Authors: Jules Verne
Though the city is nearly flat in the new and wealthy quarter, the
hilly portions, where the poorer classes live, are covered with brick
or wooden huts of gaudy tints that astonish rather than charm the
beholder.
Like all cities situated upon the water's edge, and upon fertile
hills, Christiania is extremely picturesque, and it would not be
unjust to compare its fiord to the famous Bay of Naples. Its shores,
like those of Sorrento and Castellamare, are dotted with chalets
and villas, half hidden in the dark, rich verdure of the pines, and
enveloped in the light mist that imparts such a wonderful softness to
northern landscapes.
Sylvius Hogg had at last returned to Christiania, though under
conditions that he little dreamed of at the beginning of his
interrupted journey. Oh, well, he would try that again another year!
He could think only of Joel and Hulda Hansen now. Had there been time
to prepare for them, he would certainly have taken them to his own
home, where old Fink and old Kate would have made them heartily
welcome; but under the circumstances, the professor had thought it
advisable to take them to the Hotel du Nord, where, as protégées
of Sylvius Hogg, they were sure of every attention, though he had
carefully refrained from giving their names, for there had been so
much talk about the brother and sister, and especially about the young
girl, that it would be very embarrassing for her if her arrival in
Christiania should become known.
It had been decided that Sylvius Hogg should not see them again until
breakfast the next day, that is to say, between eleven and twelve
o'clock, as he had some business matters to attend to that would
engross his attention all the forenoon. He would then rejoin them
and remain with them until three o'clock, the hour appointed for the
drawing of the lottery.
Joel, as soon as he rose the next morning, tapped at the door of his
sister's room, and being anxious to divert her thoughts, which were
likely to be more melancholy than ever on such a day, he proposed that
they should walk about the town until breakfast-time, and Hulda, to
please her brother, consented.
It was Sunday, but though the streets of northern cities are usually
quiet and well-nigh deserted on that day, an air of unusual bustle
and animation pervaded the scene, for not only had the townspeople
refrained from going to the country, as usual, but people from the
surrounding towns and country was pouring in in such numbers that the
Lake Miosen Railroad had been obliged to run extra trains.
The number of disinterested persons anxious to attend the drawing of
the famous lottery was even greater than the number of ticket-holders,
consequently the streets were thronged with people. Whole families,
and even whole villages, had come to the city, in the hope that their
journey would not be in vain. Only to think of it! one million tickets
had been sold, and even if they should win a prize of only one or two
hundred marks, how many good people would return home rejoicing!
On leaving the hotel, Joel and Hulda first paid a visit to the wharves
that line the harbor. Here the crowd was not so great except about the
taverns, where huge tankards of beer were being continually called for
to moisten throats that seemed to be in a state of constant thirst.
As the brother and sister wandered about among the long rows of
barrels and boxes, the vessels which were anchored both near and far
from the shore came in for a liberal share of their attention, for
might there not be some from the port of Bergen where the "Viking"
would never more be seen?
"Ole! my poor Ole!" sighed Hulda, and hearing this pathetic
exclamation, Joel led her gently away from the wharves, and up into
the city proper.
There, from the crowds that filled the streets and the public squares,
they overheard more than one remark in relation to themselves.
"Yes," said one man; "I hear that ten thousand marks have been offered
for ticket 9672."
"Ten thousand!" exclaimed another. "Why, I hear that twenty thousand
marks, and even more, have been offered."
"Mr. Vanderbilt, of New York, has offered thirty thousand."
"And Messrs. Baring, of London, forty thousand."
"And the Rothschilds, sixty thousand."
So much for public exaggeration. At this rate the prices offered would
soon have exceeded the amount of the capital prize.
But if these gossips were not agreed upon the sum offered to Hulda
Hansen, they were all of one mind in regard to the usurer of Drammen.
"What an infernal scoundrel Sandgoist must be. That rascal who showed
those poor people no mercy."
