what diantha did-第34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！


extended　the　trade。　　You'd　have　made　a　heap　by　it　if　you　could　have
unbent　a　little。　　Gosh！　　I　limbered　up　that　store　some　in　twelve
months！〃　　And　the　stout　man　smiled　reminiscently。

Ross　was　still　silent。

〃And　now　you've　got　what　you　wantedthanks　to　her；　mind　you；　thanks　to
her！and　you　ain't　willing　to　let　her　have　what　she　wants！〃

The　young　man　moistened　his　lips　to　speak。

〃You　ain't　dependent　on　her　in　any　senseI　don't　mean　that。　　You　earned
the　place　all　right；　and　I　don't　doubt　you'll　make　good；　both　in　a
business　way　and　a　scientific　way；　young　man。　　But　why　in　Hades　you
can't　let　her　be　happy；　too；　is　more'n　I　can　figure！　　Guess　you　get　your
notions　from　two　generations　backand　some！〃

Ross　began；　stumblingly。　　〃I　did　not　know　I　was　indebted　to　you；　Mr。
Thaddler。〃

〃You're　not；　young　man；　you're　not！　　I　ran　that　shop　of　yours　a
yearbuilt　up　the　business　and　sold　it　for　more　than　I　paid　for　this。　
So　you've　no　room　for　heroicsnone　at　all。　　What　I　want　you　to　realize
is　that　you're　breaking　the　heart　of　the　finest　woman　I　ever　saw。　　You
can't　bend　that　girlshe'll　never　give　up。　　A　woman　like　that　has　got
more　things　to　do　than　just　marry！　　But　she's　pining　for　you　all　the
same。

〃Here　she　is　to…night；　receiving　with　Mrs。　Weatherstonewith　those
Bannerets；　Dukes　and　Earls　around　herstanding　up　there　like　a　Princess
herselfand　her　eyes　on　the　door　all　the　timeand　tears　in　'em；　I
could　swearbecause　you　don't　come！〃

*

They　drew　up　with　a　fine　curve　before　the　carriage　gate。

〃I'll　take　'em　all　homethey　won't　be　ready　for　some　time　yet；〃　said
Mr。　Thaddler。　　〃And　if　you　two　would　like　this　car　I'll　send　for　the
other　one。〃

Ross　shook　hands　with　him。　　〃You　are　very　kind；　Mr。　Thaddler；〃　he　said。　
〃I　am　obliged　to　you。　　But　I　think　we　will　walk。〃

Tall　and　impressive；　looking　more　distinguished　in　a　six…year…old
evening　suit　than　even　the　Hoch　Geborene　in　his　uniform；　he　came　at
last；　and　Diantha　saw　him　the　moment　he　entered；　saw；　too；　a　new　light
in　his　eyes。

He　went　straight　to　her。　　And　Mrs。　Weatherstone　did　not　lay　it　up
against　him　that　he　had　but　the　briefest　of　words　for　his　hostess。

〃Will　you　come？〃　he　said。　　〃May　I　take　you　homenow？〃

She　went　with　him；　without　a　word；　and　they　walked　slowly　home；　by　far
outlying　paths；　and　long　waits　on　rose…bowered　seats　they　knew。

The　moon　filled　all　the　world　with　tender　light　and　the　orange　blossoms
flooded　the　still　air　with　sweetness。

〃Dear；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　been　a　proud　foolI　am　yetbut　I　have　come　to
see　a　little　clearer。　　I　do　not　approve　of　your　workI　cannot　approve
of　itbut　will　you　forgive　me　for　that　and　marry　me？　　I　cannot　live　any
longer　without　you？〃

〃Of　course　I　will；〃　said　Diantha。



WHAT　DIANTHA　DID


CHAPTER　XIV。

AND　HEAVEN　BESIDE。


They　were　married　while　the　flowers　were　knee…deep　over　the　sunny　slopes
and　mesas；　and　the　canyons　gulfs　of　color　and　fragrance；　and　went　for
their　first　moon　together　to　a　far　high　mountain　valley　hidden　among
wooded　peaks；　with　a　clear　lake　for　its　central　jewel。

