Mysteries Read Online Free PDF

says. And for a long time he can’t utter another word.
    “What did you want to say?”
    “Thank you, thank you sincerely from a sincere ...”
    Pause.
    “That’s all done with.”
    “No, wait a moment!” Miniman cried. “Pardon me, but it’s not done with. You thought I didn’t want to do it, that it was obstinacy on my part and that I enjoyed putting up a fight; but as sure as there’s a God—. How can we say it’s done with if you may even have gotten the impression that I had my eyes solely on the reward and wouldn’t do it for five kroner? 1 It was only this I wanted to say.”
    “Very good. A man with your name and breeding can’t allow himself to play such foolish pranks, of course. I was just thinking—well, you obviously know this town inside out, do you not? You see, I mean to stay here for a while, to settle down here for several months this summer, in fact. What do you think of that? Are you from here?”
    “Yes, this is where I was born. My father was a parson here, and I’ve lived here for the last thirteen years, since I became an invalid.”
    “Do you deliver coal to people?”
    “Yes, I take coal around to the houses in town. It doesn’t bother me, if that’s why you’re asking. I’m used to it, and it doesn’t do me any harm as long as I’m careful on the stairs. But last winter I fell, and it got so bad I had to use a stick for quite a while.”
    “You did, indeed? How did that happen?”
    “Well, it was on the steps of the bank, they were a bit icy. I’m coming up with a rather heavy sack. About halfway, I see Consul Andresen coming down high up. I want to turn around and go back down so the Consul can get by. He didn’t tell me to, it just came naturally and I would’ve done it regardless. But at that very moment I was unlucky enough to slip on the step and fall. I landed on my right shoulder. 2 ‘How are you doing?’ the Consul asks, ‘you didn’t scream, so you haven’t hurt yourself, have you?’ ‘No,’ I reply, ‘I guess I was lucky.’ But less than five minutes later I fainted twice in a row; besides, my abdomen swelled up because of my old ailment. By the way, the Consul remembered me generously afterward, though he was in no way to blame.”
    “You didn’t suffer any other damage? You didn’t hurt your head?”
    “Oh yes, I hurt my head a little. I was also spitting blood for a while.”
    “And the Consul helped you during the time you were ill?”
    “Yes, splendidly. He sent me all sorts of things, he didn’t forget me for a single day. But best of all, the day I was up and about again and went to the Consul’s to thank him, he had already hoisted the flag. He had expressly ordered the flag to be hoisted in my honor, though it was also Miss Fredrikke’s birthday.”
    “Who is Miss Fredrikke?”
    “She’s his daughter.”
    “I see. Well, that was nice of him.... Oh say, you wouldn’t know why the flags were flying in town a few days ago, would you?”
    “A few days ago? Let me see, was it a little over a week ago? Then it must’ve been because of Miss Kielland’s engagement, Dagny Kielland’s engagement. Sure, they get engaged, marry and leave town one after another. I’ve got friends and acquaintances all over the country practically by now, and there isn’t a single one among them I wouldn’t like to meet again. I’ve seen them play, go to school, get confirmed and grow up, all of them. Dagny is only twenty-three, and she’s the darling of the whole town. She’s handsome, too. She got engaged to Lieutenant Hansen, who once gave me this here cap. He’s also from here.”
    “Is Miss Kielland a blonde?”
    “Yes, she’s a blonde. She’s exceptionally beautiful and everyone’s fond of her.”
    “I believe I saw her over by the parsonage. Does she usually carry a red parasol?”
    “Exactly! And no one else here has a red parasol, as far as I know. If you saw a lady with a thick flaxen braid down her back, that was her. She’s