the dwelling place of ligh-第63部分

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feel　the　bottom　under　one's　feet。　　She　floated　in　swift　currents。　　When
life　became　uncomfortable；　she　evaded　it　easily；　and　she　evaded　it　now；
as　she　gazed　at　the　calm　but　intent　face　of　the　girl　in　front　of　her；　by
a　characteristic　inner　refusal　to　admit　that　she　had　accidentally　come　in
contact　with　something　baking。　　Therefore　she　broke　the　silence。

〃Isn't　that　what　you　wantyou　who　are　striking？〃　she　asked。

〃I　think　we　want　the　things　that　you've　got；〃　said　Janet。　　A　phrase　one
of　the　orators　had　used　came　into　her　mind；　〃Enough　money　to　live　up　to
American　standards〃but　she　did　not　repeat　it。　　〃Enough　money　to　be
free；　to　enjoy　life；　to　have　some　leisure　and　amusement　and　luxury。〃　　The
last　three　she　took　from　the　orator's　mouth。

〃But　surely；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Brocklehurst；　〃surely　you　want　more　than
that！〃

Janet　shook　her　head。

〃You　asked　me　what　we　believed；　the　I。W。W。；　the　syndicalists；　and　I　told
you　you　wouldn't　like　it。　　Well；　we　believe　in　doing　away　with　you；　the
rich；　and　taking　all　you　have　for　ourselves；　the　workers；　the　producers。
We　believe　you　haven't　any　right　to　what　you've　got；　that　you've　fooled
and　cheated　us　out　of　it。　　That's　why　we　women　don't　care　much　about　the
vote；　I　suppose；　though　I　never　thought　of　it。　　We　mean　to　go　on　striking
until　we've　got　all　that　you've　got。〃

〃But　what　will　become　of　us？〃　　said　Mrs。　Brocklehurst。　　〃You　wouldn't　do
away　with　all　of　us。！　　I　admit　there　are　many　who　don'tbut　some　do
sympathize　with　you；　will　help　you　get　what　you　want；　help　you；　perhaps；
to　see　things　more　clearly；　to　go　about　it　lessruthlessly。〃

〃I've　told　you　what　we　believe；〃　repeated　Janet。

〃I'm　so　glad　I　came；〃　cried　Mrs。　Brocklehurst。　　〃It's　most　interesting！
I　never　knew　what　the　syndicalists　believed。　　Why；　it's　like　the　French
Revolutiononly　worse。　　How　are　you　going　to　get　rid　of　us？　cut　our
heads　off？〃

Janet　could　not　refrain　from　smiling。

〃Let　you　starve；　I　suppose。〃

〃Really！〃　said　Mrs。　Brocklehurst；　and　appeared　to　be　trying　to　visualize
the　process。　　She　was　a　true　Athenian；　she　had　discovered　some　new　thing；
she　valued　discoveries　more　than　all　else　in　life；　she　collected　them；
though　she　never　used　them　save　to　discuss　them　with　intellectuals　at　her
dinner　parties。　　〃Now　you　must　let　me　come　to　Headquarters　and　get　a
glimpse　of　some　of　the　leadersof　Antonelli；　and　I'm　told　there's　a
fascinating　man　named　Rowe。〃

〃Rolfe；〃　Janet　corrected。

〃Rolfethat's　it。〃　　She　glanced　down　at　the　diminutive　watch；　set　with
diamonds；　on　her　wrist；　rose　and　addressed　Insall。　　〃Oh　dear；　I　must　be
going；　I'm　to　lunch　with　Nina　Carfax　at　one；　and　she's　promised　to　tell
me　a　lot　of　things。　　She's　writing　an　article　for　Craven's　Weekly　all
about　the　strike　and　the　suffering　and　injusticeshe　says　it's　been
horribly　misrepresented　to　the　public；　the　mill　owners　have　had　it　all
their　own　way。　　I　think　what　you're　doing　is　splendid；　Brooks；　only〃
here　she　gave　him　an　appealing；　rather　commiserating　look〃only　I　do
wish　you　would　take　more　interest　inin　underlying　principles。〃

Insall　smiled。

〃It's　a　question　of　brains。　　You　have　to　have　brains　to　be　a
sociologist；〃　he　answered；　as　he　held　up　for　her　the　fur　coat。　　With　a
gesture　of　gentle　reproof　she　slipped　into　it；　and　turned　to　Janet。

