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Joseph J. Rotman

Graduate Studies
in Mathematics

American Mathematical Society

Advanced
Modern Algebra
Third Edition, Part 1
Advanced
Modern Algebra
Third Edition, Part 1

Joseph J. Rotman

Graduate Studies
in Mathematics
Volume 165

American Mathematical Society

Providence, Rhode Island
 EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Dan Abramovich
Daniel S. Freed
Rafe Mazzeo (Chair)
Gigliola Staffi.lani

The 2002 edition of this book was previously published by Pearson Education, Inc.

2010 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 12-01, 13-01, 14-01, 15-01, 16-01,
18-01, 20-01.

For additional information and updates on this book, visit

www .ams.org/bookpages/ gsm-165

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rotman, Joseph J., 1934-
Advanced modern algebra/ Joseph J. Rotman. - Third edition.
volumes cm. - (Graduate studies in mathematics ; volume 165)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4704-1554-9 (alk. paper : pt. 1)
1. Algebra. I. Title.
QA154.3.R68 2015
512-dc23 2015019659

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10987654321 20 19 18 17 16 15
 To my wife
Marganit
and our two wonderful kids
Danny and Ella,
whom I love very much
Contents

Preface to Third Edition: Part 1 xi

Acknowledgments xiv

Part A. Course I

Chapter A-1. Classical Formulas 3

Cubics 4
Quartics 6

Chapter A-2. Classical Number Theory 9

Divisibility 9
Euclidean Algorithms 16
Congruence 19
Chapter A-3. Commutative Rings 29
Polynomials 41
Homomorphisms 47
Quotient Rings 55
From Arithmetic to Polynomials 62
Maximal Ideals and Prime Ideals 74
Finite Fields 83
Irreducibility 89
Euclidean Rings and Principal Ideal Domains 97
Unique Factorization Domains 104

Chapter A-4. Groups 115

Permutations 116

-
vii
viii Contents

Even and Odd 123

Groups 127
Lagrange's Theorem 139
Homomorphisms 150
Quotient Groups 159
Simple Groups 173

Chapter A-5. Galois Theory 179

Insolvability of the Quintic 179
Classical Formulas and Solvability by Radicals 187
Translation into Group Theory 190
Fundamental Theorem of Galois Theory 200
Calculations of Galois Groups 223
Chapter A-6. Appendix: Set Theory 235
Equivalence Relations 243
Chapter A-7. Appendix: Linear Algebra 247
Vector Spaces 247
Linear Transformations and Matrices 259

Part B. Course II
Chapter B-1. Modules 273
Noncommutative Rings 273
Chain Conditions on Rings 282
Left and Right Modules 288
Chain Conditions on Modules 300
Exact Sequences 305
Chapter B-2. Zorn's Lemma 313
Zorn, Choice, and Well-Ordering 313
Zorn and Linear Algebra 319
Zorn and Free Abelian Groups 323
Semisimple Modules and Rings 334
Algebraic Closure 339
Transcendence 345
Liiroth's Theorem 353
Chapter B-3. Advanced Linear Algebra 359
Torsion and Torsion-free 359
Basis Theorem 362
Contents ix

Fundamental Theorem 371

Elementary Divisors 371
Invariant Factors 374
From Abelian Groups to Modules 378
Rational Canonical Forms 383
Eigenvalues 388
Jordan Canonical Forms 395
Smith Normal Forms 402
Inner Product Spaces 417
Orthogonal and Symplectic Groups 429
Hermitian Forms and Unitary Groups 436
Chapter B-4. Categories of Modules 441
Categories 441
Functors 461
Galois Theory for Infinite Extensions 475
Free and Projective Modules 481
Injective Modules 492
Divisible Abelian Groups 501
Tensor Products 509
Adjoint Isomorphisms 522
Flat Modules 529
Chapter B-5. Multilinear Algebra 543
Algebras and Graded Algebras 543
Tensor Algebra 552
Exterior Algebra 561
Grassmann Algebras 566
Exterior Algebra and Differential Forms 573
Determinants 575
Chapter B-6. Commutative Algebra II 591
Old-Fashioned Algebraic Geometry 591
Affine Varieties and Ideals 593
Nullstellensatz 599
Nullstellensatz Redux 604
Irreducible Varieties 614
Affine Morphisms 623
Algorithms in k[x1, ... , Xn] 628
Monomial Orders 629
x Contents

Division Algorithm 636

Grabner Bases 639
Chapter B-7. Appendix: Categorical Limits 651
Inverse Limits 651
Direct Limits 657
Directed Index Sets 659
Adjoint Functors 666
Chapter B-8. Appendix: Topological Spaces 673
Topological Groups 678

Bibliography 681
Special Notation 687

Index 693
Preface to Third Edition:
Part 1

Algebra is used by virtually all mathematicians, be they analysts, combinatorists,

computer scientists, geometers, logicians, number theorists, or topologists. Nowa-
days, everyone agrees that some knowledge of linear algebra, group theory, and
commutative algebra is necessary, and these topics are introduced in undergrad-
uate courses. Since there are many versions of undergraduate algebra courses, I
will often review definitions, examples, and theorems, sometimes sketching proofs
and sometimes giving more details. 1 Part 1 of this third edition can be used as a
text for the first year of graduate algebra, but it is much more than that. It and
the forthcoming Part 2 can also serve more advanced graduate students wishing to
learn topics on their own. While not reaching the frontiers, the books provide a
sense of the successes and methods arising in an area. In addition, they comprise
a reference containing many of the standard theorems and definitions that users of
algebra need to know. Thus, these books are not merely an appetizer, they are a
hearty meal as well.
When I was a student, Birkhoff-Mac Lane, A Survey of Modern Algebra [8], was
the text for my first algebra course, and van der Waerden, Modern Algebra [118],
was the text for my second course. Both are excellent books (I have called this
book Advanced Modern Algebra in homage to them), but times have changed since
their first publication: Birkhoff and Mac Lane's book appeared in 1941; van der
Waerden's book appeared in 1930. There are today major directions that either
did not exist 75 years ago, or were not then recognized as being so important, or
were not so well developed. These new areas involve algebraic geometry, category

1 It is most convenient for me, when reviewing earlier material, to refer to my own text FCAA:
A First Course in Abstract Algebra, 3rd ed. [94], as well as to LMA, the book of A. Cuoco and
myself [23], Learning Modern Algebra from Early Attempts to Prove Fermat's Last Theorem.

- xi
xii Preface to Third Edition: Part 1

theory,2 computer science, homological algebra, and representation theory. Each

generation should survey algebra to make it serve the present time.
The passage from the second edition to this one involves some significant
changes, the major change being organizational. This can be seen at once, for
the elephantine 1000 page edition is now divided into two volumes. This change
is not merely a result of the previous book being too large; instead, it reflects the
structure of beginning graduate level algebra courses at the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign. This first volume consists of two basic courses: Course I
(Galois theory) followed by Course II (module theory). These two courses serve as
joint prerequisites for the forthcoming Part 2, which will present more advanced
topics in ring theory, group theory, algebraic number theory, homological algebra,
representation theory, and algebraic geometry.
In addition to the change in format, I have also rewritten much of the text.
For example, noncommutative rings are treated earlier. Also, the section on alge-
braic geometry introduces regular functions and rational functions. Two proofs of
the Nullstellensatz (which describes the maximal ideals in k(x 1 , ... , xn] when k is
an algebraically closed field) are given. The first proof, for k = <C (which easily
generalizes to uncountable k), is the same proof as in the previous edition. But the
second proof I had written, which applies to countable algebraically closed fields
as well, was my version of Kaplansky's account [55] of proofs of Goldman and of
Krull. I should have known better! Kaplansky was a master of exposition, and
this edition follows his proof more closely. The reader should look at Kaplansky's
book, Selected Papers and Writings [58], to see wonderful mathematics beautifully
expounded.
I have given up my attempted spelling reform, and I now denote the ring of
integers mod m by Zm instead of by Ilm. A star * before an exercise indicates that
it will be cited elsewhere in the book, possibly in a proof.
The first part of this volume is called Course I; it follows a syllabus for an
actual course of lectures. If I were king, this course would be a transcript of my
lectures. But I am not king and, while users of this text may agree with my global
organization, they may not agree with my local choices. Hence, there is too much
material in the Galois theory course (and also in the module theory course), because
there are many different ways an instructor may choose to present this material.
Having lured students into beautiful algebra, we present Course II: module
theory; it not only answers some interesting questions (canonical forms of matrices,
for example) but it also introduces important tools. The content of a sequel algebra
course is not as standard as that for Galois theory. As a consequence, there is much
more material here than in Course I, for there are many more reasonable choices of
material to be presented in class.
To facilitate various choices, I have tried to make the text clear enough so that
students can read many sections independently.
Here is a more detailed description of the two courses making up this volume.

2 A Survey of Modern Algebra was rewritten in 1967, introducing categories, as Mac Lane-
Birkhoff, Algebra [73].
Preface to Third Edition: Part 1 xiii

Course I

After presenting the cubic and quartic formulas, we review some undergraduate
number theory: division algorithm; Euclidian algorithms (finding d = gcd(a, b)
and expressing it as a linear combination), and congruences. Chapter 3 begins
with a review of commutative rings, but continues with maximal and prime ideals,
finite fields, irreducibility criteria, and euclidean rings, PIDs, and UFD's. The next
chapter, on groups, also begins with a review, but it continues with quotient groups
and simple groups. Chapter 5 treats Galois theory. After introducing Galois groups
of extension fields, we discuss solvability, proving the Jordan-Holder Theorem and
the Schreier Refinement Theorem, and we show that the general quintic is not
solvable by radicals. The Fundamental Theorem of Galois Theory is proved, and
applications of it are given; in particular, we prove the Fundamental Theorem of
Algebra (C is algebraically closed). The chapter ends with computations of Galois
groups of polynomials of small degree.
There are also two appendices: one on set theory and equivalence relations;
the other on linear algebra, reviewing vector spaces, linear transformations, and
matrices.

