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But sit down, and you, too, young woman, had better do the same." Sandgoist seemed to be doing the honors of his own house, and Joel instantly noted the fact. "Ah, ha! you are displeased! What a touchy young man you seem to be!" "I am not particularly touchy that I know of, but I don't feel inclined to accept civilities from those who have no right to offer them." "Joel!" cried Dame Hansen.
Joel controlled himself, though not without an evident effort, and followed his sister. In a few moments Dame Hansen and Sandgoist reached the door of the inn. Sandgoist crossed the threshold first; then the door closed upon Dame Hansen and upon him, and both of them entered the large parlor. As Joel and Hulda approached the house the threatening voice of Sandgoist became distinctly audible.
And now the mortgage had passed into the hands of this Sandgoist a heartless and unprincipled man a well-known usurer, who was heartily despised throughout the country. Dame Hansen, however, had seen him for the first time when he came to Dal to satisfy himself in regard to the value of the property. This was the secret that had weighed so heavily upon her.
And seeing that Sandgoist showed no intention of obeying, the young man was about to spring upon him, when Hulda hastily interposed. "Here is the ticket, mother," she cried. Dame Hansen seized it, and as she exchanged it for Sandgoist's receipt her daughter sunk, almost fainting, into an arm-chair. "Hulda! Hulda! Oh, what have you done?" cried Joel. "What has she done," replied Dame Hansen.
What could there be in common between her and Sandgoist? Joel would certainly desire to know, and would be sure to question his mother, and as Dame Hansen, who was always so uncommunicative, would doubtless persist in the silence she had maintained hitherto, the relations between her and her children, which were so unnatural and constrained now, would become still more unpleasant.
Not one of the crew could have survived the shipwreck, and Hulda would never see her lover again. Suddenly another report diverted the minds of the crowd. It was rumored that Sandgoist had decided to leave Drammen, and several persons pretended that they had seen him in the streets of Christiania. Could it be that he had ventured into this hall?
A few seconds later he had disappeared around a turn in the road. When Hulda opened the book she found there only this name "Sandgoist, from Drammen."
"Yes, I am guilty for my children's sake I wished to increase the property left by their father, but instead I have reduced them to poverty. But Hulda has saved us all. That is what she has done. Thank you, Hulda, thank you." Sandgoist still lingered. Joel perceived the fact. "You are here still," he continued, roughly.
As they passed a small and dingy dwelling that contrasted strongly with the gayly painted houses around it, Joel could not repress a sudden movement of loathing. "There is Sandgoist?" he exclaimed. "So that is Sandgoist," remarked Sylvius Hogg. "He certainly has a bad face." It was Sandgoist smoking on his door-step. Did he recognize Joel?
"Very well; then it is to Hulda Hansen that this application should be addressed." "My son!" hastily interposed Dame Hansen. "Let me finish, mother," continued Joel. "This ticket belonged originally to our cousin, Ole Kamp, and had not Ole Kamp a perfect right to bequeath it to his betrothed?" "Unquestionably," replied Sandgoist.
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