the dwelling place of ligh-第21章

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〃Have　you　seen　this　article　about　Mr。　Ditmar？〃　he　asked。

〃About　Mr。　Ditmar？　　No。〃

〃It's　quite　a　send…off　for　the　Colonel；〃　said　Caldwell；　who　was　wont　at　times
to　use　the　title　facetiously。　　〃Listen；　‘One　of　the　most　notable　figures　in　the
Textile　industry　of　the　United　States；　Claude　Ditmar；　Agent　of　the　Chippering
Mill。'〃　Caldwell　spread　out　the　page　and　pointed　to　a　picture。　　〃There　he　is；
as　large　as　life。〃

A　little　larger　than　life；　Janet　thought。　　Ditmar　was　one　of　those　men　who；　as
the　expression　goes；　〃take〃　well；　a　valuable　asset　in　semi…public　careers；　and
as　he　stood　in　the　sunlight　on　the　steps　of　the　building　where　they　had　〃snap…
shotted〃　him　he　appeared　even　more　massive；　forceful；　and　preponderant　than　she
had　known　him。　　Beholding　him　thus　set　forth　and　praised　in　a　public　print；　he
seemed　suddenly　to　have　been　distantly　removed　from　her；　to　have　reacquired　at
a　bound　the　dizzy　importance　he　had　possessed　for　her　before　she　became　his
stenographer。　　She　found　it　impossible　to　realize　that　this　was　the　Ditmar　who
had　pursued　and　desired　her；　at　times　supplicating；　apologetic；　abject；　and
again　revealed　by　the　light　in　his　eyes　and　the　trembling　of　his　hand　as　the
sinister　and　ruthless　predatory　male　from　whomsince　the　revelation　in　her
sister　Lise　she　had　determined　to　flee；　and　whom　she　had　persuaded　herself　she
despised。　　He　was　a　bigger　man　than　she　had　thought；　and　as　she　read　rapidly
down　the　column　the　fascination　that　crept　over　her　was　mingled　with
disquieting　doubt　of　her　own　powers：　it　was　now　difficult　to　believe　she　had
dominated　or　could　ever　dominate　this　self…sufficient；　successful　person；　the
list　of　whose　achievements　and　qualities　was　so　alluringly　set　forth　by　an
interviewer　who　himself　had　fallen　a　victim。

The　article　carried　the　implication　that　the　modern；　practical；　American
business　man　was　the　highest　type　as　yet　evolved　by　civilization：　and　Ditmar；
referred　to　as　〃a　wizard　of　the　textile　industry；〃　was　emphatically　one　who　had
earned　the　gratitude　of　the　grand　old　Commonwealth。　　By　the　efforts　of　such
sons　she　continued　to　maintain　her　commanding　position　among　her　sister　states。
Prominent　among　the　qualities　contributing　to　his　success　was　openmindedness；
〃a　willingness　to　be　shown；〃　to　scrap　machinery　when　his　competitors　still
clung　to　older　methods。　　The　Chippering　Mill　had　never　had　a　serious　strike；
indication　of　an　ability　to　deal　with　labour；　and　Mr。　Ditmar's　views　on　labour
followed：　if　his　people　had　a　grievance；　let　them　come　to　him；　and　settle　it
between　them。　　No　unions。　　He　had　consistently　refused　to　recognize　them。
There　was　mention　of　the　Bradlaugh　order　as　being　the　largest　commission　ever
given　to　a　single　mill；　a　reference　to　the　excitement　and　speculation　it　had
aroused　in　trade　circles。　　Claude　Ditmar's　ability　to　put　it　through　was
unquestioned；　one　had　only　to　look　at　him；tenacity；　forcefulness；
executiveness　were　written　all　over　him。。。。　　In　addition；　the　article　contained
much　material　of　an　autobiographical　nature　that　mustJanet　thoughthave　been
supplied　by　Ditmar　himself；　whose　modesty　had　evidently　shrunk　from　the　cruder
self…eulogy　of　an　interview。　　But　she　recognized　several　characteristic
phrases。

Caldwell；　watching　her　as　she　read；　was　suddenly　fascinated。　　During　a　trip
abroad；　while　still　an　undergraduate；　he　had　once　seen　the　face　of　an　actress；
a　really　good　Parisian　actress；　light　up　in　that　way；　and　it　had　revealed　to
him；　in　a　flash；　the　meaning　of　enthusiasm。　　Now　Janet　became　vivid　for　him。
There　must　be　something　unusual　in　a　person　whose　feelings　could　be　so　intense；
whose　emotions　rang　so　true。　　He　was　not　unsophisticated。　　He　had　sometimes
wondered　why　Ditmar　had　promoted　her；　though　acknowledging　her　ability。　　He
admired　Ditmar；　but　had　no　illusions　about　him。　　Harvard；　and　birth　in　a　social
stratum　where　emphasis　is　superfluous；　enabled　him　to　smile　at　the　reporter's
exuberance；　and　he　was　the　more　drawn　toward　her　to　see　on　Janet's　flushed　face
the　hint　of　a　smile　as　she　looked　up　at　him　when　she　had　finished。

