Those who did not know
him--for to know him was to love him--could hardly keep from
laughing. His speech was neither heard nor understood, but it was
short. His emotion forced him to break it off suddenly. One thing
alone we all understood: that he loved the pale young man whom he
had prepared for death, and that he wished that all of us might go
to our God as happy and confident as he who was to die to-day.
When he stepped down they embraced each other for the last time.
Peer gave his hand to my father and to a number besides, and then
placed himself by his friend Jakobsen. The latter knew what this
meant. He took off a kerchief and bound Peer's eyes, while we saw
him whisper something to him and receive a whispered answer. Then
a man came forward to bind Peer's hands behind his back, but he
begged to be left free, and his prayer was granted. Then Jakobsen
took him by the hand and led him forward. At the place where Peer
was to kneel Jakobsen stopped short, and Peer slowly bent his
knees. Jakobsen bent Peer's head down until it rested on the
block; then he drew back and folded his hands. All this I saw, and
also that a tall man came and took hold of Peer's neck, while a
smaller man drew forth from a couple of folded towels a shining
axe with a remarkably broad thin blade.
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