what diantha did-第30节

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some　help。〃

She　did　not　contradict　him。　　Her　hands　were　in　her　lap；　her　eyes　on　the
worn　boards　of　the　piazza　floor。　　She　did　not　see　a　man　pass　on　the
other　side　of　the　street；　cast　a　searching　glance　across　and　walk
quickly　on　again。

〃If　you　were　quite　free　to　go　on　with　your　beautiful　work；〃　said　Mr。
Eltwood　slowly；　〃if　you　were　offered　heartiest　appreciation；　profound
respect；　as　well　as　love；　of　course；　would　you　object　to　marrying；　Miss
Bell？〃　asked　in　an　even　voice；　as　if　it　were　a　matter　of　metaphysical
inquiry。　　Mrs。　Porne　had　told　him　of　her　theory　as　to　a　lover　in　the
home　town；　wishing　to　save　him　a　long　heart　ache；　but　he　was　not　sure　of
it；　and　he　wanted　to　be。

Diantha　glanced　quickly　at　him；　and　felt　the　emotion　under　his　quiet
words。　　She　withdrew　her　eyes；　looking　quite　the　other　way。

〃You　are　enough　of　a　friend　to　know；　Mr。　Eltwood；〃　she　said；　〃I　rather
thought　you　did　know。　　I　am　engaged。〃

〃Thank　you　for　telling　me；　some　one　is　greatly　to　be　congratulated；〃　he
spoke　sincerely；　and　talked　quietly　on　about　less　personal　matters；
holding　his　tea　untasted　till　it　was　cold。

〃Do　let　me　give　you　some　that　is　hot；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃and　let　me
thank　you　from　my　heart　for　the　help　and　strength　and　comfort　you　have
been　to　me；　Mr。　Eltwood。〃

〃I'm　very　glad；〃　he　said；　and　again；　〃I　am　very　glad。〃　　〃You　may　count
upon　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　always；〃　he　continued。　　〃I　am　proud　to
be　your　friend。〃

He　held　her　hand　once　more　for　a　moment；　and　went　away　with　his　head　up
and　a　firm　step。　　To　one　who　watched　him　go；　he　had　almost　a　triumphant
air；　but　it　was　not　triumph；　only　the　brave　beginning　of　a　hard　fight
and　a　long　one。

Then　came　Mrs。　Bell；　returned　from　a　shopping　trip；　and　sank　down　in　a
wicker　rocker；　glad　of　the　shade　and　a　cup　of　tea。　　No；　she　didn't　want
it　iced。　　〃Hot　tea　makes　you　cooler；〃　was　her　theory。

〃You　don't　look　very　tired；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃Seems　to　me　you　get
stronger　all　the　time。〃

〃I　do；〃　said　her　mother。　　〃You　don't　realize；　you　can't　realize；
Diantha；　what　this　means　to　me。　　Of　course　to　you　I　am　an　old　woman；　a
back　numberone　has　to　feel　so　about　one's　mother。　　I　did　when　I
married；　and　my　mother　then　was　five　years　younger　than　I　am　now。〃

〃I　don't　think　you　old；　mother；　not　a　bit　of　it。　　You　ought　to　have
twenty　or　thirty　years　of　life　before　you；　real　life。〃

〃That's　just　what　I'm　feeling；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell；　〃as　if　I'd　just　begun　to
live！　　This　is　so　_different！_　　There　is　a　big；　moving　thing　to　work
for。　　There　iswhy　Diantha；　you　wouldn't　believe　what　a　comfort　it　is
to　me　to　feel　that　my　work　here　isreallyadding　to　the　profits！〃

Diantha　laughed　aloud。

〃You　dear　old　darling；〃　she　said；　〃I　should　think　it　was！　　It　is
_making_　the　profits。〃

〃And　it　grows　so；〃　her　mother　went　on。　　〃Here's　this　part　so　well
assured　that　you're　setting　up　the　new　Union　House！　　Are　you　_sure_
about　Mrs。　Jessup；　dear？〃

