the dwelling place of ligh-第7部分

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up　with　his　hands　folded　across　his　shins。

〃Nam　fuit　ante　Helenam〃as　Darwin　quotes。　　Toward　all　the　masculine　residents
of　Fillmore　Street；　save　one；　the　barber's　attitude　was　one　of　unconcealed
scorn　for　an　inability　to　recognize　female　perfidy。　　With　Johnny　Tiernan　alone
he　refused　to　enter　the　lists。　　When　the　popular　proprietor　of　the　tin　shop
came　sauntering　along　the　sidewalk　with　nose　uptilted；　waving　genial　greetings
to　the　various　groups　on　the　steps；　Chris　Auermann's　expression　would　suddenly
change　to　one　of　fatuous　playfulness。

〃What's　this　I　hear　about　giving　the　girls　the　vote；　Chris？〃　　Johnny　would
innocently　inquire；　winking　at　Janet；　invariably　running　his　hand　through　the
wiry　red　hair　that　resumed　its　corkscrew　twist　as　soon　as　he　released　it。　　And
Chris　would　as　invariably　reply：

〃You　have　the　dandruffsyes？　　You　come　to　my　shop；　I　give　you　somethings。。。。〃

Sometimes　the　barber；　in　search　of　a　more　aggressive　adversary　than　Edward；
would　pay　visits；　when　as　likely　as　not　another　neighbour　with　profound
convictions　and　a　craving　for　proselytes　would　swoop　down　on　the　defenceless
Bumpuses：　Joe　Shivers；　for　instance；　who　lived　in　one　of　the　tenements　above
the　cleaning　and　dyeing　establishment　kept　by　the　Pappas　Bros。；　and　known　as
〃The　Gentleman。〃　　In　the　daytime　Mr。　Shivers　was　a　model　of　acquiescence　in　a
system　he　would　have　designated　as　one　of　industrial　feudalism；　his　duty　being
to　examine　the　rolls　of　cloth　as　they　came　from　the　looms　of　the　Arundel　Mill；
in　case　of　imperfections　handing　them　over　to　the　women　menders：　at　night；　to
borrow　a　vivid　expression　from　Lise；　he　was　〃batty　in　the　belfry〃　on　the
subject　of　socialism。　　Unlike　the　barber；　whom　he　could　not　abide；　for　him　the
cleavage　of　the　world　was　between　labour　and　capital　instead　of　man　and　woman；
his　philosophy　was　stern　and　naturalistic；　the　universethe　origin　of　which　he
did　not　discussjust　an　accidental　assemblage　of　capricious　forces　over　which
human　intelligence　was　one　day　to　triumph。　　Squatting　on　the　lowest　step；　his
face　upturned；　by　the　light　of　the　arc　sputtering　above　the　street　he　looked
like　a　yellow　frog；　his　eager　eyes　directed　toward　Janet；　whom　he　suspected　of
intelligence。

〃If　there　was　a　God；　a　nice；　kind；　all…powerful　God；　would　he　permit　what
happened　in　one　of　the　loom…rooms　last　week？　　A　Polak　girl　gets　her　hair　caught
in　the　belt　pfff！〃　　He　had　a　marvellously　realistic　gift　when　it　came　to
horrors：　Janet　felt　her　hair　coming　out　by　the　roots。　　Although　she　never　went
to　church；　she　did　not　like　to　think　that　no　God　existed。　　Of　this　Mr。　Shivers
was　very　positive。　　Edward；　too；　listened　uneasily；　hemmed　and　hawed；　making
ineffectual　attempts　to　combat　Mr。　Shivers's　socialism　with　a　deeply…rooted
native　individualism　that　Shivers　declared　as　defunct　as　Christianity。

〃If　it　is　possible　for　the　workingman　to　rise　under　a　capitalistic　system；　why
do　you　not　rise；　then？　　Why　do　I　not　rise？　　I'm　as　good　as　Ditmar；　I'm　better
educated；　but　we're　all　slaves。　　What　right　has　a　man　to　make　you　and　me　work
for　him　just　because　he　has　capital？〃

