what diantha did-第9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！


dress。　　She　hated　the　smell　of　cooking　in　her　garments；　hated　it　worse
on　her　white　fingers；　and　now　to　look　at　the　graceful　erect　figure；　the
round　throat　with　the　silver　necklace　about　it；　the　soft　smooth　hair；
silver…filletted；　the　negative　beauty　of　the　dove…colored　gown；
specially　designed　for　home　evenings；　one　would　never　dream　she　had　set
the　table　so　welland　cooked　the　steak　so　abominably。


Isabel　was　never　a　cook。　　In　the　many　servantless　gaps　of　domestic　life
in　Orchardina；　there　was　always　a　strained　atmosphere　in　the　Porne
household。

〃Dear；〃　said　Mr。　Porne；　〃might　I　petition　to　have　the　steak　less　cooked？
　I　know　you　don't　like　to　do　it；　so　why　not　shorten　the　process？〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　answered；　〃I　always　forget　about　the　steak　from　one
time　to　the　next。〃

〃Yet　we've　had　it　three　times　this　week；　my　dear。〃

〃I　thought　you　liked　it　better　than　anything；〃　she　with　marked
gentleness。　　〃I'll　get　you　other　thingsoftener。〃

〃It's　a　shame　you　should　have　this　to　do；　Isabel。　　I　never　meant　you
should　cook　for　me。　　Indeed　I　didn't　dream　you　cared　so　little　about
it。〃

〃And　I　never　dreamed　you　cared　so　much　about　it；〃　she　replied；　still
with　repression。　　〃I'm　not　complaining；　am　I？　　I'm　only　sorry　you　should
be　disappointed　in　me。〃

〃It's　not　_you；_　dear　girl！　　You're　all　right！　　It's　just　this
everlasting　bother。　　Can't　you　get　_anybody_　that　will　stay？〃

I　can't　seem　to　get　anybody　on　any　terms；　so　far。　　I'm　going　again；
to…morrow。　　Cheer　up；　dearthe　baby　keeps　wellthat's　the　main　thing。〃

He　sat　on　the　rose…bowered　porch　and　smoked　while　she　cleared　the　table。
　At　first　he　had　tried　to　help　her　on　these　occasions；　but　their　methods
were　dissimilar　and　she　frankly　told　him　she　preferred　to　do　it　alone。

So　she　slipped　off　the　silk　and　put　on　the　gingham　again；　washed　the
dishes　with　the　labored　accuracy　of　a　trained　mind　doing　unfamiliar
work；　made　the　bread；　redressed　at　last；　and　joined　him　about　nine
o'clock。

〃It's　too　late　to　go　anywhere；　I　suppose？〃　he　ventured。

〃Yesand　I'm　too　tired。　　Besideswe　can't　leave　Eddie　alone。〃

〃O　yesI　forget。　　Of　course　we　can't。〃

His　hand　stole　out　to　take　hers。　　〃I　_am_　sorry；　dear。　　It's　awfully
rough　on　you　women　out　here。　　How　do　they　all　stand　it？〃

〃Most　of　them　stand　it　much　better　than　I　do；　Ned。　　You　see　they　don't
want　to　be　doing　anything　else。〃

〃Yes。　　That's　the　mischief　of　it！〃　he　agreed；　and　she　looked　at　him　in
the　clear　moonlight；　wondering　exactly　what　he　thought　the　mischief　was。

〃Shall　we　go　in　and　read　a　bit？〃　he　offered；　but　she　thought　not。

〃I'm　too　tired；　I'm　afraid。　　And　Eddie'll　wake　up　as　soon　as　we　begin。〃

So　they　sat　awhile　enjoying　the　soft　silence；　and　the　rich　flower　scents
about　them；　till　Eddie　did　wake　presently；　and　Isabel　went　upstairs。

She　slept　little　that　night；　lying　quite　still；　listening　to　her
husband's　regular　breathing　so　near　her；　and　the　lighter　sound　from　the
crib。　　〃I　am　a　very　happy　woman；〃　she　told　herself　resolutely；　but　there
was　no　outpouring　sense　of　love　and　joy。　　She　knew　she　was　happy；　but　by
no　means　felt　it。　　So　she　stared　at　the　moon　shadows　and　thought　it
over。

