the dwelling place of ligh-第19部分

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with　her；　naturally　not　affairs　of　the　first　importance；　but　matters　such　as
the　economy　of　his　time：　when；　for　instance；　it　was　most　convenient　for　him　to
go　to　Boston；　and　he　would　find　that　she　had　telephoned；　without　being　told；　to
the　office　there　when　to　expect　him；　to　his　chauffeur　to　be　on　hand。　　He　never
had　to　tell　her　a　thing　twice；　nor　did　she　interruptas　Miss　Ottway　sometimes
had　donethe　processes　of　his　thought。　　Without　realizing　it　he　fell　into　the
habit　of　listening　for　the　inflections　of　her　voice；　and　though　he　had　never
lacked　the　power　of　making　decisions；　she　somehow　made　these　easier　for　him
especially　if；　a　human　equation　were　involved。

He　had；　at　least；　the　consolationif　it　were　oneof　reflecting　that　his
reputation　was　safe；　that　there　would　be　no　scandal；　since　two　are　necessary　to
make　the　kind　of　scandal　he　had　always　feared；　and　Miss　Bumpus；　apparently；　had
no　intention　of　being　the　second　party。　　Yet　she　was　not　virtuous；　as　he　had
hitherto　defined　the　word。　　Of　this　he　was　sure。　　No　woman　who　moved　about　as
she　did；　who　had　such　an　effect　on　him；　who　had　on　occasions；　though
inadvertently；　returned　the　lightning　of　his　glances；　whose　rare　laughter
resembled　grace　notes；　and　in　whose　hair　was　that　almost　imperceptible　kink；
could　be　virtuous。　　This　instinctive　conviction　inflamed　him。　　For　the　first
time　in　his　life　he　began　to　doubt　the　universal　conquering　quality　of　his　own
charms；and　when　such　a　thing　happens　to　a　man　like　Ditmar　he　is　in　danger　of
hell…fire。　　He　indulged　less　and　less　in　the　convivial　meetings　and　excursions
that　hitherto　had　given　him　relaxation　and　enjoyment；　and　if　his　cronies
inquired　as　to　the　reasons　for　his　neglect　of　them　he　failed　to　answer　with　his
usual　geniality。

〃Everything　going　all　right　up　at　the　mills；　Colonel？〃　he　was　asked　one　day　by
Mr。　Madden；　the　treasurer　of　a　large　shoe　company；　when　they　met　on　the　marble
tiles　of　the　hall　in　their　Boston　club。

〃All　right。　　Why？〃

〃Well；〃　replied　Madden；　conciliatingly；　〃you　seem　kind　of　preoccupied；　that's
all。　　I　didn't　know　but　what　the　fifty…four　hour　bill　the　legislature's　just
put　through　might　be　worrying　you。〃

〃We'll　handle　that　situation　when　the　time　comes；〃　said　Ditmar。　　He　accepted　a
gin　rickey；　but　declined　rather　curtly　the　suggestion　of　a　little　spree　over
Sunday　to　a　resort　on　the　Cape　which　formerly　he　would　have　found　enticing。　　On
another　occasion　he　encountered　in　the　lobby　of　the　Parker　House　a　more
intimate　friend；　Chester　Sprole；　sallow；　self…made；　somewhat　corpulent；　one　of
those　lawyers　hail　fellows　well　met　in　business　circles　and　looked　upon　askance
by　the　Brahmins　of　their　profession；　more　than　half　politician；　he　had　been　in
Congress；　and　from　time　to　time　was　retained　by　large　business　interests
because　of　his　persuasive　gifts　with　committees　of　the　legislaturethough
these　had　been　powerless　to　avert　the　recent　calamity　of　the　women　and
children's　fifty…four　hour　bill。　　Mr。　Sprole's　hair　was　prematurely　white；　and
the　crow's…feet　at　the　corners　of　his　eyes　were　not　the　result　of　legal
worries。

〃Hullo；　Dit；〃　he　said　jovially。

〃Hullo；　Ches；〃　said　Ditmar。

〃Now　you're　the　very　chap　I　wanted　to　see。　　Where　have　you　been　keeping
yourself　lately？　　Come　out　to　the　farm　to…night；same　of　the　boys'll　be
there。〃　　Mr。　Sprole；　like　many　a　self…made　man；　was　proud　of　his　farm；　though
he　did　not　lead　a　wholly　bucolic　existence。

