the dwelling place of ligh-第39章
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low enough； but I could see him。 It was some satisfaction。 I could know
the worst； anyhow。。。。 I guess it's about time for another flood。〃
This talk had left Janet in one of these introspective states so frequent
in her recent experience。 Her mother had used the words 〃right〃 and
〃wrong。〃 But what was 〃right；〃 or 〃wrong？〃 There was no use asking
Hannah； whoshe perceivedwas as confused and bewildered as herself。
Did she refuse to encourage Mr。 Ditmar because it was wrong？ because； if
she acceded to his desires； and what were often her own； she would be
punished in an after life？ She was not at all sure whether she believed
in an after life；a lack of faith that had； of late； sorely troubled her
friend Eda Rawle； who had 〃got religion〃 from an itinerant evangelist and
was now working off； in a 〃live〃 church； some of the emotional idealism
which is the result of a balked sex instinct in young unmarried women of
a certain mentality and unendowed with good looks。 This was not； of
course； Janet's explanation of the change in her friend； of whom she now
saw less and less。 They had had arguments； in which neither gained any
ground。 For the first time in their intercourse； ideas had come between
them； Eda having developed a surprising self…assertion when her new
convictions were attacked； a dogged loyalty to a scheme of salvation that
Janet found neither inspiring nor convincing。 She resented being prayed
for； and an Eda fervent in good works bored her more than ever。 Eda was
deeply pained by Janet's increasing avoidance of her company； yet her
heroine…worship persisted。 Her continued regard for her friend might
possibly be compared to the attitude of an orthodox Baptist who has
developed a hobby； let us say； for Napoleon Bonaparte。
Janet was not wholly without remorse。 She valued Eda's devotion； she
sincerely regretted the fact； on Eda's account as well as her own； that
it was a devotion of no use to her in the present crisis nor indeed in
any crisis likely to confront her in life： she had felt instinctively
from the first that the friendship was not founded on； mental harmony；
and now it was brought home to her that Eda's solution could never be
hers。 Eda would have been thrilled on learning of Ditmar's attentions；
would have advocated the adoption of a campaign leading up to matrimony。
In matrimony； for Eda； the soul was safe。 Eda would have been horrified
that Janet should have dallied with any other relationship； God would
punish her。 Janet； in her conflict between alternate longing and
repugnance； was not concerned with the laws and retributions of God。 She
felt； indeed； the need of counsel； and knew not where to turn for it；
the modern need for other than supernatural sanctions。 She did not
resist her desire for Ditmar because she believed； in the orthodox sense；
that it was wrong； but because it involved a loss of self…respect； a
surrender of the personality from the very contemplation of which she
shrank。 She was a true daughter of her time。
On Friday afternoon； shortly after Ditmar had begun to dictate his
correspondence； Mr。 Holster； the agent of the Clarendon Mill； arrived and
interrupted him。 Janet had taken advantage of the opportunity to file
away some answered letters when her attention was distracted from her
work by the conversation； which had gradually grown louder。 The two men
were standing by the window； facing one another； in an attitude that
struck her as dramatic。 Both were vital figures； dominant types which
had survived and prevailed in that upper world of unrelenting struggle
for supremacy into which； through her relation to Ditmar； she had been
projected； and the significance of which she had now begun to realize。
She surveyed Holster critically。 He was short； heavily built； with an
almost grotesque width of shoulder； a muddy complexion； thick lips； and
kinky； greasy black hair that glistened in the sun。 His nasal voice was
complaining； yet distinctly aggressive； and he emphasized his words by
gestures。 The veins stood out on his forehead。 She wondered what his
history had been。 She compared him to Ditmar； on whose dust…grey face
she was quick to detect a look she had seen beforea contraction of the
eyes； a tightening of the muscles of the jaw。 That look； and the
peculiarly set attitude of the body accompanying it； aroused in her a
responsive sense of championship。
〃All right； Ditmar；〃 she heard the other exclaim。 〃I tell you again
you'll never be able to pull it off。〃
Ditmar's laugh was short； defiant。
〃Why not？〃 he asked。
〃Why not！ Because the fifty…four hour law goes into effect in January。〃
〃What's that got to do with it？〃 Ditmar demanded。
〃You'll seeyou'll remember what I told you fellows at the conference
after that bill went through and that damned demagogue of a governor
insisted on signing it。 I said； if we tried to cut wages down to a
fifty…four hour basis we'd have a strike on our hands in every mill in
Hampton；didn't I？ I said it would cost us millions of dollars； and
make all the other strikes we've had here look like fifty cents。 Didn't
I say that？ Hammond； our president； backed me up； and Rogers of the wool
people。 You remember？ You were the man who stood out against it； and
they listened to you； they voted to cut down the pay and say nothing
about it。 Wait until those first pay envelopes are opened after that law
goes into effect。 You'll see what'll happen！ You'll never be able to
fill that Bradlaugh order in God's world。〃
〃Oh hell；〃 retorted Ditmar； contemptuously。 〃You're always for lying
down； Holster。 Why don't you hand over your mill to the unions and go to
work on a farm？ You might as well； if you're going to let the unions run
the state。 Why not have socialism right now； and cut out the agony？
When they got the politicians to make the last cut from fifty…six to
fifty…four and we kept on payin' 'em for fifty…six； against my advice；
what happened？ Did they thank us？ I guess not。 Were they contented？
Not on your life。 They went right on agitating； throwing scares into the
party conventions and into the House and Senate Committees；and now it's
fifty…four hours。 It'll be fifty in a couple of years； and then we'll
have to scrap our machinery and turn over the trade to the South and
donate our mills to the state for insane asylums。〃
〃No； if we handle this thing right； we'll have the public on our side。
They're getting sick of the unions now。〃
Ditmar went to the desk for a cigar； bit it off； and lighted it。
〃The public！〃 he exclaimed contemptuously。 〃A whole lot of good they'll
do us。〃
Holster approached him； menacingly； until the two men stood almost
touching； and for a moment it seemed to Janet as if the agent of the
Clarendon were ready to strike Ditmar。 She held her breath； her blood
ran faster；the conflict between these two made an elemental appeal。
〃All rightremember what I saywait and see where you come out with
that order。〃 Holster's voice trembled with anger。 He hesitated； and
left the office abruptly。 Ditmar stood gazing after him for a moment and
then； taking his cigar from his mouth； turned and smiled at Janet and
seated himself in his chair。 His eyes； still narrowed； had in them a
gleam of triumph that thrilled her。 Combat seemed to stimulate and
energize him。
〃He thought he could bluff me into splitting that Bradlaugh order with
the Clarendon；〃 Ditmar exclaimed。 〃Well； he'll have to guess again。
I've got his number。〃 He began to turn over his letters。 〃Let's see；
where were we？ Tell Caldwell not to let in any more idiots； and shut the
door。〃
Janet obeyed； and when she returned Ditmar was making notes with a pencil
on a pad。 The conversation with Holter had given her a new idea of
Ditmar's daring in attempting to fill the Bradlaugh order with the
Chippering Mills alone； had aroused in her more strongly than ever that
hot loyalty to the mills with which he had inspired her； and that strange
surge of sympathy； of fellow…feeling for the operatives she had
experienced after the interview with Mr。 Siddons； of rebellion against
him； the conviction that she also was one of the slaves
