the dwelling place of ligh-第78章

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seemed　to　be　putting　the　words　into　her　mouth；　and　she　even　smiled　a
little；　as　she　spoke。

〃You　never　can　tell　what　factory　girls　do　look　like　in　these　days；〃　she
observed　mischievously。

〃That's　so；〃　Mrs。　Brocklehurst　agreed；　〃we　are　living　in　such
extraordinary　times；　everything　topsy　turvy。　　I　ought　to　have　realized
it　was　stupid　of　meI　know　several　factory　girls　in　New　York；　I've　been
to　their　meetings；　I've　had　them　at　my　houseshirtwaist　strikers。〃

She　assumed　again　the　willowy；　a　position；　her　fingers　clasped　across　her
knee；　her　eyes　supplicatingly　raised　to　Janet。　　Then　she　reached　out　her
hand　and　touched　the　I。W。W。　　button。　　〃Do　tell　me　all　about　the
Industrial　Workers；　and　what　they　believe；〃　she　pleaded。

〃Well；〃　said　Janet；　after　a　slight　pause；　〃I'm　afraid　you　won't　like　it
much。　　Why　do　you　want　to　know？〃

〃Because　I'm　so　interestedespecially　in　the　women　of　the　movement。　　I
feel　for　them　so；　I　want　to　helpto　do　something；　too。　　Of　course　you're
a　suffragist。〃

〃You　mean；　do　I　believe　in　votes　for　women？　　Yes；　I　suppose　I　do。〃

〃But　you　must；〃　declared　Mrs。　Brocklehurst；　still　sweetly；　but　with
emphasis。　　〃You　wouldn't　be　working；　you　wouldn't　be　striking　unless　you
did。〃

〃I've　never　thought　about　it；〃　said　Janet。

〃But　how　are　you　working　girls　ever　going　to　raise　wages　unless　you　get
the　vote？　　It's　the　only　way　men　ever　get　anywherethe　politicians
listen　to　them。〃　　She　produced　from　her　bag　a　gold　pencil　and　a　tablet。
〃Mrs。　Ned　Carfax　is　here　from　BostonI　saw　her　for　a　moment　at　the　hotel
she's　been　here　investigating　for　nearly　three　days；　she　tells　me。　　I'll
have　her　send　you　suffrage　literature　at　once；　if　you'll　give　me　your
address。〃

〃You　want　a　vote？〃　asked　Janet；　curiously；　gazing　at　the　pearl　earrings。

〃Certainly　I　want　one。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Why？〃　　repeated　Mrs。　Brocklehurst。

〃Yes。　　You　must　have　everything　you　want。〃

Even　then　the　lady's　sweet　reasonableness　did　not　desert　her。　　She　smiled
winningly；　displaying　two　small　and　even　rows　of　teeth。

〃On　principle；　my　dear。　　For　one　reason；　because　I　have　such　sympathy
with　women　who　toil；　and　for　another；　I　believe　the　time　has　come　when
women　must　no　longer　be　slaves；　they　must　assert　themselves；　become
individuals；　independent。〃

〃But　you？〃　exclaimed　Janet。

Mrs。　Brocklehurst　continued　to　smile　encouragingly；　and　murmured　〃Yes？〃

〃You　are　not　a　slave。〃

A　delicate　pink；　like　the　inside　of　a　conch　shell；　spread　over　Mrs。
Brocklehurst's　cheeks。

〃We're　all　slaves；〃　she　declared　with　a　touch　of　passion。　　〃It's　hard　for
you　to　realize；　I　know；　about　those　of　us　who　seem　more　fortunate　than
our　sisters。　　But　it's　true。　　The　men　give　us　jewels　and　automobiles　and
clothes；　but　they　refuse　to　give　us　what　every　real　woman　craves
liberty。〃

Janet　had　become　genuinely　interested。

〃But　what　kind　of　liberty？〃

〃Liberty　to　have　a　voice；　to　take　part　in　the　government　of　our　country；
to　help　make　the　laws；　especially　those　concerning　working…women　and
children；　what　they　ought　to　be。〃

Here　was　altruism；　truly！　　Here　were　words　that　should　have　inspired
Janet；　yet　she　was　silent。　　Mrs。　Brocklehurst　gazed　at　her　solicitously。

〃What　are　you　thinking？〃　she　urgedand　it　was　Janet's　turn　to　flush。

〃I　was　just　thinking　that　you　seemed　to　have　everything　life　has　to　give；
and　yetand　yet　you're　not　happy。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　unhappy；〃　protested　the　lady。　　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　You；　too；　seem　to　be　wanting　something。〃

〃I　want　to　be　of　use；　to　count；〃　said　Mrs。　Brocklehurst；and　Janet　was
startled　to　hear　from　this　woman's　lips　the　very　echo　of　her　own　desires。

Mrs。　Brocklehurst's　feelings　had　become　slightly　complicated。　　It　is
perhaps　too　much　to　say　that　her　complacency　was　shaken。　　She　was；
withal；　a　person　of　resolutionof　resolution　taking　the　form　of
unswerving　faith　in　herself；　a　faith　persisting　even　when　she　was　being
carried　beyond　her　depth。　　She　had　the　kind　of　pertinacity　that　sever
admits　being　out　of　depth；　the　happy　buoyancy　that　does　not　require　to
feel　the　bottom　under　one's　feet。　　She　floated　in　swift　currents。　　When
life　became　uncomfortable；　she　evaded　it　easily；　and　she　evaded　it　now；
as　she　gazed　at　the　calm　but　intent　face　of　the　girl　in　front　of　her；　by
a　characteristic　inner　refusal　to　admit　that　she　had　accidentally　come　in
contact　with　something　baking。　　Therefore　she　broke　the　silence。

