hösten 1926 

Kjære Kramer!

Ja idag faar jeg tage mig sammen og skrive

en af mine lange "epistler" til dig, – jeg

skrev for en tid siden en slig "ephistel" til 

broder Peter, – men har intet hört fra

ham igjen. – Ja, tak, for dit brev, – hvoraf 

jeg ser, at dù dog ikke er helt rasende paa 

mig, – hvad jeg jo kùnde vente mig. – 

Ja igrùnden har jeg intet at skrive om – for 

jeg bestaar af bare nervösitet i den senere tid,

og den slags vare bör man helst ikke 

exportere til sine venner, – ja venner! – 

– jeg har altsaa et par igjen endnù – en slig

som dù – med all din taalmod, (som alle

de maa have i höi grad for at kùnne

vedblive at "være" og "taale" mit venskab). 

Ja, jeg har mistet Kinck, – og det er til liden 

tröst at fortælle dig, – hvor det har taget

paa mig, – jeg bebreider mig selv alt mùligt

2

baade det jeg er skyldig i, – og det jeg er ùskyldig 

i, – for det förste det, at jeg fik hans 5^te

brev, – som jeg ikke har besvaret – knapt 8 dage

förend hand döde, – jeg sad jùst og skrev paa

en ephistel til ham, da jeg fik telegrammet fra hans

döttre: "Vor far döde idag", – det var skrevet

med blyant paa alm. papir – (ikke telegram-

blanket) og Engel sa, end om det nù er 

nogen saa ondskabsfulde, at de har sendt

det bare for at gjöre dig ondt (yderligere ner-

vös, end jeg var), – og sætt, at dù nù fik 

vide, at det vare var narreri, – hvor glad

dù da vilde blive, – – jeg tænkte da bare: 

ja gid nogen vilde have gjort det for 14

dage siden, – saa jeg havde faaet tid at

fortælle ham, – hvad jeg var begyndt paa, – 

nemlig, at det var lögn alt det, Holm

havde klemt i ham. Kinck skrev nem-

lig et brev til mig, – som sagt – og var meget

bedrövet over, at jeg havde ladet falde

3

noget udtalelser om ham og hans bok

"Driftekaren", – som jeg sætter höiest af Kincks

böker, – den er mig i allefald kjærest, – og

saa gaar Holm hen og fortæller Kinck,: 

at jeg nù var kommen til det mærkelige

standpunkt, at jeg havde tapt all inter-

esse for den boken, – der var ogsa andre

helt "simple" udtalelser, – som han havde 

lagt mig i mùnden. – Holm sökte jo 

i hele sommer at "nivillere" Kinck, og jeg

kan bare bebreide mig, at jeg ikke "sang opp" 

lidt sterkere med min protest, – (en kveld

blev vi ogsaa næsten ùvenner, – det vil sige

jeg blev hidsig og sint, – han fortalte, at

han og Freydis havde ùnderhandlet med

Kinck, – og nù var de kommen til enighed om – 

eller havde "ordnet det slik" – at Freydis og

jeg i fælleskab skulde illùstrere en novelle- 

samling af Kinck, – ja, ja; – jeg havde ikke

noget imod et samarbeide med Freydis

4

naar Freydis og Kinck altsaa var kommen

sammen om noget sligt, – (som jeg jo maatte

tro af Holms ùdtalelser), – rigtignok troede 

jeg ikke at vore höist forskjellige maader

at illùstrere paa vilde passe godt sammen 

(Freydis vilde selvfölgelig slaa mig rent ihjæl

paa det dekorative omraade, – for jeg er jo 

aldrig "artist" egentlig – ùndtagen kanske 

en sjelden gang i træsnitt). Saa kom vi 

ind paa, – "hvad" som skùlde illustreres af

Kinck, – og jeg var idiot nok til at fortælle

ham, hvad Kinck og jeg havde talt om og

planlagt, – det var da först og fremst "Drifte-

karen", – som det laa Kinck særlig paa

hjærtet at faa illùstreret af mig, – (det har

han sagt og skrevet saa mangfoldige gange). 

Ja Holm lod mig da forstaa, at denne plan 

"ikke længer stod paa tapetet" eller "paa dags-

ordenen", – (jeg hùsker ikke hans ord saa nöie)

men i delhele taget: Kinck havde fraveget

sin oprindelige plan der, – kanske om ti aar

5

vilde det passe e.t.c. – Nei nù gjaldt det

först og fremst det, som skùlde oversættes

til tysk, – Kinck var jo begyndt at gjöre

voldsom lykke i Tyskland, og der var penge

og ære at hente for illùstratörerne ogsaa – 

(E. Mùnch gjorde jo sin lykke der). –––

Jeg begyndte da at protestere, – og jeg var

atter idiot nok til at fortælle, hvad Kinck

og jeg havde planlagt – nemlig naar "Drifte-

karen var færdig – eller samtidig, – skùlde

vi faa istand et lithografisk værk i stort –

eller störst mùligt format – noget ùdenom 

forlaget, direkte altsaa – (selvfölgelig "ùdgivet"

af forlaget, men kanske ikke trykt der). 

Til dette værk (i stort format) skùlde jeg faa

vælge ùd af hans noveller det, som jeg fandt

passede bedst for (min) illustrering i træsnit

(medens "Driftekaren altsaa skùlde illustreres med

"pennen".) ––– Dette ùdvalg af noveller 

6

af en "ikke forfatter" – og efter den orden og

sammenhæng, som jeg fandt for godt, – sligt

kunde jo kanske blive lidt farligt for for-

fatteren, som gjerne vil se sine ting i den sam-

menhæng, hvori den ene ting fremkalder erin-

dringen om den anden: – en viss litherær

sammenhæng, som forskjellige slags perler trùkket 

paa en snor ùnder hensyn tagen til den 

rythmiske rækkefölge baade i störrelse, form og

farve. Dette nævnte jeg ogsaa for Kinck, men han 

svarede mig bare, at dù kan "ordne", som dù

lyster, – et sligt værk vil blive baaret af dine

illùstrationer og din opfatning af sammen-

hængen – og ^(værket) "det vil blive et nyt digt for mig"

Mine illustrationer til et sligt værk skùlde tryk-

kes med originalplater – og i et sterkt begrænd-

set antal (100 eller 150). I dette værk skùlde

der altsaa med andre ord ikke være egentlige re-

prodùktioner, – jeg maatte beregne mine plater paa det – 

– paa samme maade, som jeg har tænkt paa, – om 

7

jeg engang skùlde skrive og illùstrere noget

her fra Jölster – (som jeg jo har samlet lidt

materiale til), – men forskjellen blev, at her 

kom jeg kanske til at anvende originaltryk

og reprodùktioner om hinanden. –––

Her var det Holm og jeg törnede sammen, – nei 

det var ikke Kincks mening dette med original – 

tryk til denne novelle samlingen, – og desuten 

vilde det jo ikke passe sammen med Freydis

sine tùsh tegninger, som altsaa ikke blev

orginaltryk (det eneste maatte være, om jeg kunde

lære hende træsnitteknik o.s.v. ––– noget som 

jeg ogsaa rent "proforma" indlod mig paa en 

dag i höst). –––

"Ja jeg gjör nù med "Jölster boken" som jeg vil, 

sa jeg – "der skal der ^iallefald være en del orginal- 

tryk", – og saa faar dere ordne med

Kinck om novellerne, – jeg gaar med paa

alt, – naar Kinck önsker det", sa jeg. 

8

Som sagt, – jeg blev hissig og skrek op, – og Holm

slog om i en anden taktik og forsökte at over-

bevise mig ved fornùftgrùnde om min daarskab. 

Jeg husker ikke alle hans indvendinger, – men han 

konklùderede med, at den bedste ordning for mig

vilde være at lave en del træsnit til Kinck – 

efter hans (Holms) anvisning, – (ja det lod til at

Kinck nù havde sat ham – som sakkyndig ^"fagmand" til 

at vælge ùd novellestoffet til det omtalte værk

Og naar jeg havde lavet en del af disse træsnit

skulde der udstilles og sælges ("en gross") og paa

rigtig jöde maner presses mest muligt ùd af

trykkene – særlig til "samlere" som "samler"

paa "ùnica": – paa begyndte værker 

som aldrig blir trykte ^o.s.v.; naar man 

slik havde presset citronen (ideen var

kanske god fra et jödesynspùnkt), ––– ja saa

skulde man plùdselig komme med

værket – som skùlde bestaa af smaa

9

reproduktioner af de samme "ùnica" (eller 

skjeldne orginaltryk), hvoraf man da

selfölgelig maatte have et hemmeligt

oplag, som ^der saa lidt efter hvert kùnde

sælges af – (som orginal tryk), – (der jo da

maatte faa endnù mere værd efter at være

bleven kjendte gjennem boken og de trykte

reprodùctioner). Ja det var gyldne frem-

tids-udsigter, han oprùllede, – hvis jeg

böiede mig efter hans og Kincks plan nù. 

Ja saa gaar han – straks han kommer til Oslo

op til Kinck og fremlægger hele sin plan 

for ham og, – udgiver den for at være min..

At Kinck baade var skùffet og bedrövet 

over mig, kan dù forstaa, – (han havde nok 

aldrig tiltænkt mig en slig "jöde-bùisness"),

og han mindede mig om at vore samtaler i 

gamle dage – om vore planer, – og han 

10

gjengav – med sin aldrig svigtende hùkommelse – 

mine egne ord, da jeg ^havde omtalt, hvordan jeg vilde

illùstrere et bestemt motiv i "Driftekaren", hvor

det plùdselig sner i vaarens blomster og grönne

græs: – "Dengang dù sagde de ordene" – skrev Kinck – 

"havde jeg mit livs stolteste öieblik." Han var

bedrövet over, at jeg havde tapt interessen 

for "Driftekaren", og at jeg havde opgivet et sligt

motiv (blandt andre), som havde vist ham 

en slig forstaaelse af hans inderste fölelser, at 

det endog provocerede hans egne ord. –––

"Men" – föiede hans trist til, – det nytter jo 

ikke at tale om gamle planer, som er opgivne

"lige saalidt som om sneen som faldt i fjor."

