what diantha did-第19节

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stairs；　but　they　merely　stood　in　front　of　her　and　asked　questions。　　The
girl's　blood　surged　to　her　cheeks；　she　smiled　grimly；　kept　absolute
silence；　brushed　through　them　and　went　swiftly　to　her　room；　locking　the
door　after　her。

The　reporters　described　her　appearanceunfavorably　this　time；　and　they
described　the　housealso　unfavorably。　　They　said　that　〃A　group　of
adoring…eyed　young　men　stood　about　the　doorway　as　the　flushed　heroine　of
the　afternoon　made　her　brusque　entrance。〃　　These　adorers　consisted　of
the　landlady's　Johnny；　aged　thirteen；　and　two　satellites　of　his；　still
younger。　　They　_did_　look　at　Diantha　admiringly；　and　she　_was_　a　little
hurried　in　her　entrancetruth　must　be　maintained。

Too　irritated　and　tired　to　go　out　for　dinner；　she　ate　an　orange　or　two；
lay　down　awhile；　and　then　eased　her　mind　by　writing　a　long　letter　to
Ross　and　telling　him　all　about　it。　　That　is；　she　told　him　most　of　it；
all　the　pleasant　things；　all　the　funny　things；　leaving　out　about　the
reporters；　because　she　was　too　angry　to　be　just；　she　told　herself。　　She
wrote　and　wrote；　becoming　peaceful　as　the　quiet　moments　passed；　and　a
sense　grew　upon　her　of　the　strong；　lasting　love　that　was　waiting　so
patiently。

〃Dearest；〃　her　swift　pen　flew　along；　〃I　really　feel　much　encouraged。　　An
impression　has　been　made。　　One　or　two　men　spoke　to　me　afterward；　the
young　minister；　who　said　such　nice　things；　and　one　older　man；　who　looked
prosperous　and　reliable。　　'When　you　begin　any　such　business　as　you　have
outlined；　you　may　count　on　me；　Miss　Bell；'　he　said；　and　gave　me　his
card。　　He's　a　lawyerP。　L。　Wiscomb；　nice　man；　I　should　think。　　Another
big；　sheepish…looking　man　said；　'And　me；　Miss　Bell。'　　His　name　is
Thaddler；　his　wife　is　very　disagreeable。　　Some　of　the　women　are
favorably　impressed；　but　the　old…fashioned　kindmy！　　'If　hate　killed
men；　Brother　Lawrence！'but　it　don't。〃

She　wrote　herself　into　a　good　humor；　and　dwelt　at　considerable　length　on
the　pleasant　episode　of　the　minister　and　young　Mrs。　Weatherstone's
remarks。　　〃I　liked　her；〃　she　wrote。　　〃She's　a　nice　womaneven　if　she　is
rich。〃

There　was　a　knock　at　her　door。　　〃Lady　to　see　you；　Miss。〃

〃I　cannot　see　anyone；〃　said　Diantha；　〃you　must　excuse　me。〃

〃Beg　pardon；　Miss；　but　it's　not　a　reporter；　it's。〃　　The　landlady
stretched　her　lean　neck　around　the　door　edge　and　whispered　hoarsely；
〃It's　young　Mrs。　Weatherstone！〃

Diantha　rose　to　her　feet；　a　little　bewildered。　　〃I'll　be　right　down；〃
she　said。　　But　a　voice　broke　in　from　the　hall；　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Miss
Bell；　but　I　took　the　liberty　of　coming　up；　may　I　come　in？〃

She　came　in；　and　the　landlady　perforce　went　out。　　Mrs。　Weatherstone　held
Diantha's　hand　warmly；　and　looked　into　her　eyes。　　〃I　was　a　schoolmate　of
Ellen　Porne；〃　she　told　the　girl。　　〃We　are　dear　friends　still；　and　so　I
feel　that　I　know　you　better　than　you　think。　　You　have　done　beautiful
work　for　Mrs。　Porne；　now　I　want　you　to　do　to　it　for　me。　　I　need　you。〃

