Mysteries

by Knut Hamsun

  No, one shouldn’t open one’s mouth, not at all. One ought to have a delicatessen shop and squeeze sausages, contemplate lard, chew leaf fat and quote Hugo. One ought to have a horse and buggy and an office in town, arrange things like a human being, make connections, invite Storting representatives, get on, have a house, a wife, and a dog. Period. Nagel.

  Yes, a house! Good Lord, if one only had a house! And a wife! I would be sure to feel glad about it every day and to give something to the poor, according to my ability.

  6 58/169. Deleted in CW: I’ll be damned, but all this stupidity is becoming rather unseemly!

  7 58/169. Deleted in CW: Ah-ah-ee! There, I yawned on it. And that’s that.

  8 62/170. The preceding sentence replaced the following passage in P: Upon my word, I can’t forget it, no, I can’t. There the good soul went and ruined his entire earthly reputation with a platitude! I swear it is by Victor Hugo, I can hear it so clearly; it is by the greatest man of that time.

  9 62/170. P continues: at the humbug in which he trades.

  10 63/171. Deleted in CW: ... No, quote a geographer; say, for example, that, Norway being so far north, it is absolutely necessary to live robustly, since blood is feelings and feelings are nerves, and nerves therefore are simply a question of climate.... Heh-heh, or perhaps this is ethnography? God only knows what it is, at the moment I can’t decide that. But quote something of the sort and leave it at that. Anything but Victor Hugo, that inflated spirit oozing purple, whose pen was a ham.... Give it a thought, I’m trying to save you.

  11 64/171. Deleted in CW: Heh-heh-heh. But come to think, you don’t have a sense of humor....

  12 64/171. Deleted in CW: What will she say when she comes in? Exactly, I mean, the very words? “Sorry you’ve had to wait so long for your shoes!” Or will she say nothing? It would be quite a trick if she said nothing at all. She is always in the habit of saying something, she’ll at least say “please,” she always does, so she won’t forget to now either. Well, but if she should really say nothing, what then? Let us assume that, if she says nothing, something will happen to me in the course of the day. Yes, we’ll assume that! So, if she doesn’t say anything, something bad will befall me. We’ll see! Heh-heh-heh. Ugh, what the hell! Drivel, twaddle, trifles and stupidities....

  13 67/172. Here a brief paragraph is deleted in CW: Deedle-ee, deedle-ee, deedle-ee do. Knut of Rotnam, Knut of Røtnam, no guy is so stout he can chase him out....

  14 67-68/172. In P, the rest of this paragraph reads: the unfortunate bluster of those who get their hackles up about all and everything—in an age where nobody, whether thistles, thorns, hedgehogs or Rochefort, can afford to prick anyone or anything.... Heh, heh. Oh yes, you have to put up with it, Croppy Boy. Hey, my steed, try again! But really, why? Let me rock the ground under a couple of erroneous ideas of life....

  15 71/174. In starting a new paragraph here, I am following P.

  16 73/175. Here P continues: Heh-heh-heh. Anyway, I should have known that beforehand. But how lovely she was, and she—But now I have to get up, damn it, shoes or no shoes.

  17 73-74/175. From this point until “Oh, I’m real sorry ...,” P reads: “Will she say something,” he said, actually talking aloud to himself. “Of course she will; she will say, ‘I’m sorry.’ But what if she doesn’t say anything, not a word, not a grunt, what then? Then nothing bad will happen to me today. Nothing bad, nothing bad! I wish to God she would keep her mouth shut!”He thought things over for a moment after these words. Then he hears footsteps on the stairs, and no sooner has Sara opened the door than he calls, standing almost naked in the middle of the floor, “Well, what do you say, girl?”

  CHAPTER V (pp. 41-48)

  1 76/176. Here I follow P; CW reads: “Nagel went up to the grave,” which contradicts the logic of the sentence as well as the situation.

