the dwelling place of ligh-第58部分

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her　imagination；　and　once　before　she　had　gazed；　as　now；　through　the
yellowed；　lantern…like　windows　of　the　little　store　at　the　women　and
children　waiting　to　fill　their　baskets　with　the　day's　provisions。　　In　the
middle　of　the　building　was　an　entrance　leading　up　to　the　second　floor。
Presently　she　gathered　the　courage　to　enter。　　Her　heart　was　pounding　as
she　climbed　the　dark　stairs　and　thrust　open　the　door；　and　she　stood　a
moment　on　the　threshold　almost　choked　by　the　fumes　of　tobacco；　bewildered
by　the　scene　within；　confused　by　the　noise。　　Through　a　haze　of　smoke　she
beheld　groups　of　swarthy　foreigners　fiercely　disputing　among　themselves
apparently　on　the　verge　of　actual　combat；　while　a　sprinkling　of　silent
spectators　of　both　sexes　stood　at　the　back　of　the　hall。　　At　the　far　end
was　a　stage；　still　set　with　painted；　sylvan　scenery；　and　seated　there；
alone；　above　the　confusion　and　the　strife；　with　a　calmness；　a　detachment
almost　disconcerting；　was　a　stout　man　with　long　hair　and　a　loose　black
tie。　　He　was　smoking　a　cigar　and　reading　a　newspaper　which　he　presently
flung　down；　taking　up　another　from　a　pile　on　the　table　beside　him。
Suddenly　one　of　the　groups；　shouting　and　gesticulating；　surged　toward　him
and　made　an　appeal　through　their　interpreter。　　He　did　not　appear　to　be
listening；　without　so　much　as　lowering　his　newspaper　he　spoke　a　few　words
in　reply；　and　the　group　retired；　satisfied。　　By　some　incomprehensible
power　he　dominated。　　Panting；　fascinated；　loath　to　leave　yet　fearful；
Janet　watched　him；　breathing　now　deeply　this　atmosphere　of　smoke；　of
strife；　and　turmoil。　　She　found　it　grateful；　for　the　strike；　the　battle
was　in　her　own　soul　as　well。　　Momentarily　she　had　forgotten　Rolfe；　who
had　been　in　her　mind　as　she　had　come　hither；　and　then　she　caught　sight　of
him　in　a　group　in　the　centre　of　the　hall。　　He　saw　her；　he　was　making　his
way　toward　her；　he　was　holding　her　hands；　looking　down　into　her　face　with
that　air　of　appropriation；　of　possession　she　remembered。　　But　she　felt　no
resentment　now；　only　a　fierce　exultation　at　having　dared。

〃You've　come　to　join　us！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　thought　I'd　lost　you。〃

He　bent　closer　to　her　that　she　might　hear。

〃We　are　having　a　meeting　of　the　Committee；〃　he　said；　and　she　smiled。
Despite　her　agitation；　this　struck　her　as　humorous。　　And　Rolfe　smiled
back　at　her。　　〃You　wouldn't　think　so；　but　Antonelli　knows　how　to　manage
them。　　He　is　a　general。　　Come；　I　will　enlist　you；　you　shall　be　my
recruit。〃

〃But　what　can　I　do？〃　she　asked。

〃I　have　been　thinking。　　You　said　you　were　a　stenographerwe　need
stenographers；　clerks。　　You　will　not　be　wasted。　　Come　in　here。〃

Behind　her　two　box…like　rooms　occupying　the　width　of　the　building　had
been　turned　into　offices；　and　into　one　of　these　Rolfe　led　her。　　Men　and
women　were　passing　in　and　out；　while　in　a　corner　a　man　behind　a　desk　sat
opening　envelopes；　deftly　extracting　bills　and　post…office　orders　and
laying　them　in　a　drawer。　　On　the　wall　of　this　same　room　was　a　bookcase
half　filled　with　nondescript　volumes。

〃The　Bibliothequethat's　French　for　the　library　of　the　Franco…Belgian
Cooperative　Association；〃　explained　Rolfe。　　〃And　this　is　Comrade　Sanders。
Sanders　is　easier　to　say　than　Czernowitz。　　Here　is　the　young　lady　I　told
you　about；　who　wishes　to　help　usMiss　Bumpus。〃

Mr。　Sanders　stopped　counting　his　money　long　enough　to　grin　at　her。

〃You　will　be　welcome；〃　he　said；　in　good　English。　　〃Stenographers　are
scarce　here。　　When　can　you　come？〃

