the dwelling place of ligh-第4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！


at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　on　the　south　side　of　the　mill；　she　entered　the
outer　of　the　two　rooms　reserved　for　Mr。　Claude　Ditmar；　the　Agent　and　general…
in…chief　himself　of　this　vast　establishment。　　In　this　outer　office；　behind　the
rail　that　ran　the　length　of　it；　Janet　worked；　from　the　window　where　her
typewriter　stood　was　a　sheer　drop　of　eighty　feet　or　so　to　the　river；　which　ran
here　swiftly　through　a　wide　canon　whose　sides　were　formed　by　miles　and　miles　of
mills；　built　on　buttressed　stone　walls　to　retain　the　banks。　　The　prison…like
buildings　on　the　farther　shore　were　also　of　colossal　size；　casting　their
shadows　far　out　into　the　waters；　while　in　the　distance；　up　and　down　the　stream；
could　be　seen　the　delicate　web　of　the　Stanley　and　Warren　Street　bridges；　with
trolley　cars　like　toys　gliding　over　them；　with　insect　pedestrians　creeping
along　the　footpaths。

Mr。　Ditmar's　immediate　staff　consisted　of　Mr。　Price；　an　elderly　bachelor　of
tried　efficiency　whose　peculiar　genius　lay　in　computation；　of　a　young　Mr。
Caldwell　who；　during　the　four　years　since　he　had　left　Harvard；　had　been
learning　the　textile　industry；　of　Miss　Ottway；　and　Janet。　　Miss　Ottway　was　the
agent's　private　stenographer；　a　strongly　built；　capable　woman　with　immense
reserves　seemingly　inexhaustible。　　She　had　a　deep；　masculine　voice；　not
unmusical；　the　hint　of　a　masculine　moustache；　a　masculine　manner　of　taking　to
any　job　that　came　to　hand。　　Nerves　were　things　unknown　to　her：　she　was　granite；
Janet　tempered　steel。　　Janet　was　the　second　stenographer；　and　performed；
besides；　any　odd　tasks　that　might　be　assigned。

There　were；　in　the　various　offices　of　the　superintendents；　the　paymaster　and
purchasing　agent；　other　young　women　stenographers　whose　companionship　Janet；
had　she　been　differently　organized；　might　have　found　congenial；　but　something
in　her　refused　to　dissolve　to　their　proffered　friendship。　　She　had　but　one
friend；if　Eda　Rawle；　who　worked　in　a　bank；　and　whom　she　had　met　at　a　lunch
counter　by　accident；　may　be　called　so。　　As　has　been　admirably　said　in　another
language；　one　kisses；　the　other　offers　a　cheek：　Janet　offered　the　cheek。　　All
unconsciously　she　sought　a　relationship　rarely　to　be　found　in　banks　and
business　offices；　would　yield　herself　to　none　other。　　The　young　women
stenographers　in　the　Chippering　Mill；　respectable；　industrious　girls；　were
attracted　by　a　certain　indefinable　quality；　but　finding　they　made　no　progress
in　their　advances；　presently　desisted　they　were　somewhat　afraid　of　her；　as　one
of　them　remarked；　〃You　always　knew　she　was　there。〃　　Miss　Lottie　Meyers；　who
worked　in　the　office　of　Mr。　Orcutt；　the　superintendent　across　the　hall；
experienced　a　brief　infatuation　that　turned　to　hate。　　She　chewed　gum
incessantly；　Janet　found　her　cheap　perfume　insupportable；　Miss　Meyers；　for　her
part；　declared　that　Janet　was　〃queer〃　and　〃stuck　up；〃　thought　herself　better
than　the　rest　of　them。　　Lottie　Meyers　was　the　leader　of　a　group　of　four　or　five
which　gathered　in　the　hallway　at　the　end　of　the　noon　hour　to　enter　animatedly
into　a　discussion　of　waists；　hats；　and　lingerie；　to　ogle　and　exchange
persiflages　with　the　young　men　of　the　paymaster's　corps；　to　giggle；　to　relate；
sotto　voce；　certain　stories　that　ended　invariably　in　hysterical　laughter。
Janet　detested　these　conversations。　　And　the　sex　question；　subtly　suggested　if
not　openly　dealt　with；　to　her　was　a　mystery　over　which　she　did　not　dare　to
ponder；　terrible；　yet　too　sacred　to　be　degraded。　　Her　feelings；　concealed　under
an　exterior　of　self…possession；　deceptive　to　the　casual　observer；　sometimes
became　molten；　and　she　was　frightened　by　a　passion　that　made　her　tremblea
passion　by　no　means　always　consciously　identified　with　men；　embodying　all　the
fierce　unexpressed　and　unsatisfied　desires　of　her　life。

