第37章

But he forces two perfect strangers upon me and forever shuts our doors against my darling mother.For, of course, she cannot live with us if they do.

And who knows what sort of people they are? It is not everybody I can get along with, nor is it everybody can get along with me.Now, if Helen were coming instead of Martha, that would be some relief.Icould love her, I am sure, and she would put up with my ways.But your Marthas I am afraid of.Oh, dear, dear, what a nest of scorpions this affair has stirred up within me! Who would believe I could be thinking of my own misery while Ernest's mother, whom he loved so dearly, is hardly in her grave! But I have no heart, I am stony and cold.It is well to have found out just what I am!

Since I wrote that I have been trying to tell God all about it.But Icould not speak for crying.And I have been getting the rooms ready.

How many little things I had planned to put in the best one, which Iintended for mother I have made myself arrange them just the same for Ernest's father.The stuffed chair I have had in my room, and enjoyed so much, has been rolled in, and the Bible with large print placed on the little table near which I had pictured mother with her sweet, pale face, as sitting year after year.The only thing I have taken away is the copy of father's portrait.He won't want that!

When I had finished this business I went and shook my fist at the creature I saw in the glass.

"You're beaten I" I cried."You didn't want to give up the chair, nor your writing-table, nor the Bible in which you expect to record the names of your ten children I But you've had to do it, so there!"MARCH 3.-They all got here at 7 o'clock last night, just in time for tea.I was so glad to get hold of Ernest once more that I was gracious to my guests, too.The very first thing, however, Ernest annoyed me by calling me Katherine, though he knows I hate that name, and want to be called Katy as if I were a lovable person, as Icertainly am (sometimes).Of course his father and Martha called me Katherine, too.

His father is even taller, darker, blacker eyed, blacker haired than he.

Martha is a spinster.

I had got up a nice little supper for them, thinking they would need something substantial after their journey.And perhaps there was some vanity in the display of dainties that needed the mortification Ifelt at seeing my guests both push away their plates in apparent disgust.Ernest, too, looked annoyed, and expressed some regret that they could find nothing to tempt their appetites.

Martha said something about not expecting much from young housekeepers, which I inwardly resented, for the light, delicious bread had been sent by Aunty, together with other luxuries from her own table, and I knew they were not the handiwork of a young housekeeper, but of old Chloe, who had lived in her own and her mother's family twenty years.

Ernest went out as soon as this unlucky repast was over to hear Dr.

Embury's report of his patients, and we passed a dreary evening, as my mind was preoccupied with longing for his return.The more I tried to think.of something to say the more I couldn't.

At last Martha asked at what time we breakfasted.