Aalhùs 12/7 09

Kjære Höst og frùe!

Tak for Eders venlige brev. Undskyld,

at jeg ikke endnù har sendt Dem

pengene eller billederne – jeg har været

ùnder sterkt ökonomisk press; men

jeg skal straks ordne med pengene og de

to billeder. Tùsind tak for den hjælp, De

ydede mig ved at laane mig de 10 kroner

Pengene mine slap nemlig op i Bergen og

det var kùn saa vidt, jeg og min kone

naaede hjem for de 10 kr. –

Henrik Lund er jo i Bergen – jeg fik helt

ùventet hjælp fra ham – i det han sendte

mig 200 kr. fra en mand, som vilde jeg skùlde

sende ham tre billeder, som han kùnde

vælge imellem – pengene gik selvfölgelig med

öieblikkelig til at stikke i de allerværste hùl,

men det blir værre at skaffe de 3 billeder

i en fart. Træffer De Henrik Lùnd, maa

De være saa venlig at hilse ham fra mig,

at jeg öieblikkelig skal söge at faa sendt

billederne – om der skùlde gaa en 14 dages

tid er vel ikke saa farligt. 

Jeg har arbeidet lidt paa Deres billede

eller rettere sagt billederne. 

Forresten er jeg bleven lidt doven i den

senere tid – det kommer vist af, at jeg

maa gjödes som en anden slagte stùd. 

Jeg er saa pas frisk nù, at jeg kan staa ude

de lyse nætter og male men her er alltid

koldt om nætterne her i fjeldbygden – selv

midtsommers – saa jeg tör ikke staa længe ad

gangen. Men jeg begynder at synes, at det

enda ikke er saa allerværst at leve. Det 

er bare bleven saa vanskeligt at male for

mig i den senere tid – og saa er det denne

ökonomien. 

Jeg bor fortiden i en liden del, som staar igjen

at Jölsters gamle præstegaard – naar jeg sidder

herinde kan jeg indbilde mig, at den kjære

gamle præstegaard endnù staar der hel og holder

ja jeg synes stùndom i de stille nattetimer,

at jeg hörer dörene gaa i siderùmmene,

som længst er nedrevne.

Kommer De paa disse kanter, vilde De

glæde mig meget, om De vilde besöge mig –

– jeg bor enten her i den gamle ^gjenstaaende levning af den

gamle præstegaard eller i min egen lille

hytte paa sydsiden af vandet. Tag indom

til min far, som vil glæde sig meget over

at træffe Dem – saa vil jeg straks faa ùnder-

retning om, at De er i Bygden, gjennem mine brödre.

Med tak og hilsen fra mig og kone

Deres hengivne

Nikolai Astrup

Adr. Aalhùs – Söndfjord

P.S.

Fra Knùdsen har jeg endnù intet hört.

D.S.

Aalhùs 12/7 09

Dear Höst and Mrs!

Thank you for Your kind letter. I am sorry

that I have not yet sent You

the money and the pictures – I have been

under severe financial pressure; but

I will soon sort out the money and the

two pictures. Thank you very much for the help, that

You provided me by lending me the 10 kroner

My money ran out in Bergen you see and

and my wife and I just barely

made it home for the 10 kroner –

Henrik Lund is in Bergen – I received totally

unexpected assistance from him – in that he sent

me 200 kroner from a man, who wanted me to

send him three pictures, among which

he might choose – the money was of course

immediately used to fill the most pressing gaps, 

but it will be more difficult to produce the 3 pictures

in a hurry. If You meet Henrik Lùnd, will

You be so kind as to greet him from me,

[and say] that I shall endeavour to send the

pictures straightaway – for it cannot make that much 

difference if a fortnight elapses.

I have worked a bit on Your picture[,] 

or more precisely[,] pictures. 

Incidentally I have become a bit lethargic

lately – it is probably because, I

need to be nourished like a stud for slaughter. 

I am well enough now, as to be able to stand outdoors

painting during the bright nights but it is always

cold at night here in this mountain village – even

in midsummer – so I don’t dare stand for too long

at a time. But I am beginning to think, that

living is not so bad. It is

just that it has become so difficult for me to 

paint lately – and then there is this financial 

situation. 

I am living for the moment in a small section that remains

of Jölster’s old vicarage – when I sit

in here I can imagine, that the dear

old vicarage still stands there whole and intact

During the quiet nocturnal hours I sometimes even think,

that I hear the doors creak in the adjoining rooms,

which have been demolished long ago.

If You pass by these parts, it would

give me great pleasure, if You would visit me –

– I live either here in the old ^remaining relic of the

old vicarage or in my own little

cabin on the south side of the lake. Stop in to see

my father, who would be greatly pleased 

to meet You – then I will soon be noti-

fied, that You are in the Village, through my brothers.

With gratitude and greetings from me and my wife

Your devoted

Nikolai Astrup

Address Aalhùs – Söndfjord

P.S.

From Knùdsen I have still heard nothing.

D.S.