Course II

As I said earlier, there is no commonly accepted syllabus for a sequel course,

and the text itself is a syllabus that is impossible to cover in one semester. However,
much of what is here is standard, and I hope instructors can design a course from
it that they think includes the most important topics needed for further study. Of
course, students (and others) can also read chapters independently.
Chapter 1 (more precisely, Chapter B-1, for the chapters in Course I are labeled
A-1, A-2, etc.) introduces modules over noncommutative rings. Chain conditions
are treated, both for rings and for modules; in particular, the Hilbert Basis The-
orem is proved. Also, exact sequences and commutative diagrams are discussed.
Chapter 2 covers Zorn's Lemma and many applications of it: maximal ideals; bases
of vector spaces; subgroups of free abelian groups; semisimple modules; existence
and uniqueness of algebraic closures; transcendence degree (along with a proof of
Liiroth's Theorem). The next chapter applies modules to linear algebra, proving
the Fundamental Theorem of Finite Abelian Groups as well as discussing canonical
forms for matrices (including the Smith normal form which enables computation
of invariant factors and elementary divisors). Since we are investigating linear al-
gebra, this chapter continues with bilinear forms and inner product spaces, along
with the appropriate transformation groups: orthogonal, symplectic, and unitary.
Chapter 4 introduces categories and functors, concentrating on module categories.
We study projective and injective modules (paying attention to projective abelian
groups, namely free abelian groups, and injective abelian groups, namely divisible
abelian groups), tensor products of modules, adjoint isomorphisms, and flat mod-
ules (paying attention to flat abelian groups, namely torsion-free abelian groups).
Chapter 5 discusses multilinear algebra, including algebras and graded algebras,
tensor algebra, exterior algebra, Grassmann algebra, and determinants. The last
xiv Preface to Third Edition: Part 1

chapter, Commutative Algebra II, has two main parts. The first part discusses
"old-fashioned algebraic geometry,'' describing the relation between zero sets of
polynomials (of several variables) and ideals (in contrast to modern algebraic ge-
ometry, which extends this discussion using sheaves and schemes). We prove the
Nullstellensatz (twice!), and introduce the category of affine varieties. The second
part discusses algorithms arising from the division algorithm for polynomials of
several variables, and this leads to Grabner bases of ideals.
There are again two appendices. One discusses categorical limits (inverse limits
and direct limits), again concentrating on these constructions for modules. We also
mention adjoint functors. The second appendix gives the elements of topological
groups. These appendices are used earlier, in Chapter B-4, to extend the Funda-
mental Theorem of Galois Theory from finite separable field extensions to infinite
separable algebraic extensions.
I hope that this new edition presents mathematics in a more natural way,
making it simpler to digest and to use.
I have often been asked whether solutions to exercises are available. I believe
it is a good idea to have some solutions available for undergraduate students, for
they are learning new ways of thinking as well as new material. Not only do
solutions illustrate new techniques, but comparing them to one's own solution also
builds confidence. But I also believe that graduate students are already sufficiently
confident as a result of their previous studies. As Charlie Brown in the comic strip
Peanuts says,
"In the book of life, the answers are not in the back."

Acknowledgments
The following mathematicians made comments and suggestions that greatly im-
proved the first two editions: Vincenzo Acciaro, Robin Chapman, Daniel R. Grayson,
Ilya Kapovich, T.-Y. Lam, David Leep, Nick Loehr, Randy McCarthy, Patrick
Szuta, and Stephen Ullom. I thank them again for their help.
For the present edition, I thank T.-Y. Lam, Bruce Reznick, and Stephen Ullom,
who educated me about several fine points, and who supplied me with needed
references.
I give special thanks to Vincenzo Acciaro for his many comments, both mathe-
matical and pedagogical, which are incorporated throughout the text. He carefully
read the original manuscript of this text, apprising me of the gamut of my errors,
from detecting mistakes, unclear passages, and gaps in proofs, to mere typos. I
rewrote many pages in light of his expert advice. I am grateful for his invaluable
help, and this book has benefited much from him.

Joseph Rotman
Urbana, IL, 2015
Part A

Course I
 Chapter A-1

Classical Formulas

As Europe emerged from the Dark Ages, a major open problem in mathematics
was finding roots of polynomials. The Babylonians, four thousand years ago, knew
how to find the roots of a quadratic polynomial. For example, a tablet dating from
1700 BCE poses the problem:

I have subtracted the side of the square from its area, and it is 870. What is
the side of my square?

In modern notation, the text asks for a root of x 2 - x = 870, and the tablet
then gives a series of steps computing the answer. It would be inaccurate to say
that the Babylonians knew the quadratic formula (the roots of ax 2 +bx+ c are
2~ (-b±../b2 - 4ac), however, for modern notation and, in particular, formulas, were
unknown to them. 1 The discriminant b2 - 4ac here is 1 - 4( -870) = 3481 = 59 2 ,
which is a perfect square. Even though finding square roots was not so simple in
those days, this problem was easy to solve; Babylonians wrote numbers in base 60,
so that 59 = 60-1 was probably one reason for the choice of 870. The ancients also
considered cubics. Another tablet from about the same time posed the problem of
solving 12x3 = 3630. Their solution, most likely, used a table of approximations to
cube roots.

1 We must mention that modern notation was not introduced until the late 1500s, but it
was generally agreed upon only after the influential book of Descartes appeared in 1637. To
appreciate the importance of decent notation, consider Roman numerals. Not only are they
clumsy for arithmetic, they are also complicated to write-is 95 denoted by VC or by XCV?
The symbols+ and - were introduced by Widman in 1486, the equality sign= was invented
by Recorde in 1557, exponents were invented by Hume in 1585, and letters for variables were
invented by Viete in 1591 (he denoted variables by vowels and constants by consonants). Stevin
introduced decimal notation in Europe in 1585 (it had been used earlier by the Arabs and the
Chinese). In 1637, Descartes used letters at the beginning of the alphabet to denote constants,
and letters at the end of the alphabet to denote variables, so we can say that Descartes invented
"x the unknown." Not all of Descartes' notation was adopted. For example, he used oo to denote
equality and = for ±; Recorde's symbol = did not appear in print until 1618 (see Cajori [16]).

- 3
4 Chapter A-1. Classical Formulas

Here is a corollary of the quadratic formula.

Lemma A-1.1. Given any pair of numbers Mand N, there are (possibly complex)
numbers g and h with g + h = M and gh = N; moreover, g and h are the roots of
x 2 -Mx+N.

Proof. The quadratic formula provides roots g and h of x 2 - Mx + N. Now

x2 - Mx + N = (x - g)(x - h) = x 2 - (g + h)x + gh,
and so g + h = M and gh = N. •
The Golden Age of ancient mathematics was in Greece from about 600 BCE
to 100 BCE. The first person we know who thought that proofs are necessary was
Thales ofMiletus (624 BCE-546 BCE) 2 . The statement of the Pythagorean Theorem
(a right triangle with legs of lengths a, band hypotenuse of length c satisfies a2 +b2 =
c2 ) was known to the Babylonians; legend has it that Thales' student Pythagorus
(580 BCE-520 BCE) was the first to prove it. Some other important mathematicians
of this time are: Eudoxus (408 BCE-355 BCE), who found the area of a circle;
Euclid (325 BCE-265 BCE), whose great work The Elements consists of six books
on plane geometry, four books on number theory, and three books on solid geometry;
Theatetus (417 BCE-369 BCE), whose study of irrationals is described in Euclid's
Book X, and who is featured in two Platonic dialogues; Eratosthenes (276 BCE-
194 BCE), who found the circumference of a circle and also studied prime numbers;
the geometer Apollonius (262 BCE-190 BCE); Hipparchus (190 BCE-120 BCE), who
introduced trigonometry; Archimedes (287 BCE-212 BCE), who anticipated much of
modern calculus, and is considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time.
The Romans displaced the Greeks around 100 BCE. They were not at all
theoretical, and mathematics moved away from Europe, first to Alexandria, Egypt,
where the number theorist Diophantus (200 CE-284 CE) and the geometer Pappus
(290 CE-350 CE) lived, then to India around 400 CE, then to the Moslem world
around 800. Mathematics began its return to Europe with translations into Latin,
from Greek, Sanskrit, and Arabic texts, by Adelard of Bath (1075-1160), Gerard
of Cremona (1114-1187), and Leonardo da Pisa (Fibonacci) (1170-1250).
For centuries, the Western World believed that the high point of civilization
occurred during the Greek and Roman eras and the beginnning of Christianity. But
this world view changed dramatically in the Renaissance about five hundred years
ago. The printing press was invented by Gutenberg around 1450, Columbus landed
in North America in 1492, Luther began the Reformation in 1517, and Copernicus
published De Revolutionibus in 1530.

Cubics
Arising from a tradition of public mathematics contests in Venice and Pisa, methods
for finding the roots of cubics and quartics were found in the early 1500s by Scipio
del Ferro (1465-1526), Niccolo Fontana (1500-1554), also called Tartaglia, Lodovici

2 Most of these very early dates are approximate.

Cubics 5

Ferrari (1522-1565), and Giralamo Cardano (1501-1576) (see Tignol [115) for an
excellent account of this early history).
We now derive the cubic formula. The change of variable X = x-lb transforms
the cubic F(X) = X 3 + bX 2 + cX + d into the simpler polynomial F(x - lb) =
f(x) = x 3 + qx + r whose roots give the roots of F(X): If u is a root of f(x), then
u - lb is a root of F(X), for

0 = f(u) = F(u - lb).

Theorem A-1.2 (Cubic Formula). The roots of f(x) = x 3 + qx + r are

g+h, wg+w 2h, and w 2g+wh,

where g3 = H-r + ../R), h = -q/3g, R = r 2 + 2~q 3 , and w = -~ + i1 is a

primitive cube root of unity.

