the dwelling place of ligh-第35节

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any　crisis　likely　to　confront　her　in　life：　she　had　felt　instinctively
from　the　first　that　the　friendship　was　not　founded　on；　mental　harmony；
and　now　it　was　brought　home　to　her　that　Eda's　solution　could　never　be
hers。　　Eda　would　have　been　thrilled　on　learning　of　Ditmar's　attentions；
would　have　advocated　the　adoption　of　a　campaign　leading　up　to　matrimony。
In　matrimony；　for　Eda；　the　soul　was　safe。　　Eda　would　have　been　horrified
that　Janet　should　have　dallied　with　any　other　relationship；　God　would
punish　her。　　Janet；　in　her　conflict　between　alternate　longing　and
repugnance；　was　not　concerned　with　the　laws　and　retributions　of　God。　　She
felt；　indeed；　the　need　of　counsel；　and　knew　not　where　to　turn　for　it；
the　modern　need　for　other　than　supernatural　sanctions。　　She　did　not
resist　her　desire　for　Ditmar　because　she　believed；　in　the　orthodox　sense；
that　it　was　wrong；　but　because　it　involved　a　loss　of　self…respect；　a
surrender　of　the　personality　from　the　very　contemplation　of　which　she
shrank。　　She　was　a　true　daughter　of　her　time。

On　Friday　afternoon；　shortly　after　Ditmar　had　begun　to　dictate　his
correspondence；　Mr。　Holster；　the　agent　of　the　Clarendon　Mill；　arrived　and
interrupted　him。　　Janet　had　taken　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　file
away　some　answered　letters　when　her　attention　was　distracted　from　her
work　by　the　conversation；　which　had　gradually　grown　louder。　　The　two　men
were　standing　by　the　window；　facing　one　another；　in　an　attitude　that
struck　her　as　dramatic。　　Both　were　vital　figures；　dominant　types　which
had　survived　and　prevailed　in　that　upper　world　of　unrelenting　struggle
for　supremacy　into　which；　through　her　relation　to　Ditmar；　she　had　been
projected；　and　the　significance　of　which　she　had　now　begun　to　realize。
She　surveyed　Holster　critically。　　He　was　short；　heavily　built；　with　an
almost　grotesque　width　of　shoulder；　a　muddy　complexion；　thick　lips；　and
kinky；　greasy　black　hair　that　glistened　in　the　sun。　　His　nasal　voice　was
complaining；　yet　distinctly　aggressive；　and　he　emphasized　his　words　by
gestures。　　The　veins　stood　out　on　his　forehead。　　She　wondered　what　his
history　had　been。　　She　compared　him　to　Ditmar；　on　whose　dust…grey　face
she　was　quick　to　detect　a　look　she　had　seen　beforea　contraction　of　the
eyes；　a　tightening　of　the　muscles　of　the　jaw。　　That　look；　and　the
peculiarly　set　attitude　of　the　body　accompanying　it；　aroused　in　her　a
responsive　sense　of　championship。

〃All　right；　Ditmar；〃　she　heard　the　other　exclaim。　　〃I　tell　you　again
you'll　never　be　able　to　pull　it　off。〃

Ditmar's　laugh　was　short；　defiant。

〃Why　not？〃　he　asked。

〃Why　not！　　Because　the　fifty…four　hour　law　goes　into　effect　in　January。〃

〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　it？〃　Ditmar　demanded。

〃You'll　seeyou'll　remember　what　I　told　you　fellows　at　the　conference
after　that　bill　went　through　and　that　damned　demagogue　of　a　governor
insisted　on　signing　it。　　I　said；　if　we　tried　to　cut　wages　down　to　a
fifty…four　hour　basis　we'd　have　a　strike　on　our　hands　in　every　mill　in
Hampton；didn't　I？　　I　said　it　would　cost　us　millions　of　dollars；　and
make　all　the　other　strikes　we've　had　here　look　like　fifty　cents。　　Didn't
I　say　that？　　Hammond；　our　president；　backed　me　up；　and　Rogers　of　the　wool
people。　　You　remember？　　You　were　the　man　who　stood　out　against　it；　and
they　listened　to　you；　they　voted　to　cut　down　the　pay　and　say　nothing
about　it。　　Wait　until　those　first　pay　envelopes　are　opened　after　that　law
goes　into　effect。　　You'll　see　what'll　happen！　　You'll　never　be　able　to
fill　that　Bradlaugh　order　in　God's　world。〃

