Mysteries - Knut Hamsun [158]
“I see.... But you must drink a little; let us drink a toast to something, say, to the Kielland family, would you? They must be a nice family.”
When they had drunk, Nagel said,
6 41/162. Deleted in CW: “It’s for you alone to decide that.”
7 41/162. In P, the following paragraph begins: “You can do as you please, of course.”
8 45/163. The following exchange has been deleted in CW:
“Unlucky? Well, sure. So he fell and stabbed himself to death?”
“Yes, he was probably lost in thought, and so he stumbled and pierced the arteries in his fall. It was a tragic accident.”
9 46/164. Deleted in CW: “Those who have so much may not be very much happier.”
10 47/164. Deleted in CW: “That’s why I simply said, ‘I suppose that will be all for today.’ ”
CHAPTER IV (pp. 28—40)
1 49—50/165. From here to “The little boy walked ... ,” the P text reads: Well, why not, for that matter? What in the world is it supposed to be good for to try and keep afloat so desperately? Especially if one is laid to rest in consecrated ground despite everything, and with dispatches in all the newspapers. Heh-heh-heh. Anyway, what is the difference between carrying an open pocketknife in one’s hand and a little vial in one’s vest pocket? Beat that one, if you can, gentlemen and ladies. Heh-heh-heh!
Gladstone, though, is top dog. Gladstone will undoubtedly live until he dies a natural death from too much well-being. And let us hope that he will still keep humankind informed about his cold for many years to come. Gladstone is huge, Gladstone is absolutely the greatest man of our day. Who else should be our greatest man? Victor Hugo is dead and ... Suppose we wrote 1703, let’s say March 5, 1703: a world without Gladstone, the earth a wilderness, nothing but conservative newspapers!
“May your steel be as sharp as your final no!” How beautiful! How delightfully inane! Just bombastic enough to be human! It makes me think of a stuffed-up, runny kid’s nose. But he did have some spunk: among other things, he had chosen a sensible position, flat on his belly and his face buried in a puddle. But the time-oh, God help me! In broad daylight and with a goodbye note in his hand, ugh! However, the man had good taste, he took to the woods with the affair, and I side with him on that.
2 50-51/166. Up to this point of the paragraph, P reads:
But the time was absolutely unfortunate. I would have chosen a glorious stormy night, a raw pitch-darkness without a star. And there would be no question of a written farewell.... But why do I lie here thinking about this? What is it to me? What in the world do I have to do with that sentimental theologian, his steel and his last no? Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh, what the hell do I have to do with it! ...
How many strange sounds there are in a human being! Take laughter, for instance; where does it come from and where does it go? A disgusting sound, a shameless sound, a sound reminiscent of magpies and monkeys. Laughter must simply be a rudiment, ergo, laughter is a rudiment. And this meaningless, unarticulated sound is
3 52/166. Deleted in CW: Hey, up up up up up up up up!
4 55/168. Deleted in CW: ... But really, why should I give him a reminder ? What concern is it of mine? Here am again, meddling in other people’s business all the time; that will have to stop. As I hope to be saved, it will have to stop!
5 55-56/168. Here a couple of paragraphs are deleted in CW:
For example, do I get invited to take part in the debate when a club discusses religion? Absolutely not, absolutely not; no one has ever asked my opinion. Why, then, didn’t I let the young man present his excellent arguments? He knew a lot and spoke well, divided sun and wind equally among God and humans, and declared his agreement with Drawden and Spinoza. What fault can be found in that? And what fault could be found in the next speaker, the city engineer ? He went a smidgen further, but still observed the utmost moderation, in his own way. When he banged the table and insisted, in black and white, on God’s existence, he even made a strong impression;