第8章SpringtimeàlaCarte

第8章springtimeàlacarte

itwasadayinmarch.

never,neverbeginastorythiswaywhenyouwriteone.noopeningcouldpossiblybeworse.itisunimaginative,flat,dryandlikelytoconsistofmerewind.butinthisinstanceitisallowable.forthefollowingparagraph,whichshouldhaveinauguratedthenarrative,istoowildlyextravagantandpreposteroustobeflauntedinthefaceofthereaderwithoutpreparation.

sarahwascryingoverherbilloffare.

thinkofanewyorkgirlsheddingtearsonthemenucard!

toaccountforthisyouwillbeallowedtoguessthatthelobsterswereallout,orthatshehadswornice-creamoffduringlent,orthatshehadorderedonions,orthatshehadjustcomefromahackettmatinee.andthen,allthesetheoriesbeingwrong,youwillpleaseletthestoryproceed.

thegentlemanwhoannouncedthattheworldwasanoysterwhichhewithhisswordwouldopenmadealargerhitthanhedeserved.itisnotdifficulttoopenanoysterwithasword.butdidyouevernoticeanyonetrytoopentheterrestrialbivalvewithatypewriter?liketowaitforadozenrawopenedthatway?

sarahhadmanagedtopryaparttheshellswithherunhandyweaponfarenoughtonibbleaweebitatthecoldandclammyworldwithin.sheknewnomoreshorthandthanifshehadbeenagraduateinstenographyjustletslipupontheworldbyabusinesscollege.so,notbeingabletostenog,shecouldnotenterthatbrightgalaxyofofficetalent.shewasafree-lancetypewriterandcanvassedforoddjobsofcopying.

themostbrilliantandcrowningfeatofsarah'sbattlewiththeworldwasthedealshemadewithschulenberghomerestaurant.therestaurantwasnextdoortotheoldredbrickinwhichsheballroomed.oneeveningafterdiningatschulenberg's40-centfive-coursetabled'hote(servedasfastasyouthrowthefivebaseballsatthecoloredgentleman'shead)sarahtookawaywithherthebilloffare.itwaswritteninanalmostunreadable neitherenglishnorgerman,andsoarrangedthatifyouwerenotcarefulyoubeganwithatoothpickandricepuddingandendedwithsoupandthedayoftheweek.

thenextdaysarahshowedsehulenberganeatcardonwhichthemenuwasbeautifullytypewrittenwiththeviandstemptinglymarshaledundertheirrightandproperheadsfrom"horsd'oeuvre"to"notresponsibleforovercoatsandumbrellas."

schulenbergbecameanaturalizedcitizenonthespot.beforesarahlefthimshehadhimwillinglycommittedtoanagreement.shewastofurnishtypewrittenbillsoffareforthetwenty-onetablesintherestaurant—anewbillforeachday'sdinner,andnewonesforbreakfastandlunchasoftenaschangesoccurredinthefoodorasneatnessrequired.

inreturnforthisschulenbergwastosendthreemealsperdiemtosarah'shallroombyawaiter—anobsequiousoneifpossible—andfurnishhereachafternoonwithapencildraftofwhatfatehadinstoreforschulenberg'scustomersonthemorrow.

mutualsatisfactionresultedfromtheagreement.schulenberg'spatronsnowknewwhatthefoodtheyatewascalledevenifitsnaturesometimespuzzledthem.andsarahhadfoodduringacold,dullwinter,whichwasthemainthingwithher.

andthenthealmanaclied,andsaidthatspringhadcome.spingcomeswhenitcomes.thefrozensnowsofjanuarystilllaylikeadamantinthecrosstownstreets.thehand-organsstillplayed"inthegoodoldsummertime,"withtheirdecembervivacityandexpression.menbegantomakethirty-daynotestobuyeasterdresses.janitorsshutoffsteam.andwhenthesethingshappenonemayknowthatthecityisstillintheclutchesofwinter.

oneafternoonsarahshiveredinhereleganthallbedroom;"househeated;scrupulouslyclean;conveniences;seentobeappreciated."shehadnoworktodoexceptschulenberg'smenucards.sarahsatinhersqueakywillowrocker,andlookedoutthewindow.thecalendaronthewallkeptcryingtoher:"springtimeishere,sarah—springtimeishere,itellyou.lookatme,sarah,myfiguresshowit.you'vegotaneatfigureyourself,sarah—a—nice,springtimefigure—whydoyoulookoutthewindowsosadly?"