Proof. Write a root u of f(x) = x 3 + qx + r as

u = g+ h,
where g and h are to be chosen, and substitute:
0 = f(u) = f(g + h)
= (g + h) 3 + q(g + h) + r
= g3 + 3g2h + 3gh2 + h 3 + q(g + h) + r
= g3 + h 3 + 3gh(g + h) + q(g + h) + r
= g3 + h 3 + (3gh + q)u + r.

If 3gh + q = 0, then gh = -h·

Lemma A-1.1 says that there exist numbers g, h
with g + h = u and gh = -lq; this choice forces 3gh + q = 0, so that g3 + h 3 = -r.
After cubing both sides of gh = -lq, we obtain the pair of equations
g3 + h3 = -r,
g3h3 -- _....!..q3
27 .

By Lemma A-1.1, there is a quadratic equation in g3 :

g6 +rg3 - 2\q3 = 0.
The quadratic formula gives

g3 = ~ ( -r + J r2 + 2~ q3) = ~ ( -r + ../R)
(note that h3 is also a root of this quadratic, so that h3 = ~ (-r - ../R), and so
g3 - h 3 = ../R). There are three cube roots of g3, namely, g, wg, and w 2g. Because
of the constraint gh = -q/3, each of these has a "mate:" g and h = -q/(3g); wg
and w 2h = -q/(3wg); w 2g and wh = -q/(3w 2g) (for w3 = 1). •
6 Chapter A-1. Classical Formulas

Example A-1.3. If f(x) = x 3 - 15x - 126, then q = -15, r = -126, R = 15376,

and VR = 124. Hence, g 3 = 125, so that g = 5. Thus, h = -q/(3g) = 1. Therefore,
the roots of f (x) are
6, 5w + w2 = -3 + 2i.J3, 5w 2 + w = -3 - 2i.J3.
Alternatively, having found one root to be 6, the other two roots can be found as
the roots of the quadratic f(x)/(x - 6) = x 2 + 6x + 21. .,..
Example A-1.4. The cubic formula is not very useful because it often gives roots
in unrecognizable form. For example, let
f(x) = (x - l)(x - 2)(x + 3) = x 3 - 7x + 6;
the roots of f(x) are, obviously, 1, 2, and -3, and the cubic formula gives

g + h = \} ~ ( -6 + Fifi) + \} ~ ( -6 - Fifi).
It is not at all obvious that g + h is a real number, let alone an integer.
Another cubic formula, due to Viete, gives the roots in terms of trigonometric
functions instead of radicals (FCAA [94] pp. 360-362). .,..

Before the cubic formula, mathematicians had no difficulty in ignoring negative

numbers or square roots of negative numbers when dealing with quadratic equa-
tions. For example, consider the problem of finding the sides x and y of a rectangle
having area A and perimeter p. The equations xy = A and 2x + 2y = p give the
quadratic 2x 2 - px + 2A. The quadratic formula gives

x = :l(P± ..)p2 -16A)

and y = A/x. If p 2 - 16A 2'. 0, the problem is solved. If p 2 - 16A < 0, they didn't
invent fantastic rectangles whose sides involve square roots of negative numbers;
they merely said that there is no rectangle whose area and perimeter are so related.
But the cubic formula does not allow us to discard "imaginary" roots, for we have
just seen, in Example A-1.4, that an "honest" real and positive root can appear
in terms of such radicals: \} ( -6 +~ ffl + \}~ (-6 - ffl is an integer! 3

Thus, the cubic formula was revolutionary. For the next 100 years, mathematicians
reconsidered the meaning of number, for understanding the cubic formula raises the
questions whether negative numbers and complex numbers are legitimate entities.

Quartics
Consider the quartic F(X) = X 4 + bX 3 + cX 2 + dX + e. The change of variable
X =x- lbyields a simpler polynomial f(x) = x 4 + qx 2 + rx + s whose roots give
the roots of F(X): if u is a root of f(x), then u-!b is a root of F(X). The quartic

3 Every cubic with real coefficients has a real root, and mathematicians tried various substi-
tutions to rewrite the cubic formula solely in terms of real numbers. Later we will prove the Casus
lrreducibilis which states that it is impossible to always do so.
Quartics 7

formula was found by Lodovici Ferrari in the 1540s, but we present the version
given by Descartes in 1637. Factor f(x),
f(x) = x 4 + qx 2 + rx + s = (x 2 + jx + f)(x 2 - jx + m),
and determine j, .e and m (note that the coefficients of the linear terms in the
quadratic factors are j and -j because f(x) has no cubic term). Expanding and
equating like coefficients gives the equations
.e+m-j2 = q,
j(m - .e) = r,
.em= s.
The first two equations give
2m = j2 + q + r / j,
2f = j2 + q-r/j.
Substituting these values for m and .e into the third equation yields a cubic in j 2 ,
called the resolvent cubic:
(j2)3 + 2q(j2)2 + (q2 _ 4s)j2 _ r2.
The cubic formula gives j 2 , from which we can determine m and .e, and hence the
roots of the quartic. The quartic formula has the same disadvantage as the cubic
formula: even though it gives a correct answer, the values of the roots are usually
unrecognizable.
Note that the quadratic formula can be derived in a way similar to the deriva-
tion of the cubic and quartic formulas. The change of variable X
= x - !b
re-
places the quadratic polynomial F(X) = X 2 + bX + c with the simpler polynomial
f(x) = x 2 + q whose roots give the roots of F(X): if u is a root of f(x), then u- !b
is a root of F(X). An explicit formula for q is c - tb
2 , so that the roots of f(x)

are, obviously, u = ±!v'b - 4c; thus, the roots of F(X) are!( - b ± v'b 2 - 4c).
2

It is now very tempting, as it was for our ancestors, to seek the roots of a quintic
F(X) = X 5 + bX 4 + cX 3 + dX 2 + eX + f (of course, they wanted to find roots of
polynomials of any degree). Begin by changing variable X = x - -! b to eliminate the
X 4 term. It was natural to expect that some further ingenious substitution together
with the formulas for roots of polynomials of lower degree, analogous to the resolvent
cubic, would yield the roots of F(X). For almost 300 years, no such formula was
found. In 1770, Lagrange showed that reasonable substitutions lead to a polynomial
of degree six, not to a polynomial of degree less than 5. Informally, let us say that
a polynomial f(x) is solvable by radicals if there is a formula for its roots which
has the same form as the quadratic, cubic, and quartic formulas; that is, it uses only
arithmetic operations and roots of numbers involving the coefficients of f(x). In
1799, Ruffini claimed that the general quintic formula is not solvable by radicals, but
his contemporaries did not accept his proof; his ideas were, in fact, correct, but his
proof had gaps. In 1815, Cauchy introduced the multiplication of permutations, and
he proved. basic properties of the symmetric group Sn; for example, he introduced
the cycle notation and proved unique factorization of permutations into disjoint
cycles. In 1824, Abel gave an acceptable proof that there is no quintic formula; in
 8 Chapter A-1. Classical Formulas

his proof, Abel constructed permutations of the roots of a quintic, using certain
rational functions introduced by Lagrange. In 1830, Galois, the young wizard who
was killed before his 21st birthday, modified Lagrange's rational functions but, more
important, he saw that the key to understanding which polynomials of any degree
are solvable by radicals involves what he called groups: subsets of the symmetric
group Sn that are closed under composition-in our language, subgroups of Sn.
To each polynomial f(x), he associated such a group, nowadays called the Galois
group of f(x). He recognized conjugation, normal subgroups, quotient groups, and
simple groups, and he proved, in our language, that a polynomial (over a field of
characteristic 0) is solvable by radicals if and only if its Galois group is a solvable
group (solvability being a property generalizing commutativity). A good case can
be made that Galois was one of the most important founders of modern algebra.
We recommend the book of Tignol [115) for an authoritative account of this history.

Exercises

* A-1.1. The following problem, from an old Chinese text, was solved by Qin Jiushao4 in
1247. There is a circular castle, whose diameter is unknown; it is provided with four gates,
and two li out of the north gate there is a large tree, which is visible from a point six li
east of the south gate (see Figure A-1.1). What is the length of the diameter?

Figure A-1.1. Castle Problem.

Hint. The answer is a root of a cubic polynomial.

A-1.2. (i) Find the complex roots of f(x) = x 3 - 3x + 1.
(ii) Find the complex roots of f(x) = x4 - 2x 2 + 8x - 3.
A-1.3. Show that the quadratic formula does not hold for f(x) = ax 2 +bx+ c if we view
the coefficients a, b, c as lying in Z 2 , the integers mod 2.

4 This standard transliteration into English was adopted in 1982; earlier spelling is Ch'in
Chiu-shao.
 Chapter A-2

Classical Number Theory

Since there is a wide variation in what is taught in undergraduate algebra courses,

we now review definitions and theorems, usually merely sketching proofs and ex-
amples. Even though much of this material is familiar, you should look at it to see
that your notation agrees with mine. For more details, we may cite specific results,
either in my book FCAA [94), A First Course in Abstract Algebra, or in LMA [23),
the book of A. Cuoco and myself, Learning Modern Algebra from Early Attempts
to Prove Fermat's Last Theorem. Of course, these results can be found in many
other introductory abstract algebra texts as well.

Divisibility
Notation. The natural numbers N is the set of all nonnegative integers
N = {O, 1,2,3, ... }.
The set Z of all integers, positive, negative, and zero, is
Z = {±n: n EN}.
(This notation arises from Z being the initial letter of Zahlen, the German word for
numbers.)

We assume that N satisfies the Least Integer Axiom (also called the Well-
Ordering Principle): Every nonempty subset C ~ N contains a smallest element;
that is, there is c0 EC with co :::; c for all c E C.
Definition. If a, b E Z, then a divides b, denoted by
a I b,
if there is an integer c with b = ac. We also say that a is a divisor of b or that b
is a multiple of a.

