第2章
TheneighborsteasedCanuteagooddealuntilheknockedoneofthemdown。HegavenosignofsufferingfromherneglectexceptthathedrankmoreandavoidedtheotherNorwegiansmorecarefullythanever，Helayaroundinhisdenandnooneknewwhathefeltorthought，butlittleJimPeterson，whohadseenhimgloweringatLenainchurchoneSundaywhenshewastherewiththetownman，saidthathewouldnotgiveanacreofhiswheatforLena’slifeorthetownchap’seither；andJim’swheatwassowondrouslyworthlessthatthestatementwasanexceedinglystrongone。
CanutehadboughtanewsuitofclothesthatlookedasnearlylikethetownmanIsaspossible。Theyhadcosthimhalfamilletcrop；fortailorsarenotaccustomedtofittinggiantsandtheychargeforit。Hehadhungthoseclothesinhisshantytwomonthsagoandhadneverputthemon，partlyfromfearofridicule，partlyfromdiscouragement，andpartlybecausetherewassomethinginhisownsoulthatrevoltedatthelittlenessofthedevice。
Lenawasathomejustatthistime。WorkwasslackinthelaundryandMaryhadnotbeenwell，soLenastayedathome，gladenoughtogetanopportunitytotormentCanuteoncemore。
Shewaswashinginthesidekitchen，singingloudlyassheworked。Marywasonherknees，blackingthestoveandscoldingviolentlyabouttheyoungmanwhowascomingoutfromtownthatnight。TheyoungmanhadcommittedthefatalerroroflaughingatMary’sceaselessbabbleandhadneverbeenforgiven。
“Heisnogood，andyouwillcometoabadendbyrunningwithhim！Idonotseewhyadaughterofmineshouldactso。IdonotseewhytheLordshouldvisitsuchapunishmentuponmeastogivemesuchadaughter。Thereareplentyofgoodmenyoucanmarry。“
Lenatossedherheadandansweredcurtly，“Idon’thappentowanttomarryanymanrightaway，andsolongasDickdressesniceandhasplentyofmoneytospend，thereisnoharminmygoingwithhim。“
“Moneytospend？Yes，andthatisallhedoeswithitI’llbebound。Youthinkitveryfinenow，butyouwillchangeyourtunewhenyouhavebeenmarriedfiveyearsandseeyourchildrenrunningnakedandyourcupboardempty。DidAnneHermansoncometoanygoodendbymarryingatownman？“
“Idon’tknowanythingaboutAnneHermanson，butIknowanyofthelaundrygirlswouldhaveDickquickenoughiftheycouldgethim。“
“Yes，andanicelotofstoreclotheshuzziesyouaretoo。NowthereisCanutesonwhohasan’eighty’provedupandfiftyheadofcattleand——“
“Andhairthatain’tbeencutsincehewasababy，andabigdirtybeard，andhewearsoverallsonSundays，anddrinkslikeapig。Besideshewillkeep。IcanhaveallthefunIwant，andwhenIamoldanduglylikeyouhecanhavemeandtakecareofme。
TheLordknowsthereain’tnobodyelsegoingtomarryhim。“
Canutedrewhishandbackfromthelatchasthoughitwereredhot。Hewasnotthekindofmantomakeagoodeavesdropper，andhewishedhehadknockedsooner。Hepulledhimselftogetherandstruckthedoorlikeabatteringram。Maryjumpedandopeneditwithascreech。
“God！Canute，howyouscaredus！IthoughtitwascrazyLou——
hehasbeentearingaroundtheneighborhoodtryingtoconvertfolks。Iamafraidasdeathofhim。Heoughttobesentoff，I
think。Heisjustasliableasnottokillusall，orburnthebarn，orpoisonthedogs。Hehasbeenworryingeventhepoorministertodeath，andhelaidupwiththerheumatism，too！DidyounoticethathewastoosicktopreachlastSunday？Butdon’tstandthereinthecold，comein。Yensenisn’there，buthejustwentovertoSorenson’sforthemail；hewon’tbegonelong。Walkrightintheotherroomandsitdown。“
Canutefollowedher，lookingsteadilyinfrontofhimandnotnoticingLenaashepassedher。ButLena’svanitywouldnotallowhimtopassunmolested。Shetookthewetsheetshewaswringingoutandcrackedhimacrossthefacewithit，andrangigglingtotheothersideoftheroom。Theblowstunghischeeksandthesoapywaterflewinhiseves，andheinvoluntarilybeganrubbingthemwithhishands。Lenagiggledwithdelightathisdiscomfiture，andthewrathinCanute’sfacegrewblackerthanever。Abigmanhumiliatedisvastlymoreundignifiedthanalittleone。HeforgotthestingofhisfaceinthebitterconsciousnessthathehadmadeafoolofhimselfHestumbledblindlyintothelivingroom，knockinghisheadagainstthedoorjambbecauseheforgottostoop。Hedroppedintoachairbehindthestove，thrustinghisbigfeetbackhelplesslyoneithersideofhim。
Olewasalongtimeincoming，andCanutesatthere，stillandsilent，withhishandsclenchedonhisknees，andtheskinofhisfaceseemedtohaveshriveledupintolittlewrinklesthattrembledwhenheloweredhisbrows。Hislifehadbeenonelonglethargyofsolitudeandalcohol，butnowhewasawakening，anditwasaswhenthedumbstagnantheatofsummerbreaksoutintothunder。
WhenOlecamestaggeringin，heavywithliquor，Canuteroseatonce。