〃The　Colonel　hypnotized　that　reporter；〃　he　said；　as　he　took　the　paper；　and　her
laugh；　despite　its　little　tremor；　betrayed　in　her　an　unsuspected；　humorous
sense　of　proportion。　　〃Well；　I'll　take　off　my　hat　to　him；〃　Caldwell　went　on。
〃He　is　a　wonder；　he's　got　the　mill　right　up　to　capacity　in　a　week。　　He's　agreed
to　deliver　those　goods　to　the　Bradlaughs　by　the　first　of　April；　you　know；　and
Holster；　of　the　Clarendon；　swears　it　can't　be　done；　he　says　Ditmar's　crazy。
Well；　I　stand　to　lose　twenty…five　dollars　on　him。〃

This　loyalty　pleased　Janet；　it　had　the　strange　effect　of　reviving　loyalty　in
her。　　She　liked　this　evidence　of　Dick　Caldwell's　confidence。　　He　was　a　self…
contained　and　industrious　young　man；　with　crisp　curly　hair；　cordial　and
friendly　yet　never　intimate　with　the　other　employer；　liked　by　thembut　it　was
tacitly　understood　his　footing　differed　from　theirs。　　He　was　a　cousin　of　the
Chipperings；　and　destined　for　rapid　promotion。　　He　went　away　every　Saturday；　it
was　known　that　he　spent　Sundays　and　holidays　in　delightful　places；　to　return
reddened　and　tanned；　and　though　he　never　spoke　about　these　excursions；　and　put
on　no　airs　of　superiority；　there　was　that　in　his　manner　and　even　in　the　cut　of
his　well…worn　suits　proclaiming　him　as　belonging　to　a　sphere　not　theirs；　to　a
category　of　fortunate　beings　whose　stumbles　are　not　fatal；　who　are　sustained
from　above。　　Even　Ditmar　was　not　of　these。

〃I've　just　been　showing　a　lot　of　highbrows　through　the　mill；〃　he　told　Janet。
〃They　asked　questions　enough　to　swamp　a　professor　of　economics。〃

And　Janet　was　suddenly　impelled　to　ask：

〃Will　you　take　me　through　sometime；　Mr。　Caldwell？〃

〃You've　never　been　through？〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Why；　we'll　go　now；　if　you　can
spare　the　time。〃

Her　face　had　become　scarlet。

〃Don't　tell　Mr。　Ditmar；〃　she　begged。　　〃You　seehe　wanted　to　take　me　himself。〃

〃Not　a　word；〃　Caldwell　promised　as　they　left　the　office　together　and　went
downstairs　to　the　strong　iron　doors　that　led　to　the　Cotton　Department。　　The
showing　through　of　occasional　visitors　had　grown　rather　tiresome；　but　now　his
curiosity　and　interest　were　aroused；　he　was　conscious　of　a　keen　stimulation
when　he　glanced　at　Janet's　face。　　Its　illumination　perplexed　him。　　The　effect
was　that　of　a　picture　obscurely　hung　and　hitherto　scarcely　noticed　on　which　the
light　had　suddenly　been　turned。　　It　glowed　with　a　strange　and　disturbing
radiance。。。。

As　for　Janet；　she　was　as　one　brought　suddenly　to　the　realization　of　a　miracle
in　whose　presence　she　had　lived　for　many　years　and　never　before　suspected；　the
miracle　of　machinery；　of　the　triumph　of　man　over　nature。　　In　the　brief　space　of
an　hour　she　beheld　the　dirty　bales　flung　off　the　freight　cars　on　the　sidings
transformed　into　delicate　fabrics　wound　from　the　looms；　cotton　that　only　last
summer；　perhaps；　while　she　sat　typewriting　at　her　window；　had　been　growing　in
the　fields　of　the　South。　　She　had　seen　it　torn　by　the　balebreakers；　blown　into
the　openers；　loosened；　cleansed；　and　dried；　taken　up　by　the　lappers；　pressed
into　batting；　and　passed　on　to　the　carding　machines；　to　emerge　like　a　wisp　of
white　smoke　in　a　sliver　and　coil　automatically　in　a　can。　　Once　more　it　was
flattened　into　a　lap；　given　to　a　comber　that　felt　out　its　fibres；　removing　with
superhuman　precision　those　for　the　finer　fabric　too　short；　thrusting　it　forth
again　in　another　filmy　sliver　ready　for　the　drawing　frames。　　Six　of　these
gossamer　ropes　were　taken　up；　and　again　six。　　Then　came　the　Blubbers　and　the
roving　frames；　twisting　and　winding；　the　while　maintaining　the　most　delicate　of
tensions　lest　the　rope　break；　running　the　strands　together　into　a　thread
constantly　growing　stronger　and　finer；　until　it　was　ready　for　spinning。

