the dwelling place of ligh-第59部分

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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。　　It　was　called　‘The
Organization　of　Happiness；'　I　believe；　and　it　described　just　how　the
world　ought　to　be　arrangedand　isn't。　　I　thought　seriously　of　going　to
Washington　and　telling　the　President　and　Congress　about　it。〃

〃It　wouldn't　have　done　any　good；〃　said　Janet。

〃No；　I　realized　that。〃

〃The　only　thing　that　will　do　any　good　is　to　strike　and　keep　on　striking
until　the　workers　own　the　millstake　everything　away　from　the
capitalists。〃

〃It's　very　simple；〃　he　agreed；　〃much　simpler　than　the　book　I　read。
That's　what　they　call　syndicalism；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes。〃　　She　was　conscious　of　his　friendliness；　of　the　fact　that　his
skepticism　was　not　cynical；　yet　she　felt　a　strong　desire　to　convince　him；
to　vindicate　her　new　creed。　　〃There's　a　man　named　Rolfe；　an　educated　man
who's　lived　in　Italy　and　England；　who　explains　it　wonderfully。　　He's　one
of　the　I。W。W。　leadersyou　ought　to　hear　him。〃

〃Rolfe　converted　you？　　I'll　go　to　hear　him。〃

〃Yesbut　you　have　to　feel　it；　you　have　to　know　what　it　is　to　be　kept
down　and　crushed。　　If　you'd　only　stay　here　awhile　〃

〃Oh；　I　intend　to；〃　he　replied。

She　could　not　have　said　why；　but　she　felt　a　certain　relief　on　hearing
this。

〃Then　you'll　see　for　yourself！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　guess　that's　what　you've
come　for；　isn't　it？〃

〃Well；　partly。　　To　tell　the　truth；　I've　come　to　open　a　restaurant。〃

〃To　open　a　restaurant！〃　　Somehow　she　was　unable　to　imagine　him　as　the
proprietor　of　a　restaurant。　　〃But　isn't　it　rather　a　bad　time？〃　she
gasped。

〃I　don't　look　as　if　I　had　an　eye　for　businessdo　I？　　But　I　have。　　No；
it's　a　good　timeso　many　people　will　be　hungry；　especially　children。
I'm　going　to　open　a　restaurant　for　children。　　Oh；　it　will　be　very　modest；
of　courseI　suppose　I　ought　to　call　it　a　soup　kitchen。〃

〃Oh！〃　she　exclaimed；　staring　at　him。　　〃Then　you　really〃　the　sentence
remained　unfinished。　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃You　made　me
think〃

〃Oh；　you　mustn't　pay　any　attention　to　what　I　say。　　Come　'round　and　see　my
establishment；　Number　77　　Dey　Street；　one　flight　up；　no　elevator。　　Will
you？〃

She　laughed　tremulously　as　he　took　her　hand。

〃Yes　indeed；　I　will；〃　she　promised。　　And　she　stood　awhile　staring　after
him。　　She　was　glad　he　had　come　to　Hampton；　and　yet　she　did　not　even　know
his　name。




CHAPTER　XVI

She　had　got　another　placesuch　was　the　explanation　of　her　new　activities
Janet　gave　to　Hannah；　who　received　it　passively。　　And　the　question
dreaded　about　Ditmar　was　never　asked。　　Hannah　had　become　as　a　child；
performing　her　tasks　by　the　momentum　of　habituation；　occasionally　talking
simply　of　trivial；　every…day　affairs；　as　though　the　old　life　were　going
on　continuously。　　At　times；　indeed；　she　betrayed　concern　about　Edward；
wondering　whether　he　were　comfortable　at　the　mill；　and　she　washed　and
darned　the　clothes　he　sent　home　by　messenger。　　She　hoped　he　would　not
catch　cold。　　Her　suffering　seemed　to　have　relaxed。　　It　was　as　though　the
tortured　portion　of　her　brain　had　at　length　been　seared。　　To　Janet；　her
mother's　condition　when　she　had　time　to　think　of　itwas　at　once　a　relief
and　a　new　and　terrible　source　of　anxiety。

