the dwelling place of ligh-第82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！



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

〃A　vagabond！〃　he　repeated。

She　went　on　savagely　with　her　work。。

〃You　have　two　natures；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You　are　still　a　bourgeoise；　a
Puritan。　　You　will　not　be　yourself；　you　will　not　be　free　until　you　get
over　that。〃

〃I'm　not　sure　I　want　to　get　over　it。〃

He　leaned　nearer　to　her。

〃But　now　that　I　have　found　you；　Janet；　I　will　not　let　you　go。〃

〃You've　no　rights　over　me；〃　she　cried；　in　sudden　alarm　and　anger。　　〃I'm
not　doing　this　work；　I'm　not　wearing　myself　out　here　for　you。〃

〃Thenwhy　are　you　doing　it？〃　　His　suspicions　rose　again；　and　made　him
reckless。

〃To　help　the　strikers；〃　she　said。。。。　　He　could　get　no　more　out　of　her；
and　presently；　when　Anna　Mower　entered　the　room；　he　left　it。。。。

More　than　once　since　her　first　visit　to　the　soup　kitchen　in　Dey　Street
Janet　had　returned　to　it。　　The　universe　rocked；　but　here　was　equilibrium。
The　streets　were　filled　with　soldiers；　with　marching　strikers；　terrible
things　were　constantly　happening；　the　tension　at　Headquarters　never
seemed　to　relax。　　Out　in　the　world　and　within　her　own　soul　were　strife
and　suffering；　and　sometimes　fear；　the　work　in　which　she　sought　to　lose
herself　no　longer　sufficed　to　keep　her　from　thinking；　and　the　spectacle
when　she　returned　homeof　her　mother's　increasing　apathy　grew　more　and
more　appalling。　　But　in　Dey　Street　she　gained　calmness；　was　able　to　renew
something　of　that　sense　of　proportion　the　lack　of　which；　in　the　chaos　in
which　she　was　engulfed；　often　brought　her　to　the　verge　of　madness。　　At
first　she　had　had　a　certain　hesitation　about　going　back；　and　on　the
occasion　of　her　second　visit　had　walked　twice　around　the　block　before
venturing　to　enter。　　She　had　no　claim　on　this　man。　　He　was　merely　a
chance　acquaintance；　a　strangerand　yet　he　seemed　nearer　to　her；　to
understand　her　better　than　any　one　else　she　knew　in　the　world。　　This　was
queer；　because　she　had　not　explained　herself；　nor　had　he　asked　her　for
any　confidences。　　She　would　have　liked　to　confide　in　himsome　things：　he
gave　her　the　impression　of　comprehending　life；　of　having；　as　his
specialty；　humanity　itself；　he　should；　she　reflected；　have　been　a
minister；　and　smiled　at　the　thought：　ministers；　at　any　rate；　ought　to　be
like　him；　and　then　one　might　embrace　Christianitythe　religion　of　her
forefathers　that　Rolfe　ridiculed。　　But　there　was　about　Insall　nothing　of
religion　as　she　had　grown　up　to　apprehend　the　term。

Now　that　she　had　taken　her　courage　in　her　hands　and　renewed　her　visits；
they　seemed　to　be　the　most　natural　proceedings　in　the　world。　　On　that
second　occasion；　when　she　had　opened　the　door　and　palpitatingly　climbed
to　the　loft；　the　second　batch　of　children　were　finishing　their　midday
meal；rather　more　joyously；　she　thought；　than　before；and　Insall
himself　was　stooping　over　a　small　boy　whom　he　had　taken　away　from　the
table。　　He　did　not　notice　her　at　once；　and　Janet　watched　them。　　The　child
had　a　cough；　his　extreme　thinness　was　emphasized　by　the　coat　he　wore；
several　sizes　too　large　for　him。

〃Yon　come　along　with　me；　Marcus；　I　guess　I　can　fit　you　out；〃　Insall　was
saying；　when　he　looked　up　and　saw　Janet。

〃Why；　if　it　isn't　Miss　Bumpus！　　I　thought　you'd　forgotten　us。〃

〃Oh　no；〃　she　protested。　　〃I　wanted　to　come。〃

〃Then　why　didn't　you？〃

〃Well；　I　have　come；〃　she　said；　with　a　little　sigh；　and　he　did　not　press
her　further。　　And　she　refrained　from　offering　any　conventional　excuse；
such　as　that　of　being　interested　in　the　children。　　She　had　come　to　see
him；　and　such　was　the　faith　with　which　he　inspired　hernow　that　she　was
once　more　in　his　presencethat　she　made　no　attempt　to　hide　the　fact。

〃You've　never　seen　my　clothing　store；　have　you？〃　he　asked。　　And　with　the
child's　hand　in　his　he　led　the　way　into　a　room　at　the　rear　of　the　loft。
A　kit　of　carpenter's　tools　was　on　the　floor；　and　one　wall　was　lined　with
box…like　compartments　made　of　new　wood；　each　with　its　label　in　neat
lettering　indicating　the　articles　contained　therein。　　〃Shoes？〃　he
repeated；　as　he　ran　his　eye　down　the　labels　and　suddenly　opened　a　drawer。
〃Here　we　are；　Marcus。　　Sit　down　there　on　the　bench；　and　take　off　the
shoes　you　have　on。〃

