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！
her covertly； astonished at the emotional effect in her their tour had
produced。 Though not of an inflammable temperament； he himself was stirred；
and it was she who； unaccountably； had stirred him： suggested； in these
processes he saw every day； and in which he was indeed interested； something
deeper； more significant and human than he had guessed； and which he was unable
to define。。。。
Janet herself did not know why this intimate view of the mills； of the people
who worked in them had so greatly moved her。 All day she thought of them。 And
the distant throb of the machinery she felt when her typewriter was silent
meant something to her nowshe could not say what。 When she found herself
listening for it； her heart beat faster。 She had lived and worked beside it；
and it had not existed for her； it had had no meaning； the mills might have
been empty。 She had； indeed； many； many times seen these men and women； boys
and girls trooping away from work； she had strolled through the quarters in
which they lived； speculated on the lands from which they had come； but she had
never really thought of them as human beings； individuals； with problems and
joys and sorrows and hopes and fears like her own。 Some such discovery was
borne in upon her。 And always an essential function of this revelation；
looming larger than ever in her consciousness； was Ditmar。 It was for Ditmar
they toiled； in Ditmar's hands were their very existences； his was the
stupendous responsibility and power。
As the afternoon wore； desire to see these toilers once more took possession of
her。 From the white cupola perched above the huge mass of the Clarendon Mill
across the water sounded the single stroke of a bell； and suddenly the air was
pulsing with sounds flung back and forth by the walls lining the river。
Seizing her hat and coat； she ran down the stairs and through the vestibule and
along the track by the canal to the great gates； which her father was in the
act of unbarring。 She took a stand beside him； by the gatehouse。 Edward
showed a mild surprise。
〃There ain't anything troubling youis there； Janet？〃 he asked。
She shook her head。
〃I wanted to see the hands come out；〃 she said。
Sometimes； as at present； he found Janet's whims unaccountable。
〃Well； I should have presumed you'd know what they look like by this time。
You'd better stay right close to me； they're a rough lot； with no respect or
consideration for decent folksthese foreigners。 I never could see why the
government lets 'em all come over here。〃 He put on the word 〃foreigners〃 an
emphasis of contempt and indignation； pathetic because of its peculiar note of
futility。 Janet paid no attention to him。 Her ears were strained to catch the
rumble of feet descending the tower stairs； her eyes to see the vanguard as it
came from the doorwaythe first tricklings of a flood that instantly filled
the yard and swept onward and outward； irresistibly； through the narrow gorge
of the gates。 Impossible to realize this as the force which； when distributed
over the great spaces of the mills； performed an orderly and useful task！ for
it was now a turbid and lawless torrent unconscious of its swollen powers；
menacing； breathlessly exciting to behold。 It seemed to Janet indeed a torrent
as she clung to the side of the gatehouse as one might cling to the steep bank
of a mountain brook after a cloud…burst。 And suddenly she had plunged into it。
The desire was absurd； perhaps； but not to be denied；the desire to mix with
it； feel it； be submerged and swept away by it； losing all sense of identity。
She heard her father call after her； faintlythe thought crossed her mind that
his appeals were always faint；and then she was being carried along the canal；
eastward； the pressure relaxing somewhat when the draining of the side streets
began。
She remembered； oddly； the Stanley Street bridge where the many streams met and
mingled； streams from the Arundel； the Patuxent； the Arlington and the
Clarendon； and； eager to prolong and intensify her sensations； hurried thither；
reaching it at last and thrusting her way outward until she had gained the
middle； where she stood grasping the rail。 The great structure was a…tremble
from the assault； its footpaths and its roadway overrun with workers； dodging
between trolleys and trucks；some darting nimbly； dinner pails in hand； along
the steel girders。 Doffer boys romped and whistled； young girls in jaunty；
Faber Street clothes and flowered hats； linked to one another for protection；
chewed gum and joked； but for the most part these workers were silent； the
