ex- 
 planation of his presence. He said that he had 
 seen her go with her friend ; and as he had not 
 been able to speak to her all day, he had decided 
 to go and meet her and have a little talk with 
 her. 
 
 She remained standing like a dumb creature, 
 and did not stir from the spot. Her face was 
 as immoveable as a mask, and she stared at him 
 with her half shy, half threatening glance, like a 
 wounded doe. 
 
 " My dear Hansine ! " he exclaimed. " You 
 can never be angry with me for stopping you. 
 I can assure you, you need not have the least 
 fear of me. I only wanted to say " How-d'ye- 
 do " to you, and anybody might listen to what I 
 have to say, for that matter. I suppose you 
 don't doubt that ? " 
 
 Still she did not speak. 
 
 The blood rushed to Emanuel's cheeks. Was 
 it possible that she really distrusted him ? The
 
 174 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 thought seemed too ridiculous, but he saw that 
 he had acted somewhat thoughtlessly in seeking 
 her at this hour, and in such a solitary spot. 
 So he tried to make a joke of it. 
 
 All the same there was a touch of bitterness in 
 his voice as he said : 
 
 " Well, I really think that I am in your way. 
 You must excuse me, . . . that was far from my 
 intention. To tell the truth, it did not occur to 
 me that time and place were not well chosen. 
 But, good heavens ! am I not your priest. ... I 
 had hoped that we were too good friends to 
 misunderstand each other ! Well good-night 
 then ! I suppose you are not afraid to shake 
 hands with me ? " 
 
 She slowly gave him her hand, but drew it 
 quickly back again, and with a short "good- 
 night," turned away and went back the way she 
 came. 
 
 Emanuel remained standing, dumb with as- 
 tonishment. He had felt how cold her hand 
 was, and how it shook. What in the world was 
 the matter with her ? 
 
 " Hansine ! " he called. 
 
 She appeared not to hear him, and hurried on. 
 
 " Hansine ! " he called, this time with the full 
 power of his voice, and then she stopped as if 
 bereft of power. 
 
 He went along to her, and although her back 
 was to him, he saw at once that she was struggling 
 to keep herself from crying.
 
 " But what has happened ? " he exclaimed in 
 alarm. 
 
 The sound of his voice roused her, and she 
 tried to fly. But he 
 took hold of her arm 
 and held her back. 
 
 "No, no, you mustn't 
 go away like this. 
 Whatever is the matter, 
 Hansine? Has any one 
 done you any harm ? 
 Won't you confide in 
 me? I assure you I 
 am your friend." 
 
 She tried to wrench 
 herself away, but he put his arm round her 
 shoulder and held her fast. 
 
 " I will not let you go in this state. You are 
 not master of yourself. For heaven's sake, 
 Hansine, what is it ? " 
 
 He was at his wits' end. Was she ill ? He 
 did not hear any sound of crying, but he was 
 sensible that the form he held was convulsed with 
 emotion. What on earth should he do ? 
 
 He had tears of sympathy in his eyes. He 
 could not bear to see her suffer so. His own 
 spirit was in such a turmoil that he could hardly 
 command himself. Now for the first time he felt 
 certain what his feelings were for this young girl. 
 He knew it now he loved her ! For the first 
 time in his life he felt love flame up in his heart
 
 i 7 6 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 and take possession of all his senses. He loved 
 her ! He felt with all his soul that it was she of 
 whom he had dreamt in his youth, whom he had 
 yearned for all his life ! 
 
 " Loose me ! . . . Let me go ! " she cried hoarsely 
 between her teeth. 
 
 But he held her fast. If it had cost him his 
 life he could not have let her go. 
 
 " Hansine ! " he said in a voice which was 
 meant to be calm, but he strove in vain to 
 conceal his own passionate emotion. 
 
 " Can I not comfort you in any way ? Have you 
 no confidence in me ? Are you angry with me ? 
 You must tell me that, I have thought about 
 nothing else all day, because you would not speak 
 to me, . . . and I have wanted so much to see 
 you. Are you angry with me ? If you would 
 only answer that question, I would let you go. 
 Do you hear, Hansine ? you must not go before 
 you have told me that. Are you angry with 
 me ? " 
 
 " No, let me go ! " 
 
 But he did not loosen his hold. Something 
 in her voice, and the wild beating of her heart, 
 which he felt right up his arm, all at once en- 
 lightened him. Had he been blind ? Was it 
 
 possible that she, too The thought surged 
 
 through his brain like a raging wind, and he 
 became quite dizzy. He forced himself to be 
 calm for fear of frightening her. Trembling, he 
 bent over her and said :
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 177 
 
 " Hansine, you must answer one more question. 
 You must not be angry . . . but am I right in 
 feeling that we have been brought together this 
 evening by God Himself? You must not hide 
 anything from me. Do you care for me ? Tell 
 me. . . . Do you care for me ever so little ? " 
 
 She put forth all her strength to try and get 
 away, and uttered a muffled cry. But now both 
 his arms were round her, and he drew her to him 
 with ungovernable passion. 
 
 " Is it true ? Hansine . . . dear, dear Hansine, 
 do you love me a little ? 
 
 She no longer heard anything. She had sunk 
 powerless in his arms, and her tears could no 
 longer be restrained, she cried so violently that 
 she was quite convulsed. She was paralysed 
 with shame and despair. She seemed as if she 
 would fall to the earth, and implore it to open 
 and hide her. 
 
 " Then, then, do not cry any more, dearest one. 
 It's all right now, isn't it? Come, we will go 
 home together, and talk to your * parents. . . . 
 Come." 
 
 These words roused her. 
 
 "You must not go with me," she said 
 quickly, passing her hand over her tear-stained 
 eyes. 
 
 " But why not ? don't you want any one to see 
 us until I have spoken to your parents ? Well, 
 
 * He here passes from the formal "you" to the "thou" of 
 engaged people. 
 
 M
 
 1 78 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 perhaps you are right. Then we part here . . . 
 it has got late. Good-night, then, Hansine ! But 
 to-morrow I shall come to you ; then we will 
 have a good talk together." 
 
 She was turning to leave him, when, with a 
 beseeching voice, he called her back. 
 
 "You won't leave me without saying 'good- 
 bye,' will you ? " 
 
 She turned round and gave him her hand 
 mechanically. He took it in both his and pressed 
 it tenderly to his lips. Then her tears and 
 despair broke out afresh ; she turned quickly 
 and hurried away. 
 
 He stood a moment irresolute. Was he really 
 to leave her like this. 
 
 He followed her. 
 
 " Hansine, . . . had I not better go with you." 
 
 " No, no," she said passionately, and stamped 
 her foot. 
 
 He did not understand her, but he followed no 
 further. 
 
 " Well, then, I will come to-morrow," he called 
 after her, " and then I shall see a smile on your 
 face again, shall I not ? " 
 
 She did not answer, he only heard her incon- 
 solable sobs, while, almost running, she disap- 
 peared over the hills. When Emanuel turned 
 back to the beach a few minutes later, he was 
 disagreeably surprised to see a man in a light 
 overcoat, standing a little way off leaning on a 
 stick. He immediately recognised Johansen, and
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 179 
 
 saw that, according to his usual custom, he had 
 been wandering among the hills, on the look out 
 for solitary girls. 
 
 He decided to appear as if he did not see him. 
 But Johansen raised his hat, and shouted : 
 
 " A lovely evening, Mr Hansted ; it's perfect 
 summer weather." 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE next morning a heavy thunder cloud rested 
 over Veilby Parsonage. When Emanuel, some- 
 what later than usual, came down to breakfast, 
 he found neither the Provst nor Miss Ragnhild. 
 The old lame servant who came in from the 
 kitchen poured out his tea in silence, and pushed 
 it towards him with a face in which he read his 
 doom. The Provst was wandering restlessly up 
 and down the chestnut avenue. Heavy clouds 
 of tobacco rose rapidly from his pipe, and lost 
 themselves among the trees, showing more plainly 
 than words, his state of mind. Provst Tonnesen 
 only puffed like that under great mental excite- 
 ment. Miss Ragnhild had merely told him at 
 breakfast about the curate's appearance at the 
 Meeting House ; but in the early morning, while 
 he was still in his room, which adjoined the 
 kitchen, he had caught scraps of conversation 
 between the cook and a rag-dealer who was
 
 i8o EMANUEL; OR 
 
 imparting the whole story, so that his daughter's 
 communication only confirmed what he already 
 suspected. 
 
 A person now approached him from the end of 
 the avenue, in a light overcoat, and a hard straw 
 hat with a violet ribbon. It was Johansen, the 
 assistant teacher. When the Provst caught sight 
 of him he called out impatiently : 
 
 "Well, what's in the wind now?" 
 
 Johansen bared his curly head, stopped a few 
 paces off, bowed, and said : 
 
 " Excuse me, your reverence, I have a birth to 
 register." 
 
 " Oh ! is that all ! why should that make you 
 creep along as if a misfortune had happened? . . . 
 Whose child is it ? " 
 
 " Nette Andersen's." 
 
 " Another unmarried woman ! ... Of course, 
 looseness and licentiousness on every side ! 
 Emancipation from every tie, that is the watch- 
 word of the times." 
 
 Johansen looked downwards and sideways un- 
 easily. He was not quite sure to whom these 
 words alluded ; and his own conscience was some- 
 what burdened in this respect just at present. 
 
 " I hope," continued the Provst severely, " that 
 you, Mr Johansen, bring up the school-children 
 strictly in the paths of virtue. It is more neces- 
 sary now than ever before, when licentiousness 
 is preached in the market-place. Look over 
 nothing. The imps must be tamed."
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 181 
 
 " I think I may assure your reverence that I 
 have used my best endeavours in this respect. 
 / have always tried to sharpen the children's 
 sense of duty. But h'm it's good example 
 which is everything here. Unfortunately, bad 
 example has such a powerful effect." 
 
 " Yes, of course," answered the Provst, slightly 
 astonished, and looking closely at him. "What 
 are you thinking of? Do you allude to any one 
 in particular as setting a bad example to the 
 congregation ? " 
 
 " Heaven forbid, your reverence, it was not my 
 intention to charge any one in particular. I only 
 meant speaking generally." 
 
 " Rubbish ! Don't beat about the bush ex- 
 plain yourself properly. Whom do you consider 
 to be a damaging element among the congrega- 
 tion ? Well, speak out ! " 
 
 " Hem ! your reverence misunderstands me. 
 I only meant quite loosely " 
 
 " I say again, no roundabout phrases ! Answer 
 my question ! " 
 
 " I assure your reverence it was only my in- 
 tention to to that, for example, a man in the 
 curate's position ought, perhaps, to be rather 
 more careful in his behaviour, for the sake of 
 the people. In the country, things are so easily 
 misunderstood." 
 
 " The curate ! " burst out the Provst, wrinkling 
 his forehead and staring at Mr Johansen from 
 head to foot. " How on earth can it occur to
 
 1 82 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 you to mention Mr Hansted in this connexion ? 
 I suppose you don't intend to accuse him of 
 impropriety ; well, speak out, man, and explain 
 yourself!" he thundered, stamping his foot. Mr 
 Johansen wriggled like an imprisoned worm. It 
 certainly had been his plan to turn aside atten- 
 tion from his own irregularities, by making use 
 of the peep into the curate's private life which 
 he had had the night before. But he had only 
 meant to raise a slight suspicion in the Provst's 
 mind, without appearing as an actual accuser. 
 
 Now he was caught in his own toils, and saw 
 that it would be best to give away Mr Hansted, 
 and surrender at discretion. He straightened 
 himself up, bent his neck forward a little, as if 
 silencing his last scruples, and said 
 
 "Well, I maintain that is, I think it can't 
 be a good example for the people to meet Mr 
 Hansted late in the evening, in a solitary place, 
 handling one of the young girls of the neighbour- 
 hood in a very tender manner." 
 
 The Provst turned ashen grey. Again he 
 measured the assistant master from head to foot, 
 and said at last : 
 
 " Who saw that ? Answer ! " 
 
 " I saw it myself, your reverence ! " 
 
 " You ! . . . and late in the evening, you say ? " 
 
 " Between ten and eleven." 
 
 " And in an out-of-the-way place ? " 
 
 " Out in Hammerbay, . . . the place the people 
 call ' the church.' "
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 183 
 
 " And you are quite sure you have not made a 
 mistake in the slightest particular ? " 
 
 Mr Johansen bowed his head and looked away 
 in embarrassment. 
 
 " It was really not possible to make a mistake, 
 your reverence ! " 
 
 There was a moment's silence, then the Provst 
 said : 
 
 " Can you tell me about what time I mean 
 what evening it was when you saw Mr Hansted 
 in the said situation ? " 
 
 " I can easily do that, as it was only last night." 
 
 " Yesterday ! After the meeting ! So then we 
 have the explanation ! " he exclaimed, not know- 
 ing that he was thinking aloud. Then he looked 
 severely at the assistant teacher, and said : 
 
 " What you have told me, Mr Johansen, re- 
 mains, for the present, between ourselves. Do 
 you understand ? " 
 
 Mr Johansen bowed. 
 
 " 1 shall look into the matter, and I tell you 
 it will go hard with you if I find the slightest 
 inaccuracy in what you have told me ! . . . The 
 birth you spoke of shall be entered. Have you 
 the papers with you ? Very well ! That is all 
 for to-day." 
 
 When, shortly after, he entered the house from 
 the verandah, he walked through the empty din- 
 ing-room, threw open the kitchen door, and called 
 out, in a voice which rang through the house : 
 
 " Are you there, Lone ? "
 
 1 84 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " Yes," answered a muffled voice from the cellar. 
 
 " Go up to the curate and tell him I wish to 
 speak to him. I shall be in my room. But say 
 that he is to come at once. I am waiting." 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE Provst was walking up and down the room 
 with his hands behind him, when Emanuel knocked 
 at his study door, and, without waiting for an 
 answer, entered briskly. 
 
 "You want to speak to me, sir ! " 
 
 The Provst did not answer, nor stop his walk, 
 but waved him to a seat. 
 
 Emanuel sat down near the door. He held his 
 head erect, crossed his legs, and put his right hand 
 into the breast of his tightly buttoned up coat. 
 His antagonistic bearing ill concealed his internal 
 agitation. Feverish red patches came and went 
 on his pale cheeks with great rapidity ; his eyes 
 were dull and heavy, as after a sleepless night. 
 
 As the Provst kept up the silence which was 
 only broken by his creaking boots, Emanuel at 
 last exclaimed, in his nervous impatience, chang- 
 ing his position, and running his hand through 
 his hair : 
 
 " I suppose you want to speak to me about my 
 address at the Meeting House yesterday. I regret, 
 of course, that I did not have an opportunity of
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 185 
 
 informing you of my intention beforehand. I had 
 meant to do so, but " 
 
 He was stopped here by a lightning glance 
 from the Provst, who had paused at last along 
 by the window. 
 
 " We will discuss that affair later. That you 
 have thought it suitable, in spite of the position 
 you hold here, to appear as a wandering 
 star in the weaver's troupe, I have already 
 heard, and you will have to answer to me for 
 so doing another time. In the meantime, there 
 is a different matter, on which I require informa- 
 tion. It has lately come to my knowledge," he 
 continued, slowly walking towards Emanuel with 
 his hands behind him, and his eyes flashing ; 
 " it has come to my knowledge, sir, that in 
 one particular, where, more than in any other, 
 you ought to set a worthy example to the youth 
 of the neighbourhood, you have, by your con- 
 duct, absolutely scandalized the congregation. 
 In short, is it true, Mr Hansted, that you have 
 nightly meetings with certain young girls of the 
 neighbourhood ? " 
 
 Emanuel had risen. The feverish patches on 
 his cheeks now spread over his forehead and 
 temples, and his whole face flamed. 
 
 " Who says so ? " 
 
 " That doesn't matter," shouted the Provst close 
 to his face. " How does it stand ? I want a short, 
 plain answer, sir. So yes or no ? 
 
 Emanuel bit his lips. It was only with the
 
 1 86 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 greatest difficulty that he prevented himself from 
 hurling an insult at the Provst. 
 
 At last he said 
 
 "If by certain young girls Anders Jorgen's 
 daughter is meant and there can be no talk 
 of any other yes, it is partly true." 
 
 " Oh, indeed ! so you admit it ? " 
 
 " Yes, I am engaged to her. No particular 
 scandal can have been caused to the congrega- 
 tion, however, as it was only last night I spoke 
 to her alone for the first time. And even then, 
 as I now understand, it was not entirely without 
 witnesses. Mr Johansen was also present." 
 
 The Provst fell back, first one, and then another 
 lingering step. His hands dropped from his back 
 to his sides, and hung loosely ; he stared at the 
 curate, as if it was on the tip of his tongue to ask 
 if he was mad. 
 
 " What do you say ? . . . You are engaged to 
 Anders Jorgen's daughter?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 In the space of half a minute the Provst's face 
 went through a whole scale of the most opposite 
 expressions. At last it settled into one of con- 
 sternation mixed with the deepest pity. 
 
 Emanuel's face at this moment was not that 
 of a happy, newly engaged man. His quivering 
 features and heavy eyes betrayed, in spite of his 
 efforts, the struggles of a mind distracted by the 
 beginning of doubts and anxiety. 
 
 After a long silence the Provst came up close
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 187 
 
 to him, and cautiously laid his hand upon his 
 shoulder. 
 
 " Mr Hansted," he said in a low voice, " I must 
 say a few words to you . . . not as your superior, 
 but as a true, fatherly friend. Perhaps, in your 
 present frame of mind, you can hardly look upon 
 me as such, and yet I assure you that is what I 
 am, and I am only thinking of your good. No, 
 no, you must not interrupt me. You must allow 
 me to have my say. I must do you hear ? You 
 don't know at present what you are doing. You 
 are ill, you have been cajoled seduced I hardly 
 know what. But I do beg you, with whatever 
 influence I may have over you, to think better of 
 this before it goes any further. Do you hear? 
 you must, you shall ! Good God ! how can this 
 have come about ? Where has your sense been ? 
 What do you think your family, your friends, and 
 your whole circle will say ? Think better of it, 
 Mr Hansted . . . think what you are entering 
 upon ; do consider what you have at stake " 
 
 Emanuel drew back a step to free himself from 
 the Provst's hand, and exclaimed 
 
 " I can't allow you to talk like this, you are not 
 in a position to judge of my conduct here, my 
 joy, or my happiness, and it is useless to talk any 
 more about it." 
 
 The Provst bit his lip, and stood a moment 
 looking at him irresolutely. His broad chest 
 heaved, his face was purple, he looked as if a 
 torrent of violent words were choking him, then
 
 1 88 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 he turned away, and walked slowly to the 
 window, where he remained looking out. 
 
