Professional Documents
Culture Documents
THIRD EDITION
Edited by
TREVOR M. LETCHER
Emeritus Professor, School of Chemistry, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Elsevier
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ISBN: 978-0-12-821575-3
Contributors xi II
Preface to third edition xv
Tools used to investige and predict
climate change
I 3. Climate change through
Introduction Earth history
Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams
1. Global warmingda complex situation
Trevor M. Letcher 1. Introduction 49
2. Climate models 50
1. Introduction 3 3. Long-term climate trends 51
2. The greenhouse effect and global warming 3 4. Early climate history 52
3. Feedback mechanisms to further increase the 5. Phanerozoic glaciations 54
heating of the planet 5 6. The Mesozoicdearly Cenozoic
4. Our present situation 5 greenhouse 55
5. Urgent action is required 7 7. Development of the Cenozoic
6. Global warming, climate change, and the new icehouse 56
pandemicdCOVID-19 8 8. Astronomical modulation of climate 57
7. Why is the world so slow in overcoming global 9. Milankovitch cyclicity in Quaternary
warming? 9 (Pleistocene) climate history 57
8. Social and ethical impacts of climate change 12 10. Quaternary sub-Milankovitch
9. What can we do? 13 cyclicity 59
10. Conclusion 16 11. The Holocene 59
References 16 12. Climate of the Anthropocene 60
13. Conclusions 61
2. Greenhouse gases and the emerging References 61
climate emergency
Richard Tuckett 4. Numerical modeling of the global
climate and carbon cycle system
1. Introduction 19 Chris D. Jones
2. Myths about the greenhouse effect 21
3. Origin of the greenhouse effect: “primary” and 1. Introduction 67
“secondary” effects 23 2. Numerical modeling for climate and the earth
4. The physical properties of greenhouse gases 29 system 68
5. Interpretation of data for the properties of 3. Modeling the global carbon
greenhouse gases 33 cycle 78
6. What has changed in the past decade? 36 4. Summary and conclusions 84
Acknowledgments 44 Glossary 85
References 44 References 86
v
vi CONTENTS
21. Marine biodiversity and climate change 4. Evidence that plant disease patterns have changed
Boris Worm and Heike K. Lotze due to climate change 505
Acknowledgments 510
1. Introduction 445 References 510
2. Climate change in the oceans 446
3. Effects of climate change on marine 25. Invasive plants and climate change
biodiversity 446 Anna Turbelin and Jane A. Catford
4. Cumulative impacts and indirect effects of climate
change 456 1. Introduction 515
5. Biodiversity as insurance against climate change 2. A brief introduction into plant
impacts 458 invasions 516
6. Conclusions 459 3. How can climate change influence plant invasion
Acknowledgments 459 success? 520
References 459 4. Current and projected levels of plant invasions
under climate change 526
22. Intertidal indicators of climate and 5. Can plant invasions influence climate change?
global change 530
Nova Mieszkowska
6. Conclusion 531
References 532
1. Introduction 465
2. Climate change and biogeography 466 26. Biological diversity and
3. Mechanisms and microclimate 474 climate change
4. Additional impacts of global change 476 Rik Leemans, Sarahi Nunez, and Rob Alkemade
5. Conclusions 477
Acknowledgments 478 1. Introduction 541
References 478 2. A quick history of biodiversity impact
assessments 543
23. Lichens as an indicator of climate and 3. Observed changes in biodiversity 544
global change 4. Future changes in biodiversity 545
André Aptroot, Norbert J. Stapper, Alica Kosuthová, and
5. IPCC's reason for concern diagram 549
Kok (C.M.) van Herk 6. Are the Paris Accords effective to protect
biodiversity? 552
1. Introduction 483 7. Conclusions 553
2. Predicted effects 484 References 554
3. Observed effects 485
4. Uncertain effects 492 27. The role of forests in the carbon cycle
5. Habitats with vulnerable lichens 493 and in climate change
References 495 Matthew D. Hurteau
7. Cosmic rays/space factors and global 5. Engineering and the carbon cycle 778
warming 754 6. Nutrient engineering 787
8. The influence of asteroids and great meteorites 7. Albedo engineering 789
impacts on the Earth’s climate 759 8. Engineering-based decision-making 791
9. The influence of nearby supernova on the Earth’s References 795
climate 760 Further reading 796
10. Discussion and conclusions 760
References 764 35. Societal adaptation to climate change
Daniel A. Vallero
1. Introduction 799
V 2. Risk and vulnerability 801
Societal aspects of global change 3. Disease occurrence and transmission 801
4. Ocean and large-scale surface water changes 805
34. Engineering aspects of 5. Resilience 808
6. Extreme events 810
climate change 7. Food and water supply 811
Daniel A. Vallero
8. Conclusions 813
References 814
1. Introduction 771
2. The role of the engineer 771