Han sigter der paa en fin maate til mine

egne ord i gamle dage om "sneen som faldt" 

ned i den yre vaarstemning. –––

Ja jeg begyndte straks paa et brev til ham, for at 

"afsande" Holms udtalelser, – det var jo 

11

lidt vanskeligt, – da ^jeg nettop samtidig havde faaet

et brev fra Holm, hvori han fortæller, at han 

havde talt med Kinck, som var "smörblid" 

(ja han brukte det infame udtryk), fordi "vi" 

nù var kommet til en ordning med illùstre-

ringen af hans arbeider gjennem Fröydis og mig. 

Og det gik slik, at all min "hensyntagen" og mine

diplomatiske ùndskyldninger for Holm var

til ùnyttes; – thi jeg fik dödsbùdskapet, förend

jeg var færdig med mine "krùmspring". – Og nù 

<kan> jeg aldrig faa fortalt ham, hvor lidet

sandt der var i det, Holm hadde sagt ham. 

Engel skjændte paa mig, fordi jeg ikke havde

sendt et telegram til Kinck, – straks jeg fik hans 

brev, – og deri af-sandet Holms ord, men 

man tænker ikke paa "telegrafen" i slige an-

ledninger, – man vil gjerne forklare sig og

ùndskylde lögneren, som mùlegens var i god tro 

eller havde misforstaaet o.s.v. jeg vidste jo 

heller ikke, hvor meget der kùnde være i 

12

Holms "angivelige" venskab med Kinck, – jeg

tvivlede paa det, – men troede kanske at Kinck –

ligesom jeg selv – var en beùndrer af Freydis

Haavardsholms kùnst. Og ved nù senere at

gjennem stùdere Kincks brev grùndigt – (og ved

at sammen ligne det med tidligere breve)

finder jeg ùd, at Holms angivelige venskab

med Kinck og deres planer om illùstrerin-

gen o.s.v. er opspind fra ende til anden. 

Og at Kinck saa langt fra at være ven med

Holm, – tvertimod havde en ren skræk <for>

ham som den, der var paatrængende og mindede

Kinck om, at han snart trængte en "arvtager"

paa litheratùrens omraade, – og denne "<arvtager>

var selvfölgelig Holm selvskreven til at være. 

Han var som "likravnen", der lùgtede liket

förend det endnù var dödt –! Og derfor

stadig kredsede rùndt manden. – Ja Kinck

profeterede dette i nogle dùnkle ord, som jeg

13

dengang ikke forstod, – jeg troede jo, at Kinck

var den vitalt sterke kjæmpe, som længst

vilde overleve til exempel mig, – om han 

end var 15 aar ældre, – og jeg har ofte i den 

senere tid bebreidet mig, at jeg trak sterke

veksler paa hans sterke konstitùtion, den-

gang jeg fik ham med paa fjeldovergangen 

til Olden, – en toùr, som endog "röynede" mig, 

og hvori jeg opdagede, at Kinck endog var svimmel 

og ùdkjört paa nedgangen af fjeldet i Olden.

– Ja, han var en ven som man blev mere glad i 

som menneske endog, end som forfatter

tiltrods for hans genialitet der. –––

Og jeg mindes de dage og nætter, vi var sammen 

her og oplevede saa mange natùrindtryk

sammen, – dette "vagabondliv i de herlige

dage", – som han senere kalde det, – og jeg

mindes saa mange lyse vaarnætter i Oslos

omegn, – da vi ranglede rùndt – oftest

14

alene men ùndertiden sammen med Ravensberg

og Thrygve Andersen, som Kinck var saa

glad i og satte saa höit – trods hans mange

ùmùligheder som menneske: "Norges mest

natùrbegavede forfatter", sa Kinck engang om ham. 

Og jeg hùsker den sidste nat, vi var sammen, 

da jeg kom fra denne "Afrikareisen", og Engel og

Kari var reist til dig, og jeg en sildig kveld

kom i hù, at jeg dog maatte træffe Kinck et

öieblik, förend jeg drog hjem vestover, – og saa

fandt jeg endelig henimod kl.12 om natten frem 

til hans nye adresse og ringte paa; – frù Kinck 

kom ùd, – jeg ùndskyldte mig, at det var sent, og 

at jeg bare vilde faa hilse paa Kinck som snarest, 

förend jeg reiste vestover næste dag. "Ja jeg skulde just

lægge mig", sa hùn "vore dötre er alt i seng – men 

Kinck vil sikkert have Dem hos sig om det er 

hele natten, sa hùn, – og jeg blev der ogsaa hele

natten. – Kinck havde nettop faaet en flaske

15

"medicin kognak", og vi tömte den, – og han 

viste mig saa glad og begeistret sin far`s

billeder, da det begyndte at lysne af dag, – 

(han var saa bedrövet, over at han ikke havde

kùnnet faa alle sin fars malerier og skisser)

"jeg var ligeglad om den lille del af min arv",

sa han, – "kùnde jeg bare faaet alle min fars

kùnstværker; – enten man nù kan regne dem 

for "kùnst" eller ikke, saa er de kùnstværker

for mig, – fordi jeg kjender milleùet og stem-

ningerne, hvorùnder de blev til". Og de var

virkelig – trods all diletantisme – kùnstværker. 

Jeg hùsker, at han fùlgte mig om dör i den 

bleke morgen, og at han saa mig ind i 

öinene paa sin inderlige maate og spùrgte

"ser jeg dig snart igjen", – og saa svarer

jeg ham ikke paa 5 breve! – I et af de 

sidste skriver han: "jeg er glad fordi dù ikke

straks svarer mig, fordi det viser mig, at dù 

16

tænker paa mig med et rigtigt langt brev". 

Og jeg husker dengang Kinck skrev paa

dramaet: "Lisabettas brödre", – (han brùkte

lidt længre tid end sedvanligt til det) – og

han fortalte mig stadigt mùndtligt og pr. 

brev om sine planer og impressioner, – og

han fortalte om Lisabettas blomst, og 

at han var usikker paa, hvad blomst

det skùlde være, – og jeg havde dengang

just malet "Helg" (Meyers samling), og

der staar i vinduet en blomst, som jeg var

svært glad i, det var en variation af en

Hortensia, som jeg selv hadde fremelsket, 

og jeg skrev da til Kinck, at det maa

være en hortensia, som jeg skal sende dig, – en 

som ingen andre skal have, end dù og jeg, 

det skal være min blomst til dig, – (det

blev bare skryt – af mig; thi min hortensia

döde – men Kinck lod Lisebettas blomst

17

blive en hortensia – og nù telegraferede 

jeg og bad – om mùligt – at faa hortensia

fra mig til hans likfærd; – om hans

aand skulde være i nærheden, kùnde han 

kanskje opfange en hilsen fra mig deri – 

og kanske föle, at mine fölelser for ham 

var de samme, som da vi blev kjendte for

22 år siden – til trods for Holm og hans prat. 

                                       –––

Ja jeg har vel sagt meget stygt om Holm 

nù, synes dù vel, – ja jeg kommer til at

sige adskilligt til ham selv ogsaa, – og

han kommer sikkert til at opfatte mig

som en utaknemlig djævel. –––

Men lade dette være mellem os, – hvad

jeg her har sagt. – Holm er jo snild paa

sin vis og en farlig man, som man 

helst bör ùndgaa, og iallefald bör söke

ikke at have noget ùtestaaende med. 

18

Ja der er ogsaa ting som fölge af Kincks död, – 

ting som har gjort mig nervös, – men som 

jeg ikke kan omtale nù, – eller betro 

papiret – (ùndskyld mig, men jeg har ikke

god tro til din tjenestepike, – jeg skal for-

tælle dig lidt – naar vi træffes, – dù bör i alle-

fald passe paa dine papirer, om dù har breve, 

som ikke er for alle.) Jeg kan jo kanske tage feil!

Kinck stod i en hemmelig forening, – hvor

alle var hans beùndrere, og disse hans

venner skriver nù ustandselig til mig, og 

vil have mig ind til Oslo og være med

at værne om hans efterladte papirer, 

som likravnene alt er ùde om. Ja

nævn endelig ikke noget om dette, – det

er farligt for mig at röre i noget, hverken 

paa den ene eller anden side; – thi jeg er

bange at likravnene kan komme til at "svide" ^vingerne snart. 

og da er det bedre jo mindre man veed. –––

19

Jeg synes ofte saa synd i Freydis, som jeg beùn-

drer som kùnstner, – ja hvorfor ikke ogsaa

som menneske, – men hùn kùjoneres jo fùld-

stændig af Holm, – jeg syntes han behand-

lede hende rent som en "tös" ^{(han var en dog en gang rent brutal mod hende i sine gjæsters paahör)}; – selvfölgelig 

har han respekt for hende, – men kùn paa

samme maade – som man har respekt for

en plante, et dyr eller lign. som det gjælder

at fare varsomt med, fordi man kan 

have nytte af det, – og han har sörget for

at binde hende til sig – som elskerinde, – 

dog har han betrygget sig mod fölger, som 

kùnde binde ham selv – ja dù forstaar. –

Ja det er ikke rart om dù er forarget over min 

ùvederheftighed med hensyn til reisen til 

Bergen – men der er sandt, at jeg gang paa

gang har tænkt at reise, men delvis har

jeg været lidet frisk – (har den samme feil, 

som jeg altid har havt: – at sætte mig til at

20

sove, – uten at hùske tidligere synder i samme

retning, – om det er aldrig saa koldt i rùmmet, 

og saa er det at vaagne gjennemfrossen 

og forkjölet; – ja den "last" kommer jeg al-

drig fra, for den har jeg arvet efter far, – jeg 

hùsker saa mangen nat, at mor satte mig til 

at vække far "titt og ofte", naar han sad slig

og sov til kl. 5–6 om morgenen, – ja jeg

rùskede i ham – "dù skal lægge dig, siger mor" – 

"Din ùgùdelige gut, som forstyrrer mig midt i 

min prædiken", svarede han og sov videre, til 

han holdt paa at falde af stolen, – jeg lærte af 

ham at resignere og sovnede selv, medens jeg 

skulde vække ham "mindst hvert 10^ende minùt."