She　had　planned　the　little　house　herself；　with　such　love；　such　hope；
such　tender　happy　care！　　Not　her　first　work；　which　won　high　praise　in
the　school　in　Paris；　not　the　prize…winning　plan　for　the　library；　now
gracing　Orchardina's　prettiest　square；　was　as　dear　to　her　as　this　most
womanly　taskthe　making　of　a　home。

It　was　the　library　success　which　brought　her　here；　fresh　from　her
foreign　studies；　and　Orchardina　accepted　with　western　cordiality　the
youth　and　beauty　of　the　young　architect；　though　a　bit　surprised　at　first
that　〃I。　H。　Wright〃　was　an　Isabel。　　In　her　further　work　of　overseeing
the　construction　of　that　library；　she　had　met　Edgar　Porne；　one　of　the
numerous　eager　young　real　estate　men　of　that　region；　who　showed　a
liberal　enthusiasm　for　the　general　capacity　of　women　in　the　professions；
and　a　much　warmer　feeling　for　the　personal　attractions　of　this　one。

Together　they　chose　the　lot　on　pepper…shaded　Inez　Avenue；　together　they
watched　the　rising　of　the　concrete　walls　and　planned　the　garden　walks
and　seats；　and　the　tiny　precious　pool　in　the　far　corner。　　He　was　so
sympathetic！　so　admiring！　　He　took　as　much　pride　in　the　big　〃drawing
room〃　on　the　third　floor　as　she　did　herself。　　〃Architecture　is　such　fine
work　to　do　at　home！〃　they　had　both　agreed。　　〃Here　you　have　your　north
lightyour　big　tableplenty　of　room　for　work！　　You　will　grow　famouser
and　famouser；〃　he　had　lovingly　insisted。　　And　she　had　answered；　〃I　fear
I　shall　be　too　contented；　dear；　to　want　to　be　famous。〃

That　was　only　some　year　and　a…half　ago；but　Isabel；　lying　there　by　her
sleeping　husband　and　sleeping　child；　was　stark　awake　and　only　by
assertion　happy。　　She　was　thinking；　persistently；　of　dust。　　She　loved　a
delicate　cleanliness。　　Her　art　was　a　precise　one；　her　studio　a　workshop
of　white　paper　and　fine　pointed　hard　pencils；　her　painting　the
mechanical　perfection　of　an　even　wash　of　color。　　And　she　saw；　through
the　floors　and　walls　and　the　darkness；　the　dust　in　the　little　shaded
parlortwo　days'　dust　at　least；　and　Orchardina　is　very　dusty！dust　in
the　dining…room　gathered　since　yesterdaythe　dust　in　the　kitchenshe
would　not　count　time　there；　and　the　dusthere　she　counted　it
inexorablythe　dust　of　eight　days　in　her　great；　light　workroom
upstairs。　　Eight　days　since　she　had　found　time　to　go　up　there。

Lying　there；　wide…eyed　and　motionless；　she　stood　outside　in　thought　and
looked　at　the　houseas　she　used　to　look　at　it　with　him；　before　they
were　married。　　Then；　it　had　roused　every　blessed　hope　and　dream　of
wedded　joyit　seemed　a　casket　of　uncounted　treasures。　　Now；　in　this
dreary　mood；　it　seemed　not　only　a　mere　workshop；　but　one　of　alien　tasks；
continuous；　impossible；　like　those　set　for　the　Imprisoned　Princess　by
bad　fairies　in　the　old　tales。　　In　thought　she　entered　the
well…proportioned　doorthe　Gate　of　Happinessand　a　musty　smell　greeted
hershe　had　forgotten　to　throw　out　those　flowers！　　She　turned　to　the
parlorno；　the　piano　keys　were　gritty；　one　had　to　clean　them　twice　a
day　to　keep　that　room　as　she　liked　it。

