the dwelling place of ligh-第47章

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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　you　want　and　don't　bother　you；
you　love　me。　　And　I　know　how　these　workers　feel；〃　she　cried；　with　sudden；
passionate　vehemence。　　〃I　never　knew　before；　but　I　know　now。　　I've　been
with　them；　I　marched　up　here　with　them　from　the　Clarendon　when　they
battered　in　the　gates　and　smashed　your　windowsand　I　wanted　to　smash
your　windows；　too；　to　blow　up　your　mill。〃

〃What　are　you　saying？　　You　came　here　with　the　strikers？　　you　were　with
that　mob？〃　asked　Ditmar；　astoundedly。

〃Yes；　I　was　in　that　mob。　　I　belong　there；　with　them；　I　tell　youI　don't
belong　here；　with　you。　　But　I　was　a　fool　even　then；　I　was　afraid　they'd
hurt　you；　I　came　into　the　mill　to　find　you；　and　youand　you　you　acted　as
if　you'd　never　seen　me　before。　　I　was　a　fool；　but　I'm　glad　I　cameI'm
glad　I　had　a　chance　to　tell　you　this。〃

〃My　Godwon't　you　trust　me？〃　he　begged；　with　a　tremendous　effort　to
collect　himself。　　〃You　trusted　me　yesterday。　　What's　happened　to　change
you？　　Won't　you　tell　me？　　It's　nothing　I've　doneI　swear。　　And　what　do
you　mean　when　you　say　you　were　in　that　mob？　　I　was　almost　crazy　when　I
came　back　and　found　they'd　been　here　in　this　millcan't　you　understand？
It　wasn't　that　I　didn't　think　of　you。　　I'd　been　worrying　about　you　all
day。　　Look　at　this　thing　sensibly。　　I　love　you；　I　can't　get　along　without
youI'll　marry　you。　　I　said　I　would；　I　meant　it　I'll　marry　you　just　as
soon　as　I　can　clean　up　this　mess　of　a　strike。　　It　won't　take　long。〃

〃Don't　touch　me！〃　she　commanded；　and　he　recoiled　again。　　〃I'll　tell　you
where　I've　been；　if　you　want　to　know；I've　been　to　see　my　sister　inin
a　house；　in　Boston。　　I　guess　you　know　what　kind　of　a　house　I　mean；　you've
been　in　them；　you've　brought　women　to　them；just　like　the　man　that
brought　her　there。　　Would　you　marry　me　nowwith　my　sister　there？　　And　am
I　any　different　from　her？　　You　you've　made　me　just　like　her。〃　　Her　voice
had　broken；　now；　into　furious；　uncontrolled　weepingto　which　she　paid　no
heed。

Ditmar　was　stunned；　he　could　only　stare　at　her。

〃If　I　have　a　child；〃　she　said；　〃I'llI'll　kill　youI'll　kill　myself。〃

And　before　he　could　replyif　indeed　he　had　been　able　to　replyshe　had
left　the　office　and　was　running　down　the　stairs。。。。




CHAPTER　XIV

What　was　happening　to　Hampton？　　Some　hundreds　of　ignorant　foreigners；
dissatisfied　with　the　money　in　their　pay　envelopes；　had　marched　out　of
the　Clarendon　Mill　and　attacked　the　Chippering　and　behold；　the　revered
structure　of　American　Government　had　quivered　and　tumbled　down　like　a
pack　of　cards！　　Despite　the　feverish　assurances　in　the　Banner　〃extra〃
that　the　disturbance　was　merely　local　and　temporary；　solid　citizens
became　panicky；　vaguely　apprehending　the　release　of　elemental　forces
hitherto　unrecognized　and　unknown。　　Who　was　to　tell　these　solid；　educated
business　men　that　the　crazy　industrial　Babel　they　had　helped　to　rear；　and
in　which　they　unconsciously　dwelt；　was　no　longer　the　simple　edifice　they
thought　it？　that　Authority；　spelled　with　a　capital；　was　a　thing　of　the
past？　that　human　instincts　suppressed　become　explosives　to　displace　the
strata　of　civilization　and　change　the　face　of　the　world？　that　conventions
and　institutions；　laws　and　decrees　crumble　before　the　whirlwind　of　human
passions？　　that　their　city　was　not　of　special；　but　of　universal
significance？　　And　how　were　these；　who　still　believed　themselves　to　be
dwelling　under　the　old　dispensation；　to　comprehend　that　environments
change；　and　changing　demand　new　and　terrible　Philosophies？　　When　night
fell　on　that　fateful　Tuesday　the　voice　of　Syndicalism　had　been　raised　in
a　temple　dedicated　to　ordered；　Anglo…Saxon　libertythe　Hampton　City
Hall。

