FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47  
48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   >>   >|  
hing ready. We will go by sleigh to Bergen, and thence by railroad. Erik only needs a change of linen, I will procure everything else that is necessary at Stockholm." "Everything shall be ready," answered Dame Hersebom. "Vanda," she added, with Norwegian hospitality, "the doctor is still standing." The little girl hurriedly pushed a large arm-chair toward him. "I can not stay," said the doctor. "I promised my friend Malarius to dine with him, and he is waiting for me. Little girl," he said, laying his hand gently upon Vanda's blonde head, "I hope you do not wish me any harm because I am taking your brother away from you?" "No, doctor," she answered gravely. "Erik will be happier with you--he was not intended to live in a village." "And you, little one, will you be very unhappy without him?" "The shore will seem deserted," she answered; "the seagulls will look for him without finding him, the little waves will be astonished because they no longer see him, and the house will seem empty, but Erik will be contented, because he will have plenty of books, and he will become a learned man." "And his little sister will rejoice in his happiness--is it not so, my child?" said the doctor, kissing the forehead of the little girl. "And she will be proud of him when he returns--see we have arranged the whole matter--but I must hurry away. Good-bye until to-morrow." "Doctor," murmured Vanda, timidly, "I wish to ask a favor of you!" "Speak, child." "You are going in a sleigh, you said. I wish with my papa's and mamma's permission to drive you to the first relay." "Ah, ah! but I have already arranged that. Reguild, the daughter of my overseer, should do this." "Yes, I know it, but she is willing that I should take her place, if you will authorize me to do so." "Well, in that case you have only to obtain the permission of your father and mother." "I have done so." "Then you have mine also, dear child," said the doctor, and he took his departure. The next morning when the sleigh stopped before the door of Mr. Hersebom little Vanda held the reins according to her desire, seated upon the front seat. She was going to drive them to the next village, where the doctor would procure another horse and sleigh, and thus procure relays until he reached Bergen. This new kind of coachman always astonishes a stranger, but it is the custom in Norway and Sweden. The men would think it a loss of time to pursue suc
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47  
48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
doctor
 

sleigh

 

answered

 
procure
 

Bergen

 
arranged
 

Hersebom

 

village

 

permission

 

authorize


timidly

 
murmured
 

Doctor

 

overseer

 

morrow

 

daughter

 

Reguild

 

stopped

 

reached

 
coachman

relays

 

astonishes

 
pursue
 

stranger

 

custom

 

Norway

 

Sweden

 
obtain
 

father

 
mother

departure

 

morning

 

desire

 

seated

 
promised
 

hurriedly

 

pushed

 
friend
 

Malarius

 

gently


blonde

 
laying
 

waiting

 

Little

 

standing

 

change

 

railroad

 

Norwegian

 

hospitality

 

Stockholm