what diantha did-第2节

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lifted　her　face。

〃Well；　mother；　dear！〃　　Affectionately　he　stooped　and　kissed　her；　and　she
held　his　hand　and　stroked　it　lovingly。　The　sisters　gathered　about　with
teasing　affection；　Dora　poking　in　his　coat…pocket　for　the　stick　candy
her　father　always　used　to　bring　her；　and　her　brother　still　remembered。

〃Aren't　you　home　early；　dear？〃　asked　Mrs。　Warden。

〃Yes；　I　had　a　little　headache〃he　passed　his　hand　over　his
forehead〃and　Joe　can　run　the　store　till　after　supper；　anyhow。〃　　They
flew　to　get　him　camphor；　cologne；　a　menthol…pencil。　　Dora　dragged　forth
the　wicker　lounge。　　He　was　laid　out　carefully　and　fanned　and　fussed　over
till　his　mother　drove　them　all　away。

〃Now；　just　rest；〃　she　said。　〃It's　an　hour　to　supper　time　yet！〃　　And　she
covered　him　with　her　latest　completed　afghan；　gathering　up　and　carrying
away　the　incomplete　one　and　its　tumultuous　constituents。

He　was　glad　of　the　quiet；　the　fresh；　sweet　air；　the　smell　of　flowers
instead　of　the　smell　of　molasses　and　cheese；　soap　and　sulphur　matches。　
But　the　headache　did　not　stop；　nor　the　worry　that　caused　it。　　He　loved
his　mother；　he　loved　his　sisters；　he　loved　their　home；　but　he　did　not
love　the　grocery　business　which　had　fallen　so　unexpectedly　upon　him　at
his　father's　death；　nor　the　load　of　debt　which　fell　with　it。

That　they　need　never　have　had　so　large　a　〃place〃　to　〃keep　up〃　did　not
occur　to　him。　　He　had　lived　there　most　of　his　life；　and　it　was　home。　
That　the　expenses　of　running　the　household　were　three　times　what　they
needed　to　be；　he　did　not　know。　　His　father　had　not　questioned　their
style　of　living；　nor　did　he。　　That　a　family　of　five　women　might；　between
them；　do　the　work　of　the　house；　he　did　not　even　consider。

Mrs。　Warden's　health　was　never　good；　and　since　her　husband's　death　she
had　made　daily　use　of　many　afghans　on　the　many　lounges　of　the　house。
Madeline　was　〃delicate；〃　and　Adeline　was　〃frail〃；　Cora　was　〃nervous；〃
Dora　was　〃only　a　child。〃　　So　black　Sukey　and　her　husband　Jonah　did　the
work　of　the　place；　so　far　as　it　was　done；　and　Mrs。　Warden　held　it　a
miracle　of　management　that　she　could　〃do　with　one　servant；〃　and　the
height　of　womanly　devotion　on　her　daughters'　part　that　they　dusted　the
parlor　and　arranged　the　flowers。

Roscoe　shut　his　eyes　and　tried　to　rest；　but　his　problem　beset　him
ruthlessly。　　There　was　the　storetheir　one　and　only　source　of　income。　
There　was　the　house；　a　steady；　large　expense。　　There　were　five　women　to
clothe　and　keep　contented；　beside　himself。　　There　was　the　unappeasable
demand　of　the　mortgageand　there　was　Diantha。

When　Mr。　Warden　died；　some　four　years　previously；　Roscoe　was　a　lad　of
about　twenty；　just　home　from　college；　full　of　dreams　of　great　service　to
the　world　in　science；　expecting　to　go　back　for　his　doctor's　degree　next
year。　　Instead　of　which　the　older　man　had　suddenly　dropped　beneath　the
burden　he　had　carried　with　such　visible　happiness　and　pride；　such
unknown　anxiety　and　straining　effort；　and　the　younger　one　had　to　step
into　the　harness　on　the　spot。

