the dwelling place of ligh-第20章

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Ditmar　sat　idle　for　some　minutes　after　she　had　gone；　staring　through　the　open
doorway　into　the　outer　office。。。。

To　Ditmar　she　had　given　no　evidence　of　the　storm　his　offer　had　created　in　her
breast；　and　it　was　characteristic　also　that　she　waited　until　supper　was　nearly
over　to　inform　her　family；　making　the　announcement　in　a　matter…of…fact　tone；
just　as　though　it　were　not　the　unique　piece　of　good　fortune　that　had　come　to
the　Bumpuses　since　Edward　had　been　eliminated　from　the　mercantile　establishment
at　Dolton。　　The　news　was　received　with　something　like　consternation。　　For　the
moment　Hannah　was　incapable　of　speech；　and　her　hand　trembled　as　she　resumed　the
cutting　of　the　pie：　but　hope　surged　within　her　despite　her　effort　to　keep　it
down；　her　determination　to　remain　true　to　the　fatalism　from　which　she　had
paradoxically　derived　so　much　comfort。　　The　effect　on　Edward；　while　somewhat
less　violent；　was　temporarily　to　take　away　his　appetite。　　Hope；　to　flower　in
him；　needed　but　little　watering。　　Great　was　his　faith　in　the　Bumpus　blood；　and
secretly　he　had　always　regarded　his　eldest　daughter　as　the　chosen　vessel　for
their　redemption。

〃Well；　I　swan！〃　he　exclaimed；　staring　at　her　in　admiration　and　neglecting　his
pie；　〃I've　always　thought　you　had　it　in　you　to　get　on；　Janet。　　I　guess　I've
told　you　you've　always　put　me　in　mind　of　Eliza　Bumpusthe　one　that　held　out
against　the　Indians　till　her　husband　came　back　with　the　neighbours。　　I　was　just
reading　about　her　again　the　other　night。〃

〃Yes；　you've　told　us；　Edward；〃　said　Hannah。

〃She　had　gumption；〃　he　went　on；　undismayed。　　〃And　from　what　I　can　gather　of　her
looks　I　calculate　you　favour　hershe　was　dark　and　not　so　very　tallnot　so
tall　as　you；　I　guess。　　So　you're　goin'〃　（he　pronounced　it　very　slowly）　〃you're
goin'　to　be　Mr。　Ditmar's　private　stenographer！　　He's　a　smart　man；　Mr。　Ditmar；
he's　a　good　man；　too。　　All　you've　got　to　do　is　to　behave　right　by　him。　　He
always　speaks　to　me　when　he　passes　by　the　gate。　　I　was　sorry　for　him　when　his
wife　dieda　young　woman；　too。　　And　he's　never　married　again！　　Well；　I　swan！〃

〃You'd　better　quit　swanning；〃　exclaimed　Hannah。　　〃And　what's　Mr。　Ditmar's
goodness　got　to　do　with　it？　　He's　found…out　Janet　has　sense；　she's　willing　and
hard　working；　he　won't〃　（pronounced　want）　〃he　won't　be　the　loser　by　it；　and
he's　not　giving　her　what　he　gave　Miss　Ottway。　　It's　just　like　you；　thinking
he's　doing　her　a　good　turn。〃

〃I'm　not　saying　Janet　isn't　smart；〃　he　protested；　〃but　I　know　it's　hard　to　get
work　with　so　many　folks　after　every　job。〃

〃Maybe　it　ain't　so　hard　when　you've　got　some　get…up　and　go；〃　Hannah　retorted
rather　cruelly。　　It　was　thus　characteristically　and　with　unintentional
sharpness　she　expressed　her　maternal　pride　by　a　reflection　not　only　upon
Edward；　but　Lise　also。　　Janet　had　grown　warm　at　the　mention　of　Ditmar's　name。

〃It　was　Miss　Ottway　who　recommended　me；〃　she　said；　glancing　at　her　sister；　who
during　this　conversation　had　sat　in　silence。　　Lise's　expression；　normally
suggestive　of　a　discontent　not　unbecoming　to　her　type；　had　grown　almost　sullen。
Hannah's　brisk　gathering　up　of　the　dishes　was　suddenly　arrested。

〃Lise；　why　don't　you　say　something　to　your　sister？　　Ain't　you　glad　she's　got
the　place？〃

〃Sure；　I'm　glad；〃　said　Lise；　and　began　to　unscrew　the　top　of　the　salt　shaker。
〃I　don't　see　why　I　couldn't　get　a　raise；　too。　　I　work　just　as　hard　as　she
does。〃

Edward；　who　had　never　got　a　〃raise〃　in　his　life；　was　smitten　with　compunction
and　sympathy。

〃Give　'em　time；　Lise；〃　he　said　consolingly。　　〃You　ain't　so　old　as　Janet。〃

〃Time！〃　she　cried；　flaring　up　and　suddenly　losing　her　control。　　〃I've　got　a
picture　of　Waiters　giving　me　a　raise　I　know　the　girls　that　get　raises　from
him。〃

〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；〃　Hannah　declared。　　〃Thereyou've　spilled
the　salt！〃

But　Lise；　suddenly　bursting　into　tears；　got　up　and　left　the　room。　　Edward
picked　up　the　Banner　and　pretended　to　read　it；　while　Janet　collected　the　salt
and　put　it　back　into　the　shaker。　　Hannah；　gathering　up　the　rest　of　the　dishes；
disappeared　into　the　kitchen；　but　presently　returned；　as　though　she　had
forgotten　something。