A　month　of　heaven；　while　wave　on　wave　of　perfect　rest　and
world…forgetting　oblivion　rolled　over　both　their　hearts。

They　swam　together　in　the　dawn…flushed　lake；　seeing　the　morning　mists
float　up　from　the　silver　surface；　breaking　the　still　reflection　of　thick
trees　and　rosy　clouds；　rejoicing　in　the　level　shafts　of　forest　filtered
sunlight。　　They　played　and　ran　like　children；　rejoiced　over　their　picnic
meals；　lay　flat　among　the　crowding　flowers　and　slept　under　the　tender
starlight。

〃I　don't　see；〃　said　her　lover；　〃but　that　my　strenuous　Amazon　is　just　as
much　a　woman　asas　any　woman！〃

〃Who　ever　said　I　wasn't？〃　quoth　Diantha　demurely。

A　month　of　perfect　happiness。　　It　was　so　short　it　seemed　but　a　moment；
so　long　in　its　rich　perfection　that　they　both　agreed　if　life　brought　no
further　joy　this　was　Enough。

Then　they　came　down　from　the　mountains　and　began　living。

*

Day　service　is　not　so　easily　arranged　on　a　ranch　some　miles　from　town。　
They　tried　it　for　a　while；　the　new　runabout　car　bringing　out　a　girl　in
the　morning　early；　and　taking　Diantha　in　to　her　office。

But　motor　cars　are　not　infallible；　and　if　it　met　with　any　accident　there
was　delay　at　both　ends；　and　more　or　less　friction。

Then　Diantha　engaged　a　first…class　Oriental　gentleman；　well　recommended
by　the　〃vegetable　Chinaman；〃　on　their　own　place。　　This　was　extremely
satisfactory；　he　did　the　work　well；　and　was　in　all　ways　reliable；　but
there　arose　in　the　town　a　current　of　malicious　criticism　and
protestthat　she　〃did　not　live　up　to　her　principles。〃

To　this　she　paid　no　attention；　her　work　was　now　too　well　planted；　too
increasingly　prosperous　to　be　weakened　by　small　sneers。

Her　mother；　growing　plumper　now；　thriving　continuously　in　her　new　lines
of　work；　kept　the　hotel　under　her　immediate　management；　and　did
bookkeeping　for　the　whole　concern。　　New　Union　Home　ran　itself；　and
articles　were　written　about　it　in　magazines；　so　that　here　and　there　in
other　cities　similar　clubs　were　started；　with　varying　success。　　The
restaurant　was　increasingly　popular；　Diantha's　cooks　were　highly　skilled
and　handsomely　paid；　and　from　the　cheap　lunch　to　the　expensive　banquet
they　gave　satisfaction。

But　the　〃c。　f。　d。〃　　was　the　darling　of　her　heart；　and　it　prospered
exceedingly。　　〃There　is　no　advertisement　like　a　pleased　customer；〃　and
her　pleased　customers　grew　in　numbers　and　in　enthusiasm。　　Family　after
family　learned　to　prize　the　cleanliness　and　quiet；　the　odorlessness　and
flylessness　of　a　home　without　a　kitchen；　and　their　questioning　guests
were　converted　by　the　excellent　of　the　meals。

Critical　women　learned　at　last　that　a　competent　cook　can　really　produce
better　food　than　an　incompetent　one；　albeit　without　the　sanctity　of　the
home。

〃Sanctity　of　your　bootstraps！〃　protested　one　irascible　gentleman。　　〃Such
talk　is　all　nonsense！　　I　don't　want　_sacred_　mealsI　want　good
onesand　I'm　getting　them；　at　last！〃