Note that every integer a divides 0, but 0 I a if and only if a= 0.

- 9
10 Chapter A-2. Classical Number Theory

Lemma A-2.1. If a and b are positive integers and a I b, then a~ b.

Proof. Suppose that b = ac. Since 1 is the smallest positive integer, 1 ~ c and
a~ ac = b. •

Theorem A-2.2 (Division Algorithm). If a and bare integers with a~ 0, then

there are unique integers q and r, called the quotient and remainder, with
b = qa +rand 0 ~ r < jaj.
Proof. This is just familiar long division. First establish the special case in which
a > 0: r is the smallest natural number of the form b - na with n E Z (see [23]
Theorem 1.15), and then adjust the result for negative a. •

Thus, a I b if and only if the remainder after dividing b by a is 0.

Definition. A common divisor of integers a and b is an integer c with c I a and
c I b. The greatest common divisor of a and b, denoted by gcd( a, b), is defined
by

g
cd(a b)
'
= {Otheiflargest
a= 0 = b,
common divisor of a and b otherwise.
This definition extends in the obvious way to give the gcd of integers ai, ... , an.

We saw, in Lemma A-2.1, that if a and m are positive integers with a I m,

then a~ m. It follows that gcd's always exist: there are always positive common
divisors (1 is always a common divisor), and there are only finitely many positive
common divisors~ min{a,b}.
Definition. A linear combination of integers a and b is an integer of the form
sa + tb,
where s, t E z.
The next result is one of the most useful properties of gcd's.
Theorem A-2.3. If a and b are integers, then gcd(a, b) is a linear combination of
a and b.

Proof. We may assume that at least one of a and b is not zero. Consider the set I
of all the linear combinations of a and b:
I= {sa + tb: s, t E Z}.
Both a and b are in I, and the set C of all those positive integers lying in I is
nonempty. By the Least Integer Axiom, C contains a smallest positive integer,
say d, and it turns out that dis the gcd ([23] Theorem 1.19). •

If d = gcd(a, b) and if c is a common divisor of a and b, then c ~ d, by

Lemma A-2.1. The next corollary shows that more is true: c is a divisor of d; that
is, c I d for every common divisor c.
Divisibility 11

Corollary A-2.4. Let a and b be integers. A nonnegative common divisor d is

their gcd if and only if c Id for every common divisor c of a and b.

Proof. [23], Corollary 1.20. •

Definition. An integer p is prime if p :2: 2 and its only divisors are ±1 and ±p.
If an integer a :2: 2 is not prime, then it is called composite.

One reason we don't consider 1 to be prime is that some theorems would become
more complicated to state. For example, if we allow 1 to be prime, then the
Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic (Theorem A-2.13 below: unique factorization
into primes) would be false: we could insert 500 factors equal to 1.

Proposition A-2.5. Every integer a :2: 2 has a factorization

a= P1 ···Pt,

where P1 s; · · · s; Pt and all Pi are prime.

Proof. The proof is by induction on a :2: 2. The base step holds because a = 2
is prime. If a > 2 is prime, we are done; if a is composite, then a = uv with
2 s; u, v < a, and the inductive hypothesis says each of u, v is a product of primes .
•
We allow products to have only one factor. In particular, we can say that 3 is
a product of primes. Collecting terms gives prime factorizations (it is convenient
to allow exponents in prime factorizations to be 0).

Definition. If a :2: 2 is an integer, then a prime factorization of a is

where the Pi are distinct primes and ei :2: 0 for all i.

Corollary A-2.6. There are infinitely many primes.

Proof. If there are only finitely many primes, say, P1, ... , Pt, then N = 1 +Pl · · ·Pt
is not a product of primes, for the Division Algorithm says that the remainder after
dividing N by any prime Pi is 1, not 0. This contradicts Proposition A-2.5. •

Lemma A-2.7. If pis a prime and bis any integer, then

gcd(p, b) = {P if PI b'.
1 otherwise.

Proof. A common divisor c of p and bis, in particular, a divisor of p. But the only
positive divisors of p are 1 and p. •

The next theorem gives one of the most important characterizations of prime
numbers.
12 Chapter A-2. Classical Number Theory

Theorem A-2.8 (Euclid's Lemma). If p is a prime and p I ab, for integers a

and b, then p I a or p I b. More generally, if p I ai ···at, then p I ai for some i.
Conversely, if m ~ 2 is an integer such that m I ab always implies m I a or
m I b, then m is a prime.

Proof. Suppose that p f a. Since gcd(p, a) = 1 (by Lemma A-2.7), there are
integers sand t with 1 = sp +ta (by Theorem A-2.3). Hence,
b = spb+ tab.
Now p divides both expressions on the right, and so p I b.
Conversely, if m = ab is composite (with a, b < m), then ab is a product
divisible by m with neither factor divisible by m. •

To illustrate: 6 I 12 and 12 = 4 x 3, but 6 f 4 and 6 f 3. Of course, 6 is not

prime. On the other hand, 2 I 12, 2 f 3, and 2 I 4.
Definition. Call integers a and b relatively prime if their gcd is 1.

Thus, a and b are relatively prime if their only common divisors are ±1. For
example, 2 and 3 are relatively prime, as are 8 and 15.
Here is a generalization of Euclid's Lemma having the same proof.
Corollary A-2.9. Let a, b, and c be integers. If c and a are relatively prime and
if c I ab, then c I b.

Proof. There are integers s and t with 1 = sc + ta, and so b = scb + tab. •
Lemma A-2.10. Let a and b be integers.
(i) Then gcd(a, b) = 1 (that is, a and b are relatively prime) if and only if 1
is a linear combination of a and b.
(ii) If d = gcd(a, b), then the integers a/d and b/d are relatively prime.

Proof. The first statement follows from Theorem A-2.3; the second is LMA Propo-
sition 1.23 •

Definition. An expression a/b for a rational number (where a and bare integers)
is in lowest terms if a and b are relatively prime.

Proposition A-2.11. Every nonzero rational number a/b has an expression in

lowest terms.

a a'd a' a
Proof. If d = gcd(a, b), then a= a'd, b = b'd, and b= b'd = b'. But a'= d and
b
b' = d' so gcd(a', b') = 1 by Lemma A-2.10. •

Proposition A-2.12. There is no rational number a/b whose square is 2.

Divisibility 13

Proof. Suppose, on the contrary, that (a/b) 2 = 2. We may assume that a/bis in
lowest terms; that is, gcd(a,b) = 1. Since a 2 = 2b 2 , Euclid's Lemma gives 2 I a,
and so 2m = a. Hence, 4m 2 = a 2 = 2b2 , and 2m2 = b2 . Euclid's Lemma now gives
2 I b, contradicting gcd(a, b) = 1. •

This last result is significant in the history of mathematics. The ancient Greeks
defined number to mean "positive integer,'' while rationals were not viewed as
numbers but, rather, as ways of comparing two lengths. They called two segments
of lengths a and b commensurable if there is a third segment of length c with
a = me and b = nc for positive integers m and n. That v'2 is irrational was a
shock to the Pythagoreans; given a square with sides of length 1, its diagonal and
side are not commensurable; that is, v'2 cannot be defined in terms of numbers
(positive integers) alone. Thus, there is no numerical solution to the equation
x 2 = 2, but there is a geometric solution. By the time of Euclid, this problem
had been resolved by splitting mathematics into two different disciplines: number
theory and geometry.
In ancient Greece, algebra as we know it did not really exist; Greek mathemati-
cians did geometric algebra. For simple ideas, geometry clarifies algebraic formulas.
For example, (a+ b) 2 = a 2 + 2ab + b2 or completing the square (x + ~b) 2 =
(~b) 2 +bx+ x 2 (adjoining the white square to the shaded area gives a square).
········· ~-----~

a a2 ab

x
b ab

a b x

For more difficult ideas, say, equations of higher degree, the geometric figures in-
volved are very complicated, and geometry is no longer clarifying.
Theorem A-2.13 (Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic). Every integer
a ~ 2 has a unique factorization
a= p~1 ... p~',
where P1 < · · · < Pt, all Pi are prime, and all ei > 0.
Proof. Suppose a = p~ 1 • • • p~' and a = q{1 • • • q{• are prime factorizations. Now
Pt I q{1 • • • q{•, so that Euclid's Lemma gives Pt I qi for some j. Since qi is prime,
however, Pt = qi. Cancel Pt and qj, and the proof is completed by induction on
max{t,s}. •

The next corollary makes use of our convention that exponents in prime fac-
torizations are allowed to be 0.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
pak jai d’r poote.… goan d’r op legge.… ik hep nou d’r kop.… stevig-
àn hoor!.…

Rood donkerden de zeerende wimpers van Dirk uit slaap-schrik,

gezwollen, tegen lichtschijn van ’t lampje, dat Guurt nu midden op
tafel had gezet. Snel weer z’n kop hevig draaiend staarde ie ontsteld
in hurkhouding op de bobbel onder ’m neèr, die hij indrukte. Zacht
gekerm en verdoofd gekrijsch kreunde uit de dekens. Dirk, in al z’n
krachtzwaarte telkens opgewipt door ’t ingesnoerde zenuwlijf onder
’m, kroop verder in bed, drukte zwaarder met z’n knieën op de plek
waar vrouw Hassel’s nek zat, plette, zelf radeloos, in angst, niet
beseffend, wàt anders te doen. Moeder was plots gek geworden. Dat
voelden de kinderen. En niemand viel ’t in, den Ouë te vragen, hoe
ie eigenlijk uit bed kwam. Op d’r beenen lag ie nou, Gerrit,
neergekrampt in ’t donkere bed-endje. Maar telkens even, rukte
vrouw Hassel in angstkrampen en stuiping van d’r voeten ouë Gerrit
òp, dat ie waggelde, in den hoek beukte met z’n kop; dan weer
trapte ze’m tusschen de liezen, dat ie wilden, jagenden pijnkreet
uitstootte en vloekte.

