Mysteries - Knut Hamsun [106]
And when would the bazaar begin?
It would open on Thursday, July 9, which was the Queen’s birthday. But already this evening Miniman was going to put up posters in all sorts of places; they had even got permission to stick one up on the cemetery gate.... Anyway, he had come to let him know about the violin. He hadn’t been able to turn one up; the only decent violin in town was not for sale, belonging to the organist, who would use it at the bazaar. He was going to play a couple of numbers.
Well, there was nothing to be done about that.
Miniman prepares to leave. As he stands there cap in hand, Nagel says, “But shouldn’t we have a little drink? You see, I’m sort of happy this evening, I’ve been lucky. Imagine, I’ve finally with great pains got possession of a piece of furniture which no collector in this country can match, of that I’m sure. It’s this chair. Take a look at it! Do you realize what a gem it is, a perfectly unique Dutch piece! I wouldn’t sell it for a fortune, by Jove I wouldn’t! To celebrate the occasion, I would very much like to have a drink with you, if you don’t mind. May I ring? No? But you can put up those posters tomorrow.... Oh, I simply can’t forget my good luck today! You don’t know, perhaps, that I am a collector in a small way and that one reason I’m staying here is to sniff out rarities? I probably haven’t told you about my cowbells either? Oh dear, then you don’t have any idea what sort of person I am. I’m an agronomist, of course, but I also have other interests. Anyway, as of today I’ve got two hundred and sixty-seven cowbells. It has been ten years since I began to acquire them, and now, thank God, I have a first-rate collection. And this chair here, can you guess how I got hold of it? Pure chance, a fluke! Walking along the street one day, I pass a little house down by the docks, and by force of habit I give a sidelong peek through the window as I go by. Suddenly I’m pulled up: I catch sight of the chair and see at once what it’s worth. I knock on the door and go in: I’m received by a white-haired lady getting on in years—uh, what was her name? Well, no matter, you probably don’t know her in any case; Miss Gude I believe it was. Martha Gude or something.... She doesn’t want to let go of the chair, of course, but I wangle so long that she finally gives her word I can have it, and today I picked it up. But the best part of it is that I got it for nothing, she gave it to me for free. Well, I threw a few kroner on the table so she wouldn’t have any regrets; but the chair is worth hundreds. I urge you to keep this to yourself; one would rather not get a bad name. Not that I have anything to reproach myself with. The woman had no business sense, but I, the expert buyer, was under no obligation to keep her interest in mind. One mustn’t be stupid, after all, one has to seize one’s chance, it’s the struggle for existence, right? ... Now that you know the truth of the matter, how can you refuse to have a glass of wine with me?”
Miniman insisted that he had to get going.
“That’s too bad,” Nagel continues. “I’d been looking forward to having a chat with you. You’re the only man in this place who interested me at first sight, the only one I care to keep an eye on, as it were. Heh-heh, keep an eye on, sure. Besides, your name is Johannes, isn’t it? My dear friend, that I’ve known a long time, though no one told me until this evening.... Now, don’t let me frighten you again. To my shame, I always have the misfortune to make people afraid of me. Oh yes, don’t deny it, you did stare in dismay at me for a moment, though I won’t exactly say you gave a start....”
Miniman had now reached the door. He evidently wanted to give him short shrift and make a speedy getaway. The conversation was getting more and more unpleasant.
“Is today July 6?” Nagel asks all of a sudden.
“Yes,” Miniman replies, “it’s July 6.” With that he puts his hand on the doorknob.
Nagel walks slowly over to him; going up really close, he stares him squarely in the