the dwelling place of ligh-第5章

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belonging　to　a　modern　American　type　in　that　they　were　not　clear…cut；　but　rather
indefinable；　a　bristling；　short…cropped　moustache　gave　him　a　certain　efficient；
military　look　which；　when　introduced　to　strangers　as　〃Colonel；〃　was　apt　to
deceive　them　into　thinking　him　an　army　officer。　　The　title　he　had　once　received
as　a　member　of　the　staff　of　the　governor　of　the　state；　and　was　a　tribute　to　a
gregariousness　and　political　influence　rather　than　to　a　genius　for　the　art　of
war。　　Ex　officio；　as　the　agent　of　the　Chippering　Mill　and　a　man　of　substance　to
boot；　he　was　〃in〃　politics；　hail　fellow　well　met　with　and　an　individual　to　be
taken　into　account　by　politicians　from　the　governor　and　member　of　congress
down。　　He　was　efficient；　of　course；　he　had　efficient　hands　and　shrewd；
efficient　eyes；　and　the　military　impression　was　deepened　by　his　manner　of
dealing　with　people；　his　conversation　being　yea；　yea　and　nay；　nay；save　with
his　cronies　and　those　of　the　other　sex　from　whom　he　had　something　to　gain。　　His
clothes　always　looked　new；　of　pronounced　patterns　and　light　colours　set　aside
for　him　by　an　obsequious　tailor　in　Boston。

If　a　human　being　in　such　an　enviable　position　as　that　of　agent　of　the
Chippering　Mill　can　be　regarded　as　property；　it　might　be　said　that　Mr。　Claude
Ditmar　belonged　to　the　Chipperings　of　Boston；　a　family　still　owning　a
controlling　interest　in　the　company。　　His　loyalty　to　them　and　to　the　mill　he　so
ably　conducted　was　the　great　loyalty　of　his　life。　　For　Ditmar；　a　Chippering
could　do　no　wrong。　　It　had　been　the　keen　eye　of　Mr。　Stephen　Chippering　that
first　had　marked　him；　questioned　him；　recognized　his　ability；　and　from　the
moment　of　that　encounter　his　advance　had　been　rapid。　　When　old　Stephen　had　been
called　to　his　fathers；　Ditmar's　allegiance　was　automatically；　as　it　were；
transferred　to　the　two　sons；　George　and　Worthington；　already　members　of　the
board　of　directors。　　Sometimes　Ditmar　called　on　them　at　their　homes；　which
stood　overlooking　the　waters　of　the　Charles　River　Basin。　　The　attitude　toward
him　of　the　Chipperings　and　their　wives　was　one　of　an　interesting　adjustment　of
feudalism　to　democracy。　　They　were　fond　of　him；　grateful　to　him；　treating　him
with　a　frank　camaraderie　that　had　in　it　not　the　slightest　touch　of
condescension；　but　Ditmar　would　have　been　the　first　to　recognize　that　there
were　limits　to　the　intimacy。　　They　did　not；　for　instanceno　doubt　out　of
considerationinvite　him　to　their　dinner　parties　or　take　him　to　their　club；
which　was　not　the　same　as　that　to　which　he　himself　belonged。　　He　felt　no
animus。　　Nor　would　he；　surprising　though　it　may　seem；　have　changed　places　with
the　Chipperings。　　At　an　early　age；　and　quite　unconsciously；　he　had　accepted
property　as　the　ruling　power　of　the　universe；　and　when　family　was　added　thereto
the　combination　was　nothing　less　than　divine。

There　were　times；　especially　during　the　long　winters；　when　life　became　almost
unbearable　for　Janet；　and　she　was　seized　by　a　desire　to　run　away　from　Fillmore
Street；　from　the　mills；　from　Hampton　itself。　　Only　she　did　not　know　where　to
go；　or　how　to　get　away。　　She　was　convinced　of　the　existence　in　the　world　of
delightful　spots　where　might　be　found　congenial　people　with　whom　it　would　be　a
joy　to　talk。　　Fillmore　Street；　certainly；　did　not　contain　any　such。　　The　office
was　not　so　bad。　　It　is　true　that　in　the　mornings；　as　she　entered　West　Street；
the　sight　of　the　dark　facade　of　the　fortress…like　structure；　emblematic　of　the
captivity　in　which　she　passed　her　days；　rarely　failed　to　arouse　in　her
sensations　of　oppression　and　revolt；　but　here；　at　least；　she　discovered　an
outlet　for　her　energies；　she　was　often　too　busy　to　reflect；　and　at　odd　moments
she　could　find　a　certain　solace　and　companionship　in　the　river；　so　intent；　so
purposeful；　so　beautiful；　so　undisturbed　by　the　inconcinnity；　the　clatter　and
confusion　of　Hampton　as　it　flowed　serenely　under　the　bridges　and　between　the
mills　toward　the　sea。　　Toward　the　sea！

