the dwelling place of ligh-第17部分

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pimples　and　long　hair　and　grinned　affectionately　as　he　greeted　them。

〃Hello；　girls！〃　he　said。　　〃What　strikes　you　to…day？〃

〃Me　for　a　raspberry　nut　sundae；〃　announced　Eda；　and　Janet；　being　unable　to
imagine　any　more　delectable　confection；　assented。　　The　penetrating　odour
peculiar　to　drugstores；　dominated　by　menthol　and　some　unnamable　but　ancient
remedy　for　catarrh；　was　powerless　to　interfere　with　their　enjoyment。

The　circus　began　at　two。　　Rather　than　cling　to　the　straps　of　a　crowded　car　they
chose　to　walk；　following　the　familiar　route　of　the　trolley　past　the　car　barns
and　the　base…ball　park　to　the　bare　field　under　the　seared　face　of　Torrey's
Hill；　where　circuses　were　wont　to　settle。　　A　sirocco…like　breeze　from　the
southwest　whirled　into　eddies　the　clouds　of　germladen　dust　stirred　up　by　the
automobiles；　blowing　their　skirts　against　their　legs；　and　sometimes　they　were
forced　to　turn；　clinging　to　their　hats；　confused　and　giggling；　conscious　of
male　glances。　　The　crowd；　increasing　as　they　proceeded；　was　in　holiday　mood；
young　men　with　a　newly…washed　aspect；　in　Faber　Street　suits；　chaffed
boisterously　groups　of　girls；　who　retorted　with　shrill　cries　and　shrieks　of
laughter；　amorous　couples　strolled；　arm　in　arm；　oblivious；　as　though　the　place
were　as　empty　as　Eden；　lady…killers　with　exaggerated　square　shoulders；　wearing
bright　neckties；　their　predatory　instincts　alert；　hovered　about　in　eager　search
of　adventure。　　There　were　men…killers；　too；　usually　to　be　found　in　pairs；　in
startling　costumes　they　had　been　persuaded　were　the　latest　Paris　models；
imitations　of　French　cocottes　in　Hampton；　proof　of　the　smallness　of　our　modern
world。　　Eda　regarded　them　superciliously。

〃They'd　like　you　to　think　they'd　never　been　near　a　loom　or　a　bobbin！〃　　she
exclaimed。

In　addition　to　these　more　conspicuous　elements；　the　crowd　contained　sober
operatives　of　the　skilled　sort　possessed　of　sufficient　means　to　bring　hither
their　families；　including　the　baby；　there　were　section…hands　and　foremen；
slashers；　mule　spinners；　beamers；　French…Canadians；　Irish；　Scotch；　Welsh　and
English；　Germans；　with　only　an　occasional　Italian；　Lithuanian；　or　Jew。　　Peanut
and　popcorn　men；　venders　of　tamales　and　Chile…con…carne　hoarsely　shouted　their
wares；　while　from　afar　could　be　heard　the　muffled　booming　of　a　band。　　Janet's
heart　beat　faster。　　She　regarded　with　a　tinge　of　awe　the　vast　expanse　of　tent
that　rose　before　her　eyes；　the　wind　sending　ripples　along　the　heavy　canvas　from
circumference　to　tent　pole。　　She　bought　the　tickets；　they　entered　the　circular
enclosure　where　the　animals　were　kept；　where　the　strong　beams　of　the　sun；　in
trying　to　force　their　way　through　the　canvas　roof；　created　an　unnatural；
jaundiced　twilight；　the　weirdness　of　which　was　somehow　enhanced　by　the　hoarse；
amazingly　penetrating　growls　of　beasts。　　Suddenly　a　lion　near　them　raised　a
shaggy　head；　emitting　a　series　of　undulating；　soul…shaking　roars。

〃Ah；　what's　eatin'　you？〃　demanded　a　thick…necked　youth；　pretending　not　to　be
awestricken　by　this　demonstration。

〃Suppose　he'd　get　out！〃　cried　Eda；　drawing　Janet　away。

〃I　wouldn't　let　him　hurt　you；　dearie；〃　the　young　man　assured　her。

〃You！〃　she　retorted　contemptuously；　but　grinned　in　spite　of　herself；　showing
her　gums。

