the dwelling place of ligh-第69部分

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inevitable　result　of　the　anarchistic　preaching　of　such　enemies　of　society
as　Jastro　and　Antonelli　if　these；　indeed；　had　not　incited　the　Syrians　to
the　deed。　　But　it　was　a　plot　of　the　mill…owners；　Anna　insistedthey
themselves　had　planted　the　explosive；　adroitly　started　the　rumours；　told
the　police　where　the　dynamite　was　to　be　found。　　Such　was　the　view　that
prevailed　at　Headquarters；　pervaded　the　angrily　buzzing　crowd　that　stood
outsideheedless　of　the　rainand　animated　the　stormy　conferences　in　the
Salle　de　Reunion。

The　day　wore　on。　　In　the　middle　of　the　afternoon；　as　she　was　staring　out
of　the　window；　Anna　Mower　returned　with　more　news。　　Dynamite　had　been
discovered　in　Hawthorne　Street；　and　it　was　rumoured　that　Antonelli　and
Jastro　were　to　be　arrested。

〃You　ought　to　go　home　and　rest；　Janet；〃　she　said　kindly。

Janet　shook　her　head。

〃Rolfe's　back；〃　Anna　informed　her；　after　a　moment。　　〃He's　talking　to
Antonelli　about　another　proclamation　to　let　people　know　who's　to　blame
for　this　dynamite　business。　　I　guess　he'll　be　in　here　in　a　minute　to
dictate　the　draft。　　Say；　hadn't　you　better　let　Minnie　take　it；　and　go
home？〃

〃I'm　not　sick；〃　Janet　repeated；　and　Anna　reluctantly　left　her。

Rolfe　had　been　absent　for　a　week；　in　New　York；　consulting　with　some　of
the　I。W。W。　leaders；　with　Lockhart；　the　chief　protagonist　of　Syndicalism
in　America；　just　returned　from　Colorado；　to　whom　he　had　given　a　detailed
account　of　the　Hampton　strike。　　And　Lockhart；　next　week；　was　coming　to
Hampton　to　make　a　great　speech　and　look　over　the　ground　for　himself。　　All
this　Rolfe　told　Janet　eagerly　when　he　entered　the　bibliotheque。　　He　was
glad　to　get　back；　he　had　missed　her。

〃But　you　are　pale！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　seized　her　hand；　〃and　how　your
eyes　burn！　　You　do　not　take　care　of　yourself　when　I　am　not　here　to　watch
you。〃　　His　air　of　solicitude；　his　assumption　of　a　peculiar　right　to　ask；
might　formerly　have　troubled　and　offended　her。　　Now　she　was　scarcely
aware　of　his　presence。　　〃You　feel　too　muchthat　is　it　you　are　like　a
torch　that　consumes　itself　in　burning。　　But　this　will　soon　be　over；　we
shall　have　them　on　their　knees；　the　capitalists；　before　very　long；　when
it　is　known　what　they　have　done　to…day。　　It　is　too　muchthey　have
overreached　themselves　with　this　plot　of　the　dynamite。

You　have　missed　me；　a　little？〃

〃I　have　been　busy；〃　she　said；　releasing　her　hand　and　sitting　down　at　her
desk　and　taking　up　her　notebook。

〃You　are　not　well；〃　he　insisted。

〃I'm　all　right；〃　she　replied。

He　lit　a　cigarette　and　began　to　pace　the　roomhis　customary　manner　of
preparing　himself　for　the　creative　mood。　　After　a　while　he　began　to
dictatebut　haltingly。　　He　had　come　here　from　Antonelli　all　primed　with
fervour　and　indignation；　but　it　was　evident　that　this　feeling　had　ebbed；
that　his　mind　refused　to　concentrate　on　what　he　was　saying。　　Despite　the
magnificent　opportunity　to　flay　the　capitalists　which　their　most　recent
tactics　afforded　him；　he　paused；　repeated　himself；　and　began　again；
glancing　from　time　to　time　reproachfully；　almost　resentfully　at　Janet。
Usually；　on　these　occasions；　he　was　transported；　almost　inebriated　by　his
own　eloquence；　but　now　he　chafed　at　her　listlessness；　he　was　at　a　loss　to
account　for　the　withdrawal　of　the　enthusiasm　he　had　formerly　been　able　to
arouse。　　Lacking　the　feminine　stimulus；　his　genius　limped。　　For　Rolfe
there　had　been　a　woman　in　every　strikesometimes　two。　　What　had
happened；　during　his　absence；　to　alienate　the　most　promising　of　all
neophytes　he　had　ever　encountered？

