what diantha did-第1章

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What　Diantha　Did

by　Charlotte　Perkins　Gilman






CHAPTER　I。

HANDICAPPED


One　may　use　the　Old　Man　of　the　Sea；
　For　a　partner　or　patron；
But　helpless　and　hapless　is　he
Who　is　ridden；　inextricably；
　By　a　fond　old　mer…matron。


The　Warden　house　was　more　impressive　in　appearance　than　its　neighbors。　
It　had　〃grounds；〃　instead　of　a　yard　or　garden；　it　had　wide　pillared
porches　and　〃galleries；〃　showing　southern　antecedents；　moreover；　it　had
a　cupola；　giving　date　to　the　building；　and　proof　of　the　continuing
ambitions　of　the　builders。

The　stately　mansion　was　covered　with　heavy　flowering　vines；　also　with
heavy　mortgages。　　Mrs。　Roscoe　Warden　and　her　four　daughters　reposed
peacefully　under　the　vines；　while　Roscoe　Warden；　Jr。；　struggled
desperately　under　the　mortgages。

A　slender；　languid　lady　was　Mrs。　Warden；　wearing　her　thin　but　still
brown　hair　in　〃water…waves〃　over　a　pale　high　forehead。　She　was　sitting
on　a　couch　on　the　broad；　rose…shaded　porch；　surrounded　by　billowing
masses　of　vari…colored　worsted。　　It　was　her　delight　to　purchase　skein　on
skein　of　soft；　bright…hued　wool；　cut　it　all　up　into　short　lengths；　tie
them　together　again　in　contrasting　colors；　and　then　crochet　this　hashed
rainbow　into　afghans　of　startling　aspect。　　California　does　not　call　for
afghans　to　any　great　extent；　but　〃they　make　such　acceptable　presents；〃
Mrs。　Warden　declared；　to　those　who　questioned　the　purpose　of　her　work；
and　she　continued　to　send　them　off；　on　Christmases；　birthdays；　and　minor
weddings；　in　a　stream　of　pillowy　bundles。　　As　they　were　accepted；　they
must　have　been　acceptable；　and　the　stream　flowed　on。

Around　her；　among　the　gay　blossoms　and　gayer　wools；　sat　her　four
daughters；　variously　intent。　　The　mother；　a　poetic　soul；　had　named　them
musically　and　with　dulcet　rhymes：　Madeline　and　Adeline　were　the　two
eldest；　Coraline　and　Doraline　the　two　youngest。　　It　had　not　occurred　to
her　until　too　late　that　those　melodious　terminations　made　it　impossible
to　call　one　daughter　without　calling　two；　and　that　〃Lina〃　called　them
all。

〃Mis'　Immerjin；〃　said　a　soft　voice　in　the　doorway；　〃dere　pos'tively
ain't　no　butter　in　de　house　fer　supper。〃

〃No　butter？〃　said　Mrs。　Warden；　incredulously。　　〃Why；　Sukey；　I'm　sure　we
had　a　tub　sent　up　lastlast　Tuesday！〃

〃A　week　ago　Tuesday；　more　likely；　mother；〃　suggested　Dora。

〃Nonsense；　Dora！　　It　was　this　week；　wasn't　it；　girls？〃　　The　mother
appealed　to　them　quite　earnestly；　as　if　the　date　of　that　tub's　delivery
would　furnish　forth　the　supper…table；　but　none　of　the　young　ladies　save
Dora　had　even　a　contradiction　to　offer。

〃You　know　I　never　notice　things；〃　said　the　artistic　Cora；　and　〃the
de…lines；〃　as　their　younger　sisters　called　them；　said　nothing。

〃I　might　borrow　some　o'　Mis'　Bell？〃　suggested　Sukey；　〃dat's　nearer　'n'
de　sto'。〃

〃Yes；　do；　Sukey；〃　her　mistress　agreed。　　〃It　is　so　hot。　　But　what　have
you　done　with　that　tubful？〃

〃Why；　some　I　tuk　back　to　Mis'　Bell　for　what　I　borrered　befo'I'm　always
most　careful　to　make　return　for　what　I　borrersand　yo'　know；　Mis'
Warden；　dat　waffles　and　sweet　potaters　and　cohn　bread　dey　do　take
butter；　to　say　nothin'　o'　them　little　cakes　you　all　likes　so　well_an'_
de　fried　chicken；　_an'_〃

〃Never　mind；　Sukey；　you　go　and　present　my　compliments　to　Mrs。　Bell；　and
ask　her　for　some；　and　be　sure　you　return　it　promptly。　　Now；　girls；　don't
let　me　forget　to　tell　Ross　to　send　up　another　tub。〃

〃We　can't　seem　to　remember　any　better　than　you　can；　mother；〃　said
Adeline；　dreamily。　　〃Those　details　are　so　utterly　uninteresting。〃

〃I　should　think　it　was　Sukey's　business　to　tell　him；〃　said　Madeline　with
decision；　while　the　〃a…lines〃　kept　silence　this　time。

〃There！　　Sukey's　gone！〃　Mrs。　Warden　suddenly　remarked；　watching　the
stout　figure　moving　heavily　away　under　the　pepper　trees。　　〃And　I　meant
to　have　asked　her　to　make　me　a　glass　of　shrub！　　Dora；　dear；　you　run　and
get　it　for　mother。〃

Dora　laid　down　her　work；　not　too　regretfully；　and　started　off。

〃That　child　is　the　most　practical　of　any　of　you；〃　said　her　mother；　which
statement　was　tacitly　accepted。　　It　was　not　extravagant　praise。

