The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales of Two Countries, by Alexander Kielland

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Title: Tales of Two Countries

Author: Alexander Kielland

Commentator: H. H. Boyesen

Translator: William Archer

Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8663]
Posting Date: August 10, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF TWO COUNTRIES ***

Produced by Nicole Apostola

TALES OF TWO COUNTRIES

By Alexander Kielland

Translated From The Norwegian By William Archer

With An Introduction By H. H. Boyesen

CONTENTS.

PHARAOH
THE PARSONAGE
THE PEAT MOOR
"HOPE'S CLAD IN APRIL GREEN"
AT THE FAIR
TWO FRIENDS
A GOOD CONSCIENCE
ROMANCE AND REALITY
WITHERED LEAVES
THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO

INTRODUCTION.

In June, 1867, about a hundred enthusiastic youths were vociferously
celebrating the attainment of the baccalaureate degree at the
University of Norway. The orator on this occasion was a tall, handsome,
distinguished-looking young man named Alexander Kielland, from the
little coast-town of Stavanger. There was none of the crudity of a
provincial dither in his manners or his appearance. He spoke with a
quiet self-possession and a pithy incisiveness which were altogether
phenomenal.

"That young man will be heard from one of these days," was the unanimous
verdict of those who listened to his clear-cut and finished sentences,
and noted the maturity of his opinions.

But ten years passed, and outside of Stavanger no one ever heard of
Alexander Kielland. His friends were aware that he had studied law,
spent some winters in France, married, and settled himself as a
dignitary in his native town. It was understood that he had bought
a large brick and tile factory, and that, as a manufacturer of these
useful articles, he bid fair to become a provincial magnate, as his
fathers had been before him. People had almost forgotten that great
things had been expected of him; and some fancied, perhaps, that he
had been spoiled by prosperity. Remembering him, as I did, as the most
brilliant and notable personality among my university friends, I began
to a