what diantha did-第35节

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picturesque；　more　dreamily　beautiful；　than　the　American　commercial　mind
was　usually　able　to　compass；　even　when　possessed　of　millions。　　The　hotel
of　itself　was　a　pleasure　palacewholly　unostentatious；　full　of　gaiety
and　charm；　offering　lovely　chambers　for　guests　and　residents；　and　every
opportunity　for　healthful　amusement。　　There　was　the　rare　luxury　of　a　big
swimming…pool；　there　were　billiard　rooms；　card　rooms；　reading　rooms；
lounging　rooms　and　dancing　rooms　of　satisfying　extent。

Outside　there　were　tennis…courts；　badminton；　roque；　even　croquet；　and
the　wide　roof　was　a　garden　of　Babylon；　a　Court　of　the　Stars；　with　views
of　purple　mountains；　fair；　wide　valley　and　far…flashing　rim　of　sea。　
Around　it；　each　in　its　own　hedged　garden；　nestled　〃Las　Casas〃the
Housestwenty　in　number；　with　winding　shaded　paths；　groups　of　rare
trees；　a　wilderness　of　flowers；　between　and　about　them。　　In　one　corner
was　a　playground　for　childrena　wall　around　this；　that　they　might　shout
in　freedom；　and　the　nursery　thereby　gave　every　provision　for　the
happiness　and　safety　of　the　little　ones。

The　people　poured　along　the　winding　walls；　entered　the　pretty　cottages；
were　much　impressed　by　a　little　flock　of　well…floored　tents　in　another
corner；　but　came　back　with　Ohs！　and　Ahs！　of　delight　to　the　large
building　in　the　Avenue。

Diantha　went　all　over　the　place；　inch　by　inch；　her　eyes　widening　with
admiration；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Porne　and　Mrs。　Weatherstone　with　her。　　She
enjoyed　the　serene；　well…planned　beauty　of　the　whole；　approved　heartily
of　the　cottages；　each　one　a　little　different；　each　charming　in　its　quiet
privacy；　admired　the　plentiful　arrangements　for　pleasure　and　gay
association；　but　her　professional　soul　blazed　with　enthusiasm　over　the
great　kitchens；　clean　as　a　hospital；　glittering　in　glass　and　copper　and
cool　tiling；　with　the　swift；　sure　electric　stove。

The　fuel　all　went　into　a　small；　solidly　built　power　house；　and　came　out
in　light　and　heat　and　force　for　the　whole　square。

Diantha　sighed　in　absolute　appreciation。

〃Fine；　isn't　it？〃　said　Mr。　Porne。

〃How　do　you　like　the　architecture？〃　asked　Mrs。　Porne。

〃What　do　you　think　of　my　investment？〃　said　Mrs。　Weatherstone。　　Diantha
stopped　in　her　tracks　and　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　them。

〃Fact。　　I　control　the　stockI'm　president　of　the　Hotel　del　las　Casas
Company。　　Our　friends　here　have　stock　in　it；　too；　and　more　that　you
don't　know。　　We　think　it's　going　to　be　a　paying　concern。　　But　if　you　can
make　it　go；　my　dear；　as　I　think　you　will；　you　can　buy　us　all　out　and　own
the　whole　outfit！〃

It　took　some　time　to　explain　all　this；　but　the　facts　were　visible
enough。

〃Nothing　remarkable　at　all；〃　said　Mrs。　Weatherstone。　　〃Here's　Astor　with
three　big　hotels　on　his　handswhy　shouldn't　I　have　one　to　play　with？　
And　I've　got　to　employ　_somebody_　to　manage　it！〃

*

Within　a　year　of　her　marriage　Diantha　was　at　the　head　of　this　pleasing
Centre　of　Housekeeping。　　She　kept　the　hotel　itself　so　that　it　was　a　joy
to　all　its　patrons；　she　kept　the　little　houses　homes　of　pure　delight　for
those　who　were　so　fortunate　as　to　hold　them；　and　she　kept　up　her　〃c。　f。
d。〃　business　till　it　grew　so　large　she　had　to　have　quite　a　fleet　of
delivery　wagons。

Orchardina　basked　and　prospered；　its　citizens　found　their　homes　happier
and　less　expensive　than　ever　before；　and　its　citizenesses　began　to　wake
up　and　to　do　things　worth　while。

*

Two　years；　and　there　was　a　small　Ross　Warden　born。

She　loved　it；　nursed　it；　and　ran　her　business　at　long　range　for　some　six
months。　　But　then　she　brought　nurse　and　child　to　the　hotel　with　her；
placed　them　in　the　cool；　airy　nursery　in　the　garden；　and　varied　her　busy
day　with　still　hours　by　herselfthe　baby　in　her　arms。

Back　they　came　together　before　supper；　and　found　unbroken　joy　and　peace
in　the　quiet　of　home；　but　always　in　the　background　was　the　current　of
Ross'　unspoken　disapproval。

Three　years；　four　years。

There　were　three　babies　now；　Diantha　was　a　splendid　woman　of　thirty；
handsome　and　strong；　pre…eminently　successfuland　yet；　there　were　times
when　she　found　it　in　her　heart　to　envy　the　most　ordinary　people　who
loved　and　quarreled　and　made　up　in　the　little　outlying　ranch　houses
along　the　road；　they　had　nothing　between　them；　at　least。

Meantime　in　the　friendly　opportunities　of　Orchardina　society；　added　to
by　the　unexampled　possibilities　of　Las　Casas　（and　they　did　not　scorn
this　hotel　nor　Diantha's　position　in　it）；　the　three　older　Miss　Wardens
had　married。　　Two　of　them　preferred　〃the　good　old　way；〃　but　one　tried
the　〃d。　s。〃　　and　the　〃c。　f。　d。〃　and　liked　them　well。

