the dwelling place of ligh-第40章

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experienced　after　the　interview　with　Mr。　Siddons；　of　rebellion　against
him；　the　conviction　that　she　also　was　one　of　the　slaves　he　exploited；　had
wholly　disappeared。　　Ditmar　was　the　Chippering　Mills；　and　she；　somehow；
enlisted　once　again　on　his　side。

〃By　the　way；〃　he　said　abruptly；　〃you　won't　mention　thisI　know。〃

〃Won't　mention　what？〃　she　asked。

〃This　matter　about　the　pay　envelopesthat　we　don't　intend　to　continue
giving　the　operatives　fifty…six　hours'　pay　for　fifty…four　when　this　law
goes　into　effect。　　They're　like　animals；　most　of　'em；　they　don't　reason；
and　it　might　make　trouble　if　it　got　out　now。　　You　understand。　　They'd
have　time　to　brood　over　it；　to　get　the　agitators　started。　　When　the　time
comes　they　may　kick　a　little；　but　they'll　quiet　down。　　And　it'll　teach
'em　a　lesson。〃

〃I　never　mention　anything　I　hear　in　this　office；〃　she　told　him。

〃I　know　you　don't；〃　he　assured　her；　apologetically。　　〃I　oughtn't　to　have
said　thatit　was　only　to　put　you　on　your　guard；　in　case　you　heard　it
spoken　of。　　You　see　how　important　it　is；　how　much　trouble　an　agitator
might　make　by　getting　them　stirred　up？　　You　can　see　what　it　means　to　me；
with　this　order　on　my　hands。　　I've　staked　everything　on　it。〃

〃Butwhen　the　law　goes　into　effect？　when　the　operatives　find　out　that
they　are　not　receiving　their　full　wagesas　Mr。　Holster　said？〃　Janet
inquired。

〃Why；　they　may　grumble　a　littlebut　I'll　be　on　the　lookout　for　any　move。
I'll　see　to　that。　　I'll　teach　'em　a　lesson　as　to　how　far　they　can　push
this　business　of　shorter　hours　and　equal　pay。　　It's　the　unskilled　workers
who　are　mostly　affected；　you　understand；　and　they're　not　organized。　　If
we　can　keep　out　the　agitators；　we're　all　right。　　Even　then；　I'll　show　'em
they　can't　come　in　here　and　exploit　my　operatives。〃

In　the　mood　in　which　she　found　herself　his　self…confidence；　his
aggressiveness　continued　to　inspire　and　even　to　agitate　her；　to　compel
her　to　accept　his　point　of　view。

〃Why；〃　he　continued；　〃I　trust　you　as　I　never　trusted　anybody　else。　　I've
told　you　that　before。　　Ever　since　you've　been　here　you've　made　life　a
different　thing　for　mejust　by　your　being　here。　　I　don't　know　what　I'd
do　without　you。　　You've　got　so　much　sense　about　thingsabout　people；
and　I　sometimes　think　you've　got　almost　the　same　feeling　about　these
mills　that　I　have。　　You　didn't　tell　me　you　went　through　the　mills　with
Caldwell　the　other　day；〃　he　added；　accusingly。

〃II　forgot；〃　said　Janet。　　〃Why　should　I　tellyou？〃　　She　knew　that　all
thought　of　Holster　had　already　slipped　from　his　mind。　　She　did　not　look
up。　　〃If　you're　not　going　to　finish　your　letters；〃　she　said；　a　little
faintly；　〃I've　got　some　copying　to　do。〃

〃You're　a　deep　one；〃　he　said。　　And　as　he　turned　to　the　pile　of
correspondence　she　heard　him　sigh。　　He　began　to　dictate。　　She　took　down
his　sentences　automatically；　scarcely　knowing　what　she　was　writing；　he
was　making　love　to　her　as　intensely　as　though　his　words　had　been　the
absolute　expression　of　his　desire　instead　of　the　commonplace　mediums　of
commercial　intercourse。　　Presently　he　stopped　and　began　fumbling　in　one
of　the　drawers　of　his　desk。

〃Where　is　the　memorandum　I　made　last　week　for　Percy　and　Company？〃

〃Isn't　it　there？〃　she　asked。

But　he　continued　to　fumble；　running　through　the　papers　and　disarranging
them　until　she　could　stand　it　no　longer。

〃You　never　know　where　to　find　anything；〃　she　declared；　rising　and　darting
around　the　desk　and　bending　over　the　drawer；　her　deft　fingers　rapidly
separating　the　papers。　　She　drew　forth　the　memorandum　triumphantly。

〃There！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃It　was　right　before　your　eyes。〃

As　she　thrust　it　at　him　his　hand　closed　over　hers。　　She　felt　him　drawing
her；　irresistibly。

〃Janet！〃　he　said。　　〃For　God's　sakeyou're　killing　medon't　you　know　it？
I　can't　stand　it　any　longer！〃

〃Don't！〃　she　whispered；　terror…stricken；　straining　away　from　him。　　〃Mr。
Ditmarlet　me　go！〃

A　silent　struggle　ensued；　she　resisting　him　with　all　the　aroused　strength
and　fierceness　of　her　nature。　　He　kissed　her　hair；　her　neck；she　had
never　imagined　such　a　force　as　this；　she　felt　herself　weakening；
welcoming　the　annihilation　of　his　embrace。

