be able to earn as a maid. That’ll be all now, but don’t hesitate. I know this is something right up your street.’
Hanna left the room. She could feel a cold sweat under her blouse.
It was the next day, a Sunday when they had a few hours off work, before Hanna told Berta about what had happened. The sun was shining, and melted snow and ice was dripping from the roofs. They had climbed up a little hill just outside the town where there was a tree trunk that somebody had turned into a bench, using an axe. It was still winter, but the midday sun was quite warm. They spread out their overcoats and sat down. Hanna hadn’t prepared anything in advance, but she suddenly had the feeling that now was the time to take Berta into her confidence. She told her everything, and said that she was dreading the task that Forsman had arranged for her. How on earth would she be able to cope with being ship’s cook on a voyage to Australia?
‘I wish it had been me he’d asked,’ said Berta. ‘I wouldn’t have hesitated to go.’
‘But it’s so far away,’ said Hanna, and explained how she had found Australia on the brown globe of the world Forsman had beside his billiard table.
She had been horrified when she discovered that Australia was on the other side of the world.
‘I want to stay in Forsman’s house,’ she said. ‘Who will do all my work while I’m away?’
‘Is this drudgery really something to aspire to?’ said Berta in surprise. ‘Besides, it’s not really necessary to have an extra maid in this household.’
Berta sounded quite definite in her comments. It was as if she understood what was worrying Hanna – but it could also be that Berta was jealous of her. Hanna had the nasty feeling that Berta might prefer not to have her around.
‘It’s up to you to make the decision,’ said Berta. ‘There’s nothing I’d like more for you to stay on here. If for no other reason than you lie still at night. I can’t put up with sharing a bed with somebody who kicks and tosses and turns all night.’
They both burst out laughing, but soon became serious again.
‘Talk to Forsman if you are hesitant about it,’ said Berta. ‘He’s the one who has the final say.’
They said no more about the voyage just then. Instead they sat there gazing out over the town and the seemingly endless stretch of white ice beyond the wooded hills. When it became too cold, they stood up and made their way back down the icy path. First Berta slipped, then Hanna. They laughed, then held each other’s hands as they continued down the slope. Hanna was thinking about what saddened her most: that she would lose the friend she had made in Berta.
The following day she plucked up courage and knocked on the door of Forsman’s office. He shouted ‘Come in’, and raised an eyebrow in surprise when she stepped over the threshold.
‘What do you want?’
She remained standing in the doorway. What should she say, in fact?
‘Come on in,’ he said. ‘Come to my desk! I’m expecting some men from whom I’m going to buy some timber. Tell me what you want. Are you unwell, or what’s the matter?’
‘I’m fine,’ said Hanna, curtseying when she spoke to him.
‘What is it then? I don’t like you standing here curtseying unnecessarily.’
‘I would like to stay here,’ she said in a voice so low that Forsman had to lean forward over his desk in order to hear her.
‘I don’t know what’s in store for me on that ship,’ she said. ‘But here I think I do a good job.’
Forsman leaned back in his desk chair again. His large hands rested heavily on his stomach, where his waistcoat was unbuttoned. He eyed her intently.
‘You must go on that voyage. It’s best for you. Believe me.’
He stood up. The interview was over. Hanna curtseyed and hurried out.
It felt as if she were running.
15
THE HYMN BOOK was similar to the one Forsman had given Elin that day in December the previous year, when the sleigh they had been
Hanna left the room. She could feel a cold sweat under her blouse.
It was the next day, a Sunday when they had a few hours off work, before Hanna told Berta about what had happened. The sun was shining, and melted snow and ice was dripping from the roofs. They had climbed up a little hill just outside the town where there was a tree trunk that somebody had turned into a bench, using an axe. It was still winter, but the midday sun was quite warm. They spread out their overcoats and sat down. Hanna hadn’t prepared anything in advance, but she suddenly had the feeling that now was the time to take Berta into her confidence. She told her everything, and said that she was dreading the task that Forsman had arranged for her. How on earth would she be able to cope with being ship’s cook on a voyage to Australia?
‘I wish it had been me he’d asked,’ said Berta. ‘I wouldn’t have hesitated to go.’
‘But it’s so far away,’ said Hanna, and explained how she had found Australia on the brown globe of the world Forsman had beside his billiard table.
She had been horrified when she discovered that Australia was on the other side of the world.
‘I want to stay in Forsman’s house,’ she said. ‘Who will do all my work while I’m away?’
‘Is this drudgery really something to aspire to?’ said Berta in surprise. ‘Besides, it’s not really necessary to have an extra maid in this household.’
Berta sounded quite definite in her comments. It was as if she understood what was worrying Hanna – but it could also be that Berta was jealous of her. Hanna had the nasty feeling that Berta might prefer not to have her around.
‘It’s up to you to make the decision,’ said Berta. ‘There’s nothing I’d like more for you to stay on here. If for no other reason than you lie still at night. I can’t put up with sharing a bed with somebody who kicks and tosses and turns all night.’
They both burst out laughing, but soon became serious again.
‘Talk to Forsman if you are hesitant about it,’ said Berta. ‘He’s the one who has the final say.’
They said no more about the voyage just then. Instead they sat there gazing out over the town and the seemingly endless stretch of white ice beyond the wooded hills. When it became too cold, they stood up and made their way back down the icy path. First Berta slipped, then Hanna. They laughed, then held each other’s hands as they continued down the slope. Hanna was thinking about what saddened her most: that she would lose the friend she had made in Berta.
The following day she plucked up courage and knocked on the door of Forsman’s office. He shouted ‘Come in’, and raised an eyebrow in surprise when she stepped over the threshold.
‘What do you want?’
She remained standing in the doorway. What should she say, in fact?
‘Come on in,’ he said. ‘Come to my desk! I’m expecting some men from whom I’m going to buy some timber. Tell me what you want. Are you unwell, or what’s the matter?’
‘I’m fine,’ said Hanna, curtseying when she spoke to him.
‘What is it then? I don’t like you standing here curtseying unnecessarily.’
‘I would like to stay here,’ she said in a voice so low that Forsman had to lean forward over his desk in order to hear her.
‘I don’t know what’s in store for me on that ship,’ she said. ‘But here I think I do a good job.’
Forsman leaned back in his desk chair again. His large hands rested heavily on his stomach, where his waistcoat was unbuttoned. He eyed her intently.
‘You must go on that voyage. It’s best for you. Believe me.’
He stood up. The interview was over. Hanna curtseyed and hurried out.
It felt as if she were running.
15
THE HYMN BOOK was similar to the one Forsman had given Elin that day in December the previous year, when the sleigh they had been
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