“Hasn’tCousinClarafixedthingslovely？“littleHildawhispered，whenNilswentuptoherstallandaskedforlemonade。
Nilsleanedagainstthebooth，talkingtotheexcitedlittlegirlandwatchingthepeople。Thebarnfacedthewest，andthesun，pouringinatthebigdoors，filledthewholeinteriorwithagoldenlight，throughwhichfilteredfineparticlesofdustfromthehaymow，wherethechildrenwereromping。TherewasagreatchatteringfromthestallwhereJohannaVavrikaexhibitedtotheadmiringwomenherplattersheapedwithfriedchicken，herroastsofbeef，boiledtongues，andbakedhamswithclovesstuckinthecrispbrownfatandgarnishedwithtansyandparsley。Theolderwomen，havingassuredthemselvesthatthereweretwentykindsofcake，notcountingcookies，andthreedozenfatpies，repairedtothecornerbehindthepileofwatermelons，putontheirwhiteaprons，andfelltotheirknittingandfancywork。Theywereafinecompanyofoldwomen，andaDutchpainterwouldhavelovedtofindthemtheretogether，wherethesunmadebrightpatchesonthefloorandsentlong，quiveringshaftsofgoldthroughtheduskyshadeupamongtherafters。Therewerefat，rosyoldwomenwholookedhotintheirbestblackdresses；spare，alertoldwomenwithbrown，dark-veinedhands；andseveralofalmostheroicframe，notlessmassivethanoldMrs。Ericsonherself。Fewofthemworeglasses，andoldMrs。Svendsen，aDanishwoman，whowasquitebald，woretheonlycapamongthem。Mrs。Oleson，whohadtwelvebiggrandchildren，couldstillshowtwobraidsofyellowhairasthickasherownwrists。Amongallthesegrandmothersthereweremorebrownheadsthanwhite。Theyallhadapleased，prosperousair，asiftheyweremorethansatisfiedwiththemselvesandwithlife。
Nils，leaningagainstHilda’slemonadestand，watchedthemastheysatchatteringinfourlanguages，theirfingersneverlaggingbehindtheirtongues。
“Lookatthemoverthere，“hewhispered，detainingClaraasshepassedhim。“Aren’ttheytheOldGuard？I’vejustcountedthirtyhands。Iguessthey’vewrungmanyachicken’sneckandwarmedmanyaboy’sjacketforhimintheirtime。“
InrealityhefellintoamazementwhenhethoughtoftheHerculeanlaboursthosefifteenpairsofhandshadperformed:ofthecowstheyhadmilked，thebuttertheyhadmade，thegardenstheyhadplanted，thechildrenandgrandchildrentheyhadtended，thebroomstheyhadwornout，themountainsoffoodtheyhadcooked。Itmadehimdizzy。ClaraVavrikasmiledahard，enigmaticalsmileathimandwalkedrapidlyaway。Nils’eyesfollowedherwhitefigureasshewenttowardthehouse。Hewatchedherwalkingaloneinthesunlight，lookedatherslender，defiantshouldersandherlittlehard-setheadwithitscoilsofblue-blackhair。“No，“hereflected；“she’dneverbelikethem，notifshelivedhereahundredyears。She’donlygrowmorebitter。Youcan’ttameawildthing；youcanonlychainit。
Peoplearen’tallalike。Imustn’tlosemynerve。“HegaveHilda’spigtailapartingtweakandsetoutafterClara。“Whereto？“heasked，ashecameuponherinthekitchen。
“I’mgoingtothecellarforpreserves。“
“Letmegowithyou。Inevergetamomentalonewithyou。
Whydoyoukeepoutofmyway？“
Claralaughed。“Idon’tusuallygetinanybody’sway。“
Nilsfollowedherdownthestairsandtothefarcornerofthecellar，whereabasementwindowletinastreamoflight。
FromaswingingshelfClaraselectedseveralglassjars，eachlabeledinJohanna’scarefulhand。Nilstookupabrownflask。
“What’sthis？Itlooksgood。“
“Itis。It’ssomeFrenchbrandyfathergavemewhenIwasmarried。Wouldyoulikesome？Haveyouacorkscrew？I’llgetglasses。“
Whenshebroughtthem，Nilstookthemfromherandputthemdownonthewindow-sill。“ClaraVavrika，doyourememberhowcrazyIusedtobeaboutyou？“
Clarashruggedhershoulders。“Boysarealwayscrazyaboutsomebodyoranother。IdaresaysomesillyhasbeencrazyaboutEvelinaOleson。Yougotoveritinahurry。“
“BecauseIdidn’tcomeback，youmean？Ihadtogeton，youknow，anditwashardsleddingatfirst。ThenIheardyou’dmarriedOlaf。“
“Andthenyoustayedawayfromabrokenheart，“Claralaughed。
“AndthenIbegantothinkaboutyoumorethanIhadsinceI
firstwentaway。IbegantowonderifyouwerereallyasyouhadseemedtomewhenIwasaboy。IthoughtI’dliketosee。I’vehadlotsofgirls，butnooneeverpulledmethesameway。ThemoreIthoughtaboutyou，themoreIrememberedhowitusedtobe——
likehearingawildtuneyoucan’tresist，callingyououtatnight。Ithadbeenalongwhilesinceanythinghadpulledmeoutofmyboots，andIwonderedwhetheranythingevercouldagain。“
Nilsthrusthishandsintohiscoatpocketsandsquaredhisshoulders，ashismothersometimessquaredhers，asOlaf，inaclumsiermanner，squaredhis。“SoIthoughtI’dcomebackandsee。