sarah'sroomwasatthebackofthehouse.lookingoutthewindowshecouldseethewindowlessrearbrickwalloftheboxfactoryonthenextstreet.butthewallwasclearestcrystal;andsarahwaslookingdownagrassylaneshadedwithcherrytreesandelmsandborderedwithraspberrybushesandcherokeeroses.

spring'srealharbingersaretoosubtlefortheeyeandear.somemusthavethefloweringcrocus,thewood-starringdogwood,thevoiceofbluebird—evensogrossareminderasthefarewellhandshakeoftheretiringbuckwheatandoysterbeforetheycanwelcometheladyingreentotheirdullbosoms.buttooldearth'schoicestkintherecomestraight,sweetmessagesfromhisnewestbride,tellingthemtheyshallbenostepchildrenunlesstheychoosetobe.

ontheprevioussummersarahhadgoneintothecountryandlovedafarmer.

(inwritingyourstoryneverharkbackthus.itisbadart,andcripplesinterest.letitmarch,march.)

sarahstayedtwoweeksatsunnybrookfarm.thereshelearnedtoloveoldfarmerfranklin'ssonwalter.farmershavebeenlovedandweddedandturnedouttograssinlesstime.butyoungwalterfranklinwasamodernagriculturist.hehadatelephoneinhiscowhouse,andhecouldfigureupexactlywhateffectnextyear'scanadawheatcropwouldhaveonpotatoesplantedinthedarkofthemoon.

itwasinthisshadedandraspberriedlanethatwalterhadwooedandwonher.andtogethertheyhadsatandwovenacrownofdandelionsforherhair.hehadimmoderatelypraisedtheeffectoftheyellowblossomsagainstherbrowntresses;andshehadleftthechapletthere,andwalkedbacktothehouseswingingherstrawsailorinherhands.

theyweretomarryinthespring—attheveryfirstsignsofspring,waltersaid.andsarahcamebacktothecitytopoundhertypewriter.

aknockatthedoordispelledsarah'svisionsofthathappyday.awaiterhadbroughttheroughpencildraftofthehomerestaurant'snextdayfareinoldschulenberg'sangularhand.

sarahsatdowntohertypewriterandslippedacardbetweentherollers.shewasanimbleworker.generallyinanhourandahalfthetwenty-onemenucardswerewrittenandready.

todaythereweremorechangesonthebilloffarethanusual.thesoupswerelighter;porkwaseliminatedfromtheentrees,figuringonlywithrussianturnipsamongtheroasts.thegraciousspiritofspringpervadedtheentiremenu.lamb,thatlatelycaperedonthegreeninghillsides,wasbecomingexploitedwiththesaucethatcommemorateditsgambols.thesongoftheoyster,thoughnotsilenced,wasdiminuendoconamore.thefrying-panseemedtobeheld,inactive,behindthebeneficentbarsofthebroiler.thepielistswelled;thericherpuddingshadvanished;thesausage,withhisdraperywrappedabouthim,barelylingeredinapleasantthanatopsiswiththebuckwheatsandthesweetbutdoomedmaple.

sarah'sfingersdancedlikemidgetsaboveasummerstream.downthroughthecoursessheworked,givingeachitemitspositionaccordingtoitslengthwithanaccurateeye.justabovethedessertscamethelistofvegetables.carrotsandpeas,asparagusontoast,theperennialtomatoesandcornandotash,limabeans,cabbage—andthen—sarahwascryingoverherbilloffare.tearsfromthedepthsofsomedivinedespairroseinherheartandgatheredtohereyes.downwentherheadonthelittletypewriterstand;andthekeyboardraffledadryaccompanimenttohermoistsobs.

forshehadreceivednoletterfromwalterintwoweeks,andthenextitemonthebilloffarewasdandelions—dandelionswithsomekindofegg—butbothertheegg!—dandelions,withwhosegoldenbloomswalterhadcrownedherhisqueenofloveandfuturebride—dandelions,theharbingersofspring,hersorrow'scrownofsorrow—reminderofherhappiestdays.

madam,idareyoutosmileuntilyousufferthistest:letthemarechalnielrosesthatpercybroughtyouonthenightyougavehimyourheartbeservedasasaladwithfrenchdressingbeforeyoureyesataschulenbergtabled'hote.hadjulietsoseenherlovetokensdishonoredthesoonerwouldshehavesoughttheletheanherbsofthegoodapothecary.