Han holdt altid paa at "stùdere noget særdeles

vanskeligt", naar jeg saaledes afbröd ham. 

Jeg fandt da ofte frem i en bokhylde en bok med

register eller lexikon over gamle slegtsnavne, og 

saa spùrgte jeg ham, om han ikke var i slegt 

med dette eller hint navn, – og det var den 

21

eneste maade at faa ham til at "kvikkne", – da

da fik jeg ham ofte helt vaaken, – naar han skulde

finde ùd alle kombinationerne i slegtstavlen. 

Ja reisen staar jo ogsaa lidt i forbindelse 

med portrætteringen af Kreyberg, – jeg har

jo nævnt för, at jeg er nervös, – mere end

almindeligt og tvivler paa at klare ham. 

Og at reise ind til Bergen nù, – ùden at gjöre

et forsök er vel "ikke til at komme uden-

om", – ùten saa skùlde være, at jeg kùnne komme 

ind i "smùg" – i all hemmelighed altsaa –

og bare være der nogle dage. Jeg faar heller 

öve mig lidt paa portrait nù i vinter – lige-

som Kreyberg – (efter dit udsagn) över sig paa at 

sidde model. ––– Ja jeg har jo ogsaa 

arbeidet lidt trods Holm og deraffölgende 

nervösitet – jeg maatte jo trykke (og male – St.Hans)

til ham nær sagt baade nat og dag, – den tid

han var her. ––– Og efter han var reist

tog jeg fat paa et træsnit af "Rævebjælder", 

22

nærmest bare for at döyve "vondt samvet", –

og som altid, naar man ikke "har noget

paa hjærtet," var jeg svært "samvittighedsfuld" 

Imidlertid kom altsaa Kincks död midt i 

arbeidet, og jeg orkede ikke skidten længer; – 

men saa tok jeg mig paa tak igjen senere, – og

nù er trykken færdig, – saa tör og nöiaktig, – 

altsaa den "teknisk seet" mest fùldkomne

tryk af dette træsnit, – saa rasende korrekt

en hver plate paa rette plads, at det er rent

irriterende, – et træsnit blir aldrig godt

ùden man trykker lidt feil, – og her er vist

ingen feil – denne gang, – jeg har rent kvalme, 

naar jeg ser paa det. Nù forstod jeg dig

slig, at dù havde bestilling paa 3 Rævebjælder

(kanske Halvorsen ^Torkildsen var den ene?). Imidlertid

er det et træsnit, som slett ikke lonner sig at

arbeide med. – Kanske en sterk forenkling

og "omskjærelse" kùnde gjöre det baade

bedre og mere lönsomt. Jeg faar pröve senere

23

Imidlertid har jeg ogsaa arbeidet med

"stillebenet" – og synes nù, at det begynder

at nærmes sig mit "indre syn" af denne

"opera" – eller "operette". Meget har svigtet,

men fölelsen har dog igjenoprettet meget

Det er en af de faa billeder, som jeg halv-

veis er fornöiet med selv, – trods den

farlige "violette farve". Man kan jo ùmùlig

magte alt i et billede. –––

Ja, saa maa jeg om end sent takke dig tusende

gange for alt dit brydere med komissioner: – 

– med kjöttkvernen, som vi var svært

fornöiede med, – har dù hört andet er det

feilagtigt, – vi havde kanske gjerne taget

den en a 2 nr. större – (der findes nemlig

to nr. til ^{har jeg hört her} – men de maa antagelig forùdbestilles), 

men vi har jo nù faaet samme nr. som Joh-

Sandalstrand ("Flekken"), samt Flùge har, saa

24

nù har vi jo reddet vor forfængelighed med

at have lige ^{stor og} <god> kvern, som de vi hidtil 

har maatte ty til at laane hos ^{vore naboer altsaa} , naar vore

egne elendige smaakverner har slaaet klik. 

Og nù maa vi selvfölgelig gjöre gjengjeld 

ved at laane dem igjen, – særlig Flùge, hvis

kvern af samme dimension dog Den nù hol-

der paa at "falere", – "havde den været stelt

<bedre> skùlde den varet i 10 aar til", siger Flùge

og jeg tror han har ret. ^{Han har altid slipt knivene galt – de skal ikke slipes} Altsaa vi er svært for-

nöiede med kvernen ^vor; – thi naar den er ùdslidt er

vi sikkert selv ogsaa ùdslidtte, – baade Engel og jeg. 

Jeg forstaar ikke, at Peter – broder prest altsaa – 

ikke skùlde vide om ^at Petra var vel frem- 

kommen, – jeg skrev nemlig til ham samme

dag, som hùn kom, ––– Jeg fik <telefonopring-

ning> til Sandal om at möde der, – det var

Bydal, som havde faaet Petra i sit hus, og som 

saa skulde bringe hende til Björnseth med bil, 

naar han næste gang drog paa sin embedsreise

til Skei (som han altid gjör en gang om ùgen), og 

25

jeg roede da over til Björseth og hentede Petra

og fik en dùgelig portion Wisky i "ly" bag

bilen, efter at Petra var kommen i baaten. 

Ja naar jeg nævner baat, – saa maa jeg tænke 

paa din, – jeg var ùte for at pröve, om det

lod sig gjöre at snù den, men der maa

isaafald et stillads til, – det er selvfölgelig 

galt at den ligger slig aapen, – da handels- 

manden benytter den som varelager og 

har alt mùligt liggende i den ^{rigtignok bare lettere ting,} – men 

endnù værre kùnde det blive, om vi snùr 

den, og det saa skulde hænde at ùngdommen

i flok og fölge "vaglede sig" "paa kjölens rand", – 

jeg har nemlig en gang været ùde for at faa

en baat ödelagt paa den maate, – rigtignok 

ikke ved "vagling" af ùngdom, men sneens tyngde 

knækkede den opvendte kjöl ned, – – dù

bùrde absolut have havt et "naùst" til 

den, – men alt koster jo skillinger desværre. 

26

Ja vi har faaet en stor kasse fra frk. Haa-

vardsholm, – en masse gamle klær og sko, 

som kommer meget vel med til fa-

mlien – (jeg havde en regning paa over 130 kr. 

bare paa et paar maaneder nù fra skomageren). 

Pengene vil komme tilkort paa alle kanter, selv

om man intet stikker i gjæld. 

Angaaende brevet fra forfatterinden frù <Ødvin>

^{Hùn skrev til mig om foto. og hùn maa ha misforstaaet mig da jeg nævnte}

^{at dù kanske vidste om der fandtes fotografier af mine ting i Bergen}

saa veed jeg intet derom at sige. – Jeg hader

jo de forb. dansker og vil helst intet have

med dem at bestille, – de har altid været

noget pak; men hùn er jo ikke selv dansk, 

og var der nogen mùlighed for at faa en 

fotograf i Bergen til at fotografere, "med

gùlfilter" nogen af mine ting, saa vilde jo 

det været udmærket – forexempel: Meyer`s inte-

rieùr – Meyers soleiebillede eller kanske træ-

snittet af samme motiv – ligeledes penne-

tegningen hos dr. Kreyberg og hans St. Hansbaal – 

27

kanske ogsaa hans "rabarbra dame", som dù

kaldte det. Andre som egner sig for re-

prodùktion (fotografi) ^{fotografier kan ofte skade malerier – og ofte flatere} veed jeg ikke blandt

vore bekjendte, – ùden det skùlde være frù

Breyholtz sit "regnbùebillede" – og et billede

med Engel og et lidet barn (ved brystet) i en 

have, – et billede, som frù Breyholtz

alene veed, hvor er, men aldrig vil lade

mig det vide. Kanske ogaa dit "Groveir"

eller dit Kornstaur. Eller det billede fra

Kjössnesfjorden – Sùnde, – som Urhdal paa <Hoop>

kjöbte eller "Tùngjöl", – hvor det er, veed jeg heller

ikke – kaptein Meyer skulde jo vide det, – da

det vistnok var han, som solgte det. Meyers

billede "gamle hùse" (som feilagtig fik

tittelen: Tùngjöl" (det burde jo hede "Hùsmands-

plads", som det jo er). – Men det vil jo blive

kostbart, ^{at fotografere} – og man har vel ingen Væring i 

Bergen, – han er jo en mester i at fotografere

28

kùnst, da han akkurat veed, hvilket nùmmer

af "gùlfilter", hvert enkelt billede vil kræve

for at faa en god optagelse. 

