The Argosy — page 384: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

| | | ‘ } } About Nerway. 365 ‘“ Be moderate in all things,” cannot be disputed. We had descended lower and lower into the valley, until the mountains expanded and the stream widened and yielded up its life to the fjord, and we found ourselves in the plain, on a level with the far-off sea—for the Sogne Fjord stretches 120 miles up into the land. We soon reached the church and the first of the straggling houses forming the town; passed the post and telegraph office—always a welcome sight in these remote parts as a connecting link with civiliza- tion—and in a few moments were at Lindstrom’s hotel, and in clover. Our present quarters were luxurious; a well-furnished double sitting- room containing a fine-toned piano; and beyond, a dining-room— well supplied with white bread! When A. caught sight of the latter —we had seen none since leaving Christiania—I trembled for his reason: for the day of reckoning: for the task that lay before the bread maker. The landlord spoke tolerable English ; spoke it better than he understood it: for he often interpreted what was said to him & tort et a travers, and had an uncomfortable way of answering Yes or No at random ; trusting to chance to be right or wrong, and, of course, seldom with a happy result. One slight incident was rather amusing, and proved how easily people may blunder who do not understand each other. I wished to arrange for a boat to take us the next morning to Aardal, but the landlord had disappeared. In the passage was a stout old dame, the landlord’s mother, who knew not a word of English. In answer to a request for her son, she placed her arms a-kimbo, fell a-musing for a moment, and then rushing off as fast as her size permitted, brought back in triumph a tobacco-jar. An interesting object, no doubt, but not exactly what was then required. We laughed at what she now comprehended was a misappre- hension. The request was repeated, and, yet more, the owner of the place was indicated by signs as well as words. Light broke upon her. ‘“A—h! Ja! ja! Nowshe knew!” And disappearing through a doorway—which Nature forced her to take sideways, like a crab— she returned in a twinkling, out of breath, but full of self-congratu- lation at her intelligence, and presented me with a matchbox and a sounding ‘“‘ Vor so got!” I gave up in despair, but, not to damp her ardour, accepted the matchbox. Almost at the same moment the landlord reappeared, the difficulty was over, and our wants were made known. In a short time he informed us that he had arranged for a boat and three rowers to be at our disposal at eight o’clock the next morning. It was at least a four hours’ row to Aardal. Remembering the late passage-at-arms with the old lady, I en- quired of Herr Lindstrom the Norwegian word for landlord. He misunderstood the question, thought I asked for the name of the - landlord at Aardal, and replied ‘‘ Klingenberg.” COMIC OOO SS) (GO