第16章

“Oh，comenow，Wilson；that’stoothin!Weallknowthatruleaboutdarkmarryin’light。“

“I’llwagershe’llbetall，“continuedWilson。“I’llwageryou，friendRodemaker，she’llbeblondeandtall。“

TherestroaredatRob’sastonishmentandcontusion。Theabsurdityofitgrew，andtheywentintospasmsoflaughter。ButWilsonremainedimpassive，notthetwitchingofamusclebetrayingthathesawanythingtolaughatintheproposition。

Mrs。Whitingandthekitchengirlscamein，wonderingatthemerriment。Robbegantogetuneasy。

“Whatisit？Whatisit？“saidMrs。Whiting，ajollylittlematron。

Riversputthecase。“Rob’sonhiswaybacktoWisconsint’getmarried，andWilsonhasofferedtobethimthathiswifewillbeablondeandtall，andRobdassentbet!“Andtheyroaredagain。

“Why，theidea!Theman’scrazy!“saidMrs。Whiting。Thecrowdlookedateachother。Thiswashintenough；theysobered，noddingateachother。

“Aha!Isee；Iunderstand。“

“It’stheheat。“

“AndtheBostonbeans。“

“Letuponhim，Wilson。Don’tbadgerapoorirresponsiblefellow。I

thoughtsomethingwaswrongwhenIsawthecollar。“

“Oh，keepitup!“saidRob，alittlenettledbytheirevidentintentionto“havefun“withhim。

“Soothehim-soo-o-o-o-thehim!“saidWilson。“Don’tbeharsh。“

Robrosefromthetable。“Gotothunder!Youmakemetired。“

“Thefitisonhimagain!“

Herosedisgustedlyandwentout。Theyfollowedhiminsingiefile。

Therestofthetown“caughton。“FrankGrahamheavedanappleathimandjoinedtheprocession。Robwentintothestoretobuysometobacco。Theyfollowedandperchedlikecrowsonthecounterstillhewentout；thentheyfollowedhim，asbefore。Theywatchedhimcheckhistrunk；theywitnessedthepurchaseoftheticket。Thetownhadturnedoutbythistime。

“Waupac!“announcedtheonenearestthevictim。

“Waupac!“saidthenextman，andthewordwaspassedalongthestreetuptown。

“Makeanoteofit，“saidWilson：“Waupa-acountywhereaman’sproposalformarriageishonoreduponpresentation。Sightdrafts。“

Riversstruckupasong，whileRobstoodaround，patientiybearingthejokesofthecrowd：

“We’relookin’ratherseedynow，Whileholdin’downourclaims，Andourvittlesarenotalwaysofthebest，AndthemiceplayslylyroundusAswelaydowntosleepInourlittleoldtarredshantiesontheclaim。

“YetweratherlikethenoveltyOflivin’inthisway，Thoughthebilloffareisoftenrathertame；

An’we’rehappyasaclamOnthelandofUncleSamInourlittleoldtarredshantyontheclaim。“

Thetraindrewupatlength，totheimmensereliefofRob，whosestoicalresiguationwasbeginningtoweaken。

“Don’ty’wishy’hadsand？“heyelledtothecrowdasheplungedintothecar，thinkinghewasridofthem。

Butno；theirlaststrokewastofollowhimintothecar，nodding，pointingtotheirheads，andwhispering，managinginthehalf-minutethetrainstoodattheplatformtoseteverypersoninthecarstaringatthecrazyman。Robgroanedandpulledhishatdownoverhiseyes-anactionwhichconfirmedhistormentors’

wordsandmadeseveralladiesclicktheirtonguesinsympathy-“Tick!tick!poorfellow!“

“Allabo-o-o-a-rd!’saidtheconductor，grinninghisappreciationatthecrowd，andthetrainwasoff。

“Oh，won’twemakehimgroanwhenhegetsback!“saidBarney，theyounglawyerwhosangtheshoutingtenor。

“We’llmeethimwiththetimbrelandtheharp。Anybodywanttowager？I’vegottwotooneonashortbrunette，“saidWilson。

“Followitfarenoughanditmaypassthebendintheriverwherethewaterlaughseternallyoveritsshallows。“

ACORNFIELDinJulyisahotplace。Thesoilishotanddry；thewindcomesacrossthelazilymurmuringleavesladenwithawarmsickeningsmelldrawnfromtherapidlygrowing，broad-flungbannersofthecorn。Thesun，nearlyvertical，dropsafloodofdazzinglightandheatuponthefieldoverwhichthecoolshadowsrun，onlytomaketheheatseemthemoreintense。