The　vague　feeling　of　terror　inspired　by　this　tent　was　a　part　of　its
fascination；　for　it　seemed　pregnant　with　potential　tragedies　suggested　by　the
juxtaposition　of　helpless　babies　and　wild　beasts；　the　babies　crying　or　staring
in　blank　amazement　at　padding　tigers　whose　phosphorescent　eyes　never　left　these
morsels　beyond　the　bars。　　The　two　girls　wandered　about；　their　arms　closely
locked；　but　the　strange　atmosphere；　the　roars　of　the　beasts；　the　ineffable；
pungent　odour　of　the　circus；　of　sawdust　mingled　with　the　effluvia　of　animals；
had　aroused　an　excitement　that　was　slow　in　subsiding。　　Some　time　elapsed　before
they　were　capable　of　taking　a　normal　interest　in　the　various　exhibits。

〃‘Adjutant　Bird；'〃　Janet　read　presently　from　a　legend　on　one　of　the
compartments　of　a　cage　devoted　to　birds；　and　surveying　the　somewhat　dissolute
occupant。　　〃Why；　he's　just　like　one　of　those　tall　mashers　who　stay　at　the
Wilmot　and　stand　on　the　sidewalk；travelling　men；　you　know。〃

〃Say…isn't　he？〃　Eda　agreed。　　〃Isn't　he　pleased　with　himself；　and　his　feet
crossed！〃

〃And　see　this　one；　Edahe's　a　'Harpy　Eagle。'　　There's　somebody　we　know　looks
just　like　that。　　Wait　a　minuteI'll　tell　youit's　the　woman　who　sits　in　the
cashier's　cage　at　Grady's。〃

〃If　it　sure　isn't！〃　said　Eda。

〃She　has　the　same　fluffy；　light　hairhairpins　can't　keep　it　down；　and　she
looks　at　you　in　that　same　sort　of　surprised　way　with　her　head　on　one　side　when
you　hand　in　your　check。〃

〃Why；　it's　true　to　the　life！〃　cried　Eda　enthusiastically。　　〃She　thinks　she's
got　all　the　men　cinched；she　does　and　she's　forty　if　she's　a　day。〃

These　comparisons　brought　them　to　a　pitch　of　risible　enjoyment　amply　sustained
by　the　spectacle　in　the　monkey　cage；　to　which　presently　they　turned。　　A
chimpanzee；　with　a　solicitation　more　than　human；　was　solemnly　searching　a
friend　for　fleas　in　the　midst　of　a　pandemonium　of　chattering　and　screeching　and
chasing；　of　rattling　of　bars　and　trapezes　carried　on　by　their　companions。

〃Well；　young　ladies；〃　said　a　voice；　〃come　to　pay　a　call　on　your　relationshave
ye？〃

Eda　giggled　hysterically。　　An　elderly　man　was　standing　beside　them。　　He　was
shabbily　dressed；　his　own　features　were　wizened；　almost　simian；　and　by　his
friendly　and　fatuous　smile　Janet　recognized　one　of　the　harmless　obsessed　in
which　Hampton　abounded。

〃Relations！〃　Eda　exclaimed。

〃You　and　me；　yes；　and　her；〃　he　answered；　looking　at　Janet；　though　at　first　he
had　apparently　entertained　some　doubt　as　to　this　inclusion；　〃we're　all
descended　from　them。〃　　His　gesture　triumphantly　indicated　the　denizens　of　the
cage。

〃What　are　you　giving　us？〃　said　Eda。

〃Ain't　you　never　read　Darwin？〃　　he　demanded。　　〃If　you　had；　you'd　know　they're
our　ancestors；　you'd　know　we　came　from　them　instead　of　Adam　and　Eve。　　That
there's　a　fable。〃

〃I'll　never　believe　I　came　from　them；〃　cried　Eda；　vehement　in　her　disgust。

But　Janet　laughed。　　〃What's　the　difference？　　Some　of　us　aren't　any　better　than
monkeys；　anyway。〃

〃That's　so；〃　said　the　man　approvingly。　　〃That's　so。〃　　He　wanted　to　continue　the
conversation；　but　they　left　him　rather　ruthlessly。　　And　when；　from　the　entrance
to　the　performance　tent；　they　glanced　back　over　their　shoulders；　he　was　still
gazing　at　his　cousins　behind　the　bars；　seemingly　deriving　an　acute　pleasure
from　his　consciousness　of　the　connection。。。。