〃The　eyes　of　the　world　are　fixed　on　the　workers　of　Hampton！　　They　must　be
true　to　the　trust　their　fellows　have　placed　in　them！　　To…day　the　mill…
owners；　the　masters；　are　at　the　end　of　their　tether。　　Always
unscrupulous；　they　have　descended　to　the　most　despicable　of　tactics　in
order　to　deceive　the　public。　　But　truth　will　prevail！。。。〃　　Rolfe　lit
another　cigarette；　began　a　new　sentence　and　broke　it　off。　　Suddenly　he
stood　over　her。　　〃It's　you！〃　he　said。　　〃You　don't　feel　it；　you　don't　help
me；　you're　not　in　sympathy。〃

He　bent　over　her；　his　red　lips　gleaming　through　his　beard；　a　terrible
hunger　in　his　lustrous　eyesthe　eyes　of　a　soul　to　which　self…denial　was
unknown。　　His　voice　was　thick　with　uncontrolled　passion；　his　hand　was
cold。

〃Janet；　what　has　happened？　　I　love　you；　you　must　love　meI　cannot
believe　that　you　do　not。　　Come　with　me。　　We　shall　work　together　for　the
workersit　is　all　nothing　without　you。〃

For　a　moment　she　sat　still；　and　then　a　pain　shot　through　her；　a　pain　as
sharp　as　a　dagger　thrust。　　She　drew　her　hand　away。

〃I　can't　loveI　can　only　hate；〃　she　said。

〃But　you　do　not　hate　me！〃　Rolfe　repudiated　so　gross　a　fact。　　His　voice
caught　as　in　a　sob。　　〃I；　who　love　you；　who　have　taught　you！〃

She　dismissed　thiswhat　he　had　taught　herwith　a　gesture　which；　though
slight；　was　all…expressive。　　He　drew　back　from　her。

〃Shall　I　tell　you　who　has　planned　and　carried　out　this　plot？〃　he　cried。
〃It　is　Ditmar。　　He　is　the　one；　and　he　used　Janes；　the　livery　stable
keeper；　the　politician　who　brought　the　dynamite　to　Hampton；　as　his　tool。
Half　an　hour　before　Janes　got　to　the　station　in　Boston　he　was　seen　by　a
friend　of　ours　talking　to　Ditmar　in　front　of　the　Chippering　offices；　and
Janes　had　the　satchel　with　him　then。　　Ditmar　walked　to　the　corner　with
him。〃

Janet；　too；　had　risen。

〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　she　said。

〃Ah；　I　thought　you　wouldn't！　　But　we　have　the　proof　that　dynamite　was　in
the　satchel；　we've　found　the　contractor　from　whom　it　was　bought。　　I　was　a
foolI　might　have　known　that　you　loved　Ditmar。〃

〃I　hate　him！〃　said　Janet。

〃It　is　the　same　thing；〃　said　Rolfe。

She　did　not　answer。。。。　　He　watched　her　in　silence　as　she　put　on　her　hat
and　coat　and　left　the　room。

The　early　dusk　was　gathering　when　she　left　the　hall　and　made　her　way
toward　the　city。　　The　huge　bottle…shaped　chimneys　of　the　power　plant
injected　heavy　black　smoke　into　the　wet　air。　　In　Faber　Street　the　once
brilliant　signs　above　the　〃ten…foot〃　buildings　seemed　dulled；　the
telegraph　poles　starker；　nakeder　than　ever；　their　wires　scarcely
discernible　against　the　smeared　sky。　　The　pedestrians　were　sombrely
garbed；　and　went　about　in　〃rubbers〃the　most　depressing　of　all　articles
worn　by　man。　　Sodden　piles　of　snow　still　hid　the　curb　and　gutters；　but
the　pavements　were　trailed　with　mud　that　gleamed　in　the　light　from　the
shop　windows。　　And　Janet；　lingering　unconsciously　in　front　of　that　very
emporium　where　Lisehad　been　incarcerated；　the　Bagatelle；　stared　at　the
finery　displayed　there；　at　the　blue　tulle　dress　that　might　be　purchased；
she　read；　for　22。99。　　She　found　herself　repeating；　in　meaningless；
subdued　tones；　the　words；　〃twenty…two　ninety…nine。〃　　She　even　triedjust
to　see　if　it　were　possibleto　concentrate　her　mind　on　that　dress；　on　the
fur　muffs　and　tippets　in　the　next　window；　to　act　as　if　this　were　just　an
ordinary；　sad　February　afternoon；　and　she　herself　once　more　just　an
ordinary　stenographer　leading　a　monotonous；　uneventful　existence。　　But
she　knew　that　this　was　not　true；　because；　later　on；　she　was　going　to　do
somethingto　commit　some　act。　　She　didn't　know　what　this　act　would　be。
Her　head　was　hot；　her　temples　throbbed。。。。

