what diantha did-第5章

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he　continued　slowly；　〃I　guess　that's　a　fair　enough　account。　　'Cording　to
this；　you　owe　me　3；600。00；　young　woman！　　I　didn't　think　it　cost　that
much　to　raise　a　girl。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　said　she。　　〃But　here's　the　other　side。〃

It　was　the　other　side。　　He　had　never　once　thought　of　such　a　side　to　the
case。　　This　account　was　as　clear　and　honest　as　the　first　and　full　of
exasperating　detail。　　She　laid　before　him　the　second　sheet　of　figures
and　watched　while　he　read；　explaining　hurriedly：

〃It　was　a　clear　expense　for　ten　yearsnot　counting　help　with　the
babies。　　Then　I　began　to　do　housework　regularlywhen　I　was　ten　or
eleven；　two　hours　a　day；　three　when　I　was　twelve　and　thirteenreal　work
you'd　have　had　to　pay　for；　and　I've　only　put　it　at　ten　cents　an　hour。　
When　Mother　was　sick　the　year　I　was　fourteen；　and　I　did　it　all　but　the
washingall　a　servant　would　have　done　for　3。00　a　week。　　Ever　since
then　I　have　done　three　hours　a　day　outside　of　school；　full　grown　work
now；　at　twenty　cents　an　hour。　　That's　what　we　have　to　pay　here；　you
know。〃

Thus　it　mounted　up：

Mr。　Henderson　R。　Bell；
To　Miss　Diantha　Bell；　Dr。

For　labor　and　services

Two　years；　two　hours　a　day　at　10c。　an　hour　。　。　。　146。00
Two　years；　three　hours　a　day　at　10c。　an　hour　。　。　。　219。00
One　year；　full　wages　at　5。00　a　week　。　。　。　260。00
Six　years　and　a　half；　three　hours　a　day　at　20c　。　。　。　1423。50

2048。50

Mr。　Bell　meditated　carefully　on　these　figures。　　To　think　of　that　child's
labor　footing　up　to　two　thousand　dollars　and　over！　　It　was　lucky　a　man
had　a　wife　and　daughters　to　do　this　work；　or　he　could　never　support　a
family。

Then　came　her　school…teaching　years。　　She　had　always　been　a　fine　scholar
and　he　had　felt　very　proud　of　his　girl　when　she　got　a　good　school
position　in　her　eighteenth　year。

California　salaries　were　higher　than　eastern　ones；　and　times　had　changed
too；　the　year　he　taught　school　he　remembered　the　salary　was　only
300。00and　he　was　a　man。　　This　girl　got　600；　next　year　700；　800；
900；　why　it　made　3；000　she　had　earned　in　four　years。　　Astonishing。　
Out　of　this　she　had　a　balance　in　the　bank　of　550。00。　　He　was　pleased　to
see　that　she　had　been　so　saving。　　And　her　clothing　accountlittle
enough　he　admitted　for　four　years　and　six　months；　300。00。　　All
incidentals　for　the　whole　time；　50。00this　with　her　balance　made　just
900。　　That　left　2；100。00。

〃Twenty…one　hundred　dollars　unaccounted　for；　young　lady！besides　this
nest　egg　in　the　bankI'd　no　idea　you　were　so　wealthy。　　What　have　you
done　with　all　that？〃

〃Given　it　to　you；　Father；〃　said　she　quietly；　and　handed　him　the　third
sheet　of　figures。

Board　and　lodging　at　4。00　a　week　for　4　1/2　years　made　936。00；　that　he
could　realize；　but　〃cash　advance〃　1；164　morehe　could　not　believe　it。　
That　time　her　mother　was　so　sick　and　Diantha　had　paid　both　the　doctor
and　the　nurseyeshe　had　been　much　cramped　that　yearand　nurses　come
high。　　For　Henderson；　Jr。's；　expenses　to　San　Francisco；　and　again　for
Henderson　when　he　was　out　of　a　jobMr。　Bell　remembered　the　boy's
writing　for　the　money；　and　his　not　having　it；　and　Mrs。　Bell　saying　she
could　arrange　with　Diantha。

Arrange！　　And　that　girl　had　kept　this　niggardly　account　of　it！　　For
Minnie's　trip　to　the　Yosemiteand　what　was　this？for　his　raisin
experimentfor　the　new　horse　they　simply　had　to　have　for　the　drying
apparatus　that　year　he　lost　so　much　money　in　apricotsand　for　the
spraying　materialsyes；　he　could　not　deny　the　items；　and　they　covered
that　1；164。00　exactly。

Then　came　the　deadly　balance；　of　the　account　between　them：

Her　labor　。　。　。　2；047。00
Her　board　。　。　。　936。00
Her　〃cash　advanced〃　。　。　。　1；164。00
…
4；147。00
His　expense　for　her　。　。　。　3；600
…
Due　her　from　him　。　。　。　547。00

