



Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books










Transcriber's Notes:

   1. Page scan source:
      http://books.google.com/books?id=b-UsAAAAMAAJ

   2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe].






                             THE NOVELS OF

                         BJOeRNSTJERNE BJOeRNSON

                        _Edited by EDMUND GOSSE_

                               VOLUME XII






                            _THE NOVELS OF_

                        _BJOeRNSTJERNE BJOeRNSON_

                        _Edited by EDMUND GOSSE_

                           _Fcap. 8vo, cloth_

      _Synnoeve Solbakken_
      _Arne_
      _A Happy Boy_
      _A Fisher Lass_
      _The Bridal March, & One Day_
      _Magnhild, & Dust_
      _Captain Mansana, & Mother's Hands_
      _Absalom's Hair, & A Painful Memory_
      _In God's Way_ (2 _vols._)
      _Heritage of the Kurts_ (2 _vols._)

                               _NEW YORK_
                        _THE MACMILLAN COMPANY_






                            THE HERITAGE OF
                               THE KURTS


                                   BY

                         BJOeRNSTJERNE BJOeRNSON



                   _Translated from the Norwegian by_

                            _Cecil Fairfax_



                               VOLUME II




                                NEW YORK
                         THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
                                  1908






                          _Printed in England_





_All rights reserved_




                                CONTENTS


                    IV.--_THE STAFF_--(_continued_)

CHAP.
      II. THE STAFF

     III. THE SOCIETY

      IV. ON THE STEPS


                             V.--_THE HUNT_

       I. THE HUNT

      II. IN THE DOVECOTE

     III. SEPARATED FROM THE OTHERS

      IV. THE HUNT


                     VI.--_WHAT FIDELITY WILL SAY_

       I. HAPPINESS

      II. A MISFORTUNE

     III. PEACE-MAKING WITHIN, PROPOSALS OF PEACE WITHOUT

      IV. WAR


                        VII.--_THE FIGHT ITSELF_

       I. IN BOTH CAMPS

      II. A GALA DAY IN TOWN AND HARBOUR




                               CHAPTER II

                               THE STAFF

                  Fair Milla and brown Tora,
                  Broad Tinka and slender Nora.


It was disputed where this remarkable verse with its rhythm and rhyme
was heard for the first time, whether in the senior Latin or senior
Commercial. The dispute can never be settled now, but when these girls
showed themselves it was often shouted, sung, and bawled after them--at
first in turns with another by Doesen, which ran, "_Nora, Tora, ora pro
nobis_;" but as it was incomplete, the names of Tinka and Milla not
being mentioned, it was dropped in favour of the former. This one was
also given up; it was perfectly well known who was father to the latest
name for them; Rendalen called them on a certain occasion "The Staff,"
and after him the whole school, after it the boys' school, and at last
all who were inclined to pay them a compliment. We know three of the
Staff already--that is to say, we know them from the others, not more
than that. "Fair Milla" is no other than Emilie Engel; she looked like
a picture in enamel in her mourning. Broad Tinka is Katinka Hansen,
Augusta's sister, the contralto; and slender Nora is the Sheriff's
daughter, the one who hid under the sail, the one with big eyes and
wavy hair.

Brown Tora, on the other hand, we do not know, and she shall remain a
little longer shrouded in mystery.

A year ago a new sheriff was appointed to that part of the country, a
secretary in a government office, called Jens Tue, otherwise known as
the ladies' man.[1] Instead of becoming resident he went abroad with
his wife, whose chest was rather delicate.

This lady had, by jealousy and insincerity, missed her true foothold in
life, and both in her thoughts and actions she flitted like a bird from
one interest to another; she wished to appear so immensely delighted,
so taken up with intellectual questions and music--until one day her
strength proved insufficient; she collapsed.

Her husband carried her off with him, and as during their tour he was
all that was pleasant and amiable, her bird-like nature required
nothing more. She came home again, well and happy.

It would have seemed more natural for Nora to remain at Christiania
with her friends and relations. It was said certainly that Fru
Rendalen's school was so very superior, but that could hardly be the
whole explanation; all were curious about the Sheriff's daughter when
she appeared. She was a fashionable young lady, tall and slender,
and if not exactly elegant, still stylish in dress and manner; a little
supercilious; still she did not give offence--she was too pliable for
that, too quick as well, entirely taken up with the fancy of the
moment. She gave an impetus to all she did, and people forgive a great
deal for that.

But no one would forgive her letter-writing, or the incredible number
of letters which she received weekly! Not the teachers, for she
neglected the school work; not her companions, for she neglected them;
nay, she had hardly looked at them! She went to sleep every night with
inky fingers and a heap of letters beside her bed; either she was
writing letters