the bohemian girl-第9章

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out　yourself？〃







〃Ah；　but　that's　another　matter。〃







Nils　turned　the　horse　into　the　field。







〃What　are　you　doing？　　Where　are　you　taking　Norman？〃







〃Not　far；　but　I　want　to　talk　to　you　tonight；　I　have　something　to



say　to　you。　　I　can't　talk　to　you　at　the　house；　with　Olaf　sitting



there　on　the　porch；　weighing　a　thousand　tons。〃







Clara　laughed。　　〃He　won't　be　sitting　there　now。　　He's　in　bed



by　this　time；　and　asleepweighing　a　thousand　tons。〃







Nils　plodded　on　across　the　stubble。　　〃Are　you　really　going



to　spend　the　rest　of　your　life　like　this；　night　after　night；



summer　after　summer？　　Haven't　you　anything　better　to　do　on　a　night



like　this　than　to　wear　yourself　and　Norman　out　tearing　across　the



country　to　your　father's　and　back？　　Besides；　your　father　won't



live　forever；　you　know。　　His　little　place　will　be　shut　up　or



sold；　and　then　you'll　have　nobody　but　the　Ericsons。　　You'll　have



to　fasten　down　the　hatches　for　the　winter　then。〃







Clara　moved　her　head　restlessly。　　〃Don't　talk　about　that。　　I



try　never　to　think　of　it。　　If　I　lost　Father　I'd　lose　everything；



even　my　hold　over　the　Ericsons。〃







〃Bah！　　You'd　lose　a　good　deal　more　than　that。　　You'd　lose



your　race；　everything　that　makes　you　yourself。　　You've　lost　a



good　deal　of　it　now。〃







〃Of　what？〃







〃Of　your　love　of　life；　your　capacity　for　delight。〃







Clara　put　her　hands　up　to　her　face。　　〃I　haven't；　Nils



Ericson；　I　haven't！　　Say　anything　to　me　but　that。　　I　won't　have



it！〃　she　declared　vehemently。







Nils　led　the　horse　up　to　a　straw　stack；　and　turned　to　Clara；



looking　at　her　intently；　as　he　had　looked　at　her　that　Sunday



afternoon　at　Vavrika's。　　〃But　why　do　you　fight　for　that　so？　　What



good　is　the　power　to　enjoy；　if　you　never　enjoy？　　Your　hands　are



cold　again；　what　are　you　afraid　of　all　the　time？　　Ah；　you're



afraid　of　losing　it；　that's　what's　the　matter　with　you！　　And　you



will；　Clara　Vavrika；　you　will！　　When　I　　used　to　know　youlisten；



you've　caught　a　wild　bird　in　your　hand；　haven't　you；　and　felt　its



heart　beat　so　hard　that　you　were　afraid　it　would　shatter　its



little　body　to　pieces？　　Well；　you　used　to　be　just　like　that；　a



slender；　eager　thing　with　a　wild　delight　inside　you。　　That　is　how



I　remembered　you。　　And　I　come　back　and　find　youa　bitter



woman。　　This　is　a　perfect　ferret　fight　here；　you　live　by　biting



and　being　bitten。　　Can't　you　remember　what　life　used　to　be？　　Can't



you　remember　that　old　delight？　　I've　never　forgotten　it；　or　known



its　like；　on　land　or　sea。〃







He　drew　the　horse　under　the　shadow　of　the　straw　stack。　



Clara　felt　him　take　her　foot　out　of　the　stirrup；　and　she　slid



softly　down　into　his　arms。　　He　kissed　her　slowly。　　He　was　a



deliberate　man；　but　his　nerves　were　steel　when　he　wanted



anything。　　Something　flashed　out　from　him　like　a　knife　out　of　a



sheath。　　Clara　felt　everything　slipping　away　from　her；　she　was



flooded　by　the　summer　night。　　He　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pocket；



