tales from two hemispheres[1].(两个半球的故事)-第24章
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seeing her which； above all else； had lent； in anticipation； an altogether
new radiance to the day when he should present him… self in his home with
the long…tasseled student cap on his head； the unnecessary 〃pinchers〃 on
his nose； and with the other traditional paraphernalia of the Norwegian
student。 That great day had now come； Arnfinn sat at Inga's side playing
with her white fingers； which lay resting on his knee； and covering the
depth of his feeling with harmless banter about her 〃amusingly unclassical
little nose。〃 He had once detected her； when a child； standing before a
mirror； and pinching this unhappy feature in the middle； in the hope of
making it 〃like Augusta's；〃 and since then he had no longer felt so utterly
defenseless whenever his own foibles were attacked。
〃But what of your friend； Arnfinn？〃 exclaimed Inga； as she ran up the
stairs of the pier。 〃He of whom you have written so much。 I have been
busy all the morning making the blue guest…chamber ready for him。〃
〃Please； cousin；〃 answered the student； in a tone of mock entreaty；
〃only an hour's respite！ If we are to talk about Strand we must make a
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day of it； you know。 And just now it seems so grand to be at home； and
with you； that I would rather not admit even so genial a subject as Strand
to share my selfish happiness。〃
〃Ah； yes； you are right。 Happiness is too often selfish。 But tell me
only why he didn't come and I'll release you。〃
〃He IS coming。〃
〃Ah！ And when？〃
〃That I don't know。 He preferred to take the journey on foot； and he
may be here at almost any time。 But； as I have told you； he is very
uncertain。 If he should happen to make the acquaintance of some
interesting snipe； or crane； or plover； he may prefer its company to ours；
and then there is no counting on him any longer。 He may be as likely to
turn up at the North Pole as at the Gran Parsonage。〃
〃How very singular。 You don't know how curious I am to see him。〃
And Inga walked on in silence under the sunny birches which grew
along the road； trying vainly to picture to herself this strange phenomenon
of a man。
〃I brought his book；〃 remarked Arnfinn； making a gigantic effort to be
generous； for he felt dim stirrings of jealousy within him。 〃If you care to
read it； I think it will explain him to you better than anything I could say。〃
II。
The Oddsons were certainly a happy family though not by any means
a harmonious one。 The excellent pastor； who was himself neutrally good；
orthodox； and kind…hearted； had often； in the privacy of his own thought；
wondered what hidden ancestral influences there might have been at work
in giving a man so peaceable and inoffensive as himself two daughters of
such strongly defined individuality。 There was Augusta； the elder； who
was what Arnfinn called 〃indiscriminately reformatory；〃 and had a
universal desire to improve everything； from the Government down to
agricultural implements and preserve jars。 As long as she was content to
expend the surplus energy； which seemed to accumulate within her
through the long eventless winters； upon the Zulu Mission； and other
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legitimate objects； the pastor thought it all harmless enough； although； to
be sure； her enthusiasm for those naked and howling savages did at times
strike him as being somewhat extravagant。 But when occasionally； in her
own innocent way； she put both his patience and his orthodoxy to the test
by her exceedingly puzzling questions； then he could not； in the depth of
his heart； restrain the wish that she might have been more like other young
girls； and less ardently solicitous about the fate of her kind。 Affectionate
and indulgent； however； as the pastor was； he would often； in the next
moment； do penance for his unregenerate thought； and thank God for
having made her so fair to behold； so pure； and so noble…hearted。
Toward Arnfinn； Augusta had； although of his own age； early assumed
a kind of elder…sisterly relation； she had been his comforter during all the
trials of his boyhood； had yielded him her sympathy with that eager
impulse which lay so deep in her nature； and had felt forlorn when life had
called him away to where her words of comfort could not reach him。 But
when once she had hinted this to her father； he had pedantically convinced
her that her feeling was unchristian； and Inga had playfully remarked that
the hope that some one might soon find the open Polar Sea would go far
