Part 81 (2/2)

Pelle could not rest, nor control his thoughts any longer; he must be off! ”If you'll give me what the fare comes to, as I've helped you,” he told Sort, ”then I'll start this evening....”

Sort gave him thirty kroner.

”That's the half of what we took. There's not so much owing to me,” said Pelle. ”You are the master and had the tools and everything.”

”I won't live by the work of other hands--only by that of my own,” said Sort, and he pushed the money across to Pelle. ”Are you going to travel just as you stand?”

”No, I have plenty of money,” said Pelle gaily. ”I've never before possessed so much money all at once! One can get quite a lot of clothes for that.”

”But you mustn't touch the money! Five kroner you'll need for the pa.s.sage and the like; the rest you must save, so that you can face the future with confidence!”

”I shall soon earn plenty of money in Copenhagen!”

”He has always been a thoughtless lad,” said La.s.se anxiously. ”Once, when he came into town here to be apprenticed he had five kroner; and as for what he spent them on, he could never give any proper account!”

Sort laughed.

”Then I shall travel as I stand!” said Pelle resolutely. But that wouldn't do, either!

He could not by any means please both--they were like two anxious clucking hens.

He had no lack of linen, for La.s.se had just thought of his own supply.

Karna had looked after him well. ”But it will be very short for your long body. It's not the same now as it was when you left Stone Farm--then we had to put a tuck in my s.h.i.+rt for you.”

In the matter of shoes he was not well off. It would never do for a journeyman shoemaker to look for work wearing such shoes as his.

Sort and Pelle must make a pair of respectable boots. ”We must leave ourselves time,” said Sort. ”Think! They must be able to stand the judgment of the capital!” Pelle was impatient, and wanted to get the work quickly out of hand.

Now there was only the question of a new suit. ”Then buy it ready made on credit,” said Sort. ”La.s.se and I will be good enough securities for a suit.”

In the evening, before he started, he and La.s.se went out to look up Due.

They chose the time when they were certain of meeting Due himself. They neither of them cared much for Anna. As they approached the house they saw an old richly-dressed gentleman go in at the front door.

”That is the consul,” said Pelle, ”who has helped them to get on. Then Due is out with the horses, and we are certainly not welcome.”

”Is it like that with them?” said La.s.se, standing still. ”Then I am sorry for Due when he first finds out how his affairs really stand! He will certainly find that he has bought his independence too dearly! Yes, yes; for those who want to get on the price is hard to pay. I hope it will go well with you over there, my boy.”

They had reached the church. There stood a cart full of green plants; two men were carrying them into a dwelling-house.

”What festivity's going on here?” asked Pelle.

”There's to be a wedding to-morrow,” answered one of the men. ”Merchant Lau's daughter is marrying that swaggering fellow, who's always giving himself airs--Karlsen, he's called, and he's a poor chap like ourselves.

But do you suppose he'll notice us? When dirt comes to honor, there's no bearing with it! Now he's become a partner in the business!”

”Then I'll go to the wedding,” said La.s.se eagerly, while they strolled on. ”It is very interesting to see when one of a family comes to something.” Pelle felt that this was to some extent meant as a reproach, but he said nothing.

”Shall we have one look at the new harbor?” he said.

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