the dwelling place of ligh-第85章
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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 stubborn wars。 There were aggressions； retaliations on both
sides； the antagonism grew more intense。 The older labour unions were
accused by the strikers of playing the employers' game； and thus grew to
be hated even more than the 〃capitalists。〃 These organizations of the
skilled had entered but half…heartedly into a struggle that now began to
threaten； indeed； their very existence； and when it was charged that the
Textile Workers had been attempting to secure recruits from the ranks of
the strikers； and had secretly offered the millowners a scale of demands
in the hope that a sufficient number of operatives would return to work；
and so break the strike； a serious riot was barely averted。 〃Scab…huntmg
agencies；〃 the unions were called。 One morning when it was learned that
the loom…fixers； almost to a man； had gone back to the mills； a streetcar
was stopped near the power house at the end of Faber Street； and in a
twinkling； before the militia or police could interfere； motorman；
conductor； and passengers were dragged from it and the trolley pole
removed。 This and a number of similar aggressive acts aroused the mill…
owners and their agents to appeal with renewed vigour to the public
through the newspapers； which it was claimed they owned or subsidized。
Then followed a series of arraignments of the strike leaders calculated
to stir the wildest prejudices and fears of the citizens of Hampton。
Antonelli and Jastroso rumour had itin various nightly speeches had
advised their followers to 〃sleep in the daytime and prowl like wild
animals at night〃； urged the power house employees to desert and leave
the city in darkness； made the declaration； 〃We will win if we raise
scaffolds on every street！〃 insisted that the strikers； too； should have
〃gun permits；〃 since the police hirelings carried arms。 And the fact
that the mill…owners replied with pamphlets whose object was proclaimed
to be one of discrediting their leaders in the eyes of the public still
further infuriated the strikers。 Such charges； of course； had to be
vehemently refuted； the motives behind them made clear； and counter…
accusations laid at the door of the mill…owners。
The atmosphere at Headquarters daily grew more tense。 At any moment the
spark might be supplied to precipitate an explosion that would shake the
earth。 The hungry； made more desperate by their own sufferings or the
spectacle of starving families； were increasingly difficult to control：
many wished to return to work； others clamoured for violence； nor were
these wholly discouraged by a portion of the leaders。 A riot seemed
imminenta riot Antonelli feared and firmly opposed； since it would
alienate the sympathy of that wider public in the country on which the
success of the strike depended。 Watchful； yet apparently unconcerned；
unmoved by the quarrels； the fierce demands for 〃action；〃 he sat on the
little stage； smoking his cigars and reading his newspapers。
Janet's nerves were taut。 There had been times during the past weeks
when she had been aware of new and vaguely disquieting portents。
Inexperience had led her to belittle them； and the absorbing nature of
her work； the excitement due to the strange life of conflict； of new
ideas； into which she had so unreservedly flung herself； the resentment
that galvanized herall these had diverted her from worry。 At night；
hers had been the oblivious slumber of the weary。。。。 And then； as a
desperate wayfarer； pressing on； feels a heavy drop of rain and glances
up to perceive the clouds that have long been gathering； she awoke in the
black morning hours； and fear descended upon her。 Suddenly her brain
became hideously active as she lay； dry…upped； staring into the darkness；
striving to convince herself that it could not be。 But the thing had its
advocate； also； to summon ingeniously； in cumulative array； those omens
she had ignored： to cause her to piece together； in this moment of
torture； portions of the knowledge of sexual facts that prudery banishes
from education； a smattering of which reaches the ears of such young
women as Janet in devious； roundabout ways。 Several times； in the month
just past； she had had unwonted attacks of dizziness； of faintness； and
on one occasion Anna Mower； alarmed； had opened the window of the
bibliotheque and thrust her into the cold air。 Now； with a pang of fear
she recalled what Anna had said：
〃You're working too hardyou hadn't ought to stay here nights。 If it
was some girls I've met； I'd know what to think。〃
Strange that the significance of this sentence had failed to penetrate
her consciousness until now！ 〃If it was some girls I've met； I'd know
what to think！〃 It had come into her mind abruptly； and always； when she
sought to reassure herself； to declare her terror absurd； it returned to
confront her。 Heat waves pulsed through her； she grew intolerably warm；
perspiration started from her pores； and she flung off the blankets。 The
rain from the roofs was splashing on the bricks of the passage。。。。 What
would Mr。 Insall say； if he knew？ and Mrs。 Maturin？ She could never see
them again。 Now there was no one to whom to turn； she was cut off；
utterly； from humanity； an outcast。 Like Lise！ And only a little while
ago she and Lise had lain in that bed together！ Was there not somebody …
…God？ Other people believed in God； prayed to him。 She tried to say；
〃Oh God； deliver me from this thing！。〃 but the words seemed a mockery。
After all； it was mechanical； it had either happened or it hadn't
happened。 A life…long experience in an environment where only unpleasant
things occurred； where miracles were unknown； had effaced a fleeting；
childhood belief in miracles。 Cause and effect were the rule。 And if
there were a God who did interfere； why hadn't he interfered before this
thing happened？ Then would have been the logical time。 Why hadn't he
informed her that in attempting to escape from the treadmill in which he
had placed her； in seeking happiness； she had been courting destruction？
Why had he destroyed Lise？ And if there were a God； would he comfort her
now； convey to her some message of his sympathy and love？ No such
message； alas； seemed to come to her through the darkness。
After a whilea seemingly interminable whilethe siren shrieked； the
bells jangled loudly in the wet air； another day had come。 Could she
face iteven the murky grey light of this that revealed the ashes and
litter of the back yard under the downpour？ The act of dressing brought
a slight relief； and then； at breakfast； a numbness stole over her
suggested and conveyed； perchance； by the apathy of her mother。
Something had killed suffering in Hannah； perhaps she herself would
mercifully lose the power to suffer！ But the thought made her shudder。
She could not； like her mother； find a silly refuge in shining dishes； in
cleaning pots and pans； or sit idle； vacant…minded； for long hours in a
spotless kitchen。 What would happen to her？。。。 Howbeit； the ache that
had tortured her became a dull； leaden pain； like that she had known at
another time …how long agowhen the suffering caused by Ditmar's
deception had dulled； when she had sat in the train on her way back to
Hampton from Boston； after seeing Lise。 The pain would throb again；
unsupportably； and she would wake； and this time it would drive hershe
knew not where。
She was certain； now； that the presage of the night was true。。。。
She reached Franco…Belgian Hall to find it in an uproar。 Anna Mower ran
up to her with the news that dynamite had been discovered by the police
in certain tenements of the Syrian quarter； that the tenants had been
arrested and taken to the police station where； bewildered and terrified；
they had denied any knowledge of the explosive。 Dynamite had also been
found under the power house； and in the millsthe sources of Hampton's
prosperity。 And Hampton believed； of course； that this was the
inevitable result of the anarchistic preaching of such enemies of society
as Jastro and Antone
