the bohemian girl-第3节
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There was roving blood in your father's family； and it's come out
in you。 I expect your own way of life suits you best。〃 Mrs。
Ericson had dropped into a blandly agreeable tone which Nils well
remembered。 It seemed to amuse him a good deal and his white
teeth flashed behind his pipe。 His mother's strategies had
always diverted him； even when he was a boythey were so flimsy
and patent； so illy proportioned to her vigor and force。
〃They've been waiting to see which way I'd jump；〃 he reflected。
He felt that Mrs。 Ericson was pondering his case deeply as she
sat clicking her needles。
〃I don't suppose you've ever got used to steady work；〃 she went on
presently。 〃Men ain't apt to if they roam around too long。 It's
a pity you didn't come back the year after the World's Fair。 Your
father picked up a good bit of land cheap then； in the hard times；
and I expect maybe he'd have give you a farm。 it's too bad you put
off comin' back so long； for I always thought he meant to do
something by you。〃
Nils laughed and shook the ashes out of his pipe。 〃I'd have
missed a lot if I had come back then。 But I'm sorry I didn't get
back to see father。〃
〃Well； I suppose we have to miss things at one end or the
other。 Perhaps you are as well satisfied with your own doings；
now； as you'd have been with a farm；〃 said Mrs。 Ericson
reassuringly。
〃Land's a good thing to have；〃 Nils commented； as he lit
another match and sheltered it with his hand。
His mother looked sharply at his face until the match burned
out。 〃Only when you stay on it！〃 she hastened to say。
Eric came round the house by the path just then； and Nils
rose； with a yawn。 〃Mother； if you don't mind； Eric and I will
take a little tramp before bedtime。 It will make me sleep。〃
〃Very well； only don't stay long。 I'll sit up and wait for
you。 I like to lock up myself。〃
Nils put his hand on Eric's shoulder； and the two tramped down
the hill and across the sand creek into the dusty highroad beyond。
Neither spoke。 They swung along at an even gait； Nils puffing at
his pipe。 There was no moon； and the white road and the wide
fields lay faint in the starlight。 Over everything was darkness
and thick silence； and the smell of dust and sunflowers。 The
brothers followed the road for a mile or more without finding a
place to sit down。 Finally； Nils perched on a stile over the wire
fence； and Eric sat on the lower step。
〃I began to think you never would come back； Nils；〃 said the
boy softly。
〃Didn't I promise you I would？〃
〃Yes； but people don't bother about promises they make to
babies。 Did you really know you were going away for good
when you went to Chicago with the cattle that time？〃
〃I thought it very likely； if I could make my way。〃
〃I don't see how you did it； Nils。 Not many fellows could。〃
Eric rubbed his shoulder against his brother's knee。
〃The hard thing was leaving home you and father。 It was easy
enough； once I got beyond Chicago。 Of course I got awful homesick；
used to cry myself to sleep。 But I'd burned my bridges。〃
〃You had always wanted to go； hadn't you？〃
〃Always。 Do you still sleep in our little room？ Is that
cottonwood still by the window？〃
Eric nodded eagerly and smiled up at his brother in the grey
darkness。
〃You remember how we always said the leaves were whispering
when they rustled at night？ Well； they always whispered to me
about the sea。 Sometimes they said names out of the geography
books。 In a high wind they had a desperate sound； like someone
trying to tear loose。〃
〃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
