what diantha did-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃dangerous　experiment〃　in　the　house　of　her　friends。　　Viva　sat　silent；
but　with　a　look　of　watchful　intelligence　that　delighted　Mrs。　Porne。

〃It　has　done　her　good　already；〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃Bless　that　girl！〃

Mr。　Thaddler　went　home　disappointed　in　the　real　object　of　his　callhe
had　hoped　to　see　the　Dangerous　Experiment　again。　　But　his　wife　was　well
pleased。

〃They　will　rue　it！〃　she　announced。　　〃Madam　Weatherstone　is　ashamed　of
her　daughter…in…lawI　can　see　that！　　_She_　looks　cool　enough。　　I　don't
know　what's　got　into　her！〃

〃Some　of　that　young　woman's　good　cooking；〃　her　husband　suggested。

〃That　young　woman　is　not　there　as　cook！〃　she　replied　tartly。　　〃What　she
_is_　there　for　we　shall　see　later！　　Mark　my　words！〃

Mr。　Thaddler　chuckled　softly。　　〃I'll　mark　'em！〃　he　said。

Diantha　had　her　hands　full。　　Needless　to　say　her　sudden　entrance　was
resented　by　the　corps　of　servants　accustomed　to　the　old　regime。　　She　had
the　keys；　she　explored；　studied；　inventoried；　examined　the　accounts；
worked　out　careful　tables　and　estimates。　　〃I　wish　Mother　were　here！〃　she
said　to　herself。　　〃She's　a　regular　genius　for　accounts。　　I　_can_　do
itbut　it's　no　joke。〃

She　brought　the　results　to　her　employer　at　the　end　of　the　week。　　〃This
is　tentative；〃　she　said；　〃and　I've　allowed　margins　because　I'm　new　to　a
business　of　this　size。　　But　here's　what　this　house　ought　to　cost　youat
the　outside；　and　here's　what　it　does　cost　you　now。〃

Mrs。　Weatherstone　was　impressed。　　〃Aren't　you　a　littlespectacular？〃
she　suggested。

Diantha　went　over　it　carefully；　the　number　of　rooms；　the　number　of
servants；　the　hours　of　labor；　the　amount　of　food　and　other　supplies
required。

〃This　is　only　preparatory；　of　course；〃　she　said。　　〃I'll　have　to　check　it
off　each　month。　　If　I　may　do　the　ordering　and　keep　all　the　accounts　I
can　show　you　exactly　in　a　month；　or　two　at　most。〃

〃How　about　the　servants？〃　asked　Mrs。　Weatherstone。

There　was　much　to　say　here；　questions　of　competence；　of　impertinence；　of
personal　excellence　with　〃incompatibility　of　temper。〃　　Diantha　was　given
a　free　hand；　with　full　liberty　to　experiment；　and　met　the　opportunity
with　her　usual　energy。

She　soon　discharged　the　unsatisfactory　ones；　and　substituted　the　girls
she　had　selected　for　her　summer's　experiment；　gradually　adding　others；
till　the　household　was　fairly　harmonious；　and　far　more　efficient　and
economical。　　A　few　changes　were　made　among　the　men　also。

By　the　time　the　family　moved　down　to　Santa　Ulrica；　there　was　quite　a　new
spirit　in　the　household。　　Mrs。　Weatherstone　fully　approved　of　the　Girls'
Club　Diantha　had　started　at　Mrs。　Porne's；　and　it　went　on　merrily　in　the
larger　quarters　of　the　great　〃cottage〃　on　the　cliff。

〃I'm　very　glad　I　came　to　you；　Mrs。　Weatherstone；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃You
were　quite　right　about　the　experience；　I　did　need　itand　I'm　getting
it！〃

She　was　getting　some　of　which　she　made　no　mention。

As　she　won　and　held　the　confidence　of　her　subordinates；　and　the　growing
list　of　club　members；　she　learned　their　personal　stories；　what　had
befallen　them　in　other　families；　and　what　they　liked　and　disliked　in
their　present　places。

