 section one of invisible links this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org reading by Lars Rolander the spirit of fasting and Peter Nord part one I can see before me the little town friendly as a home it is so small that I know it's every hole and corner I'm friends with all the children I know the name of every one of its dogs whoever walked up the street new to which window he must raise his eyes to see a lovely face behind the paints and whoever strolled through the town park knew well whether he should turn his steps to meet the one he wished to meet one was as proud of the beautiful roses in the garden of a neighbor as if they had grown in one's own if anything mean or vulgar was done it was as great a shame as if it had happened in one's own family but at the smallest adventure at a fire or a fight in the marketplace one swelled with pride and said only see what a community do such things ever happen anywhere else what a wonderful town in my beloved town nothing ever changes if I ever come there again I shall find the same houses and shops that I knew of old the same holes in the pavements will cause my downfall the same stiff hedges of lindens the same clipped lilac bushes will captivate my fascinated gaze again shall I see the old mayor who rules that whole town walking down the street with elephantine tread what a feeling of security there is in knowing that you are walking there and deaf old Halverson will still be digging in his garden while his eyes clear as water stare and wonder as if they would say we have investigated everything everything now earth we will bore down to your very center but one who will not still be there is little round Petternord the little fellow from Wermland you know who was in Halverson shop he who amused the customers with his small mechanical inventions and his white mice there is a long story about him there are stories to be told about everything and everybody in the town know where else do such wonderful things happen he was a peasant boy little Petternord he was short and round he was brown-eyed and smiling his hair was paler than birch leaves in the autumn his cheeks were red and downy and he was from Wermland no one seeing him could imagine that he was from any other place his native land had equipped him with his excellent qualities he was quick at his work nimble with his fingers ready with his tongue clear in his thoughts and moreover full of fun good-natured and brave kind and quarrelsome inquisitive and a chatterbox a madcap he never could show more respect to a burgo master than to a beggar but he had a heart he fell in love every other day and confided in the whole town this child of rich gifts attended to the work in the shop in rather an extraordinary manner the customers were waited on while he fed the white mice money was changed and counted while he put wheels on his little automatic wagons and while he told the customers of his very last love affair he kept his eye on the court measure into which the brown molasses was slowly curling it delighted his admiring listeners to see him suddenly leap over the counter and rush out into the street to have a brush with the passing street boy also to see him calmly returned to tie the string on a package or to finish measuring a piece of cloth was it not quite natural that he should be the favorite of the whole town we all felt obliged to trade with Halverson after Pettenord came there even the old mayor himself was proud when Pettenord took him apart into a dark corner and showed him the cages of the white mice it was nervous work to show the mice for Halverson had forbidden him to have them in the shop but then in the brightening February there came a few days of warm misty weather Pettenord became suddenly serious and silent he let the white mice nibble the steel bars of their cages without feeding them he attended twist duties in the most irreproachable way he fought with no more street boys could Pettenord not bear the change in the weather oh no the matter was that he had found a 50 crown note on one of the shelves he believed that it had got caught in a piece of cloth and without anyone seeing him he had pushed it under a roll of striped cotton which was out of fashion and was never taken down from the shelf the boy was cherishing great anger in his heart against Halverson the latter had destroyed a whole family of mice for him and now he meant to be revenged before his eyes he still saw the white mother with her helpless offspring she had not made the slightest attempt to escape she had reminded in her place with steadfast heroism staring with red burning eyes on the heartless murderer did he not deserve a short time of anxiety Pettenord wished to see him come out pale as death from his office and begin to look for the 50 crowns he wished to see the same despair in his watery eyes as he had seen in the ruby red ones of the white mouse the shopkeeper should search he should turn the whole shop upside down before Pettenord would let him find the bank note but the 50 crowns lay in its hiding place all day without anyone's asking about it it was a new note many colored and bright and had big numbers in all the corners when Pettenord was alone in the shop he put a stepladder against the shelves and climbed up to the roll of cotton then he took out the 50 crowns unfolded it and admired its beauties in the midst of the most eager trade he would grow anxious less something should have happened to the 50 crowns then he pretended to look for something on the shelf and grouped about under the roll of cotton till he felt the smooth bank note rustle under his fingers the note had suddenly acquired a supernatural power over him might there not be something living in it the figures surrounded by wide rings were like magnetic eyes the boy kissed them all and whispered I should like to have many very many like you he began to have all sorts of thoughts about the note and why Halverson did not inquire for it perhaps it was not Halverson's perhaps it had lain in the shop for a long time perhaps it no longer had any owner thoughts are contiguous at supper Halverson had began to speak of money and moneyed men he told Pettenord about all the poor boys who had amassed riches he began with Whittington and ended with Aster and Jake Gold Halverson knew all their stories he knew how they had striven and denied themselves what they had discovered and ventured he grew eloquent when he began on such tales he lived through the sufferings of those young people he followed them in their successes he rejoiced in their victories Pettenord listened quite fascinated Halverson was stone deaf but that was no obstacle to conversation for he read by the lips everything that was said on the other hand he could not hear his own voice he rolled out a strangely monotonous as the roar of a distant waterfall but his peculiar way of speaking made everything he said sink in so that one could not escape from it for many days poor Pettenord what is most needed to become rich said Halverson is the foundation but it cannot be earned take note that they all have found it in the street or discovered it been between the lining and cloth of a coat which they had bought at a pawnbroker sale or that it had been won at cards or had been given to them in arms by a beautiful and charitable lady after they had once found that blessed coin everything had gone well with them the stream of gold welled from it as a from a fountain the first thing that is necessary Pettenord is the foundation Halverson's voice sounded ever fainter and fainter John Pettenord sat in a kind of trance and saw endless vistas of gold before him on the dining table rose great piles of dukats the floor heaved white with silver and the indistinct patterns on the dirty wallpaper changed into banknotes big as handkerchiefs but directly before his eyes fluttered the 50 crown note surrounded by wide rings luring him like the most beautiful eyes who can know smiled the eyes perhaps the 50 crowns up on the shelf is just such a foundation mark my words said Halverson that after the foundation two things are necessary for those who wish to reach the heights work untiring work Pettenord is one and the other is renunciation renunciation of play and love of talk and laughter of morning sleep and evening strolls in truth two things are necessary for him who would win fortune one is called work and the other renunciation Pettenord looked as if he would like to weep of course he wished to be rich naturally he wished to be fortunate but fortune should not be so anxiously and sadly one fortune ought to come of herself just as Pettenord was fighting with the street boys the noble lady should stop her coach at the shop door and invite the Weremland boy to the place at her side but now Halverson's voice still rolled in his ears his brain was full of it he thought of nothing else knew nothing else work and renunciation work and renunciation that was life and the object of life he asked nothing else dared not think that he had ever wished anything else the next day he did not dare to kiss the fifty crown note did not dare even to look at it he was silent and low-spirited orderly and industrious he attended to all his duties so irreproachably that anyone could see that there was something wrong with him the old mayor was troubled about the boy and did what he could to cheer him did you think of going to the midland ball this evening asked the old man so you did not well then I invite you and be sure that you come or I will tell Halverson where you keep your mouse cages Pettenord sighed and promised to go to the ball the midland ball fancy Pettenord at the midland ball Pettenord would see all the beautiful ladies of the town delicate dressed in white adorned with flowers but of course Pettenord would not be allowed to dance