The Treasure | Page 4

had prospered. Now she was worn out and
stricken in years, but still it was likely that she and none other should
feel a danger that threatened the house.
The old lady grew more and more terrified. She clasped her hands in
her helplessness and began to weep so sorely that the big tears ran
down her shrunken cheeks.

"Is it nothing to you, Arne Arneson, that I am so sore afraid?" she
complained.
Herr Arne bent his head to her and said: "I know not what it is that
affrights you."
"I am in fear of the long knives they are whetting at Branehog," she
said.
"How can you hear them whetting knives at Branehog?" said Herr Arne,
smiling. "The place lies two miles from here. Take up your spoon again
and let us finish our supper."
The old woman made an effort to overcome her terror. She took up her
spoon and dipped it in the milk bowl, but in doing it her hand shook so
that all could hear the spoon rattle against the edge. She put it down
again at once. "How can I eat?" she said. "Do I not hear the whining of
the whetstone, do I not hear it grating?"
At this Herr Arne thrust the milk bowl away from him and clasped his
hands. All the others did the same, and the curate began to say grace.
When this was ended, Herr Arne looked down at those who sat along
the table, and when he saw that they were pale and frightened, he was
angry.
He began to speak to them of the days when he had lately come to
Bohuslen to preach the Lutheran doctrine. Then he and his servants
were forced to fly from the Papists like wild beasts before the hunter.
"Have we not seen our enemies lie in wait for us as we were on our
way to the house of God? Have we not been driven out of the
parsonage, and have we not been compelled to take to the woods like
outlaws? Does it beseem us to play the coward and give ourselves up
for lost on account of an evil omen?"
As Herr Arne said this he looked like a valiant champion, and the
others took heart anew on hearing him.

"Ay, it is true," they thought. "God has protected Herr Arne through the
greatest perils. He holds His hand over him. He will not let His servant
perish."
III
As soon as Torarin drove out upon the road his dog Grim came up to
him and jumped up on to the load. When Torarin saw that the dog had
been waiting outside the parsonage his uneasiness came back. "What,
Grim, why do you stay outside the gate all the evening? Why did you
not go into the house and have your supper?" he said to the dog. "Can
there be aught of ill awaiting Herr Arne? Maybe I have seen him for the
last time. But even a strong man like him must one day die, and he is
near ninety years old."
He guided his horse into a road which led past the farm of Branehog to
Odsmalskil.
When he was come to Branehog he saw sledges standing in the yard
and lights shining through the cracks of the closed shutters.
Then Torarin said to Grim: "These folks are still up. I will go in and ask
if they have been sharpening knives here tonight."
He drove into the farmyard, but when he opened the door of the house
he saw that a feast was being held. Upon the benches by the wall sat
old men drinking ale, and in the middle of the room the young people
played and sang.
Torarin saw at once that no man here thought of making his weapon
ready for a deed of blood. He slammed the door again and would have
gone his way, but the host came after him. He asked Torarin to stay,
since he had come, and led him into the room.
Torarin sat for a good while enjoying himself and chatting with the
peasants. They were in high good humour, and Torarin was glad to be
rid of all his gloomy thoughts.

But Torarin was not the only latecomer to the feast that evening. Long
after him a man and a woman entered the door. They were poorly clad
and lingered bashfully in the corner between door and fireplace.
The host at once came forward to his two guests. He took the hand of
each and led them up the room. Then he said to the others: "Is it not
truly said that the shorter the way the more the delay? These are our
nearest neighbors. Branehog had no other tenants besides them and
me."
"Say