  2 78/177. From here on until “As I was standing ... ,” P. reads: “In other words, she was a girl who used her spirit, eh? But as for her body, on the other hand, one could perhaps say that she returned it to the Lord, thanking him for the loan of it, saying, ‘I haven’t used it!’ ” “I’m not very quick on the uptake, nor am I very gifted. It’s possible I don’t have an inkling of what you mean when you say that she thanked him for the loan of it.”

  “That’s quite all right, I didn’t mean anything.”

  Meanwhile Nagel was writing on the slab. He was writing a verse, and when he had written the verse he put the pencil back in his pocket.

  “It’s quite unbelievable how much attention a stranger attracts in a small town,” Miniman said.

  3 85/180. In P, this question by the doctor is preceded by: “Well, that figures. Because the Nordland dialect generally tends to be very distinctive.”

  4 86/180. Deleted paragraph in CW:Nagel didn’t agree. Religious feelings were an individual matter: some people had more, others less, and still others had no religious needs at all. But it would hardly do to say that the irreligious people were the only enlightened ones. On the contrary, many times—

  CHAPTER VI (pp. 49-63)

  1 99/186. From here to the end of the paragraph, P reads: “that this idea of the boat, a boat of that sort, is as beautiful as it is strange?”

  2 104/189. CW’s “nice” replaced P’s “mysteriously beautiful.”

  3 112/192. This sentence replaced the following one in P: “Will you condemn me for that?”

  4 113/193. P continues: “at least I don’t think so.”

  5 113/193. In P, the rest of the paragraph reads: “I thank you. I’m also certain that, now that I have spoken, you will understand me.”

  6 113/193. Deleted in CW: she answered in a slightly offended tone.

  7 114/193. Here a paragraph is deleted in CW:“In any case,” Nagel said, “I’m happy I met you this evening and have had an opportunity to explain myself. It has pained me greatly that I annoyed you. Miss Kielland, I thank you once more for listening to me, and I’ll thank you for it a thousand times again after getting back to my room.”

  8 114/193. This sentence was added in CW.

  CHAPTER VII (pp. 64-83)

  1 117/195. From “The Grand is a unique café” to “notorious place,” the P text reads: “That is, the Grand is a nice exhibition hall.”

  What did he mean by that?

  He laughed. Kristiania had one cafe, and that was the Grand. The Grand and Kristiania were almost one and the same thing, therefore the Grand was the great place

  2 117-18/195. From here to the end of the paragraph, P reads: showing off and being very clever-each delighted to be observed, listened to and appreciated by everyone else. Good God! Sure, it was the best comedy you would ever see! But essentially the Grand was nothing more than a small, much frequented pub where good burghers in the national homespun could get their drinks, a whiskey and soda shop where everyman would sit rejoicing that other everymen sat there watching him. That was the Grand.

  3 119/195. Deleted in CW: though not a word had been said about Belgrade. There were smaller capitals than Kristiania, there were also capitals with far less art and other attractions, not to mention the fact that Kristiania had a sea lane that was quite exceptional. How could anyone talk like that!

  4 120/195-96. Deleted in CW:But Nagel had become bored with it all. What the hell had he opened his mouth for! After all, he had made up his mind to be silent, so as not to get into a brawl with people in a stranger’s house, and here he was in the midst of a controversy where he had everybody against him! Oh well, he would remedy that, and he would watch himself in the future. He wouldn’t leave himself open to criticism.

  He gave a look around the room. The place wasn’t very tidy, nor was it quite clean everywhere; but there were pleasant colors, light from three large windows, and many comfortable chairs around the tables. The chairs were rather worn, as was the rest of the furniture, yet everything looked quite nice. Moreover, there were three walls with paintings by Heyerdahl, Hjalmar Johnssen, and a German; the one by Hj
almar Johnssen was a seascape.

  5 121/196. The P text reads: Dagny was sitting by herself, tapping the table with her fingers and turning the pages of an album from time to time.

  6 121/196. In P, this sentence reads: She was tall and on the ample side, but had a light, curiously seductive walk.

