the dwelling place of ligh-第31节

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spent　most　of　his　time　presenting　cases　in　committees：　and　in　warding　off
Ditmar's　objections　he　was　forever　indulging　in　such　maddening　phrases　as；
〃Before　we　come　to　that；　let　me　say　a　word　just　here。〃　　Ditmar　hated　words。
His　outbursts；　his　efforts　to　stop　the　flow　of　them　were　not　unlike　the　futile
charges　of　a　large　and　powerful　animal　harassed　by　a　smaller　and　more　agile
one。　　With　nimble　politeness；　with　an　exasperating　air　of　deference　to　Ditmar's
opinions；　Mr。　Siddons　gave　ground；　only　to　return　to　the　charge；　yet；　despite　a
manner　and　method　which；　when　contrasted　to　Ditmar's；　verged　on　the　ludicrous；
Mr。　Siddons　had　a　force　and　fire　of　his　own；　nervous；　almost　fanatical：　when　he
dwelt　on　the　misery　he　had　seen；　and　his　voice　trembled　from　the　intensity　of
his　feeling；　Janet　began　to　be　moved。　　It　was　odd；　considering　the　struggle　for
existence　of　her　own　family；　that　these　foreigners　had　remained　outside　the
range　of　her　sympathy。

〃I　guess　you'll　find；〃　Ditmar　had　interrupted　peremptorily；　〃I　guess　you'll
find；　if　you　look　up　the　savings　banks　statistics；　these　people　have　got
millions　tucked　away。　　And　they　send　a　lot　of　it　to　the　other　side；　they　go
back　themselves；　and　though　they　live　like　cattle；　they　manage　to　buy　land。
Ask　the　real　estate　men。　　Why；　I　could　show　you　a　dozen　who　worked　in　the　mills
a　few　years　ago　and　are　capitalists　to…day。〃

〃I　don't　doubt　it；　Mr。　Ditmar；〃　Siddons　gracefully　conceded。　　〃But　what　does　it
prove？　　Merely　the　cruelty　of　an　economic　system　based　on　ruthless　competition。
The　great　majority　who　are　unable　to　survive　the　test　pay　the　price。　　And　the
community　also　pays　the　price；　the　state　and　nation　pay　it。　　And　we　have　this
misery　on　our　consciences。　　I've　no　doubt　you　could　show　me　some　who　have　grown
rich；　but　if　you　would　let　me　I　could　take　you　to　families　in　desperate　want；
living　in　rooms　too　dark　to　read　in　at　midday　in　clear　weather；　where　the
husband　doesn't　get　more　than　seven　dollars　a　week　when　the　mills　are　running
full　time；　where　the　woman　has　to　look　out　for　the　children　and　work　for　the
lodgers；　and　even　with　lodgers　they　get　into　debt；　and　the　woman　has　to　go　into
the　mills　to　earn　money　for　winter　clothing。　　I've　seen　enough　instances　of
this　kind　to　offset　the　savings　bank　argument。　　And　even　then；　when　you　have　a
family　where　the　wife　and　older　children　work；　where　the　babies　are　put　out　to
board；　where　there　are　three　and　four　lodgers　in　a　room；　why　do　you　suppose
they　live　that　way？　　Isn't　it　in　the　hope　of　freeing　themselves　ultimately　from
these　very　conditions？　　And　aren't　these　conditions　a　disgrace　to　Hampton　and
America？〃

〃Well；　what　am　I　to　do　about　it？〃　Ditmar　demanded。

〃I　see　that　these　operatives　have　comfortable　and　healthful　surroundings　in　the
mill；　I've　spent　money　to　put　in　the　latest　appliances。　　That's　more　than　a
good　many　mills　I　could　mention　attempt。〃

〃You　are　a　person　of　influence；　Mr。　Ditmar；　you　have　more　influence　than　any
man　in　Hampton。　　You　can　bring　pressure　to　bear　on　the　city　council　to　enforce
and　improve　the　building　ordinances；　you　can　organize　a　campaign　of　public
opinion　against　certain　property　owners。〃

