the dwelling place of ligh-第46章

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which　he　had　been　bred；　the　Americanism　of　individual　rights；　of　respect
for　the　convention　of　property；　had　suddenly　sprung　into　flame。　　He　was
ready　to　fight　for　it；　to　die　for　it。　　The　curses　he　hurled　at　these
people　sounded　blasphemous　in　Janet's　ears。

〃Father！〃　she　cried。　　〃Father！〃

He　looked　at　her　uncomprehendingly；　seemingly　failing　to　recognize　her。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　demanded；　seizing　her　and　attempting　to
draw　her　to　the　wall　beside　him。　　But　she　resisted。　　There　sprang　from
her　lips　an　unpremeditated　question：　〃Where　is　Mr。　Ditmar？〃　　She　was；
indeed；　amazed　at　having　spoken　it。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Edward　replied　distractedly。　　〃We've　been　looking　for　him
everywhere。　　My　God；　to　think　that　this　should　happen　with　me　at　the
gates！〃　he　lamented。　　〃Go　home；　Janet。　　You　can't　tell　what'll　happen；
what　these　fiends　will　do；　you　may　get　hurt。　　You've　got　no　business
here。〃　　Catching　sight　of　a　belated　and　breathless　policeman；　he　turned
from　her　in　desperation。　　〃Get　'em　out！　　Far　God's　sake；　can't　you　get
'em　out　before　they　ruin　the　machines？〃

But　Janet　waited　no　longer。　　Pushing　her　way　frantically　through　the
people　filling　the　yard　she　climbed　the　tower　stairs　and　made　her　way
into　one　of　the　spinning　rooms。　　The　frames　were　stilled；　the　overseer
and　second　hands；　thrust　aside；　looked　on　helplessly　while　the　intruders
harangued；　cajoled　or　threatened　the　operatives；　some　of　whom　were　cowed
and　already　departing；　others；　sullen　and　resentful；　remained　standing　in
the　aisles；　and　still　others　seemed　to　have　caught　the　contagion　of　the
strike。　　Suddenly；　with　reverberating　strokes；　the　mill　bells　rang　out；
the　electric　gongs　chattered；　the　siren　screeched；　drowning　the　voices。
Janet　did　not　pause；　but　hurried　from　room　to　room　until；　in　passing
through　an　open　doorway　in　the　weaving　department　she　ran　into　Mr。
Caldwell。　　He　halted　a　moment；　in　surprise　at　finding　her　there；　calling
her　by　name。　　She　clung　to　his　sleeve；　and　again　she　asked　the　question：

〃Where's　Mr。　Ditmar？〃

Caldwell　shook　his　head。　　His　answer　was　the　same　as　Edward's。　　〃I　don't
know；〃　he　shouted　excitedly　above　the　noise。　　〃We've　got　to　get　this　mob
out　before　they　do　any　damage。〃

He　tore　himself　away；　she　saw　him　expostulating　with　the　overseer；　and
then　she　went　on。　　These　tower　stairs；　she　remembered；　led　to　a　yard
communicating　by　a　little　gate　with　the　office　entrance。　　The　door　of　the
vestibule　was　closed；　but　the　watchman；　Simmons；　recognizing　her；
permitted　her　to　enter。　　The　offices　were　deserted；　silent；　for　the　bells
and　the　siren　had　ceased　their　clamour；　the　stenographers　and　clerks　had
gone。　　The　short　day　was　drawing　to　a　close；　shadows　were　gathering　in
the　corners　of　Ditmar's　room　as　she　reached　the　threshold　and　gazed　about
her　at　the　objects　there　so　poignantly　familiar。　　She　took　off　her　coat。
His　desk　was　littered　with　books　and　papers；　and　she　started；
mechanically；　to　set　it　in　order；　replacing　the　schedule　books　on　the
shelves；　sorting　out　the　letters　and　putting　them　in　the　basket。　　She
could　not　herself　have　told　why　she　should　take　up　again　these　trivial
tasks　as　though　no　cataclysmic　events　had　intervened　to　divide　forever
the　world　of　yesterday　from　that　of　to…morrow。　　With　a　movement
suggestive　of　tenderness　she　was　picking　up　Ditmar's　pen　to　set　it　in　the
glass　rack　when　her　ear　caught　the　sound　of　voices；　and　she　stood
transfixed；　listening　intently。　　There　were　footsteps　in　the　corridor；
the　voices　came　nearer；　one；　loud　and　angered；　she　detected　above　the
others。　　It　was　Ditmar's！　　Nothing　had　happened　to　him！　　Dropping　the
pen；　she　went　over　to　the　window；　staring　out　over　the　grey　waters；
trembling　so　violently　that　she　could　scarcely　stand。