CHAPTER　VI

Modern　business；　by　reason　of　the　mingling　of　the　sexes　it　involves；　for　the
playwright　and　the　novelist　and　the　sociologist　is　full　of　interesting　and
dramatic　situations；　and　in　it　may　be　studied；　undoubtedly；　one　phase　of　the
evolution　tending　to　transform　if　not　disintegrate　certain　institutions
hitherto　the　corner…stones　of　society。　　Our　stage　is　set。　　A　young　woman；
conscious　of　ability；　owes　her　promotion　primarily　to　certain　dynamic　feminine
qualities　with　which　she　is　endowed。　　And　though　she　may　make　an　elaborate
pretense　of　ignoring　the　fact；　in　her　heart　she　knows　and　resents　it；　while　at
the　same　time；　paradoxically；　she　gets　a　thrill　from　it；a　sustaining　and
inspiring　thrill　of　power！　　On　its　face　it　is　a　business　arrangement；
secretly；attempt　to　repudiate　this　as　one　may；it　is　tinged　with　the　colours
of　high　adventure。　　When　Janet　entered　into　the　intimate　relationship　with　Mr。
Claude　Ditmar　necessitated　by　her　new　duties　as　his　private　stenographer　her
attitude；　slightly　defiant；　was　the　irreproachable　one　of　a　strict　attention　to
duty。　　All　unconsciously　she　was　a　true　daughter　of　the　twentieth　century；　and
probably　a　feminist　at　heart；　which　is　to　say　that　her　conduct　was　determined
by　no　preconceived　or　handed…down　notions　of　what　was　proper　and　lady…like。
For　feminism；　in　a　sense；　is　a　return　to　atavism；　and　sex　antagonism　and　sex
attraction　are　functions　of　the　same　thing。　　There　were　moments　when　she
believed　herself　to　hate　Mr。　Ditmar；　when　she　treated　him　with　an　aloofness；　an
impersonality　unsurpassed；　moments　when　he　paused　in　his　dictation　to　stare　at
her　in　astonishment。　　He；　who　flattered　himself　that　he　understood　women！

She　would　show　him！such　was　her　dominating　determination。　　Her　promotion
assumed　the　guise　of　a　challenge；　of　a　gauntlet　flung　down　at　the　feet　of　her
sex。　　In　a　certain　way；　an　insult；　though　incredibly　stimulating。　　If　he
flattered　himself　that　he　had　done　her　a　favour；　if　he　entertained　the　notion
that　he　could　presently　take　advantage　of　the　contact　with　her　now　achieved　to
make　unbusinesslike　advanceswell；　he　would　find　out。　　He　had　proclaimed　his
desire　for　an　able　assistant　in　Miss　Ottway's　placehe　would　get　one；　and
nothing　more。　　She　watched　narrowly；　a　l'affut；　as　the　French　say；　for　any
signs　of　sentiment；　and　indeed　this　awareness　of　her　being　on　guard　may　have
had　some　influence　on　Mr。　Ditmar's　own　attitude；　likewise　irreproachable。。。。　　A
rather　anaemic　young　woman；　a　Miss　Annie　James；　was　hired　for　Janet's　old
place。

In　spite　of　this　aloofness　and　alertness；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　Janet
felt　the　exuberance　of　being　in　touch　with　affairs　of　import。　　Hitherto　the
mill　had　been　merely　a　greedy　monster　claiming　her　freedom　and　draining　her
energies　in　tasks　routine；　such　as　the　copying　of　meaningless　documents　and
rows　of　figures；　now；　supplied　with　stimulus　and　a　motive；　the　Corporation
began　to　take　on　significance；　and　she　flung　herself　into　the　work　with　an
ardour　hitherto　unknown；　determined　to　make　herself　so　valuable　to　Ditmar　that
the　time　would　come　when　he　could　not　do　without　her。　　She　strove　to　memorize
certain　names　and　addresses；　lest　time　be　lost　in　looking　them　up；　to
familiarize　herself　with　the　ordinary　run　of　his　correspondence；　to　recall　what
letters　were　to　be　marked　〃personal；〃　to　anticipate　matters　of　routine；　in
order　that　he　might　not　have　the　tedium　of　repeating　instructions；　she　acquired
the　faculty　of　keeping　his　engagements　in　her　head；　she　came　early　to　the
office；　remaining　after　hours；　going　through　the　files；　becoming　familiar　wit