〃Yes；〃　retorted　Ditmar；　〃and　what　then？　　You　raise　the　rents；　and　you　won't　get
anybody　to　live　in　the　houses。　　They'll　move　out　to　settlements　like　Glendale
full　of　dirt　and　vermin　and　disease　and　live　as　they're　accustomed　to。　　What
you　reformers　are　actually　driving　at　is　that　we　should　raise　wagesisn't　it？
If　we　raised　wages　they'd　live　like　rats　anyway。　　I　give　you　credit　for
sincerity；　Mr。　Siddons；　but　I　don't　want　you　to　think　I'm　not　as　much
interested　in　the　welfare　of　these　people　as　you　and　the　men　behind　you。　　The
trouble　is；　you　only　see　one　side　of　this　question。　　When　you're　in　my
position；　you're　up　against　hard　facts。　　We　can't　pay　a　dubber　or　a　drawing
tender　any　more　than　he's　worth；　whether　he　has　a　wife　or　children　in　the　mills
or　whether　he　hasn't。　　We're　in　competition　with　other　mills；　we're　in
competition　with　the　South。　　We　can't　regulate　the　cost　of　living。　　We　do　our
best　to　make　things　right　in　the　mills；　and　that's　all　we　can　do。　　We　can't
afford　to　be　sentimental　about　life。　　Competition's　got　to　be　the　rule；　the
world's　made　that　way。　　Some　are　efficient　and　some　aren't。　　Good　God；　any　man
who's　had　anything　to　do　with　hiring　labour　and　running　a　plant　has　that
drummed　into　him　hard。　　You　talk　about　ordinances；　lawsthere　are　enough　laws
and　ordinances　in　this　city　and　in　this　state　right　now。　　If　we　have　any　more
the　mills　will　have　to　shut　down；　and　these　people　will　starveall　of　'em。〃
Ditmar's　chair　came　down　on　its　four　legs；　and　he　flung　his　cigar　away。　　〃Send
me　a　copy　of　your　survey　when　it's　published。　　I'll　look　it　over。〃

〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　the　nerve　of　a　man　like　that？〃　　Ditmar　exploded；
when　Mr。　Siddons　had　bowed　himself　out。　　〃Comes　in　here　to　advise　me　that　it's
my　business　to　look　out　for　the　whole　city　of　Hampton。　　I'd　like　to　see　him　up
against　this　low…class　European　labour　trying　to　run　a　mill　with　them。　　They're
here　one　day　and　there　the　next；　they　don't　know　what　loyalty　is。　　You've　got
to　drive　'emif　you　give　'em　an　inch　they'll　jump　at　your　throat；　dynamite
your　property。　　Why；　there's　nothing　I　wouldn't　do　for　them　if　I　could　depend
on　them；　I'd　build　'em　houses；　I'd　have　automobiles　to　take　'em　home。　　As　it
is；　I　do　my　best；　though　they　don't　deserve　it；in　slack　seasons　I　run　half
time　when　I　oughtn't　to　be　running　at　all。〃

His　tone　betrayed　an　effort　of　self…justification；　and　his　irritation　had　been
increased　by　the　suspicion　in　Janet　of　a　certain　lack　of　the　sympathy　on　which
he　had　counted。　　She　sat　silent；　gazing　searchingly　at　his　face。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　　he　demanded。　　〃You　don't　mean　to　say　you　agree　with　that
kind　of　talk？〃

〃I　was　wondering〃　she　began。

〃What？〃

〃If　you　wereif　you　could　really　understand　those　who　are　driven　to　work　in
order　to　keep　alive？〃

〃Understand　them！　　Why　not？〃　he　asked。

〃Becausebecause　you're　on　top；　you've　always　been　successful；　you're　pretty
much　your　own　masterand　that　makes　it　different。　　I'm　not　blaming　youin
your　place　I'd　be　the　same；　I'm　sure。　　But　this　man；　Siddons；　made　me　think。
I've　lived　like　that；　you　see；　I　know　what　it　is；　in　a　way。〃

