STENSBORG

I.

This alone that they made Stensborg to an entailed estate was stupidity enough. This small homestead on the three-eighths manpower, which was good enough to feed a big farmer , would now support a freight family's ownership claim and give luster to a noble family. - It was a lie simply , as the Court of Appeal sasse sore Mr Johan Jacob Silfverstååhl made to the entailed estate for their heirs in the year of grace 1799 , and more than a hundred years, generation after generation sacrificed in order to keep the lie alive. No one had been brave enough to do away urarva . - John got up from the old-fashioned bureau and should - began walking around the room . The well-worn floorboards bore traces of generations rose and worries : herehad three owners Stensborg gone around and walked splinters from the thick floorboards and become hollow as they , worn out and worn down by the constant worries that without too much humiliation get expenditures and revenues that go together , or rather , get the creditors to give reprieve , while the revenue sought to keep up appearances and put the pieces in godsägarfracken . There were three men Silfverstååhl , as before Johan passed around here that bear in a cage - strong, healthy wills , with toil tired for another's stupidity , for an ancestor's pitiful vanity. they had all sacrificed themselves without a murmur , worked and dragged himself to preserve the so-called appearance, but to understand that appearances were a simple , common lie, that they worked themselves weary and corrupted only to earna fool's vanity. Johan had stopped the middle of the floor and shook his fist against pore trättet over bureau . There he sat , in nobility uniforms and powdered hair, Monsieur le

Chevalier de l'étoile polaire , Mr assessoren the Svea Court of Appeal , well - borne Mr Johan Jacob Silfverstååhl - with its polite courtier - namin , big brown eyes , crooked nose and plump red lips. A portrait , which was not paid disposable : that John had himself seen the paper at the bureau , which includes all other collection letters and notes also figured » portrait pennies « Joulins toddyhung -tent and embarrassed begging to get out his small and rightful artist 's fee. Money he had notbeen , but a winter's evening , when he came - mit out to retrieve them , he had had enough brandy to drink a coachman full and on return to the city got lost in a snowstorm , which suddenly blown up , and froze to death in a ditch. And so had the debt been paid. Portrait verifier Joulin luckily had no heirs had. Johan subject letter stack which he browsed , into one of chiffonjélådorna and slammed the flap . - If at least no one had all these family letters and day - books to read at all spare moments, letters only spoke about it : money - money - money - bills of exchange, promissory notes and mortgages - a century-old secret misery, which even he , Johan Silfverstååhl , was sentenced to mask förljuga and toil themselves to death . They had been proud and midwife men in the family , before the court - rättsassessorn inherited Stensborg with his wife Charlotte Bunge and made a farm to the landlord entailed estate for its tax - catch . But from that moment , they had done nothing else than run his s estate bad business , emptied out their inventive power and volition on finding ways out of something that no resort was out , to patch and patch a costume, which no man could bear without receiving only be viewed reverently distance. It was the truth: Genera Silfverstååhl had gone treadmillin a hundred years, but the one who put them in this condemnation, had no grain toallow

grind. The mill went around with the noise and din, and the stones creaked , and themill grinding upon emptiness , sadness and worries. A century-old victim of a fatal foolish vanity But now it was time to rebel - bondsmen had tired . When Johan Silfverstååhl come so far in his thinking, he sat down in the deep long wall of mahogany sofa , in whose mild comfortable deep so many men Silfverstååhl collapsed and had to rest for unbearable and nagging monetary amounts denominated in Kymmer . He took the old inherited long barrel with their rice - ated giant sjöskumshuvud from pipstället , filled it with cheap Dutch scratchy and began energetically flare . There he sat in the corner of the sofa with his head against the soiled vulture - la crocheted antimakassen , he saw himself mirrored in opposite hearing net of the room in the Venetian mirror with her during the piece, agray-green ancient mirror disk, and its top of relatively modern, cheap glass . He pushed himself into the corner of the sofa , so that his head completely and completely reflected in the lower glass plate and , while he smoke tea, he regarded himself. He had thought the same thoughts, become hot during the same sensi- lor many evenings before, and many evenings sat down in the sofa corner with lit his pipe , proud and strong in his decision to rebel . But John Silverstååhl belonged to the natures that could brood over other people's lives and destinies and find expedients to all but himself. He had never been friend - da their gaze and observation inward and understand how he himself act - they and where to . There he sat , reflecting its large, heavy rashu 's head with the blue deep-set eyes , large front slot- the nose, the wide but bland mouth and the solid , a tad heavy chin , he knew about himself no more than what he saw in the mirror. Now he felt like so many nights before a pleasantly well -