butwhatawitchisspring!intothegreatcoldcityofstoneandironamessagehadtobesent.therewasnonetoconveyitbutthelittlehardycourierofthefieldswithhisroughgreencoatandmodestair.heisaturesoldieroffortune,thisdent-de-lion—thislion'stooth,asthefrenchchefscallhim.flowered,hewillassistatlovemaking,wreathedinmylady'snut-brownhair;youngandcallowandunblossomed,hegoesintotheboilingpotanddeliversthewordofhissovereignmistress.

byandbysarahforcedbackhertears.thecardsmustbewritten.but,stillinafaint,goldenglowfromherdandeleoninedream,shefingeredthetypewriterkeysabsentlyforalittlewhile,withhermindandheartinthemeadowlanewithheryoungfarmer.butsoonshecameswiftlybacktotherock-boundlanesofmanhattan,andthetypewriterbegantorattleandjumplikeastrike-breaker'smotorcar.

at6o'clockthewaiterbroughtherdinnerandcarriedawaythetypewrittenbilloffare.whensarahateshesetaside,withasigh,thedishofdandelionswithitscrowningovariousaccompaniment.asthisdarkmasshadbeentransformedfromabrightandlove-indorsedflowertobeanignominiousvegetable,sohadhersummerhopeswiltedandperished.lovemay,asshakespearesaid,feedonitself:butsarahcouldnotbringherselftoeatthedandelionsthathadgraced,asornaments,thefirstspiritualbanquetofherheart'strueaffection.

at7:30thecoupleinthenextroombegantoquarrel:themanintheroomabovesoughtforaonhisflute;thegaswentalittlelower;threecoalwagonsstartedtounload—theonlysoundofwhichthephonographisjealous;catsonthebackfencesslowlyretreatedtowardmukden.bythesesignssarahknewthatitwastimeforhertoread.shegotout"thecloisterandthehearth,"thebestnon-sellingbookofthemonth,settledherfeetonhertrunk,andbegantowanderwithgerard.

thefrontdoorbellrang.thelandladyansweredit.sarahleftgerardanddenystreedbyabearandlistened.oh,yes;youwould,justasshedid!

andthenastrongvoicewasheardinthehallbelow,andsarahjumpedforherdoor,leavingthebookonthefloorandthefirstroundeasilythebear's.youhaveguessedit.shereachedthetopofthestairsjustasherfarmercameup,threeatajump,andreapedandgarneredher,withnothingleftforthegleaners.

"whyhaven'tyouwritten—oh,why?"criedsarah.

"newyorkisaprettylargetown,"saidwalterfanklin."icameinaweekagotoyouroldaddress.ifoundthatyouwentawayonathursday.thatconsoledsome;iteliminatedthepossiblefridaybadluck.butitdidn'tpreventmyhuntingforyouwithpoliceandotherwiseeversince!"

"iwrote!"saidsarah,vehemently

"nevergotit!"

"thenhowdidyoufindme?"

theyoungfarmersmiledaspringtimesmile."idroppedintothathomerestaurantnextdoorthisevening,"saidhe."idon'tcarewhoknowsit;ilikeadishofsomekindofgreensatthistimeoftheyear.iranmyeyedownthatnicetypewrittenbilloffarelookingforsomethinginthatline.whenigotbelowcabbageiturnedmychairoverandholleredfortheproprietor.hetoldmewhereyoulived."

"iremember,"sighedsarahhappily."thatwasdandelionsbelowcabbage."

"i'dknowthatcrankycapitalw'wayabovethelinethatyourtypewritermakesanywhereintheworld,"saidfranklin.

"why,there'snowindandelions,"saidsarah,insurprise.

theyoungmandrewthebilloffarefromhispocket,andpointedtoaline.

sarahrecognizedthefirstcardshehadtypewrittenthatafternoon.therewasstilltherayedsplotchintheupperright-handcornerwhereatearhadfallen.butoverthespotwhereoneshouldhavereadthenameofthemeadowplant,theclingingmemoryoftheirgoldenblossomshadallowedherfingerstostrikestrangekeys.

betweentheredcabbageandthestuffedgreenpepperswasthe-item:

"dearestwalter,withhard-boiledegg."