〃To…morrow　morning；〃　answered　Janet。

〃Good；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　have　a　machine　for　you。　　What　kind　do　you　use？〃

She　told　him。　　Instinctively　she　took　a　fancy　to　this　little　man；　whose
flannel　shirt　and　faded　purple　necktie；　whose　blue；　unshaven　face　and
tousled　black　hair　seemed　incongruous　with　an　alert；　business…like；　and
efficient　manner。　　His　nose；　though　not　markedly　Jewish；　betrayed　in　him
the　blood　of　that　vital　race　which　has　triumphantly　survived　so　many
centuries　of　bondage　and　oppression。

〃He　was　a　find；　Czernowitzhe　calls　himself　Sanders；〃　Rolfe　explained；
as　they　entered　the　hall　once　more。　　〃An　Operative　in　the　Patuxent；
educated　himself；　went　to　night　schoolmight　have　been　a　capitalist　like
so　many　of　his　tribe　if　he　hadn't　loved　humanity。　　You'll　get　along　with
him。〃

〃I'm　sure　I　shall；〃　she　replied。

Rolfe　took　from　his　pocket　a　little　red　button　with　the　letters　I。W。W。
printed　across　it。　　He　pinned　it；　caressingly；　on　her　coat。

〃Now　you　are　one　of　us！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You'll　come　to…morrow？〃

〃I'll　come　to…morrow；〃　she　repeated；　drawing　away　from　him　a　little。

〃Andwe　shall　be　friends？〃

She　nodded。　　〃I　must　go　now；　I　think。〃

〃Addio！〃　he　said。　　〃I　shall　look　for　you。　　For　the　present　I　must　remain
here；　with　the　Committee。〃

When　Janet　reached　Faber　Street　she　halted　on　the　corner　of　Stanley　to
stare　into　the　window　of　the　glorified　drugstore。　　But　she　gave　no　heed
to　the　stationery；　the　cameras　and　candy　displayed　there；　being　in　the
emotional　state　that　reduces　to　unreality　objects　of　the　commonplace；
everyday　world。　　Presently；　however；　she　became　aware　of　a　man　standing
beside　her。

〃Haven't　we　met　before？〃　he　asked。　　〃Orcan　I　be　mistaken？〃

Some　oddly　familiar　quizzical　note　in　his　voice　stirred；　as　she　turned　to
him；　a　lapsed　memory。　　The　hawklike　yet　benevolent　and　illuminating　look
he　gave　her　recalled　the　man　at　Silliston　whom　she　had　thought　a
carpenter　though　he　was　dressed　now　in　a　warm　suit　of　gray　wool；　and　wore
a　white；　low　collar。

〃In　Silliston！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Whywhat　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃Wellthis　instant　I　was　just　looking　at　those　notepapers；　wondering
which　I　should　choose　if　I　really　had　good　taste。　　But　it's　very
puzzlingisn't　it？when　one　comes　from　the　country。　　Now　that　saffron
with　the　rough　edges　is　veryartistic。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃

She　looked　at　him　and　smiled；　though　his　face　was　serious。

〃You　don't　really　like　it；　yourself；〃　she　informed　him。

〃Now　you're　reflecting　on　my　taste；〃　he　declared。

〃Oh　noit's　because　I　saw　the　fence　you　were　making。　　Is　it　finished
yet？〃

〃I　put　the　last　pineapple　in　place　the　day　before　Christmas。　　Do　you
remember　the　pineapples？〃

She　nodded。　　〃And　the　house？　and　the　garden？〃

〃Oh；　those　will　never　be　finished。　　I　shouldn't　have　anything　more　to
do。〃

〃Is　thatall　you　do？〃　she　asked。

〃It's　more　important　than　anything　else。　　But　you　have　you　been　back　to
Silliston　since　I　saw　you？　　I've　been　waiting　for　another　call。〃

〃You　haven't　even　thought　of　me　since；〃　she　was　moved　to　reply　in　the
same　spirit。

〃Haven't　I？〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　wondered；　when　I　came　up　here　to　Hampton；
whether　I　mightn't　meet　youand　here　you　are！　　Doesn't　that　prove　it？〃