Only　for　a　night　and　a　day　did　the　rebellion　lack　both　a　leader　and　a
philosophy。　　Meanwhile；　in　obedience　to　the　unerring　instinct　for　drama
peculiar　to　great　metropolitan　dailies；　newspaper　correspondents　were
alighting　from　every　train；　interviewing　officials　and　members　of　labour
unions　and　mill　agents：　interviewing　Claude　Ditmar；　the　strongest　man　in
Hampton　that　day。　　He　at　least　knew　what　ought　to　be　done；　and　even
before　his　siren　broke　the　silence　of　the　morning　hours　in　vigorous　and
emphatic　terms　he　had　informed　the　Mayor　and　Council　of　their　obvious
duty。　　These　strikers　were　helots；　unorganized　scum；　the　regular　unions
by　comparison　respectableheld　aloof　from　them。　　Here；　in　effect；　was
his　argument：　a　strong　show　of　force　was　imperative；　if　the　police　and
deputies　were　inadequate；　request　the　Governor　to　call　out　the　local
militia；　but　above　all；　waste　no　time；　arrest　the　ringleaders；　the
plotters；　break　up　all　gatherings；　keep　the　streets　clear。　　He　demanded
from　the　law　protection　of　his　property；　protection　for　those　whose　right
to　continue　at　work　was　inalienable。　　He　was　listened　to　with　sympathy
and　respectbut　nothing　was　done！　　The　world　had　turned　upside　down
indeed　if　the　City　Government　of　Hampton　refused　to　take　the　advice　of
the　agent　of　the　Chippering　Mill！　　American　institutions　were　a　failure！
But　such　was　the　fact。　　Some　unnamed　fear；　outweighing　their　dread　of　the
retributions　of　Capital；　possessed　these　men；　made　them　supine；　derelict
in　the　face　of　their　obvious　duty。

By　the　faint　grey　light　of　that　bitter　January　morning　Ditmar　made　his
way　to　the　mill。　　In　Faber　Street　dark　figures　flitted　silently　across
the　ghostly　whiteness　of　the　snow；　and　gathered　in　groups　on　the　corners；
seeking　to　avoid　these；　other　figures　hurried　along　the　sidewalks　close
to　the　buildings；　to　be　halted；　accosted；　pleaded　withthreatened；
perhaps。　　Picketing　had　already　begun！　　The　effect　of　this　pantomime　of
the　eternal　struggle　for　survivals　which　he　at　first　beheld　from　a
distance；　was　to　exaggerate　appallingly　the　emptiness　of　the　wide　street；
to　emphasize　the　absence　of　shoppers　and　vehicles；　and　a　bluish　darkness
lurked　in　the　stores；　whose　plate　glass　windows　were　frosted　in　quaint
designs。　　Where　were　the　police？　　It　was　not　fear　that　Ditmar　felt；　he
was　galvanized　and　dominated　by　anger；　by　an　overwhelming　desire　for
action；　physical　combat　would　have　brought　him　relief；　and　as　he
quickened　his　steps　he　itched　to　seize　with　his　own　hands　these
foreigners　who　had　dared　to　interfere　with　his　cherished　plans；　who　had
had　the　audacity　to　challenge　the　principles　of　his　government　which
welcomed　them　to　its　shores。　　He　would　have　liked　to　wring　their　necks。
His　philosophy；　too；　was　environmental。　　And　beneath　this　wrath；
stimulating　and　energizing　it　the　more；　was　the　ache　in　his　soul　from　the
loss　for　which　he　held　these　enemies　responsible。　　Two　days　ago　happiness
and　achievement　had　both　been　within　his　grasp。　　The　only　womanso　now
it　seemedhe　had　ever　really　wanted！　　What　had　become　of　her？　　What
obscure　and　passionate　impulse　had　led　her　suddenly　to　defy　and　desert
him；　to　cast　in　her　lot　with　these　insensate　aliens？　　A　hundred　times
during　the　restless；　inactive　hours　of　a　sleepless　night　this　question
had　intruded　itself　in　the　midst　of　his　scheming　to　break　the　strike；　as
he　reviewed；　word　by　word；　act　by　act；　that　almost　incomprehensible
revolt　of　hers　which　had　followed　so　swiftlya　final；　vindictive　blow　of
fateon　that　other　revolt　of　the　workers。　　At　moments　he　became
confused；　unable　to　separate　the　two。　　He　saw　her　fire　in　that　other。。。。
Her　sister；　she　had　said；　had　been　disgraced；　she　had　defied　him　to　marry
her　in　the　face　of　that　degradationand　this　suddenly　had　sickened　him。
He　had　let　her　go。　　What　a　fool　he　had　been　to　let　her　go！　　Had　she
herself　been！　　He　did　not　finish　this　thought。　　Throughout　the　long
night　he　had　known；　for　a　certainty；　that　this　woman　was　a　vital　part　of
him；　flame　of　his　flame。　　Had　he　never　seen　her　he　would　have　fought
these　strikers　to　their　knees；　but　now　the　force　of　this　incentive　was
doubled。　　He　would　never　yield　until　he　had　crushed　them；　until　he　had
reconquered　her。

