She had of herself developed an eminently2 rational philosophy of love. Instinctively3, and consciously, too, she had made toward delicacy4, and shunned5 the perils6 of the habitual7 and commonplace. Thoroughly8 aware she was that as she cheapened herself so did she cheapen love. Never, in the weeks of their married life, had Billy found her dowdy9, or harshly irritable10, or lethargic11. And she had deliberately12 permeated13 her house with her personal atmosphere of coolness, and freshness, and equableness. Nor had she been ignorant of such assets as surprise and charm. Her imagination had not been asleep, and she had been born with wisdom. In Billy she had won a prize, and she knew it. She appreciated his lover's ardor14 and was proud. His open-handed liberality, his desire for everything of the best, his own personal cleanliness and care of himself she recognized as far beyond the average. He was never coarse. He met delicacy with delicacy, though it was obvious to her that the initiative in all such matters lay with her and must lie with her always. He was largely unconscious of what he did and why. But she knew in all full clarity of judgment15. And he was such a prize among men.
Despite her clear sight of her problem of keeping Billy a lover, and despite the considerable knowledge and experience arrayed before her mental vision, Mercedes Higgins had spread before her a vastly wider panorama16. The old woman had verified her own conclusions, given her new ideas, clinched17 old ones, and even savagely18 emphasized the tragic19 importance of the whole problem. Much Saxon remembered of that mad preachment, much she guessed and felt, and much had been beyond her experience and understanding. But the metaphors20 of the veils and the flowers, and the rules of giving to abandonment with always more to abandon, she grasped thoroughly, and she was enabled to formulate21 a bigger and stronger love-philosophy. In the light of the revelation she re-examined the married lives of all she had ever known, and, with sharp definiteness as never before, she saw where and why so many of them had failed.
With renewed ardor Saxon devoted22 herself to her household, to her pretties, and to her charms. She marketed with a keener desire for the best, though never ignoring the need for economy. From the women's pages of the Sunday supplements, and from the women's magazines in the free reading room two blocks away, she gleaned23 many ideas for the preservation24 of her looks. In a systematic25 way she exercised the various parts of her body, and a certain period of time each day she employed in facial exercises and massage26 for the purpose of retaining the roundness and freshness, and firmness and color. Billy did not know. These intimacies27 of the toilette were not for him. The results, only, were his. She drew books from the Carnegie Library and studied physiology28 and hygiene29, and learned a myriad30 of things about herself and the ways of woman's health that she had never been taught by Sarah, the women of the orphan31 asylum32, nor by Mrs. Cady.
After long debate she subscribed33 to a woman's magazine, the patterns and lessons of which she decided34 were the best suited to her taste and purse. The other woman's magazines she had access to in the free reading room, and more than one pattern of lace and embroidery35 she copied by means of tracing paper. Before the lingerie windows of the uptown shops she often stood and studied; nor was she above taking advantage, when small purchases were made, of looking over the goods at the hand-embroidered underwear counters. Once, she even considered taking up with hand-painted china, but gave over the idea when she learned its expensiveness.
She slowly replaced all her simple maiden36 underlinen with garments which, while still simple, were wrought38 with beautiful French embroidery, tucks, and drawnwork. She crocheted39 fine edgings on the inexpensive knitted underwear she wore in winter. She made little corset covers and chemises of fine but fairly inexpensive lawns, and, with simple flowered designs and perfect laundering40, her nightgowns were always sweetly fresh and dainty. In some publication she ran across a brief printed note to the effect that French women were just beginning to wear fascinating beruffled caps at the breakfast table. It meant nothing to her that in her case she must first prepare the breakfast. Promptly41 appeared in the house a yard of dotted Swiss muslin, and Saxon was deep in experimenting on patterns for herself, and in sorting her bits of laces for suitable trimmings. The resultant dainty creation won Mercedes Higgins' enthusiastic approval.
Saxon made for herself simple house slips of pretty gingham, with neat low collars turned back from her fresh round throat. She crocheted yards of laces for her underwear, and made Battenberg in abundance for her table and for the bureau. A great achievement, that aroused Billy's applause, was an Afghan for the bed. She even ventured a rag carpet, which, the women's magazines informed her, had newly returned into fashion. As a matter of course she hemstitched the best table linen37 and bed linen they could afford.
As the happy months went by she was never idle. Nor was Billy forgotten. When the cold weather came on she knitted him wristlets, which he always religiously wore from the house and pocketed immediately thereafter. The two sweaters she made for him, however, received a better fate, as did the slippers42 which she insisted on his slipping into, on the evenings they remained at home.
The hard practical wisdom of Mercedes Higgins proved of immense help, for Saxon strove with a fervor43 almost religious to have everything of the best and at the same time to be saving. Here she faced the financial and economic problem of keeping house in a society where the cost of living rose faster than the wages of industry. And here the old woman taught her the science of marketing44 so thoroughly that she made a dollar of Billy's go half as far again as the wives of the neighborhood made the dollars of their men go.
Invariably, on Saturday night, Billy poured his total wages into her lap. He never asked for an accounting45 of what she did with it, though he continually reiterated46 that he had never fed so well in his life. And always, the wages still untouched in her lap, she had him take out what he estimated he would need for spending money for the week to come. Not only did she bid him take plenty but she insisted on his taking any amount extra that he might desire at any time through the week. And, further, she insisted he should not tell her what it was for.
“You've always had money in your pocket,” she reminded him, “and there's no reason marriage should change that. If it did, I'd wish I'd never married you. Oh, I know about men when they get together. First one treats and then another, and it takes money. Now if you can't treat just as freely as the rest of them, why I know you so well that I know you'd stay away from them. And that wouldn't be right... to you, I mean. I want you to be together with men. It's good for a man.”
