the dwelling place of ligh-第80章

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Rolfe；　despite　the　inspiring　intellectual　creed　he　professed；　lacked　the
poise　and　unity　that　go　with　happiness。　　He　wanted　things；　for　himself：
whereas　she　beheld　in　Insall　one　who　seemed　emancipated　from　possessions；
whose　life　was　so　organized　as　to　make　them　secondary　affairs。　　And　she
began　to　wonder　what　Insall　would　think　of　Ditmar。

These　sudden　flashes　of　tenderness　for　Ditmar　startled　and　angered　her。
She　had　experienced　them　before；　and　always　had　failed　to　account　for
their　intrusion　into　a　hatred　she　cherished。　　Often；　at　her　desk　in　the
bibliotheque；　she　had　surprised　herself　speculating　upon　what　Ditmar
might　be　doing　at　that　moment；　and　it　seemed　curious；　living　in　the　same
city　with　him；　that　she　had　not　caught　a　glimpse　of　him　during　the
strike。　　More　than　once；　moved　by　a　perverse　impulse；　she　had　ventured　of
an　evening　down　West　Street　toward　the　guard　of　soldiers　in　the　hope　of
catching　sight　of　him。　　He　had　possessed　her；　and　the　memory　of　the　wild
joy　of　that　possession；　of　that　surrender　to　great　strength；　refused　to
perish。　　Why；　at　such　moments；　should　she　glory　in　a　strength　that　had
destroyed　her　and　why；　when　she　heard　him　cursed　as　the　man　who　stood；
more　than　any　other；　in　the　way　of　the　strikers　victory；　should　she
paradoxically　and　fiercely　rejoice？　why　should　she　feel　pride　when　she
was　told　of　the　fearlessness　with　which　he　went　about　the　streets；　and
her　heart　stop　beating　when　she　thought　of　the　possibility　of　his　being
shot？　　For　these　unwelcome　phenomena　within　herself　Janet　could　not
account。　　When　they　disturbed　and　frightened　her；　she　plunged　into　her
work　with　the　greater　zeal。。。。

As　the　weeks　went　by；　the　strain　of　the　strike　began　to　tell　on　the　weak；
the　unprepared；　on　those　who　had　many　mouths　to　feed。　　Shivering　with　the
cold　of　that　hardest　of　winters；　these　unfortunates　flocked　to　the
Franco…Belgian　Hall；　where　a　little　food　or　money　in　proportion　to　the
size　of　their　families　was　doled　out　to　them。　　In　spite　of　the
contributions　received　by　mail；　of　the　soup　kitchens　and　relief　stations
set　up　by　various　organizations　in　various　parts　of　the　city；　the　supply
little　more　than　sufficed　to　keep　alive　the　more　needy　portion　of　the
five　and　twenty　thousand　who　now　lacked　all　other　means　of　support。
Janet's　heart　was　wrung　as　she　gazed　at　the　gaunt；　bewildered　faces
growing　daily　more　tragic；　more　bewildered　and　gaunt；　she　marvelled　at
the　animal…like　patience　of　these　Europeans；　at　the　dumb　submission　of
most　of　them　to　privations　that　struck　her　as　appalling。　　Some　indeed
complained；　but　the　majority　recited　in　monotonous；　unimpassioned　tones
their　stories　of　suffering；　or　of　ill　treatment　by　the　〃Cossacks〃　or　the
police。　　The　stipends　were　doled　out　by　Czernowitz；　but　all　through　the
week　there　were　special　appeals。　　Once　it　was　a　Polish　woman；　wan　and
white；　who　carried　her　baby　wrapped　in　a　frayed　shawl。

〃Wahna　littel　money　for　milk；〃　she　said；　when　at　length　their　attention
was　drawn　to　her。

〃But　you　get　your　money；　every　Saturday；〃　the　secretary　informed　her
kindly。

She　shook　her　head。

〃Baby　die；　'less　I　have　littel　milkI　show　you。〃

Janet　drew　back　before　the　sight　of　the　child　with　its　sunken　cheeks　and
ghastly　blue　lips　。。。。　　And　she　herself　went　out　with　the　woman　to　buy
the　milk；　and　afterwards　to　the　dive　in　Kendall　Street　which　she　called
homein　one　of　those　〃rear〃　tenements　separated　from　the　front　buildings
by　a　narrow　court　reeking　with　refuse。　　The　place　was　dank　and　cold；
malodorous。　　The　man　of　the　family；　the　lodgers　who　lived　in　the　other
room　of　the　kennel；　were　out　on　the　streets。　　But　when　her　eyes　grew　used
to　the　darkness　she　perceived　three　silent　children　huddled　in　the　bed　in
the　corner。。。。

On　another　occasion　a　man　came　running　up　the　stairs　of　the　Hall　and
thrust　his　way　into　a　meeting　of　the　Committeeone　of　those　normally
happy；　irresponsible　Syrians　who；　because　of　a　love　for　holidays；　are　the
despair　of　mill　overseers。　　Now　he　was　dazed；　breathless；　his　great　eyes
grief…stricken　like　a　wounded　animal's。