"Yes; he is despised throughout the Telemark, and this is not the
first time he has been guilty of similar acts of rascality."
"They say that nobody will buy Ole Kamp's ticket of him, now he has
got it."
"No; nobody wants it now."
"That is not at all surprising. In Hulda Hansen's hands the ticket was
valuable."
"And in Sandgoist's it seems worthless."
"I'm glad of it. He'll have it left on his hands, and I hope he'll
lose the fifteen thousand marks it cost him."
"But what if the scoundrel should win the grand prize?"
"He? Never!"
"He had better not come to the drawing."
"No. If he does he will be roughly handled. There is no question about
that."
These and many other equally uncomplimentary remarks about the usurer
were freely bandied about.
It was evident that he did not intend to be present at the drawing,
as he was at his house in Drammen the night before; but feeling his
sister's arm tremble in his, Joel led her swiftly on, without trying
to hear any more.
As for Sylvius Hogg, they had hoped to meet him in the street; but
in this they were disappointed, though an occasional remark satisfied
them that the public was already aware of the professor's return, for
early in the morning he had been seen hurrying toward the wharves, and
afterward in the direction of the Naval Department.
Of course, Joel might have asked anybody where Professor Sylvius Hogg
lived. Any one would have been only too delighted to point out the
house or even to accompany him to it; but he did not ask, for fear of
being indiscreet, and as the professor had promised to meet them at
the hotel, it would be better to wait until the appointed hour.
After a time Hulda began to feel very tired, and requested her brother
to take her back to the hotel, especially as these discussions, in
which her name was frequently mentioned, were very trying to her, and
on reaching the house she went straight up to her own room to await
the arrival of Sylvius Hogg.
Joel remained in the reading-room, on the lower floor, where he spent
his time in mechanically looking over the Christiania papers. Suddenly
he turned pale, a mist obscured his vision, and the paper fell from
his hands.
In the "Morgen-Blad," under the heading of Maritime Intelligence, he
had just seen the following cablegram from Newfoundland:
"The dispatch-boat 'Telegraph' has reached the locality where
the 'Viking' is supposed to have been lost, but has found no
trace of the wreck. The search on the coast of Greenland has
been equally unsuccessful, so it may be considered almost
certain that none of the unfortunate ship's crew survived the
catastrophe."
"Good-morning, Mr. Benett. It is always a great pleasure to me when I
have an opportunity to shake hands with you."
"And for me, professor, it is a great honor."
"Honor, pleasure—pleasure, honor," laughed the professor. "One
balances the other."
"I am glad to see that your journey through Central Norway has been
safely accomplished."
"Not accomplished, only concluded, for this year."
"But tell me, pray, all about those good people you met at Dal."
"Excellent people they were, friend Benett, in every sense of the
word."
"From what I can learn through the papers they are certainly very much
to be pitied."
"Unquestionably, Mr. Benett. I have never known misfortune to pursue
persons so relentlessly."
"It seems so, indeed, professor; for right after the loss of the
'Viking' came that miserable Sandgoist affair."
"True, Mr. Benett."
"Still, Mr. Hogg, I think Hulda Hansen did right to give up the ticket
under the circumstances."
"Indeed! and why, if you please?"
"Because it is better to secure fifteen thousand marks than to run a
very great risk of gaining nothing at all."
"You talk like the practical business man and merchant that you are;
but if you choose to look at the matter from another point of view, it
becomes a matter of sentiment, and money exerts very little influence
in such cases."
"Of course, Mr. Hogg, but permit me to remark that it is more than
likely that your protégée has profited greatly by the exchange."
"Why do you think so?"
"But think of it. What does this ticket represent? One chance in a
million of winning."
"Yes, one chance in a million. That is very small; it is true, Mr.
Benett, very small."
"Yes; and consequently such a reaction has followed the late madness
that it is said that this Sandgoist who purchased the ticket to
speculate upon it has been unable to find a purchaser."
"So I have heard."
