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that soft pronunciation of the r which is peculiar to the western fjord
districts of Norway； and which he admired so much in his cousins； for the
merry…eyed Inga； who was less scrupulous by a good deal than her older
sister； Augusta； had from the beginning persisted in interpreting their
relation of cousinship as an unbounded privilege on her part to ridicule
him for his personal peculiarities； and especially for his harsh r and his
broad eastern accent。 Her ridicule was always very good…natured； to be
sure； but therefore no less annoying。
Butsuch is the perverseness of human nature in spite of a series of
apparent rebuffs； interrupted now and then by fits of violent attachment；
Arnfinn had early selected this dimpled and yellow…haired young girl； with
her piquant little nose； for his favorite cousin。 It was the prospect of
seeing her which； above all else； had lent； in anticipation； an altogether
new radiance to the day when he should present him… self in his home with
the long…tasseled student cap on his head； the unnecessary 〃pinchers〃 on
his nose； and with the other traditional paraphernalia of the Norwegian
student。 That great day had now come； Arnfinn sat at Inga's side playing
with her white fingers； which lay resting on his knee； and covering the
depth of his feeling with harmless banter about her 〃amusingly unclassical
little nose。〃 He had once detected her； when a child； standing before a
mirror； and pinching this unhappy feature in the middle； in the hope of
making it 〃like Augusta's；〃 and since then he had no longer felt so utterly
defenseless whenever his own foibles were attacked。
〃But what of your friend； Arnfinn？〃 exclaimed Inga； as she ran up the
stairs of the pier。 〃He of whom you have written so much。 I have been
busy all the morning making the blue guest…chamber ready for him。〃
〃Please； cousin；〃 answered the student； in a tone of mock entreaty；
〃only an hour's respite！ If we are to talk about Strand we must make a
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day of it； you know。 And just now it seems so grand to be at home； and
with you； that I would rather not admit even so genial a subject as Strand
to share my selfish happiness。〃
〃Ah； yes； you are right。 Happiness is too often selfish。 But tell me
only why he didn't come and I'll release you。〃
〃He IS coming。〃
〃Ah！ And when？〃
〃That I don't know。 He preferred to take the journey on foot； and he
may be here at almost any time。 But； as I have told you； he is very
uncertain。 If he should happen to make the acquaintance of some
interesting snipe； or crane； or plover； he may prefer its company to ours；
and then there is no counting on him any longer。 He may be as likely to
turn up at the North Pole as at the Gran Parsonage。〃
〃How very singular。 You don't know how curious I am to see him。〃
And Inga walked on in silence under the sunny birches which grew
along the road； trying vainly to picture to herself this strange phenomenon
of a man。
〃I brought his book；〃 remarked Arnfinn； making a gigantic effort to be
generous； for he felt dim stirrings of jealousy within him。 〃If you care to
read it； I think it will explain him to you better than anything I could say。〃
II。
The Oddsons were certainly a happy family though not by any means
a harmonious one。 The excellent pastor； who was himself neutrally good；
orthodox； and kind…hearted； had often； in the privacy of his own thought；
wondered what hidden ancestral influences there might have been at work
in giving a man so peaceable and inoffensive as himself two daughters of
such strongly defined individuality。 There was Augusta； the elder； who
was what Arnfinn called 〃indiscriminately reformatory；〃 and had a
universal desire to improve everything； from the Government down to
agricultural implements and preserve jars。 As long as she was content to
expend the surplus energy； which seemed to accumulate within her
through the long eventless winters； upon the Zulu Mission； and other
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legitimate objects； the pastor thought it all harmless enough； although； to
be sure； her enthusiasm for those naked and howling savages did at times
strike him as being somewhat extravagant。 But when occasionally； in her
own innocent way； she put both his patience and his orthodoxy to the test
by her exceedingly puzzling questions； then he could not； in the depth of
his heart； restrain the wish that she might have been more like other young
girls； and less ardently solicitous about the fate of her kind。 Affectionate
and indulgent； however； as the pastor was； he would often； in the next
moment； do penance for his unregenerate thought； and thank God for
having made her so fair to behold； so pure； and so noble…hearted。
Toward Arnfinn； Augusta had； although of his own age； early assumed
a kind of elder…sisterly relation； she had been his comforter during all the
trials of his boyhood； had yielded him her sympathy with that eager
impulse which lay so deep in her nature； and had felt forlorn when life had
called him away to where her words of comfort could not reach him。 But
when once she had hinted this to her father； he had pedantically convinced
her that her feeling was unchristian； and Inga had playfully remarked that
the hope that some one might soon find the open Polar Sea would go far
toward consoling her for her loss； for Augusta had glorious visions at that
time of the open Polar Sea。 Now； the Polar Sea； and many other things；
far nearer and dearer； had been forced into uneasy forgetfulness； and
Arnfinn was once more with her； no longer a child； and no longer
appealing to her for aid and sympathy； man enough； ap… parently； to have
outgrown his boyish needs and still boy enough to be ashamed of having
ever had them。
It was the third Sunday after Arnfinn's return。 He and Augusta were
climbing the hillside to the 〃Giant's Hood；〃 from whence they had a wide
view of the fjord； and could see the sun trailing its long bridge of flame
upon the water。 It was Inga's week in the kitchen； therefore her sister
was Arnfinn's companion。 As they reached the crest of the 〃Hood；〃
Augusta seated herself on a flat bowlder； and the young student flung
himself on a patch of greensward at her feet。 The intense light of the late
sun fell upon the girl's unconscious face； and Arnfinn lay； gazing up into it；
and wondering at its rare beauty； but he saw only the clean cut of its
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features and the purity of its form； being too shallow to recognize the
strong and heroic soul which had struggled so long for utterance in the life
of which he had been a blind and unmindful witness。
〃Gracious； how beautiful you are； cousin！〃 he broke forth； heedlessly；
striking his leg with his slender cane； 〃pity you were not born a queen；
you would be equal to almost anything； even if it were to discover the
Polar Sea。〃
〃I thought you were looking at the sun； Arnfinn；〃 answered she；
smiling reluctantly。
〃And so I am； cousin；〃 laughed he； with an other…emphatic slap of his
boot。
〃That compliment is rather stale。〃
〃But the opportunity was too tempting。〃
〃Never mind； I will excuse you from further efforts。 Turn around and
notice that wonderful purple halo which is hovering over the forests below。
Isn't it glorious？〃
〃No； don't let us be solemn； pray。 The sun I have seen a thousand
times before； but you I have seen very seldom of late。 Somehow； since I
returned this time； you