pleasure at the sight of himself, it was certainly a beautiful , stately face - male - a trait of energy and hardness, which indeed could be needed. The funny thing was , anyway, that it had many similar traits with the hated Judge of Appeal above bureau. It had a lot to say , and he could see for himself . John smiled, and the strong, acrid tobacco let him doze in in pleasing dreams. Uprising idea , the notion that he has seen through the misery in which he lived , gave him a confident, defiant certainty , a power sense , one of happiness , which gave courage to the fantasies and dreams of the future . It would not only live in the past. It would also think of the future - and it would not just underestimate their own . If this small entailed estate had it anyway been controversy and conflict : it had indeed been those who wanted to own it . John's grandfather, former Lieutenant Jacob Silfverstååhl , had on old days legitimized his housekeeper and hence her son , Johan's father . This had always söndrat genera in two branches. Lieutenant Jacob Silfverstååhls brother, the baroniserade Admiral and Minister Gerhard Silfverstååhl , had claimed the estate for themselves and for their , heirs bill, then Johan's father were born out of wedlock . The dispute had been torn to Johan's father's favor , but the trial - one hadcloven Silfverstååhlarna into two branches that no longer raw - researched or kneweach other : the blue-eyed Silfverstååhlarna who sat on Stensborg , and the brown-eyed , who had married the wealthy and advanced in the world to honor items and trust. In the room beyond , the so -called " big office " , hit in the - same large Dalecarlians watch her stare tongue seven strokes heartbeat after a knock on the door, and Spell stepped over the threshold with toddybrickan and the warm water. Spell was tiny and shriveled in the face as a dry apple, and of ill

judgment and age , she could not walk straight, but with upper body convicted in nearly a right angle , she scurried across the floor and sat down his precious burdenon the oval table in front of John. - Well, how 's your back , Spell ? - Thank you for asking , gracious sir, it is decrepit with rubber skrället . - Oh, Spell, Spell - she will soon be the bride again . - Hay - hay - then gracious gentleman go before the yard with ample ex - Examples . It was with slight variations above questions and answereach evening at toddybrickans onset , and just as genially and - satisfied stepped Spell out of the room - this evening as all the others. Johan tied it wrapped Given the thread on. Wedding - yes . It was the way to get themselves up and ready af - färerna on Stensborg . Little Greta Kurck on Nyckelby had a nice little inheritance towait. She had a way of being high-spirited and playful against Johan , who addressed him. Girls would be giddy and happy and able to sing and dance. Johan thought with secret pleasure at Greta Kurck - a slight redness ran up on his cheeks. It was in all cases other than Klara here and Mejer scan on Rörsta . Johan felt klum -pig and ashamed - how he could behave so . He sighed heavily and only got up. The two-piece mirror recounted his figure in a strangely broken image . The heavy ,put lantjunkargestalten rocked and broke into the two disks , so that he had to smileat his own appearance . No, you would well for a while and do a night patrol . But , what was this - now rumbled heavy steps on the office floor - A little pawing knockon the door , which was opened at Johan's commanding " Come in ". Well, it was Olle , the sinnesslöe farmhand , who has been stationed with the evening milk.

