The Argosy — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

Under Northern Skies. 137 a hollow, sheltered from the North and East winds, which blow here with a mighty vengeance. ) The inn looked quiet and deserted, but when we reached it we _ found every room occupied by a crowd of noisy people; a disturbing influence that gave one a rude shock. I£xcursionists, Danes or Swedes, who, staying in Bornholm for a season, had come over for the day in waggonettes, and now made the place hideous with “ the loud laughter which bespeaks the vacant mind.” Here we were to have met Jehu, but though hours had passed since we had seen him disappearin a cloud of dust, he had not yet turned up. ‘This was rather bad behaviour on his part. All our goods and chattels for the time being were in his possession. Nothing here could be replaced, and we were not in a condition for a walking tour through the island. To pass away the time we ordered dinner and inspected the pre- mises. But the larder had been severely taxed, and we had to be content with very modest fare. In comparison with this, we had feasted sumptuously at Hasle. The whole inn seemed in possession of the enemy; and we felt towards them as Church and State must have felt towards each other in the middle ages, when fighting for castle and crown. We asked if they could give us rooms in case Jehu failed altogether, and they produced a couple of dark closets which would have banished sleep from the most weary. Opposite the inn a sloping hill hid the sea and broke the strength of the North wind. Here cattle grazed and led a quiet life. And here we found a traveller who, like ourselves, had come with surprise upon this noisy crowd. He was a Frenchman, walking leisurely through the island ; a more satisfactory way of seeing places when time and physical strength are in favour of it. He had spread his rug upon the green slopes, this Frenchman, and thrown himself down with a book. But there was no peace to be had even here. Every cow came up in turn to look at him, with great questioning eyes and horns, until they forced him to move on and leave them masters of the situation. ‘The sea broke and plashed not many yards away, and in rough weather the wind carries the spray and foam into the very inn itself, and doors and windows are kept fast closed. Yet one would rather have encountered those rough blasts than this noisy assembly. The shades of evening were beginning to fall when Jehu at length made his appearance. He looked conscious and guilty, and evidently had spent the afternoon in some well-known haunt, where possibly he had boon companions and a favourite brew. With the exception of a small town here and there on the sea-coast, the houses and settle- ‘ments in Bornholm are few and far between, and the drivers are sure of a welcome from every door they pass. They bring news from the outer world, produce a little variety and excitement in lives that must be terribly monotonous. He was extremely anxious to remain the COnmnicboooks (CO) im