the dwelling place of ligh-第4章

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into　a　discussion　of　waists；　hats；　and　lingerie；　to　ogle　and　exchange
persiflages　with　the　young　men　of　the　paymaster's　corps；　to　giggle；　to　relate；
sotto　voce；　certain　stories　that　ended　invariably　in　hysterical　laughter。
Janet　detested　these　conversations。　　And　the　sex　question；　subtly　suggested　if
not　openly　dealt　with；　to　her　was　a　mystery　over　which　she　did　not　dare　to
ponder；　terrible；　yet　too　sacred　to　be　degraded。　　Her　feelings；　concealed　under
an　exterior　of　self…possession；　deceptive　to　the　casual　observer；　sometimes
became　molten；　and　she　was　frightened　by　a　passion　that　made　her　tremblea
passion　by　no　means　always　consciously　identified　with　men；　embodying　all　the
fierce　unexpressed　and　unsatisfied　desires　of　her　life。

These　emotions；　often　suggested　by　some　hint　of　beauty；　as　of　the　sun　glinting
on　the　river　on　a　bright　blue　day；　had　a　sudden　way　of　possessing　her；　and　the
longing　they　induced　was　pain。　　Longing　for　what？　　For　some　unimagined
existence　where　beauty　dwelt；　and　light；　where　the　ecstasy　induced　by　these　was
neither　moiled　nor　degraded；　where　shame；　as　now；　might　not　assail　her。　　Why
should　she　feel　her　body　hot　with　shame；　her　cheeks　afire？　　At　such　moments　she
would　turn　to　the　typewriter；　her　fingers　striking　the　keys　with　amazing
rapidity；　with　extraordinary　accuracy　and　force；force　vaguely　disturbing　to
Mr。　Claude　Ditmar　as　he　entered　the　office　one　morning　and　involuntarily　paused
to　watch　her。　　She　was　unaware　of　his　gaze；　but　her　colour　was　like　a　crimson
signal　that　flashed　to　him　and　was　gone。　　Why　had　he　never　noticed　her　before？
All　these　months；　for　more　than　a　year；　perhaps；she　had　been　in　his　office；
and　he　had　not　so　much　as　looked　at　her　twice。　　The　unguessed　answer　was　that
he　had　never　surprised　her　in　a　vivid　moment。　　He　had　a　flair　for　women；　though
he　had　never　encountered　any　possessing　the　higher　values；　and　it　was
characteristic　of　the　plane　of　his　mental　processes　that　this　one　should　remind
him　now　of　a　dark；　lithe　panther；　tensely　strung；　capable　of　fierceness。　　The
pain　of　having　her　scratch　him　would　be　delectable。

When　he　measured　her　it　was　to　discover　that　she　was　not　so　little；　and　the
shoulder…curve　of　her　uplifted　arms；　as　her　fingers　played　over　the　keys；
seemed　to　belie　that　apparent　slimness。　　And　had　he　not　been　unacquainted　with
the　subtleties　of　the　French　mind　and　language；　he
might　have　classed　her　as　a　fausse　maigre。　　Her　head　was　small；　her　hair　like　a
dark；　blurred　shadow　clinging　round　it。　He　wanted　to　examine　her　hair；　to　see
whether　it　would　not　betray；　at　closer　range；　an　imperceptible　wave；but　not
daring　to　linger　he　went　into　his　office；　closed　the　door；　and　sat　down　with　a
sensation　akin　to　weakness；　somewhat　appalled　by　his　discovery；　considerably
amazed　at　his　previous　stupidity。　　He　had　thought　of　Janetwhen　she　had
entered　his　mind　at　allas　unobtrusive；　demure；　now　he　recognized　this
demureness　as　repression。　　Her　qualities　needed　illumination；　and　he；　Claude
Ditmar；　had　seen　them　struck　with　fire。　　He　wondered　whether　any　other　man
had　been　as　fortunate。

Later　in　the　morning；　quite　casually；　he　made　inquiries　of　Miss　Ottway；　who
liked　Janet　and　was　willing　to　do　her　a　good　turn。

〃Why；　she's　a　clever　girl；　Mr。　Ditmar；　a　good　stenographer；　and　conscientious
in　her　work。　　She's　very　quick；　too。

〃Yes；　I've　noticed　that；〃　Ditmar　replied；　who　was　quite　willing　to　have　it
thought　that　his　inquiry　was　concerned　with　Janet's　aptitude　for　business。

〃She　keeps　to　herself　and　minds　her　own　affairs。　　You　can　see　she　comes　of　good
stock。〃　　Miss　Ottway　herself　was　proud　of　her　New　England　blood。　　〃Her　father；
you　know；　is　the　gatekeeper　down　there。　　He's　been　unfortunate。〃

