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in utmost astonishment
 

      At that moment, I spied Jens Godmorgen, limping across the church-yard. He is a puttering old fellow, who lives at the poor-house.
      I was not long in reaching the window, you may be sure.
      “Jens Godmorgen — Jens-s-s, unlock the door for me, I am here in the church.”
      Never, as long as I live, shall I forget Jen’s face when he heard me call. He almost sank to his knees and his lips moved switfly, without making a sound. Finally, when he understood that it was my familiar face, when he saw inside the vestry window, he slowly drew nearer.
      “Are you in the church?” I finally heard him ask in utmost astonishment.

Dikken Zwilgmeyer, “Locked In,” in Visiting Grandfather, and eleven other stories, Clara Alice Holter, trans. (19 ?) : 110-118 (117) : link (hathitrust)
“Indestaengt,” in Syvstjernen og andre historier (Bergen 1900) : link
and link

Dikken Zwilgmeyer (1853-1913), wikipedia
lokalhistoriewiki.no
and at Norsk Biografisk Leksikon : link

“Det er en gammel tutlet fyr, som bor paa fattighuset.” — old, hobbled guy, who lives at the poorhouse.
 

27 November 2022