the dwelling place of ligh-第84章

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inclined　to　believe　certain　things？〃

〃Precisely；〃　agreed　Mrs。　Maturin；　in　admiration。　　〃But　I　must　be　honest
with　you；　it　was　Brooks　who　made　me　see　it。〃

〃Buthe　never　said　that　to　me。　　And　I　asked　him　once；　almost　the　same
question。〃

〃He　never　said　it　to　me；　either；〃　Mrs。　Maturin　confessed。　　〃He　doesn't
tell　you　what　he　believes；　I　simply　gathered　that　this　is　his　idea。　　And
apparently　the　workers　can　only　improve　their　condition　by　strikes；　by
sufferingit　seems　to　be　the　only　manner　in　which　they　can　convince　the
employers　that　the　conditions　are　bad。　　It　isn't　the　employers'　fault。〃

〃Not　their　fault！〃　Janet　repeated。

〃Not　in　a　large　sense；〃　said　Mrs。　Maturin。　　〃When　people　grow　up　to　look
at　life　in　a　certain　way；　from　a　certain　viewpoint；　it　is　difficult；
almost　impossible　to　change　them。　　It'sit's　their　religion。　　They　are
convinced　that　if　the　world　doesn't　go　on　in　their　way；　according　to
their　principles；　everything　will　be　destroyed。　　They　aren't　inhuman。
Within　limits　everybody　is　more　than　willing　to　help　the　world　along；　if
only　they　can　be　convinced　that　what　they　are　asked　to　do　will　help。〃

Janet　breathed　deeply。　　She　was　thinking　of　Ditmar。

And　Mrs。　Maturin；　regarding　her；　tactfully　changed　the　subject。

〃I　didn't　intend　to　give　you　a　lecture　on　sociology　or　psychology；　my
dear；〃　she　said。　　〃I　know　nothing　about　them；　although　we　have　a
professor　who　does。　　Think　over　what　I've　said　about　coming　to　Silliston。
It　will　do　you　goodyou　are　working　too　hard　here。　　I　know　you　would
enjoy　Silliston。　　And　Brooks　takes　such　an　interest　in　you；〃　she　added
impulsively。　　〃It　is　quite　a　compliment。〃

〃But　why？〃　Janet　demanded；　bewildered。

〃Perhaps　it's　because　you　havepossibilities。　　You　may　be　typewriting
his　manuscripts。　　And　then；　I　am　a　widow；　and　often　rather　lonelyyou
could　come　in　and　read　to　me　occasionally。〃

〃ButI've　never　read　anything。〃

〃How　fortunate！〃　said　Insall；　who　had　entered　the　doorway　in　time　to　hear
Janet's　exclamation。　　〃More　than　half　of　modern　culture　depends　on　what
one　shouldn't　read。〃

Mrs。　Maturin　laughed。　　But　Insall　waved　his　hand　deprecatingly。

〃That　isn't　my　own；〃　he　confessed。　　〃I　cribbed　it　from　a　clever
Englishman。　　But　I　believe　it's　true。〃

〃I　think　I'll　adopt　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Maturin　to　Insall；　when　she　had
repeated　to　him　the　conversation。　　〃I　know　you　are　always　convicting　me
of　enthusiasms；　Brooks；　and　I　suppose　I　do　get　enthusiastic。〃

〃Well；　you　adopt　herand　I'll　marry　her；〃　replied　Insall；　with　a　smile；
as　he　cut　the　string　from　the　last　bundle　of　clothing。

〃You　might　do　worse。　　It　would　be　a　joke　if　you　did！〃

His　friend　paused　to　consider　this　preposterous　possibility。　　〃One　never
can　tell　whom　a　man　like　you；　an　artist；　will　marry。〃

〃We've　no　business　to　marry　at　all；〃　said　Insall；　laughing。　　〃I　often
wonder　where　that　romantic　streak　will　land　you；　Augusta。　　But　you　do
have　a　delightful　time！〃

〃Don't　begrudge　it　me；　it　makes　life　so　much　more　interesting；〃　Mrs。
Maturin　begged；　returning　his　smile。　　〃I　haven't　the　faintest　idea　that
you　will　marry　her　or　any　one　else。　　But　I　insist　on　saying　she's　your
typeshe's　the　kind　of　a　person　artists　do　dig　up　and　marryonly　better
than　most　of　them；　far　better。〃

〃Dig　up？〃　said　Insall。

〃Well；　you　know　I'm　not　a　snobI　only　mean　that　she　seems　to　be　one　of
the　surprising　anomalies　that　sometimes　occur　inwhat　shall　I　say？in
the　working…classes。　　I　do　feel　like　a　snob　when　I　say　that。　　But　what　is
it？　　Where　does　that　spark　come　from？　　Is　it　in　our　modern　air；　that
discontent；　that　desire；　that　thrusting　forth　toward　a　new　light
something　as　yet　unformulated；　but　which　we　all　feel；　even　at　small
institutions　of　learning　like　Silliston？〃

〃Now　you're　getting　beyond　me。〃

〃Oh　no；　I'm　not；〃　Mrs。　Maturin　retorted　confidently。　　〃If　you　won't　talk
about　it；　I　will；　I　have　no　shame。　　And　this　girl　has　itthis　thing　I'm
trying　to　express。　　She's　modern　to　her　finger　tips；　and　yet　she's
extraordinarily　Americanin　spite　of　her　modernity；　she　embodies　in　some
queer　way　our　tradition。　　She　loves　our　old　houses　at　Sillistonthey
make　her　feel　at　homethat's　her　own　expression。〃