〃You　don't　sayI　didn't　connect　her　with　him。　　Fine　looking　old　man。　　A　friend
of　mine　who　recommended　him　told　me　he'd　seen　better　days　。。。。〃




CHAPTER　II

In　spite　of　the　surprising　discovery　in　his　office　of　a　young　woman　of　such　a
disquieting；　galvanic　quality；　it　must　not　be　supposed　that　Mr。　Claude　Ditmar
intended　to　infringe　upon　a　fixed　principle。　　He　had　principles。　　For　him；　as
for　the　patriarchs　and　householders　of　Israel；　the　seventh　commandment　was　only
relative；　yet　hitherto　he　had　held　rigidly　to　that　relativity；　laying　down　the
sound　doctrine　that　women　and　business　would　not　mix：　or；　as　he　put　it　to　his
intimates；　no　sensible　man　would　fool　with　a　girl　in　his　office。　　Hence　it　may
be　implied　that　Mr。　Ditmar's　experiences　with　the　opposite　sex　had　been　on　a
property　basis。　　He　was　one　of　those　busy　and　successful　persons　who　had　never
appreciated　or　acquired　the　art　of　quasi…platonic　amenities；　whose　idea　of　a
good　time　was　limited　to　discreet　excursions　with　cronies；　likewise　busy　and
successful　persons　who；　by　reason　of　having　married　early　and　unwisely；　are
strangers　to　the　delights　of　that　higher　social　intercourse　chronicled　in
novels　and　the　public　prints。　　If　one　may　conveniently　overlook　the　joys　of　a
companionship　of　the　soul；　it　is　quite　as　possible　to　have　a　taste　in　women　as
in　champagne　or　cigars。　　Mr。　Ditmar　preferred　blondes；　and　he　liked　them　rather
stout；　a　predilection　that　had　led　him　into　matrimony　with　a　lady　of　this
description：　a　somewhat　sticky；　candy…eating　lady　with　a　mania　for　card
parties；　who　undoubtedly　would　have　dyed　her　hair　if　she　had　lived。　　He　was　not
inconsolable；　but　he　had　had　enough　of　marriage　to　learn　that　it　demands　a
somewhat　exorbitant　price　for　joys　otherwise　more　reasonably　to　be　obtained。

He　was　left　a　widower　with　two　children；　a　girl　of　thirteen　and　a　boy　of
twelve；　both　somewhat　large　for　their　ages。　　Amy　attended　the　only　private
institution　for　the　instruction　of　her　sex　of　which　Hampton　could　boast；　George
continued　at　a　public　school。　　The　late　Mrs。　Ditmar　for　some　years　before　her
demise　had　begun　to　give　evidence　of　certain　restless　aspirations　to　which
American　ladies　of　her　type　and　situation　seem　peculiarly　liable；　and　with　a
view　to　their　ultimate　realization　she　had　inaugurated　a　Jericho…like　campaign。
Death　had　released　Ditmar　from　its　increasing　pressure。　　For　his　wife　had
possessed　that　admirable　substitute　for　character；　persistence；　had　been　expert
in　the　use　of　importunity；　often　an　efficient　weapon　in　the　hands　of　the　female
economically　dependent。　　The　daughter　of　a　defunct　cashier　of　the　Hampton
National　Bank；　when　she　had　married　Ditmar；　then　one　of　the　superintendents　of
the　Chippering　and　already　a　marked　man；　she　had　deemed　herself　fortunate　among
women；　looking　forward　to　a　life　of　ease　and　idleness　and　candy　in　great
abundance；a　dream　temporarily　shattered　by　the　unforeseen　discomfort　of
bringing　two　children　into　the　world；　with　an　interval　of　scarcely　a　year
between　them。　　Her　parents　from　an　excess　of　native　modesty　having　failed　to
enlighten　her　on　this　subject；　her　feelings　were　those　of　outraged
astonishment；　and　she　was　quite　determined　not　to　repeat　the　experience　a　third
time。　　Knowledge　thus　belatedly　acquired；　for　a　while　she　abandoned　herself　to
the　satisfaction　afforded　by　the　ability　to　take　a　commanding　position　in
Hampton　society；　gradually　to　become　aware　of　the　need　of　a　more　commodious
residence。　　In　a　certain　kind　of　intuition　she　was　rich。　　Her　husband　had
meanwhile　become　Agent　of　the　Chippering　Mill；　and　she　strongly　suspected　that
his　prudent　reticence　on　the　state　of　his　finances　was　the　best　indication　of
an　increasing　prosperity。　　He　had　indeed　made　money；　been　given　many
opportunities　for　profitable　investments；　but　the　argument　for　social　pre…
eminence　did　not　appeal　to　him：　tears　and　reproaches；　recriminations；　when
frequently　applied；　succeeded　better；　like　many　married　men；　what　he　most
desired　was　to　be　let　alone；　but　in　some　unaccountable　way　she　had　come　to
suspect　that　his　preference　for　blondes　was　of　a　more　liberal　nature　than　at
first；　in　her　innocence；　she　had　realized。　　She　was　jealous；　too；　of　his
cronies；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　these　gentlemen；　when　they　met　her；　treated
her　with　an　elaborate　politeness；　and　she　accused　him　with　entire　justice　of
being　more　intimate　with　them　than　with　her；　with　whom　he　was　united　in　holy
bonds。　　The　inevitable　result　of　these　tactics　was　the　modern　mansion　in　the
upper　part　of　Warren　Street；　known　as　the　〃residential〃　district。　　Built　on　a
wide　lot；　with　a　garage　on　one　side　to　the　rear；　with　a　cement　driveway　divided
into　squares；　and　a　wall　of　democratic　height　separating　its　lawn　from　the
sidewalk；　the　house　may　for　the　present　be　better　imagined　than　described。

