Clara ezit\u0103 s\u0103 r\u0103spund\u0103. Se sim\u021bea stingherit\u0103 de aten\u021bia nea\u0219teptat\u0103 \u0219i de pa\u0219ii ap\u0103sa\u021bi ai b\u0103rbatului care p\u0103rea s\u0103-i u\u0219ureze povara f\u0103r\u0103 niciun efort.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Spre casa Valero, domnule\u2026 \u2014spuse ea \u00eencet, ca \u0219i cum i-ar fi fost team\u0103 s\u0103 rosteasc\u0103 numele care \u00eei aducea at\u00e2tea priviri batjocoritoare \u00een sat.<\/p>\n
El \u00eei arunc\u0103 o privire lung\u0103, p\u0103trunz\u0103toare, dar nu spuse nimic. Doar z\u00e2mbi, un z\u00e2mbet cald \u0219i misterios care o tulbur\u0103 mai mult dec\u00e2t ar fi vrut s\u0103 recunoasc\u0103.<\/p>\n
Drumul p\u00e2n\u0103 la casa ei era lung \u0219i t\u0103cut, spart doar de c\u00e2ntecul greierilor ascun\u0219i \u00een iarba ars\u0103 \u0219i de sc\u00e2r\u021b\u00e2itul lemnului de la g\u0103le\u021bi.<\/p>\n
Ajun\u0219i \u00een fa\u021ba gospod\u0103riei, Clara se gr\u0103bi s\u0103 ia g\u0103le\u021bile, ru\u0219inat\u0103 ca nu cumva mama ei s\u0103 o vad\u0103 \u00eenso\u021bit\u0103 de un b\u0103rbat. Dar b\u0103rbatul \u00ee\u0219i ridic\u0103 palma \u0219i o opri.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Da\u021bi-mi voie s\u0103 v\u0103 duc apa p\u00e2n\u0103 \u00een curte.<\/p>\n
Ea nu \u00eendr\u0103zni s\u0103 se \u00eempotriveasc\u0103. \u00cen sat, astfel de gesturi erau rare, mai ales pentru cineva ca ea.<\/p>\n
Mama Clarei, o femeie cu ochi reci \u0219i buze str\u00e2nse, \u00eei \u00eent\u00e2mpin\u0103 la poart\u0103. Privirea ei t\u0103ioas\u0103 se opri asupra str\u0103inului, m\u0103sur\u00e2ndu-l cu suspiciune.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Cine e domnul? \u2014\u00eentreb\u0103 scurt, ignor\u00e2ndu-\u0219i fiica.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Un c\u0103l\u0103tor, doamn\u0103 \u2014r\u0103spunse el politicos, l\u0103s\u00e2nd g\u0103le\u021bile jos\u2014. Mi s-a p\u0103rut potrivit s\u0103 o ajut pe domni\u0219oara.<\/p>\n
Clara sim\u021bi cum obrajii i se aprind. Mama ei \u00eens\u0103 nu p\u0103ru impresionat\u0103.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Domni\u0219oara? \u2014r\u00e2se ironic\u2014. O fat\u0103 trecut\u0103 de vreme \u0219i nefolositoare. Nu v\u0103 mai pierde\u021bi timpul cu ea, domnule.<\/p>\n
B\u0103rbatul nu clinti din privire. Din contr\u0103, z\u00e2mbetul i se ad\u00e2nci \u0219i vocea \u00eei deveni \u0219i mai lini\u0219tit\u0103.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Uneori, ceea ce satul arunc\u0103 la margine e tocmai ceea ce are mai mult\u0103 valoare.<\/p>\n
Clara r\u0103mase \u00eempietrit\u0103. Niciodat\u0103 nimeni nu vorbise despre ea \u00een felul acesta.<\/p>\n
Zilele urm\u0103toare, str\u0103inul \u2014care se prezentase drept Ion \u2014 ap\u0103ru tot mai des prin sat. Spunea c\u0103 e negustor de vite, dar pu\u021bini \u0219tiau de unde venise. Avea un aer de om obi\u0219nuit s\u0103 cutreiere lumea, \u00eens\u0103 ochii \u00eei ascundeau pove\u0219ti pe care nimeni nu le putea citi.<\/p>\n
Oamenii din sat, curio\u0219i \u0219i b\u00e2rfitori cum erau, \u00eencepur\u0103 s\u0103-l urm\u0103reasc\u0103 cu privirea. \u0218i, spre uimirea tuturor, Ion p\u0103rea s\u0103-\u0219i \u00eendrepte pa\u0219ii mereu spre Clara.<\/p>\n
La \u00eenceput, femeile din sat r\u00e2ser\u0103 de ea, spun\u00e2nd c\u0103 str\u0103inul doar \u00ee\u0219i bate joc. Dar c\u00e2nd zilele se transformar\u0103 \u00een s\u0103pt\u0103m\u00e2ni, iar Ion continua s\u0103 o \u00eenso\u021beasc\u0103 la f\u00e2nt\u00e2n\u0103, s\u0103-i aduc\u0103 lemne \u0219i s\u0103 stea la pove\u0219ti cu ea seara, pe b\u0103ncu\u021ba din fa\u021ba casei, r\u00e2setele se stinser\u0103.<\/p>\n