Onderhands bedacht ie, wat ie zeggen most als z’m vragen zouen,
waar ie geweest was, wat ie d’r uit te doen had? [197]

Niks.… niks heulegoar gain uitproatje had ie.… Dat moakte ’m stikke
van angst.

Zachter, al zachter kreunde en kermde vrouw Hassel. Toen, als in

schok, begrepen Piet en Guurt in één, dat ze stikken ging zóó.

—Houw op Dirk … houw op, gilde Guurt ontzet, je smoort d’r.… se

hep gain lucht.…

—F’rdomd, gromde Piet, se stikt t’met.… dá’ holp nie.… lá’ d’r nou
los.… Dirk, zelf geschrikt, plots voelend dat ie ’r vermoord kon
hebben, was angstig van d’r lijf opgesprongen, Gerrit uit z’n hoek
meesleurend, nu vrouw Hassel d’r beenen al wat minuten
beweegloos gehouen had. Met z’n zware schonken, dachten ze, dat
Dirk ’r doodgekneusd had, moeder gestikt onder de lakens zou
blauwen.

Guurt en Piet rukten de dekens in plooiwarrel van d’r hoofd. Stil lag
ze, roerloos verwrongen met grauw gezicht en vuil-grijze
flodderharen voor dichte oogluiken gekroest.… Zacht kwam er
hijging in ’r lijf.… openden de kijkers weer, na ’n poosje, glurend door
harenwar op Hassel, die in benauwde streken over z’n baard wreef,
ingekrompen naast de kinderen voor ’t bed stond.

Plots in gansch onvoorzienen ruk, sprong vrouw Hassel weer

overend, aap-lenig op Hassel af, spoog z’m witte klodders in z’n
gezicht, schudde z’n langen haarkop.… gil-roggelend:

—Moordenoàr, je hep main wille joape.… ik hep ’t sien.…

Nu was ’r geheugen sterk even, in krisis. Machteloos, met lendenen

achteruitgedrukt viel Gerrit op z’n knieën, in dollen angst, dat ze’m
gevolgd, gezien had in den kelder.… In z’n benauwing daarover,
voelde ie bijna de bonken niet, die z’n vrouw ’m op zijn grijzen kop
en nek hamerde, met krampige vuistwoede, in waanzin. Guurt,
angstiger nu, gilde mee, en schreeuwde huilend dat ze de buren
verderop roepen zou.

—Hou je bek, snauwde Dirk, zoo wait hain.… is nog nie.. sel d’r wel
mores leere.… Hier Piet.… graip jai d’r poote.… den Ouë leg tog
veur merakel.…

Dirk wilde eerst den Ouë losrukken uit de kramphanden [198]van z’n
moeder, die in woeste dierdrift doorstompte en mokerde. Gerrit
vloekte, al benauwder dat z’m sien had, dat se ’t doar soo inéén sou
uitskreeuwe,—mepte zwakkies terug in ’t donkere ruimtetje, tegen
de magere roggelborst van z’n wijf, soms ’n woester bof, dat ’t
kraakte op ’r karkas. Eindelijk had Dirk ’m losgeworsteld, en in
waggelende strompeling ’m opzij geduwd.

—Si jai hier Ouë.… op die deele is ’t waif sterker aa’s wai..

Toen in loer, greep ie weer de handen plots van z’n moeder, sloeg
haar er mee in ’t gezicht, boog ze achter de schouers half om,
beukte ze dan weer naar d’r mond, dien ie dichtdrukte, plat als
varkenssnuit. Wilde vechtlust driftte in ’m los, om ’t dolle wijf te
temmen. Te hijgen stond ie, en Guurt, bijlichtend, krijschte
gesmoord, doodsbleek d’r fijne hoofd in lichtschijn. Piet had ’r
beenen nù vastgemoerd in zìjn schroefhanden en gekneld onder z’n
zware schonken, die zacht, ademzacht bewogen. Langzaam begon
angstkrisis van vrouw Hassel te zakken. Haar gezicht, los omwoeld
van vuil-grijs haar, waaronder naakte schedel doorschemerde, lag
grauw-paars te kaaksidderen, angstbezweet. Om ’r breed-dunnen
mond schokten zenuwtrekjes, snel achteréén. En lossig zwabbervel
van rimpelwang vlamde nu doorspikkeld van doffe vlekken. Uit ’r
opengescheurden borstrok bruinde ’r smoezelig bloot lijf. Bij elken
òpschok, knakte Dirk ’r met zwel-kracht terug in de peluw, haar
magere armhanden geschroefd in z’n spitklauwen, kruislings over d’r
borst, die hijgde zwaarder van benauwing nog. Zacht likte ze ’t
schuim uit ’r mondhoeken weg. Plots begon ze uit te snikken, doofde
angst-staar in ’r oogen, gebroken van flauw licht, keek ze weer rond,
gewoon-suf als altijd, wist niet, wat ’r met ’r gebeurde.

De krisis was afgezakt. Angstmom van straks leek uit ’r gezicht

weggerimpeld. Zwak, in uitputting nog, vroeg ze naar Dirk òp, huil-
schokkend.

—Waâ is d’r.. wa’ hou je main vast.. is ’t al loat hee?..

—Hou je bek, snauwde Dirk, je bèn d’r daàs,—niet beseffend, dat
grienuitbarsting eindkrisis had gebracht. [199]

Stil weende ze door, handen kruislings-stil op d’r borst gedrukt, snik-

scheurend als altijd, niet wetend, waarom ze huilde, alleen bang
maar weer dat ze ’r zouen roepen, d’r naam, dat ze dit en dat weer
vergeten had. En ook dàt gevoel dofte weg, hield ze nog maar alleen
den angst, zonder te weten waarvoor. Ze zag ze nu allen met bleeke
gezichten zwak-belicht, maar ze begreep niet wat ze wouen, die
koppen. Ouë Gerrit zat nog op z’n stoel, onder de staartklok, in zich-
zelf zacht jubelend, dat se niks sien had, ’t waif.… daâ’ se anders
wel babbelt sou hewwe.… daa’ se niks niemendal sien had.… en
aas se’t wete had.… waa’s sai ’t tug doalik kwait.…

—Moar snof’rjenne voàder, riep Piet, ’t bedsteedje uitspringend, nou

ie zag dat z’n moeder zich niet meer verroerde, d’r beenen
machteloos leën,.… hoe kwam je d’r uit? Hep se je d’ruit trapt?

—Ho.. ho.. nee.. hu.. hu.. so wait hain waa’st nie.… moar.… ik mos
soo noòdig.… en toe’k t’rug kwaam, lai sai wakker.… begon se t’met
te roase en te sloan.

Even had de Ouë geduizeld, bij de onverwachte vraag van Piet. Niet
meer verwachtend dat ze’m vragen zouen, had ie er ook niet meer
over gemijmerd wàt te zeggen. Nou was ’t er sebiet uitgeschoten,
zonder bedenksel.… en heel gewoon klonk t’em alles.…
doodgewoon,.. hij was t’r zelf verbaasd van. Vrouw Hassel hoorde ’r
man spreken buiten ’t bed. Nou merkte ze eerst, dat ie niet naast ’r
lag. Dirk had ’r handen losgelaten, maar bleef toch voor bed staan.

’n Half uur, in nachtstilte, dommelde ’t groepje bijéén, slaperig

wakend weer, voor ’t donkere bedje. Ze bescholden ’t wijf, snauwden
’r toe wat ze uitgehaald had, maar ze sufte wezenloos ’n stamel-
woord terug, zonder begrijpen. Stil-suf bleef vrouw Hassel
rondstaren, niet vragend, in zachten snik soms. Piet bromde, dat ’t
nou puur daan was.

—Se moak g’n sloffies meer, gaapte ie in armrengeling.

—Daàs is se nie.… aa’s se.… aa’s se gèk was dàn.… Nou.… ik

goan d’r in.…

Alleen de Ouë durfde niet goed, bang dat ze’m zou wurgen, [200]als
ie eenmaal stil achter d’r lag. Toen Dirk kwaadaardiger bromde dat ie
d’r nou moar in zou stappen, deed ie raar, ouë Gerrit, net of ie weer
naar achter moest. Maar Dirk vloekte wou niet langer opblijven.

—Is ’t nou daàn.… murrege roep jai dokter.… ’k mo’ vroeg op

stap.… ik goan d’r in.… aas sai.… aas sai weer hep.… skreeuw je
moar.…

Bang-stil was ouë Gerrit achter z’n vrouw gekropen, in angst dat ze
zich dadelijk op ’m zou smakken als ze ’m zien zou. Maar heel
bedaard bleef ze, ’m loom vragend of ie d’r uit was geweest.

Guurt plette d’r hemdkantjes weer recht, met ’r hand op zware

borsten, klaar wakker. Ze begreep niks meer van ’t wijf. Ze had ’r
kunnen slaan, uit wrevel, dat moeder nòu klaar wakker keek, en zij-
zelf zoo geschrikt was. Maar toch voelde ze meelij ’n beetje met
suffe staargezicht uit ’t donker opgrauwend.

—Wa’ he’k daan.… wa’ doe jai, smeek-stemde ze tegen Guurt, die ’t
laatst voor ’t bed was gebleven.

