part 1-第5部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ing sand hills；yellow this morning； with lines of deep
violet where the clefts and valleys were。 She followed the
sidewalk to the depot at the south end of the town； then
took the road east to the little group of adobe houses where
the Mexicans lived； then dropped into a deep ravine； a dry
sand creek； across which the railroad track ran on a trestle。
Beyond that gulch； on a little rise of ground that faced the
open sandy plain； was the Kohlers' house； where Professor
Wunsch lived。 Fritz Kohler was the town tailor； one of the
first settlers。 He had moved there； built a little house and
made a garden； when Moonstone was first marked down on
the map。 He had three sons； but they now worked on the
railroad and were stationed in distant cities。 One of them
had gone to work for the Santa Fe； and lived in New
Mexico。
Mrs。 Kohler seldom crossed the ravine and went into the
town except at Christmas…time； when she had to buy pres…
ents and Christmas cards to send to her old friends in
Freeport； Illinois。 As she did not go to church； she did not
possess such a thing as a hat。 Year after year she wore the
same red hood in winter and a black sunbonnet in summer。
She made her own dresses； the skirts came barely to her
shoe…tops； and were gathered as full as they could possibly
be to the waistband。 She preferred men's shoes； and usu…
ally wore the cast…offs of one of her sons。 She had never
learned much English； and her plants and shrubs were her
companions。 She lived for her men and her garden。 Beside
that sand gulch； she had tried to reproduce a bit of her own
village in the Rhine Valley。 She hid herself behind the
growth she had fostered； lived under the shade of what she
had planted and watered and pruned。 In the blaze of the
open plain she was stupid and blind like an owl。 Shade；
shade； that was what she was always planning and making。
Behind the high tamarisk hedge； her garden was a jungle
of verdure in summer。 Above the cherry trees and peach
trees and golden plums stood the windmill； with its tank
on stilts； which kept all this verdure alive。 Outside； the
sage…brush grew up to the very edge of the garden； and the
sand was always drifting up to the tamarisks。
Every one in Moonstone was astonished when the
Kohlers took the wandering music…teacher to live with
them。 In seventeen years old Fritz had never had a crony；
except the harness…maker and Spanish Johnny。 This
Wunsch came from God knew where；followed Spanish
Johnny into town when that wanderer came back from one
of his tramps。 Wunsch played in the dance orchestra；
tuned pianos； and gave lessons。 When Mrs。 Kohler rescued
him； he was sleeping in a dirty； unfurnished room over one
of the saloons； and he had only two shirts in the world。
Once he was under her roof； the old woman went at him as
she did at her garden。 She sewed and washed and mended
for him； and made him so clean and respectable that he was
able to get a large class of pupils and to rent a piano。 As
soon as he had money ahead； he sent to the Narrow Gauge
lodging…house； in Denver； for a trunkful of music which
had been held there for unpaid board。 With tears in his
eyes the old manhe was not over fifty； but sadly bat…
teredtold Mrs。 Kohler that he asked nothing better of
God than to end his days with her； and to be buried in the
garden； under her linden trees。 They were not American
basswood； but the European linden； which has honey…
colored blooms in summer； with a fragrance that sur…
passes all trees and flowers and drives young people wild
with joy。
Thea was reflecting as she walked along that had it not
been for Professor Wunsch she might have lived on for
years in Moonstone without ever knowing the Kohlers；
without ever seeing their garden or the inside of their
house。 Besides the cuckoo clock；which was wonderful
enough； and which Mrs。 Kohler said she kept for 〃company
when she was lonesome；〃the Kohlers had in their house
the most wonderful thing Thea had ever seenbut of that
later。
Professor Wunsch went to the houses of his other pupils
to give them their lessons； but one morning he told Mrs。
Kronborg that Thea had talent； and that if she came to
him he could teach her in his slippers； and that would
be better。 Mrs。 Kronborg was a strange woman。 That
word 〃talent；〃 which no one else in Moonstone； not even
Dr。 Archie； would have understood； she comprehended
perfectly。 To any other woman there； it would have meant
