the dwelling place of ligh-第86章
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inevitable result of the anarchistic preaching of such enemies of society
as Jastro and Antonelli if these； indeed； had not incited the Syrians to
the deed。 But it was a plot of the mill…owners； Anna insistedthey
themselves had planted the explosive； adroitly started the rumours； told
the police where the dynamite was to be found。 Such was the view that
prevailed at Headquarters； pervaded the angrily buzzing crowd that stood
outsideheedless of the rainand animated the stormy conferences in the
Salle de Reunion。
The day wore on。 In the middle of the afternoon； as she was staring out
of the window； Anna Mower returned with more news。 Dynamite had been
discovered in Hawthorne Street； and it was rumoured that Antonelli and
Jastro were to be arrested。
〃You ought to go home and rest； Janet；〃 she said kindly。
Janet shook her head。
〃Rolfe's back；〃 Anna informed her； after a moment。 〃He's talking to
Antonelli about another proclamation to let people know who's to blame
for this dynamite business。 I guess he'll be in here in a minute to
dictate the draft。 Say； hadn't you better let Minnie take it； and go
home？〃
〃I'm not sick；〃 Janet repeated； and Anna reluctantly left her。
Rolfe had been absent for a week； in New York； consulting with some of
the I。W。W。 leaders； with Lockhart； the chief protagonist of Syndicalism
in America； just returned from Colorado； to whom he had given a detailed
account of the Hampton strike。 And Lockhart； next week； was coming to
Hampton to make a great speech and look over the ground for himself。 All
this Rolfe told Janet eagerly when he entered the bibliotheque。 He was
glad to get back； he had missed her。
〃But you are pale！〃 he exclaimed； as he seized her hand； 〃and how your
eyes burn！ You do not take care of yourself when I am not here to watch
you。〃 His air of solicitude； his assumption of a peculiar right to ask；
might formerly have troubled and offended her。 Now she was scarcely
aware of his presence。 〃You feel too muchthat is it you are like a
torch that consumes itself in burning。 But this will soon be over； we
shall have them on their knees； the capitalists； before very long； when
it is known what they have done to…day。 It is too muchthey have
overreached themselves with this plot of the dynamite。
You have missed me； a little？〃
〃I have been busy；〃 she said； releasing her hand and sitting down at her
desk and taking up her notebook。
〃You are not well；〃 he insisted。
〃I'm all right；〃 she replied。
He lit a cigarette and began to pace the roomhis customary manner of
preparing himself for the creative mood。 After a while he began to
dictatebut haltingly。 He had come here from Antonelli all primed with
fervour and indignation； but it was evident that this feeling had ebbed；
that his mind refused to concentrate on what he was saying。 Despite the
magnificent opportunity to flay the capitalists which their most recent
tactics afforded him； he paused； repeated himself； and began again；
glancing from time to time reproachfully； almost resentfully at Janet。
Usually； on these occasions； he was transported； almost inebriated by his
own eloquence； but now he chafed at her listlessness； he was at a loss to
account for the withdrawal of the enthusiasm he had formerly been able to
arouse。 Lacking the feminine stimulus； his genius limped。 For Rolfe
there had been a woman in every strikesometimes two。 What had
happened； during his absence； to alienate the most promising of all
neophytes he had ever encountered？
〃The eyes of the world are fixed on the workers of Hampton！ They must be
true to the trust their fellows have placed in them！ To…day the mill…
owners； the masters； are at the end of their tether。 Always
unscrupulous； they have descended to the most despicable of tactics in
order to deceive the public。 But truth will prevail！。。。〃 Rolfe lit
another cigarette； began a new sentence and broke it off。 Suddenly he
stood over her。 〃It's you！〃 he said。 〃You don't feel it； you don't help
me； you're not in sympathy。〃
He bent over her； his red lips gleaming through his beard； a terrible
hunger in his lustrous eyesthe eyes of a soul to which self…denial was
unknown。 His voice was thick with uncontrolled passion； his hand was
cold。
〃Janet； what has happened？ I love you； you must love meI cannot
believe that you do not。 Come with me。 We shall work together for the
workersit is all nothing without you。〃
For a moment she sat still； and then a pain shot through her； a pain as
sharp as a dagger thrust。 She drew her hand away。
〃I can't loveI can only hate；〃 she said。
〃But you do not hate me！〃 Rolfe repudiated so gross a fact。 His voice
caught as in a sob。 〃I； who love you； who have taught you！〃
She dismissed thiswhat he had taught herwith a gesture which； though
slight； was all…expressive。 He drew back from her。
〃Shall I tell you who has planned and carried out this plot？〃 he cried。
〃It is Ditmar。 He is the one； and he used Janes； the livery stable
keeper； the politician who brought the dynamite to Hampton； as his tool。
Half an hour before Janes got to the station in Boston he was seen by a
friend of ours talking to Ditmar in front of the Chippering offices； and
Janes had the satchel with him then。 Ditmar walked to the corner with
him。〃
Janet； too； had risen。
〃I don't believe it；〃 she said。
〃Ah； I thought you wouldn't！ But we have the proof that dynamite was in
the satchel； we've found the contractor from whom it was bought。 I was a
foolI might have known that you loved Ditmar。〃
〃I hate him！〃 said Janet。
〃It is the same thing；〃 said Rolfe。
She did not answer。。。。 He watched her in silence as she put on her hat
and coat and left the room。
The early dusk was gathering when she left the hall and made her way
toward the city。 The huge bottle…shaped chimneys of the power plant
injected heavy black smoke into the wet air。 In Faber Street the once
brilliant signs above the 〃ten…foot〃 buildings seemed dulled； the
telegraph poles starker； nakeder than ever； their wires scarcely
discernible against the smeared sky。 The pedestrians were sombrely
garbed； and went about in 〃rubbers〃the most depressing of all articles
worn by man。 Sodden piles of snow still hid the curb and gutters； but
the pavements were trailed with mud that gleamed in the light from the
shop windows。 And Janet； lingering unconsciously in front of that very
emporium where Lisehad been incarcerated； the Bagatelle； stared at the
finery displayed there； at the blue tulle dress that might be purchased；
she read； for 22。99。 She found herself repeating； in meaningless；
subdued tones； the words； 〃twenty…two ninety…nine。〃 She even triedjust
to see if it were possibleto concentrate her mind on that dress； on the
fur muffs and tippets in the next window； to act as if this were just an
ordinary； sad February afternoon； and she herself once more just an
ordinary stenographer leading a monotonous； uneventful existence。 But
she knew that this was not true； because； later on； she was going to do
somethingto commit some act。 She didn't know what this act would be。
Her head was hot； her temples throbbed。。。。
Night had fallen； the electric arcs burned blue overhead； she was in
another streetwas it Stanley？ Sounds of music reached her； the rumble
of marching feet； dark； massed figures were in the distance swimming
toward her along the glistening line of the car tracks； and she heard the
shrill whistling of the doffer boys； who acted as a sort of fife corps in
these paradeswhich by this time had become familiar to the citizens of
Hampton。 And Janet remembered when the little red book that contained
the songs had arrived at Headquarters from the west and had been
distributed by thousands among the strikers。 She recalled the words of
this song； though the procession was as yet too far away for her to
distinguish them：
〃The People's flag is deepest red；
It shrouded oft our martyred dead；
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold；
Their life…blood dyed its every fold。〃
The song ceased； and she stood still； waiting for
