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Page 37
The young couple parted in the hope of a joyful meeting, and Gottlieb's
farewell kiss did not assist Nanna to forget him.
The next day after Gottlieb had taken his departure, Jon Jonson's sloop
arrived in the bay opposite the little cottage in the valley.
CHAPTER XII.
GRIEF.
Nearly two months had elapsed since those remarkable days on which Nanna
had received her first kiss, and Magde had heard from her husband by the
arrival of Jon Jonson's sloop.
Great had been her joy when Ragnar's gifts arrived in safety.--She then
thought that everything had come to a good conclusion. But greatly was
she deceived! There was a man to whom Magde had invariably conducted
herself with cool indifference, and who, after having been defeated by
her in the manner which we have before described bestowed upon her a
parting glance which had caused her to shudder as if she had trodden
upon a serpent. And he was indeed a serpent in human guise, for soon she
felt the delayed sting of the venomous reptile.
Until Ragnar had received his appointment as mate, old Mr. Lonner had
invariably purchased his supplies of the merchants at Goteborg; but as
Ragnar thought that foreign goods could be obtained much cheaper by
procuring them himself, and sending them home without paying the duty,
he soon persuaded the old man to adopt his opinion on the subject.
Until now no unpleasant consequence had resulted from Ragnar's
occasionally smuggling a few articles for the use of the family; but the
old adage says "a pitcher which goes oft to the fountain is soon
broken," and in Ragnar's case this proverb was verified.
Yet, for this accident, the custom house officers were not so much to
blame, for not one in that service would have thought for a moment of
searching the cottage in the valley, unless positive information was
received, nay more, unless that information was accompanied with threats
of exposure, for dereliction of duty. Unfortunately, the custom house
stamp was wanting upon the handkerchiefs, shawls, and other goods sent
by Ragnar, and the family not only were deprived of them, but were
menaced with fines and penalties, which to pay, was entirely out of
their power. To add to their misfortune their protector, Ragnar, who
would have soon put an end to their troubles, had started a few days
before the catastrophe, upon a voyage to Brazil.
Magde and Nanna wept only when they were alone, or at least when they
were with each other. They concealed their tears from the old man, his
life should not be further embittered; it was bitter enough already. The
little fortune on which they had hoped to subsist for many months was
entirely swept away. Old Mr. Lonner, however, observed the secret grief
of his daughters, and said to himself:
"Poor children, you do not know what is yet to come."
The smuggled goods were marked with old Mr. Lonner's name only, and he
well knew that a heavy penalty was yet to follow.
"We have enjoyed so much happiness, and peace, since Ragnar and Magde
were married," said he encouragingly to his daughter, "that we should
bravely endure a little misfortune. It is not allotted to man that he
should enjoy a constant season of prosperity."
But Nanna and Magde smiled sorrowfully as he thus spoke. The inmates of
the cottage now exerted themselves to the utmost to better their sad
condition. Our friend Carl exerted himself beyond all the others. He who
had neglected the affairs of his own relations for those of his
neighbors, now scarcely had leisure to step beyond the boundary line of
his father's estate. He was everything, and did everything so willingly
and skilfully, that it was not necessary for the family to hire any
servant to assist them as they had formerly done, and although latterly
he had been somewhat feeble in health, he cared not for himself, but
worked manfully in wet as well as dry weather. His troubles and toil
were all forgotten, when Magde would reward him for his efforts with a
friendly nod of her head.
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