and　then　held　it　out　at　arm's　length。　　〃Look；〃　he　said。　　The



shadow　of　the　straw　stack　fell　sharp　across　his　wrist；　and　in　the



palm　of　his　hand　she　saw　a　silver　dollar　shining。　　〃That's　my



pile；〃　he　muttered；　〃will　you　go　with　me？〃







Clara　nodded；　and　dropped　her　forehead　on　his　shoulder。







Nils　took　a　deep　breath。　　〃Will　you　go　with　me　tonight？〃







〃Where？〃　she　whispered　softly。







〃To　town；　to　catch　the　midnight　flyer。〃







Clara　lifted　her　head　and　pulled　herself　together。　　〃Are　you



crazy；　Nils？　　We　couldn't　go　away　like　that。〃







〃That's　the　only　way　we　ever　will　go。　　You　can't　sit　on　the



bank　and　think　about　it。　　You　have　to　plunge。　　That's　the　way



I've　always　done；　and　it's　the　right　way　for　people　like　you　and



me。　　There's　nothing　so　dangerous　as　sitting　still。　　You've　only



got　one　life；　one　youth；　and　you　can　let　it　slip　through　your



fingers　if　you　want　to；　nothing　easier。　　Most　people　do　that。　



You'd　be　better　off　tramping　the　roads　with　me　than　you　are



here。〃　　Nils　held　back　her　head　and　looked　into　her　eyes。　　〃But



I'm　not　that　kind　of　a　tramp；　Clara。　　You　won't　have　to　take　in



sewing。　　I'm　with　a　Norwegian　shipping　line；　came　over　on



business　with　the　New　York　offices；　but　now　I'm　going　straight



back　to　Bergen。　　I　expect　I've　got　as　much　money　as　the　Ericsons。　



Father　sent　me　a　little　to　get　started。　　They　never　knew　about



that。　　There；　I　hadn't　meant　to　tell　you；　I　wanted　you　to　come　on



your　own　nerve。〃







Clara　looked　off　across　the　fields。　　〃It　isn't　that；　Nils；



but　something　seems　to　hold　me。　　I'm　afraid　to　pull　against　it。



It　comes　out　of　the　ground；　I　think。〃







〃I　know　all　about　that。　　One　has　to　tear　loose。　　You're　not



needed　here。　　Your　father　will　understand；　he's　made　like　us。　　As



for　Olaf；　Johanna　will　take　better　care　of　him　than　ever　you



could。　　It's　now　or　never；　Clara　Vavrika。　　My　bag's　at　the



station；　I　smuggled　it　there　yesterday。〃







Clara　clung　to　him　and　hid　her　face　against　his　shoulder。　



〃Not　tonight；〃　she　whispered。　　〃Sit　here　and　talk　to　me　tonight。　



I　don't　want　to　go　anywhere　tonight。　　I　may　never　love　you　like



this　again。〃







Nils　laughed　through　his　teeth。　　〃You　can't　come　that　on　me。　



That's　not　my　way；　Clara　Vavrika。　　Eric's　mare　is　over　there



behind　the　stacks；　and　I'm　off　on　the　midnight。　　It's　goodbye；　or



off　across　the　world　with　me。　　My　carriage　won't　wait。　　I've



written　a　letter　to　Olaf；　I'll　mail　it　in　town。　　When　he　reads　it



he　won't　bother　usnot　if　I　know　him。　　He'd　rather　have　the



land。　　Besides；　I　could　demand　an　investigation　of　his



administration　of　Cousin　Henrik's　estate；　and　that　would　be　bad



for　a　public　man。　　You've　no　clothes；　I　know；　but　you　can　sit　up



tonight；　and　we　can　get　everything　on　the　way。　　Where's　your　old



dash；　Clara　Vavrika？　　What's　become　of　your　Bohemian　blood？　　I　used



to　think　you　had　courage　enough　for　anything。　　Where's　your



nervewhat　are　you　waiting　for？〃







Clara　drew　back　her　head；　and　he　saw　the　slumberous　fire　in



her　eyes。　　〃For　you　to　say　one　thing；　Nils　Ericson。〃







〃I　never　say　that　thing　to　any　woman；　Clara　Vavrika。〃　　He



leaned　back；　lifted　her　gently　from　the　ground；　and　whispered



through　his　teeth：　〃But　I'll　never；　never　let　you　go；　not　to　any



man　on　earth　but　me！　　Do　you　understand　me？　　Now；　wait　here。〃







Clara　sank　down　on　a　sheaf　of　wheat　and　covered　her　face



with　her　hands。　　She　did　not　know　what　she　was　going　to　do



whether　she　would　go　or　stay。　　The　great；　silent　country　seemed



to　lay　a　spell　upon　her。　　The　ground　seemed　to　hold　her　as　if　by



roots。　　Her　knees　were　soft　under　her。　　She　felt　as　if　she　could