Diantha　revolved　her　pencil　between　firm　palms；　and　looked　at　him　rather
quizzically；　while　her　mother　rocked　and　darned　and　wiped　away　an
occasional　tear。　　She　almost　wished　she　had　not　kept　accounts　so　well。

Mr。　Bell　pushed　the　papers　away　and　started　to　his　feet。

〃This　is　the　most　shameful　piece　of　calculation　I　ever　saw　in　my　life；〃
said　he。　　〃I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！　　You　go　and　count　up　in　cold
dollars　the　work　that　every　decent　girl　does　for　her　family　and　is　glad
to！　　I　wonder　you　haven't　charged　your　mother　for　nursing　her？〃

〃You　notice　I　haven't；〃　said　Diantha　coldly。

〃And　to　think；〃　said　he；　gripping　the　back　of　a　chair　and　looking　down
at　her　fiercely；　〃to　think　that　a　girl　who　can　earn　nine　hundred　dollars
a　year　teaching　school；　and　stay　at　home　and　do　her　duty　by　her　family
besides；　should　plan　to　desert　her　mother　outrightnow　she's　old　and
sick！　　Of　course　I　can't　stop　you！　　You're　of　age；　and　children　nowadays
have　no　sense　of　natural　obligation　after　they're　grown　up。　　You　can　go；
of　course；　and　disgrace　the　family　as　you　proposebut　you　needn't
expect　to　have　me　consent　to　it　or　approve　of　itor　of　you。　　It's　a
shameful　thingand　you　are　an　unnatural　daughterthat's　all　I've　got
to　say！〃

Mr。　Bell　took　his　hat　and　went　outa　conclusive　form　of　punctuation
much　used　by　men　in　discussions　of　this　sort。



WHAT　DIANTHA　DID


CHAPTER　III。

BREAKERS


Duck！　Dive！　Here　comes　another　one！
Wait　till　the　crest…ruffles　show！
Beyond　is　smooth　water　in　beauty　and　wonder
Shut　your　mouth！　　Hold　your　breath！　　Dip　your　head　under！
Dive　through　the　weight　and　the　wash；　and　the　thunder
Look　out　for　the　undertow！


If　Diantha　imagined　that　her　arithmetical　victory　over　a　too…sordid
presentation　of　the　parental　claim　was　a　final　one；　she　soon　found
herself　mistaken。

It　is　easy　to　sayputting　an　epic　in　an　epigram〃She　seen　her　duty　and
she　done　it！〃　but　the　space　and　time　covered　are　generally　as　far　beyond
our　plans　as　the　estimates　of　an　amateur　mountain　climber　exceed　his
achievements。

Her　determination　was　not　concealed　by　her　outraged　family。　　Possibly
they　thought　that　if　the　matter　was　well　aired；　and　generally　discussed；
the　daring　offender　might　reconsider。　　Well…aired　it　certainly　was；　and
widely　discussed　by　the　parents　of　the　little　town　before　young　people
who　sat　in　dumbness；　or　made　faint　defense。　　It　was　also　discussed　by
the　young　people；　but　not　before　their　parents。

She　had　told　Ross；　first　of　all；　meaning　to　have　a　quiet　talk　with　him
to　clear　the　ground　before　arousing　her　own　family；　but　he　was　suddenly
away　just　as　she　opened　the　subject；　by　a　man　on　a　wheelsome　wretched
business　about　the　store　of　courseand　sent　word　that　night　that　he
could　not　come　up　again。　　Couldn't　come　up　the　next　night　either。　　Two
long　daystwo　long　evenings　without　seeing　him。　　Wellif　she　went　away
she'd　have　to　get　used　to　that。

But　she　had　so　many　things　to　explain；　so　much　to　say　to　make　it　right
with　him；　she　knew　well　what　a　blow　it　was。　　Now　it　was　all　over
townand　she　had　had　no　chance　to　defend　her　position。

The　neighbors　called。　　Tall　bony　Mrs。　Delafield　who　lived　nearest　to
them　and　had　known　Diantha　for　some　years；　felt　it　her　duty　to　make　a
special　appealor　attack　rather；　and　brought　with　her　stout　Mrs。
Schlosster；　whose　ancestors　and　traditions　were　evidently　of　German
extraction。

Diantha　retired　to　her　room　when　she　saw　these　two　bearing　down　upon　the
house；　but　her　mother　called　her　to　make　a　pitcher　of　lemonade　for
themand　having　entered　there　was　no　escape。　　They　harried　her　with
questions；　were　increasingly　offended　by　her　reticence；　and　expressed
disapproval　with　a　fullness　that　overmastered　the　girl's　self…control。

