the dwelling place of ligh-第18章

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contributed　five　to　the　household；her　father；　with　characteristic
incompetence；　having　taken　out　a　larger　insurance　policy　than　he　could
reasonably　carry。　　Of　the　remaining　four　dollars　she　spent　more　than　one　on
lunches；　there　were　dresses　and　underclothing；　shoes　and　stockings　to　buy；　in
spite　of　darning　and　mending；　little　treats　with　Eda　that　mounted　up；　and
occasionally　the　dentistfor　Janet　would　not　neglect　her　teeth　as　Lise
neglected　hers。　　She　managed　to　save　something；　but　it　was　very　little。　　And
she　was　desperately　unhappy　when　she　contemplated　the　grey　and　monotonous　vista
of　the　years　ahead；　saw　herself　growing　older　and　older；　driven　always　by　the
stern　necessity　of　accumulating　a　margin　against　possible　disasters；　little　by
little　drying　up；　losing；　by　withering　disuse；　those　rich　faculties　of
enjoyment　with　which　she　was　endowed；　and　which　at　once　fascinated　and
frightened　her。　　Marriage；　in　such　an　environment；　offered　no　solution；
marriage　meant　dependence；　from　which　her　very　nature　revolted：　and　in　her
existence；　drab　and　necessitous　though　it　were；　was　still　a　remnant　of　freedom
that　marriage　would　compel　her　to　surrender。。。。

One　warm　evening；　oppressed　by　such　reflections；　she　had　started　home　when　she
remembered　having　left　her　bag　in　the　office；　and　retraced　her　steps。　　As　she
turned　the　corner　of　West　Street；　she　saw；　beside　the　canal　and　directly　in
front　of　the　bridge；　a　new　and　smart…looking　automobile；　painted　crimson　and
black；　of　the　type　known　as　a　runabout；　which　she　recognized　as　belonging　to
Mr。　Ditmar。　　Indeed；　at　that　moment　Mr。　Ditmar　himself　was　stepping　off　the　end
of　the　bridge　and　about　to　start　the　engine　when；　dropping　the　crank；　he　walked
to　the　dashboard　and　apparently　became　absorbed　in　some　mechanisms　there。　　Was
it　the　glance　cast　in　her　direction　that　had　caused　him　to　delay　his　departure？
Janet　was　seized　by　a　sudden　and　rather　absurd　desire　to　retreat；　but　Canal
Street　being　empty；　such　an　action　would　appear　eccentric；　and　she　came　slowly
forward；　pretending　not　to　see　her　employer；　ridiculing　to　herself　the　idea
that　he　had　noticed　her。　　Much　to　her　annoyance；　however；　her　embarrassment
persisted；　and　she　knew　it　was　due　to　the　memory　of　certain　incidents；　each　in
itself　almost　negligible；　but　cumulatively　amounting　to　a　suspicion　that　for
some　months　he　had　been　aware　of　her：　many　times　when　he　had　passed　through　the
outer　office　she　had　felt　his　eyes　upon　her；　had　been　impelled　to　look　up　from
her　work　to　surprise　in　them　a　certain　glow　to　make　her　bow　her　head　again　in
warm　confusion。　　Now；　as　she　approached　him；　she　was　pleasantly　but　rather
guiltily　conscious　of　the　more　rapid　beating　of　the　blood　that　precedes　an
adventure；　yet　sufficiently　self…possessed　to　note　the　becoming　nature　of　the
light　flannel　suit　axed　rather　rakish　Panama　he　had　pushed　back　from　his
forehead。　　It　was　not　until　she　had　almost　passed　him　that　he　straightened　up；
lifted　the　Panama；　tentatively；　and　not　too　far；　startling　her。

〃Good　afternoon；　Miss　Bumpus；〃　he　said。　　〃I　thought　you　had　gone。〃

〃I　left　my　bag　in　the　office；〃　she　replied；　with　the　outward　calmness　that
rarely　deserted　herthe　calmness；　indeed；　that　had　piqued　him　and　was　leading
him　on　to　rashness。

〃Oh；〃　he　said。　　〃Simmons　will　get　it　for　you。〃　　Simmons　was　the　watchman　who
stood　in　the　vestibule　of　the　office　entrance。

〃Thanks。　　I　can　get　it　myself；〃　she　told　him；　and　would　have　gone　on　had　he　not
addressed　her　again。　　〃I　was　just　starting　out　for　a　spin。　　What　do　you　think
of　the　car？　　It's　good　looking；　isn't　it？〃　　He　stood　off　and　surveyed　it；
laughing　a　little；　and　in　his　laugh　she　detected　a　note　apologetic；　at　variance
with　the　conception　she　had　formed　of　his　character；　though　not　alien；　indeed；
to　the　dust…coloured　vigour　of　the　man。　　She　scarcely　recognized　Ditmar　as　he
stood　there；　yet　he　excited　her；　she　felt　from　him　an　undercurrent　of　something
that　caused　her　inwardly　to　tremble。　　〃See　how　the　lines　are　carried　through。〃
He　indicated　this　by　a　wave　of　his　hand；　but　his　eyes　were　now　on　her。

