about him."

They all laughed, and some one suggested that when people are ill
they grow thin.

"No, no," cried Randulf, with much warmth; "what I allude to has its
own peculiar appearance. The trousers look so heavy, so empty, and so
long, that they seem as if they would slip down, and three heavy
folds rest upon the feet. When I see this, I know that a man has not
long to live. You may take this as a fact."

When the bad weather began in October, Jacob Worse went out but
seldom; he had grown chilly, and kept much to his room.

He read the small books as much as he could, but they did not avail
to bring him that spiritual comfort for which he strove so hard.

At the meeting it was strange to see, amidst the peaceful, benignant
faces, this woe-begone old man, with his thick white hair and his
deeply furrowed placid cheeks, looking wistfully from one to the
other, and listening anxiously, hoping some day to hear the words
which should bring peace to his soul.

But from old times the devil had too secure a hold upon him, placing
oaths upon his tongue and evil thoughts in his heart.

At the meeting, when Sivert Jespersen was reading out a sermon, the
devil would lug in those two hundred barrels of salt, or so distorted
his vision that Endre Egeland would seem to be staring at the girls
with his small green eyes.

At night, when the wind howled around his house, it seemed to him
that the devil would take him out on the sea on board the _Hope_; and
he experienced a pleasure in lying and thinking how well he used to
sail the good ship, and how grand she looked in a heavy sea.

Sometimes Satan tempted him to pride when Garman and Worse did a good
stroke of business, or to wrath and indignation when Romarino came
and asked for money or endorsements.

The devil even made use of Thomas Randulf to corrupt him. One day,
when Worse met him in the market-place, opposite his street door, he
hurried back into his house; for it seemed to him as if Randulf had
long, crooked claws.

It was best to be at home, especially if Sarah was there. There, if
he was very vigilant, he was able to keep the devil at arms' length.

All this time, however, his malady was gaining ground; he slept
badly, and his appetite failed him. The only thing he relished was
pea-soup and salt pork, such as he had been accustomed to at sea, and
he brightened up every morning when he smelt the peas in the kitchen.

One day, however, it occurred to him t