the dwelling place of ligh-第28章

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gentleman　was　based　on　evidence　purely　circumstantial；　Janet　was　inclined
to　believe　him　of　a　type　wholly　different　from　his　predecessors；　and　the
fact　that　his　attentions　were　curiously　intermittent　and　irregular
inclined　her　to　the　theory　that　he　was　not　a　resident　of　Hampton。　　What
was　he　like？　　It　revolted　her　to　reflect　that　he　might　in　some　ways
possibly　resemble　Ditmar。　　Thus　he　became　the　object　of　a　morbid
speculation；　especially　at　such　times　as　this；　when　Lise　attired　herself
in　her　new　winter　finery　and　went　forth　to　meet　him。　　Janet；　also；　had
recently　been　self…convicted　of　sharing　with　Lise　the　same　questionable
tendency　toward　self…adornment　to　please　the　eye　of　man。　　The　very　next
Saturday　night　after　she　had　indulged　in　that　mad　extravagance　of　the
blue　suit；　Lise　had　brought　home　from　the　window　of　The　Paris　in　Faber
Street　a　hat　that　had　excited　the　cupidity　and　admiration　of　Miss　Schuler
and　herself；　and　in　front　of　which　they　had　stood　languishing　on　three
successive　evenings。　　In　its　acquisition　Lise　had　expended　almost　the
whole　of　a　week's　salary。　　Its　colour　was　purple；　on　three　sides　were
massed　drooping　lilac　feathers；　but　over　the　left　ear　the　wide　brim　was
caught　up　and　held　by　a　crescent　of　brilliant　paste　stones。　　Shortly
after　this　purchasethe　next　week；　in　fact；The　Paris　had　alluringly
and　craftily　displayed；　for　the　tempting　sum　of　6。29；　the　very　cloak
ordained　by　providence　to　〃go〃　with　the　hat。　　Miss　Schuler　declared　it
would　be　a　crime　to　fail　to　take　advantage　of　such　an　opportunity　but　the
trouble　was　that　Lise　had　had　to　wait　for　two　more　pay…days　and　endure
the　suspense　arising　from　the　possibility　that　some　young　lady　of　taste
and　means　might　meanwhile　become　its　happy　proprietor。　　Had　not　the
saleslady　been　obdurate；　Lise　would　have　had　it　on　credit；　but　she　did
succeed；　by　an　initial　payment　the　ensuing　Saturday；　in　having　it
withdrawn　from　public　gaze。　　The　second　Saturday　Lise　triumphantly
brought　the　cloak　home；　a　velvet　cloak；if　the　eyes　could　be　believed；
velvet　bordering　on　plush；　with　a　dark　purple　ground　delicately　and
artistically　spotted　with　a　lilac　to　match　the　hat　feathers；　and　edged
with　a　material　whichif　not　too　impudently　examined　and　no　questions
askedmight　be　mistaken；　by　the　uninitiated　male；　for　the　fur　of　a　white
fox。　　Both　investments　had　been　made；　needless　to　say；　on　the　strength　of
Janet's　increased　salary；　and　Lise；　when　Janet　had　surprised　her　before
the　bureau　rapturously　surveying　the　combination；　justified　herself　with
a　defiant　apology。

〃I　just　had　to　have　somethingwhat　with　winter　coming　on；〃　she　declared；
seizing　the　hand　mirror　in　order　to　view　the　back。　　〃You　might　as　well
get　your　clothes　chick；　while　you're　about　itand　I　didn't　have　to　dig
up　twenty　bones；　neithernor　anything　like　it〃　a　reflection　on　Janet's
moest　blue　suit　and　her　abnormal　extravagance。　　For　it　was　Lise's　habit
to　carry　the　war　into　the　enemy's　country。　　〃Sadie's　dippy　about　itsays
it　puts　her　in　mind　of　one　of　the　swells　snapshotted　in　last　Sunday's
supplement。　　Well；　dearie；　how　does　the　effect　get　you？〃　and　she　wheeled
around　for　her　sister's　inspection。

〃If　you　take　my　advice；　you'll　be　careful　not　to　be　caught　out　in　the
rain。〃


〃What's　chewin'　you　now？〃　demanded　Lise。　　She　was　not　lacking　in
imagination　of　a　certain　sort；　and　Janet's　remark　did　not　fail　in　its
purpose　of　summoning　up　a　somwhat　abject　image　of　herself　in　wet　velvet
and　bedraggled　feathersan　image　suggestive　of　a　certain　hunted　type　of
woman　Lise　and　her　kind　held　in　peculiar　horror。　　And　she　was　the　more
resentful　because　she　felt；　instinctively；　that　the　memory　of　this
suggestion　would　never　be　completely　eradicated：　it　would　persist；　like　a
canker；　to　mar　the　completeness　of　her　enjoyment　of　these　clothes。　　She
swung　on　Janet　furiously。

