Un billet de loterie. English

  CHAPTER XV.

  Sylvius Hogg reached Dal on the evening of the following day. He didnot say a word about his journey, and no one knew that he had been toBergen. As long as the search was productive of no results he wishedthe Hansen family to remain in ignorance of it. Every letter ortelegram, whether from Bergen or Christiania, was to be addressed tohim, at the inn, where he intended to await further developments.Did he still hope? Yes, though it must be admitted that he had somemisgivings.

  As soon as he returned the professor became satisfied that someimportant event had occurred in his absence. The altered manner ofJoel and Hulda showed conclusively that an explanation must have takenplace between their mother and themselves. Had some new misfortunesbefallen the Hansen household?

  All this of course troubled Sylvius Hogg greatly. He felt such apaternal affection for the brother and sister that he could not havebeen more fond of them if they had been his own children. How much hehad missed them during his short absence.

  "They will tell me all by and by," he said to himself. "They will haveto tell me all. Am I not a member of the family?"

  Yes; Sylvius Hogg felt now that he had an undoubted right to beconsulted in regard to everything connected with the private life ofhis young friends, and to know why Joel and Hulda seemed even moreunhappy than at the time of his departure. The mystery was soonsolved.

  In fact both the young people were anxious to confide in the excellentman whom they loved with a truly filial devotion, but they werewaiting for him to question them. During his absence they had feltlonely and forsaken--the more so from the fact that Sylvius Hogg hadnot seen fit to tell them where he was going. Never had the hoursseemed so long. It never once occurred to them that the journey wasin any way connected with a search for the "Viking," and thatSylvius Hogg had concealed the fact from them in order to spare themadditional disappointment in case of failure.

  And now how much more necessary his presence seemed to have become tothem! How glad they were to see him, to listen to his words of counseland hear his kind and encouraging voice. But would they ever dare totell him what had passed between them and the Drammen usurer, andhow Dame Hansen had marred the prospects of her children? What wouldSylvius Hogg say when he learned that the ticket was no longer inHulda's possession, and when he heard that Dame Hansen had used it tofree herself from her inexorable creditor?

  He was sure to learn these facts, however. Whether it was Sylvius Hoggor Hulda that first broached the subject, it would be hard to say, nordoes it matter much. This much is certain, however, the professor soonbecame thoroughly acquainted with the situation of affairs. He wastold of the danger that had threatened Dame Hansen and her children,and how the usurer would have driven them from their old home ina fortnight if the debt had not been paid by the surrender of theticket.

  Sylvius Hogg listened attentively to this sad story.

  "You should not have given up the ticket," he cried, vehemently; "no,you should not have done it."

  "How could I help it, Monsieur Sylvius?" replied the poor girl,greatly troubled.

  "You could not, of course, and yet--Ah, if I had only been here!"

  And what would Professor Sylvius Hogg have done had he been there? Hedid not say, however, but continued:

  "Yes, my dear Hulda; yes, Joel, you did the best you could, under thecircumstances. But what enrages me almost beyond endurance is thefact that this Sandgoist will profit greatly, no doubt, by this absurdsuperstition on the part of the public. If poor Ole's ticket shouldreally prove to be the lucky one this unprincipled scoundrel willreap all the benefit. And yet, to suppose that this number, 9672,will necessarily prove the lucky one, is simply ridiculous and absurd.Still, I would not have given up the ticket, I think. After oncerefusing to surrender it to Sandgoist Hulda would have done better toturn a deaf ear to her mother's entreaties."

  The brother and sister could find nothing to say in reply. In givingthe ticket to Dame Hansen, Hulda had been prompted by a filialsentiment that was certainly to be commended rather than censured. Thesacrifice she had made was not one of more or less probable chance,but of Ole Kamp's last wishes and of her last memento of her lover.

  But it was too late to think of this now. Sandgoist had the ticket.It belonged to him, and he would sell it to the highest bidder. Aheartless usurer would thus coin money out of the touching farewell ofthe shipwrecked mariner. Sylvius Hogg could not bear the thought. Itwas intolerable to him.