〃Oh　hell；〃　retorted　Ditmar；　contemptuously。　　〃You're　always　for　lying
down；　Holster。　　Why　don't　you　hand　over　your　mill　to　the　unions　and　go　to
work　on　a　farm？　　You　might　as　well；　if　you're　going　to　let　the　unions　run
the　state。　　Why　not　have　socialism　right　now；　and　cut　out　the　agony？
When　they　got　the　politicians　to　make　the　last　cut　from　fifty…six　to
fifty…four　and　we　kept　on　payin'　'em　for　fifty…six；　against　my　advice；
what　happened？　　Did　they　thank　us？　　I　guess　not。　　Were　they　contented？
Not　on　your　life。　　They　went　right　on　agitating；　throwing　scares　into　the
party　conventions　and　into　the　House　and　Senate　Committees；and　now　it's
fifty…four　hours。　　It'll　be　fifty　in　a　couple　of　years；　and　then　we'll
have　to　scrap　our　machinery　and　turn　over　the　trade　to　the　South　and
donate　our　mills　to　the　state　for　insane　asylums。〃

〃No；　if　we　handle　this　thing　right；　we'll　have　the　public　on　our　side。
They're　getting　sick　of　the　unions　now。〃

Ditmar　went　to　the　desk　for　a　cigar；　bit　it　off；　and　lighted　it。

〃The　public！〃　he　exclaimed　contemptuously。　　〃A　whole　lot　of　good　they'll
do　us。〃

Holster　approached　him；　menacingly；　until　the　two　men　stood　almost
touching；　and　for　a　moment　it　seemed　to　Janet　as　if　the　agent　of　the
Clarendon　were　ready　to　strike　Ditmar。　　She　held　her　breath；　her　blood
ran　faster；the　conflict　between　these　two　made　an　elemental　appeal。

〃All　rightremember　what　I　saywait　and　see　where　you　come　out　with
that　order。〃　　Holster's　voice　trembled　with　anger。　　He　hesitated；　and
left　the　office　abruptly。　　Ditmar　stood　gazing　after　him　for　a　moment　and
then；　taking　his　cigar　from　his　mouth；　turned　and　smiled　at　Janet　and
seated　himself　in　his　chair。　　His　eyes；　still　narrowed；　had　in　them　a
gleam　of　triumph　that　thrilled　her。　　Combat　seemed　to　stimulate　and
energize　him。

〃He　thought　he　could　bluff　me　into　splitting　that　Bradlaugh　order　with
the　Clarendon；〃　Ditmar　exclaimed。　　〃Well；　he'll　have　to　guess　again。
I've　got　his　number。〃　　He　began　to　turn　over　his　letters。　　〃Let's　see；
where　were　we？　　Tell　Caldwell　not　to　let　in　any　more　idiots；　and　shut　the
door。〃

Janet　obeyed；　and　when　she　returned　Ditmar　was　making　notes　with　a　pencil
on　a　pad。　　The　conversation　with　Holter　had　given　her　a　new　idea　of
Ditmar's　daring　in　attempting　to　fill　the　Bradlaugh　order　with　the
Chippering　Mills　alone；　had　aroused　in　her　more　strongly　than　ever　that
hot　loyalty　to　the　mills　with　which　he　had　inspired　her；　and　that　strange
surge　of　sympathy；　of　fellow…feeling　for　the　operatives　she　had
experienced　after　the　interview　with　Mr。　Siddons；　of　rebellion　against
him；　the　conviction　that　she　also　was　one　of　the　slaves　he　exploited；　had
wholly　disappeared。　　Ditmar　was　the　Chippering　Mills；　and　she；　somehow；
enlisted　once　again　on　his　side。

