the dwelling place of ligh-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


stiff　collar；　the　〃Torture　Brand；〃　Janet　called　it；　when　she　and　her　sister
were　engaged　in　one　of　their　frequent　controversies　about　life　in　general：　the
obvious　retort　to　this　remark；　which　Lise　never　failed　to　make；　was　that　Janet
could　boast　of　no　beaux　at　all。

It　is　only　fair　to　add　that　the　photograph　scarcely　did　Mr。　Wylie　justice。　　In
real　life　he　did　not　wear　the　collar；　he　was　free　and　easy　in　his　manners；　sure
of　his　powers　of　conquest。　　As　Lise　observed；　he　had　made　a　home…run　with　her
at　Slattery's　Riverside　Park。　　〃Sadie　Hartmann　was　sure　sore　when　I　tangoed　off
with　him；〃　she　would　observe　reminiscently　。。。。

It　was　Lise's　habit　to　slight　her　morning　toilet；　to　linger　until　the　last
minute　in　bed；　which　she　left　in　reluctant　haste　to　stand　before　the　bureau
frantically　combing　out　kinks　of　the　brown　hair　falling　over　her　shoulders
before　jamming　it　down　across　her　forehead　in　the　latest　mode。　　Thus　occupied；
she　revealed　a　certain　petulant　beauty。　　Like　the　majority　of　shop…girls；　she
was　small；　but　her　figure　was　good；　her　skin　white；　her　discontented　mouth　gave
her　the　touch　of　piquancy　apt　to　play　havoc　with　the　work　of　the　world。　　In
winter　breakfast　was　eaten　by　the　light　of　a　rococo　metal　lamp　set　in　the
centre　of　the　table。　　This　was　to　save　gas。　　There　was　usually　a　rump　steak　and
potatoes；　bread　and　〃creamery〃　butterine；　and　the　inevitable　New　England
doughnuts。　　At　six　thirty　the　whistles　screeched　again；a　warning　note；　the
signal　for　Edward's　departure；　and　presently；　after　a　brief　respite；　the　heavy
bells　once　more　began　their　clamour；　not　to　die　down　until　ten　minutes　of
seven；　when　the　last　of　the　stragglers　had　hurried　through　the　mill　gates。

The　Bumpus　flat　included　the　second　floor　of　a　small　wooden　house　whose　owner
had　once　been　evilly　inspired　to　paint　it　a　livid　clay…yellowas　though
insisting　that　ugliness　were　an　essential　attribute　of　domesticity。　　A　bay　ran
up　the　two　stories；　and　at　the　left　were　two　narrow　doorways；　one　for　each
flat。　　On　the　right　the　house　was　separated　from　its　neighbour　by　a　narrow
interval；　giving　but　a　precarious　light　to　the　two　middle　rooms；　the　diningroom
and　kitchen。　　The　very　unattractiveness　of　such　a　home；　however；　had　certain
compensations　for　Janet；　after　the　effort　of　early　rising　had　been　surmounted；
felt　a　real　relief　in　leaving　it；　a　relief；　too；　in　leaving　Fillmore　Street；
every　feature　of　which　was　indelibly　fixed　in　her　mind；　opposite　was　the　blind
brick　face　of　a　warehouse；　and　next　to　that　the　converted　dwelling　house　that
held　the　shop　of　A。　Bauer；　with　the　familiar　replica　of　a　green　ten…cent
trading　stamp　painted　above　it　and　the　somewhat　ironical　announcementwhen
boar　frost　whitened　the　pavementthat　ice…cold　soda　was　to　be　had　within；　as
well　as　cigars　and　tobacco；　fruit　and　candy。　　Then　came　a　tenement；　under　which
two　enterprising　Greeks　by　the　name　of　Pappasspelled　Papas　lower　down
conducted　a　business　called　〃The　Gentleman；〃　a　tailoring；　pressing；　and　dyeing
establishment。　　Janet　could　see　the　brilliantined　black　heads　of　the　two
proprietors　bending　over　their　boards；　and　sometimes　they　would　be　lifted　to
smile　at　her　as　she　passed。　　The　Pappas　Brothers　were　evidently　as　happy　in
this　drab　environment　as　they　had　ever　been　on　the　sunny　mountain　slopes　of
Hellas；　and　Janet　sometimes　wondered　at　this；　for　she　had　gathered　from　her
education　in　the　Charming　public　school　that　Greece　was　beautiful。