〃I　have　as　much　right　to　go　into　business　as　any　other　citizen；　Mrs。
Delafield；〃　she　said　with　repressed　intensity。　　〃I　am　of　age　and　live　in
a　free　country。　　What　you　say　of　children　no　longer　applies　to　me。〃

〃And　what　is　this　mysterious　business　you're　goin'　intoif　one　may
inquire？　　Nothin　you're　ashamed　to　mention；　I　hope？〃　asked　Mrs。
Delafield。

〃If　a　woman　refuses　to　mention　her　age　is　it　because　she's　ashamed　of
it？〃　the　girl　retorted；　and　Mrs。　Delafield　flushed　darkly。

〃Never　have　I　heard　such　talk　from　a　maiden　to　her　elders；〃　said　Mrs。
Schlosster。　　〃In　my　country　the　young　have　more　respect；　as　is　right。〃

Mrs。　Bell　objected　inwardly　to　any　reprimand　of　her　child　by　others；　but
she　agreed　to　the　principle　advanced　and　made　no　comment。

Diantha　listened　to　quite　a　volume　of　detailed　criticism；　inquiry　and
condemnation；　and　finally　rose　to　her　feet　with　the　stiff　courtesy　of
the　young。

〃You　must　excuse　me　now；〃　she　said　with　set　lips。　　〃I　have　some
necessary　work　to　do。〃

She　marched　upstairs；　shut　her　bedroom　door　and　locked　it；　raging
inwardly。　　〃Its　none　of　their　business！　　Not　a　shadow！　　Why　should
Mother　sit　there　and　let　them　talk　to　me　like　that！　　One　would　think
childhood　had　no　limitunless　it's　matrimony！〃

This　reminded　her　of　her　younger　sister's　airs　of　superior　wisdom；　and
did　not　conduce　to　a　pleasanter　frame　of　mind。　　〃With　all　their
miserable　little　conventions　and　idiocies！　　And　what　'they'll　say；'　and
'they'll　think'！　　As　if　I　cared！　　Minnie'll　be　just　such　another！〃

She　heard　the　ladies　going　out；　still　talking　continuously；　a　faint
response　from　her　mother　now　and　then；　a　growing　quiet　as　their　steps
receded　toward　the　gate；　and　then　another　deeper　voice　took　up　the　theme
and　heavily　approached。

It　was　the　minister！　　Diantha　dropped　into　her　rocker　and　held　the　arms
tight。　　〃Now　I'll　have　to　take　it　again　I　suppose。　　But　he　ought　to　know
me　well　enough　to　understand。〃

〃Diantha！〃　called　her　mother；　〃Here's　Dr。　Major；〃　and　the　girl　washed
her　face　and　came　down　again。

Dr。　Major　was　a　heavy　elderly　man　with　a　strong　mouth　and　a　warm　hand
clasp。　　〃What's　all　this　I　hear　about　you；　young　lady？〃　he　demanded；
holding　her　hand　and　looking　her　straight　in　the　eye。　　〃Is　this　a　new
kind　of　Prodigal　Daughter　we're　encountering？〃

He　did　not　look　nor　sound　condemnatory；　and　as　she　faced　him　she　caught
a　twinkle　in　the　wise　old　eyes。

〃You　can　call　it　that　if　you　want　to；〃　she　said；　〃Only　I　thought　the
Prodigal　Son　just　spent　his　moneyI'm　going　to　earn　some。〃

〃I　want　you　to　talk　to　Diantha；　Doctor　Major；〃　Mrs。　Bell　struck　in。　
〃I'm　going　to　ask　you　to　excuse　me；　and　go　and　lie　down　for　a　little。　　I
do　believe　she'll　listen　to　you　more　than　to　anybody。〃

The　mother　retired；　feeling　sure　that　the　good　man　who　had　known　her
daughter　for　over　fifteen　years　would　have　a　restraining　influence　now；
and　Diantha　braced　herself　for　the　attack。

It　came；　heavy　and　solid；　based　on　reason；　religion；　tradition；　the
custom　of　ages；　the　pastoral　habit　of　control　and　protection；　the
father's　instinct；　the　man's　objection　to　a　girl's　adventure。　　But　it
was　courteous；　kind；　and　rationally　put；　and　she　met　it　point　by　point
with　the　whole…souled　arguments　of　a　new　position；　the　passionate
enthusiasm　of　her　years。

They　called　a　truce。

〃I　can　see　that　you　_think_　its　your　duty；　young；　womanthat's　the　main
thing。　　I　think　you're　wrong。　　But　what　you　believe　to　be　right　you　have
to　do。　　That's　the　way　we　learn　my　dear；　that's　the　way　we　learn！　
Wellyou've　been　a　good　child　ever　since　I've　known　you。　　A　remarkably
good　child。　　If　you　have　to　sow　this　kind　of　wild　oats〃　they　both
smiled　at　this；　〃I　guess　we　can't　stop　you。　　I'll　keep　your　secret〃