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Page 31
"I see by your warmth that you are thinking of your grandfather
again," replied Lars; "and will say it is high time you ceased to
bother the parish about him, for he monopolized space enough in
his lifetime; it isn't worth while to have him lie in the way now
he is dead. Should his corpse prevent a blessing to the parish
that would reach to a hundred generations, we surely would have
reason to say, that of all born here he has done us most harm."
Canute Aakre tossed back his disorderly hair, his eyes darted
fire, his whole frame appeared like a drawn bow.
"What sort of a blessing this is that you speak of, I have already
proved. It is of the same character as all the others which you
have brought to the parish, namely, a doubtful one. True enough
you have provided us with a new church; but, too, you have filled
it with a new spirit,--and not that of love. True, you have made
us new roads,--but also new roads to destruction, as is now
plainly evident in the misfortunes of many. True, you have
lessened our taxes to the public; but, too, you have increased
those to ourselves;--prosecutions, protests, and failures are no
blessing to a community. And you dare scoff at the man in his
grave whom the whole parish blesses! You dare say he lies in our
way,--yes, very likely he lies in your way. This is plainly to be
seen; but over this grave you shall fall! The spirit which has
reigned over you, and at the same time until now over us, was not
born to rule, only to serve. The churchyard shall surely remain
undisturbed; but to-day it numbers one more grave, namely, that of
your popularity, which shall now be interred in it."
Lars Hogstad rose, white as a sheet; he opened his mouth, but was
unable to speak a word, and the straw fell. After three or four
vain attempts to recover it and to find utterance, he belched
forth like a volcano:
"Are these the thanks I get for all my toils and struggles? Shall
such a woman-preacher be able to direct? Ah, then, the devil be
your chairman if ever more I set my foot here! I have
kept your petty business in order until to-day; and after me
it will fall into a thousand pieces; but let it go now. Here are
the 'Records!' (and he flung them across the table). Out on such a
company of wenches and brats! (striking the table with his fist).
Out on the whole parish, that it can see a man recompensed as I
now am!"
He brought down his fist once more with such force, that the leaf
of the great table sprang upward, and the inkstand with all its
contents downward upon the floor, marking for coming generations
the spot where Lars Hogstad, in spite of all his prudence, lost
his patience and his rule.
He sprang for the door, and soon after was away from the house.
The whole audience stood fixed,--for the power of his voice and
his wrath had frightened them,--until Canute Aakre, remembering
the taunt he had received at the time of his fall, with beaming
countenance, and assuming Lars' voice, exclaimed:
"Is this the decisive blow in the matter?"
The assembly burst into uproarious merriment. The grave meeting
closed amid laughter, talk, and high glee; only few left the
place, those remaining called for drink, and made a night of
thunder succeed a day of lightning. They felt happy and
independent as in old days, before the time in which the
commanding spirit of Lars had cowed their souls into silent
obedience. They drank toasts to their liberty, they sang, yes,
finally they danced, Canute Aakre with the vice-chairman taking
lead, and all the members of the council following, and boys and
girls too, while the young ones outside shouted, "hurrah!" for
such a spectacle they had never before witnessed.
III.
Lars moved around in the large rooms at Hogstad without uttering a
word. His wife who loved him, but always with fear and trembling,
dared not so much as show herself in his presence. The management
of the farm and house had to go on as it would, while a multitude
of letters were passing to and fro between Hogstad and the parish,
Hogstad and the capital; for he had charges against the county
board which were not acknowledged, and a prosecution ensued;
against the savings-bank, which were also unacknowledged, and so
came another prosecution. He took offence at articles in the
Christiania Correspondence, and prosecuted again, first the
chairman of the county board, and then the directors of the
savings-bank. At the same time there were bitter articles in the
papers, which according to report were by him, and were the cause
of great strife in the parish, setting neighbor against neighbor.
Sometimes he was absent whole weeks at once, nobody knowing where,
and after returning lived secluded as before. At church he was not
seen after the grand scene in the representatives' meeting.
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