〃We　don't　brag　about　'home　brewing'　any　more；〃　said　another；　〃or　'home
tailoring；'　or　'home　shoemaking。'　　Why　all　this　talk　about　'home
cooking'？〃

What　pleased　the　men　most　was　not　only　the　good　food；　but　its　clock…work
regularity；　and　not　only　the　reduced　bills　but　the　increased　health　and
happiness　of　their　wives。　　Domestic　bliss　increased　in　Orchardina；　and
the　doctors　were　more　rigidly　confined　to　the　patronage　of　tourists。

Ross　Warden　did　his　best。　　Under　the　merciless　friendliness　of　Mr。
Thaddler　he　had　been　brought　to　see　that　Diantha　had　a　right　to　do　this
if　she　would；　and　that　he　had　no　right　to　prevent　her；　but　he　did　not
like　it　any　the　better。

When　she　rolled　away　in　her　little　car　in　the　bright；　sweet　mornings；　a
light　went　out　of　the　day　for　him。　　He　wanted　her　there；　in　the
homehis　homehis　wifeeven　when　he　was　not　in　it　himself。　　And　in
this　particular　case　it　was　harder　than　for　most　men；　because　he　was　in
the　house　a　good　deal；　in　his　study；　with　no　better　company　than　a
polite　Chinaman　some　distance　off。

It　was　by　no　means　easy　for　Diantha；　either。　　To　leave　him　tugged　at　her
heart…strings；　as　it　did　at　his；　and　if　he　had　to　struggle　with
inherited　feelings　and　acquired　traditions；　still　more　was　she　beset
with　an　unexpected　uprising　of　sentiments　and　desires　she　had　never
dreamed　of　feeling。

With　marriage；　love；　happiness　came　an　overwhelming　instinct　of
servicepersonal　service。　　She　wanted　to　wait　on　him；　loved　to　do　it；
regarded　Wang　Fu　with　positive　jealousy　when　he　brought　in　the　coffee
and　Ross　praised　it。　　She　had　a　sense　of　treason；　of　neglected　duty；　as
she　left　the　flower…crowned　cottage；　day　by　day。

But　she　left　it；　she　plunged　into　her　work；　she　schooled　herself
religiously。

〃Shame　on　you！〃　she　berated　herself。　　〃Now_now_　that　you've　got
everything　on　earthto　weaken！　　You　could　stand　unhappiness；　can't　you
stand　happiness？〃　　And　she　strove　with　herself；　and　kept　on　with　her
work。

After　all；　the　happiness　was　presently　diluted　by　the　pressure　of　this
blank　wall　between　them。　　She　came　home；　eager；　loving；　delighted　to　be
with　him　again。　　He　received　her　with　no　complaint　or　criticism；　but
always　an　unspoken；　perhaps　imagined；　sense　of　protest。　　She　was　full　of
loving　enthusiasm　about　his　work；　and　he　would　dilate　upon　his　harassed
guinea…pigs　and　their　development　with　high　satisfaction。

But　he　never　could　bring　himself　to　ask　about　her　labors　with　any
genuine　approval；　she　was　keenly　sensitive　to　his　dislike　for　the
subject；　and　so　it　was　ignored　between　them；　or　treated　by　him　in　a　vein
of　humor　with　which　he　strove　to　cover　his　real　feeling。

When；　before　many　months　were　over；　the　crowning　triumph　of　her　effort
revealed　itself；　her　joy　and　pride　held　this　bitter　drophe　did　not
sympathizedid　not　approve。　　Still；　it　was　a　great　glory。

The　New　York　Company　announced　the　completion　of　their　work　and　the
_Hotel　del　las　Casas_　was　opened　to　public　inspection。　　〃House　of　the
Houses！　　That's　a　fine　name！〃　said　some　disparagingly；　but；　at　any　rate；
it　seemed　appropriate。　　The　big　estate　was　one　rich　garden；　more
picturesque；　more　dreamily　beautiful；　than　the　American　commercial　mind
was　usually　able　to　compas