〃As　sure　as　I　can　be　of　any　one　till　I've　tried　a　long　time。　　She　has
done　all　I've　asked　her　to　here；　and　done　it　well。　　Besides；　I　mean　to
keep　a　hand　on　it　for　a　year　or　two　yetI　can't　afford　to　have　that
fail。〃

Mrs。　Jessup　was　an　imported　aunt；　belonging　to　one　of　the　cleverest
girls；　and　Diantha　had　had　her　in　training　for　some　weeks。

〃Well；　I　guess　she's　as　good　as　any　you'd　be　likely　to　get；〃　Mrs。　Bell
admitted；　〃and　we　mustn't　expect　paragons。　　If　this　can't　be　done　by　an
average　bunch　of　working　women　the　world　over；　it　can't　be　donethat's
all！〃

〃It　can　be　done；〃　said　the　girl；　calmly。　　〃It　will　be　done。　　You　see。〃

〃Mr。　Thaddler　says　you　could　run　any　kind　of　a　business　you　set　your
hand　to；〃　her　mother　went　on。　　〃He　has　a　profound　respect　for　your
abilities；　Dina。〃

〃Seems　to　me　you　and　Mr。　Thaddler　have　a　good　deal　to　say　to　each　other；
motherkins。　　I　believe　you　enjoy　that　caffeteria　desk；　and　all　the
compliments　you　get。〃

〃I　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell　stoutly。　　〃I　do　indeed！　　Why；　I　haven't　seen　so
many　men；　to　speak　to；　sincewhy；　never　in　my　life！　　And　they　are　very
amusingsome　of　them。　　They　like　to　come　herelike　it　immensely。　　And
I　don't　wonder。　　I　believe　you'll　do　well　to　enlarge。〃

Then　they　plunged　into　a　discussion　of　the　winter's　plans。　　The　day
service　department　and　its　employment　agency　was　to　go　on　at　the　New
Union　House；　with　Mrs。　Jessup　as　manager；　the　present　establishment　was
to　be　run　as　a　hotel　and　restaurant；　and　the　depot　for　the　cooked　food
delivery。

Mrs。　Thorvald　and　her　husband　were　installed　by　themselves　in　another
new　venture；　a　small　laundry　outside　the　town。　　This　place　employed
several　girls　steadily；　and　the　motor　wagon　found　a　new　use　between
meals；　in　collecting　and　delivering　laundry　parcels。

〃It　simplifies　it　a　lotto　get　the　washing　out　of　the　place　and　the
girls　off　my　mind；〃　said　Diantha。　　〃Now　I　mean　to　buckle　down　and　learn
the　hotel　businessthoroughly；　and　develop　this　cooked　food　delivery　to
perfection。〃

〃Modest　young　lady；〃　smiled　her　mother。　　〃Where　do　you　mean　to　stopif
ever？〃

〃I　don't　mean　to　stop　till　I'm　dead；〃　Diantha　answered；　〃but　I　don't
mean　to　undertake　any　more　trades；　if　that　is　what　you　mean。　　You　know
what　I'm　afterto　get　'housework'　on　a　business　basis；　that's　all；　and
prove；　prove；　PROVE　what　a　good　business　it　is。　　There's　the　cleaning
branchthat's　all　started　and　going　well　in　the　day　service。　　There's
the　washingthat's　simple　and　easy。　　Laundry　work's　no　mystery。　　But
the　food　part　is　a　big　thing。　　It's　an　art；　a　science；　a　business；　and　a
handicraft。　　I　had　the　handicraft　to　start　with；　I'm　learning　the
business；　but　I've　got　a　lot　to　learn　yet　in　the　science　and　art　of　it。〃
　

〃Don't　do　too　much　at　once；〃　her　mother　urged。　　〃You've　got　to　cater　to
people　as　they　are。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　the　girl　agreed。　　〃They　must　be　led；　step　by　stepthe
natural　method。　　It's　a　big　job；　but　not　too　big。　　Out　of　all　the　women
who　have　done　housework　for　so　many　ages；　surely　it's　not　too　much　to
expect　one　to　have　a　special　genius　for　it！〃

