the dwelling place of ligh-第81章

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The　thud　of　horses'　feet　in　the　snow　prevented　her　reply。　　The
silhouettes　of　the　approaching　squad　of　cavalry　were　seen　down　the
street；　and　the　man　fled　precipitately　into　an　alleyway。。。。

There　were　ludicrous　incidents；　too；　though　never　lacking　in　a　certain
pathos。　　The　wife　of　a　Russian　striker　had　her　husband　arrested　because
he　had　burned　her　clothes　in　order　to　prevent　her　returning　to　the　mill。
From　the　police　station　he　sent　a　compatriot　with　a　message　to
Headquarters。　　〃Oye；　he　fix　her！　　She　no　get　her　jawb　nowshe　gotta　stay
in　bed！〃　this　one　cried　triumphantly。

〃She　was　like　to　tear　me　in　pieces　when　I　brought　her　the　clothes；〃　said
Anna　Mower；　who　related　her　experience　with　mingled　feelings。　　〃I
couldn't　blame　her。　　You　see；　it　was　the　kids　crying　with　cold　and
starvation；　and　she　got　so　she　just　couldn't　stand　it。　　I　couldn't　stand
it；　neither。〃

Day　by　day　the　element　who　wished　to　compromise　and　end　the　strike　grew
stronger；　brought　more　and　more　pressure　on　the　leaders。　　These　people
were　subsidized；　Antonelli　declared；　by　the　capitalists。。。。




CHAPTER　XVIII

A　more　serious　atmosphere　pervaded　Headquarters；　where　it　was　realized
that　the　issue　hung　in　the　balance。　　And　more　proclamations；　a　la
Napoleon；　were　issued　to　sustain　and　hearten　those　who　were　finding　bread
and　onions　meagre　fare；　to　shame　the　hesitating；　the　wavering。　　As　has
been　said；　it　was　Rolfe　who；　because　of　his　popular　literary　gift；
composed　these　appeals　for　the　consideration　of　the　Committee；　dictating
them　to　Janet　as　he　paced　up　and　down　the　bibliotheque；　inhaling
innumerable　cigarettes　and　flinging　down　the　ends　on　the　floor。　　A　famous
one　was　headed　〃Shall　Wool　and　Cotton　Kings　Rule　the　Nation？〃　〃We　are
winning〃　it　declared。　　〃The　World　is　with　us！　　Forced　by　the　unshaken
solidarity　of　tens　of　thousands；　the　manufacturers　offer　bribes　to　end
the　reign　of　terror　they　have　inaugurated。。。。　　Inhuman　treatment　and
oppressive　toil　have　brought　all　nationalities　together　into　one　great
army　to　fight　against　a　brutal　system　of　exploitation。　　In　years　and
years　of　excessive　labour　we　have　produced　millions　for　a　class　of　idle
parasites；　who　enjoy　all　the　luxuries　of　life　while　our　wives　have　to
leave　their　firesides　and　our　children　their　schools　to　eke　out　a
miserable　existence。〃　　And　this　for　the　militia：　〃The　lowest　aim　of　life
is　to　be　a　soldier！　　The　‘good'　soldier　never　tries　to　distinguish　right
from　wrong；　he　never　thinks；　he　never　reasons；　he　only　obeys〃

〃But；〃　Janet　was　tempted　to　say；　〃your　syndicalism　declares　that　none　of
us　should　think　or　reason。　　We　should　only　feel。〃　　She　was　beginning　to
detect　Rolfe's　inconsistencies；　yet　she　refrained　from　interrupting　the
inspirational　flow。

〃The　soldier　is　a　blind；　heartless；　soulless；　murderous　machine。〃　　Rolfe
was　fond　of　adjectives。　　〃All　that　is　human　in　him；　all　that　is　divine
has　been　sworn　away　when　he　took　the　enlistment　oath。　　No　man　can　fall
lower　than　a　soldier。　　It　is　a　depth　beyond　which　we　cannot　go。〃

〃All　that　is　human；　all　that　is　divine；〃　wrote　Janet；　and　thrilled　a
little　at　the　words。　　Why　was　it　that　mere　words；　and　their　arrangement
in　certain　sequences；　gave　one　a　delicious；　creepy　feeling　up　and　down
the　spine？　　Her　attitude　toward　him　had　become　more　and　more　critical；
she　had　avoided　him　when　she　could；　but　when　he　was　in　this　ecstatic　mood
she　responded；　forgot　his　red　lips；　his　contradictions；　lost　herself　in　a
medium　she　did　not　comprehend。　　Perhaps　it　was　because；　in　his　absorption
in　the　task；　he　forgot　her；　forgot　himself。　　She；　too；　despised　the
soldiers；　fervently　believed　they　had　sold　themselves　to　the　oppressors
of　mankind。　　And　Rolfe；　when　in　the　throes　of　creation；　had　the　manner　of
speaking　to　the　soldiers　themselves；　as　though　these　were　present　in　the
lane　just　below　the　window；　as　though　he　were　on　the　tribune。　　At　such
times　he　spoke　with　such　rapidity　that；　quick　though　she　was；　she　could
scarcely　keep　up　with　him。　　〃Most　of　you；　Soldiers；　are　workingmen！〃　he
cried。　　〃Yesterday　you　were　slaving　in　the　mills　yourselves。　　You　will
profit　by　our　victory。　　Why　should　you　wish　to　crush　us？　　Be　human！〃

