the bohemian girl-第6部分

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Ericson　was　seated　in　the　late　afternoon；　three　days　after　his



return　home。　　Joe　had　gone　in　to　serve　a　customer；　and　Nils　was



lounging　on　his　elbows；　looking　rather　mournfully　into　his　half…



emptied　pitcher；　when　he　heard　a　laugh　across　the　little　garden。　



Clara；　in　her　riding　habit；　was　standing　at　the　back　door　of　the



house；　under　the　grapevine　trellis　that　old　Joe　had　grown　there



long　ago。　　Nils　rose。







〃Come　out　and　keep　your　father　and　me　company。　　We've　been



gossiping　all　afternoon。　　Nobody　to　bother　us　but　the　flies。〃







She　shook　her　head。　　〃No；　I　never　come　out　here　any　more。　　Olaf



doesn't　like　it。　　I　must　live　up　to　my　position；　you　know。〃







〃You　mean　to　tell　me　you　never　come　out　and　chat　with　the　boys；　as



you　used　to？　　He　has　tamed　you！　　Who　keeps　up　these



flower…beds？〃







〃I　come　out　on　Sundays；　when　father　is　alone；　and　read　the



Bohemian　papers　to　him。　　But　I　am　never　here　when　the　bar　is　open。　



What　have　you　two　been　doing？〃







〃Talking；　as　I　told　you。　　I've　been　telling　him　about　my



travels。　　I　find　I　can't　talk　much　at　home；　not　even　to　Eric。〃







Clara　reached　up　and　poked　with　her　riding…whip　at　a　white



moth　that　was　fluttering　in　the　sunlight　among　the　vine　leaves。　　〃I



suppose　you　will　never　tell　me　about　all　those　things。〃







〃Where　can　I　tell　them？　　Not　in　Olaf's　house；　certainly。　



What's　the　matter　with　our　talking　here？〃　　He　pointed　persuasively



with　his　hat　to　the　bushes　and　the　green　table；　where　the　flies



were　singing　lazily　above　the　empty　beer　glasses。







Clara　shook　her　head　weakly。　　〃No；　it　wouldn't　do。　　Besides；



I　am　going　now。〃







〃I'm　on　Eric's　mare。　　Would　you　be　angry　if　I　overtook　you？〃







Clara　looked　back　and　laughed。　　〃You　might　try　and　see。　　I　can



leave　you　if　I　don't　want　you。　　Eric's　mare　can't　keep　up　with



Norman。〃







Nils　went　into　the　bar　and　attempted　to　pay　his　score。　　Big



Joe；　six　feet　four；　with　curly　yellow　hair　and　mustache；　clapped



him　on　the　shoulder。　　〃Not　a　Goddamn　a　your　money　go　in　my　drawer；



you　hear？　　Only　next　time　you　bring　your　flute；　te…te…te…te…te…ty。〃



Joe　wagged　his　fingers　in　imitation　of　the　flute　player's　position。







〃My　Clara；　she　come　all…a…time　Sundays　an'　play　for　me。　　She　not



like　to　play　at　Ericson's　place。〃　　He　shook　his　yellow　curls　and



laughed。　　〃Not　a　Goddamn　a　fun　at　Ericson's。　　You　come　a　Sunday。　



You　like…a　fun。　　No　forget　de　flute。〃　　Joe　talked　very　rapidly　and



always　tumbled　over　his　English。　　He　seldom　spoke　it　to　his



customers；　and　had　never　learned　much。







Nils　swung　himself　into　the　saddle　and　trotted　to　the　west　of



the　village；　where　the　houses　and　gardens　scattered　into　prairie



land　and　the　road　turned　south。　　Far　ahead　of　him；　in　the　declining



light；　he　saw　Clara　Vavrika's　slender　figure；　loitering　on



horseback。　　He　touched　his　mare　with　the　whip；　and　shot　along　the



white；　level　road；　under　the　reddening　sky。　　When　he　overtook



Olaf's　wife　he　saw　that　she　had　been　crying。　　〃What's　the　matter；



Clara　Vavrika？〃　he　asked　kindly。