Her　mother　gazed　at　her　with　loving　admiration。

〃That's　just　what　you　have；　Dinaa　special　genius　for　housework。　　I
wish　there　were　more　of　you！〃

〃There　are　plenty　of　me；　mother　dear；　only　they　haven't　come　out。　　As
soon　as　I　show　'em　how　to　make　the　thing　pay；　you'll　find　that　we　have　a
big　percentage　of　this　kind　of　ability。　　It's　all　buried　now　in　the
occasional　'perfect　housekeeper。'

〃But　they　won't　leave　their　husbands；　Dina。〃

〃They　don't　need　to；〃　the　girl　answered　cheerfully。　　〃Some　of　them
aren't　married　yet；　some　of　them　have　lost　their　husbands；　and　_some_　of
them〃she　said　this　a　little　bitterly〃have　husbands　who　will　be
willing　to　let　their　wives　grow。〃

〃Not　many；　I'm　afraid；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell；　also　with　some　gloom。

Diantha　lightened　up　again。　　〃Anyhow；　here　you　are；　mother　dear！　　And
for　this　year　I　propose　that　you　assume　the　financial　management　of　the
whole　business　at　a　salary　of　1；000　'and　found。'　　How　does　that　suit
you？〃

Mrs。　Bell　looked　at　her　unbelievingly。

〃You　can't　afford　it；　Dina！〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　canyou　know　I　can；　because　you've　got　the　accounts。　　I'm
going　to　make　big　money　this　year。〃

〃But　you'll　need　it。　　This　hotel　and　restaurant　business　may　not　do
well。〃

〃Now；　mother；　you　_know_　we're　doing　well。　　Look　here！〃　　And　Diantha
produced　her　note…book。

〃Here's　the　little　laundry　place；　its　fittings　come　to　so　much；　wages　so
much；　collection　and　delivery　so　much；　supplies　so　muchand　already
enough　patronage　engaged　to　cover。　　It　will　be　bigger　in　winter；　a　lot；
with　transients；　and　this　hotel　to　fall　back　on；　ought　to　clear　at　least
a　thousand　a　year。　　The　service　club　don't　pay　me　anything；　of　course；
that　is　for　the　girls'　benefit；　but　the　food　delivery　is　doing　better
than　I　dared　hope。〃

Mrs。　Bell　knew　the　figures　better　than　Diantha；　even；　and　they　went　over
them　carefully　again。　　If　the　winter's　patronage　held　on　to　equal　the
summer'sand　the　many　transient　residents　ought　to　increase　itthey
would　have　an　average　of　twenty　families　a　week　to　provide　forone
hundred　persons。

The　expenses　were：


Food　for　100　at　250　a　week。　　Per　capita。　　　600
…
per　year　13；000

Labordelivery　man。　　600
Head　cook。　　600
Two　assistant　cooks。　　1；040
Three　washers　and　packers。　　1；560
Office　girl。　　520
…
Per　year　4；320

Rent；　kitchen；　office；　etc。　　500
Rent　of　motor。　　300
Rent　of　cases。　　250
Gasolene　and　repairs。　　630
…
Per　year　1；680

Total。　　19；000


〃How　do　you　make　the　gasolene　and　repairs　as　much　as　that？〃　asked　Mrs。
Bell。

〃It's　margin；　mothermakes　it　even　money。　　It　won't　be　so　much；
probably。〃

The　income　was　simple　and　sufficient。　　They　charged　5。00　a　week　per
capita　for　three　meals；　table　d'hote；　delivered　thrice　daily。　　Frequent
orders　for　extra　meals　really　gave　them　more　than　they　set　down；　but　the
hundred…person　estimate　amounted　to　26；000　a　year。

〃Now；　see；〃　said　Diantha　triumphantly；　〃subtract　all　that　expense　list
（and　it　is　a　liberal　one）；　and　we　have　7；000　left。　　I　can　buy　the　car
and　the　cases　this　year　and　have　1；600　over！　　More；　because　if　I　do　buy
them　I　can　leave　off　some　of　the　interest；　and　the　rent　of　kitchen　and
office　comes　t