 There was a dead silence in the room for more 
 than two minutes. 
 
 It was broken by Emanuel, who said 
 
 " Have you anything more to say to me, sir ? " 
 
 The Provst turned. 
 
 " Yes, Mr Hansted ! " he said with forced calm. 
 " I feel it is my duty to warn you once more, 
 most solemnly, against this portentous step you 
 are about to take. I have received you into my 
 house, and I cannot look on calmly and see you 
 doing an injury to yourself and to others. Of 
 course, I do not doubt that you are acting from 
 the best possible motives," he continued, coming 
 nearer. " Of course you are persuaded that this 
 will be for your happiness, and for that of the 
 young girl. But you are a dreamer, a romantic 
 dreamer, Mr Hansted. I have long seen that! 
 A craving for the fantastic is an unfortunate 
 heritage in your blood, and it leads you like a 
 blind man along unknown paths. Look at your 
 true self. Tear the bandage of dreams from your 
 eyes, and you will shudder at the abyss, to the 
 edge of which you have been tempted. How has 
 it happened that, with your talents and abilities, 
 you have been blinded to this extent? What is 
 one to believe, what is one to think of you, Mr 
 Hansted ? " 
 
 " I will not discuss that point. I only know 
 that I cannot accommodate you by repenting of
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 189 
 
 my actions neither the one nor the other of them. 
 When I spoke in Skibberup Meeting House, it 
 was after having carefully weighed the matter, 
 and I have no reason to wish it undone. I feel 
 that yesterday, for the first time, the congregation 
 and I were at one, and if you, sir, had been 
 present, you would certainly have been obliged 
 to admit that the satisfaction was mutual." 
 
 " I am quite ready to believe that ! " the Provst 
 blazed out. " If you tell stories to children and 
 peasants, and flatter them a little, they are soon 
 pleased. If that is the grand discovery you have 
 made, you have been a good while about it, I 
 must say. I could have taught you that piece of 
 wisdom some time ago." 
 
 " You make a mistake," answered Emanuel in 
 a restrained voice, and with a dignified look. " It 
 was neither tales nor flattery which opened the 
 ears of the listeners, but solely the fact that I 
 came forward as a man among men, not as a 
 judge among sinners. My great discovery is this 
 if you really care to know it, that a priest 
 may have some other object than merely going 
 about as the tax-collector of heaven, and keeping 
 account of the sins of men and on this point I 
 received the most desirable confirmation yester- 
 day." 
 
 " Oh, ho ! so it has gone as far as that with you ! 
 You are already so case-hardened that I am to 
 hear all the weaver's phrases from your mouth. 
 Really you have been a willing pupil, Mr Hansted !
 
 IQO EMANUEL; OR 
 
 If that is your attitude, I see that I may save 
 myself the trouble of trying to bring you to your 
 senses. . . . But then, I suppose, you are pre- 
 pared," he continued, raising his voice and coming 
 up close to Emanuel " I suppose you are also 
 prepared for the steps which I propose to take 
 after this? In short, Mr Hansted ! you must 
 choose now either me or the weaver ! " 
 
 " In that case . . . the choice is made." 
 
 " Indeed ! Very good ! You talk very boldly ! 
 . . . But do you quite understand what it means ? 
 Do you see that your time here with me is over 
 . . . irrevocably past, do you understand ? " 
 
 " I had thought of that. But from this time I 
 have my own work to do in the parish, and that, 
 quite regardless of whether I am your curate or 
 not." 
 
 " There now ! It is a prepared attack ! A 
 downright declaration of war ! You propose an 
 actual fight among my congregation ! " 
 
 " Oh, not at all ! For my part I wish for 
 nothing but to be allowed to go my own way 
 in peace, and do what good I can to others and 
 to myself." 
 
 " But not I ! We do not play so lightly as 
 that here. I am not going to be led by the nose 
 like that don't imagine it. It will be a trial of 
 strength, good folks and you had better not be 
 too sure of the issue ! Yes, you may look at me ! 
 Measure yourself with me, young gentleman! It 
 might even yet put a little sense into you. Old
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 191 
 
 trees don't fall at the first blow of the axe, but 
 that sometimes happens to the young ; and that 
 you will feel ! You spoke yesterday, Mr Hansted! 
 To-day it is my turn ! " 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 WHEN the Provst threw open the drawing-room 
 door a few minutes later, Miss Ragnhild was just 
 coming in from the dining-room with a large 
 china bowl full of yellow flowers in her hands. 
 
 She was dressed in a loose morning gown of 
 broad striped stuff with a cord round the waist, 
 long ends, and tassels. On her head she had a 
 flat, soft, grey felt hat, the only trimming on 
 which was a white veil hanging down her back. 
 She was pale, as usual, but the flowers threw a 
 rich glow over the lower part of her face, as if it 
 was a bowl of sunshine she carried. 
 
 " Whatever has happened ? " she asked, alarmed 
 at the sight of her father's heated appearance, and 
 stopping by the heavy mahogany table in the 
 middle of the room. 
 
 " You may well ask that ! Upon my word I 
 think the world is out of joint just now ! People 
 are bewitched quite mad." 
 
 " But what on earth is the matter ? " 
 
 " Oh, it's nothing more nor less than that
 
 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 our friend, Mr Hansted, has gone and engaged 
 himself!" 
 
 Miss Ragnhild put the bowl hurriedly down, 
 
 spilling some of the 
 water over the illus- 
 trated books. 
 
 "What do you say? 
 ... Mr Hansted ! " 
 
 "Yes, as I stand 
 here. But you will 
 never guess who is 
 the chosen one, Ragn- 
 hild ! " 
 
 " Is it is it a lady 
 from these parts ? " 
 
 " She is from these 
 parts certainly ; but 
 she can hardly be 
 called a lady. It is 
 Anders J orgen's 
 daughter from Skib- 
 berup. What do you 
 think of that ? " 
 
 " Good heavens ! is 
 it possible ! " 
 
 " You may well 
 say so ! " shouted the 
 Provst who, as usual, 
 
 was walking up and down the floor with noisy 
 steps. " Really, one does not know what to 
 think of the mad times we live in. It's just
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 193 
 
 as if all common sense was going out of the 
 world. On all sides we have this bowing down 
 to the common people, . . . this worship of 
 the peasant, it seems to be in the air in these 
 days, like any other plague. How in the world 
 are we otherwise to explain the fact that people 
 who up to this time have been ordinarily sensible, 
 suddenly, and apparently without any reason, 
 become absolutely possessed ? Even people who 
 were schoolfellows of my own, suddenly, in their 
 old age, begin to play the fool, by dressing in 
 homespun, speaking like peasants, and setting 
 their daughters to milk the cows ! And now 
 this ! It's stark lunacy ! and you will see, Ragn-. 
 hild, it won't stop here ! This is only the first 
 outcome of the folly. Others will follow. Mr 
 Hansted has already to such an extent lost his 
 sound sense and judgment, that, like all persons 
 of limited views, who are absorbed by anything 
 new, he imagines that he has a mission to fulfil 
 here. He is to be the prophet of the new times, 
 to found parties and lead riots, according to the 
 fashion of these days." 
 
 Miss Ragnhild had taken off her hat and gone 
 to the window with the mechanical movements 
 of a sleep-walker. She sat down as if overcome 
 with fatigue, and stared out into the courtyard. 
 As soon as she saw that her father had stopped 
 in a corner of the room and was observing her, 
 she leant back in her chair, and said, without 
 really meaning it 
 
 N
 
 I 9 4 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 "Well, in a way it's only what one might 
 have expected from the turn which Mr Hansted's 
 development had taken lately. One has long 
 been able to see that it would turn to something 
 of this sort." 
 
 " That is exactly why I can't help blaming 
 myself in a measure, Ragnhild. I ought to have 
 kept a tighter hand over him from the beginning. 
 Who knows perhaps he might have been saved 
 then. I did at first have my suspicions . . . but 
 after all, he was a man, and you can't treat a man 
 as an invalid, before you are sure of the disease. 
 But now I haven't a doubt he is mad com- 
 pletely off his head ! When I look back I can 
 follow the development of the disease, step by 
 step, from the day he entered our house. It is 
 the mother's insanity coming out in the son. 
 Once in her youth, I believe, she caused a perfect 
 scandal at a public meeting, by making a most 
 revolutionary speech. And oddly enough I 
 heard, among other things about her from Pastor 
 Petersen, that it was in these parts that she tried 
 to carry out her wild ideas at one time. She was 
 in fact the originator of the High School at 
 Sandinge, to which we owe all our disturbances. 
 In that case, one can say with truth, that Mr 
 Hansted is a sacrifice to his mother's youthful 
 follies. But that's the way of the world ! " 
 
 Miss Ragnhild no longer heard her father's 
 words, and she hardly noticed when he left the 
 room and shut himself into his study.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 195 
 
 She couldn't understand why this engagement 
 made such an impression upon her. She felt 
 there was no disappointment to her in it. In 
 fact, her interest in Mr Hansted had been on the 
 wane latterly ; and it did not raise him in her 
 estimation to find that he had engaged himself 
 to a peasant girl. She thought there was some- 
 thing so pitiable in this ruling propensity for all 
 that was undeveloped, petty, child-like, simple. 
 
 At the same time, she felt as if by this event, 
 one more light had been put out in her existence ; 
 as if there was one more vacant spot in her heart. 
 She felt that she had lost a friend who, in a 
 way, was her only one. But what was worse 
 she had lost a sympathetic fellow-sufferer in 
 this wilderness of solitude and melancholy. . . . 
 Was it more ? 
 
 She looked at her old friend Methuselah the 
 parrot he was swinging in his ring and pluming 
 his green feathers. Well ! she and her parrot 
 were alone again ! But for that matter she could 
 imagine worse company, and she was not likely 
 to envy the curate's new friends. 
 
 She was just stretching out her hand to caress 
 the bird, when she heard footsteps creaking in 
 the passage. There was no doubt about it it 
 was the curate coming downstairs from his 
 room. 
 
 She sat still for a moment, her eyes fixed on 
 her lap, in violent conflict with herself. Then 
 she got up, walked across the floor quickly and
 
 1 96 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 opened the door. Emanuel was there with his 
 hat on and his umbrella in his hand, just about 
 to go out. He turned very red when he saw her, 
 and a defiant expression came into his eye. It 
 looked as if he was arming himself against her 
 expected jibes, and was preparing to pay her 
 back. She put out her hand in a friendly way 
 towards him. 
 
 " Father has told me your news, Mr Hansted. 
 I congratulate you most heartily ! " 
 
 He looked doubtingly at her. 
 
 " I do not know the young girl personally," she 
 continued calmly. " But I remember several 
 times having heard most favourable remarks 
 about her, so I do not doubt that it will be for 
 your happiness." 
 
 After these words, Emanuel perhaps some- 
 what hesitatingly took her soft, white hand, and 
 when she let him keep it, pressed it warmly. 
 
 " Thanks, a thousand thanks, Miss Ragnhild," 
 he said, moved with pleasure and surprise. 
 " You do not know how glad I am that you of 
 all people understand me ! " 
 
 " Well, I have perhaps had more opportunities 
 of doing so than most people." 
 
 " You have you have, Miss Ragnhild ! " 
 
 " I mean we have discussed every subject 
 under the sun. Therefore you know that we 
 hold different opinions on many points. But I 
 hope you believe that I always respect people 
 who have the courage of their opinions."
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 197 
 
 " I am afraid I do you little honour as a pupil, 
 Miss Ragnhild ! " 
 
 " Well ! I cannot flatter myself with that I 
 suppose you are going to see your fiancee now ? " 
 she asked hurriedly. 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Then greet her from me, and give her my 
 warmest congratulations." 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 HANSINE had not closed her eyes all night either. 
 She had come home in the evening in a half 
 desperate state ; her parents were fortunately in 
 bed, so she was able to creep into her room and 
 undress without being seen by anybody. Here 
 she lay hour after hour, huddled up in bed with 
 the corner of the sheet stuffed into her mouth, so 
 that her despairing sobs should not be heard. 
 
 Although the idea that a young priest or a 
 popular leader would sometime like the prince 
 in a fairy tale cross her path, fall in love with 
 her, and raise her, as his wife, far above the earth- 
 bound life of a peasant, to the summit of a higher 
 intellectual life, was, as a matter of fact, no stranger 
 to her, for it had been part of her dream-life ever 
 since she as a school-girl had attended one of the 
 big " Friends' Meetings " over at Sandinge ; and 
 although it was indeed true, as her friends in-
 
 198 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 sisted, that this hero of her dreams had in the 
 course of the winter more and more assumed the 
 shape of the curate yet she had not for a 
 moment, in the meeting with Emanuel, thought 
 that his words meant more than an expression of 
 sympathy, an attempt, in his position as priest, to 
 comfort her and to reason with her. Therefore 
 she now wished that she might die. All night 
 she lay and trembled with apprehension at the 
 coming day, because she could not imagine how 
 she should ever have courage to look people in 
 the face again, after having so ignominiously 
 betrayed her secret. 
 
 All the same, when day dawned, and the sleepy 
 chirping of the birds in the garden began to be 
 heard outside her window, she grew calmer. She 
 set herself more collectedly to go through what 
 the curate had said, and how everything had 
 happened. 
 
 The more vividly she recalled to her remem- 
 brance the occurrences of the evening, so much 
 the more she was obliged to put constraint upon 
 herself to drive away the thought that the curate 
 had really asked her to be his wife. She remem- 
 bered the tender tone in which he told her he 
 loved her ; she remembered how he had dried 
 her wet cheeks and eyes with his handkerchief 
 and begged her not to cry. And then he had 
 also told her that he would come to-day to see 
 her parents and ask for their consent. 
 
 She began to sob again. It was more and
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 199 
 
 more impossible for her to explain away his 
 wooing. 
 
 Whatever should she do ? Oh ! if only she 
 had never walked home with Ane along the 
 shore, this misfortune would perhaps never have 
 happened ! 
 
 At last she made up her mind to confide in her 
 mother. As soon as she heard voices on the 
 other side of the wall, where her parents had 
 their room, she got up and dressed ; carefully 
 trying with the sponge to obliterate all trace of 
 the night's struggles. In this she could not, how- 
 ever, have been very successful, for when she 
 entered the kitchen where her mother was already 
 busy lighting the stove, the latter immediately 
 broke out with, " Good heavens, child ! whatever 
 is the matter ? " 
 
 At first Hansine would not say anything, and 
 busied herself with taking down milk pans from 
 the rack. But when her mother saw that her 
 daughter's silence on this occasion had nothing 
 to do with her usual taciturnity, she continued to 
 press her, and ended by becoming almost angry, 
 and took hold of her arm to force her to speak ; 
 then Hansine began with a dogged expression to 
 tell her that the night before she had met the 
 curate down by the shore, and that he that 
 he- 
 She could not get any further. 
 " Well, what then ? do tell me, dear child ! " 
 said her mother.
 
 200 EMANUEL 
 
 " He he asked me to marry him ! " she at last 
 burst out, and threw herself against the back of a 
 chair, sobbing bitterly. 
 
 Her mother clasped her hands in dismay, and 
 for a long time could not speak. 
 
 " That can never be true, Hansine," she said at 
 last, almost in a whisper, as if it had been the 
 confession of a crime. 
 
 As her daughter did not answer, but went on 
 sobbing mutely, she continued pale, and almost 
 ready to cry herself: "Who ever heard tell of 
 such an affair, Hansine ! If I could on'y make 
 out how it had come about ! Whoever would 
 ha' thought that we should have such a bad job 
 as that ! What will folks say about it ! It's just 
 fearful, Hansine ! " 
 
 Just then Anders Jorgen clattered in from the 
 yard with two tin pails, to fetch milk for the 
 calves. 
 
 " What's up here, good folks ? " he called out 
 in his hearty morning voice, holding his pails 
 away from him with stiffened arms. 
 
 When at last he made out, from Else's stam- 
 mering tale, what was the matter, he pulled a 
 long face, too. The fact was, that he had once 
 for all got into the habit of adopting his wife's 
 views, but at bottom he was not quite clear what 
 there was to cry about here. He would sooner 
 have been inclined to look upon the affair as a 
 happy dispensation of Providence, but he took 
 good care not to express any opinion which had
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 203 
 
 not first been approved by Else, because he had 
 no particular faith in his own powers of judgment. 
 
 Now he stood there with his curious dead- 
 looking eyes, with the bluish-white pupils, star- 
 ing irresolutely backwards and forwards from 
 mother to daughter. When neither of them said 
 anything, he at last let fall : 
 
 " Well, but well however in all the world has 
 this here come about, Hansine ? " 
 
 " I don't know," Hansine answered at last half- 
 angry. 
 
 She still rested her head on her arm, but she 
 had left off crying. The combined lamentations 
 of her parents began to wound her. 
 
 But now her mother went up to her, and 
 cautiously laying her hand on her shoulder, said : 
 " Well, but tell me, Hansine, d'ye care for him 
 too ? " 
 
 At first she did not answer, but when her 
 mother repeated the question, at the same time 
 letting her hand rest caressingly as it were, for- 
 givingly on her head, she muttered : 
 
 " I suppose I do." 
 
 " Because that's the root o' the matter, my 
 child, that you both think it'll be for your happi- 
 ness. For although it's very hard for anyone 
 else to understand, yet now it's come to this 
 there's nothing more to be said than to pray 
 that the Lord may send a blessing." 
 
 " Send a blessing," echoed her father eagerly, 
 his face lighting up with a smile.
 
 204 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " Now, if on'y folks won't be ill natured about 
 it, that's what I mind most," said Else, as she 
 wiped away a tear with her apron. " There'll be 
 enough spiteful gossip, never fear, and may be 
 some will be ready to say right out, that we 
 took up all this business about the curate on'y 
 to entice him here. But we mustn't bother our 
 heads about that." 
 
 " Oh, they can't have so much to gossip about," 
 Anders ventured carefully. " I should think folks 
 knew the curate well enough by now." 
 
 Else was never in the habit of listening to what 
 he said, nor did she now pay much attention to 
 his speech, but silently looked at her daughter in 
 thoughtful perplexity. 
 
 After a time she said, half shyly, "Well, then, 
 may be he your I mean the curate, will come 
 here to-day." 
 
 " He said he would come this morning," mut- 
 tered Hansine as before, without lifting her head. 
 
 "Well, then, we must get to work, we must 
 tidy up the place against his coming. We 
 wouldn't want him to think he wasn't welcome. 
 You, Anders, must smarten yourself up a bit 
 when you've fed the beasts." 
 
