the dwelling place of ligh-第54章

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Traces　remained　of　emotionally…toned　impressions　acquired　when　she　had
walked　about　the　city　holding　Edward's　handof　a　long　row　of　stately
houses　with　forbidding　fronts；　set　on　a　hillside；　of　a　wide；　tree…covered
space　where　children　were　playing。　　And　her　childish　verdict；　persisting
to…day；　was　one　of　inaccessibility；　impenetrability；　of　jealously　guarded
wealth　and　beauty。　　Those　houses；　and　the　treasures　she　was　convinced
they　must　contain；　were　not　for　her！　　Some　of　the　panes　of　glass　in　their
windows　were　purpleshe　remembered　a　little　thing　like　that；　and　asking
her　father　the　reason！　　He　hadn't　known。　　This　purple　quality　had　somehow
steeped　itself　into　her　memory　of　Boston；　and　even　now　the　colour　stood
for　the　word；　impenetrable。　　That　was　extraordinary。　　Even　now！　　Well；
they　were　going　to　Boston；　if　Ditmar　had　said　they　were　going　to　Bagdad
it　would　have　been　quite　as　credibleand　incredible。　　Wherever　they　were
going；　it　was　into　the　larger；　larger　life；　and　walls　were　to　crumble
before　them；　walls　through　which　they　would　pass；　even　as　they　rent　the
white　veil　of　the　storm；　into　regions　of　beauty。。。。

And　now　the　world　seemed　abandoned　to　them　alone；　so　empty；　so　still　were
the　white　villages　flitting　by；　so　empty；　so　still　the　great　parkway　of
the　Fells　stretching　away　and　away　like　an　enchanted　forest　under　the
snow；　like　the　domain　of　some　sleeping　king。　　And　the　flakes　melted
silently　into　the　black　waters。　　And　the　wide　avenue　to　which　they　came
led　to　a　sleeping　palace！　　No；　it　was　a　city；　Somerville；　Ditmar　told
her；　as　they　twisted　in　and　out　of　streets；　past　stores；　churches　and
fire…engine　houses；　breasted　the　heights；　descended　steeply　on　the　far
side　into　Cambridge；　and　crossed　the　long　bridge　over　the　Charles。　　And
here　at　last　was　BostonBeacon　Street；　the　heart　or　funnel　of　it；　as　one
chose。　　Ditmar；　removing　one　of　the　side　curtains　that　she　might　see；
with　just　a　hint　in　his　voice　of　a　reverence　she　was　too　excited　to
notice；　pointed　out　the　stern　and　respectable　facades　of　the　twin
Chippering　mansions　standing　side　by　side。　　Save　for　these　shrinesfor
such　in　some　sort　they　were　to　himthe　Back　Bay　in　his　eyes　was　nothing
more　than　a　collection　of　houses　inhabited　by　people　whom　money　and
social　position　made　unassailable。　　But　to…day　he；　too；　was　excited。
Never　had　he　been　more　keenly　aware　of　her　sensitiveness　to　experience；
and　he　to　whom　it　had　not　occurred　to　wonder　at　Boston　wondered　at　her；
who　seemed　able　to　summon　forth　a　presiding；　brooding　spirit　of　the　place
from　out　of　the　snow。　　Deep　in　her　eyes；　though　they　sparkled；　was　the
reflection　of　some　mystic　vision；　her　cheeks　were　flushed。　　And　in　her
delight；　vicariously　his　own；　he　rejoiced；　in　his　trembling　hope　of　more
delight　to　come；　which　this　mentorship　would　enhance；despite　the　fast
deepening　snow　he　drove　her　up　one　side　of　Commonwealth　Avenue　and　down
the　other；　encircling　the　Common　and　the　Public　Garden；　stopping　at　the
top　of　Park　Street　that　she　might　gaze　up　at　the　State　House；　whose
golden　dome；　seen　through　the　veil；　was　tinged　with　blue。　　Boston！　　Why
not　Russia？　　Janet　was　speechless　for　sheer　lack　of　words　to　describe
what　she　felt。。。。

At　length　he　brought　the　car　to　a　halt　opposite　an　imposing　doorway　in
front　of　which　a　glass　roof　extended　over　the　pavement；　and　Janet
demanded　where　they　were。

〃Well；　we've　got　to　eat；　haven't　we？〃　Ditmar　replied。　　She　noticed　that
he　was　shivering。

〃Are　you　cold？〃　she　inquired　with　concern。

〃I　guess　I　am；　a　little；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　don't　know　why　I　should　be；　in
a　fur　coat。　　But　I'll　be　warm　soon　enough；　now。〃

A　man　in　blue　livery　hurried　toward　them　across　the　sidewalk；　helping
them　to　alight。　　And　Ditmar；　after　driving　the　car　a　few　paces　beyond　the
entrance；　led　her　through　the　revolving　doors　into　a　long　corridor；　paved
with　marble　and　lighted　by　bulbs　glowing　from　the　ceiling；　where　benches
were　set　against　the　wall；　overspread　by　the　leaves　of　potted　plants　set
in　the　intervals　between　them。

〃Sit　down　a　moment；〃　he　said　to　her。　　〃I　must　telephone　to　have　somebody
take　that　car；　or　it'll　stay　there　the　rest　of　the　winter。〃