He　was　approaching　one　of　the　groups　of　strikers；　and　unconsciously　he
slowed　his　steps。　　The　whites　of　his　eyes　reddened。　　The　great　coat　of
golden　fur　he　wore　gave　to　his　aspect　an　added　quality　of　formidableness。
There　were　some　who　scattered　as　he　drew　near；　and　of　the　less　timorous
spirits　that　remained　only　a　few　raised　dark；　sullen　glances　to　encounter
his；　which　was　unflinching；　passionately　contemptuous。　　Throughout　the
countless　generations　that　lay　behind　them　the　instinct　of　submission　had
played　its　dominant；　phylogenetic　role。　　He　was　the　Master。　　The　journey
across　the　seas　had　not　changed　that。　　A　few　shiverednot　alone　because
they　were　thinly　clad。　　He　walked　on；　slowly；　past　other　groups；　turned
the　corner　of　West　Street；　where　the　groups　were　more　numerous；　while　the
number　of　those　running　the　gantlet　had　increased。　　And　he　heard；　twice
or　thrice；　the　word　〃Scab！〃　cried　out　menacingly。　　His　eyes　grew　redder
still　as　he　spied　a　policeman　standing　idly　in　a　doorway。

〃Why　in　hell　don't　you　do　your　duty？〃　he　demanded。　　〃What　do　you　mean　by
letting　them　interfere　with　these　workers？〃

The　man　flinched。　　He　was　apologetic。　　〃So　long　as　they're　peaceable；　Mr。
Ditmarthose　are　my　orders。　　I　do　try　to　keep　'em　movin'。〃

〃Your　orders？　　You're　a　lot　of　damned　cowards；〃　Ditmar　replied；　and　went
on。　　There　were　mutterings　here；　herded　together；　these　slaves　were
bolder；　and　hunger　and　cold；　discouragement　at　not　being　able　to　stop　the
flow　toward　the　mills　were　having　their　effect。　　By　the　frozen　canal；　the
scene　of　the　onslaught　of　yesterday；　the　crowd　had　grown　comparatively
thick；　and　at　the　corner　of　the　lodginghouse　row　Ditmar　halted　a　moment；
unnoticed　save　by　a　few　who　nudged　one　another　and　murmured。　　He　gave
them　no　attention；　he　was　trying　to　form　an　estimate　of　the　effect　of　the
picketing　on　his　own　operatives。　　Some　came　with　timid　steps；　others；
mostly　women；　fairly　ran；　still　others　were　self…possessed；　almost
defiantand　such　he　marked。　　There　were　those　who；　when　the　picketers
held　them　by　the　sleeve；　broke　precipitately　from　their　annoyers；　and
those　who　hesitated；　listening　with　troubled　faces；　with　feelings　torn
between　dread　of　hunger　for　themselves　and　their　children　and　sympathy
with　the　revolt。　　A　small　number　joined　the　ranks　of　the　picketers。
Ditmar　towered　above　these　foreigners；　who　were　mostly　undersized：　a
student　of　human　nature　and　civilization；　free　from　industrial　complexes；
would　from　that　point　of　vantage　have　had　much　to　gather　from　the
expressions　coming　within　his　view；　but　to　Ditmar　humanity　was　a　means　to
an　end。　　Suddenly；　from　the　cupolas　above　the　battlement　of　the　mill；　the
bells　shattered　the　early　morning　air；　the　remnant　of　the　workers
hastened　across　the　canal　and　through　the　guarded　gates；　which　were
instantly　closed。　　Ditmar　was　left　alone　among　the　strikers。　　As　he　moved
toward　the　bridge　they　made　a　lane　for　him　to　pass；　one　or　two　he　thrust
out　of　his　way。　　But　there　were　mutterings；　and　from　the　sidewalk　he
heard　a　man　curse　him。

Perhaps　we　shall　understand　some　day　that　the　social　body；　also；　is
subject　to　the　operation　of　cause　and　effect。　　It　was　not　what　an
ingenuous　orthodoxy；　keeping　aliv