Elise Mack came home again in October. It was said she was properly
engaged now, and her betrothed, Henrik Burnus Henriksen, captain of the
coasting vessel, was visiting her. There was to be a grand ball in the
great hall at Rosengaard, and a troupe of wandering musicians, on their
way down from Finmarken, had been hired to play flutes and trumpets on
the night. All the village was invited, Rolandsen with the rest, and
Olga was to be there, and be received as Frederik Mack’s intended. But
the Vicarage people were, unfortunately, prevented. A new chaplain had
been appointed, and was expected every day, and the present incumbent,
good man, was going elsewhere, up to the northward, where another flock
needed his care. He was not altogether displeased to be going away now,
to plough and sow new ground; he had not always been happy in his work
here. He could look back upon a great deal accomplished; he had got
Levion’s sister to call to mind the one man who owed her marriage. It
was the village carpenter, a house-owner, a man of property, and with
money stored under his pillow. When the priest joined them together
before the altar, it was with a feeling of satisfaction. After all,
unceasing toil might here and there bear fruit among the benighted.
All things came right in time--and praise the Lord, thought the priest.
His household was in something nearer order now, the new housekeeper
had come, and old and reliable she was; he would take her with him and
keep her on at the new place. All would come right in time, no doubt.
The priest had been a hard man to deal with, but none seemed to bear
him enmity for that. When he stepped on board down at the waterside,
there were many had come to see him off. As for Rolandsen, he would not
let slip this opportunity of showing courtesy. Mack’s boat was there
already with three men, waiting for him, but he would not go on board
until the Vicarage folk had gone. In spite of all, the priest could not
but thank him for so much consideration. And as Lay-helper Levion had
carried the new priest’s lady ashore when first they came, so now he
carried her on board again as well. Matters were looking brighter now
for Levion, too, seeing the priest had undertaken to say a word for his
reinstatement in his former post.
All would come right, no doubt.
“Now if you weren’t going north and I south,” said Rolandsen, “we might
go together.”
“Yes,” said the priest. “But let us remember, my dear Rolandsen, that
we may go north and we may go south, but we shall all meet again in one
place at the last!” Thus spoke the priest in priestly wise, and was
unshaken to the last.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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