〃Oh；　I　get　blue　sometimes。　　It　was　awfully　jolly　living　there



with　father。　　I　wonder　why　I　ever　went　away。〃







Nils　spoke　in　a　low；　kind　tone　that　he　sometimes　used　with　women：



〃That's　what　I've　been　wondering　these　many　years。　　You　were　the



last　girl　in　the　country　I'd　have　picked　for　a　wife　for　Olaf。　　What



made　you　do　it；　Clara？〃







〃I　suppose　I　really　did　it　to　oblige　the　neighbours〃Clara



tossed　her　head。　　〃People　were　beginning　to　wonder。〃







〃To　wonder？〃







〃Yeswhy　I　didn't　get　married。　　I　suppose　I　didn't　like　to



keep　them　in　suspense。　　I've　discovered　that　most　girls　marry　out



of　consideration　for　the　neighbourhood。〃







Nils　bent　his　head　toward　her　and　his　white　teeth　flashed。　



〃I'd　have　gambled　that　one　girl　I　knew　would　say；　'Let　the



neighbourhood　be　damned。'〃







Clara　shook　her　head　mournfully。　　〃You　see；　they　have　it　on



you；　Nils；　that　is；　if　you're　a　woman。　　They　say　you're　beginning



to　go　off。　　That's　what　makes　us　get　married：　we　can't　stand　the



laugh。〃







Nils　looked　sidewise　at　her。　　He　had　never　seen　her　head　droop



before。　　Resignation　was　the　last　thing　he　would　have　expected　of



her。　　〃In　your　case；　there　wasn't　something　else？〃







〃Something　else？〃







〃I　mean；　you　didn't　do　it　to　spite　somebody？　　Somebody　who



didn't　come　back？〃







Clara　drew　herself　up。　　〃Oh；　I　never　thought　you'd　come　back。　



Not　after　I　stopped　writing　to　you；　at　least。　　That　was　all



over；　long　before　I　married　Olaf。〃







〃It　never　occurred　to　you；　then；　that　the　meanest　thing　you



could　do　to　me　was　to　marry　Olaf？〃







Clara　laughed。　　〃No；　I　didn't　know　you　were　so　fond　of　Olaf。〃







Nils　smoothed　his　horse's　mane　with　his　glove。　　〃You　know；



Clara　Vavrika；　you　are　never　going　to　stick　it　out。　　You'll　cut



away　some　day；　and　I've　been　thinking　you　might　as　well　cut　away



with　me。〃







Clara　threw　up　her　chin。　　〃Oh；　you　don't　know　me　as　well　as



you　think。　　I　won't　cut　away。　　Sometimes；　when　I'm　with　father；　I



feel　like　it。　　But　I　can　hold　out　as　long　as　the　Ericsons　can。　



They've　never　got　the　best　of　me　yet；　and　one　can　live；　so　long　as



one　isn't　beaten。　　If　I　go　back　to　father；　it's　all　up　with　Olaf　in



politics。　　He　knows　that；　and　he　never　goes　much　beyond



sulking。　　I've　as　much　wit　as　the　Ericsons。　　I'll　never　leave　them



unless　I　can　show　them　a　thing　or　two。〃







〃You　mean　unless　you　can　come　it　over　them？〃







〃Yesunless　I　go　away　with　a　man　who　is　cleverer　than　they



are；　and　who　has　more　money。〃







Nils　whistled。　　〃Dear　me；　you　are　demanding　a　good　deal。　　The



Ericsons；　take　the　lot　of　them；　are　a　bunch　to　beat。　　But　I　should



think　the　excitement　of　tormenting　them　would　have　worn　off　by　this



time。〃







〃It　has；　I'm　afraid；〃　Clara　admitted　mournfully。







〃Then　why　don't　you　cut　away？　　There　are　more　amusing　games



than　this　in　the　world。　　When　I　came　home　I　thought　it　might　amuse



me　to　bully　a　few　quarter　sections　out　of　the　Ericsons；　but　I've



almost　decided　I　can　get　more　fun　for　my　money　somewhere　else。〃







Clara　took　in　her　breath　sharply。　　〃Ah；　you　have　got　the　other



will！　　That　was　why　you　came　home！〃