〃You　must　let　me　see　more　of　you；　my　dear；〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　at　the　best
hotel；　I　can't　remember　the　name；　they're　all　so　horriblebut　I'll　be
here　until　to…morrow　afternoon。　　I　want　to　find　out　everything。　　Come　and
call　on　me。　　You're　quite　the　most　interesting　person　I've　met　for　a　long
timeI　don't　think　you　realize　how　interesting　you　are。　　Au　revoir！〃
She　did　not　seem　to　expect　any　reply；　taking　acquiescence　for　granted。
Glancing　once　more　at　the　rows　of　children；　who　had　devoured　their　meal
in　an　almost　uncanny　silence；　she　exclaimed；　〃The　dears！　　I'm　going　to
send　you　a　cheque；　Brooks；　even　if　you　have　been　horrid　to　meyou　always
are。〃

〃Horrid！〃　repeated　Insall；　〃put　it　down　to　ignorance。〃

He　accompanied　her　down　the　stairs。　　From　her　willowy　walk　a
sophisticated　observer　would　have　hazarded　the　guess　that　her　search　for
an　occupation　had　included　a　course　of　lessons　in　fancy　dancing。

Somewhat　dazed　by　this　interview　which　had　been　so　suddenly　forced　upon
her；　Janet　remained　seated　on　the　platform。　　She　had　the　perception　to
recognize　that　in　Mrs。　Brocklehurst　and　Insall　she　had　come　in　contact
with　a　social　stratum　hitherto　beyond　the　bounds　of　her　experience；　those
who　belonged　to　that　stratum　were　not　characterized　by　the　possession　of
independent　incomes　alone；　but　by　an　attitude　toward　life；　a　manner　of
not　appearing　to　take　its　issues　desperately。　　Ditmar　was　not　like　that。
She　felt　convicted　of　enthusiasms；　she　was　puzzled；　rather　annoyed　and
ashamed。　　Insall　and　Mrs。　Brocklehurst；　different　though　they　were；　had
this　attitude　in　common。。。。　　Insall；　when　he　returned；　regarded　her
amusedly。

〃So　you'd　like　to　exterminate　Mrs。　Brocklehurst？〃　he　asked。

And　Janet　flushed。　　〃Well；　she　forced　me　to　say　it。〃

〃Oh；　it　didn't　hurt　her；〃　he　said。

〃And　it　didn't　help　her；〃　Janet　responded　quickly。

〃No；　it　didn't　help　her；〃　Insall　agreed；　and　laughed。

〃But　I'm　not　sure　it　isn't　true；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　we　want　what　she's
got。〃　　The　remark；　on　her　own　lips；　surprised　Janet　a　little。　　She　had
not　really　meant　to　make　it。　　Insall　seemed　to　have　the　quality　of
forcing　one　to　think　out　loud。

〃And　what　she　wants；　you've　got；〃　he　told　her。

〃What　have　I　got？〃

〃Perhaps　you'll　find　out；　some　day。〃

〃It　may　be　too　late；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃If　you'd　only　tell　me；　it　might
help。〃

〃I　think　it's　something　you'll　have　to　discover　for　yourself；〃　he
replied；　more　gravely　than　was　his　wont。

She　was　silent　a　moment；　and　then　she　demanded：　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me
who　you　were？　　You　let　me　think；　when　I　met　you　in　Silliston　that　day；
that　you　were　a　carpenter。　　I　didn't　know　you'd　written　books。〃

〃You　can't　expect　writers　to　wear　uniforms；　like　policementhough
perhaps　we　ought　to；　it　might　be　a　little　fairer　to　the　public；〃　he　said。
〃Besides；　I　am　a　carpenter；　a　better　carpenter　than　a　writer。。〃

〃I'd　give　anything　to　be　an　author！〃　　she　cried。

〃It's　a　hard　life；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃We　have　to　go　about　seeking
inspiration　from　others。〃

〃Is　that　why　you　came　to　Hampton？〃

〃Well；　not　exactly。　　It's　a　queer　thing　about　inspiration；　you　only　find
it　when　you're　not　looking　for　it。〃

She　missed　the　point　of　this　remark；　though　his　eyes　were　on　her。　　They
were　not　like　Rolfe's　eyes；　insinuating；　possessive；　they　had　the
anomalistic　quality；　of　being　at　once　personel　and　impersonal；　friendly；
alight；　evoking　curiosity　yet　compelling　trust。

〃And　you　didn't　tell　me；〃　he　reproached　her；　〃that　you　were　at　I。W。W。
Headquarters。〃