〃By　the　way；〃　he　said　abruptly；　〃you　won't　mention　thisI　know。〃

〃Won't　mention　what？〃　she　asked。

〃This　matter　about　the　pay　envelopesthat　we　don't　intend　to　continue
giving　the　operatives　fifty…six　hours'　pay　for　fifty…four　when　this　law
goes　into　effect。　　They're　like　animals；　most　of　'em；　they　don't　reason；
and　it　might　make　trouble　if　it　got　out　now。　　You　understand。　　They'd
have　time　to　brood　over　it；　to　get　the　agitators　started。　　When　the　time
comes　they　may　kick　a　little；　but　they'll　quiet　down。　　And　it'll　teach
'em　a　lesson。〃

〃I　never　mention　anything　I　hear　in　this　office；〃　she　told　him。

〃I　know　you　don't；〃　he　assured　her；　apologetically。　　〃I　oughtn't　to　have
said　thatit　was　only　to　put　you　on　your　guard；　in　case　you　heard　it
spoken　of。　　You　see　how　important　it　is；　how　much　trouble　an　agitator
might　make　by　getting　them　stirred　up？　　You　can　see　what　it　means　to　me；
with　this　order　on　my　hands。　　I've　staked　everything　on　it。〃

〃Butwhen　the　law　goes　into　effect？　when　the　operatives　find　out　that
they　are　not　receiving　their　full　wagesas　Mr。　Holster　said？〃　Janet
inquired。

〃Why；　they　may　grumble　a　littlebut　I'll　be　on　the　lookout　for　any　move。
I'll　see　to　that。　　I'll　teach　'em　a　lesson　as　to　how　far　they　can　push
this　business　of　shorter　hours　and　equal　pay。　　It's　the　unskilled　workers
who　are　mostly　affected；　you　understand；　and　they're　not　organized。　　If
we　can　keep　out　the　agitators；　we're　all　right。　　Even　then；　I'll　show　'em
they　can't　come　in　here　and　exploit　my　operatives。〃

In　the　mood　in　which　she　found　herself　his　self…confidence；　his
aggressiveness　continued　to　inspire　and　even　to　agitate　her；　to　compel
her　to　accept　his　point　of　view。

〃Why；〃　he　continued；　〃I　trust　you　as　I　never　trusted　anybody　else。　　I've
told　you　that　before。　　Ever　since　you've　been　here　you've　made　life　a
different　thing　for　mejust　by　your　being　here。　　I　don't　know　what　I'd
do　without　you。　　You've　got　so　much　sense　about　thingsabout　people；
and　I　sometimes　think　you've　got　almost　the　same　feeling　about　these
mills　that　I　have。　　You　didn't　tell　me　you　went　through　the　mills　with
Caldwell　the　other　day；〃　he　added；　accusingly。

〃II　forgot；〃　said　Janet。　　〃Why　should　I　tellyou？〃　　She　knew　that　all
thought　of　Holster　had　already　slipped　from　his　mind。　　She　did　not　look
up。　　〃If　you're　not　going　to　finish　your　letters；〃　she　said；　a　little
faintly；　〃I've　got　some　copying　to　do。〃

〃You're　a　deep　one；〃　he　said。　　And　as　he　turned　to　the　pile　of
correspondence　she　heard　him　sigh。　　He　began　to　dictate。　　She　took　down
his　sentences　automatically；　scarcely　knowing　what　she　was　writing；　he
was　making　love　to　her　as　intensely　as　though　his　words　had　been　the
absolute　expression　of　his　desire　instead　of　the　commonplace　mediums　of
commercial　intercourse。　　Presently　he　stopped　and　began　fumbling　in　one
of　the　drawers　of　his　desk。