Feats on the Fiord Part 7

"I was tumbled out upon the sh.o.r.e, I don't know how," declared Hund; "found myself sprawling on a rock, while the creature's cries brought my heart into my mouth as I lay."

"Alone? Were you alone?" asked his mistress.

"I had landed the pastor some hours before, madame; and I took n.o.body else with me, as Stiorna can tell, for she saw me go."

"Stiorna is at the mountain," observed madame coolly.

"But, Hund," said Oddo, "how did Nipen take hold of you when it laid you sprawling on the rock? Neck and heels? Or did it bid you go and hearken whether the pirates were coming, and whip away the boat before you came back? Are you quite sure that you sprawled on the rock at all before you ran away from the horrible cry you speak of? Our rocks are very slippery when Nipen is at one's heels."

Hund stared at Oddo, and his voice was yet hoa.r.s.er when he said that he had long thought that boy was a favourite with Nipen, and he was sure of it now.

Erica had thrown herself down on the sand hiding her face on her hands, on the edge of the boat, as if in despair of her misery being attended to--her questions answered. Old Peder stood beside her, stroking her hair tenderly, and he now spoke the things she could not.

"Attend to me, Hund," said Peder, in the grave, quiet tone which every one regarded. "Hear my words; and for your own sake answer them. We suspect you of being in communication with the pirates yonder; we suspect that you went to meet them when you refused to go hunting the bears. We know that you have long felt ill-will towards Rolf--envy of him--jealousy of him--and----"

Here Erica looked up, pale as ashes, and said: "Do not question him further. There is no truth in his answers. He spoke falsehood even now."

Peder knew how Hund shrank under this, and thought the present the moment to get truth out of him, if he ever could speak it. He therefore went on to say--

"We suspect you of having done something to keep your rival out of the way, in order that you might obtain the house and situation--and perhaps something else that you wish."

"Have you killed him?" asked Erica abruptly, looking full in his face.

"No," returned Hund firmly. From his manner everybody believed this much.

"Do you know that anybody else has killed him?"

"No."

"Do you know whether he is alive or dead?"

To this Hund could, in the confusion of his ideas about Rolf's fate and condition, fairly say "No;" as also to the question, "Do you know where he is?"

Then they all cried out--

"Tell us what you do know about him."

"Ay, there you come," said Hund, resuming some courage, and putting on the appearance of more than he had. "You load me with foul accusations, and when you find yourselves all in the wrong, you alter your tone, and put yourselves under obligation to me for what I will tell. I will treat you better than you treat me, and I will tell you plainly why. I repent of my feelings towards my fellow-servant, now that evil has befallen him----"

"What? Oh, what?" cried Erica.

"He was seen fishing on the fiord in that poor little worn-out skiff.

I myself saw him. And when I looked next for the skiff, it was gone."

"And where were you?"

"Never mind where I was. I was about my own business. And I tell you, I no more laid a finger on him than any one of you."

"Where was it?"

"Close by Vogel islet."

Erica started, and in one moment's flush of hope told that Rolf had said he should be safe at any time near Vogel islet. Hund caught at her words so eagerly as to make a favourable impression on all, who saw, what was indeed the truth, that he would have been glad to know that Rolf was alive.

"I believe some of the things you have told. I believe that you did not lay hands on Rolf."

"Bless you! Bless you for that!" interrupted Hund, almost forgetting how far he really was guilty.

"Tell me then," proceeded Erica, "how you believe he really perished."

"I believe," whispered Hund, "that the strong hand pulled him down--down to the bottom."

"I knew it," said Erica, turning away.

"Erica--one word," exclaimed Hund. "I must stay here--I am very miserable, and I must stay here and work, and work till I get some comfort. But you must tell me how you think of me--you must say that you do not hate me----"

"I do hate you," said Erica with disgust, as her suspicions of his wanting to fill Rolf's place were renewed, "I mistrust you, Hund, more deeply than I can tell."

"Will no penitence change your feelings, Erica? I tell you I am as miserable as you."

"That is false, like everything else that you say," cried Erica. "I wish you would go--go and seek Rolf under the waters."

Hund shuddered at the thought, as it recalled what he had seen and heard at the islet. Erica saw this, and sternly repeated--

"Go and bring back Rolf from the deeps, and then I will cease to hate you."

As Erica slowly returned into Peder's house, Oddo ran past, and was there before her. He closed the door when she had entered, put his hand within hers, and said--

"Did Rolf really tell you that he should be safe anywhere near Vogel islet?"

"Yes," sighed Erica, "safe from the pirates. That was his answer when I begged him not to go so far down the fiord; but Rolf always had an answer when one asked him not to go into danger."

"Erica, you went one trip with me, and I know you are brave. Will you go another? Will you go to the islet and see what Rolf could have meant about being safe there?"

Erica brightened for a moment, and perhaps would have agreed to go; but Peder came in, and Peder said he knew the islet well, and that it was universally considered that it was now inaccessible to human foot, and that that was the reason why the fowl flourished there as they did in no other place. Erica must not be permitted to go so far down among the haunts of the pirates. Instead of this, her mistress had just decided that, as there were no present means of getting rid of Hund, and as Erica could not be expected to remain just now in his presence, she should set off immediately for the mountain, and request Erlingsen to come home.

Under Peder's urgency she made up her bundle of clothes, took in her hand her lure,[3] with which to call home the cattle in the evenings, bade her mistress farewell privately, and stole away without Hund's knowledge.

[3] The lure is a wooden trumpet, nearly five feet long, made of two hollow pieces of birch-wood, bound together throughout the whole length with slips of willow. It is used to call the cattle together on a wide pasture.

Wandering with unwilling steps farther and farther from the spot where she had last seen Rolf, Erica dashed the tears from her eyes, and looked behind her at the entrance of a ravine which would hide from her the fiord and the dwelling she had left. Thor islet lay like a fragment of the leafy forest cast into the blue waters, but Vogel islet could not be seen. It was not too far down to be seen from an elevation like this, but it was hidden behind the promontories by which the fiord was contracted. She looked behind her no more, but made her way rapidly through the ravine; the more rapidly because she had seen a man ascending by the same path at no great distance, and she had little inclination to be joined by a party of wandering Laplanders, still less by any neighbour from the fiord who might think civility required that he should escort her to the seater. This wayfarer was walking at a pace so much faster than hers that he would soon pa.s.s, and she would hide among the rocks beside the tarn at the head of the ravine till he had gone by.

Through the rich pasture Erica waded till she reached the tarn which fed the stream that gambolled down the ravine. The death-cold unfathomed waters lay calm and still under the shelter of the rocks which nearly surrounded them.

In the shadow of one of these rocks, Erica sank down into the long gra.s.s. Here she would remain long enough to let the other wayfarer have a good start up the mountain, and by that time she should be cool and tranquillised. She hid her face in the fragrant gra.s.s, and did not look up again till the grief of her soul was stilled. Then her eye and her heart were open to the beauty of the place which she had made her temple of worship, and she gazed around till she saw something that surprised her.