 " Me ! " said he astonished, as he looked down 
 at his patched, grey homespun garments, where 
 bits of straw and chaft were sticking into the 
 rough nap. 
 
 It was a busy morning. As it was Monday, 
 they had much of the unperformed work of the
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 205 
 
 previous day of rest on hand. There was the 
 cream ready for churning, a pan of whey to curdle 
 for cheese, and half a pig to salt down. Besides 
 that, there were the clothes to put out to bleach, 
 and a sick cow in the byre to be milked every 
 alternate hour. 
 
 Else, who knew she could not expect much 
 help from Hansine to-day, and could not find it 
 in her heart to make any demands on her 
 thoughts, sent a message to a farm labourer's 
 wife to come and help her. She soon obeyed 
 the summons, but when it came to the point, 
 Else could not bring herself to impart the news 
 to her, although the woman several times tried to 
 ferret it out, and at last asked openly if they 
 expected company at the house. 
 
 "Yes, perhaps some one's coming," said Else 
 evasively, and went down to the salting cellar. 
 
 In the meantime Hansine had hunted up her 
 brother Ole from the stable and asked him, as 
 soon as he had a chance, to run to the wood to 
 Ane and tell her that she must come over at 
 once; Hansine wanted to talk to her that very 
 morning. Ole, who was quite in the dark as to 
 the morning's hurry scurry, promised none the 
 less to carry his sister's message to the right 
 quarter, and a minute later she saw him speeding 
 over the hills. 
 
 While she waited restlessly for her friend, she 
 sat down by her chamber window to be undis- 
 turbed. She gazed out with her tear-stained eyes
 
 206 EMANUEL 
 
 at the shady little garden where the egg-shaped 
 spots of sunlight glided slowly over the grass- 
 plot and paths in their snail-like passage from 
 west to east and she could not understand how 
 the world could go on in its usual way as if 
 nothing had happened. There were the hens 
 walking about quietly, and scratching up the 
 earth under the gooseberry bushes ; and the 
 magpies were flying about from tree-top to tree- 
 top, chattering with all their might, just the same 
 as yesterday. Behind the dyke she could see the 
 back of the old brown mare shining in the sun, 
 as it stood immoveable, letting itself be baked 
 through ; and she thought how well off was an 
 animal like that. It had no sorrows, no fears, 
 it knew nothing of this terrible oppression which 
 made the heart beat till the whole body ached. 
 
 At last her friend came. With much shy 
 beating about the bush, and many struggles with 
 her tears, Hansine, sitting on the edge of the bed, 
 confided to her all that had happened in the 
 evening, at the same time taking a solemn pro- 
 mise from her that she would never divulge to 
 any of her friends how it had come about. 
 
 Ane was not nearly so much astonished as 
 Hansine had expected. She embraced her in an 
 outburst of rapture and pride, but declared in- 
 trepidly that it was no more than she had long 
 expected. The fact was, that she had had a dream 
 one night in which she saw Hansine in wedding 
 clothes dancing with a man who was exactly
 
 HANJINE-
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 209 
 
 like the curate. For the rest, she added, it would 
 not be such an unheard-of thing in the future, 
 now that equality and fraternity were preached 
 everywhere ; so, for that matter, Hansine need 
 not trouble herself. But it was not so easy to 
 set Hansine's scruples to rest. Even when her 
 friend, to cheer her, encircled her waist with her 
 arms, and set herself to call up pictures of the 
 brilliant future which awaited her, she continued 
 abstracted and restless ; the time was moreover 
 approaching when the curate might be expected. 
 
 " I think I must go into the parlour now," 
 she said at last, and got up. " But you must 
 go with me," she added, putting out her hand 
 with such a dejected countenance that Ane burst 
 into fits of laughter. " Upon my soul, I think 
 that curate has half scared the heart out of you, 
 my chick-a-biddy ! I don't know you again. 
 Are you the same girl who never winced when 
 one used to stick darning needles into you ? " 
 
 " It's easy enough for you to talk," said Hansine 
 with a sigh. 
 
 For nearly an hour after that, the friends sat 
 in the parlour, both on one chair, with their arms 
 round each other's waists. 
 
 Ane continued to paint glowing pictures of the 
 future. Hansine tried to smile now and then, 
 when her friend's fancy took the wildest flights ; 
 but she mostly sat buried in thought, and started 
 nervously at every sound in the yard. 
 
 " I suppose we shall have to call you ' Miss ' 
 o
 
 2io EMANUEL 
 
 now," bantered Ane " Miss Hansine Andersen- 
 it sounds ever so grand ! " 
 
 " Oh, be quiet, do ! " 
 
 " It's all very well for you to talk like that, now 
 you are going to be a clergyman's wife, but what 
 is to become of us other poor creatures ? I don't 
 suppose I shall have a curate coming to court 
 me, I shall have to put up with some old parish 
 clerk, or shoemaker, or " 
 
 Suddenly they both started up. They heard 
 the sound of boots on the stone steps, and then 
 in the outer room. In an instant they were off 
 the chair. 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 WHEN Emanuel came in, his expression imme- 
 diately betrayed his deep disappointment at 
 finding the red-haired friend at Hansine's side 
 at this moment. But he quickly controlled him- 
 self, and when Ane stepped forward and con- 
 gratulated him with a flaming face her freckles 
 standing out white he thanked her with a hearty 
 smile. 
 
 Then he went up to Hansine, who stood half 
 dazed, looking at the ground, and stretched out 
 both his hands to her. She gave him very 
 slowly both hers, which he pressed long and 
 tenderly, while he gazed at her in silence. She 
 perfectly well understood that he wanted her to
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 213 
 
 look up, but she could not bring herself to it 
 When he at last released her hands, she stole 
 a glance at her friend, with a sigh of relief, 
 she had been afraid that he would kiss her. 
 At this moment the kitchen door was softly 
 opened and her mother came in, in a freshly 
 ironed cotton apron and a tight little black cap. 
 At the first moment she was so ill at ease that, in 
 trying to hide it, her greeting to Emanuel, and 
 her whole bearing towards him, had an air of 
 suspicious reserve. 
 
 Emanuel took her hand and said that he hoped 
 the reason of his visit was known to her, and 
 that neither she nor her husband would be afraid 
 to trust Hansine's future to him. If they were 
 favourable to him, he added, he would for the 
 first time in his life feel perfectly happy. 
 
 Else answered by passing her hand sympatheti- 
 cally over Hansine's hair and cheek ; then, as she 
 was not a good hand at keeping silence on any 
 subject which she had at heart, she said, "It 
 certainly never entered our heads that anything 
 of this sort would happen nor can I say but 
 that it is very strange to us. It's struck us all 
 of a heap ; for, as the saying has it, ' Like plays 
 best with like,' ' The children of equals are the 
 best playmates,' and you know Hansine has only 
 been brought up as a simple peasant girl. I 
 don't suppose your Reverence's family expected 
 a daughter-in-law of that sort. One doesn't 
 want one's daughter to be looked down on where
 
 2i 4 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 she goes. However, as it has once for all turned 
 out so, there's nothing to be said against it, and 
 we can only ask the Lord to send His blessing." 
 
 There was a moment's silence. 
 
 This was broken by the entrance of Anders 
 Jorgen in his dark holiday clothes and white 
 stocking feet. He remained standing doubtfully 
 by the door, and looked at Else as if he expected 
 a sign from her. At last he crossed the floor 
 awkwardly, and greeted the curate with " Good 
 luck to ye, and God bless ye." 
 
 Emanuel pressed his hand silently. 
 
 " Won't the curate be pleased to take a seat," 
 said Else. 
 
 While the others seated themselves round the 
 room, Hansine and her friend on the end of the 
 bench under the window, Emanuel took the arm- 
 chair by the stove. He was hurt and almost 
 angry. It seemed to him that he had a right to 
 expect a more hearty reception. 
 
 Else began to talk of the weather, and the 
 want of rain beginning to tell on the grass and 
 the early seed, about all the sickness among the 
 people, and about the new parish doctor at 
 Kyndlose. 
 
 Emanuel only answered in monosyllables. 
 
 At last the conversation dropped altogether, 
 and a painful silence ensued. 
 
 " I say, Anders," at length Else said to her 
 husband, " the curate mebbe would like to see 
 the cattle."
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 215 
 
 Anders Jorgen half rose, and his eyes brightened. 
 
 " Aye, perhaps your Reverence would like to 
 see the beasts." 
 
 Emanuel said yes, and rising with alacrity, 
 buttoned his coat. It almost looked as if he 
 meant to leave them altogether. 
 
 But then Else became anxious. She went up 
 to him and said, trying to smile in her old 
 winning manner : " Well, now, we shall expect 
 you to spend the day with us ? you will put up 
 with what we have to offer you. If we had 
 known it sooner, we would have managed to have 
 something better. And you must not be vexed 
 if we were a little upset at hearing of this. We 
 never could have expected Hansine to climb to 
 the top of the tree and find a husband like you. 
 But at bottom we're right glad, and thankful for 
 what has happened, and you must not think 
 otherwise. You'll stay with us to-day, now won't 
 you ? " 
 
 " Dear Else," said Emanuel, immediately 
 softened, " I shall most certainly from to-day be 
 glad to look upon this place as my home. I have 
 long wished to do so and, in a way, I have no 
 longer any other." 
 
 " Well, then ! you are most heartily welcome," 
 said Else, all at once regaining her usual familiar 
 tone and slapping his arm. " We've always liked 
 you since the first time we saw you, sure and 
 certain we have. But go out now with Anders 
 and look about you a bit. There are no grand
 
 216 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 things to shew you, for this is only a poor 
 peasant's farm you have come to, but you knew 
 that beforehand, I expect." 
 
 " I knew at any rate that I was not seeking 
 that kind of wealth about which you country 
 people say : ' The fire devours it in a single night,' " 
 answered Emanuel, smiling. Then he turned to 
 Hansine, and added : " Won't you come out, too, 
 and give a look at the stables ? " 
 
 She did not understand the hint, blushed, and 
 said, with a glance at her mother, that she would 
 have to help in the kitchen. 
 
 " Well, well, then, till we meet again," said he, 
 and nodded to her. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 ANDERS JORGEN and Emanuel went to the 
 stables first ; they were newly built, and immedi- 
 ately opposite the ancient living house. There 
 were two big red Wallachian horses, and a rough- 
 haired yearling ; they all rattled their chains and 
 whinnied into their mangers with the hollow, 
 comfortable sound horses make when they are 
 visited in their stables. 
 
 With sudden liveliness, which astonished 
 Emanuel, Anders Jorgen began giving minute 
 details of the age, character, and breed of the 
 animals. With great pride he explained that
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 217 
 
 " the lass there " he meant the foal was a direct 
 descendant of "Starkodder II.," who had taken 
 prizes three years running at Roeskilde Horse 
 Show, and could hang more medals and marks 
 of honour on its breast than many a prince. 
 
 Emanuel listened attentively to him, and looked 
 with great interest at the various appliances in the 
 stable and in the adjoining barns and threshing 
 sheds. He examined the chaff-cutting and win- 
 nowing machines, and asked the use of various 
 screws and cogwheels, and had himself initiated 
 generally into the mysteries of agriculture, of 
 which he had seen nothing since his childhood, 
 when he used to visit an uncle in Jutland. When 
 they entered the cow-byre his attention was 
 caught at once by a bird's nest which was built 
 close up under the rafters, among the cobwebs, 
 and out of which a pair of swallows flew just as 
 they came in. 
 
 " Oh ! look there ! " he said with delight. 
 
 Anders Jorgen, who thought that such an en- 
 thusiastic exclamation could only refer to the 
 condition of his cattle, let his hand fall heavily 
 on the back of a fat beast, with a delighted smile, 
 and said : 
 
 " There's a bit o' flesh for your Reverence ! " 
 
 The cows were Anders Jorgen's pets, and he 
 had a considerable reputation in the neighbour- 
 hood as a breeder and fattener of cattle. He 
 knew exactly how much milk each of his cows 
 had given, and their weights ever since they had
 
 218 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 been in his stable. He could tell off on his 
 fingers how many pounds of bran, chaff, straw, 
 and oilcake they had consumed ; and the relative 
 prices of butter, meat, and fodder for the last 
 twenty years, and he held forth on these subjects 
 with a most surprising eloquence to Emanuel ; 
 giving him at the same time a most learned 
 explanation of the modern stall and artificial 
 feeding, and shewed himself a most determined 
 adherent of the system. 
 
 Emanuel listened to him with rising astonish- 
 ment. This little half-blind man, with his awk- 
 ward manners whom he had hitherto looked 
 upon as a simple clown now stood before him 
 full of eagerness, asserting independent views, 
 shewing insight, and unfolding a knowledge of 
 his subject which quite overwhelmed him. 
 
 All this strengthened him in his opinion, that 
 much of the want of appreciation, and injustice 
 from which the peasants suffered, was entirely 
 due to the want of understanding of the kernel 
 which was hidden behind their external shyness 
 and helplessness ; and that therefore it was ab- 
 solutely necessary, for anyone who wished to do 
 anything among these people, to bind themselves 
 to them heart and soul, to be able to win their 
 confidence. 
 
 Anders Jorgen, who was flattered by Emanuel's 
 interest in his occupations, became more and 
 more communicative. He led him round all 
 the outhouses and barns, shewed him the granary,
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 219 
 
 the closed horse threshing machine, took him into 
 the sheepfold, and down into the curing cellars, 
 and Emanuel followed him everywhere with- 
 out opposition. When they arrived at the pig- 
 sties, and Anders Jorgen in his zeal wanted him 
 to go inside to feel the pigs, he laid his hand on 
 his shoulder and said smilingly : " Thank you, my 
 dear fellow, I must ask you to leave that till 
 another time." 
 
 At this point the white-haired lad Ole appeared, 
 to say that dinner was ready. Emanuel nodded 
 kindly to his future brother-in-law, and examined 
 him closely for the first time. He was a fresh- 
 coloured, bright boy of fifteen, rather short, like 
 Hansine, with a child-like expression. 
 
 " We two must make friends," said Emanuel, 
 and pinched his apple cheek. The boy stared 
 open-mouthed at him, and then at his father, and 
 no sooner did Emanuel let him go than he ran 
 away as hard as he could behind the barn into 
 the brewhouse, where he told the woman, with a 
 grin, what the curate had said to him. But the 
 woman, who had made out what was in the 
 wind, pursed up her mouth and said : " You're a 
 reg-lar simpleton, Ole ! can't ye see what's a-goin' 
 on ? " 
 
 Then he understood. He stared at the woman, 
 his face blood red, and then turned round and 
 ran away. When his mother shortly after stepped 
 outside the door and called him to dinner, he did 
 not answer, nor did he appear at the meal.
 
 220 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 In the living room the table was spread with a 
 clean white cloth and gay flowered earthenware 
 dishes. The place at the head of the table was 
 reserved for Emanuel. At first he tried to get 
 Hansine to sit by him, but he soon discovered 
 that it would be against all peasant etiquette for 
 the daughter of the house to sit down while the 
 guest dined. So he had to content himself with 
 nodding to her as she carried the dishes in and 
 out from the kitchen. 
 
 He was completely happy. The chill fogs of 
 doubt which had closed around his spirit in the 
 long sleepless night were long since dispersed. 
 He was sure that his love would conquer fear 
 and old prejudices, and it seemed to him that 
 everything smiled and wished him joy. 
 
 The dinner was rather frugal to one of 
 Emanuel's habits, and he did not know that 
 rice-milk porridge followed by fried bacon, and 
 scrambled eggs were looked upon as gala food 
 in a peasant's house. All the same, no meal had 
 ever seemed more festive to him than this. The 
 sun threw its golden rays over the cloth, and he 
 felt for the first time that he was indeed in the 
 country. A fresh scent of hay came in through 
 the open door, and first a white butterfly fluttered 
 in on the warm breeze like a little ship with 
 sails set then a busy humble bee, filling the room 
 for a moment with its angry buzzing before it 
 flew out again. 
 
 Last of all, the chickens flocked in, attracted by
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 221 
 
 the clatter of spoons and forks ; one by one they 
 hopped in, as if accustomed to it, and picked up 
 the crumbs off the earthen floor under the table 
 and benches. Only the big strutting cock stayed 
 outside, crowing softly like a wide-awake in- 
 spector, encouraging them and warning at the 
 same time. 
 
 After dinner Hansine was so tired that she 
 was obliged to go to her room to rest It was 
 a bitter disappointment to Emanuel, who had 
 been longing to talk to her in private. He was 
 obliged to be satisfied with Else for an hour, as 
 Anders Jorgen also saw his chance to creep away 
 and take his mid-day snooze in the barn, with one 
 of his wooden shoes for a pillow. 
 
 According to custom among peasants, Else 
 took Emanuel all over the house. She shewed 
 him the kitchen and brew-house and here the 
 smiling labourer's wife wished him joy, and 
 offered him a dripping hand to shake then she 
 led him down to the salting cellar and the dairy, 
 where she made up a pat of fresh-churned butter 
 in his honour. Last of all, they went into the 
 " best room," a big room with the walls dis- 
 tempered blue, which lay by itself on the other 
 side of the entrance. The only furniture was a 
 double wardrobe, and three large green painted 
 chests containing their stores of bed and table 
 linen and family relics. Else opened the chests 
 one by one, and Emanuel saw many things which 
 interested him very much. There were wedding
 
 222 
 
 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 skirts a hundred years old, stomachers cunningly 
 embroidered in Hedebo stitch and with woven 
 names and dates, which were the labour of years ; 
 there were ancient, gold-embroidered caps, and 
 others sewn all over with beads, all of which had 
 belonged to the wedding costumes of their an- 
 
 cestors; prayer books, shoe buckles, chains, and 
 silver buttons. 
 
 Else was most taken up with shewing him the 
 savings of years, in the shape of rolls of linen, 
 bales of homespun and bundles of yarn ; because 
 this was what Emanuel did not know, and never 
 would have understood the most important part
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 223 
 
 of the children's portions, for the farm was lease- 
 hold for three lives, and Anders Jorgen's was the 
 last 
 
 " Yes, this is what we've gathered together," 
 she said, not without pride, while she exhibited 
 piece after piece of her treasure, passing her hand 
 tenderly over them. " It's perhaps not so much, 
 for Anders and I were married late in life, and for 
 the first few years the takings were small. Then 
 many a time we've had bad years, misfortunes 
 with the beasts and the harvests, so we may be 
 thankful we've done as well as we have. When I 
 had my thoughts on Anders, my mother foretold 
 both the poorhouse and all sorts of other miseries, 
 but the Almighty willed it otherwise, and we've 
 much to be thankful for." 
 
