the dwelling place of ligh-第48章
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strawberry…coloured brick； had been the pride and glory of the Kingsbury
of the '70s： there were many churches； some graceful and some hideous。
At the end of the street they came upon a common； surrounded by stone
posts and a railing； with a monument in the middle of it； and facing the
common on the north side was a rambling edifice with many white gables；
in front of which； from an iron arm on a post； swung a quaint sign；
〃Kingsbury Tavern。〃 In revolutionary and coaching days the place bad
been a famous inn； and now； thanks to the enterprise of a man who had
foreseen the possibilities of an era of automobiles； it had become even
more famous。 A score of these modern vehicles were drawn up before it
under the bare； ancient elms； there was a scene of animation on the long
porch； where guests strolled up and down or sat in groups in the rocking…
chairs which the mild weather had brought forth again。 Ditmar drew up in
line with the other motors； and stopped。
〃Well； here we are！〃 he exclaimed； as he pulled off his gauntlets。 〃I
guess I could get along with something to eat。 How about you？ They
treat you as well here as any place I know of in New England。〃
He assumed their lunching together at a public place as a matter of
course to which there could not possibly be an objection； springing out
of the car； removing the laprobe from her knees； and helping her to
alight。 She laid the roses on the seat。
〃Aren't you going to bring them along？〃 he demanded。
〃I'd rather not；〃 she said。 〃Don't you think they'll be safe here？〃
〃Oh； I guess so；〃 he replied。 She was always surprising him； but her
solicitation concerning them was a balm； and he found all such
instinctive acts refreshing。
〃Afraid of putting up too much of a front； are you？〃 he asked smilingly。
〃I'd rather leave them here；〃 she replied。 As she walked beside Ditmar
to the door she was excited； unwontedly self…conscious； painfully aware
of inspection by the groups on the porch。 She had seen such people as
these hurrying in automobiles through the ugliness of Faber Street in
Hampton toward just such delectable spots as this village of Kingsbury
people of that world of freedom and privilege from which she was
excluded； Ditmar's world。 He was at home here。 But she？ The delusion
that she somehow had been miraculously snatched up into it was marred by
their glances。 What were they thinking of her？ Her face was hot as she
passed them and entered the hall； where more people were gathered。 But
Ditmar's complacency； his ease and self…confidence； his manner of owning
the place； as it were； somewhat reassured her。 He went up to the desk；
behind which； stood a burly； red…complexioned man who greeted him
effusively； yet with the air of respect accorded the powerful。
〃Hullo； Eddie；〃 said Ditmar。 〃You've got a good crowd here to…day。 Any
room for me？〃
〃Sure； Mr。 Ditmar； we can always make room for you。 Well； I haven't laid
eyes on you for a dog's age。 Only last Sunday Mr。 Crane was here； and I
was asking him where you'd been keeping yourself。〃
〃Why； I've been busy； Eddie。 I've landed the biggest order ever heard of
in Hampton。 Some of us have to work； you know； all you've got to do is
to loaf around this place and smoke cigars and rake in the money。〃
The proprietor of the Kingsbury Tavern smiled indulgently at this
persiflage。
〃Let me present you to Miss Bumpus；〃 said Ditmar。 〃This is my friend；
Eddie Hale；〃 he added； for Janet's benefit。 〃And when you've eaten his
dinner you'll believe me when I say he's got all the other hotel men
beaten a mile。〃
Janet smiled and flushed。 She had been aware of Mr。 Hale's discreet
glance。
〃Pleased to meet you； Miss Bumpus；〃 he said； with a somewhat elaborate
bow。
〃Eddie；〃 said Ditmar； 〃have you got a nice little table for us？〃
〃It's a pity I didn't know you was coming； but I'll do my best；〃 declared
Mr。 Hale； opening the door in the counter。
〃Oh； I guess you can fix us all right； if you want to； Eddie。〃