〃Won't　you　sit　down？〃　said　Diantha。

〃You；　too；〃　said　Mrs。　Weatherstone。　　〃Now　I　want　you　to　come　to
meright　away。　　You　have　done　me　so　much　good　already。　　I　was　just　a
New　England　bred　school　teacher　myself　at　first；　so　we're　even　that　far。
　Then　you　took　a　step　upand　I　took　a　step　down。〃

Diantha　was　a　little　slow　in　understanding　the　quick　fervor　of　this　new
friend；　a　trifle　suspicious；　even；　being　a　cautious　soul；　and　somewhat
overstrung；　perhaps。　　Her　visitor；　bright…eyed　and　eager；　went　on。　　〃I
gave　up　school　teaching　and　married　a　fortune。　　You　have　given　it　up　to
do　a　more　needed　work。　　I　think　you　are　wonderful。　　Now；　I　know　this
seems　queer　to　you；　but　I　want　to　tell　you　about　it。　　I　feel　sure　you'll
understand。　　At　home；　Madam　Weatherstone　has　had　everything　in　charge
for　years　and　years；　and　I've　been　too　lazy　or　too　weak；　or　too
indifferent；　to　do　anything。　　I　didn't　care；　somehow。　　All　the　machinery
of　living；　and　no　_living_no　good　of　it　all！　　Yet　there　didn't　seem　to
be　anything　else　to　do。　　Now　you　have　waked　me　all　upyour　paper　this
afternoonwhat　Mr。　Eltwood　saidthe　way　those　poor；　dull；　blind　women
took　it。　　And　yet　I　was　just　as　dull　and　blind　myself！　　Well；　I　begin　to
see　things　now。　　I　can't　tell　you　all　at　once　what　a　difference　it　has
made；　but　I　have　a　very　definite　proposition　to　make　to　you。　　Will　you
come　and　be　my　housekeeper；　nowright　awayat　a　hundred　dollars　a
month？〃

Diantha　opened　her　eyes　wide　and　looked　at　the　eager　lady　as　if　she
suspected　her　nervous　balance。

〃The　other　one　got　a　thousand　a　yearyou　are　worth　more。　　Now；　don't
decline；　please。　　Let　me　tell　you　about　it。　　I　can　see　that　you　have
plans　ahead；　for　this　business；　but　it　can't　hurt　you　much　to　put　them
off　six　months；　say。　　Meantime；　you　could　be　practicing。　　Our　place　at
Santa　Ulrica　is　almost　as　big　as　this　one；　there　are　lots　of　servants
and　a　great；　weary　maze　of　accounts　to　be　kept；　and　it　wouldn't　be　bad
practice　for　younow；　would　it？〃

Diantha's　troubled　eyes　lit　up。　　〃Noyou　are　right　there；〃　she　said。　
〃If　I　could　do　it！〃

〃You'll　have　to　do　just　that　sort　of　thing　when　you　are　running　your
business；　won't　you？〃　her　visitor　went　on。　　〃And　the　summer's　not　a　good
time　to　start　a　thing　like　that；　is　it？〃

Diantha　meditated。　　〃No；　I　wasn't　going　to。　　I　was　going　to　start
somewheretake　a　cottage；　a　dozen　girls　or　soand　furnish　labor　by　the
day　to　the　other　cottages。〃

〃Well；　you　might　be　able　to　run　that　on　the　side；〃　said　Mrs。
Weatherstone。　　〃And　you　could　train　my　girls；　get　in　new　ones　if　you
like；　it　doesn't　seem　to　me　it　would　conflict。　　But　to　speak　to　you
quite　frankly；　Miss　Bell；　I　want　you　in　the　house　for　my　own　sake。　　You
do　me　good。〃

They　discussed　the　matter　for　some　time；　Diantha　objecting　mainly　to　the
suddenness　of　it　all。　　〃I'm　a　slow　thinker；〃　she　said；　〃and　this　is
soso　attractive　that　I'm　suspicious　of　it。　　I　had　the　other　thing　all
plannedthe　girls　practically　engaged。〃

〃Where　were　you　thinking　of　going？〃　asked　Mrs。　Weatherstone。

〃To　Santa　Ulrica。〃

〃Exactly！　　Well；　you　shall　have　your　cottage　and　our　girls　and　give　them
part　time。　　Orhow　many　have　you　arranged　with？〃