3. Global greenhouse gases 774 Index 817
4. Engineering aspects of the “spheres” 775
Contributors
Rob Alkemade Environmental Systems Analy- Martin Edwards Marine Biological Association,
sis Group, Wageningen University and Plymouth, United Kingdom; Marine Institute,
Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands; PBL University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United
Netherlands Environmental Assessment Kingdom
Agency, The Hague, The Netherlands P.D. Esker Department of Plant Pathology and
André Aptroot Laboratório de Botânica, Lique- Environmental Microbiology, Penn State Uni-
nologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade versity, University Park, PA, United States
Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Wolfgang Fiedler Department of Migration and
Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute of An-
Martin J. Attrill School of Biological and Marine imal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany; Depart-
Sciences, Marine Institute, Plymouth Univer- ment of Biology, University of Konstanz,
sity, Drake Circus, Plymouth, United Kingdom Konstanz, Germany
Jonathan Bamber Bristol Glaciology Centre, Helen S. Findlay Plymouth Marine Laboratory,
University of Bristol, School of Geographical Plymouth, United Kingdom
Sciences, Bristol, United Kingdom Nicola L. Foster School of Biological and Marine
Jane A. Catford Department of Geography, Sciences, Marine Institute, Plymouth Univer-
Kings College London, London, United sity, Drake Circus, Plymouth, United Kingdom
Kingdom Jennifer Francis Woodwell Climate Research
Shabtai Cohen Department of Environmental Center, Falmouth, MA, United States
Physics and Irrigation, Institute of Soil, Water K.A. Garrett Plant Pathology Department, Food
and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Systems Institute, Emerging Pathogens Insti-
Research Organization, The Volcani Centre, tute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL,
Rishon LeZion, Israel United States; Department of Plant Pathology,
Anne Sophie Daloz Center for International Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS,
Climate Research (CICERO), Oslo, Norway United States
E.D. De Wolf Department of Plant Pathology, Ed Garrett Department of Environment and
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, Geography, University of York, Heslington,
United States York, United Kingdom
Lev I. Dorman Cosmic Ray and Space Weather Roland Gehrels Department of Environment
Centre with Emilio Segrè Observatory on Mt and Geography, University of York, Hesling-
Hermon, affiliated to Tel Aviv University (city ton, York, United Kingdom
Tel Aviv), Ariel University (city Ariel), Shamir L. Gomez-Montano Department of Plant Pa-
Research Institute (city Katsrin), and Israel thology, Kansas State University, Manhattan,
Space Agency of the Ministry of Science (city KS, United States
Tel Aviv), Israel; Cosmic Ray Department of
Patricia Handmann GEOMAR Helmholtz Cen-
Pushkov’s IZMIRAN Russian Academy of
tre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
Science, Moscow, Russia
xi
xii CONTRIBUTORS
Jim Haywood University of Exeter and Met Nova Mieszkowska School of Environmental
Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, United Kingdom Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool,
Regine Hock Department of Geosciences, Uni- United Kingdom; Marine Biological Associa-
versity of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Geophysical tion of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill,
Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fair- Plymouth, United Kingdom
banks, AK, United States Julian B. Murton Department of Geography,
Matthew D. Hurteau Department of Biology, University of Sussex, Brighton, United
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, Kingdom
United States M. Nita School of Plant and Environmental
Matthias Huss Swiss Federal Institute for For- Sciences, Virginia Tech, AHS Jr. AREC, Win-
est, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), chester, VA, United States
Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Laboratory of Hy- Sarahi Nunez Environmental Systems Analysis
draulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW), Group, Wageningen University and Research,
ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Department Wageningen, The Netherlands
of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fri- Shannon L. Pelini Department of Life Sciences,
bourg, Switzerland Bowling Green State University, Bowling
Chris D. Jones Met Office Hadley Centre, Exe- Green, OH, United States
ter, United Kingdom Deepa S. Pureswaran Canadian Forest Service,
Torsten Kanzow Alfred Wegener Institute, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Quebec City, QC,
Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Canada
Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; Bremen Thomas Reichler Department of Atmospheric
University, Bremen, Germany Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City,
Alica Kosuthová Department of Botany, Swed- UT, United States
ish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Nathalie Schaller Center for International Cli-
Sweden mate Research (CICERO), Oslo, Norway
Rattan Lal Carbon Management and Seques- David Schroeder Centre for Polar Observation
tration Center, The Ohio State University, Co- and Modelling, Department of Meteorology,
lumbus, OH, United States University of Reading, Reading, United
Rik Leemans Environmental Systems Analysis Kingdom
Group, Wageningen University and Research, Clemens Schwingshackl Center for Interna-
Wageningen, The Netherlands tional Climate Research (CICERO), Oslo,
Trevor M. Letcher University of KwaZulu- Norway
Natal, Durban, South Africa; Laurel House, Jana Sillmann Center for International Climate
Stratton on the Fosse, United Kingdom Research (CICERO), Oslo, Norway
Heike K. Lotze Biology Department, Dalhousie A.H. Sparks University of Southern Queens-
University, Halifax, NS, Canada land, Centre for Crop Health, Toowoomba,
Lucas J. Lourens Department of Earth Sciences, QLD, Australia
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Gerald Stanhilly Department of Environmental
Utrecht, The Netherlands Physics and Irrigation, Institute of Soil, Water
Audrey M. Maran Department of Life Sciences, and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Research Organization, The Volcani Centre,
Green, OH, United States Rishon LeZion, Israel
y
Deceased May 3, 2019. Gerald Stanhill was a pioneer of Agricultural Meteorology, and his major
contribution to global dimming is part of his legacy.
CONTRIBUTORS xiii
Norbert J. Stapper Büro für Ökologische Stud- Kok (C.M.) van Herk Lichenologisch Onder-
ien, Monheim am Rhein, Germany zoeksbureau Nederland, Soest, The Netherlands
Georgiy Stenchikov King Abdullah University Martin Visbeck GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre
of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Makkah, for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany; Kiel Uni-
Saudi Arabia versity, Kiel, Germany
Martin Stendel Department of Climate and Peter Wadhams Department of Applied Math-
Arctic Research, Danish Meteorological Insti- ematics and Theoretical Physics, University of
tute, Copenhagen, Denmark Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Peter Thorne ICARUS Climate Research Centre, Rachel White Department of Earth, Ocean and
Department of Geography, Maynooth Univer- Atmospheric Sciences, University of British
sity, Maynooth, Ireland Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Richard Tuckett School of Chemistry, Univer- Mark Williams School of Geography, Geology
sity of Birmingham, Birmingham, United and the Environment, University of Leicester,
Kingdom Leicester, United Kingdom
Anna Turbelin Department of Geography, Paul D. Williams Department of Meteorology,
Kings College London, London, United King- University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
dom; Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Agro- Tim Woollings Department of Physics, Univer-
ParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, sity of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Orsay, France
Boris Worm Biology Department, Dalhousie
Carol Turley Plymouth Marine Laboratory, University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Plymouth, United Kingdom
Jan Zalasiewicz School of Geography, Geology
Daniel A. Vallero Pratt School of Engineering, and the Environment, University of Leicester,
Duke University, Durham, NC, United States Leicester, United Kingdom
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Preface to Third Edition
Since the first and second editions of This book, like the earlier edition, is not
Climate Change: Observed Impacts on Planet intended to compete with the Intergovern-
Earth were published in 2009 and 2016, the mental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) re-
evidence of a changing climate has become ports but offers support through a different
even more apparent. As a result, the time approach. Many of the authors were not
had come to put these new developments involved in recent assessments of the IPCC,
into a new book. This, together with the and here they present fresh evaluations of
interest shown in the first two editions, has the evidence testifying to a problem that was
culminated in the third edition of Climate described by Sir David King in the first edi-
Change. Many new chapters have been tion as the most severe calamity our civili-
added, and chapters for the first edition have zation has yet to face.
