the dwelling place of ligh-第83章

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Maturin　once　illuminatingly　remarkedmore　like　children。　　Sometimes　he
went　to　see　their　parents；as　in　the　case　of　Marcusto　suggest　certain
hygienic　precautions　in　his　humorous　way；　and　his　accounts　of　these
visits；　too；　were　always　humorous。　　Yet　through　that　humour　ran　a　strain
of　pathos　that　clutcheddespite　her　smileat　Janet's　heartstrings。
This　gift　of　emphasizing　and　heightening　tragedy　while　apparently　dealing
in　comedy　she　never　ceased　to　wonder　at。　　She；　too；　knew　that　tragedy　of
the　tenements；　of　the　poor；　its　sordidness　and　cruelty。　　All　her　days　she
had　lived　precariously　near　it；　and　lately　she　had　visited　these　people；
had　been　torn　by　the　sight　of　what　they　endured。　　But　Insall's　jokes；
while　they　stripped　it　of　sentimentality　of　which　she　had　an　instinctive
dislikemade　it　for　her　even　more　poignant。　　One　would　have　thought；　to
have　such　an　insight　into　it；　that　he　too　must　have　lived　it；　must　have
been　brought　up　in　some　dirty　alley　of　a　street。　　That　gift；　of　course；
must　be　a　writer's　gift。

When　she　saw　the　waifs　trooping　after　him　down　the　stairs；　Mrs。　Maturin
called　him　the　Pied　Piper　of　Hampton。

As　time　went　on；　Janet　sometimes　wondered　over　the　quiet　manner　in　which
these　two　people；　Insall　and　Mrs。　Maturin；　took　her　visits　as　though　they
were　matters　of　course；　and　gave　her　their　friendship。　　There　was；
really；　no　obvious　excuse　for　her　coming；　not　even　that　of　the　waifs　for
foodand　yet　she　came　to　be　fed。　　The　sustenance　they　gave　her　would
have　been　hard　to　define；　it　flowed　not　so　much　from　what　they　said；　as
from　what　they　were；　it　was　in　the　atmosphere　surrounding　them。
Sometimes　she　looked　at　Mrs。　Maturin　to　ask　herself　what　this　lady　would
say　if　she　knew　her　history；　her　relationship　with　Ditmarwhich　had　been
her　real　reason　for　entering　the　ranks　of　the　strikers。　　And　was　it　fair
for　her；　Janet；　to　permit　Mrs。　Maturin　to　bestow　her　friendship　without
revealing　this？　　She　could　not　make　up　her　mind　as　to　what　this　lady
would　say。　　Janet　had　had　no　difficulty　in　placing　Ditmar；　not　much
trouble；　after　her　first　surprise　was　over；　in　classifying　Rolfe　and　the
itinerant　band　of　syndiealists　who　had　descended　upon　her　restricted
world。　　But　Insall　and　Mrs。　Maturin　were　not　to　be　ticketed。　　What
chiefly　surprised　her；　in　addition　to　their　kindliness；　to　their　taking
her　on　faith　without　the　formality　of　any　recommendation　or　introduction；
was　their　lack　of　intellectual　narrowness。　　She　did　not；　of　course；　so
express　it。　　But　she　sensed；　in　their　presence；　from　references　casually
let　fall　in　their　conversation；　a　wider　culture　of　which　they　were　in
possession；　a　culture　at　once　puzzling　and　exciting；　one　that　she
despaired　of　acquiring　for　herself。　　Though　it　came　from　reading；　it　did
not　seem　〃literary；〃　according　to　the　notion　she　had　conceived　of　the
term。　　Her　speculations　concerning　it　must　be　focussed　and　interpreted。
It　was　a　culture；　in　the　first　place；　not　harnessed　to　an　obvious　Cause：
something　like　that　struck　her。　　It　was　a　culture　that　contained
tolerance　and　charity；　that　did　not　label　a　portion　of　mankind　as　its
enemy；　but　seemed；　by　understanding　all；　to　forgive　all。　　It　had　no
prejudices；　nor　did　it　boast；　as　the　Syndicalists　boasted；　of　its　absence
of　convention。　　And　little　by　little　Janet　connected　it　with　Silliston。

〃It　must　be　wonderful　to　live　in　such　a　place　as　that；〃　she　exclaimed；
when　the　Academy　was　mentioned。　　On　this　occasion　Insall　had　left　for　a
moment；　and　she　was　in　the　little　room　he　called　his　〃store；〃　alone　with
Mrs。　Maturin；　helping　to　sort　out　a　batch　of　garments　just　received。

〃It　was　there　you　first　met　Brooks；　wasn't　it？〃　　She　always　spoke　of　him
as　Brooks。　　〃He　told　me　about　it；　how　you　walked　out　there　and　asked　him
about　a　place　to　lunch。〃　　Mrs。　Maturin　laughed。　　〃You　didn't　know　what　to
make　of　him；　did　you？〃

〃I　thought　he　was　a　carpenter！〃　said　Janet。　　〃II　never　should　have
taken　him　for　an　author。　　But　of　course　I　don't　know　any　other　authors。〃

〃Well；　he's　not　like　any　of　them；　he's　just　like　himself。　　You　can't　put
a　tag　on　people　who　are　really　big。〃

Janet　considered　this。　　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　　I　suppose　not；〃　she
agreed。

