Mysteries - Knut Hamsun [62]
Then they turned and walked in the direction of the parsonage gate.26
“Here I am, doggie!” she said to the dog, who was tugging at his leash. “Thanks for walking me home, Mr. Nagel; it has been a terrific evening.27 Now I’ll have something to tell my fiancé when I write him. I’ll say that you are the sort of man who disagrees with everybody about everything, and he’ll be dumbfounded. I can see him poring over the letter, unable to make head or tail of it. You see, he’s so awfully kind, heaven knows he’s good! He won’t contradict anybody. It’s too bad you won’t meet him while you’re here. Good night.”
“Good night, good night,” Nagel answered, following her with his eyes until she had disappeared into the house.
Nagel took off his cap and carried it in his hand through the forest. He was extremely preoccupied; he stopped several times to look up from the road, and stared straight ahead for a moment before walking on with short, slow steps.28 What a voice she had, what a voice! Whoever had heard anything like it, a voice quivering with song!
IX
THE FOLLOWING DAY, around noon.
Nagel had just arisen and gone out without having breakfast. He was already far downtown, lured on by the glorious weather and the lively activity at the quayside. Suddenly he turned to a man and inquired about the judge’s office. The man told him where it was, and Nagel went straight over there.
He knocked and stepped in, passed a couple of gentlemen who were writing at their desks, and walked up to Mr. Reinert, the deputy, with whom he asked to talk in private—it wouldn’t take long. Mr. Reinert rose rather reluctantly and took him to an adjoining room.
Once there Nagel said, “I beg your pardon for reverting to this matter once again—you know, that business concerning Miniman. I hereby offer you my most profound apology.”
“I consider that affair to be over and done with after your apology in the presence of an entire company on Midsummer Eve.”
“Well, that’s all very nice,” Nagel said. “But I’m not quite satisfied with that arrangement, sir. That is, I’m satisfied for my own part, but not as far as Miniman is concerned. I sincerely wish you would realize that Miniman must also be offered amends, and that it’s up to you to help him get them.”
“Are you saying I should go and apologize to that idiot for a few pranks, is that what you mean to say? Wouldn’t you do better to mind your own business, instead of—”
“Sure, sure, we’ve heard that before! But to get back to the matter in hand: You tore up Miniman’s coat and promised to replace it with a new one, remember?”
“Now, let me tell you something. You’re standing in a government office jabbering about a private affair which doesn’t even concern you. This is my turf. You don’t have to go back through the office, you can get to the street by this door as well.”
And the deputy opened a little door.
“Thank you.1 But seriously, you ought to send Miniman that new coat you promised him without delay. He needs it, you know, and he took you at your word.”
Mr. Reinert flung the door wide open and said, “Please!”
“Miniman took you for an honest man,” Nagel went on, “and you shouldn’t swindle him.”
But now the deputy opened the door to the office as well and called to the two gentlemen in there. Nagel therefore tipped his cap and left immediately. He didn’t say another word.
How badly this business had turned out! It would have been much better if he had left things as they were. Nagel went back to the hotel, had breakfast, read the papers and played with Jakobsen, the puppy.
In the afternoon, looking out of the window of his room, he saw Miniman coming up the difficult graveled road from the dock with a sack on his back. It was a sack of coal he was carrying. He walked completely hunched over and couldn’t see where he was going, being weighed almost to the ground by his burden. He was so awkward on his legs and walked so crookedly that his trousers were worn to shreds on the inside. Going out to meet him, Nagel found him by the post office,