United States or Solomon Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"It's tremendous the way Alfred has greased his head!" whispered Lasse. "It looks like a newly-licked calf's head! But she is pretty. I'm only puzzled that she's not put on her myrtle-wreath I suppose nothing has happened?" "Yes, she's got a child," whispered Pelle. "Otherwise, he would never in this world have got her!" "Oh, I see! Yes, but that's smart of him, to catch such a fine lady!"
He could remember only too plainly occasions when he had snapped at Lasse, so unkindly that Lasse had given a sigh and made off; for Lasse never snapped back he was only silent and very sad. But how dreadful that was! Pelle threw all his high-and-mighty airs to the winds and gave himself up to despair.
But he took the plait with him, and the handkerchief was rubbish, as might have been expected. For the Jutes are cunning devils, who crucified " Lasse began at the beginning again. Pelle did not pay much attention to his father's soft murmuring.
Such a thing had never entered her mind; and Pelle felt that if he were to persuade her to take Father Lasse into their home, the wonder of their life together would be killed. They lived so fully from hour to hour; theirs was a sacred happiness, that must not be sacrificed, but which itself demanded the sacrifice of all else.
Pelle maintained a refractory silence. "I think I'll do it, for this isn't to be borne. Now you've got to have new school-trousers, and where are they coming from?" "Well, then, do it! Then you'll do what you say." "It's easy for you to pooh-pooh everything," said Lasse despondingly, "for you've time and years before you. But I'm beginning to get old, and I've no one to trouble about me."
"How tall and fine you've grown but you aren't well-off for clothes! And you don't look to be overfed.... Ah, I've known you from the time when you and your father came into the country; a little fellow you were then, and Lasse brought me my mother's hymn-book!" She was suddenly silent, and her eyes filled with tears. One of the sailors whispered to the rest, and they began to laugh.
He was in the fairest period of budding youth; they would often take him on their knees as he passed, and kiss him. "Ah, he'll be a lady's man, he will!" Lasse would say. "He's got that from his father." But they would laugh at that. There was always laughter when Lasse wanted to join the elders. Last time yes, then he was good enough.
Now give me the bottle and I'll take it out to your mistress without letting any one see." He laughed heartily. Pelle handed him the bottle there stood money in piles on the writing-table, thick round two-krone pieces one upon another! Then why didn't Father Lasse get the money in advance that he had begged for? The mistress now came in, and the farmer at once went and shut the window.
"No, I've something on for Sunday an assignation," said Lasse roguishly, in order to obviate further questions. "Enjoy your youthful happiness; it won't last forever." He would never accept help. "I earn what I need for my food and a few clothes; I don't need much of either, and I am quite contented. And you've enough to see to yourself," was his constant answer.
He had only one feeling that everything in the world was indifferent to him, whatever happened whether he went on living in laborious honesty, or defiled himself with drinking, or perished it was all one to him! What was the good of it all? No one cared what happened to him not even he himself. Not a human soul would miss him if he went to the dogs but yes, there was Lasse, Father Lasse!
Word Of The Day