the dwelling place of ligh-第3章

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quarreling。　　Quarreling　seemed　to　be　the　normal　reaction　between　them。

It　was　Janet；　presently；　who　would　get　up；　shivering；　close　the　window；　and
light　the　gas；　revealing　the　room　which　the　two　girls　shared　together。　　Against
the　middle　of　one　wall　was　the　bed；　opposite　this　a　travel…dented　walnut　bureau
with　a　marble　top；　with　an　oval　mirror　into　which　were　stuck　numerous　magazine
portraits　of　the　masculine　and　feminine　talent　adorning　the　American　stage；　a
preponderance　of　the　music　hall　variety。　　There　were　pictures　of　other　artists
whom　the　recondite　would　have　recognized　as　〃movie〃　stars；　amazing　yet　veridic
stories　of　whose　wealth　Lise　read　in　the　daily　press：　all　possessed　limousines…
…an　infallible　proof；　to　Lise；　of　the　measure　of　artistic　greatness。　　Between
one　of　these　movie　millionaires　and　an　ex…legitimate　lady　who　now　found
vaudeville　profitable　was　wedged　the　likeness　of　a　popular　idol　whose
connection　with　the　footlights　would　doubtless　be　contingent　upon　a　triumphant
acquittal　at　the　hands　of　a　jury　of　her　countrymen；　and　whose　trial　for　murder；
in　Chicago；　was　chronicled　daily　in　thousands　of　newspapers　and　followed　by
Lise　with　breathless　interest　and　sympathy。　　She　was　wont　to　stare　at　this　lady
while　dressing　and　exclaim：

〃Say；　I　hope　they　put　it　all　over　that　district　attorney！〃

To　such　sentiments；　though　deeply　felt　by　her　sister；　Janet　remained　cold；
though　she　was；　as　will　be　seen；　capable　of　enthusiasms。　　Lise　was　a　truer
daughter　of　her　time　and　country　in　that　she　had　the　national　contempt　for　law；
was　imbued　with　the　American　hero…worship　of　criminals　that　caused　the
bombardment　of　Cora　Wellman's　jail　with　candy；　fruit　and　flowers　and
impassioned　letters。　　Janet　recalled　there　had　been　others　before　Mrs。　Wellman；
caught　within　the　meshes　of　the　law；　who　had　incited　in　her　sister　a　similar
partisanship。

It　was　Lise　who　had　given　the　note　of　ornamentation　to　the　bedroom。　　Against
the　cheap　faded　lilac　and　gold　wall…paper　were　tacked　photo…engravings　that　had
taken　the　younger　sister's　fancy：　a　young　man　and　woman；　clad　in　scanty　bathing
suits；　seated　side　by　side　in　a　careening　sail　boat；the　work　of　a　popular
illustrator　whose　manly　and　womanly　〃types〃　had　become　national　ideals。

There　were　other　drawings；　if　not　all　by　the　same　hand；　at　least　by　the　same
school；　one；　sketched　in　bold　strokes；　of　a　dinner　party　in　a　stately
neo…classic　dining…room；　the　table　laden　with　flowers　and　silver；
the　bare…throated　women　with　jewels。　　A　more　critical　eye　than　Lise's；
gazing　upon　this　portrayal　of　the　Valhalla　of　success；　might　have　detected　in
the　young　men；　immaculate　in　evening　dress；　a　certain　effort　to　feel　at　home；
to　converse　naturally；　which　their　square　jaws　and　square　shoulders　belied。
This　was　no　doubt　the　fault　of　the　artist's　models；　who　had　failed　to　live　up
to　the　part。　　At　any　rate；　the　sight　of　these　young　gods　of　leisure；　the
contemplation　of　the　stolid　butler　and　plush　footmen　in　the　background　never
failed　to　make　Lise's　heart　beat　faster。

On　the　marble　of　the　bureau　amidst　a　litter　of　toilet　articles；　and　bought　by
Lise　for　a　quarter　at　the　Bagatelle　bargain　counter；　was　an　oval　photograph
frame　from　which　the　silver　wash　had　begun　to　rub　off；　and　the　band　of　purple
velvet　inside　the　metal　had　whitened。　　The　frame　always　contained　the　current
object　of　Lise's　affections；　though　the　exhibitsas　Janet　saidwere　subject
to　change　without　notice。　　The　Adonis　who　now　reigned　had　black　hair　cut　in　the
prevailing　Hampton　fashion；　very　long　in　front　and　hanging　down　over　his　eyes
like　a　Scottish　terrier's；　very　long　behind；　too；　but　ending　suddenly；　shaved
in　a　careful　curve　at　the　neck　and　around　the　ears。　　It　had　almost　the
appearance　of　a　Japanese　wig。　　The　manly　beauty　of　Mr。　Max　Wylie　was　of　the
lantern…jawed　order；　and　in　his　photograph　he　conveyed　the　astonished　and
pained　air　of　one　who　has　been　suddenly　seized　by　an　invisible　officer　of　the
law　from　behind。　　This　effect；　one　presently　perceived；　was　due　to　the　high；
stiff　collar；　the　〃Torture　Brand；〃　Janet　called　it；　when　she　and　her　sister
were　engaged　in　one　of　their　frequent　controversies　about　life　in　general：　the
obvious　retort　to　this　remark；　which　Lise　never　failed　to　make；　was　that　Janet
could　boast　of　no　beaux　at　all。