〃Did　she　say　that？〃

〃Exactly。　　And　I　know　she's　of　New　England　ancestry；　she　told　me　so。
What　I　can't　make　out　is；　why　she　joined　the　I。W。W。　　That　seems　so
contradictory。〃

〃Perhaps　she　was　searching　for　light　there；〃　Insall　hazarded。　　〃Why　don't
you　ask　her？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　Mrs。　Maturin；　thoughtfully。　　〃I　want　to；　my
curiosity　almost　burns　me　alive；　and　yet　I　don't。　　She　isn't　the　kind　you
can　ask　personal　questions　ofthat's　part　of　her　charm；　part　of　her
individuality。　　One　is　a　little　afraid　to　intrude。　　And　yet　she　keeps
coming　hereof　course　you　are　a　sufficient　attraction；　Brooks。　　But　I
must　give　her　the　credit　of　not　flirting　with　you。〃

〃I've　noticed　that；　too；〃　said　Insall；　comically。

〃She's　searching　for　light；〃　Mrs。　Maturin　went　on；　struck　by　the　phrase。
〃She　has　an　instinct　we　can　give　it　to　her；　because　we　come　from　an
institution　of　learning。　　I　felt　something　of　the　kind　when　I　suggested
her　establishing　herself　in　Silliston。　　Well；　she's　more　than　worth　while
experimenting　on；　she　must　have　lived　and　breathed　what　you　call　the
‘movie　atmosphere'　all　her　life；　and　yet　she　never　seems　to　have　read　and
absorbed　any　sentimental　literature　or　cheap　religion。　　She　doesn't
suggest　the　tawdry。　　That　part　of　her；　the　intellectual　part；　is　a　clear
page　to　be　written　upon。〃

〃There's　my　chance；〃　said　Insall。

〃No；　it's　my　chancesince　you're　so　cynical。〃

〃I'm　not　cynical；〃　he　protested。

〃I　don't　believe　you　really　are。　　And　if　you　are；　there　may　be　a　judgment
upon　you；〃　she　added　playfully。　　〃I　tell　you　she's　the　kind　of　woman
artists　go　mad　about。　　She　has　what　sentimentalists　call　temperament；　and
after　all　we　haven't　any　better　word　to　express　dynamic　desires。　　She'd
keep　you　stirred　up；　stimulated；　and　you　could　educate　her。〃

〃No；　thanks；　I'll　leave　that　to　you。　　He　who　educates　a　woman　is　lost。
But　how　about　Syndicalism　and　all　the　mysticism　that　goes　with　it？
There's　an　intellectual　over　at　Headquarters　who's　been　talking　to　her
about　Bergson；　the　life…force；　and　the　World…We…Ourselves…Create。〃

Mrs。　Maturin　laughed。

〃Well；　we　go　wrong　when　we　don't　go　right。　　That's　just　it；　we　must　go
some　way。　　And　I'm　sure；　from　what　I　gather；　that　she　isn't　wholly
satisfied　with　Syndicalism。〃

〃What　is　right？〃　demanded　Insall。

〃Oh；　I　don't　intend　to　turn　her　over　to　Mr。　Worrall　and　make　a
sociologist　and　a　militant　suffragette　out　of　her。　　She　isn't　that　kind；
anyhow。　　But　I　could　give　her　good　literature　to　readyours；　for
instance；〃　she　added　maliciously。

〃You're　preposterous；　Augusta；〃　Insall　exclaimed。

〃I　may　be；　but　you've　got　to　indulge　me。　　I've　taken　this　fancy　to　her
of　course　I　mean　to　see　more　of　her。　　Butyou　know　how　hard　it　is　for
me；　sometimes；　since　I've　been　left　alone。〃

Insall　laid　his　hand　affectionately　on　her　shoulder。

〃I　remember　what　you　said　the　first　day　I　saw　her；　that　the　strike　was　in
her；〃　Mrs。　Maturin　continued。　　〃Well；　I　see　now　that　she　does　express　and
typify　itand　I　don't　mean　the　‘labour　movement'　alone；　or　this　strike
in　Rampton；　which　is　symptomatic；　but　crude。　　I　mean　something　bigger
and　I　suppose　you　dothe　protest；　the　revolt；　the　struggle　for　self…
realization　that　is　beginning　to　be　felt　all　over　the　nation；　all　over
the　world　today；　that　is　not　yet　focussed　and　self…conscious；　but　groping
its　way；　clothing　itself　in　any　philosophy　that　seems　to　fit　it。　　I　can
imagine　myself　how　such　a　strike　as　this　might　appeal　to　a　girl　with　a
sense　of　rebellion　against　sordidness　and　lack　of　opportunityespecially
if　she　has　had　a　tragic　experience。　　And　sometimes　I　suspect　she　has　had
one。〃

〃Well；　it's　an　interesting　theory；〃　Insall　admitted　indulgently。

〃I'm　merely　amplifying　your　suggestions；　only。　　you　won't　admit　that　they
are　yours。　　And　she　was　your　protegee。〃　　〃And　you　are　going　to　take　her
off　my　hands。〃　　〃I'm　not　so　sure；〃　said　Mrs。　Maturin。




CHAPTER　XIX

The　Hampton　strike　had　reached　the　state　of　grim　deadlock　characteristic
of　all　stubb