She　sat　down　on　one　of　the　benches。　　The　soft　light；　the　warmth；　the
exotic　odour　of　the　plants；　the　well…dressed　people　who　trod　softly　the
strip　of　carpet　set　on　the　marble　with　the　air　of　being　at　homeall
contributed　to　an　excitement；　intense　yet　benumbing。　　She　could　not
think。　　She　didn't　want　to　thinkonly　to　feel；　to　enjoy；　to　wring　the
utmost　flavour　of　enchantment　from　these　new　surroundings；　and　her　face
wore　the　expression　of　one　in　a　dream。　　Presently　she　saw　Ditmar
returning　followed　by　a　boy　in　a　blue　uniform。

〃All　right；〃　he　said。　　At　the　end　of　the　corridor　was　an　elevator　in
which　they　were　shot　to　one　of　the　upper　floors；　and　the　boy；　inserting　a
key　in　a　heavy　mahogany　door；　revealed　a　sitting…room。　　Between　its
windows　was　a　table　covered　with　a　long；　white　cloth　reaching　to　the
floor；　on　which；　amidst　the　silverware　and　glass；　was　set　a　tall　vase
filled　with　dusky　roses。　　Janet；　drawing　in　a　deep　breath　of　their
fragrance；　glanced　around　the　room。　　The　hangings；　the　wall…paper；　the
carpet；　the　velvet　upholstery　of　the　mahogany　chairs；　of　the　wide　lounge
in　the　corner　were　of　a　deep　and　restful　green；　the　marble　mantelpiece；
with　its　English　coal　grate；　was　copiedhad　she　known　itfrom　a　mansion
of　the　Georgian　period。　　The　hands　of　a　delicate　Georgian　clock　pointed
to　one。　　And　in　the　large　mirror　behind　the　clock　she　beheld　an　image　she
supposed；　dreamily；　to　be　herself。　　The　bell　boy　was　taking　off　her　coat；
which　he　hung；　with　Ditmar's；　on　a　rack　in　a　corner。

〃Shall　I　light　the　fire；　sir？〃　he　asked。

〃Sure；〃　said　Ditmar。　　〃And　tell　them　to　hurry　up　with　lunch。〃

The　boy　withdrew；　closing　the　door　silently　behind　him。

〃We're　going　to　have　lunch　here！〃　Janet　exclaimed。

〃Why　not？　　I　thought　it　would　be　nicer　than　a　public　dining…room；　and
when　I　got　up　this　morning　and　saw　what　the　weather　was　I　telephoned。〃
He　placed　two　chairs　before　the　fire；　which　had　begun　to　blaze。　　〃Isn't
it　cosy？〃　he　said；　taking　her　hands　and　pulling　her　toward　him。　　His　own
hands　trembled；　the　tips　of　his　fingers　were　cold。

〃You　are　cold！〃　she　said。

〃Not　nownot　now；〃　he　replied。　　The　queer　vibrations　were　in　his　voice
that　she　had　heard　before。　　〃Sweetheart！　　This　is　the　best　yet；　isn't　it？
And　after　that　trip　in　the　storm！〃

〃It's　beautiful！〃　she　murmured；　gently　drawing　away　from　him　and　looking
around　her　once　more。　　〃I　never　was　in　a　room　like　this。〃

〃Well；　you'll　be　in　plenty　more　of　them；〃　he　exulted。　　〃Sit　down　beside
the　fire；　and　get　warm　yourself。〃

She　obeyed；　and　he　took　the　chair　at　her　side；　his　eyes　on　her　face。　　As
usual；　she　was　beyond　him；　and　despite　her　exclamations　of　surprise；　of
appreciation　and　pleasure　she　maintained　the　outward　poise；　the
inscrutability　that　summed　up　for　him　her　uniqueness　in　the　world　of
woman。　　She　sat　as　easily　upright　in　the　delicate　Chippendale　chair　as
though　she　had　been　born　to　it。　　He　made　wild　surmises　as　to　what　she
might　be　thinking。　　Was　she；　as　she　seemed；　taking　all　this　as　a　matter
of　course？　　She　imposed　on　him　an　impelling　necessity　to　speak；　to　say
anythingit　did　not　matter　whatand　he　began　to　dwell　on　the
excellences　of　the　hotel。　　She　did　not　appear　to　hear　him；　her　eyes
lingering　on　the　room；　until　presently　she　asked：

〃What's　the　name　of　this　hotel？〃

He　told　her。

〃I　thought　they　only　allowed　married　people　to　come；　like　this；　in　a
private　room。〃

〃Oh！〃　he　beganand　the　sudden　perception　that　she　had　made　this
statement　impartially　added　to　his　perplexity。　　〃Well；〃　he　was　able　to
answer；　〃we're　as　good　as　married；　aren't　we；　Janet？〃　　He　leaned　toward
her；　he　put　his　hand　on　hers。　　〃The　manager　here　is　an　old　friend　of
mine。　　He　knows　we're　as　good　as　married。〃

〃Another　old　friend！〃　she　queried。　　And　the　touch　of　humour；　in　spite　of
his　taut　nerves；　delighted　him。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　laughed；　rather　uproariously。　　〃I've　got　'em　everywhere；
as　thick　as　landmarks。〃

〃You　seem　to；〃　she　said。

〃I　hope　you're　hungry；〃　he　said。

〃Not　very；〃　she　replied。