Chapter 10

The outer side of Tromö, which lies off the entrance to Arendal, has
only the ordinary barren stone-grey appearance of the rest of the
islands along the coast; a wooden church, with a little belfry like a
sentry-box and serving as a landmark, which lies drearily down by the
sea, and under which on Sundays a pilot-boat or two may be seen lying-to
while service is going on, is the only feature for the eye to rest upon.
The land side of the island, on the contrary, presents a scene all the
richer and livelier for the contrast. The narrow Tromö Sound, with its
swarm of small coasters, lighters, pilot-boats, and vessels of larger
build, suns itself there between fertile or wooded slopes and ridges,
over which are scattered in every direction the red cottages of the
sailor population, skippers' houses, and villas; and in every available
spot, in every creek or bay where there is barely room for a vessel, the
white timbers of ships in course of construction come into view. It is
an idyllic dockyard, a very beautiful and very appropriate approach to
Norway's principal seaport town; and whoever steams up it on a still
summer's day must enjoy a surprise that will not easily be effaced from
his recollection.

At the period of our story, indeed, the picture was far from being so
complete or rich: but even then were becoming manifest the germs of the
bustle and life which now pervade the place.

On one of the most beautiful points of the Sound peeped into view a
small one-storeyed house with two small-paned attic windows projecting
from its steep tiled roof, and with a pine-wood climbing the hillside
behind, which was the property of Captain Beck; and here, until, as he
proposed to do in a couple of years' time, he retired from the sea and
invested his fortune in the shipbuilding yard which he had in view, his
family generally took up their residence during the summer months.
Hither in the early part of this summer, too, they had repaired.

It was no life of idleness, though, which they lived out there: Madam
Beck always made work for everybody, and had her own spinning-wheel in
the sitting-room. Her step-son had his occupation on land, and as much
as he could do, as member of the coast commission. But he used generally
to come over on Saturdays in his pretty sail-boat and remain over
Sunday; and on that day, too, some one or other family of their
acquaintance in the town would make them an object for a pleasure party,
and would usually spend the afternoon with them.

Carl Beck was always in great force on these occasions. His brown face
and frank sailor bearing and good looks would have been sufficient in
themselves to make him a favourite with the ladies. But, in addition to
these claims upon