Cur\u00e2nd, vestea c\u0103 Ion o ceruse de nevast\u0103 pe Clara se r\u0103sp\u00e2ndi ca focul. Satul \u00eentreg se cutremur\u0103. Cum era posibil ca fata batjocorit\u0103 de to\u021bi s\u0103 ajung\u0103 mireas\u0103 \u00eenaintea celorlalte fete?<\/p>\n
Nunta se preg\u0103ti \u00een grab\u0103, dup\u0103 obiceiul locului. L\u0103utarii fur\u0103 chema\u021bi, mesele se \u00eenc\u0103rcar\u0103 cu sarmale, pl\u0103cinte \u0219i vin ro\u0219u din butoaie vechi. Satul \u00eentreg se adun\u0103, dar nu din bucurie, ci din curiozitate \u0219i poate chiar invidie.<\/p>\n
\u00cen ziua nun\u021bii, Clara \u00ee\u0219i f\u0103cu apari\u021bia \u00eembr\u0103cat\u0103 \u00eentr-o rochie simpl\u0103, alb\u0103, mo\u0219tenit\u0103 de la o m\u0103tu\u0219\u0103. P\u0103rul ei prins \u00een coad\u0103 \u0219i ochii \u00eenl\u0103crima\u021bi nu ascundeau emo\u021biile.<\/p>\n
Dar Ion, cu privirea lui de o\u021bel, o privi ca \u0219i cum ar fi fost cea mai frumoas\u0103 femeie din lume.<\/p>\n
C\u00e2nd preotul \u00eei \u00eentreb\u0103 dac\u0103 accept\u0103 s\u0103-i fie so\u021bie, el rosti un \u201eDa\u201d ap\u0103sat, iar vocea \u00eei r\u0103sun\u0103 peste to\u021bi cei prezen\u021bi.<\/p>\n
Clara sim\u021bi cum lumea \u00eentreag\u0103 se n\u0103ruie \u0219i rena\u0219te \u00een acela\u0219i timp. Pentru prima dat\u0103 \u00een via\u021ba ei, nu mai era \u201epovara familiei\u201d, ci femeia dorit\u0103 de un b\u0103rbat \u00een fa\u021ba satului \u00eentreg.<\/p>\n
Totu\u0219i, chiar \u00een mijlocul s\u0103rb\u0103torii, un detaliu tulbur\u0103tor \u00eencepu s\u0103 ias\u0103 la iveal\u0103. Un mo\u0219 din sat, care \u00eel privise atent pe Ion, \u0219opti c\u0103tre cei din jur:<\/p>\n
\u2014 Omul \u0103sta nu-i cine spune c\u0103 este. L-am mai v\u0103zut odat\u0103, cu mul\u021bi ani \u00een urm\u0103\u2026 dar nu ca negustor de vite, ci ca haiduc.<\/p>\n
Murmurul se r\u0103sp\u00e2ndi rapid, ca o flac\u0103r\u0103 \u00een paie uscate. Satul \u00eentreg \u00eencepu s\u0103 se agite, iar ochii se \u00eentoarser\u0103 din nou spre Clara.<\/p>\n
Dar ea, \u021bin\u00e2ndu-l de m\u00e2n\u0103 pe Ion, ridic\u0103 privirea \u0219i pentru prima dat\u0103 \u00een via\u021b\u0103 \u00eenfrunt\u0103 to\u021bi ochii batjocoritori.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Poate c\u0103 nu e cine spune c\u0103 este \u2014zise ea cu voce tare\u2014, dar pentru mine este omul care m-a ales, c\u00e2nd voi to\u021bi m-a\u021bi alungat.<\/p>\n
Lini\u0219tea care se a\u0219ternu peste curtea plin\u0103 de lume fu mai puternic\u0103 dec\u00e2t orice muzic\u0103.<\/p>\n
\u0218i astfel, \u00een acea zi, Clara Valero \u2014fata dispre\u021buit\u0103 a satului\u2014 deveni nu doar so\u021bie, ci \u0219i o femeie care \u00eenv\u0103\u021base s\u0103-\u0219i ridice capul sus, chiar \u0219i \u00een fa\u021ba celor care \u00eei doreau pieirea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Clara ezit\u0103 s\u0103 r\u0103spund\u0103. Se sim\u021bea stingherit\u0103 de aten\u021bia nea\u0219teptat\u0103 \u0219i de pa\u0219ii ap\u0103sa\u021bi ai b\u0103rbatului care p\u0103rea s\u0103-i u\u0219ureze povara f\u0103r\u0103 niciun efort. \u2014 Spre casa Valero, domnule\u2026 \u2014spuse ea \u00eencet, ca \u0219i cum i-ar fi fost team\u0103 s\u0103 rosteasc\u0103 numele care \u00eei aducea at\u00e2tea priviri batjocoritoare \u00een sat. El \u00eei arunc\u0103 o privire […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7310,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-povesti"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7309"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7311,"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7309\/revisions\/7311"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bumzi.ro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}