the dwelling place of ligh-第48部分

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where　I　was？　　What　business　have　you　got　sleuthing　'round　after　me　like
this？〃

For　a　moment　Janet　was　speechless　once　more；　astounded　that　Lise　could
preserve　her　effrontery　in　such　an　atmosphere；　could　be　insensible　to　the
evils　lurking　in　this　houseevils　so　real　to　Janet　that　she　seemed
actually　to　feel　them　brushing　against　her。

〃Lise；　come　away　from　here；〃　she　pleaded；　〃come　home　with　me！〃

〃Home！〃　said　Lise；　defiantly；　and　laughed。　　〃What　do　you　take　me　for？
Why　would　I　be　going　home　when　I've　been　trying　to　break　away　for　two
years？　　I　ain't　so　dippy　as　thatnot　me！　　Go　home　like　a　good　little
girl　and　march　back　to　the　Bagatelle　and　ask　'em　to　give　me　another　show
standing　behind　a　counter　all　day。　　Nix！　　No　home　sweet　home　for　me！　　I'm
all　for　easy　street　when　it　comes　to　a　home　like　that。〃

Heartless；　terrific　as　the　repudiation　was；　it　struck　a　self…convicting；
almost　sympathetic　note　in　Janet。　　She　herself　had　revolted　against　the
monotony　and　sordidness　of　that　existence　　She　herself　！　　She　dared　not
complete　the　thought；　now。

〃But　this！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃What's　the　matter　with　it？〃　Lise　demanded。　　〃It　ain't　Commonwealth
Avenue；　but　it's　got　Fillmore　Street　beat　a　mile。　　There　ain't　no
whistles　hereto　get　you　out　of　bed　at　six　a。m。；　for　one　thing。　　There
ain't　no　geezers；　like　Walters；　to　nag　you　'round　all　day　long。　　What's
the　matter　with　it？〃

Something　in　Lise's　voice　roused　Janet's　spirit　to　battle。

〃What's　the　matter　with　it？〃　she　cried。　　〃It's　hellthat's　the　matter
with　it。　　Can't　you　see　it？　　Can't　you　feel　it？　　You　don't　know　what　it
means；　or　you'd　come　home　with　me。〃

〃I　guess　I　know　what　it　means　as　well　as　you　do；〃　said　Lise；　sullenly。
〃We've　all　got　to　croak　sometime；　and　I'd　rather　croak　this　way　than　be
smothered　up　in　Hampton。　　I'll　get　a　run　for　my　money；　anyway。〃

〃No；　you　don't　know　what　it　means；〃　Janet　repeated；　〃or　you　wouldn't　talk
like　that。　　Do　you　think　this　man　will　support　you；　stick　to　you？　　He
won't；　he'll　desert　you；　and　you'll　have　to　go　on　the　streets。〃

A　dangerous　light　grew　in　Lise's　eyes。

〃He's　as　good　as　any　other　man；　he's　as　good　as　Ditmar；〃　she　said。
〃They're　all　the　same；　to　girls　like　us。〃

Janet's　heart　caught；　it　seemed　to　stop　beating。　　Was　this　a　hazard　on
Lise's　part；　or　did　she　speak　from　knowledge？　　And　yet　what　did　it　matter
whether　Lise　knew　or　only　suspected；　if　her　words　were　true；　if　men　were
all　alike？　　Had　she　been　a　dupe　as　well　as　Lise？　and　was　the　only
difference　between　them　now　the　fact　that　Lise　was　able；　without
illusion；　to　see　things　as　they　were；　to　accept　the　consequences；　while
she；　Janet；　had　beheld　visions　and　dreamed　dreams？　was　there　any　real
choice　between　the　luxurious　hotel　to　which　Ditmar　had　taken　her　and　this
detestable　house？　　Suddenly；　seemingly　by　chance；　her　eyes　fell　on　the
box　of　drug…store　candy　from　which　the　cheap　red　ribbon　had　been　torn；
and　by　some　odd　association　of　ideas　it　suggested　and　epitomized　Lise's
Sunday　excursion　with　a　mama　hideous　travesty　on　the　journey　of　wonders
she　herself　had　taken。　　Had　that　been　heaven；　and　this　of　Lise's；
hell？。。。　　And　was。　　Lise's　ambition　to　be　supported　in　idleness　and
luxury　to　be　condemned　because　she　had　believed　her　own　to　be　higher？
Did　not　both　lead　to　destruction？　　The　weight　that　had　lain　on　her　breast
since　the　siren　had　awakened　her　that　morning　and　she　had　reached　out　and
touched　the　chilled；　empty　sheets　now　grew　almost　unsupportable。

