theinsideofthehousewascomfortableandroomy.fritters,thatakingwouldhavelookeduponasadaintydish,wereplacedonthetable,andtherewaswinefromtheskjagenvineyard-thatis,thesea;fortherethegrapescomeashorereadypressedandpreparedinbarrelsandinbottles.

whenthemotheranddaughterheardwhojurgenwas,andhowinnocentlyhehadsuffered,theylookedathiminastillmorefriendlyway;andprettyclara'seyeshadalookofespecialinterestasshelistenedtohisstory.jurgenfoundahappyhomeinoldskjagen.itdidhisheartgood,forithadbeensorelytried.hehaddrunkthebittergobletoflovewhichsoftensorhardenstheheart,accordingtocircumstances.jurgen'sheartwasstillsoft-itwasyoung,andthereforeitwasagoodthingthatmissclarawasgoinginthreeweeks'timetochristiansandinnorway,inherfather'sship,tovisitanauntandtostaytherethewholewinter.

onthesundaybeforeshewentawaytheyallwenttochurch,totheholycommunion.thechurchwaslargeandhandsome,andhadbeenbuiltcenturiesbeforebyscotchmenanddutchmen;itstoodsomelittlewayoutofthetown.itwasratherruinouscertainly,andtheroadtoitwasheavy,throughdeepsand,butthepeoplegladlysurmountedthesedifficultiestogettothehouseofgod,tosingpsalmsandtohearthesermon.thesandhadheapeditselfuproundthewallsofthechurch,butthegraveswerekeptfreefromit.

itwasthelargestchurchnorthofthelimfjorden.thevirginmary,withagoldencrownonherheadandthechildjesusinherarms,stoodlifelikeonthealtar;theholyapostleshadbeencarvedinthechoir,andonthewallstherewereportraitsoftheoldburgomastersandcouncillorsofskjagen;thepulpitwasofcarvedwork.thesunshonebrightlyintothechurch,anditsradiancefellonthepolishedbrasschandelierandonthelittleshipthathungfromthevaultedroof.

jurgenfeltovercomebyaholy,childlikefeeling,likethatwhichpossessedhim,when,asaboy,hestoodinthesplendidspanishcathedral.butherethefeelingwasdifferent,forhefeltconsciousofbeingoneofthecongregation.

afterthesermonfollowedholycommunion.hepartookofthebreadandwine,anditsohappenedthathekneltbythesideofmissclara;buthisthoughtsweresofixeduponheavenandtheholysacramentthathedidnotnoticehisneighbouruntilherosefromhisknees,andthenhesawtearsrollingdownhercheeks.

sheleftskjagenandwenttonorwaytwodayslater.heremainedbehind,andmadehimselfusefulonthefarmandatthefishery.hewentoutfishing,andinthosedaysfishweremoreplentifulandlargerthantheyarenow.theshoalsofthemackerelglitteredinthedarknights,andindicatedwheretheywereswimming;thegurnardssnarled,andthecrabsgaveforthpitifulyellswhentheywerechased,forfisharenotsomuteaspeoplesay.

everysundayjurgenwenttochurch;andwhenhiseyesrestedonthepictureofthevirginmaryoverthealtarashesatthere,theyoftenglidedawaytothespotwheretheyhadkneltsidebyside.

autumncame,andbroughtrainandsnowwithit;thewaterroseuprightintothetownofskjagen,thesandcouldnotsuckitallin,onehadtowadethroughitorgobyboat.thestormsthrewvesselaftervesselonthefatalreefs;thereweresnow-stormandsand-storms;thesandflewuptothehouses,blockingtheentrances,sothatpeoplehadtocreepupthroughthechimneys;thatwasnothingatallremarkablehere.itwaspleasantandcheerfulindoors,wherepeatfuelandfragmentsofwoodfromthewrecksblazedandcrackleduponthehearth.merchantbronnereadaloud,fromanoldchronicle,aboutprincehamletofdenmark,whohadcomeoverfromengland,landednearbovbjerg,andfoughtabattle;closebyrammewashisgrave,onlyafewmilesfromtheplacewheretheeel-breederlived;hundredsofbarrowrosetherefromtheheath,formingasitwereanenormouschurchyard.merchantbronnehadhimselfbeenathamlet'sgrave;theyspokeaboutoldtimes,andabouttheirneighbours,theenglishandthescotch,andjurgensangtheairof"thekingofengland'sson,"andofhissplendidshipanditsoutfit.

"inthehourofperilwhenmostmenfear,

heclaspedthebridethatheheldsodear,

andprovedhimselfthesonofaking;

ofhiscourageandvalourletussing."

thisversejurgensangwithsomuchfeelingthathiseyesbeamed,andtheywereblackandsparklingsincehisinfancy.

therewaswealth,comfort,andhappinessevenamongthedomesticanimals,fortheywereallwellcaredfor,andwellkept.thekitchenlookedbrightwithitscopperandtinutensils,andwhiteplates,andfromtheraftershunghams,beef,andwinterstoresinplenty.thiscanstillbeseeninmanyrichfarmsonthewestcoastofjutland:plentytoeatanddrink,clean,prettilydecoratedrooms,activeminds,cheerfultempers,andhospitalitycanbefoundthere,asinanarab'stent.

jurgenhadneverspentsuchahappytimesincethefamousburialfeast,andyetmissclarawasabsent,exceptinthethoughtsandmemoryofall.

inaprilashipwastostartfornorway,andjurgenwastosailinit.hewasfulloflifeandspirits,andlookedsosturdyandwellthatdamebronnesaiditdidhergoodtoseehim.

"anditdoesonegoodtolookatyoualso,oldwife,"saidthemerchant."jurgenhasbroughtfreshlifeintoourwinterevenings,andintoyoutoo,mother.youlookyoungerthaneverthisyear,andseemwellandcheerful.butthenyouwereoncetheprettiestgirlinviborg,andthatissayingagreatdeal,forihavealwaysfoundtheviborggirlstheprettiestofany."

jurgensaidnothing,buthethoughtofacertainmaidenofskjagen,whomhewassoontovisit.theshipsetsailforchristiansandinnorway,andasthewindwasfavourableitsoonarrivedthere.

onemorningmerchantbronnewentouttothelighthouse,whichstandsalittlewayoutofoldskjagen,notfarfrom"grenen."thelightwasout,andthesunwasalreadyhighintheheavens,whenhemountedthetower.thesand-banksextendawholemilefromtheshore,beneaththewater,outsidethesebanks;manyshipscouldbeseenthatday,andwiththeaidofhistelescopetheoldmanthoughthedescriedhisownship,thekarenbronne.yes!