not　bear　separation　from　her　old　sorrows；　from　her　old　discontent。



They　were　dear　to　her；　they　had　kept　her　alive；　they　were



a　part　of　her。　　There　would　be　nothing　left　of　her　if　she　were



wrenched　away　from　them。　　Never　could　she　pass　beyond　that　skyline



against　which　her　restlessness　had　beat　so　many　times。　　She　felt



as　if　her　soul　had　built　itself　a　nest　there　on　that　horizon　at



which　she　looked　every　morning　and　every　evening；　and　it　was　dear



to　her；　inexpressibly　dear。　　She　pressed　her　fingers　against　her



eyeballs　to　shut　it　out。　　Beside　her　she　heard　the　tramping　of



horses　in　the　soft　earth。　　Nils　said　nothing　to　her。　　He　put　his



hands　under　her　arms　and　lifted　her　lightly　to　her　saddle。　　Then



he　swung　himself　into　his　own。







〃We　shall　have　to　ride　fast　to　catch　the　midnight　train。　　A



last　gallop；　Clara　Vavrika。　　Forward！〃







There　was　a　start；　a　thud　of　hoofs　along　the　moonlit　road；　two



dark　shadows　going　over　the　hill；　and　then　the　great；　still　land



stretched　untroubled　under　the　azure　night。　　Two　shadows　had



passed。











　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VII







A　year　after　the　flight　of　Olaf　Ericson's　wife；　the　night



train　was　steaming　across　the　plains　of　Iowa。　　The　conductor　was



hurrying　through　one　of　the　day　coaches；　his　lantern　on　his　arm；



when　a　lank；　fair…haired　boy　sat　up　in　one　of　the　plush　seats　and



tweaked　him　by　the　coat。







〃What　is　the　next　stop；　please；　sir？〃







〃Red　Oak；　Iowa。　　But　you　go　through　to　Chicago；　don't　you？〃



He　looked　down；　and　noticed　that　the　boy's　eyes　were　red　and　his



face　was　drawn；　as　if　he　were　in　trouble。







〃Yes。　　But　I　was　wondering　whether　I　could　get　off　at　the



next　place　and　get　a　train　back　to　Omaha。〃







〃Well；　I　suppose　you　could。　　Live　in　Omaha？〃







〃No。　　In　the　western　part　of　the　State。　　How　soon　do　we　get



to　Red　Oak？〃







〃Forty　minutes。　　You'd　better　make　up　your　mind；　so　I　can



tell　the　baggageman　to　put　your　trunk　off。〃







〃Oh；　never　mind　about　that！　　I　mean；　I　haven't　got　any；〃　the



boy　added；　blushing。







〃Run　away；〃　the　conductor　thought；　as　he　slammed　the　coach



door　behind　him。







Eric　Ericson　crumpled　down　in　his　seat　and　put　his　brown　hand



to　his　forehead。　　He　had　been　crying；　and　he　had　had　no　supper；　and



his　head　was　aching　violently。　　〃Oh；　what　shall　I　do？〃　he　thought；



as　he　looked　dully　down　at　his　big　shoes。　　〃Nils　will　be　ashamed　of



me；　I　haven't　got　any　spunk。〃







Ever　since　Nils　had　run　away　with　his　brother's　wife；　life　at



home　had　been　hard　for　little　Eric。　　His　mother　and　Olaf　both



suspected　him　of　complicity。　　Mrs。　Ericson　was　harsh　and



faultfinding；　constantly　wounding　the　boy's　pride；　and　Olaf　was



always　setting　her　against　him。







Joe　Vavrika　heard　often　from　his　daughter。　　Clara　had　always



been　fond　of　her　father；　and　happiness　made　her　kinder。　　She　wrote



him　long　accounts　of　the　voyage　to　Bergen；　and　of　the　trip　she　and



Nils　took　through　Bohemia　to　the　little　town　where　her　father　had



grown　up　and　where　she　herself　was　born。　　She　visited　all　her



kinsmen　there；　and　sent　her　father　news　of　his　brother；　who　was　a



priest；　of　his　sister；　who　had　married　a　horse…breederof　their



big　farm　and　their　many　children。　　These　letters　Joe　always　managed



to　read　to　little　Eric。　　They　contained　messages　for　Eric　and



Hilda。　　Clara　sent　presents；　too；　which　Eric　never　dared　to　take



home　and　which　poor　little　Hilda　never　even　saw；　though　she　loved



to　hear　Eric　tell　about　them　when　they　were　out　getting　the　eggs



together。　　But　Olaf　once　saw　Eric　coming　out　of　Vavrika's　house



t