She　was　one　of　the　unfortunate　who　love　beauty；　who　are　condemned　to　dwell　in
exile；　unacquainted　with　what　they　love。　　Desire　was　incandescent　within　her
breast。　　Desire　for　what？　　It　would　have　been　some　relief　to　know。　　She　could
not；　like　Lise；　find　joy　and　forgetfulness　at　dance　；halls；　at　the　〃movies；〃　at
Slattery's　Riverside　Park　in　summer；　in　〃joy　rides〃　with　the　Max　Wylies　of
Hampton。　　And　beside；　the　Max　Wylies　were　afraid　of　her。　　If　at　times　she
wished　for　wealth；　it　was　because　wealth　held　the　magic　of　emancipation　from
surroundings　against　which　her　soul　revolted。　　Vividly　idealized　but　unconfided
was　the　memory　of　a　seaside　village；　the　scene　of　one　of　the　brief　sojourns　of
her　childhood；　where　the　air　was　fragrant　with　the　breath　of　salt　marshes；
where　she　recalled；　through　the　vines　of　a　porch；　a　shining　glimpse　of　the　sea
at　the　end　of　a　little　street。。。。

Next　to　Pappas　Brothers　was　the　grey　wooden　building　of　Mule　Spinners'　Hall；
that　elite　organization　of　skilled　labour；　and　underneath　it　the　store　of
Johnny　Tiernan；　its　windows　piled　up　with　stoves　and　stovepipes；　sheet　iron　and
cooking　utensils。　　Mr。　Tiernan；　like　the　Greeks；　was　happy；　too：　unlike　the
Greeks；　he　never　appeared　to　be　busy；　and　yet　he　throve。　　He　was　very　proud　of
the　business　in　which　he　had　invested　his　savings；　but　he　seemed　to　have　other
affairs　lying　blithely　on　his　mind；　affairs　of　moment　to　the　community；　as　the
frequent　presence　of　the　huge　policemen；　aldermen；　and　other　important　looking
persons　bore　witness。　　He　hailed　by　name　Italians；　Greeks；　Belgians；　Syrians；
and　〃French〃；　he　hailed　Janet；　too；　with　respectful　cheerfulness；　taking　off
his　hat。　　He　possessed　the　rare；　warm　vitality　that　is　irresistible。　　A　native
of　Hampton；　still　in　his　thirties；　his　sharp　little　nose　and　twinkling　blue
eyes　proclaimed　the　wisdom　that　is　born　and　not　made；　his　stiff　hair　had　a
twist　like　the　bristles　in　the　cleaning　rod　of　a　gun。

He　gave　Janet　the　odd　impression　that　he　understood　her。　　And　she　did　not
understand　herself！

By　the　time　she　reached　the　Common　the　winter　sun；　as　though　red　from　exertion；
had　begun　to　dispel　the　smoke　and　heavy　morning　mists。　　She　disliked　winter；
the　lumpy　brown　turf　mildewed　by　the　frost；　but　one　day　she　was　moved　by　a
quality；　hitherto　unsuspected；　in　the　delicate　tracery　against　the　sky　made　by
the　slender　branches　of　the　great　elms　and　maples。　　She　halted　on　the　pavement；
her　eyes　raised；　heedless　of　passers…by；　feeling　within　her　a　throb　of　the
longing　that　could　be　so　oddly　and　unexpectedly　aroused。