 Handling all these many stored-up things woke 
 all kinds of old memories, and she told him how 
 Anders and she had found each other in their 
 youth while they served on farms together in a 
 neighbouring parish. Emanuel listened, full of 
 admiration, to her half-bashful story, how they 
 had to serve fifteen years among strangers, and 
 bear with all kinds of opposition, before they had 
 saved enough between them to set up house, 
 and he felt a new joy in thinking that he might 
 be a comfort and prop in their old age to this 
 faithful pair.
 
 224 
 
 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 IN the meantime rumours of the engagement, had 
 spread from the Parsonage all over the district, 
 and by mid-day it had reached Skibberup. At 
 first the people did not put much faith in it, but 
 
 when it was discovered that the curate had been 
 seen to go into Anders Jorgen's house in the 
 morning and had not come out again, they began 
 to waver. In the course of the last hour the most
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 225 
 
 diverse faces, both children's and those of grown- 
 up people, had been peeping over the garden wall 
 and through the gate to pick up any scraps of 
 information which could throw a light on the 
 matter. While Else and Emanuel were in the 
 best parlour, a pair of village wives ventured right 
 into the brew-house, where they began a whispered 
 conversation with the labourer's wife. 
 
 When by these means the rumour was con- 
 firmed, there was universal delight in the village. 
 Nobody could now keep back, but all must needs 
 press to the fence, so as if possible to catch a 
 glimpse of the newly-affianced pair ; and when 
 Else and Emanuel returned to the living-room, 
 they found a couple of intimate friends already 
 seated there, waiting to offer their good wishes. 
 
 They were shortly followed by others, and it 
 soon became apparent that Else's fears about 
 gossip and jealousy were groundless. They all 
 looked upon the event as a kind of honour shown 
 to the whole congregation, nay, even to the whole 
 peasant class ; a living seal to the alliance formed 
 the day before at the Meeting House. 
 
 Hansine, who came in from her room imme- 
 diately after the first visitors arrived, did not by 
 her manner give any cause for offence. Whilst 
 her friend did not quit her side, but kept her 
 arm shelteringly round Hansine's waist, with a 
 triumphant expression, she herself shyly and 
 shrinkingly received the congratulations of her 
 friends in silence.
 
 22 6 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 The room was crammed all the afternoon with 
 proud and delighted villagers. After a time they 
 were obliged to throw both doors and windows 
 open to get a little fresh air into the stifling 
 atmosphere. The coffee pot was kept boiling all 
 the afternoon. Even Hansen the weaver ap- 
 peared at last, and greeted the young couple with 
 his distorted and ambiguous smile. 
 
 Emanuel was thrown into a curious state of 
 mind at receiving the congratulations of all these 
 people before he had had any real talk with Han- 
 sine, nay, before he had even had her consent from 
 her own lips. He began to be almost jealous of 
 that big red-haired friend who had planted herself 
 there by her side like a guard, and who sat caress- 
 ing Hansine's hand in her lap as if they were the 
 two who were engaged. He was speculating all 
 the time how he should manage to get Hansine 
 out of this person's power and have her to him- 
 self. 
 
 At last he took an opportunity of getting near 
 enough to ask her, without any of the others 
 hearing, if they should not go and walk in the 
 garden together. 
 
 She rose at once. But Ane followed. It was 
 just as if she Hansine's dearest friend felt 
 herself entitled to share their confidences. This 
 time Emanuel had some difficulty in controlling 
 his impatience, and after they had walked about 
 for a few minutes, he proposed returning to the 
 sitting-room.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 227 
 
 But just as they were going in, he laid his hand 
 on Hansine's arm and said : 
 
 "There is something I want to talk to you 
 about, Hansine." 
 
 He saw that she trembled. This time she 
 understood his hint. After a moment's hesita- 
 tion she drew her hand out of her friend's arm 
 and said : 
 
 " Will you go in and help mother with the 
 coffee, I am coming directly." 
 
 Ane first looked at them in amazement, and 
 then her face took an expression which was 
 meant to show that she felt herself deeply 
 wronged. Without a word, she turned away 
 and left them. Hansine and Emanuel went 
 slowly back the way they had come. Neither 
 of them spoke. But when they reached the 
 summer-house at the furthest end of the garden, 
 where no one could see them except a little 
 goldfinch piping among the foliage, he took both 
 her hands and stood for a long time silently 
 looking at her. She was pale, and once or twice 
 looked up shyly and hurriedly at him. She 
 waited for him to speak. But as he only con- 
 tinued to gaze at her with his tender, searching 
 glance, she at last involuntarily crept into his 
 arms and shut her eyes, while he pressed his first 
 kiss on her forehead.
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 WHEN Villing opened his shop early in the 
 morning, on the Sunday after the Meeting, he 
 found the usual little group of ragged, miserable 
 creatures, both men and women, at the foot of 
 the steps, waiting impatiently, with empty bottles 
 hidden under their coats and aprons, till the 
 shop opened. 
 
 They slunk in past him, one by one, with a 
 silent and timorous salute, and laid their greasy 
 coins on the counter with shaking hands ; mean- 
 while the shop-boy filled the bottles from the 
 brandy cask, and then they crept out again, hurry- 
 ing off each taking his own road over the fields. 
 Villing remained standing on the stone step in 
 embroidered slippers, and a grey linen cap 
 pressed down on his fat head. His thumbs, as 
 
 231
 
 232 EMANUEL"; OR 
 
 usual, were stuck into the armholes of his waist- 
 coat, while he drummed upon his chest with his 
 fingers, and gave his morning glance round about 
 the village. From his door he could overlook 
 almost the whole village ; he could smell what 
 was boiling and frying on every stove, and decide 
 at once whether the coffee beans or the spices 
 were bought in his shop. Veilby only consisted 
 of seven or eight farms and a few cottages. The 
 farms were all built on one and the same pattern, 
 of the same dull yellow brick, with a long row 
 of tiresome windows looking towards the pond, 
 the same high cement plinth and a slate roof. 
 They had a small strip of garden either in front 
 or at the side of each, with a few newly planted 
 trees like broomsticks, giving neither shelter nor 
 shade. The whole village had been destroyed by 
 fire in a single night a few years ago. Only the 
 church, the parsonage, and a few high lying 
 cottages had been spared. Although it was only 
 seven o'clock the sun was quite hot. There was 
 not a cloud in the sky, and the slightest puff 
 of wind raised a cloud of dust over the village 
 and the adjoining fields. The grass on the dykes 
 round the gardens, and especially the high haw- 
 thorn hedge round the parsonage, looked as if 
 they had been white-washed ; the surface of the 
 water in the village pond was covered with an 
 oily film, which glittered in the sun with all the 
 colours of the rainbow. A man was polishing 
 harness in one of the gateways ; and by the
 
 2 33 
 
 gable of another farm, a man was brushing his 
 Sunday clothes and whistling the while. The 
 festive bustle of Sunday was to be seen on every 
 side. 
 
 Villing was not to be taken in by this seeming 
 carelessness. A strained and uneasy expression 
 overspread his potatoe-like face with the little 
 yellow whiskers ; his outspread fingers drummed 
 mournful tunes on his waistcoat, and he turned a 
 troubled glance on the red roof of the Parsonage 
 which shone majestically among the trees of the 
 Park. 
 
 Oh, if he only knew what was to happen 
 to-day ! He would gladly give a hundred 
 crowns to the poor for one peep into what he 
 was pleased to call the " dim chaos of the future " 
 having a weakness for high sounding phrases. 
 There was no longer any doubt that the Provst 
 meant to use all his power to crush the spirit 
 of revolt among the congregation since he 
 had nailed up an announcement on the smithy, 
 that for the future he would preach in both 
 churches himself, beginning with Skibberup to- 
 day. But would he succeed ? Had not the 
 movement gone too far for opposition to have 
 any effect ? Notwithstanding that he was a 
 firm adherent of the Provst, his spirits sank 
 when ,he thought of the coming contest. 
 
 He went back again into the shop and vented 
 his ill-humour, as usual, on the shop-boy, a thin 
 bleached - looking child from the Copenhagen
 
 234 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 slums, who had lately been entrusted to his care 
 " by the direction of the Almighty," as Villing 
 expressed it, and by which he meant an adver- 
 tisement in the daily paper. 
 
 Little by little the customers dropped in, 
 and up to church-time the shop was crammed. 
 Most of them came, more to wile away a leisure 
 hour than to deal. The shop was the common 
 meeting place for the men, where they went at 
 least once a day to hear the news, fetch the 
 letters, and learn the day's prices. 
 
 The public mind was unusually depressed to- 
 day. Rumours were afloat as to the prepara- 
 tions for war between the Provst and the 
 people of Skibberup. One thing was certain, 
 and that was, that the Provst had lodged 
 a formal complaint with the Bishop about 
 Emanuel, and had asked that he might be re- 
 moved at once. Any one could see that the 
 Skibberup people would not let this insult pass 
 unnoticed. 
 
 According to some, the weaver had said with 
 his malicious smile that there would not be peace 
 in the parish till the Provst was driven out 
 of Veilby Parsonage, and what the weaver 
 promised with a smile he usually performed. 
 
 Villing went about his business behind the 
 counter with his ears pricked up to follow the 
 various conversations. But neither he nor his 
 wife who had appeared in the shop like a sun- 
 beam in a pink cotton gown forgot to look
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 235 
 
 after their business, and to take advantage of the 
 number of customers. 
 
 Above the din of heavy boots, wooden shoes, 
 and rough voices, Villing might be constantly 
 heard giving orders to the bewildered shopboy : 
 " Ludwig, a quid of tobacco for Hans Olsen 
 the best kind, finest quality ! and half a pound 
 of sugar candy ! full measure, do you under- 
 stand ? no pinching for Hans Olsen, I beg "- 
 or the soft persuasive voice of the mistress : " I 
 think I may guarantee that you will not get the 
 equal of this calico anywhere, at double the 
 price. But the principle we go on is, when we 
 have done a good bit of business ourselves, we 
 give our customers the benefit of it." 
 
 Down by the door a man exclaimed : " Here 
 comes the Provst." 
 
 The conversation stopped at once, and all 
 turned to the windows. 
 
 A moment after, the Provst rolled by in an 
 open carriage. He was alone on the broad seat, 
 leaning complacently back in the carriage. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 BY this time several hundred people had as- 
 sembled outside the lonely church at Skibberup. 
 Seldom if ever had the bass tones of the old 
 bells pealed out over such a numerous gathering ;
 
 236 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 never, in any case, over a more solemn one. 
 There was as much stir in that solitary church- 
 yard as in a market place. People were en- 
 camped on the gravestones ; they shouted to 
 each other across the graves, and on every side 
 there was so much noise and talk, that the bells 
 could hardly be heard. 
 
 The weaver wandered about in this excited 
 assemblage, smiling quietly like a cat in a dairy. 
 He felt that he commanded the situation to-day. 
 In every-day life the people of Skibberup might 
 grumble at his peculiar ways ; but in times of 
 trouble, they gathered round him with unshake- 
 able faith and hitherto he had led them from 
 victory to victory. Rumour had for once spoken 
 the truth, and to-day he was prepared for a 
 master-stroke. 
 
 At the first moment, when the Provst's an- 
 nouncement made it plain that he meant to 
 open the battle fully accoutred, there had been 
 some difference of opinion as to how he was to be 
 met. The young people wished to keep away 
 from church entirely, as they had done before, 
 and leave the Provst to rage to empty benches ; 
 and then, after the service, meet him on the road 
 and hoot. But at a meeting it was decided to 
 adopt a proposal of the weaver's, to muster in 
 numbers at the service so as to have as many 
 witnesses as possible against the Provst, should 
 he as was thought probable overstep the 
 bounds of propriety. It was now their intention
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 237 
 
 to listen to him with perfect calm and attention. 
 But if he went too far, they were all, at a given 
 signal, to rise in a body and leave the church ; 
 and later to send a complaint, signed by all present, 
 to the Diocesan Council. 
 
 On the stroke of nine, " Death's " bony figure 
 was seen hurrying with long strides over the 
 graves, from his look-out post in the corner of the 
 churchyard. The Provst was in sight. 
 
 A moment later the bells clanged out again, and 
 the women began to straggle into church in Indian 
 file. The men, on the other hand, ranged them- 
 selves according to plan on each side of the 
 entrance to receive the Provst without saluting 
 him. 
 
 This was also done at the weaver's instigation. 
 " For," said he, " it is nowhere written that people 
 must take off their hats to the priest." 
 
 However, this little opening skirmish fell flat. 
 The Provst walked from his carriage into the church 
 without looking either to the right or to the left, 
 and apparently did not notice the demonstration. 
 Certainly one or two old peasants, when it came 
 to the point, lost their courage ; and there were a 
 few others whose right hands involuntarily went 
 halfway to their caps. 
 
 A few minutes later, before the men had all got 
 inside the church, the hymns began, led by Johansen 
 the assistant teacher. The singing did not sound 
 badly, although the whole congregation sang at 
 the tops of their voices. Whatever might be
 
 238 EMANUEL 
 
 said of the dark old monkish church and its 
 musty cellar-like smell and mouldy arches had 
 often been derided in the weaver's Meeting 
 House in any case it produced a softening 
 effect on the rough voices of the singers. 
 
 After two hymns had been sung, Johansen 
 withdrew to his high pew, and the Provst walked 
 down from the altar and mounted the pulpit 
 steps, which creaked under his weight. 
 
 At this moment a carriage was heard to stop at 
 the gate ; and just as the Provst began his prayer 
 the church door was opened by an elderly man 
 in black, carrying a white linen driving coat over 
 his arm. 
 
 The sight of this person roused as much move- 
 ment in the church as if the Almighty himself had 
 appeared among them. Even the weaver, who 
 had taken up his place against the middle pillar 
 so that every one should see him, almost lost his 
 self-command ; his otherwise self-contained and 
 clever little cat's face suddenly took an expression 
 of open-mouthed astonishment 
 
 At the first bench which the stranger approached, 
 seven or eight men rose as stiff as statues to make 
 way for him. But he motioned them to keep 
 their seats with a friendly smile and a wave of 
 the hand, and quietly sat down in the corner 
 of the already crowded seat, next to a burly 
 peasant. 
 
 The only person in the church who was unaware 
 of the stranger's presence, or the stir created by
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 241 
 
 his coming, was the Provst. At the end of the 
 introductory prayer he took up his book and read 
 the text for the day. When he raised his voice 
 there was a heavy thrilling under-current in it 
 like distant thunder. 
 
 Johansen immediately discovered the commo- 
 tion, and by craning his head over the pew he 
 could just see the stranger, and the effect was to 
 make his curls almost stand on end. He looked 
 up at the Provst with a startled glance as if to 
 warn him, but he continued calmly reading the 
 Gospel, and when it was over he leant with both 
 hands on the front of the pulpit and began to 
 speak. 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 EMANUEL at this same time was walking briskly, 
 humming as he went along the path from Veilby 
 common to Skibberup. 
 
 He had exchanged his inseparable umbrella for 
 a more countrified oak staff, and in place of his 
 former head-covering he now wore a broad- 
 brimmed rush hat. The burning spring sun of 
 the past week, when he had been constantly on 
 foot, had tanned his face and covered it with 
 freckles, and bleached his fair pointed beard, till 
 it looked almost white against his reddened 
 skin. 
 
 He had no clear idea of the stir that had been
 
 242 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 made in the parish during the week. As he was 
 the object of it, the people again by the weaver's 
 advice had not informed him of it ; and as 
 Hansine's parents for the same reason had kept 
 out of the contest, he only knew that it was in- 
 tended in some way or other to protest against 
 his dismissal. He waited quietly for the Provst's 
 formal notice, which must come soon, as he had 
 been prohibited all clerical work. For the first 
 few days after the rupture he had thought ot 
 breaking the last thread which bound him to the 
 Parsonage, by leaving at once and taking some 
 rooms which had been offered to him in Skib- 
 berup. But when he heard that the Provst had 
 really lodged a complaint with the bishop, he 
 decided to remain, so that it should not look as 
 if he feared to face the responsibility for his 
 actions in the right place. 
 
 But he passed as much time as possible in the 
 house of Hansine's parents, avoiding any meeting 
 with the Provst ; besides which, he was filled with 
 the joy of his young love, and of all the new 
 world which was opened to him in Anders Jorgen's 
 home, his fields, stables, and cattle, so that he 
 only half took in what was going on around him. 
 
 At last he had his own plans for the future to 
 busy himself with ; and in these he often forgot 
 the strife of the moment entirely. 
 
 He was quite determined to marry as soon as 
 his circumstances in any way permitted. He 
 thought of buying a small property in the neigh-
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 243 
 
 bourhood, with what he had inherited from his 
 mother, and intended to support himself entirely 
 as a tiller of the earth. For the work he might 
 do among the congregation, as priest or teacher, 
 he would not take any pay. He wished to lead 
 a perfectly independent life on his farm, sharing 
 what he had with his friends. 
 
 He thought in a couple of years he might have 
 acquired enough knowledge of farming with 
 Hansine at his side and .the support of kind 
 friends to take upon himself, without any great 
 risk, the management of so small a property as 
 he had in his mind, for his means would not 
 allow of more than ten or twelve acres of land, 
 a horse, a couple of cows, and a few sheep. 
 
 He was already a pupil of Anders Jorgen, and 
 had as he thought made great progress. He 
 had learnt something of the manner of dealing 
 with the earth, could almost drive a pair of horses, 
 and could harness them either to a waggon or a 
 plough, and knew how to feed cattle. 
 
 There was a little farm for sale beyond Skib- 
 berup and he had already thought of it. It was 
 a pretty little house with idyllic surroundings, at 
 the bottom of a tiny green dale opening on the 
 fiord. The buildings were small and dilapidated; 
 to make up for this, there was an unusually large 
 'and pretty garden, with hollyhocks and honey- 
 suckles covering the walls. One evening he 
 spoke about the place to Hansine, who for the 
 time was the only person to whom he had
 
 244 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 divulged his plans ; and as she liked it too, and 
 quite approved of his proposals, he almost made 
 up his mind that this was to be their future 
 home. 
 
 He had been every day since, to look at the 
 place, and was more in love with it every time he 
 saw it When the setting sun threw a crimson 
 light on to the small window panes and gilded the 
 bushes in the garden, and the white wings of the 
 pigeons as they fluttered backwards and forwards 
 over the thatched roof, it seemed to him a little 
 earthly paradise guarded by gentle angels of 
 peace. 
 