A　desire　for　self…justification　impelled　her　to　exclaim：　〃You　don't
believe　in　Syndicalismand　yet　you've　come　here　to　feed　these　children！〃

〃Oh；　I　think　I　understand　the　strike；〃　he　said。

〃How？　　Have　you　seen　it？　　Have　you　heard　the　arguments？〃

〃No。　　I've　seen　you。　　You've　explained　it。〃

〃To　Mrs。　Brocklehurst？〃

〃It　wasn't　necessary；〃　he　repliedand　immediately　added；　in　semi…serious
apology：　〃I　thought　it　was　admirable；　what　you　said。　　If　she'd　talked　to
a　dozen　syndicalist　leaders；　she　couldn't　have　had　it　put　more　clearly。
Only　I'm　afraid　she　doesn't　know　the　truth　when　she　hears　it。〃

〃Now　you're　making　fun　of　me！〃

〃Indeed　I'm　not；〃　he　protested。

〃But　I　didn't　give　any　of　the　arguments；　any　of　thephilosophy；〃　she
pronounced　the　word　hesitatingly。　　〃I　don't　understand　it　yet　as　well　as
I　should。〃

〃You　are　it；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　not　always　easy　to　understand　what　we　are
it's　generally　after　we've　become　something　else　that　we　comprehend　what
we　have　been。〃

And　while　she　was　pondering　over　this　one　of　the　ladies　who　had　been
waiting　on　the　table　came　toward　Insall。

〃The　children　have　finished；　Brooks；〃　she　informed　him。　　〃It's　time　to
let　in　the　others。〃

Insall　turned　to　Janet。　　〃This　is　Miss　Bumpusand　this　is　Mrs。　Maturin；〃
he　said。　　〃Mrs。　Maturin　lives　in　Silliston。〃

The　greeting　of　this　lady　differed　from　that　of　Mrs。　Brocklehurst。　　She；
too；　took　Janet's　hand。

〃Have　you　come　to　help　us？〃　she　asked。

And　Janet　said：　〃Oh；　I'd　like　to；　but　I　have　other　work。〃

〃Come　in　and　see　us　again；〃　said　Insall；　and　Janet；　promising；　took　her
leave。。。。

〃Who　is　she；　Brooks？〃　Mrs。　Maturin　asked；　when　Janet　had　gone。

〃Well；〃　he　answered；　〃I　don't　know。　　What　does　it　matter？〃

Mrs。　Maturin　smiled。

〃I　should　say　that　it　did　matter；〃　she　replied。　　〃But　there's　something
unusual　about　herwhere　did　you　find　her？〃

〃She　found　me。〃　　And　Insall　explained。　　〃She　was　a　stenographer；　it
seems；　but　now　she's　enlisted　heart　and　soul　with　the　syndicalists；〃　he
added。

〃A　history？〃　Mrs。　Maturin　queried。　　〃Well；　I　needn't　askit's　written　on
her　face。〃

〃That's　all　I　know；〃　said　Insall。

〃I'd　like　to　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Maturin。　　〃You　say　she's　in　the　strike？〃

〃I　should　rather　put　it　that　the　strike　is　in　her。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Brooks？〃

But　Insall　did　not　reply。

Janet　came　away　from　Dey　Street　in　a　state　of　mental　and　emotional
confusion。　　The　encounter　with　Mrs。　Brocklehurst　had　been　upsetting；　she
had　an　uneasy　feeling　of　having　made　a　fool　of　herself　in　Insall's　eyes；
she　desired　his　approval；；　even　on　that　occasion　when　she　had　first　met
him　and　mistaken　him　for　a　workman　she　had　been　conscious　of　a　compelling
faculty　in　him；　of　a　pressure　he　exerted　demanding　justification　of
herself；　and　to…day；　because　she　was　now　pledged　to　Syndicalism；　because
she　had　made　the　startling　discovery　that　he　was　a　writer　of　some　renown；
she　had　been　more　than　ever　anxious　to　vindicate　her　cause。　　She　found
herself；　indeed；　wondering　uneasily　whether　there　were　a　higher　truth　of
which　he　was　in　possession。　　And　the　fact　that　his　attitude　toward　her
had　been　one　of　sympathy　and　friendliness　rather　than　of　disapproval；
that　his　insight　seemed　to　have　fathomed　her　case；　apprehended　it　in　all
but　the　details；　was　even　more　disturbingyet　vaguely　consoling。　　The
consolatory　element　in　the　situation　was　somehow　connected　with　the　lady；