These　emotions；　often　suggested　by　some　hint　of　beauty；　as　of　the　sun　glinting
on　the　river　on　a　bright　blue　day；　had　a　sudden　way　of　possessing　her；　and　the
longing　they　induced　was　pain。　　Longing　for　what？　　For　some　unimagined
existence　where　beauty　dwelt；　and　light；　where　the　ecstasy　induced　by　these　was
neither　moiled　nor　degraded；　where　shame；　as　now；　might　not　assail　her。　　Why
should　she　feel　her　body　hot　with　shame；　her　cheeks　afire？　　At　such　moments　she
would　turn　to　the　typewriter；　her　fingers　striking　the　keys　with　amazing
rapidity；　with　extraordinary　accuracy　and　force；force　vaguely　disturbing　to
Mr。　Claude　Ditmar　as　he　entered　the　office　one　morning　and　involuntarily　paused
to　watch　her。　　She　was　unaware　of　his　gaze；　but　her　colour　was　like　a　crimson
signal　that　flashed　to　him　and　was　gone。　　Why　had　he　never　noticed　her　before？
All　these　months；　for　more　than　a　year；　perhaps；she　had　been　in　his　office；
and　he　had　not　so　much　as　looked　at　her　twice。　　The　unguessed　answer　was　that
he　had　never　surprised　her　in　a　vivid　moment。　　He　had　a　flair　for　women；　though
he　had　never　encountered　any　possessing　the　higher　values；　and　it　was
characteristic　of　the　plane　of　his　mental　processes　that　this　one　should　remind
him　now　of　a　dark；　lithe　panther；　tensely　strung；　capable　of　fierceness。　　The
pain　of　having　her　scratch　him　would　be　delectable。

When　he　measured　her　it　was　to　discover　that　she　was　not　so　little；　and　the
shoulder…curve　of　her　uplifted　arms；　as　her　fingers　played　over　the　keys；
seemed　to　belie　that　apparent　slimness。　　And　had　he　not　been　unacquainted　with
the　subtleties　of　the　French　mind　and　language；　he
might　have　classed　her　as　a　fausse　maigre。　　Her　head　was　small；　her　hair　like　a
dark；　blurred　shadow　clinging　round　it。　He　wanted　to　examine　her　hair；　to　see
whether　it　would　not　betray；　at　closer　range；　an　imperceptible　wave；but　not
daring　to　linger　he　went　into　his　office；　closed　the　door；　and　sat　down　with　a
sensation　akin　to　weakness；　somewhat　appalled　by　his　discovery；　considerably
amazed　at　his　previous　stupidity。　　He　had　thought　of　Janetwhen　she　had
entered　his　mind　at　allas　unobtrusive；　demure；　now　he　recognized　this
demureness　as　repression。　　Her　qualities　needed　illumination；　and　he；　Claude
Ditmar；　had　seen　them　struck　with　fire。　　He　wondered　whether　any　other　man
had　been　as　fortunate。

Later　in　the　morning；　quite　casually；　he　made　inquiries　of　Miss　Ottway；　who
liked　Janet　and　was　willing　to　do　her　a　good　turn。

〃Why；　she's　a　clever　girl；　Mr。　Ditmar；　a　good　stenographer；　and　conscientious
in　her　work。　　She's　very　quick；　too。

〃Yes；　I've　noticed　that；〃　Ditmar　replied；　who　was　quite　willing　to　have　it
thought　that　his　inquiry　was　concerned　with　Janet's　aptitude　for　business。

〃She　keeps　to　herself　and　minds　her　own　affairs。　　You　can　see　she　comes　of　good
stock。〃　　Miss　Ottway　herself　was　proud　of　her　New　England　blood。　　〃Her　father；
you　know；　is　the　gatekeeper　down　there。　　He's　been　unfortunate。〃