〃She　is　killidd；　my　wifede　polees；　dey　killidd　her！〃

It　was　Anna　Mower　who　investigated　the　case。　　〃The　girl　wasn't　doing
nothing　but　walk　along　Hudson　Street　when　one　of　those　hirelings　set　on
her　and　beat　her。　　She　put　out　her　hand　because　she　thought　he'd　hit　her…
…and　he　gave　her　three　or　four　with　his　billy　and　left　her　in　the　gutter。
If　you'd　see　her　you'd　know　she　wouldn't　hurt　a　fly；　she's　that　gentle
looking；　like　all　the　Syrian　women。　　She　had　a　‘Don't　be　a　scab'　ribbon
onthat's　all　she　done！　　Somebody'll　shoot　that　guy；　and　I　wouldn't
blame　'em。〃　　Anna　stood　beside　Janet's　typewriter；　her　face　red　with
anger　as　she　told　the　story。

〃And　how　is　the　woman　now？〃　asked　Janet。

〃In　bed；　with　two　ribs　broken　and　a　bruise　on　her　back　and　a　cut　on　her
head。　　I　got　a　doctor。　　He　could　hardly　see　her　in　that　black　place　they
live。〃。。。

Such　were　the　incidents　that　fanned　the　hatred　into　hotter　and　hotter
flame。　　Daily　reports　were　brought　in　of　arrests；　of　fines　and
imprisonments　for　picketing；　or　sometimes　merely　for　booing　at　the
remnant　of　those　who　still　clung　to　their　employment。　　One　magistrate　in
particular；　a　Judge　Hennessy；　was　hated　above　all　others　for　giving　the
extreme　penalty　of　the　law；　and　even　stretching　it。　　〃Minions；　slaves　of
the　capitalists；　of　the　masters；〃　the　courts　were　called；　and　Janet
subscribed　to　these　epithets；　beheld　the　judges　as　willing　agents　of　a
tyranny　from　which　she；　too；　had　suffered。　　There　arrived　at　Headquarters
frenzied　bearers　of　rumours　such　as　that　of　the　reported　intention　of
landlords　to　remove　the　windows　from　the　tenements　if　the　rents　were　not
paid。　　Antonelli　himself　calmed　these。　　〃Let　the　landlords　try　it！〃　　he
said　phlegmatically。。。。

After　a　while；　as　the　deadlock　showed　no　signs　of　breaking；　the　siege　of
privation　began　to　tell；　ominous　signs　of　discontent　became　apparent。
Chief　among　the　waverers　were　those　who　had　come　to　America　with　visions
of　a　fortune；　who　had　practised　a　repulsive　thrift　in　order　to　acquire
real　estate；　who　carried　in　their　pockets　dog…eared　bank　books　recording
payments　already　made。　　These　had　consented　to　the　strike　reluctantly；
through　fear；　or　had　been　carried　away　by　the　eloquence　and　enthusiasm　of
the　leaders；　by　the　expectation　that　the　mill　owners　would　yield　at　once。
Some　went　back　to　work；　only　to　be　〃seen〃　by　the　militant；　watchful
picketsgenerally　in　their　rooms；　at　night。　　One　evening；　as　Janet　was
walking　home；　she　chanced　to　overhear　a　conversation　taking　place　in　the
dark　vestibule　of　a　tenement。

〃Working　to…day？〃

〃Yah。〃

〃Work　to…morrow？〃

Hesitation。　　〃I　d'no。〃

〃You　work；　I　cut　your　throat。〃　　A　significant　noise。　　〃Naw；　I　no　work。〃

〃Shake！〃

She　hurried　on　trembling；　not　with　fear；　but　exultingly。　　Nor　did　she
reflect　that　only　a　month　ago　such　an　occurrence　would　have　shocked　and
terrified　her。　　This　was　war。。。。　　On　her　way　to　Fillmore　Street　she
passed；　at　every　street　corner　in　this　district；　a　pacing　sentry；　muffled
in　greatcoat　and　woollen　cap；　alert　and　watchful；　the　ugly　knife　on　the
end　of　his　gun　gleaming　in　the　blue　light　of　the　arc。　　It　did　not　occur
to　her；　despite　the　uniform；　that　the　souls　of　many　of　these　men　were
divided　also；　that　their　voices　and　actions；　when　she　saw　them
threatening　with　their　bayonets；　were　often　inspired　by　that　inner
desperation　characteristic　of　men　who　find　themselves　unexpectedly　in
false　situations。　　Once　she　heard　a　woman　shriek　as　the　sharp　knife
grazed　her　skirt：　at　another　time　a　man　whose　steps　had　been　considerably
hurried　turned；　at　a　safe　distance；　and　shouted　defiantly：

〃Say；　who　are　you　working　for？　　Me　or　the　Wool　Trust？〃

〃Aw；　get　along；〃　retorted　the　soldier；　〃or　I'll　give　you　yours。〃

The　man　caught　sight　of　Janet's　button　as　she　overtook　him。　　He　was
walking　backward。

〃That　feller　has　a　job　in　a　machine　shop　over　in　Barrington；　I　seen　him
there　when　I　was　in　the　mills。　　And　here　he　is　tryin'　to　put　us　out
ain't　that　the　limit？〃

The　thud　of　horses'　feet　in　the　snow　prevented　her　reply。　　The
silhouettes　of　the　approaching　squad　of　cav