the dwelling place of ligh-第74章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　them　in　proportion　to　the　size　of　their　families；　as　the　strike　became
more　and　more　effective　their　number　increased　until　many　mills　had
closed；　other　mills；　including　the　Chippering；　were　still　making　a
desperate　attempt　to　operate　their　looms；　and　sixteen　thousand　operatives
were　idle。　　She　grew　to　know　these　operatives　who　poured　all　day　long　in
a　steady　stream　through　Headquarters；　she　heard　their　stories；　she
entered　into　their　lives；　she　made　decisions。　　Some；　even　in　those　early
days　of　the　strike；　were　frauds；　were　hiding　their　savings；　but　for　the
most　part　investigation　revealed　an　appalling　destitution；　a　resolution
to　suffer　for　the　worker's　cause。　　A　few　complained；　the　majority　were
resigned；　some　indeed　showed　exaltation　and　fire；　were　undaunted　by　the
task　of　picketing　in　the　cold　mornings；　by　the　presence　of　the　soldiery。
In　this　work　of　dealing　with　the　operatives　Janet　had　the　advice　and　help
of　Anna　Mower；　a　young　woman　who　herself　had　been　a　skilled　operative　in
the　Clarendon　Mill；　and　who　was　giving　evidence　of　unusual　qualities　of
organization　and　leadership。　　Anna；　with　no　previous　practise　in　oratory；
had　suddenly　developed　the　gift　of　making　speeches；　the　more　effective
with　her　fellow　workers　because　unstudied；　because　they　flowed　directly
out　of　an　experience　she　was　learning　to　interpret　and　universalize。
Janet；　who　heard　her　once　or　twice；　admired　and　envied　her。　　They　became
friends。

The　atmosphere　of　excitement　in　which　Janet　now　found　herself　was
cumulative。　　Day　by　day　one　strange　event　followed　another；　and　at　times
it　seemed　as　if　this　extraordinary　existence　into　which　she　had　been
plunged　were　all　a　feverish　dream。　　Hither；　to　the　absurd　little　solle　de
reunion　of　the　Franco…Belgian　Hall　came　notables　from　the　great　world；
emissaries　from　an　uneasy　Governor；　delegations　from　the　Legislature；
Members　of　the　Congress　of　the　United　States　and　even　Senators；　students；
investigators；　men　and　women　of　prominence　in　the　universities；　magazine
writers　to　consult　with　uncouth　leaders　of　a　rebellion　that　defied　and
upset　the　powers　which　hitherto　had　so　serenely　ruled；　unchallenged。
Rolfe　identified　these　visitors；　and　one　morning　called　her　attention　to
one　who　he　said　was　the　nation's　foremost　authority　on　social　science。
Janet　possessed　all　unconsciously　the　New　England　reverence　for　learning；
she　was　stirred　by　the　sight　of　this　distinguishedlooking　person　who　sat
on　the　painted　stage；　fingering　his　glasses　and　talking　to　Antonelli。
The　two　men　made　a　curious　contrast。　　But　her　days　were　full　of　contrasts
of　which　her　mood　exultingly　approved。　　The　politicians　were　received
cavalierly。　　Toward　these；　who　sought　to　act　as　go…betweens　in　the
conflict；　Antonelli　was　contemptuous；　he　behaved　like　the　general　of　a
conquering　army；　and　his　audacity　was　reflected　in　the　other　leaders；　in
Rolfe；　in　the　Committee　itself。

That　Committee；　a　never…ending　source　of　wonder　to　Janet；　with　its　nine
or　ten　nationalities　and　interpreters；　was　indeed　a　triumph　over　the
obstacles　of　race　and　language；　a　Babel　made　successful；　in　a　community
of　AngloSaxon　traditions；　an　amazing　anomaly。　　The　habiliments　of　the
west；　the　sack　coats　and　sweaters；　the　slouch　hats　and　caps；　the　so…
called　Derbies　pulled　down　over　dark　brows　and　flashing　eyes　lent　to
these　peasant　types　an　incongruity　that　had　the　air　of　ferocity。　　The
faces　of　most　of　them　were　covered　with　a　blue…black　stubble　of　beard。
Some　slouched　in　their　chairs；　others　stood　and　talked　in　groups；
gesticulating　with　cigars　and　pipes；　yet　a　keen　spectator；　after　watching
them　awhile　through　the　smoke；　might　have　been　able　to　pick　out　striking
personalities　among　them。　　He　would　surely　have　noticed　Froment；　the
stout；　limping　man　under　whose　white　eyebrows　flashed　a　pair　of　livid
blue　and　peculiarly　Gallic　eyes；　he　held　the　Belgians　in　his　hand：
Lindtzki；　the　Pole；　with　his　zealot's　face；　Radeau；　the　big　Canadian　in
the　checked　Mackinaw；　and　Findley；　the　young　American…less　by　any
arresting　quality　of　feature　than　by　an　expression　suggestive　of
practical　wisdom。