〃The　men　are　not　so　bad；〃　explained　Catharine　Kelly；　at　a　club　meeting；
meaning　the　men　servants；　〃they　respect　an　honest　girl　if　she　respects
herself；　but　it's　the　young　mastersand　sometimes　the　old　ones！〃

〃It's　all　nonsense；〃　protested　Mrs。　James；　widowed　cook　of　long
standing。　　〃I've　worked　out　for　twenty…five　years；　and　I　never　met　no
such　goings　on！〃

Little　Ilda　looked　at　Mrs。　James'　severe　face　and　giggled。

〃I've　heard　of　it；〃　said　Molly　Connors；　〃I've　a　cousin　that's　workin'　in
New　York；　and　she's　had　to　leave　two　good　places　on　account　of　their
misbehavin'　theirselves。　　She's　a　fine　girl；　but　too　good…lookin'。〃

Diantha　studied　types；　questioned　them；　drew　them　out；　adjusted　facts　to
theories　and　theories　to　facts。　　She　found　the　weakness　of　the　whole
position　to　lie　in　the　utter　ignorance　and　helplessness　of　the
individual　servant。　　〃If　they　were　only　organized；〃　she　thought〃and
knew　their　own　power！Well；　there's　plenty　of　time。〃

As　her　acquaintance　increased；　and　as　Mrs。　Weatherstone's　interest　in
her　plans　increased　also；　she　started　the　small　summer　experiment　she
had　planned；　for　furnishing　labor　by　the　day。　　Mrs。　James　was　an
excellent　cook；　though　most　unpleasant　to　work　with。　　She　was　quite　able
to　see　that　getting　up　frequent　lunches　at　three　dollars；　and　dinners　at
five　dollars；　made　a　better　income　than　ten　dollars　a　week　even　with
several　days　unoccupied。

A　group　of　younger　women；　under　Diantha's　sympathetic　encouragement；
agreed　to　take　a　small　cottage　together；　with　Mrs。　James　as　a　species　of
chaperone；　and　to　go　out　in　twos　and　threes　as　chambermaids　and
waitresses　at　25　cents　an　hour。　　Two　of　them　could　set　in　perfect　order
one　of　the　small　beach　cottage　in　an　hour's　time；　and　the　occupants；
already　crowded　for　room；　were　quite　willing　to　pay　a　little　more　in
cash　〃not　to　have　a　servant　around。〃　　Most　of　them　took　their　meals　out
in　any　case。

It　was　a　modest　attempt；　elastic　and　easily　alterable　and　based　on　the
special　conditions　of　a　shore　resort：　Mrs。　Weatherstone's　known　interest
gave　it　social　backing；　and　many　ladies　who　heartily　disapproved　of
Diantha's　theories　found　themselves　quite　willing　to　profit　by　this　very
practical　local　solution　of　the　〃servant　question。〃

The　〃club　girls〃　became　very　popular。　　Across　the　deep　hot　sand　they
ploughed；　and　clattered　along　the　warping　boardwalks；　in　merry　pairs　and
groups；　finding　the　work　far　more　varied　and　amusing　than　the　endless
repetition　in　one　household。　　They　had　pleasant　evenings　too；　with
plenty　of　callers；　albeit　somewhat　checked　and　chilled　by　rigorous　Mrs。
James。

〃It　is　both　foolish　and　wicked！〃　said　Madam　Weatherstone　to　her
daughter…in…law；　〃Exposing　a　group　of　silly　girls　to　such　danger　and
temptations！　　I　understand　there　is　singing　and　laughing　going　on　at
that　house　until　half…past　ten　at　night。〃

〃Yes；　there　is；〃　Viva　admitted。　　〃Mrs。　James　insists　that　they　shall　all
be　in　bed　at　elevenwhich　is　very　wise。　　I'm　glad　they　have　good
timesthere's　safety　in　numbers；　you　know。〃