with a single one of them well it did not matter he was not in the mood to dance at the ball he stood in a doorway and made no attempt to dance several people had asked him to take part but he had been firm and said no he could not dance any of those dances neither would any of those fine ladies be willing to dance with him he was much too humble for them but as he stood there his eyes began to kindle and shine and he felt joy creeping through his eye hubs it came from the dance music it came from the fragrance of the flowers it came from all the beautiful faces about him after a little while he was so sparkingly happy that if joy had been fire he would have been surrounded by bursting flames and if love were it as many say it is it would have been the same he was always in love with some pretty girl but he the two with only one at a time but when he now saw all those beautiful ladies together it was no longer a single fire which laid waste his 16-year-old heart it was a whole conflagration sometimes he looked down at his boots which were by no means dancing shoes but how he could have marked the time with a broad heels and spun round on the thick soles something was dragging and pulling him and trying to hurl him out on the floor like a whipped ball he could still resist it although his excitement grew stronger as the hours advanced he grew delirious and hot high he was no longer poor petonard he was the young whirlwind that races the seas and overthrows the forests just then a hambo polska note a swedish national dance of a very lively character struck up the peasant boy was quite beside himself he thought it sounded like the polska like the berm land polska suddenly petonard was out on the floor all his fine manners dropped off him he was no longer at the town hall ball he was at home in the barn at the midsummer dance he came forward his knees bent his head drawn down between his shoulders without stopping to ask he threw his arms round a lady's waist and drew her with him and then he began to dance the polska the girl followed him half unwillingly almost dragged she was not in time she did not know what kind of dance it was but suddenly it went quite by itself the mystery of the dance was revealed to her the polska bore her lifted her her feet had wings she felt as light as air she thought that she was flying for the berm land polska is the most wonderful dance it transforms the heavy-footed suns of earth without a sound souls an inch thick float over the unplanned barn floor they whirl about light as leaves in an autumn wind it is supple quick silent gliding its noble measured movements set the body free and let it feel itself like elastic floating while peter nord danced the dance of his native land there was silence in the ballroom at first people laughed but then they all recognized that this was dancing it floated away in even rapid worlds it was dancing indeed if anything in the midst of his delirium peter nord perceived that round about him reigned a strange silence he stopped short and passed his hand over his forehead there was no black barn floor no leafy walls no light blue summer night no merry peasant maiden in the reality he gazed upon he was ashamed and wished to steal away but he was already surrounded besieged the young ladies crowded about the shop boy and cried dance with us dance with us they wished to learn the polska they all wished to learn to dance the polska the ball was turned from its course and became a dancing school all said that they had never known before what it was to dance and peter nord was a great man for that evening he had to dance with all the fine ladies and they were exceedingly kind to him he was only a boy and such a mad cup besides no one could help making a pet of him peter nord felt that this was happiness to be the favorite of the ladies to dare to talk to them to be in the midst of lights of movement to be made much of to be petted surely this was happiness when the ball was over he was too happy to think about it he needed to come home to be able to think over quietly what had happened to him that evening halverson was not married but he had in his house a niece who worked in the office she was poor and dependent on halverson but she was quite haughty towards both him and peter nord she had many friends among the more important people of the town and was invited to families where halverson could never come she and peter nord went home from the ball together do you know nord asked edith halverson that a suit is soon to be brought against halverson for electric trading in brandy you might tell me how it really is there is nothing worth making a fuss about said peter nord edith side of course there is nothing but there will be a lawsuit and fines and shame without end i wish that i really knew how it is perhaps it is best not to know anything said peter nord i wish to rise in the world do you see continued edith and i wish to drag halverson up with me but he always drops back again and then he does something so that i become impossible too he is scheming something now do you not know what it is it would be good to know no said peter nord and not another word would he say it was inhuman to talk to him of such things on the way home from his first ball beyond the shop there was a little dark room for the shop boy there sat peter nord of today and came to an understanding with peter nord of yesterday how pale and cowardly the chair looked now he heard what he really was a thief and a miser did he know the seventh commandment by rights he ought to have 40 stripes that was what he deserved god be blessed and praised for having let him go to the ball and get a new view of it all oh what ugly thoughts he had had but now it was quite changed as if riches were worth sacrificing conscience and the soul's freedom for their sake as if they were worth as much as a white mouse if the heart could not be glad at the same time he clapped his hands and cried out in joy that he was free free free there was not even a longing to possess the 50 crowns in his heart how good it was to be happy when he had gone to bed he thought that he would show halverson the 50 crowns early the next morning then he became uneasy that the tradesman might come into the shop before him the next morning search for the note and find it he might easily think that peter nord had hidden it to keep it the thought gave him no peace he tried to shake it off but he could not succeed he could not sleep so he rose crept into the shop and felt about till he found the 50 crowns then he fell asleep with a note under his pillow an hour later he awoke a light shown sharply in his eyes a hand was fumbling under his pillow and a rumbling voice was scolding and swearing before the boy was really awake halverson had the note in his hand and showed it to the two women who stood in the doorway to his room you see that i was right said halverson you see that it was well worth while for me to drag you up to bear witness against him you see that he is a thief no no no screamed poor peter nord i did not wish to steal i only hid the note halverson heard nothing both the women stood with their backs turned to the room as if determined to neither hear nor see peter nord sat up in bed he looked all of a sudden pitifully weak and small his tears were streaming he wailed aloud uncle said edith he's weeping let him weep said halverson let him weep and he walked forward and looked at the boy you can weep all you like he said but that does not take me in oh oh cried peter nord i am no thief i hid the note as a joke to make you angry i wanted to pay you back for the mice i am not a thief will no one listen to me i am not a thief uncle said edith if you have tortured him enough now perhaps we may go back to bed i know of course that it sounds terrible said halverson but it cannot be helped he was gay in very high spirits i have had my eye on you for a long time he said to the boy you have always something you are tucking away when i come into the shop but now i have caught you now i leave witnesses and now i am going for the police the boy gave a piercing scream will no one help me will no one help me he cried halverson was gone and the old woman who managed his house came up to him get up and dress yourself peter nord halverson has gone for the police and while he's away you can escape the young lady can go out into the kitchen and get you a little food i will pack your things the terrible weeping instantly ceased after a short time of hurry the boy was ready he kissed both the women on the hand humbly like a whip dog and then off he ran they stood in the door and looked after him when he was gone they drew a sigh of relief what will halverson say said edith he will be glad answered the housekeeper he put the money there for the boy i think i guess that he wanted to be rid of him but why the boy was the best one we have had in the shop for many years he probably did not want him to give testimony in the affair with the brandy edith stood silent and breathed quickly it is so base so base she murmured she clenched her fist towards the office and towards the little pain in the door through which halverson could see into the shop she would have liked she too to have fled out into the world away from all this meanness she heard a sound far in in the shop she listened went nearer followed the noise and at last found behind a keg of herring the cage opeta nord's white mice she took it up put it on the counter and opened the cage door mouse after mouse scampered out and disappeared behind boxes and barrels may you flourish and increase said edith may you do injury and revenge your master end of part one of the spirit of fasting and petanard from invisible links by selma lagerlov read by lars rolander section two of invisible links this is a librivox recording or librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org reading by lars rolander invisible links by selma lagerlov translated by polin bankrupt flak the spirit of fasting and petanard part two the little town lay friendly and contended under its red hill it was so embedded in green that the church tower only just stuck up out of it garden after garden crowded one another on narrow terraces up the slope and when they could go no further in that direction they leaped with their bushes and trees across the street and spread themselves out between the scattered farmhouses and on the narrow strips of earth about them until they were stopped by the broad river complete silence and quiet rained in the town not a soul was to be seen only trees and bushes and now again a house the only sound to be heard was the rolling of balls in the bowling alley like distant thunder on a summer day it belonged to the silence but now the uneven stones of the marketplace were ground under iron shot heels the noise of course voices thundered against the walls of the town hall and the church was thrown back from the mountain and hastened unchecked down the long street four wayfarers disturbed the noonday peace alas for the sweet silence the holiday peace of years how terrified they were one could almost see them be taking themselves in flight up the mountain slopes one of the noisy crew who broke into the village was petanard the varmland boy who six years before had run away accused of theft those who were with him were three longshoremen from the big commercial town that lies only a few miles away how had little petanard been getting on he had been getting on well he had found one of the most sensible of friends and companions as he ran away from the village in the dark rainy february morning the polska tunes seathed and roared in his ears and one of them was more persistent than all the others it was the one they all had sung during the ringdowns christmas time has come christmas time has come and after christmas times comes for easter that is not true at all that is not true at all for lenn comes after christmas feasting the fugitive heard it so distinctly so distinctly and then the wisdom that is hidden in the old ring dance forced itself upon the little pleasure loving varmland boy forced itself into his very fiber blended with every drop of blood soaked into his brain and marrow it is so that is the meaning between christmas and easter between the festivals of birth and death comes life's fasting one shall ask nothing of life it is a poor miserable fast one shall never trust it however it may appear the next moment it is gray and ugly again it is not its fault poor thing it cannot help it petanard felt almost proud at having cheated life out of its most profound secret he thought he saw the palette spirit of fasting creeping about over the earth in the shape of a beggar with lenton twigs in her hand translators note in sweden just before easter bunches of birch twigs with small feathers tied on the ends are sold everywhere on the streets the origin of this custom is unknown and he heard how she hissed at him you have wished to celebrate the festival of joy and merry moods in the midst of the time of fasting which is called life therefore shame and dishonour shall befall you until you changed your ways he had changed his ways and the spirit of fasting had protected him he had never needed to go farther than to the big town for he was never followed and in his working quarter the spirit of fasting had her dwelling Petanard found work in a machine shop he grew strong and energetic he became serious and thrifty he had fine Sunday clothes he acquired new knowledge borrowed books and went to lectures there was nothing really left of little petanard but his white hair and his brown eyes that night had broken something in him and the heavy work at the machine shop made the break even bigger so that the wild vermeland boy had crept quite out through it he no longer took nonsense for no one was allowed to speak in the shop and he soon learned silent ways he no longer invented anything new for since he had to look after springs and wheels in earnest he no longer found them amusing he never fell in love for he could not be interested in the women of the working quarter after he had learned to know the beauties of his native town he had no mice no squirrels nothing to play with he had no time he understood that such things were useless and he thought with horror of the time when he used to fight with street boys Petanard did not believe that life could be anything but gray gray gray Petanard always had a dull time but he was so used to it that he did not notice it Petanard was proud of himself because he had become so virtuous he dated his good behavior from that night when joy failed him and fasting became his companion and friend but how could the virtuous Petanard be coming to the village on a work day accompanied by three boon companions who were loafers and drunken he had always been a good boy poor Petanard and he had always tried to help those three good for nothings as well as he could although he despised them he had come with wood to their miserable hovel when the winter was most severe and he had patched and mended their clothes the men held together like brothers principally because they were all three named petar that name united them much more than if they had been born brothers and now they allowed the boy on account of that name to do them friendly services and when they had got their grog ready and settled themselves very comfortably on their wooden chairs they entertained him sitting and darning the gaping holes in their stockings with gallows humor and adventure slice petanard liked it although he would not acknowledge it they were now for him almost what the mice had been formally now it happened that these warfrats had heard some gossip from the village and after the space of six years they brought petanard information that halverson had put the 50 crowns out for him to disqualify him as a witness and in their opinion petanard ought to go back to the town and punish halverson but petanard was sensible and deliberate and equipped with the wisdom of this world he would not have anything to do with such a proposal the petters spread the story about through the whole quarter everyone said to petanard go back and punish halverson then you will be arrested and there will be a trial and the thing will get into the papers and the fellow's shame will be known throughout all the land but petanard would not it might be amusing but revenge is a costly pleasure and petanard knew that life is poor life cannot afford such amusements one morning the three men had come to him and said that they were going in his place to beat halverson that justice should be done on earth as they said petanard threatened to kill all three of them if they went one step on the way to the village then one of them who was little and short and whose name was long peter made a speech to petanard this earth he said is an apple hanging by a string over a fire to roast by the fire i mean the kingdom of the evil one petanard and the apple must hang near the fire to be sweet and tender but if the string breaks and the apple falls into the fire it is destroyed therefore the string is very important petanard do you understand what is meant by the string i guess it must be a steel wire said petanard by string i mean justice said long peter with deep seriousness if there is no justice on earth everything falls into the fire therefore the avenger may not refuse to punish or if he will not do it others must this is the last time i will offer any of you any grog said petanard quite unmoved by the speech yes it can't be helped said long peter justice must be done we do not do it to be thanked by you but in order that the honorable name of peter shall not be brought to disrepute said one whose name was rulle peter and who was tall and morose really is the name so highly esteemed said petanard contemptuously yes and the worst of it is that they are beginning to say everywhere in all the saloons that you must have meant to steal the 50 crowns since you will not have the shopkeeper punished those words bit in deep petanard started up and said that he would go and beat the shopkeeper yes and we will go with you and help you said the loafers and so they started off four men strong to the village at first petanard was gloomy and surly and much more angry with his friends than with his enemy but when he came to the bridge over the river he became quite changed he felt as if he had met there a little weeping fugitive and had crept into him and as he became more at home in the old petanard he felt what a grievous wrong the shopkeeper had done him not only because he had tried to tempt him and ruin him but worst of all because he had driven him away from the town where petanard could have remained petanard all the days of his life oh what fun he had had in those days how happy and glad he had been how open his heart how beautiful the world lord god if he had only been allowed always to live here and he thought of what he was now silent and stupid serious and industrious quite like a prodigal he grew passionately angry with halverson and instead of as before following his companions he dashed past them but the tramps who had not come merely to punish halverson but also to let their wrath break lows hardly knew how to begin there was nothing for an angry man to do here there was not a dog to chase not a street sweeper to pick a quarrel with nor a fine gentleman at whom to throw an insult it was early in the year the spring was just turning into summer it was the white time of cherry and hawthorn blossoms when bunches of liliacs cover the high round bushes and the air is full of the fragrance of the apple