the bohemian girl-第3章
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〃How funny； Nils；〃 said Eric dreamily； resting his chin on his
hand。 〃That tree still talks like that； and 'most always it talks
to me about you。〃
They sat a while longer； watching the stars。 At last Eric
whispered anxiously： 〃Hadn't we better go back now？ Mother will
get tired waiting for us。〃 They rose and took a short cut home；
through the pasture。
II
The next morning Nils woke with the first flood of light that
came with dawn。 The white…plastered walls of his room reflected
the glare that shone through the thin window shades； and he found
it impossible to sleep。 He dressed hurriedly and slipped down the
hall and up the back stairs to the half…story room which be used to
share with his little brother。 Eric； in a skimpy nightshirt； was
sitting on the edge of the bed； rubbing his eyes； his pale yellow
hair standing up in tufts all over his head。 When he saw Nils； he
murmured something confusedly and hustled his long legs into
his trousers。 〃I didn't expect you'd be up so early； Nils；〃 he
said； as his head emerged from his blue shirt。
〃Oh； you thought I was a dude； did you？〃 Nils gave him a
playful tap which bent the tall boy up like a clasp knife。 〃See
here： I must teach you to box。〃 Nils thrust his hands into his
pockets and walked about。 〃You haven't changed things much up
here。 Got most of my old traps； haven't you？〃
He took down a bent； withered piece of sapling that hung over
the dresser。 〃If this isn't the stick Lou Sandberg killed himself
with！〃
The boy looked up from his shoe…lacing。
〃Yes； you never used to let me play with that。 Just how did
he do it； Nils？ You were with father when he found Lou； weren't
you？〃
〃Yes。 Father was going off to preach somewhere； and； as we
drove along； Lou's place looked sort of forlorn； and we thought
we'd stop and cheer him up。 When we found him father said he'd
been dead a couple days。 He'd tied a piece of binding twine round
his neck； made a noose in each end； fixed the nooses over the ends
of a bent stick； and let the stick spring straight； strangled
himself。〃
〃What made him kill himself such a silly way？〃
The simplicity of the boy's question set Nils laughing。 He
clapped little Eric on the shoulder。 〃What made him such a silly
as to kill himself at all； I should say！〃
〃Oh； well！ But his hogs had the cholera； and all up and died
on him； didn't they？〃
〃Sure they did； but he didn't have cholera； and there were
plenty of bogs left in the world； weren't there？〃
〃Well； but； if they weren't his； how could they do him any
good？〃 Eric asked； in astonishment。
〃Oh； scat！ He could have had lots of fun with other people's
hogs。 He was a chump； Lou Sandberg。 To kill yourself for a pig
think of that； now！〃 Nils laughed all the way downstairs； and
quite embarrassed little Eric； who fell to scrubbing his face and
hands at the tin basin。 While he was parting his wet hair at the
kitchen looking glass； a heavy tread sounded on the stairs。 The
boy dropped his comb。 〃Gracious； there's Mother。 We must have
talked too long。〃 He hurried out to the shed； slipped on his
overalls； and disappeared with the milking pails。
Mrs。 Ericson came in； wearing a clean white apron； her black
hair shining from the application of a wet brush。
〃Good morning； Mother。 Can't I make the fire for you？〃
〃No； thank you； Nils。 It's no trouble to make a cob fire； and
I like to manage the kitchen stove myself〃 Mrs。 Ericson paused with
a shovel full of ashes in her hand。 〃I expect you will be wanting
to see your brothers as soon as possible。 I'll take you up to
Anders' place this morning。 He's threshing； and most of our boys
are over there。〃
〃Will Olaf be there？〃
Mrs。 Ericson went on taking out the ashes； and spoke between
shovels。 〃No； Olaf's wheat is all in； put away in his new barn。
He got six thousand bushel this year。 He's going to town today to
get men to finish roofing his barn。〃
〃So Olaf is building a new barn？〃 Nils asked absently。
〃Biggest one in the county； and almost done。 You'll likely be
here for the barn…raising。 He's going to have a supper and a dance
as soon as everybody's done threshing。 Says it keeps the voters in
good humour。 I tell him that's all nonsense； but Olaf has a head
for politics。〃
〃Does Olaf farm all Cousin Henrik's land？〃
Mrs。 Ericson frowned as she blew into the faint smoke curling up
about the cobs。 〃Yes； he holds it in trust for the children； Hilda
and her brothers。 He keeps strict account of everything he raises
on it； and puts the proceeds out at compound interest for them。〃
Nils smiled as he watched the little flames shoot up。 The
door of the back stairs opened； and Hilda emerged； her arms behind
her； buttoning up her long gingham apron as she came。 He nodded to
her gaily； and she twinkled at him out of her little blue eyes； set
far apart over her wide cheekbones。
〃There； Hilda； you grind the coffeeand just put in an extra