Olle stood stooped and blue-eyed with snuff , dirt, and well - like shining from its broad , unshaven and stupid face . Her mouth was an abyss of bad tobacco and bad breath, and awkward he stretched out a letter . - Si gracious Mr. Johan - spettorn onstaschon gave me this pe - call - tjarleksbrev he said - si spettorn si - he is so funny si - yes . - Thank you, Olle - and sleep well with his tjaraste ! Johan nodded laughing his bedtime . He was at least good , Olle , an old inventory , which inherited the farm and almost nothing cost , but could not work without a murmur for two. John sat back on the couch and broke the letter. It was bro - derns , student , Henry's style - well , he had graduated Now ? Johan held the paper at a distance in order to read . Well, really , now he would be titled Court of Appeals lawclerk - it was then well - could now Henry begin to earn a little himself. but - what now - on Thursday he would come down to Stensborg with a friend and fellow graduate . - You must live large and represent , for now it is great things , wrote his brother. Johan shook smile and half annoyed at the head. Representing and live large , he would say , with all that was to take on Stensborg for his studies in Uppsala. John snorted a tad annoyed : Thursday - let's see - the day after tomorrow - he had anyway graduated - the boy - quick thinking , anyway - could perhaps become a minister as grandfather's brother and son. Court of Appeals Clerk Henry Silfverstååhl ! Well, he was certainly worthy to be represented for when he graduated. John sat back down in the sofa - the punch was warming and tobacco letdreams fly further.

Stensborg probably was not so bad, it would at least be plain sailing now, it felt Johan with certainty . Henrik Court of Appeals law clerk - he himself married to Greta Kurck . - Old ungulate rättsassessorn on the wall would see that you could clear up business for him. - It was quiet around the lonely farm. And then bellowed only in the barn cow Kononga that would calve during opening and net . But it sounded muffled as asleep almost , and in his corner of the sofa fell asleep Stenborgsyoung owner , while long barrel with naval foam head slipped down and sought support on the floor. II. Stenborgs first owner had certainly rejoiced that his residence could not be seen too closely and that the major route of roads traveling power must go on unnoticed. Anyone who has great highway passes Stenberga church on the way north, sees a kilometer above the same on the left hand a small hardwood enclosure åbobyggnad . It is Stenborgs single un - derlydande croft Way. Hidden by deciduous forest and a large gate , take a by-road of there and continue past the cottage up to the mansion . But from the highway sees the traveler nothing of this ; here are proud and protective of the plain single rock many miles circumference . It is Stone Mountain , from which one can count seven churches and thirteen manors, and on whose top disposable Viking King Stens castle low. A giant semicircular rampart of mighty hake stones are up here, and here lived the King Stone at the time when the Baltic gulfs even cut down so far into the country, that boats could dock at the foot of the mountain . There is a mountain and a castle that was on - mentioned and described in all Östergötland old landskapsbe - downs, and it's Stenborgs and Silfverstååhlarnas pride , happiness and protection. Blueberry and strawberry cover its sides , wild raspberries, bear - worn rips cling around gråkummelsblocken , and solar heat and stone cairns have made the place dear to hundreds of vipers . There is not a child in the parishes around, that does notknow, to play at Stone Mountain can be certain death. So far stranger here quickly past , ignorant of the farm's existence, and berry pickers escape Ormbergets feared closeness. It is only the people of the farm and get visitors who follow the little driveway around the foot of the mountain and past the fields on the other side , where the terrain rises again in a