Mrs。　Maturin　glanced　at　her。　　〃So　you　liked　Sflliston；〃　she　said。

〃I　liked　it　better　than　any　place　I　ever　saw。　　I　haven't　seen　many
places；　but　I'm　sure　that　few　can　be　nicer。〃

〃What　did　you　like　about　it；　Janet？〃　　Mrs。　Maturin　was　interested。

〃It's　hard　to　say；〃　Janet　replied；　after　a　moment。　　〃It　gave　me　such　a
feeling　of　peaceof　having　come　home；　although　I　lived　in　Hampton。　　I
can't　express　it。〃

〃I　think　you're　expressing　it　rather　well；〃　said　Mrs。　Maturin。

〃It　was　so　beautiful　in　the　spring；〃　Janet　continued；　dropping　the　coat
she　held　into　the　drawer。　　〃And　it　wasn't　just　the　trees　and　the　grass
with　the　yellow　dandelions；　it　was　the　houses；　tooI've　often　wondered
why　those　houses　pleased　me　so　much。　　I　wanted　to　live　in　every　one　of
them。　　Do　you　know　that　feeling？〃　　Mrs。　Maturin　nodded。　　〃They　didn't
hurt　your　eyes　when　you　looked　at　them；　and　they　seemed　to　be　so　much　at
home　there；　even　the　new　ones。　　The　new　ones　were　like　the　children　of
the　old。〃

〃I'll　tell　the　architect。　　He'll　be　pleased；〃　said　Mrs。　Maturin。

Janet　flushed。

〃Am　I　being　silly？〃　she　asked。

〃No；　my　dear；〃　Mrs。　Maturin　replied。　　〃You've　expressed　what　I　feel　about
Silliston。　　What　do　you　intend　to　do　when　the　strike　is　over？〃

〃I　hadn't　thought。〃　　Janet　started　at　the　question；　but　Mrs。　Maturin　did
not　seem　to　notice　the　dismay　in　her　tone。　　〃You　don't　intend　toto
travel　around　with　the　I。　W。　W。　　people；　do　you？〃

〃II　hadn't　thought；〃　Janet　faltered。　　It　was　the　first　time　Mrs。
Maturin　had　spoken　of　her　connection　with　Syndicalism。　　And　she　surprised
herself　by　adding：　〃I　don't　see　how　I　could。　　They　can　get　stenographers
anywhere；　and　that's　all　I'm　good　for。〃　　And　the　question　occurred　to
herdid　she　really　wish　to？

〃What　I　was　going　to　suggest；〃　continued　Mrs。　Maturin；　quietly；　〃was　that
you　might　try　Silliston。　　There's　a　chance　for　a　good　stenographer　there；
and　I'm　sure　you　are　a　good　one。　　So　many　of　the　professors　send　to
Boston。〃

Janet　stood　stock　still。　　Then　she　said：　〃But　you　don't　know　anything
about　me；　Mrs。　Maturin。〃

Kindliness　burned　in　the　lady's　eyes　as　she　replied：　〃I　know　more　now
since　you've　told　me　I　know　nothing。　　Of　course　there's　much　I　don't
know；　how　you；　a　stenographer；　became　involved　in　this　strike　and　joined
the　I。　W。　W。　　But　you　shall　tell　me　or　not；　as　you　wish；　when　we　become
better　friends。〃

Janet　felt　the　blood　beating　in　her　throat；　and　an　impulse　to　confess
everything　almost　mastered　her。　　From　the　first　she　had　felt　drawn　toward
Mrs。　Maturin；　who　seemed　to　hold　out　to　her　the　promise　of　a　woman's
friendshipfor　which　she　had　felt　a　life…long　need：　a　woman　friend　who
would　understand　the　insatiate　yearning　in　her　that　gave　her　no　rest　in
her　search　for　a　glittering　essence　never　found；　that　had　led　her　only　to
new　depths　of　bitterness　and　despair。　　It　would　destroy　her；　if　indeed　it
had　not　already　done　so。　　Mrs。　Maturin；　Insall；　seemed　to　possess　the
secret　that　would　bring　her　peaceand　yet；　in　spite　of　something　urging
her　to　speak；　she　feared　the　risk　of　losing　them。　　Perhaps；　after　all；
they　would　not　understand！　perhaps　it　was　too　late！

〃You　do　not　believe　in　the　Industrial　Workers　of　the　World；〃　was　what　she
said。

Mrs。　Maturin　herself；　who　had　been　moved　and　excited　as　she　gazed　at
Janet；　was　taken　by　surprise。　　A　few　moments　elapsed　before　she　could
gather　herself　to　reply；　and　then　she　managed　to　smile。

〃I　do　not　believe　that　wisdom　will　die　with　them；　my　dear。　　Theirtheir
doctrine　is　too　simple；　it　does　not　seem　as　if　life；　the　social　order　is
to　be　so　easily　solved。〃

〃But　you　must　sympathize　with　them；　with　the　strikers。〃　　Janet's　gesture
implied　that　the　soup　kitchen　was　proof　of　this。

〃Ah；〃　replied　Mrs。　Maturin；　gently；　〃that　is　different　to　understand
them。　　There　is　one　philosophy　for　the　lamb；　and　another　for　the　wolf。〃

〃You　mean；〃　said　Janet；　trembling；　〃that　what　happens　to　us　makes　us
inclined　to　believe　certain　things？〃

〃Pr