〃I　can't；　Ches；〃　answered　Ditmar。　　〃I've　got　to　go　back　to　Hampton。〃

This　statement　Mr。　Sprole　unwisely　accepted　as　a　fiction。　　He　took　hold　of
Ditmar's　arm。

〃A　ladyehwhat？〃

〃I've　got　to　go　back　to　Hampton；〃　repeated　Ditmar；　with　a　suggestion　of
truculence　that　took　his　friend　aback。　　Not　for　worlds　would　Mr。　Sprole　have
offended　the　agent　of　the　Chippering　Mill。

〃I　was　only　joking；　Claude；〃　he　hastened　to　explain。　　Ditmar；　somewhat
mollified　but　still　dejected；　sought　the　dining…room　when　the　lawyer　had　gone。

〃All　alone　to…night；　Colonel？〃　asked　the　coloured　head　waiter；　obsequiously。

Ditmar　demanded　a　table　in　the　corner；　and　consumed　a　solitary　meal。

Very　naturally　Janet　was　aware　of　the　change　in　Ditmar；　and　knew　the　cause　of
it。　　Her　feelings　were　complicated。　　He；　the　most　important　man　in　Hampton；　the
self…sufficient；　the　powerful；　the　hitherto　distant　and　unattainable　head　of
the　vast　organization　known　as　the　Chippering　Mill；　of　which　she　was　an
insignificant　unit；　at　times　became　for　her　just　a　mana　man　for　whom　she　had
achieved　a　delicious　contempt。　　And　the　knowledge　that　she；　if　she　chose；　could
sway　and　dominate　him　by　the　mere　exercise　of　that　strange　feminine　force
within　her　was　intoxicating　and　terrifying。　　She　read　this　in　a　thousand　signs；
in　his　glances；　in　his　movements　revealing　a　desire　to　touch　her；　in　little
things　he　said；　apparently　insignificant；　yet　fraught　with　meaning；　in　a
constant　recurrence　of　the　apologetic　attitudeso　alien　to　the　Ditmar　formerly
conceivedof　which　he　had　given　evidence　that　day　by　the　canal：　and　from　this
attitude　emanated；　paradoxically；　a　virile　and　galvanic　current　profoundly
disturbing。　　Sometimes　when　he　bent　over　her　she　experienced　a　commingled
ecstasy　and　fear　that　he　would　seize　her　in　his　arms。　　Yet　the　tension　was　not
constant；　rising　and　falling　with　his　moods　and　struggles；　all　of　which　she
readunguessed　by　himas　easily　as　a　printed　page　by　the　gift　that　dispenses
with　laborious　processes　of　the　intellect。　　On　the　other　hand；　a　resentment
boiled　within　her　his　masculine　mind　failed　to　fathom。　　Stevenson　said　of　John
Knox　that　many　women　had　come　to　learn　from　him；　but　he　had　never　condescended
to　become　a　learner　in　returna　remark　more　or　less　applicable　to　Ditmar。　　She
was；　perforce；　thrilled　that　he　was　virile　and　wanted　her；　but　because　he
wanted　her　clandestinely　her　pride　revolted；divining　his　fear　of　scandal　and
hating　him　for　it　like　a　thoroughbred。　　To　do　her　justice；　marriage　never
occurred　to　her。　　She　was　not　so　commonplace。

There　were　times；　however；　when　the　tension　between　them　would　relax；　when　some
incident　occurred　to　focus　Ditmar's　interest　on　the　enterprise　that　had
absorbed　and　unified　his　life；　the　Chippering　Mill。　　One　day　in　September；　for
instance；　after　an　absence　in　New　York；　he　returned　to　the　office　late　in　the
afternoon；　and　she　was　quick　to　sense　his　elation；　to　recognize　in　him　the
restored　presence　of　the　quality　of　elan；　of　command；　of　singleness　of　purpose
that　had　characterized　him　before　she　had　become　his　stenographer。　　At　first；
as　he　read　his　mail；　he　seemed　scarcely　conscious　of　her　presence。　　She　stood
by　the　window；　awaiting　his　pleasure；　watching　the　white　mist　as　it　rolled　over
the　floor　of　the　river；　catching　glimpses　in　vivid；　saffron　blurs　of　the　lights
of　the　Arundel　Mill　on　the　farther　shore。　　Autumn　was　at　hand。　　Suddenly　she
heard　Ditmar　speaking。

