Letter
13 Pages
Transcription: Tor Martin Leknes
Transcription
Sandal i Söndfjord
[ 31 – I – 20 ]
Kjære Kinck!
Ja dú maa virkelig úndskylde,
at jeg sendte dig noget saadant
skrap til júl, – men jeg har
været saa elendig nú et aars
tid at jeg stadig har troet
det snart var forbi med
mig, – og da har jeg altid
kommet i hú mine löfter
og min gjæld, – og da særlig
alt hvad jeg skylder dig.
Jeg forsögte derfor i höst at
faa trykt noget til dig, men
manglede godt papir, (som
ikke er at opdrive for tiden).
Særlig farvetrykket blev
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derfor ikke godt, og jeg har
angret paa, at jeg sendte det,
(nú da jeg er lidt bedre og
har haab om kanske at
gjöre bedre ting), – jeg vil
derfor bede dig om at faa
bytte det med et bedre "tryk",
naar vi engang træffes, og jeg
kunde ha flere tryk af
samme træsnit, som dú da
kúnde vælge mellem. Jeg
har saa mange plader til
et saadant tryk, at jeg næsten
maa "træne" mig paa daar-
lige tryk först, förend jeg
nöiagtig húsker farven paa
de forskjellige plader og ende-
lig faar en god tryk i stand.
III
Det "moderne træsnit" bör
forresten udvikle sig i en lidt
anden retning end mine
har gjort; – jeg er misfor-
nöiet med alt det gamle,
jeg har produceret paa det
omraade, – jeg har bedre ting
i arbeide, – (hvis de da
overhovedet blir færdige), – og
naar jeg ikke sendte dig noget
af andre bedre farve træsnit
först, – saa var det, fordi dú
selv nævnte "Soleie-natten".
Jeg tog da den först, og jeg haaber
efterhaanden at faa sende dig
flere af mine farvetryk, hvis
dú bryder dig om det og vil
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spendere "væggeplads" til
dem; – dú kan jo ogsaa bare
lade dem ligge i en mappe.
Nú kan dú jo se paa mine
træsnit hos frú Höst, ogsaa
give mig et par ord, om hvilke
dú helst vil ha först, – jeg
har ogsaa et par stykker,
som fru Höst ikke har, og
som jeg skal sende dig, – jeg vil
betragte det som en stor ære,
at have en komplet samling
hos dig af mine træsnit, – men
da búrde jeg lidt efter hvert
lægge tilside "heldige" tryk, – da
jeg helst bare vilde ha gode
tryk i din samling; – men det
er næsten saa, at jo mere úmag
man gjör sig med at "lave" en
V
god "tryk" desto slettere blir
den. Det var i allefald tilfældet
med den, jeg sendte; – men det
var papiret væsentlig skyld i,
det, da det formelig slog "búk-
ler", – (dette vil kanske ophæves
lidt, hvis det kommer únder press
– i glas og ramme). Ja jeg vilde
jo gjerne ogsaa faaet anledning at
faa træsnittene indrammet til
dig, men da jeg ikke vidste, om dú
vilde ha dem paa væggen, – og
særlig da jeg tænkte paa et even-
túelt bytte af "Soleienatten", saa
sendte jeg dem bare paa karton;
din smag med hensyn til rammer
var det jo ikke sikkert, jeg kunde
træffe; – jeg liker bedst smale lister
i matt gúld (patineret), eller sort –
(til farvetræsnit) til "sort og hvidt"-
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træsnit passer bedst svagt bei-
sede birketrærammer (ikke blanke).