long sloping hill, on whose brow the manor itself is , if - given a protective björkträdsmur . Only by this glimpse you from the bottom of the red-painted dwellings . For this is the first disappointment for the , which that stranger with the expectation walk up to Stone 's mansion. The Manor is a large , red-painted two-storey house with attic cups on the ends and two small one-story wings . It may rather a very large farmhouse than a mansion, and the wings , which was built to guest and tjänarerum , have half a century of absence made as buildings and storehouses . Where to stay now Olle farmhand and maid Ready, and there is selkammare , milk rooms, materialbod and carpenter's workshop , and they beautifully frame - the windows are completely pre-wired with white curtain drapes , which School conceal what is hidden within them . On either side of the small courtyard between the wings stand as ornamental trees , two huge ancient boxes . They give it all a reverent and old-fashioned stamp , and the better to pageantry , the great main building a magnificent stone staircase , which only is a nuisance for the farm's inhabitants. It may namely not over - built with porch to notBostället shall operate farm. But it is thanks therefore icy slippery in the winter and when it snows lie drifts packed far up against the door, so that Olle morning after every winter storm may dig out both its inhabitants later , the squire Mr. Johan Silfverstååhl and his kokers - ka, the maid and housekeeper, who is a single person :the sixty-year and back bent Spell. But in summer it is only an ornament and a beloved to hold for all spelled cats and kittens, and after dinner sitting when Mr. Johan Silfverstååhl there himself and smokes his long pipe with sjöskumshuvudet . He has since also taken out of the cipher fonjén the old ripiga solglaset , which Mr. Judge of Appeal once used to light the pipe with .

Mr Court of Appeals sasse sore had a valet , who held solglaset - Butler is now Olle ,who fångrinar of joy and amazement when he sees the tobacco lit and give smoke during solstrålsknippet , whose nature and mode of action , he will never understand . With the magic glass rises squire Mr Johan Silfverstååhl still many steps in Olle slavish admiration. But Spell think, that such an ornament as stone steps have certainly no farm at Vikbolandet or Östergyl - len . She washes and chalks it every day and it is her secret pride and love. Stone steps are Stenborgs mansion characters - before the gull - tea every doubters and detractors dumbfounded . The third subordinates on the farm itself is the maid Clara. She cameto Stensborg from one of the neighboring parishes , four years ago , but when she saw that Olle was the only servant she would not stop : - For such a servant , one can not have any pleasure from . She has now been on Stensborg for four years , and some nights is the door to large building open for her. Clear is round, fresh and plump, white and dandruff to limbs and temper , and her face is well formed with some pure animal soulfulness . But her eyes are dreamy gray and inaccessible , and she could earn on the farm without pay. She knows namely , that Mr. Johan's grandfather married a peasant maid, with whom he had a child , and she bides still and secretive of their time. But she 'd love to take command of Spell and Olle , and at her house , she has it nice and pyntat with eaudecologneflaska and porcelain angels. And she never goes to dances in the parish - she 'd rather sit at home and patches and laws on the farm or own belongings. Her next dream and desire is to beable to embroider and sew finsömnad as well as Spell. But Spelling does not teach voluntarily out

their skills and experience , and she keeps Klara from all unnecessary visits to the mansion . There, Klara nothing to do on the day - we know spell very well , for she came Staff at Stensborg as a young girl , before Mr Johan's father was married disposable . Spell feel all shapes and uses, which are current mansion people in between, she has a strong sense of what is above and below , and she knows about the family Silfverstååhl and Stensborg more than any living person knows or will know . The year before Klara came Svensson, Stenborgs single farm laborer . He is forty years , were one-time in his youth in America and has a shrewd, level -face with small eyes and wicked pepper stubble mustache . He is keen to encourage modern liberal smallholders and is GOOD TEMPLAR . His wife is older than he is alleged to have had a vicious previously, but had four hundred of the Savings Bank, when they married , and to further strengthen the revenue takes Svensson receive foster children for a total of one for all . He belongs to the parish's extremely weak and powerless opposition tion , but he is underrated and considered a capable man of the yeoman farmers , who are masters in this and kringliggan - the parishes. The few estates in the area are small and their owners generally officers who have services and interests elsewhere. On Stensborg Svensson is an indispensable factotum . When strangers shall be obtained or Johan Silfverstååhl be on visit to his landlord intercourse , iföres Svensson an old kusklivré , still remaining on Stensborg, and he runs the compartment, preloaded with Brutus . Brutus and interior are also relics, as well cared for and hide - mas to keep the landlord traditions going. The former is a twenty-six year old stallion , who still retains an incredible and supple, youthful vigor . There are not many weeks ago he bolted with Olle and milk cart , struck off the shafts and ran three miles , before he was taken prisoner . However, he has never bolted for the cabin , which is a fortune for

