what diantha did-第15节

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at　what　she　does！　　And　how　beautifullyhow　perfectlyshe　does　it！　　I
would　wager　now_may_　I　try　an　experiment　Mrs。　Porne？〃　and　she　stood
up；　taking　out　her　handkerchief。

〃Certainly；〃　said　Mrs。　Porne；　〃with　pleasure！　　You　won't　find　any！〃

Mrs。　Dankshire　climbed　heavily　upon　a　carefully　selected　chair　and
passed　her　large　clean　plain…hemmed　handkerchief　across　the　top　of　a
picture。

〃I　knew　it！〃　she　proclaimed　proudly　from　her　eminence；　and　showed　the
cloth　still　white。　　〃That；〃　she　continued　in　ponderous　descent；　〃that　is
Knowledge；　Ability　and　Conscience！〃

〃I　don't　see　how　she　gets　the　time！〃　breathed　Mrs。　Ree；　shaking　her　head
in　awed　amazement；　and　reflecting　that　she　would　not　dare　trust　Mrs。
Dankshire's　handkerchief　on　her　picture　tops。

〃We　must　have　her　address　the　Club；〃　the　president　repeated。　　〃It　will
do　worlds　of　good。　　Let　me　seea　paper　onwe　might　say　'On　the　True
Nature　of　Domestic　Industry。'　　How　does　that　strike　you；　Mrs。　Ree？〃

〃Admirable！〃　said　Mrs。　Ree。　　〃So　strong！　so　succinct。〃

〃That　certainly　covers　the　subject；〃　said　Mrs。　Porne。　　〃Why　don't　you
ask　her？〃

〃We　will。　　We　have　come　for　that　purpose。　　But　we　felt　it　right　to　ask
you　about　it　first；〃　said　Mrs。　Dankshire。

〃Why　I　have　no　control　over　Miss　Bell's　movements；　outside　of　working
hours；〃　answered　Mrs。　Porne。　　〃And　I　don't　see　that　it　would　make　any
difference　to　our　relations。　　She　is　a　very　self…poised　young　woman；　but
extremely　easy　to　get　along　with。　　And　I'm　sure　she　could　write　a
splendid　paper。　　You'd　better　ask　her；　I　think。〃

〃Would　you　call　her　in？〃　asked　Mrs。　Dankshire；　〃or　shall　we　go　out　to
the　kitchen？〃

〃Come　right　out；　I'd　like　you　to　see　how　beautifully　she　keeps
everything。〃

The　kitchen　was　as　clean　as　the　parlor；　and　as　prettily　arranged。　　Miss
Bell　was　making　her　preparation　for　lunch；　and　stopped　to　receive　the
visitors　with　a　serenely　civil　airas　of　a　country　store…keeper。

〃I　am　very　glad　to　meet　you；　Miss　Bell；　very　glad　indeed；〃　said　Mrs。
Dankshire；　shaking　hands　with　her　warmly。　　〃We　have　at　heard　so　much　of
your　beautiful　work　here；　and　we　admire　your　attitude！　　Now　would　you　be
willing　to　give　a　paperor　a　talkto　our　club；　the　Home　and　Culture
Club；　some　Wednesday；　on　The　True　Nature　of　Domestic　Industry？〃

Mrs。　Ree　took　Miss　Bell's　hand　with　something　of　the　air　of　a　Boston
maiden　accosting　a　saint　from　Hindoostan。　　〃If　you　only　would！〃　she
said。　　〃I　am　sure　it　would　shed　light　on　this　great　subject！〃

Miss　Bell　smiled　at　them　both　and　looked　at　Mrs。　Porne　inquiringly。

〃I　should　be　delighted　to　have　you　do　it；〃　said　her　employer。　　〃I　know
it　would　be　very　useful。〃

