"'The inward development,' is subject to crises, and then intercourse is burdensome; with this each one must deal as she can. But there is no doubt that we advance our inward development only by doing our duty."
That was all; but from it, and the conversation which succeeded it, was formed, from that evening, the strongest bond of union among all the women who, in the time that followed, supported the cause of the school in the town. From this evening also dated the influence of the "Society" over the school; all discords were subdued before they came to the teachers' ears. Even before this the members of the "Society"
were accustomed to go into the different classes to help the more backward pupils before lessons began. This had given them an influence of which they made use. Again, from this evening dated--and in the long run this was the best of all--Rendalen's lectures in the chapel up on the mountain. Every Saturday evening he explained the laws of natural history, illustrating them with pictures and experiments; and every Sunday evening gave sketches of the history of civilisation, when pictures were also exhibited. Niels Hansen defrayed the preliminary expenses, and was always present. Rendalen had begun this partly to gain partisans. He would not "Hang in the wind." But when once he had begun, he became interested in the task which lay before him, and persuaded Miss Hall to lecture every Sunday, between three and four, to the women there. Miss Hall elected to speak alternately on the diseases of children and those of women. She had an immense audience, and this was greatly owing to the fact that the quick-witted young lady at once declared that these diseases, both in women and children, had in no small degree the same origin--men's immoral lives.
But to return to this evening. There are times when human wills, with the projects they have formed, readily unite themselves as though there had never been doubt or separation--a harvest full of promise for a future seed-time. Such a time at "The Estate" was that evening of the twenty-ninth of December. The day was remembered, and often mentioned at a later time. They did not separate till past midnight, and the departing guests sang as they went down the avenue.
As Fru Rendalen was undressing she heard, to her astonishment, Tomas going out; she half opened the door.
"My dear boy, where are you going?"
"It is such splendid starlight."
Fru Rendalen could not be called romantic; she went to the window and peered out from behind the curtain; yes, it was starlight, quite so.
There are so many things that a schoolmistress has to think of, that there is no time left for the stars. Yet the tone in which he spoke of them! Tomas had not for some time seemed so happy as this evening. He had never before stayed with them the whole time, till past midnight!
He really was beginning to take root, or was it through combativeness?
He was terribly like the Kurts.
"Fru Rendalen?"
"Good gracious!"
"It is only I."
"Why, my dear Nora, are you not in bed? I am coming to the door. What!
you are still dressed?"
"It is such lovely starlight."
"Tomas has gone out."
"Yes, I heard him. Oh, Fru Rendalen!"
"What is it, my dear? Excuse me, I am going to get into bed. That's it!"
"I am so happy."
"Are you? That's right; you were so unhappy a little while ago."
"All that Rendalen said----"
"Yes, he was capital this evening."
"Fru Rendalen, do you think I might thank him for it? Might I venture?"
"Why, of course! What do you mean, my dear?"
"I could not rest till I had written----"
"Written? When you live in the same house----"
"I thought I would get it sent to him this evening."
"To-night, you mean; you can wait just as well till to-morrow, my dear, and then you can say it to him. You know Tomas is peculiar."
"But this evening he is in a good humour, eh?"
"You want to take a letter into his room?"
"Oh, no; not I myself. Fancy if Pastor Vangen were to come, or Rendalen himself!"
"Would you like me to?"
"Dear Fru Rendalen!"
"Get me my spectacles, and let me see."
"Here they are."
Fru Rendalen read:
"Herr Rendalen,
"I cannot go to bed without thanking you. I did not want you to think I did not wish to do so. I did not find an opportunity for it. Thank you.
"Most humbly,
"Nora Tue."
Fru Rendalen's bed creaked; she got up. "I will put it on his table by the candle. Have you the envelope? There, that's all right. Have you directed it?"
"Yes."
"Just give me my skirt and slippers--that's it. It was pretty of you, Nora. Yes, he was very good this evening: that's it;" and she trotted off.
As she again got into bed she said: "But, Nora, why did you not thank him at once?"
Instead of answering, Nora put her head down to Fru Rendalen, kissed her a good-night, and went lightly off. She turned back. "Shall I put out your candle?"
"No; good-night, my dear."
The winter passed by, and they began to hope that the war might pass off as well as it had done before.
But when minds are excited they require but little to aid them. The political strife was now at its height; the so-called people's party had started a newspaper; the _Spectator_ seemed to them to have attained the measure of iniquity. Between this paper and the new one, the _Independence_, a fierce antagonism quickly arose, which became most trying to the nerves.
In the spring, on Rendalen's birthday, the "Society" hit upon the unlucky idea of having a large flag-staff set up on the tower, from which waved, on the great day, an enormous Norwegian flag without the "Union." The girls had never thought about the old quarrel over the flag, but Rendalen had showed the whole school pictures of the flags of all nations, and explained to them that, from old times, the Union was only used by States which were incorporated one in the other, such as Scotland and Ireland with England, or the United States of America, and this was what the world understood by a Union, notwithstanding the differing colours of the two flags. "Thus a Union gave us, the smaller country, the appearance of having been incorporated into Sweden."