Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Høst, Isabella; Høst, Sigurd
1910-03-29

Transcription:

Turid Hagelsteen

Translation:

Francesca Nichols

Page

  • 1,
  • 2,
  • 3,
  • 4
Transcription
Translation

Letter

Astrup, Nikolai to Høst, Isabella; Høst, Sigurd
1910-03-29
Brevs.531-67485, Nasjonalbiblioteket

4 Pages

Transcription: Turid Hagelsteen

Translation: Francesca Nichols

Transcription

Holmedal 29 martz 1910

Kjære Höst og frùe

Mange tak for Ederes venlighed, at I vilde

telefonere til mig om stipendiet. – Undskyld,

at jeg hörte saa daarlig den dagen, – jeg var

ogsaa saa frygtelig nervös, – ja er det fremdeles

ogsaa, om jeg end faar sove lidt mere om

nætterne nù. Her er et deiligt sted; men

jeg tror ikke jeg kan male noget herfra,

jeg er altfor nervös, og her er nogen næsevise

folk, – saa jeg tör ikke staa og male nogen

steder, – her er ogsaa lidt koldt, – og min

mave taaler ikke, at jeg staar stille og blir kold

paa födderne, – men jeg tror jeg vil være her en

stùnd i den deilige sjölùft og se paa det

sprættende vaarliv indtil sneen begynder at

tö lidt væk oppe i Jölster – der ligger den

nemlig hvid alle steder nù. Om 8 dage reiser

jeg antagelig hjem igjen til Jölster, og saa til Bergen

Det var kjedeligt, at I skùlde være forgjæves

i telefonen om formiddagen – jeg blev glad kan 

De tro, da jeg fik vide, at jeg havde faaet stipendiet,

men jeg har endnù ligesom en liden tvivl;

thi jeg blev jo ifjor narret med hensyn til 

"statens", idet jeg blev indstillet og fik gratùla-

tioner i anledning stipendiet, saa jeg troede, at jeg

virkelig havde faaet det, men da jeg havde

ventet nogle ùger med et stille haab – ùden 

at jeg fik nogen ùnderretning fra komiteen,

forstod jeg, at jeg ikke havde noget at haabe.

Denne gang er det fölgelig saa, at jeg er lidt

ùsikker i troen og haabet. – I maa derfor

ùndskylde, at jeg fremsatte mine tvivl i telefonen

– mine tvivl angik selvfölgelig ikke Eders ord

men de aviser, hvori I saavidt jeg forstod, havde

seet det; – thi i en af aviserne stod der

ifjor, at Ødegaard og Astrup burde faaet "statens"

– vi var ogsaa ganske rigtig indstillet til

stipendiet, og medens Ødegaard fik sin del, – 

fik en anden min del. Imidlertid –

hvorledes skal jeg faa greie paa – eller faa

vished for, om, jeg virkelig har faaet stipendiet?

gaar det an at henvende sig til komiteen? 

  Min kone og jeg bor paa den vakre og hyggelige

gaard Holmedal – sneklokkerne lyser ùdenfor

vindùerne mellem mörk saftiggrön græslög

og de gùle marker har faaet fine smaa streif

af grönt, og i den svarte mùld staar store

rödsprængte rabarbraknopper – og jeg begynder

synes at det er deiligt at leve tiltrods for

det stadige gnav i min mave. Ja jeg har

glemt at takke Dem frù Höst for Deres vellvil-

lige raad med hensyn til at drikke flöde for

mavens skyld, – der maa dog vistnok kraftigere

midler til min ödelagte fordöielse – jeg fik

noget kridtagtigt pùlver hos doktoren og det

hjælper godt, naar jeg bruger det ùafladeligt,

men jeg bliver dobbelt daarlig, naar jeg skal 

holde op dermed – og det maa jeg, da det i længden 

aldeles ödelægger maven – streng diæt er vel

i længden bedst, men da taber jeg al madlyst.

Det elektriske aparat med mavebelte etc.

hjalp mig godt de förste 2-3 ùger.