〃Is　there　any　date　set？〃　asked　Miss　Bell。

〃Any　Wednesday　after　February；〃　said　Mrs。　Dankshire。

〃WellI　will　come　on　the　first　Wednesday　in　April。　　If　anything　should
happen　to　prevent　I　will　let　you　know　in　good　season；　and　if　you　should
wish　to　postpone　or　alter　the　programshould　think　better　of　the
ideajust　send　me　word。　　I　shall　not　mind　in　the　least。〃

They　went　away　quite　jubilant；　Miss　Bell's　acceptance　was　announced
officially　at　the　next　club…meeting；　and　the　Home　and　Culture　Club　felt
that　it　was　fulfilling　its　mission。



WHAT　DIANTHA　DID


CHAPTER　VII。

HERESY　AND　SCHISM。


You　may　talk　about　religion　with　a　free　and　open　mind；
　For　ten　dollars　you　may　criticize　a　judge；
You　may　discuss　in　politics　the　newest　thing　you　find；
　And　open　scientific　truth　to　all　the　deaf　and　blind；
But　there's　one　place　where　the　brain　must　never　budge！

CHORUS。

Oh；　the　Home　is　Utterly　Perfect！
And　all　its　works　within！
　To　say　a　word　about　it
　To　criticize　or　doubt　it
　To　seek　to　mend　or　move　it
　To　venture　to　improve　it
Is　The　Unpardonable　Sin！

〃Old　Song。〃


Mr。　Porne　took　an　afternoon　off　and　came　with　his　wife　to　hear　their
former　housemaid　lecture。　　As　many　other　men　as　were　able　did　the　same。　
All　the　members　not　bedridden　were　present；　and　nearly　all　the　guests
they　had　invited。

So　many　were　the　acceptances　that　a　downtown　hall　had　been　taken；　the
floor　was　more　than　filled；　and　in　the　gallery　sat　a　block　of　servant
girls；　more　gorgeous　in　array　than　the　ladies　below　whispering　excitedly
among　themselves。　　The　platform　recalled　a　〃tournament　of　roses；〃　and；
sternly　important　among　all　that　fragrant　loveliness；　sat　Mrs。　Dankshire
in　〃the　chair〃　flanked　by　Miss　Torbus；　the　Recording　Secretary；　Miss
Massing；　the　Treasurer；　and　Mrs。　Ree；　tremulous　with　importance　in　her
official　position。　　All　these　ladies　wore　an　air　of　high　emprise；　even
more　intense　than　that　with　which　they　usually　essayed　their　public
duties。　　They　were　richly　dressed；　except　Miss　Torbus；　who　came　as　near
it　as　she　could。

At　the　side；　and　somewhat　in　the　rear　of　the　President；　on　a　chair　quite
different　from　〃the　chair；〃　discreetly　gowned　and　of　a　bafflingly　serene
demeanor；　sat　Miss　Bell。　　All　eyes　were　upon　hereven　some　opera
glasses。

〃She's　a　good…looker　anyhow；〃　was　one　masculine　opinion。

〃She's　a　peach；〃　was　another；　〃Tell　youthe　chap　that　gets　her　is　well
heeled！〃　said　a　third。

The　ladies　bent　their　hats　toward　one　another　and　conferred　in　flowing
whispers；　and　in　the　gallery　eager　confidences　were　exchanged；　with
giggles。

On　the　small　table　before　Mrs。　Dankshire；　shaded　by　a　magnificent　bunch
of　roses；　lay　that　core　and　crux　of　all　parliamentry　dignity；　the　gavel；
an　instrument　no　self…respecting　chairwoman　may　be　without；　yet　which
she　still　approaches　with　respectful　uncertainty。

In　spite　of　its　large　size　and　high　social　standing；　the　Orchardina　Home
and　Culture　Club　contained　some　elements　of　unrest；　and　when　the　yearly
election　of　officers　came　round　there　was　always　need　for　careful　work
in　practical　politics　to　keep　the　reins　of　government　in　the　hands　of
〃the　right　people。〃