Jeg vilde jo saa gjerne ogsaa
faaet malt dig et billede, som
dú kúnde like, – men jeg er saa
misfornöiet med mig selv for
tiden (jeg befinder mig i "stöbeskeen"
for tiden – for at brúge et dúnkelt
billede fra Ibsen). Jeg búrde jo
længst været i udlandet nú
men saa mange ting har sat sig
i veien – særlig sygdommen, som har
forværret sig meget siden jeg havde
den "spanske". Jeg har tænkt paa
Spanien först og fremst; – dine "Span-
ske höstdögn" har fristet mig, – jeg
ser paa min kjære Agave (det
eneste som vil trives inde i mit hús), –
jeg ser paa dens <salte> grönhed, som
den staar der og drömmer i lampe-
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lyset mod de svarte vindúsrúter
og stormnatten udenfor; den dröm-
mer vist ogsaa om sit "födeland"
Spanien, – og jeg tænker paa de
Agave-hækkene (giærdene), som dú
taler om, – og jeg úndres paa om de
har den samme mystiske grönne
farve, som min Agave, – eller om
denne har faaet sin farve af syk
údlængsel ligesom Rævebjælden
i skogtykningen. – Ja jeg længes nú
virkelig bort fra vestlandet – dette
evigt súre og regnende klima – her
blir jo værre for hvert aar. Nú
i höst havde vi 9 úker regn uten
stands, – og i vinter har der
neppe været {…} en dag uten vind. –
Stormen trænger ind alle steder og
"river" mine torvlag af og reiser
med alle Engels bötter og klær og
vor lille datter Kari holder paa
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at blaase paa vandet, hver gang
hún skal gaa den fjerdings vei,
som hún har til skolen, – veien
er nemlig belagt med is, som
skraaner ned mod vandet, – stormen
bærer nemlig "raaket" fra vandet
langt op over bakkerne, hvor det
fryser fast paa alt, som det
træffer; trærenes grener hænger
túnge af istapper, – det er som da
man i gamle dage stöpte lys her
og dyppede traaden i den smeltede
talg og de vokste i tykkelse for
hver neddypping. – Jeg begynder
at hate denne forbandede fjeld-
bygd, hvor jeg er grodd fast, – selv
min lille gaard, som jeg har været
saa glad i, holder paa at tape sig
i mine öine; – det er nú haren
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mest skyld i; thi den har gang
paa gang spist op mine æpletrær,
og jeg har taalmodig plantet igjen
(over 300 trær), og nú havde jeg berget
dem saa langt, at de var begyndt at
bære frugt, – den ældste gutten vor
"Arnold Böcklin" – havde slig glæde
af dem, – og saa kommer det
svinet haren igjen nú i vinter
og spiser op hvert eneste træ
omtrent – (et par ved húsene staar
igjen). Det er det tristeste syn jeg
veed, – alle disse bengúle skeletter
som staar igjen op over bakkerne.
Man kunde graate af ærgrelse,
naar man tænker paa alt det
stræv, og all den kjærlighed man
har ofret paa disse trær – like fra
podningen, til – dannelsen af de
vakre kroner, og den stadige beskjæ-
X
ring og gjödsling, – samt alt det
stræv jeg har havt med at gjærde
den úde – den djævelske haren.
Stormen har ogsaa knækket min
præktige hægg, som var min
stolthed, da den var en af de störste
hægger i bygden og altid den förste,
som blomstrede om vaaren i hele
bygden. Nú önsker jeg bare at
stormen maa knække flagstangen,
saa ödelæggelsen kan blive fuld-
stændig. Der er snart bare den lille
"gotten" (som vesle Turid kalder
"grotten" for) og stenbordet igjen.
Ja det var altsaa Spanien, jeg
tænkte paa; – havde jeg bare
reist did i fjor, förend den spanske
valutta gik saa op; – för krigen
var en pesetas værd 56-60 öre,
XI
nú er den oficielle kurs Kr. 1,04
og den er stadig stigende; – i banker-
ne faar man neppe kjöbe pesetas
únder Kr. 1,05-1,10; – man vil
altsaa tabe næsten halvdelen
af sine penge ved at reise til
Spanien nú. I Paris fryser
man og kommer ingen vei for
tog standsning overalt i Frankrike.
