what diantha did-第9章
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Then he held her face between his palms and made her look at him。 Her
eyes were brave and steady； but the mouth trembled in spite of her。
He stilled it with a kiss； and drew her to a seat on the bench beside
him。 〃My poor Little Girl！ You haven't had a chance yet to really tell
me about this thing； and I want you to right now。 Then I'm going to
kill about forty people in this town！ _Somebody_ has been mighty
foolish。〃
She squeezed his hand； but found it very difficult to speak。 His love；
his sympathy； his tenderness； were so delicious after this day's
trialsand before those further ones she could so well anticipate。 She
didn't wish to cry any more； that would by no means strengthen her
position； and she found she couldn't seem to speak without crying。
〃One would think to hear the good people of this town that you were
about to leave home and mother forwell； for a trip to the moon！〃 he
added。 〃There isn't any agreement as to what you're going to do； but
they're unanimous as to its being entirely wrong。 Now suppose you tell
me about it。〃
〃I will；〃 said Diantha。 〃I began to the other night； you know； you
first of courseit was too bad！ your having to go off at that exact
moment。 Then I had to tell motherbecausewell you'll see presently。
Now dearjust let me say it _all_before youdo anything。〃
〃Say away； my darling。 I trust you perfectly。〃
She flashed a grateful look at him。 〃It is this way； my dear。 I have
two； three； yes four； things to consider：My own personal problemmy
family'syoursand a social one。〃
〃My family's？〃 he asked； with a faint shade of offence in his tone。
〃No no dearyour own；〃 she explained。
〃Better cut mine out； Little Girl；〃 he said。 〃I'll consider that
myself。〃
〃WellI won't talk about it if you don't want me to。 There are the
other three。〃
〃I won't question your second； nor your imposing third； but isn't the
first oneyour own personal problema good deal answered？〃 he
suggested； holding her close for a moment。
〃Don't！〃 she said。 〃I can't talk straight when you put it that way。〃
She rose hurriedly and took a step or two up and down。 〃I don't
supposein spite of your loving me； that I can make you see it as I do。
But I'll be just as clear as I can。 There are some years before us
before we can be together。 In that time I intend to go away and
undertake a business I am interested in。 My purpose is todevelop the
work； to earn money； to help my family； and towell； not to hinder
you。〃
〃I don't understand； I confess；〃 he said。 〃Don't you propose to tell me
what this 'work' is？〃
〃YesI willcertainly。 But not yet dear！ Let me try to show you how
I feel about it。〃
〃Wait；〃 said he。 〃One thing I want to be sure of。 Are you doing this
with any quixotic notion of helping mein _my_ business？ Helping me to
take care of my family？ Helping me to〃 he stood up now； looking very
tall and rather forbidding； 〃No； I won't say that to you。〃
〃Would there be anything wrong in my meaning exactly that？〃 she asked；
holding her own head a little higher； 〃both what you said and what you
didn't？〃
〃It would be absolutely wrong； all of it；〃 he answered。 〃I cannot
believe that the woman I love wouldcould take such a position。〃
〃Look here； Ross！〃 said the girl earnestly。 〃Suppose you knew where
there was a gold mine_knew it_and by going away for a few years you
could get a real fortunewouldn't you do it？〃
〃Naturally I should；〃 he agreed。
〃Well； suppose it wasn't a gold mine； but a business； a new system like
those cigar storesorsome patent amusement specialtyor
_anything_that you knew was better than what you're doingwouldn't
you have a right to try it？〃
〃Of course I shouldbut what has that to do with this case？〃
〃Why it's the same thing！ Don't you see？ I have plans that will be of
real benefit to all of us； something worth while to _do_and not only
for us but for _everybody_a real piece of progressand I'm going to
leave my peopleand even you！for a little whileto make us all
happier later on。〃
