the dwelling place of ligh-第16章

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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
at　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　and　stung　him　for　seventy　five。　　I　wish　I'd
been　in　court　when　that　jury　came　back！　　There's　her　picture。〃

To　Janet；　especially　in　the　mood　of　reaction　in　which　she　found　herself　that
evening；　Lise's　intense　excitement；　passionate　partisanship　and　approval　of
Miss　Nealy　were　incomprehensible；　repellent。　　However；　she　took　the　sheet；
gazing　at　the　image　of　the　lady　who；　recently　an　obscure
stenographer；　had　suddenly　leaped　into　fame　and　become　a　〃headliner；〃　the
envied　of　thousands　of　working　girls　all　over　New　England。　　Miss　Nealy；　in
spite　of　the　〃glare　of　publicity〃　she　deplored；　had　borne　up　admirably　under
the　strain；　and　evidently　had　been　able　to　consume　three　meals　a　day　and　give
some　thought　to　her　costumes。　　Her　smile　under　the　picture　hat　was　coquettish；
if　not　bold。　　The　special　article；　signed　by　a　lady　reporter　whose　sympathies
were　by　no　means　concealed　and　whose　talents　were　given　free　rein；　related　how
the　white…haired　mother　had　wept　tears　of　joy；　how　Miss　Nealy　herself　had　been
awhile　too　overcome　to　speak；　and　then　had　recovered　sufficiently　to　express
her　gratitude　to　the　twelve　gentlemen　who　had　vindicated　the　honour　of　American
womanhood。　　Mr。　Ferris；　she　reiterated；　was　a　brute；　never　as　long　as　she　lived
would　she　be　able　to　forget　how　she　had　loved　and　believed　in　him；　and　how；
when　at　length　she　unwillingly　became　convinces　of　his　perfidy；　she　had　been
〃prostrated；〃　unable　to　support　her　old　mother。　　She　had　not；　naturally；　yet
decided　how　she　would　invest　her　fortune；　as　for　going　on　the　stage；　that　had
been　suggested；　but　she　had　made　no　plans。　　〃Scores　of　women　sympathizers〃　had
escorted　her　to　a　waiting　automobile。。。。

Janet；　impelled　by　the　fascination　akin　to　disgust；　read　thus　far；　and　flinging
the　newspaper　on　the　floor；　began　to　tidy　herself　for　supper。　　But　presently；
when　she　heard　Lise　sigh；　she　could　contain　herself　no　longer。

〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　read　such　stuff　as　that；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃It'sit's
horrible。〃

〃Horrible？〃　Lise　repeated。

Janet　swung　round　from　the　washbasin；　her　hands　dripping。

〃Instead　of　getting　seventy　five　thousand　dollars　she　ought　to　be　tarred　and
feathered。　　She's　nothing　but　a　blackmailer。〃


Lise；　aroused　from　her　visions；　demanded　vehemently　〃Ain't　he　a　millionaire？〃

〃What　difference　does　that　make？〃　Janet　retorted。　　〃And　you　can't　tell　me　she
didn't　know　what　she　was　up　to　all　alongwith　that　face。〃

〃I'd　have　sued　him；　all　right；〃　declared　Lise；　defiantly。

〃Then　you'd　be　a　blackmailer；　too。　　I'd　sooner　scrub　floors；　I'd　sooner　starve
than　do　such　a　thingtake　money　for　my　affections。　　In　the　first　place；　I'd
have　more　pride；　and　in　the　second　place；　if　I　really　loved　a　man；　seventy　five
thousand　or　seventy　five　million　dollars　wouldn't　help　me　any。　　Where　do　you
get　such　ideas？　　Decent　people　don't　have　them。〃

Janet　turned　to　the　basin　again　and　began　rubbing　her　face　vigorouslyceasing
for　an　instance　to　make　sure　of　the　identity　of　a　sound　reaching　her　ears
despite　the　splashing　of　water。　　Lise　was　sobbing。　　Janet　dried　her　face　and
hands；　arranged　her　hair；　and　sat　down　on　the　windowsill；　the　scorn　and　anger；
which　had　been　so　intense　as　completely　to　possess　her；　melting　into　a　pity　and
contempt　not　unmixed　with　bewilderment。　　Ordinarily　Lise　was　hard；　impervious
to　such　reproaches；　holding　her　own　in　the　passionate　quarrels　that
occasionally　took　place　between　them　yet　there　were　times；　such　as　this；　when
her　resistance　broke　down　unexpectedly；　and　she　lost　all　self　control。　　She
rocked　to　and　fro　in　the　chair；　her　shoulders　bowed；　her　face　hidden　in　her
hands。　　Janet　reached　out　and　touched　her。

〃Don't　be　silly；〃　she　began；　rather　sharply；　〃just　because　I　said　it　was　a
disgrace　to　have　such　ideas。　　Well；　it　is。〃

