After the men had gone back to work, Alexandra put on a white dress and her sun-hat, and she and Carl set forth2 across the fields. “You see we have kept up the old path, Carl. It has been so nice for me to feel that there was a friend at the other end of it again.”
Carl smiled a little ruefully. “All the same, I hope it hasn’t been QUITE the same.”
Alexandra looked at him with surprise. “Why, no, of course not. Not the same. She could not very well take your place, if that’s what you mean. I’m friendly with all my neighbors, I hope. But Marie is really a companion, some one I can talk to quite frankly3. You wouldn’t want me to be more lonely than I have been, would you?”
Carl laughed and pushed back the triangular4 lock of hair with the edge of his hat. “Of course I don’t. I ought to be thankful that this path hasn’t been worn by — well, by friends with more pressing errands than your little Bohemian is likely to have.” He paused to give Alexandra his hand as she stepped over the stile. “Are you the least bit disappointed in our coming together again?” he asked abruptly5. “Is it the way you hoped it would be?”
Alexandra smiled at this. “Only better. When I’ve thought about your coming, I’ve sometimes been a little afraid of it. You have lived where things move so fast, and everything is slow here; the people slowest of all. Our lives are like the years, all made up of weather and crops and cows. How you hated cows!” She shook her head and laughed to herself.
“I didn’t when we milked together. I walked up to the pasture corners this morning. I wonder whether I shall ever be able to tell you all that I was thinking about up there. It’s a strange thing, Alexandra; I find it easy to be frank with you about everything under the sun except — yourself!”
“You are afraid of hurting my feelings, perhaps.” Alexandra looked at him thoughtfully.
“No, I’m afraid of giving you a shock. You’ve seen yourself for so long in the dull minds of the people about you, that if I were to tell you how you seem to me, it would startle you. But you must see that you astonish me. You must feel when people admire you.”
Alexandra blushed and laughed with some confusion. “I felt that you were pleased with me, if you mean that.”
“And you’ve felt when other people were pleased with you?” he insisted.
“Well, sometimes. The men in town, at the banks and the county offices, seem glad to see me. I think, myself, it is more pleasant to do business with people who are clean and healthy-looking,” she admitted blandly6.
Carl gave a little chuckle7 as he opened the Shabatas’ gate for her. “Oh, do you?” he asked dryly.
There was no sign of life about the Shabatas’ house except a big yellow cat, sunning itself on the kitchen doorstep.
Alexandra took the path that led to the orchard8. “She often sits there and sews. I didn’t telephone her we were coming, because I didn’t want her to go to work and bake cake and freeze ice-cream. She’ll always make a party if you give her the least excuse. Do you recognize the apple trees, Carl?”
Linstrum looked about him. “I wish I had a dollar for every bucket of water I’ve carried for those trees. Poor father, he was an easy man, but he was perfectly9 merciless when it came to watering the orchard.”
“That’s one thing I like about Germans; they make an orchard grow if they can’t make anything else. I’m so glad these trees belong to some one who takes comfort in them. When I rented this place, the tenants10 never kept the orchard up, and Emil and I used to come over and take care of it ourselves. It needs mowing11 now. There she is, down in the corner. Maria-a-a!” she called.
A recumbent figure started up from the grass and came running toward them through the flickering12 screen of light and shade.
“Look at her! Isn’t she like a little brown rabbit?” Alexandra laughed.
Maria ran up panting and threw her arms about Alexandra. “Oh, I had begun to think you were not coming at all, maybe. I knew you were so busy. Yes, Emil told me about Mr. Linstrum being here. Won’t you come up to the house?”
“Why not sit down there in your corner? Carl wants to see the orchard. He kept all these trees alive for years, watering them with his own back.”
Marie turned to Carl. “Then I’m thankful to you, Mr. Linstrum. We’d never have bought the place if it hadn’t been for this orchard, and then I wouldn’t have had Alexandra, either.” She gave Alexandra’s arm a little squeeze as she walked beside her. “How nice your dress smells, Alexandra; you put rosemary leaves in your chest, like I told you.”
