第53章
ALL THIS.
They laid before her conquering feet The spoils of many lands;Their crowns shone red upon her head Their scepters in her hands.
She heard two murmuring at night, Where rose-sweet shadows rest;And coveted the blossom red He laid upon her breast.
When Madam Weatherstone shook the plentiful dust of Orchardina from her expensive shoes, and returned to adorn the more classic groves of Philadelphia, Mrs.Thaddler assumed to hold undisputed sway as a social leader.
The Social Leader she meant to be; and marshalled her forces to that end.She Patronized here, and Donated there; revised her visiting list with rigid exclusiveness; secured an Eminent Professor and a Noted Writer as visitors, and gave entertainments of almost Roman magnificence.
Her husband grew more and more restive under the rising tide of social exactions in dress and deportment; and spent more and more time behind his fast horses, or on the stock-ranch where he raised them.As a neighbor and fellow ranchman, he scraped acquaintance with Ross Warden, and was able to render him many small services in the process of settling.
Mrs.Warden remembered his visit to Jopalez, and it took her some time to rearrange him in her mind as a person of wealth and standing.Having so rearranged him, on sufficient evidence, she and her daughters became most friendly, and had hopes of establishing valuable acquaintance in the town."It's not for myself I care," she would explain to Ross, every day in the week and more on Sundays, "but for the girls.In that dreadful Jopalez there was absolutely _no_ opportunity for them; but here, with horses, there is no reason we should not have friends.You must consider your sisters, Ross! Do be more cordial to Mr.Thaddler."But Ross could not at present be cordial to anybody.His unexpected good fortune, the freedom from hated cares, and chance to work out his mighty theories on the faithful guinea-pig, ought to have filled his soul with joy; but Diantha's cruel obstinacy had embittered his cup of joy.He could not break with her; she had not refused him, and it was difficult in cold blood to refuse her.
He had stayed away for two whole weeks, in which time the guinea-pigs nibbled at ease and Diantha's work would have suffered except for her mother's extra efforts.Then he went to see her again, miserable but stubborn, finding her also miserable and also stubborn.They argued till there was grave danger of an absolute break between them; then dropped the subject by mutual agreement, and spent evenings of unsatisfying effort to talk about other things.
Diantha and her mother called on Mrs.Warden, of course, admiring the glorious view, the sweet high air, and the embowered loveliness of the two ranch houses.Ross drew Diantha aside and showed her "theirs"--a lovely little wide-porched concrete cottage, with a red-tiled roof, and heavy masses of Gold of Ophir and Banksia roses.
He held her hand and drew her close to him.
He kissed her when they were safe inside, and murmured: "Come, darling--won't you come and be my wife?""I will, Ross--whenever you say--but--!" She would not agree to give up her work, and he flung away from her in reckless despair.Mrs.Warden and the girls returned the call as a matter of duty, but came no more;the mother saying that she could not take her daughters to a Servant Girls' Club.
And though the Servant Girls' Club was soon removed to its new quarters and Union House became a quiet, well-conducted hotel, still the two families saw but little of each other.
Mrs.Warden naturally took her son's side, and considered Diantha an unnatural monster of hard-heartedness.
The matter sifted through to the ears of Mrs.Thaddler, who rejoiced in it, and called upon Mrs.Warden in her largest automobile.As a mother with four marriageable daughters, Mrs.Warden was delighted to accept and improve the acquaintance, but her aristocratic Southern soul was inwardly rebellious at the ancestorlessness and uncultured moneyed pride of her new friend.
"If only Madam Weatherstone had stayed!" she would complain to her daughters."She had Family as well as Wealth.""There's young Mrs.Weatherstone, mother--" suggested Dora.
"A nobody!" her mother replied."She has the Weatherstone money, of course, but no Position; and what little she has she is losing by her low tastes.She goes about freely with Diantha Bell--her own housekeeper!""She's not her housekeeper now, mother--""Well, it's all the same! She _was!_ And a mere general servant before that! And now to think that when Ross is willing to overlook it all and marry her, she won't give it up!"They were all agreed on this point, unless perhaps that the youngest had her inward reservations.Dora had always liked Diantha better than had the others.
Young Mrs.Weatherstone stayed in her big empty house for a while, and as Mrs.Warden said, went about frequently with Diantha Bell.She liked Mrs.Bell, too--took her for long stimulating rides in her comfortable car, and insisted that first one and then the other of them should have a bit of vacation at her seashore home before the winter's work grew too heavy.
With Mrs.Bell she talked much of how Diantha had helped the town.
"She has no idea of the psychic effects, Mrs.Bell," said she."She sees the business, and she has a great view of all it is going to do for women to come; but I don't think she realizes how much she is doing right now for women here--and men, too.There were my friends the Pornes; they were 'drifting apart,' as the novels have it--and no wonder.Isabel was absolutely no good as a housekeeper; he naturally didn't like it--and the baby made it all the worse; she pined for her work, you see, and couldn't get any time for it.Now they are as happy as can be--and it's just Diantha Bell's doings.The housework is off Isabel's shoulders.