He　was　brave；　capable；　wholly　loyal　to　his　mother　and　sisters；　reared　in
the　traditions　of　older　days　as　to　a　man's　duty　toward　women。　　In　his
first　grief　for　his　father；　and　the　ready　pride　with　which　he　undertook
to　fill　his　place；　he　had　not　in　the　least　estimated　the　weight　of　care
he　was　to　carry；　nor　the　time　that　he　must　carry　it。　　A　year；　a　year　or
two；　a　few　years；　he　told　himself；　as　they　passed；　and　he　would　make
more　money；　the　girls；　of　course；　would　marry；　he　could　〃retire〃　in　time
and　take　up　his　scientific　work　again。　　Thenthere　was　Diantha。

When　he　found　he　loved　this　young　neighbor　of　theirs；　and　that　she　loved
him；　the　first　flush　of　happiness　made　all　life　look　easier。　　They　had
been　engaged　six　monthsand　it　was　beginning　to　dawn　upon　the　young　man
that　it　might　be　six　yearsor　sixteen　yearsbefore　he　could　marry。

He　could　not　sell　the　businessand　if　he　could；　he　knew　of　no　better
way　to　take　care　of　his　family。　　The　girls　did　not　marry；　and　even　when
they　did；　he　had　figured　this　out　to　a　dreary　certainty；　he　would　still
not　be　free。　　To　pay　the　mortgages　off；　and　keep　up　the　house；　even
without　his　sisters；　would　require　all　the　money　the　store　would　bring
in　for　some　six　years　ahead。　　The　young　man　set　his　teeth　hard　and
turned　his　head　sharply　toward　the　road。

And　there　was　Diantha。

She　stood　at　the　gate　and　smiled　at　him。　　He　sprang　to　his　feet；
headacheless　for　the　moment；　and　joined　her。　　Mrs。　Warden；　from　the
lounge　by　her　bedroom　window；　saw　them　move　off　together；　and　sighed。

〃Poor　Roscoe！〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃It　is　very　hard　for　him。　　But　he
carries　his　difficulties　nobly。　　He　is　a　son　to　be　proud　of。〃　　And　she
wept　a　little。

Diantha　slipped　her　hand　in　his　offered　armhe　clasped　it　warmly　with
his；　and　they　walked　along　together。

〃You　won't　come　in　and　see　mother　and　the　girls？〃

〃No；　thank　you；　not　this　time。　　I　must　get　home　and　get　supper。　
Besides；　I'd　rather　see　just　you。〃

He　felt　it　a　pity　that　there　were　so　many　houses　along　the　road　here；
but　squeezed　her　hand；　anyhow。

She　looked　at　him　keenly。　　〃Headache？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　it's　nothing；　it's　gone　already。〃

〃Worry？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　I　suppose　it　is；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　I　ought　not　to　worry。　　I've
got　a　good　home；　a　good　mother；　good　sisters；　andyou！〃　　And　he　took
advantage　of　a　high　hedge　and　an　empty　lot　on　either　side　of　them。

Diantha　returned　his　kiss　affectionately　enough；　but　seemed　preoccupied；
and　walked　in　silence　till　he　asked　her　what　she　was　thinking　about。

〃About　you；　of　course；〃　she　answered；　brightly。　〃There　are　things　I　want
to　say；　and　yetI　ought　not　to。〃

〃You　can　say　anything　on　earth　to　me；〃　he　answered。

〃You　are　twenty…four；〃　she　began；　musingly。

〃Admitted　at　once。〃

〃And　I'm　twenty…one　and　a　half。〃

〃That's　no　such　awful　revelation；　surely！〃

〃And　we've　been　engaged　ever　since　my　birthday；〃　the　girl　pursued。

〃All　these　are　facts；　dearest。〃

〃Now；　Ross；　will　you　be　perfectly　frank　with　me？　　May　I　ask　you　anan
impertinent　question？〃

〃You　may　ask　me　any　question　you　like；　it　couldn't　be　impertinent。〃

〃You'll　be　scandalised；　I　knowbutwell；　here　goes。　　What　would　you
think　if　Madelineor　any　of　the　girlsshould　go　away　to　work？〃

