|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 61
"God knows I am!" the old man burst forth. "I only wish I had never
come back at all!"
"Why, what's gone wrong at home?"
"How can you ask! You must know as well as I that Hellgum has been
raising the deuce around here."
Ingmar answered that, on the contrary, he had heard that Hellgum
had become a big man.
"Yes, he has grown so big and strong that he's been able to upset
the whole parish," Strong Ingmar sneered.
It seemed strange to Ingmar that the old man never evinced a
particle of affection for any of his own kin. He cared for nobody
and for nothing save the Ingmarssons and the Ingmar Farm. Therefore
Ingmar felt that he must stand up for the son-in-law.
"I think his doctrine a good one," he said.
"Oh, you do, do you?" snapped the old man; and he gave him a
withering look. "Do you think Big Ingmar would have thought so?"
Ingmar replied that his father would have upheld any one who worked
for righteousness.
"It's your belief, then, that Big Ingmar would have approved of
calling all persons who do not belong to Hellgum's band devils and
anti-Christs, and that he would have refused to associate with his
old friends because they held to their old faith?"
"I hardly think that such people as Hellgum and Halvor and Karin
would behave in that way," said Ingmar.
"Just you try to oppose them once, and you'll soon hear what they
think of you!"
Ingmar cut off a big corner of his sandwich and stuffed his mouth
full, so he would not have to talk. It irritated him to see Strong
Ingmar in such bad humour.
"Heigho, hum! It's a queer world," sighed the old man. "Here you
sit, the son of Big Ingmar, with nothing to say, while my Anna Lisa
and her husband are living on the fat of your land. The best people
in the parish bow and scrape to them, and every day they're being
f�ted, here, there, and everywhere."
Ingmar kept on munching and swallowing. There was nothing he could
say. Strong Ingmar, however, went at him again.
"Yes, it's a fine doctrine that Hellgum is spreading! That's why
half the parish has gone over to him. No one has ever had such
absolute influence over the people, not even Strong Ingmar himself.
He separates children from their parents by preaching that those
who are of his fold must not live among sinners. Hellgum need only
beckon, and brother leaves brother, friend leaves friend, and the
lover deserts his betrothed. He has used his power to create strife
and dissension in every household. Of course, Big Ingmar would have
been pleased to death with that sort of thing! Doubtless he would
have backed Hellgum up in all this! I can just picture him doing
it!"
Ingmar looked up and down; he wanted to get away. He knew, to be
sure, that the old man had been drawing heavily on his imagination,
but all the same this talk depressed him.
"I don't deny that Hellgum has done wonders," he modified. "The way
in which he manages to hold his people together, and the way he can
get those who formerly would have nothing to do with each other to
live on friendly terms, is certainly remarkable. And look how he
takes from the rich to give to the poor, and how he makes each
person protect the other's welfare. I'm only sorry for those on the
outside, who are called children of the devil and are not allowed
in the game. But, of course, you don't feel that way."
Ingmar was thoroughly put out with the old man for speaking so
disparagingly of Hellgum.
"There used to be such peace and harmony in this parish!" the old
man rattled on. "But that's all past and gone. In Big Ingmar's time
we lived in such unity that we had the name of being the friendliest
people in all Dalecarlia. Now there are angels bucking against
devils, and sheep against goats."
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|