Mercifully；　however；　she　had　little　leisure　to　reflect　on　that　tragedy；
else　her　own　sanity　might　have　been　endangered。　　As　soon　as　breakfast　was
over　she　hurried　across　the　city　to　the　Franco…Belgian　Hall；　and　often
did　not　return　until　nine　o'clock　at　night；　usually　so　tired　that　she
sank　into　bed　and　fell　asleep。　　For　she　threw　herself　into　her　new
labours　with　the　desperate　energy　that　seeks　forgetfulness；　not　daring　to
pause　to　think　about　herself；　to　reflect　upon　what　the　future　might　hold
for　her　when　the　strike　should　be　over。　　Nor　did　she　confine　herself　to
typewriting；　but；　as　with　Ditmar；　constantly　assumed　a　greater　burden　of
duty；　helping　Czernowitzwho　had　the　work　of　five　menwith　his
accounts；　with　the　distribution　of　the　funds　to　the　ever…increasing
number　of　the　needy　who　were　facing　starvation。　　The　money　was　paid　out
to　them　in　proportion　to　the　size　of　their　families；　as　the　strike　became
more　and　more　effective　their　number　increased　until　many　mills　had
closed；　other　mills；　including　the　Chippering；　were　still　making　a
desperate　attempt　to　operate　their　looms；　and　sixteen　thousand　operatives
were　idle。　　She　grew　to　know　these　operatives　who　poured　all　day　long　in
a　steady　stream　through　Headquarters；　she　heard　their　stories；　she
entered　into　their　lives；　she　made　decisions。　　Some；　even　in　those　early
days　of　the　strike；　were　frauds；　were　hiding　their　savings；　but　for　the
most　part　investigation　revealed　an　appalling　destitution；　a　resolution
to　suffer　for　the　worker's　cause。　　A　few　complained；　the　majority　were
resigned；　some　indeed　showed　exaltation　and　fire；　were　undaunted　by　the
task　of　picketing　in　the　cold　mornings；　by　the　presence　of　the　soldiery。
In　this　work　of　dealing　with　the　operatives　Janet　had　the　advice　and　help
of　Anna　Mower；　a　young　woman　who　herself　had　been　a　skilled　operative　in
the　Clarendon　Mill；　and　who　was　giving　evidence　of　unusual　qualities　of
organization　and　leadership。　　Anna；　with　no　previous　practise　in　oratory；
had　suddenly　developed　the　gift　of　making　speeches；　the　more　effective
with　her　fellow　workers　because　unstudied；　because　they　flowed　directly
out　of　an　experience　she　was　learning　to　interpret　and　universalize。
Janet；　who　heard　her　once　or　twice；　admired　and　envied　her。　　They　became
friends。

The　atmosphere　of　excitement　in　which　Janet　now　found　herself　was
cumulative。　　Day　by　day　one　strange　event　followed　another；　and　at　times
it　seemed　as　if　this　extraordinary　existence　into　which　she　had　been
plunged　were　all　a　feverish　dream。　　Hither；　to　the　absurd　little　solle　de
reunion　of　the　Franco…Belgian　Hall　came　notables　from　the　great　world；
emissaries　from　an　uneasy　Governor；　delegations　from　the　Legislature；
Members　of　the　Congress　of　the　United　States　and　even　Senators；　students；
investigators；　men　and　women　of　prominence　in　the　universities；　magazine
writers　to　consult　with　uncouth　leaders　of　a　rebellion　that　defied　and
upset　the　powers　which　hitherto　had　so　serenely　ruled；　unchallenged。
Rolfe　identified　these　visitors；　and　one　morning　called　her　attention　to
one　who　he　said　was　the　nation's　foremost　authority　on　social　science。
Janet　possessed　all　unconsciously　the　New　England　reverence　for　learning；
she　was　stirred　by　the　sight　of　this　distinguishedlooking　person　who　sat
on　the　painted　stage；　fingering　his　glasses　and　talking　to　Antonelli。
The　two　men　made　a　curious　contrast。　　But　her　days　were　full　of　contrasts
of　which　her　mood　exultingly　approved。　　The　politicians　were　received
cavalierly。　　Toward　these；　who　sought　to　act　as　go…betweens　in　the
conflict；　Antonelli　was　contemptuous；　he　behaved　like　the　general　of　a
conquering　army；　and　his　audacity　was　reflected　in　the　other　leaders；　in
Rolfe；　in　the　Committee　itself。