〃Only　six　have　made　definite　engagements　yet。〃

〃What　kind？〃

〃Two　laundresses；　a　cook　and　three　second　maids；　all　good　ones。〃

〃Excellent！　　Now；　I　tell　you　what　to　do。　　I　will　engage　all　those　girls。
　I'm　making　a　change　at　the　house；　for　various　reasons。　　You　bring　them
to　me　as　soon　as　you　like；　but　you　I　want　at　once。　　I　wish　you'd　come
home　with　me　to…night！　　Why　don't　you？〃

Diantha's　scanty　baggage　was　all　in　sight。　　She　looked　around　for　an
excuse。　　Mrs。　Weatherstone　stood　up　laughing。

〃Put　the　new　address　in　the　letter；〃　she　said；　mischievously；　〃and　come
along！〃

*

And　the　purple　chauffeur；　his　disapproving　back　ineffectual　in　the
darkness；　rolled　them　home。



WHAT　DIANTHA　DID


CHAPTER　IX。

〃SLEEPING　IN。〃


Men　have　marched　in　armies；　fleets　have　borne　them；
　Left　their　homes　new　countries　to　subdue；
Young　men　seeking　fortune　wide　have　wandered
　We　have　something　new。

Armies　of　young　maidens　cross　our　oceans；
　Leave　their　mother's　love；　their　father's　care；
Maidens；　young　and　helpless；　widely　wander；
　Burdens　new　to　bear。

Strange　the　land　and　language；　laws　and　customs；
　Ignorant　and　all　alone　they　come；
Maidens　young　and　helpless；　serving　strangers；
　Thus　we　keep　the　Home。

When　on　earth　was　safety　for　young　maidens
　Far　from　mother's　love　and　father's　care？
We　preserve　The　Home；　and　call　it　sacred
　Burdens　new　they　bear。


The　sun　had　gone　down　on　Madam　Weatherstone's　wrath；　and　risen　to　find
it　unabated。　　With　condensed　disapprobation　written　on　every　well…cut
feature；　she　came　to　the　coldly　gleaming　breakfast　table。

That　Mrs。　Halsey　was　undoubtedly　gone；　she　had　to　admit；　yet　so　far
failed　to　find　the　exact　words　of　reproof　for　a　woman　of　independent
means　discharging　her　own　housekeeper　when　it　pleased　her。

Young　Mathew　unexpectedly　appeared　at　breakfast；　perhaps　in　anticipation
of　a　sort　of　Roman　holiday　in　which　his　usually　late　and　apologetic
stepmother　would　furnish　the　amusement。　　They　were　both　surprised　to
find　her　there　before　them；　looking　uncommonly　fresh　in　crisp；　sheer
white；　with　deep…toned　violets　in　her　belt。

She　ate　with　every　appearance　of　enjoyment；　chatting　amiably　about　the
lovely　morningthe　flowers；　the　garden　and　the　gardeners；　her　efforts
ill　seconded；　however。

〃Shall　I　attend　to　the　orders　this　morning？〃　asked　Madam　Weatherstone
with　an　air　of　noble　patience。

〃O　no；　thank　you！〃　replied　Viva。　　〃I　have　engaged　a　new　housekeeper。〃

〃A　new　housekeeper！　　When？〃　　The　old　lady　was　shaken　by　this
inconceivable　promptness。

〃Last　night；〃　said　her　daughter…in…law；　looking　calmly　across　the　table；
her　color　rising　a　little。

〃And　when　is　she　coming；　if　I　may　ask？〃

〃She　has　come。　　I　have　been　with　her　an　hour　already　this　morning。〃

Young　Mathew　smiled。　　This　was　amusing；　though　not　what　he　had　expected。
　〃How　extremely　alert　and　businesslike！〃　he　said　lazily。　　〃It's　becoming
to　youto　get　up　early！〃

〃You　can't　have　got　much　of　a　personat　a　minute's　notice；〃　said　his
grandmother。　　〃Or　perhaps　you　have　been　planning　this　for　some　ti