JuliaPeterson，faintwithfatigue，wastollingbackandforthbetweenthecornrows，holdingthehandlesofthedouble-shovelcornplowwhileherlittlebrotherOttorodethesteaminghorse。

Herheartwasfullofbitterness，andherfaceflushedwithheat，andhermusclesachingwithfatigue。Theheatgrewterrible。Thecorncametohershoulders，andnotabreathseemedtoreachher，whilethesun，nearingthenoonmark，laypitilesslyuponhershoulders，protectedonlybyacalicodress。Thedustroseunderherfeet，andasshewaswetwithperspirationitsoiledhertill，withawoman’sinstinctivecleanliness，sheshuddered。Herheadthrobbeddangerously。whatmattertoherthatthekingbirdpitchedjoviallyfromthemaplestocatchawanderingbluebottlefly，thattherobinwasfeedingitsyoung，thatthebobolinkwassinging？Allthesethings，ifshesawthem，onlythrewherbondagetolaborintogreaterrelief。

Acrossthefield，inanotherpatchofcorn，shecouldseeherfather-abig，gruff-voiced，wide-beardedNorwegian-atworkalsowithaplow。Thecornmustbeplowed，andsoshetoiledon，thetearsdroppingfromtheshadowoftheuglysunbonnetshewore。

Hershoes，coarseandsquare-toed，chafedherfeet；herhands，largeandstrong，werebrowned，ormoreproperlyburned，onthebacksbythesun。Thehorse’sharness“creak-cracked“asheswungsteadilyandpatientiyforward，themoisturepouringfromhissides，hisnostrilsdistended。

Thefieldrandowntoaroad，andontheothersideoftheroadranariver-abroad，clear，shallowexpanseatthatpoint，andtheeyesoftheboygazedlonginglyatthepondandthecoolshadoweachtimethatheturnedatthefence。

“Say，Jule，I’mgoin’in!Come，can’tI？Come-say!“hepleadedastheystoppedatthefencetoletthehorsebreathe。

“I’veletyougowadetwice。“

“Butthatdon’tdoanygood。Mylegsisallsmarty，’causeol’Jacksweatsso。“Theboyturnedaroundonthehorse’sbackandslidbacktohisrump。“Ican’tstandit!“heburstout，slidingoffanddartingunderthefence。“Fathercan’tsee。“

Thegirlputherelbowsonthefenceandwatchedherlittlebrotherasbespedawaytothepool，throwingoffhisclothesasheran，whoopingwithuncontrollabledelight。Soonshecouldhearhimsplashingaboutinthewaterashortdistanceupthestream，andcaughtglimpsesofhislittleshinybodyandhappyface。Howcoolthatwaterlooked!Andtheshadowstherebythebigbasswood!

Howthatwaterwouldcoolherblisteredfeet!Animpulseseizedher，andshesqueezedbetweentherailsofthefenceandstoodintheroadlookingupanddowntoseethatthewaywasclear。Itwasnotamain-travelledroad；noonewaslikelytocome；whynot？

Shehurriedlytookoffhershoesandstockings-howdeliciousthecool，softvelvetofthegrass!-andsittingdownonthebankunderthegreatbasswood，whoserootsformedanabruptbank，sheslidherpoorblistered，chafedfeetintothewater，herbareheadleanedagainstthehugetreetrunk。

Andnowassherested，thebeautyofthescenecametoher。Overherthewindmovedtheleaves。Ajayscreamedfaroff，asifansweringthecriesoftheboy。Akingfishercrossedandrecrossedthestreamwithdippingsweepofhiswings。Theriversangwithitslipstothepebbles。Thevastcloudswentbymajestically，farabovethetreetops，andthesnapandbuzzingandringingwhirofJulyinsectsmadeaceaseless，slumberousundertoneofsongsolventofallelse。Thetiredgirlforgotherwork。Shebegantodream。Thiswouldnotlastalways。Someonewouldcometoreleaseherfromsuchdrudgery。Thiswasherconstant，tenderest，andmostsecretdream。HewouldbeaYankee，notaNorwegian；theYankeesdidn’tasktheirwivestoworkinthefield。Hewouldhaveahome。

Perhapshe’dliveintown-perhapsamerchant!AndthenshethoughtofthedrugclerkinRockRiverwhohadlookedather-A

voicebrokeinonherdream，afresh，manlyvoice。

“Well，byjinks!ifitain’tJulia!JusttheoneIwantedtosee!“

Thegirlturned，sawapleasant-facedyoungfellowinaderbyhatandafifteen-dollarsuitofdiagonals。