〃Why；　the　right　of　capital；〃　Edward　would　reply。

Mr。　Shivers；　with　the　manner　of　one　dealing　with　an　incurable　romanticism　and
sentimentality；　would　lift　his　hands　in　despair。　　And　in　spite　of　the　fact　that
Janet　detested　him；　he　sometimes　exercised　over　her　a　paradoxical　fascination；
suggesting　as　he　did　unexplored　intellectual　realms。　　She　despised　her　father
for　not　being　able　to　crush　the　little　man。　　Edward　would　make　pathetic
attempts　to　capture　the　role　Shivers　had　appropriated；　to　be　the　practical
party　himself；　to　convict　Shivers　of　idealism。　　Socialism　scandalized　him；
outraged；　even　more　than　atheism；　something　within　him　he　held　sacred；　and　he
was　greatly　annoyed　because　he　was　unable　adequately　to　express　this　feeling。

〃You　can't　change　human　nature；　Mr。　Shivers；〃　Edward　would　insist　in　his
precise　but　ineffectual　manner。　　〃We　all　want　property；　you　would　accept　a
fortune　if　it　was　offered　to　you；　and　so　should　I。　　Americans　will　never　become
socialists。〃

〃But　look　at　me；　wasn't　I　born　in　Meriden；　Connecticut？　　Ain't　that　Yankee
enough　for　you？〃　　Thus　Mr。　Shivers　sought　blandly　to　confound　him。

A　Yankee　　Shades　of　the　Pilgrim　fathers；　of　seven；　generations　of　Bumpuses！　　A
Yankee　who　used　his　hands　in　that　way；　a　Yankee　with　a　nose　like　that；　a　Yankee
with　a　bald　swathe　down　the　middle　of　his　crown　and　bunches　of　black；　moth…
eaten　hair　on　either　side！　　But　Edward；　too　polite　to　descend　to　personalities；
was　silent。。。。

In　brief；　this　very　politeness　of　Edward's；　which　his　ancestors　would　have
scorned；　this　consideration　and　lack　of　self…assertion　made　him　the　favourite
prey　of　the　many　〃characters〃　in　Fillmore　Street　whose　sanity　had　been
disturbed　by　pressure　from　above；　in　whose　systems　had　lodged　the　germs　of
those　exotic　social　doctrines　floating　so　freely　in　the　air　of　our　modern
industrial　communities　。。。。　　Chester　Glenn　remains　for　a　passing　mention。　　A
Yankee　of　Yankees；　this；　born　on　a　New　Hampshire　farm；　and　to　the　ordinary
traveller　on　the　Wigmore　branch　of　the　railroad　just　a　good…natured；　round…
faced；　tobacco…chewing　brakeman　who　would　take　a　seat　beside　ladies　of　his
acquaintance　aid　make　himself　agreeable　until　it　was　time　to　rise　and　bawl　out；
in　the　approved　manner　of　his　profession；　the　name　of　the　next　station。
Fillmore　Street　knew　that　the　flat　visored　cap　which　his　corporation　compelled
him　to　wear　covered　a　brain　into　which　had　penetrated　the　maggot　of　the　Single
Tax。　　When　he　encountered　Mr。　Shivers　or　Auermann　the　talk　became　coruscating。。

Eda　Rawle；　Janet's　solitary　friend　of　these　days；　must　also　be　mentioned；
though　the　friendship　was　merely　an　episode　in　Janet's　life。　　Their　first
meeting　was　at　Grady's　quick…lunch　counter　in　Faber　Street；　which　they　both
frequented　at　one　time；　and　the　fact　that　each　had　ordered　a　ham　sandwich；　a
cup　of　coffee；　and　a　confectionnew　to　Grady'sknown　as　a　Napoleon　had　led　to
conversation。

Eda；　of　course；　was　the　aggressor；　she　was　irresistibly　drawn；　she　would　not　be
repulsed。　　A　stenographer　in　the　Wessex　National　Bank；　she　boarded　with　a　Welsh
family　in　Spruce　Street；　matter…of…fact；　plodding；　commonplace；　resemblingas
Janet　thoughta　horse；　possessing；　indeed　many　of　the　noble　qualities　of　that
animal；　she　might　have　been　thought　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　discern　and
appreciate　in　Janet　the　hidden　elements　of　a　mysterious　fire。　　In　appearance
Miss　Rawle　was　of　a　type　not　infrequent　in　Anglo…Saxon　lands；　strikingly
blonde；　with　high　malar　bones；　white　eyelashes；　and　eyes　of　a　metallic　blue；
cheeks　of　an　amazing　elasticity　that　worked　rather　painfully　as　she　talked　or
smiled；　drawing　back　inadequate　lips；　revealing　long；　white　teeth　and　vivid
gums。　　It　was　the　craving　in　her　for　romance　Janet　assuaged；　Eda's　was　the　love
content　to　pour　out；　that　demands　little。　　She　was　capable　of　immolation。
Janet　was　by　no　means　ungrateful　for　the　warmth　of　such　affection；　though　in
moments　conscious　of　a　certain　perplexity　and　sadness　because　she　was　able　to
give　such　a　meagre　return　for　the　wealth　of　its　offering。