Night　had　fallen；　the　electric　arcs　burned　blue　overhead；　she　was　in
another　streetwas　it　Stanley？　　Sounds　of　music　reached　her；　the　rumble
of　marching　feet；　dark；　massed　figures　were　in　the　distance　swimming
toward　her　along　the　glistening　line　of　the　car　tracks；　and　she　heard　the
shrill　whistling　of　the　doffer　boys；　who　acted　as　a　sort　of　fife　corps　in
these　paradeswhich　by　this　time　had　become　familiar　to　the　citizens　of
Hampton。　　And　Janet　remembered　when　the　little　red　book　that　contained
the　songs　had　arrived　at　Headquarters　from　the　west　and　had　been
distributed　by　thousands　among　the　strikers。　　She　recalled　the　words　of
this　song；　though　the　procession　was　as　yet　too　far　away　for　her　to
distinguish　them：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃The　People's　flag　is　deepest　red；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　It　shrouded　oft　our　martyred　dead；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　ere　their　limbs　grew　stiff　and　cold；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Their　life…blood　dyed　its　every　fold。〃

The　song　ceased；　and　she　stood　still；　waiting　for　the　procession　to　reach
her。　　A　group　of　heavy　Belgian　women　were　marching　together。　　Suddenly；
as　by　a　simultaneous　impulse；　their　voices　rang　out　in　the
Internationalethe　terrible　Marseillaise　of　the　workers：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Arise；　ye　prisoners　of　starvation！
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Arise；　ye　wretched　of　the　earth　〃

And　the　refrain　was　taken　up　by　hundreds　of　throats：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Tis　the　final　conflict；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Let　each　stand　in　his　place

The　walls　of　the　street　flung　it　back。　　On　the　sidewalk；　pressed　against
the　houses；　men　and　women　heard　it　with　white　faces。　　But　Janet　was
carried　on。。。。　　The　scene　changed；　now　she　was　gazing　at　a　mass　of　human
beings　hemmed　in　by　a　line　of　soldiers。　　Behind　the　crowd　was　a　row　of
old…fashioned　brick　houses；　on　the　walls　of　which　were　patterned；　by　the
cold　electric　light；　the　branches　of　the　bare　elms　ranged　along　the
sidewalk。　　People　leaned　out　of　the　windows；　like　theatregoers　at　a　play。
The　light　illuminated　the　red　and　white　bars　of　the　ensign；　upheld　by　the
standard　bearer　of　the　regiment；　the　smaller　flags　flaunted　by　the
strikerseach　side　clinging　hardily　to　the　emblem　of　human　liberty。　　The
light　fell；　too；　harshly　and　brilliantly；　on　the　workers　in　the　front
rank　confronting　the　bayonets；　and　these　seemed　strangely　indifferent；　as
though　waiting　for　the　flash　of　a　photograph。　　A　little　farther　on　a
group　of　boys；　hands　in　pockets；　stared　at　the　soldiers　with　bravado。
From　the　rear　came　that　indescribable　〃booing〃　which　those　who　have　heard
never　forget；　mingled　with　curses　and　cries：

〃Vive　la　greve！〃

〃To　hell　with　the　Cossacks！〃

〃Kahm　onshoot！〃

The　backs　of　the　soldiers；　determined；　unyielding；　were　covered　with
heavy　brown　capes　that　fell　below　the　waist。　　As　Janet's　glance　wandered
down　the　line　it　was　arrested　by　the　face　of　a　man　in　a　visored　woollen
capa　face　that　was　almost　sepia；　in　which　large　white　eyeballs　struck　a
note　of　hatred。　　And　what　she　seemed　to　see　in　it；　confronting　her；　were
the　hatred　and　des