〃Hadn't　you　better　go　after　her？〃　she　said　to　Janet。

〃I'm　afraid　it　won't　be　any　use。　　She's　got　sort　of　queer；　latelyshe　thinks
they're　down　on　her。〃

〃I'm　sorry　I　spoke　so　sharp。　　But　then〃　Hannah　shook　her　head；　and　her
sentence　remained　unfinished。

Janet　sought　her　sister；　but　returned　after　a　brief　interval；　with　the　news
that　Lise　had　gone　out。

One　of　the　delights　of　friendship；　as　is　well　known；　is　the　exchange　of
confidences　of　joy　or　sorrow；　but　there　was；　in　Janet's　promotion；　something
intensely　personal　to　increase　her　natural　reserve。　　Her　feelings　toward　Ditmar
were　so　mingled　as　to　defy　analysis；　and　several　days　went　by　before　she　could
bring　herself　to　inform　Eda　Rawle　of　the　new　business　relationship　in　which　she
stood　to　the　agent　of　the　Chippering　Mill。　　The　sky　was　still　bright　as　they
walked　out　Warren　Street　after　supper；　Eda　bewailing　the　trials　of　the　day　just
ended：　Mr。　Frye；　the　cashier　of　the　bank；　had　had　one　of　his　cantankerous　fits；
had　found　fault　with　her　punctuation；　nothing　she　had　done　had　pleased　him。
But　presently；　when　they　had　come　to　what　the　Banner　called　the　〃residential
district；〃　she　was　cheered　by　the　sight　of　the　green　lawns；　the　flowerbeds　and
shrubbery；　the　mansions　of　those　inhabitants　of　Hampton　unfamiliar　with
boardinghouses　and　tenements。　　Before　one　of　these　she　paused；　retaining　Janet
by　the　arm；　exclaiming　wistfully：

〃Wouldn't　you　like　to　live　there？　　That　belongs　to　your　boss。〃

Janet；　who　had　been　dreaming　as　she　gazed　at　the　fagade　of　rough　stucco　that
once　had　sufficed　to　fill　the　ambitions　of　the　late　Mrs。　Ditmar；　recognized　it
as　soon　as　Eda　spoke；　and　dragged　her　friend　hastily；　almost　roughly　along　the
sidewalk　until　they　had　reached　the　end　of　the　block。　　Janet　was　red。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　demanded　Eda；　as　soon　as　she　had　recovered　from　her
surprise。

〃Nothing；〃　said　Janet。　　〃OnlyI'm　in　his　office。〃

〃But　what　of　it？　　You've　got　a　right　to　look　at　his　house；　haven't　you？〃

〃Why　yes；a　right；〃　Janet　assented。　　Knowing　Eda's　ambitions　for　her　were　not
those　of　a　business　career；　she　was　in　terror　lest　her　friend　should　scent　a
romance；　and　for　this　reason　she　had　never　spoken　of　the　symptoms　Ditmar　had
betrayed。　　She　attempted　to　convey　to　Eda　the　doubtful　taste　of　staring　point…
blank　at　the　house　of　one's　employer；　especially　when　he　might　be　concealed
behind　a　curtain。

〃You　see；〃　she　added；　〃Miss　Ottway's　recommended　me　for　her　placeshe's　going
away。〃

〃Janet！〃　　cried　Eda。　　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Janet　guiltily；　〃it's　only　a　trial。　　I　don't　know　whether　he'll
keep　me　or　not。〃

〃Of　course　he'll　keep　you；〃　said　Eda；　warmly。　　〃If　that　isn't　just　like　you；
not　saying　a　word　about　it。　　Gee；　if　I'd　had　a　raise　like　that　I　just　couldn't
wait　to　tell　you。　　But　then；　I'm　not　smart　like　you。〃

〃Don't　be　silly；〃　said　Janet；　out　of　humour　with　herself；　and　annoyed　because
she　could　not　then　appreciate　Eda's　generosity。

〃We've　just　got　to　celebrate！〃　declared　Eda；　who　had　the　gift；　which　Janet
lacked；　of　taking　her　joys　vicariously；　and　her　romantic　and　somewhat　medieval
proclivities　would　permit　no　such　momentous　occasion　to　pass　without　an
appropriate　festal　symbol。　　〃We'll　have　a　spree　on　Saturdaythe　circus　is
coming　then。〃

〃It'll　be　my　spree；〃　insisted　Janet；　her　heart　warming。　　〃I've　got　the
raise。。。。〃

On　Saturday；　accordingly；　they　met　at　Grady's　for　lunch；　Eda　attired　in　her
best　blouse　of　pale　blue；　and　when　they　emerged　from　the　restaurant；　despite
the　torrid　heat；　she　beheld　Faber　Street　as　in　holiday　garb　as　they　made　their
way　to　the　cool　recesses　of　Winterhalter's　to　complete　the　feast。　　That
glorified　drug…store　with　the　five　bays　included　in　its　manifold　functions　a
department　rivalling　Delmonico's；　with　electric　fans　and　marble…topped　tables
and　white…clad　waiters　who　took　one's　order　and　filled　it　at　the　soda　fountain。
It　mattered　little　to　Eda　that　the　young　man　awaiting　their　commands　had
pimples　and　long　hair　and　grinned　affectionately　a