what diantha did-第20节

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〃You　can't　have　got　much　of　a　personat　a　minute's　notice；〃　said　his
grandmother。　　〃Or　perhaps　you　have　been　planning　this　for　some　time？〃

〃No；〃　said　Viva。　　〃I　have　wanted　to　get　rid　of　Mrs。　Halsey　for　some
time；　but　the　new　one　I　found　yesterday。〃

〃What's　her　name？〃　inquired　Mathew。

〃BellMiss　Diantha　Bell；〃　she　answered；　looking　as　calm　as　if
announcing　the　day　of　the　week；　but　inwardly　dreading　the　result
somewhat。　　Like　most　of　such　terrors　it　was　overestimated。

There　was　a　little　pauserather　an　intense　little　pause；　and
then〃Isn't　that　the　girl　who　set　'em　all　by　the　ears　yesterday？〃　asked
the　young　man；　pointing　to　the　morning　paper。　　〃They　say　she's　a
good…looker。〃

Madam　Weatherstone　rose　from　the　table　in　some　agitation。　　〃I　must　say　I
am　very　sorry；　Viva；　that　you　should　have　been　soprecipitate！　　This
young　woman　cannot　be　competent　to　manage　a　house　like　thisto　say
nothing　of　her　scandalous　ideas。　　Mrs。　Halsey　wasto　my　mindperfectly
satisfactory。　　I　shall　miss　her　very　much。〃　　She　swept　out　with　an
unanswerable　air。

〃So　shall　I；〃　muttered　Mat；　under　his　breath；　as　he　strolled　after　her；
〃unless　the　new　one's　equally　amiable。〃

Viva　Weatherstone　watched　them　go；　and　stood　awhile　looking　after　the
well…built；　well…dressed；　well…mannered　but　far　from　well…behaved　young
man。

〃I　don't　_know_；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃but　I　do　feelthinkimaginea
good　deal。　　I'm　sure　I　hope　not！　　Anywayit's　new　life　to　have　that
girl　in　the　house。〃

That　girl　had　undertaken　what　she　described　to　Ross　as　〃a　large　ordera
very　large　order。〃

〃It's　the　hardest　thing　I　ever　undertook；〃　she　wrote　him；　〃but　I　think　I
can　do　it；　and　it　will　be　a　tremendous　help。　　Mrs。　Weatherstone's　a
bricka　perfect　brick！　　She　seems　to　have　been　very　unhappyfor　ever
so　longand　to　have　submitted　to　her　domineering　old　mother…in…law　just
because　she　didn't　care　enough　to　resist。　　Now　she's　got　waked　up　all　of
a　suddenshe　says　it　was　my　paper　at　the　clubmore　likely　my　awful
example；　I　think！　and　she　fired　her　old　housekeeperI　don't　know　what
forand　rushed　me　in。

〃So　here　I　am。　　The　salary　is　good；　the　work　is　excellent　training；　and
I　guess　I　can　hold　the　place。　　But　the　old　lady　is　a　terror；　and　the
young　manhow　you　would　despise　that　Johnny！〃

The　home　letters　she　now　received　were　rather　amusing。　　Ross；　sternly
patient；　saw　little　difference　in　her　position。　　〃I　hope　you　will　enjoy
your　new　work；〃　he　wrote；　〃but　personally　I　should　prefer　that　you　did
notso　you　might　give　it　up　and　come　home　sooner。　　I　miss　you　as　you
can　well　imagine。　　Even　when　you　were　here　life　was　hard　enoughbut
now！

〃I　had　a　half　offer　for　the　store　the　other　day；　but　it　fell　through。　
If　I　could　sell　that　incubus　and　put　the　money　into　a　ranchfruit；
hens；　anythingthen　we　could　all　live　on　it；　more　cheaply；　I　think；　and
I　could　find　time　for　some　research　work　I　have　in　mind。　　You　remember
that　guinea…pig　experiment　I　want　so　to　try？〃

Diantha　remembered　and　smiled　sadly。　　She　was　not　much　interested　in
guinea…pigs　and　their　potential　capacities；　but　she　was　interested　in
her　lover　and　his　happiness。　　〃Ranch；〃　she　said　thoughtfully；　〃that's
not　a　bad　idea。〃