  7 121-22/196. Deleted in CW: As soon as she saw him, she said eagerly, “Will you forgive me for what I said? Please! This thing about Kristiania; surely, you remember.” He was greatly surprised and replied that he hadn’t given it a second thought; he wasn’t even certain he had heard it. No, indeed; for he had been jabbering about music with that young man over there the whole time.

  “Oh yes, you heard it,” she said, “I could tell from looking at you. But it was thoughtless of me to stick my nose into it; I’ve never been abroad, and consequently I can’t have any opinion of how great our own things are.”

  “And on my part, I should never get involved in argument with people about anything, because we don’t agree. And besides, what’s the use? Nobody gets converted in an argument; it never happens.”

  “Anyway, I hope you will forgive me. That’s all I wanted to ask of you.”

  He looked at her.

  8 123/196. In P, the lawyer says: “But it seems to me the Liberal press is coarse enough.” The doctor’s reply is extended as follows: “it is at all comparable? Whatever some may think of the cabinet—”

  9 125/197. At this point P reads: “but Gladstone simply knocks down every objection. I really wonder how long Bismarck will go on with his useless battle. He must surely be venomously angry internally by now....”

  10 125/197. From here until the next sentence, P reads: He even tried with Emperor Wilhelm, but everyone agreed with him that the Emperor was half mad.

  11 127/198. The next two paragraphs, plus the first sentence of the third, were added in CW. The P text reads:“No, I really don’t know,” Nagel said, still laughing, “which time Mr. Øien is talking about. It may well be that I said something of the sort, but ... Well, if I didn’t express myself too scandalously on that occasion, I still acknowledge my words, heh-heh-heh; but obviously, if they were too wild, I’ll deny them.” And turning serious, he added, “I really disagree with you a bit about Gladstone. I’m afraid I do. When I say this I don’t mean to annoy anyone, and I beg your pardon for bringing it up at this gathering. I’m not a fanatic, I could easily keep silent.

  12 131/199. Up to this point in the paragraph, the P text reads: “No,” Nagel replied almost meekly, “it rather demoralizes me.”

  13 133-35/201. A long passage deleted in CW:With that he got up and began pacing the floor.

  “Well,” the Doctor said, “whether you are one or the other, you cannot help recognizing Gladstone’s importance, his invaluable work for the liberation of Ireland, for example—”

  “Oh sure, after he was overthrown as premier.”

  “Also earlier. Whoever heard the like! Are you saying that ... Damn it all, man, have you gone out of your mind!”

  “Ssh, ssh, Peter dear!” Mrs. Stenersen admonished him from the rocking chair.

  “There has always been some difference between Gladstone in office and as a leader of the opposition,” Nagel said. “I remember a little incident, only something that happened at the time of the Coercion Acts. Gladstone once excluded twenty-five-twenty-five-Irish members of Parliament, in order to get the Coercion Acts passed.”

  “I really can’t understand how you dare ... When was that?”

  “It was in 1883, I believe. Yes, ’83. But goodness, why shouldn’t it be permissible for a Minister of the Crown to do so when the cause demanded it! Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that—”

  “Pardon!” Mrs. Stenersen said, bringing her glass. She seemed to be afraid it might go too far and would like to forestall an outright quarrel. “May I drink with you? Sorry for interrupting, by the way.”

  “I simply refuse to discuss this with you any further,” the Doctor exclaimed. But as if to make up for his vehemence, he quickly broke into a laugh and added, “Because we shall not agree, no, never! Anyway, I won’t ever let you get my goat again, I can promise you that. Ha-ha-ha.”

  “I, too, had better keep quiet,” Nagel replied.

  Then everybody sat down again, and there was a brief pause. Something strange had happened—the teacher had sobered up. No sooner had he had a bite to eat than his intoxication wore off, and now he was sitting in silence, unnoticed, as always when he hadn’t had a drop too many. He was still drinking heavily, but it didn’t seem to affect him; Hansen, the lawyer, on the other hand, was quite merry.

  It was only ten o’clock; again cards were mentioned, but

  14 139/202. Deleted in CW: Besides, without a brain you could, as a last resort, dig ditches or quarry stone.

