the dwelling place of ligh-第30章

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the　conditions　most　of　them　live　in　at　home。　　Why；　there's　plenty　of
ventilation　here；　and　you've　got　to　have　a　certain　amount　of　heat　and　moisture；
because　when　cotton　is　cold　and　dry　it　can't　be　drawn　or　spin；　and　when　it's
hot　and　dry　the　electricity　is　troublesome。　　If　you　think　this　moisture　is　bad
you　ought　to　see　a　mill　with　the　old　vapour…pot　system　with　the　steam　shooting
out　into　the　room。　　Look　here！〃　　He　led　Janet　to　the　apparatus　in　which　the
pure　air　is　forced　through　wet　cloths；　removing　the　dust；　explaining　how　the
ventilation　and　humidity　were　regulated　automatically；　how　the　temperature　of
the　room　was　controlled　by　a　thermostat。

〃There　isn't　an　agent　in　the　country　who's　more　concerned　about　the　welfare　of
his　operatives　than　Mr。　Ditmar。　　He's　made　a　study　of　it；　he's　spent　thousands
of　dollars；　and　as　soon　as　these　machines　became　practical　he　put　'em　in。　　The
other　day　when　I　was　going　through　the　room　one　of　these　shuttles　flew　off；　as
they　sometimes　do　when　the　looms　are　running　at　high　speed。　　A　woman　was　pretty
badly　hurt。　　Ditmar　came　right　down。〃

〃He　really　cares　about　them；〃　said　Janet。　　She　liked　Caldwell's　praise　of
Ditmar；　yet　she　spoke　a　little　doubtfully。

〃Of　course　he　cares。　　But　it's　common　sense　to　make　'em　as　comfortable　and
happy　as　possibleisn't　it？　　He　won't　stand　for　being　held　up；　and　he'd　be
stiff　enough　if　it　came　to　a　strike。　　I　don't　blame　him　for　that。　　Do　you？〃

Janet　was　wondering　how　ruthless　Ditmar　could　be　if　his　will　were　crossed。。。。
They　had　left　the　room　with　its　noise　and　heat　behind　them　and　were　descending
the　worn；　oaken　treads　of　the　spiral　stairway　of　a　neighbouring　tower。　　Janet
shivered　a　little；　and　her　face　seemed　almost　feverish　as　she　turned　to
Caldwell　and　thanked　him。

〃Oh；　it　was　a　pleasure；　Miss　Bumpus；〃　he　declared。　　〃And　sometime；　when　you
want　to　see　the　Print　Works　or　the　Worsted　Department；　let　me　knowI'm　your
man。　　AndI　won't　mention　it。〃

She　did　not　answer。　　As　they　made　their　way　back　to　the　office　he　glanced　at
her　covertly；　astonished　at　the　emotional　effect　in　her　their　tour　had
produced。　　Though　not　of　an　inflammable　temperament；　he　himself　was　stirred；
and　it　was　she　who；　unaccountably；　had　stirred　him：　suggested；　in　these
processes　he　saw　every　day；　and　in　which　he　was　indeed　interested；　something
deeper；　more　significant　and　human　than　he　had　guessed；　and　which　he　was　unable
to　define。。。。

Janet　herself　did　not　know　why　this　intimate　view　of　the　mills；　of　the　people
who　worked　in　them　had　so　greatly　moved　her。　　All　day　she　thought　of　them。　　And
the　distant　throb　of　the　machinery　she　felt　when　her　typewriter　was　silent
meant　something　to　her　nowshe　could　not　say　what。　　When　she　found　herself
listening　for　it；　her　heart　beat　faster。　　She　had　lived　and　worked　beside　it；
and　it　had　not　existed　for　her；　it　had　had　no　meaning；　the　mills　might　have
been　empty。　　She　had；　indeed；　many；　many　times　seen　these　men　and　women；　boys
and　girls　trooping　away　from　work；　she　had　strolled　through　the　quarters　in
which　they　lived；　speculated　on　the　lands　from　which　they　had　come；　but　she　had
never　really　thought　of　them　as　human　beings；　individuals；　with　problems　and
joys　and　sorrows　and　hopes　and　fears　like　her　own。　　Some　such　discovery　was
borne　in　upon　her。　　And　always　an　essential　function　of　this　revelation；
looming　larger　than　ever　in　her　consciousness；　was　Ditmar。　　It　was　for　Ditmar
they　toiled；　in　Ditmar's　hands　were　their　very　existences；　his　was　the
stupendous　responsibility　and　power。

As　the　afternoon　wore；　desire　to　see　these　toilers　once　more　took　possession　of
her。　　From　the　white　cupola　perched　above　the　huge　mass　of　the　Clarendon　Mill
across　the　water　sounded　the　single　stroke　of　a　bell；　and　suddenly　the　air　was
pulsing　with　sounds　flung　back　and　forth　by　the　walls　lining　the　river。
Seizing　her　hat　and　coat；　she　ran　down　the　stairs　and　through　the　vestibule　and
along　the　track　by　the　canal　to　the　great　gates；　which　her　father　was　in　the
act　of　unbarring。　　She　took　a　stand　beside　him；　by　the　gatehouse。　　Edward
showed　a　mild　surprise。