I Italien skal være fremmed-
fiendtlig for tiden, – og i Tysk-
land risikerer man at miste
alle sine kontanter ved stats-ban-
kerotten, som man stadig venter
paa. I England slipper man
ikke ind úden en útallighed af
papirer og erklæringer baade om ligt
og úligt, – særlig maa man have
rigtig patente lúnger, – jeg slap
med nöd gjennem naaleöiet,
XII
da jeg var der i 1908, – (jeg foregav at
være bleven sterkt forkjölet únderveis)
Ja nok om alt dette, dú skjönner,
hvad alt dette mit sludder
sigter imod, – jeg vilde altsaa
gjerne spörge dig tilraads om,
hvor dú tror, jeg búrde havne
forelöbig; – klimatet spiller jo
en stor rolle nú i min elendighed,
– saa Spanien skúlde jo passe bedst,
ogsaa af den grúnd, – bare valuttaen
der vilde gaa lidt ned i forhold til –
til norske penge.
Jeg tænker at tage Engel og Eirik
med, – han er endnú "saugeban".
Ja saa maa dú undskylde, at jeg har
plaget dig. Med de bedste hilsener
fra Engel og mig din hengivne
(Undskyld skriften
blækket har vist frosset)
Translation
Sandal in Söndfjord
[ 31 – I – 20 ]
Dear Kinck!
Well you must really pardon
me for sending you such
rubbish for Christmas, – but I have
been so wretched for about a year
now that I have constantly thought
that my time was soon
up, – and then I would always
remember my promises
and my debts, – and in particular
everything that I owe you.
I therefore attempted, this autumn, to
print something for you, but
lacked good paper, (which
is hard to find these days).
Therefore the quality of the colour print
II
was especially poor, and I have
regretted that I sent it,
(now that I am a little better and
hope that I can perhaps
make something better), – I would
therefore beg you to let me
exchange it for a better "print",
when we meet again, and I
might have several prints of
the same woodcut, which you could
then choose from. I
have so many blocks for
such a print, that I can
almost "practise" on po-
or prints first, before I
remember exactly the colour of
the different blocks and can
finally produce a good print.
III
The "modern woodcut" should
moreover develop in a somewhat
different direction than mine
has; – I am dissatis-
fied with all the old things
I have produced in that
field, – I have better things
in progress, – (if they
ever get finished), – and
when I did not send you any
of the other better colour woodcuts
first, – it was because you
yourself mentioned "Marigold night".
So I took them first, and I hope to
eventually send you
more of my colour prints, if you
are interested and will
IIII
sacrifice "wall space" for
them; – you may also just
let them remain in a portfolio.
You can see my
woodcuts at Mme Höst’s, and then
send me a message specifying which
you would prefer to have first, – I
also have a couple,
that Mme Höst does not have, and
that I will send you, – I would
consider it a great honour,
to have a complete collection
of my woodcuts in your possession, – but
then I should little by little
lay aside "fortunate" prints, – as
I would preferably only have good
prints in your collection; – yet it
is almost as though, the more one
strives to "create" a
V
good "print" the poorer it
becomes. That was at least the case
with the one that I sent; – but it
was the paper that was mostly to blame,
it, as it virtually developed "bul-
ges", – (this will perhaps diminish
a little, if it is put under pressure
– in a glass and frame). Indeed I would
also like to have the chance to
have the woodcuts framed for
you, but as I did not know if you
wished to have them on the wall, – and
in particular when I thought of even-
tually replacing "Marigold night",
I sent them on cardboard only;
I was not sure whether I could
guess your taste when it comes to
frames – I prefer narrow mouldings
in matte gold (patinated), or black –
(for the colour woodcuts) for "black and white"-
VI
woodcuts, light beige birch
frames (not glossy) are best suited.