〃I'm　not　silly；〃　said　Lise。　　〃I'm　sick　of　that　job　at　the　Bagatelle　〃　sob
〃there's　nothing　in　itI'm　going　to　quitI　wish　to　God　I　was　dead！　　Standing
on　your　feet　all　day　till　you're　wore　out　for　six　dollars　a　weekwhat's　there
in　it？〃sob〃With　that　guy　Walters　who　walks　the　floor　never　lettin'　up　on
you。　　He　come　up　to　me　yesterday　and　says；　‘I　didn't　know　you　was　near　sighted；
Miss　Bumpus'　just　because　there　was　a　customer　Annie　Hatch　was　too　lazy　to　wait
on〃sob〃That's　his　line　of　dopethinks　he's　sarcasticand　he's　sweet　on
Annie。　　Tomorrow　I'm　going　to　tell　him　to　go　to　hell。　　I'm　through　I'm　sick　of
it；　I　tell　you〃sob〃I'd　rather　be　dead　than　slave　like　that　for　six
dollars。〃

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Janet。

〃I　don't　knowI　don't　care。　　What's　the　difference？　any　place'd　be　better　than
this。〃　　For　awhile　she　continued　to　cry　on　a　ridiculously　high；　though　subdued；
whining　note；　her　breath　catching　at　intervals。　　A　feeling　of　helplessness；　of
utter　desolation　crept　over　Janet；　powerless　to　comfort　herself；　how　could　she
comfort　her　sister？　　She　glanced　around　the　familiar；　sordid　room；　at　the
magazine　pages　against　the　faded　wall…paper；　at　the　littered　bureau　and　the
littered　bed；　over　which　Lise's　clothes　were　flung。　　It　was　hot　and　close　even
now；　in　summer　it　would　be　stifling。　　Suddenly　a　flash　of　sympathy　revealed　to
her　a　glimpse　of　the　truth　that　Lise；　too；　after　her　own　nature；　sought　beauty
and　freedom！　　Never　did　she　come　as　near　comprehending　Lise　as　in　such　moments
as　this；　and　when；　on　dark　winter　mornings；　her　sister　clung　to　her；　terrified
by　the　siren。　　Lise　was　a　child；　and　the　thought　that　she；　Janet；　was　powerless
to　change　her　was　a　part　of　the　tragic　tenderness。　　What　would　become　of　Lise？
And　what　would　become　of　her；　Janet？。。。　　So　she　clung；　desperately；　to　her
sister's　hand　until　at　last　Lise　roused　herself；　her　hair　awry；　her　face
puckered　and　wet　with　tears　and　perspiration。

〃I　can't　stand　it　any　moreI've　just　got　to　go　away　anywhere；〃　she　said；　and
the　cry　found　an　echo　in　Janet's　heart。。。。

But　the　next　morning　Lise　went　back　to　the　Bagatelle；　and　Janet　to　the　mill。。。。

The　fact　that　Lise's　love　affairs　had　not　been　prospering　undoubtedly　had
something　to　do　with　the　fit　of　depression　into　which　she　had　fallen　that
evening。　　A　month　or　so　before　she　had　acquired　another　beau。　　It　was
understood　by　Lise's　friends　and　Lise's　family；　though　not　by　the　gentleman
himself；　that　his　position　was　only　temporary　or　at　most　probationary；　he　had
not　even　succeeded　to　the　rights；　title；　and　privileges　of　the　late　Mr。　Wiley；
though　occupying　a　higher　position　in　the　social　scalebeing　the　agent　of　a
patent　lawn　sprinkler　with　an　office　in　Faber　Street。

〃Stick　to　him　and　you'll　wear　diamondsthat's　what　he　tries　to　put　across；〃
was　Lise's　comment　on　Mr。　Frear's　method；　and　thus　Janet　gained　the　impression
that　her　sister's　feelings　were　not　deeply　involved。　　〃If　I　thought　he'd　make
good　with　the　sprinkler　I　might　talk　business。　　But　say；　he's　one　of　those
ginks　that's　always　tryin'　to　beat　the　bank。　　He's　never　done　a　day's　work　in
his　life。　　Last　year　he　was　passing　around　Foley's　magazine；　and　before　that　he
was　with　the　race　track　that　went　out　of　business　because　the　ministers　got
nutty　over　it。　　Well；　he　may　win　out；〃　she　added　reflectively；　〃those　guys
sometimes　do　put　the　game　on　the　blink。　　He　sure　is　a　good　spender　when　the
orders　come　in；　with　a　line　of　talk　to　make　you　holler　for　mercy。〃

Mr。　Frear's　〃line　of　talk〃　came　wholly；　astonishingly；　from　one　side　of　his
mouththe　left　side。　　As　a　muscular　feat　it　was　a　triumph。　　A　deaf　person　on
his　right　side　would　not　have　known　he　was　speaking。　　The　effect　was　secretive；
extraordinarily　confidential；　enabling　him　to　sell　sprinklers；　it　ought　to　have
helped　him　to　make　love；　so　distinctly　personal　was　it；　implying　as　it　did　that
the　individual　addressed　was　alone　of　all　the　world　worthy　of　consideration。
Among　his　friends　it　was　regarded　as　an　accomplishment；　but　Lise　was　critical；
especially　since　he　did　not　look　into　one's　eyes；　but　gazed　off　into　space；　as
though　he　weren't　talking　at　all。

She　had　once　inquired　if　the　right　side　of　his　face　was　paraly