what diantha did-第25章

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screaming's　about；　that's　all。　　You　open　the　doorif　you　don't　want
anybody　to　know　I'm　here！　　I　won't　hurt　you　anyI　just　want　to　talk　to
you　a　minute。〃

Madam　Weatherstone　was　speechless　with　horror；　her　daughter…in…law
listened　with　set　lips。　　Diantha　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　and　at
the　frightened　child　before　them　who　was　now　close　to　the　terrible　door。

〃O　please！_please！_　go　away！〃　she　cried　in　desperation。　　〃O　what　shall
I　do！　　What　shall　I　do！〃

〃You　can't　do　anything；〃　he　answered　cheerfully。　　〃And　I'm　coming　in
anyhow。　　You'd　better　keep　still　about　this　for　your　own　sake。　　Stand
from　under！〃　　Madam　Weatherstone　marched　into　the　room。　　Ilda；　with　a
little　cry；　fled　out　of　it　to　Diantha。

There　was　a　jump；　a　scramble；　two　knuckly　hands　appeared；　a　long　leg　was
put　through　the　transom；　two　legs　wildly　wriggling；　a　descending　body；
and　there　stood　before　them；　flushed；　dishevelled；　his　coat　up　to　his
earsMat　Weatherstone。

He　did　not　notice　the　stern　rigidity　of　the　figure　which　stood　between
him　and　the　moonlight；　but　clasped　it　warmly　to　his　heart。〃Now　I've
got　you；　Ducky！〃　cried　he；　pressing　all　too　affectionate　kisses　upon　the
face　of　his　grandmother。

Young　Mrs。　Weatherstone　turned　on　the　light。

It　was　an　embarrassing　position　for　the　gentleman。

He　had　expected　to　find　a　helpless　cowering　girl；　afraid　to　cry　out
because　her　case　would　be　lost　if　she　did；　begging　piteously　that　he
would　leave　her；　wholly　at　his　mercy。

What　he　did　find　was　so　inexplicable　as　to　reduce　him　to　gibbering
astonishment。　　There　stood　his　imposing　grandmother；　so　overwhelmed　with
amazement　that　her　trenchant　sentences　failed　her　completely；　his
stepmother；　wearing　an　expression　that　almost　suggested　delight　in　his
discomfiture；　and　Diantha；　as　grim　as　Rhadamanthus。

Poor　little　Ilda　burst　into　wild　sobs　and　choking　explanations；　clinging
to　Diantha's　hand。　　〃If　I'd　only　listened　to　you！〃　she　said。　　〃You　told
me　he　was　bad！　　I　never　thought　he'd　do　such　an　awful　thing！〃

Young　Mathew　fumbled　at　the　door。　　He　had　locked　it　outside　in　his
efforts　with　the　pass…key。　　He　was　red；　red　to　his　earsvery　red；　but
there　was　no　escape。　　He　faced　themthere　was　no　good　in　facing　the
door。

They　all　stood　aside　and　let　him　passa　wordless　gauntlet。

Diantha　took　the　weeping　Ilda　to　her　room　for　the　night。　　Madam
Weatherstone　and　Mrs。　Weatherstone　went　down　together。

〃She　must　have　encouraged　him！〃　the　older　lady　finally　burst　forth。

〃She　did　not　encourage　him　to　enter　her　room；　as　you　saw　and　heard；〃
said　Viva　with　repressed　intensity。

〃He's　only　a　boy！〃　said　his　grandmother。

〃She　is　only　a　child；　a　helpless　child；　a　foreigner；　away　from　home；
untaught；　unprotected；〃　Viva　answered　swiftly；　adding　with　quiet
sarcasm〃Save　for　the　shelter　of　the　home！〃

They　parted　in　silence。



WHAT　DIANTHA　DID


CHAPTER　X

UNION　HOUSE。


〃We　are　weak！〃　said　the　Sticks；　and　men　broke　them；
　〃We　are　weak！〃　said　the　Threads；　and　were　torn；
Till　new　thoughts　came　and　they　spoke　them；
　Till　the　Fagot　and　the　Rope　were　born。
　
For　the　Fagot　men　find　is　resistant；
And　they　anchor　on　the　Rope's　taut　length；
　Even　grasshoppers　combined；
　Are　a　force；　the　farmers　find
In　union　there　is　strength。


Ross　Warden　endured　his　grocery　business；　strove　with　it；　toiled　at　it；
concentrated　his　scientific　mind　on　alien　tasks　of　financial　calculation
and　practical　psychology；　but　he　liked　it　no　better。　　He　had　no　interest
in　business；　no　desire　to　make　money；　no　skill　in　salesmanship。

But　there　were　five　mouths　at　home；　sweet　affectionate　feminine　mouths
no　doubt；　but　requiring　food。　　Also　two　in　the　kitchen；　wider；　and
requiring　more　food。　　And　there　were　five　backs　at　home　to　be　covered；
to　use　the　absurd　metaphoras　if　all　one　needed　for　clothing　was　a　four
foot　patch。　　The　amount　and　quality　of　the　covering　was　an　unceasing
surprise　to　Ross；　and　he　did　not　do　justice　to　the　fact　that　his
womenfolk　really　saved　a　good　deal　by　doing　their　own　sewing。