been updated to highlight new evidence that Unlike other books of similar title, this book
our climate is changing. The third edition has the advantage that the chapters have once
will have 35 chapters of which 11 will be again each been written by world-class scien-
new topics and new authors. tists and engineers working in their respective
The evidence that our climate is warming fields. As a result, the new volume presents a
is overwhelming. This evidence comes not balanced picture across the whole spectrum of
only from land and sea surface temperature climate change. With this lineup of authorita-
records but also from indicators such as the tive and well-researched topics, any doubts
coverage of Arctic sea icedall of which, and about whether climate change is taking place or
much more, is discussed in this book. Most not will be immediately dispelled on reading
scientists in the world now accept that this book.
anthropogenic activities and specifically the The new edition is divided into five
emissions of greenhouse gases are respon- sections:
sible for the major part of the observed • Introduction
warming. May 9, 2013, was an auspicious • Tools Used to Investigate and Predict
day for the warming of the planet, when it Climate Change
was reported by both the National Oceanic • Indicators
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) • Other Possible Contributing Factors to
and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography Climate Change
that the daily mean concentration of CO2 in • Societal Aspects of Global Change
the atmosphere at Mauna Loa laboratory This edition contains 36 chapters as
exceeded 400 ppm (400 mmol/mol or 400 opposed to the 33 in the second edition and
106) for the first time in millions of years. It 25 in the first edition. The new chapters are
reached a maximum of 417 ppm on June 10, as follows:
2020. • Climate change: a complex problem
xv
xvi PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION
• Modeling of carbon and greenhouse gas global average regarded by many scientists
cycles in relation to climate change as the upper limit in temperature within the
• Loss of oxygen in the oceans and climate next 50 years. If we do not take action to halt
change this rise in temperature, we must expect the
• Permafrost and climate change serious consequences of extreme weather:
• The jet stream and climate change droughts, floods, sea level rises, winds, wild
• Extreme weather and climate change fires, excessive heat, unpredictable extreme
• Melting glaciers and climate change weather patterns, and storms. The book is a
• Insect communities and climate change clarion call to humans to take immediate
• Invasive plants and climate change action to reduce the amount of CO2 that we
• Biological diversity and climate change are pumping into the atmosphere, which
• The role of forests in the carbon cycle and arguably can best be accomplished by
climate change reducing our dependency on fossil fuels. We
The audience we hope to reach are policy must strive to stop burning coal and oil in
makers in local and central governments; our power stations with the ultimate aim of
students, teachers, researchers, professors, keeping most of the fossil fuel in the ground
scientists, engineers, and managers working and find new, renewable ways of producing
in fields related to climate change and future electricity and propelling our vehicles.
