the dwelling place of ligh-第58章

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〃No。　　I've　seen　you。　　You've　explained　it。〃

〃To　Mrs。　Brocklehurst？〃

〃It　wasn't　necessary；〃　he　repliedand　immediately　added；　in　semi…serious
apology：　〃I　thought　it　was　admirable；　what　you　said。　　If　she'd　talked　to
a　dozen　syndicalist　leaders；　she　couldn't　have　had　it　put　more　clearly。
Only　I'm　afraid　she　doesn't　know　the　truth　when　she　hears　it。〃

〃Now　you're　making　fun　of　me！〃

〃Indeed　I'm　not；〃　he　protested。

〃But　I　didn't　give　any　of　the　arguments；　any　of　thephilosophy；〃　she
pronounced　the　word　hesitatingly。　　〃I　don't　understand　it　yet　as　well　as
I　should。〃

〃You　are　it；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　not　always　easy　to　understand　what　we　are
it's　generally　after　we've　become　something　else　that　we　comprehend　what
we　have　been。〃

And　while　she　was　pondering　over　this　one　of　the　ladies　who　had　been
waiting　on　the　table　came　toward　Insall。

〃The　children　have　finished；　Brooks；〃　she　informed　him。　　〃It's　time　to
let　in　the　others。〃

Insall　turned　to　Janet。　　〃This　is　Miss　Bumpusand　this　is　Mrs。　Maturin；〃
he　said。　　〃Mrs。　Maturin　lives　in　Silliston。〃

The　greeting　of　this　lady　differed　from　that　of　Mrs。　Brocklehurst。　　She；
too；　took　Janet's　hand。

〃Have　you　come　to　help　us？〃　she　asked。

And　Janet　said：　〃Oh；　I'd　like　to；　but　I　have　other　work。〃

〃Come　in　and　see　us　again；〃　said　Insall；　and　Janet；　promising；　took　her
leave。。。。

〃Who　is　she；　Brooks？〃　Mrs。　Maturin　asked；　when　Janet　had　gone。

〃Well；〃　he　answered；　〃I　don't　know。　　What　does　it　matter？〃

Mrs。　Maturin　smiled。

〃I　should　say　that　it　did　matter；〃　she　replied。　　〃But　there's　something
unusual　about　herwhere　did　you　find　her？〃

〃She　found　me。〃　　And　Insall　explained。　　〃She　was　a　stenographer；　it
seems；　but　now　she's　enlisted　heart　and　soul　with　the　syndicalists；〃　he
added。

〃A　history？〃　Mrs。　Maturin　queried。　　〃Well；　I　needn't　askit's　written　on
her　face。〃

〃That's　all　I　know；〃　said　Insall。

〃I'd　like　to　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Maturin。　　〃You　say　she's　in　the　strike？〃

〃I　should　rather　put　it　that　the　strike　is　in　her。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Brooks？〃

But　Insall　did　not　reply。

Janet　came　away　from　Dey　Street　in　a　state　of　mental　and　emotional
confusion。　　The　encounter　with　Mrs。　Brocklehurst　had　been　upsetting；　she
had　an　uneasy　feeling　of　having　made　a　fool　of　herself　in　Insall's　eyes；
she　desired　his　approval；；　even　on　that　occasion　when　she　had　first　met
him　and　mistaken　him　for　a　workman　she　had　been　conscious　of　a　compelling
faculty　in　him；　of　a　pressure　he　exerted　demanding　justification　of
herself；　and　to…day；　because　she　was　now　pledged　to　Syndicalism；　because
she　had　made　the　startling　discovery　that　he　was　a　writer　of　some　renown；
she　had　been　more　than　ever　anxious　to　vindicate　her　cause。　　She　found
herself；　indeed；　wondering　uneasily　whether　there　were　a　higher　truth　of
which　he　was　in　possession。　　And　the　fact　that　his　attitude　toward　her
had　been　one　of　sympathy　and　friendliness　rather　than　of　disapproval；
that　his　insight　seemed　to　have　fathomed　her　case；　apprehended　it　in　all
but　the　details；　was　even　more　disturbingyet　vaguely　consoling。　　The
consolatory　element　in　the　situation　was　somehow　connected　with　the　lady；
his　friend　from　Silliston；　to　whom　he　had　introduced　her　and　whose　image
now　came　before　her　the　more　vividly；　perhaps；　in　contrast　with　that　of
Mrs。　Brocklehurst。　　Mrs。　Maturincould　Janet　have　so　expressed　her
thought！　had　appeared　as　an　extension　of　Insall's　own　personality。　　She
was　a　strong；　tall；　vital　woman　with　a　sweet　irregularity　of　feature；
with　a　heavy　crown　of　chestnut　hair　turning　slightly　grey；　quaintly
braided；　becomingly　framing　her　face。　　Her　colour　was　high。　　The
impression　she　conveyed　of　having　suffered　was　emphasized　by　the　simple
mourning　gown　she　wore；　but　the　dominant　note　she　had　struck　was　one　of
dependability。　　It　was；　after　all；　Insall's　dominant；　too。　　Insall　had
asked　her　to　call　again；　and　the　reflection　that　she　might　do　so　was
curiously　comforting。　　The　soup　kitchen　in　the　loft；　with　these　two
presiding　over　it；　took　on　something　of　the　aspect　of　a　sanctuary。。。。