blossoms these men who had come direct from paved streets and wharves to this realm of flowers were strangely affected by it three pairs of fists that he now had been fiercely clenched relaxed and three pairs of heels thundered a little less violently against the pavement from the marketplace they saw a pathway that wound up the hill along it grew dung cherry trees which formed vaulted arches with their white tops the arch was light and floating and the branches absurdly slender all together weak delicate and youthful the cherry tree path attracted the eyes of the men against their will what an unpractical hole it was where people planted cherry trees where anyone could take the cherries the three pedders had considered it before as a nest of equity full of cruelty and tyranny now they began to laugh at it and even to despise it a little but the fourth one of the company did not laugh his longing for revenge was seething ever more fiercely for he felt that this was the town where he ought to have lived and labored it was his lost paradise and without paying any attention to the others he walked quickly up the street they followed him and when they saw that there was only one street and when they saw only flowers and more flowers the whole length of it their scorn and their good humor increased it was perhaps the first time in their lives that they had ever noticed flowers but here they could not help it for the clusters of lilyac blossoms brushed off their caps and the petals of cherry blossoms rained down over them what kind of people do you supposed live in this town said long petterm useingly bees answered cobbler petter who had received his name because he had once lived in the same house as a shoemaker of course little by little they perceived a few people in the windows behind shining paints and white curtains appeared young pretty faces and they saw children playing on the terraces but no noise disturbed the silence it seemed to them as if the trump of the day of doom itself would not be able to wake this town what could they do with themselves in such a town they went into a shop and bought some beer there they asked several questions of the shopman in a terrible voice they asked if the fire brigade had their engines in order and wondered if there were clappers in the church balls if there should happen to be an alarm they drank their beer in the street and threw the bottles away one two three all bottles at the same corner thunder and crash and the splinters flew about their ears they heard steps behind them rail steps voices loud distinct voices laughter much laughter and moreover a rattling as if of metal they were appalled and drew back into a doorway it sounded like a whole company it was one too but of young girls all the maids of the town were going out the town were going out in a body to the pastures to milk it made the deepest impression on these city men these citizens of the world the maids of the town with milkpales it was almost touching they suddenly jumped out of their doorway and cried boo the whole troop of girls scattered instantly they screamed and ran their skirts fluttered their head cloths loosened their milkpales rolled about the street and at the same time along the whole street was heard a deafening sound of gates and doors slammed too of hooks and bolts and locks farther down the streets to the big linden tree and under it sat an old woman by a table with candies and cakes she did not move she did not look round only sat still she was not asleep either she's made a wood said cobbler petter no of clay said roller petter they walked abreast all three just in front of the old woman they began to reel they staggered against her table and the old woman began to scold neither a wood nor of clay they said venom only venom during all this time pet a lord had not spoken to them but now at last they were directly in front of halverson's shop and there he was waiting for them this is undeniably my affair he said proudly and pointed at the shop i wish to go in alone and attend to it if i do not succeed then you may try they nodded go ahead pet a lord we will wait outside pet a lord went in founded young man alone in the shop and asked about halverson he heard that the latter had gone away he had quite a talk with the clerk and obtained a good deal of information about his master halverson had never been accused of elix trade how he had behaved towards pet a lord everyone knew but no one spoke of that affair anymore halverson had risen in the world and now he was not at all dangerous he was not inhuman to his defters and had ceased to spy on his shop boys the last few years he had devoted himself to gardening he had laid out a garden around his house in the town and a kitchen garden near the custom house he worked so eagerly in his gardens that he scarcely thought of amassing money pet a lord felt a stab in his heart of course the man was good he had remained in paradise of course anyone was good who lived there edith halverson was still with her uncle but she had been ill for a while her lungs were weak ever since an attack of pneumonia in the winter while pet a lord was listening to all this and more too the three men stood outside and waited in halversons shadeless garden a bower of birch had been arranged so that edith might lie there in the beautiful warm spring days she regained her strength slowly but her life was no longer in danger some people make one feel that they are not able to live at their first illness they lie down and die halversons niece was long since wary of everything of the office of the dim little shop of money-getting when she was 17 years old she had the incentive of winning friends and acquaintances then she undertook to try to keep halverson in the path of virtue but now everything was accomplished she saw no prospect of escaping from the monotony of her life she might as well die she was of an elastic nature like a steel spring a bundle of nerves and vivacity when anything troubled or tormented her how she had worked with strategy and artifice with womanly goodness and womanly daring before she had reached the point with her uncle when she was sure that there was no longer danger of any pedinard affairs but now that he was tamed and subdued she had nothing to interest her yes and yet she would not die she lay in thought of what she would do when she was well again suddenly she started up hearing someone say in a very loud voice that he alone wished to settle with halverson and then another voice answered go ahead pedinard pedinard was the most terrible the most fatal name in the world it meant a revival of all the old troubles edith rose with trembling limbs and just then three dreadful creatures came around the corner and stopped to stare at her there was only a low rail and a thin hedge between her and the street edith was alone the maids had gone to milk and halverson was working in his garden by the custom house although he had told the shop boy to nay that he had gone away for he was ashamed of his passion for gardening edith was terribly frightened at the three men as well as the one who had gone into the shop she was sure that they wished to do her harm so she turned and ran up the mountain by the steep slippery path and the narrow rotten wooden steps which led from terrace to terrace the strange men thought it too delightfully funny that she ran from them they could not resist pretending that they wish to catch her one of them climbed up on the railing and all three shouted with a terrible voice edith ran as one runs in dreams panting falling terrified to death with a terrible feeling of not getting away from one spot all sorts of emotions stormed through her and shook her so that she thought she was going to die yes if one of those men laid his hand on her she knew that she should die when she had reached the highest terrace and dared to look back she found that the men were still in the street and were no longer looking at her then she threw herself down on the ground quite powerless the exertion had been greater than she could bear she felt something burst in her then blood streamed from her lips she was found by the maids as they went home from the milking she was then half dead for the moment she was brought back to life but no one dared to hope that she could live long she could not talk that day enough to tell in what way she had been frightened had she done so it is uncertain if the strange men had come alive from the town they felt barely enough as it was four after peter nord had come out to them again and told them that halverson was not at home all four of them in good accord went out through the gates and found a sunny slope where they could sleep away the time until the shopman returned but in the afternoon when all the men of the town who had been working in the fields came home again the women told them about the trams visit about their threatening questions in the shop where they had bought the bear and about all their boisterous behavior the women exaggerated and magnified everything for they had sat at home and frightened one another the whole afternoon their husbands believed that their houses and homes were in danger they determined to capture the disturbors of the peace found a stout hearted man to lead them took thick cudgels with them and started off the whole town was alive the women came out in their door steps and frightened one another it was both terrible and exciting before long the captors returned with their game they had them all four they had made a ring round them while they slept and captured them no heroism had been required for the deed now they came back to the town with them driving them as if they had been animals a mad thirst for revenge had seized upon the conquerors they struck for the pleasure of striking when one of the prisoners