Her　way　lay　along　Faber　Street；　the　main　artery　of　Hampton；　a　wide　strip　of
asphalt　threaded　with　car　tracks；　lined　on　both　sides　with　incongruous　edifices
indicative　of　a　rapid；　undiscriminating；　and　artless　prosperity。　　There　were
long　stretches　of　〃ten　foot〃　buildings；　so　called　on　account　of　the　single
story；　their　height　deceptively　enhanced　by　the　superimposition　of　huge　and
gaudy　signs；　one　on　top　of　another；　announcing　the　merits　of　〃Stewart's
Amberine　Ale；〃　of　〃Cooley's　Oats；　the　Digestible　Breakfast　Food；〃　of
graphophones　and　〃spring　heeled〃　shoes；　tobacco；　and　naphtha　soaps。　　〃No；　We
don't　give　Trading　Stamps；　Our　Products　are　Worth　all　You　Pay。〃　　These　〃ten
foot〃　stores　were　the　repositories　of　pianos；　automobiles；　hardware；　and
millinery；　and　interspersed　amongst　them　were　buildings　of　various　heights；　The
Bagatelle；　where　Lise　worked；　the　Wilmot　Hotel；　office　buildings；　and　an
occasional　relic　of　old　Hampton；　like　that　housing　the　Banner。　　Here；　during
those　months　when　the　sun　made　the　asphalt　soft；　on　a　scaffolding　spanning　the
window　of　the　store；　might　be　seen　a　perspiring　young　man　in　his　shirt　sleeves
chalking　up　baseball　scores　for　the　benefit　of　a　crowd　below。　　Then　came　the
funereal；　liver…coloured；　long…windowed　Hinckley　Block　（1872）；　and　on　the
corner　a　modern；　glorified　drugstore　thrusting　forth　plate　glass　baystwo　on
Faber　Street　and　three　on　Stanleyfilled　with　cameras　and　candy；　hot　water
bags；　throat　sprays；　catarrh　and　kidney　cures；　calendars；　fountain　pens；
stationery；　and　handy　alcohol　lamps。　　Flanking　the　sidewalks；　symbolizing　and
completing　the　heterogeneous　and　bewildering　effect　of　the　street　were　long
rows　of　heavy　hemlock　trunks；　unpainted　and　stripped　of　bark；　with　crosstrees
bearing　webs　of　wires。　　Trolley　cars　rattled　along；　banging　their　gongs；　trucks
rumbled　across　the　tracks；　automobiles　uttered　frenzied　screeches　behind
startled　pedestrians。　　Janet　was　always　galvanized　into　alertness　here；　Faber
Street　being　no　place　to　dream。　　By　night　an　endless　procession　moved　up　one
sidewalk　and　down　another；　staring　hypnotically　at　the　flash…in　and　flash…out
electric；　signs　that　kept　the　breakfast　foods　and　ales；　the　safety　razors；
soaps；　and　soups　incessantly　in　the　minds　of　a　fickle　public。

Two　blocks　from　Faber　Street　was　the　North　Canal；　with　a　granite…paved　roadway
between　it　and　the　monotonous　row　of　company　boarding　houses。　　Even　in　bright
weather　Janet　felt　a　sense　of　oppression　here；　on　dark；　misty　mornings　the
stern；　huge　battlements　of　the　mills　lining　the　farther　bank　were　menacing
indeed；　bristling　with　projections；　towers；　and　chimneys；　flanked　by　heavy
walls。　　Had　her　experience　included　Europe；　her　imagination　might　have　seized
the　medieval　parallel；the　arched　bridges　flung　at　intervals　across　the　water；
lacking　only　chains　to　raise　them　in　case　of　siege。　　The　place　was　always
ominously　suggestive　of　impending　strife。　　Janet's　soul　was　a　sensitive
instrument；　but　she　suffered　from　an　inability　to　find　parallels；　and　thus　to
translate　her　impressions　intellectually。　　Her　feeling　about　the　mills　was　that
they　were　at　once　fortress　and　prison；　and　she　a　slave　driven　thither　day　after
day　by　an　all…compelling　power；　as　much　a　slave　as　those　who　trooped　in　through
the　gates　in　the　winter　dawn；　and　wore　down；　four　times　a　day；　the　oak　treads
of　the　circular　tower　stairs。

The　sound　of　the　looms　was　like　heavy　rain　hissing　on　the　waters　of　the　canal。

The　administrative　offices　of　a　giant　mill　such　as　the　Chippering　in　Hampton
are　labyrinthine。　　Janet　did　not　enter　by　the　great　gates　her　father　kept；　but
walked　through　an　open　courtyard　into　a　vestibule　where；　day　and　night；　a
watchman　stood；　she　climbed　iron…shod　stairs；　passed　the　doorway　leading　to　the
paymaster's　suite；　to　catch　a　glimpse；　behind　the　grill；　of　numerous　young　men
settling　down　at　those　mysterious　and　complicated　machines　that　kept　so
unerring　a　record；　in　dollars　and　cents；　of　the　human　labour　of　the　operatives。
There　were　other　suites　for　the　superintendents；　for　the　purchasing　agent；　and
at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　on　the　south　side　of　the　mill；　she　entered　the
outer　of　the　two　roo