Caldwell　stood　close　to　her；　shouting　his　explanations　in　her　ear；　while　she
strained　to　follow　them。　　But　she　was　bewildered　and　entranced　by　the
marvellous　swiftness；　accuracy　and　ease　with　which　each　of　the　complex
machines；　fed　by　human　hands；　performed　its　function。　　These　human　hands　were
swift；　too；　as　when　they　thrust　the　bobbins　of　roving　on　the　ringspinning
frames　to　be　twisted　into　yarn。　　She　saw　a　woman；　in　the　space　of　an　instant；
mend　a　broken　thread。　　Women　and　boys　were　here；　doffer　boys　to　lift　off　the
full　bobbins　of　yarn　with　one　hand　and　set　on　the　empty　bobbins　with　the　other：
while　skilled　workmen；　alert　for　the　first　sign　of　trouble；　followed　up　and
down　in　its　travels　the　long　frame　of　the　mule…spinner。　　After　the　spinning；
the　heavy　spools　of　yarn　were　carried　to　a　beam…warper；　standing　alone　like　a
huge　spider's　web；　where　hundreds　of　threads　were　stretched　symmetrically　and
wound　evenly；　side　by　side；　on　a　large　cylinder；　forming　the　warp　of　the　fabric
to　be　woven　on　the　loom。　　First；　however；　this　warp　must　be　stiffened　or
〃slashed〃　in　starch　and　tallow；　dried　over　heated　drums；　and　finally　wound
around　one　great　beam　from　which　the　multitude　of　threads　are　taken　up；　one　by
one；　and　slipped　through　the　eyes　of　the　loom　harnesses　by　women　who　sit　all
day　under　the　north　windows　overlooking　the　canalthe　〃drawers…in〃　of　whom
Ditmar　had　spoken。　　Then　the　harnesses　are　put　on　the　loom；　the　threads
attached　to　the　cylinder　on　which　the　cloth　is　to　be　wound。　　The　looms　absorbed
and　fascinated　Janet　above　all　else。　　It　seemed　as　if　she　would　never　tire　of
watching　the　rhythmic　rise　and　fall　of　the　harnesses；each　rapid　movement
making　a　V　in　the　warp；　within　the　angle　of　which　the　tiny　shuttles　darted　to
and　fro；　to　and　fro；　carrying　the　thread　that　filled　the　cloth　with　a　swiftness
so　great　the　eye　could　scarcely　follow　it；　to　be　caught　on　the　other　side　when
the　angle　closed；　and　flung　back；　and　back　again！　　And　in　the　elaborate
patterns　not　one；　but　several　harnesses　were　used；　each　awaiting　its　turn　for
the　impulse　bidding　it　rise　and　fall！。。。　　Abruptly；　as　she　gazed；　one　of　the
machines　halted；　a　weaver　hurried　up；　searched　the　warp　for　the　broken　thread；
tied　it；　and　started　the　loom　again。

〃That's　intelligent　of　it；〃　said　Caldwell；　in　her　ear。　　But　she　could　only　nod
in　reply。

The　noise　in　the　weaving　rooms　was　deafening；　the　heat　oppressive。　　She　began
to　wonder　how　these　men　and　women；　boys　and　girls　bore　the　strain　all　day　long。
She　had　never　thought　much　about　them　before　save　to　compare　vaguely　their
drudgery　with　that　from　which　now　she　had　been　emancipated；　but　she　began　to
feel　a　new　respect；　a　new　concern；　a　new　curiosity　and　interest　as　she　watched
them　passing　from　place　to　place　with　indifference　between　the　whirling　belts；
up　and　down　the　narrow　aisles；　flanked　on　either　side　by　that　bewildering；
clattering　machinery　whose　polished　surfaces　continually　caught　and　flung　back
the　light　of　the　electric　bulbs　on　the　ceiling。　　How　was　it　possible　to　live
for　hours　at　a　time　in　this　bedlam　without　losing　presence　of　mind　and
thrusting　hand　or　body　in　the　wrong　place；　or　becoming　deaf？　　She　had　never
before　realized　what　mill　work　meant；　though　she　had　read　of　the　accidents。
But　these　peopleeven　the　childrenseemed　oblivious　to　the　din　and　the
danger；　intent　on　their　tasks；　unconscious　of　the　presence　of