the dwelling place of ligh-第75章

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the　strike　regretted　it　as　much　as　he；　he　was　confident　it　would　be
stopped；　when　public　opinion　would　be　wholly　and　unreservedly　on　the　side
of　the　strikers。

〃Public　opinion！〃　savagely　cried　Lindtzki；　who　spoke　English　with　only　a
slight　accent。　　〃If　your　little　boy；　if　your　little　girl　come　to　you　and
ask　for　shoes；　for　bread；　and　you　say；　‘I　have　no　shoes；　I　have　no　bread；
but　public　opinion　is　with　us；'　would　that　satisfy　you？〃

This　drew　so　much　applause　that　the　tall　law…maker　sat　down　again　with　a
look　of　disgust　on　his　face。。。。　　The　Committee　withdrew；　and　for　many
weeks　thereafter　the　state　they　represented　continued　to　pay　some　four
thousand　dollars　daily　to　keep　its　soldiers　on　the　streets　of　Hampton。。。。

In　the　meanwhile　Janet　saw　much　of　Rolfe。　　Owing　to　his　facile　command　of
language　he　was　peculiarly　fitted　to　draft　those　proclamations；
bombastically　worded　in　the　French　style；　issued　and　circulated　by　the
Strike　Committeeappeals　to　the　polyglot　army　to　withstand　the　pangs　of
hunger；　to　hold　out　for　the　terms　laid　down；　assurances　that　victory　was
at　hand。　　Walking　up　and　down　the　bibliottheque；　his　hands　behind　his
back；　his　red　lips　gleaming　as　he　spoke；　he　dictated　these　documents　to
Janet。　　In　the　ecstasy　of　this　composition　he　had　a　way　of　shaking　his
head　slowly　from　side　to　side；　and　when　she　looked　up　she　saw　his　eyes
burning；　down　at　her。　　A　dozen　times　a　day；　while　she　was　at　her　other
work；　he　would　come　in　and　talk　to　her。　　He　excited　her；　she　was　divided
between　attraction　and　fear　of　him；　and　often　she　resented　his　easy
assumption　that　a　tie　existed　between　themthe　more　so　because　this
seemed　to　be　taken　for　granted　among　certain　of　his　associates。　　In　their
eyes；　apparently；　she　was　Rolfe's　recruit　in　more　senses　than　one。　　It
was　indeed　a　strange　society　in　which　she　found　herself；　and　Rolfe
typified　it。　　He　lived　on　the　plane　of　the　impulses　and　intellect；
discarded　as　inhibiting　factors　what　are　called　moral　standards；　decried
individual　discipline　and　restraint。　　And　while　she　had　never　considered
these　things；　the　spectacle　of　a　philosophyembodied　in　himthat
frankly　and　cynically　threw　them　overboard　was　disconcerting。　　He
regarded　her　as　his　proselyte；　he　called　her　a　Puritan；　and　he　seemed
more　concerned　that　she　should　shed　these　relics　of　an　ancestral　code
than　acquire　the　doctrines　of　Sorel　and　Pouget。　　And　yet　association　with
him　presented　the　allurement　of　a　dangerous　adventure。　　Intellectually　he
fascinated　her；　and　still　another　motivewhich　she　partially　disguised
from　herselfprevented　her　from　repelling　him。　　That　motive　had　to　do
with　Ditmar。　　She　tried　to　put　Ditmar　from　her　mind；　she　sought　in
desperation；　not　only　to　keep　busy；　but　to　steep　and　lose　herself　in　this
fierce　creed　as　an　antidote　to　the　insistent；　throbbing　pain　that　lay
ambushed　against　her　moments　of　idleness。　　The　second　evening　of　her
installation　at　Headquarters　she　had　worked　beyond　the　supper　hour；
helping　Sanders　with　his　accounts。　　She　was　loath　to　go　home。　　And　when
at　last　she　put　on　her　hat　and　coat　and　entered　the　hall　Rolfe；　who　had
been　talking　to　Jastro；　immediately　approached　her。　　His　liquid　eyes
regarded　her　solicitously。

〃You　must　be　hungry；〃　he　said。　　〃Come　out　with　me　and　have　some　supper。〃

But　she　was　not　hungry；　what　she　needed　was　air。　　Then　he　would　walk　a
little　way　with　herhe　wanted　to　talk　to　her。　　She　hesitated；　and　then
consented。　　A　fierce　hope　had　again　taken　possession　of　her；　and　when
they　came　to　Warren　Street　she　turned　into　it。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　Rolfe　demanded。

〃For　a　walk；〃　she　said。　　〃Aren't　you　coming？〃

〃Will　you　have　supper　afterwards？〃

〃Perhaps。〃

He　followed　her；　puzzled；　yet　piqued　and　excited　by　her　manner；　as　with
rapid　steps　she　hurried　along　the　pavement。　　He　tried　to　tell　her　what
her　friendship　meant　to　him；　they　were；　he　declared；　kindred　spirits
from　the　first　time　he　had　seen　her；　on　the　Common；　he　had　known　this。
She　scarcely　heard　him；　she　was　thinking　of　Ditmar；　and　this　was　why　she
had　led　Rolfe　into　Warren　Street　they　might　meet　Ditmar！　　It　was　possible
that　he　would　be　going　to　the　mill　at　this　time；　after　his　dinner！　　She
scrutinized　every　distant　figure；　and　when　they　reached　the　block　in
which　he　lived　she　walked　more　slowly。　　From　within　the　house　came　to
her；　faintly；　the　notes　of　a　pianohis　daughter　Amy　was　practising。　　It
was　the　music；　a　hackneyed　theme　of　Schubert's　played　heavily；　that
seemed　to　arouse　the　composite　emotion　of　anger　and　hatred；　yet　of
sustained　attraction　and　wild　regret　she　had　felt　before；　but　never　so
poignantly　as　now。　　And　she　lingered；　perversely　resolved　to　steep
herself　in　the　agony。

