The Trial of Sören Qvist

Eight

83 Eight the linden crowns grew thick about the steep roofs of the parsonage , and in the corners of walls and by the edge of the pond the burdock grew tall. the geese took shelter under the coarse rough leaves, and the children made baskets of the green burrs. Cinquefoil, with small yellow blossom, and ranunculus, with glossy yellow cup, edged the sunny roads, and the weather was warm so that the cattle remained in the fields all night. it was early June when the betrothal of Judge tryg thorwaldsen and anna Sörensdaughter was celebrated. at tryg’s wish, the betrothal dinner was given at his house in rosmos, and the papers were signed in the narrow, high-paneled room with the three glazed windows. But Sören Qvist kept open house at the parsonage that evening. Folk were there from as far away as hallendrup, tryg’s friends from rosmos, and Pastor Sören’s great friend Peder Korf, from the parsonage at aalsö, a short, sturdy man with a thick brown beard and bright blue eyes. vibeke was attentive to all. She seemed to be everywhere at once, and indefatigable . She brought hot buttered cabbage to Pastor Korf, and twisted cakes and tankards of beer to the gentry from rosmos. She stepped into the garden to cut fresh cabbage for the pot which she kept boiling all the evening, and surprised Kirsten 84 Janet Lewis and hans kissing, as they thought, unobserved. She only laughed at Kirsten for blushing so that even the back of her neck was red, and hurried on her way. She carried drink to the musicians, and routed anna from the dairy, where the girl had taken refuge in a familiar task from so much festivity. “this is the place for Kirsten tonight,” said vibeke, “not for you. and you should be where Kirsten is, courting in the garden.” “oh, vibeke,” said the girl, “i have been kissed by a hundred people since noon, if i’ve been kissed by one. i wanted a moment to think things over a little.” “a button for thinking,” said vibeke. “Go and dance with your man.” a trestle table had been set up in the courtyard, and spread with a white linen cloth that fairly touched the ground. here were baskets of vibeke’s cakes, and all the tankards that the parsonage could boast or borrow, silver and beechwood, silver and ebony, patterned earthenware with silver lids, and here also the guests, as they arrived, brought offerings of fruit, the first strawberries, and, on beds of green leaves, the first cherries . here were the bowls of hot cabbage drowned in butter, and rounds of creamy cheese, and platters of smoked fish and of salt fish, where all who came might help themselves. on the farther side of the yard, near the big heap of manure, with the wall of the byre behind them, sat the musicians, two fiddlers and the man with the tuba who also played in the church on Sundays. a bagpiper from Grenaa had come as well. they were contributing the music as a betrothal gift. it was not every day that Parson Sören had a daughter to affiance, and there were few in vejlby parish, or in aalsö parish, for that matter, who had not known anna since she was a little girl. 85 T H E T R I A L O F S Ö R E N Q V I S T Judge thorwaldsen danced. he danced the “little Man in a Fix” with Kirsten, vibeke, and hans. then he danced the “Crested hen” with anna and vibeke, and he danced round dances until his linen was soaked with sweat and the edges of his fair hair as well. he would fain have rested, but vibeke had an eye upon him. he marveled that vibeke did not drop in her tracks. She seemed to be in every dance. well into her forties, and not so slender as she once had been by a good many pounds, she was still as quick on her feet as any young woman in the crowd, and although her round face grew pink and her forehead dewy, her breath came as evenly as a girl’s. the music, backed by the wall of the byre, re-echoing from the other three walls, was bravely loud, and the musicians were as unflagging as vibeke...