〃It's　true；〃　said　Janet；　〃all　men　are　the　same。〃

Lise　was　staring　at　her。

〃My　God！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃You？〃

〃Yes…me；〃　cried　Janet。〃And　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？　　Stay
here　with　him　in　this　filthy　place　until　he　gets　tired　of　you　and　throws
you　out　on　the　street？　　Before　I'd　let　any　man　do　that　to　me　I'd　kill
him。〃

Lise　began　to　whimper；　and　suddenly　buried　her　face　in　the　pillow。　　But　a
new　emotion　had　begun　to　take　possession　of　Janetan　emotion　so　strong
as　to　give　her　an　unlookedfor　sense　of　detachment。　　And　the　words　Lise
had　spoken　between　her　sobs　at　first　conveyed　no　meaning。

〃I'm　going　to　have　a　baby。。。。〃

Lise　was　going　to　have　a　child！　　Why　hadn't　she　guessed　it？　　A　child！
Perhaps　she；　Janet；　would　have　a　child！　　This　enlightenment　as　to　Lise's
condition　and　the　possibility　it　suggested　in　regard　to　herself　brought
with　it　an　overwhelming　sympathy　which　at　first　she　fiercely　resented
then　yielded　to。　　The　bond　between　them；　instead　of　snapping；　had
inexplicably　strengthened。　　And　Lise；　despite　her　degradation；　was　more
than　ever　her　sister！　　Forgetting　her　repugnance　to　the　bed；　Janet　sat
down　beside　Lise　and　put　an　arm　around　her。

〃He　said　he'd　marry　me；　he　swore　he　was　richand　he　was　a　spender　all
right。　　And　then　some　guy　came　up　to　me　one　night　at　Gruber's　and　told　me
he　was　married　already。〃

〃What？〃　Janet　exclaimed。

〃Sure！　　He's　got　a　wife　and　two　kids　here　in　Boston。　　That　was　a　twenty…
one　round　knockout！　　Maybe　I　didn't　have　something　to　tell　him　when　he
blew　into　Hampton　last　Friday！　　But　he　said　he　couldn't　help　ithe　loved
me。〃　　Lise　sat　up；　seemingly　finding　relief　in　the　relation　of　her
wrongs；　dabbing　her　eyes　with　a　cheap　lace　handkerchief。　　〃Well；　while
he'd　been　awaythis　thing　came。　　I　didn't　know　what　was　the　matter　at
first；　and　when　I　found　out　I　was　scared　to　death；　I　was　ready　to　kill
myself。　　When　I　told　him　he　was　scared　too；　and　then　he　said　he'd　fix　it。
Say；　I　was　a　goat　to　think　he'd　marry　me！〃　Lise　laughed　hysterically。

〃And　then〃　Janet　spoke　with　difficulty；　〃and　then　you　came　down　here？〃

〃I　told　him　he'd　have　to　see　me　through；　I'd　start　something　if　he
didn't。　　Say；　he　almost　got　down　on　his　knees；　right　there　in　Gruber's！
But　he　came　back　inside　of　ten　secondshe's　a　jollier；　for　sure；　he　was
right　there　with　the　goods；　it　was　because　he　loved　me；　he　couldn't　help
himself；　I　was　his　cutie；　and　all　that　kind　of　baby　talk。〃

Lise's　objective　manner　of　speaking　about　her　seducer　amazed　Janet。

〃Do　you　love　him？〃　she　asked。

〃Say；　what　is　love？〃　Lise　demanded。　　〃Do　you　ever　run　into　it　outside　of
the　movies？　　Do　I　love　him？　　Well；　he's　a　good　looker　and　a　fancy
dresser；　he　ain't　a　tight　wad；　and　he　can　start　a　laugh　every　minute。　　If
he　hadn't　put　it　over　on　me　I　wouldn't　have　been　so　sore。　　I　don't　know
he　ain't　so　bad。　　He's　weak；　that's　the　trouble　with　him。〃

This　was　the　climax！　　Lise's　mental　processes；　her　tendency　to　pass　from
wild　despair　to　impersonal　comment；　her　inability；　her　courtesan's
temperament　that　prevented　her　from　realizing　tragedy　for　more　than　a
moment　at　a　timeeven　though　the　tragedy　were　her　ownwere
incomprehensible　to　Janet。