that a child must have her hair curled every day and must
play in public。 Mrs。 Kronborg knew it meant that Thea
must practice four hours a day。 A child with talent must
be kept at the piano； just as a child with measles must be
kept under the blankets。 Mrs。 Kronborg and her three
sisters had all studied piano； and all sang well； but none of
them had talent。 Their father had played the oboe in an
orchestra in Sweden； before he came to America to better
his fortunes。 He had even known Jenny Lind。 A child with
talent had to be kept at the piano； so twice a week in sum…
mer and once a week in winter Thea went over the gulch to
the Kohlers'； though the Ladies' Aid Society thought it
was not proper for their preacher's daughter to go 〃where
there was so much drinking。〃 Not that the Kohler sons
ever so much as looked at a glass of beer。 They were
ashamed of their old folks and got out into the world as
fast as possible； had their clothes made by a Denver tailor
and their necks shaved up under their hair and forgot
the past。 Old Fritz and Wunsch； however； indulged in a
friendly bottle pretty often。 The two men were like com…
rades； perhaps the bond between them was the glass wherein
lost hopes are found； perhaps it was common memories of
another country； perhaps it was the grapevine in the gar…
denknotty； fibrous shrub； full of homesickness and senti…
ment； which the Germans have carried around the world
with them。
As Thea approached the house she peeped between the
pink sprays of the tamarisk hedge and saw the Professor
and Mrs。 Kohler in the garden； spading and raking。 The
garden looked like a relief…map now； and gave no indication
of what it would be in August； such a jungle！ Pole beans
and potatoes and corn and leeks and kale and red cabbage
there would even be vegetables for which there is no
American name。 Mrs。 Kohler was always getting by mail
packages of seeds from Freeport and from the old country。
Then the flowers！ There were big sunflowers for the canary
bird； tiger lilies and phlox and zinnias and lady's…slippers
and portulaca and hollyhocks；giant hollyhocks。 Beside
the fruit trees there was a great umbrella…shaped catalpa；
and a balm…of…Gilead； two lindens； and even a ginka；a
rigid； pointed tree with leaves shaped like butterflies； which
shivered； but never bent to the wind。
This morning Thea saw to her delight that the two ole…
ander trees； one white and one red； had been brought up
from their winter quarters in the cellar。 There is hardly a
German family in the most arid parts of Utah； New Mex…
ico； Arizona； but has its oleander trees。 However loutish
the American…born sons of the family may be； there was
never one who refused to give his muscle to the back…break…
ing task of getting those tubbed trees down into the cellar in
the fall and up into the sunlight in the spring。 They may
strive to avert the day； but they grapple with the tub at
last。
When Thea entered the gate； her professor leaned his
spade against the white post that supported the turreted
dove…house； and wiped his face with his shirt…sleeve； some…
way he never managed to have a handkerchief about him。
Wunsch was short and stocky； with something rough and
bear…like about his shoulders。 His face was a dark； bricky
red； deeply creased rather than wrinkled； and the skin was
like loose leather over his neck bandhe wore a brass
collar button but no collar。 His hair was cropped close；
iron…gray bristles on a bullet…like head。 His eyes were
always suffused and bloodshot。 He had a coarse； scornful
mouth； and irregular； yellow teeth； much worn at the edges。
His hands were square and red； seldom clean； but always
alive； impatient； even sympathetic。
〃MORGEN；〃 he greeted his pupil in a businesslike way；
put on a black alpaca coat； and conducted her at once to
the piano in Mrs。 Kohler's sitting…room。 He twirled the
stool to the proper height； pointed to it； and sat down in a
wooden chair beside Thea。
〃The scale of B flat major；〃 he directed； and then fell
into an attitude of deep attention。 Without a word his
pupil set to work。
To Mrs。 Kohler； in the garden； came the cheerful sound
of effort； of vigorous striving。 Unconsciously she wielded
her rake more lightly。 Occasionally she heard the teacher's
voice。 〃Scale of E minor。 。 。 。 WEITER； WEITER！ 。 。 。 IMMER
I hear the thumb； like a lame foot。 WEITER 。 。 。 WEITER； once；
。 。 。 SCHON！ The chords； quick！〃
The pupil did not open her mouth until they began the
