Nobel Prize Literature Collection: Beyond Human Power. Six Characters Seeking the Author

Author: Bj?rnstjerne Bj?rnson (Norway)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Rat Spirit: (muttering) I see this kid will find out sooner or later. Herr: Look, this dead rat spirit is still sitting at the entrance daydreaming! Rat Spirit: (as before) He must know perfectly well. Herr: The window is broken, the signboard is knocked down, like a bottle of wine that has been drained dry. This step, swept by wind and thunder, has swept across your ocean of fate. You grabbed a piece of the boat's wreckage and only managed to survive the catastrophe (at this moment, only an odd gurgling sound could be heard from the rat spirit's throat); And that door has seen how many nobles walk out and how many beggars walk in, now it's just like a drunk lying the center of the street; Many things seem more and more senseless when you look closer! Rat Spirit: Has this matter been taken to court? Herr: They searched your house top to bottom, making a mess, breaking cups, plates, and everything. Rat Spirit: You scoundrel with worn-out shoes, be careful, there's still some broken glass around here! Herr: I will, and I'll also be careful of your sealed bottle of whiskey. Rat Spirit: (sighs) Oh, it's really— Herr: At first, they got along quite well, but later they turned against each other. Rat Spirit: That clerk was standing right where you are now, giving orders. Herr: Didn't the authorities step in to resolve it at the time? Is it that there's no law in this small place of ours? Didn't you protest? Rat Spirit: No, during the strike, everyone was crazy. If I had complained any more, I wouldn't be surprised if they had beaten me to a pulp. They had already started breaking things everywhere, and Brad was adding fuel to the fire. Herr: It's all because of Malin's excessive emotions; Oh, this simple-minded Malin. Rat Spirit: (half-bending) I don't know what to do either, what can I say? Herr: Malin also took her two children— I had seen those two children running barefoot here before, now— Life is truly worthless! Rat Spirit: She took care of herself later as well. Herr: Killing the children first, then committing suicide, it's really like Medea from Greek tragedy, truly remarkable! It's no use, it's no use, my dear, raising you is no use! Nine months of pregnancy, and the pain of childbirth—all in vain, it's no use, it's no use! Rat Spirit: (as before) I don't know what to do either, what can I say? Herr: You, the culprit, still dare to pretend ignorance, and yet you don't take the opportunity to confess before the mother and child are buried. She bought alcohol from you first and then did this foolish thing, didn't you know? Rat Spirit: How could I know what she bought alcohol for, I don't know anything! Herr: Stop crying, Rat Spirit. That's not your fault; I just regret that if I had been here, things wouldn't have turned out so badly. I'm actually curious, why didn't those people stay quiet when they saw the whiskey flowing out? Rat Spirit: The alcohol flowed like a river, like a stream! Herr: Did they not lie down and lap it up, or scoop it up with their hands to drink, or bring spoons and buckets to carry it back to drink? Rat Spirit: The entire parish floor was covered in alcohol, and they said: alcohol