From　room　to　room　she　flitted；　in　her　mind；　trying　to　recall　the
exquisite　things　they　meant　to　her　when　she　had　planned　them；　and　each
one　now　opened　glaring　and　blank；　as　a　place　to　work　inand　the　work
undone。

〃If　I　were　an　abler　woman！〃　she　breathed。　　And　then　her　common　sense　and
common　honesty　made　her　reply　to　herself：　〃I　am　able　enoughin　my　own
work！　　Nobody　can　do　everything。　　I　don't　believe　Edgar'd　do　it　any
better　than　I　do。He　don't　have　to！and　then　such　a　wave　of　bitterness
rushed　over　her　that　she　was　afraid；　and　reached　out　one　hand　to　touch
the　cribthe　other　to　her　husband。

He　awakened　instantly。　　〃What　is　it；　Dear？〃　he　asked。　　〃Too　tired　to
sleep；　you　poor　darling？　　But　you　do　love　me　a　little；　don't　you？〃

〃O　_yes_！〃　she　answered。　　〃I　do。　　Of　_course_　I　do！　　I'm　just　tired；　I
guess。　　Goodnight；　Sweetheart。〃


She　was　late　in　getting　to　sleep　and　late　in　waking。

When　he　finally　sat　down　to　the　hurriedly　spread　breakfast…table；　Mr。
Porne；　long　coffeeless；　found　it　a　bit　difficult　to　keep　his　temper。　
Isabel　was　a　little　stiff；　bringing　in　dishes　and　cups；　and　paying　no
attention　to　the　sounds　of　wailing　from　above。

〃Well　if　you　won't　I　will！〃　burst　forth　the　father　at　last；　and　ran
upstairs；　returning　presently　with　a　fine　boy　of　some　eleven　months；　who
ceased　to　bawl　in　these　familiar　arms；　and　contented　himself；　for　the
moment；　with　a　teaspoon。

〃Aren't　you　going　to　feed　him？〃　asked　Mr。　Porne；　with　forced　patience。

〃It　isn't　time　yet；〃　she　announced　wearily。　　〃He　has　to　have　his　bath
first。〃

〃Well；〃　with　a　patience　evidently　forced　farther；　〃isn't　it　time　to　feed
me？〃

〃I'm　very　sorry；〃　she　said。　　〃The　oatmeal　is　burned　again。　　You'll　have
to　eat　cornflakes。　　Andthe　cream　is　sourthe　ice　didn't　comeor　at
least；　perhaps　I　was　out　when　it　cameand　then　I　forgot　it。　。　。　。　。　I
had　to　go　to　the　employment　agency　in　the　morning！　。　。　。　。　I'm　sorry　I'm
soso　incompetent。〃

〃So　am　I；〃　he　commented　drily。　　〃Are　there　any　crackers　for　instance？　
And　how　about　coffee？〃

She　brought　the　coffee；　such　as　it　was；　and　a　can　of　condensed　milk。　
Also　crackers；　and　fruit。　　She　took　the　baby　and　sat　silent。

〃Shall　I　come　home　to　lunch？〃　he　asked。

〃Perhaps　you'd　better　not；〃　she　replied　coldly。

〃Is　there　to　be　any　dinner？〃

〃Dinner　will　be　ready　at　six…thirty；　if　I　have　to　get　it　myself。〃

〃If　you　have　to　get　it　yourself　I'll　allow　for　seven…thirty；〃　said　he；
trying　to　be　cheerful；　though　she　seemed　little　pleased　by　it。　　〃Now
don't　take　it　so　hard；　Ellie。　　You　are　a　first…class　architect；
anyhowone　can't　be　everything。　　We'll　get　another　girl　in　time。　　This
is　just　the　common　lot　out　here。　　All　the　women　have　the　same　trouble。〃

〃Most　women　seem　better　able　to　meet　it！〃　she　burst　forth。　　〃It's　not　my
trade！　　I'm　willing　to　work；　I　like　to　work；　but　I　can't　_bear_
housework！　　I　can't　seem　to　learn　it　at　all！　　And　the　servants　will　not
do　it　properly！〃

〃Perhaps　they　know　your　limitations；　and　take　advantage　of　them！　　But
chee