In　his　heart　he　longed　always　to　be　free　of　the　whole　hated　load　of
tradesmanship。　　Continually　his　thoughts　went　back　to　the　hope　of
selling　out　the　business　and　buying　a　ranch。

〃I　could　make　it　keep　us；　anyhow；〃　he　would　plan　to　himself；　〃and　I
could　get　at　that　guinea　pig　idea。　　Or　maybe　hens　would　do。〃　　He　had　a
theory　of　his　own；　or　a　personal　test　of　his　own；　rather；　which　he
wished　to　apply　to　a　well　known　theory。　　It　would　take　some　years　to
work　it　out；　and　a　great　many　fine　pigs；　and　be　of　no　possible　value
financially。　　〃I'll　do　it　sometime；〃　he　always　concluded；　which　was　cold
comfort。

His　real　grief　at　losing　the　companionship　of　the　girl　he　loved；　was
made　more　bitter　by　a　total　lack　of　sympathy　with　her　aims；　even　if　she
achieved　themin　which　he　had　no　confidence。　　He　had　no　power　to　change
his　course；　and　tried　not　to　be　unpleasant　about　it；　but　he　had　to
express　his　feelings　now　and　then。

〃Are　you　coming　back　to　me？〃　he　wrote。　　〃How　con　you　bear　to　give　so
much　pain　to　everyone　who　loves　you？　　Is　your　wonderful　salary　worth
more　to　you　than　being　here　with　your　motherwith　me？　　How　can　you　say
you　love　meand　ruin　both　our　lives　like　this？　　I　cannot　come　to　see
youI　_would_　not　come　to　see　youcalling　at　the　back　door！　　Finding
the　girl　I　love　in　a　cap　and　apron！　　Can　you　not　see　it　is　wrong；
utterly　wrong；　all　this　mad　escapade　of　yours？　　Suppose　you　do　make　a
thousand　dollars　a　yearI　shall　never　touch　your　moneyyou　know　that。　
I　cannot　even　offer　you　a　home；　except　with　my　family；　and　I　know　how
you　feel　about　that；　I　do　not　blame　you。

〃But　I　am　as　stubborn　as　you　are；　dear　girl；　I　will　not　live　on　my
wife's　moneyyou　will　not　live　in　my　mother's　houseand　we　are
drifting　apart。　　It　is　not　that　I　care　less　for　you　dear；　or　at　all　for
anyone　else；　but　this　is　slow　deaththat's　all。〃

Mrs。　Warden　wrote　now　and　then　and　expatiated　on　the　sufferings　of　her
son；　and　his　failing　strength　under　the　unnatural　strain；　till　Diantha
grew　to　dread　her　letters　more　than　any　pain　she　knew。　　Fortunately　they
came　seldom。

Her　own　family　was　much　impressed　by　the　thousand　dollars；　and　found　the
occupation　of　housekeeper　a　long　way　more　tolerable　than　that　of
house…maid；　a　distinction　which　made　Diantha　smile　rather　bitterly。　
Even　her　father　wrote　to　her　once；　suggesting　that　if　she　chose　to
invest　her　salary　according　to　his　advice　he　could　double　it　for　her　in
a　year；　maybe　treble　it；　in　Belgian　hares。

_〃They'd_　double　and　treble　fast　enough！〃　she　admitted　to　herself；　but
she　wrote　as　pleasant　a　letter　as　she　could；　declining　his　proposition。

Her　mother　seemed　stronger；　and　became　more　sympathetic　as　the　months
passed。　　Large　affairs　always　appealed　to　her　more　than　small　ones；　and
she　offered　valuable　suggestions　as　to　the　account　keeping　of　the　big
house。　　They　all　assumed　that　she　was　permanently　settled　in　this　well
paid　position；　and　she　made　no　confidences。　　But　all　summer　long　she
planned　and　read　and　studied　out　her　progressive　schemes；　and
strengthened　her　hold　among　the　working　women。

Laundress　after　laundress　she　studied　personally　and　tested
professionally；　finding　a　general　level　of　mediocrity；　till　finally　she
hit　upon　a　melancholy　Danea　big　rawboned　red…faced　womanwhose
husband　had　been　a　miller；　but　was　hurt　about　the　head　so　that　he　was　no
longer　able　to　earn　his　living。　　The　huge　fellow　was　docile；　quiet；　and
endlessly　strong；　but　needed　constant　supervision。

〃He'll　do　anything　you　tell　him；　Miss；　and　do　it　well；　but　then　he'll
sit　and　dream　about　itI　can't　leave　him　at　all。　　But　he'll　take　the
clothes　if　I　give　him　a　paper　with　directions；　and　come　right　back。〃　
Poor　Mrs。　Thorald　wiped　her　eyes；　and　went　on　with　her　swift　ironing。

Diantha　offered　her　the　position　of　laundress　at　Union　House；　with　two
rooms　for　their　own；　over　the　laundry。　　〃There'll　be　work　for　him；　too；〃
she　said。　　〃We　need　a　man　there。　　He　can　do　a　deal　of　the　heavier
workbe　porter　you　know。　　I　can't　offer　him　very　much；　but　it　will　help
some。〃

Mrs。　Thorald　accepted　for　both；　and　considered　Diantha　as　a　special
providence。

There　was　to　be　cook；　and　two　capable　second　m