〃Mr。　Ditmar！〃　she　cried。　　〃Somebody　will　come　in。〃

Her　fingers　sank　into　his　neck；　she　tried　to　hurt　him　and　by　a　final
effort　flung　herself　free　and　fled　to　the　other　side　of　the　room。

〃You　littlewildcat！〃　she　heard　him　exclaim；　saw　him　put　his
handkerchief　to　his　neck　where　her　fingers　had　been；　saw　a　red　stain　on
it。　　〃I'll　have　you　yet！〃

But　even　then；　as　she　stood　leaning　against　the　wall；　motionless　save　for
the　surging　of　her　breast；　there　was　about　her　the　same　strange；　feral
inscrutableness。　　He　was　baffled；　he　could　not　tell　what　she　was
thinking。　　She　seemed；　unconquered；　to　triumph　over　her　disarray　and　the
agitation　of　her　body。　　Then；　with　an　involuntary　gesture　she　raised　her
hands　to　her　hair；　smoothing　it；　and　without　seeming　haste　left　the　room；
not　so　much　as　glancing　at　him；　closing　the　door　behind　her。

She　reached　her　table　in　the　outer　office　and　sat　down；　gazing　out　of　the
window。　　The　face　of　the　worldthe　river；　the　mills；　and　the　bridgewas
changed；　tinged　with　a　new　and　unreal　quality。　　She；　too；　must　be
changed。　　She　wasn't；　couldn't　be　the　same　person　who　had　entered　that
room　of　Ditmar's　earlier　in　the　afternoon！　　Mr。　Caldwell　made　a
commonplace　remark；　she　heard　herself　answer　him。　　Her　mind　was　numb；
only　her　body　seemed　swept　by　fire；　by　emotionsemotions　of　fear；　of
anger；　of　desire　so　intense　as　to　make　her　helpless。　　And　when　at　length
she　reached　out　for　a　sheet　of　carbon　paper　her　hand　trembled　so　she
could　scarcely　hold　it。　　Only　by　degrees　was　she　able　to　get　sufficient
control　of　herself　to　begin　her　copying；　when　she　found　a　certain　relief
in　actionher　hands　flying　over　the　keys；　tearing　off　the　finished
sheets；　and　replacing　them　with　others。　　She　did　not　want　to　think；　to
decide；　and　yet　she　knewsomething　was　trying　to　tell　her　that　the
moment　for　decision　had　come。　　She　must　leave；　now。　　If　she　stayed　on；
this　tremendous　adventure　she　longed　for　and　dreaded　was　inevitable。
Fear　and　fascination　battled　within　her。　　To　run　away　was　to　deny　life；
to　remain；　to　taste　and　savour　it。　　She　had　tasted　itwas　it　sweet？
that　sense　of　being　swept　away；　engulfed　by　an　elemental　power　beyond
them　both；　yet　in　them　both？　　She　felt　him　drawing　her　to　him；　and　she
struggling　yet　inwardly　longing　to　yield。　　And　the　scarlet　stain　on　his
handkerchiefwhen　she　thought　of　that　her　blood　throbbed；　her　face
burned。

At　last　the　door　of　the　inner　office　opened；　and　Ditmar　came　out　and
stood　by　the　rail。　　His　voice　was　queer；　scarcely　recognizable。

〃Miss　Bumpuswould　you　mind　coming　into　my　room　a　moment；　before　you
leave？〃　he　said。

She　rose　instantly　and　followed　him；　closing　the　door　behind　her；　but
standing　at　bay　against　it；　her　hand　on　the　knob。

〃I'm　not　going　to　touch　youyou　needn't　be　afraid；〃　he　said。　　Reassured
by　the　unsteadiness　of　his　voice　she　raised　her　eyes　to　perceive　that　his
face　was　ashy；　his　manner　nervous；　apprehensive；　conciliatory；a　Ditmar
she　had　difficulty　in　recognizing。　　〃I　didn't　mean　to　frighten；　to　offend
you；〃　he　went　on。　　〃Something　got　hold　of　me。　　I　was　crazy；　I　couldn't
help　itI　won't　do　it　again；　if　you'll　stay。　　I　give　you　my　word。〃

She　did　not　reply。　　After　a　pause　he　began　again；　repeating　himself。

〃I　didn't　mean　to　do　it。　　I　was　carried　awayit　all　happened　before　I
knew。　　II　wouldn't　frighten　you　that　way　for　anything　in　the　world。〃

Still　she　was　silent。

〃For　God's　sake；　speak　to　me！〃　he　cried。　　〃Say　you　forgive　megive　me
another　chance！〃

But　she　continued　to　gaze　at　him　with　widened；　enigmatic　eyeswhether　of
reproach　or　contempt　or　anger　he　could　not　say。　　The　situation
transcended　his　experience。　　He　took　an　uncertain　step　toward　her；　as
though　half　expecting　her　to　flee；　and　stopped。

〃Listen！〃　he　pleaded。　　〃I　can't　talk　to　you　here。　　Won't　you　give　me　a
chance　to　explainto　put　myself　right？　　You　know　what　I　think　of　you；
how　I　respect　andadmire　you。　　If　you'll　only　let　me　see　you　somewhere
anywhere；　outside　of　the　office；　for　a　little　while；　I　can't　tell　you　how