“Where do you live, then?”
“Here, of course,” said Mattis, pointing up at the little cottage in the hollow.
“Well,” said the man in a slightly more friendly tone, “that would be the best solution, if I could.”
“The best solution?” Mattis repeated. His attitude toward the man changed all of a sudden.
“I’ve come here to try and get work as a lumberjack,” said the stranger. He was in a more friendly mood now, too.
They arrived. The clever stranger no doubt saw what a ramshackle house it was. At the same time his eyes took a quick look at Mattis. Hege was sitting outside with her work. She stared at them in friendly surprise.
“I’ve rowed him across,” said Mattis, “on my very first day! But gosh am I tired!”
“Good evening,” said the stranger, “do you think it would be possible to stay the night here?”
“I’ve promised him he can already,” said Mattis, who wanted to be in on this too. “He can sleep in the empty room in the attic, can’t he?”
Hege was a little bewildered. This was something new. She seemed to be pleased about it, the look she gave the traveler was friendly and curious.
“I’ve promised him something to eat, too,” said Mattis, although he hadn’t done anything of the sort.
“Do you know one another, then?” Hege asked her brother.
“No,” said the man.
“No, he didn’t say anything while we were rowing across,” said Mattis, “didn’t even tell me his name. He was too busy bailing.”
The man stepped forward and gave his name as Jørgen.
“But I’ve got food here in my pack,” he said, “you don’t need to bother about that.”
“I promised him something to eat!” said Mattis obstinately.
A room, food, stay here perhaps? Hege was both bewildered and excited. Mattis began to feel proud of the fact that he was the cause of all this, he followed Hege into the house and told her more about Jørgen: “He’s clever, too,” he said to her. “You’re not angry with me for this, are you Hege?”
Mattis was simply fishing, he could see very well that Hege wasn’t angry at all. Something had come over her, she was tense, she crossed the floor in a different way.
“Maybe there’ll be someone else to row across tomorrow,” said Mattis. “If only I could bring someone home to you every day! But it was quite a strain, I can tell you.”
Hege climbed the ladder to get the attic room ready. Mattis sat down next to Jørgen in the room below. Neither of them said anything. Mattis was so tired he couldn’t sit straight.
29
AS IT TURNED out, Jørgen didn’t leave at once. He got work straight away in the forest close by – so he asked if it’d be all right if he just stayed on in the attic. Mattis and Hege said yes, surprised and happy. Hege most of all.
Hege was different already; Mattis couldn’t help but noticing it, and he noticed that he was different, too.
Jørgen had his own, curt way of behaving. When he got back from the forest he pottered about in the kitchen for a little while, cooking his dinner. Then he climbed up the ladder to his own room, to rest. He didn’t try to make friends with the other two. But brother and sister never ceased to be amazed. A man had come to their house and wanted to stay.
In addition Mattis had his job as ferryman.
He was at it every day. But he never repeated his first success – in fact there was never anyone who wanted to be taken across. Sometimes motorboats went chugging over toward the western hills and came back again and went somewhere else, but this was something that went on outside Mattis’s world. Mattis was a real ferryman with a rowboat, and he had his job even if there was no one to ferry – and he’d stopped hearing imaginary calls and shouts now. He soon got into the habit of dozing off while he waited by one of the shores. He made a couple of journeys across every day, provided there wasn’t too much wind; and anyway the boat was just about right for one, it didn’t let in too much water like that. It was wonderful to have a job he could manage, and that Hege approved of. It wasn’t his fault that nobody came to use the ferry.
The only thing that was wrong, of course, was that he wasn’t earning any money for his new boat, but things could easily improve. Each new day could bring a whole load of passengers.
On top of all this, Jørgen had settled down with them, and looked as if he intended to stay.
One day Mattis said: “Now we’re like other people.”
Hege got upset.
“Don’t say such stupid things! Of course we’re like other people, we always have been.”