Holm har skrevet til mig, at nogen af hans

venner, deriblandt den hyggelige tandlæge, 

som var her i sommer, vil have nogle smaa

træsnit, – skal jeg – synes dù – efter det fore-

faldne sende ham træsnit til videre salg? – 

jeg kjender jo kjöberne? – I saafald er dù 

kanske saa snild at lade mig faa en liste

over priserne, da jeg tror vi har forandret

<priserne> paa somme bl.a. Bùkken som er

"nedsat pris". Nù spekulerer jeg paa, hvordan 

jeg skal faa sendt Rævebjelderne, da papiret

har en saadan forbandet tilböielighed til at 

krympe sig. Bedst er det vel ùdspændt paa

en krydsfiner. –– Jeg har brùgt samme papir

som til dit træsnit – af samme, da Freydis fandt, – 

at det fik en slig let tone paa dette papir. –– 

29

men det er jo noksaa tyndt og skröpeligt – 

Ja dù nævner, at dù skulde havt slagt

saùekjöd, – ja det har i aar været her

til billig pris 1,50 pr. kg., men nù er det

nok forsent, – det er nok slagtet, som slagtes

skal, – men gris (skinker) kan nok end-

nu skaffes, – men opgiv da mængde og

pris. – Vi skal forsöke, om der endnù skulde 

være sauekjött at opdrive, – men jeg tvivler

paa det. ––– Haugen har faaet dit brev

om klokken, – men jeg har ikke truffet ham 

siden, saa jeg veed ikke, hvad han synes. 

Den ambaren dù talte om at faa smör i, blev

det nok sent med, men det var for en del 

Kristoffers skyld, – da vi talte med ham om 

det, sa han, at det maatte være feilagtigt, da

han senere havde faaet en <requisition> fra dig, 

hvori ambaren ikke var omtalt, – imidlertid

kom han til slùt efter, at det var hans egen 

30

feil; thi han havde modtaget et pengebrev

fra dig og ^{da han} ikke erindrede andet, end at det

var betaling for et tidligere opgjör, saa lagde

han dit pengebrev uaabnet ind i Meierioppgjo-

rets böker, – men saa, da saken kom paa tale

igjen, tok han brevet og bröd det og fandt da

ùt sammenhængen. Ja nù har vi dùndring

hele dagen – veiarbeide – man har hùgget ned

den vakre birk ved vandet, som jeg forlangte af

den förste ^forrige eier her, at den skùlde staa, hvis jeg skulde

kjöbe. Her har ogsaa i aar "raset ùd" af bakkerne, 

hvor man mindst skulde vente det. 

Kari er hos dr. Bydal og har meget at gjöre, 

da det er et selskabeligt hùs, og de har <ingen> 

andre tjenere, end Kari og Johannes Sùndes

ældste datter Danhilda, (kùsine af Kari altsaa). 

Ja saa maa dù leve vel dù og dine – Skal 

Hjördis konfirmeres nù? Ja, jeg vilde gjerne

givet Hjördis noget til konfirmationen, – men jeg 

veed ikke, hvad det skùlde være, – hvis dù faar 

sælge træsnittet for mig, kùnde dù da ikke være

31

saa snild at tage af Kr. 50 til en present?

Eller tror dù hùn vilde bryde sig om et eller

andet træsnit? – kùnde ^dù faa greie paa det, 

og give mig en meddelelse, – ja dù ùndskyl-

der, at jeg spörger dig om dette. –––

Ja jeg har hört efter om smale kjött og 

det er ikke ùmùligt, at det kan opdrives

endnù, – men prisen er jo steget baade her og

i Bergen: – havde dù bare nævnt det för; – her

var prisen en stùnd lige ned i 1,30 pr. kg. men 

vi fik intet ùnder 1,50, – det er jo vanskeligt

at passe paa at kjöbe, akkurat pa det rette

tidspùnkt, naar det er lavest: – skal man vente

saa længe med at kjöbe, kan man og resikere

intet at faa, – og da prisen var kommen ned

i 1,50 sa alle, at nù gik det op igjen, – vi havde

da alt kjöbt en del til Kr. 2₀₀ pr. kg. – Nù tror

jeg, det skulde være mùligt at opdrive til 1,70, 

men det stiger, – da jo alt ^{(alle dyr)} slagt nù har været "ùde-

foret" en tid, – noget som forresten gjör kjödet bedre. 

Men nù kommer det an paa, om dù vil have

hele skrotter eller bare laar (og kanske "böger")

32

I sidste fald tror jeg, det lönner sig bedst for dig

at kjöbe færdig "spekne" laar om vaaren, – de

er i regelen billigst straks för Jonsoktid ^{men kjöbes opp, ja helt fra jùl af,} – og naar

vi vidste om det paa forhaand, kùnde vi tinge til 

dig da ^{i tide} – ; men vil dù have hele skrotter, maa

dù skrive om det straks, för det blir forsent. – 

Fleskeskinker kan dù faa for 2,00 pr.kg., men 

da maa dù tage med halve ^{noget af} ryggen, – eller ialle-

fald en liden del af den: ryggbiten som man 

her pleier at lade fölge med skinken; – hvis dù

for exempel kjöber 2 skinker, kùnde vi hùgge af

de smaa rygstykkerne og sende dig ^fersk i posten, og 

saa kùnde dere brùke dem som "svinekotteletter", 

og saa kùnde vi salte, röke og speke snaùe skin-

kerne til dig; – selvföglelig kan vi gjöre det med

det hele, ùden at hùgge af noget, – men den om-

talte "ryggbid" egner sig jo ikke saa godt til speg-

ning, da den lett harskner; – hvis der blir noget 

spækk med ^{disse ryggbitterne} kan vi godt skjære det af og veie det

og trække det fra prisen, (saa vi altsaa kan 

beholde det ^her til at have i "raspekaker" o.s.v)

Under 2.00 kr.pr.kg., tror jeg neppe flesket kommer

her, saa det er antagelig en beleilig tid at kjöbe

nù, – det har aldrig været lavere her, siden krigen.

33 

Ja jeg veed ikke om jeg har udrykt mig tydelig

nok i disse ting, – men som sagt "kjöbes her stadig op"

speget eller halvspeget kjöd ^{af opkjöberne}, – lige fra jùl af og 

frem over vaaren og sommeren, – saa det er jo lidt

paa det ùvisse, om man kan faa kjöbe noget da, 

saa det var kanske bedst at sikre sig noget slagt

alt nù, hvis det endnù er at faa, hvad jeg tror; 

(da jeg har talt med en); men paa den anden side 

er det vel saa, at dere ikke har saa meget brùk 

for siderne, rygg og hals samt hovedet – (nei det

sidste fölger ikke med skrotten – ùten man forlanger det) 

Vi spiser tildels baade sider og ryg i speken tilstand, – 

eller koker sùppe paa det – men iaar har vi for-

synt os med kjöd, saa vi vanskeligt bruker mere

for et aar, – ellers kùnde vi taget rygg og sider, naar

vi havde vidst om det paa forhaand, – saa at

dù bare havde behövet at tage lemmerne. – 

Nù skal jeg pakke det stor træsnit og sende det

i dag, – nù kommer jeg altsaa og plager dig med

karton eller kanske "krydsfiner", – thi det kan 

jo næsten ikke vises frem ùden indramning da

det saa vanskelig ligger glatt eller slett, – 

jeg veed, at dù vil have hvidt papir under trykken, 

34

og jeg har derfor beregnet denne tryk med dette for

öie, hvad jeg ikke havde gjort med din tryk, 

som derfor helst skùlde havt en lys graa gùlig 

eller graa brùnlig (varm) karton ùnder sig. – 

Jeg trùes haardeligere af mine kreditorer og skal

snart sende "stillebenet" ogsaa, det er bare saa tykt

malet, at det maa törke lidt, – men vi har jo

ingen kjöber til det, og jeg vil nödig sælge det

billigt – ùden til dr. Kreyberg kanske, – men selv

han faar det ikke ùnder 1200, – anser det

jo meget bedre enn Engelsens stilleben, men

det er jo mindre; – jeg synes det staar paa höide

med mit stilleben "Helg" i Meyers samling; – det er

jo bedre i komposition og dette sidste stillebenet,

– det bedste, jeg hidtil har laget i den retning. –––

Her var en svoger af den svenske maler Isac Grü-

newald, og han vilde absolùt kjöbe det store

billedet af "Gamle prestegaarden" eller "ved sten-

bordet i præstegaardshaven", – jeg "slog paa" 2500 kr.,

og han vilde tænke paa det til næste sommer,

da han kommer tilbake, – der mangler jo meget

paa, at det er færdigt ogsaa. For öieblikket arbeider

jeg paa interiöret til den gamle apothekeren –

det med vùggen o.s.v: ––– Men jeg faar vist ikke

35

noget ùd af det, – det er nok en farlig historie at

dele billedet slig i 2 dele efter "det gyldne snit",

især, naar den ene del – (den störste) er omtrent bare

stilleben og den andre (mindre del) er bare interiör, –

men jeg havde lyst at experimentere og öve mig

og finde ùd, om man kan have nogen fordel

i kompositioner o.lign. ved at benytte harmoni-

seringer i forholdene: – om man ikke ^kan behandle

en ("urolig") mængde ting og alligevel faa ro i

det ved sligt – og jeg foretrækker da absolùt 

"det gyldne snit" – (som jeg lærte af gamle Chr.

Krohg) – ^{jeg brùker ogsa "<mellempro portionalleddet til dissonans".} frem for andre systemer (som til exempel 

det saakaldte "postharmonie" som var saa paa

mode nù en tid, og som Kranz holdt paa, som 

det eneste salig gjörende, – det samme gjorde og 

Kaland om end i mindre skala – Kranz har

jo nù rent forkastet ^(forladt) det og bruker bare af og 

til "det gyldne snit", som han talte saa for-

agtelig om, da jeg i gamle dage viste ham det) – 

Ja nok om dette kùnstprat, som jeg veed dù ikke

liker. Nù er tælen gaaet af jorden, og jeg bùrde se

at faa folk til at faa torv paa dit hùstak, ellers

gaar det snart galt med taket dit, – der er jo bare lagt

et tyndt lag, og derfor törker det saa op og ligger rent 

36

"svart", saa at det "ryker" af det i vinterstormene, 

og vinden reiser snart med den lille grand

jord, som er der, og da kröller næveren sig og der

blir lækage – dù faar "draaper", som man siger her. 

