the dwelling place of ligh-第20部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


if　I　have　to。　　When　the　last　agentthat　was　Cortwas　sacked　I　went　to　Boston
on　my　own　hook　and　tackled　the　old　gentlemanthat's　the　only　way　to　get
anywhere。　　I　couldn't　bear　to　see　the　mill　going　to　scrap；　and　I　told　him　a
thing　or　two；I　had　the　facts　and　the　figures。　　Stephen　Chippering　was　a　big
man；　but　he　had　a　streak　of　obstinacy　in　him；　he　was　conservative；　you　bet。　　I
had　to　get　it　across　to　him　there　was　a　lot　of　dead　wood　in　this　plant；　I　had
to　wake　him　up　to　the　fact　that　the　twentieth　century　was　here。　　He　had　to　be
shownhe　was　from　Boston；　you　know〃　Ditmar　laughed〃but　he　was　all　wool　and
a　yard　wide；　and　he　liked　me　and　trusted　me。

〃That　was　in　nineteen　hundred。　　I　can　remember　the　interview　as　well　as　if　it
had　happened　last　nightwe　sat　up　until　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　in　that
library　of　his　with　the　marble　busts　and　the　leather…bound　books　and　the　double
windows　looking　out　over　the　Charles；　where　the　wind　was　blowing　a　gale。　　And
at　last　he　said；　‘All　right；　Claude；　go　ahead。　　I'll　put　you　in　as　agent；　and
stand　behind　you。'　And　by　thunder；　he　did　stand　behind　me。　　He　was　quiet；　the
finest　looking　old　man　I　ever　saw　in　my　life；　straight　as　a　ramrod；　with　a
little　white　goatee　and　a　red；　weathered　face　full　of　creases；　and　a　skin　that
looked　as　if　it　had　been　pricked　all　over　with　needlesthe　old　Boston　sort。
They　don't　seem　to　turn　'em　out　any　more。　　Why；　I　have　a　picture　of　him　here。〃

He　opened　a　drawer　in　his　desk　and　drew　out　a　photograph。　　Janet　gazed　at　it
sympathetically。

〃It　doesn't　give　you　any　notion　of　those　eyes　of　his；〃　Ditmar　said；
reminiscently。　　〃They　looked　right　through　a　man's　skull；　no　matter　how　thick
it　was。　　If　anything　went　wrong；　I　never　wasted　any　time　in　telling　him　about
it；　and　I　guess　it　was　one　reason　he　liked　me。　　Some　of　the　people　up　here
didn't　understand　him；　kow…towed　to　him；　they　were　scared　of　him；　and　if　he
thought　they　had　something　up　their　sleeves　he　looked　as　if　he　were　going　to
eat　'em　alive。　　Regular　fighting　eyes；　the　kind　that　get　inside　of　a　man　and
turn　the　light　on。　　And　he　sat　so　stillmade　you　ashamed　of　yourself。　　Well；
he　was　a　born　fighter；　went　from　Harvard　into　the　Rebellion　and　was　left　for
dead　at　Seven　Oaks；　where　one　of　the　company　found　him　and　saved　him。　　He　set
that　may　up　for　life；　and　never　talked　about　it；　either。　　See　what　he　wrote　on
the　bottom'To　my　friend；　Claude　Ditmar；　Stephen　Chippering。'　And　believe　me；
when　he　once　called　a　man　a　friend　he　never　took　it　back。　　I　know　one　thing；
I'll　never　get　another　friend　like　him。〃

With　a　gesture　that　gave　her　a　new　insight　into　Ditmar；　reverently　he　took　the
picture　from　her　hand　and　placed　it　back　in　the　drawer。　　She　was　stirred；
almost　to　tears；　and　moved　away　from　him　a　little；　as　though　to　lessen　by
distance　the　sudden　attraction　he　had　begun　to　exert：　yet　she　lingered；　half
leaning；　half　sitting　on　the　corner　of　the　big　desk；　her　head　bent　toward　him；
her　eyes　filled　with　light。　　She　was　wondering　whether　he　could　ever　love　a
woman　as　he　loved　this　man　of　whom　he　had　spoken；　whether　he　could　be　as　true
to　a　woman。　　His　own　attitude　seemed　never　to　have　been　more　impersonal；　but
she　had　ceased　to　resent　it；　something　within　her　whispered　that　she　was　the
conductor；　the　inspirer。。　　。。