〃Would　you　mind　staying　a　little　while　longer　this　evening；　Miss　Bumpus？〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　she　replied；　turning。

On　his　face　was　a　smile；　almost　boyish。

〃The　fact　is；　I　think　I've　got　hold　of　the　biggest　single　order　that　ever　came
into　any　mill　in　New　England；〃　he　declared。

〃Oh；　I'm　glad；〃　she　said　quickly。

〃The　cotton　cards？〃　he　demanded。

She　knew　he　referred　to　the　schedules；　based　on　the　current　prices　of　cotton；
made　out　in　the　agent's　office　and　sent　in　duplicate　to　the　selling　house；　in
Boston。　　She　got　them　from　the　shelf；　and　as　he　went　over　them　she　heard　him
repeating　the　names　of　various　goods　now　become　familiar；　pongees；　poplins；
percales　and　voiles；　garbardines　and　galateas；　lawns；　organdies；　crepes；　and
Madras　shirtings；　while　he　wrote　down　figures　on　a　sheet　of　paper。　　So　complete
was　his　absorption　in　this　task　that　Janet；　although　she　had　resented　the
insinuating　pressure　of　his　former　attitude　toward　her；　felt　a　paradoxical
sensation　of　jealousy。　　Presently；　without　looking　up；　he　told　her　to　call　up
the　Boston　office　and　ask　for　Mr。　Fraile；　the　cotton　buyer；　and　she　learned
from　the　talk　over　the　telephone　though　it　was　mostly　about　〃futures〃that
Ditmar　had　lingered　for　a　conference　in　Boston　on　his　way　back　from　New　York。
Afterwards；　having　dictated　two　telegrams　which　she　wrote　out　on　her　machine；
he　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　and　though　the　business　for　the　day　was　ended；
showed　a　desire　to　detain　her。　　His　mood　became　communicative。


〃I've　been　on　the　trail　of　that　order　for　a　month；〃　he　declared。　　〃Of　course　it
isn't　my　business　to　get　orders；　but　to　manage　this　mill；　and　that's　enough　for
one　man；　God　knows。　　But　I　heard　the　Bradlaughs　were　in　the　market　for　these
goods；　and　I　told　the　selling　house　to　lie　low；　that　I'd　go　after　it。　　I　knew　I
could　get　away　with　it；　if　anybody　could。　　I　went　to　the　Bradlaughs　and　sat
down　on　'em；　I　lived　with　'em；　ate　with　'em；　brought　'em　home　at　night。　　I
didn't　let　'em　alone　a　minute　until　they　handed　it　over。　　I　wasn't　going　to
give　any　other　mill　in　New　England　or　any　of　those　southern　concerns　a　chance
to　walk　off　with　itnot　on　your　life！　　Why；　we　have　the　facilities。　　There
isn't　another　mill　in　the　country　can　turn　it　out　in　the　time　they　ask；　and
even　we　will　have　to　go　some　to　do　it。　　But　we'll　do　it；　by　George；　unless　I'm
struck　by　lightning。〃

He　leaned　forward；　hitting　the　desk　with　his　fist；　and　Janet；　standing　beside
him；　smiled。　　She　had　the　tempting　gift　of　silence。　　Forgetting　her　twinge　of
jealousy；　she　was　drawn　toward　him　now；　and　in　this　mood　of　boyish　exuberance；
of　self…confidence　and　pride　in　his　powers　and　success　she　liked　him　better
than　ever　before。　　She　had；　for　the　first　time；　the　curious　feeling　of　being
years　older　than　he；　yet　this　did　not　detract　from　a　new…born　admiration。

〃I　made　this　mill；　and　I'm　proud　of　it；〃　he　went　on。　　〃When　old　Stephen
Chippering　put　me　in　charge　he　was　losing　money；　he'd　had　three　agents　in　four
years。　　The　old　man　knew　I　had　it　in　me；　and　I　knew　it；　if　I　do　say　it　myself。
All　this　union　labour　talk　about　shorter　hours　makes　me　sickwhy；　there　was　a
time　when　I　worked　ten　and　twelve　hours　a　day；　and　I'm　man　enough　to　do　it　yet；
if　I　have　to。　　When　the　last　agentthat　was　Cortwas　sacked　I　went　to　Boston
on　my　own　hook　and　tackled　t