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！
I couldn't handle it。 If the old man was alive he wouldn't have had cold
feet。〃 Then Ditmar added； half jocularly； half seriously； looking down
on her as she sat with her note…book； waiting for him to go on with his
dictation： 〃I guess you've had your share in it； too。 You've been a
wonder； the way you've caught on and taken things off my shoulders。 If
Orcutt died I believe you could step right into his shoes。〃
〃I'm sure I could step into his shoes；〃 she replied。 〃Only I hope he
won't die。〃
〃I hope he won't； either；〃 said Ditmar。 〃And as for you〃
〃Never mind me； now；〃 she said。
He bent over her。
〃Janet； you're the greatest girl in the world。〃
Yes； she was happiest when she felt she was helping him； it gave her
confidence that she could do more； lead him into paths beyond which they
might explore together。 She was useful。 Sometimes； however； he seemed
to her oversanguine； though he had worked hard； his success had come too
easily； had been too uniform。 His temper was quick； the prospect of
opposition often made him overbearing； yet on occasions he listened with
surprising patience to his subordinates when they ventured to differ from
his opinions。 At other times Janet had seen him overrule them
ruthlessly； humiliate them。 There were days when things went wrong； when
there were delays； complications； more matters to attend to than usual。
On one such day； after the dinner hour； Mr。 Orcutt entered the office。
His long； lean face wore a certain expression Janet had come to know； an
expression that always irritated Ditmarthe conscientious superintendent
having the unfortunate faculty of exaggerating annoyances by his very
bearing。 Ditmar stopped in the midst of dictating a peculiarly difficult
letter； and looked up sharply。
〃Well；〃 he asked； 〃what's the trouble now？〃
Orcutt seemed incapable of reading storm signals。 When anything
happened； he had the air of declaring； 〃I told you so。〃
〃You may remember I spoke to you once or twice； Mr。 Ditmar； of the talk
over the fifty…four hour law that goes into effect in January。〃
〃Yes； what of it？〃 Ditmar cut in。 〃The notices have been posted； as the
law requires。〃
〃The hands have been grumbling； there are trouble makers among them。 A
delegation came to me this noon and wanted to know whether we intended to
cut the pay to correspond to the shorter working hours。〃
〃Of course it's going to be cut；〃 said Ditmar。 〃What do they suppose？
That we're going to pay 'em for work they don't do？ The hands not paid
by the piece are paid practically by the hour； not by the day。 And
there's got to be some limit to this thing。 If these damned demagogues
in the legislature keep on cutting down the hours of women and children
every three years or soand we can't run the mill without the women and
childrenwe might as well shut down right now。 Three years ago； when
they made it fifty…six hours； we were fools to keep up the pay。 I said
so then； at the conference； but they wouldn't listen to me。 They
listened this time。 Holster and one or two others croaked； but we shut
'em up。 No； they won't get any more pay； not a damned cent。〃
Orcutt had listened patiently； lugubriously。
〃I told them that。〃
〃What did they say？〃
〃They said they thought there'd be a strike。〃
〃Pooh！ Strike！〃 exclaimed Ditmar with contemptuous violence。 〃Do you
believe that？ You're always borrowing trouble； you are。 They may have a
strike at one mill； the Clarendon。 I hope they do； I hope Holster gets
it in the neckhe don't know how to run a mill anyway。 We won't have
any strike； our people understand when they're well off； they've got all
the work they can do； they're sending fortunes back to the old country or
piling them up in the banks。 It's all bluff。〃
〃There was a meeting of the English branch of the I。 W。 W。 last night。
A committee was appointed；〃 said Orcutt； who as usual took a gloomy
satisfaction in the prospect of disaster。
〃The I。 W。 W。！ My God； Orcutt； don't you know enough not to come in here
wasting my time talking about the I。 W。 W。？ Those anarchists haven't got
any organization。 Can't you get that through your head？〃
〃All right；〃 replied Orcutt； and marched off。 Janet felt rather sorry
for him； though she had to admit that his manner was exasperating。 But
Ditmar's anger； instead of cooling； increased： it all seemed directed
against the unfortunate superintendent。
〃Would you believe that a man who's been in this mill twenty…five years
could be such a fool？〃 he demanded。 〃The I。 W。 W。！ Why not the Ku Klux？
