United States or Iraq ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The harbour gleamed; far away he saw Miss Aagot's little yacht with the shining masthead. He lost himself in this spectacle. Time passed; suddenly he dived into a basement restaurant that had opened up and asked for a sandwich for breakfast. When he emerged a little later there were many people in the streets; it was getting along toward the time for the boys' parade to start.
No, Hanka did not have Aagot's carriage. And why was it her laugh no longer made his blood tingle? He rested on the oars and let the boat drift. It grew darker. Fragmentary thoughts drifted through his brain: a rudderless ship on the buffeting waves, an emperor in defeat, King Lear, thoughts and thoughts. He went aft and began to write on the back of some envelopes, verse upon verse.
He was no prominent man, known all over the country; he was no genius who could interest a girl greatly; he was just an ordinary toiler, a business man that was all. He should have known better than imagine he would be allowed to keep Aagot's heart for himself. Just see how he had fooled himself!
Aagot's eyes were on him; he caught her glance of rapt attention, and she made him understand with a warm smile that she had listened to his every word. She wanted to show Ole how little she had meant her thoughtless regret that he was no poet. She nodded to Coldevin and wished the poets all they got.
During the drive Irgens held all Aagot's bundles in his arms. He did not move and was not in the least insistent. She was really touched by his tactful behaviour, and when he finally asked her to stay another day she consented. But when the carriage had to be paid for he searched his pockets in vain; at last he had to ask her to pay the driver herself.
He wound it up mechanically while he held it. He went out and mailed a letter to Tidemand which he had just written. Upon his return he took Aagot's letters from the safe and loosened the string that bound them together. He did not read any of these letters; he carried them over to the fireplace and burned them one by one.
Word Of The Day