It　is　only　fair　to　add　that　the　photograph　scarcely　did　Mr。　Wylie　justice。　　In
real　life　he　did　not　wear　the　collar；　he　was　free　and　easy　in　his　manners；　sure
of　his　powers　of　conquest。　　As　Lise　observed；　he　had　made　a　home…run　with　her
at　Slattery's　Riverside　Park。　　〃Sadie　Hartmann　was　sure　sore　when　I　tangoed　off
with　him；〃　she　would　observe　reminiscently　。。。。

It　was　Lise's　habit　to　slight　her　morning　toilet；　to　linger　until　the　last
minute　in　bed；　which　she　left　in　reluctant　haste　to　stand　before　the　bureau
frantically　combing　out　kinks　of　the　brown　hair　falling　over　her　shoulders
before　jamming　it　down　across　her　forehead　in　the　latest　mode。　　Thus　occupied；
she　revealed　a　certain　petulant　beauty。　　Like　the　majority　of　shop…girls；　she
was　small；　but　her　figure　was　good；　her　skin　white；　her　discontented　mouth　gave
her　the　touch　of　piquancy　apt　to　play　havoc　with　the　work　of　the　world。　　In
winter　breakfast　was　eaten　by　the　light　of　a　rococo　metal　lamp　set　in　the
centre　of　the　table。　　This　was　to　save　gas。　　There　was　usually　a　rump　steak　and
potatoes；　bread　and　〃creamery〃　butterine；　and　the　inevitable　New　England
doughnuts。　　At　six　thirty　the　whistles　screeched　again；a　warning　note；　the
signal　for　Edward's　departure；　and　presently；　after　a　brief　respite；　the　heavy
bells　once　more　began　their　clamour；　not　to　die　down　until　ten　minutes　of
seven；　when　the　last　of　the　stragglers　had　hurried　through　the　mill　gates。

The　Bumpus　flat　included　the　second　floor　of　a　small　wooden　house　whose　owner
had　once　been　evilly　inspired　to　paint　it　a　livid　clay…yellowas　though
insisting　that　ugliness　were　an　essential　attribute　of　domesticity。　　A　bay　ran
up　the　two　stories；　and　at　the　left　were　two　narrow　doorways；　one　for　each
flat。　　On　the　right　the　house　was　separated　from　its　neighbour　by　a　narrow
interval；　giving　but　a　precarious　light　to　the　two　middle　rooms；　the　diningroom
and　kitchen。　　The　very　unattractiveness　of　such　a　home；　however；　had　certain
compensations　for　Janet；　after　the　effort　of　early　rising　had　been　surmounted；
felt　a　real　relief　in　leaving　it；　a　relief；　too；　in　leaving　Fillmore　Street；
every　feature　of　which　was　indelibly　fixed　in　her　mind；　opposite　was　the　blind
brick　face　of　a　warehouse；　and　next　to　that　the　converted　dwelling　house　that
held　the　shop　of　A。　Bauer；　with　the　familiar　replica　of　a　green　ten…cent
trading　stamp　painted　above　it　and　the　somewhat　ironical　announcementwhen
boar　frost　whitened　the　pavementthat　ice…cold　soda　was　to　be　had　within；　as
well　as　cigars　and　tobacco；　fruit　and　candy。　　Then　came　a　tenement；　under　which
two　enterprising　Greeks　by　the　name　of　Pappasspelled　Papas　lower　down
conducted　a　business　called　〃The　Gentleman；〃　a　tailoring；　pressing；　and　dyeing
establishment。　　Janet　could　see　the　brilliantined　black　heads　of　the　two
proprietors　bending　over　their　boards；　and　sometimes　they　would　be　lifted　to
smile　at　her　as　she　passed。　　The　Pappas　Brothers　were　evidently　as　happy　in
this　drab　environment　as　they　had　ever　been　on　the　sunny　mountain　slopes　of
Hellas；　and　Janet　sometimes　wondered　at　this；　for　she　had　gathered　from　her
education　in　the　Charming　public　school　that　Greece　was　beautiful。

She　was　one　of　the　unfortunate　who　love　beauty；　who　are　condemned　to　dwell　in
exile；　unacquainted　with　what　they　love。　　Desire　was　incandescent　within　her
breast。　　Desire　for　what？　　It　would　have　been　some　relief　to　know。　　She　could
not；　like　Lise；　find　joy　and　forgetfulness　at　dance　；halls；　at　the　〃movies；〃　at
Slattery's　Riverside　Park　in　summer；　in　〃joy　rides〃　with　the　Max　Wylies　of
Hampton。　　And　beside；　the　Max　Wylies　were　afraid　of　her。　　If　at　times　she
wished　for　wealth；　it　was　because　wealth　held　the　magic　of　emancipation　from
surroundings　against　which　her　soul　revolted。　　Vividly　idealized　but　unconfided
was　the　memory　of　a　seaside　village；　the　scene　of　one　of　the　brief　soj