“RodRodemaker!Howcome-“

Sherememberedhersituation，andflushed，lookeddownatthewater，andremainedperfectlystill。

“Ain’tyegoin’toshakehands？Y’don’tseemverygladt’seeme。“

Shebegantogrowangry。“Ifyouhadanyeyesyou’dsee!“

Roblookedovertheedgeofthebank，whistled，turnedaway。“Oh，Isee!Excuseme!Don’tblameyehabit，though。Goodweatherf’rcorn，“hewenton’lookingupatthetrees。’Cornseemstobeprettywellfor-ward，“hecontinuedinaloudervoiceashewalkedaway，stillgazingintotheair。“Cropsislookingfirst-classinBoomtown。

Hello!ThisOtto？H’yarey’littlescamp!Getontothathorseagin。

Quick，’rI’lltakey’rskinoffan，hangitonthefence。whaty’beendoing？“

“Beninswimmm’。Jimminy，ain’titfun!when’dy’getback？“saidtheboy，grinning。

“Neveryoumind，“repliedRob，leapingthefencebylayinghislefthandonthetoprail。“Getontothathorse。“Hetossedtheboyuponthehorse，hunghiscoatonthefence。“Is’posetheol’manmakesherplowsameasusual？“

“Yup，“saidOtto。

“Doddingamanthat’lldothat!Idon’tmindifit’snecessary，butitain’tnecessarymhiscase。“Hecontinuedtomutterinthiswayashewentacrosstotheothersideofthefield。Astheyturnedtocomeback，Robwentupandlookedatthehorse’smouth。“Gettin’

purtynearofage。Say，who’ssparkin’Julianow-anybody？“

“Nobody’ceptsomeol’Norwegians。Shewon’thavethem。Porwantsherto，butshewon’t。“

“Goodf’rher。Nobodycomest’seeherSundaynights，eh？“

“Nope，only’TiasAndersonan’OleHoover；butshegoesoffan’

leaves’em。“

“Chk!“saidRob，startingoldJackacrossthefield。

Itwasalmostnoon，andJackmovedreluctantly。Heknewthetimeofdayaswellastheboy。Hemadethisroundafterdistinctprotest。

InthemeantimeJulia，puttingonhershoesandstockings，wenttothefenceandwatchedtheman’sshiningwhiteshirtashemovedacrossthecornfield。Therehadneverbeenanyspecialtendernessbetweenthem，butshehadalwayslikedhim。Theyhadbeenatschooltogether。Shewonderedwhyhehadcomebackatthistimeoftheyear，andwonderedhowlonghewouldstay。Howlonghadhestoodlookingather？Sheflushedagainatthethoughtofit。Buthewasn’ttoblame；itwasapublicroad。Shemighthaveknownbetter。

Shestoodunderalittlepoppletree，whoseleavesshookmusicallyateveryzephyr，andhereyesthroughhalf-shutlidsrovedovertheseaofdeep-greenglossyleaves，dappledhereandtherebycloud-shadows，stirredhereandtherelikewaterbythewind，andoutofitallalongingtobefreefromsuchtoilroselikeabreath，fillingherthroat，andquickeningthemotionofherheart。Mustthisgoonforever，thislifeofheatanddustandlabor？whatdiditallmean？

Thegirllaidherchinonherstrongredwrists，andlookedupintothebluespacesbetweenthevastclouds-aerialmountainsdissolvinginashorelessazuresea。Howcoolandsweetandrestfultheylooked!lishemightonlylieoutonthebillowy，snow-white，sunlitedge!Thevoicesofthedriverandtheplowmanrecalledher，andshefixedhereyesagainupontheslowlynoddingheadofthepatienthorse，ontheboyturnedhalfaboutonthehorse，talkingtothewhite-sleevedman，whosederbyhatbobbedupanddownquitecuriously，likethehorse’shead。Wouldsheaskhimtodinner？

whatwouldherpeoplesay？

“Phew!it’shot!“wasthegreetingtheyoungfellowgaveashecameup。Hesmiledinafrank，boyishwayashehunghishatonthetopofastakeandlookedupather。“D’y’know，Ikindo’enjoygettingatitagain。Fact。Itain’tnoworkforagirl，though，“headded。

“When’dyougetback？“sheasked，theflushnotyetoutofherface。Robwaslookingatherthick，finehairandfullScandinavianface，richasaroseincolor，anddidnotreplyforafewseconds。

Shestoodwithherhideoussunbonnetpushedbackonhershoulders。Akingbirdwaschatteringoverhead。