〃Isn't　that　what　you　wantyou　who　are　striking？〃　she　asked。

〃I　think　we　want　the　things　that　you've　got；〃　said　Janet。　　A　phrase　one
of　the　orators　had　used　came　into　her　mind；　〃Enough　money　to　live　up　to
American　standards〃but　she　did　not　repeat　it。　　〃Enough　money　to　be
free；　to　enjoy　life；　to　have　some　leisure　and　amusement　and　luxury。〃　　The
last　three　she　took　from　the　orator's　mouth。

〃But　surely；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Brocklehurst；　〃surely　you　want　more　than
that！〃

Janet　shook　her　head。

〃You　asked　me　what　we　believed；　the　I。W。W。；　the　syndicalists；　and　I　told
you　you　wouldn't　like　it。　　Well；　we　believe　in　doing　away　with　you；　the
rich；　and　taking　all　you　have　for　ourselves；　the　workers；　the　producers。
We　believe　you　haven't　any　right　to　what　you've　got；　that　you've　fooled
and　cheated　us　out　of　it。　　That's　why　we　women　don't　care　much　about　the
vote；　I　suppose；　though　I　never　thought　of　it。　　We　mean　to　go　on　striking
until　we've　got　all　that　you've　got。〃

〃But　what　will　become　of　us？〃　　said　Mrs。　Brocklehurst。　　〃You　wouldn't　do
away　with　all　of　us。！　　I　admit　there　are　many　who　don'tbut　some　do
sympathize　with　you；　will　help　you　get　what　you　want；　help　you；　perhaps；
to　see　things　more　clearly；　to　go　about　it　lessruthlessly。〃

〃I've　told　you　what　we　believe；〃　repeated　Janet。

〃I'm　so　glad　I　came；〃　cried　Mrs。　Brocklehurst。　　〃It's　most　interesting！
I　never　knew　what　the　syndicalists　believed。　　Why；　it's　like　the　French
Revolutiononly　worse。　　How　are　you　going　to　get　rid　of　us？　cut　our
heads　off？〃

Janet　could　not　refrain　from　smiling。

〃Let　you　starve；　I　suppose。〃

〃Really！〃　said　Mrs。　Brocklehurst；　and　appeared　to　be　trying　to　visualize
the　process。　　She　was　a　true　Athenian；　she　had　discovered　some　new　thing；
she　valued　discoveries　more　than　all　else　in　life；　she　collected　them；
though　she　never　used　them　save　to　discuss　them　with　intellectuals　at　her
dinner　parties。　　〃Now　you　must　let　me　come　to　Headquarters　and　get　a
glimpse　of　some　of　the　leadersof　Antonelli；　and　I'm　told　there's　a
fascinating　man　named　Rowe。〃

〃Rolfe；〃　Janet　corrected。

〃Rolfethat's　it。〃　　She　glanced　down　at　the　diminutive　watch；　set　with
diamonds；　on　her　wrist；　rose　and　addressed　Insall。　　〃Oh　dear；　I　must　be
going；　I'm　to　lunch　with　Nina　Carfax　at　one；　and　she's　promised　to　tell
me　a　lot　of　things。　　She's　writing　an　article　for　Craven's　Weekly　all
about　the　strike　and　the　suffering　and　injusticeshe　says　it's　been
horribly　misrepresented　to　the　public；　the　mill　owners　have　had　it　all
their　own　way。　　I　think　what　you're　doing　is　splendid；　Brooks；　only〃
here　she　gave　him　an　appealing；　rather　commiserating　look〃only　I　do
wish　you　would　take　more　interest　inin　underlying　principles。〃

Insall　smiled。

〃It's　a　question　of　brains。　　You　have　to　have　brains　to　be　a
sociologist；〃　he　answered；　as　he　held　up　for　her　the　fur　coat。　　With　a
gesture　of　gentle　reproof　she　slipped　into　it；　and　turned　to　Janet。

〃You　must　let　me　see　more　of　you；　my　dear；〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　at　the　best
hotel；　I　can't　remember　the　name；　they're　all　so　horriblebut　I'll　be
here　until　to…morrow　afternoon。　　I　want　to　find　out　everything。　　Come　and
call　on　me。　　You're　quite　the　most　interesting　person　I've　met　for　a　long
timeI　don't　think　you　realize　how　interesting　you　are。　　Au　revoir！〃
She　did　not　seem　to　expect　any　reply；　taking　acquiescence　for　granted。
Glancing　once　more　at　the　rows　of　children；　who　had　devoured　their　meal
in　an　almost　uncanny　silence；　she　exclaimed；　〃The　dears！　　I'm　going　to
send　you　a　cheque；　Brooks；　even　if　you　have　been　horrid　to　meyou　always
are。〃

〃Horrid！〃　repeated　Insall；　〃put　it　down　to　ignorance。〃

He　accompanied　her　down　the　stairs。　　From　her　willowy　walk　a
sophisticated　observer　would　have　hazarded　the　guess　that　her　searc