She　laughed；　somewhat　surprised　at　the　ease　with　which　he　had　diverted
her；　drawn　her　out　of　the　tense；　emotional　mood　in　which　he　had
discovered　her。　　As　before；　he　puzzled　her；　but　the　absence　of　any
flirtatious　suggestion　in　his　talk　gave　her　confidence。　　He　was　just
friendly。

〃Sometimes　I　hoped　I　might　see　you　in　Hampton；〃　she　ventured。

〃Well；　here　I　am。　　I　heard　the　explosion；　and　came。〃

〃The　explosion！　　The　strike！〃　she　exclaimed；　suddenly　enlightened。　　〃Now
I　remember！　　You　said　something　about　Hampton　being　nitro…glycerine
human　nitro…glycerine。　　You　predicted　this　strike。〃

〃Did　I？　perhaps　I　did；〃　he　assented。　　〃Maybe　you　suggested　the　idea。〃

〃I　suggested　it！　　Oh　no；　I　didn'tit　was　new　to　me；　it　frightened　me　at
the　time；　but　it　started　me　thinking　about　a　lot　of　things　that　had　never
occurred　to　me。〃

〃You　might　have　suggested　the　idea　without　intending　to；　you　know。　　There
are　certain　people　who　inspire　propheciesperhaps　you　are　one。〃

His　tone　was　playful；　but　she　was　quick　to　grasp　at　an　inferencesince
his　glance　was　fixed　on　the　red　button　she　wore。

〃You　meant　that　I　would　explode；　too！〃

〃Oh　nonothing　so　terrible　as　that；〃　he　disclaimed。　　〃And　yet　most　of　us
have　explosives　stored　away　inside　of　usinstincts；　impulses　and　all
that　sort　of　thing　that　won't　stand　too　much　bottling…up。〃

〃Yes；　I've　joined　the　strike。〃　　She　spoke　somewhat　challengingly；　though
she　had　an　uneasy　feeling　that　defiance　was　somewhat　out　of　place　with
him。　　〃I　suppose　you　think　it　strange；　since　I'm　not　a　foreigner　and
haven't　worked　in　the　mills。　　But　I　don't　see　why　that　should　make　any
difference　if　you　believe　that　the　workers　haven't　had　a　chance。〃

〃No　difference；〃　he　agreed；　pleasantly；　〃no　difference　at　all。〃

〃Don't　you　sympathize　with　the　strikers？〃　she　insisted。　　〃Orare　you　on
the　other　side；　the　side　of　the　capitalists？〃

〃I？　　I'm　a　spectatoran　innocent　bystander。〃

〃You　don't　sympathize　with　the　workers？〃　she　cried。

〃Indeed　I　do。　　I　sympathize　with　everybody。〃

〃With　the　capitalists？〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Why　not？　　Because　they've　had　everything　their　own　way；　they've
exploited　the　workers；　deceived　and　oppressed　them；　taken　all　the
profits。〃　　She　was　using　glibly　her　newly　acquired　labour　terminology。

〃Isn't　that　a　pretty　good　reason　for　sympathizing　with　them？〃　he
inquired。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Well；　I　should　think　it　might　be　difficult　to　be　happy　and　have　done　all
that。　　At　any　rate；　it　isn't　my　notion　of　happiness。　　Is　it　yours？〃

For　a　moment　she　considered　this。

〃Nonot　exactly；〃　she　admitted。　　〃But　they　seem　happy；〃　she　insisted
vehemently；　〃they　have　everything　they　want　and　they　do　exactly　as　they
please　without　considering　anybody　except　themselves。　　What　do　they　care
how　many　they　starve　and　make　miserable？　　Youyou　don't　know；　you　can't
know　what　it　is　to　be　driven　and　used　and　flung　away！〃

Almost　in　tears；　she　did　not　notice　his　puzzled　yet　sympathetic　glance。

〃The　operatives；　the　workers　create　all　the　wealth；　and　the　capitalists
take　it　from　them；　from　their　wives　and　children。〃

〃Now　I　know　what　you've　been　doing；〃　he　said　accusingly。　　〃You've　been
studying　economics。〃

Her　brow　puckered。

〃Studying　what？〃

〃Economicsthe　distribution　of　wealth。　　It's　enough　to　upset　anybody。〃

〃But　I'm　not　upset；〃　she　insisted；　smiling　in　spite　of　herself　at　his
comical　concern。

〃It's　very　exciting。　　I　remember　reading　a　book　once　on　economics　and
such　things；　and　I　couldn't　sleep　for　a　week。