the dwelling place of ligh-第15章
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used to it yet； and there is something amusing aboutmy owning a house。 When
the parlour's finished I'll have to wear a stiff collar； I suppose； in order to
live up to it。〃
Her laughter broke forth； and she tried to imagine him in a stiff collar。。。。
But she was more perplexed than ever。 She stood balancing on one foot； poised
for departure。
〃I ought to be going；〃 she said； as though she had been paying him a formal
visit。
〃Don't hurry；〃 he protested cordially。 〃Why hurry back to Hampton？〃
〃I never want to go back！〃 she cried with a vehemence that caused him to
contemplate her anew； suddenly revealing the intense； passionate quality which
had so disturbed Mr。 Ditmar。 She stood transformed。 〃I hate it！〃 she
declared。 〃It's so ugly； I never want to see it again。〃
〃Yes； it is ugly；〃 he confessed。 〃Since you admit it； I don't mind saying so。
But it's interesting； in a way。〃 Though his humorous moods had delighted her；
she felt subtly flattered because he had grown more serious。
〃It is interesting；〃 she agreed。 She was almost impelled to tell him why； in
her excursions to the various quarters； she had found Hampton interesting； but
a shyness born of respect for the store of knowledge she divined in him
restrained her。 She was curious to know what this man saw in Hampton。 His
opinion would be worth something。 Unlike her neighbours in Fillmore Street； he
was not what her sister Lise would call 〃nutty〃； he had an air of fine sanity；
of freedom； of detachment；though the word did not occur to her； he betrayed
no bitter sense of injustice； and his beliefs were uncoloured by the obsession
of a single panacea。 〃Why do you think it's interesting？〃 she demanded。
〃Well； I'm always expecting to hear that it's blown up。 It reminds me of
nitro…glycerine；〃 he added； smiling。
She repeated the word。
〃An explosive； you knowthey put it in dynamite。 They say a man once made it
by accident； and locked up his laboratory and ran homeand never went back。〃
〃I know what you mean！〃 she cried； her eyes alight with excitement。 〃All those
foreigners！ I've felt it that something would happen； some day； it frightened
me； and yet I wished that something would happen。 Only； I never would have
thought ofnitro…glycerine。〃
She was unaware of the added interest in his regard。 But he answered lightly
enough：
〃Oh； not only the foreigners。 Human chemicalsyou can't play with human
chemicals any more than you can play with real onesyou've got to know
something about chemistry。〃
This remark was beyond her depth。
〃Who is playing with them？〃 she asked。
〃Everybodyno one in particular。 Nobody seems to know much about them； yet；〃
he replied； and seemed disinclined to pursue the subject。 A robin with a worm
in its bill was hopping across the grass； he whistled softly； the bird stopped；
cocking its head and regarding them。 Suddenly； in conflict with her desire to
remain indefinitely talking with this strange man； Janet felt an intense
impulse to leave。 She could bear the conversation no longer； she might burst
into tearssuch was the extraordinary effect he had produced on her。
〃I must go；I'm ever so much obliged to you；〃 she said。
〃Drop in again；〃 he said； as he took her trembling hand 。。。。 When she had
walked a little way she looked back over her shoulder to see him leaning idly
against the post； gazing after her； and waving his hammer in friendly fashion。
For a while her feet fairly flew； and her heart beat tumultuously； keeping time
with her racing thoughts。 She walked about the Common； seeing nothing； paying
no attention to the passers…by； who glanced at her curiously。 But at length as
she grew calmer the needs of a youthful and vigorous body became imperative；
and realizing suddenly that she was tired and hungry； sought and found the
little restaurant in the village below。 She journeyed back to Hampton
pondering what this man had said to her； speculating； rather breathlessly；
whether he had been impelled to conversation by a natural kindness and
courtesy； or whether he really had discovered something in her worthy of
addressing； as he implied。 Resentment burned in her breast； she became
suddenly blinded by tears： she might never see him again； and if only she were
〃educated〃 she might know him； become his friend。 Even in this desire she was
not conventional； and in the few moments of their contact he had developed
rather than transformed what she meant by 〃education。〃 She thought of it not
as knowledge reeking of books and schools； but as the acquirement of the
freemasonry which he so evidently possessed； existence on terms of
understanding； confidence； and freedom with nature； as having the world open up
to one like a flower filled with colour and life。 She thought of the robin； of
the tree whose secrets he had learned； of a mental range including even that
medley of human beings amongst whom she lived。 And the fact that something of
his meaning had eluded her grasp made her rebel all the more bitterly against
the lack of a greater knowledge 。。。。
Often during the weeks that followed he dwelt in her mind as she sat at her
desk and stared out across the river； and several times that summer she started
to walk to Silliston。 But always she turned back。 Perhaps she feared to break
the charm of that memory 。。。。
CHAPTER IV
Our American climate is notoriously capricious。 Even as Janet trudged homeward
on that Memorial Day afternoon from her Cinderella…like adventure in Silliston
the sun grew hot； the air lost its tonic； becoming moist and tepid； white
clouds with dark edges were piled up in the western sky。 The automobiles of
the holiday makers swarmed ceaselessly over the tarvia。 Valiantly as she
strove to cling to her dream； remorseless reality was at work dragging her
back； reclaiming her； excitement and physical exercise drained her vitality；
her feet were sore； sadness invaded her as she came in view of the ragged
outline of the city she had left so joyfully in the morning。 Summer； that most
depressing of seasons in an environment of drab houses and grey pavements； was
at hand； listless householders and their families were already； seeking refuge
on front steps she passed on her way to Fillmore Street。
It was about half past five when she arrived。 Lise； her waist removed； was
seated in a rocking chair at the window overlooking the littered yards and the
backs of the tenements on Rutger Street。 And Lise； despite the heaviness of
the air； was dreaming。 Of such delicate texture was the fabric of Janet's
dreams that not only sordid reality； but contact with other dreams of a
different nature； such as her sister's； often sufficed to dissolve them。 She
resented； for instance； the presence in the plush oval of Mr。 Eustace
Arlington； the movie star whose likeness had replaced Mr。 Wiley's； and who had
played the part of the western hero in 〃Leila of Hawtrey's。〃 With his burning
eyes and sensual face betraying the puffiness that comes from over…indulgence；
he was not Janet's ideal of a hero； western or otherwise。 And now Lise was
holding a newspaper： not the Banner； whose provinciality she scorned； but a
popular Boston sheet to be had for a cent； printed at ten in the morning and
labelled 〃Three O'clock Edition；〃 with huge red headlines stretched across the
top of the page：
〃JURY FINDS IN MISS NEALY'S FAVOR。〃
As Janet entered Lise looked up and exclaimed：
〃Say； that Nealy girl's won out！〃
〃Who is she？〃 Janet inquired listlessly。
〃You are from the country； all right；〃 was her sister's rejoinder。 〃I would
have bet there wasn't a Reub in the state that wasn't wise to the Ferris breach
of promise case； and here you blow in after the show's over and want to know
who Nelly Nealy is。 If that doesn't beat the band！〃
〃This woman sued a man named Ferrisis that it？〃
〃A man named Ferris！〃 Lise repeated； with the air of being appalled by her
sister's ignorance。 〃I guess you never heard of Ferris； eitherthe biggest
copper man in Boston。 He could buy Hampton； and never feel it； and they say
his house in Brighton cost half a million dollars。 Nelly Nealy put her damages
a
