the bohemian girl-第7章
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and I squeezed 'em and made the juice fly all over you。 I liked to
have fun with you； you'd get so mad。〃
〃We did have fun； didn't we？ None of the other kids ever
had so much fun。 We knew how to play。〃
Nils dropped his elbows on the table and looked steadily
across at her。 〃I've played with lots of girls since； but I
haven't found one who was such good fun。〃
Clara laughed。 The late afternoon sun was shining full in her
face； and deep in the back of her eyes there shone something fiery；
like the yellow drops of Tokai in the brown glass bottle。 〃Can you
still play； or are you only pretending？〃
〃I can play better than I used to； and harder。〃
〃Don't you ever work； then？〃 She had not intended to say it。
It slipped out because she was confused enough to say just the
wrong thing。
〃I work between times。〃 Nils' steady gaze still beat upon her。
〃Don't you worry about my working； Mrs。 Ericson。 You're getting
like all the rest of them。〃 He reached his brown； warm hand across
the table and dropped it on Clara's； which was cold as an
icicle。 〃Last call for play； Mrs。 Ericson！〃 Clara shivered； and
suddenly her hands and cheeks grew warm。 Her fingers lingered in
his a moment； and they looked at each other earnestly。 Joe Vavrika
had put the mouth of the bottle to his lips and was swallowing the
last drops of the Tokai； standing。 The sun； just about to sink
behind his shop； glistened on the bright glass； on his flushed face
and curly yellow hair。 〃Look；〃 Clara whispered； 〃that's the way I
want to grow old。〃
VI
On the day of Olaf Ericson's barn…raising； his wife； for once
in a way； rose early。 Johanna Vavrika had been baking cakes and
frying and boiling and spicing meats for a week beforehand； but it
was not until the day before the party was to take place that Clara
showed any interest in it。 Then she was seized with one of her
fitful spasms of energy； and took the wagon and little Eric and
spent the day on Plum Creek； gathering vines and swamp goldenrod
to decorate the barn。
By four o'clock in the afternoon buggies and wagons began to
arrive at the big unpainted building in front of Olaf's house。
When Nils and his mother came at five； there were more than fifty
people in the barn； and a great drove of children。 On the ground
floor stood six long tables； set with the crockery of seven
flourishing Ericson families； lent for the occasion。 In the middle
of each table was a big yellow pumpkin； hollowed out and filled
with woodbine。 In one corner of the barn； behind a pile of green…
and…white striped watermelons； was a circle of chairs for the old
people； the younger guests sat on bushel measures or barbed…wire
spools； and the children tumbled about in the haymow。 The box
stalls Clara had converted into booths。 The framework was hidden
by goldenrod and sheaves of wheat； and the partitions were covered
'With wild grapevines full of fruit。 At one of these Johanna
Vavrika watched over her cooked meats； enough to provision an army；
and at the next her kitchen girls had ranged the ice…cream
freezers； and Clara was already cutting pies and cakes
against the hour of serving。 At the third stall； little Hilda； in
a bright pink lawn dress； dispensed lemonade throughout the
afternoon。 Olaf； as a public man； had thought it inadvisable
to serve beer in his barn； but Joe Vavrika had come over with two
demijohns concealed in his buggy； and after his arrival the wagon
shed was much frequented by the men。
〃Hasn't Cousin Clara fixed things lovely？〃 little Hilda
whispered； when Nils went up to her stall and asked for lemonade。
Nils leaned against the booth； talking to the excited little
girl and watching the people。 The barn faced the west； and the
sun； pouring in at the big doors； filled the whole interior with a
golden light； through which filtered fine particles of dust from
the haymow； where the children were romping。 There was a great
chattering from the stall where Johanna Vavrika exhibited to the
admiring women her platters heaped with fried chicken； her roasts
of beef； boiled tongues； and baked hams with cloves stuck in the
crisp brown fat and garnished with tansy and parsley。 The older
women； having assured themselves that there were twenty kinds of
cake； not counting cookies； and three dozen fat pies； repaired to
the corner behind the pile of watermelons； put on their white
aprons； and fell to their knitting and fancywork。 They were a fine
company of old women； and a Dutch painter would have loved to find
them there together； where the sun made bright patches on the floor
and sent long； quivering shafts of gold through the dusky shade up
among the rafters。 There were fat； rosy old women who looked hot
in their best black dresses； spare； alert old women with brown；
dark…veined hands； and several of almost heroic frame； not less
massive than old Mrs。 Ericson herself。 Few of them wore glasses；
