Part 59 (1/2)
The court-house emptied, the comedy was over....
Someone takes Axel Strom by the arm: it is Geissler. ”H'm,” said he, ”so you're done with that now!”
”Ay,” said Axel.
”But they've wasted a lot of your time to no purpose.”
”Ay,” said Axel again. But he was coming to himself again gradually, and after a moment he added: ”None the less, I'm glad it was no worse.”
”No worse?” said Geissler. ”I'd have liked to see them try!” He spoke with emphasis, and Axel fancied Geissler must have had something to do with the case himself; that he had intervened. Heaven knows if, after all, it had not been Geissler himself that had led the whole proceedings and gained the result he wished. It was a mystery, anyway.
So much at least Axel understood, that Geissler had been on his side all through.
”I've a deal to thank you for,” said he, offering his hand.
”What for?” asked Geissler.
”Why, for--for all this.”
Geissler turned it off shortly. ”I've done nothing at all. Didn't trouble to do, anything--'twasn't worth while.” But for all that, Geissler was not displeased, maybe, at being thanked; it was as if he had been waiting for it, and now it had come. ”I've no time to stand talking now,” he said. ”Going back tomorrow, are you? Good. Good-bye, then, and good luck to you.” And Geissler strolled off across the street.
On the boat going home, Axel encountered the Lensmand and his wife, Barbro and the two girls called as witnesses.
”Well,” said Fru Heyerdahl, ”aren't you glad it turned out so well?”
Axel said, ”Yes”; he was glad it had come out all right in the end.
The Lensmand himself put in a word, and said: ”This is the second of these cases I've had while I've been here--first with Inger from Sellanraa, and now this. No, it's no good trying to countenance that sort of thing--justice must take its course.”
But Fru Heyerdahl guessed, no doubt, that Axel was not over pleased with her speech of the day before, and tried to smooth it over, to make up for it somehow now. ”You understood, of course, why I had to say all that about you yesterday?”
”H'm--ye--es,” said Axel.
”You understood, of course, I know. You didn't think I wanted to make things harder for you in any way. I've always thought well of you, and I don't mind saying so.”
”Ay,” said Axel, no more. But he was pleased and touched at her words.
”Yes, I mean it,” said Fru Heyerdahl. ”But I was obliged to try and s.h.i.+ft the blame a little your way, otherwise Barbro would have been convicted, and you too. It was all for the best, indeed it was.”
”I thank you kindly,” said Axel.
”And it was I and no other that went about from one to another through the place, trying to do what I could for you both. And you saw, of course, that we all had to do the same thing--make out that you were partly to blame, so as to get you both off in the end.”
”Ay,” said Axel.
”Surely you didn't imagine for a moment that I meant any harm to you?
When I've always thought so well of you!”