what diantha did-第23章
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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。 Porne called on her friend most promptly； with a natural eagerness
and curiosity。
〃How does it work？ Do you like her as much as you thought？ Do tell me
about it； Viva。 You look like another woman already！〃
〃I certainly feel like one；〃 Viva answered。 〃I've seen slaves in
housework； and I've seen what we fondly call 'Queens' in housework； but
I never saw brains in it before。〃
Mrs。 Porne sighed。 〃Isn't it just wonderfulthe way she does things！
Dear me！ We do miss her！ She trained that Swede for usand she does
pretty wellbut not like 'Miss Bell'！ I wish there were a hundred of
her！〃
〃If there were a hundred thousand she wouldn't go round！〃 answered Mrs。
Weatherstone。 〃How selfish we are！ _That_ is the kind of woman we all
want in our homesand fuss because we can't have them。〃
〃Edgar says he quite agrees with her views；〃 Mrs。 Porne went on。
〃Skilled labor by the dayfood sent in。 He says if she cooked it he
wouldn't care if it came all the way from Alaska！ She certainly can
cook！ I wish she'd set up her businessthe sooner the better。〃
Mrs。 Weatherstone nodded her head firmly。 〃She will。 She's planning。
This was really an interruptionher coming here； but I think it will be
a helpshe's not had experience in large management before； but she
takes hold splendidly。 She's found a dozen 'leaks' in our household
already。〃
〃Mrs。 Thaddler's simply furious； I hear；〃 said the visitor。 〃Mrs。 Ree
was in this morning and told me all about it。 Poor Mrs。 Ree！ The home
is church and state to her； that paper of Miss Bell's she regards as
simple blasphemy。〃
They both laughed as that stormy meeting rose before them。
〃I was so proud of you； Viva； standing up for her as you did。 How did
you ever dare？〃
〃Why I got my courage from the girl herself。 She wassuperb！ Talk of
blasphemy！ Why I've committed _lese majeste_ and regicide and the
Unpardonable Sin since that meeting！〃 And she told her friend of her
brief passage at arms with Mrs。 Halsey。 〃I never liked the woman；〃 she
continued； 〃and some of the things Miss Bell said set me thinking。 I
don't believe we half know what's going on in our houses。〃
〃Well； Mrs。 Thaddler's so outraged by 'this scandalous attack upon the
sanctities of the home' that she's going about saying all sorts of
things about Miss Bell。 O lookI do believe that's her car！〃
Even as they spoke a toneless voice announced； 〃Mr。 and Mrs。 Thaddler；〃
and Madam Weatherstone presently appeared to greet these visitors。
〃I think you are trying a dangerous experiment！〃 said Mrs。 Thaddler to
her young hostess。 〃A very dangerous experiment！ Bringing that young
iconoclast into your home！〃
Mr。 Thaddler； stout and sulky； sat as far away as he could and talked to
Mrs。 Porne。 〃I'd like to try that same experiment myself；〃 said he to
her。 〃You tried it some time； I understand？〃
〃Indeed we didand would still if we had the chance；〃 she replied。 〃We
think her a very exceptional young woman。〃
Mr。 Thaddler chuckled。 〃She is that！〃 he agreed。 〃Gad！ How she did
set things humming！ They're humming yetat our house！〃
He glanced rather rancorously at his wife； and Mrs。 Porne wished； as she
often had before； that Mr。 Thaddler wore more clothing over his domestic
afflictions。
〃Scandalous！〃 Mrs。 Thaddler was saying to Madam Weatherstone。 〃Simply
scandalous！ Never in my life did I hear such absurdsuch
outrageouscharges against the sanctities of the home！〃
〃There you have it！〃 said Mr。 Thaddler； under his breath。 〃Sanctity of
the fiddlesticks！ There was a lot of truth in what that girl said！〃
Then he looked rather sheepish and flushed a littlewhich was needless；
easing his collar with a fat finger。
Madam Weatherstone and Mrs。 Thaddler were at one on this subject； but
found it hard to agree even so； no love being lost between them； and the
former gave evidence of more satisfaction than distress at this
〃dangerous experiment〃 in the house of her friends。 Viva sat silent；
