the dwelling place of ligh-第61章
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〃Give me the address；〃 she insisted。
〃Say； what are you going to do？〃
〃I want to know where you are； in case anything happens to you。〃
〃Anything happens！ What do you mean？〃 Janet's words had frightened
Lise； the withdrawal of Janet's opposition bewildered her。 But above
all； she was cowed by the sudden change in Janet herself； by the attitude
of steely determination eloquent of an animus persons of Lise's type are
incapable of feeling； and which to them is therefore incomprehensible。
〃Nothing's going to happen to me；〃 she whined。 〃The place is all right
he'd be scared to send me there if it wasn't。 It costs something； too。
Say； you ain't going to tell 'em at home？〃 she cried with a fresh access
of alarm。
〃If you do as I say； I won't tell anybody；〃 Janet replied； in that odd；
impersonal tone her voice had acquired。 〃You must write me as soonas
soon as it is over。 Do you understand？〃
〃Honest to God I will；〃 Lise assured her。
〃And you mustn't come back to a house like this。〃
〃Where'll I go？〃 Lise asked。
〃I don't know。 We'll find out when the time comes；〃 said Janet；
significantly。
〃You've seen him！〃 Lise exclaimed。
〃No；〃 said Janet； 〃and I don't want to see him unless I have to。 Mr。
Tiernan has seen him。 Mr。 Tiernan is downstairs now； waiting for me。〃
〃Johnny Tiernan！ Is Johnny Tiernan downstairs？〃
Janet wrote the address； and thrust the slip of paper in her bag。
〃Good…bye； Lise；〃 she said。 〃I'll come down again I'll come down
whenever you want me。〃 Lise suddenly seized her and clung to her；
sobbing。 For a while Janet submitted； and then； kissing her； gently
detached herself。 She felt； indeed； pity for Lise； but something within
her seemed to have hardenedsomething that pity could not melt；
possessing her and thrusting heron to action。 She knew not what action。
So strong was this thing that it overcame and drove off the evil spirits
of that darkened house as she descended the stairs to join Mr。 Tiernan；
who opened the door for her to pass out。 Once in the street； she
breathed deeply of the sunlit air。 Nor did she observe Mr。 Tiernan's
glance of comprehension。。。。 When they arrived at the North Station he
said：
〃You'll be wanting a bite of dinner； Miss Janet；〃 and as she shook her
head he did not press her to eat。 He told her that a train for Hampton
left in ten minutes。 〃I think I'll stay in Boston the rest of the day；
as long as I'm here；〃 he added。
She remembered that she had not thanked him； she took his hand； but he
cut her short。
〃It's glad I was to help you；〃 he assured her。 〃And if there's anything
more I can do； Miss Janet； you'll be letting me knowyou'll call on
Johnny Tiernan； won't you？〃
He left her at the gate。 He had intruded with no advice； he had offered
no comment that she had come downstairs alone； without Lise。 His
confidence in her seemed never to have wavered。 He had respected；
perhaps partly imagined her feelings； and in spite of these now a sense
of gratitude to him stole over her； mitigating the intensity of their
bitterness。 Mr。 Tiernan alone seemed stable in a chaotic world。 He was
a man。
No sooner was she in the train； however； than she forgot Mr。 Tiernan
utterly。 Up to the present the mental process of dwelling upon her own
experience of the last three months had been unbearable； but now she was
able to take a fearful satisfaction in the evolving of parallels between
her case and Lise's。 Despite the fact that the memories she had
cherished were now become hideous things； she sought to drag them forth
and compare them； ruthlessly； with what must have been the treasures of
Lise。 Were her own any less tawdry？ Only she； Janet； had been the
greater fool of the two； the greater dupe because she had allowed herself
to dream； to believe that what she had done had been for love； for light！
because she had not listened to the warning voice within her！ It had
always been on the little； unpremeditated acts of Ditmar that she had
loved to linger； and now； in the light of Lise's testimony； of Lise's
experience； she saw them all as false。 It seemed incredible； now； that
she had ever deceived herself into thinking that Ditmar meant to marry
her； that he loved her enough to make her his wife。 Nor was it necessary
to summon and marshal incidents to support this view； they came of
themselves； crowding one another； a cumulative and appalling array of
evidence； before which she stood bitterly amazed at her former stupidity。
And in the events of yesterday； which she pitilessly reviewed； she beheld
a deliberate and prearranged plan for her betrayal。 Had he not
telephoned to Boston for the rooms； rehearsed in his own mind every
detail of what had subsequently happened？ Was there any essential
difference between the methods of Ditmar and Duval？ Both were skilled in
the same art； and Ditmar was the cleverer of the two。 It had only needed
her meeting with Lise； in that house； to reveal how he had betrayed her
faith and her love； sullied and besmirched them。 And then came the odd
reflection；how strange that that same Sunday had been so fateful for
herself and Lise！
The agony of these thoughts was mitigated by the scorehing hatred that
had replaced her love； the desire for retaliation； revenge。
Occasionally； however； that stream of consciousness was broken by the
recollection of what she had permitted and even advised her sister to do；
and though the idea of the place to which Lise was going sickened her；
though she achieved a certain objective amazement at the transformation
in herself enabling her to endorse such a course； she was glad of having
endorsed it； she rejoiced that Lise's child would not be born into a
world that had seemedso falselyfair and sweet； and in reality was
black and detestable。 Her acceptance of the actfor Lisewas a
function of the hatred consuming her； a hatred which； growing in bigness；
had made Ditmar merely the personification of that world。 From time to
time her hands clenched； her brow furrowed； powerful waves of heat ran
through her； the craving for action became so intense she could scarcely
refrain from rising in her seat。
By some odd whim of the weather the wind had backed around into the east；
gathering the clouds once more。 The brilliancy of the morning had given
place to greyness； the high slits of windows seemed dirtier than ever as
the train pulled into the station at Hampton； shrouded in Gothic gloom。
As she left the car Janet was aware of the presence on the platform of an
unusual number of people； she wondered vaguely； as she pushed her way
through them； why they were there； what they were talking about？ One
determination possessed her； to go to the Chippering Mill； to Ditmar。
Emerging from the street； she began to walk rapidly； the change from
inaction to exercise bringing a certain relief； starting the working of
her mind； arousing in her a realization of the necessity of being
prepared for the meeting。 Therefore； instead of turning at Faber Street；
she crossed it。 But at the corner of the Common she halted； her glance
drawn by a dark mass of people filling the end of Hawthorne Street； where
it was blocked by the brick…coloured facade of the Clarendon Mill。 In
the middle distance men and boys were running to join this crowd。 A
girl； evidently an Irish…American mill hand of the higher paid sort；
hurried toward her from the direction of the mill itself。 Janet accosted
her。
〃It's the strike；〃 she explained excitedly； evidently surprised at the
question。 〃The Polaks and the Dagoes and a lot of other foreigners quit
when they got their envelopesstopped their looms and started through
the mill； and when they came into our room I left。 I didn't want no
trouble with 'em。 It's the fifty…four hour lawtheir pay's cut two
hours。 You've heard about it； I guess。〃
Janet nodded。
〃They had a big mass meeting last night in Maxwell Hall；〃 the girl
continued； 〃the foreignersnot the skilled workers。 And they voted to
strike。 They tell me they're walking out over at the Patuxent； too。〃
〃And the Chippering？〃 asked Janet； eagerly。
〃I don't knowI guess it'll spread to all of 'em； the way these