He must think I haven't anything to do but chin。 I don't know why I keep
him here； sometimes I think he'll drive me crazy。〃
His eyes seemed to have grown small and red； as was always the case when
his temper got the better of him。 Janet did not reply； but sat with her
pencil poised over her book。
〃Let's see； where was I？〃 he asked。 〃I can't finish that letter now。 Go
out and do the others。〃
Mundane experience； like a badly mixed cake； has a tendency to run in
streaks； and on the day following the incident related above Janet's
heart was heavy。 Ditmar betrayed an increased shortness of temper and
preoccupation； and the consciousness that her love had lent her a
clairvoyant power to trace the source of his humours though these were
often hidden from or unacknowledged by himselfwas in this instance
small consolation。 She saw clearly enough that the apprehensions
expressed by Mr。 Orcutt； whom he had since denounced as an idiotic old
woman； had made an impression； aroused in him the ever…abiding concern
for the mill which was his life's passion and which had been but
temporarily displaced by his infatuation with her。 That other passion
was paramount。 What was she beside it？ Would he hesitate for a moment
to sacrifice her if it came to a choice between them？ The
tempestuousness of these thoughts； when they took possession of her；
hinting as they did of possibilities in her nature hitherto unguessed and
unrevealed； astonished and frightened her； she sought to thrust them
away； to reassure herself that his concern for the successful delivery of
the Bradlaugh order was natural。 During the morning； in the intervals
between interviews with the superintendents； he was self…absorbed； and
she found herself inconsistently resenting the absence of those
expressions of endearmentthe glances and stolen caressesfor
indulgence in which she had hitherto rebuked him： and though pride came
to her rescue； fuel was added to her feeling by the fact that he did not
seem to notice her coolness。 Since he failed to appear after lunch； she
knew he must be investigating the suspicions Orcutt had voiced； but at
six o'clock； when he had not returned； she closed up her desk and left
the office。 An odour of cheap perfume pervading the corridor made her
aware of the presence of Miss Lottie Myers。
〃Oh； it's you！〃 said that young woman； looking up from the landing of the
stairs。 〃I might have known it you never make a get…away until after
six； do you？〃
〃Oh； sometimes；〃 said Janet。
〃I stayed as a special favour to…night；〃 Miss Myers declared。 〃But I'm
not so stuck on my job that I can't tear myself away from it。〃
〃I don't suppose you are；〃 said Janet。
For a moment Miss Myers looked as if she was about to be still more
impudent； but her eye met Janet's； and wavered。 They crossed the bridge
in silence。 〃Well； ta…ta；〃 she said。 〃If you like it； it's up to you。
Five o'clock for mine；〃and walked away； up the canal； swinging her hips
defiantly。 And Janet； gazing after her； grew hot with indignation and
apprehension。 Her relations with Ditmar were suspected； after all； made
the subject of the kind of comment indulged in； sotto voce； by Lottie
Myers and her friends at the luncheon hour。 She felt a mad； primitive
desire to run after the girl； to spring upon and strangle her and compel
her to speak what was in her mind and then retract it； and the motor
impulse； inhibited； caused a sensation of sickness； of unhappiness and
degradation as she turned her steps slowly homeward。 Was it a
misinterpretation； after allwhat Lottie Myers had implied and feared to
say？。。。
In Fillnore Street supper was over； and Lise； her face contorted； her
body strained； was standing in front of the bureau 〃doing〃 her hair； her
glance now seeking the mirror； now falling again to consult a model in
one of those periodicals of froth and fashion that cause such numberless
heart burnings in every quarter of our democracy； and which are filled
with photographs of 〃prominent〃 persons at race meetings； horse shows；
and resorts； and with actresses； dancers；and mannequins。 Janet's eyes
fell on the open page to perceive that the coiffure her sister so
painfully imitated was worn by a young woman with an insolent； vapid face
and hard eyes； whose knees were crossed； revealing considerably more than
an ankle。 The picture was labelled； 〃A dance at Palm BeachA flashlight
of Mrs。 'Trudy' Gascoigne…Schell；〃one of those mysterious； hybrid names
which； in connection with the thoughts of New York and the visible rakish
image of the lady herself； cause involuntary shudders down the