  Siden jeg kom her ùd har jeg en hel nat

været fri kvælningsanfaldene – men den er 

nù komne igjen, jeg forkjölede mig vistnok

förste paaskedag i kirken – jeg pleier aldrig gaa 

i kirke, naar jeg kan ùndgaa det – men min 

svoger, som bor her i nærheden havde barnedaab

den dag, og jeg maatte derfor besöge ham og staa 

fadder i kirken – og som en beskjeden synder

satte jeg mig lige ved dören i det hellige hùs,

hvor jeg maatte taale en frygtelig træk ùnder

den lange prædiken. Jeg glæder mig ùmaadelig 

til at faa træffe Eder igjen og faa tale med

Eder; – men jeg maa paa forhaand bede Eder

ùndskylde, at jeg ikke altid kan opföre mig

som jeg bùrde, da jeg er saa glemsom

og nervös og næsten aldrig omgaaes dannede

mennesker. Engel og jeg sender Eder vor

varmeste hilsen og tak.

Eders hengivne

Nikolai Astrùp

Translation

Holmedal 29 March 1910

Dear Höst and Mrs.

Many thanks for Your kindness, in taking the trouble

to phone me about the grant. – I’m sorry, 

that I heard so poorly that day, – I was

exceedingly nervous, – and I still

am, even though I get to sleep a little more at

night now. This is a lovely place; but

I don’t think I can paint anything from here,

I am far too nervous, and the people here are

arrogant, – so I don’t dare stand anywhere to 

paint, – it’s also a bit cold, – and my

stomach doesn’t tolerate, that I stand still so that my 

feet get cold, – but I think I will remain here a

while in the lovely sea air and watch

the spring life until the snow begins to

melt a little bit in Jölster – it lies there still

covering everything in white. In 8 days I will

likely return home to Jölster, and then to Bergen

It was a shame, that You should be on the phone

in vain this morning – You can believe

I was happy, when I heard, that I had gotten the grant,

Yet I am still a little in doubt you might say; 

because last year I was mislead with regard to 

the "government grant", I was nominated and congra-

tulated on receiving the grant, so that I thought I

actually had received it, but after I had

waited a few weeks in silent hope – without 

receiving any notification from the committee,

I understood, that I had nothing to hope for.

This time I am accordingly a little

uncertain in my belief and hope. – You must therefore

pardon me, for expressing my doubt on the phone 

– my doubt did not apply to Your word of course

but the newspapers’, in which You as far as I understood, had

seen it; – for in one of the newspapers it stated

last year, that Ødegaard and Astrup should have received the "Government grant"

– we were quite correctly nominated for

the grant, and while Ødegaard received his portion, – 

someone else received my portion. In the meantime –

how shall I find out – or have

confirmed, whether I actually have gotten the grant?

is it possible to contact the committee? 

  My wife and I are staying at the beautiful and pleasant

farmstead Holmedal – the snowdrops are glowing outside

our windows between dark juicy green chives

and the yellow fields have begun to show lovely small patches

of green, and in the black mould are large

red-speckled rhubarb buds – and I am beginning

to think that it is wonderful to live despite

the continuous gnawing in my stomach. Well I have

forgotten to thank You Mrs. Höst for Your well-

intentioned advice with regard to drinking cream as an

aid for the stomach, – I’m afraid more potent remedies are

required for my destroyed digestion – I was given

some chalk-like powder by the doctor and it

is effective, when I use it unceasingly,

but I become twice as sick, when I

discontinue taking it – and I must do so, as it over time 

destroys my stomach completely – a strict diet is probably

best in the long run, but then I lose my appetite.

The electric apparatus with the abdomen belt etc.

helped a lot the first 2-3 weeks.

  Since I arrived out here I have for an entire night

been free of choking fits – but theyit have

now returned, I evidently came down with a cold

on Easter Sunday in church – I normally never go 

to church, when I can avoid it – but my 

brother-in-law, who lives here in the neighbourhood arranged a christening

that day, and I therefore had to visit him and participate as a

godfather in church – and as a modest sinner

I sat next to the door of the consecrated house,

where I was obliged to sit in a terrible draft during

the long sermon. I look forward immensely 

to seeing You again and to talking with

You; – but I must in advance beg Your

pardon, because I cannot always behave

as I should, as I am so forgetful

and nervous and almost never associate with cultivated

people. Engel and I send You our

warmest greetings and thanks.

Your devoted

Nikolai Astrùp