this , which was bought and was the mother of eighteen hundred and seventy - century, but now is worm-eaten and moth-eaten and pampered tenderly as an old invalid to even be able to do service on pa - raddagarna . Now Smith to the station in full livery to fetch Court of Appeal notary and the foreign Stockholm Sir . Johan Silfverstååhl stands out on the stone steps , from which he than once chased away the cats , and think of all this and on farm shops and if everything is arranged to Henry's satisfaction and good enough to dupe his good friend, the Court of Appeal notary Herner sharp eye . He is now really only worried that his brother should not have brought with them a good dinner cigars - such does not have the Stensborg . Spell can cook fine cuisine, and the day shall be ready, as for the hundredth time received their instructions , serve inside the mid- day table. John had wanted her to be clothed fine in one of the many old ladies costumes that hang untouched in the attic. But Spell 've decided protested : it would only seem dressed up . Spell has instead cut and sewed a large white pinafore - those with a hood , which Klara bearon top of her best dress . Klara is hot on her cheeks , and her eyes burning with pride , anxiety and ambition. Now, however, everything is in order, and Johan have been down in the old wine cellar to fetch up to its thinned taxes. The wine cellar at Stensborg owns yet few bottles of fine and aged marks, but it rarely stepped on . Thecall , which is left , preserved and taken care more expensive than the water supply in the shipwrecked boat . Each of the remaining bottles hiding the part of Stone 's past glory and prestige and disposable after use is also Stensborg a äretecken and memory barrel - tant , a step further from his past greatness. The cognac, Johan drink to kvällstoddyn , is the nearby city car -most , and the meal is served on weekdays kvass .

Finally - now rattling carriage wheels on the slopes, and Johan sky - dar in to a few minutes afterwards to get out on the stairs , CONGRATULATING take the brother in arms and Health Court of Appeals notary Herner welcome to Stenborgs simple hut. Even the brother greets his old studievän welcome, and Johan sees , suspiciously , but imperceptibly reviewing , the newcomer ne . Court of Appeals Clerk Richard Herner is medium with a kut - ryggig , ridiculously ugly figure in highly modern large checkered clothes, his head is pointed in front and back with large, protrudingears and a disproportionately sized , pointed nose , which supports a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. But the flickering , glossy eyes beneath them is wise and observing , and in the broad, brash mouth gipor lurks an ironic smile . The teeth are inwardly inclined and ridiculously small in the large face. The teeth encounter instantly Johan . He has ensittarens and the tystes way to react to strangers, that of a detail in the look guess at a person's character and demeanor. An ask - Pinching accident feeling grabs him for a moment , and he gets confused standing on the stairs , until Henry's voice sounded shrill and reproachfully : - But please do not ask us to get on , old lantjunkare ! John reads the prompt and well received , he sees that Stensborg will captivate and fascinate her new guest. The stairs to the upper floor is an optical illusion masterpiece by the unknown builder . It appears twice as wide and twice as long as it is, and on the upper floor intro- res Richard Herner first in the rooms, which are arranged on his behalf. On one wall hangs where a number ofold hunting rifles with etch - the pipes , cut logs and ramrods of ebony ; embroider - they hail pouches and carved powder horn . It is a wonderful the hunters gararsenal from the previous century's beginning and middle , and the notary