〃There　ain't　anything　troubling　youis　there；　Janet？〃　he　asked。

She　shook　her　head。

〃I　wanted　to　see　the　hands　come　out；〃　she　said。

Sometimes；　as　at　present；　he　found　Janet's　whims　unaccountable。

〃Well；　I　should　have　presumed　you'd　know　what　they　look　like　by　this　time。
You'd　better　stay　right　close　to　me；　they're　a　rough　lot；　with　no　respect　or
consideration　for　decent　folksthese　foreigners。　　I　never　could　see　why　the
government　lets　'em　all　come　over　here。〃　　He　put　on　the　word　〃foreigners〃　an
emphasis　of　contempt　and　indignation；　pathetic　because　of　its　peculiar　note　of
futility。　　Janet　paid　no　attention　to　him。　　Her　ears　were　strained　to　catch　the
rumble　of　feet　descending　the　tower　stairs；　her　eyes　to　see　the　vanguard　as　it
came　from　the　doorwaythe　first　tricklings　of　a　flood　that　instantly　filled
the　yard　and　swept　onward　and　outward；　irresistibly；　through　the　narrow　gorge
of　the　gates。　　Impossible　to　realize　this　as　the　force　which；　when　distributed
over　the　great　spaces　of　the　mills；　performed　an　orderly　and　useful　task！　for
it　was　now　a　turbid　and　lawless　torrent　unconscious　of　its　swollen　powers；
menacing；　breathlessly　exciting　to　behold。　　It　seemed　to　Janet　indeed　a　torrent
as　she　clung　to　the　side　of　the　gatehouse　as　one　might　cling　to　the　steep　bank
of　a　mountain　brook　after　a　cloud…burst。　　And　suddenly　she　had　plunged　into　it。
The　desire　was　absurd；　perhaps；　but　not　to　be　denied；the　desire　to　mix　with
it；　feel　it；　be　submerged　and　swept　away　by　it；　losing　all　sense　of　identity。
She　heard　her　father　call　after　her；　faintlythe　thought　crossed　her　mind　that
his　appeals　were　always　faint；and　then　she　was　being　carried　along　the　canal；
eastward；　the　pressure　relaxing　somewhat　when　the　draining　of　the　side　streets
began。

She　remembered；　oddly；　the　Stanley　Street　bridge　where　the　many　streams　met　and
mingled；　streams　from　the　Arundel；　the　Patuxent；　the　Arlington　and　the
Clarendon；　and；　eager　to　prolong　and　intensify　her　sensations；　hurried　thither；
reaching　it　at　last　and　thrusting　her　way　outward　until　she　had　gained　the
middle；　where　she　stood　grasping　the　rail。　　The　great　structure　was　a…tremble
from　the　assault；　its　footpaths　and　its　roadway　overrun　with　workers；　dodging
between　trolleys　and　trucks；some　darting　nimbly；　dinner　pails　in　hand；　along
the　steel　girders。　　Doffer　boys　romped　and　whistled；　young　girls　in　jaunty；
Faber　Street　clothes　and　flowered　hats；　linked　to　one　another　for　protection；
chewed　gum　and　joked；　but　for　the　most　part　these　workers　were　silent；　the
apathy　of　their　faces　making　a　strange　contrast　with　the　hurry；　hurry　of　their
feet　and　set　intentness　of　their　bodies　as　they　sped　homeward　to　the　tenements。
And　the　clothes　of　these　were　drab；　save　when　the　occasional　colour　of　a　hooded
peasant's　shawl；　like　the　slightly　faded　tints　of　an　old　master；　lit　up　a　group
of　women。　　Here；　going　home　to　their　children；　were　Italian　mothers　bred
through　centuries　to　endurance　and　patience；　sallow　Jewesses；　gaunt；　bearded
Jews　with　shadowy；　half…closed　eyes　and　wrinkled　brows；　broad…faced
Lithuanians；　flat…headed　Russians；　swarthy　Italian　men　and　pale；　blond　Germans
mingled　with　muddy　Syrians　and　nondescript　Canadians。　　And　suddenly　the　bridge
was　empty；　the　army　vanished　as　swiftly　as　it　came！

Janet　turned。　　Through　the　haze　of　smoke　she　saw　the　sun　drop　like　a　ball　of
fire　cooled　to　redness；　whose　course　is　spent。　　The　delicate　lines　of　the　upper
bridge　were　drawn　in　sepia　against　crimson…gilt；　for　an　instant　the　cupola　of
the　Clarendon　became　jasper；　and　far；　far　above　floated　in　the　azure　a　cloud　of
pink　jeweller's　cotton。　　Even　as　she　strove　to　fix　these　colours　in　her　mind
they　vanished；　the　western　sky　faded　to　magenta；　to　purple…mauve；　the　corridor
of　the　river　darkened；　on　either　side　pale　lights　sparkled　from　the　windows　of
the　mills；　while　down　the　deepened　blue　of　the　waters　came　floating　iridescent
suds　from　the　washing　of　the　wools。　　It　was　given　to　her　to　know　that　which　an
artist　of　living　memory　has　called　the　incommunicable　thrill　of　things。。。。




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