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around him with the leonine stare of the conqueror； and a hush came over
the hall as he arose。 His speech was taken down verbatim； to be
submitted to the sharpest of legal eyes； when was discovered the
possession of a powerrare among agitatorsto pour forth in torrents
apparently unpremeditated appeals； to skirt the border of sedition and
never transgress it； to weigh his phrases before he gave them birth； and
to remember them。 If he said an incendiary thing one moment he qualified
it the next； he justified violence only to deprecate it； and months
later； when on trial for his life and certain remarks were quoted against
him； he confounded his prosecutors by demanding the contexts。 Skilfully；
always within the limits of their intelligence； he outlined to his
hearers his philosophy and proclaimed it as that of the world's
oppressed。 Their cause was histhe cause of human progress； he
universalized； it。 The world belonged to the 〃producer；〃 if only he had
the courage to take possession of his own。。。。
Suddenly the inspirer was transformed into the man of affairs who calmly
proposed the organization of a strike committee； three members of which
were to be chosen by each nationality。 And the resolution； translated
into many tongues； was adopted amidst an uproar of enthusiasm。 Until
that moment the revolt had been personal； local； founded on a particular
grievance which had to do with wages and the material struggle for
existence。 Now all was changed； now they were convinced that the
deprivation and suffering to which they had pledged themselves were not
for selfish ends alone； but also vicarious； dedicated to the liberation
of all the downtrodden of the earth。 Antonelli became a saviour； they
reached out to touch him as he passed； they trooped into the snowy
street； young men and old； and girls； and women holding children in their
arms； their faces alight with something never known or felt before。
Such was Antonelli to the strikers。 But to those staid residents of
Hampton who had thought themselves still to be living in the old New
England tradition； he was the genius of an evil dream。 Hard on his heels
came a nightmare troop； whose coming brought to the remembrance of the
imaginative the old nursery rhyme：
〃Hark！ Hark！ The dogs do bark； The beggars are come to town。〃
It has； indeed； a knell…like ring。 Do philosophies tend also to cast
those who adopt them into a mould？ These were of the self…same breed；
indubitably the followers of Antonelli。 The men wore their hair long；
affected； like their leader； soft felt hats and loose black ties that
fell over the lapels of their coats。 Loose morals and loose ties！ The
projection of these against a Puritan background ties symbolical of
everything the Anglo…Saxon shudders at and abhors； of anarchy and mob
rule； of bohemia and vagabondia； of sedition and murder； of Latin
revolutions and reigns of terror； of sex irregularitynot of the
clandestine sort to be found in decent communitiesbut of free love that
flaunts itself in the face of an outraged public。 For there were women
in the band。 All this； and more； the invaders suggestedatheism；
unfamiliarity with soap and water； and； more vaguely； an exotic poetry
and art that to the virile of American descent is saturated with
something indefinable yet abhorrent。 Such things are felt。 Few of the
older citizens of Hampton were able to explain why something rose in
their gorges； why they experienced a new and clammy quality of fear and
repulsion when； on the day following Antonelli's advent； these strangers
arrived from nowhere to install themselveswith no baggage to speak of
in Hampton's more modest but hitherto respectable hostelries。 And no
sooner had the city been rudely awakened to the perilous presence； in
overwhelming numbers； of ignorant and inflammable foreigners than these
turned up and presumed to lead the revolt； to make capital out of it； to
interpret it in terms of an exotic and degenerate creed。 Hampton would
take care of itselfor else the sovereign state within whose borders it
was would take care of it。 And his Honour the Mayor； who had proclamed
his faith in the reasonableness of the strikers； who had scorned the
suggestions of indignant inhabitants that the Governor be asked for
soldiers； twenty…four hours too late arranged for the assembly of three
companies of local militia in the armory； and swore in a hundred extra
police。
The hideous stillness of Fillmore Street was driving Janet mad。 What she
burned to do was to go to Boston and take a train for somewhere in the