〃Mr。 Ditmar's a great josher；〃 Mr。 Hale told Janet confidentially as he
escorted them into the dining…room。 And Ditmar； gazing around over the
heads of the diners； spied in an alcove by a window a little table with
tilted chairs。
〃That one'll do；〃 he said。
〃I'm sorry； but it's engaged；〃 apologized Mr。 Hale。
〃Forget it； Eddietell 'em they're late；〃 said Ditmar； making his way
toward it。
The proprietor pulled out Janet's chair。
〃Say；〃 he remarked； 〃it's no wonder you get along in business。〃
〃Well； this is cosy； isn't it？〃 … said Ditmar to Janet when they were
alone。 He handed her the menu； and snapped his fingers for a waitress。
〃Why didn't you tell me you were coming to this place？〃 she asked。
〃I wanted to surprise you。 Don't you like it？〃
〃Yes；〃 she replied。 〃Only〃
〃Only； what？〃
〃I wish you wouldn't look at me like thathere。〃
〃All right。 I'll try to be good until we get into the car again。 You
watch me！ I'll behave as if we'd been married ten years。〃
He snapped his fingers again； and the waitress hurried up to take their
orders。
〃Kingsbury's still dry； I guess；〃 he said to the girl； who smiled
sympathetically； somewhat ruefully。 When she had gone he began to talk
to Janet about the folly； in general； of prohibition； the fusel oil
distributed on the sly。 〃I'll bet I could go out and find half a dozen
rum shops within a mile of here！〃 he declared。
Janet did not doubt it。 Ditmar's aplomb； his faculty of getting what he
wanted； had amused and distracted her。 She was growing calmer； able to
scrutinize； at first covertly and then more boldly the people at the
other tables； only to discover that she and Ditmar were not the objects
of the universal curiosity she had feared。 Once in a while； indeed； she
encountered and then avoided the glance of some man； felt the admiration
in it； was thrilled a little； and her sense of exhilaration returned as
she regained her poise。 She must be nice lookingmore than thatin her
new suit。 On entering the tavern she had taken off the tweed coat； which
Ditmar had carried and laid on a chair。 This new and amazing adventure
began to go to her head like wine。。。。
When luncheon was over they sat in a sunny corner of the porch while
Ditmar smoked his cigar。 His digestion was good； his spirits high； his
love…makingon account of the public nature of the placesurreptitious
yet fervent。 The glamour to which Janet had yielded herself was on
occasions slightly troubled by some new and enigmatic element to be
detected in his voice and glances suggestive of intentions vaguely
disquieting。 At last she said：
〃Oughtn't we to be going home？〃
〃Home！〃 he ridiculed the notion。 〃I'm going to take you to the prettiest
road you ever sawaround by French's Lower Falls。 I only wish it was
summer。〃
〃I must be home before dark；〃 she told him。 〃You see； the family don't
know where I am。 I haven't said anything to them aboutabout this。〃
〃That's right；〃 he said； after a moment's hesitation：
〃I didn't think you would。 There's plenty of time for thatafter things
get settled a littleisn't there？〃
She thought his look a little odd； but the impression passed as they
walked to the motor。 He insisted now on her pinning the roses on the
tweed coat； and she humoured him。 The winter sun had already begun to
drop； and with the levelling rays the bare hillsides； yellow and brown in
the higher light； were suffused with pink； little by little； as the sun
fell lower； imperceptible clouds whitened the blue cambric of the sky；
distant copses were stained lilac。 And Janet； as she gazed； wondered at
a world that held at once so much beauty； so much joy and sorrow；such
strange sorrow as began to invade her now； not personal； but cosmic。 At
times it seemed almost to suffocate her； she drew in deep breaths of air：
it was the essence of all thingsof the man by her side； of herself； of
the beauty so poignantly revealed to her。
Gradually Ditmar became conscious of this detachment； this new evidence
of an extraordinary faculty of escaping him that seemed unimpaired。
Constantly he tried by leaning closer to her； by reaching out his hand；
to re