Ja dù talte om en hægg, – det kan der nok blive

raad med, – men jeg er bange, dù ikke vil faa

megen glæde af den, da hæggen mere end nogen 

andre trær vil have fùgtighed, – og din jord er vel 

af den törreste og "letteste", som det heder i agronom-

sproget. Hæggen vil have "tùng" jord – altsaa

leire og vand, – den liker sig endog i meget

"vandsyk" jord, men jeg har tænkt paa den "dam-

greia", dù har lavet, – der vil antagelig ved lidt

opdæmning blive væde nok i jorden, (som rigtig-

nok bestaar mest af sand), – men der et steds –

skùlde det kùnne lykkes med en hægg, – deri-

mod "gaar det" aldrig ved hùset eller paa den 

lille planen ovenfor – knapt nok nedenfor 

postveien, – men der kùnde det jo forsökes, – en

fordel – ved en hægg paa lett og tör jord – er der –

(hvis man bare faar den til at vokse) – og det er at

den "holder" blomsterne længere i slig törr og lett

jord. (den blomstrer senere i törr og lett jord – ofte

endog först ved St. Hans tid, – antagelig fordi den "sturer")  

37

I præstegaarden havde vi en slik sentblomstrende

hægg, som stod paa en rigtig törr haùg, – men saa

havde den en myr i nærheden, og den læskede sig

vel med nogle lange rödder i denne myren, – kan jeg 

tænke; thi er hæggen rent afskaaret fra "vandsig", 

tror jeg ikke den kan klare sig. –––

En rogn derimod – skulde nok lykkes paa

"planen" ovenfor hùset, – ja nær sagt hvorsom-

helst der ùde; – jeg hùsker Aagot talte om at

hùn önskede en slik, – men det er jo saa, at det

er vanskeligt at ^faa en gammel rogn til at klare

flytningen, – og en ùng rogn tager lang tid, för den 

blomstrer; – rognen har en forbandet stor rod

med ùmaadelig lange rödder – ùden stort smaa-

rödder paa, og den er derfor vanskelig at flytte

som gammel, da rödderne jo maa afhùgges

paa et par meters længde i allefald; – en gammel 

rogn maa i allefald "naves", skal den taale flytnin-

gen, – og en saadan gammel "navet" rogn, vil dù 

vel finde "ùdecorativ", selv om den kan give ind-

tryk af gammel beboelse paa stedet, – her pleier

jo at staa en gammel navet rogn i næsten alle "tun"

her, – iallefald havde man det altid tidligere. 

38

Ja jeg faar se til at faa gjort noget derùte paa

Neset, men forelöbig er her slik "veiarbeider-

sjaù", – at alt som kan krype og gaa skal paa

veiarbeidet, ^{(en sten fra mineringen traf atteliervæggen ùden at gjöre skade)}, – og stadig er her nogen, som "gjör

sig ska" og kommer her op efter borvand

jod etc. – en af "öiagutterne", som skulde

cykle til veiarbeidet med en anden arbeider

bak paa cykkelen i fùld fart – kjörte "gaffelen" af og 

slog sig slik, at Bydal maatte hentes, – og hans

tilstand er alvorlig – saa han kommer nok ikke

mere paa veiarbeidet iaar. En anden flekket helt af neglen.  

Min bror Hans er kommen hjem og driver

rævefarm, – men vi har ikke seet noget til 

ham her, – han er hos mor og skal vel overtage

hendes lille gaard. "Bendik-Johanes" beder mig

stadig hilse dig og Aagot, naar jeg træffer ham, – jeg

var over der, da jeg skulde lave et portrait af den 

gamle Ola Østenstad, som eiede stuen, som nù er mù-

seùm i Förde (og lendsmanden har orginalskissen), – 

det var natùrligvis "gratis arbeide" – til mùseet. –––

Ja saa maa dù have tak for alle kommissionerne

alt var ùdmærket – jernlæsten er undværlig ^{ù-undværlig}. Men nù 

maa dù huske at trække af, ^træsnittet hvad dù har lagt ùd. 

Saa maa dù leve vel og hilse alle dine og Kreyberg

samt Ragna B. – (har desværre ikke faaet arbeidet hendes

færdig). Hils Magda og Uhrdals! Din hengivne Astrup

Undskyld min skrift og nervösitet. 

Tekst vertikalt på venstre side langsmed hele arket:

Jeg syntes næsten dù tok for meget for "Fagrevatnet" af Sùndt – men tak skal du have for den <handel>   

det var vel den bedste handel jeg nogengang har havt – jeg havde rent "vond samvit"

Autumn 1926 

Dear Kramer!

Well today I will pull myself together and write

one of my long “epistles” to you, – I

wrote such an “epistle” a while ago to my

brother Peter, – but have not heard from

him since. – Well, thank you for your letter, – from which 

I understand, that at least you are not totally infuriated with 

me, – which I might well have expected. – 

Well in fact I have nothing to write about – because 

I am filled with nothing but anxiety lately,

and that type of merchandise one should rather not 

export to one’s friends, – well friends! – 

– I actually still have a couple left – one such

as you – with all your patience, (something all of

them must have in abundance in order

to continue to “maintain” and “withstand” my friendship). 

Well, I have lost Kinck, – and it is of little 

comfort to tell you, – how it has affected

me, – I reproach myself for everything

2

both what I am guilty of, – and what I am innocent 

of, – to begin with, that I received a 5^th

letter from him, – which I did not reply to – barely 8 days

before he died, – I was actually sitting and writing

an epistle ^{to him}, when I received a telegram from his

daughters: “Our father died today”, – it was written

in pencil on ordinary paper – (not a telegram

form) and Engel said, if there is  

someone that spiteful, that they have sent

it just to hurt you (make me more anx-

ious, than I was), – and considering now, that you found 

out it was a prank, – how glad

you would then be, – – My only thought was: 

if only someone had done that 14

days ago, – so that I had the time to

tell him, – what I had begun to, – 

namely, that it was a lie everything Holm

had crammed into him. Kinck you see wrote

a letter to me, – as mentioned – and was very

upset about my having dropped

3

some remarks about him and his book

“Driftekaren” (The Herdsman), – which I rank highest among Kinck's

books, – it is at least the one dearest to me, – and

then Holm goes and tells Kinck,: 

that I had now come to the strange

position, that I had lost all inter-

est for that book, – there were also other

quite “contemptible” remarks, – which he had 

put in my mouth. – Holm you see endeavoured 

all summer to “bring down” Kinck, and I 

can only reproach myself, for not “shouting” 

a little more forcefully in protest, – (one evening

we even almost had a falling out, – that is to say

I became provoked and angry, – he said that

he and Freydis had negotiated with

Kinck, – and that they had now agreed – 

or had “arranged it” – so that Freydis and

I together would illustrate a short story 

collection of Kinck’s work, – Well okay; – I didn’t have

anything against collaborating with Freydis

4

when Freydis and Kinck had agreed

upon something of the sort, – (which I of course had

to believe from Holm’s remarks), – admittedly 

I did not think ^that our extremely different ways

of illustrating would go well together 

(Freydis would of course beat me to a pulp

in the decorative area, – because I am 

never “artistic” really – with the exception perhaps 

occasionally in woodcut). Then we talked 

about, – “what” should be illustrated by

Kinck, – and I was stupid enough to tell

him, what Kinck and I had talked about and

planned, – and it was primarily “Drifte-

karen”, – that Kinck was particularly

keen on having illustrated by me, – (this

he has said and written about so many times). 

Well Holm then let me understand, that this plan 

“was no longer relevant” or “on the

agenda”, – (I don’t remember his exact words)

but in any case: that Kinck had departed from 

his original plan which, – perhaps in ten years

5

might be relevant, etc. – But now it was

primarily the material that was to be translated 

into German that mattered, – Kinck had begun to garner

enormous success in Germany, and there was money

and honour to be gained for the illustrators as well – 

(E. Mùnch as we know had made his fortune there). –––

I began to protest, – and I was

once again stupid enough to tell him, what Kinck

and I had planned – namely that when “The

 Herdsman was completed – or concurrently, – we 

would create a lithographic work in a large –

or largest possible format – something independent of

the publisher, on our own in other words – (obviously “issued”

by the publisher, but perhaps not printed there). 

For this work (in a large format) I would be able to

choose from among his short stories, those I found

were best suited for (my) illustrations in woodcut

(while “Driftekaren would be illustrated in

“pen”.) ––– This selection of short stories 

6

by a “non writer” – and based on a sequence and

context, of my own preference, – something like this

might perhaps be a little risky for the au-

thor, who would prefer to see his things in a con-

text, in which one thing evokes memo-

ries of another thing: – a certain literary

context, like different types of pearls threaded 

on a string while consideration was given to the 

rythmic sequence in both size, form and

colour. This I even mentioned to Kinck, but he 

merely responded, that you can “organize it”, as you 

wish, – such a work will be borne by your

illustrations and your perception of the con-

text – and ^{(the work)} “it will become a new poem for me”

My illustrations for such a work would be print-

ed with original blocks – and in a very limit-

ed number (100 or 150). This work would

in other words actually not include re-

productions, – I had to evaluate my blocks based on this – 

– in the same way, that I have planned, – if 

7

I should one day write and illustrate something

from here in Jölster – (for which I have collected 

a little material), – but the difference was, that here 

I would perhaps employ original prints 

and reproductions alternately. –––

This is where Holm and I got into an argument, – no 

it was not Kinck’s intention this idea of using original works – 

for this short story collection, – and in addition 

it would not fit in with Freydis’s

ink drawings, which in fact were not

original prints (the only thing would be, if I could

teach her the woodcut technique, etc. ––– something which 

I actually set myself to do on a purely “pro forma” basis one

day this autumn). –––

“Well I will do as I wish with the “Jölster book”, 

I said – “in that ^{at least} there will be some original 

prints”, – and then you can arrange with

Kinck about the short stories, – I will agree to

everything, – if Kinck wishes it”, I said. 