—Niks.… niks.… jai was benouwt!.… goan nou moar sloape.…

Guurt stapte in bed, lekker onder de dekens kruipend, huiver-ha-tjes

van kou uitbevend. De Ouë lag te rillen. Angst had ’m weer beet. Z’n
vrouw wist ’t toch, dacht ie.… s’n spulle.. s’n spulle.…
En òver angstgevoel, dat ie z’n spullen zou verliezen, groeide
wroeging dat ie stal, dat God ’m wou straffen.… Groene figuren en
vlammetjes zag ie weer uit den donkeren hoek lekken. F’r wa’ ha’
Guurt de bedstee dicht daan.… Nou was t’r heule goar g’n licht.…
En als ie even stil lag, angst zakte, dat z’n oogleden dichtkapten
zwaar van uitputting, kwam er droom-benauwing, bleef z’n adem
plots weg in z’n long, dacht ie te stikken. Met geweld, wild zat ie
overeind, telkens en telkens, met z’n handen grabbelend tegen z’n
strot, waar de benauwing rondkroop.

Z’n vrouw naast ’m, hoorde ie zacht weer lippufferen, in [201]doffen

slaap, kreunig kermen. Nou kòn hij niet meer snurken,.… de rust in ’t
bedhol drukte ’m in elkaar, hing om z’n oogen, z’n handen, z’n
keel.…

Heel lang bleef nog nachtdonkerte in ’t holletje voor z’n oogen

gonzen. En heel langzaam jubelde ’r weer iets in ’m, zoete
mijmering, dat geen sterveling ’m toch snapt had.… da d’r nie een,
puur nie één wist, dat ie spulle had, en waar ie ze had.. puur nie
één.… [202]
[Inhoud]
 ACHTSTE HOOFDSTUK.

Warrelende schemersneeuw, traagvlokkend, wemelde over de breeë

Baanwijk. De boomen kromden stamdonker tegen de dampende,
gelig-wit stuivende straat. Van boulevardboomrij uit, donkerden heel
van ver, hooge karren en paarden omnibus-schimmig ààn, tegen
den tragen kringenden vlokwemel in. Even ’n vrouw, met triest-rood
omslagdoekje en donkere kleeren, fantoomde òp uit ’n laag huisje,
de leege straat òver. Alles witte, ingesneeuwd in stilteval. Bij ’n laag
karretje, waarop blauw melkvat, dat met besneeuwde hoepels-
omranding stond te eenzamen in ’n nauw wit zijwijkje, drentelde
Kees Hassel heen en weer, wachtend op ’n kerel, die misschien iets
voor ’m had.

Demping en dampige stilte witte van straatjes en daakjes. Hoog bij

den Lemperweg naar ’t stationsplein, lag ’n groot brok weiruimte vol
te wemelen met glanzige vlokken. Tusschen de boomen overal, als
in traag spel van stoeiende hemellingen, schemerde prachtige stille
warreling, over en op elkaar, ingangen bouwend en hooge
boogpoorten van schemer-witte hallen. En àlom schuiner geweef
van vlokken rond en om roerloos takgedonker, doodstille stammen,
pastelgroen in broze kleurteerheid. Daartusschen nu en dan,
beweeg van menschen met sneeuw-zware petten en jassen, wit, wit,
onkenbaar bevlokt op gezicht, wenkbrauw en haar, doorsjokkend
met donkerend lijf tegen den stoeidans van vlokken in. En voort weer
wemelden glans-zacht en kleur-schitterig in zachten spat, de groote
verstillende vlokken, op de al witter aarde, al dons-zachter, op de
roerlooze wachtende takken, op de doodstille stammen. [203]

Aan allen kant lag Wiereland ingesneeuwd. ’t Ouë jaar was als ’n
woest stuk leven voorbijgestoven, met nachtlijk rumoer, gebras, en
zuiplappen-gekrijsch van kerels en meiden, verdierlijkt in jammer.
Kouer bleef ’t in stedeke en Duinkijk, rondom de groote
heerlijkheden van Van Ouwenaar en Duindaal, met z’n witte akkers
en noordpolige blanke weibrokken, zelfs als de zon plots
doorschitteren kwam en blauwe dampen goot over ’t landwit, dat
violet-zwaar verschaduwde in ’t bleek-gouïge licht.

De vorst steeg en mopperend vloekten de kweekers, dat hun gewas

uit den grond was komen kijken en nou t’met doodvroor. Avond
daarop daalde de vorst, modderden de wijkjes weer in drassige brij,
grauwden jammerdagen in laag grijze luchten, verdruild door ’t vale
stedeke, tot wéér inviel sneeuw, almaar sneeuw, aanwittend en
bedonzend de wijkjes en huisjes zonder dat er ijs kwam in de sloten.

Kees stond te trampelen van voetenkou. Nou zou ie met den vent ’n
hoekkroeg ingeloopen zijn, als ie even bleef passen op z’n karretje,
maar die kwam niet terug. Verrek, dan zou ie ’m smeren.

Op z’n erfhuis bleef ie rommelen, uit ’t pleehok wat gier

opscharrelend. ’n Paar dagen had ie helpen opladen en wat kwartjes
verdiend, met nieuwe mandbodempjes maken. Nou was ’t weer
daàn. Morgen zou ie reis, puur uit verveling z’n rot brok skuur slope
en ’r blokken van zagen. Kon ie maar mee met de tuindersboot op
Amsterdam, wa’ wild en k’nijne smokkele.… da’ satte nou al die
f’rdommelinge bai mekoar.… en nooit kon ie mee. Maar van avond
zou ’t er nou erais van komme.… stroope.… Hij had afgesproken
met drie lui, beruchtste wildstroopers van Wiereland, omdat ie zelf
geen kogel en geen achterlaaier, geen sprenkels, niks, niks meer
had. Z’n laatste laaier hadden z’m afgekaapt op bijpad, de
koddebeiers. Piet Hassel, z’n broer wou ook mee, voor ’t eerst. Kon
hem niks schelen, als ie maar geen grooten bek sloeg.

Tot donker bleef ie nog rommelen op z’n erfje, grom-nijdig en stil-

wrokkend, dat er weer niks te vreten was. Donderement, [204]nou
wier t’m te guur. Huiver-rillig schokkerde ie de kamer in, smakte zich
neer, plat op den grond, voor laag vuurtje, waarin takken
vlamknetterden, als in winterpret-verhaal met doorbrande schouw en
den donkeren konkelpot. Ouë Rams zat ’r weer met z’n beenen, in ’t
verkort, in hoekje opgedrongen, pruimstraaltjes sissend in ’t
geknapper. Even verwarmd stond Kees weer op, grommend. ’t Stonk
’r aa’s de pest.… en de zoete valeriaan, kon ie niet luchte, maakte
’m misselijk. Dan nog maar effe noar Grint.… tjonge die maid.… die
Geert.… die draait sain puur veur s’n test.… wat ’n lief ding.…

—Waif aa’s t’met de kerels komme, lá’ hullie wachte.… aa’s hullie d’r
om àcht uur nie benne, goan wai f’nàcht.…

Ant bromde iets terug uit ’t achterend, door wat schreeuw-kinderen

heen. Tegen half acht dook Ant uit ’t donker, om ’t lampje op te
steken in de kamer. Wimpie’s stemmetje zangde neuriënd uit z’n
stikduister hoekje en ouë Rams zat even flauw-rossig bewalmd in
zachte knettervlammetjes van schouw. Huilerig en drenzend
sjokkerden de kinderen, in armoedigen lampschijn groezelig
bewegend, zich hun vodjes van ’t lijf. Vier meisjes lagen al, nauw
gekrompt bijeen in bedsteedje, elkaars adem opzuigend. Twee, met
slaperige morsige kopjes ronkten naast drie woelenden, later
ingestapt. Daàr, vlak boven hun hoofdjes, als in ’n doodkistje,
plankte eng kribje dwars tegen bedstee-schot, klauterde Neeltje van
vier in, met gatduwetjes van onderen opstommelend. De gonjen
bevlooide zakken met haverdoppen, waarop ze lagen, stonken en
wasemden vocht uit, als adem van ziek beest, door de krottige
slaapholletjes. Smal hanglampje, pitjes-droef, groezelde wat vuil-
geel lichtschijnsel op de magere slaapsnoetjes. Twee roodharige
kooters liepen nog wat rond, met bloote modderige voetjes,
drentelend in speelsche vadsigheid op den steenvloer, wachtend op
nieuwe schreeuwen en porren van moeder, om in te stappen.
Zuigeling lag in ’t bed van vader en moeder, naast Ant, voor ’t gemak
’s nachts, als kindeke de borst moest lebberen. Dientje, ’t moedertje,
met ’r zenuwzwak kopje, [205]holle wal-oogen en uitgebleekte
wangetjes moest rondgaan.

—Bidde.… helhoake, schreeuwde vrouw Hassel,.… nog twai Akte

van Hoop enne.… Akte van Berouw.… kaik rond Dien.… gaif hullie
d’r ’n mep.… dá’ kenalje.… la’ hullie nie klesseneere.… aa’s se nie
wille.… d’r òp moar!.…

Bij knielend zusje Aafje ging ze staan om te hooren, in te vallen, te

verbeteren. Toen Aafje klaar was hielp ze’r in de bedstee, voorzichtig
tusschen de andere kinderkluit.—Van ’t schoorsteenrandje, uit ’n
hoekje, peuterde ze ’n fleschje open, nam ze zelf met rillingen ’n
lepel valeriaan. Voor d’r zenuwen, had moeder gezegd, omdat ze ’s
nachts zoo schrikkelijk droomde, zoo wild dee.… zeien ze,.… op
ging zitte, en bange gekkigheid zei. De kleine naast ’r most ook ’n
slok, krijschte Ant weer even uit achterend naar Dien.

—En sai.… sai mo’ nog bidde.… Dien.… kaik.… f’rdomd se lait al.…
Stommeling! kwam dreigend aanstuiven Ant.… Sien je nou nie daa’
’k brood an ’t moake bin?.…

—Nou.… en.… ik bin soo moe.… zuchtte bleek-angstig Dien, ’r bruin

stinkend rokje van d’r beentjes schuddend.

