CHAPTER VII

by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

　　The school-master had judged the boy correctly when he asked the priestto try whether Oyvind could bear to stand number one. During the threeweeks which elapsed before the confirmation, he was with the boy everyday. It is one thing for a young, tender soul to yield to animpression; what through faith it shall attain is another thing. Manydark hours fell upon Oyvind before he learned to choose the goal of hisfuture from something better than ambition and defiance. Often in themidst of his work he lost his interest and stopped short: what was itall for, what would he gain by it?—and then presently he wouldremember the school-master, his words and his kindness; and this humanmedium forced him to rise up again every time he fell from acomprehension of his higher duty.

　　In those days while they were preparing at Pladsen for theconfirmation, they were also preparing for Oyvind's departure for theagricultural school, for this was to take place the following day.Tailor and shoemaker were sitting in the family-room; the mother wasbaking in the kitchen, the father working at a chest. There was agreat deal said about what Oyvind would cost his parents in the nexttwo years; about his not being able to come home the first Christmas,perhaps not the second either, and how hard it would be to be parted solong. They spoke also of the love Oyvind should bear his parents whowere willing to sacrifice themselves for their child's sake. Oyvindsat like one who had tried sailing out into the world on his ownresponsibility, but had been wrecked and was now picked up by kindpeople.

　　Such is the feeling that humility gives, and with it comes much more.As the great day drew near he dared call himself prepared, and alsodared look forward with trustful resignation. Whenever Marit's imagewould present itself, he cautiously thrust it aside, although he felt apang in so doing. He tried to gain practice in this, but never madeany progress in strength; on the contrary, it was the pain that grew.Therefore he was weary the last evening, when, after a longself-examination, he prayed that the Lord would not put him to the testin this matter.

　　The school-master came as the day was drawing to a close. They all satdown together in the family-room, after washing and dressing themselvesneat and clean, as was customary the evening before going to communion,or morning service. The mother was agitated, the father silent;parting was to follow the morrow's ceremony, and it was uncertain whenthey could all sit down together again. The school-master brought outthe hymn-books, read the service, sang with the family, and afterwardssaid a short prayer, just as the words came into his mind.

　　These four people now sat together until late in the evening, thethoughts of each centering within; then they parted with the bestwishes for the coming day and what it was to consecrate. Oyvind wasobliged to admit, as he laid himself down, that he had never gone tobed so happy before; he gave this an interpretation of his own,—heunderstood it to mean: I have never before gone to bed feeling soresigned to God's will and so happy in it. Marit's face at once roseup before him again, and the last thing he was conscious of was that helay and examined himself: not quite happy, not quite,—and that heanswered: yes, quite; but again: not quite; yes, quite; no, not quite.

　　When he awoke he at once remembered the day, prayed, and felt strong,as one does in the morning. Since the summer, he had slept alone inthe attic; now he rose, and put on his handsome new clothes, verycarefully, for he had never owned such before. There was especially around broadcloth jacket, which he had to examine over and over againbefore he became accustomed to it. He hung up a little looking-glasswhen he had adjusted his collar, and for the fourth time drew on hisjacket. At sight of his own contented face, with the unusually lighthair surrounding it, reflected and smiling in the glass, it occurred tohim that this must certainly be vanity again. "Yes, but people must bewell-dressed and tidy," he reasoned, drawing his face away from theglass, as if it were a sin to look in it. "To be sure, but not quiteso delighted with themselves, for the sake of the matter." "No,certainly not, but the Lord must also like to have one care to lookwell." "That may be; but He would surely like it better to have you doso without taking so much notice of it yourself." "That is true; butit happens now because everything is so new." "Yes, but you mustgradually lay the habit aside."—He caught himself carrying on such aself-examining conversation, now upon one theme, now upon another, sothat not a sin should fall on the day and stain it; but at the sametime he knew that he had other struggles to meet.

　　When he came down-stairs, his parents sat all dressed, waitingbreakfast for him. He went up to them and taking their hands thankedthem for the clothes, and received in return a"wear-them-out-with-good-health."[1] They sat down to table, prayedsilently, and ate. The mother cleared the table, and carried in thelunch-box for the journey to church. The father put on his jacket, themother fastened her kerchief; they took their hymn-books, locked up thehouse, and started. As soon as they had reached the upper road theymet the church-faring people, driving and walking, the confirmationcandidates scattered among them, and in one group and anotherwhite-haired grand-parents, who had felt moved to come out on thisgreat occasion.

　　[Footnote 1: A common expression among the peasantry of Norway,meaning: "You are welcome."]