〃Not　like　these　foreigners！〃　he　protested。

〃Oh；　almost　as　bad；〃　she　cried　with　vehemence；　and　Ditmar；　stopped　suddenly　in
his　pacing　as　by　a　physical　force；　looked　at　her　with　the　startled　air　of　the
male　who　has　inadvertently　touched　off　one　of　the　many　hidden　springs　in　the
feminine　emotional　mechanism。　　〃How　do　you　know　what　it　is　to　live　in　a
squalid；　ugly　street；　in　dark　little　rooms　that　smell　of　cooking；　and　not　be
able　to　have　any　of　the　finer；　beautiful　things　in　life？　　Unless　you'd　wanted
these　things　as　I've　wanted　them；　you　couldn't　know。　　Oh；　I　can　understand　what
it　would　feel　like　to　strike；　to　wish　to　dynamite　men　like　you！〃

〃You　can！〃　he　exclaimed　in　amazement。　　〃You！〃

〃Yes；　me。　　You　don't　understand　these　people；　you　couldn't　feel　sorry　for　them
any　more　than　you　could　feel　sorry　for　me。　　You　want　them　to　run　your　mills　for
you；　you　don't　want　to　know　how　they　feel　or　how　they　live；　and　you　just　want
mefor　your　pleasure。〃

He　was　indeed　momentarily　taken　aback　by　this　taunt；　which　no　woman　in　his
experience　had　had　the　wit　and　spirit　to　fling　at　him；　but　he　was　not　the　type
of　man　to　be　shocked　by　it。　　On　the　contrary；　it　swept　away　his　irritation；　and
as　a　revelation　of　her　inner　moltenness　stirred　him　to　a　fever　heat　as　he
approached　and　stood　over　her。

〃You　littlepanther！〃　he　whispered。　　〃You　want　beautiful　things；　do　you？
Well；　I'll　give　'em　to　you。　　I'll　take　care　of　you。〃

〃Do　you　think　I　want　them　from　you？〃　she　retorted；　almost　in　tears。　　〃Do　you
think　I　want　anybody　to　take　care　of　me？　　That　shows　how　little　you　know　me。　　I
want　to　be　independent；　to　do　my　work　and　pay　for　what　I　get。〃

Janet　herself　was　far　from　comprehending　the　complexity　of　her　feelings。
Ditmar　had　not　apologized　or　feigned　an　altruism　for　which　she　would　indeed
have　despised　him。　　The　ruthlessness　of　his　laughthe　laugh　of　the　red…blooded
man　who　makes　laws　that　he　himself　may　be　lawless　shook　her　with　a　wild　appeal。
〃What　do　I　care　about　any　othersI　want　you！〃　　such　was　its　message。　　And
against　this　paradoxical　wish　to　be　conquered；　intensified　by　the　magnetic
field　of　his　passion；　battled　her　self…assertion；　her　pride；　her　innate　desire
to　be　free；　to　escape　now　from　a　domination　the　thought　of　which　filled　her
with　terror。　　She　felt　his　cheek　brushing　against　her　hair；　his　fingers
straying　along　her　arm；　for　the　moment　she　was　hideously　yet　deliciously
powerless。　　Then　the　emotion　of　terror　conqueredterror　of　the　unknownand
she　sprang　away；　dropping　her　note…book　and　running　to　the　window；　where　she
stood　swaying。

〃Janet；　you're　killing　me；〃　she　heard　him　say。　　〃For　God's　sake；　why　can't　you
trust　me？〃

She　did　not　answer；　but　gazed　out　at　the　primrose　lights　beginning　to　twinkle
fantastically　in　the　distant　mills。　　Presently　she　turned。　　Ditmar　was　in　his
chair。　　She　crossed　the　room　to　the　electric　switch；　turning　on