〃I　wish　Stephen　Chippering　could　have　lived　to　see　this　order；〃　he　exclaimed；
〃to　see　the　Chippering　Mill　to…day！　　I　guess　he'd　be　proud　of　it；　I　guess　he
wouldn't　regret　having　put　me　in　as　agent。〃

Janet　did　not　reply。　　She　could　not。　　She　sat　regarding　him　intently；　and　when
he　raised　his　eyes　and　caught　her　luminous　glance；　his　expression　changed；　she
knew　Stephen　Chippering　had　passed　from　his　mind。

〃I　hope　you　like　it　here；〃　he　said。　　His　voice　had　become　vibrant；
ingratiating；　he　had　changed　from　the　master　to　the　suppliantand　yet　she　was
not　displeased。　　Power　had　suddenly　flowed　back　into　her；　and　with　it　an
exhilarating　self…command。

〃I　do　like　it；〃　she　answered。

〃But　you　said；　when　I　asked　you　to　be　my　stenographer；　that　you　didn't　care　for
your　work。〃

〃Oh；　this　is　different。〃

〃How？〃

〃I'm　interested；　the　mill　means　something　to　me　now　you　see；　I'm　not　just
copying　things　I　don't　know　anything　about。〃

〃I'm　glad　you're　interested；〃　he　said；　in　the　same　odd；　awkward　tone。　　〃I've
never　had　any　one　in　the　office　who　did　my　work　as　well。　　Now　Miss　Ottway　was　a
good　stenographer；　she　was　capable；　and　a　fine　woman；　but　she　never　got　the
idea；　the　spirit　of　the　mill　in　her　as　you've　got　it；　and　she　wasn't　able　to
save　me　trouble；　as　you　do。　　It's　remarkable　how　you've　come　to　understand；　and
in　such　a　short　time。〃

Janet　coloured。　　She　did　not　look　at　him；　but　had　risen　and　begun　to　straighten
out　the　papers　beside　her。

〃There　are　lots　of　other　things　I'd　like　to　understand；〃　she　said。

〃What？〃　he　demanded。

〃Wellabout　the　mill。　　I　never　thought　much　about　it　before；　I　always　hated
it；〃　she　cried；　dropping　the　papers　and　suddenly　facing　him。　　〃It　was　just
drudgery。　　But　now　I　want　to　learn　everything；　all　I　can；　I'd　like　to　see　the
machinery。〃

〃I'll　take　you　through　myselfto…morrow；〃　he　declared。

His　evident　agitation　made　her　pause。　　They　were　alone；　the　outer　office
deserted；　and　the　Ditmar　she　saw　now；　whom　she　had　summoned　up　with　ridiculous
ease　by　virtue　of　that　mysterious　power　within　her；　was　no　longer　the　agent　of
the　Chippering　Mill；　a　boy　filled　with　enthusiasm　by　a　business　achievement；
but　a　man；　the　incarnation　and　expression　of　masculine　desire　desire　for　her。
She　knew　she　could　compel　him；　if　she　chose；　to　throw　caution　to　the　winds。

〃Oh　no！〃　she　exclaimed。　　She　was　afraid　of　him；　she　shrank　from　such　a
conspicuous　sign　of　his　favour。

〃Why　not？〃　he　asked。

〃Because　I　don't　want　you　to；〃　she　said；　and　realized；　as　soon　as　she　had
spoken；　that　her　words　might　imply　the　existence　of　a　something　between　them
never　before　hinted　at　by　her。　　〃I'll　get　Mr。　Caldwell　to　take　me　through。〃
She　moved　toward　the　door；　and　turned；　though　still　on　fire　within；　her　manner
had　become　demure；　repressed。　　〃Did　you　wish　anything　more　this　evening？〃　she
inquired。

〃That's　all；〃　he　said；　and　she　saw　that　he　was　gripping　the　arms　of　his
chair。。。。




