United States or Turks and Caicos Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Or perhaps you think," continued he, with a fiendish laugh, "that we have some connection with the family because of Marianne!" "Martin, it's it's " began the old man, his face crimsoning up to the very roots of his hair, and struggling vainly with his infirmity. "Have a drink, old un," said Tom, good naturedly, handing Begmand the mug. The old man paused for breath. "Thanks, Mr.
Robson," said he, taking a long breath. Tom Robson made signs to the others to leave him alone. Begmand put his pipe into his waistcoat pocket, got up, and went into the little room by the kitchen, where he slept. The unwonted drink had roused again the fire of his youth, and never had he felt his helplessness so keenly as he did that evening.
Ragged urchins waylaid him, the girls and the old women put their heads out of the doors and gaped after him, while a group of children who were grovelling on the shore cheered him lustily. Wherever he turned, all reeked of filth and poverty. As Torpander could get nothing out of Anders Begmand, whom he found huddled up in a corner of the room, he went upstairs and knocked at Marianne's door.
The ladies were getting up to say good night, and Morten was just going to brew himself another glass of toddy, when excited voices were heard below. Some one came hurriedly up the staircase, the door opened, and in rushed Anders Begmand.
Martin, too, had brought him nothing but trouble: he was quite hopeless, and the captain with whom he had returned on his last voyage had complained of him, and refused to take him out again; so now he stayed at home, drinking and getting into mischief. The evening was dull and rainy, and a light already shone in the cottage as Begmand and Marianne approached.
This was not, however, much to be wondered at, considering that it was only a pack of old women and children from the West End who were questioned, while those to whom suspicion really attached were allowed to go unexamined. Anders Begmand had been brought up, but the magistrate stated that his evidence could not be received, on the ground of his mental deficiency and general infirmity.
Abraham the sexton had got an extra lurch on, in honour of the grand funeral, and came stumbling along after the pastor, carrying the black box, which was the same that was used for all burials, without distinction. When the pastor arrived at Marianne's grave, he found Anders Begmand and some others from the West End, who had already been in the Consul's procession.
One evening when she had gone, Madeleine asked Miss Cordsen who she was, and the old lady, after scrutinizing her sharply, answered, "that Marianne was a granddaughter of old Anders Begmand, and that some years before she had had a baby.
Woodlouse looked on for some time with the greatest satisfaction, until the idea struck him that he would clear the room. He accomplished his object with the greatest perseverance, and what with butting with his head and pushing his heavy body between the combatants, he at length managed to get the whole lot turned out of doors. Begmand threw their hats after them, and shut the door.
Begmand began singing to a merry little air, "A fire's broken out in the pitch-house!" At the same moment some one in the yard below shouted at the top of his voice, "Fire! fire!" Morten tore aside the blind, and the red glare could be seen on the dewy panes. Every one sprang to the window. "Silence!" cried the young Consul, while every one paused and looked at him.
Word Of The Day