Her　mother　wrote　the　same　patient　loving　letters；　perfunctorily　hopeful。
　Her　father　wrote　none〃A　woman's　businessthis　letter…writin'；〃　he
always　held；　and　George；　after　one　scornful　upbraiding；　had　〃washed　his
hands　of　her〃　with　some　sense　of　relief。　　He　didn't　like　to　write
letters　either。

But　Susie　kept　up　a　lively　correspondence。　　She　was　attached　to　her
sister；　as　to　all　her　immediate　relatives　and　surroundings；　and　while
she　utterly　disapproved　of　Diantha's　undertaking；　a　sense　of　sisterly
duty；　to　say　nothing　of　affection；　prompted　her　to　many　letters。　　It　did
not；　however；　always　make　these　agreeable　reading。

〃Mother's　pretty　well；　and　the　girl　she's　got　now　does　nicelythat
first　one　turned　out　to　be　a　failure。　　Father's　as　cranky　as　ever。　　We
are　all　well　here　and　the　baby　（this　was　a　brand　new　baby　Diantha　had
not　seen）　is　just　a　Darling！　　You　ought　to　be　here；　you　unnatural　Aunt！　
Gerald　doesn't　ever　speak　of　youbut　I　do　just　the　same。　　You　hear　from
the　Wardens；　of　course。　　Mrs。　Warden's　got　neuralgia　or　something；　keeps
them　all　busy。　　They　are　much　excited　over　this　new　place　of　yoursyou
ought　to　hear　them　go　on！　　It　appears　that　Madam　Weatherstone　is　a
connection　of　theirsone　of　the　F。　F。　V's；　I　guess；　and　they　think
she's　something　wonderful。　　And　to　have　_you_　working　_there！_well；
you　can　just　see　how　they'd　feel；　and　I　don't　blame　them。　　It's　no　use
arguing　with　youbut　I　should　think　you'd　have　enough　of　this
disgraceful　foolishness　by　this　time　and　come　home！〃

Diantha　tried　to　be　very　philosophic　over　her　home　letters；　but　they
were　far　from　stimulating。　　〃It's　no　use　arguing　with　poor　Susie！〃　she
decided。　　〃Susie　thinks　the　sun　rises　and　sets　between　kitchen；　nursery
and　parlor！

〃Mother　can't　see　the　good　of　it　yet；　but　she　will　laterMother's　all
right。

〃I'm　awfully　sorry　the　Wardens　feel　soand　make　Ross　unhappybut　of
course　I　knew　they　would。　　It　can't　be　helped。　　It's　just　a　question　of
time　and　work。〃

And　she　went　to　work。

*

Mrs。　Porne　called　on　her　friend　most　promptly；　with　a　natural　eagerness
and　curiosity。

〃How　does　it　work？　　Do　you　like　her　as　much　as　you　thought？　　Do　tell　me
about　it；　Viva。　　You　look　like　another　woman　already！〃

〃I　certainly　feel　like　one；〃　Viva　answered。　　〃I've　seen　slaves　in
housework；　and　I've　seen　what　we　fondly　call　'Queens'　in　housework；　but
I　never　saw　brains　in　it　before。〃

Mrs。　Porne　sighed。　　〃Isn't　it　just　wonderfulthe　way　she　does　things！　
Dear　me！　　We　do　miss　her！　　She　trained　that　Swede　for　usand　she　does
pretty　wellbut　not　like　'Miss　Bell'！　　I　wish　there　were　a　hundred　of
her！〃

〃If　there　were　a　hundred　thousand　she　wouldn't　go　round！〃　answered　Mrs。
Weatherstone。　　〃How　selfish　we　are！　　_That_　is　the　kind　of　woman　we　all
want　in　our　homesand　fuss　because　we　can't　have　them。〃

〃Edgar　says　he　quite　agrees　with　her　views；〃　Mrs。　Porne　went　on。　
〃Skilled　labor　by　the　dayfood　sent　in。　　He　says　if　she　cooked　it　he
wouldn't　care　if　it　came　all　the　way　from　Alaska！　　She　certainly　can
cook！　　I　wish　she'd　set　up　her　businessthe　sooner　the　better。〃