toward consoling her for her loss； for Augusta had glorious visions at that
time of the open Polar Sea。 Now； the Polar Sea； and many other things；
far nearer and dearer； had been forced into uneasy forgetfulness； and
Arnfinn was once more with her； no longer a child； and no longer
appealing to her for aid and sympathy； man enough； ap… parently； to have
outgrown his boyish needs and still boy enough to be ashamed of having
ever had them。
It was the third Sunday after Arnfinn's return。 He and Augusta were
climbing the hillside to the 〃Giant's Hood；〃 from whence they had a wide
view of the fjord； and could see the sun trailing its long bridge of flame
upon the water。 It was Inga's week in the kitchen； therefore her sister
was Arnfinn's companion。 As they reached the crest of the 〃Hood；〃
Augusta seated herself on a flat bowlder； and the young student flung
himself on a patch of greensward at her feet。 The intense light of the late
sun fell upon the girl's unconscious face； and Arnfinn lay； gazing up into it；
and wondering at its rare beauty； but he saw only the clean cut of its
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features and the purity of its form； being too shallow to recognize the
strong and heroic soul which had struggled so long for utterance in the life
of which he had been a blind and unmindful witness。
〃Gracious； how beautiful you are； cousin！〃 he broke forth； heedlessly；
striking his leg with his slender cane； 〃pity you were not born a queen；
you would be equal to almost anything； even if it were to discover the
Polar Sea。〃
〃I thought you were looking at the sun； Arnfinn；〃 answered she；
smiling reluctantly。
〃And so I am； cousin；〃 laughed he； with an other…emphatic slap of his
boot。
〃That compliment is rather stale。〃
〃But the opportunity was too tempting。〃
〃Never mind； I will excuse you from further efforts。 Turn around and
notice that wonderful purple halo which is hovering over the forests below。
Isn't it glorious？〃
〃No； don't let us be solemn； pray。 The sun I have seen a thousand
times before； but you I have seen very seldom of late。 Somehow； since I
returned this time； you seem to keep me at a distance。 You no longer
confide to me your great plans for the abolishment of war； and the
improvement of mankind generally。 Why don't you tell me whether you
have as yet succeeded in convincing the peasants that cleanliness is a
cardinal virtue； that hawthorn hedges are more picturesque than rail fences；
and that salt meat is a very indigestible article？〃
〃You know the fate of my reforms； from long experience；〃 she
answered； with the same sad； sweet smile。 〃I am afraid there must be
some thing radically wrong about my methods； and； moreover； I know that
your aspirations and mine are no longer the same； if they ever have been；
and I am not ungenerous enough to force you to feign an interest which
you do not feel。〃
〃Yes； I know you think me flippant and boyish；〃 retorted he； with
sudden energy； and tossing a stone down into the gulf below。 〃But； by
the way； my friend Strand； if he ever comes； would be just the man for you。
He has quite as many hobbies as you have； and； what is more； he has a
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profound respect for hobbies in general； and is universally charitable
toward those of others。〃
〃Your friend is a great man；〃 said the girl； earnestly。 〃I have read his
book on ‘The Wading Birds of the Norwegian Highlands；' and none but a
great man could have written it。〃
〃He is an odd stick； but； for all that； a capital fellow； and I have no
doubt you would get on admirably with him。〃
At this moment the conversation was interrupted by the appearance of
the pastor's man； Hans； who came to tell the 〃young miss〃 that there was a
big tramp hovering about the barns in the 〃out…fields；〃 where he had been
sleeping during the last three nights。 He was a dangerous character； Hans
thought； at least judging from his looks； and it was hardly safe for the
young miss to be roaming about the fields at night as long as he was in the
neighborhood。
〃Why don't you speak to the pastor； and have him arrested？〃 said
Arnfinn； impatient of Hans's long…winded recital。
〃No； no； say nothing to father；〃 demanded Augusta； eagerly。 〃Why
should you arrest a poor man as long as he does nothing worse than sleep
in the barns in the out…fields？〃
〃As you say； miss；〃 retorted Hans； and departed。
The moon came up pale and mist…like over the eastern mountain ridges；
struggled for a few brief moments feebly with the sunlight； and then
vanished。
〃It is strange；〃 said Arnfinn； 〃how everythin