apathy of their faces making a strange contrast with the hurry； hurry of their
feet and set intentness of their bodies as they sped homeward to the tenements。
And the clothes of these were drab； save when the occasional colour of a hooded
peasant's shawl； like the slightly faded tints of an old master； lit up a group
of women。 Here； going home to their children； were Italian mothers bred
through centuries to endurance and patience； sallow Jewesses； gaunt； bearded
Jews with shadowy； half…closed eyes and wrinkled brows； broad…faced
Lithuanians； flat…headed Russians； swarthy Italian men and pale； blond Germans
mingled with muddy Syrians and nondescript Canadians。 And suddenly the bridge
was empty； the army vanished as swiftly as it came！
Janet turned。 Through the haze of smoke she saw the sun drop like a ball of
fire cooled to redness； whose course is spent。 The delicate lines of the upper
bridge were drawn in sepia against crimson…gilt； for an instant the cupola of
the Clarendon became jasper； and far； far above floated in the azure a cloud of
pink jeweller's cotton。 Even as she strove to fix these colours in her mind
they vanished； the western sky faded to magenta； to purple…mauve； the corridor
of the river darkened； on either side pale lights sparkled from the windows of
the mills； while down the deepened blue of the waters came floating iridescent
suds from the washing of the wools。 It was given to her to know that which an
artist of living memory has called the incommunicable thrill of things。。。。
CHAPTER VIII
The after…effects of this experience of Janet's were not what ordinarily are
called 〃spiritual；〃 though we may some day arrive at a saner meaning of the
term； include within it the impulses and needs of the entire organism。 It left
her with a renewed sense of energy and restlessness； brought her nearer to high
discoveries of mysterious joys which a voice out of the past called upon her to
forego； a voice somehow identified with her father！ It was faint； ineffectual。
In obeying it； would she not lose all life had to give？ When she came in to
supper her father was concerned about her because； instead of walking home with
him she had left him without explanation to plunge into the crowd of workers。
Her evident state of excitement had worried him； her caprice was beyond his
comprehension。 And how could she explain the motives that led to it？ She was
sure he had never felt like that； and as she evaded his questions the something
within her demanding life and expression grew stronger and more rebellious；
more contemptuous of the fear…precepts congenial to a nature timorous and less
vitalized。
After supper； unable to sit still； she went out； and； filled with the spirit of
adventure； hurried toward Faber Street； which was already thronging with
people。 It was bright here and gay； the shops glittered； and she wandered from
window to window until she found herself staring at a suit of blue cloth hung
on a form； beneath which was a card that read； 〃Marked down to 20。〃 And
suddenly the suggestion flashed into her mind； why shouldn't she buy it？ She
had the money； she needed a new suit for the winter； the one she possessed was
getting shabby。。。but behind the excuse of necessity was the real reason
triumphantly proclaiming itselfshe would look pretty in it； she would be
transformed； she would be buying a new character to which she would have to
live up。 The old Janet would be cast off with the old raiment； the new suit
would announce to herself and to the world a Janet in whom were released all
those longings hitherto disguised and suppressed； and now become insupportable！
This was what the purchase meant； a change of existence as complete as that
between the moth and the butterfly； and the realization of this fact； of the
audacity she was resolved to commit made her hot as she gazed at the suit。 It
was modest enough； yet it had a certain distinction of cut； it looked
expensive： twenty dollars was not cheap； to be sure； but as the placard
announced； it had the air of being much more costlyeven more costly than
thirty dollars； which seemed fabulous。 Though she strove to remain outwardly
calm； her heart beat rapidly as she entered the store and asked for the
costume； and was somewhat reassured by the comportment of the saleswoman； who
did not appear to think the request preposterous； to regard her as a
spendthrift and a profligate。 She took down the suit from the form and led
Janet to a cabinet in the back of the shop； where it was tried on。
〃It's worth every bit of thirty doll