West； to lose herself； never to see Hampton again。 Butthere was her
mother。 She could not leave Hannah in these empty rooms； alone； and
Edward was to remain at the mill； to eat and sleep there； until the
danger of the strike had passed。 A messenger had come to fetch his
clothes。 After leaving Ditmar in the office of the mill； Janet crept up
the dark stairs to the flat and halted in the hallway。 Through the open
doorway of the dining…room she saw Hannah seated on the horsehair sofa
for the first time within memory idle at this hour of the day。 Nothing
else could have brought home to her like this the sheer tragedy of their
plight。 Until then Janet had been sustained by anger and excitement； by
physical action。 She thought Hannah was staring at her； after a moment
it seemed that the widened pupils were fixed in fascination on something
beyond； on the Thing that had come to dwell here with them forever。
Janet entered the room。 She sat down on the sofa and took her mother's
hand in hers。 And Hannah submitted passively。 Janet could not speak。 A
minute might have passed； and the silence； which neither had broken；
acquired an intensity that to Janet became unbearable。 Never had the
room been so still！ Her glance； raised instinctively to the face of the
picture…clock； saw the hands pointing to ten。 Every Monday morning； as
far back as she could recall； her father had wound it before going to
workand to…day he had forgotten。 Getting up； she opened the glass
door； and stood trying to estimate the hour： it must be； she thought；
about six。 She set the hands； took the key from the nail above the
shelf； wound up the weight； and started the pendulum。 And the sound of
familiar ticking was a relief； releasing at last her inhibited powers of
speech。
〃Mother；〃 she said； 〃I'll get some supper for you。〃
On Hannah； these simple words had a seemingly magical effect。 Habit
reasserted itself。 She started； and rose almost briskly。
〃No you won't；〃 she said； 〃I'll get it。 I'd ought to have thought of it
before。 You must be tired and hungry。〃
Her voice was odd and thin。 Janet hesitated a moment； and ceded。
〃Well； I'll set the dishes on the table； anyway。〃
Janet had sought refuge； wistfully； in the commonplace。 And when the
meal was ready she strove to eat； though food had become repulsive。
〃You must take something； mother；〃 she said。
〃I don't feel as if I ever wanted to eat anything again；〃 she replied。
〃I know；〃 said Janet； 〃but you've got to。〃 And she put some of the cold
meat； left over from Sunday's dinner； on Hannah's plate。 Hannah took up
a fork； and laid it down again。 Suddenly she said：
〃You saw Lise？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Janet。
〃Where is she？〃
〃In a housein Boston。〃
〃One ofthose houses？〃
〃II don't know；〃 said Janet。 〃I think so。〃
〃You went there？〃
〃Mr。 Tiernan went with me。〃
〃She wouldn't come home？〃
〃Notnot just now； mother。〃
〃You left her there； in that place？ You didn't make her come home？〃
The sudden vehemence of this question； the shrill note of reproach in
Hannah's voice that revealed； even more than the terrible inertia from
which she had emerged； the extent of her suffering； for the instant left
Janet utterly dismayed。 〃Oh mother！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I triedII
couldn't。〃
Hannah pushed back her chair。
〃I'll go to her； I'll make her come。 She's disgraced us； but I'll make
her。 Where is she？ Where is the house？〃
Janet； terrified； seized her mother's arm。 Then she said：
〃Lise isn't there any moreshe's gone away。〃
〃Away and you let her go away？ You let your sister go away and be aa
woman of the town？ You never loved heryou never had any pity for her。〃
Tears sprang into Janet's eyestears of pity mingled with anger。 The
situation had grown intolerable！ Yet how could she tell Hannah where
Lise was！
〃You haven't any right to say that； mother！〃 she cried。 〃I did my best。
She wouldn't come。 II can't tell you where she's gone； but she
promised to write； to send me her address。〃
〃Lise〃 Hannah's cry seemed like the uncomprehending whimper of a stricken
child； and then a hidden cadence made itself felt； a cadence revealing to
Janet with an eloquence never before achieved the mystery of mother love；
and by some magic of tone was evoked a new image of Liseof Lise as she
must be to Hannah。 No waywardness； no degradation or disgrace could
efface it。 The infant whom Hannah had clutched to her breast； the woman；
her sister； whom Janet had seen that day were oneimmutably one。 This；
then； was what it meant to be a mother！ All the years of deadening