but with a look of watchful intelligence that delighted Mrs。 Porne。
〃It has done her good already；〃 she said to herself。 〃Bless that girl！〃
Mr。 Thaddler went home disappointed in the real object of his callhe
had hoped to see the Dangerous Experiment again。 But his wife was well
pleased。
〃They will rue it！〃 she announced。 〃Madam Weatherstone is ashamed of
her daughter…in…lawI can see that！ _She_ looks cool enough。 I don't
know what's got into her！〃
〃Some of that young woman's good cooking；〃 her husband suggested。
〃That young woman is not there as cook！〃 she replied tartly。 〃What she
_is_ there for we shall see later！ Mark my words！〃
Mr。 Thaddler chuckled softly。 〃I'll mark 'em！〃 he said。
Diantha had her hands full。 Needless to say her sudden entrance was
resented by the corps of servants accustomed to the old regime。 She had
the keys； she explored； studied； inventoried； examined the accounts；
worked out careful tables and estimates。 〃I wish Mother were here！〃 she
said to herself。 〃She's a regular genius for accounts。 I _can_ do
itbut it's no joke。〃
She brought the results to her employer at the end of the week。 〃This
is tentative；〃 she said； 〃and I've allowed margins because I'm new to a
business of this size。 But here's what this house ought to cost youat
the outside； and here's what it does cost you now。〃
Mrs。 Weatherstone was impressed。 〃Aren't you a littlespectacular？〃
she suggested。
Diantha went over it carefully； the number of rooms； the number of
servants； the hours of labor； the amount of food and other supplies
required。
〃This is only preparatory； of course；〃 she said。 〃I'll have to check it
off each month。 If I may do the ordering and keep all the accounts I
can show you exactly in a month； or two at most。〃
〃How about the servants？〃 asked Mrs。 Weatherstone。
There was much to say here； questions of competence； of impertinence； of
personal excellence with 〃incompatibility of temper。〃 Diantha was given
a free hand； with full liberty to experiment； and met the opportunity
with her usual energy。
She soon discharged the unsatisfactory ones； and substituted the girls
she had selected for her summer's experiment； gradually adding others；
till the household was fairly harmonious； and far more efficient and
economical。 A few changes were made among the men also。
By the time the family moved down to Santa Ulrica； there was quite a new
spirit in the household。 Mrs。 Weatherstone fully approved of the Girls'
Club Diantha had started at Mrs。 Porne's； and it went on merrily in the
larger quarters of the great 〃cottage〃 on the cliff。
〃I'm very glad I came to you； Mrs。 Weatherstone；〃 said the girl。 〃You
were quite right about the experience； I did need itand I'm getting
it！〃
She was getting some of which she made no mention。
As she won and held the confidence of her subordinates； and the growing
list of club members； she learned their personal stories； what had
befallen them in other families； and what they liked and disliked in
their present places。
〃The men are not so bad；〃 explained Catharine Kelly； at a club meeting；
meaning the men servants； 〃they respect an honest girl if she respects
herself； but it's the young mastersand sometimes the old ones！〃
〃It's all nonsense；〃 protested Mrs。 James； widowed cook of long
standing。 〃I've worked out for twenty…five years； and I never met no
such goings on！〃
Little Ilda looked at Mrs。 James' severe face and giggled。
〃I've heard of it；〃 said Molly Connors； 〃I've a cousin that's workin' in
New York； and she's had to leave two good places on account of their
misbehavin' theirselves。 She's a fine girl； but too good…lookin'。〃
Diantha studied types； questioned them； drew them out； adjusted facts to
theories and theories to facts。 She found the weakness of the whole
position to lie in the utter ignorance and helplessness of the
individual servant。 〃If they were only organized；〃 she thought〃and
knew their own power！Well； there's plenty of time。〃
As her acquaintance increased； and