and old Mrs。 Svendsen； a Danish woman； who was quite bald； wore the
only cap among them。 Mrs。 Oleson； who had twelve big
grandchildren； could still show two braids of yellow hair as thick
as her own wrists。 Among all these grandmothers there were more
brown heads than white。 They all had a pleased； prosperous air； as
if they were more than satisfied with themselves and with life。
Nils； leaning against Hilda's lemonade stand； watched them
as they sat chattering in four languages； their fingers never
lagging behind their tongues。
〃Look at them over there；〃 he whispered； detaining Clara as
she passed him。 〃Aren't they the Old Guard？ I've just counted
thirty hands。 I guess they've wrung many a chicken's neck and
warmed many a boy's jacket for him in their time。〃
In reality he fell into amazement when he thought of the
Herculean labours those fifteen pairs of hands had performed： of
the cows they had milked； the butter they had made； the gardens
they had planted； the children and grandchildren they had tended；
the brooms they had worn out； the mountains of food they had
cooked。 It made him dizzy。 Clara Vavrika smiled a hard；
enigmatical smile at him and walked rapidly away。 Nils' eyes
followed her white figure as she went toward the house。 He
watched her walking alone in the sunlight； looked at her slender；
defiant shoulders and her little hard…set head with its coils of
blue…black hair。 〃No；〃 he reflected； 〃she'd never be like them；
not if she lived here a hundred years。 She'd only grow more
bitter。 You can't tame a wild thing； you can only chain it。
People aren't all alike。 I mustn't lose my nerve。〃 He gave
Hilda's pigtail a parting tweak and set out after Clara。 〃Where
to？〃 he asked； as he came upon her in the kitchen。
〃I'm going to the cellar for preserves。〃
〃Let me go with you。 I never get a moment alone with you。
Why do you keep out of my way？〃
Clara laughed。 〃I don't usually get in anybody's way。〃
Nils followed her down the stairs and to the far corner of
the cellar； where a basement window let in a stream of light。
From a swinging shelf Clara selected several glass jars； each
labeled in Johanna's careful hand。 Nils took up a brown flask。
〃What's this？ It looks good。〃
〃It is。 It's some French brandy father gave me when I was
married。 Would you like some？ Have you a corkscrew？ I'll get
glasses。〃
When she brought them； Nils took them from her and put them
down on the window…sill。 〃Clara Vavrika； do you remember how
crazy I used to be about you？〃
Clara shrugged her shoulders。 〃Boys are always crazy
about somebody or another。 I dare say some silly has been crazy
about Evelina Oleson。 You got over it in a hurry。〃
〃Because I didn't come back； you mean？ I had to get on； you
know； and it was hard sledding at first。 Then I heard you'd
married Olaf。〃
〃And then you stayed away from a broken heart；〃 Clara laughed。
〃And then I began to think about you more than I had since I
first went away。 I began to wonder if you were really as you had
seemed to me when I was a boy。 I thought I'd like to see。 I've
had lots of girls； but no one ever pulled me the same way。 The
more I thought about you； the more I remembered how it used to be
like hearing a wild tune you can't resist； calling you out at
night。 It had been a long while since anything had pulled me out
of my boots； and I wondered whether anything ever could again。〃
Nils thrust his hands into his coat pockets and squared his
shoulders； as his mother sometimes squared hers； as Olaf； in a
clumsier manner； squared his。 〃So I thought I'd come back and see。
Of course the family have tried to do me； and I rather thought I'd
bring out father's will and make a fuss。 But they can have their
old land； they've put enough sweat into it。〃 He took the flask and
filled the two glasses carefully to the brim。 〃I've found out what
I want from the Ericsons。 Drink skoal； Clara。〃 He lifted
his glass； and Clara took hers with downcast eyes。 〃Look at me；
Clara Vavrika。 Skoal！〃
She raised her burning eyes and answered fiercely： 〃Skoal！〃
The barn supper began at six o'clock and lasted for two
hilarious hours。 Yense Nelson had made a wager that he could eat
two whole fried chickens； and he did。 Eli Swanson stowed away two
whole custard pies； and Nick Hermanson ate a chocolate layer cake
to the last crumb。 There was even a cooky contest among the
children； and one thin； slablike Bohemian boy consumed sixteen and
won the prize； a gingerbread pig which Johanna Vavrika had
carefully decorated with red candies and burnt sugar。 Fritz
Sweiheart； the German carpenter； won in the pickle contest； but he
disappeared soon after supper and was not seen for the rest of the
evening。 Joe Vavrika said that Fritz could have managed the
pickles all right； but he had sampled the demijohn in his buggy too
often before sitting down to the table。
While the supper was being cleared away the two fiddlers began
to tune up for the dance。 Clara was to accompany them on her old
upright piano； which had b
