Short Fiction Selma Lagerlöf (best book club books of all time .txt) đ
- Author: Selma Lagerlöf
Book online «Short Fiction Selma Lagerlöf (best book club books of all time .txt) đ». Author Selma Lagerlöf
âI donât wish to make myself the judge of either him or you,â said Robber Mother. âIâm only saying that if you could see the garden of which I am thinking you would uproot all the flowers planted here and cast them away like weeds.â
But the Abbotâs assistant was hardly less proud of the flowers than the Abbot himself, and after hearing her remarks he laughed derisively. âI can understand that you only talk like this to tease us. It must be a pretty garden that you have made for yourself amongst the pines in Göinge forest! Iâd be willing to wager my soulâs salvation that you have never before been within the walls of an herb garden.â
Robber Mother grew crimson with rage to think that her word was doubted, and she cried out: âIt may be true that until today I had never been within the walls of an herb garden; but you monks, who are holy men, certainly must know that on every Christmas Eve the great Göinge forest is transformed into a beautiful garden, to commemorate the hour of our Lordâs birth. We who live in the forest have seen this happen every year. And in that garden I have seen flowers so lovely that I dared not lift my hand to pluck them.â
The lay brother wanted to continue the argument, but Abbot Hans gave him a sign to be silent. For, ever since his childhood, Abbot Hans had heard it said that on every Christmas Eve the forest was dressed in holiday glory. He had often longed to see it, but he had never had the good fortune. Eagerly he begged and implored Robber Mother that he might come up to the Robbersâ Cave on Christmas Eve. If she would only send one of her children to show him the way, he could ride up there alone, and he would never betray themâ âon the contrary, he would reward them, in so far as it lay in his power.
Robber Mother said no at first, for she was thinking of Robber Father and of the peril which might befall him should she permit Abbot Hans to ride up to their cave. At the same time the desire to prove to the monk that the garden which she knew was more beautiful than his got the better of her, and she gave in.
âBut more than one follower you cannot take with you,â said she, âand you are not to waylay us or trap us, as sure as you are a holy man.â
This Abbot Hans promised, and then Robber Mother went her way. Abbot Hans commanded the lay brother not to reveal to a soul that which had been agreed upon. He feared that the monks, should they learn of his purpose, would not allow a man of his years to go up to the Robbersâ Cave.
Nor did he himself intend to reveal his project to a human being. And then it happened that Archbishop Absalon from Lund came to Ăvid and remained through the night. When Abbot Hans was showing him the herb garden, he got to thinking of Robber Motherâs visit, and the lay brother, who was at work in the garden, heard Abbot Hans telling the Bishop about Robber Father, who these many years had lived as an outlaw in the forest, and asking him for a letter of ransom for the man, that he might lead an honest life among respectable folk. âAs things are now,â said Abbot Hans, âhis children are growing up into worse malefactors than himself, and you will soon have a whole gang of robbers to deal with up there in the forest.â
But the Archbishop replied that he did not care to let the robber loose among honest folk in the villages. It would be best for all that he remain in the forest.
Then Abbot Hans grew zealous and told the Bishop all about Göinge forest, which, every year at Yuletide, clothed itself in summer bloom around the Robbersâ Cave. âIf these bandits are not so bad but that Godâs glories can be made manifest to them, surely we cannot be too wicked to experience the same blessing.â
The Archbishop knew how to answer Abbot Hans. âThis much I will promise you, Abbot Hans,â he said, smiling, âthat any day you send me a blossom from the garden in Göinge forest, I will give you letters of ransom for all the outlaws you may choose to plead for.â
The lay brother apprehended that Bishop Absalon believed as little in this story of Robber Motherâs as he himself; but Abbot Hans perceived nothing of the sort, but thanked Absalon for his good promise and said that he would surely send him the flower.
Abbot Hans had his way. And the following Christmas Eve he did not sit at home with his monks in Ăvid Cloister, but was on his way to Göinge forest. One of Robber Motherâs wild youngsters ran ahead of him, and close behind him was the lay brother who had talked with Robber Mother in the herb garden.
Abbot Hans had been longing to make this journey, and he was very happy now that it had come to pass. But it was a different matter with the lay brother who accompanied him. Abbot Hans was very dear to him, and he would not willingly have allowed another to attend him and watch over him; but he didnât believe that he should see any Christmas Eve garden. He thought the whole thing a snare which Robber Mother had, with great cunning, laid for Abbot Hans, that he might fall into her husbandâs clutches.
While Abbot Hans was riding toward the forest, he saw that everywhere they were preparing to celebrate Christmas. In every peasant settlement fires were lighted in the bathhouse to warm it for the afternoon bathing. Great hunks of meat and bread were being carried from the larders into the cabins, and from the barns came the men with
Comments (0)