Short Fiction Selma Lagerlöf (best book club books of all time .txt) 📖

undermine the shore; nor can I stay the storm, or prevent it from upsetting the fishermen’s boats; and still less can I lead the fish into their nets, or transform the lyme-grass into nutritious wheat. There is no monarch in the world so mighty that he can help these poor people in their need.”

“ ‘The next day it was Sunday, and the Empress heard Mass at Blankenberghe. All the people from Dunkirk to Sluis had come to see her. But before Mass the Empress went about and spoke with the people.

“ ‘The first person she addressed was the harbour-master from Nieuport. “What news is there from your town?” asked the Empress. “Nothing new,” answered the harbour-master, “except that Cornelis Aertsen’s boat was upset in the storm yesterday; and we found him this morning riding on the keel.” “It was a good thing his life was saved,” said the Empress. “Well, I don’t know,” said the harbour-master, “for he was out of his mind when he came on shore.” “Was it from fear?” asked the Empress. “Yes,” said the harbour-master; “it is because we in Nieuport have nothing to depend upon in the hour of need. Cornelis knew that his wife and his small children would starve to death if he perished; and it was this thought, I suppose, that drove him out of his mind.” “Then that is what you need here on the dunes⁠—something to depend upon?” “Yes, that is it,” said the harbour-master. “The sea is uncertain, the harvest is uncertain, the fishing and the earnings are uncertain. Something to depend upon, that is what we need.”

“ ‘The Empress then went on, and the next she spoke to was the priest from Heyst. “What news from Heyst?” said she to him. “Nothing new,” he answered, “except that Jacob van Ravesteyn has given up making ditches in the marshes, and dredging the harbour, and attending to the lighthouses, and all other useful work he had to do.” “How is that?” said the Empress. “He has inherited a sum of money,” said the priest; “but it was less than he had expected.” “But now he has something certain,” said the Empress. “Yes,” said the priest; “but now he has got the money he dare not venture to do anything great for fear it will not be sufficient.” “It is something infinitely great, then, that is needed to help you at Heyst?” said the Empress. “It is,” said the priest; “there is infinitely much to do. And nothing can be done until we know that we have something infinitely great to fall back upon.”

“ ‘The Empress then went on until she came to the master-pilot from Middelkerke, whom she began to question about the news from his town. “I do not know of anything new,” said the master-pilot, “but that Ian van der Meer has quarrelled with Luca Neerwinden.” “Indeed!” said the Empress. “Yes, they have found the cod-bank they have both been looking for all their lives. They had heard about it from old people, and they had hunted for it all over the sea, and they have been the best of friends the whole time, but now they have found it they have fallen out.” “Then it would have been better if they had never found it?” said the Empress. “Yes,” answered the master-pilot, “it would indeed have been better.” “So, then, that which is to help you in Middelkerke,” said the Empress, “must be hidden so well that no one can find it?” “Just so,” said the master-pilot; “well hidden it must be, for if anyone should find it, there would be nothing but quarrelling and strife over it, or else it would be all spent, and then it would be of no further use.”

“ ‘The Empress sighed, and felt she could do nothing.

“ ‘She then went to Mass, and the whole time she knelt and prayed that power might be given her to help the people. And⁠—you must excuse me, citizens⁠—when the Mass was finished, it had become clear to her that it was better to do a little than to do nothing. When all the people had come out of the church, she stood on the steps in order to address them.

“ ‘No man or woman of West Flanders will ever forget how she looked. She was beautiful, like an Empress, and she was attired like an Empress. She wore her crown and her ermine mantle, and held the sceptre in her hand. Her hair was dressed high and powdered, and a string of large pearls was entwined amongst the curls. She wore a robe of red silk, which was entirely covered with Flemish lace, and red, high-heeled shoes, with large diamond buckles. That is how she appears, she who to this day still reigns over our West Flanders.

“ ‘She spoke to the people of the coast, and told them her will. She told them of how she had thought of every way in which to help them. She said that they knew she could not compel the sea to quietness or chain the storm, that she could not lead the fish-shoals to the coast, or transform the lyme-grass into wheat; but what a poor mortal could do for them, that should be done.

“ ‘They all knelt before her whilst she spoke. Never before had they felt such a gentle and motherly heart beat for them. The Empress spoke to them in such a manner about their hard and toilsome life that tears came into their eyes over her pity.

“ ‘But now the Empress said she had decided to leave with them her Imperial money-chest, with all the treasures which it contained. That should be her gift to all those who lived on the dunes. That was the only assistance she could render them, and she asked them to forgive her that it was so poor; and the Empress herself had tears in her eyes when she said this.

“ ‘She now asked them if they would promise and swear not to use any of the treasure until