what diantha did-第22章
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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 time？〃
〃No；〃 said Viva。 〃I have wanted to get rid of Mrs。 Halsey for some
time； but the new one I found yesterday。〃
〃What's her name？〃 inquired Mathew。
〃BellMiss Diantha Bell；〃 she answered； looking as calm as if
announcing the day of the week； but inwardly dreading the result
somewhat。 Like most of such terrors it was overestimated。
There was a little pauserather an intense little pause； and
then〃Isn't that the girl who set 'em all by the ears yesterday？〃 asked
the young man； pointing to the morning paper。 〃They say she's a
good…looker。〃
Madam Weatherstone rose from the table in some agitation。 〃I must say I
am very sorry； Viva； that you should have been soprecipitate！ This
young woman cannot be competent to manage a house like thisto say
nothing of her scandalous ideas。 Mrs。 Halsey wasto my mindperfectly
satisfactory。 I shall miss her very much。〃 She swept out with an
unanswerable air。
〃So shall I；〃 muttered Mat； under his breath； as he strolled after her；
〃unless the new one's equally amiable。〃
Viva Weatherstone watched them go； and stood awhile looking after the
well…built； well…dressed； well…mannered but far from well…behaved young
man。
〃I don't _know_；〃 she said to herself； 〃but I do feelthinkimaginea
good deal。 I'm sure I hope not！ Anywayit's new life to have that
girl in the house。〃
That girl had undertaken what she described to Ross as 〃a large ordera
very large order。〃
〃It's the hardest thing I ever undertook；〃 she wrote him； 〃but I think I
can do it； and it will be a tremendous help。 Mrs。 Weatherstone's a
bricka perfect brick！ She seems to have been very unhappyfor ever
so longand to have submitted to her domineering old mother…in…law just
because she didn't care enough to resist。 Now she's got waked up all of
a suddenshe says it was my paper at the clubmore likely my awful
example； I think！ and she fired her old housekeeperI don't know what
forand rushed me in。
〃So here I am。 The salary is good； the work is excellent training； and
I guess I can hold the place。 But the old lady is a terror； and the
young manhow you would despise that Johnny！〃
The home letters she now received were rather amusing。 Ross； sternly
patient； saw little difference in her position。 〃I hope you will enjoy
your new work；〃 he wrote； 〃but personally I should prefer that you did
notso you might give it up and come home sooner。 I miss you as you
can well imagine。 Even when you were here life was hard enoughbut
now！
〃I had a half offer for the store the other day； but it fell through。
If I could sell that incubus and put the money into a ranchfruit；
hens； anythingthen we could all live on it； more cheaply； I think； and
I could find time for some research work I have in mind。 You remember
that guinea…pig experiment I want so to try？〃
Diantha remembered and smiled sadly。 She was not much interested in
guinea…pigs and their potential capacities； but she was interested in
her lover and his happiness。 〃Ranch；〃 she said thoughtfully； 〃that's
not a bad idea。〃
Her mother wrote the same patient loving letters； perfunctorily hopeful。
Her father wrote none〃A woman's businessthis letter…writin'；〃 he
always held； and George； after one scornful upbraiding； had 〃washed his
hands of her〃 with some sense of relief。 He didn't like to write
letters either。
But Susie kept up a lively correspondence。 She was attached to her
sister； as to all her immediate relatives and surroundings； and while
she utterly disapproved of Diantha's undertaking； a sense of sisterly
duty； to say nothing of affection； prompted her to many letters。 It did
not； however； always make these agreeable reading。
〃Mother's pretty well； and the girl she's got now does nicelythat
first one turned out to be a failure。 Father's as cranky as ever。 We
are all well here and the baby （this was a brand new baby Diantha had
not seen） is just a Darling！ You ought to be here； you unnatural Aunt！
Gerald doesn't ever speak of youbut I do just the same。 You hear from
the Wardens； of course。 Mrs。 Warden's got neuralgia or something； keeps
them all busy。 They are much excited over this new place of yoursyou
ought to hear them go on！ It appears that Madam Weatherstone is a
connection of theirsone of the F。 F。 V's； I guess； and they think
she's something wonderful。 And to have _you_ working _there！_well；
you can just see how they'd feel； and I don't blame them。 It's no use
arguing with youbut I should think you'd have enough of this
disgraceful foolishness by this time and come home！〃
Diantha tried to be very philosophic over her home letters； but they
were far from stimulating。 〃It's no use arguing with poor Susie！〃 she
decided。 〃Susie thinks the sun rises and sets between kitchen； nursery
and parlor！
〃Mother can't see the good of it yet； but she will laterMother's all
right。
〃I'm awfully sorry the Wardens feel soand make Ross unhappybut of
course I knew they would。 It can't be helped。 It's just a question of
time and work。〃
And she went to work。
*
Mrs