energy options; editors and newspaper re- The International System of Quantities (SI
porters responsible for informing the public; units) has been used throughout the book,
and the general public who need to be aware and where necessary, other units are given in
of the impending disasters that a warmer parentheses. Furthermore, the authors have
Earth will bring. A summary is provided at rigorously adhered to the IUPAC notation
the beginning of each chapter for those and spelling of physical quantities. For
interested in a brief synopsis, and copious example, the symbols for minute, hour, day,
references are provided for those wishing to and year are min, h, d, and a, respectively.
study each chapter topic in greater detail. Also, the relationship between a physical
The IPCC assessments have produced two quantity and its unit is given by physical
basic conclusions: firstly, that the current quantity ¼ number times unit, and by
climate changes are unequivocal, and sec- example temperature ¼ 270 K or rearranged
ondly, that this is largely due to the emission to give: 270 ¼ temperature/K. This rela-
of greenhouse gases resulting from human tionship makes the statement concerning
activity. This book reinforces these two con- units unambiguous.
clusions and the chapters on “Indicators” The book has an international flavor with
and on the “Other Possible Contributing the chapters written by authors from at least
Factors to Climate Change” are particularly 15 countries including Brazil, Canada,
relevant. Furthermore, the section on Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Israel, the
“Modeling” further supports these conclu- Netherlands, Norway, Russia, South Africa,
sions through simulations of past climate Spain, Sweden, the Kingdom of Saudi Ara-
changes and projections of future climate bia, the United Kingdom, and the United
changes. States.
Projections of our global warming indi- The success of the book ultimately rests
cate that the temperature will exceed the 2 C with the 60 authors and coauthors, and as
PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION xvii
editor, I should like to thank all of them for Robertson of Elsevier whose expertise
their cooperation and their highly valued, steered this book to its publication.
willing, and enthusiastic contributions. I
wish to thank my wife, Valerie Letcher, for Trevor M. Letcher
her help with difficult grammatical issues Laurel House, Fosse way, Stratton on the
and for help while I wrote and edited. Fosse, BA3 4QN, United Kingdom
Finally, my thanks are due to Naomi
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Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
Gerrit staan. Z’n afgeknaagd, smerig vest stak boven z’n pilow
clownig-gelapte, zakkerige broek uit, met drie knoopen-open-naar-
voren, en z’n groenige rots-kale jekker bobbelde losjes over z’n
lange blauwe kiel. Z’n smoezelig vuil-geel gezichtsvel, stond over
den heelen vergrijsden kop tot diep in de halskuil gebarsten van
scherpe groefjes en zwartige rimpels. En z’n groezelige
stoppelbaard haardotte verwaarloosd over ’t heele gelaat als was ie
ingewreven met turfmolm. Als ’n gekerfde lijnden nijdig de barsten
en ruitrimpels over ’t vel-geel van kaken en knevel-zware brauwen
gromden donker-dreigend boven kleine flauw-grijze oogjes.
Zwaar dofklankte z’n stem, als baste ’t geluid uit z’n neusgaten òp
met ’n brom-nasalen nadreun. [8]
Hassel uit z’n hoog rug-krommige lengte keek bar neer op den
sjofelen daglooner, die zoo plots zich kwam opdringen. Zonder
antwoord van Hassel af te wachten nasaalde z’n stem dreunend
weer uit z’n platten polypen-neus:
Nou ook bij ouë Gerrit.… niks!.… alleen kon ie nog vragen of ie
iemand wist, die ’m wat aardbei-mandjes wou laten vlechten. Maar
lieve heer.… wà’ kon hij uitvoere mi’ s’n bevende hande.… Vroeger
sestig, sevetig op ’n dag, nou geen tien.… wa’ kon ie hale.… vaif
sent.… En boompies make.… nee dat gong heelegoàr nie.… da
bukke.… da bukke.… ure achter malkaer.… de tieme rondvlechte.…
en stoan mi s’n poote op de boompies, gebukt.… nee, dan was ie
zoo roar in z’n ouë dop.… of d’r al moar bloed noar z’n hangende
kop droaide.… Verlede jaar hattie ’t prebeerd.. Maar bòns, was ie
tege den muur gesmakt, duizelig en tollerig en z’n stuut voelde ie
gebroke.… Wa hadde se’n pret had, ’t jonge goed.… nee, nee da
gong nie.… sou ie maor nie eens mee ankomme.… da gong nie.…
En dan.… se [13]woue ’m nie eens hewwe.… da jonge goed was ’m
de baas, da speelsche tuig.
