Part 14 (1/2)

Through my helf-sleep I heard a c.o.c.k crowing down at Sirilund.

”Iselin, hear! A c.o.c.k is crowing for us too!” I cried joyfully, and reached out my arms. I woke. aesop was already moving. ”Gone!” I said in burning sorrow, and looked round. There was no one--no one there. It was morning now; the c.o.c.k was still crowing down at Sirilund.

By the hut stood a woman--Eva. She had a rope in her hand; she was going to fetch wood. There was the morning of life in the young girl's figure as she stood there, all golden in the sun.

”You must not think...” she stammered out.

”What is it I must not think, Eva?”

”I--I did not come this way to meet you; I was just pa.s.sing...”

And her face darkened in a blush.

XXI

My foot continued to trouble me a good deal. It often itched at nights, and kept me awake; a sudden spasm would shoot through it, and in changeable weather it was full of gout. It was like that for many days.

But it did not make me lame, after all.

The days went on.

Herr Mack had returned, and I knew it soon enough. He took my boat away from me, and left me in difficulties, for it was still the closed season, and there was nothing I could shoot. But why did he take the boat away from me like that? Two of Herr Mack's folk from the quay had rowed out with a stranger in the morning.

I met the Doctor.

”They have taken my boat away,” I said.

”There's a new man come,” he said. ”They have to row him out every day and back in the evening. He's investigating the sea-floor.”

The newcomer was a Finn. Herr Mack had met him accidentally on board the steamer; he had come from Spitzbergen with some collections of scales and small sea-creatures; they called him Baron. He had been given a big room and another smaller one in Herr Mack's house. He caused quite a stir in the place.

”I am in difficulties about meat; I might ask Edwarda for something for this evening,” I thought. I walked down to Sirilund. I noticed at once that Edwarda was wearing a new dress. She seemed to have grown; her dress was much longer now.

”Excuse my not getting up,” she said, quite shortly, and offered her hand.

”My daughter is not very well, I'm sorry to say,” said Herr Mack. ”A chill--she has not been taking care of herself... You came to ask about your boat, I suppose? I shall have to lend you another one instead. It's not a new one, but as long as you bail it out every now and then ...

We've a scientist come to stay with us, you see, and with a man like that, of course, you understand... He has no time to spare; works all day and comes home in the evening. Don't go now till he comes; you will be interested in meeting him. Here's his card, with coronet and all; he's a Baron. A very nice man. I met him quite by accident.”

Aha, I thought, so they don't ask you to supper. Well, thank Heaven, I only came down by way of a trial; I can go home again--I've still some fish left in the hut. Enough for a meal, I daresay. _Basta!_

The Baron came in. A little man, about forty, with a long, narrow face, prominent cheek bones, and a thinnish black beard. His glance was sharp and penetrating, but he wore strong gla.s.ses. His s.h.i.+rt studs, too, were ornamented with a little five-pointed coronet, like the one on his card.

He stooped a little, and his thin hands were blue-veined, but the nails were like yellow metal.

”Delighted, Herr Lieutenant. Have you been here long, may I ask?”

”A few months.”

A pleasant man. Herr Mack asked him to tell us about his scales and sea-things, and he did so willingly--told us what kind of clay there was round Korholmerne--went into his room and fetched a sample of weed from the White Sea. He was constantly lifting up his right forefinger and s.h.i.+fting his thick gold spectacles back and forward on his nose. Herr Mack was most interested. An hour pa.s.sed.