the dwelling place of ligh-第49部分

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〃Give　me　the　address；〃　she　insisted。

〃Say；　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

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

〃Anything　happens！　　What　do　you　mean？〃　　Janet's　words　had　frightened
Lise；　the　withdrawal　of　Janet's　opposition　bewildered　her。　　But　above
all；　she　was　cowed　by　the　sudden　change　in　Janet　herself；　by　the　attitude
of　steely　determination　eloquent　of　an　animus　persons　of　Lise's　type　are
incapable　of　feeling；　and　which　to　them　is　therefore　incomprehensible。
〃Nothing's　going　to　happen　to　me；〃　she　whined。　　〃The　place　is　all　right
he'd　be　scared　to　send　me　there　if　it　wasn't。　　It　costs　something；　too。
Say；　you　ain't　going　to　tell　'em　at　home？〃　she　cried　with　a　fresh　access
of　alarm。

〃If　you　do　as　I　say；　I　won't　tell　anybody；〃　Janet　replied；　in　that　odd；
impersonal　tone　her　voice　had　acquired。　　〃You　must　write　me　as　soonas
soon　as　it　is　over。　　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Honest　to　God　I　will；〃　Lise　assured　her。

〃And　you　mustn't　come　back　to　a　house　like　this。〃

〃Where'll　I　go？〃　Lise　asked。

〃I　don't　know。　　We'll　find　out　when　the　time　comes；〃　said　Janet；
significantly。

〃You've　seen　him！〃　Lise　exclaimed。

〃No；〃　said　Janet；　〃and　I　don't　want　to　see　him　unless　I　have　to。　　Mr。
Tiernan　has　seen　him。　　Mr。　Tiernan　is　downstairs　now；　waiting　for　me。〃

〃Johnny　Tiernan！　　Is　Johnny　Tiernan　downstairs？〃

Janet　wrote　the　address；　and　thrust　the　slip　of　paper　in　her　bag。

〃Good…bye；　Lise；〃　she　said。　　〃I'll　come　down　again　I'll　come　down
whenever　you　want　me。〃　　Lise　suddenly　seized　her　and　clung　to　her；
sobbing。　　For　a　while　Janet　submitted；　and　then；　kissing　her；　gently
detached　herself。　　She　felt；　indeed；　pity　for　Lise；　but　something　within
her　seemed　to　have　hardenedsomething　that　pity　could　not　melt；
possessing　her　and　thrusting　heron　to　action。　　She　knew　not　what　action。
So　strong　was　this　thing　that　it　overcame　and　drove　off　the　evil　spirits
of　that　darkened　house　as　she　descended　the　stairs　to　join　Mr。　Tiernan；
who　opened　the　door　for　her　to　pass　out。　　Once　in　the　street；　she
breathed　deeply　of　the　sunlit　air。　　Nor　did　she　observe　Mr。　Tiernan's
glance　of　comprehension。。。。　　When　they　arrived　at　the　North　Station　he
said：

〃You'll　be　wanting　a　bite　of　dinner；　Miss　Janet；〃　and　as　she　shook　her
head　he　did　not　press　her　to　eat。　　He　told　her　that　a　train　for　Hampton
left　in　ten　minutes。　　〃I　think　I'll　stay　in　Boston　the　rest　of　the　day；
as　long　as　I'm　here；〃　he　added。

She　remembered　that　she　had　not　thanked　him；　she　took　his　hand；　but　he
cut　her　short。

〃It's　glad　I　was　to　help　you；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃And　if　there's　anything
more　I　can　do；　Miss　Janet；　you'll　be　letting　me　knowyou'll　call　on
Johnny　Tiernan；　won't　you？〃

He　left　her　at　the　gate。　　He　had　intruded　with　no　advice；　he　had　offered
no　comment　that　she　had　come　downstairs　alone；　without　Lise。　　His
confidence　in　her　seemed　never　to　have　wavered。　　He　had　respected；
perhaps　partly　imagined　her　feelings；　and　in　spite　of　these　now　a　sense
of　gratitude　to　him　stole　over　her；　mitigating　the　intensity　of　their
bitterness。　　Mr。　Tiernan　alone　seemed　stable　in　a　chaotic　world。　　He　was
a　man。