clenched his fist at them he received a blow on the head which knocked him down and thereupon blows hailed upon him until he got up and went on the four men were almost dead the old poems are so beautiful the captured hero sometimes must walk in change in the triumphal procession of his victor's enemy but he's proud and beautiful still in adversity and looks follow him as well as the fortunate one who has conquered him beauty's tears and wreaths belong to him still even in misfortune but who could be enraptured of poor peter nord his coat was torn and his toe-coloured hair sticky with blood he received the most blows for he offered the most resistance he looked terrible as he walked he roared without knowing it boys caught hold of him and he dragged them long distances once he stopped and flung off the crowd in the street just as he was about to escape a blow from a cudgel fell on his head and knocked him down he rose up again half stunned and staggered on blows raining upon him and the boys hanging like leeches to his arms and legs they met the old mayor who was on his way home from his game of wist in the garden of the inn yes he said to the advance guard yes take them through the prison he placed himself at the head of the procession shouted and ordered in a second everything was in line prisoners and guards marched in peace and order the villagers cheeks flushed some of them threw down their cudgels others put them on their shoulders like muskets and so the prisoners were transferred into the keeping of the police and were taken to the prison in the marketplace those who had saved the town stood a long time in the marketplace and told of their courage and of their great exploit and in the little room of the inn where the smoke is as thick as a cloud and the great men of the town mix their midnight toddy more is heard of the deed magnified they grow bigger in their rocking chairs they swell in their sofa corners they are all heroes what force is slumbering in that little town of mighty memories thou formidable inheritance thou old biking blood the old mayor did not like the whole affair he could not quite reconcile himself to the stirring of the old biking blood he could not sleep for thinking of it and went out again into the street and strolled slowly towards the square it was a mild spring night the church clocks only hand pointed to eleven the balls had ceased to roll on the bowling alley the curtains were drawn down the houses seem to sleep with closed eyelids the steep hill behind was black as if in morning but in the midst of all the sleep there was one thing awake the fragrance of the flowers did not sleep it stole over the linden hedges pulled out from the gardens rushed up and down the street climbed up to every window standing open to every skylight that sucked in fresh air everyone whom the fragrance reached instantly saw before him his little town although the darkness had gently settled down over it he saw it as a village of flowers where it was not house by house but garden by garden he saw the cherry trees that raised their white arches over the steep wood path the lilyac clusters the swelling buds of glorious roses the proud peonies and the drifts of flower petals on the ground beneath the howthorns the old mayor was deep in thought he was so wise and so old seventy years had he reached and for fifty he had managed the affairs of the town but that night he asked himself if he had done right i had the town in my hand he thought but i have not made it anything great and he thought of its great past and was the more uncertain if he had done right he stood in the marketplace looking out over the river a boat came with oars a few villagers were coming home from a picnic girls in light dresses held the oars they stared in under the arch of the bridge but there the current was strong and they were drawn back there was a violent struggle their sender bodies were bent backwards until they lay even with the edge of the boat their soft arm muscles tightened the oars bent like bows the noise of laughter and cries filled the air again and again the current conquered the boat was driven back and when it lost the girls had to land at the market k and leave the boat for men to take home how red and vexed they were and how they laughed how their laughter echoed down the street how their broad shady hats their light fluttering summer dresses enlivened the quiet night the old mayor saw in his mind's eye for in the darkness he could not see them distinctly their sweet young faces their beautiful clear eyes and red lips then he straightened himself proudly up the little town was not without all glory other communities could boast of their things but he knew no place richer in flowers and in the enchanting fairness of its women then the old man thought with newborn courage of his efforts he need not fear for the future of the town such a town did not need to protect itself with strict laws he fell compassion on the unfortunate prisoners he went and waked the justice of peace and talked with him and the two were of one mind they went together to the prison and set Peter Nord and his companions free and they did right for the little town is like the milo aphrodite it has a luring beauty and it lacks arms to hold fast end of part two of the spirit of fasting and peter nord from invisible links by selma logilove translated by polin bankrupt flak section three of invisible links this is a libre vox recording or libre vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libre vox.org reading by lars rolander invisible links by selma logilove translated by polin bankrupt flak the spirit of fasting and peter nord part three i shall almost be compelled to leave reality and turn to the world of saga and extravagance to be able to relate what now happened if young peter nord had been paired the swine herd with a gold crown under his hat it would all have seemed simple and natural but no one of course will believe me if i say that peter nord also wore a royal crown on his toe hair no one can ever know how many wonderful things happen in that little town no one can guess how many enchanted princesses are waiting there for the shepherd boy of adventure at first it looked as if there were to be no more adventures for when peter nord had been set free by the old mare and for the second time had to flee in shame and disgrace from the town the same thoughts came over him as when he fled the first time the polska tunes rang again suddenly in his ears and loudest among them all sounded the old ring dance christmas time has come christmas time has come and after christmas time comes Easter that is not true at all that is not true at all for lent comes after christmas feasting and he saw distinctly the pallid spirit of fasting stealing about over the earth with a bundle of twigs on her arm and she called to him spend thrift spend thrift you have wished to celebrate the festival of revenge and reparation during the time of fasting that is called life can you forge such extravagances foolish one thereupon he had against warn obedience and become the quiet and thrifty workman he again stood peaceful and sensible at his work no one could believe that it was he who had roared with rage and flung about the people in the street as an elk at bay shakes off the dogs a few weeks later halverson came to him at the machine shop he looked him up at his niece's desire she wished if possible to speak to him that same day peter nord began to shake and tremble when he saw halverson it was as if he had seen a slippery snake he did not know which he wished most to strike him or to run away from him but he soon perceived that halverson looked much troubled the tradesman looked as one does after having been out in a strong wind the muscles of his face were drawn his mouth was compressed his eyes red and full of tears he struggled visibly with some sorrow the only thing in him that was the same was his voice it was as inhumanly expressionless as ever you need not be afraid of the old story nor of the new one either said halverson it is known that you were with those who made all the trouble with us the other day and as we supposed that they came from here i could learn where you were edith is going to die soon he continued and his whole face twitched as if it would fall to pieces she wishes to speak to you before she dies but we wish you no harm of course i shall come said peter nord soon they were both on board the steamer peter nord was decked out in his fine sunday clothes under his hat played and smiled all the dreams of his boyhood in a veritable kingly crown they encircle his light hair edith's message made him quite dizzy had he not always thought that fine ladies would love him and now here was one who wished to see him before she died most wonderful of all things wonderful he sat and thought of her as she had been formerly how proud how alive and now she was going to die he was in such sorrow for her sake but that she had been thinking of him all these years a warm sweet melancholy came over him he was really there again the old mad peter nord as soon as he approached the village the spirit of fasting went away from him with disgust and contempt halverson could not keep still for a moment the heavy gale which he alone perceived swept him forward and back on the deck as he passed peter he murmured a few words so that the latter could know by what path his despairing thoughts wondered they found her on the ground half dead blood everywhere about her he said once and another time was she not good was she not beautiful how could such things come to her and again she has made me good too could not see her sitting in sorrow all day long and ruining the account book with her tears then this came a clever child besides won her way with me made my home pleasant got me acquaintances