〃It　is　pretty；〃　she　agreed。

In　contrast　to　the　defensive　tactics　which　other　ladies　of　his　acquaintance　had
adopted；　tactics　of　a　patently　coy　and　coquettish　nature；　this　self…collected
manner　was　new　and　spicy；　challenging　to　powers　never　as　yet　fully　exerted
while　beneath　her　manner　he　felt　throbbing　that　rare　and　dangerous　thing　in
women；　a　temperament；　for　which　men　have　given　their　souls。　　This　conviction　of
her　possession　of　a　temperament；he　could　not　have　defined　the　word；　emotional
rather　than　intellectual；　produced　the　apologetic　attitude　she　was　quick　to
sense。　　He　had　never　been；　at　least　during　his　maturity；　at　a　loss　with　the
other　sex；　and　he　found　the　experience　delicious。

〃You　like　pretty　things；　I'm　sure　of　that；〃　he　hazarded。　　But　she　did　not　ask
him　how　he　knew；　she　simply　assented。　　He　raised　the　hood；　revealing　the
engine。　　〃Isn't　that　pretty？　　See　how　nicely　everything　is　adjusted　in　that
little　space　to　do　the　particular　work　for　which　it　is　designed。〃

Thus　appealed　to；　she　came　forward　and　stopped；　still　standing　off　a　little
way；　but　near　enough　to　see；　gazing　at　the　shining　copper　caps　on　the
cylinders；　at　the　bright　rods　and　gears。

〃It　looks　intricate；〃　said　Mr。　Ditmar；　〃but　really　it's　very　simple。　　The
gasoline　comes　in　here　from　the　tank　behindthis　is　called　the　carburetor；　it
has　a　jet　to　vaporize　the　gasoline；　and　the　vapour　is　sucked　into　each　of　these
cylinders　in　turn　when　the　piston　moveslike　this。〃　　He　sought　to　explain　the
action　of　the　piston。　　〃That　compresses　it；　and　then　a　tiny　electric　spark
comes　just　at　the　right　moment　to　explode　it；　and　the　explosion　sends　the
piston　down　again；　and　turns　the　shaft。　　Well；　all　four　cylinders　have　an
explosion　one　right　after　another；　and　that　keeps　the　shaft　going。〃　　Whereupon
the　most　important　personage　in　Hampton；　the　head　of　the　great　Chippering　Mill
proceeded；　for　the　benefit　of　a　humble　assistant　stenographer；　to　remove　the
floor　boards　behind　the　dash。　　〃There's　the　shaft；　come　here　and　look　at　it。〃
She　obeyed；　standing　beside　him；　almost　touching　him；　his　arm；　indeed；　brushing
her　sleeve；　and　into　his　voice　crept　a　tremor。　　〃The　shaft　turns　the　rear
wheels　by　means　of　a　gear　at　right　angles　on　the　axle；　and　the　rear　wheels
drive　the　car。　　Do　you　see？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered　faintly；　honesty　compelling　her　to　add：　〃a　little。〃

He　was　looking；　now；　not　at　the　machinery；　but　intently　at　her；　and　she　could
feel　the　blood　flooding　into　her　cheeks　and　temples。　　She　was　even　compelled
for　an　instant　to　return　his　glance；　and　from　his　eyes　into　hers　leaped　a　flame
that　ran　scorching　through　her　body。　　Then　she　knew　with　conviction　that　the
explanation　of　the　automobile　had　been　an　excuse；　she　had　comprehended　almost
nothing　of　it；　but　she　had　been　impressed　by　the　facility　with　which　he
described　it；　by　his　evident　mastery　over　it。　　She　had　noticed　his　hands；　how
thick　his　fingers　were　and　close　together；　yet　how　deftly　he　had　used　them；
without　smearing　the　cuffs　of　his　silk　shirt　or　the　sleeves　of　his　coat　with
the　oil　that　glistened　everywhere。

〃I　like　machinery；〃　he　told　her　as　he　replaced　the　boards。　　〃I　like　to　take
care　of　it　myself。〃

〃It　must　be　interesting；〃　she　assented；　aware　of　the　inadequacy　of　the　remark；
and　resenting　in　herself　an　inarticulateness　seemingly　imposed　by　inhibition
connected　with　his　nearness。　　Fascination　and　antagonism　were　struggling　within
her。　　Her　desire　to　get　away　grew　desperate。

〃Thank　you　for　showing　it　to　me。〃　　With　an　effort　of　will　she　moved　toward　the
bridge；　but　was　impelled　by　a　consciousness　of　the　abruptness　of　her　departure
to　look　back　at　him　onceand　smile；　to　experience　again　the　thrill　of　the
current　he　sped　after　her。　　By　lifting　his　hat；　a　little　higher；　a　little　more
confidently　than　in　the　first　instance；　he　made　her　leaving　seem　more　gracious；
the　act　somehow　conveying　an　acknowledgment　on　his　part　that　their　relationship
had　changed。

Once　across　the　bridge　and　in　the　mill；　she　fairly　ran　up　the　stairs　and　into
the　empty　office；　to　perceive　her　bag　lying　on　the　des