Imagine　then；　on　an　afternoon　in　the　middle　phase　of　the　strike；　some
half　dozen　of　the　law…makers　of　a　sovereign　state；　top…hatted　and
conventionally　garbed　in　black；　accustomed　to　authority；　to　conferring
favours　instead　of　requesting　them；　climbing　the　steep　stairs　and　pausing
on　the　threshold　of　that　hall；　fingering　their　watch　chains；　awaiting
recognition　by　the　representatives　of　the　new　and　bewildering　force　that
had　arisen　in　an　historic　commonwealth。　　A　〃debate〃　was　in　progress。
Some　of　the　debaters；　indeed；　looked　over　their　shoulders；　but　the
leader；　who　sat　above　them　framed　in　the　sylvan　setting　of　the　stage；
never　so　much　as　deigned　to　glance　up　from　his　newspaper。　　A　half…burned
cigar　rolled　between　his　mobile　lips；　he　sat　on　the　back　of　his　neck；　and
yet　he　had　an　air　Napoleonic；　Nietzschean；　it　might　better　be　said
although　it　is　safe　to　assert　that　these　moulders　of　American
institutions　knew　little　about　that　terrible　philosopher　who　had　raised
his　voice　against　the　〃slave　morals　of　Christianity。〃　　It　was　their　first
experience　with　the　superman。。。。　　It　remained　for　the　Canadian；　Radeau；
when　a　lull　arrived　in　the　turmoil；　to　suggest　that　the　gentlemen　be
given　chairs。

〃Sure；　give　them　chairs；〃　assented　Antonelli　in　a　voice　hoarse　from
speech…making。　　Breath…taking　audacity　to　certain　spectators　who　had
followed　the　delegation　hither；　some　of　whom　could　not　refrain　from
speculating　whether　it　heralded　the　final　scrapping　of　the　machinery　of
the　state；　amusing　to　cynical　metropolitan　reporters；　who　grinned　at　one
another　as　they　prepared　to　take　down　the　proceedings；　evoking　a　fierce
approval　in　the　breasts　of　all　rebels　among　whom　was　Janet。　　The
Legislative　Chairman；　a　stout　and　suave　gentleman　of　Irish　birth；
proceeded　to　explain　how　greatly　concerned　was　the　Legislature　that　the
deplorable　warfare　within　the　state　should　cease；　they　had　come；　he
declared；　to　aid　in　bringing　about　justice　between　labour　and　capital。

〃We'll　get　justice　without　the　help　of　the　state；〃　remarked　Antonelli
curtly；　while　a　murmur　of　approval　ran　through　the　back　of　the　hall。

That　was　scarcely　the　attitude；　said　the　Chairman；　he　had　expected。　　He
knew　that　such　a　strike　as　this　had　engendered　bitterness；　there　had　been
much　suffering；　sacrifice　undoubtedly　on　both　sides；　but　he　was　sure；　if
Mr。　Antonelli　and　the　Committee　would　accept　their　services　here　he　was
interrupted。

Had　the　mill　owners　accepted　their　services？

The　Chairman　cleared　his　throat。

The　fact　was　that　the　mill　owners　were　more　difficult　to　get　together　in
a　body。　　A　meeting　would　be　arranged

〃When　you　arrange　a　meeting；　let　me　know；〃　said　Antonelli。

A　laugh　went　around　the　room。　　It　was　undoubtedly　very　difficult　to　keep
one's　temper　under　such　treatment。　　The　Chairman　looked　it。

〃A　meeting　would　be　arranged；〃　he　declared；　with　a　longsuffering
expression。　　He　even　smiled　a　little。　　〃In　the　meantime〃

〃What　can　your　committee　do？〃　demanded　one　of　the　strike　leaders；
passionatelyit　was　Findley。　　〃If　you　find　one　party　wrong；　can　your
state　force　it　to　do　right？　　Can　you　legislators　be　impartial　when　you
have　not　lived　the　bitter　life　of　the　workers？　　Would　you　arbitrate　a
question　of　life　and　death？　　And　are　the　worst　wages　paid　in　these　mills
anything　short　of　death？　　Do　you　investigate　because　conditions　are　bad？
or　because　the　workers　broke　loose　and　struck？　　Why　did　you　not　come
before　the　strike？〃

This　drew　more　approval　from　the　rear。　　Why；　indeed？　　The　Chairman　was
adroit；　he　had　pulled　himself　out　of　many　tight　places　in　the　Assembly
Chamber；　but　now　he　began　to　perspire；　to　fumble　in　his　coat　tails　for　a
handkerchief。　　The　Legislature；　he　maintained；　could　not　undertake　to
investigate　such　matters　until　called　to　its　attention。。。。

Later　on　a　tall　gentleman；　whom　heaven　had　not　blessed　with　tact；　saw　fit
to　deplore　the　violence　that　had　occurred；　he　had　no　doubt　the　leaders　of
the　strike　regretted　it　as　much　as　he；　he　was　confident　it　would　be
stopped；　when　public　opinion　would　be　wholly　and　unr