the dwelling place of ligh-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Ditmar　demanded　a　table　in　the　corner；　and　consumed　a　solitary　meal。

Very　naturally　Janet　was　aware　of　the　change　in　Ditmar；　and　knew　the　cause　of
it。　　Her　feelings　were　complicated。　　He；　the　most　important　man　in　Hampton；　the
self…sufficient；　the　powerful；　the　hitherto　distant　and　unattainable　head　of
the　vast　organization　known　as　the　Chippering　Mill；　of　which　she　was　an
insignificant　unit；　at　times　became　for　her　just　a　mana　man　for　whom　she　had
achieved　a　delicious　contempt。　　And　the　knowledge　that　she；　if　she　chose；　could
sway　and　dominate　him　by　the　mere　exercise　of　that　strange　feminine　force
within　her　was　intoxicating　and　terrifying。　　She　read　this　in　a　thousand　signs；
in　his　glances；　in　his　movements　revealing　a　desire　to　touch　her；　in　little
things　he　said；　apparently　insignificant；　yet　fraught　with　meaning；　in　a
constant　recurrence　of　the　apologetic　attitudeso　alien　to　the　Ditmar　formerly
conceivedof　which　he　had　given　evidence　that　day　by　the　canal：　and　from　this
attitude　emanated；　paradoxically；　a　virile　and　galvanic　current　profoundly
disturbing。　　Sometimes　when　he　bent　over　her　she　experienced　a　commingled
ecstasy　and　fear　that　he　would　seize　her　in　his　arms。　　Yet　the　tension　was　not
constant；　rising　and　falling　with　his　moods　and　struggles；　all　of　which　she
readunguessed　by　himas　easily　as　a　printed　page　by　the　gift　that　dispenses
with　laborious　processes　of　the　intellect。　　On　the　other　hand；　a　resentment
boiled　within　her　his　masculine　mind　failed　to　fathom。　　Stevenson　said　of　John
Knox　that　many　women　had　come　to　learn　from　him；　but　he　had　never　condescended
to　become　a　learner　in　returna　remark　more　or　less　applicable　to　Ditmar。　　She
was；　perforce；　thrilled　that　he　was　virile　and　wanted　her；　but　because　he
wanted　her　clandestinely　her　pride　revolted；divining　his　fear　of　scandal　and
hating　him　for　it　like　a　thoroughbred。　　To　do　her　justice；　marriage　never
occurred　to　her。　　She　was　not　so　commonplace。

There　were　times；　however；　when　the　tension　between　them　would　relax；　when　some
incident　occurred　to　focus　Ditmar's　interest　on　the　enterprise　that　had
absorbed　and　unified　his　life；　the　Chippering　Mill。　　One　day　in　September；　for
instance；　after　an　absence　in　New　York；　he　returned　to　the　office　late　in　the
afternoon；　and　she　was　quick　to　sense　his　elation；　to　recognize　in　him　the
restored　presence　of　the　quality　of　elan；　of　command；　of　singleness　of　purpose
that　had　characterized　him　before　she　had　become　his　stenographer。　　At　first；
as　he　read　his　mail；　he　seemed　scarcely　conscious　of　her　presence。　　She　stood
by　the　window；　awaiting　his　pleasure；　watching　the　white　mist　as　it　rolled　over
the　floor　of　the　river；　catching　glimpses　in　vivid；　saffron　blurs　of　the　lights
of　the　Arundel　Mill　on　the　farther　shore。　　Autumn　was　at　hand。　　Suddenly　she
heard　Ditmar　speaking。

〃Would　you　mind　staying　a　little　while　longer　this　evening；　Miss　Bumpus？〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　she　replied；　turning。

On　his　face　was　a　smile；　almost　boyish。

〃The　fact　is；　I　think　I've　got　hold　of　the　biggest　single　order　that　ever　came
into　any　mill　in　New　England；〃　he　declared。

〃Oh；　I'm　glad；〃　she　said　quickly。

〃The　cotton　cards？〃　he　demanded。

She　knew　he　referred　to　the　schedules；　based　on　the　current　prices　of　cotton；
made　out　in　the　agent's　office　and　sent　in　duplicate　to　the　selling　house；　in
Boston。　　She　got　them　from　the　shelf；　and　as　he　went　over　them　she　heard　him
repeating　the　names　of　various　goods　now　become　familiar；　pongees；　poplins；
percales　and　voiles；　garbardines　and　galateas；　lawns；　organdies；　crepes；　and
Madras　shirtings；　while　he　wrote　down　figures　on　a　sheet　of　paper。　　So　complete
was　his　absorption　in　this　task　that　Janet；　although　she　had　resented　the
insinuating　pressure　of　his　former　attitude　toward　her；　felt　a　paradoxical
sensation　of　jealousy。　　Presently；　without　looking　up；　he　told　her　to　call　up
the　Boston　office　and　ask　for　Mr。　Fraile；　the　cotton　buyer；　and　she　learned
from　the　talk　over　the　telephone　though　it　was　mostly　about　〃futures〃that
Ditmar　had　lingered　for　a　conference　in　Boston　on　his　way　back　from　New　York。
Afterwards；　having　dictated　two　telegrams　which　she　wrote　out　on　her　machine；
he　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　and　though　the　business　for　the　day　was　ended；
showed　a　desire　to　detain　her。　　His　mood　became　communicative。