 He already knew exactly how the house was 
 to be arranged and furnished, how their house- 
 keeping was to be carried on, and the labour of 
 the day shared. First of all, luxury of every 
 kind, and idleness, were to be banished from their 
 home. The furniture was to be plain deal, painted 
 red ; and they were to live so simply, that not 
 even the poorest person could feel too humble 
 to take a place at their board. They would rise 
 with the sun and the lark, and when the work 
 was over in the evening, they would gather their 
 friends around them to cheer each other with 
 songs, reading, conversation and prayer. He al- 
 ready saw himself in a peasant's smock, following 
 the plough up and down the ridges ; saw himself 
 rowing out into the fiord on fine evenings, setting 
 lines and traps, while Hansine busied herself at 
 home in the cottage, now and then coming to
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 245 
 
 the door to look for him. How plainly he could 
 see her upright little figure standing there under 
 the eaves, her left hand resting on her hip, as was 
 her habit shading her eyes with her right, smil- 
 ing her tender little smile so like her mother's, 
 and which lighted up the stern lines of her face 
 like a gleam of sunshine in a dark forest. Yes, 
 his dreams carried him even further into the 
 future. He saw their children running and play- 
 ing on the sands, as happy as birds ... no pale, 
 unhealthy creatures of culture in velvet blouses, 
 with faces prematurely old ; but strong, healthy 
 angels of nature and the fresh air, with peasants' 
 roses on their cheeks, and eyes as clear and blue 
 as the blue waves. 
 
 He had reached the top of the ridge above 
 Skibberup, and looked down on the almost 
 deserted village, with its little orchards still 
 covered with withering bloom. When he got 
 a little way down the slope he caught sight of 
 Hansine, in the meadow behind her father's 
 house, feeding a lamb with milk from a bottle. 
 She had on her cherry-coloured dress, which she 
 had worn the first time he saw her properly, 
 and in which he always thought she looked her 
 prettiest. Her head was covered with a big 
 white sun bonnet completely hiding her face. 
 
 In a sudden fit of wild gaiety, which made him 
 forget that it was church-time, he put his hands 
 to his mouth and called " cuckoo ! " She looked 
 up hurriedly ; and when she discovered him, let
 
 246 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 go both the lamb and the bottle and ran to meet 
 him. At sight of this a little cold shiver ran 
 through him, . . . she did not run nicely. But 
 when she came nearer, and he held her in his 
 arms, he was almost angry with himself for 
 noticing it, and pressed a kiss on her fresh, warm 
 cheek. She had become fairly familiar with him 
 by degrees, but still always blushed when he 
 kissed her ; and to hide her confusion began 
 eagerly telling him all that had happened at 
 home since the evening before a sow had 
 littered, a cow broken loose in the night, and 
 the butter which wouldn't " come." Emanuel's 
 new zest in his out-door life had awakened her 
 own interest in all these everyday things ; had, 
 as it were, ennobled them and her home. He 
 laid his hand on her arm, and so they wandered 
 confidentially down towards the farm. 
 
 Else was at the window of her bedroom arrang- 
 ing her thick iron grey hair. Far from minding 
 Emanuel's approach, she nodded to him, only 
 drawing a towel she had round her shoulders 
 closer together at the neck. 
 
 " Good morning, mother ! " he said gaily. 
 He had quickly accustomed himself to their 
 natural simplicity of life ; and in fact saw in it 
 the simple leaning of the peasant's mind to the 
 purity of childhood. 
 
 " How is all with you to-day ? " 
 
 " Oh, very well the big sow has littered." 
 
 " Yes, so I hear. How many pigs are there ? "
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 247 
 
 " Twelve, I believe." 
 
 " Ah, that's something to be proud of! He 
 looked about and added " Where's father ? Has 
 he gone to church ? " 
 
 Else threw a stolen glance at him, and then 
 looked at Hansine. " Have you told him any- 
 thing? " her eyes asked. 
 
 Both Else and Hansine had known since the 
 day before, what was to happen in church to-day ; 
 but they had decided not to tell Emanuel, 
 because they had a feeling that he might not 
 altogether approve of Hansen's measures, and 
 also because Else did not wish that he should 
 come between them and hinder their plans. 
 
 " Anders went down into the meadow to look 
 after the young cattle," she said, calmed by 
 Emanuel's look. 
 
 "Oh I suppose we ought to be foddering 
 now." 
 
 " I daresay he'll be back directly. But you're 
 clever enough now, I expect, to feed them yourself, 
 if you like." 
 
 " We must see about it," he said, and went 
 across the yard to Ole's bedroom, which was 
 next the stable, to change his clothes. 
 
 Hansine went slowly up the stone steps to the 
 brew-house, loosening the strings of her sun- 
 bonnet as she went. She had to see after the 
 dinner. She stopped on the top step and 
 glanced uneasily over the little gate between 
 the stables, down the church road.
 
 248 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " Not a creature to be seen yet," she said to 
 her mother, while the only bitter feeling in her 
 heart, namely, the righteous hatred of the 
 Skibberup people towards the Provst, shone out 
 of her beautiful dark blue eyes. 
 
 Emanuel went into the cow-byre dressed in a 
 long belted sacking smock and pair of wooden 
 shoes. 
 
 It was the first time he had fed the cattle by 
 himself, and he felt rather nervous about it, but 
 he weighed and measured out the portions with 
 the greatest exactitude, and mixed the bran 
 mashes, and, lastly, gave each cow a truss of 
 barley straw. 
 
 His work soon made him warm, and he felt, 
 after he had successfully accomplished it, that 
 delightful sense of satisfaction which only bodily 
 labour gives. Even after these few days of work 
 he could feel his muscles developing and the 
 blood coursing quicker through his veins. Why 
 had he not long, long ago realized the old saying, 
 " the sanctity of labour ! " he asked himself daily. 
 
 His next labour was to clean out the cow- 
 byre and wheel away the sweepings to the 
 manure heap, the sweat streaming down his 
 face. He felt the need of occupying himself 
 with the hardest and dirtiest work he could 
 find, to prove to himself that he had freed him- 
 self from the trammels of the past, and did not 
 consider his hands too good for any work how- 
 ever lowly.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 249 
 
 While occupied in this way he began to think 
 of his family and the faces they would make if 
 they could see him at this moment. He had had 
 a letter from his father and sister the day before, 
 on the occasion of his engagement ; that is to 
 say, he had received a curt acknowledgment of 
 his "astounding announcement," nothing more. 
 Hansine was not even mentioned, nor a single 
 question asked about her. 
 
 Although he had never expected to be under- 
 stood in that quarter, his father's coldness had 
 surprised and saddened him. So they had drifted 
 as far apart as this ! He quite understood that 
 they wished to shew by their silence, that from 
 this time they looked upon him as past help and 
 hopelessly lost ; and that they did not wish in 
 any way to be mixed up with his new con- 
 nexions. He saw that they looked upon his 
 engagement as a sort of social suicide, which 
 was not less disgraceful to the respected Hansted 
 family than his poor mother's had been. So he 
 did not doubt that from this time his name 
 would also be blotted out from the family re- 
 collection. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 WHEN Emanuel shortly after stepped out to 
 wash his hands at the pump in the yard, he saw 
 a stout clerical-looking man climbing the steps 
 to the entrance with the help of a stick.
 
 250 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 When the man heard the clatter of wooden 
 shoes on the flags, he turned round and stretched 
 out both his hands towards him with a cry of joy. 
 
 He was dressed in a long-tailed coat, not free 
 from spots, and black trousers bagging over his 
 boots. Long shiny black hair hung in curls, 
 reaching his coat collar under the brim of a dirty 
 yellow straw hat, and his sallow fat face was sur- 
 rounded by a reddish-brown goat's beard which 
 hung down over a black vest buttoned up to the 
 neck with two rows of horn buttons, so that not a 
 vestige of linen was to be seen. 
 
 While Emanuel, who had no idea who this man 
 might be, remained standing by the stable door, 
 the stranger with great difficulty descended the 
 steps ; and though it was evident that every step 
 gave him pain, he hurried across the yard with a 
 beaming face till he reached Emanuel. Then he 
 again stretched out his short fat arms and looked 
 at him with delight, his youthful dancing brown 
 eyes half buried in folds of fat, he exclaimed 
 in a curiously soft, but penetrating voice : " If 
 Mohammed won't come to the mountain, the 
 mountain comes to Mohammed. For thou art 
 Emanuel, I need not ask thee. Thou won't 
 find it easy to disown thy mother, dear friend ! 
 I wish thee joy ! " 
 
 With these words he moved his brown stick 
 from his right hand to his left, and grasped 
 Emanuel's with a hearty grip, as if they were old 
 friends.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 251 
 
 Emanuel was quite bewildered. Who in the 
 world could this be ? 
 
 " To tell the truth, dear friend ! " the other 
 exclaimed. "We have waited long and anxiously 
 for thee over there. Jette has been saying nearly 
 every day lately, ' I wonder if Emanuel will come 
 to-day.' Oh, she is quite in love with thee al- 
 ready ! When we heard of the grand meeting 
 here on Sunday, and about thy speech, I can't 
 tell thee how glad we were ! And then, too, thou 
 hast set thyself free and taken a bride from among 
 the people ! That's as it should be ! yes, that's 
 as it should be ! But thou canst guess how sur- 
 prised we were. Jette wouldn't believe it at first, 
 but afterwards she was so moved by it that it 
 made her cry. I had to go over to the school to 
 tell the girls the news. It made them half crazy, 
 the hussies ! They thought now there'd be a 
 priest waiting for each of them ! Ha, ha ! Then 
 we sang ' Love comes from God,' and then a lot 
 of other songs, for when once they had begun 
 they wouldn't stop. We didn't get to bed till 
 after eleven. But we had the moon to light us 
 in the schoolroom, the hussies." 
 
 At this moment it dawned upon Emanuel who 
 this was. He must be the High School director 
 from Sandinge. Now he recognised the face from 
 a photograph which Hansine had. But he did not 
 have a chance of assuring himself if he was right. 
 The stranger continued to talk uninterruptedly, 
 all the time patting him on the shoulder with his
 
 252 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 soft fat hand ; then he took both his hands and 
 squeezed them. 
 
 " Bravo ! dear friend, bravo ! " he went on. 
 " We need all our young, fiery blood in the 
 camp. We old fellows must get out of the way. 
 Just look at me, I'm a perfect wreck. I am 
 devastated by time, dear friend ! Well, we old 
 folks can comfort ourselves with the thought that 
 we did not spare ourselves in our youth. And 
 God be praised we have the satisfaction of 
 seeing that our efforts have not been entirely in 
 vain. Ah, you don't know how blessed it is to us 
 old folks to see how the People's cause is winning 
 its way, it is spreading in every part of the country 
 and among all sorts of people. And now you ! 
 Well, that's as it should be." This he went on 
 repeating in the voice of a conqueror. " I couldn't 
 keep quiet at home any longer ; I said to Jett6 
 this morning, I really must go to Skibberup to 
 see how they are getting on over there. So here 
 thou hast me." 
 
 " But won't you come into the house," Emanuel 
 at last found an opportunity to say. He was 
 quite abashed by the overflowing confidences 
 of the other; and also at being found in his 
 working clothes, in which no one had yet seen 
 him. 
 
 " No, dear friend, not now not now ! But I 
 am coming soon. I only peeped in to announce 
 my arrival. I am on my way to see a sick woman, 
 who's an old friend. Well, tell Else she may ex-
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 253 
 
 pect me to dinner, and I'll bring a few friends with 
 me, and we'll sit and talk and have a good time. 
 Good-bye, so long ! I am glad to have seen 
 them. Now I can tell Jette about thee, she'll be 
 delighted. I wanted to bring her to-day, but she 
 had to stay at home at the school with the little 
 girls. And we've just been to the king's city the 
 other day, to the spring meeting of the " New 
 Danish Community." Oh, they were beautiful 
 days." 
 
 " But let us go into the house," urged Emanuel, 
 this time more emphatically. 
 
 " No, no, drive me away, or I shall stand here 
 jabbering till I lose my breath. Till we meet 
 again, then ! Good-bye, good-bye ! Remember 
 me to the family in there ! " 
 
 He had hardly left the courtyard before Hansine 
 appeared in the door of the brew-house, with her 
 sleeves turned up and a bowl of scraps in her 
 hand. She was just in time to see the broad 
 back of the stranger disappear through the gate. 
 
 " I never ! " she exclaimed, putting down the 
 bowl on the flags and running to Emanuel. 
 " Wasn't that our High School director. How 
 was that ? Have you two been standing here 
 long ? Mother and I were down in the cellar, so 
 we didn't hear you. ... It was him, wasn't it ? " 
 
 " Yes, I suppose so ! " 
 
 She discovered the disappointment in his face 
 by the tone of his voice, and became quite 
 alarmed.
 
 254 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 " Don't you like him ? that can't be possible ! 
 . . . You are never angry because he said ' thou ' 
 to you ? He says that to everybody, even if he 
 has never seen them before. And that is really 
 right, you know ; you have said so yourself. . . . 
 He is really so nice. You mustn't think anything 
 else ... do you hear ? " she ended quite per- 
 tinaciously. She looked so pretty with her 
 anxious face and her sleeves turned up, that 
 Emanuel, who knew her affection for her old 
 teacher, couldn't find it in his heart to gainsay 
 her, so he only answered by a smile and gently 
 stroking her cheek. He was in reality not so 
 much disappointed as astonished, confused, dazed 
 by this ceaseless flow of conversation, the half of 
 which he had not understood. 
 
 They had not, however, much time for explana- 
 tions. Ole rushed into the yard, his face crimson 
 and bathed in perspiration. In spite of his mother's 
 prohibition he had not been able to keep away 
 from church, and had run all the way back 
 without stopping. 
 
 " The bishop has come," he shouted, as soon as 
 he set foot in the yard. 
 
 " What do you say ? . . . the bishop ! " cried 
 Emanuel and Hansine both together. 
 
 " Yes, it's quite true. ... I have seen him my- 
 self. He came into the church when the Provst 
 went into the pulpit, and now he's driven home 
 to the Parsonage with him. 
 
 Emanuei changed colour.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 255 
 
 " Then I must go," he said after a moment's 
 reflection, and went to change his clothes at once. 
 
 When he came back, Else was in the yard, too, 
 with Hansine, listening to Ole. 
 
 " Whatever can the bishop want ! " she asked, 
 turning an anxious face towards Emanuel. 
 
 " I don't know . . . we shall see," he answered, 
 hastily taking his leave. 
 
 Hansine went with him, but neither of them 
 spoke. She was white round her mouth and 
 much upset. Altogether a strange sort of 
 timidity had come over her since her engage- 
 ment. It was just as though this event had dis- 
 turbed something at the very foundations of her 
 being ; as if she no longer felt the earth steady 
 beneath her. When they reached the hills she 
 took leave of him saying : 
 
 " Then you'll come down this evening and tell 
 us what has happened." 
 
 He smiled, full of emotion, when he saw how 
 she struggled to hide her anxiety, kissed her on 
 the brow, and said to soothe her : 
 
 " Don't be afraid, dear ! why should any one 
 wish to harm us ? " 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 THE bishop's vehicle stood inside the Parsonage 
 gate, it was a humble little gig, as like the 
 veterinary's as one twin is like another.
 
 256 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 It was in this carriage, which was the talk of 
 the country, that the bishop, who was always his 
 own charioteer, travelled about in his diocese, 
 dressed in a white linen coat in summer, and in 
 winter in a sheepskin coat, only accompanied by 
 a young stable boy with a bright button on his 
 cap. Without sparing either himself or his 
 spavined horse, he journeyed in rain and sun- 
 shine for miles around the country, taking his 
 clergy by surprise when they least expected him 
 very different from his right reverend colleagues, 
 who always announced their arrival in the most 
 solemn manner, at least a fortnight beforehand, 
 so that everything might be ready for a fitting 
 reception. 
 
 When Emanuel reached the Parsonage they 
 were already at lunch the table was spread, con- 
 trary to the usual custom, under the flowering 
 horse chestnuts in the garden. This was by the 
 bishop's desire ; he said a meal in the open air 
 was to him a most regal pleasure; so Miss 
 Ragnhild though not very willingly had com- 
 plied with his wish. 
 
 It had become almost unbearably hot. The 
 glowing rays of the sun fell from a cloudless sky 
 on to the glittering gravel paths with such a glare 
 that it was quite painful to the eyes ; all kinds of 
 stinging insects disported themselves in the shade. 
 The lawns and flower-beds, in spite of constant 
 watering, were sadly burnt up by the sun. When 
 now and again a faint breeze stirred the trees, the
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 257 
 
 leaves rustled with a metallic sound like dead 
 foliage. Not a bird was singing. 
 
 The spirits of the party seemed to be affected 
 by the oppressive heat. Although the bishop was 
 most amiable, and evidently exerted himself to 
 set any suspicions at rest which might have been 
 roused by his sudden appearance, both the Provst 
 and Miss Ragnhild preserved a cold, reserved 
 taciturnity. The bishop and the Provst had only 
 exchanged indifferent remarks. During the drive 
 from church, the former praised the singing and 
 talked of the weather and the harvest. While the 
 lunch was being prepared, he had looked at the 
 garden with a great show of interest, and spoke of 
 a new kind of English lawn seed, which was said 
 to withstand the winter better than others, just as 
 if his only object was to pay them a private visit. 
 
 From the moment the Provst met the bishop 
 after the service he had been convinced that this 
 man had come to take the part of his enemies. 
 He looked upon his sudden arrival just at this 
 point, as an attempt to humble him in the eyes of 
 the congregation ; and he had firmly decided to 
 repulse this insult. 
 
 He did not dream that he had put himself in 
 a very unpleasant position, with regard to his 
 superior to-day, by the violence of his utterances 
 in the pulpit. Only the bishop's presence had 
 prevented the congregation from leaving the 
 church in a body according to the weaver's plan. 
 Moreover, it did not easily occur to him, that he 
 
 R
 
 258 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 might not be able to maintain his position even 
 before the sternest judge. 
 
 The bishop was a little broad-shouldered man, 
 with slanting eyebrows and thick hair touched 
 with grey. He had formerly been in the National 
 Liberal Ministry, and one of the late king's most 
 trusted advisers. He was by no means without 
 dignity, nay, his broad beardless face had at times 
 a stern, Old Testament gravity. But his dignity 
 was mixed in a curious manner with a whimsical 
 carelessness, a remnant of the wild student temper 
 of '48, which had been fostered by Frederick IV. 
 at his court. This jovial unconstraint drew down 
 upon him Miss Ragnhild's deepest displeasure. 
 She always had a great dislike to any kind of 
 democratic familiarity, and she was not at all 
 impressed by the fact that it was an actual bishop 
 and a late minister who threw himself back in his 
 chair as if he had been at home, buried his hands 
 in his pockets to rattle his keys, waved his knife 
 about and called her " my dear." She entirely 
 shared her father's opinion with regard to the 
 bishop's official behaviour. She considered it 
 most unsuitable for a man in his position to dash 
 about the high roads like a butcher ; and that his 
 unexpected visits to schools and churches were 
 unworthy kinds of espionage which must lower 
 the clergy in the eyes of the laity. 
 