“Yes,” he said meekly.
“I don’t want to hear that sort of talk, Mattis.”
Hege was different in many ways, Mattis felt. She wasn’t as kind to him as she used to be. Now and then she looked at him with an expression he couldn’t fathom.
“Oh, I wish you wouldn’t behave like that,” she said every so often, when he’d done something that wasn’t as clever as it might have been.
“What’s the matter with you these days?” he asked unhappily. “What are you so cross for? I’m the same as I’ve always been, but you’re cross.”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“I’d expected something quite different,” said Mattis, gazing steadily at her. “I wouldn’t have expected you to be at all cross, but still.”
“What exactly do you mean, Mattis? I don’t understand you.”
“You don’t want me to say it now, do you?” he asked, reluctant.
“Alright, then stop this nonsense.”
They both withdrew.
Mattis certainly noticed how much attention Hege paid to the strong and clever lumberjack Jørgen. Jørgen on the other hand just walked past, smelling of the forest and saying nothing, or at the most commenting on the weather. In the evening he returned, bringing the smell of the forest back with him. Hege asked if she could help him with one or two things in the kitchen? No, he was used to managing on his own. And Hege had to leave again. He didn’t talk about himself, either. If the subject was mentioned he pretended not to hear. Or he said: Does it really matter? But don’t worry, I haven’t done anything wrong.
Hege sent him furtive glances. Mattis noticed the way Hege’s face sometimes changed beyond recognition, came alive and was full of expression – and the slightest thing made her irritable. I would have expected something quite different, he told her.
30
MATTIS CARRIED ON rowing in the same way, day after day. No one came to use the ferry, but ferrymen have to remain at their posts just the same, waiting.
He didn’t dislike it. On the other hand he liked his sister less and less. She grew worse with every day that passed and was always keeping a watch on him. Almost everything he said or did was wrong. As soon as they were alone she started nagging him.
“Really,” she kept on saying, “that’s not the way to do things. Please try and remember.”
She dressed more neatly than before. He noticed that she often stood primping herself instead of spending every available minute on the eight-petaled roses.
He noticed that her whole appearance was smarter – and he rather liked it. Girls were smart-looking. Yet it made him feel uneasy.
“Going somewhere?”
She gave a start, she’d been so absorbed.
“No.”
“What are you making yourself up for, then?”
“No particular reason.”
“But I can’t take a step without you snooping around after me,” she added.
He felt ashamed; what she said was true.
But she wanted to be more beautiful than she was before, that much was obvious. She was making herself more beautiful for the lumberjack. Why? I won’t think about it! he decided.
It didn’t look as if it made much impression on Jørgen. Mattis was glad to see that. Jørgen worked in the forest, and looked after himself at ho
me, and never came out of his shell.
There’s no danger.
Won’t think about it.
Mattis pushed it aside with both hands.
One Saturday evening Jørgen came rushing down the ladder and made straight for Mattis. Mattis had spent the day rowing about in an empty boat as usual. Now it was after supper. Mattis was in the main room, Hege in her bedroom. I bet she’s standing in front of the mirror, Mattis thought bitterly. Outside, the moon was shining. Then Jørgen came clattering down from his room with unusual speed. Mattis held his breath.
Jørgen came toward him: “I think you’ll have to go out on the lake!”
Mattis jumped up: “Was there a call?”
Just then Hege came in. Smart.
Jørgen looked somehow surprised, perplexed by something he’d heard.
“I’m not quite sure—yes I think there must have been—someone calling who wants to be rowed across.”
Mattis felt the excitement pulsating through him.
“So it’s come at last,” he said softly.
Jørgen stood looking at him, full of urgency.
So now it had come, the night journey Mattis had been dreading and had pictured in his mind time and time again. The sort of thing a ferryman had to be prepared for.
“I’m sure that’s right, what you heard, Jørgen,” he said. “I knew I’d have to make a trip at night sooner or later. Hege said the same.”