〃I　get　you；　all　right！〃　　she　cried。　　〃I　guess　I　know　what's　eatin'　you！
You've　got　money　to　burn　and　you're　sore　because　I　spend　mine　to　buy　what
I　need。　　You　don't　know　how　to　dress　yourself　any　more　than　one　of　them
Polak　girls　in　the　mills；　and　you　don't　want　anybody　else　to　look　nice。〃

And　Janet　was　impelled　to　make　a　retort　of　almost　equal　crudity：

〃If　I　were　a　man　and　saw　you　in　those　clothes　I　wouldn't　wait　for　an
introduction。　　You　asked　me　what　I　thought。　　I　don't　care　about　the
money！〃　she　exclaimed　passionately。　　〃I've　often　told　you　you　were　pretty
enough　without　having　to　wear　that　kind　of　thingto　make　men　stare　at
you。〃

〃I　want　to　know　if　I　don't　always　look　like　a　lady！　　And　there's　no　man
living　would　try　to　pick　me　up　more　than　once。〃　　The　nasal　note　in　Lise's
voice　had　grown　higher　and　shriller；　she　was　almost　weeping　with　anger。
〃You　want　me　to　go　'round　lookin'　like　a　floorwasher。〃

〃I'd　rather　look　like　a　floorwasher　thanthan　another　kind　of　woman；〃
Janet　declared。

〃Well；　you've　got　your　wish；　sweetheart；〃　said　Lise。　　〃You　needn't　be
scared　anybody　will　pick　you　up。〃

〃I'm　not；〃　said　Janet。。。。

This　quarrel　had　taken　place　a　week　or　so　before　Janet's　purchase　of　the
stove。　　Hannah；　too；　was　outraged　by　Lise's　costume；　and　had　also　been
moved　to　protest；　futile　protest。　　Its　only　effect　on　Lise　was　to
convince　her　of　the　existence　of　a　prearranged　plan　of　persecution；　to
make　her　more　secretive　and　sullen　than　ever　before。

〃Sometimes　I　just　can't　believe　she's　my　daughter；〃　Hannah　said
dejectedly　to　Janet　when　they　were　alone　together　in　the　kitchen　after
Lise　had　gone　out。　　〃I'm　fond　of　her　because　she's　my　own　flesh　and
bloodI'm　ashamed　of　it；　but　I　can't　help　it。　　I　guess　it's　what　the
minister　in　Dolton　used　to　call　a　visitation。　　I　suppose　I　deserve　it；
but　sometimes　I　think　maybe　if　your　father　had　been　different　he　might
have　been　able　to　put　a　stop　to　the　way　she's　going　on。　　She　ain't　like
any　of　the　Wenches；　nor　any　of　the　Bumpuses；　so　far's　I'm　able　to　find
out。　　She　just　don't　seem　to　have　any　notion　about　right　and　wrong。
Well；　the　world　has　got　all　jumbled　upit　beats　me。〃

Hannah　wrung　out　the　mop　viciously　and　hung　it　over　the　sink。

〃I　used　to　hope　some　respectable　man　would　come　along；　but　I've　quit
hopin'。　　I　don't　know　as　any　respectable　man　would　want　Lise；　or　that　I
could　honestly　wish　him　to　have　her。〃

〃Mother！〃　protested　Janet。　　Sometimes；　in　those　conversations；　she　was
somewhat　paradoxically　impelled　to　defend　her　sister。

〃Well；　I　don't；〃　insisted　Hannah；　〃that's　a　fact。　　I'll　tell　you　what　she
looks　like　in　that　hat　and　cloaka　bad　woman。　　I　don't　say　she　isI
don't　know　what　I'd　do　if　I　thought　she　was；　but　I　never　expected　my
daughter　to　look　like　one。〃

〃Oh；　Lise　can　take　care　of　herself；〃　Janet　said；　in　spite　of　certain
recent　misgivings。

〃This　town's　Sodom　and　Gomorrah　rolled　into　one；〃　declared　Hannah　who；
from　early　habit；　was　occasionally　prone　to　use　scriptural　parallels。
And　after　a　moment's　silence　she　inquired：　〃Who's　this　man　that's　payin'
her　attention　now？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　Janet；　〃I　don't　know　that　there's　anybody。〃

〃I　guess　there　is；〃　said　Hannah。　　〃I　used　to　think　that　that　Wiley　was
low　enough；　but　I　could　see　him。　　It　was　some　satisfaction。　　I　could　know
the　worst；　anyhow。。。。　　I　guess　it's　about　time　for　another　flood。〃