The　boy　had　one　of　those　long　faces　of　the　higher　Jewish　type；
intelligent；　wistful。　　He　seemed　dazed　by　Insall's　kindness。　　The　shoes
he　wore　were　those　of　an　adult；　but　cracked　and　split；　revealing　the
cotton　stocking　and　here　and　there　the　skin。　　His　little　blue　hands
fumbled　with　the　knotted　strings　that　served　for　facings　until　Insall；
producing　a　pocket　knife；　deftly　cut　the　strings。

〃Those　are　summer　shoes；　Marcuswell　ventilated。〃

〃They're　by　me　since　August；〃　said　the　boy。

〃And　now　the　stockings；〃　prompted　Insall。　　The　old　ones；　wet；
discoloured；　and　torn；　were　stripped　off；　and　thick；　woollen　ones
substituted。　　Insall；　casting　his　eye　over　the　open　drawer；　chose　a　pair
of　shoes　that　had　been　worn；　but　which　were　stout　and　serviceable；　and
taking　one　in　his　hand　knelt　down　before　the　child。　　〃Let's　see　how　good
a　guesser　I　am；〃　he　said；　loosening　the　strings　and　turning　back　the
tongue；　imitating　good…humouredly　the　deferential　manner　of　a　salesman　of
footwear　as　he　slipped　on　the　shoe。　　〃Why；　it　fits　as　if　it　were　made　for
you！　　Now　for　the　other　one。　　Yes；　your　feet　are　matesI　know　a　man　who
wears　a　whole　size　larger　on　his　left　foot。〃　　The　dazed　expression
remained　on　the　boy's　face。　　The　experience　was　beyond　him。　　〃That's
better；〃　said　Insall；　as　he　finished　the　lacing。　　〃Keep　out　of　the　snow；
Marcus；　all　you　can。　　Wet　feet　aren't　good　for　a　cough；　you　know。　　And
when　you　come　in　to　supper　a　nice　doctor　will　be　here；　and　we'll　see　if
we　can't　get　rid　of　the　cough。〃

The　boy　nodded。　　He　got　to　his　feet；　stared　down　at　the　shoes；　and　walked
slowly　toward　the　door；　where　he　turned。

〃Thank　you；　Mister　Insall；〃　he　said。

And　Insall；　still　sitting　on　his　heels；　waved　his　hand。

〃It　is　not　to　mention　it；〃　he　replied。　　〃Perhaps　you　may　have　a　clothing
store　of　your　own　some　daywho　knows！〃　　He　looked　up　at　Janet　amusedly
and　then；　with　a　spring；　stood　upright；　his　easy；　unconscious　pose
betokening　command　of　soul　and　body。　　〃I　ought　to　have　kept　a　store；〃　he
observed。　　〃I　missed　my　vocation。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　missed　a　great　many　vocations；〃　she　replied。
Commonplaces　alone　seemed　possible；　adequate。　　〃I　suppose　you　made　all
those　drawers　yourself。〃

He　bowed　in　acknowledgment　of　her　implied　tribute。　　With　his　fine　nose
and　keen　eyesset　at　a　slightly　downward　angle；　creased　at　the　corners
with　his　thick；　greying　hair；　despite　his　comparative　youth　he　had　the
look　one　associates　with　portraits　of　earlier；　patriarchal　Americans。。。。
These　calls　of　Janet's　were　never　of　long　duration。　　She　had　fallen　into
the　habit　of　taking　her　lunch　between　one　and　two；　and　usually　arrived
when　the　last　installment　of　youngsters　were　finishing　their　meal；
sometimes　they　were　filing　out；　stopping　to　form　a　group　around　Insall；
who　always　managed　to　say　something　amusingsomething　pertinent　and
good…naturedly　personal。　　For　he　knew　most　of　them　by　name；　and　had
acquired　a　knowledge　of　certain　individual　propensities　and
idiosyncrasies　that　delighted　their　companions。

〃What's　the　trouble；　Stepanswallowed　your　spoon？〃　　Stepan　was　known　to
be　greedy。　　Or　he　would　suddenly　seize　an　unusually　solemn　boy　from
behind　and　tickle　him　until　the　child　screamed　with　laughter。　　It　was；
indeed；　something　of　an　achievement　to　get　on　terms　of　confidence　with
these　alien　children　of　the　tenements　and　the　streets　who　from　their
earliest　years　had　been　forced　to　shift　for　themselves；　and　many　of　whom
had　acquired　a　precocious　suspicion　of　Greeks　bearing　gifts。　　Insall
himself　had　used　the　phrase；　and　explained　it　to　Janet。　　That　sense　of
caveat　donor　was　perhaps　their　most　pathetic　characteristic。　　But　he
broke　it　down；　broke　down；　too；　the　shyness　accompanying　it；　the　shyness
and　solemnity　emphasized　in　them　by　contact　with　hardship　and　poverty；
with　the　stark　side　of　life　they　faced　at　home。　　He　had　made　themMrs。
Maturin　once　illuminatingly　remarkedmore　like　children。　　Sometimes　he
went　to　see　their　parents；as　i