The girls of Dorfield found it more difficult to settle down than anybody else. Fathers had always been busy, so had mothers. The returning soldiers had dropped into their old places8 and were at work almost as though there had been no amazing interlude of A. E. F. Only the girls seemed to be left out of the scheme of things. Many of them kept on working, although before the war the idea of making a living had been undreamed. The girls who, for purely3 patriotic4 reasons, had taken positions left empty by enlisted5 men, were loath6 to go back to the old state of dependence7 now that the men had returned.
“I am tired of being an unproductive consumer and I don’t intend to stand it any longer,” declared Elizabeth Wright.
“What are you going to do about it?” asked Lucile Neal.
“Do! I’m going to get a good job and hold it. I did the work in the bank just as well as Price Middleton, although I got only about half as much pay for it. I can type better than he can and write a business letter all around him. When he came back from the war, I stepped out as gracefully8 as you please and gave up my job. Nobody seems to be much worried about my future, that is, nobody but me, but I’ve been thinking a lot about what is going to become of me, not only because of money but because I am9 simply bored to death at the prospect9 of having no regular occupation.”
“I feel that way too,” said Laura Hilton. “I do wish Dorfield wasn’t so poky about its girls. Father says young women ought to stay at home and preserve fruit, unless it is necessary for the family finances that they should go out and work.”
“Always for the good of the family where the girl is concerned!” exclaimed Elizabeth, “and never the good of the girl! Suppose there isn’t any fruit! Suppose there is no sugar to preserve with! Suppose the beloved family is not fond of jam! Suppose there are more girls in the household than there are paring knives! Suppose one’s mother is so capable and industrious10 that there is no work left for the girls to do! Suppose a million things!”
The group of girls gathered on Colonel Hathaway’s porch laughed at the vehemence11 of Elizabeth Wright’s harangue12. Elizabeth had always been different from the rest of her family, who were old-fashioned and conservative in their ideas. She was one of five sisters. The other four were quite content to live the life of “unproductive consumers” on the not very large10 income which was derived13 from an estate inherited by their father. Mr. Wright’s sole occupation consisted in writing letters demanding catalogues of rare books. These he pored over from morning until night. Sometimes, enticed14 by the extreme rarity and desirability of a book, he would decide he must have it in his fine collection but he usually took so long to decide and put off so long writing his order that, in nine cases out of ten, the desired book was sold before he sent for it.
Mrs. Wright was one of those thoroughly15 practical souls who glory in their activity and efficiency. She did everything so easily that she had never seen the necessity of teaching her daughters to do anything.
“They will learn soon enough!” she always declared. “Nobody taught me! They will marry and then they will learn.”
Elizabeth always winced16 when her mother announced so confidently that her daughters would marry. Perhaps they would but, on the other hand, perhaps they wouldn’t. She for one was sure she would not. Certainly it was not her aim in life as it seemed to be of her sisters. Marriage was all right if it was built on true11 love, as she was sure this marriage of Mary Louise’s was to be. In her heart of hearts Elizabeth wanted to write but she thought she had not lived long enough to have anything to write about.
Dear Mary Louise Burrows17! How happy she looked with her friends gathered around her on her grandfather’s piazza18! That piazza was a favorite place for the girls to assemble and now that Mary Louise was so soon to marry Danny Dexter it was almost a daily occurrence for them to meet there. Irene MacFarlane was there in her wheel chair, her countenance19 as calm and peaceful as ever, while her busy fingers embroidered20 a wonderfully dainty bit of lingerie for her friend’s trousseau. Alora Jones was there, not looking much happier than she had formerly21, although her three millions had been almost doubled in the last few years, thanks to the war activities that wealth had indulged in. Poor Alora found it difficult to let herself go. Her wealth made her suspicious. Because she had been imposed upon once, she was ever looking out for similar experiences. She was happier with this band of friends, tried and true, than with anybody else in the world. Certainly they12 wanted nothing from her but friendship and that her shy heart was eager to give. Her artist father encouraged her in seeking out these wholesome22, normal girls, hoping through them his daughter would begin to value life for what it was worth.
“We are cursed with money, Alora,” he would say, “but for Heaven’s sake, let’s forget it. In the meantime we must give and give!”
Pretty Laura Hilton was there, as small and bird-like as ever. By her sat Lucile Neal, who had inherited an executive ability from her father, the owner of the Neal Automobile23 Factory, and whose clear judgment24 was ever in demand when Mary Louise and her friends had any project on foot. Edna Barlow, the only poor girl in the group, was in the hammock with Jane Donovan, the daughter of Dorfield’s mayor.
All of the girls were sewing on Mary Louise’s trousseau. It was Irene’s idea that they should meet together in this way and busy themselves with this labor25 of love.
“To return to jobs,” said Elizabeth. “I’m going to find out what pays best and learn how to do it and then bust26 loose from my family. If they don’t like it, they can lump it. I want a13 latchkey and a bank account of my own. As it is, if I’m not in the house at a certain time, there is a hue27 and cry and father begins on what young ladies did in his day and Gertrude and Annabel look shocked and Pauline and Margaret say they would never be guilty of such unladylike behavior and they all agree that men don’t like independent girls and I’ll never get a suspicion of a beau if I don’t mend my ways—as though I wanted one if I’d have to make myself over to get him!”
“And what does your mother say?” laughed Mary Louise.