〃You　don't　sayI　didn't　connect　her　with　him。　　Fine　looking　old　man。　　A　friend
of　mine　who　recommended　him　told　me　he'd　seen　better　days　。。。。〃




CHAPTER　II

In　spite　of　the　surprising　discovery　in　his　office　of　a　young　woman　of　such　a
disquieting；　galvanic　quality；　it　must　not　be　supposed　that　Mr。　Claude　Ditmar
intended　to　infringe　upon　a　fixed　principle。　　He　had　principles。　　For　him；　as
for　the　patriarchs　and　householders　of　Israel；　the　seventh　commandment　was　only
relative；　yet　hitherto　he　had　held　rigidly　to　that　relativity；　laying　down　the
sound　doctrine　that　women　and　business　would　not　mix：　or；　as　he　put　it　to　his
intimates；　no　sensible　man　would　fool　with　a　girl　in　his　office。　　Hence　it　may
be　implied　that　Mr。　Ditmar's　experiences　with　the　opposite　sex　had　been　on　a
property　basis。　　He　was　one　of　those　busy　and　successful　persons　who　had　never
appreciated　or　acquired　the　art　of　quasi…platonic　amenities；　whose　idea　of　a
good　time　was　limited　to　discreet　excursions　with　cronies；　likewise　busy　and
successful　persons　who；　by　reason　of　having　married　early　and　unwisely；　are
strangers　to　the　delights　of　that　higher　social　intercourse　chronicled　in
novels　and　the　public　prints。　　If　one　may　conveniently　overlook　the　joys　of　a
companionship　of　the　soul；　it　is　quite　as　possible　to　have　a　taste　in　women　as
in　champagne　or　cigars。　　Mr。　Ditmar　preferred　blondes；　and　he　liked　them　rather
stout；　a　predilection　that　had　led　him　into　matrimony　with　a　lady　of　this
description：　a　somewhat　sticky；　candy…eating　lady　with　a　mania　for　card
parties；　who　undoubtedly　would　have　dyed　her　hair　if　she　had　lived。　　He　was　not
inconsolable；　but　he　had　had　enough　of　marriage　to　learn　that　it　demands　a
somewhat　exorbitant　price　for　joys　otherwise　more　reasonably　to　be　obtained。

He　was　left　a　widower　with　two　children；　a　girl　of　thirteen　and　a　boy　of
twelve；　both　somewhat　large　for　their　ages。　　Amy　attended　the　only　private
institution　for　the　instruction　of　her　sex　of　which　Hampton　could　boast；　George
continued　at　a　public　school。　　The　late　Mrs。　Ditmar　for　some　years　before　her
demise　had　begun　to　give　evidence　of　certain　restless　aspirations　to　which
American　ladies　of　her　type　and　situation　seem　peculiarly　liable；　and　with　a
view　to　their　ultimate　realization　she　had　inaugurated　a　Jericho…like　campaign。
Death　had　released　Ditmar　from　its　increasing　pressure。　　For　his　wife　had
possessed　that　admirable　substitute　for　character；　persistence；　had　been　expert
in　the　use　of　importunity；　often　an　efficient　weapon　in　the　hands　of　the　female
economically　dependent。　　The　daughter　of　a　defunct　cashier　of　the　Hampton
National　Bank；　when　she　had　married　Ditmar；　then　one　of　the　superintendents　of
the　Chippering　and　already　a　marked　man；　she　had　deemed　herself　fortunate　among
women；　looking　forward　to　a　life　of　ease　and　idleness　and　candy　in　great
abundance；a　dream　temporarily　shattered　by　the　unforeseen　discomfort　of
bringing　two　children　into　the　world；　with　an　interval　of　scarcely　a　year
between　them。　　Her　parents　from　an　excess　of　native　modesty　having　failed　to
enlighten　her　on　this　subject；　her　feelings　were　those　of　outraged
astonishment；　and　she　was　quite　determined　not　to　repeat　the　experience　a　third
time。　　Knowledge　thus　belatedly　acquired；　for　a　while　she　abandoned　herself　to
the　satisfaction　afforded　by　the　ability　to　take　a　commanding　position　in
Hampton　society；　gradually　to　become　aware　of　the