among fine people understood what she was after but could not resist her he wandered away to the bow of the boat when he came back he said I cannot bear to have her die he said it all with that helpless voice which he could not subdue or control peter nord had a proud feeling that such a man as he who wore a royal crown on his brow had no right to be angry with halverson the latter was separated from men by his infirmity and could not win their love therefore he had to treat them all as enemies he was not to be measured by the same standard as other people peter nord sank again into his dreams she had remembered him all these years and now she could not die before she had seen him oh fancy that a young girl for all these years had been thinking of him loving him missing him as soon as they landed and reached the tradesman's house he was taken to eat it was waiting for him in the arbor the happy peter nord worked from his dreams when he saw her she was a fair vision this girl withering away in emulation with the ruthless purchase around her her big eyes had darkened and grown clearer her hands were so thin and transparent that one feared to touch them for their fragility and it was she who loved him of course he had to love her instantly in return deeply dearly ardently it was bliss after so many years to feel his heart glow at the sight of a fellow being he had stopped motionless at the entrance of the arbor while eyes heart and brain worked most eagerly when she saw how he stood and stared at her she began to smile with that most despairing smile in the world the smile of the very ill that says see this is what i have become but do not count on me i cannot be beautiful and charming any longer i must die soon it brought him back to reality he saw that he had to do not with a vision but with a spirit which was about to spread its wings and therefore had made the walls of its prison so delicate and transparent it now showed so plainly in his face and in the way he took eat its hand that he all at once suffered with her suffering that he had forgotten everything but grief that she was going to die the sick girl felt same pity for herself and her eyes filled with tears oh what sympathy he felt for her from the first moment he understood instantly that she would not wish to show her emotion of course it was agitating for her to see him whom she had longed for so long but it was her weakness that had made her betray herself she naturally would not like him to pay any attention to it and so he began on an innocent subject of conversation do you know what happened to my white mice he said she looked at him with admiration he seemed to wish to make the way easier for her i let them lose in the shop she said they have driven well no really are there any of them left harlorson says that he will never be rid of peton or its mice they have revenged you you understand she said with meaning it was a very good race answered peton or proudly the conversation lagged for a while he did close to her eyes as if to rest and he kept a respectful silence his last answer she had not understood he had not responded to what she had said about revenge when he began to talk of the mice she believed that he understood what she wished to say to him she knew that he had come to the town a few weeks before to be revenged poor peton or many a time she had wondered what had become of him many a night had the cries of the frightened boy come to her in dreams it was partly for his sake that she should never again have to live through such a night that she had begun to reform her uncle had made his house a home for him had let the lonely man feel the value of having a sympathetic friend near him her lot was now again bound together with that of peton ord his attempt at revenge had frightened her to death as soon as she had regained her strength after that severe attack she had begged halberson to look him up and peton ord sat there and believed that it was for love she had called him he could not know that she believed him vindictive course degraded a drunkard and a bully he was an example to all his comrades in the working quarter he could not guess that she had summoned him in order to preach virtue and good habits to him in order to say to him if nothing else helped look at me peton ord it is your want of judgment your vindictiveness that is the course of my death think of it and begin another life he had come filled with love of life and dreams to celebrate love's festival and she lay there and thought of plunging him into the black depth of remorse there must have been something of the glory of the kingly crown shining on her which made her hesitate so that she decided to question him first but peton ord was it really you who were here with those three terrible men he flushed and looked on the ground then he had to tell her the whole story of the day with all his shame in the first place what unmanliness he had shown in not sooner demanding justice and how he had only gone because he was forced to it and then how he had been beaten and whipped instead of beating someone himself he did not dare to look up while he was speaking he did expect that even those gentle eyes would judge him with forbearance he felt that he was strobing himself of all the glory with which she must have surrounded him in her dreams but peton ord what would have happened if you had met halverson asked edith when he had finished he hung his head even lower i saw him well enough he said he had not gone away he was working in his garden outside the gates the boy in the shock told me everything well why did you not avenge yourself said edith he was spared nothing but he felt the inquiring glance of her eyes on him and he began obediently when the men lay down to sleep on a slope i went alone to find halverson for i wish to have him to myself he was working there staking his peace it must have rained in torrents the day before for the peace had been broken down to the ground some of the leaves were whipped to ribbons others covered with earth it was like a hospital and halverson was the doctor he raced them up so gently brushed away the earth and helped the poor little things to cling to the twigs i stood and looked on he did not hear me and he had no time to look up i tried to retain my anger by force but what could i do i could not fly at him while he was busy with the peace my time will come afterwards i thought but then he started up struck himself on the forehead and rushed away to the hotbed he lifted the glass and looked in and i looked too for he seemed to be in the depth of despair yes it was dreadful of course he had forgotten to shade it from the sun and it must have been terribly hot under the glass the cucumbers lay their half dead and gasped for breath some of the leaves were burnt and others were drooping i was so overcome i too that i never thought what i was doing and halverson caught sight of my shadow look here take the watering pot that is standing in the asparagus bed and run down to the river for water he said without looking up i suppose he thought it was the gardener's boy and i ran did you petanard yes you see the cucumbers ought not to suffer on account of our enmity i thought myself that it showed lack of character and so on but i could not help it i wanted to see if they would come to life when i came back he had lifted the glass off and still stood and stared despairingly i thrust the watering pot into his hand and he began to pour over them yes it was almost visible what good it did in the hotbed i thought almost that they raced themselves and he must have thought so too for he began to laugh then i ran away you ran away petanard you ran away edith had raced herself in the armchair i could not strike him said petanard edith felt an ever stronger impression of the glory around poor petanard's head so it was not necessary to plunge him into the depth of remorse with the heavy burden of sin around his neck was he such a man such a tender hearted sensitive man she sank back closed her eyes and thought she did not need to say it to him she was astonished that she felt such a relief not to have to cause him pain i am so glad that you have given up your plans for revenge petanard she began in friendly tones it was about that that i wish to talk to you now i can die in peace he drew a long breath she was not unfriendly she did not look as if she had been mistaken in him she must love him very much when she could excuse such cowardice for when she said that she had sent for him to ask him to give up his thoughts of revenge it must have been from bashfulness not to have to acknowledge the real reason of the summons she was so right in it he who was the man ought to say the first word how can they let you die he burst out harlverson and all the others how can they if i were here i would refuse to let you die i would give you all my strength i would take all your suffering i have no pain she said smiling at such bold promises i am thinking that i would like to carry you away like a frozen bird lay you under my vest like a junk squirrel fancy what it would be to work if something so warm and soft was waiting for one at home but if you were well there would be so many she looked at him with very surprise prepared to put him back in his proper place but she must have seen again something of the magic crown about the boy's head for she had patience with him he meant nothing he had to talk as it did he was not like others ah she said indifferently there are not so many pedonard there has hardly been anyone in earnest but now there came another turn to his advantage in her suddenly evoke the eager hunger of a sick person for compassion she longed for the tenderness the pity that the poor workman could give her she felt the need of being nearer that deep disinterested sympathy the sick