〃Get　on　to　this；〃　Lise　adjured　her。　　〃When　I　first　was　acquainted　with
him　he　handed　me　a　fairy　tale　that　he　was　taking　five　thousand　a　year
from　Humphrey　and　Gillmount；　he　was　going　into　the　firm。　　He　had　me
razzle…dazzled。　　He's　some　hypnotizes　as　a　salesman；　too；　they　say。
Nothing　was　too　good　for　me；　I　saw　myself　with　a　house　on　the　avenue
shopping　in　a　limousine。　　Well；　he　blew　up；　but　I　can't　help　liking　him。〃

〃Liking　him！〃　cried　Janet　passionately。　　〃I'd　kill　him　that's　what　I'd
do。〃

Lise　regarded　her　with　unwilling　admiration。

〃That's　where　you　and　me　is　different；〃　she　declared。　　〃I　wish　I　was　like
that；　but　I　ain't。　　And　where　would　I　come　in？　　Now　you're　wise　why　I
can't　go　back　to　Hampton。　　Even　if　I　was　stuck　on　the　burg　and　cryin'　my
eyes　out　for　the　Bagatelle　I　couldn't　go　back。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　Janet　demanded。

〃Well；〃　said　Lise；　〃he's　come　acrossI'll　say　that　for　him。　　Maybe　it's
because　he's　scared；　but　he's　stuck　on　me；　too。　　When　you　dropped　in　I
was　just　going　down　town　to　get　a　pair　of　patent　leathers；　these　are　all
wore　out；〃　she　explained；　twisting　her　foot；　〃they　ain't　fit　for　Boston。
And　I　thought　of　lookin'　at　blousesthere's　a　sale　on　I　was　reading
about　in　the　paper。　　Say；　it's　great　to　be　on　easy　street；　to　be　able　to
stay　in　bed　until　you're　good　and　ready　to　get　up　and　go　shopping；　to
gaze　at　the　girls　behind　the　counter　and　ask　the　price　of　things。　　I'm
going　to　Walling's　and　give　the　salesladies　the　ha…hathat's　what　I'm
going　to　do。〃

〃But？〃　　Janet　found　words　inadequate。

Lise　understood　her。

〃Oh；　I'm　due　at　the　doctor's　this　afternoon。〃

〃Where？〃

〃The　doctor's。　　Don't　you　get　me？it's　a　private　hospital。〃　　Lise　gave　a
slight　shudder　at　the　word；　but　instantly　recovered　her　sang…froid。
〃Howard　fixed　it　up　yesterdayand　they　say　it　ain't　very　bad　if　you　take
it　early。〃

For　a　space　Janet　was　too　profoundly　shocked　to　reply。

〃Lise！　　That's　a　crime！〃　she　cried。

〃Crime；　nothing！〃　　retorted　Lise；　and　immediately　became　indignant。
〃Say；　I　sometimes　wonder　how　you　could　have　lived　all　these　years　without
catching　on　to　a　few　things！　　What　do　you　take　me　for！　　What'd　I　do　with
a　baby？〃

What　indeed！　　The　thought　came　like　an　avalanche；　stripping　away　the
veneer　of　beauty　from　the　face　of　the　world；　revealing　the　scarred　rock
and　crushed　soil　beneath。　　This　was　reality！　　What　right　had　society　to
compel　a　child　to　be　born　to　degradation　and　prostitution？　to　beget；
perhaps；　other　children　of　suffering？　　Were　not　she　and　Lise　of　the
exploited；　of　those　duped　and　tempted　by　the　fair　things　the　more
fortunate　enjoyed　unscathed？　　And　now；　for　their　natural　cravings；　their
family　must　be　disgraced；　they　must　pay　the　penalty　of　outcasts！　　Neither
Lise　nor　she　had　had　a　chance。　　She　saw　that；　now。　　The　scorching
revelation　of　life's　injustice　lighted　within　her　the　fires　of　anarchy
and　revenge。　　Lise；　other　women　might　submit　tamely　to　be　crushed；　might
be　lulled　and　drugged　by　bribes：　she　would　not。　　A　wild　desire　seized　her
to　get　back　to　Hampton。

〃Give　me　the　address　of　the　hospital；〃　she　said。

〃Come　off！〃　cried　Lise；　in　angry　bravado。　　〃Do　you　think　I'm　going　to　let
you　butt　into　this？　　I　guess　you've　got　enough　to　do　to　look　out　for　your
own　business。〃

Janet　produced　a　pencil　from　her　bag；　and　going　to　the　table　tore　off　a
piece　of　the　paper　in　which　had　been　wrapped　the　candy　box。

〃Give　me　the　address；〃　she　insisted。

〃Say；　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃I　want　to　know　where　you　are；　in　case　anything