She led them to the northwest corner of the orchard, sheltered on one side by a thick mulberry hedge and bordered on the other by a wheatfield, just beginning to yellow. In this corner the ground dipped a little, and the blue-grass, which the weeds had driven out in the upper part of the orchard, grew thick and luxuriant. Wild roses were flaming in the tufts of bunchgrass along the fence. Under a white mulberry tree there was an old wagon13-seat. Beside it lay a book and a workbasket.
“You must have the seat, Alexandra. The grass would stain your dress,” the hostess insisted. She dropped down on the ground at Alexandra’s side and tucked her feet under her. Carl sat at a little distance from the two women, his back to the wheatfield, and watched them. Alexandra took off her shade-hat and threw it on the ground. Marie picked it up and played with the white ribbons, twisting them about her brown fingers as she talked. They made a pretty picture in the strong sunlight, the leafy pattern surrounding them like a net; the Swedish woman so white and gold, kindly14 and amused, but armored in calm, and the alert brown one, her full lips parted, points of yellow light dancing in her eyes as she laughed and chattered15. Carl had never forgotten little Marie Tovesky’s eyes, and he was glad to have an opportunity to study them. The brown iris16, he found, was curiously17 slashed18 with yellow, the color of sunflower honey, or of old amber19. In each eye one of these streaks20 must have been larger than the others, for the effect was that of two dancing points of light, two little yellow bubbles, such as rise in a glass of champagne21. Sometimes they seemed like the sparks from a forge. She seemed so easily excited, to kindle22 with a fierce little flame if one but breathed upon her. “What a waste,” Carl reflected. “She ought to be doing all that for a sweetheart. How awkwardly things come about!”
It was not very long before Marie sprang up out of the grass again. “Wait a moment. I want to show you something.” She ran away and disappeared behind the low-growing apple trees.
“What a charming creature,” Carl murmured. “I don’t wonder that her husband is jealous. But can’t she walk? does she always run?”
Alexandra nodded. “Always. I don’t see many people, but I don’t believe there are many like her, anywhere.”
Marie came back with a branch she had broken from an apricot tree, laden24 with pale yellow, pink-cheeked fruit. She dropped it beside Carl. “Did you plant those, too? They are such beautiful little trees.”
Carl fingered the blue-green leaves, porous25 like blotting-paper and shaped like birch leaves, hung on waxen red stems. “Yes, I think I did. Are these the circus trees, Alexandra?”
“Shall I tell her about them?” Alexandra asked. “Sit down like a good girl, Marie, and don’t ruin my poor hat, and I’ll tell you a story. A long time ago, when Carl and I were, say, sixteen and twelve, a circus came to Hanover and we went to town in our wagon, with Lou and Oscar, to see the parade. We hadn’t money enough to go to the circus. We followed the parade out to the circus grounds and hung around until the show began and the crowd went inside the tent. Then Lou was afraid we looked foolish standing26 outside in the pasture, so we went back to Hanover feeling very sad. There was a man in the streets selling apricots, and we had never seen any before. He had driven down from somewhere up in the French country, and he was selling them twenty-five cents a peck. We had a little money our fathers had given us for candy, and I bought two pecks and Carl bought one. They cheered us a good deal, and we saved all the seeds and planted them. Up to the time Carl went away, they hadn’t borne at all.”
“And now he’s come back to eat them,” cried Marie, nodding at Carl. “That IS a good story. I can remember you a little, Mr. Linstrum. I used to see you in Hanover sometimes, when Uncle Joe took me to town. I remember you because you were always buying pencils and tubes of paint at the drug store. Once, when my uncle left me at the store, you drew a lot of little birds and flowers for me on a piece of wrapping-paper. I kept them for a long while. I thought you were very romantic because you could draw and had such black eyes.”
Carl smiled. “Yes, I remember that time. Your uncle bought you some kind of a mechanical toy, a Turkish lady sitting on an ottoman and smoking a hookah, wasn’t it? And she turned her head backwards27 and forwards.”
