thisthoughtpassedthroughjurgen'smindonedaywhiletheywereoutatsea,wherehisfoster-fatherhadbeentakensuddenlyill.thefeverhadseizedhim.theywereonlyafewoars'strokesfromthereef,andjurgensprangfromhisseatandstoodupinthebow.

"father-letmecome!"hesaid,andheglancedatmartinandacrossthewaves;everyoarbentwiththeexertionsoftherowersasthegreatwavecametowardsthem,andhesawhisfather'spaleface,anddarednotobeytheevilimpulsethathadshotthroughhisbrain.theboatcamesafelyacrossthereeftoland;buttheevilthoughtremainedinhisheart,androusedupeverylittlefibreofbitternesswhichherememberedbetweenhimselfandmartinsincetheyhadknowneachother.buthecouldnotweavethefibrestogether,nordidheendeavourtodoso.hefeltthatmartinhadrobbedhim,andthiswasenoughtomakehimhatehisformerfriend.severalofthefishermensawthis,butmartindidnot-heremainedasobligingandtalkativeasever,infacthetalkedrathertoomuch.

jurgen'sfoster-fathertooktohisbed,anditbecamehisdeath-bed,forhediedaweekafterwards;andnowjurgenwasheirtothelittlehousebehindthesand-hills.itwassmall,certainly,butstillitwassomething,andmartinhadnothingofthekind.

"youwillnotgotoseaagain,jurgen,isuppose,"observedoneoftheoldfishermen."youwillalwaysstaywithusnow."

butthiswasnotjurgen'sintention;hewantedtoseesomethingoftheworld.theeel-breederoffjaltringhadanuncleatoldskjagen,whowasafisherman,butalsoaprosperousmerchantwithshipsuponthesea;hewassaidtobeagoodoldman,anditwouldnotbeabadthingtoenterhisservice.oldskjagenliesintheextremenorthofjutland,asfarawayfromthehunsbydunesasonecantravelinthatcountry;andthisisjustwhatpleasedjurgen,forhedidnotwanttoremaintilltheweddingofmartinandelse,whichwouldtakeplaceinaweekortwo.

theoldfishermansaiditwasfoolishtogoaway,fornowthatjurgenhadahomeelsewouldverylikelybeinclinedtotakehiminsteadofmartin.

jurgengavesuchavagueanswerthatitwasnoteasytomakeoutwhathemeant-theoldmanbroughtelsetohim,andshesaid:

"youhaveahomenow;yououghttothinkofthat."

andjurgenthoughtofmanythings.

theseahasheavywaves,butthereareheavierwavesinthehumanheart.manythoughts,strongandweak,rushedthroughjurgen'sbrain,andhesaidtoelse:

"ifmartinhadahouselikemine,whichofuswouldyouratherhave?"

"butmartinhasnohouseandcannotgetone."

"supposehehadone?"

"well,theniwouldcertainlytakemartin,forthatiswhatmyhearttellsme;butonecannotliveuponlove."

jurgenturnedthesethingsoverinhismindallnight.somethingwasworkingwithinhim,hehardlyknewwhatitwas,butitwasevenstrongerthanhisloveforelse;andsohewenttomartin's,andwhathesaidanddidtherewaswellconsidered.heletthehousetomartinonmostliberalterms,sayingthathewishedtogotoseaagain,becausehelovedit.andelsekissedhimwhensheheardofit,forshelovedmartinbest.

jurgenproposedtostartearlyinthemorning,andontheeveningbeforehisdeparture,whenitwasalreadygettingratherlate,hefeltawishtovisitmartinoncemore.hestarted,andamongthedunesmettheoldfisherman,whowasangryathisleavingtheoldmanmadejokesaboutmartin,anddeclaredtheremustbesomemagicaboutthatfellow,ofwhomthegirlsweresofond.

jurgendidnotpayanyattentiontohisremarks,butsaidgood-byetotheoldmanandwentontowardsthehousewheremartindwelt.heheardloudtalkinginside;martinwasnotalone,andthismadejurgenwaverinhisdetermination,forhedidnotwishtoseeelseagain.onsecondthoughts,hedecidedthatitwasbetternottohearanymorethanksfrommartin,andsoheturnedback.

onthefollowingmorning,beforethesunrose,hefastenedhisknapsackonhisback,tookhiswoodenprovisionboxinhishand,andwentawayamongthesand-hillstowardsthecoastpath.thiswaywasmorepleasantthantheheavysandroad,andbesidesitwasshorter;andheintendedtogofirsttofjaltring,nearbovbjerg,wheretheeel-breederlived,towhomhehadpromisedavisit.

thesealaybeforehim,clearandblue,andthemusselshellsandpebbles,theplaythingsofhischildhood,crunchedoverhisfeet.whilehethuswalkedonhisnosesuddenlybegantobleed;itwasatriflingoccurrence,buttriflessometimesareofgreatimportance.afewlargedropsofbloodfellupononeofhiswipedthemoffandstoppedthebleeding,anditseemedtohimasifthishadclearedandlightenedhisbrain.thesea-calebloomedhereandthereinthesandashepassed.hebrokeoffasprayandstuckitinhishat;hedeterminedtobemerryandlight-hearted,forhewasgoingoutintothewideworld-"alittlewayout,beyondthebay,"astheyoungeelshadsaid."bewareofbadpeoplewhowillcatchyou,andskinyou,andputyouinthefrying-pan!"