Mrs。　Weatherstone　nodded　her　head　firmly。　　〃She　will。　　She's　planning。　
This　was　really　an　interruptionher　coming　here；　but　I　think　it　will　be
a　helpshe's　not　had　experience　in　large　management　before；　but　she
takes　hold　splendidly。　　She's　found　a　dozen　'leaks'　in　our　household
already。〃

〃Mrs。　Thaddler's　simply　furious；　I　hear；〃　said　the　visitor。　　〃Mrs。　Ree
was　in　this　morning　and　told　me　all　about　it。　　Poor　Mrs。　Ree！　　The　home
is　church　and　state　to　her；　that　paper　of　Miss　Bell's　she　regards　as
simple　blasphemy。〃

They　both　laughed　as　that　stormy　meeting　rose　before　them。

〃I　was　so　proud　of　you；　Viva；　standing　up　for　her　as　you　did。　　How　did
you　ever　dare？〃

〃Why　I　got　my　courage　from　the　girl　herself。　　She　wassuperb！　　Talk　of
blasphemy！　　Why　I've　committed　_lese　majeste_　and　regicide　and　the
Unpardonable　Sin　since　that　meeting！〃　　And　she　told　her　friend　of　her
brief　passage　at　arms　with　Mrs。　Halsey。　　〃I　never　liked　the　woman；〃　she
continued；　〃and　some　of　the　things　Miss　Bell　said　set　me　thinking。　　I
don't　believe　we　half　know　what's　going　on　in　our　houses。〃

〃Well；　Mrs。　Thaddler's　so　outraged　by　'this　scandalous　attack　upon　the
sanctities　of　the　home'　that　she's　going　about　saying　all　sorts　of
things　about　Miss　Bell。　　O　lookI　do　believe　that's　her　car！〃

Even　as　they　spoke　a　toneless　voice　announced；　〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　Thaddler；〃
and　Madam　Weatherstone　presently　appeared　to　greet　these　visitors。

〃I　think　you　are　trying　a　dangerous　experiment！〃　said　Mrs。　Thaddler　to
her　young　hostess。　　〃A　very　dangerous　experiment！　　Bringing　that　young
iconoclast　into　your　home！〃

Mr。　Thaddler；　stout　and　sulky；　sat　as　far　away　as　he　could　and　talked　to
Mrs。　Porne。　　〃I'd　like　to　try　that　same　experiment　myself；〃　said　he　to
her。　　〃You　tried　it　some　time；　I　understand？〃

〃Indeed　we　didand　would　still　if　we　had　the　chance；〃　she　replied。　　〃We
think　her　a　very　exceptional　young　woman。〃

Mr。　Thaddler　chuckled。　　〃She　is　that！〃　he　agreed。　　〃Gad！　　How　she　did
set　things　humming！　　They're　humming　yetat　our　house！〃

He　glanced　rather　rancorously　at　his　wife；　and　Mrs。　Porne　wished；　as　she
often　had　before；　that　Mr。　Thaddler　wore　more　clothing　over　his　domestic
afflictions。

〃Scandalous！〃　Mrs。　Thaddler　was　saying　to　Madam　Weatherstone。　　〃Simply
scandalous！　　Never　in　my　life　did　I　hear　such　absurdsuch
outrageouscharges　against　the　sanctities　of　the　home！〃

〃There　you　have　it！〃　said　Mr。　Thaddler；　under　his　breath。　　〃Sanctity　of
the　fiddlesticks！　　There　was　a　lot　of　truth　in　what　that　girl　said！〃　
Then　he　looked　rather　sheepish　and　flushed　a　littlewhich　was　needless；
easing　his　collar　with　a　fat　finger。

Madam　Weatherstone　and　Mrs。　Thaddler　were　at　one　on　this　subject；　but
found　it　hard　to　agree　even　so；　no　love　being　lost　between　them；　and　the
former　gave　evidence　of　more　satisfaction　than　distress　at　this
〃dangerous　experiment〃　in　the　house　of　her　friends。　　Viva　sat　silent；
but　wit