“Oh, Mother doesn’t say anything. She is always so busy she doesn’t even know I’m not there. With two servants in the house Mother still manages never to be idle one moment in the day. She is always baking and brewing28, sewing and dusting, cleaning out closets or bureau drawers, airing beds, rubbing furniture, cleaning silver, doing a million and one things that the maids could do just as well as she. The truth of the matter is Mother should have had a profession outside of being a wife and mother. She has too much energy and efficiency to waste on a mere29 home.”
14 “But a mere home is the greatest thing in the world,” said Mary Louise, softly.
“Oh, yes, it is a good enough place, but it can be pretty uncomfortable with somebody always making you move to sweep under you. Why, my mother could run a big hotel and still have time to spare to keep the church sewing circle going.”
“She must be very unselfish,” said Laura Hilton, whose own mother was noted30 for being the best dressed and most frivolous31 woman in Dorfield, though very charming and kind-hearted withal.
“Oh, I don’t know about that!” answered Elizabeth. “She is never so happy as when she is bustling32 around doing for people. She would let all of us girls sleep all day and then cook breakfast herself and bring it up to us and have the time of her life doing it. I think it would be a great deal more unselfish if she would let us help and expend33 some of her energy on making us be a little more efficient instead of being so perfect herself.”
“Have you decided34 yet, Mary Louise, where and when you will be married?” asked Irene, gently changing the subject. Irene had the faculty35 of turning the conversation into smoother15 channels when she saw breakers ahead. Criticism of one’s mother and home was not conducive36 to smooth sailing for the ship of conversation.
“About decided,” blushed Mary Louise. “Danny and I think it would be nice to be married right here at home with only our intimate friends present. We haven’t any relations to speak of, neither one of us. Danny has his Uncle Jim O’Hara and I have Grandpa Jim—a Jim apiece and that is all. We have lots of intimate friends, though, when we begin to count up. Of course Danny wants to ask every man in his regiment37 besides all the friends he has made at the Neal Automobile Factory.”
“Father and the boys say he is the most popular man in the works in the short time he has been with them,” said Lucile.
Mary Louise blushed again. She was frankly38 delighted at the praise bestowed39 upon her fiancé. Danny’s popularity was very delightful40 to the girl and indeed it spoke41 very well for Danny Dexter that Dorfield was receiving him with open arms. He had come to the town unknown, poor, friendless except for the men in his regiment who one and all pronounced him a trump42. All of his worldly possessions he could get in his16 army kit43. But on his battle scarred face was a smile that was worth more than silver and gold and when he had won, right under the noses of a host of admirers, the love of the prettiest and most attractive girl in town, the rejected and dejected suitors of Mary Louise Burrows bore him no grudge44 but were willing to come dance at his wedding.
“Here comes Mrs. Markle!” exclaimed Mary Louise. “She has been so kind to me and Mr. Markle is perfectly45 dear to Danny. Both of them are so charming that we appreciate their seeing anything in us worth knowing.”
“Pooh!” cried Elizabeth Wright. “Everybody thinks you and Danny are worth knowing. The Markles aren’t so much of a muchness.”
“Oh, but they are lovely! Don’t you think so, Irene?” asked Mary Louise.
“I don’t know them very well,” responded Irene. “If you like them so much they must be worth knowing, however.”
Mary Louise looked at her friend, astonishment46 expressed in her countenance. That did not sound like Irene MacFarlane. What faint praise she gave the Markles! And her voice sounded so cold. What could be the matter?17 Could she be jealous of these new friends? Hardly that! Of course, Irene had been her first and only friend when Mary Louise came to Dorfield and stayed with Irene’s uncle, Mr. Peter Conant and his wife, dear Aunt Hannah. But since then she, Mary Louise, had made acquaintance with almost everybody in town and it would take all her fingers and toes to count her intimate girl friends. Irene had never shown jealousy47 before but had been as eager to enlarge her acquaintance as Mary Louise herself. Poor Irene was lame48 and had spent the whole of her life either on her back or in the wheel chair. She had an intense interest in humanity in general and girls in particular. Her friendship with Mary Louise had opened up a new life for the poor girl, bringing her more and more in touch with the outside world. But why this coldness where the Markles were concerned?
Nobody could deny that the Markles were a delightful couple. Mrs. Markle was a woman of about thirty, while her husband was nearer fifty but he seemed to be as fond of young people as his wife. They were strangers in Dorfield, having settled there since the war, but already they had taken a place in the society of the town and18 were looked upon as agreeable additions to the four hundred of Dorfield. Mr. Markle was engaged in the real estate business, which seemed to be thriving. To be sure, they lived in a small apartment, but it was in one of the best houses in town and, while they were not classed with the reckless spenders, they entertained frequently and in lavish49 style. The soft Persian rugs and exquisite50 paintings and etchings filled their apartment with harmony and beauty. There were cabinets of rare and wonderful curios, bookcases of first editions and carved furniture that looked as though it belonged in museums, so wonderful was it in design and finish.
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1
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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5
enlisted
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| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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dependence
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| n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属 | |
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8
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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harangue
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| n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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13
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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14
enticed
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| 诱惑，怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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16
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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burrows
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| n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 )；翻寻 | |
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18
piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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24
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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26
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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27
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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28
brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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33
expend
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| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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conducive
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| adj.有益的，有助的 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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41
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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42
trump
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| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
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43
kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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44
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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45
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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46
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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47
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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48
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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49
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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50
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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