A　pious　chronicler　of　a　more　orthodox　age　would　doubtless　have　deemed　it　a
judgment　that　Cora　Ditmar　survived　but　two　years　to　enjoy　the　glories　of　the
Warren　Street　house。　　For　a　while　her　husband　indulged　in　a　foolish　optimism；
only　to　learn　that　the　habit　of　matrimonial　blackmail；　once　acquired；　is　not
easily　shed。　　Scarcely　had　he　settled　down　to　the　belief　that　by　the
gratification　of　her　supreme　desire　he　had　achieved　comparative　peace；　than　he
began　to　suspect　her　native　self…confidence　of　cherishing　visions　of　a　career
contemplating　nothing　less　than　the　eventual　abandonment　of　Hampton　itself　as　a
field　too　limited　for　her　social　talents　and　his　business　ability　and　bank
accountat　which　she　was　pleased　to　hint。　　Hampton　suited　Ditmar；　his　passion
was　the　Chippering　Mill；　and　he　was　in　process　of　steeling　himself　to　resist；
whatever　the　costs；　this　preposterous　plan　when　he　was　mercifully　released　by
death。　　Her　intention　of　sending　the　children　away　to　acquire　a　culture　and
finish　Hampton　did　not　afford；George　to　Silliston　Academy；　Amy　to　a
fashionable　boarding　school；he　had　not　opposed；　yet　he　did　not　take　the　idea
with　sufficient　seriousness　to　carry　it　out。　　The　children　remained　at　home；
more　or　lessincreasingly　lessin　the　charge　of　an　elderly　woman　who　acted　as
housekeeper。

Ditmar　had　miraculously　regained　his　freedom。　　And　now；　when　he　made　trips　to
New　York　and　Boston；　combining　business　with　pleasure；　there　were　no　questions
asked；　no　troublesome　fictions　to　be　composed。　　More　frequently　he　was　in
Boston；　where　he　belonged　to　a　large　and　comfortable　club；　not　too　exacting　in
regard　to　membership；　and　here　he　met　his　cronies　and　sometimes　planned
excursions　with　them；　automobile　trips　in　summer　to　the　White　Mountains　or
choice　little　resorts　to　spend　Sundays　and　holidays；　generally　taking　with　them
a　case　of　champagne　and　several　bags　of　golf　sticks。　　He　was　fond　of　shooting；
and　belonged　to　a　duck　club　on　the　Cape；　where　poker　and　bridge　were　not
tabooed。　　To　his　intimates　he　was　known　as　〃Dit。〃　　Nor　is　it　surprising　that
his　attitude　toward　women　had　become　in　general　one　of　resentment；　matrimony　he
now　regarded　as　unmitigated　folly。　　At　five　and　forty　he　was　a　vital；
dominating；　dust…coloured　man　six　feet　and　half　an　inch　in　height；　weighing　a
hundred　and　ninety　pounds；　and　thus　a　trifle　fleshy。　　When　relaxed；　and　in
congenial　company；　he　looked　rather　boyish；　an　aspect　characteristic　of　many
American　business　men　of　to…day。

His　head　was　large；　he　wore　his　hair　short；　his　features　also　proclaimed　him　as
belonging　to　a　modern　American　type　in　that　they　were　not　clear…cut；　but　rather
ind