He sank upon the leather sofa, and sat staring in front of him, his lips trembling. Nothing so great had ever happened at Norby before. And so there was a higher purpose in this illness. He understood it now.
“Thank God!” he said again, with his eyes raised to the ceiling.
When a woman gets back her child that robbers have taken, one can understand that her joy is unbounded, but that her hatred of those who took him from her, her fear of their coming again, and her desire to render them harmless, are just as great as her happiness. It was the same with Norby now. In the midst of his joy he thought of Wangen. “They didn’t succeed,” he thought. “There’s One who’s stronger than all their artifices.” While he sat and thanked God in an indescribable feeling of happiness, he saw Wangen and his other enemies as evil forces that might come again; but they should really be made harmless now. “He shall leave the district!” he thought, in mingled anger and pleasure. “He’s done harm enough now. He shan’t only go to jail; he ought to be transported!” And if Norby’s best friend had now said to him: “But you have guaranteed for this same Wangen,” Norby would have knocked him down. For God knows it was false. Could the hands be clean of a man who had recourse to such tricks? No, no, no! If a thought such as this crossed the old man’s mind, it filled him with disgust, and he felt he must spit it out. No, he was completely in the right. That devil actually declared that Norby had signed his document at the Grand! Good gracious!
“I thank Thee, O God!—But he shall be turned out of the district!”
[CHAPTER III]
THE day came at length on which Fru Wangen’s father and brother were to leave their farm. She had determined to get up very early in order to go and help them with anything that might be wanted; but at four o’clock she was awakened by somebody knocking at their door. She was surprised, but got up, put something on, and went to the door, and asked who was there.
It was her brother. When she opened the door, she saw in the grey light that he looked quite distracted.
“Is anything the matter?” she asked.
“Father!” he whispered in a terrified whisper, and remained standing outside.