Dora　amazed　and　displeased　her　family；　as　soon　as　she　was　of　age；　by
frankly　going　over　to　Diantha's　side　and　learning　bookkeeping。　　She
became　an　excellent　accountant　and　bade　fair　to　become　an　expert　manager
soon。

Ross　had　prospered　in　his　work。　　It　may　be　that　the　element　of
dissatisfaction　in　his　married　life　spurred　him　on；　while　the　unusual
opportunities　of　his　ranch　allowed　free　effort。　　He　had　always　held　that
the　〃non…transmissability　of　acquired　traits〃　was　not　established　by　any
number　of　curtailed　mice　or　crop…eared　rats。　　〃A　mutilation　is　not　an
acquired　trait；〃　he　protested。　　〃An　acquired　trait　is　one　gained　by
exercise；　it　modifies　the　whole　organism。　　It　must　have　an　effect　on　the
race。　　We　expect　the　sons　of　a　line　of　soldiers　to　inherit　their
fathers'　courageperhaps　his　habit　of　obediencebut　not　his　wooden
leg。〃

To　establish　his　views　he　selected　from　a　fine　family　of　guinea…pigs　two
pair；　set　the　one；　Pair　A；　in　conditions　of　ordinary　guinea…pig　bliss；
and　subjected　the　other；　Pair　B；　to　a　course　of　discipline。　　They　were
trained　to　run。　　They；　and　their　descendants　after　them；　pair　following
on　pair；　first　with　slow…turning　wheels　as　in　squirrel　cages；　the　wheel
inexorably　going；　machine…driven；　and　the　luckless　little　gluttons
having　to　move　on；　for　gradually　increasing　periods　of　time；　at
gradually　increasing　speeds。　　Pair　A　and　their　progeny　were　sheltered
and　fed；　but　the　rod　was　spared；　Pair　B　were　as　the　guests　at
〃Muldoon's〃they　had　to　exercise。　　With　scientific　patience　and
ingenuity；　he　devised　mechanical　surroundings　which　made　them　jump
increasing　spaces；　which　made　them　run　always　a　little　faster　and　a
little　farther；　and　he　kept　a　record　as　carefully　as　if　these　little
sheds　were　racing　stables　for　a　king。

Several　centuries　of　guinea…pig　time　went　by；　generation　after
generation　of　healthy　guinea…pigs　passed　under　his　modifying　hands；　and
after　some　five　years　he　had　in　one　small　yard　a　fine　group　of　the
descendants　of　his　gall…fed　pair；　and　in　another　the　offspring　of　the
trained　ones；　nimble；　swift；　as　different　from　the　first　as　the
razor…backed　pig　of　the　forest　from　the　fatted　porkers　in　the　sty。　　He
set　them　to　racethe　young　untrained　specimens　of　these　distant
cousinsand　the　hare　ran　away　from　the　tortoise　completely。

Great　zoologists　and　biologists　came　to　see　him；　studied；　fingered；
poked；　and　examined　the　records；　argued　and　disbelievedand　saw　them
run。

〃It　is　natural　selection；〃　they　said。　　〃It　profited　them　to　run。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　he。　　〃They　were　fed　and　cared　for　alike；　with　no　gain
from　running。〃

〃It　was　artificial　selection；〃　they　said。　　〃You　picked　out　the　speediest
for　your　training。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　he。　　〃I　took　always　any　healthy　pair　from　the　trained
parents　and　from　the　untrained　onesquite　late　in　life；　you　understand；
as　guinea…pigs　go。〃

Anyhow；　there　were　the　pigs；　and　he　took　little　specialized　piglets
scarce　weaned；　and　pitted　them　against　piglets　of　the　untrained　lotand
they　outran　them　in　a　race　for　〃Mama。〃　　Wherefore　Mr。　Ross　Warden　found
himself　famous　of　a　sudden；　and　all　over　the　scientific　world　the
Wiesmanian　controversy　raged　anew。　　He　was　invited　to　deliver　a　lecture
before　some　most　learned　societies　abroad；　and　in　several　important
centers　at　home；　and　went；　rejoicing。

Diantha　was　glad　for　him　from　the　bottom　of　her　heart；　and　proud　of　him
through　and　through。　　She　thoroughly　appreciated　his　sturdy　opposition
to　such　a　weight　of　authority；　his　long　patience；　his　careful；　steady
work。　　She　was　left　in　full　swing　with　her　big　business；　busy　and
successful；　honored　and　liked　by　all　the　townpracticallyand　quite
independent　of　the　small　fraction　which　still　disapproved。　　Some　people
always　will。　　She　was　happy；　too；　in　her　babiesvery　happy。

The　Hotel　del　las　Casas　was　a　triumph。

Diantha　owned　it　now；　and　Mrs。　Weatherstone　built　others；　in　other
places；　at　a　large　profit。

Mrs。　Warden　went　to　live　with　Cora　in　the　town。　　Cora　had　more　time　to
entertain　heras　she　was　the　one　who　profited　by　her　sister…in…law's
general　services。

Diantha　sat　in　friendly　talk　with　Mrs。　Weatherstone　one　quiet　day；　and
admitted　that　she　had　no　cause　for　complaint。

〃And　yet？〃　said　her　friend。

Young　Mrs。　Warden　smiled。　　〃There's　no　keeping　anything　from　you；　is
there？　　Yesyou're　right。　　I'm　not　quite　satisfied。　　I　suppose　I　ought
not　to　carebut　you　see；　I　love　him　so！　　I　want　him　to　_approve_　of
me！not　just　put　up　with　it；　and　bear　it！　　I　want　him　to　_feel_　with
meto　care。　　It　is　awful　to　know　that　all　this　big　life　of　mine　is　ju