part 1-第4部分
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〃Why； yes； I guess he'd be glad of it。 He'll take most
anything from me。 He won't buy clothes； but I guess he'd
wear 'em if he had 'em。 I've never had any clothes to give
him； having so many to make over for。〃
〃I'll have Larry bring the coat around to…night。 You
aren't cross with me； Thea？〃 taking her hand。
Thea grinned warmly。 〃Not if you give Professor
Wunsch a coatand things；〃 she tapped the grapes sig…
nificantly。 The doctor bent over and kissed her。
III
Being sick was all very well； but Thea knew from
experience that starting back to school again was
attended by depressing difficulties。 One Monday morning
she got up early with Axel and Gunner； who shared her
wing room； and hurried into the back living…room； between
the dining…room and the kitchen。 There； beside a soft…coal
stove； the younger children of the family undressed at night
and dressed in the morning。 The older daughter； Anna；
and the two big boys slept upstairs； where the rooms were
theoretically warmed by stovepipes from below。 The first
（and the worst！） thing that confronted Thea was a suit of
clean； prickly red flannel； fresh from the wash。 Usually
the torment of breaking in a clean suit of flannel came on
Sunday； but yesterday； as she was staying in the house；
she had begged off。 Their winter underwear was a trial to
all the children； but it was bitterest to Thea because she
happened to have the most sensitive skin。 While she was
tugging it on； her Aunt Tillie brought in warm water from
the boiler and filled the tin pitcher。 Thea washed her face；
brushed and braided her hair； and got into her blue cash…
mere dress。 Over this she buttoned a long apron； with
sleeves； which would not be removed until she put on her
cloak to go to school。 Gunner and Axel； on the soap box
behind the stove； had their usual quarrel about which
should wear the tightest stockings； but they exchanged
reproaches in low tones； for they were wholesomely afraid
of Mrs。 Kronborg's rawhide whip。 She did not chastise
her children often； but she did it thoroughly。 Only a some…
what stern system of discipline could have kept any degree
of order and quiet in that overcrowded house。
Mrs。 Kronborg's children were all trained to dress them…
selves at the earliest possible age； to make their own beds；
the boys as well as the girls；to take care of their
clothes； to eat what was given them； and to keep out of
the way。 Mrs。 Kronborg would have made a good chess…
player； she had a head for moves and positions。
Anna； the elder daughter； was her mother's lieutenant。
All the children knew that they must obey Anna； who was
an obstinate contender for proprieties and not always fair…
minded。 To see the young Kronborgs headed for Sunday…
School was like watching a military drill。 Mrs。 Kronborg
let her children's minds alone。 She did not pry into their
thoughts or nag them。 She respected them as individuals；
and outside of the house they had a great deal of liberty。
But their communal life was definitely ordered。
In the winter the children breakfasted in the kitchen；
Gus and Charley and Anna first； while the younger chil…
dren were dressing。 Gus was nineteen and was a clerk in
a dry…goods store。 Charley； eighteen months younger；
worked in a feed store。 They left the house by the kitchen
door at seven o'clock； and then Anna helped her Aunt
Tillie get the breakfast for the younger ones。 Without the
help of this sister…in…law； Tillie Kronborg； Mrs。 Kronborg's
life would have been a hard one。 Mrs。 Kronborg often
reminded Anna that 〃no hired help would ever have taken
the same interest。〃
Mr。 Kronborg came of a poorer stock than his wife； from
a lowly； ignorant family that had lived in a poor part of
Sweden。 His great…grandfather had gone to Norway to
work as a farm laborer and had married a Norwegian girl。
This strain of Norwegian blood came out somewhere in
each generation of the Kronborgs。 The intemperance of
one of Peter Kronborg's uncles； and the religious mania
of another； had been alike charged to the Norwegian
grandmother。 Both Peter Kronborg and his sister Tillie
were more like the Norwegian root of the family than
like the Swedish； and this same Norwegian strain was
strong in Thea； though in her it took a very different
character。
