The young man bent his head to one side: "Twi!" spat he.
The dean's face grew scarlet, and deep silence ensued. Then the man rocking, with a loud voice struck in:
"O Lord, my God, I can testify,
His cross in patience bearing,
With poor and rich, with women and men,
'Tis a cause of anxious wearing;
For flesh and blood as frail and weak,
We all alike are sharing.----"
Then Lars said in a mild tone: "So you say that music and singing and dancing are right, do you? then it is right to rouse Satan through the senses; hm!--so that is what our pastor says; very well then, we know it now!--that all these things connected with idleness and sensuality are elevating and helpful, ... that that which is a temptation is right!" But now Odegaard,--who saw by the dean's face that things were going wrong,--hastened to interpose: "Tell me, my good man, what there is, that is NOT a temptation?"
All looked at him from whom these pointed and terse words came. The question was in itself so unexpected, that Lars could not at once tell what to reply; nor could the others. Then it sounded up as from a well, or out of a cellar: "Labour is not."--The voice came from the bundle of shawls, it was Randi, who spoke for the first time. An exulting smile came over Lars' face, the light-haired woman looked at her with a satisfied air, even the young man leaning against the door post for a moment lost the sneering curl of his lip. Odegaard understood that this was the head, although it was not to be seen. He therefore turned himself to her: "What can that labour be, that is without temptation?" She would not answer this, but the young man replied: "The curse says: 'In the sweat of thy brow, shalt thou eat thy bread;' labour then that brings us toil and trouble." "And nothing but toil and trouble? No profit for example?"--To this neither would he reply; but the short face felt a calling: "Yes, as much profit as one can get!"--"Then there must be temptation in work also, temptation to too much gain." In this strait, succour came again from the depths: "Then the gain is the temptation and not the work."--"Well, but how is it when the work is carried to excess for the sake of the gain?" She crept in again; but Lars went on: "What do you mean by the work being carried to excess?"--"Why, when it makes you like animals and binds you in thraldom."--"Thraldom it has to be!" said the advocate of the toil.--"But can it as thraldom lead to God?"--"Labour IS the worship of God!" shouted Lars.--"Dare you say that of ALL your labour?" Lars was silent. "No, be reasonable and admit that for the sake of gain, labour may be carried to excess, as if we lived only for it. Therefore labour also has its temptation."--"Yes, there is temptation in everything, children,--there is temptation in everything!" said the dean as he rose, and put out his pipe as if in conclusion! Sighs issued from the bundle of shawls, but no reply.