She　did　not　look　around　when　they　entered　the　room　Ditmar；　Caldwell；
Orcutt；　and　evidently　a　few　watchmen　and　overseers。　　Some　one　turned　on
the　electric　switch；　darkening　the　scene　without。　　Ditmar　continued　to
speak　in　vehement　tones　of　uncontrolled　rage。

〃Why　in　hell　weren't　those　gates　bolted　tight？〃　he　demanded。　　〃That's
what　I　want　to　know！　　There　was　plenty　of　time　after　they　turned　the
corner　of　East　Street。　　You　might　have　guessed　what　they　would　do。　　But
instead　of　that　you　let　'em　into　the　mill　to　shut　off　the　power　and
intimidate　our　own　people。〃　　He　called　the　strikers　an　unprintable　name；
and　though　Janet　stood；　with　her　back　turned；　directly　before　him；　he
gave　no　sign　of　being　aware　of　her　presence。

〃It　wasn't　the　gatekeeper's　fault；〃　she　heard　Orcutt　reply　in　a　tone
quivering　with　excitement　and　apprehension。　　〃They　really　didn't　give　us
a　chancethat's　the　truth。　　They　were　down　Canal　Street　and　over　the
bridge　before　we　knew　it。〃

〃It's　just　as　I've　said　a　hundred　times；〃　Ditmar　retorted。　　〃I　can't
afford　to　leave　this　mill　a　minute；　I　can't　trust　anybody　〃　and　he
broke　out　in　another　tirade　against　the　intruders。　　〃By　God；　I'll　fix　'em
for　thisI'll　crush　'em。　　And　if　any　operatives　try　to　walkout　here　I'll
see　that　they　starve　before　they　get　backafter　all　I've　done　for　'em；
kept　the　mill　going　in　slack　times　just　to　give　'em　work。　　If　they　desert
me　now；　when　I've　got　this　Bradlaugh　order　on　my　hands〃　Speech　became
an　inadequate　expression　of　his　feelings；　and　suddenly　his　eye　fell　on
Janet。　　She　had　turned；　but　her　look　made　no　impression　on　him。　　〃Call　up
the　Chief　of　Police；〃　he　said。

Automatically　she　obeyed；　getting　the　connection　and　handing　him　the
receiver；　standing　by　while　he　denounced　the　incompetence　of　the
department　for　permitting　the　mob　to　gather　in　East　Street　and　demanded
deputies。　　The　veins　of　his　forehead　were　swollen　as　he　cut　short　the
explanations　of　the　official　and　asked　for　the　City　Hall。　　In　making　an
appointment　with　the　Mayor　he　reflected　on　the　management　of　the　city
government。　　And　when　Janet　by　his　command　obtained　the　Boston　office；　he
gave　the　mill　treasurer　a　heated　account　of　the　afternoon's　occurrences；
explaining　circumstantially　how；　in　his　absence　at　a　conference　in　the
Patuxent　Mill；　the　mob　had　gathered　in　East　Street　and　attacked　the
Chippering；　and　he　urged　the　treasurer　to　waste　no　time　in　obtaining　a
force　of　detectives；　in　securing　in　Boston　and　New　York　all　the
operatives　that　could　be　hired；　in　order　to　break　the　impending　strike。
Save　for　this　untimely　and　unreasonable　revolt　he　was　bent　on　stamping
out；　for　Ditmar　the　world　to…day　was　precisely　the　same　world　it　had　been
the　day　before。　　It　seemed　incredible　to　Janet　that　he　could　so　regard
it；　could　still　be　blind　to　the　fact　that　these　workers　whom　he　was
determined　to　starve　and　crush　if　they　dared　to　upset　his　plans　and
oppose　his　will　were　human　beings　with　wills　and　passions　and　grievances
of　their　own。　　Until　to…day　her　eyes　had　been　sealed。　　In　agony　they　had
been　opened　to　the　panorama　of　sorrow　and　suffering；　of　passion　and　evil；
and　what　she　beheld　now　as　life　was　a　vast　and　terrible　cruelty。　　She　had
needed　only　this　final　proof　to　be　convinced　that　in　his　eyes　she　also
was　but　one　of　those　brought　into　the　world　to　minister　to　his　pleasure
and　profit。　　He　had　taken　from　her；　as　his　weed；　the　most　precious　thing
a　woman　has　to　give；　and　now　that　she　was　here　again　at　his　side；　by　some
impulse　incomprehensible　to　herselfin　spite　of　the　wrong　he　had　done
her！had　sought　him　out　in　danger；　he　had　no　thought　of　her；　no　word　for
her；　no　use　save　a　menial　one：　he　cared　nothing　for　any　help　she　might　be
able　to　give；　he　had　no　perception　of　the　new　light　which　had　broken
within　her　soul。。。。　　The　telephoning　seemed　interminable；　yet　she　waited
with　a　strange　patience　while　he　talked　with　Mr。　George　Chippering　and
two　of　the　most　influential　directors。　　These　conversations　had　covered
the　space　of　an　hour　or　more。　　And　perhaps　as　a　result　of　self…
suggestion；　of　his　repeated　assurances　to　Mr。　Semple；　to　Mr。　Chippering；
and　the　directors　of　his　ability　to　control　the　situation；　Ditmar's
habitual　self…confidence　was　gradually　restored。　　And　when　at　last　he
hung　up　the　instrument　and　turned　to　her；　though　still　furious　against
the　strikers；　his　voice　betrayed　the　joy　of　battle；　the　assurance　of
victory。

