the dwelling place of ligh-第9章
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socialists。〃
〃But look at me； wasn't I born in Meriden； Connecticut？ Ain't that Yankee
enough for you？〃 Thus Mr。 Shivers sought blandly to confound him。
A Yankee Shades of the Pilgrim fathers； of seven； generations of Bumpuses！ A
Yankee who used his hands in that way； a Yankee with a nose like that； a Yankee
with a bald swathe down the middle of his crown and bunches of black； moth…
eaten hair on either side！ But Edward； too polite to descend to personalities；
was silent。。。。
In brief； this very politeness of Edward's； which his ancestors would have
scorned； this consideration and lack of self…assertion made him the favourite
prey of the many 〃characters〃 in Fillmore Street whose sanity had been
disturbed by pressure from above； in whose systems had lodged the germs of
those exotic social doctrines floating so freely in the air of our modern
industrial communities 。。。。 Chester Glenn remains for a passing mention。 A
Yankee of Yankees； this； born on a New Hampshire farm； and to the ordinary
traveller on the Wigmore branch of the railroad just a good…natured； round…
faced； tobacco…chewing brakeman who would take a seat beside ladies of his
acquaintance aid make himself agreeable until it was time to rise and bawl out；
in the approved manner of his profession； the name of the next station。
Fillmore Street knew that the flat visored cap which his corporation compelled
him to wear covered a brain into which had penetrated the maggot of the Single
Tax。 When he encountered Mr。 Shivers or Auermann the talk became coruscating。。
Eda Rawle； Janet's solitary friend of these days； must also be mentioned；
though the friendship was merely an episode in Janet's life。 Their first
meeting was at Grady's quick…lunch counter in Faber Street； which they both
frequented at one time； and the fact that each had ordered a ham sandwich； a
cup of coffee； and a confectionnew to Grady'sknown as a Napoleon had led to
conversation。
Eda； of course； was the aggressor； she was irresistibly drawn； she would not be
repulsed。 A stenographer in the Wessex National Bank； she boarded with a Welsh
family in Spruce Street； matter…of…fact； plodding； commonplace； resemblingas
Janet thoughta horse； possessing； indeed many of the noble qualities of that
animal； she might have been thought the last person in the world to discern and
appreciate in Janet the hidden elements of a mysterious fire。 In appearance
Miss Rawle was of a type not infrequent in Anglo…Saxon lands； strikingly
blonde； with high malar bones； white eyelashes； and eyes of a metallic blue；
cheeks of an amazing elasticity that worked rather painfully as she talked or
smiled； drawing back inadequate lips； revealing long； white teeth and vivid
gums。 It was the craving in her for romance Janet assuaged； Eda's was the love
content to pour out； that demands little。 She was capable of immolation。
Janet was by no means ungrateful for the warmth of such affection； though in
moments conscious of a certain perplexity and sadness because she was able to
give such a meagre return for the wealth of its offering。
In other moments； when the world seemed all disorder and chaos；as Mr。 Shivers
described it；or when she felt within her； like demons； those inexpressible
longings and desires； leaping and straining； pulling her； almost irresistibly；
she knew not whither； Eda shone forth like a light in the darkness； like the
beacon of a refuge and a shelter。 Eda had faith in her； even when Janet had
lost faith in herself： she went to Eda in the same spirit that Marguerite went
to church； though she； Janet； more resembled Faust； beingsave in these hours
of lowered vitalityof the forth…faring kind 。。。。 Unable to confess the need
that drove her； she arrived in Eda's little bedroom to be taken into Eda's
arms。 Janet was immeasurably the stronger of the two； but Eda possessed the
masculine trait of protectiveness； the universe never bothered her； she was one
of those personscalled fortunateto whom the orthodox Christian virtues come
as naturally as sun or air。 Passion； when sanctified by matrimony； was her
ideal； and now it was always in terms of Janet she dreamed of it； having read
about it in volumes her friend would not touch； and never
having experienced deeply its discomforts。 Sanctified or unsanctified； Janet
regarded it with terror； and whenever Eda innocently broached the subject she
recoiled。 Once Eda exclaimed：
〃When you do fall in love； Janet； you must tell me all about it； every word！〃
Janet blushed hotly； and was silent。 In Eda's mind such an affair was a kind
of glorified fireworks ending in a cluster of stars； in Janet's a volcanic
eruption to turn the world red。 Such was the difference between them。
Their dissipations together consisted of 〃sundaes〃 at a drug…store； or
sometimes of movie shows at the Star or the Alhambra。 Stereotyped on Eda's
face during the legitimately tender passages of these dramas was an expression
of rapture； a smile made peculiarly infatuate by that vertical line in her
cheeks； that inadequacy of lip and preponderance of white teeth and red gums。
It irritated； almost infuriated Janet； to whom it appeared as the logical
reflection of what was passing on the screen； she averted her glance from both；
staring into her lap； filled with shame that the relation between the sexes
should be thus exposed to public gaze； parodied； sentimentalized； degraded。。。。
There were； however； marvels to stir her； strange landscapes； cities； seas； and
ships；once a fire in the forest of a western reserve with gigantic tongues of
orange flame leaping from tree to tree。 The movies brought the world to
Hampton； the great world into which she longed to fare； brought the world to
her！ Remote mountain hamlets from Japan； minarets and muezzins from the
Orient； pyramids from Egypt； domes from Moscow resembling gilded beets turned
upside down； grey houses of parliament by the Thames； the Tower of London； the
Palaces of Potsdam； the Tai Mahal。 Strange lands indeed； and stranger peoples！
booted Russians in blouses； naked Equatorial savages tattooed and amazingly
adorned； soldiers and sailors； presidents； princes and emperors brought into
such startling proximity one could easily imagine one's self exchanging the
time of day！ Incredible to Janet how the audiences； how even Eda accepted with
American complacency what were to her never…ending miracles； the yearning to
see more； to know more； became acute； like a pain； but even as she sought to
devour these scenes； to drink in every detail； with tantalizing swiftness they
were whisked away。 They were peepholes in the walls of her prison； and at
night she often charmed herself to sleep with remembered visions of wide；
empty； treeshaded terraces reserved for kings。
But Eda； however complacent her interest in the scenes themselves； was thrilled
to the marrow by their effect on Janet； who was her medium。 Emerging from the
vestibule of the theatre； Janet seemed not to see the slushy street； her eyes
shone with a silver light like that of a mountain lake in a stormy sunset。 And
they walked in silence until Janet would exclaim：
〃Oh Eda； wouldn't you love to travel！〃
Thus Eda Rawle was brought in contact with values she herself was powerless to
detect； and which did not become values until they had passed through Janet。
One 〃educative〃 reel they had seen had begun with scenes in a lumber camp high
in the mountains of Galicia； where grow forests of the priceless pine that
becomes； after years of drying and seasoning； the sounding board of the
Stradivarius and the harp。 Even then it must respond to a Player。 Eda； though
failing to apply this poetic parallel； when alone in her little room in the
Welsh boarding…house often indulged in an ecstasy of speculation as to that
man； hidden in the mists of the future； whose destiny it would be to awaken her
friend。 Hampton did not contain him；of this she was sure； and in her efforts
to visualize him she had recourse to the movies； seeking him amongst that
brilliant company of personages who stood so haughtily or walked so
indifferently across the ephemeral brightness of the screen。
By virtue of these