As usual he looked across at Hege. She had her back to him, went quickly over to the window and looked out at the moonlight.
“Yes, I’m afraid you ferrymen always have to be on call,” said Jørgen. “When someone shouts, you just have to go.”
Mattis nodded. He got ready with a certain amount of ceremony, put on a warm sweater, and one or two other things. Then he stood in front of Jørgen and Hege’s back: “You must expect me when I arrive, that’s about all I can say. But it’ll be quite sometime, I’m sure.”
“Yes, you’ll have to make a trip across,” said Jørgen, “even if there’s no one down on this side.”
Mattis strode out.
He was frightened. But he was determined not to run away before Jørgen’s eyes. He was going out on the lake, he’d show him.
Outside, a blood-red autumn moon glowed above the green grass. Beautiful beyond description. Mattis noticed it, but he couldn’t stop now, he got straight into the boat. There was no one standing there, and there was no one to be heard – he was going entirely on what Jørgen had said when he set out. Clever Jørgen was bound to be right.
A gentle wind was blowing. Small waves gurgled among the pebbles and glittered in the moonlight.
But supposing the boat doesn’t make it? It was touch and go when Jørgen came. Since then nobody but me’s been in it.
He’ll just have to bail, my passenger, whoever he is. And he’s no ordinary person, he thought.
You don’t know what they may be like, the sort of people who hail the ferry at night. But whoever he is, I’ll row him straight, I’ll show him. I’ll show them all! said Mattis defiantly, and set off.
Out on the lake the red moon looked smaller. But it was so lovely here that you almost wanted to be a night-ferryman for the rest of your life, and sleep during the day.
Mattis rested on his oars, letting the glistering blades hover above the water. He listened in the direction of the shore. Then he started rowing again. He rowed slowly, was waiting to hear where the calls were coming from.
There were no calls. But it was bound to be over by the western hills, he told himself. He began rowing in that direction. And time went by. Before he realized it the hillside was almost on top of him. He’d rowed right across without hearing a sound.
With the hillside up above, a sinking feeling came over him, rather as it did before a storm. But he rowed right up to the shore, and the boat rubbed against the sandy bottom.
I must let him know I’m here now.
No, I don’t dare. Surely I’ve done enough, rowing across in the pitch dark.
But the voice of all ferrymen said: I’m afraid you must, Mattis. Tell him you’ve come. That’s your job now.
“Ho-y!” It was uttered in a trembling voice, with a peculiar little catch in the middle. He was beginning to break out in a cold sweat, too. He sat hunched up in the boat instead of standing up strong and straight and shouting.
There aren’t many who’d change places with me now, he thought.
The hillside was silent.
Give another shout, Mattis, or—
“Hoy!” he said miserably.
In among the trees a night bird shrieked.
That was enough in the mood Mattis was in now. He plunged his oars into the water and rowed away from the shore leaving a trail of foam behind him. He was shaking with fear, rowing blindly. It was only when he was far out that he stopped, and waited for the panic to subside. He sat for a bit gasping for breath.
Well, there was certainly no one there who wanted the ferry. We’ve been fooled, both Jørgen and me, he thought. But who is it that’s doing it?
On the journey back across he rowed slowly and gently, bewildered and deep in thought. Around him the night was as beautiful as ever.
At this late hour Hege came out on the steps to meet him, all alone. Hadn’t she gone to bed? What was going on? Here she was, fully dressed.
“Anything the matter, Hege?”
She shook her head.
“I’m glad you’ve come back at last,” she said.
She must have been sitting up worrying about him. A feeling of warmth swept through him.
He followed her into the main room where there was a light on. And there he stood in complete surprise: he hadn’t noticed it out in the moonlight, but now he could see the expression of naked happiness on Hege’s face.
“Mattis,” she said, for no particular reason.
“What is it?”
“Don’t know,” she said.