〃They　can't　bluff　me；　they'll　have　to　guess　again。　　It's　that　damned
Holsterhe　hasn't　any　gutshe'd　give　in　to　'em　right　now　if　I'd　let
him。　　It's　the　limit　the　way　he　turned　the　Clarendon　over　to　them。　　I'll
show　him　how　to　put　a　crimp　in　'em　if　they　don't　turn　up　here　to…morrow
morning。〃

He　was　so　magnificently　sure　of　her　sympathy！　　She　did；　not　reply；　but
picked　up　her　coat　from　the　chair　where　she　had　laid　it。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　　he　demanded。　　And　she　replied　laconically；
〃Home。〃

〃Wait　a　minute；〃　he　said；　rising　and　taking　a　step　toward　her。

〃You　have　an　appointment　with　the　Mayor；〃　she　reminded　him。

〃I　know；〃　he　said；　glancing　at　the　clock　over　the　door。　　〃　Where　have　you
been？　where　were　you　this　morning？　　I　was　worried　about　you；　II　was
afraid　you　might　be　sick。〃

〃Were　you？〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　all　right。　　I　had　business　in　Boston。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　telephone　me？　　In　Boston？〃　he　repeated。

She　nodded。　　He　started　forward　again；　but　she　avoided　him。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　cried。　　〃I've　been　worried　about　you　all　day
until　this　damned　strike　broke　loose。　　I　was　afraid　something　had
happened。〃

〃You　might　have　asked　my　father；〃　she　said。

〃For　God's　sake；　tell　me　what's　the　matter！〃

His　desire　for　her　mounted　as　his　conviction　grew　more　acute　that
something　had　happened　to　disturb　a　relationship　which；　he　had
congratulated　himself；　after　many　vicissitudes　and　anxieties　had　at　last
been　established。　　He　was　conscious；　however；　of　irritation　because　this
whimsical　and　unanticipated　grievance　of　hers　should　have　developed　at
the　moment　when　the　caprice　of　his　operatives　threatened　to　interfere
with　his　cherished　plansfor　Ditmar　measured　the　inconsistencies　of
humanity　by　the　yardstick　of　his　desires。　　Her　question　as　to　why　he　had
not　made　inquiries　of　her　father　added　a　new　element　to　his　disquietude。
As　he　stood　thus；　worried；　exasperated；　and　perplexed；　the　fact　that
there　was　in　her　attitude　something　ominous；　dangerous；　was　slow　to　dawn
on　him。　　His　faculties　were　wholly　unprepared　for　the　blow　she　struck
him。

〃I　hate　you！〃　she　said。　　She　did　not　raise　her　voice；　but　the　deliberate；
concentrated　conviction　she　put　into　the　sentence　gave　it　the　dynamic
quality　of　a　bullet。　　And　save　for　the　impact　of　itbefore　which　he
physically　recoiledits　import　was　momentarily　without　meaning。

〃What？〃　he　exclaimed；　stupidly。

〃I　might　have　known　you　never　meant　to　marry　me；〃　she　went　on。　　Her　hands
were　busy　with　the　buttons　of　her　coat。

〃All　you　want　is　to　use　me；　to　enjoy　me　and　turn　me　out　when　you　get
tired　of　methe　way　you've　done　with　other　women。　　It's　just　the　same
with　these　mill　hands；　they're　not　human　beings　to　you；　they'rethey're
cattle。　　If　they　don't　do　as　you　like；　you　turn　them　out；　you　say　they
can　starve　for　all　you　care。〃

〃For　God's　sake；　what　do　you　mean？〃　he　demanded。　　〃What　have　I　done　to
you；　Janet？　　I　love　you；　I　need　you！〃

〃Love　me！〃　she　repeated。　　〃I　know　how　men　of　your　sort　loveI've　seen
itI　know。　　As　long　as　I　give　you　what