〃Who　lives　here〃　Rolfe　asked。

〃Mr。　Ditmar；〃　she　answered。

〃The　agent　of　the　Chippering　Mill？〃

She　nodded。

〃He's　the　worst　of　the　lot；〃　Rolfe　said　angrily。　　〃If　it　weren't　for　him；
we'd　have　this　strike　won　to…day。　　He　owns　this　town；　he's　run　it　to　suit
himself；　He　stiffens　up　the　owners　and　holds　the　other　mills　in　line。
He's　a　type；　a　driver；　the　kind　of　man　we　must　get　rid　of。　　Look　at　him
he　lives　in　luxury　while　his　people　are　starving。〃

〃Get　rid　of！〃　repeated　Janet；　in　an　odd　voice。

〃Oh；　I　don't　mean　to　shoot　him；〃　Rolfe　declared。　　〃But　he　may　get　shot；
for　all　I　know；　by　some　of　these　slaves　he's　made　desperate。〃

〃They　wouldn't　dare　shoot　him；〃　Janet　said。　　〃And　whatever　he　is；　he
isn't　a　coward。　　He's　stronger　than　the　others；　he's　more　of　a　man。〃

Rolfe　looked　at　her　curiously。

〃What　do　you　know　about　him？〃　he　asked。

〃II　know　all　about　him。　　I　was　his　stenographer。〃

〃You！　　His　stenographer！　　Then　why　are　you　herewith　us？〃

〃Because　I　hate　him！〃　she　cried　vehemently。　　〃Because　I've　learned　that
it's　truewhat　you　say　about　the　mastersthey　only　think　of　themselves
and　their　kind；　and　not　of　us。　　They　use　us。〃

〃He　tried　to　use　you！　　You　loved　him！〃

〃How　dare　you　say　that！〃

He　fell　back　before　her　anger。

〃I　didn't　mean　to　offend　you；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　was　jealousI'm　jealous
of　every　man　you've　known。　　I　want　you。　　I've　never　met　a　woman　like
you。〃

They　were　the　very　words　Ditmar　had　used！　　She　did　not　answer；　and　for　a
while　they　walked　along　in　silence；　leaving　Warren　Street　and　cutting
across　the　city　until　they　canoe　in　sight　of　the　Common。　　Rolfe　drew
nearer　to　her。

〃Forgive　me！〃　he　pleaded。　　〃You　know　I　would　not　offend　you。　　Come；　we'll
have　supper　together；　and　I　will　teach　you　more　of　what　you　have　to
know。〃

〃Where？〃　she　asked。

〃At　the　Hamptonit　is　a　little　cafe　where　we　all　go。　　Perhaps　you've
been　there。〃

〃No；〃　said　Janet。

〃It　doesn't　compare　with　the　cafes　of　Europeor　of　New　York。　　Perhaps　we
shall　go　to　them　sometime；　together。　　But　it　is　cosy；　and　warm；　and　all
the　leaders　will　be　there。　　You'll　comeyes？〃

〃Yes；　I'll　come；〃　she　said。。。。

The　Hampton　was　one　of　the　city's　second…class　hotels；　but　sufficiently
pretentious　to　have；　in　its　basement；　a　〃cafe〃　furnished　in　the　〃mission〃
style　of　brass　tacks　and　dull　red　leather。　　In　the　warm；　food…scented　air
fantastic　wisps　of　smoke　hung　over　the　groups；　among　them　Janet　made　out
several　of　the　itinerant　leaders　of　Syndicalism；　loose…tied；　debonnair；
giving　a　tremendous　impression　of　freedom　as　they　laughed　and　chatted
with　the　women。　　For　there　were　women；　ranging　from　the　redoubtable
Nellie　Bond　herself　down　to　those　who　may　be　designated　as　campfollowers。
Rolfe；　as　he　led　Janet　to　a　table　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　greeted　his
associates　with　easy　camaraderie。　　From　Miss　Bond　he　received　an
illuminating　smile。　　Janet　wondered　at　her　striking　good　looks；　at　the
boldness　and　abandon　with　which　she　talked　to　Jastro　or　exchanged　sallies
across　the　room。　　The　atmosphere　of　this　tawdry　resort；　formerly
frequented　by　shop　girls　and　travelling　salesmen；　was　magically
transformed　by　the　presence　of　this　company；　made　bohemian；　cosmopolitan；
exhilarating。　　And　Janet；　her　face　flushed；　sat　gazing　at　the　scene；
while　Rolfe　consulted　the　bill　of　fare　and　chose　a　beefsteak　and　French
fried　potatoes。　　The　apathetic　waiter　in　the　soiled　linen　jacket　he
addressed　as　〃comrade。〃　　Janet　protested　when　he　ordere