8

As I said, – I became infuriated and shouted, – and Holm

resorted to a different tactic and tried to con-

vince me on the basis on my lack of good sense. 

I don’t remember all of his objections, – but he 

concluded by saying, that the best arrangement for me

would be to make a number of woodcuts for Kinck – 

based on his (Holm’s) guidelines, – (well it sounded like

Kinck had now appointed him – as an expert ^{“professional”} 

to select short story material for the mentioned work

And once I had made a number of these woodcuts 

they would be exhibited and sold (“en gros”) and in

a typically Jewish manner the utmost would be squeezed out of

the prints – especially to “collectors” who “collect”

“one-of-a-kind works”: – initiated works 

that will never be printed ^etc.; once one 

had thus pressed the lemon (the idea may

perhaps be good from a Jewish standpoint), ––– well then

one would suddenly come up with

the work – that should consist of small

9

reproductions of the self-same “one-of-a-kind works” (or 

rare original prints), which one must

of course have a secret 

store of, and which ^one might shortly after 

sell – (as original prints), – (which of course 

would then have even more value after having

become known via the book and the printed

reproductions). Well these were lucrative pros-

pects, he was laying out before me, – if I

bowed to his and Kinck’s current plan.

And then – the minute he arrives in Oslo he goes

to Kinck’s place and presents his entire plan 

to him and, – making believe it is mine..

That Kinck was both disappointed and aggrieved 

with me, you can understand, – (he had certainly 

never intended any such “Jewish business” for me),

and he reminded me about our conversations in 

the past – about our plans, – and he 

10

repeated – with his never-failing memory – 

my own words, when I ^had described, how I would

illustrate a specific motif in “Driftekaren”, when

it suddenly snows on the spring flowers and green

grass: – “When you uttered those words” – Kinck wrote – 

“I experienced the proudest moment of my life.” He was

so aggrieved, that I had lost interest 

in “Driftekaren”, and that I had given up such a

motif (among others), which had shown him 

such an understanding of his innermost feelings, that 

it even provoked his words. –––

“Yet” – he added sadly, – it is useless 

to speak of old plans, which have been forsaken

“as it is to speak of the snow that fell last year.”

He thus refers in a sophisticated way to my

own words in the past about “the snow that fell” 

in the reawakening spring atmosphere. –––

Well I immediately began a letter to him, to 

“disavow” Holm’s comments, – it was actually 

11

a bit difficult, as ^I had at the same time just received

a letter from Holm, in which he tells me, that he 

had spoken with Kinck, who was “pleased as punch” 

(yes he used that shameful expression), because “we” 

had arrived at an arrangement concerning the illustra-

tion of his works by Fröydis and me. 

And it ended up, that my “consideration” and my

diplomatic apologies for Holm were

futile; – I received notice of his death, before

I was finished with my “balancing act”. – And now 

I <will> never get to tell him how little

truth there was in what Holm had said to him. 

Engel scolded me, because I had not

sent a telegram to Kinck, – the instant I received his 

letter, – and thereby disavowed Holm’s claims, but 

one does not think of “the telegraph” under such cir-

cumstances, – one will prefer to explain oneself and

apologize for the liar, who may have behaved in good faith 

or had misunderstood, etc. I did not know

either, how much credence to give to 

12

Holm’s “alleged” friendship with Kinck, – I

doubted it, – but thought that perhaps Kinck –

like myself – was an admirer of Freydis

Haavardsholm’s art. And when now afterwards

through studying Kinck’s letter thoroughly – (and

by comparing it with earlier letters)

I discover, that Holm’s alleged friendship

with Kinck and their plans regarding the illustra-

tions, etc. is a fabrication from beginning to end. 

And that Kinck far from being friends with

Holm, – on the contrary was greatly horrified <by>

him, as someone who was aggressive and reminded

Kinck, that he would soon need a “successor”

in the area of literature, – and as this “<successor>

Holm was of course an obvious candidate. 

He was like the “carrion raven”, that smelled a corpse

even before it was dead –! And therefore

continuously circled around the man. – Well Kinck

predicted this in a few gloomy words, which I

13

at the time did not understand, – for I thought, that Kinck

was that vigorous strong giant, who would

far outlive me for example, – even though 

he was 15 years older, – and I have often

reproached myself lately, for having taken

advantage from his strong constitution, that

time I convinced him to trek over the mountain pass 

to Olden, – a trip, that was challenging even for me, 

and when I discovered, that Kinck was vertiginous 

and exhausted even on the way down from the mountain in Olden.

– Well, he was a friend that one became fonder of 

as a human being even more than as author 

despite his genius in that regard. –––

And I remember the days and nights we were together 

here and experienced so many impressions of nature

together, – that “vagabond life in those splendid

days”, – as he later described it, – and I

remember so many bright spring nights in Oslo’s

environs, – when we were out carousing – most often

14

alone but occasionally together with Ravensberg

and Thrygve Andersen, whom Kinck was so

fond of and admired – despite his many

shortcomings as a human being: “Norway’s most

naturally talented author”, Kinck once said of him. 

And I remember the last night we were together, 

when I had returned from that “Africa trip”, and Engel and

Kari had gone to visit you, and one late evening I

realised, that I had to see Kinck for a 

second, before I made my way westward to return home, – and then

close to midnight I finally found my way 

to his new address and rang the bell; – Mrs. Kinck 

came out, – I apologized, for it being late, and 

said I only wished to say hello to Kinck briefly, 

before I made my way westward the following day. “Well I was just about

to go to bed”, she said “our daughters are already in bed – but 

Kinck will certainly like to have You by his side even if it is 

for the entire night, she said, – and I did remain there the entire

night. – Kinck had just obtained a bottle of

15

“medicinal cognac”, and we emptied it, – and he 

happily and enthusiastically showed me his father’s

pictures, when the day began to break, – 

(he was so sad, that he had not 

been able to obtain all of his father’s paintings and sketches)

“I was indifferent to the little portion of my inheritance”,

he said, – if only I could have all my father’s

artworks; – whether one can consider them 

as “art” or not, they are works of art

to me, – because I am familiar with the milieu and at-

mospheres, where they were created”. And they

really were – despite all the dilettantism – works of art. 

I remember, that he accompanied me to the door in the 

pale morning, and that he looked me in 

the eyes in his gentle way and asked

“will I see you again soon”, – and then I replied

to him not before 5 letters! – In one of the 

last he writes; “I am happy that you do not

reply immediately, because it proves to me, that you 

16

are thinking of me in a very long letter”. 

And I remember that time Kinck was writing

the play: “Lisabettas brødre” (Lisabetta’s Brothers), – (he spent

a bit more time on it than usual) –– and

he told me repeatedly both verbally and per 

letter about his plans and impressions, – and

he talked about Lisabetta’s flower, and 

that he was uncertain about, what flower

it should be, – and I had at the time

just painted “Weekend” (Meyer’s collection), and

there is a flower in the window, which I was

very fond of, it was a variation of

Hydrangea, which I had grafted myself,

and so I wrote to Kinck, that it must

be a hydrangea, which I will send you, – a flower

no one else will have, besides you and me, 

it will be my flower to you, – (it

was merely boasting – on my part; because my hydrangea

died – but Kinck made Lisebetta’s flower

17

a hydrangea – and now I sent a telegraph 

and requested – if possible – to obtain a hydrangea

from me for his funeral procession; – if his

spirit should be nearby, he might 

perhaps perceive a greeting from me in it – 

and perhaps sense, that my feelings for him 

were the same, as when we became acquainted

22 years ago – despite Holm and his chatter. 

                                       –––

Well I have said a lot of ugly things about Holm 

now, you might think, – well I am going to

say a great deal to him directly as well, – and

he will surely think of me

as an ungrateful devil. –––

But let this remain between us, – what

I have said. – Holm is nice in 

his own way and a dangerous man, whom one 

should preferably avoid, and in any case seek

to not have anything unsettled with. 

18

Well there ^are also consequences that follow Kinck’s death, – 

things that have made me nervous, – but which 

I cannot mention now, – or confide 

to paper – (forgive me, but I do not

trust your housemaid, – I will tell

you a little – when we meet, – you should in any

case be careful of your papers, if you have letters, 

that are not for everyone.) I can of course be mistaken!