〃No；　it　wasn't。　　I　came　home　to　see　how　you　were　getting　on



with　Olaf。〃







Clara　struck　her　horse　with　the　whip；　and　in　a　bound　she　was



far　ahead　of　him。　　Nils　dropped　one　word；　〃Damn！〃　and　whipped　after



her；　but　she　leaned　forward　in　her　saddle　and　fairly　cut　the　wind。　



Her　long　riding　skirt　rippled　in　the　still　air　behind　her。　　The　sun



was　just　sinking　behind　the　stubble　in　a　vast；　clear　sky；　and　the



shadows　drew　across　the　fields　so　rapidly　that　Nils　could　scarcely



keep　in　sight　the　dark　figure　on　the　road。　　When　he　overtook　her　he



caught　her　horse　by　the　bridle。　　Norman　reared；　and　Nils　was



frightened　for　her；　but　Clara　kept　her　seat。







〃Let　me　go；　Nils　Ericson！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　hate　you　more　than



any　of　them。　　You　were　created　to　torture　me；　the　whole　tribe　of



youto　make　me　suffer　in　every　possible　way。〃







She　struck　her　horse　again　and　galloped　away　from　him。　　Nils



set　his　teeth　and　looked　thoughtful。　　He　rode　slowly　home　along　the



deserted　road；　watching　the　stars　come　out　in　the　clear　violet　sky。







They　flashed　softly　into　the　limpid　heavens；　like　jewels　let　fall



into　clear　water。　　They　were　a　reproach；　he　felt；　to　a　sordid



world。　　As　he　turned　across　the　sand　creek；　he　looked　up　at



the　North　Star　and　smiled；　as　if　there　were　an　understanding



between　them。　　His　mother　scolded　him　for　being　late　for　supper。











　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　V







On　Sunday　afternoon　Joe　Vavrika；　in　his　shirt　sleeves　arid



carpet　slippers；　was　sitting　in　his　garden；　smoking　a　long…tasseled



porcelain　pipe　with　a　hunting　scene　painted　on　the　bowl。　　Clara　sat



under　the　cherry　tree；　reading　aloud　to　him　from　the；　weekly



Bohemian　papers。　　She　had　worn　a　white　muslin　dress　under　her



riding　habit；　and　the　leaves　of　the　cherry　tree　threw　a　pattern　of



sharp　shadows　over　her　skirt。　　The　black　cat　was　dozing　in　the



sunlight　at　her　feet；　and　Joe's　dachshund　was　scratching　a　hole



under　the　scarlet　geraniums　and　dreaming　of　badgers。　　Joe　was



filling　his　pipe　for　the　third　time　since　dinner；　when　he　heard　a



knocking　on　the　fence。　　He　broke　into　a　loud　guffaw　and　unlatched



the　little　door　that　led　into　the　street。　　He　did　not　call　Nils　by



name；　but　caught　him　by　the　hand　and　dragged　him　in。　　Clara



stiffened　and　the　colour　deepened　under　her　dark　skin。　　Nils；　too；



felt　a　little　awkward。　　He　had　not　seen　her　since　the　night　when



she　rode　away　from　him　and　left　him　alone　on　the　level　road　between



the　fields。　　Joe　dragged　him　to　the　wooden　bench　beside　the　green



table。







〃You　bring　de　flute；〃　he　cried；　tapping　the　leather　case　under



Nils'　arm。　　〃Ah；　das…a　good'　Now　we　have　some　liddle　fun　like　old



times。　　I　got　somet'ing　good　for　you。〃　　Joe　shook　his　finger　at



Nils　and　winked　his　blue　eye；　a　bright　clear　eye；　full　of　fire；



though　the　tiny　bloodvessels　on　the　ball　were　always　a　little



distended。　　〃I　got　somet'ing　for　you　from〃he　paused　and　waved　his



hand　　〃Hongarie。　You　know　Hongarie？　　You　wait！〃　　He　pushed　Nils



down　on　the　bench；　and　went　through　the　back　door　of　his　sa