294 A DAY AT FRAMHEIM 



struck one, and lighted a spirit -holder that hung beneath 

 a hanging lamp. There was not much to be seen by 

 the light of the spirit flame; one could still only guess. 

 Hear too, perhaps. They were sound sleepers, those 

 boys. One grunted here and another there; they were 

 snoring in every corner. The spirit might have been 

 burning for a couple of minutes, when Lindstrom had to 

 set to work in a hurry. He was off just as the flame 

 went out, leaving the room in black darkness. I heard 

 the spirit bottle and the nearest stool upset, and what 

 followed I don't know, as I was unfamiliar with the 

 surroundings but there was a good deal of it. I heard 

 a click had no idea what it was and then the same 

 movement back again to the lamp. Of course, he now 

 fell over the stool he had upset before. Meanwhile 

 there was a hissing sound, and a stifling smell of 

 paraffin. I was thinking of making my escape through 

 the door, when suddenly, just as I suppose it happened 

 on the first day of Creation, in an instant there was 

 light. But it was a light that defies description; it 

 dazzled and hurt the eyes, it was so bright. It was 

 perfectly white and extremely agreeable - - when one 

 was not looking at it. Evidently it was one of the 

 200-candle Lux lamps. My admiration for Lindstrom 

 had now risen to enthusiasm. What would I not have 

 given to be able to make myself visible, embrace him, 

 and tell him what I thought of him! But that could 

 not be ; I should not then be able to see life at Framheim 