He　looked　at　her　lovingly；　but　with　a　little　smile　on　his　firm　mouth。

〃I　shouldn't　allow　it；〃　he　said。

〃Oallow　it？　　I　asked　you　what　you'd　think。〃

〃I　should　think　it　was　a　disgrace　to　the　family；　and　a　direct　reproach
to　me；〃　be　answered。　　〃But　it's　no　use　talking　about　that。　　None　of　the
girls　have　any　such　foolish　notion。　　And　I　wouldn't　permit　it　if　they
had。〃

Diantha　smiled。　　〃I　suppose　you　never　would　permit　your　wife　to　work？〃

〃My　widow　might　have　tonot　my　wife。〃　　He　held　his　fine　head　a　trifle
higher；　and　her　hand　ached　for　a　moment。

〃Wouldn't　you　let　me　workto　help　you；　Ross？〃

〃My　dearest　girl；　you've　got　something　far　harder　than　that　to　do　for
me；　and　that's　wait。〃

His　face　darkened　again；　and　he　passed　his　hand　over　his　forehead。　
〃Sometimes　I　feel　as　if　I　ought　not　to　hold　you　at　all！〃　he　burst　out；
bitterly。　　〃You　ought　to　be　free　to　marry　a　better　man。〃

〃There　aren't　any！〃　said　Diantha；　shaking　her　head　slowly　from　side　to
side。　　〃And　if　there　weremillionsI　wouldn't　marry　any　of　'em。　　I
love　_you；〃_　she　firmly　concluded。

〃Then　we'll　just　_wait；〃_　said　he；　setting　his　teeth　on　the　word；　as　if
he　would　crush　it。　　〃It　won't　be　hard　with　you　to　help。　　You're　better
worth　it　than　Rachael　and　Leah　together。〃　　They　walked　a　few　steps
silently。

〃But　how　about　science？〃　she　asked　him。

〃I　don't　let　myself　think　of　it。　　I'll　take　that　up　later。　　We're　young
enough；　both　of　us；　to　wait　for　our　happiness。〃

〃And　have　you　any　ideawe　might　as　well　face　the　worsthow　many　years
do　you　think　that　will　be；　dearest？〃

He　was　a　little　annoyed　at　her　persistence。　　Also；　though　he　would　not
admit　the　thought；　it　did　not　seem　quite　the　thing　for　her　to　ask。　　A
woman　should　not　seek　too　definite　a　period　of　waiting。　　She　ought　to
trustto　just　wait　on　general　principles。

〃I　can　face　a　thing　better　if　I　know　just　what　I'm　facing；〃　said　the
girl；　quietly；　〃and　I'd　wait　for　you；　if　I　had　to；　all　my　life。　　Will　it
be　twenty　years；　do　you　think？〃

He　looked　relieved。　　〃Why；　no；　indeed；　darling。　　It　oughtn't　to　be　at
the　outside　more　than　five。　　Or　six；〃　he　added；　honest　though　reluctant。

〃You　see；　father　had　no　time　to　settle　anything；　there　were　outstanding
accounts；　and　the　funeral　expenses；　and　the　mortgages。　　But　the　business
is　good；　and　I　can　carry　it；　I　can　build　it　up。〃　　He　shook　his　broad
shoulders　determinedly。　　〃I　should　think　it　might　be　within　five；
perhaps　even　less。　Good　things　happen　sometimessuch　as　you；　my　heart's
delight。〃

They　were　at　her　gate　now；　and　she　stood　a　little　while　to　say
good…night。　　A　step　inside　there　was　a　seat；　walled　in　by　evergreen；
roofed　over　by　the　wide　acacia　boughs。　　Many　a　long　good…night　had　they
exchanged　there；　under　the　large；　brilliant　California　moon。　　They　sat
there；　silent；　now。

Diantha's　heart　was　full　of　love　for　him；　and　pride　and　confidence　in
him；　but　it　was　full　of　other　feelings；　too；　which　he　could