No　sooner　was　she　in　the　train；　however；　than　she　forgot　Mr。　Tiernan
utterly。　　Up　to　the　present　the　mental　process　of　dwelling　upon　her　own
experience　of　the　last　three　months　had　been　unbearable；　but　now　she　was
able　to　take　a　fearful　satisfaction　in　the　evolving　of　parallels　between
her　case　and　Lise's。　　Despite　the　fact　that　the　memories　she　had
cherished　were　now　become　hideous　things；　she　sought　to　drag　them　forth
and　compare　them；　ruthlessly；　with　what　must　have　been　the　treasures　of
Lise。　　Were　her　own　any　less　tawdry？　　Only　she；　Janet；　had　been　the
greater　fool　of　the　two；　the　greater　dupe　because　she　had　allowed　herself
to　dream；　to　believe　that　what　she　had　done　had　been　for　love；　for　light！
because　she　had　not　listened　to　the　warning　voice　within　her！　　It　had
always　been　on　the　little；　unpremeditated　acts　of　Ditmar　that　she　had
loved　to　linger；　and　now；　in　the　light　of　Lise's　testimony；　of　Lise's
experience；　she　saw　them　all　as　false。　　It　seemed　incredible；　now；　that
she　had　ever　deceived　herself　into　thinking　that　Ditmar　meant　to　marry
her；　that　he　loved　her　enough　to　make　her　his　wife。　　Nor　was　it　necessary
to　summon　and　marshal　incidents　to　support　this　view；　they　came　of
themselves；　crowding　one　another；　a　cumulative　and　appalling　array　of
evidence；　before　which　she　stood　bitterly　amazed　at　her　former　stupidity。
And　in　the　events　of　yesterday；　which　she　pitilessly　reviewed；　she　beheld
a　deliberate　and　prearranged　plan　for　her　betrayal。　　Had　he　not
telephoned　to　Boston　for　the　rooms；　rehearsed　in　his　own　mind　every
detail　of　what　had　subsequently　happened？　　Was　there　any　essential
difference　between　the　methods　of　Ditmar　and　Duval？　　Both　were　skilled　in
the　same　art；　and　Ditmar　was　the　cleverer　of　the　two。　　It　had　only　needed
her　meeting　with　Lise；　in　that　house；　to　reveal　how　he　had　betrayed　her
faith　and　her　love；　sullied　and　besmirched　them。　　And　then　came　the　odd
reflection；how　strange　that　that　same　Sunday　had　been　so　fateful　for
herself　and　Lise！

The　agony　of　these　thoughts　was　mitigated　by　the　scorehing　hatred　that
had　replaced　her　love；　the　desire　for　retaliation；　revenge。
Occasionally；　however；　that　stream　of　consciousness　was　broken　by　the
recollection　of　what　she　had　permitted　and　even　advised　her　sister　to　do；
and　though　the　idea　of　the　place　to　which　Lise　was　going　sickened　her；
though　she　achieved　a　certain　objective　amazement　at　the　transformation
in　herself　enabling　her　to　endorse　such　a　course；　she　was　glad　of　having
endorsed　it；　she　rejoiced　that　Lise's　child　would　not　be　born　into　a
world　that　had　seemedso　falselyfair　and　sweet；　and　in　reality　was
black　and　detestable。　　Her　acceptance　of　the　actfor　Lisewas　a
function　of　the　hatred　consuming　her；　a　hatred　which；　growing　in　bigness；
had　made　Ditmar　merely　the　personification　of　that　world。　　From　time　to
time　her　hands　clenched；　her　brow　furrowed；　powerful　waves　of　heat　ran
through　her；　the　craving　for　action　became　so　intense　she　could　scarcely
refrain　from　rising　in　her　seat。

