the dwelling place of ligh-第2章

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was　put　to　shame　by　that　which　the　foreigners　displayed；　and　which　would　have
delighted　the　souls　of　gentlemen　of　the　Manchester　school。　　Every　once　in　a
while　there　rose　up　before　her　fabulous　instances　of　this　thrift；　of　Italians
and　Jews　who；　ignorant　emigrants；　had　entered　the　mills　only　a　few　years　before
they；　the　Bumpuses；　had　come　to　Hampton；　and　were　now　independent　property
owners。　　Still　rankling　in　Hannah's　memory　was　a　day　when　Lise　had　returned
from　school；　dark　and　mutinous；　with　a　tale　of　such　a　family。　　One　of　the
younger　children　was　a　classmate。

〃They　live　on　Jordan　Street　in　a　house；　and　Laura　has　roller　skates。　　I　don't
see　why　I　can't。〃

This　was　one　of　the　occasions　on　which　Hannah　had　given　vent　to　her
indignation。　　Lise　was　fourteen。　　Her　open　rebellion　was　less　annoying　than
Janet's　silent　reproach；　but　at　least　she　had　something　to　take　hold　of。

〃Well；　Lise；〃　she　said；　shifting　the　saucepan　to　another　part　of　the　stove；　〃I
guess　if　your　father　and　I　had　put　both　you　girls　in　the　mills　and　crowded　into
one　room　and　cooked　in　a　corner；　and　lived　on　onions　and　macaroni；　and　put　four
boarders　each　in　the　other　rooms；　I　guess　we　could　have　had　a　house；　too。　　We
can　start　in　right　now；　if　you're　willing。〃

But　Lise　had　only　looked　darker。

〃I　don't　see　why　father　can't　make　moneyother　men　do。〃

〃Isn't　he　working　as　hard　as　he　can　to　send　you　to　school；　and　give　you　a
chance？〃

〃I　don't　want　that　kind　of　a　chance。　　There's　Sadie　Howard　at　schoolshe　don't
have　to　work。　　She　liked　me　before　she　found　out　where　I　lived。。。〃

There　was　an　element　of　selfishness　in　Hannah's　mania　for　keeping　busy；　for
doing　all　their　housework　and　cooking　herself。　　She　could　not　bear　to　have　her
daughters　interfere；　perhaps　she　did　not　want　to　give　herself　time　to　think。
Her　affection　for　Edward；　such　as　it　was；　her　loyalty　to　him；　was　the　logical
result　of　a　conviction　ingrained　in　early　youth　that　marriage　was　an
indissoluble　bond；　a　point　of　views　once　having　a　religious　sanction；　no　less
powerful　now　thatall　unconsciouslyit　had　deteriorated　into　a　superstition。
Hannah；　being　a　fatalist；　was　not　religious。　　The　beliefs　of　other　days；　when
she　had　donned　her　best　dress　and　gone　to　church　on　Sundays；　had　simply　lapsed
and　lefthabits。　　No　new　beliefs　had　taken　their　place。。。。

Even　after　Janet　and　Lise　had　gone　to　work　the　household　never　seemed　to　gain
that　margin　of　safety　for　which　Hannah　yearned。　　Always；　when　they　were　on　the
verge　of　putting　something　by；　some　untoward　need　or　accident　seemed　to　arise
on　purpose　to　swallow　it　up：　Edward；　for　instance；　had　been　forced　to　buy　a　new
overcoat；　the　linoleum　on　the　dining…room　floor　must　be　renewed；　and　Lise　had
had　a　spell　of　sickness；　losing　her　position　in　a　flower　shop。　　Afterwards；
when　she　became　a　saleslady　in　the　Bagatelle；　that　flamboyant　department　store
in　Faber　Street；　she　earned　four　dollars　and　a　half　a　week。　　Two　of　these　were
supposed　to　go　into　the　common　fund；　but　there　were　clothes　to　buy；　Lise　loved
finery；　and　Hannah　had　not　every　week　the　heart　to　insist。　　Even　when；　on　an
occasional　Saturday　night　the　girl　somewhat　consciously　and　defiantly　flung
down　the　money　on　the　dining…room　table　she　pretended　not　to　notice　it。　　But
Janet；　who　was　earning　six　dollars　as　a　stenographer　in　the　office　of　the
Chippering　Mill；　regularly　gave　half　of　hers。

The　girls　could　have　made　more　money　as　operatives；　but　strangely　enough　in　the
Bumpus　family　social　hopes　were　not　yet　extinct。