That　Committee；　a　never…ending　source　of　wonder　to　Janet；　with　its　nine
or　ten　nationalities　and　interpreters；　was　indeed　a　triumph　over　the
obstacles　of　race　and　language；　a　Babel　made　successful；　in　a　community
of　AngloSaxon　traditions；　an　amazing　anomaly。　　The　habiliments　of　the
west；　the　sack　coats　and　sweaters；　the　slouch　hats　and　caps；　the　so…
called　Derbies　pulled　down　over　dark　brows　and　flashing　eyes　lent　to
these　peasant　types　an　incongruity　that　had　the　air　of　ferocity。　　The
faces　of　most　of　them　were　covered　with　a　blue…black　stubble　of　beard。
Some　slouched　in　their　chairs；　others　stood　and　talked　in　groups；
gesticulating　with　cigars　and　pipes；　yet　a　keen　spectator；　after　watching
them　awhile　through　the　smoke；　might　have　been　able　to　pick　out　striking
personalities　among　them。　　He　would　surely　have　noticed　Froment；　the
stout；　limping　man　under　whose　white　eyebrows　flashed　a　pair　of　livid
blue　and　peculiarly　Gallic　eyes；　he　held　the　Belgians　in　his　hand：
Lindtzki；　the　Pole；　with　his　zealot's　face；　Radeau；　the　big　Canadian　in
the　checked　Mackinaw；　and　Findley；　the　young　American…less　by　any
arresting　quality　of　feature　than　by　an　expression　suggestive　of
practical　wisdom。

Imagine　then；　on　an　afternoon　in　the　middle　phase　of　the　strike；　some
half　dozen　of　the　law…makers　of　a　sovereign　state；　top…hatted　and
conventionally　garbed　in　black；　accustomed　to　authority；　to　conferring
favours　instead　of　requesting　them；　climbing　the　steep　stairs　and　pausing
on　the　threshold　of　that　hall；　fingering　their　watch　chains；　awaiting
recognition　by　the　representatives　of　the　new　and　bewildering　force　that
had　arisen　in　an　historic　commonwealth。　　A　〃debate〃　was　in　progress。
Some　of　the　debaters；　indeed；　looked　over　their　shoulders；　but　the
leader；　who　sat　above　them　framed　in　the　sylvan　setting　of　the　stage；
never　so　much　as　deigned　to　glance　up　from　his　newspaper。　　A　half…burned
cigar　rolled　between　his　mobile　lips；　he　sat　on　the　back　of　his　neck；　and
yet　he　had　an　air　Napoleonic；　Nietzschean；　it　might　better　be　said
although　it　is　safe　to　assert　that　these　moulders　of　American
institutions　knew　little　about　that　terrible　philosopher　who　had　raised
his　voice　against　the　〃slave　morals　of　Christianity。〃　　It　was　their　first
experience　with　the　superman。。。。　　It　remained　for　the　Canadian；　Radeau；
when　a　lull　arrived　in　the　turmoil；　to　suggest　that　the　gentlemen　be
given　chairs。

〃Sure；　give　them　chairs；〃　assented　Antonelli　in　a　voice　hoarse　from
speech…making。　　Breath…taking　audacity　to　certain　spectators　who　had
followed　the　delegation　hither；　some　of　whom　could　not　refrain　from
speculating　whether　it　heralded　the　final　scrapping　of　the　machinery　of
the　state；　amusing　to　cynical　metropolitan　reporters；　who　grinned　at　one
another　as　they　prepared　to　take　down　the　proceedings；　evoking　a　fierce
approval　in　the　breasts　of　all　rebels　among　whom　was　Janet。　　The
Legislative　Chairman；　a　stout　and　suave　gentleman　of　Irish　birth；
proceeded　to　explain　how　greatly　concerned　was　the　Legislature　that　the
deplorable　warfare　within　the　state　should　cease；　they　had　come；　he
declared；　to　aid　in　bringing　about　justice　between　labour　and　capital。

〃We'll　get　jus