Kinck was a member of a secret society, – where

everyone admired him, and these 

friends of his now write ceaselessly to me, and 

want me to come to Oslo and participate 

in guarding his posthumous papers, 

which the carrion ravens are already after. Well

by all means don’t mentions anything about this, – it

is risky for me touch anything, either 

one way or another; – because I am

afraid the carrion ravens may soon “singe” their ^wings. 

and then the less one knows, the better. –––

19

I often feel sorry for Frøydis, whom I ad-

mire as an artist, – well why not also

as a human being, – but she has been totally hood-

winked by Holm, – I think he treats

her completely like a “trollop” (he was once even quite brutal towards her within earshot of his guests); – of course 

he has respect for her, – but only in the

same way – that one has respect for

a plant, an animal or the like which one has 

to treat carefully, because one may 

have use for it, – and he has made sure

to ensnare her – as his lover, – 

although he has safeguarded himself against consequences, that 

might entangle his own person – well you understand. –

Well it isn’t strange if you are indignant about my 

unpredictability when it comes to making a trip to 

Bergen – but it’s true, that I have over and over

again thought of making the trip, but in part I have

been unwell – (have the same flaw, 

that I have always had: – to sit down to

20

take a nap, – without remembering earlier sins in the same

vein, – no matter how cold it is in the room, 

to then wake up frozen through and through 

and with a cold; – well that “flaw” I will never

be quit, because I have inherited it from father, – I 

remember so many nights, when mother put me to the task 

of waking father “again and again”, when he sat like that

sleeping until 5–6 o’clock in the morning, – well I

would shake him – “you have to go to bed, mother says” – 

“You sinful boy, waking me in the middle of 

my sermon”, he would respond and continue sleeping, until 

he was about to fall off the chair, – I learned from 

him to let go and fell asleep myself, when I 

should have woken him “a minimum of every 10^th minute.”

He was always intent on “reflecting over something particularly

confounding”, when I interrupted him like this. 

I would often fetch a book from a bookshelf with an

index or an encyclopaedia of ancestral names, and 

then ask him, whether he wasn’t related 

to this or that lineage, – and it was the 

21

only way to get him to “perk up”, – then

I was often able to get him to awaken completely, – when he had

to figure out all the constellations in the family tree. 

Well the trip is also a little connected 

to the portrait of Kreyberg, – I have

mentioned before, that I am nervous, – more than

usual and doubt that I can do it. 

And to make the trip to Bergen now, – without making

an attempt at it is actually “out of the

question”, – unless it were possible, for me to come 

 “clandestinely” – in all secrecy that is –

and only remain for a few days. I shall instead 

practice a little portraiture this winter – just

as Kreyberg – (according to your remark) is practicing 

sitting as a model. ––– Well I have in fact 

worked a little despite Holm and the resultant 

anxiety – I had to print (and paint – Midsummer)

for him I nearly said both night and day, – while

he was here. ––– And after he left

I began working on a woodcut of “Foxgloves”, 

22

almost just to appease my “bad conscience”, –

and as always, when one is “unin- 

spired,” I was very “scrupulous”

In the meantime Kinck’s death occurred in the midst 

of the work, and I could not bear the damned thing any longer; – 

but then I pulled myself together again later, – and

now the print is completed, – so dry and precise, – 

that is “in a technical sense” the most perfect

print of this woodcut, – so furiously correct

each block perfectly aligned, that it is utterly

irritating, – a woodcut is never good

unless one prints a little off-centre, – and there is evidently

not one mistake – this time, – I become quite nauseous,

when I look at it. Now I understood you

to mean, that you had orders for 3 Foxgloves

(perhaps Halvorsen ^Torkildsen was one of them?). In the meantime

it is a woodcut, that it not worth

working on in the least. – Perhaps a radical simplification

and “cropping” might make it both

better and more profitable. I will try later

23

In the meantime I have also worked on

“The still life” – and now feel, that it is beginning

to approach my “inner view” of this

“opera” – or “operetta”. A lot has failed,

yet the feeling has nevertheless restored much

It is one of the few pictures, that I am half-

way satisfied with myself, – despite the

risky “violet colour”. One can hardly

accomplish everything in a picture. –––

Well, although late I must thank you pro-

fusely for all your bother with the errands: – 

– with the meat grinder, which we were very

pleased with, – have you heard otherwise it is

not true, – we would perhaps have liked to have

it one or 2 sizes larger – (there are actually

two more sizes ^{I have heard here} – but they probably have to be ordered in advance), 

but we now have the same size as Joh-

Sandalstrand (“The Mole”), as well as Flùge, so

24

now we have salvaged our pride by

having an equally ^{large and} <good> grinder, as those we until now 

have had to rely on to borrow from ^{our neighbours that is} , when our

own worthless small grinders have got stuck. 

And now we must of course return the favour 

by lending them back, – especially Flùge, whose

grinder of the same dimension It is now in

the process of “falling apart”, – “had it been maintained

<better> it would have lasted another 10 years”, says Flùge

and I believe he is right. ^{He has always sharpened his knives wrong – they should not be sharpened} In short we are very satis-

fied with ^our grinder; – because by the time it is worn out

we will probably be worn out ourselves, – both Engel and I. 

I don’t understand, why Peter – my brother the priest that is – 

Wouldn’t know ^whether Petra had arrived safe- 

ly, – I actually wrote to him the same

day, that she arrived, ––– I received <a telephone

call> to Sandal asking me to come there, – it was

Bydal, who had received Petra at his house, and who 

would then bring her to Björnseth by motorcar, 

the next time he made an official trip

to Skei (which he always does once a week), and 

25

so I rowed over to Björseth and fetched Petra

and was given a generous shot of Whisky “shielded” by

the car, after Petra had got into the boat. 

Well speaking of the boat, – I am reminded 

of yours, – I went out to see, whether it

was possible to turn it over, but in that

case a scaffold is required, – it is obviously 

not good for it to remain open like that, – as the mer- 

chant uses it as storage and 

has everything imaginable packed in there ^{admittedly only lighter things}, – but 

it could be even worse, if we turn 

it over, and then risk that a band

of youths might “roost” “on the rim of the keel”, – 

I have in fact had 

a boat ruined in that way once, – admittedly 

not from youths “roosting”, but when the weight of the snow 

broke off the upturned keel, – – you

should have definitely had a “boathouse” for 

it, – but everything comes down to shillings unfortunately. 

26

Well we have received a large crate from Miss Haa-

vardsholm, – an abundance of old clothes and shoes, 

that are will come in very handy for the fami-

ly – (I just received a bill for more than 130 kr. 

for only a couple of months from the cobbler). 

The money will not suffice in every way, even

if nothing is used to cover debts. 

As for the letter from the writer Mrs. <Ødvin>

^{She wrote to me about photos and she must have misunderstood me when I mentioned}

^{that you might know if there were photographs of my things in Bergen}

so I have no idea what to write about it. – I hate

those blasted Danes and would prefer not to have

anything to do with them, – they have always been

a pack of hoodlums; but she is not Danish herself, 

and if there was a possibility to get a 

photographer in Bergen to take photos, “with

a yellow filter” of some of my things, then it 

would be perfect – for example: Meyer`s inte-

rior – Meyer’s marigold picture or perhaps the wood-

cut of the same motif – likewise the pen

drawing of dr. Kreyberg’s and his Midsummer Eve bonfire – 

perhaps also his “rhubarb lady”, as you

called it. If there are others that are well-suited for re-

production (photography) ^{photographs can often ruin paintings – and often flatter} among our

acquaintances I don’t know, – unless it might be Mrs.

Breyholtz’s “rainbow picture” – and a picture 

of Engel and a little child (at her breast) in a 

garden, – a picture, that Mrs. Breyholtz

alone knows the whereabouts of, but will never 

tell me. Perhaps your “Growing season”

or your Grain poles. Or that picture from

Kjössnesfjorden – Sùnde, – which Urhdal at <Hoop>

bought or “Farm(yard) in a Ravine”, – where it is, I don’t know

either – captain Meyer should know, – as

it evidently was he, who sold it. Meyer’s

picture “old houses” (which was mistakenly given

the title: “Farm(yard) in a Ravine” (it should be called “Cottar’s

farm”, which it of course is). – But it will be

expensive, ^{to take photos} – and one does not have a Væring in 

Bergen, – he is a master at photography

28

art, as he knows exactly, which number

of the “yellow filter”, each individual picture would require

in order to get a good rendition. 

Holm has written to me, that some of his

friends, among them the agreeable dentist, 

who was here this summer, would like to have some small

woodcuts, – should I – do you think – after the inci-

dent send him woodcuts for further sale? – 

I know the buyers after all? – In that case would you 

perhaps be so kind as to give me a list

of the prices, as I believe we have changed

<the prices> of some[,] among them The Billygoat which has

“a discount price”. Now I am wondering, how 

I shall ship Foxgloves, since the paper

has such a blasted tendency to 

shrink. It would probably be best to stretch it

on a sheet of plywood. –– I have used the same paper

as for your woodcut – of the same [motif], because Freydis discovered, – 

that it attained such a light hue on this paper. –– 

29

but it is rather thin and fragile – 

Well you mention, that you would like to have butchered

mutton, – well this year it has been available

at a cheap price 1,50 per kg., but it is

probably too late now, – whatever was meant to be slaughtered, has been

slaughtered, – but pork (ham) can probably still 

be had, – but specify amount and

price. – We shall make an effort, if there is still 

mutton to be found, – but I doubt

it. ––– Haugen has received your letter

about the clock, – but I have not seen him 

since, so I don’t know what he thinks. 

The wooden box you talked about to keep butter in, will

evidently be delayed, but it is partly 

Kristoffer’s fault, – when we spoke to him about 

it, he said that it must be a mistake, since

he had later received a <requisition> from you, 

in which the wooden pail was not mentioned, – however

in the end he remembered that it was his own 

30

fault; because he had received a money order

from you and ^{since he} could not remember anything else, he thought it 

might be payment for an earlier settlement, he thus

placed the money order unopened in the Dairy ac-

counts books, – but then, when the subject came up

again, he took out the letter and opened it thereby discovering

the connection. Well now we are experiencing a thundering racket 

all day long – road construction – the beautiful birch

by the lake has been chopped down, the one which I demanded

of the first ^previous owner here, should remain standing, if I were to 

purchase [the property]. This year as well the slopes have “cascaded”, 

where one least expected it. 

Kari is with Dr. Bydal and has a lot to do, 

as it is a hospitable home, and they have <no> 

other servants, than Kari and Johannes Sùnde’s

eldest daughter Danhilda, (Kari’s cousin that is). 