 But what more than all roused the enmity of 
 the Provst against him was his position in public 
 and political life, where his behaviour plainly
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 259 
 
 showed that, notwithstanding his advancing years, 
 he was still entirely governed by his ambition. It 
 was also whispered that to get into power again 
 he would not disdain the help of the democratic 
 party, and that negociations to this end were even 
 now going on. 
 
 He spoke with great frankness to them himself 
 of his weakness for politics and his love of power. 
 They had hardly taken their seats at the table, 
 before he turned the conversation to the rumours 
 of his candidature for Parliament on the democra- 
 tic side, which had just been going the round of 
 the papers. 
 
 "Well, what is one to do?" he said smiling. 
 " I believe it goes just as hard with old politicians 
 as with old coachmen. When once you have sat 
 on the box and held the reins, and perhaps used 
 the whip at a pinch, then you can't bear to stay 
 at home in the stable cutting chaff and polishing 
 harness. There was a story I heard in my youth 
 about an old coach-driver, who for thirty years 
 had driven a diligence ; when he grew old and 
 had to give up his work, he could never sleep 
 without a bit of rope or something between his 
 fingers, and once nearly died when he was very 
 infirm because it was not given to him. So I've 
 often told my wife that if I am ever ill, she must 
 make me believe that I have been named Pre- 
 sident of the Council, and then I shall soon get 
 well." 
 
 When the bishop laughed, Tonnesen did not
 
 260 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 move a muscle, but looked as if he could not 
 see the slightest occasion to join in his mirth. 
 Just then, Emanuel appeared on the verandah, 
 and came up with a bow. 
 
 The bishop received him, as a bishop needs 
 must receive a young cleric, whose conduct has 
 occasioned the sending in of a definite complaint. 
 Still, his measured greeting seemed somewhat 
 studied, and by no means served to soften the 
 Provst. On the contrary, when the bishop, while 
 Emanuel was taking his place at the table, con- 
 tinued his conversation and enlarged with a 
 certain parliamentary complacency on the politi- 
 cal situation, and took the opportunity of express- 
 ing his adherence to several of the movements 
 of the "People's" party for re-arranging public 
 life and its administration, Tonnesen could no 
 longer maintain his passive bearing ; he did not 
 wish the curate to put his silence down to fear 
 of the bishop. 
 
 " But it appears to me," he said, in a manner 
 which was intended to overpower the bishop 
 "it really appears to me, that for the moment 
 it is not so much that we feel the need of new 
 movements and efforts, such as your grace seems 
 to mean, as that we want quiet and decision, so 
 that the different institutions of the country may 
 regain their stability, which endured so many 
 shocks at the founding of the new constitution." 
 
 " Oh, I am not afraid of a little airing ! " cried 
 the bishop with youthful gaiety. " Every house
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 261 
 
 is all the better for a thorough cleaning from 
 time to time ; and I am sure it will do no harm 
 to have the scrubbing brushes brought into play 
 here . . . isn't that what you call that sort of 
 thing, my dear ? " turning to Miss Ragnhild, 
 who answered with incredible shortness, "Very 
 possibly." 
 
 " I am, by no means, making myself an 
 advocate for any kind of impurity," said the 
 Provst with unshaken gravity, and in a tone of 
 rebuff. " There's an old-fashioned proverb which 
 says you must be careful not to throw the child 
 out with the bath-water . . . and in these days it 
 might well be taken to heart. I honestly confess 
 that I am, and all my life have been, a conser- 
 vative, and I am utterly unable to bow down to 
 these modern clean-sweeping principles. It can 
 hardly be denied, that of late years many persons 
 have started up in public life who will not 
 be likely to do honour to their country. When 
 education and accomplishments are no longer 
 considered necessary for the public service, but 
 are almost looked upon as evils ; when every 
 apprentice or serving-lad is to have just as much 
 influence on the guidance of the state as men 
 who have devoted their lives to the development 
 of their intellectual powers, and widening their 
 experience such a people will soon decline, both 
 intellectually and materially there are plenty of 
 examples in history for that." 
 
 The bishop, who had finished his lunch, was
 
 262 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 leaning back in his chair, with the tips of his 
 fingers stuck into his waistcoat pockets. He had 
 been observing the Provst narrowly while he 
 spoke. He now crossed his arms, and with his 
 head slightly on one side said, with an ironical 
 little smile 
 
 " What you say there, Provst, reminds me of a 
 man who declines to use his left arm to work 
 with, because the right has been designed by 
 nature to do it or has been used more and is, 
 therefore, stronger he ties up his left arm so 
 that it may not get in his way till it dwindles 
 away, and at last becomes quite useless. Such a 
 proceeding am I not right would be looked 
 upon as highly peculiar not to say indefen- 
 sible. Why, therefore, should the state not use 
 both its right and its left side, even if the former 
 either because of natural or other causes is, 
 at present, the most developed ? Would it not 
 be reasonable if, in public life, we acted like a 
 sensible man, who when he has a heavy burden 
 to carry for a long distance moves it during the 
 walk from one hand to the other. By so doing, 
 you ensure yourself against exhaustion, and pro- 
 cure a uniform development of every part of the 
 organism." 
 
 " Oh, I am sure there is no reason to fear any 
 paralysis of the left side of the state," remarked 
 Tonnesen. " It appears to me, on the contrary, 
 that there is a good deal of left-handedness in 
 our public life just now."
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 263 
 
 He liked this retort very much himself, and 
 glanced at Emanuel. 
 
 " O yes of course I quite admit phenomena 
 have appeared on the political horizon which are 
 to be deplored ; but such things can't be helped 
 in stormy times like these. The chief thing is, 
 by wise discretion and strict justice to conduct 
 the lightning . . . and in our days it is the most 
 important duty of the leading politician. Nor 
 must it be forgotten with regard to the peasant 
 class that we have much old injustice to make 
 up to them ; and if perhaps, at the moment, there 
 is a disposition to give too much prominence to 
 the peasant, it is merely justice which has been too 
 long deferred. We certainly need to cultivate 
 new social strata for our spiritual nourishment, 
 so as if I may say so to turn up fresh virgin 
 soil, from which a Future, strong in vital power, 
 may grow up. I am not at all afraid of the deep 
 digging which is going on just now at our intel- 
 lectual foundations. I have no doubt that it will 
 bring forth good and sound fruit, when, by degrees, 
 a sufficient admixture of the new and the old has 
 been accomplished. Everyone who contributes 
 to this end, appears to me to do a good deed, 
 both to his fatherland and to his own spiritual 
 development." 
 
 The Provst's face took the ashy-grey colour 
 which was habitual to it when his blood was 
 boiling. 
 
 These words of the bishop, spoken in the
 
 264 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 curate's presence, could only be regarded as a 
 complete approbation nay, [glorification of his 
 actions. 
 
 " Oh, for my part, I have not the slightest 
 confidence in this so-called ' Virgin soil,' " said he 
 in a voice trembling with suppressed rage. " It 
 appears to me, on the contrary, to be merely 
 sterile sand, or even worse constituents, which 
 the glorification of the masses, by means of uni- 
 versal suffrage brings to the surface. If the 
 madness goes on as it has begun, I am quite 
 prepared one fine day to see our country entirely 
 governed by the scum of the training colleges, 
 and cowherds." 
 
 " Oh, those are only figures of speech ! Should 
 it really prove that the masses disappoint our 
 expectations, or to be more candid that we 
 have not yet found the right means to awaken 
 the People's dormant powers, no irremediable 
 harm will have been done. We shall at any- 
 rate have made a necessary experiment." 
 
 " It seems to me that we have experimentalized 
 enough under our new constitution. We paid 
 dearly enough for our unhappy experiments in 
 '64, with an accidental majority of the masses." 
 
 An icy blast seemed to pass over the bishop's 
 face at this open allusion to the last unhappy 
 war for which his ministry was by everyone 
 mainly blamed. He did not change his position, 
 but glanced once or twice uneasily at the Provst, 
 as if he had not made up his mind how to answer
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 265 
 
 the insult. Finally he put on his Old Testament 
 mask and said, in a perfectly controlled voice : 
 
 " You seem, Provst, in your extraordinary want 
 of confidence in the People, to forget the word 
 of God which says : ' Thou hast hid these things 
 from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed 
 them unto babes.' " 
 
 The Provst wanted to interrupt, but the bishop 
 would not allow it, and went on with rising voice : 
 
 " In this connection it would also be worth 
 while remembering that our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 when he was on earth, did not choose helpers in 
 his own work of salvation from among the learned, 
 but also in those days from among the de- 
 spised working classes whose life he shared. 
 Ought this not to be an example for all time? 
 Is it not time for us to acknowledge that our 
 Saviour not only pointed out the way to realms 
 above, but also, by breaking down the spiritual 
 pride of the heathen, He laid the foundations 
 of an earthly kingdom of righteousness, a sacred 
 tribunal of the people, which it remains for those 
 who come after to realize according to His great 
 message, ' Love your neighbour as yourself ! ' 
 The motto, ' Freedom, Equality, Fraternity,' 
 which a certain newly-formed party have un- 
 fortunately in a bad sense adopted, that, in few 
 words, is the whole teaching of Christ, which we 
 would all do well to burn into our hearts." 
 
 Emanuel sat at the other end of the table, bent 
 over his plate, following this conversation with
 
 266 
 
 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 lively sympathy. The depression which had 
 followed on the bishop's cold reception at first, 
 because it was in such sharp contrast with 
 his extraordinary kindness at his ordination, 
 quickly passed off when he heard him speak. 
 His heart swelled as he listened to these words, 
 which so clearly and exactly expressed his own 
 thoughts, and strengthened him in the certainty 
 
 that he now walked in his Master's footsteps, and 
 was helping to create a kingdom of happiness 
 which the Christian brotherhood would one day 
 spread over the whole earth. 
 
 The Provst remained perfectly silent after the 
 bishop's last words. He had eased his mind by 
 his allusion to the bishop's unfortunate political 
 past ; and he would not lower himself by a dis- 
 cussion with a person, even a bishop, who, when
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 267 
 
 in difficulties, could not avoid making political 
 capital out of the Saviour of the world, nay, 
 actually turning Him into a socialist. 
 
 Just then the warning sound of church bells 
 was borne on the wind. It was time for the 
 afternoon service. 
 
 The Provst rose and said in a slightly sarcastic 
 tone : 
 
 " Your lordship must excuse me ; my clerical 
 duties call me away. I hope to have the pleasure 
 of seeing your lordship again when I return," 
 whereupon, without waiting for an answer, he 
 pushed his chair aside and went away with 
 majestic strides. 
 
 A moment after, the others rose too. The 
 bishop shook hands both with Miss Ragnhild 
 and Emanuel with a serious face, and said to 
 the latter in a voice which was not affected by 
 any recollection of the complaint : 
 
 " I should like to look about a little in the 
 neighbourhood. Do you mind being my con- 
 ductor, Mr Hansted, till the Provst returns ? I 
 daresay we shall find something or other to talk 
 about." 
 
 Emanuel coloured and bowed. 
 
 Miss Ragnhild had remained standing by the 
 table, her eyes blazing with contempt. She was 
 dressed in a light summer dress with silk stripes 
 and a straw hat with ostrich feathers, and looked 
 extremely well. 
 
 When the bishop turned towards her to take
 
 268 EMANUEL; OR ' 
 
 leave, her face immediately changed to its usual 
 indifferent expression ; and when both gentle- 
 men lifted their hats she bowed as stiffly as the 
 most formal politeness demanded. 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE bishop and Emanuel went through the 
 garden, and out into the fields by the little gate 
 at the further end. The bishop lighted his cigar 
 and threw open his coat, he blew thick clouds of 
 smoke into the air like a man absorbed in his 
 thoughts ; now and then he made a passing 
 remark about something which caught his eye. 
 
 Emanuel walked by his side in silence. He 
 had seen at once that the bishop had a serious 
 object in this walk, and he made up his mind to 
 seize the opportunity and give him a full and 
 clear explanation of his position and his relations 
 with the congregation. 
 
 When they reached the top of the " Parsonage 
 Hill," the bishop stopped and looked absently at 
 the view ; asking the names of some of the many 
 churches whose towers shone like beacons in the 
 hazy sunlight. He said a few words on the effect 
 of the beauties of nature on the human mind, and 
 the dreariness of a town life, and at last began 
 to talk about the drought and the harvest 
 prospects.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 269 
 
 " I hear on all sides," he said abstractedly 
 " that serious anxiety is beginning to be felt. It 
 would be sad if there were ground for these 
 fears." 
 
 " I do not think there is, at least not im- 
 mediately," remarked Emanuel, quite fluent on 
 the subject. " The spring seed certainly has 
 suffered a good deal, especially the six-rowed 
 barley, and the grass land in hilly places is a 
 good deal spoilt ; but the rye is, so far, in very 
 good condition, where it has not been touched by 
 spring frosts." 
 
 The bishop turned towards him as if roused 
 from his thoughts. 
 
 " Ah, ha ! I see you are quite a farmer al- 
 ready ! " 
 
 Emanuel blushed and his heart began to beat. 
 Now it is coming, he thought. 
 
 But the bishop went on again, and again spoke 
 of the difficulties in a town life and the influence 
 of nature on the mind. 
 
 All at once he stopped and said, as if it had 
 just occurred to him : " Tell me are you not a 
 son of Etatsraad Hansted ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Yes, I thought so," he added, and then said 
 no more. 
 
 For several minutes the two men followed 
 the little path in silence. A flock of hooded 
 crows, which were startled by their footsteps from 
 the ridges of a fallow field, wheeled about, scream-
 
 270 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 ing, over their heads ; and not three hundred 
 paces ahead of them in the path, a fox was 
 slowly slinking along, stopping every yard or two 
 to look at these two grave persons who did not 
 seem to notice it. 
 
 " Mr Hansted," said the bishop suddenly with- 
 out looking up, " have you ever, in your student 
 life or possibly before been specially attracted 
 by any particular spiritual movement, either 
 within the academic world or outside it ? " 
 
 " I ? . . . No," said Emanuel slowly, looking 
 up in surprise. " No, I can't say that I have. 
 I have always lived a very solitary life, especially 
 as a student. I have never, so to speak, taken 
 any part in the regular student life." 
 
 " But among your comrades you must have 
 friends who have influenced you. . . . You have 
 been a member of religious, literary or political 
 clubs have you not ? " 
 
 " No, and I have never had a real friend. I 
 have been almost entirely thrown upon my 
 own society and books since I have been 
 grown up I have never had anything to do 
 with politics." 
 
 " Indeed," said the bishop shortly, and cleared 
 his throat there was a slightly disappointed tone 
 in his voice. 
 
 " But however has it come about, then," he 
 added, stopping and looking up at Emanuel. 
 " How in the world have you arrived at your 
 if I may say so somewhat extreme views ?
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 271 
 
 One's views of life are not got from books alone, 
 even if these as I admit they may contribute 
 largely to preparing the mind for personal in- 
 fluence, or help to form it. ... Of course," he 
 stopped suddenly and continued his walk " I 
 understand . . . your home . . . your mother 
 were not without influence on your development. 
 I remember you mentioned something of the 
 kind to me when I prepared you for ordination. 
 Yes, your mother was a remarkable woman, full 
 of enthusiastic self-sacrifice and zeal. I knew 
 her, as I daresay I told you before, very well in 
 my youth ; we belonged to the same set. I felt 
 her death very much. She was one of those 
 people who are too good for this world ; and 
 what broke her heart was the lack, at a decisive 
 point in her life, of that power of resistance, or 
 doggedness, which is so often wanting in noble 
 and self-sacrificing spirits. I am talking in this 
 open way to you, because I know that you are 
 aware of all this ; I remember you mentioned 
 unhappiness at home as one of the reasons for 
 wishing to take up clerical work in the country. 
 Nor do I suppose that I am betraying any secret 
 when I say it was only after the continued 
 entreaties, nay, perhaps even threats and during 
 a moment of feminine depression that your 
 mother gave way on the question of her marriage, 
 which must have gone against her whole nature ; 
 and it was doubtless the feeling that she had 
 been faithless to her ideal, which threw an ever-
 
 272 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 darkening shadow over her later life, and at last 
 altogether extinguished the light of her soul. 
 You may now be able to understand, my dear 
 fellow, what a strange impression it made on me 
 when I heard that you, her son, had taken up the 
 threads she had been obliged to drop ; and that 
 you had begun to carry out in your life those 
 views which, to her, were the most important 
 feature of our times." 
 
 Emanuel did not speak, and kept his eyes on 
 the ground. Lately, whenever his mother had 
 been spoken of, and his thoughts were turned to 
 her, he was so overcome by emotion that he 
 could hardly help bursting into tears. 
 
 The bishop continued 
 
 " But now, as an old friend of your mother 
 for I am not afraid to call myself that let me 
 give you some good advice, Mr Hansted. Or 
 tell me first what you are thinking of doing in 
 the future, and about your position in this place. 
 That you have chosen a bride here, I have heard 
 from a private source ; and I also know that, by 
 your views and your relations to a certain 
 limited part of the congregation, you have roused 
 the Provst's anger against you. We have before 
 us a conflict of a very serious nature. How 
 have you thought of solving the difficulty." 
 
 Emanuel confided his plans openly to the 
 bishop, and told him about the little place by 
 the shore which he thought of buying ; and how 
 he thought of living as an independent son of the
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 273 
 
 soil, while he carried on his work as a teacher 
 and priest among his friends. 
 
 The bishop listened attentively and looked at 
 him once or twice hurriedly, and with astonish- 
 ment, while he was talking. When Emanuel 
 stopped he walked by him for a time in silence, 
 and seemed to be weighing something. 
 
 Then he lifted his head and said 
 
 " All that you have told me is well thought out, 
 and, in some ways, looked at from the right point 
 of view . . . but I must none the less dissuade 
 you most strongly from such a step. I tell you 
 honestly that I look upon it as folly, which sooner 
 or later you will regret. If you take my advice 
 you will not give up the ministry. The church 
 in these days needs all young and strong energy 
 such as yours, and what we have to do is to 
 gather our forces together and not disperse them. 
 Promise me, therefore, that you will put these 
 ideas out of your head." 
 