In　other　moments；　when　the　world　seemed　all　disorder　and　chaos；as　Mr。　Shivers
described　it；or　when　she　felt　within　her；　like　demons；　those　inexpressible
longings　and　desires；　leaping　and　straining；　pulling　her；　almost　irresistibly；
she　knew　not　whither；　Eda　shone　forth　like　a　light　in　the　darkness；　like　the
beacon　of　a　refuge　and　a　shelter。　　Eda　had　faith　in　her；　even　when　Janet　had
lost　faith　in　herself：　she　went　to　Eda　in　the　same　spirit　that　Marguerite　went
to　church；　though　she；　Janet；　more　resembled　Faust；　beingsave　in　these　hours
of　lowered　vitalityof　the　forth…faring　kind　。。。。　　Unable　to　confess　the　need
that　drove　her；　she　arrived　in　Eda's　little　bedroom　to　be　taken　into　Eda's
arms。　　Janet　was　immeasurably　the　stronger　of　the　two；　but　Eda　possessed　the
masculine　trait　of　protectiveness；　the　universe　never　bothered　her；　she　was　one
of　those　personscalled　fortunateto　whom　the　orthodox　Christian　virtues　come
as　naturally　as　sun　or　air。　　Passion；　when　sanctified　by　matrimony；　was　her
ideal；　and　now　it　was　always　in　terms　of　Janet　she　dreamed　of　it；　having　read
about　it　in　volumes　her　friend　would　not　touch；　and　never
having　experienced　deeply　its　discomforts。　　Sanctified　or　unsanctified；　Janet
regarded　it　with　terror；　and　whenever　Eda　innocently　broached　the　subject　she
recoiled。　　Once　Eda　exclaimed：

〃When　you　do　fall　in　love；　Janet；　you　must　tell　me　all　about　it；　every　word！〃

Janet　blushed　hotly；　and　was　silent。　　In　Eda's　mind　such　an　affair　was　a　kind
of　glorified　fireworks　ending　in　a　cluster　of　stars；　in　Janet's　a　volcanic
eruption　to　turn　the　world　red。　　Such　was　the　difference　between　them。

Their　dissipations　together　consisted　of　〃sundaes〃　at　a　drug…store；　or
sometimes　of　movie　shows　at　the　Star　or　the　Alhambra。　　Stereotyped　on　Eda's
face　during　the　legitimately　tender　passages　of　these　dramas　was　an　expression
of　rapture；　a　smile　made　peculiarly　infatuate　by　that　vertical　line　in　her
cheeks；　that　inadequacy　of　lip　and　preponderance　of　white　teeth　and　red　gums。
It　irritated；　almost　infuriated　Janet；　to　whom　it　appeared　as　the　logical
reflection　of　what　was　passing　on　the　screen；　she　averted　her　glance　from　both；
staring　into　her　lap；　filled　with　shame　that　the　relation　between　the　sexes
should　be　thus　exposed　to　public　gaze；　parodied；　sentimentalized；　degraded。。。。
There　were；　however；　marvels　to　stir　her；　strange　landscapes；　cities；　seas；　and
ships；once　a　fire　in　the　forest　of　a　western　reserve　with　gigantic　tongues　of
orange　flame　leaping　from　tree　to　tree。　　The　movies　brought　the　world　to
Hampton；　the　great　world　into　which　she　longed　to　fare；　brought　the　world　to
her！　　Remote　mountain　hamlets　from　Japan；　minarets　and　muezzins　from　the
Orient；　pyramids　from　Egypt；　domes　from　Moscow　resembling　gilded　beets　turned
upside　down；　grey　houses　of　parliament　by　the　Thames；　the　Tower　of　London；　the
Palaces　of　Potsdam；　the　Tai　Mahal。　　Strange　lands　indeed；　and　stranger　peoples！
booted　Russians　in　blouses；　naked　Equatorial　savages　tattooed　and　amazingly
ador