By　some　odd　whim　of　the　weather　the　wind　had　backed　around　into　the　east；
gathering　the　clouds　once　more。　　The　brilliancy　of　the　morning　had　given
place　to　greyness；　the　high　slits　of　windows　seemed　dirtier　than　ever　as
the　train　pulled　into　the　station　at　Hampton；　shrouded　in　Gothic　gloom。
As　she　left　the　car　Janet　was　aware　of　the　presence　on　the　platform　of　an
unusual　number　of　people；　she　wondered　vaguely；　as　she　pushed　her　way
through　them；　why　they　were　there；　what　they　were　talking　about？　　One
determination　possessed　her；　to　go　to　the　Chippering　Mill；　to　Ditmar。
Emerging　from　the　street；　she　began　to　walk　rapidly；　the　change　from
inaction　to　exercise　bringing　a　certain　relief；　starting　the　working　of
her　mind；　arousing　in　her　a　realization　of　the　necessity　of　being
prepared　for　the　meeting。　　Therefore；　instead　of　turning　at　Faber　Street；
she　crossed　it。　　But　at　the　corner　of　the　Common　she　halted；　her　glance
drawn　by　a　dark　mass　of　people　filling　the　end　of　Hawthorne　Street；　where
it　was　blocked　by　the　brick…coloured　facade　of　the　Clarendon　Mill。　　In
the　middle　distance　men　and　boys　were　running　to　join　this　crowd。　　A
girl；　evidently　an　Irish…American　mill　hand　of　the　higher　paid　sort；
hurried　toward　her　from　the　direction　of　the　mill　itself。　　Janet　accosted
her。

〃It's　the　strike；〃　she　explained　excitedly；　evidently　surprised　at　the
question。　　〃The　Polaks　and　the　Dagoes　and　a　lot　of　other　foreigners　quit
when　they　got　their　envelopesstopped　their　looms　and　started　through
the　mill；　and　when　they　came　into　our　room　I　left。　　I　didn't　want　no
trouble　with　'em。　　It's　the　fifty…four　hour　lawtheir　pay's　cut　two
hours。　　You've　heard　about　it；　I　guess。〃

Janet　nodded。

〃They　had　a　big　mass　meeting　last　night　in　Maxwell　Hall；〃　the　girl
continued；　〃the　foreignersnot　the　skilled　workers。　　And　they　voted　to
strike。　　They　tell　me　they're　walking　out　over　at　the　Patuxent；　too。〃

〃And　the　Chippering？〃　asked　Janet；　eagerly。

〃I　don't　knowI　guess　it'll　spread　to　all　of　'em；　the　way　these
foreigners　are　going　onthey're　crazy。　　But　say；〃　the　girl　added；　〃it
ain't　right　to　cut　our　pay；　either；　is　it？　　They　never　done　it　two　years
ago　when　the　law　came　down　to　fifty…six。〃

Janet　did　not　wait　to　reply。　　While　listening　to　this　explanation；
excitement　had　been　growing　in　her　again；　and　some　fearful；　overpowering
force　of　attraction　emanating　from　that　swarm　in　the　distance　drew　her
until　she　yielded；　fairly　running　past　the　rows　of　Italian　tenements　in
their　strange　setting　of　snow；　not　to　pause　until　she　reached　the　fruit
shop　where　she　and　Eda　had　eaten　the　olives。　　Now　she　was　on　the
outskirts　of　the　crowd　that　packed　itself　against　the　gates　of　the
Clarendon。　　It　spread　over　the　width　of　East　Street；　growing　larger　every
minute；　until　presently　she　was　hemmed　in。　　Here　and　there　hoarse　shouts
of　approval　and　cheers　arose　in　response　to　invisible　orators　haranging
their　audiences　in　weird；　foreign　tongues；　tiny　American　flags　were
waved；　and　suddenly；　in　one　of　those　unforeseen　and　incomprehensible
movements　to　which　mobs　are　subject；　a　trolley　car　standing　at　the　end　of
the　Hawthorne　Street　track　was　surrounded；　the　desperate　clanging　of　its
bell　keeping　pace　with　the　beating　of　Janet's　heart。　　A　dark　Sicilian；
holding　aloft　the　green；　red；　and　white　flag　of　Italy；　leaped　on　the　rear
platform　and　began　to　speak；　the　Slav　conductor　regarding　him　stupidly；
pulling　the　bellcord　the　while。　　Three　or　four　policemen　fought　their　way
to　the　spot；　striving　to　clear　the　tracks；　bewildered　and　impotent　in　the
face　of　the　alien　horde　momentarily　growing　more　and　more　conscious　of
power。

Janet　pushed　her　way　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　crowd。　　She　wanted　to
savour　to　the　full　its　wrath　and　danger；　to　surrender　herself　to　be
played　upon　by　these　sallow；　stubbybearded　exhorters；　whose　menacing
tones　and　passionate　gestures　made　a　grateful　appeal；　whose　wild；　musical
words；　just　because　they　were　uncomprehended；　aroused　in　her　dim
suggestions　of　a　race…experience　not　her　own；　but