Insall；　in　some　odd　manner；　and　through　the　medium　of　that　frivolous
lady；　had　managed　to　reenforce　certain　doubts　that　had　been　stirring　in
Janetdoubts　of　Rolfe；　of　the　verity　of　the　doctrine　which　with　such
abandon　she　had　embraced。　　It　was　Insall　who；　though　remaining　silent；
just　by　being　there　seemed　to　have　suggested　her　manner　of　dealing　with
Mrs。　Brocklehurst。　　It　had；　indeed；　been　his　manner　of　dealing　with　Mrs。
Brocklehurst。　　Janet　had　somehow　been　using　his　words；　his　method；　and
thus　for　the　first　time　had　been　compelled　to　look　objectively　on　what
she　had　deemed　a　part　of　herself。　　We　never　know　what　we　are；　he　had
said；　until　we　become　something　else！　　He　had　forced　her　to　use　an
argument　that　failed　to　harmonize；　somehow；　with　Rolfe's　poetical
apologetics。　　Stripped　of　the　glamour　of　these；　was　not　Rolfe's　doctrine
just　one　of　taking；　taking？　　And　when　the　workers　were　in　possession　of
all；　would　not　they　be　as　badly　off　as　Mrs。　Brocklehurst　or　Ditmar？
Rolfe；　despite　the　inspiring　intellectual　creed　he　professed；　lacked　the
poise　and　unity　that　go　with　happiness。　　He　wanted　things；　for　himself：
whereas　she　beheld　in　Insall　one　who　seemed　emancipated　from　possessions；
whose　life　was　so　organized　as　to　make　them　secondary　affairs。　　And　she
began　to　wonder　what　Insall　would　think　of　Ditmar。

These　sudden　flashes　of　tenderness　for　Ditmar　startled　and　angered　her。
She　had　experienced　them　before；　and　always　had　failed　to　account　for
their　intrusion　into　a　hatred　she　cherished。　　Often；　at　her　desk　in　the
bibliotheque；　she　had　surprised　herself　speculating　upon　what　Ditmar
might　be　doing　at　that　moment；　and　it　seemed　curious；　living　in　the　same
city　with　him；　that　she　had　not　caught　a　glimpse　of　him　during　the
strike。　　More　than　once；　moved　by　a　perverse　impulse；　she　had　ventured　of
an　evening　down　West　Street　toward　the　guard　of　soldiers　in　the　hope　of
catching　sight　of　him。　　He　had　possessed　her；　and　the　memory　of　the　wild
joy　of　that　possession；　of　that　surrender　to　great　strength；　refused　to
perish。　　Why；　at　such　moments；　should　she　glory　in　a　strength　that　had
destroyed　her　and　why；　when　she　heard　him　cursed　as　the　man　who　stood；
more　than　any　other；　in　the　way　of　the　strikers　victory；　should　she
paradoxically　and　fiercely　rejoice？　why　should　she　feel　pride　when　she
was　told　of　the　fearlessness　with　which　he　went　about　the　streets；　and
her　heart　stop　beating　when　she　thought　of　the　possibility　of　his　being
shot？　　For　these　unwelcome　phenomena　within　herself　Janet　could　not
account。　　When　they　disturbed　and　frightened　her；　she　plunged　into　her
work　with　the　greater　zeal。。。。

As　the　weeks　went　by；　the　strain　of　the　strike　began　to　tell　on　the　weak；
the　unprepared；　on　those　who　had　many　mouths　to　feed。　　Shivering　with　the
cold　of　that　hardest　of　winters；　these　unfortunates　flocked　to　the
Franco…Belgian　Hall；　where　a　little　food　or　money　in　proportion　to　the
size　of　their　families　was　doled　out　to　them。　　In　spite　of　the
contributions　received　by　mail；　of　the　soup　kitchens　and　relief　stations
set　up　by　various　organizations　in　various　parts　of　the　city；　the　supply
little　more　than　sufficed　to　keep　alive　the　more　needy　portion　of　the
five　and　twenty　thousand　who　now　lacked　all　other　means　of　support。
Janet's　heart　was　wrung　as　she　gazed　at　the　gaunt；　bewildered　faces
growing　daily　more　tragic；　more　bewildered　and　gaunt；　she　marvelled　at
the　animal…like　patience　of　these　Europeans；　at　the　dumb　submission　of
most　of　them　to　privations　that　struck　her　as　appalling。　　Some　indeed
complained；　but　the　majority　recited　in　monotonous；　unimpassioned　tones
their　stories　of　suffering；　or　of　ill　treatment　by　the　〃Cossacks〃　or　the
police。　　The　stipends　were　doled　out　by　Czernowitz；　but　all　through　the
week　there　were　special　appeals。　　Once　it　was　a　Polish　woman；　wan　and
white；　who　carried　her　baby　wrapped　in　a　frayed　shawl。