  He resolved to have a talk with Dame Hansen on the subject that veryday. This conversation could effect no change in the state of affairs,but it had become almost necessary.

  "So you think I did wrong, Monsieur Hogg?" she asked, after allowingthe professor to say all he had to say on the subject.

  "Certainly, Dame Hansen."

  "If you blame me for having engaged in rash speculations, and forendangering the fortune of my children, you are perfectly right; butif you blame me for having resorted to the means I did to free myself,you are wrong. What have you to say in reply?"

  "Nothing."

  "But seriously, do you think that I ought to have refused the offer ofSandgoist, who really offered fifteen thousand marks for a ticket thatis probably worth nothing; I ask you again, do you think I ought tohave refused it?"

  "Yes and no, Dame Hansen."

  "It can not be both yes and no, professor; it is no. Under differentcircumstances, and if the future had appeared less threatening--thoughthat was my own fault, I admit--I should have upheld Hulda in herrefusal to part with the ticket she had received from Ole Kamp. Butwhen there was a certainty of being driven in a few days from thehouse in which my husband died, and in which my children first sawthe light, I could not understand such a refusal, and you yourself,Monsieur Hogg, had you been in my place, would certainly have acted asI did."

  "No, Dame Hansen, no!"

  "What would you have done, then?"

  "I would have done anything rather than sacrifice a ticket my daughterhad received under such circumstances."

  "Do these circumstances, in your opinion, enhance the value of theticket?"

  "No one can say."

  "On the contrary, every one does know. This ticket is simply one thathas nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-ninechances of losing against one of winning. Do you consider it any morevaluable because it was found in a bottle that was picked up at sea?"

  Sylvius Hogg hardly knew what to say in reply to this straightforwardquestion, so he reverted to the sentimental side of the question byremarking:

  "The situation now seems to be briefly as follows: Ole Kamp, as theship went down, bequeathed to Hulda the sole earthly possession lefthim, with the request that she should present it on the day of thedrawing, provided, of course, that the ticket reached her; and nowthis ticket is no longer in Hulda's possession."

  "If Ole Kamp had been here, he would not have hesitated to surrenderhis ticket to Sandgoist," replied Dame Hansen.

  "That is quite possible," replied Sylvius Hogg; "but certainly noother person had a right to do it, and what will you say to him if hehas not perished and if he should return to-morrow, or this very day?"

  "Ole will never return," replied Dame Hansen, gloomily. "Ole is dead,Monsieur Hogg, dead, beyond a doubt."

  "You can not be sure of that, Dame Hansen," exclaimed the professor."In fact, you know nothing at all about it. Careful search is beingmade for some survivor of the shipwreck. It may prove successful; yes,even before the time appointed for the drawing of this lottery. Youhave no right to say that Ole Kamp is dead, so long as we have noproof that he perished in the catastrophe. The reason I speak withless apparent assurance before your children is that I do not want toarouse hopes that may end in bitter disappointment. But to you, DameHansen, I can say what I really think, and I can not, I will notbelieve that Ole Kamp is dead! No, I will not believe it!"

  Finding herself thus worsted, Dame Hansen ceased to argue thequestion, and this Norwegian, being rather superstitious in her secr
etheart, hung her head as if Ole Kamp was indeed about to appear beforeher.

  "At all events, before parting with the ticket," continued SylviusHogg, "there was one very simple thing that you neglected to do."

  "What?"

  "You should first have applied to your personal friends or the friendsof your family. They would not have refused to assist you, either bypurchasing the mortgage of Sandgoist, or by loaning you the money topay it."

  "I have no friends of whom I could ask such a favor."

  "Yes, you have, Dame Hansen. I know at least one person who would havedone it without the slightest hesitation."

  "And who is that, if you please?"

  "Sylvius Hogg, member of the Storthing."

  Dame Hansen, too deeply moved to reply in words, bowed her thanks tothe professor.

  "But what's done can't be undone, unfortunately," added Sylvius Hogg,"and I should be greatly obliged to you, Dame Hansen, if youwould refrain from saying anything to your children about thisconversation."

