the bohemian girl-第4节
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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 was an incurable
talker； and she sometimes made trouble without meaning to。
This morning Clara was tying a wine…coloured ribbon about
her throat when Johanna appeared with her coffee。 After putting
the tray on a sewing table； she began to make Clara's bed；
chattering the while in Bohemian。
〃Well； Olaf got off early； and the girls are baking。 I'm
going down presently to make some poppy…seed bread for Olaf。 He
asked for prune preserves at breakfast； and I told him I was out
of them； and to bring some prunes and honey and cloves from
town。〃
Clara poured her coffee。 〃Ugh！ I don't see how men can eat
so much sweet stuff。 In the morning； too！〃
Her aunt chuckled knowingly。 〃Bait a bear with honey； as we
say in the old country。〃
〃Was he cross？〃 her niece asked indifferently。
〃Olaf？ Oh； no！ He was in fine spirits。 He's never cross if
you know how to take him。 I never knew a man to make so little
fuss about bills。 I gave him a list of things to get a yard
long； and he didn't say a word； just folded it up and put it in
his pocket。〃
〃I can well believe he didn't say a word；〃 Clara remarked
with a shrug。 〃Some day he'll forget how to talk。〃
〃Oh； but they say he's a grand speaker in the Legislature。
He knows when to keep quiet。 That's why he's got such influence
in politics。 The people have confidence in him。〃 Johanna beat up
a pillow and held it under her fat chin while she slipped on the
case。 Her niece laughed。
〃Maybe we could make people believe we were wise； Aunty； if
we held our tongues。 Why did you tell Mrs。 Ericson that Norman
threw me again last Saturday and turned my foot？ She's been
talking to Olaf。〃
Johanna fell into great confusion。 〃Oh； but； my precious；
the old lady asked for you； and she's always so angry if I can't
give an excuse。 Anyhow； she needn't talk； she's always tearing
up something with that motor of hers。〃
When her aunt clattered down to the kitchen； Clara went to
dust the parlour。 Since there was not much there to dust； this did
not take very long。 Olaf had built the house new for her before
their marriage； but her interest in furnishing it had been short…
lived。 It went； indeed； little beyond a bathtub and her piano。
They had disagreed about almost even； other article of furniture；
and Clara had said she would rather have her house empty than full
of things she didn't want。 The house was set in a hillside； and
the west windows of the parlour looked out above the kitchen yard
thirty feet below。 The east windows opened directly into the front
yard。 At one of the latter； Clara； while she was dusting； heard a
low whistle。 She did not turn at once； but listened intently as
she drew her cloth slowly along the round of a cha