CHAPTER　VII

Autumn　was　at　hand。　　All　day　it　had　rained；　but　now；　as　night　fell　and　Janet
went　homeward；　the　white　mist　from　the　river　was　creeping　stealthily　over　the
city；　disguising　the　familiar　and　sordid　landmarks。　　These　had　become
beautiful；　mysterious；　somehow　appealing。　　The　electric　arcs；　splotches　in　the
veil；　revealed　on　the　Common　phantom　trees；　and　in　the　distance；　against　the
blurred　lights　from　the　Warren　Street　stores　skirting　the　park　could　be　seen
phantom　vehicles；　phantom　people　moving　to　and　fro。　　Thus；　it　seemed　to　Janet；
invaded　by　a　pearly　mist　was　her　own　soul；　in　which　she　walked　in　wonder；a
mist　shot　through　and　through　with　soft；　exhilarating　lights　half　disclosing
yet　transforming　and　etherealizing　certain　landmark's　there　on　which；　formerly；
she　had　not　cared　to　gaze。　　She　was　thinking　of　Ditmar　as　she　had　left　him
gripping　his　chair；　as　he　had　dismissed　her　for　the　day；　curtly；　almost
savagely。　　She　had　wounded　and　repelled　him；　and　lingering　in　her　was　that
exquisite　touch　of　feara　fear　now　not　so　much　inspired　by　Ditmar　as　by　the
semi…acknowledged　recognition　of　certain　tendencies　and　capacities　within
herself。　　Yet　she　rejoiced　in　them；　she　was　glad　she　had　hurt　Ditmar；　she　would
hurt　him　again。　　Still　palpitating；　she　reached　the　house　in　Fillmore　Street；
halting　a　moment　with　her　hand　on　the　door；　knowing　her　face　was　flushed；
anxious　lest　her　mother　or　Lise　might　notice　something　unusual　in　her　manner。
But；　when　she　had　slowly　mounted　the　stairs　and　lighted　the　gas　in　the　bedroom
the　sight　of　her　sister's　clothes　cast　over　the　chairs　was　proof　that　Lise　had
already　donned　her　evening　finery　and　departed。　　The　room　was　filled　with　the
stale　smell　of　clothes；　which　Janet　detested。　　She　flung　open　the　windows。　　She
took　off　her　hat　and　swiftly　tidied　herself；　yet　the　relief　she　felt　at　Lise's
absence　was　modified　by　a　sudden；　vehement　protest　against　sordidness。　　Why
should　she　not　live　by　herself　amidst　clean　and　tidy　surroundings？　　She　had
begun　to　earn　enough；　and　somehow　a　vista　had　been　opened　upa　vista　whose　end
she　could　not　see；　alluring；　enticing。。。。　　In　the　dining…room；　by　the　cleared
table；　her　father　was　reading　the　Banner；　her　mother　appeared　in　the　kitchen
door。

〃What　in　the　world　happened　to　you；　Janet？〃　she　exclaimed。


〃Nothing；〃　said　Janet。　　〃Mr。　Ditmar　asked　me　to　staythat　was　all。　　He'd　been
away。〃

〃I　was　worried；　I　was　going　to　make　your　father　go　down　to　the　mill。　　I've
saved　you　some　supper。〃

〃I　don't　want　much；〃　Janet　told　her；　〃I'm　not　hungry。〃

〃I　guess　you　have　to　work　too　hard　in　that　new　place；〃　said　Hannah；　as　she
brought　in　the　filled　plate　from　the　oven。

〃Well；　it　seems　to　agree　with　her；　mother；〃　declared　Edward；　who　could　always
be　counted　on　to　say　the　wrong　thing　with　the　best　of　intentions。　　〃I　never　saw
her　looking　as　wellwhy；　I　swan；　she's　getting　real　pretty！〃

Hannah　darted　at　him　a　glance；　but　restrained　herself；　and　Janet　reddened　as
she　tried　to　eat　the　beans　placed　before　her。　　The　pork　had　browned　and
hardened　at　the　edges；　the　gravy　had　spread；　a　crust　covered　the　potatoes。
When　her　father　resumed　his　reading　of　the　Banner　and　her　mother　went　back　into
the　kitchen　she　began　to　speculate　rather　resentfully　and　yet　excitedly　why　it
was　that　this　adventure　with　a　man；　with　Ditmar；　made　her　look　better；　feel
better；more　alive。　　She　was　too　honest　to　disguise　from　herself　that　it　was
an　adventure；　a　high　one；　fraught　with　all　sorts　of　possibilities；　dangers；　and
delights。　　Her　promotion　had　been　merely　incidental。　　Both　her　mother　and
father；　did　they　know　the　true　circumstances；that　Mr。　Ditmar　desired　her；　was
perhaps　in　love　with　herwould　be　disturbed。　　Undoubtedly　they　would　have
believed　that　she　could　〃take　care〃　of　herself。　　She　knew　that　matters　could
not　go　on　as　they　were；　that　she　would　either　have　to　leave　Mr。　Ditmar　orand
here　she　baulked　at　being　logical。　　She　had　no　intention　of　leaving　him：　to
rema