Sharply；　rudely；　the　cold　stillness　of　the　winter　mornings　was　broken　by
agitating　waves　of　sound；　penetrating　the　souls　of　sleepers。　　Janet　would　stir；
her　mind　still　lingering　on　some　dream；　soon　to　fade　into　the　inexpressible；　in
which　she　had　been　near　to　the　fulfilment　of　a　heart's　desire。　　Each　morning；
as　the　clamour　grew　louder；　there　was　an　interval　of　bewilderment；　of
revulsion；　until　the　realization　came　of　mill　bells　swinging　in　high　cupolas
above　the　river；one　rousing　another。　　She　could　even　distinguish　the　bells：
the　deep…toned；　penetrating　one　belonged　to　the　Patuxent　Mill；　over　on　the　west
side；　while　the　Arundel　had　a　high；　ominous　reverberation　like　a　fire　bell。
When　at　last　the　clangings　had　ceased　she　would　lie　listening　to　the　overtones
throbbing　in　the　air；　high　and　low；　high　and　low；　lie　shrinking；　awaiting　the
second　summons　that　never　failed　to　terrify；　the　siren　of　the　Chippering　Mill；…
…to　her　the　cry　of　an　insistent；　hungry　monster　demanding　its　daily　food；　the
symbol　of　a　stern；　ugly；　and　unrelenting　necessity。

Beside　her　in　the　bed　she　could　feel　the　soft　body　of　her　younger　sister
cuddling　up　to　her　in　fright。　　In　such　rare　moments　as　this　her　heart　melted
towards　Lise；　and　she　would　fling　a　protecting　arm　about　her。　　A　sense　of
Lise's　need　of　protection　invaded　her；　a　sharp　conviction；　like　a　pang；　that
Lise　was　destined　to　wander：　Janet　was　never　so　conscious　of　the　feeling　as　in
this　dark　hour；　though　it　came　to　her　at　other　times；　when　they　were　not
quarreling。　　Quarreling　seemed　to　be　the　normal　reaction　between　them。

It　was　Janet；　presently；　who　would　get　up；　shivering；　close　the　window；　and
light　the　gas；　revealing　the　room　which　the　two　girls　shared　together。　　Against
the　middle　of　one　wall　was　the　bed；　opposite　this　a　travel…dented　walnut　bureau
with　a　marble　top；　with　an　oval　mirror　into　which　were　stuck　numerous　magazine
portraits　of　the　masculine　and　feminine　talent　adorning　the　American　stage；　a
preponderance　of　the　music　hall　variety。　　There　were　pictures　of　other　artists
whom　the　recondite　would　have　recognized　as　〃movie〃　stars；　amazing　yet　veridic
stories　of　whose　wealth　Lise　read　in　the　daily　press：　all　possessed　limousines…
…an　infallible　proof；　to　Lise；　of　the　measure　of　artistic　greatness。　　Between
one　of　these　movie　millionaires　and　an　ex…legitimate　lady　who　now　found
vaudeville　profitable　was　wedged　the　likeness　of　a　popular　idol　whose
connection　with　the　footlights　would　doubtless　be　contingent　upon　a　triumphant
acquittal　at　the　hands　of　a　jury　of　her　countrymen；　and　whose　trial　for　murder；
in　Chicago；　was　chronicled　daily　in　thousands　of　newspapers　and　followed　by
Lise　with　breathless　interest　and　sympathy。　　She　was　wont　to　stare　at　this　lady
while　dressing　and　exclaim：

〃Say；　I　hope　they　put　it　all　over　that　district　attorney！〃

To　such　sentiments；　though　deeply　felt　by　her　sister；　Janet　remained　cold；
though　she　was；　as　will　be　seen；　capable　of　enthusiasms。　　Lise　was　a　truer
daughter　of　her　time　and　country　in　that　she　had　the　national　contempt　for　law；
was　imbued　with　the　American　hero…worship　of　criminals　that　caused　the
bombardment　of　Cora　Wellman's　jail　with　candy；　fruit　and　flowers　and
impassioned　letters。　　Janet　recalled　there　had　been　others　before　Mrs。　Wellman；
caught　within　the　meshes　of　the　law；　who　had　incited　in　her　sister　a　similar
partisanship。

It　was　Lise　who　had　given　the　note　of　ornamentation　to　the　bedroom。　　Against
the　cheap　faded　lilac　and　gold　wall…paper　were　tacked　photo…engravings　that　had
taken　the　younger　sister's　fancy：　a　young　man　and　woman；　clad　in　scanty　bathing
suits；　seated　side　by　side　in　a　careening　sail　boat；the　work　of　a　popular
illustrator　whose　manly　and　womanly　〃types〃　had　become　national　ideals。

