"Listen," began Odegaard again,--and the dean filled himself a new pipe--"now if labour yields fruit, i.e. profit, then we have certainly liberty to enjoy that fruit? If it should become riches, have we then liberty to enjoy these riches?"--This set them thinking, they looked from one to the other. "I shall answer, while you are thinking," said he; "God must have permitted us to try to make a blessing of his curse, for HE HIMSELF led the patriarchs, led His people to the enjoyment of riches."--"The apostles were to possess nothing," exclaimed the young man triumphantly.--"Yes, that is true; for God would place them beyond and above all human conditions, that they should look only to Him;--they were called!"--"We are all called!"--"But not in the same way;--are YOU called to be an apostle?"--The young man turned deadly pale, his eyes retreated under the wall of forehead above them: he must have his reasons for taking it so to heart.
"But the rich must also work," observed Lars; for work is God's command.--"Certainly he must, although his aim and method may be different, each one has his own task. But tell me: shall a man be ALWAYS at work?"--"He must also pray!" chimed in Else, and folded her hands, as if she remembered that she had too long neglected it.--"Then whenever a man is not working; he must pray? Is any man able to do this? What kind of prayer would it be, and what kind of work? Shall he not also rest?"--"We must rest only when we can do no more; for then we shall not be tempted by evil thoughts,--ah! then we shall not be tempted!" said Else again,--and Erik joined in:
"If ye are weary seek and find
In Jesu's name a peaceful mind,
How sweet is rest!
There comes a time when also ye
To the last resting place will flee,
An earthy nest!----"
"Be quiet, Erik, and listen to this," said the dean. And Odegaard knitted his eyebrows: "See here: labour has its fruit, and requires its rest: and it is my opinion respecting society, music, singing, and the rest, that they are not only the sweet fruit of our labours, but they also give rest and strength to the soul."
Here there was restlessness in the camp; all looked at Randi; she rocked and rocked, and at last it sounded slowly and quietly: "Worldly song, and music and dancing, afford no rest, for such excite the lust and desires of the flesh. THAT certainly cannot be the fruit of labour, which wastes and enervates."--"Ah! such things are full of temptation!" said Else with a sigh. This put Erik in mind of the verse of a hymn:--