  15 141/204. Deleted in CW: “I sincerely wish I hadn’t done it. And you know, what he said was very amusing. Gudrun, I had the distinct impression that he sighed just now, as he turned around. Oh dear, I’m getting a guilty conscience! ...”

  16 143/204. Sentence deleted in CW: One’s spirit had to be in it, one must be in the proper mood, right? “Sorry” was added in CW.

  17 144/205. Instead of “Pause ... a stranger,” P reads:After these nonsensical exchanges, which were empty and meaningless, they both became rather quiet; it was as though each was thinking about what the other could have meant, what secret was hidden behind the words, which insinuations they contained. For a moment everyone in the room was silent, but when Mrs. Stenersen shortly afterward entered from the bedroom with freshly washed hands and scented with Florida water, Nagel went up to her and made a remark about a canary whose song he had heard through the half-open door to the dining room.

  18 145/205. This sentence is the remainder of a paragraph in P, which reads:Now Nagel too seemed to become more communicative. He applauded the music enthusiastically and exchanged a few words both with the deputy and Miss Olsen. But when Dagny moved over to the fireplace, he too rose from the table and walked quietly back and forth by the windows. Then he went up to Dagny and said,

  19 140-41l205. The preceding part of this paragraph was added in CW.

  CHAPTER VIII (pp. 84-101)

  1 156/210. Deleted in CW: “Aren’t you happy, too. You will also be happy, I promise you; do you hear what I’m saying? I heartily wish I could do something to give you pleasure right now, whatever you would demand of me; believe me, at any rate, goodness yes, do believe me!”

  2 158-59/211. Here a long passage is deleted in CW.“Oh, you heard that? Well, but since I got engaged nothing much is left of the admiration. Imagine, the whole town seems to have turned around in just a few days; only a couple of women friends are still sticking by me.”

  “No, you must be deceiving yourself—”

  “Oh, it doesn’t hurt me, don’t think that. You won’t think that, will you?”

  These few words went to his head, and he interrupted her with, “Do you care at all what I think of you?”

  He immediately regretted having asked her this aggressive question ; he blushed with shame and couldn’t forget this blunder for quite a while. Nor did she answer, pretending not to have heard anything. She began talking about Reinert, the deputy, a man who had always been very attentive and kind to her-ha-ha-ha-but whom she had also lost now, after she became engaged. “Are you sighing? A moment ago you were so happy. Don’t sigh!”

  They looked at each other. This “Don’t sigh” was echoing within him, brushing him like a delicate, warm hand.

  3 159/211. Deleted in CW: “There is also another thing: their sense of honor is usually extremely rigorous. Thus, you rarely find criminals among the officers. They are fine people, indeed.”“Yes,” she said to herself.

  She walked in silence for a while, pondering this, but then she says again,

  4 160/211. Deleted in CW: “But it’s the first time I’ve been so brutal, believe me.”

  5 162/212. This sentence replaced the follow
ing paragraph in P:Pause. Nobody spoke for a long time. She was waiting, looking up at Nagel and down at the road by turns.

  6 166/214. From here to the beginning of the next sentence, P reads: How unlucky he always was in what he did! How he was continually forgetting himself! If only she would forgive him, forgive him once more, only this one time, or if, at least, she wouldn’t be angry with him! Wouldn’t she let him show her an example of what he could do, to make it up to her? If she just would suggest something to him, give him a hint, show a twinkle in the corner of her eye! Oh, he was prepared for anything....

  7 167/214. Deleted in CW:“May I?”

  “Yes, an adventure!” she cried spontaneously. She was again as pleased as a child, and egged him on to tell his story. All right, if he insisted, he could carry her parasol; what pleasure was there in that anyway? But the adventure! Why didn’t he begin?

  8 174-75/218. “Pause” replaced the following exchange in P:“Yes—unfortunately!” Nagel replied.

  Pause.

  “Why do you say ‘unfortunately’?”

  “Hm. That I can’t tell you.”

  “Ha-ha-ha, he can’t tell me! All right, and then? Oh, how strange it all is!”