handful； I expect your Cousin Nils likes his strong；〃 said Mrs。
Ericson； as she went out to the shed。
Nils turned to look at the little girl； who gripped the coffee
grinder between her knees and ground so hard that her two braids
bobbed and her face flushed under its broad spattering of
freckles。 He noticed on her middle finger something that had not
been there last night； and that had evidently been put on for
company： a tiny gold ring with a clumsily set garnet stone。 As her
hand went round and round he touched the ring with the tip of his
finger； smiling。
Hilda glanced toward the shed door through which Mrs。 Ericson
had disappeared。 〃My Cousin Clara gave me that；〃 she whispered
bashfully。 〃She's Cousin Olaf's wife。〃
III
Mrs。 Olaf EricsonClara Vavrika； as many people still called
herwas moving restlessly about her big bare house that morning。
Her husband had left for the county town before his wife was out of
bedher lateness in rising was one of the many things the Ericson
family had against her。 Clara seldom came downstairs before eight
o'clock； and this morning she was even later； for she had dressed
with unusual care。 She put on； however； only a tightfitting black
dress； which people thereabouts thought very plain。 She was a
tall； dark woman of thirty； with a rather sallow complexion and a
touch of dull salmon red in her cheeks； where the blood seemed to
burn under her brown skin。 Her hair； parted evenly above her low
forehead； was so black that there were distinctly blue lights in
it。 Her black eyebrows were delicate half…moons and her lashes
were long and heavy。 Her eyes slanted a little； as if she had a
strain of Tartar or gypsy blood； and were sometimes full of fiery
determination and sometimes dull and opaque。 Her expression was
never altogether amiable； was often； indeed； distinctly sullen； or；
when she was animated； sarcastic。 She was most attractive in
profile； for then one saw to advantage her small； well…shaped head
and delicate ears； and felt at once that here was a very positive；
if not an altogether pleasing； personality。
The entire management of Mrs。 Olaf's household devolved upon
her aunt； Johanna Vavrika； a superstitious； doting woman of fifty。
When Clara was a little girl her mother died； and Johanna's life
had been spent in ungrudging service to her niece。 Clara；
like many self…willed and discontented persons； was really very
apt； without knowing it； to do as other people told her； and to let
her destiny be decided for her by intelligences much below her own。
It was her Aunt Johanna who had humoured and spoiled her in her
girlhood； who had got her off to Chicago to study piano； and who
had finally persuaded her to marry Olaf Ericson as the best match
she would be likely to make in that part of the country。 Johanna
Vavrika had been deeply scarred by smallpox in the old country。
She was short and fat； homely and jolly and sentimental。 She was
so broad； and took such short steps when she walked； that her
brother； Joe Vavrika； always called her his duck。 She adored her
niece because of her talent； because of her good looks and
masterful ways； but most of all because of her selfishness。
Clara's marriage with Olaf Ericson was Johanna's particular
triumph。 She was inordinately proud of Olaf's position； and she
found a sufficiently exciting career in managing Clara's house； in
keeping it above the criticism of the Ericsons； in pampering Olaf
to keep him from finding fault with his wife； and in concealing
from every one Clara's domestic infelicities。 While Clara slept of
a morning； Johanna Vavrika was bustling about； seeing that Olaf and
the men had their breakfast； and that the cleaning or the butter…
making or the washing was properly begun by the two girls in the
kitchen。 Then； at about eight o'clock； she would take Clara's
coffee up to her； and chat with her while she drank it； telling her
what was going on in the house。 Old Mrs。 Ericson frequently said
that her daughter…in…law would not know what day of the week it was
if Johanna did not tell her every morning。 Mrs。 Ericson despised
and pitied Johanna； but did not wholly dislike her。 The one thing
she hated in her daughter…in…law above everything else was the way
in which Clara could come it over people。 It enraged her that the
affairs of her son's big； barnlike house went on as well as they
did； and she used to feel that in this world we have to wait
overlong to see the guilty punished。 〃Suppose Johanna Vavrika died
or got sick？〃 the old lady used to say to Olaf。 〃Your wife
wouldn't know where to look for her own dish…cloth。〃 Olaf
only shrugged his shoulders。 The fact remained that Johanna did
not die； and； although Mrs。 Ericson often told her she was
looking poorly； she was never ill。 She seldom left the house；
and she slept in a little room off the kitchen。 No Ericson； by
night or day； could come prying about there to find fault without
her knowing it。 Her one weakness was that she wa