cannot have enough of it she wished to read it in his glance and his whole being words meant nothing to her i like to see you here she said sit here for a while and tell me what you have been doing these six years while he talked she lay and drew in the indescribable something which passed between them she heard and yet she did not hear but by some strange sympathy she felt herself strengthened and vivified nevertheless she did get one impression from his story it took her into the workman's quarter into a new world full of tumultuous hopes and strength how they longed and trusted how they hated and suffered how happy the oppressed are she said it occurred to her with the longing for life that there might be something for her there she who always needed oppression and compulsion to make life worth living if i were well she said perhaps i would have gone there with you i should enjoy working my way up with someone i liked peter nord started here was the confession that he had been waiting for the whole time oh can you not live he prayed and he beamed with happiness she became observant that is love she said herself and now he believes that i am also in love what madness that vermeland boy she wished to bring him back to reason but there was something in peter nord on that day of victory that restrained her she had not the heart to spoil his happy mood she felt compassion for his foolishness and let him live in it it does not matter as i am to die so soon she said herself but she sent him away soon after and when he asked if he might not come again she forbade him absolutely but she said do you remember our graveyard up on the hill peter nord you can come there in a few weeks and thank death for that day as peter nord came out of the garden he met halverson he was walking forward and back in despair and his only consolation was the thought that edith was laying the burden of remorse on the wrongdoer to see him overpowered by pangs of conscience for that alone had he sought him out but when he met the young workman he saw that edith had not told him everything he was serious but at the same time he certainly was madly happy has edith told you why she's dying said halverson no answered peter nord halverson laid his hand on his shoulder as if to keep him from escaping she is dying because of you because of your damned pranks she was slightly ill before but it was nothing no one thought that she would die but then you came with those three wretched tramps and they frightened her while you were in my shop they chased her and she ran away from them ran till she got hemorrhage but that is what you wanted you wish to be revenged on me by killing her wish to leave me lonely and unhappy without a soul near me who cares for me all my joy you wish to take from me all my joy he would have gone on forever overwhelmed peter nord with reproaches killed him with curses but the latter tore himself away and ran as if an earthquake had shaken the town and all the houses were tumbling down end of part three of the spirit of fasting and peter nord from invisible links by selma lagerlöf translated by pauline bankcroft flak read by lars rolander section four of invisible links this is a libra vox recording or libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox dot org reading by lars rolander invisible links by selma lagerlöf translated by pauline bankcroft flak the spirit of fasting and peter nord part four behind the town the mountain walls rise perpendicularly but after one has climbed up them by steep stone steps and slippery pine paths one find that the mountain spreads out into a wide undulating plateau and there lies an enchanted wood over the whole stretch of the mountain stands a pinewood without pine needles a wood which dies in the spring and grows green in the autumn a lifeless wood which blossoms with the joy of life when other trees are laying aside their green garments a wood that grows without anyone knowing how that stands green in winter frosts and brown in summer dues it is a newly planted wood jung first have been forced to take root in the cliffs between the granite blocks their tough roots have bore down like sharp wedges into the fissures and crevices it was very well for a while the jung trees shot up like spires and the roots bore down into the granite but at last they could go no further and then the wood was filled with an ill concealed peevishness it wished to go high but also deep after the way down had been close to it it felt that life was not worth living every spring it was ready to throw off the burden of life in its discouragement during the summer when Edith was dying the jung wood was quite brown high above the town of flowers to the gloomy row of dying trees but up on the mountain it is not all gloom and the agony of death as one walks between the brown trees in such distress that one is ready to die one catches glimpses of green trees the perfume of flowers fills the air the song of birds exalts and calls then thoughts rise of the sleeping forest and of the paradise of the fairytale encircled by thorny thickets and one one comes at last to the green to the flower fragrance to the song of the birds one sees that it is the hidden graveyard of the little town one the home of the dead lies in an earth field hollow in the mountain plateau and there within the gray stone walls the knowledge and weariness of life end liliacs stand at the entrance bending under heavy clusters lindons and beaches spread a lofty arch of luxuriant growth over the whole place just means and roses blossom freely in that consecrated earth over the big old tombstones creep vines of ivy and perivinkle there is a corner where the pine trees grow mast high does it not seem as if the jung wood outside ought to be ashamed at the sight of them and there are hedges there quite grown beyond the keeper's hands blooming and sending forth shots without thought of shares or knife the town now has a new burial place to which the dead can come without special trouble it was a wary way for them to be carried up in winter when the steep wood path are covered the ice and the steps slippery and covered with snow the coffin creaked the bearers panted the old clergyman leaned heavily on the sexton and the grave digger now no one has to be buried up there who does not ask it the graves are not beautiful there are few who know how to make the resting place of the dead attractive but the fresh green shreds its peace and beauty over them all it is strangely solemn to know that those who are buried are glad to lie there the living who go up after the day hot with work go there as among friends those who sleep have also loved the lofty trees and the stillness if a stranger comes up there they do not tell him of death and loss they sit down on the big slabs of stone on the broad burgo master's tombs and tell him about peter nord the vermeland boy and of his love the story seems fitting to be told up here where death has lost its terrors the consecrated earth seems to rejoice at having also been the scene of awakened happiness and new born life for it happened that after peter nord ran away from halverson he sought refuge in the graveyard at first he ran towards the bridge over the river and turned his steps towards the big town but on the bridge the unfortunate fugitive stopped the kingly crown on his brow was quite gone it had disappeared as if it had been spun off sunbeams he was deeply bent with sorrow his whole body shook his heart throbbed his brain burned like fire then he thought he saw the spirit of fasting coming towards him for the third time she was much more friendly much more compassionate than before but she seemed to him only so much the more terrible alas unhappy one she said surely this must be the last of your pranks you have wished to celebrate the festival of love during that time of fasting which is called life but you see what happens to you come now and be faithful to me you have tried everything and have only me to whom to turn he waved his arm to keep her off I know what you wished of me you wish to lead me back to work and renunciation but I cannot not now not now the pallid spirit of fasting smiled even more mildly you are innocent peter nord do not grieve so of what you have not caused was not eat it kind to you did you not see that she had forgiven you come with me to your work live as you have lived the boy cried more vehemently is it any better for me do you think that I have killed just her who has been kind to me her who cares for me had it not been better if I had murdered someone whom I wish to murder I must make amends I must save her life I cannot think of work now oh you madman said the spirit of fasting the festival of reparation which you wish to celebrate is the greatest audacity of all then peter nord rebelled absolutely against his friend of many years he scoffed at her what have you made me believe he said that you were a tiresome and peevish old woman with arms full of small harmless tweaks you are a sorceress of life you are a monster you are beautiful and you are terrible you yourself know no bounds nor limits why should I know them how can you preach fasting you who wish to deluge me with such an overmeasure of sorrow what are the festivals I have celebrated compared to those you are continually preparing for me be gone with your palette moderation now I wish to be as mad as yourself not one step could he take towards the big town neither could he turn directly round and again go the length of the one street in the village he took the path up the mountain climbed to the enchanted pine wood and wandered about among the stiff prickly young trees until a friendly path led him to the graveyard there he found a hiding place in a corner where the pines grew high as masts and there he threw himself weary unto death on the ground