Gösta Berling's Saga

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ... DEGREESMargarita falsing THE Major's wife returned to the Lofsjo district a few days before Christmas, but it was not till Christmas Eve she came to Ekeby. She had been ill during all the journey. She had inflammation of the lungs and high fever, still no one had ever seen her happier or heard more kindly words from her lips. The daughter of theBroby parson, who had been staying with her since October at the foundry at Alfdal, sat by her side in the sledge and would willingly have hastened the journey, but she could not prevent the old lady from stopping the horses and calling up each passer-by to ask for news. "How is it with you here in Lofsjo?" she asked. "All goes well with us," was the answer. " Better times are coming. The crazy parson at Ekeby and his wife are helping us."; "A good time has come," said another." Sintram is gone. The Ekeby cavaliers work; the Broby parson's money wasfound in the steeple of Bro church. There was enough to raise again the glory and honor ofEkebyand to supply bread to the hungry." "Our old Rector has awakened to new life and strength," said a third. " Every Sunday he tells us about the coming of God's kingdom. Who would sin any more? The millennium approaches." The Major's wife drove on, asking all she met: "How is it with you? Are you in any want?" And the fever and the sharp pain in her breast were lulled when they answered, "There are two good and rich women here: Marienne Sinclaire and Anna Stjarnhok. They help Gosta Berling to go from house to house and see that no one starves. And no more grain is wasted in the gin-stills now." It seemed almost as if the Major's wife sat in her sledge and held a long thanksgiving service. She had come to a holy land. She saw old, wrinkled faces light up when they...