He smiled lovingly at her but shook his head slowly。 〃You dear； brave；
foolish child！〃 he said。 〃I don't for one moment doubt your noble
purposes。 But you don't get the man's point of viewnaturally。 What's
more you don't seem to get the woman's。〃
〃Can you see no other point of view than those？〃 she asked。
〃There are no others；〃 he answered。 〃Come！ come！ my darling； don't add
this new difficulty to what we've got to carry！ I know you have a hard
time of it at home。 Some day； please God； you shall have an easier one！
And I'm having a hard time tooI don't deny it。 But you are the
greatest joy and comfort I have； dearyou know that。 If you go
awayit will be harder and slower and longerthat's all。 I shall have
you to worry about too。 Let somebody else do the gold…mine； dearyou
stay here and comfort your Mother as long as you canand me。 How can I
get along without you？〃
He tried to put his arm around her again； but she drew back。 〃Dear；〃
she said。 〃If I deliberately do what I think is rightagainst your
wisheswhat will you do？〃
〃Do？〃 The laughed bitterly。 〃What can I do？ I'm tied by the leg
herel can't go after you。 I've nothing to pull you out of a scrape
with if you get in one。 I couldn't do anything butstand it。〃
〃And if I go ahead； and do what you don't likeand make
yousufferwould youwould you rather be free？〃 Her voice was very
low and shaken； but he heard her well enough。
〃Free of you？ Free of _you_？〃 He caught her and held her and kissed
her over and over。
〃You are mine！〃 he said。 〃You have given yourself to me！ You cannot
leave me。 Neither of us is freeever again。〃 But she struggled away
from him。
〃Both of us are freeto do what we think right； _always_ Ross！ I
wouldn't try to stop you if you thought it was your duty to go to the
North Pole！〃 She held him a little way off。 〃Let me tell you； dear。
Sit downlet me tell you all about it。〃 But he wouldn't sit down。
〃I don't think I want to know the details；〃 he said。 〃It doesn't much
matter what you're going to doif you really go away。 I can't stop
youI see that。 If you think this thing is your 'duty' you'll do it if
it kills us alland you too！ If you have to goI shall do
nothingcan do nothingbut wait till you come back to me！ Whatever
happens； darlingno matter how you faildon't ever be afraid to come
back to me。〃
He folded his arms nowdid not attempt to hold hergave her the
freedom she asked and promised her the love she had almost feared to
loseand her whole carefully constructed plan seemed like a child's
sand castle for a moment； her heroic decision the wildest folly。
He was not even looking at her； she saw his strong； clean…cut profile
dark against the moonlit house； a settled patience in its lines。 Duty！
Here was duty； surely； with tenderest happiness。 She was leaning toward
himher hand was seeking his； when she heard through the fragrant
silence a sound from her mother's roomthe faint creak of her light
rocking chair。 She could not sleepshe was sitting up with her
trouble； bearing it quietly as she had so many others。
The quiet everyday tragedy of that distasteful lifethe slow withering
away of youth and hope and ambition into a gray waste of ineffectual
submissive labornot only of her life； but of thousands upon thousands
like herit all rose up like a flood in the girl's hot young heart。
Ross had turned to herwas holding out his arms to her。 〃You won't go；
my darling！〃 he said。
〃I am going Wednesday on the 7。10；〃 said Diantha。
WHAT DIANTHA DID
CHAPTER IV。
A CRYING NEED
〃Lovest thou me？〃 said the Fair Ladye；
And the Lover he said； 〃Yea！〃
〃Then climb this treefor my sake；〃 said she；
〃And climb it every day！〃
So from dawn till dark he abrazed the bark
And wore his clothes away；
Till； 〃What has this tree to do with thee？〃
The Lover at last did say。
It was a poor dinner。 Cold in the first place； because Isabel would
wait to thoroughly wash her long artistic hands； and put on another
dress。 She hated the smell of cooking in her garments； hated it worse
on her white fingers； and now to look at the graceful erect figu
