Голод
Part III
Ibustledabouttheroom,tookaimlessturnstoandfro,scratchedthewallwithmynail,leantmyheadcarefullyagainstthedoorforawhile,tappedwithmyforefingeronthefloor,andthenlistenedattentively,allwithoutanyobject,butquietlyandpensivelyasifitweresomematterofimportanceinwhichIwasengaged;andallthewhileImurmuredaloud,timeupontime,sothatIcouldhearmyownvoice.
But,greatGod,surelythisismadness!andyetIkeptonjustasbefore.Afteralongtime,perhapsacoupleofhours,Ipulledmyselfsharplytogether,bitmylips,andmannedmyselfaswellasIcould.Theremustbeanendtothis!Ifoundasplintertochew,andsetmyselfresolutelytoagain.
Acoupleofshortsentencesformedthemselveswithmuchtrouble,ascoreofpoorwordswhichItorturedforthwithmightandmaintotryandadvancealittle.ThenIstopped,myheadwasbarren;Iwasincapableofmore.And,asIcouldpositivelynotgoon,Isetmyselftogazewithwideopeneyesattheselastwords,thisunfinishedsheetofpaper;Istaredatthesestrange,shakylettersthatbristledupfromthepaperlikesmallhairycreepingthings,tillatlastIcouldneithermakeheadnortailofanyofit.Ithoughtonnothing.
Timewent;Iheardthetrafficinthestreet,therattleofcarsandtrampofhoofs.JensOlaj’svoiceascendedtowardsmefromthestablesashechidthehorses.Iwasperfectlystunned.