〃Wahna　littel　money　for　milk；〃　she　said；　when　at　length　their　attention
was　drawn　to　her。

〃But　you　get　your　money；　every　Saturday；〃　the　secretary　informed　her
kindly。

She　shook　her　head。

〃Baby　die；　'less　I　have　littel　milkI　show　you。〃

Janet　drew　back　before　the　sight　of　the　child　with　its　sunken　cheeks　and
ghastly　blue　lips　。。。。　　And　she　herself　went　out　with　the　woman　to　buy
the　milk；　and　afterwards　to　the　dive　in　Kendall　Street　which　she　called
homein　one　of　those　〃rear〃　tenements　separated　from　the　front　buildings
by　a　narrow　court　reeking　with　refuse。　　The　place　was　dank　and　cold；
malodorous。　　The　man　of　the　family；　the　lodgers　who　lived　in　the　other
room　of　the　kennel；　were　out　on　the　streets。　　But　when　her　eyes　grew　used
to　the　darkness　she　perceived　three　silent　children　huddled　in　the　bed　in
the　corner。。。。

On　another　occasion　a　man　came　running　up　the　stairs　of　the　Hall　and
thrust　his　way　into　a　meeting　of　the　Committeeone　of　those　normally
happy；　irresponsible　Syrians　who；　because　of　a　love　for　holidays；　are　the
despair　of　mill　overseers。　　Now　he　was　dazed；　breathless；　his　great　eyes
grief…stricken　like　a　wounded　animal's。

〃She　is　killidd；　my　wifede　polees；　dey　killidd　her！〃

It　was　Anna　Mower　who　investigated　the　case。　　〃The　girl　wasn't　doing
nothing　but　walk　along　Hudson　Street　when　one　of　those　hirelings　set　on
her　and　beat　her。　　She　put　out　her　hand　because　she　thought　he'd　hit　her…
…and　he　gave　her　three　or　four　with　his　billy　and　left　her　in　the　gutter。
If　you'd　see　her　you'd　know　she　wouldn't　hurt　a　fly；　she's　that　gentle
looking；　like　all　the　Syrian　women。　　She　had　a　‘Don't　be　a　scab'　ribbon
onthat's　all　she　done！　　Somebody'll　shoot　that　guy；　and　I　wouldn't
blame　'em。〃　　Anna　stood　beside　Janet's　typewriter；　her　face　red　with
anger　as　she　told　the　story。

〃And　how　is　the　woman　now？〃　asked　Janet。

〃In　bed；　with　two　ribs　broken　and　a　bruise　on　her　back　and　a　cut　on　her
head。　　I　got　a　doctor。　　He　could　hardly　see　her　in　that　black　place　they
live。〃。。。

Such　were　the　incidents　that　fanned　the　hatred　into　hotter　and　hotter
flame。　　Daily　reports　were　brought　in　of　arrests；　of　fines　and
imprisonments　for　picketing；　or　sometimes　merely　for　booing　at　the
remnant　of　those　who　still　clung　to　their　employment。　　One　magistrate　in
particular；　a　Judge　Hennessy；　was　hated　above　all　others　for　giving　the
extreme　penalty　of　the　law；　and　even　stretching　it。　　〃Minions；　slaves　of
the　capitalists；　of　the　masters；〃　the　courts　were　called；　and　Janet
subscribed　to　these　epithets；　beheld　the　judges　as　willing　agents　of　a
tyranny　from　which　she；　too；　had　suffered。　　There　arrived　at　Headquarters
frenzied　bearers　of　rumours　such　as　that　of　the　reported　intention　of
landlords　to　remove　the　windows　from　the　tenements　if　the　rents　were　not
paid。　　Antonelli　himself　calmed　these。　　〃Let　the　landlords　try　it！〃　　he
said　phlegmatically。。。。

After　a　while；　as　the　deadlock　showed　no　signs　of　breaking；　the　siege　of
privation　began　to　tell；　ominous　signs　of　discontent　became　apparent。
Chief　among　the　waverers　were　those　who　had　come　to　America　with　visions
of　a　fortune；　who　had　practised　a　repulsive　thrift　in　order　to　acquire
real　estate；　who　carried　in　their　pockets　dog…eared　bank　books　recor