"And yet, if that rascally usurer should win the grand prize, what a
shame it would be!"
"A shame, most assuredly, Mr. Benett; the word is not too strong—a
shame, unquestionably."
This conversation took place while Sylvius Hogg was walking through
the establishment of M. Benett—an establishment well known in
Christiania, and indeed throughout Norway. It is difficult to mention
an article that can not be found in this bazaar. Traveling-carriages,
kariols by the dozen, canned goods, baskets of wine, preserves of
every kind, clothing and utensils for tourists, and guides to conduct
them to the remotest villages of Finmark, Lapland, or even to the
North Pole. Nor is this all. M. Benett likewise offers to lovers of
natural history specimens of the different stones and metals found in
the earth, as well as of the birds, insects, and reptiles of Norway.
It is well, too, to know that one can nowhere find a more complete
assortment of the jewelry and bric-à-brac of the country than in his
show-cases.
This gentleman is consequently the good angel of all tourists desirous
of exploring the Scandinavian peninsula, and a man Christiania could
scarcely do without.
"By the way, you found the carriage you had ordered waiting for you at
Tinoset, did you not, professor?" he asked.
"Yes. Having ordered it through you, Monsieur Benett, I felt sure that
it would, be there at the appointed time."
"You are a sad flatterer, I fear, Monsieur Hogg. But I judged from
your letter that there were to be three of you in the party."
"There were three of us, as I told you."
"And the others?"
"They arrived here safe and sound last evening, and are now waiting
for me at the Hotel du Nord, where I am soon to join them."
"And these persons are—?"
"Precisely, Monsieur Benett, precisely; but I must beg you to say
nothing about it. I don't wish their arrival to be noised abroad yet."
"Poor girl!"
"Yes, she has suffered terribly."
"And you wish her to be present at the drawing, though the ticket her
betrothed bequeathed to her is no longer in her possession?"
"It is not my wish, Monsieur Benett, but that of Ole Kamp, and I
say to you as I have said to others, Ole Kamp's last wishes would be
obeyed."
"Unquestionably. What you do is not only right, but always for the
best, professor."
"You are flattering me now, dear Monsieur Benett."
"Not at all. But it was a lucky day for them when the Hansen family
made your acquaintance."
"Nonsense! it was a much more fortunate thing for me that they crossed
my path."
"I see that you have the same kind heart still."
"Well, as one is obliged to have a heart it is best to have a good
one, isn't it?" retorted the professor, with a genial smile. "But you
needn't suppose that I came here merely in search of compliments," he
continued. "It was for an entirely different object, I assure you."
"Believe me, I am quite at your service."
"You are aware, I suppose, that but for the timely intervention of
Joel and Hulda Hansen, the Rjukanfos would never have yielded me up
alive, and I should not have the pleasure of seeing you to-day?"
"Yes, yes, I know," replied Mr. Benett. "The papers have published
full accounts of your adventure, and those courageous young people
really deserve to win the capital prize."
"That is my opinion," answered Sylvius Hogg, "but as that is quite out
of the question now, I am unwilling for my friend Hulda to return
to Dal without some little gift as a sort of memento of her visit to
Christiania."
"That is certainly an excellent idea, Mr. Hogg."
"So you must assist me in selecting something that would be likely to
please a young girl."
"Very willingly," responded Mr. Benett. And he forthwith invited the
professor to step into the jewelry department, for was not a Norwegian
ornament the most charming souvenir that one could take away with one
from Christiania and from Mr. Benett's wonderful establishment?
Such at least was the opinion of Sylvius Hogg when the genial merchant
exhibited the contents of his show-cases.
"As I am no connoisseur in such matters I must be guided by your
taste, Mr. Benett," he remarked.
They had before them a very large and complete assortment of
native jewelry, which is usually valuable rather by reason of the
elaborateness of its workmanship than any costliness of material.
"What is this?" inquired the professor.
"It is a ring with pendants which emit a very pleasant sound."