the dwelling place of ligh-第27部分

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〃I　thought　we　were　going　to　be　friends；〃　he　said。

〃Being　friends　doesn't　mean　being　foolish；〃　she　retorted。　　〃And　Mr。　Orcutt's
waiting　to　see　you。〃

〃Let　him　wait。〃

He　sat　down　at　his　desk；　but　his　blood　was　warm；　and　he　read　the　typewritten
words　of　the　topmost　letter　of　the　pile　without　so　much　as　grasping　the　meaning
of　them。　　From　time　to　time　he　glanced　up　at　Janet　as　she　flitted　about　the
room。　　By　George；　she　was　more　desirable　than　he　had　ever　dared　to　imagine！　　He
felt　temporarily　balked；　but　hopeful。　　On　his　way　to　the　mill　he　had　dwelt　with
Epicurean　indulgence　on　this　sight　of　her；　and　he　had　not　been　disappointed。
He　had　also　thought　that　he　might　venture　upon　more　than　the　mere　feasting　of
his　eyes；　yet　found　an　inspiring　alleviation　in　the　fact　that　she　by　no　means
absolutely　repulsed　him。　　Her　attitude　toward　him　had　undergone　a　subtle
transformation。　　There　could　be　no　doubt　of　that。　　She　was　almost　coquettish。
His　eyes　lingered。　　The　china　silk　blouse　was　slightly　open　at　the　neck；
suggesting　the　fullness　of　her　throat；　it　clung　to　the　outline　of　her
shoulders。　　Overcome　by　an　impulse　he　could　not　control；　he　got　up　and　went
toward　her；　but　she　avoided　him。

〃I'll　tell　Mr。　Orcutt　you've　come；〃　she　said；　rather　breathlessly；　as　she
reached　the　door　and　opened　it。　　Ditmar　halted　in　his　steps　at　the　sight　of　the
tall；　spectacled　figure　of　the　superintendent　on　the　threshold。

Orcutt　hesitated；　looking　from　one　to　the　other。

〃I've　been　waiting　for　you；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment；　〃the　rest　of　that　lot
didn't　come　in　this　morning。　　I've　telephoned　to　the　freight　agent。〃

Ditmar　stared　at　him　uncomprehendingly。　　Orcutt　repeated　the　information。

〃Oh　well；　keep　after　him；　get　him　to　trace　them。〃

〃I'm　doing　that；〃　replied　the　conscientious　Orcutt。

〃How's　everything　else　going？〃　Ditmar　demanded；　with　unlooked…for　geniality。
〃You　mustn't　take　things　too　hard；　Orcutt；　don't　wear　yourself　out。〃

Mr。　Orcutt　was　relieved。　　He　had　expected　an　outburst　of　the　exasperation　that
lately　had　characterized　his　superior。　　They　began　to　chat。　　Janet　had　escaped。

〃Miss　Bumpus　told　me　you　wanted　to　see　me。　　I　was　just　going　to　ring　you　up；〃
Ditmar　informed　him。

〃She's　a　clever　young　woman；　seems　to　take　such　an　interest　in　things；〃　Orcutt
observed。　　〃And　she's　always　on　the　job。　　Only　yesterday　I　saw　her　going
through　the　mill　with　young　Caldwell。〃

Ditmar　dropped　the　paper…weight　he　held。

〃Oh；　she　went　through；　did　she？〃

After　Orcutt　departed　he　sat　for　awhile　whistling　a　tune；　from　a　popular
musical　play；　keeping　time　by　drumming　with　his　fingers　on　the　desk。

That　Mr。　Semple；　the　mill　treasurer；　came　down　from　Boston　that　morning　to
confer　with　Ditmar　was　for　Janet　in　the　nature　of　a　reprieve。　　She　sat　by　her
window；　and　as　her　fingers　flew　over　the　typewriter　keys　she　was　swept　by
surges　of　heat　in　which　ecstasy　and　shame　and　terror　were　strangely　commingled。
A　voice　within　her　said；　〃This　can't　go　on；　this　can't　go　on！　　It's　too
terrible！　　Everyone　in　the　office　will　notice　itthere　will　be　a　scandal。　　I
ought　to　go　away　while　there　is　yet　timeto…day。〃　　Though　the　instinct　of
flight　was　strong　within　her；　she　was　filled　with　rebellion　at　the　thought　of
leaving　when　Adventure　was　flooding　her　drab　world　with　light；　even　as　the　mill
across　the　waters　was　transfigured　by　the　heavy　golden　wash　of　the　autumn　sun。
She　had　made　at　length　the　discovery　that　Adventure　had　to　do　with　Man；　was
inconceivable　without　him。