Wà nou, wà’ nou, joeg ’t, jammer-knaagde ’t in ’m. Was ’t moar t’ met
somer.… moar lieve Heer!.… December.… begin December.…
goeie God.… wà’ mos da na-toe!—van wà’ nou vrete.…
De ouë Bolk had eerst nog voor zich heengekeken, stug, met
oogengraagte, de kalme zekere spithouwen van Dirk in z’n hei
bestarend,.… met jaloersche lust den kerel daar te verdringen.…
want dà kon ie, as de beste.… Maar toen inéén had ouë Gerrit ’m
aan ’t verstand gebracht dat ie gosommooglik ies veur ’m hat, dat ie
alleen die paar roe hat diep te spitte—miskien in ’t veurjaor, tegen
Moart, as de grond nie nog te hard was.…
—Hoho!.… Bolkie, schraapte de Ouë eruit, je skiet of’r, je bin nie
f’rtuunelik.… ’t spait me duuf’ls daa’k segge mot.… tug is ’t puur
woar.… je skiet of’r.… d’r is op heede van alderlei volk te veul.… j’
bin te veul.… d’r is nies.. puur nies omhande.… ’t wort allegoar
dàan, allegoar deur hullie.… verjenne.… ’t spait me.… huu!.. huu.…
—Wa skeel je.… oud k’nijn! giftte ie met halve stem woedend.…
—Aa’s je nou d’rs de vaifde steek ommekeert Dirk, je zie nou water
hee?.… teemde goeig ouë Gerrit.
Nooit had ouë Bolk kinderen gehad; geen jongen, geen meid; z’n
grootste, stille smart.… En zóó maar grienbalke [16]kon ie as se d’r
van begonne.… nou weer die lamme kerel, had ie ze moar.…
—Bars jai, gromde Bolk, met tranen van windkou in z’n oogen,.…
godskristes.… koebeeste,.… ha’k moar koot’rs..
Weer kwam er schrei-droefnis in z’n stem, die stil, voor hem alleen
uit weende z’n smart.
Bolk draaide zich nijdig om, met z’n rug naar Piet. Dirk zwoegde
door, spraakloos.—Rondom was grauwer, late middag-somberte
over de velden aan ’t verdroeven.… Op akkerverten, hier en daar,
was drukker beweeg van spitters dan in ochtend, silhouettig, zwart-
vagelijk toch, in het wazig winterdroeve grijs-grauw. De lucht dromde
zwaarder van regenwolken, en windstooten loeiden op, bulderend
rondgierend in dollendans, op de leege wijdte van ’t bronzen land.
Schimmiger uit alle hemelhoeken woei áán, scheemrige wolkenjacht.
aansliertend, wijd-alom, in reuze-donkering naar horizon, grauwiger
opgeblaas van vale wolkenkoppen, monsterlijk verwrongen met àl
droeviger schemerschijn op angst-looien wolk-gezichten. En stiller
nu, in roerlooze effenheid stonden de donkere erfjes en achteruitjes
van Bikkerstraat, vertriestend vaal, in barren grijns.
—Hep je bai Neelis de Borstel niks.… niks te hakke?.…, informeerde
schuintjes, nog eens de Ouë, onverschillig toch [17]voor ’t antwoord,
kijkend met gretigheid naar Dirk, die weer zwaar-zwellend in kracht,
door panderige aardplaten heen moest bonken.