Herner , who is hunting and gun fan , standing perfectly mesmerized and beaten. The bookshelf above the bed can accommodate a range of the Swedish East Indiamen travel descriptions from the eighteenth century, in old gold reinforced leather binding , and some yellowed copper from Constantinople, disposable brought home by Johans great-uncle , the then legationspredikanten , end räckan ofthe room's ancient treasures and perfecting its aged and noble effect on the comer . Dinner is served in the otherwise never used the dining room, whose walls bear a range of Piranesi's Roman engravings and copper in eighteenth-century style , and some old darkened family portrait. The elderly household possessions and East Indian porcelain are wonders for the antique skilled Court of Appeals Notary. The food is old Swedish well-cooked , the wines , the fine hu - vudstadsgourmeten neverdrunk husband of their affärssläktingars brilliant dinners , and Ready, which fits up blushing rapturous and without mishap , is simply beautiful in its rugged beauty. Venus rustique think Richard Herner enviously for himself - even on kvinnoutseenden is Court of Appeal notary refined esthetician and dilettante . The dinner is in a brilliant merry mood. it new guest tells witty and funny , a tad daring stories , compliments and envy the lucky owner of Stensborg : In a place like this it's a real honor to be given to spend his life - he would sacrifice his father's fortune to get Owning such a miracle of genteel and closed atmosphere like this house . - It is simply a work of art this for all envious eyes hidden old Swedish manor. it is a joy that a family could hide and preserve such a pea -la , but this is a remnant of genuine Swedish Manor life . Hovrätt notary Herner talking in - vocally and without

interruption. He is used to talk and find an audience , and he loves fully its high , strong voice. But all he talks about and judge , he knows only from literature and books. His words are book and newspaper phrases, neither accommodate new or surprising thoughts, but they are välsagda and spoke with a cocksure poise . John forgets his teeth and starts more and more like him . Something such as this, Johan Never heard - all the new and nice words murmur in his ear , flash -ing and go out through his stunned brain. It's a full - fect génie , he thinks , and he feels at once flattered and embarrassed for all this attention . Hovrättassessorn Johan Jacob Silfverstååhl had indeed had a taste - and Johan surprises his bewildered brother and himself with a fine and short, but raving speech for Stenborgs founding father, which was hosted this evening - ( Johan , it was night , the clock was six ) - it was the old man's work , they all now njöto of . The notary Herner , who does not know his great-grandfather , is delighted with the nice turnaround , and his enthusiasm reaches the boiling point , when the coffee is served old cognac . His most distinctive, aesthetic specialty is namely liqueurs. He begins to blame Henry, who is not invitedhim down to Stensborg before: - And think what Elsa would have been delighted if she got to come down here. - But she is well - another time. He bowls ironic and lovely smile with Henry, who fond blushes . John is drunk , not of wine , but of a blazing happiness . Everything has become so easy and safe, and he almost wanted to cry so pounding blasts the joy of his chest . The esteemed guest, however, tired of alcohol, food and journey fatigues , and he pulls back early to his room : he longs to sleep out to get enjoy a glorious September

morning on the beautiful plains of Östergötland in this wonderful pa - radis to old Swedish manor. Johan and Henrik have gone out to retrieve fresh air and exchanging confidences. It is a cool , star- shimmering night out there with full moon over the sleeping , silent plain, where Stenberget traveling its heavy mass, romantic , surreal as a painting . Henry sees nothing of this through his pince-nez , he should - jar talk hard and eagerly with these cool moves in the air of their fat , little lady hands, which always plagued Johan . - This was the only son of the rich merchant's Herner - a very sharp head - the former chairman of Verdandigatan - given nation - dagsman - social radical orientation - with a future - and at the same time fine literary formed - a typical esthetician . The bubbling of phrases and words from Henry's mouth, and Johan searched all the more anxious and restless after core. Eventually approached Henry what he would have said he was engaged to Herner sister Elsa, they were already agree, Elsa and he . But Henry had willed that the prospective brother in law would see that Silfverstååhlarna were not any beggars and ragamuffins . They must , after all, married to swear his father's money.Now it was only for Johan to acquire as much capital, that Henry would be able to pay its outstanding debts in Uppsala and both able to travel up and be fine and fleet engagement dinner in Stockholm . Richard Herner father had ear, and everything would then be arranged as a dance , once the engagement was over. John had suddenly gone completely numb, he even forgot to congratulate and embrace his brother. He said only tired: - No, we will talk about tomorrow - do not talk about money evening! I have had so much fun. -