Голод
Part II
Thiswasthefirsttime,andhowhadn’tIfooledthem?"Journalist!—Tangen!ifyouplease!andthenMorgenbladet!"Didn’tIappealstraighttohisheartwithMorgenbladet?"Wewon’tmentionthat!Eh?SatinstateintheStiftsgaardentilltwoo’clock;forgotdoor-keyandapocket-bookwithathousandkronerathome.Showthisgentlemanuptothereservedsection!"...
Allatonceoutgoesthegaswithastrangesuddenness,withoutdiminishingorflickering.
Isitinthedeepestdarkness;Icannotseemyhand,northewhitewalls—nothing.Therewasnothingforitbuttogotobed,andIundressed.
ButIwasnottiredfromwantofsleep,anditwouldnotcometome.Ilayawhilegazingintothedarkness,thisdensemassofgloomthathadnobottom—mythoughtscouldnotfathomit.
Itseemedbeyondallmeasuredensetome,andIfeltitspresenceoppressme.Iclosedmyeyes,commencedtosingundermybreath,andtossedtoandfro,inordertodistractmyself,buttonopurpose.Thedarknesshadtakenpossessionofmythoughtsandleftmenotamomentinpeace.SupposingIweremyselftobeabsorbedindarkness;madeonewithit?
Iraisemyselfupinbedandflingoutmyarms.Mynervousconditionhasgottheupperhandofme,andnothingavailed,nomatterhowmuchItriedtoworkagainstit.ThereIsat,apreytothemostsingularfantasies,listeningtomyselfcrooninglullabies,sweatingwiththeexertionofstrivingtohushmyselftorest.