 " My lord I can not. I feel that I have my 
 work to do here, and I am already bound to the 
 place and the people with such strong ties that 
 I cannot tear myself loose." 
 
 " Well but who wants you to tear yourself 
 away ? " 
 
 Emanuel looked up in surprise. 
 
 " But I thought I thought your lordship 
 knew that the Provst wishes for my removal, 
 there is no other way open to me." 
 
 " Well, that is just what I want to talk to you 
 s
 
 274 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 about but let us turn, the sun is too warm what 
 was I saying? Oh yes what I am about to tell 
 you is strictly private, an official secret in fact 
 which must on no account go any further. To 
 make a long story short, the Provst will, in 
 all probability, be sending in his resignation 
 immediately." 
 
 " The Provst ! " burst out Emanuel, stopping 
 open-mouthed in the middle of the path. 
 
 " I said in all probability," continued the bishop, 
 without seeming to notice the other's astonish- 
 ment. " He has been offered or is about to 
 be offered an important post outside ministerial 
 work, a post which just suits his peculiar powers. 
 I do not doubt that he will accept it, especially as 
 his position here evidently does not satisfy him 
 has even perhaps become untenable. For this 
 reason alone I should like you to remain. The 
 living will thus be vacant, and you will be 
 temporarily appointed to fill it ; you will pro- 
 bably be left undisturbed for some time, as it is 
 the intention to take this opportunity to make a 
 long talked-of re-distribution of the parish. It 
 may take a couple of years. I shall give no 
 opinion on what the future prospect may be for 
 the income will of course be affected by the re- 
 arrangement ; I. must leave that to time and your 
 own consideration. I shall not go further into 
 the subject, there is no occasion for it, and I have 
 perhaps said more than I have a right to say, but 
 I was anxious to hinder you from taking any 
 hasty step.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 275 
 
 " I will only add, that in my opinion your work 
 for the present is here, but I hope you will see 
 that it is in your present position that a large and 
 important sphere of work is opening out certainly 
 for several years. As I said before, we need all 
 our young strength and power in the church . . . 
 and not least in this very district, which has long 
 had the reputation of being very backward in a 
 spiritual sense I believe even politicians call it 
 one of their ' dead ' points." 
 
 They had now reached the little gate leading 
 into the Parsonage grounds. The bishop stopped 
 and shook hands with Emanuel. 
 
 " We part here. Think it over, and in any case 
 put off any decisive step for a week or so. Should 
 you wish to speak to me during that time you 
 know where to find me." 
 
 Hastily pressing Emanuel's hand, he hurried off 
 through the garden. 
 
 Emanuel stared after him quite overwhelmed 
 by his words. He had the look of a person who 
 suddenly sees all his plans for the future de- 
 molished by an unexpected piece of good fortune 
 and who just at first does not know whether to 
 laugh or to cry.
 
 flBBOOBBBBBBBBflflHam
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 FIVE days had passed since the bishop's visit, but 
 still the long hoped-for rain had not come. But 
 a dry easterly gale had risen, which swept the 
 fields, already baked as hard as stone ; and for 
 two days the district was enveloped in grey dust. 
 In Vielby a catastrophe was hourly expected. 
 They had arrived at the very end of the winter 
 fodder, and the peasants, with their usual dis- 
 position to exaggerate, already talked of tearing 
 down the thatch to keep life in the cattle. They 
 had long given up consulting the barometer, or 
 interpreting as omens the crowing of the cocks at 
 midday, or the swarming of midges in the evening. 
 Every morning the sun broke through the misty 
 veil of night, pierced every cloud and drove away 
 each shred of mist from wood or bog. 
 
 Then one morning the edge of the sky in the 
 south-west turned blood-red and then pale yellow, 
 dark yellow, and lastly blue-black ... a heavy 
 thunder-cloud rose, a shapeless elephantine mass 
 above the horizon. The people came out of their 
 houses at the first subterranean rumbles. Even 
 Jensen, the chairman of the Parish Council, who 
 did not usually shew himself among the people, 
 
 279
 
 2 8o EMANUEL; OR 
 
 came out in his shirt sleeves, puffing at a cigar 
 which was stuck into a wonderful carved amber 
 mouthpiece. He observed the phenomenon of 
 nature with indifferent superiority, his capital was 
 disposed off in one of those safe concerns where 
 there is neither ploughing nor reaping, and where 
 you honestly make your four per cent, whether 
 the Almighty sends rain or heat. 
 
 In spite of the sun, the lightning was plainly 
 seen among the dark clouds which mounted 
 higher and higher into the blue sky, while the 
 sound of the thunder came nearer every minute. 
 None the less, the Veilby peasants shook their 
 heads. " That won't come to us ; we'll get no 
 good of it " No, it'll go eastward.' " Skibberup'll 
 get a splash." "Ay, like enough, they always 
 get what they want." 
 
 Gradually a cloud came over the sun, and it 
 seemed to shine through a red veil. Suddenly 
 gusts of wind rushed over the hot fields ; the 
 cocks crowed, and the swallows skimmed hither 
 and thither over the ponds in deadly fear. At 
 last the thunder pealed just over the village, 
 and the flashes of lightning followed each other 
 quicker than could be counted. It could be 
 heard to strike the earth round about. A sheep, 
 which had broken loose from its tether, rushed 
 into the village with a dead companion, tied by 
 the leg, trailing after it in the dust. The sky 
 was now one black cloud, and indoors it was so 
 dark that one could hardly see the time. But
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 281 
 
 not a drop of rain fell. There was a scorched, 
 sulphurous smell everywhere, and as the air was 
 not cooled by rain, it became so heated that 
 every flash could be felt, almost burning the 
 cheek. On the opposite shore of the Fiord a 
 farm was seen to be in flames, and the piping 
 of the fire-alarm could plainly be heard in the 
 still air. 
 
 Just as the storm seemed to be blowing over, 
 a few large, heavy drops of rain fell here and 
 there, like stars on the dusty roads. The people 
 began to come out of their houses, and were 
 standing about on the steps, when heaven and 
 earth were shaken by a clap of thunder so violent, 
 that several persons were thrown down from the 
 shock. Simultaneously the rain broke out. It 
 rattled against the windows like peas, and 
 splashed the dust up on to the walls. 
 
 It was still raining in torrents in the middle 
 of the next day, and the sky was just as black 
 and heavy. 
 
 Towards evening Emanuel was sitting in the 
 prow of a boat, in the middle of the Fiord, 
 rowed by the carpenter. He was only protected 
 by a thin greatcoat and a horsecloth which he 
 had thrown over his head. He was soaked to 
 the skin, but he hardly noticed it ; he was much 
 too full of all he had seen in the last few days. 
 
 He was returning from Sandinge, where he 
 had gone the morning after the bishop's visit, 
 with the High School director. By this means
 
 282 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 he avoided all questioning about the bishop, by 
 which he had been overwhelmed in Skibberup, 
 and which he was not at liberty to answer. Be- 
 sides, for his own sake, he required a little quiet 
 to consider the bishop's proposals. The carpenter 
 had accompanied him as a sort of adjutant, and 
 the journey had become a kind of triumphal 
 march. 
 
 Emanuel now understood what made the eyes 
 of the young people shine every time the High 
 School at Sandinge was mentioned. He was so 
 taken with all he saw, that at times he almost 
 thought it must have been a beautiful dream. 
 The handsome red brick buildings covered with 
 ivy and honeysuckle like an old castle ; the great 
 lecture hall built like an old Norse hall, with a 
 panelled wooden ceiling with carved heads to the 
 beams. The eighty fresh-coloured, young peasant 
 girls, who were the present pupils ; the singular 
 teaching, which was conducted by means of 
 lectures, reading, conversation, and singing ; to 
 say nothing of the evening meetings, when the 
 people flocked in after their work was done, 
 labourers in their shirt sleeves artizans in their 
 blouses he was enchanted with everything from 
 the very first day. 
 
 He also understood the affection of the people 
 for the Director, now that he had seen him in his 
 element in his school, where he hobbled about 
 with his stick from teachers to pupils, encourag- 
 ing, cheering, and admonishing all like a father.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 283 
 
 When he first saw him in the pulpit, too, the 
 marvellous power of the man over the minds 
 of the young became plainer than ever ; he was 
 so full of youthful enthusiasm, with such deep 
 faith, and so carried away by his feelings, that 
 the tears came into his brown eyes while he 
 stood with outstretched arms, as if in his love 
 of mankind he would embrace the whole world. 
 
 The day after Emanuel's arrival there was a 
 great meeting at the school, where he appeared 
 as the principal speaker ; and, by request, re- 
 peated his former discourse. On the following 
 days he visited various circles of " Friends " in 
 the neighbourhood, whither he was conducted by 
 the director. He was everywhere received with 
 delight, and made many new friends. 
 
 The visit also had a great influence on his 
 decision for the future. He felt that the bishop 
 was right, and that the little house he had 
 thought of buying would not be at all the place 
 in which to carry out such a scheme as was 
 realized at Sandinge. He saw that large pre- 
 mises were required ; many rooms, stables and 
 coach-houses to accommodate visitors, and that 
 Veilby Parsonage might have been built for just 
 such a large, common parish home as he wished 
 to establish. 
 
 So he made up his mind to follow the bishop's 
 advice, and allow himself to be appointed to the 
 living " ad interim," when the Provst left. But 
 he began to feel anxious on this point. He
 
 284 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 thought the Provst would be quite capable of 
 opposing the bishop, either out of spite or false 
 pride. 
 
 He longed to talk to Hansine about the matter, 
 and determined to break his promise of silence, 
 with regard to her. His heart was so full of joy, 
 and his head so full of plans, that he must have 
 vent for them. 
 
 He had hoped to be in Skibberup before night 
 fell, but at dusk they were only half way across 
 the Fiord. The currents were against them, and 
 though he and the carpenter took turns at the 
 oars, they had great difficulty in driving the 
 boat along. At last they each took an oar, and 
 raising a lusty song, they both pulled with all 
 their might, the rain pouring down in unceasing 
 torrents all the time. 
 
 It was towards ten when they reached land, 
 and so dark, that they could hardly find the 
 narrow track between the hills which led from the 
 little haven to Skibberup. 
 
 Emanuel took leave of his companion and 
 hurried to the farm. A light was shining in the 
 sitting-room, and no sooner did he set foot on the 
 steps than the door flew open, and Hansine 
 called out to him, " Do you know it ? " 
 
 " What, dear ? " 
 
 " The Provst is going away . . . it's in the 
 paper to-day." 
 
 " Can it be true ! " 
 
 A moment later, he stood in the room with
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 285 
 
 the " People's News " of the district in his hand ; 
 and without noticing that the water from his 
 soaking clothes was making a little sea round 
 him on the floor, he read the following notice 
 three times over : 
 
 " According to reliable information, Provst 
 Tonnesen, Rector of Veilby and Skibberup, has 
 been appointed director of the newly-founded 
 State Seminary at Soborg, near Copenhagen. 
 The official announcement may be expected any 
 day." 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 ALTHOUGH the removal of the Provst was to be 
 regarded as advancement and he was far from 
 giving any other view of it, rather speaking of 
 his appointment with a certain complacency 
 yet the people of Skibberup looked upon it as a 
 victory for their party. The weaver had kept his 
 word in a few weeks the Provst would be out of 
 the Parsonage. 
 
 To tell the truth, the bishop had had to use all 
 his diplomatic powers to carry out his wishes with 
 regard to the Provst, who saw perfectly the real 
 drift of the Pharisaic manoeuvre. But he saw 
 equally, that, both for his own sake and his 
 daughter's, he could not decline an offer which 
 released them, apparently with honour, from a
 
 286 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 situation which had become burdensome to both 
 of them. Besides, he was flattered by feeling that 
 his past scholastic career was remembered, and 
 his administrative talents appreciated ; so it was 
 with considerable satisfaction that he saw himself 
 spoken of in the papers as the " distinguished 
 Pedagogue." 
 
 In Skibberup they were very busy striking 
 while the iron was hot. A deputation was at 
 once sent to the bishop with an address, in which 
 the hope was expressed that, " in filling the 
 vacancy, regard would be paid to the wishes of 
 the majority of the congregation." Emanuel 
 was not mentioned, but the document was 
 couched in such terms that it was impossible 
 to misunderstand the meaning namely, the 
 appointment of the curate to the living. The 
 bishop received the deputation, and especially 
 its spokesman the weaver, very cordially. He 
 touched upon the proposed re-distribution, which 
 would necessitate a vacancy for some time, and 
 further added that he always with pleasure tried 
 to meet the justifiable wishes of the congregation. 
 He then invited the deputation to lunch, and they 
 spent nearly four hours with his lordship in the 
 garden over their coffee. 
 
 A few days later the papers were able to state 
 that the bishop had allowed himself to be no- 
 minated democratic candidate, at the forthcoming 
 elections, for that part of the country to which 
 Veilby and Skibberup belonged.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 287 
 
 In the meantime Miss Ragnhild was waiting 
 impatiently at the Parsonage for the day when she 
 should leave it for ever. Although she felt too 
 old to expect anything from the future, she had 
 a burning desire to get away from the place where 
 she had wasted her youth ; and where there was 
 not one spot or one person to regret. Even the 
 sight of the curate had latterly been disagreeable 
 to her, and had a most depressing effect upon her. 
 It was not only that he had become careless in 
 his person, or because his hair and his clothes 
 smelt of the stable when he occasionally dined at 
 the Parsonage. But she thought a corresponding 
 change had taken place in his inner being, and 
 that his original good breeding was disappearing 
 in his efforts to acquire a broad " popular " 
 manner. 
 
 Ever since his visit to Sandinge, she thought a 
 certain smug self-importance had come over him. 
 He had become clumsily ironical in speaking of 
 her dress and her idle life ; and she found his 
 everlasting didactic lectures absolutely intoler- 
 able. 
 
 She was weary of existence, and daily more 
 depressed by an infinite melancholy. By way of 
 cheering herself, she had lately paid a visit to 
 Copenhagen, where she had not been for two or 
 three years. But melancholy followed her here 
 too. She did not know whether it was the state 
 of her own spirits at the moment, but it appeared 
 to her that the everlasting peasant was celebrating
 
 288 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 his triumphs in every direction. The shop win- 
 dows, with their tasteless cheap goods, seemed to 
 be only designed to suit the taste of the common 
 people. All distinguished taste seemed to be 
 disappearing from the world ; the current litera- 
 ture only dealt with peasants and work-people. 
 The artists at the Charlottenburg exhibition all 
 seemed enamoured of such subjects as "In a 
 peasant's room ; " " Pigs on a dunghill ; " "A 
 shoemaker at his last." Even in the theatres 
 there was no immunity, for the peasant Members 
 of Parliament had their free seats. 
 
 One day she met in the street a friend of her 
 youth, whom she had not seen for ten years she 
 had married a doctor. 
 
 Before they had said ten words to each other, 
 the friend, who was dressed like a scarecrow, 
 began criticising her dress, and could talk of 
 nothing but the cause of the people, in which 
 she was determined to interest her. Ragnhild 
 had no peace till she went with her to the house 
 of a Mrs Gylling, who held a kind of " Popular 
 Court " in the capital. She was obliged to sit for 
 an hour in an assemblage of chattering High 
 School people, peasants, and theological students, 
 whose big beards reeked with tobacco. Several 
 elderly ladies, who all wore velvet hoods of the 
 same shape as those worn by the peasant women, 
 surrounded her with offensive familiarity. An 
 anaemic-looking young lady, with two long yellow 
 plaits hanging down her back, was sitting in a
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 289 
 
 dreamy attitude with her arms round a big 
 dressed-up peasant girl, whom, in a languishing 
 way, she called her " dearest friend." 
 
 What depressed her more than anything was 
 the rumour of a possible change of ministry. It 
 was seriously said that the peasants would come 
 into power. A former village schoolmaster was 
 pointed out as the future Prime Minister. Even 
 people who could not reconcile themselves to the 
 present state of things shook their heads and 
 said, " there was nothing else to be done." She 
 could not understand it at all. Had not the 
 peasants always been in a majority ? Why then 
 this sudden subjection to them ? " After all, the 
 peasant is a man," was the answer always given 
 to her objections. Now, that is just what they 
 are not ! Perhaps they were, according to natural 
 history, reckoned by the number of their grinders, 
 etc. But a country yokel was none the less, 
 much more closely allied to his sheep or his 
 cattle than to even an ordinarily intelligent 
 person. Nobody thought of giving votes to 
 sheep or cattle. Could it really be called justice 
 to let everything great and beautiful be laid 
 waste, merely because a certain number of indivi- 
 duals were created with the same number of 
 grinding teeth as man ? Oh, would not some 
 man soon arise with the courage and the heart 
 of a man to maintain his old lordship, and drive 
 this peasant brood back to the dunghills where 
 he belonged ?
 
 290 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 At last, in the middle of July, the Tonnesens 
 were able to pack up their things and leave. 
 The Veilby parishioners and the three land- 
 owners had some idea of honouring the Provst 
 with a farewell dinner and a silver coffee pot ; 
 but, at the instance of Miss Ragnhild, he found 
 means to hinder the project. 
 
 The Provst parted from his congregation with 
 only the most necessary formalities, but without 
 any particular bitterness. He only disclosed the 
 true state of his feelings to Emanuel, when on 
 leaving, he coldly shook hands with him, and 
 said that it was unnecessary to wish people good 
 luck when they were fortunate enough to have 
 the " Wind of the Times " in their sails. 
 
 As soon as they left, Emanuel moved down 
 from his attic, with his few articles of furniture, 
 and established himself in the Provst's study and 
 one of the bedrooms. All the rest of the house 
 was empty, except the room occupied by the old 
 lame servant, who for the time remained as his 
 housekeeper. No one had asked her to stay, but 
 she seemed to take it for granted that she went 
 with the house as one of the fixtures, and Emanuel 
 good-naturedly agreed. " Maren" went with the 
 Tonnesens, as well as the horses and carriages, 
 and there was no need to get a new man ; for, to 
 Emanuel's great annoyance, the Parsonage glebe 
 land was let to one of the peasants, whose lease 
 would not expire for a year. 
 
 He passed all the time he could spare from his
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 291 
 
 clerical duties at the farm at Skibberup, where 
 he took part in all kinds of work daily. He 
 ploughed, hoed turnips, and carted manure on 
 to the fallow land. In the evening he would 
 sit in the garden with Hansine, looking at the 
 sunsets and talking of the future, or they walked 
 hand in hand through the fields looking at the 
 crops and the cattle. Now, when his way lay 
 smoothly before him, he had more quiet to devote 
 to his love, and he gave himself up to it with 
 ever-increasing pleasure. 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 IN this way the time passed happily till the 
 autumn set in, with short, stormy days and long 
 dark nights. 
 
