the dwelling place of ligh-第63章
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from her in desperation。 〃Get 'em out！ Far God's sake； can't you get
'em out before they ruin the machines？〃
But Janet waited no longer。 Pushing her way frantically through the
people filling the yard she climbed the tower stairs and made her way
into one of the spinning rooms。 The frames were stilled； the overseer
and second hands； thrust aside； looked on helplessly while the intruders
harangued； cajoled or threatened the operatives； some of whom were cowed
and already departing； others； sullen and resentful； remained standing in
the aisles； and still others seemed to have caught the contagion of the
strike。 Suddenly； with reverberating strokes； the mill bells rang out；
the electric gongs chattered； the siren screeched； drowning the voices。
Janet did not pause； but hurried from room to room until； in passing
through an open doorway in the weaving department she ran into Mr。
Caldwell。 He halted a moment； in surprise at finding her there； calling
her by name。 She clung to his sleeve； and again she asked the question：
〃Where's Mr。 Ditmar？〃
Caldwell shook his head。 His answer was the same as Edward's。 〃I don't
know；〃 he shouted excitedly above the noise。 〃We've got to get this mob
out before they do any damage。〃
He tore himself away； she saw him expostulating with the overseer； and
then she went on。 These tower stairs； she remembered； led to a yard
communicating by a little gate with the office entrance。 The door of the
vestibule was closed； but the watchman； Simmons； recognizing her；
permitted her to enter。 The offices were deserted； silent； for the bells
and the siren had ceased their clamour； the stenographers and clerks had
gone。 The short day was drawing to a close； shadows were gathering in
the corners of Ditmar's room as she reached the threshold and gazed about
her at the objects there so poignantly familiar。 She took off her coat。
His desk was littered with books and papers； and she started；
mechanically； to set it in order； replacing the schedule books on the
shelves； sorting out the letters and putting them in the basket。 She
could not herself have told why she should take up again these trivial
tasks as though no cataclysmic events had intervened to divide forever
the world of yesterday from that of to…morrow。 With a movement
suggestive of tenderness she was picking up Ditmar's pen to set it in the
glass rack when her ear caught the sound of voices； and she stood
transfixed； listening intently。 There were footsteps in the corridor；
the voices came nearer； one； loud and angered； she detected above the
others。 It was Ditmar's！ Nothing had happened to him！ Dropping the
pen； she went over to the window； staring out over the grey waters；
trembling so violently that she could scarcely stand。
She did not look around when they entered the room Ditmar； Caldwell；
Orcutt； and evidently a few watchmen and overseers。 Some one turned on
the electric switch； darkening the scene without。 Ditmar continued to
speak in vehement tones of uncontrolled rage。
〃Why in hell weren't those gates bolted tight？〃 he demanded。 〃That's
what I want to know！ There was plenty of time after they turned the
corner of East Street。 You might have guessed what they would do。 But
instead of that you let 'em into the mill to shut off the power and
intimidate our own people。〃 He called the strikers an unprintable name；
and though Janet stood； with her back turned； directly before him； he
gave no sign of being aware of her presence。
〃It wasn't the gatekeeper's fault；〃 she heard Orcutt reply in a tone
quivering with excitement and apprehension。 〃They really didn't give us
a chancethat's the truth。 They were down Canal Street and over the
bridge before we knew it。〃
〃It's just as I've said a hundred times；〃 Ditmar retorted。 〃I can't
afford to leave this mill a minute； I can't trust anybody 〃 and he
broke out in another tirade against the intruders。 〃By God； I'll fix 'em
for thisI'll crush 'em。 And if any operatives try to walkout here I'll
see that they starve before they get backafter all I've done for 'em；
kept the mill going in slack times just to give 'em work。 If they desert
me now； when I've got this Bradlaugh order on my hands〃 Speech became
an inadequate expression of his feelings； and suddenly his eye fell on
Janet。 She had turned； but her look made no impression on him。 〃Call up
the Chief of Police；〃 he said。
Automatically she obeyed； getting the connection and handing him the
receiver； standing by while he denounced the incompetence of the
department for permitting the mob to gather in East Street and demanded
deputies。 The veins of his forehead were swollen as he cut short the
explanations of the official and asked for the City Hall。 In making an
appointment with the Mayor he reflected on the management of the city
government。 And when Janet by his command obtained the Boston office； he
gave the mill treasurer a heated account of the afternoon's occurrences；
explaining circumstantially how； in his absence at a conference in the
Patuxent Mill； the mob had gathered in East Street and attacked the
Chippering； and he urged the treasurer to waste no time in obtaining a
force of detectives； in securing in Boston and New York all the
operatives that could be hired； in order to break the impending strike。
Save for this untimely and unreasonable revolt he was bent on stamping
out； for Ditmar the world to…day was precisely the same world it had been
the day before。 It seemed incredible to Janet that he could so regard
it； could still be blind to the fact that these workers whom he was
determined to starve and crush if they dared to upset his plans and
oppose his will were human beings with wills and passions and grievances
of their own。 Until to…day her eyes had been sealed。 In agony they had
been opened to the panorama of sorrow and suffering； of passion and evil；
and what she beheld now as life was a vast and terrible cruelty。 She had
needed only this final proof to be convinced that in his eyes she also
was but one of those brought into the world to minister to his pleasure
and profit。 He had taken from her； as his weed； the most precious thing
a woman has to give； and now that she was here again at his side； by some
impulse incomprehensible to herselfin spite of the wrong he had done
her！had sought him out in danger； he had no thought of her； no word for
her； no use save a menial one： he cared nothing for any help she might be
able to give； he had no perception of the new light which had broken
within her soul。。。。 The telephoning seemed interminable； yet she waited
with a strange patience while he talked with Mr。 George Chippering and
two of the most influential directors。 These conversations had covered
the space of an hour or more。 And perhaps as a result of self…
suggestion； of his repeated assurances to Mr。 Semple； to Mr。 Chippering；
and the directors of his ability to control the situation； Ditmar's
habitual self…confidence was gradually restored。 And when at last he
hung up the instrument and turned to her； though still furious against
the strikers； his voice betrayed the joy of battle； the assurance of
victory。
〃They can't bluff me； they'll have to guess again。 It's that damned
Holsterhe hasn't any gutshe'd give in to 'em right now if I'd let
him。 It's the limit the way he turned the Clarendon over to them。 I'll
show him how to put a crimp in 'em if they don't turn up here to…morrow
morning。〃
He was so magnificently sure of her sympathy！ She did； not reply； but
picked up her coat from the chair where she had laid it。
〃Where are you going？〃 he demanded。 And she replied laconically；
〃Home。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 he said； rising and taking a step toward her。
〃You have an appointment with the Mayor；〃 she reminded him。
〃I know；〃 he said； glancing at the clock over the door。 〃 Where have you
been？ where were you this morning？ I was worried about you； II was
afraid you might be sick。〃
〃Were you？〃 she said。 〃I'm all right。 I had business in Boston。〃
〃Why didn't you telephone me？ In Boston？〃 he repeated。
She nodded。 He started forward again； but she avoided h