It　was　when；　at　night；　she　went　back　to　Fillmore　Streetwhen　she　thought　of
the　monotony；　yes；　and　the　sordidness　of　home；　when　she　let　herself　in　at　the
door　and　climbed　the　dark　and　narrow　stairway；　that　her　feet　grew　leaden。　　In
spite　of　the　fact　that　Hannah　was　a　good　housekeeper　and　prided　herself　on
cleanliness；　the　tiny　flat　reeked　with　the　smell　of　cooking；　and　Janet；　from
the　upper　hall；　had　a　glimpse　of　a　thin；　angular　woman　with　a　scrawny　neck；
with　scant　grey　hair　tightly　drawn　into　a　knot；　in　a　gingham　apron　covering　an
old　dress　bending　over　the　kitchen　stove。　　And　occasionally；　despite　a
resentment　that　fate　should　have　dealt　thus　inconsiderately　with　the　family；
Janet　felt　pity　welling　within　her。　　After　supper；　when　Lise　had　departed　with
her　best　young　man；　Hannah　would　occasionally；　though　grudgingly；　permit　Janet
to　help　her　with　the　dishes。

〃You　work　all　day；　you　have　a　right　to　rest。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　to　rest；〃　Janet　would　declare；　and　rub　the　dishes　the　harder。
With　the　spirit　underlying　this　protest；　Hannah　sympathized。　　Mother　and
daughter　were　alike　in　that　both　were　inarticulate；　but　Janet　had　a　secret
contempt　for　Hannah's　uncomplaining　stoicism。　　She　loved　her　mother；　in　a　way；
especially　at　certain　times；though　she　often　wondered　why　she　was　unable　to
realize　more　fully　the　filial　affection　of　tradition；　but　in　moments　of
softening；　such　as　these；　she　was　filled　with　rage　at　the　thought　of　any　woman
endowed　with　energy　permitting　herself　to　be　overtaken　and　overwhelmed　by　such
a　fate　as　Hannah's：　divorce；　desertion；　anything；　she　thought；　would　have　been
betteranything　but　to　be　cheated　out　of　life。　　Feeling　the　fires　of　rebellion
burning　hotly　within　her；rebellion　against　environment　and　driving　necessity
she　would　glance　at　her　mother　and　ask　herself　whether　it　were　possible　that
Hannah　had　ever　known　longings；　had　ever　been　wrung　by　inexpressible　desires；
desires　in　which　the　undiscovered　spiritual　was　so　alarmingly　compounded　with
the　undiscovered　physical。　　She　would　have　died　rather　than　speak　to　Hannah　of
these　unfulfilled　experiences；　and　the　mere　thought　of　confiding　them　to　any
person　appalled　her。　　Even　if　there　existed　some　wonderful；　understanding　being
to　whom　she　might　be　able　thus　to　empty　her　soul；　the　thought　of　the　ecstasy　of
that　kenosis　was　too　troubling　to　be　dwelt　upon。

She　had　tried　reading；　with　unfortunate　results；perhaps　because　no　Virgil　had
as　yet　appeared　to　guide　her　through　the　mysteries　of　that　realm。　　Her
schooling　had　failed　to　instil　into　her　a　discriminating　taste　for　literature；
and　when；　on　occasions；　she　had　entered　the　Public　Library　opposite　the　Common
it　had　been　to　stare　hopelessly　at　rows　of　books　whose　authors　and　titles
offered　no　clue　to　their　contents。　　Her　few　choices　had　not　been　happy；　they
had　failed　to　interest　and　thrill。。。

Of　the　Bumpus　family　Lise　alone　found　refuge；　distraction；　and　excitement　in
the　vulgar　modern　world　by　which　they　were　surrounded；　and　of　whose
heedlessness　and　remorselessness　they　were　the　victims。　　Lise　went　out　into　it；
became　a　part　of　it；　returning　only　to　sleep　and　eat；a　tendency　Hannah　found
unaccountable；　and　against　which　even　her　stoicism　was　not　wholly　proof。
Scarce　an　evening　went　by　without　an　expression　of　uneasiness　from　Hannah。

〃She　didn't　happen　to　mention　where　she　was　going；　did　she；　Janet？〃　　Hannah
would　query；　when　she　had　finished　her　work　and　put　on　her　spectacles　to　read
the　Banner。

