the dwelling place of ligh-第55章
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〃You seem to；〃 she said。
〃I hope you're hungry；〃 he said。
〃Not very；〃 she replied。 〃It's all so strangethis day； Claude。 It's
like a fairy story； coming here to Boston in the snow； and this place；
andand being with you。〃
〃You still love me？〃 he cried； getting up。
〃You must know that I do；〃 she answered simply； raising her face to his。
And he stood gazing down into it； with an odd expression she had never
seen before。。。。〃What's the matter？〃 she asked。
〃Nothingnothing；〃 he assured her； but continued to look at her。
〃You're soso wonderful；〃 he whispered； 〃I just can't believe it。〃
〃And if it's hard for you；〃 she answered； 〃think what it must be for me！〃
And she smiled up at him。
Ditmar had known a moment of awe。。。。 Suddenly he took her face between
his hands and pressed his rough cheek against it； blindly。 His hands
trembled； his body was shaken； as by a spasm。
〃Why； you're still cold； Claude！〃 she cried anxiously。
And he stammered out： 〃I'm notit's youit's having you！〃
Before she could reply to this strange exclamation； to which；
nevertheless； some fire in her leaped in response； there came a knock at
the door； and he drew away from her as he answered it。 Two waiters
entered obsequiously； one bearing a serving table； the other holding
above his head a large tray containing covered dishes and glasses。
〃I could do with a cocktail！〃 Ditmar exclaimed； and the waiter smiled as
he served them。 〃Here's how！〃 he said； giving her a glass containing a
yellow liquid。
She tasted it； made a grimace； and set it down hastily。
〃What's the trouble？〃 he asked； laughing； as she hurried to the table and
took a drink of water。
〃It's horrid！〃 she cried。
〃Oh； you'll get over that idea；〃 he told her。 〃You'll be crazy about
'em。〃
〃I never want to taste another；〃 she declared。
He laughed again。 He had taken his at a swallow； but almost nullifying
its effect was this confirmationif indeed he had needed itof the
extent of her inexperience。 She was； in truth； untouched by the world
the world in which he had lived。 He pulled out her chair for her and she
sat down； confronted by a series of knives； forks； and spoons on either
side of a plate of oysters。 Oysters served in this fashion； needless to
say； had never formed part of the menu in Fillmore Street； or in any
Hampton restaurant where she had lunched。 But she saw that Ditmar had
chosen a little fork with three prongs； and she followed his example。
〃You mustn't tell me you don't like Cotuits！〃 he exclaimed。
She touched one； delicately； with her fork。
〃They're alive！〃 she exclaimed； though the custom of consuming them thus
was by no means unknown to her。 Lise had often boasted of a taste for
oysters on the shell； though really preferring them smothered with red
catsup in a 〃cocktail。〃
〃They're alive； but they don't know it。 They won't eat you；〃 Ditmar
replied gleefully。 〃Squeeze a little lemon on one。〃 Another sort of
woman； he reflected； would have feigned a familiarity with the dish。
She obeyed him； put one in her mouth； gave a little shiver； and swallowed
it quickly。
〃Well？〃 he said。 〃It isn't bad； is it？〃
〃It seems so queer to eat anything alive； and enjoy it；〃 she said； as she
ate the rest of them。
〃If you think they're good here you ought to taste them on the Cape；
right out of the water；〃 he declared； and went on to relate how he had
once eaten a fabulous number in a contest with a friend of his； and won a
bet。 He was fond of talking about wagers he had won。 Betting had lent a
zest to his life。 〃We'll roll down there together some day next summer；
little girl。 It's a great place。 You can go in swimming three times a
day and never feel it。 And talk about eating oysters； you can't swallow
'em as fast as a fellow I know down there； Joe Pusey； can open 'em。 It's
some trick to open 'em。〃
He described the process； but shescarcely listened。 She was striving
to adjust herself to the elements of a new and revolutionary experience；
to the waiters who came and went； softly； deferentially putting hot
plates before her； helping her to strange and delicious things； a creamy
soup； a fish with a yellow sauce whose ingredients were artfully
disguised； a breast of guinea fowl； a salad； an ice； and a small cup of
coffee。 Instincts and tastes hitherto unsuspected and ungratified were
aroused in her。 What would it be like always to be daintily served； to
eat one's meals in this leisurely and luxurious manner？ As her physical
hunger was satisfied by the dainty food； even as her starved senses drank
in the caressing warmth and harmony of the room； the gleaming fire； the
heavy scent of the flowers； the rose glow of the lights in contrast to
the storm without；so the storm flinging itself against the windows；
powerless to reach her； seemed to typify a former existence of cold；
black mornings and factory bells and harsh sirens； of toil and
limitations。 Had her existence been like that？ or was it a dream； a
nightmare from which she had awakened at last？ From time to time； deep
within her； she felt persisting a conviction that that was reality； this
illusion； but she fought it down。 She wantedoh； how she wanted to
believe in the illusion！
Facing her was the agent； the genius； the Man who had snatched her from
that existence； who had at his command these delights to bestow。 She
loved him； she belonged to him； he was to be her husbandyet there were
moments when the glamour of this oddly tended to dissolve； when an
objective vision intruded and she beheld herself； as though removed from
the body； lunching with a strange man in a strange place。 And once it
crossed her mindwhat would she think of another woman who did this？
What would she think if it were Lise？ She could not then achieve a sense
of identity； it was as though she had partaken of some philtre lulling
her； inhibiting her power to grasp the fact in its enormity。 And little
by little grew on her the realization of what all along she had known；
that the spell of these surroundings to which she had surrendered was an
expression of the man himself。 He was the source of it。 More and more；
as he talked； his eyes troubled and stirred her； the touch of his hand；
as he reached across the table and laid it on hers； burned her。 When the
waiters had left them alone she could stand the strain no longer； and she
rose and strayed about the room； examining the furniture； the curtains；
the crystal pendants； faintly pink； that softened and diffused the light；
and she paused before the grand piano in the corner。
〃I'd like to be able to play！〃 she said。
〃You can learn；〃 he told her。
〃I'm too old！〃
He laughed。 And as he sat smoking his eyes followed her ceaselessly。
Above the sofa hung a large print of the Circus Maximus； with crowded
tiers mounting toward the sky； and awninged boxes where sat the Vestal
Virgins and the Emperor high above a motley； serried group on the sand。
At the mouth of a tunnel a lion stood motionless； menacing； regarding
them。 The picture fascinated Janet。
〃It's meant to be Rome； isn't it？〃 she asked。
〃What？ That？ I guess so。〃 He got up and came over to her。 〃Sure；〃 he
said。 〃I'm not very strong on history； but I read a book once； a novel；
which told how those old fellows used to like to see Christians thrown to
the lions just as we like to see football games。 I'll get the book
againwe'll read it together。〃
Janet shivered。。。。 〃Here's another picture；〃 he said； turning to the
other side of the room。 It was； apparently； an engraved copy of a modern
portrait； of a woman in evening dress with shapely arms and throat and a
small； aristocratic head。 Around her neck was hung a heavy rope of
pearls。
〃Isn't she beautiful！〃 Janet sighed。
〃Beautiful！〃 He led her to the mirror。 〃Look！〃 he said。 〃I'll buy you
pearls； Janet； I want to see them gleaming against your skin。 She can't
compare to you。 I'llI'll drape you with pearls。〃
〃No； no；〃 she cried。 〃I don't want them； Claude。 I don't want them。
Please！〃 She scarcely knew what she was saying。 And as she drew away
from him her hands went out； were pressed together with an implor
