the dwelling place of ligh-第73章
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yet？〃
〃I put the last pineapple in place the day before Christmas。 Do you
remember the pineapples？〃
She nodded。 〃And the house？ and the garden？〃
〃Oh； those will never be finished。 I shouldn't have anything more to
do。〃
〃Is thatall you do？〃 she asked。
〃It's more important than anything else。 But you have you been back to
Silliston since I saw you？ I've been waiting for another call。〃
〃You haven't even thought of me since；〃 she was moved to reply in the
same spirit。
〃Haven't I？〃 he exclaimed。 〃I wondered； when I came up here to Hampton；
whether I mightn't meet youand here you are！ Doesn't that prove it？〃
She laughed； somewhat surprised at the ease with which he had diverted
her； drawn her out of the tense； emotional mood in which he had
discovered her。 As before； he puzzled her； but the absence of any
flirtatious suggestion in his talk gave her confidence。 He was just
friendly。
〃Sometimes I hoped I might see you in Hampton；〃 she ventured。
〃Well； here I am。 I heard the explosion； and came。〃
〃The explosion！ The strike！〃 she exclaimed； suddenly enlightened。 〃Now
I remember！ You said something about Hampton being nitro…glycerine
human nitro…glycerine。 You predicted this strike。〃
〃Did I？ perhaps I did；〃 he assented。 〃Maybe you suggested the idea。〃
〃I suggested it！ Oh no； I didn'tit was new to me； it frightened me at
the time； but it started me thinking about a lot of things that had never
occurred to me。〃
〃You might have suggested the idea without intending to； you know。 There
are certain people who inspire propheciesperhaps you are one。〃
His tone was playful； but she was quick to grasp at an inferencesince
his glance was fixed on the red button she wore。
〃You meant that I would explode； too！〃
〃Oh nonothing so terrible as that；〃 he disclaimed。 〃And yet most of us
have explosives stored away inside of usinstincts； impulses and all
that sort of thing that won't stand too much bottling…up。〃
〃Yes； I've joined the strike。〃 She spoke somewhat challengingly； though
she had an uneasy feeling that defiance was somewhat out of place with
him。 〃I suppose you think it strange； since I'm not a foreigner and
haven't worked in the mills。 But I don't see why that should make any
difference if you believe that the workers haven't had a chance。〃
〃No difference；〃 he agreed； pleasantly； 〃no difference at all。〃
〃Don't you sympathize with the strikers？〃 she insisted。 〃Orare you on
the other side； the side of the capitalists？〃
〃I？ I'm a spectatoran innocent bystander。〃
〃You don't sympathize with the workers？〃 she cried。
〃Indeed I do。 I sympathize with everybody。〃
〃With the capitalists？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Why not？ Because they've had everything their own way； they've
exploited the workers； deceived and oppressed them； taken all the
profits。〃 She was using glibly her newly acquired labour terminology。
〃Isn't that a pretty good reason for sympathizing with them？〃 he
inquired。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Well； I should think it might be difficult to be happy and have done all
that。 At any rate； it isn't my notion of happiness。 Is it yours？〃
For a moment she considered this。
〃Nonot exactly；〃 she admitted。 〃But they seem happy；〃 she insisted
vehemently； 〃they have everything they want and they do exactly as they
please without considering anybody except themselves。 What do they care
how many they starve and make miserable？ Youyou don't know； you can't
know what it is to be driven and used and flung away！〃
Almost in tears； she did not notice his puzzled yet sympathetic glance。
〃The operatives； the workers create all the wealth； and the capitalists
take it from them； from their wives and children。〃
〃Now I know what you've been doing；〃 he said accusingly。 〃You've been
studying economics。〃
Her brow puckered。
〃Studying what？〃
〃Economicsthe distribution of wealth。 It's enough to upset anybody。〃
〃But I'm not upset；〃 she insisted； smiling in spite of herself at his
comical concern。
〃It's very exciting。 I remember reading a book once on economics and
such things； and I couldn't sleep for a week。 It was called ‘The
Organization of Happiness；' I believe； and it described just how the
world ought to be arrangedand isn't。 I thought seriously of going to
Washington and telling the President and Congress about it。〃
〃It wouldn't have done any good；〃 said Janet。
〃No； I realized that。〃
〃The only thing that will do any good is to strike and keep on striking
until the workers own the millstake everything away from the
capitalists。〃
〃It's very simple；〃 he agreed； 〃much simpler than the book I read。
That's what they call syndicalism； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。〃 She was conscious of his friendliness； of the fact that his
skepticism was not cynical； yet she felt a strong desire to convince him；
to vindicate her new creed。 〃There's a man named Rolfe； an educated man
who's lived in Italy and England； who explains it wonderfully。 He's one
of the I。W。W。 leadersyou ought to hear him。〃
〃Rolfe converted you？ I'll go to hear him。〃
〃Yesbut you have to feel it； you have to know what it is to be kept
down and crushed。 If you'd only stay here awhile 〃
〃Oh； I intend to；〃 he replied。
She could not have said why； but she felt a certain relief on hearing
this。
〃Then you'll see for yourself！〃 she cried。 〃I guess that's what you've
come for； isn't it？〃
〃Well； partly。 To tell the truth； I've come to open a restaurant。〃
〃To open a restaurant！〃 Somehow she was unable to imagine him as the
proprietor of a restaurant。 〃But isn't it rather a bad time？〃 she
gasped。
〃I don't look as if I had an eye for businessdo I？ But I have。 No；
it's a good timeso many people will be hungry； especially children。
I'm going to open a restaurant for children。 Oh； it will be very modest；
of courseI suppose I ought to call it a soup kitchen。〃
〃Oh！〃 she exclaimed； staring at him。 〃Then you really〃 the sentence
remained unfinished。 〃I'm sorry；〃 she said simply。 〃You made me
think〃
〃Oh； you mustn't pay any attention to what I say。 Come 'round and see my
establishment； Number 77 Dey Street； one flight up； no elevator。 Will
you？〃
She laughed tremulously as he took her hand。
〃Yes indeed； I will；〃 she promised。 And she stood awhile staring after
him。 She was glad he had come to Hampton； and yet she did not even know
his name。
CHAPTER XVI
She had got another placesuch was the explanation of her new activities
Janet gave to Hannah； who received it passively。 And the question
dreaded about Ditmar was never asked。 Hannah had become as a child；
performing her tasks by the momentum of habituation； occasionally talking
simply of trivial； every…day affairs； as though the old life were going
on continuously。 At times； indeed； she betrayed concern about Edward；
wondering whether he were comfortable at the mill； and she washed and
darned the clothes he sent home by messenger。 She hoped he would not
catch cold。 Her suffering seemed to have relaxed。 It was as though the
tortured portion of her brain had at length been seared。 To Janet； her
mother's condition when she had time to think of itwas at once a relief
and a new and terrible source of anxiety。
Mercifully； however； she had little leisure to reflect on that tragedy；
else her own sanity might have been endangered。 As soon as breakfast was
over she hurried across the city to the Franco…Belgian Hall； and often
did not return until nine o'clock at night； usually so tired that she
sank into bed and fell asleep。 For she threw herself into her new
labours with the desperate energy that seeks forgetfulness； not daring to
pause to think about herself； to reflect upon what the future might hold
for her when the strike should be over。 Nor did she confine herself to
typewriting； but； as with Ditmar； constantly assumed a greater burden of
duty； helping Czernowitzwho had the work of five menwith his
accounts； with the distribution of the funds to the ever…increasing
number of the needy who were facing starvation。 The money was paid out
to them in proportion to the size of their families； as the strike became
mor