Well may you and your family live well then – Is 

Hjördis going to be confirmed now? Well, I would like

to give Hjördis something for her confirmation, – but I 

don’t what, what it could be, – if you manage to 

sell the woodcut for me, won’t you be 

31

so kind then as to take Kr. 50 out of it for a gift?

Or do you think she would be interested in one

of the woodcuts? – could ^you look into it, 

and notify me of it, – you will forgive

me, for asking you about this. –––

Well I have asked around about mutton and 

it isn’t possible, to get hold of

yet, – but the price has increased both here and

in Bergen: – if only you had mentioned it before; – the

price here was as low as 1.30 per kg. but 

we didn’t get any for less than 1.50, – it is difficult 

to make sure to buy it, at precisely the right

moment, when it is lowest: – if one waits

too long to buy, one can risk

not getting anything, – and when the price had decreased

to 1.50 everyone said, that now it was going up again, – we had

already bought a quantity for kr. 2.00 per kg. – Now I

think, that it might be possible to get hold of it for 1.70, 

but it is increasing, – since all ^{(all animals)} butchered meat has been “fed

outdoors” for a while, – which incidentally improves the meat. 

But it depends on, whether you want to have

entire carcasses or only legs (and “shank” perhaps)

32

In the latter case I think it pays for you

buy a finished “cured” leg in the spring, – they

are normally cheapest right before Midsummer ^{but it is bought up, well from as early as Christmas}, – and if

we knew about it ahead of time, we might reserve [some] for 

you then ^{in time} – ; but if you wish to have entire carcasses, you

must write about it immediately, before it is too late. – 

Ham you can get for 2.00 per kg., but

then you must also take half ^{some of} the loin, – or at

least a little part of it; the cut of the loin which one 

normally includes along with the ham here; – if you

for example buy 2 hams, we could remove

the small loin cuts and send [them to] you ^fresh in the post, and 

then you could use them as “pork chops”, 

and them we could salt, smoke and cure the trimmed hams

for you; – of course we can do the same with

the whole thing, without cutting off anything, – but the above-men-

tioned “loin cut” is not very suited for cur-

ing, as it easily becomes rancid; – if there is any 

back fat on ^{these loin cuts} we can easily cut it off and weigh it

and deduct it from the price, (so that we can 

keep it ^here to put in “potato dumplings”, etc.)

Less than 2.00 kr. per kg., I don’t believe you will get

here, so it is probably a good time to buy

now, – it has never been lower here, since the war.

33 

Well I don’t know if I have expressed myself clearly

enough about these matters, – but as mentioned cured or

semi-cured meat is “constantly being bought up” ^{by speculators}, – from Christmas and

continuing through the spring and summer, – so it’s a bit

uncertain, whether one can buy anything in other words, 

so it is perhaps best to reserve an animal to be butchered

already now, if it is still possible to get some, which I believe it is; 

(since I have spoken to someone); but on the other hand 

it is probably true, that you don’t have much use 

for the sides, loin and neck and head – (well the

last part does not come with the carcass – unless one demands it) 

We consume both the sides and the loin in a cured state, – 

or make soup out of it – but this year we have acquired 

enough meat, so it is unlikely we will need more

in the coming year, – otherwise we might have taken the loin and sides, if

we had known ahead of time, – so that

you would have only had to take the limbs. – 

I will package the large woodcut now and send it

today, – and now I am going to bother you about

printing board or perhaps “plywood”, – because it can 

hardly be displayed without framing since

it is impossible to get it to lie smoothly or level, – 

I know, that you wish to have white paper beneath the print, 

34

and I have therefore calculated this print with that in

mind, something I had not done with your print, 

which therefore should have had a light yellowish-grey 

or brownish-grey (warm) printing board beneath it. – 

I am being threatened brutally by my creditors and will

soon send “the still life” as well, but it is so densely

painted, that it must dry a bit first, – however we don’t have

any buyer for it, and I am reluctant to sell it

cheaply – unless to Dr. Kreyberg perhaps, – but even

he cannot have it for less than 1200, – I consider it

much better in fact than Engelsen’s still life, although

it is smaller; – I think it is on a par

with my still life “Weekend” in Meyer’s collection; – it is

indeed better in composition and this latest still life,

– the best I have made in this category. ––

We had a visit from a brother-in-law of the Swedish painter Isac Grü-

newald, and he absolutely wanted to purchase the large

picture of “The Old Parsonage” or “by the stone

table in the parsonage garden”, – I “landed on” 2500 kr.,

and he wanted to think about it until next summer,

when he returns, – there is a lot that remains

before it is completed anyway. At the moment I am working

on the interior of the old pharmacist –

the one with the cradle, etc.: ––– But I can’t seem to make

35

anything of it, – it is probably risky to

divide the picture in two parts in this way based on “the golden section”,

especially when one part – (the largest) is practically only

still life and the other (smaller part) is only interior, –

but I wanted to experiment and practice

to find out, whether one can derive any benefit

from compositions, and so on by trying to harmo-

nise the proportions: – whether one ^cannot treat

a (“chaotic”) quantity of things and nevertheless thereby

create calm in it – and I absolutely prefer 

“the golden section” – (which I learned from old Chr.

Krohg) – ^{I also employ “<the geometric mean” for “dissonance”.} more than other systems (such as 

the so-called “post harmony” which was in such

vogue for a while, and which Kranz maintained, was 

the only viable method, – as did

Kaland albeit on a smaller scale – Kranz has

now essentially rejected ^(abandoned) it and employs only occasion- 

ally “the golden section”, which he spoke so con-

temptibly about, when I showed it to him in the old days) – 

Well enough of this talk about art, which I know you dis-

like. The frost in the earth is gone now, and I should get

some men to put turf on your roof, otherwise

there will be a problem with your roof, – as it is only covered

with a thin layer, and will thus dry out and remain so completely 

36

“black”, that it will be “ripped off” it in the winter storms, 

and the wind will soon carry with it the little bit of

earth, that is there, and then the birch bark will curl and

cause leakage – you will have “dripping”, as they say here. 

Well you talked about a bird cherry, – that is definitely

possible, – but I’m afraid, that you won’t get

much pleasure from it, as the bird cherry more than any 

other trees need moisture, – and your soil is probably 

among the driest and “lightest”, as it is called in agronomic

jargon. The bird cherry wants “heavy” earth – in other words

clay and water, – it even thrives in very

“waterlogged” soil, but I have thought about that “pond

thing” you have constructed, – which will presumably with a little

retainment provide sufficiently wet soil, (which actu-

ally consists mostly of sand), – so somewhere around there –

it should be possible to succeed with a bird cherry, – how-

ever it would never “be possible” by the house or on the 

little plane above it – and hardly below

the post road, – but there it is possible to give it a try, – there 

is one advantage – of a bird cherry in light and dry soil –

(if one can only get it to grow) – it is that

it “retains” the blossoms longer in such dry and light

soil. (it flowers later in dry and light soil – often

even as late as around Midsummer, – presumably because it is “set back”) 

37

At the parsonage we had one such late-blooming

bird cherry, which stood on a very dry hill, – but then

it had a marsh nearby, and it most likely quenched its thirst

via some long roots in that marsh, – I 

imagine; because if the bird cherry is completely cut off from a “water vein”, 

I don’t think it will survive. –––

A rowan tree on the other hand – would probably thrive on

“the plane” above the house, – well anywhere 

at all out there; – I remember Aagot saying that

she would like to have one, – but it’s a fact, that it 

is difficult to ^get an old rowan to survive

being transplanted, – and a young rowan takes a long time, before it 

blossoms; – the rowan has a blasted big root

with an immensely long root system – without many small

roots on it, and it is therefore difficult to move

when it is old, as the roots would have to be chopped off

at a length of a couple of metres at least; – and an old 

rowan would in any case have to be “pollarded”, if it is to survive being trans-

planted, – and such an old “pollared” rowan, you would 

probably find “unattractive”, despite being able to give the impres-

sion of being a place that was settled long ago, – here

it is common for almost every “farmyard” to have an old 

pollarded rowan, – at least one always had one before. 

38

Well I will be sure to get something done out there at

Neset, but at the moment there is so much “roadwork

activity”, – that everyone who is able has to work

on the road, ^{(a stone from the blasting hit the studio wall without causing damage)}, – and there’s always someone, who “injures 

themselves” and comes up here for boric acid

iodine, etc. – one of “the Øia boys”, who was 

bicycling to the roadwork with another labourer

on the back of the bicycle at full speed – broke “the fork” in two and 

hurt himself to the extent, that Bydal had to be fetched, – and his

condition is serious – so he won’t be

working any more on the roadwork. Another one ripped off his entire nail.  

My brother Hans has come home and is running

a fox farm, – but we have not seen anything of 

him here, – he is staying with mother and I suppose will take over

her little farm. “Bendik-Johanes” always asks me

to relay his greetings to you and Aagot, when I meet him, – I

was over there, when I was making a portrait of 

old Ola Østenstad, who owned the cabin, which is now a mu-

seum in Förde (and the bailiff has the original sketch), – 

it was naturally “an unpaid job” – for the museum. –––

And then I must thank you for all the errands

everything was perfect – the iron last is dispensable ^{indispensable}. But now

you must remember to deduct from, ^{the woodcut} the amount you have advanced. 

Well may you live well and say hello to your entire family and Kreyberg

and Ragna B. – (have unfortunately not been able to complete her

work). Greetings to Magda and the Uhrdals! Your devoted Astrup

Pardon my handwriting and agitation. 

Vertical text in left margin:

I almost think you took too much for “Fagrevatnet” from Sùndt – but thank you for that <transaction>

it was the best deal I have ever had – I actually had a “bad conscience”