Met ’n smak had Ant ’n lang-ijzeren brood-vorm en ’n grooten

steenen pan op tafeltje neergekwakt, dat de kinders verschrikten in
de bedjes. Wimpie, die neuriënd naar ’n Moeder Mariaplaatje te
droom-turen lag, schrok òp, hevig. Nooit kon ie slapen of moeder
moest ook liggen, al werd ’t elf uur. Plots kwam grootmoeder Rams
aansjokken uit achterend, vaagtastend in schuifel-pasjes overal
heen, met ’r handen en armen krommig vooruit, alles werend
waartegen ze op kon loopen. Haar zwaar korpulent oud-vrouwe-lijf,
heupig-uitgezwollen, schommelde als van tiendubbel berokte
vischvrouw. Op vetten romp stond ingekwabd nekloos, ’n klein
hoofd, vossig-spits, met erin, leelijk-groene schichtige flikker-oogjes,
weggediept in slappe, bruin-gele wangen. ’n Versleten paars jak met
zwarte streepjes over loggen borstenhang, was kort afgefranjed in
smerige rafeling bij tonnigen dijenschommel, en overal kromden ’r
groote handen met worsterige week-dikke vingers en stompe vette
armpjes,—gespannen in ’t nauw lijfje, [206]als kinderdijen,—vooruit,
waar ze liep. Bij ’t bedje van Wimpie stond ze stil. Alleen nog maar
schaduwen kon ze zien. Op den dag liep ze wel alléén, omdat ze
wòu, maar telkens werd ze door goedhartige lui thuis gebracht, die ’r
zagen zwerven en tasten. Als ze met ’r befloerste oogen, waar ’t licht
al bijna uitgekringd was, in doffen appelstaar, strak tegen iemand of
iets aanliep, stotterde ze van kwaadheid, gaf ze dadelijk de schuld
aan ding of mensch, waartegen zij opbonsde. Nooit goed wist vrouw
Rams wie wèl, wie niet in de kamer was. Maar sluw vroeg ze ’t
ongemerkt den kleintjes, of Wimpie, denkend dat ze dan niet wisten,
hòe weinig ze nog maar zien kon.

—Mo’ je, mo’ je nie wa’ drinke.… jonge.… vroeg ze Wimpie al

tweemaal, die driftig nee had geschud, zonder dat ze ’t zag.

In ’r stem, schril en scherp lag bijtende klank van nijdigheid.

—Seg jonge.… hoor je nie?.…

—Nee.… nee.… neenet!.… ’k mô nie.… driftte Wimpie, met z’n

hoofd draaiend, moeilijk in de peluw.

Over ’t bedje heen van Wimpie, boog ze ’r vossenkop, om ’m beter

te zien, moar ’t mannetje begon te huilen.

—Wa wi-je tog.… wi je tog, angstigde z’n stemmetje.… ’k mo’ niks.…

’k hê niks vroagt.
Ant, met ’r handen vol meelklonten, staand voor ’t tafeltje, keek naar
den hoek, barstte nijdig uit tegen vrouw Rams.

—Wa’ mo’ je tog moeder.… là sain s’n gangetje.… wa seur je.… je

moak sain in de loorem.…

Stil-nijdig schoffel-paste ze weer weg van Wimpie’s ledekantje, langs

bedsteeën van de meisjes, die nu met groezel-gelig schijnsel op
stille slaapmaskertjes te snurken lagen, eng d’r lijfjes in elkaar
gewurmd. Even keek ze in, vrouw Rams, zag niets dan donker,
sjokte verder, met armen krommig-stomp vooruit, tot ze pal den hoek
inliep, tegen lichtbak van Kees op.

—Daa’s jouw.… jouw.… skuld.… jouw skuld.… beet ze af, stem-

nijdig zacht achteruit schuifelend. Maar niets hoorde vrouw Rams
terugzeggen, begreep ze dat ze ergens tegen aangeloopen [207]was.
Bij den haard bleef ze weer staan, in lichtelijke uithijging van d’r
zwaren borsthang. Daar zag ze, in ’t schuwe licht, den schaduw-
romp van ouë Rams, silhouet van z’n bloote morsige voeten in ’t
verkort saamgekrompen; haar man, dien ze haatte, met wien ze al
dertien jaar niet sprak, die haar ook nooit wat zei. Ze haatte ’m
omdat ie Ant met Kees had laten trouwen, omdat ie Kees niet de
ribben stuk sloeg en omdat hij nooit op ’m meeschold. En hij, in z’n
grimmigen, eenzelvigen leefangst, oud, afgeleefd en verzwakt, wist
niets meer van dien trouw-rommel af, wou alleen geen gezeur,
haatte heftig z’n vrouw terug, zoo maar, uit afschuw voor ’r
glunderige, ’r schimperige valschheid, al bleef z’n haat niet meer zoo
fel in z’n kop nagloeien als vroeger. Maar bespuwen kon ie ’r,
verafschuwen deed ie ’r, zonder ’t ooit iemand te zeggen. Ingedrukt,
in een bedsteetje op duf achtergangetje, sliepen ze al dertien jaar
naast elkaar, zonder ’n letter gesprek. En niks geen gezeur, van
niemand, wou ouë Rams. Alleen maar stilte, nou ie geen werk meer
kon doen, en vreete. Als ’r dat niet was, pruimpies en hitte. Zoo bleef
ie zitten op z’n stoel, bij de schouw, zomer en winter, verlangend
geen lucht, geen zon, geen straat te zien. Alleen mompelde ie:
swaineboel.… swaineboel.… als Ant geen tabak voor ’m gebedeld
had, of als ie z’n vrouw zag sluipen, rond ’m heen, zonder woord, al
maar sloffend en tastend in grabbel.—

Ant stond nog aan ’t schuddende tafeltje, onder schijnsel van armoe-
lampje, te grijpen in den vuilen, geel-glazuren pot, kledderde telkens
nat deeg van ’r smoezelige vingers in plaat-ijzeren vorm, met ’r
bemeelde handen, grof-bekluit, persend en plettend. In ’t lage
kamerdeurke bleekte plots hoofd òp van vrouw Reeker van ’t pad.
Guurte bracht ze mee van de straat. Achter ’r lang, rood omdoekt lijf,
kwakte ze donkere hokdeur dicht, sjokte in zucht van uitputting op ’n
krukje neer, bij de schouw.—

—Main kristus, is dà skrikke.…

—Gommenikki.… jai buurvrouw? keek verbaasd om, Ant.

Nooit kreeg ze bezoek van vrouw Reeker, omdat die zich [208]altijd,
als vrouw van zuinigen braven kleinpachter, wàt te voornaam voelde
om met Hassels-schorem om te gaan. Want Kees, nie waar, wà was
Kees nou veur ’n snaiboon.… nog g’neens ’n los werkman.… Maar
nou was ze zoo geskrikt op den weg, dat ze buiten ’r fatsoen ging.

—Buurvrouw.… hijgde ze nog met ademlooze stem, je mô.… je mô

main effe.… effe an ’t bedoàre late komme.… gaif main.… ’n.. ’n..
bakkie woater.… is da skrikke.… dá’ ’n mins doen ken.… is dá’
skrikke.… liefe-deugd!.…

Ant wreef bedaard handen-plat over het deeg, gladduwend en

indrukkend buitjes en geultjes. Zacht was ze naar Wimpie geloopen
die nog wakker lag, om hem d’r vingers, rauw-bedeegd van witte
kluitjes, te laten aflikken. Dat vond ie zoo lekker altijd. Met één hand
in Wimpies breeën mond, de andere nattig, ruig afstrijkend aan ’r
schort, vroeg ze half naar vrouw Reeker toe, met iets bits in ’r stem:

—Moar main goeie mins.… wa’ hep je.… je laikt puur f’stuur.… hier
hai je ’n bàkkie.… doar in d’emmer.…

Grootmoeder Rams was om vrouw Reeker heen geschoffel-past,

had vlak op ’r donkeren rug geloerd en eindelijk aan de stem
gehoord wie ’t was.

—Wa’ hai je?.… vroeg ze schel tusschen Ant en vrouw Reeker

inschuifelend.… hai je weer belet in je hoofd.… mi je spooke?.…

Ze lachte scherpe schraapgeluidjes uit en in tastrichting nijdigde ze

haar woorden naar vrouw Reeker, die vóór ouë Rams zat.—

—Nou.… nou ik swair d’r op daa’k se puur sien hep.… twai.…

twai.… eine van langest.… ’t pad.…

—Nou mins, de boose gaist sit in je.… scherpte nijdiger vrouw

Rams, met sarrende mondtrekjes in ’r spitsig gezicht.… De duufel
hep je bait.… dá’s nou main weut.… die hep je puur bait.…

Ant moest nog eruit, ’t brooddeeg naar den bakker brengen in

Wiereland. Al ’n kwartier wachtte ze op vrouw Zeilmaker en Zeune
die altijd meegingen, tegen dien tijd. [209]

—Je ken hier blaive, soo lank je wil buurvrouw, moar ikke mo’ effe
main booskap.…

—Nainet.… nainet.… dan goàn ik mai.… dan goan ik mit vrouw

Zeilmaker t’rug, zei drift-angstig vrouw Reeker, luchtig opstaand. Ik
durf.… durf nie moedersiel allainig ’t pad af.… twai.… twai.… hep ’k
d’r nou sien.… ik sit d’r puur van te trille.…
—Twai.… twai.… bitste vrouw Rams hoonend-streng.. mins ik seg
moàr.… paa’s op je sieldrement!.… je ben an de duufel f’rkocht.…
paa’s d’r op!.…

Plots met deurgebonk en gestoot rumoerden vrouw Zeune en

Zeilmaker de lage groezelig duisterende kamer in.

—Kloàr buurtje? schorde met heeschige, mannige ventersstem

vrouw Zeune.…

—T’met buurvrouw, nou he’k de eer van vrouw Reeker d’r besoek.…
s’ is d’r puur tureluurs van, se hep weer spoke sien op ’t pad.

