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Old and young, upon this matter of town and country fashions, and fashion in general, "gave tongue" in concert; proving that Pleasant Valley knew what was what as well as any place in the land; that it was doubtful what right Boston or New York had to dictate to it; at the same time the means of getting at the earliest the mind of Boston or New York was eagerly discussed, and the pretensions of Elmfield to any advantage in that matter as earnestly denied.
His eye glanced at the little brown house. "Everybody knows Elmfield," said Diana; "and I guessed " "From my dress?" said Mr. Knowlton, following the direction of her look. "This was accident too. But which of my friends ought I to know here, that I don't know? Pardon me, but is this horse to be put to the waggon or taken away from it?" "O, I was going to put him in."
However, even five miles will come to an end in time if you keep going even slowly; and in time the little brown house of Mrs. Bartlett appeared in the distance, and Prince drew the waggon up before the door. Diana alighted, and Mr. Knowlton drove on, promising to send the waggon back from Elmfield. It was coming down, in more ways than one, to get out of the waggon and go in to make her visit.
But I am going down to within a mile of Elmfield; and I was going to say, if you like, I can take you so far." "And who will do me such kindness?" "Who? O Diana Starling." "Is that a name I ought to know?" inquired Mr. Knowlton. "I shall know it from this day; but how about before to-day? I have been gone from Pleasant Valley, at school and at the Military Academy, four, five, ten years."
She resolved finally to watch Diana and the Elmfield people this afternoon; she could find out, she thought, whether there were any matter of common interest between them. With all this, Mrs. Starling's temper was not sweetened. Elmfield was a rare place. Not by the work of art or the craft of the gardener at all; for a cunning workman had never touched its turf or its plantations.
Here he was at home. There seemed to her fancy to be a consciousness of him in the silent trees and river; as if they would say if they could, as if they were saying mutely, "We know him we know him; and we are old friends of his. We could tell you a great deal about him." "Elmfield is a pretty place," said Gertrude.
That was near enough. She liked it so. She liked it even that in the crowd and the bustle of packing and hitching horses, and getting seated, there was no chance for more than a far-off nod and wave of the hand from the Elmfield parly. They drove off first this time. And Diana followed at a little distance, driving Prince; Mrs. Starling declaring herself "tuckered out."
"They've got their young soldier home to Elmfield," said Miss Barry. "I s'pect they're dreadful sot up about it." "They don't want that," said Mrs. Boddington. "The Knowltons always did carry their heads pretty well up, in the best o' times; and now Evan's got home, I s'pose there'll be no holding 'em in. There ain't, I guess, by the looks."
Needles and tongues took a fresh stir. "Mis' Starling, are we goin' to hev' the minister?" somebody asked. "I don't know as anybody has told him, Mis' Mansfield." "Won't seem like a meetin', ef we don't hev' him." "He's gone down to Elmfield," said Miss Gunn. "He went down along in the forenoon some time. Gone to see his cousin, I s'pose."
"Euphemie Knowlton?" said Mrs. Salter. "Yes, I used to wonder if we shouldn't get our minister's wife from Elmfield. It looked likely at one time." "Those two wouldn't ha' pulled well together, ne ver," said another. "I should like to know how he and Di's goin' to pull together?" said Mrs. Flandin acidly. "He goin' one way, and she another." "Do you think so, Mrs.
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