Racked　by　these　conflicting　impulses　of　self…preservation　on　the　one　hand　and
what　seemed　self…realization　on　the　other；　she　started　when；　toward　the　middle
of　the　afternoon；　she　heard　Ditmar's　voice　summoning　her　to　take　his　letters；
and　went　palpitating；　leaving　the　door　open　behind　her；　seating　herself　on　the
far　side　of　the　desk；　her　head　bent　over　her　book。　　Her　neck；　where　her　hair
grew　in　wisps　behind　her　ear；　seemed　to　burn：　Ditmar's　glance　was　focussed
there。　　Her　hands　were　cold　as　she　wrote。。。。　　Then；　like　a　deliverer；　she　saw
young　Caldwell　coming　in　from　the　outer　office；　holding　a　card　in　his　hand
which　he　gave　to　Ditmar；　who　sat　staring　at　it。

〃Siddons？〃　he　said。　　〃Who's　Siddons？〃

Janet；　who　had　risen；　spoke　up。

〃Why；　he's　been　making　the　Hampton　‘survey。'　　You　wrote　him　you'd　see　him
don't　you　remember；　Mr。　Ditmar？〃

〃Don't　go！〃　exclaimed　Ditmar。　　〃You　can't　tell　what　those　confounded　reformers
will　accuse　you　of　if　you　don't　have　a　witness。〃

Janet　sat　down　again。　　The　sharpness　of　Ditmar's　tone　was　an　exhilarating
reminder　of　the　fact　that；　in　dealing　with　strangers；　he　had　come　more　or　less
to　rely　on　her　instinctive　judgment；　while　the　implied　appeal　of　his　manner　on
such　occasions　emphasized　the　pleasurable　sense　of　his　dependence；　of　her　own
usefulness。　　Besides；　she　had　been　curious　about　the　‘survey'　at　the　time　it
was　first　mentioned；　she　wished　to　hear　Ditmar's　views　concerning　it。　　Mr。
Siddons　proved　to　be　a　small　and　sallow　young　man　with　a　pointed　nose　and
bright；　bulbous　brown　eyes　like　a　chipmunk's。　　Indeed；　he　reminded　one　of　a
chipmunk。　　As　he　whisked　himself　in　and　seized　Ditmar's　hand　he　gave　a　confused
impression　of　polite　self…effacement　as　well　as　of　dignity　and　self…assertion；
he　had　the　air　of　one　who　expects　opposition；　and　though　by　no　means　desiring
it；　is　prepared　to　deal　with　it。　　Janet　smiled。　　She　had　a　sudden　impulse　to
drop　the　heavy　book　that　lay　on　the　corner　of　the　desk　to　see　if　he　would　jump。

〃How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Ditmar？〃　he　said。　　〃I've　been　hoping　to　have　this
pleasure。〃

〃My　secretary；　Miss　Bumpus；〃　said　Ditmar。

Mr。　Siddons　quivered　and　bowed。　　Ditmar；　sinking　ponderously　into　his　chair；
seemed　suddenly；　ironically　amused；　grinning　at　Janet　as　he　opened　a　drawer　of
his　desk　and　offered　the　visitor　a　cigar。

〃Thanks；　I　don't　smoke；〃　said　Mr。　Siddons。

Ditmar　lit　one　for　himself。

〃Now；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　he　asked。

〃Well；　as　I　wrote　you　in　my　letter；　I　was　engaged　to　make　as　thorough　an
examination　as　possible　of　the　living　conditions　and　housing　of　the　operatives
in　the　city　of　Hampton。　　I'm　sure　you'd　be　interested　in　hearing　something　of
the　situation　we　found。〃

〃I　suppose　you've　been　through　our　mills；〃　said　Ditmar。

〃No；　the　fact　is〃

〃You　ought　to　go　through。　　I　think　it　might　interest　you；〃　Ditmar　put　a　slight
emphasis　on　the　pronoun。　　〃We　rather　pride　ourselves　on　making　things
comfortable　and　healthy　for　our　people。〃