“Yensen，“hesaidquietly，“Ihavecometoseeifyouwillletmemarryyourdaughtertoday。“
“Today！“gaspedOle。
“Yes，Iwillnotwaituntiltomorrow。Iamtiredoflivingalone。“
Olebracedhisstaggeringkneesagainstthebedstead，andstammeredeloquently:“DoyouthinkIwillmarrymydaughtertoadrunkard？amanwhodrinksrawalcohol？amanwhosleepswithrattlesnakes？GetoutofmyhouseorIwillkickyououtforyourimpudence。“AndOlebeganlookinganxiouslyforhisfeet。
Canuteanswerednotaword，butheputonhishatandwentoutintothekitchen。HewentuptoLenaandsaidwithoutlookingather，“Getyourthingsonandcomewithme！“
Thetonesofhisvoicestartledher，andshesaidangrily，droppingthesoap，“Areyoudrunk？“
“Ifyoudonotcomewithme，Iwilltakeyou——youhadbettercome，“saidCanutequietly。
Sheliftedasheettostrikehim，buthecaughtherarmroughlyandwrenchedthesheetfromher。Heturnedtothewallandtookdownahoodandshawlthathungthere，andbeganwrappingherup。Lenascratchedandfoughtlikeawildthing。Olestoodinthedoor，cursing，andMaryhowledandscreechedatthetopofhervoice。AsforCanute，heliftedthegirlinhisarmsandwentoutofthehouse。Shekickedandstruggled，butthehelplesswailingofMaryandOlesoondiedawayinthedistance，andherfacewashelddowntightlyonCanute’sshouldersothatshecouldnotseewhitherhewastakingher。Shewasconsciousonlyofthenorthwindwhistlinginherears，andofrapidsteadymotionandofagreatbreastthatheavedbeneathherinquick，irregularbreaths。
Thehardershestruggledthetighterthoseironarmsthathadheldtheheelsofhorsescrushedabouther，untilshefeltasiftheywouldcrushthebreathfromher，andlaystillwithfear。Canutewasstridingacrossthelevelfieldsatapaceatwhichmanneverwentbefore，drawingthestingingnorthwindsintohislungsingreatgulps。Hewalkedwithhiseyeshalfclosedandlookingstraightinfrontofhim，onlyloweringthemwhenhebenthisheadtoblowawaythesnowflakesthatsettledonherhair。SoitwasthatCanutetookhertohishome，evenashisbeardedbarbarianancestorstookthefairfrivolouswomenoftheSouthintheirhairyarmsandborethemdowntotheirwarships。Foreverandanonthesoulbecomeswearyoftheconventionsthatarenotofit，andwithasinglestrokeshattersthecivilizedlieswithwhichitisunabletocope，andthestrongarmreachesoutandtakesbyforcewhatitcannotwinbycunning。
WhenCanutereachedhisshantyheplacedthegirluponachair，whereshesatsobbing。Hestayedonlyafewminutes。Hefilledthestovewithwoodandlitthelamp，drankahugeswallowofalcoholandputthebottleinhispocket。Hepausedamoment，staringheavilyattheweepinggirl，thenhewentoffandlockedthedooranddisappearedinthegatheringgloomofthenight。
Wrappedinflannelsandsoakedwithturpentine，thelittleNorwegianpreachersatreadinghisBible，whenheheardathunderingknockathisdoor，andCanuteentered，coveredwithsnowandhisbeardfrozenfasttohiscoat。
“Comein，Canute，youmustbefrozen，“saidthelittleman，shovingachairtowardshisvisitor。
Canuteremainedstandingwithhishatonandsaidquietly，“I
wantyoutocomeovertomyhousetonighttomarrymetoLenaYensen。“
“Haveyougotalicense，Canute？“
“No，Idon’twantalicense。Iwanttobemarried。“
“ButIcan’tmarryyouwithoutalicense，man。itwouldnotbelegal。“
AdangerouslightcameinthebigNorwegian’seye。“IwantyoutocomeovertomyhousetomarrymetoLenaYensen。“
“No，Ican’t，itwouldkillanoxtogooutinastormlikethis，andmyrheumatismisbadtonight。“
“ThenifyouwillnotgoImusttakeyou，“saidCanutewithasigh。
Hetookdownthepreacher’sbearskincoatandbadehimputitonwhilehehitcheduphisbuggy。Hewentoutandclosedthedoorsoftlyafterhim。Presentlyhereturnedandfoundthefrightenedministercrouchingbeforethefirewithhiscoatlyingbesidehim。
Canutehelpedhimputitonandgentlywrappedhisheadinhisbigmuffler。Thenhepickedhimupandcarriedhimoutandplacedhiminhisbuggy。Ashetuckedthebuffalorobesaroundhimbesaid:
“Yourhorseisold，hemightflounderorlosehiswayinthisstorm。Iwillleadhim。“
Theministertookthereinsfeeblyinhishandsandsatshiveringwiththecold。Sometimeswhentherewasalullinthewind，hecouldseethehorsestrugglingthroughthesnowwiththemanploddingsteadilybesidehim。Againtheblowingsnowwouldhidethemfromhimaltogether。Hehadnoideawheretheywereorwhatdirectiontheyweregoing。Hefeltasthoughhewerebeingwhirledawayintheheartofthestorm，andhesaidalltheprayersheknew。Butatlastthelongfourmileswereover，andCanutesethimdowninthesnowwhileheunlockedthedoor。Hesawthebridesittingbythefirewithhereyesredandswollenasthoughshehadbeenweeping。Canuteplacedahugechairforhim，andsaidroughly，——
“Warmyourself。“