—Spoke, spoke? gier-lachte grof-hevig vrouw Zeune met ’r

bassende mannestem.… ’t regent t’met aa’s de see.… stikke
donker.… en ’n wind van foàldera!!.. neenet vrouwe! die komme d’r
nou nie uit.… die blaive bai hullie perremetoàsie.… die.…

Bleek-bevend was vrouw Reeker weer voor ouë Rams op ’t krukje

neergezakt. Achter haar schonkig lijf sisten in ’t groen-duister
grootvaders pruimstraaltjes, sneller, sisscherp tegen konkelpotbuik
aan. Vrouw Rams was weer tusschen de visite ingeschoven, armen
krommig vooruit, in radden tast-schuif.—Ze wist precies nou aan den
stemmenklank wie er waren; Kees hoorde ze niet. Die was weg,
wèg.… want met al haar haat, was ze bang voor dien kerel, voor z’n
razende drift.

—Ik seg moar, scherpte ze stil uit, da’ se d’r van bekold is.…
behekst.… se mos puur belese worde.… daa’s nou main weut.… ik
belees hullie allegoar.… Wimpie hep puur behekst weest.… deur
hoar sloerie!.… die suiplap.… die maidejoàger.… [210]

—Moeder, là Kees se gangetje kregelde Ant, bang voor Wimpie’s

drift, en ook omdat ze ’t niet zetten kon nou, waar die branie van
vrouw Reeker bij was, dat ’r man zoo uitgemaakt werd.

—Wá! se gangetje?.… jai weut niks!.… niks, jai onskuld!.… jai weut
nie wa se segge.… op de ploats.… enne op de polder!.… Moar
nou.… hep ie.… hep ie de burgemeester weer wille dèursteke.…
puur woàr.… en nou hep ie weer àlderlei meissies ongelukkig
moakt.… puur.… en nou hep ie drie doàge se aige dood-soope in de
kroeg.… bai ’t Veertje.…

—Daa’s jokkes, hai hep hier weest.… de heule week.… brak Ant
nijdig af.

—Da lieg jai!.… hou je bek jai onskuld!.… hai beliegt je.… beliegt
je!.… soo’n skaamteloose vuilik!.… hai legt ’t àn mi iedere maid van
fleesch en beene!.… en.… enne iedere nacht hep ie stroopt die
dief.… die ongeluk in je huis!.. allegoar bloedsinte.… aà’s tie d’rais
wà afgaift.… je most sain!.… suilie moste sain fille!.… an rieme
snaie.… soo’n gedrocht!.… soo’n ketter!.…

Ze stond te gebaren in ’t vrouwekringetje, woest-blij van binnen, dat

ze op Kees schelden kon, dat ze d’r hitte-kregel kon luchten, nou bij
vreemden, en hij toch weg was. Armen hoog boven ’r vossekop,
gebaarde ze met ’r twee handen bij elk scheldwoord, en in
vingerkrampige trekkingen, liep ze, in opwinding voortschimpend,
tegen ’t lijf van vrouw Zeune, die ’r met ’n stoot, kwaadaardig
achteruit bofte. Ant gaf ’r moeder gelijk, altijd als ze alleèn waren.
Maar nou, nou vond ze ’t toch te bar.

—Moar moeder, wa’ hai je nou soo ineens op je heupe.… la sain se

gangetje seg ik.… là’ sàin.… je kletst puur de honderd uit.…

Wimpie was begonnen, te snikken en te schreeuwen.

—Dà’ lieg ie Omoe.… da lieg ie.… Foader hep nies daan.… foader
hep nies daan!.…

Met rood woedehoofd, doordrift van nijdtrekken, draaide [211]vrouw

Rams zich naar Wimpie’s hoek, in schamperende spotlach.

—Hehie.… hehie.… nou.… dá’ manneke sel t’met beterder weute.…

Aa’s ’k je moeder waas, had je al ’n veeg beet.… jou snurkert.… jou
hufter.…

—Kom, kom waa’n geklieter.… bas-lachte vrouw Zeune.. je klets

puur de honderd uit vrouw!.… kaik ’rais.… die skoape doar.… droaie
d’r aige d’r van om.… je kraist se puur wakker vrouw Rams.… en
kaik d’ris mins Reeker beefe.. nog ’n kommetje woater.… hee?.…

Ant was naar Wimpie toegeloopen, om ’m te sussen, zoende z’n

handjes die krampig de lucht ingrepen boven z’n hoofdje in
machtelooze drift-woeste gebaartjes, probeerend z’n grootmoeder
wat plaatjes, en blokjes, van z’n plankje, naar ’t lijf te gooien.

—Toe moar.… toe moar, scherpte die valsch, gooi je groomoe

moar.… oartje noar s’n voartje.… dat ’n driftbulletje.. je sou sain
t’met molle-mi-de klomp.… toe moar.…

—Groote gerechte! daa’s sarre an ’t skoap, dà stoan je nie net vrouw

Rams, barstte vrouw Zeune uit, met ’r zwaar manne-geluid.… f’r’wâ
moak je proatjes, woar de duufel mi se’n moer nie an g’looft.… daa’s
puur houe en bouwe.…

Rouw snikte Wimpie door, beentjesbevend, dat ’t ledekantje

sidderschokte. Z’n stemmetje scheurde driftklankjes uit z’n keel,
overstaanbaar verrochelend in z’n huil. Suffer door de herrie zat
vrouw Reeker op ’r bankje, met ’r kommetje water in de hand,
waaruit telkens beef-plasjes op ’r schoot plonsten.… Vrouw Zeune
had walg voor ’t mensch Rams.

—Moar wà’ is d’r.… hebbe ze je dan hailig daàs moakt, baste ’r

goeiige mannestem weer.

—Dá’ rooit ná’ niks—teemde vrouw Reeker,.. ik hep ’t self sien!

en.… enne vrouw Grint.… van ’t pad, t’met ook.. mit d’r aige ooge.…
d’r benne puur gaiste.… nou!.… nou!.… groote genoade! aa’s k’ran
denk!.… kraig ’k koors van angst!.… Nou was ’k lest bai m’n zuster
op de ploats.… [212]en die.… die.… sien jullie.… die hep d’r puur
kenne woarsegge.

—Soo veul aa’s ’n tooferkol, schel-stemde vrouw Rams, sarnijdig

weer in.…

—Nainet!.… puur nie.… puur woarsegge.… echt werk.… sien

jullie.… en d’r man.… d’r man ken van alderlei genaise.… soo sebiet
genaise, saa’k moar segge.… nou.. die is d’r ook.… ook.… van et
spirre-ïsme.… sien jullie.. en nou he’k self sien.… aas da main aige
toàfel danst hep..

—Och buurvrouw, daa’s gekkighait, lachte vrouw Zeune goeiïg-grof,

vroolijk-ongeloovig, met meelij in ’r stem voor de strakangstig
kijkende stakker, die zoo bijgeloovig was,.… aa’s d’r g’n mins
ankomt.. ken de toàfel ommirs nie daa’nse.. àldegoar googelderai.…
vast hoor buurvrouw.… vàst.…

—Nainet! nainet.… hield zwaar-wichtig vol vrouw Reeker.… ’k hep

self sien.… wá’ main ooge tog sien mo’k g’loove.… Groote
genoade!!.… ’k ben soo doos-bang in huis, hee?.… aas de dood.…
Woa’k sit t’met, denk ’k da’ ’k gaiste sien.… enn.… enne ’s nachts
durref ik niet ronden kaike.… Enn.… aa’s.… aa’s ’n mins op de plai
mo mi pirmissie.… naim ’k ’t lampie mai.… in donker.… en.. en.…
joa.… lache jullie moar.… je weu nie woar ’n mins toe komme ken.…
nou.… dan.… ainmoal andermoal.… se’k lampie puur op ’t
grondje.… veur main.… pàl veur main.… ikke bin aa’s de dood.… de
dood.… en aa’s ’k ies hoor.… ’s oafes.… spring’k op.… gil ’k op.…
want.. vroag moar an vrouw Grint.… of’ral sitte hullie.… of’ral..
of’ral.…

—Buurvrouw, sullie hebbe je daàs moakt.… en je maa’n?.. je

maa’n.… wa sait tie?… hai mos je ’n rammeling gaive! Jai hep sain
vroeger t’met ieder dag op s’n siel en soalighait mept.… nou most ie
jou veur ’t bekkie sloan.… sain jullie glaik.…

—Main man?.… nou, die lacht moar.… net aa’s Kloas Grint.…
moar.… moar ’s nachts leg-gie te bibbere van de nood.… [213]

—Gommenikkie buurvrouw, niks dan googelderai.… dá’ seg ik.…

daa’s rommelpottrai.… Enne Driekoningge is pas daàn! drink
moar!.… en stap op.… de wind stoan op ’t pad.…

—Jesis.… da nooit.… moedersiel op ’t pad.… doar hoor je nou niks

aa’s.… klos-klos.… klos-klos van klompe.… enn.… aa’s je mi’n lichie
komp.. is t’r g’n noàkende siel.. sien je niès en puur bai je oor is d’r
nies aa’s.. klos-klos.. klos-klos.… komp soo puur op je af.… da’ je
stik van angst..

—Nou seg,.… aa’s je main nôu!.… lachte vrouw Zeune.

—Nainet! Nainet! angstigde vrouw Reeker ontzet, met bleeker

gezicht en verschrikte staaroogen, ik goan vast nie terug allain.…
vast nie.

—Moeder! kermde Wimpie, zenuwachtig-opgewonden door ’t

verhaal van vrouw Reeker.… Dientje en Jaa’nsie.… enne.… hebbe
sait.… da’.… da’ snags.… ’s nags ’n woagetje mi sonder poardjes.…