There　were　other　drawings；　if　not　all　by　the　same　hand；　at　least　by　the　same
school；　one；　sketched　in　bold　strokes；　of　a　dinner　party　in　a　stately
neo…classic　dining…room；　the　table　laden　with　flowers　and　silver；
the　bare…throated　women　with　jewels。　　A　more　critical　eye　than　Lise's；
gazing　upon　this　portrayal　of　the　Valhalla　of　success；　might　have　detected　in
the　young　men；　immaculate　in　evening　dress；　a　certain　effort　to　feel　at　home；
to　converse　naturally；　which　their　square　jaws　and　square　shoulders　belied。
This　was　no　doubt　the　fault　of　the　artist's　models；　who　had　failed　to　live　up
to　the　part。　　At　any　rate；　the　sight　of　these　young　gods　of　leisure；　the
contemplation　of　the　stolid　butler　and　plush　footmen　in　the　background　never
failed　to　make　Lise's　heart　beat　faster。

On　the　marble　of　the　bureau　amidst　a　litter　of　toilet　articles；　and　bought　by
Lise　for　a　quarter　at　the　Bagatelle　bargain　counter；　was　an　oval　photograph
frame　from　which　the　silver　wash　had　begun　to　rub　off；　and　the　band　of　purple
velvet　inside　the　metal　had　whitened。　　The　frame　always　contained　the　current
object　of　Lise's　affections；　though　the　exhibitsas　Janet　saidwere　subject
to　change　without　notice。　　The　Adonis　who　now　reigned　had　black　hair　cut　in　the
prevailing　Hampton　fashion；　very　long　in　front　and　hanging　down　over　his　eyes
like　a　Scottish　terrier's；　very　long　behind；　too；　but　ending　suddenly；　shaved
in　a　careful　curve　at　the　neck　and　around　the　ears。　　It　had　almost　the
appearance　of　a　Japanese　wig。　　The　manly　beauty　of　Mr。　Max　Wylie　was　of　the
lantern…jawed　order；　and　in　his　photograph　he　conveyed　the　astonished　and
pained　air　of　one　who　has　been　suddenly　seized　by　an　invisible　officer　of　the
law　from　behind。　　This　effect；　one　presently　perceived；　was　due　to　the　high；
stiff　collar；　the　〃Torture　Brand；〃　Janet　called　it；　when　she　and　her　sister
were　engaged　in　one　of　their　frequent　controversies　about　life　in　general：　the
obvious　retort　to　this　remark；　which　Lise　never　failed　to　make；　was　that　Janet
could　boast　of　no　beaux　at　all。

It　is　only　fair　to　add　that　the　photograph　scarcely　did　Mr。　Wylie　justice。　　In
real　life　he　did　not　wear　the　collar；　he　was　free　and　easy　in　his　manners；　sure
of　his　powers　of　conquest。　　As　Lise　observed；　he　had　made　a　home…run　with　her
at　Slattery's　Riverside　Park。　　〃Sadie　Hartmann　was　sure　sore　when　I　tangoed　off
with　him；〃　she　would　observe　reminiscently　。。。。

It　was　Lise's　habit　to　slight　her　morning　toilet；　to　linger　until　the　last
minute　in　bed；　which　she　left　in　reluctant　haste　to　stand　before　the　bureau
frantically　combing　out　kinks　of　the　brown　hair　falling　over　her　shoulders
before　jamming　it　down　across　her　forehead　in　the　latest　mode。　　Thus　occupied；
she　revealed　a　certain　petulant　beauty。　　Like　the　majority　of　shop…girls；　she
was　small；　but　her　figure　was　good；　her　skin　white；　her　discontented　mouth　gave
her　the　touch　of　piquancy　apt　to　play　havoc　with　the　work　of　the　world。　　In
winter　breakfast　was　eaten　by　the　light　of　a　rococo　metal　lamp　set　in　the
centre　of　the　table。　　This　was　to　save　gas。　　There　was　usually　a　rump　steak　and
potatoes；　bread　and　〃creamery〃　butterine；　and　the　inevitable　New　England
doughnuts。　　At　six　thirty　the　whistles　screeched　again；a　warning　note；　the
signal　for　Edward's　departure；　and　presently；　after　a　brief　respite；　the　heavy
bells　once　more　began　their　clamour；　not　to　die　down　until　ten　minutes　of
seven；　when　the　last　of　the　stragglers　had　hurried　through　the　mill　gates。

The　Bumpus　flat　included　the　second　floor　of　a　small　wooden　house　whose　owner
had　once　been　evilly　inspired　to　paint　it　a　livid　clay…yellowas　though
insisting　that　ugliness　were　an　essential　attribute　of　domesticity。　　A　bay　ran
up　the　two　stories；　and　at　the　left　were　two　narrow　doorways；　one　for　each
flat。　　On　the　right　the　house　was　separated　from　its　neighbour　by　a　narrow
interval；　giving　but　a　precarious　light　to　the　two　middle　r