he almost lost consciousness he did not know if time passed or if everything stood still but after a while steps were heard and he woke to a feeble consciousness he seemed to have been far far away he saw a funeral procession drawn near and instantly a confused thought rose in him how long had he lain there was Edith dead already was she looking for him here was the corpse in the coffin hunting for its murderer he shook and sweeted he lay well hidden in the dark pine thicket but he trembled for what might happen if the corpse found him he bent aside the branches and looked out a hunted deserter could not have spied more wildly after his pursuers the funeral was that of a poor man the attendance was small the coffin was lowered without breath into the grave there was no sign of tears on any of the faces betanord had still enough sense to see that this could not be Edith Halverson's funeral train but if this was not she who knows if it was not a greeting from her betanord felt that he had no right to escape she had said that he was to go up to the graveyard she must have meant that he was to wait for her there so that she could find him to give him his punishment the funeral was a greeting a token she wished him to wait for her there to his sick brain the low church yard wall rose as high as a rampart he stared despairingly at the frail trail escape it was like the most solid door of oak he was imprisoned he could never get away until she herself came up and brought him his punishment what she was going to do with him he did not know only one thing was distinct and clear that he must wait here until she came for him perhaps she would take him with her into the grave perhaps she would command him to throw himself from the mountain he could not know he must wait for a while yet reason fought a despairing struggle you are innocent betanord do not grieve over what you have not caused she has not sent you any messages go down to your work lift your foot and you are over the wall push with one finger and the gate is open no he could not most of the time he was in a stupor a trance his thoughts were indistinct as when on the point of falling asleep he only knew one thing that he must stay where he was the news came to her lying and fading in emulation with a ruthless purchase betanord with whom you played one summer day is in the graveyard waiting for you betanord whom your uncle has frightened out of his senses cannot leave the graveyard until your flower decked coffin comes to fetch him the girl opened her eyes as if to look at the world once more she sent a message to betanord she was angry at his mad pranks why could she not die in peace she had never wished that he should have any pangs of conscience for her sake the bearer of the message came back without betanord he could not come the wall was too high and the gate too strong there was only one who could free him during those days they thought of nothing else in the little town he is there he is there still they told one another every day is he mad they asked most often and some who had talked with him answered that he certainly would be when she came but they were exceedingly proud of the martyr to love who gave a glory to the town the poor took him food the rich stole up on the mountain to catch a glimpse of him but edith who could not move who lay helpless and dying she who had so much time to think with what was she occupying herself what thoughts revolved in her brain day and night oh petanard petanard must she always see before her the man who loved her who was losing his mind for her sake who really actually was in the graveyard waiting for her coffin see that was something for the steel spring in her nature that was something for her imagination something for her benumbed senses to think what he meant to do when she could come to imagine what he would do if she should not come there is a corpse they talked of it in the whole town talked of it and nothing else as the cities of ancient times had loved their marchers the little village loved the unhappy petanard but no one liked to go into the graveyard and talk to him he looked wilder each day the obscurity of madness sank ever closer about him why does she not try to get well they said of edith it is unjust of her to die edith was almost angry she who was so tired of life must she be compelled to take up the heavy burden again but nevertheless she began an honest effort she felt what a work of repairing and mending was going on in her body was seething forced during these weeks and no material was spared she consumed incredible quantities of those things which give strength and life whatever they may be malt extract or cod liver oil fresh air or sunshine dreams or love and what glorious days they were long warm and sunny at last she got the doctor's permission to be carried up there the whole town was in alarm when she undertook the journey would she come down with a madman could the misery of those weeks be blotted out of his brain would the exertions she had made to begin life again be profitless and if it were so how would it go with her as she passed by pale with excitement but still full of hope there was cause enough for anxiety no one concealed from themselves that petanard had taken quite too large a place in her imagination she was the most eager of all in the worship of that strange saint all restraints had fallen from her when she had heard what he suffered for her sake but how would the sight of him affect her enthusiasm there is nothing romantic in a madman when she had been carried up to the gate of the graveyard she left her bears and walked alone up the broad middle path her gaze wandered around the flowering spot but she saw no one suddenly she heard a faint rustle in a clump of fir trees and she saw a wild distorted face staring from it never had she seen terror so plainly stamped on her face she was frightened herself at the sight of it mortally frightened she could hardly restrain herself from running away then a great holy feeling welled up in her there was no longer any thought of love or enthusiasm but only grief that a fellow being one of the unhappy ones who passed through the veil of tears with her should be destroyed the girl remained she did not give way a single step she let him slowly accustom himself to the sight of her but she put all the strength she possessed in her gaze she drew the man to her with the whole force of the will that had conquered the illness in herself he came forward out of his corner pale wild and unkempt he advanced towards her but the terror never left his face he looked as if he were fascinated by a wild beast which came to a tear him to pieces when he was quite close to her she put both her hands on his shoulders and looked smiling into his face come petonord what is the matter with you you must go from here what do you mean by staying so long up here in the graveyard petonord he trembled and sank down but she felt that she subdued him with her eyes her words on the other hand seemed to have absolutely no meaning to him she changed her tone a little listen to what i say petonord i am not dead i am not going to die i have got well in order to come up here and save you he still stood in the same dull terror again there came a change in her voice you have not caused my death she said more tenderly you have given me life she repeated it again and again and her voice at last was trembling with emotion thick with weeping but he did not understand anything of what she said petonord i love you so much so much she burst out he was just as unmoved she knew nothing more to try with him she would have to take him down with her to the town and let time and care help it is not easy to say what the dreams she had taken up there with her were and what she had expected from this meeting with a man who loved her now when she was to give it all up and treat him as a madman only she felt such pain as if she was about to lose the dearest thing in life had given her and in that bitterness of loss she drew him to her and kissed him on the forehead it was meant as if her well to both happiness and life she felt her strength fail her a mortal weakness came over her but then she thought she saw a feeble sign of life in him he was not quite so limp and dull his features were twitching he trembled more and more violently she watched with ever-growing alarm he was waking but what at last he began to weep she led him away to a tomb she sat down on it pulled him down in front of her and laid his head on her lap she sat and caressed him while he wept he was like someone waking from a nightmare why am i weeping he asked himself oh i know i had such a terrible dream but it is not true she is alive i have not killed her so foolish to weep for a dream gradually everything grew clear to him but his tears continued to flow she sat and caressed him but he wept still for a long time i feel such a need of weeping he said then he looked up and smiled is it easter now he asked what do you mean by now it can be called easter when the dead rise again he continued thereupon as if they had been intimate many years he began to tell her about the spirit of fasting and of his revolt against her rule it is easter now and the end of her reign she said but when he realized that Edith was sitting there and caressing him he had to weep again he needed so much to weep all the distrust of life which misfortunes had brought to the little vermeland boy needed tears to wash it away distrust that love and joy beauty and strength blossomed on the earth distrust in himself all must go all did go for it was easter the dead lived and the spirit of fasting would never again come into power end of part four of the spirit of fasting and petonard from invisible links by Selma Lagerlö translated by Pauline Bancroft's flak read by Lars Rolander