The Captain praised my pipe, and asked how I had managed to fix the nail; he said I was an artist and a master. All the others were standing by and heard his words--and it counted for something to be called an artist by the Captain himself. I believe I could have won Emma at that moment.
That night I learned to shiver and shake.
The corpse of a woman came up to me where I lay in the loft, and stretched out its left hand to show me: the thumbnail was missing. I shook my head, to say I had had a thumbnail once, but I had thrown it away, and used a shell instead. But the corpse stood there all the same, and there I lay, shivering, cold with fear. Then I managed to say I couldn't help it now; in God's name, go away! And, Our Father which art in heaven.... The corpse came straight towards me; I thrust out two clenched fists and gave an icy shriek--and there I was, crushing Falkenberg flat against the wall.
"What is it?" cried Falkenberg. "In Heaven's name...."
I woke, dripping with sweat, and lay there with open eyes, watching the corpse as it vanished quite slowly in the dark of the room.
"It's the corpse," I groaned. "Come to ask for her thumbnail." Falkenberg sat straight up in bed, wide awake all at once.
"Did you see her, too? Did you see her thumb? Ugh!"
"I wouldn't be in your shoes now for anything."
"Let me lie inside, against the wall," I begged.
"It won't hurt you; you can lie outside all right."
"And let her come and take me first? Not if I know it."
And at that Falkenberg lay down again and pulled the rug over his eyes.
I thought for a moment of going down to sleep with Petter; he was getting better now, and there was no fear of infection. But I was afraid to go down the stairs.
Next morning I searched high and low for the nail, and found it on the floor at last, among the shavings and sawdust. I took it out and buried it on the way to the wood.
"It's a question if you oughtn't to carry it back where you took it from," said Falkenberg.
"Why, that's miles away--a whole long journey...."
"They won't ask about that if you're called to do it. Maybe she won't care about having a thumb one place and a thumbnail in another."
But I was brave enough now; a very desperado in the daylight. I laughed at Falkenberg for his superstition, and told him science had disposed of all such nonsense long ago.