〃There　will　be　a　scandal　in　this　community　before　long！〃　said　the　old
lady　solemnly。　　〃And　it　grieves　me　to　think　that　this　household　will　be
responsible　for　it！〃

Diantha　heard　all　this　from　the　linen　room　while　Madam　Weatherstone
buttonholed　her　daughter…in…law　in　the　hall；　and　in　truth　the　old　lady
meant　that　she　should　hear　what　she　said。

〃She's　right；　I'm　afraid！〃　said　Diantha　to　herself〃there　will　be　a
scandal　if　I'm　not　mighty　careful　and　this　household　will　be　responsible
for　it！〃

Even　as　she　spoke　she　caught　Ilda's　childish　giggle　in　the　lower　hall；
and　looking　over　the　railing　saw　her　airily　dusting　the　big　Chinese
vases　and　coquetting　with　young　Mr。　Mathew。

Later　on；　Diantha　tried　seriously　to　rouse　her　conscience　and　her　common
sense。　　〃Don't　you　see；　child；　that　it　can't　do　you　anything　but　harm？　
You　can't　carry　on　with　a　man　like　that　as　you　can　with　one　of　your　own
friends。　　He　is　not　to　be　trusted。　　One　nice　girl　I　had　here　simply　left
the　placehe　annoyed　her　so。〃

Ilda　was　a　little　sulky。　　She　had　been　quite　a　queen　in　the　small
Norwegian　village　she　was　born　in。　　Young　men　were　young　menand　they
might　evenperhaps！　　This　severe　young　housekeeper　didn't　know
everything。　　Maybe　she　was　jealous！

So　Ilda　was　rather　unconvinced；　though　apparently　submissive；　and
Diantha　kept　a　careful　eye　upon　her。　　She　saw　to　it　that　Ilda's　room　had
a　bolt　as　well　as　key　in　the　door；　and　kept　the　room　next　to　it　empty；
frequently　using　it　herself；　unknown　to　anyone。　　〃I　hate　to　turn　the
child　off；〃　she　said　to　herself；　conscientiously　revolving　the　matter。　
〃She　isn't　doing　a　thing　more　than　most　girls　doshe's　only　a　little
fool。　　And　he's　not　doing　anything　I　can　complain　ofyet。〃

But　she　worried　over　it　a　good　deal；　and　Mrs。　Weatherstone　noticed　it。

〃Doesn't　your　pet　club　house　go　well；　'Miss　Bell？'　　You　seem　troubled
about　something。〃

〃I　am；〃　Diantha　admitted。　　〃I　believe　I'll　have　to　tell　you　about
itbut　I　hate　to。　　Perhaps　if　you'll　come　and　look　I　shan't　have　to　say
much。〃

She　led　her　to　a　window　that　looked　on　the　garden；　the　rich；　vivid；
flower…crowded　garden　of　Southern　California　by　the　sea。　　Little　Ilda；
in　a　fresh　black　frock　and　snowy；　frilly　cap　and　apron；　ran　out　to　get　a
rose；　and　while　she　sniffed　and　dallied　they　saw　Mr。　Mathew　saunter　out
and　join　her。

The　girl　was　not　as　severe　with　him　as　she　ought　to　have　beenthat　was
evident；　but　it　was　also　evident　that　she　was　frightened　and　furious
when　he　suddenly　held　her　fast　and　kissed　her　with　much　satisfaction。　
As　soon　as　her　arms　were　free　she　gave　him　a　slap　that　sounded　smartly
even　at　that　distance；　and　ran　crying　into　the　house。

〃She's　foolish；　I　admit；〃　said　Diantha；〃but　she　doesn't　realize　her
danger　at　all。　　I've　tried　to　make　her。　　And　now　I'm　more　worried　than
ever。　　It　seems　rather　hard　to　discharge　hershe　needs　care。〃

〃I'll　speak　to　that　young　man　myself；〃　said　Mrs。　Weatherstone。　　〃I'll
speak　to　his　grandmother　too！〃

〃Owould　you？〃　urged　Diantha。　　〃