  And the two separated.

  The professor had resumed his former habits, and his daily walks aswell. In company with Joel and Hulda, he spent several hours everyday in visiting the points of interest in and about Dal--not going toofar, however, for fear of wearying the young girl. Much of his time,too, was devoted to his extensive correspondence. He wrote letterafter letter to Bergen and Christiania, stimulating the zeal all whowere engaged in the good work of searching for the "Viking." To findOle seemed to be his sole aim in life now.

  He even felt it his duty to again absent himself for twenty-fourhours, doubtless for an object in some way connected with the affairin which Dame Hansen's family was so deeply interested; but, asbefore, he maintained absolute silence in regard to what he was doingor having done in this matter.

  In the meantime Hulda regained strength but slowly. The poor girllived only upon the recollection of Ole; and her hope of seeing himagain grew fainter from day to day. It is true, she had near her thetwo beings she loved best in the world; and one of them never ceasedto encourage her; but would that suffice? Was it not necessary todivert her mind at any cost? But how was her mind to be diverted fromthe gloomy thoughts that bound her, as it were, to the shipwrecked"Viking?"

  The 12th of July came. The drawing of the Christiania Schools Lotterywas to take place in four days.

  It is needless to say that Sandgoist's purchase had come to theknowledge of the public. The papers announced that the famous ticketbearing the number 9672 was now in the possession of M. Sandgoist, ofDrammen, and that this ticket would be sold to the highest bidder;so, if M. Sandgoist was now the owner of the aforesaid ticket, he musthave purchased it for a round sum of Hulda Hansen.

  Of course this announcement lowered the young girl very decidedly inpublic estimation. What! Hulda Hansen had consented to sell the ticketbelonging to her lost lover? She had turned this last memento of himinto money?

  But a timely paragraph that appeared in the "Morgen-Blad" gave thereaders a true account of what had taken place. It described the realnature of Sandgoist's interference, and how the ticket had come intohis hands. And now it was upon the Drammen usurer that public odiumfell; upon the heartless creditor who had not hesitated to takeadvantage of the misfortunes of the Hansen family, and as if by commonconsent the offers which had been made while Hulda held the ticketwere not renewed. The ticket seemed to have lost its supernaturalvalue since it had been defiled by Sandgoist's touch, so that worthyhad made but a bad bargain, after all, and the famous ticket, No.9672, appeared likely to be left on his hands.

  It is needless to say that neither Hulda nor Joel was aware of whathad been said, and this was fortunate, for it would have been verypainful to them to become publicly mixed up in an affair which hadassumed such a purely speculative character since it came into thehands of the usurer.

  Late on the afternoon of the 12th of July, a letter arrived, addressedto Professor Sylvius Hogg.

  This missive, which came from the Naval Department, contained anotherwhich had been mailed at Christiansand, a small town situated at themouth of the Gulf of Christiania. It could hardly have contained anynews, however, for Sylvius Hogg put it in his pocket and said nothingto Joel or his sister about its contents.

  But when he bade them good-night on retiring to his chamber, heremarked:

  "The drawing of the lottery is to take place in three days as you are,of course, aware, my children. You intend to be present, do you not?"

  "What is the use, Monsieur Sylvius?" responded Hulda.

  "But Ole wished his betrothed to witness it. In fact, he particularlyrequested it in the last lines he ever wrote, and I think his wishesshould be obeyed."

  "But the ticket is no longer in Hulda's possession," remarked Joel,"and we do not even know into whose hands it has passed."

  "Nevertheless, I think you both ought to accompany me to Christianiato attend the drawing," replied the professor.

  "Do you really desire it, Monsieur Sylvius?" asked the young girl.

  "It is not I, my dear Hulda, but Ole who desires it, and Ole's wishesmust be respected."

  "Monsieur Sylvius is right, sister," replied Joel. "Yes; you must go.When do you intend to start, Monsieur Sylvius?"

  "To-morrow, at day-break, and may Saint Olaf protect us!"