〃I've　no　doubt　of　itin　fact；　I've　been　so　informed。　　It's　because　of　your
concern　for　the　welfare　of　your　workers　in　the　mills　that　I　ventured　to　come
and　talk　to　you　of　how　most　of　them　live　when　they're　at　home；〃　replied
Siddons；　as　Janet　thought；　rather　neatly。　　〃Perhaps；　though　living　in　Hampton；
you　don't　quite　realize　what　the　conditions　are。　　I　know　a　man　who　has　lived　in
Boston　ten　years　and　who　hasn't　ever　seen　the　Bunker　Hill　monument。〃

〃The　Bunker　Hill　monument's　a　public　affair；〃　retorted　Ditmar；　〃anybody　can　go
there　who　has　enough　curiosity　and　interest。　　But　I　don't　see　how　you　can
expect　me　to　follow　these　people　home　and　make　them　clean　up　their　garbage　and
wash　their　babies。　　I　shouldn't　want　anybody　to　interfere　with　my　private
affairs。〃

〃But　when　you　get　to　a　point　where　private　affairs　become　a　public　menace？〃
Siddons　objected。　　〃Mr。　Ditmar；　I've　seen　block　after　block　of　tenements　ready
to　crumble。　　There　are　no　provisions　for　foundations；　thickness　of　walls；　size
of　timbers　and　columns；　and　if　these　houses　had　been　deliberately　erected　to
make　a　bonfire　they　couldn't　have　answered　the　purpose　better。　　If　it　were　not
for　the　danger　to　life　and　the　pity　of　making　thousands　of　families　homeless；　a
conflagration　would　be　a　blessing；　although　I　believe　the　entire　north　or　south
side　of　the　city　would　go　under　certain　conditions。　　The　best　thing　you　could
do　would　be　to　burn　whole　rows　of　these　tenements；　they　are　ideal　breeding
grounds　for　disease。　　In　the　older　sections　of　the　city　you've　got　hundreds　of
rear　houses　here；　houses　moved　back　on　the　lots；　in　some　extreme　cases　with
only　four…foot　courts　littered　with　refuse；houses　without　light；　without
ventilation；　and　many　of　the　rooms　where　these　people　are　cooking　and　eating
and　sleeping　are　so　damp　and　foul　they're　not　fit　to　put　dogs　in。　　You've　got
some　blocks　with　a　density　of　over　five　hundred　to　the　acre；　and　your　average
density　is　considerably　over　a　hundred。〃

〃Are　things　any　worse　than　in　any　other　manufacturing　city？〃　asked　Ditmar。

〃That　isn't　the　point；〃　said　Siddons。　　〃The　point　is　that　they're　bad；　they're
dangerous；　they're　inhuman。　　If　you　could　go　into　these　tenements　as　I　have
done　and　see　the　way　some　of　these　people　live；　it　would　make　you　sick　the
Poles　and　Lithuanians　and　Italians　especially。　　You　wouldn't　treat　cattle　that
way。　　In　some　households　of　five　rooms；　including　the　kitchen；　I　found　as　many
as　fourteen；　fifteen；　and　once　seventeen　people　living。　　You've　got　an　alarming
infant　death…rate。〃

〃Isn't　it　because　these　people　want　to　live　that　way？〃　Ditmar　inquired。　　〃They
actually　like　it；　they　wouldn't　be　happy　in　anything　but　a　pig…stythey　had
'em　in　Europe。　　And　what　do　you　expect　us　to　do？　　Buy　land　and　build　flats　for
them？　　Inside　of　a　month　they'd　have　all　the　woodwork　stripped　off　for
kindling；　the　drainage　stopped　up；　the　bathtubs　filled　with　ashes。　　I　know；
because　it's　been　tried。〃

Tilted　back　in　his　chair；　he　blew　a　cloud　of　smoke　toward　the　ceiling；　and　his
eyes　sought　Janet's。　　She　avoided　them；　resenting　a　little　the　assumption　of
approval　she　read　in　them。　　Her　mind；　sensitive　to　new　ideas；　had　been　keenly
stimulated　as　she　listened　to　Siddons；　who　began　patiently　to　dwell　once　more
on　the　ill　effect　of　the　conditions　he　had　discovered　on　the　welfare　of　the
entire　community。　　She　had　never　thought　of　this。　　She　was　surprised　that
Ditmar　should　seem　to　belittle　it。　　Siddons　was　a　new　type　in　her　experience。
She　could　understand　and　to　a　certain　extent　maliciously　enjoy　Ditmar's　growing
exasperation　with　him；　he　had　a　formal；　precise　manner　of　talking；　as　though　he
spent　most　of　his　time　presenting　cases　in　committees：　and　in　warding　off
Ditma