“Oh, yes! Wasn’t she splendid! I knew well enough I ought not to tell Uncle Joe I wanted it, for he had just come back from the saloon and was feeling good. You remember how he laughed? She tickled28 him, too. But when we got home, my aunt scolded him for buying toys when she needed so many things. We wound our lady up every night, and when she began to move her head my aunt used to laugh as hard as any of us. It was a music-box, you know, and the Turkish lady played a tune29 while she smoked. That was how she made you feel so jolly. As I remember her, she was lovely, and had a gold crescent on her turban.”
Half an hour later, as they were leaving the house, Carl and Alexandra were met in the path by a strapping30 fellow in overalls31 and a blue shirt. He was breathing hard, as if he had been running, and was muttering to himself.
Marie ran forward, and, taking him by the arm, gave him a little push toward her guests. “Frank, this is Mr. Linstrum.”
Frank took off his broad straw hat and nodded to Alexandra. When he spoke32 to Carl, he showed a fine set of white teeth. He was burned a dull red down to his neckband, and there was a heavy three-days’ stubble on his face. Even in his agitation33 he was handsome, but he looked a rash and violent man.
Barely saluting34 the callers, he turned at once to his wife and began, in an outraged35 tone, “I have to leave my team to drive the old woman Hiller’s hogs36 out-a my wheat. I go to take dat old woman to de court if she ain’t careful, I tell you!”
His wife spoke soothingly37. “But, Frank, she has only her lame23 boy to help her. She does the best she can.”
Alexandra looked at the excited man and offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you go over there some afternoon and hog-tight her fences? You’d save time for yourself in the end.”
Frank’s neck stiffened38. “Not-a-much, I won’t. I keep my hogs home. Other peoples can do like me. See? If that Louis can mend shoes, he can mend fence.”
“Maybe,” said Alexandra placidly39; “but I’ve found it sometimes pays to mend other people’s fences. Good-bye, Marie. Come to see me soon.”
Alexandra walked firmly down the path and Carl followed her.
Frank went into the house and threw himself on the sofa, his face to the wall, his clenched40 fist on his hip41. Marie, having seen her guests off, came in and put her hand coaxingly42 on his shoulder.
“Poor Frank! You’ve run until you’ve made your head ache, now haven’t you? Let me make you some coffee.”
“What else am I to do?” he cried hotly in Bohemian. “Am I to let any old woman’s hogs root up my wheat? Is that what I work myself to death for?”
“Don’t worry about it, Frank. I’ll speak to Mrs. Hiller again. But, really, she almost cried last time they got out, she was so sorry.”
Frank bounced over on his other side. “That’s it; you always side with them against me. They all know it. Anybody here feels free to borrow the mower43 and break it, or turn their hogs in on me. They know you won’t care!”
Marie hurried away to make his coffee. When she came back, he was fast asleep. She sat down and looked at him for a long while, very thoughtfully. When the kitchen clock struck six she went out to get supper, closing the door gently behind her. She was always sorry for Frank when he worked himself into one of these rages, and she was sorry to have him rough and quarrelsome with his neighbors. She was perfectly aware that the neighbors had a good deal to put up with, and that they bore with Frank for her sake.
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1
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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2
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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triangular
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| adj.三角（形）的，三者间的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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7
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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8
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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11
mowing
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| n.割草，一次收割量，牧草地v.刈，割( mow的现在分词 ) | |
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12
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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14
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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15
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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iris
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| n.虹膜，彩虹 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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18
slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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amber
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| n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的 | |
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streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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21
champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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22
kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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porous
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| adj.可渗透的，多孔的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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30
strapping
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| adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式 | |
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31
overalls
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| n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣 | |
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32
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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35
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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36
hogs
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| n.（尤指喂肥供食用的）猪( hog的名词复数 )；（供食用的）阉公猪；彻底地做某事；自私的或贪婪的人 | |
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37
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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38
stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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40
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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42
coaxingly
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| adv. 以巧言诱哄，以甘言哄骗 | |
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43
mower
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| n.割草机 | |
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