He felt a sense of peace and gratitude, he’d got a good sister who sat up waiting for him till he was safely back from his adventure on the lake.
“You could have gone to bed, you know,” he said, “it wasn’t as dangerous as it looked.”
“What?” Hege stammered.
“What’s the matter now, then?” he asked, too. She was so strange all of a sudden, avoiding his gaze.
“I’m glad you sat up waiting for me all the same,” he said gratefully.
She nodded to him, but the strange expression remained.
“You must never leave me!” he said suddenly.
She gave no reply. He didn’t feel it was necessary, either.
31
IN THE MORNING Mattis noticed the way Hege followed Jørgen with her eyes, more closely than before. When Jørgen was in the room, she saw nothing else. Mattis didn’t like this, and went up to the lumberjack as he was about to leave.
“You must have made a mistake last night, I went out on a fool’s errand.”
“Oh,” said Jørgen.
And he set off for the forest.
That was the end of it. Jørgen was unapproachable somehow. Hege sat in the background. She had stopped knitting and was keeping a watchful eye on the two men. But the moment Jørgen left, her fingers returned to their usual busy movements.
Everything was just as it always had been, and yet it wasn’t as it always had been. Mattis sat thinking about it and reached this conclusion.
I need some candy, he thought after a bit.
He wanted to go right away, he really needed them after all he’d been through, but when he mentioned the subject of money and the store, Hege said no.
“I do the shopping myself now. I’ve been doing it for some time, you know that.”
Yes, it was true, she had. He’d been busy ferrying every day.
“You’ve got your job as ferryman now,” Hege went on, “and that’s more than enough for you. And people only ask you all sorts of questions when you go to the store.”
“No, th
ey don’t!”
“Don’t they? Well they might—and it’s no business of theirs, do you hear?”
There was such a tone of finality in her voice that he didn’t utter a word of protest. And she’d been so strangely happy when he arrived back home safe and sound last night. In fact, there was a look of happiness on her face today, too.
A little later she produced a packet of sandwiches.
“Jørgen’s forgotten his lunch,” she said anxiously. “I’d better take it to him.”
“I’ll do that,” said Mattis. “I know exactly where he is.”
“No, you must get on with your ferrying,” said Hege. “You can’t just leave it like that.”
Then Mattis came out with what was on his mind: “It’s awful, the way you can never take your eyes off Jørgen. Not for a single day.”
Hege stood still for a moment.
“What do you mean,” she said, to gain time.
“I don’t like it,” Mattis went on. “You must take your eyes off Jørgen.”
Hege laughed.
“Haven’t you got your eyes fixed on anything, then, Mattis?” she said, winking. “What about Anna and Inger?”
Oh, that’s different, he was about to say, but said it in another way instead: “Well, in that case you can look at Jørgen to your heart’s content.” His happiness was returning. How clever and good she is, he thought: she’d really noticed about him and Anna and Inger.
Hege set off for the forest with the sandwiches, and Mattis for his part went to do some ferrying.
Down on the shore Mattis had a lot of new thoughts – they were about eyes under stones: there’s lid upon lid and stone upon stone, but it can never be hidden.
The surface of the lake was broad. He looked out across it. Dimly he thought: Help, Mattis.
Why!
He gave a start.
No, no, he mumbled meaninglessly, and seized the oars.
Lead in the wing, he thought, and there’s stone upon stone, over the eyes.
32
JØRGEN DIDN’T LEAVE – and this had its compensations. He earned good money working in the forest, and he paid Hege well. Mattis was happy and unhappy at the same time; deep down inside him there was a gnawing fear. Both the good things and the bad were his own doing, since he was the one who’d brought the lumberjack to the house in the first place. He wondered if Jørgen would come and sit with them on Sunday, but Jørgen stayed up in his room in the attic, or sat down on the shore somewhere all alone. Hege didn’t go after him. Mattis watched her carefully to see if she would.
The Birds Page 14