—Wâ hakke?.… die raize, da’s louw, die hakke se omm’rs selfers
—Wa jonge kop.… de heule tait m’r gaintjes.… neegtien jaor t’met.…
—Nou, mag nie?.… wa ken main jou mikmak skeele.… mo’k nou al
griene, wa jou Dirk?
—’n Herberg, rejaal in anbouw, lolde Piet met ’n slag van pret op z’n
been,—d’r hang ’n droppel an je kokkert!.…
—Nou gaat-ie bai Ronk, f’rek, die stong, van morge t’met an seve
uur op ’t land.… f’rek, hai hep g’n hand veur ooge sien-en kenne,
hep sain noodig.…..
—Half seeve? vroeg ouë Gerrit ’n beetje ongeloovig.… wie hep saìn
sien?
—Wa sel ’t dan hier bloase hewwe, bibberde ouë Gerrit in elkaar
schokkerend van kou, dieper handen z’n broekzakken indringend,
opsjortend z’n kleeren, in nauwe kreukels om z’n lijf. En plots voelde
ie wat lekker ’t voor hem was, zoo vroeg, in winterkilte dat Piet de
koebeesten voerde. Donderemente wa’ koud kreeg ie ’t nou.…
Piet was weer zingend naar z’n hei gestapt.
In de woonkamer, aan den weg, zat vrouw Hassel, met ’r rug naar de
kachel, dof omgonsd in ’r ooren, vol van dreunslagen van bekken,
versuft toch, als sliep ze met oogen open. Achter haar stoeltje rookte
’t benauwd, lichtelijk in brandlucht. Bij ’t kamer-instappen zag ouë
Gerrit dadelijk dat haar schort aan ’t branden was, over de kachel te
drogen gehangen.
Met schrik-gezicht, draaide vrouw Hassel om, wild grijpend naar d’r
schort. Ze had ook even wel iets vreemds geroken, iets smeulerigs,
maar ’t was ’r weer door d’r hoofd gegaan, omdat ze niet begreep
wàt ’t kon zijn, heelemaal niet meer wetend dat ze d’r schort voor de
kachel had gehangen.
—Wa vergat ze leste taid tug alles en alles.… Hoe was ’t gods-in-d’r
leve mogelik. Nou had se d’r eige nog so gesait …. Nou dènk je d’r
an.… en nou, na ’n paar menuute allegoar rejaal vergete.…
vergete.… Tranen kreeg ze in ’r oogen. ’t Maakte ’r zoo bang, zoo
huilerig en zenuwachtig. Ze voelde wel onrustig dat er al ’n poos
lang wat mals met ’r gebeurde, in ’r kop vooral, maar ze kon niet
vatten wàt, wàt.
Ouë Gerrit was op z’n kousen door den stal heengesjokt, had even
naar z’n beesten gekeken, en was moe-huiverig op [23]z’n biezen
kaal-korten gemakstoel bij den kachel geschoven. Z’n jekker had ie
aangehouen en met ingezakt bovenlijf zat-ie zich behaag-zwaar te
schurken, zoekend naar meer broeiing en warmte. Toch voelde ie
zich brommerig op zijn wijf dat al ’n jaar lang temet alles vergat. En
dàn, dat huilen van ’r, dat nare drenzerige grienen, met halve smart-
zinnetjes er tusschen gekermd, waarvan ie niks begreep, dàt, dàt
maakte ’m helsch. F’r wa griende da waif tug?.… Wier se soo fèl
geslage?.… godskristus, wa g’luk da Guurtje d’r was, s’ maid van
twintig, sain eenige maid goddank. Versakrementeele, aa’s die d’r
nie was, krege temet de jonges nie eens d’r buik vol. Dan vergat se
te koke.… snôverjenne.… wa’ malle f’rduufeling tug.…
Wa wou dat mormel tug, die laileke trien?.… Wà sat se nou weer?
van de skrik te griene.… ja verdomd!.… op ’t achterend weer.…