And Billy buried her in his arms and swore she was the greatest little bit of woman that ever came down the pike.
“Why,” he jubilated; “not only do I feed better, and live more comfortable, and hold up my end with the fellows; but I'm actually saving money—or you are for me. Here I am, with furniture being paid for regular every month, and a little woman I'm mad over, and on top of it money in the bank. How much is it now?”
“Sixty-two dollars,” she told him. “Not so bad for a rainy day. You might get sick, or hurt, or something happen.”
It was in mid-winter, when Billy, with quite a deal of obvious reluctance47, broached48 a money matter to Saxon. His old friend, Billy Murphy, was laid up with la grippe, and one of his children, playing in the street, had been seriously injured by a passing wagon49. Billy Murphy, still feeble after two weeks in bed, had asked Billy for the loan of fifty dollars.
“It's perfectly50 safe,” Billy concluded to Saxon. “I've known him since we was kids at the Durant School together. He's straight as a die.”
“That's got nothing to do with it,” Saxon chided. “If you were single you'd have lent it to him immediately, wouldn't you?”
Billy nodded.
“Then it's no different because you're married. It's your money, Billy.”
“Not by a damn sight,” he cried. “It ain't mine. It's ourn. And I wouldn't think of lettin' anybody have it without seein' you first.”
“I hope you didn't tell him that,” she said with quick concern.
“Nope,” Billy laughed. “I knew, if I did, you'd be madder'n a hatter. I just told him I'd try an' figure it out. After all, I was sure you'd stand for it if you had it.”
“Oh, Billy,” she murmured, her voice rich and low with love; “maybe you don't know it, but that's one of the sweetest things you've said since we got married.”
The more Saxon saw of Mercedes Higgins the less did she understand her. That the old woman was a close-fisted miser51, Saxon soon learned. And this trait she found hard to reconcile with her tales of squandering52. On the other hand, Saxon was bewildered by Mercedes' extravagance in personal matters. Her underlinen, hand-made of course, was very costly53. The table she set for Barry was good, but the table for herself was vastly better. Yet both tables were set on the same table. While Barry contented54 himself with solid round steak, Mercedes ate tenderloin. A huge, tough muttonchop on Barry's plate would be balanced by tiny French chops on Mercedes' plate. Tea was brewed55 in separate pots. So was coffee. While Barry gulped56 twenty-five cent tea from a large and heavy mug, Mercedes sipped57 three-dollar tea from a tiny cup of Belleek, rose-tinted, fragile as all egg-shell. In the same manner, his twenty-five cent coffee was diluted58 with milk, her eighty cent Turkish with cream.
“'Tis good enough for the old man,” she told Saxon. “He knows no better, and it would be a wicked sin to waste it on him.”
Little traffickings began between the two women. After Mercedes had freely taught Saxon the loose-wristed facility of playing accompaniments on the ukulele, she proposed an exchange. Her time was past, she said, for such frivolities, and she offered the instrument for the breakfast cap of which Saxon had made so good a success.
“It's worth a few dollars,” Mercedes said. “It cost me twenty, though that was years ago. Yet it is well worth the value of the cap.”
“But wouldn't the cap be frivolous59, too?” Saxon queried60, though herself well pleased with the bargain.
“'Tis not for my graying hair,” Mercedes frankly61 disclaimed62. “I shall sell it for the money. Much that I do, when the rheumatism63 is not maddening my fingers, I sell. La la, my dear, 'tis not old Barry's fifty a month that'll satisfy all my expensive tastes. 'Tis I that make up the difference. And old age needs money as never youth needs it. Some day you will learn for yourself.”
“I am well satisfied with the trade,” Saxon said. “And I shall make me another cap when I can lay aside enough for the material.”
“Make several,” Mercedes advised. “I'll sell them for you, keeping, of course, a small commission for my services. I can give you six dollars apiece for them. We will consult about them. The profit will more than provide material for your own.”
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1
spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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eminently
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| adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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7
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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8
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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dowdy
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| adj.不整洁的；过旧的 | |
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irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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lethargic
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| adj.昏睡的，懒洋洋的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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permeated
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| 弥漫( permeate的过去式和过去分词 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透 | |
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14
ardor
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| n.热情，狂热 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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17
clinched
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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metaphors
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| 隐喻( metaphor的名词复数 ) | |
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formulate
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| v.用公式表示；规划；设计；系统地阐述 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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gleaned
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| v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗 | |
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preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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systematic
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| adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的 | |
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massage
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| n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据 | |
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intimacies
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| 亲密( intimacy的名词复数 )； 密切； 亲昵的言行； 性行为 | |
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physiology
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| n.生理学，生理机能 | |
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hygiene
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| n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic） | |
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myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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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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embroidery
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| n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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crocheted
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| v.用钩针编织( crochet的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
laundering
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| n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入） | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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42
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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43
fervor
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| n.热诚；热心；炽热 | |
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44
marketing
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| n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西 | |
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45
accounting
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| n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表 | |
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46
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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48
broached
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| v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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49
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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50
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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miser
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| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
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52
squandering
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| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的现在分词 ) | |
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53
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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54
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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55
brewed
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| 调制( brew的过去式和过去分词 )； 酝酿； 沏（茶）； 煮（咖啡） | |
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56
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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57
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
diluted
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| 无力的，冲淡的 | |
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frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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60
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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disclaimed
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| v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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