Pale；　excited；　he　sank　down　into　the　chair　by　her　side　and　lit　another
cigarette。

〃They　ought　to　listen　to　that！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It's　the　best　one　I've
done　yet。〃

Night　had　come。　　Czernowitz　sat　in　the　other　room；　talking　to　Jastro；　a
buzz　of　voices　came　from　the　hall　through　the　thin　pine　panels　of　the
door。　　All　day　long　a　sixty…mile　gale　had　twisted　the　snow　of　the　lane
into　whirling；　fantastic　columns　and　rattled　the　windows　of　Franco…
Belgian　Hall。　　But　now　the　wind　had　fallen。。。。　　Presently；　as　his　self…
made　music　ceased　to　vibrate　within　him；　Rolfe　began　to　watch　the　girl　as
she　sat　motionless；　with　parted　lips　and　eyes　alight；　staring　at　the
reflection　of　the　lamp　in　the　blue…black　window。

〃Is　that　the　end？〃　she　asked；　at　length。

〃Yes；〃　he　replied　sensitively。　　〃Can't　you　see　it's　a　climax？　　Don't　you
think　it's　a　good　one？〃

She　looked　at　him；　puzzled。

〃Why；　yes；〃　she　said；　〃I　think　it's　fine。　　You　see；　I　have　to　take　it
down　so　fast　I　can't　always　follow　it　as　I'd　like　to。〃

〃When　you　feel；　you　can　do　anything；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It　is　necessary　to
feel。〃

〃It　is　necessary　to　know；〃　she　told　him。

〃I　do　not　understand　you；〃　he　cried；　leaning　toward　her。　　〃Sometimes　you
are　a　flamea　wonderful；　scarlet　flame　I　can　express　it　in　no　other　way。
Or　again；　you　are　like　the　Madonna　of　our　new　faith；　and　I　wish　I　were　a
del　Sarto　to　paint　you。　　And　then　again　you　seem　as　cold　as　your　New
England　snow；　you　have　no　feeling；　you　are　an　Anglo…Saxona　Puritan。〃

She　smiled；　though　she　felt　a　pang　of　reminiscence　at　the　word。　　Ditmar
had　called　her　so；　too。

〃I　can't　help　what　I　am；〃　she　said。

〃It　is　that　which　inhibits　you；〃　he　declared。　　〃That　Puritanism。　　It　must
be　eradicated　before　you　can　develop；　and　thenand　then　you　will　be
completely　wonderful。　　When　this　strike　is　over；　when　we　have　time；　I
will　teach　you　many　thingsdevelop　you。　　We　will　read　Sorel　together　he
is　beautiful；　like　poetryand　the　great　poets；　Dante　and　Petrarch　and
Tassoyes；　and　d'Annunzio。　　We　shall　live。〃

〃We　are　living；　now；〃　she　answered。　　The　look　with　which　she　surveyed　him
he　found　enigmatic。　　And　then；　abruptly；　she　rose　and　went　to　her
typewriter。

〃You　don't　believe　what　I　say！〃　he　reproached　her。

But　she　was　cool。　　〃I'm　not　sure　that　I　believe　all　of　it。　　I　want　to
think　it　out　for　myselfto　talk　to　others；　too。〃

〃What　others？〃

〃Nobody　in　particulareverybody；〃　she　replied；　as　she　set　her　notebook
on　the　rack。

〃There　is　some　one　else！〃　he　exclaimed；　rising。

〃There　is　every　one　else；〃　she　said。

As　was　his　habit　when　agitated；　he　began　to　smoke　feverishly；　glancing　at
her　from　time　to　time　as　she　fingered　the　keys。　　Experience　had　led　him
to　believe　that　he　who　finds　a　woman　in　revolt　and　gives　her　a　religion
inevitably　becomes　her　possessor。　　But　more　than　a　month　had　passed；　he
had　not　become　her　possessorand　now　for　the　first　time　there　entered
his　mind　a　doubt　as　to　having　given　her　a　religion！　　The　obvious
inference　was　that　of　another　man；　of　another　influence　in　opposition　to
his　own；　characteristically；　however；　he　shrank　from　accepting　this；
since　he　was　of　those　who　believe　what　they　wish　to　believe。　　The　sudden
fear　of　losing　herintruding　itself　immediately　upon　an　ecstatic；
creative　moodunnerved　him；　yet　he　strove　to　appear　confident　as　he
stood　over　her。

〃When　you've　finished　typewriting　that；　we'll　go　out　to　supper；〃　he　told
her。

But　she　shook　her　head。

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　don't　want　to；〃　she　repliedand　then；　to　soften　her　refusal；　she
added；　〃I　can't；　to…night。〃

〃But　you　never　will　come　with　me　anymore。　　Why　is　it？〃

〃I'm　very　tired　at　night。　　I　don't　feel　like　going　out。〃　　She　sought　to
temporize。

〃You've　changed！〃　　he　accused　her。　　〃You're　not　the　same　as　you　were　at
firstyou　avoid　me。〃

The　swift　gesture　with　which　she　flung　over　the　carriage　of　her　machine
might　have　warned　him。

〃I　don't　like　that　Hampton　Hotel；〃　she　flashed　back。　　〃I'mI'm　not　a
vagabondyet。〃

〃A　vagabond！