Tillie was a queer； addle…pated thing； as flighty as a girl
at thirty…five； and overweeningly fond of gay clothes
which taste； as Mrs。 Kronborg philosophically said； did
nobody any harm。 Tillie was always cheerful； and her
tongue was still for scarcely a minute during the day。 She
had been cruelly overworked on her father's Minnesota
farm when she was a young girl； and she had never been
so happy as she was now； had never before； as she said；
had such social advantages。 She thought her brother the
most important man in Moonstone。 She never missed a
church service； and； much to the embarrassment of the
children； she always 〃spoke a piece〃 at the Sunday…School
concerts。 She had a complete set of 〃Standard Recita…
tions；〃 which she conned on Sundays。 This morning； when
Thea and her two younger brothers sat down to breakfast；
Tillie was remonstrating with Gunner because he had not
learned a recitation assigned to him for George Washington
Day at school。 The unmemorized text lay heavily on
Gunner's conscience as he attacked his buckwheat cakes
and sausage。 He knew that Tillie was in the right； and
that 〃when the day came he would be ashamed of himself。〃
〃I don't care；〃 he muttered； stirring his coffee； 〃they
oughtn't to make boys speak。 It's all right for girls。 They
like to show off。〃
〃No showing off about it。 Boys ought to like to speak
up for their country。 And what was the use of your father
buying you a new suit； if you're not going to take part in
anything？〃
〃That was for Sunday…School。 I'd rather wear my old
one； anyhow。 Why didn't they give the piece to Thea？〃
Gunner grumbled。
Tillie was turning buckwheat cakes at the griddle。
〃Thea can play and sing； she don't need to speak。 But
you've got to know how to do something； Gunner； that
you have。 What are you going to do when you git big and
want to git into society； if you can't do nothing？ Every…
body'll say； ‘Can you sing？ Can you play？ Can you
speak？ Then git right out of society。' An' that's what
they'll say to you； Mr。 Gunner。〃
Gunner and Alex grinned at Anna； who was preparing
her mother's breakfast。 They never made fun of Tillie； but
they understood well enough that there were subjects upon
which her ideas were rather foolish。 When Tillie struck
the shallows； Thea was usually prompt in turning the
conversation。
〃Will you and Axel let me have your sled at recess？〃
she asked。
〃All the time？〃 asked Gunner dubiously。
〃I'll work your examples for you to…night； if you do。〃
〃Oh； all right。 There'll be a lot of 'em。〃
〃I don't mind； I can work 'em fast。 How about yours；
Axel？〃
Axel was a fat little boy of seven； with pretty； lazy blue
eyes。 〃I don't care；〃 he murmured； buttering his last
buckwheat cake without ambition； 〃too much trouble to
copy 'em down。 Jenny Smiley'll let me have hers。〃
The boys were to pull Thea to school on their sled； as
the snow was deep。 The three set off together。 Anna was
now in the high school； and she no longer went with the
family party； but walked to school with some of the older
girls who were her friends； and wore a hat； not a hood like
Thea。
IV
And it was Summer； beautiful Summer！〃 Those were
the closing words of Thea's favorite fairy tale； and
she thought of them as she ran out into the world one
Saturday morning in May； her music book under her arm。
She was going to the Kohlers' to take her lesson； but she
was in no hurry。
It was in the summer that one really lived。 Then all
the little overcrowded houses were opened wide； and the
wind blew through them with sweet； earthy smells of
garden…planting。 The town looked as if it had just been
washed。 People were out painting their fences。 The cotton…
wood trees were a…flicker with sticky； yellow little leaves；
and the feathery tamarisks were in pink bud。 With the
warm weather came freedom for everybody。 People were
dug up； as it were。 The very old people； whom one had not
seen all winter； came out and sunned themselves in the
yard。 The double windows were taken off the houses； the
tormenting flannels in which children had been encased all
winter were put away in boxes； and the youngsters felt a
pleasure in the cool cotton things next their skin。
Thea had to walk more than a mile to reach the Kohlers'
house； a very pleasant mile out of town toward the glitter…
ing sand hills；yellow this morning； with lines of deep
v