Ofcoursethefamilyhavetriedtodome，andIratherthoughtI’dbringoutfather’swillandmakeafuss。Buttheycanhavetheiroldland；they’veputenoughsweatintoit。“Hetooktheflaskandfilledthetwoglassescarefullytothebrim。“I’vefoundoutwhatIwantfromtheEricsons。Drinkskoal，Clara。“Heliftedhisglass，andClaratookherswithdowncasteyes。“Lookatme，ClaraVavrika。Skoal！“
Sheraisedherburningeyesandansweredfiercely:“Skoal！“
Thebarnsupperbeganatsixo’clockandlastedfortwohilarioushours。YenseNelsonhadmadeawagerthathecouldeattwowholefriedchickens，andhedid。EliSwansonstowedawaytwowholecustardpies，andNickHermansonateachocolatelayercaketothelastcrumb。Therewasevenacookycontestamongthechildren，andonethin，slablikeBohemianboyconsumedsixteenandwontheprize，agingerbreadpigwhichJohannaVavrikahadcarefullydecoratedwithredcandiesandburntsugar。FritzSweiheart，theGermancarpenter，woninthepicklecontest，buthedisappearedsoonaftersupperandwasnotseenfortherestoftheevening。JoeVavrikasaidthatFritzcouldhavemanagedthepicklesallright，buthehadsampledthedemijohninhisbuggytoooftenbeforesittingdowntothetable。
Whilethesupperwasbeingclearedawaythetwofiddlersbegantotuneupforthedance。Clarawastoaccompanythemonherolduprightpiano，whichhadbeenbroughtdownfromherfather’s。BythistimeNilshadrenewedoldacquaintances。SincehisinterviewwithClarainthecellar，hehadbeenbusytellingalltheoldwomenhowyoungtheylooked，andalltheyoungoneshowprettytheywere，andassuringthementhattheyhadherethebestfarmlandintheworld。HehadmadehimselfsoagreeablethatoldMrs。
Ericson’sfriendsbegantocomeuptoherandtellhowluckyshewastogethersmartsonbackagain，andpleasetogethimtoplayhisflute。JoeVavrika，whocouldstillplayverywellwhenheforgotthathehadrheumatism，caughtupafiddlefromJohnnyOlesonandplayedacrazyBohemiandancetunethatsetthewheelsgoing。Whenhedroppedtheboweveryonewasreadytodance。
Olaf，inafrockcoatandasolemnmade-upnecktie，ledthegrandmarchwithhismother。Clarahadkeptwelloutofthat
bystickingtothepiano。Sheplayedthemarchwithapompoussolemnitywhichgreatlyamusedtheprodigalson，whowentoverandstoodbehindher。
“Oh，aren’tyourubbingitintothem，ClaraVavrika？Andaren’tyouluckytohavemehere，orallyourwitwouldbethrownaway。“
“I’musedtobeingwittyformyself。Itsavesmylife。“
Thefiddlesstruckupapolka，andNilsconvulsedJoeVavrikabyleadingoutEvelinaOleson，thehomelyschoolteacher。HisnextpartnerwasaveryfatSwedishgirl，who，althoughshewasanheiress，hadnotbeenaskedforthefirstdance，buthadstoodagainstthewallinhertight，high-heeledshoes，nervouslyfingeringalacehandkerchief。Shewassoonoutofbreath，soNilsledher，pleasedandpanting，toherseat，andwentovertothepiano，fromwhichClarahadbeenwatchinghisgallantry。“AskOlenaYenson，“shewhispered。“Shewaltzesbeautifully。“
Olena，too，wasratherinconvenientlyplump，handsomeinasmooth，heavyway，withafinecolourandgood-natured，sleepyeyes。Shewasredolentofvioletsachetpowder，andhadwarm，soft，whitehands，butshedanceddivinely，movingassmoothlyasthetidecomingin。“There，that’ssomethinglike，“Nilssaidashereleasedher。“You’llgivemethenextwaltz，won’tyou？NowImustgoanddancewithmylittlecousin。“
HildawasgreatlyexcitedwhenNilswentuptoherstallandheldouthisarm。Herlittleeyessparkled，butshedeclaredthatshecouldnotleaveherlemonade。OldMrs。Ericson，whohappenedalongatthismoment，saidshewouldattendtothat，andHildacameout，aspinkasherpinkdress。Thedancewasaschottische，andinamomentheryellowbraidswerefairlystandingonend。
“Bravo！“Nilscriedencouragingly。“Wheredidyoulearntodancesonicely？“
“MyCousinClarataughtme，“thelittlegirlpanted。
NilsfoundEricsittingwithagroupofboyswhoweretooawkwardortooshytodance，andtoldhimthathemustdancethenextwaltzwithHilda。
Theboyscreweduphisshoulders。“Aw，Nils，Ican’tdance。
Myfeetaretoobig；Ilooksilly。“
“Don’tbethinkingaboutyourself。Itdoesn’tmatterhowboyslook。“
Nilshadneverspokentohimsosharplybefore，andEricmadehastetoscrambleoutofhiscornerandbrushthestrawfromhiscoat。
Claranoddedapprovingly。“Goodforyou，Nils。I’vebeentryingtogetholdofhim。Theydanceverynicelytogether；I
sometimesplayforthem。“
“I’mobligedtoyouforteachinghim。There’snoreasonwhyheshouldgrowuptobealout。“
“He’llneverbethat。He’smorelikeyouthananyofthem。
Onlyhehasn’tyourcourage。“FromherslantingeyesClarashotforthoneofthosekeenglances，admiringandatthesametimechallenging，whichsheseldombestowedonanyone，andwhichseemedtosay，“Yes，Iadmireyou，butIamyourequal。“