I would so much like to
paint a picture for you, that
you might appreciate, – but I am so
dissatisfied with myself at
present (I find myself "in the crucible"
at the moment – to use an obscure
metaphor from Ibsen). I should have
been abroad long ago by now
but so many things have come in
the way – especially illness, which has
become much worse since I had
the "Spanish flu". I have thought first and
foremost about Spain; – your "Span-
ske höstdögn" [travelogue about a trip to Spain] has intrigued me, – I
look at my dear Agave (the
only one that thrives inside my house), –
I look at its <salty> greenness, as
it stands there dreaming in the light
VII
of the lamp, against the black window panes
and the stormy night outside; it dreams
perhaps of its "birthplace"
Spain, – and I think of the
Agave hedges (the fences), that you
speak of, – and I wonder if they
have the same mysterious green
colour, as my Agave, – or whether
this one has got its colour from being sick
with longing like the Foxglove
in a thicket in the forest. – Well I myself
long to get away from West Norway – the
eternally dank and rainy climate here
becomes worse by the year. This
autumn we had 9 weeks of rain without
a break, – and this winter there has
hardly been {…} a day without wind. –
The storm penetrates into everything and
"rips" my layers of turf and absconds
with Engel’s buckets and clothes and
our little daughter Kari is nearly
VIII
swept into the lake, every time
she walks the two-and-half-miles,
that she takes to school, – the
road is covered with ice, you see, and
slopes down to the lake, – the storm
carries "spray" from the lake
far up the slopes, where it
freezes onto everything that it
comes into contact with; the branches of the trees hang
heavy with icicles, – it reminds one of
the old days when one made candles by
dipping a string in the melted
wax, which grew in width with
each new dipping. – I am beginning
to hate this damned mountain
village, where I have taken root, – even
my little farm, which I have been
so fond of, has begun to deteriorate
in my view; – the hare is mostly
IX
to blame for it; for it has over and
over again eaten my apple trees,
and I have patiently planted anew
(over 300 trees). And I had rescued
them for so long, that they had begun to
bear fruit, – our oldest son
"Arnold Böcklin" – derived such pleasure
from them, – and then that swine
the hare returns again this winter
and eats up nearly every last
tree – (a few remain standing by
the cabins). It is the saddest sight I
know, – all those bone-yellow skeletons
left standing on the hills.
One could weep from exasperation,
when one thinks about all the
effort, and all the love one
has invested in these trees – from the
grafting, to the emergence of the
beautiful crowns, and the constant prun-
X
ing and fertilising, – in addition to all the
work building a fence to keep
them out – those diabolical hares.
The storm has also destroyed my
magnificent bird cherry, which was my
pride and joy, since it was one of the biggest
bird cherries in the village and always the first
in the entire village to blossom in
the spring. Now all I want is for the
storm to break the flagpole,
so the destruction can be com-
plete. Soon all that will be left is the little
"gotto" (as little Turid calls
"the grotto") and the stone slab table.
Well it was Spain I was
thinking about; – if only I had
gone there last year, before the Spanish
currency increased in value; – before the war
one pesetas was worth 56-60 öre [centesimal subdivision for Norwegian krones],
XI
now the official rate of exchange is 1.04 Kroner
and it is still increasing; – in the banks
one will hardly be able to buy pesetas
for less than 1.05-1.10 Kroner; – one would
lose almost half
of one’s money by travelling to
Spain now. In Paris one
freezes and cannot get anywhere due
to the trains stopping all over France.
I Italy is supposed to be inhospitable towards
foreigners at the moment, – and in Ger-
many one risks losing
all one’s cash due to the national
bankruptcy, that is continuously threatening
to happen. One is not allowed into England
without reams of
documents and declarations about one thing
and another, – in particular one must have
truly exceptional lungs – I only just passed
through the eye of the needle,
XII
when I was there in 1908, – (I pretended that I
had come down with a bad cold en route).
Well enough of all this, you understand,
what all of this rubbish of mine
is aiming at, – I would very
much like to ask your advice about,
where you think I should go
temporarily; – climate is an important
consideration now in all my wretchedness,
– so Spain should be the best alternative,
also for that reason, – if only the currency
there would decrease somewhat in relation to –
to Norwegian currency.
I plan to take Engel and Eirik
with me, – he is still a "suckling".
Well you must pardon me, for
bothering you. With best wishes
from Engel and myself Your devoted
(Pardon the handwriting
the ink seems to have frozen)