Page:Laughing Boy-1929.djvu/278

This page needs to be proofread.

ag 266 “LAUGHING Boy ‘I thought it was all right. What I did with him had nothing to do with what I did with you, it was just work. It was for us, for our life. ‘And I did not want to herd sheep and grow heavy and ugly early from work, as Navajo wo- men do. I wanted much money, and then to go North and have children with you and stay beautiful until I am old, as American women do. I was foolish. ‘Then I saw your face in the window, and the world turned to ashes, and I knew that there were things that were worse than death. That is all, that is the truth. I have spoken.’ She sank back, exhausted, with closed eyes. Laughing Boy lit a cigarette from the fire. Then he said: ‘I hear you. Sleep. It is well.” He squatted in the doorway, smoking. 111 He was at peace within himself. Now at last he knew his wife, now at last he understood her, and it was all right. Error, not evil. Something inimi- cal and proud in her had been destroyed. He was tired, emotionally drained, but he could let his smoke curl up to the stars and feel the cold air penetrate his blanket, calmly, while he thought and knew his own mind. He had a feeling, with-

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.