This　talk　had　left　Janet　in　one　of　these　introspective　states　so　frequent
in　her　recent　experience。　　Her　mother　had　used　the　words　〃right〃　and
〃wrong。〃　　But　what　was　〃right；〃　or　〃wrong？〃　　There　was　no　use　asking
Hannah；　whoshe　perceivedwas　as　confused　and　bewildered　as　herself。
Did　she　refuse　to　encourage　Mr。　Ditmar　because　it　was　wrong？　　because；　if
she　acceded　to　his　desires；　and　what　were　often　her　own；　she　would　be
punished　in　an　after　life？　　She　was　not　at　all　sure　whether　she　believed
in　an　after　life；a　lack　of　faith　that　had；　of　late；　sorely　troubled　her
friend　Eda　Rawle；　who　had　〃got　religion〃　from　an　itinerant　evangelist　and
was　now　working　off；　in　a　〃live〃　church；　some　of　the　emotional　idealism
which　is　the　result　of　a　balked　sex　instinct　in　young　unmarried　women　of
a　certain　mentality　and　unendowed　with　good　looks。　　This　was　not；　of
course；　Janet's　explanation　of　the　change　in　her　friend；　of　whom　she　now
saw　less　and　less。　　They　had　had　arguments；　in　which　neither　gained　any
ground。　　For　the　first　time　in　their　intercourse；　ideas　had　come　between
them；　Eda　having　developed　a　surprising　self…assertion　when　her　new
convictions　were　attacked；　a　dogged　loyalty　to　a　scheme　of　salvation　that
Janet　found　neither　inspiring　nor　convincing。　　She　resented　being　prayed
for；　and　an　Eda　fervent　in　good　works　bored　her　more　than　ever。　　Eda　was
deeply　pained　by　Janet's　increasing　avoidance　of　her　company；　yet　her
heroine…worship　persisted。　　Her　continued　regard　for　her　friend　might
possibly　be　compared　to　the　attitude　of　an　orthodox　Baptist　who　has
developed　a　hobby；　let　us　say；　for　Napoleon　Bonaparte。

Janet　was　not　wholly　without　remorse。　　She　valued　Eda's　devotion；　she
sincerely　regretted　the　fact；　on　Eda's　account　as　well　as　her　own；　that
it　was　a　devotion　of　no　use　to　her　in　the　present　crisis　nor　indeed　in
any　crisis　likely　to　confront　her　in　life：　she　had　felt　instinctively
from　the　first　that　the　friendship　was　not　founded　on；　mental　harmony；
and　now　it　was　brought　home　to　her　that　Eda's　solution　could　never　be
hers。　　Eda　would　have　been　thrilled　on　learning　of　Ditmar's　attentions；
would　have　advocated　the　adoption　of　a　campaign　leading　up　to　matrimony。
In　matrimony；　for　Eda；　the　soul　was　safe。　　Eda　would　have　been　horrified
that　Janet　should　have　dallied　with　any　other　relationship；　God　would
punish　her。　　Janet；　in　her　conflict　between　alternate　longing　and
repugnance；　was　not　concerned　with　the　laws　and　retributions　of　God。　　She
felt；　indeed；　the　need　of　counsel；　and　knew　not　where　to　turn　for　it；
the　modern　need　for　other　than　supernatural　sanctions。　　She　did　not
resist　her　desire　for　Ditmar　because　she　believed；　in　the　orthodox　sense；
that　it　was　wrong；　but　because　it　involved　a　loss　of　self…respect；　a
surrender　of　the　personality　from　the　very　contemplation　of　which　she
shrank。　　She　was　a　true　daughter　of　her　time。

On　Friday　afternoon；　shortly　after　Ditmar　had　begun　to　dictate　his
correspondence；　Mr。　Holster；　the　agent　of　the　Clarendon　Mill；　arrived　and
interrupted　him。　　Janet　had　taken　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　file
away　some　answered　letters　when　her　attention　was　distracted　from　her
work　by　the　conversation；　which　had　gradually　grown　louder。　　The　two　men
were　standing　by　the　window；　facing　one　another；　in　an　attitude　that
struck　her　as　dramatic。　　Both　were　vital　figures；　dominant　types　which
had　survived　and　prevailed　in　that　upper　world　of　unrelenting　struggle
for　supremacy　into　which；　through　her　relation　to　Ditmar；　she　had　been
projected；　and　the　significance　of　which　she　had　now　begun　to　realize。
She　surveyed　Holster　critically。　　He　was　short；　heavily　built；　with　an
almost　grotesque　width　of　shoulder；　a　muddy　complexion；　thick　lips；　and
kinky；　greasy　black　hair　that　glistened　in　the　sun。　　His　nasal　voice　was
complaining；　yet　distinctly　aggressive；　and　he　emphasized　his　words　by
gestures。　　The　veins　stood　out　on　his　forehead。　　She　wondered　what　his
history　had　been。　　She　compared　hi