Mrs。　Thaddler；　conscious　of　her　New　York　millions；　and　Madam
Weatherstone；　conscious　of　her　Philadelphia　lineage；　with　Mrs。　Johnston
A。　Marrow　（〃one　of　the　Boston　Marrows！〃　was　awesomely　whispered　of　her）；
were　the　heads　of　what　might　be　called　〃the　conservative　party〃　in　this
small　parliament；　while　Miss　Miranda　L。　Eagerson；　describing　herself　as
'a　journalist；'　who　held　her　place　in　local　society　largely　by　virtue　of
the　tacit　dread　of　what　she　might　do　if　offendedled　the　more　radical
element。

Most　of　the　members　were　quite　content　to　follow　the　lead　of　the　solidly
established　ladies　of　Orchard　Avenue；　especially　as　this　leadership
consisted　mainly　in　the　pursuance　of　a　masterly　inactivity。　　When　wealth
and　aristocracy　combine　with　that　common　inertia　which　we　dignify　as
〃conservatism〃　they　exert　a　powerful　influence　in　the　great　art　of
sitting　still。

Nevertheless　there　were　many　alert　and　conscientious　women　in　this　large
membership；　and　when　Miss　Eagerson　held　the　floor；　and　urged　upon　the
club　some　active　assistance　in　the　march　of　events；　it　needed　all　Mrs。
Dankshire's　generalship　to　keep　them　content　with　marking　time。

On　this　auspicious　occasion；　however；　both　sides　were　agreed　in　interest
and　approval。　　Here　was　a　subject　appealing　to　every　woman　present；　and
every　man　but　such　few　as　merely　〃boarded〃；　even　they　had　memories　and
hopes　concerning　this　question。

Solemnly　rose　Mrs。　Dankshire；　her　full　silks　rustling　about　her；　and　let
one　clear　tap　of　the　gavel　fall　into　the　sea　of　soft　whispering　and
guttural　murmurs。

In　the　silence　that　followed　she　uttered　the　momentous　announcements：
〃The　meeting　will　please　come　to　order；〃　〃We　will　now　hear　the　reading
of　the　minutes　of　the　last　meeting；〃　and　so　on　most　conscientiously
through　officer's　reports　and　committees　reports　to　〃new　business。〃

Perhaps　it　is　their　more　frequent　practice　of　religious　rites；　perhaps
their　devout　acceptance　of　social　rulings　and　the　dictates　of　fashion；
perhaps　the　lifelong　reiterance　of　small　duties　at　home；　or　all　these
things　together；　which　makes　women　so　seriously　letter…perfect　in
parliamentry　usage。　　But　these　stately　ceremonies　were　ended　in　course
of　time；　and　Mrs。　Dankshire　rose　again；　even　more　solemn　than　before；
and　came　forward　majestically。

〃Members…and　guests；〃　she　said　impressively；　〃this　is　an　occasion
which　brings　pride　to　the　heart　of　every　member　of　the　Home　and　Culture
Club。　　As　our　name　implies；　this　Club　is　formed　to　serve　the　interests
of　The　Homethose　interests　which　stand　first；　I　trust；　in　every　human
heart。〃

A　telling　pause；　and　the　light　patter　of　gloved　hands。

〃Its　second　purpose；〃　pursued　the　speaker；　with　that　measured　delivery
which　showed　that　her　custom；　as　one　member　put　it；　was　to　〃first　write
and　then　commit；〃　〃is　to　promote　the　cause　of　Culture　in　this　community。
　Our　aim　is　Culture　in　the　broadest　sense；　not　only　in　the　curricula　of
institutions　of　learning；　not　only　in　those　spreading　branches　of　study
and　research　which　tempts　us　on　from　height　to　height〃（〃proof　of
arboreal　ancestry　that；〃　Miss　Eagerson　confided　to　a　friend；　whose
choked　giggle　attracted　condemning　eyes）〃but　in　the　more　intimate
fields　of　daily　experience。〃

〃Most　of　us；　however　widely　interested　in　the　higher　education；　are
stilland　find　in　this　our　highest　honorwives　and　mothers。〃　　These
novel　titles　cal