Part 3 (2/2)

The schoolmaster tottered back and sank into a chair, staring at Peer as if he thought him a quite hopeless subject. At last he recovered so far as to say: ”Look here, my lad, don't you think you might be content to call him--now and for the future--just your benefactor? Don't you think he deserves it?”

”Oh, yes,” whispered Peer, almost in tears.

”You are thinking, of course--you and those who have put all this nonsense into your head--of the money which he--h'm--”

”Yes--isn't there a savings bank account--?”

”Aha! There we are! Yes, indeed. There is a savings bank account--in my care.” He rose, and hunted out from a drawer a small green-covered book.

Peer could not take his eyes from it. ”Here it is. The sum entered here to your account amounts to eighteen hundred crowns.”

Cras.h.!.+ Peer felt as if he had fallen through the floor into the cellarage. All his dreams vanished into thin air--the million crowns--priest and bishop--Christiania--and all the rest.

”On the day when you are in a fair way to set up independently as an artisan, a farmer, or a fisherman--and when you seem to me, to the best of my judgment, to deserve such help--then and not till then I place this book at your disposal. Do you understand what I say?”

”Yes.”

”I am perfectly sure that I am in full agreement with the wishes of the donor in deciding that the money must remain untouched in my safe keeping until then.”

”Yes,” whispered Peer.

”What?--are you crying?”

”N-no. Good-morning--”

”No, pray don't go yet. Sit down. There are one or two things we must get settled at once. First of all--you must trust me, my good boy. Do you believe that I wish you well, or do you not?”

”Yes, sir.”

”Then it is agreed that all these fancies about going to college and so forth must be driven out of your head once for all?”

”Y-yes, sir.”

”You can see yourself that, even supposing you had the mental qualifications, such a sum, generous as it is in itself, would not suffice to carry you far.”

”No-no, sir.”

”On the other hand, if you wish it, I will gladly arrange to get you an apprentice's place with a good handicraftsman here. You would have free board there, and--well, if you should want clothes the first year or so, I dare say we could manage that. You will be better without pocket-money to fling about until you can earn it for yourself.”

Peer sighed, and drooped as he stood. When he saw the green-backed book locked into its drawer again, and heard the keys rattle as they went back into a pocket under the dressing-gown, he felt as if some one were pointing a jeering finger at him, and saying, ”Yah!”

”Then there's another thing. About your name. What name have you thought of taking, my lad--surname, I mean?”

”My name is Peer Holm!” said the boy, instinctively drawing himself up as he had done when the bishop had patted his head at the confirmation and asked his name.

The schoolmaster pursed up his lips, took off his spectacles and wiped them, put them on again, and turned to the bookshelves with a sigh. ”Ah, indeed!--yes--yes--I almost thought as much.”

Then he came forward and laid a hand kindly on Peer's shoulder.

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