Dora　poked　about　in　the　refrigerator　for　a　bit　of　ice。　　She　ho　no　idea
of　the　high　cost　of　ice　in　that　regionit　came　from　〃the　store；〃　like
all　their　provisions。　　It　did　not　occur　to　her　that　fish　and　milk　and
melons　made　a　poor　combination　in　flavor；　or　that　the　clammy；
sub…offensive　smell　was　not　the　natural　and　necessary　odor　of
refrigerators。　　Neither　did　she　think　that　a　sunny　corner　of　the　back
porch　near　the　chimney；　though　convenient；　was　an　ill…selected　spot　for
a　refrigerator。　　She　couldn't　find　the　ice…pick；　so　put　a　big　piece　of
ice　in　a　towel　and　broke　it　on　the　edge　of　the　sink；　replaced　the
largest　fragment；　used　what　she　wanted；　and　left　the　rest　to　filter
slowly　down　through　a　mass　of　grease　and　tea…leaves；　found　the　raspberry
vinegar；　and　made　a　very　satisfactory　beverage　which　her　mother　received
with　grateful　affection。

〃Thank　you；　my　darling；〃　she　said。　〃I　wish　you'd　made　a　pitcherful。〃

〃Why　didn't　you；　Do？〃　her　sisters　demanded。

〃You're　too　late；〃　said　Dora；　hunting　for　her　needle　and　then　for　her
thimble；　and　then　for　her　twist；　〃but　there's　more　in　the　kitchen。〃

〃I'd　rather　go　without　than　go　into　the　kitchen；〃　said　Adeline；　〃I　do
despise　a　kitchen。〃　　And　this　seemed　to　be　the　general　sentiment；　for　no
one　moved。

〃My　mother　always　liked　raspberry　shrub；〃　said　Mrs。　Warden；　〃and　your
Aunt　Leicester；　and　your　Raymond　cousins。〃

Mrs。　Warden　had　a　wide　family　circle；　many　beloved　relatives；
〃connections〃　of　whom　she　was　duly　proud　and　〃kin〃　in　such　widening
ramifications　that　even　her　carefully　reared　daughters　lost　track　of
them。

〃You　young　people　don't　seem　to　care　about　your　cousins　at　all！〃　pursued
their　mother；　somewhat　severely；　setting　her　glass　on　the　railing；　from
whence　it　was　presently　knocked　off　and　broken。

〃That's　the　fifth！〃　remarked　Dora；　under　breath。

〃Why　should　we；　Ma？〃　inquired　Cora。　　〃We've　never　seen　one　of
themexcept　Madam　Weatherstone！〃

〃We'll　never　forget　_her！〃_　said　Madeline；　with　delicate　decision；
laying　down　the　silk　necktie　she　was　knitting　for　Roscoe。　　〃What
_beautiful_　manners　she　had！〃

〃How　rich　is　she；　mother？　　Do　you　know？〃　asked　Dora。

〃Rich　enough　to　do　something　for　Roscoe；　I'm　sure；　if　she　had　a　proper
family　spirit；〃　replied　Mrs。　Warden。　　〃Her　mother　was　own　cousin　to　my
grandmotherone　of　the　Virginia　Paddingtons。　　Or　she　might　do　something
for　you　girls。〃

〃I　wish　she　would！〃　Adeline　murmured；　softly；　her　large　eyes　turned　to
the　horizon；　her　hands　in　her　lap　over　the　handkerchief　she　was　marking
for　Roscoe。

〃Don't　be　ungrateful；　Adeline；〃　said　her　mother；　firmly。　　〃You　have　a
good　home　and　a　good　brother；　no　girl　ever　had　a　better。〃

〃But　there　is　never　anything　going　on；〃　broke　in　Coraline；　in　a　tone　of
complaint；　〃no　parties；　no　going　away　for　vacations；　no　anything。〃

〃Now；　Cora；　don't　be　discontented！　　You　must　not　add　a　straw　to　dear
Roscoe's　burdens；〃　said　her　mother。

〃Of　course　not；　mother；　I　wouldn't　for　the　world。　　I　never　saw　her　but
that　once；　and　she　wasn't　very　cordial。　　But；　as　you　say；　she　might　do
_something。_　　She　might　invite　us　to　visit　her。〃

〃If　she　ever　comes　back　again；　I'm　going　to　recite　for　her；〃　said；　Dora；
firmly。

Her　mother　gazed　fondly　on　her　youngest。　　〃I　wish　you　could；　dear；〃　she
agreed。　　〃I'm　sure　you　have　talent；　and　Madam　Weatherstone　would
recognize　it。　　And　Adeline's　music　too。　　And　Cora's　art。　　I　am　very
proud　of　my　girls。〃

Cora　sat　where　the　light　fell　well　upon　her　work。　　She　was　illuminating
a　volume　of　poems；　painting　flowers　on　the　margins；　in　appropriate
placesfor　Roscoe。

〃I　wonder　if　he'll　care　for　it？〃　she　said；　laying　down　her　brush　and
holding　the　book　at　arm's　length　to　get　the　effect。

〃Of　course　he　will！〃　answered　her　mother；　warmly。　　〃It　is　not　only　the
beauty　of　it；　but　the　affection！　　How　are　you　getting　on；　Dora？〃

Dora　was　laboring　at　a　task　almost　beyond　her　fourteen　years；　consisting
of　a　negligee　shirt　of　outing　flannel；　upon　the　breast　of　which　she　was
embroidering　a　large；　intricate　designfor　Roscoe。　　She　was　an
amb