〃To　the　movies；　I　suppose；〃　Janet　would　reply。　　Although　well　aware　that　her
sister　indulged　in　other　distractions；　she　thought　it　useless　to　add　to
Hannah's　disquietude。　　And　if　she　had　little　patience　with　Lise；　she　had　less
with　the　helpless　attitude　of　her　parents。

〃Well；〃　Hannah　would　add；　〃I　never　can　get　used　to　her　going　out　nights　the　way
she　does；　and　with　young　men　and　women　I　don't　know　anything　about。　　I　wasn't
brought　up　that　way。　　But　as　long　as　she's　got　to　work　for　a　living　I　guess
there's　no　help　for　it。〃

And　she　would　glance　at　Edward。　　It　was　obviously　due　to　his　inability
adequately　to　cope　with　modern　conditions　that　his　daughters　were　forced　to
toil；　but　this　was　the　nearest　she　ever　came　to　reproaching　him。　　If　he　heard；
he　acquiesced　humbly；　and　in　silence：　more　often　than　not　he　was　oblivious；
buried　in　the　mazes　of　the　Bumpus　family　history；　his　papers　spread　out　on　the
red　cloth　of　the　dining…room　table；　under　the　lamp。　　Sometimes　in　his
simplicity　and　with　the　enthusiasm　that　demands　listeners　he　would　read　aloud
to　them　a　letter；　recently　received　from　a　distant　kinsman；　an　Alpheus　Bumpus；
let　us　say；　who　had　migrated　to　California　in　search　of　wealth　and　fame；　and
who　had　found　neither。　　In　spite　of　age　and　misfortunes；　the　liberal　attitude
of　these　western　members　of　the　family　was　always　a　matter　of　perplexity　to
Edward。

〃He　tells　me　they're　going　to　give　women　the　ballot；doesn't　appear　to　be　much
concerned　about　his　own　womenfolks　going　to　the　polls。〃

〃Why　shouldn't　they；　if　they　want　to？〃　　Janet　would　exclaim；　though　she　had
given　little　thought　to　the　question。

Edward　would　mildly　ignore　this　challenge。

〃He　has　a　house　on　what　they　call　Russian　Hill；　and　he　can　watch　the　vessels　as
they　come　in　from　Japan；〃　he　would　continue　in　his　precise　voice；　emphasizing
admirably　the　last　syllables　of　the　words　〃Russian；〃　〃vessels；〃　and　〃Japan。〃
〃Wouldn't　you　like　to　see　the　letter？〃

To　do　Hannah　justice；　although　she　was　quite　incapable　of　sharing　his　passion；
she　frequently　feigned　an　interest；　took　the　letter；　presently　handing　it　on　to
Janet　who；　in　deciphering　Alpheus's　trembling　calligraphy；　pondered　over　his
manifold　woes。　　Alpheus's　son；　who　had　had　a　good　position　in　a　sporting　goods
establishment　on　Market　Street；　was　sick　and　in　danger　of　losing　it；　the　son's
wife　expecting　an　addition　to　the　family；　the　house　on　Russian　Hill　mortgaged。
Alpheus；　a　veteran　of　the　Civil　War；　had　been　for　many　years　preparing　his
reminiscences；　but　the　newspapers　nowadays　seemed　to　care　nothing　for　matters
of　solid　worth；　and　so　far　had　refused　to　publish　them。。。。　　Janet；　as　she　read；
reflected　that　these　letters　invariably　had　to　relate　tales　of　failures；　of
disappointed　hopes；　she　wondered　at　her　father's　perennial　interest　in
failures；provided　they　were　those　of　his　family；　and　the　next　evening；　as　he
wrote　painfully　on　his　ruled　paper；　she　knew　that　he　in　turn　was　pouring　out
his　soul　to　Alpheus；　recounting；　with　an　emotion　by　no　means　unpleasurable；　to
this　sympathetic　but　remote　relative　the　story　of　his　own　failure！

If　the　city　of　Hampton　was　emblematic　of　our　modern　world　in　which
haphazardness　has　replaced　order；　Fillmore　Street　may　be　likened　to　a　back　eddy
of　the　muddy　and　troubled　waters；　in　which　all　sorts　of　flotsam　and　jetsam　had
collected。　　Or；　to　find　perhaps　an　even　more　striking　illustration　of　the
process　that　made　Hampton　in　general　and　Fillmore　Street　in　particular；　one　had
only　to　take　the　trolley　to　Glendale；　the　Italian　settlement　on　the　road
leading　to　the　old　New　England　village　of　Shrewsbury。　　Janet　sometimes　walked
there；　alone　or　with　her　friend　Eda　Rawle。　　Disintegration　itselfin　a
paradoxically　pathetic　attempt　at　reconstructionh