〃I've　been　on　the　trail　of　that　order　for　a　month；〃　he　declared。　　〃Of　course　it
isn't　my　business　to　get　orders；　but　to　manage　this　mill；　and　that's　enough　for
one　man；　God　knows。　　But　I　heard　the　Bradlaughs　were　in　the　market　for　these
goods；　and　I　told　the　selling　house　to　lie　low；　that　I'd　go　after　it。　　I　knew　I
could　get　away　with　it；　if　anybody　could。　　I　went　to　the　Bradlaughs　and　sat
down　on　'em；　I　lived　with　'em；　ate　with　'em；　brought　'em　home　at　night。　　I
didn't　let　'em　alone　a　minute　until　they　handed　it　over。　　I　wasn't　going　to
give　any　other　mill　in　New　England　or　any　of　those　southern　concerns　a　chance
to　walk　off　with　itnot　on　your　life！　　Why；　we　have　the　facilities。　　There
isn't　another　mill　in　the　country　can　turn　it　out　in　the　time　they　ask；　and
even　we　will　have　to　go　some　to　do　it。　　But　we'll　do　it；　by　George；　unless　I'm
struck　by　lightning。〃

He　leaned　forward；　hitting　the　desk　with　his　fist；　and　Janet；　standing　beside
him；　smiled。　　She　had　the　tempting　gift　of　silence。　　Forgetting　her　twinge　of
jealousy；　she　was　drawn　toward　him　now；　and　in　this　mood　of　boyish　exuberance；
of　self…confidence　and　pride　in　his　powers　and　success　she　liked　him　better
than　ever　before。　　She　had；　for　the　first　time；　the　curious　feeling　of　being
years　older　than　he；　yet　this　did　not　detract　from　a　new…born　admiration。

〃I　made　this　mill；　and　I'm　proud　of　it；〃　he　went　on。　　〃When　old　Stephen
Chippering　put　me　in　charge　he　was　losing　money；　he'd　had　three　agents　in　four
years。　　The　old　man　knew　I　had　it　in　me；　and　I　knew　it；　if　I　do　say　it　myself。
All　this　union　labour　talk　about　shorter　hours　makes　me　sickwhy；　there　was　a
time　when　I　worked　ten　and　twelve　hours　a　day；　and　I'm　man　enough　to　do　it　yet；
if　I　have　to。　　When　the　last　agentthat　was　Cortwas　sacked　I　went　to　Boston
on　my　own　hook　and　tackled　the　old　gentlemanthat's　the　only　way　to　get
anywhere。　　I　couldn't　bear　to　see　the　mill　going　to　scrap；　and　I　told　him　a
thing　or　two；I　had　the　facts　and　the　figures。　　Stephen　Chippering　was　a　big
man；　but　he　had　a　streak　of　obstinacy　in　him；　he　was　conservative；　you　bet。　　I
had　to　get　it　across　to　him　there　was　a　lot　of　dead　wood　in　this　plant；　I　had
to　wake　him　up　to　the　fact　that　the　twentieth　century　was　here。　　He　had　to　be
shownhe　was　from　Boston；　you　know〃　Ditmar　laughed〃but　he　was　all　wool　and
a　yard　wide；　and　he　liked　me　and　trusted　me。

〃That　was　in　nineteen　hundred。　　I　can　remember　the　interview　as　well　as　if　it
had　happened　last　nightwe　sat　up　until　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　in　that
library　of　his　with　the　marble　busts　and　the　leather…bound　books　and　the　double
windows　looking　out　over　the　Charles；　where　the　wind　was　blowing　a　gale。　　And
at　last　he　said；　‘All　right；　Claude；　go　ahead。　　I'll　put　you　in　as　agent；　and
stand　behind　you。'　And　by　thunder；　he　did　stand　behind　me。　　He　was　quiet；　the
finest　looking　old　man　I　ever　saw　in　my　life；　straight　as　a　ramrod；　with　a
little　white　goatee　and　a　red；　weathered　face　full　of　creases；　and　a　skin　that
looked　as　if　it　had　been　pricked　all　over　with　needlesthe　old　Boston　sort。
They　don't　seem　to　turn　'em　out　any　more。　　Why；　I　have　a　picture　of　him　here。〃

He　opened　a　drawer　in　his　desk　and　drew　out　a　photograph。　　Janet　gazed　at　it
sympathetically。

〃It　doesn't　give　you　any　notion　of　those　eyes　of　his；〃　Ditmar　said；
reminiscently。　　〃They　looked　right　through　a　man's　skull；　no　matter　how　thick
it　was。　　If　anything　went　wrong；　I　never　wasted　any　time　in　telling　him　about
it；　and　I　guess　it　was　one　reason　he　liked　me。　　Some　of　the　people　up　here
didn't　understand　him；　kow…towed　to　him；　they　were　scared　of　him；　and　if　he
thought　they　had　something　up　their　sleeves　he　looked　as　if　he　were　going　to
eat　'em　alive。　　Regular　fighting　eyes；　the　kind　that　get　inside　of　a　man　and
turn　the　light　on。　　And　he　sat　so　stillmade　you　ashamed　of　yoursel