 Then Emanuel found it every evening more 
 difficult to take leave of Hansine, and the warm, 
 cosy room at the farm ; and to trudge home 
 over the muddy roads to the empty Parsonage, 
 where his steps echoed as in a vault. He always 
 went straight to bed ; but though he was tired 
 with his work, he was often kept awake by the 
 various indescribable sounds which haunt an 
 empty house at night. Or else he lay awake 
 listening to the wild moaning of wind through 
 the trees in the garden, which sounded like great 
 waves thundering one on the top of the other.
 
 29 2 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 One night he was awakened by a long-drawn 
 wailing sound, which at first he could not explain, 
 until he made out that it was the piping of the 
 fire alarm. He sprang up in haste and was 
 hurrying on a few clothes, when he heard sounds 
 in the house ; the door opened, and the lame 
 servant appeared in a flannel petticoat, with a 
 lighted candle in her shaking hands. 
 
 " Oh, sir ! ... There's a fire ! " she screamed, 
 with a pale face like everyone else who had 
 been through the great Veilby fire, she could 
 never hear the fire alarm without being frightened 
 to death. 
 
 People were running about all over the village 
 with lanterns. It was soon discovered that it 
 was only a cottage in the next parish which was 
 on fire ; and when the hose had been got off, 
 sufficiently manned, the village settled down 
 again. 
 
 This disturbance so upset Emanuel that he 
 made a decided resolution the same night. He 
 was determined to be married soon. He felt 
 that he could not endure this dreary solitude 
 during a long, dark winter. And why should he 
 wait ? for the present, at all events, there would 
 be no change in his position. 
 
 The very next day he spoke to Hansine 
 about it. 
 
 At first she was a good deal alarmed. She 
 had secretly hoped that Emanuel would not 
 want to be married for a year at least. The
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 293 
 
 more narrowly she examined her new position 
 especially after there was a prospect of becoming 
 mistress of the palatial Veilby Parsonage so 
 much the more she feared not doing justice 
 to the position in which her marriage would 
 place her. But when she saw how happy and 
 sanguine Emanuel always was, and how anxious 
 he was to hurry on the marriage, she could not 
 find it in her heart to oppose his wishes, or even 
 to disturb him with her troubles ; and when her 
 parents were consulted, it was decided at a family 
 council that the wedding should take place on the 
 6th of October, Frederick the Vllth's birthday. 
 
 But now a little difficulty arose, the outcome 
 of which was anxiously looked for in the village. 
 While Hansine wanted to be married as quietly 
 as possible, her mother thought they owed it to 
 Emanuel to celebrate the day with as much 
 splendour as they could. Otherwise, he might 
 still think they were not thoroughly pleased with 
 the connection, and she wanted for once to shew 
 her gratitude by her deeds. 
 
 Emanuel took no part in the arrangements, 
 and, indeed, did not seem to notice them ; per- 
 sonally, he did not object to a gathering of 
 " Friends " on his wedding-day, but he did not 
 wish to influence the decision of the others. So, 
 for the first time in their three-and-twenty years 
 of married life, it came about that Else and 
 Anders did not agree. He saw that, if Else had 
 her way, it would fall very heavily on his care-
 
 294 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 fully hoarded little capital a sum of six hundred 
 kroner ; it had always been destined for the 
 purchase of a threshing machine, which he had 
 wanted for ten years. He tried to get her to 
 see how unreasonable it was, for the sake of a 
 single day, to waste a sum which would serve to 
 thresh their grain to the end of their days. 
 Emanuel knew well enough, he said, how fond 
 they were of him, and perhaps he would not 
 care to see so much money thrown out of the 
 window. Else was almost on the point of yield- 
 ing when she received support from an unex- 
 pected quarter. 
 
 On Sunday afternoon, Villing and his wife paid 
 a solemn visit of congratulation ; the banns had 
 been called for the first time that day, so it was 
 now officially known. The lady was in a silk 
 dress and crepe shawl, and her gentle, nun-like 
 face wore a benignant smile ; Villing was in a 
 tall hat and frock coat, well padded on the 
 shoulders, a white waistcoat with glass buttons, 
 and white cuffs coming well down over his swollen 
 hands, which were encased in dog-skin gloves. 
 
 Since co-operative stores had been started in 
 Skibberup, under the leadership of the weaver, they 
 had not set foot in the place ; but recent events 
 had considerably softened their feelings. They 
 now saw that they had judged the people harshly, 
 and as it was against their nature to live at enmity 
 with anyone, they took this opportunity of aton- 
 ing for their injustice.
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 295 
 
 Only Else and Anders were present during the 
 visit, and at first the conversation turned upon 
 indifferent topics. But suddenly the shopkeeper 
 asked about the approaching marriage, and then 
 Else, with her usual frankness, told them of the 
 difference which had arisen between herself and 
 Anders as to the celebration. 
 
 Villing, who had hitherto been sitting with 
 rather an absent air, nursing his tall hat on his 
 knee, started up at these words and became very 
 conversational. 
 
 He must confess he said that he did not 
 understand Anders Jorgen's attitude in this affair. 
 It appeared to him that such an important event 
 ought to be celebrated in a suitable manner ; that 
 it was a downright point of honour for Anders 
 Jorgen's house to make the day a high festival 
 for all friends of the " People's Cause." He knew, 
 he added, that the whole neighbourhood were 
 anxious to take this opportunity of shewing their 
 friendly feelings to the young couple ; and he 
 was convinced that the participation of the people 
 would give to the solemnity the character of a 
 true National Festival. 
 
 While he talked, Anders Jorgen shrank up like 
 a snail in its shell, and glanced anxiously at his 
 wife. When Villing noticed that his words were 
 having an effect, he continued to talk. It was 
 quite evident that he had all the arrangements 
 mapped out in his head. 
 
 His advice was to have a large tent pitched in
 
 296 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 the meadow behind the farmyard, where they 
 could dine ; and then he proposed to get leave 
 to use the Meeting House for dancing, and 
 decorate it. They need not be alarmed about 
 the expenses ; if they would do him the honour 
 to put the whole affair in his hands, and trust 
 him to make the necessary purchases, he would 
 promise that it should not cost them more than 
 a couple of hundred kr. He knew that for the 
 last few years the people of Skibberup had with- 
 drawn their custom from him ; but he wished to 
 take this opportunity of shewing them that they 
 had mistaken him, and that both he and his wife 
 were their true and disinterested friends. These 
 observations were seconded by Mrs Villing, who 
 laid her hand on Else's arm and looked at her 
 in the most affectionate manner. 
 
 The shopkeeper's persuasions at last over- 
 came Anders Jorgen's scruples, and when Else 
 had had another conversation with Hansine, she 
 also fell in with her mother's plans. 
 
 Villing was really in the right. There was 
 a growing desire throughout the neighbourhood 
 to do honour to Emanuel, who by his gentle 
 manners, his straightforwardness, and his constant 
 anxiety to meet their wishes, had, by degrees, 
 won over even the Veilby people, so that they 
 crowded to church every Sunday too. Even a 
 man like Jensen, the chairman of the Parish 
 Council, made advances to him, and Aggerbolle 
 the vet. had long since declared him to be a
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 297 
 
 " devilish good preacher," and an excellent young 
 man. 
 
 There was still one of the peasant fraternity 
 who held aloof, and that was Maren Smeds, the 
 hideous little woman who had taken such a 
 prominent part on the occasion of Emanuel's 
 first speech. Her history was as follows. 
 
 Having in her youth once been kitchen-maid 
 in a gentleman's house, she was, for a long time, 
 chosen to cook all the great feasts of the neigh- 
 bourhood, a position which gained for her both 
 glory and comfortable means. At a great chris- 
 tening feast, at which more than a hundred guests 
 were present, she had the misfortune to burn the 
 rice porridge. Although her husband, who was 
 then alive and acting as master of the ceremonies, 
 immediately thrashed her soundly before the eyes 
 of all the company, the people would never have 
 any more to do with her, and ever afterwards had 
 their cooks from the town. 
 
 This was the cause of that hatred of her kind, 
 which made the poor creature the only socialist 
 in the place ; and since the affair in the Meeting 
 House all her bitterness had been spent on 
 Emanuel. 
 
 Hansine, who at this time was most anxious to 
 conciliate every one, and in her timorous love, 
 to disperse every threatening cloud from her 
 future, one afternoon went to the tumble-down 
 hut, a long way beyond the village, where Maren 
 lived, to ask her to come and cook at her wedding.
 
 298 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 The poor creature was overwhelmed by the re- 
 vulsion of feeling. After a moment's struggle 
 with her pride she burst into loud and uncon- 
 trollable sobs, and to Hansine's great discom- 
 fiture fell on her knees and kissed her hand. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE wedding day broke clear and calm, and 
 nearly as hot as summer. For more than a week, 
 and all through the last night, baking and boiling 
 had been going on at the Farm. The cellars 
 were filled to overflowing with huge joints, 
 mighty hams, brawn and smoked legs of mutton. 
 There were tubs of sausages, baskets heaped with 
 boiled eggs, and lump sugar, ox tongues and 
 driediherrings, mounds of butter and prune tarts 
 as big as cart wheels. These last sent, according 
 to custom, as wedding gifts by the oldest friends 
 of the family. 
 
 Neilsen the carpenter and a couple of assistants 
 were putting the finishing touches to the big 
 tent in the little meadow behind the house ; 
 while the young girls were busy decorating the 
 walls of the Meeting House with garlands of fir 
 and painted shields. Flags were flying all over 
 the village, and two masts were raised in front of 
 the bride's house, entwined with green, bear- 
 ing between them a banner with the word 
 " Welcome."
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 299 
 
 The marriage was to take place at twelve 
 o'clock, but as early as ten the guests began to 
 appear. Emanuel arrived early. After much 
 consideration he had decided to be married in 
 his robes. 
 
 Lunch tables were spread in the blue-washed 
 " best room," where no less a person than Villing 
 was acting as master of the ceremonies. In this 
 character he received all the men and served 
 " Snaps " and ale. Emanuel had specially desired 
 that the marriage customs of the neighbourhood 
 were in no way to be broken. He refused the 
 " Snaps," however, and contented himself with a 
 glass of ale. In the course of an hour the rooms 
 were rilled with gaily dressed people, and the 
 great question among them was, who would 
 perform the ceremony ? Emanuel had seen the 
 bishop some time' before on the subject, and he 
 had hinted at the possibility of coming himself. 
 As an old friend of Emanuel's mother, he said, he 
 was, in a way, the most suitable person. They 
 were all much excited now as to whether such an 
 honour would be shewn to the congregation. 
 
 At half-past eleven the peasants' " Holstein 
 waggons " came up, some thirty odd, and they 
 began to take their seats. The carriages for the 
 bridal pair and their nearest friends were drawn 
 up in the courtyard ; the others formed a line 
 outside, reaching from the bride's house to the 
 end of the village. 
 
 In the meantime Hansine was sitting in her
 
 300 EMANUEL 
 
 room, because the guests might not see the bride 
 till they were all seated in the carriages. Then 
 she appeared on the stone steps at Emanuel's 
 side. She wore a black woollen dress with 
 narrow lace at the throat and wrists. Under 
 the bridal veil and wreath of myrtle she had a 
 closely fitting cap, thickly embroidered with gold 
 and beads, which had been part of her great- 
 grandmother's bridal costume. She wore it to- 
 day by Emanuel's special wish. The lunch had 
 loosened the tongues of many of the men already, 
 and there was plenty of gossip on the way to 
 church. The buzz only died down when they 
 came within sound of the bells, and Else began 
 to cry. Hansine, on the contrary, kept the fixed 
 and reserved expression which was usual to her 
 in moments of strong emotion. The church, the 
 haze, the blue shallows of the Fiord, and the 
 opposite shore all lay bathed in golden sunshine. 
 Clouds of starlings skimmed along, and white 
 gulls were screaming over the water. 
 
 On reaching the churchyard wall the bishop's 
 gig was seen, and the bishop himself was standing 
 in front of the church door in his silk gown and 
 with his orders on his breast to receive them. It 
 was a solemn and memorable moment for them 
 all, when uncovering his white head he went 
 to meet the bridal pair, and led the way into the 
 church at the head of the procession. 
 
 The address was short and in the tone of an 
 ordinary speech. The bishop belonged to those
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 303 
 
 modern preachers who adopt an easy conversa- 
 tional voice, and pronounce such words as 
 " Christ " and " The Holy Ghost " with the same 
 simplicity as in naming a friend. His speech 
 was a repetition of what he had said on a former 
 occasion at the luncheon table at Veilby Parson- 
 age ; the same pictures and expressions occurred 
 here again. He first compared Emanuel with 
 a plant, seeking a new soil ; then the congregation 
 to a big tree, in whose shelter and shade the plant 
 was to grow. He concluded by calling down a 
 blessing from the Lord on the new covenant 
 which was here sealed. 
 
 On the conclusion of the ceremony they all 
 assembled in the churchyard, and the Bishop 
 greeted several of the people, taking the oppor- 
 tunity to single out Hansen, the weaver. Else 
 thanked the bishop with much emotion for the 
 honour he had shown to her daughter and her 
 son-in-law, and invited him to join the wedding 
 festivities, but he excused himself, having to be 
 home before evening. After changing his gown 
 in the vestry for the linen driving coat, he again 
 shook hands with the bridal pair and some of 
 the bystanders, mounted his gig and drove off. 
 
 Immediately afterwards the bridal procession 
 started homewards with much cracking of whips. 
 Guns were fired from various farms and meadows 
 as they drove through the village, amid rearing of 
 horses and screaming of women. 
 
 Four musicians with violins and horns stood out-
 
 304 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 side the bride's house, and struck up a tune every 
 time a conveyance stopped to set down visitors. 
 Some of these were stiff old grandfathers, and 
 stout, heavy women, who had to be helped down 
 by three men ; the smiling young girls, with their 
 floating red ribbons, sprang out into the arms of 
 any youth who came forward. 
 
 All the " Friends," both from Skibberup itself 
 and the surrounding country, had been invited, 
 but most of the young folks were only to come to 
 the dance. Even old Erik was limping about 
 with his Sunday crutch, while, with a beaming 
 face, he snuffed the savoury odours of roast meat 
 which hung about the house, and filled both the 
 courtyard and the garden. 
 
 The director of the High School, who had been 
 becalmed on the Fiord, now arrived with his 
 Jette, a tall bony female with a red face and 
 spectacles. He hobbled about among the guests 
 with a broad, benignant smile ; slapping the men 
 on the shoulder, shaking hands with the women, 
 making lively remarks, and slyly pinching the 
 cheeks of the girls. The weaver, on the other 
 hand, went about silently with his hands on his 
 back, smiling ambiguously first on one side of his 
 face and then on the other. 
 
 When all the guests were assembled, Villing 
 appeared on the outer stone steps in white gloves, 
 and clapped his hands. Then, with the musicians 
 and the bridal pair at the head, the wedding 
 party walked in solemn procession to the flag-
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 305 
 
 bedecked tent. Long tables were spread with 
 steaming dishes of rice porridge, big jugs of ale, 
 and, here and there, glasses of claret. A tower- 
 shaped tart, a yard in height, graced the middle 
 of the table, and at the upper end, in front of the 
 bride and bridegroom, a whole flower-bed was 
 spread out round a large flat cake, iced, with their 
 initials on it in raspberry jam. 
 
 Villing welcomed them from the bottom of the 
 table and said grace, and then the spoons came 
 into play, and before long they all agreed that 
 Maren Smeds had outdone herself. Even those 
 who took omens from the bridal porridge had 
 nothing to complain of to-day. The ten labourers 
 wives to whom the waiting was entrusted, rushed 
 about indefatigably, bearing heaped-up bowls, 
 so that the shame of any of the guests having to 
 tap an empty bowl with his spoon should not 
 be theirs. 
 
 When the joints were put on the table the 
 speeches began. First the High School director 
 made a highly poetical oration, during which 
 the people looked devoutly into their laps. 
 Emanuel, who had taken off his gown, spoke 
 next. He thanked the " Friends " for the kind- 
 ness with which they had received him a 
 stranger into their community, especially thank- 
 ing his parents-in-law, in whose house he had 
 found a new home. Then Anders Jorgen rose, 
 and with a bewildered expression, stammered out 
 some words in an inaudible voice, and sat down 
 
 u
 
 3o6 EMANUEL; OR 
 
 again. It was understood to have been a toast 
 for the " Fatherland," and cheers broke out 
 round the table. Later on, the weaver said a 
 few dry words about the " New Spirit." Villing 
 followed as a speaker he affected the emotional 
 line, and he called upon them in an agitated 
 voice to drink to the " memory of the departed," 
 more particularly alluding to Emanuel's mother. 
 They sang a song between each speech, led by 
 Neilsen's resounding bass. 
 
 By this time it was almost dark, and the young 
 people were impatiently waiting in the gaily 
 lighted hall. They were anxious to dance the 
 bride out of the maiden state. Villing rose once 
 again, and in burning words and amid loud cheers 
 proposed a toast for the " People's Cause," ex- 
 pressing a hope that it would soon rise triumph- 
 ant all over the world. Emanuel said grace and 
 rehearsed the creed, and then the party broke up 
 and went along to the Meeting House. 
 
 Dancing and singing were gaily kept up till 
 broad daylight. 
 
 At midnight Emanuel and Hansine took leave, 
 and started for their new home in a carriage 
 decorated with flowers. All the guests gathered 
 round to bid them farewell, and cheered them 
 to the echo. 
 
 Shortly before, a messenger had been de- 
 spatched to Veilby, as the young people there 
 had decided at the last moment to give them 
 a festive reception. As soon as Emanuel left
 
 CHILDREN OF THE SOIL 
 
 37 
 
 the Parsonage in the morning, they set about 
 erecting a triumphal arch over the gateway. 
 This was to be lighted up with coloured lamps 
 at the home-coming of the bridal pair. Besides 
 this, they planted a row of torches at the side 
 of the road, which cast a fantastic glare around, 
 in the calm dark night. 
 
 When Emanuel saw the red light from the 
 high road he caught Hansine's hand and held 
 it fast. It looked to him as if the dark heavy 
 mass of the Parsonage Hill were raised on pillars 
 of fire, and he was reminded, by the sight, of a 
 dream which he had once had, of finding the 
 magic word which would cause the hills to open 
 before him. . . . 
 
 Now he was driving with his peasant bride 
 right into the mountain.
 
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