in the cage-第1节
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In the Cage
by Henry James
CHAPTER I
It had occurred to her early that in her positionthat of a young
person spending； in framed and wired confinement； the life of a
guinea…pig or a magpieshe should know a great many persons
without their recognising the acquaintance。 That made it an
emotion the more livelythough singularly rare and always； even
then； with opportunity still very much smotheredto see any one
come in whom she knew outside； as she called it； any one who could
add anything to the meanness of her function。 Her function was to
sit there with two young menthe other telegraphist and the
counter…clerk； to mind the 〃sounder；〃 which was always going； to
dole out stamps and postal…orders； weigh letters； answer stupid
questions； give difficult change and； more than anything else；
count words as numberless as the sands of the sea； the words of the
telegrams thrust； from morning to night； through the gap left in
the high lattice； across the encumbered shelf that her forearm
ached with rubbing。 This transparent screen fenced out or fenced
in； according to the side of the narrow counter on which the human
lot was cast； the duskiest corner of a shop pervaded not a little；
in winter； by the poison of perpetual gas； and at all times by the
presence of hams； cheese； dried fish； soap； varnish； paraffin and
other solids and fluids that she came to know perfectly by their
smells without consenting to know them by their names。
The barrier that divided the little post…and…telegraph…office from
the grocery was a frail structure of wood and wire； but the social；
the professional separation was a gulf that fortune； by a stroke
quite remarkable； had spared her the necessity of contributing at
all publicly to bridge。 When Mr。 Cocker's young men stepped over
from behind the other counter to change a five…pound noteand Mr。
Cocker's situation； with the cream of the 〃Court Guide〃 and the
dearest furnished apartments； Simpkin's； Ladle's； Thrupp's； just
round the corner； was so select that his place was quite pervaded
by the crisp rustle of these emblemsshe pushed out the sovereigns
as if the applicant were no more to her than one of the momentary；
the practically featureless； appearances in the great procession；
and this perhaps all the more from the very fact of the connexion
（only recognised outside indeed） to which she had lent herself with
ridiculous inconsequence。 She recognised the others the less
because she had at last so unreservedly； so irredeemably；
recognised Mr。 Mudge。 However that might be； she was a little
ashamed of having to admit to herself that Mr。 Mudge's removal to a
higher sphereto a more commanding position； that is； though to a
much lower neighbourhoodwould have been described still better as
a luxury than as the mere simplification； the corrected
awkwardness； that she contented herself with calling it。 He had at
any rate ceased to be all day long in her eyes； and this left
something a little fresh for them to rest on of a Sunday。 During
the three months of his happy survival at Cocker's after her
consent to their engagement she had often asked herself what it was
marriage would be able to add to a familiarity that seemed already
to have scraped the platter so clean。 Opposite there； behind the
counter of which his superior stature； his whiter apron； his more
clustering curls and more present； too present； H's had been for a
couple of years the principal ornament； he had moved to and fro
before her as on the small sanded floor of their contracted future。
She was conscious now of the improvement of not having to take her
present and her future at once。 They were about as much as she
could manage when taken separate。
She had； none the less； to give her mind steadily to what Mr。 Mudge
had again written her about； the idea of her applying for a
transfer to an office quite similarshe couldn't yet hope for a
place in a biggerunder the very roof where he was foreman； so
that； dangled before her every minute of the day； he should see
her； as he called it； 〃hourly；〃 and in a part； the far N。W。
district； where； with her mother； she would save on their two rooms
alone nearly three shillings。 It would be far from dazzling to
exchange Mayfair for Chalk Farm； and it wore upon her much that he
could never drop a subject； still； it didn't wear as things HAD
worn； the worries of the early times of their great misery； her
own； her mother's and her elder sister'sthe last of whom had
succumbed to all but absolute want when； as conscious and
incredulous ladies； suddenly bereft； betrayed； overwhelmed； they
had slipped faster and faster down the steep slope at the bottom of
which she alone had rebounded。 Her mother had never rebounded any
more at the bottom than on the way； had only rumbled and grumbled
down and down； making； in respect of caps； topics and 〃habits；〃 no
effort whateverwhich simply meant smelling much of the time of
whiskey。
CHAPTER II
It was always rather quiet at Cocker's while the contingent from
Ladle's and Thrupp's and all the other great places were at
luncheon； or； as the young men used vulgarly to say； while the
animals were feeding。 She had forty minutes in advance of this to
go home for her own dinner； and when she came back and one of the
young men took his turn there was often half an hour during which
she could pull out a bit of work or a booka book from the place
where she borrowed novels； very greasy； in fine print and all about
fine folks； at a ha'penny a day。 This sacred pause was one of the
numerous ways in which the establishment kept its finger on the
pulse of fashion and fell into the rhythm of the larger life。 It
had something to do； one day； with the particular flare of
importance of an arriving customer； a lady whose meals were
apparently irregular； yet whom she was destined； she afterwards
found； not to forget。 The girl was blasee； nothing could belong
more； as she perfectly knew； to the intense publicity of her
profession； but she had a whimsical mind and wonderful nerves； she
was subject； in short； to sudden flickers of antipathy and
sympathy； red gleams in the grey； fitful needs to notice and to
〃care；〃 odd caprices of curiosity。 She had a friend who had
invented a new career for womenthat of being in and out of
people's houses to look after the flowers。 Mrs。 Jordan had a
manner of her own of sounding this allusion； 〃the flowers；〃 on her
lips； were； in fantastic places； in happy homes； as usual as the
coals or the daily papers。 She took charge of them； at any rate；
in all the rooms； at so much a month； and people were quickly
finding out what it was to make over this strange burden of the
pampered to the widow of a clergyman。 The widow； on her side；
dilating on the initiations thus opened up to her； had been
splendid to her young friend； over the way she was made free of the
greatest housesthe way； especially when she did the dinner…
tables； set out so often for twenty； she felt that a single step
more would transform her whole social position。 On its being asked
of her then if she circulated only in a sort of tropical solitude；
with the upper servants for picturesque natives； and on her having
to assent to this glance at her limitations； she had found a reply
to the girl's invidious question。 〃You've no imagination； my
dear！〃that was because a door more than half open to the higher
life couldn't be called anything but a thin partition。 Mrs。
Jordan's imagination quite did away with the thickness。
Our young lady had not taken up the charge； had dealt with it good…
humouredly； just because she knew so well what to think of it。 It
was at once one of her most cherished complaints and most secret
supports that people didn't understand her； and it was accordingly
a matter of indifference to her that Mrs。 Jordan shouldn't； even
though Mrs。 Jordan； handed down from their early twilight of
gentility and also the victim of reverses； was the only member of
her circle in whom she recognised an equal。 She was perfectly
aware that her imaginative life was the life in which she spent
most of her time； and she would have been ready； had it been at all
worth while； to contend that； since her outward occupation didn't
kill it； it must be strong indeed。 Combinations of flowers and
green…stuff； forsooth！ What SHE could handle freely； she said to
herself； was combinations of men and women。 The only weakness in
her faculty came from the positive abundance of her contact with
the human herd； this was so constant； it had so the effect of
cheapening her privilege； that there were long stretches in which
inspiration； divination and interest quite dropped。 The great
thing was the flashes； the quick revivals； absolute accidents all；
and neither to be counted on nor to be resisted。 Some one had only
sometimes to put in
