Fathers and daughters -- Fiction; Sweden -- Fiction; Swedish fiction -- Translations into English
Glory Goldie, pale and heart-broken, had been standing all the
while by her mother's coffin, and as she recognized the one that
had been brought from the Där Nol home she was beside herself with
joy as one becomes when gaining something for which one has long
been striving. However, she immediately controlled her emotion.
Then, smiling wistfully, she lightly stroked the lid of Katrina's
coffin.
"Now it has turned out as well for you as ever you could have
wished," she seemed to be saying to her dead mother.
August Där Nol then stepped up to Glory Goldie and took her by the
hand. "No doubt this arrangement is satisfactory to you," he said.
"We found him only last Friday. I thought it would be easier for
you this way."
Glory Goldie stammered a few words, but her lips quavered so that
she could hardly be understood. "Thanks. It's all right. I know he
has come to mother, and not to me."
"He has come to you both, be assured of that, Glory Goldie!" said
August Där Nol.
The old mistress of Falla, who was now well on toward eighty and
bowed down by the weight of many sorrows, had come to the funeral
out of regard for Katrina, who for many years had been her faithful
servant and friend. She had brought with her the imperial cap and
stick, which had been returned to her after Jan's death. She
intended to place them in the grave with Katrina, thinking the old
woman would like to have with her some reminder of Jan.
Presently Glory Goldie turned to the old mistress of Falla and
asked her for the imperial regalia, and then she stood the long
stick up against Jan's coffin and set the cap on top of the stick.
Every one understood that she was sorry now that she had not wanted
Jan to deck himself out in these emblems of royalty and was trying
to make what slight amends she could. There is so little that one
can do for the dead!
Instantly the stick was placed there the bells in the church tower
began ringing and the pastor, the sexton, and the verger came out
from the vestry and took their places at the head of the funeral
procession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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