　　It was an autumn day without sunshine, as when the weather is about tochange. Clouds gathered together and dispersed again; sometimes out ofone great mass were formed twenty smaller ones, which sped across thesky with orders for a storm; but below, on the earth, it was stillcalm, the foliage hung lifeless, not a leaf stirring; the air was atrifle sultry; people carried their outer wraps with them but did notuse them. An unusually large multitude had assembled round the church,which stood in an open space; but the confirmation children immediatelywent into the church in order to be arranged in their places beforeservice began. Then it was that the school-master, in a bluebroadcloth suit, frock coat, and knee-breeches, high shoes, stiffcravat, and a pipe protruding from his back coat pocket, came downtowards them, nodded and smiled, tapped one on the shoulder, spoke afew words to another about answering loudly and distinctly, andmeanwhile worked his way along to the poor-box, where Oyvind stoodanswering all the questions of his friend Hans in reference to hisjourney.

　　"Good-day, Oyvind. How fine you look to-day!" He took him by thejacket collar as if he wished to speak to him. "Listen. I believeeverything good of you. I have been talking with the priest; you willbe allowed to keep your place; go up to number one and answerdistinctly!"

　　Oyvind looked up at him amazed; the school-master nodded; the boy tooka few steps, stopped, a few steps more, stopped again: "Yes, it surelyis so; he has spoken to the priest for me,"—and the boy walked swiftlyup to his place.

　　"You are to be number one, after all," some one whispered to him.

　　"Yes," answered Oyvind, in a low voice, but did not feel quite sure yetwhether he dared think so.

　　The assignment of places was over, the priest had come, the bells wereringing, and the people pouring into church. Then Oyvind saw MaritHeidegards just in front of him; she saw him too; but they were both soawed by the sacredness of the place that they dared not greet eachother. He only noticed that she was dazzlingly beautiful and that herhair was uncovered; more he did not see. Oyvind, who for more thanhalf a year had been building such great plans about standing oppositeher, forgot, now that it had come to the point, both the place and her,and that he had in any way thought of them.

　　After all was ended the relatives and acquaintances came up to offertheir congratulations; next came Oyvind's comrades to take leave ofhim, as they had heard that he was to depart the next day; then therecame many little ones with whom he had coasted on the hill-sides andwhom he had assisted at school, and who now could not help whimpering alittle at parting. Last came the school-master, silently took Oyvindand his parents by the hands, and made a sign to start for home; hewanted to accompany them. The four were together once more, and thiswas to be the last evening. On the way home they met many others whotook leave of Oyvind and wished him good luck; but they had no otherconversation until they sat down together in the family-room.

　　The school-master tried to keep them in good spirits; the fact was nowthat the time had come they all shrank from the two long years ofseparation, for up to this time they had never been parted a singleday; but none of them would acknowledge it. The later it grew the moredejected Oyvind became; he was forced to go out to recover hiscomposure a little.

　　It was dusk now and there were strange sounds in the air. Oyvindremained standing on the door-step gazing upward. From the brow of thecliff he then heard his own name called, quite softly; it was nodelusion, for it was repeated twice. He looked up and faintlydistinguished a female form crouching between the trees and lookingdown.

　　"Who is it?" asked he.

　　"I hear you are going away," said a low voice, "so I had to come to youand say good-by, as you would not come to me."

　　"Dear me! Is that you, Marit? I shall come up to you."

　　"No, pray do not. I have waited so long, and if you come I should haveto wait still longer; no one knows where I am and I must hurry home."

　　"It was kind of you to come," said he.

　　"I could not bear to have you leave so, Oyvind; we have known eachother since we were children."

　　"Yes; we have."

　　"And now we have not spoken to each other for half a year."

　　"No; we have not."

　　"We parted so strangely, too, that time."

　　"We did. I think I must come up to you!"

　　"Oh, no! do not come! But tell me: you are not angry with me?"

　　"Goodness! how could you think so?"

　　"Good-by, then, Oyvind, and my thanks for all the happy times we havehad together!"

　　"Wait, Marit!"

　　"Indeed I must go; they will miss me."

　　"Marit! Marit!"

　　"No, I dare not stay away any longer, Oyvind. Good-by."

　　"Good-by!"

　　Afterwards he moved about as in a dream, and answered very absentlywhen he was addressed. This was ascribed to his journey, as was quitenatural; and indeed it occupied his whole mind at the moment when theschool-master took leave of him in the evening and put something intohis hand, which he afterwards found to be a five-dollar bill. Butlater, when he went to bed, he thought not of the journey, but of thewords which had come down from the brow of the cliff, and those thathad been sent up again. As a child Marit was not allowed to come onthe cliff, because her grandfather feared she might fall down. Perhapsshe will come down some day, any way.